Captain Fread bellowed with rage as he charged in, swinging his sword wildly with both hands. Leaping aside, Argus just barely managed to avoid the heavy blows. The young man swung back with an empty backhand, striking Fread across his back. Yet the effort as futile, and his gloved fist bounced off his opponent’s carapace armour. Sensing weakness, Fread took the opportunity. Dashing forward, his left fist caught Argus square in the jaw. The young man toppled to the floor, but rolled quickly onto his feet to face his former soldier. Fread wore a malicious smile.
“I thought those knights taught you how to fight.” Fread lashed out, with a cutting arc. Argus lifted his sword to block. His own powersword barely managing to catch his opponent’s. Reacting swiftly, Fread’s came in for another jab. Argus caught it with an empty hand. A burst of flame erupted from the younger man’s hand, sending them both reeling back. Fread shook his steaming hand in the air, gritting his teeth in pain. Argus did not react to the melted material wrapped around his hand. The heat hurt, just not nearly as much as it should.
“They taught me to fight with honour….” Replied Argus. Gripping his sword with both hands, the Inquisitor tried a diagonal slash. The Captain deflected it with his own blade, forcing the young man’s sword to the ground and following with an elbow jab. His arm caught Argus in the gut, and with the Inquisitor winded, Captain Fread took his shot. A square punch directly to Argus’ masked face cracked a lens. The two separated, Argus panting for breath, Fread smiling that disgusting smile. The Inquisitor tore his mask from his face, allowing him to see and breath clearly.
“How’s fighting with honour working out?” Captain Fread smirked as he began to circle the younger man.
“Be a lot better if you did the same.” Argus quipped back.
The Captain laughed. “Fighting with honour doesn’t win the fight.”
“Then you’ll die without honour.” Argus dashed forward. He attempted a feint to his left, then used his sword to bash away his opponent’s. He followed with a powerful punch wreathed in flame. The blow caught Fread directly in his jaw, causing him to reel. Sensing the initiative, Argus thrust his sword forward, yet Fread managed to bat the blade aside. The sword failed to hit its mark, but still sliced along the Captain’s side. His carapace armour split and his skin burned black at the heat of the blade. Fread howled in pain and turned away before responding with an upwards slash. With righteous fury, Argus smashed it away. Fread followed up with another harsh slash from underneath, but again, Argus managed to block it.
Another angry swing. Another desperate block. Though Argus held his own, he was forced backwards every time, and soon the Inquisitor was pressed against the wall. Captain Fread pushed his weight forward, and with nowhere to go, Argus barely managed to wedge his blade between them. Fread used his free hand to draw his knife from his hip. In a painful downwards blow, he forced it between the armoured plates of Argus’ knee and thigh. The Inquisitor shrieked in pain. A burst of heat erupted from him, forcing Fread back again.
Both combatants panted heavily as they glared at each other. The Captain examined the wound to his side. Argus drew the knife from his thigh and seared the wound with psychic heat. They were bruised, battered, cut and scraped. The young man’s face boiled with pain. The old man’s face shone with delight.
“Are you done Kid? Having fun yet?” The captain grinned as ever, seeming to enjoy his pain.
“Fun? Are you mad?” Argus spat back.
“Nah. Just know when to enjoy the finer things. Anomaly…” The captain held out his hand. Argus saw movent in his peripherals. He raised his arms to cross over his chest. A wall of fire covered him as Fread caught the bolt pistol, and fired off a three round burst at Argus’ chest. The rounds exploded harmlessly as they entered the fiery shield.
Pushing his psychic might, the young man let loose the fire shield at the grizzled Captain. Fread rolled out of the way, kneeling and taking aim, but Argus knocked the gun from his hand. In the same motion, Argus’ empty hand gripped the Captains sword hand. Shooting psychic heat through his skin, he forced Fread to drop his blade.
From his knees, the Captain shot upwards. Wrapping around his arms around Argus’ waist, Fread lifted him up and threw him to the ground. Slammed into the cold floor, Argus’ own blade fell from his grip and clattered away. Fread was on him in seconds, slamming his fists into the Inquisitor’s face. First his left, then his right, then his left, then his right. Argus was nearly senseless, but instinct told him he had to move. The young man pushed the last of his exhausted psychic energy, but what would have been an explosive ball of high and fire was only just a small burst. Yet it was enough to throw Fread off of him. Argus stood, trying to regain his senses. Captain Fread was circling around him at a slow crouch.
“Never really knew how to use those powers of yours, did you?” Fread taunted, faking a few lunges forwards.
“What are you talking about? Kept you off me this whole time.” Argus sneered back at him breathlessly, following along in the slow circle.
“So you can’t just incinerate me then, right?” Fread chuckled as he spoke, his lips curled into an evil smile.
The realization smacked Argus in the face. The Captain was right. He could have burnt Fread to a crisp, but now his mind was too exhausted. Argus tried to clear his head. His eyes refocused on Fread. He gasped “Next time.”
The Captain chuckled at Argus’ look of surprise. An empty hand reaching behind himself, he pulled a second combat knife free and flipped it in his hand for a downwards stabbing grip. “Ain’t gonna be a next time Kid. I need something from you.” The Captain’s other hand reached to a pouch at his hip. Snapping it open, the Captain pulled a small syringe from it, before slamming it into his thigh. Gritting his teeth in pain, he tossed it away, his lips curling into a pained and sadistic smile. “Let’s end this.” He spoke softly.
There was no time to contemplate. Argus anticipated the strike, but Captain Fread shot forward with inhuman speed. Argus tried to follow him, but by the time his eyes had locked on, Fread was behind him, and there was a shot of pain along his side. The young Inquisitor looked down to see a deep cut wound along his left side. Slumping to his knees, he felt a sharp stab in his back. A painful sting across his face was next. Argus’ cheek was bleeding. The young man looked forward and saw Fread grinning in a low crouch. His knife dripping red, just a few feet between them.
“You gonna fight back? It’s no fun if you don’t fight back.” Fread laughed as he spoke.
“You using drugs now too? Really intent on dying without honour aren’t you?” Argus snarled back at him, the anger clear in his voice.
“Just like the rush it gives me. I could kill you without them just as easily…” Samwell responded. Using his open hand, he beckoned Argus forward.
With an enraged battle cry, Argus jumped from his knees and flew forward, his fists flying. He lunged with his right hand, but Fread swiftly countered and dragged his knife along the plateless fabric of Argus’ forearm. Grunting in pain, Argus fired off with his left gloved fist. Again the Captain drew up with his combat blade. The steel scratched along the plate at his ribs and jammed itself into the younger mans unprotected armpit. The Inquisitor shrieked in pain. Argus attempted threw his knee upward and caught Fread in the ribs, but the Captain responded by pulling out the knife, and driving it into the Argus’ unprotected thigh. Argus cried out and collapsed to one knee. He tried another right handed jab. It was a weak strike, and the Captain pushed the punch aside. Samwell grabbed at the Inquisitors arm, and held it out straight. His knife-wielding hand cracked Argus’ shoulder with force. The joint popped out of place, and the young man screamed out in pain. Captain Fread pushed Argus backwards, eliciting another shrill screech of pain. Fread stepped away, a grin on his face as he watched the young Inquisitor attempt to stand.
“Come on Argus. You can do better than that.” He taunted. There was no answer. Inquisitor Bairo weakly stood, and attempted to throw his uninjured arm at the Captain. With blinding speed, Samwell caught the clumsy swing, and rammed his knife into the kids elbow, slamming his weight into the handle. Argus cried out, as the bones at his elbow snapped and broke the skin, making his uninjured arm totally useless. Argus had one arm with a popped shoulder joint, another with a heavily broken elbow. Samwell Fread chuckled.
“Still think you can win this? You and your high honour?” The traitorous Captain grinned. Argus slumped backwards.
Argus sat up slowly and attempted to kneel upright. He mustered his waning strength to speak. “I can do this al-” The young man was cut off. Captain Fread stepped swiftly and dragged his combat blade across Argus throat. The skin split, his blood drained free. His last words were nothing but a mess as he gargled on his own blood.
“I can’t, Kid.” Captain Samwell Fread spoke softly, dropping the dying Inquisitor flat to the ground.
