16 A tiff

Yamada perked up. "Wait, what's happening?" He asked baffled. "Don't worry about winning or losing, just do your best." She said gently pushing him into the courtyard. "I'll make sure nothing bad happens to you." Her filled with determination and warmth. Yamada looked up to her warm smile, the sight of it, made him smile. With a new sense of invigoration, he clutched the hilt and a heavy grunt, he ripped the great sword out, resting it over his shoulder. He entered into the courtyard, with Fervias smirking at him. "Guess Abaddon was right, only a Forsaken Knight could carry that thing." He said reaching under his cape. Yamada planted the sword by his feet, and performing a deep bow. Fervias chuckled, his vambraces now covered in long burnt orange chains. Yamada looked at him puzzled, as Fervias pulled two Deiridium edged axes, from his cape. The chains wrapped around the base of the Orichalcum handles.

"Are you ready boy?" He asked spinning the axes on the chains, wearing a big smile across his face. The axes cut through the air, whirling faster and faster. Yamada took a deep breath, grabbing the hilt with both hands, letting out a loud grunt, raising the weapon above his head. Fervias and Yamada were motionless, and everyone held their breaths, waiting for one to strike. Murmurs and whispers spread amongst the onlookers, all wondering why none had moved. Fervias continued to spin his axes, with Yamada holding the weapon high above his head. His arms beginning to shake and wobble, the blade above him started to tremble.

Yamada let out a grunt as the blade dropped forward. Fervias capitalized on the chance, throwing one of his axes. Yamada deflected the axe with his vambrace blade. The force of the axe knocked Yamada off balance. He quickly recovered his posture, trying to lift his great sword. Fervias tossed his second axe in a wide arc, as he pulled the other axe back. Yamada looked up to see the axe about wrap around him. He ducked under the chain. It suddenly stopped floating above him, the axe head dropped into his back. The wind was knocked out of him. Fervias pulled the axe back, spinning the both of them. Yamada got up without a dent in his armour.

"Abaddon, told me that your wore Deirdium, but I honestly didn't believe him." He said spinning the axes even faster. Yamada grew in size, his helmet fusing into a dragon head, and his cape split apart into wings. His appearance terrified the onlookers, and his roar sent a shiver down their spines. He grasped his hilt with one hand, pulling the blade out. Everyone shared the same thought, as Yamada charged Fervias. 'He can wield that thing one handed?' Yamada swung the blade in a wide arc, that telegraphed his attack. Fervias caught his axes and ducked under the swing with ease.

Jacara stood on the second ring, next to Urkse, covered in sweat. "Does he really think, he has a chance against Grand Knight Fervias?" He asked throwing his hand up puzzled. "He'll try his best." Urkse said. Yamada threw a flurry of wild swings, his blade cut through the air with a rush of heavy wind following it. Fervias chuckled weaving and dodging, over and under the swings. Yamada brought the blade from up high, striking the ground, shattering the courtyard. Soel frowned, looking at the destruction. Fervias gracefully leapt onto his shoulder, squatting down beside his snarling head. "Come on boy, don't tell me this is all you have." He said mockingly tapping Yamada's head with the butt of his axe.

Yamada shrugged him off with a roar, and the spread of his wings. Fervias gracefully landed, doing a small curtsy. Yamada took a step forward, feeling the ground beneath cave out. He stopped, looking at his clawed sabatons and gauntlets. "What's wrong are you done already?" Fervias called out with a smug smile. Yamada took a deep breath, shrinking down, and losing his draken features. "Why would he lose his draken features? He's stronger and faster in that state." Jacara said. Urkse took a seat. "You're a mage Jacara, not a knight. Entering a Draken state, isn't always beneficial for a knight as it is for a mage." He said.

Yamada took the muay chaiya stance. Raising his clenched fists up; with his elbows tucked, front leg bent, resting all his weight on his back leg. Fervias smirked. "You won't beat me, without a weapon. Revert back and grab your sword." He said assertively. Yamada dashed in. Fervias rolled his eyes. He begun weaving and dodging each punch, pushing Yamada away instead of counter attacking. "Unlike Yssac, I know how to fight. So grab your weapon boy, you won't win like this." He growled visibly irritated. He looked back to his unwieldy great sword, and back to Gwyneth, watching on with an anxious expression.

Yamada lowered his fists, walking back to his sword. He took a deep breath, the top half of his armour shattered apart. His torso glistened in sweat, and the females watching on gawked audibly. Yamada reeled back taking relieved breath, grabbing his great sword with one hand, and slung it over the nape of his neck. 'This boy has an absurd amount of arcane energy, for his age. He didn't ever need his draken state to begin with, to lift that monstrosity.' Fervias thought as he started to spin his axes. Yamada's breathing was deep and calm, the air felt cool on the layer of sweat. He closed his eyes, hearing the rotation of each axe, passing its apex.

Gwyneth leapt up to the second ring, standing beside the other Grand Knights. Encara walked over to her, wearing a uncharacteristic serious expression. "Do not step in." He said to her. She furrowed her brow at him. "I want you four ready to help Fervias." He said leaning over the railing. They looked at him puzzled and insulted. "You really have lost your mind Encara. He can't even hit Fervias." Yssac scoffed, with the others nodding along. "He will soon." He smirked. Gwyneth looked down at Yamada filled with anxiety.

Yamada raised the blade with both hands high above his head. 'He can only do wide arcs with that weight. What is he planning from that far away?' Yamada broke Fervias's train of thought, as he took a step forward. With a heavy grunt, he hurled the blade the forward. Everyone went wide eyed with shock and shared the exact same thought. 'HE THREW IT?' The black great sword flew through the air with lightning fast speed. Fervias rolled out of the way as the blade crashed behind him, burying itself all the way to the hilt. He looked back at the cloud of dust and rubble, filled with shock, his heart pounding. Fervias grinned, feeling the rush of combat, and turned back to Yamada, still on a hand and knee.

He had closed ten metre distance between them. Fervias blocked a rising kick from Yamada, with his axe, being knocked back from the force. It rattled his bones and tenderized his hands. Fervias stumbled back to his feet back peddling, with Yamada pressing the attack. Yamada summoned the top half of his armour, throwing a flurry quick left jabs, pushing Fervias back towards the great sword. Fervias slipped and weaved each punch, still trying to recover his footing. The wind brushed against his face, and the sound of air rushing past, made his heart beat even harder.

Fervias swung his axes from the side, latching the edge, deep into Yamada's vambrace blade. He pulled Yamada off balance, while recovering his own posture. Yamada rolled with the momentum, grabbing his great sword, and shattered the top half of his armour. Fervias leapt high into the air after Yamada, raising both axes, ready to bring them down. Yamada let out a loud grunt, pulling his weapon free, with a wide arching spin. Fervias stopped his forward momentum floating in the air, just out of reach of the blade's tip. The wild swing through Yamada off balance. Fervias smirked as he gently landed, ready to continue his attack.

Until Yamada followed with the momentum of his swing, letting the blade carry him, and performing a heavy pirouette. Fervias for a concise moment, felt the embrace of death, after 20 long years. As blade grazed against his breastplate. He leapt back, dodging the intense swing. He waited for Yamada to turn his back, ready to pounce like a viper. Seeing Yamada's bareback, Fervias dashed in. He gasped filled with disbelief, seeing Yamada's armour reappear, and the vambrace blade manifest in front of him. Fervias tried to dodge, ducking to the side, but the blade sliced open his cheek.

Blood gushed out, and he stumbled to the side. Yamada let out a roar growing in size, and regaining his draken features. Raising his blade with one hand, slamming it down. Fervias barely leapt out of the way in time, his cape being caught in the attack. He rolled away from the rubble, and quickly stood up, looking back at Yamada. Both of them were breathing heavily, which juxtaposed with everyone else, watching holding their breaths. "Holy fucking shit, he actually cut a Grand Knight." Jacara said astonished. Yamada dropped his blade, resting onto its pommel and hilt, breathing heavily. "Resting already? We've barely begun fighting." Fervias said with a cocky smile. "I thought this was till first blood." Yamada said pointing to the blood dripping down.

"You think a fight is over, because you cut me once?" Fervias asked with a twisted smile. Gwyneth reached behind her back. She stopped seeing Encara tap his finger against the stone wall. Yamada went wide eyed, raising a cross guard with his vambraces, as Fervias leapt in. His axe clashed with the blades, pushing Yamada off balance. The force shook Yamada to his core. Fervias trapped both of Yamada's arms with the single axe and swung his other axe. The axe cracked into Yamada's left side, making him retch as the force sent him flying. The vambrace blades broke off, and Yamada tumbled across.

Gwyneth clenched her fist and clenched her jaw, stepping forward. "Listen to your king." Yssac said mockingly, with a smug smile. Yamada held his cracked armour spewing. He didn't have a moment to recover, seeing Fervias's shadow hovering above him. Yamada rolled backwards, dodging the two axes, slamming into the ground after him. Fervias started to let out a manical laugh that disturbed the others. Sounding like a rabid pack of Hyenas. Yamada stumbled back still coughing an clutching his side, the searing pain throbbing. Fervias continued the savage barrage of attacks. Yamada dodged to the best of his abilities, his armour being slashed apart.

"Encara, we need to stop this now!" Gwyneth growled. "Not yet." Encara said enthralled. "What the hell are you waiting for!?" She yelled grabbing him by the collar, shaking him violently. He ignored her grip still watching Yamada and Fervias. Fervias hurled his axe. Yamada swayed to the right, catching the chain with his right hand, and turned back to smirk at Fervias. The Grand Knight and Mages grimaced at his action. "Bad move boy." Urkse said shaking his head. Jacara gave him a puzzled look. "Why is that bad, he caught the axe?" Jacara asked. The burnt orange chains, suddenly morphed around his gauntlet.

Before Yamada could react, Fervias pulled him in, and struck another powerful blow with his axe. As Yamada was blown away, the chain pulled him back in. "That's why it's bad." Urkse said. His armour cracked and fractured with each blow. Yamada freed his hand from the chain, before being pulled back. His breastplate, pauldrons, vambraces, and plackarts were all shattered and oozing blood. Yamada could barely think straight, his body ached like never before, and it felt like he couldn't breathe. "Enough of this." Gwyneth scowled, reaching over her shoulder.

After Yamada's brief respite, Fervias charged in, his laugh still echoing out through the silent crowd. Yamada looked down at his blood pooling under him. He took a deep breath closing his eyes. "Giving up so soon!?" Fervias shouted with a smile across his face. He brought both axes down from up high. Yamada quickly caught Fervias's wrists, to everyone's shock. He quickly regained his draken features and roared, reeling his snout back, ready to devour Fevias. Fervias quickly leapt up, drop kicking Yamada away. His chains were dragged off by Yamada's claws, that lacerated deep into his forearms. Fervias screamed in anguish, dropping his axes, with blood spurting out. Yamada transformed back, clutching his shattered breastplate.

"That's not what I wanted him to do." Encara growled. Fervias knelt down biting down on his axe handle. He continued his charge at Yamada, with his arms flailing behind him. Gwyneth leapt down, landing in front of Fervias, with her sword drawn. "The fight is over." She growled. Fervias spat his axe out, staring at her with disdain. "The fight has barely begun." He snarled, looking up at her. Yamada could barely stand, his body aching and throbbing. Encara leapt down, floating towards them. He clapped his hands together, branding Fervias with a golden cross, closing his wounds instantly. "She's right the fight is over." Encara said walking over to Yamada. "Bullshit! The fight is over when there is a winner!" Fervias declared, stomping his foot. "Then consider it your win." Gwyneth said coldly, lowering her sword. "Show is over! Return to your barracks." She yelled dispersing the crowd.

Encara knelt down beside the panting Yamada. "How are you feeling?" He asked looking at his injuries. "Tired." Yamada wheezed. Encara chuckled, branding Yamada with a golden cross. His wounds closed up. Gwyneth rushed over to Yamada kneeling beside him. "You said...you would step in..." Yamada wheezed, taking deep breaths. She scowled at Encara, before giving Yamada a warm smile. "You were doing pretty well." "I was!?" Yamada weakly exclaimed. Aeris floated down, opening the gate of wind magic beneath Yamada. A gust of wind lifted Yamada into the air. "Gwyneth, I'll take him to your room. All I ask is that when I leave. That you do not kill Encara." She pleaded, gently caressing Gywneth's arm. "I promise, to try." Gwyneth growled.

"Close enough." Aeris shrugged. She flew away with Yamada, who weakly tried to sit up. "Just lay down and relax." She said. "Is she angry at King Encara?" He asked. "You'll learn soon enough, that you either feel sorry for him, or hate him." Aeris said, flying them towards the Keep. Jacara stared on stunned. "We should probably go, before things get ugly." Urkse said dusting off his cloak. "Uncle Urkse, can we keep training?" Jacara said with determination. Urkse looked at Jacara in disbelief. "Never known you to sweat after the sun starts to set. Unless it was for amorous activities." Urkse said suggestively raising his eyebrows, and smirking. Jacara walked off with purpose. Urkse did an impressed nod, and followed after him.

"You have to the count of five, before I cut your damn head off." Gwyneth snapped. Encara ignored her walking over to the pool of blood Yamada left. Gwyneth raised her sword to his throat. "Tell me, what the hell you were thinking right now!" She shouted, her voice fading out into the empty courtyard. Encara knelt down by the pool of blood. "A little bit longer, and he would have opened it." He said annoyed. "That's what you risked his life for!? To open a gate that hasn't been opened in over 8,000 years!? And then use magic, no one has ever seen!?" Gwyneth shouted furiously.

Encara sighed. "Lower your voice, and look." He said pointing to the pool of blood. Gwyneth took a breath, and reeled back puzzled. The pool of blood made a perfect circle, with a coiling stream of blood around the circle. "You've seen plenty of blood pools. They ever look like this?" He asked with a smug smile. She grabbed him the collar, pulling him in. "You're purposely bringing him close to death." He smiled at her. "Every time you avoid Death's grasp, you grow stronger." He said breaking her grip. "He survived an encounter with Begron as a child, and became the strongest on Yamata. He survives and kills a dragon, becoming a Forsaken Knight in turn. Now he begins to open the gate to an affinity lost for over eight millennia." Encara said with passion. "What the hell are you planning Encara?" Gwyneth asked, gripping her sword tightly. "Touch my shoulder, and I'll show you." Gwyneth hesitated, before placing her left hand onto his shoulder. They disappeared from the courtyard in a blinding flash of light.

The two of them appeared in a destroyed settlement. The various wooden and stone buildings had been ravaged by fire. Hundred of dead bodies scattered the streets. The men, women and child with their throats slit open, disembowelled and their eyes burnt out. Gwyneth looked around in horror, taking the wrath stance. "Where the hell are we?" She asked scanning around for attackers. "We're just north of where Dweorg, use to lie. This use to be Groggic's town." Encara said looking around at the devastation. "But these kind of kills are-" "Are from Kal'Nar." Gwyneth was in shock. "Even Kal'Nar, wouldn't dare a second expanse. Not this far into the Citadel's territory." She said.

"Look around Gwyneth!" Encara shouted. "Tell that dead five year old, clutching her mother's leg that!" Gwyneth held her tongue. "There's a reason why I wanted to send out troops. And it wasn't for some stupid cult, trying their best to melt 8,000 years worth of ice. It's because Kal'Nar has been lying in wait, to strike again. And in our 20 years of peace. Our knights and mages are spread thinner than paper, and the new recruits are worthless." He said walking around Gwyneth. "Then why not tell us this to begin with? Why lie about the cult?" She asked. "You didn't believe me that Kal'nar did this, even standing amongst their glory. I had to wait for proof, and this was their first of many attacks." She gazed at the burnt out eyes of the dead bodies and stayed silent. "Jux is filled with the horrors of man and beasts, and soon a war. So it's time to stop treating Yamada like Hendrik, and get him ready for the world." He said sternly.

"Do the others know yet? Or am I the first?" She asked solemnly, sheathing her sword. "You're the first grand knight to know. Urkse was informed by raven yesterday. He said it was best to not tell the squires of our intentions, lest we start a panic." He said standing in front of Gwyneth. "I will make sure Yamada is the strongest knight possible. Without your help." She said assertively. He smiled at her. "I won't interfere. I promise. Now let us return. I will inform the other grand knights." The two of them disappeared in a blinding flash of light.