Chapter 103 - Ninety-Nine

And face me he did.

He slashed out, literally, and for the look on his eyes he was done playing, his footwork increases and his slashes became a constant torrent of attacks and blades shushing in my direction, aiming for my heart and face; especially my face; with all moves smoothly integrating after each other and paring my own attacks, his eyes following my every move and reacting to a mere flinch of my paw.

Can he please stop aiming at my face about now? So childish, holding a grudge like that… Though it makes me quite content to have affected him in such way hehe.

His attacks grow faster and stronger as there is no point in trying to hide his crystal blades anymore, making him use then to the fullest, increasing his reach and dividing the speed of his defenses and attacks as he could bring another blade in with only the twist of his wrist.

Oh, so speed is what he wants? How about I give him some taste of mine then?

As my paws use all their might to keep the pace with him I, too, start to use my powers to the fullest and even if there were no trees around us anymore, all destroyed in the battle, the night itself still provided enough darkness for me to fight with more proficiency.

That's when my Shadow Tentacles come to play once more, and funny how, when I gained this ability, I frowned upon the name and thought it to be quite useless.

And yet they proved to be quite the ability to combination with myself. I make another pair of tentacles surface on my back as the weapons keep hitting each other and glinting through the night, and as the new pair surges many others appear on the floor, waiting over the surface.

That's when I start to play around with him.

Using the two tentacles on my back I impeller myself sideways, away from his attacks, only to be grabbed by a waiting tentacle that would throw me to the other side, making me dash around him quicker than any steps would be able to, flying around while keeping my direction controlled by the second pair of tentacles while the first keeps attacking as steady as my gaze upon my enemy.

I need to increase the number of weapons I have, I think mid-battle, how deadly would it be to have more than just two swords, increase the tentacles on my back, a devastating speed devil with hundreds of deadly blades slashing from its back?

Oh, he almost hit me there, I should focus a little more now, could apply these ideas later on for sure.

As the battles unfold and only his clothes take the hit I try to grasp more about his planes once more, so as I jump around searching for an opening I ask:

"But tell me, why conquer humans? Why have all the trouble? It has something to do with the countries from the south?" After all as far as I know he had only united places from the south, did it have something to do with being closer to his island and main base, or it was something more, something special? I was genuinely curious about his plans.

The south always had some disputes with the north part of the continent, especially because of the weather being the total opposite from each other, which made the south triumph in riches and food, having rivers and the sea to transport their goods, while the north had to survive the hunger and winter year after year.

But that only made then a tough bunch as far as I know, and is funny how much of this continent I still have to discover considering that I did not meet them much before only to crash their war and free the magical creatures, but well, if you think about it, with 18 years old I had explored more than most would do in a lifetime in this world so I can't complain.

"The south you say? Is just because it is an easy place to take over."

"How so? I don't understand…" I ask, feeling that inflating his ego and importance will make him talk more, so making myself ignorant and dumber would make him look even smarter.

Even though he is the fool here, of course.

"Ha! Isn't it obvious? Do I have to draw it for you? Is simply a matter that their kings are too weak; and fat in greed, a bunch of bloodsucking that could care less for their country. Can you believe that they do not even train their own soldiers? They buy from others places like mercenaries! Ha! Too easy, too dependent, they have been asking to be attacked for a long time now!"

"But what about the north and middle countries? You don't expect to-"

"Silence! Enough talking, fight me!" He says and rushes forward, the blade missing me by a fur ledge, glimmering beside my face.

"Could you stop aiming at my face? Is really annoying!" I say, now slightly worried that he may be aiming at my crystal, my weak exposed point, as I almost grab his leg with my teeth, biting the air and dashing forward to bump my head on his chin, having his stagger backward.

And hitting his face again.

"You! You are the one to say that!" Well is not like I'm aiming at your face though, I only happen to find an opening to hit it all the time you know? But at that he smiles, brushing his sore chin.

"Oh but don't you worry, I'll have your little brother pay in your place by tenfold!"

I knew what he was trying to do, the same I did with him before, to provoke him, to destabilize, to infuriate.

But knowing that did not stop me from getting furious at him.

My ears fold back as my lips rise up to show my rows of big sharp teeth as I growl and bark at him, the wild sound resonating like a powerful engine coming to life from my chest.

He smiles in a creepy way, amused, his eyes opening wide as his lips curve upwards.

"That's more like it." He says as he gets in position to slash at me.

Only that something unexpected happens.