"Something's wrong, how the hell is he still standing?" Balki pondered heavily.
He was surprised that Valon was still able to keep up with him.
To make matters worse, he could feel himself slowly losing ground in their gruesome battle.
"He has spent so much animus to fuel that disgusting spite of his, but how is it still providing him with so much power!" Balki groaned as he parried one of Valon's strikes to the side.
Without a moment's rest, he quickly blocked another flurry of dreadfully accurate blows.
Balki had some knowledge about the nature of Valon's spite.
It was some type of symbiotic ability that coexisted with its user at all times. Some members of the concord even rumoured it to be alive.
Every surge of animus Valon fed his spite didn't just sustain the mist enveloping him – it fed it.
Unlike traditional enhancive abilities that drained animus to stay active, that thing thrived on what it was given, no matter the amount.
As if it were a beast feeding on whatever scraps it's given.
"Then why is he fueling it so sparingly?" Balki thought.
To make matters worse, Valon hadn't used a single martial technique. Balki knew that he was waiting for the right moment to cut him down in a single strike.
In response, he wanted to use more animus to enhance himself physically, but he had to use it sparingly. As such he retracted the [Ignite] ability from his long dagger to prevent further loss of animus.
The worst thing an awakened warrior could do was lose track of how much animus they had left.
If Balki wished, he could have returned the animus he had circulated through his body back into his core, but Valon was slowly bridging the gap in physical prowess.
"That spite of yours is truly troublesome, Valon!" Balki roared, parrying another of Valon's attacks and driving his serrated long dagger towards his side.
In a swift motion, Valon parried Balki's thrust and brought his long sword up into the air to defend against the masterful counter Balki had displayed; his blazing broadsword roared as its flames longed to burn Valon's flesh.
"You're becoming impatient, Balki."
Valon spoke confidently, shifting Balki's aspect to the side and landing a quick but strong back fist to his face.
Balki staggered back for a moment whilst simultaneously brandishing his serrated dagger with immense speed. However, it was all for naught.
Valon calmly leaned out of the attack's range, shifting his weight and slamming his foot into Balki's chest.
The blow pushed Balki back several metres and he groaned in pain from the shock.
He glanced down and saw the dent Valon's kick had left in his armour.
"Good." Balki thought briefly.
"So are you, Valon. I know the cost you have to pay for using your spite, especially when your core is as damaged as it is."
Balki responded, raising both his aspects towards Valon.
He could feel it… Their battle was reaching its climax, and he couldn't help but feel anxious.
Victory wasn't as clear as he thought it would have been; even though he was unsure of the battle's outcome, Valon didn't seem worried at all.
Instead, he was flashing a sickeningly wide smile that ran from ear to ear.
The aura around him slowly became more intense and suffocating, the faint wisps of composure and sanity vanishing from his eyes.
The true Smiling Blade had emerged.
"So what? All that matters now… is how I'm going to kill you. How about I carve you a smile wider than mine!" Valon responded, his smile growing even more demented.
Balki stepped back instinctively.
He had only heard rumours about Valon's true nature before, but he thought they were simple tales to boost Smiling Blade's reputation.
However, the moment he saw that smile he understood the reason Valon held that title and was feared within the concord.
***
Titles were like medals of honour or achievements granted to individuals that have performed notable tasks or actions; even being recognized by Law. These 'named' awakened, no matter their rank, are known all over the world and are regarded highly because of it.
Many aspiring awakened warriors hope to one day earn a title.
***
Title: [Smiling Blade]
Title Benefits: When you are consumed by the entity's madness, its power deepens and your strength multiplies.
"He's coming!" Balki roared inwardly.
His body instinctively tensed as he observed Valon assuming a low stance he knew all too well.
Valon was finally going to use the concords martial arts. It seemed his body was too weak to use it half-heartedly, but with the monstrous boon of strength he was wielding it seemed to be possible.
Following suit, Balki assumed a similar stance to Valon.
There was a single moment of silence where all the on lookers could hear even their own heartbeat.
Rosaly, Xaryus and Zadius could feel the battle coming to an end. They all had a bitter taste in their mouths because no matter who won, they were damned.
Then, in the next moment…
A strong wind blew through the clearing.
Balki and Valon moved forward with frightening speed, their bodies enhanced to the fullest and their spite brimming with power.
Balki knew the position Valon had assumed belonged to the first technique of the fanged serpent school of martial arts.
It was a single elusive strike that was made to breach an unsuspecting opponent's armour. However, the attack was not very fast nor was it powerful.
<
To counter, Balki used the fourth technique of the fanged serpent school of martial arts. An attack that held a greater amount of speed and power than Valon's.
"This is my win!" Balki rejoiced inwardly.
Lurching his aspects forward with resounding speed and lethality, his blows looked as if he had performed 8 strikes in a single moment.
Valon on the other hand, moved towards Balki's frightening attack with confidence that betrayed the devious smile on his face.
<
Driving his aspect forward, Valon's long sword violently weaved between all eight of Balki's attacks, sending each of them off kilter; each strike sent an array of sparks into the moonlit air.
His sword flowed up and through Balki's abdomen, blasting through his armouring aspect and leaving a grievous wound at his side.
Groaning in pain, Balki rolled to the ground with his initial momentum.
Quickly, he pressed his hands into his side to prevent his damaged innards from falling out. .
A stark feeling of dread flowed into Balki, he felt death slowly calling out to him as his blood gushed through his tightly squeezed fingers.
Standing a ways away Valon had already turned back to Balki, the sinister smile on his face replaced with an expression of exhaustion.
"I used too much power… I almost ruined my core!?" Valon groaned inwardly, his entire body reeling in pain.
Damage to one's core was akin to damage done to the soul, and no awakened, no matter their rank, could easily handle damage to their soul.
Valon's eyes had become blood shot and a strong taste of iron rested on his lips. His body reeled forward and a wave of blood shot out of his mouth.
He was in excruciating pain, but Balki was in a worse state.
Flashing a bloodied grin, Valon called out to Balki.
"If this was ten years ago, I would have cut you in half, Balki. You've grown stronger." Valon spoke out, slightly impressed.
However, his words fell on deaf ears.
"I don't need your consolation, Valon. This fight isn't o-"
Before Balki could finish his sentence, another strong wind passed through the clearing, and he suddenly felt a strong presence.
Valon felt it as well.
Their focus was suddenly pointed towards the edge of the clearing where Rosaly sat.
It was unnerving that they had both failed to sense such a powerful awakened so close to them, they had hidden themselves very well.
Xaryus and Zadius slowly looked in the same direction as Valon, their expressions flushed with anxiety and surprise.
Meanwhile, Rosaly's hair violently wisped in the strong wind.
It was a familiar feeling that she knew all too well… Faint memories from her youth filled her mind.
She remembered when she rushed to one of her guards every time thunder would strike outside of her manor walls.
The man's embrace was warm and comforting, more so than her own father. Eagerly, Rosaly followed everyone's gaze and glanced upwards.
Her eyes widened with relief…
There he was…
Her knight had finally come to save her.
Up there, standing afloat in the starry night sky was a male figure adorned in pristine silver armour with a prideful red cape billowing in the strong winds encasing him. His vibrant jade eyes were filled with a deep rage, and his handsome face was contorted by his withheld wrath.
Tears began to roll down Rosaly's soft, dirt covered cheeks.
She was safe…
"Velmo!" She cried out in a mix of emotions, her voice destroying the silence that flooded the clearing.
The last bit of strength she had was flushed away and only a young girl that wished to go home remained.