"The Ghost of Amsterdam? What...Pfft! Pfft! What are you talking about?!"
"Well, it's no wonder you have a clue about it. Since I'm the culmination of your sins from the time long past gone."
"What even?! You're just spitting nonsense!"
"Right! It's meaningless to have a conversation at this point. So be it!" I pulled my sword out from his chest, with blood dripping out through the gap left behind from the air pocket that held itself close, and was ready to give another swing, when all of a sudden, my hand felt heavy, as though there was a strange weight on it. It didn't take me a moment's time to conclude that there was an external factor involved in it.
I looked back and saw the silhouette of a barbarian right behind me. Such was the build of his body. He was holding me with just using his two fingers.
"Oi! You messin' with my subordinate?!" He caught me using his hand alone and tossed me off. This was bad. A fall from here would certainly result in severe injuries. After all, we were lunatics fighting on the roof. Right, I think I skipped a few steps about how I ended up on top here. Let's roll back in time for a few minutes.
"No, don't go."
No, after this. Fast forward a bit. Ah yes, right at this point. Where those dudes are following me. Right, I'll take over from here. Thank you!
I started running away from them, and they started following me. But I wasn't concerned about them, as I could lose them at the next turn. As for my main goal, I was just wondering about the source of the location where they were getting their instructions from. It was obvious that there was someone guiding them. Either they had to be in a brainwashing cult where each one of them knows how to act in a situation like this, and just wait for the right moment to strike.
But that was highly unlikely given the day and age we live in. And they don't seem to be all that well trained. The only thing that covered them was the synchronous movements they put out in order to hide their lack of experience. And that's how it was crystal clear that someone was guiding them. So, where's the maestro? Where are you, Mr. Conductor?
I was keeping track of their moments, and then, as soon as the corner came around, I just escaped from their peripheral vision. But I was still within their field of sight. It was a risky move. But it had to be done. I stuck around for a few seconds, and later, it went to minutes. They were all searching for me frantically, and I barely managed to escape them. After a while, when all hope seemed to be lost, one of them slipped up.
He split from the group and went to the top of the nearest building. I confirmed my suspicion. But I waited. He reached out to his bag and pulled out what seemed to be a torchlight, and flashed it for a few seconds in the form of a signal, before moving back. I noticed the path it was targeted at and followed my way towards it. And then, I stopped dead in my tracks. I saw a familiar face I never imagined I'd see in my life again. A face that I could never forget even if I died. My emotions got the better of me, and I was surprised when I saw myself charging at him like that.
I thought I had ditched them all and just lived like a rock, waiting to crack up into bits of pieces over a period of time but here I was, still a human, somehow. And now, I was so close to him, I was finally able to lay my hands on him. I was so close to slaying him! If only, if only...
I grabbed onto the railing on the roof and pulled myself back up. I took a moment to regain my footing, and just looked at him from top to bottom. It seemed as though he was an entirely different species.
"This doesn't concern you! This is between me and him! Stay down, or you'll be caught up in this turmoil!"
"You come to my turf, and warn me to not stick my nose in the business concerning my subordinate? Oh, kid, you've got some balls! I think I'll have to treat you properly!"
"Where are you looking?" I stood right next to him, and laid out a perfectly timed slash! But to my dismay, it just cut through the wind blowing on top of the roof.
"I could ask you the same thing kid. Where are you looking at?" Huh? He was behind me now? With that body, he's pretty agile. This could be a little more troublesome than I had intended to be. I raised my sword over my head and took the blow directed towards me. The ripple caused by the clashing of the swords was enough to generate shockwaves, and also to gather the attention of his minions.
"You seem to have some experience in this art, even though you're just a human." He glared at me, as though he wasn't able to believe that I had deflected his perfectly poised strike without breaking a sweat. "Looks like there's no other way than for me to get serious."
"I wouldn't bother doing that." My words seemed to have confused him. "You might try to take me down, but I won't go down without a fight. From what I just sensed, you seemed to be the equivalent of an old man, in normal human terms. You'd just be throwing away your life just to take me down. I'm not worthy of it."
"Zip it! I shall decide what it is I must do, and right now, I have decided to slay you down all on my own."
"Pfft! If that's the case, I guess I'll just have to beat you, and then anniliate you!"