Born in apocalypse

Chapter 19: The last one standing

Dhruv lunged forward with all the speed he could muster, thrusting his spear toward Warden with precision.

Warden wasn't skilled enough in melee combat as much as Dhruv, yet he showed remarkable speed and somehow managed to parry the attack with the saber, showing surprising reflexes.

They exchanged a series of quick blows, but Dhruv's experience with the spear allowed him to maintain the upper hand. His strikes were fierce and strategic, forcing Warden into a defensive stance.

Dhruv's eyes were intense, showing the reflection of the many battles he had fought and won. His nickname 'monster' isn't only for name; it was the complete opposite, as he had earned it.

Warden's heart pounded in his chest as he blocked Dhruv's spear thrusts. He knew he was outmatched in terms of experience, but he refused to let fear overwhelm him. He wasn't naive to think that he was skilled enough to beat him fair and square; that's why he had sacrificed two hundred men to make him tired, even going as far as making another two hundred undead to hit the last nail in the coffin.

'That should be enough to make him tired enough for me to cross the gap... right?' even after all the arrangements, he still shows signs of worry... and that goes to show how experienced he was in battle.

As the battle wore on, Warden's nerves began to settle. He found his rhythm and started to counter Dhruv's attacks with more confidence. Warden's strikes grew fiercer, and he began to close the distance between them, using the saber's shorter reach to his advantage.

Dhruv started to feel the pressure; the fatigue from his previous encounter with the –four hundred and some more became evident.

Dhruv's breathing became heavier, he felt his muscles burning with exertion. The weight of his past victories now bore down on him, making each movement feel sluggish and slow.

'I have to end this quickly, or I can die with all the errors I'm making' Dhruv thought, knowing full well the consequences of losing at this stage.

He tried to hide his tiredness, but warden being the warden, he noticed the subtle changes in Dhruv's stance almost instantly, as he was waiting for this exact moment and seized the opportunity instantly. With a swift sidestep, he managed to evade Dhruv's spear and deliver a grazing blow to his lower abdomen.

'Shit'

Dhruv cursed his incompetence once again, forgetting to account for the fact that just like himself warden would also have cosmic weapons. He doesn't know the reason, but after an experiment, he concluded that those weapons could cut his skin far smoother than a fired bullet.

Forgetting about this thing isn't entirely his fault, as no one uses those weapons except for some prisoners... whom he managed to kill far too quickly. But that doesn't change the fact that he is now in a dire situation because of his, lack of focus.

Dhruv's movements began to slow, and his attacks lacked the same intensity they once had. Warden once again saw this as an opportunity and pressed his advantage. He managed to land a few glancing blows on Dhruv, chipping away at his stamina. Warden's persistence and tactical approach now balance the experience gap between them.

Warden's eyes sparkled with a newfound sense of determination. He could sense that victory was within his reach. He had heard stories of Dhruv's savagery and skill, but now he saw him in tatters, soaked in blood—not of his opponent but of his own He had to keep pushing and keep wearing down the monster in front of him with caution, as a single mistake can spell his doom—a mistake he can't afford at the moment.

As Warden pressed forward, Dhruv's mind raced with conflicting thoughts. Doubt crept in, and for the first time in a long while, he questioned his abilities.

'Should he flee? No, he can't. The only escape route is littered with corpses, which would slow him down.

Should he beg? Not an option. The warden won't let him get away with what he's done.

Should he...?' All types of questions started appearing in his mind but he knew the only answer was that he had to fight; either kill him and win or lose...

'I couldn't afford to lose, not after everything I had endured to reach this point' he thought, trying to find a way to turn the table in his favor... After much thought, he found a method, but for it to work, he had to wait for the right moment.

Warden's newfound confidence was contagious, fueling his determination to outlast Dhruv.

Dhruv's exhaustion was now evident.. if it wasn't already, as he struggled to maintain his composure. He knew that he should have ended the battle earlier, but his fatigue had caught up with him, and Warden could sense it.

Warden's saber danced with precision, each strike inching him closer to victory. He moved fluidly, dodging Dhruv's weakening attacks and countering with his own. Dhruv's once unyielding defense now faltered, and he stumbled backward, giving ground to the relentless Warden.

As the final round commenced, Dhruv's movements were labored, and his once decisive strikes became sloppy. Warden, on the other hand, felt a surge of adrenaline, knowing victory was within reach. With newfound strength, he pressed on, pushing Dhruv back with each strike. Warden's relentless spirit was beginning to overshadow Dhruv's experience.

Dhruv's grip on his spear loosened, and he stumbled backward, barely able to defend against the Warden's onslaught. His experience was no match for Warden's determination.

Warden's heart pounded in his chest as he saw an opening. He took a deep breath, steadied his hand, and launched a decisive strike. The saber connected with Dhruv's spear, and with a mighty wrench, he disarmed the monster. The spear clattered to the ground, and Dhruv fell to his knees, gasping for breath, completely drained from the prolonged fight.

Warden rejoiced the moment he see the light in his eyes wavering; he knew he had won the battle and the man in front of him was just living on his mercy... and he could decide his fate.

For a second, he thought of keeping Dhruv alive... making him his partner so they can climb the ranks of this new world together... but he quickly dismisses that thought aside when he remembers what Walton had done to him and that he had decided to help him.

'Let's not be stuck thinking about the past' He thought, looking at the Dhruv crawling towards his spear.

"You still want to continue... ugh! I admire your persistence.... you are a different breed... and I respect that and that's why I have to kill you, so you don't get in my way.. you... understand, right"

"...Hah! Nothing to say... nevermind"

He advances toward Dhruv, determined to finish him off... However, having been a prison warden for twenty years, he had developed the habit of always asking for the last wish of a criminal before executing them...

"...Let's say, Dhruv, do you have any dying wishes I can fulfill..?" he instinctively asks, never intending to keep his word. But this time, to his surprise, a reply comes.

"..let me.. Die with my we.. weapon in my embrace.." he says.

The warden ponders for a moment and decides it would be dangerous if Dhruv were to get hold of his weapon again. With just a hand's distance between Dhruv and his spear, the warden opens his mouth.

"Sorry, but we can't do that."

Gripping his saber, he moves toward Dhruv, intending to finish him by severing his neck in one fell swoop.

Step by step, he closes the distance between himself and Dhruv, who also moves towards his spear... but now it poses no threat in the warden's eyes.

As the warden lifts his hand, about to deliver the blow, time seems to slow down. He notices Dhruv gripping his spear with one hand as if it were his long-lost lover and sees another hand lifting towards him, wanting to stop the saber's blow.

'What a fool' he thought, continuing his attack...

When the saber is only 30 cm away from the hand, something changes, something bizarre happens... As the smile on his face froze, he heard a whisper...

"Why did you have to kill me?" a voice echoes in his head.

He gulped, trying to make sense of what was happening and why he was hearing his father's voice. He started panicking... as the sound was getting louder and louder..

"... have to kill me... kill me... kill ME... KILL ME... KILL ME"

He stood paralyzed, stunned by the onslaught of his father's shrieks. All he could do was try not to fall to his knees. And that's when he realized that it was nothing but a mere illusion—but it was already too late.

A sharp pain assaulted him before he could even think where the pain was coming from...

He dropped to the ground, where a moment before Dhruv was... a strong sense of sleeplessness assaulted his mind...

'I guess it's time for me to take some rest' With these thoughts in his mind, he closes his eyes.

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