Duel:Dyraxdiin v Shishi, Match 4 of the 2017 Frostmaw Tournament

Duelists: Dyraxdiin vs Shishi
Duel: Traditional 3 rounds with final defense, 15 minute posting limit
Stakes: Auto-hit to the winner
Judges: Lionel, Leone, and Hildegarde

Ice Cave

Leone said, "Welcome to the sixth annual Titans of Winter Tournament! Here we gather where the Frostmaw shamans have molded and shaped this area, altering the original state into some fresh hell. The cave is now an ice-encased venue, the walls and a faux ceiling coated in the slippery, crystalline substance. The floor is uneven and treacherous, littered with piles of bones, remnant cooking pits, holes, and worn grooves. It's obvious that the previous tennants were not evicted and instead simply moved to loftier accomodations. They can even be seen tromping around their new digs through the transparency of the false ceiling. The exiled frost giants do not appear happy about their relocation however, and jump, stomp, and pound upon the clear, hoary barrier. Already, cracks are beginning to spider outward from points of impact, threatening to drop the tonne of ireful goliaths onto our combatants. Heads up! And good luck to both Dyraxdiin and Shishi!"

Leoxander is present... somewhere in that frozen setting, seated with his arms folded on his knees, across chest in a slouch and watching the combatants while still sporting burns and healing wounds from the day before.

Shishi puffs out his cheeks while he looks up at the transparent ceiling and the cracks already beginning to spider web in the ice. The assassin’s attire ill prepares him for the freezing climate of the Icy City, a shirt, a black neck tie, and simple trousers. He has brought no weapons to this gladiator match, as usual for the cursed vampire. At the very least, the igloo this place has been turned into provides some protection from the elements of the wilds outside and the so-called Blue Demon is not shivering thanks to that. Can vampires get cold? He looks across the cave towards Dyraxdiin, they are positioned to the west and east of the cave so that they each have equal access to the exit to the north and the back wall to the south. Shishi decides against the pleasantries he’s seen on display from few previous combatants in this tournament and does not smile or wave or anything to the other man in this battle to become a titan. Instead he wastes no time and takes a short hop forward that brings him into a full sprint that sees him navigating unstable and treacherous ground with relative ease, with vampiric speed and grace on full display. The dash obscures the color change occurring in his irises as his family’s curse becomes active, from oceanic blue they shift to a slightly glowing crimson. The flickering shadows cast by the debris on the ground against weak lantern light and whatever illumination makes it through the false ceiling from the frozen apartment above cease their flickering and suddenly become unnaturally resolute in their positions cast on the ground and inside the ice cave walls, as if they are standing at attention, waiting to be called upon to act, or just eerily watching the fight about to start. They stay put for now though while Shishi simply launches a nasty combination of body blows towards the beast in human disguise, three or so jabs coming forth from the southpaw’s right hand towards stomach and chest before a left hook rises towards Dyraxdiin’s right cheek.

Dyraxdiin enters the Ice Cave on the coattails of a few others whom are clearly here for the spectacle of promised combat. He himself has come prepared this day, adorned in his typical gray half-robes and mithril half-plate, to fulfill his role of battlemage. His arrival to the scene is announced in reverberated fashion - the subtle 'click' of metallic greaves as they adjust with his gait to echo within the cave. Shishi, his supposed opponent, is regarded with a calculating blue-eyed gaze. Soon though, the great wyrm finds himself quickly taking in the cave itself. Ice. Giants. They could prove useful. For now, the mage lifts up either arms to the crowd gathered, a broad smile to touch his lips as his grand introduction to the Titans of Winter Tournament. And so it commences. With a wave of his hand, the mage pulls his Xalious Wood Staff out of the air and holds it at the ready. Shishi, it seems, is quick to instigate battle. The mage responds to the flurry of blows by backpedalling once, to avoid the full brunt of the blows. The first three glance off his mithril plate chest, jarring him just enough to stagger, but the final hook meets its mark. The mage, not too familiar with hand to hand combat, is forced to backpedal once again from the force of the punch to his jaw. The great wyrm, thankful of his draconic heritage, is able to regain his wits and responds with an attack of his own in kind. He lifts the Xalious Wood Staff up and utters the command word for shatter in High Draconic, thrusting the staff back down into the ice-capped cave floors. An outward wave of sonic force breaks free from the ice below, to echo within the cave and further serve to amplify the spells power. The wave itself moves forth, toward Shishi. Ice already collapsing all around, ripped up in the wake of the veritable wall of force. Suddenly, the venue is a storm of dangerously sharp ice shards and perhaps even falling giants.

Leoxander winced at the loud sound to resonate through his sensitive ears, but he watched the false ceiling above shatter and looked toward Shishi to see how his old acquaintance would respond, sitting up a little for the details of that duel, thus far

Manasa arrived, and remain hidden in the back.

Shishi flexes and grins a bit when his best punch finds its mark. He doesn’t take more than a second to celebrate though and is immediately moving forward to deliver more blows, but he runs face first into the force of the mage’s spell and is knocked backwards, back flipping once from the invisible wall of kinetic energy. He miraculously lands on his feet after the full flip, but slides on the uneven ground so that his right foot ends up in one of the cooking pits, which are bigger for giants than they are for regular people, you see. Anyway his pant leg is covered in old ash from the fire that once resided there, and that is gross. Blue bares fangs somewhat instinctively and the shadows that Shishi appears to have subjugated previously now take the action they had been waiting to. They begin to slither over the ground like hundreds of black serpents and tether themselves to the bones piled about. Most of these appear to be the remnants of giant food, wolves and other beasts of the chilly wilds, but there is definitely a human or elvish femur amongst the gritty ivory litter. Heavy, blunt skeleton parts are flung wildly towards Dyraxdiin while broken, sharp bones are held onto and rise up from the ground while they make their way towards Dyraxdiin in the veritable flurry of ice he has created, carried by animated shadows that look like squid tentacles attached to the floor of the cave. Could you imagine if the cave floor was actually the body and head of a giant squid? Ew. It is not though, just some weird shadow curse magic at work that sees those sharpened bones being thrust towards Dyraxdiin in stabbing motions while Shishi deals with something big… A giant! The ceiling cracks and fails like the surface of a frozen lake, a neat circle breaking open and dropping a single giant down into the main cave area from the ‘residence’ above. This big guy does not land gracefully and is on his bottom with a crazy loud thud. Meanwhile the vampire assassin is getting pummeled by ice shards, his cheek already bruised along with some unseen parts of his body. The giant is angry and pushes himself to his feet, beginning to grab for the Blue Demon who proves just as slippery as the walls of this cave. Shishi weaves swiftly in and out of the giant’s grasp, simultaneously using his proximity to the fight intruder as cover from the storm of ice and other debris.

Dyraxdiin grunts as he witnesses the long-spiritless bones seemingly come to life. Shadow magic? The quick-thinking Dyraxdiin is moving now - although at a greatly reduced rate, due to the terribly uneven and slippery floor beneath him. It is not soon after, that the first of the bones find him. The clink of bone to armor resounds loudly, while a few strike him. The arm, the leg, the back. It is this combination of attacks, along with the floor, that causes the great wyrm to slip and fall to a knee. He will not yield so easily. His free hand draws the simple arcane sigil for illuminate, the Xalious Wood Staff to act as conduit and spontaneously burst into a beacon of bright-white light, effectively banishing the shadows and leaving the bones lifeless once again. Diin has to force himself to squint against the light, attempting to reascertain his opponents whereabouts. Blood trickles down the side of his temple, his body bruised beneath half-robes and armor. As the staff looses its light, the mage swipes it in three wide arcs. From the business end of the staff, expands bands of arcanic energy, which floats in the air before him. Then, the great wyrm pushes his free hand forward sending those bands reeling in wild boomerang-like arcs, towards the giant and the Vampire behind. His intent is to keep the Vampire moving, continually, and not give him a moment to use that shadow magic again.

Shishi wonders to himself something like ‘Why are giants so angry? Are they perhaps misunderstood or-...’ He gets grabbed by the ash covered right leg and is lifted so that he is dangling upside down helplessly. The blinding light comes and disturbs the captive vampire and his captor alike. The both raise arms up in front of their eyes, Blue along for the ride in the case of the giant’s rising arm. “The heck…” The assassin grimaces while his leg is squeezed tight due to the first band of light connecting with the giant’s back. ‘Don’t make him angry while he’s got me like this!’ Shishi screams internally. The dispelling of the darkness by Dyraxdiin leaves the accursed vampire with few options to free himself, but thank goodness the second luminous projectile pisses off the giant so much that he literally throws Shishi across the length of the cavern at the disguised wyrm. Mission accomplished, mage, The Blue Demon certainly is motivated to keep moving, though not by choice. While in the air, Shishi extends his arms and legs slightly to quell his angular momentum and keep himself from spinning too freely, he is on a collision course with the mage and wants to bring something else to the party. He grumbles something to himself, seeking the aid of a shadow he had previously not been manipulating with his family’s curse; one in the apartment above that belongs to another giant that for some reason doesn’t want to jump down through the giant sized hole already opened up in the ceiling, his floor. Maybe he is shy. Anyway, Blue grabs control of that guy’s shadow, which is partially inside the ice he stands on, and -yanks- down. Ice cracks, rumbles, and shatters. Bringing much of the remaining ceiling down along with that giant. So it is Shishi, trying to superman punch Dyraxdiin, an ice avalanche, and a whole giant falling towards the great wyrm all at once.

Manasa watched as the two fought on, swaying back and forth hissing loudly. Eyes glowing from the shadows, seeing blood trickle down Dyraxdiin temple brought forth a growl. She was getting restless, playing with a chain about her neck. The naga pacing now, "Crush him!!" She cheered out for Dyraxdiin.

Leoxander lifted his head slightly with his focus on Shishi, his blue eyes squinting behind recently washed blond hair. Which did not freeze in the air only because of his lycanthrope body temperature.

Dyraxdiin is never one to stand idly by, though he can't help but be partially distracted by Shishi's antics with the giant. At any other time, the great wyrm might just find himself laughing amid all the chaos. But no, for he is preparing himself for the continuance of the fight. His breathing is already heavy, a white-knuckled grip upon his staff, hair in disarray from his earlier retreat from the bones. He swore to himself he would not reveal his true nature, not this fight. And so, he relies once more upon this mortal frame, this poor excuse for a proper conduit of draconic might. Before long, Shishi is propelled towards him by the giant, and the sound of ice cracking overhead a surefire sign of another hazard imminent. "Damn," He mutters, both hands to collectively come together upon the shaft of the Xalious Wood Staff. He slams it once more into the ground, "Curved Barrier!" He shouts in High Draconic tongue, for those that can speak it. The arcane burts to life above his head, creating a diaphanous plate of purple energy - curving just so as to scoop the giant and the ice shards harmlessly away. And then the punch. Dyraxdiin is sent reeling from his kneeled position, actually making him come upright for a moment before colliding back to the ground. He coughs and rolls over, having avoided the larger threat thankfully. His teeth hurt, and his neck is pulsing with fiery pain. He rises to his feet, albeit slowly, clearly haggard. Archaic arcanic prowess is brought to bear once more, the Xalious staff and free hand to weave a tapestry of intricate webbed tendrils before him. "Hold." He states in a raspy voice, and the enchanted web created flings forward to grapple and effectively hold Shishi still - to ever tighten like a constricting snake.

Shishi lands face first on the cold ground after landing another southpaw punch. He breaks a few bones upon impact, but thankfully it is only the discarded ones from his previous attack on the wyrm and not any of the ones inside his undead body. The assassin rises to his feet while the shattered ice ceiling and an unfortunate giant crashes to the ground behind him. He dusts himself off and adjusts his necktie, which has been choking him a bit since he got picked up by the giant, good thing vampires don’t need to breathe. The Blue Demon gets back into a ready position befitting a left handed boxer and faces off against the interweaved mess of magic that rushes his way. Darkness concealed beneath his clothing comes to life now as it is really the only stuff left for him to make use of after all of this. It eeks out from sleeve cuffs and pant cuffs alike, making it look like Shishi’s legs and arms grow long and black. Shadows tangle with the the arcane magic and keep much of it at bay while other parts of the snare find his torso and wrap around him, the combination of holding magic and the shadows themselves lifting the assassin off the ground a few feet, making him somewhat vulnerable, which is very bad, because that first giant that fell, remember him? He is charging with a mammoth bone in his hand that he wants to use to bash somebody...

Winner: Shishi

Shishi and his shadows struggle against the entangling magic of Dyraxdiin. Time is just about to run out for the vampire and the cave dwelling frost giant is about to do the great wyrm’s dirty work for him. The Blue Demon puffs out his cheeks in a light pout and concedes some internal battle he is having with himself, prompting a black, wooden wand to eek out from the elongated shadowy limb where his right hand should be. When the weapon known as the wand of mordant flame makes its appearance the shadows under the vampire’s influence and the mage’s arcane snare both ignite in a wicked black flame, cool to the touch. If Dyraxdiin is still attached in any way to his spell he will feel a faint, magic draining effect, if not the dark fire will burn very quickly through the arcane energy, annihilating it completely. Either way, Shishi is freed from the grasp of the magics and dropped onto his feet, in full control of his elongated limbs that are not composed of the mordant flame of the chaotic wand. The monstrous assassin turns sideways so that he is facing perpendicular to both the wyrm and the charging frost giant. Shishi moves unnaturally quickly, even for a vampire, it looks almost as if those ignited shadows are pulling his body along for the ride. The dark flame that makes up his right arm -sharpens- and preemptively meets the bone club swinging arm of the giant, just below the elbow, severing it with ease. The frost giant is stopped in his tracks and shoved to the ground, but his forearm and weapon keep on going, carried along by that shadow flame magic, and slam with tremendous momentum into Dyraxdiin, knocking the great wyrm in human form well off his feet and sending him careening hard into one of the icy cave walls.