Chapter 81 Swapping Bodies

"Why?" asked Izek.

"Because they are beyond redemption, and that is the only way to make them realize their mistakes," replied Sigmund.

Izek clenched his fist, "Then I guess it can't be helped."

He swung his sword down towards Sigmund, but the knight blocked the attack with ease and pushed Izek back.

Izek watched as his opponent stepped backwards, his sword aimed towards Izek's heart.

"Prepare yourself," warned Sigmund, "this will hurt."

He swung his sword down, but Izek deflected it and countered, using his own sword to strike down at his enemy, but the knight jumped back again.

"You're a good fighter," remarked Sigmund, "but don't expect me to go easy on you."

Izek tried to swing his sword at Sigmund's exposed chest, but Sigmund blocked the attack with ease.

"Damn it!" yelled Izek, swinging his sword at the knight.

This time, Sigmund parried the blow with his shield.

"Enough!" shouted Sigmund, "Give up, you won't win!"

Izek let a long sigh out, thinking of summoning a spirit but that was more than enough for today. He no longer had any energy left to remain as Lucas's in his physical body, "yeah, you're right. I have to go." He closed his eyes and swapped his bodies with Lucas,

-You can take over from here, idiot.-  He whispered to Lucas as he vanished in his mind.

***

"What happened?" asked Lucas to the man who was standing beside him as soon as he opened his eyes.

He turned his head and looked at him, "you are awake!" He said.

"Yes, I am," Lucas replied as he was trying to get a grasp of his current situation.

"Do you know who I am?" The man asked Lucas with a low tone.

"No, sorry," answered Lucas, "I don't know your name."

"I'm Sigmund, leader of the Order of the Red Shield," said the man, "you should thank me for saving your life."

"I don't know who you are...." Lucas tried to explain as he inhaled more air.

"Please, just thank me for helping you," insisted Sigmund.

Lucas nodded, "sorry?"

"Don't worry about it," Sigmund said, "now we need to get you back home."

Lucas looked around and saw his teammates nowhere to be found, yet the man's hand was scratched and in his right one he still held his sword, 'this is not a good idea,' Lucas thought and looked down at his own sword being dropped on the ground.

"Wait a minute," he said.

"Yes?"

"Is there anyone else alive here?"

Sigmund glanced around the area and shook his head. "There are no other survivors, but that doesn't mean they aren't around."

The source of this content is n/ov/elbin[./]net'

"Where?" asked Lucas.

"Over there," he pointed towards a group of trees, "they may be hiding from the monsters."

"The monsters, you say..." Lucas leaned slowly to pick up his sword, "so may I ask you why my friends were hiding from the monsters and yet you were fighting them all alone?" Lucas asked.

"Because we have an important mission to fulfil," answered Sigmund.

"An important mission? What are you talking about?" inquired Lucas.

Lucas lifted his sword and pointed at the man, "I am going to ask you once more, where are my teammates?" The sharp end of the sword felt like a needle placed under his chin.

Sigmund stared at Lucas's sword and smiled, "that sword is called Nox Blade, isn't it?"

"And what does that have to do with anything?" asked Lucas.

"A lot actually, because Nox Blade is an enchanted sword, and its owner is a very powerful hero."

Lucas fell silent for a while and thought of how he was now carrying a sword which belonged to someone he knew nothing about, "what kind of power does this sword possess?"

"It's a hazardous weapon, you should be careful when handling it."

"Thank you," said Lucas, "I'll keep that in mind."

"The most important thing about this sword is that it has the ability to teleport its user to anywhere it wants to go, but that would only happen if the owner is the one using it."

"So, what you're saying is I can go to any place in the world?"

"Correct."

Lucas smirked a little, "so you don't mind if I test it out on you?"

Sigmund laughed, "sure, but I don't think you will be able to use it."

"Why not?" Lucas turned his head to the side a little.

"Nox Blade is a special sword and it requires a great deal of power to activate." Sigmund stretched his neck.

Without waiting for any more nonsense to come out of his mouth, Lucas swung his arm and threw the sword at Sigmund, who easily dodged the attack.

As soon as the blade hit the ground, a spark appeared on the tip of the sword and it began glowing red. A green line emerged from the centre of the blade, and then the entire sword became translucent and started floating above the ground.

"What the hell?!" exclaimed Sigmund, "it's teleportation magic!"

"I guess this must be how it works," Lucas stated.

Lucas walked towards Sigmund and grabbed his hand, "do you want to try it out?"

The man in front of him was a stranger with weird looking-eyes. His mouth smelled like cigarettes and his skin felt rough.

He already had a hard time focusing on his enemy and searching for his friends, 'this will not lead to no good,' Lucas thought and struck Sigmund with his sword. 'A little bit harder,' he thought and stabbed the man with greater force.

Sigmund didn't let go of Lucas's hand and instead tightened his grip.

Lucas pulled back his sword and slashed Sigmund's face.

The wound was deep enough to make blood trickle down his cheek. Sigmund raised his hand and Lucas expected another attack but the man just took a step backwards. 'He isn't going to attack again,' thought Lucas.

As soon as he stepped away, Sigmund released Lucas's hand and placed his palm on his wound. Lucas watched in awe as the cut closed itself.

"You wouldn't believe what I did to your face," said Lucas.

"I won't, but thanks anyways," said Sigmund.

"How did you learn about the sword?" asked Lucas the man whom he just hurt.

"Ah! You're not that stupid after all," chuckled Sigmund.