Edith looked at Horus as the latter looked into his gaze in return. They were bleeding. Panting. Tired. But they weren't done just yet. They still had a lot to say to the other.
Huff! Huff! Huff!
Both exchanged blow after blows — quick in their attacks and ruthless in their intent.
First a punch, followed by a kick. Next an elbow shot, followed by a grapple. Muffled thuds that reverberated over the entire mountain as if music accompanying a funeral.
Thud!
The crowd had long turned silent, focused on the battlefield where two friends fought. They saw as Hours pulled Edith by the hair, throwing in a headbutt of his own. They saw Edith smash his knee at Horus's groin. They saw Hours throwing in an elbow shot, buying himself some time to gain his bearings.
Everyone could see the two's techniques become more and more refined. The ruthlessness from Stage 1 was being honed more and more into the finesse of an established warrior.
The elders could see the fine control in the two's movements. They could see the flow of force in the two's bodies. They could see the focus of the two warriors.
Edith and Horus could see it as well. They could foretell what the other planned to do. Having trained in the same art for years, they were like one mind and two bodies.
As Horus delivered a swing at Edith's head, the latter skillfully dodged to the side, preparing to throw a punch of his own into Horus's ribs which the guy very easily caught with his hands, using the force to throw in a counter kick. Edith took the chance to throw in a low rolling thunder kick which Horus intercepted with the kick he had already delivered.
The two flinched back with the force of the impact as they distanced themselves. They were equally matched. With bodies alone, they couldn't fight.
To the crowd, their battle looked like a well-practised dance. Each complementing the other. To the crowd, the two looked like one big whole. Each completing the step the other took. Each exhaling the breath the other inhaled. Each seeing the thing the other laid his eyes on. And each feeling the emotions that welled in the other.
That was why Edith could feel the yearning Horus kept hidden in his heart. And that was why Horus could feel the sincerity which Edith had been failing to articulate.
Edith felt his heart pain due to the clash between his desire to keep his friend in the village and his friend's desire to leave. While Hours felt his emotions run amok due to having to leave his friend while the latter made every attempt to keep him there.
They both smiled, nodded with understanding and contentment.
Having calmed their emotions, they had gained new insights. Their movements had already displayed finesse, touching the peak of what their bodies could allow.
As a result they had made a breakthrough.
They had dived into Stage 3.
They walked to where the weapons had been kept. Swords, staffs, spears, bow and arrows.
As they walked to pick up the staffs, they felt the ground tremble and they could hear a loud murmuring like that of a sleeping beast.
They looked around, taking in the expressions of the crowd who were as just confused as they had been.
***
Carla and Brachus had been in relatively good shape. The brawl the two had subjected themselves into was relatively mild. It had been more like a spar with Brachus intending to help Carla breakthrough.
They had both fought cautiously giving each other just enough time to catch their breath. Their punches and kicks had been slow and measured and yet, powerful. As a result, both had broken through to Stage 2.
They had already stopped fighting. They were waiting in anticipation for the new fighters that would step in.
Then, they too felt the hill tremble. They exchanged confused looks as they looked around. Far into the distance, they saw Astus approaching. He too was puzzled at the trembling of the ground.
***
"What's happening?"
"Take care of the kids, I'll take a look."
"Mommy, what's happening? I'm scared."
The crowd felt a sense of fear and unease wash over them. The children could feel the tension as they worriedly drew closer to their parents. The air had a strange scent mixed in making one's heart race.
The village chief sent an elder to take a look. It was a tall guy with medium build. A stage 3 expert.
As the guy walked, he felt the ground tremble and the murmurings become louder. He took controlled and steady steps as he went towards the edge of the hill. Looking down he felt a shiver run down his body, his hair stood on ends and a sharp scream escaped his lips.
Everyone turned to look at him and then into the horizon they saw a wolf climbing to the spot. Then from another side there was another wolf, and on yet another side, one more.
Slowly the hill-top started being flooded by animals and monsters of all kinds. There were boars with huge tusks, large cats with mystical patterns on their bodies, agile monkeys that could swing seemingly from nothing to nothing, there were snakes which rolled around the arms of huge apes.
The sight left everyone filled with a feeling of dread and hopelessness.
It was a beast tide!
After a moment of being stunned, the elders immediately said in unison, "Prepare yourselves!!!!!"
Immediately, both Horus and Edith took a few weapons and decisively threw them to where Carla, Astus, Brachus and the rest had been. They then threw some in the direction of the elders and that of the crowds as well.
The women and the children immediately gathered at the center of the hill-top as the men encircled them. Letting some mothers take care of the children, some came out to get the bows and provide support to their men.
Edith looked at the surrounding beasts as he saw them staring at the crowd with playful eyes, they were like beasts looking at prey. Then, he saw them take a step forward. And then, he saw them rush into a charge.
The villagers prepared themselves, as they too took measured stances.
It was a fight that was bound to leave destruction and havoc regardless of who won.
As the beasts approached, the monkey swinging in the air, the snakes slithering onto the arms of apes, the apes taking massive steps causing the hill to tremble, Edith saw the first arrow fly up as it accurately hit a monkey.
Its charge come to an abrupt stop as its lifeless body fell to the ground.
Plop!
It's body reduced to pased, dying the lush green beneath with its unholy life.