Finally, Branco was forced by sheer exhaustion to cease his attack. Backing off as he sought to rest his aching sword arm. Instantly, Vulkan leapt forward, his own sword whirling above his head to build momentum as he rained down blow after blow upon his opponent's shield arm, crushing and splitting the battered iron as if it were mere vellum.

Inside his helm, Branco screamed as the remains of the shield were ripped away. The knight twisted sideways so as to present his sword arm to Vulkan who continued to press home his attack. The satyr prince raining down blow after blow on to Branco's upraised blade until the sheer weight of descending metal beat the critically weakened knight down on to his knees.

With a final crushing stroke, Vulkan shattered Branco's blade, sending the glittering shards of steel spinning away into the dirt, leaving the decimated knight defenceless.

Vulkan looked toward the royal grand stand, where all of the assembled nobility of Dashane had risen to stand as one. The onlookers silent and overawed at the devastating show of sword-craft given by the erstwhile-unknown prince. Through the narrow slit of his helm, Vulkan's hungry eyes zeroed in on the three fabulous creatures gathered around the king, Queen Amariza, Princess Flamia and Leopold's sister, Princess Lilliphane.

The prince closed his eyes against the red mist suffusing his vision. The incredible violence of the combat, coupled with the imminent propinquity of Leopold's royal bitches was threatening to overwhelm him. Vulkan had been unable to get to the ever-willing countess or any other female for that matter for several days. The urge to fuck something was beginning to gnaw away at the powerful hypnotic barriers the wizard had placed deep within his psyche.

Remembering Branco at last, Vulkan glared down at the kneeling knight, the urge to vent his frustration by killing the defenceless man was also great, but Vulkan knew that his mission would go easier if he showed the king's champion mercy.