"Crap," said Zesiro standing up. "I was hoping to be one of those kinds of warriors…kind of pirate…the ones with a completely unscarred back…after all 'wounds on the back are a swordsman's shame.'"
"That they are," said Gumm acknowledging Zesiro. He retracted his eight-foot long sword back to his hands. He started spinning it above his head again.
Zesiro brought his two swords around as well. He charged at Gumm. He had both of his two swords at the ready. Gumm flicked his sword out. The sword shot out and cut Zesiro deep into his shoulder. Zesiro didn't stop his charge. He kept coming at Gumm with the sword wound deep in his shoulder. Gumm smiled. He jumped into the air and then jumped off of Zesiro's shoulder. He brought his sword down again into Zesiro. Another deep nasty wound was left into Zesiro's shoulder.
"Try as much as you like," said Gumm calmly, "I have nowhere to be today."
"Of course you don't," mocked Zesiro. Zesiro gripped his blades tighter. This guy was an expert with the sword. Zesiro's skills were the best anyone on any of his previous islands have ever seen, but Gumm is beating his butt and mocking him at the same time. But even still he wasn't going to go down and beg for mercy! He'd just have to push and keep on pushing! Zesiro charged at Gumm. His two swords flashing remarkably in the sunlight.
Gumm chuckled. "To keep on fighting despite the knowledge that you are hopelessly outmatched…" Gumm blocked one of Zesiro's blows using his blade, "is an interesting trait isn't it…" Gumm blocked several more of Zesiro's dance-like slices, "however it is ultimately futile unless one hits his target." Gumm sliced his sword through Zesiro's stomach cutting another deep slice into his body. Gumm jumped back a few feet to a safer distance.
Zesiro clumsily rose to his feet again. The pure adrenaline in his veins now rushing him forward. The annoying thing was he never actually officially joined Mikoto's crew. They just assumed he did. He probably never would have either. He was happy living on his small island with the familiar faces of Fishmen surrounding him. He was perfectly content on his island…until Dominic Renvont showed up. Zesiro's eyes grew cold. They turned into something close to the eyes of a complete berserk man. Adrenaline had stopped fueling him, now a mixture of rage and hatred flowed through his veins.
Gumm glanced at Zesiro's eyes. "I've seen those eyes before…they are the eyes of an enraged Fishman. I've heard that a Fishman's strength is boosted somewhat terribly during the time that he is enraged. I wonder if those rumors are true."
Zesiro just mumbled his response. His mind flooded with thoughts of the man in the blood red shirt. He griped his two swords and charged. Gumm brought his sword around and towards Zesiro. Zesiro slashed it away from his face and sent it into the ground. Zesiro continued to charge. Gumm pulled his sword out of the ground but by then it was too late. Zesiro was right in front of him. Zesiro brought both of his swords into and through Gumm. Gumm stood there for a second bleeding. Gumm yelled and struck out with his foot kicking Zesiro away.
"You cut me!" shouted Gumm. "How dare you cut me?"
"Now you know how I felt," said Zesiro. He stood back up and spun his two swords around. "Where were we?"
"We were in the Feasting Hall and now we are on the Training Ground," said Gumm. Gumm brought his sword up and through the air and back down. Zesiro dodged to the side barely avoiding a blow that would have easily split him in two. The dirt where the sword landed exploded into the air. Zesiro charged at Gumm again. Gumm dodged to the left avoiding another series of slices from Zesiro. Gumm's sword came loose and sliced through the Fishman's legs.
Zesiro spun around and brought his blade straight into the ground between Gumm's legs. Gumm quickly recovered and was up and running before Zesiro brought the second sword into the ground.
Gumm stood about eight feet away from Zesiro. Considering his blade was about 8 feet long and his arms around two feet. He had the upper hand now. "It is said that in battle of blades the one with the longest reach wins," said Gumm, "Mine has the longest reach so I guess I have the upper hand!" He just started spinning it above his head again. The sword started to pick up speed and the wind created by this spin started to pick up small stones and dust.
Zesiro stood there in amazement of the little tornado Gumm was creating. The small stones were going to make it hard to get in close to his opponent. As if he already didn't have his work cut out for him with the eight-foot long sword!
Zesiro charged Gumm, still in his enraged state of thought. Numerous stones dug into his shark-like flesh. Gumm brought his sword down towards Zesiro. Zesiro blocked the sword using his two swords. He continued to charge at Gumm. In one instant he brought his swords away from Gumm's sword and rammed them into Gumm slicing him as he ran to the other side.
Gumm turned around. He had blocked Zesiro's slice at the last second using the hilt of his own blade. Zesiro was a formidable opponent while he was angry but at the same time the only real change was his attack pattern became more vicious. A few changes in his perception and he would be able to easily predicate Zesiro's next moves again.
Zesiro charged at Gumm again. Charge. Check. Zesiro started to do another dance with his blades sending several thousands of whizzing blades nearing Gumm's face and body. Gumm dodged several of the blades watching them whiz around his body. Gumm spun out with his sword the sharp edge nearing Zesiro's side. Another block using Zesiro's swords.
Zesiro launched a barrage of swords one after the other. Gumm expertly dodged and blocked every single one of the enraged flurry of swords. Gumm was slowing piecing together every single one of Zesiro's sword dances. The completely unobvious tells were becoming open books to him. He memorized where to look and when then the rest of it was strictly memorization of marks. Now it was time to memorize his defensive moves.
Gumm lashed out with his long blade it sliced through the air. Zesiro brought both of his swords and pushed off, deflecting the slice in a completely different direction. Gumm brought his sword back around in enough time to block Zesiro's next slice. Gumm jumped back and retreated to a safe distance.
Gumm brought his sword straight down. Zesiro blocked. Gumm struck again. Zesiro blocked. Gumm was committing every one of Zesiro's rage fueled attacks to memory. Once Gumm memorized all of Zesiro's attacks and all of his blocks Zesiro would be a fish out of water.
Zesiro darted towards Gumm. His swords spinning in the air. His white teeth gleaming with rage. Gumm flicked out with his sword. Zesiro brought his swords up in the same old blocking pattern. Gumm's sword whipped around Zesiro's swords and dug deep into Zesiro's cheek.
Gumm blocked Zesiro's oncoming attack. Gumm then struck out with his shoe. He pushed Zesiro away. Gumm then brought his sword back around. It wrapped itself firmly around Zesiro. Gumm pulled. The sword's entire eight-foot long sharp body dragged itself around Zesiro. It left a spiral imprinted cutting pattern all the way around Zesiro.
Zesiro fell down to the ground in pain. His entire body hurt. His eyes snapped out of their previously berserk state. He started gasping for air. The blood spilled from his body and onto the ground. He looked around for some kind of help. He saw nothing. His two swords were all he had. They were the only thing he had left of his parents though…
(-Flashback-)
A young Zesiro ran through the village. In his arms he carried chunks of raw meat. Stones, ashes, chunks of bones were hurled at him. He continued to run. More items were thrown at him several of them met their mark but Zesiro continued to run. A crew of angry villagers with arms full of rocks and bones continued the chase. Zesiro saw a long stream. He threw the meat into his mouth. He dove into the water. He hid underneath there. Waiting for the villagers. He could make out a muffled conversation.
"Where did the demon go?" shouted a voice.
"Who knows he probably became a bat and flew away!" shouted another one, "he is already put shark he might be part bat too!"
"Can you believe him, he actually wanted us to believe he bought that meat!" shouted a third voice.
The second voice spoke again, "Its probably one of our fellow villagers! We got to do a head count. We'd be lucky if he didn't eat a little kid."
"I didn't eat a little kid!" screamed Zesiro in his head. "I did pay for this meat, too!" He waited underwater for a few more minutes after the long time of interrupted silence he swam up top to see if he could see the villagers. No one was around.
He stepped on the ground. He spat the meat out. He took a chunk out of it with his sharp teeth. Bloody…he preferred cooked meat…oh well he can't cook it…he can't buy cooked meat…bloody will have to do. He continued to eat it with much vigor. This island had very little animals on it…he couldn't hunt. He'd just have to go with the slim pickings at the stores. This meat would have to last him a week. Just like the last one did. Although the last one was a bit bigger. He licked his lips. Another bite? No! It had to last one week! He shoved it into his backpack and walked towards the beach.
He looked out over the extraordinarily long ocean. How he wished he could sail out there and be free. Eat cooked meat without being called a demon. Be a free man. He has tried before. He tried swimming once. Ran into a sea king. Nearly died. He tried making a boat and sailing out. It was destroyed by a sea king. Nearly died. He is trapped on this island. He had to get going. Staying on the beach is a bad idea. The villagers will sometimes go fishing. He got up and turned back to the path.
He noticed out of the corner of his eyes several large boulders. Of course this in itself isn't that interesting but what behind it was. A cabin! Maybe it was abandoned! Maybe he could hide out there for a few days! He ran towards the cabin. His pace slowed as he got closer. What if it was a human? A dirty pain in the butt jerk! Humans! Who needed them! He didn't want to meet another human as long as he lived. But the house was tempting. It was worth it! He charged towards the house. He peered in through the window. No human in sight. Yes! Wait. What's that over the fireplace? He opened the door and walked in.
He walked over to the fireplace. Over it were two neat swords. Well kept. One had a light blue hilt with a black blade. The other had a red blade and a light gray hilt. He grabbed them one in each hand. They felt natural in his hands. They were lightweight. Each sword seemed to radiate energy. Perfectly natural energy.
An old man burst into the door. He looked shocked at Zesiro. Zesiro spun around the two swords in his hands still. The old man laughed at him. He pulled a seat over and sat in it. His voice was cracked and weak. "The name is Garneth. I assume you are Zesiro."
"Yeah," said Zesiro. He dropped both of his swords to his sides. "How did you know?"
"I knew your mom," said Garneth. "She came to my doorstep and asked me to hand those swords off to you. She was half dead. The villagers overreacted to her and your dad. Your dad was killed on the spot. She was able to get away badly damaged near death carrying a child in her arms. I took the child and let it get old enough to fend for itself. Then I set it free with its name, Zesiro."
"My parents were killed?" said Zesiro. He gulped. "These swords were meant for me?"
"Your mother's dying wish," said Garneth. "Take them."
Tears welled up in Zesiro's eyes. His mother was killed. His father killed. By humans! He should've hated all humans from that day out, but Garneth showed genuine kindness. Taking him to a different island. Giving him food. Passing onto him his swords. His sword!
(-To current times-)
Zesiro stood up. He felt physically drained. He had next to nothing left in him. But for some reason he couldn't turn back. His driving willpower wouldn't let him. This must be the same thing that all of the great swordsman felt. The feeling that you had to keep fighting even if it meant death!
"You can still stand?" said Gumm. "That's a rare occurrence. Are you going to keep fighting or are you going to go quietly?"
"What do you think," said Zesiro. He stood behind his two swords ready to attack or defend whichever he saw an opening for first.
"I think you are going to keep fighting," said Gumm.
Zesiro chuckled. Even in the heat of battle Gumm was still Gumm. Specific, literal Gumm. Zesiro took off.
Gumm spun his sword around and brought towards Zesiro's neck. Zesiro ducked beneath and to the side. Gumm tried to bring his sword back around and cut through Zesiro. But Zesiro jumped over it and continued to come at Gumm. No matter which way Gumm swung his sword Zesiro dodged it. Soon Zesiro was straight up in Gumm's face. Zesiro unleashed a salvo of slices after salvo of slice. Gumm was having trouble guessing his next move, must less being able to bring his sword up in time to block.
Zesiro attacked every opening he got and with this close of range every second presented several openings. The sound of metal clashing with metal filled the air. The continuous noise clashing swords. Zesiro dug his swords into Gumm's body over and over again. Zesiro's blade caught onto Gumm's blade and knocked it straight from his hands. Gumm brought his hands up in a futile effort to block. Zesiro pointed his sword straight at Gumm's face and stood there.
Gumm looked up at Zesiro. Zesiro didn't even budge. "Aren't you going to finish me off? I lost my sword, I can't fight, you win." Each word was brought out heavily. Gumm was exhausted. For Zesiro to have rebounded from such a near-death exhaustion and hit with all that energy was amazing.
"And that's good enough for me," said Zesiro. He put both of his swords back and walked away. "I would never strike an unarmed man nor would I strike a man who has lost the spirit to fight."
Victor: Zesiro! The fight between Zesiro and Gumm is now over. I apologize to those who were expecting a three chapter epic fight! Also it is harder then you think to write a battle between Swordsmen. I just kept wanting to say slice! CUT! Slash!