The Axe's Edge

by Summers, Derick J. M.

  Siris kept up his intense attack for far longer that Logan would have thought possible. He’d managed to block most of them, but some still made it through. Before long, Logan was bleeding from a multitude of small wounds and gashes. When Siris’ attack finally slowed, Logan was breathing hard, pushed back against the wall. Siris stared at him through crazy eyes.

  “I will kill you!” Siris announced. “For Ares, for Reese. I will kill you and then I’ll take everything you have.” The madman laughed. “Tell me, does your sister remember me?”

  Logan launched himself at the man. Leveller swept low across Siris’ legs, its backswing high towards his chest. Siris danced nimbly out of the way laughing.

  “I’ll take that as a yes.”

  Logan continued to press his attack and Siris continued to dance and evade.

  “Maybe I’ll take your little Elf next. What do you think? Would she make a better toy or a pet?”

  His fury mounting, Logan threw Leveller at Siris. Siris dodged the blow, but as Logan leapt at him he realized his mistake. The thrown axe had been a faint. Logan used all his strength to lend power to his leap, catching the General around his waist and driving him to the ground.

  Siris, caught by surprise, suddenly found himself on the floor, Logan pinning him down. Logan was too close for Siris to effectively use the blade he carried. Instead he used the pommel of the weapon to beat down on Logan’s back and shoulders. If the blows had any effect, Siris couldn’t discern it.

  “You sick bastard,” bellowed Logan as he drove his knees into the man’s stomach. “You won’t touch them! You won’t touch any of them!”

  Siris released his sword. It was useless in such close quarters and he grappled with Logan, desperately trying to protect himself as Logan beat on him with heavy fists. Blow after blow rained down on Siris, his face battered, bruised and bleeding.

  The hysterical laughter that suddenly burst from the bludgeoned man was perhaps the most disconcerting thing that Logan had ever heard. It was almost enough to make him stop his blows - almost. The knife that the General slipped between his ribs, on the other hand, successfully stopped the frenzy, and Logan’s eyes widened in surprise. With eyes nearly swollen closed and most of his teeth missing, Siris attempted to smile as he twisted the knife in Logan’s chest.

  “I win!” he hissed triumphantly.

  The knife was buried deep in Logan’s chest. The hilt pressed tightly against his ribs, the pain was incredible. It was only luck that saved him. Siris had plunged the knife in from the side and the sheer width of Logan’s chest made it impossible for the blade to reach his heart – though it was a very near thing and his lung took the brunt of the damage instead.

  Gurgling blood as he laboured to breath, Logan raised a hand to the knife and stared down at the man before him. With effort, Logan slowly pulled the knife free from his body and tossed it away into the room. The wound bled freely with the knife removed.

  “I don’t think so!” Logan growled with determination before driving the claw-like nails of his right hand into the General’s face and eyes.

  The General screamed, and continued to scream until Logan twisted his neck hard enough to make an audible snap, then he screamed no more. Logan rested for a moment staring at the dead man before him.

  This ends here, he thought as he pushed himself off the body and crawled to retrieve Leveller. Standing on unsteady feet, Logan drove the rune weapon through the dead man’s chest, pinning the corpse to the floor.

  “Stay!” he announced to the corpse.

  Turning towards the door, Logan found two figures staring at him.

  Bartering With The Gods

  Logan stared at the two figures that now blocked his path to the door. The figure on the right, the shorter of the two was impossible to mistake. The ruined half of his body and face was something Logan would never forget.

  “Hephaestus,” he greeted the blacksmith god. The god favoured him with a smile that pulled his disfigured mouth up high on the side exposing teeth and muscle.

  “Logan my lad. It’s good to see you still standing,” Hephaestus said warmly. “Though I see it is a very near thing,” he added as his gaze narrowed on the still bleeding wound in Logan’s chest.

  Logan felt a strange itch throughout his body as his wounds knit themselves back together. His breathing eased. He realized that Hephaestus had healed him.

  “Thank you,” Logan said simply.

  Hephaestus nodded in reply before continuing. “I’d like you to meet Ares, lad, the God of War.” Hephaestus motioned to the tall, well built deity standing next to him.

  Ares was larger than life, nine feet tall and human looking. He was adorned in gleaming armour that seemed to sparkle even in the dimness of the hall. Peeking just over his shoulder was the handle of what Logan guessed was a large sword. The god eyed him coldly before shifting his gaze to Sirius’ body. Looking back up to meet Logan’s gaze, the God of War frowned.

  “You have beaten my champion,” he stated matter-of-factly.

  “Again!” added Logan.

  Logan figured that he was within reach of Leveller should the need arise, though part of him doubted what good a weapon, even a runic one, would do against the God of War. The deity’s own immortality aside, the armour he wore was hand crafted by Hephaestus and likely close to impenetrable. Even so, it was still nice to know Leveller was close.

  “Yes! Again!” Ares agreed with a more significant frown. “Apparently, I will have to choose my champions better.”

  “I have no interest in fighting for your amusement,” frowned Logan.

  Ares’ eyes crinkled and he laughed boisterously. “What do you think you mortals are for, if not our amusement?”

  Ares turned toward Hephaestus and jovially slapped the shorter god on the back.

  “You didn’t tell me you made this one with a sense of humour,” Ares laughed. “I like it.” Turning back to fully face Logan the god continued. “I’ll take my champion’s body now.”

  “I’m sorry, I can’t let you do that.”

  Ares sputtered. “You can’t? Now mortal sense of humour is one thing, but you go too far!” The God of War crossed his arms severely and stared coldly at Logan.

  Logan met the god’s gaze without flinching. “I mean no disrespect, but I’ve already killed this champion twice, I’d prefer not to have to do it a third time.”

  “You’d prefer?” stormed Ares outraged. “You’d prefer!?!”

  A moment of fear awoke in Logan, but he quashed it as quickly as it came.

  No, he thought. I will not let them bring him back again. I can’t let that happen.

  Logan stared up at the raging god. He knew he was in trouble, but he held his ground. He was somewhat proud that he didn’t even have to fight too hard to stop himself from reaching for Leveller.

  “Now Ares,” began Hephaestus calmly, the start of a smile crinkling the corners of his eyes. “He defeated your champion fairly. He’s entitled to the spoils.”

  Ares stared at Hephaestus for a long moment. Then as suddenly as the rage had come, it passed.

  “You’re right of course, Heph,” the god agreed amiably. “He defeated him and to the victor go the spoils!” Looking back to Logan he continued. “You may have his body. I have no need of it!”

  “Thank you,” Logan accepted graciously trying not to show the relief that flooded through his body.

  “Until we meet again,” Ares said with a nod before disappearing in a flash of light.

  “And you will meet him again, lad,” concurred Hephaestus after the god had left. “You’ve drawn his attention and he hates to lose. Others will come. Be ready!”

  Hephaestus favoured him with another smile before he began to fade away.

  “Oh, and good job, lad. I’m proud of you.”

  Epilogue

  “And you’re sure you’re all right?”

  Logan gave the Elfin maid a pained look.

  “El, yes I promise you. Everythi
ng is healing nicely. I’m okay.”

  El still gave him a worried glance but said no more. She had been able to enter the temple once the gods had taken their leave. Logan had quickly explained what happened though he wasn’t sure telling her he’d captured the God of War’s attention was such a good thing but he figured she had a right to know. She took everything in stride, as he’d expected she would, but now she was even more cautious.

  The two had taken the time to deal with both Siris’ and Reese’s corpses. Logan had decapitated both and El had then incinerated them. This time it would really be over.

  A search of the village uncovered the remaining Dark Elves. They had been locked away in a barn on the far side of the village. When Logan and El first opened the heavy door they weren’t certain what they had stumbled upon, but both feared a charnel house. Relief flooded through each of them when the first of the Dark Elves had worked up the courage to look at them. Getting to her feet, the Elf had carefully, tentatively approached them, her eyes filled with uncertainty.

  El had stepped forward and drew the Dark Elf’s attention away from Logan’s unusual form and spoke in the Elfin common tongue. She assured them all that they were safe and that the bad men were gone for good.

  As the Dark Elves finally stepped out into thee light of day, they began to accept that their ordeal might finally be at an end. El and Logan spent the rest of the day ministering to the injured.

  The next day the others arrived. Dan’tal’s arrival caused quite the stir amongst the survivors and he was heralded as the village’s saviour. A natural leader, Dan’tal quickly became the spokesman for his brethren.

  El was surprised to see her father amongst the companions, particularly after how things had been between them lately. She was shocked when he strode up to her and wrapped her in a fierce embrace, tears streaming down his face. No words were spoken as they held each other.

  The moment eventually passed and the two of them set about helping make things right in the village. Sympathetic to the Dark Elves beliefs they both did their best to keep their use of magic to a minimum or at least out of sight of the Dark Elves.

  Tanel took over the job of bringing the Elves back to full health. After several days there was a marked improvement, though the nearly dead Dark Elves Logan and El had encountered both in the temple and shuffling through the village were beyond her skills. There was little any could do after the amount of life Siris had taken from them. Watching them with their hollow lost eyes was incredibly difficult for Tanel as a healer to accept.

  Lan was doing better. The infection had finally passed completely and he was already pushing to begin training again. Both Tanel and Raeth had forbidden it, but Lan wasn’t inclined to listen. It was finally Lean’thor who sat him down and flat out said no! Lan had blinked several times at his father, but he didn’t argue.

  Logan was both saddened and pleased with how things turned out. So many had died and Logan wept openly for Le’land. But, Siris and his mage were also dead and though it might end up taking years for the Dark Elf village to completely mend itself, it was good to know they were on their way. He was also hopeful that with Aerlian’thor and Lean’thor’s help the Dark and Forest Elves might begin to reunite.

  A happy thought indeed, El’s voice whispered in his mind.

  I can dream.

  El joined him in the central square as he watched life in the village begin to find its routine. She slipped her arm around his shoulder.

  “And what else do you dream?” she asked.

  Logan favoured her with a smile.

  “That we’re going to change the world.”