"We never really know why we were blessed with such Elements. Lightus and Darkus were extinguished during the wars at the genesis of Soula. And the fact that us siblings had such distinct Elements, at that, was even more confusing. Were our parents Lightus and Darkus too? And if so, why did they leave us in Soula? With these questions in our minds, the world started seeing us as freaks because the fickle elemental power we let out was so much different from all kids our age. The people had elevated Lightus and Darkus to an almost divine pedestal after its users were wiped out, so it'd be reasonable to think that we were either gods descended from the heavens or outright monsters for possessing such powers. Society shun us, but Lucy came to our rescue. She called us both "angels", and that we should use such wonderful abilities to make the world better, to make it thank us for existing. So, we started mastering our Elements, but to avoid controversy among the more religious folk in Soula, Merceni was forced to say that his Element was a rare strain of Pyre and, likewise, I had to say that my Element was a rare strain of Mistral. We lived our whole lives hiding, but we swore than, when the Order were to be defeated, that we would reveal our secrets to the world, so that people would see that we're not monsters nor gods. We're just...BladeMasters."
Noah reflected on those words the day after, in school. Mercedes didn't say much after that and they returned to her room, where they finished seaming the clothes and clocked in for the night. When he saw her again that morning, she didn't treat him any differently. Well, that was too much to expect. Just because she revealed her past, Mercedes wouldn't stop from being Mercedes and brother wouldn't either.
Earlier that morning, Noah talked about it with Lucy and she confirmed everything.
-It must have taken alot of courage for Mercedes to flat out admit that to someone else. If people had the slightest clue that she was born under such an Element, she and her brother would be ostracized and likely kicked out of town. Lightus and Darkus are very touchy subjects here in Soula. Although Sages like Eldus and many other researchers state that the probability of survivors of the Lightus and Darkus from the wars are quite high, the more conservative people, the ones that only see those Elements as things of that past, would be revolted at the thought. Lightus and Darkus are divine Elements, yes, but like in the wars, they brought with themselves the true darkness, the one that wanted to eliminate them. People fear that, if descendants of the survivors from that era do exist, that more evil will appear to eliminate those Elements and that they will get caught in another war.
Noah sighed:
-Don't worry, I won't say a word to anyone. I wouldn't want to betray her trust.- he said, although part of him was itching to tell the guys. He'd have to muffle it somehow, or Mercedes would hate him forever.
Lucy nodded in agreement and ruffled his hair.
RIIIIINNNNNGGGG!!!
Noah snapped back to reality when the school bell rang and everyone bolted out of the classroom. The school day was over and, as it was a Friday, everyone was hyped about the upcoming weekend. Weekends weren't much different for Noah, just more "playtime" with Lucy, so he wasn't exactly looking forward to it. He looked around to classroom but didn't spot the guys. That was weird. Usually, Axel and Guy would be too busy trying to drag out Zeke out of the room to leave so quickly.
Noah shrugged it off and made his way into the base. When he opened the door, he was surprised to see that everyone was there again: Lucy, Terri, Eldus, the twins and the Masters. Gee had a big rolled up piece of paper jammed up his nose, to stop the bleeding. They all looked immediately at him, like they had been expecting him all along.
-Ah, there you are, kiddo! We've been waiting for ya!- Lucy said, in her usual cheeriness.
-What for? It's unusual for everybody to gather up like this. Did you discover another Order Elite?
Terri shook her head.
-Not yet. Even if Eldus' theory of the cardinal positioned bases is right, the Elites there haven't made any advances whatsoever. We don't have the surprise factor anymore, so it's unwise to charge in blindly while we still have such low numbers.
-Wait, you don't know if there are other bases, Terri?
-Nope, my orders didn't say nothing about others moving in to their own bases. Balthazar must have expected the possibility of me telling you the location of the bases and which Elite is there, preventing you from getting an early advantage.
-W-well, what are we here for, then?- Noah was awfully confused.
Lucy puffed her chest in pride.
-We're here to discuss the newest members of the Anti-Order Brigade!
Now, even the twins and the Masters were surprised.
-New members?- Mercedes asked- You're sure playing hard from the get-go. I thought that you didn't want to involve our teammates in this war!
-And I'm not, Cidy. For our new allies are not from Angel's Crow.
-They aren't?- Merceni tsked.- Please, we don't need anymore useless garbage to slow us down. If not from Angel's Crow or the Order, who else is there with enough skill to fight with us?- suddenly, his face twisted into a look of sudden realization as he leaned in and punched the table.- No! You're not possibly thinking of allying yourself with them!
Suddenly, the base's door creaked open. Everybody's eyes shot right at it.
-Oh, everybody's here already...Sorry, we had some...technical difficulties. Somebody had to put on cologne before coming here...!- a voice peeked out and let out a yawn. Noah instantly recognized it.
The door fully opened now.
-Sorry for making you wait. And I just wanted to make a good first impression, you dummy! We can't give off the impression of being some dirty slobs to them or they'll get their authority complex on again.
-Just as long as they got some after-meeting snacks, I'm good.
Noah jumped out of the table. No, it couldn't be!
-W-what are you doing here---
"...Axel, Guy, Zeke?!"
*
-So, yeah, Lucy approached us one day to ask about Guy's encounter at the temple of Pyre. He told her the story he told us and showed the Dragonic Blade as proof. Then, she asked us to meet her at the base after school. I'd never imagine it was because she wanted us to join in the war against the Order! I must say, it's quite surreal.- Axel explained, smiling sheepishly.
-Ok...that I understand. But why you and Zeke? Last time I checked, you guys didn't get any divine blessing.
-Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence, Noah...- Zeke said, face pressed against the table.
-Well, I also heard that Zeke here demonstrated some pretty gnarly fighting skills against Merceny the other day and that got me thinking "Hey, maybe the Academy does hide some talent.". As for Axel, Mercedes told me that he's pretty intelligent, and gods know we need more brain than brawn around here. And they did help you get accustomed to Soula, Noah, so I thought you'd like to have them around.- Lucy explained.- Sure, they won't be joining Angel's Crow, but let's say they're representing Soula and the Academy in this war.
Axel seemed pretty excited about it as he blushed lightly upon Lucy's compliment.
-I hope we can work well together.- he said to the people in the room, who shot approving smiles back at him.
-Well, I don't.- Merceny's voice sounded as poisonous as ever as he stood up from his chair and walked up to the guys, facing them- Wasn't I clear the other day? We don't want Academics here.
Mercedes was about to interject, but Axel shook his head at her. It was needless for her to waste her breath.
-"Black Feather" Merceny, I know you don't like us, and we certainly don't fancy you, but let's try to be mature here, OK? I'm sure as our fight continues, you'll be able to put up with us.- his voice lacked the usual snarky tone he usually used when talking about the mercenaries, but much more calm and peaceful than Noah ever heard coming from Axel. He really didn't want to cause any more ruckus after Mercedes' outburst. - Think you can do that? And if you can't do it for us, then please do try to do it for your sis---
Nightingale was pointed straight at Axel's throat, but Zeke's naginata and the Dragonic Blade were immediately placed near Merceni's neck too.
-Is fighting the only way you can solve things, Black Feather? Please don't force us to be violent for you to cooperate with us. I'm extending my hand as a friend.- and with this, he offered his hand to Merceny for an handshake.
Merceny stood for a couple of moments staring at Axel's hand. Then, his face got twisted by disgust and he slapped Axel's hand away, ducking under the Blades pointed at him and charging at Axel.
-You speak of friendship, Rhodes?! That's why you Academics keep failing! You're soft!- and then he swung Nightingale at Axel.
-Merceny, NO!!- Mercedes screamed.
Axel's expression didn't change, even as he easily blocked Merceny's attack with his own Blade, or at least what Noah could see, as the slim and curved sword was covered in a black scabbard.
Merceny's face was twisted by shock. Again. That guy was too violent for his own good, but at least, he always had his temper tantrums foiled. He certainly didn't expect Axel to make such a quick block.
But, as quickly as he attacked, he quickly unsummoned Nightingale.
-A katana, heh?
-Yes, that is what kind of weapon Raiden is. Likewise, Zeke's Waterwheel is a naginata, Guy's Dragonic Blade is a greatsword. Now you know what the type of weapons that could very much kill you right now.- even now, Axel kept his composure.
Merceny tsked.
-Please, you can't possibly kill me.
-That I know. Why is the top member of Angel's this weak-looking? I've heard that you've taken care of many Order soldiers, so why could I block your attack so easily? Simple, you're not showing even a fraction of your power. If you wanted, you could have caught us by surprise at least 10 times during the last minute and sent us to the hospital in about...6 of those situations.
-Very perceptive...
-I'm just good with math, "Black Feather". But you've always spiked my curiosity. You know why? Because I know you're hiding something, Merceny. And that something is your Element's properties. That's why I never heard of any time where you used it, because it is your ace. You'll only show it to worthy opponents and after that, they won't live to tell the story. You don't want us to find out about your little secret, so you limit yourself to mere swordplay. Befitting of a poor BladeMaster.- he snickered.
Noah feared the taunt would set off Merceny again, but he kept staring at Axel with cold eyes.
-You've read me that far, heh?
-People like you are an open book for me. Trying to act aloof to hide something but through the right eyes, your act sticks out like a sore thumb.
-Why did Lucy recruit you, Rhodes? Truesdale and Vermilion both possess something that our cause apparently needs, but you don't seem to have any extraordinary fighting abilities. You're right: that last attack was half-hearted, that's the reason why you managed to block it. So, why does Lucy need you?
-Because he can read people.
Everyone looked back and saw Terri's eyes locked on Axel.
-That calm, calculated stare, that methodical tone of voice. You even offered your enemy a handshake and didn't even flinch when he attacked you. You knew all this would happen, didn't you, Axel Rhodes? You can predict people's actions and act accordingly, by pushing certain buttons to create certain behaviors. I've seen it many times during my life and it's a gift not even the Order can get easily. You're playing Merceny like damn fiddle.
Axel gave her a warm smile.
-It appears I got busted. I should have known better than messing with Terri T. of the Order. Good eye.- and with that, he curtsied to her.
-Do not lie. You even expected this.
Axel chuckled.
-Wow, you really are good.
-That ability is quite frightening...-she stood up and walked up to Axel, facing him. He was considerably shorter than her so he his face rose over to her eyes.- I wouldn't surprised to find out that you were working for Balthazar to destroy Angel's Crow from within.
Axel let out a nervous laugh.
-Haha, please nothing of the sort. Your eyes are frightening, Miss T. Such unbelievable pressure. I wouldn't want to get on your bad side. But, alas, I'm no traitor or anything of the sort. My parents are soul researchers you see. They form theories. They manipulate certain factors and expect results for their experiments to confirm or deny said theories. With that, they create theses. For me, I've always had an eye for seeing one's true feelings. In an effort to get along with everyone I choose my words to fit the person I'm talking to. And with that, I can easily see what behaviors set them off or calm them down. I know that I can bribe Guy with food to make him study. I know that carrying Zeke is the only way to make him get around. I knew that striking a conversation with Noah on his first day would calm him down and help him get over the cruelty of the Academics. Yes, I know my talent can be used for evil, but something that my life here in Soula taught me is that it's better to live an honest mediocre life, alongside people who show their true faces than to live in power, surrounded by fake people.- and with this, he gave Merceny a stern look.
Merceny turned away from him.
-If this was all that this meeting was supposed to be about, then I'm leaving. Rhodes, Vermilion, Truesdale...you'll get what's coming to you soon.- and with this he left.
The meeting room became silent as Merceny's words lingered in the air. Noah gulped but approached Axel.
-Axel, is it true? You can read people? And how come you never told us before?
-Well, we kinda got it eventually.- Zeke said- But we just see as a snarky attitude towards anyone disrespectful towards others.
Axel chuckled.
-Please, Zeke, nothing so coarse. See, Noah, it's really nothing that special. I just have a knack for telling people what they want to hear. For example, I can tell Miss Lucy that her choice of outfit is risqué but gives her power and confidence with herself, something that's clearly only on par with her natural beauty.- and with this he smiled at Lucy.
But Lucy puffed her cheeks.
-You know, if you keep saying things like that, people will think you don't really mean said things,ya know?
-Please, Miss Lucy. I believe you've interrogated enough people to know when one is saying the truth, correct? So, when I say that Gaia is lucky to have its strongest BladeMaster also be its sexiest woman,you can confirm the veracity of this statement, correct?- with this he smirked at her.
With this, his hair got a vigorous ruffling.
-I like him already, Terri.- she grinned at her.
-This guy is more smooth than freaking butter...!- Gee said. With this, Rye nodded, chuckling at how easy Lucy was persuaded. It didn't matter if Axel's catcalling was true or not. He appealed to Lucy's ego and got the desired result.
-A frightening ability, for sure...- Eldus mumbled- Now Lucy's ego will be on cloud nine for the rest of the week...
The rest of the meeting didn't take long. Aside from the guys joining, no developments had arisen. It was like the Order didn't even know of Terri's defeat.
But, when everyone got dismissed. Noah heard someone calling him and the guys over, as they were stepping into the dorm. They looked back and saw Master Gee waving at them.
-Sorry, I forgot to tell you guys during the meeting, on the fact that I was rehearsing on how to ask Casanova to teach me his secrets without sounding like a desperate pervert.
-Which shouldn't be too difficult to assume.- Master Rye added.
-Man, shut up! You always be cramping my style!- he yelled and then cleared his throat- But could you guys swing by our dojo? The fights against the Elites will only get harder, so me and Loudmouth over here would like to teach you a thing or two. Whattdya say?
-Isn't your dojo the Lion and the Eagle one? I've heard it's quite popular with the Academics.- Guy said.- I don't see why not? No objections, guys?
Everybody shook their heads and Gee's face shone.
-Alrighty, now we're cooking with gas! Follow us, then!- with this, Noah and the guys followed the Masters through the city until they reached a small building. It was mostly built out of wood and had a sign above its entrance door with a beautiful design of a lion clashing with an eagle. The black letters that read Lion and Eagle Dojo looked like they were painted with a single swift swipe of a brush. They stepped inside only to see a single wide and almost empty room, with wooden floor and slide doors on the side. The walls were covered with paintings of BladeMaster battles.
-Wow, you've got quite the eastern influence here.- Axel said, looking around.
Gee nodded.
-Yeah, both me and Rye come from the eastern kingdoms, away from Karash. You must be too, right, Axel?
Axel shook his head.
-No, I was born in this country. Why do you ask?
-Your Blade is a katana and the name Raiden is eastern too.- Rye said- Those Blades are commonly associated with the eastern warriors. Tell me: are your parents Samurais?
Sa-mu-ra-is?
Again, Axel shook his head, summoning his Blade and removing it from its scabbard, revealing a crystal clean katana. Noah could feel a gentle breeze emanating from it.
-Many people ask me the same. It's not the case, but it's close. Both my parents are children of Samurais, but decided to take a different direction in life and became BladeMasters and later researchers of the soul.
-W-wait, what's a "Samurai"?- Noah asked, confused.
-Ah, they didn't teach you in the Academy yet, right?- Gee said- Well, to put it simple, Samurais are warriors from the eastern kingdoms of Gaia. They are different from BladeMasters in the fact that they, unlike us, reject their Elements.
-R-reject?!- Noah asked, surprised.
-Yes.- Rye continued.- A BladeMaster fights using his Element and Blade in unison but the samurais rely only on mastering the Blade. You'll find very little people with fencing skill on par with a Samurai these days.
-Well, if they are so powerful, why have I never seen one in the Academy?
-Samurais and BladeMasters do not go along well. Legend date back at the aftermath of the wars in the genesis of Gaia, where two sides were formed: one of those who wanted to use the power of the Elements, given by the gods; and those who believed that the path of the Blade was the true one and that the Elements would corrupt the human mind.Since then, they barely mingle. A shame, for we could learn much from their fighting style and honorable life style, for a Samurai uses only his Blade to achieve enlightenment and protect those in need. A pure mind does not greed for power and therefore, wars are very rare in the Samurais kingdoms.- Rye finished explaining,sighing.
-But I did hear that one of the Order Elites is a Samurai, although we don't know what drove he or she to join their cause.-Rye said.- But, that's where we come in. Rye and I opened this dojo to develop and teach others a style that blurs the line between Samurai and BladeMaster.
-A joint style?- Zeke asked- Sounds like too much work...
-But still fascinating.- Axel interjected- Please explain.
Gee smirked.
-Curious, heh? Rye could you go get me my Blade?- he asked. Rye nodded and went through one of the slide doors.
-Wait, can't you summon your Blade, Master Gee?- Guy asked.
-Me and Rye do not use our Blades in the common way.- he explained.
-What?!- Noah exclaimed- But how to you fight without a Blade?
Before Gee could answer, Rye appeared from the other room and walked up to Gee,carrying with him a pair of wooden katanas, similar to the swords the Mercenaries used in their training and handed one to Gee.
-This is my Blade, boys.- Gee said, lazily swinging the katana.
-How can you fight with that? Sounds difficult...- Zeke moaned.
-Yeah, by itself, it's pretty fragile. Rye, catch.- Gee said, throwing the katana at Rye who, upon catching it, easily snapped it in half with only one hand! Those muscles really weren't for show. After it, he handed the remaining katana to Gee, who wore the smile of a magician that was about to wow a large audience.- But, by applying a special coating to this practice sword here...- with that, the katana started to gain some kind of semi-transparent aura, that covered it completely- ...it can become much sturdier. Rye, if you would...
He handed the sword back to Rye, who caught the "blade" with his hand but, to everyone's surprise, his hand started to bleed!
-And much sharper, might I add. Rye, try to break the sword, please.
Rye nodded and dropped the sword. He then lifted his foot and stomped on it with all of his might but only the floor underneath cracked, the wooden sword, which up until then seemed so fragile, continuing on without so much of a scratch! Rye picked it up and handled it Gee, who reached for the inside of his robe and took out some sheets of paper, which he threw into the air, making them float around in random directions. He stopped for a second and suddenly, his arm turned into a blurry figure as the sheets got shredded apart! The small pieces that remained fluttered down into the floor, as Gee reached inside his robe again and took out a small twig, which he bit down, letting it stay peeking out of his lips.
-Pre~tty nifty, huh?- he asked with a smirk.
-H-how did you do that?! That flimsy sword became as sharp as a real Blade!- Guy exclaimed sounding really surprised.
-You coated it with your Element, right?- Axel said, with a skeptical look on his face- That isn't much different from what us BladeMasters do. Noah's Ultima Soul can do exactly that.
Gee shook his head.
-No Element here either. Although I was born under Mistral, my Blade is coated with something entirely different: Astral Energy.
-"Astral Energy"?- the guys asked (except Zeke, of course, who fell asleep even before Rye had snapped the first katana).
-Yes, Astral Energy is a source of power common to every person's soul, for it is it that can fuel our Elements. By using Astral Energy, yes, we are using our Elements, which differentiates us from the Samurais, but its also different from the BladeMasters, because we're not using a specific Element, we're using its primal energy, which can be used to power not only our weapons but our bodies too.- Rye explained.- Observe.
With this he took a deep breath and turned his back to them, towards the dojo's back wall. He curled up his hand into a fist. He pulled it back, assuming a common martial arts stand and soon the fist started glowing with the all too familiar aura. Then, he snapped back forward, throwing the punch into the air. For a brief second nothing happen but suddenly whatever Rye launched crashed into the wall, making a giant hole on it. Noah could feel it: it was raw soul power, but he couldn't identify the Element at all!
-Astral Energy can strengthen both body and common objects into powerful weapons. The need to summon a Blade and worry about the use of our Elements is next to none when you can just drop those worries and use Astral Energy. What Gee did was using the Astral Energy to up his body performance, which allowed him to increase his reflexes. What I did was similar: I coated my body with the Energy, also dramatically upping its performance. That is the cornerstone of Astral Energy, the Astral Soul. Afterwards, all I did was focus the Energy and release it through my fist, a technique called Astral Wave. And that's why we brought you here: to teach you how to use Astral Energy to reach Astral Soul and from there, you will develop your own techniques as you evolve both as a swordsman and as BladeMaster.
-And how, exactly do we do it?- Noah asked.
-Well, getting there isn't going to be a walk on the park.- Rye warned- To reach Astral Energy, you must empty your mind from all knowledge of your Elements. Only from there will you be able to reach its primal form.
-W-what? Forget about the knowledge of our Elements? That's impossible! We live our lives under them! We can't just forget!- Axel protested.
-Well, you'll only get there after much needed meditation.- Gee said.
-Oh, awesome!- Zeke said, slipping out of Axel's shoulder and flopping on the floor.- I can finally learn by sleeping...
-It's not that easy, Zeke. The prime thought you must have in your mind is how to regress your Elements into simpler and simpler forms. An ocean becomes a river, a river becomes a puddle, a puddle becomes a drop. It is the essence behind the drop that you must understand, for that is the secret to reach Astral Energy: go back to zero.- Rye explained.
-Cool, I'll make sure to figure that out...in my dreams...- he yawned, curling up on the floor and falling asleep.
Noah was apprehensive about it all. He had gone through so much trouble to awaken Tera and know he was to forget it? It seemed like an impossible task, but he knew that he was now a target for the Order and he was going to fight to survive. He gave the guys the best look of determination he could muster and sat down on the wooden floor, crossing his legs, closing his eyes and getting his brain ticking.
Tera...
Ter...
Te...
T...
Zero...
*
The moon shone brightly in the night sky as the group left the dojo, a little groggy from all that meditation. Noah's head hurt from all that thinking. He tried to decompose his Element the best he could, but the answer must lie somewhere else. Just like Tera, maybe it'd all happen when he'd least expected. He would just have to be determined.
As he finished saying goodbye to the guys, he his back to the dorm entrance. Maybe he'd get a something to eat at the mess hall. As he was walking through the courtyard, a voice behind him called.
-Noah.
He turned back and saw Mercedes giving him a stern look. What had he done now?
-Oh, goodnight, Mercedes. Is there anymore sewing to do?
-Yes, of course, but that's not really the reason I called you here.
-Well, what is it? I'm kinda hungry at the moment.
-Well...you're obviously public enemy number one to my brother. I wanted to ask if you knew why. Did you do something to upset him?
Noah thought for awhile. A weird question, indeed, but also necessary. What was the cause of the hatred Merceny had against him? Suddenly the words that the Academics said on the day Merceny arrived from his mission popped on his head. Merceni also was Lucy's protege and was determined to beat her. Maybe he couldn't bear the thought of someone getting to her first and as he saw Noah's progress as a BladeMaster he feared that his opportunity was slipping away?
Noah explained his reasoning to Mercedes, who nodded in agreement.
-Yes, that's what I thought either. My brother hates losing and he'd rather die than to see someone beat Lucy before he does. That's why...I must confirm it with my own eyes.
-Confirm what?- Noah asked, awfully confused.
Mercedes shot him with a look of pure determination.
-Your strength. Noah, I challenge you to a battle. I will see for myself the power that defeated Terri T.
A battle? Noah had never seen himself fighting Mercedes, of all people! And she had Lightus on her side and he didn't have the faintest idea of her fighting style, nor her Blade. But the look in her eyes prevented him from saying no. She was not so much challenging him to a fisticuffs, but more formally asking him to a duel.
Noah gave her a determined look too. He summoned Warrior's Heart and pointed it at her.
-Fine, I'll fight you. But I won't hold back!
Mercedes smirked.
-Good. I wasn't planning to either.- she extended his arm towards him.-Grace!
Suddenly, a light surrounded her hand and a silver handgun appeared, shining in the moonlight. The barrel was long and the hammer was shaped like a wing.
A gun Blade? Noah didn't know Blades came in weapons that didn't have, well, blades on them.
-Surprised? Yes, this type of Blade isn't the most common. The bad part is that its shots don't pack much of a punch, they just shoot my elemental energy at you, so they'll just sting at their worse. Think of it like some kind of laser. The good part is that I don't have to reload!- with this she shot at Noah, who quickly dove to the side. But Mercedes didn't stop shooting, so he was forced to roll on himself and keep running, the bullets grazing him.
-C'mon, Noah, are you a BladeMaster or a dancer?- she taunted, spinning the gun on her finger before suddenly shooting it. The pause caught Noah off-guard and he soon felt the pain of his mistake, as he felt a hot sting on his chest, smoke rising up from a burnt spot on his shirt.
-Were it a real gun and you'd already be dead. Is this all that Lucy's protege can do?- she asked, as she kept shooting.
Noah decided to take a different approach and held Warrior's Heart up and blocked the shot. A single "bullet" wasn't much powerful, but he knew that if he was caught in the right spot enough times, he'd be seriously crippled. Mercedes kept shooting and Noah kept blocking. The fact that she didn't have to reload gave her a giant advantage. But he couldn't stay put forever or she'd find a way to counter that.
-And another good thing, is that I can charge my bullets!- she exclaimed as he held "Grace ", pointed at Warrior's Heart and, slowly, a a white aura started to form around the end of the nuzzle.- Charge Shot!
She fired and Noah braced himself. As the bullet hit his Blade, he could feel the powerful energy pushing him back, his feet dragging on the floor. He gritted his teeth and held the Blade's handle and turned it upwards, repelling the bullet away from him.
Mercedes, however smirked.
-Gotcha.- and she started shooting again. Crap, he had given her an opening! He'd have to decide fast! Dodge or block? No! Neither worked! He bit his lip and stepped forward, running towards her. He'd just have to charge at her! Even if he became a bigger target, she'd also enter his range, so he'd have to take his chances. Mercedes shot an array of bullets and Noah did his best to zig-zag around them, some hitting his legs and body, unfortunately. He gritted his teeth and shook off the pain and when he got close to Mercedes he swung Warrior's Heart.
-Gotcha!- he exclaimed.
"Flash Counter!"
The sound of metal hitting metal filled the courtyard as Noah suddenly saw his Blade clashing with another piece of metal: it was long and thin, pointing at the ground, Mercedes arm lifted up as she gripped the handle. That type of sword...
"A rapier!"
Mercedes arched the Blade against Noah and easily overthrew his weight, sending him flying back with incredible strength! Fortunately, he managed to land on his feet, but the attack left a big vertical cut along his shirt.
-H-how did you...?- he stared at her new weapon: the rapier's blade was also silver, sparkling against the street lights around the courtyard. The wing that her previously been on the revolver's handle split into two, both closing on each other to form the Blade's hand guard. Mercedes ran her fingers across the blade.
-Oh and I also forgot to tell you: Grace here can change between the form of a revolver and the form of a rapier. So, that means that there is no range I can't hit you from.
Noah gulped. It was like Teri, but more...controlled. He wasn't dodging attacks that forcibly upped the user's range, he was fighting a Blade that mastered all ranges. Now he knew why she was the Lucy's second best Mercenary and Zeke's words from his fight with Merceny popped up on his mind.
"If she keeps developing her talents, she can get even stronger! Or maybe...she already is stronger than her brother but doesn't show it!"
No, Noah couldn't allow himself to feel discouraged. He'd find a way to advance and fight her weakness. He stomped the ground and the fists rocketed towards her. She changed Grace back to gun mode and quickly shot the fists down, but Noah took her distraction as his chance and sprung himself towards her, arching Warrior's Heart behind him and swinging with all of his strength.
But he hit nothing but air, as Mercedes quickly cartwheeled backwards and as soon as she landed, she changed Grace back into rapier mode and thrust at Noah. He managed to move his face away, but the Blade still caught his cheek, blooding dripping out of it.
He stomped hard on the ground and unleashed a flurry of attacks at Mercedes, all of which were expertly blocked by her rapier. She easily pushed his Blade back, spun around herself, and shot Noah on the forehead with the gun. The shot's point-blank power was enough to almost send Noah flying but he managed to fight it, only his right foot leaving the ground, his left leg being bound but a rock hand he summoned from the floor. A look of shock flashed by Mercedes face and she started changing Grace back into rapier mode to finish Noah off.
"I can't let this chance get away. I'll have to fight dirty!"
Noah made the rock hand push his leg back towards Mercedes and forward momentum gave Noah enough speed to quickly sink his right foot onto the ground but his upper body kept moving until his forehead hit Mercede's!
She let out a scream more of pure shock than pain and she stumbled backwards, a thin line of blood appearing from between her blonde locks.
-Y-you...! You fucking headbutted me?!- she screamed at him and started shooting him.
If there was one thing Noah was good at was brushing off pain in the pursuit of an opening. Mercede's rage was making her shoot blindly, giving him enough space to move in.
Noah let out a battle cry and charged at Mercede's as her shots sunk onto his body. He pointed Warrior's Heart towards her and thrust. Yes, she was open! He won!
-Oh now you don't!- she exclaimed, lifting up her left foot and putting the whole left leg behind her right leg as she spun around herself,using only the tip of her right foot. Only when her back faced Noah, she allowed her let foot to touch the floor as she kept spinning and untangling her legs.
-"Doble Passe"! - and she when she finished her 360 degree spin, the Warrior's Heart had flown out of Noah's hand, landing on the floor, he flying along with it, landing butt-first on the floor.
What Noah now saw was outright bonkers. On her right hand, against her chest, she held Grace, still on its handgun mode, but on her left hand she held a completely different sword! This one was shaped like a golden handgun, but the grip was stretched out to better suit her hand and from the nuzzle was born a straight golden beam of light! It stayed there, unmovable, and Noah realized that she didn't shoot that beam out of that second gun, that beam was some sort of blade!
Wait, more importantly, did she have a second Blade?!
-No, Noah, one BladeMaster cannot wield two Blades.- she said, like she just read his thoughts.- But a Blade doesn't necessarily have to be just one weapon. This is Glory and together with Grace, they are my Blade: two handguns that morph, one into a rapier, the other into a sabre. Impressed?
-Ecstatic.- he said, picking up Warrior's Heart from the floor and pointing it at her as he stood up.
-Still fixing for a fight? You boys really are battle maniacs. I mean, so is Lucy, but she's a special case.
Noah smiled, panting.
-Maybe I am, and honestly, I'd much rather be seaming right now that getting my butt royally kicked by you. But Lucy hammers into my head everyday that if I can still stand, I can still fight. When I fought Teri, I got way more roughed up than this!
-Oh, is that supposed to be a taunt? Cute.- she said, making Glory's beam blade retract back into the nuzzle, making it a handgun again, the grip retracting back into a gun's normal shape, the hammer shaped like a golden wing. She spun them both around her index fingers and pointed them at Noah, unleashing a barrage of shots.
Noah wasted no time, sticking Warrior's Heart on the floor and started running towards Mercedes, leaned in close to the ground, as the Blade was still buried in it.
-C'mon out! Gaia's Blade!- he exclaimed as he pulled the Blade up, the familiar giant rock sword coming out. He pointed it towards Mercedes and swung it.
-What?!- she managed to say before having to jump back, shooting while still in the air. Noah kept charging, however, placing the Blade in front of him as a shield.
It's like a stampede! He won't stop! she thought, morphing Grace and Glory back to their sword modes and clashing them against Gaia's Blade, in a X position. Both BladeMasters stopped, both trying to push the other as their Blades clashed against each other. Then, Noah suddenly pulled Gaia's Blade away from the clash.
Let's see if I can do it again!
He assumed his stance and exclaimed.
Soul Crash!!
The familiar burst of energy exploded out of him, the schockwave sending Mercedes back. She forced her feet to drag along the floor and hastily assumed her stance.
-Oh no, you don't! Soul Crash!!
A second burst of energy erupted, both fighters brimming with adrenaline as they charged to each other and clashed their Blades in a spectacular frenzy of slashes, lights, sparks and sweat, the clanging sounds of metal hitting rock filling the courtyard.
Suddenly, Mercedes reeled Glory and Grace behind her back and slashed upwards at Noah in an X pattern, the force of the attack forcing her to make a back flip, in order for her to regain her footing. She landed safely and smiled as she saw Noah stumbling back, dropping Gaia's Blade on the floor. It seemed that victory was hers. She had been forced to enter Soul Crash but luckily the fight didn't drag out to the point where she had to use her Ultima Soul and Noah didn't have time to do his either...
But her smile was broken into a mess of saliva and blood as a fist erupted from the ground and sunk into her chin, making her drop Glory and Grace and sending her flying high up into the air. As she soared, she managed to catch a glimpse of Noah smirking before slipping into unconsciousness. He got her. Good. She underestimated Lucy's training to make him resistant to pain and had paid the price.
Gets them every time... Noah thought as he saw her flying up into the air. Knowing Mercedes, she'd probably make a crazy flip mid-air and come up with new strategy as soon as she landed but he'd counter it---
"Wait...she's not moving!"
Panic splashed all over Noah's face as Mercedes kept flying away from him, to the point where not even his spring platforms could make him reach her! No! He had used too much strength! If he didn't do anything, she'd hit the ground and die!
He started running towards the falling body, but he wasn't fast enough!
He couldn't let her die!
She was almost hitting the ground!
He had to save her!
"C'mon! Faster! FASTER!!!"
For a second, the world around him turned into a blur and the next thing Noah felt was his face running into Mercedes' body, throwing off all his sense of direction, but his instincts allowed him to extend his arms as he grabbed her, the momentum still pushing him forward. But then his foot hit something, probably a rock. He felt like he was flying, then he felt like he was falling with the girl still in his arms. He spun to the side, curling up in order to protect her and landed safely on his side, his body dragging along the floor for awhile.
His were closed shut, like, if he opened them, Mercedes would be gone. Then he heard a shriek.
-S-stupid! Let go of me, you bastard!- then he felt something squirming away from his grip and something hitting his face hard. He opened his eyes and saw Mercedes crawling away from him, wiping the blood off her mouth with her sleeve, with a scandalized look on his face.
-Just what do you think you're doing! You were crushing me!- she screamed.
-W-what?! I saved you from falling!
-Yeah, but I wouldn't be falling if you didn't uppercut the fuck outta me! Gods, my jaw is on fire!- she said, massaging her chin. She managed to stand up after awhile, her legs shaking.- Ok, ok...I see now how you managed to beat Terri: you're so goddamn stubborn that even a ship couldn't stop you! Could you be even more freaky!
-S-sorry...?- he said, sitting up on the floor.
-Forget it. I lost. Fair and square. Ughh...Fuck sewing tonight...I gotta put some ice on this...- she turned away from Noah.- Goodnight...I guess.- and then she was gone.
Noah blinked in confusion but then he felt his adrenaline drop like an anvil and his whole body pulled him down into the floor. He panted in exhaustion, but was still glad that he managed to beat her, even if both didn't end up using all of their power. Maybe on another occasion...
With this, he slowly stood up and made his way into the mass hall. He was still starving...and needed a much needed change of clothes.
*
Two days later:
Noah was still sore all over from that battle, but aside from that, both he and Mercedes were fine. They still talked like normal and she even threw some jokes at how badly she got beat. He was glad that she was in good humors. Maybe the fight had helped clear up some of the angst she had been feeling lately. Life at the Academy was normal, aside from the guys gaining an usual popularity spike from joining the war against the Order. Every time they walked down the hallways, everybody looked at them with admiration, so they couldn't he happier. Even Zeke would wake up from time to time to wave at some people. So much for the outcasts of the Academy...
Training at the Lion and the Eagle went by without many changes. Noah told the Masters about the battle with Mercedes and the strange feeling he felt when he was trying to catch her.
-Mmm...it really must be the awakening of the Astral Soul within you Noah. You felt the intense need to save Mercedes that you discarded all your knowledge and focused on a single goal. Then, your soul responded as such. Remember that feeling and you'll be able to use it more frequently. Good job.- Rye said, slamming his hand down on Noah's shoulder, almost dislocating it.
It seemed like everything was going OK. His friends were in the Anti-Order Brigade, his developments on the Astral Energy were going OK and Mercedes seemed happier when they sewed together at night (although Noah was still very clumsy).
Then...it all changed.
Noah! Noah! Wake up!
Noah slowly opened his eyes. Someone was banging at his door, no, threatening to bring it down. He got up and slipped into his clothes before opening it. It was Mercedes and she had a desperate look on her eyes.
-W-what is it, Mercedes...? It's a Saturday and I would still like to sleep a little more...-he yawned, lazily placing his goggles over his hair.
-There's no time for that! Noah, Merceny...he..! The guys..! Dammit, just follow me!- she yelled as she grabbed his arm and they both flew out the dorm. They ran down the city until the reached the Arena. Noah had always been curious about that Roman-style Colosseum. He had learned recently in the Academy that various tournaments were held there since Soula's creation and it was always filled with people at those times. He himself was looking forward to one day seeing a fight there.
But when Mercedes dragged him inside, the reality couldn't be grimmer.
Zeke.
Axel.
Guy.
All face down on the floor, covered in bruises.
Merceny.
Standing above them.
Nightingale was on his hands.
He looked at Noah, his eyes filled with bloodlust.
-Eon, finally you're here! I took care of your friends! It is high time we settled the score to see who is the strongest BladeMaster in Angel's Crow! Let's fight!