Clank!
Kaadin moved back two steps. He clashed with an Aepari of the Labronkath named Trazak. The crowd cheered each time their swords came in contact. Everyone watched their fight for sport. Even the ever busy masters of the Labronkath were seated.
Neither of the two men succeeded in overpowering the other.
"Guess you all from the Capital are just all talk," Trazak said. His words intended to mock.
Kaadin laughed it off. He turned to the crowd and smiled then turn his gaze back to his opponent. "It would have been a different story if we were being serious."
Amara sighed. She could hint at what Kaadin had in mind. "Oh no!" she whispered.
"Why don't we make this more exciting?" He said. An even more dubious smile was expressed on his face. "Unless you don't have credible healers in your ranks."
Kaadin mocked them and they knew it. Viztef looked to his sides, exchanging glances with the masters. Kaadin's mockery stirred up violent emotions in every Aepari of the Labronkath that watched them and that was just his plan.
"What do you say?" Viztef asked, "I would like to see this current generation in action."
The masters did not wish to grant such a request but the grandmaster Viztef and Kaadin's words touched their pride. If only masters Reshi or Trathmir were on seat, their decision would have been different...more logical. The masters nodded in agreement. Their decision fuelled by the need to prove their worth to these visitors from the Capital.
A clash that was for sport soon turned into a real battle. The contenders took their match more seriously. Trazak zigzagged his way to his opponent, thrusting his sword at Kaadin's neck in the same motion. Kaadin tilted his head in the opposite direction to avoid being cut. Trazak's eyes widened. He was surprised. He was also certain that his blade had touched the man's neck, at least enough to leave a cut.
"Could it be his body was magically enhanced?" Trazak thought, "No. It's still all flesh and bones. No signs of using the armour of Aer." He retracted his weapon and went for a slash the second time with Kaadin blocking the attack in its track.
It seemed like Trazak was on the offensive but those with keen eyes for battle and a wealth of experience knew who truly controlled the flow of their battle, and it was not Trazak. Kaadin effortlessly parried Trazak's attacks. The Aepari started to worry and looked at his hands like they failed him.
"I don't blame you, man," Kaadin said, "anyone else would meet the same fate with me."
They cheered Trazak to call off Kaadin's bluff. They hardly believed he could carry out what he said. The Aepari experienced different feelings about the match. Some detested Kaadin's pride and cheered their comrade on. Others admired Kaadin's skills and confidence in battle and Chesca was one of them.
"This does bring back memories of my youth, you know," Viztef said with a few of the masters glancing at him, and almost at that same time, turning their focus back to the match.
Trazak resorted to casting a spell. Kaadin felt a rush of Aer move towards him. Immediately, he drew blade between him and the force. Trazak was disappointed that Kaadin was merely pushed back a few steps.
"Blaest, huh?" Kaadin said, chuckling. "Not bad. That's some quality Aer you have there. Unfortunately for you my man, you're facing me."
Kaadin pointed two fingers at Trazak. "Allow me show you how it's done."
Trazak was struck by an unseen force. It was fast and allowed him no opportunity to block or even evade. Trazak's body was sent flying into the vases of flowers in a corner.
Kaadin ambled towards him. "It is the same technique though," he said.
Trazak's face flushed, and his eyebrows scrunched together. His eyes narrowed into slits as he shot a hostile glare at his opponent. His first thought as he laid on the floor was to cut Kaadin up in many pieces.
"Stop it!"
"Stop this madness right now!" master Trathmir shouted. "What sort of foolishness is this!"
Silence fell on the environment. Everyone kept their gaze away from Trathmir, either looking away or staring down.
Reshi rushed to Trazak. "Come, Bebo. Tend to his wounds," he said. Bebo stood out as one of the best healers in the Labronkath. Her frecklesome face and red hair were even more distinctive.
Kaadin turned to Viztef and shook his head.
"Seems like there's more work to be done on your people," Viztef said. "if you wish for them to survive the festival, that is."
The masters got the message even before Viztef made it obvious. They watched Kaadin fool around while Trazak fought with seriousness. That was one of the monstrosities all the way from the Capital.
"The Capital is really full of monsters like him," master Jaehermeth said.
Amara chuckled. "Hmm... it's been a while. I see you still have it in you to play with your food, huh, Kaadin?"
Kaadin walked out on Amara as she spoke. His smiley demeanor faded when he was out of sight. His face was hard and grim. Trazak aroused him but couldn't satisfy him. Kaadin moved out of the Labronkath and waltzed into its forest to quench his thirst for a good fight.
Nyne and the rest marched into the forest that surrounded the territory of the Labronkath, keeping it isolated from the rest of the land. The same forest that the hungry and voracious beast, Kaadin had entered.
The three of them felt the strange Aer at the same time the minute it entered the forest. A tremendous feel of Aer. Disarmed before this presence they were yet to even see, the trio remained still. What they felt could be likened to a hunter who faced a fierce beast with no aid. Their instincts warned them. Deep down they knew not to run or put up a front but rather, to remain still as that was the safest choice. Much better than what their instincts as battle trained Aepari suggested.
The forest was already Kaadin's world the minute he entered. For that moment, Vorgard, Makr and Nyne felt like ants under a human's foot.
"What is this!" Makr thought.
Had they been greenhorns, their shock would be understood. These men had faced many creatures. None came close to what they experienced in this singular moment. A force of wind blew past them. The pressure they felt lessened the farther the wind went from there.