Cormyr's Story-1 (Open to one)

[Alberdyne_Cormyr]

(Continued after Holy War (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?t=19383) thank you very much)

Eager to test his skill and preparing himself to join the Civil War, the youth named Alberdyne Cormyr found himself staring at The Citadel's halls once again. Alberdyne Cormyr was no stranger to fighting, as the crooked bridge of his nose would attest to. Alberdyne looked up to the sky for a moment, it was a sunny afternoon. Clouds were visible that moved as Althanas herself moved. Alberdyne was studying the sun's rays for a moment, never staring directly at it. Looking at the sky helped the youth to concentrate on the activities of the moment. Since his family was connected to the Corone Rangers, the youth had to find other venues to distract himself from the ravages of the constantly fought Civil War.

The war between the newly formed Empire and the Corone Rangers was a well publicized one. Propaganda from various media agencies was churned out at astronomical rates as either side attempted to wage the media war upon the general populace. Graffiti from various splinter organizations was commonly etched upon the walls of many buildings. No matter how the city employees attempted to clean it, the graffiti was soon back up again, fiercer than ever.

This was the age of strife. A chic youth growing up during the time of warfare, Alberdyne Cormyr was rebellious. With a stubborn heart, he represented the youth of that generation and its generation's broken heart. Alberdyne Cormyr stared at the Citadel's structure now as he pondered going back in. After a recent loss handed to him by that Sabatykos kid, the youth was not so eager to earn himself another loss. Despite that, the desire to learn more was in his heart.

Alberdyne Cormyr was approached by one of the Monks of the Order. The man was of average height, had a darker complexion of the skin, had almond colored eyes, and had auburn colored hair. A single braided lock flowed from the back of his otherwise bald head. He had several markings, presumably war paint, upon his face and body. The markings were elegant tattoos of the Order's disciples. Also, he wore an elegant Monk's robes with detailed embroidery. The man seemed unarmed for the most part, but Dyne knew that these people were skilled fighters. Alberdyne Cormyr nodded towards the Monk briefly and sat down on a nearby bench. He motioned for the Monk to join him.

"What troubles you young Master Cormyr?" The Monk asked.

Dyne marveled at the Monks' abilities to recollect minute details.

"I was handed a loss from my recent Citadel battle. Something happened with my emotions, and I lost control." Dyne said in response.

"Emotions are a powerful weapon." The Monk responded. "They can rend steel, and wreak havoc on the senses." The Monk rubbed his chin gently as he spoke to Dyne. "You have a great talent, you must learn to get your Emotions under control." The Monk said.

"How do I do that?" Dyne asked. "More importantly, I wish to become a more skilled warrior so I can protect my family. What do I do to educate myself further?"

"Fair questions once and all." The Monk responded. "To become a skilled warrior, one must train daily. One must fight daily. It is a process that is unending, even to the death of the warrior, the warrior must train in the Antifirmanent to earn reincarnation." The Monk. "We must be wise, for the Thayne constantly test us." The Monk added, still rubbing his chin.

"I don't really understand." Dyne said. "I know the Thayne, but only through some mundane study. My family, though of good fortune could not afford a proper education." Dyne sighed. "So I have to find other, more constructive ways to pass the time."

"Perhaps you can join the Order." The Monk said calmly.

"You think I have what it takes?" Dyne responded, unsure of himself.

"We are all students young one." Then the Monk had a far away expression on his face. "On the horizon, an enemy looms in the shadow. We must all be ready to face this enemy when the time comes."

"What is the name of the enemy?" Dyne asked.

"When the time comes, you will know."

"So can I join the Order then?" Alberdyne Cormyr asked.

"Pass this next test, and we shall speak again." The Monk responded.

***

Lead to a combat chamber within The Citadel's walls, Alberydne Cormyr stared at the empty room inside. Instructed by the Monk, Alberdyne Cormyr knew what to do. He had to challenge himself, he had to better himself. The war was being raged all over Corone and the youth knew he needed to be prepared. Alberdyne Cormyr stepped into the chamber but it did not manifest into any sort of environment. Instead, he would wait until his opponent arrived. When his opponent arrived, the stranger could pick the arena for him.

And the day would begin.

(Note: Open to anyone individual preferably between level's 0-2. I will allow you to make your own arena for this match. First come first served basis)

[MetalDrago]

MetalDrago walked into the Citadel, his hood getting blown over his head from the wind outside. One of the monks took notice of the Dragonian and smiled. “We’re pleased you could make it all the way from Raiaera on such short notice, Master Scorpio.” The monk seemed genuinely glad that the man had shown up. The Dark Paladin surveyed the man for a moment before saying, “Eins? Is that you?”

“Yes… it’s been quite some time since you last appeared here at the Citadel, but I’m still here to usher in the newcomers, just as I once ushered you through these doors, all those years ago. Today, I’m here to guide you to the young man you’ve been chosen to test.” The monk bowed and began to lead him down the hallways to the destination.

“Don’t get me wrong, it’s nice to see you, but I only came because the one who you requested me to fight happens to be an acquaintance, and I merely seek to test whether or not his skills with the blade have improved since last we fought.” The Dragonian smiled lightly and wrapped his fingers around the guard on his own sword.

The monk merely shrugged and said, “This is a test for him to get into the Order. Considering your… current affiliations, we were surprised you agreed to come.”

MetalDrago laughed slightly at that. “The Citadel has been one of my homes away from home for a long time. Besides that, as far as I know, the Order seeks not to put down N’Jal, but some other darkness that lies in wait in the future.”

“You’re as studied as ever. No, we do not seek to kill the Dark Thayne, at least, not right now.” The monk smiled and continued, “Not like you’d give us an easy time of it if we did seek to kill her. Ah, here we are.” The monk motioned to a door. “This is your stop. I’ll be monitoring the battle myself. And do us a favor?”

MetalDrago looked up and said, “What is it?” He was ever wary of promising favors to anyone.

“Just don’t go easy on the kid. We have to test his limits, and his control over himself.” the monk said, his eyes sparkling just a tad in the light from the windows.

“That, I can promise you… I have the same agenda. I’m going to test his limits.” He nodded and opened the door. As he entered, he saw Dyne standing there. “Well, well… It’s been awhile, Dyne.” Surveying the room around him, he realized it was almost completely featureless. So it’s one of those rooms, eh? How unoriginal.

The Paladin stuck his sword in the ground and watched as black vines began to pool out from it, and a dark forest reminiscent of a nightmare began to sprawl out around them. Twisted trees, dark hollows, caves without a spec of light… Then, suddenly, black roses began to bloom out of nowhere, their tendrils extending out in every direction. The Dragonian had created this field inside of the Citadel himself long before, as a test of his resolve when fighting an opponent. The roses would grab him and his opponent with large, blackened vines with blood-red thorns, indiscriminately, making the battle harder for each of the two fighters.

“This will be a true test for you, Dyne. This battle is about not only fighting against your opponent, but about fighting against the environment.” MetalDrago smiled evilly as he spoke.

[Alberdyne_Cormyr]

Whistling at the manifestation of the monk's magics, the youth looked around for a moment. Seeing the nightmare forest spring up from thin air, Alberdyne Cormyr was a bit hesitant at having to fight against his own environment. Trees sprung up around him that were dark in nature as if burnt by some sort of a fire that occurred long ago. Alberdyne Cormyr swore he heard voices and cries like banshees in the wind. The ground beneath him seemed to writhe underneath his boots.

The blacksmith apprentice saw that the time had come for battle.

Looking around with studious eyes, he saw that some of the nearby vines had hyper developed thorns. He would have to be careful of those. Dyne prepared his shield, and his bronze longsword. He knew he would need them both if he was to survive.

Somehow, the very air around the landscape was different.

A bittersweet scent touched his nostrils and made him want to sneeze. He cringed up his face at such a powerful smell. Wind cascaded through the area carrying the powerful smell with it. It was a rotting-sweet kind of smell, the kind of smell that repulsed. Running his hand through his hair for a moment, Dyne made sure his equipment was ready. He kept his gear in top-notch condition at all times. Dyne looked to the ground where the vines were and then looked at his opponent who stood a few good paces away.

"You say you know me huh? Yet, I don't recall ever laying eyes upon you before. What kind of a sick place is this?" Dyne said with a smirk on his face. He did not like it there, but the Monks were also testing him. "Anyway, thanks for coming to my assistance so quickly. I guess this detestable place will do." Dyne walked over to his opponent with sword in hand. Shield at the ready.

Taking an unassuming combat position, the youth prepared for one long day indeed.

"The name's Alberdyne Cormyr. Most folk just call me Dyne. That's an impressive sword you have there. When this match is over and you've kicked my ass, can take a look at it?" Dyne was a blacksmith after all, and he was curious about the craftsmanship of such a weapon. Dyne felt danger everywhere in this twisted forest, but for now, the two warriors were safe to do their thing. Dyne stood in front of MetalDrago Scorpio and his eyes never left the other lad's.

"I'm ready when you are sir." Dyne said with a note of hesitation in his voice.

[MetalDrago]

MetalDrago smiled. “So, you don’t know me… you’re a completely different person than the young man I knew, eh?” He sighed. “What a pain… and here I was thinking I’d be able to test my former pupil.” The Dark Paladin drew his sword from the ground and sniffed the air. The stench of decay was everywhere. He breathed deep of it and let his hood fall back, revealing his face.

His eyes were glowing with a deep orchid color, and the smile on his face was cold and evil. “Very well, I’ll test you anyway.” The Dragonian’s eyes changed to a deeper blue-violet. “Prepare yourself young one. In order to be a member of the Order, one must prepare for everything… and in this battle, you don’t face one enemy, but many enemies attacking from all sides.” As if in response, the vines gathered around the Paladin. He lithely jumped out of the way just as the vines tried to wrap around him. “This is going to be fun…”

With that, he was off. He ran for the first few feet, until the vines had caught up to him. He jumped up onto one of the dead trees, his foot sinking slightly into the rotting wood, and jumped off in Dyne’s direction, his sword poised for a strike. The vines had another idea, though, and grabbed his leg, biting in with the inch-long thorns. The vines threw him into the ground, trying to wrap around him again. He jumped up and bounded off the ground with one hand. “They’ve learned. Damn…” He bent down and looked at his leg. Thankfully, his scalemail had absorbed most of the the damage, but he was bleeding slightly.

“Heheheh… hahahahahaha!” the demons inside MetalDrago were loose now, his bloodlust ignited in his own pain. This early in the battle, this was a bad sign. He sliced through one of the vines and laughed evilly the whole time. Then, he was off again, bounding off another rotting tree, this time breaking it in half with the force of his take off.

His eyes narrowed evilly as he swung his sword in Dyne’s general direction. This was a test, to see if the lad’s reaction time was as good as it should have been. He landed on the other side of where Dyne was standing, and turned around, crouched over like an animal, the spines down his back sticking out forebodingly. He held his katana blade out, horizontally across his chest, just waiting for a counter attack. The roses, thankfully, didn’t attack him while he waited.

[Alberdyne_Cormyr]

This guy is out of his mind!

Dyne thought to himself as he saw the events unfolding before his eyes.

How am I supposed to beat this guy? What's that scale stuff all over his skin, what exactly did I get myself into?

When his opponent was grabbed by the vines, the apprentice immediately thought to attempt to help him. However, the warrior was able to free himself of his own accord. Somehow, the very air of the forest felt alive. He tried to keep himself from throwing up. Ignoring the feeling in his gut, Dyne prepared himself for battle. Immediately, the apprentice's weaknesses in combat were visible. His posture was off, and his confidence was nowhere to be found.

Dyne was terrified of his opponent and the environment he suddenly found himself in.

Perhaps it was a mixture of bravery and foolishness that got him into this predicament in the first place. However, a prideful swelling touched his chest as well. I cannot give up despite how afraid I am. I have never fought anything like this fellow. He is not some common ruffian. Dyne knew that his education was on the line.

All hell broke loose without the youth even realizing what was happening.

In an instant, his opponent was upon him. How did he do that!? Dyne thought to himself as his foe attacked. The masterwork weapon was made out of a metal that Dyne had only seen his Master use from time to time in his works. The metal shone as brightly as the mysterious metal known as Dehlar. Dyne's sharp wit realized a singular truth: I am out-classed here. What can I do against something like Dehlar!?

"Tch!"

Reacting as quickly as his natural reflexes allowed, the youth attempted a half-assed block of MetalDrago's incoming assault. Raising his shield in an attempt to ward off the brilliant attack, Dyne heard an earth-shattering sound. All though a heavy metal, even masterwork bronze could not ward off the effects of dehlar. Reverberating around the field and knocking him on his ass, the youth cursed out loud.

"Fuck, how did you do that!? Your weapon can cut bronze!"

Dyne did not like his odds in this situation at all. The man was able to break his shield into two even pieces. Just like that, one of his most prized possessions fell apart before his eyes. Dyne felt bruises develop across the length of his shield arm, and he had to quickly discard it. It was now useless to him but had saved his life. Dyne rolled out from underneath the behemoth of a man. He took his sword up with both hands now, and prepared to face what was coming.

Certain death.

[MetalDrago]

I took time off from our campaign for this? MetalDrago thought to himself incredulously. He looked at the shield sitting on the ground. “Worthless… absolutely worthless… I’m disappointed in you, Dyne. Not even two minutes in and you’ve already lost your shield.” He laughed without humor and brought his sword down beside him. “Bronze is a relatively weak metal. You should know that.” With that, he bounded off of the ground, barely avoiding getting wrapped up in the vines again. They were learning faster than he’d ever imagined. This time he didn’t bother with jumping off of the tree towards Dyne, but up into the higher branches of another tree. He wrapped one of his hands around a branch, looking down on Dyne and smiling evilly.

The vines would take awhile to climb the tree… They were long-reaching, but had significant reach problems above three feet off the ground. They were too heavy on their own to lift themselves about that level without significant leverage. They’d have to slowly wrap around the tree to reach him where he was, but he was certain that Dyne didn’t know that.

The Dragonian looked directly down and saw the vines trying to get at him again. He was beginning to get annoyed. His eyes began to glow with a bright blue light. “Now Dyne…” he growled. “You’re going to learn something from all this, believe me.” He tensed and relaxed all of his muscles slowly and repeatedly to prevent his muscles from cramping when he started moving again. He climbed a little bit further up the tree and looked back towards Dyne. He had a smith’s physique. If he had to guess, he had gotten so upset about his shield because he had made it himself.

He jumped down from the tree and crossed his sword over his chest again. He bent over and ran towards Dyne with his sword poised for a strike. He brought his sword down with a crushing force, laughing lightly as he did it. “Fight, damn you!”

[Alberdyne_Cormyr]

When I was a little boy, my Mother, Irathial Cormyr, used to tell me a lot of stories about the world. It was part of my education process. I learned a little about the monsters of the world. I used to think that monsters were nothing more than intelligent animals. I was wrong. They are far, far worse than anything I could ever have possibly imagined. What is it that I am facing now? Is it a monster? Is it my nightmare? Is it myself? Am I MetalDrago's bad dream, or is he my bad dream?


Vines crept up slowly all around the battlefield. The forest was alive with the twisting, writhing vines. Roses grew on the vines, and powerful thorns capable of piercing flesh lined the vines. Vines crept up trees and hunted for monsters in the forest, including Dyne and MetalDrago. A beast that was like a giant oxen was suddenly attacked by the vines. At first only one of the vines grabbed an ankle. The oxen was able to fend off the vine. Then, many vines flew towards the oxen with a vicious intent.

Grabbing the powerful beast with their assault, the vines crushed the spine of the creature with their weight. Forcing the oxen off its hooves, the beast cried out in agony as the thorns ate at its flesh. The vines were consuming its very life essence...

Meanwhile-

Hearing the creature's taunts, Dyne's face became a mask of concentration. This devil was a beast unlike any other that Alberdyne Cormyr had ever seen in his young life. Tch. I can't do anything against this guy, how am I supposed to survive? The Dragonian charged at Dyne once more, but the youth was already prepared. Not possessing the types of speed and reflexes that MetalDrago possessed, the youth had to improvise his technique. Or at least what basic technique he knew.

MetalDrago came at Dyne with an incredibly skilled sword attack. Sweating with fear, the youth prepared to accept his fate. Bringing up his sword, Dyne saw that his opponent meant to basically cut him in half from head to toe. And the fucker can too! With a tremendous impact, Dyne held his powerful weight up against the monster that was MetalDrago. With his back threatening to give out at any moment, the youth held his sword up against the others' katana.

Sparks flew from the impact. The Dehlar weapon superheated Dyne's blade as the sparks flew out. Dyne gritted his teeth and felt tremendous pain in his body from the impact. Then, the was a loud crack as Dyne's blade shattered as well into two even pieces. Getting knocked back, the youth was spared the humiliation of an instant death. Falling on his ass, Dyne looked up to MetalDrago as he held as broken sword. His expression was incredulous.

"H-how!?" Dyne asked, but he knew the answer. Dhelar was a superior material bronze. End of story. Dyne was too prideful to admit he had already lost the match. Standing up, he looked at his would-be Master, MetalDrago, with a determined expression on his face. He had too much vanity to simply just quit. "I will be the one to defeat you!" Dyne yelled out without realizing it. He dropped his sword to the ground and rushed to MetalDrago taking the offensive for the first time in the match. Dyne used his considerable body mass to send a powerful punch right towards MetalDrago's jaw. He hoped to whatever Thayne was listening that his punch would connect.

[MetalDrago]

MetalDrago had broken Dyne’s last piece of equipment in merely the second attack. The Paladin was speechless. He knew his weapon was stronger, but he was getting particularly annoyed with the weakness inherent in the weapons and skills of his opponent. When Dyne threw a punch, though, he got thrown back and hit the ground with a loud thud. He grunted in pain as he landed, and stood up slowly. The vines were wrapped around his torso and he could barely move. He brought is sword up using one arm and began to saw through the vines. It took him less than three seconds, it being one of the smaller, three inch vines.

The Dark Paladin sheathed his sword before realizing that those inch-long thorns had dug into his chest, drawing blood. He touched one of the wounds on his chest. The wounds were about five centimeters deep. “Heheheh…” he chuckled evilly, and then gasped from the pain, which only made him laugh harder. “More pain… more power…” he gasped between fits of laughter. He jumped up from the ground, straight up, and caught the branch of one of the trees, his cloak billowing in the wind, mostly unharmed.

He grounded his feet against the rotten trunk and jumped off with his fist pulled back. As he approached Dyne, he let fly with a swift punch aimed for his abdomen, then he rolled past where Dyne was and ended back up on his feet. “You want a fist fight…” he laughed. “You’ve got one.” He turned to face Dyne and got into a ready stance. He didn’t often fight with his fists, but he wanted to get the most enjoyment out of this that he possibly could.

He said a silent prayer to N’Jal as he faced Dyne. His sword ached for blood, but it would have to wait. “I’m going to enjoy this…” he said, his red scales seeming to glow in the preternatural light. A little blood was running down his scalemail, tinting the silver with a foreboding red tinge. He was injured slightly, but he was far from finished. He had more than enough strength to pummel this child into a bloody pulp.

[Alberdyne_Cormyr]

Dyne had been hit before. Hell, he'd suffered beatings of his life multiple times in his young life. As part of the rebellious, restless youth of the current age of strife, Dyne was forced into many battles on the streets. Sometimes for selfish reasons, other times to protect someone. However, this time things were different and Dyne knew it. Tch. I've never fought anything like this before in my life! What am I supposed to do against him? Dyne was doubting his own skill, but he was not afraid. He was never afraid.

MetalDrago sent a quick thrusting punch to the youth's stomach. Maybe that was MetalDrago's first mistake. The punch hurt, it hurt like hell. Dyne felt his stomach tighten as a bruise knotted up where MetalDrago had struck him. For a moment it felt like all the wind in his lungs might be knocked out. However, that never came to pass. Dyne was thankful for his muscular build, it was the only thing that had saved his ass.

Doubling for a moment, Dyne's eyes squinted briefly. He touched the ground where his broken equipment lay. On one side of Dyne sat the broken shield, and on the other side lay the piece of Dyne's broken sword. He still held part of the broken sword in his hand. He cursed as he was punched by the beast before him. Catching his dignity back, Dyne managed to stand up despite the pain. Letting go of his precious bronze sword was the hardest thing he'd ever had to do. What was a blacksmith without his chosen weapon?

Walking over towards MetalDrago, Dyne could see the vines writhing with hunger out of the corners of his eyes. He would have to avoid them if he was to survive. "You are strong." Dyne said. "I admire that strength and power. You have earned my respect." Dyne added. "I shall neither run from you, nor, hide."

And with that, Dyne sucked up the pain he felt. His vanity was getting the better of him, and he rushed towards MetalDrago. Sending a quick punch right to MetalDrago's neck, the youth was going to make sure he left a mark on the bastard.

[MetalDrago]

(Permission to bunny from Alberdyne)

Admittedly, MetalDrago didn’t have much experience with street brawls. All he ever did was fight with his swords, after all, but this kid obviously didn’t know what he was doing. Aiming for one of the smallest parts on the Paladin’s body, and standing this close… What was he thinking? He ducked and swept Dyne’s feet out from under him using a skill he used to use when he locked swords with an opponent. When Dyne hit the ground, MetalDrago was already on his feet. He stood above Dyne looking down on him for a moment. He wanted to say something really sinister, but he was laughing so hard he couldn’t even think of anything to say.

He coughed lightly as the wounds on his chest opened up again, and that just sent him even deeper into his laughing fit. His eyes were glowing a bright ice-blue now, and his bloodlust was in full swing. He pulled his cloak around him and looked down at the young man again, a sadistic grin across his whole face. His predator teeth were quite evident now, sharpened to a razor edge and useful for cutting into any prey. And finally, he thought of something perfect to say. “Hold that pose. I want to remember you exactly like this…” his voice was little more than a hissing whisper, but could be heard very clearly.

When he’d perfectly memorized what Dyne looked like in this position, he brought up his booted foot and drove it straight toward Dyne’s head, intent on busting his face wide open. He didn’t want to kill the kid… He wanted nothing more than to cause as much pain as possible until Dyne was begging for death. He laughed insanely as his foot fell, straight toward his adversary’s head. The vines, sensing his evil intentions, shied away, unwilling to do so much as come near him in the midst of this bloodlust. He’d gone way beyond any semblance of the man he was when he’d entered.

[Alberdyne_Cormyr]

In that moment he fell flat on his ass. Looking up at the dark, smoke ridden sky, Dyne had but one thought. Is this the end? Then, his opponent began to mock the youth's valiant efforts at attempting to fight him in the first place. MetalDrago arrogantly advertised the maneuver that he was gonna throw at Dyne next. Dyne couldn't believe what he was seeing or hearing. He was mocking Dyne! I can't let it end like this!

Sending a boot to Dyne's face. Dyne saw a large shadow come across his body, but the shadow was not as frightening as the darkness of the realm he was currently in. Feeling fear for the first time in the match, Dyne did not want the beast to simply just crush him like so much garbage. Dyne was not going to go quietly into the night. He was going to make noise. Without realizing what he was doing, Dyne's arms moved up against the weight of his opponent.

With the boot coming in is general direction, Dyne reached to grab the man's foot.

"No way! Not like that! You're not going to get me so easily!"

Dyne called out. And with all his weight, he pushed up against the warrior before him. He hoped to at least attempt to knock the man off balance if could for the briefest of moments. Dyne was desperate at that point. He was attempting to exploit any weaknesses he could. But, the apprentice was not finding any in his mysterious opponent. Feeling the ground against is back, Dyne hated the feeling of being covered by dirt, bruises, and his own blood.

Pain coursed across his stomach where MetalDrago had punched him earlier. He could tell there was a serious bruise there. Dyne had also hit his head when he fell hard against the ground. This match was not going his way at all. Concentrating on the act of pushing MetalDrago, the youth was attempting to prepare for whatever his opponent would throw at him next.

Though in his heart, he knew the match was already over. Despite that, he knew he could not give up while he was conscious. He would never give up, and he would never surrender.

[MetalDrago]

MetalDrago felt his foot, caught by the young man’s hand. Though he wasn’t shocked, he was surprised the kid could still fight back. When he pushed, that was the surprise. As the weight increased, the Paladin pushed off his hand at the same time, performing a back flip and landing on his feet. He bent over in pain, the jarring from his landing biting into his chest, the only real wound he had so far. He rubbed his chin. The kid’s punch hadn’t hurt that much, surprising for how strong he looked. He smiled evilly and slowly walked towards Dyne. He unsheathed his sword as he walked.

“You’re starting to take this seriously now… I like that… now I can really start having fun.” He laughed lightly even as he said it. It was as if he was a demon, unable to feel or even care about what happened around him. His almost… demonic aura drove everything near him away. The vines parted before him like mice running from a tiger. He was beyond all reaches of sanity now… All he wanted was pain. To feel it, and to cause it. Pain was his life… pain was his ecstasy.

The wind picked up the heady stench of decay again. MetalDrago breathed in the aroma and felt it invigorate him even further. The sword ached for blood, and he was more than happy to oblige. He held the sword at an angle with his leg. The sword began to drain energy from around him. He took his sword and swiped it in the direction of Dyne, releasing his signature Shockwave Slice attack, at a mere six feet from Dyne. It was a straight beam that was in the shape of an ark, mimicking the sword’s swing. The Paladin had decided to take it seriously now, and things were beginning to look down for his opponent. After everything in this battle, forcing his opponent into a corner was going to be the most fun in the whole battle. He could already tell.

[Alberdyne_Cormyr]

Seeing the acrobatic skills of MetalDrago really put Dyne in his place. The youth could only watch in awe as the demonic side of his opponent flared out from within. It affected the very environment around him sending the very vines themselves fleeing from the battlefield. Somehow, the vines had never attempted to grab Dyne, but seemed more drawn to MetalDrago Scorpio. He was prepared to face his fate when suddenly, the unexpected happened.

Did he just completely go out of his mind?

Prepared to face whatever MetalDrago could throw at him, Dyne saw the man draw his weapon once more.

"S-so that's it?! You're just gonna stop the fight all together!?"

Dyne was not a coward and was not going to run away. He would face down his fate, whatever it might be. Thinking about the last few moments of his life, he began to ponder just what the hell it was all for. Was he, was he just holding back all along?! He could have killed me from the beginning?!
The youth took a momentary step back, not out of fear, but out of respect for the power that his opponent wielded. Then, all hell broke loose between the two warriors.

Feeling his mind clear, Dyne was accepting of the situation at hand. He is better than me. I need more power! Once he had that thought, time slowed down. There was a mysterious pulse of energy in the air and the youth saw the blade gather a tremendously shining light. Then, crackling through the air, that energy passed quickly and decisively signaling the end of the battle. Dyne put up his arms in a feeble attempt to block the incoming assault.

Searing heat came across his body, cascading him agony. The youth screamed out loud and was literally torn apart by the energy. As the energy cut him in many pieces, Dyne's last thoughts were very simple indeed. What was the point of everything? What did that prove? And Dyne's awareness was filled with the living dark. The last thing he recall was falling to the ground, dead as pieces of himself fell off his body.

For all his bravado and vanity, the youth could do nothing against MetalDrago's powers.

Across time and space, he heard his own thoughts before he completely blacked out, a twinkling star fading to nothingness.


Hey you kid, that wasn't half bad.

Are you kidding? I got my ass handed right to me. What the hell was the point of that?

Don't worry about it, you did the best you could against a superior opponent. We were watching you very closely the whole time. We liked what we saw, you have The Potential.

Am I dead? Is that what this is all about?

We knew what the outcome was going to be all along. We had to test your resolve kid. You did well. Just let the others do their thing and you'll be patched up and ready to go back at it in no time flat.

All right. I will remember that.

And kid. Don't sweat the revenge thing. You'll never be powerful enough to defeat a Paladin of N'Jal...



N'Jal huh? So I was dealing with one of the Thaynes? Dyne thought to himself. He wasn't sure how much time had passed since that brutally one-sided battle between himself and MetalDrago. Dyne realized that he was laying on a solid surface and his whole body hurt. Looking up, it hurt to open his eyes. Hearing a lot of voices in the room with him, the youth was momentarily concerned that he had ended up in the after world.

Yet, this was not to be.

Centralized in an earthbound realm, the voices seemed close to him. Then, he realized that he was surrounded by a lot of people. The owners of the voices no doubt. It suddenly hit him that he was in a hospital room being treated for the injuries he received under MetalDrago's command. Dyne understood that he had died, brutally at that. When he was finally starting to come to, he could see the hospital room around him. Bright lights were everywhere, and he felt bandages all around his body. His entire body ached with a terrible pain.

Nearby, he felt a pull of a familiar presence. Despite the ache in his neck, the youth turned towards Master Renard Brogan. It was the monk that had initiated this entire ordeal. Dyne's eyes were struggling to remain open as he looked at the Master. But he could have sworn he saw a smile on the man's face.

And then, Dyne completely blacked out once more.

[MetalDrago]

The battle was over. MetalDrago was sitting in the infirmary ward of the Citadel talking to Eins. He smiled as he talked over the things he’d experienced with Dyne. “The kid’s got promise, I’ll give him that much. But he’s got too much bravado. He spends too much time trying to attack his opponents directly and not enough time thinking about the actual consequences of each attack as he does them. I held back virtually the entire round, but… He’s not the young man I fought before. Polish him up a bit, and he’ll make an admirable member of the Order. You’ll have to break that overinflated ego of his first, though.”

Eins nodded. “I thought as much. He puts up a good front, but he knows he’s only got mediocre skills. He won’t give up, ever. Once he learns how to really fight, he’ll be a much better member. Thank you for testing him, all the same. The medical care for this match, as always, is free of charge, but next time try not to cut the boy open like that. I know that your fanatical lust for battle takes over at times, but that was a bit ridiculous.”

MetalDrago shrugged. His bandaging had been minor, around his leg and his chest, more for prevention of infection than for any physical discomfort that the Paladin had gone through. “You don’t have to thank me… I was just knocking the rust off this thing.” He held up his sword and smiled. It had been awhile since he’d actually been able to fight anyone. It felt good to let himself go like that after so long. “So, as far as I’m concerned, the kid passed, as a Neophyte. He’s not a big threat to anyone as he is, but this is one of the best places in the world for him to get some training, and I just don’t have the time to teach anyone how to fight anymore. Besides, you saw how I fought, Eins. I’m an animal in combat. No amount of training in the world can replace that feral, calculating fury that overtakes someone who deeply enjoys the bloodfest.”

The monk nodded and looked toward the recovery ward, where Dyne was still apparently being treated for his wounds. “You knocked him down a peg or two. He knows you held back the entire time, that you could have ended it at any point in time you wanted. He should be happy you gave him the chance to fight back. One swing of your sword and that energy wave would have killed him almost immediately. What do you call that attack again?”

The Paladin scratched his fingers against the ancient stone walls of the Citadel and said, “Shockwave Slice. Just one of many tricks I’ve picked up in the last year or so. Though, I must say, it is my favorite.” The magical light of the room dimmed for a moment as the door to the Recovery Rooms opened. A man walked out with a sheaf of papers in his hand, and disappeared down the hallway, mumbling to himself. The Dragonian couldn’t figure out what he was mumbling about, partly because of the man’s low voice, but mostly because his footsteps were echoing off the walls.

The monk stood up and turned to enter the Recovery Room. “You did well, Master Scorpio. I would expect no less from you. I’ll go tell Dyne you’re here to check up on him. Please wait here.”

He nodded and continued sitting as the monk walked off… He brought out his sword and examined it in the light. The power of the Dragon's Betrayal... such a beautiful weapon. Tear my enemies assunder, break their spirits and their bodies. A beautiful symphony of death and destruction will reign down around us, my dear... Then, the Dragonian Paladin smiled, an evil, icy, and sadistic grin of glee. He waited for Eins to return, that evil grin never leaving his face.

[Alberdyne_Cormyr]

Feeling the contours of the bed beneath him, the youth awoke a short time later with a start. Vivid imagery dealing with the battle he'd faced at the hands of MetalDrago Scorpio coursed through his troubled mind. Placing a hand to his forehead in pain, the youth was all bandaged up. Healing magics were working their course through his body making him feel very far away. A wave of warmth flowed its way through his person, making him feel goosebumps at the traveling energy. Going up and down his spine, the energy sent a shiver up his spine, one that made the youth hold his bed sheets closer to his body. Dyne could felt many people in the room with him as his consciousness settled on the Firmanent's cruel iron grip. With his eyes opening, Dyne took a look about the room. Nearby to his bed was all his gear, including his weapons and armor, completely repaired. Some food and drink were handy which was the main thing Alberdyne Cormyr noticed. He was very hungry. Very tender to the touch, his body felt soft after the tremendous beating he'd taken earlier.

Some female and male Monks of the Order were talking in the center of the room. This appeared to be a clinic of some sort. Was I dead? Dyne asked to himself as he laid in the bed. Of course I was. He was better than me, such...power. I don't get why the Monks made me go through that ordeal. What was the point?

Then, a powerful presence filled the room. It was that of Master Renard Brogan and another Monk that he did not recognize. Staring at him, they were both discussing a matter. Then, Renard walked over to Dyne whilst taking a chair. Dyne noticed a twinkle in Renard's eye that wasn't there before when they had initially met. An awkward pause passed between the two. When a moment or two passed, Renard spoke.

"The point was to obtain an understanding of your current skill level. Though your performance was rough around the edges, you didn't do half bad, all things considered."

Dyne blinked with surprise. Is he reading my thoughts?

Yes I am. Came a sudden response which startled the youth briefly, but then he quickly remembered his place. Be calm. This art is called Telepathy. I shall teach it to you someday...perhaps. For now, the cards are in your favor.

"What will happen to me now?" Dyne asked with his spoken voice.

"You will begin your Initiation into the Order. You will fight many battles. Many hardships will come your way. But you must face them all with that courage and discipline you used today to face insurmountable odds. With that said, I have someone here who would like to have a word with you."

Renard motioned towards the door and signaled for Eins to go fetch Master Scorpio...

[MetalDrago]

Eins nodded at the ranking monk and went to fetch the Dragonian, a slight smile upon his face. When he approached MetalDrago, he noticed that the man seemed to be lost in some kind of sadistic reverie. His eyes locked with the Paladin, and he knew, once and for all, that the man had lost all sense of his former self in place of the new. He was still essentially the same soul, but madness had taken grip, a madness that gave him an aura not unlike that of his more powerful brother in arms, Lorenor. The orchid color of his eyes, the way that they shined in the shadows, it was almost frightening. If the monk hadn’t known the man since he’d first arrived at the Citadel, he’d never have had the guts to approach him.

The Paladin looked up, escaping his thoughts, but still wearing that same grin. “So, how’s the young man doing?” he asked. The monk scratched the back of his neck, and then indicated that the Dragonian should follow him. He sighed and stood up, letting his cloak fall around him as he did. He wasn’t completely healed yet, but he felt like talking to the lad, to make sure that he hadn’t been traumatized… well, at least not too badly. He laughed at his inner joke as he followed the monk to the healing chamber.

Eins didn’t bother knocking, instead just pushing one of the doors open and motioning for the Paladin to go through. The monk didn’t follow him, choosing instead to attend to his other duties. MetalDrago sighed and walked up behind the older gentleman who was talking with Dyne. “Well, well, well… So you’re the one who had me come and beat a defenseless man to death.” He was, of course, referring to the senior monk.

The monk laughed and motioned for the Paladin to sit. When he did, the monk said, “I must proffer my thanks to you for pushing this young man to his limit before breaking him. I must admit, had you fought with the vigor you did at the end of the fight from the very beginning, we wouldn’t have been able to see the courage and power the young man held within his heart. For that you have my sincerest gratitude. Also, I believe we owe you something of a reward.”

MetalDrago felt something inside of his mind, and he fought against it. “Do not read my mind, monk. I’m not sure you’ll like what you find inside.” He crossed his arms and looked at the monk steadily. “I need no reward. This was hardly a fair fight. You should have trained him before he faced me in the arena.”

The monk shook his head. “We wanted to test his courage and resolve, which we did. He did what we expected, and you performed admirably as well. You’re certain you need no reward for this?”

The Dragonian shook his head. “My bloodlust is satisfied for now. I will be back, though, count on it.”

The monk laughed. “With power such as yours, I have no doubt that you’ll seek more opportunities to use it. If we have need of your skills, will you be so kind as to lend them to us once again?”

“Assuming you keep your word and keep out of the affairs of our people, I will keep my word. If you turn on us, I won’t stop until I see the entire Citadel crumble around your ears.” With that, the Paladin looked at Dyne and smiled. He liked the kid. He had the courage to stand up to what was by all appearances a monster and he didn’t once flinch. “You have the makings of a warrior, kid. When you’ve polished your skills, don’t be afraid to face me again. I look forward to seeing you grow in strength, almost as much as I look forward to slicing you in half again.” At that he chuckled slightly, a dark humor evident in his orchid-colored eyes.

[Alberdyne_Cormyr]

Event started to move quickly. Several monks were in the chamber overseeing Dyne's recovery. Bandaged up but not broken, Alberdyne Cormyr was healing well. Suddenly becoming slightly darker with a certain presence in the room, Dyne turned his attention towards his previous opponent. MetalDrago Scorpio spoke drawing Dyne's full attention. The bed felt uncomfortable when MetalDrago spoke and the youth realized his weakness all too vividly. Many bandages covered most of his body. Several monks were working their healing magics on Dyne's body. An ethereal glow of magical residue touched the air that Dyne noticed. His sharp eyes studied MetalDrago Scorpio. The Dragonian was a truly impressive warrior. When Master Scorpio finished speaking, Alberdyne Cormyr responded.

Pain coursed its way through his body. Visibly did he shake. His eyes could not hide the immense pain he was under. The monks did not bother to place anesthetics on Dyne, he'd not requested them. Instead, he opted to face the pain that MetalDrago Scorpio had inflicted upon his body. In one fell moment, the youth was severed into many bloody pieces. Alberdyne Cormyr found himself wondering if he would ever obtain such a power the likes that the Dragonian possessed. Despite the fact that his confidence in his own ability was shaken at the very foundation, Dyne had learned a great deal about himself that day. When he realized that MetalDrago Scorpio had awakened a deeper desire within his heart, Dyne spoke. He chose his words quite carefully bowing his head forward with a great deal of pain and effort.

Dyne struggled to extend his hand towards MetalDrago Scorpio.

"Master Scorpio." Dyne began. "Your words are too kind. I am not worthy of such praise. I have barely begun to learn anything about the world. All I did was just try to live without cowardice in my heart. You are a superior warrior, I would be honoured to train further with you. Please teach me the warrior arts so that I might be a better tactician in the future." Dyne said truthfully. He believed that MetalDrago held a key for him. A key to a door hidden deep within his very soul. If I train under that man, I will be able to survive with greater ease. I must be able to protect myself so I can protect others around me... Dyne's hand started to shake and he let it drop on the bed.

Seeing MetalDrago Scorpio, he waited for the man's response. Again, he could have sworn he saw a dark air around The Dragonian. He dismissed it as the side-effects of exhaustion. A quick jolt of pain coursed through his vessel as the monk's magic touched a particularly soft spot in Dyne's body. Reacting with little more than a physical wince, Dyne never once complained. Despite the fact that he had been cut literally to pieces, he had learned that he could stand against those who were his superior. Finally, when the pain became far too great for his physical shell to undertake, Dyne fell into slumber.

***

Sometime passed. Hours turned into days, days turned into weeks and weeks turned into months. With the nature of the injuries that Dyne had sustained, the youth had recovered surprisingly well. Though greatly injured, his resolve had never once been broken. He stared at the face of death and walked away a stronger man. His crimson hair had somehow grown a darker shade of red, at his right temporalis region, his hair had developed a tuft of gray hair. The merciless touch of death, the fallen one. Somehow, Alberdyne Cormyr seemed considerably older and wiser after the death-experience had changed his perception of the world. Dyne noticed Master Renard Brogan observing him casually as he got dressed one morning when his injuries were fully healed.

Sunshine flowed into the room through the windows that lurked every few paces. Dyne found the strength to leave his bed on his own that morning and currently ate breakfast. The food served by the order was not five-star cuisine, but to Dyne, it was the greatest breakfast he ever had. He'd been awarded a new lease on life and he intended to make the most of it. He knew he had to grow stronger, that was a given. His Master was speaking to him in the form of a constant lecture. Even whilst Dyne was recovering, the youth had to study and learn the necessary terms of skirmishing tactics.

Reasoning himself a brawler, the youth still had a great deal to learn in order to refine his tactics into something more concrete. There was a lot of work to do and the monks seemed eager to help him.

"Remember Dyne. The Bron has placed weaknesses in every race native to Althanas, and even those not native to Althanas." Dyne heard Master Brogan saying. "It is our duty to record this knowledge into our works, called Grimoires of the Order." Knowledge was priceless Dyne had learned in his time recovering from his injuries. He simply listened and learned quietly whilst the older monk spoke. "Take this book Dyne. Write your observations in it everyday." His Master handed him a fancy book. It had a latch to close it and it smelled of papyrus and hemp. "You must keep detailed notes of your battles as you progress. Remember the teachings my young friend. They will serve you well."

"I will my Master. When is the next job?"

"It has already begun."

Dyne took his book, and prepared to write down his observations of his battle with MetalDrago Scorpio whilst the memories were still fresh in his head. Little knowing that he was writing a works that encompass the future of his people...

FIN.

[Revenant]

Full rubric, full commentary requested. Alberdyne Cormyr’s score is in red, Metaldrago’s is in blue.

STORY

Continuity (5/7) – Alberdyne, you give a light introduction to your character, what he is doing, why he is doing it, and a brief overview of the Coronian Civil War, all in the first post. You’ve covered a lot of information there, but none of it with anything more than passing detail. Remember that everything about your character’s history and motivation doesn’t need to be laid out up front right away. MetalDrago, you do a good job of explaining enough of your character that I understand who he is and what he is doing in this thread while at the same time hinting at the deeper things with which he is involved. Saying that, here are two areas that I believe could have been elaborated on to help you improve: you describe yourself as a Paladin of N’Jal but never really go more in depth into what that means and you don’t explain what a Dragonian is (I found myself confused as to whether you had actual scales, were just wearing scale mail armor, or both). I can look at your character profile for this, but shouldn’t have to.

Setting (4/6) – Alberdyne, you only give the setting passing mention and don’t really do anything with it aside from gag a little on some horrible smells. It seemed like you ignored the chamber that MetalDrago chose and spent your posts standing in the middle of a blank, featureless clearing only to try and it seemed like you came back at the end to remedy your lack of interaction by saying “oh, and nothing happened to me and I’m not sure why”. MetalDrago, you used the setting much more than Alberdyne did, but I got little more than a visual perspective on things from you. Remember that your character has other senses; show how the evolving situation affects them.

Pacing (4/7) – Alberdyne, here again your character seemed to do little more than stand still, observe what was going on, and react to what MetalDrago did. You also had some awkward back and forth areas in your posts where you reiterated the same thing more than once. MetalDrago, you were really the driving force in this story.


CHARACTER

Dialogue (6/7) – Dialogue from both of you was believable and in character, though MetalDrago’s was more inspired.

Action (5/8) – MetalDrago again takes this category, as Alberdyne didn’t do much more than stand still and get struck. While your actions were believable for your character given the situation, it was also boring to read. You can show defiance and fear through more than just standing there and posturing. Things started to pick up just before the finish, but the fight ended there. What you did show was good and I would have liked to have read more from you. MetalDrago, your writing was vivid and enjoyable to read.

Persona (6/5) – Alberdyne, you did well here. I felt the halting, paralyzing nature of your character’s fear and uncertainty, but I would have liked to have seen more development of your stubbornness however, as that seemed to be the defining trait you were going for. MetalDrago, the bloodlust and sadism in your character are harder to convey in a deep, meaningful way without either understating them to no effect or going overboard and I felt you could have done more to express these things than you did.

WRITING STYLE

Technique (6/6) – This was an example of solid, basic writing from both of you, but I didn’t see much advanced technique. Keep with this level and build on it in your future writing.

Mechanics (5/8) – Alberdyne, your use of passive voice was really a big mark weighing you down. Try to maintain an active tone as you write for better results. I also noticed numerous minor grammatical errors throughout your posts. Proofreading will help you here. MetalDrago you had solid mechanics with little error.

Clarity (5/7) – Both of you wrote fairly fluid, easy to read posts. Alberdyne, your posts got a little muddy near the end, especially the last portion of your final post where I couldn’t tell exactly what time frame everything was happening in. On one hand it seemed like the scene took place the morning after your fight with MetalDrago but on the other you said that months had passed.

WILD CARD

Wild Card (5/5)

TOTAL: (51/66)

MetalDrago Scorpio (who sounds like a James Bond villain) wins!

MetalDrago receives 1,150 exp and 160 gp.
Alberdyne receives 200 exp and 140 gp.

[Silence Sei]

GP-Exp Added

The Bakura guy leveled.