You have until 12:01 March 10th. Good luck!
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You have until 12:01 March 10th. Good luck!
Nothing quite stood out from a crowd like the uniformed sod walking through the door. Tobias blinked as every eye in the bar turned to face him, and briefly considered turning about. "Back to your drinks," he called out, a hand moving to the hilt of his blade to compound his words with the promise of force, "Alerian business."
The silence burst into a riot of whispers, the occasional belch breaking the monotony. "Have you seen this man?" Tobias slid a folded piece of parchment across the bar to its keeper, smiling as he did so. Taking a seat in the unoccupied space he had wandered up to, Tobias turned about and swept his eyes across the crowd.
"Seen him? He practically lives here," the bartender said loudly enough that it would carry over the now recovered crowd. "Down there, end of the bar. Tell me you're going to take him- hasn't paid his tab in days!"
Raising a brow, Tobias glanced back over his shoulder. He had lost interest in the reasons that his superior officers deigned to send him after anyone, preferring to just finish the job quickly. The idea of sending him after a drunk, though? There had to be more to this story than he was hearing.
"You're saying he's a transient bum?" Tobias asked, disbelieving.
"I'm not saying anything," the man replied, "go see for yourself." Gesturing in the direction he intended Tobias to go in, he pointed out the man in question, and the Soldier crossed his arms skeptically.
"Leoric? Leoric Bagua?" He waited for a response, more hopeful that the drunkard would be responsive than that he would be compliant.
Leoric had sighed as the man spoke, there was no worthy opponents in the bar.
"Most call me Leoric Rockfist. What do you want?" Leoric raised his head slowly from its resting position. most of the patrons in the bar thought he was drunk, or passed out. the Brawler was just bored beyond belief. "I heard you had some business, is it by chance with me?" The Boredom was starting to lift as he saw the man sitting next to him. Full uniform, hand on the hilt of his sword and a piece of parchment rolled up on his belt.
"I am from the Alerian Government, they sent me to take you in. i don't know exactly what the charges are, But i would appreciate co-operation in this matter" He replied as professionally as he could. Leoric smirked as he swished the booze around in his cup. The patrons of the bar had all stopped and were watching the commotion. The brawler took a sip and gently put down his cup.
"Co-operation? Alerian Government?" Leoric sighed as he looked up at the man again. "Sorry no can do!" He grunted as he threw the remaining liquid in his mug directly in his opponents eyes. he quickly kicked the man as hard as he could, sending him outside the Tavern. Leoric quickly stood up and dropped a few gold coins on the bar as he unsheathed his sword and sauntered out through the swinging doors.
"Rockfist...?" Tobias mouthed the nickname as soon as it came from the man's mouth. "Right then," he muttered, continuing on to read the man the riot act when asked his business. Unsurprisingly, Leoric Rockfish- Tobias decided that was a much better nickname for him- decided not to be cooperative.
When the man's hand flew to his drink, Tobias threw up his hand to shield his eyes. Liquid splattered against his upraised arm, causing the soldier to snort his disdain. The impact against his gut forced a loud 'oof' from his mouth involuntarily, and he rolled heels over head backward through the door. "Fucking drunk," Tobias growled, slowly regaining his feet.
The doors swung a second time, then a third and Tobias grimaced up as the man appeared outside the bar. People were looking over and under the swinging saloon doors to watch the fight, but Tobias remained focused on this Leoric. Releasing his blade from its resting place, Tobias held the blade in his left hand as he still clutched his dull aching stomach. "You have obviously waved your right to nonviolence," the soldier said in as clear a voice as he could manage, controlling his initial response to seethe, "and your right to make good decisions. In fact, bugger your rights. Come fight like a man, ya damn peter puffer. Wasting good swill..."
Tobias threw out the idea of reasoning with this man immediately. It was time to make him bleed. "You won't touch me again, big man." Winking, the Knight of Tears wiggled his blade playfully. "I dare you to try."
As his hand dropped from his stomach, Tobias stood upright and let the appendage hang at his side. The stance he adopted optimized his quickness and balance, even as his mind raced over how to best apprehend this belligerent buffoon. "Is that all you've got? A cheap shot?"
Peter puffer? Good swill? this man must of been out of his mind if he thought any of the watered down moose piss in that tavern was any good. As the sun blinded the Brawler, and he had a rather funny sensation of sneezing he looked around and noticed the murmuring voice of a crowd forming around the scene in the dusty streets. Leoric casually walked down the steps, he waved off the crowd as the concerned locals watched the scene continue in front of them. This had been a daily thing since Leoric had arrived, The guardsmen even started taking bets on who won. The loser would be taken into custody while the winner got a free round in the tavern.
"You know you look much better when you are on your knees" Leoric commented with a sly grin as his sword gently tapped his leg, as if Leoric was thinking of something. "I don't need this" Leoric slammed his sword into the ground causing it to stand upright, he then immediately widened his stance and lowered himself to the ground as a quick breeze washed over his opponent, emanating from Leoric.
"I don't care what the price is on my head, i am not going back to that hell hole over there. This is your last warning beat it before i beat you" Leoric was ready to throw a quaking palm strike into the man's gut if he tried to charge.
"Of course you would think so," Tobias smirked. The Soldier offered a sly wink to the man, and he reached up to comb his fingers through his hair. "I'll bet you're a huge hit with the boys in prison."
As the larger man oafishly mumbled the retort that Tobias guessed made the fugitive extremely proud, Tobi became mindful of the distinct, unnatural wind that kicked up. 'Something supernatural is at work,' he thought, eyes narrowing on the brutish beast before him. This would not be easy.
When Leoric stated flatly that he "would not be going back," Tobias snorted. "I'm not giving you the option," he snapped sternly, "I've asked nicely. Now, if you continue to resist arrest, I won't be held responsible for your bloody fate." He took a breath, measuring the power in his words as he formed them. "Now, stop struggling."
The command rippled of his lips with a powerful presence about it, and several of the onlookers tore their gazes from their drinks to stare at Tobias. The banter had ceased. All eyes were on Tobias and Leoric, and they anticipated the brute's response to the impressive tone of Tobias' voice.
The Solider took a deep breath through his nostrils, composing himself. Not all power in battle came from swords. Sometimes a few well placed words shifted the entire course, and Tobias was living proof that the mind was better than a sharp blade. Tobi kept his blade readied, and he a few slow steps forward. This man had reach on Tobi, so he needed to have care when he approached. Getting jawed was hardly in his itinerary for the day.
Leoric's smirked vanished from his face as the command hit his ears. Not only did it shake his resolve ever so slightly, but it also made him want to test the man in front of him. The Brawler was a free man, no one could make him do anything he didn’t want to do. If he wanted to run out on his tab he will. If he wants to punch a drunk man's lights out he would do just that. This man was no different then the hundreds that have come up against him.
The Wanted man's smirk came back as he took off at a full sprint. Aiming a quaking palm strike square in the middle of his chest. If it connected he was hoping the man would drop his sword. Bringing the fight to his advantage, Hand to hand combat.
He watched intently as the man mostly brushed off his weighty words, and Tobias raised his blade with a frustrated snort. His opponent lashed out with a fist before he ever reached the point where impact would occur. Instinctively the blade rose to parry an oncoming strike, and Tobias blinked when he felt the blow against his steel. "Sorcery," Tobias spat indignantly, and he held his ground as the pressure pressed his blade back. Where the brawler belted forward, Tobias turned his body.
Leoric had a quickness Tobias knew no parallel for, but the soldier was not without tricks of his own. He had learned of Bagua's extended reach early on. The length of Tobi's sword was approximately equal to the distance Rockfish's magical punches, and that meant their reach was about even. Tobias was genuinely appreciative that Leoric had tipped his hand so early.
His feet slid as he braced against the heavier man's strike, then Tobias struck out with his sword. Dancing to the outside of the outstretched arm, the Alerian aimed his blow toward the meat of Leoric's bicep with a quick chop from above. Hasty sprinting submitted one to their own momentum, which made abrupt halting difficult. Tobias knew this from his brief soirée into physics, but the application before him was far easier to digest.
The tavern had grown boisterous and loud, catcalls and cheering breaking out as the two men joined heated battle. A whistle pierced above the crowd, and Tobias half allowed himself to wonder if Camille were watching. The thought caused his lips to play at a smirk.
Bagua was a dangerous adversary, that was for certain. Reflex alone had interrupted the first, unexpected blow, but Tobias had recovered quickly enough to begin formulating his strategy. Like pawns in chess, they moved across the dusty playing field. The exception was that Tobias was the King, and Leoric had overextended into enemy territory.
As the sword fell like the headsmans' axe, a gasp rocked the crowd as one.