Chapter 39

            Anton ran and Cronax followed close behind; they were running around the city.  Anyone who didn’t know might have thought they were going for a jolly nighttime jog together.  Anton was looking for a weapon but also he had planned on running around enough that Cronax would become tired.  But unfortunately Cronax was in much better shape than Anton was and the one getting tired first was him!

            It was very discouraging!

            "Quit running you cowardly cur!" said Cronax.

            "I'll stop running when you..." said Anton.  He paused for a bit because he was out of breath. "When you stop chasing me."

            Oh, Dear, thought Anton, He is gaining on me!  I hear him.  I can feel his breath on my neck!  Anton's instincts kicked in and he darted to the side, just as he felt Cronax's axe cutting through the air behind him.

            Hmm, this guy is not playing around! thought Anton.

            Anton suddenly felt a burst of energy and he suddenly dashed forward.  Anton was rather impressed by how fast he was currently running.  It's amazing how fast you can run when someone is chasing you with an axe.

            "ANTON!"

            Anton looked at who had called his name.

            It was Clarence!

            His friend had suddenly returned from wherever he had disappeared to.  And he was holding aloft a sword!  He was certainly a sight for sore eyes, like an angel lighting up the darkness.

            "Here, catch!" said Clarence, and he threw the sword.

            Oh Clarence, thought Anton, that is so dangerous.  But he was on automatic now, and his body calculated the trajectory of the spinning weapon somehow and Anton leaped into the air and caught it by the handle and in mid air turned and landed, facing Cronax, just in time to block a mightly strike from the warrior.

            CLANK!

            They both stood there, facing each other, neither weapon moving am inch as each tried to force the other's weapon down.

            "I have a weapon now," said Anton, suddenly serious.  And with a humungous effort, he pushed Cronax's axe down and the King's Champion stumbled backwards a few steps.  The look on Cronax's face showed he was not used to being pushed around by anybody.

            "I am Anton.  They call me the Iron Snake.  Let's play."

            Cronax laughed and then attacked ferociously.

            Clang! Clang! Clang!

            Anton blocked each strike, but Cronax was swinging with such force that sparks were flying from the blades!  It had been a long time since Anton had fought anyone this strong before.  He prayed his blade would not break.  But he realised he couldn't worry about that now.  He focussed on the fight.

            He cleared his mind and let his instincts take over.

            Clarence watched from the side as these two warriors fought each other.  It was like art.  There was speed, spins, deft movement, fancy footwork.  It was hard to tell who was winning, it was so evenly matched.

            "You fight well for an old man," said Cronax, through gritted teeth.

            Anton didn't reply.  He was too busy trying to look for a weakness in Cronax's attack.  But he could see none.  This man's technique was solid.

            So Anton decided he could continue as he was, and wait for Cronax to make a mistake or get tired before him (not likely!) or he could push into his bezerker rage.  It was something he used to do when he was younger and facing a superior opponent.  He would go all out offense, using every ounce of his strength in every swing and try to overpower his opponent through sheer force and rage.  But it was a gamble.  If he didnt' defeat him with that push, he would be utterly exhausted afterwards.

            But Anton was not the type to sit back and wait for things to happen.  It just wasn't who he was.

            "Raaaaaaaaaarrrrrrr!" cried Anton, the power from his scream alone startled Cronax.              Anton swung so hard that Cronax's axe vibrated audibly in his hands.

            Anton looked into Cronax's eyes and saw fear.  This was the moment.  The Iron Snake struck.

            Crunk! Crunk! Crunk! Fwip!

            Cronax's mightly axe flew out of his hands arcing through the air and landed blade first into the trunk of a thick tree behind them.

            Anton pointed his blade at Cronax's throat and held it steady.

            "I have been defeated," said Cronax.  He opened out his arms and said, "Do with me what you will."

            Anton lowered his sword.  "I have no quarrel with you.  I just want to heal my wife.  I will leave now.  You are worthy of the title of King's Champion.  Long has it been since I have fought an opponent as worthy as you.  It was good.  But now I am exhausted!"

            Cronax smiled and the two men bowed at each other.

            And then Anton's danger senses went off!

            He heard the sound of footsteps.  Many footsteps.

            A swirl of city guard surrounded them, like water going down a drain.

            It felt like every man in the King's army was there.  Archers with bows set up behind the soldiers at the front.  Then one man stepped through the crowd.

            It was Javier.

            "Arrest him, Sir Cronax," said the Captain of the Guards.

            Cronax shook his head.

            "If he is to be arrested, it will not be by me." and with that, Cronax began walking through the crowd.

            "Those are the King's orders," said Javier.

            Cronax ignored him and vanished through the crowd.

            Anton readied his sword.  He could feel his body cramping up from fatigue, even his scalp was getting a cramp.

            "It looks like we will have to do this ourselves,” sighed Javier, “Charge!"

            All the soldiers, made courageous by their superior numbers, rushed Anton.  It must be noted that Javier, however, did not move an inch and actually stepped back a few paces.

            Clarence also ran into the fray, to stand beside his friend.  He knew it was futile and it would surely mean his death.  He made it to Anton’s side, but he was weaponless and was knocked out almost immediately. The last thing he saw as he was going down was Anton spinning and taking out a circle of soldiers around him.

            Yes, thought Clarence, Today really has not been a typical day.