Hunter Sky

B2: Chapter 46 - A New Age Of Tyrany (Volume Two Finale)

"Nia! Nia! Nia! Nia!" Kelly began to chant with an earnest frown as he laid on the snow.

Nia held her head up and looked to the side to see Kelly cheering her on despite being kicked to shut up. To her surprise, all the remaining Altean knights joined in, stomping their feet in the snow as they chanted her name along with Kelly, "NIA! NIA! NIA! NIA!"

Nia's eyes widened as she listened to her name being shouted in unison. They believed in her. Her eyes narrowed and her jaws clenched as the sound of their feet pounding the snow filled her with adrenaline. She couldn't afford to let them down. Fueled by the support of her comrades she formed her Brawlhalla stance with a fierce scowl. Even if it was foolish to challenge someone as powerful as King Jaragus. He was still human, and humans were not indestructible.

She let out a warrior's cry and dashed at him. She swung at his neck, but he leaned back to dodge, looking at her with a smile as he waited on her to recover her stance. "Rrgha!!" she swung down for his head, and he blocked with his golden blade then pushed her off.

She paused with gritted teeth while staring him down. He was fast, but he was still human. Maybe she could tire him out, or perform a fake strike set him up for surprise attack. As long as he bled the same as her then she hung on to the belief that she could beat him somehow. With that in mind she dashed again and jumped in the air, swinging down on him.

He sidesteped her and stood behind her patiently as she landed. She quickly spun around to not leave herself to a blind attack and slashed at his side. He effortlessly held his sword blade down in a vertical position to block, then leaned back to dodge a swinging hook.

"Is this all you have lass? I am honestly unimpressed."

Nia faked to the right so King Jaragus could lean to his left, then quickly swung from the left, but her eyes widened as he shifted to his right and parried her attack, then hammered his sword down into her shoulder.

"Ahhhhh!" she screamed as the pain from the impact brought her to one knee. Luckily, the armor only suffered a dent and was not opened, or else her shoulder would have been gone.

King Jaragud yawned, then kicked Nia in the face as she knelt before him. She fell to the snow and curled into a ball holding her face.

"This feels more like a suicide quest rather than a duel. You are so easy to predict, It is as if you are purposely running into my strikes. Pathetic."

Tears welled in Nia's eyes as she covered her face. If only he knew how hard she was trying not to let everyone down. How she was giving her best to defeat him. If only she had Lea's strength and courage. If only she could draw from the well of Zack's willpower. Then maybe she could save everyone. Everyone's life including hers was at stake, and she was contempt with herself that she was too afraid to get back up and face King Jaragus.

King Jaragus turned his head to look at King Raul with a disappointed frown, "Of all the knights in your ranks, a puny female is the only warrior brave enough to challenge me to a duel. Altea has truly fallen off. You went from men like Sir Kendrick, Sir Maximus, Queen Alena, Sir Zachary, and Sir Jiren to name a few, to cheap counterfiets like these? This is why Altea needs me to make it great again. Peace has only made you all weak."

Sir Caldwell groaned as he began crawling across the snow while clutching his injured side with one hand, causing everyone to look at him. "Then fight me! Leave the girl alone, she's had enough! I was trained by Sir Zachary himself! So I can give a duel you've never dreamed of!"

King Jaragus laughed, "Look at you. A mere fly could defeat you in your state. Plus I have fought you before. You are a failure compared to Sir Zachary. Detain him with the others."