11 Warrior (2/2)

I nodded. I shouldn't have done that because I knew better than to share vital information with an opponent but Azuma's curiosity was also an opportunity to learn more about him.

”You're not used to the spear, are you?” I asked.

The way he held it with the spearhead pointed up, and with his body standing tall and relaxed, it didn't seem like he was ready for the next clash. Our earlier confrontation told me his movements were mostly reflex as there was no skill in his attacks.

”Is that how it seems to you?” Azuma glanced at his shadowblade's spear tip. He sighed. ”I guess it doesn't really matter whether or not I'm prepared...”

He sent me such a bored look that I half-wondered what I was being all serious about.

”Whether it's the sword or the spear or the bow... I used to know them all. I used to sweat tears of blood in the hours upon hours I spent learning to use them... but now... now it is unnecessary,” he said, sounding resigned. ”Do you understand, boy? aren't you like me?”

It was official now. This man was crazy. But I didn't say that out loud. I simply waited for him to finish his rant. It was an opportunity to stall for some time while Aura and Varda flanked him from the sides.

”The fairies took it from me the same way they'll take it from you,” he said in a resigned tone.

”What did they take from you?” I asked despite myself.

The heavy rainfall continued. The tunder boomed. A streak of lightning illuminated our surroundings.

”My purpose,” he answered, and without warning, without even the slightest hint of movement, Azuma charged. Only, he wasn't heading toward me. He had charged toward Varda instead.

I didn't even have time to warn her as the flat of Azuma's spearhead smacked Varda in the side and sent her careening into the huddle of soldiers who were fighting on our left. It was only thanks to the grace of Lady Luck that this was the exact spot Qwipps was fighting in.

”Mud! Varda?!” He yelled in surprise.

Qwipps jumped up to catch her almost reflexively, and Varda crashed into him before going limp in his arms. This also meant that the two stone golems she summoned would lose the magic that animated them. True enough, I heard the crumbling of dozens of rocks from somewhere in the surrounding battlefield. I had no time to check. I couldn't even check if Varda was dead or alive because Azuma was dashing for Aura with his spear raised forward.

However, unlike Varda who had no talent in melee combat, Aura, who was well-trained by the clan's best weapon masters, showed just how capable she was when she met Azuma's charge with her own. Aura twirled her staff around so that the shadowblade spearhead would come forward. Then she used the momentum of the twirl to raise the spear in an upward slashing motion that cut through rain and into—nothing.

Azuma wasn't there. He was above her. He had actually jumped the short distance between them and thrust his spear at Aura's head. This attack might have killed her too if Aura hadn't kept one final trick of hers in reserve.

The Firebolt Aura fired at Azuma when she saved me wasn't actually a spell she'd cast. It was simply a magic enchantment contained inside the orb of her Hearthwood Staff which was the only gold tier weapon I've ever seen. Now, some specialists would argue that silver tier weapons were sharper and therefore deadlier than gold tier weapons that had less attack power, but the one advantage of a gold tier item was its ability to store powerful enchantments inside them. In Aura's case, her staff could cast the Firebolt spell—even if Aura hadn't learned it herself—indefinitely or until Aura's mana depleted. This meant that she hadn't actually cast her last spell for the night.

A series of molten patterns appeared in the space between Azuma and Aura, and her Shield of Flame erupted to life in a fiery blaze. However, as it was obviously a rushed, chantless spell and therefore weaker in its casting than one strengthened by an appeal to the spirits, the shield's shimmering, magical form shattered after it clashed with Azuma's spear. This was fine as the shield had fulfilled its purpose and prevented the death of my partner who I hadn't known was talented enough to cast chantless spells.

The force of her magic's destruction blew both Aura and Azuma back, making it the perfect opportunity for a counterattack.

While Azuma and Aura were fighting, I'd activated Fool's Insight despite the strain it placed on my eyes because I needed all the advantage I could get for my next move. And although I knew about the hidden power of Aura's staff, I wasn't sure she could save herself—I really should trust her more. Still, Fool's Insight was active and working well enough that I saw the instant Azuma was vulnerable. It was right after destruction of the Shield of Flame blew him back. In that brief moment of opportunity, I rushed at him and sent my falchion right into his side, into the slim slit opening in the plates of his armor just below his armpit.

I slammed into him, and blood splattered onto my face as I plunged the falchion's shadowblade deep into his body. The momentum of our impact sent us both crashing onto the wet earth.

The slope sent me tumbling a little ways down the hill. I lost my grip on my falchion. My body felt bruised all over. There was a ringing in my ears. I released Fool's Insight and felt the gift leave my eyes blurrier than before.

Raindrops fell down my upturned face. ”Ouch… call an ambulance.”

I crawled to my feet feeling like I was in a car crash. Groggily, I looked over to Aura, who, despite my successful assassination of the enemy commander was gazing back at me, not with pride, but with wide-eyed fear. No. My blurry sight kept me from seeing the obvious in time. Aura wasn't staring at me. She was looking behind me.

”They took away my purpose when their gift made me unkillable,” Azuma's voice was so close. So close, in fact, I was certain he'd whispered his words into my ear.

I turned my head to see what I already knew I'd find.

Azuma, who was taller than Luca by a head, was towering over me with my falchion comically stuck halfway inside him, piercing him just below the left armpit. It made him look like an extra from some campy zombie movie.

”I ask you,” and Azuma's hollow eyes gazed at me with a manic light in them. ”What kind of warrior will know the meaning of true victory when he is cheated of the chance to put his life on the line?”

Then he sent his spearhead into my gut.