"Surrender," Aldrich gasped through pain. "You're bleeding from three wounds. Holy fire is burning through your body. You can't win this."
"Neither can you," Vex'ahlia replied, her purple skin pale from blood loss. "Your arm is wounded. You can barely hold your sword. And I'm still standing."
"Then we both die here."
"If that's what battle requires."
They charged simultaneously for what both knew would be the final exchange.
Aldrich put everything into one massive overhead cut, his wounded arm barely able to swing the blade but divine power supplementing his failing strength.
Commander Vex'ahlia crossed her dual swords in an X-block, catching the descending blade between them. The impact drove her to her knees, but the block held.
Then she twisted both swords, using leverage to rip the bastard sword from Aldrich's weakened grip. The weapon went flying.
Aldrich was disarmed.
Vex'ahlia's follow-up strike—both blades aimed at his throat—would end the fight.
