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View Full Version : Zerith vs. Call me J: Don't disappoint me.



Zerith
08-12-07, 07:25 AM
Glorious.

That was the word that came to mind as Zerith stared at the large tapestry on the eastern wall. The image depicted a large battle, two opposing armies colliding together and creating a possible climax to a war. Swords clashing, spilt blood and broken bodies filled the tapestry. The piece of art did a fine job making people think war was glorious, that dying for something was a great honor. Yet the man who stared intently at the image knew that battles like the one before his eyes weren’t as glorious as people wanted to believe. They were terrifying, things that gave some men nightmares for the rest of their lives.

Yet this atmosphere was what Zerith wanted. He wanted images like the one in front of him hung up in this room. He wanted swords, axes, polearms and various other weapons displayed on the other walls. His reasoning behind it was quite simple. If he was going to take the role of a warrior of the Dajas Pagoda, he wanted his arena to be one that reminded everyone that they were here to fight.

Why else would someone want to come to the Dajas Pagoda? As far as Zerith was concerned, all of his challengers were after the same thing he was, the Grandmaster title. He knew he wouldn’t be satisfied with his current rank and arena forever, nobody would be. So the only option was to move up in the ranks. In reality, the only difference between the halberdier and his challengers was that he was given a head start. One that he planned on using to the fullest.

Before he could do that though, he had to deal with the odd stranger that would come to him and challenge him. His first challenger was a disappointment, not even bothering to even make the effort of making the first move. Did she just not take him seriously? Or did the Pagonda think all he could handle were the amateurs?

“I can’t stand this,” he told himself. “It’s like they think I’m a child.”

Turning away from the tapestry, the warrior made his way toward the northern wall. The room itself was quite large, allowing plenty of room for Zerith to use his weapon of choice. In the center of the chamber was a large spotlight coming from the circular hole in the ceiling. Between the sunlight and the walls stood four large, thick and beautifully engraved pillars made of Nihon Redwood. Their colour matched the wood paneling of the floor perfectly.

The sudden noise that came with the opening of a sliding door signaled meant that Zerith wasn’t alone anymore. His sapphire eyes turned to look at who would be his opponent briefly before they turned back to admired the weapons that decorated the northern wall. “I take it you’re the next challenger,” he spoke firmly. He reached his right hand out to touch the smooth shaft of the weapon that hung in the middle of the wall, his red halberd.

Removing the polearm from the wall, the halberdier turned around to face his first challenger. “Just doesn’t be a disappointment like the last one. Otherwise you might as well just turn around and go home.”

Call me J
08-17-07, 11:59 AM
The first words that Jame heard upon entering the room were quite forboding. He gulped, though he hoped not visibly. He hadn’t come to the Dajas Pagoda for gold or glory, but instead it was because his girlfriend had demanded it as a test of his willingness to change for her. He had insisted that he’d turned over a new leaf and no longer had any interest in being a layabout, but Ashley didn’t believe him.

Perhaps she was just too clever. Even Jame knew his alleged change was not sincere.

Nonetheless, the young half dragon now stood in a room of decorative pillars with a well armed stranger nearby. Jame had never seen a halberd before, let alone fought a warrior who wielded one. He had no idea how he’d be able to account for its reach. Normally, given his height, Jame had been able to rely on his reach as an advantage over shorter, more experienced fighters.

It was all for Ashley. If anything, this experience taught Jame just how much he loved her. He had taken her for granted for far too long, and now, it seemed like he would pay the price ofr that neglect at the edge of a halberd.

“And to think most women just want to be bought something pretty...” Jame muttered irritably. “Why does Ash want me fighting?”

Before answering the halberdier’s final challenge, Jame took a visible gulp and wondered whether Ashley was worth it after all. Even if the monks made it difficult to die, the young half dragon still thought that he would be better off not tempting the fates, especially against people who fought for a living.

“She just wants me to put up a fight...” Jame thought. “Just a simple fight, I can manage that... can’t I?”

His palms were too sweaty to get a firm grip on his sword, but Jame still took a stance to prepare himself for battle. He looked at the halberdier one last time and then glanced around the room. Other than a tapestry and four large, stationary pillars, there room was bare. The setting was not going to provide much help.

“This is for Ashley,” Jame thought. He thought about how much he needed her, and a sudden rush of bravado began to swell in his chest. He thought about how much he needed her, and how the words he uttered now would determine the rest of their lives.

“I’m not leaving just yet,” Jame said, with uncharacteristic formality. He spoke as he imagined a real fighter would. “I only leave victorious!”

The moment he said it, Jame realized how stupid it sounded. Still, he drew both of his swords and waited impatiently for the halberdier to make the first move.

Karuka
09-05-07, 05:51 PM
Both of these members have moved on to other positions within the Pagoda. I'm closing this thread and moving it to Unresolveds.