Character #1: @Asterion Bonded: Yes, a Pallas' Gull, but not being used in this fight Magic: NA Armor: NA Weapons: NA Current Health: 20 Current Attack: 20 Current Experience: 35
Character #2: @Eik Bonded: NA Magic: NA Armor: NA Weapons: NA Current Health: 18 Current Attack:22 Current Experience: 29
Asterion
in sunshine and in shadow*
It is the end of summer, and a late-afternoon shower has just wrung itself out and left the sky a pale washed blue when Asterion makes his way to the Steppe.
For the first time in a long while, there is no nervousness in him; just a kind of anticipation that has his blood humming, his muscles eager. He is (to a little of his own chagrin) looking forward to testing himself against Eik – not because he anticipates any weakness in the man, or figures himself to win, but because it will be his first challenge against someone like him.
Just a horse. No wings, no blade, no horn.
The ground is soft beneath his hooves, though not quite sodden; he imagines they may both be mud-colored by the end of their meeting. The bay cannot quite keep still as he waits; he paces wide arcs, though a strong western breeze keeps sweat from darkening his flanks.
The grey, of course, does not keep him waiting long. At the agreed-upon time there is a pale mark at the edge of the field, and Asterion comes to a stop to watch it approach. As it grows in his vision, so does a smile on the bay’s dark mouth, though he smothers it when they are a few lengths apart.
He should at least try to look imposing, despite the wash of warmth at the sight of his friend, and the way his nerves jitter like a runner’s before the gun goes off.
“Well, Emissary,” he greets Eik, but he betrays his serious tone by grinning. “Show me what the desert has taught you.”
Summary: Asterion arrives a bit after a rain, finding the ground soft but not soaked. He paces a bit and then greets Eik like 'yo hey buddy'
Eik comes from the east with his skin still warm from the desert sun. Despite the cheery blue skies above, he can tell it was raining by the smell in the air and the softness underfoot. A shame that he missed it, but it is probably for the best. He's fought in blistering rain and snow before, and it's a different sort of fight, a grueling sort- you must battle the elements just as much as the beast before you.
It is always a pleasure to see his bay friend, regardless of the circumstance, and so Eik's pace quickens as he nears the Steppe. As he eagerly approaches, he appraises the Dusk regent. Asterion is tall, slightly taller than Eik, and built for speed and stamina. On the other hand, Eik's warlander frame is built for strength. He'll want to hit hard and fast, then, instead of drawing things out.
He comes to a halt a few lengths away, just as Asterion's smile fades, and nods his head in stoic greeting. "With pleasure, friend," he says seriously, with a not-so-serious grin to match the bay's.
Then it begins.
Eik lunges forward at full speed, closing the distance between them in a few strides. He is aimed directly at Asterion as if to ram right into him, but at the last stride, the one that should launch him straight into his starry-eyed friend, he leans to the right to avoid the collision. Their shoulders almost touch as Eik eases past. With his next stride he pivots about 30 degrees to the right, firmly plants his front legs, and kicks out. He aims high for the meaty, muscled part of Asterion's left shoulder, not wanting to strike at the legs or ribcage where he could easily fracture or break a bone.
Thankfully the muddy ground does not slide out beneath him, although he notices that each powerful step they take makes a divot in the damp turf. The longer the fight, the more unstable the footing will be come- it gives him another reason to hit hard and fast and end the spar quickly.
- - - There is no better way to know us
E I K than as two wolves, come separately to a wood
<3
Summary: Eik enters, looks Asterion over, says hi, and attacks. He charges forward as if to ram right into Asterion, but leans to the right at the last moment to slide past him. With his next stride he increases the angle between them and kicks out at Asterion's left shoulder. He notices that they are starting to tear up the grassy field, which could cause a problem with footing later on in the fight.
Asterion has never considered Eik’s scars in a practical sense until the gray moves toward him on the sparring-field. It is not until then that the bay (who has yet to earn scars any of his own) appreciates the reality of them, their paleness in the sunlight, the fact that they may have been created in a similar fashion to this. That there once existed an Eik unblemished.
That one day Asterion might be so scarred, too.
And yet, for that, he is still not nervous. He trusts the Solterran man as much as he does himself, and the birds are singing, and he is less of a boy and more of a man than he was the last time he stood on this pock-marked ground.
Still, Eik is an intimidating sight when he explodes into motion, all lean muscle and purpose.
The bay’s ears twist back and he feels his muscles tense. It is well his body reacts instinctively, for his mind is a whir of thoughts that twist and scatter like starlings. The only sounds are the noise of his breath and his heartbeat and hooves like drum-beats as Eik lunges.
Rather than brace for impact, Asterion begins to rise into a rear just as Eik begins to execute his kick, and the two of them mirror one another like a dance. The Regent can feel his hooves digging into the springy ground, and little flecks of mud freckle him from his friend’s feet.
Asterion’s rear is a low one, and he pivots as he executes it, turning toward the grey stallion to keep the space between them close. His failure during Raymond’s lesson is not forgotten; he does not want to have to chase down Eik once it comes time to reciprocate the attack.
But he is too hasty in his thinking: first, there is the impact.
Eik’s kick catches him across the shoulder and part of his breast. In hindsight, opening up his front was likely a foolish move; but luckily for Asterion his movement and proximity makes it more of a glancing blow, and it lands before its full extension (and therefor power) is reached. He hears himself expel a whuff of breath, feels a stinging across his shoulder like a landed punch. He ought not be so careless with his friend’s thoughtfulness.
Yet it puts him in good position to attack, and he surges forward as soon as his hooves touch the ground again. Asterion has spun so that they are once more nearly parallel, with himself to the older stallion’s left.
He does not know if Eik is still unbalanced from his high kick, but it would help the bay if he is. Already they are nearly touching, and the Regent does not swerve; he bears down on the gray so that, if unimpeded, he will drive his right shoulder into the ribs just behind Eik’s left.
It is time to find out just how slick the ground is below the grass, and if the gray can be pushed into a stumble or a slip.
Though that, of course, is not a danger Asterion is immune to. And he realizes, as he pulls in a breath, that his lung capacity is not what it was only moments before – Eik’s blow has winded him, bruising his chest.
His thoughts, then, echo his friend’s: all the better to stay close, strike quick, and finish swiftly.
Summary: Asterion half-rears as Eik kicks, and pivots toward the gray, taking the blow on his shoulder and somewhere between his shoulder and chest. A few moments later he realizes it's hindering his breathing. Before that, though, he lunges mostly parallel to Eik, hoping to shoulder him with enough force to make him loose his footing (mud wrestling, anyone?).
Response Deadline: Rae and I agreed via PM on discord to dispel with deadlines for the rest of this spar. Tags: @Eik, @kay, @Sid, @inkbone, @Lauren, @Sparrow
06-15-2018, 10:07 PM
Played by
Rae [PM] Posts: 301 — Threads: 41 Signos: 15
Growing up, Eik rarely met anyone who wasn't marred by scars. Somewhat contrary to what you might expect, it was the ones barely scarred that you had to worry about-- everyone was tested in battle, and those who danced away without a mark were the most renowned. Men like Eik, scrappy ones scratched up every which way, were dime a dozen. Men like Asterion, who lived to his age without a single scar, were the stuff of legends.
Of course, that was a different world. Eik leaves his memories behind as well as his assumptions, and tries to stay in the moment with this spar. His kick lands with a satisfying thud, satisfying until he remembers this is his friend, and a shadow of concern crosses his features. The shadow lasts only a moment as he reminds himself: this is what they had agreed to, looked forward to, even.
The moment his concern passes, Asterion's blow hits fast and true. Faster than Eik had expected, too fast to do much of anything at all but take it. He grunts as the air is punched out of him and his front legs splay forward in attempt to keep his balance. Not only would falling in the mud be incredibly embarrassing for the veteran, but he would surely lose the spar if he went down now with Asterion standing right there ready to trample him. As Eik stabilizes himself with a few slippery steps forward, he mentally checks his body for damage. It does not feel like he's broken any bones in his ribcage, but the area is certainly bruised. More noticeably the wind was knocked out of him, which is always a shock to the body-- even when you've experienced it a dozen times.
It has taken him a few seconds to regain his footing on the muddy ground, but Asterion can't have gone too far in that time. Eik cow-kicks with his left hind leg, aiming to the side of his belly where Asterion's shoulder had been just moments ago. It is basically a blind attack, as his recent focus had mostly been on regaining his breath and balance. The hope is that the attack is unexpected, as there isn't much of a tell- no shifting of his weight needed or repositioning for a prime angle. It wouldn't land with the force of a full-on kick, but Eik is not trying to seriously hurt his friend anyway. As an added bonus, this attack keeps his three legs balanced on the now very torn up and muddy ground.
After his quick attack, Eik pivots to the right so his rump is facing Asterion. The grey shuffles his feet, ready to either stride forward or kick out if the bay gets too close. He never much liked talking during a fight (it always seemed a waste of breath) but as his heart hammers in his chest and sweat foams at his flanks he manages to express himself with a broad, almost boyish grin. The two men are brothers now, if they weren't before.
- - - There is no better way to know us
E I K than as two wolves, come separately to a wood
Summary: Eik takes Asterion's attack. The breath is knocked out of him, but he (thankfully xD) keeps his balance by taking a few steps forward. He quickly cow kicks to his left, hoping that Asterion is still close enough that he can land a blow. After his attack he pivots to the right so that his butt is pointed at Asterion :3
If Asterion were in Eik’s world, he would look like an old map: lined and creased and worn from all the lessons he was taught with teeth and hoof.
Sometimes he isn’t sure why he bothers fighting, here – he has no weapon, no wings or horn or wicked tail-blade – and plenty who duty would ask fight for him. It is not quite for pride, either. Perhaps it is only to prove to himself that he can hold his own.
Though he isn’t sure that’s what he’s doing in the moment.
There is the brief, free-form panic that comes with any stumble; he feels his hooves cut into the damp earth as his momentum carries him a few steps forward. The battlefield will look as pitted as the moon when they are finished with it. But Eik keeps to his feet, and Asterion does too. Both his tight-chested breathing and the choppy ground convince him to stay close –
Which turns out to be a mistake.
Asterion grunts unbecomingly as Eik’s kick lands near his right stifle, streaking him with dark mud. It reminds him, a little, of being struck with the flat of Raymond’s tail-blade: little more than a sting, a reminder to be more aware. It is a cow-kick, and in close quarters, and with a hoof coated in mud, and so the bay is not worried though it aches the way your elbow does when you bark it on a desk.
As the gray pivots, Asterion echoes him as neatly as if choreographed, determined to keep near. The bay meets his friend’s wide grin with a matching one, and a shake of his head. He is very glad that Eik is not armed in the same way as Raymond, which makes the prospect of facing his rear slightly less dangerous.
Someday, the bay promises himself, he will not be maneuvered into facing hind ends.
But today he must, and so before Eik can grow too comfortable with the distance between them (and before he can spend too much time readying his feet), Asterion darts forward, opting to keep his feet on the ground to reduce the risk of slipping. It is a relief to know he will get no blade to the face; neither, he thinks, would Eik risk breaking his jaw with a kick (so he fervently hopes).
With his chest near against the gray’s rump, too close for easy kicking, Asterion snaps at Eik’s stifle or flank – whatever he can reach, really – hoping to land a solid bite. A reminder, maybe, to watch his ass in the future.
Asterion’s ears pin reflexively, bracing for the taste of mud and hair, and still he keeps doggedly close on Eik’s heels. He will go forward if his friend does, or pivot to match his pivot; he wants to give the stallion as little room as possible to maneuver a counter attack.
Summary: Eik's cow-kick lands on Asterion's right stifle but given the speed of the kick, close quarters, and coating of mud doesn't do much damage. Asterion keeps close on him as Eik pivots, and before too much time passes after Eik's attack and pivot he closes the distance between them and bites at Eik's stifle or flank. After his attack, he intends to keep the distance that close.
Response Deadline: Rae and I agreed via PM on discord to dispel with deadlines for the rest of this spar. Tags: @Eik, @kay, @Sid, @inkbone, @Lauren, @Sparrow
07-02-2018, 01:28 PM
Played by
Rae [PM] Posts: 301 — Threads: 41 Signos: 15
Eik often loses himself. It is all too easy to lose track of time while wandering the long, winding corridors of his mind. Too often he gets lost in some revelation triggered by the blooming of a flower or the sway of the tall grass in the wind, or some question he feels he has the answer to, buried somewhere in the rubble of thought and memory. He fights to reconnect with his body, to remind himself through sweat and pain and adrenaline that he is alive in the physical world, too, and it can be just as delightful as his rambling, grammatically-challenged, delicious stream of thoughts.
He fights for the practicality of keeping his skills sharp, for the feeling of camaraderie that grows only through sweat and blood, and most of all for his sanity.
A wild grin is on his face now. No doubt he'll feel the pain in his belly later when there's nothing else to think about, but the ache is just a nagging afterthought as he focuses his attention on Asterion. His kick lands true, and once more his focus is broken for a moment by concern that he might have hit his friend too hard.
Eik quickly brushes his concern aside with a mental note- maybe stop fighting your friends- and refocuses. The two men move in a rather impressive dance, pivoting in synchronicity. Later he will recall with amusement the day he told Florentine he did not know how to dance, but for now his mind is on the fight and focused on Asterion's movements behind him. A normal fight and Eik would be kicking like mad at his opponent, but there are certain rules for this engagement and so he restrains himself. Due to the shuffling of his feet in the muddy ground, Eik is ready to spring away when Asterion lunges forward with teeth bared. He is not able to dodge the attack entirely, close as the bay is, and he squeals at the pinch of teeth on his thigh. It stings, but it isn't disabling by any means. In time it will become just another scar to add to his collection.
His wild grin returns as the fight comes to a close and he turns to face his friend on the pockmarked battlefield. Sweat and mud stain their hides dark so they almost, almost look like different men. "Well fought, regent." He extends his muzzle to bump cheerfully against a seal brown shoulder. "We should... go on a trip sometime. An adventure." Already his mind is rising from his body like a thin trail of smoke-- he's thinking of the ocean and the day the two stallions met. He turns slowly back to Solterra, the sun already warm on his back.
"I'll see you soon, friend," he calls over his shoulder, and begins the walk home.
- - - There is no better way to know us
E I K than as two wolves, come separately to a wood
aaaand that's a wrap! sorry for the awkward exit o_o
Summary: Eik moves forward when Asterion attacks, taking the bite on his thigh. There is some bleeding but nothing major. He says some stuff and then heads home to get bandaged.
Attack Used: 2 Attack(s) Left: 0 Block Used: 0 Block(s) Left: 1 (not sure if this post counted as a block since he still took the attack?) Item(s) Used: N/A
Before he knows it, before he even expects it, the battle is over.
Asterion is only now beginning to lose himself in the pulse of the spar, letting the rest of the world fall away until it is only their breathing, only the rush of their blood and the slick of the mud-and-dirt beneath them and their bodies made weapons (however gentle) against one another.
There is dusty, muddy hair in his mouth, a quick pinch of skin between his teeth that Asterion himself nearly winces at (he, too, should stop fighting his friends), and then Eik is moving away, turning toward him.
The bay’s expression is almost sheepish above his panting breath, but he leans into the gray stallion’s touch. His only response to the first comment is a wry twist of lips – he would not have characterized his own side of things as well fought - but at Eik’s next words his head lifts, dark eyes bright with interest.
“Yes,” he says, and then coughs at the tightness in his chest. It hurts a little to laugh, but he does anyway, and flicks an ear toward his friend. “I’m in dire need of one.”
A last nod, though he doesn’t know if Eik catches it or not, and then the regent returns to his own home, sides slick and dark with sweat and mud.
Creativity: originality, imagination, and attention to detail.
Realism: mechanics and whether you accurately reflect your health and attack
Overall writing: creativity, realism, and writing mechanics (spelling, grammar, punctuation, run-on sentences, etc.)
FIRST POST (intro)
A simple entrance post, I like how it sets the mood and gives a reason for his being there! Just a personal preference really, but you like to describe Asterion as “the bay”, and it may start to get a little repetitive by the 3rd or 4th time!
SECOND POST
Defensive: Not a true block, but I like the way you describe his damage taken - as well as his sudden realization as to the difficulty it causes his breathing, which makes sense based on where he was struck!
Offensive: I wish there was a little more detail in this part of the post; it’s short and somewhat vague, but because it’s so straightforward I can see it playing out in my mind. Since you’ve described them as being in close proximity, I’m not sure how well his attack will work with such little force applied? Of course if Eik is off balanced it will certainly help, and I like his thought acknowledging that!
Mechanics: The flow of this whole post is really nice; I like how it goes from his thoughts to Eik’s attack, to Asterion’s parry, it all fits really nicely and nothing really stuck out to me while reading it, except for a few choppy sentences that interrupt the flow a bit!
Notes: Can I just say that I really, really appreciate Asterion’s commentary here?! I love his observations of his opponent’s scars, combined with his gentle trust in Eik, and how his instincts take over because of how wrapped up in his thoughts he is. It does make me question his role on the battlefield a bit, but it’s so uniquely him haha.
THIRD POST
Defensive: No true block again, which I would have liked to see - but I do really like the way that you write his response to Eik’s attack! It makes sense, and your comparison helps me to see it a little bit better (though I do question it’s place in this post a little!) It’s a natural close to the battle that I can see playing out c:
Offensive: Okay this definitely made me laugh a bit; perhaps it’s just the wording “a reminder, maybe, to watch his ass”, but it’s flashy and in good humor and I can see it playing out, since Eik did so graciously offered his ass to him c;
Mechanics: Not as smooth as your last post, but I can’t pinpoint anything that jumps out or inhibits it c:
Notes: I may totally be interpreting that first sentence wrong, but it reads slightly off to me; in the post before, you were talking about how little scars Asterion has, and now you’re talking about how worn he is… may be a different connotation, but I do like how you’re continuing the same content. c:
Creativity: originality, imagination, and attention to detail.
Realism: mechanics and whether you accurately reflect your health and attack
Overall writing: creativity, realism, and writing mechanics (spelling, grammar, punctuation, run-on sentences, etc.)
FIRST POST
Defensive: N/A
Offensive: First off I love that he aims high—it stays true to this being a spar, rather than an all-out fight. The pivot adds a bit of flair to an otherwise plain attack, and it seems realistic enough in my book!
Mechanics: You seem to switch between long, compound sentences and short fragments; it makes this post read a little choppy! Few typos, few grammatical errors other than a run-on here and there.
Notes: I find it a little strange that he wants to hit hard and fast and end the spar quickly; it’s a friendly fight, so the urgency to end it seems out of character. Nonetheless, I rather enjoyed Eik’s entrance and his observations! The inclusion of the environment in your post was nice. c:
SECOND POST
Defensive: No true block used, but I like how he manages to stay on his feet and why he wants to stay on his feet! He’s thinking like a true tactician. That said, I’m not sure how the breath would be knocked out of him by Asterion’s attack, since they hit more shoulder to shoulder (but I could have misread that!)
Offensive: The cow-kick oml I love it more than I probably should haha. For real though, I like how automatic and instinctive and downright blind it is, and it fits well with the timeline! Not the shiniest of attacks, but just the uniqueness of the kick (as well as his mentality, and not wanting to hurt his friend) give it extra points imo c:
Mechanics: A few strange hiccups “were [a] dime a dozen,” “in attempt”, etc. Overall I think this flow improved a lot from your first post!
Notes: I really like that you continued along with Asterion’s thoughts on Eik’s scars; it creates a nice back and forth that really ties both of these characters together. ;u; I also appreciate Eik’s whole commentary, slipping in and out of joy for the battle and care for his friend in a very natural feeling way.
THIRD POST
Defensive: With Eik’s experience, it makes sense that the pain is farther from his mind; he’s in fight-mode, and he’s rolling with the punches and always thinking of his next move. For this hit, specifically, his little squeal really paints a picture in my mind like I’m watching two horses actually go at each other haha. I also like that you didn’t try to dress it up with “he can feel the blood begin gushing”, etc, which I see a lot - even when it’s out of place in an attack like this. It was a breath of fresh air, and realistic in my mind!
Offensive: No attacks left, just a nice natural ending that I like!
Mechanics: Even your long sentences flow - it makes me feel as if I am literally in Eik’s mind alongside him, my thoughts rushing in the same way as his, and I honestly just really enjoyed the flow of it.
Notes: I like the recap - too often I see people forget what happened in their previous post, and never address their reactions to their last hit/miss, etc, so I appreciate that you continued this pretty much right from your last post c:
Closing Remarks: Guys, this honestly has been one of my favorite battles of all time to read. You both did so well, and I have thoroughly enjoyed their interactions with each other, they make a fantastic pair! Well done, to both of you. ;u; (Also you guys were so matched imo that this scoring was so close?!)
Proof of dice roll found here and in the official Novus Discord #Contests channel on 07/31/18 @ 3:55PM EST.
@ASTERION wins.
All damage taken in the thread is still applicable and cannot be retconned!
Participate in a Battle or Challenge: +1 EXP to Asterion, +1 EXP to Eik
Win a Battle: +1 additional EXP to Asterion
Total: +2 EXP to Asterion, +1 EXP to Eik
Asterion's and Eik's official experience has been updated to reflect these changes, so there's no need to post in the Experience Updates thread!
