Page 82 of Fiendish Delights
‘He was correct,’ he rumbled. ‘I cannot kill these two. But their injuries will take some time to heal. I will leave them here and return to my home, Daisy Carter. If you destroy this cavern, it will take them many weeks to escape from beneath the rubble.’ He smacked his lips. ‘It will be good.’
He touched Horst with the tip of his pointed leather boot. ‘I thought they would be more of a challenge. Perhaps next time I meet them they will have learned more and will provide more entertainment.’
I blinked. He was remarkably matter-of-fact.
‘Can’t you chop off their heads?’ I asked. Everything I’d learned suggested otherwise, but if anyone could ensure the fiends’ demise it was the Fachan. Hope springs eternal. ‘Burn their bodies? Make absolutely sure they’ll never return?’
He shook his head. ‘Fiends are not natural creatures. As long as even one scrap of their DNA remains, they will recover – but the more injured they are, the longer it takes.’ He shrugged. ‘Eventually they always come back.’
As if on cue, Horst moaned. The Fachan sighed, raised his sword and swung it down with incredible force. Alarmed, I took a step backwards and my back collided with the rough cavern wall just as Horst’s head was severed from his body. Nausea rose in my throat.
That was when Horst’s eyes swivelled upwards. ‘You’ll pay for this,’ he whispered.
The shudder of horror that rippled down my spine was intense but the Fachan didn’t appear bothered. He ambled over to the second fiend, who still wasn’t moving. Methodically, he started to hack at his body parts, first removing a hand then a foot then an entire leg. I couldn’t help myself: I turned to the side and started to heave.
‘Have you eaten something that does not agree with you?’ the Fachan enquired curiously.
Still retching, I waved weakly at him. Apparently disappointed at my fragile constitution, he pursed his lips and turned back to Horst’s body. This time I closed my eyes; I’d already seen more than enough.
Suddenly, from behind me, I heard a whooping war cryfollowed by the pounding of feet. I opened my eyes and raised my head to see a third damned fiend sprint out of the tunnel to my left and launch himself at the Fachan. It was Baltar, the one we’d encountered at the Office for Dragon Affairs – and he was blisteringly angry. ‘I’m going to get you this time, you one-eyed freak!’
The Fachan straightened up and swung his sword in the nick of time towards his new opponent. As he blocked the attack he said, ‘You again. Didn’t you learn your lesson the first two times I took you down?’
‘Third time lucky,’ Baltar snarled and lunged. He was faster than the other two and avoided the sword’s thrust. ‘I have learnt a great deal since our last encounter.’
So these two had battled before. I hugged Gladys closer and pressed myself against the cavern wall.
‘In that case, I look forward to our renewed fight,’ the Fachan said.
He started to execute a series of masterful thrusts with his sword, catching Baltar’s exposed skin several times, but each time the wound sealed over within seconds. From the watchful look on his face and the way that Baltar avoided the worst of the strokes, I knew he was a far stronger opponent than the other two fiends.
The Fachan stepped forward and swung his sword to the right. For a moment, his left flank was exposed. Baltar spotted it before I did and his face morphed into a delighted snarl. He launched himself towards it, his clawed hands outstretched and raking into the Fachan’s flesh. Then, before the Fachan could adjust his aim, Baltar sprang backwards out of reach.
‘You were right,’ the Fachan told him. ‘You have improved.’
Baltar continued to grin.
‘But,’ the Fachan said with a touch of sadness, ‘not enough.’He swung his sword once more, this time smacking it into the side of the fiend’s head and almost decapitating him.
There was blood everywhere; most of it belonged to Baltar but I knew that some was from the Fachan. The wound on his side was seeping, though it didn’t seem to slow him down.
Baltar wiped his eyes, presumably to clear his vision, then he roared and leapt around the Fachan towards his exposed back. The Fachan was ready. He propelled himself upwards, jumping off the ground with such lithe grace that my jaw dropped. He was tall and gangly, but in that instant he looked like a professional dancer. He performed a perfect mid-air somersault, landed in front of Baltar on his tiptoes and headbutted him before following up with a sword slash that cut through the fiend’s upper torso.
Baltar stared in wide-eyed shock – and no small amount of hatred – then pitched forward onto the ground with a thud. Just like that, it was over.
I peeled away from the cavern wall and gazed down at the fiend’s sprawled body. ‘Well done,’ I said shakily.
‘It was an easy fight,’ the Fachan responded dismissively. He didn’t even appear winded. ‘Fiends are strong but in the end I am always stronger.’ He wiped his blade on his thighs and smiled at me. ‘That was fun.’
He touched the deep cut on his side, pursed his lips and eyed me. ‘Are you sure you do not wish to battle me at this time? I find I am in the mood for more sport and I am now handicapped. You will have a slight advantage.’
Emphasis on the wordslight. I managed to stop myself snorting. ‘Another time,’ I said, praying that I would never, ever, have to face the Fachan in combat. Not only did I like him, I was certain that however hard skilled I became with a sword he’d skewer me in seconds every time.
He rolled his massive shoulders in a shrug. ‘It is unusual forthe fiends to work together like this, or to be near to each other. I have never seen it before. They are normally alone.’
‘I can explain that,’ I said. ‘They’ve probably banded together because one of the thirteen mythical treasures has been located. They’re trying to get hold of it to drain its magic for themselves.’
For the first time I saw a flicker of worry on his face. ‘That would not be a good thing.’
