Confrontation

Confrontation

“Didn’t take you for the type to jump people Salamance, where is that honor of yours you speak so highly of.”

Keyon belittled Salamance, as shards of glass belonging fell to the ground behind him. Salamance had no words and wouldn’t allow himself to be provoked by Keyon’s attempts at poking him. Instead, he took slow steps forward, closing the distance between the two. Even with a chuck of the staff missing, Salamance still maintained the reach advantage over Keyon and his sword. In the end Salamance was no fool and knew Keyon’s abilities with a sword couldn’t be underestimated. He was cautious in his approach but never once faltered or gave Keyon the illusion of intimidation. Solis in the background of all this, matched Salamance’s caution while slowly side stepping around Keyon to get an angle on the wanted man.

“don’t do it Solis.”

Keyon never breaking eye contact with Salamance, readied himself for whatever came next. Without warning Salamance dashed forward sliding his grip on the staff to the very bottom of it, violently thrusting the broken end of the staff in Keyon’s direction. Shifting to the right, Keyon turned to face Solis as he rushed in with his dagger draw. Able to close the gap between him and Keyon while he was preoccupied with evading Salamance’s thrust. Solis threw rapid strikes, swiping away at Keyon. Solis was able to cut the air and nothing else, while Keyon dodged every attempt Solis threw at him. Seemingly with ease too, Keyon smiled and laughed taking the situation seriously once he felt Salamance’s presence closing in. Quickly Keyon sheathed his Katana before removing it along with his scabbard from his waist and thrusting it forward planting the iron casting at the end of the scabbard into Solis’ face busting up his nose causing it to start bleeding.

While Solis stumbled backwards grabbing his now busted nose, Keyon unsheathed his sword, striking downward as Salamance attempted to take another swipe at him with his staff. He easily cut through Salamance’s staff, shortening its length once again. He raised his katana pointing it forward toward Salamance and smiling.

“You’re going to need a lot more than that stick if you plan on taking me back, lap dog. Seeing as you brought this one along, I can only assume that Gamma is the one keeping Shima company. I’m sadden that you think so lowly of me. You should have brought your whole gang of lackies with you.”

He insulted, his eyes looking over toward Solis who was using the material from his robes to wipe away the blood from his face. Stepping backwards into one of the shopfronts, sword pointed in Salamance and Solis’s direction. Keyon wisely repositioned himself with his foes both in front of him and with the close quarters of the shop he was luring them into allowed Keyon to keep the fight in front of him.

“You give us the sacred ink back and help us lore in Shima and ill consider letting you go.”

“Yeah right, so she can face the elders on her own.”

Lowering his sword but not his guard, Keyon locked eyes with Salamance who had no more words for the deserter. Tossing aside what remained of his staff to the ground, Salamance got into his fighting stance

“So, what is it going to be Kezonto.”

***

“Hurry up and get in here already.”

Shima shouted at Lorenzo as she pulled him by the collar of his shirt into the safety of an old subway station.

“Ok, ok I got it you can let go of my shirt you’re going to ruin it.”

Shima let go of Lorenzo, taking the moment to catch her breath and figure out her next course of action.

“Hey, look Sheila, I appreciate you getting me out of that sticky situation back there. But what I don’t appreciate is you roughen’ up my Johnny Cantina dress shirt. You have no clue what I went through to get this from New Aurora, No Idea.”

His complaints fell upon deft ears as Shima was surveying her surroundings and was pleased to find that the subway station’s structure was holding up against the intense hailstorm.

“Watch my back and keep an eye out for any weirdos in robes also, the name is Shima not Sheila.”

Closing her eyes, Shima started flowing her essence outward and started activating her internal radar. All to get an idea of where Keyon had lured Salamance and Solis. Sometime before the group had left Coastal Garden Keyon had come up with a contingency plan. If for whatever reason the group got into a skirmish with outside forces that Shima does what she could to Keep Lorenzo safe. With Lorenzo not only being the groups guide to Busaya, but also their point man while inside the city’s dome his safety took priority.

“He is in the giant building just across the roadway and it seem only two of them are there with him. Seth and Roland, where are they, where are they.”

Shima was in the process of locating the others when she picked up Gamma presence closing in from just outside the station.

“Lorenzo come on follow me. I’ll explain later.”

Taking command of the situation Shima gave her orders to Lorenzo, who shook his head and laughed.

“I sure do hate it when things don’t go according to plan. It leaves an ugly taste in my mouth.”

He professed, following Shima up a flight of stairs toward the sky bridge that connected the subway station to the Shopping Plaza.

“Can you kick it into another gear, or are you trying to avoid messing up your pretty shoes, you’re slowing me down Lorenzo pick it up!”

Lorenzo sucked his teeth, feeling a little bit insulted by Shima’s comment. So, he did as he was told and picked up the pace. following suit because the young lady knew more than she was letting on and Lorenzo hated not being in the know.

“Just so you know I was the school yard racing champion.”

Before you knew it Lorenzo was passing her and creating a significant gap between the two. That is when Shima stopped on a dime and mustered as much force as she could. Thrusting a punch at Gamma who was closing in from behind. Unaware that she had never deactivated her sensory and knew he was closing in.

Unfortunately for Shima, Gamma narrowly dodged the essence laced fist flying directly at him. Taking full advantage of the opening provided to him, Gamma lowered his shoulder into Shima and tackled the young woman to the ground. Shima gasped for air as Gamma pressed the entirety of his weight into his tackle, pinning her to the ground. Using Gamma’s forward motion Shima used her legs to press and eventually vault Gamma off her. Allowing her time to quickly get to her feet, gasping to catch her breath. Before she even had time to collect herself for the next attack, Lorenzo appeared behind Gamma, a Garot in hand. Wrapping the piano string around Gamma’s neck. He quickly Crossed his arm and tightening the loop around his Target. Lorenzo used his slight height advantage against Gamma, lifting the monk off his feet and apply even more pressure on his noose.

Shima was caught completely off guard by Lorenzo’s speed to react to the situation and his violent response to it.

“You told me to be on the lookout for weirdos in robes right, well, I think I found one.”

Lorenzo tightened the piano string a little more, remaining emotionless to the sounds of the man choking away as he attempted to grab at the Piano wire.

“Try all you want; you will never get under the wire.”

Gamma continued to grab at the piano wire scratching away at Lorenzo’s face and forearms. Before, the lack of oxygen in his brain caused his arms to fall limp to his side.

“Lorenzo! That’s enough he out let him go.”

Shima shouted out rushing over toward Lorenzo forcefully pulling his arms away loosening his hold on Gamma.

“You have a kind heart, uncommon people in your line of work. Why spare his life, there is more at play then you and your boyfriend are letting on.”

“Don’t let him hear you calling him that.”

Lorenzo only raised an eyebrow as he had heard Bruno say something similar.

“Not you too.”

Lighting up another cigarette and exhaling a cloud of smoke, Lorenzo returned to his usual demeanor. proceeding to remove a napkin from his pocket and started wiping away the blood on his weapon of choice.

“So, missy you have a lot of explaining to do. These people that ambushed us, you know them, you know who they are don’t you.”

“Come on lets at least keep a good pace to Keyon he going to need my help. I’ll explain everything along the way.”

Shima continued in a light jog passing Lorenzo, who continued smoking his cigarette before breaking out into a jog to match pace with Shima as they made their way toward the Shopping.

“So, what is the deal, how do you know that Keyon is in this direction?”

Lorenzo was quick to ask questions, finally catching up to Shima the two traversed the Sky bridge leaving Gamma behind. Jumping over the turnstiles Shima and Lorenzo entered the Shopping Plaza and started making their way through the upper levels.

“To put it simply I can sense peoples Auras from far away if I’m familiar with them.”

“And the weirdos in robes?”

“They are people from my village that are after me and Keyon. You have any more questions you want to ask, our time is getting short.”

She was sure to emphasize their time as the two started to close in on a dead end to the walkways of the upper levels.

“Nope I’m good for now.”

“Good then stay here and stay out of sight.”

Shima commanded as she jumped over the railing of the second floor of the shopping plaza landing on the floor below. Surprising Solis and Salamance appearing behind them just outside the shop.

“Look who decided to join in the fun, Shima how have you been. Have you come to your senses or are you still blind to the fact this man is only using you.”

Shima was silent, keeping her eye on Solis as he turned around to face her. Her eyes bounced from Solis to Salamance and back. Focusing her attention on Solis, who presented himself as her next opponent.

“You don’t need to get involved in this Shima.”

Getting into his fighting stance Solis was ready to prevent Shima from interfering with Salamance and Keyon.

“Don’t you worry Solis I’m here to make sure you don’t get involved.”

“Solis, don’t you hold back against her she is just as at fault as Kezonto here.”

Salamance never diverted his focus from Keyon watching as he still had that sickening smile on his face. That deep down was irritating the young monk.

“Ask and you shall receive, my old friend here she is in the flesh Salamance. Right before your very eyes, Shima herself.”

Sheathing his sword Keyon got into his fighting stance and waited to see who made the first move. Salamance grew tired of the cat and mouse game and rushed Keyon, throwing a flurry of fists in his direction. Blocking a right straight and barely dodging a left hook Keyon evaded the initial flurries of attacks thrown his way only to catch a kick to his core that lifted the man off his feet for a moment before he countered with right uppercut that sent Salamance stumbling back into the shops counter. He followed up his attack with a jump kick that propelled Salamance over the counter and into the opening in the middle.

By now, Solis and Shima had engaged in battle themselves. Taking their fight outside the shop, each matching one another blow for blow. Shima somersaulted backwards and avoided a kick from her enemy. Repositioning her feet and twisting her frame she lashed out a high kick of her own. Solis blocked it with his forearm, grabbing hold of Shima’s leg he tossed her across the lobby. sending her sliding across the laminate flooring of the Shopping Plaza. Solis walked onward toward Shima as she recovered, slowly rose to her feet. Wasting no time, Shima rushed Solis with a combination of precise punches. Solis managed to block and deflect a good number of the attacks coming his way. Even still an even greater number of her punches were making it through his defenses pushing the monk back. Solis was learning the hard way that Shima had not been wasting her time these past couple of months and had been training in her hand-to-hand combat. Before long Solis, who was on the back foot, was overwhelmed by Shima. She landed the final blow, an essence infused elbow to his neck knocking the monk out cold. The young woman began to catch her breath, realizing that she had done better then what she had though. Or maybe she was lucky that Solis had already sustained a good deal of damage from not only Keyon but the hailstorm outside.

Keyon and Salamance were not exempt to this, as both warriors’ bodies had been beaten and battered by the elements. Breathing heavily, the two combatants stared each other down, both hesitating to make a move in fear of another counterattack from the other. This time Keyon was first to make a move, closing the distance between him and Salamance Keyon threw a faint and quickly changed his positioning once he noticed Salamance going for the counter and connecting with a monstrous back kick that landed on Salamance’s side sending the monk crumbling to the ground. Salamance attempted to regain his footing only to be punched in the face by Keyon, sending him crashing back to the ground he rose from.

“I said sit dog.”

Every time Salamance tried to get up he met the same result. By the time Shima walked back into the storefront Keyon was knelt over Salamance throwing haymaker after haymaker into Salamance. He didn’t stop laying into Salamance until Shima and Lorenzo pull him off Salamance.

“That’s enough Keyon you’ve won.”