Their spears clashed again, but this time Alister felt a shift in the battle. He wasn’t attacking randomly now—he was reading her, predicting her movements. He could see the slight tension in her legs before she struck, the way her grip tightened before a powerful swing.
He anticipated her next move-another low sweep-and instead of dodging, he blocked it cleanly, his footwork perfect as he countered with a thrust toward her shoulder.
Mar’Garet barely had time to parry, her stance breaking for just a second as she stumbled back.
Alister’s confidence surged. “I think I’ve got you now.”
She narrowed her eyes, but there was respect in her gaze.
The tide of the battle had turned.
The pace of the battle escalated as Alister began to assert himself. He leaped forward, thrusting his spear. Mar’Garet parried, but Alister quickly redirected, following up with a sweeping arc aimed at her legs.
She jumped, narrowly avoiding the strike, but Alister anticipated her movement, spinning on his spear, lifting it above his head, and bringing it down in a powerful overhead swing. Mar’Garet deflected the blow but stumbled slightly, giving him the opening he needed.
He pressed forward, unleashing a series of rapid thrusts with intense bursts of speed that made every move a blur. Mar’Garet countered each one, sparks flying all around them, causing the air to whip violently.
Alister feinted to the left, then twisted his body, driving the spear toward her right side. She blocked it but was forced to take a few steps back.
Alister seized the moment, stepping in closer and using a low sweep to disrupt her balance. She barely managed to hop back, but Alister didn’t stop there. He charged in again, launching a combination of strikes-quick jabs and wide arcs-testing her defenses. Mar’Garet responded, their speed evenly matched, but she couldn’t properly anticipate or block all of them.
With a sudden shift, Alister changed his stance. He delivered a feigned thrust to her midsection, then quickly redirected the spear upward, catching her off guard as she raised her own weapon to counter.
In a swift motion, he flicked his spear downward, sending hers spiraling from her grip. The spear flew through the air, landing several feet away.
“Got you!” Alister exclaimed, breathing heavily as he stood, spear aimed at her. Mar’Garet seemed frozen in shock, slowly tilting her head to gaze down beneath her, her hair darkening half of her face.
Alister, still catching his breath, straightened up and glanced at Mar’Garet. “This is my win,” he said, his voice filled with quiet satisfaction.
Alzuring, watching from a distance, congratulated him. “Your skill with the spear is truly unrivaled, my lord.”
Alister smiled, nodding as he acknowledged the compliment. “Thank you. If only my disciple would finally admit that- ”
“My lord, look out!” Alzuring’s voice suddenly boomed in warning.
Alister’s instincts kicked in, and he snapped his attention toward Mar’Garet. She was charging toward him, but this time, she wasn’t holding her spear. For a moment, Alister was confused and alarmed.
‘Did she hate losing so much that she couldn’t accept defeat?’ he wondered.
But something was different. She was faster now, closing the distance between them at an alarming speed. Alister’s eyes widened in shock as he realized she was too close, too fast. His grip tightened on his spear, wondering if he would need to seriously put her in her place. But what came next wasn’t an attack.
Mar’Garet suddenly wrapped her arms around him, pulling him into a tight embrace. Alister froze, his eyes widening in shock as she buried her face in his chest. Her voice was soft, trembling with emotion as she spoke. “My lord… it’s really you…”
Alister, caught completely off guard, stood still for a moment, feeling the awkwardness of the moment settle over him.
“Yeah… it’s me,” he responded, his voice uncertain, his mind racing to understand what was happening.
When she looked up at him, her cold demeanor had completely melted away. Her eyes, sharp and calculating earlier, were now warm, almost vulnerable. Her grip around his back tightened as she whispered,
“I missed you.”
“I thought I’d never see you again.”
Alister hesitated, his mind conflicted. He knew Mar’Garet from his past, but this sudden shift in attitude unnerved him, it was new. Still, he decided to let it go, knowing she was someone precious to him, and she must have gone through a lot.
“I… I missed you too,” he finally said, though he felt uneasy saying so.
She gazed up at him, her expression softening even more. “Really? How much?”
Alister blinked, surprised by the question. “How much?” he echoed, not sure how to respond.
Alister forced a smile, trying to push through the awkwardness. “A lot,” he said softly, hoping that would be enough.
To his surprise, Mar’ Garet’s eyes widened slightly, a flash of emotion crossing her face before she buried her head in his chest again.
For a few moments, she held him like that, and just as Alister was beginning to feel slightly more uneasy, she suddenly pulled away. Without a word, she stepped back, moving toward where her spear had fallen.
Alister watched her silently, his thoughts swirling. ‘What is she up to now?’ he wondered, still trying to make sense of the sudden change in her behavior.
Mar’Garet bent down, retrieving her spear, and then, to his further astonishment, she slowly walked back to him.
When she reached his feet, she knelt down, her eyes lowered in deference.
“Mar’Garet Von Abyss-Void greets her lord,” she said, her voice sounding somewhat excited. “I am ready and eager to serve by your side once again,” she smiled at the end.
A look that almost seemed alien on her earlier cold face. ƒreewebɳovel.com
Alister looked down at her, speechless for a moment. He hadn’t expected this, but seeing her like this stirred old memories. “Rise, Mar’Garet,” he said, his voice a bit gentler now, “I look forward to a future with you as one of my generals.”
