Bernard Cornwell vs Castlevania (Pana & Boyo)

Gritting his teeth, the sweat flowing into his eyes with a sting that further infuriated Richard, he side stepped the swing catching the end of the spear on the sword. Running along its length with his blade sliding along the haft, another nick appearing in the blade, Richard prepared himself for what he knew might happen. To win you had to take a chance, with the number of Forlorn Hope's Richard had survived, Lady Luck was usually on his side. The knight stepped back surprised as Richard closed, the spear couldn't get too close with the sword on its edge, and he felt the strength pushing him aside but he already had the momentum he sought.

Crashing headlong into the knight, they both moved forward, ready for the impact Richard barely held on the sword. His hands and face slick with sweat as the knight began to fall backwards. Both catching themselves Richard pushing the sword in and up, catching the knight on the edge of the helmet, forcing the head back. A hand spun the spear and in the corner of his eye saw where it would go, steeling himself jerked the sword and hit the chest with the hilt, spear spinning in the hand and coming down, the blade barely slicing through his boot and into the edge of his foot. Satisfied he wasn't impaled, Richard hit again and again with the hilt, forcing the knight off balance and over, the spear off center from his foot.

The pain ran up his leg, angry that he'd have to kill another dragoon to get a replacement for the boot. A yell came from his mouth and he closed and pounded the sword's hilt into the knight knocking him over with the fury in his strikes, the knight rolled over and seeing the cross shape on the back Richard swings, the blade biting into it. His own roar of pain and fury overwhelming anything the knight might say, Richard feels the blade bite deep and holds the knight in position, the blade in the middle of the glowing cross.

Richard's blade could be felt going in the imposter knights back, when suddenly he disappears in a puff of thick smoke as the weight lent to the blade gives way and causes Richard to fall over. Only Richard's quick reflexes prevent him from falling completely. The smoke clears and the imposter knight sprints toward Richard from a few meters away, his spear has been morphed into a long rapier type weapon, complete with a hand guard. The other half of the alloy had become an armor of sorts, one that protects a portion of his back where your blade had partway entered, and protecting the right side of his chest, the cloak is gone now. The knight swings the blade straight down from Richard's chest to his knee, followed by a fake turn around with a quick slash to a thrust, ending his attack with his foot near the projectile weapon, he kicks it backwards. As his fighting style changes to a more risky and desperate approach, it is inferred that Richard has exploited some weakness in this obviously non human being.

A growl and a moan as Richard sinks under the changing blade, wondering what sort of opponent this is who can change his weapon. That wondering leaves him as the blade cuts through his coat, and through the belt, the cartridges falling to the ground. Rolling over with cat-like reflexes Richard stands up, the cut and bloody foot sending a stinging pain up his leg. A groan in response to it and he had the cavalry sword up, its size and length massive against the now thin sword. A smile on his face as the man seems to think that the rifle is such a danger, useless without him or a cartridge the rifle is only as good now as the blade in his hand, secreted in his hand next to the hilt was the familiar shape of one cartridge.

"You bastard," Richard yells as he leaps up, sword ringing against the thin blade. The man's arm bends under the heaviness and the strike of the sword, another nock in its side from where it had met the spear before.

Richard had one shot, and it would be all he needed if he had the opportunity. Pushing the knight around made his attacks hard and random, the length of the calvary sword keeping the knight at a distance. Swing after swing pushes the knight around and back, the blade moving up and down and in like Richard had been taught once by a calvary man who admired that he dared to keep and use the sword as an infantryman. The basics work if you keep them up, not giving your opponent time to think, time to plan. Richard kept it up until the knight seemed disorientated and moved around. Sweat soaked into the folds of his coat and his arms ached, never had he fought this hard in his life, he hoped to never do so again.

In position Richard swung once, then threw the sword at the knight, leaping back to grab the Baker rifle he runs to the side as he expertly reloads the gun and gets in position, trying to get a shot at the knight's back.

The knight quickly spins around, having taken a direct hit from Richard's rifle, the knight drops to one knee in pain for a moment. The knight takes a few deep breaths and realizes that Richard's shot was direct enough to not have glanced off of the plate of armor that is over his heart, the bullet went through. The knight stands up completely straight as if unhurt by the bullet, the spectators in the bleachers gasp as they become aware that this man is not human. Leaving his changing weapon on the sandy ground, now in the form of the double bladed spear that he used earlier, he walks close to Richard "I concede to you, Richard...this time" then the knight turns into a group of bats and flies away. "That could not have been a vampire, it is still day" says Richard as he takes a knee and rests.

Andros himself goes to gather the spear as two soldiers run to help Richard. "Enough" Andros shouts "I've made my decision, the select few can meet me at The Fucking Pub for further instruction, our competition is over for today". Andros uses the spear to perform a few strikes and tries to get the weapon to change as he saw, he fails but keeps it anyways.