Hunter Sky

B2: Chapter 40 - A Plea On Deaf Ears

A sheen of sweat covered Zack's forehead and his cheeks, and a small droplet of water hung from his chin as he squared off against Jirell, while Lea stood between them with her hands apart facing him. His upper teeth pressed down on his bottom teeth with furrowed brows above his saddened eyes, the wind blowing quietly around them on the battered plateau near the woodlands.

Lea's eyes penetrated his soul with a pleadful stare, her face contorted as though she was struggling not to cry, her eyes shining with the threat of tears. He couldn't imagine how much this was devastating her, but what was he to do? He felt the same, but as a knight, his duty was to protect the lives of those around him. He had to get the queen back from them. Even if it meant he had to fight Jirell.

"Lea, he won't listen. Move,'" he pleaded with a low voice.

Lea stretched her arms further, "Please, don't do this. Why are you so quick to give up on him? Y-You never give up, remember?"

Zack made a sad frown, looking at the ground with weary eyes, "Lea, I will never give up on him. . . But the queen. We have to put our feelings aside to save her," he said as he looked back up to her with a determined face.

Kenshin placed his hand on the handle of his katana with an apathetic glare, "I have had enough of this. For the just cause of purification I must end your lives," he said coldly as began to draw his blade.

Before the blade reached halfway out of Kenahin's scabbard, Jirell quickly dashed at Lea and chopped the back of her head with the side of his palm. She let out a moan as her body leaned forward, her high ponytail flashing in the air as she started to falling to the ground, her eyes shutting into a deep unwanted sleep.

Shocked, Zack quickly ran and caught her before she could reach the ground, holding her in his arms with a bitter scowl directed at Jirell. "How could you do this? She was begging for you! She had faith in you!" he expressed his fury.

Jirell gave him a cold look, "She was getting in the way. Enough with the drama. Move, or fight me."

Zack's nostril flared, "You wanna fight! Fine! I'll beat some sense into you!!"

Kenshin began to walk toward the forest, and stopped at the entrance standing by a tree, "Finish this Jirsano, or I will," he said with a stern stare.

Zack brought Lea over to the side near the slope leading down to the wastelands, and put her lying on the ground. He got up and turned around to Jirell with a fierce grimace. While he was grieved by it, he was happy Lea was no longer holding him back.  If violence was the only way he could bring Jirell to his senses, then he was going to unleash every drop of it.

Both boys formed their respective stances in the center of the rocky battlefield, squaring up against each other just a few feet apart. It was Brawlhalla versus Kenjutsu, willpower versus drive, and brother versus brother, as the atmosphere was tense, weighted with the scent of adrenaline and resolve.

Archeus busted out of the trees, jumping above the bushes with a green glowing stone in his hand, and Zack's eyes widened seeing him land before them. Him too? Zack couldn't believe it. He was now greatly outnumbered, and just being outnumbered wasn't even the main concern. He now had to face two powerful opponents who had defeated him effortlessly in the past. One he remembered for scarring him mentally, the other for scarring him physically.

Jirell's eyes narrowed at Archeus with a cold glare as he held the stone to his face, watching as it flashed its light repeatedly in his hands. Everyone looked nonplused at Archeus and the flashing stone in his hand, his devious smile widening until his cheeks rose into a grin.

"How have I searched the corners of the earth to no avail, but alas, this night I shall finally find the Wayvern's key! Ha ha ha!" he let out in a gloating celebration.