[Flashback] Flesh and Stone (Cade)

[Aberdon]

Spring 10, 509 AV

Tall Johnny's Casino was a constant miasma of cards and cutthroats. To walk among the avenues of occupants, to hear the rattle of dice and the orchestra of defeat and victory was without match. Truly the essence of Sunberth was within this place. Men and women from all walks of life put their chances in the hands of willing fate, hoping for the barest of odds to come up gold, to win favors. Prayers were not uncommon here, but never were they met with so little concern.

Lives were bought and sold in places like this, slaves betted in pots of casual card games among the heads of Sunberth and children or pretty daughters sat by in idle terror of the prospect.

Everyone had a price.

Beyond the money hurled and fortunes lost, a cage set in the earth and surrounded by seats was the subject of interest. Wide eyes devoured the inside of the dirty arena, money passing hands as a smaller fellow lightning movements and cold eyes upset odds and brought a mountain crumbling, driving a sharp shoulder into the back of a man nearly twice his size and laying him out cold.

Cheers and curses erupted from the stands, respective owners stepping in, flanked by armed guards, to take their prize away.

It was a good night for the arena, a fine evening of fights and blood for the ever hungry crowd. As the two combatants were dragged out, two more were roughly shoved in to replace the action.

Hitting the packed earth roughly and springing to his feet, Aberdon turned murderous eyes back to his owner, a fat merchant leering from beyond the cage. His gaze was as rough as he was these days, simply wishing death on the man who ruined his life every day.

It wasn't Aberdon's first time in places like these. Bent and broken faces paved his recent past, ever since his master had seen that yellow arm of his crush metal better than any hammer. Certainly unarmed fights suited the Isur. He was built as a ringer in such matches, his yellow arm always ending prolonged battles with brutal efficiency.

Personally, he didn't want to be here. The cage crowded around him and the distorted faces of onlookers were almost monstrous, hungry, desperate. He wanted so much to break such grins and leering smiles, to leave their bodies broken here and walk free.

But he was a slave, no better than dirt.

No.

Even dirt had its freedom.

Rage bubbled at the barriers of Aberdon's person, and he turned to his opponent with grim determination. In all his fights, he had not yet taken a life. For any forced into these depraved entertainments, he could not fathom robbing their spark. Not for the enjoyment of these people certainly.

The man at his opposite was strong, long dark hair clinging to the side of his face. To him Aberdon gave a sharp bow, the first of acknowledgements. They were powerless in this, dogs to gnaw at each other's bones.

But Aberdon was a dog with swords as teeth, his yellow arm reflecting bright against the harsh light of the ring.

"Aberdon," he introduced himself, approaching the fighter, "I want you to know the name of your unwilling opponent."

[Cade]

The cage, a chance for a man such as Cade to make a name for himself while earning wealth doing what he does best....bringing pain to others. The barbaric bounty hunter fed off the Casino's patrons, the jeering for blood lust was fuel to his soul. Wealth was power, one of many codes that his mother brained washed him with those many years at sea and the cage was a way to earn wealth in gold mizahs and wealth with reputation for both were power. He lighted his arms, rallying and pumping the crowd around them in to a frenzy as he roared a Savage myrian battle howl.

He looked upon his adversary with his blue Svefran eyes that belonged to a myrain warrior's battle chiselled body. He was trying to read the Isuri, knowing that this battle would be pitched in favour just by race alone. Unarmed combat was always favoured by those stone skins and for Cade was a man of the blade, so he was a bit out of his element. No matter, he was going to fight....... and fight he will.

" My name is Cade, I am a free fighter, slave!" Was about as much of introduction one was going to get from the barbarian. The warrior was not going to waste time, after all this was a cage match. Cade After establishing his stance shifted his weight to his left leg, pivoting his right foot so that his toes were pointing forward and simultaneously striking out with a right punch aimed for the Isuri's face.

Dice Roll

[Aberdon]

http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3127663/ Defense

http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3127667/ Attack

His opponent was a taller man, more than a foot on the Isur and brimming with energy. He walked willingly no man pushing him inside, and his steps were sure and placed. The fellow was no stranger to combat, but there was little time to absorb the details of his opponent before the first blow was hurled.

Slave. The name echoed harshly in Aberdon's ears as the wretch said it. Cade was a free fighter, a warrior with no chains or cuffs to bind his wrists and feet. He did not work under the will of another, did not watch the birds fly with reckless jealousy. This man strode upon the streets beyond with the impunity of humanity, a race dedicated to subjugating the wills of others. It was hard to imagine what was more insulting, the idea that one of such privileged existence would be here to beat in the wills of those who were forced to fight against them, or the fact he had not used Aberdon's name...but referred to him as slave, a title of his station, as a thing.

Fury bubbled forth from the Isur, a force that was released with such ferocity it curdled a strangled snarl of pure loathing from the enslaved Isur. The Barbarian swung foreward, his punch trained...but only in the ways of practical experience. This man had fought and killed before, his expression and stance, the confidence of his muscles a reflection of that. But his form was still wild, still not quite at the level necessary to call himself practiced. This was a beast confident in his size and strength.

Aberdon stepped back, throwing his weight back on one foot as the barbarian extended his own fist toward him. But Aberdon did not fully dodge the blow. Instead he rocketed forward on the same foot, bringing his left arm, the glittering yellow arm of stone, jetting forward to meet Cade's own fist in a midair collision.

Let the barbarian marvel in his competency of force. Let him test his hand of bone and flesh against the Isurian stone and fury before him.

Aberdon's face was set in a cold grimace. He was going to make this man bleed.

He was going to leave his mark on the fool who so desperately picked on the beaten to earn his fame.

[Cade]

Defense

The yellow fist of the Isur shot out at Cade's own, in defence and retaliation. Cade's right hand moved slightly, having the stone fist just missing its target as he pulled his own attack off, a blessing Cade was very thankful for though he had no time to think on how lucky he just was. Using the momentum The babarian instantly moved back into his original stance, knee bent while lowering his shoulder as he dropped the right side of his body in a semi crouch position remembering to keep his left fist up by his chin to protect his head. He rotated his hips forward, pushing on the ball of is back foot, punching his right fist in a semi uppercut at the stone golem's groin keeping his arms bent at a right angle for the most power through delivery and follow through. Hopefully the Isur's pebbles would be just as stunning as a normal human's would be.

attack:
ChatBot: Cade rolls 1d6 and gets 4

[Aberdon]

Chatbot: Wrenmae rolls 1d6 and gets 5 +1=6 Defense
ChatBot: Wrenmae rolls 1d6 and gets 2.+1=3 Attack

Smart, in the instinctual forward of his blow the barbarian brought his fist away, crouched, and pivoted for a shot at Aberdon's groin. The crowd roared, the first exchange of blows not delivered and both fighters moving to compensate. Aberdon followed through with his blow, noting the slant Cade moved in and the way his body ducked low. Because of his size, the shot at Aberdon's groin was a little harder on Cade's part. Instead of letting him have the hit, Aberdon used the momentum of his fist follow through to bring up his right leg in a sturdy blow at Cade's now lower face.

The Isur's own momentum from the blow before paired with his right foot forward and left rising would settle Cade's target just out of his intended range, the punch jabbing at the empty air his weakness would have hung in. Aberdon, furious, pressed the blow with all the ferocity of his first attack. The Barbarian resorted to dirty tricks, settling on urchin tactics to gain an advantage. At the least, Aberdon understood his type of opponent now.

"Swine," He growled, bringing the leg forward, "You're just as decayed as they!"

[Cade]

Defense

Cade's dirty trick was quickly side stepped and now the barbarian was in danger as the Isur thrusted his knee at Cade's perfectly placed face. His opponents attack was smart and vicious, but He was fast enough to drop his left arm to defend the attack on his face. The momentum of the attack forced Cade upright and stumbling backwards into the cage behind him. The myrian half blood was beginning to enjoy this match up and so was the crowd as they roared at the two combatants with in the cage, exchanging blows that so far have failed to find their mark.

The deep toned of the myrian's accent echoed through Cade's chuckle at Aberdon's obvious hate for the likes of such as he. " Come dog!....... Your master didn't say you could speak"

With that Cade launched himself off the Cage, leaping into the air slightly just as he was in range, performing a "superman" punch aimed for the Isur's face. Cade needed to break something on the stone man and he was hoping he could break the guy's nose, to stun him and give him the advantage and initiative he needed to win.

Attack

[Aberdon]

http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3128520/ Defense

http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3128521/ Attack

Cade blocked his attack, stumbling back on his feet to meet the cage. Merchants and spectators rose in their seats, shaking their fists, calling for blood. Such a human centric city always rooted for the scrappy under dog and tonight was no exception. They called upon the barbarian to kill the Isur, to break his neck or shatter his bones, to show him their kind are lesser, worst. The calls for Aberdon were quieter, the smug confident faces in the front row, knowing their money was well placed. Fairy tales never ended happily in Sunberth and the human was simply outmatched.

Aberdon was rising fury, pressing the attack with savage growls. Cade backed against the cage wall, using it as a spring to launch himself at the Isur. His form was lacking, his positioning off. Aberdon may not have been an expert at his discipline, but he knew enough to watch the contortions of muscles. Pivoting weight to his right foot, Aberdon side stepped the desperate thrust, pulling back his own yellow fist an pistoning it forward toward Cade's cheek. It was a blur of motion, the midsecond decision fueled by instincts and raw hatred.

Master...dog...the man should be applauded for his brazen speech, especially in the face of a physically superior opponent...but something about his cocky attitude, the way he moved, grinned, his smile...canines glistening in the flickering light...they mocked Aberdon and his plight, his slavery.

This man, in a sense, was all of Aberdon's frustrations made manifest.

And he would respond in kind.

[Cade]

Defense


The Isur sid stepped his lung attack, leaving the barbarian once again open for counterattack in which the Isur did not disappoint. Just as Cade grounded his feet, Aberdon's yellow fist came pistoning for his cheek. Cade caught the counterattack out his peripheral vision and instantly ducking under the attack with his battle tested reflexes. If he waited a moment sooner his face would of been impacted upon by such force as a stone club on flesh and bone. Lucky for Cade that his head was still in the game........the crowd still cheering in anticipation for first blood to be drawn. The two skilled warriors with in the cage still continue to match and out due each other with out any success of a hit, a testament to their abilities.

After Cade duped the Isur's attack, he quickly answered back with a undisciplined wild right hook aimed for Aberdon's face as he bounced back up from under his attack.

Attack

[Aberdon]

http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3128905/ Defense

http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3128906/ Attack

The pump of his heart, the cries of the crowd, the scratching shuffle of his feet across the dirt...all sounds in the moment, all frozen for brief instants as strategies formed. Cade was pushing the offensive, his swings becoming wild. Aberdon almost chuckled, and had he not been so angry he might have made a quip about how his inexperience was beginning to show. But there was no time for jocular conversation, nor wish. Aberdon had given himself fully to the fury that animated his blows, slid his feet, and pivoted his weight.

The barbarian was smiling, something about his stance and reckless abandon seemed almost gleeful, a love of murder and combat Aberdon had almost fallen into himself. For the Isur, it was tantamount to insult in injury, enjoying such combat, insulting such a beaten creature, and still expecting to win the crowd's favor for it.

There was a moment of pure concentration.

Cade swung a wild right hook, the blow passing over the Isur's head as Aberdon dropped low, bringing back his yellow fist. He put his strength into the blow, a furious assault at the man who had mocked him, devalued him.

Aberdon, by virtue of his smaller size, was given access to lower areas with greater ease. He may have been stockier, but the fight itself was not about who was stronger or taller.

Simply who would land the first blow.

As Cade continued his wild revolution of body, Aberdon brought his fist back to its full length and rocketed it forward, a missile of yellow stone and anger...straight between Cade's legs.

A blow at pulverizing his manhood.

Each good turn...deserved another.

[Cade]

The Isur's yellow fist impacted upon the barbarian's groin, silencing the crowd to slight murmors of sympathy pains. The force the attack rocketed Cade across the arena, smashing him into the cage then flopping to the ground in the fetal position. Tears plummeted from his eyes as he began to uncontrollably vomit from the pain that was placed upon him, a pain no man wished to experience. The fight was out of him now, there was no way the barbarian could recover to continue on the fight especially after being sacked with that such of force for he is lucky to be alive. The mountain of a man was knocked down to size, the slave beat the tyrant and the crowd was eating ever moment of it.

The crowd chanted the Isur's name " Aberdon!....Aberdon!......Aberdon!", Some of the more impaired female patrons where making demands to have the slave sire their children as if he was the next champion of the Arena. All he did was win at martial combat against a half blood Myrian savage, but it was the way he won the battle. A brutal defeat for a brutal man, oh how karma is a bitch.