video † looking for duel

[cruxified]

[video]

[The man on the screen is a bit tall, if the camera angle is any indication. He is dressed in a tight navy uniform and a cape. Someone please tell him that Halloween isn't for another month.

He has a rather frightening stare, though. Maybe... tell him next time.]

I require a sparring partner. I use a sword and shield, but you can use whatever you're comfortable with. I know some magic as well.

[A pause.]

Meet me in District 2, in the small park at [intersection].

[He shuts the feed off after an awkward silence.]

Comments

[cloakand_danger]

Of course you should have. [Yuan swaggers over, grinning down at him, and for a moment the last four thousand years never happened.] I didn't even think it needed to be said.

[cruxified]

Normally I wouldn't entertain an uninvited guest, but it was an open invitation of sorts. [He gracefully gets to his feet, buckling his sword back on, and making sure his shield is too.] There are quite a few fighters here, but I've had to hold back.

[cloakand_danger]

[Yuan takes a balanced stance, extending one hand in front of him, palm open, as he focuses until his double-ended greatsword manifests in a flash of light.] So you're already warmed up, then. Good, wouldn't want this to get boring.

[cruxified]

Boring? [Is that what it's come down to? Kratos doesn't care if he's boring or not, but he'd rather Yuan didn't resort to calling him that. He draws his sword with a flourish and waits.] I don't plan on holding back. Do you?

[cloakand_danger]

I wouldn't dream of it. [He grins slyly, then lunges forward.] I've got lots better ways of insulting you than that!

[cruxified]

[Kratos sidesteps nimbly, but meets him regardless, trying to parry him with his shield in a way that might knock Yuan off balance. He swings his sword, trying to tag Yuan's shoulder. If that doesn't work, which it probably won't, he'll think of something else. Anyone watching can barely track what's going on; even without wings, it's a clash of lightning and steel that clearly goes beyond human capabilities.]

[cloakand_danger]

[Yuan allows his sword to strike Kratos' shield, moving with the recoil and swiveling the blade to bring the other end up, hopefully under Kratos' guard. The blow twists aside slightly as Yuan has to dodge Kratos' next strike, but Yuan moves into it, hoping to drive Kratos back a step or two with the aggressive move.]

[cruxified]

[Shit. Well, if he wants distance, he's got it. In order to keep from shedding blood this early in the duel, Kratos has to give up on his offensive. He deflects the twinblade just enough to leap back, sliding backward and leaving marks in the grass.

He's not about to give up, though. Kratos regains his footing and charges forward, launching into a flurry of quick, sharp sword thrusts that ought to be a bitch to avoid.]

[cloakand_danger]

[That would be a bitch to avoid, indeed. Yuan spins his sword sharply in front of himself to create an impromptu shield and deflect a couple of the blows, giving himself time to leap clear, doing a backflip in midair and landing on his feet, sword poised defensively in front of himself.

His pulse is racing - he hasn't felt so alive in ages. It's been far too long since they've done this.]

[cruxified]

[As soon as Yuan makes it clear that he's not about to stand there and take it, Kratos begins concentrating and pulling together a spell. Judging by the way the temperature has just picked up, it's probably going to hurt.]

Eruption!

[Because it's totally okay to cast a gigantic fireball in the middle of a fucking park.]

[cloakand_danger]

Augh! [The force of the blast flings Yuan backward, his clothes singed. He glares at Kratos when he finds his feet.[ You bastard. [Two can play at that game, and it's the work of a brief thought to draw lightning from the air around them, a spell circle glowing vibrant purple for a moment beneath his feet.]

Thunder Blade!

[cruxified]

[Kratos expected retaliation, but he didn't think it would actually hit. Yuan's attunement to lightning means that Thunder Blade is going to fucking hurt. He tries to run out of it, but he's still caught at the edge of the spell, and it staggers him. They're one to one now.

Okay, yeah, he gets it. But he did say he wasn't going to hold back. He supports himself on his sword briefly, scraping back to his feet, and leaps back into melee range. This time, he's aiming low. It's a greater chance of being blocked, but as long as he can keep up the assault, he'll be able to find a way in.]

[cloakand_danger]

[Yuan manages to catch the blow on his sword, but the impact close to his center of mass doesn't provide him much leverage - his fighting style relies a lot on his opponent providing his sword with momentum, and the way that blow landed isn't giving him much to work with. He shoves Kratos back forcefully, then drops for a ground-sweeping kick. Ideally he'll knock Kratos off his feet entirely - at the very least, he's aiming to unbalance him.]

[cruxified]

[Kratos is expecting fancy footwork with Yuan involved. Swordsmanship isn't just about the weapon. It's an extension of the body, and that means learning how to use your other limbs, too. Unfortunately, the kick doesn't land; Kratos tucks his legs as he jumps, swinging his sword to gain momentum, and finally bringing his blade down from above for a headsplitter.

Time to move.]

[cloakand_danger]

[And move he does: still low to the ground, Yuan rolls to the side, the blow missing him by inches. He uses his free hand as leverage in springing to his feet, then pauses for a moment in a defensive stance to reassess their positioning.]

[cruxified]

[That's good, because the momentum from missing Yuan has left Kratos needing a second or two to get to his feet as well. As cold and impassionate as always, he's finished with his own assessment and decided to go on the offensive again. As he runs, he slices at the ground, sending a double flurry of shockwaves to try and toss Yuan off balance.]

Are you bored?

[cloakand_danger]

Not yet; looks like you're still good for something, at least. [He nimbly hops over the shockwaves, driving the end of his sword into the ground as he lands. A rune circle forms around the end of it.] Heaven's Wrath! [Lightning strikes in front of him, and two feet in front of that, forming a line of rapid bolts stretching toward Kratos' location.]

[cruxified]

[He scoffs lightly at Yuan's jab. Back to fighting, though. Demon Fang is easy enough to dodge. The real problem is countering those spells. Kratos doesn't actually know any water spells, or else he'd rain on Yuan's parade. A shame, really.

Then again, with how worked up they're getting... maybe it's better that they don't have a risk of serious electrocution.

Speaking of which, he's trying to strafe away from that wall of lightning. He manages but just barely. Without time to close the distance between them, he concentrates, then lets loose a spell that sends the earth reeling and buckling beneath Yuan's feet.]

Grave!