The Satanists

Chapter Six: The Mediæval Times Society

Chapter Six: The Mediæval Times Society

On the premises of Deak Bixer's house, another day, casually dressed, Kyle is sitting on a chair, a boxful of rags, towels and bottles of polishing solutions at his feet. He is straining and using a lot of effort to rub and polish a tarnished piece of armor on his lap, with a solution-soaked cloth. He is pressing down hard with his strokes.

Someone else is moving nearby, making clinking sounds with a suit of armor. Kyle's head is bent in concentration on his task.

A clash of steel on steel is heard.---Kyle stops the polishing and looks up in the direction of the sounds. He rises to his feet and walks out to investigate these sounds.

On the grounds in front of the warehouse building, Deak and Rick are squaring off.

Bryce, Tom and George are further in the background, looking on. Everyone, except Kyle, is wearing suits of heavy plated armor. Tom, Bryce and George wear helmets with the visors lifted to expose their faces.---Rick and Deak face each other for mock combat, but this time with real steel broadswords, not the padded simulations used earlier. Rick's helmet visor is down. Deak wears no helmet at all.

Trish sits cross-legged on the grass, this time dressed in a costume like a mediæval lady. She is also watching.

Tom calls out, "Hey, Deak, you better put on a helmet!"

Deak retorts, "I don't need one! If you think Rick is so skilled, watch me send him sprawling in a moment!

Rick shouts, "The hell you will!"

The combatants grip their broadswords by the handles with both hands.

Rick presses with a furious and punitive attack. Deak assumes a defensive mode, retreating and merely parrying Rick's blows.

Time passes, and the same duel between Rick and Deak is still going on, with the same onlookers.

Deak is still retreating, looking worn out. Rick is encouraged and attacks ever more strenuously. The others, even Kyle, are watching with growing anxiety for Deak. He wields his broadsword with only one hand. He stumbles a bit.

Rick sees a chance and lunges with a tremendous double-handed blow with his broadsword at Deak's breastplate, to knock him down.

Suddenly, all traces of fatigue are gone from Deak's movements. Remarkably agile, he sidesteps, deftly shifts his broadsword from one hand to the other, and with swift strength smashes the blade into Rick's neck, twisting his wrist just in the nick of a second to avoid striking Rick with the sharp edge but instead strikes him with the flat side. Still, the blow is enough to send Rick sprawling to the ground, stunned and motionless.

Kyle notably recoils.---Trish cries out in alarm and jumps to her feet.

And Deak, with unsurpassed strength, vigor and triumphant bearing, turns to face the other astounded club members. He twirls his broadsword with a flourish, as easily as a parade twirler's baton.

Kyle stares quietly, strikingly impressed.---There is an interlude before Deak speaks.

"Rick's okay. He is lucky, for I could have killed him if I hadn't turned my wrist to strike him flatside with the blade."

<<<>>>

Deak, Bryce, Tom, George, Kyle, Trish and the fallen Rick are on the premises.

Bryce and Tom have knelt down by Rick and are undoing his helmet. They take it off cautiously. The fallen man's face is flushed, and he is breathing heavily.