*Geir Angerboda*
When Niam changed from a sword to 2 daggers, I realized that he was about to throw his last attack.
He dashed forward like an arrow. I tried to guard myself with my spear and my right - partially cut off - arm. When he entered my range, he slashed at me vertically, leaving 2 deep cuts. He then did a 360 degree spin and carried his momentum to zoom past me. When I looked back, the dark barrel of a revolver was aimed right at my forehead.
*BANG*BANG*BANG*
I regained my consciousness with a searing headache. The bullets hit my Mana imbued skin but damaged me internally, leaving me with a few broken ribs and head trauma.
When I could see clearly again, Niam was walking towards me. Only seconds past from the moment he pulled the trigger and me regaining my consciousness again. I was exhausted, my Mana-Core empty and aching. I had no strength to fight anymore, I was as good as dead, so I prepared to say my final words.
[„You cunning bastard, I lost."]
At any moment, either Niam or someone from his squad would strike me down and send me to [Heaven]. I held my spear tightly and closed my eyes expecting to fly to the afterlife at any moment, but the sound of someone falling in front of me, made me open my eyes. Niam fell down, unconscious and unable to move.
‚What the hell?! I thought he had me for sure.'
The thoughts of dying disappeared in a second after that. When I looked back, I saw Mul-Soo getting ready to jump at me, but his face was filled with fear and worry. I wouldn't get attacked unless I tried hurting the unconscious Niam.
‚For sparing Niam's life, I get to live too.' I realized and started to walk away.
Step by step, breath by breath, the distance from me to Sky Plaza grew wider. The taste of blood in my mouth disappeared and my sense of touch disappeared slowly. My head was spinning and felt like it was being squeezed between 2 boulders.
I eventually reached the bridge to The Nordic Alliance. A few guards stationed there saw the state I was in and they rushed to me.
***
The last thing I remembered, before passing out, was the guards on the bridge running at me.
I was at a hospital when I woke up. The white walls and the blue floor were so bright, I couldn't get used to it for a few minutes. The single-bed room was almost empty except for the bed I laid in and the equipment behind it.
I looked outside the window and saw the usual blue sky.
Suddenly, the door was slammed open. Sergeant Will came in. He was bald and had a clean shaved face with green eyes. His black eyebrows were furrowed, making him look mad all the time, but this time, it was different. He looked a bit worried, not for me, but for the Nordic Empire as a whole.
„Report, soldier!" He yelled.
„Sir, yes, Sir!" I responded and tried standing up. I pushed the blanket aside with my left arm. And when I did, I could see my bandaged stomach and chest.
„You are allowed to sit, soldier!"
I couldn't stand up even if I tried. The pain felt like clawed fingers were lit on fire grabbed my skin and pinched it. My upper body was completely drowned in this feeling when I moved.
„We were at the camp in Sky Plaza when suddenly we were attacked by 7 men. At least 6 of them were Bearers. They created a circle of fire and cut off our escape routes. We didn't even sense them. We didn't feel anyone watching us with Mana advanced vision or hearing. They didn't even send Mana waves to sense us." I reported.
My sergeant nodded and asked me to continue.
„When they attacked 4 of our men were killed immediately. 2 were killed by Bearers with a Fire related Salan ability and the other 2 by their Leader." I paused when I remembered Niam's face. The coldness, arrogance, shrewdness and control were imprinted into my memories now. A tinge of fear appeared, the fear of having to face him again when he was stronger and better equipped. Even after my whole squad died and half of their Mana went to me, I still wasn't able to overpower him completely.
„Geir, snap out of it and continue!" Sergeant Will ordered.
I realized that I dozed off for a moment when thinking about Niam.
„Yes, Sir! A minute later I was the only one remaining. The 5 Bearers attacked me together and took turns to attack. And when one of them was out of Mana, I managed to kill the Fire-Bearer named Luca. I killed him by stabbing him with my spear through the chest, but that was my downfall. I couldn't get the spear out and their Leader managed to cut off my right underarm." I explained and looked at my right arm.
„The rest?" He asked.
„I fought only their leader after that, the rest gathered around Luca. We fought until both our Mana-Cores were empty, then he changed his fighting style and caught me off-guard. He pulled out a revolver and shot me 3 times, then he passed out. I wanted to finish him off, but his comrades let me live if I didn't kill him. So I just walked off."
The sergeant wasn't upset about the fact that I left such a Bearer live. He was more interested in the intel.
„Tell me about their leader, this Mul-Soo." He said.
„That wasn't Mul-Soo. Mul-Soo was guarding them while they fought me. His name is Niam and I think he's Piranha School's real leader. He's Asian but his skin color is more brown. He has long black hair and fought using Japanese swords. He's very skilled, like he has had swordsmanship training for years."
„His Salan ability?"
„First he was very fast and agile but when it started to rain he slowed down and it became almost impossible to throw him. He threw his sword at me one time and when it was on the ground, far away, he made it fly into his hand."
„ Anything else?"
„He had only 3 finger on his left hand."
The sergeant raised a brow confused by my words.
„So you're telling me he can be fast, slow and sturdy and make things telepathically fly towards him? And what do I care about his fingers?"
I didn't respond to his question.
„He is a warrior like no other. His intellect and skills as a swordsman are far superior to anyone that didn't know any martial arts before the impact. With all due respect, I think he can rival her Holiness." I said.
My words made the gravity of the situation clearer. Sergeant Will finally understood what it meant having Niam as an opponent.
„Geir Angerboda, you were ordered as followed." Sergeant Will said as he took a piece of paper and read out loud. „Come to Oslo HQ for further training and analysis. Due to your injuries, his Holiness, the God of Blacksmiths will make you a prosthetic arm that will function like a real one. You'll also join her Holiness's personal squad, ‚The Valks' and you will train under her."
‚Train under her holiness?' Being near a god was an honor, let alone train under her.