Chapter 20 – Three Against One
The soldier’s eyes were cold and merciless as he raised his blade, ready to strike down the defenceless mother and child. The scene triggered something deep within Shawn—anger, desperation, the overwhelming need to protect. His instincts kicked in, and with a burst of focus, he summoned a sword into his hand, the air around him crackling with raw energy.
With a fierce cry, Shawn swung his sword, unleashing a powerful slash wave aimed at the soldier. The energy surged forward, cutting through the air with a force that echoed his rising power and fury. But just as the wave was about to strike, another soldier appeared, intercepting the attack with his own blade. The force of the clash was enough to send a shockwave through the street, but the soldier who blocked Shawn’s attack stood firm, his sword glowing with an ominous shine that neutralised Shawn’s power as if it were nothing.
Shawn’s eyes widened in disbelief, his heart pounding with the weight of his realisation. The soldier who had intercepted his attack lowered his sword with deliberate slowness, a cold, mocking smirk curling at the corners of his lips. Another soldier also joined him, and together with the third, who had been moments away from slaying the mother and child, joined in, now turned their full attention towards Shawn. Their combined presence radiated a chilling menace.
The mother, clutching her child close, watched with a mix of desperation and hopelessness. Her eyes, brimming with tears, reflected the grim truth of the situation. Despite Shawn’s valiant attempt to intervene, she could see that hope was slipping away, overshadowed by the formidable strength of the soldiers surrounding them.
The three soldiers fixed their stares on Shawn, their faces inscrutable, but their intent was clear and menacing. The air crackled with palpable tension, and Shawn felt the oppressive weight of their power pressing down on him. Every fibre of his being was on edge, gnawed by a growing sense of danger. These soldiers were a different breed—stronger, more skilled, and intimidatingly proficient. Shawn could sense that he was outmatched, but there was no turning back now.
He tightened his grip on his sword, his knuckles whitening as he steadied himself. Despite the gnawing fear, a fierce determination ignited within him. The flames of resolve burned brighter in his chest, pushing him forward. Shawn drew a deep breath, his eyes narrowing with steely focus, ready to confront the three formidable soldiers before him.
One of the soldiers, a dangerous glint in his eyes, subtly signalled to his comrades with a barely perceptible nod. The soldier who was dealing with the mother and child understood immediately and turned away from Shawn, advancing menacingly towards the terrified pair. The mother’s panic was palpable as she clutched her child tightly, her face streaked with tears of hopeless despair. Shawn’s heart pounded as he watched the soldier move toward them, a surge of urgency compelling him to act. However, his way was blocked by the remaining two soldiers, who drew their swords and stepped into a combative stance, their eyes cold and unyielding, their expressions betraying no hint of mercy. The soldier’s stance clearly shows they are challenging Shawn to attempt to save the mother and child.
The soldier who signalled launched forward against Shawn and slashed his sword against him, which Shawn defended by raising his own sword. The clash with the soldier pushed Shawn back, forcing him to stumble a few steps. A cold smirk played on the soldier’s lips as he glanced over his shoulder at his comrade, who was now inching ever closer to the terrified mother and child. The soldier then turned his gaze back to Shawn, the smirk fading into a look of cold, unyielding determination. It was clear that he was toying with Shawn, confident in his ability to overpower him, and relishing in the young warrior’s growing desperation.
Shawn’s grip tightened around his sword, his knuckles white as he struggled to suppress the fear clawing at him. With no room for hesitation, Shawn dashed forward, propelling himself towards the soldier threatening the mother and child. However, his assault was abruptly halted as one of the remaining soldiers met his charge head-on, their swords clashing with a resounding clash that sent a violent jolt through Shawn’s arm, nearly numbing his grip. The soldier’s forceful push sent Shawn crashing a few steps back, and the soldier again smirked coldly as he glanced over his shoulder at his comrade, who was slowly inching closer to the terrified duo. The soldier then turned his icy gaze back to Shawn, his smirk widening, as if daring Shawn to try again.
The sight of the soldier approaching the mother and child ignited a surge of desperation within Shawn. Ignoring the sharp pain in his arm and the tremors running through his body, he surged forward once more, determined to make a difference. Shawn charged again, his sword swinging fiercely as he tried to break through the soldier’s defence. The clash of steel rang through the air as Shawn’s blade met the soldier’s with relentless force was met with a precise block. The soldier’s movements were calm, smooth, and controlled, a stark contrast to Shawn’s frantic attacks. Soldier fighting Shawn found an opening with a sudden shift in the battle’s rhythm and struck at Shawn with lethal intent, the speed of his attack almost blurring. The soldier’s sword was slicing through the air so fast that Shawn barely had time to react. Realising he couldn’t parry, Shawn spun to the right in a desperate attempt to evade the blow.
The second soldier seized the moment, moving swiftly to flank Shawn as his blade aimed for Shawn’s side. As Shawn dodged the 1st soldier, his instincts screamed a warning. Shawn was unable to notice the 2nd soldier because he attacked Shawn from his blind spot, but Shawn reacted just in time, bringing his sword up to block the blow. Although the edge of the 2nd soldier’s blade grazed Shawn’s side, sending a sharp pain and forcing him back into the path of the first soldier’s sword. Shawn gritted his teeth, fighting through the pain. With a quick, fluid motion, he ducked under the first soldier’s follow-up swing, narrowly avoiding the deadly strike. Seizing the moment, Shawn countered with an upward slash, catching the first soldier off guard. The soldier, not expecting such a rapid response, quickly raised his sword in a defensive posture. The two blades clashed with a resounding force, the impact sending both Shawn and the soldier staggering back, creating a brief but crucial distance between them.
As Shawn staggered backwards, he plunged his sword into the ground to halt his retreat, wincing at the sharp pain in his ribs. He knelt down, his breathing ragged, and glanced at the wound. To his relief, it wasn’t as deep as he feared, and it had already begun to heal, small tendrils of smoke rising from the wound as the pain gradually dulled. Shawn quickly realised he had to conceal his rapid healing from the soldiers, to maintain the illusion that he was still gravely injured. He kept his hand pressed against his side, feigning weakness as he stole a glance at the soldiers.
The soldier who had been pushed back by Shawn’s upward slash regained his footing, his eyes narrowing with cold focus. He regrouped with his comrade, the two of them exchanging a brief glance that spoke of their intent for their next move. They began slowly approaching Shawn, and their movements were calculated and predatory, as they prepared for their next assault. Shawn knew they were planning to strike together, and he knew he had to end this quickly if he wanted to save the mother and child.
Shawn’s heart pounded as he noticed the third soldier had reached the mother and child, the duo now closing their eyes in helpless anticipation of their fate. The soldier made sure to catch Shawn’s eye, a cruel smirk playing on his lips as he raised his blade. Meanwhile, the other two soldiers positioned themselves strategically, one on each side of Shawn, their eyes locking in silent communication before they launched themselves toward him, their swords aimed to deliver a lethal blow simultaneously.
But just as their blades were about to strike, they hit nothing but air. Shawn had vanished from their grasp. The soldiers, bewildered, quickly scanned the area, only to spot Shawn hurtling towards the third soldier, who stood ready to strike the mother and child.
In a desperate move, Shawn propelled himself towards the third soldier, his intention clear: to protect the vulnerable pair at all costs. But the soldier had anticipated this. With calculated precision, he caught Shawn by the neck mid-air, his grip like a vice, cutting off Shawn’s breath. Shawn dropped his sword and used both of his hands to get free from the hold of the soldier choking him.
With a menacing grin, the soldier slammed Shawn into the ground with brutal force, the impact rattling Shawn’s entire body and leaving him momentarily dazed, and the sword Shawn dropped disappeared into smoke and entered his body. The soldier then effortlessly hurled Shawn across the battlefield towards his two comrades. Shawn’s body hit the ground hard, tumbling before coming to a halt, lying still and vulnerable.
Despite his best efforts, Shawn found himself quickly outmatched by the soldiers as their skill and strength were on a whole different level. Shawn fought valiantly; however, his emotions—anger, fear, and the similar destruction triggered memories of his own village’s destruction—clouded his judgement. The battle raged for mere moments, but it felt like an eternity, and the flow of the battle changed in only a matter of seconds. Shawn could feel his strength waning, his body protesting with every movement. Finally, after a particularly brutal slam, Shawn found himself on his knees, gasping for breath. The ground slam he had endured earlier had taken its toll, leaving him battered and struggling to stay conscious.
The two soldiers stood a short distance away, their cold eyes locked on Shawn as if assessing whether he was still a threat and also the third soldier, the one who had ground slammed him, now turned his attention back to Shawn. His approach was slow, deliberate, each step echoing Shawn’s despair.
Shawn’s body was trying to heal, his power working to mend his wounds as fast as they could, but the recovery was agonizingly slow. The third soldier reached Shawn, his shadow looming over the young warrior like a harbinger of death. He raised his sword, the blade gleaming ominously in the light of the still-burning village. The expression on the soldier’s face was one of cold finality, as if he knew the fight was over and was simply finishing what had been started.
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