Arslan Senki: The Witch

Rubble of Trouble

"Ah, the inept painter, we meet again." Silver Mask said, unamused. "Have you come all this way in search of someone who likes your work?"

"I wish you would stop following me." Narsus said. "You may not realize it, but I don't much care for your company."

Lord Silver Mask and Narsus glared at each other, not daring to break the eye contact.

"Where have you hidden Arslan?"

"I'll be happy to whisper that to your corpse in just a moment." Narsus retorted.

"Think you can do it?" He mocked.

"Possibly. There is only one way to know for certain."

Alfarīd suddenly interrupted and came between the two, Zofia at her back trying to pull her away, and struggling to restrain her arms.

"THIS IS NOT YOUR FIGHT!" She yelled at Narsus.

"God, why do Zot members have such a temper?! This isn't your fight either!!" Zofia groaned.

"It was my father and my friends that he killed, that makes him mine!!" She declared.

"But you're unarmed." Narsus cut in. "You'll never defeat him without a sword."

"Then lend me yours, it looks good enough." She motioned for him to give it to her.

Narsus only smiled. "Do you have any collateral for such a loan?"

"I'm trying to avenge my dead father and you're asking me for collateral?"

"Yeah, Narsus- seriously? Not helping!"

"Can you blame a man for being prudent? I don't know anything about you, after all."

She gritted her teeth. "You're quite the charmer, huh? I bet all the ladies want you."

Narsus sighed. "You may not see it, but I'm doing you a favor. You will not win a fight against that man. You'd only be throwing your life away."

"YOU DONT KNOW THAT!"

"Please, just stay back." He said. Though she was seething from behind him, Narsus turned to face Lord Silver Mask once again.

"It's past time to put an end to this. When I'm finished with you, your companion will be next." Lord Silver Mask threatened.

"Like hell I'm gonna let you kill me a second time." She stuck her tongue out at him.

Narsus and Silver Mask galloped off to the ends of the cliffs, fighting each other off on their horses, leaving Zofia and Alfarīd.

"Stay back, would you?" Zofia asked. "Not to be rude, but you're sort of useless without a weapon, and I don't have a sword to give you. Just stay back and out of my way."

"Who died and made you queen?" Alfarīd grumbled. She plucked a sword out of a dead Lusitanian's grasp. "How about you don't get in my way?"

———

Zofia and Alfarīd made a surprisingly good team. Zofia shot where Alfarīd couldn't reach, and Alfarīd swung where Zofia was vulnerable.

It was quite the sight.

Unfortunately, a few got away from them, circling around Narsus in an attempt to scare him.

"We have to help him!" Alfarīd said, already starting to run after him.

"Are you deaf? I thought we were getting over that. You can't interfere." Zofia scolded.

In reality, it was because Narsus' plan was coming into play. She could hear small rocks already starting to fall down from above. It would take too long to explain it to the Zot member.

Silver Mask circled him like a shark. "Well, painter- no, I'm sorry. Narsus."

"Ah. Kind of you to remember me." He smirked.

"You're a man of great ingenuity. It would be a shame to kill you. Bend the knee now and I shall let you serve me." He offered.

Zofia watched carefully. She did trust Narsus, but they hadn't known each other very long. And trust could be manipulated. She knew that all too well.

Narsus only chuckled.

Silvermask glared. "You find something funny?"

"I've never met a fighter who could match your skill with a sword, but you lack a quality that all true ky great rulers must have." He said.

"What is that?" Lord Silver Mask snared.

"Humility. Prince Arslan is far better suited to the throne than you. He would never order a man to serve him."

At the mention of Arslan's name, Zofia could see Lord Silvermask's hand grip his sword even tighter, turning his knuckles white and shaking with pure rage.

A strong gust of wind passed by her, and there was no mistaking what it said.

Betray. Betray. Betray or die. Die.

Zofia blinked, hitting the side of her side. I must still be sleepy, she thought.

He gritted his teeth. "You dare..."

He swung his sword up and yelled out in anger. However they were all suddenly distracted when the sound of rubble came from up high.

The soldiers stared in confusion until they started to freak out and shriek- a thousand boulders started to rain from the sky.

As Narsus fled, he carried Zofia at his back and Alfarīd in front.

———

A Lusitanian soldier came from underneath a pile of rocks, a nasty scar pouring blood from down his forehead and down his cheek.

"Lord Silver Mask?! Are you alright?!" He yelled out. He saw him standing atop the rocks, the few surviving soldiers around him amazed that he made it out unscathed.

"So he got away..." a deep, dark voice said.

Lord Silver Mask's eyes twitched for a moment. A black spot appeared on the ground, and slowly started to get bigger as a black hole does.

From the darkness, a pale, bony figure emerged from it. He wore a black cloak that covered his head, and a mask that resembled the one Lord Silver Mask wore, yet creepier. It was made of bone.

He wore gold necklaces and his fingernails were long and sharp, like a cat. But his eyes. His eyes were a startling shade of blue, that glow in the darkness of his masked face.

He had an evil smile admiring his face, and a hand he put across his chest to symbolize a bow to Lord Silver Mask.

He chuckled quite softly at his master's misfortune.