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 Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 3:17 pm
He was indeed caught off guard, once more dragging in fresh contents of steam into his blade again and blinking in disbelief at the bard's sudden ability change.
"What?! Damn!" He cursed, berating himself, for he should've expected this from a user that plays strings.
Ignoring the fireballs, the swordsman quickly moved in the meantime to conserve some charge, using his reflex and his speed to temporarily dodge the small flames while he dashed to the perimeter in an arc to the bard's left. Red droplets followed the swordsman's wake while he winced at the stressed injuries, using light gestures with his left to manipulate the whip to --
Burst. Explode into dozens upon dozens of smaller whips like a nail bomb, spreading out like thorns and vines with the tip of each section coated with a sharp, but small spike. Not sharp nor dense enough to pierce through light armor, but any exposed skin areas?
The narrator didn't need to show how it'll cut through any exposed skin, such as areas near the face, the fingers, or the legs.
Some went far and wide beyond the rings and to the ground. Coiling around...?
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Saphen rolled 1 10-sided dice:
2
Total: 2 (1-10)
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Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 5:56 pm
Saphen watched his fireballs fly by uselessly and decided to draw them back just as quickly as they came to save energy by recycling them. The four burning infernos fused into one giant sphere with a 5 ft. diameter.
While this happened his opponent moved to his left turning the whip into a devastating needle attack and that was not very fun at all.
Saphen all the while was increasing the flames power and size through his music as the whip turned and exploded. Again timing seem to be the main factor in this battle of the minds and Saphen's was calculating the odds and made a decision.
The whips were coming from the same direction mostly and Saphen had to decide what to do...a similar choice.
Saphen decided that in order to win this he had to be offensive since both were damaged. The least damage done this entire fight was to the god damn arena which was so clean and perfect that it was as if the crushing water or erupting flames were never there.
Saphen burst his fire ball into a fire wall launching the burning mass at his opponent. The wall itself was 7 feet wide and about the same height but the tips of the flames licked higher every so often.
Saphen was well aware of the spiky doom that laid before him and immediately after launching his attack he turned to face it.
The music never stopped playing, the music quick and strong and ascending with vigor as the waves of attacks came at him. There was no way in hell Saphen could divert them all but he could move them away from vital areas and take damage elsewhere.
Small whips bounced off his chest armor, his forearm armor, and his shin guards. The mask he wore deflected the scratches to his face but the ones that would move into his eyes he turned his head slightly diverting them to his mask. Saphen's hands were the most important and all aimed at them were diverted to his legs or upper arms and he winced in pain as they clawed into his body but it was a needed sacrifice.
"THIS ISN'T OVER!" he yelled as the waves of whips let free blood run down his arms while others slammed into the ground, moved off with out damage, or bounced weakly off his armor.
Saphen's attack would envelop his opponent if he was caught in it, wrapping around him in a similar fashion as a father would give a hug to his daughter...only all painful and not enjoyable.
Saphen pushed the water away and back keeping as much of it at bay as he could while he hoped his attack would do some damage.
This time though the flames would not merely be shut out by a small vacuum with as much air as they were taking in due to the size of the mass but Saphen could only hope if he could make vacuums that large it would have to be at the sacrifice of his attack.
Fire: Stage 2
Water: Stage 1
Mana: 4/30
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Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 8:10 pm
Had the terrain been in a more open environment, then the swordsman would have given the bard his expectations, able to create large vacuumless airs within his more powerful attacks. But stuck in close fighting rings and a confined space...
He'll have to make do with what he has available to him. And with the bard able to dish out more and more flames, this is...becoming a bother.
No worries however; the swordsman had some things done behind the scenes while the bard was occupied with his burst of thorny vines.
And that, as he then gave a shout to pull the bard's attention to him..."KU-RAI-E! (TAKE THIS!)" From behind, something came whizzing straight towards the bard's back like a bullet without warning, aimed to stab straight through the foe's right torso. His left blade, picked up by some of the watery vines during the chaos of the burst. Left alone for a while and already to the side of the bard's position during the whole leaping and evasive maneuvers...
Reeling in his hand as if performing some symphonic conducting the swordsman jumped when the flames seemed immiment to engulf him --
Not towards the flames.
But back; right onto the ropes of the arena, applying all his weight down onto the flexible strength of the ring before being hurtled straight over the fiery wall by somersaulting over. Keeping it short, keeping it quick - should the unwarned stab by his left blade miss the target, the weapon would be on an intercept course straight for the swordsman - which he would catch in midair before throwing it out again like a projectile to stab at the bard's body in another attempt.
The whip was acting by then like a support structure scattered throughout the heated ring - stepping stones close to his position in which he can dart from one point to the next - sacrificing his dense water for the sake of mobility.
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Saphen rolled 1 10-sided dice:
7
Total: 7 (1-10)
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Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 11:37 pm
Saphen heard the yell and quickly darted his eyes to look around. Most of the water needles have been evaded and Saphen would have heard the hissing of steam if the attack came from Snow...so it must logically be behind him!
Saphen turned quickly to see the blade gunning for him and only had split seconds to react. Saphen lifted his mandolin up going through a quick flurry of notes but it was too late to stop the weapon...he could only turn it.
The blade turned ever so slightly so that the blunt end of the weapon slammed into his light weight metal armor. The resounding chime forced him to gasp in pain but he gritted his teeth to keep his head level.
"1,2,3,4-2,2,3,4-3,2,3,4-4,2,3,4!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Saphen was counting measures forcing his mind to focus as he wrenched the water whip off the weapon and a small flame extinguished it so it could not continue it's assault.
The damage would lose him his massive fire wall unless he did something quickly. Saphen watched his eyes darting as Snow moved but suddenly the notes this his fingers had desperately been playing surged power through his form.
FIRE: STAGE 3!
It would be too much of a strain to reverse the flame wall again after taking the damaging blow to his side so it died out with much relief to the audience who watched it fly at them all the way up to the barrier to the first seats and quickly ended close enough to save the front row from having to get new eyebrows.
Saphen refocused a flame behind his body and quickly the fire ball grew in intensity as he waited to see what his opponent would do next. The silhouette of the bard was menacing as his fingers insanely strummed notes at ridiculous speeds. The song would be a familiar one to some but what the bard had planned was anything but familiar.
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jgrCKhxE1s)
Fire: Stage 3
Water: Stage 1
Mana: 1/30 (+7, -10)
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Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2008 1:28 am
Deflected and twirling in midair, the swordsman caught his airborne weapon during his descent to the heated ring, landing quickly and then retreating back a few steps to avoid possible counterstri--
It didn't come.
And what seems to be a nasty surprise cooking behind the silhouette form of the bard, the swordsman did not enjoy the look for one, single, bit.
Whirling both swords about, he aligned both his blades into an X-formation, crossing his arms in front of his chest before taking a heavy step to face his entire body towards the bard's billowing position.
"Let's see how long you're able to play....!"
And in contrast to the brilliant orange flames flickering on one half of the ring thanks to the bard, the area around the swordman went deathly still; all that is of moisture being drawn straight into his body, as if he too, is charging anything but defensive.
In obvious notice, if it weren't for the sudden chill that started to plague the other half of the ring and the misty fog that would then be emitting from his body in faint traces...
The clash between flames and ice, fire and water --
A showdown to see whose powers rages most vivid against one another.
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Saphen rolled 1 10-sided dice:
1
Total: 1 (1-10)
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Posted: Thu Aug 07, 2008 12:33 am
Saphen's fingers strummed rapidly on the strings the wild beat forcing the flame behind him to grow in intensity as the heat on his side of the arena became scorching. The temperatures were almost too hot even for the bard who had taken great lengths to endure such temperatures in training just in case such a task was required. The heat was so intense that the image of the bard began to warp in strange shapes and waves as if the air was the ocean...and the bard the moon above it.
Saphen decided to test his grounds and breaking his song only for a moment he quickly surged a lashing of heat at his opponent.
But how did he do this?
A massive flame flickered out like a flamethrower around the bard pushing the heated air at his opponent in a roaring mass of burning oxygen. The massive gust of the infernal temperature raced towards the position the swordsman held fueled by the increasing flames that danced to the loud and raging music.
Saphen's fingers were quickly dancing over the strings once more the flames glowing brighter as audience members diverted their eyes from the light while others took the pain to see what would happen next.
Saphen would have given up all the reward money if his battles could have been like this one every....single...time!
Fire: Stage 3
Water: Stage 1
Mana: 2/30
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Posted: Thu Aug 07, 2008 6:38 am
There were few methods of fighting against fiery users. Some require terrain advantage, while others relied more on striking the foe quickly before he or she can charge up the chance to burn the entire arena alive.
The swordsman's tactic, however, placed a more subtle method on tactics, rather than pure overwhelming power.
Because, as far as he knows, he has a limited span in use against a user that can churn out a fire that can escalate in temperature and intensity without limits.
Therefore, the next move he takes against flames of unparalleled proportions must be done with precise actions.
And hence, biding time for him to charge up and counter the bard with the fires of hell...
The swordsman too, gave the bard a response, by showing him how the ninth level of hell really is.
"Condense..."
He breathed, white fog of vicious cold expelling out of his mouth as if he was eating the air around him alive. Flicker of that white fog acted in some fashion like a contrast to the bard's burning flames while he raised both arms high, taking in a sudden breath, condensing things beyond the safety of his strength.
As a result, his senses were failing him - his sense of touch in response to his blades..."HuuuaaaAAAAHH!" With a swipe towards the lashing heat, a surge of unprecedented, compressed freezing water blasted straight into the wrathful inferno, immediately exploding into steam due to the extreme difference in temperature.
If it was simply that, then the swordsman did his job in defending himself.
But it didn't stop there.
The steam expanded, being boiled beyond its limit and expanding its range as the cloud of fog continue to sweep right towards the bard's position; Accumulating more heat, and turning the vapor into lethal, scorching moisture.
Vapor so hot that it can stick onto cloth, onto skin...
And give severe burns through contact to the skin, if the bard is not careful. Even with the bard's ability to use water to divert or deflect the moisture --
Never underestimate water's ability to contain heat.
By then the entire ring would be covered with thick, heavy fog, turning visibility to near zero. Footsteps can be heard amongst the shouts and cries of the spectator's surprise as the sounds of running shot towards the bard's position -- foretelling the foe that the swordsman is making his move to get close to the musician's blinded moment.
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Saphen rolled 1 10-sided dice:
7
Total: 7 (1-10)
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Posted: Thu Aug 07, 2008 1:00 pm
Saphen had waited...and waited...and waited...and finally it happened. The two rival temperatures collided via Snow's attack and this was the only reason Saphen had waited so long. The steam bellowed forth to come into the heated territory but this was not all that would happen.
The next attack would be only possible due to the lovely law of physics. The water was pulling in the heat...as much of it as it could and Saphen would surge his focal point flame forward through it in a vicious attack. The flame looked like a fireball but the glow it had was much brighter due to it's sheer intensity.
Now all the crowd expected him to try and push the steam back and away but NO!...what is this?!.....HE IS PULLING THE STEAM TOWARDS HIMSELF!
The steam moved directly to Saphen spreading out to dodge the fireball in it's travel and as the fireball reached Snow's part of the arena it ignited into a giant flame wall pulling towards Snow's position but why?
Thermal...Equilibrium.
When two temperature fronts meet, heat in it's nature will pull towards the colder front and try to even out the temperature. Saphen figured that Snow would build up his arena in a cold front while the bard made his a warm front. By pulling the steam away from Snow's end his area was left colder and so when the fireball exploded all the heat it created including some of the heated air around the steam would cover Snow's side of the arena with out warning and with deathly fast speed.
Even if Snow extinguished the flames the heat the steam created would be pulled back at Snow until the arena was a balanced temperature. Saphen had been charging the single flame to make heat so intense that this effect would occur and he could only hope as he screamed in agony using his mandolin to protect his eyes, neck, and hands from the burning steam but his arms and legs suffered immense pain that Snow would feel similar.
"HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" he screamed in both challenge and torment as the dancing flames were drawn to Snow's position...begging....pleading...to play in the winter's chill like a child on Christmas day.
Fire: Stage 3
Water: Stage 1
Mana: 9/30
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Posted: Thu Aug 07, 2008 5:35 pm
He figured as much, the counter in more epic proportions than he'd expected.
Yet the running he did quickly after the steamy blast was made paid off, the swordsman popping right out from the sides close to his foe in an arc, left of where the bard stood screaming in challenge and torment while having a clear shot right at the mandolin and the body of his foe.
Didn't he gave away his position prior to the billowing flames with the sounds of his footsteps admist the Reaper's fury?
The swordsman didn't bother thinking about the rest by then, thrusting his left blade straight towards the main body of the instrument to permamently separate the strings, and pierce the mandolin with its lethal - if not heated - edge.
He only had a few seconds to spare, taking another step in with his right foot to deliver a violent slash inward with his right blade.
To slash right into the bard's left torso.
Scorched marks could be seen covering his cloak, and even his breathing is haggard against the unbearable heat. Yet despite it all, the swordsman only had two advantages which gave him that slight edge in combat.
The running immediately to put himself in close range under the deceptive veil of the steam.
Finally, the most important one...
The opening the bard gave, prior to his running and giving him a cool place to finalize his attack -- before the monstrosity of the flaming heat came up from behind to eat at the swordsman's body just as he finished the move against the bard.
He felt the burn clearly; the intense heat that tried to boil his blood alive. But having his senses deadened by the side effect of overusing his abilities plus some leftovers of frost over his thick cloak, the pain didn't come as sharp and crisp as it could've been. And gritting his teeth enough to draw blood, most of the intense blast engulfing the back of his cloak and not the vital areas, if this strike(s) didn't work, then there's only one last resort to do to bring down the foe that is so close in front of him.
This act would probably befit the phrase of...
Bringing the fight straight to the opposition.
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Saphen rolled 1 10-sided dice:
8
Total: 8 (1-10)
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Posted: Thu Aug 07, 2008 7:01 pm
Saphen turned to hear the thumping and breathing of his opponent as he dashed forward. Saphen had gained nothing but respect for the man who was attempting to impale him at that very moment. The rushing flames that were licking at the back of the swordsman had the bard considering what to do next. It was all well and good that his attack did have some sort of impact but not enough to stop the foe from trying to ram metal into his spine.
Saphen's eyes flashed as his fingers graced the strings once more in their rapid succession as two things happened one after the other. The first the steam condensed into water at a very rapid rate and due to the cooling of his side of the arena from the equalization it made his counter possible. There was a lot of steam...burning his body as it accumulated into a mass of water about the size of the bard's body.
The Bard had ascended to his second stage of water just in time to defend himself against the stab. The water would quickly condense around the blade at the last seconds into solid ice and attempt to lift the stabbing weapon up slightly as Saphen crouched his body whirling his mandolin in what seemed like a baseball swing in an attempt to sweep out the swordsman feet from under him. This was quite desperate at this point but he hoped that it would be enough to buy him some time.
If successful he would dash (more like stumble) away back towards the heated side of the arena but he was not so sure it would be.
At this point amidst the torments of war both fighters realize that the end was coming soon...it was only a question of how long they could hold out.
Fire: Stage 3
Water: Stage 2
Mana: 7/30 (+8, -10)
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Posted: Thu Aug 07, 2008 8:08 pm
And just when he thought he was out of water - the foe gave him something to use in its stead. At the last second, though late, ice blanketed his stabbing weapon that was aimed for the mandolin, encasing the blade in its rigorous freeze.
He can use that.
His hand twisted the weapon, relying on his eyes to make sure that he's grabbing onto his blade securely with his deadened senses, the ice on its surface...
Quickly dissappearing on the spot, being absorbed straight into his blade.
There were some things that the bard didn't know, nor was there any need for the swordsman to reveal more of his pressing concerns in his use of water manipulation. For one, the swordsman doesn't rely entirely on internal magic for channeling and focusing water or ice.
That is left to his weapons and gears, designed with special materials that help aid him to amplify and store energy so that it helps negate his own problem in containing energy for use. Therefore, if his weapons are severely damaged or destroyed, so goes his ability to wage magic as well. The same thing can probably be said for the bard, who depends on his strings to cast magic against the opposition.
That's why it takes time for him to charge up, especially during battle conditions that are lacking moisture or water.
But back to the moment of this battle. With the left blade eagerly cannibalizing the ice on its surface, the stab missed its target in severing the strings while the bard crouched, aimed to whack the swordsman's feet out from beneath him.
But the swordsman still has his right blade, which can easily change directions just by twisting his arm down to curve his slash ---
Aiming straight for the bard's instrument to sever it in half.
But just to be careful under that near-second timing, the swordsman anchored his weight down on the leg closest to the swing, as if preparing to take simultaneous damage to inflict a more devastating blow onto the bard's desperado.
(( Last post for me -- Dx Good fight. ))
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Saphen rolled 1 10-sided dice:
4
Total: 4 (1-10)
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Posted: Thu Aug 07, 2008 8:17 pm
Saphen's strings were cut but his intentions were done but rather then let his instrument be destroyed he dipped it down lifting his body up in a tackle in an attempt to slam the swordsman back using his forearm metal guard as a buffer between them.
"Lets see who survives the heat!" he roared as his right hand holding the instrument moved behind him to protect the wooden frame as he drove his body into his opponent.
But what did this mean? The flames were on the other side of the arena and Thermal Equilibrium only works when one side is colder...but that was it.
The giant ice block Saphen had made cooled their already slightly cooled side enough for the heat and the flames to come roaring back the opposite way. The heat was not as intense as it was before but Saphen hoped that he could endure it better than his opponent.
Saphen would follow through and then dart the opposite direction of his opponent making a leaping roll for the edges of the arena as where the swordsman was would be the coolest area and the heat and burning embers of the inferno would craving. Saphen was thankful that the small arena could be cooled so quickly for if they were in a bigger space this would not be at all possible.
The bard had his mandolin behind him, his arms covering his face and his body as closed as possible to try and prevent the most damage from the heat wave but that was all the energy he had left. If the swordsman could endure it Saphen would only have physical strikes to continue...but maybe in this extremely weaken state the bard could go toe to toe with the man swinging their canes like they were old neighbors arguing over who had the best lawn.
Fire: Stage 3
Water: Stage 2
Mana: 11/30
(Awesome fight. I enjoyed this one most of all)
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