The green field stretched across the hillside, its tall grass swaying gently in the breeze. A gravel road wound nearby, paved for carriages, its stones crunching faintly under the weight of passing wheels. The air smelled of earth and wildflowers, but the serenity of the landscape was broken by the tension between two figures.
Elliot stood firm, his silver hair catching the sunlight, eyes locked on Adriano. Across from him, Adriano rested his massive buster sword on his shoulder, holding it casually with one hand. The weapon was so large it seemed less a blade and more a slab of iron, dull yet menacing, its sheer weight promising devastation.
He has an unusually small build for someone wielding such a monstrosity, Elliot thought, studying him. That thing is hardly a sword. It's a metal club. Yet he carries it with ease. Interesting fellow.
"Adriano," Elliot called, his voice steady but edged with challenge. "We're going to spar, and you will hold nothing back. I want to see what you can do after a few days of rest. Show me your full power. I hope you're not dead weight, because in a hundred kilometers we march into a death battle." His eyes gleamed with intrigue.
Adriano's grip tightened on the hilt. "Right," he said, conviction burning in his tone.
He shifted into stance, feet planted firmly, sword raised in a long-point guard. His gaze sharpened, fixed on Elliot as though he saw something beyond the man's flesh. Then, without warning, Adriano moved.
He darted around Elliot at blistering speed, his body a blur. Elliot's eyes flicked side to side, catching only afterimages.
He's fast, Elliot realized, his pulse quickening.
Adriano vanished behind him, then reappeared above, sword cocked back for a crushing strike.
Shit! I can't hear his steps. He's above! Elliot thought, snapping his head upward. His forearms shot up just in time, catching the descending blade. The impact thundered, dust exploding around them. When it cleared, Adriano's eyes widened — Elliot's forearms had transformed into gleaming metal.
"That's a neat trick," Adriano muttered.
Elliot smirked. "And that's a surprisingly sharp dull sword." He glanced at the blade biting into his left arm, metal groaning under the pressure.
Adriano reacted instantly, driving a kick into Elliot's stomach. Elliot staggered back, the force rattling his ribs. Adriano twisted, swinging a horizontal slash aimed at Elliot's side. Elliot leapt above the blade, manifesting his dagger midair. With a flick of his arm, he hurled it toward Adriano.
The dagger struck true, embedding in Adriano's right bicep. His grip faltered, the massive sword slipping from his right hand. Yet with startling strength, Adriano recovered, pulling the blade back with his left arm and slashing across Elliot as he landed. The strike connected, sending Elliot flying twenty feet, his body crashing into the earth.
Adriano planted the sword into the ground, chest heaving, sweat dripping down his brow. He stared at Elliot, who rose slowly from the dust. Elliot's left arm dangled grotesquely, held together by only a few strands of muscle.
"You're physically strong," Elliot said, his voice calm despite the injury. His arms began to morph, metal twisting into wicked scythes. "But I want to see your magic. Don't hold back. I'm coming at you seriously now."
Adriano gritted his teeth, pulling Elliot's dagger from his arm. He raised his sword again, stance unbroken. "Right!"
Before either could move, footsteps echoed across the gravel road. Both turned sharply. A hooded man approached, his presence heavy, deliberate.
"Who's this guy?" Elliot muttered under his breath.
"On guard, Elliot," Lilith's voice whispered urgently in his mind. Elliot's body tensed.
"What's wrong? His magic?" Elliot asked.
"Not its quantity," Lilith replied, her tone grave. "But how it flows. So deliberate, so calculated. Whoever this is… has terrifying control."
The hooded man stopped a few feet away, his shadow stretching across the grass. His voice was calm, almost casual. "Those ears… you're the half-breed. Which makes him the human. The demonic duo. I am Eddard. I will be your executor."
Adriano's eyes flared. Without hesitation, he twisted and swung his sword in a lethal arc aimed at Eddard's head.
But Eddard sidestepped effortlessly, his movement precise. His fist shot forward, connecting with Adriano's skull. The boy collapsed instantly, his body crumpling to the ground.
"That was close," Eddard said coldly, his expression unreadable.
"Elliot. Let me take over," Lilith urged, her voice sharp with urgency.
"What? I can take him," Elliot argued, defiance in his tone.
"No, you can't. He can use enhan—"
Before she could finish, Eddard appeared in front of Elliot, his speed inhuman. His punch slammed into Elliot's face, snapping his head back violently. Elliot's vision blurred, consciousness slipping.
He fell, but his body caught itself, staggering backward. Slowly, his head lifted again. His eyes glowed crimson, burning with demonic fire.
Lilith's voice rang out, now in full control. "Now… let's actually see what you can do."
Eddard's eyes narrowed. He leapt back several paces, reassessing the battlefield.
So that's the demon in the boy, he thought grimly. That magic… ancient, vile. I may be in trouble.
The air thickened, charged with raw energy. Grass bent under invisible pressure, the hillside trembling as two forces prepared to clash — Eddard, the Night Terror, and Lilith, the ancient demon inhabiting Elliot.