Yelena gasped as she took a few steps back. “Wait a minute… Eustis, you don’t mean that…”
“Stay away from her!” Setsuna screamed.
Eustis approached Yelena and rose the tip of his sword within an inch of her face. “Someone is going to die in this room. You, me, or Yelena; the choice is yours Setsuna. I suggest you grab your weapon.”
“…Alright. I’ll fight.”
Setsuna picked up her kodachi and faced Eustis. I can’t let him kill Yelena, she thought, but I can’t kill him either. Should I just let him win?
“Setsuna!” Eustis yelled, “For my brother’s honor, we shall fight to the death! En garde ! ”
Eustis closed in on Setsuna with a quick horizontal slash which she narrowly ducked below. As she rose back up, she drove an open palm underneath Eustis’s chin before retreating back.
Eustis laughed. “As I thought, you won’t even draw your sword.” He ran towards Setsuna and swung a downward slash. Setsuna quickly stepped to the side of the attack only to be punched in the face by Eustis’s free hand. He pushed the disoriented Setsuna back to the wall, the edge of his broadsword against her throat.
“You had better take this seriously! Fight, or I kill her as well!”
Setsuna took slow breaths as she eyed the blade cutting into her neck. Sweat dripping down her neck started to collect on the edge of Eustis’s broadsword, diluting the bit of her blood on it. I can’t let him harm Yelena, but I can’t reason with him either. I can’t get away now though, unless…
“You have that shadow move. Use it. Use it now, or I’ll kill you. And her.”
Damn! Setsuna cursed. I don’t have a choice.
Setsuna merged with the darkness on the wall. The broadsword crashed against the wall, making a clanking sound. As she sank deeper into the shadows, the silhouette of Setsuna’s figure grew fainter on the wall, until not a single visible clue remained of her location.
Eustis stepped back. He brought his sword close, readying himself for an ambush. Setsuna could see Eustis looking for her where she disappeared. I can see him, but he can’t see me. I doubt he knows that I can move to any spot covered by shadow. I’ll strike from above.
Setsuna began to move from the wall to the ceiling. Eustis continued to look ahead, unaware that his enemy lied in wait above him. Setsuna readied her strike when she saw Yelena looking right at her. Does she really know where I am?
Her blade drawn, Setsuna jumped out of the darkness. As she came falling head first from the ceiling, Setsuna spun forward and kicked Eustis in the head. Unbalanced by the flying kick, Eustis struggled to stand. He stumbled backwards as he swung his sword in front of him.
“I’m behind you!”
As Setsuna yelled, she thrust her kodachi into the back of Eustis’s sword arm.
“GAAAHHHH!!!”
Eustis dropped his broadsword as he screamed in pain. Setsuna grabbed his injured arm while simultaneously kicking away underneath it.
*SNAP*
Setsuna removed the kodachi from Eustis’s arm before releasing him. He fell to the ground, clutching his injured arm.
“DAMN YOU, SETSUNAAAA!”
Setsuna looked at her palms, covered in Eustis’s blood. Without looking up, she began to talk in a monotone voice. “I pulled your sword arm out of your shoulder socket. You won’t be swinging a sword anytime soon.” Setsuna picked her kodachi up off the ground, then looked over to Yelena. “Can you at least heal his wounds?”
Yelena nodded. “I can’t mend bone, but I can heal flesh wounds.”
“No!” Eustis screamed out. “This is a fight for my brother’s honor! Stay out of it!”
Eustis struggled to his feet, his dislocated right arm hanging limp and unresponsive. He stood unarmed before Setsuna in a growing pool of his own blood.
“This is far from over!”
Setsuna sheathed are blade. “You’re in no condition to fight…we’re done here.”
“You haven’t won until I stop breathing.”
“That’s enough!” Setsuna screamed, her voice cracking. “You’re barely breathing now! You can’t win and I won’t kill you, so just stop!”
Eustis slowly hobbled towards Setsuna. “Setsuna. Kill me now. If you don’t, I will always come after you”
My stomach feels like its in knots, Setsuna thought. I’ve never seen fiery eyes like those…
Setsuna stood petrified before Eustis, who left a trail of blood as he struggled towards her. He fell to his knees an arms length away from her just as the cellar door opened again. Ancil and Megumi descended the stairs, accompanied by a tall, blonde man in a crimson long coat.
*****
Eustis vows revenge, his hatred for Setsuna unyielding! And how will Ancil and Megumi react to the scene? Who is with the two?
Next time: Suisei Ayatsuru - Please look forward to it.
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The Secrets of Ether
General Fiction"A desire great enough to kill for..." When a mysterious murder occurs in the isolated Sinclair Monastère, the limits of trust are breached by suspicion and paranoia. Setsuna Fuyutsuki, the assassin, must maintain a façade of innocence to get away w...
