Chapter 9

After the short break to reorganize the arena the final match was set to begin and both contestants stepped into the arena for the final fight.

Even though the Queen had been watching all the matches the announcer called for the final contestants to turn and bow to her Majesty before they began.

While Dusty had wrapped his hands before the fighting began that morning, it was just then that he saw how bloody they were from what he did to Joseph's sword.

Daniel, before he entered the ring, asked Rachel about her friend. Rachel didn't want to betray Dusty even if it was for her new love interest so she solemnly told him Dusty was a very powerful fighter and very capable and just what he looked to be.

Daniel nodded and his interest went up another notch in Rachel.

While sitting with him she didn't appear to fawn over him and diligently watched the fights. She cheered him as well all others who won and she didn't sit and make eyes at him. When he reached for her hand she let him hold it and smiled at him as she went back to watching the fights.

She was captivating him and making him wonder more and more about her. She wasn't throwing herself at him and seemed to be happy to just be with him without climbing all over him.

And the fact that she wouldn't sell out her friend just for his attentions made him sure she had a large amount of integrity as well. Something he had long been looking for in a woman.

Rachel for the most part was fighting every urge she had to prevent herself from throwing him to the ground where she would ride him like it was her last day on the planet and her end was fast approaching.

She was trying to remain cool and collected but when he reached for her hand she desperately had to fight the urge to pull him closer and make out with him.

But when he asked about Dusty before their final fight she found it easy to not give away any weaknesses. None of them had found any if there were any to give away, but she wouldn't ever sell out someone close to her regardless of the reasons.

She didn't realize at the time she gave the right answer to someone so use to seeing betrayal by everyone around him.

Standing there facing Dusty Daniel bowed and spoke before the fight started. He waved off the announcer and approached Dusty. He didn't want this to be seen as cheap and he wanted to talk with him first.

"Daniel Griffith, and you are?" asked Daniel extending his hand.

"Dusty," said Dusty smiling as he shook his hand.

"You are an excellent fighter. Why do you fight unarmed?" asked Daniel smiling warmly.

"I can use a few different weapons, but I feel more comfortable this way," said Dusty smiling back

"I don't recognize the style you use, what is it?" asked Daniel.

"Muay Thai," answered Dusty.

"Moo-aye-Tie. Hmm, no never heard of it, I'll have to check my family's records later. We have records of many different styles we've encountered over the centuries. Is it safe to say you've not remotely shown what you can really do?" asked Daniel.

Dusty just smiled.

"Right, that's what I thought. Last question, your friend Rachel, is there... ?" asked Daniel as he intently looked at Dusty.

"Only one of my best friends. She was one of my wife's good friends before I met her. But I'll protect her from harm just like I would my wife even if it was to cause my death," said Dusty seriously

"Good, we're on the same page then about her. I too feel she is special and I want to know her better and also protect her from harm. Well let's have a clean fight then," said Daniel smiling as he reached out his hand a second time.

Dusty took it and they shared a firm shake and Daniel returned to his side of the arena and signaled the official he was ready.

When the official said "begin", Dusty for the first time took a fighting stance with his head lowered and his fist up, but palms facing out, and his left leg slightly lifted in front of him. He could tell just from watching earlier that Daniel was also clearly holding back.

Seeing Dusty do this was the thing that made up Daniel's mind.

To the shock of the crowd, who all could be heard gasping, Daniel switched his sword from his left to his right hand and took a fighting stances of his own, crouching with his arms held wide open and sword ready, as he stood before Dusty.

No one in the fighting so far had ever seen Daniel take this stance or use his right hand to hold his sword for fighting.

There were rumors that it was true, that he never fought to the best of his ability, but this was the first time they saw him do this. Well save for one, Jolene. In watching him do this now she knew how serious he took this match against this opponent. Even at the last festival he still fought his final opponent left handed.

But the men smiled at each other as they slowly circled and approached the other.

In a sudden flurry of activity Daniel swung his sword up and over aiming for Dusty's shoulder in a blinding move that couldn't be tracked by the normal eye.

Dusty, casually hit the flat of the blade with the palm of his right hand, as he also moved blinding fast to lift his right knee up from the ground in a strike that would have connected with Daniel's chin if he hadn't used his left forearm to block the blow.

From the crowds view point they saw them leap at each other, but then they paused with what looked to be Daniel's sword stuck in the arena floor and Dusty's knee being blocked.

They thought that Dusty was just lucky to get out of the way of Daniel's strike, but both Daniel and Dusty knew better.

Leaping backwards Dusty tried to get some distance, but Daniel pressed the attack. His high knee should have broken Daniel's arm from the position he blocked it form, but Daniel didn't seem to be showing any signs of damage.

Meanwhile Daniel knew he needed to press the attack because his arm was all but numb from blocking that first strike. The finger tips of his left hand were tingling.

Swinging the sword so that the flat of the blade would catch Dusty about the shoulder area, Dusty lightly touched the ground before he side flipped over the swinging blade as it passed him. With his feet high in the air Dusty's head was just inches from the blade as he passed over it.

Daniel, sensing the miss, threw a reverse kick Dusty's way but Dusty caught it between both of his hands and spun the leg causing Daniel to fall.

Rolling Daniel was able to get out of the way as Dusty's knee came down where his stomach was just moments before. It wouldn't have killed or really hurt Daniel but it would have slowed him down enough for Dusty to quickly finish him off.

Coming to his feet he faced Dusty and they smiled as they squared off again.

The battle raged on, going back and forth, both finding was to trade various blows to the body or face, each sported various cuts and abrasions that could be clearly seen from the stands, and neither one was giving up ground. The longer the match went the more damage each was taking from the other.

It might have gone on longer until Daniel instead of using his sword for chopping reversed it and thrusted it at Dusty. Dusty easily sidestepped it and threw a punch at Daniels head with his left hand, but Daniel stepped back and caught Dusty's punch with his left hand and pulled him past him.

Unexpectedly having this happen threw Dusty off balance, and while he was Daniel used that to spin him, where he also put out his leg and Dusty tripped over it, caused Dusty to fall and he slammed his right fist on the ground trying to catch his balance.

The pain from having that happened radiated through his arm as two of the knuckles from his previous battle that were only cracked then shattered. Because of his anger at Joseph and trying to comfort Suzan, Dusty totally forgot to heal his hands and he was now paying for it.

Daniel could tell something had changed because Dusty was now leading with his left foot and the hand wrappings on his right hand seemed to be more soaked with blood than they were before. Daniel was really having problems breathing from an earlier knee strike by Dusty and decided to try for an uncommon move to hopefully end this.

Pressing his attack Daniel suddenly held the sword up about head height but once again in his left hand, and slid his right hand along the blade until it was almost at the tip edge where he lightly held it.

Dusty now had no idea what he was doing because he had never seen anyone attack like this before. He figured he could only do this because the sword was dull.

Daniel leaped at Dusty, and Dusty believing that this was a thrusting attack setup to catch him off guard, dodge to his left thinking to get to the awkward side of the pose, and to try and not get hit by the thrust. Committed to this plan he was already in motion trying to escape the attack.

But Daniel at the last second released the hilt of the sword with his left hand, firmly grasping it with his right, and swung it around his head like a bat where right before it hit Dusty he grabbed it also with his left hand so he could put his back into it.

Dusty realizing his mistake too late tried to put up his left hand to block the incoming strike to keep it from squarely hitting his head know it would knock him out, but he wasn't prepared for all the force behind the blow.

Thankfully Daniel was using the flat of the blade, but the blow having the damage increased by Daniel using both hands, and because Dusty leaped to the same side the blow was coming from, didn't intend to hit Dusty as hard as he did, and the blow hit Dusty squarely above the forearm and broke his left arm at the wrist and also cause that same arm to hit him about the head.

The blow was so forceful it stretched Dusty out on the arena floor as if Daniel was laying a rug. Thankfully he hit Dusty just below the hilt with the sword or the damage would have been far worse.

A hush went out over the arena as everyone heard the sickening snapping of his arm followed immediately by the sound of Dusty screaming out at the damage done by Daniel once he hit the ground.

Suzan and Rachel stifled a gasp and Lori and Mark clutched each other as they also heard the sounds. They were all surprised to see anyone that could hurt Dusty this bad for any reason.

Trying to get up and failing, Dusty painfully rolled over on his back using just his forearm's to look at the sky for a moment.

Daniel refused to strike Dusty while he was down and said while he was quite winded in a degree of pain himself in the chest "Do you yield? You can not fight with two broken hands. This is my victory. There is no shame in having come this far. You have faired far better today against me than any other has ever done and are very skilled to make me recognize you as an equal."

Grimacing Dusty rolled to his knees and did his best to not put any pressure or weight on hands. His left hand was now broken and it was painfully obvious to all as it flopped around.

Dusty did his best to limit the movement, but he was sure if he this didn't end this soon the pain could cause him to black out.

Standing and holding his left hand close to his side Dusty smiled through gritted teeth at Daniel.

"Thanks for not attacking while I was down and so badly injured. There is a reason I have to win no matter what. I have another good friend who is counting on me and I can't let her down either," said Dusty through the pain.

"I owed you for hitting you harder than I intended," answered Daniel.

Dusty just attempted to smile at the answer, but it came out as a grimace.

Daniel nodded and took up his guard again. He realized that if it was him that he wouldn't have given up like this either if the situation was reversed. He respected Dusty's courage and determination.

Dusty, dropped his arms and exhaled. He realized early on that using his legs were too slow to get in close to Daniel for any solid finishing blows so he stuck with using his arms which were far faster. But this time he would use them all for one last ditch attack.

Daniel, sensing tremendous danger took a step back and started to swing his blade, flat side down in front of him, because he recognized what Dusty was doing as the same as what he did to Joseph to win his match.

But it was already too late.

Dusty, seeming to accelerate just like he did with Joseph shot at Daniel, but where he had stopped and hit Joseph in the chest, knowing that he would have one shot and one shot only at this, Dusty side stepped Daniel's blade and stepped passed him.

Daniel sensing that he missed started to swing the sword around to try and catch Dusty while he was sure that he was behind him, but with his back to Daniel's back, Dusty struck Daniel in the back of the head as hard as he could with his right elbow.