A Duel of Light and Darkness

The two knights walked to each other.

They were both a lesson in contrasts; one was the very epitome of a hero, golden armour, helm crescented with Eagle Wings, a huge gleaming blade at his back. His mail was ornate and practical, clearly the make of a fine smithy, his boots so polished that they caught the light and reflected it with a harsh glare. Everywhere on him there were eagles, engraved on the mail, printed on the breastplate. The very catchings that linked his armour together were tiny eagles, the hook their talons.

The other struck a rather different message; one of the glorious bastard. Next to his adversary he looked almost naked, no boots, just shoes, no leggings, just breeches, no breastplate, just a thin coat of mail. He did have a helmet, a fearsome one, two, in the shape of a bat. His blade, rather than having a place, he simply held in his hand. It was a hand-and-a-halfer, or a Bastard Blade, as some liked to call it.

“Greetings”

“Hello, old knight”

“Been well?”

“They took a Ser from me, but I'll be fine”

That was the full of their conversation. From their, the golden knight drew his blade, a fearsome two handed broadsword that looked like it was made of Gold. It was not, of course, that would have been heavy and impractical, and Ser Genevous was always a man for practicality. It was, however, coloured gold, and had such ornate engravings that one could very well have been fooled into thinking it was a ceremonial piece. It was not.

Both men drew their charms, the first's charm all silver, the second's all wrathwood. They undid the clasp with a flick of their thumbs, and they exploded into light, releasing the powerful Pokémon that had been slumbering within. From the silver, grew Froslass, from the wrathwood, a Mismagius.

The Froslass, having no legs, floated softly behind Ser Genevous, it's feminine, wrath likes arms flowing gently in the soft breeze. The Mismagius, also legless, floated by the Bastard Knight, Ser Tynar. Both Pokémon looked like pieces of cloth, Froslass like a Japanese Komono, with her humanoid, though legless shape and her hollow body, whilst Mismaguis looked like a cross between a wizards hat and a cloak. Both eyed each other, angrily.

For a moment, there was nothing.

Than the battle begun.

The Bastard Knight leaped on his Mismagius, and whispered his command: “Astonish”. The Cloak zoomed at Ser Genevous, and the black knight leaped into the air before it collided. The White Knight swung his blade, and it cut deeply into the Mismaguis' cloak, causing it to scream in pain, a deafening scream that drowned out the Bastard Knight's Battle Cry as he swung his blade down on Ser Genevous's head, crushing the helm. The Eaglehelm buckled, blinding the heavily armoured man, and the Bastard meant to end him then and there-but was blasted back by a fowl smelling gust; the Froslass's omnious wind. He barely kept his footing, and glared at the giggling wraith.

“Keep it occupied” he muttered to his Pokémon, bent on attacking whilst Ser Genevous was recovering-but it was too late, he had already pried the crumpled Eaglehelm of his head, revealing long blond hair and a weathered face. The Black Knight snarled, and rushed in with thrust that was easily parried, and then he was defending against the controlled, powerful slashes of an expert. He soon became a whirling maelstrom of ducks, dodges, parries and checks as he tried to glean some sort of advantage. It was all for naught, for the two handed blade provided greater swings and greater range. It was a blessing the almost bare knight had forsaken armour, for he needed all his quickness to avoid death, and no metal would fend off these mountain-cutting swings.

Suddenly the White Knight swung high, and his foe ducked, spun, and swung low, taking Ser Genevous's legs from under him and forcing him to the ground. The Bastard's killing blow was knocked off course by a shard of ice, that collided into his blade and broke in two, sending the Bastard Blade deep into the ground. As his armoured foe moved to cut him down whilst his blade was incapacitated, the Black Knight grabbed the chunk of ice and shattered it off the foe's face.

Knowing that the Froslass was too good a protector for him to land a blow on her charge, he instead focused all his energies on her. He gave a last kick to the White Knight, before pulling his blade out of the ground and charging for the Wraith. Before he had got anywhere near here, she suddenly split into four different entities, using Double Team. A cowards ploy. He should know. He used it often.

And he had prepared for it. “Magical Leaf!” he called out, and his Mismagius sent a volley of leaves. They didn't hesitate, just darted right for the real wraith and hit it with an effect like fifty flying knives. The Ice/ghost hybrid gasped in pain and collapsed into the ground, and The Bastard Knight moved in to end it's existence-for now, at least. He was ignorant of the faint purple light that streamed to Mismagius seconds before he decapitated it. Thus, when he saw his Mismagius shriek and dissipate into nothingness, it took him a few seconds to work out the answer.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm">“Destiny bond” he whispered, cursing. This was far from the honour he knew of the Golden Knight. These were his own tricks. The Froslass was a pokémon after his own heart, it seemed. He took out a second wraithwood charm, and eyed the first, where his Mismagius was waiting. The Golden Knight's face masked his anger, the decapitated Froslass would take much time to heal. He sent out a fearsome Pokémon, limbs as thin as sticks. The Bastard Knight wondered what it was, until it extended two blades from it's arms.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm">“Gallade” he whispered. “How interesting” he pocketed the wraithwood charm and drew another, and uncasked it immediately. A large, purple hot-air balloon with a cap of clouds appeared. The foes faced each other again, more determined than ever.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm">The Golden Knight was the first to attack. “Shadow ball!” he shouted, and the Gallade responded, summoning up dark energy and shaping it into a rough ball. It smacked its blade into it, and the ball flew at the Drifblim. The Bastard leaped between the projectile and it's target, swinging his blade and knocking the Shadow Ball back at it's source. The ghost type attack blasted into the fighting type, knocking it back in an explosion of darkness.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm">Ser Genevous ran to his fallen pokémon, but the swordsman waved him off and attacked on it's own, dropping a Thunderbolt down upon the Blimp. Whilst it was grounded, it sped towards the weakened pokemon, but the Bastard met him, using his bastard blade to defend his injured friend. Ser Genevous sped to the fray, though his heavy armour weighing him down. He saw his Pokémon spin like the Kirlia it had once been as it blocked a savage thrust and return with a blow of it's own, but the Black Knight used his gloved hand to grab the blade and thrust it into his opponent's shoulder blade. Then, he was at the Drifblim, who was starting to awaken. Ser Genevous thrust his blade into the exposed face of the creature-

<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm">“NOW!!!” cried the Bastard, and the Drifblim shot upright and shuddered. Ser Genevous had only just realised it was a trap when the creature unleashed it's explosion. He was blasted back, and for a few blinding moments he knew only pain. But then he came back, and screamed, in pain and frustration and anger. He unstrapped his armour and ran, much faster, blade in the air, screaming for the Bastard's blood. He attacked, was checked, swung low for shins but was checked again. His partner, Gallade, joined him, but the Bastard was calm and in control, whilst Genevous was overflowing with rage, his Pokémon following suit. They were both blinded, and the Bastard led them to their fate.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm">As the Black Knight turned his head to kick back the blade Pokémon, Ser Genevous roared, rose his blade high above his head and came down for a savage decapitating blow through the right shoulder. The Bastard braced his blade against his left, and the blades met with a clang. Ser Genevous forced harder and harder, but the Bastard's position was sound, and he held with no trouble. His hand darted to the hilt of the Golden Knight's blade, and then he fell backwards, and all of the the Knight's weight went into the thrust. His blade entered the helmet of the Gallade, through it's face and out the back of his head, ruining the beautiful blade with it's blood. It hung their for a moment, staring at its master in confusion, before it dissipated back into the silver charm.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm">“He...he could be dead” the Golden Knight said, aghast.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm">“It's a very likely chance” the Bastard replied, turning to unleash his final Pokémon.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm">“Bastard” Ser Genevous spoke, “I've been hunting you for years, but I know not your name, nor your crime. “My name is Tynar” the Black Knight spoke. “And my crime is blood alone. My father was the rightful King, before yours slew him. My crime is evading the King's Justice”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm">“Your father was a Bastard” the Golden Knight said. “And are all men like their father's? Granted, I would have made a terrible king. I would have hated every second of it. But this endless chase, between you and I. It's not what I want.”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm">“I am sorry” said the Golden Knight.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm">Tynar was surprised, until the man continued.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm">“I am sorry, Gallade. I have failed you through my rage. Your brother and I will slay him here. I shall not stay my hand”.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm">The men unleashed their Pokémon, a Honchkrow and a Togekiss.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm">“Ready?” Tynar had. “Ready”.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm">Before he had even spoke the word, his opponent's Pokémon was barrelling into his back. It's beak met his flesh, and his steel met it's breast, and the bird kicked off, squawking angrily. He saw Tynar, pinning his Togekiss to the ground with one knee, blade to it's head, about to cut. He shouted “Metranome!” and flung his blade for the Bastard Knight. It skimmed his helmet, catching on the bat wing and ripping it off. Ser Genevous gasped. No doubt, this was the son of their former king. The night-black hair showed all there was to see.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm">The Togekiss responded, glowed a faint surge of bluse, and suddenly, it shattered! A much sleeker, feminine bird slipped out, and spun round, ecstatic at it's knew form. Again, it surged blue, and the Honchkrow fell to the ground, immobile, trapped in a red prison. Tynar's face showed one of confusion.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm">“But that looked like....Shell Smash! And Imprison! Togekiss can't learn any of those!”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm">“No” the Golden Knight smiled. “But it can learn...Metranome!”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm">Responding to his cry, the sleek Pokémon surged blue, and suddenly sparks ignited everywhere. They spun around the Bastard Knight, became long, tender tendrils of flame the attacked him, wrapping round and burning his skin. Firespin. With no armour to protect him, he was being roasted alive. He slashed wildly, but the flaming tendrils just reconstructed themselves. His hands were searing, his face exploding, he was writhing on the ground-and suddenly relief. Sweet, sweet relief, in the form of a flash thunderstorm. The rain poured down, extinguishing the writhing tendrils. He breathed a sigh of relief as his Honchkrow flew into the Togekiss with surprising force, using Brave Bird to crunch the creature into the ground. It was clearly hurt too, but it circled round and flew low, so low that all Tynar had to do was step on. Suddenly, he was in the air, on his partner's back, speeding away form the knight.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm">“No, friend. I want to end this. I'm tired of running. Turn”

<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm">His Pokémon complied, and then they were gunning for Ser Genevous. Suddenly, through the pouring rain and the ensuing darkness the clouds had created, visibility was appalling. But Tynar saw the speck of gleaming gold that was Ser Genevous, riding his Togekiss. His Pokémon saw it too, and angled downward, towards them.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm">The pair flew at each other, Pokémon thinking only of flying as fast as possible, soaring through the terrible visibility with riders on their backs. Tynar drew his blade, and held it in two hands, Ser Genevous, the same. They prepared to swing, knowing that any moment could be his last. Both men thanked their stars for forsaking the armour, as it would have served them poorly now.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm">Seconds passed. The men met. But at the last second the Togekiss angled sharply skyward, sleek frame smashing into the Bird's underbelly and sending both men skyward. Tynar screamed, but there was no hint of fear in Ser Genevous's eyes, for this was his plan. He swung the blade into Tynar's clumsy parry, and the Black Knight seared his shoulder with his own blade. The impact sent him spinning, but he used the momentum to deliver his own blow, one that cracked the head of Ser Genevous. Then, gravity reached them and pulled them to earth. Their respective Pokémon caught them, and Tynar had barely readied himself when they angled sharply into one another.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm">He ducked under the Golden Knight's powerful stroke, instead gutting the Togekiss life a fish. They fell, both of them, master and Pokémon, tumbling to earth Tynar watched them disappear from view, and realised he had no idea how high up they were. But at this point, he didn't care. He clapped his bird on it's rear, and it sped off to the distance, through the clouds, lightening, and omnious thunder claps.