Distant Worlds ~ A Black Clover Story (Fuegoleon Vermillion X OC)

Chapter 26 - Apologies

"An outsider who defies the royal house of Silva. You sully the knights with your very presence. And yet you act as though you're equal to us royals. What that lion sees in you I don't know, but I suppose he's weak for wanting you"

"Seriously Nozel. Shut the fuck up or I'll make you apologize as well." I flare my mana to show him I mean business. I can feel Nebra scurry away as my attention is pulled from her to her elder brother. Out of the corner of my eye I see she's found Solid to help her regain her composure.

"As if a insect such as yourself could make a proud eagle such as myself apologize."

"Then eat crow!" I yell as I let loose a round of arrows. Each fly true but come into contact with the mercury sphere he has erected around him. Sadly I won't be able to over power him at all with just my flames. Mercury is too dense for my magic to pierce and it's freezing point is much too low for me to effect it at all. So back to the basics it is: physical combat and mana point manipulation.

He doesn't give me a second's rest. Before the dust clears from my attack he sends his own spears after me. I quickly dodge. Using the last spear he shoots, I grab it just as it slices through my dress and into my side. Shit, and I was doing so well avoiding them all evening! I can hear the pitter patter of the crimson liquid hitting the ground. This hurts like hell, but I've got his spear.

"Say what you want about me Nozel but I won't let you insult Fuegoleon. Now I'll tell you what I told your sister. Apologize and I won't humiliate you." He sneers at me, turning his nose up at me. I take this as a no and nock his spear in my bow, coating it in my flame for extra durability. We stare at one another, spells at the ready. Our mana flares attempting to force the other one to submit, but I'm not leaving until they both apologize. "Apologize!" I scream in frustration, letting the spear got at the same time. Nozel closes his spherical defense while sending another round of attacks at me, but I'm prepared. I charge forward in the wake of my own attack. It blasts through his defense this time and his own spear pierces his left shoulder. Several of his attacks hit me but I push forward determined to keep the momentum of my last attack going. "Fucking apologize!" My fist just misses his face as he leans back, surprised I slipped through the small opening his spear made. I go for his legs next aiming a round house to his knees but he's agile. The shockwave my kick has reverberates through the courtyard as it misses. But I can't stop there I got to keep him on the defensive. I throw a crescent kick to his head. He raises his arm to block me but as I make contact I grab his free hand and yank it towards me. He's not used to this up close combat or anyone touching him for that matter and is pulled off balance. I put everything I have behind that kick, my magic helping me to push though his magical reinforcements. "JUST APOLOGIZE!" I scream as I throw him to the ground. If this were different circumstances I think I would have enjoyed the look of pure shock and horror on his face when he realized the position he was in. I never let go of his arm during the throw. I intend to use it in an arm bar but just as I'm going for it, something catches the corner of my eye. Or should I say someone. Thalia.

For a moment the world stands still. There my baby sister stands, impatiently waiting. She hasn't aged a day, not since I last saw her. My breath hitches as tears start to prick my eyes. It can't be her can it? She's here, right in front of me. I want to run over to her and hug her. I want to tell her it's going to be okay and that I'm sorry. I'm so, so, so sorry. I want to tell her that it's all my fault, that she doesn't have to do her duties as a guardian anymore. But how can I do that when I'm fighting the captain of the Silver Eagels?

That moment of distraction is all Nozel needs because he sends a rain of silver bullets from point blank range and I have no time to defend. They tear through my flesh adding more crimson to my dress as I bleed from multiple wounds. Letting go of Nozel's arm I fall to the side defeated and un-able to get a proper apology from either of the Silvas. Nozel picks himself up towering over me. The blood gushing from the wound on his shoulder falls to the ground, mixing with mine.