"Hah, Ya afraid to make a move?" Neulon threw words of provocation at me.
To such words, I could not help but smile.
"...Come at me," He said, gesturing with his finger, telling me to decrease the distance between us.
-----------------------
"It seem like you found an exceptional piece of entertainment,"
Lucia turned to voice.
"Greetings, brother. What brings you here?"
It was unusually of Laren to be at training area, especially at this time of day.
Lucia had, after all, chose the time on purpose. Finding her brother of all people right beside her, she found herself caught off-guard.
"I heard that you were here. Which is, if you ask me, quite odd of you." Laren smiled on remark.
He was well aware of his little sister's attitude. Though he was naught aware of her confound at all.
Lucia act as normal.
"At being said, did you asked them for this?" Laren continued as he looked in front of him.
Everyone knew that Allan and Neulon were not in good terms at all... Or so it seem to them.
"Yes, I arranged this. Perhaps, you are looking forward to this?"
"You know that this can go wrong. Games you love to play... This might get ugly." He said as he was well aware of the risk.
If anything, Laren would like to avoid any accident.
"If that were to happen, I'll step in." He murmured.
"By the way, are they going to keep staring at each other?"
"Unfortunately, they do that a lot when they are in presence of each other..."
Neulon, who saw Laren's arrival, smirked bolder.
"What, ya gonna keep standin' there all day?"
"Why not attack me then?" Allan replied.
While Neulon was in his battle stance, Allan stood there straight with no moment.
Neulon was well acquainted with Allan's strength. His abilities, by no means, could be taken for granted. For that, he was calculating every possible outcome he could see his attack may led to.
"It seem, they are having quite tough time reading each other. It is tough to find an opening..." Laren said as he put in hand on his chin, analysing fellows.
"Really? Like, isn't Allan, just standing there?" Lucia, seem confused, asked.
"He is... But that means two things. Either he is full of opening, or have none."
"Really?!"
Lucia was aware of that, she deliberately asked and pretend to be clueless.
"So... Do you able to find any openings, brother?" She asked.
"Hmm... Neulon does have weakness, he is not perfect after all. No human is... I can penetrate through his defence though am not as good as him when it comes to swordsmanship."
Neulon, was without a doubt, a formidable swordsman. The glory of his sword can be heard around the globe.
Able to find opening in Neulon's sword style was enough to be considered as a feat.
"What about Allan?" Lucia made sure to sound as normal as possible.
"I can't say for sure... Yes. I can see few openings. Though the procedure would be complex."
Just what complexity does a person, who stood still, may cause?
Lucia was eager to know.
Was her decision right? Or, will all her expectations turn to dust... It all depended on this duel.
All though, Allan's victory over Neulon would be for her best, she would not mind even if he naught. That was, as long as his performance in duel be strong enough to leave a strong significance.
"Who do you think victory favours?"
"If I have to go... I'll choose Neulon. He is the master of sword. A great warrior," Laren replied after giving some thought.
"Well, if I went first, this will be over in no time. That'd be no fun," Neulon provoked.
"Now now, you do not have to be like that... Well then, I shall go first."
With a dash, Allan approached Neulon.
"!"
A swing from side, Neulon blocked it with his sword.
"What? Ya tryna be funny," Neulon said.
Pushing Allan back and launching his own attack.
A forward slash, as Allan blocked it with the sword. Two swords were clashing, generating embers with each clash. Such was the power of strikes two were exchanging.
As the swords pressed against each other, Neulon push kicked Allan which he blocked with his arm, creating distance.
"Prepare yourself!" Neulon lowered his stance as he warned his opponent.
Allan on the other hand, stood straight. Waiting for Neulon. For the most part, Neulon had been the aggressive one while Allan blocked all the hits that came at him.
"...He is good at defending," Laren, who had been carefully watching the duel, murmured.
Of course he is... Lucia said, in her mind.
As if the flames ate his blade, Neulon's sword was on fire.
"Bless me, O Agni!" He called on mighty, flames caressed the dull sword, now a weapon of destruction.
Laren, just to be safe, reached out his hand to call upon his treasure... But ultimately decided not to.
Lucia glanced over her brother and realised that there was nothing to be on gaurd about.
Laren, who kept his eyes on Allan, sensing his calm, decided to go with his gut feelings and not reacted.
Done preparing, Neulon dashed forward.
His blazing blade pierce through air as he launched a graceful stab.
In response, Allan swing his blade. Distance of a hand apart, Allan's blade collided from the side, directing Neulon's attack inch away to from him.
Sensing invulnerability in him, Neulon made a quick retreat.
"You are quick," Allan praised Neulon.
"You too, surprisingly." Though naught got the same response.
Neulon, this time reassessing his strategy, swiftly approaches his opponent.
"Now, a bold one." Allan, who seem amused, swing his blade and pass through middle of Neulon, as he disappeared from sight.
Allan's blade cut through an after image.
He turned around and tilted his head one side, avoiding the incoming stab, then pushed the blade away with his own as Neulon disappeared again. Now from the left, he aimed for stomach through what seemed to be an opening in his opponent.
Sensing incoming stab, Allan changed the trajectory of his blade which was still in the motion of previous defence, placing the blade in front of a blazing thrust but... Before blades could make contact, Neulon vanished again.
"Haha, your fast... Truly magnificent! In all honesty, it is tough to keep up." Allan, no longer able to hide feeling of exhilaration, utter the word of praise.
He then turned around a swing his blade as the two blades collided.
"Tch... You're annoying." Neulon grumbled.
As it seemed, Neulon was fast. Faster than Allan.
But Allan predicted his every move with 100% accuracy and defended majestically.
"...It seem, he is trying to drain him," Said Laren.
"That does make sense, but why not strike when he can see through all that Neulon do?" Lucia inquired.
"That, I got no clue. He must be judging Neulon... There must a reason for sure, that I know. What is it, I don't know."
Anything Neulon threw at Allan... stood like a wall, he made Neulon retreat.
And then, Allan went on offence.
. . . . .