Chapter 3: Battle and Truth

As Welthow finished her song, the Geats got ready for sleep. Beowulf stood up and began taking off his armor.

"Lord Beowulf, what are you doing?" Welthow gasped.

"The beast has no armor, no weapons." Beowulf explained as his mail-shirt fell to the floor. "And I have all the weapon i need. We shall fight as equals, and fate, shall decide."

Genevra gasped as Welthow ran away in silent tears. She was not worried for her queen, or for Beowulf, but rather Grendel. If Beowulf was confident enough to fight butt-naked, then there was no doubt that her older brother didn't stand a chance.

Oh, how she wished she could go up to the moors and try to warn him again.

"You're mad, my lord." Wiglaf glared at his friend disapprovingly as the warrior laid on the ground.

Genevra nodded, having to agree with the red bearded man.

"Good-night, Wiglaf." Beowulf said in his sleep.

"And what is it that we're supposed to do while you sleep?" Wiglaf frowned.

"Sing, loudly!"

"You heard him, he wants us to sing. Come on. Get up and sing!"

Genevra couldn't believe it as the Geats began to sing a loud song. They were trying to provoke Grendel. Trying to lure him in. And she couldn't do a thing but hope and pray that her brother took her advice.

Suddenly, heavy knocks from the locked hall doors startled the Geats to silence. The knocking continued, and the Geats laughed.

"Grendel knocks." They laughed.

"That must be my sweet Vanessa, coming for more." Laughed one of them as he approached the door.

"My lord." Wiglaf whispered to Beowulf, who stayed asleep.

"Patience. Patience my love." Said the warrior as the knocking continued.

At that moment, Beowulf opened his eyes. Wiglaf gasped and yelled at the clueless warrior.

"No!" He screamed, but it was too late.

Grendel broke the door in, causing the lights to go out and the blue fire to light. He cried in agony as he cradled his right arm, which he used to break the door down.

"No!" Genevra cried, causing her brother to look at her.

"It's a monster!" Cried the Geats. "Get him!"

"No! Storebror!" Genevra cried as the Geats attacked.

The Geats were no match for the demon that had entered the hall. He killed them easily without any effort. Genevra was grateful, but now, he had Beowulf to face.

She watched as man and monster battled it out. She prayed to God to let her brother be victorious in this battle. Grendel had Beowulf by his arms, slowly pulling him apart, but the man's war cry harmed the demon's sensitive ears, making him drop the man as he covered them, screaming in pain.

Beowulf saw this and screamed again, but a single kick to the face got him to shut up.

Beowulf was down, but he was not out. He jumped back up and climbed onto Grendel's back, punching the poor demon in his sensitive ear.

"No!" Genevra shrieked as Beowulf broke her brother's ear open.

"The demon shrieks, he shrieks!" Wiglaf cried in victory.

Beowulf somersaulted off of Grendel's back, landing on one of the chandeliers. He looked down at the demon and shouted a war cry.

"Storebror! Retreat!" Genevra shouted.

Grendel nodded and ran, whimpering as he tried to escape. But Beowulf would not let him go so easily. He followed the monster, jumping the banisters, catching up to him quickly.

He grabbed one of the chandeliers and pulled it down, swinging it towards Grendel.

"Demon!"

Grendel held up his left arm, trying to block Beowulf's attack. But all that he did was break the wooden chandelier, allowing his arm to be wrapped by the chain.

"Run, Storebror, run!" Genevra cried, tears falling down her face.

Grendel shouted, continuing to try and run away. But Beowulf was too strong for him. He grabbed the chain, swung it around a pole, and with Wiglaf's help, locked him in place with his arm in the doorway.

"No!" Genevra shouted in defeat, dropping to her knees.

Beowulf was suspicious of why the young child was so caring of the monster. He would have to ask her later. Right now, he had something more important to do. He went over to the door and slammed it on Grendel's arm repeatedly.

"You cold, heartless, creature!" He hissed. "Your days of terror are over, demon!"

"I'm not a demon, Geat!" Grendel cried.

"It speaks. It speaks!"

"Who are you?!"

"I am ripper, tearer, slasher, gouger. I am the teeth in the darkness. The talons in the night. Mine is strength and lust and power. I AM BEOWULF!"

Beowulf was about to slam the door again, but before he could, Genevra screamed.

"STOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOP!" She screamed, causing the whole hall to shake and make everybody cover their ears.

"AAAAAAAA! GENEVRA!" Grendel shrieked. "HARMFUL!"

"I'm sorry Grendel," Genevra apologized. "But I couldn't let Beowulf kill you."

"Genevra, you're letting them know!" Grendel gasped.

"I don't care! If this is what it takes to keep you alive, then I'll let the whole world know! I can't lose you! You're my brother. I love you, and I need you, brother."

The Geats gasped at these words, but Beowulf acted as if he knew all along.

"In other words, Beowulf," Genevra turned to the Geat warrior, standing between him and Grendel. "If you kill him, then you'll have to kill me too."

"No, sister!" Grendel gasped. "Do not sacrifice yourself for me!"

"I have to, or he'll kill you. Unless…"

Genevra took a shaky breath. She couldn't believe what it was she was about to say.

"Unless you leave, Grendel." She said to him. "You leave and you never come back."

"Genevra," Grendel gasped.

"No! You can't keep coming back." She shook her head. "You keep coming back and you'll be killed."

Genevra gulped, trying to hold back tears. Her brother was doing the same.

"But, what about you, Lillesøster?" He asked with a chokey voice.

"I'll be fine as long as I know you're alive. Please, just go and never come back."

Grendel nodded, and with a broken heart, turned tail to the moors. Genevra stood, watching her brother leave for good, silent tears running down her face.

"Genevra." She jumped at Beowulf's voice.

Hesitantly, she turned to look at him, the man that will now surely kill her now that he knew what she was.

"So, that's why he would not harm you." Beowulf nodded at her.

"Aren't you going to kill me now?" Genevra gulped, afraid of the answer.

"Of course not." He surprised her. "Just because you are Grendel's sister, that does not make you a monster. You are a human, a Dane, with a cursed brother."

"Can you be certain that Grendel will obey you?" Wiglaf asked.

"Of course." Genevra nodded before looking back out. "He knows that I know best, even though I am the younger sibling."