Chapter 44
The Fineska
Oggy slowly turned the brass handle and cracked open the wooden door. He instantly knew he was inside of his palace, although his view was obstructed by the back of the throne. Oggy stood silently, listening for the slightest sound. The throne room seemed empty at first, until the front doors swung open. He turned to his companions and placed a finger over his lips for them to hold their tongues. He heard several sets of footsteps approach the throne. Then the despicable Festus Rottenback spoke.
“You found them, eh?” he asked. “I know that you have found them or you would not return to me empty handed.”
“No, my King. We have not-,” the Dainty was interrupted.
“Silence!” Rottenback screamed. “Why have you not found them?”
“We cannot-,” he was interrupted again.
“Silence! I thought I already told you to stay your tongue?” Rottenback took a tankard, emptied it down his gullet, and threw it aside. “Do not tell me that you still cannot break through the trap door in the Broken Lamien. It has been two days since they fled. What could be so hard about breaking through a piece of wood?”
The Dainty stood silent with a look of fear on his face.
“Answer me!” Rottenback roared.
“My King, we have broken through the door itself, but the Wizard's enchantment is proving very difficult to penetrate,” the Dainty nervously replied.
“If you have not yet broken through, why do you stand here in front of me?” Festus asked.
“My King, my men are tired. I came to ask you if we could break for sleep until the morning,” he replied.
Rage grew over Rottenback's face. He began to breathe heavily. Drool hung from his lip. He stood up to scold the Dainty once more, but he heard a strange sound come from behind his throne.
“Buuuwaattt.”
Oggy turned and looked behind him.
“Sorry,” Red said as he waved the foul smelling belch away from his face.
“We must move, now!” Lot whispered.
“What was that?” Festus questioned loudly.
Suddenly, Oggius Stonefist appeared from behind the throne, and he was not alone. Surprise overtook Rottenback as he plopped back down at the appearance of his unexpected guests. Oggy and his companions made their way to the front of the throne and stood boldly in front of the King. Urganox stepped to the side and placed Erimack's body on a table and rejoined his friends.
“It seems that you are sitting on my throne,” Oggy said.
Festus looked at him for a moment, bewildered, and then let out an enormous laugh.
“Well, well, well. If it is not the former King and his band of treasonous miscreants,” Rottenback said as he stood up. “Guards! Seize these traitors. Kill them all except for the green one, save him for me.”
The royal guards began to approach the group. They drew their weapons and prepared for battle.
"You do not want to do this," Oggy pleaded with the guards, but they paid him no mind.
The scuffle that ensued turned into a miniature war. It started out as ten guards against Oggy and his seven other companions. Then over a hundred Daintish guards filled the throne room.
Oggy yelled at the top of his lungs, “Try not to kill any of them. They are good Dainties. They are only performing their duty.”
“Easy for you to say,” Urganox yelled as his shield was absorbing dozens of strikes.
Lot turned his short swords around so that the blades were tucked in along his forearms. He was using the hilts of his swords to render the guards unconscious. Urganox was sending the tiny Dainties flying across the room with his shield, often using it as a battling ram. Golgar, Zulp, and Olaf were obliterating the midsections of as many guards as possible, using the blunt ends of their weapons to take the wind from their bodies. Red, on the other hand, was using more unconventional means at keeping his attackers at bay. Twenty or more Dainties surrounded him. He sheathed his cutlasses and drew his pistol. He fired four, quick shots into four, little legs. The Dainties fell to the ground screaming in misery. He held the rest of his attackers at bay by gun point.
“What in Kazshriek-Ez-Val's3 name! Red, are you killing them?” Oggy screamed.
“Nah. Juss givin dem a lil sting. Dey will live,” the Pirate chuckled.
Oggy was faring much better. Most of the guards were still loyal to him. When face to face with the former King, most of the guards would simply fall down and pretend to be incapacitated. The few guards who did not yield, Oggy beat them senseless.
Locmire was waving his staff in the air in a circular motion. High above the floor, a handful of Dainties were spinning out of control. The Wizard brought his staff down and the Dainties fell to the floor, landing with a thud, rendering them unconscious.
King Festus Rottenback was standing at the throne in disbelief. His guards were either pretending to be defeated at the hands of Oggius or were actually being defeated. His blood began to boil. He knew that he had to do something or his throne would surely be lost.
“Enough!” Rottenback roared.
The fighting slowly died down. Urganox was the last to stop fighting. He held two Dainties by the ankles, spinning them in circles, and then released them into the air.
Oggy shouted, “That is enough, Urganox.”
The Brazurkin smiled his toothy grin and nodded his head.
“Are you ready to hand over the throne?” Oggy asked.
Festus smiled and said, “I am ready for a fineska!”
Oggy could not believe that Festus had called for a fineska.
“What be's a finesther?” Red asked.
“A fineska you fool!” Rottenback roared. “A fineska is a duel for the throne. The King picks his best warrior, and a combatant of his choosing to vie for the throne. Do you accept?” he asked.
Oggy knew that a fineska was one sided. Usually the King would pick his strongest warrior and pit him against a weaker foe that would fight for the throne under the name of his representative. In this case, the representative would be Oggy. If that was not lopsided enough, the King could also pick the type of combat. Oggy turned and looked at his companions.
“Never has there been a time that a challenger has won a fineska. I simply cannot allow any of you to put yourselves in harm’s way to aid me.”
“I will fight for you, my King,” Golgar, Zulp, and Olaf said in unison.
“I will destroy anyone who stands in my way,” Urganox said through gritted teeth.
“I will also willingly fight on your behalf,” Lot said.
“Arrr! Ye be's me friend. Me always willin to fight for a friend,” said Red.
“As will I,” Locmire replied.
A smile grew on the face of Oggy. His new companions did not hesitate to offer whatever aid they could to help he retake his throne, just as they said they would. He turned to Festus and said, “I accept.”
“Excellent!” Festus said as he walked down from the throne. “The fight will be hand to hand combat. No weapons or magic.”
He began to walk back and forth in front of Oggy and his friends.
“How’s about me and you?” Urganox asked.
“As much as I look forward to disemboweling you, no.” He stopped in front of Locmire. “Wizard, come forth.”
Lot could not believe that he had just picked Locmire. Out of the entire group, Locmire had to be the least prepared for hand to hand combat. What a cowardly move, Lot thought.
“No!” Oggy roared. “Not him. Take me in his place.”
“Oh yes, Oggy. You agreed. The fineska is set to begin,” Rottenback said with a smirk.
“It will be fine. Do not worry, friend,” Locmire said as he removed his robe.
Underneath his robes he wore a sleeveless gray jerkin and matching breeches. His body was well toned. Veins protruded over areas of thick muscle along his arms. There was something strange about Locmire. He seemed to have a glow about him. One look at the Wizard, and Rottenback
was taken by surprise.
He is fit for an old man. Maybe he can take care of himself, Lot thought.
"Now it is time you meet my warrior,” Festus said as he turned to a side chamber and called out, “Lump! Get your sorry carcass over here!”
From the side chamber a large, hulking Dainty strode out. He was four times the size of a normal Dainty but he was, in fact, a Dainty, or at least some variation of one. He was massive. His body was thick like a tree. His size trumped that of Urganox. He came over and stood in front of Locmire. The Wizard looked up at him.
“What do you think of my warrior?” Rottenback asked. “My brother may be short on brains, but he makes up for it with size.”
“I would crush him,” Urganox said.
Lump looked toward Urganox and let out a deep growl. Slobber fell from his lips. I can see the resemblance, Oggy thought.
Lump was breathing heavily, his shoulders rising with each breath. Locmire stood calmly.
Festus decided he would give his brother the upper hand and without notice yelled, “Kill him!”
Lump swatted Locmire across the room with a gigantic hand, but the Wizard did not fall. He extended his rear leg, bent the other, and simply slid to a stop. Lump lowered his head and charged. Locmire stood still. When the giant Dainty came within striking distance, Locmire extended his leg and drove it into Lump's knee cap, stopping him dead in his tracks. Lump grabbed his knee and screamed out in pain. Lump drew back his large arm and swung a wide looping blow at the Wizard. Locmire caught Lump by the wrist with his right hand, rolled into his body, brought his left elbow up, and planted it square on Lump's chin. The Dainty reeled backwards. Locmire charged forward, jumped into the air, and landed a smashing blow on Lump's chin, which sent him crashing to the ground, defeated.
Locmire turned to walk away, victorious, but Rottenback yelled, “I forgot to mention. This is a fight to the death!”
In a split second Lump was back onto his feet, and Locmire was being hoisted high in the air. Lump effortlessly flung him across the room. This time, the Wizard did not land on his feet. His back smashed into a pillar in the middle of the throne room producing a loud crack. Locmire slid down to the ground, and Lump was on him in an instant. Urganox began to run to Locmire's aid, but Oggy stayed him with his arm, shaking his head no.
Lump bent over and picked Locmire up by both sides of his head and held him high into the air. Lump's giant mitts wrapped around the entirety of Locmire's head. He pulled Locmire close to his face and roared loudly, exposing his large squared teeth. This was the break Locmire needed.
The Wizard drove his arm forward, using the space between his thumb and index finger, smashing in into Lump's throat. The Dainty released his grip on Locmire and clenched his throat, gasping for air. Locmire quickly went to work. He drove his foot once more into the knee of Lump and collapsed him to a kneeling position. Lump swung wildly at the Wizard, but Locmire was able to duck his blow. Locmire came back up and gave Lump five more rapid thrusts to the throat.
Locmire began to walk away as Lump tore at his neck. His eyes rolled back into his head, and he plummeted face first onto the floor, like a fallen tree. Locmire walked back to his party, his eyes upon Festus the entire time.
Never have I seen a man fight like that, Lot thought.
Festus was horrified. His plan had backfired, and his brother lay dead on the floor. It was all falling apart.
“Seize them!” Festus yelled, but none of the guards moved.
Oggy marched toward Festus with a great authority about him. The King looked at Oggy and said, “Fine! Take it. I never wanted it-,” but his words were silenced as Oggy's war hammer exploded Festus Rottenback's head like a melon. Blood flew across the throne room, and the Dainties began screaming, “The King is dead. Long live the King.”
Oggy stood, looking over his palace. A feeling of joy came over him. A wide grin grew upon his face. He was finally back where he belonged. Urganox opened the satchel on Lot's side and removed a jeweled crown. He walked over to Oggy. Oggy bent forward and Urganox placed the crown upon his head. It was a perfect fit. Oggy turned and walked to his throne. He wiped the crumbs from his seat, turned, and sat down. The Dainties erupted into cheers. Oggius Stonefist, the rightful King, had retaken his throne.
Locmire's Quest: Book One A Tales from Calencia Novel Page 63
