Fightin'

[modern_ancient]

[Video]

What ho, Unity Group! If we are to be allies, we should know each other's measure. To that end, I am going to spend today waiting on the grassy field outside the front gates to fort Alhambra. for any of you skilled in arms. I've always been partial to swords myself, but I'll test my skill against any of you with any weapon you desire! If it's an unusual weapon, bring two.

[Action]

Njall is at the location he specified, and has collected quite a pile of weapons of various types. Some with proper edges, some blunted or padded for training purposes.

[Also action]

Were you planning on getting in a match with Njall, but couldn't get there early enough? That's a shame. After a few matches, Suma showed up to challenge him, and the two proceeded to perfectly match each other for eight continuous hours of lightning fast swordplay.

Still, even if you can't actually fight, it's a hell of a show. Gamblers, place your bets

Comments

[modern_ancient]

Njall stands across from Suma, holding a straight edged longsword lightly in one hand. He never got around to learning any official sword fighting techniques, so his stance is sloppy, undisciplined, and yet somehow leaves him with no openings you can see whatsoever.

It should go without saying, but they aren't using blunted blades.

"Age before beauty."

[no99]

"If I see someone beautiful, I'll be sure to let them know!"

She does take the invitation, though. Suma explodes across the ten yards separating them in a single motion, already going directly for a lethal cleave to the neck.

[modern_ancient]

Njall deflects the first blow with a lean and almost floaty parry and riposte, leaving Suma in danger of being impaled!

[no99]

Despite the immediate ferocity, Suma was quite confident Njall wouldn't fall for that. She's no Asmund, but this still is far from their first duel.

She changes direction almost immediately, darting around to the side as she deflects the counter, keeping the pressure up with a low swing aiming to cut off a leg or two, jumping back a few steps whether or not it connects.

[modern_ancient]

Njall steps up and stamps down on the blade, forcing it to get buried in the dirt instead of his leg. It's not enough to force it out of Suma's hands, as it might a lesser warrior, but it does save his legs.

Also intent on keeping up the pressure, Njall follows her backwards leap with a similar leap and and full extension thrust towards her throat.

[no99]

Suma's claymore digs several inches into the ground, but it barely slows down her escape. As she backpedals, she raises the sword to black Njall's leaping slash, the force of the impact pushing her back a solid foot.

Getting into the flow of things now, she breaks the clash and strikes back with a flurry of lightning-fast stabs at various vital points.

[modern_ancient]

Each stab is deflected, but drives Njall back a step. The last one actually nicks his leg and drives him to his knees.

But of course there was no way it was over THAT easy. The retreat had been purposeful, until Njall could get better footing. He rose up suddenly, breaking aside Suma's guard with a vicious backhand swing to leave her open to a punch to the face.

[no99]

There we go! This is starting to get interesting!

The punch connects, but Suma stands her ground, pushing forwards instead of staggering back. She goes for a full-on headbutt before bringing the swords back into play, stepping back just far enough to deliver a massive one-handed horizontal swing.

[modern_ancient]

Njall saw stars and spat blood. That probably left a tooth or two loose. Even dazed as such, though, he was able to parry her slash, operating purely on instinct.

Comboing off his parry, he pushed in close and brought his sword down on her sword arm as hard as he could.

[no99]

Head spinning from the impact, Suma barely managed to fall back in time, earning a cut on the arm for her hesitation.

She fell back for a second, giving both of them a second to regain their footing.

[modern_ancient]

"Not bad for a warm up."

Njall cracked his neck, spun his sword around loosely a time or two, then charged back in with an eye blurringly rapid series of thrusts and slashes, each aimed at a different vital point from a different angle.

FOUR HOURS LATER

[no99]

Despite a dozen small injuries and hours of exhaustion, Suma still didn't show the slightest sign of relenting or slowing down.

From a momentary position of hard-earned high ground, she leapt, bringing the claymore down in a brutal vertical slash.

[modern_ancient]

Njall, who was lying on the ground from having been tripped earlier, frantically rolled out of the way while pulling a knife from his boot, which he hurled at her landing spot.