The time was 11:56, about. The court wizard would announce time in 5 minute intervals, and the last time he'd done such had been a bout a minute prior.
The time of the duel was 12:00. Kaliel was not here.
Here, to be more specific, was the place of many a royal spectacle, the kingdom's coliseum, the Giantess. People from around Konzaku had been informed of the event, my day of fate's eve. Peasants and lords alike were to witness this final test, my proving as a savior.
I was asked previous if I was afraid, or nervous about the fight: A curios servant had asked in ernest. I smiled, and shook my head. "Kaliel is Konzaku's most fearsome warrior. I aim to claim his title, there I've come to accept this as fate. If I fear him, i hesitate. And a hero will never do such."
Seeming satisfied, this servant left me.
"The time is 12:00!" The court wizard announced. I watch the entrance opposite of me, tensing slightly as I waited for my master's arrival.
But no man stepped through those doors.
The large double doors crashed outwards, a cloud of dust and debris filling the air. A large figure stepped out of the dust, dirt and pebbles plinking off of it.
It looked like a silhouette, a dark outline that we only saw when a place was too dark to see. It's shape was humanoid, large and muscular, though it's arms and legs were much longer than its torso, maybe even twice the size. It stood taller than the door it had come through, and much wider around. In one of its hands, it dragged behind a weapon. A weapon of our royal guard, a great-sword of Halagash steel, though the size of the blade was much more in proportion of the creature than a human. The fact he held such a weapon however was concerning.
What was MORE concerning was his face. It was white, and small compared to his head, an oblong mask more than a face. It had no ears, or nose, nor did it have any hair atop its head. It had only 3 dots, two assumed eyes and a mouth.
Panic ensued at the sight of the monster, the crowded audience exploding in a fury of runners and screamers. The royal box froze in place, my parents and siblings paralyzed en presence of the monster. Surrounding guard moved to attack, and the court wizard chanted in Arcana.
I raised my hand slowly, and unraveled the thick wrap that covered my arm. A bright light illuminated the stadium, and a silence followed. All eyes were on me.
Including the monster's.
It staggered away in light of the sensation.
"You do not care for this, do you?" I asked, watching the creature shield its eyes.
"No...light..." It groaned, it's voice a distorted and warbled in audible juxtapose. On one hand, it held a deep tone, almost a growl, or a pained wail. On the other hand, it sounded almost...familiar, down to the accent and pitch. "NO LIGHT!"
The creature suddenly jumped forward, lunging towards me with it's massive blade lifted high above its head.
I rolled away, it crashing down where I once stood, and hopped back up to my feet. It jerked its head in my direction, and wrenched its sword from the ground, preparing another swing.
This time, however, instead of dodging I had an idea.
I swung my own sword back, and, with a gasp from the crowd, ran forward, ready to meet him head on. He swung down, and I lifted my left hand to his blade, the edge grazing my skin slightly before I clasped my fingers tightly onto the metal, stopping it mid swing.
With my vice grip on the blade, I pulled back, dragging him towards me without effort and stabbed forward, plunging my weapon deep into his leg.
The beast screeched, tearing it's leg back, and my sword out of my hand. I stumbled forward, trying to keep hold of my weapon, but ultimately lost my grip and fell forward. I slid to the ground, banging my chin on the tiles beneath me.
"Ow, ooh ooh..." I breathed, pushing myself back up. The creature swung his leg forward, smacking it into my shoulder as I tried to stand, sending me flying back across the arena. I rolled, tumblng hard against the stone slabs, until I crumpled a few meters from the wall.
My body ached horribly. I could feel my bones beneath my skin, throbbing with every slight movement of heavy breathing, labored gasping. I could feel my skin as well, prickling, and stinging, strangely wet but I could smell no blood. Not yet at least. I tasted it first, on the tip of my tongue, before the overwhelming metal taste invaded my senses.
Despite this, I shifted, placing my bloodied palms to the floor, and pushing myself up, leveraging onto a knee. I turned, seeing the opposing creature in a bull-rush towards me, dragging his massive blade behind him. I readied myself for his next attack, blood spurting from my wounds as I tensed my muscles.
He lifted the weapon above his head, swinging it around and back to come at me from the side. I threw my hand out, clamping my grip down on the blade's edge. The soles of my boots screeched against the floor, but I stood my ground. The beast pulled at his weapon but could not tear it from my fingers. I pulled upwards.
As if the beast and weapon weighed nothing, I lifted them into the air with a cry and swung them downwards, tremoring the area under the mass of the objects. Upon impact, the beast released his weapon, laying where he'd landed, his arm seemingly twisted in the wrong direction.
I pulled his sword towards me, grabbing i by the handle, and swinging it to my side, at the ready for when he stood again.
He did so relatively quickly, though it seemed I'd managed to cause him some damage. He stumbled, limping as he got to his feet. He looked to me for a moment, and then down at the sword in his leg. "No light, no light..." He repeated, reaching towards the weapon, and yanking it out like it was no more than a toothpick.
When he held it in his hand, it started to shudder, vibrating until it suddenly exploded in size. He took the blade in his right hand, and crouched into a stance. His dominant foot, his right, stepped in front, while his left fell back as a support. His left hand hovered around the sword's hilt, while he held the rest of the sword upright, and blade edge towards me.
The royal box gasped at the sight.That stance was far too sophisticated for a common beast.
To a civilian, that stance was our traditioned right handed stance, taught to the royal family and the guard in protection of their lives, and that'd be a shock on its own. But to the guard and the royal family, this was more than just our stance. It was a modified variation, perfected by only one man.
Kaliel.