A Shocking Rondo I

“Haaaah!” I shouted as I exchanged blows with Sameal using my pseudo-sword and his claws. I bring my sword down on him, he parries it. I slashed horizontally; he parries it. I thrusted my sword at him; he parried it. Ever since this battle started not one of has been hit as we both trade swords while moving at an intensely high speed. As of right now, both us are even, equal in strength and speed.

At this rate, my one-hour timer is going to run out! When that happens, I’m done for. I need to do something other than to attack and parry. Even now that I can use my ability, maintaining it is hard. If I let down my concentration for even a moment the blood is going to deform and spill on the ground.

I just need to deal one blow to him and I can get back to my bag where the blood vials are but then what?

If I can get to my blood vials, what can I do with them? What I’m thinking right now is to use another blood vial to trap Samael in place but I can’t control and maintain two of them at the same time.

Wait, I’m an idiot. I can just control and shape this current one right now.

I can certainly do that but I need to think more. What can I do? What can I shape the blood into that will let me win? I don’t have to keep it as a sword but I need it to be a sword so that I can effectively parry his claws.

The amount of blood is limited. If I deform it now while keeping the sword, the blade is going to shorten. Amount… that’s right! I can’t maintain two, but I can add more volume to the current one.

I figured it out, now that’s out of the way. I just need to break this exchange. How will I break it? How can I get back to the bag?

A moment later five beams of light shoot into the sky and we both jump back from each other. That must be Lumi’s seal. I thought as I saw it from the corner of my eye while Sameal looked up. This is my chance!

I quickly turn my back and run. While running to my bag, I took a quick glance behind me. Good, He’s still staring.

Just before I could reach my bag, something had shot past me. I stopped running and turned my gaze behind me.

“That’s...!” I exclaimed as I saw tiny little arcs of lightning run across the beastman’s body. He points both of his claws at me and a moment later, an unimaginable voltage of lightning forms into a spear.

That’s no mistaking it! That’s the one from back then! I thought as I recalled the start of last night’s attack. How can I defend against that! Even Lumi barely managed to protect us from that thing. I can’t block with my sword, but we’re not exchanging blows anymore so, I can do it.

I turned back and started running towards my bag. I quickly zipped it open and took out three vials and opened them. “Forget” I uttered my trigger word I had set to help me use my ability and the next moment the blood flowed from the vials and into the sword.

Using the crystal knife she gave me as a base, I can reduce the amount of concentration needed to control and maintain it’s form.

I turned my gaze onto Sameal. I don’t know if it can hold but… I don't have a choice. All I can do now is hope it works! I thought as I pointed the sword at Sameal. A moment later the blood part of the blade shortens and forms a shield covering the entirety of my body. I closed my eyes waiting for Sameal to strike. “…” I sighed.

A few seconds later, nothing. A minute later, nothing. I slowly opened my eyes curious as to why I haven’t been hit. Isn’t he going to shoot? I thought but then a couple moments later I heard a large explosion emerge. Here it comes!

As my shield made out of blood and his lightning spear make contact. I felt the electricity surge through me. “Ah! ah! ah!” I uttered. Even though the shield is holding it back! The electricity is still affecting me! Why? I thought but then I realized.

I’m an idiot! I’m an idiot! I’m an idiot! I’m an idiot! I’m an idiot! I’m an idiot! I repeatedly thought. Liquid and electricity do not mix well! If it weren’t for the nanomachines support, I’d be dead right now! I need to endure this pain!

“Ahhhhh!” I shouted in pain.

I need to hold this! For as long as I can! I thought.

A moment later the shield deformed and wrapped around the spear of lightning as in the next moment it had exploded. Blowing me away as I crashed into the edge of the crater and dropped to the ground.

“Haaah… haaah…” I heavily breathed as I slowly stood up with crystal knife in hand. I lost concentration. I don’t know where my bag is… It’s been blown away along with me.

I guess this is the end for me. Without blood I can’t use my ability. If I use my own, I’ll end up dying either way. I can still fight with the nanomachines still active but I don’t know how much time has elapsed since we began. For all I know, they could expire any second now.

He’s a monster. What can I do against him? I’m only able to match him because of the nanomachines… the support Lumi gave me. I don’t like this… if I’m going to die anyways then I’ll use every drop of blood I have to kill him!

A moment later an arrow landed right in front of me with a piece of paper attached at the end of it. Huh...?

I rip the paper off the arrow and read the message written on it. “Wait for me dumbass, I’ll be there in a few seconds so, stay put.” I turned to the direction from where the arrow came from only to see Lumi crash land on her feet a few meters in front of me. “You’re all beat up.” She said.

“Yeah…” I replied as I quickly glanced at Sameal.

He’s not moving? Is he holding back? Something is off about this. If I were him, I’d use this chance to attack, but he’s just standing there.

“Here’s two more vials of my blood, use them to support me.” She added as she handed me the vials and then turned to face our enemy.

“Main Armament.” She muttered as the same crystal sword materialized in her right hand. “Let’s go Eden!” She shouted as she dashed off.

“Y-yeah, wait for me!” I responded as I opened the vials of blood. “Forget.” I muttered as the blood from the vials covered the knife, once again extending the blade and forming the pseudo-sword. Then I run after her.

Lumi thrusts her sword at Sameal but just like when I attacked earlier, he parried it.

As they were both exchanging blows at high speeds. I started reforming my pseudo-sword into something else.

With this, I can do it!

While Lumi’s on the offensive attacking Sameal. I can use this chance to trap him. I thought as I pointed the tip of my sword at Sameal. Focus! I don’t want to accidentally trap Lumi as well, so I need to be accurate with this one. I can’t afford to make a mistake.

I only have two vials worth of her blood in this. If I make a mistake and lose concentration it’s over. The range isn’t going to be long so, once I have it formed into that, I need to get closer.

In the next moment the red blade splits into several long lines and each line moves differently as if they are alive. If I were to describe it, it would be something like Medusa’s hair, each individual line slithering about, like snakes. “Lumi!” I shouted.

After she heard my shout, she quickly glanced at me and nodded as she quickly went back into exchanging blows with Sameal. In the next second her attacks suddenly sped up until she finally broke the repeated exchange with a kick and blew Sameal back towards the crater wall. “Go for it, Eden!” She shouted back as I quickly dashed towards Sameal while he’s still down. Now’s my chance!

The dust slowly settled and I stopped right in front of him then quickly pointed the tip of my weapon. “…” I sighed as the crimson lines wrapped around the beastman’s body. In the neck, the legs, and the arms. “Did you do it?” Lumi asked as she caught up to me.

“Yeah, I’m about to deal the finishing blow.” I replied but then Lumi put her hand on my shoulder.

“Not yet, we still need to ask him questions.” She added as her expression turned stiff.

“Got it.” I responded and continued concentrating to maintain the form.

“Ha. Ha. Ha. Then, what do you want to ask…Twilight Princess?” Sameal spoke as he lifted his head up. “How do you know that name?” Lumi asked as her expression turned from stiffness into one where it looked lifeless. Twilight Princess? What is that? For now I’ll let them do the talking, it’s taking nearly all my effort to hold this.

“We know many things about you, her, and plenty of others.”

“What do you mean? Who’s we? And where exactly did you come from?” Lumi launched a barrage of questions at him as her grip on my shoulder is getting tighter by the second. Now that I think about it, this is all started because of a serial killer. Lumi said the Sameal is not the one mastermind behind the killings but this is weird, who are we exactly chasing here?

“I am the first one created by my lord, the very first beastman to ever exist in this era. I am the one who has been put in charge of the year 2024. I cannot reveal to you our main goal. But one of my secondary objectives is the death of one Eden Vasquez and Luminus Achart.” What?! I’m one of their targets? Why me? I’m just a nobody. An absolute garbage excuse for a human being.

“Who’s your lord!?” She shouted as she pointed her crystal sword at his neck.

“That. I cannot reveal. Now. That was already enough of a reward for pushing me this far.” He said.

“What?” She uttered.

“I will kill. I will not stop until both are dead. Until our goal has been achieved.” He proclaimed as I saw tiny arcs of electricity start to appear in his body. “Hear me. My name is Sameal! The very first fusion of man and beast.” He continued. The arcs of lightning running through his body was getting bigger and bigger.

“This is bad! Eden kill him now!” Lumi shouted but before I could have even responded an explosion occurred.