Guardians of the creche

Oh dear. Thought the other woman in a weary tone as she emerged from the cloud of dust. They stood far over six feet but not quite seven, their armor was much like the first woman’s. Their round greatshield bore the dull hues of tombac, the feathers of their wings were dove white, and their horns were onyx black with hints of ash, and their skin and lips were a bright porcelain.

Tinkg! sksh-chs-skh. The bullhorn guardian swung their hooked Bo down upon the knight, who scuttled out to their feet from underneath the strike. The knight takes up a ready stance, balling their mittens into fists as they face the ram horn guardian. The rush forward Wooosh. Ducking the Ram’s wide sweep, slipping in close through their guard. Ting, ting-thud. The knight strikes the guardian thrice, bashing their armor in the hip, low, and mid rib, wobbling the Ram.

Tuk skkkhhh. The Ram jumps back, leaning forward slightly, as the knight dashes forward, preparing a strike. TUNGK! The bull horn smashes their hooked bo into the oblique of the knight from behind them, sending them flying and tumbling to the floor.

“Are you ok?!” Ask the bull horned guardian in a sharp tone with a light quiver as they move in front of the Ram, shielding them.

“I’m fine, Bell. AH!- pay attention!” The Ram snapped, steadying their stance. The knight lunged forward, stomping on the Bull’s Bo hook, pinning it to the floor as they stepped up the shaft.

Woosh! So fast! Thought Bell in a raised voice as she swung her shield at the knight while clenching her teeth. Pap-Tuh, SMASH! “Gnn.” The knight blocked their forearm mid-strike, grabbed Bell’s horns as they drove their knee up, bashing into her jaw. Squelch, Ugghh. Blood seeps from Bell’s lips as they reel back from the strike, their grip loosening on their bo.

TONK! Woosh-BOOM! A stiff forward bo strike comes from below up under Bell’s arm from the Ram, sending the knight flying up into a pillar, smashing dust and debris into the air. Pap, she catches Bell pulling her shield over her with her other arm.

“Thanks.” Said Bell, wiping the blood from her lips. SWAH-BOOM! The knight crashed down from the pillar, hammering their fists into the guardian’s Pointed shield, cratering their huddle into the floor.

Such Strength. Thought the Ram in a weary firm tone. Vroom, they wave them off the shield, launching them back as they break out of the huddle, the two guardians rush the knight down on both sides.

Ting, pap, Tonk. A strike from a bo overhead, parried, a strike to the knight’s liver is tossed back. Huff huff huff. The knight scrabbles back, sweat seeping into their cape as they defend against the two. Ting tuck clack, Boom. A strike from Bell is blocked overhead. A strike from the Ram aimed at the thigh is kicked off before it ever connects, the knight turns, swinging up into Bell’s Cuirass, slamming their fist into her liver. Uggh, Bell drops to one knee. Thud! She’s swatted across the face with a blinding elbow, her ears ringing as she drops to the floor.

BOOM! Ugh!- The knight’s smashed on the head by the Ram’s Bo and is sent stumbling to the side. Bell slowly rises to her feet as The Ram steps in front of her as she regains her composure.

“Bell, let’s switch.” Said the Ram in a deep, bold voice, peering over her shoulder.

Uggh, “Ri-Rihya, my head hurts.” Whined Bell in a quivering voice as a tear ran down her cheek and a rill of blood seeped from the mask of her helm. She slowly rose to her feet.

Tsk Rihya scoffs furiously, I’ll kill you! She thought, gritting her teeth, the knight wobbles to a ready stance once more, their arms shaking.

Wa-TASHK. The knight whips the thick rope from their side, tying it around their wrist in a tight knot.

What are they planning? Thought Rihya with a fierce concern. Rihya and the knight charge each other. Ting Clatter. As they meet, Rihya tosses her bo and raises her shield. The knight turns, looking at the bo. Pap Rihya pulls the knight’s lead hand. Wu-TONK! She slams the pointed end of their shield onto the wrist of the knight’s left mitten, piercing their armor and pinning them to the pavement. Squelch!-THud. Rihya kicks the knight across their face, sending them tumbling far back over the floor with a crimson trail behind them.

“Mmhhppff!!” The little knight winces in a muffled tone as they curl into a ball on the floor. Warm crimson blood pours out onto the ground, gashed tender sinew, and splintered bone lay barren in the cold air, a mess of flesh and metal where the knight’s hand once was. Now behind the shield of the Ram.

Crumble. “Bell, hand me your Bo!” Yelled Rihya, facing the knight while raising her bloody shield from the pavement as she rushed to retrieve her bo. Tink, Clash. She stamps them into the brick at their feet, forming the shape of a V. Rihya grabs the two bos by their handles, as Bell wraps her arms around her waist tightly while pressing the side of her face against her back.

“Pull Hard bell!” Called out Rihya in a fierce voice of fire.

sks ksh ck “UGGGGHH!” Yelled Bell, scuttling back, kicking her feet against the ground, pulling as hard as she could, the Bos bend with a prominent arching flex. Huff. Huff. Huff. Tip, tap, pap. The knight slowly rises to their feet as chips of their broken radius clatter to the floor.

SWOOOOSH! Rihya is launched forward like a rocket, she tucks her shield before her.

SH-BOOOM! Wooshh. She smashes into the knight, bouncing back and across the floor as a burst of wind follows the impact.

CRUMBLE! SMASH! CRASH! Crumble… The knight is sent hurdling up through the air, crashing through three pillars, crumbling the first as they tumble through the others in a pile of rubble and dust.

AUUCH! The knight hurls up a wad of blood, as the taste of copper fills their mouth and a liquid warmth floods their jaw. They lay on their back, their cloak covering the dent in their cuirass. Their body twitches as fiery pain begins to pour out from the very depths of their gut. They lay in a pool of their blood, once more.

Foggy Off white clouds blot out the sun.

shhhhhhh….. Rain poured over a field as the knight and the man lay crunched about each other like a spiral.

Woooosh. A wind washes over the vast, empty, deep green, tall, grassy field. It's silent.

The knight and the man, each in a puddle of their blood, their bodies cold and lifeless. The man slept peacefully as a bit of his intestines seeped out from a gash in his stomach. In front of him, a sword lay plunged through the knight’s stomach.

The knight’s twitching ceases as the dust starts to settle. They lie there in ruins, next to them the bone, that small, tender little bone that once was at their hip.