RPG Blade Masters: Artemis vs. Mage [M-VLS]

[Astdis]

(OOC: pm me if this doesn't work...)

[COLOR=Navy][SIZE=2][FONT=Georgia]Setting: Woods near the Celtic fields.

Artemis sat next to a camp fire cooking her meal. She had been wandering for three days. The Romans had moved farther to the south and the clan battles had died down. It was planting time. [I]If she did not find a fight soon she may be forced to find a farm to work at, guarding the fields. Some in her lifestyle had turned ?Dragon Slayers?, chasing a myth told to them since childhood. But she had no desire to starve hunting a fable. [/I]

She looked up at the high sun through the emerald green. She sighed and glanced down the road. She thought she saw a figure approaching down the trail?[/FONT][/SIZE][/COLOR]

[dMage]

[COLOR=DarkGreen][FONT=Courier New]He walked with a calm air, eating some nuts and berries that he had picked up along the road side. Yet inside, he was cautious and alert to any new action that would take place in his surroundings. He had passed a few tribal skirmishes earlier on, and had had to teach both the barbarians and legionnaires to respect him as someone they should not harass. He was becoming tired of simply walking, and the cold air of the woodland nights was something he most definitely wished to avoid today. His search for a competent opponent was proving fruitless, the only helpful information being that which he gleaned from a pair of Legionnaires who claimed that his swordmastery came close to that of "Artemis".

He was thinking about this fabled warrior when he caught sight of smoke a bit ahead of him. Smiling, he increased his pace, hoping that the owner of the fire wouldn't mind having some company for a while...[/FONT][/COLOR]

[Astdis]

[FONT=Georgia][SIZE=2][COLOR=Navy]She saw him hastening toward her "Oy! Good sir, whether wander thee?"

"Here and there for a very long while milady, may I share your fire?"

She tilted her head in acceptance and he sat opposite her, warming his hands. She turned the spit and stirred the fire.

"Much thanks." he looked over at her weapons ?Do you fight?"

she smirked in spit of herself "I've been known to upon occasion."

"I like that, a woman fighter in this time and place. Tell me, where was your last fight?"

"Three days back, Roman soldiers. They tried to take advantage of a poor clan town on the trade trail." She watched his reactions carefully. He seemed intrigued with the Roman soldier comment, she wondered why. ?Why do you carry your arms??

He looked down at his swords ?recently, teaching barbarians and legionnaires respect. I am sorry, I?ve been rude, I am called Mage, and you are???

?Artemis, pleasure to meet you.?[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]

[dMage]

[COLOR=DarkGreen][FONT=Courier New]Mage had been extending his hand as he asked her for her name, but when she said "Artemis" his while stance changed. He was caught by surprise for only a few seconds before he let out a chuckle.

Artemis' eyes narrowed as she watched him laugh. [B]"I'm sorry sir, but I don't find anything amusing about my name."[/B]
Mage looked at her with a smile on his lips [B]"I'm sorry dear lady. You see, I have been travelling through these parts in search of a sword master whose skill can challenge my own. I have searched throughout many parts of the world, learning and challenging those whose abilities and skills would provide an adequate workout. I was told by the Roman legionnaires that you are such a person, and I found it amusing that both things I sought...a fire for tonight, and a good spar before sleep, are right in front of me[/B]." As he said this, he extended his arm again, reaching for the lady. [B]"So, if you would do me the pleasure of agreeing to a spar, till one of us has a clear advantage (as in right before a killing stroke) I'd be most obliged."[/B]

Artemis glanced at him, slowly sizing him up, studying his body and the way he carried himslef. After a few seconds of thought, she smiled in return and offered the warrior standing in front of her her hand. [B]"I agree to your conditions Mage...now, lets not wait and begin now."[/B] As she said this, her hands plunged into her sheathe as she drew her broadsword from its usual home at her side. She was curious when he did nothing but stand with his hands at his sides, as if waiting for her to make the first move. Shrugging, she drew her short sword and leapt at her oppponent with a forward slash. She watched, surprise in her eyes as he still stood rooted to the same spot. Her blades were about to slash him when suddenly she saw a blur of a very dark gray, and heard the ringing sound that signifies sword upon sword. She was even more surprised when she felt a kick on her rump that almost sent her sprawling to the ground. Regaining her balance, she saw her opponent standing coolly, waiting for her next attack. Her smile disappeared as she watched Mage with new respect. He was fast...but the question was, would he be as fast as her?[/FONT][/COLOR]

[Astdis]

[COLOR=Navy][I]Good, his reflexes were good. He was obviously a well trained defensive fighter. There was only one way to fight those?[/I]

She tilled her short sword to guard her front and the broadsword behind her shoulder. She then waited. He stared at her, obviously wanting her to attack again. She grinned at him but stood her ground.

After a moment, he lunged with lighting quick preciseness, aiming to slash her chest, [I]though his sword was hard to see[/I]. She met it with the short sword and brought the broadsword around to hit his backside. He attempted a dodge, but he caught her sword in the side.

She spun and made a swipe for his legs with her foot. He fell backwards but she was not in a good position to strike him. She made an attempt anyway and he met her sword easily from the ground, pushing it back. She moved with it and retook her stance and he regained his footing.

She saw the blood stain forming at his side. [I]It was good, but light. She'd been hacking through armies for so long now, she was rusty on the one on one, but she was remembering quickly[/I]...[/COLOR]

[dMage]

[COLOR=DarkGreen][SIZE=2][FONT=Courier New]Mage took a two-handed grip on his sword as he stood in a defensive posture, assesing mentally the wound she had given him. It was light and mostly superficial, and with other warriors, it would have given him an edge, as most would think that it would put him back. Not so with this lady. She inspected him for a few seconds before she bore in again, short sword on gaurd, and broadsword behind. This time though, Mage was ready. As she brought her broadsword down, his own blade flew up in a block. Thinking him to be defenseles, she thrust her shortsword to her abdomen. Yet as the blade came in, Mage drew his own short sword in a reverse grip, easily countering her attack and using the forward momentum from his draw to slice at her bicep. She drew away quickly, slashing at the air with her sword to her cover her defense. He knew that the stroke was minor, and so Mage went onto the offesive, hacking at her gaurd. She recovered easily enough from his first blow, using her short sword much more effectively than anyone else could use a shield. But she was purely on the defensive now, countering his attacks, as if waiting for a chink. Mage knew that she was more than competent and quick enough to exploit any minor mistake, so he kept his blows fluid and interconnected, never giving her the opportunity to come in.

They had danced around the fire, and were now moving to the forest when Mage picked up something peculiar about her style. While she used both weapons effectively, she almost never brought the short sword into play as an offensive weapon. The moment this thought hit his mind, and the second of hesitation he took when he realized, almost cost him the battle. Suddenly, she swept her broadsword across, effectively trapping both his weapons to one side. As she did this, she corkscrewed her body into an impressive piroutte that exposed his left side. She kicked hard at his left oblique, which she followed with a slash at his midsection. It was only the bramble that effectively tripped him which saved him from gaining a huge gash across his midsection. Yet he used the momentum from the fall to roll back and right onto his feet once again. They stood both breathing hard, one from the fall he had just taken, and the other, from the exhaustion her arms had taken from blocking so many blows...[/FONT][/SIZE][/COLOR]

[Astdis]

[COLOR=Navy]She panted and stared at him. That root had cost her.

[B]?Well?. "[/B] she said [B]"This is?.fun?[/B]

He smiled at her and retook his stance. She was going to have to do something different if she wanted to win this. She thought of the Romans and the battles, one line against another. She smiled and ran at him.

His face looked slightly shocked at what looked like recklessness, but she knew what she was doing. He easily moved out of the way and she went past him. He swung for her, but she turned perfectly so that his sword hit a tree. She then sliced at his knees with the short sword. He twisted and only one knee got the blade. She had hoped to knock him down with that blow. She stepped back and retook what was now a familiar stance.

He brought his sword around, and limping very slightly, he came for her. He knew the weaknesses of this stance. Half way to her she tossed her weapons, switching hands, and blocked him easily; he had been aiming for a weakness in her left hand guard.

She attacked him then with quick exact shots. He parried them, but barely, her sword was now coming from a different direction and he was having trouble adjusting his attack. He did however manage to back her into a tree.

She grinned at him [B]?You know, you?re pretty cute when you fight.?[/B]

He laughed and she pushed him off her. He swung at her and she dodged, but he caught her in the side, the same cut she?d delivered to him earlier. She attacked in force, pulling on the adrenaline to fend the muscle fatigue off. He defended well, but she got an opening and took it, swinging for his gut?[/COLOR]

[dMage]

[SIZE=2][COLOR=DarkGreen][FONT=Courier New]Mage was exhilarated that he had found a partner that was so competent, and was proving to be adequate during spar. Her attacks were coming in fiercely now, and the switch she had made had thrown him off a bit, but he was finally starting to feel confident again when he saw the blade coming straight towards his gut. As he saw the blade whistle in, he knew there was absolutely no way that he could wholly avoid the attack, but what he was sure about was that he could manipulate where the blade would land, and that it might just give him a great advantage.

As the slash came in, Mage once again drew his short sword in a reverse grip. Artemis short sword was already within his gaurd, but Mage's plan didn't revolve around blocking the blow, instead, he used the momentum from his draw to force the blade to turn so that the flat of that blade was what now would strike him. As he did this, he stepped towards the blow, effectively trapping Artemis's blade between his own short sword and left oblique. Her eyes widened in suprise, as she saw his move, but he wasn't quite done yet. Sliding his sword up hers, he struck at her hand, loosening the grip she had on her blade, and then he struck hard with his own long sword at her blade, making it fly out of her hands and into the woods. They stared at each other for less than a second before Mage went on the ofeensive once again, delivering blow after blow as she moved back, using the broadswords impressive size as a shield. Mage kept at her, swinging his blades as she effectively parried each of his blows.

Though the fight was good, he was tiring, and knew that the sooner he put her away, the better. Still, to stop fighting against someone so comitted and skillful was sad, and Mage was willing to go as long as they their stamina could stand. This was why, when he feinted with his short sword, causing her to drop to a low gaurd, and he was able to pin her against a tree, he only leaned in to whisper, [B]"You look quite beautiful when you're concetrating so hard." [/B] before hopping back and sheathing his own short sword, putting them both on an even setting.[/FONT][/COLOR][/SIZE]

[Astdis]

[COLOR=Navy]She looked up the trunk of the tree [B]?You know, I?m noticing you like putting me up against these things, seems only fair I should return the favor?[/B]

She ran and jump kicked, blocking his sword with the flat of hers and kicking him square in the gut. He went backwards, slamming into a near by oak and falling to the ground. He coughed and pulled himself up, shaking the leaves out of his eyes. He blew the hair out of his face and smiled at her.

[B]?Cute, very cute?[/B]

[B]?Thank you?[/B]

[B]?I was talking about your moves? [/B] He said, smirking and came at her, attacking quickly.

The kick to the gut must have given him an adrenaline boost. He was good; this was the best fight she?d had in years. She flipped out of range ?

He came for her. She spun, she flipped, she parried his every blow and still he countered. The sun light was fading from the trees. She grabbed a branch and swung herself up, and scanned her ground. She had an idea and it would only work if?

He looked up at her
[B]?Now that?s just not fair, how can I kill you up there??[/B]

She grinned down at him [B]?Oh fine, spoil sport?[/B]

She flipped off the branch and landed hard on her feet with a grunt. Her muscles ached horribly. If she could just hold on a little longer?

He was backing her into the woods and she let him. She blocked and pushed him back. He staggered and she took the moment to take a swipe for his head. His foot shot out and tripped her. She fell backwards into the dense ferns.


She watched as he leaned down over her and his sword came around toward her gut?


He blinked and stopped short, sword hovering over her stomach?


She had her broadsword and short-sword crossed around his throat. She looked down at his sword, mere inches from her gut. She grinned up at him, cocking an eyebrow, breathing heavily [B]?Draw?[/B][/COLOR]

[dMage]

[COLOR=DarkGreen][SIZE=2][FONT=Courier New]Mage blinked twice before he fully realized the implications of what Artemis had said. Yet as soon as he realized what was going on, a full smile blossosmed on his lips as he extended his free hand towards the warrior on the ground.

"You know, you looked quite sexy down there on the ground" he said as they walked back to the makeshift camp where the battle had started.

"Oh really." she replied coolly, though a small smile was forming on her lips. "What say we just exchange moves for tonight after you find us something to eat?"

Mage laughed aloud at her reply, thinking that their would be much they both would learn over dinner.[/FONT][/SIZE][/COLOR]

[Astdis]

[COLOR=Navy][CENTER]*grins* - Spar ended -[/CENTER] [/COLOR]