41. Blinding me

Something hard struck me in the face. Light flared across my blind vision, bursts of neuron activity. I hit the ground hard in a clatter of metal. Lana shouted in fear. The butt of staff slammed down by my head. I flinched from it, struggling to think.

I had my spear. I tightened my grip and swung it out before me.

It struck something wood. His staff. With a snort of contempt, Mthunzi cracked his weapon into my wrist. Pain exploded. My fingers popped loose.

My spear tumbled from my hands. It rolled away from me on the stone floor. Agony burst across my forehead. Fuzziness washed across my brain.

Everything went numb for a moment. I groaned, a nauseating writhe rippling through my guts.

My head throbbed. Something warm trickled across my brow. I groaned. My body felt heavy. Sluggish. I needed to move.

"Waaayt" I slurred, my mouth thick.

"Now to cut that Glyph off of you," said Mthunzi. "I don't want to end up like you. If that other bastard near here finds me when I only have one Glyph, well, I'd end up like you, wouldn't I?"

"Bastard," I managed to spit out. I could feel him over me, but I couldn't see anything.

"I know," he said. "It's terrible. Back where we're from, I'd never do this. But this isn't civilization. There is no law but what we make. We build our own kingdoms. We're tyrants, you and I. We can do whatever we like. It's freeing, you know. You don't have to obey the rules. No more stopping at red lights. No more paying taxes. This is a better place. I'm going to rise far. I'm going to rule it all. I'll remember you... That boy who put up such a pathetic fight I barely broke a sweat stealing his Glyph."

He worked off the straps of my breastplate. Feeling slowly returned to my body.

"GET OFF OF HIM!" snarled Lana. She crawled across the floor, her guts writhing in agony. "You bastard!"

"Don't worry," said Mthunzi as he undid the straps of her lord and master's armor, "once I have his Glyph, I'll heal you and Usiku up. Then we'll have fun. I bet you suck dick like a champ, Lana Fulmine."

"I'll bite it off!" she growled, her fingers digging into the joint between the stone tiles of the floor. She pulled herself another foot. Lightning crackled from her wings.

Leo lay on the ground, blood pouring from a gash in his head. Darkness covered his eyes. He twitched. His hand flexed and moved.

The black-robed bastard ripped the breastplate off. Then he pulled a dagger from his robe. A wicked thing.

"I'll tear that cock off!" Lana Fulmine snarled. Her number one fan was in danger. She crawled another foot.

Mthunzi cut open Leo's robe.

The cloth tore. I felt my chest exposed. Fear raced through me. I had to do something.

I had one more spell.

I focused on it as I thrust my hand blindly before me. "Sizzling touch, the spark of pain, let the prowess of Lord Enlil stun!"

He screamed. The dagger fell from his grasp. Pain burst from my collarbone where the tip scored me. Then it fell off of me. The bastard collapsed on me, his body twitching, stunned by the attack. Fury rippled through me.

"You have to kill him!" screamed Lana Fulmine. She was in such pain. "Cut out his Glyph!"

"Hurry, Lord Leo," Souleen cried. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, but you have to kill him while you can."

My helpless terror morphed into fury. A pounding rage. My Lana Fulmine was in pain. My will o' wisps dead. This bastard wanted to cut off my Glyph while I was alive. I roared out my anger. My hand grabbed the knife he dropped. My head throbbed as I sat up.

He groaned to my right.

I grabbed the dagger in both hands, point aimed down, and slammed it at the groaning man. I buried my weapon into him.

He gasped. A gurgling cry burst from his throat. I pulled it up and stabbed into him again. And again.

I screamed my emotions. My body shook as I plunged the weapon into him over and over again. Blood splashed hot on my face. The bastard gave out one final sigh as I slammed the dagger into his chest.

My vision cleared.