Welcome to my weekly serial. This is a rough draft that I am working on, for your reading pleasure. It is a fairly grim tale, so be warned.

Here is the first post from this series.

Here is last week’s entry.

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Kasuukak came down on Retaak like a mountain. All there could feel it, and the spawn closest to Retaak shrank away as much as they could, fearful as the new Dread Lord stormed past. Somehow, Retaak kept his feet the face of of that onslaught, defiant.

“Such remarkable courage and strength,” said Ushochhushi, lifting the Dread Blade to swing. “And yet all of that will is wasted. That’s the difference between you and I, Retaak. You are too impatient, you never learned to take your place and wait. Ah well.”

He swung the blade. Retaak heard laughter, a voice from a place of webs and old doom, and felt the compelling break. The chains were off, suddenly he was free to move. Jerking back to avoid the Dread Blade, he felt the wind of metal brush past him and the rock spray against his leg as it bit into the ground. He stumbled back and away, expecting another swing.

Instead of a follow up that would have bisected Retaak, all Ushochhushi could do was glare at his enemy. The Dread Blade had bitten deep into the rock and the former seneschal was struggling to pull it out. Retaak wasted no time.

“Die!” he roared, surging back toward Ushochhushi, hands curling into fists, anger burning through his veins. “You killed her!”

Ushochhushi ducked under Retaak’s fist and kicked him in the side, hoping to push the Ogre back and pull the blade put of the rock. Retaak only staggered back a half-step, however, and the former Seneschal could not get a chance to pull on the weapon. Retaak swung again, Ushochhushi sidestepped and hit a nerve in his shoulder, sending a jolt of pain through the Ogre. Retaak powered through the pain making a grab for Ushochhushi, who let go of the sword and danced back from that lethal embrace.

Retaak growled, intent on Ushochhushi now. “You used her. You used us all.”

“What was she to you?” snarled Ushochhushi, snatching up a spear from the ground nearby.

“I will never know, now,” said Retaak. “Yet another moment you have stolen from me, and for what? a chance to wear the crown that will be your doom as surely as it has been the doom of every one who has worn it? What will you do Ushochhushi? conquer more land? extinguish more lives? All for the sake of carving your name into the bloody annals of history? Am I the fool for not wanting that?”

Ushochhushi heard the anguish in Retaak’s voice and it gave him pause. He lowered his spear…

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