(YB) Nekokaburi vs Shou Ren (Thanks to Rathan for Judging)

[nekokaburi]

Nekokaburi rises from his fighting stance, and bows low to Rathan, his eyes flicking to watch Shou Ren at the lowest point of his bow.

"Greetings, Rathan-sama. I would be honoured if you would adjudicate this match. While I cannot speak for the Shou Ren, I am sure any delay in your decisions is a reflection of the gravity with which you make your judgements, and is acceptable to me."

"We have agreed upon a duel in the style of the old Masters: <font color="red">a five flag, traditional match of style and strategy."</font>

Nekokaburi's hand moves behind his head to the tsuba of his sword briefly, and as it comes away he unfurls a small scroll, with kanji written in elegant brushwork.

"Should my opponent agree, you will find this of interest. It is a scroll I have composed containing five forms of the Blackfist Style - the first of such scrolls which I plan to use in this match."

The scroll reads:

<p><font color="red">
1: The claw prances above the plain; wards off the chi of the feline!
2: The scorpion annihilates the pillars; avoids the speed of the wood!
3: The crouching spider storms the sea; quells the roar of the cave!
4: The topaz wolf lies within the foothills; grasps the quickening of the grass and brilliantly dodges the speed of the tides!
5: The dragon appears below the waterfall; removes the terror of the isle!</font></p>

<font color="gray">OoC: Dirty Strike means I move first until it's used, yes?</font>

 

[Rathan]

"That is correct nekokaburi... you must go first untill he uses that Dirty Trick"

 

[Ciaran]

"Has your fear loosened your tongue, youngling?" jibes Shou Ren. "Or do you seek to drown me in words ere the battle is even begun?"

That said, the wizard chants his own hand of moves, the words rolling and tolling from behind his mask like the echoes of water plashing in caverns deep beneath the earth:

"1: The trident strikes the sea; silences the push of the field!

"2: The sword spins next to the island; silences the pain of the garden! *yen*

"3: The rat storms the desert; shields against the cut of the field!

"4: The emerald tsunami demolishes the fountain; redirects the rolling of the stone!

"5: The nunchaku kicks within the orchard; parts the drive of the mire!"

 

[nekokaburi]

The corner of Nekokaburi's mouth turns up in a coy smile.

"There is a time for all things, wizard, even words. Sadly, the time for insults have passed, and you have already lost that battle."

Nekokaburi cocks his head at Rathan.

"Very well, Esteemed Ancient One. Where shall Shou Ren receive a lesson in manners?"

 

[Rathan]

"I have decreed this match to take place at the bluff east of the Bottomless Well on the night of the lizard."

"You two may begin...."

 

[nekokaburi]

As the last of Shou Ren's chanting is drowned by the roar of the sea, Nekokaburi sinks into a solid horse stance. He scuttles swift and low to stand between Shou Ren and the waters far below the bluff. His sword sings as it glides free of its saya. Nekokaburi then begins a guttural growl which rises to a sharp shout, his blade weaving a web of light about him as he charges the sorceror, almost on all fours.

At the last moment, Nekokaburi springs into the air, tossing his blade high to distract Shou Ren. He comes down at the wizard, arms and legs a blur of motion as he unleashes a flurry of strong kicks and puches, hoping to drive the sorceror from the bluff into the waters below.

<font color="red">The crouching spider storms the sea; quells the roar of the cave!</font>

 

[Ciaran]

The masked wizard stands his ground as his opponent moves between him and the edge of the bluff. As his foe closes in, Shou Ren crosses his arms upon his chest and speaks the words of a magical charm in a flat, cold voice. As he does so, his bronze mask and gauntlets take on a liquid sheen, like oil swirling upon the waters.

His spell completed, Shou Ren chuckles hollowly as his opponent, having gone to the trouble of getting between the wizard and the sea, now circles around to reverse their positions. Silent in the face of his foe’s growls and shouts, he obligingly withdraws in the face of Nekokaburi’s furious advance. The ruse of the discarded sword does not faze him; he merely watches the young warrior as he allows himself to be pushed back across the flat meadow atop the bluff.

It is only a moment before Nekokaburi presses the wizard to the edge of the bluff. There, the young warrior attempts to push the aged mage into the sea. Strangely, Shou Ren does not block, nor dodge, nor cast a terrible spell. Instead, when Nekokaburi lunges at him, he grapples the warrior with his gleaming gauntlets and shoves off from edge of the bluff! For a moment, the two combatants seem to hang in the air, unsupported; then gravity takes its hold, and they topple and plunge towards the waters.

As Shou Ren falls, his mask and gauntlets quiver, then flow like quicksilver, engulfing him in a sheath of liquid bronze. Twisting free of Nekokaburi’s grasp, the wizard dwindles into a new shape; by the time he reaches the water, he has taken the form of a bronze trident, sleek and deadly and cold. As Nekokaburi thrashes about in the icy waters, the trident plunges into the sea.

Bronze needs no warmth. Bronze cannot drown.

The trident strikes the sea; silences the push of the field!

 

[Rathan]

*The masked judge in red stands at the top of the bluff... watching and pondering.... *


"well done both of you... you both ended up in the water for your actions.... but I am much impressed with Shou Ren's use of his magics.... and the choice of the sea weapon... the trident.... Point Shou Ren....."


One Flag Shou Ren , Four Flags Neutral

 

[nekokaburi]

<font color="gray">OoC: nice, very nice. Please accept my apologies, but I won't be able to post today.</font>

 

[nekokaburi]

Far above the chaos of the bay, Nekokaburi's sword continues its descent. The katana spins downard in lazy arcs, winking with the light of the moon on each revolution. The sword finally strikes the meadow blade-first, planting firmly into the earth near where Rathan stood but moments earlier.

The force of the strike flattens the nearby grass, and sends the sword swaying from side to side. As it dances, the symbol of a leaping wolf glints in the moonlight briefly, visible only for a moment on the tsuba of the sword.

Below, a muscular arm breaks the waters of the bay, moving in a quick spiral to wrap securely around a thin black line visible only against Nekokaburi's skin in the darkness of night. With a single powerful flex, Nekokaburi rockets into the air above the bay, hurtling toward his sword with speed to match the strength of his Blackfist strikes. A second tug on the fine cord pulls Nekokaburi's sword from the meadow to his hand, a well-practiced flick of his wrist spiralling the sword as it flies to his hand, wrapping the cord once again about the handle of the blade.

The warrior hovers for a moment near the lip of the bluff, as the pull of the earth claims the last of his speed. He draws his katana back with both hands, his barrel-like chest swelling with a mighty breath. For a moment, the only sound is a drop of sea water beginning its fall to the bay far below, then the sword comes down in a mighty two-handed stroke, the hiss of the blade drowned by Nekokaburi's powerful "EI!" kiai shout.

<font color="red">The topaz wolf lies within the foothills; grasps the quickening of the grass and brilliantly dodges the speed of the tides!</font>

The force of the strike comes with such power that the waters of the bay below are parted, driving the bronze trident that is now Shou Ren to the bottom of the bay, its prongs burying deeply into the sand and wedging between rocks hidden in the sandy waters. The great waves on either side of the wizard come crashing back down, buffeting him with even greater force.

The force of his blow drives Nekokaburi back to the lip of the bluff, the ground trembling with the echoes of his cry. He somersaults backward to stand casually, feet slightly apart, while the last of the spray falls into the bay below. He swiftly returns his blade to its scabbard across his back, and with a powerful roundhouse from each leg in turn, flicks the water from his pants. His stony gaze looks forward emptily, as his senses seek any sign of the wizard.