Fiction LNE
Fiction Friday


Castles, The Princes That Fought
Chefelf

Chapter 13
The Battle

On the tip of Mount Tarkoon lived a mighty dragon. There were swirly black clouds of doom that circled the tip of the mountain. It was as if the dark clouds wanted to hang out with the dragon because they were gloomy looking and the dragon was evil. However, it was due to a strange meteorological condition that the clouds circled the mountain. There was nothing magical about it at all. This was not for anyone of the princes or wizards to know. To them it was as if it actually was magical. That suited the dragon just fine. He felt it added to his bad ass reputation rather nicely.

At the base of Mount Tarkoon roared another dragon: The dragon of war! The loyal troops of Prince Greem were charging up the 7% grade at the base of Mount Tarkoon. Prince Brown's men were charging down the 7% grade, thus giving them the strategic advantage.

The two armies met, like lovers in a dimly lit lane. Except these lovers were armed with swords rather than kisses, pikes rather than hugs, halberds replaced tender whispers and the swing of the morning star made a deadly substitute for snuggling.

Nothing but the clanking of swords filled the air. Except for the swinging of whips and the great tin sheilds blocking spears and arrows and all other manner of medieval war weapons.

A great bolt of lightning struck the ground as if to officially christen the battle into the world, washing its sin away.

There was a mighty roar as the armies fought. Prince Brown struggled through the rain which had just begun. His gaze swept across the battlefield, analyzing what was going on. Then it happened. Their eyes met. He and Prince Green were staring at each other across the rain-soaked battlefield (which was more of a battleslope due to their current geographical situation).

"Brown!"

"Green!"

The two princes dashed across the battlefield. It was as if time slowed down. Their battle faces were frozen in slow motion as their mud-covered boots carried them closer, stride by stride, their faces occasionally illuminated by a flash of lightning. Slowly, with a cool strobe effect, they lifted their swords back as if in unison, as if practiced as a part of some well rehearsed ballet with swords. Their swords connected in midair, accented by a sudden blast of lightning that hit the ground close by.

"My blade will find its mark," Prince Brown shouted as he pushed Prince Green backwards.

Green stood, panting in the rain. "Surely it will. Unfortunately for you, old friend, its mark will be lying on the ground next to your corpse!"

Green lunged forward with sharp jab that was expertly parried by Prince Brown. There was then a mighty riposte by Prince Green. "Nice riposte," Brown mocked. "Or should I say, 'supposed?' As in, 'Supposed to be effective!'"

"More like, 'Are you Supposed to be sword fighting?'" Green remarked with a lop-sided grin.

Brown furrowed his eyebrows and dashed towards Prince Green. Their blades met as the two princes pushed against each other, both their sets of magnificent teeth gritting as they tried to push the other until their noses almost met.

"You must have an awful lot of time for remarks when you practice your swordplay against the ladies in the castle," Prince Brown retorted as he pushed Prince Green away.

Prince Green stumbled backwards with his sword at a low guard. Brown, on the other hand, brought his sword up to a high ward, preparing to swing downward with lethal force on Prince Green if necessary. "It's true," Green stated, smugly. "Though you wouldn't know much about practicing with ladies would you?"

There was a flurry of thrusts from Prince Brown as Prince Green blocked them one by one. Prince Brown stood, breathing heavily as Green smirked in front of him. "No," Brown admitted. "Though I don't need nearly as much practice in that department as you do."

Green charged forward, recklessly, flailing his blade wildly. Brown stepped aside and carefully knocked the blade out of Prince Green's hand. With one quick movement he had his own blade up to Prince Green's throat. "It comes to this, old friend," Brown announced. "It is a pity it has to end this way, Green. But it will end as all our battles end with you as the loser and me as the good-looking one."

Brown drew back his sword and swung forward but at that moment a blast of energy hit Brown's hand and his sword flew to the side, just missing a killing blow to Prince Green. Green, ever alert, dashed to the side and retrieved his own sword, just in time to block a second attack by Prince Brown. Prince Brown, stunned, looked to Green's side and saw the blonde-haired figure of Tracy who was edging closer to Prince Green with her hands extended in a magical defense stance.

"So it is," Prince Brown laughed. "Looks like your girlfriend is here to protect you!"

"She's not my girlfriend!" Prince Green shouted. Tracy gave Green an awkward glance. "Tracy," Prince Green whispered. "I didn't know you could do magick!"

"In the nymph-elf kingdom we do not practise magic unless it is very necessary. We're not a bunch of show offs," she whispered back.

"Why don't you two whisper sweet nothings later. There will be plenty of time at your funerals!" Brown charged forward but his attack was expertly handled by Prince Green who could have sworn he felt magicks controlling his blade.

"Perhaps," Green answered. "Too bad you won't be there because you will have died many years sooner at my hand!"

The two princes lifted their swords and were both distracted by a mighty roar. Prince Brown looked up while Green craned his neck to look up over his shoulder. A mighty spurt of flame shot from the tip of Mount Tarkoon.

"Ilkspeake!" Thinecrump shouted as a mighty shadow plunged through the darkness towards them. "In our haste we have awoken him from his slumber!"

"Damn it," Prince Green said as the dragon approached, spitting fire and lunging towards a small group of soldiers. "And it looks like he got up on the wrong side of the dragon bed!"

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