Chapter 23: Fural

Fural's vision filled with the bright light of energy swords clashing in front of him. Dom wasn't holding back like he had with every other duel. Fural used his full strength against his brother's barrage of sword swings, parrying each one just as they hit.

Dom, or rather the creature controlling him, seemed to have endless strength. Each swing pushed Fural back and fatigued him. The fact that he was just recently shot in his shoulder wasn't helping either. But no matter how many times Dom pushed against him, he was sure his guard wouldn't break.

Even if Fural wasn't the greatest at using his sword for offence, he could always hold his own against his brother. Even if it wasn't always for long. He watched his brother's attacks carefully, seeing through the flurry of sword swings. Dom wasn't going to let up, and he was too fast for Fural to be able to get a hit in.

He had never seen his brother fight like this. He wanted to believe it was the thing that was controlling him, but his moves were even more aggressive, and even more thought out than they had been before. It was almost like Dom himself was fighting him.

Dom must have held himself back in every previous duel. Back then there had been a need to win, but they always held themselves back so they wouldn't actually harm each other. That was why Fural lost. Fural could kill a hundred humans without thinking about it, but he could never have killed, or even harmed his older brother.

But now he didn't have a choice. The thing that had been Dom was out for Fural's blood. He wasn't going to stop until Fural was either in pieces, or a Flood-infected monster like him. Fural grunted, and pushed his guard against another attack from Dom. As he pushed his brother back, he lifted a foot and kicked his legs out from under him.

Dom fell onto the ground, and Fural took the moment to back away. A move like that against the real Dom would have gotten his leg cut off. Maybe this infected creature wasn't like his brother at all.

The thing that had been Dom quickly pushed itself back up. Fural cursed at himself for not taking the moment to strike and kill him. But now that he had pushed the creature back, he could take up the offensive.

Fural rushed forward and took a swing at Dom, which was met with a swift parry. He swung again, aiming to barrage the thing the same way that it had barraged him. Fural swung and jabbed, each time being blocked or parried. Dom swung back before Fural could hit him again, and Fural brought up his guard to block the blow.

Dom pushed Fural back with each blow, pushing him further and further away from the entrance to the containment facility. Fural began to back up on his own. He decided he could use the swamp against Dom. He wasn't sure how yet, but he would figure it out once they were in position.

The flurry of sword swings cut apart the foliage around them as they fought through the swamp, leaving burning remnants of trees and bushes in their path. Fural felt his feet sink into the ground as he moved back. Dom began pushing him into a clearing.

Fural looked for the gaps in Dom's attacks, there had to be another chance to knock him back. He couldn't kick him again or he would definitely lose a leg. He blocked another blow from Dom and he started pushing him back again.

Fural bared his teeth and grunted. He locked the blades of his sword with Dom's and pushed with all his strength. He pushed Dom's sword to the side, and formed a fist with his free hand. He thrust his arm forward, his fist sinking into the wet rotting flesh of the thing in Dom's chest. When his fist connected he kept pushing, he wasn't going to stop until the thing popped.

But he didn't get to. Dom fell back and onto the muddy ground. He didn't get back up instantly, so at least that was a good sign. Fural raised his energy sword for the finishing blow, but again, he couldn't do it. He kept thinking of the thing as his brother. That he could snap out of whatever trance he was in. He had to tell himself that wasn't going to happen.

"Dom," Fural said. The thing that had been his brother started twitching. He knew it wasn't dead yet. "I'm sorry. If you're in there, then please forgive me for what I must do."

Dom slowly got back onto his feet this time, as if there was some part of him that was still in there. He ignited his sword and crouched, seeming to wait for Fural's next move.

Fural grunted. Dom had always told him to never make the first move unless he knew his opponent. He had no idea what the thing that had been his brother was doing, but he knew he would have to make the next move.

The thing that had been Dom still was him in a sense. It used all the same moves, and it seemed to have his knowledge as well. Fural's mind continuously bounced between seeing it as a monster, and seeing it as his brother.

Fural raised his sword, ready to lunge at the creature and take it out. And just as he moved forward, it disappeared. He jammed the blades of his sword into the tree that was behind it. He pulled the sword out instantly and moved back.

What happened? Fural wondered to himself. He heard the sound of heavy footsteps in the wet ground, and he looked to his side. Mud parted as invisible footsteps were dragged through the ground. Does it know how to use Dom's camouflage?

Fural watched where the ground and foliage parted, tracking the creature's movements. It began to circle him, just like Dom had when they were training in the crashed human ship. Fural hadn't been able to see him then, but now he could track his movements.

The footsteps stopped, and suddenly a tree started shaking. Fural raised his sword in a guard stance as the creaking of wood startled him. Twigs and branches snapped off from the tree, and then it stopped shaking.

Silence. Fural intently watched the tree as it slowly bent under the weight of the invisible Dom against it. Seconds later the tree shifted again, and Fural raised his sword just as he saw Dom's sword ignite in front of him. Their blades clashed, and Fural was knocked down.

Fural felt his back sink into the ground. It certainly wasn't ideal terrain for a fight like this. He watched the floating sword approach him and he raised his sword as it came down, blocking it just before it could hit him.

He pushed up and knocked Dom away. He pressed his hand into the ground and slowly pushed himself back onto his feet, though it took considerable effort. In the time it took to get back up, Fural had lost track of Dom. Footsteps surrounded the clearing, it was almost impossible to tell where the invisible creature was standing now.

Fural braced for an attack from any direction, and closed his eyes. Use your awareness, Dom's voice echoed in his head. Be cautious of your surroundings.

The crackle of an energy sword sounded behind him. Fural ducked and turned at an incredible speed. He swung with his sword, aiming to parry a blow from Dom, but his blade caught something else instead.

The creature that had been Dom squealed as it ran past Fural, he heard the sound of something heavy dropping onto the ground. Fural looked down, and there was the creature's arm embedded in the soil. The rotten flesh-covered arm. The shoulder burned, sizzling in the wet ground.

Fural looked up and saw the creature, it had deactivated the camouflage. Dom stood there, his face as lifeless as it had ever been. The tendrils protruding from his chest frantically flailed around. The creature was definitely hurt, but it didn't seem like it was going to stop any time soon.

A low growl came from Dom as he started taking steps to Fural's side. He cut down a tree with his sword as he bumped into it. It was definitely angry, and it was weakened. Fural bared his teeth and raised his sword.

Dom lunged at Fural, slamming his sword against Fural's guard so hard that it pushed him back. Fural stumbled, almost falling again, but he caught himself. Dom lunged again, and Fural felt his back slam into a tree behind him.

When he saw Dom pull his arm back for another swing, Fural took a swing. Their swords clashed with a force that pushed them both away from each other. Fural took a step back, and the creature did the same.

Fural was getting tired, and the pain in his shoulder was flaring up again. He had no idea how much longer he could keep going, but he knew the creature that had been Dom would never tire out. It wasn't going to stop until he was dead.

Fural pulled his arm back, levelling the blades of his sword with the creature's chest, and the creature echoed his movement. I will fight. Or I will die. Either way, this nightmare will end.

Fural rushed forward, jumping at the halfway point between him and the creature. The creature jumped back at him, and swung forward with its sword. Time seemed to slow as Fural focused, or maybe he just figured that he was about to die.

As he saw the creature's sword swing, Fural twisted his arm. The blades of Fural's sword passed through the gap in between the blades of Dom's sword, and Fural pushed forward. His blades cut through Dom's hilt, sliced his wrist, and sunk into his chest.

Fural pushed his blades through the creature, and twisted the sword. He felt the creature inside Dom's chest pop just before they hit the ground. Fural knelt on the ground, unmoving as he gasped for air.

He sat there for a whole minute. Nothing moved. The only sounds were the wind breezing through the trees, and the distant streams lapping against the ground. He slowly looked over to his right. Dom laid there, lifeless and motionless with the blade stuck in his chest.

Fural deactivated his sword, and pulled his hand away. It was covered in blood, and the goo that secreted from the Flood. It was disgusting, but he didn't care. He killed his brother. Nothing else mattered now.

Stop saying that! Fural said to himself. You didn't kill him. The Flood did.

He rested a hand on Dom's back, and pushed his head up. He looked into his brother's lifeless eyes, hoping he was still there somewhere. But he still felt grateful knowing there was nothing of his brother left in the creature.

You didn't kill me. Dom's voice said in Fural's mind. He talked as if he was actually there. You avenged me. The Flood took my life, and you took it back from them.

Fural closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He let go of his brother's body and stood, taking the broken hilt of his blade with him. He tried igniting Dom's blade, but it was of no use. He sighed and attached it to his belt before igniting his own blade.

"Brother," Fural said out loud. "You taught me everything I know. For that, I am grateful. You have died with honour as a fellow warrior."

Fural turned his hand, staring at the glowing blade in front of him. He crouched down next to Dom's body. "The parasite will use you no more. Your name will be called in the Hall of Eternity."

Fural swung his blade one last time, slicing the remains of Dom's body clean in half. If he had the means to start a fire, he would have. But there was nothing more he could do for his brother except for remembering him.

He put his sword away, turned, and walked away from the containment facility. Leaving the nightmares down there, and the monster his brother had turned into, behind. He pushed through the foliage and signalled to Jors to pick him up.

Fural will remember his brother.