Kale advanced on the Guardian leader, steadily pushing him back as Agonotti warriors parted to allow the battle to continue. Kale decided to up the intensity. The kemstick he had used previously to strike down the Agonotti leader while under symbyte control still lay in the dirt twenty feet away. He called it to his hand. Elam's blade, a well crafted piece bearing crests for his family heritage, was longer than a kemstick's reach, but it made little difference to Kale.
He launched a furious barrage of strikes at the older warrior, but Elam still matched him blow for blow. The Guardian's offense turned to pure defense and the strain of the fight began to show on his face. He had not expected the boy to be so good, even after facing him briefly back at the Olson farm.
Kale sensed the uneasiness of the Agonotti around him. They were just waiting for the right moment to strike. Knowing what Elam had told him about his relationship to the Agonotti and their arrangement to terrorize and capitalize on the people of this planet, he was unsure why they had not already come to his aid. Time to put an end to this fight, he thought.
Kale flipped back away from Elam to gain the proper distance for his tactic and then he flung both of his kemsticks at the Guardian commander. As they flew away, Kale quickly pulled his second pair from the clips on his legs and ignited them. The first pair struck at Elam's defense then rebounded under Kale's mental control as he threw the second set of weapons at the man. A lightning fast series of rebounds and throws exchanged between the Barudii warriors.
One blade against four, it was simply too much even for a seasoned swordsman such as himself. Then it happened. A kemstick blade whirled past Elam's defense, severing his right arm at mid-humerus. Another second later as he screamed for the arm and his blade lowered in the left hand, another rebounding kemstick blade struck him in the sternum and a third followed, whirling across his shoulders, removing his head.
Kale stood with the fourth weapon still in his hand as his opponent slumped over to the ground. The Agonotti cried out for the man. Kale wasn't sure whether it was in victory over him or in mourning, but he doubted the latter. The cry washed through the onlookers quickly then they drew their weapons for battle.