Warrior Rapter turned toward the mayor and Jacoby. The mayor handed him a sword, and pointed at the places for Jacoby and him to stand for the start of the duel. He tried to judge the swords weight without losing what grip he had on the sword. It wasn't that it was heavy, but the curvature of his claws made it difficult to find a solid grip without almost scratching his hand.
He looked over to Marg and Jack. They looked as nervous as he did. He could tell they wanted to tell him that he didn't have to do this, but that they also knew that he had no choice. He wasn't going to let them be victimized on his behalf.
"I want a clean duel," the mayor intoned, "No dirt throwing, no claws, no biting." Jacoby and Warrior Rapter nodded before the mayor continued. "You are to make your opponent yield, that's it. Start on my mark."
Warrior Rapter could feel his senses heightening, his adrenaline starting to flow. Time seemed to slow down as he focused his gaze on Jacoby. He shifted his grip on his sword, managing to hide that he almost lost it when he did, and went into a defensive stance, right foot forward, body tilted back to the left, sword in both hands in front of him held straight.
"Mark."
Jacoby rushed Warrior Rapter, swung his sword from the side at an upward angle. Warrior Rapter dodged the attack, but just barely, and lost his grip on his sword in the process. It now lay on the ground between him and Jacoby! Warrior Rapter rushed toward it, Jacoby rushing him. Without thinking, Warrior Rapter swung his tail at Jacoby's legs, tripping him. Warrior Rapter was up, sword roughly in his hands, while Jacoby was on the ground beside his sword, getting ready to get back up.
"Illegal move, Mr. Rapter! You use your tail like that again, and you will be disqualified!"
"What horse dung be this?! That was no where in your rules beforehand, it wasn't! You be trying to cheat Mr. Rapter, I believe," Jack argued in response.
"You best get yourself back into the crowd, Jack," the mayor demanded.
Jacoby was up, sword at the ready. He inched closer to Warrior Rapter, apparently not feeling inclined for another rush. He sliced at Warrior Rapter's hands, Warrior Rapter parried with his blade, almost losing his grip again from the recoil. Jacoby took that time to attempt another attack on Warrior Rapter's right leg, Warrior Rapter dodged to the side, losing his blade once again. Jacoby went for and overhead strike, Warrior Rapter dodgerolled to his sword, picked it up but was losing his grip again. Jacoby swung backwards, knocking the sword out of Warrior Rapter's hand toward the edge of the crowd before he knocked Warrior Rapter down with his shoulder. Jacoby pointed his sword at Warrior Rapter's neck. The duel was over, and members of the crowd cheered.
The mayor held up his hands to quiet everyone down. "Jacoby is the winner," he intoned before gesturing a hand at Warrior Rapter. "Take your prize, my son," he said with a grin.
"You can't do that!" Marg yelled, "He played by your rules, and now you disregard your own agreement with him!"
"He violated one rule during the match, voiding the agreement," the mayor replied.
"A rule that wasn't even specified at the start, you great buffoon!" Marg was in the mayor's face now. "You let him go like you agreed, or I swear --"
"You'll what? Not give me a drink for a week! A small price to pay to see this creature finally dead! Do it, Jacoby!"
"You will hold your blade if you know what is good for you, Jacoby, don't let your father's pompous mouth dictate you!" Marg continued to argue.
The soldier, Leiutenant Hutch, was beside Jacoby now. The mayor looked at him, and intoned, "Why not let the soldier determine his fate then?" All eyes went to the man in plate mail.
When he spoke, his voice was deep, almost raspy, fitting for a man who had seen many a battle. "The duel was honorable! I agree with Mrs. -- Margarette was it? -- the agreement should also be honored."
Jacoby shook his head, and began to swing his sword at Warrior Rapter. Leiutenant Hutch caught his sword mid swing. "Let go of me, damn soldier! This monster must die!"
"The only monster I see right now is the one I'm looking at," the soldier told Jacoby, "If you would strike him now, you are not fit for the army. Consider you enlistment cancelled." The lieutenant pushed the shocked Jacoby into the crowd.
The mayor looked over to Marg. "Now look what you have done! It's because of women like you that men never get anything done!" He backhanded Marg.
"You will pay for laying a hand on me wife like that, you will!" Jack rushed the mayor. The major stopped him, and Jack gave out a pained grunt. When Jack stepped backwards, he had a dagger wound in his gut, and the mayor had a dagger sticking out of his sleeve in his hand.
Warrior Rapter paused in shock at this as he was getting up. Anger swelled in him. Jack did not need to die. He lept at the mayor, landing on his shoulders and digging the claws on his feet into the mayor's flesh, taking them both to the ground. Warrior Rapter held up one of his clawed hands, ready to strike at the mayor's face. He paused, and found himself in a daze. Noises seemed dulled, colors were starting to fade. He had armored arms around him he didn't even realize was there, a small voice in his ear saying, "He's not worth it.... He's not worth it." Someone removed his claws from the mayor's shoulders, and he was been dragged backwards. He started to struggle back toward the mayor, to avenge Jack, but the armored arms were strong, stronger than him. He felt a thud to the back of his head, and his daze seemed to grow worse. All the noise was jumbled, even the one in his ear still, his vision grew blurry and started to turn black, his body went numb. He continued to try and fight in the nothingness, but he seemed to have lost all of his strength, all of his feeling. Warrior Rapter stopped moving, the nothingness consuming him.
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