Chapter Forty-Three

Chapter Forty-Three

Father, give me strength. DJ launched the lance forward like a pool cue before twisting back and lunging again at a different height.

EDJ grinned sadistically as he sidestepped the first strike and parried the second. “You thought you could land a double strike on me if you initiated combat?!” EDJ laughed. “HAH!” 

“There’s a reason polearms are the superior weapon,” DJ responded. DJ pulled back and flicked the lance forward again with minimal effort, front hand sliding to catch and adjust the weapon to the correct angle as needed. DJ was more than angry. He was furious. One can only be pushed so far before they reach their limit and Iul had surpassed the limit of DJ’s patience a while ago. Even in his anger, DJ remained controlled. DJ's movements were calculated and well practiced. He moved with a fluidity and grace that only comes with years of training. His footwork was steady and his attacks were resolute. DJ was patient with his blocks, quick with his parries, and showed no hint of indecision. Each attack was swift and precise, mimicking a viper strike in its execution. DJ knew his opponent well. He understood the threat and he was prepared to stop it. He had to be. Iul left him no other choice. 

“On what planet?!” EDJ asked, dodging another strike and moving in to attack with his sword. 

“This one,” DJ countered, batting away the sword and jumping back to maintain the distance between them. “Spears are better,” DJ continued between strikes. “Swords are overrated.” 

“That’s not true at all!” EDJ said, dropping low to avoid a jab toward his chest. EDJ sprang forward with an upward slash only to be twisted and redirected as DJ defended. Being DJ’s Evil Other, Iul knew the Original’s attack pattern well. In spite of that, DJ was frequently switching guards, hands, sides, directions, and stances in combat to throw off his opponent. The Original was doing his utmost not to telegraph his attacks and yet Iul was able to keep up with him anyway. As the fight dragged on, Iul’s attacks became more chaotic and sporadic, though no less well practiced. Iul often feigned his attacks in an attempt to catch DJ off guard. After the opening move, Iul was rarely on the defensive. He slashed, stabbed, and twisted, trying to get beyond the spearhead and into close combat range. Iul preferred fighting up close and personal when he had the choice. A choice DJ refused to give him. Iul struck hard and fast, hoping to beat the enemy before the enemy could beat him. Iul’s attacks were fueled with hatred just as much as DJ’s were fed with anger. The primary difference was only one of them was fully in control. Though they started off the fight only using their primary weapons, EDJ still had plenty of tricks up his sleeve to gain the advantage should he need them. 

“It’s a historical fact,” DJ insisted. “You only use swords to look cool and dramatic.” 

EDJ backed up from the fight. “How’s this for dramatic?!” EDJ drew his secondary sword. He slid the blades against each other in a slow, purposeful crosscut with the sound of metal grating against metal. As he did so, both swords glowed with dark red light. EDJ spun both red blades forward with a gloating grin. DJ tilted his head with a face that indicated Iul was only further proving his point. With a moderately annoyed glower, DJ held the center of his lance out horizontally in front of his body. Cerulean light extended from his grip and flowed down the length of the weapon in both directions, lance giving off a slight hum as it radiated with light energy. DJ spun the lance, creating a wide circle of blue light before returning to a low guard. EDJ growled as he launched into another attack. DJ parried and struck twice with his lance. EDJ dodged the strikes and spun with both swords swinging the same direction. EDJ’s intent was to shove the lance away enough to close the distance. It did not work. DJ used a blast of wind magic to throw EDJ back. As EDJ fell back, he activated his mechanical wings. EDJ spun in the air, easily righting himself and regaining his balance. He flew upright midair for a few seconds, looking down on DJ with his twin blades still blazing. 

DJ glared up at EDJ. “Give it up, EO!” DJ called out. “It’s over! Prepare for defeat!” 

“Never!” EDJ smirked down at DJ from his position. “You’ll never be able to outmaneuver me, slime.” EDJ dove at his opponent from above. “All those years of Academy training were wasted on you,” EDJ jeered as he brought both swords down, using gravity to his advantage.

DJ rolled out of the way rather than try to block. “Funny,” DJ answered dryly as he hopped back to his feet. “Here I was trying not to make you look bad.”

EDJ’s attack hit the ground, leaving scorch marks where the blades hit, before he shot back into the air. “What a joke. I thought you made silver knight,” EDJ said as he advanced. “Top of your class.” EDJ twisted with both swords in a diagonal dive toward the Original.

“I did,” DJ answered. He swept the lance to the side with a gust of wind to throw EDJ off course entirely. “Missed you at graduation.”

EDJ righted himself again. He shot a wave of fire toward DJ with the blades. DJ sliced the lance downward to break the fire magic. EDJ used the opportunity to fly over and dive in for a backstab. DJ pulled the lance back and turned, narrowly blocking the blades, before kicking EDJ in the chest and rolling away. EDJ coughed as he flew back. The cough turned into a chortle as the Evil Other stared DJ down with an ominous grin. “No one in their right mind enjoys those stuffy ceremonies.” 

An icicle shot between them, causing DJ and Iul both to turn to the other two combatants in the arena. 

“Hey! Watch it!” EDJ shouted at Shard. 

Out of the corner of his eye, EDJ caught a bright white object speeding toward him. EDJ swerved, narrowly avoiding a javelin entirely of white light zip past his face. He glared back at DJ, who hurled another light javelin. EDJ dove to avoid the projectile, but not before it singed its way through his cape. As EDJ dove, DJ pulled the air around the Evil Other to the ground, smashing his opponent into the floor. DJ approached cautiously as Iul slowly picked himself up off the ground, only holding one of his swords. 

“Sneaky,” EDJ said in a low voice, spitting out blood to the side and wiping his mouth. “I didn’t think you could pull off… sneaky.” Iul glared at DJ, fire in his eyes. “I remember you being a boring, lawful goody two-shoes.”

For the first time through the whole fight, DJ smiled. “You remember wrong.”