Confronting the Past

The next day they went to Violets old home. They didn’t talk much on their way. Only Violet gave the occasional direction. It did not take them long and the big house appeared before them.

“That’s it.”, said Violet.

She nervously fiddled with a strand of hair, which she now didn’t hide anymore. Violet looked at Alex, who sat next to her. He was calmly smiling at her. The gate opened for them as they got close and they drove through the garden. Violet looked around. The sights brought back memories, some of them good, most of them bitter now. Alex too looked around and they both spotted the tree at the same time. Violet’s heart was filled with bitterness, sorrow and pain. Alex felt something different, but he remained calm. It was not time yet, he thought, and they drove further along the path. A man waited in front of the house.

“Follow me.”, he said curtly.

They followed him inside. Violet gasped. The architecture was the same as ever, but the furniture, the wall decorations, the paintings, the sculptures and everything else had changed. The man ushered them forwards. Violet knew that he would take them to the big training hall with a spectator stand on the side. But the man stopped before they reached it and turned around.

“Your weapon.”, he said to Alex with an evil smile.

Alex looked at him without any emotion and just held out his axe. Violet felt a slight flash of satisfaction as the man lost his balance and had to step forward, when he grabbed the weapon.

“He goes straight, the others through there.”, he said, pointed to a door at the side and then left through another one.

“I would wish you good luck my friend, but that would imply you needed it for this. So… just do your thing.”, said Caleb and patted Alex on the back.

Cera touched his shoulder and just nodded. They then both went through the door on the side, leaving Violet alone with Alex.

“Are you sure you want to do this?”, said Violet quietly.

Alex turned towards her and smiled.

“Absolutely.”

“But why?”

“Because he is the guy that did all that to you and…”

“And?”

“He said that I smell…”

Violet looked at him confused for a moment and then started laughing out loud.

“Well, then you better get him for that.”, she said after calming down.

Alex nodded and turned around to go through his door. Violet looked after him as he vanished through it.

It can’t be… right?..., she thought and went through the side door.

Violet found herself on the spectator stand. Cera and Caleb were already sitting there. Some other people were sitting in the stands too. Alex stood down on the trainings floor and waited. It took a while until the door on the other side opened and Eduard appeared, but he was not alone. Six other guys were with him, all with a long stick in his hand. Eduard was in full armor and had his sword hanging on the side.

“You did not run? Impressive and commendable… but very stupid… when we are through with you, you wish you’d run. The conditions for this duel are as follows…The fight ends when one party either, gives up, falls unconscious or dies. Every party gets to use what is befitting of their status… this means I as a count get to fight in amor, with weapon and a few underlings. You as a nothing gets nothing. But I will be merciful and let you keep at least some dignity, so you can keep your pants on. Agreed?”, shouted Eduard.

“Agreed.”, said Alex and took off his shirt.

“What? That’s not fair! One against seven?”, said Caleb.

Violet looked down at Eduard and noticed his pristine plate armor with no dents and no specks of dirt. Then she looked at the six men with him. All well trained, in clean and spotless clothes and with their hair and beards neatly trimmed, grinning like they had already won and looking forward to beating someone. At last Violet looked at Alex, just standing there. His hair loosely tied back. His beard was braided, reached his chest and had some left over crumbs from the breakfast still in it. Alex bare body was covered in scars and his pants dirty. He stood there, calmly and observing.

“You’re right… It’s not fair… I only see one true warrior down there and some kids trying to act tough.”, commented Violet.

“Oh, you noticed it too?”, said Cera and gave her a smile.

“Notice what?”, asked Caleb.

“His look… He looks like a predator observing a herd of animals and deciding on his pray.”, she explained.

“Well then… shall we begin… My love, would you do the honor?”, shouted Eduard.

Violet stood up, not looking at him. Caleb handed her a small cloth. She stepped forward to the railing.

“You may begin, when this cloth touches the ground.”, she exclaimed.

Eduard looked bored already, the six men seemed eager to get it started, and Alex just stood there, waiting. His gaze was fixed on Eduard. Violet let go of the cloth.

“Get him!”, ordered Eduard immediately.

The cloth wasn’t even halfway down to the ground when the six men began to move. Alex remained where he was. The men grinned devilish as they closed in. Violet watched the first of them swing his stick and hit Alex right in the chest leaving a long red mark. She did not flinch and neither did he. The cloth was nearly at the bottom. The men surrounded him and the second guy swung. The cloth reached the bottom. Sound of bones breaking echoed through the hall and four of the six men jumped back. Two found themselves on the ground. One with a smashed ribcage and the other with his arm broken in multiple places. Violet watched Alex. His demeanor had changed like someone flicked a switch. Where moments ago, a calm man stood, bared now a raging beast it’s teeth.

“Is he…?”, asked Cera surprised.

Violet nodded.

“Without your… spell?”, asked Cera astonished.

Violet nodded again. Alex had entered the Berserker state all of his own. And he began to move, but he did not dash, nor run. Alex simply began to walk. His gaze still fixed on Eduard. He did not care for the men with their sticks.

“What’s wrong with you? Get him! I order you!”, screamed Eduard.

The men with their sticks did not listen to him and backed away. Alex continued to walk. One step at a time, getting closer and closer. Unwavering and unstoppable.

“Screw you! I’m not afraid of you! What can you do with your bare hands? You can’t hurt me!”, screamed Eduard and closed the visor on his helmet.

Alex continued forward. Eduard unsheathed his sword.

“Stay back! I’ll kill you if you come any closer!”, he screamed with a cracking voice.

Alex looked at his blade and started laughing, in a deep and dark way.

“What’s so funny?! I’ll teach you!”, shouted Eduard and attacked.

He took a swing with his pristine sword, that had no nooks or scratches. Violet smirked as he saw him swing wide overhead. As she expected, Alex did simple catch his sword arm, but what followed was not in her script. He just fixed the sword arm with his one hand and started pummeling against the plate armor. Every punch rang loudly through the hall. The plate started to get red with Alex blood and started to bend itself inwards. Eduard fell backwards after the next punch. Alex followed and sat on his chest. He began pummeling the helmet. Nobody said a word. The only sound in the hall were the punches hitting the plate and Eduards muffled groans. The six men with their sticks had already left the arena and probably the building too. Alex just continued pummeling. His knuckles were all bloody and a few times a finger broke. But it was all healed in time for Alex’s next punch. This went on until every piece of armor was bent and most of the bones beneath either broken, smashed or both. Alex could feel somehow that Eduard was tethering on the brink of unconsciousness. He stopped punching and removed his opponent’s helmet. A bloody and swollen mess was beneath it with two eyes wide in panic. Alex leaned in and went close to his ears.

“If you ever even speak to Violet again… You’ll be dead before you can finish the sentence… and if you ever call her… my love… again, even in your thoughts or dreams, you will wish that you are dead. Understood?”, whispered Alex.

Eduards eyes rolled back and he lost consciousness. Alex stood up. Caleb was the first to applaud, then Violet and Cera. A hooded man in the corner of the stand and the three men around him applauded too. The rest quickly left. Violet saw Alex walking slowly walking towards the exit. She quickly ran to the hallway where he would come out of. Violet dashed towards Alex as soon as she saw him and she was just in time to catch him before he fell asleep.

“Thank you so very much… I’ll never forget what you did for me… I don’t know how I could ever repay you that or if I even can… But I’ll try my best… just… give me a bit of time… I…don’t understand it myself yet… I have to… make sure first…But now sleep well my… protector”, she whispered into his ear.