The Forest Void

Dark and heartless was the night around the forest, the approaching armies of Shar seemed to make the shadows of the night seem like endless voids that plunged into the inner depths of your soul. Calneche took a breath taking in the freezing air below the trees, he had a strange sense in his body that something was a skew from a typical night. It seemed the normal shades that would try and hunt the hunter had vanished, though their presence was noted in the back of Calneche's mind. He walked forward, his brown overcoat floating over the grasses and rocks, the buckle on his bandoleer shined in the moonlight as did the hand guards on his sabers. This night was different, he wore a light lamellar armor similar to his days as a Banite. Lamellar was his preferred taste in armor for its ability to stop weapon penetration quite well, it was to protect him from the horrid feeling of staring death in the eyes that night.

There was a dark trail Calneche followed, not of a physical path but like following the smell of good food to its source. This "smell" opened up into a large, flat clearing about two hundred meter across in diameter. Calneche scanned the area, sighting a figure as his right hand clenched into something similar to a claw in nature as his left went near his sword belt. He whistled quite loudly to gain the attention of the what Calneche hoped was a lost man in the dark, only at this time noticing what looked like a dark aura, or cloud that covered the area near the figure. Shade? No, it couldn't be. There would be others or a superior aggressiveness to his presence but Calneche moved forward getting at least fifty feet away from the dark figure in the center of the clearing. Calneche froze as he saw the eyes of the devil, directly in front of him a large red and white eye opened and stared him in the face.

The light wind that filled the clearing originally seemed to die with a like moan of deep agony as the area because as still as death. The eye seemed to be connected to the cloud above the figure as Calneche studied it. Suddenly and obscurely it bolted a back towards the figure, in a few seconds multiple eyes, small and big opened, all staring with no emotion behind them. They began to move and separate themselves from each other, five in all. One opened up into a mouth, the rows of teeth like a piranha's making reflections on the ground. It snickered as it stared down on Calneche. He was amazed, and slightly petrified by the sight. It was so foreign to the creatures he had fought, but also very similar in form. The shadow mouth drooled, the black saliva dropped but disappeared before it ever reached the ground. It cackled a loud and distorted voice at Calneche, "You! Human.. You have entered my domain. This forest, all mine when the sun is dead... Unfortunately for you, I can't let you leave now, but you're welcome to stay, after I devour your heart, and become part of me.."

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Melian smiles at Calneche in a dark, sadistic way before a spear darts at his right side. A second shower of sparks is sprayed across the grass as the spear is deflected with the steel saber in what seemed like a fraction of a second. Melian is abruptly thrown from his optimistic view to a shock, "H-How did you def.. Impossible! You should be dead!"

Calneche raises his silver saber and points its tip to Melian and bringing his steel saber to a right angle to the silver, feet coming together in a stance, "Unfortunately for you, what you don't know will kill you. You underestimated your opponent and will pay for it dearly."

The large mouth laughs with much excitement, then glares with its many eyes down on Veremoth, "I see your every move Human.." A second spear moves down and points itself to Veremoth. The spears make their move, Calneche still on the defensive as his swords clash with the spears in sparks. Each hit releases a force of air that makes shock waves in the grass. The silver saber clashes in a hold with the side of a spear, a small wave of magic released as the dark and light collide. The other spear is thrust towards Veremoth's head with breakneck speed in a counter. Melian shouts out in agony as Calneche stares ahead, the long tip of the spear centimeters from his left eye. He looks to his steel saber, it is impaled through the oncoming extension just as the spear seems to begin to fall apart like burnt paper being crumbled. The spear held by the silver saber lashes out catching Veremoth off guard as he is flung backwards at an angle. Cal slides across the ground catching himself and landing in a semi-kneeling position, forming his swords in a downwards 'V' figure.

The spear shrinks back as it falls apart, Melian slightly whimpering in agony. It once again reforms in the shadows formed by the fires, taking on a more slender spike like shape.

Calneche studies the developing spear, watching carefully.

"So you're a man of low tolerance..."

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Minutes seemed like days as the most grueling of the fight was a test of speed, agility, endurance, and overall strength for Calneche as fire ruled the night sky. Their collisions between blade and blade were like fireworks as the field began to wear from green grass to black dirt. Calneche would have faltered and been killed easily if it were not for his intense training, but he was beginning to wear. Melian's attacks were persistent at keeping Veremoth at bay, though he could break through at any moment Melian was overtaken by the pain of an extension being broken. The men were evenly matched in focus, for this battle could end it all for either of the two.

One of the extensions swung like a scythe chest level to Calneche, he quickly rolled forward deflecting an attack from the right with his steel saber, and impaling it with the silver saber. Melian cringed as he let out a yell from the pain, Calneche saw his chance. Letting out a war cry possibly heard for miles. Running straight for Melian dodging the flailing spears. Within range Veremoth leaped forward in a drastic last hope to end the battle, steel saber extended to his foe.

Silence.

There was a spray of crimson, both fighters stared at each other before their eyes traveled down to the weapons. Melian's face twisted into an evil grin, unscathed. Calneche's eyes widened seeing the slender black spear penetrating just under the left of his ribcage, a line of blood came down from the corner of his mouth. The saber was coiled by an extension with a head like a snake. Calneche let out another deafening war cry, his eyes turning a fiery red as if they erupted into flame. The right arm of his overcoat ran slow red lines down it as pieces burned off quickly like a cloth ignited after being soaked in kerosene. A powerful electric shock ran through the sword as it sliced the snake off the blade and forward into the meek shoulder of Melian. The sword hilt was ablaze in magical fire, delivering a shock to Melian as he yelled in pain from the weapon gored into his shoulder. A force threw Calneche from Melian as he slide across the dirt a few meters along with his swords clanging down and rolling near by him. Melian fell to his knees, extensions shrinking back to him. The forest fire began to die..

Calneche feebly looked up, holding his side with his right hand scanning for Melian. A blood trail from both of the men led in opposite directions. The coward fled to tend to his wounds before finishing his opponent, Calneche brought himself to his knees with a grunt. He let out a shout of pain looking up at the sky before falling onto his back, the wound seared closed by magic fire.

The sun began to rise to the east.