Bab 5: A Deadly Standoff #5
The Thenn warrior's grin widened at the words exchanged between Benjen and the young man. He leaned in closer, relishing the fear he was instilling. "You like to chat, don't you?" he sneered, his malicious smile growing more pronounced.
"I like to chat too-- telling people about what we do to their corpses once they're dead is a guilty pleasure of mine..." He added, his voice dripping with sadistic satisfaction. His eyes darted between Benjen and the young man, savoring their reactions.
The young man couldn't help but cringe at the gruesome words and the maniacal look on the Thenn's face.
A shiver ran down his spine, and he turned to Benjen with an anxious expression. "Please tell me you can take these guys..." he whispered urgently.
Benjen met the young man's gaze with a stern, determined look. "If you don't get in the way-- maybe," he replied, his voice resolute. He glanced back at the Thenn with a hint of concern. "I might not be able to protect you, though" he added with a grim expression.
The young man swallowed hard but managed a wary smile. "So long as this creep doesn't get his fingers on my corpse, I'll be fine..." he muttered.
"Right... try not to die, but if you do, I'll at least burn your body," Benjen said with grim determination. He tightened his grip on his sword and took a step forward, ready to engage the Thenn warriors.
"That'll have to do," the young man replied, his own hands clutching obsidian knives. He drew another one from his belt and took a defensive stance, preparing himself for the impending fight.
The Thenn warrior, seemingly satisfied with their exchange, grinned wickedly. "We're done talking then?" He taunted, raising his massive axe. The only response he received was a steely silence.
"Good, good, then we can get to the fun bit... kill them both!" he bellowed, and with a thunderous roar, the other Thenn warriors charged toward Benjen and the young man.
The Thenn warriors, numbering four in total, split into two groups as they closed in on Benjen and the young man. Three of them aggressively pursued Benjen, while the remaining Thenn charged directly at the young man.
In any other circumstance, the young man might have been offended by the blatant disregard, but he understood that even a single Thenn warrior coming after him was more than enough to handle, given his lack of combat experience as a civilian in his former life.
The Thenn warrior menacingly approached the young man, brandishing a short sword and sporting a malicious smile.
His intentions were clear: he aimed to swiftly dispatch the young man and then join his comrades in dealing with the genuine threat, Benjen, a seasoned ranger of the Night's Watch.
"Make it easy on yourself, lad. Just lie down, and I'll make your death painless..." the Thenn warrior taunted, eager to eliminate the young man quickly and efficiently.
Summoning his courage, the young man took a deep breath and locked eyes with the Thenn warrior. His voice remained steady, though every ounce of his willpower was dedicated to maintaining an appearance of calmness.
"Think you can kill me, do you?" he challenged, narrowing his gaze and holding his two daggers at the ready.
The transformation from a seemingly clueless civilian to someone who was willing to stand his ground and fight took the Thenn warrior by surprise. Despite the young man's obvious lack of combat experience, his newfound determination and eerie composure unsettled the Thenn warrior and planted a seed of doubt in his mind.
"Oh? Not so useless after all..." the Thenn warrior commented, masking his uncertainty with a grin. He decided to taunt the young man, hoping to provoke a reaction.
"Have it your way then—slow and painful..." he threatened, but to his surprise, the young man responded with stoic silence, refusing to give the Thenn warrior the satisfaction of a reaction.
With gritted teeth, the Thenn warrior chose to call the young man's bluff. He raised his sword and cautiously approached, taking deliberate steps with his shortsword at the ready to block any potential attacks.
The figure of the young man, still standing in a posture that seemed to invite vulnerability, continued to sow doubt in the Thenn warrior's mind.
Was this inexperienced-looking young man truly a novice, or was he a skilled warrior feigning ignorance? Was he stalling for time, or was he genuinely skilled in combat? These questions raced through the Thenn warrior's thoughts as he drew closer.
Then, in an instant, all thoughts evaporated, replaced by instinct honed through countless battles. The young man finally made his move. The Thenn warrior's body tensed, his blade raised to defend against any attack the young man might launch. But what happened next left him in utter shock.
Rather than attacking, the young man simply turned and sprinted away the moment the Thenn warrior was almost within striking distance.
The sudden and unexpected escape, combined with the whirlwind of thoughts and doubts in the Thenn warrior's mind, caused him to freeze in his tracks for a few precious seconds.
It was all the time the young man needed to put some significant distance between them.
With a quick shake of his head to clear his thoughts, the Thenn warrior's shock transformed into seething anger. He sprinted after the young man, his face contorted with fury.
"You little shit! I'll skin you for this!" he yelled as he chased after the fleeing figure, a bulging vein on his forehead a testament to his rage.
The Thenn warrior gave his all in the pursuit of the young man, his anger propelling him forward as he sought vengeance for the trickery. However, it became increasingly evident that he wouldn't catch up to his quarry.
While the Thenn warrior struggled to move through the deep snow, burdened by his heavy armor, the young man seemed to glide over the surface, his steps leaving no trace.
As the minutes passed, the Thenn warrior's strength waned, and his breaths grew labored. He finally came to a panting halt, bending over with his hands on his knees, gasping for air.
Seeing his pursuer stop, the young man also ceased his flight, hiding behind a nearby tree. He watched the Thenn warrior with a sly smirk, unable to resist taunting his foe.
"Can't catch me after all, you fucking loser," he jeered, further infuriating the Thenn warrior. Recognizing that his tormentor had no response other than silent rage, the young man continued to provoke.
"You should quit while you still can. Maybe you'll be able to save the rest of your buddies from that big bad ranger if you flee now," he taunted, gesturing toward the other Thenn warriors who were locked in combat with Benjen. One of them lay dead on the ground, a headless corpse.
The Thenn warrior simmered with anger and frustration, reluctantly conceding to the wisdom of the young man's words. Continuing the chase would be futile, and he couldn't afford to be caught tired and vulnerable, with the ranger hot on his heels after dealing with his comrades.
That would be a certain death sentence.
Shooting the young man one final resentful glare, the Thenn warrior turned toward his fellow warriors, ready to rejoin the battle. However, as he pivoted, a sudden, heavy impact struck his head, sending him tumbling face-first into the snow.
In his peripheral vision, he caught sight of a small black knife, seemingly crafted from glass, falling beside him.
Meanwhile, the young man couldn't help but curse under his breath. He had watched the obsidian dagger he threw strike the Thenn warrior squarely in the head, but instead of the sharp blade, it was the blunt handle that had made contact.
Inexperienced as he was, the young man refused to squander such a golden opportunity. He swiftly buried his frustration, focusing solely on the task at hand.
Without leaving a trace in the snow, he bounded forward, closing the distance between himself and the fallen Thenn warrior with remarkable agility. As he neared the incapacitated foe, he launched himself at the Thenn, obsidian knife gripped firmly in his hand, poised to strike.
...
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