Sayda stumbled back, his eyes wide in disbelief.
"He blocked it? ... How did he...?"
Before he could even think, Zagar's blade was already raised... ready to strike Sayda from above. But just before it could reach him, Sayda managed to leap back, leaving the blade to carve into the ground instead.
"Oho... Not bad."
Zagar frowned.
"LOOK, Zauran! ... Now we have an excuse to murder this person."
Zauran cracked his knuckles.
"An excuse?..."
He chuckled; his eyes didn't flinch at Sayda.
"So Kaelar doesn't mind... if it looks justified, right?"
He grinned.
"Let's end this fast."
Sayda gulped, and he quickly lifted the knife, wielding it at the two of them as a warning to refrain from approaching further.
"Wasn't he the scared one just now?..."
His heart pounded as he saw the two of them getting ready to murder him.
"What should I do now..."
His hands were trembling, and the wind around him felt colder and sharper, as if the world itself sensed his fear. Zagar and Zauran walked slowly, getting closer, with Zagar's sword dragging into the earth, producing a terrifying killing sound.
"Stay back!"
Sayda shouted, not with courage but desperation. With his shaky hands, he gripped the knife tighter.
Zagar laughed.
"Don't worry, it's going to be so fast that you won't have time to feel the pain."
Sayda's heart was beating faster, but a choice still needed to be made.
"I'm going to die... unless I fight."
Zagar wasted no time, rushing towards Sayda at full speed while swinging his sword.
TINGGG!
The sound of metal clashing. Sayda managed to endure the attack, but his body was flung backward. Despite being able to stand, he swayed. As Sayda tried to fix his stance, Zagar suddenly swept his leg. The world spun, his vision flipped, and a sharp thud followed as his back slammed against the ground.
"Ughh!!!"
Zagar gave a sneer, his eyes full of contempt. With Zagar's sword held aloft, prepared to sever Sayda's body.
"This is the end!"
Zagar swung his blade, but Sayda managed to turn his body at the last minute, making Zagar's sword stick into the ground.
"Shit."
Zagar tried to draw his sword, but then Sayda threw a swarm of dirt into Zagar's eyes.
"Ughh!"
Blinded, Zagar tried to remove the dirt with his hand.
"You freaking..."
Zagar shouted in anger, but before he could finish his sentence...
DUKKK!
With a quick kick to Zagar's leg, Sayda swept him off his feet, causing Zagar's head to slam into the ground.
"Take that."
Zauran's eyes widened.
"Zagar?!"
Sayda didn't waste the moment; he turned and ran.
"You little worm...!"
Zauran growled through clenched teeth.
Sayda ran with everything he had.
"Faster... faster."
But then, Zauran dashed after Sayda with feral speed, like a predator locked onto his prey.
"Shiittt!"
Sayda shouted. His heart raced, and it felt like it was about to jump out from his chest.
Zauran was getting closer and...
WHUMP!
A sudden weight crashed into Sayda's back. He tumbled forward and rolled across the dirt, scraping his arms and tearing his clothes.
Before he could rise... a direct kick landed on Sayda's face, causing him to fall backward. Sayda's nose started to bleed.
Zauran began to grin.
"Why? Pain? There's more...!"
Sayda slowly stood up, his nose bleeding and his eyes looking withered. He lifted his knife and wielded it at Zauran.
"Interesting...!"
Zauran spoke with excitement and dashed forward, swinging his sword at Sayda and...
TINGGG!
Zauran's attack landed on Sayda, but he was able to withstand it; unfortunately, Zauran began pressing him down, exerting immense pressure. Sayda held back Zauran's sword with his knife, but it was clear that Zauran's strength was far greater.
Zauran brought his face closer to Sayda, with a mischievous smirk on his lips.
TUKK!
He bumped his head against Sayda's head, making Sayda get pushed back.
"Ughh, my head."
Wasting no time, Zauran, swinging his sword again, rushed at Sayda's neck, intending to behead him.
"DIE!!!"
Seeing the attack, Sayda suddenly ducked and deflected Zauran's sword, causing the sword to slip from his grip. Sayda immediately tried to stab Zauran, but at that moment, his eyes drifted to the side, and a sword was thrown and flew toward him.
Sayda instinctively dodged, but his cheek brushed against the sword. A red line opened on his cheek, blood trailing down.
Suddenly...
BUMM!
A punch hit right on Sayda's face, knocking him off his feet and onto his back.
As Zagar returned to retrieve the sword he had flung before, Zauran glanced below and grasped his weapon once more. The two slowly walked before Sayda, watching him like starving beasts.
"Well, well, well... looks like this little rat is bowing to the earth."
Sayda's vision was obscured, his breath laboured, and his nose was bleeding profusely, causing blood to drip down his chin. He was left dumbfounded, his gaze directed at the sky while his body lay splayed on the ground.
For a moment, everything was still. And then he began to question himself.
"I... Am I going to die here again?"
"Your fated end is here, kid; there's no way out."
Zagar's voice littered the air, growling, a wicked grin curling on his lips as he walked slowly, dragging his sword along the ground.
"He's right, there's no way out; I'm going to die here again... just like before."
"SHIIITT!!"
He yelled, although the sound remained confined within him, resonating solely in a quiet more profound than a roar.
"Wasn't this supposed to be a game...? Why does it hurt this much?"
Blood gathered under him. His fingers trembled. His chest burned with every breath. With each step dragging metal against stone, Zagar's footsteps reverberated closer. Sayda's jaw tightened.
No.
He had been down enough. He would never again have his face in the dirt. He gritted his teeth. Though they trembled, his arms moved.
"I'm not going to die here again... No, not today."
Suddenly...
There he was.
Zagar. Standing tall, looming above him, resembling a shadow cast by death, his eyes brimmed with perverse joy as he gazed upon Sayda's shattered form.
"You don't even have the strength to lift your head now, huh?"
Zagar scoffed.
"Pathetic."
He crouched beside Sayda, who saw him with a condescending look. And then, he grabbed Sayda by the collar, lifting him until their eyes met.
"Don't worry, kid, your death will lead you to heaven. But I've got a feeling hell has a room with your name on it."
Zagar grinned cynically.
"Pray in my name, and perhaps I'll reconsider forgiving you."
Sayda stared into Zagar's eyes, unblinking and expressionless. Suddenly, Sayda opened his mouth...
"D... Don't put your face near me. Your breath stinks... like a corpse."
Veins protruded across Zagar's forehead as his face contorted in anger. He growled, his voice full of incredulity and annoyance.
"What?..."
Sayda responded coolly.
"I said your breath stinks... Deaf."
"Oho... You're quite a brave kid. How about you apologise, and I'll make your death quick and painless?"
"Sorry'? What's that? I've never heard that word before, you stinky-ass deaf."
The boy responded, making Zagar upset and angry.
"YOUUU... LITTLE..."
Without letting Zagar finish his words, Sayda spit right in his face. He quickly kicked Zagar in the stomach, making him fall backward.
"Ugh."
Sayda immediately stood up and drew his knife at the two of them. This time, it wasn't a warning to stay back but a readiness to strike at any attack that came.
Zauran was ready to strike him, but suddenly...
"Wait, Zauran..."
Zagar interrupted.
He stood up slowly, wiping the spit off his face with the back of his hand.
"Let me finish this kid off, Zagar!"
Zauran spoke in an upset tone, stopping himself from striking Sayda.
"Shut up, Zauran..."
Zagar lifted his finger, pointing at Sayda.
"Hey kid, you seem interesting to me. Why don't you tell us your race before you die?"
"Hah? What are you talking about? You're the one who's going to die."
Sayda answered confidently, while Zagar responded with a cynical smile.
"Heh... cocky little brat."
Without delay, Zagar immediately attacked, launching a kick toward Sayda. He managed to block it with both arms, but the impact was so strong that his body was pushed backward.
Zauran didn't let the opportunity slip by. He rushed from the right—
TINGGG!
Sayda managed to resist the attack, but the force still sent him staggering back. Before he could react, Zagar's sword was already pointed at him.
TINGGG!
Once again, he managed to block the blow, but the impact was stronger than before, pushing him backward and nearly causing him to lose his balance and fall.
Suddenly...
BUMMM!
A hard punch from Zauran landed on Sayda's face, sending him crashing to the ground. Blood streamed from his nose, mouth, and cheeks, soaking the ground beneath him.
But that wasn't enough to make him give up. With heavy breath, dimmed eyes, and increasingly blurred vision, Sayda still forced himself to stand.
In a low and stern voice, he said,
"Come."
Zauran replied,
"What a pity."
Sayda's vision was increasingly blurry. He tried to focus, but suddenly...
In the blink of an eye, Zauran was right in front of him, leaving Sayda with no time to react.
SRAKK!
Blood splattered everywhere. Zauran's sword had already pierced his chest.
SHRIKK!
With a merciless pull, Zauran's sword slid free, leaving nothing behind.
BUMMM!
Sayda's body collapsed to the ground. The world spun in silence. The wind blew slowly, rustling through the grass.
Zauran raised his gaze to the pale sky above and whispered...
"What a cruel fate can be... what a pity."
Zauran looked down at the lifeless body he had slain, his eyes filled with condescension.
Suddenly...
"ZAURAANNN!"
Zagar let out a bloodcurdling scream, his voice shaking the air.
SRAKK!