The warhammer came down like a thunderbolt, its head trailing arcs of blue lightning. Kael barely had time to roll to the side, the hammer slamming into the ground where he had stood moments before. The impact sent a shockwave rippling through the earth, throwing him off balance. He scrambled to his feet, his sword raised defensively, his breath coming in short, sharp gasps.
Garrick didn't give him a moment to recover. The armored warrior swung the hammer in a wide arc, forcing Kael to duck and weave as he searched for an opening. Each swing of the hammer was relentless, each strike calculated to crush and overwhelm. Kael's arms trembled as he parried a blow, the force of it reverberating through his bones.
*"Is this all you have?"* Garrick taunted, his voice muffled by his visor. *"The gate demands more than mere survival. It demands victory."*
Kael didn't respond. He couldn't afford to. Every ounce of his focus was on the battle, on the rhythm of Garrick's attacks, on the way his opponent's weight shifted with each swing. He had fought before—countless times, in fact—but never against someone like this. Garrick was a force of nature, a storm given form.
But Kael had faced storms before.
He feinted to the left, drawing Garrick's hammer in that direction, then pivoted sharply to the right. His sword flashed, the blade slicing through the air toward Garrick's exposed side. But the warrior was faster than he looked. With a grunt, Garrick twisted his body, deflecting the strike with the shaft of his hammer. The impact sent a jolt up Kael's arm, nearly wrenching the sword from his grasp.
*"Predictable,"* Garrick said, his tone almost bored. *"You'll need more than tricks to defeat me."*
Kael gritted his teeth, his mind racing. He couldn't match Garrick's strength, and his speed was only enough to keep him alive. He needed an advantage, something to turn the tide. As he dodged another swing, his eyes flicked to the runes on the gate, still glowing faintly in the distance. The Eternal Gate. The source of all this.
An idea began to form.
Garrick charged again, his hammer raised high. This time, Kael didn't dodge. He stood his ground, his sword held low, his body coiled like a spring. At the last possible moment, he dropped to one knee, the hammer whistling over his head. With a roar, he thrust his sword upward, aiming for the gap in Garrick's armor beneath his arm.
The blade struck true.
Garrick staggered back, a guttural cry escaping his lips. Lightning crackled along the edges of his hammer as he swung it wildly, forcing Kael to retreat. But the damage was done. Blood seeped from the wound, staining the blackened steel of Garrick's armor.
*"You…,"* Garrick growled, his voice trembling with rage. *"You dare—"*
Kael didn't let him finish. He pressed the attack, his sword a blur of motion as he drove Garrick back. The warrior's movements were slower now, his strikes less precise. Kael could see the fatigue setting in, the way Garrick's shoulders sagged with each swing of the hammer.
With a final, desperate lunge, Kael disarmed his opponent, sending the warhammer clattering to the ground. He pressed the tip of his sword to Garrick's throat, his chest heaving with exertion.
*"Yield,"* Kael said, his voice firm.
For a moment, Garrick said nothing. Then, slowly, he raised his hands in surrender. The runes on the gate flared once more, and Garrick's body began to dissolve into shimmering motes of light. As he faded, his voice echoed in Kael's mind.
*"One down,"* Garrick said, his tone almost approving. *"Nine hundred ninety-nine to go."*
Kael lowered his sword, his arms trembling with exhaustion. He stared at the spot where Garrick had stood, his mind replaying the battle. It had been close—too close. If he had hesitated, even for a moment, he would have lost.
But he hadn't. He had won.
As the adrenaline began to fade, Kael felt the weight of his task settle over him like a heavy cloak. One battle down. A thousand to go. He sheathed his sword and turned toward the gate, its runes glowing faintly as if in acknowledgment.
Somewhere beyond that gate, she was waiting for him. And he would not fail her.
The Next stop was a village in Hong Kong
His next challenger awaits him.
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