[Clash of Blades Season 1] Week 3: Jomei v. Telrenya

[Minako 0]

From Floor one, to floor eleven, it was time to move to a different floor that didn't have a one in it. A faraway place, where the caravan camels roam. Where they cut off your ear if they don't like your face, it's barbaric. And it was perfect for them. Floor five was a far cry from the moderately temperate places they were hosting the previous two weeks. The sand was an obstacle itself, with it being rough, and coarse, and irritating. And it was sure to get everywhere. Minako didn't mind the sand, or the heat. She always viewed it as a beach rather than a massive desert the lack of humidity notwithstanding. She sat in what could only be described as an opulent lawn chair, alongside her co-host Kindling. Her entourage stood beside them, dressed in white and held comically large leaf's that were being used to fan them.

The arena itself was more or less a sand filled pit, surrounded by walls that shaded the spectators with some shade with large fabric banners. The crowd itself was much, much, larger than the last two weeks. A combination of it being a lower floor and becoming quite popular may have been the culprit. But who actually knew? Well over a hundred had arrived today to see the blood sport, and see what pleasant surprises were in store. It was time for the show to start. Minako stood from her chair, dressed in regal attire of light pink and purple silks. She gave a sly wink to her co-host as she approached the edge of her viewing platform.

"Ladies and gentlemen!" She cried out to the crowd, her voice being amplified once again by the tool she held. "Today we bring entertainment that few have seen before! Combatants from all across the world are here to fight for your entertainment, for honor and love, and for glory in victory." She said, the crowd going wild with cheers and stomping. As the crowds cheers dulled down she spoke again. "We have two special combatants here with us! Each with a unique fighting style and indomitable spirit!" Minako cried out over the crowd.

Minako raised her left arm, a portcullis slowly began to open revealing the first fighter. Jomei would be introduced as he stepped out into the sandy arena. "Our first fighter is familiar to our ring with an early win! And familiar to our opponent as well. It's the Emerald Duelist! It's JOOOOOOOOOOOOMEEEEEI!" Minako cried out letting the thundering stomps and deafening cheers wash over him. In the crowd there was a few green banners and streamers, it would seem that Jomei had a few fans here to watch. Minako raised her other hand, the opposite portcullis slowly opened revealing the other fighter. "And his opponent? One who knows him quite well, much better than the rest of us ever could!" She said, the crowd erupting in woo's and cheers. Various gold with silver trim banners and hand flags waved as her own fans came to cheer her on. "A woman once betrothed now finds herself standing against him! It's none other than the Troubled Treasure! It's TELLLLLLLLLRENYAAAAAAAA!" Minako cried out the crowd cheering and hollering as she held the syllables out.

"Combatants." Minako said in a practiced tone. "You are allowed to trade your words of sportsmanship, or wish for the blood of their enemy. And then, watch your footing." She reminded them with a devious smirk, if anyone was close enough to see her, they would've caught her winking again. Alas, she settled for simply raising her hand. "On my mark. Get ready..." Then the counter began from there. They'd be given just those few moments to mentally prepare themselves for the third week of the competition. 

~~☼~~~~☼~~~~~☼~~~~☼~~

Hello again! Happy third week! Below is a gentle reminder of the rules, regulations, and what nots needed to play. Please be sure to refer to the Informational.
Another soft reminder to NOT use outside items. Please use only the items purchased in the Event Shop.

Spoiler

• Please remember to LINK your Spreadsheet, and triple check that all your stats are correct. Failure to do so before the actual combat begins will result in a loss by default. Going forward, we will be taking a much more hardline stance on this rule. The reason for that is out of respect for the time and energy of the hosts, and your fellow participants. 
• Remember that initiative has changed last week, and will remain that way. 
• Below is the explanation of the thematic, and its mechanics.

 

Spoiler

 

Thematic Explanation

When players take any Main Action except Rest or Consumable, they must roll on the CD. On Attack rolls, use the CD attached. On a CD of 4 or lower, players will activate a trap and take an unmitigatable 20 damage. (This does not trigger Holy Blessing.)

On a Natural 1 CD, the player triggering the trap will also be inflicted with a Status Effect. The status effect will be determined by their MD on the following Chart.

Note: the effects of Traps triggered take effect before Attacks are Finalized.
E.g. a status applied by a trap that reduces Accuracy will take effect immediately during that turn.

Status Name	Effect	MD Roll
Purify	Cleanses the player of 1 Status Effect.	1
Blind	Player will have -3 Accuracy 2 Turns. Stacks ontop of Pheromones.	2
Molotov	Player will be afflicted with Burn, taking 14 Burn Damage for 2 Turns.	3
Electrocute	Player is paralyzed for One Turn. If this trap is rolled twice in a row by the same player, avoid the Trap.	4
Blight	Player takes 8 Damage, and loses 5 mitigation, for 2 turns.	5
Freeze	Player is Frozen for 1 Turn. If this trap is rolled twice in a row by the same player, avoid the Trap.	6
Serrated	Player will be afflicted with Bleed, taking 12 Bleed Damage for 2 Turns.	7
Ankle Snapper	Player will have their healing reduced by 50% for 2 turns. Stacks with Heartbreaker for 75% healing reduction.	8
Relief	Player will heal 15 HP a turn for 2 Turns.	9
Explosive Trap	No Status Effect. Instead, the player triggering the Trap will take double the unmitigatable damage. (40)	10

 

 

 

Edited February 23 by Minako

[Telrenya 0]

She knew this match would come since the first week of the tournament. The moment she’d seen the list of combatants and found Jomei’s name among them. The way that the brackets had been explained to her meant that they would face each other eventually, and now that she stood here, approaching the arena with her name called out over the stands, all she could think about was how much she wished she could have been doing this differently. Anxiety gripped her as tightly as her fingers clenched the white cloth hanging down at her sides. Things had been hard the last couple of months. This competition was supposed to be her attempt at crawling back out from her shell, of inserting herself back into the world that had kept on turning.

Minako’s voice boomed to start the match and Telrenya snapped to attention, hastily reaching for the weapon that she hadn’t yet drawn from its scabbard. Her eyes fell back on Jomei. All she could manage was the most sheepish smile. Every other greeting felt silly as she recited them in her head. Still, her silence was strangling her. ”It’s nice to see you.” Painfully true. Uncertainty plagued her mind while she searched his face, his posture, looking for something. Trying to gauge how she looked in his eyes.

Whatever she found, the fight was imminent. The crowd couldn’t be kept waiting, after all.

Initiative...
ID#: 241568 | LD: 16

Quote

Telrenya | HP: 200/200 | EN: 43/43 | DMG: 10 | MIT:18 | ACC:2 | EVA:3 | BLD: 12  | PARA

Telrenya | HP: 200/200 | EN: 43/43 | DMG: 10 | MIT:18 | ACC:2 | EVA:3 | BLD: 12  | PARA CLASH OF BLADES CHARACTER SHEET   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) »Dowsing Rod »Antidote Crystal »Pheromones »THE Coin 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 23 by Telrenya

[Jomei 0]

  

Jomei the emerald duelist //spreadsheet

Spoiler notes Level: 34 | Paragon: 77 | Tier: 4(12)  Jomei | HP: 980/980 | EN: 136/136 | DMG: 21 | MIT: 44| ACC:3 | TAUNT | F-SPIRIT | EVA:4 | BH:54 | HB: 43 | VAMP-D: 108 | BLI: 32/-20  | LD:1        Equipment: Fragarach : AA | HLY | FLN | FLN Vestige of St. Patrick: HB | MIT | EVA | EVA Alateron's Will: ACC | ACC | ACC equipped Fragarach Vestige of St. Patrick Alateron's Will battle-ready inventory Fatiguing Salve Healing Crystal Energizing Tea THE Coin Scintillating Blade (HLY 2 | BLT | PHS) skills Spoiler Skills Rapier R5 | TECH Spec. Combat Mastery DMG R3 Cloth Armor R5 Charge B Healing R5 Energist MA R2 Howl Fighting Spirit Quick Change Extra: Concentration Survival   Parry Forgotten King's Authority Assault Mode  Lady Luck Meditation Mods Athletics Emergency Recovery Vengeful Riposte Justified Riposte Addons Stamina  Focus Precision Nimble Focused Howl data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== buffs Spoiler Housing Buffs Well Rested: -1 energy cost for the first three expenditures of each combat     Squeaky Clean: The first time you would suffer DoT damage in a thread, reduce damage taken from DoT each turn by 25% (rounded down)     Tasty: Turn 2 identical food items (same quality, tier, & enhancements) into a Lesser Feast. Relaxed: Increases out of combat HP regen by (5 * Tier HP) and decreases full energy regen to 2 Out of Combat Posts. Filling: Increase the effectiveness of a single food item consumed in a thread by +1 T1 slot. This can exceed normal Cook enhancement caps.  Multipurpose: Gain +1 to LD, Stealth Rating, Stealth Detection, or Prosperity to one post in a thread. Can be applied after a roll Item Stash: +1 BRI slot Advanced Training: +10% EXP to a thread. Limit one use per month. Must be used on a player's first post in a thread. Cooldown begins counting down when used in a post. data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==

 

Well, this was going to make for quite the interesting day..

Jomei would avert his eyes whenever the next week's match ups were announced. He did not have much of a choice the prior week, since he needed to talk game plan with Wulfrin. The ginger was never much for strategy, unless his life depended on it. Never taking the time to study his opponent before hand, changing up his equipment or consumables to best counter the other player he would be crossing blades with. To him, the surprise of seeing his opponent for the first time, with the roar of the crowd playing as the backtrack to their names being announced, was just as exciting as the battle itself.

"Did you see who you're up against?"
"Exciting match this week, huh?" 
"Are you nervous? Is this your first time seeing each other since..."

It was impossible to not know who his next opponent was, word spread like wildfire once the list had been posted for all players to see. On the bright side, now he had a bit of time to mentally prepare for their reunion.

__

Chains rattled as they were pulled taught, slowly raising the heavy grating that separated him from the sandy pit that would serve as the battlefield for today's matches. The grain was loose, but the weight of his body did not cause his boots to sink down into the sand. Thankfully, that shouldn't cause any issues with their fight. Step after step, he emerged from the dark tunnel, the dry heat of the fifth floor smacking him as the blazing rays of the sun engulfed him. A hand raised, at first, to shield his eyes turned to a wave as he greeted the crowd, his name still echoing off the walls of the arena as Minako introduced him. The nerves did not really set in until he called for Telrenya to join Jomei. Airing out their past relationship - which he was sure most already knew of - he would watch the portcullis on the opposite end as the blonde emerged. 

A multitude of thoughts and emotions ping-ponged off of each other, settling as a pit of nerves and excitement in his belly. Despite, he was still able to flash a smile as warm as the stand at their feet. "Tel.." The name escaped him with a small breath, a chuckle following, "When I saw your name pop up on the brackets, I almost thought there was another Telrenya running around.. that, or I finally snapped. Never would have expected this to be your scene but.. It's genuinely good to see you, nonetheless. Not the reunion I'm sure either of us had in mind but.." he would look around the two them; the sand, the banners, the hundreds of eyes glued to them, "Guess nothing we can do about that now." 

Reluctantly, he would draw his rapier. Offering a fencer's salute , he would bring the length of the blade to the tip of his nose and slowly lowered it. "Don't hold back, show me everything you've got."

Inititive | ID 241638 | LD 1

[Telrenya 0]

"O-oh, no, you're right, I've never done anything like this before!" A breathy laugh escaped her, and she brought her free hand up in front of her to wave off the thought. "I just thought it might..." She struggled to explain herself. The noise of the crowd carried on the hot wind made it hard to focus on such small talk. So, she shook her head. "I was surprised to see you here, too." She simply punctuated the thought with a small smile. Despite everything, it felt so easy to talk to him in this moment. What a relief.

His challenge stirred something in her. Where pieces of her anxious self had sloughed off and melted with the warmth of their short greetings, the impending clash of blades chipped away even more. She matched his salute, a gesture she'd learned from him back when they would train together, but before she would drop her stance and prepare to go on the offensive, she reached into a pouch at her belt. She'd almost forgotten. Her fingertips brushed over polished metal and she pulled out a single coin that glinted in the abundance of sunlight overhead. Telrenya wasn't typically a gambler, but with only one token left after her other purchases... She let out a steady breath and tucked her thumb underneath her forefinger. With a solid ringing sound, it launched into the air. "Heads." The word was little more than a whisper. She didn't take her eyes off the coin, so that when it fell back down she was able to snatch it out of the air. She held her breath and uncurled her fingers...

Yet it was the elegant profile of Kindling resting on her open palm. The color drained from her face and the sweat on her temple went cold as she froze up in unreasonable disbelief. The coin began to let off soft blue sparkles around it before it shattered, its usefulness expended. Likewise, the air around Jomei briefly danced with matching little sparks of light as he was imbued with THE Coin's power instead of her. She froze up. Gambling was a dumb idea. One successful counterattack from Jomei and she'd be put in a really bad spot. She had been prepared to make the first move, but now...

She straightened up. The fingers of her open hand curled into a fist and she put her focus back onto her opponent. She regained her fighting stance and moved one foot across the other while keeping her guard up. "I'll give you a head start!" She called across the commotion of the spectators. Her tone betrayed her; the blunder was obvious. Still, she wore something of a playful smirk to go along with her banter. "The same goes for you. Don't hold back, okay?"

Main Action - Entrench...  (-5EN)
+30 MIT

Swift Action - THE Coin... (-2EN)
ID#: 241640 | LD: 11 [Calling Heads = Even / Tails = Odd] - Failed the call, Jomei gains +3 base damage until his next attack

Rolling for Traps...
ID#: 241641 | CD: 9 - No traps triggered

Quote

Telrenya | HP: 200/200 | EN: 41/43 | DMG: 10 | MIT:48 | ACC:2 | EVA:3 | BLD: 12 | PARA

VS

Jomei | HP: 200/200 | EN: 43/43 | DMG: 13 | MIT:18 | ACC:3 | AA  | F-SPIRIT | EVA:2 | BH:7 | HB: 4 | FLN: 4 | HLY: 2

Jom I stole your stat block from your clash sheet lmk if it's not right

Edited February 24 by Telrenya

[Jomei 0]

Within the moments before their blades crossed, Telrenya retrieved an item from her belt. A single coin, brushed nickel and thin, contrasting greatly from the pieces of Col they usually traded in. Taking a gamble, Telrenya would launch the coin into the air, the etched faced of their announcers glistening in the suns light at its peak. The shock on Tel's face as she plucked the coin from the air in front of her told Jomei all he needed to know. Tiny, blue sparkles, like dust to the wind, carried from where the coin had vanished to the ginger, sprinkling onto the face of his rapier. 

"Hm.." he would hum as he turned Fragarah in his palm, "Tough luck, sorry about that. "

But was he truly sorry? It gave him the upper hand from the start. And despite who his opponent was, he still aimed to win. 

..or at least put on one hell of a show. 

"Don't hold back, okay?"

Jomei would smirk back as he took an offensive stance. "I don't plan on it." Not wasting any more time, Jomei would rush into the fray. Boots kicking up sand, he would keep his eyes trailed on Telrenya, who braced for impact. In the short amount of time it took to move from one end of the sand pit to the other, Jomei would frantically search for an opening in her heightened defense. Perhaps if he lead with a feinting attack, then he - click.

His toe had snagged on something hidden just beneath the sands surface, and in that moment he remembered the theme for this week; Traps. A number of rudimentary, jagged spears shot up from the sand. Impossible to dodge all of them, Jomei twisted his body to avoid being turning into a kebab. In the process, one of the sharp edges would rake up his back, tearing into his cloak. Jomei would grimace as the pain indicators left the point of impact tingling, but he still pushed forward, tearing himself from the green fabric that shattered moments after he freed himself. 

The spears retracted back into the earth, sand settling to give the illusion that they had never even been there. Just as Jomei would allow the embarrassment of falling for such a trap at the very beginning of the fight sink back into his gut. Couldn't let anything distract him more than the fact he was fighting Telrenya. 

"Hell, wasn't expecting that.. shit." he'd curse. 

Spoiler

// Main Action
Tech D | ID 241645 | BD 1(+3)(+AA)(-3) | Miss | -2 EN
THE Coin fades...

// Swift Action
Evade | +1 EVA, -2 EN

// Traps
ID 241645 | CD 4 | Minor Trap - 20 DMG

Telrenya | HP: 200/200 | EN: 41/43 | DMG: 10 | MIT:48 | ACC:2 | EVA:3 | BLD: 12 | PARA

VS

Jomei | HP: 180/200 | EN: 39/43 | DMG: 10 | MIT:18 | ACC:3 | AA | F-SPIRIT | EVA:2 3 | BH:7 | HB: 4 | FLN: 4 | HLY: 2

 

[Telrenya 0]

Her offense turned to defense with a flip of THE coin, and so when Jomei shot forward to attack she was on high alert. They were both rapier users--always had been--and she knew well how easily the thin blades could slip right past one's guard.

But before Jomei could fully close the gap and take a stab or twelve at her, something happened. He had taken damage, but not from her sword. Telrenya winced when she spotted the crude spikes stabbing up at him and another chill ran through her. She couldn't forget about the traps. 'Lucky I haven't stepped on something already...' She thought. Jomei's body turned to avoid the worst of the spears and at that moment she flinched with the instinct to strike. A snap decision carried her forward, but the metal of her blade didn't glow like she's previously planned. Instead she reached back into that same pouch while meeting his advance.

Twilight Turmoil met Fragarach with a sharp ringing of metal as their blades slid across one another. Telrenya dashed past Jomei, leaving room for only a single collision before she turned back to him and spun her wrist into a quick flourish. 'I just need a small opening.' The fingers of her opposite hand curled tightly around a small glass vial. When she'd brought the same item to her first match, she'd regretted not using it against Yue Hua early on. So, she didn't linger on the opposite side of her opponent before dashing back across the sandy arena. If she could just get close for a second or two without getting hit...

With the step that brought her right before him, her foot sank farther down into the sand than she'd anticipated. It threw her off of that delicate momentum and she lurched forward slightly. A loud 'SNAP' sounded at the ground beneath them, and electricity shot up Telrenya's body as the tingling sensation in her leg rushed to her brain. The teeth of a bear trap dug into her calf, piercing right past the cloth of her tall white boots. Her attention was split, having to look down at what it was that had just torn into her. Just as quickly, her neck tilted back up to put her eyes back on her opponent. For a brief moment, Telrenya's expression was not unlike that of a rabbit just before the slaughter.

Then a resolve showed itself. Her eyes shone with determination and her lips pursed into a hard line. She did the only thing she could think of. Her posture straightened completely and her heels lifted off the ground. Reaching up as high as she could, she raised her hand still clutching the bottle of pheromones and slammed it down on the top of Jomei's head. The glass shattered and released the liquid inside to dampen his hair.

Main Action - Pheromones...  (-2EN)

Swift Action - Take it Easy...

Rolling for Traps...
ID#: 241651 | CD: 4 - Trap triggered!

Quote

Telrenya | HP: 180/200 | EN: 40/43 | DMG: 10 | MIT:18 | ACC:2 | EVA:3 | BLD: 12 | PARA

VS

Jomei | HP: 180/200 | EN: 39/43 | DMG: 10 | MIT:18 | ACC:3 | AA | F-SPIRIT | EVA:2 3 0 | BH:7 | HB: 4 | FLN: 4 | HLY: 2

 

Edited February 24 by Telrenya

[Jomei 0]

Telrenya's expression was not unlike that of a rabbit just before the slaughter

In that split moment, the veil of opponents locked in a duel was lifted. The teeth of a bear trap had revealed themselves, closed around Telrenya's calf. Tearing into the white of her boot, bright red marks in lieu of blood outlined the wounds. That sudden moment when she looked at him, those chocolate brown eyes that he had found himself lost in many times before, were filled with an emotion directed towards him that he had never seen - and never hoped to see - fear. At least, in the tiniest aspect of feeling trapped and at Jomei's mercy. In that second he felt compelled to grab her wrist and pull her free..

That second, however, was all that she needed.

Jomei hardly had enough time to react once Telrenya's helpless expression hardened. An all too familiar shatter of glass, a wetness saturating his ginger hair and forehead, followed by a sweet, alluring scent. One that could almost make you forget that a bottle was just smashed over your head. Almost. Jomei's chin went to his chest at the moment of impact, staring at the ground for longer than he needed to. The numbness was one thing, but the absolute shock that Telrenya, of all people, just smashed a bottle over his head. 

Slowly, Jomei would lift his head to look up at the culprit, the faintly orange liquid dripping from his bangs and creating trails down his forehead. When his gaze finally met hers, there was not much appreciation for that in his eyes. "If I had a nickel..." he growled, a hint of frustration in his voice. First Acanthus, now Telrenya. Hopefully this wasn't going to become an ongoing joke at his expense. Yanking his sword arm back, he would shove it forth towards Tel's thigh. But he was sluggish from the Pheromones, and with a speed that matched Jomei's she pulled her leg out of harm's way. With a bit more distance between them now, Jomei would rub the back of his hand across his forehead and eyes. As gentle and sweet it smelled, the burned the eyes like hell. 

Spoiler

// Swift Action
None Taken

// Main Action
Recovery | +7 BH, +1 EN
Tech-A | ID 241653 | BD 3(+3)(+AA)(-3) 4 | Miss | -2 EN

// Trap Check
ID 241653 | CD 9 - Safe!

Telrenya | HP: 180/200 | EN: 40/43 | DMG: 10 | MIT:18 | ACC:2 | EVA:3 | BLD: 12 | PARA

VS

Jomei | HP: 187/200 | EN: 38/43 | DMG: 10 | MIT:18 | ACC:3 | AA | F-SPIRIT | EVA: 2 0 | BH:7 | HB: 4 | FLN: 4 | HLY: 2

 

[Telrenya 0]

Jomei's displeasure at her unorthodox 'attack' was written all over his face. A little nugget of regret nestled in her throat while she chided herself, 'That was too much, wasn't it? Of course it was!'

"S-sorry!" She called with a hint of pink on her cheeks. His counterattack was fierce, and thankfully the bear trap shattered when she pulled her leg back in a hurry to avoid it. Her rapier let out an audible 'thwip' as it cut through the hot air to meet his and she continued her retreat, taking a moment of reprieve with a few feet lingering in between them. The fighting spirit Jomei had lured out of her was regressing. That nervous energy squeezed at her shoulders. The memory of their start-of-battle challenges crumbled as she just kept repeating to herself that she didn't want to be here. She wanted to talk, not fight. When did she ever want to fight?

Telrenya moved forward, slower now. Maybe she was just wary of setting off another trap. If she didn't try to take advantage of the debuff, then the item she bought would be a total waste, right? The tip of her sword began to glow with a light that spread down the length of the metal like a sheath. She lunged forward, letting loose the same sword art she'd relied on dozens of times so far in this tournament. It let her down just the same. Nothing more than glancing blows, dodged and deflected despite Jomei's impaired reaction time. She recalled one of many sparring sessions in his backyard and how formidable a duelist he'd always been. She wondered just how long he'd carried that title. She didn't think she'd ever asked him exactly how he got it.

Telrenya was quiet while they met blow for blow, trapped in her own head. They were on a more level playing field thanks to the tournament's duel restrictions, but it felt like she was only just keeping up with him. If that frustrated her, it wasn't clear on her face. There was something else. Maybe that was why Minako had stuck her with that embarrassing title during her introductions. Telrenya just looked...troubled.

Main Action - Attack...  ST-I on Jomei
ID#: 241697 | BD: 2+2 = 4 [Miss] | CD: 9 - No Traps Triggered | (2-EN)

Swift Action - Take it Easy...

Quote

Telrenya | HP: 180/200 | EN: 39/43 | DMG: 10 | MIT:18 | ACC:2 | EVA:3 | BLD: 12 | PARA

VS

Jomei | HP: 187/200 | EN: 38/43 | DMG: 10 | MIT:18 | ACC:3 | AA | F-SPIRIT | EVA: 2 0 | BH:7 | HB: 4 | FLN: 4 | HLY: 2

 

Edited Tuesday at 04:52 PM by Telrenya

[Jomei 0]

Jomei huffed, running a hand through his elixir dampened bangs to push them to the top of his head. Loose shards of glass that tangled to his hairs were raked out, falling to the sand at his feet. That sharp, dagger-like stare that he had worn just a moment ago had dulled and softened as his eyes smiled. "Nothing like getting a bottle smashed over your head to get the adrenaline pumping." Free hand would rub the crown of his skull, feeling slowly returning to his scalp. "I take it you got that one from watching my fight with Acanthus." Bouncing on the balls of his feet for a moment, his wrist would turn to perform a small flair with his rapier, "Whatever works, I guess." 

Closing the distance once more, in the same breath he finished speaking, rapiers would clash once more. Swift strikes, parrying off of each other as the two danced about the sandy battlefield. Unlike watching the two actually dance, their footing was precise, immaculate even. It had to be, not only to avoid opening themselves up to the other, but to avoid setting off any other hidden surprises as well. Though, while Telrenya defended herself, Jomei got the sense that the look on her face was not necessarily guilt from her earlier actions. She still fought on, meeting each of Jomei's strikes with her own. 

"Sorry about this." Jomei would chime in before parrying a thrust from Tel and knocking he rapier out of her hand and into the air above them. Fragarach absorbed some of the few shadows that were cast around them, expelling into Telrenya as Jomei took a small step back and swiped at her right below the breastplate. On top of the damage dealt, Telrenya would find herself stuck in place as the stunning sword art took effect. 

Taking a quick second to catch his breath, he would lower his blade and stand in front of her. "You don't exactly look like you're enjoying yourself." he spoke low with a soft smirk. Shaking his head, he would continue. "We really don't have to do this, if you don't want to." 

//Main Action
Recovery -> +7 BH, +1 EN
Tech-A | ID 241711 | BD 7(+3)(+1)(+AA)(-3) = 9 HIT | Fallen Procs | STUN
8 x 10(+4) -18 = 94 DMG

//Swift Action
Focus -> +1 BD | -2EN

//Traps?
ID 241711 | CD 6 -> No Traps 

Spoiler

Telrenya | HP: 86/200 | EN: 39/43 | DMG: 10 | MIT:18 | ACC:2 | EVA:3 | BLD: 12 | PARA | Stunned

Jomei | HP: 194/200 | EN: 25/43 | DMG: 10 | MIT:18 | ACC:3 | AA | F-SPIRIT | EVA: 2 0 | BH:7 | HB: 4 | FLN: 4 | HLY: 2 | PHER (2/3)

 

[Telrenya 0]

Pulled back into the moment by force, Telrenya's eyes widened as the weapon was launched from her grasp with a sharp ringing of metal. The simple silver blade stabbed weakly into the ground a few feet beside her, sagging under the weight of its own guard in the loose sand. Her attention pulled from the rapier back to her opponent across from her as Telrenya felt her limbs lock up, frozen in her fighting stance. Her body twitched under the familiar, uncomfortable effect of being Stunned, and her face finally reflected a sense of frustration at having been caught by such an attack. Not to mention the dull, throbbing sensation that came from how rapidly her health bar was dropping.

Jomei's words gave her pause, though. She wasn't sure how to take his offer, nor his observation. It was too much to think about all at once. Her lips pressed together again, this time in an uneven uncertainty. They'd part to muster him an answer. "I..." She expelled a single breathy chuckle, as if to laugh at the absurdity of the situation. "To be honest, I was hoping we could talk over tea or something first." Sincerity settled back into her chest as she continued, "I have been wanting to talk... It's been too long, and... I've been thinking about some really tough things lately." She tried to pick her words carefully, grasping for a way to express herself while keeping things brief. A bittersweet smile began to tug at her lips. "I guess dueling you like this is even harder than I thought, not knowing how you feel or anything."

The fingers of her left hand twitched. Her thoughts shifted from those sentimental admissions to a command. One that Cardinal would have to allow her. "But I made a promise to myself. Even though the stakes aren't exactly all that dire... I'd feel really crummy if I let myself down already!" With that exclamation, Telrenya squeezed her hand tightly around the dull grey crystal that had appeared in her palm, shattering it and freeing herself from the system's iron grasp. She reached out with all haste to retrieve her rapier and back-pedaled to a safe distance. The same hand that had activated the Antidote Crystal glowed with a soft yellow aura and she brought it close to her chest to heal back some of the damage dealt. While the fleeting thought of going for an attack had crossed her mind, she hadn't intended to seem underhanded. But more importantly, one more hit like that was likely to put her out of the fight, and Telrenya was done with gambling.

Yet the universe--or maybe just Aincrad--wasn't done gambling with her. Just as she felt her health inch back upwards like a refreshing breeze under the stiff desert sun, another step backwards and her footing faltered. There was something there. "No--!" She realized too late as the sound of trap trigger reached her ears. Telrenya wrenched her eyes shut and crossed both arms in front of her, bracing for the worst.

Main Action - Skill...
First Aid | Heal 30 HP (-9EN)

Swift Action - Consumable...
Used Antidote Crystal to remove Stun! (-2EN)

Rolling for Traps...
ID#: 241712 | CD: 2 - Trap Triggered!

Quote

Telrenya | HP: 116/200 | EN: 29/43 | DMG: 10 | MIT:18 | ACC:2 | EVA:3 | BLD: 12 | PARA | Stun Immunity (1/3)

VS

Jomei | HP: 194/200 | EN: 25/43 | DMG: 10 | MIT:18 | ACC:3 | AA | F-SPIRIT | EVA: 2 0 | BH:7 | HB: 4 | FLN: 4 | HLY: 2 | PHER (2/3)

 

Edited Tuesday at 10:12 PM by Telrenya

[Jomei 0]

"Probably a more appropriate meeting, yeah?" Jomei responded with a soft, suppressed laugh. Though Telrenya's voice was laced with wit, her desire to reconnect was genuine. He had not anticipated meeting with her to discuss things, due to their lack of contact over the past few [however long its been..] A gentle sigh would escape his lips, as a hand snaked around the back of his sweat slicked neck. "I suppose we should talk, shouldn't we?" he admitted. His olive gaze would shift from hers towards the ground, unable to formulate a response. 

His mind scattered; the plague of too many thoughts in a chronic overthinkers head. Distracted just enough that he nearly missed the shift in Telrenya's voice, the sudden resolve to not back down from this fight; no matter their past, their future. A quick Antidote Crystal, and she was cleared from Jomei's stun. A trick that he had pulled on Acanthus just in the first round, how could he have been so foolish to not expect someone like Telrenya to mimic it. Another curious trick up her sleeve, the yellow glow of her hand that she held over her stomach. "You're dabbling in support now? That's new." he would smirk. "That'll definitely make the rest of this fight more interest-" 

A sharp click under Telrenya's foot. He heard it, the look on her face said she heard it. She had triggered another trap, its effects not yet apparent in the seconds they had to react. Every fiber of his being told him to get out of the way before it ended up knocking down both of them. His inner thoughts screamed at him to move. He knew that it was part of the game, and they knew the risks stepping into the arena.

Then why were his fingers wrapped around Telrenya's forearm, pulling her in his direction and past him, to get her out of harm's way? 

The sand erupted behind him, no blazing ball of fire, but enough of an explosion to throw most players off of their feet. Jomei stood strong, his boots planted into the ground, as heat and sand pelted him in the back. Sometimes compelled him to move, to step in and protect Telrenya from the brunt of the trap. If his brain wasn't so much of a jumbled mess right now, he'd be able to figure out exactly why. "If you're gonna keep that promise to yourself.. Probably best you don't let one of these traps stop you." Calling forth a small, ceramic teacup from his inventory, he would raise the rim to his lips - not before extending his pinky, of course. (Had to keep it classy) "Hah, guess we're talking over tea after all." he would joke before dropping the cup into the sand and drawing Fragarach on Telrenya once more. A horizontal slash to catch her off guard, and three jabs to her abdomen that met their mark. "What, did me playing the hero distract you?" Maybe a bit of playful banter would get her to loosen up. This was all just for fun, after all. 

Minako and Kindling have allowed Jomei to switch with Telrenya and take the damage from her trap. 
ID#: 241712 | CD: 2 - Trap Triggered! 20 DMG
***

// Main Action
ST-1 -> ID 241754| BD 5(+3)(+AA)(-3) HIT 
8 x 10 = 80-18 = 72 DMG

// Swift Action
Energizing Tea | - 2 EN

// Traps? 
ID 241754 | CD 11 | No traps!

Spoiler

Telrenya | HP: 44/200 | EN: 29/43 | DMG: 10 | MIT:18 | ACC:2 | EVA:3 | BLD: 12 | PARA | Stun Immunity (1/3)

VS

Jomei | HP: 180/200 | EN: 16/43 | DMG: 10 | MIT:18 | ACC:3 | AA | F-SPIRIT | EVA: 2 0 | BH:7 | HB: 4 | FLN: 4 | HLY: 2 | PHER (3/3) | Tea

 

[Telrenya 0]

A strong tug at her arm. Her weight being pulled forward. Suddenly the world spun and Telrenya's back crashed into the sand, leaving Jomei in between herself and the small explosion of another trap. Her hands flew back to catch her and she stared up at her savior in wide-eyed disbelief. Practically shrugging off the damage he'd just suffered by rescuing her, his prop comedy broke her out of her stupor. A genuine laugh bubbled up from her chest. "Well now I regret leaving my teacup at home." She joked back. A quick bit of swordplay and a lot of her health disappearing confirmed that the fight was very much still on. Telrenya's jaw dropped at the sheer audacity, but her lips quickly met again in a smirk that might rival his signature.

"Always." She answered. Her eyes betrayed her next move, flickering downward right before she pulled her leg back and launched a straight kick to his abdomen. If nothing else, she needed space to get back to her feet. A quick spin and another flourish of her rapier and Telrenya was back in the fight. "But alas," She called to her opponent, raising her free hand to press the back against her forehead in a bit of theatrics, both for the crowd and herself. "I'm afraid I may not be long for this world." Truly, she was littered with red gashes and simulated stab wounds. If Jomei landed one more hit, that would be the match. There was no healing out of it anymore. "And so, I will fight 'till my dying breath!"

Their battle continued in earnest. She ran forward, light on her feet lest the shifting sands slow her down. An explosion--this one born of crashing metal--erupted between them. Each deflection, every parry rang out through the thick, arid air that hung over the arena. Telrenya fought for each swipe and stab that she could land on Jomei's nimble form, and tried just as hard to keep herself out of his blade's path.

Main Action - Attack... ST-I on Jomei
ID#: 241761 | BD: 3+2+1 = 6 [Hit] | -8EN
Deals (10*8)-18 = 62 DMG

Swift Action - Focus... (-2EN)

Quote

Telrenya | HP: 44/200 | EN: 20/43 | DMG: 10 | MIT:18 | ACC:2 | EVA:3 | BLD: 12 | PARA | Stun Immunity (2/3)

VS

Jomei | HP: 118/200 | EN: 16/43 | DMG: 10 | MIT:18 | ACC:3 | AA | F-SPIRIT | EVA: 2 0 | BH:7 | HB: 4 | FLN: 4 | HLY: 2 | PHER (3/3) | Tea

 

Edited Wednesday at 05:54 AM by Telrenya

[Jomei 0]

Thin blades of steel cut through the arid, hot air at a speed most would not be able to keep up with. The two almost evenly matched duelists fought to gain an opening, sparks leaping from where their swords clashed into the sand at their feet. Jomei could feel his energy beginning to wane. His breaths becoming heavy, sweat mixed with the last of the pheromones burning his eyes. Within the last few moments of the elixir's effects on him, Telrenya was able to land multiple blows on the ginger, riddling his fair skin and green attire with speckles of bright red. 

"Ah, so dramatic." he laughed as they continued to trade blows, waiting for the right moment to turn the tides back onto the blonde. The lightness in his feet returning once more, with the contents smashed into his ginger hair finally dissipating. But instead of creating a larger space between himself and his opponent, he closed that distance. Blocking any follow up strikes Telrenya threw his way, he would reach into his back pocket with a free hand. "Up for another bit of gambling?" Tucking thumb into the crook of his forefinger, he launched the coin above the duo. "Tails." he would call, catching the silver piece and closing his fist around it. 

Now space seemed like a good idea, in case the coin toss did not go in his favor. With a quick hop back, he would open his fist. The side profile of their hostess, Minako, smirked up at him; Tails, just as he had called. Just as before, the coin disappeared, the tiny blue fragments sprinkling onto the face of Fragarach. "Guess that does it, get ready." Jomei would warn Tel before attacking once more. 

//Swift Action -> THE Coin [Calling Odds (Tails)] | -2 EN
ID | 241889 | LD 9 | Jomei wins the toss, +3 DMG to next attack

//Main Action ->
Recovery | +7 BH, +1 EN
Pheromones wear off..

ST-II | ID 241890 | BD 2(+3)(+AA)(-3) Miss | -2 EN

// Traps? 
ID 241890 | CD 10 -> No Traps

Spoiler

Telrenya | HP: 44/200 | EN: 20/43 | DMG: 10 | MIT:18 | ACC:2 | EVA:3 | BLD: 12 | PARA | Stun Immunity (2/3)

VS

Jomei | HP: 125/200 | EN: 13/43 | DMG: 13 | MIT:18 | ACC:3 | AA | F-SPIRIT | EVA: 2 | BH:7 | HB: 4 | FLN: 4 | HLY: 2  | Tea

 

[Telrenya 0]

After so long spent running and tumbling under the sweltering desert sun, sweat was running down Telrenya's brow. She could feel the cloth sticking to her back. Her legs felt heavy. "I learned from the best!" She quipped with a smile.

When the light reflected off the large silver coin between his fingers, Telrenya's expression fell with a quick reminder of the dismay she'd felt after her own failed flip of the coin. That feeling doubled down when Jomei was blessed by the luck of their hosts for the second time this match. She let out a defeated sigh, then readied herself when he once again took up arms.

It was all she could do to avoid the empowered bite of his weapon. She played on the defensive for as long as it took for that coin to wear off, and her muscles began to burn because of it. She felt the presence of the curved arena wall coming up at her back and she knew she couldn't keep this up much longer. Her eyes scoured for an opening. Jomei was skilled. Practiced. Without the help of items to reduce his speed, landing a hit would be an uphill battle.

'There!'

It was like cracking the case of a nail-biting mystery. She dropped her center to dodge a horizontal swing, and in one swift motion she extended her leg and swept it around with all her might, kicking up sand before connecting with Jomei's ankles. She sprung back to her full height and her rapier glowed brightly. A single stab down to the center of his chest, and her new weapon's paralytic properties would ripple through his avatar, followed closely by a piercing wave of additional damage. Telrenya panted where she stood, still with a firm grip on the handle. Exhaustion threatened to take hold of her. "I...decided to change some things up...recently." She affirmed between heavy breaths.

Main Action - Attack... ST-II on Jomei
ID#: 241891 | BD: 9 [Critical Hit] | -11EN
Deals (10+1)*11-18 = 103 DMG | Inflicts Paralyze and Bleed 12

Swift Action - Take it Easy...

Traps...?
CD: 9 - No Trap Triggered

Quote

Telrenya | HP: 44/200 | EN: 10/43 | DMG: 10 | MIT:18 | ACC:2 | EVA:3 | BLD: 12 | PARA | Stun Immunity (3/3)

VS

Jomei | HP: 22/200 | EN: 13/43 | DMG: 13 | MIT:18 | ACC:3 | AA | F-SPIRIT | EVA: 2 | BH:7 | HB: 4 | FLN: 4 | HLY: 2  | Tea | 12 Bleed (0/2)

 

Edited Wednesday at 04:58 PM by Telrenya

[Jomei 0]

The ground was more comfortable than he’d expected. Warm sand beneath him, a blue, cloudless sky above. This could make for a decent spot to relax, if it weren’t for the sharp end of Telrenya’s rapier. Pushed into his form enough to dig into the grain on the other side, the ginger was locked in place as the stun of his opponent’s sword art yook effect. His health teetered on the edge, his energy levels in the same boat. Even with the gradual pick me up from his battle healing, another attack would end him - the duel, at least. 

“Heh” he was barely able to push out a chuckle in between sharp breaths, “Guess you got me.” Jomei looked up at Telrenya, a tired smile shining up at her. “I’ll admit, Im proud of you. Kicked my ass, you did.” His barely  elevated head feel back down to the sand as he caught his breath and slowly closed his eyes. “These changes... this new you... it suits you.”

“But .. you’re not the only one.. with new tricks.”

The power of the Forgotten Time King welled up within him, bursting forth with a small shockwave as the debilitating effects left on Jomei were expelled from his body. He only had seconds to react, to counter before Tel caught on and finished him off. Reaching his free hand up, he would clasp Terenya’s sword hand and pulled. Not enough to bring her to his level, just to trap her. Pulling a leg back to pop him up on one knee, the length of Tel’s sword still jabbed through his torso, he would thrust Fragarach forth. The dark core of the rapier unleashed a burst of fallen energy within Terenya as he stabbed her just above the hip. “I’m sorry, please don’t take it personally.”

//Swift Action
->Forgotten King's Authority | Clear disabling effect | - 5 EN

//Main Action
-> Recovery +7 BH, +1 EN | - 12 Bleed
-> ST-I | ID 241896| BD 7(+3)(+AA)(-3) 8 HIT | Fallen Procs 
8 x 10(+4)-18 = 94 DMG

//Traps? 
-> ID 24896 | CD 8 | No traps!

Spoiler

Telrenya | HP: 0/200 | EN: 10/43 | DMG: 10 | MIT:18 | ACC:2 | EVA:3 | BLD: 12 | PARA | Stun Immunity (3/3)

VS

Jomei | HP: 17/200 | EN: 1/43 | DMG: 10 | MIT:18 | ACC:3 | AA | F-SPIRIT | EVA: 2 | BH:7 | HB: 4 | FLN: 4 | HLY: 2  | Tea | Bleed 12 (1/2)

 

[Telrenya 0]

With the both of them spent, the stagnant air hanging all around them, Telrenya had to fight not to put too much weight onto her weapon. The hectic back-and-forth was over and she was grateful for a chance to rest. She met Jomei's eyes beneath her, the glaring sun behind her casting her shadow over him where he lay, and his smile was infectious. In that moment, her soul stirred and her chest swelled. For the first time in a long while, she was proud of herself. Though his eyes were closed, her smile stretched wide with excitement.

'You think so?!'

She hadn't gotten the words out before that 'but' reached her ears. She froze, completely caught off guard by his ability to break out of her sword's paralytic effect. By the time her mind had caught up and was yelling at her to yank her rapier back to her side, Jomei's grasp had locked her in place. Her expression fell into a hard wince as a dull buzzing sensation stabbed through her abdomen. The last of her health bar emptied. The duel was over.

Her eyes, which had locked onto his weapon, trailed back up to his face. She could feel herself slipping. The edges of her vision began to blur. Telrenya let out a short laugh, weak and shaky. "No holding back." She echoed. "You got me. I--" Cardinal wouldn't allow her some grandiose speech. With her bar depleted, it bid her to sleep, and Telrenya's strength left her completely as her body went limp.

Jomei wins