Two armored men faced each other on the field. As the crowd recovered from the shockwave, they looked on in awe. One man wore a black, skintight suit fitted with gleaming, lightweight plates. It had golden touches and a silver cape that gently wafted in the breeze. His silver cross chain gleamed under the bright lights. The other wore a high-tech mask and a similar suit that sported a hood but lacked flair. His body was also covered in an additional layer of thick, dark, wrappings that shifted with every movement. His black cross necklace dangled in the wind.
They faced each other, blades drawn. When the energy from the stadium’s lights touched the caped man’s sword, golden energy reverberated throughout the blade. The other’s sword was such a deep black that one could lose themselves staring into its depths. It reflected the moonlight with an ominous glow.
The caped man spoke with great zeal. “MAN! This is awesome! I haven’t had this much fun sparring in I don’t know how long!” He pouted. “It gets kind of boring being an Archigos, you know? It sucks not having anyone strong enough to face you.”
The masked man grimaced. This is bad. I’ve been seen, and the mission is compromised. I doubt I’ll be able to escape from him. He gripped his blade. I guess that leaves me no choice.
“Shut your mouth and die! Shadow Craft, Art 1, Spectral Step!”
He vanished instantly.
He swiftly reappeared behind the caped man, his blade inches from severing his neck.
CLANG!
The other man reacted with incomprehensible speed and met the attack head on at the last possible second. The force from the impact knocked the people in the crowd off their feet. Yellow energy exploded from the golden sword and sent his foe crashing into the stands.
CRASH!
The energy wave blasted throughout the stadium, and entire sections collapsed. The hooded man’s impact from hitting the cement destroyed the area and incited panic in the crowd as they began a raucous riot toward the exits. Screams permeated the air, and the fearful mass of humans began trampling each other to death in hopes of escape.
The hooded man walked through the hole in the concrete and drew his blade. The caped man gawked. “DUDE! You are TOUGH! It’s been years since someone survived a hit like that! You must be like Bazek or something! And that dark armor is SO COOL!” He extended his hand. “You know what? We should be friends. My name is Milliard…”
FWOOSH!
Before he could finish his statement, his foe was already upon him.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
Milliard met him blow for blow until his blade eventually erupted with energy once more and sent the other man flying into the stands for a second time.
“Man, you are not a quick learner.” Milliard said playfully. He stomped. “Come on bro! New friends shouldn’t fight like this! We can talk this over back in the capital, but I really think you should stop before somebody gets seriously injured…”
“Don’t speak to me so casually! Shadow Craft, Art 3, Void Doubles!”
Nine copies of the man sprung forth from the shadows and rushed Milliard, bombarding him from every angle. He skillfully met their attacks head on until he began to falter, and the sheer number of blows began overwhelming him. Their blades tore through the unplated areas of his armor and left bloody gashes across his skin.
James laid on the turf and his mind was hazy as he woke up.
Is this…what a concussion feels like…
“AAAAAH!” A cameraman screamed as he bolted past James.
James snapped to attention and saw the battle.
Oh hell no! That doesn't have anything to do with me!
He moved to escape. “AAAAAAAARGH!”
His left knee had been pierced through by a jagged piece of metal. Even the slightest attempt to shift his leg was met with excruciating pain that instantly drew tears from his eyes.
He desperately looked around as people sprinted past him. “H…Hey! Somebody please help me! Somebody!”
Each person continued their single-minded, frantic escape. The stench of iron permeated the air and the turf beneath him was matted in blood. Severed limbs and dismembered torsos covered the field surrounding the field’s exit. His stomach turned at a foul stench unlike anything he had ever encountered, and he gagged to hold back his vomit. His nausea overwhelmed him, and he puked violently. As he retched, he could not keep his leg still, which caused his cries of pain to be muffled by the sludge that forced its way out of his body.
Once he finally calmed, he looked near his parent’s usual seating area to try and pick them out of the crowd. He saw his family as they maneuvered throughout the masses onto the stadium’s concourse. His father’s calm face stood out amongst the frenzied masses sprinting around him.
James sighed with relief and turned his attention to the men on the field. Milliard was fighting off a swarm of cloaked men with remarkable form and technique. It looked as if he was almost effortlessly repelling blows from every angle when James heard an aggressive cry. “Your time has come!”
Across the field, the man in the black armor held his blade high in the sky. It shone with a pale glow and rattled as it struggled to contain its stored energy. “Shadow Craft, Art 6! Moon’s Wrath!”
BOOM!
He pointed his blade directly at Milliard and a beam of milky energy enveloped him, creating an overwhelming explosion that could be seen for miles. Milliard’s body was sent flying limply and he crashed through the stands above James. As he barreled through, chunks of rubble broke free.
Time seemed to stop as James stared at the rubble above him. Oh my God…There’s no way out of this…
He glanced at the area where he last saw his parents. A large piece of the stands was sliding down toward his family. His mother and siblings screamed as they frantically scrambled away underneath the massive shadows. His father stood still, observing the chaos.
James’ rage exploded. What is that idiot doing?! You need to get them to safety! You can’t freeze up and be passive at a time like this! His eyes widened. Oh…he must know that there’s no escape. I guess he’s just facing the end without fear. James smiled in relief as his ring flashed. That’s my dad for you...
His attention shifted inward, and he began to mourn. This is so unfair Lord! I have always done what You asked! I suffered for over half a decade in Your name! I did all of this so I could set up systems to help fix this world and bring people to You and this is how You repay me?! There is so much more that I wanted to do…So much more that I wanted to experience…
He sobbed. Was it all…for nothing?
CRASH!
James was crushed to a paste by the falling debris.
Milliard climbed out of a hole in the wall and jumped down next to the rubble that crushed James. His armor was in tatters and blood leaked from every extremity. He raised up from a slumped posture and gave a thumbs up.
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He shouted with a beaming smile. “AWESOME move dude! I’ve never seen Shadow Craft up close before!” He sighed. “But unfortunately, my dad will probably get mad at me if I waste any more time here. So…I guess I should stop messing around.” He touched his toes and stretched his arms. “Alright, but before we start, I’d like to know my new friend's name before I kick his ass.”
The masked man snarled. “I am Gray, and that is the last name that you will ever know!”
Gray crouched down and rocketed toward Milliard.
Milliard cracked his knuckles. “Gray, huh?! That is such a cool name!”
He instantly vanished from sight and Gray was shocked as he propelled forward through the air.
POW!
Milliard rematerialized next to him and kicked him downward with otherworldly force. The impact from his body hitting the ground caused the turf field to detach from the earth like a carpet. Gray’s body bounced up from the impact and Milliard cocked back his blade for an even more devastating strike.
CRASH!
Milliard’s blade connected with the ground, but Gray was nowhere to be found. Shadows gathered from the corners of the stadium and shifted together to reform Gray’s body. He spat blood onto the broken turf and swiftly resumed his offensive. They began a clash of the sword that could only be described as a beautiful chorus of blows. Each side’s mastery of hand-to-hand combat and sword technique was evident as they matched each other’s strikes in perfect harmony. After parrying a slash aimed at his head, Milliard flipped his blade to the flat edge and smashed it into the earth. Milliard shouted like an excited child as the energy from the blade erupted and light enveloped the stadium. “Light Craft, Art 2, Flash Bang!”
As the light blinded Gray, Milliard slashed him across the chest, leapt, spun, and devastated his skull with a vicious roundhouse kick that knocked Gray off his feet.
Gray landed on his back and shrieked pain. He glanced at his sword wound. Dammit! Why didn’t my armor shift to protect me in time!
Milliard stood over him. “Ah I see. You must be on some kind of mission, and as a result you refuse to converse with your new best friend. Allow me to ask. Is whatever goal you’re trying to achieve worth the lives that were lost here today?”
Gray stumbled to his feet. “Any cost is worth the peace I fight to establish!”
He glanced at the stadium lights. That must be it, it’s too bright here. He sprinted, crouched, and leapt into the highest section of the stands.
Milliard watched from the field and furrowed his brow. Hmm, the base of our armor looks quite similar, but his physical abilities are heightened even without it.
Gray leapt. “Shadow Craft, Art 5, Void Slash!”
Dark energy rocketed from his blade in a wide arc and shattered half of the stadium lights. Gray stood in the shadows as he turned to face the other side of the stadium. Once I destroy those, he’s…
Milliard stood intimately close. “Cool strategy. Let’s not do that anymore.''
He thrust his sword at Gray, but his blade was enveloped in the wrappings of Gray’s armor. Gray flicked his wrist and Milliard’s blade was sent flying. It vanished as it was consumed by the shadows of the upper deck.
Milliard smiled. “Interesting! So, it looks like you can…”
POW!
Gray blasted him with a right hook, uppercut, and crashed a vertical kick down on his skull that sent him crashing into the concrete.
“Shadow Craft, Art 7, Seeking Shadows!”
The shadows rose, bared their fangs and devoured Milliard until nothing was left.
Gray glanced at the escaping crowd. This mission was a complete bust. I’m sure the target has escaped by now… He stared at the spot where Milliard had been devoured. At least father will be proud of me for defeating that government wretch. That’s a major step toward fixing this corrupt society. Maybe I’ll finally get the promotion to the upper ranks that I deserve and…
Gray flinched and covered his eyes as a brilliant light enveloped the stands. Milliard dusted off his tattered armor. “Like I said, this has been fun, but we should really be heading back now.”
Gray darted across the stadium. The only way I can defeat him is to destroy the rest of the lights and unleash my Progress Art.
Milliard groped around in the darkness as he looked for his sword.
Gray smirked. Dumbass. He reached the other side of the stadium and raised his blade to destroy the lights. Suddenly, terror gripped his heart, and he swiftly turned his head.
CLANG!
At the last moment, he met Milliard’s attack head on and the force from the strike rattled the stadium to its foundations. Gray vanished and reappeared as he dashed up one of the pillars that housed the lights, but Milliard was right on his heels. They clashed, appearing as black and yellow blurs as they darted from pillar to pillar. Gray desperately defended himself from Milliard’s onslaught as he attempted to destroy the lights, but Milliard was one step ahead of him and prevented him with ease. Gray’s breaths grew ragged as Milliard’s smile widened. Their blades collided once more, but Milliard parried and knocked Gray’s sword from his grasp with a horizontal slash.
Milliard’s blade was enveloped in scarlet energy. “Light Craft, Art 4, Red Light Slash!” He retraced his blade’s path, and an arc of red light burst forth. Gray was blinded, and the energy wave blew him into the turf below. Milliard leapt down onto the field.
Gray covered his throbbing eyes as he blindly struggled to his feet. Milliard glanced at Gray’s bloody wounds. “You are a great warrior Gray, but your injuries are severe. There is no need to resist any longer. If you come with me now, I promise I will speak to my father about a lesser sentence. I can be very persuasive…”
Gray coughed blood onto the turf and smirked. “You should pay more attention, Archigos.”
CRASH!
Milliard turned as he heard glass shatter. The stadium lights blinked out one by one as they were destroyed by a clone of Gray. Milliard crouched as Gray cleared his throat. “Shadow Craft, Progress Art 1, Eclipse of Darkest Night.” He raised his hand and darkness poured out from the depths of his soul. It enveloped the entire stadium as the remaining lights were snuffed out. “Art 3! Void Doubles!” Hundreds of Gray clones leapt out of the shadows and assaulted Milliard from all angles.
As Milliard defended his mind raced. I see, this is a very powerful combination of techniques. The less light in an area, the more powerful his Arts become…This guy is so cool! I need him to accept my friendship so I can introduce him to my bro Kalios ASAP! Milliard’s knees wobbled as he battled. Man, I really should have eaten something before I left. The food in this world is just so greasy. My stomach can barely stand it... He glanced at the Gray swarm. I guess I probably need to do something about this before I get too tired. I still need to lift weights after this…and I bet my fiancé is worried sick… He remembered the stack of unopened wedding documents on his desk. CRAP! She’s gonna kill me!
Milliard closed his eyes and channeled his energy into them. He smiled. “This has been so fun Gray! But you’ve shown your hand and this fight is over! Light Craft, Art 1, Spectrum Vision!”
Milliard’s pupils glowed and they became attuned to the kinetic energy given off by each of the clone’s movements. He shifted his stance from balanced to staggered, crouched and vanished. He began intercepting the doubles on their path to attack him. He darted from wall to wall in a beam of light as he swiftly picked them off one by one. Gray was terrified. I can barely track him…
CRASH!
Milliard crashed down into the center of the dome and raised his blade. “Here’s a tip from your new best friend! My blade isn't the only thing that absorbs kinetic energy! My suit does too! Light Craft, Art 3, Photon Beams!” Powerful rays of light erupted from the plates in Milliard’s armor as they pierced the black barrier surrounding them. The beams rotated quickly until the barrier and the stadium were destroyed.
Milliard and Gray stood face to face once more. Both were drenched in blood as they heaved through ragged breaths. Gray succumbed and fell to a knee as he leaned on his blade for support. His mask cracked, revealing a bright, green eye.
Milliard smiled as he leaned on his own blade. He gave Gray a thumbs up. “Have no shame friend. You have given your all and fought incredibly well. Your skill is tremendous, and under the proper mentorship you would have no issue winning the Tournament of Champions and becoming an Archigos one day. I would love to have the opportunity to help you reach your full potential. Come with me and I promise you will be pardoned and…”
Tears poured down Gray’s face. “NO! NO! NO! NO! Father is counting on me! My family is counting on me! THE ENTIRE WORLD IS COUNTING ON ME! I CANNOT SUCCUMB! I WILL NEVER SUBMIT!”
Milliard’s eyes widened as Gray staggered to his feet. Gray’s body gave off a milky glow, and silver tendrils danced as they protruded from his body.
Milliard’s heart broke. “Please…don’t do this Gray, you will leave me no choice but to…”
“I will not fail you, father.”
SLICE!
Gray vanished and before Milliard could react, he was sliced in the gut. The force from the blow emitted dark shockwaves that shattered nearby buildings. Milliard was sent soaring into the sky, and he barreled through building after building until he crashed onto the top floor of a nearby skyscraper. He laid on the ground with his arms out. “That was not very fun.”
He held his bloody stomach as he staggered to his feet. He limped over to the window and stared out at ruined city blocks. The stadium had been reduced to a smoking pile of rubble and the entire surrounding area was covered in dark smog. His heart sank as he saw hundreds of dead bloodies in the streets and nearby buildings that had been turned to ash filled with gore. How could I have been so careless? So many lives have been lost…for no reason at all. His grief gave way to rage. It’s time to end this.
Milliard channeled his power, and his body was enveloped in a crimson aura.
Time seemed to stop.
He vanished and reappeared on the field before Gray.
Gray’s eyes widened as Milliard cocked back his blade.
To the victims of this day, forgive me.
CLANG!
Gray met his attack head on, and they engaged in a brutal melee. The tenacity from each of their blows sent black and yellow shockwaves that leveled city blocks for miles. They mixed their various Arts into their sword strokes in a flawless fashion. Their battle was a symphony of passion, bladework and unwavering resolve. The full breadth of their skill was on display as their duel raged on into the night.
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