[Tall Johnny's] Reconsidering Career Options

by **Kreig Messer** on June 10th, 2018, 10:44 am

9th of Summer, 518 AV, 20th Bell, 5th Chime.

Another season passed, another took its place. The change of seasons was a constant, much like how the people of Sunberth did whatever they could to eke out an existence. Such was the same for Kreig, stretching his limbs before entering the arena that he saw much too often even for his own liking. This time he had his gauntlets and breastplate ready, though how much the breastplate would be useful he could not tell.

He tilted his neck left and right, letting out cracks that were easily engulfed by the noise the crowd made, eyes upon an opponent that made his first look like a tender kitten in comparison. It was saying something that a man who dwarfed Kreig in height and bulk could be considered a kitten in comparison to the person before him, and Kreig wasn’t ashamed to admit she elicited more than a bit of fear.

“Ahhh, ladies and gents, bastards and whores” And there was that fellow who would no doubt explain just why Kreig felt a tad afraid “ I hope you’re purses are ready for this, tonight we have the Son of Sunbirth, the man who enjoys the thrill of his fists striking and taking on odds that sane folk would know best to step away” Kreig’s brows quirked, was he just called insane? Kreig didn’t really disagree, but still…

“ And who’s he up against? Who’s this newcomer that stands before, or perhaps above, him? Standing at at a mere five feet in height yet certainly a giant in mass, this Isur woman is built like a brick house and with an arm of iron that could hammer all into submission, and if that wasn’t enough a wicked sledgehammer in one and a crowbar in the other certainly will” As much as it excited him to face the woman who’s face spoke ‘I’m going to grind you into paste’ without any words, he at least hoped should he lose he would at least a recognizable piece of him afterwards.

“ Everyone, put your hands together for… SAGARI!’ Kreig stifled a groan, although no doubt his contorting face gave someone an idea of how he felt. The sound of cheers and demands for blood telled Kreig that they hardly shared his discomfort about being too unrecognizable should this end fatally for him. He should have brought his sword, at the very least he’d have something sharp and pointy to deter her from potentially charging towards him from the get go.

“And now ladies and gents, its time to get to the carnage you’ve been waiting for…. Fighters, get ready, and GO!” If fair fighting was a very large concern for the people of Sunberth, Kreig would have been hopeful that someone would have pointed that the behemoth of a female was moving just a wee bit too early.

For Kreig, who saw someone twice his mass albeit shorter than him with heavy weapons galore, two words needed only be said to summarize his feelings.
“Oh shyke…”

by **Kreig Messer** on June 14th, 2018, 5:08 pm

An overhead swing form her hammed caused him to step back, a thrust from her crowbar caused him to pivot, a backhanded swing from her iron-like arm which held the crowbar forced him to raise the back of his gauntlets to absorb some of the blow even as it lifted him off his feet and dropped him on his rear.

‘ Shyke, shyke, shyke, this gal ain’t lackin’ in the strength department’ It certainly didn’t help that one of her arms literally held the force and composition of a hammer as well, thus adding to the deadliness of her strength. As he sat briefly stunned from it all, he begged his body to gather it’s wits as the Isur woman lumbered forward and swung her sledgehammer again an overhead fashion.

Scootching back his rear and parting his legs, the laborer’s instrument of death smashed between and narrowly missed turning his hips into bloody splinters, but turning the symbol of his manhood into splatter fruit. ‘That is much too close for comfort’ He thought as his legs closed together around the shaft of the heavy hammer, a hand latching onto it as well as he pulled himself upwards and forward, head bowed as he angled his top to ram into the burly Isur woman’s face. There was a crunching sound as bone met cartilladge, the Isur stumbling back as blood split from her nose, her grip still tight on her hammer despite it.

Kreig’s legs parted to so that that he would not fall due to the hammer head that was now threatening to trip off as it was pulled back.

Attempting to position himself closer, he readied his left for a jab, only to feel a sharp pain in his shoulder forcing him to pause unwillingly. The sharp gleam of the crowbar head against his arm told what he needed as he glanced, cursing as his eyes farted forward and saw what came next.

The Isur, with blood down her nose brought in her shoulder and rushed him, the iron of her arm and her strength sending a sharp imact through his body, only partially lessened by his breastplate. It sent him flying once more and this time on his back, not merely his bum.

Kreig briefly mused how often it seemed he was sent flying on the hard dirt floor of the Cage Pit, honestly it wasn’t a good track record though as he recalled all his fights he noted that he usually tended to suffer at first before really hammering it in when it came to a good fight. Snapping from his thoughts Kreig rolled to his side and stood on his knees, eyes upon his foe who snarled, a snot bubble of blood from a ruined nose showing how much Kreig annoyed her with that little stunt.

‘ Yeah, well…its not like I ain’t got hurt either, I think I’m feelin’ a pain in that spot where I hit her’ As far as headbutts go, the one he gave her was a bit far from the traditional, but it served its purpose. Standing on his legs, he felt them shake along with his arms, evidently, the force of her blows were quickly pushing his limits.

He couldn’t help but chuckle, a thrill through him at the thought that her next blow would likely end his winning streak thus far. He still wasn’t a champion yet, it would be quite a shame if he didn’t earn it.

‘Guess I should aim to win then’

by **Kreig Messer** on June 14th, 2018, 6:08 pm

Of course, that was easier said than done as the five foot bruiser stomped forwards as Kreig struggled to regain full control of his body. His arms and legs wouldn’t stop shaking, he’d hoped that his knee-jerk distance making would have meant he’d have control of his faculties but nope! It seems he would have to battle himself in order to avoid getting slaughtered.

The Isur woman wasn’t giving him much time, though in Kreig’s mind seemed to slow to give each of her steps a certain gravitas. As if counting down to his doom, his eyes examined her body for the tells that would tell him which way his blood would fly once she swung those instruments of death.

It should have filled him with dread, or at least that sinking feeling one gets in the stomach at the realization of loss. But it only exhilarated Kreig, other than that rush of adrenaline he got when fighting, there was also that very excitement one got when their life was literally being wagered. Come the next move, he’d either be a dead man for Johnny to bury in the Dust Bed, or barely hanging on a gain with another slim chance to turn things around.

‘ Come on, you’ve been in worse spots…come on’ He begged his own body, his teeth biting into the corner of his lip hard enough that he tasted the coppery taste of his own blood. She was might close now, her left shoulder shifting. So it was the crowbar that would do him in. ‘ Come on…’ Among the many thug tools of enforcement, the crowbar was classic. Good for prying crates, doors and head bashing, it was also quite intimidation with its crooked ends.

‘ Oh for petch sakes MOVE’

Finally acquiescing Kreig’s body did move to his will, just as the Isur spread her left arm readying for a quick swing that would never come as Kreig suddenly crashed into the Isur, pushing both her and himself down with him on top.

‘ Finally ’ Raising his back up, he looked down on the Isur with a positively malice-filled smile, raising his fists and just wailing on the Isur who’d the foresight to see it coming and raised her arms to shield her face. With one arm being practically iron itself, half his blows were rendered useless and Kreig wasn’t so sure the other arm wouldn’t survive the bashing, muscular as it was and combined with the species natural hardiness, still whatever gave him an advantage, he’d take.

Plus his studded gauntlets could at least rectify her physical advantages even if slight, at least he hoped, in fact he hoped his overall power wasn’t dampened. Gods he could feel the soreness in his arms….. right shoulder felt particularly pained, he’d need a wet rag for that.

His eyes on the Isur, his eyes breifely widened as he saw one of her eyes through the gap. There was intent filled in it, and with a sense of realization, and the sudden darting of her metallic arm with its fingers wrapped around his neck, Kreig felt he was in for a bad time.

‘Well petch me in the arse an’ call me Sally…’

by **Kreig Messer** on June 14th, 2018, 6:42 pm

With her hand catching his neck in what felt very like a vice, Kreig’s own hands grasping on to her wrist trying to pry her off with no avail. She guided him off her self and onto their feet, he felt only the barest hint of breath going in and out his airways, slowly being cut off as she slowly and painfully tighetened her grasp.

As if that wasn’t enough, she raised her crowbar and struck his leg thrice to prove her dominance. He’d have shouted in pain if he could, or even grit his teeth but her grip prevented that. He was doing his best to struggle, but the darkening of his vision said as much by itself at how futile it appeared.

His eyes upon her, a dull sense of realization took place as he measured the distance between himself and her with her outstretched arm. The fact he neared a foot over hear gave his feint hope a snse of reality. With what energy he could spare the moment, he positioned his weight upon his injured leg realizing how risky that was. Raising his other leg, he swung it in a knee strike, connecting with the side of her body and more importantly, close to the liver he hoped.

He hoped that whatever shock that sent would be enough to force her to let him go. He wondered belatedly if Isur bodies were similar to humans enough for the liver to be there in the first place. Still, he had the desire result as the Isur’s grip slackened and he stepped back, stumbling on his rear as he gasped for breath.

The corner of his vision seemed to brighten as he regainedhimself. His dody crawling back in a mad scramble to create as much distance as he could before standing up with the bare semblance of balance, creating more distance, only a short distance away from the cages as well.

He was on the run, he realized that. But just because he was on the run didn’t mean he was done. From the beginning he had his doubts he could take her out the direct way. But he was limited in ways he could take her out indirectly, severely limited. He could throw dirt again he supposed, but that was as one-trick as they come and he’d imagine his foes would have learned by now to see it coming.

She was closing in again, and this time she meant to go in quick. He had very little time to come up with a trick or plan, she had her sledge hammer again as well so that added to the urgency.

‘ shame this ain’t an alley, coulda found a bunch of things to toss at her’

He paused a bit, a thought barging its way through. A quick smile tugged at his lips “Huh, could work…’ Whatever he thought, it couldn’t be worse than the situation he was in… might prove enough to turn things about really.

Why not?

by **Kreig Messer** on June 14th, 2018, 7:56 pm

Kreig let out a breath as he grinned at the Isur, surely looking a pathetic sight yet smug all the same “Heh, that metal arm of yourselves ain’t all that cracked up be if ya ain’t taken me out yet” He threw out, the batner caught the Isur off guard, not the words itself but the fact words were being used at all in the heat of it all.

“Tough words from a dead man, all it would take is a breath for a breath to see you break human” Kreig chuckled, licking the corner of his lip where he’d bitten previously. It stung to the touch obviously, yet there was a comfort in it.

“Please, I’ve smelled worse, or ya truly reckonin’ that breath of yours is deadly” Her brows furrowed at the twist of her words against her, distracting her focus he subtly took a step back “Still, stands a better chance than those weapons ya got.”

“I’ve struck you multiple times, I’ve hardly missed you since we began!” She exclaimed, and Kreig could only chuckle on. It was an annoying laugh, condescending and audacious considering Kreig’s condtion.

“Yeah? Well I’m still standing ain’t I?” Barely, he silently added but he hardly needed to admit that “What’s the point if it ain’t lettin’ ya keep me down so far, ya had me dead to rights even with that arm of yers an’ I’m still standin’!” He taunted, taking another subtle step back as he attempted to rile her up.

It seemed to be working judging by how her already dour and murderous expression turned even more so. Stomping forwards, Kreig noted the shift of her left shoulder as she raised her hammed in a diagonal swing, stepping back as it narrowly missed him. Seeing her other shoulder twitch, he stepped back again to avoid the swing of her crowbar, then took an even bigger step back as she raised both in upward swings.

He smiled wider as he had her where he wanted her, her arms raised for a couple of downward strikes. Her arms moved, only to stop abruptly. Kreig grinned wider as he saw her confusion, eyes blinking as she looked up and paling as she realized she’d been had. The head of her hammer and her crowbar both were stopped by the iron fence that made up the ‘cage’, stopping them in their tracks.

Gathering his left hand into a fist, Kreig stepped in close and rotated his body, bringing his fist into a hook that struck the Isur’s side. Rotating back, he launched again in a repeated motion as his struck her side. Unwillingly she dropped her weapons as he struck a third, all breath out of her and all control of her body lost. She was about to drop before Kreig grabbed the side of her head and brought his forehead connecting with the bridge of her already broken nose, breaking it further.

Letting her go, Kreig allowed her to drop to her knees before grabbing her head again and slamming his knee into her face in excessive brutality. Finally he let her fall completely a shallow breath, indicating she was alive however barely. Kreig breathed heavily, about to drop himself with only the support of the cage itself keeping him from dropping.

“ YOU’VE SEEN IT FOR YOURSELFS, LADIES AND HOOLIGANS. THE SON OF SUNBERTH EMERGE’S THE VICTOR ONCEMORE AND AGAIN BY THE SKIN OF HIS TEETH. GIVE IT UP FOR KREIG MESSEEEEER” There was a roar of cheers and Kreig could only grin, not looking up as he made his way to leave the cage.

“All in a Gods’ damn day’s of work” He remarked, looking back only briefly at the Isur he’d defeated before departing finally…Gods he felt he could sleep for days.

by **Kreig Messer** on July 8th, 2018, 4:36 pm

Grade :

Notes :

Credit goes to Trickster for this lovely Template

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Skill	XP Earned
Unarmed	3 XP
Boxing	3 XP
Brawling	1 XP
Tactics	1 XP
Endurance	4 XP

Completed [Tall Johnny's] Reconsidering Career Options