Chapter 28: Last strike  

[20 seconds]

"your moves are average but you have guts. I will give you that." Said the old cherub. Forcing his wide sword on the golden-haired boy. Slowly, pushing his own katana more and more, as it inched near the boy's neck.

"well, this environment forces oneself to be such a man," Aiden replied. Most of the time he didn't know what he was doing, following his battle instincts, trying to block his every move.

[19 seconds]

And only when the old man showed some vulnerability, a space between his attack. He would strike hard. Slashing and piercing with his full force. Be it his neck, his head, the small space behind his knees. Anywhere he could, he would always strike at those small weak points.

Sometimes, he would show faints. Fooling him to attack right in but his 'flash' was still on. With his eagle eyes, seeing everything. He dodged at the last millisecond. With only a small scar and blast of wind finding his way.

[18 seconds]

He was breathing hard. His lungs, feeling like it was going to explode from exhaustion. His heartbeat pacing like he just ran a few miles within seconds.

"tired?" asked the old cherub.

[15 seconds]

Aiden didn't reply, trying to catch his own breath, but the fight had just started and only 14 seconds remaining. He needed to do something, something fast.

He looked at his side, many men dying one by one. Their head, falling down as their chest, getting pierced by the nine shining guards. No, eight to be accurate.

'she killed one of them.' He thought in awe. Watching the silver-haired woman skewering one of the cherubs. All of that armor, useless, as a small knife pierced between the gape of his neck armor.

"looking away from your enemy, are we?" he said, taking his six ft long and two feet wide sword on his head like a hammer.

[13 seconds]

Aiden held his breath. Watching the sword coming near his skull. His left foot, moving around his back with extreme speed and taking his whole body to the side. As the sword passed his body with a millimeter gape.

Bang!

'chance!' he thought. Watching a third of the sword buried beneath the ground. He swung his sword, aiming at the old one's neck, as he was busy pulling in his large sword. He had thought he would leave his sword, but he still held it, pulling it right away but it was too late as his sword was near his neck, right below his chin.

'yes!' he cheered. Seeing his blade pass between his neckline. But he didn't feel it. The feeling of resistance from his hard skin.

'why?'

He was soon answered when he saw his whole body become blurred, appearing a meter away from him.

"how?" many questions flourished in his mind but he remembered, these weren't times of norm. Logical physics and science didn't matter here. What mattered was survival and the unknown power held within the atmosphere.

[10 seconds]

"you are too young to understand boy," the old cherub said. "what's your name?" he asked. Impressed by his tenacity.

Watching the time ticking, he knew he didn't have much time. 'all or nothing.' He thought positioning himself and his katana. "the names Aiden. Ando Aiden." He said, pulling every force he had within.

"haha….Ando Aiden. I will remember that." He said, touching his wide sword, as it tuned thinner and thinner. "now come!" he bellowed. his hallo shinning more and more.

"haaaaaaa….." taking a long breath he sharpened his golden eyes. Staring at his opponent before him. 'flash'

His foot blazed forward. Much much faster than before. His body, turning into a blur with his sword in position. reaching near his opponent, he placed all his force on his thrust. From all his fighting, he knew one thing. The armor the cherubs were wearing, weren't invincible. As he had dented many areas around the old cherub's chest. And he could see it, with enough force and momentum he could pierce it.

With that in mind, he pushed through. Feeling the soft air like it was water. The old cherub knew, why wouldn't he, he was a seasoned warrior, birthed from centuries of war. His life was for combat, for battle, for the almighty one. But the young man's tenacity won him over. As it had been a while. Even within his men, such a warrior was rare, too rare to show such will.

"here!" he shouted, showing his chest to the boy. The very chest where the golden boy was targeting. "you would have been a great warrior if you hadn't crossed me." He said, leaning his now thin sword near his chest.

Tang!

With a spark, they finally collided. The old cherub, gradually deflecting his pierce attack beyond his target. He could feel it, the boy's strength, his pressure. The momentum he created to give his final attack.

'so this must be his last attack.' the old cherub thought. Slanting his sword to his neck. he had also used the last of his holy force, to deflect his sword but for this final strike, he didn't need his force.

"farewell bo…"

In a surprise, the old cherub stuttered, watching the boy leave the handle of his sword. But what surprised him, even more, was the fire in his golden eyes was still there. He had thought the boy would finally give up but, oh so suddenly a butcher knife appeared on the boy's left hand.

'what!?' the old cherub thought. Watching the knife inching towards his neck. it was near, too near to dodge or use any of his skills.

His sword was inching to the boy's neck and his butcher knife was inching towards his. But he could see it.

'his will land first…..he got me.' The old cherub thought.

Slash!!

Blood dripped out from both of them, but Aiden had the time to use his right hand to block his neck, while the old cherub used both of his hands for his slash. Leaving his neck empty for Aiden's knife.

"Aiden!!"

"father!!"

"commander!!"