Blade of Champions

Chapter Seven: Dark Forces

        CHAPTER SEVEN

        DARK FORCES

 'Well, well. Look what we found wandering in the woods,' the voice said. It was harsh and dry, like a desert wind. 

The middle rider dismounted. His clothes and armour were pitch black, his face criss-crossed with a hundred scars. He looked down at the fallen champion, a look of hatred on his face. 'I hope your pathetic slaves enjoyed their taste of freedom, because it's about to come to an end.'

Hughell spat dirt from his mouth and tried to speak. His voice crackled with fear. 'I don't know what you're talking about.'

'Don't play me for a fool,' the massive warrior snarled. 'Tell me where the slaves are, Knight of the Prince, and I'll make your exit from life an easy one.'

'Please,' Hughell said, clawing his way backwards across the leaves. 'I'm not a knight. I don't know of any prince. I've never seen you before!'

The warrior dismounted and walked towards Hughell, his pale eyes narrowed dangerously. With every step he seemed to double in size, until his very shadow blotted out the feeble sunlight.

Hughell looked around in desperation, but Idon was nowhere to be seen. As the massive boots reached the spot where he had fallen, he reached across and without thinking, drew the stolen sword from its scabbard.

Even in the dim light, the mark on the pommel flashed like a beacon.

For an instant, the dark warrior seemed cower, but when Hughell made no move to attack he started forward again, an ugly sneer on his lips. 

'Liar!' he hissed. 'Now you will die in misery, worm, knowing that you have denied your master to the end.'

His massive blade whistled from its sheath.

Hughell scrambled to his feet, every other sound lost behind the thudding of his heart.

The dark warrior yelled and lashed out with his massive blade, slicing the air where Hughell had stood but milliseconds before. 

The next blow came with twice the speed and Hughell lifted his sword in an effort to deflect it. The force jarred him to the bone. Numbness spread to his shoulders as he backed away, gasping.

'You knights are so pitiful,' the warrior chuckled. 'It's a wonder your feeble prince ever thought he could use you to stand against us. My master will be pleased when I tell him about you. Nothing pleases him more than to see you fall.'

He struck. This time the blow shattered Hughell's grip. The stolen sword flew to the ground, rolling away into the shadows of the undergrowth.

Hughell froze, his whole mind focussed on the thought that he was about to die.

But the dark warrior didn't seem to be a hurry. 

'Imeth,' he barked. 'One of the rats has run away. Track him down and finish him off.'

'It would be my pleasure, commander Okbaan,' a sinister voice growled. Great hoof beats shook the ground as one of the other dark warriors rode past, thundering into the trees.

Okbaan turned back to Hughell, his face alight with cruel pleasure. Without any warning, he lashed out, smashing the pommel of his sword into Hughell's head.

The young man sprawled backwards, darkness clawing at the edges of his mind. He drifted back, just as a booted foot slammed into his side. There was a dull cracking sound. He curled, trying in vain to escape the blows as they came, hard and fast.