Brave Souls. (Book One.)

Johari vs Baizu .

Baizu wasted no time. He lunged forward with fury and animosity filled in his unseemly face. His wooden spear fell aimed straight at Johari's head. Johari reacted in kind blocking the fatal strike. Baizu then feigned left before switching with dazzling speed with a swing at Johari's right ribs.

Johari held his spear skillfully blocking the powerful swing that had his fingers numb at the collision. Baizu was not done. He went low taking another wide swing low at Johari's feet. The young Mariani warrior jumped to evade but his left foot got caught with the blurry spear sending searing throngs of pain up his leg. He lost his balance and toppled back falling on his back into the dirt.

Seeing an opening, the Lekuta brute closed in swinging his weapon down with s loud roar seeking to finish off his pesky scrawny opponent at once. Johari laboured through the pain in his leg and rolled away in the nick of time as the wooden spear struck the hard ground blowing up an thick cloud of dust into the air.

Angry at missing this fatal blow that could have ended the duel, Baizu lashed out a heavy kick that caught the rising Johari squarely oh his chest. Once again he flew backwards falling into the encircled crowd.

Unfortunately the part that he fell into was filled with equally angry Lekuta initiates and they aggressively threw him back to the centre of the circle with a cruel shove.

Johari hardly had anytime to breath before he found himself hurtling towards the path of the vengeful Baizu. The huge Lekuta brute lunged his powerful spear aggressively attacking Johari without a moment to waste.

Johari on instinct side stepped him, once again narrowly missing the strike. The side of Mariani initiates erupted with contempt at the ganging up of their comrade. Johari's lively utterance at Old Kostilu's yard had endeared him to many of his village mates.

Head scribe Terazzi held his hand up at once bringing silence to the entire grounds.

Johari felt truly angered at this point. Was this brute trying to kill him.?? He looked at his towering opponent who held a smile of deep contempt.

"Is running and trash talking all you know?" Baizu taunted as he calmly approached him feeling all mighty and strong.

Johari was about to rush at the brute but he remembered Old Kostilu's wise words on anger and the true way of the warrior. To always have a calm heart in the most perilous of situations.

He calmed himself and his countenance became stern as he re evaluated his approaching enemy. His body training urged him to use his strengths against the opponents weaknesses. His eyes told him his enemy was strong and very much angered. He would use this.

Johari started backing away slowly, resorting to a defensive stance. Baizu upon seeing this laughed as he interpreted this as fear.

"Don't run away.! Come let this elder brother teach you a small lesson on how to respect those above you."

Baizu launched a series of ferocious attacks. His Mariani foe blocked a few and evaded most of them. But Baizu was relentless in his pursuit, hurtling out attack after frenzied attack cheered on by the the exuberant and vengeful Lekuta initiates.

He attacked at full strength, but somehow the 'scared' Johari always seemed to evade a crucial hit at the last moment.

"This pesky brat, he must have been a rabbit in his past life!"

Baizu's anger reached its climax and with a loud roar he rushed at the now rather tired looking Johari.

Johari who was feigning his deep breathing and panting, chuckled at the incoming fool.

"This is it. Come! I've been waiting all day."

As the spear fell down as quick and vicious as a black adder, Johari relied on his signature side step and Baizu missed rushing past him with great momentum. Johari did not back down this time, he released his spear to attack for the first time.

Switching back on his heels, he swung his weapon with all his might to Baizu's open back as he passed by. The brutes full speed plus the powerful strike sent him sprawling unceremoniously as he let out a painful howl.

Tears welled up Baizu's eyes and he turned to lash out at Johari as he used his free hand to feel his back which was screaming in pain.

"Arrgh You ugly warthog.! ... How dare you unleash a sneak atta..." but Baizu did not get to finish as he met Johari soaring up in the air with a vicious roar. Johari swooped down as the majestic African eagle talons bared.

Baizu's look of utter surprise was priceless. He quickly raised his spear with his one arm. Johari struck Baizu's raised spear arm with sheer power, disarming the brute in one clean hit. Baizu screamed out like a dying pig clutching his fingers that now resembled fat overcooked sausages. His spear flew out in the air but before it fell Johari had landed and moved forward. He wasn't done.

Johari knew his counter was enough for a win but he too had a lesson to teach this ugly toad. He brought his spear down to greet Baizu's unprotected stomach. Baizu leaned in like a deflated rag doll throwing out spit and mucus amidst a terrible shriek. Johari let go of his weapon and his right knee helped Baizu's lowered chin up.

The sorry Lekuta brute flew back in the air his blood drawing a beautiful arc as he crushed backwards into the dirt in a sorry heap. His whole face was bloodied and his nose was crooked in an awkward angle. He twitched like a lifeless twig in the wind before laying still... thoroughly knocked out!

A brief silence loomed for a few seconds before Mariani's side of the circle erupted in a frenzy at the truly refreshing performance.

Meanwhile on Lekuta's side, eyes popped out in dismay and ears became hot in shame. Moseti Kalibari spat out furiously at the still dust covered figure sprawled out in front of him.

"Useless fool!! How could he lose so embarrassingly!"

"How could this good for nothing fool etch out a win.? Wasn't he fully suppressed just a minute ago?"

"Is Baizu's huge body just a sack of feathers and chicken bones!? The fool!"

The anger in Moseti Kalibari hit the roof. His Lekuta had been embarrassed again and his grand ambitious plans had suffered yet another set back, and all by the lazy good for nothing Mariani herds boy.

"It seems that if one wants to accomplish anything one must do it himself!" Moseti puffed and vexed. He turned his head away from the truly embarrassing sight displayed in front him.

Head Scribe Terazzi nodded slightly at Johari.

"Some barely passable skills."

Johari , "........"

Terazzi turned to the rest of the young warriors. " Rule number one! Don't attack aimlessly like a headless chicken, tactics are vital in battle.!"

"Have you learnt nothing from head scribe Kondobia!" He berated pointing at the heap of sorry bones that was Baizu.

A heavy silence engulfed the yard.

"Take him away to the healers.!"

"Alright. Next.! And you better show me something passable as some skill, or I'll beat you up myself.!"

Head scribe circled the young warriors once more picking out another two combatants. As far as he was concerned he had already forgotten about the huge Lekuta brute Baizu who had at first inspired some little respect but then taken a huge spectacular loss.

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