All was silent in the eerie, moss covered forest. Vines hung limply from trees, and snakes slithered soundlessly through the brush. The predators of the night were sleeping soundly while the prey skittishly slunk around, eyes wary as they nibbled the various plants. A lone figure slunk unnoticed through the woods.
In a small clearing a fire was crackling, arguably the only sound in the jungle. The silence penetrated the air, warning of a danger soon to come. Oblivious, Ryle inhaled the steam rising from his cup of tea and sidled closer to the fire, enjoying the feeling of being warm and happy.
A branch creaked sinisterly overhead. Two amber eyes surveyed the small camp below as the creature inched forward, the branch groaning under its weight. The predator stilled, its gaze locked on its prey. With an inhuman cry it leapt from the tree onto the ignorant, blond boy.
Ryle was hit with such force that he spewed all his tea, which was quite an achievement, as he had not taken so much as a sip yet. The force from the blow forced him forward, into the fire, but he quickly rolled away and slapped the fire from his clothes. He turned around to face his opponent, automatically dropping into the defensive stance.
Staring back at him were the menacing eyes of Avarice. Ryle barely had time to register the face before the ninja’s fist made contact with his face. Ryle winced and raised his arm to thwart another blow, but was too slow. Desperate, he thrashed out wildly as Avarice nimbly dodged his blows. Avarice swiped Ryle’s feet out from under him. The air whooshed out of the farm boy’s lungs as he landed heavily on the dirt. Avarice loomed over him, numerous torture devices glinting dangerously in his hands. Ryle kicked up with both feet. He was more surprised than anyone when his kick made solid contact with Avarice’s stomach.
Avarice leaned into the force and flipped mid-air, landing with cat-like agility and immediately broke into an all-out sprint towards Ryle. The poor boy widened his stance and readied himself for the onslaught. He nimbly ducked beneath the fist zooming towards his head, but forgot that Avarice had two hands until its imminent arrival upon his face. Ryle flinched away, but Avarice’s knuckle still grazed his cheekbone. Ryle hooked a fist up into Avarice’s chin as the ninja kicked his shin. Frantic, Ryle lashed out with his fist. A sickening crunching noise made him cringe. Avarice used this opening (not that he needed an opening to kick Ryle’s butt) to kick him in the balls.
Ryle’s mouth opened into a perfect ‘O’ as he fell to the ground, curled in the fetal position. He looked up, his vision blurring, to see Avarice wiping the blood from his nose as he walked away.
“You’re still weak,” Avarice stated. Never mind that Ryle had actually managed to make contact, even inflict pain upon the ninja, for the first time ever. The useless farm boy had still been defeated in under a minute and a half.
Ryle nodded agreeably before vomiting and passing out.
