Chapter 375
"Please try not to get us killed tonight," Kaleesh said, casting a worried glance at Arran .
They stood in the keep's spacious courtyard, with Lady Raina's guests spread in a wide circle around them . Barely a few minutes had passed since Arran had issued his challenge, but the Darians had wasted no time in preparing the duel .
"This was our best chance," Arran said with a shrug . "Your strategy clearly wasn't working . "
"Then let's hope yours fares better," the captain replied, his voice resigned . Though he no longer looked as horrified as before, no small amount of worry remained in his voice .
Opposite them, barely two dozen paces away, stood the young Ranger — Lady Raina's son, as Arran now knew . The young man's expression was tense as he stared at his opponent, and little of his previous arrogance now remained .
Yet although the prideful disdain had fled his eyes, they still held an unshakable confidence . While it was clear that he did not take the fight lightly, it was equally clear that he expected to win it .
"It looks like he's ready," Arran said to Kaleesh . "Best you step back . "
"Don't get carried away," the captain said .
Then, he stepped back into the ring of onlookers, leaving only the two fighters behind, their figures almost seeming to glow in the bright torchlight around them .
"You're not using that giant sword of yours?" the Ranger asked as he gave Arran an appraising look . "Shame . I'd have liked to see how one would use such a weapon . "
"To defeat you, I don't need it," Arran replied calmly .
Of course, the truth was that his Living Shadow weapon easily outmatched the giant sword . The bond he shared with it gave him a level of control that was impossible to achieve with any other weapon .
He didn't think he needed it to defeat the young Ranger, but then, there was no reason to forego the advantage . Not when he needed to demonstrate his strength .
A hint of anger flashed across the Ranger's face, yet he did not reply . Instead, he cautiously began to move toward his opponent, sword ready to strike .
Arran, for his part, merely readied his sword, then waited for the young Ranger to make the first move .
The wait was a short one . Seeing Arran's inaction, the Ranger mistook it for indecision, and at once he moved to take advantage of this perceived weakness .
He dashed forward in a sudden movement, striking a swift series of skillful blows at Arran's body in a masterful display of swordsmanship .
Gasps of surprise and delight sounded from the crowd, and one voice called out, "Get him, Kalin!"
Yet skilled though the Ranger might be, Arran parried the attacks with ease . The young man was probably the most powerful Ranger he'd faced so far, but Rangers had been no match for him even six months earlier .
And since then, Arran's own skill had advanced no small amount .
When the young Ranger realized his offensive had failed, he broke off the exchange and retreated several steps . He narrowed his eyes in concentration, then said, "Strong defense . "
As soon as the words left his mouth, he attacked again, even more furiously than before . But while his strikes were as skillful as they were powerful, they proved completely useless against Arran's defense .
Even in the first few seconds, Arran knew that the Ranger posed no threat to him . The gap in skill between them was simply too great, like that between a master swordsman and a boy wielding a sword for the very first time .
Still, Arran did not hurry to finish the fight . Although he could have defeated his opponent a dozen times already, he allowed the young man to continue his ill-fated assault .
This wasn't out of mercy or mockery . Rather, he recognized the foundation Muna had taught him in the young man's swordplay, and he gladly seized the opportunity to see if there was anything he could learn .
Yet after half a dozen exchanges, he realized there was nothing to be learned from the young man .
Arran's own foundation was far stronger than his opponent's, and while the Ranger showed signs of other training, they were barely more than traces — far too small to be useful to Arran .
And so, as Raina's son readied yet another attack, Arran struck .
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