The Echoes of Solon

by D S S Atkinson

Chapter 26.

  Under the early morning light, amidst unrelenting snow and screams of the dying, the roars of the quaking earth and freezing dead laying upon it, Arbicos struggled to breathe, scarcely managing to deflect each horrendous blow swung most calmly by his towering enemy.

  His breath was stolen from his system upon landing hard on the icy floor. His instincts alone had dragged him safely to his feet, but now he was fighting for his life. Should he fail to avoid just one strike he knew he would fail his nation, he could not fall before his people were free.

  Patiently the warrior waited for an opening. A brief gap. An error. Yet his enemy was flawless in his onslaught, the warlord tracked each of his blows, timing him, measuring him. He feared his shield might fail under the sheer might of his giant opponent. Such strength he did not know men possessed.

  With another painstaking collision Arbicos stumbled back across the layering deceased. For some unknown reason his enemy paused. He looked for the first time upon the warlord, causing the young male to freeze in a morbid confusion. The giant’s eyes were exact to his fallen love’s. As his colossal enemy took a sharp breath and cascaded forwards once more the lost male could only stand entranced. Fall your guard, Arbicos, be with her.

  In the depths of his dark thoughts his enemy’s hammer fell down upon him, yet his shield arm would not fall, his impeccable instincts simply would not let him die. The dense chime of stricken metal echoed in the air forcing the warlord to stumble back. His enemy made a dash forward again. Upon lunging the earth shook with a tremendous din, the violent shift deep beneath failed to move the steadfast warlord yet his accelerating opponent stumbled at the unexpected tremor.

  In the instance the young Athenian’s mind came alive. Arbicos sprang forward, his shield arm first, and low. His enemy exposed, he rose the solid aegis up with all his power until he felt a most devastating collision. A foul sound of metal striking bone thudded into the air. It’s done. The warlord’s shield rose up and through his impact point returning the vision of his still standing target to him, unbelievably.

  Before the Athenian could react the invader regained his footing, despite appearing unconscious. He rotated the enormous hammer and recklessly swung at the warlord, his weapon grasped in each hand. Arbicos could not give ground for he was committed to his attack. He retracted his shield to defend himself and leaned into the blow helplessly, its glancing weight forcing the bronze sheet and shield arm to impact his skull.

  Together the men fell. Arbicos was forced upon one knee. His opponent’s hammer and weapon arm fell to the warlord’s side. Without hesitance the Athenian brought his short sword down upon his adversary’s forearm driving it cleanly through bone and muscle. The mallet fell to the snow still gripped by a severed limb. Without the lightest moan the giant retracted as Arbicos swung his blade back fiercely towards his towering enemy’s unguarded neck. The agility of the colossus exceeded Arbicos’ own. The blade travelled freely, inches short of his target.

  He had anticipated contact, the weight of his blade carrying his arm up, exposing his front. His enormous opponent made a wild lunge with his freshly severed arm to grasp Arbicos’ wrist, clearly his mind was yet to adjust to the missing limb. The warlord could only watch his target immediately recognise his error. Arbicos gritted his jaw and scrunched for the gigantic fist of his enemy’s remaining arm tore through the air colliding unhindered into his chin. Darkness abruptly overtook the young warrior.