Chapter 39: Maverick
Maverick readied his sword, muscles bulging, veins pumping. He swung with all his strength. breaking the blade Kalika defended herself with.
"Ho…How strong is this guy!!!?"
Kalika distanced herself from Maverick. Lucky for her the prisoners that left, also left their weapons behind. She aimed to pick another blade off the ground only to find Maverick already on her.
He slammed his sword to the ground, cutting her arm.
Maverick wasted little time unleashing attack after attack, all the while all Kalika could do was dodge every precise attack made. She could tell with each swing of his sword that they were each calculated. He pressed her until she hit the wall.
The sword came for her head. She ducked!
"Wrong move," Maverick said.
Kalika's head flew in the air. She could see that he had forcefully cut through the stone wall tracing his blade to her neck.
"I have to get out of there!!"
As if reading her thoughts, her own body scurried away from Maverick and shortly after, started to sprint. She resurrected with her arm back, finding herself running from Maverick who ran beside her. He unleashes another attack forcing her to slide.
Grabbing a club on the ground she quickly turned around. Block his following attack. His sword was now inches from breaking the club, forcing her to abandon it.
"As long as I can keep this up I can just bleed out the clock."
Suddenly, a sharp pain hit her leg. She looked to find a blood spear now in her leg, keeping her pinned to the ground. "W-what!?"
Maverick's sword penetrated her chest, piercing her heart. She looked back at the balcony to find a smug Daji, and the other demon women who were enjoying the spectacle.
"D…Damn y-you." Kalika hissed. She coughed up blood. "I won't let you have you way with me!"
Kalika soon died once again. Resurrecting seeing another blood spear heading her direction. She dodged it. Another attack from Maverick, slicing and wounding her stomach.
She pushed through the pain, running through the Arena avoiding Maverick's precise swings.
Daji's attacks whistled through through the air, penetrating the wall and ground. Each one she sent started to become more and more noticeable. More spears are shot and Kalika nearly avoided the first two but the following three found their targets without issue.
Using this opportunity Maverick once again slays Kalika. Not too long after Kalika resurrects to find herself now being held in place by a blood rope.
Kalika could look on in shock before she is swiftly killed again. She found herself quickly becoming a game to not only Mavericks, onslaught of attack but the demon women who stood safely at top of the balcony.
"W…Where's your honor in this fight you Brute!!"
Maverick sliced off her head. Not too long after she got held in place again by some rope, resurrecting.
"Honor? You're the last person that should be talking about that. In this hell, there's no room for honor. But if I'm honest I'm glad we're having this little unofficial rematch." Maverick once again stabs Kalika in the chest.
"N…No…"
Her vision became dark again, but this time the same wispy voice from before made itself heard. "Call me… Call me…"
"W-who are you!??" She asked through the darkness.
The echoes of water drops slowly become louder and louder.
She awoke, and was swiftly killed.
It becomes louder and louder.
Once more she is killed as she finishes resurrecting.
She could now tell that whatever is approaching, is upon her. Slowly a figure reveals itself to be Kalika as she was back during the invasion, the youth that she lost. Her own visage stared at her as if mesmerized by her. She wore the same prisoner's clothes and was bloodied with golden yellow eyes. And a single thought ran through her mind upon seeing this.
"This is not me."
"Call me… Call me…" That same Wispy voice.
Kalika's Visage now smiled at her, holding out her hand.
"Yes. Zorbian"
Kalika is consumed by even further darkness.
She awakes to find her blood blade manifesting in her hand. Mavericks' attack is blocked, not only shocking him. But also the demon women on the balcony. Even Kalika herself was taken aback.
"Z…Zorbian??"
Maverick pressed down harder, obviously seeking to overpower Kalika. His aura around him started to become more and more malicious as he continued to try to break through Kalika's blood blade. All the while, Kalika stood firm, barely feeling any of the pressure.
She deflected his attack.
She could feel the warmth of the blade in her hand and her head, her thoughts and heart raced much faster than she thought would ever be possible. It was unlike how she felt, while fighting Ek.
Another several blood spears are hurled at Kalika, Hearing them she quickly dodges and deflects a few with much more ease. Valam then sent her rope only for it to be slashed to bits.
Maverick followed with his attack only for it to be blocked. His sword cracked upon impacting Kalika's blood blade.
"I never expect to see this again. But that just makes this all the better!" Using the cross guards of his sword he created his own opening, he flicked her hand up and slashed from beneath Kalika. The next moment Kalika's heart exploded, and she resurrected immediately after with the slash healed.
Kalika readied the counter only to have it parried. It wasn't long before their strike and clashes became a war to see who would get cut first.
Not only did Kalika have to contend with each strike and slash from Maverick, but also the attacks from Daji and Valam that intended to make her lose focus.
Strike after strike, dodge after dodge and Parry after parry. It all felt overwhelmingly chaotic, yet bearable. It was starting to slowly become formulaic.
A Drop of blood hit her forehead and she suddenly found herself freezing in place, she couldn't move a muscle. Another Killing blow. The blade got ripped out from her chest and she resurrected quickly after.
Without warning her legs were swiftly cut. She now fell to the ground finding Maverick's sword closing in on her neck.
Kalika parried. Her heart exploded as she rolled away, quickly climbing to her knees to block his third strike from above.
"D…Damn you…" Kalika muttered. She glared back up at the straight-faced Maverick. More blood spears are aimed and shot at her, forcing to maneuver away from Maverick as he once again goes on the attack.
And once again she is forced herself on the run, trying to avoid and deflect the gleeful demons and Mavericks attacks.
Kalika glanced back angrily at the balcony, her own frustration becoming evident.
Maverick scored another clean hit on Kalika. "I'm down here," Maverick Says.
Kalika blocked another incoming attack.
Maverick slammed his blade down again with much more heft. By some miracle Kalika's knees barely held against Mavericks brute strength.
He slams his sword again. And again. And again. Each blow, bringing Kalika's strength to its limit.
Seeing this as an opening she charges in and with both hands, stabs Maverick at the side of his stomach. He grunts from the impact of the attack. Dropping his sword to the ground.
"D-did I... do it?"
Maverick clutches onto both her hands with one hand and her hair with his other. She desperately tries to free herself but is met with a swift head butt. He head butts her again even harder. And a third, but this time much harder.
She loses grasp of her blade and is tossed aside. Her head pounding and her vision distorted. She looked around the ground for her weapon only to realize that it was still in Maverick.
Maverick grabbed his cracked sword, aiming it like a spear and pelting it to Kalika's chest. He approached her, ripping it from her body.
Darkness encroached seeing the dagger sticking from Maverick's stomach.
Kalika is kicked to the wall, she dodges, being much more oriented, but quickly gets pinned to the wall by another of Daji's blood spears.
"Damn it!"
from this point Kalika was once again pinned to the wall. between being pinned to the wall and killed without hesitation by Maverick, an overwhelming sense of frustration filled her. With all her strength, she catches Maverick's sword with both hands.
"G-give it back! you coward!"
She can clearly see that he's unconcerned with the dagger in his side. Slowly but surely Maverick's strength was overwhelming Kalika again.
Another Blood spear hits her, she refuses to flinch however. Another spear hit her, then another and another. despite this she refused to give in to the pain she felt.
A drop blood once again hits her forehead, Making her extremely weak "W-what the hell!???" The sword once again slashes through her.
Laughter could be heard from the balcony. Hearing this irritated Kalika as her body started to slide down against the wall behind her.
She stopped. Clenching her fists, frustrated.
Memories of manifesting the blade during her fight with Ek resurfaced. Thinking about it started to amuse her. "I don't have much to lose." Once more, death has claimed Kalika. "So your name is... Zorbian. Right?"
resurrecting, Kalika Felt the handle of her weapon now manifesting in her grasp, Kalika moved, blocking Maverick's attack with her newly manifested Blood blade.
Shocked, Maverick peeked to find the blade gone from his side, now bleeding from the wound.
Kalika squeezed her way from under Maverick's sword, slashing at the other side of hip.
Kalika's hand became hotter and hotter. she then started to hear cheering, she blinked, finding herself in the caged area with a plethora of seats and demons sitting. Glancing back at the balcony she could see her demonic sister Lillian, The demon King Lucius and Rakon all looking satisfied and impressed.
"End it." A man's voice said.
Kalika looked back recognizing the voice. "END IIIIIIT!!"
Before her knelt, a much thinner man, but she could tell by his hair and eyes that this was Maverick.
He glared back angrily. "What are you waiting for? I'm the last one, right? You've got what you wanted so just do it." Maverick now held his arms out in defeat.
She found herself approaching the weak looking man placing her blood blade just under his chin. "I pity you," She said.
With those words said, she continued to walk past Maverick to the closest exit.
Mavericks' arms fell to the ground, fists balling up.
"You should be happy. This'll be the last time we'll
meet in the arena so you're likely to live. But if you do die, please give your comrades my thanks… For being my training dummies."
Kalika had peeked behind, now finding Maverick seething in rage. She turned back to leave, hearing his rageful cry.
Kalika quickly turned around, finding herself back in the present With Maverick in the air ready to attack from above. The rage in his eyes was unlike anything she's seen up until now.
Kalika dodged, only to be hit by his following attack that sent her flying into the arena wall. She coughed blood.
"He's strong. Really strong but I can beat him!"
Much more determined and with greater confidence, Kalika rushed over Maverick, Dodging and deflecting at the other attacks being sent by Daji and Valam.
From the corner of her eyes Kalika noticed drops of blood closing. She used her dagger to block them, following another stab on Maverick, who nearly connected his attack.
Kalika kept driving the dagger deeper and deeper into Maverick's body.
"Heh. Finally having some change of heart. But if your going to kill me, you'd better aim for the heart or neck!" Maverick Pushed Kalika off himself and onto the ground.
"Not that you can kill me! Because I have over another two-hundred of my kin to avenge!!!!!"
Maverick swung to kill, Kalika readied herself to block. But to both their shock a man in black armor arrived with an even bigger sword blocking Mavericks attack. They all watched as Maverick's sword was completely shattered upon impact!
The fragments of Mavericks sword laid scattered across the ground. He could only look on in utter shock as standing before both Kalika and Maverick was now a tall man completely covered in black armor from head to toe. The man in black armor looked back at Kalika giving a glimpse of its terrifying helmet.
"The game is officially over." Rakon's voice is heard from the balcony. Kalika looks up to find Rakon standing happily all the while the other Demon Ladies stood around awkwardly. "Your Performance is beyond my expectations. You even conjured your blood blade."
Kalika's weapon was immediately snatched from her. "H-hey!"
She turned to find another Rakon standing happily. He patted her head, leaving her grumbling embarrassedly.
"This man you see before you, is your opponent you'll be facing tomorrow."
Kalika looked back up and to the man in Black armor.
"For now, we'll dub him the 'Black Knight'."
"Unacceptable!" Maverick shouted.
"Give me a few more hours with her!" looking back at Maverick, his anger started to become more and more evident.
"You've already had your fun. You can leave now," Rakon said.
At the snap of Rakon's finger, a plethora of guards surrounded Maverick. He paid them no mind, instead keeping his gaze fixated at Kalika.
Rakon seeing this step in his sight, glaring at Maverick menacingly. "Of course, if you wish to die, I can also grant you that accommodation myself."
Hearing Rakon's words, Maverick calmed himself. And without another word he turned, leaving the arena with guards following him close behind.
Rakon gazed up at the balcony "
"
Kalika gazed at the ground before her, disappointed. "The day wasn't over."
"That doesn't matter. You did a very good job handling the matter. But a little longer and you might've killed him."
Rakon offered a hand. Kalika seeing this refused, opting to get up herself. "Since when did you care who dies?"
"I don't. This entire country and its people could all perish, and I could care less. after all it'll only serve my goal in the end." Rakon gave a chuckle seeing Kalika's curious gaze now fixed on him.
Kalika sighed. "I guess I shouldn't expect anything less from a demon like you... You must enjoy thriving in the chaos, don't you."
Kalika jumped upon seeing Rakon now in front of her. "I wouldn't say that. I have expectations and goals that I like to be met. Not meeting them leaves me..." Rakon starts to stroke her chin. "Craving for a much favorable result. Given that they understand their position of course."
Kalika jerks her head off his hand. she stared back at him indignantly. "Stop it. O-once this stupid contract of yours is done, don't expect me to act like your dumb followers. in fact, when this is done, I don't want to see you ever again."
"Oh. you wound me." Rakon chuckled.
"By the way Kalika... Have you figured out your opponents names?"