Tidus: Oh… Why would you say that?
V: Well, it's the first battle I've had that's actually very serious.
T: You can write something serious?
V: Yeah. Of course I can. Chapter 21 is now the fight between Garik and Kimahri. This is the fight that will determine the fate of our beloved friends. Will they escape the biting cold of Mount Gagazet or will they forever be imprisoned by Garik's followers? This is the chapter that will answer this question!
T: Nice summary.
V: Thanks. Oh, by the way… you know how I grounded you a while ago?
T: Yeah. How can I forget? I've been locked in this stupid room the whole time because of it.
V: Well… I've had a change of heart and your punishment is now over.
T: … What's with the sudden switch?
V: Let's just say that I'm in a very good mood right now.
T: Better to not ask questions. –starts towards the door-
V: Hold on a minute! –grab's Tidus's shirt collar- You can't leave yet.
T: But you just ended my punishment.
V: Yes, but you will have to stay until I finish this story. You are my muse after all.
T: Oh man. –drops into closest chair- This is going to take forever.
V: No. It will just seem that way –goes back to typing-
Chapter 21: Battle of HonorThe two warriors faced off. Around them was a ring of Ronso who all cheered for Garik's victory. Kimahri lifted his weapon up in a defensive stance and looked over to the group of human prisoners to remind himself of what he was fighting for.
The freedom of his friends.
The group was being guarded closely by several Ronso who were waiting for the outcome of the battle. Tidus was still lying on the ground, his head resting in Yuna's lap. His condition was still getting worse and it was obvious that he wouldn't long without help.
"Win Kimahri." Yuna whispered so quietly that nobody else heard her. "Please. You have to."
Kimahri looked back over to Garik and saw that he was ready to fight. Kimahri tightened his grip on his lance and waited. He wasn't a fool. He would wait until Garik made the first move and then would try to use it against him.
He didn't have to wait long though. Garik was furious at Kimahri and there was nothing more he wanted to do at the time then attack the other Ronso. Garik charged straight in with his spear and Kimahri was easily able to dodge to the side and avoid getting skewered. Before Garik had a chance to turn and face his opponent again, Kimahri grabbed onto the shaft of the spear and twisted it out of Garik's hand.
Garik jumped back, trying to put some ground between himself and his still armed enemy. He reached down to his side and unsheathed one of the knives he was carrying. He knew now that he would have to be more careful. Even though Kimahri was a runt Ronso, he wasn't a novice when it came to fighting.
The two adversaries slowly circled. Each sized up his opponent, looking for some kind of weakness in defenses. Kimahri suddenly charged forward. He knew that his time to fight was limited and if he wanted all of his friends to survive then he would have to move faster.
Garik changed his footing to stand in a guard stance. All of the muscles in his knife-wielding arm were tight. Ready to spring out at any moment and stab at his enemy. In the seconds that passed as his adversary approached, Garik's mind whirled with strategic plans. When Kimahri came close enough, he would perform the same move the runt Ronso had earlier but then finish the battle with a fatal blow with his knife.
A slight smirk crossed Garik's face as he thought of the end result. There would be no way Kimahri could avoid the counterattack with his charge. There was no was Garik was going to lose this battle.
Kimahri stopped short though and stayed just out of Garik's short reach. He started a charge around the other Ronso and before Garik was even able to comprehend what had happened, Kimahri swung put the spear he had taken earlier and slammed it against the back of Garik's knees. The shaft of the spear shattered as it made contact but it had the desired affect.
Garik stumbled forward, trying to avoid falling to the ground. If he lost his footing then he would lose the fight as well. He made it back onto his feet though and when he turned around to face his adversary he saw that Kimahri had already charged forward and had closed the gap between them. Garik struck out with his weapon but the blade of his knife only hit air.
Kimahri had ducked under the blade and had dropped his lance in order to grab onto the larger Ronso's wrist and side. With all of his strength, he heaved until he had Garik off the ground. Even if Kimahri didn't have size on his side, he had the help of gravity.
Garik hit the ground hard and continued sliding across the slick ice. He tumbled across the frozen ground until he hooked his claws into its rough surface and stopped his sliding. He pulled himself up onto his feet just in time to avoid getting hit in the face with the butt end of the lance only to get hit in the stomach instead.
The blow didn't affect the towering Ronso though and he started laughing when he saw what Kimahri was trying to do.
"Kimahri thinks he can win battle without killing Garik, does he?" Garik laughed as he reached out to try and grab Kimahri's weapon.
Kimahri was too fast though and was easily able to move out of Garik's grasp. He growled slightly as he turned his weapon around so the blade now faced his enemy. He didn't want to needlessly spill Ronso blood but if he had to then he would.
The two started circling again, trying to find each other's weaknesses. Garik smirked at the fact that he already knew Kimahri's weaknesses. Even though the start of the battle had been rough, Garik had no doubts that he would be the victor.
Kimahri tightened his grip on the shaft of his lance as his mind worked though different strategies on how he would try and win this fight. When no one was expecting it, Kimahri charged forward again.
Garik stood ready for any move Kimahri would use. He wasn't going to fall for the same trick twice.
Before Kimahri came close enough to use his lance against Garik, he stopped suddenly and jabbed the blade of his weapon into the frozen ground. With lightning fast speed, he used the shaft of the lance to propel himself high up into the air.
Garik looked up just in time to see Kimahri's fist as it made contact with his face. The stunned Ronso began staggering around, trying to get his surroundings straight and trying to shake the dizziness from his head.
Before he had a chance to fully recover, Kimahri rushed back over to retrieve his lance and cut the blade across the back of his enemy's knee.
Garik cried out in pain as he collapsed to the ground. He clutched at his injured leg and tried to stop the bleeding. He looked ahead of him to see Kimahri just standing there. The blade of his lace covered with blood that slowly dripped onto the white snow. Garik gave a low growl and tried to stand back up but his injured leg would not allow him to stay up.
Kimahri slowly walked over to Garik and just watched him.
"What is Kimahri waiting for?" Garik asked as he looked down to the ground. "Garik had lost the battle. Garik does not deserve to keep his life."
"Kimahri has already won." The hornless Ronso said as he slowly shook his head. "Kimahri refuses to shed Ronso blood for no reason."
Garik nodded his head slightly but he silently wished that Kimahri had killed him. Garik had lost his honor by losing a battle so easily and a Ronso without honor was nothing in his mind.
"Heal." Kimahri said to the fallen Ronso. "Train. Gain Strength. Protect the mountains and Garik may earn back his honor."
Kimahri left the battle area quickly without any interference by the other Ronso. He had rightfully won the fight and no one would stand between him and his prize. He stopped beside Yuna and looked down at her while she continued to comfort Tidus.
"Thank you." She whispered so quietly that only Kimahri's sensitive ears heard.
Kimahri just nodded slightly.
"We have to hurry if Tidus is going to live." Auron said to encourage Kimahri to locate their belongings.
Kimahri nodded again and as he turned to leave he shot a look towards the other Ronso that told them to stay away from his friends. He ran as quickly as he could and only a few minutes passed before he was back with several packs held on each arm and others on his back. Auron took the bag that held all of the medical supplies and handed it over to Yuna.
She carefully pawed through the bag until she located the bottle she was looking for. She carefully removed the cork stopper so she wouldn't spill any of its contents and placed the rim of the container against Tidus's lips.
"Drink." She said as she tipped the container slightly so a small amount of the potion was in his mouth.
Tidus brought his hand up slowly to hold onto the flask as he continued to drink its contents. Each swallow sent the magical solution down to his stomach where it began spreading through the rest of his body. At first, it was just a cold feeling that was the most intense by his injuries, both internal and external. As the moments passed though, the coldness started changing into a numb feeling.
Tidus had drunken healing potions before so he was prepared for these feelings but that didn't make them any less uncomfortable. As the injuries healed the numbing feeling slowly left his body until it just left a pins-and-needles feeling along his skin. Even that ended quickly though and it wasn't long before he was sitting up.
Yuna was so overwhelmed with relief that he had actually survived that she wrapped her arms tightly around him and no outside force could remove her. "I was so worried about you." She whispered to him when he returned her embrace.
"I've caused nothing but trouble since coming along with you, haven't I?"
Yuna just smiled slightly at his attempt to be humorous. Her attention was focused away from him though when she heard Auron clear his throat.
"I think we ought to be heading off now." Auron said as he looked around at all of the stern Ronso faces.
"Yeah not a bad idea." Zen said as he hurriedly took his packs from Kimahri and slipped them over his shoulder. "The sooner we leave here, the better."
Both Rikku and Wakka nodded their agreements and shouldered their packs as well.
Tidus slowly stood up on his feet. Even with the potion, he still wasn't completely healed and he had to hold onto Yuna's shoulder for a few moments while he regained his balance.
"If you're still not feeling well then we can have Kimahri carry you." Yuna suggested as he took a few shaky steps.
Tidus looked up to the stern Ronso and shook his head. "No, I think we would both like it much more if I didn't."
Even though Kimahri was trying to keep a serous look, he couldn't hide the slight smile at the corners of his mouth.
V: Yay! Another chapter is complete!
T: That was sure a nail biting moment during the battle scene.
V: Not for me!
T: Of course not for you. You wrote it and knew what was going to happen.
V: Yeah. That's the best thing about being a writer.
T: Well, now that the chapter has been finished, I think I'll go out for a little while.
V: Where are you going.
T: Just to Zen's house.
V: When will you be back?
T: -shrugs shoulders- Don't know.
V: Stay safe!
T: I will –sounding a little annoyed-
V: Be careful!
T: I will. –now even more annoyedopens the door-
V: Beware of the group of fans waiting right outside the door.
T: Ahhh! –carried off by fan girls-
V: Oops. Guess I was a little late with that warning. Oh well, he'll come back. So long all you fans out there!
End Transmission