Legacy:To Tame Wild Spirits...

[Alberdyne_Cormyr]

(Closed)

As part of his training regimen, Alberdyne Cormyr was required to go to The Citadel oft. His skills were improving, but not by much. Ever since his dual-battles between MetalDrago Scorpio, and Artemis Eburi, Alberdyne Cormyr was determined to find any chance at proving himself to his superiors. Now a guard at Underwood, Dyne was stationed in the barracks for several months now. A failed Monk, Dyne decided that the military was his next, best option.

Alberdyne Cormyr stared at the front side of The Citadel after being debriefed of a recent assignment. A cool breeze came in from the West, North-West, that had just a slight taste of Salvar on it. It felt good after a long month of hard labor, and grueling patrols. The cadet studied The Citadel intimately as if he were looking at an ideal woman. In some perverse sense, The Citadel represented that. A frenzied orgy of blood and tension, meat clashing with meat, blade against blade all in the back drop symphony of screams and death-cries. For a moment, Dyne closed his green eyes and listened to the wind. Cries were on it that reminded him of banshees in the night. Seconds oft separated winner from the defeated, mere seconds that determined a loss from obtaining The Glory.

Alberdyne Cormyr was intimate with the mad symphony of battle having participated in many himself by then. It was a warm July afternoon, a Tuesday, and the hour was the third hour after noon with thirty four minutes to spare. Dyne felt the wind carry with it the presence of lost souls. They still would cling to the mortal coil, in essence, becoming jealous and envious of the living.

When he opened his eyes, Dyne adjusted his glasses and saw the curvaceous form of a lively female Monk of the Order. Her brown hair danced with the wind and Dyne found himself smiling at her person. Dyne's own red hair was tied in a tight, business-like ponytail. It moved along with the cloak he wore, emblazoned with The Cormyr household's symbol. Though Alberdyne was no noble, members of his clan were. He knew this, and apparently so did the woman who currently stared at him with a curious but stern expression on her face.

"Lord Cormyr." The Monk began. "Time seems to have treated you well, how goes all this hour for ye?" The Monk asked.

"'Tis well enough." Dyne said in a cordial sort of way. He bowed towards The Lady Monk. "I thank ye for asking." Dyne paused for a moment as if attempting to delay the call of battle he knew was coming. "I would like a chamber if one is not in use. Calibrate it to mine usual specs." Dyne said, he continued. "I would like a training partner for my studies in the military."

"Very good Lord Cormyr." She said with the slightest hint of a smile. "I shall be certain you are well taken care of." She said, then motioned for Dyne to follow her.

He did so...

***

With the trouble of Radasanth Square left behind, Dyne was now fishing by a famous river. Dyne had a basic fishing pole set up that he'd asked The Monks for on the way to Chamber Number 5. It was a large farmland reminiscent of Yarborough Province. The river side was located on one of the many fields of the province, connected to the Bradbury River. It snaked it's way through the entirety of Corone proper and was joined by a sister river, The Firewiner. Several individuals were fishing on The Bradbury, and to the North, was a bridge that connected either side of Yarborough. It was a sunny afternoon. Wind came in from the South, just as Dyne had requested. There were no cries of death in this wind, it was a pure breeze with a someone soft moaning sound to it. Concordia Forest rested ominously to the North.

One of the fishers sat on the shore next to Alberdyne Cormyr. This fisher was a female, The Monk from earlier.

"You have strange tastes mi'lord." The woman found herself saying.

"'Tis a past-time whilst I wait for what shall come. Nothing less nothing more. Besides..." He turned towards the woman. "...I am hungry." He grinned, and proceeded to concentrate on the act of fishing. His boots were off, and his feet rested against the muddy rocks.

Clan Cormyr originated from The Highlanders of Yarborough Province. When his people were nothing more than a nomadic tribe fending off monsters from Concordia Forest. Today, he sat on the rocks of The Bradbury shore just as his ancestors had generations ago, pre-dating The Demon War. Dyne smiled at the rich heritage he knew his family possessed, but he had little way of knowing that the humble start of a military career would one day bring about...

...A new age of Heroes.

In this Second Age of Darkness, Radasanth needed a new breed of Hero to rise. Dyne would herald their call to victory against the forces of The Living Dark. Or die trying.

[Caellach]

The slight chill hanging in the morning air was refreshing. Not so cold that one's breath was visible, the cool breeze was certainly not uncomfortable; it was just enough to keep the mind crisp and clear. Caellach inhaled slowly and deeply as he walked along the smoothly cobbled street. He was used to colder temperatures, and the cool breeze was welcomed and enjoyed. The sound of his boots striking the gray stones beneath him was lost in the murmur of the crowd in front of the Citadel as he headed for the door of the grand building.

He nearly bumped into a standing man as he made his way, but any tinge of annoyance was wiped away as he recalled his first time seeing the Citadel. With a wry grin he though that he had no doubt stared at the grandiose building for as long a time when he had first laid eyes on it. However, as he neared the door, and glanced up at the magnificent facade himself, he realized that the man may have just as likely been to the Citadel as many times as, if not more than, Caellach himself. Caellach was not one to stop and stare -- one quick gaze was enough -- but he appreciated that others were not the same as he.

The temperature was noticeably warmer inside the building due to multiple small fires. Caellach couldn't stop his mouth from twitching in lament at leaving the cool breeze, but didn't pause as he approached a monk and exchanged pleasantries.

"Good morning. I came by these fine blades recently, but haven't tried them in actual combat yet," he said, gesturing towards the two steel shortswords hanging from either side of his belt. "Somehow, I think you might be able to help."

The monk gave a polite smile -- he no doubt heard similar 'witty' phrases all day long -- and asked that Caellach follow. The swordsman was not yet used to the scabbards of the two new blades waving back and forth on his hips as he walked, but still managed to tread with a lofty grace as he trailed the monk to a light wooden door. The entire door appeared to be made of a single sheet of oak: a great feat of carpentry judging from its size -- it was almost twice as tall and thrice as wide as Caellach.

I hope I shall one day adventure far enough to see trees so magnificent. He had lived in the forest most of his life, but he had seen few trees that even approached the sheer girth of the door in front of him. And there I was thinking how I don't stop and stare, he thought as he realized he had been in the same spot for quite a few moments. He grinned at his own folly, and pushed the great door open.

Stepping through the portal, he found himself in an open field. He welcomed the return of the wind, and turned in a slow circle, taking in his surroundings. He appeared to be in a vast farmland, with a forest on one side and a large river on another. The only people he could see were by the river -- fishing, apparently -- so he headed in that direction. As he neared he saw one of the fishermen appeared to be armed, and assumed that must be today's opponent. He walked up beside the man and spoke.

"Beautiful scenery. I take it you asked for it; have you been here before or is it in your head?"

[Alberdyne_Cormyr]

The water from the river felt good against his bare feet. Fish were not biting at that particular hour, and he was getting ready to give up on the act anyway. He wore a hat that day, it was wide brimmed and covered his face from the sun. Further, Dyne smoked a cigarette made of pure hemp herb. The plant of cannibus. Tainting the air with it's sweet smell, the cannibus smoke was strong indeed. It was a popular pass time for much of Corone's youth and was a commodity as far as herbs and spices went. Dyne was relaxed whilst he smoked the herb and attempted to fish.

After a bit of time passed, Dyne was beginning to think that nobody was going to answer his call to battle. However, after more time passed, Dyne heard someone approach from behind. A question was asked, and the youth turned towards the form of his chosen opponent. Dyne grinned beneath the shadow of the wide-brimmed hat he wore. He reeled the hook of his fishing rod in, and placed the rod on the ground next to his companion. Dyne turned towards his opponent and extended a hand in his general direction.

"Nah. It's Yarborough. I come out here all the time when I am traveling to Serenti." Then Dyne tapped his forehead. "Though some of it is from up here." Dyne said casually. Then he turned towards the woman who sat next to him, she was real. No illusion. "Okay mi'lady. We are both here."

"Introduce yourself to your opponent." The female monk said.

"Oh right." Dyne grinned again. "Sorry about that sir. My name is Alberdyne Cormyr, son of Melothac Cormyr. What are you named sir?" Dyne asked.

[Caellach]

“I’m Caellach,” the swordsman stated plainly in reply to the man’s question. He always felt awkward offering only his given name, but that was the custom of his village; while women frequently took their mother’s surname, men traditionally chose their own name. Caellach simply hadn’t found something truly important in life yet, and therefore had not yet chosen his last name.

The man, Dyne, had one of those odd wrapped herb sticks Caellach had seen multiple young men smoking around Radasanth. While Caellach had certainly smoked a pipe before in his village, these "cigarettes" as they were called seemed to have an effect somewhat similar to alcohol. The smoke from the cigarettes smelled quite different from that of the pipes he was used to, but it was not a bad smell; it had a strange sort of sweet but intense flavor that seemed to briefly overpower one's mind with its herbal vehemence. However, now was not the time for trying such things, Caellach decided. He grasped the other man’s hand with a firm grip to shake before speaking further.

“So how is this working? Are both of you combatants?” he asked, looking towards the robed woman as he dropped the man’s hand.

The monk smiled and appeared to suppress a chuckle before replying.

“The main fight will be between you two. I will step in if needed, however.”

Caellach still did not quite understand her purpose, but decided he’d find out as he went. From the way she suddenly stood up straight and changed her stance as she spoke he could tell she was not nearly as weak as she looked. She was unarmed, but it was becoming apparent that she was a monk of the Citadel; no doubt if they could create mountains and valleys in the blink of an eye they could manage to create a weapon, too. Then again she may not need a weapon, he thought suddenly as he recalled the rumors he had heard of monks.

While the fighters that protected his village and had trained Caellach, the Sentinels as they were called, only resorted to their fists and feet when left without a weapon, Caellach had heard there were many warriors who specialized in unarmed combat. At first, before he had become accustomed to large cities, he had thought the idea ridiculous. A bare fist besting a metal blade? He simply did not see how it was possible unless the swordsman was incredibly inept. However, his thoughts on the matter were quickly changed after he witnessed a bar fight or two. Even many of the untrained drunks in the city seemed able to knock a man out with a single well-placed blow, and he had heard those who specialized in the ability were much more deadly.

A useful skill to have, if you found yourself with no weapon, he thought, but nonetheless knew he would always favor his blade. He had to resist the urge to let his hand drift lovingly to the hilt of his longsword; he did not want his combatant – or combatants; he was still not sure – to think he was already starting to attack. Repressing the urge did, however, drain his patience quickly, and in an effort to get things started he spoke up.

“Well then, are there any rules to this duel?”

He took his bow off from his back and tossed it gently to the side; he had already found that the instrument, while deadly at range, was not terribly useful in the Citadel. Checking that the clasp on his cloak was secure, he shrugged his shoulders to adjust the wolf skin cape in preparation for the fight to come.

[Alberdyne_Cormyr]

"You two will be dueling. I am merely instructed to observe and prevent any terminations." She said carefully. "There is one rule however. You two are to fight in the river and without any shoes or socks on." She smiled after that. "You are free to use any methods necessary to best your opponent as long as you remain in the water. This is part of the training process. You don't have to go all the way into the river, just remember that, fighting by the shore is acceptable. Well then, you two are free to begin."

Alberdyne Cormyr listened as she stated the rules of the match. It was simple, straight forward and elegant. Dyne decided that he actually liked the conditions of this match-up. Looking towards the waters of the river, he observed for a moment or two and then prepared to undo his boots. He wore hide skin boots and plain socks. Dyne was a very clean lad so he bathed often.

Moving his shoes and socks off to the side, he decided that he would not use his shield for the battle. He kept three weapons on his person at all times, two iron daggers and one bronze longsword. Dyne walked into the waters, feeling the cool substance flowing around his calves. He smiled at the feeling, it was not unpleasant. He moved roughly four paces into the river, making certain to avoid the deeper parts. He drew his bronze longsword, and prepared a simplistic combat stance. The tip of his sword was slightly submerged in the water at a forty-five degree angle.

He held his sword in his left hand, grip held tightly. Standing in place, the wind caused his cloak to move around subtly. Alberdyne Cormyr had wrapped his pants at slightly above knee level. With calves submerged in the water, he could feel the soft earth beneath the surface of the river. It felt strangely good against the backdrop of the afternoon sun. Dyne had three weapons to play with, he would be certain to use all of them if necessary to best his opponent. Smiling towards Caellach, Alberdyne Cormyr adjusted his glasses briefly. He would wait for his opponent, because that was the honorable thing to do...

[Caellach]

Caellach welcomed the female monk's slight clarification. Why there had not been monks in his other matches he was not sure, but at least he knew what she meant by 'step in' now. Or at least he thought he did.

He squatted down to unlace his simple leather traveling boots, glancing up at the river as he did so. It did not appear to have a terribly strong current on the surface, but the middle of the river seemed rather deep from the color of the water. Caellach had grown up near a river and was a tremendous swimmer, but had never actually fought while in water before. Removing his socks and tucking them into his boots, he considered whether or not to remove his cape. It might server only to slow him down if he got too deep into the water, but he decided that if he ever encountered a similar situation outside the Citadel he would have no time to remove the heavy pelt. The same train of thought convinced him not to roll up his pant legs at all.

He walked calmly into the water as Dyne assumed a fighting stance. The stance was nothing special -- Caellach had been taught one that seemed similar -- but it showed that Dyne knew how to use the sword he was holding. The two fighters appeared to have a somewhat similar armory; one longsword each and two smaller bladed weapons. The two blades Caellach drew from either hip, however, were quite a bit longer than the two daggers Dyne carried. The shortswords in his hands had belonged to a man Caellach used to know, named Daryn Featherblade. A man Caellach had slain. Everytime he drew the blades he made sure to think of them as his blades, not Daryn's. While Featherblade had once been Caellach's teacher and mentor, the man had turned to thievery -- preying on the town he had once defended. Caellach felt no remorse for his teacher's death.

The water swirling around Caellach's feet and legs was cold, but not unpleasantly so. He was standing about ten paces from the his patiently waiting opponent. Adjusting his grip on the two shortswords he held, he shifted his weight onto his left foot and slid his right foot a half pace forwards through the mud. He kept his right arm out with the blade up, much like he would hold his longer sword, but raised his left arm so that the blade pointed downwards, towards the river. It was more of a defensive stance than one for attacking, but it did not restrict his ability to move forward either.

Nodding both to show his opponent he was ready and to thank the man for waiting honorably, he spoke plainly.

"Let us begin!"

[Alberdyne_Cormyr]

Thinking that he would like to befriend the man before him, Dyne had seldom come across opponents in The Citadel that he'd actually respected. Walking through the mud, the youth felt awkward having to battle in the water, but the monks had their reasons. He would respect them. Not too long ago, Alberdyne Cormyr had attempted to join the Monks but recent events made that career a short one. Instead, Dyne had enlisted into The Empire's military as many youths his age were doing. Dyne had opted to join Underwood's police force, The Watch, and had not once regretted that decision. Citadel training was part of his educational process.

Dyne covered the distance between himself and is opponent and now stood roughly a few paces in front of the other fellow. Well within striking distance. Dyne prepared his weapon and was ready to begin the battle in good fashion. He recognized the mineral quality of his foe's shortswords as steel. Bronze was a strong low-tier metal, but Dyne wondered if it could hold up against steel fashioned of that quality and make. Dyne knew his masterwork weapon had let him down only a few other times in his life. But those were extreme circumstances...

The sunlight reflected brilliantly against the metal of his sword. Dyne took a relaxed combat position but tensed his powerful musculature. When he felt the tightness in his calves, he suddenly understood why they were forced to fight in the water. It was a test of muscle memory, and it would be a great challenge after all. Alberdyne Cormyr respecting the teachings of the monks and a part of him longed to be a member of the order. When sufficient time had passed that he got used to his current combat environment, Dyne prepared various mental calculations.

As a philosopher, he had learned a great deal about the arts of science and math. He was learning to apply both concepts to his combat style but had not yet reached a pinnacle where he could readily put science and math to practical use. So he used his visualization skill obtained through vocational study of the arts of Corone. Radasanth had a thriving art community that was not suppressed by The Empire. With those thoughts in his head, Dyne visually focused on his opponent. Then, he struck. Moving as quickly as he could through the mud, though the movements were still quite awkward, Dyne felt as though he were learning to walk all over again. His legs splashed water about in every direction as they powerfully thrust through the surface of the river. Dyne was a big man, and he pounded through the mud like a tank should. When he was well within striking distance, he took both hands to the grip of his weapon. Raising his sword, he lifted the blade favoring the left side of his body. When his movement had reached a zenith, he lunged forward in a downward cutting movement, aiming for the stomach of his opponent. His foe was lightly armoured like he was, but that didn't make him any less dangerous. Dyne waited whilst he attempted to get some sort of a hit with his attack...

[Caellach]

The light glinted dangerously on Dyne's blade as the man began to close the distance between himself and Caellach. Keeping his eyes on his advancing opponent's sword and shoulder in order to be ready for an attack, Caellach almost did not notice the change in his opponent's height. Caellach was looking almost straight into Dyne's eyes now when he glanced up, whereas he could have sworn he had been nearly a head taller than the red haired man on land. With sudden clarity, Caellach realized he had sunk much deeper into the mud than he thought. He remained calm as he began to slowly pull his feet out of the mud; Dyne was still a few paces away, and Caellach was confident that the man would delay an attack if asked. Luckily the water made the mud so lose that it did not have nearly as much suction as it would on land, and Caellach wriggled his feet out before he needed to ask for more time, keeping his eyes on Dyne to try not to give away what had happened. That would have been rather embarrassing, he thought as he found his footing anew and resumed his combat stance.

Now that the two swordsmen were close enough to strike, Dyne took the offensive first, and Caellach quickly moved to defend. Pivoting his right arm, he turned his right short sword horizontally and raised it to block Dyne's attack, and started to bring his left arm down to slash the other swordsman's now unprotected shoulder. However, he had not realized quite how strong Dyne was, and ended up making an awkward side step to the left and using his left blade to instead aid in parrying the powerful bronze sword's strike. On land he would have been able to dodge the blow rather easily he thought, but in the water his small hop to the left had barely moved him, requiring the use of his other sword to defend himself. He could tell already the water would have a profound effect on the battle, more than one might guess from the shoreline.

Caellach tried to regain the time lost from using both swords to parry by disengaging the blades quickly and prepare to attack. He tended to favor his right hand in attacks, having been accustomed to fighting with one sword for years, but even with his limited experience with the double short swords he could tell it would be difficult to attack with both arms if he relied on his right arm. Instead, he stuck his right blade straight out, and then thrust his left sword under it to try to stab the other man's flank. It would not be a terribly wounding attack if it hit, but he hoped that his right short sword would make it difficult for Dyne to parry, as it was between the man's sword and Caellach's left. As he had just found out, it was quite difficult to move quickly through the water, making one's weapon a more integral part of their defense.

[Alberdyne_Cormyr]

With locked blades, the youth was focused on the man's eyes. Knees were locked in the movement as his opponent parried with one of the swords. Dyne felt the weight of the man's muscles moving fluidly with the sword he intercepted with. Dyne knew that the man would best him, but it was crucial that he face his fate without fear. Holding his combat position in place, the youth remembered the rules of the battle. Since he had no way of detecting the under-handed swing, there was nothing he could do to prepare. He was focused on what was immediately in front of him so his opponent caught Dyne completely off guard.

Moving as he normally had planned, Dyne continued to attempt to calculate several movements into the next part of the battle. He could not predict movements, as that was beyond his skill, but he could calculate and prepare for possibilities. His training with The Citadel had been long and arduous, and he'd seen a great many events in his day.

The next few moments of the battle were quite slow to the youth. Dyne attempted to push his weight down on the man's intercepted blade. He figured he could push down and then continue an attack from there. Whilst he was preparing to push down something else happened. The second short sword! In the heat of the moment, Dyne had completely forgot about the second sword and was not able to predict the use of dirty tactics in the battle. Immediately, Dyne respected the capacity of his opponent.

Metal pierced flesh quite easily as Dyne did not like armour. Fabric was ripped as the blade easily entered his body. Feeling a burning sensation pass through his rib-cage, Dyne growled loudly. He was not angry, but he was disappointed in himself. A brawler at heart, Dyne chastised himself for being caught off guard with such underhanded tactics. Blood spilled from the injury and Dyne was momentarily at a loss. He knew moving the wrong way would cause more damage to him, so he slowly pulled away from the blade. He hoped his opponent would allow him that moment to recuperate himself from the deadly injury.

As he moved, he moved with a large degree of effort. His side burned and felt numb, he felt a tremendous pain. Dyne felt the tip of his blade drop down into the mud as he lost control of that side of his body. Pain shot up through him like electricity. He felt something snap inside of him that shouldn't have snapped, probably a couple of fractured ribs. Dyne was having difficulty standing after that initial interaction. He didn't want that to be the end. Taking a step or two back, Dyne gauged his injury and saw the severity of it. When he moved away from the blade, the injury got exponentially worse. Dyne fell down to one knee, one of his hands scraped the bottom of the river with his knuckles. His sword was submerged under water. Alberdyne Cormyr could feel the jaws of defeat sinking in. Instead, he attempted to face it without fear. Finding courage, he grabbed the sword once more and lifted himself to a standing position. Blood flowed freely from the terrible injury. Dyne's face was twisted up in an expression of extreme physical anguish.

"Do you forfeit?!" Dyne suddenly heard the female monk speak.

Dyne shook his head in the negative, he was proud. The blood of heroes flowed through his veins.

"Never!" Dyne said. "I shall fight with my last breath!" Blood trickled down the side of his lips...

[Caellach]

A hint of a smile flashed across Caellach's face as his blade connected. He did not take pleasure in inflicting pain, but was happy to know that he wasn't completely ineffective with the weapons. However, the smirk dropped and a slightly quizzical expression took its place as Dyne staggered a few paces away. At first Caellach assumed his opponent must be bluffing, trying to lure Caellach into a false sense of security. As the sword dropped from his opponent's hand Candide decided that this was no charade; his attack must have been significantly more damaging than he had thought it would be. He briefed glanced down at his swords -- already clean from a dip in the river -- and considered the sharp edges. He still did not know how he had managed to cause so dramatic an injury, but he decided to put it out of his mind.

Sheathing his blades, he watched Dyne fall to his knees instead of seizing the opportunity to end the duel. He had come here for practice; not to take off someone's head after only exchanging one blow. He took a pace forward and was about to kneel down to grab Dyne's sword before the current took it, but the other swordsman suddenly found the strength to grip the submerged sword and stand. Caellach backed up a pace as he slowly unsheathed his blades, giving Dyne a questioning look to see if he wanted to continue.

The female monk appeared to be following the same thought as Caellach, and asked if the man would give up. With more vehemence than Caellach thought the man had left Dyne refused to yield. Shrugging, Caellach relaxed his grip on the hilts of his short swords ever so slightly and gave Dyne a few more moments to recover and assume a defensive stance if he wished. For his own stance he held both fists together about a foot in front of his chest, blades crossed in an X.Then, lunging forward as fast as the water would permit, he slashed with both blades in opposite horizontal directions, his right blade swinging to his right and his left blade slicing to his left.

[Alberdyne_Cormyr]

Standing up, Dyne was able to feel his adrenal glands pumping the precious substance through his body. His final wind had kicked in, and this was a moment of desperation, utter desperation. Alberdyne Cormyr switched back to his brawler's mindset and attempted to think as his street urchin's training demanded he thought. He was caught by a dirty attack early in the bout which resulted in his current injury, so Dyne had to think quickly. Holding his sword for balance, Dyne jabbed his weapon into the muddy bottom of the river. Studying what his opponent was doing, the move was telegraphed with ample time.

For a moment that seemed like an eternity, his opponent prepped his attack and then moved forward with it. Dyne had a plan. He always had a plan, and reverting back to his survivalist instincts, Dyne was willing to undergo any measures to defeat his opponent. The Watch never surrenders. The Watch never submits, never shows mercy. Take no quarter and protect the free people of Corone's Empire. He recited the verses of Underwood's The Watch faction. Having memorized it as part of training.

Just when his opponent had covered enough distance, Dyne counter-struck him to the best of his growing ability. Savage, precise, Dyne yelled as he released his grip on his weapon. It became submerged once more, and the youth released his good arm. With an arm hanging uselessly, Dyne was willing to sacrifice that arm in an attempt to intercept the blow that was incoming. The swing that favored his opponent's right side came at Dyne's right side, and the left behaved in the same way. The right side of Dyne's body contained the injury, so Dyne shifted the majority of his weight to connect with the incoming blow.

Flinching, Dyne concentrated with sheer will power at that point in the game. His hand struck out like a coiled wyvern. Knowing he only had one shot at that precise maneuver, Dyne aimed quickly for the man's wrist. He was attacking, the left side of his opponent, for he was not fast enough to disarm both hands at this point. Alberdyne Cormyr used a basic disarming technique in an attempt to rend the man's blade from his hand moments before the actual connection came. When the other blade pierced his useless arm, Dyne flinched, but was able to continue the bout. Blood steadily flowed from the injury, his heart pumping it out readily. Dyne counted seconds as his hand moved closer to his opponents wrist. Should he win that part of the bout, he would toss the man's short-sword to the side and into the river...

More blood flowed from the fresh injury to his right arm.

[Caellach]

Just before Caellach's blades bit into Dyne's flesh the now unarmed opponent lashed out with a speed Caellach did not think possible in the wounded man's current state. The sharp edge of the sword in his right side connected with his foe's right arm as planned, but his left blade stopped short, the other man's hand tightly gripping Caellach's wrist. Both surprised that Dyne barely reacted to the new injury and determined not to be disarmed, Caellach foolishly held on tightly to his left blade.

It would be a lesson well learned from this fight that one sword was better than none. Caellach's left arm was above his right, and when Dyne pulled on Caellach's wrist the swordsman was forced to lean far forwards to maintain his grip. On land Caellach might have been able to keep balance, but the loose mud and flowing water caused him to topple off to the side, not just dropping his left blade, but also losing his grip on his right. He toppled over towards the deeper part of the river, and was lifted off his feet by the stronger current in the middle.

The water rushed over him as his head was submerged, but he quickly turned over and thrust his head back out of the water. Having grown up by a river Caellach had learned to swim at an early age, and did not panic as he sought a footing. With a large stroke towards the side Dyne was on he found mud shallow enough to stand on, and wasted no time in recovering his ground. He took two paces more so that most of his torso was out of the water, and then ran as quickly as the water permitted towards his opponent.

Turning slightly and bringing his right shoulder back, Caellach threw a punch as hard as he could at his opponent, aimed just below the injured man's neck. He had only ever been in one fist fight as a child, but had seen enough bar fights to know that blows to the head were much easier to dodge than to the chest. Relying on the fact that his opponent was not at full strength, he hoped the punch would be enough to at least stun the man long enough to initiate a second attack if it hit.

[Alberdyne_Cormyr]

Of course, the eye that was in general facing Caellach had grown bloodshot by then. Dyne was having a hard time seeing out of that eye, which greatly limited his field of vision. He knew he was hurting, blood was flowing everywhere from the last injury and he was literally just a big punching bag. Turning towards the general direction of his opponent, Dyne noticed what was about to happen way too late. The strike, of course connected.

Alberdyne Cormyr felt a crippling pain flow through his head just then and down his spine. His neck was powerful, and the muscles knotted when Caellach's fist connected. It felt like a brick had hit him. Instantly, Dyne was knocked off his feet due to the unstable surface that they fought on. Dyne fell on his side, and felt gravity overwhelm him. He broke the surface of the river, and his body slammed against the mud hard. For a moment, his head became submerged in the water.

Opening his mouth, Dyne felt water flowing down his inflamed throat. His head felt dizzy, and pain was everywhere. His whole body hurt. But something else had happened that day. Dyne had found an insurmountable desire to face any challenge that came his way. Struggling quickly, Dyne refused to accept that the end had come. There is always something I can do! Finding a gut instinct, Dyne was preparing to move when something else had happened.

A powerful force suddenly pulled Dyne out of the river and lifted him to his feet. Dyne felt a tremendous surge of pain at that movement, and coughed water out of his lungs. Opening his stinging eyes, Dyne turned to see what had happened. It was his lady friend, the female Monk that had accompanied Caellach and he. She held him stoically with one powerful arm. He could already feel the healing arts being worked on him signaling that the match was over.

"It's not over!" Dyne suddenly cried attempting to break free of The Monk's powerful grasp. "Please, I have to do this! I have to win my honour!" Dyne yelled.

"You have won your honour." The woman said casually in response. "Now stand still and let me patch you up. That is enough for today. Again, you have fought a superior opponent and survived. That was the test. Now face your opponent and show him the respect he rightly deserves."

Dyne could not believe what he was hearing. Once again, The Monks had screwed him over. But he knew better than to argue. He begrudgingly turned towards Caellach.

"I humbly submit to you." He remembered some of the teachings of the Monks whilst he had been a Monk. "You are the superior Warrior."

And then Dyne passed out whilst The Lady Monk healed him...

[Caellach]

As Caellach's fist connected with his foe his knuckles burned in pain. His whole wrist throbbed from the impact, but the pain was unlike anything he had experienced before. It wasn't that it was stronger or weaker, but the satisfaction of feeling his fist smash into Dyne made the pain almost pleasurable. The throb in his hand originated from a successful attack, rather than a failed defense. It was like being sore after a strenuous battle; there was a sense of accomplishment in the pain.

Shaking his hand, he watched as Dyne fell backwards into the water. After a half second it became apparent Dyne wasn't getting back up, and Caellach started making his way forward to help him up, but the female monk was a step ahead. Again the elegant woman demonstrated she was no where near as weak as she looked as she hoisted Dyne out of the water with one arm. The monk and Dyne exchanged words before he turned to face Caellach.

"I humbly submit to you. You are the superior Warrior."

"It was a good fi-" Caellach started, but stopped as Dyne fell limp in the monk's arms. He was tired, but he was not hurt. Besides a small bruise he had acquired after being disarmed, the only pain he felt was the throb in his hand -- now reduced to little more than a tingle. Caellach was both surprised and satisfied that he had sustained no injury. While being disarmed was certainly no testament to skill, he thought that dispatching an opponent with only a few attacks had to count for something.

The swordsman spent no time searching the river for his blades; he knew they'd be back where they belonged as soon as he was back in the confines of the Citadel. He exited the river and spent the last few minutes enjoying the surrounding scenery and the pleasant breeze.

Spoils Request:

Below Average CQC - Caellach has picked up a few tips on fighting without magic or a weapon. As well as being able to throw a punch or kick like any random person can, he understands the fundamental strategies of close quarters combat.

[Zerith]

Legacy: To Tame Wild Spirits...

Alright, I first want to apologize how long you two had to wait and I hope neither of you have a problem with me being the one that picked this request up. So I’d like to thank you both for his opportunity, and for your patience. As always, if either you of you have any questions about this rubric, please feel free to send me a PM about them.

Anyways, onto the numbers!

As usual Alberdyne will be in red, Caellach will be in blue.


STORY - 4/3 – I don’t know if I can pinpoint exactly what it was, but I felt like the overall story in this thread was lacking for the most part. Alberdyne did a decent job of explain why the story was taking place in his introduction and definitely made his character’s presence know. Caellach on the other hand seemed to struggle with appearing as just a secondary character at first. The thread had a slow start, and the action didn’t really pick up until halfway through the thread. After that, it felt like there was this big buildup till the fight started, and then before I knew it, it was over. I suggest planning how the overall pacing of battles (yes, very tough to do if you want to be competitive) and when it starts to drag on (which you will recognize the feeling) don’t hesitate to suggest bring the fight to a close. Who knows, maybe the other person feels the same way and will agree


Continuity - 5/3 – Alberdyne delivered here, setting the arena in a village of Corone, and even played the monk according to followers of Ai’Brone. You were the one initiating the battle, so by going with something familiar to a lot of the players here was a smart move. Caellach just seemed to go with the flow here; there was mention of Sentinels and Caellach’s culture, but nothing much in terms of canon usage. Instead I got the impression you just followed with what Alberdyne has provided, which isn’t a bad thing. Next time I suggest reading some of the almanac about the region you’re in. What’s Yarborough major industry? Perhaps a subtle drop of the baron/baroness’ name that oversees the region? It helps the reader get a better understanding of the world of Althanas.


Setting – 5/6 – Alberdyne, you did a good job of explaining what everything looked like a first, but Caellach took it a small step further and explains how things felt. You did get in on it too when the two men walked into the river, but I’m going to have to give the edge to Caellach on this one. You didn’t do anything wrong, as even I would stress the appearance of things just so I can be sure people would get an understanding of what the scenery was supposed to look like. It was just the subtle things that won this round, things like how the breeze felt, or that light glinted of a sword. If you’ve ever been fishing, close your eyes and tell me what it feels like to have your feet against muddy rocks. I’ve never done it, is it soothing, or would I feel like some bug was crawling in between my toes?


Creativity – 3/5 – Caellach stood out in this category. Sinking into the water before the fight really started was neat, the use of using one sword overtop of the other was something I don’t think I’ve seen before. So I was pleased you to see you took what was given and did something creative with it, as I’m fairly sure not many people would have had their characters sink into bottom of the river. Alberdyne, try to be more creative with the use of items or scenery. I think you’re a creative guy, so let’s see those wheels during in the next few threads. When someone (or yourself) describes a setting, I’d love it if you would read it and already be coming up with ideas as to what Alberdyne can come up with.


Character - 5/5 – I read this and felt like you both stayed true to your characters for the most part. While I really would have enjoyed seeing one character actually grow in some way, it wasn’t important. I do have one question for Alberdyne. If your character was a philosopher, don’t you think he would be smart enough to know when he was beaten and forfeit? Either way, I really felt like it was too close to call here.


Interaction - 4/5 – You guys were really polite to each other, and I mean like really, really polite. Proper introductions, waiting for the other person to be ready before starting the fight and even offering the other a change to forfeit is all good and everything. The only problem was is that it felt awkward and not quite believable. Another thing was when Dyne was forced to submit and acknowledge Caellach as the victor. The change was really quick; I would have expected him to grumble while saying the last light or something. Yes, I understand he is trying to be humble, but don’t you think he should struggle with it just a tiny bit?


Strategy – 3/5 – I’m going to be honest, and this may hurt a little Alberdyne, so I apologize in advance. I felt a little bored while trying to read some of your posts. Perhaps it was just a lack of action, and it seemed like your character had a good start, but then he was mostly on the receiving end in the latter half of the thread. Yes, you did try to pull that sudden “Omg, can he come back from a blow like that and win?” moment, but it didn’t really put me on the edge of my seat. Caellach on the other hand took the offensive and kept at it. Once he gained some ground he made me feel like I knew he wasn’t going to give it up. Yes, you had a slow start as well, but I think it paid off later on. I do want to make one thing clear to both of you. I am glad I pushed through the slow start, as I did enjoy the ending.


Mechanics - 7/7 – Another category where you were both solid. I don’t recall finding many errors, and those I did were very minor. I don’t really have anything to say to either of you, by now I’m fairly sure you use a word processor and spellcheck. So keep it up!


Clarity – 7/7 – I didn’t really have any problems reading the writing of either of you, and I appreciate you explain how they took their initial stances. Just to be safe, I suggest that after you post you take a minute or two to read what you just contributed. Read it out loud and see if you lose your place or anything.


Wild Card – 6/6 – Yes, the thread started off really slowly and then felt a tad rushed at the end. Yet now that I’ve read through its entirety, I feel like the initial struggle was worth the short fight. All threads have their shortcomings, and we all have quests that we’ve written and are either not proud off or want to show off to everyone, but I think this story sits in the middle.


FINAL SCORE – 49/52!!


Caellach wins!!


Rewards:

Caellach receives 600 EXP and 120 GP!! His spoils are also approved pending approval by an RoG mod.

Alberdyne_Cormyr receives 150 EXP and 90 GP!!

[Silence Sei]

EXP-GP added.

Alberdyne leveled.