20th chapter here we go!

20 chapters, I have to admit I feel a certain pride, but we still have a long way to go. Plenty of ideas that have yet to been written and some I have already written but can't publish as they are too far forward in the story. just need to fill some gaps.

With that said.

Thank you all who have read my story this far.
I hope you enjoy this one.

That's the only way I can win

"Fifth match this month? Is it?" Athis asked as he sat down by the tables in the courtyard.

"Jepp" Njada answered as she passed him a wooden mug and poured him a drink.

"He doesn't give up, does he?" Athis continued as he took the mug.

"50 Septims on Vilkas!" Torvar pitched in as he knocked on the table with his mug to draw their attention.

"By Asura, you don't have 50 Septims," Athis stated with annoyance in his voice as he turned toward Torvar, sitting next to him. "Besides, it would be a losing bet."

"Athis is right." Njada said, scratching her left temple. "They've been dueling for over a year and Vilkas hasn't lost once."

"That's why I'll bet 50!" Torvar continued with enthusiasm. "Nothing to lose."

"Well if no one's betting against you there's nothing to win either, dimwit," Athis answered sharply with a taste of insult on his tongue.

"Oh come on, gray skin. I'll give you good odds," Torvar said with a smirk.

"What did you say?..." Athis slowly asked, his red Dunmer eyes piercing Torvard's smirk.

"I'll… give… you… good… odds." Torvar repeated himself, his smirk growing even wider.

Mugs flew over and spilled their content as Athis flew up from the bench, pushing over the long bench they both had been sitting on. Torvar fell over backward as the bench turned beneath him, ye in one fluent motion he rolled over to gain his footing and quickly heaved himself up to a stance, fists lifted in front of his smiling face.

"Before that, you drunk!" Athis yelled in rage, he too aiming his fists.

"Enough!" Njada interrupted, throwing her mug at the back of Athis's head. "They've started!"

Just breathe,… focus and breathe… I thought to myself as I slowly found my footing on the hardened dirt. Dirt hardened by years and years of wear, feet stomping and stepping upon it until it had almost turned as hard as stone.

I only need to see through his moves, this once. But so far I never had. I've long since lost count on how many duels we've had, I knew only I had zero wins, and yet I had never been able to see through him. Or foresee his moves. Farkas was easy, straightforward and fierce. But Vilkas, Vilkas never moved unless I did. And I couldn't see through his movement if I had to focusing on my own.

"Wanna do this today or not?" Vilkas said impatiently, holding his seemingly relaxed stance with his sword arm hanging by his right side. But I now knew better than to believe it relaxed. It was a stance ready to in an instant turn into any and all stances, from which he would counter my move no matter what. That was his strength. Since our very first duel that had been his winning move. Using my movements against me. And no matter how I moved he would counter it. That was his only move that I could foresee.

Just breeeathe and focus… I again reminded myself as I slowly moved my left foot forward on the solid dirt, and slightly tightening my fingers around the handle of my great axe. Unless he makes the first move, I've already lost. But how can I make him make the first move? After all… he never moves unless I do. I need some way to distract him. But how? Throw dirt? No… he would make his move the moment I kneeled down. A feint? No… my axe is too heavy for feints. Taunts? No, Vilkas is to levelheaded to fall for taunts. I have to make him make the first move… that's the only way I can win.

Suddenly a loud wooden noise interrupted our duel, if one could yet call it a duel, as Athis started yelling by the tables. By instinct, Vilkas turned his eyes towards the ruckus that had started a ¨outside distraction.¨ Of course! I took the opportunity and made my move as I plunged myself towards him, dirt spewing behind my feet. Plain old luck!

Axe head on my right I began its swing towards his head, Vilkas quickly returned his sharp silver-blue eyes on me. Force him to move back! I thought as I swung my axe. Vilkas tilted his torso and head backward, barely yet skillfully evading my attack, and with an instant flowing motion he turned his sword arm to counter, aiming for the open areas beneath my vision.

He dodged! Of course he did! I knew he would! If he hadn't his head would be flying! My mind raced as he evaded. Not that I in any way wanted to kill him, but since my ¨turning¨ I felt our duels had gradually turned almost dangerously violent.

Next, he would counter, I knew he would. But where? My torso's too heavily armored. Hips, waist, or armpits? That's where I would strike. But which one? No choice but to guard them all.

Mid swing I lifted my right leg and forced my right elbow down, sacrificing balance for protection. A sharp metallic sound as his sword rang against the gray metal of my vambrace, weight of my axe now pulling me left. Quickly my foot found safety in the ground and using the momentum of my axe I forced my body forward, slamming my shoulder into Vilkas's chest. His feet left the ground as he intentionally jumped, my push simply pushing him back through the air as his feet landed steadily and firmly on the ground a mere pace or two away from me.

Don't stop! My mind screamed as my axe, now behind me, began its upward swing to plunge down towards Vilkas. A swift scrape as his sword parried against my handle and his body sidestepped its descend, gracefully guiding it into the ground. His sword whipped in the air as it turned to counter for the back of my neck. Using the weight of my axe I threw myself forwards and felt his sword nag at the hair by my neck as it swung dangerously close to my head. Heavy armor restricting my movement I barely managed to roll into a kneel with my axe still steady in my hands.

My back was open. Dirt flew as I twisted around, hard graveled ground scraping at my armored knee. A wide grip on my handle as I lifted it to guard against the attack I knew he would deliver. Sure enough, Skyforge steel rang in unison as they violently touched. A cold feeling ran down my spine as I finally became aware of the adrenaline flushing my system.

With my left arm I jerked the handle of my axe to cause Vilkas's sword, weighted by his body, to scrape against it towards the ground. And like a hook, the inside of my axe head locked itself behind his neck. His eyes sharpened as they met mine, and for the second time in my life, I saw them burning yellow.

Now! I turned my still kneeling body and tugged hard at his neck. Dust and dirt flew as I sent him headfirst into the ground next to me. I won?… No! Vilkas's left arm suddenly swung its clenched sword towards me horizontally along the ground, his face was still in the dirt. When did he switch sword arm?! Mid-fall?

Reflex kicked in and I let go of my axe, still locked around his neck, and threw myself back to evade. Vilkas pushed himself from the ground, bending his knees beneath him, and regained his footing as I landed on my ass. Before I could stand he was already on top of me, aiming the tip of his sword towards my throat, my axe lying by his feet.

"You're unarmed…" He said, with his regular silver-blue eyes returned to him. "You know the rules."

"Lost again!" Torvar shouted from the tables as I rose and brushed the dirt off my knees, sighting with self-disappointment. "We've got a mug ready for you right here!"

"Vilkas," Skjor said commandingly as he leaned against one of the pillars in the courtyard, arms crossed.

"Aye," Vilkas answered as he walked up the five steps that separated the training area from the courtyard, wiping away a slight nosebleed with the back of his hand.

"You sure fight defensively these days," Skjor stated with his one eye on Vilkas.

Vilkas sighed heavily as he drew his fingers through his coal-black hair and for a moment turned his vision to the other side of the courtyard, to for a moment study the now mead-drinking-man he had just dueled.

"Well, Skjor…" Vilkas began as he leaned in closer to Skjor. "Don't let him hear I said this but, for the last month… that's the only way I can win."