Chapter 20: Let's fight

"Halt," came the voice, firm and commanding. An order, not a suggestion.

I turned to face him, ready to brush it off, but the moment our eyes met, something cracked in my otherwise apathetic demeanor.

"Kira?" The name slipped from my lips before I could stop it, raw and unguarded.

The group of four around him didn't react. They didn't even seem to hear me.

I shook my head, forcing myself to clear the haze. Kira died. Lily died. This wasn't him. It couldn't be. The person standing before me was just someone who bore an uncanny resemblance. That's all. I repeated the thought like a mantra, desperate to convince myself.

He spoke to his underlings in a low, reprimanding tone before his gaze landed back on me. His expression shifted, sharp and appraising, with a smirk curling at the edges.

"You must be the new girl," he said, his voice dripping with mockery. "Wanna have some fun upstairs? Don't worry—it's soundproof."

The air between us grew thicker, but I didn't flinch. Instead, I stood there, staring, the weight of his words hitting me like stones in still water.

His smirk widened, and his posture screamed arrogance.

"What's the matter darling? Cat got your tongue?"

I didn't respond. Instead, I stepped forward, slowly, deliberately. My hand clenched at my side, fingers itching for a sword that wasn't there.

"Not the type to talk?" he taunted, his tone dripping with amusement. "You'll break soon enough."

I didn't wait or hesitate.

With a flick of my wrist, I summoned the sword I had manifested earlier. Energy surged through me as the blade materialized in my hand, the weight familiar, almost comforting.

His eyes flickered with surprise for only a moment before he laughed. "Oh, you're one of those. This is going to be fun."

Without warning, he lunged. His speed was unnatural, a blur of motion. But I had seen it before, monsters far faster, far stronger. I sidestepped his attack, the force of his swing grazing the air beside me.

I swung my sword in retaliation, aiming for his exposed side. He blocked it with ease, a dagger appearing in his hand as if from nowhere. Sparks flew as our weapons clashed, the sound ringing through the hall.

"You're not bad," he admitted, his grin widening. "But I'm better."

He moved again, faster this time, aiming low. I jumped back, narrowly avoiding the blade, and countered with an overhead slash. He ducked, rolling to the side, and came up with a second dagger in his other hand.

Dual-wielding. Great.

I kept my distance, analyzing his movements. He was fast, sure, but his attacks were flashy, designed to intimidate more than kill. I could use that.

"You're awfully quiet," he said, circling me. "Is this your way of flirting? Because it's working."

I didn't dignify him with a response. Instead, I feinted left, drawing him in, and struck hard from the right. The blade grazed his arm, drawing blood.

His smirk faltered.

"You're going to regret that," he growled, his playful tone vanishing.

Good.

He charged again, faster, more aggressive. But his rhythm started to go off now, his focus shaken. I parried his strikes, each one more reckless than the last, until I saw my opening.

With a sharp twist, I disarmed him, his dagger clattering to the floor. I pressed the tip of my sword to his throat, my expression cold, unfeeling.

"What's wrong?" I asked, my voice flat. "Not having fun anymore?"

For the first time, he looked uncertain. But he laughed anyway, his arrogance refusing to die.

"You think this is over?" he hissed.

From the corner of my eye, I saw movement his underlings, finally deciding to intervene. Typical.

"Bring it," I muttered, tightening my grip on the sword.

They charged, and the real fight began.

The moment the signal was given, Gark charged at me with his shield raised high. His brute strength was evident, the ground shaking slightly with each step. Pyke flanked me from the left, his sword gleaming under the mansion's ornate chandeliers. Jamie stood back, his staff glowing faintly, ready to heal or strike as needed. And Julie... Julie was in the rear, her lips moving in a steady chant, weaving a spell which my brain copied right away.

I sidestepped Gark's initial shield bash, countering with a quick swing of my manifested sword. It clashed against his shield, sparks flying, the impact pushing me back slightly. Pyke was already closing in, his blade slicing toward my midsection. I twisted my body, narrowly avoiding the strike, and retaliated with a swift upward slash. Pyke blocked it, his expression calm but focused.

Jamie raised his staff, sending a series of glowing orbs toward me. I deflected them with my sword, but the effort cost me valuable mana. The sword flickered faintly in my hand, a reminder that my time was limited.

Clark Ball, observing from the corner,seemed to finally decided it was okay now to join in. He moved with surprising speed, his fists glowing with an ominous energy. he aimed his punch at me, and despite managing to block it with my sword, the force sent me skidding back.

"Impressive, but not enough," Clark taunted, his grin wide and mocking.

Gark and Pyke seized the opening, attacking in unison. I parried Pyke's sword but took a heavy blow from Gark's shield to my shoulder. Pain shot through me, but I refused to cry out. Instead, I channeled my remaining mana into a fiery slash, forcing them both to retreat momentarily.

Julie's chanting grew louder. The air around her shimmered, and I realized too late that she was preparing something massive.

Before I could react, Jamie stepped forward, a barrier forming around his allies. I lunged at him, aiming to break his concentration, but Clark intercepted me, landing a strike to my side that sent me crashing into a nearby column.

"Enough of this," I muttered, pushing myself to my feet. My sword flickered dangerously low on mana. I glanced at Julie, still chanting, her eyes locked onto me with an unsettling intensity.

Just as I prepared for one last desperate strike, the air around me shifted. A vortex of light and energy appeared beneath my feet. I stumbled, disoriented, and then felt a sudden pull.

Julie's voice rang out, calm and commanding: "Hold on."

Before I could process her words, the warp hole engulfed us both. The mansion, the fight, Clark Ball and his lackeys all of it vanished in an instant.

We landed somewhere unfamiliar, the ground beneath us soft and damp. I looked up at Julie, my expression a mixture of confusion and anger.

"You! Why?" I demanded, my voice harsher than I intended.

Julie simply smiled faintly, brushing off her robes. "Because we have bigger problems than each other, Lira."

For the first time in a long while, I was flabbergasted, really.