Remus began to cry and Sindar patted his back.
— Sorry, guys, always I cry when I remember that. I love my brother, you have no idea how kind he is. All this rough stuff is to remind him of time with the wolves, but inside he's the best person I've ever met.
— What's up? What happened? — Sean's curiosity went beyond the commotion.
The giant recovered and took a deep breath.
— And then we fulfill the promised. We hunt, find a better place for them live, prepare foods for them. — He put his hand over his mouth and said quietly. — Don't let him know I said it, but Relles is a great cook, much better than me."
Everyone laughed and put their finger in front of their mouths, promising not to say anything.
— After that , we finally left, followed that road, and ended up at old Jon's farm... which was nothing old at the time. It was a scare, both for him, and we also, since we were unaccustomed to talk to anyone. He took us to Londrian, and your own grandfather came to see us, princess.
— Seriously?
— Yes, Relles decided at that moment that he would grow up to be like him. After that he didn't stop training anymore.
— Wow. You earthlings are awesome!
Everyone turned to Eastar, his eyes sparkling with emotion.
— What? — asked Remus.
— The history... I never heard anything like that. The biggest adventure I ever had was when I promised to meet my mother to study and went dancing with some friends... she got very angry... — The group began to laugh at him, who scratched his neck. — But seriously, all I could do was watch, and before the Prevision was even interesting, but then it got very boring.
— Why? — Sindar asked, her eyes sparkling with the possibility of discovering new things about the past.
— Because now all that you call Udorus is not even a quarter of what it once was. It was split into huge tracts of land, with very different peoples and cultures .... When it all came together in Prediction, most of it ended up underwater.
— Damn it! And how it was ...
— It's time, guys! — Edwin interrupted the princess as he walked toward them with his arms raised. — Let's see these two fighting!
Hoops and Relles came just behind, the commander handed a bottle to the lieutenant.
— Wait, were you drinking? — The red-eyed sirion scowled. — I can't believe, what kind of show you want to offer us?
— Edwin, you're the last one who can criticize them. — Allyn folded her arms and went to him, taking the bottle from his hands.
— I? Why?
— This is your bottle.
— And you know what that means? That you are a great observer!
— You know, you should join the fight. — She put a finger on the chin. — Maybe take a hammer to open that hollow head.
He then opened his mouth without saying anything, put his hands on the chest, and sighed.
— Each time I love you more, you know?
— Unfortunately...
— Can we start it? — Relles twirled his arms.
— Yeah! — Aros already had a sword in his hand.
The rest of the group sat in line at the roadside, making room for them both. The jabutas went from hand to hand.
— So tasty! I haven't eaten jabutas in a while. — Jaime said, biting one.
Eastar decided to experiment. The fruit was round and black, the size of a thumb, the young stellar looked at it for a while and tossed it in his mouth. As soon as he bit, the fruit exploded in his mouth, making him widen his eyes. A sweet and pasty broth came out of its shell, and he began to press the fruit with his tongue against the roof of his mouth for more, then swallowed the shell.
— That's really good!
— Isn't it?!... Wait, did you swallow it all? — Jaime's eyes widened.
— Hey, wasn't it to eat?
— Don't the shell, idiot! It will end up with stomach ache if you eat more like that.
— Don't worry, Jaime. Everything the stellars eat becomes energy within them. — Sindar joined the conversation. — They have no intestinal systems to worry about.
Eastar smiled at the soldier, who raised his eyebrows. Edwin cleared his throat, drawing attention.
— My dears, the time has come. — He pointed at the two fighters. Hit each other enough, but not get hurt.
Allyn rolled her eyes as the others laughed.
— Sure, sure. Relles, you didn't need to get up. You'll go back to the ground shortly. — Aros joked, turning the sword in his left hand.
— We shall see, commander. — Relles gave a wild laugh and put his right hand on the hammer, which was stuck in his belt.
— That's the spirit, Relles! — Remus laughed and clapped his hands.
— Ready? — Edwin smiled, excited by those apresentations. — Break yourselves!
Relles's eyes began to glow more brightly, the energy storage being released.
— Go, Relles! You can do it, boy! — Remus applauded his brother.
And the fight began.
Aros advanced first. Fast as an arrow, aiming the sword at the giant's chest. For a moment everyone thought it was over, but Relles turned the hammer and struck the blade, making the star lose his balance and spin to the left. Taking advantage of the breach, the sirion lunged at the commander, raised the hammer above his head, and slammed it down. Aros looked up and, a few seconds before the hammer smashed his head, jumped left. The hammer hit the ground with the sound of thunder, creating a small cracked hole.
— Well, well, that was dangerous. — Aros laughed, facing the opponent.
— I said to don't underestimate me.
— I didn't do it. Don't worry.
Eastar saw the smile on his father's face, that smile only meant one thing.
— Ended.
— What? — Sindar asked, confused.
— My dad understood Relles's dance.
— I still don't understand...
— The timing, my father understood. Relles will have to create something very unusual to have a minimal chance of winning, but he doesn't seem to me to be the type to improvise, so it's over.
— Ah...
Without waiting, Aros advanced again, but instead of stabbing with the sword, he swung it over his head and lowered it diagonally toward Relles's shoulder. In the audience, a groan came out of the mouth of Remus, before the brother defend the blow with the hammer handle, and he can sigh with relief. Aros pressed his sword against the giant's hammer, which held it with both hands, gritting his teeth.
The fight continued with strong and precise blows on both sides for some time. From that moment on, Eastar realized it was just a performance for his father, something to cheer up the crowd. And the star commander knew how to make the fight exciting for a few minutes, until he realized that Relles was getting tired.
With a groan of effort, the sirion thrust forward and shoved Aros, then swung the hammer to strike his ribs, the opponent stopped the blow with the sword, and with his elbow struck the giant's face, which gave two steps back, moaning in pain.
Seeing nothing, in a last effort, he turned the hammer from bottom to top, trying to hit the chin of the optonent, but the commander was faster and, after taking a step to the side, passed the sword in the giant's legs, using the flat part of the blade and knocking him to the floor.
Relles fell on his back, his nose was bleeding, and he was panting. Aros pointed the sword at his chest, giving it a slight poke. From the audience, the others started cheering and tossing coins at each other.
— You may be huge, Relles, but remember I'm still much stronger. Fighting me requires intelligence and not brute force.
— Ouch! I get it, damn it. I never thought I'd lose so fast.
— It's all a great dance, remember that!
Edwin paid one coin to Drun and another to Sean.
— Did you bet on Relles? — Allyn said, sitting between them.
— Well, I thought that the commander would let him win. Remus also bet on Relles.
— That's a little obvious, don't you think?
The group got up and went to the contestants. Remus took care of his brother while the others congratulated him on the fight. Even having lost, he had fought well, could have won easily, if his opponent was not one of the greatest warriors in the world.
Edwin looked around.
— Aren't you missing anyone?
— Eastar and Sindar left before the fight ended. — Jaime answered.
— What? Where did they go? They...
— They'll be fine, Edwin. — Aros gave the lieutenant a mischievous smile.
— They what?... Oh! Got it, got it. — He started to laugh and went to sit by the fire.