Serpent's Gaze

Perspective : Lucius Sinclair

I still don't know why I did that. I guess I was too bored with the routine ass stuff I did all day.

Talking to people bleh !

Something new and exciting, just the thought of that, maybe, caused my legs to follow suit.

Following the noise I reached the location of its origins.

And what I saw?

Those two people, that weird women and that man, were facing off with some nasty looking individuals.

"Wait! I recognised them! I know them".

"That insignia".

" That's the insignia of the group called 'Serpent's

gaze' ".

"Or am I getting It wrong, No I don't think so".

I thought out loud,

Percival responded,

"Indeed and that person wielding that huge cleaver, I think they call him Baldwin".

Surprised that Percival knew of such people, I asked,

"You know them".

"How?".

He responded,

"Ah yes ... I witnessed him once, Killing and brutally decapitating one of his victims".

I was honestly surprised, he never told me about that, just what else he was hiding from me, It's not that I was his friend or something, why would he tell me? but still

It hurt.

He responded vaguely as if he knew What I was thinking.

"Master, I didn't bother informing you because, I presume you'd say".

"That's none of our business and hence informing you would have been a waste of time".

That man, he knows what to say, to be honest if he did told me that, I would have said something along those lines, so he is not entirely wrong.

I replied,

"You did the right thing".

"Telling me would have been just a waste of time and effort".

What else would I have said? That's the only response that seemed logical.

Getting back to the topic, It wasn't my first experience witnessing a fight up close, it was my first of its kind though.

A duel to the death. What's the most sensible choice here?

, to high tail it out of here, but for a person like me who was bored with his mundane lifestyle?

I just had to watch it.

The two people were those same bafoons, I remembered they called eachother "Regina" and "Conrad".

On the other hand, I don't know what they did, They must have really pissed off some high-flying people for them to be on their tail.

Because the person pursuing them was none other than the "anvil" of the "Council of Acknowledgement", Baldwin.

He was famous, I haven't seen him before that, but you can bet I heard his name before, more than a couple of times.

The Council of Acknowledgement is a branch of the underground organisation called "Serpent's Gaze".

I had heard they are a religious bunch, but the catch is that, the object of their worship isn't some god or some saint, It's the dead bodies of those who sacrificed themself, willingly setting themselves on fire, the organisation worships them and honours their sacrifice, they're willing to do anything, It's a sick concept.

I had also heard that they did bidding for the wealthy.

Yeah, It's contradicting, but I won't be surprised If the both were true, however I'd never find that out.

nor was I interested in finding it out.

Along with 'Baldwin' there were two more, must have been his lackeys.

Both clad in black, their faces covered by masks made from the skull of some wild animal, a deer maybe.

And there he was the man himself, Baldwin the anvil of the Council of Acknowledgement,

As I cautiously directed my gaze towards him, an unsettling sight met my eyes. The man before those bafoons, did they even Know what they were up against, shrouded in an aura of darkness and dread, His face covered with the skull of a fierce deer, its majestic antlers glinting ominously in that dim light. The thorns protruding from the skull, unyielding and sharp, I was glad, that I wasn't the one facing him.

However, my heart pounded like crazy.

Held firmly in his grasp, a colossal cleaver, its menacing blade was gleaming with malice. The sheer size of that weapon hinted at the sheer devastation he could wield upon any unfortunate shmuck who would dare go against him. Its weight and aura seemed to amplify his presence, casting a foreboding shadow that sent shivers down my spine.

I know it was stupid, I wasn't the one facing him, but still.

Clad in a suit of pitch-black armor, he was standing resolute and infallible. The armor, covered with ominous engravings and spikes, just imagine how nightmarish it appeared up close. Every detail exuded an air of malevolence, as if it was demanding blood from him.

A gray cape draped over his broad shoulders, billowing ever so slightly in that eerie wind, and that silent atmosphere. The cape's ashen hue blended seamlessly with the encroaching shadows, perfectly matching the darkness that consumed his being.

Every movement he made was a precise manifestation of expertise and menace. He moved with this bloodlust, even I could feel it, his steps deliberate and calculated, well damn.

I was like,

"I should get the heck out of here".

But my legs were frozen in place and my eyes never left his sight.

And

That guy Conrad, I don't know about his brain but the way he stood, his stance, there was no mistaking it, he seemed like a skilled swordsman, he stood poised with his black blade in hand, eyes fixed on his opponent, Baldwin, and his two lackeys brandishing their weapons.

That woman that was with him, Regina, she appeared like a mage, positioned herself a short distance away, ready to unleash her spells, Icy spells if I reckoned, when the time was right. Tension hung in the air as the anticipation of the clash built up, It was thrilling.

Baldwin, carrying that massive cleaver, took the lead, charging towards Conrad with a primal roar. He swung the cleaver in a wide arc, aiming to overpower his opponent with sheer force. But Conrad, that man he was swift and agile, stepped back, narrowly evading the deadly strike.

Then in response, Conrad launched a lightning-fast counterattack, his sword slashing downward with this precision, not towards Baldwin, but towards one of his lackeys.

That was sick, I saw Baldwin guarding his flank, imagine his face as Conrad aimed towards his underdog

The lackey, taken by surprise, couldn't react in time, and the sword sliced through him, as blood sprayed all over the streets, the man fell on the ground, his body severed from his hip.

Meanwhile, Regina, undeterred by Baldwin's brute strength, gathered her magical energies, it built up as a blue light surrounded her, and a swirling ball of ice formed in her hand. With a flick of her wrist, she sent a freezing bolt hurtling towards Baldwin's other lackey, aiming to freeze him in place.

But Baldwin had already witnessed the demise of his lackey, fury burned within him, he wasn't having it, with his fist he pushed his lackey aside. And then he swung his cleaver with wild abandon, trying to land a crushing blow on Conrad. However, I could see it in him, his eyes, even in the face of such danger, narrowing his target, his expression never changing, as if he saw it coming in slow motion, he was calm and calculated and by relying on his impeccable reflexes, he sidestepped with lightning speed, avoiding losing a limb.

It was magical, executed so perfectly.

Baldwin was red in fury,

Realizing that he needed to regain control of the fight, Baldwin shifted his strategy, assuming a defensive stance. He kept his guard up, waiting for Conrad to make a move. But Conrad, still calculated and patient, bided his time, choosing his next strike carefully.

It was intense as both parties waited.

And then,

Conrad took advantage of Baldwin's momentary lapse in judgment.

Just a glance at an opening.

He seized the opportunity when Baldwin launched a powerful overhead blow. With swift movements, Conrad used the momentum of the strike to redirect it, just genius, absolutely marvelous, By countering with a rapid attack he aimed at Baldwin's undefended torso. But Baldwin, far from being an easy target, responded fluidly, executing an elegant twirl that deflected Conrad's calculated strike with a series of lightning-fast parries.

How he even moved that heavy thing so quickly, it was beyond me.

I guess they don't call him the anvil for nothing.

I think that's when the big guy snapped.

In a fit of uncontrollable rage, Baldwin summoned every ounce of his strength and went berserk. With a primal scream, he charged towards Conrad and Regina, his massive cleaver swinging wildly through the air.

That man Conrad, despite being caught off guard, managed to deflect a few of Baldwin's strikes, all thanks to his skill and swift reflexes.

Baldwin kept on trying but, Conrad somehow managed to deflect all of his strikes, it was amazing watching up close.

That woman Regina, on the other hand, saw that Conrad won't be able to hold on any longer, so she conjured a protective shield of ice around herself and Conrad, It rose up out of thin air, as Frost exuded from her staff.

But that man, that big chungus Baldwin didn't stop, he kept his relentless assault, and to be honest it was proving to be overwhelming.

I thought to myself, It's only a matter of time, before the wall breaks.

With a thunderous crash, the wall shattered and with that same swing he managed to get Conrad, ruthlessly slamming him against the nearby surface. Meanwhile, Regina, witnessing her partner's dire situation, swiftly tried to stop him. But Baldwin, fueled by his rage, quickly shifted his focus to her. He delivered a powerful kick, but that woman Regina, with her quick thinking, managed to conjure a small ice surface in the air, absorbing the impact, and shattering right after. However, Baldwin wasn't done yet. In a rapid motion, he swung his cleaver, crashing Regina against the very same wall, leaving her stunned and battered.

At this point, I don't know if it was intentional or just that I was influenced by watching them.

I began to subconsciously root for them.

The impact was tremendous, the force of the collision shaking the very foundation of the surroundings.

I felt ripples as if an elephant fell to the ground

It seemed like they were done for all hopes were lost as Conrad and Regina laid motionless on the ground, their bodies battered and bruised.

And Yet, I don't know how?, those two woke up as if it was nothing.

Their expressions were the same, they felt no fear, no anger, they were still calm and cool.

In that display of sheer willpower, Conrad and Regina stirred, their eyes slowly fluttering open. As if they refused to surrender to the clutches of defeat, It was like I was watching one of those optimistic hero novels I loved reading.

How stupid.

Watching them fight opted me to ask Percival who was also enjoying it with me.

"What do you think?".

I can still see him in one of his judgemental expressions, touching his chin and observing like he is going to give them marks or some sort of rating.

He said,

"Judging by their appearance now, I'd say the fight's over".

That's where he was wrong. I saw him, that guy Conrad and that woman Regina, their expressions, their tenacity, yes those guys were pretty beat up now, but I could tell It didn't bother them one bit, as if they didn't care.

Their facial expression said it all.

I responded to Percival, and I was dead serious,

"I don't think so".

"Those two might be beat up, all ragged and broken".

"I feel it, I feel it in the air".

"They are not loosing, and until then they are going to keep getting up".

He promptly asked,

"And What makes you say so?".

I replied,

"It's my gut instinct".

He responded vaguely showing a hint of surprise,

"I never pegged you the type".

"I presumed you relyed more on logic and careful observation".

"Never thought you were a gambler".

I responded,

"What can I say?".

"I am flipping my own expectations today".