Chapter one - The boy

The setting sun was golden, as it shone down upon the celestial realm. Hundreds of warriors, on various plateau extending from the edge of the cliffs of Orundu.

The warriors train with weapons, clashing and testing one another to their limits. dozens of armoured men and women engaged in a dazzling array of training exercises. Everyone sparred with Bo staves, knives, swords. Practised archery and spear throwing. It’s breathtaking.

Overlooking the large field, warriors were locked in combat, no holds barred. A man looked down, searching for specific prey among the valiant and violent battles for supremacy. Amidst the sea of chaos, a figure stood, at eight feet, dark brown skin like cocoa, a bald head, and a goatee, he looked like a wrestler.

He was a giant, no armour was worn except for simple red trousers, he was bare chested, arms as large as barrels, and with his eyes closed, he seemed a statue, unaware of the carnage going around him that he almost blended into the background.

“Found you”

The hunter donned a helm that covered his entire head, leaving two slits for sight. It matched his Silvery armour that covered every inch of his body, the suit must have weighed half a ton, but yet he moved like a panther stalking his prey, with grace, precision and majesty. The weight meant nothing to him as he moved stealthily towards the giant.

Traversing the battle field and avoiding multiple enemies, his presence wasn't noticed on the battlefield until he felt it, danger, suddenly he was attacked from his right flank, he reacted by using his short sword to deflect the spear with just enough force that it embedded itself into the ground, leaving his attacker wide open, he followed up with a swift thrust towards his attackers neck. Time seemed to slow down for the spear-man, but the hunters sword was parried by another much larger sword. Giving the spear-man enough time to pull his spear from the ground and pressure the hunter.

They all stood in a triangle formation, only momentarily, trying to gauge the enemy’s next move. The sound of battle around, seemed to die out. He was waiting for the first opportunity...Then he moved.

It wasn't the armoured one, nor the spear-man, or even the new swordsman. It was a different spear-man lurking in the shadows, waiting for an opportunity. He moved and in an instant his spear was already at the armoured man's back. As soon as he moved the other two closed the distance as well. A three pronged attack.

‘Predictable’ the hunter thought to himself. He assessed his options and took a quick breath but moved even quicker. He took a little step to his left and spun to face his ambusher, switching the blade to his right hand, and grabbing the spear with his left, he slices the man's throat and using the momentum of the attack, he runs the spear through the already close swordsman.

The first spear-man reacts and tries to adjust his attack but he’s too slow for the armoured hunter. He flips over the spear-man, and drives his sword through the neck piece of the enemy. All within a few breaths, all his ambushers were on the ground, but his cover was blown, there was no need for stealth any more. The titan would have already noticed him.

He slowly walked towards the giant man as if wary of another sneak attack but the giant remained as impassive as ever.

No one on the battlefield dared come near him, for it was hopeless, a fools errand, the numbers didn’t matter. It could have been one or ten, even a hundred or a thousand, it still wouldn't change the outcome. Death.

The battle field was free for all. Anyone could have attacked him but no one would waste time on an assured death for themselves.

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No one except him. He wasn't meant to be here but he always found ways to come and here he was again. The titan must have been waiting for him.

He should attack first he thought and as the thought came to mind so did the titan's eyes opened, his eyes were unusual, fire danced were pupils should be.

The hunter didn't dare take his eyes off the titan but somehow the titan was no longer in his front but already standing at his back with his right arm raised, falling towards the armoured man's shoulder as though to chop him. He hadn't seen him move! The armoured one quickly responded by raising his sword to meet it. Sparks erupted from the clash.

A look of surprises crept on to the face of the titan. He wouldn't have imagined his hand hurt by the the upstart. In an instant, a blood red sword appeared in his left hand and followed up with a graceful slash at the armoured ones waist.

The armoured twisted his body to bring his weapon to deflect the blade. Momentarily they were evenly matched. Then the blades separated only to clash again. Blades blurred—feint, strike and parry—and the ground shook from the force. This exchange took one second but the speed of their sword fighting was breathtaking.

For the first time through out the battle, the titan, in a voice, deep that could be heard all over the battle field spoke “You're turning out to not be such a disappointment after all”

“I wouldn't say the same about you” said the armoured one, without missing a beat.

“I see... You're trying to rile me up, in order to unbalance me" said the titan unimpressed.

“Is it working” said the boy hopefully.

“No…You shouldn't disrespect your opponent, even when facing an ant, you must always fight to the be-”

“to the best of your ability” the armoured one finished it for him.

The titan said nothing more instead he took a step forward and he immediately appeared in front of the armoured one. The armoured tried to react this time but he was a beat too slow. The titan placed his palm on the helm of the armour and the whole amour dismantled by some strange force, revealing the surprised face of a young man still in his late teens, wearing a black one piece suit.

He stumbled backwards and fell but quickly tumbled and stood on his feet again. Leaving as much distance as possible between them.

The titan observed the boy. Standing at a little over six feet and athletic, light brown skin, piercing brown eyes and full black hair, scattered as though it was a birds nest, he looked like an evil scientist, perhaps from all the time spent under Imila.

“Whoa! whoa! easy big guy, shouldn't you take it easy on me, I'm defenceless…” the boy said with such meekness, you wouldn't have thought he just killed three men.

“...”

“I know, i know, never show mercy to the enemy, bla bla bla” the boy shrugged.

“...”

“You know…you gotta say something, its getting awkward -tesiwaju”

A spell!

The boy's spell made the spear he had grabbed earlier when combating the three ambushers lift up from the ground and speed towards the back of the titan like it had a will of its own.

The titan ignored and it shattered against the metallic sheen of his body.

Without loosing a breath the boy followed up with another spell, “Ina imole” and with a pointed finger he drew a glowing magical symbol, a small circle, with six short lines from the edge of the circle.

The whole battlefield was engulfed with a very bright light. Nothing could been seen except searing white light.

He knew he had no chance from the beginning but that wouldn't deter him. He fell to a knee and slapped both palms on the ground, moving his palms in a swirling motion, “rii sinu apete” he spoke. As he commanded, the ground around the titan liquefied and sank ten feet, a quagmire.

“Enough!” The titans voice rang from the bottom of the pit to the whole battle field. He was done with all this petty tricks. A red light radiated from the titan in the quagmire and slammed against everything that was within ranged. The ground cracked and the boy was blasted a hundred meters back like an artillery shell.

With the boy blasted back, his concentration on the spells lapsed and the light and quagmire seized to continue their effects. He felt a pang of pain and he almost threw up. The titan slowly rose out of the pit and glanced at the boy, but the boy was no longer in sight.

He then closed his eye and sensed his surrounding. The boy had ran. He was already far away from the battlefield. Running through the city.

The titan knew he was heading for the temple. The boy was trying to run to his teacher before he could get caught.

The corner of the titans lips tugged. He never indulged in playground chase but he would indulge the boy this time. He needed the thrashing of his life.

He took a step and vanished.