Mage against blade
The young boy stood silently still in a single shaft of light. His eyes remained closed, his head tilted forwards. In the gloom, the others stood gathered around, waiting. He opened his eyes and lifted his head, looking up at the eyes watching him ever intently. He looks around the room, across each face one by one, stops and points.
“You.” He continues along and singles out another. “And you. You are the next two.” The two individuals step forward and glance at each other. Each tries to comprehend what the other is thinking, what their feelings are towards each other. Do they call them friend or enemy? Do they feel hate, fear, distrust, what?
“Choose your battleground.”
“Here will be fine.” Kaye pronounces in a quiet but firm voice. Kelly nods silently as Kaye makes eye contact again.
“Very well. Begin when you are ready.” The young boy steps back as he speaks, allowing the two opponents to step into the light. They stand off from one another and take their positions. Muscles tighten, fists clench, hearts pound thunderously. Not a sound can be heard and the air thickens as if time itself is coming to a halt. They stand like statues, their eyes locked on the other with an intensity that threatens to rip the world apart.
“Begin!”
Kaye dashes at Kelly, crossing the distance between them in two steps, she leaps into the air, swinging her leg at her opponent’s head. Kelly ducks quickly, stepping to the side throwing up a kick of her own. Kaye blocks it with her forearm, pushing Kelly back with a series of vicious punches but unable to make good contact. Kelly tries to regain her balance, jumping back quickly she gets her footing, ducking left and right avoiding Kaye’s blows. Hitting nothing but air, Kaye becomes frustrated. Kelly takes note, and strikes out herself, catching Kaye in the chest. Kaye falls to the ground, rolling back instinctively back onto her feet and hands she springs up fast and hard, catching Kelly in the stomach with her shoulder. Pushing her away from her, Kaye brings up her fist and cranks Kelly across the face. She hits the ground hard, her head bashing against the stone. But slowly she pulls herself back up. Kaye stands ready, her guard up.
Kelly stands up slowly, her body leaning slightly, blood runs slightly from her nose. Her left arm hangs loosely to one side as if gone limp. She raises her right hand slowly, her palm lies open her fingers curled just at the tips. Suddenly the tendons stand out, muscles tighten. Out of the ether little globes of light appear and migrate rapidly, spinning around anything in their way as they converge in the air just above Kelly’s open hand. Kaye peers forward curiously and then is suddenly filled with a feeling of realisation. Just as she braces herself, Kelly hurls the orb at her. Kaye throws her arms around her body, instinctively trying to protect herself, rather than try to avoid the attack. But there isn’t enough time to think it through and the glowing sphere slams into her body violently knocking her off her feet and tossing her into the air. Gravity quickly pulls her to the ground and she bounces and slides across the stone floor before finally coming to a stop. She lies there motionless in the murk. Kelly waits for a moment, waiting for confirmation that her strike had done the damage needed. She straightens up and begins to walk into the murk slowly. Focusing in on the still form shrouded in shadow she gets closer with every step. Only a few metres away she pauses, lifting her hand, once again she pulls energy from the air around her. She watches intently as the little lights collect just above her finger tips, compelled by her will. Her attention is diverted only for a moment. Too late, motion catches her eye as Kaye spins around lying on the floor and lets loose a blade of silvery metal that seems to slide out of her hand like a magic trick. Too late she tries to avoid the blade as it cuts across her centre, slashing through her clothes and slices a red gouge across her stomach. She reaches down grabbing at her stomach as blood begins to soak through her shirt. The energy she had gathered explodes apart, and each little light scatters into the darkness as if filled with a terror of their own.
Kelly doubles over slightly, looking at her hands, her fingers stained red. Kaye does not hesitate and takes no time to bring herself within striking distance, she spins around and catches her in the side of the head with the back of her heal. Kelly glances up just as Kaye makes contact. She falls as if someone had pulled her feet out from under her, her body twisting from the force of the impact, she tries to brace her fall, landing on her arm and then rolling away, she tries to stagger to her feet but only gets half way, one knee still on the floor. Kaye is already on her, reaching out she grabs her by the collar of her shirt, lifting her up and slamming her fist into her over and over. Finishing her off with a blow to the face, the girl drops back to the ground. And still rises again. Another fury of blows and she falls again. Only to rise a third time. Kaye pulls back her fist but this time a dagger forms in her hand, pointed down like an assassin’s strike. Kelly pulls back her own fist and moves to strike Kaye down with all her fury. To destroy her completely in a single blow.
Kaye catches her wrist in mid flight and brings the blade down. Kelly screams. Pulling her hand back she stares at the blade as it protrudes from both the back and front of her palm. Blood runs down the blade a stream drops through the air, pooling on the ground. Kelly drops to her knees, screaming so loud it fills the infinite expanse of darkness.
“It’s done.” Kaye says and turns away, vanishing as the shadows embrace her. “She’s been spared.” Echoes out.
“You.” He continues along and singles out another. “And you. You are the next two.” The two individuals step forward and glance at each other. Each tries to comprehend what the other is thinking, what their feelings are towards each other. Do they call them friend or enemy? Do they feel hate, fear, distrust, what?
“Choose your battleground.”
“Here will be fine.” Kaye pronounces in a quiet but firm voice. Kelly nods silently as Kaye makes eye contact again.
“Very well. Begin when you are ready.” The young boy steps back as he speaks, allowing the two opponents to step into the light. They stand off from one another and take their positions. Muscles tighten, fists clench, hearts pound thunderously. Not a sound can be heard and the air thickens as if time itself is coming to a halt. They stand like statues, their eyes locked on the other with an intensity that threatens to rip the world apart.
“Begin!”
Kaye dashes at Kelly, crossing the distance between them in two steps, she leaps into the air, swinging her leg at her opponent’s head. Kelly ducks quickly, stepping to the side throwing up a kick of her own. Kaye blocks it with her forearm, pushing Kelly back with a series of vicious punches but unable to make good contact. Kelly tries to regain her balance, jumping back quickly she gets her footing, ducking left and right avoiding Kaye’s blows. Hitting nothing but air, Kaye becomes frustrated. Kelly takes note, and strikes out herself, catching Kaye in the chest. Kaye falls to the ground, rolling back instinctively back onto her feet and hands she springs up fast and hard, catching Kelly in the stomach with her shoulder. Pushing her away from her, Kaye brings up her fist and cranks Kelly across the face. She hits the ground hard, her head bashing against the stone. But slowly she pulls herself back up. Kaye stands ready, her guard up.
Kelly stands up slowly, her body leaning slightly, blood runs slightly from her nose. Her left arm hangs loosely to one side as if gone limp. She raises her right hand slowly, her palm lies open her fingers curled just at the tips. Suddenly the tendons stand out, muscles tighten. Out of the ether little globes of light appear and migrate rapidly, spinning around anything in their way as they converge in the air just above Kelly’s open hand. Kaye peers forward curiously and then is suddenly filled with a feeling of realisation. Just as she braces herself, Kelly hurls the orb at her. Kaye throws her arms around her body, instinctively trying to protect herself, rather than try to avoid the attack. But there isn’t enough time to think it through and the glowing sphere slams into her body violently knocking her off her feet and tossing her into the air. Gravity quickly pulls her to the ground and she bounces and slides across the stone floor before finally coming to a stop. She lies there motionless in the murk. Kelly waits for a moment, waiting for confirmation that her strike had done the damage needed. She straightens up and begins to walk into the murk slowly. Focusing in on the still form shrouded in shadow she gets closer with every step. Only a few metres away she pauses, lifting her hand, once again she pulls energy from the air around her. She watches intently as the little lights collect just above her finger tips, compelled by her will. Her attention is diverted only for a moment. Too late, motion catches her eye as Kaye spins around lying on the floor and lets loose a blade of silvery metal that seems to slide out of her hand like a magic trick. Too late she tries to avoid the blade as it cuts across her centre, slashing through her clothes and slices a red gouge across her stomach. She reaches down grabbing at her stomach as blood begins to soak through her shirt. The energy she had gathered explodes apart, and each little light scatters into the darkness as if filled with a terror of their own.
Kelly doubles over slightly, looking at her hands, her fingers stained red. Kaye does not hesitate and takes no time to bring herself within striking distance, she spins around and catches her in the side of the head with the back of her heal. Kelly glances up just as Kaye makes contact. She falls as if someone had pulled her feet out from under her, her body twisting from the force of the impact, she tries to brace her fall, landing on her arm and then rolling away, she tries to stagger to her feet but only gets half way, one knee still on the floor. Kaye is already on her, reaching out she grabs her by the collar of her shirt, lifting her up and slamming her fist into her over and over. Finishing her off with a blow to the face, the girl drops back to the ground. And still rises again. Another fury of blows and she falls again. Only to rise a third time. Kaye pulls back her fist but this time a dagger forms in her hand, pointed down like an assassin’s strike. Kelly pulls back her own fist and moves to strike Kaye down with all her fury. To destroy her completely in a single blow.
Kaye catches her wrist in mid flight and brings the blade down. Kelly screams. Pulling her hand back she stares at the blade as it protrudes from both the back and front of her palm. Blood runs down the blade a stream drops through the air, pooling on the ground. Kelly drops to her knees, screaming so loud it fills the infinite expanse of darkness.
“It’s done.” Kaye says and turns away, vanishing as the shadows embrace her. “She’s been spared.” Echoes out.