Born To Hail

Chapter 26

When Lueken walked into the clearing he saw Sebastian punching a tree. With each strike blood and splinters exploded from hand and trunk, like a bloody axe chopping away. The great man's eyes moved from the tree to the other man's face, to his eyes. He saw so much torment in them, a feeling Lueken himself knew all too well.

"How about you hit something that hits back?" The questioned bellowed from Lueken's chest and echoed through the trees.

Sebastian never heard him. He kept slugging the tree, trying with all his might to expel his weaknesses. He felt each blow, felt the warm blood running down his hand, from his knuckles. Oh how he relished in that pain, physical pain, for it was far better than his emotional pains.

It wasn't until the Barbarian grabbed his shoulder and spun him around, Lueken received a punch to the face as consequence, that Sebastian realized he was no longer alone.

Lueken rubbed his reddening cheek and said, "Your fist have gotten harder, little man."

"Too hard, I fear at times..." Sebastian admitted, lowering his barriers if only briefly.

"Are you still beating yourself up over an accident, all your friends know you would never do anything like that on purpose?" Lueken said to him in consolation, it was hard for him to see Sebastian in such straights. This feeling of... of pity was new to the Barbarian. In his village, before the orcish slaughter, he never felt anything beyond the urge to fight anyone, save his wife and son.

"How am I supposed to feel? Barbarian..." He spit that word out a bit too harshly, yet was in no mood to care. "Am I to pretend it never happened?"

"No. Neither should you be out her in solitude trapped in a past you can't change." Lueken lectured.

"How else am I to make sure it never happens again, unless I live in what I have done once, nearly TWICE?" Sebastian's words and emotions were out of his control. "What if I had killed her Lueken, Ceradell the woman I love? How am I to live with that knowledge? Got any Barbarian secrets for what's going on with me?"

A wide wicked smile spread the big man's lips. "As a matter of fact, I do." That was the only warning, and a vague one at that, before tossing a sword to the ground while sprinting at the distraught Sebastian, full charge.

Sebastian saw the meaty fist, nearly the size of his entire head, fly through the air. It was as if it was in slow motion, as if he had time to drink sip some elfish tea before it connected. Sebastian made no move to dodge, block, or parry the blow; he instead accepted it fervently; deeming it a penance of sorts for his... his arrogance. He knew he shouldn't have used his magic and yet he allowed himself to believe he had figured his powers out, apparently he was far from that fact.

He absently rose from the ground, a blank expression on his face. Pain throbbed in his head, drowning out his thoughts. He needed more pain though. For his torments ran deep, all his torments from this world and the last. He will be baptized in the pain, maybe then he might dare hope...

"Why do you not strike back? Mighty Hero?" Lueken taunted him.

"I will not harm you as well, friend." Sebastian retorted.

Laughter boomed from Lueken's massive heaving chest. "Certainly you jest, Sebastian. We have had many a good duel, not once have you neared injury on mine self."

"Last time we fought I don't think I could do that." Sebastian gestured to the tree he was beating on.

Once again laughter echoed through the trees. "I am Barbarian; mine muscles are as iron and skin as thick as a bear's hide."