The screeching sound of steel hitting steel, rang through the air as Ann's cutlass met Lidea's broadsword.
Despite the blade's slenderness, it hid a surprising strength that should have given Lidea trouble. Yet, she couldn't help but find her opponent unbearably slow.
With ease, she deflected each of the captain's blows, abating her time as she waited for the perfect opportunity. Seeing her chance, Lidea hit her square in the shoulder with the flat side of her demon steel blade. The strike produced a loud thud.
Ann stumbled and as she took a moment to recover, Lidea glanced over to the side.
Warchief was following their fight with a peculiar sparkle in his eyes. The kind that told Lidea that he was moments away from joining in. His weakened body be damned.
She wasn't the only one to notice, as Crystal glared at him. Promising him hell if he dared to act upon those urges.
Luckily the man seemed to know better and therefore stayed seated but for a slight twitch whenever something especially exciting happened.
Lidea wished that he would be better soon. Even though she hadn't sparred in months, her body had quickly remembered their training together, and now the captain formed barely enough of a challenge to keep her interest.
"Can you afford to be distracted!?"
The cutlass struck her and would have cut her on the cheek if Lidea hadn't avoided it with a single step to the side.
A gasp came from their audience. Fran, the magician, had been both enthralled and horrified by their fighting matches.
Her presence incensed Ann's temper and increased her short-sightedness. Making her fight even more predictable than before.
Seeing the captain's face morph into a snarl of frustration, Lidea felt herself starting to gloat just a little bit.
Without uttering a word, she raised one eyebrow while grinning a bit too smug.
Warchief must have rubbed off on her.
"Clearly she can!"
The man himself laughed loudly at the captain's failure. Causing her face to grow even more stormy.
"Perhaps we should take a break?"
A pinch of pity made Lidea offer her an easy way out, but the woman's tempestuous green eyes whipped at her with murderous intent.
"I'm not tired yet."
She spat out her bald-faced lie, and Lidea could see the copious amount of sweat pouring off her body. Not that she was faring much better. Even though the fight had been one-sided, they had still been sparring since the early morning.
"Well, I am."
The captain gritted her teeth and Lidea awaited her protest, only to be saved by the helm man's cries.
Land was in sight.
As one, they all followed where he was pointing.
Between the rugged peaks that stuck from the water like lone towers, appeared a sickle-shaped island. Jagged mountains of black volcanic rock ran along its spine and formed the backdrop of what looked to be a small city constructed of yellowish stone.
They were heading straight for its pebble beach which turned into a flat stretch of green grass. An unusual feature that felt almost unnatural in the environment they had seen so far.
Looking at the city, one building stood out. A massive tower whose countless levels were perforated with arches of black.
It was connected by bridges to four similar towers which were significantly smaller in size.
YOU ARE READING
Tipping the Scale
FantasiIn a country, where magic and knowledge is limited to the elite. The underclass have finally had enough. A revolution has tipped the scale of power, and the powerless have become in charge. All that was a symbol of magic has been destroyed, its hist...
