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- The Royal Tourney will be held today, the final round. Shall the best meet there! – The astral plane was buzzing hornily with gossips. – Today Stilgar the Sinful and Saldor the Cold-Blooded Mage shall meet at the Arena of Bal Harbor. Today the battle will be fought.
Introducing – Stilgar the Sinful One.
Stilgar grinned wryly: "Heh, Sinful". He was standing at the West Gate of Bal Harbor, reading the notes pinned to the board. He was gently caressing his right cheek with the blade of his dagger as though shaving the already cleanly shaved chin. Few remember how he had got such a title – Sinful, and he didn't think he was a sinful one himself. Accurately and in time he had always performed all the ritualistic worships the local religion required him to. As a result, the gods usually adorned him with the things a good warrior might ever have had a need for. Being a man who believed that the doom may not be changed, he wasn't worried at all before the Battle. Little was his experience in challenging the mages; yet he had some. And he wasn't a harmless lamb himself - though weak in mysterious magic art, Stilgar used to know few simple spells, and trained since birth, he was a warrior of perfection.
- The prize is majestic but heck, I can live without it. – This thought in mind, Stilgar headed to the famed local pub, "The Golden Goose". – Ah, it's almost time to go, only a couple hours left.
Introducing – Saldor the Cold-Blooded Mage.
Not too far away from the Sun Temple, in his own house Saldor was sitting, pondering the meanings of life, the problems of universe or simply suffering from a headache. To tell the truth, it was just the time to begin meditating to concentrate onto the battle – his enemy was a hard one. Mentally considering himself against the Sinful One, Saldor began to understand he'd need to show off and expose all his hidden strength to be the winner. A heavy sigh escaped the mage's lips. He commenced to revise all his magical abilities, trying to reach the best efficiency with the least power spent.
Having wasted around two hours doing it, the mage then stood up and leaned against a wall, sending a mental order. The wall suddenly moved aside, revealing a vault beneath, a vault that was hiding all the treasures the mage possessed. Saldor cast a steady look at the equipment. A set of magical accoutrements caught his eye. No wonder he could had clad himself in an unearthly armor, but he then would lose his only advantage against the warrior. Breathing calmly, Saldor encircled his wrists with dragonskin bracelets and his fingers with polished basalt rings. A pair of dragon claws was hanging down his neck, upon a reddish shirt encrusted with lava. After much thought, he chose a silvery cloak to wear. He then withdrew a shimmering sheath from the depth of his vault and, with a sizzle, pulled out an arcane sword covered with runes. The mage peered at the row of flaming runes of magic that were etched at the blade and began fencing with his shadow, crushing the wall it was resting upon. To a spectator's eye, his swift movements were nothing but a perfect dueling. To himself, it was merely a hobby he wasn't really used to. Saldor made an uneasy face and put the sword back in the sheath, taking a lightning-shaped dagger instead.
- Ahh, the thunderbolt, it will teach even Stilgar who's the boss.
Finishing his equipping, Saldor gestured with one hand and the wall slipped back, hiding the vault. He then locked it properly, closed his eyes and drew a picture in his mind, a picture that suspiciously resembled the arms of Bal Harbor engraved upon the main gates. He then released a charge of magical energy…
The Questmaster of the Tower.
Such a good day it was. The sun was shining high up the sky, gently caressing the earth with the waves of heat. The crowd was buzzing constantly, horned up, because the battle promised to be pretty interesting. Bookmakers were offering bets on the winner, and the ratio was high – both the challengers were absolutely different; the power of magic versus the power of might; excellent Saldor the Mage could of course use his fencing abilities but they would only take effect against peasants or other low-trained people. Definitely, not against a perfect warrior. Therefore, the magic will be his only weapon. That was the main reason the Questmaster was interested so much in the result; Saldor was told to be a superior magician – he was rumored to be told the arcane secrets of magic by the Dragonpride, and Orkhis didn't gainsay that, being mysteriously silent.
Yet Stilgar was the one to be kept in mind. He was a paladin, but, sarcastically, he was also called "Sinful". He is good in healing magic, too, I often saw him bathing in waves of blinding white light during training sessions, and the constant usage of Aegis is easily determinable as well by the sphere of soft light which outlines the caster.
Of course, Aegis still leaves much to be desired; Saldor burned his last enemy to ashes and no aegis saved his life. Firewind is an icky-wacky, rough spell, heh. Ah, here he is, speaking of the devil. Here he goes, mighty Stilgar, taller by head than everyone in the crowd; and so gracious is his gait, so elegant are his garments. The black hued onyx bracelets are shining in the sun; open faced helm, polished cuirass, a blue steel dagger hanging down his platinum belt and blue steel armor is guarding his neck and shoulders. What a surprise, his broad shield bears the symbol of Frobisher. Ah, a well-done suit of armor, and a functional one, too.
Stilgar reached the gates and thin tendrils of white mist suddenly began to swirl behind him, forming Saldor in the middle, all draped in silver.
- Shall we be fighting here today? – rumbled the Sinful One.
- Shall we be killing here today! – the Cold-Blooded's words were the answer to those of Stilgar.
Time to set up the force field and open the gates – the Acoustic Amplifier is such a chock-o-block already.
Stilgar the Sinful One.
Frobisher the Great God, I can't even understand how did this bastard got into here and it was him I was hoping to challenge in magic? For goodness sake, no! Shall I be simpler, plain axe, plain dagger, plain steel and plain might…
Time to suit in Aegis and to start.
Saldor the Mage.
Oh puss-puss, Frobisher's shield in hands, he musta be a good friend to him… and his armor is almost impenetrable, unlike mine… Sigh, not a Thunderbolt will help me, I can only trust in my magic…
So, Sanctuary… ahh, love this soft glow… Spellshield… merely a precaution… Time to start.
The Questmaster.
Oh, handsome mage, oh, shiney warrior. Hence the gates open… checking for the equipment… entered!
Three – a ritualistic worship.
Two – a symbolic handshake.
One – they creep in the Tower, sneaking unheard…
FIGHT!
The battle has just begun, a good thing I can watch the participants closely thanks to my magical mirror; not only it shows them clearly, despite their invisibility, but also colors the simplest spells.
Saldor has chosen a passive tactic, he has flewn up the ceiling, strands of magical webbing down his hands – he now resembles a spider ready to ambush his prey from the behind. Here is the prey coming, quietly flying in the dark. Yelp, where is he? Ah, moving in shadows, a swift outline… Ah, bravo the warrior, you did that! He thrusted the dagger in the Mage's body…
Stilgar the Sinful One.
Spinning is the world around, I'm being strongly bound.
It would be stupid to try and hide, he is a mage, he would take me anyway. Shall I surprise him, or what?
"Fly" and I feel light… concentrating…
Resist web, and I feel oily…
concentrating…
take me shadow! let me ambush!
twenty rooms spin in my eyes…
Feel the dagger, little fella –
let it be… for you… surprise!
…Well done, well done, Stilgar, dear. Concentrate… Phase Door! Ah darn, he succeeded in jynxing me, bastard, Demon Bound me… Web?! Hehe, thanks the Resistant, it wore off. A kick, a pierce… another pierce… bash…
Doing good, little fella… let's see how good will you do with a cleaver…
Cringing back, that's better, better… What is he chanting? Familiar tune, where had I heard it last, must had been somewhere in…
Dragonmount!
Saldor the Cold-Blooded.
Mamma Alana, beg you for help, I never thought a stiletto in the heart would be THAT much pain! Oh, the Sinful One, not only can he Fly well, but also does the shadow pretty skillfully. Oh, it hurts, I should never be sitting here… What a shame instead of fame to be killed in the first minute of the fight… Concentrating.. Demon Bind!
What? Phasing Out? Nooo, don't hurry, dear, let's play around a while…
Restoration… blood stops flowing, heart is back to normal beating… Now get the Web, buddy, and let's see you handling with it...
Oops, he is better trained than I might ever think. My Web dies helplessly. Ohh, fencing in a frenzy… I'm better taking back a few steps… What? A cleaver against a dagger? Nooo, I'm not in the mood for committing a suicide yet. Time to flee, no panic… concentrate… Stone skin! Got that blade stoned up a little, eh, warrior? Attacking… Dispel Magic!
Ahhhh, a joyful sight! He must had been working for the circus, making such arcane spirals on the way falling down. Got a full blast from the stone! A control shot… Acid Shower! thanks Tiamat, a spell few have ever known about and a powerful one too, as well. Down, down, left side, down, right… Well done! The stone floor looks like it had been worms living place. And where's the corpse, it couldn't have dissolved completely… Musta been for the darkness here… Where is he, damn?! Concentrate… Relocation!
Whew, here he is, still alive, what a surprise. Yufzbarr…
What's that?!!!
Stilgar the Sinful One.
Caught the fool! See my cleaver in action, little fella!
………………
Uh-oh, had seen… nearly lost the grip on it. How did this floor raise up to my face? Wish my nose would stop BLEEDING that much. Get up, get up, or he'll jynx me outta here. Restoration, few moves aside… just in time! Gawd, had he had Tiamat as his teacher? Acid rain, steaming floor…
…step aside, step right up, then right down… Fly, hide… take a break… Frobisher, the battle has just commenced and I'm half dead already!
Sense life, Detect Invisibility – hate the eyes tingling, makes me think someone has onions nearby, - Vigor, Steel Skin… finally, Aegis… See him moving! Hide.
What's this fog about, he couldn't have the weather changed… oops, it's not simple fog… ambush… ambush! shadow doesn't interact anymore?! No, it couldn't be that bad! Am I hot, or what?
Ah, the ball of fire shot through the air, passing me by a narrow margin, what a sick sizzle. Take the cleaver, little fella, and again, again… Disintegrate! Disintegrate! Boy, did he move that fast? Concentrate… Disintegrate! Doh, if it weren't for the spellshield…
Bash… Take a rest, fella.
How is that?!!
Which of the three should I kick down? In order? Left to right…
One image of him waves out…. second dissolves beheaded by my cleaver… now the third dissipates, disintegrated to ashes.
Here he is! Take the full blast, little fella, see you in the hell! Ahh…
What's all that heat about? Winds raise up…
Beheaded! The Cold-Blooded beheaded! I did that… I di..
The Questmaster.
Very well, the Sinful One, an excellent attack. Bashed, then the cleaver massacring galore, then, oh, the thought of it runs sour, he tried to disintegrate the mage, truly a mistake not to be made. The Cold-Blooded didn't waste the time being protected by the green spellshield. Honestly, it is the first time I actually see mirror images in action. While the warrior was taking down the reflections, Saldor had just enough time to set up the deadly firewind – just a second before he was beheaded. Nothing could save his life as well as nothing could had saved the life of the warrior… roasted so much that not an ounce of undamaged flesh is left on his bones, roasted so quick, he probably didn't even understand what happened. Ah, I better stop the ruckus, time to get them raised from the dead, one of skills I've mastered so far. Shall it be Dug to worry about the prize, for I would give them both. They gave me a good time, one of the best shows I've ever seen…
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