Thrax

Thrax was speaking now not only to Amlax himself, but to his suspicions about the aliens.  He was all but certain that what he suspected was true.  All that he, and all of Lacerta, needed was the chance to talk to these beings and find the truth.  It was the truth, Thrax was sure, that would end this nightmare.  All that was needed was for Amlax to see reason.

A hush fell over the chamber as quickly as the noise from the spectators had welled up.  The seated Scodax intently watched their leader, waiting for his reply.  Amlax listened to Thrax’s plea.  He took a deep breath, his chest and shoulders rising, the cracks in his skin spreading and contracting.  At last, he answered.

“Sir Thrax Helmer, you comport yourself as a true Knight and a noble opponent.  When you fall in submission, we shall take pride in your service to the Scodax.  Change your form and charge your weapon.  The duel begins.”

A deep, loud, blaring tone reverberated through the chamber.  Thrax’s heart felt both heavy and set aflame.  There would be no stopping this now, no avoiding what he must now do.  He had no intention of either falling or submitting.  And if he must end the life of this creature who had rebuffed his one appeal to reason, so be it.  He turned his body from man to dragon, extending neck and horns, turning man-flesh to scales, and unfurling wings and tail.  He activated his weapon, and it unfettered its gleaming blade. 

With a heavy hiss, Sir Thrax Helmer stood ready for combat.  As he watched, Amlax touched a place off the center of his staff, and either end of the staff produced a glowing dagger of energy.  If Thrax still had human features, he would have smiled at the challenge of a double-bladed energy weapon.  It should make Amlax twice the threat and give him twice the satisfaction of taking the alien down.

Dragon Knight and alien Captain raised weapons and lunged forward, and the battle was joined with streaks of light from blade and staff. 

Of all the battles he had faced in his years in the Knighthood, this was one that Thrax did not relish.  He was convinced now that something was not right about Captain Amlax.  In all likelihood, this being was sick and infirm in some way; he may not even be in his right mind and had no business in combat. 

There would be no honor in striking down such a foe.  He only wished that Amlax had listened to reason.  All that was left now was to find some way to defeat the alien Captain as quickly and bloodlessly as possible.  Go for his weapon, Thrax thought.  Render him defenseless and urge him to stand down.  That’s the most merciful way. 

Thrax lifted his powerblade high with both hands, goading Amlax into doing exactly what the dragon wanted him to do.  The alien thrust his staff out length-wise to block Thrax’s downward swing.  Yes!  Cut the staff in two or strike it from his hands!  Thrax brought down his glowing sword hard onto the metallic length of Amlax’s weapon.  The energy blade striking the metal made a horrible hiss and a cascade of sparks.  Thrax held the blade against the weapon, bearing down, trying to bite into the metal.  The sparks flew furiously.  Amlax thrust his weapon upward against the force that Thrax brought to bear against it.

 The two opponents were almost frozen in place, pushing their weapons against one another, until with a roar, Amlax pushed up harder, forcing Thrax backward and away.  The dragon man flew and somersaulted back with wings tucked, coming out of his spin and landing on both feet just as Amlax had at him with a swing of one of the glowing hot ends of his weapon.  Thrax lunged backward again and met Amlax’s next thrust with a parry, knocking it to one side.

 Amlax swung again, and Thrax met him with yet another parry.  One thrust and one block followed another, with neither foe gaining the upper hand.  They were both intent on bringing the other low, and almost oblivious of the rising shouts and calls from the seats, where the spectators leaned forward, shaking fists and urging their Captain onward.

There had to be an end to this, Thrax realized.  Sooner or later, Amlax, in his condition, must tire of this, but he did not know how long it would take to wear him down.  He had to find another way.  Amid a series of further thrusts and blocks, Thrax seized upon another idea.  At Amlax’s next thrust, the dragon spun away to one side, letting the glowing end of Amlax’s staff pass through empty space.  He then battered down hard against Amlax’s staff, knocking it toward the floor while at the same time lashing out with his tail to catch Amlax under the knee of one leg.  He coiled his tail around Amlax’s leg and gave a sudden, hard yank, spilling Amlax onto his back on the floor of the chamber.

Having his adversary prone on the floor, Thrax moved fast.  He leaped  up with wings stretched upright and raised his powerblade like a spear.  He needed only drive the energy blade through one part of the alien’s body where there were no vital organs.  He would not strike to kill.  He would strike to injure, just enough to end the battle without taking Amlax’s life.  He came down with blade pointed—but shockingly, Amlax was ready for him. 

As Thrax descended upon him, the Scodax Captain slashed out sideways with his staff, catching Thrax on one hip and sending him spilling and sprawling off to one side.  He rolled onto the floor and lay there, stunned, long enough for Amlax to clamber to his feet.

Thrax had a dull pain in his side where Amlax had hit him.  His armor skin had protected him from the worst of the blow from the energy dagger, but it still hurt, and he had to collect his wits and his senses before Amlax made good on his resolve to defeat and humble him.  He heard the alien’s footsteps coming closer and rolled onto his back to find Amlax towering over him with his weapon raised like a club.  With a sharp intake of air, Thrax rolled away.  The staff whooshed through the air and connected with one of Thrax’s wings.

 The dragon man hissed and screeched loudly.  His wings had no armor, and the hot shock of the energy blade seared at the leathery flesh of his wing.  Thrax could not afford to take another blow like that.  He scrambled to his feet, painfully tucking his wings, and met Amlax in a standoff.