There Can Be Only One
Methos stood with some effort before looking down and brushing himself off. Seeing the bullet hole in his shirt he gave a small grimace. "I was rather fond of this shirt," he said wryly. "Well, I guess we best get this whole thing over with."
A pouting frown crossed Kiar's face for a moment before she would look at Methos. "We can still avoid this," she said.
"No, love," said Methos. "We can't avoid this. We fight tonight, and only one of us gets to win."
Kiar closed her eyes and held her breath for an instant, as though she were trying to check her temper. "We could," she began.
"Could what?" Methos asked. "Put this off? Wait?"
"No," she said. "We could easily be the last two. Why should it be any other way? Those others, they aren't like us. They haven't seen what we've seen. They haven't done what we've done."
"You're stalling," said Methos. "Why are you stalling? Afraid of losing your head?"
"You don't want to take my head any more than I want to take yours," said Kiar.
"When did I ever say I didn't want to take your head, love?" asked Methos. "There can be only One."
Kiar frowned and had to look away for a moment. She was choked up and a single tear ran down her cheek. Slowly she drew her sword again as Methos knelt down to pick up his own. Gripping her sword tightly with both hands, she waited until Methos was ready. Once he was ready she moved in. She feigned an attack at his legs, which Methos easily dodged. He countered with a mid strike directed at her chest. She blocked and kicked Methos in the shin. He winced a little then shoved her back and elbowed her in the face. Kiar stumbled backwards a little dazed, but recovered in time to block another swing from Methos's sword. Falling backwards, Kiar put her feet on Methos's chest and monkey-flipped him over her. Quickly they both scrambled to their feet and faced-off again. Kiar made a swing, Methos blocked it, he made a counter-swing, and she blocked that. Their battle raged for several minutes, neither one of them gaining the upper-hand. Then Kiar did a sidestep and a trip and was able to cut Methos along the thigh. He rolled with his fall and came up with his blade blocking a strike for his neck. Methos could feel her strength behind her blade and he knew that she was far superior to him in terms of raw strength and skill. However, her bottom lip was quivering as she stared him in the eyes, and he knew that the emotional strength was currently in his favor. Kiar had no desire to see this battle to a final conclusion. "Still with it, love?" he asked almost taunting her.
"Please," she said barely above a whisper to keep her voice from breaking with grief.
"Please what?" he said angrily as he shoved her sword back with his own. "Please don't kill me, Methos? Please don't let my legend end? Sorry, love, I'm all out of charity."
"Bastard," she spat at him. Methos pointed his blade directly at her and she pointed hers right back at him.
"Got the fire yet?" he asked her. Kiar looked almost confused. "Are you angry enough at me yet to stop your foolishness and genuinely try to take my head? Women and their sentimental drivel. That's why only a man could win the Prize."
Fire raged in Kiar's stomach and she lashed out at Methos with a powerful strike. Methos blocked the strike easily enough, but was surprised that the power of her blow didn't shatter his blade. Kiar's energy to take Methos's head was renewed and she began her attack afresh. Methos smiled inwardly and began to purposely lose ground to her. Kiar's anger was almost blinding and she attacked Methos with a savage vigor. Methos was truly becoming overwhelmed, but he was biding his time. He was able to guide the direction of the battle and was slowly making his way towards an arched bridge over the river. He moved behind a statue of an angel and barely dodged Kiar's strike towards his head. Her blow struck the statue and the head of the angel slid off to the ground. "Wrong head, love," he baited her.
"Don't look for me to make that mistake twice," she hissed back at him.
Methos got to the bridge and continued to fight on the defensive. Kiar's strength was not waning nor was her anger. Methos backed up to the center of the bridge and then began fighting back. His blocks became more powerful and his counterstrikes became more frequent. He made an overhand strike and Kiar blocked it easily. Methos then kissed her quickly on the lips. "Time to end this," he stated plainly. He shoved her back and made a successful cut across her midsection. Kiar stepped back for an instant before recovering. Methos was now on the offensive and backing Kiar away. Then he stepped up onto the railing and jumped over her with a twisting flip. Landing low, he cut her across both of her thighs. Kiar was staggered back to the rail and barely got her sword up in time to block his strike. She made a wide weak strike but was blocked. Instantly, Methos spun about and drove a blind strike behind him through Kiar's chest. A thin gasp escaped her lips as Methos turned to face her, leaving his sword impaled in her. A cold smile crossed his face and he calmly took her sword from her hand. Blood crept down the corner of Kiar's mouth as she looked at him pleadingly. "There can be only One." He made a wide final strike at her neck and her body fell backwards over the railing into the water.
To be continued…
