Anything in italics is action text, which means that something's either happening of someone or a setting is being described.

 

Person: Text is the format I use to show that a character is saying something

 

Chapter 7: The Blade of the Eagle

 

Melanie holds her dagger in front of her at chest-level, a flaming eagle appearing in its glow.  Oscar and Iricryo face off battle ready.

 

Iricryo: The Blade of the Eagle, the second rarest dagger in the game.  Fire abilities as well as incredible speed and handling, definitely a deadly weapon to go against.  Guess you can afford something like that with all the money you make as a master thief, huh?

 

Melanie: If you know so much about this dagger, you should know better than to try to fight me.  This fight will be over in a single blow!

 

Iricryo: All of my equipment is extremely rare and expensive.  I have no fear of you.

 

Oscar: Come on, Iricryo, let's take her!

 

Iricryo: I got a better idea, the big kids are going to fight, you stand there and don't get in the way.

 

Oscar: ...

 

Iricryo: Or you could charge her and die.  Your choice.  I'm only glad you didn't break my main weapon with those overpowered gloves of yours.

 

He reaches into his cloak and pulls out a fresh rapier in the same manner he pulled out the first one against Oscar.  This one, however, is longer, has a golden hilt and the blade shines like it's made out of polished diamond.  The ring of the hilt is decorated with jewels.

           

Iricryo: Dare to compare?  My Cazoleta Tizona Rapier will strike you through!

Oscar: (Sweat Drop) Guess...I'll just observe.

 

Melanie: Burn brightly, Blade of the Eagle!

 

Melanie's blade lights on fire and she charges swiftly at Iricryo.  Iricryo puts his rapier out on the defensive and blocks the attack.  Flames and sparks fly past Iricryo's head and bounce off his robes as the two weapons collide.  Melanie jumps back from the confrontation and holds her dagger outright.

 

Melanie: BLAZING EAGLE!

 

The glow of the eagle surround her dagger enflames and enlarges to a massive size.  The eagle shoots up in the air and comes crashing down, now larger then the building they are standing on itself.  Iricryo jumps off the building just in time as the giant eagle charges through the building, causing it explode in a scene of giant flames and destruction.  Oscar isn't fast enough to jump out of the way and he goes flying with the flaming bits of the building.

 

Oscar tries to pick himself out of the rubble.  He has burn marks across his face.  Flaming bits of rubble surround him.  He sees Melanie and Iricryo face off in the center of the destruction.

 

Iricryo: Not bad, a pretty destructive technique, but kind of goes against the speedy strategy of the Blade of the Eagle, don't you think?

 

Melanie: I think it's perfect to have a destructive technique to round out an otherwise speedy repertoire of moves.

 

Iricryo: Either way, you're never going to be able to hit me with such a slow technique.

 

Melanie: Then how about this one!

She charges forward with her dagger raised high, the dagger's fire blazes brightly and she slams it down on Iricryo.

 

Melanie: EAGLE EDGE!

 

Iricryo dodges the first attack, but Melanie continues the assault, constantly slashing away in rapid succession in the same manner.  As she does and Iricryo continues to dodge and block, a pattern begins to form in the trail of the flames.

 

Iricryo: What the -

 

Melanie: Let's finish this!

 

The entire pattern glows and explodes onto Iricryo.  Iricryo raises his rapier and a bit of a shield form and  blocks a majority of the attack but is still sent flying back, his hat flying off in the process.  Burns across his face and his expression shows annoyance and slight desperation.

 

Iricryo (in thought): Damnit, she's a lot stronger than I thought she was going to be.  My rapier's not going to matter if I never get a chance to counterattack.

 

Melanie dashes and slashes at him again, he barely gets a chance to block with the speed she comes at him with.  She glides easily around him, and stabs him the side with something she had been concealing in her other hand, a small needle.  Iricryo drops to his side.

 

Iricryo: Damnit, what did you just stab into me?

 

Melanie: It's a poison that targets the nerves in your limbs.  No more use of your arms or legs, sorry.

 

She holds her dagger out in front of her, getting ready to make the kill.  Oscar charges at her from behind while she is distracted.

 

Oscar: CLAW MOON!

 

He hits Melanie square on the back and she drops to the ground.  She lands on both her hands and back-flips out of Oscar's range.

 

Melanie: Good thing your so weak, such a hit from anyone with any power might have actually done me in.

 

Her dagger glows in her hands as she outstretches it.

 

Melanie: But if you really want to die first I'll be happy to oblige.

 

She charges at him, but is suddenly stopped by Iricryo, who jumps in the way and knocks the dagger out of her hand with his rapier.

 

Melanie: What the hell?  But I...

 

Iricryo: Come on, with all my rare equipment do you really think I wouldn't have something to protect me from poisons?  Ring of Poison Resistance, an expensive little piece of equipment but very handy.

 

Melanie eyes her dagger on the ground and makes a leap for it, but a swift strike from Iricryo forces her to back off.

 

Iricryo: Don't worry, all you equipment will go to good use after you die!  DIAMOND DRILL!

 

His rapier strikes at Melanie so many times and say fast that her eyes can't even see it.  All she can see are the diamonds on the hilt's ring, which seem to surround her.  To her, it seems that she is trapped in a dark void surrounded by diamonds as slashes from seemingly nowhere cut her across her body.

 

When the attack ends, she drops down to one knee, covered in blood.

 

Melanie: Damn, it seems I lost...

 

Iricryo: You'll never rob another rare hunter!

 

He cuts down on the downed Melanie, but his rapier just cuts straight through.

 

Iricryo: What?  Damnit, an illusion!

 

Melanie grabs her dagger from the ground and leaps onto a high pile of the rubble.

 

Melanie: You bested me, but I don't intend to die here.  But for your efforts, here, you can have these back.

 

She tossed the gloves at Oscar.

 

Melanie: Now leave me alone, you're so annoying.

 

She darts away through the smoke created by the fight.

 

Iricryo: Come on, we can't let her get away now!

 

Oscar: Uh, I got my gloves, I don't really care anymore.

 

Iricryo: Damnit, well I'm not going to let her!

 

He grabs his hat from the ground and puts it back on, then attempts to go after Melanie.  Instead, he is blocked off by Militia soldiers on all sides.  Rook leads the group of Militia soldiers.

 

Rook: What have you idiots done!?  Do you realize how much property damage you've caused!

 

Oscar: Well...I went after Melanie...and look, I got my gloves back!

 

Rook: The damage you caused to the city is far greater than the value of the gloves!  Hell, it would take every rare item on Iricryo's possession right now to pay for half the damage!

 

Iricryo: Hell no, I'm not giving up my rare items!

 

Rook: You know the penalty for causing destruction and chaos in the city is typically execution, Iricryo.  You've been in enough trouble in the past to know all the Militia's rules.

 

Oscar: I don't want to be executed!  I just got started!

 

Rook: Well, maybe instead of executing you right away we can work something out.

 

He smiles wickedly.

 

Oscar: That's...not a good sign...