I stood in the broken tower, the wind whistling through the cracks in the walls. Dust floated in the air like gray snow. My dark long blade hung heavy on my back. I looked straight at Jacob. His big frame filled the space in front of me. His dark armor looked even darker in the dim light. His blue eyes stared back, waiting.
"There's a demon I'm after, Jacob," I said. My voice was calm, but inside, my heart burned. "Once I've killed it, I'll join your quest. And we can save the world together. Just as you wish."
Jacob's face changed. His eyes got wide. His mouth opened a little. "One demon," he repeated slowly. "Just one."
I nodded. "Yes."
He took a step closer. His voice rose, loud and angry. "You're giving up the opportunity to rain down hell on the Horde itself because of one demon that you're not even sure is alive or dead?" Spit flew from his mouth as he yelled. Some of it landed on my face. Warm. Wet. Disgusting.
I didn't flinch. I wiped the spit away with my sleeve. "It's alive, Jacob," I said. My voice stayed steady. "I know very well that it is. A being so powerful like that cannot be killed so easily."
Jacob crossed his arms. His metal gauntlets clinked. "How do you know that?" he asked. Our eyes stayed locked on each other. Neither of us blinked.
I took a slow breath. "I don't," I admitted. "But something in me tells me it's alive. Deep inside. Like a voice. Like a feeling I can't shake."
Jacob shook his head hard. "Fool," he said. "Just like me. You're supposed to be angry. Ready to kill any of those beings at any time." His voice got louder again. The air around us started to feel hot, like standing near a fire. "They took your family from you. Your wife was violated. And all you could do was watch because you were powerless."
My blood turned to fire. My fists clenched so tight my knuckles turned white. Pain shot through my hands, but I didn't care. "Who told you about that, Jacob?" I demanded. My voice was icy cold now. Sharp. Like my blade. "Who?"
Jacob didn't back down. He stepped even closer. His face was red with anger. "I see it all, Alucard!" he shouted. "Your wife was violated. Your child was eaten alive. Both screamed out for help. Still, you couldn't do anything because your body refused to obey your command. That's an excuse for a child!"
He kept going. His words cut deeper than any sword. "You watched them satisfy their lust with her body. And still did nothing. And you dare call yourself a Blade Art user? Their blood is on your hands, not the Horde's!"
He spit again. This time on purpose. Right in my face. "Jacob spits," he said. "You couldn't even protect your own family. You're a failed man!"
Something inside me broke.
"JACOB!!!" I roared. The sound came from deep in my chest. From my soul. My anger erupted like a volcano. My fist moved before I could think. It flashed toward his gut. Fast. Hard. The impact was like hitting a wall, but Jacob flew backward. He crashed through the side of the tower. Wood and stone exploded outward.
I didn't stop.
"Blade Arts: God Step!"
I chanted the words. My body disappeared. Then reappeared midair, right above him as he fell. I drove another blow into his chest armor. The metal dented under my fist. Jacob crashed down hard into the ground below.
"BOOM!"
The earth trembled. Dust flew up in a giant cloud. Cracks spider-webbed across the stone street. I floated above for a second, then chanted again.
"Blade Arts: Air Step."
I walked down through the air, step by step, like there were invisible stairs. My feet touched the ground softly. The dust began to settle.
Jacob stood up from the rubble. Slowly. No injury. No blood. He brushed pieces of stone off his armor like they were nothing. He walked out of the crater like my attacks had been a gentle breeze.
"Come now, Alucard," he said. His voice was calm again. He smiled that secret smile. "If I hadn't used Swordsman Style: God Shield, your attacks would've killed me. I didn't mean to enrage you. I just spoke the truth."
I growled low in my throat. My hand went to my blade. I gripped it tight. A crimson aura radiated from my body. It glowed red around me, like fire. "How do you know about the horror my family went through?" I asked. My voice was dangerous. "Speak. And I might grant you a quick death."
Jacob didn't look scared. He reached back and unsheathed his blue great sword. It was huge. Longer than most men are tall. The blade shimmered like water. "You see," he said, "I possess a skill called Past Eyes." He held the sword loosely in one hand. "As the name suggests, it lets me see anyone's past. That's how I knew about your talent. Your ancestors' story. And your family. Before you told me. Though it only works when the person is asleep or dead."
My eyes narrowed. "Now you die, Jacob," I growled. My grip tightened on the hilt of my blade. In a flash, I sprinted forward. My blade aimed straight at his heart. One strike. Meant to end it all.
"BIMM!"
He blocked it with his sword. The sound rang out like a bell. Metal on metal.
Then we fought.
My blade clashed with his sword again and again. Fast. Hard. Relentless. Every clash sent shockwaves through the earth. Cobblestones shattered beneath us like glass. The air itself trembled. Dust flew. Sparks danced. The ground cracked wider with every blow.
"This is interesting, Alucard!" Jacob shouted. He smiled wide, like he was enjoying it. "Swordsman Style: Devouring Sword Style!"
He chanted the words. Three spectral lion heads erupted from his sword. They were made of blue light. Ghostly. Huge. Their jaws were wide enough to swallow a man whole. They lunged at me. Teeth gnashed. I barely rolled aside. The lions bit the air where my head had been. *Snap. Snap. Snap.*
I didn't wait.
"Blade Arts: Three Way Slash!"
I chanted. My blade glowed crimson. I swung it three times. Fast. Three arcs of red energy flew out. They collided with Jacob's lion heads.
BOOM!
A cataclysmic explosion erupted. The force obliterated five towering buildings around us. Stone and wood flew everywhere. The ground shook like an earthquake. Jacob crashed into the ground, hard. A crater formed around him. I was hurled backward. I slammed into the remnants of the tower. A massive stone pinned me down. Blood spilled from my mouth. My ribs screamed in pain. I couldn't breathe for a second.
"Beesh."
I pushed the massive stone off my body with all my strength. It rolled away. I staggered to my feet. My legs shook. Blood dripped from my lips. I walked out of the tower slowly. The dust settled around me like fog. Jacob was crawling from the crater. His armor was cracked in places. Blood spilled from his face. One eye was swollen.
My anger surged again. Hot. Wild. Like a volcano about to erupt.
"Blade Arts: God Step."
Like lightning, I closed the gap between us. I reappeared right in front of him. My blade hovered inches away from his throat. One move and he was dead.
"Kill me, Alucard!" Jacob said. He let his sword clatter to the ground. The sound echoed. He stretched both hands sideways, open and free. "If your judgment deems it so."
I stood there. Breathing hard.
"Ah… ah… ah… ah…"
I steadied my breath. My hand shook on the blade. "No," I said finally. "I'm not going to kill you." I lowered my blade. Slowly. I sheathed it across my back. "In the end, you're right. I couldn't protect my family."
Jacob knelt in the dirt. Blood dripped from his lips and head. "Why spare me?" he asked. His voice was weak now.
I looked at him. "For starters," I said, "you held back. If you hadn't, you would have given me a very tough time. Or you would have claimed victory. Since I'm still recovering from my last battle."
I collapsed onto the rubble nearby. My body gave a final groan. I stared up at the smoke-choked sky. Vultures circled high above. Waiting. "Is that all?" Jacob asked. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. He sheathed his sword and hung it around his waist.
I closed my eyes for a second. "One of us dying here surely will doom the other," I said. My voice was soft. Exhausted. "Alone, we perish. Together, we might just survive the Horde."
Jacob frowned. He looked around slowly. "Too late," he said. "Our little battle had led them right to us."
A chorus of guttural roars erupted.
From the ruins, demons emerged. One by one. Then dozens. Hulking. Red eyes glowing like coals. Their claws scraped the earth as they walked. Long. Sharp. Deadly. They snarled. Drooled. Hunger in every movement. They encircled us. Slowly. Tightly. No way out.
We were surrounded.