"Only one of us will walk away alive," I thought as I approached the platform. I stopped just short of stepping onto it and turned my gaze toward the lizard chief.
"You must give me your word. Regardless of the outcome, you will honor your side of the deal," I said, narrowing my eyes. There was no point in being cautious anymore. The fight was inevitable.
The chief let out a harsh laugh before shouting defiantly. "What the hell do you take us for? Now fight, damn human!"
I didn't trust them to keep their word. The only safe option was to win. Without hesitation, I jumped onto the platform. The lizard was already there, brimming with excitement. He wielded a worn axe, a detail I immediately noted. His robust body was clad in light armor that left much of his gray-green skin exposed. From above, the chief watched with intensity, while the rest of the lizards roared enthusiastically, eager for the spectacle.
The chief raised his hand, signaling us to prepare. Then, with a short gesture, he initiated the fight.
I drew my sword just as the lizard lunged at me impatiently. I sidestepped his swing, narrowly avoiding the axe. He growled at me, pointing his weapon menacingly as he advanced with calculated steps. I backed away a few meters, evaluating the situation. The platform was wide and solid, made of stone. It was built for this.
The exchange began. The lizard struck with brute force, and I deflected his blows with my sword. Despite his size, he was fast. Each strike of his axe was heavy, powerful enough to split me in two if it landed. In one of the deflections, I saw an opening and punched his ribs with my free hand. His head was too high to aim for it.
The impact felt like hitting a boulder, and he roared even louder, forcing me to retreat as he readied for another attack. The lizards watching roared along with him, their excitement building. I held my defensive stance, but my body was already feeling the strain. Each parry drained too much energy, and if this kept up, I'd collapse from exhaustion. I needed to take the initiative.
I gripped my sword with both hands and began infusing it with mana, channeling chaos magic into the blade. Its edge glowed with a dark blue hue. The lizard sneered, beating his chest with one hand. "Come on, attack me, human!" he roared.
This time, I moved with enhanced speed, using the chaos magic to boost my movements. My quickness caught him off guard. He tried to counter with a swing of his axe, but my sword clashed against it, shattering the worn blade effortlessly. The impact left him holding only the axe's handle.
I smiled confidently, thinking the fight was now in my control. But the lizard reacted instantly, smashing my forearm with the handle. I felt my bones crack, forcing me to release my sword. I cried out in pain, stumbling backward as he tossed the handle aside. Taking advantage of my vulnerability, he pounced on me, driving his claws into both my shoulders and lifting me effortlessly to his eye level.
The pain was excruciating, and my sword was out of reach. My screams were drowned out by the roaring crowd. The lizard pulled one claw free, preparing to deliver a final, fatal blow. In that fleeting moment, I channeled chaos magic into my free hand and punched him in the eye with all the strength I could muster.
The impact was enough. The lizard howled in pain, releasing me as he staggered backward. I collapsed onto the ground, gasping for air, barely able to sit up. He clutched his face, retreating as he roared in rage and agony. When he finally removed his hands, I saw that he had lost an eye. The chaos magic was already eating away at the flesh around the wound, blood dripping down his face.
Enraged, the lizard charged at me. Struggling, I crawled toward my sword, which lay a few steps away. I grabbed it and infused it with chaos magic once more. I could barely move, but as he closed in, I swung upward in a diagonal slash. I felt my blade slice through him from his groin to his ribs.
The silence that followed was deafening. Only the lizard's agonized roars broke it as he collapsed onto the platform. Blood spilled freely, staining the stone beneath him. His body convulsed in its final moments.
The chief jumped onto the platform. The other lizards fell silent. I stood as best I could, barely holding myself upright, unsure of his intentions. The chief looked at the fallen lizard, then turned his gaze toward me. Without a word, he raised one massive foot and crushed his warrior's head, splattering remains across the platform.
"You have your deal. Now leave," he said firmly, his eyes never leaving mine.
Barely breathing, I stumbled toward the exit. Before leaving, I cast one last glance at the lizard's body. The chaos magic continued to consume his flesh. I felt lucky to be alive. Struggling, I sheathed my sword and pressed on.
As I walked past the other lizards, they didn't hold back. Some growled in contempt, while others hurled insults.
"Lucky human," one spat.
"Make sure you honor your side of the deal," another added, his tone dripping with menace.
A few banged their weapons against the ground, muttering curses under their breath. I ignored them, focusing solely on putting one foot in front of the other. I was too weak to do anything else. I just wanted to reach Aeryn and leave this cursed place.
At the exit, one of the guards shoved a rolled parchment into my chest, knocking me off balance. I fell into the muddy ground but managed to keep the parchment clean.
I didn't have the strength to complain. With trembling hands, I unrolled it. I couldn't read the text, but at the bottom, I recognized a signature made in blood. "So this is a contract," I murmured, carefully rolling it back up.
I rose from the mud as best I could. Aeryn was waiting for me. She approached nervously, sensing my injuries. "Don't worry, I'll be fine," I said, mounting her with effort. I stowed the parchment in one of the saddlebags and told her to move slowly. She obeyed, and we left that place behind. All I wanted was to return to the semi-human village.
The sun was already setting on the horizon as I rode Aeryn. My body was numb, the constant pain in my shoulders and broken arm a dull reminder of the fight. I wondered how long I had been in the swamp—I had lost all sense of time.
— — —
Finally, I reached the village. The semi-humans on the walls were the first to see me. One of them shouted toward the interior, "It's Darius!" Another chimed in, "Open the gate! Welcome back, friend!"
I raised a hand in gratitude. The gates opened slowly, and Aeryn walked in at a steady pace.
As soon as we entered, I noticed a crowd gathered in the village center. Something was happening. Eldrek, Gronn, and another giant were surrounded by semi-humans, blocking my view. When some of them noticed my arrival, they began to part, making a path.
I dismounted Aeryn with difficulty and finally saw what was going on. In the center of it all was the naga I had made the deal with, Kaerith, accompanied by two guards. The three of them were in their human forms, likely to avoid causing unnecessary hostility.
Before I could step closer, Gronn noticed me and hurried over, his usual enthusiasm clear in his stride. As was customary, he raised his hand to clap me on the back, but I stopped him immediately.
"No! Calm down. I have injuries in both arms."
Gronn froze just in time, looking slightly surprised. "Ah, sorry, kid," he said, scratching the back of his head.
The naga, showing no sign of concern, looked me over and remarked, "Is it impossible for you to stay unscathed for even a single day?"
Eldrek joined us, his gaze fixed on me as he spoke. "What happened out there, Darius?"
Before I could respond, Gronn interjected, addressing the naga. "You wouldn't happen to have one of those miracle potions with you, would you?"
Kaerith raised an eyebrow and replied with a challenging tone, "I don't give anything away for free. If you want your boy healed, you'll have to pay me a gold coin."
"Damned naga..." Gronn muttered under his breath, low enough that only I could hear it.
"It's fine," I said, sighing. "I still have a few coins left." My arms trembling, I reached into my small pouch and pulled out a gold coin, handing it to the naga.
Kaerith took it with a sly smile. "See? That wasn't so hard."
She opened a small bag she had brought with her and rummaged through a selection of brightly colored potions. Finally, she pulled one out, shaking it lightly as if examining it. "Don't expect it to taste good," she said, extending it to me.
"That much I already know," I replied with a weak laugh, taking the bottle. Without hesitation, I uncorked it and drank it down.
The taste was as vile as I had expected. I exhaled sharply, resisting the urge to spit it out. The potion began to take effect immediately. A wave of pain shot through me as my broken bones and wounds healed. The sensation was familiar but no less unpleasant.
Around us, murmurs began to rise. The semi-humans and giants watched in disbelief as the potion worked its magic so quickly. Slowly, I moved my arms, testing them. The pain was nearly gone—only a faint ache remained.
"Ah, that's a relief!" I said, letting out a deep breath.
Eldrek seized the moment to refocus the conversation. "Good. Now that Darius is better, we can speak more calmly."
Kaerith nodded in agreement, her expression unreadable. The semi-human leader, Thalrik, spoke up from the background. "Please, follow me."
He led us to a large tent that had been prepared in advance. The naga's presence had stirred some unease among the villagers, so moving to a more private space was the best option.
As we walked, I noticed the wary glances some of the semi-humans cast toward Kaerith and her guards. Their distrust was plain, though no one said anything outright. I kept silent, saving my energy for the discussion ahead. There was still much to address.
Inside the tent, the atmosphere was quieter. The only ones present were Eldrek, Thalrik, Kaerith, and me. Gronn had chosen not to join, saying he preferred to continue helping with construction.
We sat around a circular table, large enough to accommodate even Eldrek. At the center was a ceramic jug and several clay cups. Thalrik poured some of the homemade semi-human alcohol into each cup and handed them out before taking his seat.
"Thank you," I said, taking a sip. The liquid burned on the way down, leaving a bitter and acidic taste. I thought to myself that drinking it was like downing something brewed in an old, rusty cauldron. I bit back a grimace, not wanting to offend Thalrik.
Eldrek drank his cup without hesitation, then turned his attention to Kaerith. "Tell us, Kaerith. Why did you decide to visit us at such a critical time?"
The naga took a small sip from her cup before responding. "When that giant, Gronn, brought me the remains of those creatures, I didn't expect him to return so soon—or with so many. I decided that if we're going to keep up this alliance at this pace, it would be more efficient to work directly from here. This way, everything will move faster."
"How considerate," Thalrik commented, a slight smile playing on his lips.
Kaerith raised an eyebrow and quickly shot back. "Don't misunderstand me, semi-human. I'm not doing this for your sake. This arrangement benefits my research. It's simply more practical this way."
I couldn't resist a sarcastic remark. "Charming as ever."
Kaerith gave me a sharp look, a mix of challenge and amusement in her expression. Resting an elbow on the table, she continued. "Besides, I managed to examine one of the bodies quickly in my homeland and have already uncovered some things."
We looked at each other, expectant for what she had discovered. The naga took another sip, seemingly pleased with its taste. Her expression gave no hint as to whether what she was about to say would be reassuring or troubling.