TDW:CHE - ROUND 1 - Erikar vs Madison

[Lye]

Round one match between Erikar Aodhfionn & Madison Freebird.

Please see this thread (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?28142) for ROUND 1 setting information.

Match begins November 1st, 2014 at 12:01AM MST and closes November 22, 2014 at 11:59PM MST.

[BlackAndBlueEyes]

"Motherfuuuu--"

Diggs looked up from the cards in his hand as I held the freshly-delivered notice in mine. "I-is something wrong?"

I shook my head, and sat back down in my chair. "No--well, yes, I guess, but... I don't know?" I tossed the stiff paper across the table, knocking over a couple chips in his considerable pile in the process. Diggs picked it up with his fat, greasy digits, adjusted his ale-bottle glasses, and squinted at the print by the light of the candles that decorated my personal chambers.

"...Motherfuuu--"

"I know, right?" I responded, half excited, half worried.

He peered over the top of the letter. "He's your first round opponent?"

"That's what it says, doesn't it?"

"Let me see this..." Hedge set down his cards and ripped the announcement out of his comrade's hands. He wiped his greasy black bangs out of the way so he could get a better look at the page. Diggs and I looked at him, searching for any sort of reaction.

After several seconds, the scrawny merc muttered, "Motherfucker."

The three of us, associates-made-family by the horrific events during the Eiskalt War, sat there in silence for several seconds. It was finally broken by Hedge, as it usually was. "You should probably leave your gun behind, if that's the case."

I nodded. Hedge was correct; The Last Resort would be utterly useless in combat against someone who can manipulate magnetic fields. I counted myself very lucky indeed that I escaped our previous scrap in the Citadel, back when I still had my mechanical arm, before I had become a Briarheart and was granted all the perks that came with such an operation. The complete lack of metal on my person would certainly make things a little--no, far more one-sided in my favor this time around.

That is... unless I could convince him not to fight me. He's young, but he's not unreasonable. I'm certain that this boy has a few qualms about this whole stupid affair.

I quickly stood up, nearly sending the chair toppling over onto the stone floor below. "Where are you going," Diggs asked.

I grabbed my cloak off the hook by the doorway on my way out. "I have to talk to Erikar."

[Erikar]

The redheaded killer leaned back in his chair, one foot on the circular oaken table and the other dangling above the cobblestones of his new quarters. His iron spike danced in a wild frenzy above his open palm while he read the note in his other hand.

'Ridiculous... Freebird, again? Why can't I just stay away from this bitch? Lye and his fucking games...'

The woman had already bested him once in the Citadel, and his master knew it. Now, she was almost unrecognizable and infinitely more powerful. Not to mention the hatred she held for him; he saw the way she looked at him when Lye made the announcement. All that he had worked for behind the scenes, striving to further their goals before that pointless war, had come to fruition. His master had properly rewarded him for his loyalty, and Madison wanted what he had.

No matter; his new position as the Left Hand to Lichensith Ulroke certainly came with its perks. Unlimited access to the Vault, the Archives, and a gigantic room. Dealing with his master's punishment and abuse had been worth it in the end; his only equal in the Order was Max Dirks, the legendary outlaw, himself.

Now, Lye wished to test his underlings.

'What a joke.. If he wants to weed out the weaklings, why not just do it himself?'

He was broken out of his contemplation by the echoing sound of boots knocking on stone in the corridor outside his room. Visions of sabotage and poison filled his mind and clouded his thoughts. Erikar pulled the spike to his hand, jumping out of his chair and stalking quickly to the doorway. The footsteps grew louder and louder, getting closer to the door.

Knockknockknock

The assassin took a deep breath and cracked open the door. His glowing green eyes met a familiar sight: Madison Freebird herself, her plant-like "arms" crossed over her chest in that telltale gesture of impatience. Erikar raised an eyebrow as their gazes locked, and he opened the door further.

"A little jumpy, aren't we?" Madison's mocking smirk only served to incense the new Left Hand.

"Sorry. If looks could kill, I'd already be dead, now wouldn't I?" That got to her; she was jealous and she knew it. Her smirk turned to a scowl, and she uncrossed her arms to prop them on her hips.

"Just shut the fuck up and let me in."

[BlackAndBlueEyes]

The brat hesitated for just the briefest of moments, his hand gripping the door tightly. Whether it due to a lack of trusting me or because he wanted to irritate me, I couldn't tell--but both courses of action were likely to get him slapped. I could've kicked the door down, I could've shredded him with acidic shards and poisoned him with plague the second he poked his face through the crack in the doorway and had been done with the first round of this silly little tournament. But that's not why I chose to come here. No--I had some business to conduct.

While Lichensith Ulroke had designated Erikar Ado... Adel... Erikar Whatever-his-stupid-last-name-is as my first opponent, the magnetic manipulator was someone I desired to have on my side.

In the future, I needed as many people as possible on my side.

The heavy wooden door creaked on its metal hinges as the Left Hand of the Order pulled the door the rest of the way open, dramatically waving his right hand in invitation. I smiled and offered a polite nod as I stepped into his chambers. Taking a quick look around, I noted that they were slightly bigger than mine, slightly more decorated with slightly fancier paintings, slightly fancier gold-trimmed sheets on the slightly more comfortable-looking bed, and plenty of wooden furnishings, including a dresser, vanity, cabinets, a set of table and chairs, and a washing area with slightly fancier carvings in the woodwork.

Even the fucking flames dancing atop of the candelabras that were fastened into the stone walls gave off a slightly fancier, slightly warmer glow. I sniffed the air, my lip curling slightly in disgust. So, this is the luxury that Lord Douchebag offers those in his service who fail at their tasks. Maybe I'll get a bigger bed in my chamber if I trip in the lab and break some glass trays that hold deadly bacteria cultures.

I decided to try and take my mind off of this wretch's wrongfully-acquired status for a second. "Erikar," I began as I dragged a chair across the room and sat down at his table (slightly bigger than my own, I noted sourly), "you wouldn't happen to have anything to drink in here, would you?"

The boy nodded, his shaggy ginger-stained hair shaking slightly as he made his way towards a cabinet. From inside, he produced a few ice cubes, two glasses, and a small bottle of whisky. We sat in utter silence for several seconds while he poured the both of us a couple. He put the bottle back in the cabinet, and with a flick of his fingers, closed the door through a casual manipulation of its iron lock. Nifty little trick, that.

Erikar pulled a chair up to the table as well, and set down our drinks. I reached a vine-braided hand out from underneath the hidden depths of my cloak and graciously accepted mine. I brought the amber-filled glass up to my lips, and took a sip. I was saddened to note that I was unable to guess which brand was the boy's choice. Regardless, it still burned slightly on its way down my throat, and that was all I could ask for.

I set the glass back down on the table, the ice cubes clinking together inside as I did so. I reclined in my chair, my eyes settling on an elaborate painting of an intense, fiery battlefield just over Erikar's shoulder. I knew my goal for today, and I knew I had a time limit here. The assassin and I were set to take the stage in less than two hours, and I needed to convince him that it was pointless to try and fight; that the fury and bloodlust of Lichensith Ulroke would not be sated by me simply ripping his Left Hand's head off, or snapping his spine, or melting his face and esophagus with a deluge of acid.

I needed to convince the Left Hand to turn on his master, and help me choke the life out of him for his idiocy.

I just needed to find the right words. This was going to be a very delicate matter--it's just a shame that I was never much for delicacy or subtlety.

Well, here goes nothing, I thought with a sigh. Let's test the waters a bit. "I don't know about you, but I'm going to come clean here. I don't want to fight you, Erikar. I don't want to fight you, I don't want to fight anyone. Not under these circumstances."

The boy cocked an eyebrow. I had his attention.

[Erikar]

"You don't want to fight me? Really?" He pulled his own glass from the table, taking a few hearty gulps. An appreciative sigh escaped as he swallowed, followed by a quick shake of the head. A grin broke out on his features as he swept the hair from his eyes.

"Well, that's certainly confusing. Please, continue."

She seemed to struggle internally for a moment, as if unsure as to how she should proceed. A sigh escaped her lips before she raised her eyes to meet his gaze.

"I'm going to be blunt. I don't think Lichensith should be running things anymore." This time, both of Erikar's eyes raised in astonishment and the grin dropped off his face. "That's right. He's a fool; this competition, his contracts, the whole bloody war! It's all a farce. He always plays these cryptic games behind the scenes while giving us bullshit up front."

'There's truth enough in that,' The crimson-haired killer thought. 'But there has to be more. What's she really getting at?'

"I'm getting tired of being lied to, and tired of being used like an easily-replaced tool. We're valuable, Erikar. More valuable than he leads us to believe; you really think he would be where he is without us?" Madison left the question hanging, returning Erikar's solemn stare with one of her own. Her arms found their way back across her chest.

"No, he wouldn't," The Left Hand answered after a drawn-out silence. "But where would we be without him? You've been given power, Madison. Real power, same as me! Just because we've worked toward different goals and attained different rewards doesn't mean we don't owe him at least a shred of gratitude."

His face darkened at her arrogant scoff. "Don't tell me you actually believe that, boy. You know as well as I that he cares as little for you as he does about the dirt under his boots. You are a tool, a weapon, a way to get what he wants. When he's done with you, he'll discard you like the rest."

"I believe that I won't be discarded so easily as you think. I believe that Lye has his reasons for what he does. Who are you to say that you know better, Master of the Mind?! Erikar's calm facade finally broke under the weight of her words. His iron spike found its way back into his clenched fist, and his face took on a dangerous cast in the flickering firelight.

[BlackAndBlueEyes]

I nearly choked on my whisky as the words came tumbling out of the naive boy's mouth. I burst into a fit of hysterical, body-quaking giggling. Did this brat really believe that Lichensith wouldn't dump his lifeless corpse in the gutter at the first opportunity?

"Excuse me," I managed to squeak out as I set down my half-empty glass. I leaned forward, sticking out a vicious, vine-knit finger at Erikar. "Do you believe that? Truly believe that? You toss around my stupid title like I give a bloody piss about being his Master of the Mind. Let me tell you something, Left Hand... You can never trust the honeyed words of a man like our Glorious Leader. I say this, because I know from experience."

I leaned back in my chair and crossed my arms in front of my chest. My eyes darted between my drink and the iron spike he gripped in his white-knuckled hand. I could tell that I was really starting to piss Erikar off, attacking Lichensith like I had. ...Gods, he truly did put his full faith behind the man that had failed every single one of his followers, hadn't he? I would have to make an attempt to tread a little lighter.

"Let me tell you a little bit about my family. I was born the youngest child of three in a family of assassins. Justin, Trevor and I were the sixth generation of Freebirds in the business, so to speak, and from a very young age we were molded--no, that's too kind of a word--forced to hone our skills and become master assassins. My father was a man very much like Lichensith. He used and abused the three of us shortly after we were able to walk in order to achieve his goals. We learned dozens of ways to kill by the time other children learned how to properly hold a wooden sword. We practiced stealth tactics under punishment of beatings if we were discovered. The fucker squashed any interests we had outside of being relentless murder machines all so he could keep the coins coming and and his legacy intact. My father had not a single goddamn care save for his own shady neck, and when things didn't go exactly as he planned..." I leaned back in my chair, having realized that I crept forward with each horrible memory of my childhood that had come flooding back. "I would show you the scars, but..." I waved the thick, green vines that were now my arms in front of the boy for dramatic effect.

I took a sip of the strong amber liquid before continuing. "There was this one time that Trevor and I were to assassinate some small-time government official. Once we had gotten to a rendezvous point in which we could use to scout the target and his daily patterns, we were ambushed. As it turns out, whoever had set up the contract had sold us out and given us false information. I managed to escape with my life, but Trevor..." I closed my eyes, working hard to bury the memory of his bloodied corpse, which I left behind in my haste.

"When I got home, tattered, bruised, cut... I told my father about what happened, about my suspicions... But he flew into a rage. He blamed me for Trevor's death. He believed his legacy and the Freebird name were as solid as steel, and that nobody would dare try to cross him like that. He was too busy worried about his own endgame that he couldn't see his enemies slowly closing in on him. He twisted the facts around and spun a new set of lies to wrap himself up in that justified the loss of my brother. I was beaten within an inch of my life, my right arm broken as further punishment, and cast out of the family for my supposed betrayal--something that they have not forgiven me for to this very day."

The two of us sat in silence for several moments. Erikar's grip had loosened on the iron spike, and he slowly set it down on the table in front of him. I continued softly, "It was the same way when we all came home from Eiskalt. I know that in our line of work you're not supposed to become attached to anyone you work with, but I know that you've lost a few friends overseas, much like I lost friends--good friends, and good people at that. People who didn't deserve to have their lives cut short by the blade of someone who wasn't truly their enemy, in the grand scheme of things. And what happened when we got back? Lichensith told us that, surprise, he had no intention of winning the war in the first place, and that we essentially wasted our time for no good reason. And then, oh, let's celebrate your questioning of my tactics by making you all kill each other! All in the name of making him feel better about his own shitty mistakes!"

I gazed down, searching for the words that would have the effect I was looking for, coming up with words that expressed how I truly felt instead. "It hurts, Erikar. It truly does. I'm tired of hurting. I'm tired of all the loss. I'm tired of all the lies. I'm tired of people who don't deserve what they've been given, who waste their gifts on their own stupid aspirations, only to turn on those who have laid down their swords and their lives to help them achieve their goals and treat them like a pack of dogs. I deserve better than this. Our friends deserve better than this" I jabbed my finger at him again. "You deserve better than this."

Those last few words hung in the air for several seconds, as the two of us sat in silence. The light form the candles continued to cast their soft glow, causing our shadows to dance along the walls with each flicker of the flame. Erikar flicked the end of his spike with his finger, causing it to roll along the polished top of his table in a circle. The redhead closed his eyes, threw himself against the back of his chair with a sigh, massaging his temples with his fingers. Either he was weighing some tough decisions internally, or annoyed that I had wasted his precious fucking time with my silly little sob story.

The Left Hand took a deep breath before finally speaking. "I have been... I continue to think that I have been given a position of incredible power and importance within the Crimson Hand. It is clear to me that I am of some importance to our leader."

Yeah, as Scapegoat Number 2, for when the next batch of shit goes down, I screamed internally.

"But, I am not so dense as to realize that you may not be the only person who feels that Lichensith needs to be..."

"Removed from power, to put it lightly?"

Erikar arched an eyebrow. "Your words, Freebird, not mine."

I leaned forward, snatching up my unfinished drink. "But you're thinking them as well."

The red-headed assassin pursed his lips in brief thought. "Let's say that... I go along with your plan; or, at the very least, I don't report this treasonous little discussion to him the second you leave my quarters. Let's say that I stay out of your way when you make your move. What would you have to offer me in return?"

I smiled a thin, yet cruel smile. This was exactly the moment I was looking for, and I believe that I had the answer that would guarantee Erikar's cooperation in my little scheme. "How about Lichensith's throne?"

[Quentin Boone]

As per the rules of the tournament (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?28107-The-Deadliest-Warrior-Crimson-Hands-Edition-%28Recruitment%29), this unfinished thread will be judged based on opening post comparison and posting activity to determine a winner for tournament purposes. Due to being an unfinished thread, it is, however, not eligible for EXP and GP rewards.

BlackAndBlueEyes receives 1 OOC Point for the purposes of The Deadliest Warrior: Crimson Hand Edition tournament.