Raven

The Road

The heavy sword clanged off of Myrandus' shield, a new scar on the once-untarnished steel heater. The silvery raven insignia upon the ebony surface bore these marks proudly, remnants of countless battles fought before.

The attack had called him unawares. Now, batting away the whirling blade, Myrandus took the time to size up his opponent.

The brute wore only roughspun trousers with light armor plating, baring his inhumanely muscular torso. From his jaw protruded vicious ridges and spikes of iron, likely implanted in some horrendous surgery. He was clean-shaven, and his heavy brow preceded a gleaming, hairless scalp. The hulk effortlessly twirled his weighty red iron sword in his right hand, and on his other arm a crudely-hammered shield of the same material was strapped.

Myrandus dodged aside as his opponent charged, shoving the mountain as he passed.

The push caused the brute to stumble sideways, barely remaining upright.

"You know, I never caught your name," Myrandus called as he sauntered easily to the brute.

"Kill you!" his opponent roared back.

"Kill You it is," Myrandus mused.

The black-armored wanderer slung his heater around his back and took his bastard sword in both hands. He reared back and struck blow after blow upon his enemy, sending them ringing upon his shield, not even aiming for Kill You himself. Myrandus struck too quickly and unpredictable to be dodged, and so powerfully that sparks flew about them like rain at the clash of metal on unforgiving metal. Myrandus, rearing back, dealt a final overhead blow, sundering Kill You's shield in a cacophony of rent iron.

The brute staggered backwards, swinging wildly with his heavy blade so he might distance himself from his opponent.

Myrandus made no attempt to close the gap, looking on with borderline amusement as Kill You flailed around.

Kill You, finally aware of the pointlessness of his frantic swipes, gathered himself, rounding on Myrandus. He scuffed the ground with his heel, not unlike a bull.

"Oh, come now," Myrandus spoke through a mirthless grin.

Kill You charged.

Myrandus took a step to the right and swung his sword in a brutal backhand arc, ducking under Kill You's left arm as he went.

Kill You stumbled to a halt as Myrandus' sword buried itself in his stomach. The blade became invisible under a steady stream of blood that curtained the wound. Kill You sputtered as his lungs filled with his own essence, dropping his sword to the ground with a dull thud.

Both combatants paused.

Myrandus released his sword. It remained firmly where it was buried. He stepped around to face Kill You. The giant's chest heaved as he struggled to draw breath; his only other movement was to track Myrandus' progress with his head, regarding the warrior with hard, blameful eyes.

Myrandus is grasped his sword's hilt with his right hand.

"Well..." he began.

In a blur, Myrandus lashed out with a vicious kick, freeing and his sword in a splurt of blood and sending Kill You crashing, lifeless, to the ground.

"... We wouldn't want to keep Thanatos waiting, now would we?"

Myrandus flourished his bastard sword in a tight circle with a snap of his arm and wrist, filling the air with beads of twinkling scarlet, then returned the blade to his scabbard.

The stygian warrior continued down the lonely road as his aggressor's blood mingled with the hard-packed dust.