Vaelor reached the banks of the stream with Bethryl, the mountains looming ahead where the trees would just barely conceal them. If he crossed here, he could slip into one of the shadowed cracks along the far side. It would buy him time, perhaps only moments, but moments were enough.
He needed to—
His vision vanished.
For an instant, he was somewhere else, something else, then the world snapped back into place.
Vaelor had seen something in that moment. As he turned to Bethryl, he knew she had seen it too.
They had both witnessed the same thing.
Vaelor understood then that he would not live to see the morning dawn.
Energy flared behind them, growing stronger with every heartbeat.
What now? he thought.
He had seen this moment countless times, in dreams, in the private darkness of his thoughts. He had even wished for it. Should he die here and claim ownership of his fate, or should he turn and fight?
Through the evening mist and shadows, Ashar approached, his body wreathed in a cherry-red glow.
"So," Vaelor smiled, "the monster and the hero finally meet. But which one is which?"
Evening birds sang as they settled into the bushes, and only Vaelor seemed to notice. Ashar stared ahead, detached from everything except what lay before him.
"You truly are dangerous," Vaelor said. "Someone who has never known love, and never will. Someone who has never lived and refuses to do so. In ancient times, there were many warriors like you, they were the beloved vessels of their masters."
Ashar searched for traps, but found none. Still, he waited.
"Perhaps someone like you is needed," Vaelor continued. "Not a human, but a force. Only a force can be just. If you look anywhere in this world at what they call justice, then you will see that it is only the extension of interests."
"So you know about the Lords," Ashar said.
"I know what you know," Vaelor laughed. "They hide behind mystery, but we both see them for what they are. Depraved fools. That's why they disgust you."
"I no longer feel that way," Ashar said. "I am going to save the Lords. I am going to save this world. And I am going to save you as well."
"Really? Well, thank you."
Vaelor laughed and looked away.
"You know what I am then. I am a revolting monster. But in this world of suffering and endurance, it is the revolting ones who survive, not the beautiful ones."
"I know. And there will come a day, when there will be no more darkness. Tonight, I am going to save you from your darkness."
A fragrant breeze passed between them.
"Don't come any closer," Vaelor said.
"Why?"
Vaelor seized Bethryl and formed an Axiom blade.
"Because I'll kill her."
Ashar's ocean-blue eyes met Bethryl's sharp, earth-brown gaze.
"Go ahead," Ashar said.
Vaelor laughed. "I mean it."
"No, you won't."
"And why's that?"
"Because you know you won't. And so does she. It seems that she has already seen through you"
Vaelor glanced down at Bethryl, then hurled her aside and leapt backward. Ashar deflected her safely away.
Now, as it began, the final choice approached Vaelor.
He could end it all now and not give his enemy the satisfaction. It was what he deserved, and it was what he wanted. If there was any truth to be found, then it was that he deserved to die here and now.
But still, he had dreams. All the time, Vaelor dreamed of living beyond. He dreamed of more mornings when he would break away from his group so that he would watch the dew-drops in the morning, when the flowers he passed would never before seem so white, and the leaves that he crossed would never before seem so green
"I suppose I'm a coward," he smiled. "I choose to live."
"Our battle hasn't even begun," Ashar said, "and I've already seen inside your mind."
"We'll see who sees whose."
Ashar raised his blade—
"Copy," Vaelor said.
Energy flashed. Ashar barely pulled his head clear.
"Good instincts," Vaelor said. "You sensed the trap. You rely on refined fundamentals, no overwhelming techniques. Those are always the trickiest opponents."
Ashar feinted with a blade, Flame coiling in his other hand.
"Copy."
Ashar let the theft occur, dodged the expected counter, and delivered a rotating kick to Vaelor's shoulder.
"Excellent," Vaelor said. "Even without Axiom, that would have ended me."
"Why do you talk so much?"
Ashar advanced, then leapt away just before interception.
"Almost," Vaelor smiled.
"You spent all that time talking to me, but now you are rambling, and I can see what you really are. You're a broken fool, who in his pain, became drunk on an idea of himself. I will not shed any tears for you. But I will save you from your darkness."
Ashar launched a ranged blade.
It was instantly returned.
The edge cut past his mouth.
"Pointless," Vaelor laughed. "As long as I know what you'll do, I'll take it."
Ashar shifted tactics, pressure mounting.
"You won't take the centre and exhaust me." said Vaelor. "Nor will you be able to circle around me and randomly switch your timing. I know everything you are going to do."
How was he doing this? thought Ashar. This was too much, even for an experienced warrior. It seemed almost inhuman. This Vaelor was hiding something from him, something subtle, and it was the key to this entire battle.
Now Vaelor began to attack. He fired a successsion of five Axiom bullets, and as Ashar moved away with Axiom Water, two bullets caught him on the leg. Vaelor had anticipated in which direction he was going to dodge.
Ashar was certain of it: Vaelor was reading his movements somehow.
"Looks like it was easier than I thought," said Vaelor, "You weren't the monster I expected you to be."
"How can you say that when I've already figured you out?"
"You've figured me out?"
Vaelor stopped, focused, and then smiled.
"You're lying." he said.
That was when Ashar understood what was happening.
He leapt away, braced, gathered his last strength.
"When did you realize?" Vaelor asked. "That Telyn was watching?"
"Just then, when you knew I was bluffing."
"Yes. But it's too late."
They charged.
Telyn fed Vaelor Ashar's final plan.
"Copy."
Vaelor attacked, but Ashar flowed through it.
Energy struck.
"That wasn't what Telyn showed."
Ashar's body moved without thought, swaying, flowing.
"The Pendulum Blade…"
A Second Tier technique. Movement without intention. Thoughtless perfection.
A Second Tier technique: the Pendulum Blade was a variation of Axiom Water which involves a warrior moving without intention in a rhythm similar to the patterns of water. The result ws that the warrior moves without thought, in a heightened state, allowing them to attack and defend in ways that an ordinary warrior would see as theoretical perfection. Traces of this technique could be found in everyday village life, commonly referred to as flow state or zone. Put simply, Pendulum Blade it is the perfection of combat movement.
Telyn fled.
Ashar approached the kneeling Vaelor.
"A technique beyond thought," Vaelor murmured.
Ashar felt how damage he had taken by using the Pendulum Blade. He was only a First Tier warrior. Using a Second Tier ability, in his physical state, was too much for him at this time. The insides of his body felt broken and dissolving. If he did not receive treatment soon, then in a short while, he would likely be dead.
"You hid it," Vaelor said. "You hid your intent."
"When I got captured, I spent all that time in meditation. Do you think I couldn't conceal my thoughts from someone like your friend over there? You were a fool to believe that you could control me so easily."
The rain started, and Vaelor felt how it breathed final breaths into his body.
"Work with me," Vaelor begged.
"I didn't come for profit."
""I know I'm scum, but I can be better. Let me go, and I'll prove it."
Ashar smiled.
"Please. One more day."
"I will save you."
Ashar raised his blade.
"No!" Bethryl screamed.
He stopped.
"Let him go!" she said. "I don't why, but if you let him go then he will change! I can see it. "
Ashar studied her. This foresight, was this an Axiom ability that she was not aware of? Could it be possible that she also possessed the Eye of Sophia?
"You can leave," he said.
Vaelor crawled away from Ashar, into the woods, stunned by the random act of mercy that this monster had shown him. But that didn't matter, because he was alive! He was going to live! His small little life would continue for just one more day!
Vaelor stopped.
Ashar must have sensed them from far away. It seems that it wasn't an act of mercy after all.
"Where do you think you're going?" Issen asked, drawing an Axiom arrow.
Vaelor turned.
The last thing he saw was the distant glow of the Noctis Mountains.