Duel

As the light shined brighter, Karos saw two men lying still, lifeless on the ground near where Ake once laid his head. His eyes found Ake's burning ones as it held a man struggling for dear life in its arms. Ake squeezed and squeezed until finally the man snapped and broke with the same sound a twig would make.

"Ake, enough!"

Ake shot him a glare brimming with anger and, with a cracking noise, it finally decided to let the man go. It kicked the dead mem away from it like garbage and started its approach towards him.

Before he could utter another word, a man came from behind him, sword raised and ready to strike. Karos grabbed the hilt of his sword, but Ake unarmed the man and thrust the sword once, then twice into his stomach. Ake then twisted and turned the blade until the man lurched forward, hands clawing at the metal. He let out a gasp with the last of his breath. Soon, Ake kicked the dying man away from his stolen blade and eyed Karos with a stare simmering with hatred.

"Ne gan clem e ta le damadag!" Ake grabbed his arm and yanked him towards his direction nearly dragging him out of the tent.

"Vos amo ta unigus ashas ne Quao!" it shouted in an angry whisper.

The grip Ake had on his arm was causing it to bruise. Still, the beast did not relent, only tightening its hold.

"Karos, Ake, are you leaving in the mid of night. The outside air is so cold and harsh, why leave now?" a sweet voice echoed.

He was garbed in a thick, golden, wool robe that covered every inch of his figure beside his face. The golden locks of his hair only made him stand out further.

"Your men attacked us as we slept. We feel as though our presence is not quite desired here," Karos said. He tried to wrestle out of its grasp but Ake's grip only worsened causing him to hiss.

"Forgive me, but they were not acting on my orders. You see, I do command them but they are human. They have free will and reign over their own bodies." His eyes skimmed down Ake's torn shirt with a scowl set on his face.

"On my honor, I would not let a single one of my men lay a hand on him. Beauty is such a bewitching thing."

Hands on him, Karos mused. The thing was a beast. He should be worried about his own pathetic excuse of a life.

Before it could speak, he went to cut if off.

"We overstayed out welcome. Thank you for your… kindness you showed us today. However, we need to be on our way now."

"Very well then." He heard the reluctance in his voice, but he motioned for his men to step aside and allowed them to pass.

"I wish you both a safe journey. Do well to ake great care of that servant of yours."

The moment they were no longer in eye view of the pillagers, Karos yanked his arm away. He could feel the blood pulsing back into his deadening arm from the release.

"Ah, yes, please do take your anger out on me!" That only caused him to be pushed to the ground. The beast narrowed its eyes at him, its mouth curling into a snarl.

"If I wanted to sell you and be rid of you I would have, but did I do such thing?!"

"Ne e!"

"I did not! You probably would not have been near as much as I would desire to have, regardless," Karos spat.

"Aniya byuna," it growled.

"Your strength will not cow me like a dog to its master, beast. Give me a sword and I will show you how strength should truly be wagered."

His ears were hot, his face flushed with anger. He had lost a battle, he had lost comrades and friends, but he would make his final stand for his pride and honor. The beast had mocked him far enough.

It allowed him to rise as it stared at him with pure animosity.

"I am not lesser than you, beast. Your looks of scorn and resentment, your inferior and subservient gazes upon me had gone on long enough." He ignored the pain shooting from his leg and focused all of his attention on Ake.

It shook its head before a grin full of malice plastered onto its face. It gave him an incredulous stare before throwing the sword, it had taken from him earlier, at him. "Opi sel atalos, byuna." It grinned and drew out another sword.

With prowess, it moved its left leg a small way back and continued to hold the sword to its side. Karos went on to do the same, but he held his just above his abdomen. For the first time, in years, Karos felt the heaviness of his Veranium sword.

Ake gave a slight nod before Karos lunged forward and directed the blade to its torso. Ake blocked it with ease and countered with an attack of its own. Once, then twice, another, and another. It backed him against a tree. Karos ducked before Ake sliced the oak tree. A deep gash laid where his head had once been.

Karos swiped at its legs, but Ake was quick to back away.

His breath came out in hard, labored pants. For a half a breath, he was taken aback by the sheer skill the dragon had.

It had a light airiness about it. The way Ake swung, blocked, maneuvered, it all contained some elements of fleeting grace and discipline. Years and years of practice had to come from all the restraint and strict instruction it showed.

Karos parried Ake's thrusts with counters of his own. Their swords began their dance again. Clanging, clattering, clashing, into a rhythm one would think of as melodic.

Another swoop under its legs caused Ake to jump and land its feet onto the metal of his sword. Karos slid it from under Ake and slashed at its side, tearing its shirt.

They were nearing the water now. The mud slowed his movements and the beast took advantage of it. Ake's attacks grew quicker, harder, but he managed to keep up, somehow.

One misstep and the dragon had its blade locked under his. Ake yanked it away from him, but not before Karos pushed them both into the water.

Ake popped up gasping for air. Its eyes were full of fury. By the looks of it, Karos could tell it was not too fond of water. It grabbed him up by his collar and yelled some incoherent words to him before plunging him back into it.

"I am not your lesser!" Karos said. He wrestled out of Ake's grasp and pulled it down into the water as he popped up.

"Ne o!" it shouted back full of anger.

It went on for mere minutes before they each exhausted themselves.

Somehow, Karos dragged himself from out of the large body of water and flopped onto the ground inhaling and exhaling out in sporadic breaths. The beast laid close beside him trying to regain its lost breath as well. It was the dead of night, close to the winter solstice, and here they laid, soaked and wet. He sputtered out water that was still lodged in his lungs. The night air was cold and harsh just as the man said. It only grew chillier now that he no longer had dry clothes to keep him warm. The gelid lake stole the last bit of heat he had left.

"You will be the death of me, beast," Karos mumbled on deaf ears.

Its red hair had grown darker from all the water. It stuck to every inch of its back and some parts of its chest as it heaved. Just like him, it's clothes stuck to it like a second skin discolored by the water.

After a while, their breaths evened out and their hearts steadied. The night grew colder and Karos' shivers only increased. Ake did not seem bothered by it even though his frame was much smaller than his. After giving him an indiscernible look, it rose and walked into the forest without another word.

Karos went on and sat by the tree where their dispute began. He peeled off his soaked shirt and laid it next to him. His body felt as heavy as the sword he held. The clothes he had been wearing was weighing him down. It hugged every part of his body, from his muscles down to his ankles. A fine picture he would make for any traveling artist.

He had no time to worry if the beast would return or not. He was enervated by it. It nearly drowned him. Still, despite those reasons, his eyes searched the forest for the slightest hint of movement. He had grown weary and with time he found himself slumped on the grass dozing off.

The smell of charred wood filled his nose. He opened his eyes and saw a fire built close to him while Ake sat much further away. His shivers had grown less, but they were still present. For a man of his size, he knew it would take a lot more than just his arms to keep warm. Still, he wrapped them around himself trying to stop them.

He heard the crunch of leaves and some footsteps, yet he did not bother to open his eyes. All he wanted was sleep. The beast could do whatever it so pleased.

The more he pressed for sleep, the greater the shivers grew. They were unmerciful. He hugged himself tighter. As if the God of Mercy heard his plea, a blanket of warmth covered him, giving him the much-desired heat he craved. Yet, this particular blanket came with a steady heartbeat and warm breath.