Viktor dashes back to the large boulder the rope was originally tied to. The Woman in Black's grip faltered on the rocks as Viktor threw the rope down to her.
She held onto the rope, staying still for a moment to look at Viktor as he forced himself away from the cliff.
She resumed climbing as the early morning light shone on the ruins.
The Woman in Black crawls over the top, and looks to Viktor.
"Thank you." she panted as she un-sheathed her sword.
"We'll wait until you're ready."
"Again, thank you."
She sits on the boulder that the rope was once tied to to rest for a bit. She tugs off her left boot, and is surprised to see many rocks fall out of it.
She wears gloves; Viktor stares at her.
"I do not mean to pry, but you don't by any chance happen to have six fingers on your right hand?" she looks up at Viktor, baffled at the strange question.
"Do you always begin conversations this way?" the Woman in Black asked as she slid her boot back on.
"My father was slaughtered by a six-fingered woman. He was a great sword maker, my father. And when the six-fingered woman appeared and requested a special sword, my father took the job. He slaved a year before he was done." Viktor hands his magnificent sword to the woman. She fondled it in her hands, impressed.
"I've never seen it's equal." she complimented.
"Even now, this still brings pain. The six-fingered woman returned and demanded it, but at one-tenth his promised price. My father refused. Without a word, the six-fingered woman slashed him through the heart. I loved my father, so, naturally, challenged his murderer to a duel ... I failed ... The six-fingered woman did leave me alive with the six-fingered sword, but he gave me these." Viktor pointed to his scars. They lined from the corner to his mouth, to his cheeks.
"How old were you?" The Woman in Black asks. She understood Viktor's pain exactly.
"I was eleven years old. When I was strong enough, I dedicated my life to the study of fencing. So the next time we meet, I will not fail. I will go up to the six fingered woman and say, "Hello, my name is Viktor Tendercrisp. You killed my father. Prepare to die."
"You've done nothing but study swordplay?"
"More pursuit than study lately. You see, I cannot find her. It's been twenty years now. I am starting to lose confidence. I just work for Hoskel to pay the bills. There's not a lot of money in revenge." Viktor said as the Woman in Black handed his sword back to him.
"Well, I certainly hope you find her, someday." The woman in Black said kindly. "Whether I am or not, you've been more than fair." she added.
"You're a decent fellow, I hate to kill you." Viktor readies his sword and gets into a stance. "Begin!" and on that word, And what we are starting now is one of the two greatest sword fights in modern literature (the other one happens later on), and right from the beginning it looks different. Because they aren't close to each other -- none of the swords crossing "en garde" garbage. No, what we have here is two people, two athletes, and they look to be too faraway to damage each other, but each time one makes even the tiniest feint, the other counters, and there is silence, and as they start to circle one another.
They finished teasing, began to duel in earnest. Their swords cross, then again, again, and the sound comes so fast it's almost continual. Viktor presses on, the Woman In Black retreating up a rocky incline.
"You're using Bonetti's defense against me eh?" Viktor was thrilled.
"I thought it was fitting, considering the rocky terrain-"
"Naturally you must expect me to attack with Capo Ferro?" Viktor shifts his style.
The Woman in Black faltered, then shifted her style as well.
"But I find Thibault cancels Capo Ferro, don't you?" she says with a shit-eating grin. She perches at the edge of the elevated castle ruin. Nowhere to go, she jumps to the sand. Viktor stares down at her
"Unless the enemy has studied his Agrippa-" And now, with the grace of an Olympian, Viktor flies off the perch, somersaults clean over the Woman In Black's head, and lands facing his opponent. "-Which I have."
The two are almost flying across the rocky terrain, never losing balance, never coming close to stumbling; the battle rages with incredible finesse, first one and then the other gaining the advantage, and by now, it's clear that this isn't just two athletes going at it, it's a lot more than that. These are two legendary swashbucklers and they're in their prime, it's Burt Lancaster in "The Crimson Pirate" battling Errol Flynn in "Robin Hood" and then, incredibly, the action begins going even faster than before. The Woman in Black is backing Viktor into a corner. And behind him now, drawing closer all the time, is the deadly edge of the Cliffs of Insanity. Viktor fights and ducks and feints and slashes and it all works, but not for long, as gradually the Woman in Black keeps the advantage, keeps forcing Viktor back, closer and closer to death.
"You are wonderful!" Viktor exclaimed to her.
"Thank you, I've worked hard to become so."
The cliff edge is very close now, and Viktor is continually being forced toward it.
"I admit it, you are better than I am." Viktor grinned.
"Why are you smiling?"
Though inches from defeat, Viktor is all smiles.
"Because I know something you don't."
"And what is that?"
"I'm not left handed." And he throws the six-fingered sword into his right hand and immediately, the tide of battle turns. The Woman in Black is stunned, doing everything to keep Viktor by the cliff edge, but it is no use. Slowly at first, she begins to retreat. Now Viktor is going faster, Viktor is in control and the Woman in black is desperate. Now up a rocky staircase, leading to a turret-shaped plateau, and the Woman In Black is retreating like mad up the steps and she can't stop Viktor -- nothing can stop Viktor -- and in a frenzy, the Woman in Black makes every feint, tries every thrust, she lets go with all she has left. But she fails.
Everything fails. She tries one or two final desperate moves but they are nothing.
"You're amazing!" she exclaimed.
"I ought to be after twenty years."
Now the Woman in Black is backed into a stone pillar, pinned there under the six fingered sword.
"There's something I ought to tell you!" she hollers to Viktor.
"Tell me."
"I'm not left-handed either." She switches her sword to her right hand, and at last, the battle is fully joined. To Viktor's amazement, he is being forced back down the steps. He tries one style, another, but it all comes down to the same thing -- the Woman In Black seems to be in control. And before Viktor knows it, the six-fingered sword is knocked clear out of his hand. Viktor retreats, dives from the stairs to a moss-covered bar suspended over the archway. He swings out, lands, and scrambles to his sword.
The Woman in Black watches Viktor, then casually tosses her sword to the landing where it sticks in perfectly. Then, she copies Viktor, not exactly, but improves. She dives to the bar, swings completely over it like a circus performer, and dismounts with a backflip. Viktor stares in awe.
"Who are you?!" Viktor is still stunned.
"No one of consequence."
"I must know."
"Get used to disappointment." she shrugs.
"Okay." Viktor moves like lightning, he thrusts forward, slashes, darts back, all in almost a single movement and the Woman in Black is dodging, blocking, and again she thrusts forward, faster than before, and again she slashes but there is never a move anyone made that Viktor doesn't remember. And this time Viktor blocks the slash, and slashes out himself with the six fingered sword.
On it goes, back and forth across the rocky terrain, Viktor's feet moving with the grace and speed of a great improvisational dancer.
The six fingered sword is knocked free, arching up into the air and catching it again. And something terrible is written behind
his eyes: he has given his all, done everything a man can do, tried every style, made every maneuver, but it wasn't enough, and on his face for all to see is the realization that he, Viktor Tendersrisp of East Zaun, is going to lose.
The Woman in Black is moving in for the end now, blocking everything, muzzling everything, and the six fingered sword is cut from Viktor's grasp, he stands helplessly only for a moment. He drops to his knees, bows his head, and shuts his eyes.
"Kill me quickly." he pleads.
"I would as soon destroy a stained glass window as an artist like yourself. However, since I can't have you following me either-" she dunks Viktor's head with her heavy sword handle, pitching Viktor unconscious. "-please understand, I hold you in the highest respect." She grabs the scabbard sword, and heads off after the princess.