Until death – chapter 15

• [Note :- during the previous episode, I mentioned something like 30 likes and comment. Actually, it was a mistake, I was referring to my FB followers. I knew there isn’t enough people reading the series here. Nevertheless, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t comment.]

Until death-chapter 15

 

Theme: Welcome to the Afterlife, part 4. [The struggle for survival, 2]

 

The three hefty beings stride closer to me, their eyes streaking with wrath, while the animosity in them can be seen easily.

 They grabbed the clothes they were wearing and tore them easily as if they were a piece of paper. Their huge muscles can now be seen, while the veins on their neck are also visible.

 

I stood there, not knowing what to do again. The rune sword is still in my hand, and I am tightening my grip on it.

I searched inside myself, prowling my stomach further and further for the ability I used earlier, but it wasn’t there again. It seems as if these idiots had deserted me, just like my brain and soul always do whenever I am in difficulty.

 

Now I am standing in front of this hefty being that looks like a giant, without any power.

 A few minutes ago, I was a wrecking machine, fighting six knights and slaughtering them easily. But now, I am just the same twenty-something-year-old boy.

 

The power had suddenly deserted me, leaving me to face and solve my calamity alone. Worst of all, it left me in a weak state, unable to even lift the sword in my hand.

It was like the sword had suddenly grown in weight, much heavier than when I first carried it. 

 

Now I am left alone with my survival instinct, alone with all the fighting strategies that have been saving me since four years ago.

 

“Now, you belong to us.” One of the hefty men said, jolting me out of my thoughts. “We can do it to you as we want.”

 

“I belong to no one,” I yelled at him, making sure that my voice was bold and strong enough. I might not have the strange power within me again, nor do I know how to summon it, but I can still withstand and fight these beings with my mastery.

 

“Boy,” Another man called out, his voice cold enough to send fear down my spine. “You just made the biggest mistake of your life.” I watched as he nodded to his team, and they quickened their steps towards me.

 

I stood my ground, holding my sword, but now with trembling hands, and as I did, I felt Ryan’s eyes mocking me. It was as if the idiot was here, hiding somewhere, waiting to see my downfall.

 I could see my ancestors looking down at me with a look I couldn’t decipher. It was either they were disparaging me or having sympathy for me.

 

It was as if everyone I’d killed in the arena, as well as the knights I’d just killed, were looking down at me, waiting to see my demise.

Then, all of a sudden, I feel the heat rising within me, emanating from the depths of my stomach.

 

But I wanted to shame the idiot. I wanted to show him that even if he ran away permanently, I would still survive on my own.

I want to fight these massive beings man to man, to beat them as any man would, to use all of the military training I’ve received, the same skills that have helped me in all of my fights on the arena floor.

 

I wanted to win like a man, fight like a real man, with this strange rune sword in my hand, and defeat these beings, and shame General Zod and her little b***h.

I had always been faster than any being I had ever confronted, including all of the boys on my team. Even with their sharp weapons or any ability they possessed, I always found one way or the other to outsmart them.

 

I made a battle stance and braced myself as two of the hefty beings charged at me. I could see the determination to beat me in their eyes. The same goes for General Zod and Esther. I can feel their desire to watch my painful shriek as the men punch me in and out. Unfortunately for them, that isn’t going to happen.

 

I suddenly charged back, choosing one of the two men and racing right for him. We met in the middle of the spacious room. The man was letting out a tremendous battle scream.

The man slashed at me, his sword at my head, but I raised my own sword and blocked it, our sword sparkling, the impact of metal on metal, and the sound echoed all the way to my eardrum. The blade was heavier than I thought, the man’s blow stronger, and I felt a great vibration on my arm. It moved all the way from my elbow, into my arm and shook them violently.

 

The man swung around, aiming to strike me from the side, and I quickly spun to block it. I felt my body moving slower than usual, the blade so heavy that it was taking me so much time to wield and parry. It was as if the man was moving twice my speed and blending into the air.

 

The man swung again, and I realized I could not best him blow for blow. It was like he had been trained for sword fighting all his entire life. Not only that, but I can also feel that he is tapping into some unknown power that is aiding his attack. Then I knew I had to do something. I had to draw on my other skills.

 

I stepped sideways, ducking the blow instead of meeting it like I had been doing, and then I threw an elbow into the man’s throat. It caught the man perfectly unaware. I watched in surprise and satisfaction as he choked and stumbled back, hunched over, grasping his throat. 

 

I raised the butt of my sword and brought it down on his exposed back, sending him face down onto the marble floor.

I know I should have finished him once and for all, but I just don’t know what prompted me to spare him, even though I know he wouldn’t make such a blunder if he was in my position.

 

At the same time, the second man charged, and I spun, raised my sword, and blocked the mighty blow as it came descending onto my face. The men kept charging, driving me back further to the end of the wall, and finally, I staggered upon one of the knights I killed earlier, making me stumble down to the ground.

 

I felt my rib cage being crushed as the man lay on top of me, both of us landing hard on the hard marble floor. The man dropped his sword and reached out with his hand, trying to poke out my eyes.

 

I grabbed his wrists, holding them back with a shaking hand, but I was losing my ground. I knew I had to do something fast, or else my body would end up being a barbecue sauce for General Zod and the Devil’s daughter.

 

I raised a knee and turned, managing to swivel the man onto his side. In the same motion, I reached down and extracted a long dagger I had spotted on the knight that fell me down. I raised the dagger up with all my strength and plunged it into the man’s chest, as we both rolled on the ground.

 

The man cried out, and I lay there on top of him and watched him go down before my own eyes.

 

I heard a cry from behind, which snapped me out of my thoughts, and I turned to see the other man, the one I had knocked out earlier. He is now back on his feet, racing for me with inhuman speed, his sword raised and he swung them at me in the same motion.

 

I waited for the last second and focused my entire vision on him so I wouldn’t make a mistake. Then, at the last second, I stepped sideways, making the man go stumbling past me.

 

I reached down and drew the dagger from the dead man’s chest and rattled around. The man turned around and charged again, but this time, I had already regained my stance. Still, on my knees, I leaned forward and threw the dagger.

 

I watched as the blade spun end over end, then finally nestled itself into the man’s heart. Two of the hefty men had just been murdered by me with their own weapons. Then I thought they should have crafted their weapons less sharp. Perhaps, it might not be a fatal blow for them like this.

 

The man sank on his knees, eyes bulging, and he fell sideways, dead.

 

I heard another great cry behind me, and I quickly jumped to my feet, wheeled back in time to see the last man running at me. He scowled, drew his sword and bore down on me. His eyes had turned pitch black, and I could feel the fury, and hatred in them.

 

“Now, I shall have to ki*ll you myself,” he said. “Not only will I ki*ll you, but I shall also torture you, poke out your eyes, cut your limp into pieces, and even decapitate your head before General Zod can stop me.”

 

The man charged at him, and I braced myself for the attack. Without being told, I knew he was a great fighter, faster and more skillful than the former one I had just killed.

 

His voice sent fear through my heart, and I could feel my soul and brain trying to run away again. 

But I keep those idiots calm. I assure them that he is just a man, a man like me, who was born out of a woman’s womb. And all men can feel that, no matter how tall or hefty they might be, they can be killed.

 

Furthermore, I have fought more men before, I have fought different critters, creatures, and mutant beings.

I raised my sword as the man attacked me, swinging his sword, flashing in the light, with both hands. I shifted back and parried the blow. Nonetheless, the man swung back again, twisted his arm and attacked me again, his blows fierce at each stroke.

 

Left and right, left and right, the man slashed at me. But I wasn’t relenting either. Even though he was slashing at me faster than I ever thought, I still managed to block. The great clang of metal rang in my ear, sparks flying everywhere. 

The man drove me back, further and further, towards the end of the wall, just like the former man was doing, and it took all my effort to block the blow. The man was strong, quick and skillful, while I was preoccupied with just staying alive.

 

I blocked a blow just a bit too slowly, and I cried out in pain as the man found an opening and slashed my bicep. It was a shallow wound and a painful one. I could feel blood dripping down from the wounds and it stunned me as it wasn’t closing as I thought.

 

But that is another mistake I made. The man took advantage of my hesitation, and he backhanded me with the hilt of his sword. I felt a great pain in my cheek and jaw as the metal collided with my face, while the blow knocked me several feet backward. Then I took a mental note, never to stop and check a wound in the battle again. Just like my mom always warned me.

 

Fury washed over me, and I could feel the strange, uncontrollable power staring up inside me, rising from the deepest part of my body. The man charged at me, bearing down upon me with his big and strong body. But this time I’m more than prepared. Especially with the pain ringing in my cheek and blood on my tongue.

 

I didn’t let him intimate me. The blow of the man had struck me unaware, and I have realized how painful they can be, they weren’t bad after all.

I have taken more fierce blows, and I could still take more. Even though I might be small and not as skillful as the man, my skills are sharp, and they still match his own.

 

I let out a guttural wail and lunged forward, embracing battle this time instead of shying away from it. Despite the fact that my wounds aren’t healing as I thought, I no longer fear being wounded. I raised my sword, channelling all the anger in me onto my arm and slashed at the man.

The man blocked the blow, but I didn’t give up. I swung again, and again, driving him backwards despite his strength and size.

 

I didn’t let the weight of the steel slow me down anymore. After what seemed like forever, I finally found any openings, took hold of the opportunity and slashed at the man. 

 

He let out a painful scream as my blow found its home, and I am sure it must have left a fatal wound in his side. “That serves you right,” I mumbled inaudibly.

 

He turned and grimaced at me, and I could see the surprised look on his face, it was obvious that he didn’t expect me to give him any wounds. Slowly, the looks of surprise that were plastered on his face turned to a vengeance one.

 

He shrieked like a wounded lion and charged at me. He threw down his sword, raced forward and embraced me in a bear hug. He picked me up from the ground as if I weighed nothing, then started squeezing me so tight. The effect made me drop my sword, leaving me with no choice but to fight for my survival. 

 

It was a move I didn’t expect, and it happened in such a blur that I didn’t have time to react. I could feel my life force fading away, my leg sagging off the ground, and I could hear every bone in my body making a cracking sound.

 

I tried to head-butt him, but it didn’t have any effect on him. It was like I was hitting my head against a rock. He retaliated by head butting me back, smashing his head on my forehead, and blood gushed out.

 

I knew I had to do something, or else this idiot wouldn’t hesitate to ki*ll me. Just when I thought all hope was lost, something suddenly crept into my head. “A man’s weakness.” These are the same skills I have used many times to free myself from tough opponents. 

 

With the last strength left in me, I raised my knee and managed to hit him on the manhood. Even though it wasn’t hard like I expected, it still hurt him enough to give me the chance to escape from his tight grip.

 

I landed down on the hard marble floor, hitting my back on the hilt of my sword, which sent another pain across my body. Nevertheless, I didn’t let that stop me. 

 

Out of the corner of my eyes, I could see the man descending on me like a mountain. He raised his elbow high in an attempt to crush me, but I had a plan for myself. Just a few metres before his blow struck home, I rolled out of the way, making sure that the sword I landed on was still with me. In the same motion, I spun back and stabbed him in the heart with the rune’s sword.

 

It was a move he hadn’t anticipated, and his eyes were wide open in anguish. I didn’t let that deceive me. Instead, I pushed the weapons further, making sure that they came out on the other side. Blood gushed out of his mouth, along with his nose, before he finally closed his eyes and stopped breathing.

 

I heaved in relief, retrieved my sword, and was about to clean my bleeding nose when I felt a metal ball hit me from behind. The force was so heavy that it sent me all the way from my position to the wall, making me bang my head on it in the process.

 

Thank God, my sword is still with me. Nevertheless, I could feel my head ringing loudly and banging heavily. I managed to veer around so I could take a look at the being that attacked me with the spike ball, and it was no other person than Lucifer’s daughter.

 

T.b.c