Re;Blade

Chapter 45 - The Grand Priest part 3

Left! Right! Above!

The moment Tetsuko sensed the attacks, Alonso reacted. There was no need for words between them.

As the swordsman defended, the better faster his reactions became. It had been a while since he had felt the blade of the naginata touching him.

"I must commend you, my Lord. To be able to fight me in this darkness," the Grand priest said in a low voice. Even so, it echoed around them. "I thought someone as ignorant as you would succumb to fear."

We can't just defend forever... Alonso will grow tired soon. But it's really impossible to find her through the sound, Tetsuko thought. Thanks to all the living metal dampening her senses, she couldn't find the worshiper unless she attacked.

In that profound darkness inside the atrium in the mines, the only moment Alonso and Tetsuko could see her was when the blades met for an instant.

It was only for a brief instant as the sparks flew, but it was enough for them to see the worshiper's face, who still had a mysterious smile.

"We can't just defend," Alonso whispered. Though his grip was tight around her handle, Tetsuko could tell the fingers were numbing with each impact. "We need to attack..."

I know, I know, Tetsuko projected her thoughts to her wielder. But I can only sense her when she's attacking.

"You have too much faith in that special sword of yours, my lord. Just like the wretched king."

Just like before, the Grand priest's voice became full of rage.

She really hates you king, Alonso...

"I don't know what you're talking about," the swordsman said, stalling as he tried to recover his breath.

The laugh echoed around them. "I never thought of you as a liar, my Lord. I don't know how you got it, but that sword is the same as your king used it to bring the end of the Era of Rebirth. The True Gods are whispering to me. But there's something strange... I can sense a soul in that blade. And right now, that soul is whispering to you, helping you... saving your life..."

A stab!

Alonso shifted the upper half of the body and threw the sword aside. Though barely, he managed to deflect the naginata's blade.

"Even for someone who chose to stay in the bliss of Ignorance, your skills are amazing, my lord. I've never seen an unbeliever like you. If only you'd open your eyes to the Truth..."

"To the demons you worship?"

Behind!

Alonso reacted, but an instant too late. Though he avoided the fatal attack, the naginata sliced his arm before retreating back to the darkness.

Don't let her words get to you!

"I know, I know!" Even though the wound wasn't deep, it was bleeding. But Alonso didn't take his hands from the sword to check it.

At this rate he'll by blood loss or that monster will get to him first... I need to find a way to fight instead of just defend...

If not for this poison in me... The place where the worshiper had grabbed and poured his energy into her was still throbbing. I need to ignore it...

While still sharing her senses with Alonso, she focused on the source of the ripples. I need to find the moment before the ripples appear...

When the Grand priest attacked, Tetsuko tried to keep track of her faint energy.

It's like trying to catch water with your bare hands... If only there was something to focus on her...