23 Trapped

The boy looked fearfully at SG and Alessia as he said. "Wh-What do you mean?" He kept his eyes focused on SG's right hand as he backed away from SG and said. "A-Are you going to kill me?" 

SG glanced over at Alessia and then looked over at the boy again as he smirked and said. "That's right. I'm going to kill you." He pulled his sword off his back with his right hand. 

As soon as SG pulled his sword off his back Alessia, who was standing to the right of SG, quickly moved over to the right. She immediately pulled her sword off her back with her left hand as she faced SG. She glared at SG as she announced to the boy. "Stand back, my lord! I will protect you from this assassin!" She backed up toward the boy as she continued to face SG. 

The boy looked at SG fearfully and continued to back away as he thought. "H-He is an assassin?!" 

Alessia continued to back up toward the boy as she faced SG. 

SG glared at Alessia with irritation and said. "Are you really going to protect this boy?" 

Alessia declared as she stood in front of the boy's left side. "I will protect my lord with my life!" 

SG frowned and said. "Very well then." He said as he began to walk toward Alessia and the boy. "Then I'll just kill both of you." 

Both Alessia and the boy continued to back away from SG as he continued to get closer to both of them with each step. 

The boy looked at Alessia who was still protecting him and thought. "Will she really be able to protect me from him? Isn't he stronger than she is?" He looked around at his surroundings as he thought. "What do I do? What do I do? How do I get out of here?" 

The boy searched every wall around him but was unable to find a way to escape. The only door within his Father's Garden was the door he had come in from. The door which was being guarded by SG.

SG continued to approach the boy and Alessia as they continued to back away from him.

Alessia suddenly stopped backing away from SG. She adjusted her feet to the left as she glared at SG. 

SG smirked and said to Alessia. "Are you sure that is a wise idea?" He pointed his sword at the boy as he looked at Alessia and said. "How are you gonna protect him and fight me at the same time?"

Alessia glanced back at the boy and then glared at SG again as she contemplated what to do. 

SG continued to smirk as he said. "What is it gonna be? Are you gonna protect him and die? Or are you gonna attack me and die?"

Alessia announced. "I will protect my lord with my life!" 

SG sighed and said. "So be it then." He charged toward Alessia and the boy ready to swing his sword in a horizontal slash from the right side. 

Alessia used her sword to protect herself as she stood in front of the boy and waited for SG's attack.

As soon as SG was close enough he swung his sword toward Alessia. 

Alessia attempted to block it but did not prevail. Both her and the boy were launched backwards from the strike. They were launched from the center of the garden all the way to the end. They flew until they collided into the wall at the end of the garden. 

Alessia and the boy both immediately fell onto the ground after colliding into the wall. The wall itself remained undamaged. 

The boy rose up from the ground first as he used his hands and knees to get his stomach off the ground. He looked up at SG who was walking toward Alessia. He could feel a slight pain in the back of his head. 

The boy then lifted himself up completely as he stood on his two feet again. He rubbed the back of his head with his right hand. He then looked to his left as he heard coughing from his left side. 

Alessia was on her hands and knees as she coughed repeatedly. She coughed for several seconds then finally stopped. She looked up at SG and mumbled with irritation. "Why is he so strong? Isn't he only a Second Guardian?!"  

SG continued to walk toward Alessia and the boy as he said. "Are you ready to give up yet?" 

Alessia glared at SG angrily and said. "I refuse!" She grabbed the sword by her left side with her left hand as she dashed toward SG. As soon as she closed the distance between them she swung her sword in a horizontal strike, from the left side, toward the SG's chest. 

SG dodged to the right with ease as he said. "That won't work." He kicked her in the chest with his left foot.  

The force of the kick sent Alessia crashing into the wall that was to the boy's left. She crashed into the base of the wall. Several cracks appeared in the wall as a result.   

The boy continued to stare at Alessia who did not move from the base of the wall. Blood dripped from her head as she laid against the cracked wall. 

Alessia moved her head slightly to the right as she looked over at the boy. Her light brown eyes began to close as she muttered. "My lord... I'm sorry... I failed... you..." Her light brown eyes closed completely. 

Immediately after Alessia's eyes closed the sound of her sword hitting the ground could be heard as it fell out of her left hand. Her sword now lay by her left side. 

The boy looked at Alessia with an expression of both sadness and shock as he thought. "I-Is this what death is?!" He continued to stare at Alessia as he thought. "I-Is that what it is like to die?" 

SG muttered as he looked at Alessia. "It seems she'll be out for a while." He then looked at the cracked wall behind Alessia as he muttered with an annoyed tone. "But, it seems I used too much force. His Majesty is gonna be upset." SG suddenly turned his head and looked over at the boy. 

The look on SG's face sent cold shivers throughout the boy's body.

SG had a mischievous smile on his face and a crazed look in his light green eyes as he looked at the boy. The blade of his sword glinted as he said in an eerie tone. "Hey boy, are you ready to leave?"