Chapter 3:

Chapter 3:

The rapier came thrusting towards him, all with the intent of skewering him through. For the briefest second Jihao saw his life just flashed before his very eyes. His time as a little boy with his mother and father, the mother whom wept and cried her eyes out, at his decision to remain in the military. However, Jihao wasn't having it, as a fire raged within him. Not a flame of pride or arrogance but of the basic animalistic instinct of survival, the pure raging will of human no, of mankind's will as a whole to survive, to dominate and overcome fate. Even in the face of possible death.

Jihao moved, his heart was pumping, pounding loudly in his ears, as his eyes tracked the gleaming edge of the tool set to end his life. He barely evaded the kiss of death as the gleaming edge grazed across his skin. Letting his instincts guide him he shifted his posture, leaning forward towards his attacker. Instead of moving away from his assailant, he pushed against him. Grabbing at the extended out thrusted sword limb, before once again shifting in his posture lifting his opponent and tossing him over head.

Throwing his foe deeper into the shower room, from where Jihao originally came from. The man-thing slid across the ground, further than intended even, due to the wet moisture still clinging to the shower floors. Coming to a stop at the chamber before entering the shower area. The man-thing's hair was disheveled from the affair and his once cocky smile had now disappeared from their face. Replace with a feral snarl, baring their teeth with filled with rage.

But Jihao didn't stop, nor ceased in his movement. During the time frame of throwing his adversary across the room. He had scrambled up to his feet rushing towards the wall of the chambers. Or rather towards a holo-display panel near the entrance pathway. Before the man-thing could properly stand on their two feet, Jihao slammed his palm against the holo-display panel activating it. A slight hum started to echo off the walls within the chamber, growing more and more loudly as seconds passed. This also didn't escape the attention of his foe. Being at the center of the occurrence. Aragroth von Sololor could feel it not just in the air, but within his bones, a tremor like a cold rapidly spreading throughout his body.

Before long it spread to such an extent that the aura around him began to shine. Rippling rapidly across their body like a tidal wave. The sensation was becoming unbearable the ring in their ears was beginning hurt badly. Socery? No, it was something else. Aragroth von Sololor trained his shaking vison towards the main perturbator of his current predicament. Jihao! Not that he knew his name. His hand still on the holo-panel, his finger trailing something on the control higher and higher vertically. As he did so the sensation increased. At this point this feeling became unbearable his head not felt so bloated to the point it might just explode. Not even including the ringing, that loud consistent ringing.

The chamber that Aragroth von Sololor found himself within quaked. The air itself seemed to be vibrating. Dropping to his knee holding his head in his palm, but still holding tightly to his rapier. Eyes shaking in their sockets, his ears blaring with noise. So much that it hurt, he couldn't see it, but he could feel a trail of red liquid was slowly oozing out of his ears. He tried to stand back up on his two feet. But found himself held in place, and couldn't rise from his current position.

Then the answer came upon Aragroth von Sololor. The chamber! the chamber around him was the cause. And he would be correct.

The area he stood upon before the showers, was where the sonic showers are installed. The sonic shower was a technology that used sonic pulse vibrations to remove dirt and grime, contaminations and even dead skin from the body. Set at a high enough frequency. Sonic showers were described as relaxing. It was mainly used to cleanse oneself before entering the shower area. The effects were addicting ridding oneself of all impurities, before dosing themselves with cleansing water was just too pleasant. It was the standard way of the modern age practiced by all not just in the school. High-pitched sonic showers serve a similar effect as to what a "cold shower" serves. However, if one were to set the higher than the 'safety' parameter, the effects would turn from pleasant to devastating.

Jiahao knowing this, had hoped that setting the frequency high enough would kill the hated figure in front of him. But the bastard still lived! Jiahao mentally sighed in his head. While letting an audible annoyed grunt through gritted teeth. However, he could see clearly that his foe wasn't entirely unaffected. Still standing somewhat, however seeing the flickering sheen of energy becoming dimmer by the second. Not exactly the result he was hoping for but this would suffice.

So, he leaped forward bracing against the sonic wave that instantly rippled through his body, the instant he was within just a foot deep into the room. His body ached. He felt his blood shaking, his head was spinning. He could feel his whole body just mere seconds away from being tore to ribbons. Jihao gritted his teeth in response, forcing his teeth so tightly against one another, along with the sonic force blaring through him, he was sure that they would crack. But he still pushed on, ramming shoulder first into the hated foe. Feeling the impact of something pushing against him for the briefest moment. Before he felt the skin of his opponent. Tumbling forward, riding the momentum of his lunge rolling head first before catching himself back onto his feet. Skidding to a halt due to the wet floor.

Now the two were in the shower room. The water facets still running all around the large chamber. Dosing the open space in thick dense mist, due to the water vapor of the heated fluids. Jihao stood up wobbly, still aching, his head was spinning, his vison still a blur. However, that didn't stop him form locating what he sought after. That figure stood out like a sore thumb. The aura around the beautiful man still shone dimly in the mist ahead of him.

Seeing that Jihao despite the acrobat he just performed still held onto his blade, swung its gleaming edge at Aragroth von Sololor. But was repelled before the tip even came within inches of his skin. It was the rapier, Aragroth von Sololor felt the coming danger like a sixth sense and had swung his weapon to intercept Jihao's strike. Jihao mumbled a cruse at that, before backing away into the mist, evading the return strike from Aragroth von Sololor. Removing his palm from his face, the image there was now a hollow reflection of what he was before.

His face was a mess. His well-kept hair in disarray, a horrid face with bloodshot eyes still oozing red fluid down his cheeks, couple with a now hideous snarl on his face. An aura of pure hatred and murder radiated off of those eyes, his original smug confidence lost.

&*(&^! [Damnable barbarian~!] Even his voice was different as well. The tone of it was completely alien to his pervious voice. It was almost as if it was another person speaking. *&%#&&%! [Face Me~! Face me You Coward! Face me like a warrior, instead of hiding in plain sight like unworthy vermin~!] Aragroth von Sololor cried out his voice echoing off the wall around him. In response like a prayer his call was answered.

Bursting forth from the mist to his right.

Came Jihao sliding on his knee against the wet tile floor. His blade gripped underhand; its gleaming edge brushed against the otherworldly energy surrounding Aragroth von Sololor. The aura held like before however, unlike before it seemed to give and Jihao's blade kissed the flesh of Aragroth von Sololor. Its honed edge gliding as smooth as a hot knife against butter. Splitting the muscles on Aragroth von Sololor's calf muscle, on the back of the lower leg.

Aragroth von Sololor roared in anger and pain, and swung in retaliation. The blade just barely slicing across the surfaces of Jihao's skin. Using the momentum of his charge and twisting his body in certain angels. Jihao came upon Aragroth von Sololor again. Using the slippery, wet floor like an ice skater, as he began to dance around his foe. Skidding around, never stopping never ceasing. All the while his blade also twisted, thrusting forward, and sliced. Many new marks were beginning to appear on Aragroth von Sololor's exposed body. Many of his strikes were intercepted but just as many weren't.

But the momentum could be held for long. As without pause and a defiant roar Aragroth von Sololor swung at Jihao again. This time timed just right, catching Jihao by the leg. Jihao didn't even have the time to cry out in pain as he tumbled into the wet tilt floor. He felt pain but he knew he couldn't stop. Bracing against the pain, not sure if he had broken his nose, he rose his blade up to guard against the strike he knew which was coming. Catching Aragroth von Sololor just in time.

However, it didn't stop there, as Aragroth von Sololor leift his thin rapier sword and swung down again in rapid succession. Horizontal, vertically or sideways, never at the same angle as the last.

*^%#^&#@*&^%$! [Die you unworthy filth~! I should have known you wouldn't have understood what honor was~!] clang-clang-clang~! The sound metal clashing against metal resounded in Jihao's ear. It bounced and echoed off the walls, despite the still running facet still spewing water. Jihao was now finding himself in a tight spot, he was leaning most of his weight on his now bad leg. Though it was really just a starch compared to what he gave the man-thing, it was begin to hinder him more and more. He couldn't let that continue. He let himself fall backwards and on his rear end, guiding Aragroth von Sololor's next incoming strike. The maneuver threw the attacker off balance, due to the wounds on his legs as he fell forward. Seizing the chance Jihao grabbed at Aragroth von Sololor's sword wielding arm.

Driving his blade across wrist severing the tendon there. The hand went limp, as lifeless finger no longer able to hold a grip on the rapier loosened. The blade fell clanging onto the tile floor. Then fully knocking him with a swift kick to his knee cap breaking it. Jihao forced Aragroth von Sololor onto his back, before plunging his own still tightly gripped blade into Aragroth von Sololor chest. On the left side where the heart should be. Of course, Jihao didn't knoe if that was the case, he just did it out of instinct and simply being how human his foe looked.

Jihao held himself in place, holding his blade down, while pressing the rest of his body weight on Aragroth von Sololor. The duo seemingly became lost in their own world, the noise of the fighting outside seems to pass into the background. Even the running facet was fading from Jihao's ears, all he could hear was the sound of his own heartbeat, and the gasping, coughing sounds of Aragroth von Sololor's own throat. Coughing and choking on his own blood. Trying to taking in air which was being denied to his lungs to no avia, as the light in his eyes began to fade. Yet still those eyes never left Jihao's ow. As the two mortal foes locked eyes without one another.

"This is for Jack and Dexter." Jihao softly said his voice ice cold, devoid of any emotion.

Aragroth von Sololor rasped spitting goblets of blood trying to speak, but Jihao couldn't hear his mumble, not that he understood him before, nor can he understand him now.

"Shut up, you talk too much." After all this time Jihao had finally said his response to this foe, just at he spat at his face. Aragroth von Sololor glared defiantly at this act, his good arm reached for Jihao's throat, but ceased midway as it halted. Before slowly falling back down, Jihao still looked on, as his foe breathed his last, locking eyes with him never once breaking eye contact with him.

Finally, after a few seconds, regaining his composure he lifted himself off the corpse. But not before throwing one final kick to the head. Checking to make sure that his foe is truly dead. No longer interested in the dead man, he spun on his heel, surveying the battle behind him. Which was now nearing its end. The sight chilled him bodies just laid on the floor one particle figure out of it all caught his attention instantly.

"Johnny~!" Jihao screamed. Seeing his best friend on the floor, his back towards his assailant, who seemed to be readying the final blow. Reaching down and grabbing the fallen rapier blade of his dead foe, while he began sprinting. He held in underhand, holding it up to his head like a spear. Before lancing it, the blade swam through the air in a perfect arc, spearing the bodyguard of the dead man behind him.

At least that should have happened if not for that sheen of aura. Which the blade bounced off, but seemingly have knocked the warrior off balance. Not losing this opportunity he pumped his legs even harder. Before leaping and kneeing the warrior's face, but still that damn aura didn't let his blow connect. However, the kinetic force of the blow and his body weight threw his foe to the ground. Jihao then jammed and pushed the edge of his blade to the down opponent's throat. The aura didn't appear this time. He didn't know why, but he didn't have time to comprehend or understand it.

Permanently putting down the foe by dragging his blade across the foe's neck. Rasing on his feet he went to Johnny's side. Thankfully he was still alive, to this he released a breath that Jihao himself, didn't realize he had been holding. Quickly giving the tight space another look, George slamming his fireman axe unto the head of the last intruder. While Jo and Kai the latter now missing an arm below the elbow, dispatch the other.

The room became eerily quiet, Jihao pulled Johnny up to his knee, before placing him on his rear. "Are you alright?" Jihao asked the redundant question. Even as he knew the answer to his own question, if the massive cut on Johnny face, particularly over his left eye wasn't obvious.

"I'll be fine, I'm not dying that easily, just give me a minute." Johnny groaned before placing a palm over his lost eye, in futile attempt to halt the blood oozing out. Taking his eyes off him, looking back around he could see the myriad of bodies on the floor of the wound and the dying. The sight felt like a dagger being plunged into his heart with each revelation. Matt and Jake laid on the floor side by side. Ryan was leaning against wall an array of wounds littered his body, as rivers of crimson red rain and flowed endlessly. He could also see the still bodies of Carter, Thomas, and even Cole lying about. Of the few of his comrades that still was able to stand, though not without wounds themselves. All of whom he could count all on his own two hands.

Over fifty military student was in this bathroom, chatting and laughing going about their day. Now less than a third of them still lived. All to take down a mere handful of intruders less than twenty souls. Less than twenty! Fifty against twenty! Now only a handful still remain! Jihao fought the tears beginning to spill from his eyes. He couldn't cry, not here not like this; how can he display such weakness before brothers around him. No! He will not!

He forced down the sensations of pain and weakness down within him. Helping Johnny raise to his feet before, leaning him against the near wall, taking one of the spare towels to wrap the wound around his head. Others were doing the same, some even checked to see even any of the still bodies of their brother, in hopes of seeing if they still lived.

Those hopes were crushed.

Leaving Johnny and attempting to help another badly injured comrade, he caught sight of something in his peripheral vision. Towards the direction of the blasted doorway to the hallway. What he saw almost threatened to cause Jihao's eyeballs to pop out of their sockets. Jihao sprang past the door, agitating the shallow cut on his leg but he ignored it, before he halted his steps. His legs stood rooted to the floor, as if some mystic force was holding him. He almost couldn't even voice out his next words, such was the emotions that was spiraling within his very core.

"What is this?"