The brute to the hilt of the sword, and Lebras quickly muttered another spell to create the twin of the sword he just created and pointed it toward the bear of a man. The man looked bewildered and a little scared from the display of power just shown, and Lebras grinned again.

Lebras held his stance for over a minute while the man psyched himself up to attack the boy. He took a deep breath and held the sword in much the same way Lebras did. Still smiling, Lebras dropped hi stance and pushed his sword into the dirt again. ‘Actually, I change my mind: you don’t deserve a chance against me. Maen, the maiden you attacked had no chance, and neither shall you’. Still smiling he pronounced four words with clarity. ‘Taug dimshak haeroapta jarfix’, and the sword in the man’s hand shook violently and jumped in to Lebras’ awaiting palm. Without looking, he threw the sword to his left and it stuck, point first, in the clay wall.

This is when the brute blanched: he turned tail and attempted to run down the ally, but with a flick of his hand, Lebras held him fast, solidifying the air around him. ‘No…you gave Maen no chance to scarper, nor shall you have one…’ he said, with a level voice, with a trace of his mothers menacing tone.

He turned the man around in front of him, standing a few inches shorter than the brute, the stared straight into his eyes, niggling his way into the mans mind. ‘So tell me, Reficul Starna, what should I do with you?’ asked Lebras, keeping a conversational tone

Let me go? Thought the man, hoping Lebras would hear him. Give me this as a warning to change my ways? Please, I beg of you…

Lebras nearly laughed out loud with this. ‘That may be a good idea, as if I ‘dispose’ of you, my aunt will have my guts for garters. You know my aunt I believe, she’s quite well known around here: Nimuë?’ he enquired, giving no last name: it wasn’t required. The man’s eyes filled with terror, obviously hearing of the powerful sorceress with eyes the colour of steel and hair the colour of snow, reputed to be over 300 years old. She was one of the main reasons the siege on Camelot failed 14 years ago.

But she never needs to know…he thought viciously, aiming his thoughts at Reficul…I mean, you won’t be able to tell her, and I certainly won’t…

He took a step back from Reficul and took up his stance once again, pointing his sword at Reficul’s throat, taking a deep breath and thrusting forward, stopping a hairs breadth from his skin. In a low, menacing voice, brimming with hatred, he said ‘Consider this a warning..’ then swished the sword away from his throat, catching him on his cheek instead, leaving a deep cut, that would scar him for life. He turned his back on the man and waved his left behind his back, and the man was freed from his gaseous binding. He turned and scarpered, whimpering in the direction of the local healing woman.

Only when Reficul was out of sight did Lebras’ legs buckle, and his knees hit the floor. His eyes were wide with exertion: using his power to that extent had drained him more then he would have guessed. With barely enough power left to teleport home or even fly, he decided to walk the 3 leagues home…