“You made yoself anotha friend, Adok? Too lonesome withaut Heikk?” Thed laughed as he stepped forward, unsheathing his scimitar.

Jere stepped between Adok and Thed, directing his stick at Thed. Despite being broken, it still had a larger reach than the scimitar. Thed laughed at the action.

“Who ar you ‘pposed ta be? Fook off ‘fore I ‘urt ya.”

As Thed approached, Jere swung the stick into the guard’s thumb. Thed yelped as the scimitar bounced out of his hand and across the sand. Jere flicked the stick around and crashed it into Thed’s ear. Thed winced, bringing his busted hand up to his stinging ear and leaving his neck wide open. Jere lunged again, looking to crush the guard’s throat before he realized who he was.

Before the attack landed, Juddken’s spear crashed down overhead, deflecting the strike to effortlessly slide off the side of Thed’s cheek. Jere brought the stick back to his chest. Juddken mimicked the motion, clutching the stick across his chest as well. Juddken’s wide eyes were completely obvious to everything except Jere.

This close, Jere could see how different the boy looked. Juddken looked leaner, more muscular, as if he shaved what little baby fat he had left on him. Jere had never seen the Juddken look so poised with a weapon. He looked dangerous. A broken stick wouldn’t be enough to get through him.

Juddken thrust his spear, just barely missing Jere’s ear. Jere brought his stick around, slapping the spear away. As Jere charged, he saw Juddken kept his spinning momentum, swinging the spear back around to the other side. Jere threw his body to the ground, flattening out as the spear sliced where his belly just was, blowing sand in the air and into his face.

“How on Ore did he just do that?”

Jere got back to his feet and backed off. Juddken thrust his spear indiscriminately at Jere’s head. Jere tightened his grip on the stick, just barely deflecting the spear away from the thrusts. One cut Jere’s neck, but Jere pushed it off with a two handed grip before it could go any deeper than the skin. Juddken’s lunges were fast. The boy had much better form than Jere would have ever given him credit for. He was a remarkably good fighter.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

“I can’t beat him at that distance,” Jere thought. “Not with a stick.”

Jere ducked under an incoming slash and trotted to the side, putting a few meters between him and Juddken. Juddken swung the spear over his head and charged after him. It was a powerful lunge, meant to kill or break any defense Jere had at the ready.

Perhaps that would have been the case if Jere were sparring. But Jere wasn’t about to play fair. As Juddken lunged, Jere slashed the stick over the sand, kicking up a dust cloud that momentarily obscured his view. Juddken halted, and slashed his spear around, attempting to hit anything. As he did, Jere threw the stick through the air, gyrating into Juddken’s head and hands. Juddken flinched, dropping his spear to the ground.

Jere sprinted forward at the opportunity. He reached behind his back and pulled out his two smaller knives. They were useless against the ferocity and reach of the screamers, but they were perfectly suitable for people. He knew he’d had to thank Eevi for reminding him they had them hidden on their person.

Juddken picked up his spear and brought it back to his chest. But it was too late. Jere closed the distance. He brought the knives down over Juddken’s neck.

“AY!” Thed called. Jere saw him in the corner of his eye as he charged. Thed had his scimitar wrapped around Adok’s neck.

Jere swung his arms out, missing Juddken and just barely slicing through his scarf. He was close enough to stab him, but that half-second of hesitation was enough. Juddken pushed him away with the side of the spear, giving him space as he prepared to thrust for the killing blow. Before he could, Juddken held his spear right at Jere, hovering just in front of his face.

Juddken paused, squinting as he looked over Jere. His eyes darted erratically, bouncing from side to side as if something were floating between the two. Then his eyes opened wide. He realized who he had been fighting. Juddken turned to Thed, flinging his head to the side in a dramatic motion.

“Oh ho ho,” Thed laughed, tightening his grip around the back of Adok’s neck. “Intrestin… its yo lucky day, stranga. Seems ya comin wit us.”

Before Jere could protest, Juddken swung the staff of the spear into Jere’s head. Jere heard a crack as the spear knocked him out instantly, sending him into a world of black.