Chapter 4: Kill or Be Killed

Only the leader of the vandals and a handful of men remained, but they still represented a greater threat than the poorly armed refugees struggling to resist. It was clear we needed a change of strategy to stand any chance of winning.

My eyes landed on the robust man fighting with a spear. His movements were precise and powerful, nothing you'd expect from a simple farmer. Something about him stood out, as if he were accustomed to battle, despite his unassuming appearance.

—Hey, big guy! What's your name? — I shouted loudly so he could hear me amidst the chaos.

The man turned his head slightly, dodging a blow as he cast a confused glance in my direction.

—Are you talking to me? — He responded incredulously, impaling his attacker with a skillful twist of the spear.

—Yes, you! Is there another big guy around here? What's your name?

—I'm… uh, Leofric. Why? — He said, even more baffled, blocking another attack without missing a beat.

—Alright, Leofric, I'm Orion. I need you to come with me. We're going to end this once and for all — I said, pointing to the leader watching us from atop the hill.

—Why me? — He asked, hesitating, though his stance remained firm in combat.

—Because you're one of the strongest here. You'll carve a path so I can deal with that guy. Come on, we don't have time to waste.

Without another word, Leofric nodded and finished off the vandal in front of him. He ran toward my position, his spear slicing through the air like an extension of his will. Together, we advanced, cutting down anyone who stood in our way.

The path to the hill was a mix of chaos and determination. Each step was a battle, but with Leofric at my side, we managed to break through until we stood face to face with the leader of the vandals.

The man observed us with a sardonic smile, as if he were enjoying the show. His imposing figure stood out under the twilight, and the sword in his hand seemed as heavy as the chaos he had unleashed.

—So, the heroes have arrived — He said in a deep voice, dripping with sarcasm. —I hope you're more interesting than the insects I crushed earlier.

—Enjoy your last words — I said, raising my sword as the eyes of my mask began to glow intensely. —Because you won't be leaving this hill alive.

Leofric clenched his jaw, ready to fight, while the leader took a defensive stance, prepared for the confrontation that would decide everyone's fate.

—Leofric! Don't let anyone get close while I handle this guy.

Leofric nodded, holding his ground and spinning his spear to face the approaching enemies.

—Alright, I've got this, but don't take too long. I don't think I can hold them off forever — he replied in a serious tone, blocking an attack from a vandal.

I turned my attention back to the leader. He was focused, analyzing my every move. His stance was relaxed, but his gaze revealed confidence and experience.

—Hey, kid, what's your name? — He asked derisively as he lunged at me with his sword raised.

—That doesn't matter. The only thing you need to know is that you're going to die here — I replied, dodging his attack swiftly.

As our swords clashed, something suddenly struck me—not physically, but mentally. My movements were faster, more precise, more deadly. Having faced so many weaker opponents, I hadn't realized how much I had improved. Every dodge, every strike, felt like my body and the sword had become one.

He stepped back, evaluating the situation with an arched eyebrow.

—You're not bad, kid. But it's not enough — He growled before attacking again, this time with more force and speed.

I met him head-on without hesitation, following the patterns the mask showed me. As we exchanged blows, a strange feeling began to overtake me: a certainty that if I managed to kill him, something within me would change. I could improve even more, surpass my limits.

—I'm Uhtred, the leader of this band of useless men — He declared with an arrogant grin, wielding his sword with confidence. His eyes analyzed me, looking for weaknesses. —You fight well for someone so young, but tell me, what's the reason for hiding behind that mask?

—It's so the bastards I kill don't know who sent them to hell — I answered, not breaking eye contact with him. —That way they suffer more.

Uhtred let out a dry laugh, full of mockery. Without giving me a chance to respond, he launched a direct strike, which I barely managed to block.

Each clash of swords rang in my ears. I blocked his attacks with effort, but some managed to land, leaving superficial cuts on my arms and sides. The pain was a constant reminder that I couldn't lower my guard, though it wasn't enough to stop me.

I followed the path the mask traced for me: dodge, find the weak points in his guard, strike with precision. But Uhtred wasn't like the others. This man knew how to read my movements and adapt. Every time I tried to attack, I found his sword waiting for me, ready to stop me.

My breathing quickened as I desperately searched for an opening. This wasn't enough. I couldn't rely solely on the mask. If I wanted to win, I needed something else, something he couldn't foresee.

I took a few steps back to gain distance, watching every movement of Uhtred. My mind was working frantically, searching for a strategy, while he looked at me with a mixture of mockery and challenge.

—Is that all you've got? — He asked condescendingly, spinning his sword as if this were a game for him. —Maybe I overestimated the ones hiding behind masks.

I ignored his words, focusing on the sound of my own breath and the beating of my heart. My body was tired, but my determination was stronger.

—Of course not, I'm just warming up — I replied firmly, though the fatigue was evident in my words. My hands trembled slightly, the weight of the sword starting to feel like a burden, but I couldn't let him notice.

Uhtred grinned arrogantly at my response. His confidence was overwhelming, as if he had already won the fight in his mind.

I had to think quickly, change my approach. The sword alone wouldn't be enough. It was a mistake to limit myself to defending and attacking in the traditional way.

I had to use my entire body.

My legs, my elbows, my knees... Anything I could use as a weapon. If I wanted to win, I'd have to be creative, unpredictable, and take advantage of every opportunity to hurt him.

I moved toward him decisively, dodging his next attack with a side step. The moment he turned to follow me, I struck with the pommel of my sword, aiming for his wrist. The impact made him step back, surprised by my change in strategy.

Before he could react fully, I spun my body and used my elbow to strike him in the side, exploiting the opening in his guard.

—What the hell…? — He growled, clearly bewildered.

I didn't respond. There was no time for words. My goal was to keep him off-balance, force him to make a mistake that I could exploit.

I stayed close to him, dodging his attacks with agile movements and countering with quick, precise strikes. A kick to the knee, an elbow to the ribs, even a headbutt when we were up close.

Uhtred grunted with every blow, his arrogance slowly fading, replaced by evident frustration.

—You're more slippery than I thought, kid — He whispered through clenched teeth, adjusting his stance.

—And you're losing control — I responded with a half-smile, hiding the fact that my muscles were burning from the effort.

I knew this was the key moment. If I kept attacking without giving him time to regain the upper hand, I had a chance to beat him.

—Hurry up, Orion! I won't last much longer, finish him off already — Leofric shouted, fighting multiple enemies at once, his spear spinning and blocking attacks from all directions.

—Yeah, I'm almost done with this guy! — I replied with a forced smile, though I felt the weight of exhaustion on my body. Uhtred was still dangerous, but I was wearing him down blow by blow.

Each strike I launched was slower than the last. My hits to his chest, legs, and head had drained him physically and mentally. The initial arrogance had vanished from his face, replaced by a mixture of fury and disbelief.

Finally, Uhtred could no longer hold his sword properly. His hands trembled, his breathing irregular, and a drop of sweat ran down his forehead, mixing with the blood.

With his last strength, he launched a desperate strike toward me. It was slow, predictable. I dodged it easily, deflecting his arms with one hand while spinning my body to gain a better position.

In one quick, decisive motion, I drove my sword into his chest.

Uhtred let out a low grunt, his eyes widened for an instant, and then his body lost all tension.

I held him for a moment before withdrawing my sword from his chest. His body fell to the ground with a dull thud, like the final echo of a battle that had already ended.

I turned toward Leofric, who was still fighting the last of the vandals.

—It's over, now it's just these few left! — I shouted, as the weight of the battle began to settle on me.

After dealing with the remaining vandals, Leofric and I supported each other, both exhausted, as we made our way toward the survivors. The air was heavy, saturated with the scent of blood and sweat, but at last, the calm seemed to begin settling in.

When we arrived, I removed my mask. In front of me stood Miss Elena, standing next to Finan, who seemed a little disoriented, though fortunately unscathed, though covered in blood—both his own and the vandals'. At his side, the five remaining guards stood firm, though clearly exhausted and with visible injuries. The scene showed the heavy toll we had borne, but at least we were alive, and that was the only thing that mattered at that moment.

Elena's gaze met mine, and though she said nothing, her eyes reflected gratitude and relief upon seeing that we had dealt with the threat.

—Are you alright? — Leofric asked Finan, his deep voice, but with a tone of concern. Finan nodded slowly, wiping his forehead with the back of his hand, but the fatigue was evident in his eyes.

—Yeah, just a bit tired — He replied, trying to stay upright, though the exhaustion was clear on his face.

The battle had been brutal, and though victory was ours, the price had been high. The survivors were few, and the scars they carried—both physical and emotional—would stay with them long after the last drop of blood had dried.

—We should camp here until morning — I suggested, looking around as I tried to calm my ragged breath. —We're all exhausted. We need to clean up and rest a bit.

A visibly nervous guard stepped forward.

—What if they attack us during the night? We'd be defenseless.

I looked at him for a moment, weighing his words. I knew the concern was valid, but I also knew our strength was spent.

—I don't think that will happen — I replied firmly. —We've already dealt with the closest vandals. They wouldn't dare attack us at night, and besides, we're in the middle of nowhere. If there were more enemies nearby, they would have ambushed us already.

The tension eased slightly upon hearing my answer, though everyone's eyes remained alert, still watching the surroundings. In the end, the need for rest outweighed the fear of another attack, and slowly, they began to nod, accepting that there wasn't much more we could do that night.

—Orion is right — Miss Elena said, looking around with a firm expression—. We're all tired. We should rest. Use some of the water we have, and make sure to clean up, you don't want to be covered in blood all night. The wounded should tend to their injuries.

Her tone was authoritative, but full of concern, and though everyone knew resting was the most sensible decision, they couldn't stop watching the horizon, still alert for any possible threat.

After cleaning up, I sat with Finan and Leofric around the campfire to warm up. The flames danced as we shared a moment of calm after all the chaos.

Finan began telling Leofric about his origins, about how he was the son of the Lord of Esperion and how his family had fallen into devastation.

I saw Leofric's face tense as he listened to that part. A slight anger crossed his expression, something understandable, given what the nobles had caused: chaos, pain, and suffering to so many people. Bitter memories don't fade easily.

But when Finan recounted how his mother sacrificed herself to save him, and how I had rescued him after the tragedy, something changed in Leofric's expression. The anger gave way to a more complex look, as if, for a moment, he could understand what it meant to lose someone dear and live with the burden of sacrifice.

—You've been through a lot in such a short time, I'm sorry for you, kid.

Then it was Leofric's turn to tell his story. As the fire crackled, his voice grew deep and full of emotion.

Leofric shared that, in his youth, he had been a respected warrior serving the Lord of Esperion. However, when the Lord was expecting his first child, Leofric chose to retire and live a quiet life on a farm with his wife and son outside Esperion.

That peace was shattered when a group of vandals demanded a fee in exchange for "protection." Leofric refused to pay, and at first, there were no consequences. But when God spoke, the vandals returned, burned his home, and killed his family.

When Leofric arrived, he found them and was beaten by them. When he asked why they were doing it, they told him the Lord of Esperion had given them permission, as long as he received a share of what they earned.

Leofric, looking at Finan, explained his pain without hate, only sadness.

—I don't blame you. You're not responsible for what your father did. The chaos didn't start with you or your family. I...—. He paused, as if the words were hard to come by, —I'm just trying to survive, just like you.

There were too many sad stories, so I decided not to tell mine, partly to avoid affecting Finan, who still felt guilty. To avoid digging into those wounds, I simply said:

—I'm tired, I think I'll sleep for a bit.

Both Leofric and Finan nodded, their faces showing the exhaustion that weighed on them as well.

Without saying more, we settled by the campfire, allowing the silence of the night to envelop us. The warmth of the flames and the peace of the moment helped us relax, and little by little, we all drifted into sleep, aware that a new challenge awaited us the next day.