| He didn't make it for the assault against Cove. He had found though that all went well and that the Covians had to face the wrath of Kaldor. He was satisfied with that albeit a bit regretful he was not there to help.
He walked around Strongholt but couldn't find anyone. Until he heard some noise coming from the jails. They must have brought in a few prisoners from last night he guessed.
Upon entering the jails he saw Visko, Veg, Edwin, Kali, Auril and Cal. He saluted and walked to the table opposite the cell that was occupied. The Commander called for him and it was then to his surprise that the prisoner was Demarian. The winner of the fight of the event in Luna. It struck him as odd.
After asking a few questions he found out that the man had turned himself in. Just walked into Strongholt like that and gave himself up. It turned out that he nay layed a finger upon Gorn's wife and he wanted to clear that out. And that it was he who broke Gorns arm after being called upon to act on a favour he owed to the man to whom Gorn had done the same. Mordred knew this man to be a man of honour. He had fought against him in Cove and many many other fights.
He kept talking to him when he saw Gorn run into the jail in a frenzy, flying towards the cell door axe in hand shouting and swearing and threatening. A man in that condition, rightfully so in that condition, is not easy to get a holf of or restrain. Amazingly enough it just took a simple order and he had stopped.
Gorn believed that Demarian as well had hurt his wife leading to the loss of his unborn child. Even if that was clear it was not true. I let 'im in the cell. after all, Demarian could not have been as naive to think that he would come in here and not get at least a good beating. Which Gorn started to give him. Punches at first but later on I swear I heard the mans skull cracking. Surprisingly enough Demarian could take a horrible amount of beating. Gorn pushed Demarian's head in the railings telling him to remember his name when he sacrifices him to Raza. Demarian fought back a bit. Only to get Gorn off him. He understood how Gorn felt because he himself had lost his wife and two children. He said it but Gorn was too frenzied to listen.
I did though and the Commander stepped in and stopped Gorn. Demarian, Covian that he was, unlike most of them, had honour. It was clear that Gorn wanted a chance to fight him so it was offered to him. He did remind me though that he could only use one hand so Demarian fought him with one as well.
Gorn charged him like a bull. After a while it was clear that although fighting with one arm Gorn's other must have given him considering pain while swinging. This was a mismatch. Demarian had Gorn down and raised his mace high above his head as if to finish him. I grinned under my helm. I knew it was never in his intentions to hurt Gorn, but his taste for drama was acknowledged. He threw down his mace and went to help Gorn up. Gorn ofcourse nay accepted his help and lifted himself up.
Demarian after having won his duel was free to go. I went to escort him out of town.
We had a talk before he left. Our intentions of getting that church man Hugo were no secret. It was all his fault to start with. What surprises me is that a man of the church does not feel guilt or remorse for having murdered an unborn child. It was he who should have turned himself in not Demarian. ButI guess this is what separates men from cowards. He will get what is coming to him.
Demarian is if not the best, one of the strongest fighters of cove. And a man with skill an honour is difficult to defeat. There is no shame in losing to a duel with him.
He told me that we would have to go through the whole covian army at some point to get to Hugo. I nay saw the problem in that. We proved we could do that and we would do that again. Earlier on people wanted us to use him to get to Hugo but that is not the way we do it. We'll just go in and drag him out ourselves is what I said.
Demarian then mentioned Yew. That they are most probably going to forge an alliance with them. That was sickening. He said that they had done it in the past and that they were undefeated. Pah. I'd rather kill myself then fight alongside such scum. Defeating their joined forces would just make our victory grander. He was very confident though. Maybe what he does not realise is that along with their great numbers, the Yewmen bring along numerous enemies as well. They are not the most loved people around.
Our last words were those of mutual respect. We remembered that it had been a long time since us two had crossed blades. He took out his spear then. I was half inclined to fight him at that very moment. I just told him that the way things are it shall not be long before it happens. And I will specifically look for him on the battleground. Maybe when all this is over we can have our duel. But right now both our armies need us. Besides. He was honourable. Him and Hoagie. They deserve a good death on the battlefield. Not in some part of a jungle were nobody will notice.
I don't know if Gorn will understand me. If he will hate his beloved sergeant for not letting blind rage replace the way we should treat an honourable man. It is one more lesson he will have to learn, if he is going to be the Maul that he can be. He will understand sooner or later.
__________________ The bears shall live ferever! |