Chapter 3

"That must be it." Ecliptor said softly to himself as he stood on a hill overlooking the city.

"Finally." Ecliptor said as he began to make his way down the hill.

"Where do you think you're going, Ecliptor?" an all too familiar voice asked.

"Huh? Darkonda!" Ecliptor shouted in surprise, prepared to draw his sword at a moments notice.

"You didn't think you'd escape from me, did you?" Darkonda asked.

"I thought I smelt your stench." Ecliptor replied, an obvious hint of disdain for his enemy.

"And you were right on the money!" Darkonda replied.

"I won't let you hurt her!" Ecliptor said to Darkonda,

"You can't stop me!" Darkonda replied.

"I can try." Ecliptor said simply.

"You can try, but you'll fail!" Darkonda replied.

"We'll see about that." Ecliptor said.

"Yes, we will!" Darkonda replied.

On the end of this note, the two combatants slowly draw they're swords, each taking a step forward pointing they're swords at each other, but they both begun to run, the blades still fixated on each other.

"I'm going to enjoy this!" Darkonda said as they both came to a sudden stop.

"I must lead him away from the city." Ecliptor thought to himself.

"I'm ready any time you are, Darkonda." Ecliptor said.

"Then let's get this show on the road!" Darkonda replied.

"Yes, let's!" Ecliptor said.

The talking abruptly ended, and the encounter quickly became a deadly free-for-all, the two monster-like creatures rushing at each other, they're blades ready to strike down they're opponents, the swords quickly collided, fortunately Ecliptor was able to block with his.

"It's pointless to resist, come along quietly, and maybe I'll spare your miserable life!" spat Darkonda.

"You, sparing someone's life? You must be going soft on me!" Ecliptor countered.

"Soft, me? In your dreams!" As the talking started back up, it ceased and the two combatants engaged in a violent sword fight, the swords slashing each other back and forth, but never hitting they're intended target.

"Tell me, Darkonda... Why continue to serve Dark Specter? You are the one who destroyed him, after all."

"That's none of your business!" Darkonda replied in anger.

"Dark Specter is a fool, keeping a treacherous wimp like you around!" Ecliptor spat out at his enemy, he was obviously getting under his skin.

"Shut up!" Darkonda shouted.

"Make me!" Ecliptor replied.

"Shut up or else!" Darkonda replied in anger, finally succeeding in striking Ecliptor with his sword, causing him to fall to the ground in pain.

"Uh!" Ecliptor yelled out in pain as he collapsed to the ground.

"You know what your problem is? You're the one who's gotten soft, not me!"

"Oh, and don't worry about Astronema, I'll take good care of her!"

"Ah!" Ecliptor yelled as he quickly got to his feet and rushed Darkonda, sending them both hurtling off a cliff to the quite and peaceful river below.

Everything was dark, too dark. Ecliptor felt as if he was drifting weightlessly through the expanses of space, a feeling of euphoria coming over him, everything seemed so quite, so peaceful...

Suddenly, Ecliptor's eyes flooded open, he was lying on a rocky surface, surrounded by water. He suddenly remembered his mission...

"My princess... I must protect my princess!" Ecliptor stumbled to his feet, a feeling of intense pain searing through him, as if thousands of knives were stabbing him all at once.

"This is ridiculous, I should of reached her by now!" Ecliptor spat out in anger, frustrated that it took him nearly two days to make it this far, only to be thwarted by that snake-in-the-grass Darkonda.

"Darn it, darn it all!" Ecliptor spat out once again, driving his fists into the ground.

"Darkonda!" He yelled out.

"You rang?'

"Huh?"

"Did you have a good nap, my friend?"

"So... You survived the fall."

"Of course I did, you fool!'

"What, did you think I'd go out that easily?"

"The thought crossed my mind."

"I don't have time for you."

"Well, you're gonna make time! We're gonna finish our battle, here, and now!"

"Fine by me." Ecliptor said as he got to his feet, drawing his sword.

"Let's go!" Darkonda yelled out as he rushed Ecliptor, attempting to strike him with his sword, yet again he failed.

"Oh, how pitiful! You're injured... too bad!" Darkonda spat out, as he delivered a kick that sent Ecliptor colliding with a tree trunk.

"Are we going to fight, or are we going to play games all day?" Darkonda asked as he approached Ecliptor.

"We're going to fight!"

"Come on then, bring it on!"

"You asked for it!"

The two combatants ran at each other once again, slashing they're swords back and forth, Ecliptor delivers a punch that sends Darkonda hurtling several feet away, Ecliptor runs at him as Darkonda stumbles to his feet, blocking Ecliptor's attack with his sword, then delivering a kick that sends Ecliptor stumbling backwards.

"Is that all you got?" Darkonda asked as he approached his enemy.

"Not even close." With that, Ecliptor puts his hand to his forehead, and sends a blast of green energy straight at Darkonda, causing explosions all around the treacherous slime-ball, which causes him to fall to the ground with smoke emitting from his body.

"This isn't over, Ecliptor!" Darkonda yelled out as he got to his feet, running at Ecliptor with his sword.

"Time to end this!"

"Ahhhh!" Darkonda yelled out as he continued to rush at his enemy.

"Ahhhh!" Ecliptor likewise yelled running at Darkonda.

The two finally reach one another, passing each other by a few inches, this gives Ecliptor time to react, slashing into Darkonda with his sword three times, then kicking him away.

"Uh, no! Not again!" Darkonda yelled as he fell to the ground and exploded.

The battle finally over for now, Ecliptor takes this time to fall into a knelling position, breathing heavily and using his sword to balance.

"It's over, for now..."

"But he'll be back, like always."

"Now, thanks to that snake-in-the-grass, I'm right back where I started, in the middle of nowhere."

"How... How did all this happen anyway?"

"It seems as if only mere hours have passed since I was revived, and yet... something doesn't seem quite right here..."

"Uh!"

"This is no time to be deep in thought, not the time or the place."

"My mission now is to find by dear, dear Princess... I wonder... How much has she changed?" He thought to himself, wondering just how much did the young girl he once cared for had changed in the course of two years? Would she hate him for betraying her? Would she lash out at him? Would she fear him? Would she regard him as nothing more than a painful memory? All these thoughts found they're way into Ecliptor's mindset.

"Uh... no time to think, I must get back to my objective." Ecliptor said to himself, brushing the thoughts out of his mind for now.

Suddenly there was a thunderous sound, which was accompanied by lightning.

"Hmm... It looks like it's going to be quite a storm... Looks like I'll have to find shelter again."

And with a final sentence of words, Ecliptor walked off, determined to see his objective through this time.

End of Chapter 3