adversary

en garde

        She stilled, holding her breath; listening as the hair on the back of her neck bristled in anticipation of combat with an unseen enemy. This one isn't like the others she'd quickly disposed of. She heard a movement- boots, thick leather soles, steel toed- to her left. Her hand flew to her weapon and she whirled, sword drawn. Metal clashed and she had to twist her body hastily in order to avoid having a jeweled dagger embedded in her gut. She held fast as the man's scimitar pressed in against hers. With a burst of energy, she pushed him off, using a foot against his chest to create space between them. He followed quickly though, pressing in towards her and she was forced to raise her sword high, leaving her abdomen completely open, in order to block his downward slicing blade. She ducked before he could jab at her with his dagger; pulling her own dagger out of her boot and nicking his thigh as she dove behind him. Rolling smoothly back onto her feet, she turned to regard him, her stance defensive.
        The man was smiling. A wicked smile betraying his enjoyment. He exuded a powerful aura tainted with a darkness that surpassed her own. He made no move to attack as she regarded him; his posture casual, dagger at waist, scimitar lowered at his side. She gripped her sword's handle more tightly as they circled slowly. He was wearing a dark traveling cloak much like her own, his was fastened at his chest with an amulet clasp set with a glowing green stone. Underneath, the style and cut of his all black attire suggested that, like her, he was not from the area; she'd guess him from the Northern Lands. There was a metal contraption adorning his left wrist and lower arm; perhaps just for decoration but probably some sort of miniature crossbow mechanism.
        Unexpectedly he spun around and ducked towards her, letting fly his dagger in her direction. She side stepped it easily then hastily sprang up in a back flip to avoid the scimitar slicing in a half circle motion with his body. The blade tugged at her cloak as it raked through. She skidded and dropped onto one knee; having been forced into an imperfect and unprepared back flip, the landing was far from graceful. She leapt back up to her feet and brought her sword around, towards his mid-section, as he completed his turn and straightened. He efficiently flipped his scimitar in his hand to block the attack. She hit hard and tried to disarm him by twisting the scimitar upwards but he simply let her flip his weapon out of his right hand to catch it with his left. Placing his right hand on the hilt, he carved downwards to meet steel with steel. Her flashing eyes met his and they widened at the glint in his. There was a world beyond this one in his green eyes; a window into eternity. She pushed off and fell back into a defensive posture. The glowing stone of his cloak's clasp mirrored his eyes. This man is certainly not normal.
        "You're not human."
        It wasn't a question. He smiled his wicked smile again. Wordlessly, he twirled his weapon around and attacked again. She chuckled as a huge panther tackled him from the left. Caught unaware, he growled and rolled out from under it. Distaste colored his sneer as he regarded the large feline. The panther growled low in its throat, standing between her and the man, protecting its master. She sheathed her sword and looked at him pointedly, her dagger in hand, hidden in the folds of her thick cloak.
        "Who are you?"
        "A friend."
        She laughed cynically.
        "With friends like you..."
        He eyed the cat with abhorrence then relaxed his stance; sheathing his scimitar in the scabbard on his back. The feline sat down, unsure of whether the man was still a threat or not. He raised an eyebrow at it, then turned around and walked away from them. She stared after him; the panther got up to follow, but he simply picked up his dagger, replaced it on his waist and turned around to face her again.
        "I was testing your abilities."
        "I'm sure."
        "Sarcasm is unbecoming of you."
        "What are you?"
        "That... is a secret."
        He walked towards her slowly, deliberately, then paused to focus his attention on the big cat gazing at him distrustfully. To her surprise, after a few moments, her feline partner no longer found the man a threat. It disappeared in a puff of swirling gray smoke and trotted out as a small black cat. It went off to explore the area, staying close by just in case. He stopped within inches of her. She looked at him incredulously.
        "What'd you do to my cat?"
        "I told it what I told you."
        She snapped her dagger up, its tip against the underside of his jaw.
        "What'd you do to my cat?"
        "I told your cat that I'm a friend."
        She prompted the dagger upwards with a derisive snort, causing him to raise his chin almost arrogantly.
        "What do you want from me?"
        His hand closed over hers, and the dagger's hilt. His eyes never left hers as he slowly guided the dagger down so that he could lean in towards her. She could feel the heat from his body as he brought his mouth close to her ear.
        "I want... you."
        His breath in her hair, his words, his body so close to hers; heat spread through her body and she shivered contradictorily. She backed away hastily, jerking her hand out of his and pressing her dagger back against his throat.
        "Give me one good reason not to slit your throat right now."
        "You're much too fascinated to kill me."
        He smiled superciliously, teasing her. She pressed the dagger into his throat, drawing a thin line of blood. His smile vanished and she started upon seeing the pleased look in his eyes clouded with... desire? Her breath caught and she let off on the dagger's pressure slightly. She regarded him coldly, hoping her pounding heart wouldn't belie her stoicism.
        "Bad answer. Try again."
        Although her eyes stayed on his, she watched as he licked his lips, his gaze serious now.
        "I can lead you to the people who killed your father."
        Her heart nearly stopped as her eyes widened and she dropped her dagger. She reeled, then turned around and ran off into the shadows. A small black cat raced by him, going after its master. He stared in the direction of the retreating footsteps echoing off empty streets. He did not follow. When she was ready, she would find him.