They left at the break of dawn, the rising sun greeting them as they left the gates of the city. The search party that had been created to find the fugitive slave could be considered as being little over-kill but it appeared that the Frontier Lord did not want to see any harm come to his heir. An unwelcome notion, Hectre told him.
The group consisted of two mundane fighters, two Awakened warriors and himself and Hectre. Hectare had convinced her father that he would be vital in the search for the Amber Druid because of his 'knowledge' of the area that she left for.
'Farewell, wretched city' He thought as they left the city gates, soon watching the gargantuan walls of the Fourth Frontier grow distant and appear less domineering. The thought of those walls ever falling would seem impossible if he didn't see it happen.
He rode in the same saddle as Hagh who was the only other mundane besides instructor Aurol, for which Nyiko did not know the reason the past his prime sword master came along. He and the others, Pike, Hectre and the female Awakened who escorted them during that day at the market, rode their own horses. Under normal circumstances Nyiko probably would not have been allowed to ride with someone on horseback, but pursuits of this nature demanded speed and a stumbling slave would not have aided in such efforts.
Looking back to the city behind them one last time, Nyiko couldn't help but think of the people he would be leaving behind. His fellow slaves who helped him the best they could. Sodek, Ma Akra and all those who were fated to die in the city as slaves and not die free in their homelands.
'I'm a coward, and a weak one at that' He said to the thankfully quiet confines of his mind
'I'm sorry for that, I'm sorry for leaving you all…' He stared at each and every person he would have to kill today.
'I hope their deaths will be enough for me to atone for my cowardice'
For hours they rode through the plain landscape, nothing but the beats of hoofs and wind rushing past to fill the silence of their journey. They had yet to reach the rolling hills Nyiko had traveled through when he first arrived but would by nightfall though they would have to stop by that time. When that happened, they would have to strike. The plan repeated in his head, it was dangerous and undoubtedly treacherous but it was possible if only thanks to Hectre.
The sun was high in the sky when Hectre gave the signal for the party to break. Most of them dismounted soon after, besides the female Awakened who took up the task of scouting ahead. Before she left Hectre handed her a canteen.
"Take this. Don't worry I brewed it myself, it will help hydration and energy"
The women gave Hectre a weary look.
"Not to be presumptuous of your potion brewing abilities my lady but do really trust what that druid taught you?"
Hectare grinned and winked at her,
"Sure she's a deceitful murderer but she was honest with what she taught me, tested the recipe myself to make sure!"
The woman seemed satisfied with that answer, taking a swig from the wineskin before sending her horse into a gallop. Leaving just the four of them to stand around and stretch their legs.
Nyiko kept tabs on what everyone occupied themselves with, doing his best to not show how tense he was through his face and body. He himself stood next to Hagh who stood at attention with his spear and shield taught in his hands, Instructor Aurol on the other hand was circling the group while stretching his body. Pike, in the meantime, stared in the direction of the where the group's active scout left to, sipping on his wineskin as he did so. It was one that Hectre had given him before they left the great city. Hectare leaned on her horse as she studied a map that the two of them made, making mental notes on the path to the ruined temple.
He watched and waited and waited till the signs showed themselves, because when they did he would have to act faster than he had ever did in his life.
A chill blew over the group, signaling the closure of the summer season.
Nyiko tucked his hands into his robes.
Pike's shoulders began to slump and as the minutes waned on the Awakened's face lost color, complexion becoming ghastly pale. Jaw clenched, he turned to Hectre.
"My lady, what in the underworld did you put in that drink?"
A hand fell from the map and onto the hilt of her sword. She tilted her head as she looked at him.
"Whatever do you mean sir Pike?"
And at the same time, Nyiko moved closer to Hagh and spoke in a small voice.
"Sir, I'm sorry to bother you but I require your attention…"
With a sigh the mundane guard turned to face the slave…
Only to find a blade lodged into his throat.
Stunned, he desperately tried to reach for the sharp letter opener out of panic but it was pulled away before he could grasp it, Leaving him to clutch at the bleeding wound.
Nyiko slammed his entire weight into Hagh, strategically sliding his foot behind Hagh's assuring his fall. They both crashed into the grass, Nyiko on top of Hagh.
Nyiko's vision tunneled, his mind focused on the singular task of killing the man under him. Vice grip on his only weapon, one given to him by Hectre, he pushed himself towards where he could see the guard drowning in his blood. Before he could hesitate and before Hagh could get the chance to push him off Nyiko pushed his head aside to reveal more of his vulnerable neck and plunged the blade into his flesh, slicing open a wide gash before pulling the knife free.
He didn't waste anymore time, he knew Hagh wouldn't last any longer and someone was sure to strike him down while he was bent over the dying man. He grabbed his spear and shield and jumped back into a hasty defensive stance.
Lucky for him, the stance was made just in time.
Something fast attempted to strike him, its impact landing on his shield instead. His Kneeling position did not make his stance falter from the strike of singing steel.
Leaping away from the range of his spear Aurol fell into a neutral stance, blade facing forward ready for anything while the rest of his body was loose and open. He held Nyiko in his sight, his body seeming to tense as if readying to launch at him.
Nyiko took a deep breath and stood up, shield in front of him and spear poking at the side ready to strike at any moment like a waiting snake in its small hovel. He so desperately wanted to see how Hectre was fairing on her side but he knew no matter what he could not let the old swordsmen out of his sight or he would be as good as dead.
Only this moment mattered. The only task he had was killing the career killer.
There was no room for doubt, and it didn't matter if his opponent was the better combatant. He just needed to fight and win, no matter what.
Aurol's stance changed, his blade lowered and his posture softened. He looked at Nyiko with a self assured grin.
"So the Eunuch suddenly grew a pair. Let's see you put that newfound bravery to the test boy!" He taunted.
Nyiko didn't want to take the bait but he couldn't stall forever, it wasn't guaranteed Hectre would beat Pike. So Nyiko advanced, slowly, inch by inch. He sent a succession of spear thrusts toward the Aurol, each thrust outmanoeuvred by the instructor as if he was flowing water following a winding path.
Nyiko stopped in his tracks and stood his ground, pulling his spear back from its effective range. Aurol clicked his tongue as he realized that Nyiko would likely act defensively and pressed forward in an attempt to break his guard.
The move surprised Nyiko, forcing him to pull his shield close to his body and duck his head in as a flurrly of slashes were delivered to the shield. The attack pushed Nyiko back and weakened his stance with each blow, the barrage and the closed distance between the two making it difficult for him to counter in any way.
'Need… to… make… Space'
Then and there an idea popped into his and he decided to do it, risks be damned! He began to sink under Aurol's masterful strikes, knees bending as he slowly brought himself under his shield. Then, with all the strength in his legs, he launched himself into the air which forced Aurol to stumble back which gave Nyiko the chance to take advantage and send an overhand thrust of his spear towards Aurol's kidney.
Sadly, the blow was deflected by the older man's sword and the attack was punished with the pommel to the snout. A crack was felt and heard by him, causing him to internally curse himself for not keeping his guard up as he hastily retreated from Aurol's range.
"Well the combat instructor always told you to keep up when you attack, you really should've put more work into fixing that habit"
"You're disappointing him,"
"You will die here a disappointing"
"Death is so scary, why is it so scary!"
'SHUT UP'
His composure was shaken and Aurol used that as a chance to push his advantage, pursuing the retreating slave with frightening speed and agility. Nyiko shot his spear forward again and again to force Aurol away so he could have some space, each thrust deflected by the longsword with ease which forced him to pull the weapon back as fast as possible in order to perform another attack.
Aurol seemed to go for a downward slash on Nyiko so he raised his shield in response. The blade fell but instead of the full force impacting on the scarred shield, the crossguard of his longsword caught onto the edge of Nyiko's shield.
He pulled downward, wrenching the shield out of position and giving himself a prime position to deliver a killing blow. The older man's skin glistened with rivulets of sweat but he had the widest grin Nyiko had ever seen, because he had so missed the glory of victory.
Then his face fell into a pained grimace and his blade faltered.
He looked down to see the tip of a spear embedded deep into his side, likely piercing his long, the hand responsible at the site of his now lethal wound.
"You… Wretch!" Aurol Coughed up.
Nyiko used the momentary shock uppercut Aurol with his shield, sending the instructor stumbling back and allowing Nyiko to release his weapon from the man's rib.
"Must say, that has got to be the strangest that you have come with… that actually works!"
What Nyiko had done was simple. When he was performing his multitude of thrusts, he used the last retraction of his weapon to change his spear hand's grip to be closer to the spear head. That gave him more effective range for stabbing Aurol up close when the time came, which it did.
Blood flowed freely from the wound, pouring out like a slightly open hose pipe. Aurol fell to one knee, stabbing his longsword into the ground to lean on. His breaths seemed laboured but he refused to look so pitiful in front of this slave.
He lifted his head to sneer at the scarred face of the eunuch in defiance of his defeat, to hold on to his pride as a warrior.
Only to be met with the sharp, steel point of a spear.
[You have slain Dormant human, unknown]
The spell whispered, for the first time since he arrived in the nightmare. Not a second later it continued.
[You have slain Dormant Human, unknown]
[You have earned a Memory…]
[You have earned a Memory…]
Adrenaline rushing through his vain and his mind singularly focused on the battle he shoved away the curiosity and whatever other emotion was supposed to come after one received a memory. Instead he turned to where he last saw Hectre and Pike.
Even though they were further from their original position, the scene that Nyiko could see from that distance his legs wanted to give out under him.
The two Awakened battled with the force of two speeding PTV's crashing into each other over and over again, each time the blades clashed sounded like the ringing of church bells that belonged to war god themselves and their movements were a blur to his mundane eyes. The duel between them tore up the earth, turning the verdant green of the field into a flat arena of dirt.
There was at least something Nyiko could understand from what he saw, their movements were not perfect.
Pike seemed to be greatly affected by the essence poison, making his movements slower and more sluggish than they should have been. That didn't stop the use of his aspect though. Hectre seemed disoriented, as if struggling to focus on the battle itself. It was likely that Pike's ability had a lesser, but still noticeable effect on those of the same rank as him.
'Dammit, dammit, dammit!! How can I change the tides for her further!'
As he racked his brain for an answer he noticed a distant figure up ahead.
"Shit," He cursed under his ragged breath
The other Awakened was returning, and as she was now Hectre could not fight both of them at the same time. Hell even without the use of Pike's aspect fighting two Awakened on her own was a herculean task and Nyiko, a mundane person, would not be of much help in that scenario.
There was only one thing he could do. Steeling his resolve he ran over to the whirlwind of dirt and grass blades, battered shield and bloodied spear in hand.
"DISENGAGE! SHE'S COMING WEST" He screamed his lungs out, stopping just a metre or so from the combatants.
Hectre only spared a short glance before evading Pike and speeding away to intercept the other Awakened, leaving him to face Pike alone.
His warden gave him a hate-filled glare, his complexion looked worse than before and sweat stuck to his face in a way that was unbecoming of his handsome mug.
"What? Do you seriously think you can fight me half-man, you beat a hazbin and a mundane guard and suddenly you think that's enough to face someone like me?" He sounded like he resented the mere idea.
"Yes," Nyiko answered shortly, shield raised and spear at the ready
"The question you should be asking, if someone like you can beat me without using his aspect" Under any other circumstance such a provocation from a nasally voiced teenager would have made the man hold his belly in laughter, but something about the way Nyiko said it and his expression of his bloodied face pushed Pike over the edge.
He readied his blade and changed forth.
Nyiko raised his shield to block whatever came, but the action was in vain. Pike used his fist instead of his sword, when it made contact with the shield the impact lifted Nyiko off his feet. It was like a small PTV struck, not one at full speed but fast enough to knock him off his feet and knock out the air in his lungs. Nyiko landed hard on his back and Pike eagerly followed, kneeling over his prone body. Blow after blow rained onto his shield, deforming its surface till its heraldry became unrecognizable.
"Is this what you wanted half-man? Gotta say, I did not consider you as someone who'd die in combat." He said with a sadistic glee
"So give you credit for that, the only glory you will receive before I crumple that skull!"
Nyiko held up his only salvation as best he could but sooner rather than later his shield and body would break under the onslaught. Out of desperation, he began summoning the two memories in hopes of something to save him. Maybe a weapon, perhaps as he already discarded his spear to continue to hold up his shield.
White sparks lit the shadow beneath the shield, coalescing into two items, a ring and a baselard dagger in his hands. He let the two items fall into his sleeve.
The rain of fists was replaced with a screeching metal as Pike simply tore the shield apart. He picked Nyiko up by his neck and help high in the air, choking him with an impish grin on his face.
Nyiko desperately slammed the remains of his into the Awakened repeatedly but the man was unfazed, even laughing at each feeble blow.
Within his sleeve, Nyiko gripped the baselard tightly.
"Well half-man, enjoy the honor of being killed by me…"
And as he said that, the movement hidden between the strikes of his shield arm, his hand shot forward with baselard and hit its mark. The baselard slid into the Awakened's eyes.
There was a short pause, the shock and pain failing to register in Pike's mind. Nyiko took advantage of that pause and pushed the dagger deeper, so deep that the hilt hit the eye socket. There was a long, scary moment of inactivity before the spell's whisper relieved him of his fears.
[You have slain Awakened Human, unknown]
[You have received a Memory...]
The body fell on top of him not long after. The weight of the corpse made a good excuse of why he didn't immediately push it off him. It let him catch his breath.
His breath was shaky, ragged and hoarse. He was slick with sweat, making his robes cling to him uncomfortably. His nose was broken, blood flowing down his throat and nostrils so that didn't make breathing any easier. He felt like crap, the only comfort he had the moment was the heavy but warm corpse that laid on top of him. Like a human blanket!
'Such strange and morbid thoughts'
"You are very lucky that you haven't meant any mind readers, that you know off"
"Oh shut up," He rasped.
As much as he wanted to stay under the corpse for rest he needed to check on Hectre. He strained his sore body to push Pike off him, and ripped his baselard out of the corpse's eye before he stumbled toward where Hectre was.
It took a few minutes to reach her, she had fought the Female Awakened pretty far from the origin of the battle. She was pinning the woman down with her sword stabbed so deep within the Awakened it likely pierced the earth as well. Yet the Soldier still struggled, even if she was doing it weakly. She was restrained and bleeding out and Hectre seemed unwillingly to take any chances to finish her off.
"L-lady Hectre, why?" She begged through the pain.
Hectare didn't reply, remaining stone faced in front of her guard's pained expression.
Nyiko shambled over to the last remaining guard, kneeling in front of her head and raised his baselard up high. Then he slammed down into her eye.
[You have Slain Awakened Human, unknown]
[You have received a Memory…]
And just like that, Nyiko had survived his first fight.