Sekali, "The Sister City"
Chapter 25
That day a venturing group of eight goblins came into view. They rounded a bend in one of the gracefully rolling hillsides, not noticing the company of four initially. At the sight of them, Uther sneered and loosed his battle-ax. He then grinned from ear to ear. It was probably the only time Sekali had ever seen him smile (except after Uther guzzled a mug of ale and his mouth twisted up around the bottom of the mug so as not to spill a precious drop). Sekali knew they could not find cover before they were spotted. In fact it was already too late; they were noticed. Uther began snarling curses most profanely.
Finyat glanced at Sekali and Mabuhi; a look on his face that plainly stated, "Oh goody! and drew his bow from his shoulder.
Mabuhi looked at the enemy fearfully, and then quickly up at Sekali. She noted his stone-hard countenance as his eyes probed the band of brutes, and took courage in his stern confidence.
More goblins kept coming into view until there were, in all, approximately one score and three. The dwarf was taunting them and spitting in their direction. The goblins began snarling back and speaking to each other in their hideous language. They began milling and weaving in and out among each other until it was plain what their intentions were; order. Sekali noted to his disappointment that they were intelligent enough to keep out of bow-shot.
The enemy was grouping for an attack, arguing loudly, obviously about how best to take the four. He critically watched the pathetic looking creatures; how they were half-bowed to the earth, carrying weapons bent and cruel. Some of them looked half-human, others looked half-pig, half-dog. Some of them he could not describe in words. They were grotesque, contemptible beasts. He surmised that, in and of themselves, they were wretched, being in state of mental anguish and pain, merely by being what they were. Reaching for his sword, he remembered his oath and stopped. Instead of drawing his weapon, he raised his shield, remembering that Uther and Finyat never gave their word.
Mabuhi, noticing Sekali's look, stood forth and cried aloud.
"I have set the terms! No shedding of blood! No killing!"
She glanced fearfully at Uther, who, hearing her directive, broke out in alarming rage, challenging all the goblins to dance with his axe. He ignored Mabuhi's charge, defying her openly. The goblins, in reaction to his threats, stormed forward as one body, bent on killing and torture, and other terrible things.
"Back-to-back!, Sekali cried loudly. Stand back-to-back!"
He stepped close to Mabuhi and waited for the enemy to break upon him and his companions. His blood pulsed in his neck, and his breathing became deep, intense, forced through clenched teeth. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest, sending the blood to his head. He felt the fever of battle upon him, and yearned for its bloody hand; he feared not his enemy.
As the goblins advanced, salvitating and shrieking, as if they had already won the contest, he inwardly made an oath to himself: Never again will I swear an oath such as this! Yet he did not falter in his word of honor. And as he stood there, intent on slaying every creature with merely his eyes, had he the power to do so, Uther howled and broke away from the group, streaking out into the path of the enemy, chanting dark and terrible words.
Before the enemy closed three quarters of the distance between them, Uther broke into their ranks, scattering them like small, half-grown dogs, who had gotten it in their minds to slay their own master. He dispersed his victims as leaves before a strong wind, his axe dancing and chopping among them with fatal impact. The goblins were so taken by surprise at his attack, they began to hesitate, and then to fear him.
Half of them turned upon the dwarf, and the remaining half leapt and bounded toward the group, tongues lolling out of their filthy mouths, heads wagging and eyes rolling in fury and hatred.
Finyat let his arrows fly against them, felling four before dropping his bow and drawing two short swords. But he was overpowered, and outmatched by his assailants. All he could do was defend himself. He was not the only one with earnest problems: Surrounded by his foes, Sekali fought to protect Mabuhi, noting the horrified look upon the Aldarian's face as the goblins overpowered Finyat. He attempted to lend aid to Finyat, but it was all he could do to keep the ones upon him from getting to Mabuhi. He could not defend them both. He bashed one goblin in the face with a quick entering motion that sent it sprawling back and unconscious to the ground as another’s blade glanced off his armor. It caught the edge of his shield in the throat for the attempt, and staggered away gagging for air, clutching at its own neck. He made the vow not to take a life, but he was not helpless by far. These goblins would have been good practice for Sardakk children aspiring to be proud members of The Watch. Another leapt a great distance at Mabuhi, who sidestepped and simply walked past it to Sekali’s side. It turned upon her and leapt again, but Sekali caught it by the throat in mid leap and slammed it to the ground, stunning it, even as he glanced over at Finyat.
They were all over the little man, biting scratching, kicking, clawing, striking out with all the strength they could throw at him, Finyat shielded himself the best he could against his attackers with his shield, yet it seemed hopeless for him.
Sekali thought to abandon his oath and save Finyat, yet the memory of the Shallant laughing at him the night before solidified the promise of his word. Three goblins were set against him, attempting to hack him down with curved and twisted blades. Yet he defended himself and Mabuhi without err. He knew well that if he broke off his defense to aid Finyat, Mabuhi could well fall victim.
Sekali accepted the fact that the Shallant might die, but Uther suddenly appeared at Finyat's side, his broad-headed battle-axe exacting a terrible price with every blow. Every time he swung his axe, a goblin fell to the earth, never to rise again. With every devastating swing, he emphasized the words of the war chant, eyes gleaming feverishly. This way and that the dwarf darted, causing the goblins to reel back before his onslaught. Roaring in great boldness, he wielded his axe with a precision that shocked Sekali, who instantly changed his mind about him. Uther was a force to be reckoned with, and Sekali was thankful to have him on his side of the conflict. Indeed, Sekali did not recognize the blood-spattered dwarf who had come to Finyat's rescue, his face twisted in such ire, as to make even a lion seem a mere kitten. One goblin's head was detached with one great sweep of his axe and landed near Mabuhi, eyes bulging, mouth gaping and clenching spasmodically, as if it was attempting to speak.
Blood spattered Sekali and Mabuhi as the enraged dwarf cleaved another's midsection, sundered by the deadly stroke of the dwarf’s axe. The three upon Sekali broke off their attack, joining the few remaining against Uther, trying desperately to surround and conquer him. On the battle raged, as another and then another goblin dropped to the earth.
As the last one remaining realized it was alone, it dropped its weapon to the blood-stained grasses and fell upon its knees, begging for mercy in its guttural language. Uther, without a thought severed its arms. It shrieked in pain as the dwarf spat upon it, raising his axe again and again. It fell to the earth convulsing as it stared up at the great axe in the dwarf’s gnarled, red-bathed, hands. After detaching its legs, the dwarf stood upon its weakly squirming body and turned toward Mabuhi. "Gusto nako gipatyon karon!" He raised his axe high, and let it fall upon the sputtering goblin, splitting its head. The blade drove deep with a cracking, rending sound.
Uther’s rage and blood-lust were unquenchable. He began singing in a deep baritone voice, half-bellowing an ancient battle song, his eyes burning with fury and lust for the fray.
He was wounded in the hip, yet it did not seem to daunt him. He only beheld blood, and it drove him to unveiled madness before his comrades.
None of the enemy remained standing, yet some lived. Uther leaned upon his axe, surveyed the suffering of his enemies. Instantly, he began laughing furiously.
Sekali was genuinely impressed, and a new respect was born in his mind for dwarf fighters, especially this one. Nearly hailing the dwarf for an outstanding show, he bit his lip. Instead he studied Mabuhi's condition, reaching for his water flask. Uncapping the stopper, he turned and poured water over her head, causing her to gasp with shock. He cleaned the blood from her face and clothes the best he could, all the while contemplating what he had seen.
Dwarves were, to him, fierce opponents to be reckoned with. He began to regard Uther as more valuable than previous actions had demonstrated, and watched him in approval as the dwarf separated his living enemies into pieces as he sang in his dwarfish tongue.
Before dispatching the ghastly, mutilated creatures, he observed their petitions to him with a fierce grin. Just before ending their torment, he would turn to Mabuhi and growl something horrible. As the sole remaining goblin expelled its last breath of life, the dwarf yanked his bloody axe free, turned and stalked up to Mabuhi. He stood a moment before her, glaring at the Aldarian Elf. Mabuhi shivered, saying nothing. Uther raised his battle-axe up high so she could see.
"Ha!" He bellowed, shaking great droplets of blood and gore from his weapon.
He abruptly turned, leaving her with a stunned look, as if Uther had just reviled and declared war against her people.
Sekali reached out a hand and steadied her as the dwarf stalked away, nearing her and whispering things that only she could hear. She slightly smiled up at him. She nodded and placed a hand on Sekali's arm, who continued the conversation with her.
Uther marched over to Finyat, who had not aided him in the final defeat of the goblins. The Shallant was propping himself up on one elbow, gaping at the scene before him, fear in his eyes. Uther grabbed hold of Finyat and pulled the trembling Shallant to his feet.
"Hurt?!" Uther glared at Finyat, who looked down at himself, all scratched and bruised. Fingering his tattered and shredded leather clothing, he looked up at the dwarf and shook his head.
"No, no, I’m alright.”
"Good! Let's collect the wealth of dragons you brag of so much." Uther swept his bloody hand over the scene.
"This will be a good start." Finyat agreed, eyes suddenly burning with insatiable lust at the prospect.
He let the dwarf guide him to the first victim, and watched him with bulging eyes swing his axe down upon a fallen goblin, beheading it. The dwarf began collecting what valuables the Goblin had on its corpse, as Finyat knelt with childlike eagerness beside the fallen, clawing and scavenging what little was on each corpse.