Second Born

by Lance Wilson

  “Your absolutely right” Mellyruna says smiling at him now.

  “Are you prepared for the worst Mellyruna” Nagamasa says as the two begin to circle one another.

  “Of course I am, but I won’t go easy on you” Mellyruna says with a slight smile

  And like the flick of a switch the two begin. Nagamasa is the first on a charge slamming his shield into Mellyruna to stun him, but it does almost nothing, Mellyruna only absorbs the impact and grabs the shield with his free hand. Using his now superior strength he flings Nagamasa to the ground by the shield. He then goes in with his sword as he is down but Nagamasa rolls out of the way and is quickly on his feet again. Nagamasa charges in again, this time with his sword, but Mellyruna easily evades the blow and spins behind him, then with the flat of his blade he slams a hit right between Nagamasa’s shoulders slamming him back to the ground. Again Nagamasa rolls to his feet only to be shocked that Mellyruna is standing there his sword over his shoulder relaxed.

  “What’s wrong, this isn’t you, these moves are weak and feeble like a child” Mellyruna says shaking his head.

  “Just getting the measure of things,” Nagamasa says with a smile

  “That’s not like you, why the hesitation” Mellyruna asks having studied Nagamasa’s fighting in the north, and in the arena.

  “Look who’s talking, why didn’t you kill me back there” Nagamasa says turning the question on him.

  “I just couldn’t kill one of the few people who understood me. That’s all” Mellyruna says smiling at him, knowing this is only going to anger him, but it is true nonetheless.

  “You bastered, I can’t stand the sight of you” Nagamasa shouts his anger getting the better of him.

  “Come and get me now.” Mellyruna says and watches with delight as Nagamasa gets into stance, this time a much stronger and experienced stance.

  Again Nagamasa charges with his shield slamming it into Mellyruna, he knows this will do no good but that isn’t the plan. Once the shield hits Mellyruna’s chest he flips and spins behind him then makes a quick slash with his sword across Mellyruna’s back. Mellyruna stumbles and hears as Nagamasa runs at him to continue the attack. Mellyruna is ready this time and spins using the spins momentum to slam his blade into Nagamasa’s shield, shattering it. It is Nagamasa’s turn to stagger back this time, holding his arm knowing that the force of the hit on his shield has probably broken his arm.

  “Your only capable of looking down on people like this, you’re only fighting to satisfy your ego. How many people have died for you” Nagamasa shouts still holding his arm.

  “Do you really want to know” Mellyruna says draping his sword over his shoulder again

  “What” Nagamasa says taken off his guard.

  “As of yesterday 9822 people.” Mellyruna says his face giving away none of his sorrow for those lost.

  “What, damn you” Nagamasa says snarling, how can he speak of death on such a magnitude without even flinching. He is a monster.

  “I remember everyone who has sacrificed themselves in battle. How could I forget them, there names are all etched into my heart.” Mellyruna says lowering his head, so many lives lost in the futility of war

  “How can you be such a monster?” Nagamasa says his voice quivering in rage

  “I can only grieve over the lives lost by those that fought. But at least try to understand this. Not one of those people has died in vain.” Mellyruna says again locking eyes with Nagamasa

  Then like a flash of light the air around Mellyruna changes as he charges right at Nagamasa, his huge sword raised for a powerful deathblow. The shock of it strikes Nagamasa cold in fear but just in time he manages to sway out of the way of the blow and slams his sword home deep into Mellyruna’s gut. Mellyruna drops to his knees, letting his sword hit the ground as he looks up at Nagamasa, tears in his eyes.

  “That was beautiful Nagamasa” Mellyruna says a serine smile on his face.

  “No Mellyruna how could you” Nagamasa says for once seeing the truth in what Mellyruna was saying is true, they are indeed cut from the same cloth.

  “Goodbye Nagamasa, my eternal friend. I’m honor I could fight with you” Mellyruna says and goes to fall to his side

  Nagamasa catches his body as he holds him; he’s not sure why this has struck him so hard.

  “This can’t be true, no way, I won’t let this happen.” Nagamasa says looking hard at the wound, it’s not a death wound but it is bad, if he can get him help in time, then it will be fine.

  “Griffin, I’ll be waiting on the other side” Mellyruna says and closes his eyes falling unconscious.

  “Damnit, I didn’t think I would win” Nagamasa says tears running down his face as he holds the wounded body of Mellyruna.

  Byrdi makes his way down each of the halls; he knows right where he is going so there is no need to run. If he had to guess where Mecmed was it would be the war room of his father. As he comes to the door he places his hand on the handle and takes a long deep breath, he isn’t sure if he is ready to take on Mecmed but he will try. As he opens the door he is shocked at what he sees, indeed someone is waiting for him but it isn’t Mecmed, it is a woman, Noin of the Wolfpride. She stares at him with hate in her eyes. She knows that he is there for Griffin, she will defend him to the bitter end and this youth is nothing but an obstacle for the Wolfpride.

  “Byrdi I challenge you to a duel” Noin says her voice calm but stern at the same time.

  “I wouldn’t fight if I could help it but unless I keep fighting you people will not surrender and the war will never end” Byrdi says lowering his head, he has grown to hate war an all it represents.

  “That is absolutely right” Noin says with a smile

  “And if I refuse” Byrdi asks hoping to find a peaceful solution.

  Without a ward Noin lunges at him, her thin deadly sword poised at a thrust, Byrdi is too fast however and spins out of the way, without missing a beat she slashes at him, but the training with the Vulkoori have given him an edge in battle and he steps just out of the way, knowing there is no other way, she will not let him walk away he draws his blade just in time to block another thrust, both hold the pose of the crossed swords smiling at one another.

  “How come you’re so attached to war? Why must we go through this” Byrdi asks pleading with her.

  “Your so kind aren’t you Byrdi, and what reasons do you have to fight.” She asks snarling at him, what does he know of war.

  “I fight for my family, I have to fight if I’m going to ward off my families sorrow.” Byrdi says thinking only of Nagamasa, Maeraer, Neckity, and what will happen if the Kainith elves keep advancing, they must be stopped here.

  “My father did that, he fought so I didn’t feel any sorrow and he died for it. That’s why I’m going to die fighting a beautiful battle as well” Noin says remembering her fathers death at the hands of some bandits. It was why she trained so hard to be a warrior, why she joined Griffin.

  “Then you actually hate war as well don’t you” Byrdi says smiling, so they are not so different after all.

  She doesn’t answer however, she only lunges at him with another thrust, but Byrdi easily side steps.

  “No, war is not to blame for the destruction and massacre. The enemies we must defeat are in our respective hearts.” Noin says every other word punctuated with a thrust or a slash, keeping Byrdi on the defensive.

  “I believe in peace cause is surpasses war, I believe in the heart that hopes for peace.” Byrdi says focusing more on the conversation then the fight, his blade bating away thrusts and his footwork keeping him out of reach of the slashes.

  “Then I shall ask you this, you say you fought for everyone, well what has anyone done for you in return.” Noin says tears of hate filling her eyes, this man, so peaceful, so gentle, she hates him, she hates what h
e is cause it reminds her of what she has lost.

  “I’m not fighting to receive any kind of compensation.” Byrdi says jumping back from another slash.

  “That is why you shall always be an amateur” She says and goes for a wild slash at his head.

  Byrdi only ducks and then slams his body into hers using his shoulder to knock her down, he then jumps back to put some distance between the two of them.

  “Please stop this Lucrainzia,” He says finally remembering her name from a file he had read when studing the Wolfpride.

  “The clans betrayed you. The clans killed your father, and then finally the clans sold out to Mecmed before truly understanding what was going on. All of your battles up until now have been a true waist of time. Your sympathy toward others, to much sympathy toward others has resulted in its worst-case scenario. Why are you holding back why can’t you go for it, well you sure as bet that I can” She says enlightening him to her views of battle as she goes in for a thrust, and like always he uses his blade to bat it away

  “That purity that kindness, that softness. No wonder the Unagi was defeated,” She continues and after keeping him on the defensive for so long she spins her blade just right cutting his sword hand making him loose grip and flings his blade with her sword to the opposite side of the room.

  “Maybe your right, this is the only way I know how to fight. But it is because we take on loosing battles that we have been able to keep the clans away from the horrors of war.” Byrdi says seeing that he has been defeated, but the conversation is still going on and that is the important part, battle is mostly mental, not physical.

  “You’ll never change anything that way.” She says raising the point of her blade so it touches the bottom of his chin right at the neck.

  “Then what do you suggest I should have done” Byrdi says gulping a bit,

  “You should have become the leader of the clans and staged a great battle just like lord Griffin is doing.” She says her voice full of pride

  “Lucrainzia, your mistaken” He says her words bringing back memories of Bai Shi-zi and his ideas. Even with the great battle he forged and showed the islands, the Vulkoori ways are gone from the island.

  “And you should have staged this war in front of all of elven kind, a miserable war that they will never want to see again” She says and stabs him deeply in the side, for his interruption.

  “Are you saying that is the significant of this war?” Byrdi says shocked that he didn’t see it himself.

  “That’s right, you can’t do away with wars Byrdi by just taking the weapons away from the people, first you must change the hearts of all of elven kind, if you don’t do that, if you don’t do that it will parish it will parish just like, just like my father did” She says her voice cracking now as a tear rims her eyes.

  “You are a vary kind person, kinder then me” Byrdi says his voice full of sincerity.

  “That doesn’t make me the least bit happy” She says yanking out the blade and watches him scream in pain as he falls to the ground on his side a puddle of blood beginning to form under him.

  “Kindness just gets in your way when you’re trying to survive. It’s more appropriate for all of elven kind to put all of its efforts in to just surviving.” She continues trying to regain her composure.

  “Lucrainzia, your just the same way I used to be you can’t stand your own kindness and your own hatred for war. You should never try to fight your own kindness. Bai Shi-zi taught me that. You have to try and accept everything around you. Because humanity needs that kindness, without that kindness humanity has no reason to exist. You agree don’t you? Elves that think of only their survival are life forms lower then animals. They can’t even feel for others.” He says and slowly rises to his knees, each sentence causing him pain and making him take long deep gasps of breath

  As the two stare at each other, Byrdi sizing up how his words have affected her, Noin wondering how a man can hold such kindness and compassion in his heart, the door opens and both turn to see Nagamasa, his front soaked in the blood of Mellyruna.

  “Things didn’t go as you planed did they. In a way what you were trying to do was the right thing to do, but it still won’t bring true peace.” Nagamasa says walking over to Byrdi, ignoring Noin all together.

  “I was only” She starts but stops, not sure how she was going to finish, tears still rim her eyes but refuse to fall.

  “That’s sad, a woman that can’t cry. I’ve continually fought and with each battle I’ve been killing my heart. And my heart has been completely void of feeling for quite some time now. Maybe my life doesn’t have value anymore. But I have to keep on living” Nagamasa says looking calmly at her.

  “Why is that?” She asks her foundation of hate and rage shattered now.

  “I’ve got a home to go back to.” Nagamasa says thinking of Maeraer and Lucius.

  “Well unlike you I have no place left to go back to.” She says lowering her head. There rebels, this Unagi clan, how could it have fallen with such strong sons, such a strong foundation.

  “Can you stand up Byrdi” Nagamasa asks ignoring her and tending to his brother.

  “Listen to me Nagamasa, you have to do me a favor. Look after her and forget about me.” Byrdi says with a smile, his last act to be that of a Vulkoori, save the innocent, and in his eyes she is innocent, only a misguided child in a world she was not ready for.

  “Don’t worry about it, I’m sure she’s strong enough to take care of herself.” Nagamasa says looking over at the shocked face of Lucrainzia; she never knew someone could care about her. If only Griffin would do the same.

  “Ya, I guess your right.” Byrdi says with a chuckle and drapes his arm over Nagamasa’s shoulder as he is helped to his feet.

  “You had better get going” Nagamasa says looking over at her knowing that everything is coming to a head, the only safe place is out of the castle.

  “Make it though this somehow” Byrdi says with a smile.

  As they walk out of the door, Nagamasa supporting Byrdi they can hear her break down in sobs. Byrdi smiles, she is in pain now, but the time will come and she will have a realization and then there will be peace.

  Attonnan like Byrdi takes his time moving through the castle, Mecmed will be in the thrown room. He moves through the castle surprised that it is so empty. As he enters the main room, just before the thrown he stops hearing someone approach. A door from the side opens and soon he finds himself face to face with Griffin, leader of the Wolfpride and known as death on the battlefield. Attonnan only smiles, he is already dead, has been since the fall of the clan. The two slowly begin to circle each other both are aware of the others skill and will not rush into this.

  “Certain conditions must be met for total peace. First all weapons must be eliminated. And second the desire to fight must be erased from peoples minds” Knowing exactly what Griffins plans have been since he took over Ronin, the arrival of Mecmed was only a set back.

  “The people of the elflands will hate you and those that survive will rely on you. The same mistakes will be repeated as long as you live” Griffin says and both stop in there tracks.

  Just like that the fight begins. A charge by both ended by both drawing their blades. The blades slam into each other causing such a force that you would think that it wasn’t elves fighting in the room but two great titans Attonnan is the first to slide his blade away and goes for a slash, only to be blocked by Griffins blade. Griffin slides his blade away from the block and goes for an over handed strike, but Attonnan spins out of the way and gets behind Griffin, going for a slash to his back, but Griffin drops his blade behind him to block the blow, both then jump back putting some room behind themselves.

  “Your the same as Mecmed, claiming to fight for justice and to protect the weak. But in fact your not helping the weak at all” Griffin says his ey
es locked on Attonnan as they begin to circle once more.

  “It’s the strong that create the weak, it was the strong lords that created the weak colonies and almost drove them to destruction” Attonnan says and rushes for another draw attack.

  “I can’t stand the weak, they’re always nervous about being attacked next. They can’t trust anybody and never have their own opinion, I can’t tolerate such people” Griffin says blocking the blade and jumping back, then going for his own strike, an upward diagonal slash

  “Strong people make them that way.” Attonnan continues batting the blade away with his own then jumps in low to go for the legs.

  “Attonnan, nobody is strong, all of humanity is weak and that includes you and me, your finished Attonnan” Griffin says jumping back and slamming his knee into Attonnan’s gut knocking his wind out then going down for a final blow.

  “Not yet, I still don’t see myself as weak” Attonnan says rolling out of the way and sheathing his blade, getting back into stance.

  “The elflands have started heading toward total pacifism all on their own, your actions are meaningless” Griffin says shaking his head then gets into his own stance.

  “My destiny is smeared with blood, I won’t be talked out of this transgression, I’m going to settle this Griffin” Attonnan says his eyes now blazing with fire.

  For a moment times seems to stop as the two gaze at one another. Just like that the two charge, just as Attonnan goes to block the blow from Attonnan, but there is too much power behind it and with as shout of fury, Attonnan’s blade slams into Griffins shattering it and then going into a deep cleave into Griffins arm, it is a deep cut and crippling, but not a death wound. Griffin falls to his knees shocked at what has just happened, his eyes fixed on his shattered blade as he holds the wound keeping it tight to stop the blood. Confused he slowly looks up at Attonnan, Attonnan now sheathing his blade and standing up straight.