Round One, Bracket B: Matheson Twins vs. Tvier Valka Seula [Archive]

TwinDeath

01-14-09, 03:32 PM

All bunnying between the Tvier Valka Seula has been approved by both parties.
Xaul padded quietly into the market, his senses on high alert. All around him were rough, faded buildings, with a jungle of clotheslines strung between them. The bright colored clothes were in stark contrast with the faded stones of the houses. All around him Xaul could hear the voices of various sellers and buyers, all of them vying for the possession of some new item or sale of said item.

“Coming from the far corners of the globe, sir, these are the finest examples of craftsmanship you will ever see!” Xaul paused for a moment, enjoying the patter of a master salesman who was dressed in the height of fashion for a merchant. “Why, I myself own three, and I’ve yet to be dissatisfied. For you sir,” proclaimed the fat man, clasping the shoulder of an interested onlooker, “twenty gold, and that is the rock-bottom, lowest of the low, cutting my own throat price, and that’s a fact.” The potential buyer looked hesitant, stepping back slightly only to be halted by the merchant’s hand. “Too generous, y’say? Well, my dear fellow, I beg to differ! I say that it’s not generous enough! Yessir, seeing as how you drive such a hard bargain, I’ll drop the price down to fifteen gold!”

Xaul smiled at the protests of the buyer, and wandered off. Eventually, the merchant would drop his price to only moderately exorbitant, and the man would dutifully hand over his hard-earned money for some useless, but fancy, foreign knick knack. Xaul allowed the ebb and flow of the crowd to carry him along, watching the stalls carefully for the items he needed. There. And there. Purchasing a cloak and a jar of makeup, he pushed through the crowds, making his way back to Epsilon.

“Put this on, Esper. You and I stand out too much,” murmured Xaul as he handed Epsilon the plain brown cloak. He slipped into an alley and produced the jar of makeup, which he began liberally applying to his face and hands. As he slapped the fleshy goop on, Xaul heard a slight grumble.

What are we doing here, Xaul? You should be killing half of these sheep, and yet you let them live. You even disguise yourself, hiding your true nature! Are you ashamed of me?

Xaul grimaced as he continued to apply the makeup, checking his reflection in a tiny window. The paste was easily covering his gray-black skin, making him look somewhat normal. Of course, there still was the scars and the tattered coat, but those couldn't be helped. Resheph. We are here for the first round. You’ll get your blood soon. These people, these ‘sheep’ as you call them are innocent bystanders. Wait. Our opponents will satisfy your hunger. They’re twins, and you yourself explained to me the benefits of sacrificing both twins.

Innocent? Heh. Xaul, you are still so naïve… The shopkeeper there, sweeping his doorstep? He beats his wife every night, and has not stopped even though she is with child. The barmaid, there, buying the dress? She has saved every night to buy that, and she plans to kill her lover tonight while she wears it. The noble who has deigned to grace the streets with his presence? When he was a child, he found a litter of kittens, and discovered that he could hug them to his chest, one by one, and squeeze and squeeze and squeeze until each tiny life simply burst! These sheep are so simple, their minds and pasts are open books. Are they the innocent ones, Xaul? Are they the ones you want so desperately to spare? Or shall I read further, to convince you?

Xaul paused, staring at each of the mentioned people. Eventually, he shook his head and finished with his disguise. They are not my problem right now, Resheph. The twins are. We weren’t given a good description of them, only general information. Can you scan for them? Read their books?

Resheph sighed as Xaul capped the makeup and slipped it into a pocket. Alas, no. They are more than these weaklings around you. They will not register to me, so you must find them on your own. Hunt well, my only priest. Hunt well, my avatar.

Xaul nodded, looking to Epsilon. “Keep that mask of yours inside that cloak, shiny. Can’t put makeup on that thing. We need to stay close to each other, mingle with the crowds, and find the twins. I want to talk with them before the fight. Don’t reveal yourself, though. No telling what they’ll do if they spot us first.” Xaul was about to swing out of the alley when he paused and grinned.

“Tell you what, spaceman. Pull the hood a little further forward and keep your arms crossed. You are now a monk of some such god or another. If anyone sees the mask, your order demands that you wear it to cleanse yourself. Don’t watch for me. I’m now a beggar.” As Xaul stepped back into the bazaar, his entire posture changed to fit his new role. His back bent and his arms pulled tight to his sides, Xaul limped through the crowds unnoticed, dismissed as just another one of society’s castaways.

Exspherius

01-14-09, 09:06 PM

Epsilon stood, arms crossed over his chest, in the shadows of a doorway as he looked out across the marketplace. Thankfully, the portal that had brought them here had not deposited them in plain view. Instead, they had emerged in the warehouse-type building whose doorway the Esper now occupied. He kept himself as unobtrusive as possible while Xaul made his quiet way into the throng. Instead of following after his ally, Epsilon made a thorough survey of what was to be the field of battle.

The tents and booths of the merchants flooded the square with a blaze of color and the dusty grey flagstones were barely visible through the crush of peasants crowding into the market. Shouts from the vendors grew ever-louder as they each attempted to be heard over each other. Aromas of baking food and not-quite-clean people washed over the area, though they were mostly muted by the Epser's metallic mask.

He stretched out his mind, and the thoughts of the market-goers washed over him. Most of the peasants were focused on their errands, planning their purchases and haggling strategies while the grinning merchants kept up running tallies of profits while gleefully ripping off every customer.

The Esper caught a glimmer of malice, and turned his head toward the source. A youth dressed in shabby rags wove deftly through the crowd, subtly bumping against the occasional passerby. The motion was trademark for a thief, and Epsilon focused a bit more into the boy's mind. I love market day, these saps are so easy! I've gotta have a hunnerd gold already! Sure enough, the little scamp was pickpocketing everyone he passed and now had a small fortune tucked away in the depths of his rags. Epsilon smiled to himself, and made just the tiniest exertion of will as the urchin's hand reached into the purse of a passing nobleman. The nobleman whipped around as he felt a soft tug at his waist, and there was the urchin, his hand held stuck in the nobleman's pouch by Epsilon's mind. As the noble called the guards, Epsilon turned back to the main market just in time to see Xaul emerge carrying a cloak and a small jar.

"Put this on, Esper," said Xaul, tossing him the cloak. Epsilon fastened it about his neck, drawing it over his fatigues. He drew the hood over his head, pulling it low to obscure his facelessness. Xaul passed him, heading back into the neighboring alley to complete his own disguise. Epsilon continued to watch the crowd for any sign of their opponents as Xaul spoke with Resheph, the god's words a low growl over Epsilon's connection to his partner. They knew the dangers of this connection should Resheph go berserk, but the Esper had deemed it worth the risk to maintain a link to his ally. It was the only way their plan would work, anyways. So, when Resheph declared that he was unable to locate either of the Matheson Twins, Epsilon was not overtly concerned.

Xaul restated their plan, made the previous evening before stepping through the portal. Simple, really. It relied on Xaul's ability to blend completely into a crowd and his own psionics. Hopefully, it would also give them a few moments to study their opponents before engaging: the information they had been given was extremely general, only names and a location. Thus, the disguises.

"I know, Xaul." he said, "Don't worry, they cannot hide from my eyes." Xaul grinned at him from the alley's shadows and made one final suggestion for the Esper's role. Smiling at the idea, Epsilon laced his fingers together and inclined his head. Not only did it add to his monkish appearance, it also served to further cast his mask into shadow. "May the blessings of the Goddess Martel be upon you, unfortunate one." He made a vaguely religious-looking gesture to his friend, completing the 'blessing' before striding out from the shadows. Epsilon softened his regimented stride to befit a man of the clergy, purposeful but not forceful. He made his quiet way through the crowd, keeping Xaul's position in his mind as he spread out his consciousness in search of these new enemies.

Lord Saladin

01-15-09, 04:45 PM

Stepping through the barrier was the last thing Svannah remembered before reality shifted into what felt like non-existence. This whole situation was lacking any logic she could decipher; one minute she was at her home, fighting her brother, the next, she was in this 'Garden of Secrets' to fight in some ultimate championship of warriors. It was a strange situation in the least, and one she was certainly not content with; though the end prize of a wish could well rid her of the imbecile.

The portal, it seemed, had sent her into yet another world, though she could not be sure this was actually the case. These events were far beyond her own knowledge and understanding, which troubled her greatly. It could easily be that this new place was simply another location within the Garden of Secrets, one she had not seen during the preparative period before the tournament began.

Fading into existence, it seemed, as she frowned with consternation at the events unfolding before her, a large, busy market unveiled itself. The shouts of hawkers and street vendors was barely distinguishable above the amalgamated chatter of perhaps two hundred or more peasants going about their shopping. The myriad conversations flooded the mind of Savannah, the masses of people brushing past her an invasion of her thoughts, the hectic manner of interaction distracting from thoughts. The mixing of scents from various food stalls made her nose itch, and the warmth of the sun rotting meat made her feel slightly queasy, not a pleasant place, that was for sure.

Down to business, then, I guess.

Looking around, Savannah had expected Sebastian, the bane of her life, to be somewhere nearby, somewhere visible. However, no such misfortune. The one time she actually wanted him around, and he was nowhere to be seen - so very typical of the little whelp. That she had been stuck in this predicament with the person she hated the most was beyond fairness - the boy was an insufficient fighter in her eyes, and his entire being was a downfall of the human race. "That impudent little worm, he had better be here somewhere, or I am going to hurt him severely." Her voiced internal thoughts caused the people directly next to her to glance uneasily at a person making threats to apparently no-one in particular, seemingly talking to herself. Those with dementia were always a source of apprehension, especially to those who were lacking in more advanced knowledge - like peasants, for example.

With a loud, irritated, huff, she walked off through the crowd, sliding between people, occasionally barging them out of the way, much to their chagrin. Right now, however, she didn't care, she was full of rage at her brother's incompetence. One salesman, holding a tray of buttons, tried to speak to her, his words smooth and carrying less honesty that she would have wanted, obviously of the mindset that sweet talking a woman would land him with profit. He was met with a vicious, two-handed shove that knocked him to his silk-trousered backside, the tray and its contents spilling onto the cobbled floor of the bazaar. She paid him no mind as she continued on, scanning the area for her brother, though the other peasants took this great opportunity to gain possession of a few buttons for free.

Apart from the disdain of the many market-goers that followed her, Savannah melted into the crowd pretty well, dressed in her serf's attire. Of course, though, her scabbarded broadsword and scant armour did add another conspicuous element to her presence.

I'd better keep an eye out for anyone wanting to kill me. Our opponents should be here as well.

Miehm

01-16-09, 12:14 PM

"Shit." I assessed the surroundings. I had stepped through the doorway provided, and emerged into a crowded marketplace. I paused on exit to check my equipment, knives on my arm, three at my belt, rifle, scope intact, loaded, empty chamber, safety on, spare mags, one surprise... Solid. "My partner is here somewhere, but where would I find him..." I stand out like a sore thumb against all these damn faire wannabes. Black leather biker jackets and blue jeans are obviously not standard attire, the knives and the rifle don't help either. Hell with it. I need to get moving. One thing I learned in New York, if you stand still long enough, the Bloods are gonna find you.

I started walking down one of the streets, looking for anything that didn't belong, or blended just a little too well. Killing any or all of these "shoppers" wouldn't bother me a bit. I don't know how they do it, but these people are either immortal(miracles of modern science?), or not people, and either way it doesn't matter to me.

I reach behind myself, and chamber a round as I walk, letting the bolt slam shut and strip a bullet out of the clip. "Can never be too careful." I mutter quietly to myself as I continue to walk, thinking aloud as I scan the thickening crowd. Finally I'm stopped by the press of bodies.

"Dammit. Ok... Time to clear some space." I reach into my pocket, and pull out an odd contraption the trekkie assured me would run my Zune as loud and as long as I wanted it to. "Music to clear a primitive medieval crowd... Sabbath? Metallica? No, still not quite there... Nightmare Before Christmas soundtrack what the hell? Definitely not." Perfect. Guitar grinds at 90 decibels are enough to scare small children and the elderly back home. Lets see how this freak show likes Megadeth.

People slowly edge away from me, a few even running away in abject fear, and I start walking forward again, singing along to the lyrics in a language they can understand, if I'm horrendously off key that's just a bonus. "If I wing again I'm still the champion, and if you win hah, that's just impossible! I don't play for keeps, I don't play for your soul, I don't play to win, I don't play for it all... I PLAY FOR BLOOD!"

The empty space, other than a few of the braver shoppers ignoring my antics, will be perfect. A broad avenue, with stalls lining the buildings, lots of cover and concealment. Now all that remains is to wait. I pull the rifle off of my shoulder, click the safety, and the volume on my music drops to the level of ambient noise, rather than overpowering thunder. Time to wait.

TwinDeath

01-17-09, 07:42 PM

As the music thundered through the air, Xaul stayed in character as the beggar and dashed away with the rest of the screaming mob. His mind was whirling as he considered the strange newcomer. Epsilon, we have a problem. You can hear this noise, I’m sure. The source doesn’t match either of our opponents. Blue pants, leather coat with silver trim-

They’re called zippers.

Xaul snatched up a bottle of wine that a fleeing shopper had dropped, never stopping as he continued speaking to Epsilon. He did not question Resheph’s knowledge; after all, the being was a god. Resheph often had information that no one else could possibly discover, and Xaul had leaned to trust these tidbits. Alright, zippers then. He’s got some sort of ‘gun’ like that one you showed me, but it’s longer, a two handed version by the looks of it. Not as much tech on it as yours, either. This noise… I think it’s supposed to be music, but I can’t be sure. Who in their right mind would like this garbage?

I’ll have you know that that ‘garbage’ is Megadeth, Xaul, and I’ll thank you to leave the insults alone. Sure, the singing’s not much even without Mr. ‘I’m a dying chicken with a head cold’ over there, but it’s not bad. It does, however, show that this newcomer is from a reality much different frm yours, one where my time is long gone.

Xaul actually froze in shock for a second, blinking at Resheph’s comment as he stood in a side alley. “You-you listen to this waste of good hearing, Resheph?”

I told you, it’s not a waste. Though I would prefer something like “Life Burns”. Much better lyrics. Now, are you going to kill him or not?

Xaul shook himself as the music dropped to a more bearable level. Yeah, sure. He deserves it for making me hear that crap. Opening the bottle of wine, Xaul soaked his shirt with the drink, grinning as he smelled the fumes. Never hurts to have an enemy assume you’re drunk. He recorked the bottle and dropped it in a pocket of his coat as he moved to a particularly rough section of wall, one that had plenty of lovely handholds.

Try not to fall this time, Xaul. I want my sacrifices.

“Shut up, Resheph,” grunted Xaul. He was already halfway to the roof of the building when the god spoke, and another few seconds brought him to the top. “If you remember me falling, you might also remember me practicing for a month after I healed.” Xaul scrambled over the rooftop to another one, identical to the first. Peering over the edge, he swore and ducked down. Epsilon, I’m behind him, high. This joker’s got a clear line of sight to most of the square. You feel like playing the innocent and peaceful monk?

Yeah, or, you could go kill him.

Not yet, Resheph. Wait.

Kill him.

No, we wait.

Killhimkillhimkillhim.

Resheph, when this is over, and I’ve received that wish, you are going to be taken out of my head. I would recommend that you not aggravate me any further, lest I decide to not allow you your freedom.

Xaul, when this is over, you’ll owe me for giving you the power to win. That wish will be partially mine. Now, kill him.

Not yet. Patience. Outwardly, Xaul was still as he watched Miehm. Inwardly, he was in utter despair as he considered the truth of Resheph's words.

Exspherius

01-18-09, 10:49 PM

Epsilon wandered through the marketplace, keeping his eye on Xaul and his mind open and observing. He stopped every so often to offer a pseudo-blessing to a passing marketgoer, and was having a good time making up a different one each time while he scanned their minds. Everyone here is fairly mundane. No one is powerful enough to be a challenger... Abruptly, he caught a hint of another presence, one far stronger than the others around him. He could tell little other than the being was female, and bowed away from a merchant to move closer. Xaul! he sent, I think I might have found-

And then the music started.

Epsilon's message cut off abruptly as the sudden noise took him by surprise. He wasn't the only one surprised, and as the peasants began to scatter among the stalls the Esper lost contact with his potential opponent. Xaul's mental warning was rather unnecessary, Epsilon thought ruefully. There was only one person who was not reacting (or in his partner's case, pretending to react) to the sudden explosion of screaming guitar and growling vocals. Even without Xaul's information, the rifle-toting man in the center of the square was making himself extremely conspicuous. That was likely by design, but the Esper certainly was not going to make it that easy. Epsilon retreated back a few steps, following the flow of the crowd. Just as the Esper ducked behind a suit of plate mail on display at a weapon stand, the music began to fade back down. Thankfully, the newcomer stopped singing along.

You're correct, Xaul, his weapon is a rifle. Superior in range and accuracy though not in penetration or damage to my own Sentinel. Ignoring for the moment the panicking merchant behind him, Epsilon peeked out from behind the suit's tower shield, feigning fear himself as he watched Xaul melt back into the crowd behind the man. And though he's not either of our slated opponents, he is certainly powerful enough to be a participant in the Tournament. Epsilon cursed his ill luck, that he had been unable to pin down their likely opponent before this strange man had thrown everything into chaos. The crowd's emotions were running far to high to make any accurate scanning possible. A known mind like Xaul's was easy, but to search for a stranger in this scenario would be nigh useless.

At that moment, Xaul relayed his position and suggestion. Thinking quickly, Epsilon responded. Hold your position. Considering your weakness to ranged weaponry, this man is extremely dangerous to you. Stay in cover, and I will try to find out what he intends. Perhaps this will even coax out Savannah and her brother. At this point the man was looking around him with his rifle ready, and Epsilon feared that he would begin shooting randomly if he did not find what he was searching for. So, he would do as Xaul suggested. Ignoring Resheph's 'killkillkill' litany that he was hearing by proxy, the Esper stood from behind the armor. He knelt beside the cowering sword-merchant and laid his hand gloved on the terrified man's shoulder.

"Calm thyself, my son. I do not believe this man intends to harm you." The merchant nodded quickly, and Epsilon rose before helping the man to his feet. He couldn't help but notice that the first thing the man did was grab a sword from the rack beside him. Epsilon stepped away, towards the rifle-toting man, and began to draw up his power as he walked. If the man was as unstable as he seemed to be, the Esper wanted to be prepared should the situation require it.

"May the blessings of the Goddess Martel be upon you, my son," Said Epsilon, as he stepped towards the man. He kept his distance, his trepidation not altogether feigned. Should the man open fire, he would be hard-pressed to react in time. "May this humble one ask why you have so disturbed the peace on this day?"

Lord Saladin

01-20-09, 07:00 PM

Savannah continued on through the crowds for only a few minutes longer, still rather angry that the useless little maggot was nowhere to be found - the likelihood was that, if he had not managed to fail getting here, he was in flirtation with some skinny little man-thing. He liked them skinny, apparently; much like himself.

Shoving another peasant of this 'Garden of Secrets' aside, cursing under her breath, everything changed in the space of about an instant. From somewhere behind her, without warning, the most awful sound erupted, filling the air with a deafening horror. The market-goers and merchants alike seemed to entirely forget their business of the day, reacting to so foreign a sound with pure, unadulterated panic. Wailing, covering ears, stumbling, all as they tried to run away from the monstrous thing filling the air. The mania that had gripped them resulted in a stampede of dirty peasants, stinking beggars, well dressed merchants, and Savannah even noticed a silk-garbed nobleman lost in the throng of chaos. The fat man, as all nobility, only conscious of his own welfare, she made a mental note that should the battle bring him near her, she would kill him - if only for the revenge her own 'owner' had deserved to be exacted upon him.

Savannah, however, although dragged by the crowd, reacted in a different manner altogether. Being a trained soldier, and knowing this was a battlefield, despite all the peasants, Savannah's instincts swiftly came into play as she drew her sword. Surely this demonic sound would be signification of an impending attack, or perhaps even part of an attack in itself. Not caring for those around her, the serf drew her sword as though in the training courtyard - with full intention of using the steel broadsword in the following instant. However, as she drew the blade, there was a tinge of regret as a woman screamed in complete agony as Savannah felt warm fluid upon her face. It was with her peripheral vision that Savannah caught a glimpse of what looked to be a slender arm. Turning her head, her concern was confirmed, as a woman was left armless - the crowd was too condensed, it seemed, to draw a sword safely - and in conclusion, the fluid on her face would be blood from the woman.

Now, as the crowd ran from what could be the deafening roars of some unknown beast, they also tried to avoid entering the range of Savannah's sword, giving her a little opening within the stampede. Having no desire to run from this battle, she turned, but was still masked by the crowd running past her at a wide berth - this would be annoying, certainly, but she now knew the enemy was afoot and taking action. Allowing herself a moment, Savannah regained her composure just as the horrendous sound stopped, leaving the near empty bazaar in a relative silence that seemed to weigh down the air.

A few moments passed, and the last remnants of the stampede passed Savannah, leaving her alone on the far side of market, sword held ready for combat, eyes scanning the area. So, no Sebastian, that was typical. He was most probably in the crowd of cowards running from the sound, it would be just like the effeminate runt. Noting only three people left in the bazaar; a priest of some sort, approaching a man who carried an overly confident manner, and upon the walls, unless she was hallucinating due to the damage caused to the brain by so loud a noise, the final opponent, sneaking around rather well hidden. It was only a glimpse Savannah had caught of a shadow, but she knew a hiding man when she saw one.

Three on one? Great. Damn that little bastard. The serf-girl stood where she was, perfectly still, in a basic combative stance, knowing that her best chance of survival was to allow the enemies to come to her. Luckily she had a knowledge of each of their locations. I'd better be careful, or I'll be out of this Tournament of Champions in so short a time I might as well have not been here.

And so it was, as she observed the others, trying to regain vision of the third man, she began to formulate strategies in her mind, looking for the best way to get out of yet another mess Sebastian had landed her in.

Miehm

01-21-09, 06:26 AM

"No. You can't. Get the hell out of my face, or I'll get you out of it." My rifle tracked up and around into the "priests" face, and the safety clicked off as my finger passed it, and rested lightly on the trigger. Whatever this "priest" was, I didn't like anyone who seemed so unmoved by something that had terrified everyone else. "If you take one step closer, I have a hundred and fifty grains of Corelokt lead just begging to split your head wide open. It won't hurt but a second."

My crosshairs were lined up right between this odd preacher's eyes, as much as a mask can be said to have eyes anyway. Something about this man was wrong, he was...slimy. He just plain looked wrong. My eyes darted back and forth, and I spotted a woman with a sword out at the other end of the square. Strange priest trying to get close to me, strange woman with a sword approaching from my side... Where the hell was my partner when I needed him?

"Shit..." My enemies were here and I was still flying solo. My finger tightened imperceptibly on the trigger, inching ever closer to a shot. The range was short, no more than twenty yards, and my bullet would punch through his head almost immediately unless he moved it in the next few seconds. I could feel the resistance on the trigger, and squeezed a tiny bit more. The thunder of a gunshot echoed off the walls of the square, and three more followed in rapid fire succession, tracking from his head to his torso, as I dove to the right, away from both the priest and the woman with the sword. My hand flashed, the bolt slammed shut again, and the magazine dropped free as I rolled away from where I had been standing. Another almost unseen move of my hand, and a magazine jumped from my belt and into the magazine well, as I slammed another round into the chamber, putting myself back at a full magazine.

I brought my head back up, scanning for the priest, looking to see if any of my bullets had struck home. He was more dangerous than the woman with the sword at the moment, and I refused to take my eyes off of him until I knew I was in danger from another angle.

TwinDeath

01-23-09, 11:57 PM

Xaul watched silently as a peasant drew a sword, the blade cleanly separating a woman in the crowd from her arm. The rest of the stampeding sheep only screamed all the louder at the sudden spurts of blood, and suddenly the armed woman was left standing alone as the terrified masses ran for their lives. This newcomer, from what little Xaul could make out, was one of the twins, one of his and Epsilon’s opponents. For now, it seemed, she was content to watch and wait, to allow Epsilon and the loud stranger to have their talk.

Indeed, Xaul could see Epsilon step slowly forward, his shuffle in keeping with his role as a monk. Xaul ignored Savannah as he strained to catch the conversation his partner initiated, missing the stares Savannah sent his way as he moved slightly out of cover.

Xaul couldn’t hear anything that passed between the two, and was about to ask Epsilon through the mental link what was going on, when all his plans were thrown into chaos. Four gunshots rang out, the loud cracks! shattering the air. Xaul watched Epsilon flinch, his mind whirling. One of the only friends he had ever had, one of the very few who had seen the black void of his soul and simply forgiven him, had likely died. Xaul flinched as his partner did, screaming.

Xaul screamed, the sound rasping against the very souls of those who could hear it. He ripped loose the bonds that held Resheph, holding onto his sanity long enough to warn Epsilon. If you can hear me, get out of my head. A few more seconds of painful sanity bought him enough time to cast his net out, the small piece of mesh flying towards Miehm. Having done what he needed, Xaul allowed himself to fade into the blissful madness.

Resheph roared with delight as he surged against the Kounnar, his influence extending further than Xaul had ever allowed it to. The awful bloody tattoos of Kounnar blazed suddenly, burning through the makeup and overpowering even the bright overhead sun. The power flooding through Xaul rushed into his katars, who awoke hungry. The blades seemed to leap into Xaul's hands, their tainted and evil presence baying for blood, and some of the sheep who had not fully fled could feel Drshil's awful energy clawing at them, the bleak power slipping into their bodies and bringing pain into their very existence. Xaul and Resheph rushed off the roof, landing and rolling to Miehm’s feet, surging upward with both katars extended. A constant giggle escaped Xaul’s lips as he fought, hissing soft disturbing words.

“Soon, the birds will burn. I came here to watch you bleed, and I do so love to gloat. You can see, can't you? I'm armed with delusions; and one little thing: the stormbringer’s coming, time to die…”

Exspherius

01-25-09, 04:27 PM

Even as the words left Epsilon's lips, the gunman brought his rifle instantly to bear. Epsilon was left staring directly down the barrel of the firearm as the stranger flicked the safety off with an audible click. At that point, Epsilon realized that he had made an error. Approaching so soon and so calmly after the disruption had been a mistake. Even if his opponent was not so edgy, anyone would cause suspicion by taking such an event in stride. Epsilon decided that his cover was now useless, especially in the light of the man's threats. He's unstable enough to shoot me whether I'm his opponent or not, Epsilon noted, so our plans for negotiation are moot. I'm sorry, Xaul. He began to gather his power for an attack, when the presence he had sensed before returned. The gunman swore, noticing Savannah's approach at the same time Epsilon mentally marked her position. Epsilon did not have time to do any more than that, because the gunman made a decision.

Epsilon had been monitoring the man's surface thoughts since his appearance. It was not on the level of his connection to Xaul, more akin to walking past a conversation rather than participating in one. You heard a few words, were able to make out the basic intentions, but got no real detail from it. Nevertheless, when the gunman decided that Epsilon's monk disguise needed to be a bit holier, it was enough of a warning to react in time. His power, already called to the surface in preparation, responded instantly to his will. Silver-blue energy flared out from the Esper, condensing into a three-inch-thick plane of force the size of a tower shield that placed itself directly between him and the gunman just as the rifle opened up.

Four gunshots rang through the plaza and Epsilon felt four impacts on his shield as the bullets shattered themselves on the solid energy. With each one came a pang of fatigue as a bit of his power was expended. As the gunman threw himself away from both himself and Savannah, Epsilon sidestepped to shadow him. The movement accomplished three things: it kept the shield between himself and the rifle, prevented Savannah from flanking him, and pincered the gunman between himself and Xaul, still hiding above.

Xaul wasn't hiding any longer, though. A scream of pure fury tore into Epsilon's ears, and he looked up to find Xaul airborne and already covered in the Kounnar's bloody sigils. The Esper's eyes widened and he immediately severed their mental connection even before his partner's warning could reach him. If I had been caught in his mind with Resheph... the Esper shuddered. The brief touch of the god's mind that he'd experienced during their initial meeting had been enough for Epsilon. Espilon leapt backwards as his partner hit the stones of the street in a roll and snapped out his hand. The monk's robe was ripped off his body, useless now that his power was revealed. Coercion flew from his belt and extended itself to its full length as the Esper dropped into his combat stance and prepared for his enemies' response.

Lord Saladin

01-27-09, 05:40 PM

The gunshots resounded, and Savannah flinched at each loud bang. What in the earth kind of weapon is that?! Never before had the young woman seen such a weapon, and as the crumbled bits of metal struck the air, she could not help but wonder exactly what those pieces were, or how she knew they were metal. A moment was taken to regain her composure... And then it really began.

The man who seemed to so favour loud noises moved, and the priest, removing his cloak, followed to keep almost in synchronisation. A roar erupted from where the third man had been positioned, and Savannah saw him launch his body towards the ground of the bazaar. Quite a few of the stalls had been toppled in the stampede of peasants wanting to escape the frightening noises of the previous few minutes, but Savannah still needed to weave through them nimbly in order to approach the now descending fellow with anything that would be useful in the battle.

The light burst forth from him and Savannah averted eyes slightly, keeping the man's position within her peripheral vision. She felt, as closer she got, that a great weight was bearing down upon her; an evil presence that carried nothing but malice. The words hissed instilled fear and slight apprehension, yet she was driven on by the promise of a wish. Damn that boy! Damn his inept soul! Sebastian was still nowhere, and it seemed like the battle was more of a free-for-all than what had been promised. The time for planning was over, and Savannah had to take action.

Only a second after the man landed, the light still glowing from his body, Savannah would lunge forwards with her broadsword, hoping to make some kind of strike against this man who emitted so heavy a sensation of evil, it made her a little shaky. The thrust was perhaps the least powerful, least technically correct attack she had made in years. Shaking her head, Savannah cursed herself. You're fighting like that useless child you call a brother. Snap out of it.

She had left herself open by performing such a manoeuvre, she was acutely aware of her current situation, but one could not turn back time. It was the annoyance of her brother's absence, the surprise format of this fight, and the fact that three potential enemies were in this arena, when she was expecting two enemies to balance the partnership of twins. Her mistake, she knew, sealed her fate, and even in that instant of the thrust, she wondered if the end would be now, or if a second chance would be given.

Miehm

01-28-09, 08:03 AM

Tactical vest. It was the only solution that presented itself to me. He was wearing a vest good enough to take four shots from a hunting round. That was fine with me, it was probably trashed by now.

I ripped off another magazine, four rounds blasting into the vicinity of the man's torso again. I hoped no one noticed that when I dropped the bolt back into position this time before removing the magazine, I slipped a round into the chamber, leaving the gun loaded. The empty magazine dropped free, and I slammed another one in, anticipating my opponent would at least have been injured by the repeated shots.

The scream alerted me to my enemy's approach, and I tucked and rolled to the left, away from where he would land, feeling a net swish down behind me and catch my trailing foot as I slipped out from under the second attack. It didn't seem to matter though, the woman had already charged towards us, and was lunging towards my ambusher with her sword. She was obviously my partner, and I approved of her actions in a distant way. In absence of orders, attack. That's what everyone I knew in the military had told me, that's what I tried to do, and that was what my partner was doing even now. I tried not to consider what exactly happened if your enemy attacked too.

TwinDeath

02-01-09, 02:58 AM

As Xaul landed on the earth, his roll carried him forward into the space where Miehm had been a second ago. Savannah’s sword scraped across his back as she lunged, the blade etching a crimson line into his dusky skin as it sliced through his coat and the several shirts underneath. Xaul let out a slight gasp, the hiss of pain transforming into yet more maniacal laughter. “The soft kiss, sweet agony! Oh, that the burning entropy might come, too soon, yet late!” As he came out of his roll to his feet, Xaul turned and bowed deeply to Savannah. “Release me, amazon!” His voice was almost normal, almost pleading, if one ignored the constant sniggering. It quickly changed, however, becoming a sound that held no humanity at all. “Release me to the void, not my time!” He began to march slowly towards Savannah, his stance so hunched and animalistic that his katars scraped the ground, the tip of Haingre leaving a trailing stain as it passed over the sandy stone.

Xaul’s weapons were coming into their full power now, as evidenced by the stain left by Haingre. The air began to fill with noxious fumes that emanated from the sinuous blade, and several shoppers who had crept back into the square cried out as they felt the aches and pains accumulated through their lifetimes slowly begin to return. Drshil’s awful power had begun its work. Xaul giggled madly as he witnessed the handiwork of his weapons, his voice an awful parody of a child’s sing-song. “Old gods slaughtered and gone away, mine is forever here to stay! New gods coming, you all cry ‘save us now!’, but not even they can determine how…” Raising Drshil to his cheek, Xaul pulled the jagged tip along an old scar, reopening the wound and shuddering as blood oozed from his flesh. “Reason was castrated long ago, and beings watch from behind opaque mirrors. They wait, they watch, and occasionally, they interfere.” Xaul shook with madness as he coiled his legs underneath himself, readying for a leap. “My fate was gambled away, so many eons in the future. Yours was sealed when you met me.”

Springing forward, Xaul propelled himself straight at Savannah, his katars slashing in a deadly X pattern that was followed with a double thrust to the woman’s chest. Hissing laughter constantly escaped from Xaul’s mouth, the grating sibilants echoing oddly off the hard adobe walls. In the back of his mind, the sane Xaul tried in vain to convince his other self to use the stalls and tents to their advantage, but he was ignored. Xaul in full Kounnar was little more than a suicidal berserker with no strategy whatsoever, flinging himself at an opponent until they died, or he did.

Exspherius

02-01-09, 07:47 PM

Epsilon, finding no resistance to his superficial contact, deepened the mental connection in time to hear Miehm's reaction to his failed fusillade. A tactical vest? He must be extremely unfamiliar with the wider universe, to assume something so mundane. Or to think that he could damage me with such a weapon.Epsilon found it amusing that the man did not even consider the possibility that his bullets were stopped by nonphysical means. He was not amused for very long, however, because Miehm chose that moment to open fire again. Another four sharp cracks echoed off the yellowed walls of the courtyard, and Epsilon was very thankful that his shield was still in place. Keeping it there, though, was going to be a different issue. Each time the shield took a hit, it required a bit more energy to maintain. Taking four bullets, even from a mundane rifle, was beginning to make it a drain on his strength. Epsilon knew that it would not likely survive this current barrage.

One. The first bullet smashed into the shield, destroying itself and sending rippling concentric rings across the surface of the manifestation as its impact was dissipated. Epsilon bent slightly at the knees, preparing to throw himself away.

Two. Again, the bullet was stopped. The feedback was more serious this time, and the slug penetrated slightly into the shield before being halted by the Esper's power. Epsilon knew that the shield would not hold, and made his move. Coercion retracted itself and the Esper began his leap.

Three. This was the last bullet that the shield would stop. Epsilon could feel it as the slug struck the plane of force, and as he tried and failed to reinforce it a thin trickle of blood wormed its way down from his left ear. He was airborne now, Coercion's hilt grasped tightly as he moved. But he moved too slowly.

Four. The shield broke. Only slowed by the dissipating shield of psionic energy, the bullet streaked across the intervening space to strike the Esper in the side. With a grunt, the Esper was knocked sideways by the impact of the slug on the crystal-alloy plating over his short ribs. The armor, though not rated for projectiles, held. Slowed by the semisolid energy of the shield, it no longer carried lethal force. Though that doesn't make it hurt much less, the Esper thought bitterly. He felt like he'd been hit by a sledgehammer.

Still, he had to recover while Miehm was reloading. The Esper hit the ground in a twisted roll, coming up with Coercion back on his belt and Sentinel in his right hand. If he employs ranged weaponry so freely, I will respond in kind. Epsilon was, in truth, not much of a close-range fighter himself. That was where Xaul excelled, as his partner was proving from where he engaged Savannah. Engaged being a relative term; Xaul did not engage enemies so much as drowned them in a sea of deadly attacks. In that manner, the Esper mused, his partner was like one of the backpack nukes sometimes employed by ultrasaboteurs in his own universe. Get it in position, set it off, then run like hell and hope you didn't get caught in the fallout. Epsilon set his jaw in a tight smirk as he made a quick step behind a large stack of crates that had been knocked haphazardly into the streets in the previous chaos.

I'll have to finish with him quickly, Epsilon thought, Xaul is going in too deep to stop once Savannah is defeated, and I'm the only one here who can bring him back again. It was at that moment that Xaul drew his katars. Instantly, he felt himself gripped by the demonic powers of his ally's weapons. Up and down his entire body, tiny pinpricks of fire sprouted into being. Remnants of the hundreds of injections and monitoring equipment from the facility, the first things effected by Drshil were of course the most minor. He was able to block this minor pain through a simple mental technique, but the Esper worried how he would fare once Resheph came more fully awake. Thankfully, his mask blocked much of the vile smell spreading in waves from Haingre.

With those thoughts in mind, he brought the black-and-chrome handgun to bear on the rifleman opposite him. He steadied the pistol with his mind, using telekinesis to offset the bulk of the weapon. With the sights centered on Miehm's torso, Epsilon squeezed the trigger and unleashed a vicious beam of blazing energy.

Lord Saladin

02-04-09, 07:41 AM

With the lunged attack striking the other, slicing his back, Savannah was able to regain some element of composure. Taking a few steps back, the young serf watched as the man turned to her, his voice speaking in a manner that caused some disconcert within Savannah. It seemed to her that this fellow, her opponent, was mad; as though his mind was broken.

Then the weapons were drawn... Savannah had seen similar weapons in the past, favoured by assassins in her own world, well known for being deadly swift and fatally accurate, she eyed the two blades cautiously. Ugh! Pain sifted through the slim body of the woman, and at various points, places she knew held scars, fluid crawled down her body. Blood from old battle wounds seeped into her clothes, staining the basic attire. How do I stand against such awesome power? She winced, vision blurring from the pain of battles long since won.

"I... I don't understand." She forced the words from her mouth as she fell to her knees, the pain consuming her as the enemy made his approach. He looked like an animal, the blades of his weapons stroking the ground with their evil. Surely they were evil, no other explanation fitted in Savannah's mind as she tried to fathom what was happening in this truly surreal fight. None of it made any sense to her, except that Sebastian was not here - he likely knew of what would happen somehow, and opted for the safe choice.

Savannah, however, would not back from this battle, and seeing the maniacal man, hearing his words, she doubt she even could. Though, time for idle pondering had ceased, the opponent was making his attack. Hands that had been resting upon the cobblestone of the ground raised a moment, Savannah barely even realising the broadsword was no longer in her grasp. She leaped to the side, with all the strength she could muster, to evade the crossing slash aimed at her.

Landing on her side, clumsily, she suddenly became dizzy. It was as though her head was spinning, weightless, yet her body seemed like it was being forced downwards, as though her muscles were lead. Black spots that swiftly evolved into meandering blobs in front of her vision drifted past, and she began to panic as her breathing became harder.

The blobs were not some tangible thing, but was a result of some hidden power that was only now beginning to manifest itself. Perhaps it was a result of being brought to this strange place, or the fear this man instilled, or the threat of imminent death. However, as the double handed thrust was sent towards Savannah, a stall at her right toppled over, threatening to trap the man underneath. The light pine of the rickety structure wouldn't cause any damage, but may hinder the man enough for Savannah to find an advantage before she bled to death.

Truth be told, however, she couldn't find the energy or the strength to move. It seemed as though she would get her wish regardless. Yet, in the back of her mind, past the blurred thoughts and confusion, she cursed Sebastian for continuing to live.

TwinDeath

02-04-09, 10:54 PM

For the judges: Here is a link (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?t=18198) to the OOC. We await our scores.

Christoph

02-06-09, 07:57 AM

Thank you for participating! Ataraxis will judge this battle shortly. Please do not contact your judge regarding the judgment until after it has been posted.

Taskmienster

02-28-09, 03:19 PM

I’m stealing this one as well! I’m a thief today… hah. Anyway, I’ll be adding limited commentary, and putting both of your scores in the same rubric, with individual and then averaged scores. Any comments can be PM’ed to me.

Matheson Twins

[Lord Saladin] | [Miehm]
((Commentary))

STORY

~ Continuity ~ [3] | [1.5]
~ Setting ~ [5] | [5.5]
~ Pacing ~ [7] | [7]

CHARACTER

~ Dialogue ~ [4] | [5]
~ Action~ [6.5] | [8]
~ Persona ~ [5] | [5]

WRITING STYLE

~ Technique ~ [4.5] | [4.5]
((Saladin, some of your sentences are quite long winded, and seem rather blunt at times to get to the point. You can use some advanced techniques, even a small metaphor or simile, alongside splitting up those sentences to make it flow better and more interestingly.))
~ Mechanics ~ [8.5] | [8]
~ Clarity ~ [8] | [7.5]
WILD CARD!!! [3] | [2.5]

Total: [54] | [54.5] | [54.25]

Tvier Valka Seula

[Twin Death] | [Exspherius]
((Commentary))

STORY

~ Continuity ~ [2.5] | [2]
((Who the hell is Resheph? Lol. I read over the opening twice and was a little lost both times. Feel free to explain that a little bit better and clearer in the future, so that the reader can get a better picture. Also, in the 10th post you have a lot of unexplained words that are confusing and undoubtedly part of your character’s background.))
~ Setting ~ [6] | [6.5]
~ Pacing ~ [6] | [7]

CHARACTER

~ Dialogue ~ [6] | [5.5]
((It’s hard to follow dialogue when it’s in the middle of paragraphs, especially split up and interspersed. Normally it’s best to make a new paragraph for it, even if the previous and new ones are short.))
~ Action~ [7.5] | [8]
~ Persona ~ [6] | [7]

WRITING STYLE

~ Technique ~ [5] | [5]
~ Mechanics ~ [8.5] | [8]
((One spelling mistake))
~ Clarity ~ [9] | [8]
WILD CARD!!! [3] | [3]

Total: [58.5] | [60.5] | [59.5]

Tvier Valka Seula Advances to round 2!

GAINS/REWARDS!

TwinDeath and Exspherius gain 1878 exp; 200 gold; 2 fate points for advancing

Lord Saladin and Miehm gain 525 exp; 100 gold; no fate points