HammerFall

Chapter 032: Hatred :

The messenger looked badly bruised as he barged into the chambers of the King. Jasper watched with curiousity as did all others.

"My lord, some vile Warlock has laid seige and destroyed our front gates. Even now he is a fastly approaching this stronghold of the Castle. The warriors are powerless against his strength." The messenger reported.

King Tolkki stood up. "Then I shall met with this Warlock in combat,if none of my men are strong enough to face this one."

Elmgrim's hand reached out and grasped onto the other's shoulder, "Do not be so reckless, Tolkki. We must think. What does this dread warrior look like."

The messenger clearly described the warrior. The words formed on Jasper's lips before anyone else's, "Brother."

Jasper rushed from the chambers. He knew that Johan was following behind him. The kings and their warriors were no doubt arguing within that chamber how best to deal with this new threat. But he knew that he would be the one to slay his brother. Everything would soon be set to right. The House of Stormblade would no longer be shamed by one such as Mikael Stormblade, the Warlock.

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Mikael smiled darkly at the slaughter around him. They were not worth his time; but he had slew them anyway. He wanted a stronger oponnent. One that was truly worthy of himself.

He smiled as he saw the figure rushing towards him out of the main stronghold of Castle Vara. Mikael simply waited in the courtyard. He had never seen this youth; but the eyes and hair and symbol revealed his idenity, a Stormblade warrior. He doubted that one such as this would offer him much sport. But he didn't see any other warriors forthcoming.

The silver haired warrior sighed with disappointment at his point. They met with a flash of steel and sparks ignited as their blades met. He looked on wonder at the murderous hatred glaring from those pale blue eyes.

He easily shoved the younger oponnent away from himself with a simple movement of their locked blades, "You bear me much hatred, young Stormblade."

The youth looked up from the ground and snarled as he charged recklessly once more, lost in his rage, "Naturally. You have fouled our House. I'll slay you for that."

Mikael laughed as he easily blocked the attacks of the young Stormblade. Mikael found it amusing. The hatred burning in those depths was the only reason that he did not end the fight quickly. He had not seen hatred in an oponnent in such a long time.

For ten minutes the two stood fighting. It was then that he noticed that another had joined them. It was a boy from the lesser house of Lersson. He sniffed with clear disdain. It appeared that HammerFall had come to Stratsovara for some strange reason. He supposed it had something to do with their missing queen. But he had orders to retrieve; not that he planned on obeying those orders when he was having so much more fun with his battle.

The boy gritted his teeth as he actually managed to push Mikael back slightly from his firm pose. "I'll kill you and end our shame. Father will finally notice me and give up his despair over you."

Abruptly he kicked the boy. He had been shocked to learn that this weakling was his own brother. He had only seen the bawling babe once; when it had first been born so long ago. He frowned, "To think our father gave birth to sucha weakling."

Those words only seemed to intensify the boy's anger.