"Duel" by Adam Stevens

Hrolf grinned broadly at the human before him, at six foot, the man could have been considered tall, but the wolf still towered over the psyker. The human just stared balefully at the morph, his pallid skin and white hair giving him a gaunt, yet powerful appearance. Slowly, the human drew an elegant rapier, his flowing clothes and high hood in stark contrast to the brutal look of the morph decked out in his tribal wargear, trinkets covering his fur and entwined in his grey hair. Eventually, the man smiled, revealing himself for what he truly was. A creature of the night, a shadow stalker, a vampire. He licked his thin lips carefully, his large black eyes surveying the wolf.

‘It has been a while since I tasted your kind. Perhaps you will provide some sport for me after all.’ Hrolf grinned broadly, confidence showing in his ice blue eyes. His sharp white teeth flashed, giving him and even more feral appearance than his blood-matted fur. Suddenly, a great swirling green bolt of energy coalesced between the pair, and slammed into Hrolf, sending the giant sprawling to the flaw, his body convulsing as he attempted to dispel the sorceries that threatened to overcome him. Blood gurgled from his mouth as the powers began working at his body. He desperately fought against his opponent, but he couldn’t concentrate through the immense pain.

An explosion went off near the albino as he wrought his magic, distracting him for the precious second that Hrolf needed to throw off his influence. He slowly climbed to his paws, his wounds already healing due to his own powers. The lupine mopped the blood from his muzzle as he took up a fighting stance, the clouds disappearing overhead, revealing a full moon shining in the night sky. He summoned his powers to protect himself as the necrotic sorcerer blasted another luminous green bolt at Hrolf, this time the energies splaying like serpents around an invisible barrier protecting the morph. Despite this, the massive creature was forced to take a step back as he fought to nullify his opponent’s power. The wolf gathered his strength, focusing his energies into his weapon, blasting lightning towards his foe. The vampire smiled a cruel smile as he deflected the bolt to one side with his withered hand. The re-directed energies blasting a gaping hole in the earth, sending debris high into the air as the two combatants re-assessed their opponent. Hrolf immediately recognised the high collar as a psionic hood and cursed under his breath at not having the foresight to equip himself with one even after all these years.

With a vicious snarl, the wolf leapt forward, his actions accelerated by his psionic abilities as he brought his axe down in a brutal arc. The axe carved through the air, before imbedding itself in the ground as the vampire danced out of the way, impaling Hrolf’s right shoulder with his rapier drawing a snarl from the wounded creature. The sorcerer carefully smeared a drop of blood from his sword onto his tongue with a delicate finger and laughed tauntingly as the wolf hefted his axe from the ground. The morph turned to face his opponent, more cautious now as more psionic energies crossed the gap between them in a spectacular and devastating show of power as any who strayed too close was torn apart by the maelstrom of incandescent forces. The two beings struggled with a battle on two levels, one on a mental plane, of which, none had the upper hand, both with an indomitable will. The physical battle however was a different story as the vampire spun and danced his way nimbly out of trouble, constantly laughing as Hrolf futilely tried to strike the creature. His movements became slow and weary, as blood loss began to sap his strength. And yet he fought on, his spirit forcing his body to fight.

The vampire cackled again as he cut the tendon on the back of the wolf’s knee, sending the proud creature toppling to the floor. He lay there panting, his mental powers failing as the loss of blood prevented him from healing his wounds sufficiently well to stand again. His axe tumbled from his grasp as he sank to his knees, defeated. The albino sorcerer knelt by the wolf and whispered seductively in his ear.

‘I can end it right now, all you have to do is ask. I can take away your suffering, your pain.’ The vampire caressed the wolf’s chin, and he slowly bared it as the creature of the night stared into his eyes, carefully bending the lupine to his will. ‘That’s it. Surrender yourself to me my pe…’ The pallid creature was cut off mid-sentence as a massive fist grasped his throat. Bewilderment and hatred shone in his eyes as he struggled to break the wolf’s vice-like grip. Another paw wrenched the elegant rapier from the vampire’s hand as he brought it to bear, the weapon being thrown out of reach. Hrolf was the one who smiled so cruelly this time, his grasp holding the feeble creature there, suspended above the floor despite being reduced to his knees. He curled his muzzle in a snarl of contempt, a deep growl emanating from his throat.

‘Fool!’ power flooded through the wolf as he regenerated his wounds, eyes glowing blood red as he drew power from the skies around him, the moon once again being extinguished by the black storm clouds of his namesake; Stormpaw. The winds picked up and Hrolf summoned his axe back to his paw lightning silhouetting his figure. For the first time, the vampire knew fear as the wolf stared into his eyes. He saw only a cold, animal hatred there as darkness took him.