[BATT] Just Loitering here Heroically (Keionx and Sinter)

[DraconicFeline]

Some people are just not built for inconspicuousness...

Swordplay, however, that is another story...

 

[DraconicFeline]

Keionx knew she wouldn't bre recognized. How could she? Her disguise was good. She was, for now, Xionek Heronn, lone wanderer hero with wraps and coverings everywhere. It was perfect for a desert town and perfect for covering her face and symbols and everything but her horns which - in all ego deflating honesty - were not that spectacular in and of themselves. The only really distinctive things about her were her blood color (which wasn't of any real note) and her sword and shield, which were, indeed, remarkable. Or would be, if she hadn't blocked the sheild's decal with a piece of ratty cloth.

Yes. She was a hero well hidden, there to keep an eye on the chaos of the Space Race and help any members of the Rebellion reach the safehouses with all their limbs and their stolen resources intact. Such was her mission and her duty.

She shifted nervously from foot to foot.

It was a necessary duty, and she relished the appreciation she recieved for it, and it was for some of her dearest friends of all time... but it was not heroic or particularly active and she was starting to get antsy. She hoped - and also did not hope - that something would happen to justify her guard over the modest little tangle of alleyways...

Quote:

Keionx
HP: 20/20
Military Grade Weapon: 1d6+1

Shield - Adept Defense B Artifact: Nullify 2/2

Adept Trinket, Offense A: 3/3 Charges, 1d4+1 damage Autohit 3/3 uses per charge
Expert Trinket, Agility B: 3/3 charges, 2d6 hits with +1 to accuracy to each on next attack, 3/3 uses per charge
---

seekingCylem

 

[seekingCylem]

HP: 20/20
Trinkets:
1/1 Agility Style A: Opponent must roll a 4 on next attack to hit.
3/3 Defense Style A: 2 damage is detracted from last incoming attack.

For once Chittentown was bustling for a good reason. There were no freak weather patterns; no undead perversions of nature. In fact, Chittentown was on the verge of a game-changing scientific breakthrough. Then again, so was Civisect, but Sinter couldn't help but feel a certain pride for his home town.

To that end, Sinter had found himself among the dozens of volunteers making rounds about the Research Laboratories' campus. He may not have been scientifically or architecturally inclined, but Sinter had an impressive work ethic and acute attention to detail--bordering on downright a**l retentive. Patrolling the perimeter had been left to him. Well, him and several other trolls; he was just one redblood after all. The job was less than glamorous. It was mostly telling nosy onlookers to "move along," and check the fence for holes dug out by children too curious for their own good.

Sinter was on his third lap around the building when he spotted a stranger hanging around the western sector. While he was supposed to be preventing such occurrences, Sinter couldn't help but appreciate the distraction from the otherwise mind-numbing trek he'd been making. He approached swiftly.

"Identification, please," Sinter announced. One hand went to his own standard-issued volunteer badge. The other came to rest on the hilt of the saber strapped to his hip. Sinter stopped a fair distance away from Keionx in order to appraise her.

She was clearly an out-of-towner, but not in the way of the volunteers from neighboring cities. With the way she was dressed, Sinter wouldn't have been surprised if she'd walked the whole way there. His eyes narrowed. He didn't honestly expect her to have proper clearance to be there, and his cautious stance said just as much.

DraconicFeline

 

[DraconicFeline]

seekingCylem

*reaches for awkwardly*

"Identification?" she repeated, somewhat alarmed. Not by the redblood - she'd noticed him coming and, frankly, it was hard not to notice such a striking figure. She just hadn't considered the matter of identification.

Damn... she cursed inwardly.

"I lost it. It probably beith back at my hive." she said, tensing warily.  

[seekingCylem]

HP: 20/20
Trinkets:
1/1 Agility Style A: Opponent must roll a 4 on next attack to hit.
3/3 Defense Style A: 2 damage is detracted from last incoming attack.

Sinter's eyes narrowed immediately. The stranger had given him quite possibly the most suspicious answer she could have devised. He almost expected her to hand him a fake badge made of construction paper and macaroni. 'Don't patronize me,' he nearly blurted on impulse.

If this had been a curious child, Sinter would have been more lenient. This troll was at least his age, though. She had to know better than to cross into a restricted area outside of a very important research facility. Beyond that, and most importantly to Sinter, she was armed with both a sword and shield.

Sinter held fast to his own sword in silent warning. He used his opposite hand to gesture back towards the research center. "I'm going to have to ask you to come with me," he said. Despite his wording, it was very much not a request.

DraconicFeline

 

[DraconicFeline]

seekingCylem

Keionx did not like the direction that this was going. His suspicion could compromise exactly what she was trying to do here, and she couldn't bear the thought of that kind of failure. Thus, she had to do something. So what did she do?

Allaying his suspicion would be difficult. Coming with him was a bad idea - she could be revealed for who she was, and that would lead to... well, probably not a very heroic fate.

Running would increase his suspicion, even if she did so in a less... escape-y... way. So what could she do? She knew she was not good at outright lying - she had just shown that.

Suddenly she had an idea.

"Thou implyest that I lie?!" she said, working up a few angry thoughts and feelings (thinking of Etsali and what the thief would say if she could see her like this did the trick nicely. She backed into a defensive - and stubborn - stance. "That is an insult to my honor!"  

[seekingCylem]

HP: 20/20
Trinkets:
1/1 Agility Style A: Opponent must roll a 4 on next attack to hit.
3/3 Defense Style A: 2 damage is detracted from last incoming attack.

Keionx was utterly doused in hesitation. Sinter could tell she had absolutely no intention of coming with him if she could help it. True to form, she denied him... or at least, avoided the matter of escort completely. Sinter was caught off guard by the vehemence with which the stranger responded. Had he hit a nerve of some kind? His confusion threatened to raise panic. In the end, Sinter drew his sword.

"I will tolerate no hostility!" He announced in a bid to sound more authoritative and brave than he felt. "Either come quietly or you will be taken into custody by force."

Sinter does 0 damage!

DraconicFeline

 

[DraconicFeline]

Quote:

Keionx
HP: 20/20
Military Grade Weapon: 1d6+1
Damage Taken: 0
Damage Dealt: 6


Shield - Adept Defense B Artifact: Nullify 2/2

Adept Trinket, Offense A: 3/3 Charges, 1d4+1 damage Autohit 3/3 uses per charge
Expert Trinket, Agility B: 3/3 charges, 2d6 hits with +1 to accuracy to each on next attack, 3/3 uses per charge
---

Well, that had backfired, but Keionx was too worked up at this point to care too much. Clearly, the only way out of this was to be even more completely and utterly over the top. It was the only way.

She took off a ratty glove and threw it to the ground in front of them. Maybe he'd know what that was supposed to mean. "Very well, then!" she said, drawing her own sword in response, "We duel! For honor! En Garde!"

And with that, she charged.

seekingCylem

 

[seekingCylem]

HP: 16/20
Trinkets:
1/1 Agility Style A: Opponent must roll a 4 on next attack to hit.
2/3 Defense Style A: 2 damage is detracted from last incoming attack.

While Sinter had recognized Keionx as a warrior, he hadn't anticipated just how much more at home she was on the battlefield. Sinter's demands were met with the formal declaration of a duel. Under more normal circumstances, he would have appreciated the traditional nature of the gesture. However, Keionx was an armed trespasser. Not to mention, she was already upon him, sword drawn.

Sinter awkwardly raised his sword to block the brunt of Keionx's swing. His maneuvering was too poor to escape completely unscathed. A clean slice was torn in the shoulder of his jacket--something he could at least mend. His white undershirt was another story as the sleeve was immediately stained a rusty red. Sinter grunted in both exertion and frustration.

Sinter, however, was undeterred by his clumsy start. He leaned into where their blades crossed and kicked his leg out, looking to tangle Keionx's footing. At the same time, he pulled his sword back and struck Keionx with the pommel.

Sinter does 6 damage!

DraconicFeline

 

[DraconicFeline]

Quote:

Keionx
HP: 14/20
Military Grade Weapon: 1d6+1
Damage Taken: 6
Damage Dealt: 4


Shield - Adept Defense B Artifact: Nullify 2/2

Adept Trinket, Offense A: 3/3 Charges, 1d4+1 damage Autohit 3/3 uses per charge
Expert Trinket, Agility B: 3/3 charges, 2d6 hits with +1 to accuracy to each on next attack, 3/3 uses per charge
---

Keionx found herself off balance and struck, hard, on the shoulder. Hard enough to break the skin and make her arm go numb briefly. But what else was there to be expected from a fight? Fluff and cupcakes?

She turned her lack of balance into a lunge, striking with her sword as she moved towards Sinter, and then past him to regain her footing and assess the situation.

seekingCylem

 

[seekingCylem]

HP: 12/20
Trinkets:
1/1 Agility Style A: Opponent must roll a 4 on next attack to hit.
2/3 Defense Style A: 2 damage is detracted from last incoming attack.

Keionx lunged at Sinter. Automatically, he braced, anticipating a direct blow. Their swords connected and his injured arm protested the weight of his assailant's weapon. However, it wasn't as heavy as Sinter anticipated. He realized what Keionx was doing a half-second too late. She glanced off their point of contact, having used the maneuver to push distance between the two of them.

Sinter's eyes narrowed. He rushed forward with a purely offensive slash of his sword. He refused to let Keionx have the opportunity to collect herself. She was better armed than himself, Sinter realized. His only hope was to outmaneuver his opponent.

Sinter does 3 damage!

DraconicFeline

 

[DraconicFeline]

Quote:

Keionx
HP: 11/20
Military Grade Weapon: 1d6+1
Damage Taken: 3
Damage Dealt: 4

Shield - Adept Defense B Artifact: Nullify 2/2

Adept Trinket, Offense A: 3/3 Charges, 1d4+1 damage Autohit 3/3 uses per charge
Expert Trinket, Agility B: 3/3 charges, 2d6 hits with +1 to accuracy to each on next attack, 3/3 uses per charge
---

He was giving her no quarter, no rest.

A sense of true seriousness descended on her, something beyond the gesture and the fanfare. Her blood rushed through her, and her focus tightened.

This was not a game.

She tried to take advantage of the opening created during his attack and went in for a stab.

He was giving her no quarter, so she could not either.

seekingCylem

 

[seekingCylem]

HP: 8/20
Trinkets:
1/1 Agility Style A: Opponent must roll a 4 on next attack to hit.
2/3 Defense Style A: 2 damage is detracted from last incoming attack.

The air changed around Sinter's opponent. He wasn't sure what thought had crossed her mind, but a new degree of intensity spiked through Keionx's swings. Sinter found himself stumbling back just to keep himself out of the worst of the heavier blade's range.

A sharp thrust pierced the air between Sinter's arm and chest. He gasped at the rush of both pain and adrenaline. Clean slices had formed under his bicep and across the surface of his ribs. This situation was far more dangerous than Sinter had anticipated going in.

The moment Sinter recovered his balance, he kicked off the arid, sandy ground and away from Keionx. He needed to put distance between himself and his assailant. She wasn't one to be taken lightly.

Sinter does 0 damage!

DraconicFeline