Morgan was in pain. Every part of his body ached. The sharp scent of blood filled the air, his blood to be precise.
Morgan winced as he shifted his weight to his left foot, a sharp wave of pain radiating through his side.
"I must’ve broken a few ribs when he slamd into the wall."
His arms trembled slightly as he raised them into a fighting stance.
Frederick slowly approached him, weaving from side to side.
The sound of his shuffling across the floor echoed through the hall, then suddenly disappeared as he dashed towards Morgan.
He feigned a jab then threw a punch from the opposite direction, but the boy moved like he’d already anticipated the movent, jabbing the punch away and following up with a series of body shots.
Morgan quickly danced away and lunged for the blades, rolling to his feet in one quick fluid motion.
The voice in his head was silent.
" I must have imagined it." He quietly murmured.
His mind was suddenly filled with clarity, and he could hear his heart pumping rhythmically in his chest.
His eyes caught sight of tiny particles of dust slowly filtering through the air.
Even Frederick seed to be moving in slow motion as he dashed towards him, radiating a silent killing intent.
" I can see his moves. I can see it."
" A jab, but it’s a feint to hide the hook from the side."
A mont later, he was upon him.
Morgan lunged forward instead of leaping back like Frederick had anticipated. A mont later, the poml of his blade cleanly connected with Frederick’s temple.
Frederick staggered back, grasping the cut on his forehead to stem the bleeding. Morgan was relentless.
A split second later, he had crossed the distance between slashing erratically at Frederick’s hands and legs.
The echo of clashing steel reverberated throughout the hall as the two clashed violently with trendous speed.
Morgan’s eyes blazed, fluidly following the opponent’s movents, his arms swinging through the air at a frenetic speed as he predicted the trajectory of his opponent’s blades and ca up with counterasures on the spot.
"It’s almost like I’ve seen this before, every move he’s making, I can see it, but I can’t react fast, not quite yet. I’m still too slow."
Morgan willed his tired body to move faster, then faster still.
A thin crimson line blood across Frederick’s forearm, welling with blood that slowly trickled down onto the ground.
He growled in fury and pressed forward aggressively, increasing the speed of his attacks.
Morgan sped up as well, matching him blow for blow while evading his attacks.
" This brat, it’s almost like he’s anticipating my moves while attacking at the sa ti. His body is slow to react, but still. Just what has he been through to react like this?"
The match was swiftly drawing to a conclusion.
Both of their bodies strained as they skidded across the stony floor, raising small clouds of dust.
Morgan lunged for Frederick’s throat once more. Frederick lunged forward simultaneously, blades hissing through the air to counter the blade aid at his throat.
At the last second, Morgan ducked low. His joints groaned, his muscles drew taut from the strain as he ducked even lower, swiftly darting between Frederick’s legs.
His blades flashed for a brief second as he rolled. And then, he slowly stood up. His entire body felt like it would break apart at any second.
Frederick’s eyes widened montarily.
Hios aze slowly shifted down to his legs. Shock marred his face as twin streams of blood trickled down from deep gashes in his thighs. He staggered forward, his face turning pale from the blood loss.
"Enough," Luke said calmly, striding forward.
" I believe the victor of this match is clear."
" Not bad, kid, not bad." Frederick grinned weakly, falling to his knees.
"Both of you, spend so ti in the Nexus chamber to tend to your injuries. We’ll be back here tomorrow."
Frederick groaned in pain as Luke apathetically hoisted him to his feet.
Brilliant, nicely done."
The sound of resounding clapping echoed through the hall.
Morgan’s head whipped around in surprise as he turned to look at the source of clapping.
A tall, dark-haired man slowly approached the trio while enthusiastically clapping his hands.
His azure eyes twinkled with mischief and delight. In his gloved hand, he held a majestic cane with an owl skillfully engraved on its handle.
Luke leaned Frederick on Morgan’s shoulder, stepping forward calmly to stand in front of Morgan and Frederick.
His crimson eyes stared, observing the man who stood before them.
"Lord Snow, I wasn’t inford of your arrival."
Marcus Snow smiled.
He tapped his cane on the tiled floor in a peculiar rhythm.
"I’m here to et Damien. It’s just that I was bored out of my mind waiting, so I decided to take a stroll around the premises. Ditching my entourage was a little difficult but manageable, and here we are."
Luke made a ntal note to give a piece of his mind to the guards later.
Unperturbed by Luke’s protective stance, Marcus strode until he was standing face to face with Luke.
He peered around him, glancing at Morgan.
" You must be Morgan Thane. It’s a pleasure to et you."
Morgan’s eyes widened in surprise, hearing his na from the stranger’s mouth.
" Who are you? How do you know ?
"Don’t look so surprised, dear boy, your father was a dear friend of mine, as is your uncle. My na is Marcus. Marcus Snow."
Seeing Luke’s stance, Morgan subtly shifted.
A hint of amusent flickered through Marcus’s eyes before he glanced back at Luke.
" Co on, loosen up. I do not an you any harm. If I did, we both know you wouldn’t be able to stop . I’m just hear for a little chat."
" Well, you’re quite right, still, it’s quite unsettling for a family head to move around unannounced, don’t you think, Lord Marcus?" Luke said coldly.
" I know, I just couldn’t help myself, I had to et the boy in person."
He expertly twirled his cane through the air and threw it up before deftly catching it in his hand. He sighed.
"We would have t eventually, but I wanted to et him before in less constrained circumstances and get to know him. And boy, he did not disappoint." Marcus smiled briefly, glancing at Frederick’s sorry state before continuing.
"I take it, you recently started training him, say, less than a year, but he’s already improved by leaps and bounds."
Frederick groaned slightly, then weakly raised a hand. Marcus shifted his gaze to him.
" Um, pardon , your Lordships and Grace, but I might die from blood loss if this goes on."
Frederick wasn’t sure if Marcus was a friend or foe, but what he did know was that they’d only hold Luke back by staying put.
Marcus chuckled lightly.
" Well then, I suppose I’ll have to wait another ti."
Luke quietly gestured for them to leave.
Morgan and Frederick began to slowly limp towards the Nexus chamber.
" Well, we’d better get out of here while I can still move at all, actually, " Frederick whispered.
"Honestly, I’d rather not be caught up in the ss that would unfold if those two decide to fight. We’d just be dead weight."
Morgan silently nodded in agreent.
Morgan staggered as Frederick leaned heavily on him. After what felt like an eternity, they made it to the Nexus chamber.
A mont later, the ground quaked beneath their feet. Small streams of dust flowed from the ceiling.
" What the hell is going on?"
Luke frowned in frustration. Everything seed hellbent on going wrong. Several explosions followed, rocking the building.
" Where the hell are the guards?" Luke quietly cursed.
The explosions quickly grew closer, growing more and more violent.
One of the training hall’s walls exploded in a shower of stone, dust, and wooden debris, as a huge dark object flew through it, violently crashing to the floor, creating a giant web of cracks that spread outward at the point of impact.
The dust slowly settled, revealing a deep crater in the forrly neatly tiled floor. The dark object stirred and groaned weakly.
Luke’s eyes widened as the man rolled and slowly got up to his feet with a curse. The man straightened his suit, brushing dust off the lapels of his suit.
" Mordric?" Marcus asked incredulously.
"In the flesh." The man growled.
" What’s going on here?" Luke asked, his gaze shifting between the two n in confusion.
" A bloody maniac," Mordric shouted, " that’s what’s going on."
"And who are you supposed to be?"
Marcus rolled his eyes.
" Mordric here is part of my security detail, which ans he’s supposed to be protecting . The last ti I checked, at least," He said, his voice oozing sarcasm.
Mordric’s eyes widened as a tall figure in a loose black T-shirt and black jeans climbed through the hole in the wall.
He took a fighting stance, focusing on the man’s silhouette through the dust.
" So you still want to continue this farce?"
The man calmly took his sunglasses, smiling wickedly.
A mont later, he materialized in front of Mordric. His fist flew through the air with inhuman speed. Mordric’s eyes widened in surprise as Luke grabbed his arm and threw him behind him, intercepting Conrad’s fist with his own.
A concussive shockwave rolled outward from the point of impact.
Another tremor swept through the building, cracking the walls. Conrad reared back, throwing another punch that Luke deftly caught in an iron grip.
The floor cracked as the two ferociously strained, neither budging an inch. Conrad grinned darkly, his dark russet eyes sharply contrasting with Luke’s crimson ones.
" That’s enough!" An authoritative voice commanded in a tone that brooked no denial.
A white haired man nonchalantly strode into the devastated hall, stopping so distance away from the conflict..
A heavy, suffocating presence filled with killing intent flooded the room.
Marcus grinned mischievously as the man walked towards him, slowly raising his hands in surrender.
" Damien, I swear, this isn’t what it looks like."
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