The Moonlight Swordsman

Aizel saw some of the hunters and mages fleeing from him, while others just stood there, staring at him blankly.

He looked around the basement, which was unusually large, and observed cellars made of iron on the right and left.

He noticed there were captives in some of them. He tried to search for Emma, but she wasn't there.

"You are really powerful, as the report says." Suddenly, a thin male voice interrupted his search.

Aizel turned to face the voice. There stood a man about the same height as him and with a similar build. He had curly brown hair and black eyes, and hunters and mages stood behind him.

"Pardon my manners. My name is Shelton Paul." The man bowed slightly as he introduced himself. "It seems little Bretta really made it hard for you."

Aizel looked at him confused; he didn't have a lick of an idea who this man was talking about.

"The one who made your friends dance on her fingers." Shelton chuckled. "How did it feel to watch them die at your hands? I can't wait to see who she selects to play with next.

"Who are you here for? Is it your mother? Your lover? Wait, let me guess.

"It must be that new brat who arrived yesterday, right?" Shelton curled his lips in a cruel smile. while rubbing his hand. He was getting bored down in the basement but he had to follow the orders which were given to him.

Aizel walked slowly towards him; his face void of emotion.

"Come on at least show some emotions.

"BORING.... I suppose I should get rid of you as soon as possible." Shelton sighed in disappointment and dashed towards Aizel at full speed.

Aizel stood still as he saw Shelton make two thick rock-like gauntlets in his hand, just like the Monkey King had done when they fought.

He swung his right arm towards Aizel.

Aizel dodged by moving sideways. Shelton rushed again, swinging at him with his other arm.

Aizel tried to dodge, but suddenly a small platform rose under his right leg, making him stumble, and Shelton managed to punch Aizel with full strength on his chest, sending him flying toward the wall.

Shelton laughed maniacally. He proceeded to say something nasty, but before he could, he saw a dagger flying towards him at full speed with lightning sparks.

He quickly rolled to his right to avoid the dagger, but when he stood up, Aizel was already on him with the same rock gauntlets about to land a punch.

Shelton dodged sideways, but suddenly a familiar small platform rose under his feet, making him stumble. He knew Aizel was doing the same thing he had done to him, so he quickly formed a rock shield in his free hand.

But then the dagger he had dodged earlier, stabbed his left leg. Aizel had changed its trajectory towards Shelton with wind magic.

"Damn it, how many cores do you have?" Shelton cried in pain gritting his teeth, as he blocked Aizel's heavy punches with his shield.

The rock shield shattered after a few hits. Shelton quickly formed pointed earth spikes on the ground to put some distance between them.

Aizel zigzagged backward dodging them. He moved his hand while dodging as he tried to imagine a flame pillar rising from the ground under Shelton's feet.

Shelton noticed the red glow and quickly made a dome out of the earth that covered him entirely. The flame pillar rose beneath the earth dome but failed to burn it.

Aizel moved his right hand into a stabbing posture imagining it was a sword. He rushed towards the earth dome and pierced at its center with his hand.

But he didn't feel like he pierced the body; Shelton came out from under the ground right behind him.

He punched Aizel's ribs in quick succession. He went for a big blow right at his head.

Aizel made earth spikes, which pierced Shelton's ankles. He quickly dodged Shelton's right fist by moving his head.

They made some distance between them, panting heavily. Aizel was already drained of blood; spears and daggers had grazed him, and the heavy gauntlet punches from Shelton were making his entire body scream in pain.

Shelton was the same as him, with a dagger still stuck on his left leg and both ankles pierced by earth spikes, the ankles bleeding profusely and making it difficult for him to move.

He was aware that he couldn't use the healing potion because Aizel was staring at him like a hawk waiting for its prey to make a mistake.

Neither mages nor hunters moved from their positions. They could only stand behind and watch two great mages fight each other with their lives on the line.

Aizel formed the rock gauntlet again and rushed toward Shelton. Both started exchanging punches with their gauntlets.

It was a brutal close combat; sometimes Shelton managed to hit Aizel, while other times Aizel got the strike in.

If they had gloves instead of gauntlets, this might look like a boxing match, with both boxers going for the KO.

As Aizel started gaining more momentum, Shelton's ankles were making it impossible for him to move properly to dodge and he started receiving more hits.

Aizel could have used wind magic to make it easy, but he didn't want to.

He started punching Shelton more and more in his face. He broke his teeth, his nose, and his jaw.

Shelton stumbled and fell on his back. Aizel approached him slowly and sat on his chest.

He dispersed his gauntlet and punched his face twice with his right fist.

Shelton's whole face swelled. Aizel held him by his curly hair, raising it, and bashed it into his own multiple time.

Aizel stopped when he noticed Shelton's breathing become faint. He put his mouth near his ears and whispered softly.

"Don't worry, I will make sure to have fun playing with Bretta." Just as he said that, he stood up and bashed his head repeatedly on the ground until there was no more head, only brain matter, mush, and blood.

He stood up and glared at the remaining mages and hunters.

"Who's next?"