How Gods Bleed

by Shane Porteous

After blocking every single blow with a single slash of his own sword he repeated the blow, this time offensively. The Helluvans avoided his strike but this did not seem to faze him. As the axe of Leannol came hammering down upon him Aneeku merely turned his body for his sword was busy knocking away the staff of Gokkus. His ability to avoid their attacks did nothing to diminish the determination of the Helluvans and if anything only fueled them more to fight faster and stronger.

  This time when the group attacked the tip of the Cloud Cutter managed to strike the cheek of Aneeku. The mask made the attack pointless and even if it had not been there it would have only been a shallow wound. Nevertheless the fact that a Helluvan weapon had actually touched him made Aneeku take the fight more seriously. If there was any doubt before that he was fighting halfheartedly than what happened then proved it. He smashed his blade across all weapons in front of him causing the Helluvans to stumble back. Imbaka was the first to regroup and attacked from behind the red masked warrior. When it seemed that she would indeed land a powerful blow Aneeku turned and brought his foot up into her chest. The force of the blow was so great that it could be heard like roaring thunder; her armor bent like it was nothing more than clay as she was quite literally thrown through the air, stopping only when she struck against a rocky ridge that struggled to maintain its shape. She fell slumped onto the ground, her head lowered and a trickle of blood falling from her mouth, she remained motionless.

  The other Helluvans could see this but could do nothing to help her as Tanagy smashed both of his swords down upon his enemy. Aneeku met both of them and immediately pushed his arm into the Abider causing him to stumble back violently. Now the Helluvans stepped back, each wanting to look to see if Imbaka was moving, but none dared take their eyes off of Aneeku. His arrogance may have gotten the best of him before, but it seemed that he might have been through playing his twisted game.

  “Not Bad,” Aneeku claimed, the mockery in his voice now fleeting. “For Helluvans,” he added darkly. His eyes performed their strange dance, darting back and forth to each of his enemies around him, making sure that each of them met his eye. The Helluvans stood still and strong allowing an incredible silence to consumed the air. Aneeku had ascended this conflict to a whole new level, one that the Helluvans had never known before. He was a lion surrounded by jackals and he knew it.

  As his eyes continued to move in their strange way he said with a slow deliverance.

  “But if that is the best you can do, than you will not live long….”

  His eyes continued moving as if he was searching for fear, a fear that would invigorate him the same way blood livens a predator. His eyes then stopped moving, becoming deadly still as he looked upon Hazum Ka-te. He waited for a moment, deliberately so before he spat out “Die!” His movement was so fast it made a well-fired arrow seem slow. But he had not moved towards Hazum Ka-te as his eyes had lied. He rushed towards Leannol plunging his sword forward. The strength of the attack was so great that it cut through the middle of her weapon like paper, continuing onward through her armor and not stopping until half of the blade stuck out the other side. He had quite literally stabbed straight through her making a mockery of both her weapon and armor. It had happened so quickly that Leannol only realized her predicament when blood, as dark as it was thick, fell from her mouth, like vomit. He had moved fast, too fast for anything to have stopped him.

  Seeing the blood that fell from the mouth of his companion Gokkus bellowed her name “Leannol!” he screamed with a might and strength that rivaled any god of legend. It was as if saying her name loud enough would reach the other side and let it know that she was still needed in this world. If the reaper did hear him, than it ignored his plea. Blood now began to flow around the borders of Aneeku’s sword as he stared into the hollowing eyes of the red haired warrior. His vision revealed the sickest of pleasure as he saw the light fade from her eyes. Such a pleasure was increased, as he knew she was looking back at him, her vision weakening.

  “Impressive,” he claimed in the darkness of ways. “You would have blocked that attack if your weapon had not failed you.”

  As sickening as his words were to hear they were correct, even against his speed Leannol was skilled enough to raise her weapon in time. It was a tremendous feat, but didn’t change the truth that she would be dead within a matter of moments. Like the water from a broken damn, all strength left her legs, but she remained standing because of the Aneeku’s sword. He may have been wearing a mask but he seemed to be smiling as her blood trickled down from the sword onto his hand. For a shard of a moment, her eyes became concentrated as she suddenly spat out a short stream of her own blood onto the face of Aneeku. He didn’t even blink as the blood fell down his face but the act was clear enough to let him know what Leannol thought of him. Such concentration vanished from her eyes; as did everything else, one last act of defiance before she left this world. As her head fell back lifelessly the pieces of her weapon fell from her hands landing onto the ground with a horrid piercing sound. As Aneeku looked over her corpse with the blackest of perversion in his eyes, his attention was suddenly grasped by screaming.

  Tanagy now was running towards him making sounds so primal they seemed more animalistic than even the most primitive of beasts could produce. His eyes were wide with a fury that would make any man tremble upon seeing upon. But Aneeku was no man and as Tanagy drew closer he pulled his sword free of Leannol’s corpse, allowing it to fall like it was nothing more than rubbish. With salvia falling from his mouth like a rabid dog the Abider unleashed an onslaught of attacks. Fueled by tremendous rage his attacks appeared quicker than what they had ever been. But Aneeku still met each one of them and it was soon apparent he was getting some kind of twisted pleasure out of the anger he saw in Tanagy’s eyes. He easily blocked every single attack whether it came from high or low. Killing a Helluvan seemed to restore the arrogance within him as his eyes widened in delight at the struggle Tanagy was facing. His attacks may have been faster but they were not as well executed as they should have been. Tanagy’s sword blows were far from sloppy but Aneeku made them appear so. Aneeku was blocking the attacks with such ease he did not even move from the spot but continued turning his wrist and placing his sword in any angle he needed.

  As he blocked the hurried blows of the Abider his other hand quickly came up catching onto something that had been moving very quickly. He looked away from Tanagy while still blocking his strikes and holding the arrow in his hand as he looked upon the one whom had fired it. Zova held her bow proudly as a great and powerful anger dwelled in her large eyes. It was a sign of just how powerful Aneeku truly was, he could stop an arrow fired from perhaps the greatest human archer with his bare hand all the while fending off attacks from Tanagy.

  “That old trick again!” he snarled like he had caught a child trying to steal from him.

  Gokkus quickly placed himself in front of Zova with his staff held at the ready. But before Aneeku could attack he was drawn to the sound of Hazum Ka-te bellowing like cannon fire as he charged his enemy. Hazum Ka-te’s bellow was still angry, but it wasn’t filled with fury, as if he did it more to bring attention onto him than anything else. Aneeku effortlessly pushed Tanagy away in time to move his weapon across and block the Cloud Cutter. Tanagy however would not be denied and continued screaming as he attacked once again. Zova was about to lower her bow, take out her sword and join the fight when Gokkus said “Zova, listen to me, wait until his hands are occupied and his vision hindered, then fire an arrow right into his damn heart!”

  The words of the man dressed in black were also consumed by fury, but it was a far more concentrated and cold feeling. Zova glanced down and saw that Gokkus was holding something hidden in the palm of one of his hands. She looked back at the man dressed in black and said, “I will.” Gokkus did not immediately join the fight, for he was waiting for something that only he knew of.

  By now Tanagy and Hazum Ka-te’s attacks had become more synchronized and it
was becoming harder and harder for Aneeku to block both of their attacks with his sword. They attacked him from both left and right ensuring that they stayed on either side of him. With every strike that Aneeku blocked his enemies’ weapons got closer and closer to cleaving his flesh. Gokkus then entered the onslaught attacking with a single stab of his staff. Aneeku managed to block this attack, but only barely before the Cloud Cutter came for his head. What happened next took only a moment but was filled with a lifetime of action.

  As Aneeku twisted his sword so that it locked the blades of Tanagy into a single spot he grasped onto the Cloud Cutter just below its tip instantly stopping it. Gokkus now opened his other hand swiping it through the air and revealing that he was holding some kind of blue powder. Like a thin cloud it covered the face of Aneeku and Gokkus quickly crouched down. Zova did not hesitate; it would be only a second of opportunity, one that she would not get again. As she fired her arrow Aneeku suddenly pulled on the spear, so quickly and strongly that it forced Hazum Ka-te off of his feet and in the path of where Aneeku stood. Miraculously because of the way his body was positioned, Zova’s arrow struck Hazum Ka-te in such a way that it did not pierce his armor.

  Aneeku continued the throw causing Hazum Ka-te to crash into the Abider, taking both of them off of their feet. Just as Gokkus was standing back up Aneeku swung his sword across, forcing the man in black to leap back hurriedly to avoid it. It was a sight so unbelievable that the Helluvans thought their eyes must have been playing tricks on them. With impaired vision and occupied hands Aneeku had still blocked Zova’s arrow, perhaps using some kind of 6th sense the Helluvans had never heard of. Tanagy and Hazum Ka-te were struggling to rise; the wind had been violently knocked out of them.

  The blue dust soon settled revealing, yellow and black eyes of fury. Purple tainted blood did trickle from the right eye of Aneeku but it seemed to be nothing but an annoyance to the red masked warrior. His eyes were squarely upon Zova, even though Gokkus was closer to him. “Shattered shards of silver, ground into a powder?” he said loudly more to himself than to his enemies. “Congratulations,” he mocked. “You accomplished to sting me, like some kind of insect.” His voice became darker and louder as he said, “Allow me to give you a reward!” Gokkus readied himself to meet Aneeku head on as Zova reached for another arrow.

  But before Aneeku could do anything, his head tilted up as his eyes widened, the gasp that came from his mouth was so sudden it seemed as powerful as a full on scream. An arrow now stuck out from his back, on the same level as his heart. Blood did fall from the wound but something did not seem right with the injury. With eyes still widened Aneeku turned his head to look upon his attacker. Imbaka had fired the arrow. Clearly she was hurt, but she was standing on her own two feet breathing heavily, but standing strong.

  “You’re still alive?” Aneeku asked as if he had just been told that the rain was nothing more than a figment of his imagination. Imbaka did not say anything in response but the power of her eyes seemed to say ‘Yes I am’ defiantly.

  Aneeku looked away from her up towards the sky as an eerie silence fell upon the land like the earth itself was holding its breath, waiting to see what would happen. Aneeku however remained standing, something he shouldn’t have been able to do if the arrow had found his heart. Aneeku held his breath as the muscles of his back suddenly began to twitch and tense. Astonishingly after only a moment or so the arrow popped out of his back and fell onto the ground, dripping in his blood. Such a feat was unthinkable considering it had been a silver arrow that had struck him. Imbaka looked upon him with a mouth opened as wide as her eyes. When Aneeku turned to face her and had his back to the others Gokkus could not control his shock, “No way,” he gasped out. Aneeku with piercing and hate filled eyes said, “You are not the first to try and kill me when my back was turned, and you sure won’t be the last!” With these words he leapt towards her and though Gokkus tried to catch him there was no way he could match such speed. Imbaka was injured, making her movements that much slower, even at full strength it would be near impossible for her to lower her bow and take out her sword. It truly looked like her life was about to come to an end. Even in such shards of a second she did not close her eyes, she would not give him such satisfaction. His sword now was almost upon her when a sound so pitching it was deafening consumed the air.

  The blade of Cada Varl had blocked Aneeku’s sword. The clashing of their weapons was that great that it caused wind to form and then strike the ground around them violently. Aneeku seemed greatly surprised by the presence of Cada Varl, fixated upon his powerful red eyes. Cada Varl had easily blocked the blow but then amplified this sign of strength by easily pushing Aneeku back. The red masked warrior’s feet slid across the ground as his eyes remained upon those of Cada Varl. Aneeku was not the only one startled by the presence of the Immortal, through the mayhem of the prior moment no one had seen him return to the surface.

  “Humans really are over grown rodents,” Aneeku declared, furious that this stranger had dared interrupt his attack “Where did you come from?” the red masked warrior demanded but the Immortal did not appear intimidated. In fact he wasn’t even looking at Aneeku but towards the corpse of Leannol and the blood that was now forming around it. There was heaviness in his eyes that showed how immensely the death of Leannol was weighing on his mind. Slowly as if he had to force himself to, he looked away from her body and to the other Helluvans. Aneeku seemed completely irrelevant to his gaze as he looked past him towards Gokkus and Zova. He then looked to Hazum Ka-te and Tanagy who only now were getting to their feet. Finally he turned his head and body to look upon Imbaka, who stared back but neither said anything.

  “You!” Aneeku bellowed, all arrogance had disappeared from his voice filled with a great anger. It was one thing not to answer him, it was entirely different to turn your back on one as great as he was. Cada Varl slowly looked back to the red masked warrior but did not say anything, he appeared very still. “You dare turn your back on me?” Aneeku bellowed out as if it was the most unforgivable of sins to do such a thing. “You have nerve getting in my way!” Aneeku added, bellowing his voice. Cada Varl remained still, his sword lowered, staring hauntingly into the eyes of the red masked warrior. This was the final straw, how dare Cada Varl not answer the great and powerful Aneeku.

  The red masked warrior charged with even more speed than before. Easily however Cada Varl raised his weapon and without moving anything else but his arm he blocked the strikes of Aneeku. The power of the blows could be told by how the wind continued to form and then rush to the ground. Cada Varl was now the one who seemed to use little effort in avoiding or blocking the blows of his enemy. Aneeku snarled like the beast he truly was when Cada Varl pushed him back like he was nothing more than an annoying fly. Aneeku’s feet slid across the ground and he snarled once again before grasping his weapon in both hands and attacking.

  This time with the added strength of a two handed grip his strikes were not only more powerful they were quicker. His attacks were that swift that they seemed little more than a blur in the eyes of the Helluvans. The swords clashed like two sets of lightning striking upon one another, creating a harmonized boom that seemed to shake the air itself. Yet Cada Varl easily blocked each and every attack showing no sign that he was struggling to do so. The Helluvans watched on in pure amazement, they had always known Cada Varl was powerful, but he was making Aneeku look like he had never been in a battle his entire life.

  Aneeku snarled again, this time with much more ferocity in his tone, his attacks weren’t getting him anywhere and he knew it. Frustration got the better of him and in place of delivering skilled precise strikes he merely brought his weapon down in a series of the exact same maneuvers like he was no more skilled than someone trying to hammer a nail into a piece of wood. The entire time Cada Varl did not take his eyes off of Aneeku and it would be a lie if the red masked warrior said they did not haunt him. After the 5th or 6th of these hammer-like strikes, the Im
mortal pushed into his own blade holding both weapons in the air for a second before he pushed Aneeku back. Like before the masked warrior slid back but now he was breathing heavily. It was not out of weariness for werewolves did not possess such a weakness it was out of anger. Cada Varl had countered all these powerful attacks like they were nothing.

  “Who are you?” Aneeku demanded, seemingly oblivious that Cada Varl was not intimidated in anyway. The Immortal did not answer but continued staring with those haunting red eyes.

  “Kill him Cada Varl!” Tanagy yelled breaking the gaze of the Immortal as he looked towards him. “Kill him,” Tanagy repeated knowing full well Cada Varl had heard him. Tanagy may have not have been making animalistic sounds anymore but the rage was just as strong in his eyes. Hazum Ka-te stood next to him, with his weapon at the ready but neither rejoined the fight.

  “Cada Varl?” Aneeku almost gasped in a kind of echoing way, bringing the gaze of the Immortal back upon him. The two swordsmen stared at each other for the longest moment possible before Aneeku said strangely. “Of course,” it was an odd thing to say that felt out of place, lessened only slightly by what he said next. “No Helluvan could have so much skill, nothing Helluvan could hurt me.” His tone was a mixture of both arrogance and disgust as he stared at Cada Varl. The Immortal then sheaved his sword, something that clearly surprised everyone else including Aneeku. “What are you doing?” the red masked warrior demanded, again not receiving a quick answer. Cada Varl looked away from Aneeku, towards one of the arrows that Aneeku had deflected, he took several steps before placing the arrow in his hand.

  As he turned to face Aneeku he said, “Is that so?” his voice sounded almost like it always did, yet as he said these words there was an undeniable power in his voice. “Let us see the truth of such a statement….” He declared as Aneeku watched on, clearly confused by what the Immortal was saying. “This Helluvan arrow verses your sword.” Cada Varl had barely said these words before Aneeku bellowed “What!” The Helluvans watched on intently as the air remained thick and unpleasant with tension. When Cada Varl remained silent Aneeku spoke again, “You dare mock me? With such a suggestion?”

  Finally Cada Varl spoke and said, “Mockery? I am not the one standing with a sword in my hand scared of someone holding an arrow, with no bow to fire it.”

  “Scared!” Aneeku snarled, his anger making his word barely audible. Aneeku bellowed like some demon for the entire length of his charge.

  Cada Varl showed no sign he was worried about the oncoming conflict, not even when sword and arrow met. A piercing sound that shook the very air around them filled the air. It was followed by a collective gasp from everybody except Cada Varl. The collective gasp was well justified for as the air fell silent and the arrow had not only stopped the sword, but also had remained completely intact. This was a sword that could cut through Helluvan armor like it was parchment and yet against this simple mixture of silver and wood it was stopped. Aneeku gasped again as his eyes widened beyond what seemed possible. In the face of this remarkable act Cada Varl showed no change in expression or stance. Aneeku stared at the arrow tip as if he couldn’t believe what his eyes were seeing, but when he noticed the eyes of Cada Varl his anger resurfaced.

  Aneeku moved his weapon back and struck it down again with even more force. Not only did the arrow not break but Cada Varl’s arm did not so much as flinch because of the attack. Empowered by his own fury Aneeku attacked again and again, rage did not get the best of him, his attacks were as swift and powerful as they were skilled. Yet all Cada Varl had to do was turn his wrist slightly to ensure that the arrow was there to block the many strikes. It was an unreal sight to behold for so many reasons, beyond the fact that an arrow was stopping a sword that could cut through armor Aneeku no longer seemed so threatening. He seemed a fool, an ant trying to best a bear in a game of strength. The Helluvans watched on in complete silence, amazed by what they were seeing. After delivering what should have been an extreme onslaught Aneeku pulled his weapon back and snarled, "Fight back!”

  As soon as these words had left his mouth the Immortal swiped the arrow down upon the unarmored shoulder of Aneeku and did not finish until it had reached his mid-chest. A cut more fine than even the most skilled of surgeons could perform then appeared upon Aneeku, his dark purple blood spewing forth into the air. His head fell back as he let out a horrid howling, a true sign of what he was. As the Helluvans gasped at the sheer severity of the wound Aneeku stumbled back, breathing heavily with both rage and pain. He did not place a hand over the wound, the sheer amount of blood that was now pouring from his shoulder was enough proof to know he was injured.

  He stared at the Immortal with nothing but contempt and hatred before he held his breath and charged again. This time anger got the better of him, holding his weapon above his head with both hands. Cada Varl had no problem flicking the tip of the arrow across his enemy’s side. It was a simple action but it cut a large wound into the side of Aneeku. He had taken two steps before the blood flowed but when it did, it was immense. He snarled in pain as he quickly turned to face the Immortal once again. Cada Varl stood with an unflinching gaze, holding the now bloody arrow before him. He casually looked down and watched as blood dropped from the arrow like a single path of rainfall. He looked back at Aneeku who stood breathing as heavily as he was bleeding.

  “You are a liar,” Cada Varl said calmly, too calmly. “This Helluvan arrow has spilled your blood.”

  Aneeku growled sharply before responding, “Why are you toying with me?”

  In truth it was a question that even the Helluvans wanted answered, even though there was no denying the strange enjoyment they were getting out of seeing Aneeku suffer.

  “It isn’t so much fun when you’re the one being toyed with is it?”

  There was a calm disdain in his voice one that made Aneeku hold his breath. Cada Varl was doing the same thing that Aneeku was to the Helluvans, except that he was doing a far better job of it. The shock the red masked warrior just felt could not compare with his anger and it soon resurfaced. Aneeku slowly looked around to the faces of the Helluvans who watched on in a cold silence. No longer did they fear him or show any sign at all that he was something important. He looked back to Cada Varl and spoke like a sadistic child whose toys had turned on him.

  “I am Aneeku!” he bellowed his words sounding more and more animalistic.

  “I am a god compared to you, do you hear me! A god!” His breaths now sounded more like growls, but it did nothing to change the expression of Cada Varl. If Aneeku was what he claimed to be, a god, than he was living in a world of atheists.

  Suddenly Cada Varl threw the arrow towards Aneeku, which caught him by surprise. It may not have traveled at the same speed as being fired from an arrow, but it was pretty close. Injured how he was Aneeku still was able to block the arrow with his sword, watching it as it fell to the ground. As he looked back to the Immortal he became painfully aware that Cada Varl hadn’t meant it as a powerful strike. It was more a kind of physical insult, meant to mock and make fun of the masked warrior.

  “Why you!” Aneeku snarled as he leapt forward at an incredible speed. Like before Cada Varl showed no sign that he was worried and at the last moment he took out his sword slashing it across and under the armored arm of the warrior. This time when the blood poured out it rivaled the floor of a great river, the blow had not only cut his flesh but it had destroyed his armor. As Aneeku stumbled, struggling greatly to stay on his feet his armor fell like the pedals of a rose in spring. Werewolves would heal from any wound that did not pierce their heart or sever their head, but a weapon made of silver could be just as damaging to werewolf flesh as it was to human flesh. Aneeku struggled greatly to even turn around, using his once great sword now as walking stick. He leaned heavily upon it, sticking its tip into the ground to keep himself standing as he looked upon his enemy. Like it had almost always happened the sword of Cada Varl was without stain. Most insulting of all
however was the fact that Cada Varl hadn’t even turned around.

  No longer did Aneeku appear as some great warrior did, but a very old injured man who had lived out his usefulness. His legs trembled under his own weight, even with the sword to help him he was struggling just to remain standing. Not only had he been bested but also humiliated, his hundreds of years of slaughter and butchery now meant nothing. He glanced briefly around to the faces of the Helluvans, how he hated each and every one of them. He regretted not killing them when he had the chance, at the least that would leave Cada Varl all alone. He looked back to the Immortal with a strange look in his eyes, like Cada Varl was a riddle he had to solve but could not.

  The Immortal now turned to face him with eyes as cold and uncaring as they had ever been. The sounds of Aneeku’s horrid breath haunted the air as he could feel his legs become even weaker. It seemed all over for him, the wounds he had suffered may have eventually healed but he simply did not have that time. He glanced around yet again to each of their faces; he would find no quarter with any of them. He looked back towards Cada Varl taking a moment to just breathe, before he tightened his breath and stood at full stature. He was still clearly in pain but now was focused on something else entirely. He lifted his sword slightly before jamming it back into the ground before moving both hands away from his weapon.

  “You should feel lucky,” he said before placing his hand over the mask. “No one has seen my true form in 400 years.” Now for the first time in this battle Cada Varl widened his eyes as Aneeku removed his mask. Such a movement revealed Aneeku’s face, something that had not been seen in centuries, surprisingly he looked very youthful, with a soft gentle face. But his eyes remained as wicked and as inhuman as ever. Such a vision of his face vanished as he threw the mask away. The yellow of his eyes intensified as his muscles twisted in an inhuman fashion.

  Almost immediately it was seen that this transformation was very different, there was something greatly wrong about it. In total the Helluvans who watched on must have seen werewolves transform a thousand times and the transformation Aneeku was going under was totally different. In place of his skin growing fur, it turned a strangled blue as his eyes bulged almost completely out of his head. In place of his bones twisting and snapping, as they should they made no such sound even though they were changing. His flesh should have been bulking out as the curse took him and yet it seemed to shrink as if something from inside of him was slowly swallowing it. He raised his head back and let out an ungodly scream that was a mixture of the most intense of pain and the most climatic of pleasure. Even the air around him began to change, shaking violently as if trembling. Cada Varl watched the rocks on the ground as they began to move, vibrating to the strange change in the air. The blood that had stained Aneeku’s body was now quickly returning from whence it came before the cuts began to glow a strange metallic blue. As Aneeku screamed his tongue began to twist 360 degrees repeatedly and yet remained attached. A blue shadow then appeared reflecting off of him that seemed completely alien to any light the sun and sky had to offer. Like a wave crashing down upon a shoreline the blue shadow fell onto him, consuming him entirely.

  Now as the shadow and his flesh became one his body grew almost three fold. His fingers, hands and feet changed as well becoming far more elongated and clawed. His stomach grew in height but vanished almost entirely, while his chest remained broad and thick. Shapes like twisted spikes than grew from his elbows, a total of 4 on each arm. His face changed forming a long snout with gruesome teeth to match. His eyes became like an animal’s no longer representing anything human. The strange metallic like blue of the shadow then transformed into long wild fur of the same colour. One of the last things to change was his eyes, the pupils disappeared completely leaving only the strange yellow captured in twisted triangles.

  His transformation was complete and shockingly he only vaguely resembled what a werewolf was supposed to look like. His long thin fingers possessed claws that were two feet long and had the same shade as dirty yellow fingernails. The strange spikes that grew out of his elbows resembled the claws almost exactly. For the first time during the journey Cada Varl looked shocked at what he saw, but his expression was nothing compared to those of his companions. They were looking upon something that rewrote everything they had known about werewolves. Even the wounds Aneeku had suffered had completely vanished. Aneeku opened his mouth revealing he or rather it possessed a total of three tongues, as stiff and as thick as bone. It let out a sound that quite literally deformed the air around it, a horrid sound that only slightly resembled that of a howl.

  “What’s going on?” Tanagy asked more as a thought spoken out loud than an actual question. No one could give him an answer as they each stared upon this strange creature. Even Aneeku seemed confused by what he had become; moving his hands in front of him to ensure that they were in fact his.

  “This feels so good,” Aneeku declared with a voice that had changed as drastically as his body. The voice was a strange thing to hear, almost echoing in on itself as if it was a power too great to control. Since it did not possess any pupils its eyes were hard to follow but Cada Varl knew when it was looking right at him. It wanted revenge for what Cada Varl had done to it and though he was unsure of what he was facing the Immortal stood firm and at the ready. Aneeku kept its mouth opened allowing its three tongues to turn and twist over and under each other in grizzly fashion before a light came from its mouth and in an instant, something blue and wicked sprang forth from its mouth. It moved like fire but was utterly different. In a morphing stream it came from Aneeku’s mouth and upon Cada Varl, like a great beast trying to swallow him whole.

  Cada Varl raised his sword meeting the strange energy as it continued to stream upon either side of the weapon. Cada Varl had never seen it before so he could not smell its horrid stench that was so powerful several of the Helluvans had to cover their mouth and noses. From the strange energy, smaller pieces fell like the cackling of a fire from the main body, but this strange energy was completely silent.

  Cada Varl may not have known what it was but he knew he didn’t want it to touch his skin. The stream continued on for a number of moments before disappearing completely, as if it was something summoned from the world beyond the living. Cada Varl had survived the attack unharmed and his sword showed no sign of wear, although it shone slightly different than before. He looked back upon Aneeku as its three tongues continued moving morbidly. Aneeku then leapt dead vertically into the air almost instantly reaching a height well over 100 feet. Aneeku pushed itself through the air as if it could control gravity itself. If Aneeku had traveled with the speed of an arrow before its transformation it was now moving at the speed of sound by comparison. Aneeku smashed onto the ground appearing to land directly on top of the Immortal. The sheer impact of the attack was so great it caused the ground to almost shatter as walls of dust formed around the two combatants. The Helluvans had to place their arms across their mouths to deal with the dust.

  “Cada Varl!” Imbaka yelled fearing that not even he could survive such a savage attack. Her cry was not met by words but the clashing of steel upon something and as the dust settled Cada Varl was revealed.

  Astonishingly he had somehow avoided the attack and now was swinging his sword quickly to counter the 2-foot claws of Aneeku. The human eye simply could not keep up with their movements as the two of them clashed in a hurricane of violence. Aneeku was swiping its claws so quickly that sometimes sound could not keep up, creating sonic booms that infected the air like poison. Aneeku had become countless times stronger than before and worse of all no one knew the reasoning behind it. Cada Varl was on the defensive able only to counter the seemingly countless strikes of his enemy’s claws.

  As the two-fought Zova raised her bow, an arrow strung and ready. She tried to steady her aim but soon realize such a thing was pointless, her eyes simply could not keep up with the tremendous battle that was taking place. She lowered her bow, frustration clear
and strong in her expression, the Helluvans could do nothing to help their companion in this struggle. The claws of Aneeku were not only long they were sturdy and were easily able to strike the sword of the Immortal without so much as blemishing.

  After he had blocked what seemed to be at least 30 different strikes, Cada Varl avoided the claws of Aneeku, moving out of their way just in time for the claws to pierce the ground. Even the earth itself could not offer the claws any resistance breaking apart like fragile clay as the claws smashed into it. Cada Varl leapt up quick enough to then leap forward and meet Aneeku in another clash of blurs and sonic booms. They moved even faster now to the point that even their arms became difficult to see clearly. Finally the intensity of the duel was too much even for them to take and both Cada Varl and Aneeku leapt back from one another.

  As the Immortal landed a deep cut appeared on his right cheek, blood flowing fast and freely from it. He glanced down at the wound and for the first time in 4000 years saw what his own blood looked like. Aneeku had a cut of its own, a large deep gash that opened up on its left side. But before it could even bleed the wound sealed itself back up and vanished completely from sight. Cada Varl could not control the gasp that escaped his mouth, sounding as loud as a bellow in such tense air. The Helluvans felt the same shock as Aneeku opened its twisted mouth and began making a sound that resembled laughter, but was far more vulgar to the ear.

  “…Not even silver can wound me!” Aneeku screamed in a horrid glee. Cada Varl did not wait for Aneeku to attack, without fear he charged ready to continue the battle. Aneeku gladly met his challenge and the near blurring clash resumed. The Helluvans may not have been able to see every strike but they could see clearly the look in the eyes of the Immortal and it disturbed them. For the very first time since meeting him Cada Varl was straining, his skill, power and speed pushed to a limit no one had ever imagined. If Cada Varl could not stop Aneeku then it was a certainty that none of them could either.

  The Immortal leapt back as the claws of Aneeku smashed into the ground, pursuing the movements of Cada Varl. The Immortal watched these strikes closely before he lunged forward and then upwards delivering three large cuts to Aneeku’s body. Cada Varl landed behind his enemy but was forced to leap further as the claws of the monster tried to descend upon him. He turned just in time to see the three wounds he had delivered, seal up and vanish like the first one. “If silver can’t hurt it?” Tanagy found himself saying.

  “What can?” Hazum Ka-te echoed in the same hollow tone.

  Cada Varl fought on but with his sword seemingly ineffective, there was little that he could do other than block or avoid the blows of Aneeku. Cada Varl seemed to realize this and tried to put distance between himself and his enemy. But Aneeku would have none of it, it knew its strength and would offer no mercy to the Immortal. In the eyes of the Helluvans the situation seemed helpless, they could do nothing but watch as Cada Varl avoided the enemy attacks. The Immortal may have been able to avoid such strikes but they were getting closer and closer to severing his flesh with each passing second.

  As Aneeku brought its right hand of claws forward Cada Varl blocked it, but when Aneeku moved its hand it seemed the stronger of the two. Aneeku took a split second to admire this, to look into the eyes of the Immortal that knew he was no longer the stronger of the two. The moment came and went and Aneeku struck his other hand downward. Cada Varl did the only thing he could; he leapt up into the air to avoid the attack. His leap was far greater than anything a human could do but Aneeku’s leap dwarfed it. As it had done before Aneeku leapt up so high in the air it seemed capable of wingless flight, falling back down again so fast Cada Varl was still in the air as it did so. The two titans met briefly with Aneeku landing onto the ground and causing the earth to break under its power. Cada Varl then landed with far more grace beyond his enemy and looked on as a deep gash appeared across and through the throat of Aneeku.

  Gokkus and Imbaka gasped at such a site for the cut may have been large enough to decapitate the foul thing’s head. The cut must have happened quickly for Aneeku stood like some kind of twisted statue with its arms held out to its sides, frozen as if screaming silently. Even Cada Varl seemed to be holding his breath waiting for the head to fall from its shoulders. It was not the Immortal but Zova who first realized that the cut had not completely gone through the entire breath of the neck. Before she could say anything however the wound healed itself and the horrid creature began moving.

  As it turned Cada Varl leapt up so that their eyesight was on the same level. He would have attempted the strike again if Aneeku had not opened its mouth and unleashed another stream of the foul smelling energy. Cada Varl barely was able to get his sword up in time to block the energy. Violently he was thrown back towards the ground where he managed to stay on his feet. The energy consumed his entire vision as he struggled to stop its wrath.

  When a piece of the strange energy broke away from the rest it fell upon his hand and instantly his skin began to burn away. Burn might not have been the right word for it but it created an ugly and strange wound upon his hand. It had burned so deeply that the white of bone could be seen amongst the seared flesh. As soon as the energy had vanished Aneeku was there lunging forward with the claw of its left hand. Incredibly Cada Varl leapt around Aneeku avoiding the strike. However the rocks of a ridge were not so lucky and the ridge fell to pieces under the force of the blow. A large piece of rock the size of a boulder remained upon its claws as Aneeku turned and jerked its arm in such a way that the boulder came harrowing towards Cada Varl while he was still in the air.

  Quickly he struck his weapon upon it and caused the rock to shatter like it was made from glass into fragments. Before the pieces of rock had left his vision Aneeku was upon him, leaping through the air, its most werewolf like movements, its hands and claws were out to either side as if it was trying to get the Immortal in a deathly embrace. This may have left Aneeku’s neck open for attack, but it was far too big of a risk for the Immortal to take. He realized this a second too late however and did not move quite fast enough to avoid Aneeku’s claws, like the sharpest of spear points, the tips of the claws plunged into his left arm. He may have been able to leap back in time to avoid the other set of claws but the damage had been done.

  Blood fell heavily from all four-claw wounds soon covering his arm in a dark crimson. He stood strong and in silence but there was no doubting the injuries would hinder him. Instead of pursuing the Immortal Aneeku looked upon the wounds it had delivered and began making that awful sound that was not quite laughter.

  “He was right!” Aneeku screamed out, its words appeared nonsensical even when it continued talking. “This power is amazing, riveting….” Aneeku then made truly disgusting sounds, an indication that it was enjoying itself immensely. “How does it feel Cada Varl?” Aneeku asked between its disgusting sounds. “How does that blood feel running down your face and arm?” The Immortal kept quiet as his mind raced to find a solution. He was already struggling to stand against this thing, but now injured it may have been impossible. The only chance he had it seemed was to try and decapitate Aneeku, but there was no guarantee that even that would work. Aneeku would not laugh forever, Cada Varl had to do something and he had to do it now.

  “Will it be enough?” The Immortal said quickly but clear enough for the Helluvans to hear him. Aneeku may have heard his words as well but it seemed more interested in the sounds it was making and the pleasure it was feeling. “Only one way to find out,” Cada Varl said with the same quickness in his tone. “Everyone get back!” The Immortal screamed with more emotion in his voice than the Helluvans had ever heard from him. His words took a moment to register, the Helluvans were already some distance away from him but none amongst them had felt a need to argue. They did as they were told with even Tanagy and Hazum Ka-te picking up the body of Leannol and carrying it with them.

  His words had been loud enough for Aneeku to stop its laughter and pay attention as the
Immortal held his sword out in front of him and concentrated on something only he could see. The air around him began to move, slowly at first but increasing in speed by each passing second. Like a stone dropped in water, more air began to ripple all around him.

  “What are you doing?” Aneeku asked to which it did not receive an answer.

  So much air was now moving around him he was difficult to see clearly before a very vague red light then filled the air moving all around him. To someone of a different age Cada Varl would look like he was inside an oven at its center. A powerful heat soon could be felt filtering into the unaffected air beyond the red light. The heat was intense, being felt from where the Helluvans were standing, and one could only imagine just how hot the red light air was.

  The red intensified as the air moved even faster around him. Aneeku would not allow Cada Varl to complete whatever it was that he was doing, opening its mouth and unleashing another blast of the strange foul smelling energy. Not only did the stream not touch Cada Varl but also it evaporated instantly upon touching the strange red light. Aneeku paused for only a moment before it tried the same attack, this time increasing the intensity of the blast. When this did not work Aneeku tried for a third time, unleashing energy so powerful Aneeku seemed to strain to control it. But even this did nothing, not reaching anywhere near the Immortal. Cada Varl then closed his eyes just before Aneeku snarled and growled horrifically.

  Aneeku then attempted to plunge the claws of its left hand through the red light and into the flesh of Cada Varl. But as soon as its claws entered the light they began to crack. Aneeku howled in agony as it quickly removed its hand, a few seconds later and its claws may have broken off. Aneeku watched on not knowing what it could do. For the first time since its transformation Aneeku had felt pain and it was a feeling that it did not enjoy. The ripples in the red light then became vertical, moving so swiftly that they soon could no longer be seen.

  “What power is this?” Aneeku demanded from the Immortal that stayed silent, immersed in his own mind.

  Then the eyes of Cada Varl opened, though they looked no different they seemed to silently command the red lit air. It instantly shrunk to surround him and his sword in a vague light, like shadows being chased away by sudden luminosity. Seeing that the red light was no longer in the air Aneeku quickly opened its mouth in preparation to unleash the foul smelling energy. Before it could do that the Immortal lunged forward with more speed than he had ever wielded. Aneeku saw him coming and attempted to impale him with its claws. But the claws shattered when the glowing sword was struck upon them, these once great weapons now appeared no stronger than glass.

  Aneeku did not have time to howl for Cada Varl continued his lunge driving his sword into the chest of Aneeku. Instantly with great violence its chest exploded open as a wound so great it almost severed Aneeku in two appeared across its frame. Blood now quite literally fell as if it was water from a raging river. The cut itself was overkill; for the sword of the Immortal had not only cut through the heart of Aneeku it had disintegrated it.

  Cada Varl landed upon the other side of Aneeku, the light around him making him a vision of the most powerful of gods. Before Aneeku had even hit the ground its body quickly returned to its once human looking form. Drenched in blood and almost severed in two, there was a strange peace that could be seen on the pale dead face of Aneeku.

  The light vanished from around Cada Varl and he involuntarily fell to his knees, using his left hand to keep him from falling on his face. The fight was over, Cada Varl had won, but the Helluvans did not cheer or rush over to him. Even to people such as them the sight they had just witnessed was overbearing. Slowly Cada Varl raised his head and as he did so something began to stir from the body of Aneeku.

  With all eyes now upon the corpse, a light that was almost blinding ascended from his body and quickly rose into the air before exploding in a light that looked almost a mile long. The light covered everything in its luminosity before disappearing completely. To a religious person the light may very well looked like a soul ascending into the heavens, but it was doubtful one such as Aneeku would ever be welcomed in such a place. Cada Varl looked upon the body of his fallen enemy ensuring that there was no other movement. Amongst all of this it was a surprise to see that Aneeku had once been human, for he carried such a hatred for them. Then again that may have been the very reason why he hated them so.