The Story of Tata Chapter 12
Live and Let Die
By The Man
"CRASH!"
A shower of sparks exploded from the clashing of Beowulf's sword on Grendel's. The two grunted with straining effort, and they flung each other away. Grendel's black blade swiped at Beowulf's head, but ducked under the attack and plowed into him shoulder-first. Grendel fell back a step, giving Beowulf an opening. He viciously slashed at Grendel, aiming for his heart, but each blow was parried by Grendel's blade. Beowulf swung his sword in a vertical arc at Grendel's head, but he again blocked it. Their blades straining against one another's above their heads, the two warriors glared at each other with hateful eyes.
"We've been at this for a while, Beowulf." Taunted Grendel with a grin. "And I haven't even broken a sweat. What made you ever think you could defeat me with that weak little body of yours?"
"Oh, I… don't know." Beowulf grunted. Then in a surprise move, he slammed his right knee into Grendel's groin. Grendel yelped once and attempted to draw away to regain himself. But Beowulf grabbed him by the hair and brought the hilt of his sword down on Grendel's neck. Grendel groaned loudly and attempted to slash Beowulf's stomach open. But the blow was parried by Beowulf's blade. Then he sent an electric charge down his arm and fried Grendel's head. Grendel tried Beowulf's previous trick and charged forward under his captor's arm. But Beowulf moved to the side and let his opponent fall onto the hard stone floor.
Beowulf glanced to the side and saw that his friends were still out of it, save for Marle who was-
"FAAAAGH!" hollered Grendel and slashed a gash across Beowulf's chest. Beowulf screamed in pain and fell onto his back, his own blood splattering across the rest of his front. Grendel took the opportunity to attempt to pin his foe with his blade. The blade came down toward Beowulf, but he rolled to the left just as the black blade cut clean through the stone floor, creating another shower of sparks. Grendel quickly pulled his blade out of the ground, just in time to parry a vertical swipe of Beowulf's sword. The blades crashed, another shower of sparks emitted.
Again, Grendel grinned. "How much more do you want, little boy? I got plenty more." He said mockingly.
"Leave some for me." Came a voice from behind them. Then a bright blue flash emitted behind Grendel and he fell.
Beowulf looked for the one who had saved him and saw Glenn standing tall, Masamune drawn, and looking fairly pissed.
Grendel looked up at Glenn, then at Beowulf. Then he shot a blue bolt just to the right of Beowulf. He jumped to the side and the bolt hit the trees and created a gate. Grendel got up.
"I'll find you later, Beowulf." He shouted before leaping for the gate.
"NO!" shouted Beowulf and moved right in front of the gate to block his foe. Instead, the two of plowed right into the gate and disappeared.
"Tata!" shouted Glenn before leaping in after them.
Then, the gate shut.
Moments later, Crono came to. He sat up and looked around. "Marle?" he called into the darkness.
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Streaming blue lights! Fearful, unfamiliar surroundings! Everywhere, all around! They whirled by the two struggling combatants unnoticed as they struggled and thrashed with one another. Their swords were still drawn, but they were both in such a raging hate for one another that mere fist blows were enough.
Then, it ended. They were thrown down a grassy hill that seemed enormous to them. They fell away from one another and rolled head-over-heels down the slope, bones snapping and tendons grinding. Beowulf let out a cry as his head crashed into a large stone and brought him to a sudden stop. Pain fired through his head like a million canons, burning his mind, singing his head. He felt a warm liquid run down his forehead and watched it drop onto the ground. He managed to look just over the rock and see the dark form of Grendel continue its descent to the flat ground. He watched as a stream of blood emerged from his mouth and spew forth into the air, leaving a patched trail of blood on the green ground. Finally, Grendel came to a skittering halt at the bottom of the hill. He did not move.
Suddenly, a yell emerged from farther up the hill. Beowulf looked up in time to see Glenn come tumbling down the hill in the same fashion that Grendel and him had done. Beowulf concentrated and immediately a bubble spread out from him, covering a him and catching Glenn on its soft surface. Glenn looked over at Beowulf.
"Thanks." He uttered beneath a deep sigh of relief.
Beowulf dropped the bubble and leaned back against the rock. He put a hand to his bleeding scalp and muttered a few words under his breath. The wound instantly healed and he stood up. He spotted his sword at the foot of the hill.
"Where is he?" asked Glenn, drawing his sword.
"Down there." Pointed Beowulf at Grendel's limp form. "It shall be his burial spot."
"Do you really think someone like Len deserves a burial?" questioned Glenn.
Beowulf grinned at the thought that he really could simply obliterate his foe. "His name in Grendel, and no he doesn't."
"Grendel?" Glenn uttered. "That's his real name?"
Beowulf did not answer, but instead began to trudge the rest of the way down the hill. Glenn followed, a quizzical look on his face. He sheathed his sword, wondering where they were. No. he thought to himself. Not 'where.' When. He looked around at his surroundings, which consisted mostly of grassy plains and a forest near the foot of the hill. It was sunny, cheerful day, with a deep blue sky patched with puffy white clouds. Birds chirped and the wind was hardly noticeable, which gave an indication that it was summer. These traits hardly gave any clue as to what time period they were in, though. He knew it couldn't be either 12,000 AD or 65 million, as the physical traits did not match. That left four others. Which one was it?
They reached the bottom of the hill. As Beowulf reached down to pick up his sword, he heard footsteps in the forest ahead of him. They both quickly drew their swords and waited for the approaching person. It stepped out from behind a tree, revealing itself to be a large robot. It was light blue and had two round green balls for eyes.
"Why, hello, there." The droid said politely. "Are you from around here? Your attire looks rather… old."
"The future." Muttered Glenn.
"Yes." Agreed Beowulf. "But isn't that Robo?"
"No, just an R-Series droid." Answered Glenn.
The robot looked down at the broken form of Grendel. "Dear me, this man has been severely injured. I'm reading several dislocated bones, many torn veins-"
"Good." Laughed Beowulf. "He is helpless."
"This man needs medical attention immediately." The robot said simply.
"What he needs," Beowulf began. "is this blade through his heart." He held up his sword.
"You cannot simply kill this man in cold blood." The robot stated.
Beowulf snorted. "It may not be honorable, but it is fitting."
"That's not the point." the droid retorted. "You cannot kill him without just cause."
"I have plenty of reason to end his life." Beowulf growled.
"Has he done something wrong?" the robot asked.
Beowulf laughed cynically. "He has. He has murdered thousands of innocent lives for his own pleasure. He has caused mass destruction and genocide on a multitude of worlds. His debt to the very life stream is so large I cannot begin to describe it. You cannot even begin to imagine the horror he has struck into so many lives and worlds."
"Then I shall arrest him and put him before a jury to decide his fate." The robot stated as if what Beowulf had just accused Grendel of was merely a misdemeanor. "If he is found guilty of murder, he will be executed."
Beowulf's looks could kill, at this point. "As far as anyone is concerned, droid, I am his judge, jury, and executioner by my blade shall he meet his next end."
"Tata." Glenn put a hand on Beowulf's shoulder. "Who is this man? What has he done, specifically?"
"You'll never get to know." Responded Grendel as he opened his eyes.
Not waiting a second longer, Beowulf thrust his sword at Grendel, who still held his own blade. Grendel rolled out of the way and lunged at the robot. He hacked off its right arm in one quick swipe.
"Emergency! Emergency!!" the droid hollered to itself as he fell back onto the grass, making a large thud. "I have a suspect attacking me. He is male and dressed in black! Suspect is armed and-" It fell silent as Grendel hacked the robot's head off.
Glenn cast a water spell that made Grendel grunt slightly. Beowulf charged him as Glenn cast another water spell. This one was absorbed by Beowulf's sword, and as he flung himself at Grendel, a blue glow emitted around his sword. Then he brought his blade down on Grendel, aiming for his head. But he was able to move enough for the blade to only get his left shoulder. There was a bright blue explosion from the blow and Grendel yelled in pain. He fell back onto the grass with a loud grunt. Beowulf began another charge as Grendel stood up again. But Grendel was prepared and shot a black bolt that struck him right in the chest. It caused Beowulf's legs to go out from under him and collapse onto the ground. A large burn mark showed right below his neck.
"Tata!" called a voice from the woods. Grendel and Glenn turned to see a pink robot come bounding through the woods. It was similar to the other droid that Grendel had annihilated minutes before.
Noticing Glenn was distracted, Grendel charged his unsuspecting foe.
"Glenn!" Beouwlf tried to yell, but ended up making a gagging sound. He realized his vocal cord had been severed. But Glenn had just noticed Grendel's charge, and it was too late.
But then a blue laser slammed into Gendel and knocked him out of his charge. His sword managed to slice a gash in Glenn's right arm. Glenn grimaced but did not yell. He looked back and saw the pink robot had fired the blast and now stood a few feet away from where Beowulf lay, gun poised at Grendel, who now was climbing to his feet. Glenn turned back to him just at Grendel prepared a large shadow blast. Beowulf got up to a kneeling position and readied a blast of his own. They released their attacks at the same time, Beowulf's a shining stream of pure white, Grendel's a blast of pure black. They lit up the woods with such brilliance, that Glenn had to shield his eyes. Grendel's blast and Beowulf's light connected and ricocheted apart. They missed Glenn, but Grendel's shot flew just past Beowulf's head and blasted the pink robot into an uncountable number of pieces. Grendel took opportunity of Glenn's vulnerability and swung the side of the blade into his head. Glenn was out like a light, with Grendel standing triumphantly over him. He looked at Beowulf and another black bolt struck him in the gut, causing Beowulf to crumple to the ground.
Beowulf looked back in time to see Grendel shove his black blade into Glenn's back. He yanked it out, a stream of blood pouring out. Beowulf rolled onto his side and scowled up at his enemy.
Grendel looked back to Beowulf. "What's the matter Beowulf? Scared?"
Did he look scared? Maybe so, but that remark gave Beowulf the adrenaline rush he needed to stand up again and draw his sword. His wounds healed up automatically.
"Courage!" shouted Beowulf. "I have shown it all my life! You think I will lose it in the moment my sufferings come to an end?!"
"We shall see…" Grendel said menacingly.
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End of Chapter 12
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