Fragarach

Duel Part V: Return of the Holy Sword Ascalon

[Fools, it is not a matter of he shouldn’t or he should. It’s just that he doesn’t have any choice but to dive right in since he is the one who challenge his current opponent then that only mean that he is confident in his skills.] he told himself as he smiled.

“Durandal, heed my call.” Kris said as a huge great sword appeared in his hands. “It is time for slaughter.” He added with a smiled in his face.

*KABOOOM!*

The atmosphere inside the test grounds change instantly after he summoned the holy sword Durandal. Everyone stood there speechless and shock seeing one of the holy swords used for a duel.

“Durandal-“Raven mumbled as he saw Kris holding the great sword in his hands.

[The Berserker’s great sword is the most savage of all the holy swords since it possesses it’s user to wreak havoc and s*******r everyone on its way. Will Nyx be able to handle such user with Durandal?] Raven thought with a concerned face.

“Hey, I know that you hold a deep anger towards Nyx but I don’t think that you should be using that thing just to quench your wrath.” One of Kris’ friends says with a disturbed expression as sweat broke off from his forehead.

“I thought you were just joking earlier when you said that you will use that thing, come on man. Put that thing away, it shouldn’t be used to such petty things like this.” The guy who met with Rai to give a message to Nyx said while pointing at Kris with his shaky hands.

“That i***t! Is he sure about what he will do?! Using a holy sword against someone who is supposed to be another holy sword holder is acceptable but fighting against someone without a holy sword is unacceptable!” Caisein yelled with a hint of anger in his voice.

“Woah! That doesn’t make any sense, you can’t pull out a holy sword in a duel, that’s just cheating.” Fritz said as he throws his fist at Kris.

[It’s just as this i***t said, using a holy sword for something petty like this is wrong in so many ways. But what is that i***t thinking? Pulling something sacred out like that out in the public not to mention that that holy sword is famous being uncontrollable, the Berserker’s Great Sword. Possesses its user, making the user go wild. This is not going to sit well for his elders, the other main families might protest and will make a huge ruckus about a student pulling it off in a duel.]

Nash thought as he stare intensely.

“Kuuuuu” Kris screech softly as he look down on the ground.

*PSHHHHHK!*

[Is this duel very important to him that he would summon the holy sword Durandal to deal with me?] Nyx thought as he continues to wait to what will happen next.

The instructors went anxious when they saw Kris called out Durandal that they went around telling students to get out of the test grounds since anything might happen.

“Get out of the test grounds this instant.” [The possession is in progress, we were told that the moment his head looks down on the ground, the possession is more likely to succeed and the moment he raise his head, he is no longer in control of himself and will attack everyone caught in its sight.] he thought as he looked back at Kris’ body standing still with his head looking down.

[We still have time, it’s hard to subdue him with the students around here.] he added.

“Huh? But why?” a student complained as the instructor pushed him back to the entrance.

“Don’t complain and just listen to me.” The agitated instructor said.

The student want to go back but he bump into Nash with Fritz, Kai and Cassiopeia walking out of the arena.

“Hyuuuk!” he whimpered in surprise.

“Just do what the instructors are telling you, it’s for your own good. But if you are feeling brave enough, you can go back.” Nash said with a blank expression.

“But know this, the moment that man with the great sword in his hand looks at you. You will wish you were obedient and believed what the instructors said. And by that time everything will be too late as he slice you into pieces, I guarantee you that.” Nash held the student’s shoulders and whispered to his ears softly.

The hair all over the student’s body stood after hearing what Nash, he instantly went pale and started shaking as he nodded his head.

[Y-yes] he answered with a dark expression in his face.

“Good.” Nash said as he patted his shoulders.

Nash and the others continues to walk after the matter.

“Sorry for the inconvenience, thank you very much for the help.” The instructor bowed his head.

Nash continues to walk without looking at the instructor.

“That was nothing instructor.” Fritz said with a smile in Nash’s stead.

Cassiopeia bowed her head to the instructor before they left.

“I was surprised Nash, how can you tell that student with a straight face? Have you seen his reaction? That guy instantly went pale after you whispered something to his ears, I don’t know what you said but I pretty much guess that it was something direct and threatening since you manage to scare everyone every time you say something to them. Please do it with a little restraint next time, that guy looked like he was about to faint, you really don’t hold back you know.” Fritz said as he shake his head in dissatisfaction.

[You are pretty harsh yourself, you idiot.] Nash told himself with a blank expression.

Cassiopeia turn back to see if Raven had left the test ground as well. Kai noticed his sister and smiled.

“You think he’s still there? Don’t worry, he is someone strong. Your worry is for nothing.” He said with a smile.

[Even Kai acknowledges that new student. If that’s the case, I need to look into him.] Nash thought as he overheard what Kai said.

[Inside the Test Grounds]

“What are you guys still doing here? Everyone else is already outside.” The instructor said as he saw Raven and Caisein standing there.

[If there is anyone strong enough to deal with a person who uses a holy sword then Raven, the bearer is qualified but I can’t just tell them about it.] Caisein greet his teeth in anger. “If only we have our holy sword.” Caisein mumbled.

“We want to watch what will happen, can you please let us?” Caisein asked.

“The other instructors have already prepared a screen for you to see what is going on even when you are outside.” He said with a dominant tone. “You may be one of the main families but you do not have the holy swords, will you still insist?” he asked with a concerned expression.

*OOOOOOOO!*

That instant the instructor finished talking, an ominous aura shook the entire test grounds.

[He is here, I need to be more careful that ever since he is no longer the Kris that I know.] Nyx told himself.

Kris raise his head and revealed his dreadful face with an eye in his forehead. The sight sent chills to the students who are not expecting something to change in his appearance.

“How in the world did he get an extra eye in his forehead?”

“Is he still the Kris that we know?”

The students talk to one another as they saw Kris appearance.

“Haaaaaaa” Kris exhaled with his mouth wide open.

Nyx extended both of his arms towards Kris and chanted a spell.

“Hell spear.”

*PSSSHK!*

The instant Nyx finished chanting the spell, stakes made of blue fire rose from the ground below Kris’ feet. But Kris being possessed by the Durandal heightened his senses and disappeared from the place where he is standing before and appeared before Nyx.

*SHHHHH!*

Kris’ skin and clothes released fumes as the blue flame started to burn the surface. Nyx dashed back to make some distance between him and Kris.

[He became even faster than before, if this continues. I’m afraid that I won’t hold that long, I never expected him to pull off a holy sword in my face. Thank goodness I have an insurance.] he told himself as he glanced at the Eternal Flame behind him.

“Kuuuuuu” Kris screech softly as he turned his head towards Nyx. “K-Kill” he said in a staggered voice.

*FWOOSH!*

The next moment he is already in front of Nyx swinging his great sword.

[What the?!]

Nyx was caught by surprise when Kris appeared in front of him.

*TUGS!*

Kris’ great sword hit the ground and destroyed it with a single swing.

[He can come close to me like this even though the heat intensifies when he comes any closer than this.] he thought as made a wall of flame around him.

“He accelerated once again.” Caisein said while staring at Nyx with a concerned face. ‘If only we had our holy swords.” He whispered to himself.

*BUDUMP!* *BUDUMP!* *BUDUMP!* *BUDUMP!* *BUDUMP!* *BUDUMP!* *BUDUMP!* *BUDUMP!* *BUDUMP!* *BUDUMP!* *BUDUMP!* *BUDUMP!*

Nyx’s heart beat faster as his opponent continues to attack him destroying everything the sword hits.

[Guess it is not called berserker’s great sword for nothing. This guy went nuts the moment he held that sword.] Nyx told himself as he grit his teeth in helplessness. [If only my family still has the holy sword that was given to us.] his nose twitch in irritation.

“Nyx looks so helpless.” A female human student said while looking at the screen from outside.

“That’s already given, a person holding holy sword is several times stronger than what he used to be, not to mention Kris’ raw strength is already at its peak. Added by the influence under the possession of the holy sword Durandal, then we can say that Nyx is fighting ten Kris at the same time. Without his family’s holy sword then he is most likely to lose, but if we only look at them without any unknown variable such as this then Nyx can easily destroy Kris.” The student with a glasses explained as he adjusted his glasses.

“Wow you really did your homework huh?”

The students around him look at him with awe.

[I can’t keep dodging forever, I don’t know how long he can hold out under the possession of the holy sword Durandal and spells does not seems to work on him.] he thought as he look at his hands. [I think I should resort to it.]

“Blade of the Underworld.”

A strong surge of mana around the test ground moved towards inside the test grounds. A strong wind moved around the students outside watching the duel.

*FWOOO!*

“KYAAA!”

Most of the female students cried when the wind blew their skirts revealing some of the female students’ underwear.

“Don’t look!”

*PAK!*

“OW!”

Some of the male students were slapped because they accidentally saw what they should not have seen.

“I never thought this duel has more rewards than watching strong students go on each other.” A student said with a nosebleed.

Amidst the sudden surge of wind some of them did not witness what happened inside the test grounds.

[A few moments ago]

“Blade of the Underworld”

A dark blue flame appeared in Nyx’s hands in a form of a long sword. The raging flame started to settle down as the flame stood still like a solid object.

[So he already can do something like that, the training for doing something like that is hellish. But it is still incomplete.] Raven thought as he stare at the blade Nyx made with his dark blue flame.

[Present time]

“How did he do that?”

“To be able to do something like that, Arcan family is really talented.”

The students praise Nyx regardless of their races.

“Nyx never cease to impress me.” Fritz said in a formal tone.

Kai and Nash’s eyes widen as they saw Nyx holding a blade forged from his flames.

[Now is the time to strike back.] Nyx told himself as he took a sword art stance.

*FWOOOSH!*

Nyx disappeared in his place and made the first move to strike Kris. The possessed Kris followed him with his third eye while the other two are closed and blocked Nyx’s strike.

*TEEENG!*

*KRSSSHHK!*

Nyx’s blade cracked as their swords clashed with each other.

[Still incomplete, since that guy’s weapon is a holy sword then it’s understandable that my incomplete blade is useless in front of it.] Nyx told himself as Kris appeared behind him swinging the great sword with both of his arms.

[Sh*t! Just when my head is flooded with thoughts! This is going to be a powerful one!] Nyx thought as he grits his teeth to brace for the impact.

He used his blade to defend from the heavy swing towards him.

*KSSSSHK!*

Nyx’s blade broke as Kris’ great sword landed a cut on his chest.

*PSSSH!*

His blood spurt he opposite direction.

*Thud!*

Nyx body fell on the ground, everyone watching were speechless after seeing what happened.

“Don’t come inside!”

The instructors rushed towards the test grounds when Nyx shouted before anyone can make their way into the building.

Nyx stood up with his shaking body. The wound in his chest disappeared and the torn clothes remain.

[Thank goodness-]

*PSSSS!*

He did not manage to finish thinking when the great sword pierced through his body. The horror unfold on everyone’s faces that shocked them even more.

Nash held Kai’s hand. Kai immediately understood what he is thinking.

“We have to go there and stop it this instant.” Nash said with an enraged expression.

“You don’t have to tell me that.” Kai said with a smile.

They are on the way inside when they stopped and saw that Nyx disappeared around Kris.

[This is really impossible without our holy swords, I guess this is the end for me.] he thought as he glance at Raven with sorrowful eyes. “I apologize my lord, I guess this is as far as I go.” He said as the blindfold in his eyes came undone and revealed his eyes.

[What is this feeling? Like something is forcing its way out of the seal?] “Ugh!” Raven grit his teeth in pain.

He fell on his knees. Caisein was surprised about what happened and supported raven to stand up.

“I am pretty useless right now.” His eye brows twitch in irritation.

Kris is standing in front of Nyx raising the great sword to do a last swing.

[I can’t let him die.] Caisein told himself as he walk towards the arena when Raven grabbed his sleeves.

*BOOM!*

“It is back.” Raven muttered in an anguished tone.

A sudden appearance of an unknown mana aura sent chills to the spines of the students outside the test ground. The sudden shook even reached the elders’ inside the academy.

[What the hell?!]

The elders thought as they felt mana aura caressing their bodies.

“It heard your wish Nyx, the holy sword Ascalon.” Raven said with a smile.

Nash and Kai stood in utter shock when they saw a sword flying straight towards Nyx.

The runes one Raven’s arms appeared then slammed both of his hands on the ground to destroy the screen that the students are watching in.

*TUD!*

*KSHHK!* *KSHHK!* *KSHHK!* *KSHHK!* *KSHHK!* *KSHHK!*

All of the screens outside the test grounds cracked and broke into pieces.