"What has come over me?"
Gawain gritted his teeth as he charged forward towards the light beating of a faint heart, his body tingling as the noise of a corrupt heart became louder. He knew it was foolish, there was no way he could be sure there weren't more ghouls under the man's command. There was no guarantee he would succeed in his first battle, especially not with a being with nearly identical strength to his kind. There was a fear in him that was being suppressed, and anxiety that was being drowned by wishes of glory.
There was a wall between him and the ghoul, a small obstacle for someone so forcefully determined. His body was his as long as Gawain moved forward, thoughts of stopping filled him with shame he could barely bear and so he prepared for a leap. He bound himself as high as he could, still the peak of the wall three times his size was beyond reach. His nails became claws and they dug into the brick that constructed his dead-end, lunging himself over the wall with ease, his body weight meant little to his newfound strength.
Once he landed he immediately drew his sword and attempted to become familiar with his surroundings.
"A cemetery."
There were trees scattered along the field along with stone slabs that stuck out from the earth, each had engraved a the staff of Belona and a name under it. All the graves had grass overgrown, there wasn't a single fresh grave, seems all have been dumped away elsewhere after being devoured.
Gawain clicked his tongue, taking small steps forward as he placed both hands onto the handle of the blade. He held it in front of himself, a simple guard position. He had to be careful, regardless of his regeneration. A loss limb would lead to losing head, and that was something he knew he could not recover from, don't think anything would.
Gawain stopped his imitation of breathing, he needed silence to focus everything on his hearing as he walked around trees ready to swing his sword. Gawain could hear the loud beat, it came slower than before causing him to turn in its direction prepared to defend himself. Each time he approached the noise it seemed to get further away.
He was getting frustrated, despite his vision he still felt blind. "Show yourself, ghoul!" Gawain yelled out into the valley of the dead.
Crunch. Bump.
"That's behind me," He thought.
He turned quickly raising his sword in defense, only to feel the weight of a blade crashing down onto it nearly making his arms budge. Sparks had flown from the clashing steel and suddenly they separated, Gawain was faster and so his slash towards the High Ghoul side approached quickly. His sword was met with a twist and angular swing, causing Gawain's trajectory to be redirected just enough so he'd dig his sword into the dirt. There was a subconscious scream in his head, he knew this specific move and so he spins out of the way of lunging sword tip. Pulling the sword out the dirt and he jumped back to gain some distance.
"Logan was it?" The ghoul said in his raspy and deep voice.
Gawain was stunned, he looked at the man with golden eyes that showed his confusion. Now finally able to get a better look at his opponent, despite the blisters destroying the shape of his face and smoothness of his skin there was something familiar. There was falling black hair, a strong build, ragged leather armor with the insignia of Belona's Staff which even Gawain once wore.
"Logan, you have gotten better with the sword." He said giving him a disgusting smile, part of his mouth was a bubble of puss with even it continuing onto the roof of his mouth.
"Instructor Zelim" Gawain said lowering his head at the realization. The man who taught him during training, he taught all the recruits. He always spoke of heading home once the war was over.
"Didn't recognize me?" Zelim chuckled, still grinning at him.
"Forgive me, you've changed a bit and it's been a long time." He said laughing softly, raising his sword in front of him once more.
"We all thought your group was dead? Did you desert? What's this new strength of yours." He didn't raise his weapon yet.
"They are dead. So am I." He said in a soft tone.
"Ah, a vampire? So we are the same, we need not fight then. You can drain them while I feast on their flesh." The man said without a care.
"I don't need to feed, and I won't allow you to continue either. Taking away people's chance to be at Belona's side." Gawain growled, baring his fangs.
"You don't have that chance either, neither do I. What does it matter if more of us suffer the same fate?" He sighed finally raising his steel sword.
"We made that choice. Not them." Gawain shook his head.
"How'd he get so close already?" Gawain thought now his former teacher was but a few feet away from him with a sword in motion. Bringing his steel up in a circular swing to guide the sword away, there would have been too much force behind the swing and Gawain feared to have his hands ache to the point where his blows weakened. Zelim threw a kick, launching Gawain back after being struck in the stomach. He rolled in his backstopping on his feet, swinging upward to clash at Zelim's second stab at him. Sending his instructor's arms upward with the blade in hand, lunging the tip of his sword forward only to meet no flesh.
Zelim had span out of harm's way much like Gawain had done, only this time he followed it with a kick into the side of Gawain's knee with the full momentum of his spin and strength of a ghoul.
Snap.
His leg bent inward, and a blast of pain engulfed his body. No scream escaped his lips, he had no air ready in his lungs for such a luxury. He felt his body crumble onto his good leg, as he raised his sword to block the following swing that was aimed at his head.
He felt his sword crash against his body under the force of Zelim's swing and his pain-induced body. He slid away now bleeding from both his side, chest, cheek, and leg. Gawain tried to dull out the pain while he tried pushing his bone back into place, but Zelim didn't give him time to recover. He was too focused on weakly blocking his attacks, each blow sending him across the dirt on his rear only to crash into trees and tombstones. The man used his ghoulish speed to appear in front of him shortly after Gawain crashed into something else.
"Only a matter of time before that arm of yours gets too weak." Zelim laughed, swinging at Gawain again.
Could he break his back like this? Gawain had been launched through at least five tombstones and now his back was in pain along with his leg. His arms were shaking from the blows he had to defend, his vision was slightly distorted from the pain.
Thud.
He grunted as his back hit another tombstone, his left leg broken and limp with bone exposed. The piece of rock crumbled and cracked at his impact and Gawain felt stupid. He shouldn't have charged in like this, not alone. Lavia probably would have been able to help him through this, he wouldn't be so broken.
"You were one of my worse students, Logan." Zelim sighed "Pains me to do this, but I kinda want to know what you'll taste like."
"Fuck you" Gawain growled, spitting in his direction.
He wasn't a great swordsman, and he couldn't heal from this wound without blood. It almost felt like he was fighting his brother, except during those sessions he used a spear and was still getting thrashed around.
"A spear?" Gawain realized something.
Zelim was lunging at him again, this time Gawain dropped his sword and reached out with his hand. The blade cut through his hand, slicing the underside of after cutting through his palm. The pain was nearly unbearable, he felt like passing out however he knew that would mean death. He focused his mind, calling out to the world with it. He wasn't launched back this time, the sword had gotten stuck on one of his ribs and he did nothing but smile up at him. Masking the pain.
"Are you insane?" Zelim shook his head.
A red stream flew through the sky above them, flying about at angles, creating squares in the sky with its aura before stopping just above the ground. It was at the other end of the cemetery across from Gawain, and it shot out like lighting towards his open hand which he moved to be at level with Zelim's stomach.
It pierced him, the center of the glowing red spear landed perfectly in Gawain's palm. That wasn't enough, while the man screamed he lunged forward dug his teeth into the man's thigh.
Drinking quickly.