Chronicles of Gondwana - Chapter 9

CHAPTER 9-SCRIMMAGE

Another figure stepped out from between two large rocks. It was the samurai, Shruiken. “I’m not done yet,” he said to no one in particular.

It was Gerhardt, the white-eyed German who struck first. He opened fire with his Makarov on Kazansky and Natasha. They soon retaliated, sparking off a free-for-all shootout with the German on the causeways around. Charnaiz was left facing Krovin and there was Shruiken behind him. He decided to take on the Varangian first, for he sensed an unspeakable darkness in him, even darker than his Red Iris. But his concentration was suddenly interrupted by a sudden impulse of concern for his wife. He looked around and saw Valeri the prophetess, aloft in the air, holding astride Primrose. He nodded his head in gratitude.

Krovin spoke, or rather barked. “So, you are the first of my challengers to die, golden-haired one. Let me tell you of the last time I faced one with the same hair color. I pierced his heart and his lover’s as well, and sent them both to burning hell, just as I will do the same to you and your cowering wife over there!” Shruiken spoke behind Charnaiz. “This warrior is mine to kill. His blood is mine. The honor is mine.”

“Not so, Shruiken,” Charnaiz heard Aquilifon’s voice suddenly come up. Next, he saw the ground beneath Shruiken explode, and the samurai flinging through the air. It dawned then on Charnaiz that Aquilifon was trying to assault them all in the chance he might kill the one who had the power to destroy him. But he could not allow himself to be distracted, and he rushed at Krovin, Char Milvian gleaming in his hands.

Char Milvian made contact with Krovin’s longsword, and the two weapons locked. The two pushed against each other, and Charnaiz felt the cannibal’s brute strength, barely able to maintain his grip on Char Milvian. Krovin looked into his eyes. And Charnaiz for an instant was sure he was fighting Satan himself, come to earth in the body of this knight with a voracious appetite for human flesh.

The two continued to push against each other with their blades. Charnaiz, seeing an opening beneath, kicked Krovin off. With an upward stroke, he flung the longsword off the Varangian’s hands, and with a third thrust to the midsection, cut through his opponent’s hauberk, and drew blood. Then Charnaiz leaped back, and smugly grinned.

Krovin got up after a few moments, like there was no gaping wound in his side. He looked at Charnaiz tentatively, searching his memory for the last time when that had been done to him. Only very few had accomplished in actually wounding or disarming him, and now they were all dead. This one would be no exception, Krovin thought. He picked up his weapon and prepared to attack again.

Charnaiz also positioned himself again. “Just come then,” he said, feeling quite cocky. The Varangian then rushed at him with such ferocity he edged backward when their swords locked. He swung Char Milvian, he missed; it was costly for next the butt of Krovin’s longsword slammed with crushing force into his shoulder. He edged backward some more, in a defensive stance. And he actually felt like the area of impact was swelling like a grapefruit inside his armor. Krovin smiled again, blood trickling from his mouth.

Meanwhile, Shruiken’s feet were constantly saving his life, as he evaded Aquilifon’s energy pulses. The Destroyer was not truly missing, he was only toying with the samurai. But Shruiken was determined to strike back. Somehow. Someway.

At the thick of the battle, Reynold was bashing skulls and levelling entire groups of enemy tribesmen with his Iris skills. But more and more kept coming, and he dreaded the time when he would make a mistake.

The battle was fierce. But as always, fierce battles tend to get fiercer.