Dusts of Avalon - Beastwithin.org

velocity.It was a sho, nevertheless, but Arthur could do lile but to wat. He couldfeel nothing physical. He was no man.He was shaken, but could only wat as he shook. ere were vibrations. Wasthis even a fight?Lancelot was no man either. Surely he felt the same way.e two crashed Steeds fell, almost at the same rate as before. Engines turnedoff. ey were enveloped in flames as they fell toward the sands of Africa.is is foolishness, Arthur thought. He knew he had been taken in by emotionalimpulse, the desperate need to do something honourable to show his valourto Guineviere, who was long dead. And now that he thought of the maer, asthey hurtled toward the ground, he knew that the whole thing was pathetic. iswas no tournament. is was grown men toying with things in an epic scale. Andhe was sure Lancelot felt the same way.His mind went blank and dark. ere was still a long way to Earth. Maybehe had died and he would not need to explain himself…“Dr. Grovepath calling Arthur and Lancelot”, came the voice from command network.“Are you there?”Arthur wasn't sure how to respond.He could see again. e Steeds had landed maybe a hundred meters apart,apparently upside down, and Merlin had opened them remotely. Lancelot wastrying to get upright, but in his present state, this probably looked fairly impssible.Dry desolation of the Saharan sand dunes opened all around them.“I am here, doctor. Our fight was quite inconclusive, I'm afraid. Do you agree,Sir Lancelot?”“Sire, I apologise for geing overcome with emotion. is was a good fight,but our score remains unseled — and I do not think it is even necessary to sele.”“Very well”, Arthur said. “Apology accepted, as long as you accept my apologiesfor the same blunder. I'll call it a draw. Where are your legs, Lancelot?”“Drawn asunder in the collision, sire”, Lancelot said as he tried to repair hissevered legs with the instruments found in the cocoon. “Merlin's dark magicallows me to see detailed instructions on how to refit them. I shall be ready tocontinue in no time.”“Very well. Let us let this awful maer behind us for a while, Lancelot.”“Well spoken, sire.”Arthur sighed. “It was a strange and foolish fight. And here we lie, in theendless sands of the Saracen lands”, Lancelot said.“Did you have anything in particular to report, doctor?”“Oh yes. Uh… I'm sorry that I got you so worked up before, but we may have