Chapter 35 - Glory

Bianca’s eyes grew wide for a moment. Tetsuo knew that the way her lips were curling meant that she was trying to hide a smile. She turned around and cleared her throat.

“Ahem! You want to stop this? We’re doing this for Tervana! For Earthens! For ourselves!”

“All you're doing is tearing up the city you live in! This isn’t some movement! This is an overblown temper tantrum that keeps dragging more and more innocent people into the crossfire.”

“Easy for you to say, as a knight who stood by and did nothing”

Tetsuo heard someone in the crowd shout, “he didn’t do anything!” He held his hand out to the crowd, asking them to pause. “I have a plan. A real one.”

Bianca’s shoulders stiffened as he said this. “After everything that’s happened, how can we trust you– er, a former knight?”

He sighed after hearing this. “You can’t…” He removed his cloak and tossed it to the side. He began to roll up his sleeves and rolled his shoulders, stretching. “However, let’s make a deal. If I beat you here, one on one, you disband your rebellion. If you win I’ll tell you everything, regardless of the cost.”

Bianca did her best to remain calm, but the tapping of her foot betrayed her. “Very well! One on one combat. WINNER TAKES ALL!”

The crowd roared and began chanting her name. Tetsuo looked at them and could see some giving him thumbs down, and other choice fingers. He sighed and slid one foot behind him, raising his arms and assuming his usual stance. Bianca did the same. The two of them walked forwards until they were within arms reach, pressing the back of their outstretched hand against the others.

“Your hand is warm.”

“I’m gonna humiliate you,” she replied with a confident smile.

“I kinda want to let you, if I’m being honest.” Tetsuo chuckled to himself. “But maybe another time. I can’t afford to lose this.”

They began to step around each other, cautiously in a clockwise circle. Tetsuo looked at Bianca whose lips were pursed in careful breathing.

“Don’t let me down, Tetsuo…”

With a flash Bianca lurched forward, striking Tetsuo in the jaw. His head swung backwards as he spun to regain his balance. Bianca was smiling and although he thought it was beautiful, he was also terrified of what it might mean.

She flipped forwards, bringing her leg down at his head for a heel kick. Tetsuo managed to raise his arm to defend this time, although he felt the strength of the kick shake his bone. Bianca pivoted from the kick into a handstand, swiping at Tetsuo with a crouching roundhouse kick. The way she was moving was inhuman, likely thanks to the Ars coursing through her body. Being able to fight like this after only a few weeks really reminded Tetsuo of how incredible she was.

She was currently dominating the pace of the fight, so he knew he needed to gain it back somehow. She ran at him, winding a long exaggerated kick. Tetsuo tried to block it, but the kick whiffed. She spun, bringing her other leg around from what Tetsuo now realized was a feint. He let her land the strike but let her leg slide against his forearm. Her leg reached his hand, allowing him to grab her leg and hoist her upwards, forcing her to bounce closer to him with her other leg to keep her balance. He moved forward and tried to force her to fall onto the ground to pin her, but she headbutted him at close range. He took the full brunt of the hit, both of them falling backwards.

The crowd erupted in cheers “BI-AN-CA!! BI-AN-CA!!” Tetsuo couldn’t help but feel a little proud that she was so well liked. He looked at her getting off the ground, rubbing her forehead in the spot she had struck him.

“Bianca, you sure we can’t call it here? I really think you’ll like this plan…”

She didn’t respond, instead raising her fists once more. “Show me you meant what you said.” Quietly she said one word, so only they’d be able to hear. “Please.”

Tetsuo sighed and got up off the ground. He assumed the same stance again. Although he had wanted to avoid it, it seemed like he was right about exactly how this would end. He took one step forward, and watched Bianca lean back. That told him everything he needed to know.

He dashed forwards at her, and threw a punch directly for her head. She raised her guard against it, so he feinted and went for a low kick on her calf. She staggered backwards, spreading her arms for balance, leaving her wide open. Tetsuo stepped in and winced as he launched an uppercut straight into her gut.

“Hak–!” She fell backwards spiraling onto the ground. She struggled to get up, her hands sliding out from underneath her. She wheezed for air as she tried to regain her composure. Tetsuo’s heart sank a bit.

The crowd watching them had become completely silent. The man from earlier who had dragged Tetsuo onto stage shouted, “He hurt Bianca! Get him!”

Before the crowd could make their way up the stairs, Bianca stretched out her hand, telling them to wait. She coughed and signaled for Tetsuo to come closer. He reached out and pulled her up to her feet as she leaned on him. Still breathing heavily, she pointed to the crowd.

“REBELS! I LOST! WE SHALL HEAR HIM OUT!” She leaned into Tetsuo and whispered to him. “Floor is yours.”

Tetsuo cleared his throat. “Ahem! AHEM! UM YES! AS WINNER OF THE MATCH, I ASK THAT YOU ALL FOLLOW MY PLAN. AS OF TODAY… DISBAND!”

The crowd threw themselves into a rage, throwing sticks at Tetsuo from below. Bianca whispered to him again. “Tetsuo, that's a terrible plan, I hope there’s more to it.”

Tetsuo cleared his throat again. ”Um… YES! SORRY… LET ME REITERATE! IN ONE MONTHS TIME WE WILL STRIKE. A SINGLE DECISIVE BLOW THAT WILL CHANGE THE COURSE OF OUR HISTORY FOREVER!”

Murmurs began to form in the crowd, sounds of genuine excitement. Tetsuo took this as a good sign.

“WE WILL PREPARE UNTIL THEN, AND ON THAT DAY HISTORY WILL BE MADE!”

While the crowd seemed engaged, they didn’t seem convinced. It made sense, it was a tall promise. Tetsuo wondered what else he could do, to at least convince them for now.

“AND,” Bianca began. “IF NOT, WE’LL RAZE ALVANIA TO THE GROUND!”

The crowd roared. Tetsuo intended to avoid the razing of an entire kingdom at all costs, but if that’s what it took to get the rebels to disband for now, so be it. At least for now, the first stage of his plan was complete.