by R. K. Star
After her failed assassination attempts, Sallon sent a group to infiltrate Kylan ranks and pretend as local civilian militia to defeat the morale of the troops and beat down their conviction. The effect was negligible at best as the people believe strongly in the might of Kylan, after all, he had guarded the Watnar district for over a hundred and twenty years. The city Honar had maintain peace for over two hundred years and people didn’t want change now. They only wanted to live their lives in peace.
Everyone tensed up waiting for the upcoming battle. Some even wish for it so they could get it over with. Finally, the day the loud blow of the horn and the unison beating of the drums came. Everyone’s heart began to pound in unison but they resume their regular duties as they put their trust in their daigon.
Kylan thought Sallon to be arrogant, and full of herself that she would dare announce her attack. Her confidence must be too high and he had to knock her esteem down. The morale in his might was high, everyone was confident they would come out victorious again, despite the enemy might being greater. Kylan faced larger mights before this, so he wasn’t phase that the enemy had about fifty percent more fighting arms then he did.
Sallon proceeded in a slow organized march down the field. The grass and weeds were burnt and withered away from the scorching heat. The field was coloured beige, yellowish gold from the dried-out plants. The march of her might trampled any vegetation still managing to stand upright.
It would be a clash of the olden ways where two mights face off in open field, visible to the other. No surprise attack, no cunning maneuvers, just straight up best might wins.
Kylan walked back and forth in a rapid pace along his front lines. “We have held the Honar City for hundreds of years facing worst mights than this with worse odds, yet we still triumphed!” His might screamed in glory and optimism, you could feel the ground shake. “Let’s send the bastards from whence they came!” Kylan shouted loudly everyone could hear him. He raised his two and a half metre long spear in victory as he pace back and forth and his might erupted in a furor chant again, screaming for Honar, for Walyron!
Kylan, his reaeslave and his two servants shifted to the middle of the field, it was a small distance. Sallon had her servants and reaeslave in the middle already.
“Greeting Daigon Kylan, it is an honour to meet you!”
“I wish I could say the same for you!” Kylan shot back. “Go back to where you came from Daigon, you will not have your victory here.”
“My might is much larger than yours, you are at a disadvantage. Save your people some suffering. Surrender now and I give you my word not a single man or woman in your might will be harmed.”
“You underestimate us. We are all full of rage and fury. You will find an unexpected strength when your blades clash to ours. As long as the Hon River flows behind me, you are the one disadvantaged.”
“Let see about that.” Sallon had a smile on her face again as she turned around to return to her side.
Kylan didn’t like this woman. She kept her appearance of a woman in her twenties but he knew well that she lived over a millennium of years and was no child to life or warfare. It made him uneasy and wonder where her confidence came from.
The horn and drum came from Sallon’s might moments later. They began their advancement towards Kylan’s might.
Sallon’s might had full confidence in her. You could see it in their face and the way they move without fear. The beating of the drums became louder and louder and soon Kylan could feel the ground shake.
Kylan gave the order to signal their horns and a loud huuuoooommm echo through the air follow by the beating of the drums indicating a forward march. The might began its march and was standing proud and strong. Neither might could intimidate the other, they would find no deserters today. Sallon’s might had already reach the midway mark before Kylan’s might began its march. He wanted to stay close enough to the river to utilize it.
Sallon’s weapon was a flail, an alloy composed mainly of steel and chromium with traces of other metals. The head of the weapon was a grossly oversize sphere of a morning star with spikes on the end that was blunted from constant flogging. Instead of a wooden stick at the end it was a sword over a metre long. The sword was connected to the head by a long chain giving it an incredible range of attack. The weapon’s strength came from taking out its enemy before they got within striking range. The sword was used more defensively allowing the user to retreat again to gain some distance so they could cast the morning star again. This type of weapon had a high difficulty to become proficient with, and was very challenging to wield in combat.
As the two mights got within a hundred metres their steps quicken and the distance closed up. The first strike would be Sallons as she twirled the morning star high in the air. Her men quickly slowed their step to give her the working space she need, lest they wanted a good flogging themselves. Her banner men and woman moved left and right, diverging away from her. They knew what she was about to do. Suddenly she gently released her grip on the chain and the weight of the morning star pulled the chain with it. The weight of the sphere was substantial and it move quickly, too quickly for its opponent who didn’t see it coming and had her face smash. The impact knocked the poor woman backwards and crying in agony. She flew backwards and knocked a few other of her comrades down as if she was a bowling ball and they were bowling pins. Synchronically with the recoil of the sphere from the impact, Sallon pulled on the chain to retrieve the head with less effort on her part. The sphere whirled and snapped backwards doing another rotation behind her. Luckily her comrades had already moved away and didn’t suffer the same fate the lady with the caved in face did. The user of this type of weapon was best suited to fight alone against a group of enemy, the sphere had no love for friend or foe and treated them alike. Sallon continued with the momentum of the sphere, she increased the velocity of the sphere and let it loose again at her next victim. She need not advance further as the range of her weapon could reach her targets. Now she knocked them down as they stormed forward, towards her sphere.
There was screams and cries everywhere on the front lines, the two mights collided and the ones unfortunate to be at the front were taking a beating first. The sound of steel against steel rung throughout the field. No one could get close enough to Sallon without being knock to the ground by her morning star. Arrows started coming at her from hidden angles and she use the sword on the other end to deflect them but one lucky arrow found its way through and pierced her left shoulder. She let out a slight grunt and couldn’t keep her morning star in constant momentum with just one arm. Her servants quickly led two groups from each side to give her cover. But arrows continued to fly at her and she used her sword to defect as many as possible but she took another arrow to the leg then another through her stomach. The archers were specifically chosen to hide and target Sallon, their task from Kylan was to take her down. Sallon servants finally reached her and removed the arrows quickly and her reaeslave closed her wounds.
Kylan was doing much better, his spear was well suited for supportive combat as well as direct confrontation. He made easy work of his enemies. But Sallon’s might was starting to get a concave around them. He felt this was a good time to use his advantage. Feeling for the water components in the river he mobilized them and drew them forward. The water molecules travelled underground, Kylan pushed it deep underneath and a stream of water moved underground. As the water approached the enemy’s side he spun the water quickly and upwards creating a whirlpool underneath. The movement of water with the dirt created a quick sand effect thereby pulling the enemy underneath. In certain areas where a suffosion process began naturally long ago with the surface layer already collapsing, a sinkhole formed when the water weakened the ground soil. The enemy fell instantaneously into these sinkholes without a chance to react. The ones trapped in the dredge of thick and heavy mud immediately began to force the water away attempting to return the soil to a more manageable state. Kylan had a natural af
finity with water and he could manipulate it with ease. Although they tried to remove the water, it was much easier for Kylan to bring more water up and pull them deeper in.
The momentum of battle quickly changed as Sallon’s might was under panic and confusion, with the front lines separated from the supportive back. It left the troops at the front vulnerable to attack without support. If they tried to retreat they would be backed into a sinkhole that was enlarging rapidly or got stuck in the muddy slush. Kylan’s might advance step by step relatively unopposed. Sallon’s might morale fell as they looked amongst one another for what to do without a clue on how to defend against the onslaught. Sallon was wounded and wasn’t in the front lines to rally them but the expression on her face was not phased with the turn of events.
Suddenly you could sense a heat deep within in the ground. An oven baking the soil and dirt, the heat was generated by rapidly vibrating the fine dust and particulates to generate heat thereby evaporating the water. Kylan felt the water molecules raise into the air as steam. He tried to condense the vapour together to form droplets but wasn’t able to get a hold, the water molecules were spread too vastly apart. A few droplets formed and fell back to the surface but it was far too few and in between to make a difference. There wasn’t much water left underneath and he drew the water backwards, back towards the Hon river. He could see it now, Sallon had a group of elementalists station within each other in close proximity. They started to vibrate the ground softly so that it went by undetected. Sallon knew he would bring the water underground and once he did the heated ground would be ready to evaporate it.
A sphere with horrendous looking spikes stained with dry clotted blood shot out in the distance right towards Kylan. His reflexes acted on their own and his neck snapped to tilt his head to the side with his body responding in sequence. The sphere slammed into the naive person behind Kylan who thought he was safe behind his daigon. The sphere reeled back and Sallon appear from the confusion of swords clashing. Kylan knew at the point he was outplayed. Sallon wasn’t mortally wounded but faked how much damaged she sustained. Maybe she was hit on one or two of her limbs, if that. There was no way she could have recovered so soon unless it was a minor wound. Kylan was tricked and lured into pulling his water underground where it was susceptible to the heat. Without his water he was vulnerable and Sallon felt confident going head on against him now.
Everyone stepped aside without a word spoken but was in mutual agreement they would give space for their daigons to fight without interference. Sallon had her sphere twirling casually to her side while Kylan had a tense grip on his spear. Kylan made the first move as he took a slow step then darted forward, with a lunge he thrusted his spear forward. Sallon stepped backwards quickly and increased the velocity her sphere was rotating at. She kept her sphere covering a defensive radius around her centre and Kylan wasn’t able to get within proximity to skewer her. Kylan was getting frustrated, his speed increased and his movement became more erratic and desperate. He took more risky and aggressive strike trying to get within Sallon circle. He closed the space and his spear slid through an opening scraping her shoulder guard. The screeching sound of metal on metal made her instinctively bounce back. She released her sphere and the chain screamed forwards in joy finally being free. Kylan turned to the side and the sphere skimmed by him. Sallon was quick and she had the sphere recoiling and ready for another strike before Kylan could go on the offensive again. Sallon brought the sphere in an arc and it came crashing down this time directly above Kylan. Kylan dove hastily and rolled away into safety. The sphere cratered the flat surface sending fragments of the impact in every direction. The sphere recoiled back with a pull on the chain again. Sallon twirl the sphere above her and rushed forward. Kylan caught off guard, had a moment of hesitation and lost his chance to reposition himself properly. The sphere launched straight forward with such ferocity that it refused to be dragged down by gravity. The sphere kept its linear projection. This time there wasn’t enough time to dodge and Kylan positioned his spear to intercept the sphere with the shaft. The force immediately knocked him off his footing and sent him backwards. He grasped for air and coughed the air inside his lungs at the same time. He positioned his hand over his chest where the indirect force contacted him. His hand was shaking and his grasp on his spear was wobbly. His hand wanted to let go of the spear and rest for the night. He didn’t have time to find an equilibrium with his breathing and the sphere came screeching at him again. This time he used his spear as a baseball bat and knock it back but Sallon easily redirected the sphere to curve around and adding her own strength to it she made it come crashing towards him. Even Kylan knew he couldn’t withstand another parry so he jumped up and ran aside before being smashed.
This was a fight Kylan would lose if based on physical prowess and he had no need to limit himself. The strong torrent of the river calmed into a gentle flow and the water level had dropped drastically. Nevertheless, Kylan made use of what was available, he wasn’t beat yet. He danced with Sallon’s sphere making note to dodge it as much as he could and knock it back when it was impossible to dodge. Slowly he retreated back towards the river. The closer he is to the river the easier it will be for him to manipulate it. Sallon way playing right into where he wanted her. A little further and he will have the advantage once again.
Kylan hands felt heavy and it was hard to move them. His legs were frail and shivered as if the air was cold. He could feel a thick mucous layer on the back of his throat and it made it difficult to swallow. He tried to take light breaths so no one would see he was severely exhausted. His body screamed for more oxygen. His body was aching and he really didn’t want to move anymore but he didn’t want to lose either. He had to protect his pride. He could feel the water now, it was so close to him, soon he would be able to give her a beating.
The water churn and collected in a spot, it began to become sluggish and stop flowing down stream. The water collected and the level rose back up. The water slithered up in the form or a long serpent. Kylan raised his hand and called forth the water serpent which soared through the air and coiled around him in a defensive barrier. Sallon launched her sphere again. Kylan sent the snake forward, it advanced by drawing water from the river to elongate itself, the snake swallowed the sphere. Kylan then increased the viscosity of the water and the snake recoiled backwards reeling the chain with it. Sallon was jerked forward as the snake continued its rapid coiling. As Sallon was pulled closer, Kylan hurl himself through the water coils of the snake and slashed at Sallon. She made the chain taut and parried the blow. Quickly she drew the short blade on the opposite end of the chain for a counter strike. It was easy for Kylan to block it and return the fire with a strike of his own. He generated the forced in his body and directed it into the blade of his spear which contacted the end of her blade. The contact sent a shockwave spreading out. The indirect force knocked her backwards yanking the chain away and the sphere was forced free from the snake’s hold. She tumbled backwards scraping on the ground. Her garments now stained greyish brown from the dirt, the garment ripped and torn form the impact. Her skin blotted with a mixture of red, blue and purple bruises. She clenched her chain and began her methodological manner of rotating the sphere again. It went around and around above her head and picked us speed as she accelerated the rotation of her arm. The sphere whooshed louder and louder with each rotation. Sallon was unfazed by the trauma on her body, she clenched her teeth and sprinted forward. She came at Kylan fast! Her eyes glared at him and didn’t blink, she had the same determination Kylan had, neither wanted to lose this fight.
The water snake flew across the air and opened its mouth a hundred and eighty degrees, wide enough to swallow a cow. Sallon incorporated the particles in the air to the sphere increasing the weight. With her mind she rotated the chain, further increasing the speed of rotation. The snake slink forward towards her and she release the sphere in an underhand motion. As the sphere curved upwards it smashed through the snake from unde
rneath. Water droplets scattered over the scorched dirt. The force of the sphere much greater this time due to the increase mass and acceleration resulted in the sphere breaking through the snake.
Kylan split the body of the snake into two, forming two smaller snakes that quickly intertwined around the chained. As quickly as the snake had latched onto the chain it was now in a rapid recoil once again pulling the chain backwards. Sallon wrapped the chain twice around her right wrist and pulled back against the snake. She planted her feet firmly into the ground and got a sound footing. Kylan could feel the resistance but slowly the snake coiled, drawing Sallon forward. She tried to take a step back and pull against it but she wasn’t strong enough and lost a bit of her footing, which the snake capitalized on by recoiling and advancing her further.
Sallon knew she had to be careful. Her weapon was effective at long distances and weaker as the enemy approached. She was a fish on a hook. She could squirm, she could dive, she could try to tangle the line on some rocks or weeds but the end result was certain. She was slowly being reeled in. She decided to take the fight to close combat. If she could strike him and make him panic, his focus would deteriorate and she would be able to pull her sphere free. She grabbed the short sword on the opposite end and sprinted forward. Kylan was caught by surprise but he was adept in close combat and his spear had better attributes for hand to hand battle. Besides a few stumbles at the beginning from being caught off guard he was able to parry her strikes with ease. He sent her back with a slash across her chest leaving a wide gouge, one and a half centimetres deep from above her hip to below her shoulder.