2017-07-05: Lacour Tournament of Arms: Tethelle vs Xantia
- Log: 17 07 05 - Xantia vs Tethelle
- Cast: Tethelle Cirdian, Sephilia Lampbright, Xantia, Jean, Lemina Ausa
- Where: Lacour - Arms Coliseum
- Date: July 5, 2017
- Summary: Round 2 Winner's Match in the Lacour Tournament of Arms!
=========================<* 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. BGM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1s8YkgEYlvY
<Pose Tracker> Tethelle Cirdian has posed.
The Lacour Tournament of Arms is a great spectacle people come quite some distance to both participate in and watch. It is, as might be expected, a noisy event - fascinating displays, people cheering (even before the challengers come out) punctuated by anticipation, and the occasional sight of someone getting battered into unconsciousness - because while the Symbols might stop people from getting killed, they don't stop a good fight. That would kind of eliminate the point.
Right now, before the match, 'anticipation' seems to be the primary tenor of the arena. People are eager to see their combatants, eager to see a well-fought battle... they want to be impressed, and hopefully the fighters are up to the task.
It feels different, Tethelle thinks, when you're in the pit. This isn't her first match, but the one that was her first wasn't a particularly long or dramatic event. This one feels different in a way she can't quite put her finger on. Maybe it's because she progressed and so she knows the person she's about to fight has also won a match. Or maybe she's just sensitive to the crowd. It wouldn't be the first time. There are more people here, in this arena, about to watch her, than there were in her entire home village...
And yet she's not nervous. She's excited, too, though it doesn't show beyond a hint of a cocky grin. She can feel the challenge waiting for her. When the announcer calls for her - "The Desert Swordswoman, TETHELLE CIRDIAN!" - she strides out into the pit. She has her oversized sword resting across her shoulder (who uses a sword that size anymore? It must be as tall as she is) though it's still in a scabbard edged in the red and blue of the Savage Slayer sponsor.
<Pose Tracker> Sephilia Lampbright has posed.
Sephilia and Chauncey are already in the crowd. Sephilia has changed into a flashy outfit of bright colors, and has pompoms in her hands. Chauncey, already grown to his big size, for his part, has got his usual handkerchief and a top-hat that's been recently added to his apparel, and also holds a pair of pompoms. The girl cheers wildly for Tethelle, waving her pompoms--and Chauncey follows suit with his own pompoms, but without the cheering.
He's the strong silent type.
<Pose Tracker> Xantia has posed.
Despite this being the Tournament of Arms, there are a number of opponents this time around who have none, aside from the ones attached to her torso. Though traditionalists may disapprove, others have gained newfound appreciation for fancy fistwork. Xantia is one of the fist-fighting newcomers to the tournament, having outfought a lightning-charged but regular-sized sword in a previous match that's only ever described with a plethora of shocking puns. Like that one, just now.
As Tethelle takes her position in the arena, the announcer moves on to other contender: "And her opponent, the Innocent Primeval Breaker, Xantia!"
The red-haired girl who appears from the opposite entrance to the arena is still mid-facepalm as she enters. Really, they're going to stick with that random title? She still doesn't know what it even means! Her moment of exasperation ends quickly, raising the hand that she covered her face with into the air instead, waving enthusiastically at the crowd. The people bearing red signs with a white X on them are obviously here to see her. Xantia visibly enjoys the attention - after all, the more she gets, the greater the chance that word might spread to somebody who actually knew her before these last few months.
Upon approaching her opponent, she waves just cheerfully in that direction, filled with plenty of excitement and devoid of nervousness herself. "That's a big sword," she notes the obvious, because it's hard for her attention not to be drawn to it. "I guess I'd better be careful! Don't hold back though, I don't plan to!" Plenty of confidence, too. She takes the opportunity before the start of the match is announced to do a few stretching exercises, then settles into a combat stance. Her style is not a very commonly seen one, although those who were watching Fei Fong Wong's match closely might notice that hers resembles his. It's not identical, but it's pretty close.
<Pose Tracker> Jean has posed.
For her part, Jean--Shadow Dancer Jean, Vile Fiend and entrant in the tournament--is seated up in the stands in her dark battle gear. ...Dark, but still stylish; she won't fight in anything less. She has a beer brought up with her other refreshments, looking thoughtfully at both combatants as they get ready to fight. In practicality, she should be watching both of them specifically because she'll fight one potentially...
But she's also interested in their styles for their own sakes. Her green hair catches a little light, shiny, as she looks down.
The wound she's recovering from is still visibly bandaged. "...Innocent Primeval Breaker...?" she murmurs. "Well, Breaker makes sense. Nice sword on her opponent."
She doesn't enjoy fighting. Obviously. It's pure strategy.
<Pose Tracker> Tethelle Cirdian has posed.
Tethelle has a modest popularity; her unusual style got some fans in her first match, but it was relatively short, with her fighting someone much taller than her and probably twice her weight. Fortunately, it turns out that greatswords are really good at equalizing the reach difference.
Plus, she's a mysterious stranger from the deserts of Aquvy, and a Baskar at that. Most of the Aquvy Baskar don't come to Ignas, and if they did they wouldn't enter a tournament like this; she's a novelty for that alone, and people like novelties.
Unlike Xantia, Tethelle gives a strangely formal bow to her opponent, rising afterwards. "I don't intend to," she says, pleasantly, as she watches her opponent stretch and take a stance. She's probably mentally taking notes about her opponent's combat style, as she hasn't seen it before. "May we have a good battle in the eyes of Equites." Tethelle herself does not stretch; she shifts her footing and then holds her sword in front of her.
She draws it, steel glimmering in the light. Tethelle tosses the scabbard back toward the entrance she came in from; she wouldn't have brought it out at all except her sponsor's colours were on it. Since the match hasn't started yet, it is collected by an attendant, giving Tethelle a moment to enter her actual stance. Her blade is held high, about even with her head, point forward and almost parallel to the ground - it looks uncomfortable to hold for very long.
"BEGIN!"
Which is why Tethelle doesn't. As soon as the words pass the announcer's lips, she's moving, a sudden rush toward Xantia; she turns the awkward-looking idle stance into a high thrust, then twists her wrists and upper body, putting the force of her arms and the momentum of her movement into a diagonal slash. She must be stronger than she looks to control a sword that large as easily as she does, because she doesn't lose her balance or overextend, turning after the blow to keep Xantia in front of her.
GS: Tethelle Cirdian has attacked Xantia with Running Slash! GS: Tethelle Cirdian has completed her action.
<Pose Tracker> Lemina Ausa has posed.
Lemina is seated next to Jean, and has -- as far as refreshments go -- what we will call the Variety Pack. Her stack of foods gets its own seat, which no one has called her on because she's a competitor who's still in the upper half of the bracket after a couple of rounds.
"You know that this kinda thing is just marketing, right? The names, I mean." Lemina asks, wryly, as she retrieves a --
-- where on earth did she find a chocolate cake to buy in the arena? She takes a bite of the cake, then takes a drink of the orangeade slurpee. (She engineered this last night and is impossibly proud of herself, and now can drink nothing else for at least a week.)
GS: Xantia takes a solid hit from Tethelle Cirdian's Running Slash for 97 hit points!
<Pose Tracker> Sephilia Lampbright has posed.
Sephy continues to cheer loudly. She likes Xantia, of course, but she knows Tethelle better and it'd be weird to root for both sides at once.
"Tethelle, Tethelle, what rhymes with Tethelle? Who cares, kick some butt!"
Sephy's not actually good at cheers.
<Pose Tracker> Xantia has posed.
Xantia doesn't comment on the unusual mannerisms she's greeted with, though she looks a bit surprised by them. Surprised, and interested. This probably isn't the right time to be asking questions, though. Not that that's ever stopped Xantia, it's actually more noteworthy that she isn't immediately asking any questions that comes to mind.
It's the sword, really. Though not intimidated, she is rather distracted by it. It's a very shiny thing, and thus it is fascinating. Somehow, paying attention to it so that she can stay out of its way is a secondary concern in all this. As for super strength... well, there are very obvious reasons why this doesn't stand out as anything unusual to Xantia.
The signal to start the match is given, and Xantia is immediately surprised. Despite everything, she wasn't expecting the sword to be wielded quite as quickly and fluidly as it is. She leaps back, but the distance is immediately bridged, and the massive blade sent her way. She can only react on impulse, raising the bracer on her right arm to attempt a block.
This doesn't work out too well, as the force of the swing knocks her right off her feet and sends her flying a short ways, ending with a painful crash flat on her back. "...ow," is all she has to say about that, before rolling backwards and rising back to her feet. "You're strong, alright! But can you do this?"
Xantia rushes straight for the lady with the giant sword. This seems unwise, but she doesn't intend to close all of the distance. She stops well short of where she would need to be in order to use her fists directly, because that was never the plan. She merely punches the air. A normally harmless gesture, but considering the brief glow of her fist beforehand, one may suspect there's more to it than that. In this case, the punch displaces the air in front of her, in effect creating a forceful gust to try and literally blow Tethelle away. A signature move of hers, by this point.
GS: Xantia has attacked Tethelle Cirdian with Massive Shockwave! GS: Xantia has completed her action. GS: Tethelle Cirdian guards a hit from Xantia's Massive Shockwave for 48 hit points!
<Pose Tracker> Tethelle Cirdian has posed.
It's all practice. Tethelle has drilled since she was a child, and it shows. She may not have the actual live-combat experience - she only left her village for the first time when she travelled to Ignas several months ago, after all - but she has years and years of training.
Tethelle uses the recoil off Xantia's bracer to bring her sword into a more standard defensive position, blade held at an angle upward and slightly across her body. She expects a return strike and she's not disappointed; Xantia does something with her internal energies, pushing at Tethelle despite the distance. Tethelle braces herself, gripping her sword more tightly.
The shockwave impacts, breaking on Tethelle's sword. It slides her back about five feet, her boots leaving a scrape and shallow divot in the pounded-dirt floor of the arena, but fails to knock her over. Tethelle lets out a sudden grin afterwards, and a slight shift of her blade, though she doesn't speak and it lasts only a moment - she has to focus.
As soon as the force against her ends, Tethelle is in motion. She swings her blade in great whirling arcs in front of her, looking like nothing so much as a highly elaborate parry to most people. The particularly astute - or experienced swordfighters - may note that she's pausing at a couple points in the cycle, apparently switching between stances or positions rapidly.
The intricate maneuvers let her try to get closer, because she's not going to fight Xantia at a distance. They also let her gather her power; chi begins to build up in Tethelle and along the blade, giving the steel a faint silvery glow. Tethelle comes out of it suddenly, lashing out almost snake-like. She delivers a pair of blindingly fast thrusts with the shining steel, then slashes - and the slash erupts in a pulse of white-silver energy.
GS: Tethelle Cirdian has attacked Xantia with Burst Strike! GS: Tethelle Cirdian has completed her action. GS: Xantia guards a hit from Tethelle Cirdian's Burst Strike for 52 hit points!
<Pose Tracker> Jean has posed.
Jean knows little about Filgaia even now; the vagaries of who's from where are largely lost on her, save for generalities and a few scattered things she's picked up. But she can see what sort of stance Tethelle uses for her sword. The announce makes them move...
"Yeah, I guess, it's all showmanship and all," Jean allows Lemina.
But then she watches Xantia defend... such as she does. More importantly she watches that rush of an attack. She recognizes the glow of that fist, and leans in to look more closely.
"Nce," she says distractedly, staring, but she sees Tethelle's defense too, the switch of posture and stanes quickly. "...And nice counter. Lemina, do you see how she was moving?" Jean takes a stout drink of her first beer, picking up a chicken wing without even looking at it and taking a bite.
<Pose Tracker> Lemina Ausa has posed.
Lemina's cake disappears while Jean is studying Tethelle's stance. Her mouth is full when Jean looks over again, and all she offers for the first few moments is a "Muh?" at the question. Then she swallows and is able to put together a coherent, complete answer.
"Now that you mention it, yeah -- I wouldn't have noticed on my own, though. Why's she doing that?" Lemina is a relative novice when it comes to combat, and close-quarters battle is... not her forte, we'll say.
<Pose Tracker> Xantia has posed.
Xantia, on the other hand... doesn't remember her training. She must have had an extensive one, if she knows how to fight the way she does. But she has no idea where or how she learned how to do the things she does. A point of constant concern when she thinks about it. Thankfully, there isn't much opportunity to get lost in thought during a fight. She just has to do what she can do.
Which includes creating shockwaves with her fists, apparently. Xantia is used to that move knocking people off their feet, giving her a breather. Not so this time, which she clearly wasn't expecting. When that storm of blade starts coming towards her, she does the only sensible thing and starts to back off. Punching through a barrier of electrified afterimages was one thing, but this just looks like a massive wall of Sword. She doesn't much fancy her chances of getting her fists through that.
The bare-handed brawler doesn't know much about the intricacies of swordfighting, either. But her eyes widen when she sees that glow. That, she recognizes for what it is, since it's exactly what she was doing just now. It's the only thing that allows her to prepare for what's coming. Though she wouldn't have called the form it would take, her reaction to the incoming energy pulse comes in time, in the form of crossing her arms in front of her.
There's a loud -CRASH- upon impact, the energy blast slamming against Xantia's arms. Arms that are uncrossed immediately upon impact, dispersing the projectily harmlessly. Or it might seem like it was harmlessly, to the casual observer. That still struck home, and it takes effort to deal with it. But she can deal with this kind of thing in a way that shows experience, which is notable in and of itself.
Afterwards, Xantia is all smiles. It's not a smug smile. She's just happy when she meets others who can do things that she can do. It's nice to not be entirely unusual. Which doesn't stop her from striking back, of course. If anything, it makes her more motivated. In a daring display, she suddenly dashes forward, seeking to dart to the side at the last possible moment to avoid running into the massive sword, and pierce through Tethelle's defenses with one, clean, rapid strike using the palm of her right hand.
It looks simple enough, but Xantia is seeking out a particular region of the midsection for a pin-point strike. Letting her get away with that is dangerous, as she doesn't just know how to disrupt incoming chi attacks. She also knows how to disrupt the flow of chi inside of one's body.
GS: Xantia has attacked Tethelle Cirdian with Disrupting Palm Strike! GS: Xantia has completed her action. GS: Tethelle Cirdian takes a solid hit from Xantia's Disrupting Palm Strike for 102 hit points! GS: Cripple! Statuses applied to Tethelle Cirdian!
<Pose Tracker> Jean has posed.
Goodbye, cake. Jean of course asked for spicier than the stand usually offers it for hers, and got it because she's a competitor. It goes great with the beer... of which she has more beside her.
"It lets her get closer safely," Jean answers Lemina, "While controlling the terms of her approach. Her superior range helps here."
"That move... She makes it look like she shrugged it off, but I don't think so. That's a good move, too. They're both good. I'm curious though... Is this what Filgaia's styles are like?
<Pose Tracker> Tethelle Cirdian has posed.
Tethelle's first inclination is to keep on the attack once she's started it. One thing she has going for her is momentum; once she starts, it's hard for others to stop her, and if she wants to do well in the tournament of arms she has to take advantage of that.
So she follows up the burst of energy by pressing forward. She wants to get a decisive blow in against Xantia; Tethelle doesn't think the brawler is worn down enough to let her do it, which means she has to keep it up for at least a while longer. Seeing Xantia withstand the power doesn't dissuade her - she just did the same thing, after all!
Tethelle is not smiling, though. She really does enjoy combat - but right now, she's focused. Intensely so; Xantia is testing her skills in a way that the previous combatant she encountered, Jose Duran, did not. She readies another blow -
Xantia's speed is in her favour today. Even with Tethelle's reactions (good) and her ability to control the heavy blade (excellent), she's not as quick on the draw as someone who uses nothing but their bare hands. Tethelle aborts her attack to avoid overextending and swinging powerfully at the air, but does not recoil fast enough to deflect Xantia's rush, and she can't get out of the way either; the palm strike impacts, and Tethelle feels the results immediately. It's an unpleasant sensation... but not one she hasn't dealt with before, at least.
Aching from the blow, Tethelle switches stances again - a low, almost exaggeratedly stretched-out position, one leg well behind her and her forward knee bent. It lets her sweep her sword at about shin-level, almost a tripping blow; she turns it into an upward slash as she rises, and then delivers the final strike, battering with the flat of the blade on the backswing as she returns to her more upright position.
She is increasingly respectful of Xantia's skills. For someone who grew up in a martial temple, that means a lot.
GS: Tethelle Cirdian has attacked Xantia with Dragon's Tail! GS: Tethelle Cirdian has completed her action.
<Pose Tracker> Lemina Ausa has posed.
"That makes sense," Lemina says, with a nod. "You're mega-smart, Jean! I had no idea this much went into it!" There's a pause, before she admits, "Though, like, what's the point of all this if you can just shoot them with a bow or a mega-huge ice spike from way, way far away... then the girl with the greatsword wouldn't get to do anything."
Lemina closes her mouth, purses her lips slightly, and brings two fingers to them. A burp issues from deep in her throat, but doesn't escape in any meaningful sense. She offers an, "Excuse me," anyway.
GS: Xantia takes a glancing hit from Tethelle Cirdian's Dragon's Tail for 48 hit points!
<Pose Tracker> Jean has posed.
Mega-smart? Jean laughs, before she takes another bite. "Mm..." She's pretty hungry. "It's not that. This is just something I know about." It's easier in some ways to discuss that because Lemina knows some of why she knows, some of her past, more than most. "There are defenses against that too," Jean explains. "I know how to run up in a way that makes me a hard target to aim at... Though I'd rather stick to the shadows if someone has that much range and I'm that far away, and turn it into melee."
Well, or kill them from stealth, but Jean takes another bite with the spice straight on her tongue rather than say that.
Lemina is... Hilarious. Jean grins at her. "At least you're enjoying herself. ...Fighting with a huge weapon like that is something. It lets you really multiply what kind of force you can put out."
<Pose Tracker> Xantia has posed.
Xantia's matter of enjoying battles is pretty dissimilar from that of many martial artists. Xantia's joy is more child-like than most. Even in the midst of a serious battle like this, she manages to keep a smile on her face althroughout, only briefly faltering if surprised or in trouble. This may be where the 'Innocent' part of the random title they gave her comes from. As well as the 'Primeval', for that matter. The way she fights is purely on instinct, while maintaining a carefree attitude.
Yet she's clearly no less serious for it. Her instincts are well-honed, responding to Tethelle's movements in the exact way she needed to in order to get a clean hit in. She doesn't take the needless risk of trying to follow up immediately, instead leaping backwards to create distance instead. After weakening your opponent, bide your time and be ready to take maximum advantage when you sense another opening. A principle she doesn't consciously know, but still acts upon as if she does.
The last thing one would probably expect at a time like this is a pleasant chat. And yet, that's exactly what Xantia suddenly decides it's the perfect time for. "Can everybody learn to use a big sword like that? Or is it a Baskar thing?"
Tethelle may not be able to fully appreciate how unusual it is for Xantia of all people to notice the Baskar connection, this being their first meeting. This is a girl who tends to miss the most obvious things a lot of the time, yet this, she somehow managed to take notice of. Bringing this up out of nowhere could be seen as a diversionary tactic, but that would be giving her way too much credit. It's solely because she's genuinely curious.
Regardless, a follow-up attack is inevitable. Xantia seems to have gotten a better feel for Tethelle's movements - more of that instinct at work, she's starting to recognize what the purposes of the stance shifts are. Even so, all she could flawlessly predict was the initial low blow. She hops over it when it comes, but misjudges the follow-up, forcing an awkward dodge for the rising slash, then a dive to try and get out of being swatted like a pancake.
It's a partial success. The flat of the blade clips her side, with enough force to send her spinning through the air. She manages to land in a crouch, with a grimace, not enjoying the feel of the forming welt. But rather than dwell on it, she springs forth from where she landed almost immediately, hoping that she can manage to get another hit in before her opponent starts whirling that sword around again to keep her from trying.
Or so it seems. She's been all about frontal charges so far, so another straightforward, immediate attack is probably expected. It's actually somewhat of a faint, trying to goad an attempt at interception. If she can just force that sword in an offensive position rather than a defensive one, she might just be able to turn her dodging of it into a savage spinkick, aimed directly for the head.
Her style by now she be self-evident. She's all about single blows of devastating power.
GS: Xantia has attacked Tethelle Cirdian with Whirlwind Kick! GS: Xantia has completed her action. GS: Tethelle Cirdian takes a solid hit from Xantia's Whirlwind Kick for 126 hit points!
<Pose Tracker> Tethelle Cirdian has posed.
Once upon a time, Tethelle might have assumed her style and methods were the best. Not so much now; she's had it shown to her (mostly by a few embarassing losses) that her style is not invincible, and that she will need to really master it if she wants to be the blademaster of her dreams.
But Jean has the right of it; the big sword is an excellent way to focus and amplify striking power. The style Tethelle uses is old enough to have been invented by, according to her village's legend, a warrior who fought the Metal Demons in the historic war. It's good at crushing armour, or would be if she was using a better sword; Tethelle trusts in her village's swords more than the sponsored one she's using for the tournament.
The question surprises Tethelle. It's no secret that she's a Baskar, or that she's a Guardianist - she invoked Equites before the match, even. She just didn't think Xantia would ask, and certainly not in combat. Most people, in her experience, either think they know more about the Baskar than they do (and don't ask) or aren't interested (and thus also don't ask). "Mine is a secret style, held only by the priests and shamans of my village," Tethelle replies. "But there are other sword styles. I hope to see some."
Tethelle is uncertain about Xantia's strike. She makes the split-second decision to follow through, and falls for the feint; striking at air, Xantia lands a powerful kick to the side of Tethelle's head, sufficient to literally throw Tethelle some distance.
She lands on her feet, but that's about the best that can be said for it; she shakes her head sharply to clear it, practically willing her eyes to focus again on Xantia. Which they do; a single powerful blow it certainly way, but it's not enough to take Tethelle out quite yet. Tethelle tightens her grip, turning the blade slightly.
And then she jumps. It's a reckless attack; Tethelle brings her sword high and slashes downward with all the force of her descent and in her arms. If someone who watched her fight Berserk was around, it would look awfully familiar, as one of the few blows she delivered that really broke through his armour; since none of them are in the audience today, it just looks impressive.
GS: Tethelle Cirdian has attacked Xantia with Skydrive! GS: Tethelle Cirdian has completed her action. GS: Xantia takes a glancing hit from Tethelle Cirdian's Skydrive for 59 hit points!
<Pose Tracker> Lemina Ausa has posed.
"Oh, yeah. I guess if you rocked left and right while you were running or something you'd be harder to hit, especially if you weren't consistent how far to either side you were going..." Lemina thinks about that for a moment. "But yeah, that makes sense. In a situation like this, though..."
She purses her lips. "Anyway -- I went and harassed the Guard last night in the stands. ... I think they might be under orders to ignore me at this point," she notes, with a small sigh. "And they didn't want any popcorn, either!"
<Pose Tracker> Xantia has posed.
Xantia only wishes that she knew half as much about her style, and why her moves do what they do. It doesn't bother her while she's fighting, but if she looks back after the fact, she's left with more questions than answers. It's hard to think of yourself as that person who was fighting, when you can't explain how that person did what they did.
And then there's the matter of her physical strength, which is just plain abnormal for a girl her size and build. Training can't fully explain that part. It's normal for her, though she's painfully aware of it not actually being normal.
So it's actually quite nice to see someone else capable of swinging a giant object around like it's nothing. But if she was asking that question because she was planning to take a course in giant sword-swinging, the answer would be a disappointing one. Since Xantia doesn't look any less cheerful, that probably wasn't her aim. "Neat! I hope to see more people using big sword too!" She may in fact have missed the point entirely.
The fiery-haired girl's attacks have become less straightforward over the course of the battle, and more precise. Her ability to adapt may be the most noteworthy of all, given how she couldn't possibly have dealt with a fighting style like this before, and yet is already starting to react like someone who has. Far from the way she got completely overwhelmed at the start of the battle. Even so, despite outmaneuvering Tethelle and landing that kick, she still doesn't seek a follow-up. She merely sinks back into a defensive stance, and waits for the next attack to come for her.
This time, it's power versus power. Even if she hasn't had the 'pleasure' of being in a battle in which Berserk was involved, Xantia knows power when she sees it - this is definitely going to be one to get out of the way of. That much, she succeeds at, leaping backwards to increase the distance and thus avoiding what would almost certainly have been the end of the match. Instead, it's the end of a section of the arena floor, the force Tethelle puts to bear enough to split the ground and send debris flying everywhere. It's fine, a magical repair crew is standing by for just these sorts of occasions.
For people who are nearby when this happens, it's a little less fine. Xantia almost literally eats dirt as a result of this, pelted by rock and soil that sends her scrambling for non-existent cover with her hands covering her head. Even she would say that that was a little excessive.
Or she would have, but this is still a fight. She intends to be there in the aftermath, while powdered remains of the arena floor are still dispersing in the air. The fleeing route she chooses takes the form of a half-circle, doubling back on Tethelle's position. Xantia takes a deep breath, and holds it. She's searching for the opening. Not so much with her eyes, or even on pure instinct this time. There's chi being actively put to work here, in a different form than the flashy, more audience-pleasing kind. Of course, most won't notice this at all. To most, it will just look like Xantia is rushing in, and punching at whatever she happened to be able to easily reach. The recipient might be able to tell the difference, however.
GS: Xantia has attacked Tethelle Cirdian with Focus Punch! GS: Xantia has completed her action. GS: Tethelle Cirdian guards a hit from Xantia's Focus Punch for 87 hit points!
<Pose Tracker> Tethelle Cirdian has posed.
Don't worry, Xantia; Tethelle will probably be happy to explain further when they're not currently in the middle of combat.
Just, you know... tournament match. She's a little busy to do it right now.
As Xantia is getting used to Tethelle's style, Tethelle is starting to feel out Xantia's. It's more spontaneous than her own is, which is both an advantage and a disadvantage. Tethelle knows many maneuvers that might be of use, while Xantia is improvising a lot more; on the other hand, that also makes Xantia less predictable (though Tethelle is getting around that slightly simply because very few people have seen her style before).
And, honestly, this is what Tethelle signed up for. To test herself against a variety of styles, to push herself as far as she can. Fighting Xantia is an experience and it's not a bad one. Nor is it meanspirited, on either side. She'd be happy to talk - or spar - with her again in the future.
But right now, Tethelle slams into the ground, rising from the half-crouch she landed in and flicking her sword to the side. Dust and grit flicks away from it, leaving it pristine and shiny; Tethelle is a little less so, as she's both battered from the battle and a little dirty from her exertions, but she's not going to worry about that right now.
She feels Xantia gathering her power as she strikes. Tethelle does her best to deflect the incoming blow, absorbing the worst of it; even so she feels the impact all the way up her arms, and the feeling of potential - that something is going to happen, right now. And as a result, Tethelle decides to take the initiative.
Once again, Tethelle whirls the sword in front of her. But this time it's not a mere defensive maneuver but a prelude to an attack. She moves forward, the sword arcing further and further as the slashes get stronger and stronger, almost pendulum-like; the pattern and rhythm is clear as Tethelle shifts positions, a constant flurry of increasingly powerful blows as she lets loose at Xantia with a wordless war cry.
GS: Tethelle Cirdian has attacked Xantia with Whirling Juggernaut! GS: Tethelle Cirdian has completed her action. GS: Xantia takes a solid hit from Tethelle Cirdian's Whirling Juggernaut for 155 hit points!
<Pose Tracker> Xantia has posed.
There's certainly going to be no hard feelings from Xantia, for anything. One would have to be pretty obviously mean-spirited to get on her bad side. Since that isn't the case here, Tethelle may not realize it yet, but she's... already befriended.
Xantia lets out her breath as she her latest attack hits home, though not in the way she was aiming for. As before, she backs away again, gasping for air. Maybe she held her breath a little too long. Though part of it is almost certainly the fight starting to take its toll on her. She's getting tired, and worse, hungry. Fighting on an empty stomach is awful. If she can't end this soon, she may not have the energy to keep going. And while she may have entered the tournament with the primary goals of having a good time and getting her name out there, she sure doesn't want things to end that way. Once she's in a fight, she wants to win!
As such, Tethelle correctly senses that Xantia is building up to something - that this unexpectedly high resistance to punches is leading her to consider trying something more drastic to follow up with. She's beaten to it when the intiative is taken away from her, the whirling blade in effect forming an impenetrable wall that makes it impossible to get near, rapidly approaching. Even if Xantia were the type to carefully think things through, there isn't much time for it. Whatever she's going to do, she'd better do it now.
If one were to rank Xantia's actions by the degree in which they were unwise... well, this one wouldn't top it, given that she thought it was a good idea to try and punch Id in the face. But choosing to leap towards a swirling mass of sharp deadly pointiness has got to be up there. Somehow, this felt like the most correct course of action to her. Because it was the only way to effectively launch her own attempt at disrupting it. The buildup of chi happens very quickly, gathering in her left fist in the form of bright light, similar to what was seen earlier. It's still building in mid-leap, and when she swings her fist directly at Tethelle's sword.
The result is... not great for Xantia, as she cannot possibly avoid serious injury in the process. Whether her gambit pays off or not, she collapses to her hands and knees, sporting rather sizable cuts in several places. Though not actually bleeding as much as she should. The arena's magical wards at work, perhaps. Though wobbly, even after that, she yet forces herself to stand.
However, the result for Tethelle might also be a poor one. Xantia wasn't just launching a simple punch that time. Upon swinging forward, lightning explodes outward from her fist in a wide, roughly conical area. With the focus point being the giant sword, this may be that much more unpleasant an experience.
They're going to use electricity puns to describe this fight again, aren't they?
GS: Xantia has attacked Tethelle Cirdian with Thunderstruck! GS: Xantia has completed her action. GS: Tethelle Cirdian has activated a Force Action! GS: Tethelle Cirdian critically Guards a hit from Xantia's Thunderstruck for 32 hit points!
<Pose Tracker> Tethelle Cirdian has posed.
Tethelle Cirdian is a friendly sort, so that will probably go well.
Tethelle has to admit that she has never had anyone, in her entire life, attempt to punch her sword mid-assault. Deflect it with a parry, certainly; punch her while she's swinging it around, absoutely. But actually try to attack her sword? That's the act of desperation, madness...
Or possibly just a plan she doesn't understand.
For a moment, it's hard to tell who comes out the worse for the gambit. Tethelle managed to land a solid blow on the approaching Xantia, but the electrical fist impacted the metal sword. There's a veritable explosion of sparks as a spherical burst of discharged energy erupts outward from the pair, kicking up dust, as Xantia hangs in the air against the sword, which Tethelle is holding with the flat presented to Xantia. The pair vanish behind the cloud, almost completely concealed except as faint silhouettes from the crowd.
But then eventually it clears, and it's obvious that Tethelle ended up in the better position this time. Her hair is annoyingly frizzy, her gloves are a little scorched, but she's still standing - and, more importantly, moving - while Xantia is wobbly and just rising. Tethelle's energy is building now; there's no obvious glow this time, but she's (re)gathering her power, focusing for an internal surge of energy.
Tethelle strikes at Xantia suddenly. She's not sure if the other woman is ready, but she's counting on the Symbols of the arena to protect her from a bad injury if she's not. Like Xantia, Tethelle may have entered for fun and to improve herself... but she wants to win.
Tethelle's strike is a single blow, diagonal like some of her others; a mighty two-handed hew. It lacks finesse, but that doesn't mean it's wild; it's just very straightforward, a direct blow to end a drawn-out battle. Because, much as she is still upright, Tethelle isn't really sure she can keep doing this for much longer; she's starting to run herself a little ragged.
GS: Tethelle Cirdian has activated a Force Action! GS: Tethelle Cirdian has attacked Xantia with Surging Slash! GS: Tethelle Cirdian has completed her action. GS: Xantia has activated a Force Action! GS: Xantia takes a glancing hit from Tethelle Cirdian's Surging Slash for 64 hit points!
<Pose Tracker> Jean has posed.
"That's one way," Jean agrees with Lemina, though that conversation thread doesn't last for too long as Jean wathes this close, intense match. The initiative shifts, the combatants are getting tired... Are they waiting for mistakes to be made?
It's nice to watch this fight in part because it isn't cruel, though Jean can't bring that to mind exactly, can't call watching a fight good on its own.
"Of course they didn't want popcorn," Jean points out, "It's probably a sin." She rolls her eyes. "...I might've pulled the same thing, but it's best not to. Someone can always break the rules and hurt you anyway."
Now, this mighty hew...
<Pose Tracker> Xantia has posed.
Judging from all the evidence so far, the most likely scenario is that Xantia wasn't particularly desperate or mad, and didn't plan a thing. She just doesn't seem to have the sense to apply as much caution as she should in all situations. Most situations, really. If by some chance there really was a plan, it's possible that even Xantia won't be able to make any sense of what she was thinking after the fact.
Whatever the case may be, it's obvious enough that this isn't good. Xantia isn't given a lot of time to prepare for the follow-up that Tethelle is able to muster. She isn't ready. She can't be ready, not in that condition. And yet...
Xantia's eyes fly wide open when the sword strike comes for her. In spite of herself, she moves. Faster than ever before, fast enough that an afterimage is left in her wake. She saw Fei move like that before... it's not the first time that she managed to mimic something she saw him do. But she definitely didn't mean to, that time. It just sort of... happened. Like something deep inside is refusing to let her give up.
Even if she managed to suddenly end up several feet to the side, thereby evading what would almost certainly have been the final blow, it's not without effect, aggravating the pain that wracks her body. Xantia obviously doesn't have much left at this point. And yet... she manages to still smile, despite everything. A bit sheepishly, as even she didn't expect that she'd manage to dodge that. Steadying her breathing, she gives the only explanation that makes sense to her. "Can't let you win without giving it everything I have... can't let myself lose until then, either. So... so... I can't give up yet!"
Upon resuming a fighting stance, Xantia gathers what energy she has left. It shouldn't have been much, since at this point, she's tired, hungry, and everything should hurt. Should hurt. Strangely, she stopped feeling pain. It must have something to do with the soft white glow enveloping her - most likely, she's using chi to push her body past its limits. That's not something most can keep up for very long. The next strike had better be good.
The afterimages make a return when Xantia dashes for Tethelle. It's not a very complicated maneuver, but still possibly one hard to predict at this stage: her aim is to somersault directly over her opponent, then quickly turn about to strike from behind, putting her all power into one blow as she has been all this time. Aided by the gathered chi, this has the added effect of causing a literal explosion of energy. Quite possibly, everything that she's still able to muster at this point.
GS: Xantia has attacked Tethelle Cirdian with Exploding Fist! GS: Xantia has completed her action. GS: Tethelle Cirdian has activated a Force Action! GS: Tethelle Cirdian guards a hit from Xantia's Exploding Fist for 88 hit points!
<Pose Tracker> Tethelle Cirdian has posed.
Tethelle Cirdian completes the follow-through of her sword swing - but she hits nothing but an afterimage.
This is something that Tethelle can't do, and that her weapon of choice isn't well-suited to deal with. She does well against heavy armour, or against defensive styles that try to absorb her blows; she can smash through it, crushing her opposition. Against someone who just isn't there when she expects them to be - it's a little different.
Tethelle staggers, off-balance, as her sword goes right through the image of Xantia with no resistance at all. She recovers, but too late to actually catch Xantia with another swing as she backs off; she goes into a momentary defensive stance instead, breathing hard. Her sword doesn't tremble, though - for all her beatings, she's trying not to show it in how she holds her blade. The only sign is that her sword is perhaps a little lower, not at rest but not quite in full defense.
The explanation does indeed make sense to Tethelle. She gives a very slight nod, having to steady her own breathing to respond properly. "It's the same for me," she replies, giving Xantia another thoughtful look and then a respectful nod toward Xantia, raising her sword back to its proper position.
There's no glow from Tethelle. There doesn't need to be; she can feel that even after this they're fairly closely matched. Already in a defensive position, she falls back, giving up ground as she takes the impact of the explosive fist, the radiant eruption washing over her. She's on the verge of collapse, and she knows it -
But she won't let herself. With another roar, she draws on everything she has left (not much, truth be told) to deliver one last blow to Xantia. Three blows, actually; the first downward to the left with a step to the left, then she raises her sword again, striking down and to the right with a step back to form an X, followed by a powerful thrust right at the center of the pattern!
But if this fails, she pretty much has nothing left...
GS: Tethelle Cirdian has activated a Force Action! GS: Tethelle Cirdian has attacked Xantia with Secret Three-Step! GS: Tethelle Cirdian has completed her action. GS: Xantia has activated a Force Action! GS: Xantia takes a glancing hit from Tethelle Cirdian's Secret Three-Step for 43 hit points! GS: Xantia has Fallen! She is no longer able to fight!
<Pose Tracker> Xantia has posed.
This is it. It's already self-evident shortly after Xantia's final strike, draining the glow that surrounded her with it. She put the last that she had in that punch. By refusing to fall, Tethelle has basically won.
But that's something that many were probably already sure of earlier, and yet the fight kept going. Which begs the question: what on earth could possess someone to push themselves this far, treating a tournament much the same way they would a fight in which their very lives were at stake?
Whatever the case may be, Tethelle's attack finds little resistance this time. It's surprising enough that Xantia somehow still manages to stumble aside to avoid one of the strikes. The following two strike home cleanly, and finally, Xantia is completely spent, falling forward, out cold. She said she'd give it everything she had, and that's exactly what she did.
The roar of the crowd is deafening, drowning out the announcer calling the match, and calling for the medics. Medical assistance is already on the ball, however. Which is good, because wards or not, there's still injuries one shouldn't keep fighting with. Xantia kept fighting with several of those. She's not going to just walk that off. Though she may try, after she wakes up.
Really, it's the medics having to put up with Xantia who are the real losers here.