35

Final Clash

Saber stared at the being that landed in front of him in fascination. This even took precedence over his fear at the moment. Saber had never met the demon face to face, but he knew what he was: he was the one that commanded the Lunattacks the boy had had so many problems with. He'd heard of the demon, who'd fought against an army of four hundred and won. At that thought, the fear kicked in, and he backed away a little bit.

The creature before him was easily seven feet tall, and Saber had to look way up to look him in the eye. His eyes; they were an unnatural, hateful red, glowing with their own inner power. His grayish skin, looking almost like the pallor of a man who is vary sick, was heavily muscled, and the villagers could plainly see every ripple of power, as Mumm-Ra wore only a kilt, a cloak, and a few stray bandages in the way of clothing. The crowd was silent. "So," he said, his tone flat and unfriendly. "You are the one who's caused me so much trouble." He narrowed his eyes at the boy. "What's your name?"

Saber gulped, but stood his ground. Willing his voice not to shake, he replied, "Saber."

Mumm-Ra chuckled, his voice a cruel mockery of amusement. "Saber. A strong name for a weak boy."

Saber narrowed his eyes and clenched his fists at the insult. "I am not weak," he said.

The demon raised an eyebrow. "Maybe not. We will see before the day is out." He laughed again. "A brave human, to defy me. Surely you must know that you will die this day. You and your people here. You have caused me enough trouble."

"It won't work," Saber repeated. "People don't want to do what you say anymore. A lot of towns say they're not going to, either. I know who you are, you battled Kasana-Kai, and you almost lost, too!" He had learned the woman's name along the way.

Mumm-Ra growled at the boy. "Watch what you say, human," he warned. "She had an army of four hundred rallied to her. And still I triumphed. He took a step towards the boy, who backed up from him as he did.

"Well m-maybe so. But still, you can't kill everyone on Fourth Earth. Pretty soon, everyone will know the Lunattacks aren't demons, that they are mortal. They'll know they can be killed. They'll know that you're the only one who can't, and by yourself, you'll never kill them all!" Saber's hands were balled into fists as he spoke. "You're a coward!" he accused.

There was a collective expression of disbelief and fear as Saber said this last. His people were already terrified out of their wits, and watched the confrontation silently. But now, to hear this small boy tell a powerful demon he was a coward, it was unbelievable.

In a soft, terrible voice, the demon replied: "You are terrified to the point of wetting yourself. You shake as you stand, and you call me a coward?"

"I know..." Saber said. There was no hiding his fear, it was clearly apparent on his face. It would have been foolish to deny it. "But I'm still confronting you! Y-you have power, and use it to hurt people weaker than you. How is that courageous? It's not! You step on people weaker than you, and that makes you a coward!!"

Mumm-Ra growled, his eyes narrowing to slits. In one swift movement, even as the boy stumbled back away from him, he raised his hand to send a burst of red power at him. The electric current struck Saber on the chest, sending him sprawling backwards with a yelp of pain and surprise. Shaking his head, he got quickly back up. Now he had reason to be afraid: this being was more powerful than he thought, rememebering in a flash the red lightning he had seen days erlier in the sky. Again Mumm-Ra blasted his power at the boy, but Saber was ready for it and jumped from the way. The lightning struck Psychren instead, who had been right behind Saber. With a yell, he was knocked from the platform. Singed but uninjured for the moment, the furious Lunattack climbed back up onto the stage.

Saber had dodged the blast, but as he landed from his jump, Mumm-Ra immediately fired again, and caught him. He screamed, a sound that was lost in the crackle of electricity, and his body tensed, absolutely still for a moment before he was knocked halfway across the platform.

Mumm-Ra gave the kid time to stand once more before he sent his next barrage. "You see how futile it is to defy the mighty Mumm-Ra?" he demanded, casting his hateful gaze to the crowd. Many cowered, a few nodded their heads.

Saber slowly got to his feet, coughing as he stood, and shaking his head of the momentary fog that had wrapped around his mind. He winced at a patch of seared flesh on his side and clenched his fists. The one who called himself Mumm-Ra did not fight fair! And now he faced his enemy unarmed, as his dagger had been knocked from his grasp.

"So, you come back for more?" Mumm-Ra said. He had been about to blast the boy to smithereens when he stopped. "Admirable...or perhaps only foolish." He laughed. "You want so badly to be a warrior," he said, his voice unkind, ridiculing. The surprised look on the boy's face amused him further. "Yes, my servants have been listening to your people for a long time. You think yourself strong enough to fight me? Let's just find that out."

While Saber watched, his eyes both fearful and determined, Mumm-Ra stepped back and extended his arm. This time though, the fingers were not pointed, but clenched, and after a moment, something began to materialize from it. There was a gasp of superstitious fright from the crowd below, and even Saber stared in amazement. Finally, the item solidified into a golden hilt with a snake's head at either end. And then, from the mouths of the serpents, two sleek silver-colored lines grew, and formed into wicked, barbed blades. Saber's eyes widened, not caring much for the look of it. "Better get your blade, Saber," he growled. "Unless you care to try and live up to your name." He paused a moment. "I suggest you use a longer one than your dagger there." he pointed to the hand weapon no the floor of the stage.

"B-but...I don't know how to sword fight!" Saber protested, gaping at the demon in amazement. He expected Saber to fight a demon?!

"That's too bad," Mumm-Ra said, his sorrowful voice dripping sarcasm. "Then I guess you will be made into shish-ke-bob!" Mumm-Ra lunged with his blade, however not at full speed. He wanted a fight; he did not want to skewer the boy right there Nnot yet at least.

Saber did not know the term, but he got the general idea. As the demon lunged, he again leaped out of the way, stumbling and falling in his haste. He jumped back to his feet and backed up away from the demon towards the edge of the platform.

Feeling something cold against his skin, he looked down. His father had come to the edge of the stage, and was handing his blade up, hilt first. "But-but I don't know how--" he began to say, but his father cut him off.

"Take it, now!" He pointed up. As soon as his hand had touched the hilt, Mumm-Ra had lunged again, bringing his blade down towards the boy's head.

The young traveler cried out in startlement and clutched the hilt of his father's sword, bringing it up to block the path of the other weapon. There was a jolt of his muscles as the weapons clashed, and he nearly lost his grip on it. When the others sparred, it always looked so light and graceful; he did not think that it would be such a hard strike. But he tightened his grip on it, and the Sword of Plundaar glanced away. Saber stumbled back.

Mumm-Ra grinned ghoulishly. "Good. I was beginning to think I would be disappointed, child!" He lunged again, this time a straight lunge for his midsection.

Saber spun to the side, each movement barely keeping him away from disaster. Off balance again, he made a downward chop of his father's sword, knocking the offending blade down, and again stumbled back away from his adversary.

But as he did, he felt a pair of hands push against his back and shove him sharply forward. He fell hard to his hands and knees, dropping his blade, and turned angrily to see who had shoved him. It was Psychren, who had climbed back up onto the platform. his bare chest now bore a seared mark much like the one Saber had from the lightning, and he'd shoved Saber back into the makeshift arena when he'd gotten too close to the edge.

The distraction had cost him. Saber had picked up his weapon and turned just in time to see the jagged blade slicing him from the side. With a cry of alarm, he tried to get his blade up in time, but he was too slow. A combination of inexperience and not being ready put his blade in a bad position, and his movement wasn't enough to take him out of the blade's path. He screeched as the sharp edge cut open a gash in his side, nicking his weapon hand as it did.

Biting back further outcry, Saber knocked the Sword of Plundaar aside and staggered to the other side of the stage to catch his breath. He put one hand to his side as he watched the demon.

"Remember what you've learned watching the cadets!" his father called from below. He had been shoved back again by the Lunattacks who were watching the fight. "Watch your opponent!"

Ignoring the older man, Mumm-Ra allowed the boy to catch his breath. His face was twisted in a savage grin as he watched him, and saw he had taken an injury. But he was still standing! Admirable. He had not been fighting at near his possible speed or strength, as that would easily finish the boy. He wanted a fight, and a good one. He'd not had a battle to fight in so many years, he'd gotten lax and dormant. Indeed, what was the point of ruling a world if he never strayed out into it?

The boy he now fought was no physical challenge, although better than he would have expected. He was not skilled, or as strong, but his will was more powerful than any he'd encountered in a long time. And it was this he battled. He would see just how long the boy would last.

It was Saber this time who advanced. The wound was not life threatening, although it hurt. It was not even as serious as Chilldon's own mark on him, and the cut on his hand was nothing. Having caught his breath once more, Saber slowly walked towards the demon. So much taller than he, it must have looked like a puppy trying to ambush a dragon, but still he came forward.

Mumm-Ra strode to meet the advance, and was surprised when the boy made a clumsy lunge at him. The demon easily dodged, rising into the air, and startling the townspeople a great deal.

"Hey!" Saber protested, too startled to be afraid at the moment. "You're so much stronger than me, stay down here and fight!" His tone was indignant, but also fearful. If Saber's opponent could strike from the sky, the child would have no chance.

With a growl, Mumm-Ra landed once more in front of him and took a swipe at the boy, faster than before. It caught Saber in the arm, and he let a restrained cry of pain as he staggered back. Mumm-Ra tried once again to cut him, but again the boy surprised him.

Seeing that standing was doing little good, and he was not tall enough to reach anything vital without getting dangerously within the demon's range, Saber dropped to the ground into a low crouch. He'd use his short stature to his advantage! He took a swipe at the demon's knees.

Mumm-Ra had not been expecting this, and a howl of rage and pain came from his throat. Everyone, including Saber, gaped at him. "You can feel pain!" the boy exclaimed, still crouching on the ground. As Mumm-Ra leaped back, his eye was drawn to the wound: A gaping gash much like those Saber had taken, but no blood. It looked like a cut might look on a rotten tomato. He had to keep himself from gagging.

The ancient priest was not amused. The unnatural glow of his eyes intensified, as he brought his blade up to strike. Wincing, Saber scrambled to his feet and jumped sideways to avoid the strike. He almost hadn't been fast enough, as this had not been controlled; it was intended to cleave him in half.

A chill of fear went through his body as he retreated from the angry immortal, as Mumm-Ra turned and struck again. His face was contorted into a snarl of hate uglier than anything Saber had ever seen. The mummy swung again, a slicing motion Saber barely blocked. Again it nearly struck the sword from his hand.

The mummy's anger had faded just a little as he again was able to injure his opponent. Saber had taken a blow to the arm once more; the same one as before. It was beginning to hurt enough to bring him to tears, although he held them back.

Mumm-Ra was no longer fighting at full speed. Again, he was making his attacks slow enough for Saber to be able to fight them off. He had not chased the boy down all this way to kill him in two seconds; he wanted to make him suffer first. And although he would have struck down anyone daring to suggest it, he admired the young adventurer. His fighting skills were nothing to brag about, but his courage and his will were strong.

The pair had exchanged a few more blows, and although Saber was taking the majority of the hits; he still stood to fight. He'd been ridiculed all his young life by his peers, and even by the adults of the village. He wanted to show courage. He wanted to show strength. If he would die, he wanted to die as the warrior no one said that he could be.

***

As this battle of life and death played itself out, a large army was making its way across the town's edge. This army of diverse beings did not receive a greeting, friendly or otherwise, as the townspeople that were not at the center of the village hid. They hid in terror of just one more piece of strangeness, and the new life forms.

"Where now?" one of the women asked.

"Not sure," Leyati said. He looked around and spied a young human man who was not hiding, but staring in fascination. He approached slowly, unthreateningly, so as not to startle him into silence. "Young fella," the old fisherman asked. "Do y' happen to know where a human child named Saber might be?"

After a few moments more of fascinated staring, the young man stammered, "Y-yeah...I-I think the town square..."

"Center of town?" The human nodded. Leyati also nodded, in thanks. "Thank y'. let's go! This is the right one!" This was shouted to the rest of the group, as Leyati raised the signal flag. The improvised army began to filter into the town from the forbidden Western Boarder.

***

Saber was beginning to tire. The blade did not feel nearly so heavy as it had a year ago when he would heft it in his father's absence, and his long journey had strengthened his body almost as much as his mind. But still, he was only a boy, and a human. The demon he fought had a nearly endless supply of strength and energy compared to a human being. As the battle went on, the spectators watched with wide eyes.

Saber was knocked off his feet by a kick to the stomach he had not even seen coming. In his growing fatigue, he might not have even been able to make his body move fast enough to avoid it.

Saber sprawled backwards onto the stage, to his credit still holding the blade. His eyes widened as he realized his opponent was finished with the fight, and the blow he was about to land would be a killing one. Desperately, he brought his blade up, not even trying to stand, and braced the flat of the blade with his other hand. He'd made the move just in time, as the Sword of Plundaar clanged off his weapon, leaving him alive, although it did force his own weapon down into his hand and jarred his bones nearly to the point of breaking them. He cried out as he scrambled away, finally gaining his feet.

Mumm-Ra had been taken by surprise at the quick defense. Having completely expected to strike the boy down permanently with the blow, he paused, giving Saber time to retreat. He nodded in grudging admiration. "Impressive, whelp," he said, turning to face the boy. "I expected you dead by now. Of course you're only delaying the inevitable, as you will die. Just stand and take it like a man. If you think you can."

Yes, Saber had blocked the blow, but it had not been so easy. The force of it alone had cut his hand wide open, and he now had it pressed against his loincloth to stem the bleeding, and felt a lance of fear at how much blood was on his skin. He cried, but did not notice it. Indeed, his face was wet with perspiration, and one eye swollen from a fist-strike, so not many others noticed it either. "N-no," he said, panting, trying to catch his breath. "I-I know you can kill me...whenever you want. Y-You're just playing with me." Even in the condition he was in, he still felt satisfaction at the look of mild surprise on the demon's face. Saber swallowed hard as he added, "I'll stand until I can't!"

Mumm-Ra narrowed his eyes at the boy's defiance. Yes, he would make this one's death painful, and slow. He would see just how long the boy forced himself to stand and fight.

"It won't matter..." Saber continued, finally getting his breath back. "Go ahead. Kill me. But people know now, you can't fool them anymore. People know your Lunattack jerks are not demons, they know they can be hurt." He glanced behind him at a snarl of anger, and stepped forward a few steps. Chilldon did not make a move against him, although he very much wanted to. But not while Mumm-Ra was contending with him.

The demon laughed, this a true sound of amusement. Cruel amusement, but sincere. "You pathetic excuse for a warrior. You speak of others knowing, but look at your people. They cower in front of me!" He turned, and sent a burst of lightning into the crowd. As all expected them to, they scattered with a collective sound of fear and alarm. "See? It does no good for them to 'know all about us'. They have no power! I have the all the forces of evil, and the powers of the elements at my fingertips! I cannot be killed! I have an army of powerful soldiers." he gestured to the Lunattacks, "They may be mortal as you have just demonstrated, but one alone could defeat three dozen humans!" His voice took on a tone of anger as he mentioned this fact.

"Now. W ho do you have to fight against me, and all of this?" Mumm-Ra continued, glaring at the defiant child.

Saber said nothing. What could he say? The hellish demon was right, he was alone. None of his people would stand up to such. Indeed, if his welcome back to his home had been any indication, they would all blame him for all that had happened. they'd probably kill him themselves.

Mumm-Ra was about to laugh at this lack of answer, and approached. His sword was in his hand, and this time, he intended to finish the boy off, as he had had his fun with him. He would take him apart piece by piece.

But even as he raised the blade for the first strike, even as Saber's exhausted muscles struggled to lift his own weapon for a desperate defense, a lone voice cut through the silence. "He has me."

Narrowing his eyes, Mumm-Ra turned to see who had spoken. Fegreth was standing again, ignoring his pain to stand up for his son.

"And me." Dannika stood beside him.

"M-me...me too..." Little Drii did not stand, but remained half-hidden behind the healer's assistant that had tended his injuries. But it had taken a good deal of courage for the little boy to have declared this.

Saber looked on his family, suddenly feeling any trepidation he'd felt in facing them slip away. He gave them a look of pure gratitude.

Mumm-Ra simply sneered, and raised a hand to blow them all away. He had had enough play; now it was time to get serious. The ancient channeler of evil power had no doubts that once these two troublemakers were fried, the others would fall over themselves begging for his forgiveness.

"He has us!" a third voice declared. This was a stronger voice, not that of a tired, wounded man. A group of a dozen or so feral bipeds had finally reached the center of the Western Village. Nenda and his warriors had arrived. All were strong, tough, well trained fighters. And Bruters died no more easily than their ancestors, the Brutemen. But they had a good deal of intelligence to add to it.

All of a sudden, Mumm-Ra did not look quite so cocky. He could defeat them easily, especially with the Lunattacks' help, but he was starting to wonder just how many people this brat had managed to rile up.

"And he has us!"

Every head turned to the sound of this new and final voice. To the west, the same place Saber had come from, stood an elderly looking man, although no one could tell for sure what his age was. His skin was purple, his strange hair a darker shade of it. He held a knife in his hand that he used for preparing fish.

"Leyati!" Saber's tired voice held a note of pure amazement as he looked at the friend he'd made so long ago. So many months... But he had come nowhere near to forgetting him.

The old Nai grinned. "They came looking for y', Saber. Figured you could use a hand...or a few hundred of them." He looked at Mumm-Ra as he said this, then to the people filing silently into the courtyard. Some carried hoes or shovels for weapons, some bore swords, daggers, spears, swords...it was apparent who were warriors and who were not. But all wore the same look. it was a look of combined fear and determination. And contempt.

The villagers were shocked at seeing the Nai, and even moreso that Saber seemed not only to be unsurprised, but seemed to know them! "What in all the hells are those?" Drett breathed. He'd been injured in the attack from the Lunattacks, but not seriously. And now Iyen's father was ready to fight. His son came up beside him also to stare. Little did they, and the rest of the people in Saber's village know, but they looked at the fighters that would decide who would triumph that day.

Part 36: The "Glory" of Battle

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