Shield Games: Nayato Versus Archailist

[Nightmare]

11th of Summer, Mid-afternoon.

Heat radiated from the Windmount Track and Field as the afternoon sun started its arc towards the horizon. Preparations for the Games were complete and the result was a set of wooden stands and seating areas ringing an area in the track and field. Tents sprang up from the ground the evening before like mushrooms under a summer rain. The crowds, the public and those in the order, yelled and sang their appreciation and excitement for the day. The knights even had procured the talents of a number of musicians to play before and after each of the four matches that day.

That afternoon the Squires Nayato and Archailist would face off and each were in the preparation tent. The winner would garner a point for their team in the hopes that their team would win the contest. Hopefully, the shield games would foster friendship and teamwork among the groups and provide a chance to show off one's skills in various tests. The afternoon's match would be in hand to hand combat and so the preparations were made accordingly. Mage knights took to the task of shielding all the weapons to be used that day to protect the participants from accidents, though no amount of shielding could stop damage from unarmed combat. Luckily that was far less lethal. The jousting course was taken down and converted into a combat ring.

At last the preparations were complete. The crier announced the participant and entreated them to emerge from the tents. Excited screams and yells erupted as the combatants made their way to the center of the ring. Loren Dyres presided with his entourage in a private box, watching the proceedings with an air of authority. The crier then explained the rules to the two squires and to the crowd. "The Rules are as followed:

1. All attacks must be non-lethal moves, with no attempts to incapacitate through overly painful moves. This is grounds for disqualification and intervention by the knights.
2. Winning consists of the first to score 5 points or to cause the opponent to leave the ring. One square hit to the limbs is worth a single point, a hit to the torso is equivalent to two points, and a hit to the head is worth 3 points. All hits must be made with warded weapons or unarmed combat.
3. All personal or world magic is prohibited and is grounds for immediate disqualification.
4. All participants must treat their opponents with honor and respect."

The crier then rang a bell and the fight was allowed to begin. Loren Dyres leaned forward in his seat to watch intently.

OOCFeel free to post without waiting on me. I may pop in every now and then to play the crowd, the knights or Loren.

[Archailist]

My Words | Your Words | My Thoughts

He had no clue what to expect. Of course he'd signed up for the Shield Games because it seemed like the perfect time to try out his skills, and work on them a little more. It didn't necessarily mean that he knew exactly what he'd be doing and how he was supposed to prepare for the moment. All of the thoughts, all of the doubts came streaming to his mind in a single burst, about five chimes before he was called out. All the worries that he might get squished.. which was always a very serious thing for the squirrel. Whether intentional or unintentional, when fighting a creature potentially thirty, forty or fifty times ones own weight and much taller... there was bound to be risk. The worst would be if he lost early. He didn't want to come dead-last.. he didn't want to look like a laughing stock in the middle of a big crowd. He didn't just want to beat the challenge, though.. he wanted to come out on top. He wanted to beat this guy.. whoever he was.

Eventually, he was called out.. and the rules were read. Immediately all the tension, all the stress from the crowds and the competition and his opponent.. melted away almost completely. He wouldn't have to worry about causing painful moves, and in fact, he wouldn't be able to cause painful moves at all. All he needed to do was launch a few good punches and kicks around the legs and he'd be sorted. Heck, he only needed five of them, for that matter.. five repeated assaults around the legs. One wouldn't be enough to knock someone over unless he managed to get it into the ankle or somewhere particularly painful.. so he could just mash up repeated assaults to the area if needed, and gain multiple points through those methods. And as for his opponent attacking him.. well. All he needed to do was remain calm. Think his tactics through, think everything through. Don't get caught up making stupid mistakes in the moment. And don't kick the guy in the groin, if possible. Apparently none of the knights liked that and he'd hate to be disqualified because he reduced his opponent to tears on the first blow!

"I am going to enjoy this..." Even Loren Dyres was there, watching intently. He would be sure to put on a good show. After all, he wanted to make himself look good if he wanted to become a knight.. and indeed, as soon as the bell rang and the fight began, the unarmed squirrel dropped down to all-fours and sprinted straight for the opponent - giving no quarter and asking for none in return. Though his aim wouldn't be to land anything at the start.. he wanted to see what would happen. He needed to see what he was up against.. test the boundaries before he pushed them. He wanted to play the fight being smart rather than just throwing his entire body into the frey and preying that his opponent wasn't a master of close-combat.