Scaled Moon

	The night winds danced in the cold and lonely air of autumn. The pale yellow moon glowed with the softness of a candle flame sunken into its cage of wax. Dark clouds observed overhead the meeting of two fighters. The grass of the meadow swayed in the wind as Jack and his ever-watchful stalker stared each other down. In his hand, he clutched his trusty bastard sword tightly as he examined the person that stood before him. A female figure with long hair drifting along in the wind, and what look liked scaled reptilian hands with claws, with one holding a gladius. A weight sank to the bottom of Jack's stomach, telling him that his decision to follow the note's instructions was a foolish and now potentially lethal mistake. After all, who follows a note stuck to the outside of an inn bedroom door with a dagger? With silent terror creeping into the back of his mind, he took a deep breath to calm himself.

	"So tell me, why do you want me out here?" Jack asked nervously.

	The figure didn't respond with words, but with action. A cloud passed over and blanketed the plane in shadow, and as soon as the darkness set, she quickly dashed forward towards Jack, readying her sword for a strike. Jack was taken aback with surprise, but prepared for the attack by raising his weapon. A quick flash and the metallic clang of steel pierced the air. Their blades met blow for blow. A rhythmic tempo of metal striking metal formed in the skirmish, echoing out into the distance.

	A slash at his torso met by a parry.

	A countering lunge to her stomach avoided by a step.

	Both fought with ferocity and cunning. Neither one letting the other have a second to breathe easy without fear of being struck.

	Jack was curious as to how such a skilled fighter found him. As a mercenary of merit that has walked the lands for years, it's uncommon to find someone of equal or greater prowess with a blade. This girl gave him the toughest battle he's had in recent memory.

	As the duel raged on, the fear and weariness that sat in Jack eased away to warmth. Each strike of the sword sparked a note within Jack, something that wasn't struck for some time. A true challenge. An honest and true duel of two people’s collected skill. He met his opponent with a smile and found his lost vigour.

	A stalemate of force kept the two locked in place as they laid their strength into their blades. The clouds parted and permitted moon rays to bathe the field once again. Jack looked into the eyes of his opponent. A womanly face with green reptilian irises stared at him back with sternness as strands of dark hair dangled in front of her face.

	"Tell me girl," Jack said, "where did you learn to fight like this? I haven't had my blood pumping like this in a while."

	The girl took another step forward, pressing more force on her blade. Jack did the same to match her advance.

	"From years of training from my mother," she said, "and from years of work as well."

	The two pushed each other away to put distance between them. Immediately they charged each other once more and traded blows. Moonlight gleamed off the blades as they swung furiously through the chilled air. After a few seconds of crossing blows, they were stuck in draw again.

	"So you have the markings of a good mercenary and can probably get work easy." Jack said confidently. "Then why have you stalked me since Gladenveil? It's been a few weeks, aren't you bored or running out of money?"

	The girl's eyes narrowed.

	"I have my reasons for this!" she yelled. "Just shut up and fight!"

	Jack chuckled. "As you wish young lady."

	The two struggled to twist the other's hand to give an opening. As the gesture proved futile, the two gave up and pushed each other away.  With distance between them, the two readied for an attack to end the fight. Jack gripped his sword with both hands and the girl took a stance, ready to rush forward with her sword poised to run him through.

	A moment passed. The wind ceased. The moon shined clearly. Then the girl ran forward. Jack rushed to meet her pace, but couldn't match the speed she possessed. The girl readied for a pinpoint lunge, while Jack prepared for a hefty upward slash.

	With little distance between them, Jack got another look at her emerald eyes. A fire burned beneath them. He couldn't understand what it was, for it wasn't the same as that of a bloodthirsty warrior or a desperate criminal. The passion that burned in green was pure. Jack realised it wasn't a ruthless killer that he was fighting, but something else. Something that didn't deserved to be snuffed out that night.

	The muffled running of footsteps stopped. A mighty swing cleaved sound from silence. A loud metallic crash rang through the air. A sword tumbled through the air and dug itself into the ground nearby. The girl fell to her knees, her sword arm limp, and body exhausted. Jack sheathed his blade, and then fell backwards onto his rear, sitting down on the soft shimmering grass. His breaths deep as forge bellows from the effort he poured into the duel.

	"I'll hand it to you," Jack said, catching his breath, "you're a hell of a swordsman. A second later and I might have been skewered."

	"I was right..." The girl muttered.

	"Excuse me?" Jack asked.

	"I was right," she said, "you're perfect. Your eyes. Your eyes held that flame of enjoyment as well."

	Jack sighed. "You’re crazy, you know that right? I could have easily lobbed off your arm."

	"And yet you didn't."

	"Well of course not. You haven't done anything to really merit me killing you. And to my memory, I don't know a face like yours with a bounty to it. Besides, even if it did look like you were going to kill me there was no point cutting a young girl's life short."

	"I had no intention of killing you...I just got a little carried away is all."

	With the bright moonlight, Jack could see that she was blushing. His eyes moved to her limp arm.

	"Hey. I didn't break your arm, did I?" Jack asked, moving over to the girl gingerly.

	"I don't think so." she said as she rubbed her arm. "I can feel with it still, but it doesn’t have any strength. In fact I don't really have any strength anywhere right now, I'm awfully tired."

	Jack scoffed. "You're joking."

	She looked away with embarrassment, ashamed to admit her moment of weakness. Jack stood up and walked to where her sword was sticking out of the ground. He wrenched it out and walked back to hand it to her.

	"Sheath it, we're leaving." He said.

	She nodded and put the sword back in its sheath. "So how are you getting me out of here?" She asked hesitantly.

	Jack then slung her working arm over his shoulder. He carefully lifted her into his arms, carrying her like a newlywed. A green lizard tail drooped from the end of her lower back and swayed in the returning breeze.

	"Before we head back, I got a question. Who are you?" Jack asked.

	The girl blushed profusely. "I-I'm Jill. J-Just a lowly lizardgirl."

	"What’s with the stuttering and self-depreciation? You were talking so confidently before." Jack said as he raised an eyebrow. “Very unbecoming for someone like you.”

	Jill buried her face into his chest while muttering smothered apologies. Jack sighed and turned towards the worn trail back to town.

	The light breeze returned to the wind that howled earlier in the night. The clouds dispersed from overhead, giving way to the star studded blanket of night. The moon's luminescent rays guided the two mercenaries' path back to the town of Wellton. Cradled in Jack's arms, Jill nuzzled herself into his chest. Ever since the bandit raid in Gladenveil, she was enthralled by the skill Jack displayed in the defence of the town. To take on several bandits at once showed his valiance, and to win displayed his strength. All finally cemented by the duel, and his actions showed his kindness. She knew she has found the man who was worthy of being with her, and despite her profuse embarrassment, she was happy.