However, as Feric withdrew from this thrust, Stopa managed to bring his truncheon down on the tip of Feric's weapon, sending a shock through the steel shaft into Feric's arm which stung enough to prevent him from following up his advantage.
The two men backed up a step or two from each other, circled for a moment, then almost simultaneously aimed blows at each other's heads which resulted only in a mighty crash of steel as their truncheons struck each other dead on. The Avengers roared their approval of this titanic clash of steel on steel, though the strokes resulted in nothing more than jolts to the arms of both adversaries.
Almost immediately, similar parallel strokes, this time at rib level, resulted only in another ringing double-parry.
Recovering from this, Feric struck high, while Stopa came in low. Both men were therefore forced to fall back in midstroke and their truncheons whistled through empty air.
Stopa took five quick steps backward, then came at Feric all in a rush, aiming a downward blow at the head, which was parried, then a slash at his ribs, which fell once more on the steel shaft of Feric's truncheon, then a similar blow from the other side, which Feric was forced 72
to take low on the shaft of his weapon, sending a lightning bolt of pain up his arm.
For his part, Feric feigned a 'greater pain from this blow than was actually the case and fell back in seeming disarray as the Avengers hooted and Stopa rushed at him, truncheon held high for a finishing head blow. Suddenly, Feric stopped dead in his tracks, jumped to the side as Stopa's truncheon came down in a mighty arc, turned, and fetched the Avenger a mighty blow to the leg, which Stopa was just agile enough to take with his buttock.
Stopa howled in pain and continued the downward arc of his truncheon. Feric, from his low position, raised his truncheon slightly to parry this wild blow.
Stopa's truncheon came down squarely on the center of the shaft of Feric's weapon as Feric deliberately swept it toward the ground to cushion the impact.
But instead of a fine sharp clang, there was a sickening crack of rotten metal. Feric's hoary truncheon had been cloven in twain by Stopa's weapon and he found himself holding the useless jagged stump in his hand.
Stopa grinned wolfishly as he allowed Feric to dart to his feet. Slowly, deliberately, with his truncheon held at chest level, he began to stalk Feric as Feric circled backward. The meaning of this was perfectly clear: there would be no exaggerated gallantry here; Feric's weapon had been rendered useless by fate, and no quarter would be offered. Nor, Feric thought, would quarter be requested. If it was his destiny to die in this manner, he would meet his fate heroically, battling to the last with whatever came to hand, with his bare fists themselves, if need be.
Stopa aimed a blow at Peric's head; Feric lept backward. The Avenger took a sweep at Feric's ribs, which Feric was hard put to block with the remains of his truncheon; once more he was forced backward off balance. Seeing this, Stopa raised his truncheon overhead and smashed down at Feric's head. Once more Feric was barely able to parry the blow with the stump of weapon left to him—but this time the remains of the truncheon were struck from his hand by the force of Stopa's blow, and he found himself defenseless.
With a great animal shout, Stopa struck at Peric's knees, forcing him to jump blindly backward. His feet struck a rock or a root, and he went sprawling. Stopa struck at his head; he rolled away from the blow and the 73
headball of the truncheon buried itself in the earth beside him. Once more Stopa struck at him, and again he avoided the blow by rolling his body. Again and again, Feric barely averted death by rolling away from mighty blows, but each time Stopa was on him again before he could rise to his feet.
Feric rolled one final time as Stopa's truncheon whistled past his ear; this time, however, he had rolled half onto the wooden pallet holding the Steel Commander. The surprise of this cost him precious seconds; moreover, his upper torso was now spread-eagled over the side of the pallet and he could roll no further. Seeing this, Stopa howled, raised his truncheon high over his head, and brought it down in an irresistible arc.
At once, without conscious thought, Feric reached behind him, grasped the handle of the Great Truncheon of Held, and whipped the Steel Commander into the air to parry the blow. Stopa's truncheon struck the thick gleaming shaft of the legendary weapon and instantly shattered to pieces.
