“Are you sure about this?” Violet asked Crystal. The town had worked quickly and erected a small circle for Crystal and Phineas to duel in. Phineas stood across the ring from Crystal, talking with some of his knight friends. He noticed Crystal staring at him and smiled. His cocky grin could curdle milk.

“I just want to get this over with,” Crystal declared. “I think there’s been enough fun the last few days.”

Violet let out a nervous chuckle. “I’ll give you that, but you’ve never been in a duel.”

“Thank you, Violet,” Crystal said, her voice going monotone. “I didn’t know that.”

“You know what I mean,” Violet chided.

“Yes, but I am not helpless,” Crystal asserted. She grabbed her spear from the armorer who stood to her left. It was a simple but effective design. There were no markings on the shaft, and the spearhead was short but sharp. The only extraneous detail was that she had painted the spearhead a soft blue to match the sky.

Crystal lifted the spear in both hands and tipped it to the right, to the left. She may not have had much experience in one-on-one combat, but she had been trained by some of the greatest combat trainers this side of Trella. I probably have as much combat training as Phineas she thought to herself. I can do this and get this stupid quest started.

Chief Isla stepped up on a hastily constructed platform on the left side of the ring from Crystal. The chief raised a hand in the air, and the crowd quieted. “Today, I will be monitoring this duel myself. The duel is between Chief-To-Be Crystal Whit and Knight Phineas Trave. They are dueling for the knight’s honor.” Chief Isla looked directly at Phineas. “There are to be no mortal wounds. This is not a fight to the death but, rather, a fight for honor. First combatant to incapacitate the other is the winner. Ready yourselves.”

Taking as step forward, Crystal held her spear forward. Her left hand front, she pointed the spear at Phineas. He unsheathed his sword, and Crystal realized it was not the simple steel of the standard knights. Of course they would give him a better sword. He was supposed to protect me.

Chief Isla raised a hand in the air. Crystal watched from the corner of her eye, her focus on Phineas. “Begin,” Chief Isla declared, dropping her hand.

Phineas rushed forward and tried to slice down on Crystal’s arm. She feinted to the left and slapped his right arm with the spear end. Phineas hopped back before engaging again. He sliced at Crystal in a horizontal arc. Crystal jumped back and poked the spear forward. The spearhead hit Phineas’ armor right above the bellybutton, but did not have the force to pierce.

Slapping the spear away, Phineas rushed in. Crystal tried to bring her spear around to slap him, but he ducked. With a fluid motion, he pushed her from underneath. She slipped backwards, and Phineas took advantage. He slashed at her leg and caught skin. Crystal grasped at the wound, and Phineas slammed his shoulder into her chest. She fell to the ground.

Phineas placed a foot on her cheek and ordered, “Submit.”

Crystal tried to lift her spear, but Phineas stomped on her arm. He moved his boot back to her face and ground his foot in. “Submit.”

Crystal attempted to slap his boot away, but he lifted his foot up and stomped down. For a moment, everything went black. Blinking twice, she managed to remain conscious. When she looked up, Phineas’ face was next to hers, his arms on her shoulders. In a whisper, he ordered, “Submit, bitch.”

She tried to move again, but he had her pinned to the ground. She allowed her body to go limp as she said, “I submit.”

“Who’s the coward now?” he whispered before standing up.