TOA Round 2: Spekkio VS RandomScribe

[psychosyd]

Alright, the first round is done, half of the contestants are gone, only 32 remain, who will win it all? Only time will tell... remember to try and somehow include the fact that the whole TOA is near or in a huge staduim (or surrounding areas for you environmental fanatics) LET the fighting begin!
Ok a reposting of the rules

1. NO SIGNITURES!

2. No God Mods... you know the basics, "possesing characters", godlike abilities, cheapo moves, power dodging or Didging killing opponents stuff like that.

NOTE: The small time taking over, for like adding to battle posts are legal, as long as you dont hurt them or whatnot

3. 2 ways to win- Killing your opponent hte legal, way, getting them to accept the win, when you have bested them, or by a judges decision. ACCEPT it... if you have a problem with there decision, then PM me....

4. Judges will post who won, and a short paragraph on why they believe that person won

5. Round 1 starts on Sunday September 8th... and will run till saturday the 14th

Round 2 starts that following sunday

So each tournament round lasts a week, you will have that much time to defeat your opponent. Topics will be closed on Saturday night, or sunday morning... if possible, and the next round will start. This tournament will be done in 6 weeks.

You may begin anytime

[ooc: well, this is disheartening... I wrote a really great intro for the last round... my opponent never responded... and then they go and delete all the threads so that I can't just reuse it or something... all that work, gone to waste.

Seriously, was it absolutely necessary to delete those threads? I was planning to go back and look at some of them when I had more time... ah, well... it's not a problem if there was a reason other than the capriciousness of the mods... it's just that I have no clue what to write now...

Okay... might as well get started...]

Raven sat in the corner of the arena, reading his book (an astute reader might ask, how can you sit in the corner of a round stadium? The answer, you see, is that some people can find a corner anywhere. It's in their blood. Of course, it helps if you can manipulate the fabric of space-time). He looked as though he had been sitting in that one spot for a week, as in fact he had.

Not that anyone cared... not even Raven. He knew how to keep himself occupied for that long.

"Six letters," he mumbled to himself. "Dull, second letter O." He thought for a moment, then pulled out a quill pen from behind his ear. He began to write after carefully rotating the page counterparfwise (some people maintain that these puzzles are more fun in extradimensional space. These people are masochistic lunatics and should be avoided at all costs. Above all, they should never, ever be given a magic book).

Raven looked up coldly at the narrator for a moment (Raven has a vague awareness that he is, in fact, a fictional character. This is often unsettling to others. It is also incorrect, because in the context of his fictional world he is entirely real).

Exactly. The moment I stop believing in you, I can narrate this thing myself.

Er... either that, or Raven would disappear off the face of reality (fiction?) forever. The narrator does not wish to find out.

Whatever. Just lay of the parentheses for a while, will ya? You've got three sets in the first four paragraphs.

The things the narrator must put up with for his art...

[edit: ick. Remember, kids: friends don't let friends delete good threads]

The cold wind blew once more, carrying with it the cries of fallen warriors. The sounds of battle had long since ended, though soon to rise again. The bodies have been taken off of the fields, and the victors had tended to their wounds; the first round of the Tournament of Arms had come to an end. Spekkio himself had several small bandages on his arms, covering the scratches from the attack his enemy had dealt him. Yet it was the second attack of the first round that did the most damage, sending a large metal tendril into his side, putting a very unsightly crack in the beautiful craftsmanship of his Mithril armor.

Spekkio, however, pushed that thought out of his mind. He had to reflect on the battle. How would he defeat his opponent? With a prolonged stare, he studied his opponent, all thoughts focusing on his appearance, his potential, and any secrets he may be hiding. It was the basic formula that he ran all of his battles with. Know your opponent’s strengths and weaknesses....know your own strengths and weaknesses....and nothing will stand in your way with victory.

The hard part was always looking at the opponent. You never knew what kind of tricks they had up your sleeve. An old man could conceal a weapon that can unmake gods. A child can reveal himself to be a polymorphed dragon. There are no limits. The only way one can avoid such obscure possibilities is for they themselves to be prepared to face any opponent. And Kristoff Spekkio, standing in the arena in front of his opponent. His name was....

“...and in this corner.......Raven!” The announcer yelled with a roar. The audience broke into a great mix of applause and cheers. Spekkio tried to get a grasp on reality for a moment. He had missed his announcement. Why was he so disoriented? This kind of thing could cost him the tournament....let alone the match with this...........this peasant.

A small fiber in Spekkio’s body screamed in frustration. He was pitted against another peasant, one whom had only progressed from the first round due to absence of his opponent. Spekkio bowed his head down a bit, sighing softly. At least the match would be over quickly.

Spekkio quickly put a hand on his hilt, and began awaiting his opponent’s attack. Another day.....another battle.......another death that will not be his own.

[ooc: awfully confident, aren’t we? Well, I’ll have you know that if you’re trying to psych me out, then, then… then you’re actually doing a pretty good job. And I’d like to point out that reaching the second round wasn’t entirely due to my opponent’s absence. I could have crafted an intro so awful that the mods decided to ban me immediately]

[oh… and you misused the word “whom.” Just so you know]

Raven sighed and stood up. This process took a while—Raven was at that point in adolescence where one seems to have rather more than the usual number of knees and elbows.

Can you quit insulting me and just get on with it?

Okay… that sort of thing is funny during intros, but now it’s just getting tiresome. The narrator would ask Raven to kindly shut up, but he believes that he is not allowed to address his characters directly. It's a narrator thing.

Anyway, Raven gave Spekkio a vague nod of acknowledgement and returned to reading his book in some strange magical tongue:

“Ma non fa come gl’altriuccelli, come li han cantatoun poco…”

Within moments, a brilliant flash of light materialized in the air above the tome. It leaped at Spekkio, tracing a perfect arc through the still air. It struck him square on the chest, dealing an explosive, crippling blow.

Yeah, right. Magic doesn’t work like that.

Tiny, natural fluctuations in the arena’s magical field caused the missile to veer off course. It struck the wall behind Spekkio, erupting into a cascade of sparks. It singed the back of Spekkio’s neck, nothing more.

(later, the proprietor of the arena would complain about the massive repair bill, but that's not relevant at the moment. Hence the parentheses)

However, something quite peculiar had happened. The failure of the spell had sent a massive ripple through the local magic grid. This "ripple" wrapped itself around Spekkio due to the unusual thaumic properties of mithril, shaping the grid into a sort of extradimensional funnel. Spekkio had essentially become a magic magnet.

Raven, however, did not notice. He was flipping hastily through the enormous book, searching for a more reliable spell, stopping once to scribble down some new insight into subtransmutative resonance optimization theory.

[ooc: you just gotta love thaumobabble. Oh, and good luck. ]

Spekkio stood on the battlefield, gritting his teeth, and waiting for his opponent to make the next move. He studied him cautiously, for the fourth or fifth time. Analyzation was the key to victory. Spekkio’s dark-green cloak absorbed the sun nicely, filling him with a warm feeling contradictory to the chilling wind. Despite that, he tugged at it, further, tightening the band securing it to his waist. It was almost as if he did it not for warmth but so as not to reveal what lie beneath. Equipment description would come later; it would come when he needed it, and it would come when he would have to add a few paragraphs to his post to achieve victory.

Spekkio through his arms back in anguish; his opponent wasn’t doing anything! He was sitting there, looking like an idiot. This Raven character was quite reminiscent of a gnome. Or a halfling...or some small mythical creature. He didn’t have the build for physical attacks, so his main offense would have to be magic. Spekkio outstretched his arms, and put himself once more into the defense position the age old monks used. An attack could come from any side- any side at all- and Spekkio would still be ready for it.

He closed his eyes, feeling the aura of the battlefield. He targeted most of his senses on the ki coming from straight across from him. Even if his muscles were weak, his spirit was strong. Several more energy fields came flowing from the crowds surrounding them and watching them; some came from the guards watching the gates that the fighters had entered from. But he pushed them all out of his mind. If there was any force that threatened his life, he would be able to notice it in this meditated state, but that was a big ‘if’.

Spekkio found his hand gripping the hilt of his sword again, momentarily taking himself out of the defensive position. He quickly drew it away. The sword often called to Spekkio. It was like some wonderful drug; he was not able to live without it. He wore it at all times, kept it within hands reach while sleeping, and even while bathing he kept his eyes on it. Spekkio was one who could not relax if he couldn’t see or feel his sword. Yet he had to keep himself focused. He wouldn’t let his obsession ruin the battle, nor would he let any other form of interference.

And then....his opponent attacked. It was not a quick attack, like so many other competitors tried to accomplish. Yet it was a rather slow attack. His opponent rose from his seat oh so slowly, preparing Spekkio for any attack that he might wish to make. Spekkio’s mind yelled out for him to grab the sword, yet he somehow resisted. He had to remain in a defensive position. His sword would win him victory, rather than cost him the price of it.

Words escaped his opponent’s lips, each arcane syllable more tensing than the last.

"Ma non fa come gl’altriuccelli, come li han cantatoun poco…"

With a blinding flash of light, Spekkio shielded his eyes as a large blinding arc of light flew straight at him, leaving no time to react, and hitting him square in the chest, dealing a pain that he seldom experienced.

It was only a matter of seconds before he opened his eyes and patted his chest. There was no wound there. That bastard thinks his illusions will work on me, does he?! Spekkio thinks, giving a hard glare towards Raven. I will crush his skull with the strength of a thousand stomping feet....... A glance behind him showed that the real blast had bypassed him, hitting the wall behind him, and injuring several spectators. Spekkio spat. It was their own fault for coming to this god forsaken tournament. It was now time to end the match.

And yet....suddenly...Spekkio felt a great change in aura. It was almost as if he could not cast magic. Rather......it was as if all magic would be attracted to him, like some kind of negative/positive bonding. What devilry had this Raven character done to Spekkio? If he were to cast a magic spell now.......there would be no way to avoid it. No way to avoid it at all......

Spekkio’s mind raced. There was only one course of action left. He had to stall the match. He had to stall his opponent to the point that the time limit ran out and a winner was chosen. Spekkio put his hands together, concentrating with utmost might. He was trying to create an object out of nothing- the creation of matter is often hard to accomplish, but it only takes a small amount of energy out of you. After a few moments, a small white orb appeared in his hands. It suddenly growed...then shrunk. Then it formed a rectangular shape.

When all was said and done, it revealed itself to be a tome. Spekkio opened it up, and for the first time in the tournament, he began to speak.

"Hah! Before I make my attack, I would like to say a few things. Before I destroy you, I feel it necessary to read a ....few passages from this tome. Your death will follow quickly after."

He turned towards his tome and invoked the words that would release the spell. "SUPER ULTRA OMEGA ZEDDICUS CHRISTHUGGER ATTACK!!!!!"

Spekkio cleared his throat, and began.

"Genesis 1:1
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

Genesis 1:2
The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters.

Genesis 1:3
Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light.

Genesis 1:4
God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness.

Genesis 1:5
God called the light day, and the darkness He called night. And there was evening and there was morning, one day.

Genesis 1:6
Then God said, "Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters."

Genesis 1:7
God made the expanse, and separated the waters which were below the expanse from the waters which were above the expanse; and it was so.

Genesis 1:8
God called the expanse heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, a second day.

Genesis 1:9
Then God said, "Let the waters below the heavens be gathered into one place, and let the dry land appear"; and it was so.

Genesis 1:10
God called the dry land earth, and the gathering of the waters He called seas; and God saw that it was good."

This continued on for several hours, until Spekkio had read all of Genesis, Exodus, and Leveticus. He closed the book, his voice well worn out, and awaited his opponent’s next attack.

[ooc: gosh. I don't have the attention span to write such a long post... I don't have the attention span to read such a long post... heck, I hardly have the attention span to finish a whole]

[oh, and Spike informed me that frying the hairs on the back of your neck was god modding. I'm very sorry. I'm just a horrible, horrible cheater]

Raven looked up from his pages of careful, neat notes, tucked his quill pen back behind his ear, and asked, "Is that all? How interesting... er, would you mind going over the bit with the flood and the animals and... well, my pen ran out of ink, you see, and, um... well, perhaps some other time? Hmmm... flood... boku no koinu ga inaku no ta..."

The very water molecules in the air around Spekkio coalesced into a great watery mass which closed in on him with such force that it obliterated him instantly.

Would have obliterated him instantly.

On some subconscious level, Raven must have known that he could not really hurt his opponent. That is the only way he could have made such an obvious mistake.

When used here, the term "obvious" is very, very relative.

Perhaps a short lesson in magic is in order. Magic and reality are opposing forces, repelling each other like the north poles of two magnets (actually, it's really nothing like that, but it's probably the best way to think about it, especially if you don't like it when your brain explodes, rips a hole in reality, creates a time warp, and explodes again). That is, although Spekkio's warped magical field was pulling all of the area's local magic to him, it was also repelling physical particles with an equal and opposite force--otherwise, there would be no stability in the system, and the magic grid would snap back into place like a rubber band. Granted, most rubber bands lack the ability to spontaneously send each of your electrons to a different universe, but hey, no analogy is perfect.

In any case, the force of the spell trying to aquatically crush Spekkio was perfectly balanced by the force of the water trying to get away from him. If Raven had conjured the water rather than distilled it from the air, the water would have been magical in nature, and no problem would have arisen (at least from a certain point of view--Spekkio's untimely destruction might have been viewed as a problem by some, namely Spekkio). A conjuration spell would have been far simpler in the first place, supporting the thesis that Raven had some intuitive notion of narrative convention.

So Spekkio was effectively trapped in an air bubble in a half-globe of water, with just about enough oxygen left to get through Numbers (Deuteronomy if he was a debater). And of course everyone knows that water is an impermeable barrier to magic when you are more than 43 degrees parfward of the nearest lunar nexus*. So essentially Spekkio was now immune to both physical and magical attacks.

Try and call that god modding. I dare you.

Raven stared at Spekkio for a minute. He could vaguely recall having recently heard something about parting large bodies of water... although, come to think about it, it hadn't been too detailed about the specific technique...

Fortunately, there exists a third force in the universe... a force that allows a sentient mind to tamper directly with the very nature of things without using either magical energies or the physical world as an intermediary...

Also fortunately, at least from the perspective of a narrator who does not wish to get banned, Raven knows nothing of psionics.



*For further information, please consult the treatise Celestial Nexi and their Applications in Combinatorial Quantum Displacement Theory, or, Where did I put my Sock? by Raven Stormwing.

[psychosyd]

Im awarding this battle to Spekkio...

RandomScribe, you my friend are to witty for your own good... some things that really got to me

Your total lack of a decent Intro... I cant really find anything much else to say... sept that

All the side comments and parenthesis things really just got annoying...

the god modding

Really, more of your posts were spent being smart than they were fighting, now I have to admit that your wisdom is vast, and so forth, but you went way to far into it... and it just killed the flow of battle... there are times to be smart, and there are times to be not...