No turning back

Perses watched Lugh's reinvigorated jeering from the sidelines with an intense feeling of embarrassment as he cringed on behalf of Mars.

'Well, this is something. He was so miserable a moment ago, too. Did he drink too much?'

Entertained by the swordmaster's antics, Perses attempted to share a wry smile with Mars. However, Mars responded with only a stoic nonchalance devoid of interest. Each boy's attitude paralleled their first meeting.

'Well here goes.'

Copying Mars's previous stance with improved accuracy, Perses raised his sword. A professional would have likely commented that this was the wrong stance for a one-handed short sword, but presumably, the result would stay the same.

Rather than try something new, Mars approached slowly.

'Again, really? This guy, is pretty stubborn.'

Feeling it unnecessary to take part in the same charade, Perses approached reinvigorated with confidence. But something changed. For the first time, he felt it. Taking only a few steps forward, he was stripped of a substantial portion of strength.

'Shit she's still all the way back there, I forgot.'

Before he could get a chance to retreat, Mars engaged him. With shocking speed, he dashed at Perses with an almost random trajectory. Mars swung his sword towards his left pelvis. The blade stopped just before it collided with Perses's sword that awaited it. Stamping his right foot, Mars used his momentum to spin and unleash a devastating blow to Perse's opposite side.

Left with no chance of blocking the sword with his own, Perses resorted to using his hand again. Striking Perses' hand with immense force, thick waves devastated the audience, but Mars's sword simply shattered.

'Ouchhh'

Trying his best to play off the pain in his hand, Perses turned his back to Mars and the audience, shaking his hand frantically and dropping his sword out of pain. Making eye contact with the smug devil who remained seated precariously on the shed, he cursed under his breath.

'Man, that really hurt. No, that swing was different. He's different. Dam, if I was just a little closer to her, I'd probably have been fine. I think he broke my hand.'

"Look, Mars, if you're really that desperate, we can use real swords. Don't worry, I'll go easy-"

In the brief time Perses had looked away, he was met with an armed Mars who smiled gently. Without a sound, he had retrieved Perse's sword, which he now pointed towards him. His familiar, kind smile had returned, his agitation... was all an act?

"Rookie, move dropping your sword, Perses. This isn't over. So go once more with me. It's fun, isn't it?"

Their clashes had been incredibly short-lived till now, and the wooden swords had been completely useless. Honestly, he didn't agree with Mars. Sure, it was useful to him but fun, not so much. 

"Fun?"

"Yeah, it is, it is fun right? I don't know what it is that makes you different, but this is too great of an opportunity to pass up on, I realise that now. The more we fight, the more skilled you seem to get. Your certainly no amateur now, I'm not sure I'll be able to fight you equally again, so I want you to go all out once more."

Perses sighed indifferently. He wasn't about to pass up on the opportunity to learn, but hearing himself be called different, honestly didn't feel all too great.

"Well, alright, if that's what you want, then I won't use a sword. Il just fight you with my hands, Mars."

Perses held up his hands in challenge as he stood comfortably within the shade of the shed. Lugh was cheering Mars on with the occasional jeer from the sidelines, but it was strange. He didn't appear to be drunkenly chanting for no reason. In fact, his suggestion had been a strange one in the first place.

'What does he stand to gain from this?'

"Oi, you lot cheer him on, or you're fired!

Lugh looked dangerously around at the crowd of guards. They all quickly climbed to their feet, spurred on by Lugh's threats as they echoed yells of encouragement. Satisfied, he returned his eyes to the scene in front of him, but a hint of tension remained.

Mars smiled, a little apprehensive and possibly embarrassed. He paused before entering a stance blocking out the rowdiness of his audience. This stance was completely new, raising loud murmurs from within the crowd.

"I know now that wooden swords won't work on you, Perses, so if I slash your neck, I win. Is that fine?"

Perses nodded in response, he had his doubts about whether even a real sword would be able to cut off his head, but he agreed nonetheless.

"Then here I go."

Mars charged at Perses, sword in hand. He had abandoned his previous, more methodical method and simply rushed Perses. Perses threw a simple punch at Mars, which was immediately ducked. Without a sword, Perses had no reason to wait and try to learn from Mars. He could go on the offence. Throwing an array of clumsy yet dangerous punches, Mars was forced to show a fearful smile as he narrowly evaded the blows with great effort.

Finally, with a chance to counter, he attempted to swipe at Perse's feet rather than target his head. Propping himself off the ground with only one hand, he smoothly kicked at Perse's feet. Too inexperienced to react, Perses watched as Mars's foot struck his leg with significant force but to no avail.

With no other method to attack, Perses kicked at Mars. In response, Mars pushed himself off the ground, just barely avoiding the terrifying blow that kicked up a storm of dust in its wake. Backing up from his foe to Mars's surprise, he was swallowed by the ensuing dust that quickly scattered around the courtyard from Perse's kick.

After only a brief moment later, the battleground was coated with a hazy storm of sand.

'Whoa, whoa, I really overdid it with that. He really would have died for sure. Ok gotta be more careful.'

Uncertain of what to do but still confident in his reactions, he turned around, aimlessly searching for Mars amidst the sandstorm. The shed behind him was the only vector he could use to understand where he stood.

All of a sudden, Perses was struck by an idea. His back as close to the shed and devil girl as possible, he threw his hands around as if pulling and pushing the sand away telekinetically. The battleground was assaulted and cleansed of its sandy array by Perses's heightened strength that sent devastating shockwaves everywhere, whiplashing many audience members.

With a confident gaze, he looked around for the figure of Mars. However, the more he searched, the more anxious he became. He had lost sight of him completely.

"Behind yo-"

Hearing a voice behind him, he looked behind and then up just in time to see a seated girl and a boy diving towards him. Despite the devil girl's warning, Mars flew towards him from the shed's roof.

Perses helplessly attempted to grab Mars out of the air as Mars bounded over him. With his superior reach and wooden sword, only Mars could target the opponent as he swung his sword straight at Perse's neck.

With one fluent motion, Mars's wooden blade struck Perse's neck, shattering the blade instantly. Skilfully flipping, Mars landed softly behind Perses.

With an ecstatic grin, he breathed out restlessly as he fell to one knee. Once the audience had finally caught up with the events, they let out a thunderous applause that startled Perses. Lugh had somehow already crossed the distance and embraced Mars, much to the agitation of Perses.

'What happened? I thought I didn't care.'

Still shocked, Perses was left standing alone on the battleground as the rampaging audience swarmed Mars excitedly.

'Wait, Lugh is, is he crying? What the hell.'

A little colour returned to Perse's face as he spotted what appeared to be a small array of tears surrounding the cruel-mannered man's face. The devil girl had unknowingly joined him but still avoided looking at him. After a brief silence, she laughed.

"How'd you lose to that cry baby even after I warned you, look at the dad he's just as bad, hahaha, now thats embarrassing."

"Quiet you. That's the last thing I wanted to hear from you. Besides, I don't really feel like I lost."

"Really?, that's what it looks like to me. Don't you want to be congratulated like that?"

Perses looked at the devil girl awkwardly. "No, no, not really. Wait, is that how you feel? Anyway, he earned that. He was able to make good use of his only advantage.

"Intelligence?"

"No, you idiot range. Why does it have to be you, of all people calling me stupid?"

Slow to grasp his words, the devil looked towards him, offended as his meaning dawned on her.

"Hah, I've had enough of your insults. You should be grateful for me arriving when you needed me. Anyway, tell me what you're doing here, what was the point of all this?"

"Ah, that's right I forgot, I did come here for a reason but it's none of your business devil."

Mars had made his way through the crowd and looked startled to find Perses talking to himself. All of a sudden, the devil girl fell silent. It appeared she was indeed still only visible to him.

"Hey, uh, what are you doing? Well, whatever, thanks for agreeing to all that. It was a little scary, though. I don't want to try that again any time soon."

Despite the briefness of the final clash, Mars was caked with sweat. The anxiety had also clearly worn down on him as he smiled weakly. For Perses, it was like playing, but for Mars, it had likely been life or death.

"Sure, whatever. But just so you know, I came here for something else."

"Something else? Ah right, I'll go get him-."

"Well, well, the blessed actually lost?."

Lugh cut in on the boy's conversation with a content expression smeared across his features.

"Wait, you thought I was gonna lose!"

Mars looked up at him, betrayed, but Lugh just ignored him completely.

"Anyway, I thought I told you to go easy, blessed. Some of those blows could of killed Mars. Well, whatever you still lost, fucking pathetic-"

"Smack"

Lugh recoiled a little from the first Mars had struck him with.

"Just give him what he wants dad."

"...Fine, I guess I am a little grateful. I guess you really didn't notice Mars, but that wasn't luck you won with. For now all I'll say is this, your not the one who came up with idea to ambush from the shed, are you?"

Lugh sent Mars a knowing look, but Mars just seemed puzzled by his father's words. Watching their exchange with impatience, Perses coughed impatiently. With dangerous eyes, Lugh turned to face Perses as he waited for him to speak. 

"Maybe a week ago, there were two guards who greeted me after I awoke from the sanctuary. The other day, I saw one of them. It was like he was deranged. I think he was fleeing from something, but I was too tired to ask... I want to know what's going on with them? Secondly, tell me, where did Machia go?"

"..."

His heartstrings felt rigid, uncomfortable and riddled with guilt. Perses only cared a little for the whereabouts of the guards. His question about Machia had escaped his mouth before he even realized it. But, truthfully, there was something greater. Something else that had been tugging on his curiosity ever since he visited Hectate's house, even more so than where Machia was. Before Lugh could respond, he asked him.

"Tell me, are there really only two blessed?"