if i die tomorrow - permanent hiatus

blade

     Step by step I was driven backwards, the force of the man's blows, the speed, the ferocity, my shield barely able to keep up with the movements. My breath whistled in my burning lungs as I whipped around, raising my sword to block a slash, the clash of metal on metal rippling through my arms.

     My back hit the crumbling marble of the coliseum walls.

     I was hyper aware of everything around me: the sharp glint of the man's blue eyes, the warmth of the light breeze as it hit my skin, the smooth stone pressed against my spine. Sadie's gasp. The smile curling at the man's colourless lips.

     "So this is the mighty Hero of Hyrule." He sneered, drunk on his own victory. "Hardly a wannabe boy."

     My eyes fell on his undefended side, the gears of my mind working furiously. 

     He followed my gaze and moved to block me, but at last moment I changed direction and fell onto his chest, my sword swinging down in a steel arc.

     Blood spurted out of his flesh, but somehow, it threw me entirely off guard. Instead of crimson like I was expecting, it was the darkest black. It sizzled as it met the air.

     He took full advantage of the split second of hesitation and countered with alarming speed, and I twisted out of the way at last moment, the huge blade slicing through my tunic, the rubies encrusted in its hilt glistening like drops of blood.

     My feet kicked up dust as I charged at him, and he was ready for me, his shield meeting my sword. He parried swiftly, and I dodged as he delivered yet another counter that nearly sliced off my arm. 

     I jumped backwards against another attack, but not far enough. The tip carved into the side of my head, leaving behind a long but shallow gash. He had been aiming for my face, my eyes.

     Ignoring the flare of pain, I feinted to the right, twisting hastily to the side as the sword barred the place I'd been meaning to go. I was so close to it that I could see the delicate engravings on the blade. Grinding my teeth, I stepped backwards lightly, found my balance and met the man's blade with my shield, parrying the heavy sword and falling back as he recovered too fast and stepped forwards once more.

     I sidehopped his left slash, dodged his right, being driven backwards steadily yet again. The familiar formation he was using suddenly clicked in my foggy mind. So before he had a chance to use the opening he had crafted for a downward thrust like I knew he would and finished me, I gritted my teeth and swung my blade to meet it, twisting my wrist gently to subtly change the direction of his blow. The blade faced harmlessly to my side, meeting only empty air. 

     For a moment, we regarded each other, breathing heavily. I noted with savage pleasure the newfound respect glinting in his eyes.

     And yet, I would feel myself weakening. My arms felt like overcooked noodles, limp, soft. A fever I didn't even remember I had was slowly climbing. I fought to sharpen my eyes, the mist veiling the world reducing my enemy to indistinct smudges of colour.

     Already several wounds were bleeding, not all because of the wickedly black sword the man held. I gripped my sword tighter, my chest heaving. My vision slid in and out of focus. 

     I knew how badly I was wounded. I knew what was the consequence of letting these wounds go untreated. 

     I just wished that I wouldn't die here. Here of all places, a realm within my own mind.

     With a snarl the man charged back to battle and I met it steadily, the force of the collision ringing in my ears. I stumbled back, my position dropping from offense to defense. I dodged the blade just barely and countered, to be met with the expert block of a shield. I darted back and used the distance to pinpoint my next point of attack.