Chapter 5: Chapter – 4

(150 years later)

I have now taken over the entirety of the slums. My gang collects ‘rent’ Every month which has allowed me to amass a fortune over my lifetime. Well as much as a fortune as you can make in the slums. It's probably not even what a commoner in the capital would make in a similar time. Some of the money goes to Aila and the gang as well. Well with time I will get into the capital. I will wait however long it takes.

I pick up my sword and walk outside to begin my daily training. Ducking through the door that I am now twice the height of at fourteen feet I step outside to find Aila already training her martial arts. I have never got her to tell me where she learnt it.

“Lady Erika are you here for your training?”(Aila)

“I am as usual. You look like you are working hard this morning.”(Erika)

“I am lady Erika. After this I am going to go out and collect on some debts.”(Aila)

“Very good Aila.”(Erika)

I begin my daily practice as usual but am stopped almost immediately by a human who approaches me out of breath

“My lady knights have arrived at the gate”(Human)

“What knights?”(Erika)

“They call themselves the order of the fluff my lady.”(Human)

“Come with me Aila.”(Erika)

“Right away lady Erika.”(Aila)

With Aila following me I stride towards the gate. As I move through the streets all the humans step to the side and bow toward me. Now, where are these knights? Approaching the gate, I find a group of heavily armed and armoured knights waiting. From what I can see they all look like kitsune. The one who I presume is the leader is a tall woman in a full suit of shiny plate armour with holes in the helmet for her ears. She has long black hair with a dark blue and purple galaxy pattern she also has five fluffy tails of the same colour and pattern. As she turns towards me, I see that what would normally be the whites of the eyes is a Sakura pink.

She walks over to me and looks up to meet my eyes.

“Are you the leader of this gang. I believe the name is Erika?”(Kitsune leader)

How dare you speak to my lady that way you are to address her as lady Erika!”(Aila)

“It is alright Aila. I am the leader of the gang here my name is Erika. Who are you and what do you want?”(Erika)

“I am knight commander of the order of the fluff Lilith Trea. We are here today to conscript you and your group of outlaws into the Royal army to support the war effort.”(Lilith)

“What gives you the right to do that? We are not citizens of the kingdom and no one has ever cared for us before.”(Erika)

“A law has been passed stating that all people living in the slums surrounding the city are now citizens of the kingdom and can be conscripted for war.”(Lilith)

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“You just want to use these people as cannon fodder. You don’t want to sacrifice the trained soldiers or the civilian commoners so you sacrifice the ‘undesirables’ the outcasts, the poor.”(Erika)

“That may be what the king and nobles have planned but we want you and Aila for your strength. We have heard about you and decided you are an invaluable asset to the war effort. Your group of outlaws will stay with you but you will be under the command of an officer from the army.”(Lilith)

“I have spent a long time getting to where I am I will not give it up so easily.”(Erika)

“This does pose a problem. How about a duel? If I win you and your group of outlaws will be conscripted and if you win I and my knights will leave and never see you again. Do you accept?”(Lilith)

“I accept.”(Erika)

I ready my sword in front of me with two hands. I expected her to do the same but instead, she puts her left leg back and bends her right leg putting her right hand on the hilt of her strange, curved sword with the left hand on the sheath. One of the other knights steps forward and raises a gun into the air which will be our starting signal. We both wait for the signal intently concentrating on each other.

BANG

As soon as the gun fires Lilith begins to draw her sword steps forward and then disappears. Where did she go? I raise my sword to block and surprisingly it is stopped by something solid. Looking down I see Lilith in front of me. How is she so fast? I step back and so does Lilith. I run forward and swing my sword, but Lilith easily manages to block and parry my attack. Without hesitation, she follows through with the attack swinging at my side. I won’t be able to block in time. I try moving away from the sword but am too late the blade strikes the top of my leg and cuts across.

“ARGH”(Erika)

I look down at the wound to find it bleeding heavily. I ignore the pain and attack again like last time she stops it effortlessly. Have I finally met my match? An enemy I can't defeat. Lilith attack me multiple times again and like the first, I am not fast enough to stop them. My body is covered in cuts but I am still just about standing.

“MY LADY LET ME HELP.”(Aila)

“Stay back Aila this is a duel between the two of us.”(Erika)

“You're not giving up yet?”(Lilith)

“No why would I? I have spent a long time getting to where I am and I need to look good in front of Aila don’t I.”(Erika)
“I understand now lets end this shall we.”(Lilith)

I ready myself the best I can as she launches herself at me again. This time she strikes with the pommel of her sword hitting me in the stomach. She hits me with the force of a dragon causing me to fall to the ground. Leaning against my sword I look up at her.

“I yield.”(Erika)

“My lady you are giving up?”(Aila)

“I’m sorry Aila but she is an opponent I can’t defeat.”(Erika)

“Very well. It is good to know when not give up. I will call a doctor to attend to your wounds but I’m not doing it for you. I’m doing it for the kingdom you are a valuable asset.”(Lilith)

She then looks away from me and leaves as I fall unconscious.