Bottles whirled in the Al Bhed's hands, the sounds of swishing chemicals alerting the bard of imminent danger. Possibilities continued to flow through the raging river that was his mind but even with such a strong current…he just couldn’t keep up. Saphen had never battled this type of fighter before and even now he could feel the ocean of fear rise around him. The Al Bhed was preparing to throw a concoction of some type directly at him and there was no way for Saphen to tell what it would do. The poet was only left with vague assumptions and the fear that he would drown before this battle ever started.
Despite his fears, the bard was still able to consider his options carefully as thoughts organized themselves into perfect measures. There is only one thing I can do thought the musician as the electrical signals in his brain became the conductor, ordering his body into action.
Just like his opponent Saphen believed in the performance beyond all else and he would make sure not to dishonor that tradition.
The muscles in his legs tightened, each appendage lurching forward as an explosion of athletic power released from his slender form. Speed would mix with grace and with each virgorous stride he would close the little distance between himself and the mad scientist. The large, powerful, and dramatic motions of his right hand would crescendo the commanding music into a near deafening sound of fury.
It was this very fury, laced with magic, which would absorb into one of his many plants. Coiled around his left arm was the thick wooden stem of his Euphoria Milli, gray thorns covering nearly every inch of the plant itself as it slithered out of his baggy sleeve. The end of this plant would extend outwards, past his left hand, like that of a gauntlet blade. It would reach a foot past his left hand, every thorn folding down to protect the primary stem as he prepared to use this beloved creature against Rikei. But while the music was controlling every spine that covered it the Al Bhed had decided to strike. With a single swift motion Rikei had tossed his weapon, obviously filled with green kool aid and concentrated evil, directly at Saphen with a dexterity equal to that of a Texas Horse Shoe Champion.
The green liquid filled vial flew at the bard, his hidden eyes widening in shock as he raised his thorn plant in defense. His fingers would pull his violin against his arm, using both the plant and his clothing to protect it from the splashing liquid as the vial broke in front of him. At the same time his right arm would lower behind him, protecting the strings of his bow against the dangers of his new found chemical as well.
*Splash!* The burning liquid would cover a decent portion of his upper body, most of it sizzling the clothing off his left arm. Groans of pain would ooze from clenched teeth as the bard continued to surge forward, fighting through the agony that was the Al Bhed’s attack.
Tattered fabric fell off his form, revealing more of the plant that rested beneath it. Various thorns of his Euphoria would begin to be consumed and fall off but out of all of his plants…the one he chose to defend himself with...was the most resilient. With a skin similar to that of steel any destruction would occur at a much slower rate. But if it was only the pain of burning skin and the consumption of his clothing that was the problem he would have been fine. But the liquid had also splashed on his mask, causing his right hand to rip it off out of sheer reaction to the liquid's biting pain.
My face....the bard would whisper in English as his vision, previously obscured by adrenaline, had regained focus on his opponent. The motion of his charge slowed down to a jog once more, the realization of what had just happened forming in his mind as the bard stared at his opponent blankly for a second.
Saphen’s hood would still continue to hide his face but it could not protect his nose, cheeks, and lips from exposure. The audience would scream in shock, for the first time ever in a fight tournament…part of Saphen’s face was revealed.
Freckles littered the pale skin of his cheeks as full lips tightened until they changed into an almost white hue. The only other time that this came close to happening was when Tenkai, the winner of the GTB the year prior, had managed to break part of his mask with a thunderous head butt. But even that year…his face was covered with fabric to keep him warm in the frigid climate that was their arena.
But there would be no recollection of this for the musician as pure....unrelenting anger consumed him.
“YOU STOLE MY FACE!!!”Saphen screamed in fury, his Al Bhed Cantata had quickly ended when the bard prepared his counter attack.
Even with the sudden pause the bard had pushed through the attack, allowing him to keep the chemist in reach before he could slither off. The bard’s left arm, still held across his body in a protecting position, was already cocked back and ready for Saphen’s next action. With a second scream from the very depths of hatred the musician swung his arm, plant and all, in a large arcing back swing. There was no dexterous aim to this attack as the green chemical that still covered many of the thorns flew off.
The bard had aimed for Rikei’s head, apparently attempting to smack the man to the ground with some percussion. If one were to ask Saphen what he was thinking at that moment...he would reply.
*That this Cadence would not be ending anytime soon...that was my promise...*
Buff Counter Wrote:
> Buff Counters gained: 1 > Buff counters used: 1 (Eu) > Total Left: 0
