Talismen streaked through the forest, keeping up a strong silent gallop through the trees. He made sure to keep his large double-sided sword out of the moonlight. The chorus of howling and snarling sounded off a few hundred metres to the right where he guessed the fight between Sharrag and the Alpha of the Shrrg army.

A small rustle of leaves to the left told him that the elves were easily keeping up with his pace. He was surprised, for not many two-legs were as fast and agile as the Shrrg. The elves seemed right at home within this forest.

They passed through the middle of the valley, Talismen kept his nose to the air for any possible scent of guards. He couldn’t find any. That night was a calm one. There was no wind, which was an advantage and disadvantage at the same time. Scents were easier to smell in a wider area, but it also meant there scent was reasonably easy to pick up as well.

It didn’t take long for them to reach the other side of the valley. Talismen put a bit more effort into his strides as they made there way up hill. He made sure to keep his mind guarded against an attack from the shade, though he didn’t think it would make that much of a difference. He stopped on a small game path that wound its way through the mountain forest. The elves stopped with him.

“Can you smell anything?” asked Levial, crouching beside him.

Talismen shook his head in response. There was a possibility that the shade had cast a spell to prevent them from scenting him. All doubt of that however was defeated as a dark unnatural musk wafted over his nostrils. The hairs on his back raised and he let loose a low growl.

‘This way,’ he said to the elves.

They tracked through the forest for another few minutes, Talismen pausing every so often to recatch the scent. Eventually the wolf came to a stop at the edge of a small piece of flat ground on the mountain. One side was a shear cliff that fell about twenty metres. The other side was a steep angle up the mountain. In the muddle of the small enclave was the thing they had been looking for.

Sythrel was gazing down into the valley a small smile set upon his features. From his vantage point one could see the whole valley, including the fight that was happening just down below. The roars and howls of pain could even be heard echoing along the valley walls.

Talismen felt a low growl pass through his throat as the thing that had caused them so much strife stood right in front of them. He hunched his legs and gripped his sword tighter in his teeth. He was just about to leap into action when the shade spoke.

“I’ve been wondering when you would come,” it said, turning around to face them.

Talismen felt the two elves beside him freeze.

“Of course, I didn’t expect so many of you,” Sythrel frowned studying the two elves, “I was just wanting to fight ol’ Talismen here.”

He smirked at the Shrrg. Talismen growled back tightening the barriers around his mind and glaring back at the shade. A hand touched his shoulder causing him to hold back.

“Sorry to disappoint you but it is us that you will be fighting,” said Aradon, unsheathing his elfish blade in one fluid movement. His brother followed suit.

Sythrel laughed, “Fine.”

The shade drew his own black blade from seemingly nowhere, holding it up loosely in front of him almost like an amateur swordsman. Aradon leapt at the shade, striking down at him hard and fast. Sythrel back up slightly, defending against the strokes easily. The elf continued his attack striking up, down, left and right. It was a dance. A dance of blades.

Aradon threw one last strike at Sythrel, who instead of blocking dodged the attack and struck forward lighting fast. The elf gasped in surprise as his wards stopped the stroke a millimetre from his heart. He stumbled back and took a deep breath trying to recover from the sudden loss of energy. He barely managed to block the shade’s counter attack. Suddenly Aradon was on the defensive, backing away under the continuous onslaught of blows. It was then Levial decided to step in.

He jumped towards the shade, taking him by surprise. He struck Sythrel’s wards as hard as he could. Sythrel gritted his teeth and swung his bare hand towards Levial.

“Jieda!” he yelled.

Levial gasped as an invisible force hit him. His wards protected him from most of the force but it didn’t stop him from being thrown backwards a couple of metres. The sword came spinning out of his hands. Levial went to grab it but was stopped when the shade jumped into his way. He ducked under the shades first stroke before scrambling backwards as fast as he could, dodging another one of Sythrel’s attacks. Aradon was quick to save his brother and earned himself another hit on the shade’s wards.

Sythrel backed away this time getting stock of the situation and calming himself down. Talismen was sitting in the bushes watching helplessly. He eagerly wanted to join the battle but of course Sharrag had clearly said he wasn’t to. He growled as the shade again attacked the elves, a little more cautious this time.

Aradon blocked his first strike and Levial came in from the side, his sword now back in his hand. The shade quickly blocked his stroke and spun underneath the blade, reaching out his hand and catching Aradon’s next attack with his hand. The elf grunted in surprise.

“Knifr Jieda,” muttered Sythrel and Aradon’s sword shattered into a million pieces.

Aradon gasped and staggered backwards. Taking advantage of the momentary distraction Sythrel swept Levial’s legs from under him causing him to fall backwards. The shade then stabbed downwards towards the helpless elf. The strike broke through Levial’s weakened wards and into his shoulder. The elf screamed. The scream echoed throughout the whole valley making Talismen shiver.

“NO!” cried Aradon, raising his hand towards Sythrel and crying out something Talismen had never heard before in the ancient language.

The shade staggered back in slight surprise and his face darkened. Talismen watched as an invisible fight took place. A vein on Aradon’s forehead began to bulge and sweat dribbled down his face. Sythrel was in much the same boat. He was shaking slightly and his lips were drawn back in a ridiculous looking snarl. This went on for almost a minute before without warning Aradon collapsed into the dirt unconscious. Sythrel stumbled forward as the lack of force against him dropped. He smiled, before laughing. He turned back to Levial who was watching wide-eyed. Sythrel raised his sword to the air and was about to finish the elf with a final strike, when Talismen jumped in.

Six hundred kilograms of wolf with a ton of force behind him easily broke through the shades wards and threw him to the side. Talismen had to stop himself before he slid off the edge of the cliff. Once he had gained his balance he stared towards his enemy, who was gasping, holding his hand to his chest.

“You will die,” were the simple words that Sythrel spoke.

Talismen’s only reply was a growl.

Sythrel sudden leapt forwards, striking down at the wolf with all his might. Talismen caught the sword on his own, holding against the strength of the shade easily. If there was one thing he had an advantage of in this fight, it was pure strength.

Talismen started to push the shade backwards, snarling. They stared at each other, eye to eye. The shade jumped backwards and Talismen stopped his forward movement, before tilting his head slight to catch the shade’s strike on his double sided sword again, the blade sliding up to the crossbar on his sword. He pushed the shade back again and swung his head sideways to catch the shade with the other side of his sword. Unfortunately being so big he couldn’t move nearly as quickly as Sythrel could. The shade easily dodged the attack and struck at the wolf’s leg. His wards defended him and he hardly lost any energy in the attack.

Before they had gone to fight the shade Levial had cast a ward on him that drew of his own strength so they didn’t have to use there own to defend him. It was a good idea because Talismen was a lot stronger then the elves and had a bigger energy reserve. Defending against the shade’s attacks was easy.

Sythrel seemed to notice this as well and jumped back, his face drawn back in a scowl.

“Brisingr!” he yelled, swinging up his hand.

Talismen ducked under the spell and charged the shade. Sythrel leapt over Talismen’s back and struck at the wolf’s wards. The blade skited harmlessly off and the shade landed harmlessly back on his feet. Talismen spun around to face him once again.

“You’re to slow,” said the shade with a small smile, “If you’re going to win this your going to need to be faster. I can do this all day. Can you?”

Talismen growled at him and charged him again. Sythrel did exactly the same as he had done before. Jumping over the wolf’s back and landing an attack on his wards. Talismen growled in annoyance and decided not to charge him again, no yet. He began to stalk slowly towards him, eying him, studying him for any threatening manoeuvrers.

The shade saw his change of tactic and smiled lightly. He suddenly charged at the wolf and Talismen growled in surprise, not expecting the attack. He took a step back before swinging the right side of his sword towards the shade. Sythrel ducked under it and slid across the ground, striking at Talismen’s side three times along the way.

Talismen growled in annoyance and turned to face the shade once again. He had felt a definite decrease in his strength after that attack. The shade was right, he needed to be faster. He glared at Sythrel again. Studying him with intensity. When Sythrel charged again, he was ready.

The wolf charged back at him. Sythrel smiled and as they reached each other he went to slide again. Talismen smiled, expecting the manoeuvre. He angled his head so the edge of his sword would cut the shade in half as he slid through. Sythrel saw it just as he did this and gasped in surprise. He quickly put up his sword to block Talismen’s strike. The force of the strike stopped the shade in his slide. Talismen’s head jerked upwards, taking Sythrel’s sword with him.

The shade cursed and quickly got to his feet, rubbing his jarred arm. Talismen turned towards him, smiling past the sword in his mouth. Sythrel muttered a word in the ancient language and his sword flew to his hand once again.

‘I don’t need to be fast,’ Talismen thought to himself, ‘I just need to outsmart him.’

The shade seemed to think the same thing, because he rubbed his arm again and scowled at the wolf, “I guess its time we really begin the fight.”

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hey guys! New chapter, sorry it took so long. Been away :) Vote if you enjoyed and comment on what you liked or disliked, next chapter will be out tomorrow. See Ya!

Pennator^^