"I believe I promised myself a chance to show you, who is the better swordsman out of us both. Namely me."

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. O r b i s N o n S u f f i c i t .

Meleth's head jerked up and she looked from Dernhelm to Rhavaniel warily, and almost started to say something, but desisted, only watching the two with a slight frown.

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"Oh yes? well, we shall see won't we?"

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"We shall old friend, we shall." the lf retorted, patting the daggers at her sides.

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. O r b i s N o n S u f f i c i t .

"Butter knifes?"

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"Twins,"the elf replied, drawing them experimentaly "Though if you believe them to be butter knives, I can only suggest you rethink."

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. O r b i s N o n S u f f i c i t .

"Hang on, i know i have some bread and butter in my bag somewhere."

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Bump

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"Teasing are we?" the elf almost drawled, leaning back against the trunk of a tree, sheathing her knives with a soft sound of leather upon steel.

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. O r b i s N o n S u f f i c i t .

Maybe...But what if im not?" Dernhelm then drew some bread and butter outta his bag

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"Then, I'd ask you why you would need bread and butter." she grinned sklightly with an raised eyebrow.

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. O r b i s N o n S u f f i c i t .

'Well...hows bout the duel?"

(you can write the duel rhav...youre more creative.)

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[For both of them?]
Rhavaniel drew a single knive, and twiled it expertly around her fingers."You want to risk embarasing yourself by challenging me?"

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. O r b i s N o n S u f f i c i t .

(Yes for both of them)

"Yes,But you should be asking yourself the same question...besides" He drew a LONG two handed sword "I wouldn't want to hurt you too badly."

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The elf laughed, and pushed herself forward. She laughed, "Then let us duel, though I still advise you to step back while you have the chance..."

She circled Dernhelm slowly, the smile giving way to concentration. Then suddenly dove forward, arm moving with lightnig speed.
Calmly the man raised his sword, and blocked the blow, the sound of clashing metal echoing through the forest.
"Good reflexes, but how about you footwork? If I step here..." holding his sword with hers, she moved backwards a few steps. Their swords met several times with light strength."Very good. And then I move again."
Her feet moved sideways, and he let her lead, let her think he was going to let himself be tested.
Suddenly he changed directions, unlocking their swords and aiming a strong blow to the unprotected area of her neck.
She ducked with inhuman swiftness, and came up behind him, using his momentum to push him past her onto the forestfloor.
Slightly angered, they stared at each other for a moment, then they dived into battle again, untill both swors spun into the shadows of the dense trees with the force of their blows.
Again a moment of silance followed.
Dernhelm charged, all his
emotion poured into pure physical strength, powering
an attack so furious, even Rhaavniel had no hope of
evading.

For one brilliant, all-encompassing moment, he
saw the pure fear in his prey's eyes as he rushed the
elf, her features darkening with a rarely known
terror as the man put all his weight into the furious
attack. He plowed full-force into the elf, his
shoulder knocking the immortal backward to land with a
great THWACK on the dampening ground.

Dernhelm held back enough to remain standing after the
initial attack, and sent a booted foot into the elf's
exposed stomach.

Now herself enraged, she rolled away from the
assailing foot and spun straight up into a fighting
stance, her own emerald eyes now black with thoughts of
revenge, her thin mouth curving into an evil smirk and
He was momentarily cowed before the sight of the
elf, the backdrop of the storm a gray and brown mantel
behind him. She took advantage
of this sudden falter on the part of her enemy to jump
within range and pull her fist back. Her hand struck
out with the power of a snapping bowstring to strike
him in the center of his face, sending the man
reeling, clutching his nose, now gushing viscous red
out and over his cupped hands. His wail of pain and
fury nearly drowned out Rhavaniel's own howl of triumph.

Dernhelm trembled with rage at the pain flaring out
from his face, heating to an intense ache and firing
his ambition. This elf was going down.

Rhavaniel saw the change in her companion and doubt once
more flitted across her fair face, but the man would
not best her-

The elf found herself falling backwards, barely
cognizant of the blow he had landed to her
temple. Once more, the elf rose from the earth, this
time grimacing at the mud smeared on her back. She
held her head gingerly for a moment before again
meeting her enemy's eyes.

Their fierce stares met in comprehension. Double
smiles curved their features, one smooth and fair, the
other bearded and weather-beaten, but the expressions
were equal in purpose, burning with annoyance and
vengeance, twin ferocity and maniacal intent matching
in the evil gleaming of their eyes.

Without ceremony, Dernhelm unbuckled his sword belt and
tossed it aside, as Rhavaniel slipped
the bow and quiver from her shoulders and pitched them
out of range,as their swords had fallen long ago. All the
while, their gazes never broke, and now they took
fighting stances, slowly turning about and practically
growling their sense of victory as Dernhelm's heavy
steps tracked the mud in a stamping caper with his
fists raised before him and Rhavaniel leapt about, lithe
as a cat in some mysterious ballet, her hands held
flat but rigid; the two circled one another in a
deadly dance.

Immediately, the man struck out, but the elf
anticipated the attack and swiftly sidestepped the
attempted blow, shifting to send Dernhelm face-first
into the now oozing mud with a slight shove.

Outraged, Dernhelm lunged to his feet, trying to tackle
the elf, but once more, she merely evaded the
warrior and laughed as he twisted in mid-flight,
landing on his backside with a squish. He sat there
for a moment, eyeing the elf with severe distaste
before slowly smiling, though it was more of a
grimace, and nodding to acknowledge the hit. He took
his time gaining his feet and assuming his stance once
more.

The weaving gait began again and the fighters each
threw a few punches, a few test blows, their target
always evading them at the last moment.

Soon, the dance became more cadenced, as the partners
learned the others' rhythm and anticipated the others'
actions. They dared to get closer, their fists flying
ever nearer the mark until she managed a blow to
her opponents' chin. He recovered quickly and
took the elf's small opening afforded by his small
victory to land a hit on Rhavaniel' cheekbone, jarring
the elf, who took several faltering steps backward.
He followed, aiming blow after blow to the elf:
stomach, breastbone, back, kidney, jaw. And the elf's
defense became weaker and more pathetic, barely
blocking the raging human, now confident in his
victory, and could not manage an offense at all.

Still, Dernhelm and Rhavaniel traded smirks and grimaces
as well as blocks and blows amid blinding bursts of
lightening, illuminating the battle in turns, bright
flashes sending their shadows across the patch of
muddy land, torn from their war.

Dernhelm's grin turned especially feral as he advanced
and landed a perfect blow to her mouth. The
elf's head snapped back as a whip, red blood flaring
out in an arc from her lower lip caught between even
white teeth as the fist met her body. His eyes
glimmered coldly and his smile grew. She reeled
from the attack, flying backward, but staying on her
feet. Suddenly, she spun around, ending up behind her
opponent and with a mighty two-handed blow to the man's back, sent Dernhelm once more sprawling to the
muddy ground, now soaked through with rain, no traces
of the dusty, arid land they had trod upon minutes
before.
Weakly, she plopped down next to him, nursing her split lip with her fingers. Then suddenly, she pounced on him, pinning him to the ground by his neck.
" Anno? , " she gasped. Yield?
His answer was simple, flipping her onto her back, and pushing the back of her hair into the mud.

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. O r b i s N o n S u f f i c i t .

[Puh... Decided to write that in word... sorry about the funny way it came out >.<"]

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. O r b i s N o n S u f f i c i t .