Kindling 0 Posted February 9 #1 Share Posted February 9 Nearby the starting City of Beginners are a list of endless ruins. Most having had their loot picked clean by the thousands of players who followed the settlement's namesake, starting their adventures here, and forging forward. One such ruin, was the Amphitheatre. A small, dilapidated circle of dirt and stone that definitely did not live up to the grandeur that it's name might imply. The mud down in the pit was rough and overgrown from years of abandonment, the audience seats were dirt covered stone where some of the wildlife used as temporary beds here and there, the backrests of which were cracked and broken in parts. Certainly not the most comfortable for the few NPCs and Players who'd decide to show up for this bout of entertainment. This was the last time he'd need to go through the spiel. Thank god, too. Only able to hide the redness in his face for so long, and the hope that everyone was entertained, as opposed to bored to tears throughout all of this. "Audience! Combatants! Open your eyes and gaze upon those walking into the arena now!" As Kindling spoke, standing in the dirt oval down in the center of the whole ruin, the place of combat so that his voice could reach evenly across it all. Once more repeating that phrase, but for these combatants.. "And our first competitor; A woman who has just been off living her best life, running with the wolves, so to speak. An ex-frontliner who put out the big damage before, and has now come back to get her name out there here on the big stage, It'ssssss Telrenya!" A dramatic stretch of Kindling's hand toward his left side, to bring Tel out of her metaphorical hiding place, and into the light "The second competitor; a woman of two names, and many secrets, unconventional, and very hopefully putting the Can in Al-can-hemist! With any luck, she won't be Shark Bait here, It'ssss Pollux! Orrrr Yue Hua!" Trying to announce both with equal grace and excitement. Motioning with his right hand to beckon Pollux forward, hoping to not see a basket empty aside from Tools in it. "There are no special rules or curveballs in this fight. Remember to not use any unapproved consumables, and to keep it sportsmanlike." "Keep your eyes on your opponent, and try to be nice to each other. Both certainly deserve it..." A sentence followed by a teasing wink as the man backed up, eventually reaching the far wall. "Fighters, say your words, triple check your items and equipment. Meet them at eye level, draw your weapons. And then... Get ready to go on my mark! Get Set..." Then came that promised moment of silence, his arm raised high, giving each a moment to trade words to themselves or anyone else watching. Readying himself to be the first spectator to this combat. To hear that satisfying singing of steel meeting steel, and gritted teeth. Hopefully those pain sensors were turned down. And glad that was his last introductory announcement for the day. Important Information Quote Week 1 has no thematic or special rulings. Combatants will have to win this one on completely flat footing. Remember that all stats and tiers are locked to Level 10, Tier 1. If you need assistance, us THIS SHEET - It has the level 10, paragon 0, and tier level 1 lock already in place. All you need to do is plug in the appropriate skills at Rank 3 or lower, as well as your equipment. Remember to check the Informational for what Skills, Mods, and Addons are, and are not, allowed. It is on each Combatant to log their own stats, and changes in those stats in each combat post. Do so with a spoiler to declare your starting stats, purchased consumables from the weekly shop, and then your natural regens, effects, or DoTs at the end of every post. Bonus brownie points if you also link your use of the sheet linked above to make it really easy for us to double check and keep track of everything. Both Combatants are given a post to introduce themselves, and go over anything they want. In that post, they will each roll, the Combatant with the higher Natural LD will go first. If the second to post rolls the higher LD, they may use that same roll result to begin their turn and start the fight.' With Staff approval, these fights grant double EXP rewards! Feel free to go all out on your word count and posting speed. Ask @Kindling or @Minako if you have any questions. Ordinarily, the fight will end 11:59 PM EST Saturday, Feb 15th, 2025. However, we are fairly flexible, and if Combatants request an extension on that time, they'll get it. If we do not hear from you, and one Combatant does not post by then, it will be considered a default, and a win for the other Combatant. Remember! Most of all; have fun! @Telrenya @Pollux Link to post Share on other sites
Pollux 0 Posted February 9 #2 Share Posted February 9 (edited) Goodness gracious, what were all of these frontliners doing in her yard? In the shadow of a makeshift awning, Yue Hua double-checked her equipment and drew in a deep breath, imagining that she was pulling on her usual air of unaffected ease like a favorite cloak. She was -- not nervous. She was returning to a familiar scene, only in a reality where she or fourteen current/former frontliners including her admirable Leader tripped into the wrong bracket, and after a week of frantic practice and preparation (and a day of proper rest, of course!) she was as ready as can be. Yue Hua belonged here one death ago and she was going to carve out a place for herself again. She strode out into the oval, raising a hand to wave at the audience scattered about the seats. The bright afternoon light shone down on her dragon-like appearance; she hadn't cut down on her glamors at all, even for a tournament bout. She was more used to fighting with the added weight of her tail than without. "For the record, I'm more of a chaser. It's Wulfrin that likes playing Bait," Yue Hua corrected humorously. Kindling had certainly done his research, but what did he mean by many secrets? Yue Hua turned her nacreous eyes to her opponent, lowering her hand to casually rest on her new sword's hilt. "Salutations, Miss Telrenya! Let us both do our best." As the duel countdown appeared between them, she slid her sword out of its sheath and assumed a 'ready' stance. -> INITIATIVE: LD 1. 厌倦你浪潮般涨落地爱我 当作莫名靠岸惶惑地来过 再说了从未幻想过你爱我 天马行空都埋没 Spoiler LEVEL 27: HP: 540/540 | EN: 72/72 | DMG: 19 | MIT: 54 | ACC: 4 | EVA: 3 ~~ TIER LOCKED: [CoB sheet]: HP: 200/200 | EN: 38/38 | DMG: 9 | MIT: 18 | ACC: 3 | EVA: 3 SKILLS Spoiler | skills mod count: 3/5 STRAIGHT SWORD | RANK 5/5 -> RANK 3/5 [BASE: Proficiency] +5 DMG [ADDON: Ferocity] +2 DMG [ADDON: Precision] +1 ACC [ADDON: Stamina] Reduce EN of all attacks by 2. [SHIFT: TECH Specialist] For TECH Sword Arts, +4 to multipliers, +3 to EN cost. COMBAT MASTERY: DAMAGE | RANK 3/3 [BASE: Proficiency] +3 DMG CHARGE [BASE: Proficiency] [PA, 2*Tier EN, 3 CD] For 1 Turn: +3 DMG, -1 ACC, remove autohit. QUICK CHANGE [BASE: Proficiency] [SKL FA, 3 CD] Instantly swap equipment from battle-ready. | extra skills [2] FIRST AID | RANK 5/5 -> RANK 3/5 [BASE: Proficiency] [PA, 9 EN] Single target heal: 12% of target max HP. [MOD: Purify] [PA, 3 EN, 1 CD] Single target cleanse: Can target the user. [MOD: Energize] [PA, 10 EN] Single target restoration: +8 EN. [MOD: Barrier] [PA, 15 EN, 2 CD] AoE buff: Reduce final damage from all sources by 15% for one turn. [ADDON: Field Medic] [PA, 15 EN, 3 CD] AoE heal: 25% of target(s) max HP. [1] ASSAULT MODE [BASE: Proficiency] [SKL FA, 5 EN, 4 CD] Switch ACC and EVA until the start of the user's next turn. | expenditure Spoiler Total SP: 135 | Spent: 132 | Unspent: 3 SKILL: Axe (30) ADDON: Stamina (4) ADDON: Precision (2) ADDON: Ferocity (4) SHIFT: TECH Specialist (10) SKILL: Combat Mastery: Damage (13) EXTRA SKILL: First Aid (30) MOD: Purify (4) MOD: Energize (5) MOD: Barrier (6) ADDON: Field Medic (6) SKILL: Quick Change (8) SKILL: Charge (10) EQUIPMENT Spoiler Silver Sword ACCURACY III TIER 3 PERFECT STRAIGHT SWORD Exorcist's silver for the vanquishment of monsters. The sword is one-handed, deep blue in color with white edges and triangular gold detailing beneath the crossguard. It strikes true and pure regardless of the troubles of the souls that may come to wield it. Mountains and Rivers MITIGATION III TIER 3 PERFECT HEAVY ARMOR A bell-shaped spread of yellow-green and dark-blue mithril plates. Seafoam EVADE III TIER 1 PERFECT TRINKET A small glass bottle filled with sea water, miniature sea shells, and prop organisms. INVENTORY Spoiler | ... (1) Teleport Crystal Use a post action to activate a teleport crystal. Teleports the player to the town or designated teleportation area they specify. The Second Star | TRINKET T1E2, KEEN II A minimalistic set of pearl-colored hairpins; four-pointed star tassels optional. Pheromones Set target’s EVA to 0, and ACC to 3, lasting for 3 turns. Prepared Fix The next status effect applied on the User is mitigated. If two Status Effects are applied at the same time, the user may choose which one is mitigated. SWORD ARTS Spoiler | ST [x8] ST-I (8 EN) | A single-target sword art. [x11] ST-II (11 EN) | A powerful single-target sword art. Only available for use when ST-I was used and successfully struck an enemy the previous turn or if ST-II had been used and had missed the previous turn. | AOE [x7] AOE-I (7 + [2 * targets] EN) | AOE | A sword art that strikes multiple targets at once. | TECH [x8] TECH-A (9 EN) | STUN | A single-target sword art that stuns an enemy. Edited February 9 by Pollux Link to post Share on other sites
Telrenya 0 Posted February 10 #3 Share Posted February 10 (edited) Was this really such a good idea? Surely there were a dozen other ways she could have gone about poking her head back out into the world. But the flyers just looked so flashy and interesting, and she had never competed in a tournament before... Telrenya swallowed when she heard her name called out. 'Ex-frontliner'. The word stung a little. She didn't plan to stay known that way for long, at least. But...living her best life? Running with wolves? Telrenya fought against a puzzled expression, wondering what they meant by that, or just what kind of impression she might have on anyone watching with that introduction. Still, she stepped forward with an unsteady pace. The woman standing across from her looked graceful, confident. Telrenya's friendly smile betrayed her nervousness. "Oh! Yes, of course!" She perked up at Yue Hua's greeting. "Good luck!" Was that weird to say? She wasn't sure, but there was no time to fumble over more words. She sucked in a deep breath and drew her rapier just as Yue Hua drew her weapon. Fighting other players was strange, but not something she'd never done before. It was always just practice before. A friendly spar, or practice for some move or technique. 'So, just imagine it the same.' She thought. The air released steadily past her lips and she took a fighting stance. The countdown ticked down on the dialogue window hovering in between them. 3... 2... 1... Start! Telrenya rushed forward, looking to make the first move. Without knowing this person, how they fought, what skills they used, the only thing she could do was dive in headfirst, right? How sloppy she was! She lunged forward to stab straight ahead at Yue Hua's torso, but her attack didn't land at all! Her footing was off, her form was out of practice. Even with Cardinal carrying her through the motions of the empowered sword art attack, it was all just so messy. Her bottom lip went stiff as she immediately realized her blunder that placed her in close quarters with her opponent. With her rush to attack out of the gate come and gone, she hastily shifted one foot backwards and tried to prepare for any sort of counterattack that might come her way. Initiative... ID#: 240767 | LD: 18 - First move! Main Action - Attack... ID#: 240768 | BD: 2+2-3=1 [Miss] | -2EN Swift Action - Take it Slow... Quote Telrenya | HP: 200/200 | EN: 41/43 | DMG: 10 | MIT:18 | ACC:2 | EVA:3 | BLD: 12 | PARA Pollux | HP: 200/200 | EN: 38/38 | DMG: 9 | MIT: 18 | ACC: 3 | EVA: 3 [quest info] Telrenya | HP: 200/200 | EN: 43/43 | DMG: 10 | MIT:18 | ACC:2 | EVA:3 | BLD: 12 | PARA NOTES Hide contents »Telrenya's Clash Sheet THREAD INFO Hide contents equipped »Twilight Turmoil (Paralyze II / Bleed II) »Knight's Vow (MIT I / EVA II) »Erin's Favor (ACC II / EVA I) battle-ready inventory »Celestial Blessing (EVA II / ACC I) »Pheromones (Set target's EVA to 0, ACC to 3 for 3 turns) »Healing Potion (15% Max HP; Post Action) »Healing Crystal (15% Max HP; Swift Action) skills »Rapier R3 (+5 DMG) »Cloth Armor R3 (+12 MIT) »Energist (+5 EN) »Combat Mastery: Damage R3 (+3 DMG) »[Extra] First Aid R3 »[Extra] Survival (10% Healing effectiveness; Immune to environmental effects) addons »[First Aid R3] Hyperactive (+3 EN for 3 turns on party member or self | Unique | 3 post CD | 5 EN) mods »[Cloth Armor R3] Athletics (+1 DMG) »[First Aid R2] Purify (Remove all status conditions on self or party member | 1 post CD | 3 EN) »[First Aid R3] Energize (Restore 8 EN to party member | 10 EN) buffs » Edited February 11 by Telrenya Link to post Share on other sites
Pollux 0 Posted February 10 #4 Share Posted February 10 (edited) Yue Hua almost cracked a smile herself. It wasn't often her opponents mirrored her friendly greetings during the pre-battle talk phase. Most preferred a different flavor of banter or to focus on the match entirely. Unfortunately, the crime of being curt was on her now, as she merely nodded in the seconds before the countdown began. Telrenya was swift. A little out of practice (Kindling said she was returning, right...?). She had misstepped, and Yue Hua twisted her body out of the way of Telrenya's blade. But even if her opponent was flustered now, she didn't think it was going to last. Frontliners were made out of different stuff and she didn't count on herself to win in a battle of attrition against one of them. Her strategy only needed a bit of set-up. As Telrenya prepared for a blow at close quarters, Yue Hua shattered the glass of a potion and cast it to the ground, its relaxing scent wafting in her opponent's direction. She used the momentary distraction to retreat a few steps back and break open another vial with her free hand -- this time for herself. -> MAIN ACTION: Pheromones -> Telrenya. -> SWIFT ACTION: Prepared Fix. Spoiler MAIN ACTION: Pheromones -> Telrenya [-2 EN] Set target’s EVA to 0, and ACC to 3, lasting for 3 turns. SWIFT ACTION: Prepared Fix [-2 EN] The next status effect applied on the user is mitigated. If two status effects are applied at the same time, the user may choose which one is mitigated. Telrenya | HP: 200/200 | EN: 41/43 | DMG: 10 | MIT:18 | ACC:2 3 | EVA:3 0 | BLD: 12 | PARA | Pheromones (0/3) Pollux | HP: 200/200 | EN: 34/38 | DMG: 9 | MIT: 18 | ACC: 3 | EVA: 3 | Prepared Fix: 1/1 Edited February 10 by Pollux Link to post Share on other sites
Telrenya 0 Posted February 10 #5 Share Posted February 10 (edited) She expected the parry of a blade coming her way. Telrenya had pulled back as much as she could have managed, bringing her rapier across her body to attempt a block, but instead of crashing steel, the sound of broken glass filled her ears. Bits of the empty Pheromones vial fell to the ground like glittering gemstones and suddenly a sickeningly sweet scent filled her nostrils. It was like she had been dropped into a perfume store. Her senses were assaulted and she had to take a step backwards and give a quick shake of her head to steady herself. Blinking and trying to keep her attention on Yue Hua, a purpleish film seemed to develop at the edges of her vision. Telrenya's eyes instinctively flickered to the upper-corner of her vision. A debuff. Her eyes widened in supposed recognition. Was this the same thing she'd bought from tournament stall? She clenched her jaw slightly, realizing how vulnerable she'd become while under its effects. Still, the first blow had yet to be struck and she was just stubborn enough after throwing herself at her opponent that she couldn't back off and play on the defensive now. Not yet. She spotted Yue Hua pulling out a second item and activating it. What it was, she wasn't sure. She would simply have to press the attack. Yue Hua had put some distance between them, but as soon as the Pheromones had settled into Telrenya's lungs she dashed towards her again. Another straight lunge, a flick of her wrist upwards, to the side, and a hard pull across her body for a swift slicing motion. Her blade glowed with the activation of her sword art, and where she had missed the initial attack, Telreyna just barely managed to land a few hits of her barrage this time. Keep going. Thrust, step, slash. One attack into the next. Beginning of Turn... Recover 1EN Main Action - Attack... ID#: 240789 | BD: 6+3-3=6 [Hit] | -8EN 10 Base DMG * 8 - 18 MIT = 62 DMG Swift Action - Take it Slow... Quote [0] Telrenya | HP: 200/200 | EN: 34/43 | DMG: 10 | MIT:18 | ACC:2 3 | EVA:3 0 | BLD: 12 | PARA | Pheromones (1/3) [1] Pollux | HP: 138/200 | EN: 34/38 | DMG: 9 | MIT: 18 | ACC: 3 | EVA: 3 | Prepared Fix: 1/1 Edited February 10 by Telrenya Link to post Share on other sites
Pollux 0 Posted February 11 #6 Share Posted February 11 (edited) The major downside was-- Her accuracy...! Yue Hua thought she could evade another attack, but Telrenya's rapier stabbed through a weak point in her guard, and were she a lesser duelist, she would almost have panicked, seeing a fourth of her HP disappear as her opponent effectively claimed first blow. But it was fine. Getting hit was part of the game. Only, now that she knew what her opponent had opened with (her eyes briefly flicked to the single icon on her own status bar), she had to interrupt this chain before she really regretted it. She met Telrenya's next move blow for blow. The clang of metal resounded throughout the makeshift arena and scattered cheers rang from the audience seats as they briefly wrestled with their swords locked. For who, Yue Hua wasn't really sure. Her eyes were sharp with focus. She pushed forward, taking advantage of her weapon's heavier weight and impact, overpowering Telrenya to land a stunning blow. -> MAIN ACTION: TECH-A -> Telrenya. Spoiler PASSIVE: +1 EN MAIN ACTION: TECH-A vs Telrenya [-9 EN] 240804: BD 7 + 3 = 10: 9 * 8 = 72 - 18 = 54 DMG [STUN] [1] Telrenya | HP: 146/200 | EN: 34/43 | DMG: 10 | MIT:18 | ACC:2 3 | EVA:3 0 | BLD: 12 | PARA | Pheromones (1/3) | STUN | Stun Immune: 0/3 [1] Pollux | HP: 138/200 | EN: 26/38 | DMG: 9 | MIT: 18 | ACC: 3 | EVA: 3 | Prepared Fix: 1/1 Edited February 11 by Pollux Link to post Share on other sites
Telrenya 0 Posted February 11 #7 Share Posted February 11 The liquid in that vial had clung to her boots, lightly staining the white cloth. Each breath that Telrenya drew in she caught a fresh whiff of that sweet, sugary scent. Overpowered by notes of vanilla and citrus, it took over her senses and her sights seem to hone in on Yue Hua. Her rapier moved quickly, matching each block of her opponent's sword with metallic 'clangs' that rang out over the stadium. Telrenya's eyes were unusually sharp as she continued to press for any break in Yue Hua's defenses. She'd landed one hit and continued searching relentlessly for the next. Her weapon may have been swift, but her body felt sluggish. This debuff had destroyed her Evasion stat, and in the back of her head Telrenya knew that if she stopped her assault she would have a really hard time playing defensively. Then came the counter. Yue Hua's blade swung down and caught her dead-on, leaving a heavy diagonal gash across her chest. The throbbing discomfort caused her to wince and in a hasty decision she tried to pull away. But her body wasn't just sluggish--it was unresponsive. Her eyes widened in immediate panic. Why? What was happening? «Stunned» The adrenaline still ran high, but the moment her sights landed on the answer beneath her health bar, some tiny sense of relief ran through her. She was stuck, left even more vulnerable than when her Evasion was first stripped away, but she knew why, and that allowed that electric jolt of fright to begin to subside. She checked her health. She just had to endure. Beginning of Turn... Recover 1EN Stunned! Quote [1] Telrenya | HP: 146/200 | EN: 35/43 | DMG: 10 | MIT:18 | ACC:2 3 | EVA:3 0 | BLD: 12 | PARA | Pheromones (2/3) | STUN | Stun Immune: 1/3 [1] Pollux | HP: 138/200 | EN: 26/38 | DMG: 9 | MIT: 18 | ACC: 3 | EVA: 3 | Prepared Fix: 1/1 Link to post Share on other sites
Pollux 0 Posted February 11 #8 Share Posted February 11 (edited) Her energy burned away as the Stun set in. Her own attack had also chopped off a quarter of her opponent’s HP and she didn’t appear to be regenerating. Three shots left. She tried to tamp down the sudden upsurge of nerves at having the upper hand. She could do this. Yue Hua maintained her momentum, gracefully transitioning into a stance that called for a system-assisted sword art, and the automatic motion carried her forward close enough to catch a whiff of the perfume on Telrenya’s clothes. Telrenya felt a gust of air -- then nothing. Yue Hua ended up meters behind her target, the light shedding uselessly off her blade. She flicked the last of it off herself and spun around to face Telrenya as her Stun’s duration ended. She was no predator playing with her prey nor some loon with an inflated sense of ego making concessions out of pity; the sincerity of her mistake was obvious in the bright flush of embarrassment that decorated her cheeks. Yue Hua tried to convince herself that it wasn’t the end of the world. She raised her sword once again, holding it parallel to herself, and nodded at her opponent to proceed. -> MAIN ACTION: ST-I -> Telrenya. Spoiler PASSIVE: +1 EN MAIN ACTION: ST-I vs Telrenya [-2 EN] 240808: BD 2 + 3 = 5: Miss! (wheeze.) [1] Telrenya | HP: 146/200 | EN: 35/43 | DMG: 10 | MIT:18 | ACC:2 3 | EVA:3 0 | BLD: 12 | PARA | Pheromones (2/3) | STUN | Stun Immune: 1/3 [1] Pollux | HP: 138/200 | EN: 25/38 | DMG: 9 | MIT: 18 | ACC: 3 | EVA: 3 | Prepared Fix: 1/1 Edited February 11 by Pollux Link to post Share on other sites
Telrenya 0 Posted February 11 #9 Share Posted February 11 (edited) At the edge of her vision, she could tell her opponent was preparing an attack. Telrenya's body twitched as the system held her still, her chest rhythmically rising and falling to catch her breath. She squeezed her eyes shut, bracing mentally where she could not physically. And then... She almost fell forward as Cardinal released its grasp on her. She planted a foot down to catch herself and spun around to regain her fighting stance. She had expected Yue Hua to lay into her while she could--what happened? She met the woman's pearly eyes and caught the pink hue burning on her face. Telrenya smiled. Not with a gloating superiority or a look of pity, but a small smile built from understanding and camaraderie. Before the countdown had even begun, Yue Hua and Telrenya had regarded each other with a level of respect akin to soldiers on the battlefield. Each believing the other to be wholly capable, and treating each other as a threat worthy of the utmost caution before their blades had ever clashed. Now each of them had slipped up. They were even. Telrenya returned Yue Hua's nod. Neither combatant had spoken a word since the start of the fight, and that was fine with her. Maybe if they knew each other, maybe if they were old friends, they'd be slinging playful insults and matching each blow of their swords with a line of witty banter, but Telrenya settled into the silence comfortably. In this first match of the tournament, it helped her stay focused. 'Again.' Telrenya's brows quivered and that smile faded. As she lowered her stance for another attack, her head throbbed. That smell still stung at the back of her throat. The edges of her vision still clouded. The only thing that she could truly concentrate on was the woman standing on the other side of the arena. Telrenya slid her right foot back. Her body leaned forward. She took a runner's pose. Her rapier glowed with the signal of an empowered sword art and she shot forward, rushing towards Yue Hua as quickly as she could without possessing the Charge skill. Another crash of metal rang out loudly over the stands. Their swords dragged across each other with a sharp whine. Telrenya spun to try for another blow against Yue Hua's back and that, too, failed to connect, her rapier catching only air as it audibly whipped through the air above her head. 'So fast...!' Telrenya kept the pressure on, but couldn't land a blow. There was a grace to Yue Hua's movements that seemed impossible with the thick metal adorning her frame; the way she deftly slipped out of the path of Telrenya's blade was like a dance. At least for now, Yue Hua took the lead. Beginning of Turn... Recover 1EN Main Action - Attack... ID#: 240809 | BD: 3+3-3=3 [Miss] | -2EN Swift Action - Take it Slow... Quote [1] Telrenya | HP: 146/200 | EN: 34/43 | DMG: 10 | MIT:18 | ACC:2 3 | EVA:3 0 | BLD: 12 | PARA | Pheromones (3/3) | Stun Immune: 2/3 [1] Pollux | HP: 138/200 | EN: 25/38 | DMG: 9 | MIT: 18 | ACC: 3 | EVA: 3 | Prepared Fix: 1/1 Edited February 11 by Telrenya Link to post Share on other sites
Pollux 0 Posted February 12 #10 Share Posted February 12 (edited) Oh, she was-- Yue Hua felt some of her embarrassment melt away at Telrenya's smile. Her heart was steady. Her eyes were on her opponent. Calm down. There was, what, one chance left before the effects of her potion faded? And Telrenya hadn't brought out any of her token purchases yet. With the compounded pressure of both, and her earlier mistake, Yue Hua didn't trust herself to rush back in. Instead, she let Telrenya come to her. Their swords clashed; Yue Hua parried with her blade, evaded where her sword hand was not in the position to react, making sure to turn herself around so that she didn't get pressed back into the edges of the oval. She was fast, but her opponent was equally unrelenting. She stayed on the defensive and let herself get a feel for the rhythm of the fight. Then, Telrenya was on the wrong side of her, and Yue Hua ducked before the other's rapier could stab into her undefended back. She slammed the blunt of her sword into Telrenya's gut before she could pull back, throwing her off as far as she could. She gave chase. Her sword grew blindingly bright with the added energy of a Charge, and Yue Hua swung with all her strength. -> MAIN ACTION: ST-I (Charge) -> Telrenya. Spoiler PASSIVE: +1 EN MAIN ACTION: ST-I (Charge) vs Telrenya [8 + 2 = -10 EN] 240849: BD 10: (9 + 2 + 3) * 8 = 112 - 18 = 94 DMG [3] Telrenya | HP: 52/200 | EN: 34/43 | DMG: 10 | MIT:18 | ACC: 2 | EVA: 3 | BLD: 12 | PARA | Pheromones (3/3) | Stun Immune: 2/3 [1] Pollux | HP: 138/200 | EN: 16/38 | DMG: 9 | MIT: 18 | ACC: 3 | EVA: 3 | Prepared Fix: 1/1 Cooldowns: Pollux | Charge (0/3) Edited February 12 by Pollux Link to post Share on other sites
Telrenya 0 Posted February 12 #11 Share Posted February 12 (edited) Their dance continued until her partner found an opening. No, she forced an opening. Air was pushed out of Telrenya's lungs and she stumbled backwards. She looked up. There was no stopping the force shooting after her--all she could do was tense her muscles to brace for the impact. A gasp escaped her. Her entire midsection tingled while the green color steadily drained from her health bar. Telrenya looked down at the bright red band of injury that stretched fully across her waist. Yue Hua may have well sliced her in half just then. Her hand rested over the pixelated wound and her chest heaved with rapid breaths. A stillness lingered in the air until a thought rushed to her: 'It's not over yet.' Her vision snapped into focus. The effects of the pheromones finally faded away and for the first time in a few excruciating minutes, she inhaled deeply the fresh air around her. She spun quickly. Leaving her back to her opponent would lose her the rest of her health in seconds. She held her weapon at the ready in front of her, should Yue Hua follow with another bout of attacks. She tried to slow her erratic heartbeat. Without taking her eyes off of her opponent, Telrenya reached her free hand to her belt. Her Evasion was back to normal, but she couldn't risk ignoring her health. Another hit like that and she was done for. She reached into a pouch at her hip and maneuvered her fingers to hook two separate items between them. Handling both a glass flask and a single crystal, the liquid inside shared the same crimson color as the gemstone. Not daring to lower her rapier, she brought the flask to the side of her mouth and inelegantly bit down on the cork at its top. She twisted and pulled, letting the stopper fall from her lips so she could immediately replace it with the beveled glass edge. She had to tear her eyes away from Yue Hua to tilt her head back and dump its contents down her throat. She wasn't fond of the taste of health potions. Drinking them with the urgency of gulping down cough syrup usually made it bearable. The flask gently shattered and disappeared from her hand once it was emptied and her HP began to rise as a result. It wouldn't be enough to make her feel safe. She knew she had to pour everything into a moment of recovery or it would be meaningless. As soon as the flask vanished, she took a proper grip on the crystal and squeezed, crushing it in her palm. Bright red dust spilled from its remains and seeped into her clothes, her skin. A brief respite. Beginning of Turn... Recover 1EN Main Action - Healing Potion... Recover 15% HP: 30 (increased by 10% from Survival) = 33 HP | -2EN Swift Action - Healing Crystal... Recover 15% HP: 30 (increased by 10% from Survival) = 33 HP | -2EN Quote [3] Telrenya | HP: 118/200 | EN: 31/43 | DMG: 10 | MIT:18 | ACC: 2 | EVA: 3 | BLD: 12 | PARA | Stun Immune: 3/3 [1] Pollux | HP: 138/200 | EN: 16/38 | DMG: 9 | MIT: 18 | ACC: 3 | EVA: 3 | Prepared Fix: 1/1 Cooldowns: Pollux | Charge (0/3) Edited February 13 by Telrenya Link to post Share on other sites
Pollux 0 Posted February 12 #12 Share Posted February 12 (edited) No sooner had Telrenya finished healing than Yue Hua was on her again, her sword at the ready. So that answered part of her question. Telrenya had a second wind. Those healing items came cheap though; would there be a third? Yue Hua was not sure she could still pull through if there was. Her offense grew more aggressive, pressuring her opponent as much as she could for as long as her sword held the light of the weaker single-target art. She internally pulled apart her now-obsolete strategy and built another, and Telrenya's thin blade, racing to block one of Yue Hua's attacks, rattled under the force of her blow. But she was undamaged. The light was fading. Yue Hua spun, freeing their blades of the lock, and after having favored throwing her weapon's weight into all her previous attacks, her final attempt took the form of a single-pointed stab. -> MAIN ACTION: ST-I -> Telrenya. Spoiler PASSIVE: +1 EN MAIN ACTION: ST-I vs Telrenya [-2 EN] 240850: BD 4 + 3 = 7 - 3 = 4: Miss! [3] Telrenya | HP: 118/200 | EN: 35/43 | DMG: 10 | MIT:18 | ACC: 2 | EVA: 3 | BLD: 12 | PARA | Stun Immune: 3/3 [1] Pollux | HP: 138/200 | EN: 15/38 | DMG: 9 | MIT: 18 | ACC: 3 | EVA: 3 | Prepared Fix: 1/1 Cooldowns: Pollux | Charge (1/3) Edited February 12 by Pollux Link to post Share on other sites
Telrenya 0 Posted February 12 #13 Share Posted February 12 (edited) No longer burdened by the pheromones' debuff, Telrenya's Evasion rescued her from another devastating blow. For every time she forced Yue Hua's blade off course by blocking with her own, now she could move her body out of the way entirely. A strike pushed forward in the form of a straight lunge and Telrenya braced her knees with a firm bend before launching herself into a forward leap that would carry her not only over the blade, but her opponent as well. She was left with a choice. Both of their health bars had dwindled. The fight wouldn't last more than a couple of solid hits on either side. Yue Hua had been matching her speed blow-for-blow, so Telrenya had to either give everything she had to try and break through her defenses to land those couple of hits, or spend precious time to seize this opening and use her last item. Telrenya wasn't the gambling type. Shoving her hand back into that same pouch, she pulled out the final item tucked away in it--a familiar small vial of clear liquid. In that brief moment in the air, she pulled her shoulder back and tossed the item at Yue Hua's back. The glass would shatter and the pheromones would splash across her skin, her clothes, her hair. Telrenya tucked her chin into her chest and leaned forward into a single flip to carry her momentum before she'd land back on her feet a few meters away from her opponent. She turned and brandished her weapon once again, ready to shoot forward and lay into her with another round of empowered attacks. Beginning of Turn... Recover 1EN Main Action - Use Item: Pheromones... -2EN Swift Action - Take it Slow... Quote [3] Telrenya | HP: 118/200 | EN: 30/43 | DMG: 10 | MIT:18 | ACC: 2 | EVA: 3 | BLD: 12 | PARA [1] Pollux | HP: 138/200 | EN: 15/38 | DMG: 9 | MIT: 18 | ACC: 3 | EVA: 3 0 | Prepared Fix: 1/1 | Pheromones (0/3) Cooldowns: Pollux | Charge (1/3) Edited February 13 by Telrenya Link to post Share on other sites
Pollux 0 Posted February 13 #14 Share Posted February 13 (edited) Missed. Telrenya was gone, faster than the wind. Yue Hua missed the advantage the pheromones had given her but she couldn't deny she was beginning to enjoy their exchanges more without it. For the first time since she had walked into the makeshift arena, the corners of her lips pulled up into a faint smile. She followed the arc her partner's leap drew in the air, briefly meeting the other's eyes while she was upside down, and she caught the reflection of sunlight against something made out of glass. The potion doused her hair and the white coat she wore loose around her bare shoulders and the softest hints of vanilla and citrus reached her nose before Yue Hua's status negation activated and every drop of the liquid vanished as though it had never been there. Which emptied her stat line of the buff, too. Bright yellow energy crackled down Yue Hua's sword. She shot forward like a bolt, closing the distance between her and her opponent and missing her first swing. -> MAIN ACTION: TECH-A -> Telrenya. Spoiler PASSIVE: +1 EN MAIN ACTION: TECH-A vs Telrenya [-2 EN] 240882: BD 5 + 3 = 8 - 3 = 5: Miss! [3] Telrenya | HP: 118/200 | EN: 36/43 | DMG: 10 | MIT:18 | ACC: 2 | EVA: 3 | BLD: 12 | PARA [1] Pollux | HP: 138/200 | EN: 14/38 | DMG: 9 | MIT: 18 | ACC: 3 | EVA: 3 | Prepared Fix: 0/1 | Pheromones (0/3) Cooldowns: Pollux | Charge (2/3) Edited February 13 by Pollux Link to post Share on other sites
Telrenya 0 Posted February 13 #15 Share Posted February 13 (edited) She expected Yue Hua to react to that sickly sweet scent, to stagger or stutter or otherwise throw the woman out of focus. Instead, she shook off the effect and faced her with a sword swirling with energy just waiting to swing at her. "Huh?" Telrenya blinked, taken aback for a moment. Why hadn't her item done anything? And then it clicked. She had used something earlier, hadn't she? When Yue Hua backed off after dousing her with the pheromones. Telrenya's shoulders went stiff and she sucked in air through visible, clenched teeth, a grimace on her face. 'She blocked it!!' Telrenya pulled her rapier to an angle for her to deflect her next swing. Their swords swung wildly, arcing through the air before crashing into each other again and again. Their dance continued. Sparks flew wildly in all directions. Light infused Telrenya's sword and she unleashed a flurry of quick jabs. Surely at least one would hit the mark. But with Yue Hua's Evasion well intact, her body moved at impossible speeds to deftly dodge every strike. Telrenya grit her teeth. At this rate, they'd run the timer to its end. She dropped down, bending one knee beneath her and pulling her left leg across in a quick sweeping motion, but even that didn't throw Yue Hua off of her rhythm. Beginning of Turn... Recover 1EN Main Action - Attack... ID#: 240922 | BD: 3+2-3=2 [Miss] | -2EN Swift Action - Take it Slow... Quote [3] Telrenya | HP: 118/200 | EN: 31/43 | DMG: 10 | MIT:18 | ACC: 2 | EVA: 3 | BLD: 12 | PARA [1] Pollux | HP: 138/200 | EN: 14/38 | DMG: 9 | MIT: 18 | ACC: 3 | EVA: 3 Cooldowns: Pollux | Charge (2/3) Edited February 13 by Telrenya Link to post Share on other sites
Pollux 0 Posted February 13 #16 Share Posted February 13 (edited) Yua Hua, partway through an attack of her own, almost startled. She had tracked the movement of Telrenya’s blade, realized what she was trying to do at the last moment, and narrowly leapt over her opponent’s sweeping leg. She landed unsteady on one foot and pivoted as she placed down the other, sending a stunning sword art flying in Telrenya’s direction. Telrenya rolled out of the way and Yue Hua yanked her sword out of the ground, flicking it up to block a counterattack. The miniature shockwave blew back Yue Hua’s bangs as their blades briefly locked once again. The crowd was going wild over their volley. They both drew back; she didn’t have the strength left to overwhelm Telrenya, and besides, the other had her evasion re-upped and had wisened up to how Yue Hua fought. They circled each other for a while. Yue Hua breathed heavily, sweat trailing down her neck. They were both out of tournament-given tricks, turning the duel into a contest of sheer ability. And Telrenya was good. -> MAIN ACTION: TECH-A -> Telrenya. Spoiler PASSIVE: +1 EN MAIN ACTION: TECH-A vs Telrenya [-2 EN] 240923: BD 2 + 3 = 5 - 3 = 2: Miss! [3] Telrenya | HP: 118/200 | EN: 31/43 | DMG: 10 | MIT:18 | ACC: 2 | EVA: 3 | BLD: 12 | PARA [1] Pollux | HP: 138/200 | EN: 13/38 | DMG: 9 | MIT: 18 | ACC: 3 | EVA: 3 Cooldowns: Pollux | Charge (3/3) Edited February 14 by Pollux Link to post Share on other sites
Telrenya 0 Posted February 14 #17 Share Posted February 14 (edited) A stalemate. Is that what this had turned into? Each of their health bars sat just above the halfway mark, but it had felt like ages since either one of them had landed a meaningful blow. She wondered if every match of this weeks-long tournament would play out something like this. No... She'd seen the roster of players signed up to participate. Strangers, all but one. Unknown faces, but those names... The names she recognized, at least half of them. Some of the strongest players in Aincrad were taking part, she was aware of that. In a fight against those powerhouses, she'd be lucky to survive even half as long. A lump threatened to form in her throat. One boot crossed over the other, rapier held at the ready, breath pulling in and out past her lips in soft pants. She moved slowly opposite Yue Hua while her thoughts threatened to overtake her concentration. Why was she here? What had possessed her to sign up for a tournament like this, of all things? Doubt slammed into her like a truck. She told herself that she wanted to get back to the frontlines. To make amends. To atone for her own regrets and do what she thought was right. So why wasn't she? Why was she here, rather than seeking out the next frontlines meeting? Could she even manage to send Jomei a simple message, or would their reunion take place in an arena like this, crossing blades for a crowd's amusement? 'Stop.' Telrenya had nearly lost herself. No, she had. For a moment, at least. She skidded to a stop, digging her heels in to keep herself from slipping any further down that spiral and clawed her way back to reality. Getting distracted like this was doing Yue Hua a disservice. It would also prove her own downfall. In a rush to get her head back into the duel, she hastily shot forward again. A sharp slam of metal rang out over the makeshift stands. Her rapier moved a little different. Her footing was off. The dance had gotten sloppy. Another few swings and Telrenya tried to hook her blade underneath Yue Hua's sword to redirect her parry, but her wrist didn't follow through against the weight. Her expression turned to panic and she had to throw herself backwards as the tip of Yue Hua's sword caught a few millimeters of blonde bangs. She couldn't catch herself after such a rough movement. Telrenya stumbled backwards and landed hard on her back, the loose dirt further grinding into the white of her clothes where she fell. She grit her teeth and scrambled to salvage her defenses. Beginning of Turn... Recover 1EN Main Action - Attack... ID#: 240966 | BD: 1 [Critical Miss] | -2EN Swift Action - Take it Slow... Quote [3] Telrenya | HP: 118/200 | EN: 30/43 | DMG: 10 | MIT:18 | ACC: 2 | EVA: 3 | BLD: 12 | PARA [1] Pollux | HP: 138/200 | EN: 13/38 | DMG: 9 | MIT: 18 | ACC: 3 | EVA: 3 Cooldowns: Pollux | Charge (3/3) Edited February 14 by Telrenya Link to post Share on other sites
Pollux 0 Posted February 14 #18 Share Posted February 14 (edited) For every misstep she might have made, every unexpected hurdle Yue Hua had thrown her way, Telrenya recovered just as quickly. Yue Hua had given her a moment to get back on her feet -- she wasn't about to start beating down an opponent that was already on the ground during a fair duel; part of the fault was on her for not scoring the hit while Telrenya was standing -- and the moment she had, Yue Hua lunged, and what would have been a brutal stunning blow cleaved through empty air. Perhaps she was also running out of steam. Her energy bar had a solid chunk remaining, merely trickling downwards for every incomplete sword art, but that didn't equate with the mental exhaustion of keeping up with a skilled opponent. And the scales were tipped her way but only a single attack from Telrenya could upset it! Yue Hua was trying not to, but she knew the pressure of keeping herself in the lead was affecting her battle instinct in some way. Her blood was pounding in her ears. The two duelists regarded each other sharply, then both threw themselves forward again. One final desperate clash before the bell rang. Their dance reached a deadly cadence. -> MAIN ACTION: TECH-A -> Telrenya. Spoiler PASSIVE: +1 EN MAIN ACTION: TECH-A vs Telrenya [-2 EN] 240968: BD 2 + 3 = 5 - 3 = 2: Miss! [3] Telrenya | HP: 118/200 | EN: 30/43 | DMG: 10 | MIT:18 | ACC: 2 | EVA: 3 | BLD: 12 | PARA [1] Pollux | HP: 138/200 | EN: 13/38 | DMG: 9 | MIT: 18 | ACC: 3 | EVA: 3 Edited February 15 by Pollux Link to post Share on other sites
Kindling 0 Posted February 15 Author #19 Share Posted February 15 A grin, an open palm, and a slight turning away of his gaze from the two contestants was the response given to Yue Hua and her correction regarding bait. He'd need to get better about his fact checking, though hoped it was all in good fun. Letting both wish the other good fortune, as well as say their greetings. Though what Telrenya offered was less of a greeting and more of an echo. Start! The announcer hardly had time to think about just how pleasant that opening set of words were traded between the two. The latter of the two blinked forward incredibly quickly. "It seems those wolves don't train you how to hit someone else wielding a sword back at you!" Kindling jested back at her form, followed by the miss. Though notably, she was fast to step back. "Immediately out comes the items from Yue Hua. A more tactical type, she has elected to use the ominous 'Pheromones' on her target." Kindling gestured to that target in specific. "For the uninitiated, that is a special concoction thought up by our very own Minako. It makes every second stretch, every breath and movement feel like a deliberate move up a hill. Every detail as clear as glass. At the cost of some movement speed." And as if ordained to illustrate his point, there was a perfectly timed and orchestrated dance of attacks coming from the afflicted woman. For a moment, Kindling simply admired the flow to it all. Her opponent appeared equally caught off guard, though for a much shorter moment than that of the announcer. "A beautiful set of moves, halted by a strike of stun. Both these combatants certainly know what's in their arsenal, and what they're capable of. Will this moment of reprieve make a difference?" Followed by a moment of lulling, blue eyes of the host fixated on every moment. It was so good. He couldn't have choreographed a better fight himself. Each making their distance, each finding their 'moment'. Watching to see what Yue Hua would do with her moment of freedom... ...Only to miss. "It seems the other might have the opposite of Pheromones going on, she could miss the flat side of a barn." He added with a bit of humor, predicting that the quiet moment wouldn't last too much longer. The mutual respect written on the faces of each tugged on the mind of Kindling. Doing his best to hold back pleasant interest it entranced him into. Not allowing it to spill over into meaningless phrases and rhetorical questions. Both of the women were fast, Telrenya failing to follow up on the counter attack. Then came the titular Clash of their blades. A singing that rung out throughout the destitute amphitheater. "There it is, what we all came here for. That awful sound of weapons meeting." He couldn't hold that one back, it was far too on the nose for him to do so. What followed was a surprising amount of physicality from Yue Hua. At least, surprising to the man hosting the fight. "A Devastating strike!" Was what he managed to give back following the Combatant's charge. "Telrenya moves to buy herself some time; will it be enough? Or will a critical decide it all?" Priming the crowd for what might be a climatic end to this fight in the next few moments. One that never came. There was a miss, they had begun swinging at each other almost wildly. Telrenya retaliated with her own pheromones, but even the reduction in speed didn't change much on that front. Both still moved with some amount of artistry, but it was difficult to commentate over and over on the way that attacks met steel, air, or the dirt. It was far from boring, to the host. "Telrenya retaliates with her own 'Pheromones' now!" He didn't have a seat to be on the edge on, so the man simply leaned from his position forward, not wanting to miss a single moment, or movement. Their HPs slowly crept back up. It was only after this back and forth that Kindling realized that the moments were not as long as they felt. Time was up. He needed time to set up the next two combatants for Minako, and this could turn sour if either started hitting a flurry of criticals. The announcer's hand outstretched, bringing forward in a blaze of pixels and light, the long black handle and three-pointed silver points of <<Hand Of The Mountain>>. Flourishing it over his head and then forward, moving quickly between the two. "Time!" Kindling announced in one shout, hopefully to stop either from bursting forward again to attack. "I apologize ladies, that's all the minutes we have for this dance. The two of you will have to take this somewhere else. Whether that be dinner, or a different battlefield is up to you." Blue eyes drifted from one, to the other, examining healthbars and facial expressions. He lifted his spear up, then slowly pointed it to Yue Hua. "Due to the time limitations of our combats, and how long we can spend in this ring; HP Default. Just barely edging out over her opponent Telrenya. Pollux - or Yue Hua - Wins!" He lowered the spear, letting it disappear back into his inventory. "But, do not let that discourage Telrenya. For she fought well, and harsh. What an exciting match up that was." His voice projected mostly to whoever was in the stands watching. Stepping to the side to gesture to the two in question. "A round of applause for both our combatants, and three cheers for our Victors. We will be seeing you both next week, in the depths of Floor 11 for next week's thematic. Thank you again." He gave a small clap for both, as well as a slight bow, before stepping out of the way. Concluding his commentary and information on this particular match. And glad to be done for the day. It was Minako's turn to take over from here. Result: Pollux Victory This fight has now concluded, and this thread will be turned in for double rewards. Remember that this is not the end of Clash of Blades, there are still 14 more weeks worth of combats to go in the Group Stage. Well done to both participants. If have any feedback, please reach out to @Kindling or @Minako (Vesuvyan and Lemonarsonist on discord, respectively) for any thoughts, or questions. You may give any parting thoughts or actions before I turn this thread in for approval. If you are simply done, let me know. We will see you next week! Link to post Share on other sites
Telrenya 0 Posted February 16 #20 Share Posted February 16 Telrenya flinched when a figure appeared in between them. It gave her pause where she had been ready to activate another sword art. The glow faded from her blade before it had fully come to life and she blinked, Kindling's imposing frame coming into focus. The single word boomed across the arena and Telrenya froze, her expression softly contorting into betrayal. That was the end? It was over? Her eyes flickered past Kindling to Yue Hua. Her bottom lip stiffened and she caught her composure. Something compelled her to repress the shock and the disappointment. It felt unsightly in front of her opponent. She was afraid to hear the announcement of the victor, knowing the name wouldn't be hers. As the host called out Yue Hua's name, the grip on her rapier's handle tightened, but she pulled it up to bring the tip of the weapon to its scabbard at her hip. She forced a polite smile when Kindling offered her compliments to the crowd. She waited a few moments until the path between herself and Yue Hua was clear, then took purposeful strides to close the gap. Approaching the victor, she held out her hand for a sportsmanlike shake. Her smile softened and became a bit more genuine. The words she spoke rang true, "Congratulations. That was the hardest I've fought in a really long time." She paused to allow for a response. "It was interesting to meet you like this." She let out a chuckle. "If you want to fight together some time, or just keep in touch, I'd be happy to." On her way out, stepping down from the raised dirt platform, her hands clenched at her sides. She gnawed at her bottom lip. Defeat tasted bitter. Beginning of Turn... Recover 1EN Quote [3] Telrenya | HP: 118/200 | EN: 31/43 | DMG: 10 | MIT:18 | ACC: 2 | EVA: 3 | BLD: 12 | PARA [1] Pollux | HP: 138/200 | EN: 12/38 | DMG: 9 | MIT: 18 | ACC: 3 | EVA: 3 Link to post Share on other sites
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