timestopper. I tried very hard to stand motionless. But I was sure my shaking was quite noticeable.
"Caines. I can't say I'm glad to see you," my uncle said casually.
"It has taken me years to catch up to you. But here I am. I told you I would find you again. You couldn't remain hidden forever."
The stranger spat then said, "Where's your weapon?"
"I have no desire to fight you Caines."
"Well, that's just too bad. I'm going to fight you whether you like it or not. Now get your weapon. No one humiliates me and gets away with it."
"I didn't humiliate you. I just defeated you in combat," my uncle said calmly.
This enraged the stranger and he started shouting, "You get your weapon now or I'll start killing people."
He started to walk in my direction.
"All right, do not be hasty," my uncle said quickly.
My uncle walked casually by Caines and entered the house.
I kept my eyes unfocused. It was easier not to blink and it was also easier to watch the entire scene around me.
This is why I noticed Caines twitch as my uncle passed him. He watched him go into the house and he then pulled out his sword. It was a long slender single edged blade. If we were in normal time, I'm sure it would gleam in the sun, because it was well oiled. But we were in stopped time. The sun gave no new light. I saw him and his sword using the lessons my uncle had taught me.
It's hard to explain, but in stopped time light does not shine on timestoppers. It takes will to see another timestopper. I remember how when I was young, I could not see my uncle when he moved from his original time-stopped position. He taught me to use my will to see him as he moved.
But now I could see Caines rubbing his sword, and turning to look at me. Like he was looking for something to try his sword on.
I broke out in a sweat as Caines approached me.
My uncle reappeared from the house before Caines could reach me.
"We don't have to do this," my uncle said.
"Oh, yes we do, old man," Caines replied.
My uncle was my father's older brother. My father had married late in life. This explains why my uncle was so old. He was in his fifties. He was even older than Father Mahar.
Caines looked like he was in his early thirties.
My uncle pulled out his two edged sword. His sword was slender as well. It was extremely sharp. I knew this because my uncle polished it at least once a week. He constantly said to me 'never fight unless you absolutely must, but always be prepared.'
Caines laughed then closed the distance between my uncle and him.