Lightning Blade

"What did you mean when you said that Victor is alive!?"

"He isn't."

"...What?"

Terry scoffed at Jamie's confusion, stepping back.

"Your friend Beck did, in fact, tell us everything. Everything except how you killed Agent Victor. He left that part out, probably to not make any enemies among the Agent division of Dynamos.

It nearly worked, too. Victor was a recluse, you know. I doubt anyone other than myself even knew he signed up for the lower class sector investigation."

Terry's tone was bitter. He coldly looked at Jamie, who started to put together the pieces.

"Wait, so when you said that…"

"I was simply testing to see if you were the one who killed my friend." Terry shrugged. "Victor never came back. I checked the records. That meant that during the takeover, someone from your little gang took him out. And considering how much Beck hyped you up, I had a feeling it might have been you."

Jamie didn't respond. He cursed inwardly, realizing that he fell for Terry's trap. 

"We both know I've found my answer. Here we are, Jamie." Terry spread his arms sarcastically before letting them fall back down to his sides. 

"So all that stuff about helping out the Lewis family, was that just bullshit?" Jamie frowned.

"No, the Lewis family truly wants your help. But right now? This is personal. I'm just an Agent trying to avenge his fellow Agent."

It was at that moment the atmosphere changed. Jamie felt goosebumps run all over his body, and he felt tingles coming from Terry's direction. The rain poured harder, and he began to hear thunder around him. As he tried to adjust, he heard Terry yelling over the sound of the storm, anguish in his voice.

"It's funny, you know. No one even noticed, no one even cared. An Agent took on an investigation to the lower class sector, and no one noticed he never returned, not even the fucking records office! Not me, though!"

"I didn't forget him!"

"I don't care about all of that!"

Just as Jamie yelled, a fist crashed into his nose, making him stumble. Due to the brewing storm obscuring his vision, he hadn't even seen Terry come closer. Two more blows arrived at his chest before Jamie was able to swing a punch of his own.

"Ugh!"

In a boxing stance, Terry ducked under Jamie's punch before delivering a swift uppercut and right hook, stunning him. Terry weaved around to Jamie's side before sweeping his legs out from under him. 

Landing on his back, Jamie was unable to defend as Terry punched down on his face repeatedly, each consecutive punch thrown with more strength. Wasn't this a little too unfair? As a street kid, Jamie wasn't a stranger to a hand-to-hand fight, yet he was getting crushed by Terry.

To Terry, however, the result was unsurprising. Most, if not all Dynamos Agents were not only skilled in their magic, but also in combat, whether armed or unarmed. Not to mention that Terry was a cut above the rest, being one of those who trained the newer, younger Agents, just like he did with David. Though, he did expect Jamie to put up more of a fight. 

As another fist sent Jamie's head deeper into the dirt, breaking his nose, he remembered the gift Amanda gave him, feeling the band on his right wrist grow tighter. With a growl, he undid the lock and flicked his wrist, the thin blade popping out of the compartment.

Gritting his teeth and taking the next punch, Jamie thrust the blade towards Terry's face. He felt his arm meet Terry's body and hoped for the best, as he was still seeing spots from the barrage of punches. Unfortunately, what Terry said next just shattered his hopes. 

"How in the world did Victor ever lose to you?" A cold voice reached Jamie's ears, and as the spots faded, he could see what happened through the rain.

Terry was holding Jamie's arm with both hands, the hidden blade piercing nothing but the space beside Terry's head. A red line could be seen on the edge of Terry's ear, but that was still a negligible amount of damage.

"Shit…"

Jamie could only mumble a curse before Terry twisted his arm, raising his foot and stomping down on Jamie's elbow, bending his arm in the wrong direction. Jamie screamed in pain before a boot hit his chin. In desperation, Jamie swung his left arm at Terry, making the latter scoff as he saw a stump approach his face.

However, Terry's smugness was cut short as he felt fingers actually connect with his jaw. The sudden blow sent him falling backwards, giving Jamie enough time to get up and recover.

"The hell…"

Terry stood up, feeling a painful bump on his lower lip. He turned to look at Jamie, his eyes widening as he saw his opponent's left arm. Where there used to be nothing but a stump, there now was a purple, transparent fist balled tightly. So the boy did have something up his sleeve.

"Yeah." Jamie said, seeing Terry's shock. He wiped the blood from his nose and got into a fighting stance, ready to start round 2. 

"Pfft…" Terry suddenly coughed while rubbing his jaw, making Jamie confused. "Haah, I should stop playing with you."

A lightning bolt struck the ground next to Jamie, making him stumble and cover his face from the flying dirt. As more lightning bolts began to rain down around the area, making craters in the ground and setting trees on fire, Terry started talking again.

"You know, when an Agent is exceptionally skilled, or talented, they become known by a title, whether it be given by the public, the government, or themselves."

Terry reached behind his back and pulled out a wakizashi, the blade shining as it reflected the lightning bolts on its cold metal. Meanwhile, Jamie had to dive to the ground to avoid a lightning bolt that struck the ground where he previously stood.

"You want to know what everyone calls me?"

Still on the ground, Jamie turned to look at Terry, now noticing the latter's eyes. If earlier, they were a deep, piercing blue, then now they were bright and sparkling, blue currents of energy swimming behind his pupils. 

Terry stuck out his wakizashi, the tip facing the sky. As an especially large lightning bolt arrived, hitting the tip of Terry's blade, he let out a small smile at the alarmed Jamie.

"They call me the Lightning Blade."

And Jamie's world was enveloped in a bright light.