“Tell me, how do you wish to fight?” Hamund asked, his voice laced with anticipation. His eyes gleamed under the firelight of the room. Hamund shook his hands rapidly, breaking the nerves he felt as he sized up his opponent.

The warrior across from him, broad-shouldered with his furry chest exposed and scrap metal tied onto his legs. His pale skin, marred with scars, stretched as he flexed his muscles, cracking his joints as his cold eyes were fixed on Hamund.

“Fists it is.” Hamund muttered under his break, more to himself than his opponent, his muscles tensed, his body primed for the fight to come. He was no stranger to a fist fight–after all, it was a true test of skill and endurance.

The warrior lunged first, he led with a quick jab aimed towards Hamund’s midsection. Hamund sidestepped, watching as his opponent appeared to move in slow motion. He shuffled his feet across the table taking a guarded stance, while remaining ready to move at any given moment. The warrior responded to Hamund’s movement with a strong and swift uppercut towards Hamund’s jaw, but he stepped back just in time, the gust of air blowing the smell of death into his face.

“You’re fast, i'll give you that.” Hamund taunted, his lips curling into a confident grin. “But you’ll need more than just speed.”

The warrior snarled, rage rushed through his cold eyes. He charged again, this time with a calculated attack–his fists came in a flurry, each punch transitioned between Hamunds face and ribs. Hamund quickly parried most of the blows, but one jab slipped through, slamming in his side.

Hamund winced as the pain flared through his side, but he suppressed it with a quick and steady breath. He refused to let his opponent see any weakness. His eyes remained locked on the warrior, whose faced twisted with satisfaction after landing the blow.

The warrior used his advantage, stepping in close with brutal efficiency. His strikes flew with a newfound confidence, each swing was thrown with intent to crush Hamund.

This time Hamund was ready.

He ducked low, dodging the next strike, as it barely missed his head he returned the warrior's jab with a heavy strike to his gut. The strike forced the warrior to stagger back for a moment, as he made quick gasp for air. Hamund used this moment to follow up with a sharp hook to the warriors jaw, the sound of bones cracking could he heard under Hamunds knuckles.

The warriors head snapped to the side, but he didn’t go down. Instead, he let out a low growl as he placed his hand on his chin. The warrior pressed his chin back into place and wiped away the blood that was trickling from his mouth. As his eyes met with Hamunds once more, both warriors' eyes ignited with fury.

Ratvos's champion struggled to breath through his loosely hanging jaw, the blood within his mouth gurgled as he took deep breathes out. Hamund could tell he had the advantage but he knew this was a warrior he wanted fighting by his side, killing him was not an option.

Hamund shifted his stance, turning from a predator hunting his prey to a mentor testing his pupils' skill. Hamund asks the warrior as he watches him recover from his injuries “Tell me warrior, what is your name?”

The warrior looks back at Ratvos who is shaking his head in disapproval. His champion looks back at Hamund who is still patiently waiting for his response. His silence made it clear to Hamund, his loyalty would need to be swayed from Ratvos if he intended to bring in such a strong warrior.

The warrior rushes towards Hamund attempting to tackle him to the table. Hamund steps to the side, as the Champion narrowly misses him he quickly graples the warrior and forces him into the greasy tabletop.

As they fight on the table Hamund reaches into his pocket pulling out a capsule and forces it into the warrior's mouth. Hamund holds the warrior's mouth shut as he says in a low tone so only the warrior could hear. “I wish not to see you die today, swallow this pill and it will help fix some of your injuries.” Hamund looks back at Ratvos before turning back to the Champion and continuing “I respect loyalty, but is that feeling mutual? Once you stand, concede this fight, show me your leader's loyalty to his warriors.”

Hamund releases the warrior as he takes back to his feet and shouts “Yield warrior, you are truly skilled but I am more experienced.”

The warrior remained still on the ground, grunting in pain as the shift of his bones could be heard. Ratvos burped out “Stand and die for your King!”

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

Hamund’s eyes quickly turned towards Ratvos his anger boiling over as he condemned Ratvos’s words “King? You are no true king, I have seen the state of your men! Tell me when was the last time they truly shared a meal in your halls?”

“You can not speak to me in such a way!” Ratvos shouts as his eyes rotate past Hamund to his warrior.

“He stands!” Ken shouts as he fumbles through words watch blood pour from the warrior. Amongst the puddle of blood on the table laid a small white capsule, covered in blood and soaked in saliva.

Hamund turns to see the warrior standing tall behind him, bloodied but seemingly stronger than before. Hamund feels a sense of anxiety as he awaits the warrior's response, hoping his death will not be one that he has to cause.

The warrior roars in Hamunds face, blood flying out of his mouth. Tears fill his eyes as he shouts “I am Oblivion, born strong and fierce, natural born king of Elsktree kingdom of the rats.” His muscles flexed as his breathing remained heavy.

Ratvos found himself worried, leaning forward in his chair as Oblivion continued talking, he had ripped out his tongue years prior during his coup of their kingdom.

Hamund smiles as Oblivion speaks, he knows that his strategy to sway his loyalty is beginning to lean in his favor. “Tell me, Warrior, do you yield?”

Oblivion takes a knee and bows his head to Hamund, in a confident tone he exclaims “I will yield, and I would be honored if you would allow me to join and fight under your power, King?”

Hamund quickly picks the warrior up and replies “I am no King, my men fight as equals and only as equals. They would love to call you an ally.”

Ratvos, enraged by everything playing out in front of him, throws food onto the table near Hamund. “I will not count this as a win! I will not honor our agreement!”

Hamund stood tall, a gleam of satisfaction flickered in his eyes as Ratvos’s food tumbled across the table. The room feel into an uneasy silence, broken by the crackling of the fires and Oblivions heavy wounded breaths. Ratvos’s Outbursts had not gone unnoticed. His men scattered along the edge of the room as they flooded in, uncertain glances were exchanged as their trust in him now began to waiver.

Hamund took a slow step forward, his gaze never fading from Ratvos. The room seemed to shrink around Ratvos as he felt the tension building, every eye in the hall shifted between the figures at the table, locked in an unspoken battle of pure will. Oblivion, blood stilll dripping from his mouth, raised his hands, halting his comrades from making any hasty movements.

“You will not honor our agreement?” Hamund's calm voice felt like a mockery to Ratvos. “Then you are truly more foolish than I thought.”

Ratvos’s face contorted with rage as he slammed his fist against the table, scattering bones and scrap meat across the room. “I will not be humiliated by you, not here, in my hall!”

“Your hall?” Hamund asks as he looks around the room noticing the concerned but attentive eyes of the men before him. “Tell me, Ratvos–How much longer will your men follow a leader who treats them like fodder? Especially when their natural born king stands before them, more confident and sure than the coward who feasts on their labor.”

Ratvos begins frantically shaking as he commands his troops “Kill the Invaders!”

His troops remain hesitant, looking back and forth at each other, each waiting for the next one to strike. Hamund feels Oblivion place his hand on his shoulder and Oblivion steps forward with a commanding tone and says “Listen brothers, we have fought for this man…”

Before Oblivion could finish, Ratvos interrupts “I have kept you ungrateful bastards fed!”

Ken begins to creep behind the table hiding from the gaze of anyone in the room. As he gets behind Ratvos he pokes him in the fat of his stomach and puts his finger to his mouth in a shushing motion as he whispers “This is their time, you will remain silent.”

“I will not be ordered on my own ship!” Ratvos voice echoes through the hall, but is quickly drowned out by his crews feet as the shift around trying to decide how to react to the ongoing situation.

“As I was saying, We have fought for this man for many warp drives, time and time again he made promises of riches and fed bellies.” Oblivion pauses for a second, his voice still worn out from years of silence. “Tell me though brothers, who has eaten on every cycle?”

“He has” one of the troops shouts out quickly followed by many more voices all shouting the same.

Oblivion’s heavy breathing echoed through the hall as the crew shifted uncomfortably, unsure where to place their loyalty. Ratvos staggered to his feet, clutching his side, his eyes were burning with desperation and fury.

“This… this doesn’t change anything!” Ratvos growled, his voice raspy but defiant. He pointed a trembling finger at Oblivion. “You're nothing more than a beaten dog–a failed king, shall not bear a crown.”

Oblivion turns away from Ratvos and looks into the crowd “That is not a decision for either of us to make, I believe in you guys.” Oblivion turns to Hamund and says “Should you ever find yourself near Elsktree I would be honored to join you on your journey, but I must go home with my crew.”

“Should you ever need my assistance, especially on your way home, don't hesitate to send a signal my way.” Hamund says with disappointment in his voice.

As Hamund and Ken departed the ship, Ratvos could be heard pleading with his crew. As they walk through the halls Hamund secures his helmet onto his head and enters into the open bay. As Hamund and Ken stare into the abyss of space Ken asks “So what now?”

“We must find the universe tree.” Hamund replies as he secures the tether back onto Ken, Hamund smacks his chest recalling his sword and shield. Hamund looks back at Ken and winks before throwing Ken towards his crew's ship.