I found myself near to being overwhelmed from blow after blow of attacks my father rained down on me and only just being able to hold his blade at bay from making deadly contact. I forced myself to snap back from the information I’d just learned and could once again hear my old Master in my head.
‘Attack the arteries here and here’, he would say mock slicing at the inside of my arms and legs. ‘Then go for the engine, for fuel cannot travel the body without its pump’, he would add, while aiming the blade’s tip at my heart.
Finally I used my Master’s old words to centre me enough to regain the upper hand. I watched as my father’s moves became more predictable now that I was accustomed to his style and I waited for just the right move I knew was coming. So I prompted the action by leading him into a false sense of security and I wasn’t left disappointed.
He played nicely into my hands as I brought him closer into the centre near the furnace. Again Takeshi’s words rang true…‘The best warrior is the one that can turn circumstances to his advantage in a fight and use the elements as an extension of his weapon’.
With this in mind I kept the flames to my back and purposely made a mistake in my defence, letting my father drive me to my knees. The heat at my back felt strangely comforting to my Demon that knew what was coming and I could feel him seep through enough to make me smile.
“Grinning whilst on your knees is a sign of insanity, son.” He said pushing down on my blade that was inches away from my face.
“And you would know!” I said just before I used all of my strength to push up and at the same time caught hold of the end of his sword next to his hands. I locked myself to him and swiftly stood taking him off guard. I then spun around and used my body weight to spin him around and let go, propelling him into the furnace.
He crashed into the centre and split open the clay sending sparks of amber skittering across the snow and into the air like deadly fireflies. A burst of steam clouded the room as heat cooled against the icy floor and momentarily blinded me. I held my arm across my eyes for a few short seconds and waited for the destruction to calm.
I looked amongst the wreckage and quickly noticed a flaming shadow climbing from the piles of glowing steel. I was not surprised to see my father emerging in his true form but I was surprised when he bothered to change back once more. He started his steps as a Demon ruler and finished them jumping down from the remains as a man.
“That wasn’t very sporting of you, Dominic.” He said dusting off the few burning embers that smoked on his shoulders. His attire was nearly completely burnt off but my father never remained dishevelled for long. The material soon started to regrow back into its original form and with an aggravated motion he dug his hand deep into the belly of the broken furnace and retrieved his now glowing sword.
“Means must, old man.” I replied making him grin as though an idea just lit up his mischievous side.
“So that’s how we are playing this? Very well Dominic, just remember that you erased the first line of conduct.” I frowned at what he could mean.
“You know your sister came to visit me recently.” He said as matter of fact and throwing me off guard.
“This isn’t news to me.” I remarked trying not to lose myself to the urge of grabbing him by the throat and roaring at him to get on with it!
“No, I gathered not, only I would wager the topic of conversation would interest you greatly.” I growled low in my throat knowing there was no way I would be able to refrain from taking a bite out of the bait he dangled in front of me.
“Play your games with another fool, Asmodeus and say what you intend to say!” I snapped feeling my fist clench to near breaking point around my blade’s handle. He lifted his head to the side, gave me an evil grin and my breath caught, for I knew the information he had was of the sort that made him believe he would win. The only way that would happen is if I went into a blind rage and lost my head in allowing my Demon to make decisions based on its wrath.
My blood started to run cold.
“I do believe Sophia is meeting with her now as we speak and with her…” He paused for dramatic effect and I let my eyes flash red in warning. Again with that fucking smile!
“…her new supernatural lover!” At the sound of his words my blood didn’t just turn cold, no, it turned glacial!
My Demon erupted and this time, down here there was no Angel in sight to hold him back. I roared at my father, shaking the foundations of his castle and for a fleeting moment it looked as though he knew he had gone too far.
“YOU LIE!!!!” I screamed at him before letting go and charging at him like a crazed battle horse. My reasoning all fled and left a husk of a man fuelled only with the desire to kill everyone and everything in its path. It wanted its mate back! It wanted its calming solace and the other half of its soul back just as much as I did but unlike me, it had no logic in its quest to get it back!