Kevin's Watch

"You made me kill her, Nicholas," he said in sudden accusation. "If she had not loved you-"

"If life was not the way it was-" Nicholas said harshly. His arms were already in motion and the katana was a crescent of living light, as if he were the Lord's true messenger, whirring like a living entity through the hot, wet air.

In a bright arc, Saigo's head sailed upwards, tumbling over and over on its final journey like a miniature planet, a crimson streamer like a kite's or a comet's tail laced behind it. Over the edge it went, bouncing downwards across the white steps, a child's lost ball, coming to rest at last at the bottom of the waterfall: on the ninth step from the top.

"-but it is," Nicholas said, finishing the sentence. At his feet, the water spun, rocking gently as if on a faraway tide, shivering. Carressing Nicholas's spread legs.

Death? Never, ever--!
But there he was, confronted by a foe more alien to him than a red planet. And so, with greater violence, the Third Knight swung more desperate than he ever did. His attacks were those of a cornered beast: pure, animalistic, rage-filled--red instinct to save his very existence, his very claim.
Anton pivoted upon his heels and spun. He became as a blur of motion. He quickly outmaneuvered Cerberus, and his remarkable pace of foot set him at the backside of the machine. He stared at the undefended, red-metallic exoskeleton and dipped forth his sword in assured victory.
The torso of Cerberus spun around like a spinning top and met the sword of Anton unflinchingly. Anton’s fear contorted momentarily in impressed awe and amazement. Not even Maccabree, the very Knight Lord, was capable of any such a thing. Anton became again a whirlwind as his ferocity struck chords in him that he had never unplugged or fathomed of using before. Outlets of adrenaline flowed so wildly and hotly that he lost all conscious control and basic senses, letting his black rage master him wholly, totally.
And he appeared at the right flank of Cerberus. He swung with nothing held back. Nothing!
And the torso of Cerberus spun and twisted full circle again. Anton’s eyes widened, and soon he found himself on the defensive.
Nothing!
Cerberus stepped forward, his blade hacking away and notching at Anton’s in a series of mind-numbing movements that seemed to erupt and disappear as quickly as a fire-spark. Anton’s elbows began to tremor in so many emotions that they almost knocked forcefully. Wobbling in anxiety, his wrists slackened. The Third Knight stepped aback one more time, and Cerberus placed his metallic foot behind Anton’s retreating, right heel with indescribable skill.
Nothing?
His back fell toward the ground. By rule of the duel, a Knight lost if he became a victim of gravity.
In shear, heart-pounding moments, the duel had begun and ended. What seemed like an eon was nothing.
Nothing.

Gantu: "You are vile! You are foul! You are flawed!"
Stitch: "Also cute and fluffy!"