Chapter 9

Godrick

The room they were in was large and empty. There were a few tables scattered around but nothing more than that. The room had chandeliers spread through the ceiling, but they weren't lit. The only light in the room was from multiple arrow slits around the walls. The room was dim, but not dark.

Anthrax and Godrick began to circle one another as they prepared to fight. One of them would die this day, and Godrick knew it would not be him.

They charged each other and met with a great clash of weapons and muscle. Anthrax had charged with his shield, only to be met with Godricks left shoulder. Godricks force was enough to not only stop Anthrax but also knock him from his feet. Anthrax flew backward and landed on his back. Using that momentum, however, he rolled backwards, finding his feet again. Godrick hadn't pressed his advantage but instead stood still waiting for his opponent to try something else. Anthrax was now wary of Godrick, as the last time he had fought him, he had been stronger than the smaller man. But now the tables had turned, and he would have to be careful.

Circling each other once again, Godrick chose to be the aggressor. Running toward Anthrax, he ducked under the man's wild swing. He then drove his open palm into the man's sternum and pushed him upwards only to then drive him into the ground. Then, gripping his halberd with both hands, he swung at the man still on the floor. Anthrax was able to get his shield up in time, but it did little to soften the blow as he found himself flying through the air before smashing into the wall behind him. Suddenly, Godrick was on him again, driving his shoulder into him once more. The wall behind Anthrax couldn't withstand the blow, and they each went through the wall.

Anthrax tried to find his feet but instead only found himself flying through the air again as Godrick grabbed his foot and threw him back into the large room. Crashing through another section of the wall, Anthrax hit the ground once more.

Godrick appeared from the pitch black shadows of the wall like a reaper and slowly approached Anthrax. Burying the butt end of his halberd into the stone, he approached Anthrax unarmed. Finally reaching him, he struck out with his right fist to hit Anthrax's shield and sent the man flying backward once again.

Anthrax looked at his shield in disbelief, seeing a large imprint in the metal. He couldn't gawk for long, however, as his opponent was almost on him once more.

Anthrax stood and swung his hammer only to hit Godrick on the upper part of his left arm, which he brought up to protect his head. Godrick didn't do anything but circle Anthrax, toying with him.

Anthrax swung his hammer a second time, but Godrick caught it with his left hand. Bringing his right hand down on the shaft of the weapon, he knocked it from Anthrax's hand. Swinging with his shield now, Anthrax tried again to hit Godrick, but he ducked under the swing. Getting behind Anthrax, Godrick wrapped his arms around his waist and lifted, then drove Anthrax down onto the ground. The move was so strong that it shattered the ground surrounding the two, leaving them in a large crater. Godrick got to one knee and started raining blows down on his opponent, who, in an effort to protect himself, raised his shield to block the onslaught. This didn't do much, however, as the strength of the blows drove the shield into his face, leaving him dazed.

Godrick drove his left fist into the man's unprotected stomach, making Anthrax instinctively lower his shield only for Godrick to hit him in the face with his right fist. Godrick then drove his left fist into the man's chin in a devastating uppercut, then in a burst of movement, stepped away to grab Anthrax's feet. Lifting him, he spun around and smashed Anthrax back into the ground before throwing him across the room towards his halberd which was standing freely.

Anthrax hit the stationary weapon, which cut deeply into his back before falling to the ground. Breathing deeply, he tried to get to his feet but couldn't. Godrick emerged from the crater and started to make his way towards Anthrax.

Anthrax saw his nightmare making his way over to him and tried to crawl away. He tried to stand again using Godricks halberd and was successful in his effort. He then tried to pull the halberd from the ground but was unable to. Deciding to leave the weapon, he tried to walk away from the monster that was approaching him, only to stumble and fall.

Godrick grabbed the man's feet and dragged him back to his halberd. In a sudden burst of energy, Anthrax was able to free his feet and stand. He swung his right fist at Godrick again, which worked as well as the last time he did that. Godrick caught the fist with his right hand and pulled Anthrax towards him. He held the fist a little ways from him and brought his left hand down directly into Anthrax's elbow. With a loud crack, Anthrax's elbow broke as he gave a shout of pain. 

While still holding his opponents fist in his right hand, Godrick brought his left fist back and struck Anthrax with a backhanded blow. He then brought his left fist under the extended arm in a devastating uppercut that almost knocked the man from his feet. Anthrax was about to fall when Godricks left hand shot out and grabbed his beard. Godrick then pulled his face downwards to meet his knee that he brought up. Finally letting Anthrax hit the floor, Godrick walked back to his halberd and pulled it effortlessly from the ground. Walking back to Anthrax, who had gotten to his hands and knees, he held the halberd in his right hand, letting the blade hang just in Anthrax's vision.

Grabbing the halberd in both hands, Godrick raised it above his head and prepared to bring it down. Just then, a figure jumped on his back and tried to drive a dagger into his neck. The strike didn't work, however, as Godricks blue energy shield appeared around the spot, the dagger was trying to stab. He felt the figure shift and try to stab him in through the visor of his helmet, but he grabbed the figures right foot which was planted on the right side of his back with his left hand, then pulled the figure off him. In the process of throwing the mysterious person away from him, he used the figure to hit Anthrax, who had started to stand but was once more knocked from his feet. Finally throwing his assailant from him, he saw who it was. The assassin Noel. She had landed nimbly and now pulled out a second dagger. No words were spoken as the three of them looked at each other. Anthrax was sitting up, trying to find his feet, when Godricks righ foot struck out and stomped onto his chest, sending him back down to the floor.

Walking towards Noel now, Godrick readied his halberd over his head. She was within range, and he struck out with the butt end. She quickly dodged and tried to drive one of her daggers into one of the gaps in his armor. The blue shield protected him once more and allowed him to strike out once more. But once again, she dodged. Backing up, she analyzed the situation. Her daggers couldn't pierce the shield, and she also had to keep his away from Anthrax. She wasn't given much time to think as Godrick had rushed at her. He swung his halberd wide, which allowed her to jump over the blade and try to bury one of her daggers into his knee. The blue shield protected him once more, and he struck out with his left hand, hitting her in a backhanded blow, sending her to the ground. Using his halberd, which he held in his right hand, he brought it down on her. As she shifted, it grazed her left hip, leaving a large gash. She fled back to Anthrax across the room to nurse her wound and check to make sure he was ok. Godrick let her go, figuring he could finish them both soon.

Noel assessed the damage to herself and to Anthrax. His elbow was definitely broken, rendering him unable to use his hammer, at least not in his right hand.

"Can you still fight?" She asked him.

Anthrax got to a knee next to her.

"I'll be fine. If we charge him together, we should be able to take him." He said to her. She nodded, then helped him stand. Anthrax switched his shield to his broken arm, painful as it was it had to work. He then picked his warhammer up in his left hand and stood ready. Noel did the same as she pulled out a few pellets and held a short sword she had on her back.

Seeing their resolve, Godrick readied himself as well, then marched forward towards them. The two steadily approach him, fearful of the outcome.

Noel threw a dagger at Godrick, which he smacked out of the way with his halberd, sending the knife clattering to the floor. The two charged Godrick, who met them calmly. Anthrax swung at Godricks feet, who simply raised his foot. Simultaneously, Noel swung with the short sword she held, which Godrick ducked under. Planting his feet, he dodged the follow-up strikes from the two by leaning the other way. Godrick then shoved Noel from him with the shaft of his weapon, pushing her far enough to take her from the battle for a split second. He then stabbed towards Anthrax, who deflected with his shield, eliciting a shout of pain from him. Godrick then brought his halberd down on him, again hitting his shield. Noticing Noel was coming from his back, Godrick shifted hands on his halberd and brought the butt end back and into her stomach, stopping her charge. He then turned around towards her and swung his halberd at her, hitting her with the flat of the weapon. Crumbling to the ground, she blacked out momentarily. He then shifted focus to Anthrax, who swung at him with his hammer. Godrick caught the swing on the haft of his weapon and, with a vicious tug, pulled it from Anthrax's grip, throwing it away from him. He then turned back to Anthrax and shoved the haft into his face, knocking him from his feet another time. 

A shout of rage was heard, followed by a cloud of smoke that filled the whole room. Noel had thrown her smoke pellets, blinding them all. Godrick turned to try and find Noel but was blinded by the smoke. Using a small amount of his gems power, he sent a wave of force clearing the room with him as the center. Noel had lept towards him, and he responded by stepping towards her and, with the spike atop his halberd, caught her mid-air. Her weight impaled her on the spike, as he also drove it upwards to meet her. The room went silent as she gasped as she hung on the weapon. He held her in the air as if a trophy or flag of victory. 

"NO!" Anthrax shouted, getting to his feet for the countless time and running at Godrick and Noel.

Godrick simply threw her body from his weapon and watched as Anthrax ran towards him. He ducked the mans wild right swing with his shield, spinning as he did so. He built up momentum with the spin and then buried his halberd into Anthrax's stomach. He then pulled the man from his feet as he spun once more, but this time he brought his halberd up into the air with Anthrax still on his blade and threw him from it, sending him across the room.

He knew both of them weren't dead yet, but he could hear their ragged breathing and knew it would be soon. Deciding to give them one last mercy, he walked to Anthrax and grabbed the man by the collar of his armon and began to drag him towards Noel, who was near the middle of the room. Dropping him near her, he saw the two reach for each other.

He left them holding each other as he left the room, finding his way to the back of the keep, where he found a larger doorway that had crumbled with time. It led to the cliff side that was jutting out where a lone figure was standing. There was a large stone and wooden canopy covering most of the jutting cliff with stone flooring under it. The figure was looking out at the ocean, listening to the waves crashing against the cliff face. She had long white hair, braided into a long plait. She wore black armor, which was scratched and scared from many battles, telling of her journey through the world and of the countless wars that had led her to this one moment.

She turned to him, revealing her identity.

"You continue to surprise me, Godrick. This is the second time i've needed Artoria to be here, yet here you are in her place. I grow tired of your presence. " said the Warlord Igraine Pendragon.

She turned towards him to reveal a sword strapped to her waist. It was identical to his own sword and the sword Artoria had. The sword was supposed to be in his sisters care. But here it was.

The sword was Clarent.