The Challenger

by Harlon Banks

  As he explained himself Liariana didn't say a word. That unmoving gaze of hers never-changing while she listened. The lack of any expressions aside from that sharp look in her eyes that only honed itself more the longer Jonath stared into her eyes, was all he had to gauge how she'd respond. So far, he didn't know what she would do next even at this point. Taking a deep breath, he waited now for what she'd do next.

  Liariana would continue to stare him down, her left hand still resting foreboding on the black hilt of her eastern straight-edged sword, other arm hanging loose at her side as her dim glowing hues narrowed ever so slightly on him. It was true, that Draven told her to kill him, but he was dead now so by all means she shouldn't have any want for his death... However..

  Recollections of her fight with the man before her flashed through her mind. That inability to quickly put him down, further causing her an even greater deal of insult now that it was shown he survived her abysmal fire blast. Was she really that incapable of putting down a simple amnesic whom she so easily outclassed in nigh every way? The longer she looked at him, the more insult she felt to her own self-pride. To think that after all this time, all these back to back stresses that haunted her, he was still here too after she was so sure she'd finished him off. It was embarrassing to think about; even more embarrassing than her narrow win against Blade whom she actually viewed as a capable Nightborn.

  Liariana gripped the hilt of her sword; Jonath tensed up and narrowed his eyes in anticipation to defend himself. At this point he had no choice, when did he ever? The steel gleaming under the light of the full moon before an over hanging cloud covered a portion of it. A dark shadow casting over the wide open street dimming the Yelkath's features, save those eerie glowing red eyes as her sword now was two-thirds free from its sheathing. The cold, apathetic intent to finish him off for sure this time emanating from her eyes, Jonath could feel it through her honed gaze.

  "Shit, is she really going to attack me all over again? I don't even have a weapon this time around..." Jonath's mind raced with viable options for survival. Glancing around quickly as eyes darted towards any trash and debris nearby that could be used as a weapon for self-defense. Mentally cursing his luck behind a façade tranquil calm as he swept his left foot behind his right in a preemptive back step for when she attacked. Nothing around this place could defend against a swing from that sword coupled with her strength and precision. She'd cut it and him in one single motion if he even wasted his time. His only chance was to run away if push came to shove. From what he was aware his speed and agility was pretty adequate, if their last bout was anything to go off. His improvement over the past few days might be just enough to shake her. Maybe...

  Jonath couldn't help but feel heavily irritated at the thought of running from Liariana again however. The fact that she was so easily capable of killing him in a straight up fight ate at his own sense of pride and self-worth. For a Nightborn he couldn't be such a pushover... could he? Delaren, Orath, Wrain, Lee, Melissa... even Kelgard... Would they have run from Liariana in this situation? That was a dumb question, the answer was obvious to him. No way in hell he'd let himself be embarrassed again. Not by the same person...

  "Tell me why I shouldn't kill you for following me." Liariana's question suddenly snapped Jonath out of his thoughts, pale eyes widening before focusing on her again. Did he hear that right? Was she actually giving him a chance to justify himself over just ambushing him again? Liariana pulling the sword completely from its housing and pointing the blade's tip at him right as the moon revealed itself again. His attention now on the gleaming metal of the razor-sharp chokuto.

  "One would think that if they were so lucky to be blessed with another chance at life, that they wouldn't so carelessly waste it. Do you have a death wish, amnesic?" The Yelkath asked with a calm tone. "I can't understand why you would even come looking for me anyway. We aren't allies and I tried to take your life."

  "Never thought we were allies." Jonath responded with a slight annoyance to his words and a scowl in his eyes. Relaxing his posture yet again, hands even sliding into his pockets in a bold display of gambling that Liariana wouldn't suddenly attack him. "I guess with all that's been going on, curiosity got the better of me on what happened to you. After all, you wound up killing the guy who hired you to take that artifact and gave it to Wren in the end anyway, didn't you?"

  Liariana's stare suddenly advanced into a hawk-eyed glaring at him. However, she still didn't attack him, merely pausing a moment. Instead, she lowered her sword much to his (mental) surprise and tilted her head. The long, disheveled bangs of black hair that cascaded down the frame of her face blowing in a breeze that whipped by. Her glare soon relaxing into that typical empty stare she always wore again.

  "What does any of that matter to you?" She scoffed very slightly, her emotions mirroring Jonath's by being hidden away by a monotone visage. "Everything you do is an anomaly to me, it annoys me."

  Jonath couldn't help but let out a light laughter upon hearing that. Head lowering as eyes closed and the thick bangs of platinum silver that hung off his forehead covering a bit of his features as he did so. Yeah, he guessed he could see how a large part of his actions were a bit annoying to witness. Might explain why Melissa was trying to kill him come to think of it a while back. After sating his laughter a few moments, Jonath exhaled and responded.

  "Yeah, I've come to notice some of the things I do get very antagonistic reactions. Would you believe me if I told you another person tried to kill me not too long ago?" He sighed exasperate, hand withdrawing from pocket to scratch at the back of his head while he gazed off to the side. "I can't help it though, in all honesty. Like I told you before I have no memories of who I am or anything about myself. I'm about as lost around these parts as you are. Thought maybe we could help each other out, guess I was wrong." As he said this Jonath spread moved his feet and crossed his arms up over his face again in the same combat stance he used against Kelgard. A faint, ghostly glow rising in his pale eyes as his vibe shifted.

  "If you want to kill me I can't say I'll just roll over and let you do it. I never wanted to fight you; I know I can't beat you. However I'll be damned if I become scared of you and run away, Izuna." Jonath's words were calm and serious. His expression portraying just how set he was on fighting back if he needed to, even if he was outmatched now even more so than back at the ruins.

  When he called her Izuna, Liariana once again seemed very briefly, stunned. Her eyes ever so slightly widening before nigh instantly returning to normal and her posture tensing up once again as if she were contemplating something. Gaze breaking away, head turning to look off at a portion of the street in silence as she took a deep breath. The sword held in her dominant left hand finding its home back within the sheath. Jonath glancing back at her upon hearing the action and tilting his head curiously confused. Narrowed eyes and furrowed brow portraying the calm disbelief he had on her action. Liariana then turned away from Jonath, and just started walking back from where she came in silence. The amnesic lowering his guard confused yet not entirely against this new attitude as he relaxed his stance again.

  "You're not going to kill me?" He asked. Liariana stopping mid-step and not looking his way. If he could see her face, he would have seen her eyes were now closed and she was taking a deep inhale. Looking skyward now when she opened her red eyes once again and delaying her response a few seconds as she thought over it herself. It would seem, that she had a slight change of heart. Although it wasn't for reasons one would think.

  "You really are... a lonely amnesic. Killing you wouldn't do me any good anymore. There's honestly no point in slaying a fool who has no known ties to begin with. You can go wander aimlessly for as long as this eternal night lasts." Liariana's words honestly stung Jonath a bit, the man feeling his heart skip a beat at the weight of what he just heard before she looked over her shoulder at him again with that eerie stare she always had. Though her stare alone said a thousand more words to him that didn't need t
o be said, what she said next made sure to drive the point home.

  "You have no fate, stop trying to insert yourself into mine and disappear." With that Liariana broke away eye contact and continued on her original path back into the side streets. Not even looking back again at him as she vanished into the alleyways. "This is your last act of mercy from me. Follow me again and I will take your life."

  Jonath was left alone now, standing in the middle of the abandoned street at a loss for words despite his unmoved gaze that continued to stare at the spot he last saw Liariana before she dipped away into the alley. He stood there for what felt like forever, not a word leaving his lips as he just looked at the same spot for gods knows how long... The Yelkath's words replaying over and over and over again in his head as he stood there feeling empty on the inside all of a sudden. He had no fate, no ties worth remembering, he was wandering aimlessly chasing clues he didn't even know how to decipher to begin with. Was his existence really just a dead-end? Was this all a big joke to whatever gods that were watching from beyond?

  Know thy name and remember, Jonath.

  Jonath suddenly shook those negative thoughts out of his head, sucking his teeth as he turned to walk away in the opposite direction. Liariana didn't know what she was talking about. Jonath had a fate, everyone did... No way in hell he'd let the words of a lonely Yelkath from some war-torn land of the east demean him so easily. If she didn't want to have anything to do with him that was fine by him. He didn't give a damn about her beyond simple curiosity anyway. One thing was for sure though, and this was something he planned to make reality when the time came. If it ever should come.

  "Nah, the next time we meet I'll be stronger than you. You won't be killing anybody. I'll make sure that's my fate if I'm truly not meant to be anything else in my life."

  Some time later...

  "Aww... He didn't pick up." Melissa faked feeling upset about Jonath not answering her calls. The young woman stashing the phone away in her back pocket before arching her back in a stretch after stepping off the bus. Kayda a few feet behind her with both hands holding her phone with eyes glued to it in slight distress. Looked like the stormy haired girl was struggling with a video call app or something. Melissa dressed in a simple black shirt, cargo shorts and laced black shoes with arm sleeves and Kayda wearing a grey shirt with a panda face on it, black jeans and dirty grey army boots.

  "O-Okay, bye grandpa! I'll talk to you later!" The spiky and disheveled young woman exclaimed with a warm smile before waving at the phone camera. Lee and Orath stepping off the bus afterwards with both dressed in all black variants of the same outfit. Lee wearing a black short-sleeved shirt with shorts that went past the knee and combat boots while Orath wore a long-sleeved and pants variant. The two white-haired twins looking around nonchalant with fuchsia colored hues as they stood side to side.

  "First time being in Luminous City..." Orath said softly brushing away bangs that cascaded briefly over her soft colored, blank eyes. Lee nodding in quiet agreement as he stuffed his hands in his pockets and looked up at the Diurnal District off in the high distance. This was the first time either of them had stepped into the city.

  Delaren and Wrain were the next ones off the bus after a few random Nightborn before them made their way off. The former wearing a bright red shirt with baggy black pants and high topped black shoes with scarlet trimmings. Wrain, a navy blue muscle shirt with blue jeans and white shoes accompanied by a single arm sleeved covering his right forearm. The polar opposite elemental users ignoring each other's existence for the most part as they linked up with the rest of the main group and looked around the city entrance.

  Kelgard was the last one off the bus, wearing a white undershirt with a black coat with grey fur trimmings over said shirt, black baggy shorts with gothic chains hanging off the belt loop at his left and high top shoes of black and white. His crimson eyes and apathetic visage glancing around only momentarily before he simply stuffed his hands in his pockets and walked off into the city by himself. Melissa briefly glancing at him and snorting amused at how lone wolf he was before spinning around arms outstretched to greet her fellow Nightborn.

  "Welcome to Luminous City ladies and gents! Most of ya have never been here before so stick with me and I'll be ya tour guide. Wouldn't want ya getting lost now would we?" She said with a smirk, no doubt she was being sarcastic about showing them all around. This confirmed when she said "Sike! Have fun exploring, don't get mugged in an alley." and then wandered off on her own to enjoy her free day. Kayda blinking confused for a moment, unsure of where to go herself before she saw everyone else wandering off on their own too. Crap, what should she do!? Everyone was already splitting up and she didn't have anyone to hang with. She wasn't the type to just walk by herself either like Delaren, Wrain or Melissa either...

  "You can come with us if you want, Kayda." Orath's voice called out as the tranquil woman extended her offer. Kayda quickly nodding to take them up on it as she jogged after the twins as they moved off into the city as well.

  Today was a free day for all the Nightborn at Blackwater, it was time to make it count and see what they all would decide to do before they got down to business again tomorrow.

  A Days Rest: Code Igniter

  A/N - I want to deeply apologize for the longest delay I've ever had on this story recently! A lot of real life issues kept taking time and when I had time to sit and write again it was extremely hard to get back in the groove. At any rate I'd like to once again thank all who have read this story and kept along to this point! I highly appreciate you!

  The Challenger Chapter Fifty: A Day's Rest: Code Igniter

  Dark colored buildings of black and grey stone as far as the eyes could see. People filled the streets both narrow and wide; animal drawn carriages and cars filled the main roads as a fiery red-haired Nightborn walked by himself through the crowds of people. His amber eyes giving the impression he was annoyed by everyone and everything around him despite personally not paying any attention to the passerbys or ambient city noises. With hands idled in his pockets while walking with lowered head, Delaren aimlessly wandered. This was his first time in Luminous City; it was a drastic experience from growing up back where he were from.

  The night air breezed through the choppy bangs of his hair that cascaded his features. This night air feeling good across his fair skin while he drowned out the noises of everything around him. Truth be told Delaren didn't really have any plans for when he came to the city. Merely arriving on the bus and splitting away from the rest to go sightseeing if anything. Everything about this place was new to him down to the simple fact that it was carved into the side of a mountain. Amber hued eyes gazing upwards at the Diurnal District that sat at what felt like the heavens of the city. Its regal looking infrastructure a drastic contrast from the common architecture of the buildings around him.

  Moving past a couple that nearly bumped into him while he were lost in his gaze at the Diurnal District, Delaren ignored them as they apologized briefly before continuing on their way. Stopping at the end of a cross walk waiting for the light to change as a yawn left his mouth. Why did he even come here. He should have just stayed back at Blackwater in his room and just slept the day away or something. Being around so many people made him feel agitated, uncomfortable too. What was he supposed to do in a city he'd never visited prior?

  "Can't believe I used to want to always come visit this place. Nothing special at all." Delaren growled annoyed to himself as he lowered his head and wandered through the city streets by his lonesome.

  "Nothing special at all."

  Ten years ago...

  "Mom says I can't play with you anymore. I can't even talk to you after this." A small male child with blonde hair and blue eyes, spoke in a solemn tone. The left side of his pale flesh scarred with tissue from horrible burn marks. Delaren looking at the boy whom he called his friend with wide eyes full of hurt. Amber hues watering as messy red hair shifted with every sway of his head in denial. The
two boys hidden away in the woods somewhere; a nearby settlement small and out of the way just beyond the treeline.

  "I told her I'm sorry! I didn't mean to burn you I swear! It just..." Young Delaren pleaded blinking away tears and staring at the palms of his hands in fear. This was the first time something like that had ever happened. He didn't even know how he did it! One minute the both were wrestling and the next his friend was screaming in pain and ablaze in horrible fire.

  "The doctors said my left side will never heal... they said your fire wasn't normal. I'm going to look like a zombie for the rest of my life." The small blonde boy responded, his tone indifferent to Delaren's pleading for forgiveness as he cradled his horribly burned arm. "You're one of those Nightborn, aren't you?"

  Delaren blinked, youthful expression confused as he took a step back in disbelief. He'd heard that word before, Nightborn. A word that people loathed to be called... Nightborn were people who could do things. Things that weren't normal. They were freaks... Delaren wasn't a freak, was he?

  "I said I was sorry I didn't know I could do that!" The boy pleaded falling to his knees as tears streamed down his face and onto his dark-colored shirt and shorts. The moonlight above shimmering off his head as he sobbed. The boy he were apologizing to kept that unmoved stare. A stare that looked dead on anything that came out of that freaks mouth. To think once upon a time they used to play together.