Chapter 15
Sam kicked the doors to Kale’s war room, shattering them and knocking pieces across the room. She saw two women diving out of the way of the broken shards. Putting her hand on her chest she took a deep breath to steady herself.
Too strong.
Striding into the room she slammed her hands down on the table knocking over the kava cups. Three of Kale’s generals had their swords out and pointed at Sam. Another two were picking themselves up off the floor. “I want to join you when you attack the humans,” she said to the shocked orcs around the table.
Kale’s scowl deepened. “What do you mean, Samantha?” He crossed his arms across his chest.
“I want to go home to London and the only way I can do that is to return to the kingdom of Relancia. Unless you have a portal here?” She raised her eyebrow and mentally kicked herself. Why hadn’t she asked that before?
“Sorry, we don’t have that magic here,” Kale responded.
Sam clicked her tongue. “Didn’t think so. Not that I’d use it even if you did. It wouldn’t be right, to leave you here in the middle of a war.”
She cleared her throat. “I’ll help you fight Akira and his men. He wants me dead. If I’m there he’ll be distracted and easier to defeat. I’m also strong and a good fighter. I can be a great help.”
The Demon King looked away. She knew he was thinking about her proposal. The war room was even more crowded than before. The press of people was suffocating and it didn’t help that many were cleaning up the mess she made.
Sam raised her fingernail to her mouth and thrust it back to the table, knocking the cups over again. “It’s the only logical choice. Akira is strong, I’m stronger and I can draw him out in a way no one else can”.
“Thank you for your offer of assistance, but I’m afraid we’ll have to decline, Samantha. We will face the hero’s army, and I” — Kale tapped his chest— “will be the one to engage him in battle.”
“You can’t do it. It’s my fault Akira’s here and it’s my responsibility to deal with him.” Sam pounded her chest, her shoulder twinging. She’d forgotten about the arrow. Healer’s wrap had removed all the immediate pain, but it was still there, waiting. She glared at Kale and thrust herself up taller. “You can’t change my mind.”
Kale sighed, “I see you are determined to put yourself in harm’s way. Very well, I’ll make you a deal. If you defeat me in a mock battle, no magic, I’ll allow you to participate, as I see fit. However, If I win, you will abide by my decision. Is that acceptable?” Kale held out his hand, palm up.
“It’s a deal.” Sam spat into her hand, grabbed Kale’s and gave it a shake. She stood back, grinning as he stared at her, in a rictus of surprise.
“I’ll get Hobbi to prepare the field.” Sam whirled around and left the room. Outside the war room, she let out the breath she had been holding in.
“It worked.” She overheard a commotion coming from the war room and turned back.
“Why did she spit into her hand like that?” A voice said.
“Good God! Get the Demon King something to wipe his hands. He must wash them immediately!” Another voice shouted.
“He’s catatonic! Quick bring Healer now. Lord Kale’s gone into shock.”
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The large deep blue grass stretched across the inner field of the castle. Typically used for ceremonial fights, Hobbi had been able to prepare everything within an hour. Sam still couldn’t get over the hue of the grass. After the black forest and the orange sky, this was the strangest thing she had ever seen. When she felt it, the touch reminded her of the grass back home. Bringing her hand to her nose brought the tang of cut, wet grass. It was refreshing and energizing all at once.
Sam turned to the opposite side of the field. Kale was taking off a black coat and putting on some leather armour. While she hadn’t seen his fight with Akira, she’d heard Kale was able to face him as an equal, maybe as a better.
“Are you trying to eat the grass? Are you sick? Should I get Healer to look at you?” Hobbi asked. His insincerity was clear from his scowl. He still hadn’t forgiven her for hurting Lord Kale’s pride and didn’t want this fight to happen.
Sam sighed and looked down at the goblin. “No, I’m fine. Just trying to get myself ready.” She was wearing green, turtle shell shoulder guards, and a simple leather breastplate. She’d tried to break the shoulder guards earlier, but they resisted any attempt to shatter them. Kale had worn something similar when they attacked the last time. When she ran her hands across her breastplate, she could feel how supple it was, and although a little tight across the shoulders, it wasn’t too heavy and allowed her easy movement.
There was a selection of weapons in front of her, from swords to whips. She was most familiar with the mace though and hefted a wooden one in the air. “Is there a shield around here?”
“On the other side.” Hobbi pointed to the selection. “Please use your eyes, rather than your mouth, to look.”
“Hey! Watch your tone. That wasn’t very nice.” Sam pounded her fist into her hand. Things were working out for once. She was healed, apart from her shoulder, her mind was clear and the situation wasn’t going downhill. If forcing her way into the battle was the only solution, then that’s what she would do.
“I’m not here to be nice. I’m here to see my Lord isn’t killed by a barbarian who thinks just because she’s strong, she should have a say in how we live our lives.” Hobbi checked that Sam was ready. “Good. Let’s get this farce over with.”
Sam didn’t respond to the goblin. Instead, she permitted him to walk her to the center of the field, in silence.
She needed to protect this place. When she travelled with Akira’s party there was always an underlying tension. Like they were a short step from killing each other. Here, Sam could be herself and not have to worry about what others thought about her. They stared at her because she was different, human, not because she was a freak with insane strength. Sam liked being here. She needed to protect this place and didn’t want to see it destroyed.
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First, she had to beat Kale. That was the only way they would allow her to participate. She watched him join her in the center of the field. It was quiet. The only people here were Hobbi, a few pages and several of Kale’s generals. The red sun framed his large body making him seem like a giant. Sam tightened her grip on her mace and stepped forward.
“You both know the rules?” Hobbi asked from the small box set in the center of the field. Sam and Kale nodded. “Very well then. No killing, please. The first to give up loses. Good luck.” Hobbi jumped down and picked up the box.
“Thank you,” Sam said.
“I wasn’t talking to you,” Hobbi responded.
Sam felt her lip go up. She had to teach that goblin some manners. He couldn’t go around disrespecting her like that.
“Let it go. He is who he is and he doesn’t like you. You shouldn’t force him to change to what you think he should be.” Kale raised his sword.
“What do you mean? How can you know what I’m thinking.” Sam raised her shield.
“It’s written across your face. You are surprisingly open with your feelings. I was expecting more guile from humans.” His smile tugged at his tusks making him a little more attractive.
“I’m going to wipe that smile off your face,” promised Sam and stepped back into position. They each had to start ten paces apart.
“Come on! Let’s go.” Sam raised her mace and rushed the Demon King. She swung it at full strength, intending to shatter the orc’s sword. If she did that this match would be over. He was strong enough to take her power head-on and not flinch.
Kale met her swing and glanced it away. Reversing his swing he landed a blow on her shield, driving it back into her face.
“So much for a quick end,” Sam said.
“You talk too much. Would you like to stop, Samantha?” Kale asked, holding his sword steady, tip out.
Sam clenched her teeth and squatted, driving her feet into the ground. Springing up at Kale, she swung her mace at his face and switched it at the last moment to hit his side.
He still blocked he, sending the club back and leaving her left side exposed. Kale swung his sword down and smashed her shoulder guard with the edge. The shock forced her to drop the mace. She rolled away from the blade, sprung back to her feet and rubbed some feeling back into her arm. It felt like she was hit by lightning. The impact alone was near crippling, despite the guards.
“Dropping your weapon means you are dead, or will soon be,” Kale said, resting his sword across his arm. “You are not the best fighter, but you showed more skill last time.”
Setting her shield in front of her and gritting her teeth at the insult, Sam prepared to drive the king to his knees. She’d only used the mace to extend her reach. She would roll over him like the powerhouse she was.
“You should prepare yourself for my victory.” Sam ran forward low and raised her shield over her head, deflecting the sword blow. Using her strength, she plowed into him, driving Kale off his feet.
He spun in the air and landed on his side. Springing to his feet, he faced Sam. This time he favoured his right leg.
“I have you now!” Sam tried to knock Kale down again. She needed to reach her mace on the ground behind him to give her attack more power.
Kale avoided Sam’s charge and used the flat of his sword across her back as she passed.
Sam fell to her knees dropping her shield.
“You shouldn’t use the same attack twice, Samantha. All that does is tell your opponent what you will do.” Kale stood back without his limp.
“You tricked me,” Sam yelled. She grabbed her shield and mace and stood. “Damn you!”
“This is not a child’s game Samantha. This is life and death. If you can’t realize this fact, there is no place for you on the battlefield.” Kale stood ready to face her again.
She compared his stance to her own. She had learned some useful fighting methods that relied on her strength. When those didn’t work, she usually got upset and lost. She couldn’t let that happen here. She needed to face Akira.
She slowed her breathing and got her heartbeat under control, letting the anger seep out of her body. She raised her mace and again rushed the demon king. This time, she used her shield to deflect the sword’s blow and countered with her mace. Kale reversed his swing and aimed at her head. Sam got the shield up, blocking it, but was driven back. Dropping down, Sam tried to take out his knee. Kale danced back and again raised his sword.
As they circled each other, Sam ground her teeth in frustration. She hated to be on the losing side of anything. When that happened, she’d double down on her position and push herself even harder to achieve her desired outcome. She never gave up. Often that would mean a long, drawn-out battle where she overwhelmed the enemy, without ever coming out on top.
In the whole battle, the demon king had never once initiated the attack. Sam had been charging his position. She tried to take him down, and all he did was defend himself, taking opportunities to land hits when the opportunity was available. He was too good for her. She could never touch Akira either when they had their mock battles unless she got him angry, and Kale was better than him. All he was doing was tiring her out. She started to pant and checked the sun. It had barely moved across the sky, and already she was out of breath. There was no way she could beat him at this pace, and he knew that.
Sam took a deep breath, and spoke through a clenched jaw, “I yield.” She dropped her shield and mace. “You are the better fighter and no doubt could have killed me here in this battle several times over.”
Kale raised his eyebrow and lowered his sword. “Is this a trick to get close to me?” he asked.
“No trick, you win. On my honour, I’ll abide by your decision,” Sam said looking down, watching the wind move through the blue grass.
She raised her head and locked eyes with Kale. She squared her shoulders and stood straight. She had lost. Usually that made her want to destroy things. She made a different choice. No amount of forcing her way forward would change that. Today she would face this proudly.
“Very well then.” Kale handed his sword to Hobbi.
Hobbi moved to stand directly in front of Kale and raised the wooden sword. “This victory belongs to Lord Kale. May no one doubt his strength nor his generosity.” He turned and bowed to the Demon King. Straightening he nodded to Sam, scowled and left the field through a small side door.
Kale faced Sam across the blue grass. “You promised to abide by my decision. Will you keep your word, Samantha? You failed to do it the last time.”
She nodded, knowing deep in her heart that she would be left out of the battle. “On my honour.”
“Very well then. Hobbi!” Kale called the goblin back to the field. He was struggling with a cloth-wrapped bundle, twice his size. He wheezed as he walked. “Please give that to Samantha.”
Hobbi glared at her and handed her the heavy gift.
Sam took the mysterious bundle and ran her hands over it, feeling the shape. “No way. I know this design.” Ripping off the cloth, she held up her shield.
“After the last battle, you left it here when you took the sword. I couldn’t understand the metal, and my smiths had no idea where it came from. They were able to repair some of the damage. It isn’t as strong as before, but it should help you when defending the castle,” Kale said.
“You want my help?” Sam caressed the shield. She had carried it for over a year and, until it was returned, she didn’t realize she had missed it. It was scratched and scarred from the battle with Kale. The smith’s repair job had been adequate, but there was no way it would stand up to Kale’s blasts like it used to. Still, having it in her hands felt right.
“I surrendered. Why are you doing this?” She didn’t understand.
Kale gave a small smile. “While I don’t wish to trust the life of my son to an outsider, especially a human, I’d be a fool not to use your strength. In our mock battle now, your blows stunned me. It was all I could do to ward them off. I can use you. You would be a welcome addition to this battlefield.”
“That’s why I’m here. Please lead me, Lord Kale.” Sam bowed to the orc and straightened. He nodded back.
“Please clear the field Hobbi,” he directed. Sam went back to her corner to return the mace and shield. This time forcing things to happen hadn’t been the best choice. This time she’d achieved her goal, without it. Maybe she could do it again.