Chapter 24: Chapter 22: A Barely Won Battle

One more draugr fell motionless before me with a large open wound on his head. His corpse hit the ground and scattered some snow and mud around, also some pieces of his brain. This makeshift gladiator battle gets harder and harder after each fight.

 

The first three draugrs were somewhat easy to handle, not including that wound I got from my arrogance, but with each, they are also getting stronger and stronger.

 

Up to this point, I killed eight of them in total, and I still stand, but I can't say I am in my best looks now. With several bleeding cuts on my upper body, a badly hurting wound on my left hand, and finally, a barely missed dagger strike to my leg (which still left an injury,) I can proudly say. I got my fair share of beating. After the third one, things start turning upside. That wound to my arm hurts, still, nothing that can slow me down usually, yet when combined with my exposure to this freezing weather without proper clothing and general exhaustion caused by the constant fighting, I am having a hard time keeping up.

 

"Yet your numbers aren't shrinking," I shouted with a stupid smirk on my face. "And I was scared of goblins' because of how many of them can gather for a single attack. If I knew about your numbers, I would have called the local graveyard to inform them where the missing bodies went before the fight began." They were tens at first, then hundreds, and now steadily moving to thousands.

 

And here I am, like a wild animal trapped in a corner. I am ready to sacrifice all my flesh and blood. It's not like I have any other choice in this situation anyways.

 

"Well then, who will be the next one to see the other side?" I shouted and pointed my sword towards the crowd of draugrs. "Come one, you moving beef jerkies, step up! Come one!" Let's finish this, and I can start mending my wounds. Hopefully, none of these cuts caused any infections. Who knows where I can find antibiotics in this damned forest?

 

A red triangle with a white exclamation mark appeared in front of me. There is also a repeating and annoying sound that echoes in my mind, like a missile warning. Wonder what shithole I found myself in this time.

 

"Boss monster nearby! Caution! Boss monster nearby!"

 

That is new, and nothing of good news.

 

From the crowd, a giant of a monster moved out. While walking, he pushed away the draugrs standing in his way as if they were nothing heavier than bowling pins. This beast is nearly three meters tall and holds a two-handed battle ax with a handle long as me and a blade half my size. If that's made only from metals and not hollow, that weapon easily weighs more than one hundred kilos.

 

His armor probably weighs something similar too.  It almost resembles that unnecessarily heavy ceremonial armor old kings had, with only two differences. First, this guy is wearing it, and second,  it has a much simpler design.

 

I must think of a way to defeat him. Despite all that weight he carries, he doesn't look slow, maybe fast as my current state. Strength is another point I lose. I don't even think about blocking any attack from that ax.  It will rip through what I ever I put in front of it, then go right through me. In conclusion, I don't have any fucking way of defeating him. But it looks like I have no other choice than to try.

 

I stabbed the sword into the soft dirt and dropped my cloak and weapons except for the mace. Neither my sword nor that little hatchet will do anything to this beast. A blunt weapon is my best choice. My armor won't, or my bag won't do any good other than slowing me down. 

 

Snow is my cover, my speed is my weapon, and the thrill of this battle is the fuel pumping my heart. Being at such a disadvantage reminds me of times when the enemy spots your cover and drowns you with overwhelming fire, bullets scraping the concrete, scattering small pebbles and metal pieces like shrapnels. The whip-like snap each ammo makes and the adrenaline your body pumps to have a better chance of survival in that desperate situation.

 

"Here goes nothing." I draw my weapon and put my left leg forward, ready to run to the target, like an athlete waiting for the start gun to fire. "I don't have the luxury to make even a single mistake. A single hit from that ax will only decapitate me if I am lucky. Now, get over yourself and win this."

 

This uneasiness reminds me of that fight with that wolf. I thought I would win without taking any hits, but a slash that only scrapped my upper skin almost killed me. If I was only a couple of centimeters closer,  it most likely ripped apart my chest like a kid ripping apart the wrap of a kid on their birthday. Sadly, I don't have the absolute advantage of ambushing and controlling the battle zone with traps.

 

But there won't be spears launching from everywhere to wear down my enemy, there won't be a surprise attack that will give me invincibility the whole fight, and there won't be a final death trap that will kill the beast in front of me.

 

"Enough thinking." I began charging forward toward my enemy, hiding my movements much as I could in the snow. My boots are sinking into piles of snow and mud, slowing me down, while warm blood is flowing out of my body, drying then freezing on my chest.

 

I got into the attack range, and the giant ax's head landed right next to me with a loud snap.  It dug deep into the ground and scattered lots of dirt around. Some hit me. What a fascinating power display! At least I now have a chance to attack while this thing tries to pull that ax out.

 

I hit my next step to the ground, like a harpoon passing through a whale's skin, and stopped myself, and in a quick turn that took less than half a second, I dashed forward, prepared to land a hit, but my enemy was faster than excepted.

 

I threw myself forward and rolled forward, barely avoiding the ax that passed right above my head. I was just centimeters away from a new haircut. That beast pulled its weapon out of the ground so fast.

 

Well, no time to cry. Before this thing managed to attack me again, I got up from the ground and landed a heavy blow supported by the extra force from my jumping. This guy is pretty long. Why not use that to my advantage? Mace hit right under draugrs chin, which dazzled things a bit, just enough for me to get away from the blind swing.

 

His moves are clumsy, despite how fast and strong they are. I may have a chance to win this one, assuming I wouldn't make even a single mistake. 

I let the big guy attack before making my next move. He slashed his ax toward me using one hand.  It landed on the ground with similar destructive power. He makes his plans too obvious. I can see the free arm ready to clinch on my throat when I attack again. "You excepted me to fall for that? What you think I am, a hot-blooded amateur."

 

Let's see what tricks I still have, oh right, magic. I prepared a crystal and fired it towards the draugrs head.

 

Beast blocked the incoming projectile with the palm of his free hand while I managed to charge low and get myself an opening to land a clean hit to the knee.

 

"Wrong move!" I strike the mace right onto draugrs knee. The thing didn't even flinch. "Shit."

 

Monster sent a punch towards me, which I blocked using both my hands, but there was so much strength behind the attack he managed to make me fly back. The Son of a bitch probably enjoyed punching me, dropped his weapon, and began walking toward me.

 

I cracked my fists. "So, we are doing this old-fashioned way. Good." I dropped my mace to the ground as well. Hopefully, these gauntlets will help me do some damage to that armor.

 

"Openings from me this time!" I dashed forward and landed a punch straight to the chest, only to see how much damage his armor would block, and as expected, a lot. Draugr glared at me as if he found my pitty attempt funny. Have fun while you can.

 

I dodged the incoming fist coming from the draugr and immediately went to counter-attack. Without letting attack back, I landed five straight jabs to the draugrs chest, one after another, and yes,  it caused this monster to shake a bit.

 

Draugr stomped the ground and stretched his body for a strong punch.

 

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I tried to step away, but he was faster than expected. With both hands, I managed to stop the attack.  It was much weaker than the punch before. I wonder why, but now I hold a grip on him. "You would be surprised how agile this old wolf can be."

 

I used his arm like a pull-up bar to get myself upwards. I used the beast's body as a platform and launched myself forward, landing a punch straight into the draugrs head.

 

Finally, I can see the effects of my attacks on the monster in front of me. Using my legs, I locked his head and began landing countless punches to the beast's head while he tried to pull me away. His hands are carving deep into my flesh, and it hurts, but damn it, I can hold until I get over this shell and kill you.

 

"Huh?" Instead of pullings, now feel a powerful grip on my body. “Don't you tell me?”

 

Draugr roared and began charging toward the cave door.  It will damage both of us equally, maybe him more, and he does this only to get rid of the pest over his head. He gives his everything to kill me, like a genuine enemy. I like the thrill this one gives me.

 

"Hah! You gained my adoration." I began laughing like a madman as we both crashed through the makeshift door I made and landed in separate places inside the cave.

 

I was the first to get up, and the luxury of waiting for the other one to get up doesn't exist right now. I grabbed the two-handed ax from the ground and charged forward, landing a strike to draugrs head while it was on his fours, trying to push himself up. His helmet also finally dropped from his head after my last attack. Now completely exposed to any attack.

 

With the power of the hit, the draugr fell back to the ground head-on. "Heads to the chopping board!" I shouted as I turned the ax to the sharp part and raised it over my head.

 

But before I managed to slash it down, draugr grabbed me by my leg and pulled me down. I hit the ground on my back and rolled away to dodge a punch from the draugr.

 

To get myself out of danger, I crawled away before getting up again, but it also caused my enemy to get back on his feet before I did.

 

Beast roared again, and charged towards me, both arms and head forward like a trident. "Come!" Following the heat of battle, I made an irrational choice and decided to charge toward the thing almost twice my size and three times my weight head-on.

 

And right before we clashed, I threw myself forward and passed through the space between his legs. The confused monster stopped and turned his back, but what a surprise, a sucker punch! I followed my attack with another lock to his head. "Getting closer to the end."

 

Draugr immediately charged toward a wall. "Smart boy, but my lock is strong enough to stand something like that, and I don't care how many bones will get broken or how many bruises you will give me. You are dead." I made a hammer by connecting my hands and began smashing the draugrs head.

 

Draugr grabbed a dagger from the ground and immediately tried to stab me in the leg, forcing me to let go of my lock, and the second I did that, a hand pinned me to a wall.

 

"Shit-

 

His fist landed on my stomach and caused me to spit, then another punch and another until my view began getting darker and darker.

 

And finally, he dropped me to the ground and left the cave, only to get in again with his ax minutes later.

 

I feel like time got slower. Every second feels three to four times longer than they usually do. My perception got better too, the every footstep draugr takes echoes in my eardrums, loud as a bomb.

 

Blood flowing out of my body is soaking the ground. I cannot do anything other finding a sinful comfort in the warmth of my life fluid.  It shouldn't end like this. Getting this overpowered by an enemy is unacceptable.

 

With little power left in my body, I tried to get to land the last hit to finish the fight but got thrown back to the ground by a kick to my chest.

 

Then I tried to get up again and kissed the ground again because of a slam.

 

Then again, and got thrown back to the ground by something, who knows what.

 

I can see the light shining from that bastard's weapon. He is preparing his ax like an executioner preparing to take the life away from the convict.

 

I only need one strike to the head, only one strike.

 

But my body is not answering me. No matter how much I try, no matter how much I cry.

 

Should I let the curse take over me? I seem to get stronger every time I get more control. What could go wrong?

 

No. I cannot give up on what I am. The curse takes control of my body and turns me into a savage monster. I will not be damned by the devil again. "Not again."

 

With a fading ember in my heart, I screamed loud as I could and jumped up from the ground, and aimed my hand at the beast's head. "Now, die." I fired an ice projectile towards draugrs exposed head.

 

Once again, the monster stopped the incoming projectile as if it was nothing.

And a blade passed right through its throat. I chuckled. "You fell for twice, you bastard!" I used the same dagger he stabbed me to kill him, and it feels fucking good to take revenge for that wound.

 

Draugr's corps fell right in front of me. No matter how strong they are, when their brain or heart gets damaged, draugrs die. Now I only have one last thing to do. I crouched to the ground, cut the head away from the body, and began dragging myself to the outside.

 

And finally threw the head towards the crowd of draugrs waiting outside, one of them even moved closer to inspect it, and as they confirmed what happened, they left the place. I suppose I passed the test somehow. Now I see if I can survive all these wounds and bleeding after the adrenaline stops.

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