Snow kept falling heavily over the wide field, and thick fog blurred the sight. Taro stood ready, his new scarf fluttering in the cold wind. In front of him, Kevin faced him with a sharp and serious stare, holding his sword. The storm made it hard to see anything far, but their eyes locked clearly through the fog.
Then, Kevin said:
"I know a lot about you, TaroAbodo. How you stopped Armageddon's raids four months ago even I wasn't there, and about your secret power. You may be worthy of becoming a knight, and my rival."
Then he pointed his sword at Taro.
"Now, I challenge you to a duel," he added. "Will you accept it and prove yourself worthy? Or will you refuse and run away like a coward?"
Taro stared at him silently with a serious look, unable to say a single word. He didn't want to duel him, not for being frightened, but because he didn't want to hurt him at any cost. At the same time, he didn't understand anything Kevin said. However, judging by his speech, Taro realized that Kevin knew lots of secrets he didn't know himself.
Then, Taro decided to accept his duel, grabbing his sword from the ground, a sign of acceptance. He didn't accept for anything like courage-proving or power-worthy. He accepted just to know what Kevin knows, especially calling him 'Azure Knight'.
Instantly, Kevin began glowing with a massive red aura around him.
"Very well, let the duel between the Azure and Crimson Knights begin," Kevin said.
Then suddenly, he rushed forward with his blade. Taro blocked with his sword, creating a massive clash between their blades. Kevin kept circling behind, striking again and again. Taro felt how heavy Kevin's strikes were heavier than anyone he had faced before.
Then, he started using his azure shield, blocking with it instead. Kevin stopped after seeing it, saying while standing still:
"I see, you managed to use your glowing shield."
Then he started glowing again, heavier than before.
"But for how long...?" He added, his eyes glowing massively.
Suddenly, he began slashing toward Taro's shield. After a few hits, hit by hit, the shield completely vanished, nothing remained but its fading leftovers. Then, Kevin stood still, saying:
"Your shield's activation is entirely based on your mana. As long as you have enough, you will be able to unleash it. Yet, each hit can consume from your mana depending on the damage."
Then, he closed his eyes, adding:
"TaroAbodo, your shield isn't the only thing within your sleeves you count on, is it? Unleash your wizard's magical boost and do not hold back."
Taro stood in silence, shocked and serious.
Who exactly is that person?Taro thought. He knows me more than I know myself, how could he...?
Then he took his breath, and smiled after:
This duel's going to be exciting... he's such an unexpected and powerful opponent.
Immediately, Taro began glowing, a sign of Enzo's boosting magic. Kevin started glowing as well for an unknown reason, apparently because of his sword. Then, both rushed toward each other, swinging their swords in perfect timing, clashing their blades without a single hit onto their body.
After a few minutes, both jumped backwards, catching their breath from these long swings. Then Kevin smiled and said:
"Not bad. You showed me how powerful you can be."
Then, he started holding his sword with both hands.
"However, this is far from over," he added. "This duel is mine."
Suddenly, a massive aura burst from the blade. The air grew heavier than anything Taro had felt before. After that, a huge red wyvern symbol appeared behind Kevin, a sign of something dangerous and unmatched coming.
Taro was shocked, trying to stand barely from that heavy pressure. Enzo's boosting magic started fading away. Taro couldn't rethink of a solution, and he rushed forward to stop him.
"Don't blink!" Kevin said suddenly.
The moment Taro was close to Kevin, Kevin moved away instantly. Then suddenly, Taro's blade was shattered in half. On top of that, his left shoulder started bleeding massively. It wasn't very dangerous, yet painful. Taro couldn't understand what happened there, but apparently, Kevin's powerful slash was too fast he couldn't see. Taro deduced that his blade wasn't normal as it looked. Taro stood still, covering his bleeding shoulder with his right hand while holding his shattered sword with his left one.
Kevin put his sword back, then he looked at Taro while showing him his back.
"A normal sword won't stand against my final blow," he said. "You proved yourself of being a knight, yet you're still far from perfection. Not only will you fail to protect whoever you love, you won't even be able to protect yourself. Until next time, I don't want to see you in this pathetic situation."
Then, he disappeared inside the fog.
Taro, meanwhile, heard his words with a silent and cold expression, looking down in shame. Then instantly, he collapsed to the ground, covered with snow and blood. Taro was defeated.
Around 11 PM, Vincy and Yukiko noticed how Taro was too late. They were worried about him, especially when the snowy storm became stronger. Vincy started preparing himself, wearing his jacket and his scarf.
"Where do you think you are going?" Yukiko asked.
"What do you think, genius?" Vincy responded. "I'll go find Taro. I can't just stay here wishing that he's alright."
Before Vincy could touch the door handle, someone opened the door. It was Taro. He returned in a miserable state, holding his shattered sword. His left arm and both of his hands were covered in blood. On top of that, his body was mostly covered by snow.
The moment they saw him, they froze in shock.
"Taro! What happened to you?!" Vincy shouted.
Yukiko rushed to heal him, but he stopped her by raising his arm. He silently went to the bathroom, leaving a trail of blood and snow behind him.
He hung his new scarf on the hanger behind the door, while his clothes went into the laundry. Then he sat in the bathtub, washing off all the blood and snow. After the bath, he grabbed his towel and a long white wrap from the medical cabinet in the bathroom. He wrapped his shoulder slowly to stop the bleeding. After that, he wore his sleeping clothes and went to sleep.
The moment he went down to the living room, he saw Vincy and Yukiko waiting for him. He made a fake, faint smile and convinced them it was nothing important. Yukiko asked why he refused to let her heal him. He wrote that it was not a big deal, just a small injury. That excuse didn't convince them, but they stopped asking, not wanting to bother him.
Taro refused because he didn't want to remove that scar on his shoulder, leaving it as a memory so he would never forget that day. Kevin's words were not removed from Taro's mind until now. He was ashamed of himself much more than any time before. He decided not to mention that to any of the others, not letting anyone worry about him, by putting fake smiles on his face.
Then, before he could crouch to clean his trail of blood and snow, Vincy and Yukiko stopped him, cleaning it instead.
"Yamero, Taro," Yukiko said, "let us handle the cleaning!"
"Yeah, better rest instead. You can sleep where I sleep if you want," Vincy replied.
Taro thanked them, yet he refused and slept on the couch like he used to.
January 18, 2009 – Sunday.
Since last week, Taro couldn't use his left arm well. Instead, he relied on his right one for the easy tasks. He couldn't cook until it recovered, so he went to buy fast food whenever there was nothing in the fridge.
At night, he sat at the hill, communicating with Enzo for a little while.
"Are you feeling well?" Enzo asked.
I'm all good, thank you, Taro thought, looking down. You saw that duel?
"Yes. I was shocked by what I saw there–" Enzo said, before being interrupted.
Enzo... I mean no offense, but who exactly are you? Not only that... who am I?Taro asked.
Enzo stared at him silently, then closed his eyes and looked forward.
"I wished not to reveal it yet, but it seems I have no choice," he answered.
"Before I speak further," Enzo added, staring back at Taro, "there is a long journey ahead of you. I suggest you take it. Not only shall it reveal what you know not, but much more beyond. What do you say?"
I agree, Taro thought, It doesn't matter if it's dangerous. As long as I defend those I see, and let no one else bear the weight in my place.
"Very well... then you must prepare yourself before we go," Enzo said.
Then, Taro went back home, quietly picking up a backpack containing additional clothes, water bottles, some snacks, and other things. After that, he picked a paper and started writing on it like a farewell message. The topic was that he'd stay away for a few months from Brookhaven.
Before he could write more details, Vincy saw him.
"Hey Taro, where are you going?" He asked.
Taro stared at him, surprised, not wanting to tell him anything. After a few seconds, Vincy picked the paper without reading it.
"Actually... it doesn't matter, pal," Vincy added, tearing the paper. "Do whatever you feel is right. I'll handle the rest. Just get back safe!"
Vincy offered his fist for a bump. Taro smiled, and bumped his fist with him.
Then, Taro headed to the forest, and it was almost sunrise. He reached where he found Enzo for the first time, and where he buried Varnok. He opened a portal with the help of Enzo, and entered it.
When he reached his destination, he saw huge castle walls, with a blue flag atop each of its four corners. Enzo appeared, then he gestured with an open hand toward the castle gates and said:
"Welcome to the Azure Kingdom!"