Chapter 41 - Hit Me With Your Best Shot

Ariadne silently watched the menacing demon approach the trapped Warlock.

She didn’t seem especially concerned and quickly turned her attention back the wagon. Silea was still tied to the side by a leather strap and the other cloaked driver hadn’t moved at all.

Well that’s unnerving. What’s that driver’s deal? Nerves of steel or did he start a little early with the drinky drinky?

Meanwhile Xorn was toying with Warlock, playfully swinging his mace haphazardly and forcing the man even further back into the newly created wall.

“I would ask you for your last words…but I don’t think I plan to kill you Warlock. No, I think I’ll make you scream and tell me every little secret before you beg me to let you die.”

Warlock shrugged.

“I don’t suppose there’s an alternate agenda? I’m sure you can tell by the cowl that I’m not a fan of sharing secrets. But if you’re that fond of gossip I’m sure there’s a teenage girl’s birthday party happening somewhere in the City.”

“Bah!” Xorn swung his mace with more fervour, clearly annoyed. “Now you just sound like that pest I play cards with. Just another insect I need to teach the meaning of respect.”

Warlock parried the wild blow easily, turning his blade so it wouldn’t break from taking the strike head on. He was able to get a little space between himself and the demon, but the expanse of wall behind him still blocked his escape towards his comrades.

“I tire of this rebel. I’ll hold back no longer.”

Ariadne had moved inside the wagon, ready to free Silea if necessary. She watched and could see the shift in Xorn’s stance. Gone was the casual, wild swinging for fun using his brute strength. He now moved with purpose and a degree of discipline that could only have been honed after years of practice.

He gets frustrated easily, doesn’t he?

Warlock was only barely able to keep up, but nevertheless succeeded in avoiding Xorn’s blows. But just then Xorn quickly twisted his wrist to snap the heavy mace back towards Warlock after a missed attack that had sailed over Warlock’s head. It was the sort of shift in momentum of the heavy weapon that only someone with his prodigious strength could even attempt and it clearly took Warlock by surprise.

The mace careened towards the rebel’s face. Euryale’s eyes went wide as she watched, certain the man was about to die.

And then Xorn’s mace…hit nothing.

It swung through the air, but the man was gone.

“What?!?”

“Ooof, you almost got me that time.”

Xorn spun around to find Warlock standing to his left behind him.

“How did you get there?!” He yelled as he lashed out with his weapon again.

Warlock parried the first two strikes but when the third came, an upwards blow towards his midriff, he vanished again.

Xorn stood still, except for his head which was wildly turning back and forth looking for the man.

“Now, I believe you said I would be unable to hurt you. But it doesn’t seem like you are faring any better, demon.”

Xorn looked up and saw Warlock sitting on the top of the dirt wall he had created.

“Get down here and fight like a man!”

Warlock stood on the top of the wall, peering down.

“If you insist.”

He vanished and in an instant reappeared directly in front of Xorn, burying his fist into the demon’s stomach and up into his solar plexus, the wind knocked out of him momentarily.

“You see demon, I’ve learned that while ordinary weapons may struggle to cut your skin, you still have basic biological functions like breathing.”

He vanished again.

“And those can be disrupted just like anyone else.”

As he spoke he reappeared beside the demon and gave him a chop in the throat with a horizontal strike of his left hand. The unexpected blow forced the demon to struggle for breath even more and he staggered back several feet.

“Are…you…just…” Xorn croaked out a few words. A horrifying wheeze followed as he tried to get air into his lungs to talk.

Warlock stood back to let the demon try to speak.  “Am I?”

“Are you…just…going to sit there…Bookworm!?” The last word came out as a contemptuous snarl as he stared towards the front of the wagon.

Ah! Me? What do I do?!

Euryale froze with uncertainty as Xorn staggered towards Warlock.

“Calling for help from a poor peasant farmer? Have you sunk so low demon?”

Warlock chuckled.

Xorn bellowed in rage, his breath finally returning in full.

“Get him!”

Right! I have to. Or Xorn will suspect me. I’m sure Mr. Witt won’t mind. Right?

Euryale stood slowly and turned to face the fighting pair. She slowly pulled back her cloak to reveal her tangle of purple hair that twisted in front of her face.

Ooo, Euryale’s here too! I wonder how he’ll deal with this? Ariadne pondered.

“I won’t be able to do this if you’re right next to him!” She called towards Xorn as she tried to pull her hair back from her face into a makeshift ponytail.

“Just be ready!”

Xorn struck out at Warlock who dodged his strike. But this time he stayed close to the demon.

Every strike Xorn tried was dodged or parried, and when Warlock couldn’t do so he would vanish and reappear close behind the infuriated demon.

I can’t get a good look at him without Xorn there. And it will take me a few moments to get started. How am I supposed to do this?!

The cat and mouse fight continued. Blow after dodged blow, Warlock evaded everything.

“I only need one hit, human!” Xorn swung his mace downwards towards Warlock again and one more time Warlock vanished.

“And yet you struggle, demon!”

But this time Xorn surprised him. Dropping his heavy mace he quickly turned and grabbed at the air where he assumed Warlock would appear.

“Ha!” He yelled in triumph as his fingers grasped the black cloak the man wore. He yanked the fabric and while holding it tight he kicked out with his right foot into the man’s back.

“Now Bookworm!”

Light began to gleam in Euryale’s eyes as she turned her sight on the man.

Xorn’s kick had launched the man forward, forcing him to stumble away from the demon. And it also tore off his cloak.

He stood there in his black leather suit and turned to look at Euryale.

“Mr. Witt!” Euryale screeched.

An instant later Witt wasn’t standing ahead of her anymore.

Instead, her hair was suddenly yanked back and Euryale was forced to stare up at the sky by a powerful grip on her head pulling her hair. The glow in her eyes faded.

“I believe I told you not to interfere, Eury dear, no matter what.”

He wrenched her head sideways and threw her to the side of the wagon.

“So just sit and watch and do what you’re told.”

He gave her the same genial smile he always did. And somehow it was far, far more terrifying than anything she had seen so far.