“What?” he asks.
“Should we win,” he replies and then points to the clan chiefs, “I want your word they will not attack us. Nor will they try to seek any sort of vengeance against us.”
With an amused smile upon his face at the very thought, Abula-Mazki says, “You have it.”
“Very well then,” says James.
The clan chiefs back away from Abula-Mazki as he draws his sword.
James can feel the prickling as he calls the magic. He puts his hands on Miko’s shoulders and looks him in the eye. Miko looks back with naked fear at the thought of facing him in battle. “You can do this!” asserts James. Then in a hushed whisper, adds, “The Fire will protect you.”
“How can you be sure?” Miko asks.
“I am,” James replies. “Trust me.” He continues gazing at Miko until he gives him a barely perceptible nod.
Miko turns to face the warrior priest. Drawing his sword, he steps forward as James and the others step back.
He watches as Miko closes with Abula-Mazki and begins to notice how his movements are slowly changing, becoming more streamlined and relaxed. The Fire is beginning to take control.
With sword at the ready, Miko waits for Abula-Mazki’s attack. When it comes, it’s so incredibly fast that no one even realized he’d even attacked before Miko’s sword moves and blocks it.
The ringing of the clash of swords slowly dies away, and the clan chiefs begin murmuring among themselves. They cast looks from Abula-Mazki and then over to where James waits with the others.
As he watches Miko and Abula-Mazki begin to circle each other, Illan says, “He might be able to win.”
“Let’s hope so,” James says.
“If he does,” says Jiron as he points to the clan chiefs, “do you think they’ll abide by Abula-Mazki’s word?”
“I doubt it,” replies James. “But let’s worry about that after Miko wins.” He looks to Jiron who gives him a nod.
Clang! Clang!
Their swords move at speeds so fast, the eyes of the onlookers aren’t capable of following. Then suddenly, Abula-Mazki disengages and backs up. He looks at Miko with a new found respect. This isn’t any ordinary foe, he realizes.
Suddenly, the tingling James has been feeling since the beginning of the match spikes. He tries to call the magic forth to help Miko but is too late. A ball of fire flies the short distance from Abula-Mazki to Miko, and explodes in a giant fireball.
When the smoke clears, Miko is still standing there, untouched. James can faintly see a reddish shell begin to dissipate from around him. He glances to the warrior priest and sees the look of utter amazement upon his face. Smiling in satisfaction, James hollers, “Go Miko!”
Miko doesn’t acknowledge his support, instead, he strides forth and begins attacking. With incredible speed, he launches into a series of attacks that Abula-Mazki successfully blocks. But instead of pausing, he keeps on attacking and actually succeeds in making him back up two steps before ending the series of blows.
Enraged at the temerity of this boy, Abula-Mazki lashes out with his magic again and watches as the bolts of energy are deflected by the red tinged barrier. Using an attack combining both magic and sword he goes on the offensive. The magic is countered while Miko’s sword blocks the attacks.
At this time, Fifer and the others have come and joined James’ group. “Incredible,” he says to James as he stands next to him.
“Glad I’m not in there,” admits Yern.
A jubilant cry from Abula-Mazki and they watch as Miko’s sword goes sailing through the air and lands point first into the dirt ten feet away.
“Miko!” cries James.
Then suddenly, the sword is no longer in the ground, but once again in Miko’s hand as he goes on the offensive again. A series of blows has Abula-Mazki giving ground and in disbelief, everyone watches as Miko’s sword rips through his armored leggings and slices the thigh beneath.
Miko has drawn first blood!
Abula-Mazki takes a few steps back to gather himself, a strange expression now upon his face. He glances down at the blood beginning to drip from the cut on his thigh. It’s not deep and will hardly even slow him down. But to score on a warrior priest, inconceivable! Never has such happened to Abula-Mazki.
He looks at his opponent and sees the glazed look in his eyes, eyes that look as if they see nothing, yet do. His senses tell him that there’s nothing magical about this boy, but yet he has managed to counter everything he’s thrown at him. For the first time in Abula-Mazki’s very long life, he begins to believe he may have met his match.
During the brief pause in the fighting, James takes a look around at the riders who’ve surrounded them. Relieved to find them still in their original position, he turns his attention to the clan chiefs. The expressions on their faces show the fight is not going as they had anticipated. They had thought it would be quick and decisive, now they have doubts as to whether Abula-Mazki will even win. He sees them huddled together talking while at the same time keeping their attention fixed on the fighting.
“I think they’re planning something,” James says to the others.
“Would they go against the agreement made?” asks Hinney.
“Wouldn’t put it past them,” he says. “From the little I’ve been around them, I haven’t known them to be all that honorable.”
“What should we do?” asks Uther.
“If Miko falls, I’ll go with them and hope Abula-Mazki will hold to his word,” he explains. “Should Miko prevail, we better be prepared to fight.”
“I believe you are correct,” agrees Illan.
The clash of swords brings their attention back to the fighting. Abula-Mazki has launched another series of blows which Miko is blocking successfully. A line opens up on Miko’s forearm where Abula-Mazki’s sword scored. Not very deep, but they can see a small amount of blood beginning to run down his arm. Miko doesn’t even act as if he knows he has been struck.
That small victory gives Abula-Mazki an impetus to win the fight. Launching into a series of blinding attacks, he actually manages to push Miko back several steps.
But Miko doesn’t move back very far before he begins to go on the offensive once again. In disbelief, Abula- Mazki is beginning to almost not be able to block the blows raining down upon him. How can he move so fast? Blow after blow he successfully blocks, but each time he has been almost a fraction of a second too late.
Not stopping, the blows keep coming, and as unbelievable as it sounds, they’re increasing in speed. He gasps when he sees twin fires in Miko’s eyes, flames of unholy light. Light that is familiar somehow.
Then suddenly, he recognizes the truth. The Fire! It’s no longer hidden and is in the hands of this infidel. Once he realizes that, he understands that he cannot win this battle. But there is one more act he must perform for his god before the end comes.
He disengages from the battle and sees Miko’s sword slow down as he moves backward. Readying himself, he watches as Miko approaches, sword ready to resume the battle.
From the sidelines, James watches as Abula-Mazki takes a few quick steps backward and comes to a stop. The prickling suddenly begins to intensify and he knows the warrior priest is about to cast a spell of mammoth proportions. He readies the magic to counter whatever he may try to do.
Suddenly, a psychic cry of tremendous power rips through his head like a knife. The Fire walks with the Star!
Everyone around him suddenly cries out from the pain of it as they each grip their head in an attempt to ease the pain.
Through eyes blinded with tears of pain, James looks to the combatants and watches as Miko strikes out at Abula-Mazki who, caught up in the spell, fails to defend himself. His sword strikes him through the chest and the psychic cry is abruptly silenced.
Miko pulls out the sword and hacks his sword arm off before following through with a slice that severs his
