Moyako…
The first day of the second bracket has arrived, and as she expected, Marcus also advanced to the next round.
She had been among the audience when his fight was taking place. Yet as the fight played out, she was disappointed that she was unable to gauge his full strength.
However, it was what happened after the fight took place that she found most interesting. She wasn’t able to hear the conversation taking place between them, but it was obvious that they had some kind of personal grudge with each other.
Moyako knew Cole personally, and was well aware that he is from Terra and thrown out of time like her. It wouldn’t surprise her if, he too, knew Marcus and had business with him. Although, he had never brought it up to her, so she wouldn’t get involved.
Their issues are their own, and she had no interest in them.
For now, she needed to focus on her next fight, and unfortunately, it was up against her former comrade Ranni.
If at all possible, she would prefer to avoid a fight with Ranni to spare her any further humiliation but it couldn’t be helped. She had to win if it meant she would move on to the next round and win her wager with Marcus.
Though, if he ends up losing before they have a chance to fight, then all the better.
As she was walking down the hallway and into the waiting room to be called upon for her fight, she found Camilla and Raum already waiting there for her.
Upon seeing her, Raum dropped to one knee in front of her as he usually did, much to her confusion.
Camilla nodded to her but said nothing.
“I’m surprised to see all of you waiting for me again,” she said.
Camilla shook her head and said, “You misunderstand. Round one and two of the second bracket is taking place today. So I am waiting for my fight as well. In fact…I’ve had some interesting developments take place in regards to my personal goals.”
“Oh? Do tell,” Moyako said with an intrigued tone as she raised her eyebrows.
Camilla sighed in exasperation as she said, “It seems that the false Queen Hylla’s daughter Hilda is an admirer of the Nøkkran Assassins. In fact, she’s taken a liking to me personally and wants to help.”
Moyako’s eyes narrowed and her head tilted forward as she spoke with a wary voice, “Camilla…I would advise you not to be so trusting of someone you had considered to be your enemy, only for them to turn around and say they want to be your friend. Where I come from, there is a saying.”
“‘Keep your friends close and your enemies even closer.’ Yes, I know. You’ve told me that plenty of times in the past, and you need not remind me,” Camilla interrupted her as she rolled her eyes.
“Are you certain that you can trust this woman to aid you and it won’t come back to hurt you?” she asked.
Before Camilla could respond, Raum decided to speak up.
“I’ve met this woman Hilda, and so far, every word that she has spoken was truthful. She seems genuine and devoted to Camilla’s cause. In fact, you could say that Hilda idolizes her.”
Moyako sighed and said, “If that’s how things are, then I won’t interfere.”
Hearing that, Camilla’s expression turned sour as she asked, “So you are still unwilling to involve yourself?”
“As I’ve said before, it is your kingdom and your problem to deal with. You have no right to demand that I involve myself in your problems,” she said with a bite in her voice.
Camilla then walked forward and said, “Should we handle this dispute using our old ways?”
Hearing that, Moyako laughed and said, “As in trial by combat? Are you serious?”
“Very. May I remind you, when I served as your second in command, I never once challenged you. Whether in a fight or otherwise, I did not argue or counter your decisions. Though now, the situation has changed.”
Moyako then tilted her head back and said, “Then let your voice be heard. If you want to challenge me, come out and say it.”
Camilla stared into Moyako’s eyes as she said, “I challenge you to a duel. If I defeat you, then you will aid me in taking back my kingdom.”
“Very well. Should we wait until today’s match is over or-”
“No. I want to fight you in the arena where we can display our strength to the fullest. I’m patient enough to wait until I can show your defeat to the entire world.”
With those last words, Camilla left the room and Moyako looked down at Raum who was still kneeling before her.
“What? Nothing to say? Usually you would leap at the opportunity to defend me. What has changed?”
“With all due respect, for the first time in my life, I am on Camilla’s side over yours in this circumstance. It would be in your best interest to aid her.”
Moyako scoffed at his words and replied, “To hell with that. I will crush her and make sure she never asks me to help with her fool’s errand ever again. I have more important things to worry about than her fallen kingdom.”
“Such as your father?” Raum asked.
Moyako glared at him and he bowed his head.
“Forgive me. That was...rude of me. I will not mention it again.”
She sighed and said, “No...its fine. You are correct. I consider my father to be more important to me than Camilla’s kingdom.”
“But…haven’t you already achieved your goal? Haven’t you found him?”
She shook her head as she said, “There is more to it than that.”
“Then...I must ask something of you. If you do find a way to return to Terra with your father, then what next? I doubt that is a journey you will return from.”
“I…I will have to figure out those details later. For now, I must honor Camilla’s challenge and defeat Marcus as well if I want to see things through.”
As she walked onto the floor of the arena once again, she tried to sense Marcus among the audience but it didn’t seem that he was present at all.
What a shame… she thought to herself.
She then directed her attention to the opponent walking towards her.
Ranni, the Mist Blade, her former comrade in arms, had long been reduced to a decrepit old woman.
Despite being much younger than her, age has not been kind to poor Ranni.
The steps that she took on her way to stand before Moyako, which were once full of such grace and finesse, were wobbly and strained.
She may have been able to advance to the next stage against the Mordrinite soldier Terrance, but this is as far as she would go.
“I hope that you are well aware of what you are getting yourself into Ranni. Fighting me, especially in your state, is suicide,” she said with a somewhat gentle tone.
“Do not patronize me. At least allow me the respect of maintaining a meager scrap of honor,” she said in a gravelly voice.
Moyako smiled and nodded as she replied, “Very well then. I’ll speak nothing of it.”
“Although, I do have a request to make of you,” she said as she gingerly pulled her sword from its sheathe.
Moyako raised her eyebrows in interest as she asked, “What would that be?”
“I know that I can never defeat you in a battle of strength, so would you allow me to fight you in a battle of skill alone? The match is yours regardless, but would you humor me this one time?” she asked as she gripped her sword as firmly as her frail hands would allow her.
Moyako pulled her katana from its sheathe and said, “Very well. If that is what you want, then I will honor your wish.”
Ranni smiled as a gesture of thanks as the announcer called for the start of the match. However, before she could take more than a couple steps forward, Moyako thrust out her hand and Ranni froze in place. Her thumb and middle finger were pressed against each other as if she were about to snap them.
“Y-you would go back on your word? How could you?!” Ranni said through gritted teeth.
Moyako looked at her with amusement in her eyes as she said, “You misunderstand my intent. I do not want to fight an old crone with half a foot already in the grave. I want to fight you at your peak.”
With that, she snapped her fingers and Ranni’s appearance began to change.
Her wrinkled skin became smoother, the color in her eyes shined brighter, and her hair which was a pale white was now a deep brown.
Her gravelly voice came out smooth, albeit shaky and confused as she said, “W-w-what is this? This is not Nøkkra's power, not the manipulation of fate. How did you-”
“It is my way of giving you a chance to show me the dedication you poured into honing your skills with the sword,” she said as she extended her arm and pointed the tip of her sword at Ranni’s chest as she said, “Come and show me what you can do.”