Zane
Myrmidon
"I'm going to live up to expectations."
Posts: 17
Profession: Mercenary
Guild: Lightning Wolves
Affinity: Thunder
Profile: http://fewotw.proboards.com/thread/7011/zane-vin-alt?page=1&scrollTo=91645
OoC Alias: Vin
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Post by Zane on Jul 24, 2018 18:14:30 GMT -6
The Lightning Wolves were a well established guild but they were still undergoing the process of paperwork and bureaucracy to get a proper base of operation under Cornwell. Because of this they have remained content to reside in their old camp in the woods; this is mostly due to the time and effort it would take to tear it down and change locations.
On a day that had no real significance to the world Zane was on the cusp of being accepted into his first mission. The only requirement was that he had to best all of his opponents and challengers within the guild in at least one out of three rounds of combat. The odds were in his favor in each individual bout but he knew it would still be a brutal challenge.
In the training field, standing across from Zane, was his first opponent, a man named Robert. He was the sort to wear heavy armor and weather the battle. His lack of mobility compared to Zane, who's style relied upon his mobility, made him the perfect first match. Eric ordered them to fight and Zane slid into combat.
Robert raised his shield and let Zane come to him. Zane doubted he could win a real fight against Robert but since the bout was decided based on a clean hit he fancied his chances. His wooden training sword was light and he used his agility to close in on Robert's right side to get around the shield.
"Caught ya, kid!" Robert declared swinging his spear into nothing. "Wait, what?" Taking advantage of a momentary blind spot Zane kicked back to Robert's left and around his large shield. From there it was easy to strike his backside winning him the first match.
"Very good, Zane," Eric congratulated. "Next one on the field!"
Zane had momentarily celebrated his victory smiling at the onlookers, he mostly wanted to find Trenton. He had little time though as his next opponent stepped in. This one was a woman named Gloria and she, much like him, relied heavily upon her agility, but unlike him she was not only talented with a sword but a bow as well. Zane didn't imagine she could shoot in close quarters combat like this but it wasn't out of the realm of possibility either.
Taking a stance Zane readied himself. Thunk! A training arrow struck Zane square in the chest staggering him. "Oh!" It hurt.
"One to Gloria!" Eric announced. "Zane, you can't outrun an arrow!"
Was that supposed to be helpful advice? He didn't even see her actually draw the bowstring back. But he had no time to dwell as the second round was starting. Expecting the same opening strike this time Zane leapt the the side narrowly evading. Scrambling to his feet he rushed to close the gap with Gloria who blocked with her bow before kicking Zane in the stomach and sending him to the ground.
"Oof!" Zane fell back but refused to be taken down just like that. Rolling backwards he returned to his feet only to find Gloria had already closed in on him with her own sword. "Crap!" Zane tried to defend but had his blade knocked aside before the training blade cracked across his face.
"Match! Take a short rest Zane, then its time for the last bout," Eric would always be the guild leader first and father second.
Zane made his way to the onlookers, rubbing his sore jaw. At this rate Zane worried he would never be permitted to join the others on missions. He looked for Trenton among the others who gave him a mixture of pity, jeers, and words of encouragement.
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Post by Trenton on Jul 24, 2018 19:16:41 GMT -6
Trenton watched Zane from afar. He was absentmindedly stirring a large cauldron of soup. The heat of the flames causing him to sweat went unnoticed as he stared at the mercenaries. He wanted so much to be with them at least spectating, but he had been firmly instructed to ensure lunch would be ready once the matches concluded. His best friend, Zane, was testing to see if he would be officially considered one of them. He watched in suspense as Zane easily defeated Robert, who Trenton knew would eat at least five bowls of soup. Gloria was the next opponent; she would eat two bowls. Gloria quickly shot his friend with a training arrow, and he found himself putting a hand to his chest in sympathy. As Zane’s next match with Gloria began, Trenton leaned farther forward only to quickly burn himself on the black cauldron. He yelped and jumped back, cradling his arm. He heard a laugh behind him and saw his mother, Melissa, walking up. “Pay attention to your job,” she said lightly before setting her eyes on the match in the distance.
Trenton looked up at her. She was a strong and beautiful woman. Most of all, she was intelligent. He desperately wished he could be like her, but he doubted that he ever would. He turned his eyes back to his cauldron and bit his lip. He had one more gimmick, one more chance to become a mercenary. He had recently purchased his first tome, but he hadn’t told a soul about it yet. He wanted to tell Zane, but he feared Zane would tell him to forget about being a mercenary like the others. He knew if his mother or any of the others knew about the tome, they’d only laugh. He knew nothing about magic, and those in the guild were masters of weapons, so they couldn’t help him, but he was determined to wield magic. “Make sure that soup is ready,” Melissa said, giving Trenton a hard slap on the back, nearly knocking his thin frame over.
“Yes, ma’am,” he replied with a large smile. Whether he liked cooking or not was irrelevant. This was his job, and he was good at it. In all his time cooking for the guild, he had only received one complaint about his cooking, and that was when he hadn’t prepared enough. Today, he had a special soup prepared with the expectation of celebration over Zane’s official acceptance. He supposed it could also act as a pick-me-up if Zane failed.
Melissa headed over to the mercenaries gathered around Zane as Zane took a break. Trenton resisted the urge to run forward, knowing that he shouldn’t abandon his post. He watched as Zane appeared to be looking for someone, and his mood elevated even more. Surely Zane was searching for none other than him. “Hey!” he called as loudly as he could with a wave of his hand. The spoon that he held splashed orange liquid on the grass and his cheek.
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Zane
Myrmidon
"I'm going to live up to expectations."
Posts: 17
Profession: Mercenary
Guild: Lightning Wolves
Affinity: Thunder
Profile: http://fewotw.proboards.com/thread/7011/zane-vin-alt?page=1&scrollTo=91645
OoC Alias: Vin
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Post by Zane on Jul 24, 2018 19:40:04 GMT -6
"Hey!"
Zane's attention perked up as the voice called Zane over. Zane smiled and waved back before noticing the soup splashed over Trenton's face. His smile faltered and his waving hand lowered replaced by a piteous gaze. Zane always thought of Trenton as an incompetent dope but he was also a loyal and good friend so in his mind it was a part of his appeal. "Hey!" Zane called back a moment later before Robert grabbed him and placed him in a headlock. "Gah!" he chocked.
"Don't think you'll get me so easily next time. That was a lucky break," Robert was known to be an easy sparring opponent to beat but no one actually wanted to face him in real combat out of fear. He sniffed the air then and noticed the soup. "Oh boy! Guess I should refill!" Letting go of Zane Robert rushed the campfire like a lost and starving pup. Expecting to be served he parked on a log across from Trenton and grinned at him, slapping his inner thigh.
"Alright, that's enough resting Zane, let's get back at it!" Zane's smile fell away with a roll of his eyes. He questioned what good a break was if he was only going to walk off the field to come right back to it. So he shrugged and gave Trenton a goodbye wave.
Back on the training field Zane readied himself for his last chance against Gloria. She was better than him in every way but he could tell she was still going easy on him. It bothered him when others discredited his progress behind the shield of 'going easy' but if he could win it'd still be his gain.
"Begin!" Eric chopped his hand downward to signal the beginning of the next bout.
Zane knew Gloria would stick to the same pattern as earlier and instead of dodging to the side he rolled under the arrow allowing him to evade and close in. Coming out of the roll he stayed low and cracked the training blade against Gloria's left leg.
"Match!" Boomed Eric's voice.
Zane gave a sigh of relief and stood up. "That was a close one." Zane grinned and offered Gloria a hand to shake.
"Good work, but remember in real combat you would not have gotten that second or third chance." Gloria was right of course but there it was again, his triumph was dashed by pragmatic reality.
"Three matches were planned for today! But before that, is there anyone who believes Zane should not see his initiation completed? If so, come forward for your chance to challenge and shut him out. But know that if he bests you yet, you'll be scrubbing out the dishes with Trenton!" There was a collective cheer and laughs from the guild members.
"Hey, Trenton, you want to be a mercenary so badly right? Well, why not go challenge him? You're already at this lowest point, what can it hurt?" Robert meant it as a joke, completely unaware of the tome he had purchased.
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Post by Trenton on Jul 25, 2018 2:52:14 GMT -6
Trenton couldn’t wait to share his excitement over Zane’s progress and to give him a pep talk, but he frowned as Zane was promptly placed in a headlock by Robert. He supposed he would have to talk to him later, especially since Robert was now heading his way.
Robert planted himself excitedly on a log across from Trenton. With a slap to his thigh, he said with a large smile, “I’m starved, boy!”
Trenton happily scooped up a bowl for Robert, now becoming aware of the heat of the flames and the sweat on his brow. As he handed the soup to the burly mercenary, Zane waved at him as he returned to his matches. Trenton waved in return, wishing he could be among the spectators.
Once the next match begun, Robert tapped the edge of the log beside him. “Sit and have a bowl,” he commanded. Trenton brightly complied. His back was to Robert as he faced the fight, eagerly blowing the steam off his bowl.
He bobbed and wove at the smallest movements made in the fight as he inched farther and farther to the edge of the log.
As Zane triumphed over Gloria, Trenton jumped up with a cry of glee, spilling the remains of his soup on his pants. As he jumped around in a small circle, fanning the heat, he heard the crowd of mercenaries laugh at something from within their circle. Robert then stood and smashed a large hand down on his shoulder. “Hey, Trenton, you want to be a mercenary so badly, right? Why not challenge him?” the rest of Robert’s words were drowned out by Trenton’s internal excitement.
“Okay!” he agreed extatically; the color in Robert’s face faded as he was overcome with horror and confusion; Trenton had obviously missed the joke.
This was his chance to try out his new tome, and he wasn’t going to miss it for anything. As he darted toward the makeshift arena, he tripped over his bag, which had been sitting next to the log. Oh yeah, he thought as he pulled his tome out from within it.
Eric frowned at the small book in his hands but said nothing as Trenton rushed passed the stunned onlookers and faced Zane. From behind his friend, he could see his mother in the crowd appearing furious. “I’m ready to fight!” he announced with a dumb crooked smile.
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Zane
Myrmidon
"I'm going to live up to expectations."
Posts: 17
Profession: Mercenary
Guild: Lightning Wolves
Affinity: Thunder
Profile: http://fewotw.proboards.com/thread/7011/zane-vin-alt?page=1&scrollTo=91645
OoC Alias: Vin
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Post by Zane on Jul 25, 2018 3:13:18 GMT -6
"I'm ready to fight!" Four words. Four words said innocently were enough to silence the entire camp. It was one thing for a mercenary to challenge someone they detested in this situation and the challenge was set as more of a formality than anything else. Even if Zane had his detractors it was generally well agreed that he was overdue for his time to fight. Then there was the matter that made the situation all the more strange, it was Trenton.
In the distance Roger paced around the cauldron worried that his joke would come back to bite him. Gloria and others murmured among themselves and one of the more brash warriors shouted, "Never know who's friend and who's foe do you?"
Zane himself looked at Trenton in confusion and hurt. Why would he challenge him here? Was he bitter that he was always passed over for the chance to be a mercenary? And why was he grinning like he just won a big game of dice. "Hey Trent, are you sure about this?" Zane placed his training blade over his shoulder and stretched.
"It's his right to challenge if he deems you unworthy. Though perhaps we should deny him as he is no merc?" Upon the question he shouted it to the crowds to let them decide. The uproar of voices was a cacophony of chaos. Many differing opinions were made but ultimately one vote was louder than the other. "Let them fight!"
Zane gave Trenton an appraising eye not sure what to make of this antic and noticed the new tome in his hands. It was hardly a weathered old thing so he knew it was only just obtained. Did he mean to beat him with magic? Could Trent even use magic? Was he planning to stand in his way this whole time and held a secret like this? It would make him the only magic user in the entire camp so how should he know how to properly compete? All these questions and possibilities ran through his head frustrating Zane more and more until he let it go.
Zane stood straighter and lowered his blade to his side. Magic took time to cast and so long as he closed the distance he could still crack the blade across Trenton's face. The longer he stared down Trenton the less angry he felt at him. He couldn't understand why he was doing this but something told him it wasn't done with hostile intent. Regardless, if this meant Trent would stand in the way of his goals he would offer no mercy.
"Very well! The guild has decided to let them fight! Trenton will be competing for the opportunity to replace Zane in the final match!" Eric shook his head ruefully. "As you are both inexperienced, best two out of three wins the bout." Eric's right hand shot up tossing his coat and long black hair about before he chopped it down to signal the beginning of their match.
Zane wasn't sure what Trenton could do, if anything, so he would take no chances. He rushed Trenton moving his blade to thrust at his neck and feint it into a downward strike against his book. It was a wooden training blade so there wasn't any risk to cutting pages.
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Post by Trenton on Jul 25, 2018 3:30:33 GMT -6
Trenton wondered what the warrior meant about not knowing who was friend and who was foe, but he didn’t have time to inquire about its meaning, because as soon as his brain checked back in from his thoughts, Eric signaled the start of the fight. Zane rushed him, thrusting his wooden blade straight at his neck.
Trenton jumped back, setting himself off balance. This worked to his advantage because as Zane feinted, he tipped to one side, moving the hand that held his tome barely far enough away from Zane’s strike for the blow to miss. As he could feel the ominous wind from the blade, Trenton wondered how Zane could move so quickly. Using the nimble skills he had learned from dance, he spun on his toes and hurried to gain distance between him and his friend. Clutching his tome tightly, he stretched out his hand and shouted the only spell he had memorized. He had eagerly memorized the words last night as soon as he had arrived home from purchasing the tome.
He expected a great blast of light or a powerful stream of magic to shoot from his open hand, but he was met with nothing.
Oh no, he thought. He wondered why nothing had happened. Zane should have been struck by a blast of magic, and the crowd should be aweing in wonder. Instead, Trenton could feel his cheeks flush and hear his heart pounding in his head as he threatened to be overcome with embarrassment. He swallowed his disappointment, believing the next try would work. Perhaps he didn’t have enough enthusiasm on the first go.
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Zane
Myrmidon
"I'm going to live up to expectations."
Posts: 17
Profession: Mercenary
Guild: Lightning Wolves
Affinity: Thunder
Profile: http://fewotw.proboards.com/thread/7011/zane-vin-alt?page=1&scrollTo=91645
OoC Alias: Vin
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Post by Zane on Jul 25, 2018 3:41:54 GMT -6
Zane's assault worked as expected catching Trenton in his deception but his follow through was still too slow. As his blade struck down, not only was he hyper extended but he actually missed. Trenton managed to evade just enough to cast a spell. Zane was horrified as the words were uttered. This was it. This was how he lost the first of three bouts to the one kid he never thought he would have to fight. He cursed his poor luck and braced himself when... nothing happened.
"Huh?"
The crowd mimicked Zane's general surprise and yet another silence came over them. As the general realization set in that Trenton had once again failed to show results of any kind the guild erupted into a mixture of laughter and pity.
"I swear, for a second there I thought he might have managed to pull something impressive out but I guess Trenton is still Trenton, that's what I get for putting faith in that failure." The same warrior from earlier continued to speak loudly and insultingly.
This was not some sort of taunt right? He used the spell and it didn't work at all! Zane knew only one thing for certain, he still had time to claim his victory and immediately followed through with a wide horizontal strike aimed to catch Trenton across his flank. It was a battle of points so it did not matter where he hit him, only that he did. Zane felt a little bad for Trenton now, not that Trenton showed any signs of giving in.
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Post by Trenton on Jul 25, 2018 3:58:51 GMT -6
Trenton could feel his ears grow red hot from embarrassment as the crowd laughed. He would show them just what he was capable of. He gripped his tome more tightly as Zane turned in his direction. He dug his feet into the ground as Zane rushed toward him.
He took a deep steady breath before yelling the spell at the top of his lungs while simultaneously thrusting his hand toward his friend. If this failed, he could kiss his dream of becoming a mercenary goodbye forever. A spark of light lit up before Trenton’s green eyes, and hope rose in his chest. The light exploded with fury, but it only grew to the size of a fist before disappearing into the air. Trenton watched as the light dissipated into thin air, seconds before being struck by Zane’s wooden blade in the side.
As he fell to the ground, he knew anyone else would be disappointed with the measly spark of light, but he was ecstatic. He had created a spark of magic, and it was more than he had ever done before.
He smacked into the hard ground with a jolt, rattling his brain. He knew his ribs were going to bruise, but he didn’t dwell on this thought long due to the sudden rush in his legs. The strength in his legs seemed to evaporate. He may as well have been half made of jelly.
From his position on the ground, he could see his mother in the crowd. She had one dark brow raised, and Trenton felt a further surge of hope. He wondered if her expression was from being impressed, but even if it wasn’t, it was certainly better than the one of rage she held before the match started. He certainly hoped he impressed her and, perhaps, even Zane. He next looked to his friend with a smile, expecting to see some level of approval.
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Zane
Myrmidon
"I'm going to live up to expectations."
Posts: 17
Profession: Mercenary
Guild: Lightning Wolves
Affinity: Thunder
Profile: http://fewotw.proboards.com/thread/7011/zane-vin-alt?page=1&scrollTo=91645
OoC Alias: Vin
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Post by Zane on Jul 25, 2018 4:13:37 GMT -6
As Zane's blade cracked against Trenton's flank the sound reverberated loudly; it was a most satisfying hit. His follow through only added to the force with which Trenton was tossed down with. Zane straightened himself out then as he heard his father speak up.
"Hit!" Eric shouted the word signalling the end of the first bout. It was an obvious formality as everyone could see Trenton crumble into a heap in the dirt. "Point to Zane!" Eric raised his right hand straight into the sky to signal Zane's side. He said nothing about the spark of light Trenton managed to create but there was some curiosity.
"Ooo, a light show! Show us some real firepower!" The boisterous warrior shouted at Trenton. There was an unspoken approval among the guild at what Trenton had managed to achieve as well as a universal concern that it might just end up the same way his weapon training did. With himself and others getting hurt, only this time no one knew much about the intricacies of magic.
Zane looked down at Trenton with only his eyes and a stern face. He still failed to use magic once again but this time there was something real. Zane knew he couldn't afford to approach recklessly the next time. He took a moment to plot his next approach and then his stern look faded into a smile. He reached out a hand to Trenton and said, "I don't know when you started magic but I'll make sure you regret not telling me sooner. That was real dirty."
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Post by Trenton on Jul 25, 2018 4:28:01 GMT -6
As Zane looked at him with a hard expression, a rock seemed to form in the pit of his stomach. He worried that Zane was made at him, or worse- disgusted. But, his fears melted away as a smile crossed Zane’s face and he offered his hand.
Trenton smiled happily as Zane helped him to his feet. His jelly legs threatened to give way, but he managed to stand. “I just started today, really,” he informed with a smile before quickly scanning the crowd. The looks that crossed the spectators’ faces were some he was not used to seeing in his direction. The looks of approval far outweighed the jeers from the other spectators. The only expression that did concern him was that of his mother’s. Her face was now hard, any hit of approval had vanished; however, he would not allow his mother’s expression to ruin his mood. This was perhaps the best day of his life, and his best friend got to be a part of it. “Ready for the next round?” he asked optimistically. He was sure he would do even better the next time. He would be sure to take the initiative.
Eric ordered them to take their sides, and Trenton trotted to his place. He bit his upper lip in anticipation, and as Eric called the next match to a start, Trenton wasted no time closing the gap between he and Zane.
He shouted the spell with such vigor and anticipation that it was no surprise to him when a small stream of light shot forward with the speed of a bolt of lightning. As he watched the light snake toward Zane, he thought he would burst out of his skin with triumph. Even if didn’t make contact, it was better than the last one.
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Zane
Myrmidon
"I'm going to live up to expectations."
Posts: 17
Profession: Mercenary
Guild: Lightning Wolves
Affinity: Thunder
Profile: http://fewotw.proboards.com/thread/7011/zane-vin-alt?page=1&scrollTo=91645
OoC Alias: Vin
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Post by Zane on Jul 25, 2018 4:45:05 GMT -6
"Yeah. Next round is still mine though. I'm not loosing to someone that just started." Zane smiled and brushed some loose hair out of his face before turning his back on Trenton to retake his place in the arena. He had to win without fail. If he could not manage a flawless victory against Trenton he would never hear the end of it. Trenton had his personal victory already anyway, now it was Zane's turn to have his real one.
Zane reached his place and spun back lightly. This time he was going to take the fight a little more seriously. Instead of planting his feet and rushing in he shifted to his toes so he would be ready to move at a moment's notice. He brushed his left hand against his trousers to remove any dirt and took his stance.
"The score is one/zero in favor of Zane. If Trenton can steal a hit we will move into the third round. If not then it is Zane's undisputed victory." Eric raised his hand sharply.
Undisputed victory, Zane liked the sound of it. It was his goal after all. Nothing less would truly satisfy him. 'Sorry Trent, but I can't let you get a hit on me,' he thought as Eric's hand chopped through the air. Zane moved to rush in but was surprised to see Trenton doing the same. What sort of mage tried for close combat? His green was showing.
Then came the bolt of light. It was a small thing, but it actually launched from his hand and came for Zane. The two had closed in on one another and this left Zane little time to react. A split second decision and Zane swung his training blade at the serpentine light. Surprisingly enough he successfully made contact with it instead of completely missing but to his further shock the bolt tore through the blade snapping the wood in two sending the piece not in Zane's hand flying behind him.
The bolt was spent on the blade but now Zane had none. The conditions were too dangerous to use it so he tossed it aside. Zane wasn't very good in a fistfight but he assumed he should be at least better than Trenton if he could just get his hands on him. Continuing his charge he aimed to tackle and mount Trenton. From there, he wasn't too sure but if he wailed on him enough that ought to count right?
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Post by Trenton on Jul 26, 2018 3:46:59 GMT -6
Trenton watched the pieces of Zane’s wooden blade fly in different directions as a loud crack filled the air. A rush of excitement filled his body as he heard the startled reaction in the crowd. He was ready to hit Zane with another blow of magic, believing that he was on a role.
The crowd waited with abated breath as Trenton jumped back to gain distance and readied his stance. They hadn’t expected Trenton to be able to create any more than a spark of light, and he had already rendered his opponent weaponless.
As Trenton began to say the spell once more, and his hand began to glow, Zane threw aside the remains of his weapon and tackled him to the ground with unexpected fury. A stream of light shot from Trenton’s hand, but it missed its target as he smacked into the dirt with a force that left him seeing stars. He heard a scream from the crowd as the light nearly struck an unexpecting onlooker.
Trenton’s skinny arms instinctively shot up and tried to push Zane away by pressing on his face. He squirmed and fought against his much bigger and stronger friend, but everything he had been taught about grappling seemed to have fled his mind. He was never good had hand to hand combat. In a fight of desperation, he shot his fist up to strike Zane on the jaw while simultaneously swiping at his arm with his free hand, hoping to knock him off balance.
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Zane
Myrmidon
"I'm going to live up to expectations."
Posts: 17
Profession: Mercenary
Guild: Lightning Wolves
Affinity: Thunder
Profile: http://fewotw.proboards.com/thread/7011/zane-vin-alt?page=1&scrollTo=91645
OoC Alias: Vin
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Post by Zane on Jul 26, 2018 7:23:32 GMT -6
Casting magic took time. For many, even the most basic of spells had a moment where the mage was left vulnerable. For any fighter that was the moment you aimed to take your strike, and Zane found his moment mid-rush. Barrelling into Trenton he pressed his whole body into the pupil and forced him to the ground with him. Trenton's magic did manifest but Zane was well past it and threw it's trajectory far off course.
"Watch it you little brat!" The loud warrior stood from his seat and began screaming profanities while shaking his fist. It did not take long for the others to quell his shouts and force him to sit back down. No one was harmed after all. Well, no one except the warrior's coat; his coattail now had an impressive hole in it from where he dodged.
The moment the blade snapped in two Eric had intended to call the match a draw so they could replace Zane's training blade and re-conduct the fight properly, but that was dashed when neither of the boys would let that stop them. Eric found himself with a smirk as he watched them go at it. If nothing else, what the two lacked in proper skill they made up for with heart.
As the two hit the dirt Zane felt jarred on impact, his head knocking awkwardly in the landing, but he quickly rebounded having properly mounted his opponent and gave him a hard hammer-fist to the face. With his left hand he grabbed at Trenton's hair and moved for another blow. Before he could connect one of Trenton's noodley mage arms shot up and clocked him in the chin. It didn't hurt per se, but it did stun him from the suddenness of it. He felt his arm struck in a desperate attempt to topple him. His arm jerked but he held fast onto Trenton's hair.
"Only way this ends is if one of us yields!" Zane, unsure of how to end this flopped his body down on top of Trenton so that his chest could cover the mage's face. His hope was to suffocate him into yielding.
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Post by Trenton on Jul 26, 2018 7:37:25 GMT -6
Trenton felt a surge of triumph as his fist made contact with Zane, but the feeling quickly evaporated as a sharp pain exploded on his scalp. Zane was pulling his hair. “Ah!” he cried as he grabbed at his hair, hoping to decrease the strength of the pull. This seemed like an awfully cheap trick.
As Zane made it clear that the match would only end by yielding, Trenton wondered if he should call it. He hadn’t expected to win; he only wanted to display his new skill, which he had done, exceeding his expectations. As he struggled against the pain in his scalp, his watering eyes, and contemplated surrender, Zane sudden plopped down, squishing him.
His muffled scream indicated his surprise, and his arms and legs flailed about, making him resemble a squished bug. The onlookers stared at them, unsure of their feelings about this match. The two had started off promising, but now they looked like two children getting in a tussle.
As his airway was constricted, Trenton tapped on Zane’s back, indicating his defeat. Zane got off of him as Eric announced that the match was over, and Trenton took a deep breath of air.
He sat up, beaming at his friend. “Great match!” He couldn’t think of someone more deserving to become one of the mercenaries than Zane, and he couldn’t wait for the day he could join them.
Trenton looked at his tome, which was sitting an arms distance away on the dirt and pulled it toward him. He remained sitting for a moment to regain his composure and immediately looked for his mother in the crowd. He found her standing next to the man whose cloak he had ruined. He could not read her face, which wasn’t unusual. She tended to remain stoic; however, he couldn’t wait to hear what she had to say.
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Zane
Myrmidon
"I'm going to live up to expectations."
Posts: 17
Profession: Mercenary
Guild: Lightning Wolves
Affinity: Thunder
Profile: http://fewotw.proboards.com/thread/7011/zane-vin-alt?page=1&scrollTo=91645
OoC Alias: Vin
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Post by Zane on Jul 26, 2018 8:09:41 GMT -6
Zane's tactic worked... it actually worked to the surprise of many, though it did little to bolster the confidence of others in him. It was hard to give him the credit of a resourceful victory even. It was just something that worked.
When Trenton flailed about Zane wasn't sure when he began to tap out conceding his defeat but when the taps were more frantic and quick he knew. Rolling over he slowly pushed himself to his feet panting. He needed to work on staying calm in combat, especially grappling. The exhilaration and intensity of it made his breathing go wild and that tired his muscles.
"Why didn't he just, ya know, use another spell at point blank? Sure it'd have put Zane out of the fights for a bit but that would get him his win right?" The Warrior had a point this time.
"No way he could have done that. He was in far too much of a frenzied panic to calm himself enough for it. Not to mention he's already performed a total of four spells. Trenton doesn't look strong so I'm sure they must have taken a toll of their own." Gloria's pragmatism never failed.
Robert meanwhile let off a sigh of relief. Seemed that everything worked out for the best this time, and that meant his bacon was safe.
"Yeah it was!" Zane smiled toothily with a wink and a thumbs up. "I think you really have found your talent with that book. Keep practicing and I'll take you on as many times as you want."
Eric began barking orders. "Alright Trenton, off the field. It's time for Zane's final challenger." Despite his usual attitude toward business he gave a smile in Trenton's direction. After that display of magic, victory or not, it would be worth giving another chance to the boy.
"Alright. Who's my final opponent?" Zane turned to his old man with his hands casually on his hips. There was no way he was going to let himself loose to anyone now. Not after three victories in a row! Well, circumstantial victories.
"Don't look too eager. Your final opponent will be me of course." Eric's words made Zane's blood go cold. It was standard for the leader of a guild to be strong, but in Eric's case it was one of those rare times he was not only strong but the strongest of everyone. Eric tossed Zane a replacement sword and grabbed one of his own.
"I..." 'I can't beat him. That's impossible!' his words faltered out but his face betrayed his thoughts. This was an unfair match.
"Combat is unfair. As you are now most of your enemies will be stronger than you without exception. There are many stronger than I as well, these are facts of the battlefield, but what will you do? Stand your ground, run, or give in and accept your death?" Eric's every movement was intimidating, and not just because he was his father or the guild leader. No, he was intimidating because that was what he wanted to be.
Zane took his combat stance shakily. There were virtually no openings in his father's guard, and any he saw were ones he knew his father left to lure him into a trap.
"Come now, let me show you the difference between us!" Eric lowered his guard, removing it entirely. But why?
Zane did not know why but he knew he should take the bait. Bait or not it wasn't even a stance anymore and he only needed a hit. "Fine!" Zane rushed his father screaming loudly. Getting close he prepared for some sort of attack but there wasn't one. Zane reflexively dodged around his father who did not move. It was confusing and unsettling, but more importantly his father wasn't even doing anything but he was already in Zane's head. 'Darn it! This is so uncool!'
"Fine then! Take this!" Zane rushed his father's flank to deliver an overhand strike. The man did not move, he did not seem to register the hit and yet...
[Pavise x Counter] Without moving Zane felt his own strike become nothing and his whole body tossed backwards rolling in the dirt. Eric turned then and grinned. "See. Even when you win there is never a guarantee of success. You hit me and so you passed, and yet which of us is the worst off for it?"
Zane was confused, not by the message, but by what exactly happened just then. He wanted to know how to do it too but now was not the time. "I am."
"That's right." Eric clasped a hand on his son's shoulder. "Keep that feeling in mind. The feeling of overcoming your intimidation and fighting anyway, but ingrain that blow into your core and understand there are things beyond you no matter what semblance of victory you attain."
"Yes, Sir!" Zane tried to look stern and stoic but the tears welling in his eyes and smile he fought back gave him away. "I'll do my best for the guild!"
There were cheers from the crowd, some out of obligation, others legitimate celebration, and one entirely because this meant eating.
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