Duel:Hadrian v Redovian

Location: Kelay Way

Stakes:Auto Beatdown

Winner:Redovian

Hadrian stares through a thick fog of self-justified rage, the object of his wrath the meddling Redovian. “I will not yield to you, Paladin. You have followed me here by your own free will,” Comes his grating voice, “You must know I will not tolerate you as my shadow any longer!” He grits his teeth, eyes gazing up skyward from the small settlement of Kelay—the land the Gods hold so dear to their hearts. “This is of your own doing, fools!” He wails up to the heavens themselves, both arms snaking around to his hips, drawing forth Widomaker and Bloodletter. The otherwise still serenity of the small town is torn asunder as Hadrian bellows ferociously, spittle flying free, body bent forward to further propel the density of the age-old battle-cry. Ceremoniously, Hadrian clangs his Gladius, Widomaker, against his banded-metal sleeve—his trademark—before bounding forth into decisive battle. With all his might, Hadrian throws Bloodletter at Redovian’s feet, intent on keeping the Sentinel of Gods from meeting him in the middle. The breadth of distance is bridged in a matter of moments, six feet of raw muscle, sinew and bone, is thrown at Redovian in the form of a metal-banded fist. This reckless maneuver obviously harboring the intention of a one-hit K.O., evident enough in the gruesome grin of sheer satisfaction rippling across his features.

Redovian watches with an profound sadness as this lost soul spouts out curses towards the heavens, and would attempt to offer words to try to convince the man he is on a foolish course indeed. But the time for words is over, and the time for action is at hand. Indeed, the gladiator's ferocious charge is met by a calm and relaxed paladin. As the towering brute bares down upon him, sending the metal banded fist on a crash course with its intended target, Frostmaw's Chosen Justice reacts with startling speed, as the sacred katana known as tenbatsu kaji is drawn forth to do the work of the gods. As the tip of the razor sharp blade is freed from the sheath, white flames erupts about the katana, covering the divine implement in the wrath of the gods. Twisting his body so that he dodges the punch, the paladin reacts by thrusting the blade outward in an attempt to slice open Hadrian's side, while he channels the holy flames that cover the sacred blade, causing a sudden and powerful eruption to occur. If Hadrian, who so foolishly charges head first into this fight, does not evade this attack, he faces being slit open by Tenbatsu Kaji. If the experienced gladiator is able to dodge the blade, he has to face the flames of retribution, which shall make the man suffer for his hate filled action and curses against the gods. All the while Redovian watches Hadrian, the man not really wanting to fight, yet feels there man be no other way to reach such a disturbed and angry man..

Hadrian is slow to react, too far lost in the heat of his own hell-bent reckless emotions to proffer up much resistance to the Katana, as it slices a wicked gash across his abdomen. The Warrior lets loose a howl of pain, the terrible fires licking his skin with a fury borne from the wrath of the Gods themselves! His left arm gingerly coddles his wounded side, blood lacquering the metal bands like a torrential river. He knows he has to calm his mind, to still the beast within in order to have any chance of defeating this Paladin. Hadrian inhales sharply, then exhales, expelling his boiling rage with it. Bloodletter is taken up from the ground, and Hadrian descends into combat once again with a barrage of steel. Swiping with Widowmaker at the inside of Redovian’s thigh, Hadrian cocks back with Bloodletter, and brings the pommel down square for the nose of his foe. All the while, a stoic visage portrays the cool determination of the dual-wielding Gladiator.

Redovian begins to feel the rush of battle ignite within him as Hadrian continues to press the advance, and a smile even creeps upon the paladin's rugged visage as the man brandishes another sword, and responds swiftly by bringing forth the blade of wrath named Ror'Rih. This blackend blade, empowered by the Master Cryomancer, Satoshi, is brought to deflect the blow to the thigh in a calculated parry. The two blades clash, sparks fly, illuminating briefly in the dying light of the sun. The paladin's other katana, Tenbatsu Kaji, is used to block the assault upon his face, as Redovian used the hilt to stop a would be nose breaking blow, his actions fueled by the rightous blessings bestowed upon him by Cyris, thus offering him strength beyond the norm for most human males. The two opposing warriors are locked in a struggle of wills now, as Hadrian's own tremendous physical strength, and the amplified strength bestowed upon Redovian lock the two together for several moments of incredible tension. Then, as his eyes look deep into Hadrian's rage fueled gaze, Redovian utters. " Lash out Ror'Rih, with the wrath of the north." The sentinent weapon responds with a sinister malice, as black ice suddenly, and without any warning, begins to creep with terrifying celerity up towards Hadrian. Due to the close proximity, and the fact that both warriors have their swords locked together, the ice leaps upon Widowmaker, coating it in the dangerous black ice. If Hadrian is not quick, he will find his arm covered in the dangerous element, the aim to freeze the limb, thus making it useless.

Hadrian grits his teeth, trying in vain to offset the Paladin’s sure footing—his brows furrow down as he hears Redovian mutter those few words, seemingly to entice Ror’Rih into action of its own accord. What is this!? He stumbles back as his own blade begins to become an extension of arcane magic, coursing up the length of it like snaking tendrils embodying the essence of cold. Wily as he is, Hadrian discards Widowmaker by heaving it at Redovian, whilst simultaneously kicking up a clod of dirt at the Paladin’s face; his aim to either impale the Paladin with the thrown weapon, or blind him with dirt. Either or, prevail or fail, Hadrian strikes with Bloodletter, to rend a gash into his foes torso with violent disregard for human life. The sheer defiance of the other, despite offering up more than a fair challenge, is evident by the release of another harrowing battle-cry, hoping to depreciate his foes courage in standing against him.

Redovian has faced the wraithen creations of the timelord, stood alone against the exiled frost giant general, Hrathgar Kinslayer, has faught dragons, ice devils and the hellish spawns of dark priests. The battle cry, while deafening, does little to the resolve of this devout warrior. His confidence is born from battle, and his faith in the gods, who empower him. So as the first gladius is thrown, the paladin uses the rings gifted to him by the Priest Marcellus, and blessed by Kanos himself, to evade. The rings, while plain bands of gold, hold a power most incredible. Time slows to a crawl, near halting in place for a total of ten seconds. To Redovian, the battle seems almost to have been plunged into the depths of the sea, from the manner in which his foe moves. Using this powerful blessings to his advantage, the Champion of Cyris bounds around the raging gladiator, to stand behind him, just as the time altering spell ceases, and things turn back to normal. Its a sudden rush, as things are reset, and to Hadrian, and any who watched, it would seem as if Redovian suddenly vanished, only to reappear behind Hadrian. The dirt falls to the earth once more where moments before stood the paladin. With a single thrust downward, Redovian unleashes another barrage of the black ice from Ror'Rih, coating the ground beneath Hadrian in an inch thick sheet of the arcane element. Then, with a soft word of prayer, the paladin channels the divine power gifted to him, to unleash a concussive blast of the holy fire right at Hadrian's hopefully exposed back. Should the gladiator not find a way to defend this surprise attack in time, he will be hit by the unleashed torrent sent forth from Tenbatsu Kaji, and feel the anger of the gods he has cursed this day when the flames ravage his body. But, if the man is quick, he may try to evade, though he may be unable to find sure footing, as the ground beneath him has been coated in a sheet of slick black ice.

Hadrian is a simple man—the winner of Grand Champion in Gualon, the receiver of a piece of the set of Mortality, a battle-hardened Warrior with the cunning and surefire gift of a true brethren of the blade—and harbors no inborn ability to combat what is thrown at him now. When magic is spurred into battle, the grizzled Gladiator has no defense against the wrath of what seems to borne of naught but the most favored by the Gods; another reason he despises them all the more. Redovian’s maneuvers, while both fruitful and startlingly breathtaking, his intent goes awry. Hadrian, who had moments before been trapped in the time-spell wrought by the rings, continues with his course of action, as if blinded by the determination to turn Redovian into another hapless victim of his. This suits to his own betterment, and the ice now formed beneath his feet—the warrior being a man of deserts and swamps, unaccustomed to ice— he loses his otherwise rock steady stance. The brazen man slips dramatically to the ground, his head whipping back to thwack sickeningly upon the unforgiving sheet of sparkling ice, causing him to narrowly evade the Divine Wrath, the epitome of worship brought to reckoning, of the Paladin Redovian. The rippling concussion of this Holy Blast follows its course, but whips angrily, howling above his face a mere few inches. Hadrian is left gasping, holding his side which burns with a vengeance; his blood writing the course of battle upon the ice-laden grounds of Kelay.