Unforgiven Swords: Chapter 5

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Both Macabre and Naishi ran towards the melancholic eyes of the bounty hunter, and the two prepared to punch him.

Locke Wolff laid his hand calmly over the sword’s cable, staring the pirates rush to him.

Wolff: (thoughts) The White Wolf, huh? You look just like your brothers.

Naishi’s fist came first. He was to the left side of Locke, and Macabre was a few steps before, allowing the bounty hunter to simply spin to his right, discreetly moving a leg, making the first mate to fall and roll a few steps in front.

 Wolff then saw how the captain was already preparing an attack. Oh, the old combat instincts that he had seen before in the figure of Date and Vladimir RedClaw. The same instincts, passed through generations, which made the RedClaw to rise and fall. Macabre was no different… but experience was still more important.

 Locke left his body weight to fall back. He held the arm that tried to hit him and pushed it behind, spinning to the right at the same time, to let Macabre fall behind him.

 Differently from the first mate, the White Wolf did not fall.

 Wolff: You’re just like your brothers…

 He felt the presence of Naishi to approach him. Another presence, however, made him not to move.

 Naishi: (shouting) Bastard!

 He saw an umbrella. And red hair.

 Hound: Sorry for the delay, master Wolff.

 The assassin blocked Naishi’s fist with the umbrella handle.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Wolff: No, Hound… You’re right in time… Handle the fool, if you will.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Hound: As you wish…

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Naishi: What did you call me?

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> The assassin’s right hand, the one that didn’t hold the umbrella, was quickly into the pirate’s neck.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> The blue eyes stared him without showing any emotion.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Macabre: (running to Hound) Naishi!

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> He interrupted his run when a bullet, coming directly from the masked man umbrella, hit the ground just in front of him.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Wolff: Kill him if you want.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Hound threw Naishi far forward before the pirate could attempt to react.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Saying no more words, Hound moved. His coat, old and dusty as if never used in years, was removed slowly, falling on the ground before Hound’s feet. Just after, he walked in fast steps to his opponent.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Macabre looked to Locke Wolff stopped directly in front of him and then to the Hound approaching his friend.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Even though Wolff didn’t show any reaction, his hand was laid over the sword’s handle, ready for a quick unsheathing sword technique.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Wolff: We both know your friend can’t win, but we also know you have to defeat me first if you want to help him, so… What are we waiting?

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> He was right. “Defeat him quickly and go help Naishi”, Macabre’s mind kept repeating during the fight. He deeply breathed and inverted his tonfa.

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<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> The girls’ blades clashed.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Grainne, however, showed an amazing speed that Karen didn’t expect. The young RedClaw was immediately sent flying to the other side of the street.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Before she could notice what had happened, she felt pain on her left shoulder.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> There was a blade there… and she was over a door.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> She saw another blade coming through the air. Now it was deflected by her sword.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Grainne rushed and threw more two blades. One was deflected and the other didn’t hit.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Piercing, Karen tried a blow, but the iron shield Grainne carried blocked it. The blade diverted from its trajectory and let the pirate’s vulnerable to Grainne’s attack.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Karen was able to jump, but the red sword still cut her the same. She tried a flying kick, one that would hurt a lot due to the high heels she wore, but the bounty hunter still proved to be faster and dodged below the girl’s jump. Preparing to rush and slash her back while she was turned back, the redhead girl was surprised by one of her throwing daggers, the one that was stuck on RedClaw’s left shoulder, stopping her run.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> The young pirate’s right foot hit Grainne’s shield, as the bounty hunter saw her opponent’s attack coming easily.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Without balance, Karen fell. Grainne of the Tides held her red blade tightly and attacked the vulnerable opponent.

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<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Diarmuid really didn’t know what to do.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> He was literally stuck between two conflicts. Three, if he was to consider Naishi’s fight against the Red Hound.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> He simply sat down, turning his head to watch the different fights around him… He hadn’t much to do, anyway.

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<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> The inverted tonfas attempted to hit Wolff’s body several times. The bounty hunter, however, showed himself to be a quite quick opponent.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Macabre swing the tonfas back to their original position and punched. Right, left, right again… Wolff calmly walked back, leaning his head from the attack’s trajectory.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Macabre: (trying to hit Locke) Draw… (Wolff dodges) the bloody… (misses again) sword!

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Now that he was on one rare moment of fury, Locke dodged once more, as the RedClaw captain really rushed to him. In fact, to say that he dodged would be wrong. The Unforgiven Sword firstly unsheathed with one finger an inch of his blade, to then spin around Macabre’s punch, holding his shoulder firmly with the right hand while taking more of the blade out with his left hand. By the end of the move, Macabre, already preparing to attack again, remained still, facing the melancholic bounty hunter, now with a half unsheathed blade parallel to his body.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Wolff picked the sword’s handle and waited…

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Macabre focused… He had to attack before the bounty hunter have a chance to unsheathe what remained of the blade. He breathed, and so did the former marine.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Only then, Macabre RedClaw ran.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> The pirate covered the distance between them in the blink of an eye. His tonfa were already inverted, which indicated he was preparing a massive wave of hits, and he was close enough to attack.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Except the bounty hunter’s sword was actually sheathed.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Macabre felt Wolff’s feet to kick his face before he could move his arms. The kick was fast, direct and strong enough to make the White Wolf to lose his composure and almost fall back.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> In fact, there was no way Locke Wolff could unsheathe the sword and slash him before suffering any kind damage before. Macabre would definitely reach him first.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Now, however…

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Captain Macabre RedClaw felt when the sword crossed his chest and the blood spit. He didn’t fall, but the pain caused by the blade made him walk a few steps behind and get on his knees.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Macabre: (breathless) Wounded in the chest by a bounty hunter using a sword… This is getting repetitive…

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> The cold iron of the sword touched his neck and pulled his head up, so he could look the green eyes of his enemy.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Wolff: I really do respect your family, RedClaw. Even though I’d kill all of them if I could, I do respect you, Date and even that bastard, Vladimir… That’s why you’ll die looking to my eyes, unlike many pirates.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Macabre quickly stood on his feet jumping back. Wolff’s blade followed, going directly to the pirate’s throat, like a snake ready to put a pray inside its poisonous mouth.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> The movement stopped, however, after the sound.

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<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Hound calmly punched Naishi’s face again.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> The fool, who would never admit it publically, by seeing the redhead’s ferocious blue eyes, ran as fast as he could. Indeed, he tried to run. It didn’t occur, though, since Hound showed himself to be a very, very fast runner.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Naishi raised his fists. He was clearly tired, bleeding and hurt all over his body.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Naishi: That’s… that’s all you’ve got?

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Hound, on the other way, was completely well and wasn’t hurt at all.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Hound: You’re lucky that one of the habits I still keep from my past is that find very amusing to hit someone to death. If not, you would be dead already.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> The assassin’s hand could be barely seeing moving, but Naishi was still able to block. His right arm shook, absorbing the impact, followed by the left one.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Naishi: I got you… (attacks with the left hand) Kuroitei!

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> The fool was sure of the effects the punch would have on Hound’s face. He would lose his balance, probably breaking a nose also.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> The expectations weren’t fulfilled at all… The only change Naishi really noticed, was the eyes. Those were now wrathful eyes, which expelled fury from the deep of the assassin’s soul to the now surprised eyes of Naishi.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Hound: If something happened to my mask, you bloody pirate…

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> When the shotgun sounded, Naishi felt his foot to be filled with an immense pain.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Cursing and calling the bounty hunter of offensive names, Naishi fell on his back. From the warm ground, and thanks to his lack of luck, he could see the left half of his opponents’ lips. And, examining his face with his hand, Hound felt the exposed section of his face.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> The smoking gun that was the Red Hound’s umbrella touched directly the pirate’s face.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Hound: (arranges his bandages) There’s a reason why I use this… I would thank if you respected it.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> His eyes were calmer, noticed Naishi, but still there was no way he couldn’t feel the shadow of death approaching. Hound let clear with his gaze that there would be no escape.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> The umbrella hit the fallen face of the RedClaw’s first mate. It was a lot harder than it looked at first. His opponent held him by his hair and rose him, until they looked each other on the eyes.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Then, they heard the sound.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Hound: The marines are here.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Naishi: What? This trumpet, or whatever it is, means the marines came?

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Hound: Yes… It also means I have to present myself to my captain, where the marines are. I know exactly what Master Wolff is thinking if your captain is still alive.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Hound hit Naishi’s face one last time. The pirate, unconscious, didn’t have any choice but to be carried by the winner of the battle.

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<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Grainne’s blade never got the chance to touch Karen’s skin. The marines came before.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Next to the girls, where her relatives fought each other, the officers of the law pointed guns and blades to both pirates and bounty hunters.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Grainne know they would avoid paying the bounty hunters that did the job if they could, considering neither of the pirates were defeated yet. That wasn’t the real problem, though.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> She knew exactly what her father and captain thought about those situations.

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<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Wolff: Run.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Macabre: What?

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Wolff: Run when I tell you to do so. Go to your boat and get away from me.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Macabre: Why let me escape?

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Wolff: Because, in the position we are, you can block my attack, and so the officers will know I haven’t defeated you.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Macabre: All of that because of money?

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Wolff: Of course not, RedClaw… All of that because I don’t trust they can’t keep you inside a prison, not in an island small as this. I’d rather let you escape than giving you to people that won’t be able to guarantee your punishment.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Macabre: How noble of you…

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Wolff: Drop the sarcasm, RedClaw. I’ve had enough of it from your family already.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> They saw three bombs to fall in front of the officers. As their commander was ready to finally speak, they exploded in a cloud of smoke.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Wolff: Have in mind I’ll hunt you, RedClaw.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Macabre: Sure. I’ll be waiting you and your little personal justice.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Wolff: My sword is my only justice, White Wolf. Now run!

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Before he moved, Macabre saw the melancholic figure to be covered by the smoke that seemed to keep spreading. He also noticed that more bombs were exploding more and more. Seemed much exaggerated for his…

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> The White Wolf fell. Something was on the way.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Naishi, waking up, tried to get up.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Macabre: Naishi?

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Naishi: Wolfy? My feet is wounded. Help me to get up.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Macabre: Yes, Naishi.

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<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> They met Alina inside the Claw.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Diarmuid, who had run once he spotted the smoke bombs, was already there with her, even though he wasn’t invited.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Macabre: We’ll deal with you later. They are also after you and we need to escape.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> Karen came a few seconds later, along with Jon.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> And so, the RedClaw Pirates desperately sailed as soon as they could, without looking at any maps and with their Log Pose still not configured to the right direction.

<p align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left"> If they were lucky, they wouldn’t take much to find another island.

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