The Nova Ranker - The Sword Almighty

Chapter 22. You were Supposed to be My Friend!

Carmen was already running at me before I could get out a snippy comment. She swung both blades at me. I parried the strike and sparks flew from the point the swords met. I looked into her eyes in that short moment. There was no malice, or anger in them. All I could glean from the wild look was joy. The joy of a good fight, a wide smile of elation curving her lips as she attacked me.

It was all I could do to defend myself and Carmen's swings were too quick for me to do so effectively. Magic would've been a useful counter but I couldn't use it. Any time I tried to invoke fire I just summoned a puttering gust of cold air. All this time I had thought my fight against her in Dawn Home was the most intense battle I'd be faced with. This was on another level. Even the openings I saw were impossible to exploit due to the sheer speed of her attacks. Unpredictable swings. Overhead, underhand, sideways. I couldn't get a read on any pattern because she changed her strategies so often.

Soon I had backed up into the edge of the roof, and that gave me an idea. The roof had a railing all around it. Maybe if I couldn't make an opening, I could force Carmen to make one for me. Carmen raised both her swords, and swung them down. I stepped out of the way and just as I expected, the swords collided against the railing, and Carmen winced, her hands hanging slightly tilted down. The impact must've hurt her wrists. I took the chance and stepped in. I caught her blade with the guard of my own sword and pulled, wrenching the sword out of her hand.

For a millisecond, I thought this would make my life easier, but it just seemed to make her swings more intense. To come back to an earlier metaphor, it felt like we were two dancers moving to the beat of two completely different dances. Carmen's movements were quick and graceful, like a frenzied Tango. Meanwhile I was moving slowly, using less fancy footwork, like a Waltz. I was getting overwhelmed something fierce. I didn't know what else to do but to try and match the intensity from Carmen's insane attacks, trying to get myself away from the defensive and force an offense.

Things seemed to get better for a moment. Carmen was taken aback by the fact I was attacking her, and blocked my strikes, grunting in discomfort. Maybe her wrist was still in pain. But it gave me a much needed moment of relief. Eventually I caught her remaining sword in the crossguard of my own, and flung my arm back, throwing her blade away. She fell on her knees, her hands raised above her head.

I was ready for my questions. To know why she had done this. But as I got ready to ask, and relaxed myself, a blast of fire came out of Carmen's hands, throwing me away from her. Within moments, Carmen's swords flew back into her hands and she swung down at me. Time seemed to slow down as I threw my sword forward in a sloppy attempt to block.

My sword was caught between both of her's. Blades collided loudly. A clanging of metal rang out through the air, before an explosion of flame came out of my sword and threw me back across the ceiling of the warehouse. When I opened my eyes, Carmen was standing in front of me, her swords pointed at my face barely inches away from me, tears in her eyes. I looked at my hand. I was holding the grip of a sword in my hand. But there was no sword there. Only about an inch of a sharpened blade was sticking out. The rest of my sword was hanging from Carmen's belt.

Carmen straightened herself and put her blades away. "... I... I have no reason to kill you." She reached down and gently stroked my face with the back of her hand. "... My mother has been sending forces from Summer Wolf. As many men as it's needed to take down Dawn Bringer. Mother seems to be looking for a relic."

I looked in silent shock at Carmen's face. Behind the wound I had left across her face, she had a look of sadness and regret. I was so angry. I wanted to hate her. I wanted to look into the eyes of a villain who had just wronged me. But I couldn't. All I could see was that scared 13 year old from Carmen's memories. All I could see was a friend. Scared of the consequences of her actions. Tired from a fight. Hopeful she could fix her mistakes.