Chapter Nine
Ajay knew he couldn't win out against the lieutenant's strength. He was more fit than he had ever been in his life, but was still no match for the mass of muscle that now had him in his clutches. Ajay did the only thing he could think of. He would concede the battle to, hopefully, win the war.
The dagger plunged into Ajay's left shoulder, tearing a cry from his mouth. But he was free. The lieutenant was caught off guard by Ajay's tactic and, in his hesitation, Ajay kicked out behind him. His foot connected with the lieutenant's knee and, as the brute staggered, Ajay launched himself forward, barely catching himself on his hands and knees before crashing and sliding awkwardly into the cavern wall. Ajay gritted his teeth against the lancing pain in his shoulder, still aware that he had mere seconds to come up with a plan. Then his hand hit something wet.
Blood.
Blood from the second archer, lying dead against the wall, eyes staring lifelessly at the ceiling. And lying right next to him—his bow, with one arrow still tucked into the quiver on his back.
The thought hadn't even fully formed in Ajay's mind before he had grabbed both and rotated, coming up on one knee. He ignored the pain in his shoulder, conquered it. Even though he could feel the dagger ripping through muscle and tissue alike.
The archer was dead. Ajay hadn't made it in time to save him. All he could do now to honor his memory was to kill the lieutenant with the archer's own weapon.
Nock. Draw. Breathe. Fire.
Ajay had practiced it countless times and he took himself back there. Back to the range with dented metal targets opposing him. This was just a shot like any other.
This was his last chance.
He wasn't going to waste it.
Time slowed as shock and terror transformed the lieutenant's face. The bowstring snapped forward, the arrow hurtled toward the frozen lieutenant.
And embedded itself into his left eye, killing him instantly. His body sagged to its knees before falling backward and tumbling through empty air into the chasm. Ajay sagged to the floor, immense pain returning to his shoulder. He groaned as he dropped the bow, his hand unable to hold onto it any longer. With a shriek, Ajay wrenched the dagger from his shoulder and tossed it aside, blood gleaming off of the razor-sharp blade. He tore a strip of cloth from his shirt to wrap around the wound and stanch the bleeding. He then staggered over to his pistol, his left arm hanging uselessly by his side.
Armed once more, Ajay took a steadying breath. He had to keep going, had to keep pushing forward. He had a mission. Yuma was still out there, lurking in the shadows. So he trudged past the bottomless pit, seeking out the one person that had brought him more agony and hardship than any other.
After five minutes, Ajay's vision started blurring around the edges. The blood loss was starting to get to him. He shook his head and blinked heavily, trying to clear his eyes. Then a faint scuffling noise hit him. Pausing, Ajay listened intently to the sound. It was coming from dead ahead. Whatever it was, it didn't sound good. Not gunfire or shouting, but definitely some kind of fighting. And that could only mean one thing—Sabal had found Yuma. Or the other way around.
Ajay moved swiftly but conscientiously toward the sound. He wasn't going to walk into another ambush. As the fighting grew louder, the passage widened. More and more flickering candles stood in alcoves carved into the wall, their light bathing the passage in an orange glow. Spiraling ever downward, soon carved stone steps appeared underneath Ajay's feet. Statues of Yalung sprung up on either side of the path, recurring every so many yards. The hair on the back of Ajay's neck stood on end, but still he pressed forward. Until the passage opened up and Ajay gaped at the sight.
The cavern was enormous. It had to have been hundreds of feet high. Situated right in the middle was a massive statue of Yalung. Candles and braziers stretched along the walls, eerily lighting up the statue from beneath. It was a shrine. A sacred place to worship the demon of chaos. And at its feet, standing in a lowered section of the floor, were Sabal and Yuma, locked in combat.
Toe to toe they struggled, each vying for the upper hand, somehow neither one armed. They hadn't even noticed Ajay arrive. Ajay moved in, pistol held out in front of him, trying to get an angle on Yuma. He had to shake his head again as a wave of dizziness hit him. The flickering light danced in his vision, distorting his perception. Was Yalung watching him? He could have sworn it had moved. No. It was just a trick of the light.
Sabal and Yuma swung around each other, constantly moving, two apex predators fighting to the death. Ajay couldn't get a clear shot. He was just as likely to hit Sabal as he was Yuma. So he lowered his gun and charged instead, leaping off of the edge of the depression.
He leaned his good shoulder into the hit and tackled Yuma who pulled Sabal along with them. All three went sprawling. Ajay rolled, springing to his feet and swinging his right arm around to aim the gun at Yuma.
But she was too quick for him. Yuma was already up, already moving. She made a quick spin and kicked Ajay's arm, the force sending him staggering and his gun flying behind him. Before she could follow up, Sabal made his own move from behind her. He threw a blistering punch towards her, but she brought up her hands to swipe his arm to the side, ducking to the left at the same time.
Ajay realized then just how little he knew. He had been training nonstop, sure. But for mere months. Months compared to her and Sabal's years and years of experience. They traded blow for blow, neither one landing a significant hit. Then Yuma managed to break from Sabal and came again at Ajay, aiming another kick to knock him down. Until Ajay's hands leapt into action and caught her foot, stopping her dead.
He may not have known as much as her, but he wasn't defenseless. Not anymore.
An enraged snarl slew the shock that had betrayed her face. She used his grip as a launching point and brought her other foot around, swiping at his head. He flung himself backwards to avoid the kick, dropping Yuma in the process. She landed nimbly just as Sabal came at her.
Together they tag-teamed against her. Ajay didn't have time to breathe. Didn't have time to think. He just reacted, muscle memory taking over when his brain was too slow. Everything was a blur. And not just from the speed of the fight. The extra exertion Ajay was having to put into the scuffle sent blood dribbling from his shoulder. He fought against the bleariness in his head. Unfortunately, two on one were still good odds for Yuma's level of skill. But they were making headway against her. Barely.
At one point, Ajay came at Yuma, sidestepping a quick jab and ramming his elbow into her torso. When she doubled over in reaction, Ajay jammed upward with his palm straight into Yuma's nose. But she had recovered quickly and swiveled to sweep Ajay's feet out from under him. He had had to roll away to avoid her pouncing on him and then Sabal had stepped back into the ring.
After several minutes, they were all beaten and bloodied, Yuma especially. Blood trickled from her nose. Her clothes were torn and frayed, her hair pulled scruffily from its usually precise bun. The trio pulled apart for a moment, Ajay and Sabal side by side, Yuma across from them, all three panting heavily.
"Give up, Yuma," Sabal puffed. "It's over. You can't win against us."
For the briefest moment, Ajay thought she was going to surrender. Then something shifted in her countenance. An inferno erupted behind her eyes. She launched herself at Sabal with a frenzied screech. Like she had unleashed some feral part of herself that didn't like being backed into a corner. Sabal was caught off guard at her sudden attack and she hurtled him to the ground, knocking the wind from him.
Then the savage beast rounded on him.
As she tore toward him, Ajay tried to prepare some sort of defense. But she struck with such speed and ferocity that there was little he could do. She flung her whole body at him, knocking him onto his back and landing with her feet on his chest, pinning him to the ground. Then one of her feet found its way to his throat, stamping down hard to cut off his air.
Ajay gasped and struggled. He had very little leverage from that position with his left arm weakened as it was. Yuma was glowing with triumph above him, fangs peeking from between her lips. Ajay's vision dimmed and clouded. Beyond Yuma, Yalung seemed to be smiling, enjoying Ajay's anguish along with Yuma. It only spurred Ajay on to find his own ferocious beast within himself. One he had honed ever since escaping Durgesh. One that would claw and bite and clash until the last breath.
Summoning what remained of his strength, Ajay gripped Yuma's leg with both hands and twisted sharply. She lost her footing atop him and was borne to the ground, her head crunching into the stone floor. Ajay greedily sucked in a glorious breath. Then another as Yuma squirmed dully on the ground. She had been dazed by the hit. However, Ajay was too busy trying to get oxygen back into his body to realize she was coming out of it quicker than he was. She kicked back at him, sending him skidding a few feet away.
He rolled over onto his hands and knees, preparing to stand, when he saw it—his pistol, glistening in the firelight an arm's length away. In half a second he snatched it up and wheeled around, hearing scuffles and grunts behind him. He found Sabal pinning Yuma on her knees. He had her in a headlock behind her back, his teeth gritted with the effort of holding her there. Then he turned to Ajay.
"Quickly! Shoot her!"
Ajay couldn't ignore the tingling creeping up his spine. The surrounding flames cast frolicking shadows over Yalung's face, the statue shimmering in their heat. Was Yalung humming, calling to him? Ajay tried his best to disregard it as he raised his gun.
Yuma struggled furiously against Sabal, nails tearing through his arms. Ajay pointed the gun at her head, finger on the trigger.
"What are you waiting for?! Kill her!" Sabal cried as he desperately fought to keep hold of Yuma.
Ajay met Sabal's eyes and then followed their gaze to Yuma where he looked deep into hers. Her mouth moved, but made no sound due to Sabal securing her in a half-stranglehold.
This was it. Everything that had happened, everything he had been through had all led him to this moment.
He just had to squeeze the trigger.
Ajay could feel the adrenaline that had kept him going during the fight wearing off. The scene blurred in and out of focus. Ajay blinked several times, swaying a bit on his feet. Yalung was definitely staring at him now, laughing.
Yuma was breaking free. Sabal was barely holding on to her as she writhed in his grasp.
"AJAY!" A panicked warning from Sabal. The window was closing before Yuma would set upon them once more. Then there would be no telling what could happen.
Sabal was right. This had to end now. Before it got any worse.
Ajay raised his gun.
And shot Sabal square between the eyes.
