Chapter 14 | The debounce

Hiroshi and Bryan paused in their sword stances. Waiting for someone to make the first move. Both were calm and still. But there was tension between them both. Rain poured from the sky and the clouds covered the sun.

"Why are you siding with boss Bryan?" Hiroshi asked. "What are you getting out of this?"

"I am simply just having fun," Bryan said. "Nothing else!" Bryan explained before launching toward Hiroshi winding his sword for a slash. Hiroshi hastily blocked the incoming blow with his axe, erupting it with flames sending Bryan back slamming him into the concrete road.

"THIS ISNT ANY FUN!" Hiroshi yelled. "WE'RE JUST MURDERING PEOPLE AT THIS POINT!"

Bryan got himself off the floor brushing the rubble off his clothes. "I wouldn't expect someone like you to understand what fun is," Bryan said then leaping towards Hiroshi again. Hiroshi slammed his axe on the ground erupting the concrete with flames towards Bryan still midair. Bryan slammed his sword on the ground, using his hands to propel it off it, dodging the blow and kicking Hiroshi in the face.

Bryan leapt back pulling his sword from the ground. "Why do people like you keep getting in the way?" Bryan asked. "You could've stayed with us, and we all could rise in power!"

"BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO LIVE THAT WAY!" Hiroshi exclaimed. "EVERY MISTAKE IN MY LIFE UP TO NOW WAS TAKING THINGS AWAY FROM PEOPLE BECAUSE I WAS UPSET THAT I DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING LEFT!"

"BUT IN THE END!" Hiroshi yelled clenching the handle of his axe. "I DON'T WANT TO BE THE SAME AS THE PEOPLE WHO TOOK EVERYTHING FROM ME!"

"SHUT UP!" Bryan screamed with anger. "JUST FUCKING DIE!" Bryan followed winding up his sword and body for an incoming strike.

"SHINING DIAMOND!" Bryan yelled as he launched towards Hiroshi. Sharp shards of crystals rose from the ground beneath bran aiming toward Hiroshi.

"BLAZING FURY!" Hiroshi yelled slamming his axe down onto the ground, the ground erupted in a burst of flames aiming towards the crystals and Bryan still in midair.

The two attacks slammed into each other erupting in a Firey blue explosion. The two launched back from the opposite sides of each other slamming towards the ground.

"I miss my partner," Hiroshi said. "I do."

"And I disgraced him after his death, by becoming the thing that took him away from me."

"As I took things from others."

"I don't understand," Bryan said. "Why? Wouldn't he want to see you happy?"

"No, because then I wouldn't be the person who was there at his demise," Hiroshi said. "I would be the person who killed him."

"I just want to make Markus happy," Bryan said. "I don't care what he does as long as I'm next to him and can see him glad."

"Demons took his humanity when we were kids," Bryan stated. "And that's not fair."

Hiroshi stood up off the ground, walking towards Bryan who was still lying on the floor. He reached his hand down towards Bryan and spoke.

"That will never be enough happiness for him," Hiroshi said. "But you can change that."

"Rid him from his anger and hatred," Hiroshi stated. "Then you'll bring the true Markus happiness, you know the boss better than I do."

Bryan hesitated but gave in reaching his hand out to Hiroshi, grasping his hand and pulling himself up.

"Those friends of you are going to commit suicide if they keep fighting him," Bryan stated. "We have to get there quickly before they get killed."

"Right!" Hiroshi said, "Let's go."

The two sprinted down the wet road hurrying after Steven and Jel, fighting against Markus.

Steven sprinted towards Markus closing enough distance and aiming towards him. Jel followed behind readying up an attack. The two were already scraped and bruised, while Markus was perfectly fine.

Markus blocked Steven's attack with his sword launching him back with force toward Jel. Steven slammed against Jel and the two fell to the ground.

"Such weak swordsmen," Markus said. "This is pathetic."

"Dammit, He's too strong," Steven thought to himself, trying to move his body off the floor. "At this rate, I'll pass out."

Steven was trying his hardest to grasp determination. His body was trembling from pain and was numb. But he still refused to lose. This was his chance to take down Hacks once and for all.

Jel felt the same, only determination and hope lingered in his heart. He knew he wasn't strong, and it was useless to keep continuing. But he'd rather go down trying to win instead of running away cowardly.

The two stood up once more, like countless times before. Even if it was useless and the chances of landing a blow were one in a hundred it didn't matter at all. They would rather take that chance and continue fighting.

Then, a burst of flames erupted towards Markus from behind Steven and Jel. Markus quickly avoided the incoming attack as Hiroshi and Bryan emerged from behind.

"Are you two alright?" Hiroshi asked. "I'm sorry I took too long."

"Yeah, we're still going," Steven said facing the two behind him. He gave a mean stare at Bryan but shrugged it off. "Anyway, we haven't landed a hit on Markus."

"I see," Hiroshi said. "I'll take it from here, you two try to recover."

Hiroshi and Bryan walked Infront of the two and faced Markus.

"Hello, boss," Hiroshi said. "I didn't know your name was Markus."

"Markus, just stop this already," Bryan said. "I think we've gone too far."

Markus clenched his teeth with furious anger. "I see Bryan, this whole time you were just a traitor."

"What, no!" Bryan said. "I'm trying to help!"

"ENOUGH!" Markus screamed in deep rage. "MADENT, COME TO ME!"

"Madent?" Hiroshi said in confusion. "What's that?"

"SHIT!" Bryan yelled with a scared expression. "IT'S HIS DEMONIC SWORD."

A demonic sword or weapon was a powerful weapon granted to powerful demons, usually bosses or generals had possession of these weapons. These swords were swords stolen from swordsmen who were defeated and killed by demons.

Hiroshi sprinted towards Markus winding his Axe preparing to chant an attack. "FIREFOX FLAMES!" Hiroshi yelled. His axe erupted in flames with extreme heat and warmth. After closing enough distance on Markus, he swung his Axe with all of his strength.

"DIE!" Markus screamed in anger. He leaned down avoiding the blow from Hiroshi and slammed his sword against his waist. Markus's sword glowed in a purple aura and sent Hiroshi launching through a concrete wall then through a building. Hiroshi's eyes were open wide with his pupils staring up from the pain. His body trembled immensely with puddles of blood spilling out of his mouth. He fell to the floor unconscious and fully knocked out.

Steven's eyes were filled with terror seeing the sight of his friend knocked out with an intense powerful blow, bleeding on the floor. He felt angered and enraged.

Steven stood up clenching his teeth and blade.

"YOU'VE DONE IT NOW BITCH!" Steven screamed at Markus. Then he rushed with full speed towards Markus winding his sword up ready for an attack. With all of his strength, he swung his sword towards Markus, but Markus leaned down once more. Slamming his blade toward Steven's stomach. Sending him back flying towards Jel with the two crashing against the concrete wall.

The two were fully knocked out. Unconscious from the blow. Bryan stood there in shock as Markus walked next to him whispering in his ear.

"Get in my way and you're dead."

Bryan fell to his knees with an emotionless pale and defeated face. And Markus disappeared from the scene. Bryan then felt movement behind him, turning around he saw Steven holding his blade up proudly with blood spilling down his face and mouth. His clothes were torn, and his face was bruised.

"I- won't lose," Steven muttered before collapsing again to the ground.

The area went silent, and Bryan cried on his knees. He realized the monster that became Markus. And now he felt like it was all over.