The Challenge of the Masters

⊱⊰ 49: Reunion ⊱⊰

She placed her blade on his chest, ready to push it in. With a sudden silence embracing the land, Arisa's hand started to tremble.

She gazed back at him but she saw nothing other than an expressionless face. She focused back at her trembling hand, telling herself to finish him off. She told herself that it was the only way to bring peace to the worlds. It didn't matter if she still had feelings for him, helping the worlds was a top priority. Yet despite telling herself that, she couldn't move an inch of her blade.

"What are you waiting for?" Zen asked. "Kill me before it's too late."

"You," said Arisa, tightening her grip on her sword, "why do you want me to kill you so badly?"

As their eyes met again, silence fell. As she couldn't read his expression, Arisa called back her sword.

"What are you doing?" asked Zen.

"I won't kill you," said Arisa. "My good friend is still there. It's wrong for us to fight. There must be another way to settle our differences, I'm sure of that."

Laughter filled the air as Arisa gazed at him.

"There you go again," said Zen. "After everything that happened between us, you should hate me. That hatred should be enough to give you the strength to kill me."

"But I don't hate you," said Arisa quickly. "I still...I still..."

Her heart skipped, spreading emotions that made her feel nervous. She looked sideways, telling herself that now wasn't the right time to confess her feelings.

"I still believe that you have a good heart." Arisa finally found her words, her voice cracking. "There must be a reason why you're forcing me to kill you."

"What makes you believe I'm forcing you to kill me?" he asked.

Arisa looked at him. Despite his words, he still looked so indifferent. It was as if he didn't mind to be killed. She remembered her last encounter with him, during their battle, she noticed how he was cold with her to anger her. She noticed how he purposely showed openings to strike him and how he encouraged her to kill him when she sealed his powers. For sure, he wanted her to kill him more than he wanted to kill her.

"Your behavior," she replied, breaking the quick silence. "Deep inside you'd rather die than killing a friend, isn't it?"

For a moment, silence fell as Zen gazed at her, expressionless.

"I've noticed that you never tried to kill me in our encounters," said Arisa. "Even in the Forbidden Lands, during our fight, you only used those words to anger me so I could fight back."

Even though she wanted to forget that moment in that world, Arisa couldn't help but remember his cold words.

"You're so delusional, Arisa," said Zen with a quick chuckle. "You're just seeing things because you want to, not because those are my actual intentions. My objective has always been to kill you. It would be foolish of me to risk my future because of a fake friendship we had."

Arisa felt as if a blade had pierced her heart upon hearing those words. She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself.

"If that is your real intention, then," said Arisa, relaxing and deactivating her armor, "do it. I won't stop you."

Another silence fell. Arisa's heart pounded against her chest as she waited for him to take her life. But time passed and he only remained in his spot, staring at her.

"See?" Arisa approached him. "I'm not being delusional. There's still good in you, Zen."

Zen didn't reply. Instead, he shifted his view to the burnt grassy ground.