56: The Dark Side

(Nathan POV)

*CLANG CLANG CLANG*

In a few strikes, I was sure of two things. One, he was stronger than me in close combat. Second, his class was a brawler. Meaning, he was not very good at magic casting. Especially during a hand-to-hand combat.

(So that is the reason he has not used even a single spell till now. But that does not make any difference. I can not find even a slightest chance to use magic. He knows his weakness well. He knows that if he allows me to use magic, it will be his loss. I need to put some distance between us.)

After forming the plan in my head I Jumped back trying to gain some distance but it was like he was reading my mind. No matter what I tried, no matter how I tried to run away, he would be on me in seconds. I tried multiple times to cast an offensive spell but every time he interrupted me. I had to stop casting and block his assault. The spells requiring wand movements were out of question. My only option was the other type of magic but I was not at a level where I could cast it silently. And he never let me complete a chant.

(I did not want this but you leave me no choice)

I gathered all the magic power that I could all while blocking him. He punched me in the face using his left. I side stepped. Like he was reading my mind, his other fist was already moving towards the point where my abdomen would be in a sec. Before his fist could make a contact, I blocked it using Aurora. It took the full burst of the impact. I supported Aurora using Vespira by putting it behind Aurora. Although I did not receive any damage but the force was enough to send me flying. I flew a few meters back. I tried to land but I had underestimated the force behind the throw. My legs were not able to handle the impact and I slipped. My back hit the floor first. It was only after two or three flips that I was able to stop the momentum.

"I am stronger than you lord Nathan." I heard his voice. It was heavy and low pitched. "But I do not wish to hurt you. So please stand down." He completed his sentence.

"Says the guy who almost gave me an internal injury." I mocked. "How the hell are you so strong any way." I stood up.

"That is my ...." He tried to tell me but I had never intended to hear an answer.

A gust of wind came and started to swirl around me.

"You IDIOT" I Heard the girl screaming. "WHY DID YOU GIVE THE CHANCE TO USE IT."

"I do not think you should be focusing on another fight while facing me." Jacob tried to get her attention back but she had already alerted Leo.

He realized his folly and charged at me with full speed. The gust of wind gathered around my swords and I raised Vespira. As Vespira came down, A blade made of wind emitted from it and launched itself towards Leo. It was invisible but Leo still dodged it.

"how did you....." I was astonished.

But that was not the time. So, I continued my assault. Every time I would make a slash with Vespira or Aurora, a wind blade would be emitted. But he was skillfully dodging all the wind blades and in no time, he was near me. As soon as I was in his range, he punched me in the right jaw. I backstepped to avoid him and conjured a fire ball on the tip of my sword. The gust of wind was already swirling around my blade and as soon as fire was formed, it got dispersed. But instead of extinguishing it, the wind enhanced the fire and a fire cyclone formed around my blade. I aimed for his neck and slashed. He probably saw through me but I had countermeasures in place.

(He will need to back away to protect himself from the flame. As soon as he does that, I will back away as well. This will give me a chance to touch the ground and I will turn the ground around his feet into quicksand. That will end it)

But reality beg to differ. Leo instead of moving backwards, came forward.

(Does he want to die)

But he obviously did not. With his left he stopped my right hand. His strength was superior to mine. And then he punched me straight in the nose.

(Damn this will hurt)

The plan I had formed went down the drain. But that did not mean I was going to take that huge fist with my face. I let go of Aurora with right hand and a ball of fire formed in my hand. Since he was grabbing my right hand, it was close to his face. With Vespira in my left hand I touched the ground. In the next moment I released the fire ball and it hit his face causing a small explosiin. Using Vespira as a contact point between the ground and me, I made a rock wall in front of me. It was not enough. The small explosion made him let go of my hand. The wall slowed down his fist but it broke through. I only had a moment in which I turned me face towards a side so that I would not take the full brunt of his punch with my nose. The fist hit my jaw and I was sent flying back once more.

*THUD*

I hit the ground with quiet an impact but I was on my feet in a second.

(That ends tha...… OH HELL NO)

I was expecting the fight to end. I mean I had blasted that guy's face with a fire ball. But I guess it was too much to ask from my shitty luck. Of course, he was still standing.

"Lord Nathan...….. I wished to end this fight without hurting but you are making it difficult for me." He said.

Smoke was covering his face. Slowly it dispersed and I saw his face. The right side was burned and he had probably lost sight in that eye as well but I was simply impressed at his resilience. He was one stubborn guy.

"That really hurt you know. If only your powers were not sealed, you would have killed me." He said.

I did not respond to this. Instead, I raised my hand.

"Aurora" The sword flew back in my hand. The fight was far from over.

"You could have held my sword. It would have made things easier." I was not sure why he did not try to pick up my sword.

"Sorry to disappoint you but I was never too much of a thinker." He said while standing there and then he was at my face.

(HUH?)

I could not react, I could not move, I could not block. An iron fist was piercing through my stomach and then Something hit my back. I could not comprehend what had happened. Every thing had happened so suddenly. He had punched me in my stomach and my back had hit a wall. Extreme pain shot out of my back and my stomach. I tried to get up but the pain was too much.

(Like Hell...….. What happened)

I tried again but my body was not responding as it should. Then I felt like puking and something filled my mouth. I spitted it out only to find blood coming from my mouth.

(Looks like my internals are not doing so well.)

"I told you that I am stronger than you. I was one of the strongest brawlers in the family. You do not stand a chance against me like this. Not in your current condition. So I suggest that you...….." He stopped in the middle. Slowly he looked down towards his feet that were sinking into the ground. He looked at me and I only smiled. There was another fire ball already forming on my hand. I released the fire ball towards him but even this time it did not faze him. In fact, he simply deflected it with his gauntlet. It did explode but it did no damage at all. I tried to get up but I fell down again. My head was spinning like a top. I needed to reach him but I was not in any condition. I looked at him again and our eyes met.

"That was a good plan but it will not work against me." He started to pull his legs out and then the floor started to crack.

(That guy. Does he have gorilla blood in his veins.)

"HEY NAT" I heard a scream. "REMEMBER HOW ARCADIA WON THE WAR. WHY ARCADIA WON THE WAR." It was Jacob.

I looked towards him. He was not faring any better than me. Irene was a knight and a tracker. She was the worst matchup against an assassin.

"IF YOU CANNOT BEAT AN ENEMY THEN CHANGE YOUR TACTIC...... OR CHANGE HIS TACTICS." He said. At that time Iren plunged her spear towards his face. He deflected the spear with his knife while tilting his head towards the other side. The spear missed his face by an inch and he pushed it to the side. Using his other hand, he threw his knife up in the air and then another two small knives appear in his hand. He flicked his wrist and the knives flew towards Irene at break neck speed. She had to back off immediately in order to save herself. Using her spear, she deflected both the knives. By the time she got back to the fight Jacob had disappeared from the room.

"UGH I HATE THIS GUY."

(No matter how many times I see this I am always impressed.)

*CRACK*

My attention was pulled back towards Leo. He was out of the quick sand and the floor now had a big hole in it. A lot of earth was sticking to his legs and he was dusting it off of himself.

(Damn that guy is already up. I need a plan quick. What did Jacob mean by that?)

I had not understood what Jacob was trying to tell me.

(How I won the war? By using guerrilla tactics. Or the river. Change my plan? Change? I don't get it)

But this was no time to think. Leo was getting pissed. All the injuries that I had suffered were taking a toll on me. I could not fight a dragged-out brawl. I needed to finish it fast. Leo took his sweet time to dust the dirt off and then he looked at me. Without saying another word, he bolted towards me. It was the same speed as before but this time I was ready. I forced myself towards the right. A heavy blow hit the wall I was kneeling against and with a blast a huge portion of the wall disappeared. I rolled towards the side and then got up. In the next moment he was besides me. He aimed for my face and punched. I tilted my head to the left to avoid the blow but he immediately aimed for my head again using his other fist. I used Aurora to deflect his fist. Placing Aurora at the wrist of the incoming fist, I slightly changed its trajectory towards the right while stepping more towards the left. The fist grazed my check but I avoided most of the blow. Then using Vespira, I aimed for his neck and slashed. He used his right palm to block it. His big hand started to grab my blade but I pulled it back before he could get a hold of my sword. His grip was loose and I was able to get away safely. As I moved back, I summoned a gust of wind and tried to blind him using some sand but he was way faster. He immediately covered his eyes and charged at me. This time he kicked me in the abdomen. I slashed at his stretched leg but he folded it in the nick of time. And then his knee was close to my face. I blocked it with my arm. The impact had lost majority of its power maybe because he had changed forms in a haste. Even then my arm felt numb.

(This is going nowhere. I need to do something. Think Nathan think. What did Jacob mean? How did I won the war. Wait..... What did he say? I need to remember. He said that 'how did I won the war.')

Suddenly a pang of pain invaded my mind and with it came a voice.

("He said 'how did arcadia won the war' you dimwit. Let me out and I will kill that guy for you.")

(Shit!!!! Why now of all times. "You shut up and stay there")

("Ku Ku KU KUKUKUKU. Then don't come running to me when you are about to die. Just like the last time.)

My eyes radiated power and magic started to gather around me. My crimson pupils turned to slits and I released all my magic in the form of a burst.

"SHUT UP" I shouted.

Leo who was charging at me came to a halt.

"Oh my god." I heard him say.

I turned my head towards him.

"You shut up and watch as I take him down." I spoke. My voice was distant. Like an echo.

I raised my hand and this time instead of a simple fireball, the thing in my hand was as large as car and was generating heat like clin. I looked at Leo and there was a new emotion in his eyes. One that had never been there before. Fear.

("Yes Yes prove it to me") It was still there, talking to me.

("I do not have anything to prove to you.")

("You are nothing but a small little scared boy who is scared of every thing including your own power.")

"I SAID SHUT UP" I tried to release the fire but before I could do anything someone stopped me.

"Get a hold of yourself Nathan. You cannot give in to him. Take back control."

"I am in control." I spoke. A shrill like echo came out of my mouth.

"No, you are not Nat. Think about it. Think about Your mother, Think about me...…. think about Ana Nathan. You have to take control." I looked at him. My fire was burning him. His hands were getting burned and his cloths were on fire. But he was still stopping me.

("don't listen to that flea. Just stomp on him and kill your enemies. We will kill all the enemies and then we will rule over all the weaklings.")

With that even the last shred of rationality left me and my mind went blank. There was only one thing I could think about and it was on my lips.

"Kill...… Kill... Kill" I kept repeating the same thing.

It was not that I had lost my mind. The feeling was that of extreme rage. I knew what I was doing but I did not want to stop.

"No, Nathan......... listen to me........ Nathan. You have to get a hold of yourself. Trust me I know how it feels. You just want to kill every one who has ever hurt you. And I also know what you have been through. Just think about your friends, about your sister Ana, About your mother...…"

"Move or die." I did not care anymore.

"At the end Sabas was right." He said

Something clicked inside my head and I stopped. I looked Jacob in the eye.

"If you do this you will be proving him right." He said.

The fire died down immediately and I fell on my knees. Before I could fall, Jacob caught me.

"Damn kid. You almost killed me." He joked.

I opened my eyes and looked at his hands. His sleaves were burnt till his shoulders and his shirt was barely holding. His body had many burn marks. I knew he would heal quick because he was a vampire but no matter what, it did hurt him. And it was all my fault.

"I am sorry." Was the only thing I could say.

"That's not gonna cut it. I am going to need some compensation. My favorite red delicacy from you. Only then we will be even." He smirked

If there was anything, I liked about him it was his calm and cool demeaner.

"Just this once." I said firmly.

"You have a deal lil bro"

"Do you guys really think that you are in a position to chit chat." It was Irene. Leo was back on his feet as well.

We both got up quickly and stood faced towards our respective targets.

"Hey jac"

"Yeah"

"I figured out the meaning of your words."

"Took you long enough. So, lets do it" He raise his hand and I gave him a high five.

When I though about it, his words were quite simple. How did Arcadia win the war? Why did Arcadia won the war. We won because I had exchanged places with Kizen. 'Exchanged' places. That was the key element. I ran towards my target with full speed. They were both startled.

The person I was running towards was not Leo but Irene.