at this point there is no plot, no greater story, just a bit of a lead up. at some point i might work it in somewhere, but we\'ll see.
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steuben walked into the clearing. lounging on one of the bales of goods was the being he was after. scattered around the clearing was evidence of rapid and effective violence. the smell of blood and bodily wastes drifts on the faint breeze. only the lounging being and steuben were alive in the clearing. there had been apparently no survivors. he sits up when steuben comes into view.
\"ah, you made it here at last,\" he said. he gestures around the clearing. \"i tried to keep from getting bored. i even took my time and was creative. but, it didn\'t last long.\"
steuben looks around the clearing. \"yes,\" he simply says.
\"all this, and everything else, and your responce is simply yes?\" he slides off the bale, picking up his sword as he does.
\"no. it is merely what i said.\"
he smiles. \"yes, it was,\" he says as he walks towards steuben. he stops a few metres away
\"and you probably still keep that oath you swore. still feel it forcing your actions. driving you. speaking words through your own voice. you can break it you know.\"
he holds up his left hand. around the small finger is a rusted band of iron. \"i did,\" he continues. \"you can\'t imagine the freedom. it is incredible.\"
\"and this is the benefit of that freedom?\" steuben gestures around him.\"
\"no. but, i chose to do it. you, you couldn\'t could you? even if you wanted to.\"
\"maybe.\"
\"maybe?\" he laughs. \"maybe? the oath binds you.\" he swings his sword carelessly towards steuben. steuben doges easily, drawing his sword.
he swings the sword again. steuben blocks it with his.
\"you couldn\'t, even if your life your life depended on it.\" he swings the sword between each word. the sound of steel striking steel punctuates each word.
they trade blows. most of them are blocked or dodged. occastionally a blow lands. but they are light and cause just a scratch. they part and start circling each other.
\"perhaps. there are many things of value under the azure sun,\" steuben says. \"but, it would take more then my life for me to do this.\"
\"do you value your life so little?\"
they exchange a couple of probing strikes.
\"no. simply the lives of others.\"
\"and what value is there in something that can be taken so easily?\"
they exchange another few probing strikes.
\"much to the ones who hold it. but, then you would know something about the value of life having taken so many.\"
\"perhaps. but, enough. shall we conclude this?\"
\"yes.\"
they move towards each other. the first crash of their swords seems louder then it should. they begin to dance. the irregular crash of their swords forming the beat of their movements. a terrible music that can only end on one horrific chord. their movements are fluid and rapid. there appears to be little wasted movement.
they dance through the clearing. in their movement they avoid the corpses and bodily debris. they occasionaly setup in a pool of blood. the partially congealed blood splashes up. their boots and shins slowly cover with flecks of thick blood.
a shout is heard over the crash of the swords.
\"ah. company arrives,\" the other says. \"and what are they going to do? help you bring me to justice?\"
\"you say that like it is bad thing.\"
\"for me it is.\" the other knocks stueben\'s sword aside, and with the return stroke glances the flat of his sword off of steuben\'s skull. steuben falls forward and hits the ground hard.
\"besides, it isn\'t like they are going to get the chance,\" he says as steuben looses consciousness.
\"hey! we have a live one here,\" steuben hear\'s shouted above him. he feels himself being rolled over.
he opens his eyes and sits up woozily.
\"careful there, buddy. you\'ve got quite the knock on the head,\" a village guard says. \"we came as soon as we got word from her.\" he gestures to a young girl crying in the arms of one of the guards. \"i guess we didn\'t get here in time. did you see the guy that did this?\"
steuben sits there glassy eyed for a second. he nods his head, and the vomits.
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now in edit mode. gradual corrections will appear over time.
comments please. i know i probably need a bit of an edit but anything else?
