Dawn of Vengeance

Chapter 29 -- Settled

Father Matthew's POV:

Stark flew at Father Matthew with such speed that he was just barely able to raise his blade up in order to fend off the vampire's attack. His knees buckled and one even gave out on him when Stark brought his blade down, he was no longer only using one hand as he'd so often down when the two of them sparred together so many years ago, this was the real thing. Either Stark or Father Matthew would fall this night; he just prayed that he still had enough strength left in his old body to ensure that he could at least injure Stark enough to give the others a better chance at ending him.

Crying out in anger Matthew used all of his strength to get back to his feet and throw Stark's blade back up over his head before he spun around and swung with all his might intending to cleave the vampire in two. A loud and harsh clang of metal on metal followed by the painful tremor flowing up Father Matthew's blade all the way up his arms let him know that he hadn't gotten anywhere near his target. He looked up to find Stark looking down at him with a smirk on his face, he was winning already and he knew it.

Setting his jaw Matthew withdrew from Stark's striking range and held up his blade ready for the next attack yet Stark made no move whatsoever to attack. He merely stood where he was his blade still in the position that it was to block Matthew's attack and that arrogant and knowing smirk on his face. The vampire cocked his head to the side and looked at Matthew as if he were trying to figure him out like he'd done the first time they'd met in Switzerland.

He hasn't changed; Father Matthew couldn't help but think to himself as he began to circle Stark who followed his every move with those black eyes of his. He's still young, strong, an as cunning as ever. He has every advantage over Matthew that one could ever hope to have on an opponent, he was faster, stronger, smarter, and he had a millennium’s worth of experience in combat. Father Matthew hated to admit it but the painful truth was staring back at him not six feet away. He was outclassed and Stark knew it.

In his prime Father Matthew had always been able to fight Stark to a draw but now that he was fighting him again all these years later it was becoming clear just how much Stark had held back during those sparring sessions. Even after devoting two decades of his life entirely to becoming as physically strong as he could Matthew's strength was only slightly greater than that of one of Starks arms. His old legs couldn't even hope to be able to keep up with his speed as a thousand year old vampire but it was too late to think about all that now, Father Matthew told himself tightening his grip on the hilt of his blade.

I'm here now and I must give the others a fair shot at doing what I cannot.

"Are you done thinking of a plan to compensate for your lack of- Well everything?" Stark asked lifting his sword up to shoulder height as he began to circle Matthew as well. "Face it Matthew. You've meet someone who's just better than you are."

"Maybe," Matthew huffed looking past Stark at all the Strigoi that had gathered to watch and noticed another figure had appeared near Stark's throne. That must be his wife, he thought bringing his gaze back to the immediate threat. "But I've faced and beaten such people before Stark; you know that more than anyone."

"There is no one like me." The vampire said and Matthew caught a quick flicker in his eyes and saw that his eyes had gone from black to a brilliant shade of red. His eyes had become luminescent like all vampires' do when they were moving in for the kill.

This is it than he thought taking a deep breath. He's not going to hold back anymore, I've got to think of something Father Matthew told himself. There was no way to match his strength or speed that Matthew could think of, and his years of battle experience were nothing compared to what Stark had ruling out any possibility of trying to out think him. I'll just have to go for it and trust my body to be able to hold out long enough, he thought. Lowering his sword Father Matthew raised his hand to the silver cross that hung loosely around his neck before wrapping his hand around it. Stark saw this and must've realized what Matthew planned on doing because an wickedly evil smile splayed across his face as he lowered his sword as well waiting for Matthew to finish what he was intending.