Chapter 8
There was no signal, there was no need for one. Our battle had started, and Floran was ready to attack. His weapon was a hammer, too big, too heavy, and easy to dodge. Floran's equipment is a shield and a single-handed sword. Lighter, faster, and Floran has used them for a very long time. Floran rushes towards Adjoda, shield facing forward, and sword ready to strike. Floran is fast, Adjoda stays in place, no signs of him preparing to block or to dodge. Floran is closer, Floran can see where to strike, but that's when instinct warns Floran. Without a second thought, Floran turns to the right and puts her shield forward, and blocks a strike. It was quick, too powerful, and the attack did no damage. However, Floran can feel the ground leave her, and in a few moments, Floran hits something solid. Floran rolls on it, before coming to a stop, Floran's back resting on something. Floran can see the trees reach far, into the horizon, beyond her hand's reach. Wait a minute, that's not the horizon, that's the sky, and this solid thing is…the ground. Floran quickly sits up, looks forward, and Floran can see Adjoda, from the same distance that we started.
"Surprised? You should be, it's not very often that Floran fights against another Floran," says Adjoda with a smile on his face. "However, if that's the best you can do, then it's not a fight. Floran would just call this an execution." Floran doesn't need to hear any more of this. Floran quickly gets up from the ground and approaches Adjoda. Floran keeps enough distance between her and Adjoda, so that his hammer won't be able to reach Floran. He doesn't seem to care how far Floran is from his reach, he simply keeps smiling, but that's not what makes Floran worry. It's the fact that Adjoda seems completely relaxed, no signs of his guard being up, he doesn't seem to feel threatened.
"You must be afraid. Floran doesn't blame you, but that will make it too boring for everyone," says Adjoda.
"Floran doesn't care about that," says Floran.
"Then how about this." As soon as Adjoda finishes saying that, he rests his hammer on his shoulder, and beckons Floran. "I'll let you attack, and Floran won't defend himself." He's mocking Floran, but it won't get to Floran. Then again, Floran could take advantage of his confidence, and use it against him. Floran gets closer, keeping an eye on him and his hammer. Another step, he shows no signs of attack or defense, but Floran's sword can't reach yet. One final step, Floran is within reach, but will not rush into a full attack. Floran will test things out with a quick thrust of my sword. Adjoda surprises Floran, he did keep to his word and he didn't fight back, but he didn't let Floran hit him. He dodged the attack with just a small turn of his body. Floran tries with another trust, and Adjoda dodges again. Floran tries again and again, but none of them connects. Floran tries to swing with her sword, which was a mistake because Adjoda grabs Floran's wrist, and uses Floran's momentum to throw me to the ground. Floran quickly gets up from the ground, with the sword pointing towards Adjoda. He's still smiling, he doesn't see Floran as a threat, he only sees a toy.
"Well, that was entertaining, and while you show brains, you still have no chance of victory," says Adjoda, and he might be right…No, Floran should not think like that. Yuki's life is at stake, Floran cannot and will not give up.
"Talk all you want, Adjoda, but Floran will save Yuki. One way or the other." Adjoda's smile doesn't go away.
"Well, it seems Floran will not see you beg for mercy, and that's okay." Adjoda grabs his hammer in both hands. "Floran has better thing to do right now."
Adjoda charges towards Floran, and Floran moves towards him. He swings with his hammer, but Floran blocks and spins with the blow. Then, Floran tries to swing with Floran's sword, but he quickly ducks, and gets up with a headbutt to Floran's face. Floran has no time to stagger, and Floran is no stranger to pain. Also, Adjoda throws another swing at Floran, but Floran rolls away. However, after Floran finished rolling, he kicked Floran's chest, while Floran was getting up from the ground. Floran is on her back, and Adjoda brings down his hammer towards Floran, but she rolls to the side. Floran quickly gets up from the ground, and charges towards Adjoda, but he dodges the attack and threw Floran over. Floran gets on her knees, just in time to see Adjoda swings his hammer again. Floran blocks it with Floran's shield, but Floran is sent flying again. Floran rolls on the ground before quickly getting up, and charges towards Adjoda. Floran doesn't even get the chance to swing before Floran is just punched in the face, and falls back to the ground.
"Floran has to say, you have a lot of spirit," says Adjoda, but Floran tries not to pay attention to him. Flora has to get back on her feet. "Too bad it was wasted on the fish girl." It's difficult, but Floran can get up, Floran can still fight. Floran turns around, and looks Adjoda in the eye.
"Her name…is Yuki," says Floran.
"Doesn't really matter, her name will become food very soon." Floran doesn't want to hear anymore from him, and attacks with her sword, but he catches Flroan's wrist. He hits Floran's arm, making Floran drop her sword, and punches Floran's face. Floran's consciousness wants to leave, but Floran refuses to let it go. Floran tries to attack with her shield, but he simply stops Floran's attack with one hand, and uses the other to punch Floran in the stomach. It hurt, it took everything for Floran not to puke, but Floran can feel hands grab Floran's head, and a knee coming to Floran's face. That was all it was needed to bring Floran back to the ground. Floran's legs wouldn't keep Floran up, everything hurt and everything is blurry.
"And so, here we are. With me on top, and you to the ground," says Adjoda and Floran feels a kick to Floran's ribs. Floran feels more than that, Floran can feel a rib broken, and Floran groans in pain. Floran rests on Floran's other side, in an attempt to avoid putting pressure on Floran's damaged area. "It's a waste, all that loyalty, and it's used on the wrong thing." Floran isn't even looking at him, Floran can't see anything right now. Floran can only feel pain, Floran can feel Floran's face bleed. Floran can hear the hunters around us, they're cheering for Floran's pain, for Adjoda's victory. Floran just lies on the ground, waits for the pain to lessen enough to get back in the fight.
"Seba!" That voice, that's Yuki's voice. Floran can her footsteps, they're approaching, and they stop close to Floran. "Seba, talk to me!" Floran can feel a hand behind Floran's head, and it's lifted gently. Floran looks up, and focuses on the image in front of Floran's eyes.
"Yuki?" Says Floran.
"It's all right, Seba. You did enough," says Yuki, and Floran can feel drops fall on Seba's face. That's strange, there was no clouds in the sky. "You don't have to do this anymore." Oh, Floran knows now, those aren't simple drops, those are tears.
"This is just so precious!" Floran can hear the barely contained laugh in Adjoda's voice. "You're the most pathetic hunter in the history of this tribe." Floran can see Adjoda taking a step closer towards Yuki and Floran. Then, Floran can feel Yuki pressing Floran's head closer to her. That seems to make Adjoda laugh, and the hunters around us laugh with him.
"Just leave her alone. It's me you want, not her," says Yuki.
"Floran must be crazy to be talking with prey, but it doesn't really matter." Floran can't see well, but Floran can hear fingers snap. "Floran wants to kill both of you now. Then again, Floran was going to do that anyways. Now hold still, and I'll make sure to end this in a single blow." Then, Floran's vision is blocked by Yuki. She pulled Floran even closer to her, and Floran can't do anything to stop this.
"Close your eyes, Seba. You can rest now," says Yuki, and Floran wants to move, wants to prevent this, but can't. Body is too tired, too weak, too hurt to manage anything. Floran does what Yuki says, and closes eyes.
Yuki, Floran is sorry. Good bye.