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 Posted: Wed Jan 27, 2010 12:54 pm
A younger, more stable Magadi would have seen Sakata coming, or at least felt his presence before it was too late. Older, tainted Magadi filled with a lust for blood was completely surprised and swept away by the attack of the younger lion, drawn away from his prey with a snarl. He only fell to silence as a rain of paws berated him, beating his head and snapping it in every direction, pummeling his neck and shoulders with a strength that few could claim.
The blows subsided finally and Magadi was left crouched and haggard, on top of somewhat delirious and disoriented. The voice that cut through his haze was more recognizable than any other and he didn't have to wait for his dizziness to subside to know that he would see the Mizimu Warleader standing before him. He turned his eyes towards (what he hoped was) Sakata's direction and narrowed them, his mouth pulled back to reveal fangs. He didn't care what the little brat had said to him, nor Sakata's words - there was a chance he couldn't even recall any of it. As his vision came back into focus, all he cared about was the fact that his greatest enemy was now staring him in the face. Sure, Jini would have been a nice easy target, but Sakata's death would be a good place to start too. Without him, Jini had no strength.
This talk of turns was ridiculous. Sakata had made a mistake in not finishing him when he had the element of surprise on his side; Magadi would not show him the same mercy. It took split seconds for him to crouch and spring forward, paws raised to lay a flurry of blows around the head and shoulders of the Warleader in much the same manner. Head-on, there was little he could reach to hurt with more than a stunning blow, but just one opening was all he needed. One opening.
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Posted: Thu Jan 28, 2010 5:45 am
Tactically speaking, giving Magadi that chance to regroup is an inexcusable error. He knows this, as soon as he makes the decision... and yet he does it anyways. The smarter thing to do would have been to let Magadi think he'd have a chance to take 'his turn' and then launch an attack regardless. Distract the foe with words, finish the job with strength.
For all his tactics and ruthlessness, there's something about this battle that Sakata wants to see done, and done right. If he had held his tongue before pulling the Dhati off that hapless Haruspex, he could possibly have gotten a crippling blow in. But... no. That's not how he wants this to end. Leave the tricks of a coward to that odd Veteran - the Warleader will prove his right to rule the pride through the strength of his claws, and nothing else.
He meets Magadi'Afya head-on. At full speed the massive lion charges forward, and in the time that follows the war he'll swear that the impact of their collision could be heard across the battlefield. And while the 'king' strikes about his head and shoulders, the Warleader moves with the blows. Most of them fall harmlessly upon his thick mane, the force of the attacks deadened by the protective covering.
And then he sees it - a flaw in his opponent's defences. He acts swiftly, during a brief pause in Magadi's attack, to rise up to his full height. Uttering a deep and bellowing roar, Sakata draws back one paw, as if to deliver a mighty attack that will end this battle here and now.
But in doing so, he's given Magadi an opening of his own.
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Posted: Fri Jan 29, 2010 8:49 am
Magadi was crazy, but not stupid. Years of battle experience did not vanish because of a blood lust or a thirst for revenge, but were only enhanced - even if it was a little imbalanced. The clash between them shook him to his bones and he too would have claimed that the earth around them rocked and buckled. Given Magadi's mental state, there might have been talk of mountains and volcanoes for all anyone knew.
Regardless of what might come should he survive the onslaught of the ruthless warleader, his mind and eyes were for this fight and this fight alone. As Sakata rose up to strike, to land a crippling blow that might leave Magadi maimed and useless, his eyes honed in upon that tender and exposed underbelly. His eyes were those of a madman, wild and fierce. A younger, wiser version of himself might have considered the danger, but the current, degraded version simply sought the bittersweet taste of blood.
With a roar that sang out to join Sakata's, no doubt deafening as it joined the younger male's, Magadi sprang forward with claws unsheathed. He too rose up, though not to his full height, only aiming to drag both sets of claws along the tender underbelly of his opponent. But Magadi's mind was awfully flawed, he had only attention enough for one thing, and his defenses were not at their best. He was vulnerable and a better opponent would know that.
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Posted: Fri Jan 29, 2010 10:42 am
And that, right there, is the flaw that Sakata detected. Tunnel-vision is always a dangerous thing for a warrior, and it seems that his calculation was correct - Magadi'Afya has lost sight of the bigger picture. When presented with an easy target, he takes the opportunity without even considering the situation.
Of course it is a trap; how could it be anything else? The raised paw lowers, not in a strike, but is instead joined by its partner in a grappling hug about the traitor king's neck. Magadi's claws scrape along Sakata's torso, drawing blood but not digging deep enough to slow him down. Gravity and momentum work in his favour; soon the Dhati will have to decide between continuing his attack and remaining on all four feet, as Sakata's bulk threatens to bear him to the ground.
This kind of close-fighting is exactly what the Warleader excels at. His superior size gives him a great advantage, and the countless hours spent sparring with his warriors has given him valuable experience. At this point in the battle, his goal is simple - bring his opponent to the ground, wrestle him to exhaustion, and then finish it.
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Posted: Sat Jan 30, 2010 10:36 am
In Magadi's mind, he still thought he could win this and come out on top. In Magadi's mind, he could still remember a fresher, less skilled warrior in Sakata's place. That memory surfaced and blinded him from his purpose, setting him back to days long past.
Part of him saw what Sakata intended to do as his paws wrapped around his neck and began to weigh him down. The other part of him, however, was determined not to let Sakata get the best of him. He didn't back away from a fight, he did not retreat. Despite the knowledge that Sakata might take him down, he decided to go in for the kill. He had confidence in himself and his abilities, and he knew there was no way someone this green could beat him, not now. No, his time as Warleader was not over just yet.
With a deep growl in his throat, he surged forward, trying to push back against Sakata with his own body weight - it was hard though, he was already weighing down upon him. His claws tried to dig deeper and find a target, but his legs were beginning to buckle beneath him. Frustrated, his brows began to furrow. Why was his strength not with him? He felt as if he were fighting in a body much older than his own. In a last ditch attempt, he tried to swing his weight to the side, in an effort to at least throw Sakata off as he went down.
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Posted: Mon Feb 01, 2010 7:21 am
When two lions are grappling, legs and bodies struggling for purchase and leverage, tactics and strategy are pushed to the back-burner. It boils down to a simple equation - the stronger lion wins. Oh, it's not impossible for the weaker party to turn things around and get the upper hand, not by any means. All it takes is one mistake, one opportunity to get a hind leg bunched under your opponent's belly, claws ready to rip and tear. Or a lucky swipe with one paw, catching on a tender area.
But Sakata is stronger. Younger. More experienced. So Magadi's claws find no purchase, and his struggles are in vain. It's only at the very end, when the Warleader feels the strength of his enemy beginning to wane, that Sakata makes a mistake. He releases his grip - just a little, just enough to free up one paw so that he can prepare a debilitating attack - and in that moment the Dhati bucks beneath him. The sudden lurching of his foe throws Sakata free, giving Magadi some breathing room.
Growling under his breath, the Warleader shakes his head to clear his thoughts. He has to finish this. Fast. The battle is still being waged, but if he can bring down their 'king' then the rest of the Dhati will flee, spirits broken. One breath. Two. And then on the third, he launches himself towards his foe, claws bared.
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Posted: Tue Feb 02, 2010 2:27 pm
Magadi had almost believed he was done when his claws found no hold and the weight of his opponent was bearing down on him. He didn't want to admit it, but he was beginning to think that his Second might actually be a threat to his position. The Dhati forgotten like a dream lingering just on the edge of his memory, Magadi fought to maintain a position he hadn't held in years.
It was with disbelief that he fell back, finding his breath and a single moment to gather his feet beneath him. His eyes blinked rapidly and tried to settle his gaze on his opponent, finding his blurry sight a bit of an inconvenience. Still, he could see the hulking monster and knew exactly when he propelled forward, even if he was having trouble discerning exactly what Sakata was about to do. That in and of itself was a lethal flaw in Magadi’s already flawed plan. With no idea of what Sakata meant to do, he simply took the opportunity to propel himself forward again. He rose up, teeth and claws bared, expecting another collision to fight himself free of.
He was exposed, completely and utterly exposed.
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Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2010 10:49 am
This time, when the two lions collided, one fell.
Oblivious to the inner turmoil of his foe, Sakata moves with the single-minded intent of a predator. His actions are swift and sure, making note of his foe's confusion and making the necessary adjustments to take advantage of it. The battle is won in the massive lion's mind before it is even engaged. Oh, there was a fight before Magadi went down - but it was little more than a scuffle; a few bites, some new wounds welling with blood, a few sharp strikes to the head. In the end, Magadi lies in a crumpled heap.
The Warleader of the Mizimu'Tungika stands tall upon his conquered foe, claws poised to fell him should he try to rise again.
"That's it? This is all the great Dhati 'king' has to offer?" Sakata roars in triumph, his voice echoing across the battlefield. "The spirits have abandoned you, Magadi'Afya, you and your 'pride.' Just as you abandoned them so long ago." He lowers his gaze, looking out across the devastation, and watches as the few remaining confrontations begin to draw to an end.
"Flee, cowards! Leave these lands now, or remain forever in death and dishonour."
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Posted: Thu Feb 04, 2010 4:04 pm
Magadi fell, and with him the entire hope for victory and vengeance fell with him. Ufahami was their beacon, their figurative shining light, but the real hope had always been with Magadi. As he lay there beneath the towering bulk of the Mizimu warleader, his mind struggled to make sense of the thoughts in his head and the words being bellowed above him.
The faintest glimmers of his pride, his legacy, everything he had been working for sparked up again in his mind. He had a moment for sorrow to nag at his heart and his eyes lifted up to stare at Sakata. His body was sore, spent, and everything he had worked for had been lost with his defeat. What happened to him no longer mattered because he had failed them all, every last one of them, and most of all.. he had failed her.
What was worse was that in his final moments he hadn't even remembered to fight for them.
"Why don't you kill me?" he croaked out, voice hoarse as he tried to speak through his raw throat. He could taste blood in his mouth and his vision was blurry and dim, but he could see Sakata. Sakata, the Warleader. No, no, Sakata the Second. Memory faded yet again, perhaps finally for a shield against the pain of failure, and Magadi's look of sorrow simply faded to one closer to humor. "You're supposed to kill me boy, that's how you become Warleader. Did you forget?" He wouldn't rise, he was too weary in both mind and body, so he simply lay there awaiting Sakata's decision instead. Even this demented Magadi knew that whatever it was wouldn't be a good one.
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Posted: Fri Feb 05, 2010 6:27 am
Sakata hisses, drawing back when he realizes that Magadi's mind has failed him just as surely as his body has. "You're mad!" His voice is low and harsh, his lip curling in... disgust? Is this what the spirits do when they have been forsaken? Is this some sort of punishment, or was it his madness that led him to defy their will in the first place? Now is not the time or place for these thoughts, of course, but the Warleader finds that he is reluctant to touch the crazy lion.
At first he is sorely tempted to simply end it, here and now. But no, that's not what needs to happen. The pride needs to see the fall of the Dhati. His Queen needs to see the death of the traitor king. And Magadi, abandoned as he has been by both the spirits and his own sanity, no longer deserves an honourable death. "No, Magadi'Afya, I'm not going to kill you here, not like this." He gestures roughly with one paw, sharp claws still extended. Just in case.
"On your feet, Dhati. On your feet and come with me, unless you'd rather I drag you in by the scruff of your neck. And keep that crazy mouth of yours shut, unless you want the same treatment you gave to Malaika."---fin---
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