The man kneeled before me, the plate of silver extended forward. I dug out the metallic nails of my four hands, blood dripping from my fingers where the metallic nail implants should've been.
The small tug as I pulled the nails, them separating from the flesh as it transformed into pain. My instincts urged me not to do it again, but the ritual calls for it—no weapons.
The plate, now filled with a thin layer of blood. I took off my coat, getting a good look at the man I was about to fight. Leaning on his own hammer made of bones, he seemed like an average warrior frost giant.
Bone ridges around the knuckles and arm and leg guards made out of bones. Standing at eight feet, thick skin and brown fur. Hulking body and stump-like legs with an animalistic curve.
What a disappointment. Is this a joke to them? This will end quick.
The giant followed my lead, walking over to the center of the snowy battlefield, the cold biting at my fresh wounds.
"I wondered when your rituals would finally end," he said, mocking the rituals.
He will beg me for death.
I needed to stay calm. I unclenched my teeth that I didn't realize I had been gnashing.
"You say that as if you didn't sign up for this. How amusing," my words intentionally meant to be hurtful.
"We partake in this not for honor or rituals. We simply don't shed blood for no good cause," he said, clearly unfazed by my words.
"Let's fight!" I screamed, letting the built-up anger lead me through battle. My upper pair of hands grabbed his body while the lower pair struck at him.
Trying to—shit!
Jumping back, his elbow, with a bone stretching out of it, scraped my obsidian skin. I can't lose the skin. I need to be more careful. Change of tactics.
I ran over, this time trying to get behind him. Ducking under his fist, which was striking at my face, I used his own knee as leverage to jump higher, reaching his head. My lower pair held on while the upper pair formed in a claq.
Connecting the broken nails with his head, I let the electricity flow through my body to my hands. That should stun him for a bit. My mouth curled into a smirk.
He was done for.
His hand reached up, grabbing my head and throwing me onto the ground, the snow dispersing from the impact.
Fur's an insulator!
His leg followed through with a stomp. I braced myself, crossing my arms. Spitting up blood, he followed through with another strike. This time, pushing his leg to the side, I got back up, creating distance. My skin was cracked.
"Maybe this will be fun after all," my tone filled with ecstasy.
"Talk for yourself, you war mongerer."
That tongue of his. Has he no honor?
Running over to me, he swung his fist. Sidestepping out of the way, I caught his arm with my right pair while the left hands swung at him.
Leaving his arm, I jumped up, giving myself a boost with my lower pair, as I formed both the upper hands into a hammer. The fists struck directly at his skull.
He seemed unfazed by it. Frost giants and their shock-absorbing bones... Before I could strike again, his fist leapt out, this time connecting straight with my torso.
It sent me flying back. I stopped myself, digging my hands into the ground. The cold on the wounds hurt like hell. I spat up blood, collapsing on all six. I think he broke a rib.
My skin was nearing its end. One more hit and I'm done for.
Looking back, I saw him running towards me on all fours like an animal.
I ran towards him, betraying my own instincts. Survival won't win the fight. I need to do some damage before I can't anymore.
Just as we were about to collide, I slid under him, grabbing onto his leg and climbing onto him. The fur was an insulator, so I just needed to dig deeper.
I pushed my teeth through his fur, sending a jolt of electricity through.
His ears bled. Hands tried to reach for me, failing to do so. But I couldn't stay here forever. I felt his bones crawling up, filling the gap that I created.
But that's fine. I needed leverage. I got one. He won't be at his best for a while.
I jumped back off him, and this time, I was the one attacking. My upper pair landed a strike to his torso while the lower pair blocked a punch.
He's sluggish, but I need to end this before he regains control. His bones will simply absorb the shock, and I don't have the power to rupture his organs.
There's only one option left.
The lower pair held the hands as I bit into his torso.
Spitting out a piece of flesh, my hands started to tear through his flesh. I felt his hands regain power. I needed to be quicker. It was getting hard to hold him back.
There it was—the bones growing out of him, filling the wounds. I needed more time!
I went into the wound, trying to electrocute him again.
His head moved, meeting mine, causing my forehead to shatter, revealing the red flesh underneath. His face turned into a grimace—a mix of anger and pain.
But his bones were jutting out of the wound I created. Now I just needed to get one.
But before I could, he tore them off, the size of two daggers. This wasn't what I planned.
I jumped back. He followed me, impaling my intestines and following it up by putting the next one through my right shoulder.
I fell on the ground, screaming in pain.
He simply pummeled me into the ground, his fists landing on me again and again. My skin had broken, revealing a reddened layer of flesh.
He didn't stop.
Each punch felt like it carried the weight of heaven itself, digging through my muscles, destroying my ribcage. It felt as if my whole world was on fire.
No. This isn't how I'm supposed to go...
I grabbed the dagger that went through my intestine, strengthening my grip as I pulled it out, impaling his elbow.
Pulling it out again, I aimed it at his torso on the right side where his heart should've been.
His hand reached for my skull, trying to crush it.
I sent every ounce of remaining strength into it. All three of my hands grabbed the dagger as I pushed it through his flesh.
But this wouldn't be enough. It's not big enough to reach his heart.
I put my hand through his torso, using the hole I created as I dug further, reaching his heart. I felt bones go through my arm, impaling it, but I had what I needed.
I took his heart, crushing it in my fist.
His hands grew weak, leaving my body.
I had won.
This land will be ours now.
I looked down at my own body for the first time.
It's not what I expected.
The bastard had dug his way to my heart.
My eyes began blurring, my ears ringing as I collapsed from the exhaustion of it all.
THE END
Chapter-0: Where Honour Leads