Chapter XII

It was pitch black around him...only a pale bluish light shone on the silhouette standing on the embankment in front and just above him. He was unable to make out any features of his challenger, only that they were a smaller build than him and was holding a very shiny Katana in a position of readiment.

The silhouette never spoke as they clashed blade to blade, the steel singing in the darkness and sparks flying like lightening bugs, nor did his opponent utter a sound. The silhouette moved silently, gracefully and skillfully blocking every one of Duncan's attacks and managed to out maneuver him on several occasions by using skill, speed and surprise.

A couple of times their blades locked and he almost got close enough to see who his opponent was. His gut told him this was definitely someone he knew, because the style and some of the tactics used seemed so familiar. But each time he would get close enough his opponent would find a way out of his grasp, cornering or locked swords.

The battle intensified as his opponent became more on the offensive and with more aggression until Duncan found himself questioning if he was going to be able to beat this small but skillful and determined opponent.

The silhouette began slashing viciously and with such rapid succession that Duncan was forced backward and downhill.

It was all Duncan could do to continually block his opponent's attacks. The heel of Duncan's boot hit up against a dead tree root and caused him to stagger backward, eventually losing his balance and falling backward across a large boulder protruding from the soil. He tried to do a shoulder roll and bring himself to his feet, still facing his attacker, but the silhouette was far too fast and seemed to know he would attempt that move, because his opponent moved swiftly close enough to use its foot to shove his body sideways and send him sprawling to the ground, his Katana falling from his grasp and ending up just out of reach.

Duncan rolled onto his back, raised his knees almost to his chest and when the silhouette got closer, extended both legs, planting his feet firmly in his opponent's abdomen with enough force to send the silhouette flying back up the embankment several feet, giving Duncan time to get to his feet and retrieve his sword .

As soon as Duncan's Katana was in his hand, before he even had time to straighten up, he could see the glint of his opponent's blade. He twisted his body so it was somewhat facing his attacker and at the same time raised his sword and blocked a forceful downward slash.

Using the momentum his arm gained as it raised his sword to block his opponent's thrusts to carry his arm beyond the necessary point to efficiently block the attacks and connect his elbow with his opponent's face causing it to stagger backward and that was when he heard the silhouette make any verbal sound. He heard a moan of pain and surprise. But what completely took Duncan by surprise was that he realized that his opponent was female.

He got to his feet and moved toward the silhouetted figure that had staggered back and ended up kneeling on one knee. She raised her sword to block any attack he might make. That was when Duncan made a near fatal mistake. He hesitated in rallying as she had done him when he was down.

Duncan's opponent wasted no time. She saw the hesitation and took full advantage of the momentary lapse and thrust her sword into Duncan's abdomen and then all the way through.

Duncan responded with a cry of pain and a look of surprise. He placed his hands on his opponent's that were still on the hilt of her sword and forced them backward thereby pulling the sword out of his body. Then when he was sure it was almost out, he threw

himself backward which not only finished removing the blade, but moved him a far enough distance from his enemy to be able to parry any thrust she might attempt, until, that is, he lost consciousness from the severe wound he had just sustained.

Her sword slid out smoothly and Duncan staggered back several steps before allowing himself to fall backward to the ground. The silhouette took several steps toward him and on the last, lunged with her sword leading.

Duncan summoned as much strength as he could and stretched one leg out on the ground, timing it perfectly so that it tripped his attacker. Duncan's thinking was becoming fuzzy as unconsciousness threatened him and he didn't consider the way she would fall after being tripped and was momentarily surprised when she fell forward and, although she twisted her body to try and avoid landing directly on top of Duncan, she did anyway.

Duncan's opponent struggled to get to her feet, but Duncan grabbed her shoulders and rolled her over so that she lay on her back and pinned beneath him. She struggled hard under his weight and he knew he wouldn't be able to fight her for long and he knew that him losing consciousness was exactly what she was waiting for. Then with one swift slice of her sword she would take his head and his Quickening. He wanted to see who it was who would be living the rest of his life for him.

A stream of light, seemingly sunlight, filtered down from somewhere above and spot lighted the ground about a foot away from them so Duncan managed to scoot her and him over to the small spot of light and when he had her in it he moved sideways just enough for the light to fall on her face.

At first Duncan froze and stared in disbelief at the struggling female. He stared in shock for a few seconds (although they seemed much longer), then he caught her flailing hands and pinned them along side her head. He found his voice and spoke as evenly and gently as possible.

"Caitlin. Caitlin, stop. It's me. Caitlin don't do this. Please, sweetheart. I know it's you. Please recognize me. Please see me. Baby please stop. Caitlin..." His voice trailed off as the girl underneath him showed no recognition of him and brought her knee up sharply into his groin.

As darkness began to creep to the edges of Duncan's vision and slowly began to darken the world around him, Duncan dropped to the ground and rolled on his side, his back to the girl. He could hear her struggle to her feet, heard her retrieve her sword. He heard her footsteps as they came closer and he could feel an energy from her body as she stood over him.

"Caitlin, please don't do this," he pleaded. Then he heard her inhale and he knew she had raised her sword over her head.

"There can be only one," he heard her say and he turned to look into her eyes as her blade swept downward.

Duncan screamed as he sat up in bed. He was soaked from sweat. He looked around the room, recognized it as his bedroom and then glanced to the empty side of the bed. His memory flashed a vision of Caitlin sleeping peacefully on that side of the bed, but the vision turned terrifying as he saw in his mind the look in her eyes, that look of non-recognition as she brought her sword down toward his neck.

He lay back down and pulled her pillow up to him and hugged it tightly as he fought to control his body's uncontrollable shaking. Then he buried his face into her pillow and wept harder than he had since Caitlin disappeared out of his life and heart.

to be continued