Looking at Ferdiad, I say, "What do you mean fight?"
"You heard me, now let's start," he says as he lunges at me.
I pick up Ibar and Laeg and move away from his attack then plant them on the ground and say, "Do you even know what you're doing Ferdiad!"
"Of course I do. You put my sister through hell, so I am going to take it out on you."
Ferdiad is extremely emotional right now, far more than I have ever seen him. But at the same time there is a rage that hides behind it all, seeing this causes me to ask, "Is that the reason you're doing this?"
"Red branch battle arts; Star flower."
He lunges forward again, and I barely manage to dodge the seven strikes, with three grazing my body.
He then tries to sweep my legs with his spear, but I jump up and kick him in the face, and ask again, "Ferdiad it has been a while since we have been able to fight, so show me what you got."
He smirks and then charges at me again, and at that same moment, I charge forward.
Φ Setanta and Ferdiad begin to clash against one another, with Setanta using his claws to ward off Ferdiad's spear. They both send spirit energy throughout their bodies which accelerates the conflict to a point that the average beastkin cannot even keep track of them.
Those with greater senses than the rest of the beastkin keep watch and try to commentate, but they barely can.
Staring at an eagle beastkin the soldiers ask, "What is going on, who is winning?"
The eagle stares at the two with his vision the eagle continues to step over his words again and again, then says, "My commentary couldn't even keep up, they are just too fast."
Ferdiad and Setanta clash again, with Ferdiad's spear breaking through Setanta's nails and striking him right in the shoulder. Using the brief moment of pain Setanta experienced Ferdiad moves to his side and then says, "Red branch battle arts; Sky flower," right before hitting him with a critical kick right into his kidney.
Setanta screams in pain and flies directly into a rack of spears.
The eagle beastkin says, "Ferdiad a blow like that could critically injure the young king, do you even know what you're doing!?"
Ferdiad then says, "That's what he gets for playing around. Stop messing with me Setanta and use a spear!"
He then holds his kidney, and says, "You're going to pay for that attack Ferdiad."
Setanta then picks up a spear and charges towards Ferdiad and they start to clash again.
Φ Setanta is fast, so fast that he looks like a blur to me, I can barely keep up. But I will, I won't be defeated here.
I know his fight patterns better than anyone else, I know what he is going to do before he even does it. So, if Setanta is moving at this particular speed then in five seconds he should be 27 degrees to my left.
Getting my footing, I say, "Red branch battle arts; Sonic thrust."
My spear lucky hits Setanta in his right shoulder and I see the shockwave from my speed pass through Setanta's body rocking him from the inside out.
Normally this attack would have been enough to defeat my opponent but after a moment of spitting up blood Setanta's body, comes towards me again. If he keeps regenerating, I will just need to piece his heart or even his head!
Φ Ferdiad is slow, unlike before I can easily see all of his movement. No degree of thought needs to go into my attacks because before he can make one strike I can make three.
Yet somehow, he has been able to keep pace with me. He truly is amazing and a splendid warrior, so maybe I could kick it up a notch.
Φ Setanta moves faster than he was before which overwhelms and pushes Ferdiad back. Setanta smiles with sick joy as he continues to go all out, but that soon comes to an end as he sees Ferdiad's face struggling to keep up with him.
Setanta slows down, and then says, "Red branch battle arts; Clover."
Setanta drops his spear, delivers four punches to Ferdiad's stomach sending him backwards, and as Ferdiad flies he plunges his spear into the ground and uses that to stop himself, then he says, "Is that all you got! You have still been holding back, hit me with your ultimate art right now!"
Ferdiad, "I don't have to since this battle is over."
Ferdiad lunges forward and attacks Setanta, then says, "Like hell it is!"
"Ok then, prove me wrong."
Setanta and Ferdiad continue to fight against each out but then as their spears clash once again, Setanta spear breaks and Ferdiad pierces straight through into Setanta's heart.
He then plunges Setanta's body into the ground and smiles. But a mere moment later he looks at Setanta who makes a relieved expression and then he instantly moves his ends to Setanta's spear and sees a clean break in it; as if someone broke it by hand at high speed.
"Looks like you beat me Ferdiad, but don't think this will stand I will win next time."
Ferdiad pulls his spear out of Setanta's chest, which causes him to spit up blood and say, "Be gentle asshole."
Boiling with rage, Ferdiad says, "Do you think you're funny?"
Playing ignorant, Setanta says, "What do you mean?"
"Fine then, if you want to be like that I will as well."
Ferdiad throws his spear into the air, and then he kicks it at one of the maids tending to the injured soldiers.
Like thunder itself, Setanta moves and knocks the spear out of the air, and Ferdiad grabs it and then attacks Setanta again.
"HAVE YOU GONE INSANE!"
"NOT A BIT, I KNEW YOU WOULD BLOCK IT!"
They both continue to fight, Setanta says, "I am sorry for what I did to Minagrain and will continue to apologise for it until the day I die, but don't go around hurting others because of my mistake."
"If you want to prove you're sorry stop running around like an insect and fight me, you bastard!"
They clash again, and again, with Setanta losing ground with each attack, but each time Ferdiad sense an opening he throws a stone towards one of the staff at high speed, which forces Setanta to go all out to block it.
"YOU NEED TO STOP THIS RIGHT NOW!"
"I WILL WHEN YOU USE YOUR ULTIMATE ART YOU MOTHER FUCKER!"
Setanta clicks his tongue and then the aura around him changes, then for a moment Ferdiad is confronted with Setanta's bloodlust and slows down.
Using the brief moment, Setanta says, "Red branch battle arts; Passiflora."
Then using his fist, he moves at an intense speed forwarded then punches at Ferdiad's spear which he uses to block the majority of the blow, but at the same time, the attack shatters both Setanta's fist and Ferdiad's spear.
Ferdiad flies back and lands on his back then spits up blood, and says, "What was that move?"
"A weaker version of the ultimate art, it is quicker to use and drains me less, but it is also weaker than the other one."
"Something Scáthach taught to her star pupil."
"No, I figured it out myself."
Ferdiad grits his teeth, and tries to stand up then says, "You still haven't hit me with your ultimate art yet Setanta."
"Give up Ferdiad this battle is over."
"LIKE HELL IT IS!"
Walking away, Setanta says, "Everyone go get yourselves checked for any injuries. Those who cannot walk I will take myself. Call my father's apothecary to look after Ferdiad specifically, and make sure he has no long-lasting injuries."
Ferdiad becomes more and more annoyed at Setanta's actions, so he says, "YOU PATHEIC MAN! TURN AND FACE ME!"
Turning around, Setanta says, "Ferdiad I don't plan on talking to you in such a state. Right now, you aren't the same person I brought into this castle to chase the same dream as me, a rival and a friend. If you saw yourself, you would be ashamed."
"Ashamed? Me? You are the one who cannot even keep your own words! You brought me here just because I interest you! My success is directly tied to how important you see me, not due to my own accomplishments. Rival? Friend? I am just a pet you keep around who you just push work onto, and at the end of it all my efforts mean nothing!
You're no leader, you're not even a man, you're just a brat who lives according to his own wimps. I can see why your mother died while giving birth to you, she didn't want to have to deal with such a pathetic son!"
Setanta turns around and smacks Ferdiad in the face, and says, "What the hell did you just say to me!?"
"What was the truth too hard to handle!"
Setanta starts to beat Ferdiad again, and again. "Since you want to fight so much, I will stop holding back!"
The strikes continue again, and again until the beastkin around Setanta says, "He is going to kill him."
So, they start to rush him, but then Ferdiad mouths, "Just like my father."
And Setanta freezes for a moment, then gets off of him. Setanta starts to walk away while holding his fist, and says, "All of you follow the instructions given."
Once he leaves the sight of everyone, he holds his fist in his hand and tears up a bit, and as if they are linked Ferdiad picks his injured body up and denies all help given then walks away while tears flow from his eyes as well.
-Break-
Location: Culainn's Smithy
Φ Crouched in a ball under his front desk, I sigh again, and Culainn says, "Are you going to tell me why you are down boy?"
"No."
"Then are you going to return to your castle?"
"I can't. Not while I feel like this."
Setanta holds his fist in front of himself and notices his body is shaking, so he grabs his fist with his other hand and says, "We should leave tomorrow."
"So, your father gave you the ok."
I nod my head, and say, "I gave everyone I break so my unit won't have to work, and can recover from their wounds."
"Wounds?"
Suddenly a very cheery voice says, "Broke legs, I have arrived."
The voice is that of a girl, and her footsteps show she is around my size.
"Remember what I said about calling me that you brat."
"Of course I do, but I would like you to know I only give nicknames to those I love dearly."
Culainn whacks her head, and says, "It is still disrespectful. Remember not everyone will put up with stuff like that."
"I know, I will think of a better nickname."
"Good, now I will get your shoes. Just make sure you don't tell your mother."
"I promise the girl," the girl says while putting her finger over her mouth.
Culainn leaves and I stay under the desk, then I hear, "Hey doggie wactha doing there?"
"How do you know I am here?"
"I happen to be a shark-type beastkin with a keen noise, and I can smell your sadness and tears from over here."
"First of all, I am a wolf, not a dog. Second, if you keep up that attitude with me, I will deck you right in the face?"
"What kind of brute would attack a woman!"
"One who happens to be having an awful day."
She gets on her hands and kneesand then starts to say, "Woof, woof, woof, woof."
"What the hell are you doing."
"As an empath, I know that such actions will make any doggo feel better. It is just one of the many wonders of my existence."
Smirking a little, I say, "You're a fool."
"I might be, but I still achieved my goal of making you smile, so hence I must be a genius!"
"Maybe."
"RIGHT! RIGHT!"
I don't know why but her voice and presence make me feel a bit happy, like I know her from somewhere.