The Rising Sun: Episode 1 by J Hawk Read Free Book Online Page A

was
one other, who remained.
     
    Ion felt his
fists slowly tighten as he remembered his name … the name of that
one living person whom he hated more than even Grando himself. The
one living creature whom he hated more than anything.
     
    Vonayz …
     
    He crushed the
yellow chit and stuffed it back into his pocket. Suddenly, all of
the delight of his victory had vanished behind a newly awakened
veil of seething fury.
     
    Grando had been
his primary target for him, one he had been seeking to kill for
quite long now. But the truth was that he was actually nothing …
compared to Vonayz. The two of them went long back. And the solid
barrier of hatred between them was harder than anything else in the
world.
     
    But beneath the
fury, Ion felt the meanest trickle of fear, when he remembered his
ancient hatred.
     
    And he was
right in feeling so…
     
     
    Two years
ago
     
     
    Thick black
fumes engulfed the burning hut.
     
    Ion raised his
glowing sword, covering his mouth with his other hand. Struggling
with all his might, he heaved himself up slowly from the ground.
But the feeble slash across his stomach left his insides scorched,
so that he could hardly mind anything else…
     
    Gritting his
teeth in the terrible pain, he rose.
     
    And just as
straightened up, he felt something hurl at him from amidst the
smoke. Not a second too soon, Ion launched out of the way of the
body that came flying out of the fumes at him. Vonayz landed on all
fours, straightening up to face Ion.
     
    In a lightspeed
motion, he raised his ignited sword and lunged at Ion, who had a
split second to raise his own. The steely cling of their
blades meeting rose over the raging of the flames.
     
    The two mystics
stood there, their swords locked, for a second that seemed to
stretch. Ion stared into Vonayz’s black eyes and the dark patches
below it. His long, tousled hair looked ravaged, with two horns
sticking out on either side of his head.
     
    In a flash,
Vonayz pushed Ion back, freeing his clasped saber, and made a
speedy jab. Ion sidestepped the shot, and swung his sword at the
Iveling’s side. Vonayz’s eyes widened slightly as they followed
Ion’s blade. Faster than any normal man, he jumped back, bringing
his own sword forward in a defensive slash. A fiery shower of
sparks emitted as both their blazing swords clashed again. Vonayz
sent a lightspeed swipe at Ion’s neck, which Ion ducked not a
second too early.
     
    Before he
straightened up, Vonayz’s sword flew at him again from the side.
Ion twisted around, his sword slicing across the air in attempt to
block his enemy’s.
     
    Cling!
     
    Their ignited
swords clashed again and again in a fierce duel, both their
movements blurred as they danced at speeds unbelievable to normal
man.
     
    Cling! Cling!
Cling!
     
    Sparks flew
every time their swords met, as the two mystics fought with a
mindless ferocity, both to kill…
     
    Ion felt a
concreteness of focus like no other as he ducked, sidestepped,
slashed and jabbed. But Vonayz was too strong. He couldn’t gain the
upper hand against such a powerful mystic…
     
    Vonayz slashed
across Ion’s sword in an effortless swing, and then, before half
the second had died, hurled his leg forth in a wild kick. Ion felt
a hard, ramming sensation in his chest as Vonayz’s foot landed
there, and then he was airborne. He felt himself soar backwards,
the fire’s groggy black fumes shifting about him. And a heavy thud sounded as he hit the floor, his sword flying out of
his hand.
     
    Before he
picked himself up, he felt a heavy foot stamp his chest, pressing
him to the ground. Vonayz stood over him, his face torched like the
burning house they were now in. A maniacal glow shone in his
eyes.
     
    “Time to die.”
he whispered, holding the sword high. His mouth opened in a war cry
as he dove his sword down at Ion…
     
    And then, with
a swoosh of wind and a loud crash! It was all over…
     
    Ion opened his
eyes.
     
    Vonayz lay on
the floor