The Infinite Bk. 03 Ch. 12

Noah had micromanaged the blacksmiths half to death to make sure the forging process went perfectly, but it was worth it. Since coming to this world, every sword he used ended up either breaking or being lost, with none of them seeming to fit with him quite right. This sword had been custom-made just for him, and holding it in his hand, it felt like a true partner. He was a bit excited to finally receive it, and enjoyed the weight in his hand and on his belt.

It was almost noon, and the new initiates would soon fill the academy fields. Noah stepped out of his room, carrying his backpack and wearing his ring with his new sword on his hip, and locked his door one last time. He met with Alexis and Sophia outside. Alexis had given up her academy uniform and was once more wearing the battle dress from when they first met, while carrying an enchanted bow made for her like Noah's sword. Beside her, Sophia wore the white vestments of a healer and held a wand she made herself in Sir Elyot's class, one to aid her healing magic. They also carried swords with them, though they were ceremonial blades.

"I missed that dress. It looks good on you," he said.

"Thanks, it feels nice to wear it once more."

"You look very handsome," said Sophia with a smile.

"Thank you. Those robes suit you nicely. Now then, shall we?"

They and all the other graduates left the academy and marched to the royal palace, led by Valia. For most, this was their first time going inside, and marching down the halls, they gawked at the great tapestries and paintings hanging on the walls. They were guided to the throne room, an almost cathedral-like grand and expansive chamber. The walls and floor were decorated with exquisite tile and wood gathered from exotic sources, with lines of flags hanging from the raised ceiling, supported by great pillars. Members of the royal court, including nobles and royal subordinates, were gathered in tiered seating along one side of the room, opposite a row of great open windows and doorways that let in the summer breeze.

The king sat upon his throne with a golden crown on his head and rings on each finger. Like all proper rulers, he had been weathered by stress, and age was starting to take its hold, but he still appeared strong. Standing beside him was Adwith Tarnas, wearing his polished armor as always. The cadets stood at attention in several lines, awaiting their orders. The king gave a flick of his finger,gold and they all kneeled.

"Men and women of Uther, I welcome you," said the king, getting to his feet. "You gather here before me because destiny has called upon you, to be both the sword and the shield of this nation, to defend it with every ounce of strength in your bodies, and I stand here before you to bestow the power and authority deserved by those willing to live and die for such a righteous cause. Now, recite the oath of the knighthood and pledge yourself to protect the people, land, and crown of Uther!"

As one, all the cadets spoke.

"Stand, so you may never fall!

Fight, so you may never die!

Charge, so you may never fear!

On crimson earth and beneath blackened sky!

With honor, we live!

With integrity, we fight!

May they sing of our strength!

How off our helms shines dawn's light!

Be it through a forest of blades or arrows' storm!

To fight for our people, we have sworn!"

The king nodded. "Live for those words, and may you recite them with your dying breath. Now, I shall bestow you your titles. First, my son, step forward."

Seraph got to his feet and approached the king, then once more got down on one knee. His weapon of choice was a hammer, but like Alexis and most others, he carried a ceremonial sword, which he now held out to his father. The king picked up the blade.

"Cadet Seraph Yern Bravik Albion, do you swear to uphold the laws of the land, to devote yourself to the protection, wealth, and prosperity of its people, and to live and die for king and country?"

"I swear."

The king tapped him on both shoulders with the sword. "Then by the authority of the crown and the blessing of the gods, I dub thee Sir Albion, Knight of Uther!" He handed Seraph back the sword and a golden ring with the national crest.

Seraph received both gifts to the sound of the spectators' thunderous applause, then got back to his feet and returned to his earlier place among the cadets. The ceremony continued, each cadet having their name announced and then stepping forward to receive their name and title. Finally, Noah's name was called, causing a wave of hushed whispers among the spectators, most of them surprised that he was even allowed into the castle.

He had the support of all the academy teachers, and he had more than proven his skill during the Red Revelries, but stepping forward, Noah noted the coldness in the king's eyes. His guilt in Galvin's injuries had never been proven, but he was still a suspect, and his public sex with the duchess had severely tarnished the kingdom's reputation. Noah assumed he was only being knighted under the premise of keeping friends close and enemies closer.

He got down on one knee and presented his sword.

"Cadet Noah, do you swear to uphold the laws of the land, to devote yourself to the protection, wealth, and prosperity of its people, and to live and die for king and country?" The question was asked with a cold tone of distrust.

"I swear."

The king tapped him on both shoulders. "Then by the authority of the crown and the blessing of the gods, I dub thee Sir Noah, Knight of Uther."

Noah received his sword and ring, but there was no applause of any kind, not that he expected any. This wasn't his first time being knighted, and he had attended chiefly out of curiosity, wanting to see if the king would go through with it. But now that he had been knighted, he had other concerns.

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It was now the middle of the afternoon, and the excitement of the festival had yet to fade. People were cheering for the parading knights and celebrating everything good in their lives. All the noise made for the perfect cover. Over in the slums, empty of people, Noah sat on the edge of a destroyed fountain with his sword beside him, watching the shadows move.

"I was beginning to think you weren't going to show," he said. He was addressing Seraph, finally arriving.

"I wouldn't miss this for the world," the prince replied. Rather than his ceremonial sword, he was armed with a sledgehammer, enchanted like all knight weapons. "Before I kill you, just tell me one thing. Those injuries by brother suffered, you did that to him, right?"

"Did you really think it was anyone else? You should have heard the way he screamed when I gouged out his eyes."

"You bastard!" he hissed, coming alight with holy energy.

"He brought it upon himself and got to experience a tiny fraction of the pain he caused me." Noah got to his feet and traded his red tunic for a black overcoat. "I warned the two of you repeatedly that antagonizing me would lead only to your suffering, but in your arrogance and stupidity, you both threw caution to the wind and believed yourselves mighty enough to be my rivals. Your wealth, your magic, your lineage, you think they make you masters of the universe, but you'll never be anything more than paper boats floating on the sea, and now I must act as the hurricane to teach you how weak you truly are."

Seraph released a roar of fury and zoomed towards Noah like a radiant comet, swinging his hammer with the full intent to kill. Noah parried the first swing and the one that came next, as well as the third. Hammer blows began raining down on Noah, each one dodged or redirected, but not without some close calls. Seraph was fighting with more fury than he had shown in any of his duels, with his physical abilities seeming to increase with each passing second.

He was inhumanly fast, as though experiencing a different flow of time, and he stopped Noah's every attempt to create distance. When struck with his hammer, the earth would blossom open into craters, as though hit with mortar rounds, while any buildings would crumble like lines of dominoes. His speed and strength surpassed Noah's, and his skill and technique were impressive. Though arrogant, he was certainly no slacker.

Noah held his own and took his time to analyze Seraph's patterns. Blocking was impossible, and dodging was getting harder and harder as Seraph got more worked up. Still, Noah had been watching his fights with Gideon and the other cadets and had worked out a few strategies.

Noah pulled a card from his sleeve. "Mist Bomb."

A barrage of illusory spheres was launched towards Seraph, all exploding before they reached him and immersing him in a thick cloud of fog. Though surrounded, any fog that came within six feet was burned away by his mana shroud. Concealed with magic, Noah attacked him from behind, and as soon as he crossed that six-foot range, his invisibility was halved, and his presence was revealed. He managed to slash Seraph across the back of the shoulder, but narrowly avoided the counterattack.

'Just as I thought, I can't rely on my illusions in this fight.'

The wound on Seraph's shoulder was shallow and healed on its own in seconds, but the pain and blood broke his rhythm. Noah took advantage of that momentary lapse and delivered another three cuts from different angles, each one drawing an excruciating shout. With the pain came fury, and Seraph released a howl of rage. "Soul Burst!" An explosion of holy energy was released in all directions, erasing the fog and hitting Noah like a splash of boiling water. Now able to see him, Seraph aimed his palm at Noah. "Searing Radiance!" A powerful beam of holy energy was released, hitting Noah before he could dodge, and forcing him to take it on the shoulder while he protected his head. "Burn, you son of a bitch! Burn!"

He was silenced by an elbow strike to the face, one that came faster than he thought possible and strong enough to send him flying. It was a blow that few could survive, and it was a struggle for Seraph to get back on his feet.

"What... what did you do?" he asked, trying to steady himself.

"Simple, I came prepared," said Noah, his coat now glowing. "What I'm wearing is more than a fashion statement; it's an anti-paladin weapon. This special fabric absorbs holy energy and uses it to bestow a full-body monk enhancement, so the harder you hit me, the harder I can hit you. I couldn't have made it without help from your brother's ex-fiancée."

"That's a cowardly trick!"

"I warned you that there would be no rules in this fight, and once again, you display your incompetence and inability to listen. I was smart enough to prepare for this battle, and you weren't. It's as simple as that. This has nothing to do with pride or honor; this is about revenge."

Noah zoomed forward and went on the attack. All of his physical abilities had been boosted, allowing him to slip past Seraph's guard and slash his chest. Seraph roared in pain and tried to counter, but Noah was already on the opposite side from his hammer. The slashes kept coming from all directions, and though Seraph managed to block a few, blood was pouring freely. They were all shallow and avoided vital areas, as Noah didn't want Seraph dying off too quickly. When he finally dropped to one knee, Noah backed off.

"Normally, I have rules against revenge. Every time I hurt or kill someone, it is to prevent them from wronging me in the future, never for wronging me in the past. I swat flies, not rip off your wings and legs for bothering me. I live this way because I don't want to take joy in harming people, even in retribution. I don't want to be that person. Sadism is a bad habit that I've worked hard to break, and then you four came along and broke my streak."

"The four of us? You're responsible for what happened to Henryk and Mark!"

"That's right, you're all guilty for the Knight's Sheath fire. Do you know what's happening to your brother and friends right now? Henryk's brain is shrinking in his skull from lack of stimuli while his body wastes away. Mark is getting his ass turned inside-out atop a vomit-soaked mattress. Galvin is succumbing to dementia and screaming into everlasting darkness. And you? You're going to die in a fucking gutter in the fucking slums, and you'll only be remembered as trash. After what you did to me, the ecstasy I feel in making you suffer, the intensity of my pleasure, is nothing short of perverse."

The way Noah spoke made every word cut into Seraph like blades of ice. He remembered experiencing this bloodlust before, after his duel with Alexis. His aura began to fade as fear crept into his mind like poison, only to be expunged by rage.

"You're a goddamn fool, a heretic! So what if they burned down your whorehouse? You think you can hurt my brother and friends, and I'll let you live?! I am Light's Emissary, and for you to harm my allies in vanity is an act of sacrilege!" His aura skyrocketed in intensity while all his wounds closed. The prince got back to his feet, now looking like he was burning in a great bonfire, with his body just a faint silhouette. "This is no longer personal revenge; this is now divine punishment! You have made yourself an enemy of God's messenger, so with God's might, I will strike you down!"

"Perfect," said Noah, reforming his stance. "I don't want you to die while holding anything back. I want you to lament in your final moments that even your best just wasn't good enough."

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Befitting the holiday, a parade of knights roamed the city. Knights on foot or horseback walked the roads in between various floats while waving to festival-goers. Among them was the newest batch of bronze-rank knights, receiving a wish of good luck from the people. After an exhausting year in the academy, any kind of positive reinforcement and approval was welcome. Most smiled and waved, but others, like Alexis, were bothered by it all. 'I haven't earned this yet,' they told themselves.

Noah's absence wasn't helping her feel any better. Had he already left the city and set off with Valia Zodiac? It pained her, the thought that she had lost her chance to say goodbye. It was when she noticed Seraph's absence that despair turned into dread. Tarnas, watching the parade from atop his horse, came to the same unspoken conclusion.

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Again and again, Noah and Seraph's weapons collided with an audible shockwave. Their storms of attacks were endless, and they never stayed in one place for more than a second, the two of them zooming around like gas molecules. Wherever they fought, there was utter destruction, with lines of derelict structures being smashed to dust in the crossfire. Seraph had now become a living sun, and all of his physical abilities had been further enhanced, but with Noah's coat acting as a solar panel, he too wielded superhuman speed and strength.

The problem was that his coat only absorbed half of the energy Seraph was releasing. Though he dodged, blocked, and countered all of Seraph's hammer swings, Noah was still getting irradiated with holy energy, and the pain was immense. He tasted blood, and it was getting hard to see. Still, he had not come this far to be stopped by something so small as pain. He and Seraph exchanged blows once more, and finally, Seraph's hammer was destroyed. Noah had been aiming for the handle, and though it had the durability of a true knight's weapon, his repeated strikes finally broke it.

With Seraph now unarmed, Noah closed in and began hacking away at the prince. Seraph's skill and reaction speed were superb, and he managed to avoid most of the attacks as well as block with the shaft of his hammer, but every time Noah's sword ripped through his flesh, the pain broke his focus. Blood splattered the surrounding surfaces and flew off Noah's sword, and though every wound healed instantly, they'd be immediately replaced by two more.

In a move that would have been suicidal if performed by anyone else, Seraph went on the offensive and closed in. As Noah slashed him across the left shoulder with his sword, Seraph's right fist pulverized three of his ribs. He didn't let up, pursuing Noah and betting everything on his healing ability. He'd hurl punches and kicks while Noah would attack with his sword, aiming for simultaneous injury. Noah had protected himself with some plate armor under his clothes, but even a grazing blow was like a beanbag round from a shotgun. Seraph's attacks were rapid-fire, and he could cross any distance, so simply dodging wasn't an option.

Despite the dire situation, Noah wasn't giving up. He was too driven by fury and bloodlust to feel any kind of hopelessness. Besides, Seraph was a sun now beginning to set. The roaring torrent of mana he had been burning with was weakening. As powerful as he was, not even he could maintain such a state for long, and every injury robbed him of strength. It was time to break him.

Seraph lunged forward for another strike, and Noah switched the grip of his sword, freeing up his hand. Before Seraph's incoming punch could land, he was struck in the face with a round object. It was a glass orb, shattering upon impact and releasing its liquid payload. Seraph howled in agony and gripped his face as his flesh melted, one of his eyes almost dissolving.

"What the fuck is this?!" he screamed, now with his fingers disintegrating.

"That's called acid, basically what slimes are made of," Noah said as he conjured a healing potion from his ring and drank it in one gulp. "Brawn, meet Brains."

Seraph's healing ability was working to repair the damage, but the acid had to run its course before it would stop. Two more orbs struck Seraph, splashing his shoulder and leg with acid. He continued to scream, unable to do anything to stop the pain. Noah was without mercy, stepping forward and cutting through Seraph's cheek with his blade. He staggered back, struggling to stand, and Noah calmly pursued him while slashing again and again. He avoided all the vital arteries so the prince wouldn't bleed out, but he cut deep into the muscle and shredded his flesh, with each healing wound further weakening his aura.

Seraph eventually collapsed, stuck on his back like a flipped tortoise, with Noah standing over him and continuing to stab and slash until the holy flames were finally extinguished. The prince lay, bloody and struggling for breath. His wounds were still closing, but at a snail's pace.

"So, do you admit defeat?" Noah asked.

"Eat shit and die," Seraph cursed.

"Good, good, I don't want your pride breaking just yet."

"Noah, that's enough!" Noah turned, spotting Alexis nearby. "You've beaten him; it's time to stop."

"How did you know I'd be here?"

"I had a feeling, and once I entered the slums, his screaming led me right to you both. Look, you know I despise Seraph, but I can't stand by and watch his happen."

"Well, unfortunately, that's exactly what you're going to do."

"Not if I have anything to say about it," said Tarnas, appearing from the opposite direction. He was wrapped in the same holy aura that Seraph used. "Drop the sword, or I'll end you where you stand, boy."

"Excuse me, but I'm a fuckmothering knight. I killed a LOT of people to earn this title, and I deserve to be called such."

"Final warning," Tarnas growled.

"Damn, I didn't want to do this," Noah muttered.

His sword disappeared into his ring and was replaced by a round disk object, much like his soundproofing device. He turned the two halves and dropped it on the ground. A red magic circle appeared, expanding to fifty feet in diameter and stopping at Alexis's and Tarnas's feet. A wall of scarlet flame emerged from the edge of the circle, and with it, a force field of red energy. Tarnas touched the barrier with his sword, and not only was it solid, it reacted, and instantly, his weapon and arm were burning as if they had been doused in gasoline. He stepped back, ripping the armor off his arm while using his energy to extinguish the flames. He narrowly avoided being burned.