The Sixth Trial of Single Combat

[Alcorad]

Doren smiled sheathed his sword while backing away for additional time. He would not underestimate is opponent nor his motives. He took his bow from his back aswell as an arrow from it's quiver. After notching the arrow he took careful aim and fired towards Legolas' left shoulder.

[Legolas]

Legolas ran forward, attempting to reach Doren before the shot flew, but he missed his target, watching as Doren sent the shaft flying towards him. Legolas reeled back in pain as the arrow lodged in his arm, driving down successfully, missing the bone by only a fraction...

Legolas staggered back, trying to focus on Doren, as he dropped the blade in his left hand... lifting his only weapon left in defence...

[Alcorad]

Doren grinned behind the elephantine mask and turned his bow crossways and notched two arrows this time, aiming for Legola's right and left shoulder blade. He hoped that the elven lord would feel the pain of his arrows for one was coated with a weak poison that would slow his movements. It was the arrow aiming for his right shoulder, opposite his other injured shoulder.

Doren pulled back his bow slowly as not to allow the arrows to fall and let them loose. As they flew through the air towards their target an uneasy tention floated in the air. If his arrow hit it's mark then the battle would an assured victory.

[Legolas]

Legolas fell to the ground as the shafts flew towards him. He moved not, but lay...still... All the spectators inched forward, waiting for some sign of what had happened.

Legolas slowly arose, the same tension still clinging in the air. Slowly he turned towards Doren, revealing...nothing. The only sign of injury were two arrows, lodged in his left arm.

Taking a step back, the view was exposed to Doren, as he beheld the arrow intended for his right arm, drove fast into the wall covering the King's private box.

Legolas watched Doren, his eyes dancing in delight.

"My friend, you are one arrow short..."

Legolas picked up his long knife from the ground, wiping away the dirt covering its blade. He slowly made his way towards Doren, warrily, not willing to risk another deadly shot from this warrior...

[Alcorad]

Doren slowly returned his bow and stepped back while hiding his hand in his cloak, holding tight onto the hilt of his dagger. He inched forward with caution towards Legolas eyeing him with anticipation and exhiliration behind the mask that disguised his facial features. He could feel the eager stares of the spectators around them and smiled feeling that he did not desserve such attention. The arrows he had shot previously still clung in his arm though the arrow he had most intended to hit did not.

"The dangers of shooting two arrows at once. No matter how good of an aim you have, your target may slip away from the arrow that went off of it's course, though I suspect there is more at work here than faulty aim. You are very skilled, Lord of Elves. I am enjoying this."

[Legolas]

Legolas smiled, chuckling to himself. "Skilled? Perhaps friend, though you might never be able to see it..."

Legolas lunged forward, his knife flailing in wide sweeping motions. Its pale blade singing as it flew forward, seeking for its prey...

[Alcorad]

Doren lunged forward and came to a sudden halt, sliding through the dirt towards Legolas. As Legolas drew near Doren smiled and kicked up towards the wrist that held the knife with his steel greaves while taking out his own dagger and swiping towards Legolas' stomach.

[Legolas]

Legolas felt a crashing blow in his wrist, and watched his knife fall to the ground. Almost instantly, Doren's blade fell across his chest, searing the skin and drawing blood. Legolas dove forward, partly due to falling from the wound, but he reached his quiver as he fell. Drawing a long shaft, he shoved it up towards Doren as he fell.

[Alcorad]

Doren felt the shaft reach up towards his chin and drive with great force upward nearly pushing through the skin. Doren leaped backward realing onto the ground and rubbed his chin tiredly behind his mask. He quickly stood and held his dagger firmly taking notice of the drops of blood falling from it's tip. I was lucky that Legolas pushed the wrong side of his arrow towards me in his rush. If the tip of the arrow had met that same mark I might not be alive, warding spell or no.

[Legolas]

Legolas rolled across the ground. He rose slowly, his breathing hurried and without pace. Raising his right hand, Legolas broke the arrows now embedded in his arm, leaving only the end beyond the skin left to hold him back.

Kneeling to the ground, Legolas slowly lifted his knife, holding it tightly in his right hand. After securing it firmly, he walked across the field, still watching Doren in a cautious manner. He stooped, picking up the second knife in his left hand, but as soon as he clasped his fingers around the handle, a fire shot through his arm searing his body in pain. Legolas stopped for several seconds...his eyes closed, not daring to move again.

After a short pause, he arose, still gripping the knife in his left hand, raising both arms with tremendous effort.

"You sting like the serpent friend, and I admit that it is stinging ever more potent now."

[Alcorad]

Doren smiled to himself gripping his knife and walking slowly forward. "Tis the way of the hunter. One must first weaken their prey before delivering the final blow."

The people observing seemed to cling to every move, not being able to hear their conversation. They seemed to anticipate every following movement that the combatents delivered and in a way they expected the unexpected without realizing it.

[Legolas]

Legolas kept his eyes on Doren's blade. It made it more difficult to anticipate his moves without being able to see his face and distinguish the changes in expression. No matter...he could still hold his own against this fighter.

"But on occasion, the prey becomes even more dangerous when cornered..."

Legolas inched forward, his blades held at no more than a foot from his chest... In an explosion of energy, Legolas fell upon his attacker, charging forward as he swung both blade in a cross fashion in an attempt to wring Doren's balde from his hand.

[Alcorad]

Doren felt a surge of energy arise in himself dut to the exitement and intensity of the fight. As Legolas neared his position he leaped back taking his dagger in hand and thrusting it towards Legolas, aiming for the open space between the crossed blades. He then took his sword in hand and awaited to see if his strike would fail or if Legolas' attack would press forward.

[Legolas]

Legolas fell back, driving his blades forward, seding Doren's own blade glancing off harmlessly.

As he fell, Legolas sent a strong kick at the same hand Doren had used in his attempt to attack Legolas at that moment.

[Alcorad]

Though Doren's grip was strong, he quickly felt it lessen as Legolas' delivered the blow. As he brought as hand close to himself and inspected it he noticed that his dagger had slipped from his grip. As he backed away something caught his eye. He turned to see his dagger ten feet away, quite out of arm's reach. He shrugged and gripped his sword with both hands tightly though the wrist that had been delt Legolas' kick throbbed painfully. Doren leaped forward and felt himself rise further up then he could imagine. He soon found himself at an altitude above Legolas and as he began to fall he pushed his feat forward to prepare for impact while swinging his sword about in the air.