Chapter 38

Ven? No one had called him that in ages, even Rendall and Lilliana had always referred to him as Ravendra. Also, who had dared to call him spineless, this person had a death wish thought Ravendra as he turned around to look at the man who was shouting insults towards him.

“Rendall, take care of the little girl while I see who this suicidal brat is,” said Ravendra as he squinted to try and see more clearly. He paused and got ready to parry as he heard heavy and fast footsteps coming directly towards him.

Reflexively he swung at a stone that came at him through but missed. It hit him squarely in the chest, recoiling from the sudden pain his stance and guard were broken. As he tried to recover into some semblance of proper form two feet crashed into him sending him sprawling to the ground, while his attacker fell on the ground next to him. Rendall’s two-handed sword had almost slipped out of his hands because of the dropkick, but he had managed to hold on to it somehow. Both he and his attacker got to their feet as fast as they could and then he finally saw it, this was the man who had dared to insult and challenge him.

“You of all people dare to attack your King! Treasonous scumbag! After everything I’ve done for you!” shouted Ravendra in a mixture of shock and disgust.

“You’re no King of mine! All I see is an old man who should have died ages ago!” shouted Ven back.

“Do you really think a giftless has a chance against me?” taunted Ravendra.

“Oh please, you used to lose to Pratabh everyday in training. The only reason you ever beat Pratabh who was also giftless, was by cheating! Having a gift doesn’t make you invincible,” taunted Ven back.

“How do you know about that?” asked Ravendra as he lunged forward.

“Ask me after you beat me,” said Ven as he side-stepped and tried to grab the sword out of Ravendra’s hands.

“Very well,” said Ravendra as he used his gift to immobilize Ven where he stood, “Tell me now or I will skewer you like the wild dog you are.”

“I hope you die alone like Rayleigh,” spat Ven.

“Wrong answer,” said Ravendra as he raised Rendall’s two-handed sword theatrically and paused, “No, you don’t fear death, do you? You were willing to shoot yourself at that parking lot as well. You won’t be getting what you want today.”

Ravendra hit Ven in the stomach with the hilt of his sword, causing Ven to cry out in pain but he still couldn’t move as Ravendra held him place.

“I am going to have some fun with you,” said Ravendra as he now slapped Ven across the face.

“Leave him alone!” shouted Nikita as she dashed towards Ravendra with her shotgun aimed at his face.

“Rendall, you had one job!” said Ravendra.

“That job isn’t easy when they have guns, and we don’t!” shouted Rendall as he pointed to Agni and Nikita.

“Pathetic,” said Ravendra as he used his gift to stop the shotgun pellets flying towards him.

Freed from Ravendra’s hold, Ven winced in pain as he stood on his own two feet. Immediately he shot off and tackled Ravendra to the ground while he was distracted by Nikita.

“He can only use his gift on one thing at a time!” shouted Ven as he pinned Ravendra and punched him in the face.

“How do you know that?” asked Ravendra as he used his gift to fling Ven off himself.

“What’s the matter, nervous?” asked Ven as he got up.

“Not nervous, it just means I have to grant you your wish, you die!” said Ravendra as he pulled Ven towards himself and lunged forward with his sword.

“Don’t forget about me!” shouted Nikita as she fired a shot at Ravendra causing him to turn and deflect the pellets coming towards him.

“Nikita go all out! We need your Battle Frenzy!” shouted Ven as he crashed into Ravendra and they both fell on the ground again.

“I am getting tired of this!” said Ravendra as he threw Ven off again and followed it by throwing Nikita into a wall, “Take her gun and finish her! I’ll handle him!”

“No, you won’t! Boss, we’re here!” shouted Brutus as he ran into the wedding hall with Natalie.

“Catch!” shouted Natalie as she tossed Ven’s sword.

As Ven’s sword flew and reached the top of its arc, it slowed down, stopped and flew towards Ravendra’s open left hand. He inspected the sword and swung it around a couple times as he looked at Ven with an astonished look.

“The whole palace is a battlefield; guards are killing each other everywhere!” shouted Natalie as she made her way towards Nikita, “Looks like Zacharias decided to help us after all.”

“Ravendra, we need to get out of here! You’re in too much danger! The spies in UTF have finally revealed themselves!” shouted Rendall.

“Take Vassillissa and leave this place. I’ll follow you after I am done here,” said Ravendra as he pointed in the direction Vassillissa had been standing in.

“NO!”

Ravendra ran past Ven to where Vassillissa’s lifeless body now lay. On getting to the body he realized this wasn’t the Vassillissa he knew, this was a Nari woman in Vassillissa’s clothes.

“Where is she?” asked Ravendra calmly, “Did you take her from me?”

“That is Vassillissa, she was a woman with the gift to look like whomever she pleased,” said Ven calmly.

“And you killed her?” asked Ravendra.

“I did,” said Ven.

Ravendra paused for a moment as he shifted his gaze from Vassillissa’s body to Ven. He moved his left hand and sent Ven’s sword gently flying towards him.

“Use it and defend yourself! I don’t want you to die too fast!” shouted Ravendra as he used his gift to push himself into a sprint towards Ven.

Ven grabbed the sword as he tried to parry the overhand swing Ravendra was bringing to his head. As he blocked two-handed sword, he felt his right hand go numb. Just how strong was Ravendra’s swing just now? He couldn’t hope to block a couple of those in a row thought Ven, as he sidestepped out of Raevndra’s lunge and tried to counter by closing the distance between them. The same tactic he had once used against Rendall.

Noticing what Ven was trying to do, Ravendra used his gift to stumble Ven, as Ven desperately tried to catch his balance he felt Ravendra smack him across the face with a slap.

This duel was going completely wrong, Ravendra had complete control. There was no way Ven could hope to survive with conventional methods, he had to make Ravendra lose control. It was the only way, make Ravendra lose control and make mistakes.

“Say, do you ever think about what Rayleigh said that day, about a younger stronger person always on the horizon, do you think he was talking about me?” asked Ven mockingly.

“Hollow words from a man who knows he will soon die,” said Ravendra coldly.

“You killed Rayleigh; it didn’t bring Vas back. Do you think killing me will be any different?” asked Ven.

“Don’t say her name!” shouted Ravendra as he rushed Ven with a series of jabs, feints and lunges.

“Sounds like I a touched a nerve,” said Ven as he went on a counterattack.

Clangs of the two swords hitting each other ran through the hall as two master swordsmen went at each other with every bit of skill and cunning they knew. As the duel grew more intense the infighting between the Knights and Ven’s team stopped as they too gazed at what was unfolding in front of them. Ravendra had the edge as he used his gift, but as the duel progressed Ven became better at predicting and countering the points where Ravendra used his gift to get an advantage.

“Simply magnificent,” muttered Rendall loudly as Ravendra and Ven separated after another exchange.

“How are you managing to keep up?” asked a frustrated Ravendra as he moved some steps back to get some distance from Ven.

“Would you believe me if I said I know everything you’ve been through?” asked Ven between breaths.

“Is that so!” shouted Ravendra, “Then no more games or gifts. Let’s end this, Inspector.

For the first time since their duel had started, they circled each other cautiously, waiting for the other to make the first move. A single counter was all that was needed, it would end with the next swing.

“I see the disdain in your eyes every time you look at me,” said Ravendra as he took a small step towards Ven, “You think you’re better than me, don’t you?”

As he finished the sentence Ravendra charged at Ven with another overhand swing. Instinctively, Ven sidestepped and lunged forward. They stood there for a moment frozen like statues. Slowly Ravendra let the sword slip from his hands as it fell to the ground with a loud clang. He looked at Ven for a moment before falling to one knee.

Ven pulled his sword back as Ravendra fell to one knee. Dropping his sword, he helped Ravendra lie down on his back. He couldn’t understand why this man he despised had just done what he had done. Why had he swung so wildly?

“Why?” asked Ven as he kneeled next to Ravendra.

“Even if I had killed you. What’s the point?” said Ravendra slowly.

“Ravendra!” shouted Rendall as he ran over and put pressure on the wound to slow down the bleeding.

“What’s the point in living in a world without her?” said Ravendra weakly.

“I couldn’t protect you,” said Rendall as tears formed in his eyes.

“Don’t hurt the Inspector,” said Ravendra, “He fought well.”

“As you wish,” said Rendall as he looked at Ven with narrowed eyes.

“Follow him Rendall, protect him, he is the man that should lead Nagiri from now on, that is my last order to you. Rayleigh was right, there will always come a younger man,” said Ravendra as he looked at Ven with glazy eyes. “Inspector, this is your chance to prove you’re better….”

“No! You can’t ask this of me!” shouted Rendall as he shook Ravendra, but to no avail.

“The King is dead!” shouted someone.

“The King is dead! But he has chosen a successor! King Ven! Long live the King!” shouted Rendall through tears as he looked at Ven with hatred.

One by one everyone standing in the Wedding Hall started chanting the words Rendall had declared, as Ven knelt silently next to Ravendra. Slowly he raised his bloody sword over his head as he accepted the responsibility which had been thrust upon him by Ravendra.

“The King is dead! Long live the King!!”

The End

I really hope you enjoyed reading and will look forward to my next project.

Anderoth