A Knight came forward, holding onto the string that was tied around the handle of his sword. "Give up and we shall let your friend go. Or you both can die together. It's up to you."
Aha. Kai let out a small chuckle. "What happened to my dear mother's sense of chivalry? 4 against 2 isn't that a bit too much? And using a magic blocker?"
"Do not insult our Lord."
"Why not? I've got the authority." Kai slowly pointed to his dagger and held it back for Claude to see. "Serving someone like her, what a shame."
"Give up. You can't win nor can you kill."
Trying to compose himself, Claude glanced at Kai who was nonchalantly pushing the knights to the edge of their patience. He summoned a sword and threw it at Kai.
He hoped that was what he actually wanted. And he prayed that the throw was decent enough to catch.
Claude struggled to stand up but he dashed away without anyone's knowledge, he held his hand up at his forehead and blocked out the water from entering his line of sight.
He found the horse he rode earlier standing in the rain. He attempted to mount his ride but it was far too slippery for him to place his shoe into the stirrup.
Easily grabbing the sword, Kai swung it at the nearest knight near him, he easily busted through their armour. He dug his shoe into the muddy ground and kicked it upwards, blinding the knights who were in range.
Kai immediately went for the neck of the knight, he swung so fast, it immediately sliced through as if it was made of jelly. He wasted no time and backed away.
"And you were talking about chivalry." A Knight remarked. And opened his eyes through the dirt. He blocked his comrades. "Let's play chivalry then. I'll kill you." He threatened, his eyes bulging red.
Kai tilted his head. "Aren't you overestimating yourself?" He asked.
The knight didn't budge at the insult and struck instead. His swing is large and bold just like his way of speech.
"You're scared aren't you? Your eyes do not gaze with contempt but rather fear." The knight closed in and glared down at Kai as if he was a peasant.
Kai kept quiet and focused. He glanced to make sure Claude was in his field of vision. He struggled to find the right footing to support the weight forced on his blade.
Being knocked back, Kai crashed into the tree. He felt the damp leaves drop onto the wet ground and on his hand.
"Whitlock or not. You're weak. Unfitting for such a title." The knight remarked, holding his sword up high.
Kai flicked his wrist back and launched his dagger with precision as he watched the knight fall down like a domino. It pierced through the armour.
He quickly pushed himself up and punched the knight with all of his strength. The small crack that was made by his dagger aid in his punch. The knight fell to his knees as he heard a bone in his own skull cracked.
Kai breathed heavily and stood wobbly while holding onto his newly stolen sword. "Is this all you've got?" He challenged, glancing at the corpses. His right leg twitches in pain as he struggles to stand up properly.
The two knights nodded at each other and dashed together in unison. They were perfectly in sync, coming from both sides. They aimed for the right side.
They were going to make use of the injury.
Kai easily bent down and slid on the slippery ground, he sliced through the air and could hear the sound of metal ripping at his fingertips.
The knight looked back in shock. How could he move like that having just recovered from the crash? But they still had the upper hand.
Wasting no time to clash, Kai attacked first with his sword behind his back and swung. He had managed to land the hit.
But a knight had managed to get into his blind spot. They sliced the uppermost part of the skin on his eyelid. Leaving behind a trail of blood.
Kai winced and jumped back whilst trying to get a grip. He couldn't believe he was this careless. If he could've used magic, he would've had this situation in control.
He could see from his right eye that blood was dripping down his cheeks. He could feel the sensation of water entering the open wound.
The knights immediately attacked while Kai was off guard. They pushed him back with their blade.
Kai could hear the metal breaking. His back hit a tree and he leaned onto it and launched a kick right into the face of a knight.
He was met by a sword to his face but he countered it with the second sword he had picked up from the fallen knight. Pulling his arm back, he jabbed it right into the abdomen of the knight. Amour and all.
From there on, Kai's speed accelerated insanely as he smoothly connected all the attacks. He was fast but his attacks lacked power.
His parry was weak and so was his defenses. But he remained fast and watchful while still delivering attacks. He left multiple scratches and wounds on the remaining knight.
"You shall pay the price for one of my eyes." Kai stated, releasing his sword and striking his dagger right into the eye of the knight.
The knight bellowed out in pain as he attempted to fight back. Why was a child this tremendously strong?
"Scared? Terrified? Mortified?" Kai queried, pulling his dagger and stabbing it into the moist ground.
"Y-y-you." The knight stuttered, he was scared. He'll acknowledge that. But having been defeated by a mere child was painful. And so was losing his pride and eye.
"Me?" Kai smiled.
And it didn't help how the child around a face of complete innocence as if he had not committed such atrocities.
"You..murderer."
"So what if I am? What are you going to do about it? Kill me? Arrest me?"
The knight in his mind cursed at his superior. They said that this was an easy quest! Not life-threatening!
And the kid didn't even seem to be serious about the fight or conversation anymore. It was as if he was having fun tugging strings.
"What are you thinking about?" Kai asked.
There was no response in return.
"This scene here. Was not caused by me, was it?"
The knight was confused, bewildered by the question asked. Of course it was the child who had caused this damage, what else?
"I beg..your pardon?" The knight swallowed his pride. He simply could not figure out what the kid wanted.
"Right. You saw Kai Whitlock escaping on a horse. You stopped him and left him with an injured eye. But your comrades wanted to take the credit for subduing Kai for the sake of advancing in ranks. They slowly pulled themselves to the edge."
The knight's eyes widened. He felt like he could grasp a bit of what Kai wanted to accomplish. It was undoubtedly evil.
"You, the meek newcomer of the knights, stayed out of the fight and watched as your comrades killed each other off. The winner came crawling to you.." Kai pointed to the strongest one he fought, the one he had crushed the skull of.
"And attempted to kill you off. But he was fatigued and frazzled, leaving you to win the fight out of desperation. But by the time you escape by the hands of death, Kai was missing but he couldn't have made it very far with a broken leg. But you, however, were left with one eye and unconscious." He finished with a smile.
"Wh-why do you think I'll follow what you want?" The knight stuttered.
Crack! The sound of the bones that resided in his fingers was crushed by an intense force.
"And you were left with one hand crushed." Kai continued, his eyes glowing with impatience as the rain watered down on his hair.
The knight groaned in pain as he pulled his hand back. He held it in pain. What Kai said was not a suggestion, it was an order. He could hear his heart beating faster. If he didn't follow the orders, he would die..right? But he couldn't. He needed to return back to his family.
"I'll do it." The knight held back tears. He had to be selfish this time. But if he had managed to go back and if he had reported the truth to Lord Victoria..what would be of him?
Not being able to defeat a child that was more or less half his age? It would definitely result in a heavier punishment than the fabricated story Kai had weaved.
Wasn't.. following the child orders..less risk worthy than saying he had barely escaped with his life back? No..he wouldn't even make it out of here alive if he had refused.
Accepting the small bit of generosity, the knight held his head down. He was lucky to make it out alive and back.
"I'm glad you're at least smart enough to make such a decision." Kai stood up and smiled while hanging the sword on his shoulder. "I'll see you soon. So don't lose, alright?"
The knight was left behind in the rain as he pushed himself up with one hand. He walked around blindly to find his horse as he mounted it, he looked behind at his comrades.
His superior who had mocked and painted himself in light was now lying dead on the muddy ground.
It felt undeniably satisfying.