Private Decky & Bryn: An adventure

[Declan Durinson]

Declan watched as Brynjar’s feet slowly began to lift from the ground. He reveled in the feeling of the man’s windpipe being crushed in his hand. Strength would rule. True strength not compassion, the excuse of cowards. His victory however was fleeting. His feet were knocked out from beneath him and he went tumbling to the ground breaking his mental hold on Brynjar.

Once back on his feet Declan saw no sign of Brynjar. He had moved from where he had been and taken refuge…somewhere. Not far but not seen either. Declan roared with contemptuous rage. Brynjar was proving to be a worthy adversary after all. He had the skill of an Anasi but he lacked the heart and that in the end would be his undoing and it could not be allowed to be the undoing of them all.

From the corner of his vision, there was movement. Brynjar’s once discarded ax went flying through the air. Declan’s head whipped around to follow its trajectory. Brynjar grabbed hold of his weapon and at that point it was too late for Declan to do anything other than duck as Brynjar swung to remove Declan’s head. The blow did not come instead Brynjar had once again managed to circle around him and lock him in a choke hold, this one aided by the handle of the ax.

Declan sputtered feebly and thrashed with all the grace and power of a newborn fawn. He dropped to a knee. He felt his rage well inside. Sleek blue tendrils of lightning flashed at his fingertips, sparks hitting the ground small flames lighting the dead vegetation around them, and then the lightning stopped and so did all else for Declan as the world around him grew dark and he passed out of consciousness.

Brynjar Threist

 

[Brynjar Threist]

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The lightning coming from the tips of Declan's fingers were concerning, Brynjar was hoping to avoid getting blasted with electricity and at this close range there was nothing he could do to stop Declan from shocking him. Fortunately, the axe handle worked and knocked the possessed Declan out. It was dangerously close and Brynjar had thought about releasing and jumping away before the lightning struck him but the gods seemed to be on his side. Standing over Declan's unconscious body, Brynjar sighed. "Why couldn't it be Aelin who has gone crazy? Be so much easier carrying her back to people!" Brynjar rolled his shoulders and placed his one intact axe back on his belt. He looked around and put Declan's weapon on his belt as well, just so that his friend didn't lose his weapon. A Lupo should never lose their weapon, that was what his father had always stated.

Looking at Declan, Brynjar had the fun, exciting job of carrying the slumped body of Declan back to his people. Brynjar wasn't even sure what was the best position to carry the man. Dragging his body by a foot was clearly not the way to go, could end up bashing his head and killing Declan. And trying to carry the man in his arms was out of the question too, too heavy to do that for a prolonged journey. No, he needed either to carry him on his back or over his shoulder. Which way was better? Or at least which way could he do? Thinking on it, over the shoulder seemed better for an unconscious body, if Declan was alert then the back would be doable but unconscious his body would be flaying around too much to carry on the back safely. And it was important that Brynjar carried the man safely. Lifting Declan up, Brynjar grunted and grumbled that Declan owed him big time for caring about the man's safety so much. He was even heavier than he looked!

It took Brynjar much longer walking back out of the woods than the journey had taken Brynjar and Declan when entering the woods earlier. However, he did break through the woods and was panting hard as he decided to do the journey up to the encampment that Declan had come from. Brynjar just hoped that Declan's people would not attack him on sight for bringing a possibly dead Declan back. He was not sure how the Northerns would react to this since things were not always the smoothest between the Southern Lupo and the Northern ones, it was a shame in Brynjar's mind. Unity was needed and trying to build connections and coming together as one people felt important to him. Especially since if all the Northern Lupo were as strong and massive as Declan then the Fayth stood no chance. "Damn Declan, is this how you Northerns stay massive. Just carrying each other around to build the massive muscles?" Brynjar joked to the unconscious Declan as he continued on the path.

Hopefully his people would have a way of bringing his friend back.

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