Lucind vs Maximos

Stage0: Preliminaries

Barton Fountain

Somehow it seems we keep coming back here every year, don't you think?

Dead center of town and once again in control thanks to Deity and the new Barton Planning Department. The Barton Fountain is a nice open square centered around the iconic fountain, along with the required benches and greenery.

Terrain

General - Spectators permitted leisure time are standing back a safe distance.

Weapons - None.

Bonus Effects - Slightly moist around the fountain.

Red Player: Maximos

Representing: Team Eclipse

Played By: Maximos

Blue Player: Lucind Varhetel

Representing: Team Mythos

Played By: Lucind Varhetel

Silver.

He said without a moments hesitation. He even reached out to take the lamp from her and turn it at various angles in his hands. Max wasnt annoyed, Max wasnt bored as he followed Lu around her female business. Max was a shopper!

He and money often got into arguments over things, the money always left leaving him a bunch of stuff. Regardless, shopping was quite a relaxing experience albeit it a heavy one.

After all, Heaven or Hell was known for its brutality...but a few awkward glances in Lucind's direction while she was facing away, throughout the day hinted at the fact that Max didnt really want to brutalize his girlfriend. But not a hint of his doubt would show on his face, no he smiled, he laughed, he spent as much as Lucind if not more, and most importantly he made a point not to mention the fight. Not all day.

And then it was upon them, they were checked in. The fountain was cleared and wet, and Lucind was changing. Maximos didnt change a thing. He had discarded his jacket, top hat, and scarf, setting them down neatly on a nearby seat just out of the crowds reach. This left Maximos in a dark blue pinstripe vest, with a black dress shirt beneath it, black pants, and his Night's Feet, which were his standard footwear. He ran his gloved right hand through his spiky navy blue hair, then tugged at the end of his fingerlessly gloved left hand.

While Lucind changed, Max found the sign and smirked for ear to ear. Lu stared, Max continued to smirk. He would have called Ankokuko, but Lu had yet to arm herself. Instead she asked if he was ready. To which he smirked and said.

Ready? So its a lovers spat is it?

The idea too good to let go without due notice.

I think I'm ready for that...

That grin just wasnt fading.

Max was a man of brutality, of efficiency. He attacked to disable, break, and or end his foes as quickly and effectively as possible. It was how he was taught from childhood onwards. It just flowed naturally, without thought or effort. He was a special kind of animal, one who could do something so vicious and not feel remorse. And while he might not be crazy about it, there was a deep ruthless side of him that always said, do what you have to.

One might say that his brutality came easy. And in the case of this tournament, too easy. But just as much as Maximos was all of the above he something else, he was a gentleman. And Lucind was not only very dear to him, she was a lady. He would not, and more so could not brutalize her. He had to walk a different path, one less natural. Perhaps more difficult? This would be a challenge, and with a reach into his top hat drawing forth not Ankokuko. But the solid black length of the Nameless, the 4ft long, longsword, followed by an adjustment of his glasses up the bridge of his nose and a grin, the Shadow rose to meet it.

For this, he would need the precision that the Nameless offered him, while still meeting Lucind on and equally armed plane.

He watched her, the ease of her already smooth figure 8 was quite impressive. In a moment, Maximos was very glad that Lucind had undergone training before this tournament.

Lovers spat...we can play with this.

There was a clang, the sound of weapons meeting, the jet black blade held steady in his hand against the eshaton, the two biting each other just a few inches beneath the fork. The sound faded leaving only the gentle hum of the Nameless' dull black blade. Without a seconds hesitation, his left hand rose up to grab the staff of the eshaton directly above where his sword met it. His hand closer to the fork than the sword, his thumb towards his blade and pinky towards the fork.

Hey!

Maximos said, suddenly, with an offended expression across his face. A very convincing one too! To all but those that knew him.

You were going to hit me for real! You could have broken something!

Then immediately, with a stolen grip he jerked his left hand back to pull at the pole arm, while his right hand swung his sword hard and fast, letting fly a rain of violet sparks as he scraped his sword against and down the length of the eshaton's staff directly towards Lucind's hands. The goal of course being to make her release her weapon as his opposite hand held it from moving out of range. Of course, no gentleman would cost his lady her fingers. Thus why the Nameless scraped against the eshaton, to wedge hers off with a swift impact not a vicious slice.

In another moment, Maximos was very glad that he had trained Lucind. And that he knew she could take a joke, as he added.

Thats not very nice!

[1/10]

I dont think you are!

He said, as his sound of metal scraping against metal gave way to the sound of a blade passing through empty air. Now the question was, where was the Nameless? It could continue a wide arc out by his side...but that would be foolish. Instead, as it slipped off the back of Lucind's polearm it looped around, over Max's head and would clang against the fork of the eshaton. This time behind Max's hand instead of in front.

She advanced. Max grinned wider, and said.

Oh no no, dont think your going to get all cuddly after that!

Now as his right foot was leading it was the best thing to kick off of. Kicking off of anywhere else, anywhere less supported would have likely resulting in the area just collapsing. A fact which quickly turned into a moot point as his left hand slipped off the staff, leaving his sword to hold a defensive position as the arm whipped down. In a swoop he would grab the attacking leg by the ankle before it could reach. And then shove it back in the same motion that he slashed forward with his sword to shove eshaton back, as if driving the above and below statement home. His face took on a very faux melancholy to it, as he spoke.

I think we need some space.

Now the question here was, how much attention was Lucind paying to the smaller details of the fight? Would she notice when her shadow crawled against the sunlight towards Max's? Regardless he was going to run with this joke.

You know? Maybe we're moving to quickly?

[2/10]

Max grinned.

Anyone who knew Maximos knew that a grin, especially during a fight was not a good thing. Not for an opponent anyway. You see, Max recognized her humming. He even recognized her shield in its preparation stages, any shadowy explosions or the light would be diffused, diverted, so forth and so on. But he absolutely no intention of doing something so direct.

Lu opened her mouth, and there was the shield. It was made evident by the odd buzzing sensation in the air around her. And then she flipped....

Now, Lucind hadnt noticed her shadow meeting Maximos'. But in flipping she had played directly into his trap. You see she had a shield against shadowy attacks...but did she have a shield against tripping? She was flipping, as a gymnast can tell you the trickiest part of a flip was not actualy turning in mid air, it was the landing. Your footing must be secure.

But what happens when your feet touch the ground? Well most pertinently your feet will always land on your shadow. And as Lucind moved to land, Maximos simply yet quickly, slid his foot backwards. And in that crucial moment when she exited her flip and needed footing, she would find the "floor", ripped out from underneath her. Which was to say, that as her feet landed in her shadow, the shadow was pulled out from under her immediately. Like pulling a rug out from underneath someone. Pulling the "rug" forward, would likely cause her to slip backwards.

Max didnt need to have his magic eye to know that when the Siren opened her mouth during a fight, it meant trouble. Violet sparks danced down his left arm, and across his fist. If Lucind was falling, or even catching herself, she was likely not shooting her iri kal. But Max did take the opportunity to point the sword at her and say, very briskly.

Dont you shout at me!

Making a very threatening gesture, as if very heated by the "argument" they were having. Only to add...

I'm just not ready to fall for you too...

[3/10]

"I...am hurt."

Her free index finger was raised.

"How dare you insulting my beautiful voice by talking of shouting? What if I just wanted to sing you a lullaby?"

Max was about to open his mouth to say something, but fell silent as she continued. She was only too right! He was always one for the heart of the meal, or desert. He loved desert. Either way his mouth shut leaving only a smirk as his response. Lucind was doing wonderfully, beautifully even. He was nothing if not proud. No, he wouldnt rush her viciously. But at the same time he wasnt exactly going to offer a hand to help her up. Despite the humorous overtone, despite his decision not to mutilate his girlfriend this was still in every way a real fight.

His opponent was weighing her abilities, she swung her staff and Maximos blinked as it soared through the air almost as if it was able to cut through wind resistance. But he was not unprepared himself. After all as previously mentioned...

Quote: Violet sparks danced down his left arm, and across his fist.

...An effect which did not desist, but instead increased while Lu and Max passed their running jest. Now, the eshaton was barreling toward Maximos' head. He could have raised his sword, but he didnt. Beside that, not knowing the sort of force Lu's technique was bringing to bear he could have ended up smacking his own face with his sword. But, he had another option in waiting.

In a fluid burst of motion, Max swiveled on his right heel turning to face the oncoming attack. His left hand came swinging forward, quickly balling into a fist aiming straight for the eshaton. For stylistic effect, the glow around his fist took the shape of a grinning skull. His attack was in cue with his words.

No, no, I simply wont have it! Etiquette my dear!

Quote:

• Black Crescendo -

A more trademark maneuver. Maximos is able to charge a length of black energy along his fist and arm. When a punch is delivered the energy is able to either race ahead echoing the punch striking first, or trigger once the fist has already connected exploding forward at the contact point. In either case on contact the effect is variant on the situation. The energy will rush forward adding a second force to the attack as if the opponent was struck twice in immediate succession. Or to even explode outwards from the impact point in a small concussive blast of pure force, enough to send weaker opponents soaring backwards, and cause stronger opponents off their footing. The strength of the attack varies depending on the amount of preparation time given.

Now, Maximos was aiming for the staff. While it might have been difficult to grab, punch, or even directly connect with the eshaton in its current state Maximos was not directly doing any of the above. The Black Crescendo was meant to explode in purely concussive force on contact with the eshaton, which would of course be before it could connect with him. And with the amount of time he had to prepare, it was meant to send the weapon screaming back, especially when his fist...if all went according to plan...struck the weapon directly afterwards. Max could not rate Lucind's strength, but he knew that his attack had enough force to knock one of his own attacks away easily.

With any luck, Lu's rhythm was broken. Regardless Max, who was already swiveling on his right foot, continued his motion stepping forward with his left while whipping in a quick 360 as his left arm was flung back. He ducked low, and as his right arm, his sword arm, lead the spin it was use the centrifugal force in tandem with Max's own strength to aim a swing at side and back of Lu's legs. With his forward stride closing space, and with the length of longsword he hoped to knock both legs out from under her as he said.

I am the gentleman, I buy you dinner!

[4/10]

That was smooth.

Max couldnt help but smile as the Nameless slid through open air, and Lucind so very gracefully evaded. She had used her staff to clear distance, and improved very greatly on the last time she had done so.

Unfortunately, this put Max in a very tricky predicament. He was in a knelt position, and he was completing a left to right slash. That meant his arm would be on his right side, sure enough, but in no position to mount a proper defense.

One way or anything he was going to be taking a hit. The more minute details of which were in his hands however. In Chess, one often sacrifices pieces in order to gain an advantage on a foe. It was that exact principal Max would employ. His left hand fell to the floor, he twist at the hip, twisting so as to face the oncoming polearm. And with a smack it impacted his right side. Immediately his ribs screamed, and sent sharp knives of pain darting across his chest and back. Though for some reason he only smiled. He looked Lucind right in the eye as she finished her sentence and her blow and answered.

It makes you smile...

Being low to the ground and knelt, kept Maximos from being toppled over. He was hit, but he wasnt moved. Immediately his right arm fell down, like a bird closing its wing he moved to pin the eshaton to his side. It had the vibratory disturbance to it, and they might have stopped his hand from grabbing it, but wouldnt likely stop his entire arm for squeezing it. Not for a few seconds anyway, and that was all he need to make his move. HE had taken his hit, lost his piece, and now he made his move, after all he still had tricks up his sleeve.

Namely...Max never let go of Lucind's shadow. Moments ago, hadnt his left hand fell to the ground? Now it suddenly whipped up dragging a lightning fast trail of black in its wake as he whipcracked it forward. The shadow...previously attached to his foot from the trip attack, quickly formed a leathery lash and whipped forward wrapping around the eshaton in several loops. And then with a clench of his fist, it wrapped equally around his own left arm. The length of shadow was thick, like wet cloth, and taught, so that Lucind would have direct resistance to any motion she tried to make.

Max was crouched. With a single motion of his legs, he thrust himself backwards and up into a stand, his left arm pulling back at the eshaton like reigns on a horse, as he jerked his upper body right, keeping his right arm down as he did so. In effect using his whole body for one big disarming motion, aiming to jerk the staff from her hands.

...Isnt that enough?

He said with a smirk.

[5/10]

Caught.

The eshaton flew from Lucind's hands entirely too easily. She didnt even try to resist. Every warning sign in his strategic head screamed that this was trouble. Lu was too smart to just surrender it for no reason, Max knew that. And he knew the moment he heard her take a breath he was caught, hook, line and sinker.

Ducking, simply was not an option he was already in the course of standing up as fast as he could. The sound impacted him like a wave, it carried a sort of semi-solid impact which did nothing in and of its own weight to move him. Though despite that he did stagger. Instead of shoving it him back, the wave washed over him. It surrounded him. And just like being submerged in the ocean, when it was all said and done the world just wasnt the same.

Up felt like down, left felt like right, and his stomach felt like he had just gotten off of a carnival tea cup ride ripped straight from one of Nocturne's nightmares. He did everything he could to maintain his footing even though his equilibrium couldnt tell him if he was standing on a wall, the ceiling or the floor. The eshaton, being longer was brought up All he knew was that he couldnt not give in, he could not fall. He was open right now and Lucind was bound to...

...And there she was. She was charging the distance straight at him! Or was that running on the wall? It didnt matter, he had to do something! In the heartbeats worth of time he had to react he brought weapons up to bear, namely the eshaton behind it, the Nameless. It was meant to form a sort of X in front of him, but before he he could bring the Nameless up, he was struck. Lucind was using the eshaton like a bar, and Max had absolutely no intention of that pole smash into his chest.

With a clamor the Nameless slipped from his right hand and fell to the ground just as Lu and Max did. Just as Lu was using the eshaton as a bar to hold Max down, Max was in reverse holding the eshaton in an attempt to keep it from choking down on him. He looked something like a weight lifter using a bench press.

FINE!

He exclaimed, a look of theatrical indignation on his face. Finally, something firm! The ground was at his back, and despite what his ears told him, it was not moving. Thanks to that, Max's balance was beginning to right itself.

...You can pay for dessert...

It was pretty safe to say he was caught, counter maneuvers were very limited and Lu most definitely had him in tight spot. Not to mention she was straddling him, and his face was about as red as can be...Since dessert was already being served, no use arguing over it.

The proverbial bill, was in her hands.

[6/10]

That was so sweet!

How could Max say no?

Infact, he put up almost no resistance at all! Lucind leaned down and Max lowered the polearm until it was laying on his chest, as opposed to letting it slam into him. He reached his arms around her, as she leaned. And he immediately proceeded to silently slip the glove off of his right hand.

She cupped his face, so gently. And Max did exactly the same.

Quote: Animus Raptor | Soul Taker - In order to initiate this effect on another living being, Maximos first needs skin to skin contact. A slow drain of the person life force ensues. In effect every action the victim takes while under the influence seems to be twice as difficult, twice as stressful, until such time as they simply cannot act any longer. This is not absolute and instant kill. In total it would take likely up to one minute of contact to knock a person unconscious. And then three total minutes to finish them.

Fan boys and girls raved. Max turned as red as a beet. And he tasted her, in more ways than one. The energy was put to immediate use as the spell stitching in his boots began to glow a deep indigo. Now, feeding so directly it would be all too easy to recognize when energy was welling up. If Lucind did not pull away feeling herself being drained then the moment her mouth slipped open, having felt the build up, Max smirked slipping his right hand over her lips. At the same time his legs bent, placing his feet flat on the ground. He just covered her lips, as he said with a smirk.

Shh shh. No words are necessary my dear, it was amazing for me too.

His left arm would move to grab her right forearm, his right hand would slip down to the side of her neck and he would throw his weight immediately to the side aiming to take advantage of a hopefully drained or weakened Lu, to reverse the situation and place her on her back with him over her. Needless to say, his right hand did not willingly break contact during the action, as long as he had that he only needed to wait her out.

[7/10]

Now instinct screamed there was trouble afoot.

Every one of Maximos' senses, those tinkling feelings on the back of his neck, shouted in unison that he was being far too kind and he was about to pay for it.

You see, Maximos' hand was on her neck. More than that, his right hand was on her neck. His hungering cursed arm was being fed, and when it was fed it grew strong. On another opponent, on any other opponent Maximos would have easily moved to crush a windpipe and choke off air, utterly disabling any vocal functionality. Lu would be able to feel his right arm twitch, that was along with the icy chill that came with its soul sucking grip. Just as warm tea heats the body, this touch froze it. Like a cold and rainy day, it made you just want to sleep...sleep perchance to dream, aye, there is the rub, for the sleep this arm would eventually grant was the sleep of death. Of course, Max had no intention of allowing that, neither did he have any desire to crush his girlfriends throat.

Though while the stately shadow contended and contemplated these quiet thoughts, and more as his face was still quite red...well to put it simply, he was...knocked senseless.

The wave that escaped Lucind's mouth had no real "force" to it, it had power, and still Max's head lurched back as if punched. A wave of pins and needles spread across his face, tickling his nose like a itch that simply would not be scratched. In an instant he was deaf, all sound wiped clean like ink from a dry erase board leaving him able to hear nothing but a deafening white buzzing noise. So intense was the buzzing that he could practically taste it, his tongue numb and tingly. He saw, dark blue hair and pale skin beneath him through blurry goggles as tears flooded his eyes, not from pain but in the same manner as tears flood the eyes when dust fills them. His body was trying all it could to wash out whatever had just afflicted him. It hurt, it burned his ears and immediately sent his stomach doing crazy flip flops as if it had broken into a series of flips and turns and somersaults without him.

Max was a mess. He may have had no bearings, but he had one simple task. All he had to do was keep one hand, exactly where it was until...

"Ve...y...fun...ny..."

Somehow as it had in all of their training matches, her voice sliced through the buzzing as clear as day and leaving only the buzz in its wake. Her voice said she was growing weak, weary. He could feel what was left of her energy fading. Max managed smile through the mess of mixed signals that was his senses, and then said very slowly, making sure not to lose lunch as he spoke with all the grace of a drunk man.

That...issa good idea.

Then with a flop, he fell foward, twisting just barely enough to land on his back beside Lucind, his left arm against her right for safeties sake. The ground was cold, and damp, and solid. And it was what he needed to keep from tossing. And he said.

I think...I think I'll lay here for a bit...

And he did, wondering exactly how badly Lu would have been able to beat on him right now, if she was still standing. But she wasnt, she was sleeping. And as whatever medical personnel came, they would find his left hand interlaced in hers.

[8/--]