Chapter 13 – The First’s End

A shard shatter hurtled through the air. Its pieces of basalt, as sharp as ever, tore through empty space as they targeted nothing in particular. Aadi didn’t even bother to dodge. Out of the corner of his eye, he watched the shards zip past him, posing no danger to his person. Aaron Flint had launched a desperate attack and in his current condition, his aim was poor to say the least. Collapsed on the floor from Ember’s last attack, the Unflinching struggled to rise. Aadi had aimed for the back of his head. Ember ended up hitting the side of his skull. The strength of that blow had thrown Flint against a far wall of the cave and he struggled to recover from it. However, he didn’t show any sign of giving up. Aadi watched him use his skills several times, but all of Aaron’s attacks were misaimed or easily dodged.

“Aim for his head,” Ember said and Aadi readied his slingshot while moving towards the Unflinching. His enemy had certainly earned that name, for his dogged tenacity to keep fighting. He launched a flurry of his skills at Aadi. Of the few attacks that actually approached their mark, Aadi dodged them easily. A few more strides brought him close to Flint and with a sharp tug of his slingshot’s band, he shot Ember at his foe. To his credit, Aaron Flint attempted to block the stone, but his effort was in vain. Ember easily penetrated his defences and once again slammed into his head. Given the awkward position Flint was in on the ground, the attack caused him to be thrown away with great force.

Aadi recovered Ember quickly and pursued the Unflinching. He didn’t want to give his foe any quarter and was hot on his heels. Although, ‘heel’ was a bit of a misnomer. Flint’s body was tossed and flipped across the ground and finally came to a halt, face-up on the cave floor. Aadi was close behind. He had already fitted Ember into his slingshot’s pouch and begun to raise his hands. As he came into range once more, he targeted the ground adjacent Flint’s body and launched Ember into it. The stone hit the cave floor, which exploded. As his body was launched into the air once again, Flint managed to cross his arms in front of his face and block the flying debris. It didn’t help him land, though and Aadi didn’t let him.

Having struck the ground, Ember rebounded and Aadi caught the stone with his free hand. He leapt into the air, following his foe whose body was airborne. Focusing on Ember, Aadi felt his energy being channelled into the magic stone. Its blue and purple hues brightened and for a moment, its light engulfed the cave. Simultaneously, he had fitted the stone to his slingshot’s pouch. As his body began its descent to the ground, Aadi pulled the leather strap back and launched Ember at the Unflinching’s head. After fighting with Ember in a deadly battle for so long, Aadi could catch sight of the traces of magic energy that the stone left in its wake. The air that the stone ripped through vibrated with that magic, transparent white hues mixing with the magic blue.

Ember traversed the distance to its target just as Aadi’s toes touched the ground. The sound it made as it impacted Aaron Flint’s head was akin to a sledgehammer slamming a wall of stone! The Unflinching had no time to block the attack. He had been struck defenceless and Aadi watched as he plunged to the ground. His arms were spread wide in the air and his body smashed into the cave’s floor. Splinters of rock scattered all around him and plumes of dust rose into the air. “Well done,” said Ember and Aadi saw the stone rebound towards him. It wouldn’t be able to fly all the way back to him, of course and he moved towards it.

Just then, Aadi felt a spike of heat and pain! His left shoulder erupted in agony and he went down on one knee. A spray of stones that had somehow sprung into the air above him, fell to the ground. Erupting shards! The Unflinching had fired his skill off before Ember struck him. He had predicted Aadi’s position with uncanny accuracy and delayed his skill’s release until the opportune moment. Without Ember in his hand, the stone’s abilities couldn’t protect Aadi effectively and Flint’s attack penetrated his woollens. Cloth, no matter how thick, couldn’t resist the ferocity of his foe’s erupting shards. He gripped his bleeding shoulder and chest with his right hand. “Aadi!” exclaimed Ember, alarmed.

Breathing heavily, Aadi tightened his grip on his shoulder in an effort to stanch the bleeding. The cuts weren’t too deep and after a moment, he redirected his efforts to ripping strips of cloth from his already-torn woollens. Using them as bandages, he bound his wounds tightly, quickly. “I’ll be okay,” said Aadi to Ember, rising to his feet slowly but surely. He looked at his enemy. Flint was lying on the ground, face-down, still as a rock. His foe made no move to release another skill or attack him otherwise. Aadi moved gently towards Ember. When he had knelt in pain, the stone had fallen to the ground. He picked it up and as he held it in his hand, he felt the pain in his left shoulder subside. Neither was the damage healed, nor had the pain disappeared entirely, but he felt much better.

“Is Aaron dead?” asked Aadi and Ember replied, “One more shot will finish him.” “He was strong,” said Aadi, turning his steps towards the Unflinching lying on the ground, “He was relentless.” “As he was in life,” said the stone, “But there are limits to a living death. He couldn’t sustain that ferocity forever.” Aadi grunted and locked his eyes on his enemy. A few more steps and he would be in range. A few more steps and he’d have to make the final shot. A few more steps and he’d have to execute Aaron Flint. Aadi’s feet slowed. Noticing his hesitation, Ember asked, “Have you killed before?” “Mm?” came Aadi’s reply and the stone asked again, firmly, “Aadi, have you killed before?”

This time, Aadi paid attention. He looked at Ember for a long moment and said, “Yes.” In his mind, he heard the stone chuckle, “Have you killed a human being before?” He found himself grinning in reply and confessed, “No.” “Take one step at a time,” said Ember solemnly. Aadi’s gaze lingered on the stone and then, he took a step forward. As he walked, Ember spoke, “You embarked on a journey for your father. You came here for your friend.” He took another step and the stone spoke, “You saw them lying dead. You saw the foe who slew them. You took up their fight, be it for justice or revenge.” Aadi continued walking forward, his resolve gathering as Ember continued, “You fought. He fought. The Unflinching gave as good as he got.” He put his right foot in front of his left and the stone spoke, “Now, the fight is almost ended. Justice and revenge have become duty. A warrior finishes his opponent. He doesn’t allow suffering to linger. That is a warrior’s duty.”

Aadi squeezed Ember in one hand and approached Flint, who was lying on the ground ahead. “A warrior respects his enemy’s resolve. A warrior honours his enemy’s fight,” said the stone, “A warrior fulfils his duty.” Aadi neared Flint and when he was within range, he gently fitted Ember to his slingshot’s pouch. Ember’s words resounded in his mind and he gathered his courage. Slowly but surely, he pulled the slingshot’s leather strap back. He took his time. His opponent showed no signs of movement. He breathed carefully. He would do this right. He aimed Ember at Flint’s head. He would make the kill clean. “Good,” said Ember. “Peace be to him,” said Aadi and loosed the magic stone for the final time this battle.

Ember sped forth unerringly towards its mark and a split second later, Aadi closed his eyes as it impacted the Unflinching’s head. His enemy was dead! Involuntarily, he heaved a sigh and then, opened his eyes. Ember lay on the ground where Aaron Flint’s head had previously been. The stone was embedded in the floor this time, amidst the blood and gore. Aadi whispered, “It is done.” Ember replied, “Yes, it is.” Aadi walked over and reached down, thrusting his hand into the spreading pool of blood. He pulled Ember out of the ground. Not another word was spoken betwixt them.