The sounds of battle rage against the roar of thunder as Trietel and I charge once more at each other. 

I bring my sword up in another block and Trietel's flogging rod slams against it, drawing a shower of sparks. Trietel does not break off from the clash and instead swings the rod at me rapidly, his arm a blur. I put up my guard again and dig my heels into the soft muddy turf, refusing to give any ground to my opponent. My sword slashes out, deflecting several of Trietel's attacks, but his speed once again proves the better of me. The rod slips under my guard and strikes me squarely in the heart.

I grin as I feel the explosion of force blossoming where Trietel hit me being quickly suppressed by the core's power. After our first few exchanges, I had quickly worked out the gimmick behind Trietel's flogging rod. Its stopping power was poor, worse than even my cheapo off brand magic sword, but it had one nasty trick. All damage inflicted by it would not be stopped by armor, and I suspect, magical defenses as well. The blows Trietel had landed on me left the uniform and stab vest pristine and unharmed. That combined with the speed and precision of Trietel's attacks, meant that he could quickly disable an otherwise hardy opponent by delivering a hit to a vital point. 

Thanks to The Voice, I had no vital points to target. Getting hit in the head meant the exact same thing as getting my foot crushed. What mattered was the raw damage being resisted and the stress building up in Gallant's body. I was capable of resisting a blade being slashed across my hand or my belly being cut open. This level of damage was trivial for me to handle. I slash at Trietel's neck in retaliation and he dives backwards, avoiding the blow by a hair. 

A thin line of blood on his neck wells up from the wound I had inflicted. I had been gradually ramping up my speed as the fight went on, to avoid losing control like before. During our first few exchanges, I had been wildly flailing at Trietel's afterimage. After that, my sword began nicking his clothes. Now, skin had been broken. I assume the ready stance once more. A few more exchanges and it will be over. 

Trietel scowls and pulls at his ragged outfit, the rain soaking it through. His eyes cast about my body, probably trying to find a weak point. I smirk as frustration spreads across Trietel's face. No convenient glowing weak spots for you to target man. This boss is not going to throw the fight. 

Trietel's core flares and he abruptly disappears from my sight. I still can sense him though, he is charging straight at me, moving too fast for my eyes to see. I feel the impact of the flogging road against the helmet coupled with the familiar quickly suppressed explosion of force. I swing my sword once again and feel the blade striking home. Glancing at it, I notice that the blade is now stained red. 

The kidnapper cum music teacher appears before me again, this time clutching his side while breathing raggedly. Crimson spreads across his clothes and blood starts dripping on the ground. He glares at me hatefully, gripping the flogging rod so hard that the veins in his head swell. 

I take a few lazy swings with my sword while saying, "Try hitting me harder next time. I've a massage chair at home that provides more feeling than whatever you did just now."

Trietel straightens up and regards me, "A master of physical enhancement. You're not blocking my attacks with magic. You've just augmented your body to the point where I cannot do any meaningful damage. That's how you've been speeding up your attacks as well."

"Smart man," I grunt, "Legion veterans certainly do live up to their name. So what will it be? The girl for your life?"

Trietel's expression becomes determined, "Never. I would never break faith with the goddess. Have you ever loved someone, Mr Greer?"

My mind goes blank for a moment. Where did that come from? How is that relevant to our rumble in the rain?

Noticing my bemused silence, Trietel continues, "I fought in the jungles of South America during the Millennium War. I thought that the place we came from was originally hell, but hell was truly on earth. I killed so many during those days. The scent of blood, it will never leave me, even today." 

Trietel's skin begins to peel off, revealing shaggy tufts of fur beneath it. The fur is coated in a dull red muck. Blood. Blood that can never be washed away.

He laughs, "You think I am scared of death Mr Greer? I died in that hell. The P5 killed me, a missile strike on our camp. A nameless casualty, collateral damage arising from an operation that I was not even involved in. No furious avenger seeking to take revenge on me. No dramatic battle against overwhelming odds."

Trietel slaps his hands together with a contemptuous look on his face, "Just like that. Dead. A wasted life."

I snort and advance upon Trietel. I don't have the time for this bullshit. Trietel quickly backs up and we begin circling each other. 

He continues, "A wasted life the goddess gave back to me. I had nothing to give in return, but she saved me, just because I am one of her children. And because of the goddess, I can enjoy these peaceful days with my students. Building a better world. No more killing. No more horror."

I rush forward and slash at Trietel once again. He barely manages to dodge. Not fast enough yet. Soon. 

Trietel's eyes take on the hard look of a fanatic, "For my life, I'll always be grateful to the goddess. But for the future she offered me, I'll love her forever. Even to my second death."

"And because of that, I'll oppose you to my last breath Mr Greer." Trietel announces as his body warps, growing more bestial, "I know all about the Tyrant's plan. The goddess will grant this child the dream locked in her heart. While your only concern is her value to your master. For the Tyrant, you would doom the world to an eternity of war. A hell that never ends."

With a wet ripping sound, Trietel sheds his human form, bloody skin flying everywhere. What emerges from the husk is a massive roided out wolf bearing a bloodstained pelt. His core blazes, strengthening by several magnitudes. Was Trietel holding back just now?

The wolf growls at me, "For the future of this world, your path ends here."

I snarl back, "And for the sake of my future, die."