It was a shame too, because that follow-up high guard would have been a perfect time to strike to the lead foot while the rapier was still on the low, but as it was, all the Baron could do was whip his rear foot back into position and retreat a few steps, shuffling rapidly back.
And had the nimble swordsman not shifted back so quickly, the masked male would have liked to use that clumsy guard to try and pin the Baron's blade with his own while they were in such a position... but the rapier, like its wielder, was as slippery as it was dangerous. Forcing either of them into a disadvantageous position would be difficult -- doubly so with only one properly functioning arm to work with. That was why it was that much more important that he not let what leverage he gained be taken back so quickly.
Give an inch, take a mile. Justice had already given up a few miles during the course of this duel and it was time for him to begin taking them back.
Lord Kelvin may have begun to pace backwards to clear distance between them but Justice would follow after to keep the distance as best he could. Step for step, one forward for each backward that his opponent took, the masked hero would stride forward in a low stance trying to keep himself on the outside of the Baron's right arm. He would have no way to react to the swordsman drawing his parrying dagger with the other hand, but if he managed to keep himself in this close it would drastically restrict the options that the other man had.
True, they had quite a bit of space to work with so this pursuit could go on for quite some time... but if the white-sleeved dandy was unable to turn his back to the masked male the forward strides Justice was making would afford him enough of an advantage that this distance could be maintained... at least so long as the Baron didn't try anything tricky.
For Justice, however, this was an essential element to his current defense. The thrusts of Honor Among Men were fast, accurate, and powerful... but their weakness was that they required a full extension of the arm and a straight angle to attack from. With Justice keeping the men no more than an arm's length apart and the Baron's sword arm to his outside it meant that the only ways he could attack would be to either pull back the rapier far enough and at such an angle that it created an opening in his defense, or to make a chopping backhanded strike against the high guard Justice was currently employing. Due to his slightly crouched stance and the way he held the blade it covered him from neck to knee like a shield held in that hand.
This was a dangerous game that they both played; one in which any opportunity to make an attack inherently created an opening that can be attacked in kind. It almost ensured that any attack that would come from this would be either fast and fierce or entirely intended to force a defensive action.
The Baron's retreat wasn't gaining him any ground, but it kept Justice from going entirely on the offensive due to having to be cautious of running straight into a readied blade.
Justice : 17%
Posted: Sun Mar 30, 2014 11:46 am
What a strange confrontation this was shaping up to be! Neither fighter was in an offensive stance, and yet each threatened the other with swift death should they make a single poor strike. In this close distance, the retreat turned into a circle, backsteps swinging to the side as the Baron kept pace with Justice on his outer right.
It was a wise guard... it effectively locked the Baron's blade out of the majority of the masked man's body. Still, that rapier point was fast, and it took but a slight turn of the wrist to move it around, so perhaps he could still strike in past it... these were the thoughts that raced through the nobleman's mind as he sized up Justice.
Still, while the gears in his mind turned, his mouth covered it with the flowery discourse he was so accustomed to deploying when it was perception that needed to be deflected, and not a blade.
"I must say, you are a fine swordsman, Justice. The finest I have dueled in nigh three centuries as the Earth turns. It is a pity, truly, that I shall have to kill you." The Baron's face was the very mask of true contrition, cast in a stark dichotomy of light and shadow as the sun bathed the left side of his face.
"Can you not see? My blood shimmers there, still wet, upon your blade. The blood of kings. The blood of Man. And he who liveth by the sword shall perish by it... so says the Almighty. It would have been better had you cut me down in a single blow... now... this requiem plays for you alone."
He fell silent, allowing Justice a reply. After all, honor demanded it... though he was ready to act at a moment's notice all the same.
And act he did!
Forward foot sweeping out to the right side slightly, and forward, the Baron squared with Justice for a brief moment as they circled, torso continuing to lean back slightly as his point whipped about with him, following the movement of his torso in a short, speedy arc to the inside line of that vertical guard. His arm snapped forward, a brief but unavoidable tell as the point rose up... but why? His feet hadn't moved... there was no way he could reach from here... and then the Baron leaned forward suddenly, using the pendulum point of his rear leg to throw his body weight forward without shifting his foot, gaining an impressive amount of distance without actually having to move, using not muscle power but his own mass to drive the point in, and through.
At this distance... he moved to strike the closest unprotected target to his blade... the target exactly in direct line with his diamond point.
The face of Justice itself.
Latent Arcana: 2
Equipment: RH: [Honor Amongst Men] -
This elaborate renaissance era-weapon is a masterpiece of craftsmanship. It is a bladed rapier some 3.3 feet in length, weighing about 2.5 pounds. The grip is wrapped in soft, slip-resistant leather, and is protected by an elaborate Italian-style basket hilt, plated in silver and platinum filigree. The blade tapers gradually to a wickedly sharp, hardened, diamond-shaped point that can easily split even bone with a solid thrust. The length is decently flexible, and edged on both sides, though not sharp enough to easily cut through anything more than very thin leather or cloth (Repeated cuts in the same area will still eventually cut through even heavy leather armor though). It is forged of the finest Damascus steel, giving it high strength, fair flexibility, and a slightly lower weight than traditional steel. It is housed in an exquisite, hardened leather scabbard that is reinforced at the tip and along the length, providing protection to the blade from rust and dulling, as well as doubling as a weapon in its own right in dire straits.
LH: [Due Respect] -
Kelvin’s trusty off-hand weapon: a main gauche. This parrying dirk is ten inches long in the blade, and features an extensive hilt designed to effectively trap and deflect another blade. Typically, this dagger is sheathed upon Kelvin’s left thigh. He may draw it quickly in a pinch, though using it in conjunction with the rapier necessitates a different stance. Rarely, it is also used to deter or strike an enemy that has closed past the effective range of the rapier. It too features a tapering blade and sharp point, perfect for stabbing through all manner of flesh and armor, and weighs half a pound.
"Can you not see? My blood shimmers there, still wet, upon your blade. The blood of kings. The blood of Man. And he who liveth by the sword shall perish by it... so says the Almighty. It would have been better had you cut me down in a single blow... now... this requiem plays for you alone."
He fell silent, allowing Justice a reply. After all, honor demanded it...
Ah, there it was again! That self-styled witty banter that fighters often made themselves famous for. Something that had been noticeably lacking in this confrontation that had scarcely left them room to draw a breath between strokes of the blade much less speak at length... Fortunately despite their vigorous movements neither man seemed to be for a lack of breath after only a few mere moments of intense back and forth that felt like they had dragged on for minutes more than that. As Justice gave chase after the swordsman the red stain on his left arm grew larger and ran down his sleeve to the elbow now... a deep wound to be certain but the bleeding was not bad enough that he would be suffering adversely from it so soon. His heart rate was elevated, but moreso from the tension in this situation than from the chase itself.
"Your blade speaks experience but your tongue speaks vanity, sir." Were they to cross words now as well as swords? If so then the masked male would be sure that he attacked his opponent's vulnerable spots most directly. "You act as if your mouth is filled with flowers, but I see only barbs. Tell me, king of men, how many of those long years were spent alone?"
The question was posed not expecting an answer... but to strike a wound upon that proud heart instead. For the time being they would only trade words, until he saw an opportunity to be offensive with his blade as well as his remarks. It wasn't until the rapier-wielder grew tired of their chase that the chance Justice was waiting for appeared:
themightyjello
With Justice keeping the men no more than an arm's length apart and the Baron's sword arm to his outside it meant that the only ways he could attack would be to either pull back the rapier far enough and at such an angle that it created an opening in his defense
Scalar Warfare
Forward foot sweeping out to the right side slightly, and forward, the Baron squared with Justice for a brief moment as they circled, torso continuing to lean back slightly as his point whipped about with him, following the movement of his torso in a short, speedy arc to the inside line of that vertical guard. His arm snapped forward, a brief but unavoidable tell as the point rose up...
This was likely the only chance that he was going to get to make a move before the Honor Among Men began to dance around his guard again; it was the sole reason why Justice had kept the pressure up without taking any swings at the other combatant - to be ready for the opening when it appeared.
When the Baron swayed back to bring his blade across to the inside line of the Justice Blade the masked hero seized the initiative and used that chance to... fall on his own sword.
Lord Kelvin's rapier may have been swift but the hero started his movement almost simultaneously with his own; with the Honor Among Men moving to Justice's inside line that also placed the Justice Blade upon the Baron's own inside line. Kelvin used his last step to square up and stop retreating, but Justice used his last step to lunge forward with a deep step-in; the high guard against his right shoulder swinging forward as the blade swung out ahead of him in a downward arc down the inside line of Kelvin's leading arm intended for the space between his shoulder and neck.
It would have been a strike with no weight behind it, if not for the fact that he did still possess two hands. Even with damage to his left shoulder the hand was still clutching his collar to hold it upright; and as he leaned forward into the strike Justice swung his hand down from there onto the backside of his sword and clapped the steel plate on his palm against the blade's edge in a half-swording technique. There wasn't enough room between them to create momentum and not enough power in one arm to drive the blade home... but with the full of his body weight behind the middle of the blade the downward swing suddenly became a downward chop -- like the head of an axe swinging down onto the swordsman's right shoulder. Even if the blade couldn't cut through the gambison it still carried enough force that it could snap the man's clavicle and immobilize his sword arm.
It was a cumbersome, risky attack to lunge in like that... but one that carried a potential reward that couldn't even be compared to the scratch Justice had inflicted before.
The rapier's strike would thrust at him just as he began to duck in; the tip striking behind his left ear midway as his head dipped low following the line of his strike, causing the blade to skip off of the rounded surface instead of penetrating bone. The tip carrying away a strip of black fabric, several tiny clumps of short hair, and a small piece of skin as it shot past and left a red streak running across the underside of the blade. It was a long but shallow gash over the back of the masked male's scalp that cut a slice out of the hero's tight-fitted headgear.
As for the Due Respect pressed against the Baron's chest... he would have to pay it due respect in the next half second or so.
Justice : 27%
17% +5% +5%
# Taunting : +5% # Enemy harms hero : +5%
Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2014 12:18 pm
There was something to be said for the type of person willing to bear the heat of massed people at midday during the summer, doubly so for those entirely out of their element. No clearer evidence of this than the profusely sweating brow of a bald domed... creature... that squinted its impossibly huge, buggy black eyes down at the arena floor as if that would actually help him see better.
For the fifth time in the past minute, the creature raised a dirty napkin to its reddish forehead, dabbing away at sweat that squeezed out of pores faster than he could wipe it. Beside him, a 20 gallon tank of water sat, a hose nozzle clipped from its spout right next to the alien's mouth.
Flapping his lips almost like a fish, he was currently in the act of devouring this wonderful thing he had discovered called popcorn. A novelty unlike anything he had experienced, he had bought the entire refreshment stand's supply and currently crammed it by the fistful into his mouth. Understandably, the other fans had given him a wide birth... no less because he stank heavily of dead fish.
Suddenly, steel flashed in the sands, and startled him. With a sharp inhale, he tried to steady his weak nerves... and promptly began to choke profusely on probably a full pound of buttery snacks. His eyes bugged out, and the alien collapsed, convulsing, as his arms flailed about him uselessly. His throat bulged, but noone payed it any mind... fixed on the spectacle below.
His eyes grew dim, heavy double-lids sealing down as his air supply dwindled away. With a last heave, the alien croaked out his last words in this world.
Because the Second Baron Kelvin, Lord of Torrance, had unleashed a supreme act of subterfuge that would surely make the blood run cold. He had learned the technique in the wake of a duel a century and a half ago on some planet he could no longer remember the name of. The proud Baron had challenged a local hero to a duel of blades, and performed the very same leaning lunge... only to fall upon a dagger produced from under a sleeve. Swearing to never repeat that ignoble mistake, he had refined the lunge to a far more sinister ploy.
For the thrust was but an illusion, the lunge a blatant deception! It was not truly a lunge at all, but instead a delayed, percussive advance! The point of the rapier that had seemed destined for striking the face rose skyward, bringing the cutting edge up to bear with a flick of the nobleman's wrist, flashing in the light like no mere steel could. And in that moment, the Baron finally revealed his subtle yet dangerous magic... as a corona of pure aether enveloped his blade in the essence of the most perfect blade in existence... the idea of a rapier. In that fraction of a second, Justice might have seen that pure blade appear... but it was already dropping down with a brisk snap reversal of the wrist, arm and blade cleaving down into mask, skull, and brain like parting butter.
Yet this was a poor response to that half-sword lunge; that is to say, it was no response at all. The best laid plans of mice and men could easily come to naught, and the only thing that stood between clavicle and Justice was leather lamellar and a quilted gambeson. True, the sudden advance had shrunk the distance the Justice Blade could travel, but its momentum was aided by the man falling onto the strike. Though the tough lacquered hide would not part to such a vertical strike, it had to yield another way, depressing inward... leaving only padded cloth to diffuse it. Valiantly, it did so to the best of its ability, turning what had surely been a shattered bone into a sorely bruised one... though the desired effect came to pass after all, as the bone dislocated with an audible 'pop' along the breastbone.
The Baron's right arm tensed, then fell slack, fingers still gripping his blade but his arm no longer able to lift from the shoulder, a sorely crippling injury, that no doubt would have been a severe disadvantage, had he not incurred it amidst inflicting a two-fold attack of far more deadly consequence.
Truly, two-fold, for Due Respect had not lain idle in this moment of climax... of simultaneous release... acting more on the instinct of seeing an open guard than conscious thought. It moved on the straightest line possible, point driving forward faster than any full blade, the main gauche aglow with that same unearthly light, to bury itself in the masked man's right bicep and sever the muscle to the bone.
In pain, the Baron exhaled words, though whether Justice would even be able to hear them was uncertain.
"All of them." he answered truthfully, and drove the blade home.
Latent Arcana: 1 (-1 Cut to the Quick, -1 net!)
Equipment: RH: [Honor Amongst Men] -
This elaborate renaissance era-weapon is a masterpiece of craftsmanship. It is a bladed rapier some 3.3 feet in length, weighing about 2.5 pounds. The grip is wrapped in soft, slip-resistant leather, and is protected by an elaborate Italian-style basket hilt, plated in silver and platinum filigree. The blade tapers gradually to a wickedly sharp, hardened, diamond-shaped point that can easily split even bone with a solid thrust. The length is decently flexible, and edged on both sides, though not sharp enough to easily cut through anything more than very thin leather or cloth (Repeated cuts in the same area will still eventually cut through even heavy leather armor though). It is forged of the finest Damascus steel, giving it high strength, fair flexibility, and a slightly lower weight than traditional steel. It is housed in an exquisite, hardened leather scabbard that is reinforced at the tip and along the length, providing protection to the blade from rust and dulling, as well as doubling as a weapon in its own right in dire straits.
LH: [Due Respect] -
Kelvin’s trusty off-hand weapon: a main gauche. This parrying dirk is ten inches long in the blade, and features an extensive hilt designed to effectively trap and deflect another blade. Typically, this dagger is sheathed upon Kelvin’s left thigh. He may draw it quickly in a pinch, though using it in conjunction with the rapier necessitates a different stance. Rarely, it is also used to deter or strike an enemy that has closed past the effective range of the rapier. It too features a tapering blade and sharp point, perfect for stabbing through all manner of flesh and armor, and weighs half a pound.
Abilities: [Cut to the Quick] - Active! -
By expending a charge of Latent Arcana, Lord Kelvin may bestow his blade with raw magical energy, allowing it to slice deeply into flesh and leather, and even cut through chainmail or thin plate with a solid blow. This effect lasts two rounds, after which it dissipates.
Through the unyielding din of the crowd neither of the men on the arena floor were able to hear the prophetic cries of the noseless space krill that seemed to always know when bad s**t was about to happen... but they were proven nonetheless true when the Baron's feinted thrust turned quickly into an unexpected type of attack... the first strike with the blade's edge that had happened thus far.
Justice had been ready to go in, and go in hard, at the very first opportunity that presented itself because he didn't know if he would ever get another chance like this -- in so close that his opponent couldn't effectively use his weapon and would have to go to great lengths to bring the point against him again in another of those deadly thrusts that he seemed to heavily favor. The masked hero had locked himself into a perpetual guard on the gamble that the Baron would open up his defense when trying to regain full movement of his blade. It was a gamble because any attack Justice made would be a reaction to an initial movement, and there was no guarantee that it would not be a feint.
The only option he had, then, was to go in fast and go in hard with no hesitation: any delay in his action shifted the advantage further toward his opponent and even if the movement was intended to bait him he had no choice but to step in willingly or be once again forced outside into range of those thrusts. Justice had no qualms about admitting that Lord Kelvin's skill with the blade was genuine, and now that he had drawn his parrying blade even a close range fight would be a potentially deadly exchange for the hero.
Due to this there was no doubt that the Baron knew he was waiting for an opening and because of that he was expecting to feel the dagger's bite in exchange for his charge. It was a trade he was willing to risk, if gains were to be made. The rapier's tip bobbed in preparation, the arm drew back so as to cross over his guard, and as soon as it passed to the inside line Justice shot through the gap between them ready to strike with as much ferocity as he could muster in that close gap. His body bent low and his head tucked in, turning away from what he thought was a thrust and his eye caught the blade of the Main Gauche being pulled back from over the swordsman's chest in preparation to receive the charge...
It was a trap.
But ******** it.
...though he hadn't been expecting a double trap.
The hero felt a chill run down the back of his neck the instant he stepped in, averting his eyes from the rapier in expectation of having to duck beneath a thrust. The distance they were at already, nevermind the distance they would be at after he stepped in, would prohibit almost any other type of attack from the rapier other than a hilt bash... normally. But as Kelvin changed the angle of his blade and brought out the power of his latent arcana Justice was suddenly overcome with a foreboding feeling regarding that strike; his Heroic Instinct warning him of the magical energy that was coursing through the blade and about to be coursing through his tendons!
Quote:
Heroic Instinct - Passive # The ability to sense when villainy is afoot and to know when danger rears its ugly head are two things that a hero cannot do without. Justice Guy is able to sense the presence of 'dark power' (magic or energy used with malicious intent) and track down sources of dark power over a distance. The instinct also provides the hero with a 'spider sense' that gives him a split second more to react to traps or surprise attacks than he would have had otherwise.
That dirty son of a clam! That filthy cod-slurping sailor! That unscrupulous nare-do-well! Even if it had been his own misconception at the start of this they had agreed to an honorable duel between men and at no point since had they bore anything against each other but blades. The use of the arcane in a fencing duel between himself and one who so seriously practiced the art was like pouring a bottle of barbecue sauce over delicate quisine... it was an insult! A travesty! It got Justice's blood boiling over this slight.
But he was committed to his attack already, he'd put too much into this lunge to change that fact now. The Justice Blade was inches from Kelvin's gambison and his weight was already being thrown forward onto the arm gripping it halfway up. But if his body was in motion, his legs mid-step, and his arms committed to this strike... what was left for him to do?
It was time to use his head.
He didn't have time to think out a plan of what to do, and his reaction was far from dignified or elegant in any way. The Honor Among Men was coming down at the back of his neck and the only thing left for him to do was to take it right in the face. His initial dip of the head to duck under the assumed thrust turned into a bob as he craned his neck forward and brought his head back up into the path of the sword with the muscles in his neck strained at the rapid shift in motion; an instant later he made contact -- but not with the magically infused blade -- he had thrown his face into the path of the rapier's basket hilt, taking a blunted blow squarely on the side of his left eye socket with a wet sounding thunk.
The hero's vision blacked out for an instant at the impact, but the feeling of a solid body underneath him as the Justice Blade finally landed its blow was enough to keep him grounded in reality... that is, until the world came flooding back with a rush of sensational pain and his eyes came back into focus to the sight of a majicked blade piercing through his right arm between the elbow and shoulder.
The parrying dagger would have had no trouble piercing through the soft armor on his upper arm that was best at turning aside light slashes rather than dedicated thrusts. The enchantment on the blade was just icing on the cake, parting the leather before it like Charlton Heston at the Red Sea and letting the dagger's point drive fully into and likely through the muscle with little resistance.
Now he was down by two half arms. This was going to get ugly, and it was going to get there fast. But Kelvin had been the first between them to bring out his arcana, and now it rested upon Justice to make him regret that decision. The hero's forward foot slid out, hooking behind Kelvin's leading heel from the inside and Justice turned his shoulder in further to push it upward into the underside of the Baron's right arm and press his left cheek against the bloodstain on Kelvin's sleeve as a drip of his own red lifeblood ran down from a cut on his brow over the rim of his left eye. The motion served to use Kelvin's own side to push Justice's left arm in when his shoulder could not complete the task; the hand extending off of the half-sword position and instead reaching to grasp the offending dagger by the guard and hold it fast.
Blood soaked his right sleeve now and dripped readily from the hilt of his own sword after running down his wrist. The amount of time he had to play cat and mouse with this dandy fop had just been drastically cut short by the opening of a new wound and he was going to have to put an end to this quickly before the blood loss began to affect him severely.
To that end, he had finally gotten a hold upon Kelvin, and whether through hooking his leg, holding his arm, or simply biting his neck like a pit bull and refusing to let go Justice was determined to bring this battle to a close here and now, even if it meant that they both went to the ground.
Though a nobleman, the Baron Kelvin had never shied from close combat, disdaining it more in principle than in terms of practicality; The battlefields of the modern age and beyond had taught him that base brutality often prevailed over elegance in form. And it was this philosophy that drove his art both with the sword and with the strands of Aether that bound the universe, meshing form and function into a lethal combination.
There was nothing base about taking an opportunity; the loss of honor was in acts of cowardice, and the deliberate exploitation of one who had already been humbled. Had the Baron known how incensed his opponent was at his gambit, he would have been thoroughly puzzled... he had not broken his word in the slightest.
Thus it was without hesitation that he transitioned from swordplay to grappling and fisticuffs. Both men were still on their feet, and until one fell in the hot dust, it was unthinkable to disengage.
Justice had latched onto him, practically embracing him, b*****d sword still lying where it had bit into the lamellar, his other hand locking onto the nobleman's dagger to keep it pinned. Having lost most use out of his primary sword arm, it was now with great irony that the Baron sought to keep that blade from moving again, though it aggravated his wounds sorely, his breath no longer even but coming out as hisses between clenched teeth.
Still, he had nothing but respect for his opponent, and there would be no bestial, desperate gambit here... only the pressing of an advantage that the Baron was keenly aware he still possessed. With an abrupt twist of his torso, he pressed the right side of his body forward and to his left, rotating from the hips as his right hand curled from the elbow, locking itself around Justice's neck from behind, boxing him on the far ear as the basket hilt smacked into place, blade pointing up and away from both fighters. He shoved roughly from the rear leg, bending his right knee in as he swiveled, pulling the masked man into a tango dancer's lean, throwing him back as one would a swooning lover... using that abrupt torque and the ever-present force of gravity to rip Due Respect from where it was buried in Justice's right bicep down to the elbow and out, as the Baron swung his left arm back.
But as abruptly as it exited, he was already stabbing it back in, eyes locked onto his opponent's with a soul wrenching sadness that was nearly tangible in the air between them.
"I'm sorry." he whispered, shaking bodily, as he stabbed once... twice! in rapid succession, sinking that still-glowing point up to the crossguard into Justice's liver on his right side.
Latent Arcana: 1
Equipment: RH: [Honor Amongst Men] -
This elaborate renaissance era-weapon is a masterpiece of craftsmanship. It is a bladed rapier some 3.3 feet in length, weighing about 2.5 pounds. The grip is wrapped in soft, slip-resistant leather, and is protected by an elaborate Italian-style basket hilt, plated in silver and platinum filigree. The blade tapers gradually to a wickedly sharp, hardened, diamond-shaped point that can easily split even bone with a solid thrust. The length is decently flexible, and edged on both sides, though not sharp enough to easily cut through anything more than very thin leather or cloth (Repeated cuts in the same area will still eventually cut through even heavy leather armor though). It is forged of the finest Damascus steel, giving it high strength, fair flexibility, and a slightly lower weight than traditional steel. It is housed in an exquisite, hardened leather scabbard that is reinforced at the tip and along the length, providing protection to the blade from rust and dulling, as well as doubling as a weapon in its own right in dire straits.
LH: [Due Respect] -
Kelvin’s trusty off-hand weapon: a main gauche. This parrying dirk is ten inches long in the blade, and features an extensive hilt designed to effectively trap and deflect another blade. Typically, this dagger is sheathed upon Kelvin’s left thigh. He may draw it quickly in a pinch, though using it in conjunction with the rapier necessitates a different stance. Rarely, it is also used to deter or strike an enemy that has closed past the effective range of the rapier. It too features a tapering blade and sharp point, perfect for stabbing through all manner of flesh and armor, and weighs half a pound.
Abilities: [Cut to the Quick] - Active! -
By expending a charge of Latent Arcana, Lord Kelvin may bestow his blade with raw magical energy, allowing it to slice deeply into flesh and leather, and even cut through chainmail or thin plate with a solid blow. This effect lasts two rounds, after which it dissipates.
For the second time in as many seconds the hand-warmed steel of the Honor Among Men's handle struck the masked male across the brow and blurred his vision. His ears rang with more than just the sound of impact, the dull thundering of blood pumping mixed fluidly with it as his world began to spin in disorientation... ... ... no, it was not disorientation at all - the world was actually spinning around him!
Wrapped up in the crook of the Baron's arm his balance was pushed over and the two men bent over in close embrace; Kelvin grasping at the hero's head and Justice holding fast onto the guard of the dagger in his opponent's off hand. The sweeping motion kept them close but changed their position, enough to give the swordsman leverage to pry the small blade free once again with a fresh spurt of blood from the widening wound that had now all but severed the muscle from bone. Another pained cry was uttered from behind the mask as their dance entered a dip -- the man on the bottom letting his hand slip from the hilt of the blade between them and instead grasping at the belt of the man on top for some semblance of stability despite the slack in his own arm; a dark red stain smearing across the cloth covering as rivulets of blood ran through every fold and crevice in the gauntlet.
Scalar Warfare
Still, he had nothing but respect for his opponent, and there would be no bestial, desperate gambit here...
The same could not be said for the masked man. Though he respected the man's skill at arms and honourable stature there was nothing left for him at this point but desperate gambits. Down by two halfs of an arm and with a sword that was unusable in their current position Justice had no choice but to make use of every option that was available to him, and to draw upon strength that was draining quickly from his body. Luckily... this was something heroes excelled at.
Justice closed his hand in around the dagger's crossguard, and even the glowing edge of the arcana-infused blade with the edges of his fingers - the essence enhancing the blade's edge unable to penetrate the Sentinel's grip and the un-enhanced blade unable to cut through the steel of the Five Fingers of Justice - and though the rapid twist had succeeded in peeling the Due Respect from his flesh it had not yet loosed the weapon from his grip.
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# 40% Threshold : Sentinel - At this level, Justice Guy is able to affect magical and energy-based effects with his physical abilities. This allows for such things as grasping immaterial objects or punching lasers even if such a thing would not normally be possible.
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# 60% Threshold : Punisher - When this much virtue needs to be dispensed Justice Guy's strength increases to double the normal value (from 'awkward teenager' to 'tough guy'). The striking power of enhanced attacks is not multiplied but instead enhanced by an additional x1.
Scalar Warfare
But as abruptly as it exited, he was already stabbing it back in, eyes locked onto his opponent's with a soul wrenching sadness that was nearly tangible in the air between them.
"I'm sorry." he whispered, shaking bodily
The young hero stared back with one eye; the other forced shut by the earlier blow and the blood that was running down from the cut on his brow, streaking red against the white paint beneath his mask. The masked male's steel blue eye was not focused at the other man in ferocity, hatred, or fear however nor did he have the same air of sadness in his gaze as the man who now cradled the hero in his arms. "...forgive me," he whispered back, the words passed over lips veiled in black cloth as his grip tightened...
When the Honor Among Men has pierced his shoulder it had severed much of the muscle to the front and outside, leaving the limb effectively useless when it came to skillfully handling a sword. However there was still some small degree of mobility left in it, and the muscles toward the back of the shoulder were still largely intact. It was a true act of desperation to be certain, but desperation can bring out the hidden strengths in men when they have a need for more than they should be capable of. This was such a time... and as he pulled with all his might, tearing fibers of muscle that were already hanging by threads in the process, the arm of Justice was filled with a supernatural might that easily doubled or even increased threefold the power of that hand... as he used it to force the blade back and turn the point inward.
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# Strongman - 30% cost - Justice Guy can perform a single action with a level of heroic strength that would allow him to overpower even the strongest of adversaries.
themightyjello
The hero's forward foot slid out, hooking behind Kelvin's leading heel from the inside
themightyjello
even if it meant that they both went to the ground.
Lord Kelvin had brought them halfway to the ground already, it was time to finish the job.
His leading left foot snapped backward into the rear of Kelvin's bent knee, and his own bent rear leg dug in its heel as Justice lurched his entire weight to the side; the tangle of their arms and bodies and his right hand wrapped into Kelvin's belt would bring them the rest of the way to the ground with the Baron once again on top.
On top of Justice, and on top of that knife that would feel no resistance sliding into the left side of the swordsman's abdomen due to the keen edge ensorceled upon it by Cut to the Quick. Penetrating at the lower edge of the rib cage would likely puncture a lung or the diaphragm, but miss the heart and the kidney. It would not be immediately fatal, but would carry dire consequences with it.
With his vision already getting blurry from the blows to his head and the worsening blood loss, Justice hardly even felt the fall; landing on his side and the Baron's own right arm. His range of motion here was even more limited though... he would have few options left other than to twist the knife and hope for the best as the two lay in a growing stain of red among the sands.
Justice : 48%
65% +5% +8% -30% Strongman
# Enemy uses 'dark power' : +5%/use (Cut to the Quick still active) # Enemy wounds hero : +8%
Posted: Fri Apr 04, 2014 12:11 pm
Truly an act of the desperate, to try and turn the blade of one's foe back upon him!
The sudden resistance surprised the Baron, and his jaw clenched as he fought the strength in a limb he had thought rendered useless. His stabs would be brought to naught as the parrying dagger trembled between their grasps, wobbling back and forth between a man whose limb was still in firm control and he whose awkward reach across his body was surging with some heroic burst of strength forged in desperation.
But wrist against wrist, the Baron held firm, his arm refusing to yield that fulcrum point. The net result was a stalemate, the weapon refusing to budge as both men tumbled to the ground....
... and stars flooded the nobleman's vision as his consciousness swam, an excruciating spasm of pain firing across his chest and right arm as he fell heavily onto it. He blacked out for one, two moments... and then it came flooding back, the pain, the mortal peril.
With a furious dedication now of his own, the Lord Kelvin sought to extricate himself from this tangle of limbs and more importantly, relieve the weight on his tortured shoulder. Pulling up his knee, he forcefully rammed it up between them, and kicked forward, to both shunt himself back in the sand and throw his opponent off, hopefully breaking both his grip on dagger and belt alike.
Were it so fortunate that he manage to break free, he scuttled back several more feet, like a fish beached, shifting his weight over off his shoulder, and simply lying there, tears beading in the corner of his eyes as ragged breaths racked his chest.
Near them, at the edge of his vision, his wide-brimmed hat lay quietly in the hot dust, right now the only witness to the Baron's pain, all others momentarily forgotten.
Latent Arcana: 1
Equipment: RH: [Honor Amongst Men] -
This elaborate renaissance era-weapon is a masterpiece of craftsmanship. It is a bladed rapier some 3.3 feet in length, weighing about 2.5 pounds. The grip is wrapped in soft, slip-resistant leather, and is protected by an elaborate Italian-style basket hilt, plated in silver and platinum filigree. The blade tapers gradually to a wickedly sharp, hardened, diamond-shaped point that can easily split even bone with a solid thrust. The length is decently flexible, and edged on both sides, though not sharp enough to easily cut through anything more than very thin leather or cloth (Repeated cuts in the same area will still eventually cut through even heavy leather armor though). It is forged of the finest Damascus steel, giving it high strength, fair flexibility, and a slightly lower weight than traditional steel. It is housed in an exquisite, hardened leather scabbard that is reinforced at the tip and along the length, providing protection to the blade from rust and dulling, as well as doubling as a weapon in its own right in dire straits.
LH: [Due Respect] -
Kelvin’s trusty off-hand weapon: a main gauche. This parrying dirk is ten inches long in the blade, and features an extensive hilt designed to effectively trap and deflect another blade. Typically, this dagger is sheathed upon Kelvin’s left thigh. He may draw it quickly in a pinch, though using it in conjunction with the rapier necessitates a different stance. Rarely, it is also used to deter or strike an enemy that has closed past the effective range of the rapier. It too features a tapering blade and sharp point, perfect for stabbing through all manner of flesh and armor, and weighs half a pound.
Pulling up his knee, he forcefully rammed it up between them, and kicked forward, to both shunt himself back in the sand and throw his opponent off, hopefully breaking both his grip on dagger and belt alike.
The man on the ground had little enough strength left in him after the last burst of action that other than clinging tightly onto the dagger and belt with a mere hand grip he would not be able to keep the other man down. The knee wedged itself in with a fierce and determined thrust that separated the two men; though the masked male upon the ground barely felt it in contrast to the injuries he had already received in this struggle. What pinned Kelvin's right arm beneath him was the wrap around his own neck and their combined weight; but getting his leg in to push off of should have done enough to alleviate that to the point that the wretched limb could be peeled out as the Baron made a retreat.
The hero did not get up, nor did he give chase. His grip upon the dagger was stronger than his grip upon the belt by a good measure, but if they still struggled for it as Kelvin was pulling away the pain shooting down his arm from the shoulder wound would briefly paralyze his fingers as their position shifted, allowing the small weapon to be wrested from his grasp. The swordsman broke away, and there was little more Justice could do at this point than to watch it happen through blurred vision as his hands clutched at things that were no longer there.
His injuries, though few, were severe enough that he could feel their ache throughout his entire form. His head still spun from the brief blows from the rapier's hilt mere moments ago and his arms lay beside him limp as his jacket became wet with a dark stain. But... he could not afford to simply lay down and die. Exhausted as he was, he knew that there was little enough fight left in him but he could not say that for certain about the other man. The other man, who had repeatedly reaffirmed his intention to see this battle through to the death, still had a working arm and a serviceable weapon; and with each passing moment Justice grew weaker as the serious wound to his right arm drained him of lifeblood.
At the very least... he had to hold himself together.
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# Dramatic Recovery - 50% cost - A second wind revitalizes and refreshes the heroic body and spirit, removing a portion of fatigue that is built up in Justice Guy and healing or lessening the extent of one wound he has suffered.
Focusing in on the thought that he couldn't afford to lose any more blood, the masked male's heroic spirit flared up with righteous fervor - honing the determination, the resolve, and the primal need for action that had built up inside of him over the course of the match into a surge of energy that filled his injured right arm; causing the muscle and skin to begin knitting itself back together spontaneously into something resembling what it had once been.
Resembling... at the most. The skin still flayed from the wound, the flesh still bearing a terrible gash, he would not regain full use of the arm but basic function was no longer impossible and more importantly the rush of blood that had soaked the sand beneath him was staunched for the time being. Only a hair stronger than he had been a moment ago, at least he was no longer growing weaker by the second.
...but it had taken its toll. The blood he had lost was still spread about the site of their battle and his spirit that had once driven him to the heights of heroism had fallen from a boiling point to a candle's flame. Justice tried to dig his elbow into the sand to force himself up off of the ground but only made an inch of progress before falling back onto his shoulders with a gasp; short of breath and dizzy at his own sudden movement. A second try managed to roll him onto his right side shoulder, and a push with his leg turned his body 45 degrees clockwise to try and lay his eyes upon the other man...
Regardless of how much resolve he may have still had in his heart, the amount of fight left in his body was another matter entirely. Desperation had been all he had left, and it remained to be so. He had spent much of this match reacting to the swift blade of Lord Kelvin because it had been the most tactical decision, but now that the openings were there he still could not go on the offensive because he likely did not have the strength and simply did not have the heart to drag himself across the sand inch by inch to try and finish off a wounded enemy. He had not come here to take lives, he had come to stare death in the face and prove to himself that he would not shrink back and cower.
"Sir Kelvin..." the young hero managed with a single breath, unable to say more before gasping for air a second time, "...it was... a pleasure..."
