Clashing (Solo)

[Blythe]

Spring 44, 512 AV

Metal grated against metal. Although the blades were soft, smooth, crafted of finely wrought iron, woven into majesty, their ends seemed to click together. It was an infuriating sound, which caused the Konti to grit her teeth as the fire of the forge grew in her eyes. Simmering in the black pools of her pupils. Her coiled muscles rippled beneath her flesh. Snapping like snakes as her sweaty fingers tightened around the hilt. She pushed up against her weapon. Turning it, as it pressed against the metal, warding off a sword that was coming far to close for Blythe's liking.

Sweat trickled down her brow as slowly the metal twisted. Turning, turning, like a whirlpool cast out at sea. Swiftly growing tired, sick of the dead lock in their battle, Blythe pulled away. Freeing her sword from her opponent's grasp. She stumbled a few steps back, and raised her sword a little. It rested across her middle. A simple, defensive position that could easily be altered into the offensive. She waited as her opponent came for her. Her long blonde hair swaying in the breeze her run produced as she raised her weapon high, preparing to strike. As the woman neared, and soon, reached striking distance, her sword began to come down; with the intent of crushing Blythe. The Konti, in no mood to be sawed in half, swiftly sidestepped, and brought her sword forward. Her right hand rolled upwards and to the right, and her left downwards and to the right, twisting her katana on its side. Within seconds, their blades were clashing again.

Fast as lightning, Blythe twirled her blade around, whirling it away from the other strip of silver. Her sword rose high, level with her ears, before she swept it back down towards the Konti's right shoulder. The woman stepped back, just out of reach. Frustrated, Blythe retracted her weapon, pulling it close to her side. She stepped forward again, before pushing her blade out. Her arms unfurled, stretching from the elbows. She reached, as her right leg came forward, bent at the knee. Her left leg had fallen back, on an angle. Supported by her foot; all weight was upon. She had lunged, only to have her weapon slashed away by her opponent, before she swept her blade at Blythe's hip.

The younger Konti scarcely had time to rock her body to the side as her left foot slid towards the right. Bringing her form together. Her sword hung uselessly in the air, stretched so far away it hurt to hold. Her hands wrung with the pain of attacks, with thrusts. Inwardly, she groaned. She hated how hard keeping fit could be. But she knew this was necessary, for some reason. Biting her bottom lip so as to help ward off complaints and the pain, the woman pulled her sword in a little. It hung at an angle a moment, as her opponent's sword swept past. As the sword reached the end of its travel, Blythe drew her sword across the air, driving it horizontally towards her opponent's middle. The woman had no time to react, to pull her sword back, and soon, the flat end of her weapon had smashed into bone.

Blythe thought she could hear the woman sucking air through her teeth, as she pulled her weapon away. "You alright?" she asked, causing her opponent to nod as she stepped back. As each took up a starting stance. As basic as they came.

"You won that round Blythe. But next time, you may not be so lucky," the woman confided, before she ran at her.

[Blythe]

Her opponent's blade rose until a point in which it seemed to be plastered against her shoulder. As though she were a woodsman, carrying her ax home after a long day out in the Wildlands. Blythe stood tall, her toes digging into the soles of her gladiator sandals. The leather throngs seemed to cut into her flesh as her fingers dug into the hilt. They wound around the wire as the woman neared. As Blythe's left foot slipped back to help brace her body for the oncoming onslaught. She could see her opponent's blade coming forward, away from her body as slowly it cut down towards her. She scarcely had time to realize she was in reach before she twisted her blade diagonally, and brought it underneath the other Konti's to block. There was a loud crash as metal met with metal, and Blythe pushed upwards against her blade. Trying to bring both weapons back up.

There was a moment's struggle before the weapons tore away from each other. Each retracted back into a basic fighting stance, as each woman took a few steps away from the other. They seemed to eye each other, take everything in as they circled each other hungrily. Wondering how much it would take to bring the other down for good. The opposing Konti was the first to end the eyeing of wolves when she darted for Blythe, her sword held out to the side of her body. Blythe, catching eye of easily, stood strong in her spot. Her sword held out before her, raised in the most basic stance; still. It was but a few ticks before the woman reached her, sweeping her sword in, so as to strike Blythe's hip. The Konti, refusing to allow such things, twisted her hands, turning her weapon upside down. Within but a moment, it had come into the opposing weapon's path, and soon enough, they were clashing again. The two metal ends drove closer to Blythe, who had far less control of her sword. She grit her teeth as force radiated up the white katana's length, pouring into her hands. Hands which seemed to tremble.

Doubting it were out of fear, Blythe stepped forward, into the mess cast by herself and her opponent. She pushed up against her sword a moment, but soon came to realize such an action was futile, the angle by which she held her weapon making it far too awkward to be of any practical use. She supposed it was a good thing then, that her opponent was pulling away, providing her with just enough time to righten her sword and take a few steps back, just out of reach. There was a moment's pause as they locked eyes again, and Blythe's sword fell. She held it by her wastes, so its end would fall by her feet. She held it at a slight angle, so her flesh and the cool metal would never meet, and was soon, rushing towards her opponent as she had done so many times before during the course of their spar. Her fingers twisted around the hilt as she shot forward. Her feet pounding against the stone floor, propelling her forward. As she moved, with such strange grace, her weapon rose, higher and higher, sweeping towards her opponent's right shoulder in the final moment, when she had infiltrated her striking range. Only to find that her efforts had been of no use, for her opponent's weapon could easily come across; blocking her advances once more.

Blythe retracted her blade a little, keeping it high a moment, as her opponent's remained across her chest. Watchful, waiting, for yet another attack to come its way. It was waiting to defend its mistress, like a loyal dog, to the very end. Blythe couldn't held but sigh to herself as she took a half step back, before raising her sword a little higher, and then, finally, allowing it to crash back down towards her opponent's opposite shoulder. The one she had not just tried to saw off, and was still, fairly well defended. It was but a blink of an eye though, before the opposing blade came up and under her own, leaving Blythe without a clear path to pale flesh. Similar to her own, but not precisely the same. Again, she sighed inwardly, as she pulled her blade off the other, and stepped back, lowering her blade more, so that her hands rested just in front of her middle, and the sword, became a vertical protrusion. Her eyes danced over the other Konti then. Filled with a greater sense of knowledge. Strength, and even grace. She wondered then, how she could ever come to beat such a person in a real battle. One that wasn't simply play, like this. One where the loser lost their head. Their heart. Their life.

Blythe couldn't fathom it. Perhaps then, it was best she didn't have to. Didn't so much as have a chance to, for her opponent was coming for her again. Albeit, this time, much more slowly, as though she were taking methodical, pre-ordained, even planned, steps. Her sword was kept close. Its end a diagonal line over the length of her shoulder. There was a moment where it simply rested there, and another when she was pulling it back, past her shoulder. Blythe simply studied it, unable to think of what she could be planning. Instead, she waited, unsure of what else she should try to do, she forced herself to lean into her bent knees a little more. Stand a bit more on her toes, so she'd be ready to spring into action. A coiled viper, asking to be given reason to strike.

[Blythe]

As her opponent neared, she brought her weapon down, cutting it across her body towards Blythe's hip. Swiftly, the Konti shuffled back, just out of reach, before dashing forward. Raising her sword a little, before bringing it directly back down, towards her opponent's middle. Having no time to pull her blade back and block Blythe properly, the woman chose to side-step just out of reach. Within moments, her sword was back at her side, blocking the right portion of her body from any potential attacks. Blythe's sword had simply come back, held only a little higher than before, directly in front of her. It cut her body in half as she stepped with one foot, and then had the left cross over. Over and over again she circled her prey. Waiting for an opening as her opponent's blade came across. To guard her chest in the same way Blythe's sword guarded hers. Their eyes remained locked; set on fire. Their muscles were coiled, some rippling beneath their pale flesh as several more beads of sweat appeared to line their brows.

Blythe's chest rose and fell slowly, evenly, but more rapidly than when she had begun. Her heart hammered in her tiny rib cage, beating out a tune for her to move by in order to cut her opponent down. Mere moments passed before she noticed an opening. A slight tilt of her opponent's sword to the left side, leaving the right open. But only slightly. Even so, it should be enough to end a fight, if approached properly. Instantly, Blythe ran forward. Her sword coming back towards her shoulder as she darted, and at the last moment, swung her sword towards the woman's shoulder. As Blythe neared, the woman took a half step back, placing all of her weight on the foot she left behind. Her sword came up, and soon, blocked Blythe's advance. Frustrated, the fortune teller tore away. She took a half step back as her sword swept out to her side only to be drawn back in again, towards the woman's hip.

Not wishing the battle to be ended in such a similar fashion, the woman brought her blade down, blocking her hip. Strange, to have them switch positions, to have Blythe's sword pushing the other closer and closer to flesh, and not the other way around. Each of their arms trembled with the force it took to keep going. With the heat rising in their chests as yet more sweat sprouted to try and cool them down. The tips of their swords seemed to hiss as they kept on fighting, futilely, for neither was gaining any ground. Frustrated, as her teeth ground together, Blythe pulled back, releasing the weapons from their lock. The tension seemed to ease away into the recesses of the room for but an instant, as Blythe forced herself forward again. Her sword hung haphazardly a few inches in front of her chest. It was on a slight angle, directed towards her left shoulder; leaving her right, open for attack.

As she neared, Blythe brought her blade out, pushing it towards her opponent's chest. The soft edge slammed against metal. Crackling overcame the air as she pulled away, raising her sword a little higher. She was bringing it over her head when her opponent's blade sailed in, towards her chest. Blythe sucked in her breath and forced her middle away dodging all but the weapon's point, which severed the ties of her dress. Frayed edges fell away as red stained white. Trickling down the garment in dreaded lines; stains, impossible to get out.

Blythe ignored it, the soft sting the wound had instilled within her, as she brought her blade down on top of her opponent's, pushing it towards the floor. She seemed to step over it as she swept her sword back up, bringing the point under her opponent's chin, just as she swept her sword upwards and across, leaving the soft edge against her neck. "So it's a draw then," Blythe whispered.

"So it would seem," the elder Konti replied.

"Well, we can't have that now can we?" Blythe asked, as the tip of her sword lifted the woman's chin. As her opponent's sword inched towards Blythe's glowing veins. "Not forever."

"No," the woman whispered.

"Then what do you propose we do?" Blythe asked.

"End this," the woman roared as she pulled her blade away, spurring Blythe to do the same. She stumbled back a few steps as the woman's shoulder rammed into her chest, and soon, something sharp and metallic cut across her middle. Blythe's fingers unfurled, causing the sword to slide around in her grip as she looked down. There was no blood, but her flesh stung. It was a remnant of all those times her mother had slapped her for being unruly as a child. Blythe, panting now, looked up at her opponent.

"I suppose you win this round," Blythe whispered, as she offered the woman a slight bow of her head in respect, as she sheathed her sword. "Which should mean that we have reached a tie. To be broken another day, when we both aren't quite so tired." Murderous and cheap. Cold and cruel. "When we both don't have a city to help rebuild."

The woman could only offer her knowing smile as she sheathed her sword. Her eyes were glimmering as she stepped away, into the citadel. Blythe watched her move out of the corner of her eye, and couldn't help but feel a bit uneasy as a chill shot up the length of her spine. "Now who is she, to know how to fight fair..."

Blythe's voice trailed off for a time as she followed it out the door. "Does anyone still remember?" she whispered. "Still have the time in a place as cruel as this?" The Konti shook her head, for some reason, her heart was filled with wave after wave of endless doubt. She sighed as she crossed the hall. Maybe there was work to be done there.

[Emblem]

Congratulations! You Get Glorious Experience! Blythe Skills Weapon: Katana- 4 XP Lores Frustration in Battle A Clash of Blades A Draw is Unacceptable Comments : Nice thread! Go ahead and PM me with any questions!