The Call of Crows

Chapter 49: Willmerged

Bjorn rolled backwards but landed upright. He stared down Yahui and the four Bane Knights she'd brought to help wail on him.

He was exhausted and worn, but he could still hold his own.

"Now this is hardly fair."

Bjorn glanced to his right as Katla walked up beside him, her warriors in tow.

"Mm, yes, that's somewhat the point of a five on one, Ascomanni." Yahui mused, flourishing her straight sword.

"Katla?" Bjorn groaned, "Why are you-"

"Don't give me that." Katla scoffed, "Right now, Nikan is the enemy. And that's all that matters."

Bjorn nodded.

"Oh...Bjorn, is this the girl you told me about?" Yahui asked, a smirk growing on her face, "The one you tried to save, but failed so utterly that your entire village shunned you?"

Bjorn gritted his teeth.

No. No, I won't let her control me. I won't let the chains of fear, pride, and shame lock themselves around my neck once again.

"Yes, Yahui. Yes, she is." Bjorn declared, "But you know what? I don't give a damn that I failed. I don't care that they shipped me off to that island and I don't care if they still hate me!"

"You can say a lot of things, Stormtamer. That doesn't make them true." Yahui sneered.

"But it is true. I will not stop fighting to wallow in pity for myself." Bjorn growled. Bjorn turned back to Yahui and readied his axe. "Katla. Let's finish this. Let's give our partnership the last hurrah it never had."

Katla nodded, "I'm with you."

Yahui Bonemerged with her Shedim, melding her form with a dark fox before her Banebending sword lit aflame.

"Look at you, Stormtamer. Crawling back to the very woman who stole your dignity from you. The people who kicked you out into the wild to die alone." Yahui shook her head. "You could've joined me and found a place where you were respected. Loved."

Bjorn scoffed in response, "You have my back, Katla?"

"Just this once." she murmured.

Bjorn cast his shield away, a reminder of his envy and his insecurity. Instead, he drew his sword. A weapon of fools who tried to cut through armor. Or a weapon of great heroes who fought with the nobility and courage needed to wield a blade.

Yahui started things off with a flurry of swipes with her sword in the air, sending waves of orange and violet flames towards him and Katla. Katla pressed her back to him and swiveled themselves around so the fire made contact with only Katla's shield.

Bjorn flipped over his partner and slammed both his weapons into the ground, sending a shock wave of electrical energy forward.

Yahui leapt off the ground and hovered in the air as Katla's warriors clashed with Yahui's Bane Knights. The princess dove towards Bjorn, but he let himself be spun around as Katla's shield once again defended both of them. She shoved Yahui back and put her off balance with a thrust of her spear.

Bjorn grabbed Katla's shoulder, vaulting himself over the shield and kicking Yahui in the abdomen. Despite her teetering balance, she recovered and swung at Bjorn with her blade.

Bjorn hooked the sword in the beard of his axe and cracked the pommel of his sword into her head, though he missed the strike that followed.

Yahui struck Bjorn with her claws, breaking through his chain mail. He grunted as burning pain seeped through the wounds, like they were on fire.