Duel: Demeter v Iintahquohae, Match 3 of the 2022 Titans of Winter Tournament
Duelists: Demeter vs Iintahquohae Duel: Traditional 3 rounds with final defense, 20 minute posting limit. Stakes: Standard, autohit delivered by winner with allowance for final reply. Judges: Kanna, Alvina, and Ernest.
Cages
In the center of this room is an oversized cage. The bars of the cage have been built from the sturdiest of metals so that even the most ferocious of beasts can be contained until it is time to release them into the arena. A staircase descends at the far eastern side of this dimly lit room, the sounds of creatures hideously roaring echo with utter horror.. What could possibly lie in the darkness below? There is only one way to find out…
Meri :: The set up for this event is very similar to the previous two matches. Two sets of stands have been built within this space, both of them occupying the southernmost wall. This is because of the limited space in the room, it will give duelists ample chance to weave between or in and out of the various cages that have been built. As seems to be the pattern, one set of stands is very simplistic, offering only wooden benches in terms of seating space. The other has been built with comfort in mind, and once again the Frost Giant known as Balgruuf has made himself comfortable in one of the larger chairs. After both of the duelists come into view, Balgruuf’s voice can be heard booming over the chatter of the crowd in a bid to command their attention. “Combatting against one another today is Demeter and Dawn. Let’s commence with the entertainment.” Because yes, watching two people attempt to maim, wound, and injure one another is very much a form of entertainment in Frostmaw’s culture.
Iintahquohae, disguised as Dawn, is heralded by the disquieting roar of trapped beasts as she emerges from the staircase leading down into the catacombs below. She isn't alone. Her green scaled and red feathered friend, a couatl called Pinquettki, who apparently has a flexible, liquid-like body and can squeeze through tight spaces like a cat, slithers into view behind her. A metal baseball bat rests against her shoulder, which probably gives away who this gaunt and lanky elder vampire truly is. Seamstress-turned kingpin-turned smuggler- turned mage-turned...whatever she's become now, doesn't seem bothered by it. Just wants to be left alone after the fight. The great winged serpent slides her way into the largest cage in the small space willingly, while Dawn leaps up the cage bars two at a time to perch at the top at half crouch, letting the bat rest cross-wise atop her thighs, roll a little closer to her belly. Her right arm dangles lazily over right thigh after brushing a few box braids over her shoulder. Both have blood dripping from their maws, and the vampire's grey shirt, black jacket, and black leggings are drenched in it. They've fed from whatever lurks below. A hiss, not from her companion but something far sinister, can be heard from seemingly nowhere as Dawn lifts her gloved left hand to grasp for something unseen at her back. A flood of black serpent's scales skitter from her palm, coalesce into the handle for an ebon scimitar whose curved blade now rests across her shoulder. The blade pulsates, wicking away what little light their confined arena possesses. Her eyes mirror this effect, slow pulse like a fading heartbeat, waiting patiently like a predator in the dark.
Demeter || Far, far up above within the clouds whistling of fast moving wings can be heard above the audience below. Without a moment's notice a flaming spear descends, once striking the ground the mad heat expands along the ground in a large circle. Pulling the large charblack wings in a backwards motion, Demeter is seen hurling to the ground in the manner of a bird of prey. Before reaching a good ten feet from imminent death, the avian jerks her wings out bringing her to a halt. Upon making contact with the ground, an echo of sizzling from the flames burning out. Leaving the audience to see the tall warrior standing upright shrouded in smoke as it rolls away from the arena. Upon her person is a black armor suit, spiked shoulder gauntlets in the shape of wings. Across her chest plate a firebird, upon her back a shield used to where she can either use to protect her front or protect her wings. To her right hip is a magnificent sword of platinum hue, detailed with a large ruby that seems to move as if it was once a phoenix eye. Along her plated legging hold her six throwing daggers, closing her right fist giving her chest a hard smack with a bend of her waist. Black band makeup across her eyes, one going up and down across her lips making the scars across her face seem more dominant then usual. Demeter’s free hand reaches up to her face, taking a long mouthful of her whiskey before tossing it out to the side and claiming back her spear, matching that of the sword. Upon her neck hangs the same ruby-like phoenix eye that has been enchanted to keep her wings from catching ablaze. Even though this warrior has only one good eye, don’t let that fool you. This shall be a magnificent match to watch between the two ladies that want to continue on, no mercy shall be spared. “Megi blóð þitt drekka jörðina, means may your blood soak these grounds.” With that said, the spear was spun around to the warriors left flank, the eye beginning to glow with anticipation. A cold smile spreads at the edges of the pale pink lips, “Bardoga!”
Round One:
Iintahquohae ;; “Tywyllwch yn fy mhrynu,” mumbles Dawn, borrowing magicked words from a certain hexblade in response to whatever “Bardoga” means. Whatever spell the words would actually weave won't work with her tongue, however. It's simply part of the ruse. Sacred's curse instead works its magic, absorbing as much light as it can away from the room of cages to create a miniature blackout of sorts. With the time limit in place, she knows she can't hold it for long enough to complete her her game, but with the darkness shrouding her, she leaps from the cage into an impact-absorbing crouch on the floor, scimitar in one hand, bat in the other. Once she's standing again, she roots her feet to the ground, drops the bat temporarily, and hefts the scimitar as if it were Demeter's spear. She throws it as if it were an actual pole arm not quite at Demeter's body, but just overhead so it'll fall directly behind her. Rolling her heel over the bat and under it to kick it back into her waiting hand, the vampire breaks into an unnaturally fast sprint with that darkness as cover. Once she's within close enough proximity to swing at the avian, Sacred's grip on the light releases, re-lighting the space with its original brightness before the fight began. “Tywyllwch ewch â mi!" Her free hand calls for Sacred as it falls behind Demeter, the blade careening itself to reach its master by attempting to slice through the back of her opponent's throat. It fractures into a multitude of treacherously sharp, black scales that seek Demeter's flesh and wings to slice, skitter across armor if they can't find purchase and shred. The blade will re-materialize in its scabbard at her hip while Dawn hefts her bat in two hands and swings hard and low to shatter her opponent's kneecaps and bring her down.
Demeter || The smile remains on the Lamashtian, beating her spear to her chest plate then striking the ground twice. Repeating this motion three times, in between each she shouts the same words. “Bardoga!” The thrice time, she gives out a cold calloused laugh, “means battle!” Watching eagerly at what the opponent might try to do first. Within this city of people that are half snake and half whatever, Demeter craved to paint it red with that woman’s blood. Moving the right foot back, slightly bending the left knee. Grasping the spear with both hands as the black tribal tattoos all over her tall muscular frame begin to pulse with crimson light. “Tími til að blæða, time to bleed.” Hot steam had already started with each word to slither out from the phoenix eyes, all three. Flickers of flames coming out of the one upon her spear, as a forewarning it was possibly going to ignite. Shall she charge in? Spear her through and take to the skies to drop the at the moment enemy to her death? Many ideas went through her head; Demeter’s compabinet didn’t have wings, so that could be to her advantage. Yet, she was smart enough to not underestimate someone she has never seen fight. A delightful thought appeared, trap that person inside the cage and catch the whole thing on fire. Shaking her head, ‘no that ends too quick, we will make this last.’ Studying Dawn closely as possible, keeping a keen eye on what sinister secrets that one may possess, glancing to the feet the hands then back to the dark eyes. Watching as Dawn tosses the one of two weapons of choice, listening to the direction of the way the wind whistles to see if she should move or not, only causing her to lower down almost into a squat. Only to hear it fall somewhere behind her, so Dawn likes to throw things, noted. Watching as best as darkness shroud Dawn, listening keenly as the tall pointed ears twice hear rumbling behind her not just as her front. With the light back around Dawn, Demeter stands only to squat back downwards to try to dodge whatever may be flying to decapitate her from the back. Feathers indeed being cut from her wings but luckily not enough to keep her from flying when and if needed. Spinning to the right as the shards slice and make sparks along her armor. Now that Dawn was up close, making the error of dropping low with the bat swinging at her catches her spiked feather shoulder armor, almost knocking the avian off balance. Quickly regaining her footing, Demeter spins around with the spear in tow to repay the favor making swiping motions at the knees of Dawn, then twirled around her hands changing direction to slice the left rib of Dawn in hopes of making her bleed as a way of foreplay in this battle. Meanwhile the spear began to glow brighter and the sparking of flames increased for what may come next.
Round Two:
Iintahquohae ;; Now Pinquettki's only purpose comes into play. Dawn knew Demeter's penchant for fire due to their encounters in the Warrior's Guild. Her winged companion is here merely to attempt to snuff those flames out. Dawn's unnatural speed is enhanced further by Sacred's curse, but it doesn't give her enough reaction time to notice Demeter's spear sweep for her legs. When the vampire might have leapt onto the spear to snap it with her weight and use it to vault herself to safety, instead she's cleverly swept to the ground and onto her back. A gust of wind from those great red wings in the cage behind her works to snuff out Demeter's spear while Dawn leans into the strike at her rib cage once she's leapt back to her feet. She cries out in fury for her shredded clothes and bleeds black, those ichor-soaked scales manifesting and hardening beneath jacket and shirt as Demeter's spear point cuts through and meet her flesh, hardening said flesh before the avian can cut too deep. It's going to hurt when Demeter rips it out if that blade happened to get stuck. The bat is out of her hands, but no matter. She balls her fists so tightly that her knuckles turn white, then grey, then black with the unholy magic that manifests itself there. She seizes Demeter by those armored shoulders in a grip that could dent metal, and bashes her head against the avain's to try staggering her back. There's that hiss again, those scales...They break from the form of the scimitar at her hip to a pair of ebon greaves that cover her from ankle to knee once she's let Demeter leave her grasp, and raises her leg to knee her opponent in the gut, then extend into a high kick. A pair of spikes, curved and black like a snake's fangs, grow from the greaves. Aim for Demeter's jaw to hook and tear it away when her leg drops back down.
Demeter || With the spear starting to become aflame again after being snuffed out, she needed to get back someway to do what she wanted to send towards Dawn. The smile grows even more when she leapt back to her feet to be striked by the spear, the cry of pain causes a laugh from the Lamashtian. First blood drawn was on her part, good! With the grip to her shoulder armor, the headbutt only causes the lamashtian nose to make a loud snapping sound as it breaks. Blood begins to pour out, allowing some to enter her mouth, so in turn she aims to spit the blood out into the vampire’s face. Once she was free, Demeter’s wings jerked out from the shield. Grabbing it just in time to thrust it forward, while Dawn kicks the spear it is jerked free hoping the aid of jerking it free will help block the first kick. The second kick is connected with the edge of the shield, luckily barely missing her jaw if she had not gotten the shield in front in time her jaw could be ripped out. With that done, her wings push forward hard as she could to pull Demeter backwards. With a leap and feverishly flapping of the large wings Demeter took to higher ground, trying to distance them somewhat. Making sure not to put too much distance as she was a warrior not a coward. Once enough distance was supplied, or enough the tip of the spear sprung forth in wild flames. Dropping back to the ground with hard and fast movements, angling the spear head just right releasing the flames as they erupt from under the ground, back upwards creating a fire trench, their wake headed straight towards Dawn. Closer the fiery trench got to Dawn the more one might notice it was either starting to fall short or was about to divide. For any that would guess that dividing was indeed correct. The fiery trench suddenly divides into three, one heading straight to dawn. While the other to formed a fiery circle around Dawn, throwing her spear upwards in hopes to land near Dawn as Demeter used the force of her wings to charge towards Dawn hoping the fire trench would sear the armor making it burn the flesh underneath the rest as a distraction while the warrior made her way closer, with both hand free now she unshealths a dagger in both hands readying for whatever Dawn may be trying next.
Round Three:
Iintahquohae relishes in that scent of blood, even moreso once it's spat in her face. She doesn't move to take a taste of it as there isn't time. Once Demeter ascends with her wings, Inks moves to meet her somewhat on her elevated level. She could play in the air too, but it doesn't look like she'll make it that far in time. Climbing and leaping from cage to cage, that lanky vampire reaches the top of her couatl's cage, who spreads her wings from within in preparation to snuff out more flames. This three-pronged attack from Demeter proves too much for the couatl to extinguish, however, but it does extinguish the direct prong of flames away from her rider. Dawn, batless in this incredibly opportune time encircled in that ring of conjured flame, that treacherous heat, draws Sacred again. She takes a batter's stance, sharp end of the curved blade facing outward to slice and knock Demeter out of the park so to speak as she hurtles towards the vampire. She catches a glimpse of the dagger, but is on the move whether or not her blade meets its mark or bounces off heated armor. Flames lick at her clothes, singe her hair and exposed flesh. It slows her down. She sheds her jacket while she leaps from the cage to the ground again, and runs. Not only could Dawn play in the air, failed attempt it was. She can play with fire too. It's a small ball of fire that begins to form in her palm, and it wavers just a bit once Dawn re-locates her bat on the floor. Then, she stops. Lets that ball of fire grow bigger and bigger, concentrating until it's roughly the size of a watermelon. She tosses it skyward, takes her bat in two hands, takes a swing. It hits the fireball, and knocks it in an arc toward the dagger-toting avian, exploding overhead like a fiery net to ensnare the bird and set her wings ablaze.
Demeter shouts out in aggravation at how Dawn’s pet can snuff out her flames, no matter if she doesn’t just rely on the fire. She has her blades, and her wings. Seeing the creature move as much of the flames out of the way for Dawn, her broken nose would crinkle upward in disappointment. Alas, her face expression showed it all, it was time to take Dawn down. No more playing a game of cat and mouse, the damage of what the heat does make the Lamashtian feel somewhat better. Now she was just plain mad, keeping a close eye on this ball of fire as it was tossed and hit with the bat. Side stepping and now running towards Dawn, the left wing’s feather became singed from the fireball, even more damage done then she realizes at this time. Not just the feathers got burnt, the flesh underneath was severely burnt. Had it not been for her good fortune to fire resistant enchanted necklaces, her wing might have just been burnt away. Full charge now, no time to look at her wing, or any damage done. Once close enough, Demeter slashes the dagger in directions to hopefully slice along Dawn’s chest. The other is pulled across Demeter in a slashing motion to cut open Dawn's throat if not missed, the dagger that went across motion in aim to gut Dawn is now pulled back into a tight fist to punch the other female in the face unless Dawn dodges.
Final Defense:
Iintahquohae watches her handiwork with her fireball net work just enough, and prepares to conjure another ball of flame to repeat the move. Big mistake. In her concentration with conjuring, Demeter's dagger meets its mark, slashing the front of her shirt open and into her chest. The sheer force behind the slash knocks Dawn onto her back, and black blood pours from the wounds. The second dagger is expected, and she rolls her head back for it to try to hit her throat. Odd thing about Sacred. The initial, serpentine tattoo form it took around her neck has solidified that particular part of her body into those black scales ages ago. The blade may cleave some scales, but her throat won't shed blood today. She levels her gaze on Demeter's and her raised fist, turning her head in time to take the punch on her cheek. Dawn grunts, grits her teeth to the point that a back molar or two fracture, but her hands reach for Demeter's face, a mixture of unholy magics and holy that Sacred provides her clawing at that broken nose, her eyes, anything to try holding the avian at bay while she struggles to think of a means of escape...
Winner: Demeter
Auto Hit:
Demeter would not allow Dawn to hurt anymore of her face or give the satisfaction of adding her own scar to the already scared up face, nor any more damage to her wings. Tossing a dagger down beside Dawn's head. The remaining dagger sliced along Dawn’s forearms to cause her arms to drop in hopes of pain and to soak the ground more with the girl’s blood. Moving away from standing over top of Dawn, bending down while stumbling to put the girl on her feet. “She will need a healer before I.” Moving back to the whiskey bottle tossed earlier, picking it up to take a long drink to help ignore the pain her wing was in over anything on her body. Handing the bottle to Dawn before turning to head out to find a different healer if needed so Dawn would get the attention she needs. Demeter did not want to kill Dawn, she proved a good warrior and had earned Demeter’s respect.
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