“You owe me, Melrick. You can either pay me with the nuggets you owe me or you can pay me with your life.” Colstan uttered through clenched teeth.
“I choose option three, Colstan.” Melrick states. Colstan observes the obvious glint of a pair of daggers being unsheathed.
“Very well then; have it your way.” Colstan removes his pair of shiny daggers in response.
Colstan and Melrick circled one another slowly, looking for the slightest opening. Then, spying a possible angle, Colstan strikes out with both daggers. Parried. The ting of multiple dagger on dagger strikes ring out.
“You’re too slow, old man.” Melrick retorts.
“We’ll see about that.” Colstan mutters.
Colstan launches himself towards Melrick with a backhand thrust. Melrick dodges left, sidestepping the thrust deftly.
Another thrust, another dodge, and yet another move avoided. Ten consecutive strikes. All deftly parried, avoided or blocked.
“As I said, slow like an old hound.” Melrick taunted.
Colstan, not upset by Melrick’s jibes, centered himself yet again. “You think you know me, Melrick, because of what I taught you. But there’s one thing a teacher never does, and that is teach his students everything he knows.”
Colstan thrusts right towards Melrick, and Melrick dodges left as expected, but as Melrick does so, he leaves a slight opening, which Colstan uses and strikes using a fighting technique Melrick hasn’t seen.
Nimbly, almost magically, gaining an inside position, both daggers strike home simultaneously, burying themselves deep within Melrick’s chest. Blood gushes from the dual wounds. The look of shock on Melrick’s face makes Colstan smile, both men falling to the ground with Colstan on top of his former apprentice.
‘I call that move ‘The Colstan Maneuver’. I’ve never taught it to anyone else, including you. It’s the last move people that cross me ever see.”
Colstan stands, turns and leaves the alley, turning slightly back towards the now-unmoving form of Melrick.
“Debt paid.”
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