The time for talk was done. Far be it for me to have to consider the ramifications of the prospect of heading into battle with my own dear father, only a single thought ran through my mind strongest: save the residents in the Hunter Robotics Building.
But there was also that faintest of nagging feelings that continued to persist as I flew through the air, ready to meet my father in mortal combat. I kept thinking about Death; worried, somehow, that his words were true. That a mythical being such as he were somehow in danger. I knew full well how powerful the beings we faced were. I was under no illusions as to the caliber of our opponents.
I gripped both swords tightly in my hand, more for a sense of security than anything else, my thoughts racing, as I approached my father who was circling the skies like a hawk, occasionally darting about, at once evading and attacking, and entirely preoccupied.
Death was doing his job of serving as a decoy.
My father moved in toward Death, flying at an angle, attempting to gain an aerial and tactical advantage against Death, but I knew such a thing was a difficult task, Death moved in the air as if in defiance of the laws of physics. His red eyes trailing the wind like fire, the dark cloak flapping about in the wind. There was something ethereal about Death’s visage as he fought with my father. I was reminded of the Apocalypse, of the battle between Light and Dark, Life and Death. Except such things were far too simple in the context of the two beings that now set their wills upon each other.
Donovan Hunter swung the massive broadsword with ease, the speed of his attacks were impressive given the size of the weapon he wielded. But Death’s scythe had the advantage of reach, and the wide angle at which he swung the scythe dramatically increased the distance between Death and my father.
Great, he’s using the scythe as a perimeter weapon.
So long as he’s careful, I knew my father wouldn’t be able to breach the perimeter.
Death swung the scythe in careful timed motions, varying the angles each time to as to add an element of unpredictability. Death wasn’t wasting any movements attacking - he knew it was futile to do so. Rather, the focus of the attacks was defensive. Death was keeping the enormous broadsword at bay. So long as Donovan couldn’t attack Death, they were at a stalemate, which was exactly the situation I was hoping we would be in.
Had he noticed? I wondered.
My concern was mounting. I secretly hoped my father hadn’t noticed that Rina was no longer in play, but I had the sinking feeling that was a lost cause: Donovan Hunter was always aware where his chess pieces were. After all, it was his shrewd strategic and tactical mind that carried Hunter Robotics from a one-man operation in someone’s garage to what it is today. Such a shame, really, that my father hadn’t chosen to go down a more moral path in his quest to further his science.
Still, my father was giving absolutely no indication that he had noticed anything was awry. In fact, much of his attention appeared to genuinely be devoted toward battling Death.
Death’s scythe kept moving in random orbit, creating a defensive wall around himself, keeping the nano-sword at bay. For a moment, I was hopeful that Death had managed to find the ultimate strategy against my father.
But that hope was short-lived.
After what seemed to be the tenth futile strike, my father stopped swinging. After all, there was only so many times an attack can be thwarted before it is deemed fruitless. I realized with sudden fear that my father’s attacks weren’t random at all.
I rushed toward my father as quickly as I could.
“My God, D! D! Can you hear me?” I screamed as loudly as I could, hoping Death would hear me but he continued to swing the massive scythe.
We were completely wrong about my father’s strategy.
I saw the broadsword strike once more, and my heart stopped as I realized finally what my father was up to. The scythe parried once more, but the broadsword shifted this time, growing longer, elongating until it took the form of a black spear, the blade shooting out and moving swiftly toward Death’s heart.
My father hadn’t been swinging around aimlessly.
He was gauging the timing of the scythe, assessing all the possible angles for the blade to strike. By varying the angles of his swing, Death had inadvertently given my father all the information he needed to find a weakness in his Death’s strikes.
That was the brilliance of Donovan Hunter.
The spear was completely unexpected, but Death was no ordinary opponent either. He moved swiftly. The moment he realized he had left himself open to an attack, Death acted swiftly in response, aiming a carefully placed mini scythe right in the middle of the large metal snath, breaking his scythe in half at just the right moment, turning it from a large unwieldy weapon, into a more agile two handed version. Death then used the blunt half to parry the spear tip that would most certainly have gone on to impale him were it not for his quick thinking.
I breathed a sigh of relief. There was no way I could have reached my father in time to warn Death.
I gripped the twin blades tightly, hoping that the power contained in both of them would be more than enough to take my father down. I approached him from behind and breathed in deep.
To be clear, I realized how foolhardy it was to mount an all-out attack against someone as wily and crafty as Donovan Hunter, but under the circumstances, I didn’t have a choice.
Death might have guarded against that first unexpected attack, but a second carefully timed strike would not fail to impale Death now that my father had figured out the weakness his defense.
I swung the Light Sword first, hoping to trick my father into blocking that so I could test Katsujinken. My father responded by shrinking the spear, turning it into the broadsword once more. My light sword struck and was parried successfully, my father guiding it out of harms way, his strength taking me aback.
My father had swung the sword out far enough to change my center of gravity. Not only had he anticipated my attack, but he was able to predict the outcome of the blow, carrying it just far enough to disorient me. I spun around father than I had wanted to. I was in an awkward position now, having nothing with which to guard myself against.
I had left myself wide open to an attack.
I knew what was coming next.
I had to think fast.
With the sword successfully parried, my father changed the sword yet again, shifting it into spear mode, aiming the blade directly at my heart. I didn’t want to know how fast the blade was, or how powerfully it could penetrate an agent of Death. If Katsujinken could mortally wound Death and I, there was no telling how debilitating a direct hit from the spear would be.
I was forced to reveal my trump card, using Katsujinken to block the spear and guide it away from me. I shifted the blade directly into the spear’s path. The tip of the spear glanced the flat side of the blade as I tilted it slightly to deflect the spear and alter its trajectory.
I saw my father’s eyes gleam as the spear changed shape yet again, the sharp tipped blade turning into a two pronged tip. Katsujinken was caught unmoving between the dual pronged spear. My father flicked his wrist, prying Katsujinken from my hands.
God Damn It.
It had happened so quickly that I barely had time to even realize that the sword had changed hands. In one fell swoop, my father had gained possession of my trump card. He now held both broadsword and Katsujinken in his hand.
“I must admit, daughter of mine, I haven’t been this entertained in years,” he said above the wind, his laughter reverberating all around me. “I never would have suspected that Rina Tanaka could have been taken down by the likes of you. She was a powerful force to reckon with, but you are truly my daughter. One of a kind.” He laughed and laughed at that.
My father moved with great speed. His broadsword disappeared, assimilated into his armor once more as he took his right fist and grabbed my throat.
Everything turned hazy.
“I must thank you Vanessa, for the great favor you have done me. I don’t think I’ve quite ever gotten ahold of Katsujinken in my entire life. All this time I’ve lived in fear of this blade, and now, you’ve practically handed it to me.”
I was struggling to remain conscious. I didn’t know where Death was, but I prayed he was ok. I was rapidly losing my vision as the world darkened around me.
From the corner of my eye, I saw my father raise his left hand, aiming the sword right at me. This was it. This was the end of the line yet again for Vanessa Hunter.
I kept forcing myself to stay awake. I noticed the light sword was still in my hand.
There was hope.
There was always hope.
If I couldn’t take my father down now, there would be precious little else that would stand in his way. I decided to take the biggest gamble I had ever taken since accepting Death’s offer.
There was no time left. I knew I didn’t have it in me to dodge Katsujinken. The blade was on a collision course with my left shoulder blade, and my father had already sent the deadly sword on it’s path. There was only a few moment’s left before I would once again feel the cutting sting of the blade upon my flesh.
I took my right arm, forcing it upright, ignoring the pain in my lungs and my throat. If Katsujinken didn’t kill me first, perhaps suffocation would do that trick. I had secretly hoped that was true, but in the end, I knew it wasn’t. I couldn’t die. Not unless it was by the dreaded life-giving sword.
I moved my right hand, aiming the sword carefully, as closely as I could to my father’s heart. I could tell he didn’t notice. This was the last chance I had. The blade was now pointe directly at my father’s heart.
I pushed with all the strength I had left in me.
I felt the sword dig deep, penetrating into my father's armor. The feeling was different, it wasn’t at all like the previous times I cut my father. I felt the light sword dig deep. I heard my father shriek in pain.
Then I felt it. White, searing, hot pain, as Katsujinken tore into my shoulder. I tried to move out of the way, but the blade continue to tear into me, severing my left wing. The taste of blood was upon my mouth. I had a feeling the wound was mortal. My vision blurred and the pain threatened to overcome me.
I finally understood what Death’s words meant.
I was dying.
Once again, Vanessa Hunter was bleeding to death.
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