CHAPTER NINE
"Sorry I'm late." Nero sang as she burst into the room smiling.
"You're always late." Tron, the headmaster groaned,a low rumble.
"Yeah yeah I'm here now." Nero whined.
"Hmmmn" Tron smiled.
"Hmmmm." Nero stared at Tron as she smiled.
"It's been too long, how have you been?" Tron asked.
"Yeah, it has been too long. So long I actually miss this place." Nero took in the room, a look of nostalgia on her face.
It was a fairly big room, had a musty damp smell, like old books and mildew.if you looked closely you would notice a layer of dust on the floor. The walls were covered in peeling paint, revealing layers of history underneath.the dim light flickered, casting eerie shadows across the room. There was a desk covered in stacks of yellowed paper, covered in mysterious scribbles and formations scrawled across them.
A row of old computers sat gathering dust in the corner, probably to make way for the newer models but remained to retain it's layered history.
"So what's the tactic this year?" Nero asked leaning into a seat beside Tron.
"Well this time we're using the ol' drop them in random locations and have them battle it out." Tron said as he stared at his hands in front of him and clenched them.
"I'm getting too old for this." He said sounding somber.
He looked to be in his fifties, with a weathered face and a few grey in his formerly luscious red hair. He had a slightly stooped posture making him look shorter than your average dwarf, a testament to his age.
His eyes were tired but alert and had a faraway look in them, as if lost in memories.
He was dressed in a black suit with a white shirt and a tie, with a few wrinkles and stains from years of wear. His shoes polished and well-kept, but also a bit scuffed up. He had a pocket watch in his jacket pocket, a keepsake from his days as a young man. Tying his look was the aura of a seasoned warrior around him.
"Each time any of them yields or is defeated, they're instantly teleported out of the arena." Tron continued.
"Ah , those were the days." Nero smiled.
"Any way, this Saya girl you brought with you, what's her deal?" Tron said shifting his gaze to the monitor displaying Saya facing off against a girl.
"Just keep an eye on her for me, something doesn't seem right." Nero cut him off.
"This is the coloured cluster all over again isn't it? You're not really going through with this are you?" Tron asked, concern heavy in his voice.
"If it's related in any way to the blood cluster,then that can only mean they're still alive." The temperature in the room dropped in an instant, Nero smile radiating intense murderous rage.
"That's only a theory, she might not be the one." Tron said, the wave of murderous intent washing over him.
"But if she is, we'll find out soon enough. I'll keep an eye on her, put her to the test." He ended.
"What is this for anyway? isn't it pointless? nowadays all you need is a word of recommendation from an higher up and you're in right?." Nero asked, the air returning back to normal.
"Yeah but not everyone has someone like that on their side like your girls,so this event is their only chance slim as it is. And besides, for all your talk your girls are down there aren't they?" Trale rolled his eyes.
" Whatever." Nero scoffed.
" So how are my girls doing?" She turned to the monitors.
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'Damnit.' Saya couldn't help but scream internally while in the middle of three back hand springs, dodging Lin's blade which kept slicing through everything in it's path.
The blade seemed to leave behind after images as it moved like a snake slicing through walls and wreckage alike.
Slowly but surely,Saya was running out of cover.
'Can't attack, can't counter, it's taking all i have just dodging.' Saya leapt out of her cover and as she did the wreckage got shredded seconds after she jumped.
"I'm gonna have to change my offense." She charged, sprinting towards Lin while trying to protect her vitals.
Almost immediately,the blade came down on her like a joke. Shredding through her body and leaving it with multiple cuts and lacerations.
Gritting her teeth so much she thought it cracked,Saya pressed on closing the distance between her and Lin the next instant.
Caught off guard, Lin hurriedly shot a few shurikens at Saya.
Saya effortlessly parries the shuriken and brings her sword down on Lin who recalls her blade to block the strike.
"Dark veil." Lin yelled,a rush of Ashen Black smoke billowing out of her body covering the area in an instant.
"I... I can't see anything" Saya stopped attacking and took her stance.
Her instincts blared and she ducked left dodging as the shoge blade flashed past her.
"What the hell" Saya whispered in frustration,a new cut appearing on her right shoulder.
"Phantom ropes?" She felt like each of her limbs had been tied down to heavy rocks slowing her down severely.
This happened multiple times leaving Saya bloodied and panting.
"Where is she?!!" She tightened the grip on her sword.
"Feel her presence,her ki." Saya thought as she closed her eyes and took in a deep breath.
Her mind was clear again, she could hear more, see more, feel more. She felt like she was part of the environment itself.
'There' Saya opened her eyes (which were now gleaming green)drew her sword just in time to block the blade and with a quick turn.
"Lightless slash!!!" The area seemed to grow darker as even Lin's dark veil lost it's ashen colour to a completely dark variant.
And in the midst of the darkness, a green Slash of dull light slammed into a dark figure with a small explosion.
"Did i get her?" Saya breathed hard as the smoke cleared and the dark veil vanished.
"Damn.....it." Saya stared in shock.
"You almost had me." Lin looked just as bloody as Saya did, her right hand even more so as it had taken the full brunt of her attack.
"You're strong so i don't have to hold back on you." Lin finally took her stance.(both feet wide apart,her bloody arms stretched forwards and crossed, left hand holding the blade and right hand holding the handle which turned into a sickle, the chain floating around her.)
"Crescent blade!!!" Lin yelled.
"Shit." Saya thought.