“Oh, I’m so tired,” Elise said stifling a yawn, though the truth was her nerves were buzzing, very aware of the young man walking beside her. Her interest in Gwaynn had grown steadily over the past week, though from the very first she’d found him very easy to look at. It was his natural intellect, calm demeanor and the fact that his interests somewhat mirrored her own that seemed to steadily draw her closer and closer to him. And, of course it didn’t hurt that he was mysterious and strong. The only thing she disliked about him was his constant need to carry about those barbaric kali. No matter how she tried to persuade him to leave them behind, insisting that Lato Island was safe, he’d always nod to her in agreement, but then bring them along anyway. The weapons bothered her but they also made him stand out against the rest of the Scholars.
It did not discourage her in the least that, as yet, he had given no sign of interest in her. She could change that; after all she had with Kent, who was her on again off again lover. Gwaynn was tall and well built though Elise could tell he was young for his size. Young and shy, she liked her men like that; it gave her a bit more control.
Gwaynn made no reply in return just mumbled an agreement, obviously distracted by something.
“I hope you are not too tired,” she said, a little too coyly, hoping to at least hold his hand a bit.
Gwaynn again made no answer just continued to walk.
“Gwaynn!” Elise said, not accustomed to being ignored when she was alone with a boy.
Gwaynn turned to her and frowned. “Keep walking,” he said in a low voice.
“Of course,” she replied. “I’m not that tired.”
“Keep walking and talking,” Gwaynn said, and suddenly Elise could tell he was a bit tense. She smiled, thinking she was the cause of his nervousness. Well, she would give him something to be nervous about.
“Act normal,” he added.
“I certainly will,” she replied and slipped her arm through his. Surprisingly he didn’t act attracted or repelled.
“Good,” was all he said. They moved down a hill and then around a slight bend. They were approaching their building. “Don’t look back,” he added, and it was Elise’s turn to frown.
She was about to ask why when two dark shapes appeared out of the bushes up ahead. Gwaynn slowed to a stop and she with him. Gwaynn looked back, and she followed his gaze. There were three more shapes moving quickly toward them from behind.
“Who are you?” Elise said loudly, somehow hoping that they were students or Masters, but instinctively knowing that they were not. No one answered, and her fears were confirmed when Gwaynn slowly drew his kali.
“Kneel down and move slowly to the other side of the bench behind you,” Gwaynn whispered in her ear like a lover. “Hide in the bushes if you must, but while I live; do not move.”
She couldn’t believe he sounded so calm, and began to wonder if perhaps she had misjudged his lack of interest. She did as he said without question, and gawked as the men slowly approached from both sides. Gwaynn stood unmoving between them, waiting for them with an apparent lack of concern.
The two groups of men, three from the rear and two from the front came to a stop about ten paces from Gwaynn. They said nothing. Three were holding their own kali, and two had long swords.
Gwaynn waited patiently, his breathing slow and easy. He was immensely thankful that the men had decided to corner him on such a narrow pathway. It would make it easier for him, especially when he had them both behind and in front of him. He studied the men as they approached, trying to read the nuances of their movements as Nev had taught him. One of the men in front, the one with a long sword, he was clearly the leader and the most aggressive. Gwaynn expected him to attack first, as did the other men, and after only a few seconds he complied.
Elise screamed, but Gwaynn did not hear it, instead he concentrated on the first attack. It was clumsier than he had expected, but he wasted no time to analyze it. He ducked under the stroke and dove past the leader, tucking into a roll as he went by. He struck out at the back of the leg of the man trailing the leader. The man yelled out and collapsed as Gwaynn smoothly continued to his feet, now facing four standing opponents all in front of him. He slowly backed up, getting some distance between him and the man on the ground. He did not want to worry about getting his tendons cut from someone who no longer posed any real danger.
The leader and his three companions followed, now moving after him with a bit more caution. Elise remained as quiet as possible as they approached her hiding spot; one of them glanced her way and she stifled another scream, then the man shifted and began moving her direction. Elise gave a squeak of terror but Gwaynn was already moving, blocking blows and racing quickly through the first two assailants and in a flash set about attacking the trailing pair. Though surprised, one of them managed to block Gwaynn’s blow, but the man who had moved on Elise lost his head. It fell and rolled under the bench she was hiding behind. Elise retched, her eyes locked on the blood draining from the stump of neck as the body fell to the ground.
Gwaynn, however, did not pause, but continued to press the attack. There were only three now, and they seemed very slow to Gwaynn. He blocked another blow from the leader, before slicing almost entirely through the right arm of another assailant. The arm hung from a thin sliver of meat and skin, and the hand attached to it popped open and dropped the kali it had held. The man screamed, and fell back holding his wound, blood pouring through the fingers of his good hand. He continued to scream until he too lost his head.
Elise cried out again and Gwaynn spun. The leader had suddenly changed tactics. He pulled back his sword and was attempting to grab a hold of Elise, who was desperately trying to keep the bench between them. Gwaynn rushed forward, though he instinctively knew that he would not get to Elise in time; the man was closing on her too fast. But without conscious thought, Gwaynn felt time slow around him. In a fraction of a second he tore forward, covering the entire distance in less than a heartbeat and without hesitation he thrust his blade into the exposed back of the leader. To Gwaynn the move occurred naturally; to Elise and her attacker, the movement was blindingly fast. The leader of the group crumpled and dropped to the ground, dead, his heart pierced. Gwaynn slowed and turned to face his lone opponent, but not before slicing open the throat of the wounded man on the ground after he made a pitiful lunge at Gwaynn’s right leg.
“Who are you?” Gwaynn asked the lone survivor, as hunger cramps gripped his mid-section. He tried to ignore them, and forced himself not to bend at the waist. His legs were shaky and it felt as if all the strength had gone out of his arms. “Who are you?” he repeated, the menace plain in his voice.
The man did not answer. He was sweating and circling, clearly trying to get to the far side of Gwaynn, who apparently was standing between him and his supposed freedom.
“You have seconds to live,” Gwaynn stated, hoping the man would just surrender. He did not want to kill this man, but would not hesitate to do so. What he truly wanted was answers, plus he was reluctant to fight in his present state.
“If you do not speak, you die. Who are you?”
“My…my name is Valent,” the man said. “Valent Torbors.”
“And?”
The man did not answer instead he attacked, clumsily. Gwaynn blocked the thrust, and in real time, used the powerful wrists he had developed over the months of practice with the heavy wooden katas. He struck out as hard as he could and the man’s right kali flew from his hand. The man stood there stunned looking down at his empty hand. His will to fight flagged. He knew he had no hope of defeating this…this.. boy. He groaned in despair, but even so attacked yet again, but this time he charged for the girl. Gwaynn was expecting such a maneuver, but how he could not say. He sprang forward and stabbed the man just below the right collarbone. The man hissed with pain and swung with his left at his killer. Gwaynn blocked it with his right kali then yanked his left from the man’s chest. The man screamed and staggered. Gwaynn spun and lashed out; removing the man’s left hand at the wrist. Valent screamed again and lunged at Gwaynn, who drove one kali into his groin and the other back into the man’s chest. Valent slumped immediately and fell to the ground, and in this universe at least, was no more.