Kismet’s Tale

      Mavin Tomas began his dance with the beast.

The sword he carried was heavy. Such traditions of fighting giant beasts with the sword had long been the history of the Strongarm Clans. Even without custom-made weapons and gunpowder.

It was the duty of the Strongarm Clans  to quell any threat of the beast. You could say that this was the original purpose of the Strongarm Clans when they were invited to become the Guardians of the West of the Empire. The protector of Demifiend, and the Marcher Lord that Slays the Beast.

Mavin had the blood of the hunters within him. And so the blood boils on him, giving him the feeling, the natural inclination to face the dangerous beast. It was as if he was meant to do this.

Mavin’s breathing was tempered. His movements were bare enough that he conserved energy and redirected the attacks that followed. Every attack was followed by a deadly counter.

The Vulcan unit that was assigned behind Mavin had shot down the beast twice now.

Mavin continued his wild dance, dodging, strafing, and guiding the greatsword on his hands to deflect every blow that the dragon could admonish at him. He was a stalwart wall against the mass of flesh. He blocked, parried, and then attacked. Five minutes passed and the duel against the dragon had become furious at the human standing before it.

“Aunger, your Hounds need to be faster.”

“We understand, Boss. They shall be faster than ever.”

“Mobility is good,” Mavin spoke on the radio. “But do not forget that having a good way to solidly hit would be sufficient.”

Unless they were him, he truly doubted that they could reach here in  a few minutes. He continued to fight the dragon until he saw a glimpse of the Hounds climbing the giant branches of the tower-like trees.

“Wait for my signal, do not miss this chance. If you have no confidence in taking the shot, then don’t bother,” Mavin warned. “Make sure to keep the dragon grounded, I will hold it down.”

Mavin waited for the dragon to pounce before slamming the flat of the blade against the side of the dragon, slightly breaking the layer of scale that made droplets of poison dropped on the leaves.

“Now!”

The Hounds' aims were true and skilled. Each shot nailed the legs of the ferocious beast, pinning it on the wet ground. Before the dragon could move again, Mavin cleaved the greatsword with malicious intent, breaking the remaining spring legs of the beast, and watched it whimper like a dog before them.

The whimpering of the dragon only lasted a moment before it gave a tyrannical roar. Mavin thought how lucky that they were wearing headphones to minimize the damage done. Mavin felt his ears bled at the sound, but he dragged the greatsword like a butcher eyeing an executioner.

Mavin took the greatsword with both hands. He raised the greatsword overhead and slammed below the area where the poison sac was. The venom and acid that mingled with the sac seemed to dissolve the very leaves below him. Mavin saw the gasses that mingled with the air and advised the Hounds against it.

The stench of the gas did not bother Mavin. He thrust the greatsword’s tip in the dragon, driving it forward, and scooping the poison sac in the dragon that was the size of a rubber ball.

The greatsword that Mavin held slowly melted. The poison sac that was on the ground however remained on the leaves. Mavin plucked the canteen on his belt, pouring the contents on the poison sac. The water seemed to cleanse the poison sac from its violet color.

The sac changed into a bright green bright color. Mavin took the green sac and inspected it. The greatsword that once was two meters tall had been melted, what remained was the guard of the greatsword.

“The last piece of the puzzle,” Mavin muttered. His expression turned grim. There was fear in his voice, and unusual shuddering of his lower jaw. When he heard the Hounds approach, Mavin seized control of his emotions, turning his face back to normal.

“Is it done?”

“No,” Mavin glanced at the beast. “It’s not dead yet, but killing it now wouldn't do. Keep your guard up, wait for the beast to die, the hide and scales of the beast will be good for you folks.”

Mavin left the area while bearing the poison sac with him. He had it wrapped with a leather cloth and tied the sac around his waist. He threw the greatsword’s hilt on the side, and started moving to the direction of the half-trucks.

Admittedly, his bones were ringing, and there were parts of his body that were giving aches.  He looked at the finger that was facing the wrong direction, he snapped the finger back to place, and before long the finger was restored back to normal without him even moving it.

His boots had become slightly wet because of how wet the forest vegetation was. His eyes remained on the path until he saw the light entering through the gaps. Mavin reached the tree line, spotted the half-trucks, and went to where Aunger was waiting for him.

“Congratulations for taking the last piece, Boss,” he said casually.

Mavin regarded Aunger casually, then he suddenly gave a rather anguished face that only Aunger could see. “Is that so? Well, you better tell Ike and Martina that I got the last piece of the puzzle.”

Mavin twisted on the foldable chair that they brought with them. The rest of the Hounds were busying themselves in clearing the rest of the forest. They did not come here for the dragon alone, the Hounds had already decided that the rest of the dangerous beasts that have been recorded to have attacked will be weeded for the sake of the nomadic kin that roams around the steppe.

It was better to put them down rather than let the people of Lazon suffer.

 

***

 

Mavin returned to the capital while carrying the dragon on the half-truck. Although not visible, the people who saw him enter the half-track had guessed that it was him and his people who had tied that monstrous beast on top of the truck.

Arriving in the mansion, the little girl was the first one to stare at the gigantic beast that they had slain. She was about to inspect the monster closer when Mavin warned him with a hand. “That is something you shouldn’t touch, Elea. This verdant dragon is quite poisonous, your big brother here had to work hard alongside our soldiers to take it down.”

She recoiled and hurried back to Elna. Behind Elea and Elna was Natalya, she trained her eyes on the giant dragon that had its tongue sticking out. Mavin ordered the men to keep the dragon on the back, and make sure that none touches it unless they were here to preserve the beast.

The group that gathered in the front dispersed, leaving only Natalya. She continued her eyes on Mavin.

“So you hunted a dragon?”

“I did.”

Natalya neared him. She was close enough that Mavin could smell her scent. She inspected him from top to bottom and found no injury. Natalya sighed. “I know I shouldn’t worry too much about you, but if something happens to you. I might just go mad, you know?”

Natalya left out a sad chuckle. Mavin inspected that semi-serious gaze on her. He whistled for Aunger and handed the poison sac before taking away Natalya from the entrance back to the great manor. Natalya’s brow had risen, wondering why his voice was subdued and his back...less stern.

They arrived in their room where they had spent some time. Mavin sat at the table that they would occasionally take a moment of respite and discuss casually. Natalya was about to sit down when Mavin pulled her into a tight embrace. Natalya caught her breath and hovered her hands before wrapping herself on Mavin.

“What’s happening?”

“Nothing. I just feel like doing this.”

“You surprised me with this. Please, if anything you’d make me think that I had somewhat chipped a bit of the walls in your heart.”

Mavin rested his head on her shoulder. “No, I’m just tired at the moment. Think of this as just a moment of weakness from me. Hell, I’m touching you without asking for your consent right here.”

“At least that makes us somewhat even. I don’t really mind if you do this more.”

Mavin smiled freely.  “Truth be told...when I saw you in Flost. You were stunning. The dance we shared was a memory I couldn’t forget. I wondered what would have happened if you didn’t know that  I was the Ghost of Dinia? What would have happened if you weren’t the ‘Lady Death’ as well.”

“Remember when I asked you if you were a raven or a crow?”

Mavin recalled that conversation. He nodded. “I said that I wanted to be a crow.”

“That’s right, you said that you wanted to be a crow. Unfortunately, it seemed like the two of us were going to be a pair of ravens. I don’t really mind if we can't become crows, Mavin. If my partner is you, then I wouldn't do it at all.”

“Are you really fine with this?” Mavin asked directly. His tone of voice was grave. The sudden change in expression startled Natalya. “Being bundled together with me because of visions that I don’t even know about? I know that you are guilty about what you have done. And in a way you are just trying to make amends for whatever you did to me. Honestly, even now I don’t regret what I did to your arm. But I do admit that this situation bothers me.”

Natalya pushed him away softly. “What are you trying to say?”

“If you want to leave then I don’t mind at all, really. If you wish the Emperor to stop pestering you, then there’s no need to stop pretending.”

The light on her eyes seemed to dimmer for a moment. “Why? I already told you again and again...Mavin.”

“It doesn’t feel right. I faced  that monstrous beast today and I realized that I’m more afraid of you than the beast,” he touched a lock of her hair.

She bit her lower lip. “May I ask why?”

“Because  you are you…”

She smiled bitterly. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I spent years thinking how to subdue you and possibly kill you. I only had three goals ever since, and one of them was to make sure that the one who holds the imperator’s crest...needs to be subdued. I made it my life’s purpose to do these goals. But then you became my wife...and I would be a bastard if I didn't try to honor the teachers of my father and mother. “

“Then tell me what do you want,” Natalya demanded. “I don’t like it when you speak like this.”

“You have become a Tomas. The Tomas Family, my relatives, they mean so much to me that I would die for them. All my actions....all what I have done was for the sake of the continuous existence of this family. No, it’s because those who live here are here, that I could continue on this path. I’m asking you to share this burden with me, and it wouldn’t be easy.”

“Devote myself to them...is that what you're trying to say?”

“I do. There are storms on the horizon, and if something happens then I need to count on you when the time comes.”

Natalya’s eyes flickered with a glimmer of understanding. She clenched her hands for a moment before she let go. “I...accept,” she said in a low voice. “Mavin Tomas, you ask too much, and demand so little from me. A man should be forceful, domineering, and take care of his wants without batting an eye. There are times where you attract me with your actions, and there are days where you act so meek it disgusts me. But I understand where you are coming from.”

She turned away in disgust, she held her body and walked away from Mavin. Mavin didn’t understand what was going on in her mind. But when did he ever successfully find out what’s inside her mind?

Mavin sat and watched her slam the door close. At least he did make her angry. That was something he wanted to see.

“Just a little bit more,” Mavin said. He tried his best to still the fear in as he looked around.

The world became blank for a moment before he saw a stilled world. A butterfly that had managed to get in was frozen in the air. Mavin felt suffocated. He couldn’t move and he wondered how many moments would it take for the butterfly to move again?

Time was his greatest enemy as ever.