| A day had passed since the Assassin and Berserker fell in the arena, ending each others lives. It was time for the second match of this Grail Royale. After breakfast, Wolfgang guided the Masters out of the Manor, to a small lake located nearby. Despite the cold weather, it had not frosted over. In the middle was a stage, jutting out of the black waters. Centered around it were numerous man-made rock formations. In the Summer, it was used to host plays and events. Now it would be used for a different for a different type of entertainment. Cui and Ekaterina were taken across the lake by boat, and took their place, standing on pedestals on opposite sides of the center stage. The others were seated on a viewing platform at the lake's edge. Both of the competitors called forth their Lancers. Let the match begin! |
 Stop. Calm yourself. You're an idiot. |
| Wind bristled fiercely,violently shaking the trees and the water.Once they stepped out of the boat,though,it all stilled suddenly,like the whole world was curious about the events.Catherine took a deep,deep breath.Frankly,she was anxious.She wore her combat gear,an identical look to the one on the day she had arrived - with one exception;the obi sash was now rather silver in color.As they were signaled to begin,she took no attack stance;simply,she uttered her choice's class-given name: "Come forth,Lancer" . And so he did.Now,a man with a kind smile stood next to her.He wore black pants and knee-high maroon boots,all with a perfectly white shirt;then,a vest byzantium in color came on top,with a coat trimmed with gold to match.A ribbon tied his long locks of white hair into a leisure ponytail and mesmerizing mismatched eyes hidden behind glasses were making you think of vampires;in his hands,an ornate cane from silver and wood stood,giving him the appearance of an average noble. He turned to his Master,and bowed from the waist."Thank you for allowing me this honor,milady." |
AngelicXIJan 19, 2013 8:45 PM
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| Cui figured he and Cathy'd be next since they were the only two left to fight so far. He hoped more would come- more people, more battles, more fun- but, he learned from an early age to never get your hopes to high. For whatever reason, the wind that had been blowing so fiercely on the boat ride there had suddenly stopped, giving off an almost ominous feeling. Hmmm~? So she chose Lancer, eh? He enjoyed putting his skill of reading lips to good use. I was originally going to choose Rider but I'm sure Lancer would be more than happy to step up to the plate. "Heed my call, Lancer," he said. A man in blue-tinted armor and a hat adorned with a large white plume appeared beside him. He stood tall and confident. "I will bring honor in your name, Master," he said as he scrutinized his foe in the distance. "I do not doubt you," Cui replied with a smile that was more akin to a smirk than his usual fare. This was going to be fun... "Show them our might, Lancer." |
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| Catherine stared at the man,blinking slowly."While honor would indeed be brought by the possibility of dying in a noble battle,this is far from it.You really have nothing to thank me for." she explained quietly,smiling sadly.Lancer smiled back radiantly. "Dying for you is noble enough for me,Lady Catherine." he responded,honesty evident in his warm tone.He swirled his cane,small jolts of electricity forming around it;a nanosecond later,in place of a cane,in his hand stood Cahaya. The warrior untied his hair,placing the ribbon gingerly around Cathy's neck;"In case I die,atleast this will not falter." he winked,taking off his glasses and placing them inside his coat. Wind bristled by once more.Lancer smirked."We shall begin,shall we not." he spoke;it was not a question,but a statement.And while not thirsty for blood,he was here to draw it out of enemy veins.Decadent,indeed,what they were put to do... In a flash,he was standing in the arena,only his coat left behind on the marble-like ground. |
AngelicXIJan 20, 2013 2:43 AM
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| Cui's Lancer was not nearly as flashy as Cathy's Lancer, he merely slowly strode forth into his position facing his opponent. His opponent was refined, noble; he was clearly a warrior like himself but had no bloodlust in his eyes- that was a good sign. "Yes, let's," he said in response, Sun and Moon appearing in their respective hands. Lancer slowly began strafe around his opponent, gauging him. He was strong and agile, his posture perfect- a worthy opponent. He had seen the lightning emanating from the weapon; it was troublesome. Lancer covered the distance between them in an instant and began the battle with a flurry of quick stabs with one of his halberds. |
Newmn84Jan 21, 2013 10:24 AM
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| Mircea was as agile, if not more so, than his opponent. Parring the strong strikes was a fairly easy job; from afar, their fight could seem like an elaborate weapon dance. The whole ordeal was making the king's old heart feel young again. He chuckled. "You are very strong, warrior." he commented, his kind eyes true, as he parred another strike with the length of his weapon. "You're actually making me hold Cahaya with two hands." he added, and quickly side-stepped his opponent's next strike. Catherine was fairly worried as she watched the blurry figures of the two warriors dance a passionate tango of metal hitting metal. "Win for me,you king of fools." she muttered, eyebrows scrunching down in a frown. Mircea side-stepped yet another strike, parring the second one from the side with the help of Cahaya's 'body'. He almost lost balance. Regaining his footing, he jumped, making a back flip and putting considerable distance between the enemy and himself. He took a different stance than his usual fighting one; with his right leg pivoting and assuring his balance, he bent his left knee; Cahaya was now held with one hand near the middle, while the posterior part of it was positioned with the help of his midsection. He places his left palm on the spear's tip. "Let's show him how beautiful you are, my dear. A little reward for such skill,is only fair." he lovingly whispers to the lifeless object, as it suddenly bursts into lavender-white lightning. Blinding light erupts, and Mircea charges forward with a jump. |
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| Zhang Liao was impressed, his opponent had dodged or parried all of his stabs with little trouble. His opponent backflipped away from his flurry, placing some significatnt distance between them. Zhang Liao, released a breath of air from his mouth and nostrils, the cold air causing his breath to fog. "You are strong as well," Zhang Liao called out to him. As if in response, his opponent got into a position; Zhang Liao readied himself, something didn't feel quite right. Cui watched that battle from his position on the magic pedestal. It was cool! Almost like watching a real-life shounen anime. They moved so fast that the only things that really stuck out were the sparks that flew from when the weapons clashed. As the burst of light erupted, one thing went through both Cui's and Zhang Liao's minds: Dodge! Zhang Liao saw the man jump as the burst of light went off; no truly skilled warrior in their right mind would jump at his opponent- not unless they had something up their sleeve. Zhang Liao dove to his right at almost a 60 degree angle from his starting position and into a roll to keep himself from falling flat. |
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| Surrounded by electric bolts,grinning widely,mismatched eyes gleaming,Mircea fell from the sky.Well,not exactly fell.Rather,attacked with style.Sadly,Zhang Liao dodged,and thus Cahaya hit the ground rather than the target. Prr...sprr...prr. The electricity faded,the smoke that rose as the marble burned on the surface beginning to clear.The sight was a bit shocking;cracks filled the surface of the ground up and around the impact point on a circular area - hadn't the opponent dodged,he would have been a bit fried. "What a shame." Mircea commented,stretching.He flexed his fingers,small,little stars of electricity forming around the hand that held the weapon - rather than looking like the solid black,it was now all lavender in color."I've missed." He blinked,then smiled,and looking from the side to the place where he knew his Master stands."True strength is not used in what we're doing right now.Rather,I'd say we're weak.True strength shows when we're protecting,because only then we're willing to give it all - for the sake of another.The power of being able to sacrifice yourself,that is true strength." he commented lightly,more likely making a monologue in a quiet tone. Shaking his head,he prepares himself,this time in his usual fighting stance - he pivots his right foot behind the left one,bending both knees slightly. |
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| If he had decided to block that attack, Zhang Liao realized he wouldn't have gotten away unscathed. "Very well!" he called out to his opponent. "Since you have revealed some of your true strength, I shall display to you some of my own! Prepare yourself!" The lake around them began to shift and churn. Cui's eyes widened in amazement; if Cathy's Lancer's attack had seemed impressive, this was on a different scale. He had never seen Zhang Liao's Noble Phantasms in action. Zhang Liao lifted Moon into the air and made an arc downward in the air. A wave at least three stories high crashed down towards his opponent from his opponent's side. If he didn't dodge in time, he would surely be swept over the side from the sheer force of its impact. |
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| Mircea let a low curse slip past his lips rapidly.He bent his knees down further,and jumped up,careful to make his body rotate as to gain more altitude - he drifted roughly 45 degrees away from the waves that soon hit the ground.The cracks Cahaya made earlier were now enlarged.He landed rather roughly."Hoho!" He smiled."Getting serious,aren't we?" he inquired laughing,pointing Cahaya's tip forwards.Strikingly fast,the blade extended,electricity running trough the now immaterial weapon;it touched the water remnants near Zhang Liao... |
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| Zhang Liao had barely began to react before the spear struck the water and a surge of electricity coursed up his body. However, this lasted only for a second as he grasped Sun tightly and it glowed bright orange with energy, evaporating the water immediately around him. His breathing became momentarily irregular but he quickly regained his composure as the steam rose around him. Zhang Liao was a warrior but his head was not empty of thought; he had anticipated an attack like that but he did not expect it to come from such range and at such speed. He gave his opponent a smirk. "It seems you have landed the first blow, enjoy the feeling while it lasts!" he shouted. He readied himself once more, this time on the defensive. He would not be caught off guard a second time. |
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| Mircea grinned back in response."Aye,I assure you I am." he shouts,as he gets up from his crouching position.He stretches,massaging his hip with his free hand."You're quite the challenge,warrior." he adds,feeling sore for some reason.He seemed to be almost sulking. From her spot,Catherine sighed."Stop fooling around,you major airhead! I'm not even sure we can afford the luxury of a fight this friendly." she shouted,loud enough for everyone on the battlefield to hear.Mircea chuckled. "Yes ma'am!" he mock-saluted.He readied Cahaya,this time making the electric charge go to a non-lethal level.He dashes forward at incredible speed,grinning like a kid in a candy store,craving for more blood boiling action."It's the first time in a long while that I feel so alive." he confesses as the two Lancers exchange blows. |
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| Zhang Liao carefully watched his opponent's weapon as he parried and dodged his onslaught- it was a challenge to keep up but, it was one that he was up to. "It's the first time in a long while we have both been alive," Zhang Liao replied with a chuckle. There was something different in his opponent's eyes now and Zhang Liao knew it well- the thrill of battle. Zhang Liao jumped far back to distance himself from his opponent, making an upward then down motion with Moon. The waters of the lake rose above the platform similar to last time and came crashing down towards (potentially directly on top of) Mircea. Sun glowed in his other hand. |
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| Mircea got caught under the waters.As they dispersed,they left behind the sight of the warrior laying sprawled across the solid surface.Suddenly,his eyes shot open,just as Catherine is about to call out his name;her words die in her throat,and she clamps her mouth shut. His eyes shine,and he smiles,as he grips Cahaya tighter;the spear suddenly bursts with high-voltage electricity,and in an immaterial form,it stretches lightning-fast,aiming for the chest of Zhang Liao. |
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| Admittedly, when Zhang Liao saw his opponent be crushed by the waves, he was surprised. He didn't expect his opponent to get hit by the water, but when he did, he didn't let his surprise last long- Sun remained glowing in his hand. Suddenly his opponent's eyes shot open and his spear shot towards him. Zhang Liao quickly twisted to avoid a fatal blow to his heart but the spear caught him in the shoulder. The immaterial spear phased through both his armor and his body alike, the electricity causing him to seize up. Despite the searing pain, he gritted his teeth and Sun shone with the most intensity that it had ever emitted before, creating blinding light that would have been equivalent to a flash grenade going off next to one's face. With a mighty roar that seemed to shake the very ground itself, he swung Sun as he fell sideways, twisting his entire body to both add to the force of the swing as well to attempt to free himself from his opponent's spear. The head of the halberd cut through the reinforced stage like a hot knife through butter, sending a wall of searing-white flame directly at Mircea. |
Newmn84Jan 26, 2013 12:10 PM
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| The light was dangerous.That much,the Wallachian King knew.He jumps up,exactly as a roar seems to shake the arena itself.He manages to dodge most of it,although his left leg is slightly caught in by the flames. He spins trough the air,his jaw tightly clenched.Holding Cahaya with both hands,he lets out a battle cry.He takes it out of his fallen opponent,shrinking it back to a normal size,only to stretch it out again,aiming this time for Zhang Liao's abdomen. |
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| His opponent's spear was simply too fast, Zhang Liao had no choice but to resort to his trump card. Space expanded and warped near him and the two Servants were enveloped in a Reality Marble. Positioned atop a small hill, Zhang Liao sat on horseback at the head of his 800 die-hard, elite mounted cavalry. He was far from the fully extended range of his opponent's spear and if his opponent looked behind him, he would have noticed his back was to a large lake. Zhang Liao's second-in-command signaled to the rest of the troops; arrows were notched and bowstrings fully drawn back awaiting their commander's final signal. "Warrior!" Zhang Liao shouted, his voice clearly able to be heard despite the distance between them. "I, Zhang Liao, the Fledgling Dragon of Wei, offer you a compact on behalf of my Master! Should you choose to convince your Master to surrender this battle by using a Command Seal to prevent you from further combat, I shall not further pursue your head this day!" He signaled one of his troops to his side and the fearless soldier rode out to Mircea with no weapons, carrying only a large, fine wooden box. The soldier dropped the box before Mircea onto the sand of the lake's beach. "Within that box are materials for writing," Zhang Liao continued. "Should you choose to accept the conditions, write a message to your Master detailing the conditions and we shall relay that message to her. Your Master will then announce her surrender to my Master and the battle will be called off. Warrior! What say you?" Outside the bubble of the Reality Marble, Cui gave Cathy a large smile. No one could hear or see what was happening on the inside of that bubble but he was confident in his own Servant. *Angel, I temporarily give you permission to control what happens to the soldier and what he does, within reason to his role as a messenger, including death at the hands of Mircea if you so wish it.* |
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| The soldier then threw him a dead look.Mircea sighed trough his nostrils."I feel insulted,warrior." he commented with a small smile,addressing Zhang Liao."You seem to underestimate me." He rotated Cahaya,pointing the tip towards the sky.Two hundred soldiers,all equipped with various weapons,appeared in his surroundings. He turned to them,his face friendly. "I missed you,friends." he tiredly comments,and his men roar in happy response. Then,he partly turned to Zhang Liao. "I,Mircea the First of Wallachia,cannot accept or deny your offer.I would rather die in battle and see my master's tears from beyond this world than bring shame to her name.Such is the code imposed by my blood.We can continue,and let our warriors and ourselves battle,or we can let our Masters decide our fates.But I will not surrender." Outside the battle,Catherine's eyes went dead.She picked up Mircea's coat,putting it over her own shoulders.Then,she jumped down from her spot and began walking towards Cui."This rather offends me.I need to see how my weapon fights,and you just trespassed the boundaries of my right." |
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| Cui retained his wide smile. "Now, now," he said as held up his hands slightly. "I would love to see the fight as much as you do but I can't help that they're in the Reality Marble." Zhang Liao smirked as Mircea summoned his own army. "I thought you would say as much," he said quietly to himself. He then raised his voice once more, "As eager as I am to continue our battle, Mircea the First of Wallachia, I will not disobey my Master's orders. Our Masters shall have the final say in the matter." He signaled for his troops to stand down and they eased their bowstrings back to their original positions but kept their arrows notched. With a nod from Zhang Liao, the messenger dismounted, picked up the box, and disappeared from the battlefield, reappearing next to Cui who was caught only slightly off guard. The messenger whispered into Cui's ear and he nodded in understanding. Cui told him, "Repeat to her what you told me." The soldier nodded in reply and turned toward Cathy. "Your Servant is severely outnumbered and severely disadvantaged. As per Lord Yue Cui's request, an offer of surrender is extended to you on the condition that you use a Command Seal to cease all attempts of further combat. Your Servant will not be harmed should you choose to accept the condition and surrender." "So you have it," Cui said, keeping the smile on his face. "You're particularly attached to that Servant, aren't you? Even if you deny it, your actions during this battle say what your words will not. If you surrender, I'll guarantee your Lancer won't be harmed further by my Lancer, at least until the next battle. You have no need to worry, my Lancer will honor this agreement. If your Lancer didn't have such a high magic resistance, his leg would have been completely incinerated but even he should be hurting from that burn and from being crushed by the waters. He may be strong but I wonder just how much more he can take." |
Newmn84Jan 26, 2013 5:54 PM
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| Cathy chuckled."Yes,I happen to be.He was a great man in his lifetime,and is an important asset to my warriors." she comments back."Even if he now summoned his Two Hundred Ghosts,he still has an unused ace,which indeed I pick to leave not shown.Additionally,your own Lancer is severely injured as well;an electric stab of Cahaya must've burned his insides a little roughly." she mutters,more for herself. "Give me that,please." she adds,extending a hand.She is offered a piece of paper and tools for writing.A single word is written,in beautiful,cursive letters - Retreat. "Hand him that and call them both home." she nods to the soldier.Then,"You win this once,Mr. Yue.But you see,I still have seven aces up my sleeve." The soldier looks at her strangely,but retreats,handing said paper to Mircea.Displeased,he bows his head,as his soldiers disperse. Zhang Liao understands,and calls off his own Phantasm.Now,the two warriors are standing next to their Masters. Wolfgang steps forth."As things seem to be,Miss Saint-Basil surrenders.This means Mister Yue is the victor of the second match." he announces,his old,resonating voice striking the silence like a heavy claymore. Mircea turns to Catherine."Forgive me,milady." he quietly says,guilt in his tone.Cathy frowns,and reaches up to his forehead,gently smacking him. "Fool!There is no thing to apologize for!" she abruptly reprimands him,then sighs with a smile."Here." she adds,quietly offering him his coat."I will keep the bow,though.It's kinda cute." |
AngelicXIJan 28, 2013 12:56 PM
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| Zhang Liao stood silently at Cui's side as the verdict was announced. "Are you disappointed?" Cui asked him. "No, Master. Your strategy was executed flawlessly," Zhang Liao replied matter-of-factly. "I was talking about you, not me. Speak freely." "... I am... slightly conflicted. While I would have wished to face him at his full strength, a victory achieved is a victory achieved. He was a mighty warrior. I would gladly face him again if given the chance." Cui's smile grew wider. "Don't worry, I'll definitely call upon you again to battle. Your skills won't go to waste, I'll guarantee you that." Zhang Liao turned to his Master, covered his right fist with his left hand at chest-level and bowed slightly. "I look forward to being of service to you once more." Cui merely nodded in reply. He was already wondering what was going to happen next... |
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