Broken Tower Saga: The First Swordsman

Today, they did now go after the large beacon of light, not because they were afraid of Arjamith and his gang, but because they needed time to organise the men. They had lost more than two dozen men yesterday and, counting the ones who were heavily injured, the number rose over fifty.

Losing fifty men in just one day of battle was a big deal. It mattered only a little that they dealt a similar blow to Arjamith and his men.

But the worst damage it cause was that the men were having second thoughts now. The only encounter yesterday made many of the men weaver in their undertaking. They never have imagined a battle of this degree would occur without any sign. That was the reason Wrik took them to a safer path of collecting the rations. 

Fortunately, he was able to contain their indignation with gifts. He gave way to all the normal growth stimulating serum that was of no use to him or his friends, and made an announcement that the men could take the armour and weapons he armed them with at the end of the test. Even though they were of the basic level, to a normal participant, it was a godsend. 

Wrik spend quite a sum of credits and the test, but it was worth it if it let him win the war. 

"Did I hear something wrong? You really challenged that gorilla to a one-on-one duel?" Lily asked, walking along with him. Her leg was sore after the injury yesterday, yet she joined them in the quest. "And that too with the rule of our clan?"

"Yes," Wrik answered curtly.

"Are you out of your mind?" Lily shouted the second she heard him. "You might have a chance if it was just a fair battle, yet why did you have to challenge him now?"

"I can't do anything now," Wrik cut her short. "Ton, at the very moment, was delivering the letter."

"I thought you were smart. Why do you make such a blunder sometimes?" 

"What makes you think it is a blunder," Wrik said, walking with the men. He let the men deal with collecting the sacks and fight and converse with Lily.

Lily followed with uneven steps. "Did Aeriel tell you about the rules of the duel properly?" she asked.

Wrik nodded. "The challenger chose the place of the duel and few other unimportant things, and the challenged one chose the way of battle," he said. Cleary he made the challenge thinking through all the problems within it.

"Did you understand what that meant?" Lily yelled at him again. She felt the only chance she had so far was fleeing away with this challenge. "How could you make such a blunder knowing everything?

"Even though our clan is honourable in those sorts of matters, the rules of the duel were extremely biased towards the challenged one. Arjamith can very well choose to arm wrestle you. Can you win against him in arm wrestle?" 

Wrik frowned. He stopped and watched his men win three sacks of rations easily. Surprisingly, there were only three sacks of ration dropped here. 

They were lessening the rations from the very next day, he thought. Are they thinking of finishing the game sooner? Doesn't matter, really. 

With an exhale, he looked at the setting sun. The sky was dyed golden and orange light—looked breathtaking to everyone, even if they were not a person to adore nature. If only the breeze was warmer, it would be more pleasant than anything else. 'It did not matter too,' he thought. As far as he was concerned, this was all fake. Artificial atmosphere—or else how could there be a damning sun inside the tower? 'I wonder how beautiful the actual sun would be?'

He did not long for those thoughts, looked at the tall maiden who was lunging restlessly. 

"I can not win against him arm-wrestle," he said to her. He knew very well, his physical strength was by far inferior to the two and a half metre tall man. "But I will make sure he did not choose Arm-wrestle."

Apparently, in the rules of the duel of the Mah'shai clan, the challenger was allowed to challenge anyone respectable of the social order. A nobody like a farmer could challenge the clan lord and he got the privilege to choose the day and location of the duel. While the challenged one could choose in which way the battle would go. 

This may look fair to both sides, but actually, it was extremely biased towards the challenged ones. A shameless one could very well choose to contest the way of eating. It was all fair by the rules.

"Still, it was extremely disadvantageous to you?" Lily said again.

Even she could only take a draw with him in yesterday's battle and she was trained as a warrior before she was even ten. What about Wrik? Yes, he did learn self-defence in childhood, but that was minuscule compared to the teaching of the Borgemen.

"Even if I lose, the one who will be eliminated will be me," he said softly. "Not that I have any intention of losing." 

"What are you planning?" 

"Me?" Wrik smiled. "I planned nothing. I wished to win against him fair and square." 

"At least try hard when you are lying," Lily complained. "So what did you choose?"

"The mountain," he said, looking at the north. The mountains with white tops and chilly blizzard. "The day after tomorrow, in the evening, and he was only allowed to take an escort of ten men, if there is more than the duel will be cancelled."

"Are you thinking of eliminating him even before the duel?" Lily asked, hearing his choice. 

"Am I a mongrel? And do you think Arjamith to be so stupid to only bring 10 escorts with him if accept the challenge?"

Lily frowned. "So you have thought through that as well?"

He nodded slowly. "In this duel, both of our sides will cheat. The side who will win will depend on how well they cheat and how hidden they will be while cheating," Wrik said smilingly. There was no way he would jump on fire without any plan. He was giving himself as bait. How would he not think through everything?

"You still not telling me everything."

"Telling you all would only be worrying you more," he said, and he did not know if she would agree with his plan if he told him before. "But you should be prepared, even with everything, I might not be able to stop a final clash between the two sides. You need to prepare the men." 

"I suppose," Lily said nodding. "You would not do anything stupid after all the big talk you have made." 

"Don't worry, I'll be keeping the end of my bargain even if I lose," he said, laughing. He remembered Lily agreed with him only after he gave words, he would help her deal with Arjamith. "Even I am eliminated, I'll make sure Arjamith was no threat to you in the test."

"Let us go back now. The weather is getting quite colder." 

Wrik and Lily moved with all the men, bringing in the three sacks of rations—it would last another day if Davin and others failed to secure no more today.

When they reached the fortress, Davin and others had not returned yet from their quest while Anton and Jacob were waiting for him just before the main gate. They have finished their job of delivering the letter.

Wrik told the men to bring the sack inside, and with another word or encourage them. Fraser bowed before leading the men inside. Wrik always felt a little bizarre about this man's overly piousness. Before he thought Fraser was only bootlicking, before it was Jacob, and now him. Well, that did not matter as long as he abided by the orders. 

After that, he finally transferred his attention to Anton and Jacob. "So, how did it go?" he asked. Lily was with him. Clearly, she was curious about the case. "Did Arjamith accept the duel?" 

"Yes," Anton answered. "Man, I haven't had such fun in months."

"What are you talking about?" Lily asked, confusingly. "What fun about delivering a letter of challenge to our enemy?" 

"You see, to make sure Arjamith did not choose any dishonourable way of the duel, I asked Anton to mock him well. And Anton is as good at vulgarities as with his abilities." Wrik chose to explain it to Lily.

"Gosh! I swore at him so much that even the guards were about to go after us," Anton laughed. Even Jacob joined him in the laugh. "Fortunately, the Borgemen were honourable enough to let go of the messenger." 

Lily nodded in understanding. "That's a meticulous plan, but I don't know if it will work though."

"If it does not work, all we have to do is mock him further on the day of the duel." Wrik laughed and all of them entered the fortress. 

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End of Chapter: A Letter of Challenge.

Next Chapter: The Duel.