42. Liam vs Akwey

The entire training area quieted down as the Olo'eyktan and the Lost Child advanced toward a patch of short grass, one with a spear and the other a war scythe.

Someone having overhead the first part of the two discussions told others about this and more Na'vi came to watch. Their chief was their best warrior and hunter, in both skill, knowledge, and experience, it was the bare minimum requirement to even hold and keep such a position, one he held for the equivalent of fifty Earth years. 

And he was one if not the best within the great plain at this art and way of life. Saying he wouldn't be one of the best of Eywa's children of the current time wouldn't be an exaggeration.

<May I know what is the origin behind the scar on your back and chest?>, the chief asked, it was the first time he saw them and he knew it was from a kind of injuries you don't simply shrug off, the smaller one the chest particularly.

<"Gladius"' parent for my back, but it got what it deserved in return, as for my chest? A surprise encounter with a lanay'ka (slinger), pierced right through my armor into my lung.>, he let out offhandedly patting the metallic claw at the end of his weapon.

Akewey nodded, his curiosity on that aspect satisfied he spoke again as he carefully placed his weapon to take a training spear, a blunt stick, <The spar will be with only a training spear and I wonder, what type of weapon is this you wield?>,

<It's a "war scythe", thought I made it this way because I couldn't change the claw shape without altering its nature or structural integrity.>, Liam explained briefly as he did the same thing as the Na'vi, placing his weapon to pick one of the wood spears and breaking a third of it off for it to better suit his size. 

Wielding a three-meter (~9ft4) long spear wouldn't do even if he was 1.97 meters tall (~6ft5) from what he measured, it would be impractical. The chief lifted his nonexistent eyebrow at the sight but didn't say anything, it made sense and it was just a stick.

Liam walked weapon in hand in front of Akwey, the size difference evident and the reach of the weapon just as well. In normal conditions, the chief wouldn't even have entertained the thought of fighting with such drastically advantageous conditions compared to his opponent.

But the Lost Child was far from the norm, the Na'vi eyes focused on his opponent, and the human was relaxed while for him his body tensed up in anticipation. His earlier smile vanished to be replaced with a visage of seriousness.

<How do we proc->, Liam didn't have the chance to finish as the chief already was on the attack, arms flexing and legs in positions he moved with superhuman speed, strength, and several decades of experience, the blunt tip of the weapon aimed right at Liam's chest. 

The said man's silver-gray eyes widened at the suddenness of it all, he saw the training spear move but he didn't move nor did he attempt to dodge. Instead, he reacted on instinct not knowing what to do in this instant due to sheer befuddlement.

Letting go of his weapon Liam grabbed the incoming spear with his bare hand, stopping it dead in its tracks, then his grip strength splintered the wood to the point the spear broke in half but the blunt spearhead was already around the general area where his heart was.

The chief eyes widened slightly at this, Liam didn't move a millimeter while he put most of his force behind this move and to boot it felt like he tried to stab a boulder or a large tree, unmoving, solid, and here for far longer than he ever was and ever will be. 

He shook his arms still feeling the shock going through his very bones, he was more hurt than Liam, it was terrifying, fascinating, and exhilarating. And how fast the Lost Child had reacted and stopped such a sudden attack from such a close distance. 

'Incredible.', was all he could think.

Dishonorable what he has done maybe but in a fight to the death honor is worthless, kindness to an enemy for something as infantile as pride is to bring harm to yourself and what you hold dear, he learned this the hard way.

The being in front of him was a force of nature but a grossly untrained one, though if it was a fight to the death he was certain he held an abysmal chance of winning and even less of winning unscattered. 

Liam from what he knew and was told would go further and beyond to secure victory, and unknown to him to an obsessive degree. No one knew what he could use to achieve it. Surely by the use of artifacts only he and the All-Mother could comprehend all his other qualities.

'That could have seriously injured me or… Killed me if there was a bladed end but in normal circumstances, my armor will be on me. But still… I made the right choice. I don't need to be the most skilled but the one that survives and thrives.', Liam thought he wasn't angry at Akwey for doing what he did, the opposite in fact.

He asked for this, power without control or knowledge of how to use it didn't affect how dangerous it is but control affects what and who this danger is directed to and for what purpose and intent it is.

He never was a fighter, at least not this way if Akwey was equal physically to him and without the use of tricks the Na'vi would quite literally wipe the floor with him. Right now he could have run straight at the Na'vi and punched a hole through his chest without the latter being able to react.

He knew how strong his punch was, it did cost, destroyed trees and various destroyed or cracked stones from the lower to mid-range of the hardness scale with pure brute strength. No fancy technique usable in only controlled conditions is needed.

He didn't harm himself for all of this though, he wasn't a masochist, and he took plenty of precautions. Which means if he didn't care about the potential harm to himself he could do even more damage. He was a monster, the corded muscles carved all over his body weren't only there to be pretty to look at like the ones of a bodybuilder, that was a bonus.

Everything now was a first experience and what an experience it was to be taught by a respected leader of an ancient migratory clan. He didn't like or enjoy fighting but learning how to was a must, and fighting didn't only entail how to punch and stab with a pointy stick.

It was an incredible honor that much he realized, one he earned, and ironically the chief thought the same about being able to teach the Lost Child in that manner. The anomaly and center of attention of their all-seeing and ever-present goddess, savior of his child, and crafter of wonder.

<May you forgive me for what I have done, as dishonorable as it was but this was a must. I must understand you. Now attack me with the weapon you dropped in any way you see fit.>, the Olo'eyktan said with a smirk growing as he took a new spear, heart pumping more blood in his vein due to the trepidation.

<Are you sure?>, Liam asked for confirmation, it was more rhetorical than anything as the Na'vi knew better and as he said learning of various problems to be rectified on his nigh non-existent technique.

He was going to restrain himself, he didn't want anyone to be stupidly injured. Even a long stick can become a deadly weapon.

Akwey made a barely noticeable nodding gesture and so with a shake of his head, Liam picked his weapon up. At this point, most of the clan was here, words of what was happening having been passed from one Na'vi to another but never altered.

Mìruk with Tutee close behind him arrived, waving between the small sea of blue bodies they stopped after climbing a large stone that gave them an optimum line of sight for what was going to happen and close enough to hear.

<Who do you think will win?>, Tutee asked to take a more comfortable seat, using Mìruk's shoulder as a chin rest, to both his great joy and annoyance.

<It isn't a fight.>, he expertly dodged the question, one was his father, and the other his savior and benefactor. He would prefer none would fight but saying he wasn't excited about what was to come would be a lie.

'I feel like a circus animal…', Liam noted, having so many eyes over him wasn't new, but this feeling of being seen as a strange creature never vanished. 

It wasn't that the Na'vi here were malicious, just curious and unused to him being here, at most he was a few hours per week in their settlement. He was a strange creature for them, garnering a great amount of attention for the smallest of details and actions was a given.

Taking a deep breath he closed his and opened his eyes focusing on the Olangi chief, muscles tensing up he went on the attack.

It was fast, spear thrusting toward the Na'vi's chest yet it didn't hit as the Lost Child training weapon was deviated toward the ground with a simple flick of his weapon and use of his range advantage. 

This was but the start as Liam gained the control back and wiped his weapon as if it were a baseball bat to only end up missing again, the Na'vi having crouched down. Liam's eyes narrowed at that, that wasn't that he attacked too slow but that he was predictable, his attacks were telegraphed.

'How do I fix this.', he wondered face hard and focused, cold ethereal gray eyes never leaving their target, thrusting his spear's blunt wooden head again and again and again, each time aiming for specific, belly, chest, shoulder, calf, they entered a rhythm it was as if Akwey almost danced, predicting each of his moves before he even started.

A dance that no humans and nearly no Na'vi could follow to such was how fast and unpredictable it was. The crowd all around was mesmerized by it.

One kept on dodging and diverting hits due to sheer experience of more than half a century, body control, and deduction skill while the other attacked on repeat, never stopping or pausing once.

He followed the first as if the principle of exhaustion was but a suggestion, each of his attacks getting faster, more precise, and more chaotic yet coordinated with one another, telegraphed and yet unpredictable. 

This incessant and ever-improving rain of attack was what shocked many, Akwey being first as he could directly feel it. The Lost Child was already adapting, improving, and learning, recognizing each of his movements and their patterns. 

The Olo'eyktan was relieved none of it was serious, it was almost scary to see such a quick changement. Not even two minutes had passed. Almost as if Liam was relearning. 

The difference in stature and weapon reach had many effects here and not helping in the matter of Liam hitting, he could attack with more strength or throw his weapon, but at that point sparring is pointless. He could win the fight but that wasn't the point here, the point is learning.

Though he still will.

And the Olo'eyktan was putting his entire focus toward dodging or redirecting blows whenever possible with an ease he found excessively frustrating.

This continued for two impossibly long minutes, Liam used both hands equally, changing movement and targets but none hit and this caused a slight annoyance to rise within him but it came with respect and a sort of admiration toward the Na'vi more than impressive body control and coordination.

There was so much to learn, each of the Na'vi movements was perfect, calculated even, they balanced speed, flexibility, agility, and even grace to all inhuman degrees boosted with an experience only age could give. It was uncanny but again he wasn't too far in those inhuman aspects either.

Liam suddenly stopped attacking, breaking the rhythm and confusing everyone, he then sidestepped, slightly crouched in a tenth of a second, increasing the size difference, never letting his eyes off his target. 

And then he thrust his weapon at the chief's left shoulder. The Na'vi knew the human was going to do something but not exactly what, still anticipated where he would be hit and so was already prepared to divert and dodge the attack but the attack suddenly stopped before even reaching him.

This confused the Na'vi for the briefest of instants but that was enough for the Lost Child as with an almost growl breaking his stone-cold face he continued his assault, pushing his entire upper body weight behind his attack.

The Na'vi eyes wished slightly as he blocked with the upper body of his spear but it was in vain. He couldn't block the attack from the Lost Child, he was caught off guard and it was made in such a way he was forced to use the most damaged part of his weapon due to how frequently it was used during this 'fight'. 

It was on purpose that much he related and he also realized this was going to be unpleasant.

The spear broke Akwey's weapon in half, it flew high and spun into the air, while Liam's weapon went through it and continued and connected with his shoulder and it broke apart transferring enough force to crack open several human skulls in rapid succession.

What was heard was a loud sound of woods snapping followed by an echoing pop and crack sound then the Na'vi felt himself gravity abandon its hold on him as he was lifted from the ground by at least a third of his height and flew for at least his height in length before falling hard on the soft purple-green grass.

There was silence, the crowd looking in shock only a small portion he going to understand what happened while the others registered what they were seeing.

Liam moved, face calm and a faint satisfied smile on his face, his weapon falling to the ground he crouched down, he remarked that Na'vi's eyes were lost in thought his breathing ragged. 

The Lost Child did a strange action for the native, he gave his left hand toward the right and waited, Akwey even if confused with the action grabbed the hand with his right and was then yanked up by the smaller being as if he weighted less than a leaf and the strength behind the grip made him feel like his bone might as well be twig for the Lost Child.

Akwey's eyes cleared up as he properly propped himself up with Liam's help, the agony around his shoulder only helping but even a smile if pained appeared and only grew bigger as his. A strange sight for Liam and even more for everyone else present, particularly Mìruk.

<HahahaHahahahaHAHAHA! Incredible! Simply incredible! Aaargh… You hit hard. You are something else… That was a very good trick.>, the Olo'eyktan broke the pending silence, a slightly pained expression on his face as he breathed in and out.

His left shoulder shagging he closed his eyes and he grabbed it with his right hand and in one swift motion slocked it back in place a muffled groan of pain escaping his lips as a result.

'Damn. I hope I didn't damage his shoulder too much…', Liam thought at the sight of someone popping his shoulder back in as if it was nothing.

On another note he didn't understand why Akwey was so happy, then he understood why and that greatly changed how he saw the Na'vi. A battle junky, one that might as well be his great-grandpa in terms of age.

*

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