2017-07-05: Captain Aifread v. Garan Dantear

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=========================<* Lacour - Arms Coliseum *>=========================

Situated immediately adjacent to Lacour Castle, the Arms Coliseum is a temple to the pursuit of perfection in physical prowess. Built more than three centuries ago by King Etienne I, the Coliseum is laid over with ancient Symbols that blunt weapons and protect combatants on the brink of death, allowing competitors to fight to the best of their ability without fear of killing their opponents.

The Coliseum is the site of the annual Lacour Tournament of Arms, a competition that fuels the spirit of martial artists and weapons merchants both. The Tournament is a spectacle that draws visitors and competitors from across Filgaia, and is the major event on the continent while it is running. A series of smaller tournaments are organized throughout the year; entering as a combatant is free of charge, but spectators pay a nominal fee that nonetheless provides a significant boost to Lacour's coffers.


<Pose Tracker> Layna Manydays has posed.

The Lacour Tournament of Arms was well underway. The Coliseum had seen a lot of interesting fights so far...and Layna, or rather, Aifread, was not planning to disappoint. She'd watched a few of the other matches, and her own first match had been quite exhilarating.

"Well, well, well...Round Two's off to a roaring start! We've had a few mishaps here and there, but altogether I've liked everything we've seen so far! I hope you're not too worn out, because this next battle is shaping to be another fight to remember!" The announcer calls out, met by cheers from the roaring crowd.

"Coming into the arena now...it's the Infamous Pirate Captain of Legend, the Scourge of the Seas...Aifread!"

This is Layna's cue. She strolls out, dramatically as ever, with her arms folded in front of her and with her hair and cape fluttering behind her in the breeze.

That's how she starts, anyway. Not wanting to repeat her previous performance she soon breaks into run and, after a brief incantation propels herself into position with a gust of wind. She sticks the landing and waves to the crowd with a cheeky grin stuck on her face.

She couldn't help but show off a little bit.

"And in the other corner..." 

<Pose Tracker> Thessaly has posed.

The last time she had been part of an audience in a tournament was when she was six years old, seated by her father's right hand while his consiglieri sat on his left. It would feel like another lifetime to anyone, but not so for the dark-haired young woman, who can't help but remember everything she sees and hears; the questions, the wonder and that small touch of fear when it looked like one of the knights was about to deliver a devastating blow. It had been exciting, then - in Rolance they were but games, and they were always as such most days.

Today, however, is different.

Thessaly has never been in attendance at a tournament before in which she actually had some personal stake, and once Garan has been fitted back into his white plate, both sets of pale fingers move to lift his sword from the table, moving over towards him so she could present it to her knight, both palms cupped upwards, balancing the heavy armament between them. She is dressed in her signature blacks; silks so dark and fine that each ripple makes them move like ink come alive, pooled straight down into the floor. Half her face is, as always, hidden by a veil swathed around her head, and the impeccable coiffure binding her lengthy midnight tresses in place.

"I was very young the last time I attended one of these, the participants were always strangers to me," she tells Garan quietly. "Not today, however."

If there is a smile, it is only hinted at by her eyes.

"I wish you good fortune, my lord. I will be as always cheering for you." 

<Pose Tracker> Garan Dantear has posed.

"You might be the only one cheering for me," Garan had told Thessaly with a certain sardonic amusement as he took the sword. "Still, what other encouragement could I need?"

The tournament was full of those who, for one reason or another, wore another identity. Perhaps they had something to hide, perhaps they wanted to create a larger-than-life persona for themselves, better suited to the environment of such a tournament.

The knight who strides up from the opposite entryway has done neither of these things.

So far from Rolance, his name has no weight to it: That he was working with the Guard might colour his reputation with some was a certain fact, and one that meant little to him. Why should someone doing their duty need to hide? And he was certainly not there to put on a show for anyone, instead moving methodically towards the fighting stage, checking his gauntlets while his dark blue eyes remain fixed upon his next opponent, the sunlight glinting against the laquered red-chased white of the Imperial Knight's armor.

"And in the other corner," the announcer continues. "They say he can endure any attack thrown his way--" Garan's brows furrow as he looks towards that part of the Coliseum, because he's not really sure who says that, and he'd rather they not give anyone ideas. Of course, since it's their job to hype up the crowd, they're going to do it despite the knight's lack of bravado, it seems. "--like a knight in shining armor... The Unbreakable Shield, Sir Garan Dantear!"

"Hopefully it doesn't get broken now," the knight says once he's in the 'ring', unlimbering the shield from his back and grasping it with his left hand, drawing his sword from his hop with his right. "After all that, it would be pretty embarrassing." He turns to look at his opponent, 'Aifread', and lifts his blade in a salute to her.

"I trust I'll prove something of an entertaining challenge, at least. This lot might get unruly if I'm felled too easily."

Apparently he's not that good at talking smack.7

Garan Dantear

A tall man in his early twenties, with dark red hair and blue eyes. Usually dresses in white and red, and is often armored, carrying a knight's sword and shield. 

<Pose Tracker> Talise Gianfair has posed.

Lady Chloe Alexandre is... ...not here.

She also definitely isn't Talise, because Talise is here. She's been keeping her head down through most of the tournament but has come out to cheer on two people: Aifread, and Tethelle.

She's also equipped quite a bit differently than usual. She's lacking her gauntlets and sword; those are, after all, Chloe's. Instead she's borrowed a corset top from Lynnai's stylebook, some leather pants and a pair of boots, and she's got a plain longsword strapped over her shoulder.

She's also carrying a large bag of popcorn and a bottle of some fizzy-looking brew.

OLD MAN ETTLESBURY'S OLDE-FASHIONED PALE ALE

"Goddess, she makes quite a show of it," she murmurs approvingly, cracking a grin and leaning back in her seat. 

<Pose Tracker> Layna Manydays has posed.

Joining Talise in the stands was a short, stern-faced woman she would recognize as Dahlia, Quartermaster of the Ruby Empress. While Talise seems to approve of Layna's behavior, Dahlia...does not.

"The cheering is going to get to her head. It'll be impossible to deal with her after this." She replies, shaking her head.

Back in the arena...

As Garan enters the arena Layna stands straight, returning to her typical dramatic pose. She studies the man for a moment. She had heard he was working with the Guard. Outside of the Coliseum, this might have affected the way she treated him.

In here, though?

That didn't matter. They were all equals in the Coliseum, people here for one thing - to face each other in battle and see who came out victorious. That was how it was supposed to be, anyway. Some people chose to muddy these ideals with ulterior motives, but Layna wasn't like that. No, all's she wanted was a good fight, and so far the Tournament hasn't disappointed.

In lieu of a sword to return Garan's gesture with, Layna tips her hat, then chuckles.

"Aye, they can get whipped into a frenzy at the drop of a hat, they can! But looking at you...I don't think we'll have to worry about that, lad. I'm looking forward to this." With that said she reaches up, undoes her cape, and tosses it aside so that it won't get into the way.

"Well, lad...are you ready?" She asks. 

<Pose Tracker> Thessaly has posed.

With both opponents having entered the ring, Thessaly finds her seat in the crowd - in the same box set aside for members of Althena's Guard. Easing down on her chair, she folds her hands on her lap and watches the proceedings intently. From her vantage point, violet eyes find Layna as well, assessing her quietly from a distance. Her introduction by the emcee earlier had indicated that she was a pirate of some kind - Aifread, the scourge of the seas.

Even in such casual environs, her posture is impeccable - her spine does not touch the back rest of her seat, her legs within her skirts crossed at the ankles. Long pale digits link together, disengage and relink; the only sign of her anticipation. 

<Pose Tracker> Garan Dantear has posed.

+health 

<Pose Tracker> Garan Dantear has posed.

"I could be all bark and no bite, as they say," the knight suggests, settling into a stance that puts his shield arm forward. Despite the fact that they're about to fight, his manner is... Surprisingly genial. There's no need to stand on formalities here, of all places, so he simply doesn't bother, and he's already proven he isn't much for talking trash or the other sorts of things fighters often do before these sorts of fights.

Of course, it would be fair to say that he isn't a fighter, in that sense. A warrior, perhaps, or a soldier. But while he isn't unfamiliar with tourneys, he was never one to grandstand in them. Especially not after his first taste of true battle.

"Being ready is a key part of my job," Garan replies. "But what about yourself? We're not exactly at sea right now, My Lady Scourge." The knight's manner remains light, and a grin tugs at the corners of his mouth, but those dark blue eyes are focused. Intent. He'd signed up for this looking for interesting opponents to fight, after all.

It was about time that he got one. 

<Pose Tracker> Layna Manydays has posed.

"Aye, aye, could be. But you don't seem the type, lad." Layna replies with a grin...and at his next comment, erupts into raucous laughter.

"Nay, we're not! But not to worry, lad, I've had enough time to get my land legs on." She replies.

With both combatants having signalled that they were ready, the arena is filled with a bright red light. This eventually coalesces, and when it clears the ordinary ring had been placed by a castle - a generic one, rather than any castle in particular, and sized so that there was adequate space to move about - with the combatants placed on the lowest level of the ramparts with ramps and stairs leading between levels.

The image itself gave an illusion of height - it felt as if they would fall for a great distance if they were knocked off, when in actuality they would just find themselves appearing to be floating.

And then...Layna's off, charging toward Garan.

"Well then, lad, let's put that defense of yours to the test, aye!?" She calls out, before slamming a fist toward him.

His armor would probably prove difficult to get through...but she didn't show any hesitance in just up and punching him. 

GS: Layna Manydays has attacked Garan Dantear with Plundering!
GS: Layna Manydays has completed her action.

<Pose Tracker> Talise Gianfair has posed.

Talise flashes Dahlia a wry smile. "Let 'er have her moment in the sun. Everyone's allowed to have a little fun sometimes. Plus I'm sure she'll be fine." She pushes a hand through her pale hair; she's kept it bleached. It makes her look less like her wanted poster.

She sets her popcorn to the side and leans forward in her seat, a little grin rising to her face as she watches Aifread lead off with a charge. She has to admit a certain curiosity. While she knows Layna can handle herself, she's rarely had occasion to watch her in a one-on-one situation. 

GS: Garan Dantear guards a hit from Layna Manydays's Plundering for 61 hit points!

<Pose Tracker> Sephilia Lampbright has posed.

Sephilia's there too! She's been getting changed in private, but now rejoins Talise...wearing a very flashy and colorful outfit, complete with pompoms. Chauncey, hanging from her satchel, also has pompoms dangling from his arms.

"Am I too late, Talise? Did I miss it--it's started! Oh no!" 

<Pose Tracker> Lemina Ausa has posed.

Lemina does not gravitate toward the area that Layna and her crew have staked out, and which Sephilia and Talise have found their ways to. Oh, no. That would be the done thing, and Lemina Ausa has never once done the done thing in her life.

Instead, Lemina finds her way to the section of seating reserved for Althena's Guard, and decides to use her competitor's privilege -- to sit where she will, and not pay spectator and venue fees -- to sit directly behind Thessaly.

"Hi," she says, with a big, shit-eating grin on her face. "Popcorn? Potstickers? Some local orange drink that I've helpfully frozen into a mega-delicious slurry?" A pause. "Slurry isn't a mega-delicious kinda word..." 

<Pose Tracker> Garan Dantear has posed.

The choice of a castle did seem apt, given Garan's rather archaic knightly appearance in a world that seemed to have left that sort of thing behind entirely. The red-haired Imperial Knight only pays the change in environs part of his attention, enough to be aware of his surroundings - the theatricality of it doesn't matter overmuch to him, especially when he needs to keep his attention on the person he's supposed to be fighting.

The person who is seizing the initiative and lunging at him fist first.

The impact is impressive, even though Dantear gets his shield up in the way of it, the force behind the blow enough to push the knight back, the shield ringing with a dull reverberation through its white and red lacquered metal.

"Defense is important, of course," he says. "In a war, the better you can keep a soldier from being crippled or killed, the more effective your fighting force will be. Of course... Defense on its own is useless, right?"

A whistle of sharpness in the air, the glint of sunlight against flawless steel; Garan is already bringing his blade around in a short arc, slashing at the piratical woman. There's no lethality there, in weapon or intent, but, you know. It'll probably still hurt. 

GS: Garan Dantear has attacked Layna Manydays with Blade Flourish!
GS: Garan Dantear has completed his action.
GS: Layna Manydays takes a solid hit from Garan Dantear's Blade Flourish for 97 hit points!

<Pose Tracker> Talise Gianfair has posed.

"Oh! Hi Sephy," Talise says with a smile, patting the seat beside her to make room for the tiny girl in the cheerleader outfit - until she realize that, indeed, Sephilia came to the sitting party with no intention of sitting. She brings her lips together in a firm line, then smiles ruefully and scratches at her cheek. "Ah heh, no... you made good time. Aifread's just starting."

She leans forward with her chin cupped in her palm, biting down to her lower lip and choosing not to make too big a spectacle of herself. 

<Pose Tracker> Layna Manydays has posed.

In an ordinary situation, Layna's action probably would have merely resulted in a broken hand. Fortunately, this is not an ordinary situation. She does meet resistance, though, but that was to be expected.

Layna grins.

"Aye, aye." She says in agreement. So, he clearly knew his stuff.

His sword comes sweeping toward her, and she attempts to leap backwards out of its way. She's not quite able to fully remove herself from his range, however, and receives a good cut across the middle for her efforts. It certainly looked painful, but it seems to have done nothing to lessen her enthusiasm.

"See? You do have a bite to you, lad." She says with a grin.

On the inside, though, she was noting an issue with this match-up. That sword of his gave him a solid range advantage. She was going to have to be careful of that going forward. She'd have to duck in and out of range quickly, or try to stay up-close and keep him from getting enough room to swing it.

She opts for the latter, charging forward towards him once more. Rather than going for another punch, she interlocks the shields on her arms and thrusts them forward, seeking to knock him off-balance. 

GS: Layna Manydays has attacked Garan Dantear with Bash and Buckle!
GS: Layna Manydays has completed her action.
GS: CRITICAL! Garan Dantear guards a hit from Layna Manydays's Bash and Buckle for 62 hit points!
GS: Poison and Cripple! Statuses applied to Garan Dantear!
GS: Layna Manydays takes Cover! She gains 50 temporary hit points!

<Pose Tracker> Sephilia Lampbright has posed.

Sephilia quickly hugs Talise, then pulls Chauncey out. "I made this outfit and gave Chauncey some pom-poms too so that we can cheer for our friends! Have you seen me cheering for you? I think you've been pretty focused, actually. Anyway, I'm gonna cheer for L--for Aifread!" She hugs Talise again then moves forward a bit, making sure she has space and then getting Chauncey big-ified. For once, she's not hanging from his back, but standing beside him - and she starts leading him in a cheer! "Gimme an A! Gimme an...how do you spell Aifread anyway? Whatever! AIFREAD! KICK HIS BUTT!" 

<Pose Tracker> Talise Gianfair has posed.

"I'm not in the tournament," Talise reminds Sephilia with a patient smile. "But I heard you've been doing a great job cheering for some of the others. Lady Chloe was very impressed, or so they say." She gives Sephilia a light return hug before grinning lopsidedly and just settling in to observe for now. 

<Pose Tracker> Garan Dantear has posed.

The knight doesn't stop moving, of course: In a battle, only the dead are still.

All that armor looks heavy, but it is of course tailored to Garan, constructed to distribute its weight effectively over his body, leaving him far more mobile, more agile than a cursory inspection would suggest. He moves even while the pirate does, not wanting to give her time or space to formulate any sort of tricky counterattack, and of course he keeps his shield up and forward while he advances after her.

And then, she charges him.

The impact of shields on shield is impressive, the white enamel on Dantear's shield cracking, chips flying off as he's knocked off-balance, briefly to be sure - but briefly is enough. A moment of inaction, of hesitation, might as well be an eternity in the midst of a battle.

Reflexes take over, one foot drops back to brace himself, to keep himself from falling, close enough that it looks for a second like - were they truly fighting on a castle wall - he'd go right over the battlement.

His weight shifts, and he twists his shield arm to try and shove both of Layna's out of the way, to create an opening long enough to stab forward with his sword. The closeness is a good idea, it limits his options... But the sharp point of the blade is meant for exactly that kind of close and dirty work. 

GS: Garan Dantear has attacked Layna Manydays with Strike Through!
GS: Garan Dantear takes 6 damage from Poison!
GS: Garan Dantear has completed his action.

DC: MISS! Layna Manydays completely evades Strike Through from Garan Dantear!

<Pose Tracker> Lemina Ausa has posed.

When Layna -- sorry, Airead -- comes in with a full-on double flying elbow tackle, Lemina cheers enthusiastically, still in the Guard booth. "YEAH!" she calls, hoisting her beverage mightily. "Get in there, Captain! Show these Guard losers that the rest of us matter too!"

She pauses, and looks to one of Althena's bravest to her side. "Popcorn?" she asks, again. "I bought it in the arena, I haven't even had time to turn it into Secret Mega-Evil Destroyer Goo inside."

The joke goes over like a lead balloon. 

<Pose Tracker> Layna Manydays has posed.

Layna can feel the impact of Garan's shield against her own in her arms, but doesn't let it slow her down. She keeps moving, attempting to press her advantage while she still can. She lunges forward and is about to deliver another punch...when she finds his sword thrusting straight toward her.

One shield arm goes out, seeking to use its shape to divert the incoming blade before it could pierce anything vulnerable. The blade cuts into her upper arm, cutting through fabric and drawing blood, but it's a mere flesh-wound compared to what would have otherwise been a debilitating injury.

She follows up with a straight from her free arm...which is soon joined by a powerful hook from the other! 

GS: Layna Manydays has attacked Garan Dantear with Swab the Decks!
GS: Layna Manydays has completed her action.
GS: Garan Dantear critically Guards a hit from Layna Manydays's Swab the Decks for 26 hit points!

<Pose Tracker> Garan Dantear has posed.

Other fighters might experience a moment of frustration when the pirate manages to avoid all but the lightest contact from their blade; Garan, now, his grin widens as Layna demonstrates excellent improvisational defense. It's been a long time since he's really been in a challenging fight, especially one where he had the time to think about enjoying it instead of just trying to keep his or someone else's insides inside. He's far from immune to the excitement of testing himself against another person - if he was, well, he definitely wouldn't have signed up, would he?

Again, his shield intercepts Layna's straight punch, while the added hook is met with the gauntleted forearm of Garan's swordarm, the metal-shod limb impacting with the crook of the pirate's arm.

This keeps his sword out of action for the moment, but of course that's not the only weapon he's carrying, is it?

His shield slips to the side, away from the Scourge's fist before, with more force than finesse, the Imperial Knight aims to just slam that slab of enameled metal into Layna's gut. 

GS: Garan Dantear has attacked Layna Manydays with Rampart Collision!
GS: Garan Dantear takes 7 damage from Poison!
GS: Garan Dantear has completed his action.
GS: Layna Manydays takes a glancing hit from Garan Dantear's Rampart Collision for 40 hit points!
GS: Shieldbreak! Statuses applied to Layna Manydays!

<Pose Tracker> Layna Manydays has posed.

When they said Garan's defense was strong, they clearly weren't joking - even up close like this he was capable of finding ways to mitigate her attacks. She's forced to take a a couple of steps back, but as she does so his shield comes forward to punish her retreat.

She leaps backward at the last second, but not before it gets a solid, winding impact, knocking the air out of her. She stumbles a bit...but laughs, in between intakes of breath.

"Aye, lad...that's the way. Keep it up!" She says with a grin, hunkering down into a fighting stance once more. Subtly, she begins to incant a spell. If he's familiar enough with it, he'll notice the tell-tale sign of the Blessing of Althena being invoked. She rushes him down again...

...But at the last second, a powerful gust of wind shifts her diagonally, now at his sword-side. She pivots, aiming a punch at his sword arm. 

GS: Layna Manydays has attacked Garan Dantear with Wind Rush!
GS: Layna Manydays has completed her action.
GS: Garan Dantear critically Guards a hit from Layna Manydays's Wind Rush for 17 hit points!

<Pose Tracker> Sephilia Lampbright has posed.

Chauncey and Sephilia are definitely attracting some attention with their cheerlead--and a bit of mockery, to be fair. This deters them not at all! Chauncey's blank stare belies his pompom-wielding expertise. "Gooooooooo Aifread! Keelhaul him! 

<Pose Tracker> Garan Dantear has posed.

The incantation causes Garan's stance to shift, slightly. The shoulder of his shield arm drops, and he half-raises his sword arm, expecting to need to use his shield as a bulwark against some kind of sorcerous attack: What he gets, though, is not quite that. No sudden outpouring of arcane force designed to scour him from the arena, but instead a subtler application of wind power to shift Layna's charge, to get her around his shield arm.

It's clever. It's tricksy, like you might expect from the Scourge of the Seas.

But with unexpected speed, the Imperial Knight moves, lowering his right side so that rather than a more fragile portion of his arm, Layna's fist instead collides with his armor's pauldron, thicker armor lacquered in pristine white, with subtle silver detailing.

"You're very good at improvisation, adapting your style to get around your opponent's strengths. Still, while I might not have as many fans," a lopsided smile tugs at the knight's features, as he swings his shield around to ward off 'Aifread,' to create a bit of breathing room as he briefly steps back, "I'd hate to disappoint the one I have."

His sword moves in a blur.

Not one strike, but several, as he aims to change the pace of the fight, lashing out again and again with restrained, controlled slashes, trying to force the pirate towards the steps up to one of the higher sections of the artificial battlements. 

GS: Garan Dantear has attacked Layna Manydays with Knight's Rhythm!
GS: Garan Dantear takes 4 damage from Poison!
GS: Garan Dantear has completed his action.
GS: Layna Manydays takes a glancing hit from Garan Dantear's Knight's Rhythm for 60 hit points!
GS: Garan Dantear takes Cover! He gains 50 temporary hit points!

<Pose Tracker> Layna Manydays has posed.

Layna does not get the impact she expected. Instead, her fist collides with one of the more solid portions of his armor.

"And you...your defense is as good as they say, lad, and your offense isn't too shabby, either." She says with a nod, and then smiles. So, he had at least one fan, did he? Good. She'd hate to think someone as talented as he was didn't have anyone rooting for him.

"Aye...I know how that is, lad. Can't let mine down, either. So let's make this a match they'll all remember, aye!?" She shoots a brief grin into the stands before returning her attention to her opponent.

His already deft swordplay was increasing in speed. It swings out, forcing her to begin moving backward out of range. Unfortunately, due to the position she'd placed herself in, the only way backward was up.

While she manages to avoid a good number of swings, she can't avoid all of them. Several find their mark.

The situation gives her an idea, however. Normally she'd hesitate to use a trick like this as his armor would go a great deal toward helping him maintain his footing...but now that they were on uneven ground, though it was risky, it just might work.

She dodges one final swing by ducking beneath it and sweeping a leg out, before bringing both of her hands together and swinging at him roughly. 

GS: You do not have that Force Action. [lock]
GS: Layna Manydays has activated a Force Action!
GS: You have activated the Force Action Lock On!
GS: Layna Manydays has attacked Garan Dantear with Swab the Decks!
GS: Layna Manydays has completed her action.
GS: CRITICAL! Garan Dantear guards a hit from Layna Manydays's Swab the Decks for 92 hit points!
GS: Poison and Cripple! Statuses applied to Garan Dantear!

<Pose Tracker> Garan Dantear has posed.

In truth, he was giving Layna the higher ground, which was a dangerous proposition in any case... But, keeping her moving should mitigate that somewhat. Forcing her to pay attention to her footing, limit her options when it came to using her speed and mobility. Tight quarters would favour him.

Getting there, though, that's the tougher part.

With the pirate able to mitigate much of the knight's attacks with her quick evasions, he's caught offguard by the way she slips low, hitting his leg and forcing him to falter, half-kneeling on the steps: This leaves him rather open when she puts her hands together and axe-handles him across the face.

"Hah," the Imperial Knight laughs, spitting out a dollop of blood, where he'd bit the inside of his cheek. "Good hit."

But he doesn't stay down, of course. Pushed, there's nothing to do but push back, forcing himself up, forcing himself to shake off his body's quite reasonable demand to maybe go sit down for a while after getting clocked like that, his sword slashing at where the pirate's midsection is currently located. 

GS: Garan Dantear used Mystic on Garan Dantear! 100 Temporary HP gained! All statuses cleared!
GS: Garan Dantear has activated a Force Action!
GS: Garan Dantear has attacked Layna Manydays with Blade Flourish!
GS: Garan Dantear has completed his action.
GS: Layna Manydays takes a solid hit from Garan Dantear's Blade Flourish for 103 hit points!

<Pose Tracker> Layna Manydays has posed.

There was one drawback to Layna's movement. She managed to hit him, but she had left herself open as she tried to regain her own footing. Before she can recover, Garan's sword swings out. It's a devastating blow to her already wounded middle.

She stumbles back a bit, nearly tripping on the last step, as one hand goes to her injuries. That confident grin still remains on her face, but she's starting to look a little pained.

Still, she's not quite out of tricks yet. She does a quick incantation. Unlike before, it doesn't move her forward. Instead, it's a more traditional spell - several blades of wind shoot out, converging on Garan's current location. It seems to be used as an opportunity to let herself catch her breath more than anything, but they're no less dangerous for it. 

GS: Layna Manydays has attacked Garan Dantear with Air Blades!
GS: Layna Manydays has completed her action.
GS: Garan Dantear guards a hit from Layna Manydays's Air Blades for 54 hit points!

<Pose Tracker> Garan Dantear has posed.

In a way, Garan was waiting for something of this sort: Once Layna had used her incantation earlier, summoned the winds to influence her movements, he was expecting her to apply her control over the element of wind offensively.

The Imperial Knight hunkers down, using his shield and his armor to protect himself, but something wrought out of the air is notoriously difficult to actually see, and some of the blades slip past his guard, drawing fresh blood, a cut over his cheek leaving a fan of red down one side of his face.

It does, at least, buy the pirate a few precious moments: But soon enough, the young man in his white and red armor is rushing at 'Aifread', charging at her with the weight of that armor behind him, and aiming another dangerous stab with his sword, continuing to apply pressure to her already injured midsection. 

GS: Garan Dantear has attacked Layna Manydays with Strike Through!
GS: Garan Dantear has completed his action.
GS: Layna Manydays takes a glancing hit from Garan Dantear's Strike Through for 49 hit points!
GS: Poison and Disease! Statuses applied to Layna Manydays!

<Pose Tracker> Layna Manydays has posed.

Layna manages to catch her breath, but just as she does the knight is upon her once again. She makes to dodge once more, but the blade finds its mark. It's a shallow stab, but with her condition as it is it's just enough to weaken her further.

However, her arm shoots out, attempting to grab onto his sword arm before he can retract it fully. A wild grin appears on Layna's face.

There's an incantation, and before long they're both glowing green. Anyone who'd seen her previous fight would have an idea of what was coming next. A mighty gust of wind carries them both backward, and, empowered by her incantation, she attempts to hurl him over herself and back down to the previous level.

It was a risky maneuver. If this didn't work, or he was able to turn the throw against her, she'd be in for a rough time. He'd proven that he was more than capable in close-quarters already. 

GS: Layna Manydays has activated a Force Action!
GS: You have activated the Force Action Lock On!
GS: Layna Manydays has attacked Garan Dantear with Boom About!
GS: Layna Manydays takes 8 damage from Poison!
GS: Layna Manydays has completed her action.
GS: Garan Dantear guards a hit from Layna Manydays's Boom About for 107 hit points!

<Pose Tracker> Garan Dantear has posed.

What Garan certainly wasn't expecting was that Layna would catch his sword arm after he stabbed her.

The wild grin is warning enough that she has something up her sleeve; he tries to pull away, but he can't manage it before she gets her incantation off, an incantation that harnesses the wind to send them both flying, and the pirate uses that momentum and her own strength to toss him over her, down towards the lower level, the very middle of the illusory castle on which they're fighting.

There's a tremendous crash, which is about what you'd expect when a man of his size, wearing heavy armor, slams into the arena floor: But when the dust clears, stirred up by the pirate's winds, the Imperial Knight isn't splayed out on the ground. He crouches low, the point of his blade stuck into the stone, having dragged a shallow trench in the surface for a good ten feet.

Bowed, but unbroken.

He draws slow, ragged breaths as he gets his feet back under him, straightening up. She's still up on the platform: This distance favours her, with her ability to wield wind magic.

Quickly, he unlimbers his shield, grasping he rim of it in his gauntleted hand, and he starts moving for the stairs again. He needs to close the distance, quickly. But he also needs a distraction.

Which is why, with a heroic and rather improbable effort, Garan Dantear hurls his shield at 'Aifread'. Mostly, it's to give himself cover to get in close again.

But, you know, it would also really hurt. 

GS: Garan Dantear has attacked Layna Manydays with Improvised Shield Lob!
GS: Garan Dantear has completed his action.
GS: Layna Manydays takes a glancing hit from Garan Dantear's Improvised Shield Lob for 49 hit points!

<Pose Tracker> Layna Manydays has posed.

A little out of breath, Layna looks down at the lower level of the ramparts to see Garan. Injured, but still in fighting shape. A part of her had hoped that stunt would be enough to finish him. The rest of her, however, hoped this fight would never end.

She straightens up, finally having managed to catch her breath...when, suddenly, she sees the knight's shield flying at her. She aims to catch it, but the weight of it is rather surprising and it collides with her fairly solidly.

But, now his shield is in her hands. The smart thing to do would be to send it away, depriving him of one of his advantages. The Layna thing to do, however...

Seeing him coming up at the stairs she hurls it right back at him. She wanted him at his best, after all. 

GS: Layna Manydays has attacked Garan Dantear with Right Back at Ya!!
GS: Layna Manydays has been weakened by Disease! They take 0 hit points of damage, and burn off their temporary hit points!
GS: Layna Manydays takes 7 damage from Poison!
GS: Layna Manydays has completed her action.
GS: Garan Dantear critically Guards a hit from Layna Manydays's Right Back at Ya! for 17 hit points!

<Pose Tracker> Garan Dantear has posed.

There's a song in it, in the heart of battle: Even for someone like Garan, who saw the face of war in all its ugliness, who knows that the clash of warriors is often followed by the slaughter of innocents, isn't immune to the thrill.

He hears it now, feels it now, as the blood rushes in his ears, as the adrenaline flows through his veins.

The pirate hurls his shield back at him, and Garan catches it, the impact of the hard edge meeting his left palm sending a numbing sting up his arm... But it doesn't stop the knight, who flips the shield around, slips it back over his gauntlet as he continues rushing at the pirate at full tilt.

Indeed, now the shield forms the bulwark of his charge, not wanting to put his full force behind the blade he's wielding: Shield first, the white and red armored knight aims to slam into Layna and toss her in turn off of the platform, though his sheer momentum means that Garan will be flying off of it with her.

Still, the audience wanted a show, after all. 

GS: Garan Dantear has attacked Layna Manydays with Siege Breaker!
GS: Garan Dantear has completed his action.
GS: Layna Manydays has activated a Force Action!
GS: You have activated the Force Action Accelerate!

DC: MISS! Layna Manydays completely evades Siege Breaker from Garan Dantear!

<Pose Tracker> Layna Manydays has posed.

Layna rushes to meet Garan, and they both grapple. She holds on, and when he tries to throw her down, he'll find that she doesn't let go.

"The first time was that exciting, lad? Alright, then, lad...let's fly together, aye!?" She says. Instead when they both go flying off the ledge due to his momentum, she rotates them in mid-air, so that he's now below her, and pushes strongly against him to force into the ground, laughing madly.

She continues to fall, then, interlocking her shields once more and attempting to slam them both into him on her way down. 

GS: Layna Manydays has activated a Force Action!
GS: You have activated the Force Action Full Clip!
GS: Layna Manydays has attacked Garan Dantear with Bash and Buckle!
GS: Layna Manydays takes 5 damage from Poison!
GS: Layna Manydays has completed her action.
GS: Garan Dantear critically Guards a hit from Layna Manydays's Bash and Buckle for 19 hit points!
GS: Layna Manydays takes Cover! She gains 50 temporary hit points!

<Pose Tracker> Garan Dantear has posed.

With Layna seizing the initiative against his charge, once again the pirate's unique and creative solutions to problems prove quite effective, as she manages to turn the momentum of Garan's attack against him.

When she disengages, pushing off to send him falling faster than her, the knight hits solidly enough... But he's already rolling, already moving, meeting the pirate's shields with his own in an impressive-gravity assisted clash. With main strength, with a roar of effort, Garan shoves back against Layna, and uses renewed momentum to keep himself moving, moving to his feet in a smooth motion and lunging after Layna with his sword in a scything slash, intent on following it up with a strike of his shield, before swinging his blade at the pirate again and again, hoping to take her out with a burst of heroic effort. 

GS: Garan Dantear has attacked Layna Manydays with Breaking the Unbreakable!
GS: Garan Dantear has completed his action.
GS: Layna Manydays has activated a Force Action!
GS: You have activated the Force Action Accelerate!
GS: Layna Manydays takes a solid hit from Garan Dantear's Breaking the Unbreakable for 277 hit points!
GS: Layna Manydays has Fallen! She is no longer able to fight!

<Pose Tracker> Layna Manydays has posed.

Layna's back up, but so is Garan, with a devastating storm of blows. She recites a quick incantation, dodging underneath and around swings with gusts of wind...but gradually, her movements start to slow as the earlier injuries the knight had inflicted on her begin to take their toll. The knight, however, didn't slow. It seemed as if he had a newfound surge of energy.

At one point she stops trying to dodge altogether, attempting to simply guard with her shields, but eventually one final blow sends her sprawling to the ground. Her hat falls off, and flutters gently to the ground next to her.

She attempts to stand...but she didn't have it left in her. Her energy was...spent, completely. Despite this the wild grin has yet to leave her face, and she laughs weakly.

"Great fight there, lad... Great fight." She says.

"That fan of yours...I reckon they weren't disappointed. I certainly wasn't." 

<Pose Tracker> Thessaly has posed.

By the stance Garan makes on the field, Thessaly knows what is coming before it is executed. Height, weight, speed, it all comes crashing down on the pirate captain in the end.

She suddenly releases the breath she doesn't realize she is holding, the proud line of her shoulders relaxing - a subtle detraction from her otherwise perfect sitting posture. Underneath the veil, she couldn't help but smile.

She will sit through the approving roar of the crowds, the triumphant crowing of the announcers and the official announcement of the winner, but soon after that, she is rising from her seat, to venture to the lower levels of the coliseum to meet her knight with a towel and bottles of something cold and refreshing, as well as a congratulatory gift - whatever is required of a particularly dutiful chamberlain.

He is a relative unknown in Filgaia, but back in Lunar, he was nobility. Just because she has been marooned in another star does not mean that her recognition of his titles stop at the atmosphere. 

<Pose Tracker> Lemina Ausa has posed.

For how much of a slugfest that was, that ended... abruptly, to say the least. That big slash opens 'Aifread' up, and Lemina -- from her position behind Thessaly, trolling in the Guard booth -- practically yelps.

She opens her mouth to boo, but nothing comes out of it; instead, she settles for staring right at Garan for a few moments. She's not totally ignorant of the nobility of her homeworld, and well-read besides -- she knows the name Dantear, if not Garan's in particular.

Eventually, she calls out -- still in the stands, and now taking Thessaly's spot since it's been evaucated -- "Enjoy your last win in the tournament, Althena's Guard!"

She then starts to rapidly backpedal out of the Guard booth because hoo boy even if there's a general truce on that was probably not the way to avoid starting a riot. 

<Pose Tracker> Garan Dantear has posed.

Eventually, enough is enough.

Garan is hardly in top condition himself after the fight, and particularly after putting everything he had left into that final attack: He wasn't really sure he'd be able to keep fighting if Layna had been able to defend herself against it. In the end, he breathes raggedly, his sword and shield both held loosely at his sides rather than properly raised. His trainers would be appalled at that, at giving in to exhaustion even that much... But as tough as he is, as much as he can endure, he's still fundamentally a mortal man, after all.

Slowly, carefully he sheathes his sword as he's declared the winner, before slinging his shield on his back again, turning those dark blue eyes towards the Scourge of the Seas.

"I think I learned a thing or two, out there," the Imperial Knight says, with a wry, tired grin. With the woman unable to get back up under her own power, though, and with Garan being declared the winner... He offers 'Aifread' a hand up, and a shoulder to lean on to help her off of the field and towards some medical attention.

Sportsmanship does matter, after all. 

<Pose Tracker> Layna Manydays has posed.

It sounded as if someone wasn't too happy about the way things had ended up. Layna, however, found it...kind of refreshing. She had entered this tournament for the chance to face powerful fighters, and she certainly had. And it wasn't as if this loss was the end.

"Aye, so did I." She agrees with a chuckle. One hand reaches out, grabbing onto her hat and affixing it to her head before accepting his help to stand up.

Ever the showboat, she takes the opportunity to grin and wave at the crowd before looking back to Garan.

"I'd ask if you wanted to go grab something to drink, lad...but it looks like someone's already got you covered there." She says with a grin.

"I'll be alright from here. Go on. 'Sides, I don't think your friends in the Guard would appreciate it, aye?" She says, chuckling. The arena medics were already approaching them to assess her condition.

Up in the stands...

Dahlia sighs, shaking her head.

"And here I thought losing might calm you down a bit..." She mutters. "Still...the Guard certainly are formidable...we'll have to be careful in the future..."

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