The Knight and the Efreet Pt. 01

Elyas picked up his weapon.

The beast rose from the water again, and as it lunged at them once again, they swung their swords in an attempt to end the battle once and for all.

Elyas missed, but Alisaundre's sword cut right through its neck, and cut the head right off, causing massive amounts of purple, stinky, gooey liquid to spray out all over the ship.

They beat the monster, and miraculously didn't have much damage done to the ship that could hinder their long voyage, but during the chaos, sadly, their food supply and canteens had been lost; having slid right off the ship while the creature rammed into them mercilessly in its relentless attack.

With their supplies gone, they would have no choice but to starve for the remaining two days.

"So the food's gone." Elyas' tone fell in despair.

"Afraid so. It must've slid off the ship while the beast was trying to take the ship down into the sea."

"How will we survive?"

"It's only a three day's journey. And the first day has already passed, now we only have two more days until we arrive."

Starving and dehydrating didn't sound very pleasing, but, at this point, given the situation they were in, there really wasn't that much that the two knights could really do, besides accept what had happened.

"Now. Since all the excitement is over, let us go back to sleep; that we may get some rest. We need to be ready."

With the threat of the sea monster over, and Edgerus steering the ship again, they retired to the cabin where they proceeded to catch up on some sleep.

When they awoke, it was noon.

The journey was a long one, but they eventually ended up at the Eastern Continent.

The two knights stepped foot on the ground, gazed around at their unsightly surroundings, and took in the look of desolated land.

It had very little life, aside from a few trees that had clearly been dead for quite a few years.

The area was mostly inhabited by rocks, as well as some huge boulders.

"This is the Eastern Continent? But this is nothing more than a forsaken land. How could anyone possibly even live here?" Elyas inquired; placing a thoughtful left hand under his chin.

"We've only stepped foot on the land. There's people here: His Majesty has been here before." Alisaundre assured.

"Hard to believe anyone even lives here." He heard Elyas mutter under his breath.

They scouted the area for any possible surprises that may be in store, because, as the King had told them several times: Be on your guard when journeying to a new land, because not everyone was cordial and chivalrous, and many weren't fold of foreigners and would have their first response as attack first and ask questions later.

"Well," Alisaundre concluded, "looks like there's no threats here."

"But," Elyas reminded, "we've yet to only scratch the surface; if what you say is true, and we're merely on the outside, he may be waiting ahead."

They continued to tread the dead ground, and the more they walked, they started to see a big, stone castle up ahead.

They quickly started to put the distance behind them, running towards the town where the castle they saw was, hoping, praying to the Lord, that they may get there before the Jade Knight's onslaught grew anymore out of hand.

As they continued to run, the closer and more clearer both the castle and the town became, until they were only moments away from the entrance.

"Make haste! Let us hurry." Alisaundre urgently spoke, adding a bit more speed.

The two knights ran until they finally arrived near the town entrance, and when they arrived, there was a panic in the town, with everyone crying and rushing about as if another plague had spread out.

"Run! RUN!" Alisaundre heard a man yell.

As Alisaundre's eyes gazed down, he felt his heart wrench against his chest. On the ground, before his eyes, was a small child no older than three, whom had her stomach cut open, and her entrails exposed.

But it wasn't just her.

"Look." Elyas' voice was quiet and mournful.

Alisaundre turned his gaze towards where he was pointing, and countless bodies lay strewn through out the village ground, a good majority of them were peasants, but Alisaundre could make out a few of the knights as well, some Captains clad in gold armor, and some were low-ranking knights.

The Jade Knight's brutality knew no bounds.

"All these people...Dead. It's just like when war broke out back in Ralesmias, two years ago." Elyas shook his head; making a fist with his left hand.

Making way into the town, with the bodies piling up even more, the two brave knights were soon spotted by the hysterical peasants, who, upon seeing them both, practically fell to their feet in worship.

"There's a madman on the loose. Please, kind knights, stop him before he eradicates the whole town! He's already killed the King!"

Said a fair looking, young peasant woman, clad in rags.

"Don't worry, ma'am. We're here to help. The Jade Knight will he slayed." Alisaundre promised, kneeling down, and placing a gauntleted hand on her back.

"T-thank you.." She spoke in a hushed whisper.

She rose from her hands and knees after a few minutes, and then ran off, making way towards a safe spot behind them.

They resumed their walk through the town, and as they did, the bodies continued to follow them, bodies, blood, and innards, all strewn though out the paths they followed.

They had soon came across the courtyard of the town, which was surrounded by inns and small houses.

Standing there, they were soon greeted by more terrified residents who ran past them, screaming and carrying their children.

They saw him.

There, holding an elderly old man by his neck, was the Jade Knight in all his horrifying glory.

"He must be at least seven feet tall." Elyas was astonished.

Before either Alisaundre or Elyas could make their approach any further, the Jade Knight took an over-sized, huge, jade axe and sent it chopping into the old man's neck; hacking it off.

"PIG!" Cried Elyas.

"Bloody scoundrel." Alisaundre murmured to himself, feeling his upper lip twitch.

The Jade Knight was indeed a monster. Seven feet as Elyas had noted, dressed in well-kept, full jade-mail, with a jade, great helm, and a jade, great axe resting in his gauntleted hands.

They were like ants compared to him: five feet and ten inches, and five feet and nine inches, and he towered over both of then, at seven foot.

"More vermin?" His voice was loud, yet unnaturally deep, just as Alisaubdre had imagined. "Maggots!"

"Brace yourself, Elyas, here he comes.." Alisaundre warned.

Stepping over a single corpse of a middle aged man, the Jade Knight came towards them, and Alisaundre and Elyas drew their swords and shields; readying for the surely intense fight that they were sent the continent to commence in.

A storm of people rushed by them, like sheep running from a hungry wolf, while the horrible Jade Knight laughed.

The Jade Knight came towards them as the last of the people ran by, and he took his axe and swung it at the knights; Elyas backed up out of the way, but Alisaundre blocked it with his shield; raising the buckler up to deflect his attack.

"Be ready at any time, Elyas." Warned Alisaundre; lowering his shield back down.

The Jade Knight pulled the great axe down, but Alisaundre moved out of the way, and his mighty jade axe hit the ground; cutting into the grass and digging up Earth.

He pulled his axe back up, and Alisaundre, at that moment, thought that the evil knight had set his gaze on Elyas, because he then went to attack Elyas, swinging his axe.

Elyas rose his sword up, and struck at his axe; his sword clashing with the axe, only to break away, and the Jade Knight chopped at him, with Elyas just barely managing to intercept each movement of the axe with his own sword.

"Don't let his weapon touch you! Our mail is strong, but not even plate-mail can protect you from the blunt force of an axe!" Alisaundre said to him, warning him while he watched them commence.

If things grew too bad, he already decided he would step in, but for now, he wanted to see how far Elyas' training had came along, and even though Elyas was finding it quite difficult to keep up with their new adversary, he was doing better than most men; being able to hold his own against a man-slayer, with a weapon that pierced armor.

Elyas parried the knight's axe, and for a while, managed to hold it in place, but the Jade Knight was stronger, broke free, and went to cleave him with his axe.

Alisaundre stepped in, and swatted the axe away with his blade, drawing the knight's attention to himself, and started battling him once more.

He struck Alisaundre with the back of his weapon, and the sheer force of the butt sent Alisaundre tumbling backwards and his great helm came right off, revealing and exposing his youthful face to the Jade Knight's weapon.

"Alisaundre!" Elyas cried, running towards him, and as Alisaundre tried to grab his sword, halted the Jade Knight.

The Jade Knight's axe's head struck at Elyas' sword, pushing his hands downward with nothing but sheer brute, superhuman strength that should have been humanly impossible.

"Alisaundre! Hurry!" He strained.

The sparks flew from their weapons as cold steel clashed with jade, and all the while, Alisaundre his sword, rose back up to his feet, and just as Elyas withdrew from the knight's range, went in to attack again.

Elyas struck at his helmet; his sword landing a clear blow to his helmet, and cutting off part of the very helmet that was protecting him.

The Jade Knight's teeth were now exposed; and they were grit together in a bestial like expression.

He rose his axe into the air, then brought it downward, but Alisaundre halted it, parrying it with his sword, only to have the Jade Knight break his axe free, and slice through his mail; cutting Alisaundre on the shoulder, causing him to bleed.

"Be careful, Alisaundre!"

"Easier said than done." Alisaundre chuckled.

As his axe fell back down towards him, Alisaundre quickly rose his buckler up; stopping his attack, forcing him to retract his weapon from his attack.

"This is pathetic." The deep, loud-voiced knight grunted, "I'll take both of you insects on at once."

Alisaundre turned his dark brown eyes to Elyas, and gave a slight nod as determination burned in his eyes.

"You heard him," Alisaundre spoke calmly, "let us both battle him at once."

"Right." He simply responded.

The Jade Knight chopped at Alisaundre, but Elyas intercepted him, and parried his upward axe, and from their this continued for several long moments, of Elyas and the Jade Knight parrying one another, until Elyas was caught off guard, struck in the left arm, and dropped his sword.

Alisaundre quickly parried the axe away when it came down towards Elyas' helmet, and then they parried one another.

The Jade Knight's axe came down in an overhead slash, but just as his weapon came down, Alisaundre parried it, rose his shield up as another attack came down, blocking it, and then they continued their battle, with the Jade Knight's skill being clearly shown.

"If it continues like this, we'll be exhausted before he is." Alisaundre concluded.

"Then," Elyas rose up; sword in hand, while he came back in to Alisaundre's aid, once more, "we must dispatch him quickly."

They both attacked at once.

Alisaundre struck at his helmet, while Elyas went to slice at his right hand.

While Alisaundre's attack missed, with the Jade Knight using his amazing reflexes to move to the left, Elyas managed to cut through the gauntlet on his right hand, causing him to drop his axe.

"You're defenseless now!" Alisaundre proudly announced; his dark brown eyebrows lowering into his eyes.

"Fool!" Was all the knight said.

A strong punch from his left hand smashed into Alisaundre's right jaw, and he almost felt like his jawbone was about to shatter.

Alisaundre fell to the ground; blood falling down his lips.

He stayed down for a few moments; trying to regain himself again, everything swirling around him, but before he could get on his feet, the Jade Knight had picked Elyas up with one hand, then flung him into one of the benches of the courtyard.

The knight picked up his axe, walked towards Alisaundre, bent forward, and pushed the whole axe against his neck, trying to cut off his air, trying to choke him.

"A boy, like you, beat me? BAH! Captains and generals couldn't strike me down, boy...So what makes you think you're any different?" He cackled madly; saliva dripping down his pointed, slightly yellowing, teeth.

Alisaundre groaned; wincing his right eye while he tried in a pitiful, vain attempt to reach his hand towards his sword, which was too many inches away for him to possibly reach from where he was.

"You're still wet behind the ears."

His breath hit Alisaunre's face.

Finding himself gasping for air, Alisaundre knew bring choked wasn't the way he wanted to be defeated, and knowing his sword was too far away for him to reach, as vain as his attempt would be, he had to try and pry the axe off his neck.

He rose both hands up, pushed against the axe, and, as hot saliva hit his face from the cackling knight, he tried to push the great axe off himself.

"Pitiful WRETCH! You don't realize who you're dealing with." He pushed it harder against Alisaundre's neck, and Alisaundre heard a yell escape his lips.

"Alisaundre!" He heard a voice cry.

Elyas was running towards them, and this of course diverted the knight's attention away.

The Jade Knight removed the axe from Alisaundre's neck, gave a deep, breathy growl, and rose up, going after Elyas with his axe.

He swing his axe at Elyas, but Elyas swayed to the left, dodging the attack, and rose his blade up, hitting the hard jade axe in a parry, which he just narrowly missed.

Alisaundre rose to my feet; trying to catch his breath, and while Elyas distracted the knight, Alisaundre quickly ran towards his sword, picking it up.

He grasped it in his right hand.

Elyas was struck by the butt of the axe, stumbled backwards, and struggled to get his sword. He grabbed his sword, and rose it up at the last minute to stop the axe.

Alisaubdre could tell he was struggling to keep the axe in place, what with how the knight had such might, but alas, Elyas' strength failed him.

Alisaundre arrived just in time, stole the fiend's attention and drew him towards himself.

They attacked one another, but then Alisaundre was caught off guard.

"ALISAUNDRE!"

But before Alisaundre could move, Elyas got in front of him, and the axe came down; blood splattering everywhere, and Elyas gasped; blood gushing down his mouth.

The Jade Knight pulled his axe out of Elyas, and just stood there, laughing chaotically while Elyas fell into my Alisaundre's arms.

"E-Elyas?" His tone fell drastically.

"Alisaundre?" He struggled.

"I'll get you help, Elyas!" Alisaundre felt his face weakening; twitching as his eyes became moist.

"No. Alisaundre, you came here f-f-for a reason. A-Alisaundre, you just protect the people...You...Must."

His eyes shut.

"Elyas? ELYAS?" Alisaundre shook his body, but there was no response.

Tears fell down Alisaundre's eyes; rolling down his cheeks while he held his lifeless body; his head shaking in disbelief while his lips quivered.

"Elyas..." He closed his eyes.

Elyas was gone. The Jade Knight had taken another victim.

"You bloody dog!" Alisaundre furiously spat out, laying Elyas' body down while the Jade Knight laughed.

"I'll kill you, you worthless PIG!"

Alisaundre rushed towards him, struck his face, and tore off a large chunk of his helmet, and even part of the left side of his face.

The Jade Knight screamed in pain, but then came after Alisaundre with his axe. Alisaundre parried it, slapped him back with his buckler shield, and then, lowering his sword, thrust it into the Jade Knight's stomach; impaling him.

The Jade Knight coughed up excessive amounts of blood while the blood from his stomach coated Alisaundre's blade, and Alisaundre then pulled his sword out; letting his body fall, only to look up at the sky, and shriek at the top of his lungs while his body shook.

With the Jade Knight defeated, Alisaundre's mission was complete, and he left the courtyard, with Elyas' body in tow.

Everyone rejoiced at the defeat of the Jade Knight, but, at the same time, they mourned Elyas, when they saw that he had fell in battle.

Though Alisaundre received praise and was offered food and drink as celebration, he declined, and returned to the ship, regretfully informing Captain John and Edgerus that Elyas had been bested in battle, and was killed.

They were off.

They were to leave the Eastern Continent, and return back to Ralesmias, where Alisaundre would then take Elyas to the church, so that he could bury him.

A great storm picked up out of nowhere, and although the ship fought against it, the howling winds that sounded like an angry god's cries, and the raging sea, that rocked them every which way, threw them off course, and they became trapped in the furious storm.

"Elyas!" Alisaundre shouted in horror, running towards the edge of the ship.

Elyas' corpse fell overboard the ship, and Alisaundre rushed to grab it, but was too late, and his body fell into the sea.

Alisaundre sunk to his knees. Not only did he let him die, Alisaundre even let his body fall into the sea.

"This storm is'a brewing!" Edgerus growled; spinning the wheel.

The ship started to shake.

Alisaundre slid back in the ship, tumbling to the back of the ship along with Edgerus.

He fell overboard, and the last thing that he remembered was his helmet falling off, and trying to stay afloat, despite his armor weighing him down.

Everything went blank.

A few hours later, coming to, Alisaundre, lying on the ground on his face, felt searing heat on his flesh.

His whole body felt like it was being baked like one of Johannes' delicious chicken, and it was then that, as his eyes wandered towards the sky, with sweat falling down his face, that he realized the sun was hitting him from every direction.

Alisaundre brought his gauntleted hands towards the ground, and relying on the muscles in his arms, pushed himself up, only to look away from the sun, and gaze back down at the ground below, noticing his hands were in ruby red sand.

"What..." He stared at the sand.

Alisaundre scooped the sand up, letting it fall between his covered fingers, and then gazed around at the sand, which, much to his horror, seemed to go on and on, stretching out for many a weary mile.

"...Bloody..."

It was true that Alisaundre had traversed many tiring miles before, but only on a few rare occasions had he been forced to settle on foot; his horse was usually the victim of the long and grueling walks; walking through sand this hot was going to be the most misread experience he had ever been forced into.

But then something popped into his head: Where was the ship? In fact, where was anything? All he saw was sand and a small oasis for the desperate.

"There's not even a sea." He muttered to himself.

"And even if there is...I can't see a wretched thing because of this blasted sand."

Alisaundre rose from the sand and stood up to his feet.

He looked around once more, wistfully scouting for even the faintest glimmer of hope that the S.S. Glowsden was somewhere nearby.

"If I don't get out of here, I'll die of heat. I'd rather die on the battle field.." He stepped forward.

Alisaundre began his journey through the unknown desert which he had somehow washed ashore upon, and as he cursed himself for the death of Elyas, and even more so than that, letting Elyas' body fall overboard the ship, he started to wonder how life could even survive out in such a humid place.