Clashing Blades

Lancelot woke up in the same place, the inn. He slowly opened eyes, the noise of the inn muffled in his ears. It took him good several moments to even be able to think straight. He looked around. He was alone at his table, nobody else in sight.

Moskov was long gone, Alucard was long gone and all that was left was a small note on a white piece of paper. Lancelot was staring at it yet his eyes wouldn't co-operate to read it. Maybe he was fearing inside, what in the world could have happened? Or maybe he had just recieved too strong punch in head.

As he took the note and finally slowly started to make some noticable progress through the text, he was starting to panick more and more. He didn't have the book and it was his only card to impress Argus. He couldn't come back to him without it, not if he wanted to stay alive. His thoughts once again slid off the note and started imagening what would happen to him in future but then he forced them to read again.

"Dear Lancelot!

Sorry for knocking you out but you should've expected it... Don't take this personal but I needed the book more than you're ever going to need. I really needed to hurry up the transaction a little and didn't have time nor enough privacy to explain you my plan so here it is...

I took the Codex so I could exchange it for something I need. You don't need to know about it. The point is that the book is now with the man we were sitting with but I'm not planning on loosing it like that. I'm following him and am going to retrieve the Codex with some help from Karina. If you don't know who she is, don't worry. In the meantime, if I were you, I'd wait here until I come back with the book, otherwise you might end up as dinner for wild beasts, especially if you return to Argus without the Codex. Just wait until I bring you back the book and then we'll all get what we wanted.

Best wishes, Moskov.

Ps. Don't play with my good will."

***

Meanwhile... Alucard was casually walking through the woods, unaware of the ambush that was prepared for him. He had his sword in its holder and the Codex in his bag. The night was calming and peaceful. He was passing through the area where the bandits used to camp before he and the two young people captured them.

He was wondering where did the two go. Although he didn't know them well, they seemed like rather interesting two, would he meet them again? Just as he thought about that, he heard some rustling in the nearby bushes. What was it? Who was it?

He drew his sword. "Who is there!?" She asked, not up for playing games. It was late, he was tired and it was hard for him to think about different possibilities so he just wanted to get it over with quickly. He walked towards the bush and checked it. All he could see was a wild rooster hiding in there. He sighed. False alarm.

The rooster looked afraid but it wasn't only Alucard that scared it. It ran away once again as few more noises came from behind Alucard. Somebody was approaching, silently but the professional demon hunter could easily notice their footsteps.

He turned around just to catch a siluette approaching with two blades glowing in the darkness. He quickly blocked the powerful blow the lady was bringing with her magical blades but was also pushed backwards. He lost his balance a little when Moskov jumped out and threw his long spear towards him. He had very little time for reaction to defend himself from the attackers.

He knew Moskov well enough to at least know his fighting style but the girl was still enigma. She had lilac coloured skin and weird blue hair and purple crown with horns. When all put together with some, also purple, armour and pointy ears, it was easily visible that she was an elf but not moon one, night elf. She looked like a bloodlusting assassin that was going to kill anyone in her way. Yes, that was Karina Moskov was talking about in the letter he had left for Lancelot.

The whining of weapons could be heard far through the silent night. It was loud enough to draw attention of certain two who were trying to catch some sleep. It woke Kagura up and it irritated her so much that she decided to go and take a look of what is going on there.

She gazed in the direction where the sound was comming from and saw some weird flashes of greenish light and purplish light lighting up the area. There was a fight and it was closer than she originally thought. She quickly woke Hayabusa up as well and pointed out the situation. They needed to check it out.

Alucard was struggling to fight off Moskov and his friend Karina. He was outnumbered, outpowered and tired but it wouldn't stop him from fighting. He was skillfully blocking their attacks and returning with those of his own but they were usually just ending not hitting their targets or blocked.

Finally, Moskov kicked him off balance and he fell to the ground, unable to get up soon enough. The two leaned over him before Mokov demanded: "Give me the book." His voice was calm and cold, you could even say emotionless.

Alucard knew he was beaten but his pride wouldn't allow him to surrender so he refused. "We had a deal... Why are you doing this?!" He asked. His voice was giving away his weakness. He tried reaching his sword but Karina, the assassin with two long blades stuck one of them through his sleeve so he couldn't move his arm any more.

Kagura and Hayabusa were watching the situation from a distance. Kagura whispered: "That man over there looks familliar..." She said, talking about Alucard.

Hayabusa just tried to remember where did they see him before. "Hey... That is the guy who helped us in the fight against bandits few days ago." He said. "Hm... I wonder what is happening here."

"Doesn't matter. I think it is the time to return favour." Kagura said before getting up and throwing her umbrella towards the two. She hit Karina taking her by surprise.

Hayabusa sighed. No use of trying to make her stay hidden now... He then decided to join the combat and he made few shadows appear all around as he was jumping from one another and landing countless blows.

Karina and Moskov simply weren't prepared for the two. They didn't have anough time to find where the two were, mostly because they were switching locations too fast. Moskov tried hitting them with his spear but missed every time he was trying to hit Hayabusa. As for Kagura, she had Karina to worry about while Alucard was trying to free himself from the blade that was stuck through his coat.

Kagura was moving her umbrella around but now Karins knew what she was fighting against so she was dodging her attacks pretty easily. Karina then jumped towards the yin-yang mage and hit her, making a good cut on her side before she was able to cast a spell and push everybody away from her. Then she left her umbrella somewhere between Karina and Moskov and cast a spell that pulled the two to the umbrella while draining their energy.

Both Hayabusa and Alucard watched in awe. Alucard mumbled: "I had no idea she could do something like that..." After that, Hayabusa simply added: "Neither did I."

Kagura just smiled and walked over to the two. "So... What do we do with them?" She asked, trying not to think about the pain she was feeling as her blue clothes were becoming redder and redder because of the blood that was flowing out of her wound.

Alucard walked over to the two who were lying on the ground and said: "Go away and you'd better never try attacking me again. You'd better never let me see you again!" He said.

Moskov muttered: "This is not all you're going to see from me!" He then turned into shadows and disappeared between the dark trees in the night. Karina was also gone by the time you blink your eyes.

Hayabusa didn't care for the two or what Alucard was doing. He just looked at Kagura's wound. "Are you okay? You're bleeding..." He said in a worried tone. "Let me see it." Kagura nodded and laid down before her, sometimes a little overprotective, guardian knelt next to her and looked at the open cut.

Alucard was thinking about leaving them alone but decided he sould at least thank them for saving his life. "Hey... Thank you for this... I am not sure I'd be alive without you."

"No problem. You saved me last time, remember." Kagura said with a smile. Who would have thought that out of all situations possible in one's life, just after he was thinking about them, they appear and save him. What are the odds?

"Now, would you mind telling us why were they attacking you?" Hayabusa asked. "Or were you attacking them?" He seemed like something was bothering him.

"No need to be worried, you aren't a co-operator in crime... This was all about this book i believe." He started before taking out the Codex of Apocalypse. "Long story short, they sold me this and now I guess they wanted it back." He explained.

Hayabusa nodded as a sign of understanding. He said nothing more to him but changed the subject of conversation. "She needs a doctor... Or somebody who can help her with the wound. I mean, I can close it for now and bandage it but she is going to need somebody to sterilize it.

Alucard nodded. "I've actually been on my way to Lunar Palace. They have wanted to buy the book and I'm sure they will be warm hearted enough to help her. They have good healers."

Kagura mumbled: "Capital of elf kingdom?? B-but if we go there, people will find out about us and--" She tried getting up although she was in pain.

Hayabusa stopped her. "Stay down... I don't want you to get hurt even more. Listen. We can disguise ourselves. They don't need to find out." He said with a reassuring smile as he took some herbs he had and put them on her wound to at least ease the pain.

"Y-yea... sure... I mean. Okay. I have a friend nearby and I'm sure she'll help you... but I don't really see what's the point of hiding... Why don't you just go as you are?" Alucard said.

Hayabusa now explained. "This is a little hard to explain but her family is very influental in all parts of the land and that's why I'm worried that people might try to attack us if they find out." He said.

Kagura added: "That is why the bandits in the woods attacked us. Or at least I think..." She mumbled.

Alucard shrugged. "Okay. Whatever. I'm just confused that you're putting the disguise before her health."

When he said that, it definitely gave Hayabusa something to think about. Maybe that wasn't the smartest choice ever. Maybe he was right. He gazed at Kagura and without even asking the question, Kagura took his hand. "Don't worry. I'll be fine. Besides, I think it would be smart to follow him until he hands over the book. Who knows who else might attack him for the book..."

Alucard was just shocked. He wasn't used to travelling in groups or even talking to somebody about his buisness but in a situation like this when every offer was this well argumented, he simply couldn't say no. Like that, Hayabusa took their stuff, Alucard took his stuff and they proceeded together towards Alucard's friend.

***

Odette was sleeping. She was feeling a lot better than earlier that day and to make sure she stays like that, Hylos was looking after her. Although Rafaela offered herself to watch over her, he simply didn't want to let the princess out of sight.

Like that, Rafaela and Cyclops focused on cleaning the library where the fight was taking place and putting all the scattered books back in their places. It was a good opportunity for Cyclop to talk to somebody and for Rafaela to have an afternoon free after they finished cleaning.

Hylos, in other hand had hands full of work all the time. Even if Odette would say she was fine and that she could move, he'd insist that she still stays in bed. He was taking care of her as if he was her father. For somebody who doesn't know them it would be very hard to believe that they aren't related more than being just friends.

He stayed up with her until the sky started colouring pinkish after end of another night. Then, he just couldn't keep his eyes open any more and he fell asleep leaned against the wall in Odette's room.

The very next think he could remember was Odette waking him up, fully clothed and looking perfectly normal. Cure worked. The Swan Princess was chuckling slightly as she said: "Good morning, sleeping beauty. You must've fallen asleep very late if you were still sleeping to this point."

Hylos quickly opened eyes and stood up as if something sjocked him. "Oh... sorry... I- I was just..." He mumbled.

Odette just cut him off. "Don't worry. I appriciate everything you have done for me. Thanks to you I'm up and running now. Come on, everybody's waiting for you. We need a plan for what to do next."

Hylos opened mouth to say something but before he would get a chance to speak, Odette just crossed her arms and said: "And no. I don't need to spend another day in bed. We have more important things to do. For example, Codex of Apocalypse."

He nodded as he started to walk towads the exit out of the room but he felt Odette grabbing his hand as she faced him and quickly pecked his cheek. "Consider this a big warm 'thank you' from me."

She then walked out of the room, leaving the blushing centaur behind her. What was her magic? It wasn't just magic of swans or swan lake, isn't it weird how powerufl magic princesses are wielding - magic that can turn a man into a dove with one small peck.