Redfork Menace

For better or For Worse

She dodged out of the way, rolling in such a manner as to avoid Joth's blade. She's been dodging him for minutes now. It was her best shot at not getting hit. His sword was longer, and his wingspan was longer putting her at a severe disadvantage. Her short sword was better for stabbing, but it didn't matter if she couldn't get close enough to hit him. She kept rolling out of the way as his blade swept down mere centimeters from hitting her shoulder. She looked up as she dodged out of the way. Joth looked deranged. He was nearly salivating at the thought of victory. He was so sure that he was going to slice her in half even as she nimbly dodged every blow he sent her way.
The crowd had ceased to exist for her the moment their blades rang out, a steely crash that set her teeth on edge. And she had never felt more alive than she did this close to death. She finally felt free, soaring above like a bird in the sky. Nothing could touch her as long as she held the blade in her hand. She struck out aiming for his ankles, but he dodged at the last second. The two of them had been circling each other for ten minutes at least. But didn't exist to her at this moment the only thing that existed was the fury of her righteous wrath. There was only one outcome for this trial, and that was justice, the justice they had been robbed for years. Half crouched, but finally standing she watched as he lunged forward if he had a short sword, it would've been the perfect opportunity for her to stab him, but because he was using a longsword, his reach was so much further than hers and she couldn't risk him nicking her with his blade.
It didn't matter that she hadn't landed a single blow because she had finally analyzed his fighting pattern. He would lunge forward, aiming straight for her chest and when he missed he would feint left before moving backwards. It was always the same opening And she thought he isn't a very good swordsman. As one of the first lessons you receive is not to strike out through the middle. It leaves you vulnerable for an attack instead, you want to control the attack through the blade. Which he should've been doing as he had the longer sword, he could've ended the fight much earlier if he had attacked straight on. Our sword did not have a cross guard and if meant to he could slice her fingers off without a second thought. But Joth wasn't thinking at all beyond how he could end this fight as quickly as possible. The longer she kept him actively engaged, the worse the swordsman looked.

"Admit your wrongdoing." She shouted loud enough for everyone to hear. " You killed an unarmed woman, a River lander."

"I killed nothing but I'm going to kill you." he snarled, striking at her with all his might.

The swing of his blade was sloppy, slower than it should've been. She could've batted it away the same way Benjicot often did to her. Instead, she rolled out of the way, and as she did manage to cut the back of his calf. His subsequent grunt pain was so satisfying. She wished she could hear it on repeat. He was breathing heavily, and Shanda wondered when the last time he picked up a sword was. After figuring out his attack style she began calculating how best to end the fight. She could ask him to confess all day but it would only be a waste of breath.
He had a terrible habit of trying to stab down at her when she would quickly roll out of his way. If he was quicker, he could manage to stab her exposed back before she turned completely around. She watched him do it a few times before deciding she would go for the opening. He left his entire midsection open when he lunged to stab at her and she planned to use that. Her entire body was vibrating with the amount of sheer adrenaline running through her veins. She felt transcendent in a horrible way, she knew if she were to falter for even a moment death was waiting. She steeled herself and moved in.
He managed to cut her shoulder when she dodged too slowly but she moved into position all the same. She wanted for him to lunge, his blade bearing down, aimed to pierce her back. Then she sprang up and she stabbed him straight through the middle. She pushed with more force than she thought necessary, pushing through the layers of skin and muscle. She didn't pause for a second before she knocked the longsword from his other hand. He was half slumped against her now, blood pouring from his mouth and dripping down on to her. He cough spewing it all over her face. He grabbed her shoulder with his newly freed swordhand and pulled himself closer, her hand pressed against his abdomen from the action. She could feel the warm slippery flow of blood against her skin.