Hallik

Hallik dodged around two quick slashes from the draugr. Sefrid was bold enough to attempt a jab at its side, but it deflected his fish knife and lashed back at him. He jumped away just in time to avoid the saber’s edge. Hallik was still stunned. Never in his wildest imagination could he have realized that such a deteriorated body would be able to move with such haste.

Hallik ducked another slash, dragging the edge of his knife across the draugr’s wrist. The blade tore at the exposed flesh and grated against the bone beneath, but the draugr was undeterred. It stabbed toward Hallik’s midsection as Sefrid took a low swing that scraped against the draugr’s hip.

Hallik stepped backwards, nearly tripping over a discarded crate. He looked over his shoulder at Sefrid’s retreating parents. Elowyn had already caught up and would be well beyond them in no time. It was extremely fortunate that she’d chosen today to start being more considerate.

“Did you notice how your parents ran away without even saying goodbye,” Hallik said without looking at Sefrid.

“Of course not,” Sefrid said. “Goodbyes are for the dead, and I am very much alive.”

“Goodbye, Sefrid!” his father’s voice yelled back at them from the docks.

Hallik grunted. “That doesn’t bode well.”

A slash from the draugr caught Sefrid on the upper arm, a bit of his blood flicking into the air. He gasped and stumbled back. “No, it does not.” His eyes were wide.

The draugr’s jaw unhinged mechanically to one side and its pale, milky eyes widened as if it were excited to see Sefrid’s blood. The air grew colder as the wind increased, rain coming down ever harder.

Neither Hallik nor Sefrid had been in a real fight before. Sure, they’d accidentally drawn blood, but nothing like this.

A deep groan escaped the draugr’s throat and it attacked with unending vigor. It stepped into each of its attacks, drawing closer to Sefrid. Hallik kept trying to attack from behind but it was always able to whip back toward him with unnatural speed. He snatched up a crate and hurled it at the draugr, shattering it across the creature’s back. It may as well have been a grain of sand, for the draugr paid no mind.

Sefrid continued backing away, dodging as best as he could against the draugr’s onslaught. They needed to last long enough for Elowyn to get the Grimnirs.

A slash of the draugr’s sword nearly took off Sefrid’s head, but he ducked away just in time.

Hallik took a tentative jab at the draugr’s back, blade cutting cloth and scraping against its ribcage. Undaunted, it raised its sword in both hands before battering down on Sefrid. Sefrid used the knife to deflect the blow just well enough for him to roll to the side, but his weapon was knocked from his grip, jabbing into the sand.

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The draugr didn’t slow. It hacked again. Sefrid barely moved in time, pulling his legs away as the sword dug a thin trench where his body had been.

Hallik needed to end this. They wouldn’t last long enough for the Grimnirs to arrive. He gripped his fish knife in both hands and leapt at the draugr’s back.

Still ignoring Hallik, the draugr stomped down on Sefrid’s leg, preventing him from getting away.

Hallik came down, driving the weapon hard towards the draugr’s neck. It ducked at the last moment, its weapon whipping across Sefrid’s chest. Hallik missed his target, the knife burying into the muscle around the draugr’s scapula.

The abomination no longer ignored Hallik, but slammed its arm back, cracking Hallik across his chest. He was thrown back by the force, slapping down against the cold, wet sand as more rain pummeled against his face. His breath came in short gasps as he rose up on his elbows. Sefrid had gotten to his feet, stumbling away, holding a hand over his wound.

The draugr lurched towards Hallik, its jaw moving as though words would emerge. The words came after a slight delay, as if it took great effort to summon air from whatever desiccated lungs it had. A deep, whispering voice rushed across Hallik’s face, but he couldn’t understand the words. His knife was still embedded in the draugr’s back. He grasped around him, hoping to find something to fight with, but his fingers only closed around the slippery flesh of a fish that had fallen from a basket in their haste to retreat. Not much of a weapon.

That left him defenseless.

If only he was already a Grimnir. Why did they need to wait before entering the cave? This whole fight hadn’t lasted long enough. They’d barely bought any time for Elowyn to contact the guards. If they abandoned the beach now, the draugr would be free to wreak havoc on the docks. He couldn’t let that happen. But he also couldn’t let the draugr kill his friend.

Something about the draugr’s voice made Hallik’s limbs feel sluggish. He huffed and struggled to his feet. As the draugr came and stood in front of him, Hallik held the fish held out in his hand as though it were a weapon.

The draugr paused, looking at the fish, mouth agape as if considering whether or not it was a threat, its voice faltering.

“Run, Sefrid,” Hallik shouted, but a quick glance showed that Sefrid had fallen to his hands and knees only a few paces away. Perhaps that wound had been worse than he’d thought. Without another thought, he hurled the fish at the draugr, its wet scaled body slapping against its face.

Hallik dodged around the undead creature and sprinted toward Sefrid. He dove to one knee, scooping his friend up from under his arms, helping him to rise. “Let’s go. I think we’ve delayed it long enough,” he said.

“You should go, Hallik,” Sefrid said, eyes sad. “I will die.”

Hallik shook his head. “No.” They only took one step before something wet and hard crashed into the back of Hallik’s knee, dropping him back down. The fish. The draugr had hurled it at him.

The draugr’s voice came again, stronger this time. Hallik’s limbs grew cold in an instant. He groaned, losing his grip on Sefrid.

Hallik looked back, but the draugr was already upon them. He dropped to dodge a swing of its sword, but it turned its blank eyes to Sefrid, who rolled to his back, looking up at his demise.

“No,” Hallik muttered.

Sefrid gave Hallik one last look before saying, “Goodbye.”