“This here bastard of a man has
been the Champion of Chmpions three years running, and fer that he got to sit
on his wee little arse and do no such nothin to entertain you fine people today
till no. So! Here he be to finally put up and give you all what you want! A
fight so great, the Bards will sing of it from now to next harvest! Because
lads and lasses, here be his opponent who you watched tear through a half dozen
souls and then a couple more… KURAN TUSK TOOTH!”
Kuran entered the arena to
thunderous applauds, a reaction he more than earned this day. She pumped her
fist in the at, hooting war cries to her fans, who all hooted back to her. She
approached Wilhelm and he turned to face her. The semi-finals always had the
contestants meet before the match, the crowd all seemed to lean in to watch the
two fighters size each other up. Wilhelm was incredibly tall for a Human, but
Kuran was still half a fingers length taller than the man. She narrowed her
eyes and grinned, the still fresh scar on her face wrinkled in the gesture.
“Now darlin what did Elenra do to
you? Wilhelm asked, inspecting the wound, he shifted back and forth giving the
impression he too was taciturnly sizing Kuran up. “I’m gonna have a talk with
her this night, aint right she mussed up your face like that. You’re beginning
to look like me now, ain’t nobody want that! You best talk with yer healer, boy
did a terrible job, you get at him to do you a proper healin before it sets
proper to you Wilhelm.” Wilhelm did his best to hide his smile.
“I will do that Wilhelm,” Kuran
responded, doing her best to hide her affection for the man. “It is not his
fault, I told him to save his magics for the day. To use them now, when I faced
you, and only on what is important.”
“Get out here, face is important!”
Wilhelm said, now taking the time to circle Kuran, who mirrored the posturing.
“It’s the money maker, after all. Though I am honored you would save your
Healer’s magic for me.”
“I think I win this fight,
Wilhelm.” Kuran stopped, and took a fighting stance, Trident out and ready.”
“Yeah? Why do you think that Kury?”
Wilhelm lifted his shield and warhammer and took a similar stance.
“I beat you last month in
exhibition, was good fight.” Kuran poised herself, waiting for Brisbane’s call.
“It sure was darlin, but that was
last month. This is now.” Wilhelm said.
The battle started in a flash,
Kuran striking out with her trident, Wilhelm’s shield coming up to deflect the
blow. His riposte was swift, pressing up with the shield and swinging in with
that hefty hammer at Kuran’s exposed ribs, the blow was glancing at best as
Kuran twisted and spun from Wilhelm’s strike. The two backed away and began
circling each other, no longer play acting for the crowd now they truly were
sizing each other up, each waiting for a faulter or false step, anything to
show an opening.
Wilhelm was on the offensive now,
charging forward and leaping into the air, Kuran’s trident came, but it merely
scraped against the man’s bicep, the armor there deflecting the blow. His own
hammer came down hard, and made solid contact with the woman’s hip. Kuran hollered
in pain, but kept herself in the moment, pressing into Wilhelm and snaking her
arm around Wilhelm’s trapping his weapon hand. She snarled at the man, pain
radiating through her side, and lurched forward, driving her forehead into the
human’s nose. Wilhelm staggered, and was struck again. The warrior could not
free his arm and with the third strike could feel blood gushing from his nose.
His legs faultered and he began to go down.
Annice gasped, no way! She couldn’t
believe Wilhelm was falling to Kuran again. She had been there the last time
these two fought, it was a hell of a match, and while Wilhelm did lose, Kuran
was in the Healing House for three days after their match. She leaned against
the podium, enraptured with the fight. She fidgeted, and finally discarded her
cloak, it was too hot to wear it now in the mid-day sun with all of these
people surrounding her. It didn’t quite hit her, or she just didn’t care at the
moment, that without the cloak her Clerical Vestments were bared to all. A few
people took noticed and stared with confusion and awe at the Cleric of Syrene who
had spent the entirety of this tournament shouting and cheering with the vigor
of a lifetime fan of blood sport. Annice did not notice these stares, she was
focused on the fight.
Wilhelm’s beard was stained from
blond to a deep crimson, and he spit the blood that had pooled in his mouth
out. Not many men could take the repeated blows of an Orcish headbutt and
stand, less so from a Half-Orc as renowned as Kuran… and quite honestly, Wilhelm
was not all that stable on his feet anyway. He had managed to jerk his head to
the side and thrust it back into Kuran’s fourth blow, giving a little back for
what he got, but it wasn’t enough, the blow had caused his ears to start
ringing and she was winding up for a fifth. She did hesitate just for a moment,
enough for Wilhelm to gain his bearings and pull his shield up, using the edge
to bash at Kuran’s shoulder, collar, and neck. After a handful of repeated
strikes he finally caught her proper in the throat and she choked and gagged,
releasing his arm. Wilhelm took the opportunity to distance himself.
The two stared, Wilhelm wiping
blood from his nose and Kuran stroking her throat, and they were on each other
again. Kuran drove her trident forward and down, and it sunk into Wilhelm’s
leg, he gritted his teeth and let out a guttered scream, pushing past the pain
to overhand his hammer down onto Koran, the Half-Orc was driven to one knee
from the blow and an audible crack of bone emanated through the arena,
following by a sickening pop, and Kuran let out a wail. Her arm hung limp at
the shoulder and she frantically pulled away from the hammer blow, releasing
the trident. Wilhelm thought he would be given the moment he needed to drive
forward and finish this, but in Kuran’s agony she lashed out, instinct taking
over, and latched onto Wilhelm’s ankle. The man had only a moment to realize
this before he was airborn, hurled though the sky and crashing to the dirt. The
trident, which was still buried in his thigh at the time, was wrenched free
from the toss, tearing from his flesh, pain radiated from Wilhelm’s face, leg,
and back, as well the wind was knocked from the fighter.
The fight seemed ended, neither
opponent stirred for a long few moments, but eventually air filled Wilhelm’s
lungs and he began to pick himself up from the ground. Kuran as well eventually
let the pain stabbing at her shoulder fade to a dull burn, she breathed deep
and turned to face her adversary. She growled at him as she took her limp arm
and while maintaining eye contact jerked it hard. There was only a singular
flinch from the woman as the shoulder sank back into it’s socket, and she
seemed to have renewed control over the appendage. Wilhelm stared, he had to
admit that was a hell of a display.
Finally pulling himself to his
feet, Wilhelm accessed himself… He hurt. His nose was certainly broken, a
gaping wound in his leg, and he knew damn well he likely tweaked a muscle in
his back and it was gonna bother him all night. He only got two good blows
against the Half-Orc, and neither had seemed to do squat. This was all going south
real fast, he needed to end this quickly. His gaze shifted to the ground, where
he found Kuran’s trident at his feet. He let out a haggard breath and nodded,
knowing what he needed to do.
Kuran was confused when Wilhelm
kicked the trident to her, Wilhelm by was no means a dirty fighter but
attacking an opponent, especially one of greater physical strength, while they
were disarmed was certainly not below him. As Wilhelm dropped his hammer and
shield, she understood. The wooden shield clattered to the ground, and the
hammer thudded shortly thereafter, the weight of the weapon keeping the hilt
standing straight. Wilhelm reached to his back, taking the maul and lifting it from
the belted hooks that kept it fastened to his back. Bringing it forward he
gripped it with two hands. Kuran raised her trident, and for the first time in
this fight, felt nervous.
Annice felt her entire body
quaking. When Kuran had beaten Wilhelm last month he didn’t have his maul, as
that tournament did not allow two handed weapons. Annice actually grinned, as
she now knew what was coming. She let out a cheer and joined the audience as
they all chanted in unison.
“UNIT!”
“OF!”
“MEASUREMENT!”
Wilhelm charged, letting the heft
of his weapon trail behind him. He closed the distance between him and Kuran
quickly, and she lanced out, striking at Wilhelm’s throat, seeking to divert
the man’s wild charge. Wilhelm instead ducked, feeling the prongs part, and
stab into the hair bun, which came undone, tearing a chunk of blond locks with
it. Coming under Kuran’s arms now Wilhelm swung, the power of it was amazing.
The head of the maul struck Kuran right in the solar plexus and she gasped in the
last breath she would be able to take for a long minute. Wilhelm twirled now,
using his momentum to bring the hammer around and crashed his weapon into Kuran’s
back, right over her shoulder blade. There was an agonizing crunch of bone and
a silent scream of searing pain from Kuran. She wasn’t about to allow Wilhelm
to have this too easy, as he pulled the hammer back and attempted to gain
momentum again she came around and drove her fist into the man’s jaw, blood
sprayed from his mouth and into the dirt. He staggered. Kuran pushed her advance
and attempted to uppercut but the pain in her back caused the blow to land without
any strength. The human raised a hand and shoved the half-orc with all his
might, she stumbled, and he took the chance to bring the hammer down and into
her knee. The leg twisted and bent in wats bone was not meant to and Kuran went
down. Not finished he brought the maul the other way and crushed Kuran’s ribs.
She crumpled to the ground. Wilhelm stumbled back, and pressed his maul into
the ground for support. He was sweating and his vision had tunneled, his
hearing was muted and he was finding it difficult to take breath. All his injuies
screamed at him save one, he couldn’t feel the pain in his leg anymore, looking
down he saw his pantleg drenched in blood and puddle forming at his foot, his
movement had torn the trident wounds open… And Kuran was standing up.
Annice gasped, she never saw anyone
stand after receiving a pummeling like that from Wilhelm, and he was in dire
shape. He had lost far too much blood, and she could see even from here that
the color was rapidly draining from his face. She had almost reached out and
cast a healing spell, but caught herself. That would have disqualified Wilhelm.
She was marveling at Kuran’s staggering endurance, even as she was feeling a
swell of disappointment to see Wilhelm lose to her again.
Kuran made it to her feet, and
stared down at Wilhelm. There was nothing but fury in her eyes, and the object
of her ire was helpless before her. She struggled with it, but lifted the
trident above her head. It seemed an act of the gods itself for the woman to
stand, let alone lift her weapon but here she was bearing down on Wilhelm, with
what seemed a clear intent to drive her trident into the man’s head. Magical ward
or not, that would be a lethal blow, which strictly speaking was not against
the rules, just heavily frowned upon. But before she could push forward and
drive down, she paused, face twisting into one of concern and confusion. She
wavered, stumbled, and the glyph appeared on her chest and burst into life, knocking
Wilhelm down to the ground and ending the match.
The crowd lost their collective
minds.
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