The Crystal Swordsman: Alfheim's Awakening

Awaited Transcendence

"Simple. He and I have one thing in common: Hatred. Especially for you. But unlike him, I know how to restrain myself. That's why you're still breathing. That's always been why, because I spared your life. You would have been dead like all the other's in SAO if it weren't for my restraint." Zade went off.

I growled and took a fighting stance but Hati roared loudly and awaited Zade's order to pounce. I slowly took a more defensive stance just in case Hati decided to have other plans. They are sentient beings after all.

"The odds aren't in your favour in this fight... but perhaps they could be. Come. Let us get your dog as well." Zade steered the wolf around and walked it away towards my quarters.

I looked back at the others and they followed behind me as I hesitantly tailed Zade to call Fenrir over. When I whistled, he came thru the doors and he rushed down the steps but slowed down when he saw his larger brother. They both snarled, burning with rage and hatred towards each other from their long extensive past. Just like Zade and I.

"I suppose we should let them have their fun before we have ours." Zade turned to me and got off Hati, patting his side twice which made him immediately pounce at Fenrir.

"Fenny!" Athena yelled as a pixie from Sinon's shoulders.

"Now, Crystal Swordsman, show me how much you've improved." Zade growled and drew his blood red katana.

"He won't be fighting alone!" Leafa and Liz took my side.

"No chance in Hel!" Sinon was further with her bow as she looked over and smiled at me.

"Pitiful. It won't get you any closer to beating me anyway. Come on then, before our pups have too much fun." Zade pointed his blade towards me.

I had a flash to the first time I ever fought Zade back in SAO. He took up this same stance before and it made my blood boil.

"No, guys... I need to do this on my own." I hung my head and my hair covered my eyes.

"W-what?" Everyone stuttered.

"You wouldn't understand..." I stepped forward with burning purple eyes and took my stance as did Zade.

"Long time no see..." He spoke with a smirk.

I just growled and spun into a stepping overhand. He blocked it and retaliated with multiple fast swipes which I was forced to block and back away from. My offensive attempt failed and Zade's blinding speed was just as insane as I remembered it. I started to feel cuts grazing my arms and shoulders from the very tip of his blade: Red Ribbon. Seeing no other options and feeling as helpless as I did in SAO, I initiated a flame pulse from my chest and shot him sliding backwards away from me.

"Ahh... so it's a fight for power is it?" Zade's eyes began to glow red and he suddenly dropped his sword.

He lunged and I threw my crystal sword at him but he ducked it, rushing at me with immense speed. We instinctively locked hands and pushed against each other, glowing our respective colours as we wrestled intensely. Zade suddenly winced as an arrow was pierced into his thigh. I looked over to see Sinon with her bow and a worried Athena upon her shoulder.

"I said, not to help me!!" My aura turned red too and I pushed Zade sliding back again.

I lunged at him this time and we met in the middle with a fruitless exchange. Each time I tried to hook him, he'd push or duck and he would try hard to do the same to me. I faked him with a left and tried to execute a fury of insanely fast punches but he manage to block it with both forearms just in time. That's when he punched me hard in the stomach and my red rage glow returned to its normal purple. I growled as I was winded but used another burst of energy to grab Zade by the throat. I tackled him to the ground and cracked the world beneath him when I suddenly heard Fenrir whimper. I snapped to attention as did the others and Hati howled in his victory.