July Coronation XXXV/2000

Story told by Lord Erasmus the Traveller:

It was July Coronation in Shittimwoode in the year 2000. The Finals of The Kingdom Armored Combat Championship. The Finalists were Duke Thorin and Duke Thjorkil. In the first of their bouts, the first thirty seconds or so were normal "advance, feint, feint, parry, strike, recover, block, strike, recover...." Until Duke Thorin took one of Thjorkil's legs.

And a groan went up from the crowd, as well as a few gasps, since even most of us who *don't* fight heavy know that Thjorkil, if possible, is even *more* deadly from his knees than when he stands. He's known as "The Spring-Steel Spine Duke" amongst the populace for a reason! What could Thorin have been thinking? But that's when things started getting quiet around the field. I had heralded the semi-final bouts, so I had a pretty good seat for this. And I sat down and watched. Two years later, the images are still etched sharply on my brain.

Thjorkil changed the angle of his shield slightly.

Thorin moved his right foot an inch or two out and forward, and brought his sword slightly forward of his shoulder.

Thjorkil sat back slightly, and lowered the pommel of his sword about two inches (keeping the point where it was in space)

Thorin lifted his shield a bit, lowered his sword arm's elbow to bring the point of his sword up a bit and bent his left knee

Tjorkil shifted his shield again, rising up slightly and moved his hilt out from his body a tad.

And this went on for nearly ten minutes without either of them throwing a shot in the hot hot sun of that Sunday, until one of the marshals called a hold for water (which Their Graces seemed entirely happy to have happen).

The crowd was hugely silent for this fight, as I think the majority of them recognized the "chess-game" that was going on in Their Grace's heads. A true "Master's Course" in combat. Duke Thorin eventually won (the first match continued for probably another five or better minutes after the hold), and the second bout saw Thorin take it to Tjorkil quickly, letting instinct take over instead of learning.

But when Masters meet, the lessons appear to be the same as they ever were.