Sinful Pride - Volume 1 Chapter 11 The Orc Warchief

The flames burned the street and the surrounding buildings.

‘That was dangerous’ Keita thought. He was covered in burns and his clothes were still blazing as he tried to put the flames away with his hands. ‘Just a step and I would have been swept away by the flames. He was standing a the roof of a building. He barely managed to use Haste and jump on the roof, but he took considerable damage. His throat was burning with every breath and his body hurt all over.

‘What now?’ he needed a plan to confront the Orc Chieftain. ‘Should I try using Heaven’s Path: Needle? No, it is too risky even as a last resort.’ He was watching the Orc, still on guard, watching the burning street for signs of Keita. ‘No wonder he told his men to leave. He probably can’t use this when there are allies around.’ The fire on the street was dying down, and showed the attack’s result.

The road was dyed black with smoldering rocks here and there. After inspecting the scorched street, Keita saw a pattern. It was a black V shape, coming from where the axe hit the road and spreading to the rest of the street.

‘That’s it…’ he found a strategy but he was reluctant. ‘A close quarters battle.’ if he stayed close to his opponent, theoretically he couldn’t use this attack. But it wasn’t one of his strengths. His fighting style, consisted of hit and run tactics, confusing his enemies with his superior speed and baiting them to attack him were they thought he was supposed to be, then suddenly slowing down his rhythm to take advantage of their opening. In such a narrow street, he couldn’t use Haste like he did when he fought with Wrath. Besides, that fight went as well as it did because he was very familiar with Wrath’s fighting style and how easily she looses herself to her rage as well the fact that she refused to use any of her Skills.

He was suffering from sleep deprivation and his was wounded all over by the last attack. He checked for sources of magic power to be sure that no one was caught, more than once. Maybe he was hoping for someone to be hurt and longing for help because of that attack. Then he would have a legitimate reason to flee. ‘I don’t want to fight that…’ he tried to push this thought out of his head but couldn’t. He was scared. It would be a disadvantageous fight for him. ‘I really don’t have the makings of a Hero…’ he thought disappointed in himself. The image of the boy’s eyes, just before his death flashed in his mind. His expression didn’t change.

‘Yeah… I know…’ he told himself. ‘I don’t have a choice…’ he checked Shroud to make sure it was still activated. Last time he almost died because he wasn’t paying attention at the time limit. At least he tried to learn from his mistakes a little bit.

The Chieftain was still on guard. He didn’t think that Keita was dead and looked at the buildings, thinking he was inside one of them.

Keita jumped from roof to roof as stealthily as he could. He was right above him. Was it dump luck, instinct or for whatever reason, the Chieftain turned his head and saw him. He immediately grabbed his axe overhead, intending to use the same attack. After seeing that, Keita jumped at him. The Chieftain changed stances and used his axe as a shield. It was big enough to be used like that.

‘It doesn’t hurt! It’s not hot! I’m not scared! I will not be beaten!’ he told himself over and over as he wailed at him as fast as he could.

The Chieftain kept defending while holding the axe with both hands. One of his hands shifted towards the blade of the axe and before Keita could think, he was hit in the head with the pummel.

It felt like his soul was kicked out of his body. His consciousness left him for a second but he still stood. He responded with a stab towards the Chieftain’s eyes but he twisted his neck and easily avoided it. Keita’s movements became dull but it didn’t end there. As he attacked, the axe’s blade was suddenly set ablaze. This time it wasn’t a long range attack. The flames stayed, enveloping the axe in a brilliant flame. Keita didn’t have time to think. He kept attacking. He couldn’t let the Chieftain take distance. He locked blades with him. A few scratches could be seen on the axe. Shroud wasn’t enough to cut through this weapon but Keita was surprised that he could actually damage it.

The flames on the axe were still burning hot. Keita had trouble breathing. It felt as if his throat was on fire. ‘Is this what he is after?’ he questioned. Then as he was pushed back, he knew he was wrong.

The chieftain attacked with a small swing. Still holding the axe with both his hands. Keita was off balance and couldn’t dodge. He had to guard. He was confident that he could stop it, even with the enormous difference in physical strength. As they locked blades again, the fire shot towards Keita as if it was alive.

“Ghhh!?” he grunted. The damage wasn’t as bad as he thought but the pain was unbearable. The Chieftain laughed in a weird and creepy way, rejoicing in Keita’s pain.

Keita bit his teeth as hard as he could and let out a howl.

He went back on the offensive. He couldn’t let this enemy get distance, nor could he let him attack.

‘It doesn’t hurt! It’s not hot! I’m not scared! I will not be beaten!’ he chanted to himself again and again. Finally he managed to get a hit on the Chieftain. He sliced his left elbow. It was a deep cut and the Chieftains arm hanged, as he lost all feeling of it.

‘It doesn’t hurt! It’s not hot! I’m not scared! I will not be beaten!’ again and again. This time the Chieftain was the one who landed a hit. He screamed and moved his left hand as if it was a flail, with his shoulder. The attack, hit Keita at the face, his mouth and nose now bleeding all over him. He felt his consciousness drifting once again but he held on.

‘It doesn’t hurt! It’s not hot! I’m not scared! I will not be beaten!’ Keita didn’t know how many times he repeated these words. He felt like he woke up from a long dream that he now couldn’t remember. He heard something heavy dropping to the ground and when he looked, the Chieftain was on the ground, with Keita’s sword buried in his neck.

He wasn’t feeling anything just a second ago but all his exhaustion and pain hit him all at once. He saw the dead Orc and felt envy on his form, lying there on the street. He quickly checked for any magic power sources in his surroundings before relaxing. It had become like a second nature to him. Checking for anyone around him after finishing a battle.

Keita pulled his sword and let out a victory cry. Or maybe it was a pained scream.

‘Not yet… I am not done yet…’ he reminded himself and moved his wearied body. He chopped the Chieftains head. It took a surprisingly number of swings, since shroud wasn’t activated, not to mention his exhaustion. He preferred to do it cleanly instead of desecrating the dead but he was too tired to think.

He put his sword away and tried to grab the Chieftain’s head.

“Ugh!” he felt a sharp pain on his left hand. ‘It’s broken… Can’t even remember when it happened’ he let out a smile. ‘Well… doesn’t matter now…’ he picked the head with his right hand by the black hair.

As he started walking towards the bridge to put an end to this fight he remembered something. ‘Oh.. yeah… I should take that too…’ he mind was exhausted. He picked the Chieftains axe – or more like, dragged it by the handle – and started walking once again.

He did not know how long this battle lasted. It was a short battle but harder than any he fought. He never felt so closed to death in his life – even when he actually did die. The numbers on the Northern bridge have gone from to around one hundred to less than fifty.

‘Please hold on for a little more… I just need a few seconds and I promise I will hurry… Just let me rest for a few seconds…’ he pleaded within himself. ‘Being heroic is really too hard of a job’ he thought and broke into a sprint.