The Fire of War. (Elthas ~V~ Redford)

[Elthas_Belthasar]

(Mod Note: Using my Elthas Level 4 (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?26998-Oath-of-the-Blade-(-4-)) for this event. Thank you!!!)

The one armed man.

Elthas Belthasar oft found himself looking at The Citadel's structure and preparing himself mentally for the challenge ahead. The structure was a mixed architectural wonder that had bits and pieces of every culture on Althanas. One thing all Althanians held in common was the worship of the Thayne of War. Elthas was no different, except his motivation was. Elthas smoked the cannibus herb as he normally did when he felt anxiety or nervousness in the pit of his gut. His eyes were narrowed as he looked upwards, towards the tallest reaches of the giant tower. Most would consider The Citadel an ugly thing, a stain upon Althanas herself. But Elthas did not mind it's existence, he'd grown used to consistent forays into the bloody halls of the building.

A member of the order approached Elthas, dressed in a finely cut Radasanth style suit, and spoke to the master Elf.

"Ah, Elthas. It has been some time." The young Monk of the order said carefully.

Elthas blinked, and flood of memories coursed through his mind. He recalled seeing a child during one of his many adventures around The Citadel. That child was the son of a Monk that always attended to Elthas's needs in the past. The man before him was the son, fully grown. Now a member of the elite Order of Ai'bron. Elthas could not remember the boy's name for the life him, memories often cascaded into other memories and it was difficult to keep track. Elthas smiled at the monk warmly, they provided a service after all. I need to train... Elthas thought to himself and then put out the smoking pipe.

He carefully replaced the red smoking pipe back in his packs after the smoke faded. The scent of the cannibus herb was strong in the air around Elthas, he smoked oft. Elthas tipped his fedora hat warmly towards the Monk in greeting. "How is your Father these days, I have not seen him in some years." Elthas said, his voice was accented in a deeply Radasanthian sound.

A serious expression crossed the Monk's face. "Father passed away about ten years ago. He always did tell me that my family had a special bond to you and your tribe. He trained me carefully so that I could assist you someday." The monk said carefully. "We don't need pleasantries this time, you are a veteran of The Citadel Leagues as is."

Elthas stretched his arm extravagantly, he'd learned to adjust his life with one arm missing for the remainder of his days. There was nothing wrong with living with a handicap, he made it work. Elthas finished stretching and his trench coat flowed with the wind. Elthas spoke.

"I am sorry for your loss. Your Father was a close friend. Is there anything I can do to assist your family, just ask and I will provide you support." Elthas said.

The monk nodded. "Aye. The well wishes are always appreciated. I have been working here in The Citadel as an initiate since I was six years old. Though, you're not here to help me, you're here to help yourself." The Monk said with a look of mischief in his eyes.

Elthas nodded. "If my usual chamber is free, I'd like to make use of that today." Elthas said carefully.

The Monk nodded. "Right this way Sir Belthasar."

***

As per specifications, Elthas now stood tall in the arena he'd chosen. The chamber had the two numbers one and nine. Nineteen. Etched on the front gate. The chamber that Elthas used most often those days was chamber number nineteen.

The wind came in from the west, it was night and there was a campfire present that lit up the area around it. Sparks flew upwards from the blazing fire, Elthas had prepared a meal for himself and his opponent. He'd given the Monk very specific instructions about the battle. He'd sent a challenge out to a certain Citadel league member. A man by the name of John who wore mysterious gauntlets. Elthas kept up with the goings on's in The Citadel and had basic knowledge of all the combatants who frequented it's bloody halls. Elthas sat on a rock and smoked the cannibus herb whilst he waited for John to arrive. He knew the challenge would be accepted, because the Monks kept their word.

Nobody else would be allowed in the battle.

It would be a battle between two powerful minds.

The rock felt quite comfortable. He was having his dinner as he waited, and his mind was on the battle ahead. He would likely use one of his enchanted daggers for the event. His eyes were closed as he ate and smoked. He took a pull from the smoking pipe periodically and set it on the rock next to him, when he was done inhaling. He would exhale through his nostrils, he was an expert smoker. Elthas listened to the sounds of the night, it was exhilarating to him due to his very nature as a forest Elf. Elthas considered the battle arena, he would have no advantages other than the fact that it was his home. The arena was Ruild (Concordia Forest) by night. Trees lurked all around Elthas, but he considered the plethora of yew and oak trees to be allies and friends. His people were tuned in to the call of nature, but he'd favoured his blade to the old ways.

Indeed, Elthas was a rebel among his kind.

Elthas had many thoughts cascading in his mind, but they were thoughts of the battle that would come. He'd heard stories of the man named John and his mysterious gloves. It will be curious to see him in action. My knowledge of him is very limited, but he has making headway in The Citadel Leagues. He fought that kitsune warrior, the one named Humphrey Nonyton. And that was one of the finest battles I've seen in a long time...perhaps we will equally shake the tides of warfare tonight. Elthas thought to himself and he began to sing in the tongue of his people.

As a Bard, Elthas's singing skills were rapidly becoming legendary.

[redford]

John stood, leaning against the edge of a massive arch that marked one of three entrances into the courtyard, save the massive entrance into the citadel itself. He had moved quickly from simple unranked brawls to actually having a place in the citadel and a number that placed a rank on his skills in it. Every once in a while, a trainee monk of Ai’Bron would approach and tell him his new number. Sometimes it was higher, sometimes it was lower, John cared little. Largely, it had been an annoying ordeal to come when ranked opponents wished to challenge him, but it was good that he now had the privilege of fighting opponents largely more skilled than himself, instead of the common folk who fought simply because they’d lost a bet or were drunk. As of now, he was waiting on just such a match, a nearly-spent cigar sitting in his lips. He looked down at his clothes, wondering if it was time for a new tunic. Working the forge had certainly tarnished this one, leaving a large ashen swath on the front of it, in addition to the numerous tiny holes poked in it by flying sparks and tiny embers. His pants weren’t much better, as he had to sew them together himself, since he hadn’t found someone yet who could fit him with proper clothing.

John spotted a boy no older than twelve approaching. He skidded to a halt in front of him and pushed his disheveled brown hair out of his eyes and adjusted his robes.

“Uhh, you’re the guy that Elthas wants to fight, yeah? Come on, this way,” he said quickly, grabbing his gauntleted hand and pulling. John followed, having a hard time keeping up as the boy darted through the crowd. Soon, The boy had pulled him into the citadel up a flight of stairs and through a glowing portal, putting him in a darkened forest, a soft glow coming from a campfire a ways off. Though his eyes had to adjust a bit, there was well enough light by moon and stars to see from.

John lifted an eyebrow at the odd choice of arena before cautiously approaching the fire.

it would not have been the first time someone tried to catch him unawares. He came upon an elf, sitting on a rock, eating and smoking a pipe. Said elf also only appeared to possess one arm. It was interesting to watch him switch from bread to pipe and back again. His nonchalance, as well as his disability told John two things. Either he was foolishly hubristic, or simply knew that John’s size meant little against a skilled enough opponent. Considering that this was a ranked match, John thought the latter. After the outcome, a monk would approach him and once again hand him a slip of paper that had a different tiny number on it than the one he had received previously. The boy had mentioned a name, Elthas, if John remembered correctly.

The elf looked up, smiling at John.

“You are Elthas?” John asked.

[Elthas_Belthasar]

The smile faded quickly and Elthas put out the embers of his smoking pipe very carefully. He replaced the smoking pipe in his packs and then looked up at John from his sitting position. The Elf had a strangely kind expression on his face given the facts of where they were...his kindness would have seemed misplaced. Elthas adjusted his fedora hat and studied his opponent. He is wearing the gauntlets just like the last time I observed him...good things the matches in The Citadel are broadcast and I can see them at, Haidia, anybody can see the matches. Elthas's expression became serious. His ears perked up when John asked the one simple question. He nodded in response to the stranger, and stood up to his full height. Even though Elthas was also tall, he noticed that John was much taller! Elthas had to look up towards him despite his own height. He stands at nearly eight feet...that's a pretty impressive stature. Elthas was analyzing his opponent, but he knew much already from the previous and well televised match between John and Humphrey Nonyton. Elthas responded verbally two minutes later after he was done sizing John up.

"Yes. I am Elthas." Elthas said in a relaxed voice. He was very calm after he'd smoked the cannibus herb for what seemed like hours before John arrived. Elthas adjusted his hat again so that a shadow fell across his face and hid his eyes for the most part. "I do things a bit different than what you're likely used to." Elthas began. "I am certain that the monk explained that this is not a death match, but rather, I am here to train. As I am certain you are here to train and get better as well." Elthas said casually. Then, he continued to speak. "Consider this a training match of sorts." Then, Elthas took two steps backwards and away from John. Placing himself in ample distance from the man's dangerous gloves. Elthas drew one of his daggers, they were made of the metal known as delyn, and held it in his one hand. The grip was familiar to him, his own gloved hands held the grip very tightly. He rotated the dagger quickly in his hand, it was an action simply meant to release tension and anxiety. Elthas's eyes were locked on John at that point.

As he knew John was the guest of the hour, Elthas would allow the fellow to go first in the night's events. It was a courtesy after all, and the dashing Elf always did mind his manners. As Elthas narrowed his eyes, he listened to the wind, there was a solemn song in the wind. A song of loss and bitterness that seemed to accompany John. Though Elthas was by far not an expert with the senses of his people, he was not a slouch either. Elthas's ears perked towards the direction of his opponent. Elthas could feel every muscle of his body tighten a moment later. He was preparing for the next few moments which would be a test for the both of them. Elthas did not activate a combat stance...yet. He would only do so if the situation required such an action. After he was done rotating his dagger, he held the magnificent weapon pointing away from John. Elthas stood in a relaxed position, his eyes locked on the man's form. Elthas's trench coat swayed with the breeze as he stood there.

And then he waited for the man to react to what he would say next. "Let's see what you can do John. Hit me, if you can."

[redford]

John’s teeth clenched as Elthas spoke. He had the timbre of a man John already knew he would not like. He was proud and haughty, and perhaps had the skill to back it up, but either way it was unwarranted.

Words are easy, Elthas, he thought, willing his gauntlets to cover to his elbows and form eight inch blades that protruded straight from his clenched fists. He began to size up his opponent as he stepped forward. Eight paces now separated them. Deeds are harder. He’d already vowed that he would strike Elthas, even if he lost the fight.

Elthas was tall and thin, but what meat was on his frame wasn’t wasted, and John presumed that if he wasn’t some form of magician, then he’d be using his speed to his advantage against John. Though it made more sense initially that he would be a magician, the knife seemed to indicate otherwise, as well as his deft twirling of it.

John closed his hands into fists, six inch blades sprouting from the ends of his arms.

“We’ll see,” He growled, lunging forward, taking two long steps forward and slashing downwards with a bladed fist. John expected the dodge, but Elthas was nowhere to be found. Pain bloomed in the back of his head, and he reflexively spun, striking where Elthas’ head would have been. His arm sailed through empty air, and he spun round again, his gaze darting here and there. He was having trouble seeing more than twenty feet in the fading light of the fire. He heard a laugh, but could not discern its source. John’s eyes narrowed.

“This is your idea of ‘training’, Elthas? Hiding?” John shouted at the forest around him. John’s fists shook as he yelled through clenched teeth. “Face me!”

[Elthas_Belthasar]

"Not hiding."

Elthas said confidently. He'd moved around John's initial strike and had struck with the pommel of his dagger to the back of John's head. Elthas took several steps backwards, his body moving like a blur. Elthas adjusted his body weight as he stood in place standing behind John. It would be easy to strike at this point, but I am not the type to take advantage of a man like that. I will beat him on even grounds. Elthas thought to himself as he looked at John. He had laughed for a moment a she saw the man struggle to keep up. I can easily tear him apart, but this i not about that. This is so him and I can both learn something new... He saw that the gauntlets were somehow capable of physically morphing their physical shapes. I will have to watch out for that, I am not certain the extent of those things. Elthas thought to himself.

It was night, and Elthas could see skillfully with the gifts of his people.

His eyes narrowed as he studied John. A part of him, the logical side, wanted to simply just be done with this man...but he suppressed his own demons. Elthas had a skilled reaction time, possibly his finest attribute. His body was used to the stresses of physical combat. He could feel a comfort when the wind came in from the east at that point, making his long hair sway with it. Elthas's fedora remained tipped at an angle. The light of the nearby campfire served to illuminate the are around it very well. The flame swirled endlessly upwards, smoke from the fire rising. Overhead, there were twinkling stars, each one filled with a promise of tomorrow. Elthas stole a glance upward and noticed the beautiful twinkling stars of the Althanas night sky. The moon was a crescent moon, quite thin. Overall, it was a lovely night to train.

Elthas could feel the nearly weightless dagger in his tightened hand. Every muscle in his body was tensed, his face was serious. He started to stalk John at that point, his quiet walking covered the paces between himself and John. He moved at an angle forward towards John so he can end up towards his east. Elthas's expression remained a serious one, his handsome face adjusting for the expression. Elthas observed the gloves that were John's primary weapons. They gave off a shine that was reflecting the light of the campfire and it made them look almost eerie. Elthas could not naturally see enchantments and the like, but there was something eerie about the way the gloves made their blades. Elthas was standing about three paces away from John, towards his east. Then, Elthas spoke.

"You cannot see with eyes as untrained as those." Then Elthas recalled something he'd learned once. He started to sing, but the song would have no special effect. He merely was trying to get under John's skin and screw with his head. "From the mountains...the wrath of the giant does come. From the mountains, the wrath of the old ones do lurks. To Ruild, do we sing our song, the songs of injustice at crimes yet undone. As before, on the 'morrow, our blades would shed brother's blood. As before, on the morrow, our shields would bash their skulls..." And so, Elthas sang. A song of lament, a song of his people...the Elves of Ruild. Elthas smirked at that point, it was almost a sinister expression. "Can you tell me now John, why would you return to a world that loathes our kind so, when you can meet your fate. At the end of a blade." Elthas said, he spoke to John, attempting to reach him. Attempting to trip him up, and get to the very nature of who John was. "I hear words from you, John. But no action...is that the best you can do?" Elthas taunted, and then he laughed right to John's face.

[redford]

John spun to the left, looking where he’d heard Elthas’ laugh from, seeing a shadow just in front of a nearby tree. He lunged forward at it, swinging. The shadow was gone in a flash, and John took a large chunk out of the tree with his missing strike. He kicked backwards where Elthas had struck from previously, hoping that Elthas perhaps had gone for the same trick. He hadn’t.

John fell on his back with a thud, his one grounded leg kicked out from under him. He yelled in frustration, jumping up again as his eyes scanned the darkness.

“You come here and I’ll show you action, Elthas!”

John had never fought an opponent as fast as this Elthas character, and he was beginning to think that Elthas was more toying with him than actually training. He passively remembered something an old master had taught him.

You cannot see with eyes as untrained as those. You must feel the wind around you, hear the steps of your opponent, know where they will strike. You must see where you cannot see, friend.

John had never put much stock into that.

“I still don’t see much training going on Elthas! Let’s see you trade some blows with me, eh?” John asked, walking back toward the fire. "I tire of this game," he finished, exchanging his blades for claws, looking around for where Elthas would appear next.

[Elthas_Belthasar]

"So...the student seeks to usurp the teacher."

Elthas smirked at that, but kept an otherwise calm disposition about himself. His eyes were narrowed as he looked at the big man.

"Your words are hollow, John. There is no love in your words. No passion." Elthas said, he was taunting the man.

And then, Elthas decided he would act. "The game is already decided." He said casually. His eyes locked on the big man, keeping those gauntlets at arm's bay. Elthas was holding back considerably as a favour to the monk and his family that oversaw Elthas's battles. Elthas did not need to do serious damage to win, he would take John apart a piece at a time. And so, covering the distance between the two of them, Elthas attempted to swing another strike with the pommel of his dagger. He didn't need to cause serious damage, Elthas knew how to fight. He wanted see the very nature of the man before him. He knew from past observation that John was dangerous.

"If you're tired already, mayhaps you are not as skilled as you think you are." Elthas said. He was taunting the gruff man, attempting to mess with the warrior's head. Elthas smiled as he approached John, keeping the gloves at distance as best as he could. His strike came in from the east, from John's side. The pommel of his delyn daggers was hard, and would continue to bruise up John if they connected. Then, right at the moment of striking, Elthas jumped away from John a few paces. He landed skillfully. He could continue to hit and move until John woke up and started to take the challenge more seriously. Elthas landed casually and looked in John's general direction. His eyes carefully locked on the tall man's form. "The sorrow of Goddess, is infinite as she mourns the loss of her children. Tell me John, would you go back to your life after knowing that the world shuns you and I? Would you go back to life after knowing that your venture is a failure? I wonder..." Elthas spoke as he stood up and watched John very carefully.

"Your move, boy." Elthas said coldly.

[redford]

“I am not your ‘boy’, Elthas,” John said, knocking his gauntleted forearms together as he tried to calm his breathing. His head still pained him where the pommel of Elthas’ dagger had struck. His rage boiled against the elf, mostly for his condescension.

You cannot win if you cannot control yourself, an old teacher had taught him. It was one of the few philosophical lessons that actually stuck with John, mostly because it actually made sense. John managed to slow his breathing amidst Elthas’ words, closing his eyes briefly. He tried to listen more to where Elthas was coming from, feel the air move on the gentle wind. He allowed instinct to couple with his training as he opened his eyes. Elthas would strike where he could not see, and dodge before he could counter.

Dodge to where, though, John thought trying to untangle the mess that was Elthas. He was good, but he was cocky. His dodge would be a taunt, an insult to his skill.

It would be right outside his reach.

He would need to take the first hit though; but considering that all he’d done so far was bruise him a couple times, John thought it an acceptable risk for the chance to truly surprise his opponent.

Pain blossomed from his side, and John instantly took a big step back, turning his shoulders to the right and swinging an open hand at where Elthas’ head was likely to be. Sure enough, he saw Elthas out of the corner of his eye as he spun, Elthas lifting his forearm to block John. Their arms collided, and John wrapped his fingers around Elthas’ forearm, squeezing.

“Gotcha,” John said as he spun the rest of the way, swinging his left fist up following his spin, crashing it into his lower ribs. John pulled his arm toward himself next, bringing the crown of his head down on Elthas’ upturned face. His left hand moved to join his right, and with a heave, he lifted Elthas off the ground, tossing him at the nearest tree. Elthas sailed through the air, landing against the tree with a thud. He lay there for a moment before lifting himself with his one arm off the ground, still holding on to his dagger.

John spoke angrily. “I don’t know how much your people hate you, or what they did to shun you, and frankly I don't care. But it looks like I can hit you after all.” He reached down to grab the fedora that Elthas had lost during the knocking of their heads. “Make of that what you will,” he finished as he tossed it to the elf. John settled into a comfortable stance, watching Elthas, meaning to keep an eye on him even if he did move quickly.

[Elthas_Belthasar]

"Funny you should speak that way." Elthas rose up slowly after slamming into the tree. He has life, he has some skill...this is going to take some work. Elthas shook his head and growled at that point. "You speak of matters you have no idea about." Elthas said carefully. "Walking into this battle, I knew some things about you from your previous matches. And you know nothing about me. Don't presume you understand me or my people's ways. Hume." Elthas said the last part of his words with acid in his voice. At that point, he was hurt, but he felt angry more than anything else. "You've got some skill, John. I will give you that much." Elthas did not have high endurance training at that point, but he had fought against the warrior named Storm Veritas. Storm Veritas had pushed Elthas to the very limits of his power. And John would attempt to do so. "You're skilled, John. But you are not Storm Veritas." Elthas said coldly. Elthas recalled the battle with Storm Veritas, it cost him an arm. As he looked at John, Elthas did something very interesting at that point.

Elthas had access to his own native power, and the attributes of his people.

As he stood there, he focused his arm, and moved it in a strange position that reflected a scorpion's tail ready to strike. It was Elthas's scorpion sting stance and Elthas could immediately feel the effects of the stance swelling within his muscles after a few moments passed. Elthas locked his body in the scorpion stance, his eyes locked on John. Then, he moved much like a scorpion might, in a stalking fashion towards John. The metal of the delyn blade reflected the glowing campfire's light. It also reflected the star light that was ever present. The blade was enchanted, both of his blades were, and it glowed with inscribed power. Elthas covered the distance between himself and John. Let's see how good his grapples are. I'm going to challenge his very combat style. Elthas thought to himself.

With his stance activated, Elthas had a hidden attribute unlocked. The hidden attribute would allow Elthas to counter most of the physical attacks that John sent his way. Elthas's side was bruised, but he could push himself despite the pain he felt. There was also a welt where John had hit him in the head. Elthas was no combat rookie, he'd taken tremendous punishment. As he covered the distance between himself and John, Elthas readied his plan. "That was a nice counter strike there, John. But I can also see the flaws in your attack pattern. I still hear you doing nothing but talking." Elthas said casually. He was going to continue to get under John's skin, and get in his face throughout the whole battle. As Elthas covered the distance he ready a heavy strike. He started from a downward position of his blade, his arm locked in that strange scorpion position. The forest of Ruild seemed to quiet down as Elthas was readying to strike. And then it happened, Elthas rotated his dagger and did something quite strange.

He was attempting to trip John up, and catch him off guard. Instead of attacking his upper body which would put him at John's grasping range, Elthas did the unthinkable. He used his scorpion stance to slash downward towards the lower section of John's body. And not just at any random target...no. Elthas had a very specific goal in mind. The target was John's left knee. Elthas lowered his whole body mass in such a way that he could duck down underneath John's reach, and Elthas did so at best speed. He was not going to hold back any longer. "Bleed for me." Elthas said coldly as he aimed his skilled thrusting jab towards John's knee. He was attempting to impale the knee, and at the same time, if the attack would connect...

[redford]

“I do not care about your ways, or your people, Elthas,” John said in response to Elthas’ most recent misguided insult. Honestly, the entire conversation was growing tiresome. He came to fight, not talk about Elthas’ daddy issues. But, he seemed to think that

Elthas’ form changed. It was now more precise and agile. John took a half step back, bouncing on his toes as the dagger Elthas held began to glow. Elthas smiled as he spoke to John, sure of himself almost to a fault. He finished, darting forward with his dagger held high.

Where he lacked in common sense, he made up for in speed. His knife flashed downward to his legs, and it was lucky that it didn’t change John’s reaction. John’s hands clasped together, a plate forming on one side as he swung both hands with all his might at Elthas’ head. He knew he would be taking the hit from Elthas’ dagger, but hopefully he could deal some damage in return.

[Elthas_Belthasar]

"If you truly don't care, then don't presume to know things about matters you know nothing about. Don't presume all right?! 'Cause I am about to take your leg."

With a satisfied expression on his face, Elthas felt his dagger impale John's knee. When that occurred, John's blood spilled everywhere at the sudden injury. Elthas watched John's reaction with his own eyes, but it was already too late. Elthas merely smiled at that point. "Checkmate, John." In a quick and sudden movement, Elthas utilized his full reaction time and speed. Indeed, Elthas was bashed across the head, and an ugly bruise formed. However, Elthas was focused on the task at hand. He twisted the dagger in John's knee, and then suddenly pulled the dagger in a slicing motion right out of John's poorly armoured leg. The attempt was to slash John's leg in two clean pieces at the knee.

When Elthas felt the impact of John's counter-strike, Elhas growled but he kept his focus. He was the more experienced of the two and had taken worse hits than anything John could likely dish out. The plate was iron, and Elthas had time to notice that the gauntlets were able to somehow transform from one state to another state. Elthas did not like that. He slashed his dagger out of John's leg, and then proceeded to leap backwards. That jump happened right after he took his hit. The bruise was on the side of his head and it was a mean looking one. It had managed to almost completely swell one of his eyes. However, Elthas was skilled with the Elven mark of senses. He slid backwards a few more paces once he landed from the practically blind jump.

Blood dripped down the length of his arms. The blood was John's. Elthas's immediate reaction was one of repulsion, but he wanted to be certain he defeated John so he could walk away the winner. Elthas's eyes locked on John's figure. He is strong. I will have to remember that and take hits in a more tactical and meaningful way... Elthas thought to himself. Elthas was angry at John, it was clear that the Hume was racist on top of everything else that had occurred. You don't care, then keep your damned mouth shut. Elthas thought to himself. He knew the battle was largely getting out of hand, and that he'd gotten under John's skin. "You say you don't care. But look at you now, missing a leg...and will likely start bleeding out fairly soon." Elthas shook his head and stood up at that point to his full height.

Elthas wasn't as tall as John was, but very few were. The man was impressively built and strong. Elthas looked down at the dagger in his hand, there was blood dripping down the blade. He waited for John's reaction to what Elthas had just done. Then, Elthas's mind had cleared. The effects of his combat stance wore off, and he would have to wait a bit of time to activate a new stance. There was always a price for power. As he stared at John, he noticed that the side of his head was hurting a lot. Elthas felt that a huge and ugly bruise had swelled into being. He was having a hard time focusing out of that eye, and his back hurt from when he was slammed against the tree. Can't engage him at close range, he's likely one of those brawlers. Elthas thought to himself. All he could do at that point was wait.

[redford]

John roared in pain as the knife slid between the bones in his leg, pulling his knee apart at the joint. He vaguely saw Elthas get knocked aside from his own blow before pain exploded in his leg, sending him to his good knee. He waited for a second for a strike that would surely finish him, but it never came.

John remained, gasping and grunting as new pain flooded his mind and blurred his vision. He managed to look up. The elf stood, bloody dagger and all, five paces away. It may as well have been miles. He felt phantom pain bloom from his knee again.

Always it was this, ever since the gauntlets affixed themselves to him. John cursed to himself, turning his head to see his severed limb, motionless on the grass. He looked back up to his opponent and spoke, grinding the words out.

“What are you waiting for? Finish it.”

His previous attitude about fighting until he began to win faltered as he looked back down, waiting for a strike that would conclude their battle.

[Elthas_Belthasar]

Then, Elthas did the unexpected.

He looked at John and smiled, with an almost cold and sinister expression on his face.

"Don't feel like it at the moment. Just going to let you bleed out here in the forest. Alone." Elthas said. It was a plan to be sure, a cold one, but he didn't really care. The Citadel was never a popularity contest. As he stood up to his full height, he took one last long look at John. Then, Elthas went to gather his personal belongings. At that point, he felt the familiar ripple of reality as the monk's decided to intervene on John's behalf. After all, it was a battle where there were no terminations. Reality rippled and the forest of Ruild was replaced with the empty chamber of The Citadel. Elthas took a long look at John and his current injury, the lower leg that Elthas himself had chopped off was on the ground nearby. Elthas tipped his hat towards John out of some sort of respect. "Been a blast, John. Don't hold back next time." Elthas said calmly. Then, he walked out of The Citadel chamber, his expression cold.

One thing was certain, he had a really bad desire to smoke the cannibus herb again, and his head hurt like hell from the main injury he'd sustained.

One of the monks, his handler, walked over towards Elthas. "You are hurt, do you want treatment?" The monk asked.

Elthas thought about it for a long moment. "Aye, need to unwind anyway so go ahead and take me to the medical ward." Elthas said. And the two walked away from the chamber. Elthas stole one last look at John as he was being worked on by the medics and their vast array of healing arts. Elthas had a profound respect for the monks of the order and knew John was in excellent hands. He wanted to socialize with John after the battle, but it was likely not the right time. Another day, Elthas would offer a drink to John. And the two could appropriately discuss different battle strategies and tactics at one of Radasanth's many pubs and taverns. Elthas rather liked the idea, and he hoped that John would accept his invitation.

All in all, Elthas had learned to adapt his tactics and be a bit more careful in battle.

John had a unique capacity for grapples and martial tactics. Next time he will do better...I was probably too harsh on him. Though he did tick me off... Elthas thought to himself. Then, he walked into the medical ward so the medics could work on his face. He'd developed a powerful bruise on the side of his head that would require a lot of healing power. Elthas knew he would be in the medical ward for at least a week. He was used to it though, and he knew that he would likely become a very visible face in The Citadel once more. The search for his own destiny had begun.

[redford]

John’s eyes opened slowly, and a metal hand reached down to feel along his knee. It was whole again, and as John sat up, he felt along the seam Elthas had cut on him before standing. He stomped his foot against the ground once. The monks of Ai’Bron had never failed or made error in their healing duties to his knowledge, but still, having one’s leg removed and then reattached was unnerving for any sensible man.

“Are you well?” a young monk addressed him, coming through the door, followed by Elthas. Usually opponents did not see each other after a fight, at least not unattended. grudges tended to form and fester in the citadel, at least for some.

“Yes,” John said, turning to grab his shirt. “I’ll be leaving now.”

Elthas piped up. “You fought well, I honestly didn’t think you’d be as able as you were.”

John pulled his makeshift shirt over his head. “I still lost.”

Elthas grinned. “Come now, John, you can’t win all of them,” he finished, placing a hand on John’s arm, as to reach his shoulder would have been odd. John glared at Elthas, and he soon removed his hand.

“Then I haven’t fought here enough.”

“John. I don’t even win all my battles.”

John turned to leave. “Then you haven’t fought here enough either.”

[Rayleigh]

Thread Name: The Fire of War
Participants: Elthas_Belthasar and redford
Judgment Type: Full Rubric

Hello, gentlemen! Thank you for your patience as I put together your judgement.

Plot 13/12

Story 5/4

One of my biggest concerns when it comes to Story scores in Citadel battles is motivation. Why is your character fighting? What does the fight mean for him, and how important is it that he wins? I was excited when I read your first posts, as each of you presented a very clear reason for being there. That is fantastic, as it is something that many Citadel writers often forget to include. After that point, however, I felt that your story lacked the excitement and edge that I know you are both so capable of. It was an incredibly one-sided fight from the beginning, which can be explained by the level gap, but it was also a direct representation of the decisions that you both made as storytellers. I will expand on this throughout my review of the thread, but overall, I did not feel that this was your best work.

Elthas, there were some really interesting elements of your character's heritage that you wove into your story. While this certainly improved your performance in Persona, it also impacted the overall feel of your story. I felt like I was starting to know Elthas, and as a reader, I did appreciate your attempt to teach me more about him. But as I mentioned above, this fight was painfully one-sided. Elthas seemed a bit omnipotent at times, which made the whole tale a bit less believable. I would encourage you to re-examine his strengths and weaknesses, and consider ways to play that up in your writing. Even a level 20 will have weaknesses that can be exploited by a level 1. And you've already demonstrated how multi-dimensional Elthas can be. I'll expand on this a bit when discussing Persona, but be sure to really get in your character's head while you write him!

Red, I was so impressed by how you expanded on John's reason for fighting. While it was not anything complex, and simply a desire to get better, your exploration of the matter in your writing helped me understand what motivated him. It added an extra element to the whole story, and just as importantly, demonstrated your growth as a writer. Thank you for taking advice from my previous judgement and putting it to use. From this point, I would encourage you to continue delving even deeper into John's motivations. You sprinkled it throughout, and made it clear in the end (which was very well done, by the way), but I would like to see you working to make that even clearer. Feel free to reach out to me if you'd like more advice on how to do that. But you are definitely moving in the right direction!

Setting 3/3

Unfortunately, there is little to say here, as neither one of you used the setting much at all. Beyond the few sentences in your openings, the difficulty seeing in the dark, and brief mentions of the wind, I saw very little. Setting is an incredibly difficult element to use effectively (or sometimes, to remember to use at all). We often get so caught up in our action and our dialogue that we neglect our characters' surroundings. But the truth is, incorporating the setting into each and every post, even in a small way, can have an enormous impact. Was there a chill in the air? Did a scent on the wind bring back old memories? Was there ever a silence between your characters, and the only sound was the crackling fire? Not only do mentions like this help us learn more about your characters, it also helps the reader visualize the scene, and place Elthas and John in their surroundings. We want to be right there with your characters as we read these stories. Paying a bit more attention to setting will help with that.

Pacing 5/5

The biggest blow to your pacing came from the one-sided nature of your whole piece. There was taunting and action from Elthas, and short, reactive posts from Red, and then the story came to a sudden, screeching halt. I felt that there was meant to be more, whether it was John turning the tables on Elthas, or some big declaration from the elf, or some a-ha moment or words of wisdom. But there was nothing, save for the brief exchange at the end. Elthas just turned and walked away Your first few posts built up such momentum for your entire piece, but the middle and end fell a bit flat. Because of that, it felt jarring to read.

Character 14/16

Communication 4/5

Elthas, I really appreciated the way that you strove to include tone in your writing. Though you often used the word "said," which is something I tend to avoid as there are so many alternatives, you generally added a bit more description. He said angrily, for example. But in doing this, it is easy to write contradicting tones, and irrational or unexplained mood swings. This, I felt, was one of your greatest struggles. Elthas switched so quickly between being friendly, being forceful, being encouraging, and being completely nonchalant. Perhaps that was a choice that you made, to further describe how Elthas meant to toy with John, but the significance was lost. I found myself more confused than anything else, unable to get a good handle on who Elthas was or what he was trying to do. Or maybe it was the cannabis. Either way, I would encourage you to be a bit more mindful of this in the future. Spit-fire characters can be tough to write, but if you make each mood change a conscious and well-explained decision, you will have a much better end result!

Red, communication was pretty sound overall. John did a nice job of reacting in usual form to Elthas' taunting. He is the strong, silent type, and when he does speak, it is always related to the battle or task at hand. He wants to fight, and so anything he says will reflect that. But I think you can go even deeper. Continue to hash out how everything your opponent says affects John, what he might say in response, and how he will say it. I would also love to see you focus even more on non-verbal communication. A man of little words can still say big things using body language. But you did a pretty nice job here, especially with the mounting frustration regarding Elthas' insults in posts eight and ten.

Action 4/5

Elthas, I was certainly able to tell the time and careful consideration that you put into your actions. You thought of everything, and made sure that your reader knew all of the things that Elthas experienced. The problem with that, however, is that the actions will often become list-like. Rather than weaving a story for your reader, you are suddenly presenting them with a laundry-list of events: Ray went to the store. Ray picked up some tomatoes. Ray wondered why she did that, because she hates tomatoes. She put the tomatoes down. Of course, that is an exaggerated example (though tomatoes are pretty gross), but do you see how choppy your piece can become if you start leaving out descriptive writing? I would encourage you to pause in the future, and think about how you can spice up your paragraphs that feel a bit like this. Can some things be done away with? Can some actions have more description added to them? Or better yet, can you re-write or re-arrange your sentences to keep them from sounding repetitive? All things to think about! Once you put a bit more time into that, you are going to have some fantastic action!

Red, again, you did a decent job with your action. Your choices made sense, given Red's strengths and tendencies. I did, however, feel that your posts were a tad too reactive. It was not until the end, when he caught Elthas' arm, that John really added any of his own fighting into the mix. Again, I recognize that there is a level-gap, but John even notices Elthas' changing forms. More emphasis on the alterations he made to his own style to counter those would have gone a long way to make this seem like less of a beating. I would challenge you to think about that in your next piece, and incorporate even more action in your next fight. Let John fight back the way we all want him to!

Persona 6/6

This was definitely your strongest area! While you both have some room for improvement, this was what helped your story come alive.

Elthas, I really enjoyed the way you incorporated his being an elf into your piece. So many writers make the mistake of choosing a race, but writing the character like a human. It is easy enough to do, as we are humans, and that comes naturally. You avoided that by constantly referring back to his ancestors, their love for singing, their songs, and even their abilities to see in the dark. And while it was a bit confusing, as I mentioned previously, I did like his "try to get under John's skin" approach. It presented John (and Red) with a new challenge. While a bit more explanation on his motivations and his mood changes would have resulted in a higher score, you should still be proud of how you performed here.

Red, you also did an excellent job of "staying in character." You played really well off of Elthas. John's mounting frustration was apparent, and his confusion regarding Elthas' insults was entirely warranted. What you had was great, but again, I would encourage you to do more. From talking with you, I know that you're aware of areas where you could still improve. You are absolutely on the right track, and the more you fight to bring John to life, the more interesting a character he will become. Keep pushing - I know that you have it in you!

Prose 11/11

Mechanics 3/3

This was one of your weakest categories. While I will not point out every instance, I do want to give you a rundown of some of the patterns that I saw. First, missing words. In paragraph five of post one, it says "and a flood," and life of him," with the underlined words being those that were left out. There are also many misused punctuation marks. Commas are used in place of periods or semicolons, for example. In other cases, such as paragraph thirteen in post one, punctuation was missed entirely. These marks have a huge impact on how your story is read and understood, so please be sure to pay close attention to them! There was also incorrect capitalization, such as in paragraph three of post two (Soon, The boy had...), and extra letters tacked onto the ends of words. Not all of these errors will be caught by spell-check, so I encourage both of you to proof-read everything. Even if you wait until ten minutes before you want to submit your piece for judgement, there needs to be more editing taking place.

Clarity 4/4

While clarity was impacted by mechanics errors and pacing issues, I felt that I had a pretty good idea of what was going on throughout. There were, however, two questions that affected your clarity scores.

Elthas, in post nine, you write the following:

"And you know nothing about me. Don't presume you understand me or my people's ways."
This made little sense to me, as John had only just said this in the previous post:

“I don’t know how much your people hate you, or what they did to shun you, and frankly I don't care."
John did not claim to know anything about elves. Instead, he stated that he knows nothing. While I understood the direction you were trying to take the conversation and flow of the battle, it seemed really out of left field. A bit more lead-in to that comment might have helped it not seem so strange. Or, you could have re-written it to read something like "you've even admitted that you do not understand me or my people's ways." "Don't presume" seems wrong, because John is not doing that. Just something to think about!

Red, in post six, you write that an old master once told John that "you cannot see with eyes as untrained as those." Elthas said the same thing in the previous post. Did you mean to write that Elthas' words reminded you of the rest of the lesson? Because by saying that an old master told you the words that your opponent just shared, I was led to believe that your opponent would end up being your old master (or some other equally exciting plot twist). This was confusing, and could have been fixed up a bit with more explanation or different formatting. For example, if that quote was not meant to be a part of John's master's words, it could have been italicized, or placed on its own line.

Technique 4/4

Much like setting, I did not see much in the way of technique. As you both know by now, technique refers to the usage of elements like similes, foreshadowing, and general descriptive writing. I felt that you were both so focused on the battle itself that you missed many opportunities to use these techniques. Elthas, could you have done something to hint at your final blow in your first few posts? And Red, how could you have described the pain he experienced differently? Also like setting, technique is easy to forget. But when you incorporate it, you greatly inhance your reader's experience. Try to experiment a bit more in your next story!

Wildcard 7/7

I'm going to give you both a fairly high wildcard score, because you both had some really good things here. I mentioned above that this was not your best work, but it also was not your worst either. If nothing else, this story felt unpolished. You both have things to work on, but you also have a solid foundation and great ideas. Take an extra few minutes to consider techniques and setting. Dedicate time for proof-reading and editing. Those little steps will lead to huge improvements. I expect great things from both of you in the future!

Total Score 45/46

Redford is the winner!

Elthas receives 450 EXP and 35 GP.
Redford receives 1,500 EXP and 70 GP.

[Rayleigh]

All EXP and GP have been added!