Chapter 8-2

For a national hero, Akanan Duvort, better known as “The Tiger”, was strikingly ugly. At least his statue was, and it stood to reason that the real thing was even worse. Incongruous lumps of fat laid in all the wrong places beneath his armour, his face was mercifully covered in an uneven beard, and his face had been punched in one too many times. Nevertheless, the Kendranians had seen fit to build him a statue that stood ten men high, atop an ornate tomb.

“Pretty swanky,” Anjanette said. “What did this choad do to deserve this?”

“Slew a vampire, led the Kendranian revolution, and happened to write a number of literary classics that are impossible to get outside of his home country,” Milly answered. “Um, actually could we—“

“No,” said Leonas.

Their horses trotted up to the tomb, glaring at the four horses that were already there. They were thoroughbreads, beautiful animals that carried themselves with a haughty air. One of their saddles likely cost more than all of the trio’s horses combined. Leonas quickly slit the first one’s throat.

“Uh, what did you do that for?” Milly asked.

“These are Valgard’s horses,” said Leonas. “At least I hope so. If these belong to some tourists we’ve got a lot of explaining to do.” He slit the next horse’s throat. It was at this point that the two remaining animals got wise and started bucking and roaring.

A slow clap echoed from the tomb. “They attack the horses. Truly, what noblemen we are dealing with here.”

Valgard stood in front of his guard, their golden armour shining like a second sun behind him. “So you have somehow managed to escape justice. Well, it is apparent we will just have to dis—“

He was cut off by Anjanette forgoing the witty banter and just jumping on him. With one hand she held him down, while her other flashed out in painful blows. She felt the distinct crunch of a nose breaking under her knuckles. Valgard flailed at her uselessly, until the gargantuan Denall hauled her off. He pressed her against his chest in some sort of wrestling hold, his boa constrictor arms pressing the air out of her lungs, until a firm boot to the crotch put an end to that. Denall clutched his wounded equipment, and Anjanette gracefully flew into the air to deliver an air-cutting roundhouse kick to his head.

Milly had also drawn her weapons and charged Valgard, only to be interrupted by Temac. His palm – at least she guessed it was his palm, it was too fast to see – felt like a battering ram to her chest. She stumbled back, and the diminutive warrior stepped in front of her, dusting off his hand.

Milly’s blades flashed, cutting through she air with a slick shriek, but they may as well have stayed holstered for all it mattered. She had missed, her blades inches short of the martial artist. A second strike also missed by a hair, and a third. The fluster of embarassment rose to her face. Temac was dodging her strikes without even moving noticeably.

The remaining knight, Lloyd, stood by his master. He struck a defensive pose, shielding Valgard behind him. “Run, your highness! We’ll deal with these brigands.”

Leonas frowned and raised his tattooed hand. Red flame errupted from it, a blinding burst that left scorched black stones in its wake. Lloyd pushed Valgard out of the way, covering him from even the blistering heat. The streak of fire, almost looking like a giant’s arrow, flew by and took off half the foot of the Tiger’s statue.

Milly continued to dance with her swords, but Temac effortlessly evaded her blows. He spun around and swept out her legs, sending her to the ground, world spinning around her. Temac moved into capitalize, but a fire blast by Leonas cut him off.

Anjanette and Denall were putting on a more sedate mirror of that fight. Denall swung, his fists like great hammers, but they all missed Anjanette by a foot. Unfortunately, while her kicks and rapidfire punches were much more accurate, they only hit Denall’s ornate armour and she was soon nursing red and aching knuckles.

“We don’t have time to fight with these guys!” Anjanette shouted. “Leo, go after the prince!”

Lloyd quickly rushed the mage in response. “You shall not move from this spot until you fall down dead, so I swear!”

“Nah, that doesn’t sound like a good idea,” said Leonas, pitching another burst of fire at him underhand. Lloyd leapt over it, clearing it with professional ease. Leonas whistled in appreciation, staring into the blinding sun, until he realized that behind it lay Lloyd’s vibrant blade. It was too late. The knight’s sword ripped and tore into his shoulder, like being bit by a wolf, no not a wolf, a sadistic and intelligent wolf bent on inflicting the most pain possible. Leonas didn’t want to surpress the pain, he couldn’t think enough to want it.

Leonas fell back onto his ass, and realized he was going to die.

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