The general protested, but the two riders flung at full speed toward the Zorai, who did not seem to mind. The last few dozen meters that separated them were swallowed up in a few seconds. But remembering the death of their first comrade, the Matis did not make the mistake of charging the young warrior. They stopped before they reached his level, jumped off their mounts and moved forward to catch him in a pincer movement. Judging by their respective behavior, the two Matis must have been inexperienced soldiers. Blinded by hatred and the desire for revenge, they did not know yet that they had just thrown themselves into the jaws of the gingo. In the distance, the general had just reached his capryni to join in urgency the two imprudents. Alone against two, the young warrior had all his chances. He had to finish it as soon as possible before the only really experienced soldier of the squad joined them. The Matis who had positioned himself at his back held a heavy, nicely ornamented amber sword in both hands, while the one facing him was armed with a long pike crowned with braided amber. Pü would have liked to read his face, but the imposing horned helmet he wore prevented him from doing so. Soon the Matis drew closer. Logically, the soldier in front of him would launch the first attack, giving the one behind him the opportunity to use a blind spot to attack. That's exactly what happened. The pikeman shouted and pierced the air with a precise gesture, hoping to impale the Zorai with a single blow. Without even moving his feet, Pü sent his right hand into contact with the spike while pivoting and shifting his pelvis to the opposite side. The protection of his forearm scraped loudly at the multiple sharp points. Abruptly twisting his wrist, he grabbed the long handle of the weapon. Instead of pushing back the offensive, he encouraged the movement, and used the momentum of the Matis to destabilize him while preserving the impetus of his assault. Deviating slightly the direction of the attack, and always without taking off the feet of the ground, he curved his back behind, and dodged the horizontal blow that the swordsman tried to strike him. He then had only to make the pike maintain its velocity so that its deadly points pierced the left thigh of the unfortunate swordsman, who collapsed under the shock while screaming. Carried away by the uncontrolled movement of his weapon, the assailant almost fell on top of the injured man. Pü seized the opportunity and helped him. Drawing his dagger with his free hand as the other dropped the spike firmly embedded in his comrade's flesh, he took a step back to regain his balance and with a precise blow drove his blade into the neck joint of the pikeman's helmet. A long spray of blood spurted out as he pulled his dagger from his opponent's carotid artery. As he expected, the soldier panicked and quickly removed his helmet to compress and heal his throat before his brain stopped getting blood. Leaving him no time to act, Pü grabbed the Matis' brown hair and delivered several sharp blows in his throat with his dagger. When the soldier's head finally separated from the rest of his body, the decapitated collapsed onto the spike, which sank even deeper into the bloody wound of the grounded man. Pü glanced back: the general would soon be here. He put away the blood-stained dagger, dropped his victim's head, and approached the badly wounded soldier who, now trapped under his comrade's heavy, still throbbing armor, was no longer able to extract the spike to heal his leg. The homin took off his helmet and started to moan. He must have been Niï's age, about ten years older than him.

The general protested, but the two riders flung at full speed toward the Zorai, who did not seem to mind. The last few dozen meters that separated them were swallowed up in a few seconds. But remembering the death of their first comrade, the Matis did not make the mistake of charging the young warrior. They stopped before they reached his level, jumped off their mounts and moved forward to catch him in a pincer movement. Judging by their respective behavior, the two Matis must have been inexperienced soldiers. Blinded by hatred and the desire for revenge, they did not know yet that they had just thrown themselves into the jaws of the gingo. In the distance, the general had just reached his capryni to join in urgency the two imprudents. Alone against two, the young warrior had all his chances. He had to finish it as soon as possible before the only really experienced soldier of the squad joined them. The Matis who had positioned himself at his back held a heavy, nicely ornamented amber sword in both hands, while the one facing him was armed with a long pike crowned with braided amber. Pü would have liked to read his face, but the imposing horned helmet he wore prevented him from doing so. Soon the Matis drew closer. Logically, the soldier in front of him would launch the first attack, giving the one behind him the opportunity to use a blind spot to attack. That's exactly what happened. The pikeman shouted and pierced the air with a precise gesture, hoping to impale the Zorai with a single blow. Without even moving his feet, Pü sent his right hand into contact with the spike while pivoting and shifting his pelvis to the opposite side. The protection of his forearm scraped loudly at the multiple sharp points. Abruptly twisting his wrist, he grabbed the long handle of the weapon. Instead of pushing back the offensive, he encouraged the movement, and used the momentum of the Matis to destabilize him while preserving the impetus of his assault. Deviating slightly the direction of the attack, and always without taking off the feet of the ground, he curved his back behind, and dodged the horizontal blow that the swordsman tried to strike him. He then had only to make the pike maintain its velocity so that its deadly points pierced the left thigh of the unfortunate swordsman, who collapsed under the shock while screaming. Carried away by the uncontrolled movement of his weapon, the assailant almost fell on top of the injured man. Pü seized the opportunity and helped him. Drawing his dagger with his free hand as the other dropped the spike firmly embedded in his comrade's flesh, he took a step back to regain his balance and with a precise blow drove his blade into the neck joint of the pikeman's helmet. A long spray of blood spurted out as he pulled his dagger from his opponent's carotid artery. As he expected, the soldier panicked and quickly removed his helmet to compress and heal his throat before his brain stopped getting blood. Leaving him no time to act, Pü grabbed the Matis' brown hair and delivered several sharp blows in his throat with his dagger. When the soldier's head finally separated from the rest of his body, the decapitated collapsed onto the spike, which sank even deeper into the bloody wound of the grounded man. Pü glanced back: the general would soon be here. He put away the blood-stained dagger, dropped his victim's head, and approached the badly wounded soldier who, now trapped under his comrade's heavy, still throbbing armor, was no longer able to extract the spike to heal his leg. The homin took off his helmet and started to moan. He must have been Niï's age, about ten years older than him.

Pü sincerely pitied him. He hated to kill. And especially when his opponents were not prepared for it. But now he had no choice. He was almost there, he couldn't give it all up now. The young Zoraï cleared his head again and ignored the Matis' complaint. He moved closer to him, placed his left foot gently on his neck, and crushed it with a heel strike. Picking up the sword of the now paralyzed man, he stabbed him in the throat, thus preventing any regeneration. One. He only needed one more. If the fainting machine-gunner was enough, the homin who was facing him from now on would surely not let him approach the wounded man without a fight. The general had indeed jumped from his mount and was now heading towards the warrior with a decided step. Arrived at a few meters of him, he took off his helmet. For the first time in a long while, Pü had a backward movement. For a moment, the child thought he saw his father's mask. The Matis was in the prime of life, as indicated by the few wrinkles that disturbed the harmony of his facial features and the faint shine of his long ebony hair. But above all, it was the assurance and intensity of his gaze that reminded her of her father. Those piercing blue eyes were those of a determined man, ready to give everything to accomplish his will. Pü took a step back.

Pü sincerely pitied him. He hated to kill. And especially when his opponents were not prepared for it. But now he had no choice. He was almost there, he couldn't give it all up now. The young Zoraï cleared his head again and ignored the Matis' complaint. He moved closer to him, placed his left foot gently on his neck, and crushed it with a heel strike. Picking up the sword of the now paralyzed man, he stabbed him in the throat, thus preventing any regeneration. One. He only needed one more. If the fainting machine-gunner was enough, the homin who was facing him from now on would surely not let him approach the wounded man without a fight. The general had indeed jumped from his mount and was now heading towards the warrior with a decided step. Arrived at a few meters of him, he took off his helmet. For the first time in a long while, Pü had a backward movement. For a moment, the child thought he saw his father's mask. The Matis was in the prime of life, as indicated by the few wrinkles that disturbed the harmony of his facial features and the faint shine of his long ebony hair. But above all, it was the assurance and intensity of his gaze that reminded her of her father. Those piercing blue eyes were those of a determined man, ready to give everything to accomplish his will. Pü took a step back.