Killing Rohan
Killing Rohan As the sun crept over the grassy hills, the first horn started to blow. All of the soldiers in the bunk house were sleepily getting up and putting their clothes on. The horn didn't even come close to waking one of the soldiers, though. Nathaniel could sleep through practically anything, except a slap across the face. "Wake up, wake up, Nathaniel!" yelled Bernard, Nathaniel's best friend and training partner, "We don't want the king to be angry again, do we?" "The king doesn't have to get up at sunrise, does he Bernard. "Nathaniel replied sleepily, slurring his words. "All right, that's it," and with that, Nathaniel found himself face first on the floor. "Okay, okay, I'm up already." he said, rubbing his face. ?Good, ?cause I have some news you might want to hear.? "Go on."said Nathaniel. ?Your brother was killed yesterday.? Bernard said solemnly. Nathaniel shot up as if he had been up for a few hours. ?He was what!?? Nathaniel exclaimed. ?Yes, by Rohan, Joshua?s father.? ?No?? Nathaniel said, beginning to cry, ?He was the best gladiator that ever lived, how did he die?? ?Rohan ordered him to be murdered after he defeated ten of Yorek?s best gladiators, seven of which Rohan bet a large sum of money on to win.? Nathaniel didn?t say anything, but his knuckles became while as he clenched his hands into fists. The horn sounded again, making them late for their Tournament. They hurried and got dressed and within a couple of minutes, they were in the open-roof training area. They were the last to arrive, as usual, but no matter, they could sneak in the back without being seen. ?Today, as you already know, is the one day Tournament of Staff and Rod Fighting. The first match is between Bernard, and Joshua.? A dull chuckle erupted from the assembled soldiers. Bernard sighed, looked at Nathaniel and said, ?Great. He?s stronger than I am, taller than I am, and you know I?m strongest with a good ol? sword, don?tcha ?thaniel?? ?Yeah, but he?s slower than an ox__.? ?Shut up ?fore I beat you with this here rod, Nathaniel!? Joshua yelled gruffly. ?Now, would that be a challenge, Joshua?? Nathaniel asked excitedly. His favorite weapon was the rod, though hardly anyone knew it. He trained secretly with his own handcrafted rod every day. ?I?d really like to see you hit me, once.? ?All right, shut up the both of you!? The bald trainer said, ?Bernard, let?s just say you are eliminated, and Nathaniel,? he paused, looked up from the parchment, laughed, ?Will take on Joshua.? ?Now just hold on one darn minute!? Bernard started to protest, but was cut off. ?Begin!? boomed the balding warrior. Nathaniel rushed to a stone pillar and unclipped his own rod, made of rolled strips of iron, from a hidden crevice in the pillar. The soldiers split their assembled body in two and stood quietly, eager for the fight to begin. Joshua bounded toward him, rod high above his head. He whipped it downward at Nathaniel?s head. Nathaniel side-stepped and cracked Joshua across the middle of his spine. Joshua moaned in pain, but slowly started to counterattack. As he raised his rod, Nathaniel gripped his rod at one end and swung at Joshua with surprising speed. Joshua closed his eyes, expecting pain, but instead, heard a loud snap. He opened his eyes to find his wooden rod cleanly snapped in two. Joshua, surprised, desperately resorted to throwing the half of his rod at Nathaniel, which turned out to be a mistake. Nathaniel ducked, caught the oncoming part of the rod, and hurled it back into Joshua?s face. His head jolted back, blood and saliva spraying from his mouth and nose. Joshua clutched his face, unaware of the iron rod Nathaniel was whirling at him. It struck him across his right shin, breaking it, and knocking his feet out from under him. Joshua hit the ground with a heavy thump, unable to break his fall. Blood grew in a puddle around his head, and his right leg lay at an awkward angle. The crowd was silent. Some of the soldiers had awestruck looks upon their faces; others showed faces of amazement and horror. The bald man stepped out of the crowd and bent down over Joshua. He turned him over, looked for any vital life signs, and then solemnly stood up. Nathaniel did not move a cold, stone-like look upon his face. Beads of sweat rolled down his face and dripped off of the long, brown locks of his hair. His knuckles were white from clenching his iron rod. Through gritted teeth, he felt no regret in Yorek suddenly yelled, and jumped at Nathaniel, attempting to tackle him to the ground. Nathaniel jumped over him, jamming the end of his rod into Yorek?s back. The blow pummeled Yorek into the ground face first. Nathaniel heard the unsheathing of a sword, and whirled around to see Bernard, sword at the ready, defending Nathaniel?s back. ?I didn?t want you to be dragged into this?? Nathaniel said. ?What, you think you?re gonna leave me out of all your fun?? Bernard replied with a smile. ?Bernard, I killed him.? ??But you couldn?t let him get away with what he did.? * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ?The King will see you now.? As Nathaniel and Bernard walked through the heavy, solid oak wood doors into the King?s throne room, Bernard told Nathaniel reassuringly, ?I?m with you ?til the end.? ?Thanks.? They came to a halt, not ten feet from the King, sitting sternly in his throne. He sighed and said, ?You, um, Nathaniel, yes. You killed Joshua this morning in the Tournament of Rods and Staffs, correct?? Nathaniel stood expressionless, silent. ?A murder of your follow comrade includes a harsh punishment.? ?He killed my brother!? Nathaniel burst out suddenly. ?My brother was the best fighter there was?he never lost! Joshua couldn?t take it, couldn?t take losing, so he had to kill him because he couldn?t stand being humiliated anymore!? Nathaniel added, and gasped for breath. ?I do not care!? boomed the King. ?You blatantly killed a soldier, and I sentence you to be exiled to Rohan?s gladiator coliseum, and that is final!? ?He?s not going without me!? Bernard blurted out. ?As you wish.? the King said with sarcasm. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * The crowd roared, causing Nathaniel?s head to spin. Bernard was beside him, wiping sweat off his brow and rubbing the white dirt out of his eyes. The wind started to kick up, and half of the crowd was temporarily blocked from Nathaniel?s view from the blowing dust. As the dust cleared, iron doors sprung open, revealing a shiny, starved lion. The crowd?s intensity wavered, and then slowly died. That lion probably hasn?t had anything to eat in weeks, Nathaniel thought. The lion?s attention was fixed upon the two young gladiators. ?When he attacks,? Bernard said to Nathaniel nervously, ?you take him from behind.? Nathaniel acknowledged him with an absent-minded nod, but his attention was dragged away into the stands. Rohan, the gladiator trader, and killer, just appeared and was sitting in his elegant chair. Nathaniel?s muscles tensed, his veins bulged. A snarl diverted his attention. He whipped around, his iron rod already spinning. Bernard was one step ahead of him, his silver sword glinting in the bright sunlight. The lion sprinted toward Bernard with a sudden burst of energy and a growl. Bernard blocked a swipe from a massive paw with his wooden shield. Wood splintered as the lion?s claws dug into the shield. Nathaniel took the initiative and swung his rod at the lion. The iron rod crunched the bones in the right paw that was just swung at Bernard. The lion whimpered in pain, but, relentlessly leaped at Nathaniel. He dove and slid under the lion, kicking his feet into its belly as he did. The lion landed on padded paws, and spun around toward Nathaniel. The lion pounced it?s bushy, orange mane covering the sunlight. Nathaniel whipped the lion weakly in the neck for he had no power lying on his back. The lion moaned in agony, and landed just right of Nathaniel. He slowly got up, eyes wide in amazement and confusion. He looked up from the lion, seeing Bernard crouched over it, his sword deeply imbedded in the lion?s chest. Bernard ripped the blade out of the dead animal, blood dripping into a pool in the white sand. The two comrades clasped hands in their traditional handshake, but they were interrupted by the iron doors swinging open again. Bernard and Nathaniel gripped their weapons, ready, but not eager for another fight. Through the rusting doors came Rohan, a furious look upon his face. ?You two have cost me a great deal of money today,? he stated with a furrowed brow. ?How much does three soldiers, seven gladiators, and one lion cost you, Rohan?? Bernard asked smartly. ?And don?t forget his son, Joshua.? Nathaniel added. Nathaniel saw a blur of movement from Rohan, and then heard a scream from Bernard. He rushed to his side, seeing a dagger thrown into the young man?s heart. Nathaniel knew he was gone. Forever. He could not even mourn for his fallen friend, he was so angry. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Rohan throwing more daggers. Nathaniel whirled his staff around his chest, deflecting the four daggers soaring toward him. Rohan, out of daggers, pulled out two quarterstaffs, each three feet long. He twirled them around magnificently, showing off his skill. ??spose you?re gonna have to kill me, too,? Nathaniel said, a grim look upon his face, ?We killed more than Isaac did.? Rohan chuckled to himself, ?You should have seen the look upon his face before he died,? he paused, grinning. ?He didn?t even have the chance to beg for his life.? ?It?s amazing how much money means to you,? Nathaniel said. ?Too bad you won?t have anymore time to spend it.? ?Oh?? ?My brother?s death will be avenged.? Nathaniel said through gritted teeth. As Rohan rolled his eyes, Nathaniel hurled his iron rod at Rohan with all his might. It struck him with a deafening crunch of his now smashed skull. Rohan smiled and wiped the trickling blood off his face, trying not to show pain, and charged at Nathaniel. Nathaniel picked up Bernard?s bloody sword, sliced at Rohan. Rohan dodged the oncoming sword, and whacked Nathaniel in the ribs. He doubled over, moaning, and didn?t have time to react to the second blow to the middle of his spine. Blood was now dripping out of Nathaniel?s mouth, and he tried to spit some out. ?Hahaha! You?re weaker than your precious bro--? Nathaniel stabbed straight up through Rohan?s chest, Bernard?s sword glinting as it plunged up and out of Rohan?s back. Rohan dropped his weapons as Nathaniel took the sword out of his body. Blood stained Rohan?s white shirt, and was beginning to run down over his pants. Rohan picked up one of his quarterstaffs, blood splashing onto it. Nathaniel let the staff hit him in the belly, then, as Rohan was exposed, hacked the sword downward, the sword spearing through his cold heart. Nathaniel, in his blood-spattered clothes, dropped Bernard?s sharp sword on the ground, and wept. He wept for his lost brother, Isaac, and his fallen friend Bernard, but most of all, he wept for himself. He had lost everyone he had ever loved, and now, he felt so alone in the world, there was no one he could cling to, no one he could be protected by, no one who loved him. No one.
Copyright © 2004 John C Popiel |