"Remember Femi, as long as you have an axe in hand you can take any blow." Tarlak had said while stretching his hand out to help Femi get up. "So never waver." He finished with a grin.
---
Femi gritted his teeth, his grip tightening on his sword and axe as Duran's blade slammed down toward him.
BOOFFFFF!
The air seemed to vibrate with the force of the blow, and Femi felt the snow beneath him shudder as the sword clashed with his own weapons.
Oboy, this one is strong.
Femi lamented. He knew he was in trouble, as the blow drove him deeper and deeper into the snow.
...But how could he lose like this?
With a fierce cry, Femi shifted his stance, using his tools to direct Duran's blade away from his body. The sword slammed into the snow, causing the white powder to shoot up. He used the cover to create distance, while planning for his next assault, feet scrambling for traction. He wouldn't let Duran get the upper hand again.
Duran shifted to face him head-on, but Femi was already attacking from the side, his sword and axe moving in a blur as he launched himself at Duran. The Krag was taken aback, forced onto the back foot as their blades clashed.
But Duran was clearly the better of the two in the way of fighting, as he quickly recovered, his blade flashing as he counterattacked. The blade in question appearing as three.
It's not me that will stop this rubbish.
Femi barely managed to slip through the attack, feeling the blade slice through his side. He cursed his luck, his mind racing with pain and adrenaline.
Why must sharp objects always locate my flesh?
He tried to roll away from more attacks. But Duran wasn't about to let him off the hook. He attacked again, his savage sword swinging for Femi's head. Femi raised his own sword, the impact of the blow sent shockwaves through his arm.
Just as he was starting to think of a counter, he saw movement flickered at the edge of his vision Femi having no choice used the momentum of Duran attack to roll away, avoiding Kovar's axe that was aimed at his side. But Kovar wasn't done, He came up again swinging, forcing Femi to block.
CLANK
Femi was sent tumbling away towards Duran. Duran's whose face was a mask of malice didn't miss his chance.
CRUNCH
Duran's kick did something terrible to Femi ribs. As he was sent on yet another journey, landing hard. The urge to vomit his yesterday food became stronger with every passing second.
"It seems you are the one bending over ratling." Duran said with a smirk that infuriated Femi.
"Says the hairless goat ganging up on an innocent soul like me. You're the inspiration of thugs and hoodlums everywhere. Clap for yourself." Femi mocked as he stood up, his side burning.
"You're going to die soon enough, Ratling. Say what you want. I am not easily moved."
With that statement, Femi knew he was truly left with one option. To fight like a madman.
I swear if I catch that Varga, she will hear it.
Femi glanced around, taking in the positions of his opponents. Kovar was preparing an attack to his left, the ponytailed female Krag was cracking her knuckles, ready to pound his head, and Duran was watching him with a calm, calculating gaze.
"Oh boy, somebody is going to die today," Femi muttered to himself, his heart pounding in his chest.
Just have to make sure it's not me.
With a fierce cry, Femi charged at Kovar.Kovar swung his axe, but Femi was ready, deflecting it with his sword and striking back with his own axe. Kovar dodged, but Femi was relentless, pressing his attack.
Clack, clank, clack.
The sound of clashing steel echoed, as Femi fought for his life, his thoughts filled with strategies and counter-attacks. His sword and axe moving with a speed that was hard to follow. Neither side was giving ground as they exchanged blows in rapid succession.
Duran watched, eyes narrowed, as Femi fought Kovar. He was waiting for the perfect moment to strike, and Femi knew it. The amber-eyed, ponytail female Krag was moving in, trying to flank him, but Femi senses was on high alert.
Femi's relentless assault showed no signs of slowing. In fact, …
Badam
The sound of clanking steel only grew louder and more frequent as he swung. Kovar trying to overpower his smaller opponent, while Femi was deflating the heavy blows with multiple light ones.
The stalemate was interrupted however when Duran struck Femi from the side. Yet, Femi was prepared, blocking with his axe. With a fierce kick, he propelled himself upward, then brought his axe down toward Duran's face.
Badam-Badam.
The impact was tremendous. Duran was taken aback.
What Heft.
Duran was forced back a step, before retaliating with a swift slash. Twisting his body above the blade to avoid the blow. Femi seized the opportunity to grab Duran's outstretched wrist. A savage grin spreading across his face
"I don catch you," Femi snarled
Badum-Badum
Using Duran's sword arm as a platform, he launched a devastating kick toward the charging Kovar, while simultaneously dodging Duran's free-hand fist.
Kovar's eyes widened, as the rat like foot connected with his face, sending him tumbling. Femi took advantage of the distraction to catch his axe he had thrown in the air earlier and launched himself at the shocked Duran.
Clank!
They clashed, their swords meeting, creating sparks. Duran caught off guard. His amber eyes wide with shock as Femi's axe sliced through the air mere inches from his face.
Kürōß- Pártîãl Mæñipülåtíøñ<æï_ Ahhhh!
An axe landed on the amber-eyed Weaver's shoulder, stopping her from finishing her chant.
"You think I will let you finish your nonsense? Fool." Femi now on Duran's shoulder gripped his head, and dragged it down onto his rising knee.
CRANK.
But Femi wasn't done.
His free hand still grabbing Duran head, slammed him into the snow. Just as Kovar slashed at Femi, which he deflected with his sword.
CROOKCRAK!
AHHHH!
The ponytailed female Krag smashed his left arm, sending him flying and tumbling into the snow.
"Damn, your father. Dog shit, ahhh!" Femi cursed, arm throbbing.
Yet she wasn't done. With a strange grin, she appeared before him. Their eyes met. Her fist was already in front of his face, and in that moment, Femi knew…
He would DIE.
BA-DAM
----
"A moment."
" A moment... what?" Femi echoed, as he gazed at the sky while lying on the snow.
"A moment" Vagra said, her voice calm and measured as she walked up to Femi and sat at his side, staring off into the trees. "A moment is all it will take to win or lose a fight. We warriors train to notice it and to use it."
"Femi, I'm sure you too have experienced that moment, even if you didn't know."
Femi heavy breathing had returned to normal, as he focused on what Vagra was saying. As Vagra spoke, Femi's mind flashed back to all those fight he had been dragged into and he realized that he may have indeed experienced something like that.
"We may face more cunning foes, not just wild beasts in the future," she continued, emerald eyes now boring into him. "And so, I want you to know how to see and use that moment. It may be the difference between life and death."
She smirked. "And I still have use for you, my strange Ratling."
-------
BA-DAM
He saw it.
The instant her fist was about to connect. He saw her breathing, the shift in stance, the bend of her waist. Those tiny changes created the moment or what Femi now calls.
The Active Zone.
Badam
One moment his head was in the fist's path. The next, it only scratched his cheek. He had moved without thinking. His body reacting instinctively to the moment.
Their faces were inches apart. Femi stared into her shocked expression; her amber eyes filled with surprise and confusion. He on the other hand felt a strange sense admiration, for this opponent that had fallen into one chance.
Ah, what a beautiful victim.
Femi's fist smashed under her chin with everything he had. Simply put...
CRUCKCHHH
The blow had WEIGHT.
He watched her eyes rolled back, but strangely she had a grin on her face, as she slumped to the ground, unconscious.
Femi's stumbled; his exhaustion clear even to the blind. His body aching from the fight. He looked down at his hands and what he saw made him want to lie down and weep. His right hand was broken, bent in places he didn't know it could bend. He couldn't even bring himself to look at his broken left arm.
Taking a breath to stabilize himself. He looked up at the surrounding to find that a small crowd of Krags had gathered around them, their eyes fixed on him. He hadn't really noticed his spectators during the fight, but it seems they were enjoying the spectacle of his suffering, or maybe not. He couldn't tell with this mad group.
Femi gaze focus back on his immediate threat to life. Only to find to his dismay, Duran had getting up, his eyes fixed on him. Kovar was still standing, his eyes darting between them, seeming unsure of what to do next.
"You little pest. You actually put up such a fight," Duran said, trying to sound calm, but Femi could see the truth in his eyes.
Femi snorted "Yeah, I'm shocked too," he said sarcastically, while sitting down. Too tired to continue this rubbish.
Duran's face darkened, and he began to stalk towards Femi. "You dare to drop your guard? Do you think it's over? I will wear your fur and make it my pelt," he growled.
Femi looked up at him. "My friend, I think you're mistaken. I'm just an innocent rat man who was assaulted by five Krags in the great Arieus camp, where fighting is not allowed."
"What are you talking about?" Duran stopped, his eyes narrowing as he realized that something was wrong.
"If you are not going to kill him, I will," the savage priestess growled. Probably still angry about the axe wound on her shoulders, from the look of her eyes that had begun glowing as she began to chant.
Just as she was about to attack, a cold voice entered the ears of everyone around the area. "I suggest you hold your tongue before I take it."
A dagger was placed at the neck of the Partial weaver, held by a blue-eyed, sharp-featured female Krag who Femi recognized instantly.
Dana.
"You dare make such a ruckus in Arieus camp?" a large Krag with many scars boomed, grabbing Kovar by the shoulder and lifting the younger krag to face. A massive axe was in his other hand. "You whelp better be prepared to be punished." Goruk scolded.
"Punishment?"
A powerful aura accompanied those words, washing over everyone. Suffocating all but the strong.
"The price for trying to take what is mine…"
Some krags filched, at the feeling of growing danger and began to step back.
"Is steeper than that."
Varga's emerald eyes glowed fiercely, as her kuros poured from her body freely.
Her intent for blood clear.