Maame Water: The Legend Of The Fish Queen

Heart Of The Jungle Beast

AUTHOR'S NOTE:
Oy there! What's up with all of you? I hope you are enjoying the book and if you are, comment, vote and send me any kind of feedback. I will really appreciate it♥♥♥. Anyways, you might have noticed that I have taking a penchant to updating during the weekends! I'm not gonna say I'll update every weekend because we all know that's a lie, buuuuuut you can expect an update over the weekends okay?
Getting back to the story, we find out that royal blood is needed to perfect the seal. Will this be the last chapter we see the King? Will he sacrifice himself for the good of the kingdom?
Read to find out!
* * *

The King side-stepped deftly as the jungle beast charged at him, its dark fur glistening with blood. Initially, the beast would have merely changed direction mid-charge, and pounced, but the King had already slowed the beast down by maiming it a couple of times with his spear, so the beast was not as agile as it used to be.
As the beast blew past, the King pierced its side with his spear earning a roar from the great cat.
The jungle beast had put up a good fight, clawing the King across his chest and back, but the relatively deep wounds did nothing to slow the King down. He relished in the pain, in the thrill of the battle. The King put everything into the battle, thinking about little else, for he knew that if he lost focus even for a second, the beast will sense his weakness and exploit it.

The King's men watched as the King and the beast circled each other, each waiting for the opportune moment to strike. Normally, it took four warriors to kill a jungle beast of that size, but the King had ordered his men to stand down while he fought the beast on his own. Nevertheless, the men were prepared to intervene in the event that their King should falter.

The limping cat roared again, shaking the jungle, in an attempt to intimidate the King, but the King merely roared back in annoyance. He was looking death in the face; there was no way he would be scared by that flimsy roar.

The beast bared its teeth and stalked closer, not daring to charge at the King again. The King stood his ground. The great cat was fast and strong, but his sister was faster and stronger; if he could not defeat this cat, he would never defeat his sister.

Not that it mattered now, now that the King knew he was fated to die...

The cat sensed the King's momentary loss in concentration and lunged. It's great hind legs lifted it high off the ground, too fast for the King to react. The King's back hit the ground hard, the beast's claws digging into his chest.

The beast opened its jaws, going for the King's throat when the King brought up his shield to block. His spear had dropped out of his hand when he had fallen, so he groped around for it, not daring to take his eyes of the beast. Finally, his hand brushed his spear and the King plunged it into the throat of the beast, spilling blood all over his face.
The King shoved the cat of his being and rose to his feet, his face and chest covered in gore.

It had all happened so fast that his men had had no time to react. When they had realized that their King was in mortal peril, the King had already impaled the great beast. Now the warriors gathered around the panting King, watching for his next move.

The King regarded the great beast as it tried to struggle, succeeding only in wounding itself. Finally, after a series of mournful whines, the beast went still.

The King went closer to the beast and put his hands around his spear. He looked at the beast's fading green eyes and thought:

You put up a good fight cat, but I am more desperate.

The King tightened his grip around his spear and pulled it from the beast, blood oozing from the hole the spear had just vacated.

The King rose his spear above his torso and delivered the final blow.