[CRP] A duel of words and more

[Grazilda]

The air was warm and the sun was unmerciful as if it wanted to give a glimpse of the forthcoming duel. It was merely a training duel yet it was something that must never be taken for granted. And with that in mind, Grazilda, her head bowed down, walked steadily to her side of the arena without any weapon. She agreed to train and she made it clear that she would not be using any weapon at all. They made an agreement that magic will not be used either.

She momentarily closed her eyes and felt the warm wind blow again against her hair. She lifted up her head and looked at Teide's direction. She could not see her eyes the last time as her training opponent covered her face the last time that they met in front of her tent. She stormed off when she made a seemingly honest yet serious statement. She had no idea why would Teide run away from a conversation which was merely about life.

She clenched and unclenched her fist and took a deep breath as she waited for Teide.

[Teide]

So she was summoned to the arena for this duel...ever since their talk Grazilda had proven to be annoying. She took it in stride though. Teide wasn't sure why this woman was so determined to get to know her....She didn't want anyone poking where they didn't belong and that certainly wasn't her place to. She didn't have that relationship to pry....but whatever. Teide did not have to answer her. She just wanted to fight. It was rejuvenating and a good chance to improve. Losses and Wins didn't matter to her. Just to get stronger, fight harder. When life ceased to matter or have much point...fighting and learning is what she had. So she came into the area. She wore her bone armor. Her helm made of bone had a couple horns...and adjusted, was made to cover her face except the tip of her nose and her mouth. The eyes of the skull covered her own and shrouded them. She had no weapons and wore bracelets to inhibit her magic. It took her some time to find a dampening net. As a magic creature not only born but infused it had proven difficult. She could not help the twist of her lips as she came into the ring to be greeted by the wave of emotions Grazilda was feeling, evidently still fuming from their last encounter. Ridiculous. Teide was not angry. She merely moved on. Grazilda was not the first to try and Teide was not feeling talkative.

"Let's get this over with."

She said deliberately to get her fuse up. Grazilda was a challenging opponent but if she wanted a fight Teide was going to give her one. It was odd for Teide though. No magic...she had never been completely cut off from it or so bare-fisted.....well it was a learning experience and she welcomed the challenge. To be honest she had so much going on in her life....it just left her feeling like what reaction could there be to anything. Hopefully a good spar would break the emotional trance she had been stuck in.

[Grazilda]

Action speaks louder than words. And it was obvious that Grazilda and Teide clashed in one way or another. Grazilda tried to be friendly yet her seemingly friendly offer was refuted. She wondered why. It was so unlike for someone like Teide to storm off like that without a word from the caravan. Last time she checked, she did nothing wrong, or at least that was what she thought. So she wondered why this short woman, after she devoured her fried chicken legs, suddenly left her without even a word of thanks.

She could not put the pieces of Teide's words together. All she understood was that Teide wanted to be left alone. If such was the case, why did she even bother to go to her tent that one fateful day.

"Stop talking and start fighting," she quickly replied and charged without a weapon, as what they have agreed upon. She ran as fast as she could, with the hope that the element of surprise would be in her favor. She clenched her fist and aimed for Teide's jaw.


((ooc: This RP is based on the duel "Grazilda Vs. Téide (Done on Jul 29, 1653)" ))

[Teide]

Teide was not so surprised. That was her way. Charging into something without delicacy still the sudden motion did costs her in her stall. Teide was quick to roll but she felt the quick graze of the corner of Grazilda's fist nick her shoulder. For everything the girl was...she was strong. The slight nip at her shoulder had stun. She had better try to avoid as many direct hits as possible without magic or blade. "You have issues." she stated simply holding her nicked shoulder. The bone had taken most of the impact. It was cracked. "Maybe you should look at yourself before you try to distinguish worth in others." she pushes herself up and rolls her neck.

Grazilda does another charge but Teide brings her iron bracelet up to soak in the impact. She growled and grabbed Grazilda's wrist and aimed a swift kick from under their linked arms. Despite her small size Teide had a lot of power in her legs that were not short but slender and long completing the look of a miniature elven woman rather than a dwarf. She was intercepted by Grazilda's other hand which stopped her ankle from making impact. Another vicious growl before Grazilda's grip could tighten she left go of Grazilda's wrist and came down onto her palms and whisked her legs away in a strong circular motion. The action caused Grazilda to step back and recalculate. For all the simplicity Teide accused her off she could see and edge in her eyes. She was no foreigner to the fight. She was strong...just nosy and irritating. She saw another punch coming. Grazilda was going into a boxing stance. Teide danced from her punches which were quick and well balanced. Teide judged her defenses and her offense. Jab after jab was a hair-berths away. Seeing this was going no where Grazilda did a swift roundhouse which Teide had to fall into the splits and quickly brings her head down backwards to avoid. Still Teide saw how she could use her own defense against her opponent.

She pulled herself up quickly. For all her slightness it gave Teide an incredible edge in speed over strength though she did not lack it. Teide began a series of kicks at Grazilda's face which she typically could block easily. She did a reversal of her first series and aimed at Grazilda's ribs and she had to move her stance to catch them but did so not at easily. Then Teide did a quick switch of one kick towards her front and one to her side one after the over. Another switch before Grazilda could probably react to her other side and alternated swiftly between sides to front to keep her on the defensive blocking kicks. She would not be concentrating on Teide's face when she went from side to side instead of front. The succession of kicks became more random and chaotic keeping her concentration. So when Teide moved in for a headbutt she wouldn't notice...and if she did it would not be fast enough. Even so she was not aware of Teide's ram's horns that would catch her on the dodge.

((Done with Grazilda's permission))

[Grazilda]

Round 1: Grazilda grazed Téide.

Round 2: Watching these two feels like watching Don Quixote.

"I do have issues," Grazilda retorted. "And I'm not ashamed to admit it," she said.

And from that, everything happened so fast that all that she could do was to react and counter fight. Every second, every movement and every growl was quickly absorbed and stored in Grazilda's mind then quickly processed to be the basis of her next moves. Teide fought back satisfactorily, despite the impact of the first blow. She did not disappoint, to Grazilda's delight.

Unlike her other opponents, or rather, duel partners, Teide seemed to be a relentless one. She was not intimated by the first blow. "What about me and worth with others? You seem to size up everyone as well," she said as she intercepted Teide's attacks. Teide's movements were so swift, she sometimes didn't know where did they come from. She knew that this other Dalakoi have only a pair of arms and legs, but there were times when she almost swore that there were four pairs of arms and legs moving against her. She must be on guard.

For a split second, she took a deep breath and prepared to attack or do a counter attack, when that one precious second that she slightly lowered her guard proved to be a critical one. She moved back to avoid Teide's headbutt, but she was too late. She only managed to move a bit to avoid a full blow, yet she felt the impact of something else.

Round 3: Téide grazed Grazilda.

Surprised, she did a leap backward while she tried to assess what in heaven's name could have been that thing on Teide's head that hit her. Was it a helmet? No, it's too slender for a helmet! She was gathering her thoughts. Then, she looked at Teide. "You have horns???!!" She shouted in accusation.

Things looked different for her now. She quickly adjusted her movements and considered the hidden horn. The horned duel opponent proved to be a great adversary, at least for training. Woe to whoever would be against Teide especially if magic will be used. Although if there would be a remote time in the future that their paths crossed and they would fight to death, she will never back out and will face this horned lady bravely.

Part of her wanted to rip off Teide's horns, but she would not do that. This was merely a training duel. They cannot kill each other. At least not yet. Not while Rieron is alive. Thus, she dropped the idea of pulling out the woman's horn and make her scream in pain.

She squinted her eyes and sized her opponent again. It was time to use all means to end this duel. She jumped and twirled so that her right foot would hit Teide's head and her other foot would strike her stomach while her hands prepared for a landing. But Teide learned from the previous attacks and successfully deflected each hit, which lead Grazilda to do a quick cartwheel to momentarily retreat and study her next move. As she did, Teide took that opportunity to hit her back which would have paralyzed her, but Grazilda's knee caught Teide that made them both fall on the ground.

Round 4: Watching these two feels like watching Don Quixote.

While they were both on the ground, she didn't miss a chance and aimed a strong fist on Teide's face.


*slight god-modding permitted by tpb Teide

[Teide]

Round 5: Grazilda whacked Téide.

Quicker than she had predicted; Grazilda reacted beautifully catching Teide and brought them both down. In that unguarded second Teide was pinned and Grazilda did not miss a beat. Her fist came down straight for Teide's face. Teide had instead brought her head up to meet it. Grazilda was strong like an ox and it was better to not be against the hard ground of the arena when it hit her. The upward force of Teide's sharp jerk brought the visor of her bone helmet down. Just in time the fist connected with her helmet, shattering skulled helm and crumbling the visor to dust. Teide felt it break through and jab her in the nose. The pain spread through her nose and filled her eyes with heat but she refused to let the tears so automatic materialize. She made a upright kick not to aim but force Grazilda to bring her head back to avoid it. Her leg that was airborne swiftly hooked; arching her back and balancing her body's weight on her shoulders she twirled. Her spinning body's momentum in a few twirls had her spinning on the pole of her head like a top. With another kick forward she broke out of her spin with the use of one arm and landed on her feet. She caught her balance and shook the bone fragments off her face. Pulling off her broken helmet, blood from her jarred nose had impaired her vision. She wiped at her eyes to give her a clear view. The left eye was a hot burning red rimmed with orange and black like hellfire. The slitted pupil focused on Grazilda with a hungry glare that send a shiver up a spine. It seemed to search at Grazilda trying to peel away the flesh off her bones just by looking. The runes now very visibly etched in her skin glowed a hot red and fed into the murderous red eye. The right eye also held a slight glow but the look was annoyed but soft as angular elven eyes could be. The iris was a deep emerald green as that brimmed with questions, a regular round pupil. Teide was frowning as she peeled the pieces of bone out of her cooling blood. Grazilda had stepped back to avoid the spinning legs that were eager to catch her. Shaking off the dirt, Teide bared her long white fangs and allowed herself a wolfish growl to ease the tension in her body and center her focus again. The growl might've been misread as hostility but Teide made no effort to hide the irritation in her eyes.

Grazilda was so strong and able but....that way Grazilda handled things outside the arena annoyed her to no end. She didn't understand the woman despite having trespassed on her thoughts and memories. How Grazilda reacted, looked at her demonic features and well basically everything she did was not only opposite to Teide but...

"You have issues but how you've handled them is what I hate about you the most. You're strong Grazilda....if you can catch me, you could finish this easily. You're strong but in the real world and your heart...you are so brass like a clanging symbol."

With anticipation Teide bared her teeth again as excitement got her shifting her weight from foot to foot. She saw the look in Grazilda's eyes and was riveting as Grazilda came forward on the offensive. Teide ran right towards she in a headlong dash. As they were about to meet Teide swung her legs out and a large cloud of dust bellowed behind. The dust lunged at Grazilda to engulf her in a fog of sand, blind her as Teide used her silent steps and threw her voice to disorientate Grazilda's other senses. This was not magic simply using one's surroundings.

"You were not invited to ask those questions in your shack. I don't ask about your father or your bridegroom."

Teide moved this time not to headbutt but in swinging kicks at Grazilda's back she knew on instinct the seasoned warrior would move to block Teide's fast legs but Teide was not aiming a hit quite yet as she rotated around Grazilda and hit to her left then back then right to back so it would seem Teide was behind her completely but twirling on a heel Teide switched her stance aimed a punch to her leftward front while a kick to lower left. Grazilda would be expecting the predictable kicks but this punch was unfolding using her long, grim hagraven-like claws; another demonic feature Grazilda might've forgotten. Teide was in a habit of casting glamor over her hands so they appeared normal or bandaged. These long claws were meant for rending though and even if she evaded their tips were greedy for blood.

((Another slight god-mode permitted by tpb Grazilda))

[Grazilda]

Grazilda laughed when Teide said about about clanging cymbals. "What? You expect me to sound like harp with butterflies flying around me? Remind me to bring a lute and lyre next time as well," she retorted as the duel continued.

Then, she was quiet as she tried to deflect Teide's ferocious attacks. She was honestly amazed that the other survived up to this point. Truth be told, she wanted to finish this as she was getting tired of their charade when they both knew that both of them SHOULD be alive at the end. It was no fun for her. With her rage against this woman, she would only find satisfaction if the other would be rowing a canoe toward the River Styx on the way to Hades. Yet such would be denied of her, and she started to lose interest in this utter waste of time.

However, her boredom turned into something else when Teide said the word bridegroom. She squinted her eyes at her opponent and clenched her fists so tight that her hand was white as blood failed to get through her tight veins. Her breaths became deep and very slow. She was suddenly oblivious to her surroundings, which was something that she should NEVER do in a fight. Anger was painted from her head to toe and one would actually expect thunder to strike anytime at that moment.

As Teide's claws revealed themselves and pierced Grazilda several times, blood was seen on the ground. But Grazilda's anger woke up her adrenaline that her pain tolerance increased as if she was just merely poked several times. In full rage, she grabbed Teide's claws with one hand and aimed her other hand directly to the smaller one's nape in an attempt to break the neck (and spine) of the clawed creature. In that moment, she completely forgot about her contract with Rieron about not hurting family members. She forgot about the possible consequences of her actions. Yet in a split second, her conscience, or what was left of it, nudged her as she quickly turned her fist and pushed Teide down on the ground with all her might, which sent Teide diving backwards to the ground and dust flying around, obliterating Grazilda's vision.

Round 6: Grazilda nicked Téide.

--

And Teide took that chance to get up on her feet and run at such as speed that Grazilda almost didn't see her. However, she noticed her a little too late as Teide used her head to strike the human's chest that pushed up to her neck that the human had to crawl back to try to breath deeply. In that short moment of almost lethal asphyxiation, Grazilda winced and felt dizzy. She cursed herself for letting her guard down. "Thank you for rubbing it in in the most indirect manner, Teide," she laughed and coughed as she struggled to breathe.

Grazilda tried to talk to buy time to recuperate. She felt the world spin around her but she won't let Teide know that. Now, she knew why Rieron selected Teide to be part of their family. She woman was resilient and fast.

Grazilda hoped that she could buy more time as it was hard for her to breathe. She wished she had her axe with her, instead.

Round 7: Téide grazed Grazilda.

---
((Next round follows.))

((God-modding permitted by tpb Teide.))

[Teide]

Teide hardly heard the words as her predatory instincts began to stir. A feral growl escaped through her bared teeth. Nostrils opened up as she took in the scent of blood. Her eyes narrowed on Grazilda with an almost animalistic edge. She had coiled back in a half-crouched stance. The hand Grazilda had injured, was tucked to her chest. Her good hand poised to the ground, held her weight as she balanced on the tips of her toes. Her claws raked the sun-backed earth with deep grooves. Her small frame was very deceiving with it's childlike size but with her body exposed out of the robes, it was easy to see the taunt, tight muscle. Her lean frame was wired like a spring board, ready to pounce at a moment's notice. Nothing about her was built for strength but the firmness hugged to her delicate build could not lie. Her eyes, as mismatched as they were, held an enigmatic intensity. A sadistic gleam shone in them. She drew back a sharp breath as if she was trying to not break the coil in her legs. Her fingers clawed at the ground again as she licked her lips. The braces of metal on her wrist had a inner band that began to hum as it gyrated blocking the building magic. She rolled her shoulders and coupled with her demonic traits it gave the illusion that wings would pop out any moment. A pain on her neck reminded her, held her back like a pitbull on a tight chain.

She tried to talk to not give into the murderous instinct to dig her fangs into that soft throat. Her stare remained fixed on Grazilda's weakened chest. A quiver of excitement was unmistakeable, "Something about you I hate....but why do I hate you?" her voice faltered as if she was trying to understand it...but in a blinked second she went into a full crouch. Saying in mid-motion, "It really doesn't matter."

Teide shot forward and in a fluid succession of whirling kicks, jabs and near misses. Grazilda having gained some air parried each kick but before she could grab the leg she had to block another kick, evade a rending claw and back stepped to avoid another dangerous butt of those four horns. Teide was not going to let up though. The look in her eyes was focused and cold.
Working on sheer instinct Grazilda held the furious dance at bay. As Teide wound back Grazilda got a hold of two horns and tightened her grip but the swiping claws towards her abdomen caused her to let go. Teide whirled to do another round kick but the time it took for the wind gave Grazilda the break she needed.

Grabbing Teide by the ankle she twisted her grip causing a grimace to ripple through Teide's leg. Her glance fell on the favoured hand that stayed tucked against Teide's side. Striking at Teide's weak side, the smaller female evaded but could not counter attack effectively. With a satisfied smile having found her edge over the speed of her small target Grazilda would swing at Teide's ribs to be blocked by her good hand. Swing at her bad arm and would hit air. She kicked upwards sharply at the bad wrist and Teide would redirect Grazilda's foot by knocking her Achilles tendon but while Grazilda aimed for her injured hand Teide could only defend. So the dance began with Grazilda's strong confident strides forward and Teide's nimble evasion of the force and turns to redirect their steps into circular patterns.

It was difficult because each other's fighting style was so different. Teide struck swiftly in small but sharp stabs, in chaotic, rotating patterns that aimed for exposed blind spots, and vital points, more like a cautious rogue. Grazilda, a seasoned fighter, moved with determination, knowing that if she could just get a couple good hits, with her much stronger strikes she could blow through bones. So she managed to keep Teide's vicious stings away just as Teide deftly avoided those shattering fists. The trick with Teide was to just hit her and avoid her traps.

Round 8: Watching these two feels like watching Don Quixote.

Teide avoided another kick quickly circling the outside diameter and moving somewhat crouched as she folded her body to protect her hand. Grazilda noticing the second she looked down to guide her feet and repeated the move. This time as Teide started the crouch Grazilda grabbed Teide by the horns, tempted to rip them out. She jerked Teide down to force Teide's chin into her knee but the move never finished as Teide at the last moment turned her head with more strength then Grazilda had guessed she had. Teide positioned the twist of her head to gore two horns into the side of Grazilda's knee. Grazilda, alarmed by the twist a mere half a second in movement, tried to pull her knee away but the paired horns scrapped against the top of her knee, tearing the top bit of flesh on the sensitive nerve center. She threw Teide away and the little female landed easily on her feet watching Grazilda with hungry eyes but the pain in her hand caused her to fold her body over it again.

Round 9: Téide grazed Grazilda.

((God-mode allowed by tpb Grazilda))

[Grazilda]

Teide's horn found its way against Grazilda's knee that the grumpy woman felt her knee jerk in reflex and she threw the smaller one away. She gritted her teeth in pain and made a mental note to yell at her steward for doing a poor job in making her bone armor which led her knee to suffer its bleeding fate. Teide sure knew where to strike an enemy and Grazilda didn't like the fact that a slight weakness was exploited. She had to use other means for her knee rendered itself useless, if not a burden in this duel.


She was thankful that the smaller one seemed to be equally injured as well. She knew this was merely a training duel, but she could have sworn that they were slowly killing each other in the process. They would surely be rubbing elbows with the Angel of Death by the time this duel would be done.

“Why withold that info, Teide? Say it right now while we are both alive and strong. Shout out loud why you hate me! You might not have a chance to do it when one or both of us are dead later,” she demanded. Her voice was strong, yet deep inside, she was writhing in pain.

She took a deep breath and rolled over, not minding her bleeding knee. She clenched her fist and pushed herself up with all her might as she groaned in the process. She wobbled a bit yet managed to stand up. With strong and determined steps, she walked to Teide and threw her body toward the elf, her fist, her foot and her head ready to break any bone that would cross their path. The dark elf saw that and used what little time she had to crouch backwards to protect herself. However, the grumpy human's wrath was so powerful that a single blow of her fist that caught the elf's femur vibrated that shook them both together. “Finish what you started, dark elf!” The human's eyes were evil and far from friendly.

Round 10: Grazilda grazed Téide.

((godmod permited by tpb Teide))

[Teide]

The fist connected with Teide's femur and shattered the bone plating. Teide felt the force straight into her own bones and had not her entire skeleton been lined with silver it surely would have broke. Still bone shards from the crumbled plate embedded in her femur. Teide rolled away yet a defensive stance but she knew by the damage done to her one hands her defenses were down on the one side leaving the other hand to overcompensate and strike. Her legs were fast and this had saved her during the many parries of their duel. Now she was at a further disadvantage with bone tearing into the muscle of her thighs. It hurt like hell. Grazilda glared down upon her with all the hate, all the rage she could muster. Somehow having those cold, evil eyes on her felt friendly. She couldn't help the smile on her lips, the light bright in her eyes.

"This is better...I like those eyes." The hum of the bracelets ceased as Teide calmed her center and focused her energy inward. Grazilda wanted to talk? Fine she'd indulge her. If Grazilda was going to win Teide would give her one hell of a fight but also something to dig under her skin and into her mind. "I hate your eyes, your prying eyes, your warm and searching smile. These cold, angry eyes suit you better. Hatred and pain....you know all about pain as your red mark on your face shows like a badge." Teide feels her own body groan with pain and it makes her feel assured, "I can deal with being hated. It's what I know best after being tortured in this terrible world you humans call home. You had her eyes but they're gone now just as it should be. Finish what you started." Teide then pulled out the tip of her tongue and pierced it with her sharp claws. Warm blood filled her mouth with it's metallic taste. She closed her mouth and the blood dripped down the sides but the stream of blood was ignored. By piercing her own tongue, Teide would not be able to talk anymore. Her words were done. This is what she wanted from Grazilda; hatred, cold pure hatred. She did not want Grazilda's pity, friendship or affection. She did not want Grazilda to try and touch that sacred place. Teide had friendship once, a comrade and sister of soul and they had taken that away and ripped out that piece of Teide's heart. Now that festering hole was being carefully guarded. It was not her place and that Grazilda tried meant she needed to be treated with an extra dose of pesticide.

Teide charged at Grazilda with a renewed vigor ignoring the sharp pain in her leg. She struck with her bad hand and grasping claws. Grazilda blocked and Teide grabbed Grazilda by the forearm and launched herself over Grazilda's head with unusual grace. She landed behind Grazilda kicked up another sweeping cloud of sand meant to embed and irritate Grazilda's wounds and small slashes. She wanted to annoy Grazilda,enrage her. She wanted a solid hit that would break Teide's bones. With another assault of kicks to get her defenses up, Teide left purposeful gaps for striking. When Grazilda would go for some of these Teide was swiftly use the bad hand to nick and pinch Grazilda's forearm that connected with Teide's shoulder plate. The strong bone absorbed the punch whose force was keenly affected by little pinches Teide delivered to certain nerves and breaking the skin. She circled around and putting her palms to the ground launched a upwards kick at Grazilda's chin which she avoided by side stepping but it brought her leg within Teide's reach. Again, using the bad hand as she shifted her weight to her good hand, she pinched and poked holes with long claws, at the points where the bone connected and had a slight gap. They were mere mosquito bites, annoyances but it struck a sound defense because being tickled or pinched confused the signals of Grazilda's body so Teide was not too focused on a defending her body as confusing Grazilda's. She cartwheeled and spun on her heel, sweeping her leg out bellowing another wave of sand at Grazilda to bury in the small pinches. Teide did not want Grazilda to mentally focus on what she had said. Grazilda was tired of the games and grabbed Teide by the shoulders and was bringing a punch to Teide's rib cage when Teide spat blood in Grazilda's eyes and jumped away.

Round 11: Watching these two feels like watching Don Quixote.

That last jump though made Teide buckle and the strain on her bad thigh took it's toll making her collapse on one knee. The bad hand straddled to her chest now trembled and squeezed with pain, clenched into a tight fist. Her body could not fight anymore with it's magic. Teide was magic and to be separated from it's eternal flow she felt like someone had taken out all her senses. Teide knew her body was dependent on magic but till now she didn't know how much. Her nerves were burning and raw, her vision shaking and her tongue was definitely complaining. Teide looked up and saw Grazilda coming. She did not evade this time but stood still and firm accepting the coming blow. Teide was not afraid of losing, of death, of pain or shadows...she had lived in them enough. She had no pride to salvage. Teide had fought her hardest without her strongest medium and giving Grazilda something to remember. She closed her eyes because really she deserved a good punch. Teide made sure by the end she was so disrespectful and annoying she did.