[RPG] [FEI][LoA] The Challenge

[bpratt]

Maltheo met the blade with his own, and some of the soldiers standing around
gave loud cries of joy, or pride, or jeers, or just general excitement.
Rulers didn't duel one another often, and it was a good show.

His training was from Nighthelm and Soliferum and it began to take over. He
thrust, parried, parried and slashed.

Not too bad for a humble priest, he thought with some amusement - and barely
dodged one of Valius's high slashes.

He aimed and penetrated Valius's defenses, drawing blood. Success! Maybe he
just might -

- and then the world seemed to stop. He looked down at the unusual sight of
a sword buried deep in his chest. There was pain, and he couldn't breathe or
move or speak - but more than that, the odd beauty of the moment struck him
as humerous.

As he fell to the damp earth of the pit, he thought: So it was my grave
after all.

The heat of battle was leaving... every struggling pulse of his heart poured
it and the blood out. He became aware of the crowd again, many cheering. All
enemies. At least I won't have to fight them all now.

The situation was so serious - Valius's red face as he stood victorious -
the formality of the banners - he wondered how anyone could think it was
anything *other* than funny. For the first time in weeks, he twisted his
mouth into an honest smile.

Then the smile faded... then vision... Maltheo was dead.
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