It was amazing how the forest awoke all by itself. It was if someone had brushed off the grains of sleep from the wild flowers as they slowly rose to greet the day and caressed the green lush of trees as they rustled with the breeze.

Sendoh was late. With such a morning like this, how could he not be late? It was such a waste to rush past life like that. It was just like fishing, he decided. Some things just couldn’t be rushed.

Offering a light smile, he nodded to Rukawa.

"Ohayo."

Rukawa stood, a lone figure in the clearance that spread out before him. The dawn was truly breaking and slowly the forest breathed itself to life. The morning mist still clung to him - like the way the morning dew clung to the sleepy forest. It made him look as if he was some spirit summoned to some strange place.

Indeed, the Forest Kiel was a strange place. It was dangerous, even in the day. People talked among themselves, exchanging little stories about the demonic creatures that roamed there, or about how some would find misfortune the moment they stepped into its territory. No one knew exactly what lives in there. And like most dangerous things, the Forest Kiel was a wonderfully beautiful place.

"The forest suits you - or should I say; you suit the forest?" Sendoh remarked as he gave a satisfied stretch.

"You are late." Cold, emotionless, a statement of fact.

"Gomen ^_^" Sendoh walked towards Rukawa until they were both at least a few feet away from each other. Now that Sendoh was closer, he could see Rukawa with a clarity that was lost in the inn last night.

"Are you ready?" Rukawa was clothed in black, from his long coat to his laced boots. He looked imposing enough, but in black - he looked forbidding, almost as if the lords above have decreed that he bear the mantle of death.

Darkangel.

Kedamono.*

"Of course." Sendoh was always calm, even in the tension before any battle. It was one of the thing enemies remembered long after the battle was over --- the unshakeable confidence he had in his own abilities, the gay politeness he treated his opponent, and the ease with which he fought.

Let me find out how frightening you are, Rukawa Kaede ...

Rukawa attacked. He was a blur, but Sendoh could see him clearly, his eyes following Rukawa’s every move and action. Rukawa’s attack was fast, powerful and immediate.

A katana?!

He had thought that Rukawa’s chosen weapon was a simple straightforward sword in the darkness of the inn. But now, in the rising dawn, he could see it clearly --- the slight curve of the blade that was only shorter than his longsword, but still longer than the average sword.

This is impressive, young warrior ... ... Sendoh thought even as he dodged Rukawa’s attack with ease. Smiling suddenly, he broke away from Rukawa and drew out his own chosen weapon with his right hand, his other hand throwing the sheath to the side.

"You are worth my time." A strange exultation filled him. This was an opponent who deserved to dance with his longsword.

Rukawa just narrowed his eyes as he lifted his katana to the right with both hands, ready to spring on Sendoh.

A katana represented tradition. It reflected a discipline that was almost as old as the first warriors known in history. A katana symbolised the Old Order - the Old ones who first made a name for themselves as respected fighters with dignity and power.

Rukawa didn’t wait for Sendoh to assume his stance before he rushed forward again, fully intending to bring Sendoh down. His katana only swung through thin air as Sendoh evaded the attack.

He was fast, but Sendoh with his longsword was faster. The longsword sang past Rukawa’s face as the attack turned on him and he staggered back, blinking at the locks of hair that fell.

"Now you don’t have to cut your fringe and it will even help you estimate the distance of my longsword from you more clearly." Sendoh grinned amiably, his longsword now held vertically before him, his left hand fingering up his silver blade.

Distance?

That glare again. A look filled with only a single-minded purpose.

If I beat you, I would become the best ... ...

Rukawa half growled as they now exchanged blows which were so fast he could not even anticipate where next Sendoh would strike. Even as he parried the blows, he had to work on his footwork.

Why are my blows so weak?! Fury made Rukawa curse even as he tried to avoid Sendoh’s insistent longsword. But still, he executed his movements with such grace that even Sendoh had to admire the beauty of it.

Only a bare 15 minutes into the duel, and Sendoh was already slowly, but surely pushing him into a corner. Rukawa raised his katana, fully intending to bring it down at Sendoh but again, he missed, cutting into thin air again.

"Fuck." He grated, even as Sendoh smiled at the miss. He was never this inaccurate before, so why --- ?

The longsword jabbed at his chest and in a hurry to avoid it, Rukawa stumbled over an annoying tree root that stuck out above the rest. Knocking onto the ground with a crash, his katana drove into the tree trunk instead of Sendoh.

Distance.

Rukawa got up, as graceful as a cat and pulling his katana out of the tree trunk and stepped sideways. Sendoh stood, unmoving for once, allowing Rukawa to catch his breath.

"You could have finished me, there and then."

"Ah, but I don't take advantage of people."

Rukawa narrowed his eyes, his fists clenching the katana.

"I don't need you to give way to me!" Rushing at Sendoh, he feinted to the left and then attacked again, this time at closer range. His katana struck true, finally forcing Sendoh to take a step back.

Distance - I understand now.

Sendoh's eyes widened slightly, then smiled as he dodged Rukawa's rapid attacks.

"You learn fast."

Rukawa didn't deign to reply to that. Instead, he concentrated on throwing a full fledged war on Sendoh's longsword, parrying, attacking, feinting, pushing for any weakness.

Sendoh didn't seem to feel any need for silence though. "Didn't the Old Masters teach you about distance?"

Rukawa gritted his teeth, even as he swung his katana again only to miss.

"Wakatta ... the Old Order has not acknowledged the longsword as an orthodox weapon." God dammit, how bloody long will they hold on to their petty grudges? Sendoh's eyes grew dark.

He should have seen it. The way Rukawa moved, the beauty, the discipline - it all shouted at him.

The Old Order is honoured to have such a disciple ... ...

Rukawa missed again, and this time, he paid dearly for that mistake. Sendoh took the opportunity to dive in. Gripping his longsword, he angled and swiped it sideways at Rukawa, forcing the other to the ground.

The katana fell, useless now.

"You already understand the concept, but you need time and experience. You must learn how to judge, estimate as well as compensate for the lenght of your opponent's weapon. You have to estimate yourself . Not just the longsword. What if your opponent uses daggers? What if he uses a spear? This ... you would need time to learn."

Sendoh's longsword grazed Rukawa's neck lightly, then lowered.

"Why are you telling me this?"

He has failed. He wasn't the best. And it choked him, failure tasting like bitter medicine eating into his throat.

"The Old Order has always been ... short-sighted in this sense. They think the whole world uses katanas."

If Sendoh knows about the Old Order, then he couldn't just be a simple wanderer ...

Bringing his longsword to rest vertically against his leg, he extended a hand towards Rukawa, who still lay slightly dazed on the ground.

"Are you all right?"

Rukawa ignored Sendoh, preferring instead to reach for his katana. Sendoh smiled.

"Let us continue." Rukawa wasn't even looking at him. Brushing the grass and bits of leaves off himself, he stood and then grasped his katana with both hands.

I have not lost ... ...

Sendoh looked at him, then shook his head.

"No."

Rukawa's eyes blazed.

"I swear I will beat you."

Sendoh inclined his head, then swung his longsword over his shoulder and gazed up at the sky.

"Till next time then."

"I can't wait so long ... !"

It was a sudden rush of wind that flew past him, and Sendoh had to curse as he tried to avoid Rukawa's ambitious attack.

"You don't give up, do you?"

A nasty blow from Rukawa's katana was the only answer. Lord above, he does learn fast ... thought Sendoh as he hurried to defend himself.

He has managed to grasp the concept of distance in what... 5 minutes?

There was a thing called 'space' or 'boundary' created as two warriors fight. It changes according to the situation and is dependant on the physical attributes of the fighters and their weapons.

Sendoh's longsword has in actual fact, created a effective 'space' of protection around himself and Rukawa, finally grasping that concept, has broken into that protective circle and breaching Sendoh's defence.

It got intense, the struggle to remain in balance - to attack and to defend at the same time. Rukawa didn’t seem tired even after the short duel just now - in fact, it was if he had fired up - as if it had just been a warm-up exercise just now.

He would grow even more powerful in future -

Sendoh flicked his hand and brought his longsword up, this time he would ensure a total victory.

A pity though ... I was honourable enough to give you a chance ..

Concentrating his whole awareness on the tip of the longsword, he drew back and took aim -

This is what I have trained so hard for - the concentration of awareness that only few can achieve -

Rukawa, as long as you don’t achieve this, you will never be able to win me...

Rukawa didn’t even get a chance. The bolt of energy that fired from Sendoh’s glittering weapon shot through the air and hit Rukawa with unmistakable accuracy. The white-hot blast took Rukawa down and for a while, Sendoh could see nothing and there was only a blinding white explosion.

Sendoh swung his longsword over his shoulder and waited. For a while, there was nothing and he turned away, feeling strangely regretful.

There was a strange sound then. It sounded as if thousands of birds had suddenly took flight behind him and even as Sendoh looked up, soft ebony feathers drifted down at him.

To survive thus far ...

Sendoh turned and prepared for the last battle.

Rukawa rose up before him, a stunning sight in the dawn. Wings that spread wide behind him - wings each with at least a span of 2 metres - so black it seemed to absorb light itself.

Sendoh raised his longsword, even as Rukawa dived down, his katana gleaming in the sun.

Another blast of energy shot from Sendoh’s longsword and this time, even Sendoh had to shield himself from the explosion that resounded throughout the whole forest. He could only watch helplessly as Rukawa fell to the ground, his wings half covering his bruised body.

... only a monster could have survived two consecutive attacks, Darkangel ...

**********************************************

"That is all, my lord." Kiyota bowed after the lengthy report and then looked up, trying to see Maki’s reaction.

"Thank you, now go ... take a rest. You must be tired."

"Oh no ... the battle was intriguing!" Kiyota grinned, eyes glittering with excitement.

"I am sure." Maki turned then, his eyes looking out of the window.

Wings? This young man would have much to contribute to my purpose ...

"And oh yes, they are now in the deep regions of Forest Kiel .. it seems that both are injured but the wanderer seems to have suffered only slight injuries ..."

They are together? Maki pursed his lips, and his eyes narrowed as he absorbed the new piece of information, trying to see how he could use it to his advantage.

"You may go now, Kiyota."

From the time I had known you till now, you have always been a loner - so what the hell are you doing, Sendoh?

Friend or no, the only thing that mattered now was Kainan. Maki placed both arms on the window sill, deep in thought. Anything that threatened Kainan was his enemy - he would do anything to ensure that Kainan survived and prospered. Anything that even remotely gave him a chance of victory.

And this time, I would kill two birds with one stone ....