Hal vs. Ezra Crane

Leviathan Sky Ring

The Leviathan Sky Ring has long been infamous in Gaia's fighting circles as the consolation award stage: where people go to fight for third and fourth place, while Heaven or Hell's winners move on to the Stadium proper for the finals match-up. The disc sits high in the sky, hundreds of meters above Leviathan Stadium.

Terrain

General: An enormous, flying disc of inert ceramic material. The disc is flat and smooth, akin to a basketball court's floor in terms of texture and friction. The disc measures 75' across.

Weapons: None.

Bonus Features: Falling off the sky ring is a ring-out. There's a net below the disc to catch fighters. Characters who can fly can theoretically fly under the disc, provided they don't exceed the flying limits of the GCL or go beyond the ring-out ten count.

It wasn't long before Hal's curiosity was sated, the treasure hunter seemingly appearing from nowhere on the opposite side of the Sky Ring. The smell of ozone drifted from the location of the teleport, while the air was thick with static electricity. At its center, Ezra stood with a hand covering his mouth, stifling a burst of coughs and trying to withstand the tumultuous sensation in the pit of his stomach. While the man often considered himself a lover of the magical arts, there were techniques that Ezra particularly disliked, even if he could see the practicality. Mind reading was one. Teleportation was the other and the most troublesome of the two as far as the hunter was concerned.

Managing to keep his lunch down, Ezra cursed under his breath and began to slowly walk towards the creature. He was dressed in his usual dark blue, two piece suit and tie; a long hooded trench coat rounding out the outfit. A cylindrical haversack was slung over one of the hunter's broad shoulders, the bag's surface rigged with belts and holsters that contained his assortment of weapons. Ezra came to an abrupt halt somewhere near the center of the Sky Ring and lowered his haversack to the ground. Rolling his shoulders, his gaze shifted from Hal to the panoramic view of the city of Latent all around him.

"So I suppose you're my opponent then?" Ezra asked, realizing in the back of his mind that it was certainly possible that his opponent couldn't understand him, but figuring it was worth a shot regardless.

1/20

A Beat Spider Wrote:

A Beat Spider Wrote:

"Very well," Ezra replied with a nod, standing in a passive stance as the wind carried his trench coat in heroic fashion. His eyes were like the pin-points of a pair of wickedly sharp daggers, seemingly piercing Hal with the sheer ferocity of the stare. Of course, unlike the creature's infrared, his gaze carried no power whatsoever except possibly intimidating the opponent. The hunter wasn't going to get his hopes up in that regard. He wouldn't win this fight due to personality quirks, only superior combat skills would earn Ezra a victory.

As the creature studied the hunter with his infrared, only a small number of things appeared to be hidden underneath his coat. A round shield, sabre, and harpoon jutted or were attached to the haversack, appearing plain as day even to unaugmented eyes. However, a pair of push daggers (their cold shapes clear against the backdrop of his warm body) could be seen clipped to inner-lining pockets, along with a small object (which appeared hotter than Ezra under infrared) that had the general shape of a clawed hand.

"I'm Ezra. I'm pleased to make your acquaintance," he added respectfully, his right hand gripping the handle of his sabre. He pulled it from its sheath in a single, practiced motion, and outstretched the weapon until the blade's point was aimed directly at the creature's thorax. The weapon's disc-guard was bulky, a complex mechanism was built-in to the guard. Its capability unknowable from Hal's point of view, though it came to life in Ezra's grasp and burnt brightly under Hal's sight.

"Do not disappoint me," Ezra added as he began his advance. He wouldn't charge or run at Hal, but the space between them would disappear quickly as he moved at a brisk pace. His coat billowed with every motion of his feet; his eyes studying the creature closely and noting the metallic nature his wings and claws. It caused a few ideas to bounce around his noggin, but nothing Ezra would immediately put into use. At maximum range, Ezra lunged forward with his right leg, bending the knee adequately as he thrust the sabre towards Hal's center mass. Whether the attack struck or not hardly mattered, as Ezra's large range advantage would prevent Hal from launching an attack of his own without first covering the rest of the distance between them.

Poke at the creature and keep it at bay. Quite textbook.

2/20

((Sorry for the wait. I rolled my ankle and caught a bad cold recently which has kept me secured to my bed for a while. I'll be quicker from here on out.))

His opponent was fast, that much was certain as the creature dipped below Ezra's lunging thrust. The hunter wasn't surprised, however, knowing that any fighter worth their salt wouldn't succumb to an opening attack. Immediately as his sabre missed its mark, Ezra endeavored to return to his original position, simply sliding his lead leg (the right) back up to an upright position, and leaning his weight on his back leg. Hal's plan of attack proved interesting, though not entirely smart as the small creature rolled across the ground in an attempt to get around him. Ezra had no intention of standing still and allowing that to happen.

Typically, it would have been difficult to keep up with such a swift and comparably diminutive opponent. Fortunately, Ezra had a few things going for him. For one, having lunged from maximum range previously, it meant that Hal had quite a bit of space to cover (8 feet), which gave the treasure hunter ample time to react. And secondly, his movements were preternaturally charged, enhancing his strength and speed as he reacted.

Feeling like an unstoppable dynamo, Ezra pivoted his feet and turned his frame to the right, extending his right arm like a striking viper. The sabre's tip poised to strike Hal somewhere in the mid-section/torso as he attempted to pass by, knowing it would be incredibly difficult to avoid or even see the attack coming whilst his opponent was trapped by the momentum of his own roll. Having left the haversack somewhere near the center of the Leviathan Sky-Ring, Ezra had doomed the creature to tunneling his focus on the dusty piece of luggage, which was too far to reach without being chased and attacked the entire way.

In ignoring his opponent and placing his focus on the haversack, Hal had made a grave mistake and the hunter wanted him to know it. If his attack struck true, the amplified thrust would likely pierce flesh, digging into the creature's torso quite deeply. The blood would run thick or so would Ezra hope, and the pain would be excruciating. What kind of damage it would do to Hal's internal anatomy was beyond him as he knew nothing of his race's characteristics, but he supposed that it would suffice to say that it was going to bloody hurt, and likely cancel any intent to run for the haversack.

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Infernal Power Wrote:

> Fiendish Force: On activation, this is a temporary buff (instant/1 post) to both strength and speed (50%). It adds explosive oomph to several of Ezra's commonly used techniques. For example, push kicks and especially throws can be empowered to knock away opponents up to 10 feet. While slams and single/double-legs are empowered to be swifter and cause more damage. > > > > Cool-down: 2

Fiendish Force CD: 0/2

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A Beat Spider Wrote:

"I AM YOUR OPPONENT!"

Ezra declared with fierce determination in his voice and expression, pulling his blade from inside the creature's body, and standing at the ready. He couldn't know how much damage he had wrought upon Hal without inspecting the wound closely, but the oddly colored blood that clung to the surface of the sabre told Ezra enough. Even if the attack didn't earn him victory, it had been a clean hit nonetheless. The hunter had hoped that his opponent would turn towards him, and resume the fight in earnest. However, it wasn't long before Hal descended to all fours and took off running towards the haversack.

With an angry roar, the veteran soldier turned and gave chase, his long legs and tip-top athleticism permitting Ezra to keep pace with his opponent. He would make the creature regret ever attempting to turn his back on him. Of course, Ezra was firmly aware that Hal was watching him out of the corner of his eye, which would make it undoubtedly difficult to launch and land an attack. That said, like every other quadruped, Hal was a slave to his anatomy and means of four-legged locomotion. Ezra timed his slice, waiting for the opportune moment when Hal's hind legs kicked off the ground in his fast gallop, leaving them momentarily suspended in air and uniquely targetable.

Taking a long stride forward with his right leg, the hunter's rear leg remained straight and at an incline whilst he swung his arm in a wide arc. It would lead the attached sabre in a horizontal attack that began to Ezra's right-hand side and shifted swiftly to the left, aiming to draw a deep line across the backs of Hal's legs (near the hamstrings/back of the knees). Ezra couldn't know if he would succeed, though his failure would certainly hinge on whether Hal would quickly adopt evasive maneuvers.

But if the attack met its mark, the damage to the back of Hal's legs would make it difficult to continue moving in such ways. More important than any potential wounds, however, is the realization that simply rushing the haversack would prove detrimental, for Ezra had every intention of chasing and fighting Hal every step of the way.

Fiendish Force CD: 1/2

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A Beat Spider Wrote:

Ezra swallowed hard. Under typical circumstances, the hunter realized what would have happened, and that is, he would have tripped and found himself impaled thoroughly. Fortunately, proper form would save his life again.

Ezra Crane Wrote:

> "Taking a long stride forward with his right leg, the hunter's rear leg remained straight and at an incline whilst he swung his arm in a wide arc."

As the hunter took his lunging step and swung his blade, his rear leg (the left) came to a complete halt, as taking a running stride with his left leg whilst he swung would have been to the attacks detriment. He didn't know what Hal would do in response to the attack, but Ezra was prepared to give chase if need be. Instead, Ezra didn't need to give chase nor did Hal dodge the attack all that drastically. His opponent hit the deck, surprising Ezra, and causing his sabre to impact the metal wings upon Hal's back. Sparks flew and both edges seemed to bite into one another in familiar fashion. Those metallic wings had brought a few ideas to mind earlier, and it looked like the perfect moment to make use of one.

As their respective implements came into contact, Ezra initiated a bind, making sure that his blade remained pressed against the wing. Depressing a trigger within the sabre's handle, he channeled his own energy into the weapon. The blade crackling as it suddenly became enveloped in a field of electricity.

Though it clung to his blade, the electricity would still attempt to find the path of least resistance, transferring from the blade to the wing and by extension into Hal's body. It would have been difficult to perform such a maneuver on an opponent wielding a sword. However, a metal wing attached to a living, breathing body was just perfect.

He didn't know whether he would succeed in electrocuting Hal. But if he did, Ezra would crouch low, and use his free hand (the left) to grab ahold of Hal's left ankle. It didn't seem smart to grab onto someone who was being electrified, but fortunately the attack didn't have sufficient amperage in order to complete a circuit of any sort.

Weapons Wrote:

> Electrical Augment: Upon activation, the blade becomes visibly electrified. It strikes with the power of a self-defense taser, posssibly stunning the opponent in addition to any wounds the sword inflicts. The effect lasts for two turns or until the first contact is made. Other objects (like all kinds of metal) that can interact with lightning can also be attacked. > > > > Cool-down: 2

Fiendish Force CD: 2/2 End

Electrical Augment Duration: 1/2 (until first usage)

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A Beat Spider Wrote:

"I AM YOUR OPPONENT!"

He roared again, watching eagerly as Hal's body seized up at first before going still. He wasn't sure whether his diminutive opponent was laying a trap or not (once more), but Ezra had no intentions of wasting the opportunity his electrical attack had given him. As if on cue, the hunter released the sabre which clattered to the floor of the Sky Ring; the muscles all over his body suddenly bulging with preternatural strength, the growth causing Ezra's musculature to strain against his clothing. Grabbing Hal's right leg with his free hand, the hunter burst into action as he threw himself back up to his full height, and pulled his opponent along in a trajectory that was akin to a catapult. But instead of releasing Hal and launching him as he was pulled overhead, Ezra continued to hold on and rotated his body in a one-eighty turn as he crossed his arms, aiming to slam Hal's form directly into the flooring. On impact, which seemed inevitable considering Hal's need to fully reboot, Hal would be subject to intense blunt force trauma across his upper back, neck, and the back of his head.

Besides knocking the wind from the creature, the magically empowered slam would likely cause rib fractures along with a sensation that was somewhere between a concussion and unconsciousness. Ezra couldn't know what the exact effects of his attack would be, but he knew it was going to fucking hurt!

"AND DON'T EVER FORGET IT!"

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Infernal Power Wrote:

> Pit Fiend's Strength: Upon activation, Ezra taps into the full strength of his diabolical nature. This buff increases his strength by 100%, and lasts for two posts or until its cancelled. > > > > Cool-down: 4

Electrical Augment CD: 1/2

Pit Fiend's Strength Duration: 1/2

6/20

A Beat Spider Wrote:

Ezra relished in the satisfying crunching sound as his opponent was brought to the earth, being slammed into the Sky Ring by the strength of the hunter's body alone. As Hal levied an angry stare upon Ezra, the warrior met that gaze with similar ferocity, promising future pain and destruction if the creature proceeded with the fight. Hal's left leg began to kick, though like his right leg, the left ankle had been seized earlier as well and Ezra struggled against that attacking limb, using his supernatural strength to keep both limbs under control. At such proximity, however, the sharp claws would reach the hunter's forearms, scraping along the steel plates of vambraces (covering the forearms) as the illusion placed upon a pair of cuff links was lifted and the armor pieces appeared in their full glory.

With Hal's first mode of attack thwarted, Ezra would waste no time, forsaking his opponent of the opportunity to try another method of escape. Using the last of his preternatural strength, understanding that his spell would run out of juice soon, the hunter would attempt to yank Hal into the air, pulling him in generally in the same trajectory, and hoping to slam the opponent into the area where the electrocution had originally occurred. This time, though, Hal would be landing upon his chest and more importantly his face. The slam carried enough force to break the bones in the creature's animal snout, dislodge even the strongest of teeth, and pull Hal the rest of the way into unconsciousness. The slam would likely prove disastrous for any body part that impacted the ground of the Sky Ring, though Hal was in no position to receive any lasting damage or death for that matter. This time, Hal's sensors were on, and he would likely feel (if Ezra proved successful) every bit of the massive amount of pain Ezra was attempting to inflict.

Armor & Equipment Wrote:

> Cuff Links: An expensive pair of cuff links that glint magnificently in the light. They're also enchanted. On command, the cuff links disappear and a pair of vambraces take their place. The armor is made of a tough steel and is covered in ornate designs. The vambraces cover both of Ezra's forearms in their entirety, and provide a decent enough surface for forearm strikes.

Electrical Augment CD: 2/2

Pit Fiend's Strength Duration: 2/2

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