Round 1 Veteran: Hysteria Vs BlackAndBlueEyes

[Silence Sei]

Round 1 begins tonight at midnight. Good Luck!

[BlackAndBlueEyes]

"But Maaaaadison," the chubby, freckled blonde walking alongside me whined, "it's hot out, there's no breeze, I'm having trouble finding my footing with these sandals--"

"Stuff a grease rag in it, Nell..."

"—And this bag is hea-a-a-vy!" Nell shifted her weight around a little bit, trying to make the canvas sack slung over her shoulder a little bit easier to carry.

"Oh, waah waah wahh," I cried mockingly, dramatically wiping invisible tears away from my eyes. "Quit your bitching. It's just a bunch of spare parts and tools."

I rolled my eyes, quietly second-guessing my decision to bring my longtime employee along to the beach with me this afternoon. The poor, pale girl's curly locks were matted with sweat. She bounced along the rocky shore in a baby blue blouse top and slacks that were an ugly tanish shade of orange; clearly, her slumming it was her way of rebelling against her presence at the tournament as my personal assistant.

"I just don't see why you can't carry it yourself," Nell whined, wiping a bead of sweat off her brow with her free hand.

I shot her a sideways glance. "That's because I need to save every ounce of strength for my tournament battle today, silly." The blonde glared at me, not very appreciative of my patronizing tone.

Ultimately, "pack mule" wasn't the only job Nell had today. Over the course of my participation in the tournament, I would be testing out and making some slight adjustments to my fancy new mechanical arm, which replaced the fleshy one I lost in exchange for expansive artificing knowledge. Not to mention, should my arm suffer some catastrophic damage during the course of my battles, Nell would be assisting me in repairing the damn thing.

The two of us had been walking for about an hour on the rocky shores of one of Corone's many beaches. The stones weren't of the sharp, jagged variety; rather, every single stone had been smoothed by countless years of the relentless pounding of the crystalline waters that lapped at our feet several feet to our left. There was not a single cloud in the blue skies above as the midday sun shone overhead, bathing us in its light and heat. To our right, stretching for miles ahead and behind us, were the sheer cliffs that towered over us a good eighty or ninety feet. I was thankful that today's scuffle was assigned down here, and not up there. Plummeting to my death during my mechanical arm's first real combat test would've been quite embarrassing.

Sighing heavily, Nell slung the canvas bag off her shoulder, and set it down on the rocks with a metallic crash. She followed suit, collapsing into a seated position onto the smooth rocks underfoot. "I can't go on, Madison," she managed to squeak out between haggard breaths.

I crossed my arms in front of me, feigning disapproval. "Shouldn't have let yourself go in the two months I was gone from the shop, dear. You're in terrible shape—you used to simply be in poor shape."

"Yeah, well, I was worried when you disappeared without a word, not to mention the stress from running your bookstore... I can't help it that I eat my emotions!"

(At least she admits it.)

"Alright," I said, raising my mechanical hand up to my eyes to shield them from the sun, "We'll take five. For your sake."

As well as I was able to hide it, I had to say that I was absolutely knackered as well. For all my cunning, intelligence and wisdom, idiot me decided that it was smart wearing black slacks and a long-sleeved button up shirt with my drakescale corset over that (and a tight black vest over that, because I think it looks classy) on a goddamn hot summer day. I was sweating underneath the ensemble, and didn't mind taking a breather myself.

My assistant shook her head, reaching into the canvas bag for a canteen. "No, Madison, I'm not moving from this spot."

"Nell, dear, we still have a ways to go..."

"Well, whoever it is can walk an extra mile and get their ass here because I am absolutely done moving for a while." She raised the canteen to her lips, and took a long drink of water.

[Hysteria]

Apparently we are fated to complete at least one thread together.

A crackling energy converged on the shore, forming as it did into a whirlpool of shadows. The spinning darkness marred the sunny day as its ribbons of energy wrapped around each other to form a central blob of shadows. The shape started small, but bloated under the converging darkness until a man sized wrapped vestige stood on the beach. A final snap and the dark ribbons blinked from existence and a man remained.

The man, Talen, lifted his blue eyes towards the pair sharing the relatively quiet setting. The quiet blue orbs seemed fitting for the beach stage. In the background waves washed against the shore, a dull heartbeat of the ocean setting a back drop for the drama. Had the story been different it would have made a more relaxing saga. As it were, the impertinence of competition forbade such a day. Fitting then it was that the young man's eyes were cold, cruel and absent of emotion they flicked between the two women.

The man was relatively young. Pale and smooth skin adorned his face, framed as it was by his long, messy back fringe. His lean and talk form was cloaked in dark cloths. Each item seemed to shift unnaturally. Caught by some absent wind they swayed against his body. The edges tattered and frayed into the air while his clothing seemed to stay the same length. It was as if his very essence was leaking out into the air. The beach was bespectacled with shadows, a dark aura drifting outwards and fighting against the light.

“You were late.” Said Talen, his voice more ordinary than one would expect. “I can't afford to wait this time.”

Talen lifted a hand up towards Madison. The movement was purposefully slow. As soon as it was pointed towards the woman it lashed forwards. The limb dissolved as it moved, his forearm down completely gone at the apex of his attack. The limb appeared instantly in front of Madison, emerging from the air in an open palm thrust towards the woman's forehead. The rocky shore grated under Talen's feet, the waves lapped the shore and the first punch was thrown.

[BlackAndBlueEyes]

In my numerous battles in the Citadel, the gardens behind my family's weathered mansion, the famed Dajas Pagoda of Scara Brae, and everywhere in between I have seen some pretty interesting things and beat the snot out of some very interesting people. Adorable little cat girls you'd expect to bring comic relief to Akashiman romance novels, a lizard man or two, Joshua Cronen, a necromancer with a one-ton leaking gas bag of a zombie, even a pyromantic chef--I have seen quite a bit.

So when a shadowy blob manifested itself not ten feet in front of me and spat out this scrawny, pale wretch of a man with bright blue eyes, I was barely fazed. He had the audacity to speak in soft, slightly menacing tones about my apparent lack of punctuality.

"Nothing was stopping you from finding me sooner," I responded flatly as I slid my hands into my pants pockets, threading my fingers through the holes of my knuckledusters in preparation for the battle to come.

As my opponent slowly raised an arm in front of him, I raised my own two fists in the air in front of me and tensed up my body, ready to spring into action. I contemplated throwing the first punch, and shifted my weight forward the very second that the man rather literally threw the first punch in my direction.

His arm seemed to thin in the middle as an open palm rushed through the air to greet me where I stood, ten feet away from him. With my amazing reflexes and speed, I managed to lean to my left just in time for his palm strike to miss. The man's hand caught a few strands of my pitch-black hair as it sailed harmlessly past my head. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see his arm suspended in midair next to me. I quickly brought up my right arm in a blocking motion, pushing his away as I burst forward.

My shoes kicked up small rocks and pebbles with each footstep as I rushed towards the pale man. Wasting no time, I brought up my left arm, and launched a hooking punch right at his jaw.

[Hysteria]

A crisp flick of his arm and it materialised back into place. The young shadowmancer let his eyes play along the woman's form as he approached. His arms relaxed by his sides as he started to lean backwards. The attack came, cutting the air with impressive speed. The youth let himself fall backwards. His face was passive as the fist passed just centimetres above his nose. The youth would never let anyone know that he had indented for a bigger gap between him and the attack.

Talen landed on the ground with a thud. To someone further away it could have looked like he had been struck. His body was limb and the smooth stones under his body grated against each other with the impact. The boy let himself notice warmth of the sun drenched pebbles flooding through the skin on his partially revealed arms and neck. His hands closed around the warm rocks by his side. It was a moment of bliss as he gazed up at Madison. It was only a moment however, and at the end the youth's body puffed out of existence. Where he had been there was only a slight imprint of himself on the yielded stones.

It was above Madison that he materialised, a good fifteen metres. The darkness appeared for a moment before the youth did. He hung in the air for a moment like an immortal unbound by the natural laws. The truth was not that different, but in this case gravity caught up. As he moved down towards his prey his face was still calm, but the tiniest hint of a smile had curled its way to the corners of his mouth. The youth lifted his right hand above him, in his grasp a palm sized stone. In his other hand he grasp two more. With a lurch he brought the stone down towards Madison. The rock flicked from his hand with enormous speed. The youth's unnatural strength and speed sending it whistling through the air. Talen followed afterwards at a slightly slower.

[BlackAndBlueEyes]

I never felt my blow connect, but the waifish man fell backwards as if my fist had found its home. He fell hard against the beach with a heavy crash, scattering several of the small rocks as he made contact. Before I could lift my leg in an effort to drive the heel of my boot into his exposed chest, he dissolved into the very air that had unceremoniously spit him onto the beach just moments before.

"Son of a bitch," I muttered as I lowered my guard slightly, quickly looking around the beach in an effort to locate my opponent. Stretchy limbs, teleportation, a very unsporting disposition--this fight was not going to be very enjoyable.

As I continued scanning my surroundings with no sight of the man, I could barely hear an audible poof over the lapping of waves behind me. I heard Nell gasp slightly from her perch on the stones thirty feet away. "Madison! Above you!"

Of-fucking-course. I cursed myself for not thinking that if this asshole could teleport at will, there was nothing stopping him from materializing directly above me. I looked up just in time to see a rock headed straight at my face with alarming speed. My bird-like features twisted into a grimace as I tried to book it out of the way, but I was too slow. I turned my head and shifted my weight just enough for the rock to miss my temples, ears, and eyes--but my jaw wasn't as lucky. The rock collided with my face with an resounding smack, sending a horrible, searing white pain shooting through my head and neck. I felt a couple teeth loosen up and fall out of their rightful places. Blood filled my mouth, and I fell to the rocks on my hands and knees.

I tried to scream out, but by the gods was that a terrible idea. Oh fuck, I think he broke my jaw. The pain was not stopping. Blood began to dribble out from between my lips. Another stream of crimson began to pour out from the gash the rock left on my face.

Oh, shit, did this suck--and it sucked hard. It's not quite having your skin flayed, ribs broken, and heart removed from your chest cavity; but this was pretty close.

I tried to focus, but was having a lot of trouble pushing through the pain. My vision was starting to fade back from the sheets of white induced by the impact. Over Nell's worried stuttering and the crashing of waves not far from me, I could hear the man land on the stones next to me. With every ounce of strength I had, I tried to spring back up to one knee and blindly swung my body around, throwing a haymaker with my mechanical right arm in the direction that I prayed his stomach or groin would be in.

[Hysteria]

A crack of stone on flesh, the spray of blood and the bitter realisation that he had struck his foe. Talen only had a few more moments of the air rushing past before he landed. His feet impacted hard on the ground, his legs growing as they took the impact. The sandy ground flicked into the air hung for a moment, but Talen's attention was already on his opponent. Her wild swings were a sign of the battle ending. The sour taste in the youth's mouth a reminder that he had not yet found what he was looking for. There was a moment when he had thought that she could be the one, but not now.

The youth's hands came up without hesitation to defend against the mechanical arm. Only a fool would catch the attack bare handed. There was too much at stake this time to play the fool. This time he had a reason to win. Darkness burst from the youth's palms and cushioned the strike. The shadows bent inwards under the force as Talen let himself be pushed backwards. With a kick of the ground he jumped backwards and skidded to a halt.

His pale blue eyes remained locked on the girl. She had surprised him, more so than the other fighters he had defeated. The Magus Cup had finally sparked more than a momentary interest, but he feared that it would be short lived. Time ticked by and not even Talen could stop it.

The youth straightened and clenched his fists. The two stones in his left hand cracked and shattered. The boy's cloths started to whip around him as if caught in some mystery wind. His shirt cracked and tore off, lashing itself around his arms. The dark threads entwined around his limbs with serpentine accuracy. The youth's lean chest was unnaturally pale in the light, toned enough for its purpose it lacked the same majesty as some of the other bronzed Adonis-like warriors he had fought. The dark material around his arms hardened to become metal. The resulting black gauntlets stretched from his shoulders to fingertips. Several dark spikes slowly moved out of the metal encased limbs as a finishing touch. The darkness the boy had conjured to defend himself snaked through the air and twisted around his shoulders. The youth looked like something out of an Akshima fairy tale with his floating scarf and monstrous arms. They glinted in the sun for a moment before Talen burst forwards. With break neck speed he shot towards Madison, his right arm extending its clawed fingers towards her right shoulder. Talen didn't seek death, only victory.

“Next time,” he shouted, “fight with your true strength!”

[Max Dirks]

Hysteria, I was unable to count your last post as it was clocked in 7 hours after the conclusion of the tournament.

Hysteria advances to Round Two!

BlackandBlueEyes is still alive in the Loser's Bracket.