The Reformation Wars: A Hero's Peace

Chapter 12

After having returned from the thick of the battle to take a rest, Nathan emerged from one of the Monteraynian command tents with renewed strength. With a new shield in his left hand and his freshly cleaned sword in his right, he marched through the ranks to engage the enemy once more. Much of the orderliness about the battle had vanished in favor of chaos and aggression. Many Monteraynian battalions had almost become overrun entirely by their Innutukian foes, with their endless numbers and ceaseless strength.

Nathan pushed and shoved his way through one particular group of Innutukians crowding in on a smaller number of Monteraynians. With his shield protecting his advance, he forced the enemy back and then gave them a taste of their own medicine with his sword. The sheer power of Nathan's deadly advance forced a few of the warriors to retreat outright.

The Innutukians who held fast and had kept their hefty shields in their off hands grouped together and formed a small wall to hold Nathan off. He paused for a second to contemplate his next move, but then the wall parted, and he squinted curiously.

From the narrow gap between the two halves of the little formation strutted a young man with reddish brown hair who Nathan recognized to be the student of Andre Feliz. The irritating and arrogance youth Commander Voy Morus had only addressed as Tanuk. Currently, Tanuk stared Nathan squarely in the eye and laughed jovially, hand resting on the hilt of his sheathed sword.

"Sir Nathan Korynn!" Tanuk cried with mirth causing his voice to tremble, "Lapdog of Sir Rickland!"

Nathan glared. "I'm nobody's lapdog, you smokin' child."

"This child you speak of is being trained up by none other than Lord Andre Feliz. I'll bet you wish you could say the same."

"I don't envy you in the slightest."

"Oh, I think you do." Tanuk crooned, "It is a rare privilege indeed."

"I figured as much. Now, step aside. I have important matters to attend to."

In an instant, Tanuk had unsheathed his sword. "On the contrary, I challenge you to a duel."

Nathan shook his head in mixed exasperation and amusement. "I don't wish to hurt you, boy."

"I wager your blade won't touch me once."

"Pride goes before the fall, boy. I'll oblige you if you insist, but I don't foresee a happy ending for you."

Tanuk's grin widened. "I must have this."

"Very well then."

Nathan simply stood his ground and raised his shield to deflect the first wild swing of Tanuk's sword. If he'd wanted to kill the boy, he could have done so already, given the massive opening he left by over-swinging his blade so far. But he was merely young and foolish; not outright malicious.

Nonetheless, he was an annoyance.

Tanuk's blade came racing for Nathan's face. He simply smacked it down and shoved the youth away with his shield. Tanuk stumbled into the Innutukian bystanders' shields in a daze, shaking his head as if to regain clarity of vision. Nathan calmly awaited his return.

And return Tanuk did, with a wild uppercut Nathan's shield easily absorbed. He tested the boy's reflexes with a swift swipe of his own blade, and to his surprise, Tanuk managed to dodge it. Tanuk even used the excess momentum from his evasive maneuver to power a second attack. Nathan easily blocked it, of course, but the effort was applaudable.

Ironically, one of the Innutukians did clap, a gesture Nathan quirked a brow at.

"You're holding back!" Tanuk accused, "And you've got a shield while I don't. That's unfair."