Chain the Bandit Eater 10

The ring of steel against steel rang out clearly over the raging inferno that was slowly consuming the forest surrounding the wreck of the Brass Line. The fire however was an insignificant threat compared to the two warriors who dueled illuminated by the blaze and afternoon light of the Great Bird Sol. Roc the Bandit King demonstrated impossible speed for his gigantic size as he leapt deftly about in a spectacular circle making his chain and giant spiked ball dance a lethal storm. The young man who stood as Roc’s opponent at the heart of the destruction demonstrated superb footwork and exemplary swordsmanship as he barely moved to deflect and dodge the onslaught against him. Although on the defensive the young man appeared far from pressed as he still kept his left hand on the scabbard that hung from his hip while he worked on preventing any of Roc’s attacks from finding purchase.

“You’re starting to bore me boy. I was led to believe that a boy Hero from Lumirest was coming for my head to offer as a peace offering with Raptoria yet you haven’t even attempted to strike me.”

“My apologies. I had thought you intended to demonstrate more of your strength to crush my resolve. If this is the extent of your power though…”

“So the boy is also looking to add to his part in the Builders’ Song eh? Alright boy, I’ll humor you. Hm, hm, hm, hm, hmmmm.”

His toothy grin returning to his face Roc intensified his fruitless attack and Chain saw again the steady lengthening of the chain the bandit wielded.

“There Melody, that’s the attack he got me with.”

Melody’s eyes widened as she looked at Chain and then back at the young man within the attack.

“Link, I know he’s a Hero but can he handle an attack like what that did to you.”

“Let’s find out.”

Chain gritted her teeth and intently watched Roc’s attack looking for the moment when he would travel from being outside his assault to inside of it. The moment was marked by a sudden shot from his hand cannon as a familiar verse rose up within the Builders Song.

♪~ With all the Stormroot in his reach and a chain that binds the moon~♪
♪~ All who ventured forests low and high ~♪
♪~ In his trap they did walk ~♪
♪~ Face his might no choice they’d have ~♪

Then it happened and Chain was left with her mouth hanging open.

“No way! What just happened?”

“I don’t know Link. One moment he was in one spot and the next he was in another.”

Chain and Melody’s commentary aptly described the event that occurred as Roc suddenly appeared within his own attack lumbering over the young man. Unlike Chain who had been mostly surprised at the unusual event the young man greeted Roc’s arrival with a smile and a question.

“So, you’re finally ready to begin Bandit King?”

“More like end this charade boy.”

A flash of his toothy grin preceded Roc unleashing a lightning fast uppercut into the young man’s stomach and as Chain before him he was launched several feet into the air. Again the scenario played out quite differently than it did for the young maid however as the young man offered Roc another smile as he was elevated to eye level with the giant. Closer inspection revealed that the reality of what Roc’s fist had met was in fact the palm of the young man’s left hand finally removed from his scabbard. Chain was left without words at the display of strength being able to take such a blow but Melody was more than glad to fill the void left by the maid’s silence.

“That’s amazing Link! Did you see that? Don’t you think it’s amazing?”

“Yeah, it’s amazing alright, but it’s also not over yet.”

Narrowing her eyes Chain observed the subtle shift in Roc’s footing as the giant set to throw the follow up punch that had so devastated her. She very much expected it to finally wipe the smile from the young man’s face as the strike came out like cannon fire and released a shock wave that nearly took everyone watching off their feet. The young man was already off of his feet and did not have to worry about maintaining his footing which afforded him the time to focus on his attack having spun out of the way of the Bandit King’s follow up. Completing his second rotation the young man brought his sword around to relieve the Bandit King of his head. All he received for his efforts however was another of Roc’s toothy grins as his sword was stopped mid swing by the giant’s hand cannon.

“That’s the stuff boy. How can the two of us possible try to kill each other and elevate our place in the Builders’ Song if only one of us is trying to kill the other?”

“You misunderstand my purpose Bandit King.”

In a spectacular display of strength the young man suddenly spun off of Roc’s block like a top effectively reversing his attack and dropping with tremendous speed. As he passed the giant’s midsection he unleashed another fierce attack that the Bandit King seemingly jumped excessively back from until the shockwave that would have split open his belly appeared and justified the move. Roc did not appear threatened in the least and closed the gap in a blink and began a new assault. His speed was inhuman to say the least yet the young man held his ground and pushed back with his own inhuman display of foot work and swordsmanship. The exhibition of such a deadly dance was a sight to behold but as the two exchanged words casually it was almost as if the two warriors were still holding back.

“What purpose could you have in picking a fight with me other than to strengthen yourself when there are plenty of other political avenues to pursue an alliance with Raptoria. The only answer is strength. The strength to crush your enemies. To protect what is rightfully yours. To elevate your place in the Builders’ Song. These are the only things you can gain from besting me boy.”

“And to think they call you a king.”

“They call me king because they know that I am the strongest.”

“Who Bandit King? The dozens dead at the hands of a relic bound adventurer who stood little chance against you? What good does all of your strength lend you if you can’t even protect those whose faith in you gives the Builders’ reason to sing of you? You may be a strong king but you are a weak ruler and an inept leader. Those who call you king are simply throwing their lives away in pursuit of a strength and security that will never be theirs.”

“And you think you’re any better boy?!”

“There. He took the bait.”

“Huh? What? What do you mean Link?”

“The idiot we’re rooting for is aiming for something that requires that giant oaf to attack his men. What it is I don’t know but we shouldn’t have long to wait.”

Confused by Chain’s commentary on the fight Melody tilted her head but the maid provided no further insight. Pouting at her own failure to understand Melody turned her attention back to the brutal clash between the two Heroes and tried her best to see what Chain did. What she saw was an increased brutality from Roc and the ever growing length of the chain he wielded. The rage in the Bandit King’s eyes was in stark contrast to the chilling calm in his opponent’s and was the key give away to what happened next as the giant issued a challenge of his own.

“Come now boy! You who let the passengers of the Brass Line die due to your ignorance; let’s see you defend those who look to you for salvation!”

A mighty stomp that ruptured the earth served as an exclamation point to Roc’s fresh challenge for the young man as he pinned his chain to the ground. On one side of where the Bandit King’s foot pinned his chain the excessively long chain swirled about like a typhoon trapping the young man in a storm of blows that the giant added to with his hand cannon. The rest of the length of chain however served as little more than a tether for the giant spiked ball that flew straight for the blue uniformed soldiers who were ill prepared to face it. Or so it seemed to Melody whose eyes widened in terror as they instead turned face the blow rather than scatter for their lives. Chain’s eyes on the other hand narrowed as she noticed that the young man only bothered defending himself leaving the soldiers on their own. It was only the verse that rose up from the Builders’ Song that told the two maids that there was more at play than they thought.

♪~ As stars, land, sea, and storm ~♪
♪~ Held in Cardinal eyes are all the same ~♪
♪~ By her grace his dream made truth ~♪

“EQUALIZER~!!!!!”

To the surprise of Chain, Melody, and the Bandit King, the young man shouted out the name of the verse he wielded like a vigorous call to arms. More surprising than his shout was the effects of the verse as the blade of his sword and those of the blue uniformed soldiers all dissolved into nothingness releasing piercing blue blades of light. With their freshly summoned swords of light the blue uniformed soldiers demonstrated why they did not cower while their Hero stood and in a blink they not only surrounded Roc, but the giant’s iron ball and chain was cut into countless pieces throwing the giant off balance. Chain though was perhaps more surprised than even Roc as she could not help but question what she just saw.

“What was that?”

Copyright © 2018 Joshua D Tarwater