Valkyrie's Page of Wonder

May 06, 2010

Fallen Angel - Midwinter Games, Part 13

Xannon meets up with Sarah, Gatomon and Kris outside the temple.
“Impressive display of magic in there, Xannon,” Gatomon comments. “It must have taken a lot of concentration to keep that Tetra Eruption spell ready, and then immediately using teleportation and a doppelganger no less.”
“Let's just say I am very exhausted at the moment.”
“Let me help you, hold still,” Sarah orders as she begins casting a rejuvenation spell.
“Thank you,” Xannon says as the spell takes effect. “I feel much better now. So who am I fighting next?”
“Herschie Riverdancer. She went up against Verana this morning and was soundly beaten. Quite a match actually, make sure you review when studying.
“I will. She's the Mage Knight of Water, right?”
“Correct,” Kris confirms. “She's also a katta which makes her physical attacks especially dangerous since she will be boosting them with magic. Try to stay away from her if you can. Remember, you are a great swordsman, but your strength lies with your magic and you connection to Bast.”
“Understood. Anyone have dinner planned yet?”



After dinner, Xannon returns to the temple and begins studying Herschie Riverdancer and learning her fighting style. He begins practicing as much fire magic as he can to help counter her skills with the element of water.
This would be his fist real fight with a katta and they could be ferocious, a trademark of their feral ancestry. Herschie's style, based on her battle footage, was very controlled and fluid. She never seemed to lose her temper like Wojceich did. She also combined her physical attacks seamlessly with her magic. Several of her opponents were surprised when a simple physical attack turned into a raging torrent of water or a blast of icy shards.
Even Verana was visibly shocked when her attacks brought forth a massive, sudden, tidal wave. The impact nearly knocked Verana off their platform, but a quick cast and she was floating in the sky, raining spells of her own, both elven and black.
Having studied late into the night, Xannon returns to his room and joins Sarah who was already asleep. Tomorrow would bring his fight with Herschie and probably, Priest Wagnard.

Xannon awakens to the first chime of the alarm and hits the snooze button, giving Sarah a few more minutes rest. He silently get dressed and says a quick prayer to Bast to help him with this remaining battles. His fight with Emerson made him realize the full seriousness of this tournament. His first few fights were relatively easy, Emerson took a lot out of him and each after was going to be progressively harder. The alarm goes off again and Sarah slowly wakes up and turns it off. She blinks a few times and sees Xannon preparing breakfast.
“You're up early. You did actually get some sleep last night, right?”
“Yes, I did. What do you want to drink?”
“Orange juice is fine,” Sarah replies, getting out of bed and pulling on some pants.
She sits down at the table and stretches. Xannon puts breakfast on the table and takes the other eat. They eat in silence for a moment before Sarah speaks up.
“This is really good. Id you put something extra in this?”
“Splash of milk in the eggs and garlic butter on the toast. That's all.”
They finish up and get ready, then head out to the tournament grounds.

Xannon joins Herschie outside the door to the magic room. He wasn't used to seeing katta that weren't trying to kill him and he catches himself staring at her several times.
Her white fur seemed to glisten as if covered in dew. Bluish gray spots covered her body. She wore a simple leather vest under a long-sleeved, white shirt. Cloth shorts finished the ensemble.
“What?” Herschie asks, turning her head around to look at him. “Do you need something?”
“No, I was just sizing up my opponent. That's all.”
“Uh huh, I'm sure,” She turns to Xannon. “It looked more like staring to me. Do you normally stare at your opponents?”
“No, it's just that I haven't been around katta very often. You're very different, yet beautiful.”
“Well, perhaps after our match, assuming one of us isn't dead, we could have lunch together. You can even invite your friends and mate along. I don't mind being an example of my race. Besides, the Temple of Water has long been an ally of the Temple of Bast, and you may need us in future once this tournament is over.”
“That sounds like a great idea,” Xannon replies.
The door to the magic room opens revealing a large barge floating in an endless ocean.
“That's not even fair,” Xannon pouts.
Herschie laughs as she enters the room and takes her position on the far side of the barge. Xannon straightens up and steps onto the floating platform. The door closes and disappears behind him. He looks around and sees several marine animals begin circling the stage. Herschie begins a graceful dance as the announcer introduces the two combatants. Xannon is entranced by her movements, awed at how they flow into the other. Seeing it in person was much better than seeing it in a recording.
“Fight!”
Herschie's dance flows into a quick and powerful bow which sends a blast of cold across the stage. Somewhat expecting the attack, Xannon releases the firewall he had saved, protecting him from the effects. He readies and fires a flare arrow which soars past her head as her dance continues on, seemingly anticipating his attacks. She sends a blast of water racing across the barge, causing Xannon to dodge. He sends a flurry of fire darts back at her, most miss entirely, one catches her leg and another lands on the barge, starting a small fire. The dart on her leg is quickly extinguished.
Herschie's extends an arm out and a freeze arrow launches itself at Xannon. He counters with another firewall and leaps into the air. He sends another flare arrow at Herschie, this time a wall of water forms and extinguishes the attack. He quickly casts flame eruption, which envelops Herschie in fire. The fire quickly dies however, as her water shield does its job. She counters by summoning a monsoon which sweeps into the area and drenches everything. The rain continues to fall as she starts sending multiple freezing darts at Xannon. He drops back down to the ground to avoid them and sends off a fireball. The sweeping rain severely weakens the spell and the water shield has no problems blocking it.
Since fire would have very limited effect in this storm, Xannon uses buffet and sends several rocks flying through the storm. Wise to his actions, Herschie brings up a wall of ice, which easily deflects the stones.
He creates a stone spike under the ice wall, shattering it, then sends a blast of molten rock flying at her. The superheated rock melts through the ice wall she throws up and knocks her backwards. She rolls a few feet, but stops short of falling into the ocean.
Her dance disrupted, Herschie proceeds to her next phase of combat. She conjures a set of frozen full plate armor and proceeds to charge. She pulls out her bladed gloves and swings. Xannon dodges her attacks, and draws his sword, parrying another. He casts a blast of wind which pushes her backward, giving him a chance to get some distance. He charges his sword with fire and attacks. The sword cuts clean through the frozen armor and into her shoulder. The enchanted armor slows Xannon's movement for a moment, allowing Herschie to score several hits against Xannon. The blades cut through his leather armor and into his flesh. As the slowing effect wears off, he lifts off into the air. A quick prayer to Bast and his amulet glows, slowly repairing the damage done.
Xannon soon finds the full force of the monsoon coming straight at him. Herschie redirects the rain and starts sending freezing arrows at Xannon as well. He dodges a few of the arrows before creating a shell of fire around him. The spells boil away on the outside of the shield. Despite not being able to see through the flames of his shell, Xannon pinpoints Herschie's location and casts a mega flare. She throws up a water shield and channels as much energy as she can into it. The mega flare boils away her shield almost as fast as she can replenish it. Xannon converts his protective shell into a blast of fire that helps weaken Herschie's shield.
The shield fails and the mega flare hits, sending a massive explosion all around. The rains from the monsoon stop as the explosion sets the barge on fire. He presses his advantage and creates a rift in the waters, which spits the platform in half. Out of the rift a spout of magma pours out and onto Herschie. She roars in fury and leaps into the waters around the slowly sinking barge to protect herself. The magma recedes and Xannon watches the water, waiting for her to surface. A spout of water shoots up into the air with Herschie on top. Obviously burned from the previous attack, she calls upon the powers of Gaia and unleashes a hurricane. Wind and rain bear down on Xannon making it almost impossible to fly. He lands on one half of the barge. Herschie settles on the other half.
They stare at each other for a moment as the halves are tossed about in the ocean. Xannon casts a magical shell around him and begins gathering the energy for his next attack. She starts charging up a massive freezing bomb, watching him carefully, ready to cast it at any moment.
Xannon prays for more power and his amulet flashes green. He receives the power he needs and sends his Holy Fireball hurtling across the raging sea. Herschie casts her freezing bomb which proceeds to freeze everything in the area. Waves are frozen in mid crest, rain turns to ice and the entire area goes quiet. Except for the Holy Fireball which hits its target. Herschie screams in agony as the holy fire burns through her defenses. As the spell runs its course, her screaming fades and she collapses.
On the other half of the barge Xannon drops his shield and listens to the eerie sound of the last of the frozen rain falling onto the decks and frozen sea. The silence is broken by the chime indicating the end of the match. Medics appear on the other half of the barge and proceed to heal her wounds. Xannon relaxes a little and takes a seat to regain his breath. A medic runs over and begins a healing spell.
“I'm fine,” Xannon says, trying to brush off the medic.
“Heh, not likely sir.”
He looks down and sees small trickles of blood from all over his body. Pelting rain had managed to break his skin in several places. And the cuts from her blades still needed to be fully healed. On the other barge he watches them finish healing Herschie and sit her up. They cover her with a blanket to keep her warm. Xannon stands up and walks over to her, medic in tow.
“You fought well, Mage Knight,” Xannon says offering his hand.
She takes it and pulls herself to her feet.
“Not well enough it would seem. Guess this is not my year to win.”
“Let's get out of here. I know this great place on the grounds that serves fish.”
They proceed out of the magic room with medics following close behind.

April 25, 2010

Fallen Angel - Midwinter Games, Part 12

Xannon stares at Emerson across the barge. Emerson returns his stare with steely determination. The venue for their fight was a large barge floating in the middle of a volcano. The temperature above the lava was hot but livable, unlike if they were inside a real volcano. The barge itself would have caught fire or been reduced to slag in a matter of moments if not for the magical control of the magic room.
Xannon spent the entire afternoon pouring over information about Emerson's fights, both on and off the field. No one had ever beaten him in one on one combat on the field and his fights in the tournaments were few, giving him very few chances to see how he could be beaten. Coming up with a strategy, Xannon created a counter to it and dismissed it. He repeated this seven more times before finally deciding there was no surefire strategy to win. The best option he had was a strong opening attack that forced Emerson into a defensive posture, which would give him the upper hand for at least a little while.
Knowing what he knew about Emerson, Xannon guessed that he would take one of two beginning options. A strong offense like Xannon had chosen, or playing defensively like he had with Wojceich. Xannon had studied and practiced a new magical attack just for this fight; Tetra Eruption. He even had it prepped and ready to fire the moment the match began. It took immense skill and concentration to hold that much power and the spell matrix in his body, but it was the only way his opening attack would work. The time required to normally cast the spell would allow Emerson the fight attack and the entire battle would be his.
“Welcome to this evenings first match up,” the announcer begins. “Tonight we bring you the celebrated war hero, General Emerson against the rising star of the Goddess Bast, Priest Xannon Okunen. With the odds split even, this is anyone's match. Good luck! Fight!”
Xannon immediately fires off the Tetra Eruption spell, which in itself was a relief. Spikes of fire, ice, and earth erupt from all over the barge, centered on Emerson. Lightning strikes everywhere at once and continues to arc as Xannon draws his sword and rushes Emerson, dodging the deadly spikes and strikes. Emerson rolls from his starting point just as a spike of earth shoots upward. Visibly singed from one of the initial flames, Emerson spots Xannon and draws his sword. He lunges at Xannon who blocks the attack then disappears in a shimmer of light. Smiling, he quickly turns and deflects the incoming attack as Xannon reappears. Emerson's smile fades as another attack punctures his armor at the lower back. He turns to minimize the damage and knocks away the doppelganger's next attack. The doppelganger disappears in the same shimmer of light and Emerson again rolls to avoid the magic attack still raging around him. At he gains his footing, Xannon appears to his side and attacks, catching Emerson's shoulder and splitting the armor there. The doppelganger appears behind Emerson, but he blocks the attack and retaliates hitting nothing as it disappears again. Another strike to his shoulder cuts deep rendering his arm weak and ultimately useless. The magic attack sends its final lightning strike and as the dust fades, both Xannon's come in for the attack.
Emerson surprises Xannon and everyone watching with a burst of energy that sends the Xannon's flying backward. One of them shimmers out and Emerson cringes as a blade pierces his back armor and slices through his abdomen. He grabs the blade, holding it in place while he reaches back and grabs Xannon by the collar. The doppelganger appears in front of Emerson and strike, plunging his blade though the breastplate and into a lung. Emerson releases his grip on Xannon and drops his own blade, essentially calling the match on himself. The Xannon's withdraw their blades as the bell rings to end the match.
As the medics rush in to tend to Emerson's wounds, he stands and turns to Xannon. He winces through the pain and manages to speak.
“You are truly the best opponent I have ever faced. I wish you luck in the rest of the tournament.”
Emerson bows then willfully limps to the exit followed by the medics. Xannon's doppelganger fades from view and he waves to the viewers before leaving as well.

March 24, 2010

Fallen Angel - Midwinter Games, Part 11

Upon leaving the magic room, he encounters General Emerson.
“Greetings, Xannon. I have watched your last two battles. You fight well and adapt quickly, but that is only making up for your lack of preparation. I heard you studied up on elven magic before this match. However, I didn't see you put any of what you learned into practice. I wonder if it was even worth staying up so late. If you are not going to use what you learn then why take the time to learn it so quickly?”
Xannon considers Emerson's point.
“What would you have suggested? My opponent was not a mage or a priest. Her magic skills were limited to begin with.”
“Then why study their magic so deeply? You should have concentrated on her past battles and studied her combat style. You would have learned that her style relies on her being on the offensive. Knowing this, you could have pressed the attack from the beginning and forced her into a defensive position. Instead, you allowed her to control the fight from the beginning. Only when you used your doppelganger did the tide turn in your favor. You forced her into defense and wore her down.”
He places his hand on Xannon's shoulder.
“I truly hope you study my style thoroughly before you fight me this evening. Adaptation is good, but you should force your opponent to adapt because you know their style. Instead, you were forced to adapt because you did not.”
Ilsanith limps by supported by two of the medics.
“So I take it you have studied Wojceich's style then?”
“I have. Being a katta, his attacks are quick and fierce but lack the accuracy and control of fighters such as you and I. Using this knowledge I know I can stay mobile and further reduce his accuracy. I also know that given a full day to recover, his body may be back in top condition, but his mind is not. Suffering a loss like he did where the tables turned so quickly and then also having the matched called while he still desired to fight does a number to your will. He now thinks he has to prove himself to his trainer, his tribe, to everyone. This will make him reckless, make him take chances. I will give him those chances and I will take advantage. I recommend you study this fight carefully. But you will have to study fast, as the fight will not last nearly as long as yours.”
Xannon nods and heads up the stairs to the outside, passing a determined Wojceich on the way out. He is greeted by Sarah, Kris and Gatomon.
“What took so long?” Kris asks. “Ilsanith came out before you did.”
“I had a little talk with General Emerson. Gave me a brief analysis of my fight, which wasn't flattering, and then told me how easily and quickly he was going to beat Wojceich. I'm going to have to study him extra careful if I expect to succeed against him.”
“His fight is about to start,” Sarah announces. “Shall we begin the study right now?”
“Yes,” he answers as they all make their way to the screen.
They focus on the screen as the announcer's voice echoes across the grounds.
“For our second match up of the day we have General Nathan Emerson, leader of the Southern Armies and no stranger to combat, having lead countless soldiers against the forces of Kardis for over a decade. Facing off against General Emerson is Wojceich Deathwhisper who suffered a humiliating defeat against Verana De'lefin in yesterday's match. Having fully recovered, is he up to the challenge of the General's carefully planned strategy?
“The arena for our match is the jungles of the Forest of Enlightenment. The hot, humid conditions will sap their strength quickly if they are not careful.
“The combatants are ready. Fight!”

Wojceich roars with beastial fury, bearing his claws and leaping from his start position toward Emerson. He stands his ground, sword drawn. Wojceich crashes into Emerson, his claws piercing the armor plates of Emerson's chest. He quickly finds himself flying through the air again as Emerson rolls backward with the impact and launches him with the momentum of the attack. He rights himself mid flight and growls in frustration as he lands.
Emerson stands ready, blood trickling from the holes in his armor. Wojceich rushes Emerson, swinging wildly. The General dodges constantly, causing every strike to miss and causing further frustration for the katta.

Xannon watches the fight intently to the exclusion of all else. He puts himself in Wojceich's position deciding at all times what his next move would be. He notices an opening and considers taking the opportunity, but stops.
“This match is over,” he states.

Wojceich, however, does take the opportunity and attacks. Emerson dodges to the side and brings his sword down in a powerful strike, cutting a deep gash from the shoulder, across the back and halfway down one leg. Wojceich roars in pain and turns to retaliate but finds Emerson's sword waiting. The blade pierces the leather armor protecting his chest and protrudes out the back. Emerson draws back his sword and blood pours from the wound.
The katta, desperate to keep fighting, desperate to prove himself, growls through the blood filling his lungs and presses forward. Emerson's blade comes up in a quick strike, cutting an arc across his chest and catching the jaw, snapping his head back. Wojceich stumbles but remains standing. Eyes red with rage, he again charges. Emerson counter charges and smashes his plated shoulder into Wojceich's face. The jaw bone snaps in three places and Wojceich collapses to the ground. The bell sounds and Emerson salutes his fallen foe then exits the arena. One of the medics follows him out, healing the wounds on his chest.

Outside, Xannon carefully analyzes the fight and slowly becomes aware of his surroundings once more.
“Did you hear anything we just said?” Kris asks.
“No, actually. I was a little focused.”
“So we saw,” Gatomon comments.
“You said the match was over,” Kris repeats. “How did you figure that out?”
“The opening that Wojceich tried to exploit was a trick.”
“Yeah we figured that much. How did you figure that out before Wojceich even attacked?”
“Two things. First, when I was talking with Emerson before the fight, he said that Wojceich would be reckless and take chances. Emerson would give him that chance and take advantage of it. Second, he was easily dodging all the attacks without leaving himself open, then suddenly he was wide open? It had to be a trick.”
“Okay, but if he can have that kind of control over a fight, how do you expect to defeat him?” Gatomon asks.
“He is a great fighter, yes. But I have magic. It is that magic that sets us apart. I just need to figure out what abilities I have that will give me the most advantage.”
“Just remember that he will be studying you just as much, if not more, than you will be studying him. He is a master of combat. As this fight has shown, he knows how the battle will end as soon as it begins.”
“Priest Wagnard is fighting next, did you want to watch that one as well?” Sarah asks.
“Who's he fighting?” Xannon counters.
“Ujarak Stonewarden, a shield dwarf.”
“Wagnard wins. I'll watch the replays tonight, right now I need to focus on Emerson.”
“Right,” Sarah nods in agreement.
Xannon kisses Sarah then returns to the temple to begin his study of Emerson's style. Being a decorated war hero, he had plenty of material to learn from.

March 22, 2010

Fallen Angel - Midwinter Games, Part 10

Having spent nearly the entire night after dinner studying elven magic, Xannon was exhausted. Sarah forced him to get some sleep shortly after midnight but his mind kept him awake until early morning. Fortunately he had managed to obtain a decent grasp of elven magic.
The specifics of elven magic were kept secret from all outsiders but certain elements and rules could be determined by studying their use of it. With very few exceptions, all elven magic drew its power from Gaia, Goddess of Nature and the Elements. However, the majority of the power of their spells was drawn from the elves themselves. They acted as a natural battery, able to store large amounts of magical energy in their bodies.
Xannon was also able to find a short article on the effects of spell manipulation on elven magic. It described the matrices used in their spells and how they were many times more intricate than normal spells. They also have built in redundancies to prevent the spell from failing if it was being manipulated. According to the article each elf develops their own spell casting abilities, meaning a spell cast by one elf could be fundamentally different from another but have the exact same effect. If you were to study them long enough, you could determine not only what spell was being cast, but also who was casting it based solely on their base spell matrix.
“Wake up Xannon!” Sarah yells. “We didn't come here for you to be disqualified for sleeping through your second match.”
Xannon stretches and starts getting dressed.
“How long until the match begins?” he asks, pulling his shirt over his head.
“Less than an hour. I've been trying to get you up for the past thirty minutes, which itself was thirty minutes past what time you were supposed to wake up.”
Xannon slips on his shoes and walks over to the kitchen.
“Breakfast?”
“Cold eggs, cold toast, and cold bacon. It was warmer thirty minutes ago.”
“I'm sorry. After I got in bed I kept thinking about elven magic. It kept me up.”
“Well I hope you managed to learn something then. Eat up. The match may start in less than an hour, but you need to be there sooner than that.”
Xannon quickly wolfs down his breakfast, chasing it with a glass of orange juice. Grabbing his leather armor, he and Sarah head out for the Temple.
“I have another match this evening, right?” he asks.
“Yes. Kris says you'll either be fighting General Emerson or Wojceich Deathwhisper. The odds are about even at the moment, but they'll be fighting right after you if you want to watch.”
“Of course this assumes I actually win against Ilsanith. From what I've learned, I've got my work cut out for me.”
“I believe in you. Just use what you've learned and show her what a priest of Bast is truly capable of. Don't forget, there are no restrictions in these fights. If you think it will give you an edge, use it.”
They arrive at the entrance to the temple and Sarah gives him a kiss for good luck before heading off to join Kris and Gatomon. Xannon watches her for a second then heads inside and down to the magic room.
“Nice of you to finally make it,” Ilsanith remarks as Xannon reaches the doorway. “I was beginning to wonder if you had forfeit.”
“Sorry about that. I just stayed up late learning all the different ways I could beat you. There were so many of them I couldn't decide which one to use.”
“You humans are so entertaining. You thinking you even have a chance of beating me makes me laugh. You should know that I am the best of my family.”
“Yes, I know. I read all about you. Your family has been in these games since they first started but have yet to win the tournament. I also know that you have been in the last six tournaments and haven't made it passed more than four battles. Your fight with Herschie Riverdancer was decided before you even stepped foot in the arena. An elven warrior, no matter how skilled, is no match for a trained Mage Knight of Gaia. You will soon learn that you are no match for a trained Priest of Bast either.”
Ilsanith glares at him while the doors open upon an arid desert. Wind whips up the dirt, severely limiting sight distance. She steps through the doorway, shielding her eyes against the wind and disappears into the dust storm. Xannon follows her through the doorway and searches the whirling storm for signs of his opponent.
Vague shapes appear and vanish in the wind. With both their vision limited, close combat was almost guaranteed. Xannon closes his eyes and concentrates on his surroundings, trying to focus on the energy. Being inside the magic room, everything registered on his senses. He focuses his thoughts and manages to locate Ilsanith's unique energy signature. She stood out clearly against the background of the magic room.
“Good luck to you both. May the best fighter win. Begin!”
Xannon senses Ilsanith being running straight toward him, likely using a similar technique to locate him in the dust storm. He casts a fireball straight at her leaving a trail of fine glass in its wake. She jumps at the last moment, sailing high into the air. He detects her building up energy for a spell but is unable to tell what kind. As she casts it he launches himself to the side and sends another ball of fire her direction.
Unable to dodge the fireball while already in the air she throws up a protective barrier, causing the fire to wash harmlessly past her. She lands and Xannon immediately charges.
“Foolish!” Ilsanith calls out through the raging storm. “You are no match for me in close combat.”
She whips her sword around and catches Xannon in the shoulder as he tries to dodge. He swings his sword at her but hits nothing. Several more attacks and none of them hit. He dodges again but her blade puts a shallow cut through the armor on his back.
“You should have stayed away, little man!” she taunts.
Xannon attempts to get some distance but she blocks his every escape. He battles on, but several more cuts are all he has to show for it.
“Duck!” the familiar voice in his head commands.
Xannon obeys narrowly missing a killing blow. He swings behind him and cuts a long gash along her leg. She stumbles back, giving Xannon a chance to retreat.
“Bast, don't fail me now,” he quickly prays.
The amulet around his neck glows in response. The pain in his wounds subsides and he gains a boost of energy.
“No rules...”
He channels his energy into a powerful wave of fire and sends it surging toward his opponent. Unable to dodge the massive wall of flames, she again resorts to her protection spell. The superheated dust in the air combines and cools to become small glass droplets. As Ilsanith drops her shield to resume her attack the glass begins its assault. The glass dents her armor and shatters into hundreds of shards which lodge themselves in the exposed skin of her hands and neck, like a thousand white hot needles. Pain shoots through her body and every move makes it worse. Unable to accept defeat so easily, she casts an elven healing spell which forces the glass shards out of her skin and hardens it to prevent any more from making her skin their new home.
“You will not defeat me that easily!” she cries out.
Using her elven magic to supercharge her muscles and senses, she rushes Xannon who barely has time to react but manages to defect her attack. His own boosted skills manage to keep up with her and they trade blows with neither of them managing to connect.
“Divide and conquer,” the voice orders.
Wary of such a dangerous move, Xannon nonetheless casts a spell creating an exact copy of himself behind Ilsanith. With his mind divided between the two he proceeds into a two on one attack against her. Unfazed by the additional combatant, she skillfully defends herself against both attackers.
The more time Xannon spends controlling his other self, the more delicate his control becomes. Soon he is able to execute precisely timed synchronous attacks which quickly wear down Isanith's defenses.
Her muscles weak, she dodges too slowly and catches a blade across the cheek then another across the shoulder. She staggers back a step and fails to see the double attack. The blades cut across her chest, rending armor and flesh alike. She stumbles back then falls to the ground. The bell sounds for the end of the match just as Xannon's final attacks puncture her midsection. She coughs up blood and lies motionless, her eyes staring straight at Xannon, the real one. He withdraws his blades as the priests and medics run over and begin their healing. Xannon's copy fades into nothingness as Xannon returns Ilsanith's stare. She finally blinks a few times then smiles.
“You fought well, Xannon Okunen. I wish you luck in your future.”
Xannon simply nods and heads for the exit.

March 18, 2010

Fallen Angel - Midwinter Games, Part 9

“Welcome to the round two of the Elimination Bracket,” the announcer's voice echoes through the speaker system. “First match up is Gilbert Monroe, who defeated Nalthana Naar'ru earlier this morning. Now he will have his work cut out for him as he faces the Grand Melee Champion and Hero of Maerd, Xannon Okunen. Thus far Gilbert has only had to deal with physical combatants. Xannon however, is well versed in magical combat as well. Will we see some of that magic displayed this evening? We sure hope so!”
Cheers erupt from the gathered crown in agreement with the announcer.

“The arena for today's match is...Klemayn Tower, which as you know overlooks Minge Canyon and the great Minge River far below. One false move off the edge could send them plunging to their deaths.”

Xannon and Gilbert meet at the entrance to the magic room. Gilbert extends his hand.
“I've heard this is your first tournament match. Are you scared? Not about fighting, but about the massive attention you're about to get. Knowing that no matter what happens your fight will be studied and scrutinized? Your every flaw itemized for public view?”
“Actually, I hadn't thought about it that way,” Xannon replies shaking Gilbert's hand. “Honestly, it doesn't bother me that much. I got just as much scrutiny when I was in school.”
“Do have a family yet? Girlfriend?”
“Girlfriend. We met at school. She should be watching right now actually.”
“Okay, then I'll try not to kill you. I make no guarantees though. Calm decisions aren't known to survive in the heat of battle.”
“What about you? Do you have any family?”
“Nope. I'm a one man show. Been doing this tournament for several years. Some years are good, some bad. This one is bad. I've never lost the first match before.”
“Maybe you've lost the edge?” Xannon suggests.
“Perhaps, but I did well against Nalthana.”
“Thirty seconds, gentlemen,” one of the coordinators announces.
Gilbert nods and his entire expression changes, becoming hard and distant. He slips on his gauntlets and grips the hilt of his sword resting in its sheath.
Xannon checks his armor one last time. Being primarily a magic user, he had no training in the heavier armor limiting him to leather. He suddenly feels unprotected against Gilbert's steel armor and sword. Tightening each of the leather straps holding his greaves and vambraces on he finishes his armor check just in time.
The doors to the magic room open revealing the top of Kelmayn Tower. Gilbert runs through the doors toward the other side of the tower. Xannon steps through the doorway and stands ready. The door behind him closes and dissolves into the scenery. For a moment he swears they had actually been teleported instead. A voice cuts through the wind blowing across the top of the tower.
“Good luck gentlemen, may the best man win! Begin!”
Without wasting a moment, Gilbert charges Xannon from his starting position. Xannon reacts quickly, drawing his sword and bringing it up to block the initial strike. Gilbert brings his shield forward and smashes it into Xannon. Blocking with his forearms, Xannon absorbs the impact but finds himself sliding backwards toward the edge of the tower.
Keeping the pressure up, Gilbert again advances and attacks. Xannon deflects the attack and side steps, putting the edge of the tower to his left instead of behind him. He quickly realizes he should have stepped right, behind the shield, as Gilbert's sword comes swinging around. He ducks then brings his sword into an upward strike. Gilbert leans back avoiding the tip of the blade then takes a step back to regain his balance.
Xannon begins casting a fireball but is interrupted as Gilbert charges again. He curses as he realizes he will have to gain distance if he wants to use any decent magic. He counters Gilbert's next attack throwing him off balance and uses the brief opportunity to get a clean shot. With a quick, precise attack, he severs the leather straps holding Gilbert's shield to his arm. As he recovers, Gilbert tosses the shield over the edge and grips his sword with both hands. He does a full turn and brings the blade down hard. Xannon blocks the attack and feel the impact all the way in his legs.
Needing to get distance, Xannon turns to the edge of the tower and jumps over the railing. Catching a flag pole near the top, he vaults himself into one of the upper windows. He crashes through the aged glass and rolls into a ready position. He quickly scans the room and locates the stair way to the top and prepares another fireball. He sends it flying toward the staircase just as Gilbert emerges from above. The flames wash over him, but he shrugs them off and again presses the close combat fighting.
They trade blows for a minute and Xannon begins edging his way back toward the window. Gilbert sees this and moves to block his escape. Undeterred, Xannon counters another attack, knocking Gilbert back a step, and dives for the window. As he falls toward the ground, he casts a levitation spell that allows him to gently land on his feet. He runs away from the tower but keeps the edge of the cliff nearby. Behind him, Gilbert lands hard on his feet after jumping from the same window. Slightly fatigued, he continues his pursuit of Xannon nonetheless.
After figuring he had enough room, Xannon turns and begins casting a powerful wind blast. Channeling as much power as he could and using the existing wind blowing up the cliff face he casts it just as Gilbert begins his charge. The sudden blast of wind stops him in his tracks forcing him to shield his face from the dust and debris. The wind intensifies and throws him into the air. Xannon continues channeling energy into the windstorm allowing him to trap Gilbert in a whirling vortex. The stresses inside the vortex are so intense, Gilbert is forced to release his sword in an effort to keep his arms and legs attached by curling into a ball. One small shift in the spell by Xannon sends Gilbert and everything else trapped in the vortex flying back toward the tower.
Gilbert hits the base of the tower back first, crushing his steel armor and forcing the air from his chest. He frantically tries to defend himself against the rocks raining down on him but fails to see his sword coming at him. The tip of the sword pierces his armor and flesh, puncturing his right lung, and embedding itself into the stone tower. He struggles to breathe and desperately attempts to remove the sword. Xannon runs over and grabs the hilt, tearing the sword from the wall and from Gilbert's chest. The bell sounds confirming the end of the match and the medics pour in through the doorway that appears to their right.
“Guess I have lost the edge,” Gilbert manages to say as blood fills his lungs.
He coughs up some more blood then slumps to the ground, unmoving. The medics continue to try and heal him but they soon give up, his spirit having left his body passed on. Xannon drops Gilbert's sword next to him.
“May the Gods of Life and Death look upon you well and speed you on your way,” Xannon softly prays.
Xannon exits the magic room and winds his way through the temple and out the front door. Loud cheers greet him as starts to walk to where Sarah, Kris and Gatomon were waiting for him.
“That wasn't quite what I expected,” Xannon says as he reaches his friend. “I was obviously way over classed for him, which cheapens my victory, makes it hollow.”
“Nonsense,” Kris counters. “You did great, you saw that close combat with him was dangerous and you turned the tables. Just because he was unable to counter magic with magic shouldn't diminish your win. You also have to remember that he let go of his sword in the middle of the vortex, a bad idea no matter what the case. He made a mistake and paid for it. If he had retained his grip, the fight could have gone on longer and maybe had a different result.”
“He's right,” Sarah states. “You did great. These people are no push overs. Each of them is powerful in their own right.”
“Learn from your fights,” Gatomon adds. “We already know that your next match will be against Ilsanith Dinaithil. She is an elven warrior, which means she will bring the added challenge of being able to use magic.”
“Elven magic at that,” Kris warns. “Elven magic is no simple thing. It works very differently than our own. Most of your protection spells will have little to no effect against their magic. I'd suggest you review the combat recordings and figure out a way to defend yourself. Elves have dominated this tournament for years for this reason. Last year's winner was a full Elven Sorceress, able to manipulate magic however she wanted, not limited to spells and certain elements. She decided not to come back this year, thank Bast.”
“I've been reviewing past battles in the tournament involving elves,” Gatomon reports, “and their only real challengers have been melee fighters, usually the Katta or Dwarves whose close combat skills are exceptional. Only a handful of magic battles resulted in a loss for the elf. You will have to study and learn if you expect to succeed against Ilsanith.”
“Right, I get it,” Xannon says turning toward the temple. “Study, learn and practice. Can I at least have something to eat first?”
“Of course you can,” Sarah says taking him by the hand. “There is actually one place at the carnival that serves decent food. We went there for lunch. I think you'll like it.”
Sarah and Xannon head off toward the carnival followed by Kris and Gatomon.