The Eternal War: The Dragon's Valkyrie

The Dance of Blades

A burning sun set behind the oni. Rivulets of crimson trickled off the edge of Saidy's swords and stained what greenery was left on the battlefield. All of the dwarves were locked in a bout for their lives with the remaining bandits, save for Golag who charged for the archer.

The last pichan reached for his quiver to shoot down the berserker dwarf only to find he'd wasted his last trying to kill the Dual-wielding Demoness. For a dwarf, Golag was fast, and closed the distance on the wolf-boy faster than he could draw his dagger. His guts fed Golag's axe.

"Like some help there, lass?" he shouted to Saidy, smiling at the terror on the pichan's dead face.

"No," Saidy said determinant, "I will not fear the oni anymore."

Although inside, her heart still raced, she indeed intended to shed her fear of her oppressors with the death of the one with their eyes—the one who intended to return her to The Abyss.

"The oni never specified the need to bring you back alive," the oni seethed, "I reckon tossing your head at the Wolf Queen's feet will earn me my horns and a place among the true oni! I bet they're marching here as we speak!"

Saidy felt a shock run down her spine. The oni wouldn't dare march into the Garden of Life, she thought. No, she assured herself that Le'Dria would stop any oni that came from The Abyss.

"Too bad you won't live to find out," the oni said.

The two demons circled one-another for a short period before the oni lunged at Saidy. A ray of sun shone off the silver blade at the end of his spear as it pierced nothing. Saidy had turned out of the way; however, before she could mount a counter, the butt of his spear arced upward for her chin. She bent the other way and stabbed with her own sword. The oni's skill with a spear matched hers with her blade as they were both able to attack and defend simultaneously, and so began a dance.

The two demons were like poets—each trying to write a more beautiful elegy. As one word stabbed at the other, it was deflected by a sharper, more poised stanza. Each artist ebbed and flowed seamlessly between the edges of the other's blade until the oni lunged once more.

He had poised himself, one leg coiled like a snake waiting to strike. He shoved his foot into the mud as he reached for Saidy with his spear. She caught it in crossed blades. She ran up the black shaft, a product of a red oak tree bathed in blood until it shone like the moonless night. The oni let her run and used the momentum she created as her swords pushed his spear into the air. She was blind to the butt that cracked against her jaw and spun her around.

Her crimson locks collected in the oni's hand as he pulled her back toward him, spear aimed for her backside. Saidy didn't have time to think, only react.

Her side tore open. She choked on her breath as she felt her body split. A cry of agony managed to escape her lips. She looked at the wound. She'd twisted just enough that the spear merely grazed her hip; although, it had still bit deep into her flesh, and blood poured over the silver blade copiously.

She knew once her hair was in his grasp that she'd have to take the hit. Saidy did what she could to evade as much damage possible; however, her tresses were still in his grasp, and she couldn't fight him while he was behind her. It wouldn't be long before his spear did skewer her. The echoes of the dwarves calling her name as she cried in agony while the oni removed his spear to strike again rang distant in her head.

She waited—waited until he began to strike again. With a flick of her sword, her red hair fell. She spun, parrying the oni's spear with her left hand and slitting his throat with her right.

Her vision bruised. The spear had bit deeper than she intended.

"Lass!" Revvil's voice echoed.

"Lass!" now Sam's.