Lycan's Affection
Of Flesh and Bones

Conaan let Alexander take the first swing, as he darted lazily away from the sword. He was starting to feel a familiar weakness seep into his bones, his body feeling rather too heavy.

Alexander gave a loud laugh, then swung once more, missing Conaan again, by more than an inch. His irritation started to show in the bulge of the veins in his forehead, his chest heaving.

He turned to Conaan, then attacked, this time faster and even more aggressively. He gave a groan of effort as Conaan's dagger blade stopped the sword, his eyes wide.

"You coward...why don't you attack?" Alexander asked, pressing down on his sword harder.

Conaan didn't budge and they found themselves in a chokehold.

Conaan gave a small nod, his eyes thin. "Of course."

In an instant, his heavy boots came in contact with Alexander's chest, throwing him off. Alexander reeled back, then stopped, his eyes wide with the sudden attack.

Before he could recover, Conaan grabbed a fallen sword and attacked, aggression in his steps. His steps were fluid, light, and Alexander barely held up for a minute, before the first sound of tearing flesh came.

Alexander's face swerved to the left, and he turned, his hand protectively covering his right cheek, blood seeping through the holes between his fingers.

"Oops. We look like twins."

Alexander ran forward, his attack met by Conaan's strong defence. He raised his boot to tackle Conaan, causing the other man to lose a bit of his stance.

Alexander took the chance, and his sword swished through Conaan's shoulder lightly, only managing to rip the robe and open up his flesh.

Conaan hissed, his anger heightening. This time, he held the dagger in his stronger hand, his left, then the sword in his right.

Alexander looked at the wound, then gave a small smile. "Did I just stain my sword with the blood of the lycan king? I will make sure to hang my sword when I go back home."

Conaan laughed. "For your sake, I hope you do go back home."

This time, the attacks were fierce, the groans of the two men filling the air, the heat causing the sweat to drip and fall, almost blinding them. But it was a fight to the very death, and none could afford to lose.

Alexander soon found himself unarmed, his sword falling a very small distance away from them. Conaan raised a brow, both their gazes falling on the sword.

"Surely you have enough pride to not fight an unarmed man."

Conaan's breath lightly faltered. He could feel the headache mounting, his breaths short.

"Surely...you do realize I unarmed you."

Alexander stopped, then suddenly broke into a small run towards the sword. Conaan was faster however, and he dropped both weapons away, reaching Alexander first.

Conaan's fist hit Alexander's jaw first, breaking it, his blood spilling ungracefully to the floor. He gave a yelp of pain and reeled back, his head thrown back, his hair falling in thin strands and dripping of sweat.

Conaan launched once more, pushing Alexander to the floor right by his sword. He didn't wait for the man's endless chatter that he had realized was somehow meant to distract him. He held on to his robe with one hand, while the other fist broke Alexander's face with the fast, calculated punches.

Till he barely looked like him. Till he was almost breathless with pain. Conaan stood, then dragged him on the floor to where he had kept his dagger, then let him go, efficiently halting most of the battle.

The end is near.

He grabbed his weapons, then came back, his foot landing square on Alexander's chest, causing the other man to spurt out blood.

"Conaan..." Eleanor breathed as she got to throw off the man in front of her, her eyes wide.

Conaan looked both weak and completely angry, that he could only be a beast quite ready to implode on himself.

He slowly went on one knee, his knee holding down Alexander's hand.

"Why...why don't you just kill me?" Alexander said, spitting, his eyes dense with venom.

Conaan spared him a glance, before his dagger hit his shoulder, breaking the bone in two. Alexander's yell filled the arena, his legs thrashing as he attempted to throw Conaan off.

But Conaan held on, ridding Alexander of one arm. He stood, his steps staggering as he held on to his arm. Indignantly, he flung it into the remains of the fire, his eyes bright with the thirst for blood and revenge.

The remaining wolves, reckoning the battle to be lost, started to retreat. Eleanor waved her hand to the assassins, and they all followed, tackling them, the battle coming on full heat, this time one completely in the defensive stance, the other more dominant.

Conaan had started working on Alexander again, when he heard the yell of a few soldiers behind him. He stopped, as Alexander broke into manic laughter, then let his head drop back into the sand, his lips parted.

"You thought you were in control."

Conaan grabbed his sword, and without a word, turned away. He grabbed two of the soldiers, decapitating one with his dagger, the other falling after the sword left his stomach. Two more rushed at Conaan, shooting arrows first to distract him.

He pulled through with a cut to the side of his neck, his eyes wide. He soon let one fall, the other one the very last.

It would have been easy, but for the dizziness he felt.

Not now. Not now. Not now.

He swallowed hard as he swung his sword, luckily catching the man off guard. His body fell to the left, his eyes still wide with surprise.

Conaan staggered, the poison starting to fill him once more, his chest heaving. He held his head to try and keep his stance, but everything, the fire, the heat, everything seemed to blur in a sea of brown and orange.

He swallowed hard, closing his eyes, his breath faltering.

Alexander slowly started to move, his only remaining hand reaching for his sword. He gave a low groan of pain, as his hand wrapped around the hilt, then started to pull himself up.

It was hard to replace his balance, but he was determined to, his eyes blazing with only Conaan's image. If he died right here, it would be just right too.

He stood finally, bending a little to the side. His eyes thinned however, as Eric, still on the floor, his side bleeding, held his foot, stopping him.

He turned, and pulled his foot out of Eric's weak grip.

Eric pushed and held on however, stopping him again. This time, Alexander turned, then swung his sword, removing Eric's left wrist.

Eric gave a howl of pain, attracting Eleanor, who was a distance away. His howl was inaudible to lycans, and was a famous tactic that the wolves had evolved into.

But Eleanor heard it. Living like a wolf for years had almost turned her to one. She turned, her eyes wide as she took in the scene.

Conaan had his back turned, and he was barely standing. Alexander was getting ready, while Eric still held on with one hand, his teeth gritted, tears staining his face.

Abandoning the battle, she started to run, her fingers clasping harder around her sword, her chest heaving.

But she was too far, and Alexander was too close. Way too close.

"You little..." Alexander cussed, finally kicking off Eric to the side. Before Eric could recover, Alexander continued on his way to Conaan, his eyes thin.

"Conaan!" Eric yelled at the top of his voice and the very ends of his strength.

Conaan slowly turned, his eyes bloodshot, his lips parted. He turned just in time for the blade, as it passed through, blood spilling, flesh tearing.

He gave a gasp of both pain and surprise, his eyes wide as he came face to face with Alexander.