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The Heart of the Sword
Sanch Vs Taddayuse
Sanch and the others come to a stop. In front of them was a small force that seems to be lead by a boy not much older then Sanch himself. Silma, riding on Sanch’s shoulder whispers in his ear.
“Do we fight?” She asked as she reaches for her sword.
“No, I fight.” He replied to Silma. He then informed to the others as he starts to ride out. “Everyone stay back. I have this one.”
To Sanch’s right Hush starts to ride alongside Sanch.
“You too, I need all of you to stay back and wait for my signal to move in. Do not do a thing until I tell you.” He then looked to his right and asked. “You understand?”
The creature gave Sanch a reluctant nod. Sanch gave that smirk he has when he plans on having some fun where others would think he was about to be reckless. Sanch starts again on his ride out to the open field that separated the two forces. On the other side of this field Taddayuse sits on his steed pondering on how this is to play out.
“Will you go out to meet him?” Fillip asked.
“I will fight him.” One of the Cherubs quickly replied.
“No!” Shouted Taddayuse. “I’m the leader and I’m sure I’m the one he wishes to fight. Stay back until I say otherwise.” Looking at the Cherubs he reiterates. “That goes for everyone.”
As he is riding out Fillip rides up next to him and quietly asks “You do know who that is don’t you?”
“A boy wanting to be shown to his end by my sword?” He answered.
“If it could only be that easy Taddayuse. He is young but he still looks a lot like his father, and you must also ask yourself why is it he carries an extra sword wrapped in cloth on his back.”
He now knew who he was riding out to face. It was none other then the son of his childhood hero. He was looking at Sanch the son of Lackshin, the man he was about to face in combat. Knowing there was nothing he could do but face him Taddayuse continued to ride out to meet the man he wished to join in the fight against Sillack and his evil army of Xyles. Sanch stops half way out to the middle of the field and climbs down from his horse. Taddayuse followed and did the same. They started walking toward one another both with shields in hand. Both sides stood quiet as they looked on as their pace quickened to a slow run. Suddenly they went into an all out sprint, both drawing their swords. Even as they ran the soft grass they were running on made not a sound, it was as if they were running on nothing but air. As they met the veil of quiet was lifted by the crashing of their two shields quickly followed by their swords colliding. Both sides looked on in amazement as these two young warriors engaged in combat. Sanch and Taddayuse moved with amazing speed and agility, they were evenly matched in almost every way. As Silma and the others looked on they were all just itching to get in the fight and do their part. From where they were standing they could see some but not all that was going on, there was so much more taking place right before their eyes.
“I don’t wish to kill you.” Taddayuse said as he snuck words in between the sounds of swords clashing.
“Good.” Sanch replied. “Then lay down your sword and I will make this painless.”
All this being said as neither of them missed a beat.
“That is not what I mean. What I am trying to say is that I wish to join you in your fight against Sillack and his Xyles. I am Taddayuse and I went to sleep hearing stories of your father and his fight against that wizard and the Xyles he controlled at the time.”
Not sure of Taddayuse’s intentions Sanch had questions.
“If that is true why is it that we are engaged in battle?” Sanch asked his opponent.
“If I don’t fight you then my family dies. I fight on the wrong side to keep them safe. As far as I knew there was no hope of stopping Sillack, so to keep my family safe I joined him and did all I could to keep them safe. Take a look over my shoulders. Do you see those men?” Taddayuse motioned for Sanch to look.
Sanch then attacked in away to where he could get a better look at what he was being shown. What he saw was a small but what looked like an able force, and five familiarly dressed girls. All the way in the back was an ominous outline of something he could not make out.
“If I give up now they will be sure to report back to Sillack of my betrayal and my family will surly be killed.” Taddayuse makes clear as he skillfully blocked one of Sanch’s well placed attacks. “Now do you understand why I fight?”
“So what do you suggest we do?” Sanch inquires as he takes a well placed swing at the boys head.
They go on for a bit longer trying to keep up the momentum, and suddenly a smile creeps across Sanch’s face.
“Do you have a plan?” Taddayuse asked noticing Sanch’s change in moods.
“Yes I think I just may have a plan.”
Quickly Taddayuse added one more thing that needed to be done. “I must ask a favor of you. That old warrior that rode to my right killed his share of Xyles in his time and now he wishes to join you in your fight. I ask you to keep him safe in whatever plan you may have? He can help you with what he knows even more then I can.”
“You have my word.” Sanch assured him. “Now we don’t have much time. What I want you to do is come at me with all you have and I will pull back making it look as if I am losing.”
“Then what do we do?” Asked Taddayuse.
“We won’t have to do anything. I told my men not to intervene no matter what, but there is a sprit over there that does not follow orders very well. Oh and this shouldn’t hurt at all. Now come on, show me how you and that sword of yours will help my fight.”
And he did just that. Taddayuse came at him with all he had, sparks flew from his sword hitting Sanch’s shield. Sanch countered to make it look real, but held back to give Taddayuse the upper hand. Silma nervously flapped her wings to the point where Hush’s fear was being disrupted. Suddenly Silma could no longer take it. She flies off leaving a blue stream of light trailing behind her. Taddayuse is surprised to see a beam of light coming at him.
“What is that?” An astounded Taddayuse asked.
“It’s ok she wont hurt you, but I’m not sure how your going to feel when you wake up.”
“Wake up!” An unhappy Taddayuse repeated.
And just before the word “up” could fully pass his lips Silma swooped in and ran her hands across his cheek. Just as she did that his eyes rolled back into his head, and he fell back into the safe grass behind him. Silma then flew straight up till it was hard to see her even at her new size. Suddenly she started a fast descent towards the incapacitated Taddayuse. There were two loud booms and the clouds parted revealing Silma with her sword drawn aimed at Taddayuse’s chest. Sanch noticing Silma’s intentions threw himself between Silma’s strike and the downed warrior’s chest.
“What’s wrong did you not want me to kill him?” A disappointed Silma asked.
“No. He wants to join us.” A shocked Sanch answered.
“Fine, then he gets to live. Now what do you want to do with him cause as you see his people are not going to take long to get over here.”
Sanch looked over his shoulder to see Taddayuse’s men riding at full speed at them.
“Silma take him and fly him out of here and tell Dagger to go with you, I still don’t trust this guy. Oh and tell the others they can join in out here at any time.” Sanch then turned and faced the attacking forces that were closing in on him. Leading the charge was Fillip who was clearly concerned about Taddayuse. Sanch then thought back to what he was told by Taddayuse about Fillip’s part in the fight with his father against the Xyles and remembered something he was trained to do when he needed to show friendship. Sanch raised his sword to his face and swung it down toward his left. When Fillip saw that, the look on his face changed and it was clear to him that his young friend was safe. Sanch looked on hoping for a sign showing him that Fillip understood the message he was being sent. Fillip looked at Sanch and made eye contact and when he knew Sanch was looking he gave him a smile and a nod.
“Nice, now how am I going to get him out of here now?” Sanch thought to himself.
“Dagger!” Silma shouted as she flew at Dagger and the others.
“What are you doing with him?” Dagger shouted back.
“I don’t know, but Sanch wants you to come with me for when this boy wakes up. So come on and as for you others, Sanch would like you to join the fight unless you guys have something better to do.” Silma relayed the message as she flies by.
And that was just what Guardian wanted to hear, and hearing that he was off in full gallop to be there to fight at Sanch’s side. Not far behind him was a newly seasoned Bethany trying to keep up with Guardian.
“You heard Silma, now go and I will join you all as soon as I can.” Dagger ordered as
he rode away to accompany Silma and their strange new friend Taddayuse.