Right of the Victor

My usual method for coping with problems had failed me. Most of the time I could simply draw my weapon and practice basic swings, fighting the air and distracting my mind. This time, however, I had no such luck. Maybe it was because I was on the roof, and I couldn’t stop myself from thinking of Audent and her thought to go sailing when this was over. Except it wouldn’t be over, would it? We’d be fighting, insane, or grieving forever, never finding a way out. Looking up at the pale moon overhead, I felt more lost than ever. Before, there had always been goals driving me on, but now there was nothing. The thought of avenging my family still stuck in my heart, but the terror associated with the masked man made me dread the eventual fight with him more than anything. Such things only held my thoughts until another set of footsteps was heard behind me.

Allazo had to have been intentionally making his steps louder. No normal person would have heard him otherwise. Standing at my side, he hesitated before speaking in a low tone.

“Almost any group of people will separate if the leader is killed,” he said out of nowhere, although anyone could see where he was going with this. I wasn’t sure that was a good thing.

“Finding and killing the leader isn’t that easy, idiot.”

“No. But I spent some time searching, and I believe I already know the leader. And if I am not mistaken, so do you.” Allazo turned his body to face me, grimly staring down through his pale grey eyes. A chill slid into my limbs, slowing my movements. He was right; I knew exactly who the Larua’s leader was. I’d always known I had to fight the masked man, but then it had only been for my sake and my family’s. Now I had to do it for the survival of the Torris and those in it.

“Yes. I do.” I looked up at Allazo, my dark eyes meeting his. It felt as if he already knew everything I could have said in that moment, along with everything I could have felt. His eyes pierced straight through me, and I found myself wondering if he was aware of the effect he was having.

“Tomorrow you will come with me, and you will end him. You are the only one who can.” He paused there, then gave a few more words that relieved much of the pressure I felt bearing down on my shoulders. “But I will stand with you as you do it.”

So, preparations began. Only me and Allazo knew of what was happening. Neither of us told Audent, knowing the condition she was in was going to cause hindrance rather than help. Late at night, we left the Torris hideout, moving in total silence and in the cover of the dark. I hoped that those who stayed behind would be able to handle themselves, because with Vargos dead, Audent completely disabled, and myself and Allazo gone, they’d have none of the usual authorities.

Our destination was clear. For the second time in as many weeks, we were going straight to the remains of the Larua base. This time it would be much faster without nearly as many people or resources to carry. It took significantly less effort for the taller man in grey, but I still kept up without too much difficulty. Before a full day had passed, the mountains and the structure at the bottom of them were coming into view. Smoke no longer rose from the rubble, and dust didn’t cloud the surroundings. Signs of destruction were still very obvious, however. The toppled tower and breached wall remained, along with the putrid scent of corpses left unburied. I’d blame the Larua for disrespecting their dead by leaving them out, but there simply was no way to clean it all up easily while also recovering from the explosions.

We stayed unnoticed until we were exceptionally close to the walls, or what was left of them. I still admired the architecture, but my attention was stolen away by a call from a man atop it.

“What are you doing here and what is your name?” He asked me, leveling a bow with a loaded arrow at my face.

“I’m here to challenge your leader. My name is Lengin Anguis.”

That was enough to get the guy to stop aiming a weapon at me, although he still seemed highly suspicious. Glancing behind him, he called something out in a language I didn’t understand and shortly after, there were three more men with him. One wore a mask over his face, and that was enough for me.

“At last, a challenge.” His voice came clear through the cover over his face, and I had the feeling that he was smiling. I was prepared this time. The whole journey here had been filled with me forcing myself to accept that it was finally time, and that I was good enough to win.

“Get off the wall and fight me, idiot. I’m waiting.” I spoke up at the man, holding my voice stable and firm. We both knew the rules already; it’d be first to land two strikes on the opponent’s body, and we’d follow all other formalities. One of those formalities was the wearing of a symbolic mask, which I had brought with me. The only time I’d worn this mask before now was at the ceremony bringing me into the position as the head of my household. Strange to think that the second time may be the last…if I didn’t win this, I could be sure I wouldn’t survive. Fortunately the same was true in reverse.

I slipped the mask over my head, letting myself be encased by the same thing my father had worn on the day he died. Through the eyeholes I watched him descend from atop the wall and advance across some debris towards me. My heart pounded in my chest, feeling as if it’d tear itself out. My hands went to my sword, drawing it and exposing the steel blade to the sharp air.

“You know the rules already. Begin.” He chuckled, stance shifting smoothly into one better suited for a fight. I didn’t wait another second, throwing myself into combat with a fury that had been dormant for the past five years.