Just A Chance

Stumbling backwards from the sudden force, Mason tried to collect himself fast. Relda was already on top of him though as a wall of wind started to surround him. Scowling, Mason wiped the blood off his hand as his own Astral Energy raised into the air. The air began to turn freezing cold as ice spread out around him before freezing the air. "Going to need more than that." Shattering Relda's attack mason sent the icicles that fell from it straight towards Relda with zero hesitation. They were Clan Mates for a long time but they had always been back and forth with each other, now he had a reason to end their little feud. Defending herself quickly, Relda looked at the man she called a friend at one point one last time.

"You really want to do this Mason?"

"Nothing you say will change my mind, that Fox is worth two of our Clan's fortune. I'd be stupid to not take it from some weakling."

Summoning his sword a large clear white blade with Soaring Blade's signature hilt appeared. Silver wings on each side with a small face of a man looking up was etched into the blade. "An Angel?" Looking from the side, Azalu studied the blade's image. "Bit full of themselves." That symbol had arrogance written all over it for everyone to see. Once Mason drew his sword Relda knew there wasn't anymore playing around. "He really is serious." Feeling her heart ache a little bit she summoned two similar swords herself. In Soaring Blades many different styles of sword wielding were taught to members. The most popular though was typically one handed combat that Mason learned.

"I understand."

"Good."

Starting off the first attack this time Mason charged at Relda while he ignored his surroundings. He didn't have the luxury of spare effort when he was fighting Relda. Slashing at her any vitals he could aim at he was going for a quick win. Relda easily defended herself though as she fought back with each strike. One hand defended while the other looked for openings to abuse. She couldn't cause too much damage at once like this but the scratches would add up eventually. In a clash of speed the air turned cold as more Ice spears appeared in the air and dived at Relda while they fought. Using the wind to her advantage her speed increased as she dodged each Icicle perfectly. Bouncing around the street she saved up some energy as the last Icicle reached her feet. With mason slightly behind it she used both swords and slammed her swords down at him.

*Guh*

Forced to defend himself Mason felt a weight slam down on his sword that pushed him into the ground slightly. Fixing his position he slipped out from under her while slamming his elbow into her head as she followed her blades down. Causing the ground underneath her to crack into hundreds of pieces, Relda felt her head shake before she brought her blades back up for a second attack. She had no time to feel pain, nor would she give Mason any room to breathe. Feeling the wind coming at him Mason jumped back further to try and dodge her second attack. He was a little slow though and her blades grazed his skin.

"Always were...better than me."

Exhaling that under his breath he felt his body sweating. In Soaring Blades, Relda was always seen as a prodigy in swordplay, he was always seen as average and treated like so. Since he was seen as average he forced himself to go for the strongest style that he could learn to help give him a power edge while others around chose whatever they wanted. "She chose the weakest." When he first found that out he went into a rage and ended up breaking a couple younger kids bones that tried to pick a fight with him. "Nobody that just appeared." She was someone they picked up off the street and he was born from a rich family that had prestige. Seeing someone so much weaker than him at the time be better was frustrating. That was probably the biggest reason he ever decided to talk to her. "She even ignored that mostly." To this day he was positive that the only reason she talked to him was because it was the "right" thing to do.

"You know Relda, you piss me off."

Feeling confused from such a sudden statement Relda stopped her attack as she looked at Mason. Looking at her beautiful face, Mason felt many mixed emotions as he took her pause as an opening for an attack. He worked so hard and never stopped trying to get better. He was always trying to catch up to the nobody, he was never ahead of her. "I'm better." Aiming his sword right for her stomach, his slash connected as it tore a part of her clothing off. "If I had that fortune, I could do so much." If he had that fox he could own that Clan and even go beyond that. Relda was always discriminated against with every step she took in their clan because of her origins. That's why she was forced into security duty. She was seen as to strong and if she ever got fully trained he was positive she could even reach the Clan leaders position with time.

That was something the higher ups didn't like so they threw her aside once they figured that out. "A pain in the ass." She was never anything more than that from then on. Feeling anger swell up more in his body he attacked again as he tried to prove himself. "I'm better!" Shouting that in his mind he cut her again as his mind went insane. Feeling two cuts across her stomach, Relda held in the pain as she blocked his next attack. "I piss him off?" She was greatly confused by that sentence. She knew that didn't always get along greatly but she didn't remember doing anything to get in his way until now. "It sounded like he always felt like that." Knocking aside his sword Relda slashed at his wide open side with a bit of hesitation.

"Why?"

Leaking that out, Mason wondered why none of his attacks ever affected her. Was he really that weak still to be unable to even stand up against her. They were equal in strength and yet he felt so far away still. "She can't beat me." He tried to keep telling himself that but he was faltering. "Just let me do something right." Feeling a sword stab into him he let out a grunt of pain as he stopped moving. Looking to the side he saw Xilo standing there with the Fox he wanted in his hands. "Give me...that Fox." Reaching out his hands towards the fox one thought slowly leaked out of mouth as his mind went into a mess.

"I swear....I can...protect you to...just give me the chance, Relda."