Author’s Note: I decided to post two today, as the past few have been a little slow. Hope this one is entertaining.

Chapter 4: First Joust

They thundered towards each other and with a mighty crash lances connected with shields. Both lances were destroyed, reduced to splinters by the impact, but neither rider was unseated. The crowd cheered. A second pass, and a third, each with the same result. Then, on the fourth pass, Rycharde’s horse suddenly drove forward with incredible speed, so fast he was difficult to see. The resulting impact send Zentor sprawling into the dirt. He pulled himself up as Rycharde dropped lance and shield, dismounted, and drew his great sword. Quite calmly the two horses moved to one side, out of the way, and a foot battle commenced.

Right off the bat, Rycharde charged in with a powerful double-handed swing, but Zentor’s shield easily deflected it aside. Back and forth went the combat, the crowd cheering loudly, until in getting out of a clinch both lost their swords. Zentor quickly backed up, bracing for an attack and shifting his shield so it was looser on his arm. Rycharde dug his front foot into the dirt.

“What is he doing?” asked Adam, as a chant began to rise, starting low and growing.

“Fa-tal Pounce! Fa-tal Pounce!” Zentarou chuckled.

“It’s Uncle Rycharde’s signature attack. There’s only one real way to avoid it. I wonder if father is fast enough today.” Curious, they watched as Rycharde tensed. Then, suddenly, he sprang like a mountain lion pouncing his prey. Just as fast, Zentor shifted his shield around onto his back, using magic it seemed as the shield attached on its own, and rolled with his brother’s attack so even as his brother’s hands forced him to the ground, his feet were against Rycharde’s gut. With a shout, he kicked up and back, finishing the half-roll to throw Rycharde behind before quickly getting up. The crowd cheered and laughed.

“That was great!” Cal cheered excitedly.

“A very well done maneuver indeed,” complimented Steiner. “Both of them.”

“What’s with the shield on his back, though?” Cedras asked. “Wouldn’t it have been easier to catch the attack with the shield instead?”

“Normally, yes,” answered Zantar, “but our father has an old back wound that’s very touch-sensitive. You can see now, he’s limping.” Indeed Zentor limped slightly as he went to retrieve his sword, but it was fast fading.

“We’re done everything we can think of,” Zentarou added, “but nothing has helped. The muscles were badly severed twenty years ago, and healed crooked, as best we can tell.” Garnet gasped suddenly, as Zentor once more had his sword in hand and gave it a whirl. The blade began to glow a pale, soft yellow-white.

“Holy energy,” Aerderwyn whispered, impressed. Rycharde had his own sword by now, and it too glowed faintly, a green color.

“Nature magic,” Kest identified. When the two blades clashed, sparks flew.

The battle lasted for about five more minutes, until Zentor, forced to his knees by his brother’s greater strength, surrendered the match. The cries of “Elven Soul!” and “Pride of Southern!” were thunderous.

“That was exciting,” Teela commented as they left their seats. “But I do have one question.”

“Bet I know which one, sister,” Kest said jovially. “Same one I got. ‘Paladin King?’” The Bretheren looked at each other, all realizing the same thing.

“Um… at the risk of sounding like Zentarou when we first found out… I guess we forgot,” Vivi said a but sheepishly. Zentarou laughed.

“Not so easy to remember, the way my family acts.” He grinned. “Now I’d say we’re even for the time you gave me about it.” Abruptly he smacked himself in the forehead. “Speaking of remembering - Vivi, Priestess Lynea wants to talk to you.”

“Huh?”

“I asked her to divine out the answer to your question from before.” Now Vivi understood.

“Oh yeah! That funny side effect. I’d gotten so used to it, I’d just about forgotten.”

“Side effect?” echoed Orko.

“Long story.”

“We can go talk to you, so the rest of you can have fun,” offered Zentarou. “Knowing the Priestess, there’s no telling what she found out, so this could take a while.” Dregan and Orko agreed to go too, though Vivi’s sons preferred to stay with their new friends, the Syndisian Sword children. After making Vivi promise to tell them, the mages strolled off leaving their friends to explore the city.