Arreth found the apostate in Tink. He arrived just in time to meet him
and
another strange man emerging from an inn having a loud conversation. They
stopped short, surprised when Arreth did not get out of their way.
"You are Onslaught...", said Arreth.
"I am...", replied the apostate.
"A Season ago you killed eight clansmen in a village near Two-ridge
farm. You killed them knowing they couldn't stand against you and without
regard for the suffering you have inflicted upon their families.You assassinated
a Thane who was standing before you as a man of Honor, assuming that you were
the same..."
Onslaught frowned as if remembering then his brow cleared. "Oh yes, I remember now! I had forgotten all about that. To be honest these events all blur into one after a while. I remember that time I was fighting the Caladralanders in the Rightarm Isles and..."
Arreth waited. When the apostate stopped talking, he said, "You know why I'm here."
Onslaught smiled a predators smile. "What? Are you here to complain at me like my mother? To chastise me for fulfilling my gods purpose to bring death with honour to those who seek it. Do you wish me to give you that honour, is that it? I'm glad, I was getting a bit bored, haven't had a good fight in three weeks now." Onslaught drew his bastard sword.
The crowd that had gathered stepped back. Arreth frowned, "I will face you at sunrise tomorrow, to the east of town where no other innocents will be hurt by your madness..." Onslaught considered a moment, "You are no fun...", he said. Thenwhooped a war cry and leapt at Arreth brandishing his blade in a theatrical manner. The crowd gasped, Arreth was surprised but what could one expect of an apostate?
He stepped back and drew his blade with lightening speed, shouting his protest as he parried Onslaughts first wild swing. "I do not wish to fight here, there are people about!"
Onslaught kept up the attack. "Tough! They can stay out the way if they like. Cut the talk and fight damn you!"
The townfolk stayed well back but got to watch the most rare of spectacles, a Humakti Death Match. They gasped together as the blades struck each other in a burst of argent sparks. And again, and again they clashed. Balance and poise allied with skill and strength made the weapons scream as they impacted against one another in a torrent of controlled violence.
Onslaught came low then high. Arreth parried and sidestepped cutting to the head. Onslaught grinned, ducked and came forward slamming a short cut at Arreths mid section. Arreth barely blocked the blow which pushed through to be deflected by his magics and armour.
Arreth countered with a rolling wrist cut that Onslaught slid round but the bastardsword was deflected as Arreth continued his missed move and managed a beautiful sliding parry. His riposte was blocked but his point clanged against Onslaughts helm.
They leapt apart. "We are well matched you and I" Whooped Onslaught almost joyously.
"Nevertheles, I shall kill you."
"Perhaps, perhaps not. Whatever, it will be a good fight!" True to his
name Onslaught came forward, almost foregoing defence in a blinding and
remorseless attack. Arreth retreated a step, then another as his parries began
to fail and he traded room for time. Onslaught must tire he thought but the
iron-toothed warrior just grinned and attacked with greater ferocity with every
passing moment as if he fed on the clash of arms.
Arreth kept up the appearance of weakening but drew his foe on. He semi-pretended a stumble and exposed his crystal armoured leg for a brief moment. Onslaught went for it, cutting hard but the blow rebounded without even marking the clear substance covered by Arreths trew. With his counter, he rammed his Broadsword point first into Onslaughts stomach.
The big warrior crumpled around the strike but as he fell he butted Arreth hard, bringing stars to Arreths eyes even through the helm, then he pulled him with him in a wrestling grip. "Nice hit." Spat Onslaught through blood flecked lips.
"Pity it didn't kill you." Retorted Arreth as they held each other in a
straining grip.
"Thats the spirit!" Grinned Onslaught while his ally, Bloodsong, healed
him.
Before Arreth could begin to break his foes grip he saw a large force of horsemen moving through the crowd behind Onslaught. Onslaught looked round too. Arreth reognised them as irregulars, mercenaries the Lunars hired to deal with problems to messy for the regulars to deal with effectively.
The leader spoke. "You there, with the teeth...you're under arrest for the murder of a Lunar citizen...", he turned to his men, "take him into custody...".
A dozen men dismounted and started walking towards Onslaught. Onslaught turned to Arreth and let him go. "Sorry, got to go, things to do. Perhaps later? This is personal now." Arreth nodded. "I will be there to see you fall." He said simply, with total conviction. Onslaught grined and stood as the men closed in on him. When the menreached him, he readied his bastard sword with a wicked grin. Magic flew, blood flew, limbs flew, heads flew, and in moments a dozen men lay dead at Onslaught's feet. Onslaught laughed for the joy of it. Then he moved, fast, shimmering straight at the assembled troops. He drew his axe as he ran and even more magic glittered around him.
The officer, looking on in horror, screamed..."Fire!" A dozen crossbow bolts from a dozen mounted militiamen flew across therapidly dimishing distance between them and Onslaught. Most missed, some he knocked out of the air with sword and axe. Many bounced away...some struck hard but he didn't slow as he leapt among them.
His warhorse struck the mounted irregulars from the side, hooves smashing, teeth biting. The leader simply fell off his horse stone dead and four men died from his blurring axe and sword. They broke and ran, most hadn't evenhad time to draw their swords.
Onslaught mounted his warhorse, gave Arreth a cheery wave and rode like a madman out of town.
Arreth sheathed his broadsword and walked away. There would be another time. One with less people around hopefully.
Martin Laurie
Powered by hypermail