Chương 119: [Luka Vs Gomir]

Luka vs Gomir was the next fight. The announcer called their names and Luka pushed himself away from the edge of the viewing platform. Torren's hand landed on his shoulder.

"Good luck. Use everything you've learned and you'll do well."

"Cheers, Torren." Luka smiled.

"Go out there and show Gomir how a real dwarf fights," Phil said. Luka rolled his eyes and gave him the finger. Phil grinned.

"You got this, man," Leo said.

"Good luck."

"See you in the semis," Sam said. Shai and Kai both smiled. Nessa gave him a short nod. Luka picked up his maul and headed for the tunnel. A few moments later, Leo watched both fighters emerge onto the arena floor. Luka came through first.

"What do you think his chances are?" Leo asked. Kai watched the floor.

"Around even. The way Gomir fights shows he's been at this longer than most trainees this year. But Luka is strong and can bridge the gap if he fights well." Torren nodded beside him. They watched Grimgar raise his hand a few moments later.

Luka walked out first. The crowd was louder than it had been for his earlier fights; he'd had two good wins and people had noticed. He turned when the noise shifted and watched Gomir come through the other tunnel, battle axe resting on his shoulder. He grinned. He knew it was wooden, but he let himself picture the real thing for a second. The guy was intimidating for someone who couldn't have been more than four and a half feet tall. Gomir's eyes found him across the circle and he nodded once.

Grimgar raised his hand. Then he dropped it. Gomir came forward from the start, axe moving in short, controlled arcs, testing for any gap in his defense. Luka held his ground, maul held horizontal with hands wide on the haft, using the length of it to intercept each swing. The axe clacked off the reinforced wood once, twice, Luka absorbing each blow without giving ground. Gomir's eyes moved across the guard, looking for a way round it. Then he stopped and decided to go through it instead.

His next swing was a downward chop. He caught the haft and didn't try to pull back. Instead, he leaned into it, both hands driving forward, the red runes under his forearms flaring as he put his weight behind the axe. Jesus, he's strong for such a short guy. I don't feel like he's stronger than me, though. Weird. Let's see if this works. He pushed back and twisted to the side. He'd expected resistance. What he got was the axe coming with him.

Gomir had been pushing so hard into the lock that when Luka twisted, the axe had nowhere to go but sideways. It came loose at the top of the arc, spinning free, and Gomir's weight followed it, his balance going with the weapon he'd been driving forward a second ago. His stomach was right there. Luka drove the butt end of the maul into it before the dwarf could move. One. Gomir stepped back, one hand going briefly to his stomach before dropping. He looked at Luka. Then at his own axe.

Yeah, I'm just as surprised, dude. What the fuck just happened? Gomir reset with his eyes on Luka's hands. He came forward again, more cautious this time, axe moving in tighter arcs than before. Well, I'm stronger. Let's try going on the offensive. He pressed forward, maul swinging wide, putting weight behind each strike. He didn't throw caution to the wind or strike with reckless abandon, but he did try to force Gomir to block. He wanted to test whether his guard could hold against it. It couldn't.

He drove a wide swing into Gomir's guard and felt it give. The maul came through and landed across the dwarf's shoulder before he could pull back far enough. Two-nil.

"Man, he's dominating. This has been his most convincing match so far," said Phil. Shai didn't look over, her eyes fixed on the fight below.

"That may be the case, but he could still lose. Gomir knows he can't match Luka for strength, so he'll change how he approaches the next point." Phil was convinced his friend had the win in the bag.

"If Luka keeps the aggression up, he should be fine though."

"Shai is right," said Nessa.

"Gomir knows he can't win a competition of strength now. I imagine we'll see him lean more on speed or cunning. He may be short, but that doesn't mean he isn't quick, and Luka's biggest weakness is definitely his speed."

Luka stepped forward, slowly, keeping his eyes set on the dwarf. Gomir continued to circle, staying just on the edge of the maul's reach. You're trying to keep me at an angle. Okay, let's see how you handle this. Luka took a large step forward and brought the maul down in a heavy vertical strike. Gomir drifted back, the head of the maul whistling past his chest. Luka didn't let the momentum die; he pivoted, turning the downward force into a wide horizontal sweep.

The wood flashed through the air, but Gomir was already gone, his shorter steps keeping him perfectly out of range. Luka pressed again, throwing a third strike. This time, as the maul came down, Gomir didn't just move; he leaned in and shoved the haft with the head of his axe. The maul barely budged. Luka felt the vibration through the wood, but his strength held the line. The surprised look on the dwarf's face told Luka everything he needed to know. Okay, if he tries that again, I have him.

Luka initiated the same downward smash, watching for the tell. Sure enough, Gomir moved in, his axe rising to push the haft sideways again. Luka didn't wait for the contact. He stepped left and wrenched the maul up and in the same direction, putting his full power into a counter-pull to catch Gomir's momentum and throw him off-balance. But there was no resistance. Gomir hadn't pushed; he had pulled the axe back at the last second.

With nothing to catch the force of Luka's wrenching pull, the maul swung wildly up and out. Luka stumbled, his own strength carrying him sideways as his guard fell apart. Shit. In the second it took for Luka to fight the maul's momentum, Gomir stepped in. The axe head slammed into Luka's exposed ribs. Two-one. Luka reset and lifted the maul. That one was on him. The win had been sitting right there, and he'd reached for it in a rush to finish the fight. Gomir had been patient. He hadn't. Okay.

I'm still in the lead. I can't keep relying on my strength, though. I need to find a window where he's open. Or make one. Gomir began to circle again. He was constantly changing direction, stepping forward and immediately back, the axe shifting through different guards to keep Luka off-balance. Luka stood his ground, weight centered, trying to track the dwarf's feet and the weapon at the same time. He wasn't going to chase him again.

He knew he was best when he held a position and forced the other man to come to him. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. But Gomir was making that hard. The dwarf wasn't just moving; he was twitching, offering fake openings and then snatching them away before Luka could commit. It was like trying to keep a fly in your sights—eventually, you just wanted to swat it. The seconds ticked by, and neither moved.

The crowd's roar died down into a low, expectant murmur. Gomir's circling tightened, the radius of his path shrinking until he was just outside the maul's reach. Luka couldn't tell if that was his game plan or if the crowd's reaction had forced him to act. Either way, he preferred this; he was struggling not to take another risk. He knew it would be stupid, but he was so close. Gomir feinted a low dash, his boots scuffing the dirt to create a puff of dust. Luka's hands tightened on the haft, but he didn't swing.

He stayed planted. Gomir tried again, this time throwing a quick, one-handed jab with the axe that clacked against the maul's haft. I'm not going to fall for it, Gomir. Test me all you want, I'll stand here all day if I have to. Commit to something. He tried again. The same jab and retreat before he continued to circle. Luka caught his eye but saw nothing that would give the plan away. Gomir was focused. Intent. Whatever strategy he'd come up with, Luka was sure it relied on him making a mistake. Focus.

Gomir came forward a third time. He jabbed out, and Luka again caught it on the haft. This time, Gomir dashed in and to the side. Luka swung the maul wide, but the dwarf ducked beneath the arc. Seeing the opening, Luka loosened his grip on the heavy end of the maul and kicked out with his lead leg. He'd send the dwarf flying like he had in the first round. He just needed to connect clean. The boot caught Gomir square in the stomach—a solid, powerful connection. The dwarf didn't move. He didn't even stumble.

It was like kicking a stone wall. Fuck. Before Luka could drop his foot and get both hands back on the maul, Gomir drove the head of the axe into his gut. Two-two.

Leo watched as the score evened out. This was nerve-wracking. Kai had been right; Gomir was showing his experience. He hadn't looked rattled at all when he went down two-nil, and Leo wasn't sure he could say the same for Luka now.

"Man, that was so close," Phil said.

"If the kick had worked, he'd have won. I can't believe he just tanked it." Sam winced.

"I know, man. I thought that was it. He made a clean connection. Maybe the stories about the stubbornness of dwarves are real and we just saw it in action." Torren laughed despite the scoreline.

"That's one thing your tales got correct. They can be as stubborn as mules." Leo glanced over at Shai. She was still watching intently, her ears tilted forward.

"What do you think? Can he win?" She turned and looked at him.

"Maybe. I think he's running out of ideas, though." Leo nodded. He agreed. The difference in experience was showing, and he wasn't sure what Luka could do to change that.

The crowd was loud, but Luka barely heard them. He breathed, working the haft of the maul. Gomir reset opposite him, his expression unreadable, those red runes on his arms dimming slightly before flaring back up. They looked at each other for a moment. As soon as Grimgar's hand dropped, Luka charged. He didn't wait for a tell or a circle; he just drove forward. Gomir had the same idea. The dwarf exploded from his mark, axe held low. Luka felt both weapons connect at once.

He hadn't even tried to block, and apparently, neither had Gomir. He'd thrown a heavy horizontal that slammed into the dwarf's chest just as the axe head bit into his own ribs. The force of the mutual impact was enough to halt both men's momentum instantly. Luka winced, the air leaving his lungs in a sharp hiss. He looked down. A dark red mark was blossoming across his side. He looked at Gomir and saw an identical mark right over the dwarf's heart. The arena went quiet.

The sudden, violent end to the point left the crowd murmuring in confusion. Luka was the first to move. He lowered his maul, rubbing his ribs and letting out a short, rough laugh.

"I can't believe you just did that." Gomir adjusted his grip on the axe, still feeling the sting.

"Seems like we had the same idea."

"Yeah," Luka grinned.

"I thought if I could catch you off guard, you wouldn't be able to block or get out of the way in time. I haven't really moved fast all day."

"Same. I thought ye' might be shaken after I evened the score. Apparently not," Gomir said, his voice a bit strained.

"Well, what happens now? I don't think I've heard of this happening before." They both turned and looked at Grimgar who was sat watching them.

"What just happened?" Rika said, half out of her seat.

"Did he win?" Carl asked. Parmo watched Grimgar step forward, the judge examining both marks carefully.

"I don't know."

"Both landed at the same time," Ronan said. He was leaning forward, elbows on his knees, eyes on the arena floor.

"This doesn't happen often but it has in the past. Last time was a few years ago."

"So who wins?" Jeff asked.

"Neither. Not yet at least." Ronan watched Grimgar raise his hand.

"It's a redo. Still two a piece."

Leo watched from the viewing step as Grimgar raised his hand and the crowd noise grew in volume.

"Redo," Kai said.

"Can't say I expected this."

"This is more stressful than watching England..." groaned Phil.

Luka and Gomir separated back to their marks. Luka rolled his shoulder, trying to work out the dull ache in his ribs, and adjusted his grip. He wasn't rushing. He took a breath, settling his feet and finding his center. Grimgar's hand came up. He held it there for a long beat, his eyes moving between the two fighters, before he finally snapped it down. Luka braced for another charge, but Gomir was already moving. He didn't circle or feint; he closed the distance in two explosive steps, staying low to the ground.

The axe came around in a tight, rising arc aimed at the same side he'd hit twice before. Luka saw it coming. He felt his muscles react, his hands driving the haft of the maul down to intercept the blade. He could see the gap closing; the wood of his weapon was inches away from meeting the wooden head of the axe. He almost had it. But the previous hits and the exhaustion of the reset had cost him. His lead foot stayed planted a millisecond too long, locking his hips and slowing his rotation.

The axe didn't hit the haft; it whispered past the wood, missing Luka's block by the width of a finger. He felt the solid, heavy thud against his ribs. Two-three. Luka stood still for a moment, the maul still held in a late guard. He looked down at the fresh red mark, then back at Gomir. The dwarf was breathing hard, his axe lowered, waiting. It was over.

Leo watched Luka stand with his hands on the maul, breathing through it.

"Damn. He was so close."

"Yeah. I think both Gomir's hits landing on the same place was what did it," said Sam. Phil nodded.

"I don't think he thought Gomir would try the same thing twice either. Maybe that caught him by surprise."

"He fought well. He can hold his head high even though he lost. This experience will help him just as much as a win. Maybe more," said Torren, a smile on his face.

"I'm proud of what he achieved today." Leo agreed. He knew Luka wanted to make it to his fight with Sam, but his friend was the sort of person who didn't let something like this get him down for long. No doubt he'd come back with some terrible joke about how the better dwarf won. He grinned. Okay, if he doesn't use that one, I will.

They met in the centre and Luka held out his wrist.

"Congratulations," he said.

"That was a close fight. Can't believe it came to a reset." He shook his head.

"Either way it was a good one. Good luck against Sam in the semis." Gomir gripped his wrist.

"Aye. Ye' gave me the fight I was hoping for today." He held the grip for a moment.

"Thank ye' for that. If ye' and yer friends find yourselves near the mountain, come and visit. Ask for me, my family are well known, someone will point ye' to our home. I'll leave word with them in case I'm not there, but I'll be heading back for a few months once this is done tomorrow." Luka nodded.

"I think we'll take you up on that. I'm looking forward to seeing a proper dwarven mountain." He paused.

"Are the dwarves as fond of beer as I've been led to believe?" Gomir laughed.

"Aye. Beer, meat, mining, smithing and fighting. Them's the five things we love most." Gomir tapped him on the shoulder and smiled.

"Ye' did well for a fighter without a spark," Gomir said.

"That strength of yers surprised me." Luka grinned.

"Cheers." He glanced at the crowd watching them, then back at Gomir.

"It's a shame magic wasn't allowed. I have a few tricks I'd have liked to pull out." Gomir's eyebrows went up.

"Oh aye?" Luka cast Standfast. The shield appeared in front of him, wide and rectangular, visible enough the crowd saw it but still clear enough to smirk at the shocked dwarf on the other side. The crowd nearest the arena floor went quiet first, then the quiet spread upward through the galleries as people registered what they were seeing. Gomir stared at it. Then the grin came back, wider than before.

"Go on then," Luka said.

"See if you can break it." Gomir lifted his axe then put everything into it. Both hands on the axe, full swing, runes blazing red under his forearms. The axe connected with the shield and stopped dead. Not a crack, not a shift. Like hitting a stone wall. He pulled back and swung again. Same result. He lowered the axe and looked at Luka through the clear shield. Then he looked at the shield itself. Luka brought it down and smiled.

"I wouldn't have won if ye' used that," Gomir said.

"That's incredible."

"Still though. A win is a win, and you deserve it. I kind of hope you beat my mates in the semis and the final if they make it. They can't gloat if they lose to you as well," Luka said with a laugh. Gomir grinned.

"Oh, don't worry. I plan on it." He clapped Luka on the arm, the hot heavy hand still warm from the fight, and walked back toward his tunnel. The crowd was still buzzing when Luka turned back toward the steps.

Phil laughed.

"And you call me a show-off."

"People are going to want to ask him to dance after that," Torren said. Leo looked at him.

"Do you think that's what that was? Drawing attention for tomorrow?" Shai smiled.

"Well, it'll have worked."

"I know what I'm doing if I don't make it to the final," Sam said. A few minutes later, Luka made his way up the steps. Phil clapped him on the shoulder when he reached the top.

"Man, that was insane. Unlucky dude, you came so close." Luka smiled.

"Yeah, he's a good fighter. Good luck, Sam, you're going to need it." Sam nodded.

"Yeah, I bet."

"I thought you had it, like. You can tell he's been at this longer than us. You'll pass him before you know it though, dude." Leo grinned.

"For now though, it seems the better dwarf won..." The group stared at him. Shai rolled her eyes.

"That was fucking awful," laughed Phil. Sam groaned.

"I hope you like shite jokes, Shai, cos that's something you're going to have to put up with..."

"It could be worse," said Luka.

"Parmo could be here to egg him on. They share the same shite taste in dad jokes."

"It was funny and you know it," chuckled Leo. After the laughter stopped, Phil looked back down at the arena. The announcer was walking back out onto the dirt.

"Looks like you're up, Leo."