Unfair Advantage (Dissonance/Closed)

[MetalDrago]

Closed to Elthas_Belthasar
When the elf had asked him to become his lieutenant in the Dark Dragon Corps, Drago would later admit that he almost laughed at the young elf. The young one was hardly a tenth the age of the Dragonian Paladin, but sought to be taken seriously at any rate. After thinking it over, for he was in need of a lieutenant to take over some of his more mundane duties, the Paladin said he would allow the youth to take the mantle, if, and only if, he could pass a test laid out by the Captain-Commander himself.

The test would remain virtually unknown to the applicant, and only the ones testing him would know the circumstances of victory or defeat. Elthas was to follow Drago to the grounds of his choosing. The Citadel was too far away to make for a timely test, so MetalDrago went out looking for a spot for the test to be administered. He found the perfect spot on a cliff overlooking the small township of Mosil Z’sarug, the de facto headquarters for Dissonance, the group that operated in the shadows of Althanas, always ready to strike.

He came back and told Elthas to follow him. They walked for a bit and chatted of idle things, while looking around at the views of Raiaera in its post-war times. The war-scarred plains and forests were a beautiful sight to behold for the older Paladin. If he were a better artist, he would have done a sketch of the area. He sighed and shook his head before continuing on, motioning for the elfling to follow. “This test won’t be like anything you’ve ever experience before, kid. I know you’re used to taking out targets that fight back, but this isn’t going to be like your ordinary target.” He walked up the rise a little further and stopped. “This will be your testing ground. I won’t be testing you myself, however.”

A strong sense of foreboding surrounded the area as the wind seemed to pick up for a moment. A voice behind Elthas spoke up, “I will be your test.” As suddenly as the voice came, a being appeared in front of the pair. “Terramat the Deceitful Assassin, at your service.” The sarcastic tone the dark elf spoke with belied his good humor. He was looking forward to relaxing today. Drago often had him off on search and destroy missions in far continents, or information retrieval across the closer continents, but today all he had to do was fight some kid who was barely out of his diapers.

“Terramat, took you long enough to get here.” Drago said. He had a half smile on his face as he observed his comrade. The dark elf stood just an inch shorter than MD, and didn’t look anywhere near as strong. He had a regal bearing, but appeared as more of an acrobat than as any kind of real threat to a warrior. However, the wisest men knew that appearances could be deceiving. “Elthas, this is your test. You’re to fight this man. Keep fighting until you can’t continue on or I tell you to stop, whichever comes first.”

Terramat jumped back about ten feet and removed his clothing, which consisted of a dress shirt, a thick overcoat, and a pair of expensive looking leather gloves. He then tossed the clothing over the edge of the cliff and pointed a finger at them, watching with a cruel smile as the clothing burst into flames. “Now, young man…” he said as he pulled on a pair of mythril gauntlets, “Let’s begin.” Terramat was looking forward to what amounted to a day off. Making this kid loose his bowels was just an added perk.

[Elthas_Belthasar]

Downtime.

Elthas Belthasar hated downtime.

Since he joined Dissonance, he had been promised military activity to keep his skills sharp. Thus, the orders had not yet come from the higher echelons of power to bring action to the fallen elf. Elthas found himself in a constant state of training those days, keeping his skills sharp, working to impress his elders. Elthas had dual employ in both Dissonance, and The Syndicate, of which he had shared loyalties. He had not yet risen high enough in either organization to really favor one over the other. However, Elthas had known of his leader's exploits. Elthas had joined The Syndicate during the events that first lead him out of Concordia Forest and into Underwood. He'd saved a certain old man, and that old man, upon his death, revealed himself to be a high-ranking Syndicate agent.

Elthas had rescued a member of the evil faction, and in turn, set off a chain of events that would turn him into a professional bounty hunter. However, work was lacking of late and Elthas had too much down-time. So when he submitted his application to become MetalDrago Scorpio's right-hand hatchet man, the older warriors of Dissonance laughed at the young bounty hunter. That infuriated Elthas to no end, but he swore he was willing to undergo any punishment for his Guilds. So when he finally had his response, Elthas followed Metaldrago to the chosen training grounds. Unsure as to what he was going to be facing, Elthas prepared for a vicious exam that would test his skill to the very limit. This is not going to be pleasant. But someone has to do the dirty work. Elthas thought to himself.

Almost as soon as Terramat appeared, Elthas was uncertain as to how he should feel about The Drow warrior. Elthas was still High-Bourne, and he had an instinctive mistrust of Drow. However, he knew Dissonance accepted members of all races of Althanas. That was a fact that Elthas had to deal with despite his own racial prejudices. Elthas frowned as The Drow revealed himself and arrogantly displayed his power like a toy. Gods, damned show-off. Elthas thought to himself. Metaldrago revealed the precepts of the challenge. These are my kind of odds. Drawing his masterwork battle-daggers, Elthas assumed a tight combat position.

Elthas could see the power radiating from the superior warrior. Elthas did not have to switch to his slight enhanced senses to detect the power emanating from the man. He could feel it rubbing against his skin. Exotic. Dangerous. Elthas quickly moved towards Terramat and prepared to engage him. Elthas understood that his opponent was far superior, but the bounty hunter was not afraid. He had faced superior opponents, and uneven odds before. This would be no different. By the gods, I'll make certain I cut you, you arrogant prick. Elthas thought to himself as he covered the distance between Terramat and himself. Elthas's movements were fluid and controlled, it was obvious that the bounty hunter had developed some skill in his training efforts.

Holding his combat knives tightly, bladed tips pointing to Terramat, the bounty hunter prepared. Mentally, he comprised a strategy he thought would be effective against the paragon warrior. Elthas was never one to underestimate, but he was trying not to overestimate either. With an elegant movement, Elthas swiped with the side of his body facing furthest away from Terramat. (His left) He balanced on his right side, keeping his right leg forward, and preparing his right arm for a secondary attack should the first connect. Elthas's blades reflected the setting sunlight. Elthas's muscles were tensed as he moved, his body coiled like a raptor ready to snatch an egg out of a nest. Ready as he ever would be, he threw the dice in the wind and hoped for the best possible outcome.

Or a sound beating.

[MetalDrago]

MetalDrago watched as Elthas sized up his opponent. Little did he know that Terramat was quite literally the strongest member of Dissonance, save for possibly Lorenor himself. Even that was doubtful however. Drago had gone up against Terramat a few times himself, always training privately, always barely holding his own while Terramat toyed with him. In revenge, since Terramat was honor bound to serve him, he would send the dark elf out on missions of little to no importance just to annoy him, but now it was time for the man to step up and take on the duty that the Dragonian had envisioned for him since the beginning o Dissonance. Terramat would be the one who would train just about everyone in the group. Fighting against an opponent as ancient and powerful as the dark elf, they would gain power as quickly as possible.

Terramat, meanwhile, was sizing up his current opponent. Elthas was a highborn elf. That much was obvious, but he was young, probably only just coming into his own. This meant that he would be reckless. However, that meant little, considering that the younger man was an inferior fighter. As the young man approached him, Terramat watched without so much as moving. Finally, the blade struck Terramat, or at least the spot in the air where Terramat should have been. However, the young man’s blade was met with the resistance of another blade, one of Terramat’s own mythril blades. As the young elf’s second blade came around, Terramat disappeared, reappearing behind the young man. “Methinks I’ve been underestimated…” the drow said with a slightly sarcastic overtone to his voice.

Drago couldn’t help but smirk as he beheld the scene before him. Terramat was infamous among the higher ranking members of Dissonance for his sarcastic demeanor and his disregard for virtually everyone around him. He could come off as a bit on the snobbish side, but that was far from the truth. True, he enjoyed the finer things in life, but he was also a very introverted person who happened to be an ass. He didn’t trust anyone, having outlived virtually everyone he knew in the past.

Terramat, for one, wasn’t thinking about any of this. He was just having fun with the kid. While Drago was sitting there trying to figure him out, the dark elf was toying with his newest prey. He flashed a dazzlingly white smile and sheathed his weapon while he looked at the young man before him. Then, he laughed. It was a hauntingly melodic sound, a thrilling chime as the wind picked up speed, kicking up dirt and debris.

Watching Terramat fight only conveyed a small amount of the terror that the opponent often felt when facing him. Regardless of anything, the dark elf continuously enjoyed himself. As far as Drago knew, the man never took anything seriously. “Don’t overdo it… this is a test, not a game.” He said under his breath.

Terramat didn’t hear him, but to his mind a test and a game were one in the same, both had to same consequences. You either pass or you fail, you either win or you lose. In the end, they were identical. Terramat held out his right hand to the young elfling before him, seeming to want to give him a handshake. However, before the kid could grab his hand, Terramat unleashed a bolt of arcing black lightning in the direction of the young one, unleashing the fury of his spell power. He intended to miss, and arced the lightning over his young opponent’s shoulder. At least, he was trying to miss. If the kid dodged into the attack, that would fall on him…

MetalDrago planted his face in his hands, closing his orchid eyes and cutting himself off from his senses. The fool… I told him not to get carried away before we started this whole thing…

[Elthas_Belthasar]

Elthas...

Do you remember that time?

What time?

The time when the first incident against The Magi occurred. You were one of our most skilled Hunters then, a different life, yes, but a life that was not easily forgotten. You remember now don't you?

Yes...I remember.

You earned your first Relic during that mission. What was it? Oh yes, that Mute Stone that our Elders used against the Magi in The Demon's War and War of the Tap. You have such an artifact, such a gift. Use it against them.

Let them fear the light let them hear the silence. Let them know fury.

Elthas recalled a lot of things when the hand was pointed at him. The most important thought being where he originally got his Mute Stone from. Quickly removing it from his packs, for Elthas was no fool, the elf called upon it's power. Sure enough, Terramat was intending to, at least in Elthas's mind, finish the younger warrior off quickly. I will have none of that. Releasing his hold on the elemental manna, Elthas summoned the power of the stone. He could only use it a few times during the battle, but just that moment would be one of them. The stone emitted a horrible noise, as symbols lit up all around it. Symbols that were the druidic runes of his people.

Elthas felt power flowing from the stone, a power that would someday grow and be conquered.

Elves had a tremendous gift for magic, and Elthas would be no different.

Raising the stone to the sky, Elthas spoke in the secretly encrypted language that summoned the power of his Relic. Loosely translated to: "O power within, grant me strength. Be silent noise of the aether! Smite the power of the enemy! Mute Stone!" The object opened up a terrible power from within, a small hungry maw that was a gateway to unspeakable power. The gate opened and the power that Terramat unleashed was instantly muted, sucked into the void. Elthas knew that the bolt, or some spell was coming, he could see it a few moments later. The energy reacted quickly through the air as it burst into crackling debris of nothingness.

The great maw sucked Terramat's power into the twisting nether. But that was only one spell, it could not yet completely silence a target. It will have to do. Elthas said to himself as The Mute Stone closed upon itself, the symbols vanishing a few moments later. Elthas sheathed the weapon, and readied his combat weapons, his masterwork steel daggers. Elthas was no push-over as Terramat would soon find out. He represented the cream of the crop for his skill bracket in The Citadel Leagues, and he would not disappoint. Elthas held a dagger in each hand, and moved quickly in an attempt to blind-side his opponent.

He would not underestimate, he would not allow even the slightest of mistakes.

Elthas rotated his blades as he moved, attempting to position himself so that he was behind Terramat. He moved at his best speed which was impressive for an Elf of his skill level. Fleet-footed, Elthas kept his demeanor cool and collected as he attempted the maneuver. No other assaults would come at the moment, he was simply planning to tactically win over Terramat where power lacked. Elthas readied his blades the entire time he attempted to move around Terramat. Terramat was superior, but he hoped that the effects of The Mute Stone would keep Terramat off balance for just enough precious seconds that Elthas could put one of his blades in the man's back.

Elthas swore to himself he would make Terramat remember his name and his face.