Chapter 28: A Second Meeting 2

The memories flooded back in. The tip of a blade an inch before his chin, he stared at the chainsword's teeth while holding to a cutter sword.

"Hey," the person said. "You're far from home. Surviving this long without attracting the beluas, I had almost rip your head off. Hmm, what is an Outrider doing this far in the wetlands. Ah, you must be part of the expedition. Hah, you do not look so good. Now, do not make that face, I am not killing without intention. We have enough of that right now. So, Outrider, how about I keep that wounds close first, eh?"

Jakob had seen enough of her fighting style. Their travels in the wetlands was a pleasant memory. Of some etherian showing some bit of kindness to him. Jakob could recall the last meeting that he had with her. Disappearing from his sight without a word, and then later on finding her corpse among those who fell on the battle at the end, Jakob carried her body and buried into a dry area with a tiny tombstone on it.

Shutting away the idle thoughts, he parried her attacks. The needles of ice surrounded Jakob. He ran around while using his skewed perception of time to block her needles of ice.

Her needles of ice were effective in the wetlands. Jakob recalled she was on the eight layer of ether back then and she could rain down spears formed from the drops of rain. Those who did not wear protection against the ether had the waters in their bodies turning into stakes that killed poke holes in their bodies.

Looks like this is the only way, Jakob thought. He adjusted his posture and forwarded his left shoulder, hiding his cutter-vibrant from her view. He turned the cutter around and locked the cutter in the sheath.

He dashes in for a thrust. Miss Yuki blocks by touching the rain falling downwards, turning them into a shield, and extending them to him. Jakob leans backward, crushes the extended pillar, and turned his torso for a kick that shattered the pillar, using the fragments; he twisted his palm and lands it on her stomach. Thrusting the pommel of his cutter on her stomach again, he kneed her on the chest and bashed her shoulders.

Jakob saw through her next move. He ducked to the side, and like an arrow to a bowstring, landed a heavy kick that made her reel in. His combat style focused on wasting an enemy's time to turn into a barrage of blunt attacks meant to do damage to her suit. Not wasting time on talking, he kept on landing punches, kicks, and knee-strikes on the same area. He pulls his fists back, and lands with another. She deploys her ice needles only for Jakob to circle around her and use her as a shield to stop her attacks. He stayed near her while avoiding her blows. Unable to stand his continuous blows she deployed her chainsword only for Jakob shove the hilt of the cutter-vibrant on the trigger. Pushing her back, landing a kick just below her neck, using the momentum he palms her forehead, ending it with a haymaker that brought her flat on her back. Encasing herself on spiky ice, Jakob jumped up, sheathed his cutter-vibrant and opening her encased shell.

Seeing through her schemes, Jakob blocked with the flat of his blade, sheathed the cutter-vibrant and slammed the sheath to her suit. Forced back by the impact, she regained her foothold and revved her chainsword.

Barely hurt, face still cold as ice. Jakob responded by raising both arms, balling his fist with palms facing his body.

His heads-up display showed that the suit could manage. Although, she was in the third layer of ether, it shows that she was still green to Jakob.

That did not stop Jakob from performing to his best. He could not underestimate the etherians. He would not make that mistake, after fighting them so long he knows how dangerous they are.

They would end the world. That was the truth of their existence in this god-forsaken world. He went in to attack and slammed his fist against her. She barely could attack as Jakob lands multiple blows. Her body might be able to handle the pain, but the machine would not.

Each blow was targeting the same spot. Jakob did not spare any words or taunts. He landed strikes. He kneed, elbowed, and palmed the suit Miss Yuki was wearing until it became ragged.

As time passed, the suit she wore slowly became unable to follow Jakob. He had been dodging her attacks and parrying anything that would hit him. In the world Jakob knew, one mistake was all that it takes to die.

Jakob knew himself well. How he fought. How he deal with the enemies have been engrave in his bones. Miss Yuki was a monster no doubt, but Jakob Recker was an old veteran who fought in a war that broke the world. He would make mistakes, and yet this dance was something he knew well.

Jakob did not hesitate. He landed a punch that broke the spine of her suit, crippling the suit and destroying the energy core located on the back of her suit.

She fell on the floor as if someone cut off her strings. She growled at him as he sits on her stomach, watching the rain.

"Not going to kill me?" She scoffed. "Don't tell you've gone soft suddenly!"

"I did," Jakob did not bother to pretend. He tapped on the control panel of his left gauntlet and adjusted the settings of his suit, releasing a steam of smoke.

"Get out of this place," Jakob pressed a part of her neck. The press made Miss Yuki widen her eyes. The etherian glow on her skin subsided.

"Tell them that Haven is watching. Come again if you like, but do it while I am not here."

"Why are you afraid now?"

"I am a hired man," Jakob stood up. "Go, I won't behead you while you're turning back."

She stood, and found her balance. The etherian glow on her skin did not bid well.

"Why?"

"Someone spared me like this, and the conditions are right. This is not mercy," Jakob said. "This is just me doing what an old acquaintance would have done."

Hatred burn her eyes, and she limped away, holding her broken her left arm. Jakob watched her go. He felt his eyelids become heavy as he leaps down and walks to where Gaul and the rest were.

He had hoped that they would have met in a rather pleasant bar instead of this place.