The Ocean Hearth (A "Hymns of Evermorn" Story) by Lionelson NY
Chapter 13: The Duel

Laia was on the grass fields heading for the woods. Wearing only thin cotton garments that she got from Naessa, she looked up to stare at the moon and stars. They appear brighter in the forest than they ever are in the city. She closed her eyes and felt the moonlight brush through her skin. For once, she felt refreshed. She had always been one with the night spirits of the Blackwoods. But just then she could hear rustling noises from behind. She quickly turned and saw five men sneaking towards her.

“N-no need to alarm yourself, milady.” One of them stuttered. “Our intention is-s-s to keep you close and safe. We c-cannot allow a woman to stray off into the forest alone.”

“That won’t be necessary. The forest is my friend.” Laia smiled. But then she noticed one of them had an iron chain dangling from his belt. Slowly, the one who spoke creeped on closer.

“You m-m-must understand. This is-s-s no place to wander at night” he whispered.

The man suddenly pulled out a dagger and stride towards her!

But Laia saw it coming, so she leaped to the side and kicked his legs. He fell down immediately. The others were not so happy about that. All the rest quickly charged towards her with their swords, swinging them against the starborne huntress. Obviously they undermined Laia’s intuition.

She didn’t even need to see them in order to evade their blades. In fact, she only stepped to her side, reached out for one of the men’s neck and snapped it! She leaped once more and did the same to another one.

A few moments later, the man who was kicked down at first suddenly stood back up and jumped towards her. But she crouched down and jabbed him on his groin. He fell down to the soil again in crouching pain. Just then, one man came charging his sword towards her. So Laia ducked, grabbed his sword and pushed him down on top of the man with the swollen groin. Laia lifted the sword and pierced it straight through both of them with one push.

But she was caught off guard when the last man standing strangled her neck with the chain and pulled it tightly! She was choking. She tried to hit him but he kicked her to the ground, making her kneel. The man, bulky as he was, overpowered Laia. He choked her even harder. The chain pressed over her throat like python! But as if that wasn’t trouble enough, lust took over his mind and he caressed her body from her chest to her hips.

“Let me have a taste before I send you off, hmm?” he slithered while he undid his belt.

But before he could even do anything, he felt a cracking sensation in his chest. Then he noticed he was slowly losing his grip. And when finally looked down, he saw a blade emerged from his heart. Instantly, he blacked out and fell to the ground.

Laia was left crawling, massaging her throat as she coughed hard. Suddenly, a man grabbed her by the arms. Instinctually she punched the man on the face! The man was thrown off immediately.

“Laia, it’s me!” He shouted.

“Eli?!” She questioned. She immediately marched towards him and grabbed him by his collar. “I trusted you and this is how you repay me?!”

She smashed Eli down to the ground. Then she pulled out the sword out of the two bodies, intending to impale Eli. Luckily, Eli had just enough time to roll over and evade her thrusting blade.

“Let me explain!” Eli called out.

“There is no need!” Laia leaped to his front. “All humans are the same!”

She lifted the sword up. But Eli dashed towards her and got hold of her hands and lifted them up in the air.

“Laia, let go of the sword. This is all Arbor’s doing!” He muttered calmly.

“Of course it is!” she tried to send a knee to his belly. However, Eli managed to block it with his other hand.

“Laia, let go!” Eli used his free hand to knock the sword off. She could only yell as she pushed him off. She didn’t retaliate anymore. That moment, he had a closer look at the starborne’s deep black eyes that were staring at him with a traumatized look. There were tears there, pooling on her eyelids.

Slowly, he stepped closer to her and gently placed her in his embrace.

Unable to hold back her emotions any longer, she finally broke down and cried. Like streams of waterfall, her tears rolled down her cheeks. She just stood in Eli’s warm arms and rested her head on his shoulder. Eli brushed his hand on her back, stroking her slowly as she sobbed.

Back in the camp, the Reds were still feasting and dancing. Many of their women were already drunk, stripping one garment at a time as they danced around the fire. Captain Arbor was there, sitting on his chair while he enjoyed the show. The crowd was cheering as the women threw away the last of their attire to the ground, swaying their nude curves to the rhythm of the flames.

But all of a sudden, the cheering started to wither. The people who were clapping and cheering were suddenly silenced. Even the drummers gradually lost their beat and stopped the music. The naked women around the fire quickly picked up their clothes and blended into the crowd. The only noise left was the crackling of the bonfire and angry footsteps.

Arbor immediately stood up to see who was coming. Out of the dense crowd, was Eli and Laia marching towards him. Naessa, who was nearby, could see Laia’s torn clothes, distressed face and messed up hair. So she quickly went to her aid and took her to the side. Eli proceeded to walk towards Arbor. In his hands, he held the five men’s heads by their hairs.

He stood by the fire and rolled the heads to the ground. They tumbled as their faces got covered with dirt. Thick blood oozed out of their dismembered necks. The crowd broke down at the sight of their beheaded loved ones.

“Is this what the Reds have become?!” Eli yelled out. “You sent these rapists to capture an innocent guest!”

“All for the good of the Reds, Rivergrove!” Arbor stomped towards him. “All for the sake of victory! Isn’t that what we needed, my brother?!”

The crowd roared at the sound of his deep growly voice. They were angry at Eli for defying the captain..

“When has it ever been about victory?!” Eli shouted back with an even angrier tone. “The last time I checked, the Reds fought for the sake of justice!”

But the people only jeered him.

“And what do you know about justice? We are all criminals here, aren’t we?! Renegades to the Throne! Usurper of the King! That’s what we have always been!” The captain smirked. It was as if the crowd was possessed when they rooted for him even more.

“Hell, what do I know of justice?! I am just a thief to all of you, am I not?!”Eli shouted. The people only mocked him more and shrugged on him. “But…I know what justice is not! It is not about parading breasts around the fire! It is not about revelry when your brothers and sisters were buried alive just yesterday! And it certainly is not raping and keeping a guest as hostage!”

The crowd was suddenly quiet. He continued.

“One week ago when I left this camp, it was a safe haven. Where all men and women are treated as equals. Where oppressed people seek refuge. Not only was it safe, it was civilized! We did not crave for gold or women! We only wanted what was fair for the kingdom! So tell me, Captain. How did the Reds of Elmswood became monsters in just a week?! Was it the arrival of the Ocean Hearth that made you prideful?!”

Just like that, the crowds started to bicker with one another. One believing Eli was right while the other believes that he was inhibiting the Reds’ progress. And so they quarrelled amongst each other, making more noise than there already was. Arbor, with anger running through his veins, could not take it any longer.

“Silence!!!” He shouted. “Eli Rivergrove, you would dare jeopardize our unity here just so you could preach your false propaganda?! You would dare to decapitate your own brothers but you are too afraid to be opportunistic for our cause! That starborne could have won us the war!”

“What war is there to be won if you can’t even conquer your own lusts?!” Eli screamed.

“This is treason!” Arbor accused Eli.

“No!” Eli rejected. “This is not treason. This is me reminding the Reds to return to their roots and values!”

“Enlighten me then, thief! Show me what it means to be a Red!” The captain thumped his chest with his fist.

“If that’s what you wish.” Eli gained repose. “I, Eli Rivergrove, challenge you, Captain Arbor Grench, to a duel! I place my life as the wager!”

The crowd was shocked to hear it. Even Laia was shocked to hear it coming from him. Arbor’s breath went deeper and faster. He let out a loud scream that left the whole camp shook, thumping his chest again.

“Very well” Arbor’s breath was intense. “I accept your challenge, Rivergrove! And I will wager my leadership over the Reds! Let All-father Sirium decide who is right”

The crowds were bickering again.

’Is it allowed to be disrespectful to our captain?’ They asked while others defended Eli’s statement.

A boy came rushing in with a sword and shield then handed it to Captain Arbor. The proud captain struck the shield with his sword as he roared.

“Now who dares to deliver this mutineer his weapons?!” He threatened. His voice was so terrifying, the crowd remained quiet. Not a single one stepped forward.

Until from the back of the crowd, Obed stepped forward, giving Eli a sword and shield. Eli thanked him as he accepted the heavy steel weapons.

It made Arbor more furious.

“I will take your head, Obed! Right after I take Rivergrove’s!” He said as he charged towards Eli.

Eli did not hesitate to run towards him too. With his shield in front of him he charged against Arbor’s but only to be thrown off! Arbor swung his sword towards him, but Eli rolled away. The sword pierced deep into the soil.

Eli tried to kick him down again. But Arbor did not even budge. The captain swung his shield against him. Fortunately, Eli managed to block it with his shield and pushed off just a bit.

“Are we just going to watch him be destroyed?!” Laia was concerned, her voice still trembling.

“We cannot interfere with a Red’s Duel. It’s a sacred ritual they adapted from my people” Naessa said. “This was how they settled disputes that could not be resolved with words. It must be done and never interfered”

But Laia was not approving of such barbaric method. She stepped forward, only for Obed to hold her back.

“Have faith, Laia. Arbor may be stronger than Eli in many ways. But Eli is fighting for a pure cause. He has Sirium’s favour.”

Laia was hesitant, for she did not believe in their god. But she had to let the duel run its course if it was that sacred for the Reds.

However, it was so hard to watch Eli continuously being toppled by the giant captain. He was only just fast enough to evade his sword, but his body couldn’t take much punches. Arbor continuously bashed Eli’s shield with the butt of his sword. While Eli could only hold on as he was pushed until he found himself cornered by a pile of rocks.

Arbor finally raised his sword high in the air and it came crashing down! However, Eli was fast enough to duck, graze the earth beneath his feet and slide beneath Arbor’s feet. In a quarter of a second, Eli quickly stood up, lifted his sword and pierced through the captain’s back!

The crippling sound of Arbor’s spine and ribs was followed by blood gushing out his mouth. His feet trembled and he fell down, dyeing the pile of rocks in red. He grasped the gaping hole in his chest, trying to stop the bleeding. But his effort was futile. The crowd was silent as they watched their captain gasping and struggling until he finally halted. His body finally as stiff as the rocks that sat beside him.

Eli dropped his bloodstained sword to the ground and stepped towards the centre of the camp. He then wiped off the dirt off his face with his sleeves. All eyes were on him, the victor of the duel.

“Brothers…sisters…Always remember why you fight! Do not let lust take the place of your anguish! The path had been made straight for us; so never go astray. Place justice above all else, for we are the Reds of Elmswood!”

The crowd, still shocked to see the lifeless body of their leader, only mumbled amongst themselves; those who sided with Arbor most of all. They really wished to live the lavish life Arbor was planning for them, but the captain’s remains painted a gruesome picture of the consequence of such reckless way of life.

But out of the indistinct muttering noises, the sound of a sword being unsheathed was heard coming from Obed. He lifted his sword to the air.

“I pledge my sword to you…Captain Eli Rivergrove!” he shouted.

At first, the crowd was hesitant. But one by one, the people lifted up their swords and pledge their allegiance to him. As if the evil spirit that possessed them earlier had been swept away, they started to cheer for Eli. And those cheers became louder with every chant of his name. Their voices echoed all throughout Elmswood.

Laia was touched to see it. Her dry lips cracked a smile when she saw Eli being praised by his people. Though her skin was cold from the night breeze, her heart became warm to see how the faith of one man changed the hearts of the people.

Suddenly, Naessa held her by the shoulder.

“Come Lady Laia. Let us give you some rest” She said. Laia smiled and followed her.