A Knight's Journey: Rematch Against the Knight Commander

“You’re challenging Sword Dancer again? After what she did last time?” Pas D’arms shook his head in disbelief. “You do know that I’m more than happy to be your sparring partner, right?”

“I know it’s not the smart thing to do, but who better than her to see my improvement?” Brave Storm stretched and flexed in her armor, making sure she still had her full range of mobility. 

“Or did you feel like you were being challenged when she stabbed you in the neck?” Pas countered with a quirked brow. 

“Look-” Brave Storm raised a defensive hoof and tone. “-Okay, maybe a little. But I still feel like there’s something to my reasoning. She beat me the first time. Ran circles around me and toyed with me before putting me in the infirmary with one strike. I know I can’t beat her in a fight, but I know I’ve improved if I can make her take me seriously.”

 

Brave Storm walked into the middle of the makeshift arena. Sword Dancer was making final preparations for the evaluation. Her voice would be the final say, but she had three veteran knights help her. There are things that she couldn’t catch alone, especially with her being the one fighting. Brave Storm recognized their faces but never interacted with any of them much.

There was a small audience who came to watch- everypony loves a rematch. She knew a lot of them were repeats from her last match against Sword Dancer. There were a few new faces in the crowd as well. She made eye contact with Black Rose and Gold Light, who waved. Brave Storm smiled and dipped her head. The mare barely caught horseshoes being passed between hooves and she smirked.

Sword Dancer stepped into the arena, her head held high. Already, Brave Storm could feel a difference. The Knight Commander had clearly wanted to get the fight over with. Sword Dancer had known every step of the fight before it had even begun. Now, she only knew the outcome at best. She didn’t look excited, but she at least didn’t look agitated or bored. A good sign.

The fight started and Brave Storm took a defensive stance as Sword Dancer charged her. The earth pony held her position until Sword Dancer lowered her head to aim her horn. Brave Storm sidestepped when Sword Dancer got close, making the unicorn rush past her. Brave Storm didn’t have any time to congratulate herself as Sword Dancer immediately pivoted to face her again.

Another attack. Brave Storm wouldn’t have time to get out of the way. Instead, she shifted so that way Sword Dancer’s horn would strike a thick part of her armor. Brave Storm had plenty of time to get used to her equipment and insisted on cleaning it herself. As a result, she knew every plate of metal, every link of chainmail, and every strap of leather as well she knew her own body. She knew where her armor was most vulnerable and she couldn’t let Sword Dancer break through her defenses.

This sparring dance would continue for the next several minutes. Brave Storm avoided as many of Sword Dancer’s attacks as she could, only taking the hit if she was left with no other choice. Although the Knight Commander had Brave Storm on the defensive, it was something she was trying to play to her advantage. She knew she couldn’t beat Sword Dancer when she was fighting at full and was trying to wear her out. 

Brave Storm’s waiting game pulled off as she noticed Sword Dancer slip, ever so slightly, and take just a moment longer to recover than usual. Brave Storm took this opportunity to trot away and Sword Dancer took the moment to rest. The Knight Commander was panting and Brave Storm caught the glimmers of sweat running down her forehead. Brave Storm didn’t get out of it scot-free though. Her heart was pounding she felt her own sweat running down her neck. 

Brave Storm readied a kicking stone, but before she could even consider lining it up, Sword Dancer engaged her. She had to drop the stone and Sword Dancer made sure to stay between it and Brave Storm. With something to defend, the Knight Commander was unwilling to chase Brave Storm as far as she was before. Something the zebra could exploit to catch her breath, but she had to be wary. When she got to rest, so did Sword Dancer.

The zebra got a distance away and started to unload another stone. She had it in her hoof when she heard the galloping of hooves. Without wasting a moment, Brave Storm kicked the stone toward the sound. There was a change in the way the stomping sounded and shortly afterwards, she heard the dull thump of the stone hitting the ground. This all happened in the second after Brave Storm kicked the stone and turned to face Sword Dancer. The unicorn was already on her, head down.

Brave Storm tried to move out of the way, but Sword Dancer was too close. The older mare threw her head up, catching Brave Storm’s hind leg on her horn. Brave Storm fell to the floor. The bag containing her stones was open and she saw several spilling out of her back. Sword Dancer reared, forelegs poised to slam into the prone pony. Brave Storm kicked her legs into her stomach, sending the unicorn reeling back. She scampered away before Sword Dancer could counter-attack, pulling herself to her hooves.

Sword Dancer didn’t pursue her. She was breathing a little heavier than she was before. She was still in a battle-ready stance, staring down at Brave Storm. The zebra had found herself a way to an opening. She just needed to figure out how to pry it out of the unicorn. Brave Storm glanced around the arena, taking note of where every stone ended up, and did her best to formulate a plan. 

Sword Dancer seemed to favor short-range combat. She goes full offensive when Brave Storm tries to give herself the reach advantage. But perhaps in trying to stop the earth pony from arming herself, Sword Dancer had set her up. While Brave Storm prefers kicking the stones when they’re in the air, she’s practiced with grounded stones.

Brave Storm stared at one of the stones, just a little bit too long. She watched as Sword Dancer flicked her eyes to it and then back to her. The unicorn’s posture shifted ever so slightly. Brave Storm charged at the stone and Sword Dancer moved to intercept her. Brave Storm didn’t change course until the last possible moment, halting her forelegs and allowing her back legs to swing over and around. She and Sword Dancer were facing the same direction as the unicorn rushed past. She heard the screech of metal as Sword Dancer’s horn scraped her shaffron. 

Quickly, Brave Storm swung her hind leg in a large arc. If Sword Dancer hadn’t jumped, Brave Storm would have taken out her back legs. But that wasn’t what Brave Storm was aiming to do. Instead, her hoof connected with a stone that was under Sword Dancer, sending it flying to the back of the Knight Commander’s foreleg. With her hind legs still in the air, the stone took out the unicorn’s support and she tumbled to the ground.

She moved as soon as she hit the ground to get back onto her hooves. Brave Storm swept her leg again, getting another stone to launch into the air. She kicked it and it hurled toward Sword Dancer. The unicorn took the hit, wincing as the stone struck her neck. But Brave Storm had made an error. Sword Dancer was standing over a pile of stones.

The Knight Commander locked eyes with Brave Storm before launching a stone toward the zebra. Brave Storm barely had time to dodge as the stone whistled by. It crashed into a nearby stone pillar, breaking on impact. Brave Storm swallowed as she turned back to Sword Dancer. The earth pony flicked her eyes around the arena, hoping to turn the tide back to herself, but couldn’t find anything. 

Feeling sweat run down her forehead, she dropped into a defensive stance. Sword Dancer gave her an even look, before standing at ease. Brave Storm waited until she knew the fight was over before relaxing. She heard the crowd murmuring as Sword Dancer disengaged and approached her council. Brave Storm’s heart pounded as the knights discussed her performance.