I walked down the stairs

The moon smirked above

I cursed the blind fate that ruled from above

I had been carried this far on relentless need

But now that I was here it was content just to seethe

I looked down at the stage where this final act would take place

With old emotion my heart began to race

Old memories surfaced that I could not out pace.

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I'm going to win,

I'd told them one day

I'm going to make it up out of this place

They'd laughed and they'd joked as close friends will do

But under it all there was a sorrow even they could not hide

Then you came among us

Green eyes full of sorrow and stamping it down you talked of tomorrow

The Duels we shared

The tears and the pain

All of it came back to me again

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Hair a mass of blood red flame

Green eyes that swung to blue and back again

Tall and slender

A smile for all

Somehow you never let me fall

Not in the wind

Nor the rain

Or in the depths of the night

I only wish I could help you with your own fight

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You never let on

Not even the day that I left

Just how near you stood to death

With a smile on your face and tears in your eyes

You'd ironically told me not to cry

So away they took me from all that I loved

And also from you my dear sister/best friend

It wasn't by blood that the two of us were joined

But by a love and a trust that none could destroy

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I stood on the stair looking out on the place where

You had stood once before,

I trembled with fear

I'd lost once too often to have the cool unshakable confidence

I'd once been famous for

I closed my eyes my hands gripping the cool steel railing

Then a light touch on my shoulder

A low laugh

I looked over and saw you standing there my friend

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Eyes just as green

Curls flaming around your brow

That smile that answered any question ever said

I smiled for you, only for you

And you laughed again

Throwing back your head

Then you draped an arm around my shoulders

Whispering some witty comment in my ear

Soothing something quivering inside me

Come on Dragon Boy let's go kick the kids ass

What if I don't I questioned

Needing to hear your answer, just like old times

Your eyes flashed, one blue and one green

I'll kick your ass so hard you'll never sit down again

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I looked back at the stage

And so did you

Clever Bastard you muttered

I raised a brow and countered

No shit Sherlock,

How good is he? You ask, too calmly

You never did get wound up at all

At least not until you it was your turn,

I vibrantly recall

Can't say, I've never seen him duel, my voice soft in the night

But he's seen you? You speak, barely a whisper of air

Probably, I closed my eyes

I've heard he has a dragon to.

Really? You ask looking round the stadium

No wonder you didn't decline to duel him.

Yeah big surprise, I trail off in a mutter.

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"So where is this hot shot?

He must be a pro.

I've never seen you this low down before"

A sadistic chuckle is my reply

"I've lost once too often to fly all that high."

You look at me strangely in the waning light.

The silver moon rises higher in the night

Then you nudge my arm and point to the shadows stretched out before us

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Then with a half smile that says all you give me a nuggie

Then start down the stairs to the place where you'll watch

This winner-takes-all duel

But that just slips by me

My gaze and my thoughts focused somewhere far away

On the ground before me five shadows merge

Swirling and shifting

An uncontrollable urge.

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I feel a warm breeze on my neck

And smile knowing that there's no breeze to check

You swirl around me, my beauties three

Waiting for your last two brothers to be free

You're shadows still for a moment

As you're all held in sway

By a figure that has too long been away

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I can feel it now

That sweet reckless urge

To crush and to tear

To let loose a rage mirrored in your eyes

Yes my beauties you've won again

Never more can I fight the one within me

For he to longs to be free

I sigh one last sigh as the chains the bind me go on their way

Removed till once more they need hold me stay

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Below me a forms steps up on the stage

He turns to me

His emerald eyes cold

I meet then coolly like in the Westerns of old

The two opponents stare down

Neither one of them moves

Sizing the other

To win or to lose

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Behind they strain

Their sleek hides are marred

With cuts and scars

Inflicted by chains

And the abusive power of the one they must follow

The four once more howl

Like the wind in the trees

He shivers before a frost filled breeze.

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So this is the one

Tonight is the night

When I can finish

The purest form of fight…