Games of the Powerful

by William E Samela

  Chapter 9

  Barge Road followed the river as it lazily wound southward and where the river curved the road did the same. On the opposite side of the road away from the river, sporadic stands of trees look like small islands of dark-green placed among the lighter green of the grassy fields. Deer and elk dotted the fields furiously eating the last of the summer grass before the first winter snow, painting a beautiful picture of rolling hills and vast grasslands. Stopping for a moment to rest gave them time to admire the picturesque and tranquil sight of the animals peacefully grazing. Holding hands next to Ethan and Celedryl gazing at the peaceful sight Leadyl and Mitch admired the grace and beauty of the animals and their apparent lack of fear with their group in such close proximity. Suddenly, their heads sprang up their movements freezing in place as if they were made of stone instead of living breathing animals. Alarmed by the sudden change in behavior Mitch felt something strange, something dark was fast approaching. Suddenly the herds instantly dispersed as if their very lives depended on it and rightly, so it seemed. A small spiraling circle of infinite darkness black as night suddenly appeared in the middle of the field quickly growing larger as the seconds passed.

  “Form a half circle bows in the center. Be ready they will be coming any second,” Cormyr ordered. Following his orders, weapons drawn the half circle formed up very quickly and efficiently with Leadyl, Elvey, which suited him fine, and Celedryl in the center with Ethan and his daggers standing with them. Kneeling next to Aethelwine and Farwalker, Danielle and Celedryl spoke to them in the language of the wolf instructing them to hide in the stand of trees further down the road and wait for their call.

  Rushing from the spiraling black mass were humans, dwarfs, elves, trolls, then orcs quickly followed by creatures on four legs as black as night with mouths full of sharp teeth and razor-sharp talons for feet and hairless bodies glistening with some foul smelling substance. The evil wizard that followed is average height wearing a black cowl hiding its features. Suddenly emanating from the dark wizard, a surge of mind numbing fear slammed into Mitch and his friends paralyzing them to their very bones. Shrinking in size the black spiraling circle disappeared as the dark wizard stepped through. The palpable fear this creature of darkness exudes is pervasive in nature, until Mitch reacting naturally to the attack struck with a powerful surge of love and pure light dissipating the black fear surrounding his friends surprising the dark wizard.

  Suddenly a large wave of humans, dwarfs, trolls, and vile creatures on four legs moved forward like a title wave. Mitch and Cormyr with their pure white swords drawn waited in the forefront ready to meet the charge threatening to overwhelm them. Arrows from their group flew over their heads slamming into the front ranks of charging soldiers killing them causing the attack to falter as the bodies fell tripping the ones behind them. Two arrows from Celedryl’s bow slammed into the eye and mouth of a charging ork causing it to fall backward on a dwarf crushing it. Arrow after arrow flew into the charging mass causing confusion with one of Leadyl’s magic infused arrows piercing one of the grotesque creatures in the eye felling it.

  Then they heard it, the sound of charging horses racing toward them with five knights in a V-formation suddenly slamming into the milling mix of men and creatures their swords flashing in the sunlight quickly passing through them sending blood and broken bodies flying. Choosing to suddenly attack, the hooded wizard raised its arm pointing it at the lead knight and his horse sending a blast of blackness from its outstretched hand ripping into them sending blood and gore over the battlefield killing the knight and his horse.

  Charging into the mayhem following the wizard's attack, Mitch and Cormyr lead the attack slashing with their swords cutting down the enemy instantly covered in blood and gore for their trouble. The enemy lacked any skill at arms and acted as if they were lifeless or controlled by something for they swung their swords wildly and without concern for defense. Blood spurting everywhere, Mitch and Cormyr severed arms and separated heads from bodies. One of the dark grotesque creatures leaped to attack Mitch impaling itself on both swords driving it to the ground killing it. They knew they had to get to the hooded wizard before it was too late, when another attack narrowly missed hitting Mitch.

  In the field behind the enemy a circle of pure light with spiraling bands of gold, orange and red all spiraling outward like a funnel appeared and out rode a wizard carrying a staff wearing brown robes riding a black stallion quickly followed by more men on horseback. The attacking forces soon found themselves beset from behind with the wizard attacking the dark wizard with bolts of pure light from his raised staff. As their battle joined, the rest of the riders attacked the rear of the attacking enemy sending it into disarray. The fighting became even more desperate and fierce as one of the grotesque four-legged creatures pulled a knight from his horse its claws ripping into the knight’s armor killing him as he screamed in agony; an imagination infused arrow from Leadyl's bow pierced the creature's side killing it. An elf with a long sword tried to cut Mitch down from behind when Hobnobby covered in the enemy’s blood nearly clove the attacker in two with his ax.

  Elvey chose this time to strike for he knew Mitch was not going to meet his demise this day. Running up behind Leadyl, he struck her sharply on the head with the pommel of his dagger knocking her senseless. Forsaking his bow and dagger he effortlessly threw her onto the neck of a fallen knights destrier jumping quickly into the saddle he kicked the horse hard galloping north on Barge Road. Cormyr seeing this quickly got Mitch’s’ attention. Handing his bloody sword to Cormyr, he ran to another rider less horse leaping into the saddle he kicked the horse hard holding on for dear life. He had ridden before on hunting trips out in the wilderness with his father but nothing like this breakneck speed. Looking back over his shoulder Elvey knew real fear watching Mitch steadily gain on him and as exhilarating as this race is one will die at the end.

  The thunder of the horse’s hooves is the only sound on the road. Mitch's horse is heaving from the exertion but its pride made it race even harder to catch the horse ahead. Fearful Mitch could tell Elvey was having trouble with his horse trying to keep Leadyl from fallen off and keep it a gallop. If Leadyl were to fall, she would surely break her neck at this speed. Mitch could see Elvey slowing to a stop, quickly dumping Leadyl to the ground. That gave Mitch one more cold calculating reason to kill him. Slapping the horse on the rump sending it galloping off, Elvey turned and waited for Mitch to arrive seconds later.

  Jumping off his horse Mitch purposely walked toward Elvey intent on killing him with his bare hands. Walking up to within a few feet of his opponent he set his left foot in front waiting in a traditional gyaku-hanmi fighting stance reverse half facing stance both hands up in the ready position. Elvey on the other hand looked insane; his eyes moving around erratically with a blank possessed look warned Mitch that he would be a dangerous opponent.

  Shifting quickly to the left Mitch forced Elvey to move further away from Leadyl’s unconscious form lying on the ground. Suddenly charging with his head down attempting to catch Mitch unawares, Elvey tried to drive his head into Mitch's stomach thereby knocking the breath out of him forcing him to the ground. Not having any of that Mitch sidestepped tai-sabaki the attack bringing his right foot back around to the right then using his hands flung Elvey flying face first into the dirt. Quickly jumping up Elvey circled to the left trying to force his opponent to move facing the sunlight but Mitch did not oblige him moving with him. Lunging in quickly Mitch jabbed kizami-zuki with his left then a reverse punch gyaku-zuki to the chest with his right sending Elvey sprawling on the ground again. Something is wrong he has to be a better fighter than this Mitch thought waiting for him to stand on his feet.

  They warily circled each other again this time Elvey had a different look about him. He appeared more focused on Mitch, his body movements surer than before. Mitch realized at that moment the fight had changed. This time when Elvey attacked, moving in quickly with multiple middle level roundhouse
punches to the ribs staggering Mitch backward in pain. Elvey is very quick and powerful with a body that belies its real toughness. Mitch quickly recovered with a forty-five degree roundhouse kick mawashi-geri to his adversary’s ribs staggering him backward in turn. Mitch quickly charged him with the intent to finish this with two quick front kicks mae-geri but Elvey caught the first slamming his forearm down hard on his left knee then flinging Mitch’s leg hard backward sending him sprawling into the dirt.

  Causing him pain to his injured knee, Mitch stood slowly to his feet knowing he was in trouble. With his mobility affected, he needed to make Elvey come to him thinking that he is the victor and be overconfident. Feigning increased pain and weakness in his knee, Mitch waited for Elvey to make the next move. The malevolent smile of victory on Elvey’s face was precisely what Mitch was hoping for with his deception. Moving his right hand to his side as if in terrible pain Mitch grimaced at the touch bringing a triumphant smile to the already evil grin on Elvey’s face. Sauntering up in supposed victory Elvey reached forward with both hands to grab Mitch’s shoulders as if to throw him to the ground. Mitch had other plans for Elvey who had far too easily fallen into his trap, faster than expected Mitch struck him with a right a palm heel strike, teisho to the nose feeling a rewarding snap as the nose broke spraying blood from it. Elvey staggered backward holding his nose in pain and rage blood dripping from his nose onto his mouth. This time it is Mitch’s turn to grin sending Elvey into a fit of rage, which would eventually be his undoing.

  Mitch’s sensei always taught him that rage and anger with one’s opponent, would make it an easy victory for them and a humiliating defeat for oneself, exactly what Mitch was hoping for now. The palm heel strike was meant to enrage his opponent and it had the effect he was looking for. Charging forward with his hands outstretched reaching forward to throttle him Elvey made the last mistake he would ever make. Mitch moved his right leg back to one side and at the same time with his left hand striking Elvey’s right elbow with a palm heel strike sending his hands down and away to the left quickly followed by a right ridge hand strike haito to Elvey’s throat crushing his larynx. He staggered a few steps then slowly turning to face Mitch his face went from red with shock and pain, to blue as he tried ineffectively to breathe. Mitch set himself in a horse stance kiba-dachi, crossed his right foot in front of his left foot and side trust kicked him kekomi in the chest sending Elvey flying backward to the ground. Mitch heard the sternum snap as his foot stuck Elvey. Limping over to Elvey, he looked down at him with a sudden pang of regret knowing he was already dead. The shock of the powerful side thrust kick must have stopped Elvey’s heart instantly.

  Mitch could hear horses’ hooves racing up the road toward him but he did not pay them any mind limping over to Leadyl’s still form he sat on the ground next to her. Gently moving her to make her comfortable it appeared to him she was merely unconscious with a nasty bump on the back of her head. He fervently hoped that her skull was still intact and no brain swelling. Placing her head on his legs, he gently rubbed her face calling her name. When her eyes started fluttering as if trying to open, he suddenly felt encourage that she would be all right. He vaguely heard people talking behind him but he did not let his attention shift from Leadyl. Slowly opening her eyes the bleariness slowly receding, she quickly recognized Mitch a weak smile coming to her face at seeing him with her.

  “Leadyl are you ok, you took a nasty blow to the back of the head?” Mitch asked very concerned.

  “Aside from a terrible headache and soreness in the back of my head I do not feel too terribly bad,” she whispered grimacing from the pain. "What happened?"

  "Elvey hit you on the head with his dagger and tried to carry you off but I stopped him."

  "Where is he now?"

  "We had a fight Leadyl," pausing a moment dreading what he had to say next. "I am sorry he is dead," he whispered shamed at killing her childhood friend. Seeing the look on his face she took his hand in hers squeezing it gently as the tears trickled from the corners of her eyes.