Rise of the Blade - Charles Moffat [90]
Pierce backed off and considered his opponent. With both legs injured, Chev was at an incredible disadvantage at last. The words of Vicet Tor'Gamon rang in his ears: "Use your surroundings. If the guy is short, stay on higher ground and take advantage of your height. If the guy is tall, try and get him where he has to duck. If he hits his head on the ceiling and knocks himself out, then it's a good thing!"
Without looking up at the heavy wooden beams overhead, Pierce hoped his leg wouldn't fail him. Foresight leading his way, the Doctor backed away from Chev and tossed both sabers on top of the skid of marble tiles. Since Chev couldn't walk that fast, Pierce had a fair amount of time to haul himself up on to the tiles and use it as a stepping stone to the beam running along the top of the wall.
Moving slowly along the top of the wall, Pierce avoided the warrior's swings from below and started to climb higher. He deliberately muttered to himself about finding something to throw, making sure Chev understood that even if the warrior didn't follow him up onto the beams, he would certainly kill him with ceiling tiles or something worse.
The bodyguard had a vague idea of why Pierce wanted him up there but was confident enough in his balance that he could keep up with the older warrior. His broken knee cap was only slowing him down and the other leg only had a bruise.
Throwing his longsword and cutlass up on top of the tiles, Chev scrambled up and scooped up his weapons. Deciding that the longsword and whip actually to be more favourable, he sheathed the cutlass and followed Pierce's glowing sabers into the darkness.
Pierce realized his mistake immediately when at last he stopped retreating on a thick beam three stories up. Chev's whip would be an incredible advantage on such narrow footing. Looking about, he wondered if there was anything else he could use to his advantage.
Straight below was the ceiling of the boiling room and alchemy shop which Draque used to make his lifesyrup out of specially prepared maple syrup. Should Chev fall from this height and somehow survive, the lifesyrup wasn't powerful enough to heal much anyway. The same could be said for Pierce however. At the very least, the Doctor knew that Draque had several alarm spells on the boiling room that would alert him if someone broke into it.
It was very quiet as Chev at last stepped onto the beam, whip poised to strike.
Pierce held Sidekick out before him, holding Tarrasqueslayer behind him in reserve. When the whip came forward at last, Pierce blocked it with Sidekick and then slashed through the held whip with the reserve saber.
Chev charged it at last, legs moving sluggish-like as he slashed with his longsword across the older warrior's forearm.
Dropping Sidekick, Pierce backed off and changed his position so his good right foot was out front with Tarrasqueslayer.
"How much longer Pierce?" Chev asked, trying to smile despite his pain.
"Not long," Pierce muttered grimly and took one firm step closer so their blades met. A split second later their blades became a blur of blue glowing white steel and blue adamantite. Pierce scored a minor hit and Chev scored one of his own. For a moment they backed off and eyed each other in the light coming off the swords.
The moment didn't last and once more the two masters of combat danced back and forth across the beam, their blades shining with red blood and their bodies coated with sweat and wounds. The minutes passed and through a haze of pain, both warriors still had their wits about them and were striving against each other for every small advantage. Pierce's foresight was at last taking a backseat as he couldn't afford a distraction that would be his end.
Below them, the beam creaked under their weight and sudden jerky movements. The Doctor saw his chance. This was no foresight that told him what to do next, but an insight