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Chapter 14: War of the myths, Part 2

The duel had begun.

Red Phoenix swung hard, determined to break Green Dragon's defences by force. But her sword only met air as her brother ducked to avoid the attack. April instantly was forced into the defensive as Samuel jumped up and sliced at her with his blades.

Samuel used his hook swords to their fullest as he sliced and caught April's sword in the hook. He pulled down and an opening was made. Seizing his chance he swung the other sword at her. However his sword met the top of April's steel gauntlet. Samuel's sword couldn't cut the gauntlet, and his defence was down.

April didn't waste her opportunity. Simultaneously she pushed Samuel's sword out of the way and hit him hard with a step-kick.

April's boot collided with Samuel's chest, sending him flying backwards. April's sword escaped his grip. April leapt up and aimed a stab at Samuel while he was on the ground. Samuel rolled backwards do dodge it. Jumping up he aimed a quick slash at April but she sidestepped it.

April slashed again and now Samuel was on the defensive as he either blocked or dodged the quick and rapid slashes that April was sending towards him. She had learnt now to avoid Samuel trapping her sword in his hooks, which would leave her defenceless.

The slashes continued and Samuel was being forced back to the edge of the roof. He had to act fast or he'd be on the street in a puddle of blood. Taking a chance he slashed against April's sword with both of his swords. By sheer luck alone, he pulled the blades tight against his sister's sword, trapping it in both of the hooks.

Snap kicks were then sent between each fighter, thanks to the locked position. Steel-toed boots met metal and kevlar chest-guards, the reverberations being felt by both parties.

After the third kick April had enough and thrusted her sword forward between the locked hooks. Samuel bent back to avoid a stab in the face. April then leapt forward, using Samuel's body as a springboard and stepping over him, her boots meeting his crotch, chest and face. He was on the ground as April landed.

Samuel rolled away and got up. He tasted iron. Rubbing his face he saw blood from a busted lip. Looking over, April was slumped on her left side and pain was showing on her face. She definitely had a broken rib from the kicks. He couldn't help but goad her a bit;

"Ready to give up?" Samuel asked April. In response she stood straight and battle-ready, answering him;

"Never."

"Suit yourself."

Samuel hooked his swords together and slashed out, the connecting swords extending towards April. Quickly she batted the bladed hilt away, but Samuel grabbed the returning hilt and swung the other hilt out like a huge nunchuck. Again April batted it away.

As Samuel was about to grab the returning hilt, April ran forward and kicked it away, sending the sword flying away from Samuel. Using his remaining sword he slashed at April. She locked blades with him.

Both parties pushed hard, not letting go for even a second. They both what would happen if either of them lost so they kept it up.

Taking a chance April jerked hard, catching the hook of Samuel's sword and pulling it away. Unfortunately April lost the grip on her own sword and it went flying with Samuel's. Now both combatants were seemingly unarmed.

Quickly Samuel elbowed April hard in the side and sent a punch at her head before jumping back and getting some distance between April and himself. April blocked the punch to her head and spun to the side for distance.

They both faced each other again, this time with no swords. Glaring, they both knew what was going to happen next. What they didn't know was who was going to make the first move.

After a solid five minutes of circling and glaring, Samuel made the first move, shooting out his left mars hammer at April. April saw it coming though and ducked down. At the same time she shot out both of her chain whips and swung up at her brother.

Samuel had no way of blocking the strike so he desperately tried to dodge to the left. However he wasn't fast enough and the whip nicked his shoulder, not breaking it but badly bruising.

April was now on the defensive, swinging her chain whips rapidly in circles. She had a solid defence and she knew it. Any attempt at an attack would never get through and would result in a shattered bone.

Samuel kept the mars hammer out and started swinging it in a circle, ready to send it out at the first opportunity that showed itself.

They continued circling each other, swinging their weapons as they moved. April's chain whips were heavy and so she couldn't keep spinning them for long. She knew this so she went on the offensive, swinging the right whip at Samuel.

Samuel ducked down, the chain whip missing his head by only 3 centimetres. As he went down, Samuel threw his hammer at April, aiming low for her legs. She knew it was coming though and deflected it with her other whip. Samuel used the motor in the gauntlet to pull it back while April returned to her previous stance, swinging her whips defensively.

Samuel decided to change the game and changed the blunt rope heads to their dart forms. As quick as he could, he fired the right one at April's chest. As expected it was deflected by a whip, but Samuel quickly fired the left rope dart as the whip hit the first. This time it made it to the target, embedding itself in her left shoulder.

Samuel knew it hit some flesh through the layer of fabric and armour, as April grunted and dropped her defences. Without missing a beat, Samuel leapt up and followed the rope embedded in April's shoulder. Legs up, he slammed his boots into April's chest, sending her to the ground.

Jumping off, Samuel prepared to shoot a hammer at her. Samuel suddenly gasped in pain as kunai knife found itself embedded in Samuel's right thigh. Samuel collapsed on his right leg as his sister got up.

With zero hesitation April slammed a fist into Samuel's face. Dazed, Samuel looked up but the opposite fist collided with the other side of his face. Pushing through the pain in his leg, he caught the roundhouse kick that was about to hit him, and using all the strength he could muster, he threw April across the rooftop, landing near the edge.

Samuel stood, but didn't take the knife out of his thigh. There was a good possibility that it hit an artery and he didn't want to bleed out. As he approached April, she rose up, holding the first hook sword he had lost earlier. Samuel had stupidly thrown her to where the sword had landed.

Samuel did a quick look around and spotted where the remaining hook sword and April's Jian sword lay.

As April charged, swinging the blade, Samuel leapt towards the other swords. Sliding at the pair, he managed to grab them. Turning around so that he was on his back, he crossed the blades over his chest to block the slice April had sent at him. Once the strike was stopped, he pushed April up and away from him, forcing her back and getting enough space for him to stand up.

They faced each other. Samuel had blood seeping out of his mouth, a cut on his left cheek, and a knife sticking out of his right thigh. April was sagging on her left side and a small trickle of blood could be seen coming out of the hole on her left shoulder.

Looking the weapons he now had, one of his hook swords in his left hand and April's Jian sword in his right, he knew the fight had to end soon. Making eye contact with her, he spoke;

"Let's end this." Looking between the single hook sword she had and her sword in Samuel's hands, she answered him.

"As you wish." Nodding, they each threw the swords that were not theirs to their proper owners. Once they had them they both charged.

Samuel swung first and connected with April's blade. She then parried the blade away and spun quickly. Before Samuel could deflect or block it, she thrusted her sword into Samuel's gut.

The duel had ended. April had won.

Next chapter: To the victor, the spoils.

A/N Bet you didn't see that coming. One more chapter after this to wrap things up. I hope you like it.