The Wandering Knight: Chapter 4

The man stood there, pointing his greatsword at Nathaniel. He did not budge. "How was he doing that? The sword was so large, how could he point it at Nathaniel with one hand outstretched?" Nathaniel thought to himself.

"So boy are you handing it over?" Said the large man, lowering the sword.

"No, I will not. You will all pay for what you did to Tyr." Responded Nathaniel.

"Well young man, we don't have time to deal with this. Knuckle, Scar, kill him and take the sword." He said gesturing to of the men standing and watching. He stood ready to watch this fight.

The two men immediately started laughing and made their way over to where Nathaniel stood. This wasn't good, but he did pick this spot for a reason. They wouldn't be able to get around to the back of him. He could focus his all mind on right in front of him.

One of the two men unsheathed a scimitar and other a shortsword. They assumed their fighting stances, they seemed to be pretty unpolished to Nathaniel. And the fight began. Both men started swinging wildly. Neither of them had much form to them at all. Both strikes were easily parried. The looked as though they were surprised at the skill level of this farm boy. But the pairs next flurry of attacks did not seem to show that they were better than Nathaniel's initial assessment.

The attacks were easily parried and Nathaniel even went for his first counter strike on them hitting the one using the scimitar on the head with the flat of his blade. This strike knocked the man out instantly. The other man got visibly frustrated. Trying wild strikes as hard as he could. But due to his clear lack of training they were easily parried and a strike was made to incapacitate him. The first two were beat.

After the second one fell. The others in the room started to take up arms and what was cheering had turned to angry threats.

"Stop right there me, you won't beat him. He's better than any of you." The large man said

"The only men we had that stood a chance against him were Mad Eyes and Viper and we lost them last night in the raid. My guess is that this farm boy beat them too when we sent them to see what those noises were." He informed the room

"Now what are you going to do?" Asked Nathaniel.

The man started walking towards Nathaniel

"Well boy, looks like I will have to deal with you myself. My men don't stand a chance against you even if we all attack at once. So it will have to be me." He said drawing his sword.

"I WILL win. I WILL get my revenge" responded Nathaniel

The large man let out a hearty laugh

"Don't you think I am like one of my men, you won't be winning. Even that old man on the hill wasn't hard for I, the great bandit Armstrong, to beat"

"It was you then, now I must win."

Then began the fight.

Nathaniel was the initiator this time. Striking high in anger. He didn't expect this to hit and it didn't even come close. It was stopped by the mans massive greatsword. Then moving faster than Nathaniel could have even imagined the sword was replying with its own strike to the side. He was able to get his sword in place to guard just in time. But the power behind this strike was more than Nathaniel had ever faced before. Not only did it almost take Nathaniel off of his feet but it also put strain on his leg and sent pain from the bolt coursing through it. Adrenaline had been the only thing keeping his leg from crumbling under his weight. But now he was almost floored by the pain and the impact.

Barely keeping his feet beneath him Nathaniel backed up.

"Oh you're still standing well that's impressive boy. Too bad your leg is hurt we might have had an almost interesting fight"

"I am just getting started, don't take me so lightly" Nathaniel responded.

"Come on then give me a better showing farm boy"

This time Nathaniel didn't give into his anger and would let the man come to him. Nathaniel had realized that if he went on the offensive he would be caught off guard by how fast the man could move his greatsword. If the man could move his sword like he had before there are definitely more tricks that this man could possess. Before a second could pass the man began his assault. Like most of his men he started with a large very telegraphed attack from the top.

This strike came down harder than any other strike he had felt before. The sheer weight of the sword and the strength of the man would have been enough to floor most swordsman. This was terrifying. As Nathaniel blocked it he felt his legs almost crumple beneath him, but he still stood. He refused to fall.

"Impressive boy, only a few men have been able to withstand that attack from me. All but one other were men much larger than you. And that one, was the old man on the hill outside your town"

"You bastard!"

"Oh did I strike a nerve boy, he went down with quite the fight but he was too old to win"

With that Nathaniel's composure broke. He made his advance. His strikes coming one after enough not giving Armstrong an instant to strike back. Blinded by rage Nathaniel was not able to see his sword starting to glow a gold and the flames on the hilt began moving as real. He only saw his enemy. Eyes locked on every movement he made no care for his own movements or well being. But the glow had began to encompass all of his body.

The man began falling back. The unrelenting strikes from Nathaniel were a sight to behold. Glowing golden, he shown like the sun. All of the other brigands could only stare at him.

The man began to get angry. He did not want to lose this fight. He had beaten the old swordmaster, he was undefeated in combat, he was "the great bandit Armstrong". This would not be where he did he thought to himself. And so began his counter attack.

Moving faster than anything any of the other brigands had seen before, Armstrong made a strike against Nathaniel, not with his sword, but with his fist. A punch to the side stopped all of Nathaniel's momentum. Catching him off guard Nathaniel wasn't ready for the next strike. The man swung his greatsword to the other side. Nathaniel barely getting his sword in the way to not be cleaved in half we launched from his feet. Thrown several feet to his right he lay on the floor. The glow around him had dissipated.

"You almost had me their boy, too bad that you are too weak." said Armstrong laughing

"This isn't over" Nathaniel said gasping for air on the floor

"Oh yes it is boy" He said standing over Nathaniel.

Suddenly, there was a large crash from the cave entrance. A murmur erupted from the rest of the brigands.

"Don't just stand their. GO CHECK IT OUT!" Bellowed Armstrong.

The rest of the brigands filed out of the room but this very slight distraction had given Nathaniel all the time he needed. He clambered to his feet and started attacking once again. His flurry of attacks going faster and harder than ever before. The glow returning. His passion wouldn't be stopped.

Armstrong was very caught off guard but he thought to himself "If my punch landed last time, I can't do it again." knowing most of his tricks wouldn't work against this boy, he went for his last gambit. He began advancing into Nathaniel's attacks. Getting close and closer until he could try his last trick. He dropped his sword and tried to grapple Nathaniel.

But Nathaniel was too fast dodging the grapple and kicking out Armstrong's legs, he stood above him glowing and victorious.

"Go ahead boy, you beat me. Get your revenge" Armstrong said preparing for his demise

Glowing golden Nathaniel readied a strike for the mans neck. He began his strike when suddenly he remembered his master's words "The one thing a hero leaves behind is the memory of all that they've done" and his blade stopped short of Armstrong's neck. He wouldn't be the type of man to take a life. He had avoided in all his fights prior, he wouldn't start now. And with that decision the glow around him dissipated once more and he made his strike. He knocked Armstrong out with one blow to the head.

Grabbing some rope that he found amongst the pile of loot he tied up Armstrong and the others he had knocked out. Now he needed to go deal with the rest of the brigands.