Princess of Silver Sands

Book 01

Chapter - 03 - Dual at Bronze Riverton 

Written By: K. L. Seunnapha

Test Read By: N/A

Edited By: N/A

Chapter Three

Duel at Bronze Riverton

 “A demon?” A man with long brown hair and small lens glasses looks up from the book he was reading and turns towards to a man and a woman who were standing near him.

The man nods his head as he opens a book that he used for recording complaints and problems the contest known as the Hunter’s Harvest faced. “Yes, several reports of a demon being seen have surfaced. Many people dropped out of the competition upon seeing or hearing about it.” He quickly flipped through several of the pages each one filled with complaints of people who had seen it.

The man in the glasses gently closes the book he had been reading and lets out a short sigh. Every year the Hunter’s Harvest as well as every other event he was in charge of experienced some sort of problem, but this was the first time a report of a demon had come in. “What kind of demon?”

The man in the small lens glasses was a man known as Lucid Evanas and was a well respected figure in the four continents. The man and the woman whom he spoke to right now were book keepers of his that helped him keep on top of everything to do with his competitions and events.

His bookkeeper looks back down at the parchment in his hands as he began reading several of the complaints through. “It seems to be a rather large demon actually… that’s why so many people found it best to leave before the competition ended.”

The female bookkeeper speaks up, not wanting Lucid’s attention to be focused only on the demon situation, the concern she had found was very serious as well. “That’s not the only problem, several of the contestants haven’t returned yet. Hitsumi and his group, I’m sure you know who they are.”

Lucid lifts his head slightly shocked by this information. “Hitsumi?” Lucid knew that particular contestant was very experienced when it came to this contest, Hitsumi having won the contest several times now. It was strange that someone like him would go missing when it was apparent that he knew the area and what he was doing. He frowns as he places his finger on his chin thinking back to when he had last seen him, remembering that he indeed was absent when the contestants where being graded and rewarded. “That’s right… he wasn’t at the judging… he’s usually the loudest contestant.”

The female bookkeeper continues not yet done with her list of missing people. “Li also went missing.”

Lucid looks over at her at the mention of this next name, the man now clearly understanding that something was terribly wrong. “The newcomer?” He crosses his arms having known that even though Li was a newcomer he had given him very high expectations. After all it wasn’t everyday he met someone as skilled as Li was, Li also seemed to be someone that seldom made a simple mistake such as getting lost. “That’s also surprising… especially for someone I had given the master ranking to.”

He begins to pace before them, thinking this through. “This competition is becoming more difficult to run each year, although I’ve never had problems with professionals going missing before… usually it’s the low ranked beginners that get lost.”

The male bookkeeper looks back down at his files reminding Lucid of the situation he had brought up. “Maybe their disappearances are connected to the demon sightings.”

Lucid turns back to them, unsure of how to handle these new problems. “Should we send a search party?”

The female bookkeeper was not yet done with her list of problems and quickly speaks up before anything could be decided. “Missing contestants and demons aren’t your only concerns this year.”

Lucid sighs not really looking forward to yet another complication. This is the first time so many things went wrong in one year. “There’s another problem?”

The woman nods her head this concern she felt to also be of high importance. “An unregistered man has been on the hunting grounds.”

Lucid looks more annoyed by this information then worried about it, if someone managed to just wander in it was clear the guards he was paying to prevent such things from happening were not doing their jobs. “The forests are closed off to anyone that’s not a contestant. Didn’t the guards keep him from wandering in?”

“The guards didn’t let him in! He forced his way in. Easily might I add!”

Lucid is more confused by this information, not seeing what the point was in doing something like that. The forest held nothing special within it that someone would take on the guards to find, especially when the forest would again be opened to the public a short time later. “What would he gain from doing something like that?”

The woman seems just as baffled as Lucid, she sighs shaking her head and hanging her shoulders. “I can’t think of anything… unless he was looking for one of the contestants… even then he could have just waited until after the competition.”

Lucid again thinks back this time trying to remember each of the participants. If anyone had willingly fought the guards and entered the forest looking for someone it would have to have been someone they would have known wouldn’t return after the competition. “Could it have been… that girl?”

The woman looks puzzled by Lucid’s answer, she turns to the male book keeper who is still flipping through the many pages of complaints. “Girl? Which girl? All the female members that were registered returned.”

Lucid smiles as he closes his eyes his. “A demon, missing people, and an intruder all in one year, this has been an interesting competition…”

The woman looks even annoyed to hear Lucid say something like. “It won’t be good if word gets out… people will be afraid to come.”

Lucid takes the book from his bookkeeper’s hands, quickly flipping through the pages and looking over the things that had been written down in it. He then shakes his head closing it and handing it back to him, none of the complaints being anything that he could really fix as they were most all about the demon that had been sighted. “We should prepare to leave. I have several other competitions in other towns to run before the year is over.”

The man looks confused to see Lucid so simply and easily just throw these problems to the side. “But what about the reputation of this one?”

Lucid shakes his hand to him motioning that he cared very little if word about all this got out. “Let them be frightened. If people are too scared to come then they shouldn’t be participating in the first place. I hate weaklings in my competitions.”

The woman is about to object but is interrupted when the door is suddenly forced open, several royal guards entering the building that the three of them were in, the two bookkeepers immediately backing away, unsure of what exactly was going on while Lucid turns to meet the people that had so rudely entered his room, a rather annoyed tone in his voice. “What now?”

The guards don’t reply and instead line up on either side of the door and stand quietly in attention as a large knight walks into the building, his body huge and covered with thick heavy armour, his face hidden by his helm. His entire appearance had a frightening feel to it and anyone who saw him would be afraid of facing him.

The huge armoured man walks past the guards and stops in front of Lucid, reaching up and lifting the helm off of his head, revealing a man with dark skin and red hair beneath the armour. The giant of a man then gets down on one knee and bows to Lucid as he begins to speak to him. “I am Eymon Zimiko, commander of the North Royalty and personal knight of Shana the Princess of North” He reaches into a pack at his side pulling out an envelope with a wax seal up it, holding it out in front of him for Lucid to take. “It is a summon from the royalty.”

Both of the bookkeepers inch forward as they try to get a closer look at the letter the knight was holding out for Lucid to take, the recognizing the symbol upon the seal. “The crest of the West Royalty?”

The female bookkeeper looks slightly confused. “West? But he said that he was a knight from the North Royalty…”

The other shrugs his shoulders that not really concerning him right now. “North, West, South, East, what does it really matter? What’s important is…” He turns back to Lucid who is staring down quietly at the letter, still not having taken it from the knight’s hands. “What do they want with you?”

Lucid stares down at the letter in silence. “It’s not for me…” He knew well what the letter was and he had been expecting it since the rumours of the key being born had started, he turns away from the knight not taking the letter from him. “It’s begun… the awakening…”

His bookkeepers turn to one another neither really understanding what he meant. “Awakening?”

Lucid looks away from the knight and to his two assistants, Lucid raising his voice and yelling at them an order. “Bring my daughter here immediately!” He looks back to the guard that held the letter out. “This summon is not for me… it is for her…”

*******

Around noon the next day Hitsumi and his group along with Angel and Li arrive at the designated town of Bronze Riverton. A busy well crafted town filled with mills that were all powered by the water from the river Hitsumi and company had almost drowned in.

Angel smiles in relief glad that she had managed to make it to this town, the princess having had doubts about her ever getting the chance to see this place.

Hitsumi pushes Li forward the prisoner to stubborn to move without force, Hitsumi having to hold Li in front of him at all times to assure that he would not give the pest the slightest chance to escape and start terrorizing him again.

Hitsumi also looked happy to see the city the journey thankfully enough having been a short one. “Hey, that was only a six… seven hour walk, only half the day!!”

The bandit that had informed Hitsumi of the town’s location looks a little surprise. “I guess we washed down the river farther than I had first thought.”

Angel runs ahead of them towards the boundaries of the town. “This is great! My hellish journey is almost over.” She stops at the entrance turning around and speaking to the others. “All we have to do now is find Echo.”

Hitsumi nods his head as he walks next to Angel and begins to slowly walk through the town with her, the bandit scanning the people in the town and looking for Echo, stopping when he realizes that he has no idea of who he it is he is looking for, Hitsumi turning back to Angel and questioning her on the person in question. “What does Echo look like?”

Angel turns towards Hitsumi making sure that he is paying attention to what she is saying. “It won’t be easy at all, Echo is a wizard so he’s half human, half animal.”

Hitsumi nods his head in understanding, but stops when he realizes he hadn’t understood what she had said to him. “How the hell…?”

Angel senses the bandit’s confusion and she continues to explain. “It’s like that for all wizards, so he will probably be hard to spot. Wizards don’t like being in the open and are very secretive, so he’ll probably be in his animal form to keep from being easily noticed.”

Hitsumi still didn’t look much clarified over the situation. “How the hell do you get to be half human, half animal!?”

Angel continues with Echo’s description despite Hitsumi’s confusion. “Echo’s animal form is that of a white snowy owl. So just look for a white owl.”

Hitsumi is more interested in the answer to his question at the moment. “No really! How the hell do you get a half human, half animal!? Is it like-”

Li shakes his head with a groan, it was disappointing that there apparently existed someone that didn’t know a single thing about wizards or any other forms of magic users. “Enchantment, that’s how they come to be human.” He looks over at the princess explaining further. “And they aren’t half animal, half wizard. Wizards are animals that are capable of taking the form of a human.”

Angel glares at Li bitterly the boy obviously trying to outsmart her. “And what exactly would you know about wizards?”

Li turns away from Angel looking ahead of him. “Enough to know more then you obviously do. Wizards are proud of their strong bloodline and to refer to them as a half-breed is insulting to them. Half-breeds are in a whole different category to wizards.”

Angel pauses as she begins talking in a lower tone, she knew very little about the beings know has half-breeds; the people born of two races, but these people were mentioned very little and she had only heard Siren talk about them before, as wizards were the only ones that seemed to care or even know about them. “You know a wizard… don’t you.”

Li keeps silent not saying another word as they continue to make their way through the town.

Angel doesn’t take lightly to being ignored by Li, and princess demanding a response from him. “Answer me! There’s no other way you could have heard of the people known as half-breeds unless it was from a wizard! It’s something only wizards mention!”

Hitsumi looks over at Li, even after thinking it over the topic still was not completely cleared up. “Enchantment?”

Angel turns towards Hitsumi still frustrated over Li’s refusal to answer her. “Of course enchantment! How did you think they were made?!”

Hitsumi is surprised by Angel’s sudden outburst, he had obviously missed something when trying to sort out this new information. “Why do you think I was asking!?”

The group comes to a stop when they happen upon a huge crowd of people that has gathered in the middle of the town around a fountain featuring a statue of the King of East. The people that had gathered within the area watching something with shock and interest, whispers and comments of surprise and disbelief the highlight of their conversations, the townsfolk so caught up in whatever it was they saw that none of them had at all realized the group’s presence.

Ashton tries to look over the heads of the many people in front of him hoping to catch a glimpse of what everyone was so interested in staring at. “What’s this about?”

Hitsumi moves forward pushing his way through the crowd until he is able to see what it was that causing all of the trouble, the bandit spotting a young white haired boy with bright yellow eyes, the child running to different areas in the center of the collection of dazzled spectators and questioning them. From his strange robes, cape, and large staff, it was pretty clear that the young boy who only looked to be the age of ten was a wizard of some sort, and judging from the white owl feathers that decorated his fancy robes he just so happened to be the wizard that Angel was looking for.

The child wizard known as Echo looks each of the spectators over one by one hoping to find the familiar face of the princess he had been sent to find and help. “Excuse me, but have any of you seen a princess?” He moves to another group of people questioning them. “I was sent here to meet her and I can’t seem to find her.”

Angel’s face drains of all colour as she stares at the young boy in complete shock. This ‘wizard’ was running around town in the open for all to see! Asking anyone if they had seen her! It was not good at all! The demons would surely hear something of this! Word of her journey and location was bound to get out!

Li smirks as he watches the young boy continue to ask his question to various individuals. “What a secretive wizard.”

It isn’t long before the little wizard spots Angel within the crowds of people, a smile crossing his face when he recognizes her as the princess he has been trying to find, the wizard lifting his hand and waving to her to get her attention. “Princess!” He lifts his staff off of the ground being sure not to drag it as he runs over to her stopping directly in front of her and looking up at her with a smile. “There you are Princess I was beginning to worry!”

Angel quickly jumps into action covering the wizard’s mouth and yelling at him. “Shut up you brat! No one must find out that I’m the Princess don’t you understand that!?”

As soon as Angel confirms that she is the princess all the townsfolk all gasp in unison. “THE PRINCESS!” Almost immediately what looks like the entire population of the town all bow down to her in respect.

Hitsumi just stares at the kneeling inhabitants of Bronze Riverton not saying a word, this being something he had never seen before. He didn’t even know one was supposed to bow to a princess! He looks back at her with a nervous grin realizing that perhaps he was ruder to her then he had first thought.

Angel looks over the people bowing at her feet in silence, the princess grabbing Echo by the arm and quickly pulls him away out of everyone’s sight into an alley behind one of the shops. Hitsumi and the others following her, not really wanting to hang out with the unnaturally still and silent townsfolk.

As soon as Angel is sure she is out of the crowd’s sight she begins to lecture the young wizard she had forcefully pulled along with her. “What the heck are you doing!? Our meeting was supposed to be secret!” She groans over the situation and she holds her hands on either side of her head. “You’re not even an owl right now! Why aren’t you in your animal form?”

Echo looks down at the ground standing on this left leg and tapping the ground with his right as he began to explain in a slightly upset tone of voice, the wizard not having realized that it would have been that big of a problem for him to be seen in his human form. “My wings were tired from flying here… so I landed on the statue over there to rest but it was wet and slippery and I fell off of it into the water… I had to change into a human because the water was too deep for me. I thought I was going to drown!”

Angel looks him over not convinced by the small wizard’s story. “You don’t look wet.”

Echo nods his head there being an explanation for that as well. “Well that happened last night when I arrived here. So of course I would be dry by now.”

Angel frowns at his response there then being no reason for him to have continued to stay in his human form. “Why didn’t you change back into an owl after you got out? You’re much too noticeable like this! Wizards are not a common sight, you know that! Are you aware of just HOW MUCH you stand out!?”

Echo looks a little upset with what Angel is telling him, he hadn’t wanted to anger her or get in trouble from the princess, he just liked being a human much more than he did an owl. Unfortunately when the shocked people of town asked what a wizard was doing in there he had answered them truthfully, then that attracted the large crowds of people and before he knew it everything had gotten out of hand.

Echo looks like he’s about to cry the small wizard unsure of how he was supposed to fix this problem he had started. “I’m sorry Princess… I didn’t mean to.”

Angel stares down at the small child, this was the one that Siren had sent as help her, the one that was supposed to protect her from the demons and fight to keep her alive. THIS was her only defence against the hordes of demons she would be facing. “This can’t be happening… the one who’s supposed to save my life is a useless, unskilled, stupid child!” She begins to look even more upset then Echo did right now, Angel sniffing as her eyes begin to fill with tears. “I’m going to die.”

Li groans quietly to himself, the prisoner obviously not wanting to have to listen to either of their crying.

Echo looks up at the princess as he tries his best to reassure her that she would be fine, the boy standing on his tiptoes as he tries to look taller then he actually was. “Don’t worry princess everything will be ok. I am to escort you to your uncle’s castle and kingdom in the West Continent. His castle is protected by a powerful magic barrier that demons cannot pass through. You will be safe there.”

Li frowns as he looks down to Echo questioning the wizard on what he had just said. “Why wasn’t the princess sent there in the first place? Didn’t her parents know she was going to be a target for a while now? So are you taking her there just now?”

Echo turns towards Li not recognizing the person that had spoken to him. “Who are you?”

Li sighs turning away from the wizard. “Fine, I could care less anyways. Not like I’m taking her there.”

Hitsumi watches Angel silently, the bandit feeling sorry for the princess and the situation she had now found herself in. Even from his view the wizard was still no more than a kid and it looked as if he could easily be beaten by any demon wizard or not. He walks up to Angel placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder to try and get her to stop crying. “It’s alright princess don’t cry. Everything will be just fine.”

Angel shakes her head unable to believe the bandits words no matter how kind or reassuring they were. “How would you know?”

Hitsumi points to his face with his thumb while giving her a whole hearted smile. “I will make sure you reach the castle safely by personally escorting you there.” He was more than willing to do something like that for her, after all Angel seemed a nice person and it would be cruel to just leave her without helping her any further, especially when she was as upset as she was right now.

Ashton sighs in frustration this not being something he wanted Hitsumi to do at all.

Angel’s sobbing starts to calm down. The princess turns towards Hitsumi staring at him quietly a little surprised by what he had just offered to do. Had he really said those words? Was someone actually willing to help her without being asked or ordered to? “Really…? You won’t leave me to die with this kid?”

Hitsumi nods his head confirming that to be what he had said, Angel smiling in great relief as she wiped her eyes of tears. She takes hold of Hitsumi’s hands onto her own and looks at him with an overjoyed expression. “Thank you so much H… err…” She couldn’t believe it! She had forgotten the man’s name! She looks back at him calling him by the title she knew him by better than his name. “Mr. Bandit…”

Hitsumi smiles awkwardly it was obvious his name had slipped her mind. “… it’s Hitsumi…”

Angel continues as if she had never forgotten. “Oh Hitsumi you’re so kind.”

Li interrupts the two by roughly kicking Hitsumi in the legs and causing him to trip and fall the ground while his mind was off of his prisoner. Li informing him that even if Hitsumi was going to be helping the princess it was not something he would be doing. “I demand to be released!!” He watches as Hitsumi bitterly get back to his feet. “I have no intention of leaving this kingdom!!”

Hitsumi turns to face Li while rubbing the back his head having hit it when Li had tripped him, Hitsumi obviously annoyed with getting interrupted by Li when the princess was being so sweet and thankful towards him. “Oh yeah. I still have to deal with you.” He starts to walk away from Angel grabbing onto Li’s tied wrists and pulling him along like a child dragging a toy. “You will come with me to the outside of town.”

Ashton frowns crossing his arms and thinking over what Hitsumi had just announced. “Outside of town…?” A horrified look fills his face as he realizes the situation that meaning only one thing. He quickly grabs onto Hitsumi’s scarf chocking and yanking him back, the force causing Hitsumi to go again go crashing to the ground. “Hitsumi no don’t do it! You don’t understand!!”

Hitsumi pulls his scarf from Ashton’s grip with an annoyed look on his face. What was Ashton’s problem? It wasn’t like he was going to kill Li. “Unfortunately there’s no other way I want to work this out.” He stands up turning to the princess, bowing politely to her before taking his leave once more. “You may want to stay here. Such rough unmannered events should not be witnessed by a Princess.”

Li digs his feet into the ground refusing to budge from his spot more than ever when Hitsumi had given Angel such a warning. “What do you want me outside of town for?”

“A duel.” Hitsumi answers simply as he tries to pushes against Li trying to get her to move forward.

Hitsumi’s answer doesn’t make Li any more willing to go. “Duel!?”

Hitsumi nods his head as he stops trying to force him to move, instead walking in front of him to explain the situation. “Yes, if you win you can go ahead and leave.”

A spiteful look fills Li’s face. “Let’s go.” He walks past him in the direction Hitsumi had been trying to push him in.

Hitsumi grabs onto Li’s shoulder to stop him. “Hey! Don’t you want to hear what happens if I win?”

Li shakes Hitsumi’s hand of his shoulder. “No.” He continues to his destination.

A cross look crossed Hitsumi’s face. “Fine then…” He smiles to himself as he thinks the situation over while following Li. He’d see just how much of an attitude Li had after beating him to a pulp.

Hitsumi’s small gang follows Hitsumi and Li anxious to watch the fight and already placing bets on who they thought would win the duel, leaving the princess alone with Echo.

This course of action does not go well with the princess. “Hey! Don’t leave me alone with this kid! What if the demons come?!”

Echo smiles brightly as he gives the princess a reassuring nod. “Don’t worry princess, I will protect you with my life.”

The princess stares down at the small harmless looking child that looked like he could easily be swallowed in a single bite by any demon they might happen to run into. It was relatively clear that the boy was no match for any demon unless it was the size of beetle. She turns running after the bandits not wanting to take her chances with the young wizard. “Wait up! Please! I… I want to watch the fight too!”

Echo watches the princess run from him a little confused. He knew well that Angel detested fighting of any kind, why would she be so willing to go and watch two people fight? “But princess, you hate fighting!! You hate any kind of violence!! Princess!!”

On the outside of town Li and Hitsumi had quickly chosen a spot to fight. Li is rubbing his now untied wrists, the rope not being very high on comfort and having cut through his skin, making his wrists very tender. So having the rope finally off of him was unbelievably welcoming.

Li turns towards Hitsumi who still has his sword strapped to him. Li taking note to keep an eye on it, after all his own weapons had been taken away from him by the bandits that had taken him prisoner, so the battle would be a little uneven if Hitsumi decided to use his weapon again him. Li wasn’t as good at fighting without a weapon as he was with one, but even so he was sure he could still beat the bandit who he believed to be nothing but all talk.

Li watches as Hitsumi jokes with one of the bandits about the fight while stretching his arm behind his head.

Hitsumi takes of his jacket not wanting it to get in the way of his fight. Even though Li looked easy enough to beat he didn’t need a mishap with a long jacket costing him a victory. He hands it to one of the bandits and turns back to Li who looks more than ready and willing to start the fight. The two of them now ready to begin

Angel quickly joins the bandits who are watching the two from the sidelines, taking her place to watch the two bickering rivals, Echo following behind her like a shadow.

One of the bandits turns to Echo and Angel. “Who do you want to place your money on?”

Angel frowns not wanting to even watch the fight. “No one!”

Echo raises his hand to the bandit holding out some money to him. “I want to bet on the blond one!”

Angel glares down at Echo in annoyance. “What are you doing supporting the enemy!?”

Echo looks back at Angel a little confused. “Enemy? But wasn’t he traveling with you?”

Ashton runs in between Li and Hitsumi as he tries one last time to stop Hitsumi from making a terrible mistake. “I beg you to reconsider Hitsumi, if you would just listen to me for a second I could explain!”

Hitsumi tries to shoo Ashton away with a motion of his hand, an annoyed tone in his voice as he tried to be rid of him Ashton being in the way of his duel. “What’s with you all of a sudden?”

Li places his hand on Ashton’s shoulder and forcefully pushes him out of the way. “Get out of the way! I just want to get this over with.”

As soon as Ashton it out of the way Li rushes forward attacking and kicking Hitsumi aiming for and hitting him across the head catching him off guard, Hitsumi stumbling back from the blow but managing to keep himself from falling.

Hitsumi holds the side of his head that Li had hit in pain as he stares at Li, Hitsumi more surprised by the sudden attack then hurt by it, he quickly reacts catches Li’s next attack by grabbing into a punch that had been directed at his stomach.

Hitsumi forcefully holds Li in place, pulling Li towards him so that his face was right next to his. “You tricky little… I didn’t even say you could go yet!”

Li narrows his eyes, Hitsumi had caught his attack only moments before it would have struck him, this quick reaction time not very welcoming. “Why would I wait for your permission?” A slight hit of worry could be heard in Li’s voice, the fact that Hitsumi was able to move so quickly greatly bothering him.

Li tries to pull back but Hitsumi’s grip is too strong and the bandit succeeds in keeping him in place. Hitsumi smiles at Li playfully, completely out of character for someone in the middle of a battle. “Unfortunately Li that’s the only hit you’re going to get on me today.”

He lets go of Li who immediately attacks him again once he is free, Hitsumi dodging the swing with ease causing Li to growl in aggravation. This wasn’t going to be an easy battle for Li at all, and it was hard from him to believe that such a stupid person like Hitsumi had these skills.

Li looked down as his fists for a moment when he realizes that Hitsumi was stronger than him as well. Li having not been able to pull from the lock Hitsumi had on him. Although Hitsumi wasn’t overly powerful he was still stronger than him by enough to give him yet another advantage in the fight.

Echo scratches his head as he watches Li again attack Hitsumi, Hitsumi dodging most all of the attacks and adding to Li’s frustration. Echo shakes his head looking back at the princess having been sure that Li would have been the one to win the fight. “This battle… it’s strange…”

Angel looks back at the young wizard perplexed over his comment. “How is it strange?”

Echo continues to keep his eyes on the fight. “The one with blond hair… each and every one of his attacks are always aimed towards a vital point on the body, while none of the other guys is, when he attacks his blows are all randomly distributed. It’s clear that the blond one has probably a hundred times more fighting skill and experience then the bandit… but that bandit’s speed is incredible and even with his lack of skill he is winning.”

Angel looks back at the fight unable to see the complexity that Echo did, to her it just looked like two people attacking each other, nothing more meaningful then that. Echo continues to talk still impressed with what he saw. “I’ve never seen anyone move as quickly as these two… for the blond I can see a human accomplishing those speeds with enough practice… but for the other one… I didn’t think humans were capable of responding that quickly. It’s not normal.”

Angel shakes her head as she watches the two not really caring about all that stuff. “I hope Hitsumi wins soon… the sooner we start traveling the better…”

Li continues to attack the bandit while Hitsumi continues to dodge each one of Li’s attacks, attacking Li back every time Li gave Hitsumi an opening. It was clear that Li was very skilled and very fast, but Hitsumi was still faster than Li and was able to continue dodging the attacks that Li threw at him.

There was also another flaw that made things more difficult for Li. Li had a small figure meant for speed so he didn’t have a lot of defences, and any attack Hitsumi inflicted upon him greatly damaged him. Of course Hitsumi had suspected Li’s endurance was relatively crummy, after all he was such a scrawny little guy.

Li lands roughly on the ground but still stubbornly gets back to his to his feet, keeping his eyes on Hitsumi as he prepared to attack him again. It was clear to anyone and even Li that Hitsumi definitely had the upper hand, his speed was beyond incredible and Li’s own quickness was nothing compared to his, Li’s speed what he usually counted on to win his battles as he wasn’t all that special when it came to strength, but this guy was able to match his speed and over power it, which was strange because it didn’t look like Hitsumi was capable of moving that fast.

Hitsumi frowns looking down at his fist he had been sure that the last blow he had give Li that would have brought Li down, but Li had gone and forced himself back up to continue the fight. “Persistent aren’t we?” He looks back to Li yelling over to him in a mocking tone of voice. “You should have realized as well as anyone else here that you’re hardly a match for me.”

Li glares in response to the comment. “I don’t lose!”

Hitsumi laughs mockingly as he points to Li. “If you don’t lose then how did you become my prisoner? Wimp!”

Li growls pushing himself forward and attacking Hitsumi again Hitsumi catches onto Li’s shoulders and holding him back from him, Li doing the same and grabbing onto Hitsumi’s shoulders, the two locking onto one another as they tried wrestle the other to the ground all while insulting one another.

“You should have killed me when you had the chance bandit!” Li bitterly tells him through clenched teeth.

Hitsumi pushes against Li the blonde surprisingly able to keep his ground. “Why would I bother? You’re not worth it!”

Li glares at the bandit more worked up then before, the things Hitsumi said really getting to him. “I’m going to kill you!”

Hitsumi chuckles at Li’s threat. “Oh you’re doing a pretty good job of that now aren’t you? Who’s the one having trouble with this fight again!?”

“Shut up!!”

Angel sighs as she watches the two argue during their fight. “Why is he doing this anyways? Why not just let Li go and be done with it?”

Hitsumi and Li continue to yell insults to one another.

“Filthy bandit!”

“Bum!”

“Idiot!”

“Moron!!”

A small voice interrupts the two. “Oh… da, da.” The two stop arguing for a moment, looking down in the direction the voice had come from to find a toddler with a sucker in his mouth looking up at the two, the child staring back at them mouthing his candy.

Ashton quickly runs up to the kid, picking him up and carrying him away from the fight before he gets hurt.

Hitsumi turns away from the odd interruption, looking back at Li just in time to see Li’s fist hit his face and send him flying back, toppling to the ground.

Li gives a short chuckle while the bandits all gasp in shock. Hitsumi pushes himself up holding onto his face in pain, Hitsumi yelling out as Li. “CHEEP SHOT! CHEEP SHOT!!!” He gets to his feet pointing to Li. “You cheating wimp!! Why I otta-”

Li cracks his knuckles smiling to himself. “You’re the one stupid enough to let your guard down.”

Hitsumi and Li soon get back to the fight at hand, but even with the one opening Li had managed to get it was still pretty one sided, and thought Li knew his chances of losing the battle were high he still continued to fight, too stubborn to give up to anyone.

He had dealt with Hitsumi’s type before and had beaten them was ease. Why was he having so much trouble with this one?

“Don’t attack with all of your strength when there is no need.” A voice plays through Li’s head, angering Li more than helping him, Li instead doing the opposite and attacking with as much force as he could. “No one can defeat you. You are a monster after all.” The superior voice reminds him, again throwing him off balance.

Li is punched hard in the stomach by Hitsumi the air getting knocked out of him. Li winces as he slowly kneels down onto the ground, clutching onto his stomach.

Echo lifts his head keeping an eye on Li. “He’s losing his concentration… something’s wrong.”

Li closes his eyes the voice of the one who had taught him to fight continuing to taunt him. “There will be many you will face that you will not be able to beat as a human. To beat opponents like these you must fight as what you truly are, as the creature your blood labels you to be.”

Li shakes his head refusing to listen to the voice. “No… I’m human…”

Hitsumi walks up next to Li looking down at his kneeling figure. “Giving up already?”

Li cries out in frustration kicking Hitsumi’s legs out from under him and knocking him to the ground. “Fight as what you truly are.” Li scraps his fingers on the ground while forcing himself up, the stone that had been touched by him burning and starting to crumble away.

Echo looks to be the only person that had caught what had just happened. His attention now off of the two fighters and on the scar Li’s fingers had left in the stone ground. “No way…”

Li pins Hitsumi to the ground holding his fist up ready to punch him but stops before hitting him his arm shaking slightly. “Fight as what you truly are.” Li keeps his fist above him not striking Hitsumi as he stays completely still unable to decide on what he should do. He had been fighting those orders for so long and now he was starting to once again obey them due to him not being able to overpower a single bandit.

Hitsumi takes advantage of Li’s slight moment of hesitation, grabbing onto his arm and throwing him to the ground, slamming Li’s head hard into the dirt. Hitsumi gets too his feet dusting himself off, that call much closer than he had liked it to be. “Where did that sudden burst of energy come from? It looked like he was going all out on me before.”

Li tries to push himself off of the ground but Hitsumi kicks his arms out from underneath him causing him to again painfully hit the ground. Hitsumi unwilling to give him another chance to do whatever it was he had just done. “Ready to give up yet?”

Li doesn’t answer him as he again tries to get to his feet, Hitsumi this time placing his foot and Li’s back and forcing him to remain upon the ground. “Give up! Haven’t you realized that even if you did manage to stand up again you wouldn’t stay standing for more than two seconds? You have no strength left in you!”

Li continues fights against him still trying to stand up, Hitsumi sighing and kicking Li in the back of the head before releasing him. “It’s over.” Hitsumi had finally beaten the pest that didn’t seem to ever give up, and it was time for Li to get that through his head.

Hitsumi smiles as he slightly pants for breath, the youth’s persistence giving him a pretty good exercise, and the fact that Li had manage to hit him as many times as he did was pretty impressive, the blonde had a lot more promise than Hitsumi had first thought him to have.

Li looks unable to get up for another round and is simply just lying on the ground taking deep breaths. The shock that he had lost against someone like Hitsumi hurting Li more than the beating he had just received.

Hitsumi leans over offering his hand to help Li up. “Too bad Li. Looks like you lost, big time. I’m just way out of your league. Of course what can I expect from a kid like you?”

Li swings his arm at him knocking Hitsumi’s arm back and refusing his help. He slowly and painfully began pushing himself up on his own, his whole body surging uncomfortably in pain. Of course Li had felt pain many times before, but this was different, as much as he had been hurt before he had always won the battles regardless of how badly he had been hurt. Was he really that weak without depending on the old skills he had placed in his past?

Hitsumi shrugs his shoulders somewhat expecting Li’s stubborn refusal for his help. He ignores Li’s rude gesture returning to his victory gloat. “Because I win that means that you have to follow my orders from now on.”

A shocked look fill’s Li’s face. “What!?” Follow Hitsumi’s orders? When did he ever agree to that!? If Li had known that piece of information he would have never taken part in the dual. Li stumbles trying to keep himself up as he furiously yelled in Hitsumi’s direction not at all pleased with the information. “That wasn’t part of the deal!”

Hitsumi laughs as he pats Li on the head. “It was so, but you didn’t want to hear what would happen if I won, remember?”

“No!”

Hitsumi frowns at Li’s defiance, after all he had just beaten him in a legitimate match. “But you lost.”

Li tries to hide his pain looking more willing than ready to take part in another fight. “I want a rematch, this time I won’t lose!”

Hitsumi didn’t look as eager to take part in another battle with Li as Li happened to be. “I’m just going to beat you up again so no. I need useful people working for me and if I fight again I might break one of your bones, and then you won’t be so useful.”

Ashton again steps in between the two not wanting to take the chance that Hitsumi might fight Li again. “Hitsumi you don’t understand! You’ve made a terrible mistake! You shouldn’t do this! Li’s-”

Hitsumi is about to start arguing with Ashton again when Li interrupts them before they are able to fight. “Shut up!” He pushes Ashton out of the way fully willing to take part in another duel and stepping up to Hitsumi giving him a challenging glare. “I may be a girl but I don’t need your sympathy. I can get out of this myself.”

This entry was posted on Wednesday, February 24th, 2010 at 11:22 pm and is filed under Writing, Princess of Silver Sands. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.