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Several strained seconds passed Then Steve lashed out at Mr Crepsley with his chain I saw spikes glitter as it snaked towards Mr Crepsley’s head - they’d cause serious dae if they connected But the va his head ever so slightly to the left, he avoided the chain and spikes by a centimetre, then stabbed sharply at Steve’s stomach with the knife in his left hand

As Mr Crepsley attacked Steve, Gannen Harst swung at the va, but then I saw I needn’t bother - the va the counter- inside the range of its sweep, co distance of the Vaht hand to slash forward, seeking to open the Vampaneze Lord’s stomach But the leader of the vampaneze ift and blocked the bloith his barbed sword The tip of Mr Crepsley’s knife bit into the Lord’s waist but only drew a thin trickle of blood

Before the vaer He chopped wildly at Mr Crepsley - too wild for accuracy - and forced him back Then Gannen Harst stepped in and let fly with his sword, and Mr Crepsley had to drop to the floor and roll backwards to escape

They were on hi, Steve’s chain whipping It took all Mr Crepsley’s speed, strength and skill to turn the swords aside, duck out of the way of the chain, and retreat on his knees before they overwhelmed him

As the vampaneze hastened after the va of hih Mr Crepsley’s desperate defences; nicking hi hi, but it was only a matter of time before a blade cut deeply into his stoed on his nose or eyes

Mr Crepsley ht a rearguard action, no longer taking the battle to the ene hi them push him towards the rail at the end of the platform, where he’d be cornered

"He can’t keep this up," I lued to the platforot to take a risk, and soon, before they trap him"

"You think he’s unaware of that?" Vancha replied tersely

"Then why doesn’t he?"

"Hush, boy," the scruffy Prince said softly "Larten knohat he’s doing"

I wasn’t so sure Mr Crepsley was an expert fighter, but I felt he was in over his head this time One to one, he could handle any vampaneze Even in a two to one situation, I’d fancy him to walk away victorious But three to one ?

I looked for soht be able to turn the tide of battle But just then, the fight took a terainst the rail, no more than half a metre away from a dead end The vampaneze knew the difficult position he was in, and pushed forith renewed eagerness, sensing the end Steve sent his chain flicking at Mr Crepsley’s face again, for the umpteenth tie the deadly spikes or duck out of their way Instead, dropping the knife in his left hand, he reached up and grabbed the chain htened with pain, but he didn’t let go Yanking sharply on the chain, he brought Steve crashing towards him At the last possible instant he lowered his chin, so that Steve’s face connected bone-crunchingly with the vaushed blood He shrieked loudly, falling to the floor As he fell, Mr Crepsley sent the knife in his right hand flying at Gannen Harst, leaving himself weaponless As Harst instinctively pulled out of the path of the knife, the Vampaneze Lord drove at Mr Crepsley with his sword

Mr Crepsley threw hi into the railing, he spun around so he was facing away fro his legs and body up with ferocious speed, and ended up doing a handstand on the rail

While those of us on the ground gawped, stunned by the unexpected manoeuvre, Mr Crepsley lowered himself to chin level with the rail, then thrust away froth The va over the Vampaneze Lord and Gannen Harst - who’d stepped in front of his Lord to protect hiht - and Steve Leopard, as still lying on the platform

Mr Crepsley landed on his feet like a cat, behind the unprotected back of the Vampaneze Lord Before the half-vampaneze or Gannen Harst could react, Mr Crepsley seized the Lord by the scruff of his shirt with his left hand, grabbed the waist of his trousers with his right, lifted hie of the platform - and tossed him head-first over the side, into the pit of stakes below!

There wastime for the Lord of the Vampaneze to scream - once - then he hit the stakes with a thud which made me wince The stakes ih the heart and head His body twitched a couple of tiht in his hair and clothes

It happened so fast, at first I couldn’t take it all in But as the seconds passed, and the vaht, into the pit at the fla corpse of their leader, the full truth struck home Mr Crepsley had killed the Lord of the Vampaneze - without their leader, they faced destined defeat - the War of the Scars was over - the future was ours - we’dWON !