10 A Frog In The Well (2/2)

”What? But Ares you didn't take your sword yet, here let me give you” Gus has both the wasters on his belt around his hips and as he was about to take and give one of it to Ares, Ares stop him.

”I don't need a stick, you can keep both. You can attack me with both wasters if you are willing to, I don't mind.” Ares said while he gave a faint arrogant smile from the corners of his mouth.

”What? No, that is unfair, you need to have a sword with you too. Only then it will be equally fair.” Gus righteously said.

”You are not fit to stand on the battlefield.”

Ares said out loud and clear to Gus, with a mocking tone. This suddenly hit Gus like a lightning bolt out of nowhere.

Gus stands still. He doesn't know what to reply to what Ares just told him.

*”Did I say something wrong? Did I do something wrong? Why did Ares just say that?”* Gus got lost in thought with all the questions he seemed to be having, as he was hurt by what Ares said.

”Whether you have a sword or not, whether you have a gun or not, these things don't matter to your enemy who stands before you in the battlefield. A single moment of hesitation will get you killed, and hence you are not fit to stand in the battlefield. If I tell you to strike, you need to strike” Ares said in a cold voice.

”Again! come at me with all your strength!.”

As Gus heard the words coming out of Are's mouth, he now understood why Ares was being harsh to him. He composed himself back together and took his sword out, held it with both hands, raised his arms up above his head, intending to slash Ares. He rushed forward with great speed.

”What happened?..... I thought I told you that you need to hit me didn't I?” Ares whispered in the ears of Gus.

Gus was confused. Ares who was before disappeared and reappeared beside him standing closely while Ares's left arm was on Gus's neck, gripped tightly.

Ares was inside Gus's defence. Gus's arms were still raised in the air, holding the stick but he couldn't swing it. The index finger of Ares's right hand was on Gus's ribs from the left side. If it had been a sword rather than a finger, the sword would have pierced Gus's heart through his ribs.

Gus couldn't utter a single word out of his mouth. He had never experienced anything like this. The battle was over before it even began.