[Spring Tournament, Round 2] Kassan vs Malavos

[Kassan]

Kassan vs. Malavos He could feel the crowd. Their awe, their excitement, flashed through every pore, through every palpitation. It was even more electric than the first time. Once again, his hand was clasped around the familiar handle of his glaive, fingers fitting perfectly into the grooves there. His eyes flitted to his belt, daggers ready to unleash and rain upon his enemy should they be needed. With Alderache, he had been able to utilise some anticipation -- even in spite of his opponent's divine mark. He had faced the man before, watched the way he moved his blade, and he remembered. Kassan always remembered. But this man: Malavos. He knew nothing of him. He knew nothing of what to expect. The only thing he did know, was not to judge a book by its cover. He had to be prepared for anything -- he had to expect the unexpected.

[Malavos]

No one will ever be able to accurately predict the outcome of a fight, the same can be said for this one. Malavos himself does not know how he got through the previous round. The discomfort in his arm where the dog chomped into kept reminding him that. While he did his best in getting some healing, he knew that he has to try and end this fight fast because there was no way there would be a repeat of the previous round.

The familiar sight of humans circling around him with their hungry eyes for entertainment disgusted him but he cannot do anything to them that he wanted to. His opponent would have to do. As soon as Malavos fixed his eyes on his opponent, assessing his soon to be prey, his mouth lifted into a cold smile. Why hello there Kassan, what small daggers you have. Everyone knew that bigger was better and Malavos held on tightly to his greatsword ready to prove that in the Warfields today.

His previous opponent, the other kelvic Damian taught him what it means to be prepared to shift when he needed to. If Malavos did not give the dog a chance to strip all his clothes that time, would he have this feeling on his arm? He started stripping there and then while waiting for the fight to start leaving his sword, jacket and pants on the ground to reveal his horribly scarred body. Fortunately with the loincloth still in place no one would ever need to know if he has taken the more sickening type of physical abuse as well.

If Kassan was able to expect this then he was truly a prepared warrior but Malavos was not too much of a thinker. All prepared he took a squat near the ground, arms naturally dangling on the ground while he watched intently for his opponent to initiate. It did not sound like the people were the same, voices loudly heckling in unison to try and pressure him into starting first because they did not pay for a stripshow.

[Kassan]

Kassan watched carefully as his opponent stripped in front of him. He did not look away. He did not feel uncomfortable. He half wondered if this Malavos was trying to unnerve him into backing out. A loincloth spared the man's modesty, but it was not that Kassan eyed. The man was scarred. Truly, and painfully, every criss crossed line spoke of the past horrors this man had experienced. Though Kassan had faced his own hardships, he did not bear many scars from that time. The abuse had come in other ways, and the places he had been beaten had long shed their marks. A new found respect for this man he did not know rose in his body. Any person who had suffered so much, and now stood here in the tournament would garner such admiration from him. Now was not the time though. Now was the time for battle. Gripping his glaive and muttering a hurried affirmation, followed by a mantra to Uphis, he rushed forwards like a bird suddenly taking flight. As he neared the man, he made eye contact, a knowing look. And then he swung the glaive round, expecting the man to block, but making his intentions known nevertheless.

[Malavos]

A prepared opponent then. Better than the playful fool that had to be put up with during the previous round and he knew the importance of holding on to his weapon. Malavos watched closely through the motions when the man took the initiative with his weapon and rushed towards him. Which one needed more of his attention? The glaive or its wielder?

It was the strange, long weapon that Malavos had his eyes on. Back in the pits, the slaves especially would rarely be given a weapon. His own greatsword came into his possession only to help him escape that cruel city and stayed with him ever since. The kelvic who lacked any fang or claw in his natural form as painfully reminded to him by Damian needed every advantage he could get and that weapon allowed him just that.

Even if he has been practicing it for seasons, he had no confidence that he could take it up in time to block off the glaive successfully. It gave him a better excuse to utilize something that he already grown so used to all his life. Watching as the glaive moved round Malavos had his arm bent upwards to intercept the glaive in its path while rushing in closer to try and get closer to his opponent. The man had the benefit of his weapons reach but that would soon be turn into his disadvantage as soon as Malavos got in close enough to use his fists, or that was what his experience was telling him.

The blow that pressed hard onto his forearm told him that he would be pushed back even before he could return in kind if he did not strike now. Planting his feet solidly on to the ground, Malavos forced an uppercut hoping that with the support, the lack of an aim would still see it connect. Even if it did not, he would be able to get a feel of the range to see how he would have to continue the fight at their next round.

[Kassan]

No sooner had Malavos blocked the glaive, a punch came from nowhere. He was not prepared for his opponent's agility. Fortunately, the blow did not hit him full on, but the fist caught his jaw. His face was shunted, and he was sure something had been pushed out of place. Swinging the glaive back round in an arc to create a space between them, he hopped back, sandals pressed into the ground. His eyes came up to stare once again at the man. Never underestimate. "What is it that drives you on?" Kassan asked, as openly as possible, "what is it that keeps you going past all those scars. All those... memories." The last word came off more bitterly than he had intended. This time, he rushed forward again, but the glaive swinging to the side was a mock gesture. Hoping to distract his opponent, he kicked out his left foot. If he had gotten the timing right, Malavos would trip over, leaving himself open to attack.

[Malavos]

A hit but Malavos knew that he should not try his luck again. The problem was Kassan's weapon. It was too long, something that Malavos was not used to. He had to get it out of the way first the same way Damian did with his own during the previous round. Fellow kelvic or not, like Malavos, the presence of a weapon would make someone think twice before attacking. Maybe if he kept his he would not have suffered this bite on his arm. It was uncomfortable...now even more when he gave his punch. He did not expect for the force of the blow of effect himself this way. This was going to be an unforeseen disadvantage to him.

Then Kassan moved back and begun to...talk? This would be one of those rare moments someone would try in a fight. Back in the pits you don't talk. You fight or you die. Malavos quickly used the chance to pick up his sword from the ground ignoring the man's words but he could not ignore the tone. Who was Kassan to talk about him this way? It was humans like him who put these scars on him. Gave him these horrible memories as he put it. The same which gave him his drive.

Giving a snarl now that he was forced to remember, Malavos raised his sword just as Kassan rushed forward again. The man will know what was Malavos' drive. To be the alpha and protect all mistreated kelvics like him! But to do that he needed to be stronger and more capable of protecting them from the humans. To prove that he needed to be able to hurt them like his opponent who was contesting against him.

Rage and instinct taking over Malavos forgot all about the glaive wanting to just hit. A poor decision by him which put all his experience to waste. Kassan's plan worked, felling the kelvic down but it worked in Malavos favour to an extent because it also helped bring the sword down towards Kassan. He knew it was unlikely to hit though because it required more than what he was doing, to twist and shift his sword to accurately hit Kassan while earlier all he had to do was bring it down when the time was right.

On his knees, on the ground, Malavos knew that he was in Kassan's mercy but he understood he had to continue fighting. It was too soon but Malavos immediately shifted into his gorilla form hoping that the light would help to blind Kassan and give him a chance to escape just like when he experienced it going against Damain. Frantic, Malavos clutched his weapon and the ground as hard as possible before sweeping the flat of his sword behind him where he believed Kassan would be. One attack and then the kelvic was kicking back with his strong legs to escape, launching himself forward away from where his opponent and his weapon would be.

Now that his hidden card was played, his advantage was lost. But he did not need something like instantly shifting to help him against that worm earlier in the season and that one was a lot more longer and intimidating than Kassan and his glaive.

[Kassan]

The second hit struck, but the man pushed his sword up as he tumbled, and Kassan was forced to move backwards awkwardly to avoid being stabbed. The monk was filled with ire. And the man did not reply to his questions, either. Was he so consumed he could not verbalise those feelings? Kassan lifted his glaive up, hands shaking as he prepared to stab downwards with the blade. He was forced to relent, shielding his eyes with an arm as the man burst into swirling light, and his form shifted in an instant. For a moment, he was dazzled. Malavos acted too quickly for Kassan to work out what was going on. The sword swept back, and he cried out as the blade cut his arm. It was not a deep wound, but it bled all the same, and his grip loosened on the glaive. He hurriedly made distance again, balancing out his grip so that he shifted strength to his other arm. Kassan blinked, and then realisation struck him. The man was a Kelvic, capable of shifting from animal to human form. And yet, the scars still remained. He did not give Malavos time to think. Pressing on against the pain, repeating the mantras in his head, his hand went to his belt, gripping one of the steel daggers, and he launched it with hurried precision. It arced through the air, aimed at the Kelvic.

[Malavos]

These humans, always thinking that they are entitled to everything including the answers. The scars themselves, the ones that would never fade even with the unexplainable magic that the kelvics use the shift through their forms should have told Kassan what he wanted to know if only he really wanted to. He deserves no answer. Only the pain that all people like him has inflicted on kelvics just like Malavos.

Malavos needed time before that. Time to rest, time to think. The shift made him feel weaker. The cry he heard he could not think too much about. He could only guess that his attack somehow hit. Somewhere at the legs Malavos thought as he remembered the way he attacked. That should give him some time. Kassan would have to work up himself to quite a charge if he wanted to attack like that and Malavos should be able to see something like that easily and prepare a counter.

Or so he thought. He never did think that the sword would have actually hit Kassan at the hands. Malavos, too focused on watching Kassan's legs was caught off guard by the unforeseen movements of the man's arms which sent his hidden weapon right for him. Another human trick! Malavos would have smashed if he did not need to defend. Holding his sword up, Malavos tried to block it off but the sun got into his eyes. For a moment he could see nothing but the bright light which ate the dagger before the dagger ate into his arm.

It was terrible to think the abuse suffered by his arm. First Damian, a fellow kelvic and now Kassan, a disgusting human. Malavos was overcome with emotion again and in a rage flung his sword at Kassan. The dagger wound was forgotten because Malavos was going to return some pain of his own. Kassan had nowhere to run with that leg, or so he believed. The man should be happy. Greedy humans always liked something bigger and better in return for what they gave.

And Malavos had more to offer. First there would only be a charging, angry gorilla both arms held up ready at the sides. Malavos realized that Kassan would be able to attack first with the glaive and so prepared to defend with one arm again. The other would cover over Kassan's view as it goes right for his head. One grab and it would be all over. There was no telling what Malavos would do if he was allowed to. Human rules meant nothing to him.