The bird song of steel on steel sang out across the clearing, early morning rays of light cutting swathes through the trees. Chaotic illumination sloshed around by the careless winds forcing the branches in whichever directions they wished. One could not ask for a better location to duel in.

Paulie, as his friends called him, swept his cutlass in a short arc toward his opponents left flank whilst he deflected a sharp thrust with his off-hand dirk. A quick duck and a parry forced the cutlass high and Paulie had to back pedal very quickly to avoid a second sharp thrust from his opponents rapier.

Recovering to a defensive stance, the two men circled each other once more. Paulie’s opponent, Gill Delvarro, was wielding a custom gripped rapier that shimmered with a fiery silver every time it caught the light in his right hand, and a short stiletto in his left. The differences in weaponry and style promised for a long fight, Paulie actually found himself worrying that he might have to take his breakfast late…