Duel (Part 2)

The dordans brandished their pikes and spears, as they met the men with a clash of steel.

Kanu drew his short scimitar, and joined the melee. It was a blur to him. The ranks of the dordans and ekhonii were reduced to half their number, and there was only two of the great Xocs left. The arrows took their toll among the living as well, he noted with great satisfaction.

But they were still outnumbered. Their horses were an advantage, which Kanu saw that the men were using. Next to him, a horse reared, kicking a xoc in the chest, with massive force, which sent the creature flying. The crack of ribs resounded over the sound of fray, and two white bones protruded from the xoc’s chest. Gort, the horse’s rider blocked the pike aimed at him, and returned it with a stab through the eye.

Kanu slashed down at the dordan by his horse, cutting half its head off, and blocked the rusty halberd swinging up at him. The ekhonii brandishing it pulled back quickly, but Kanu pulled up his horse by the ekhonii’s and jumped. He took the ekhonii to the ground by him, where he finished him with a stab through the heart.

He looked around, and saw a metal disk flying towards him at incredible speed. The jagged edges seemed a blur, as it flew right past his head. Kanu turned, and noticed the dordan on the floor, with half its head separated from its body. He turned back, to see where the disk came from. He saw a small man, with a stack of these disks at his hips, armed only with his gloved hands, flinging the disks with deadly accuracy. Martor, he believed his name was. He made a mental note to see him later.

He turned, and noticed the xoc in the middle of the group rearing half a head over the men in horses. It was the last one of them standing, and the dordans were becoming more and more unsure. The ekhonii seemed methodical in their task, and Kanu’s men were getting the upper hand.

Kanu started towards the Xoc, cleaving away at the dordans in his way. He stabbed a dordan in the stomach, as he felt the blinding hot pain across his back. He moved froward instinctively, turning at the same time. He ducked, and suddenly, everything slowed. He lost control of his actions as a dark red field appeared around his hands. He threw his sword at the massive ekhonii still in the act of swinging its blade. The sword flew, leaving a dark red trail behind it.

It knocked the ekhonii out with its hilt. Everything became normal, as Kanu looked for another weapon.

A dordan ran towards him with a spear pointed towards his chest. He turned and slid sideways, gripping the haft of the spear with one hand, and punching the small dordan in the throat with the other. Red traveled down his arm to the dordan’s throat and it started gurgling and coughing up blood. Kanu ignored him, as he grabbed the spear with the other hand. The weapon was unfamiliar to him, but he held it with two hands, and ran towards the xoc.

Horses and men were piled up around it as it waved about with its fists for weapons. His men stayed clear of it, as they finished off the last of the dordans. One ekhonii was holding his own against two of his men desperately, but he knew he was doomed.

Kanu ran, and held the spear out in front of him. The Xoc, short of any targets, looked around, and noticed Kanu. It moved slowly, picking up speed on its arms and short legs. Its close set eyes and mouth spoke murder.