LEGEND OF NEVETSECNUAC - ON THE WAY TO THE CAPITAL - SECTION 3

 The two combatants first bowed to each other in respect then assumed their combat positions.  Zonar formally reissued his challenge and, Nevetsecnuac with the understanding that this may precipitate his swift end, formally accepted it.

01- FIGHT BETWEEEN NEVETSECNUAC AND ZONAR

Preliminaries over, without another word, in lightning speed both simultaneously launched their deadly assaults.  The fearsome battle that followed displayed the most brilliant feats of arms. Earth and the heavens quaked at each encounter as clear blue lightning shot upwards at every meeting of their blades.  So swift were their moves that only a shimmering iridescence betrayed the presence of the swords, and the air throbbed to the beat of their whirling blades.  The death-defying attacks, and counter attacks continued without end; back and forth they moved as they ceaselessly fought innumerable rounds while the sun took its slow, lazy journey across the sky.

In Zonar's lifetime none, however competent, had survived the first encounter, the first clash with him.  He had commanded great armies, vanquished many seemingly invincible foes yet Nevetsecnuac, with his gentle disposition, could not be kept at bay, let alone be bested. Zonar was secretly elated that his nephew (who bore some likeness to his dead sister) showed such promise. Nevertheless, he’d quickly curtailed his wishful hope knowing the terrible odds, the ultimate challenges outside of mortal realms, Nevetsecnuac would one day face!

02- PORTENDED FUTURE BATTLES WITHIN THE RALSMS OF IMMORTALS

Zonar  Kuntzu shook his head to purge the unsolicited parade of somber images from his mind, reminding himself that he’d already defied many sure prophesies; and he inwardly pledged self (swore an oath) to face this danger alongside his nephew, as well, to do all that he can to aid (assist) Nevetsecnuac, in fulfilling his rightful destiny. Meanwhile, on the outset, Zonar had fought Nevetsecnuac ceaselessly, still evaluating his nephew’s fighting prowess (competency, proficiency) and, taking stock of the areas of deficits (shortfalls, lacks) that may hinder his progress or his (future) eventual sure success.

 Incredibly, even after more than hundred bouts (rounds, sessions) of fighting neither of them fared any the worse or gained the advantage, for they were adeptly matched (despite disparate age and experience) in both skill and ability. Zonar made a mental note to one day thank Lord Asger for his excellent tutelage (expert coaching and guidance) of Nevetsecnuac.

Just then, in the thick of the battle, nonetheless, the unthinkable had happened.  Zonar's blade, meeting a calculated force at an angle, flew out of his hand and sliced across the sky to land far in the distance. Swiftly Zonar swerved to escape the path of Nevetsecnuac's sword and somersaulted out of the circle of combat. Zonar then literally shot up into the air as if catapulted, to land squarely on the crest of the hill.  His left hand clasped the just then exposed amulet (hanging from a chain around his neck) as the strange blue-green light emanating from the talisman which had then engulfed the frame of Zonar, momentarily blinded Nevetsecnuac.

03- ZONAR'S AMULET IS EXPOSED

When Nevetsecnuac’s vision was restored, he witnessed in amazement the light, now partially dimmed, still shooting across Zonar's chest to the tips of his right hand, which stretched upwards to the sky.  White vapor made luminous by the amulet's light trailed Zonar's hand as he sewed strange designs in the air, muttering an incantation.

When this time he shouted, "Commence!" a sinister black mist rolled from behind him, dimming the sun and mantling the earth and sky in oppressive darkness.  The evil miasma was driven by a strange, biting gale that raced down the hill and swept over the open field to strike Nevetsecnuac. Dust, churned up debris and sand flew at him, thrashing at his face while the quaking ground uprooted trees and sent stones and rocks of incredible size rolling over the ground.

 Nevetsecnuac's tethered, mortified horse whinnied and bolted, straining her reins to the choking point.  From the swirling clouds of dust, debris and sand emerged savage, fearsome beasts, monsters, and giant venomous vipers, some with human heads and other parts.  Rather than retreating in alarm, Nevetsecnuac hacked away at them fiercely, trying to carve himself an opening to reach Zonar who, having summoned his sword back to his hand, was now parachuting down from the hill, his dark countenance making him appear like a demigod.

Nevetsecnuac, wielding his whirling blade, effortlessly brought down a multitude of these manifestations.

04- NEVETSECNUAC COUNTERING ZONAR KUNTZU

 As soon as they touched the ground, however, they instantly reverted back to their original forms, twigs, dried leaves and plants and lifeless insects and worms.  Despite the mounting wall of debris growing to surround Nevetsecnuac, there appeared to be no end to Zonar's intense onslaught.

"That's enough!"  Nevetsecnuac cast aside the sword with disdain and sat down, his back straight as an arrow, cross-legged on the ground.

"This is no measure of a man's strength and skill."  Clenching his fist in the air, blinded to anything beyond the thick curtain of supernatural beings, he indiscriminately shouted his dare, "Zonar, I know you can hear me!  Do your worst but be warned that when you've exhausted your puerile games you will meet your utter, humiliating defeat at my hands!  I have no charms or devilish devices.  My strength is born from within."  Clasping his hands together and riveting his eyes shut he entered a deep trance amid the chaos as the turmoil about him intensified to a fever pitch.

Unlike his prior experiences, Nevetsecnuac was exposed to deep cuts, bites, bruises, internal and external lacerations and burns beyond endurance.  However, he remained totally inert and gradually the spell, which fed on fear, reaction and resistance, weakened.  His wounds healed and the horrendous monsters, phantoms and hideous creatures of man's worst nightmares backed away and each in turn, with piercing shrieks, shriveled up, became transparent and reverted to their original, inert forms or turned to smoke and altogether ceased to exist.

 The gale reversed direction and blew back from whence it came.  Nevetsecnuac opened his eyes to witness the last speck of dust settling and the fog rolling back to expose his temporarily, a much younger self, standing before the blood-curdling form of Zonar, larger than life glowering at him, before he broodingly looked away.

05- NEVETSECNUAC AND, ZONAR IN HIS GROTESQUE FORM

 Subsequently, as Nevetsecnuac reverted to his present self, Zonar's form now diminished, at first with an unreadable expression on his face almost akin to an affection, he with a glint of hope in his eye, turned to squarely gaze at his remarkable nephew. He was not through with his assessment however, and so, "Since our first encounter you have evoked my curiosity." Zonar added sternly, having decided to maintain secrecy a little while longer.

"I see now that I had not underestimated your prowess.  With your resilience and remarkable willpower, you, sir, have succeeded as none had before."  He lowered his weapon and tried to smile.

"Hence, I congratulate you, young warrior, on being the first, to have ever overcome the potency of my invincible magic.  Indubitably you are a worthy opponent, though I would like to see how much further (extent of) your acuity, dexterity and martial aptitude excel. Shall we resume where we had left off?"

Acquiescing, Nevetsecnuac rose to his feet.

"You will do well to maintain this advantage."  Zonar snapped his right fingers, his left hand clasping the concealed amulet, and the sword that had been cast aside suddenly rose out of the debris and flew directly into Nevetsecnuac's hand.

"Thank you, but let’s contest now by another means."  Nevetsecnuac cast the blade aside once more and riveted his defiant, provocative (confrontational) gaze on Zonar.

"You've got gall!"  Throwing his head back, Zonar laughed uproariously.  He was starting to develop a definite, deep affinity for this very remarkable young warrior.

 "Very well, let us try combat without them."  Meeting this challenge happily,

Zonar then returned his own sword to its scabbard and discarded it, not once taking his eyes off Nevetsecnuac.

06- ZONAR DISCARDS HIS SWORD ALSO.

So astounding was the ensuing (hand to hand combat) pitched battle that mere words could not give a just, apt description to it; moreover, the contest lasted an additional day and a half and, after countless rounds more, it still did not, not for a spell, falter in its intensity.

Subsequently, at one point unfortunately for Zonar, in the thick of combat charged as Nevetsecnuac was, his one decisive blow to Zonar's chest, spelled the dire consequence for the latter. The impact of this singular blow was such that, it had cracked the water crystal amulet he’d always worn, into two perfect halves.  As one half fell to the ground, a stunned but unharmed Zonar suddenly leaped out of the combat circle and, staying his hand, shouted a temporary halt to their fighting.

 A mixture of surprise, dismay and anger registered in Zonar’s piercing eyes as they avidly searched the churned ground.  Spotting the fallen piece, he summarily matched it to the other severed half and muttered some incomprehensible incantations to test its power.  Disillusionment and dismay briefly registered in his pupils when he failed to attain the satisfactory affirmation.  The power and the entity within, that he had endured for so long, was no more.

 

(END OF SECTION 3) 

                                                                                             ~