Amukelo and Padrin rode swiftly along the forested path. Amukelo's heart pounded with anticipation, his thoughts racing with the knowledge that Neclord was so close. His mind flickered with images of his fallen comrades—Pao, Bral, Idin, Bao—all of them taken by Neclord's cruelty. His hands tightened on the reins, knuckles white with intensity. He could feel the tension rising in his muscles as they approached their destination.
As they neared the spot where Amukelo knew Neclord was, he reached into his satchel and pulled out healing potion. The potion worked quickly, knitting together the small cuts and bruises that had accumulated over his body from the previous encounter. The pain faded away, and his energy surged back.
Before long, they caught sight of their quarry. Neclord and his guards were moving at a steady pace along a dirt path that wound between fields and the edge of the forest. From their position in the woods, Amukelo and Padrin could clearly see the entourage. Neclord rode in the middle, flanked by two guards on horses, one in front of him and one trailing just behind. On either side of Neclord, two more guards rode along, scanning the area vigilantly.
In total, six guards surrounded Neclord—well-armored and alert. Amukelo crouched low behind the trees, carefully observing their movement. Padrin had already pulled the horse back a few steps, far enough that it wouldn't give away their position.
Amukelo leaned toward Padrin, his voice low but resolute. "Stay here," he instructed. "I'll strike them head-on. If anything goes wrong, you'll have the advantage of surprise."
Padrin nodded, though there was hesitation in his eyes. "Be careful," he whispered, though he knew Amukelo's mind was already made up. The determination in his friend's face was undeniable.
Amukelo moved like a shadow, slipping through the underbrush, his steps silent and deliberate. His heart raced as he drew closer to the edge of the woods, the wind rustling the leaves overhead as if mirroring his rising tension. Every sound seemed amplified—the crunch of dirt underfoot, the distant cawing of crows, the creak of leather as he shifted his grip on his sword. His eyes were fixed on Neclord.
When he was close enough to strike, Amukelo crouched low, gathering his strength. He could hear the distant chatter of the guards, the clinking of armor as they rode on. But before he could make his move, one of the guards turned his head, catching sight of something moving through the trees.
"Look!" the guard shouted.
Amukelo cursed under his breath. His cover was blown.
"Formation!" one of the guards barked as they quickly maneuvered their horses into a defensive position, forming a protective ring around Neclord. The mage guards began to channel their magic, and the rest unsheathed their weapons.
Neclord, at the center of the formation, paled visibly. His eyes widened with recognition, and he almost lost his balance in his saddle. Panic flickered across his face as he yelled in a mix of fear and fury, "You piece of shit! How did they let you out of Norton?! Guards, take him down! Kill him!"
Amukelo stepped out from the woods, a dark grin spreading across his face. His eyes were wild with rage and vengeance. "You will pay for what you've done!" he shouted and then charged forward.
The nearest guard, a heavily armored brute with a large shield, braced himself for the clash. Amukelo struck first, their swords meeting in a shower of sparks. The guard was sturdy and held his ground well, but Amukelo's strength was overwhelming. The force of the blow sent the guard staggering back a few steps, his boots skidding in the dirt.
Before Amukelo could follow up with another strike, two more guards charged at him from the sides. Amukelo barely had time to react. He leaped back, narrowly avoiding a vicious swing aimed at his head.
As he landed, the ground beneath him erupted in a spike of earth, summoned by one of the mages riding behind Neclord. Amukelo quickly slashed through the spike with his sword. One of the guards on horseback was muttering incantations, his hands glowing with magical energy.
"Mages," Amukelo muttered under his breath, cursing his luck.
The guards continued their assault, pressing in on Amukelo from all sides. The axe-wielder swung his weapon in wide arcs, forcing Amukelo to dance around the strikes while keeping an eye on the mages. Another earth spike shot up from the ground, and this time Amukelo barely managed to dodge it, rolling to the side as a second guard lunged at him with a spear.
With a quick glance toward Neclord, Amukelo saw the fear in the man's eyes. It fueled him, gave him the strength to keep going.
He feinted to the left, drawing the attention of two of the guards, then quickly darted right, using the opening to close the distance between him and the mage in the back. Amukelo swung his sword with deadly precision, but the mage was faster than expected, raising a shield of wind just in time to block the strike.
The force of Amukelo's blow sent the mage's horse reeling, but the shield held. The mage retaliated with a flurry of wind blades, forcing Amukelo to leap back once more. The wind blades sliced through the air, leaving deep gouges in the dirt where Amukelo had stood just moments before.
The guards regrouped, tightening their formation around Neclord. They weren't giving him any room to breathe.
Amukelo gritted his teeth with frustration. The longer this fight dragged on, the more likely Neclord would find a way to escape.
With a burst of speed, Amukelo charged forward again, this time aiming for the mage. He couldn't let the magic-users keep their distance. But just as he was about to close the gap, the ground beneath him shifted, and a wall of earth shot up in front of him, blocking his path.
Amukelo skidded to a halt, his sword raised as he stared down the mage who had conjured the wall. "I'm not done with you yet," he growled.
From behind the wall, Amukelo could hear Neclord shouting orders. "Kill him! Don't let him near me!"
As he fought, Amukelo's voice echoed through the battlefield. "You coward! You're always hiding behind your puppets! Where's the courage you showed last time when you ambushed us?!"
Neclord's face twisted with rage at the insult. His eyes flared with indignation as he barked back, "Cut this crap! You will suffer the consequences of oposing me!"
Amukelo's lips curled into a mocking grin. He could sense Neclord's fear behind the bravado, and it fueled him to push even harder. His blade found its mark, slicing through one guard's defense and severing his arm with a swift and brutal stroke. The guard screamed in agony, clutching at the bleeding stump, but Amukelo had no time for mercy.
A spell hurled toward him from one of the mages. In a split-second decision, Amukelo grabbed the screaming, wounded guard by the collar, using him as a shield. The spell struck the guard with full force, his body convulsing as he absorbed the hit meant for Amukelo. He died instantly, his life snuffed out as Amukelo tossed him aside.
The chaos of the battle seemed to intensify. The mages were growing frantic, their incantations coming faster, their desperation evident. One of the mages, his voice edged with panic, yelled out, "My lord! Escape! We'll hold him off! You must leave now, while we still can!"
Amukelo's eyes widened as he saw Neclord hesitate for a moment before signaling to his horse. One of the mages quickly cast a protective barrier around Neclord, shimmering with arcane energy, shielding him from any direct attack.
Amukelo's fury surged, hotter and more blinding than ever. "As if I'll let you escape again!" he bellowed, his voice raw with rage. His sword cut through the air with savage force, but the guards pressed in harder, refusing to give him an opening. They fought defensively, their sole purpose to buy time for Neclord to get away.
Neclord spurred his horse forward, and the beast took off in a gallop, the protective shield shimmering around him. Amukelo could feel the weight of the moment slipping through his fingers, and the thought of losing Neclord again was unbearable.
"Come back here, you coward!" Amukelo roared, his voice thick with desperation. In a wild, reckless move, he pulled a dagger from his belt and hurled it with all his strength toward Neclord. The blade cut through the air, spinning end over end as it flew toward its target.
The dagger struck the horse Neclord was riding instead. The beast reared up, letting out a pained cry as it stumbled. Neclord barely managed to stay in the saddle, his face twisted with panic as he tried to regain control of the animal.
Amukelo was about to run after Neclord, but the guards were closing in on him again, they changed their tactic. Instead of trying to defeat him, they tried to hold him as long as they could.
"Padrin!" Amukelo shouted at the top of his lungs, hoping his voice would carry over the clamor of the fight. "Stop him! But don'tkill him!"
In the distance, Padrin burst from the treeline, riding hard toward the fleeing Neclord. His horse's hooves pounded the earth as he closed the distance between them. Neclord's horse, already injured by Amukelo's dagger, was slowing down, giving Padrin the advantage.
The mages, however, were not idle. "Our lord!" one of them cried, his voice tinged with panic as he realized the danger. "Protect him!"
In response, the remaining mages spurred their horses into action, riding toward Neclord and Padrin in a desperate attempt to intervene. Spells began to fly through the air—bolts of fire, shards of ice, and twisting tendrils of dark energy, all aimed at stopping Padrin before he could reach Neclord.
But Padrin was relentless. He urged his horse forward with every ounce of strength, weaving and dodging as the magical attacks rained down around him.