The Way of the Gods VS The Way of the Demons

[Unfulfilled]

Closed to Chosen of the Gods

Regal's blade bounced against his thigh as he marched down the citadel hall with due haste. Someone, a warrior of the desert sands had challenged him to a fight, a fight that was a by product from his drinking the night he claimed victory over the dragon beast Trago. The man, Ahk'med or Ran-Bak; Regal wasn't really sure what his name was nor cared, had slapped the sword demon in the ace and told him to fight him in the citadel at first dawn in any environment the Demon chose.

Normally Regal would have just slaughtered the man on the spot, but other warriors got behind the demon of swords, others backing up the desert warrior. The tension in the room was able to be cut by his own steel katana as he felt the tenacity of his foe in the air. No, he would fight this man just the way he wanted.

"You, tubby!" Regal shouted to an overweight monk behind a desk. "Portal right now!" The monk gave an irritated silent glance to the demon of swords and nodded grabbing a piece of paper and handing the gray swordsman a pot of ink.

"Please write to the best detail the field of battle you want, and I shall arrange it." The monk replied passively, ignoring the threatening tones in Regal's voice. Taking the paper in hand Regal crumbled it tossing it into the face of the monk.

"I don't care what it is, an open field in a fucking hill will do, just make the arena and make it NOW!" He shouted drawing the attentions of the other nearby patrons and warriors. Some looked to Regal with disgust, others admiring him with cold glances. Nobody, however, stood up to the furious man in the gray trench coat.

"Very well, fourth portal on the left." Regal turned on his heel as he walked away from the desk, his pace quickened at the prospect of battle. "May the gods watch you battle with honor and grace." He muttered after the sword demon.

Regal snorted in laughter at the notion. He didn't believe that man needed gods nor the rule of higher beings. He had forged who he was by his tenacity alone, and soon that tenacity would bring him to Karel Raven, the blessed and holy Saint of Swords. On that day he would cast aside his demonic nature, and become one of the gods themselves.

A grin parted his scowl for the first time all day as he entered the black marble doors.

The arena is a grassy plain in the mid noon light. Their are a few knolls of hills and a river far off to the right. Other than that, it is all a free fighting arena.

[Chosen of the Gods]

Ahk'Ran walked down the marble hallway with a look of determination on his face. He had little in the world to care about, so it wasn't a surprise that when those few things were insulted, or mocked that he would get upset. It was the evening of the previous day where some demented warrior talked about his kill in the way of Trago. His disrespect of the warrior this madman fought was insulting to the honor of the fight, and he had had enough. Slamming his fists on the table he slapped the gray swordsman in the face, and the gauntlet had been thrown.

Now it was nearly past dawn, and the desert warrior had just finished his prayers to the gods. The sun was shining brightly and he took great joy in seeing no clouds in the sky for miles around. It was a powerful portent that no trickery was due for the day by the god of mischief, the faceless hyena. He watched the sun rise as it should with no obstructions to his sight. It was another grand portent of good bearing, his confidence swelling as he looked back to the doors before him. A monk stood next to the large black marble doors with a piece of paper in hand.

"Please sign these release forms, and you are in the fight." The monk leaned in. "And for the love of the gods, smote him down into the chains of ruin." Ahk'Ran smiled as he signed the papers, his eyes looking towards the slowly opening doors. He took in a heavy sigh, and released it one go.

"May the gods take away my soul in that breath, and return it to me when I return." It was a simple practice to calm the nerves of the warriors of his hometown. By condemning their souls to the gods, they could fight without fear or hesitation, knowing that their souls are protected by the gods themselves. His ritual complete he walked into the light, finding himself in a field of grass all around him. The sun shone brightly and he looked over the highest hill in the terrain, seeing a gray form starring back at him, sword in hand ready to strike.

Ahk'Ran lifted up his heavy bronze Kopesh, holding it towards Regal in challenge as he was taught in the academy. "Demon!" Ahk'Ran shouted dropping his blade down into his other hand hovering it inches above his palm. "I ask you to fight me to teach you how respectable warriors should behave!" Ahk'Ran looked around at his surroundings, hearing the river off to his right. "At the end of this fight I hope the gods will allow you to have the senses to remember the beating I put into you!"

[Unfulfilled]

(Bunnying approved to tell the story)

The Demon of swords looked at the desert warrior and his mind was amazed at the arrogance one's mind could produce. He had actually thought to teach him a lesson in this trial, but it was the teacher who would be taught. He grinned as he gripped Tenacity tightly in his hand before churning up the grass charging forward. His brain was lost in madness as his thoughts began to be clouded. He stuck his tounge out wildly, laughter building up in his chest as he darted forward. The Fallien soldier gripped his huge weapon tightly lifting it up vertically and bracking for impact.

The two blades collided and a loud metal sound exploded outwards as Regal's blade swung hard to the right, over extending his foe. With a mighty followup from his free hand he slammed his fist into Ahk'Ran's face causing him to stagger backwards spitting in surprise as his blood fell to the ground.

Regal's feet twirled in on themselves and he rotated with the movement, his blade singing as it called out for the flesh of Ahk'Ran. Narrowly the Kopesh was able to come up, this time the desert warrior was careful to deflect at an angle so the Sword Demon couldn't get an opening.

"I see you severly under estimated me, a mistake you shouldn't be so quick to make again." Regal danced forward, his feet extending outwards like a ballet dancer as he stabbed his sword forwards. Ahk'Ran side stepped the attack, dragging the heavy blade on the dirt kicking it up as he charged swinging wildly horizontally.

The sword demon ducked the attack with a sudden roll, his back in slight pain at the sudden change in tactics. The Kopesh was slammed down into the earth again in a wild arc, over and over as Regal had to continue to retreat so as not to lose a limb to the bronze weapon. "Curse you and your wildness!" Regal lashed out, hissing as the blade nearly cleaved his chest open. Ahk'Ran got a glimmer of a grin on his face, enjoying seeing the Sword Demon taken aback by the sudden role reversal.

That won't do! Regal thought irritably as he jumped low to the ground, his foot outwards as he attempted to sweep the knee area. The blade flew overhead, the wind fanning off the worst of the Sword Demon's anger as his boot made contact with flesh. A yelp of pain escaped Ahk'Ran's mouth as he collapsed like a ton of bricks, his blade dropping deep into the ground as he tried to stop his free fall. Regal got up quickly and twriled his blade in his hand as he prepared for a vicious vertical finishing move.

"Die, you god fearing moron!" Regal sang in amusement.

[Chosen of the Gods]

(Yep, bunnying approved)

Ahk'Ran looked at the incoming steel blade, his mind racing as he tried to assess the situation. His hand was still firmly latched to his blade and he was fast running out of time. With a sudden clarity he released his blade and rolled away from the sword demon. The steel katana cut deep into the dirt and continued to hack into it as Ahk'Ran rolled. He hit a small hill and rolled faster, away enough to get small distance between his foe.

He slowly got up, the world spinning around him as he tried to plant his feet firmly in the ground. As he was just getting stable a high knee flew into his back, the demon of swords laughing wildly with glee as Ahk'Ran face planted into the grass again. He grabbed his sacrificial dagger and pulled it out. He cut deep into his left palm and down his wrist all the way to the elbow. "Blessed be the Sun, who brings me the strength of a new day." He whispered as his arm swelled with energy from the glory of the sun god.

Regal stabbed deep into the ground next to his face, and it was just a simple warning shot, a game. Ahk"ran picked himself up quickly, his hands held a loft at his side as he tried to figure out what to do next. The sword demon danced around on his feet, always in movement as he lashed out wildly with his blade. Ahk'Ran did all he could to keep the blade from touching his skin, and after a moment of recklessness by his foe he made his move.

The desert warrior jumped upwards and forwards, bringing the divine wrath of the gods down upon Regal with his blessed fist. The eyes of Regal exploded open when he felt the blow, his body crumbling at an angle as he fell to the ground. "I am the chosen of the gods! You shall not best me foul demon!" Regal's eyes lit up with fire as he licked the blood from his lips, his mind clearly gone as he slammed his feet into the Fallien native's chest. He pushed forward with his hands, turning the tables.

The demon held his blade over Ahk'Ran, a look of vile glee on his face. Ahk'Ran moved at the last second as the sword slammed deep into the ground. Instead of retaliating however he used his divine strength and grabbed the wrist of Regal's hand and started to push downwards. Slowly the sword began to sink deeper into the grass. When the blade was a little more than half way deep into the earth he felt his chest get impacted by Regal's boot. Coughing he rolled away, releasing his grip as he got back up.

He had one option and he used the precious time he had to run back up the hill, his feet pounding the earth kicking up dirt in his wake as he ran like the dreaded stallions of the desert people. Moving swiftly he had reached his fallen sword. Using his divine arm to lift it up he let the glory of the gods shine upon the blade as he lifted it easily now in his hand. He brought it back down as he Saw Regal give one mighty tug ripping his blade out of the ground before he turned back to the desert warrior.

"Come, I still have much to teach you!" Ahk'Ran bellowed as he charged forwards.

[Unfulfilled]

Regal spat curses one after another as he ripped his blade from the earth turning to face his challenger with a new hostility. His words trickled down to his ears and he felt his hatred grow as he slammed his blade down flicking off the rest of the dirt. He met the gaze of the insubordinate child with his own steely gaze, and with a quick motion he was darting forward, each step crossing many as he leaped forward in bounds of physical effort.

As the two warriors collided their weapons clanged off another, and Regal brought his right shoulder forward as Ahk'Ran did likewise with his left, leaping into it as he dove in. As the mounds of flesh slammed into each other Regal was the loser, the weight and divine strength too much to handle as he fell backwards rolling down the hill. He hit a rock in the middle of his descent, and he propped into the air landing rough on his back and shoulders before he finished being tossed. His chest heaved up and down and his sword arm ached. I really hate this guy... Regal seethed.

He got up slowly and placed his blade loosly in one hand as the Kopesh swung through the air. Regal tilted back and retaliated with a wild horizontal slash. The chest of Ahk'Ran exploding drops of blood like rain. The desert warrior ignored the pain as he returned with another diagonal slash. With ease he sidestepped the attack, leaning into it as he swung back, more blood dripping on his blade. He grinned like a cat as Ahk'Ran slowed his attacks, his breathing heavy as he swung downwards in a mighty arc. Regal was already preparing to side step it, but the second he did move, the strike stopped and fainted into a horizontal swing. Regal barely had time to get his own blade up, but not before he was grazed in the shoulder. His own blood sang into the air, and he barked in shock.

Ahk'Ran breathed heavily as he watched the eyes of the sword demon. Regal breathed heavily himself before he suddenly snapped into a flurry of motion. His blade moved all around his body as he twirled and swung and struck with blinding speed and rage. The kopesh moved upwards, but was not nearly fast enough to block all the blows as the skin began to get lacerated and destroyed.

"I'll show you loathsome gutter trash to respect the demon of swords!" Regal chanted as he twirled and danced his dance of death.

[Chosen of the Gods]

Ahk'Ran's eyes lit up with each strike of the blade. He felt like tiny fires erupted on his skin and he was wracked with pain as he realized he had to fall back and regroup. He swung wildly in return, but the demon of swords leaped over the attack, sword swinging out to claim the head of his chosen prey.

By the god's blessings he managed to trip on a rock, a gift of the god of the earth to save his life as he fell. However it wasn't total salvation, just an escape from death. Regal was already upon Ahk'Ran in moments as he slammed into ground, the blade stabbing wildly over and over. The Kopesh was of no use in such close quarters, and he did what he could to cover his face and try to roll away, but each stab nearly impaled him on the blade.

Ahk'Ran was lost for what to do at the moment, his mind unable to think of a way out of this deathtrap. Each time he rolled left, a blade nearly pierced his brain. Each roll to the right was nearly the loss of his heart. He couldn't get a good hold on Regal as well, for the demon was on him like a jackal attacking a wounded beast. He tried to think of a way out, but was running low on ideas.

At last the opportunity presented itself, and Regal stabbed to fiercely, his blade digging into the ground again. Ahk'Ran's enchanted fist slammed into Regal's chest, ripping the blade out and causing the demon to stagger back. With swift motions he brought his legs to his chest and exploded them out, hitting the demon back again a few staggering steps. It was just enough breathing room, and Ahk'Ran was back on his feet and in the fight again.

Regal didn't squander, however, and was already back on the attack. With a few wild sweeps he was able to keep the sword demon at bay, but this was only buying him time, not winning the fight. He was faced with a grim reality, and like a true warrior he accepted it now so that he may move forward. The sword demon Regal was a far better fighter than Ahk'Ran. The reality of defeat was evident, but he still had fight left in him. He mastered the fear of losing, and with that realization he switched up tactics.

He exploded in a mighty titanic yell of challenge, his blade no longer sweeping to avoid being cut. Instead he swung to kill, each stroke of the mighty kopesh was meant to kill, and he took a few hard blows to his chest before soon he was advancing on the demon of swords. Regal's face was lit with sudden realization that yet again the tide of battle was turning. It was not easy for the demon to accept the change of battle, and Ahk'Ran ws going to use that to his advantage.

As he kept his wild attacks up he could hear the waters of the river near him. He took a quick glance at the surroundings before he concluded how he could win this fight. That sudden realization that he could win fueled him to fight all the harder, and his blade sang with excitement.

Maybe I will teach you that lesson after all!

[Unfulfilled]

Regal's body dodged each swing of the massive Kopesh, his coat getting cut up as red stains of blood littered the surface. He wasn't doing to well now that his opponent changed tactics, and he was certain things weren't going to get any easier for him. In the end he came to a conclusion. This is starting to get interesting... He flashed a wild grin as Tenacity cried out for retaliation.

He held the blade in his hand as he cried in joy, each drop of blood fuleing him to more and more cries of painful bliss. He caught the look in the eyes of Ahk'Ran and saw the faint trace of his own soul questioning the antics of the sword demon. He was not able to comprehend that the man he fought was no longer human by any means. Long ago, on a fateful day that not even Regal could remember, he had slaughtered his home, his family, and everything he loved all because of his Tenacity.

He felt the weakness in his human mind wane as the insanity took more of a foothold. The fragile remnants were all that was left to keep Regal from walking off a cliff, and keeping the twisted dark insanity at bay. He had only one goal in life, and that was fight. Fight to be strong, fight to be better, fight to survive.

Fight to Escape the horrors.

He had fought to escape the crawling darkness in his own mind, and in those lucid moments he felt joy, a bliss that his mind might strike onto that flicker of life, and he will be fulfilled.

"Ah, come at me, show me what you have!" Regal began to notice that the swings lost their edge, that strength had left the arm carrying the Kopesh, and it was now a matter of whittling away the weapon from the holder. "I already know you idiot child!" Regal cried out hysterically as his blade slammed deep into the notched tip of the weapon. Regal grabbed his arm and drew him in closer. "You can't weild this weapon one handed without losing much of your failing strength. And the gods have already abandoned you!" Regal hissed kicking the man off him. Ahk'Ran took a moment before he charged forward, his blade diving high into the air before coming back down in a wild arc.

"HA!" Regal jumped back. "You fight like a barbarian now! Where is that warrior pride now you foolish retard! Where are the gods now to smote me from this plain?" Regal cried out to the heavens, even daring to turn his back on the warrior. "Let me tell you where true power comes from!" Regal pointed Tenacity at the desert warrior, keeping him at swords length. "Listen to this well, Ahk'Bed, or Mac'Run or whatever your idiot name is.

Strength comes from within yourself fool! No god can bless you forever, no enchantment nor spell can work forever, time will fade everything away and it will be for nothing if you waste it on the foolishness of gods!" Regal slammed a fist against his chest beating it proudly. "The inner demon, the monster we all are told to fight, THAT IS OUR STRENGTH!" Regal cried out, a solitary tear coming down his face as his darkness and madness began to shroud him. "The beast inside is the birthright of every man woman and child! But the gods, the powers that be have told us to shun it away!" Regal cast his eyes aside as he lowered the blade.

"True power, the power of the gods, lies within the darkest pits of our mind, and if you are too afraid to take it, than you are never strong enough to defeat those you seek to rival." Regal's mind flashed of the thought of his battle against the Saint of Swords. When the darkness of the demon prevails, the light of the Saint's power will fuse into him, the memory of the demon gone as his sins washed away.

But his vision blurred as a mighty blade struck downwards into his exposed back, sending the gray swordsman downwards into a free fall. His face twisted to the left to see Ahk'Ran looking at him, a strange look in his eyes as if he was unsure if the move he did was right or wrong. Regal didn't care. He had swung for the kill and his body slammed into the coldness of the river.

The sword demon's world was fading fast as he looked up at the sun, a shining mockery of the words he spoke as the gods looked down upon the demon of swords with a scowl.

[Chosen of the Gods]

Ahk'Ran looked down at the blood on his blade, watching the water flash outwards in an explosion of disturbance, the body of the sword demon fall as if time had slowed down. His eyes felt the flash of the sun, the warmth of the sun god covered over him. He looked away from the scene when he could no longer see the demon.

His mind raced with thoughts, thoughts he knew he shouldn't be thinking. The talk of the gods being fearful of the power of man, that true power lies within oneself. He had faced this road once before, but he was a child, his impressions easily swayed by the relic priests. Now, however, with no man to tell him right from wrong he felt a coldness begin to swell in his heart.

His mind raced with the words of fear and overcoming it to make himself stronger, to take the dormant power that lied within. He could feel the darkness in his own soul rising as he shivered from the touch. There it was, clear as day in his minds eye was the power the demon had talked of. Was it so wrong to want it? Was it so wrong to brave the darkness and gain the power he was taught to fear? What did he have to fear from marshaling his own darker ambitions?

The questions raced through his mind and he took a few staggering steps back, dropping his weapon to the ground as he looked up to the sun. "WHAT DO I DO?" He shouted to the gods as his palms retracted into tight fists. "Where do i turn, when either road can lead to damnation?" He pondered loudly as he shivered on the spot.

Regal had destroyed his spirit without ever using his blade, and the warrior was humbled by the blow dealt to him. The demon of swords was perhaps right. To marshal the darkness and take it for them self. Was that considered wrong? He looked back to the sun, and his mind concluded as he bowed his head.

"I am a follower of the gods, and it by their will I have won this day. The darkness is not able to cancel our the divine light." He said confidently. "Regal, Demon of swords...You fought savagely and gave into your own darkness, and that is why you lose." He went to grab his kopesh as he looked up at the sky.

Ahk'Ran looked up to the heavens for praise and thanks to his victory, but he saw one portent of the gods staked high out in the heavens that made his heart sink in terror. It was a small solitary black cloud.

[Unfulfilled]

Regal's body floated for a moment, his eyes shut as he pondered when death would come for him. His mind swam with the images of his past, the slaughter, the blood, and his hands felt caked in the red liquid of life. He suddenly felt his mind begin to wonder, as if racing to escape the blood. A dark chuckle whispered into his ear, and Tenacity seared as if stuck in a furnace. Regal's mind wanted to scream, but only blood poured out of his mouth.

He cried out bloody tears as he looked into a reflection of his own minds eye. The fear inside of him, the darkness he had only recently talked about conquering, was tormenting the real Regal Burnswidth. He was helpless to do anything, and he cried for anyone to help him as he saw the blade Tenacity searing into his flesh.

This was his hell, this was his agony. He knew he would be living this life forever, and the demon inside him laughed at his misery, laughed at his pains as he clenched his head with his bloody, searing hands. It was painful to watch the torment all around him as bodies in the thousands dropped before him in piles. He was feeling nauseous, but all he could throw up was more and more blood. His mind racked with fear and his eyes seeing only death around him he was able to get one gargled scream out as the blood poured out of his body.

The demon chuckled again as it ran forward into Regal, a talon of darkness reaching his heart as he stopped inches from inserting itself.

"Are you sure Regal?" The demon hissed in joyful bliss. Regal nodded as he cried out more crimson tears. "Never forget your Tenacity Regal, for this is only a taste of hell that awaits should you fail your quest."

His vision returned to him, and Regal swam upwards in the river. With a loud splashing entrance he arced his back up whipping his hair sending drops of blood and water everywhere. Tenacity sang in his hand as he turned to Ahk'Ran who looked into the heavens at a single puffy black cloud. Regal lurched out of the water as he ran towards his hated foe, all the emotions he felt at that moment fueled a primal power as it swirled upwards, a gray ghostly flame erupting from the hilt to the tip of the blade.

Regal's lips parted as he stuck his tongue out, his eyes maddened by the adrenaline as he laughed hysterically, his blade singing with him as it howled with energy. As Ahk'Ran turned to see the oncoming force his eyes lit up and he lifted both hands to stop the terror that was coming.

Like a tidal wave hitting a boat Ahk'Ran's body soared in the air, blood escaping his stomach as the energy released from the impact sending him skyward in a bloody mess. Regal looked to the body as it soared, and with a distinct thud the body hit the ground, and it remained their motionless. After a few moments the grin quickly faded, a look of irritation on the face of the sword demon as he sheathed his blade. His shoulders sank as he walked to the marble doors of the citadel, his face contorted with disappointment. As he walked through the portal monks quickly passed him running towards the body of Ahk'Ran, and Regal any other day would have sent a string of curse words at them, but today he just felt depressed.

No, he felt unfulfilled he corrected himself. His mind wondered if he would ever feel fulfilled, and looking at the hilt of Tenacity he concluded a simple thought.

So long as Karel Raven breathed, Regal would never be fulfilled.

[Chosen of the Gods]

Ahk'Ran's body soared in the air, his mind wracked with pain as the dark energy cut deep into him after the initial sword swing. When he landed it was with a distinct thud, his mind filled with agony as he could already tell the landing broke three ribs, his right arm, and both his legs. Unable to move the match was over. The worst part was the blood that seeped from his stomach. He looked up to the heavens as his vision blurred.

"Great gods, I have taken a shaky step off your divine path..." he coughed up blood for a moment as he talked, hearing the voices of the monks as they ran over to him. "But I ask you..." he coughed and wheezed as he corrected himself. "No I beg you to forgive your humble servant..." He coughed up more blood as his chin looked to the cloud again.

If I had been more reverent of the gods glory, had paid attention to the divine path than stumble, I would have seen the portents in the sky. The great god of mischief has taught me a valuable lesson as his faceless lips laugh at me. I will never stray from the path again. I pledge myself here and now to you, great gods of the desert. I will be your chosen warrior...give me the strength to fight again...

Monks began to lift him as he looked up to the sun. With a small glint of light a bird appeared in the sky and swooped over head. It wasn't any bird either, but a desert falcon. As Ahk'Ran looked up to the falcon he sighed in relief, his life giving out on the gurney.

Thank you, blessed ones... was his last thoughts.

[Taskmienster]

The Way of the Gods vs. The Way of the Demons

Unfulfilled | Chosen of the Gods


STORY (16/30)(15.5/30)

~ Continuity ~ {6} {5}
The final post by Unfulfilled is what gave the extra point here.

~ Setting ~ {5}{5.5}
Bland setting, not much you could do with it. But don’t forget to at least add it in from time to time to keep the reader part of it. I did like the part where the sword was thrust into the dirt though.

~ Pacing ~ {5}{5}



CHARACTER (18/30) (18/30)

~ Dialogue ~ {5} {6}
Post 7: Far too much dialogue for a single post, Unfulfilled.

~ Action~ {6} {6}

~ Persona ~ {7}{6}



WRITING STYLE (18/30)(18.5/30)

~ Technique ~ {5}{5}

~ Mechanics ~ {6}{6.5}
For both: There are multiple places were commas could have been used to make it flow a little better instead of what seemed to be ‘legal runons’ as I call them. A few commas’ in certain places would have split up the sentences and made them more manageable. Also, there were a few words that were either forgotten or just skipped.

~ Clarity ~ {7}{7}


WILD CARD!!! {6.5}{6}


General Notes

I’m going to be judging this with a little commentary here and there, since both characters are played by the same person. However, if things stand out for one of the characters more than the other I’m going to make separate commentary.

“His mind wondered if he would ever feel fulfilled” [9] ~ No, you can’t. Because then I’d have to change your user name… lol




TOTAL

(58.5/100)(58/100)


GAINS/REWARDS!

Unfulfilled: 525 exp | 125 gold

Chosen: 150 exp | 75 gold

[Taskmienster]

Exp and GP added!

Unfulfilled is now level 1!