Death and Darkness IV: Fighting for Fabernum Pt. 2

Nexus

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Jun 21, 2020
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Sweat and dirt rolled down the men's arms to their weapons as they marched purposefully into the city. A line of logs lay in front of the entrance with a thick layer of oil poured over them. The group of men started down the city streets and their fierce leader raised his hand then made a fist.. As he did 2 mercenary men dropped lit torches on the logs and a wall of flames covered the entrance. The smoke from them rolled forward and up over the buildings that decorated the city. The footsteps of the mercenary group pounded along for fourty five paces before halting in front of the market opening. The crackling of the burning logs could be heard, as could the rustling of leaves and a light wind. The city guards waited on the other side of the empty market with their weapons drawn. Tension held Fabernum in a vice grip while the opposing forces stared each other down.

Henrik raised his sword, looked back at his men, then back at the guards again as he shouted, "Leave none alive!"

The screams of the soldiers filled the streets and dust kicked up behind both groups as they roared and stomped toward each other. The groups picked up speed and their armors glinted with the light of the afternoon sun. Henrik led the mercenaries and reared back before giving way to his momentum, forcing his weapon down toward a guard's head. The guard held up his mace to block the attack as Henrik's blade slid through it as if it were a toy. The blade ricocheted off the guard's helmet and made a sickening sound as it severed his arm at the shoulder. The loud clangs of metal rang out and battle cries turned to shrieks of pain as the battle raged on. Blood misted into the air in multiple directions while the mercenaries began to push their enemies back.

Ziqiri stood in the back of the formation with his katana at the ready. His head shifted from side to side beneath his makeshift Khurite helmet as he made his way slowly through the mercenary ranks. An over zealous guard ran by him, swinging an axe wildly, but he deflected the blow and started to pick up speed as the man stumbled passed him. He ran faster cutting whatever weak spots he could pinpoint with precision. His feet kicked up the dirt in a light trail behind him and he dashed in a zig-zag pattern through the ranks of the guards. His feet came to a sudden stop as he skidded to a halt and a wave of dust wafted in front of him. Four guards stood motionless with their weapons as blood began to run bright red out of thin slits in their armor. Ziqiri twirled his blade leaving bloody droplets on the ground then slid it into its sheath with a hiss and a click. The guards looked down at their wounds and fell to their knees all at once then into the dirt without making a sound.

The city defenders started backing away as multiple guards made a break for it and dove through the flaming wall at the entrance. The scent of burning flesh filled the air around the battle as a few of them didn't make the jump. Screams of terror and pain resonated through the city and became less and less frequent as the guards fell and fled. Fabernum was painted crimson by the end of the battle and the last muffled pleas for help were silenced as the mercenaries finished off the surviving forces. A few of them scattered into the city to start the plunder while others threw torches in the windows of nearby buildings. The guard's forces had been totally dismantled and Fabernum was theirs.

Ziqiri started towards a small two story shop on the street corner when he heard Henrik's voice call out to him, "New man! Where do you think you're off to?"

The Khurite looked back and pulled off his helmet as he motioned toward the shop and Henrik nodded. As he made his way toward the building, however, he could hear footsteps behind him.. He kept his head forward as he opened the door to the shop and ran up the stairs. A small group of mercenaries burst in behind him arguing back and forth quietly.

"Henrik wants him dead, I don't care how many men he killed we can't let him get away." He heard one of them say as they shuffled around the small shop. Cabinet and closet doors were thrown open and shelves were thrown around the room as the men searched for Ziqiri. The Khurite tip toed to the window and slowly slid out then jumped to the roof of a nearby building. He dashed over the peak and slid down to a smaller building below before dropping to the street.

"Finally, it's only us now." Ziqiri stopped in his tracks as he recognized the booming voice behind him. He turned to see Sjonnie standing, axe at the ready, with a sinister smile spread across his face. He ran his finger along his blade and asked "Any last words?"

Ziqiri pulled his katana from its sheath once more with a flourish and spun it beside him before answering, "You can still walk away."

"You must be joking! Ha! I'll be wearing your hide by the end of this!" Sjonnie bellowed.

The two circled each other in the blistering heat of the sunny day as grey clouds moved in from the distance. The smell of blood, smoke, and burning flesh still lingered around the two combatants in the alley way. Ziqiri's eyes narrowed and Sjonnie smirked before readying his axe at his side and taking an offensive stance. The two lowered their chins and kept their eyes on each other. Ziqiri took a small step forward then took off in a blur towards his target. Sjonnie, ready for the attack, started toward Ziqiri while raising his axe for a heavy blow. Both men started to yell quietly at first then got louder as they closed in on each other. Bright glares rippled off of their armor and the razor sharp blades of their weapons as they met..
 
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