Round 2: Sevellus vs. Khalxaen

[Ther]

This match-up will last until 12:00 A.M. E.S.T. on March 17th. Good luck!

[Sevellus]

Near to thirty faces gathered in a semi circle outside of the Golden Fleece tavern in Silumn, a small town on the outskirts of Raiaera. A brutish man in the center of the gathering cracked his scarred knuckles and flashed a toothless grin. Despite the man's homely appearance, many women in the crowd fanned themselves and giggled. 'Treetrunk" Juan Dultan was, afterall, the biggest and best fighter in Silumn. He payed little attention to his opponent who stood stoically, his fair face impassive, save for a crooked smile and knowing eyes.

The young elf stood a full head shorter than his hulking challenger, and was perhaps less than half his mass. His features were much slighter than that of most humans, and even that of some elves. However his slender form was deceptively well muscled and that hidden strength usually caught all but the most astute opponents off guard. Juan Dultan was not known for his skill in observation.

The brute lumbered forward, gaining confidence as the crowd shouted encouragement. Everyone knew the fight would be over very soon.

The didn't know how right they were.

His breath heavy with the stench of strong spirits, Juan made a clumbsy grab at the black muslin that wrapped the torso of his much smaller opponent, and the elf made no move to stop him. Juan lifted the elf high into the air with a single movement of one thick arm, and wound up his right arm for a punch that the gathering knew would be the end of the fight, but the blow never landed. The elf brought a single mace up with a snap that the drunken lout could not hope to register, and the butt end of the fine elven steel caught the man square in the eye with a gutwrenching *pop*.

Juan immediately let go of his opponent and stumbled backwards, his left eye clenched shut as the elf landed lightly on his feet, completely balanced as only one with Blade Singer training could. The slender elven man went into a low spin, both of his light maces now in hand, and banged them in succession into the hulking fighter's knee caps, one, two, and two sharp cracks rang forth so quickly that it sounded as if only one blow struck. The Blade Singer used the momentum to carry him forward in a spinning jump as the larger combatant fell backwards landing hard on his back. A single foot planted on the beastly man's chest, the second falling sideways on his neck, pressing down ever-so-firmly, his right hand cocked in the air threateningly, a mace raised heavenward with only a split second for the man to utter the words that would save his life.

'Treetrunk' Juan Dultan was not a smart man, but he enjoyed life far too much to not know when to surrender.

"I... I yeild!" the man bellowed, his hands covering his face and wounded eye

For the first time in the last few moments, Juan realized the crowd was no longer cheering. They had all gathered to watch the large man lay foes low, and never before had they watched their champion felled so easily.

It was in underestimation and confusion that the Blade Singer found victory.

Even one who's training was cut so tragically short, as Sevellus Takmarin.

[Khalxaen]

Khalxaen was almost invisible, standing amidst a group of women who were fantasizing about the brute man who was participating in a duel. She didn’t like their useless comments, but she was too engrossed with the scene to find a better spot. Everyone else was mumbling, and they all thought the bigger man was going to win. The man’s opponent seemed too plain to win such a fight. An elf with an unreadable expression, he stood there with an almost naïve presence, and Khalxaen realized she was probably the only one around there who knew who really was going to rise victorious.

“What an idiot.” Khalxaen said before she could stop herself.

A girl with a long dress beside her looked at her sideways. “Yes, I know! How silly of him to challenge ‘Treetrunk’ Juan!”

The demon stared at this girl with disbelief. “No, no. I meant it was Treebranch or whatever who’s an idiot.” Khalxaen saw that the offended girl was about to reply to her remark, but the cheering around them suddenly got louder, signaling the start of the match.

Hands in her pockets, Khalxaen watched the not-so-intense battle with a glimmer in her scarlet eyes. This elf didn’t seem like any other she had met. He was much smaller than the human, and Khalxaen observed she was just about the same height as him. He had maces for weapons, and moved with such confidence. On the other hand, Juan seemed just like your regular brute, attacking with impulse and without thought.

The battle proceeded quickly, almost boring, if the elf's skill had not been so evident. Going against such a weak opponent seemed like an insult to him, as Khalxaen observed.

The huge man fell a few feet before Khalxaen, and a foot from the elf followed almost instantly, trapping him against the ground. The elf acted with more confidence than before, knowing just how to pull strings to make a man feel utterly useless. The people behind Khalxaen started to edge further, but the demon made no move to do the same. She stared down at the fallen man with a smirk, and then up to the elf.

A few moments later, Juan yelled for mercy while clenching his bleeding eye. After hearing the two pathetic words, Khalxaen gave a whistle; she was happy that she had been able to easily predict who the winner was going to be.

Besides… ‘Treetrunk’? Give yourself a silly nickname like that, and you’re destined to lose.

The large man stood up with difficulty, and a few of his friends came over to help him scurry away. The people were whispering to each other, some out of fright, most out of admiration for the new man. Khalxaen would have joined in with the gossips, but she had decided it would be much better to go after the suspect.

“You!” She called out impulsively. “Are you up to another duel?”

Khalxaen wasn’t going to call him out to make friends. She had deemed him fascinating after watching him fight, and it excited her that there was somebody out in this boring town that could bring her fun. Besides, her sword was going to get rusty and start complaining if it wasn’t used soon.

[Max Dirks]

Khalxaen advances to Round Three!