| Subject: story excerpt ( a fight scene i want opinions on plz) |
Author:
stan
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Date Posted: 05/ 3/05 4:40:18pm Tue
“That’s much better. So what’s your concern?”
“It’s just that, shouldn’t we be using padded weapons, or at least practice swords? I don’t mean to brag, but I am pretty good, and the last thing I would want to do is to wound you.”
Seraph chuckled slightly as he drew the two katanas placing the scabbards on the ground. “You seem confident in your skill.” He looked up meeting Uriel’s eyes with his emerald ones. “I like that.” Moving to the center of the mats Seraph stood holding his two newly acquired swords in a relaxed position. “Come now.”
Uriel nodded slowly. “As you wish.” He smirked slightly. “But don’t get mad if I ruin your nice clothes.” He grinned a little as he slipped his shirt off. The billowing sleeves would slow his movement down and if the High Prince was nearly as good as everyone thought he was, he would need every advantage that he could get. Still, if the High Prince’s skill was not as high as everyone bragged it was, he would have an easy time defeating him. In any case, he would have to do his best since this would be his interview for the veyla’zul after all. Laying his shirt on the floor he stepped onto the mats standing before Seraph. “I warn you… I’m going to go all out”
Seraph smiled softly. The child had spunk, he would give him that much. Slowly he refocused his vision on Uriel, watching his relaxed breathing and the slow rhythm of his movements. He blinked slightly and then spoke. “Have at you then…”
Uriel relaxed his breathing. Uriel’s mind raced, Seraph wasn’t standing in any kind of stance at all. He was full of openings. He had to attack. In an instant, his sword was unsheathed, the scabbard falling earthward with almost painstaking slowness. In that moment; he attacked. His legs thrust against the ground propelling him forward and his blade sang, attacking Seraph with a quick slash to his abdomen. He was not surprised to feel his sword stop suddenly, clanging against the blade of one of Seraph’s swords. Uriel grinned. Instantly, he released the sword and twisted catching the hilt in his left hand twirling it. In mid motion dexterous fingers grabbed the weapon in a reverse grip. Body weight shifted and he pivoted to the left bringing his left arm backwards, the reverse gripped blade streaking straight for Seraph’s exposed side.
Seraph smirked slightly. Interesting two-pronged attack, the boy did have some skill. He waited until the last moment and then reacted, his left arm blurring while he brought his sword up to intercept the incoming stab and with a flick of his wrist he slapped Uriel’s blade wide. Stepping forward he kicked outwards his foot impacting in the small of Uriel’s back, knocking him away. Uriel stumbled slightly, though he quickstepped to keep his feet beneath him. His eyes narrowed as he spun around bringing his weapon to bear nearly instantly. He was rewarded with the sight of Seraph’s icy eyes and gleaming blades.
Seraph came on whipping his left hand sword at his chest, the weapon whistling as it sliced the air. Continuing with the motion of the slash, Seraph whirled, his right hand weapon gripped in a reverse grip coming across and down the blade aimed to disembowel.
Uriel was ready, his body forced into a motion that some would describe only as defiant of the law's of physics. His body suddenly exploding into coordinated motion, the first slash an anathema as it passed directly in front of him as he stepped back. He leapt upwards high enough to allow the follow-up slash at his lower abdomen to pass beneath his uplifting legs whilst he threw his shoulder backwards, twisting away from the oncoming Seraph. He tucked in flipping backwards, landing lightly while skidding with the momentum of his movements. Coming out of his evasive maneuvers, Uriel expected to have a moment to regroup, yet all he saw was a balled fist gripping a sword, impact his face.
Uriel knew that Seraph was strong but this was ridiculous. Pain blossomed and Uriel was flung backwards hitting the ground hard enough to kick up dust skidding and rolling along the earth for fifteen feet before coming to a stop. His eyes narrowed in agitation. Seraph was fast…really fast. Shaking off his annoyance, Uriel came to his feet his sword leading the way. Amethyst eyes darted around, noting that Seraph remained standing in the middle of the mats once again as if he had never moved. “Come; don’t tell me that’s the extent of your power.” Seraph regarded him again, his eyes fading slowly to their emerald aspect. “If that is your power you don’t qualify to become veyla’zul.”
Uriel, smirked slightly, twitching his nose to alleviate some of the discomfort. Well, that had not gone at all as expected. He had not even nicked the clothes that the High Prince was wearing; much less even make him break a sweat. He was going to have to about this in a different manner it seemed. Walking over to Seraph, he stopped once again before him and bowed, eyes never leaving the Prince’s. Slowly he allowed himself to relax, his breathing to slow once again. Emotions nagged at him…the shock of what had just occurred tugged at the peace of mind that he so desperately needed to maintain. It was a conscious effort not to give in to the rampant chaotic thoughts vying for supremacy within his mind.
His blade twirled, the light glinting dangerously from its keen edge as he set himself again. He held his sword with both hands the blade’s tip extended towards the earth, his lips parting slightly as he breathed deeply forcing his body to relax with each cool breath. Amethyst eyes focused intently upon Seraph, piercing the veneer of seeming carelessness about the Prince. The Prince was still in no discernible stance. Uriel’s breathing slowed again as he watched, his posture relaxing slowly as he forced himself to drive away all other thoughts. No longer was it about trying to prove himself. All thoughts about veyla’zul, the grandeur about being one, his life goal being so close, were banished from his mind. There was only this fight…only his sword. Those, other thoughts were a distraction and would hinder his movements. Blinking slowly he allowed his training to come to the fore, and Seraph attacked.
The slash came at about eye level, yet Uriel only threw his head back allowing the blade to pass. It was a feint, a distraction. Uriel reacted instinctively; positioning his katana to block the second slash aimed at his thighs. There was a resounding clash, but Uriel did not cease his movement. Using the force of the slash to push him, Uriel pivoted and rolled around Seraph placing himself directly behind Seraph’s back. Still, Seraph was no slouch. He continued his forward motion hopping upwards and twisting, bringing both his blades in an arcing slash around him, designed to push any incoming blades wide of their intended marks. They found no incoming weapons to strike. Seraph landed nimbly, though it took the briefest of moments to set himself up to receive any incoming attacks.
Taking this as his opportunity, Uriel’s left leg slid forward closing the slight distance between them. In mid-step he drew upon all of his upper body strength and stabbed the blade at Seraph’s abdomen. It didn’t look as if Seraph moved so as much as if the blade went wide so quick was Seraph’s side-step. The retaliation was just as quick and sure.
Seraph’s swords lashed out, the blades biting lightly into the flesh of Uriel’s chest, drawing thin rivulets of blood. Still, pain was ignored as Uriel dropped to his knees, pivoting his body to the left bringing his weapon directly at Seraph’s thighs. As he did that Seraph leapt upwards, allowing the katana to pass beneath his feet harmlessly. Uriel continued with the momentum of the motion, spinning on his left knee until he had come full circle. Now. Uriel’s body vanished. His right leg planted itself firmly on the ground for the briefest of moments before both legs thrust against the earth forcing his body into the air after Seraph. Six seconds counting…now. The world slowed in his eyes as he thrust his weight backward, arching his back as he did so extending his left leg outward using the momentum of the maneuver and the strength of his leg for a powerful kick. It would have been an excellent anti-aerial attack had not Seraph already shifted his own weight and twisted to the right. Still, it was only meant to distract. As Seraph landed lightly, Uriel’s wings lashed out in a blur of accelerated motion. The razor sharp edges streaked downwards in the water dragon techniques final blow and yet again the attack met only air.
Seraph twisted to the right again, presenting the smallest surface area possible to the oncoming attack, as both his swords whirled into reverse grips. As Uriel’s wings were withdrawing, he side-stepped and whirled, both blades whistling through the air as they aimed to slash at Uriel’s descending form. Seraph…missed. Uriel had been counting on the attack to be dodged, and had already reacted, his body’s abnormal speed being used to his advantage. He had never touched the surface of the ground before retracting his wings and flapping them once powerfully allowing him those few precious moments of continued air time. His wings snapped closed nearly instantly, their task done. With the grace of gymnast, Uriel twisted in the air, so as to bring his knee to the back of the Prince’s head.
Seraph was impressed, even though the blow missed. Noting Uriel’s intention he had ducked below the blow, pivoting again to bring his weapons to bear. As he did so, again his swords bit into Uriel’s flesh, drawing another thin line of blood.
Uriel winced as he landed. He still hadn’t managed to land a single blow on the prince, and already his body was cut three times. Shallow cuts to be sure, but he had no doubt that those cuts could have easily been much deeper had the Prince not been holding back. Still, determination forced his body to stand and attack again, his speed burst was over. Already he could feel his body slowing the slightest sensation of fatigue overcoming him as he stepped into his next attack.
The sound of blades ringing in the air continued for what seemed an eternity, Uriel continuing to press his attacks against Seraph, and Seraph always rebuffing them with the ease of a father rebuffing a child. Twice Uriel had come close to actually harming the Prince, yet each time he had managed to slip away, unscathed. Uriel was doubtlessly impressed. It was a humbling experience to say the least. It seemed that everything he did was utterly useless against the High Prince. At least he had confirmed that the High Prince’s vaunted skill was in all actuality quite true. This did nothing for his pride however.
Uriel came out of a spin, his blade weaving downward, stopping the double slash aimed at his thighs. Even then his mind raced, running along Seraph’s entire possible course of action, preparing himself to counter again. He had given up on attack, resorting to a defensive posture, countering only when the slightest possibility of a successful movement came to mind. With all his training he still could not find an opportunity to shift again to the offensive much to his chagrin.
Seraph smiled slightly. Instead of pulling away from the blocking sword, he stepped forward allowing his swords to be pushed away by the force of Uriel’s block shifting his balance to his left leg to kick Uriel squarely in the chest with his right. The blow impacted, tearing the air from Uriel’s lungs as Seraph lunged again not even given a moment to recover.
Frustration assaulted Uriel’s mind. Was he so helpless? So weak? Why was he able to at least come close to matching his father but could not touch the Prince? Was the difference in skill that vast? Frustration gave way to rage. His blood boiled and he attacked. Instantly he was on his feet knocking Seraph’s blades aside. His body moved with near preternatural speed and power rage fueling his strikes. In that moment Seraph was forced on the defensive.
“Calm down Uriel.”
The request was pointedly ignored as Uriel spun into a quick series of slashes each one countered by Seraph’s expert blades. Unable to find an opening, Uriel continued to hammer into Seraph’s defenses, each tremendous blow forcing Seraph a step backward. Uriel’s weapon struck out again and again, powerful slashes blocked by crossed katanas. Seraph seemed unable to block with one hand the force of Uriel’s attacks.
“Uriel…calm yourself.”
Frustration and anger fueled his movements, strengthening and quickening his strikes. A slight sense of elation filled him as he saw Seraph being pushed back across the mats. Still he pressed his attacks, harder and faster, his katana leaving the graceful styles behind, instead striking downward repeatedly in slashes of pure brute strength.
Seraph sighed. It was time to end this. His eyes narrowed as he allowed one of Uriel’s slashes to push his swords all the way against his chest. Bracing himself with his left leg, he forced himself forwards and upward, thrusting Uriel’s arms back up and away from him. Before Uriel could recover Seraph was gone. In the moment to even think, Uriel felt pain blossom in his side and in his back nearly simultaneously. It felt as if his side had been crushed, and his back was alight with fire. A third strike hammered his wrist, sending mind numbing pain along his arm. His katana fell from nerveless fingers as he fell to his knees, mouth agape before he hit the floor. What had happened?
Seraph shook his head slowly as he stood over Uriel’s form. “Don’t worry, the slash is shallow. Had I cut you, your body would be falling over in pieces. I used the side of my hand to hit your side you’ll probably be sore for a couple of days, but nothing to worry about.” Seraph paused. “I did the same thing for your hand.” The last was said as he turned his back and strode away, heading once again to where he had retrieved the swords. Sheathing the swords and replacing them. He left the room wordlessly, heading back through the door that he had come through.
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