the mere mention of the fire swamp makes him pale.
fiddling with his machine a moment more. and then he opens the flood gate, water pours down the chute, turning the wheel, which in turn really gets the machine going.
he switches off the machine, picks up a large notebook and pen, sits in a chair. the noise of the machine subsides. rugen opens the book to a blank page.
calling out --
as the confrontation is about to start.
for a moment he just stands there, sword in hand. then he does a most unexpected thing. he turns and runs the hell away.
and he's running, dashing through corridors and as he glances back --
flashing out of one room, down a staircase, picking up his pace. he pulls out a deadly looking dagger, with a sharp point and a triangular shaped blade, and sprints on and --
throwing the dagger --
looking across the room at inigo. he stares at inigo's face, and then touches his own cheeks, as memory comes.
looking very much surprised.
stepping back forj ust a moment, watching as inigo continues to inch his way to his feet and then, just before the count is about to strike again, inigo manages a little flick of his own and rugen hadn't expected it, and he jumps back, makes a little involuntary cry of surprise and
suddenly going into a fierce attack, striking with great power and precision for he is a master swordsman, and he forces inigo easily back, drives him easily into the wall. but he does not penetrate inigo's defense. none of the count's blows get home. as the count steps back a moment --
retreating more quickly around the table.
crying out in fear and panic as the sword hits home dead center and --