Chapter 25
Fear, Love and Rage (Part 2)
Edmund and I had crossed our swords scores of times before, be it for a friendly duel, practice, in a tournament, or to show our prowess with a sword to a guest. But it had never been to seriously harm each other. This time however, as our swords clashed, there was no question.
This was a duel to death.
Everything Edmund and I had learned, we had done it together. As such, we knew each other's every little trick. Edmund ducked as if to attack me from right but somehow I knew he was feinting. Right on cue, he twisted and brought down his sword on my left. I hefted up my shield and blocked his blade.
Without missing a beat, he brought down his second sword on my right leg. His blade made a deep gash on my thigh but I was able to stop it before having my entire leg slashed off. I staggered for a moment on my left leg before gritting my teeth and focusing on the battle again.
For Edmund!
My own battle cry rang in my ear as I attacked the very person I had come to save. He too was ready and was able to block me as I tried to bring my sword on his considerably shorter height. He raised both his swords in a cross above his head to meet Rhindon. Taking advantage of his opening I thrust my shield forward right at his face. A sickly crunching noise told me that I had smashed at least some of his facial bones.
While retreating my sword, I was momentarily distracted as I saw Edmund's lower half of face covered with blood flowing from his nose and mouth. He staggered a few steps back and I kicked him in the shins. Whatever balance he had, he lost it and fell.
However, he immediately rolled away as I brought my sword where his chest would have been a moment ago. I felt the whoosh of a sword just as I pulled my sword out from the ground. Ducking out of the way just in time, I missed Jadis' blade by an inch. Apparently during the fight I had got too close to the witch. Luckily, I did not have to engage her. Swanwhite was immediately at my back, driving Jadis in a fight and away from me.
Good thing too. My opponent was on his feet again.
Edmund was still unsteady on his feet when I attacked again. It, however, turned out that just because he was unsteady did not mean he was not ready. He ducked and landed a bruising blow with his elbow on my chest. The breath left my body but I did bring up my shield to meet his sword the very next second.
We both took a step back and then lunged at each other again. Our thoughts must have been on the same line because we both started the same thing.
Once we had sufficiently mastered the art of swordfight, Oreius and Kanell had taught each of us a series of 'dances'. These were sets of really complex and effective sword fight techniques and moves. If the opponent was even a notch better or worse than us, he would perish or at least receive some nasty injuries. If the opponent knew the 'dance' just as well as we did, then we would be locked in that duel for as long as the moves of that dance were not exhausted.
Edmund was no doubt a contender on an equal footing with me. So, in the battle when we both started this 'dance' we knew we were in for a long while. Each and every move of this duel had been perfected individually without sword and then with sword followed by rigorous training afterwards with our teachers before we could fight each other. But once we had gone through all those steps, it became a deadly weapon; both, to be used in the battle and to make any onlooker sweat.
Over the years it had become a second nature to us. So, on the field, when quite unintentionally we started this, it took us a few moves before a trance fell off us. Our movements became instinctual to us. I had been so focused on our duel but now my movements took a life of their own. There was no conscious decision that had to be made. This meant I could concentrate on my surrounding once again.
The first thing I noticed was quite a way away from us, Tash was still tearing Velma apart. Needless to say, it was not a pretty sight. The leader of Charn's Army was still attacking Tash whenever he got close enough. The next thing that I noticed that the battle field was almost empty. There were quite a few soldiers from both sides still left but the number was down to less than ten percent of what we originally had. There were hardly any Narnian Soldiers left. The handfuls of soldiers of Charn were fighting the equally few Tash's soldiers. The battle was almost over and it could go either way. It all depended on who won in the two duels going on. Swanwhite and White Witch and Edmund and me.
"You really think you can win this Peter?" I turned my focus back to my opponent when he spoke.
Edmund's voice was also different. It sounded like many people were speaking the same thing at the same time. I frowned but did not answer. He spoke the same way Edmund would but this was not Edmund nor was this his voice. He continued nevertheless.
"Even your Aslan knew you all were going to lose." He laughed just as he slashed his sword at my head at the same time that I blocked it and bent to slash in return at his feet. Knowing what to expect, he blocked it and continued, "Didn't he Peter? Maybe that is why he did not join you here."
I tried to find a way of breaking out of the duel without being injured but there was no plausible way of doing that.
"How long had he been missing, big brother?" Edmund laughed eerily and we continued our fight. A small seed of doubt, however, was sown in my head.
Where is Aslan?
"Looks like your circus lion ran with his tail between his legs." It was all getting on my nerves and I gritted my teeth. This was not Edmund! This was someone who held my brother prisoner within himself.
"Our Lord fights alongside us. Where is your leader?" He sneered before throwing a look over at Tash. Knowing Velma's plight, I did not look that way. Her only way out would be if the battle ended in our favour and for that I needed to kill Edmund.
And then the truth struck home.
I needed to kill Edmund.
"It doesn't seem your Lion cares about this scrawny piece of shit." Edmund said indicating towards himself. Or rather, towards Edmund's body.
The rate at which he was annoying me, I just might be able to actually kill him. Anger was bubbling through my veins but I did not let it over rule my judgment. Seeing Edmund laughing madly, I knew he was going to miss his next move and that gave me an opening to break out of this fight.
By this time, the momentum of my body had built up greatly and it took tremendous effort on my part that I managed to stop my sword from swinging at Edmund's neck. Keeping my shield where it was supposed to be according to the 'dance', I lifted my sword a little higher than where it was supposed to be.
The effect was good enough. Edmund was not expecting me to be able to break off from the practiced moves so, he was taken completely off-guard when the tip of the sword grazed his cheek. However, what caught my attention was the fact that the moment my sword touched his skin, his eyes reverted back to their original brown instead of these soulless red. Also, his voice sounded choked as if someone was abruptly stopping their laugh. Momentarily when my eyes met his, I saw my brother and only my brother in them.
And he was pleading for help.
Then again the monstrous red took over and we both took a step back shocked.
Edmund mostly from the shock of the abrupt stop of the duel and I from the shock of what I just saw. Luckily, I was the first one to recover and to test a theory that was slowly building in my head, I once again attacked his face. Given the fact, that was the only easily accessible skin, it was the only choice.
Again, as soon as the sword touched his skin, I was looking at Edmund not this usurper.
And again, as soon as the contact broke off Edmund's body was no longer his.
He was still reeling with the shock of probably losing control of his mind when I continued my testing further. Landing a solid kick with my knee in his abdomen, I brought down my metal covered elbow on his back. He was bent over and staggering when I again kicked him and he lost his balance. Before he could roll away this time, I thrust my sword right in his arm. Again, the armor pieces shattered against Rhindon. My hand felt the unpleasant vibration of this unconventional move.
A broadsword was meant for cutting and slashing, not thrusting.
The muted exclamation of pain that tore out from his mouth was completely and utterly Edmund's. Never in my life had I ever thought I would have been happy hearing that noise but at that moment, I did.
Bending low, I looked at his face and Edmund, my Edmund, gave me a watery smile.
"Took you long enough to figure it out Pete," he rasped out but made no move to pull the blade out from his arm.
"Figure what out?" I was confused, yet giddy. In truth, I had no idea what I was supposed to do.
"As long as your blade is in direct contact with my skin, I can keep control of my mind," he said by way of explanation.
Mentally, I noted it but otherwise did not comment. Instead I said, "We're going to get you out of here Ed. We're going to win this!"
The smile that he gave me, even though laced with pain and exhaustion was one of pure trust. "I know you will." Silently, he offered me his sword from his other hand. His right arm was impaled with Rhindon which had probably broken through muscle and come out the other side to get stuck to the ground.
"Take this," he rasped out offering Shafelm to me. "Finish off Jadis and then come, kill me."
Ignoring the last part of his command, I took his sword and turned back to scan the field for Jadis. She and Swanwhite were still engaged in a tough fight. So, I quickly made my way over to them. As I was reaching them, Jadis thrust her scepter out, intending to finish off Swanwhite with it.
Using the sword that had already done this once, I ran ahead toward them and with all my might brought down Shafelm onto the scepter.
There was bright flash of blue and the enraged witch turned towards me.
In the past when this sword had broken her scepter, she had turned to face a young, inexperienced eleven year old boy. That day in the battle, however, when she turned, she faced a King, a Knight, a ruler, a veteran, a commander and most importantly, a brother.
As dramatic as her scream of rage was, it was cut off rather abruptly. Instead, her eyes widened and a gurgling sound escaped her throat. With a satisfied and almost feral smirk, Swanwhite yanked her dagger out from the Witch's throat.
As she fell down to the ground, Swanwhite looked at me from behind her and said, "I had hated her since the moment she set her filthy eyes on my kingdom."
With that, we both stepped away from the dying woman on the ground. When her gurgling and thrashing had seized, we, as one, turned towards their remaining warrior.
Edmund still lay on the ground, hand impaled by Rhindon. He looked at us expectantly.
I knew Tash would be upon us in no time at all but still, I sat down beside Edmund while Swanwhite stood a little way off, probably keeping a watch for us. The battle was almost over and the only one who would bother to attack now was probably Tash. She could hold him off for a few seconds if the need be.
"If you use the blade, you will kill me, that is the warrior of your..." Edmund had launched into an explanation of how I was supposed to kill him without any weapon but I just looked at him.
"Peter, are you even listening to me!" Edmund's exasperated, yet pained sound brought me out of my thoughts. I had no idea what I was thinking. It seemed I was just staring at him.
"Uh-huh?" I looked at him and he narrowed his eyes even though his face was scrunched up in pain.
"Kill. Me. Peter. Now!" He commanded and I was helpless.
I had fought this battle for him. How could I kill him?
"No!" I said firmly. "There has to be another way!"
"There isn't. Besides we don't have time to find that out either." He was forceful. I looked over at my shoulder. Tash was just a few feet away, Swanwhite fighting him. But unlike Velma, he did not look in the mood to take his time with the Narnian Queen.
It had to be done and it had to be done without the sword.
"He will try to fight Peter," Edmund warned me and then smiled, "but I know you will win."
With a smile he nodded towards where Rhindon was still impaled in his hand.
With one hand, I grabbed the sword and the other, I placed at his throat. Tightening my hold on his throat, I yanked the sword out.
The effect was immediate. Edmund began fighting back. I did manage to pin one of his hand under my knee but with his other, injured arm, he landed a smartening blow to my head. I was reeling for a moment but my hold on his throat did not slacken. His hand was now trying to pry my fingers off his throat.
As I watched the face that was my brother's struggling for life, I knew I couldn't do it for long.
"Where...is...your mas...ter...Pete...er?" He was still mocking me, even as he was gasping for breath under my strangling hold.
I hated this person, creature, whatever that was holding my brother enslaved.
Those moments, as I slowly squeezed the life out of my brother, I knew the pain in those eyes, red or brown, didn't matter, would never let me do what I was supposed to do.
My hand slackened their hold but before I could let go completely my eyes closed and I saw Edmund. Edmund as he should be not as he was.
I saw a brother who was free to do what he believed in not a brother who was enslaved.
I saw Edmund who was laughing while standing amidst the people who loved him not an Edmund who was being punished for something he repented.
I saw not the Edmund I was fighting but the one I was fighting for.
When my eyes met, I had the answer to the question this person was taunting me with.
"He is within me," I spat at his face. "He is within my brother. He is within everyone who is fighting for Him."
He did not reply but strengthened his hold on my fingers as he tried to remove my hand. Once again, I looked over my shoulder. There was no more time. Quite a few soldiers of Charn as well as Swanwhite were engaged in a fight with Tash who seemed bent on making his way over to us, his last warrior.
I did not even have time to choke him. So, I looked at the eyes that belonged to my brother. Looking directly in them and trying to find my brother somewhere in those red depths I whispered, "I'm sorry Eddie. I love you."
And then, pulling my free arm back I clenched my fist. With all my might I punched Edmund's face with the metal-clad fist.
There was a sickening crunch and everything around me, including Edmund, stilled.
The battle was over but as I looked at the face mangled and crushed beyond recognition, I couldn't help but wonder.
Tash was defeated but had we won?
The blood and gore on my glove screamed a loud, "NO!"
A/N: So, one epilogue left and that will decide whether this is a happily-ever-after story or not because what happens after this, be it happily or not, it most certainly is an ever-after story. I want know what you want to see after this. So, comment and let me know!
I am thinking about posting the last chapter on 26th of November but I don't know. I started this story on 26th November 2010 btw, so... But I'll probably post it sooner. Tie up all loose ends and be done with it I guess.
Also, I have written a short story collection called Voice of the Silence. It's entered for a competition and I would love it if you all could pop over and tell me what you think. Please?
At last, I do hope you liked the chapter. :)
-ZQ