I'm so sorry I took so long but things were piling up with last minute projects and exams, but I'm done now and I'm pleased to announce that I passed, yeah and I now have free time, even bigger yeah. So here's chapter 8!
Separation (Chapter 8)
The two men stared at each other across the room filled with twisted implements. Other then the first angry expression on Cryton's face neither was demonstrating any emotion. The two guards behind Cryton stayed still as did the group behind Syton. The moment stressed on and Syton's hand tightened on his blade and Cryton's hand inched towards a deadly looking sword lying on a table.
The first move was on Cryton's behalf as he hand moved not towards the sword on the table, but under his cloak as he whipped out a small dagger and flung it skilfully at Syton. Syton dodged pulling Tsani with him and the knife clattered of the wall. It was the only signal needed, as both Van and Syton jumped into attack. Van took the to soldiers and Syton faced off against his brother who had grabbed the sword as was providing an admirable defence.
Hitomi and Tsani pulled back, though in no way were they cowering in the background. Tsani was searching frantically through her pockets looking for something to help and Hitomi had grabbed what looked like a large club. However they had no real chance or need to jump in. Van fought like a panther slipping through the soldier's guards on by one, a smoothly executed turn to avoid a strike became a an aggressive act as he brought the blade down hard against the other soldiers head, who quickly passed out and tumbled to the ground.
Now Van was facing only one opponent and a graceful parry he was inside the soldier's guard and then that soldier too was taken out permanently. With the problem of the soldiers taken care of quickly and efficiently, they stepped back to watch the battle behind waged in the small confines of the room the two guards.
Van's fighting had almost seemed like a dance as he fought using knowledge learned from years of training. But Van had never wanted to be a fighter, but Syton fought as if he had been born to it. He raised the fight from a dance to a work of art as he parried, dodged and lunged. In fact the only problem was that Cryton seemed to be just as good as him, a move wasn't wasted, a swing never overshot; the two fighters far surpassed anything the people in that room had ever seen before.
Cryton raised his deadly blade slashing downwards; with a clash the two swords meet and grappled before the two men shove the other away. The deadly expression on their faces were all one needed to know that this was a fight between these two men and no other. The circled each other searching for a gap in the defences, both familiar with the others style. Syton dodged around a table in his way and Cryton lunged forward, Syton blocked and made it around the table. Both men were sweaty now and tiring, and breathing in light panting gasp.
Van, Hitomi and Tsani watched in silence; wanting to jump in but knowing that they could only cause problems if they did. Tsani had stopped looking in her pockets, knowing that she used the dust to take out Cryton she would probably knock out everybody in the room, sometimes she wished she could throw thunderbolts but that wasn't the way her magic worked. Hitomi still held the club although she had the head resting on the ground; she was silently watching the fight, cheering on Syton. Her back was pressed tight up against the wall only an arms length from Van. Van was observing the fight, calling upon all the knowledge that he had learn, he too was praying for Syton victory, even with Cryton tired by this fight he didn't think that he would be an easy opponent to beat and he didn't want to find out.
The fight was slowing down even as the spectators watched. Both men had used to much energy to continue at the fast pace they were, their blocks were not quite as fast nor were their attacks as fierce. Finally the men spoke for the first time since they enter the room and saw each other.
"You betrayed your family and your people, how can you live with yourself?" Syton said as the blades clashed once again and he was face to face with his brother; the resemblance was uncanny when the were seen so close together but expressions on each man's face varied like night and day. Syton was sorrowful but determined while Cryton's couldn't have been termed as anything other then madness.
Cryton's lip lifted in a sneer, "I should have been king, I was older, father favoured you over me. But it doesn't really matter he was an idiot and I was glad to get rid of him I should have done it sooner before he had a chance to name you his successor," he snarled before shoving Syton back.
Syton stumbled back but was still able to raise his sword in time to block the strike Cryton sent after him. He caught his balance and pushed back against Cryton, forcing him to step back. Syton's face was blank; Cryton's last comment seemed to have hit hard.
Tsani had felt all the air rush out of her at Cryton words; she had never thought that he had been the reason the old king had died. Her heart ached at how Syton must feel knowing that is own brother had killed his father.
Hitomi watched in silence, she could feel the tension in the room but as she watched the fight progress she found herself hoping that Syton wouldn't do something he would regret, but at the same time a deep burning hate simmered towards Cryton; he seemed to have set out to destroy everybody's lives.
Van eyes darted around the room keeping a close watch on the fight, he stood only a few feet from Hitomi and he had noticed that she no longer held the club up as well as the fact that Tsani was no longer searching for something in her pockets. He was glad; this wasn't their fight and they shouldn't get involved not yet anyways. His trained eye had already noticed the sweat gleaming on the two men's brows, the fight wasn't going to last must longer, they had been putting their whole energy into it and that energy wasn't going to last must longer.
However it was Syton who was looking the most tired; his body was weakened from his imprisonment and Van was starting to get a sick feeling; they had only just meet but his respect for this displaced king had grown with each moment.
The blow came almost as a surprise to everybody in the room including Syton. Syton's blade sliced downwards but instead of being met with steel in came in connect with flesh as the blade sliced deeply into Cryton's stomach.
The bright blood gushed forth from the wound and Cryton's sword tumbled to the ground with a clang. He stumbled back, his feet tangling and he tumbled to the ground, his hand pressed against the bleeding wound. As he sat, he brought a hand away from the cut and looked with fascination at the deep red covering it. His mouth opened as if words were going to pour out but nothing left his lips.
Syton stared down at his brother, shock evident on his face. His sword grasped firmly in his hand, the end stained with his brother's blood. His thought ran rampant but the first on that came to mind was, It's not fatal, not if we hurry. But that was just as quickly followed by, Do I want to hurry? His silent answer was swift, He's my brother and no matter what he has done I will not sink to his level and murder a murder a member of my family.
He crouched down to Cryton's side. Cryton's dark eyes were wide as he stared at his life's blood. But the movement by Syton drew his attention away. His eyes met his brother's gold flecked ones and he held forth his hand as if to ask, how is this possible?
Syton's eyes were sorrowful and as Cryton looked into them he was reminded once again why this man, his brother was so much better then him. He showed compassion, his presence brought a sense of peace, and all who met him could not help but trust him. The pain flooded back, Syton had always surpassed him and now he was going to die by his hand. That thought helped, the anger was returning, his anger at also be placed in the shadow of his perfect brother, at least in his death he would soil his perfect brother's hands that was something at least.
The upheld hand was placed back against the wound, and the anger was evident on his face. Syton pulled back at the sight of the anger that flared up in his brother's face. For a second, just a second he had saw the brother he knew when he was a child, before things had changed and Cryton has become silent and morose.
Tsani had stepped forward the minute Cryton hit the floor, at first she thought it was some trick but with a second glance she knew that this was the end, she watched as Syton crouched down beside Cryton, his back to her. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Van and Hitomi step forward as well both standing very close together, but they were not her main worry. A few steps more and she was right behind Syton, she gently placed a hand on his shoulder, feeling him tense slightly before relaxing as he recognized her touch.
Syton felt Tsani's gentle touch but it wasn't enough to turn his attention away from his brother. Cryton still had both hands pressed firmly against his gash and his eyes were turned to Syton as he glared with pure hate. But he could already see that Syton was thinking of ways to help him and the hate flared even more brightly; he wasn't even going to be given this victory.
"You bastard," Cryton hissed and Syton rocked back as if he had been slapped. He stood quickly shaking off Tsani hand in the process and took a step back. Cryton reached out a bloody hand and grasped the table using it to pull him up, one hand still pressed tightly to his stomach. The blood stained the dark wood but nobody noticed, Van and Hitomi had drawn closer and were standing next to Tsani and Syton, Tsai and Hitomi stood beside each other. Their shock was enough that they didn't notice the hand held against the gash slide down a little to a handle sticking out of a belt.
"You steal everything, dear brother. How could I compete with you? They loved you more then me the day you were born. Going on about how much you resembled father. Fools! I became nothing to them and you… you only rubbed it in as you surpassed me at everything, but not this time this time I win if it the last thing I do," with that his hand grasped the handle of the dagger and brought it forward preparing to throw it but not at Syton, no it was aimed at Tsani.
"No love for you brother!" he cried as he prepared to throw the dagger. The moment dragged on for what seemed to be hours but Syton couldn't bring himself to move, the shock was to much, for one precious second he thought that he could stop Cryton before it was to late as that second flew by like a breath of air and all he could do was dodge in front of Tsani and pray that the end be quick. He looked down into the face he loved and waited for the blade to hit.
Van had seen the hand grab the handle but unlike Syton he had no inhibitions, this man was not his brother. Even as the dagger was being lifted he was moving forward, his training kicked in and his sword arm lifted, the blade stabbing out, plunging deep within Cryton's chest and severing his heart. With a shocked expression, Cryton's hand opened and the dagger clattered to the stone floor. Van still grasped the blade but with horror he dropped the handle and stepped back. He watched as Cryton tumbled to the floor, hands clutched around the sword that had ended his life. Silence descended on the room, and Van felt the first trembles over come him, he had never killed, not like that, not when he had been face to face with the man as he died.
He felt his arm being grasped and he turned to face Hitomi who enveloped him in a hug, she mumbled gentle words as she held him close. Van closed his eyes and simply relished the feeling of peace Hitomi gave him; it was over now they could go home.
Hitomi held Van; the embrace had been for both of them, the comfort given in their love was mutual, and she found herself once again overwhelming happy that she had her true love, and they would be together forever. She didn't know when the first tear came but she did know that it was for Cryton who had been poisoned by hate as much as for Van and herself. But the tears didn't matter, not now at this moment.
Syton felt no blade bite deeply into his back and he turned not expecting the scene before him. His brother lay dead, a sword buried in his chest and Van and Hitomi were holding each other closely in what he felt was mutual comfort, Hitomi had tears staining her cheeks but he had a feeling she didn't know and if she did she didn't care. His eyes turned back to his brother, he had never known that's what his brother had thought. He wished it hadn't ended like this but he didn't think things could have been changed, the hatred was to deep for anything to change it.
He walked over to his brother and slowly crouched down beside him. "May you rest in peace brother. You are forgiven by me. I hope that you knew that I love you. You are my brother and as boys you were my idol. I wish that things hadn't turned out this way. You won't be forgotten and you won't be cursed, not by me brother." Syton reached over and softly closed his brother's eyes. Then he slowly stood and turned to face his love, her eyes were understanding. With a few steps the space was crossed and he pulled her into an embrace.
The tender moment for both couples was healing and soon they were able to draw apart although not far. They faced each other now, allies drawn together in a fight both wished had never come to pass. With silent agreement they exited the room, there were still problems to be taken care of before the battle could truly be over.
However Syton paused as he closed the door behind him, his brother would be given a decent burial once the castle was cleared but for now he would have to rest in the spot he had fallen. The loyal soldiers had to be rounded up; with luck the castle would be his before the sun set.
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There, how was that? A little sappy at the end but I couldn't help myself. I really hope it didn't suck too much. It's my first real battle scene, and I'd really like some feedback on it, be it good or bad.
