Clock - 5

My eyes narrowed, the calculation necessary ran through my head. My speed, the reactions of the goblins, and even if I could even do it.

But the tone was already set, the stage directed by the idle actions of Emilia, the playwright. And everything had gone according to her plan.

I could see it now, our meeting, her words. Everything was planned and executed with a swiftness that broke the minds of the feeble. 

It gave them no time to react and think. But she accounted for even this, as she picked me. Emilia knew that I could keep up with her, that I would remember the inane ramblings of some old adventurer.

And it was for that reason that even blinded by my previous betrayal I had no choice. It was either obey Emilia and her whims.

Or we both die a horrible death because of my indecisions.

I took one last look, towards the current match between Emilia and the king. In how he reached for his side where he held what seemed to be some sort of sword variant.

And with that one look it cast aside my doubts. There was no longer an option for me. For that reason I cast aside the idle musings that had brought me to this conclusion.

For this one moment, I set the clock in my mind. One that ticked at precise places.

Once, twice, thrice, and with it the core of my being slouched. Fell to the ground only to be picked by strong feet. 

They raced to their places. And once more the clock was set.

A breath, once twice. Turbulent mana that I had purified earlier was set ablaze. Not in the sense of those pyromaniacs. But in that it rocketed towards my limbs.

For a moment I took a good look at the situation.

Of the courtly tone, the knights who's eyes had begun to widen and point towards me. But that was a mere moment.

As in the time it took for them to raise their arm I was already off. Rocketed by a technique of mine.

One that I could not easily take advantage of. Yet in this situation it was perfect.

I gathered my mana at the edges of my limbs and with one continuous burst, set it aflame like the engines of a rocket.

Just as a rocket would it propelled me to unseen heights of speed.

The clock set once more. A tick, twice.

And I turned my body. A reaction that could only be possible because of the damage I sustained to my side. All in order to give me that burst of propulsion.

It turned me to the side, and with that slight movement took me from the path of some object.

I still felt the blood upon my face, the thin lines that signified the cut that they had taken from me.

I turned my eyes and within the seconds that I was looking I found what I had looked for.

From the beginning, the moment that the door had been kicked down to what seemed like seconds ago, there had been no wandering eyes on me.

But that was not the case now, as with a tensing of their muscles they took it upon themselves to come closer.

A vicious smile came upon my lips, and with it came a sign. I raised my hand and in a universal gesture flipped them the bird.

All while I watched in amusement as they growled and ran further, faster.

I felt the wind once more change its poisonous gust and fly straight over my head once again. A smell that bit at my eyes and drew out tears.

But they were too late.

I landed and crouched before the goblin. He saw me, I knew that. But he was too preoccupied. Sword hit sword, and he stepped back one foot, two. I took it upon myself to crouch lower and roar in defiance as I curled my fist.

With all the power I had left I pushed forward.

KUUUUAAAA

A roar of pain, a crack of a bone. It all came together into a melodious song that brought me to the ground.

I gasped and weaved in pain. But even as he turned to me, a torturous crack. 

But as he did so, a sword, wrapped in mana, all weaved with frost.

Yet even then it was too late, there was no stopping her. Emilia thrust forward, a silent yell of defiance on her lips.

A stab, and one more for good measure.

Yet even after those vicious injuries she found herself thrown from the back of the goblin.

His green form loomed over me with power. My smirk still held, even for the set backs that I had felt, there was still a silver lining.

KUUUUAAAA

My smirk grew louder, bigger, wider. All as blood spurt from his neck, only to be veiled by a chunk of ice.

There was movement behind me, but I threw out my hand. Even injured as I was, I was still able to take down some of these small fries.

"HUAH" I yelled as I pulled my small knife from my pocket.

I leaped from the ground and onto the nearest goblin. I had little training but my mere weight brought him to the ground.

It flailed for a moment before I silenced it with a stab of my knife.

I looked to the sky, then to the blue eyes that looked deeply into mine. A smile set onto my face and with it the golden rays that brought with it a victory from the depths of our hearts.

But it was not done, for me maybe, only because I could fight no longer. That last kill was, as it implied, my last.

I had no energy left, only enough to bring my body to the nearest wall and collapse. Watching the frost consume the area and with it those that had tried to poison us, kill us