While Kavlen had been matching wills with the stranger, his hand (the one that he leaned his full weight against the tree with) had been slipping, and at the moment when he life was in danger, it HAD slipped, causing him to grab franticly at the air, and then fall heavily to the ground.
However he had seen the sword go over his head, and he quickly scrambled up, his staff at the ready. His opponent had regained controll of the sword, and the battle was on.
Kavlen made the first move, thrusting his staff at the stranger; there was a loud 'thwack' as the staff hit its mark, and a howl of pain from the stranger.
"What's your name?" demanded Kavlen, in the lull that followed his blow, "And why are you trying to kill me?"
The stranger smiled, that in itself throwing Kavlen off more than any sword-stroke could have.
"You may call me Delcen, I kill for fun." Delcen's sword flew past, drawing blood from Kavlen's left arm.
"Fun, you kill for fun?" asked Kavlen, gritting his teeth and returning the blow,
"Yes, I do," laughed Delcen, turning aside the staff and retaliating with his sword, "I like it, it makes me laugh."
Delcen's blade came close, slicing the top of the staff clean off.
"Are you insane?!" yelled Kavlen, "You're trying to kill me for fun!?"
Delcen giggled, still fighting,
"Insane? Yes, I am insane, I am insane, yes." Kavlen shook his head, putting all his power into a hard blow and aiming at Delcen.
The staff whistled with speed, closer it came, closer, closer.
It struck a tree.
Kavlen attemped to lift it up, wondering why he seemed to have no strength. Was he hurt? He wondered, looking down at himself.
Kavlen got the shock of his life when he saw the tip of a sword protruding from his chest. It was also the last shock of his life.
He colasped, the staff falling from his nerveless fingers, the fire fading from his dead eyes.
Delcen laughed again, the sound echoing erily in the clearing.
03-Oct-2006 14:34:28
