When There Is No Luck (Melchizedek)

The night was cold. So cold it’d freeze a man to right through to his bones. But that doesn’t matter, as that’s the other side of the planet. No, this was to take place in a warm, sunny day. Clouds were abundant, but there were few enough to let much light shine through. This was the reason for Alain’s being outside. The night before had been cold, keeping him inside of an empty building. But he was glad to feel a warm day. It’s distinctly better to be going on daily walks in good weather.

His walks took him several places. His first stop was at a small job, just something to get a little bit of coin for his coffer. After that food was his main objective. But that was not an easy objective to reach this day. Something, or rather someone was to meet him, as Alain stood right in this man’s path. There was no intention behind it, but he was just unlucky enough that day to have even seen the man.

Alain had been on his way from the job he had to get enough meat and bread to last him a couple meals, as was his custom, but he was tired. He had done extra work on this day, and he was not as fit as he could be. He had only gone a short distance before he paused, in hopes of resting for a minute or two. But as he stopped, facing and leaning against a wall he felt something slam into his back. Not directly from behind, but from the side. The bump spun him around to where his back was against the wall. He gained his footing and look directly in front of him. He saw a man… poorly kept, and with such ragged clothes, that one might think he’d never changed them in his life.
“I’m sorry, sir. I had no intention of being in your way.” Alain was quick to apologize… he had no need for a fight. He was tired. But there was no such luck for him today. The man glared at him, as if Alain had just socked him. This rather confused Alain. “Sir, I am sorry, but I had no intention of being in your way.” There was still no response. “Dammit, man. Can’t you speak? You know… words? Blah blah blah?” This was upsetting to Alain. This man only brashly stared at him, not even making a grunt. Marshall figured this wasn’t going to end well. He had left his halberd hidden in the building where he stayed, but at this range, it wouldn’t have been of much use anyway. There was only one thing to do now. He had to at least draw his sword, if not attack, before this man could attack him. And as such, he did draw his sword. “Sir, if you will not let this go, I feel an unneeded battle will ensue, and I-” He was cut off as the man sent a punch at him. He dodged, but saw the man’s fist smash the wall where it impacted. This battle wasn’t going to go well…

The wall was a solid one, but the pressured blow from Mordecai was enough to leave an indent. Alain was sure the man hadn't taken his comment about being able to speak very well. He looked back upon it with a sense of regret: regret that it would enrage the man further. Alain quickly learned that there wasn't time to ponder the past, as this was a fast paced battle. Mordecai again lunged towards Alain. This charge was a lower one, as Mordecai directed his broad right shoulder towards Alain's chest in a charging action.

Alain quickly sidestepped, subconsciously giving himself a pat on the back that he had avoided the attack. This was a short lived feeling though, as Mordecai heaved his elbow up to connect with Alain's stomach. Alain winced, which gave Mordecai some internal satisfaction although Alain's amour had taken the blow. Mordecai didn't let this small victory consume him. Straight away Mordecai wrapped his muscular arm around Alain's chin and throat, applying pressure in a headlock. Mordecai's bicep distorted Alain's spangerhelm against his cheek as well wiping much dirt across what was once a relatively clean face, at least compared to Mordecai's.

Alain knew that he needed to quickly escape the hold, and thus, he did. With a flick of his boot he quickly delivered a blow to Mordecai's abdomen. Mordecai released the hold but seemed otherwise unaffected. Mordecai quickly lunged again, yet this time Alain was prepared. Without hesitation he delivered a precise punch directly into Mordecai's face, connecting with his cheek and nose. Alain was simply angry about this mans persistence to cause harm to someone who had done nothing to him.

The punch did little more than delay Mordecai a few seconds, but that was enough for Alain to get a clear look at his assailant. The man looked as if he'd lived a tormented life. His eyes were filled with nothing but hatred, his heart filled with nothing but a desire to watch others suffer and his head filled with nothing more than neurons that could carry out these desires. Truth, reason, sanity, love were just a few of the things that had long departed from Mordecai, if they were ever there. Truly the battles this man had endured had changed him. Even tormented him. Demented him. Mordecai wore a sick smile and was even drooling out his mouth with a desire to harm. Alain stared into him, but there was no human left. Alain didn't know whether to be scared or to be sorry for what had happened to this man.

Alain's thoughts were interupted nuaght but a moment later when Mordecai's left fist came right at his face. Alain tried to dodge with a duck, but the fist struck him square on the forehead. From the attempt to duck, Alain had little balance, and was thrown down by the attack, and dazed. While his helm had killed most of the momentum of Mardecai's punch, there was still plenty of force to give Alain a splitting headache. He watched Mordecai come closer, still unable to get up, and gasped roughly as another blow came to his chest. Alain had to react, or be severely injured, and so he brought his legs up, which had been between Mordecai's, wrapped them around Mordecai's waist, and pulled him down. Alain rolled from his back onto his belly, then slowly got back up. He pulled out his gladius, spun around, and used the flat side of the blade to defend against another attack. Mordecai had gotten up before Alain, and had ran at him, but Alain sensed this, and was able to block him. Another flying fist came, he blocked. Another, another, and yet another came at him. Alain's arms were taking a beating from all the attacks they were blocking. Finally there was a pause just long enough in Mordecai's otherwise relentless attack that allowed Alain to fall to the ground in a dodge. He took a swipe at Mordecai's leg with his gladius, cutting it from the knee down.

Alain shot up to his feet as the man jumped back, and while not showing any sign of feeling pain, Alain thought he must be feeling something. He took the offencive this time, and came at Mordecai with his gladius again. Alain swung, but Mordecai dodged to the right. However, Alain swung his sword with just his right arm, and struck Mordecai's own right arm as it was put up in defence. Mordecai bent to his left, and send a perfectly solid punch into Alain's side, sending him down yet again. But this time Alain forced himself back up immediately and brought his sword down again, missing. Suddenly Mordecai was behind him, and kicked Alain into a nearby merchant's cart, shattering it. Alain grabbed the first thing he could, which happened to be a coconut, and threw it blindly. There were plenty around, so he threw all that were within reach before rolling away and getting up once again. He sheathed his gladius, and ran now for his halberd, hoping to create some distance between him and his opponent.

Alain ran at a quick pace, leaving the large man behind at the scene of the battle. Alain didn't realize that one of his coconuts was accurately thrown, connecting harshly against Mordecai's left temple. The blow of the coconut was strong, and even Mordecai, was showing signs of pain from it, but Alain was gone long before he could saver the moment of weakness from Mordecai. Mordecai was badly cut and bleeding, and he couldn't help thoughts of the past rerun to him, enraging him further. Fueled with these thoughts, his perception of pain vanished. Mordecai begun to chase Alain, jogging with big long strides that pounded the ground.

Meanwhile, Alain had reached his lodging where his halberd lay. It was the prefect opportunity for him to flee the battle before more damage was done, but Alain had to fight. It had begun now. It was serious. He couldn't abandon it. He was attached to the fight. Attached to Mordecai. He felt he had to end the suffering that plagued this man. He fought for compassion and for revenge.

Alain was glad to see his halberd and showed no hesitation in grabbing it. He felt whole once again, and thus, wasted no time procrastinating. He prepared to return to the battlefield, unsure as to whether Mordecai had pursued him. He burst out of the front door and was brought to an abrupt halt. Mordecai stood tall just outside the door. Upon seeing Alain, the giant drew his twin blades of equal length, beckoning at Alain to approach him.