“How can you not DIIIIE!!!” he shouted. He dashed towards Biggo and began striking him with his long sabre. Biggo defended every single strike and launched some of his own. The fight continued on as they danced around in the air. After an exchange of more than a hundred strikes, no one seemed to be able to dominate the other apart from the occasional slashes from Deth that did not seem to affect Biggo in any way. They were at a draw. Finkler was amused. From behind, he heard someone, or rather, a group of some people were approaching.
“My, my, my, my. What a mess. Who’s going to pay for all these? Aah, my dear sir, I hope that you’re not hurt. Otherwise, the losses would be insurmountable.”
Looking back, Finkler saw the person who had just spoken was a middle-aged human, dressed smartly in a khaki long overcoat, dark brown suits and a military officer hat. He definitely looked genial and youthful. From the way that he talked, Finkler presumed that he was the Officer with the Housing Board.
“Do I know you?”
“Perhaps not. But I do know you. You’re sir Finkler, the owner of many establishments here in Cairns. Your father, or rather, stepfather, sir Quindor Quiril has made known to us your presence.”
“That’s good.” Finkler now could see clearly that behind the man was a squad of guards each carrying a portable mortar cannon. These mortars could fire shells of any kind.
“I brought our esteemed guards. They are with the cannon squad. Please be so kind as to call your … er … black friend back and we’ll proceed to bombard the other one with the red shells here.” He turned one of the guards around to show Finkler the shells.
The cylindrical containers, as thick as an arm, with a red cap, was strapped, four to each, on the backpack of the guards together with the bipods and base plates. Finkler thought that once the order was given, the guards would speedily assemble the mortar contraptions and fire, bombing everything out of the sky.
“I need him alive.”
“You need him alive,” he said it almost in a whisper, contemplated, and continued “In that case, it would be a rather cumbersome undertaking. Some injuries and mortalities may result from it. But, consider it done my good sir.”
He gave the order to the captain of the guards and he shouted, “Send the Avian Assault Troop. Keep the thing alive.” A relay of the message was then formed and its echoes could be heard coming faintly from the edge of the Cliff Town.
A squad of air attack troop were seen flying out from the cliff, about twelve of them. Quickly, they surrounded the two in every direction. Deth saw them and with a smirk on his face, he said, “You think these featherbrains will stop me? Think again.” The assault troop was actually a squad of birdmen.
Hurricane Sabre.
Deth began with a sweeping slash to the side and very quickly, by spinning in his own axis, he created a whirlwind of sabres that would cut everything in its path to pieces. Deth attacked the outermost birdman. Alone, this birdman would not stand a chance. He would breakthrough the aerial blockade and escape. Biggo dashed out at an acute angle from Deth’s path and made a horizontal cut of his own but he was too far out from Deth that his sword, although long and oversized would never hit him and by a long margin at that.
Out of the expectation of everyone watching, except Finkler, Biggo’s sword suddenly grew; it extended itself in length and in width. By the time that it almost hit Deth, the sword was so comically enormous that Biggo looked like a tiny dwarf swinging a gigantic pole. The blades met and a huge booming sound blasted through the air.
Biggo’s Big Sweep vs Deth’s Hurricane Sabre.
In the end, Biggo succeeded in knocking back Deth thereby stopping his escape but Biggo’s big sword was cracked and chipped at the point where the blades met. On the contrary, Deth’s sabre was all fine. But he was stunned and furious. The runes on his body glowed wildly. Biggo’s sword shrunk back to its usual oversized length and Biggo dashed towards Deth and struck him. Deth blocked the strike, their weapons locked onto each other. He punched Biggo in the face. Surprisingly, his fist went straight into Biggo’s head. And, it was stucked there. Deth was unable to pull it out.
Then, one of the birdmen, probably the commander, shouted,
“Throw the net.”
The highest birdman on the outer surround began to throw a furled net which looked like a thick rope, to the birdmen besides him. Then, they unfurled by throwing the edges of the net to the birdmen hovering under them. Very quickly, a net covering the whole outer surround was formed completely blocking out Deth’s escape route. They cast it out with a great force. The net spread itself and like the claw of an eagle, fast, sharp and accurate, it caught the two within its grip.
Deth was alarmed but he was stuck unable to escape. But even if he was free, it was unlikely that he could as the net closed itself very rapidly on the other end. Two birdmen on the other side flew in to catch the closing edges and knot them together with a string, securely netting them within. Deth struggled, became mad but there was nothing he could do. Biggo, on the other hand, being a being of pure energy, rather like jelly, could not be caught by such triviality. He, sort of, melted out from the net, flowing through the spaces between the strings. Even the Hex disassembled into smaller pieces of Hexes, flowed out as Biggo melted out, and reassembled at Biggo’s short feet carrying him away from the net.
If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
The birdpeople were astounded by his escape. With Biggo gone, there was some free space within the net. Deth took the opportunity to slash the net but it did not break. This net was made of the Netting of Nettles, a type of fibre made by the inhabitants of the Heraclyde, a small town in the clumpy mountainous region at the heart of the Forest of Dorindur. The area specialized in the production of ropes and nets and also some very exotic smokes and medicines.
This type of fibre was tough and prickly. A secret charm was used to secure and strengthen the twines and to repel minor magic. Deth needed to do a lot more to break them apart but all was too late. The birdmen began to tighten the end by twisting and knotting it and very soon, it was impossible for Deth to even flap his wings. He began to lose his ability to fly and fell into the net. He struggled, screamed and cursed as they dragged the net away.
The birdsquad brought Deth, still trapped within the net, to the terrace where the Officer of the Board and Finkler stood waiting. Biggo was already standing beside him like a sentinel, standing guard. The sun was getting ready to rise up soon, so all matters pertaining to this attack must be wrapped up, otherwise, the incident would alarm the citizens and disturb the usual flow of business. The only thing that was ever important to any officers in the Cairns was the flow of business. They must ensure that the flow was non-stop for it meant that the flow of money was non-stop.
They dropped him on to the terrace with a loud crash.
“Aouww, watch it you featherbrains. Just wait, when I get out of this … this prick of a net, I’ll kill you all. Errgh, this net is infernal!” He was furious and agitated and the more agitated he was, the more the net pricked him with its minute thorns.
“Just stay calm, young sir. The more you move, the nastier it gets.”
“Eerrr, and who the fuck are you? You dare to hold me here?”
“Well, of course. You attack us. We are just … defending. If you gave a second thought about causing problem here, none of this would have happened. Now, who is your master?”
“I don’t have a master.” After he replied, he sat up properly with his legs crossed. The prickly pain was still unbearable. It was like a thousand fire ants, those infernal ants, were crawling and biting all over his body.
“Then why do you attack us?”
Deth glared at the officer who looked very polite, a paper pusher, an admin staff.
“Since you said that you don’t have a master, then you have to be acting on your own accord. So, why did you attack?”
Deth did not know how to reply. Indeed, he was sent by someone and he was thinking whether to reveal him.
“Well, my dear sir, we can do this the polite way or we can do this in another way, which I think, might not be that agreeable to you.”
“You, threatening me!”
“Errr, well, yes. Sir, in case you have not noticed, you’re in the net.” The officer looked at him with a very sincere pair of eyes and implored, “Please, cooperate and everything will proceed amicably. I’m not that fond of barbaric methods myself. Unless you leave me no choice.”
Finkler simply stood there, leaning against the balustrade, arms crossed and observing the affairs closely. There was a smile on his thin lips. He recognized a potential when he saw one.
“I ask again, why do you attack us? Since you don’t have a master, then it must be you. Why? What have we done to you? Or, what have sir Quin or sir Finkler done to you?”
Deth knew that he did not have options here. He was not keen on any of the excruciating tortures or elongated imprisonment. He had been confined long enough. “Alright, I’ll tell you. But you must set me free.”
“Erg, my dear sir, I really don’t think you have any leverage in the matter. You broke the Laws of the Cairns and you’ll be sent to the judge. I can only promise that nothing … out of the procedure of law will happen to you, if you cooperate.”
“O, you will want to know.”
“Do I? I believe, it’s the good sir over there that wanted to know. I’m only asking on behalf of him.” He looked at Finkler as an indication to Deth.
“Obviously, you are attacking or maybe you are kidnapping sir Quin. He is sir Quin’s stepson. I can always give you to him. And my problem is over. Hmm, maybe that’s what I should do.”
“No, you cannot give me to him and that black fat beast.” A certain rage blew up within Deth. It was fine to lose and be captured. He was only one and there were many of them. But to be passed around like some captured slaves in some deal, and to someone who could really hurt him, it was a definite no. From the prisoner of a state to a slave of some old fart, he would not have that.
“NO! You cannot give me to him.” He shouted adamantly.
“You surely have a peculiar way of begging. He may not even take you.”
“I’ll take him,” said Finkler crisply.
“Oh, that is so good of you sir to take this young sir from my hand.” The officer quickly walked over to Finkler and settled the whole thing with a firm handshake.
“WAIT! You cannot give me to him. I’ll tell you everything. EVERYTHING. You can find them and get your revenge.”
“Well sir, I have no wish to know. Whatever it is, my young sir, is between you and the good sir over here.”
“Wait! Wait! WAIT! Don’t you want someone to pay for all these damages.”
After perusing the condition for a while, the officer said that he could work something out. It would be much easier than the amount of paper work he needed to do for the court.
“Take him away. Put him in a temporary holding cell.” The officer ordered the guards and they dragged him away. Deth shouted and shrieked and wailed all the way to prison. The avian squad was dismissed and they flew back to their blocks. It was a job well done but there was no pride in their eyes. Perhaps, a little resentment, perceived Finkler.
“My dear sir, you can reclaim the young sir at the Central Penitentiary at the top. It’s on the east side. You should see it when you are on the exit route. This is not me asking you to leave Cairns. Please stay as long as you wish and enjoy yourself. In the meantime, we’ll look after the young sir for you. And when you leave, please sir, take him with you and also, please make sure that he never comes back. It’ll be particularly hazardous from him if he does.”
“I will. I believe I didn’t get your name.”
“I’m Officer Riley of the Housing Board of the Cities of the Cliff. Nice to meet you sir.” He extended his hand and Finkler shook it once again.
“Your service has been remarkable.”
“Why, thank you sir. It’s my duty to ensure the safety of all the residents and citizens of Cairns.”
“I will recompensate the board for the damages here.”
“There’s no need. We have budget for minor fixes. The Magebuilders of the city regularly cast protective spells on the foundations. So, there was no real costly damage. Only the bricks. We can pay for the bricks. Just, take him away, sir.”
“Then, thank you for your help”
“My pleasure.”
The whole matter ended rather pleasantly for everyone except for Master Deth, who was now locked up in a detention cell licking his wounds from the net and with a magic inhibiting collar called The Leash around his neck.