A Stroke Of Originality

You’re a ballsy one. I’ll give you that.” Haru spoke. “To come here and challenge me? You’re asking to die,” he smirked.

“Give me my son back!” Yume yelled.

Haru laughed and looked around at his henchmen. “Bring me the boy.”

Moments later, one of the men came out with a child chained up and beaten.

“Kotaun!,” Yume gasped “Please, let him go!”

“I’ll make you a deal, give me a good fight, and I’ll let him go.”

“You monster! I’ll kill you!”

“Do you really think you can take me on?” Haru asked.

“Step down here, and find out!”

Haru snatched his spear and leaped down from his foyer. He outstretched his spear, pointing it at Yume.

“I only ask for a good match, and you can have the brat back. Maybe teach the kid some manners if you get him back. He did come here looking for a fight after all.”

Yume charged at him with rapid speed clashing his sword with Haru’s spear.

“I see you’re not one for talking anymore. Ha!” Haru laughed as he yanked his spear back and thrust it forward with immense power.

Yume blocked the attack, but the sheer power behind it lifted him off his feet. Again Yume charged, and this time he deflected an attack against the spear using its momentum against it. It surprised Haru, giving Yume a chance to get in close and attempt to land a deadly blow. A smile slowly creased the corners of Haru’s face as he grabbed his spear with his off-hand. Twisting his body in a quick motion grabbing Yume by the hair, flinging him away.

“That was a nice trick you just did. If it were anyone but me, they would probably be dead right now.” Haru laughed. “This is more interesting than I thought it would be.”

Switching to the offensive, Haru charged Yume swinging his spear relentlessly, packing speed and power with every swing. It overwhelmed Yume, knocking him off his feet every time he defended an attack.

“You aren’t getting winded on me, are you? I know you’ve got more tricks up your sleeve,” he said as he leaped back and pointed the spear in his adversary’s direction.

Yume stood there, trying to steady his breathing. Haru noticed his eyes kept wandering away from him and began to get suspicious that something was up.

“Kara, now!” Yume yelled out.

Haru looked around, and a woman came running out from the shadows with a dagger in her hands, surprising him. Instinct kicked in, and immediately he quickly thrust his spear into her chest. A sense of sorrow made its way into Haru’s mind when he realized what had just happened. He quickly shook it from his head and turned his attention back to Yume, who was charging in fast. Haru swiftly shook her from his weapon and thrust it backward, hitting Yume in the gut with its hilt knocking the wind from his body. Following up with a rapid stab through his stomach. Grabbing the spear, Yume propelled forward, digging the spear deeper and grabbing ahold of Haru.

“Kara… Get up and do—oo it now.” Yume commanded as blood dripped from his mouth.

Yume held him as tight as he could while Haru fought to get loose. Kara pushed herself up from the brink of death and ran her dagger into Haru. Luck wasn’t on their side, as the dagger didn’t penetrate his armor before she fell lifeless. Shortly after she fell, Yume’s arms loosened, and Haru caught him before he fell to the ground. He placed him next to Kara and walked in silence as he made his way back to the foyer.

“Should we kill the kid boss?” A man asked.

Without warning, Haru’s spear cleaved his head clean from his neck. All of his henchmen wore a face of shock as they watched his head roll.

“If anyone else has a stupid question to ask, I’ll be sure to answer it promptly. Otherwise, let the kid go and make sure he makes it out of here,” he said as he began to sit in silence.