Chapter 23: Chapter 22 – Commander of Arrows and Giant of Fire

I felt my body lighten. The bow in my hand shone like a thousand suns. Sounds as like the roaring of bulls could be heard around me. The footsteps and cries of the giant were felt far. Its fires weren’t extinguished, but it was weakened; slowed from the gust of wind.

But I had little time to take rest, for its recovery was fast. Its flames blazed high, and the tremors emanating from its being caused my horses to lose their hold over the surface.

I let the force of the wind return as I strained to direct its flow. My mind and body were taxed when not long had passed since the start of the battle. I readied my bow as did Salam.

With great cries, we unleashed our arrows. The arrows shot ahigh and their forms replicated until it seemed like there were thousands of them. Their mass blocked the sun as like a thick canopy. They descended with the force of an eagle’s dive.

The commander, giant, and I passed by each other, striking our wheels. When coming to either end, we suffered against the fallout brought by the rain of arrows.

I brought a shield of air to deflect the oncoming arrows. When it subsided, I gasped for breath. In my haste, I had taken even the air holding my form. Had I held out any longer, I felt I would’ve suffocated.

I had yet to learn the ways of hardening myself to hunger, thirst, waste, and asphyxia.

I turned the chariot once more to behold the commander beginning a new volley. But this time was different.

From the arrows launched, the giant blazed them with fire. At the direction of the commander’s arm, the wind came his way and launched them my way. I was left with little time to counter.

I took the bow in my arms, and with as many of the elements as I could course, I infused three of my arrows. Knotting them against the strings, I launched them with a great twang that shook my chariot and knocked me to my seat!

I watched as they flew high. Their sounds were like flowing fire that reverberated across the horizon. I could hear the din of drums afar, their ensuing vibrations shaking and lifting the dust.

The arrows replicated until there were as many as the ones coming my way. Now matched, the arrows struck against each other in perfect rhythm. Each canceled the other, leaving traces of the elements and pockets of air to burst on impact.

The sky was covered in darkness. The elements had rendered the air unstable. Lightning struck far and wide across those arid plains. Rain came from above.

The fire giant roared in pain. From his hands came two pillars of fire descending from the heavens. The water sizzled and steamed. He had created a wall of heat that not even the onslaught of the God of Thunder could pierce.

The pillars of flames became as like great spears, covered in the fiery wreath of ZayagnavahThe god of fire..

With two great swings of its arms, the giant launched them. They struck on either side of my chariot. The horses were in a frenzy, and I did as much as I could to calm them.

But it was too late. The fire of the spears erupted to a conflagration. It lighted the arc of its path in pillars of flame that seemed to extend all the way above. I was caged on either end with my only course of action to ride toward Salam.

The horses made the choice for me, and with great apprehension, they sped toward the commander’s chariot. As we were speeding, the pillars of flames burst. My chariot became unstable. I created a wall of water to douse the flames. The heat was cooled for just an instant. The relief of the horses stabilized the chariot.

The horses hastened their gallop and struck the earth with great force as they moved. The dirt kicked high and melted in the surrounding inferno.

Commander Salam called to his horses.

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“Ashpahva! Move horses!” cried Salam.

The horses reared, their eyes blazing with vigor, and they rode as like the wind, ushering the self-same speed they displayed at the beginning of the battle.

Now, we drew close. My thoughts went blank. How was I to survive this trial?

The commander drew his great bow. He knotted one great arrow whose size was enough to fell a serpent of old. I heard the twang of his bow: he unleashed his volley. My sight was covered.

Then, with my sword, I called the elements to mind. I called to them with as much force as my consciousness could muster. As if being guided, my palms coursed with the elements infused in darkness. I put my hands together and my hair stood on end.

My grip tightened. With a grand swing of the blade, I let fly the blue arcs of lightning! The arrows vaporized on impact. But it didn’t stop there.

It continued to grow, invigorated by the force of the flames. The arc of the element became as like an arrow with wings, infused with the power of Dusdrahah himself. It soared past the commander, wrecking the top of his chariot, and struck the giant with such force so as to knock him to the ground.

The giant wailed as his blood streamed from the impact.

Our chariots passed each other, and I looked to my hands. They were cut all over by the lightning. It was a miracle that by this point my body hadn’t scarred. I could see the blood fall to the floor with bits of skin. I let the water come to my palms. It healed and covered the marring of my hands.

When I rode past the giant, I halted the movement of the horses. We let ourselves have a brief respite.

I saw my master levitating in the air. The sage looked to the match with delight on her face.

From out of the smoldering haze of the dying flames, Salam came with his hand raised above. He forfeited the match.

While I had bested Salam now, both he and I knew that were he to have put his all, I would’ve surely perished. Yet progress was made.

I looked to the sage and called to her. “Master Yurvaonri, what now? Should we head home.”

She gave me a curious look and then laughed. “You think the battle won? No, my disciple, it is far from over. Look to the giant who rests.”

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