At the base of one of the legendary mountains of Avalon, Monlt, a farming village was in anticipation. In the foothills of the mountains a battle would be waged for the second fight of the semi finals, deciding who goes to finals or not. Lightning split the darkened sky in several pieces, etching its way across the realm. The farmers from Monlt made their way slowly to the foothills to watch the duel. Scattered across the foothills are small rock formations, rocks from the size of boulders, to small rocks, just smaller than the ones above in the mountains. A breeze blew gently across the foothills, making the grass to flutter. Along with the villagers and farmers, Animals had come down to the foothills, to graze, and wait for a meal. Goats and Cattle grazed on the grassy plains of the foothills, while birds soared over head waiting for a fresh kill. One of the farmers stood in the middle of foothills, shaking. His shaking was caused by the fear of getting attacked by one of the duelists, but he shouldn’t. The farmer was not used to these type of duels going on, so he was scared of just about everything. Soon he would yell for the duelers to fight, and run out of the battlefield, to let the fighters fight their all.

Alkioth was smiling to the young girl who was offering him flowers. Her hair was dark blonde, her eyes a light blue, and her smile bright and wide. She was a gorgeous little girl; the matted dirt on her cheeks made her even cuter. Behind Alkioth's smile, beyond the glint in his eyes, he was saddened. It was a travesty that she had to grow up in such a world. A world filled with chaos, hatred, and darkness. Children should not know evil.

"I hope you win, Alkweeoth," she said, offering him a few daisies.

"Thank you, m'lady!" he said smiling.

"Guinny! Guinevere!"

"That's my mom," she said.

Alkioth stood only to kneel before Guinevere's mother. He took her rough hand and kissed it softly.

"M'lady," he said, head bowed.

She blushed. That level of politeness was nearly unknown in those parts, where men were unruly and uncivilized. Alkioth despised them. They did not know how to treat a lady, nor would they try. He supposed many of them would turn tail and run if an Orc raised its demonblade against them. Cowards.

"Thank you for watching my daughter," she said.

"My pleasure, m'lady. Godspeed." He bowed once more.

"May God bring you everything you ever wanted, Knight."

"Bye, Alkweeothy!"

The little girl waved her hand, and her mother smiled; but they were going in the other direction. Pray-tell they don't watch my match, I don't want them to see it.

Alkioth walked forward, gently easing his way through the crowd, which was packed tight with peasants and smelly merchants. Many of them were yelling, challenging the frightened farmer in the town commons; the farmer's eyes were darting around. He was a little man. A scared man.

"I am here," Alkioth announced to the man over the grunts and barks of the merchants.

Kahlan absently swiped a stray hair, away from her face with the back of her armored hand as the wind softly blew over Avalon making the trees silently dance. Kahlan glanced up at the darkening sky, seeing brillant flashes of lightening race across the clouds to see which bolt would be the first to reach it's end. 'We'll have rain during the match most likely...' she though noncholantly looking back down at the village below from her the boulder she was sitting on. Kahlan noticed that the villagers were gathering in the middle of a field. 'probably to watch the duel..' with a sigh and grunted to herself in agreement.

Kahlan slid off the boulder and stood up to her full height, tall for a women, but not too tall. Squinting down at the villagers she saw a man go through the crowd and to the center.

"Well I better get going, my opponent seems to be there." she said with a bit of sarcasm to the wind. Kneeling down slightly Kahlan closed her eyes and bowed her head with her hand holding up her forehead. It was a habit she was coming to form, not by her own choosing really, just something that calmed her. 'Dear god help me in this. I know I am far behind all of the competitors left in the tournament now, but please help me to give it my all.'

Standing up, Kahlan opened her green eyes and started moving slowly down the slope towards the villagers and the area where she was to fight. She wasn't nervous but yet her palms were sweaty and her heart fluttering, more for the anticipation and excitement of what was soon to come. Her face however reavealed nothing of her feelings or thoughts because of all the practice she had had.

When she reached the ring of villagers and merchants Kahlan gently worked her way through ignoring the look and crude remakrs some men were saying. The ring of villagers wasn't too thick and soon she found herself in the center of it glancing at the man she was to fight, and then to the scared farmer. The man looked polite enough and more, but she ignored the thoughts and thought about the battle ahead of her, which was a battle where she was without a doubt the less expereinced one.

"I am here now." She said looking at him without emotion. "God help me" she muttered under her breath now glancing at her opponent.

As a female knight approached, the wind suddenly shifted directions. Now blowing to the southeast, Alkioth noticed heavy rainfall not five miles away. Soon the wind would carry it here and fall upon them as well. No doubt the earth would become muddy and slippery. Hopefully the match wouldn't fall into a debaucherous wrestling match.

But Alkioth had overlooked something. The knight he would face was female. He felt his heart tear and his brow furrowed. This was quite unexpected.

"I am here now," she announced, glancing to him.

His perplexed eyes met hers, one brow slightly raised. Chivalric questions and morals surged through his being. He didn't know what to do; he arrived first, and thus should make the first move...but she was a woman. How could this be in any way honorable?

It wasn't.

Unsure of what to do, in a bolsterous motion he unsheathed his broadsword. His stance was relaxed, for the time being. The broadsword was out to his right, slightly angled downward. His shield was kept in close around his belly.

Dishonor by surrender, dishonor by fighting a woman, or dishonor by death? He began to struggle within himself to find the answer needed. Nothing came.

Dear God, pray-tell you will command me to do thine bidding. I seek and am in desperate need of your guidance. Please, O' Lord, help me.

Settling for something over nothing, Alkioth took a short step forward with his right leg and slashed to his left horizontally at the female knight. He had no intent behind his move; he merely wanted to see what she had, and to put on a show. Alkioth had no intention of killing or wounding this woman, whatever her intent would be.

Kahlan watched her opponents expressions change from one emotion to the next and finally stopping with a look that made him seem like he was looking at nothing. When he unsheathed his broadsword making a spectacle about it, Kahlan stood idly by watching him with a raptor gaze, betraying no emotions or thoughts at all.

With the few levels she had gained, she also gained knowledge, and different ways of how she fought. Instead of instantly drawing one or both of her rapiers she wanted to wait and see what her opponents first move was going to be, make them play to her game, which would be her only ally seeing as she was to be the least experienced fighter left in the tournament.

Kahlan, in her relaxed position watched her opponent, bring his sword up and slash horizontally at her. Having no weapon, or the want to unsheath a weapon just yet Kahlan staggard her hands vertically, one over the other about 3 inches apart, and waited until the blade came close enough to her body before she sandwiched her hands together grasping his sword between them both.

Looking up into her opponents eyes with determination Kahlan brought her left leg up and kicked at his stomach leaning back on her right leg with his broadsword still grasped between her hands.

His opponent's move was unexpected. This was the second time he'd learned not to idly attack an unknown opponent. She had ahold of his broadsword, and kicked at him with her left leg. Alkioth adjusted his body a bit, and she hit his muscular sword arm, doing no damage save that of a little pain.

Dear God, let me not harm this lady. Pray-tell this match will be over with no bloodshed. I must not abandon The Code.

Alkioth shoved his buckler ahead, keeping his stance strong. His intention was to knock his opponent backwards. He would not let her get his broadsword, and tightened his grip on the hilt.

Rain began to fall, and Alkioth knew the match would begin to get very interesting.

The shove from alkioth's buckler did catch her off balance and shoved her back making her stumble. Before she landed face first into the ground, Kahlan caught herself on her hands and knees. Quickly moving to evade him she spun around and stood up unsheathing her first rapier from her back and holding it in front of her body, her feet staggard slightly apart, ready for what was to come next.

'I didn't think that would work, but he didn't think I'd do it, everything's worth a try when you're on the downside of things. She thought to herself keeping the calm expression on her face, hiding her thoughts, and maintaining her concentration. Silently and without emotion, Kahlan was prepared for her opponents next move. That she was certain of.

Alkioth was surprised when his opponent almost hit the ground. He hadn't put his full force behind the blow; more or less, it was another tactic to feel her out, not wanting to fully engage her. Alkioth did not know whether or not he could handle such a stained and ambiguous "victory."

Soon she was back up, however, and ready to engage him.

He squinted his left eye. There was another rapier, still sheathed. I must not let her unsheathe that rapier. It would be disastrous for him. He was a moderately skilled warrior, but a buckler and broadsword was not an easy pair to fight with.

Alkioth leaned forward, his shield ahead of him and charged her. His sword jutted out just to the right of his buckler, pointed at her midsection. As he ran at her, his face stern and brow furrowed, he let out a hellacious battle cry that sent birds flying away and chills down the spines of the elderly.

Kahlan watched the knight cautiously. 'he thinks alot...'she thought to herself, keeping a cautious eye on her opponent.

Watching alkioth ready himself in front of her, she thought it odd he would be so direct. he was just showing her what he intented and was going to do making it simple to counter.

'what kind of strategy is this?' she thought in wonderment. Shaking her head Kahlan stood waiting for him to attack still puzzeled by his antics. When he yelled she jumped slightly not expecting the silence to be broken by such a cry. Out of the corner of her eye she saw other spectators jump at the same time as she.

When she judged him close enough not to turn and attack her at the last second, Kahlan sidestepped his rush towards her and unsheathed her second rapier twirling it in her hand.

'enough messing around now... my turn to attack soon...' Kahlan thought as she never took her eyes off of her opponent...waiting..

She had unsheathed her rapier. He had failed. Alkioth could charge in, hacking and slashing, and use his strength and skill to win the match. But he would not do that. It violated the Code, his vow to God, and his honor. It looked as if for the rest of the match Alkioth would be on the defensive, opting to not attack her. He would not attack a woman with intent to do harm unto her.

Alkioth took a few steps back, lowering his body. He did not know what she would do next. She seemed the cautious type, more reaction than action; but she was fast, and that counted.

All I have to do is stay on the defensive, and not harm her. With the grace of God, I might be able to disarm her -- saving harm to both of us.

And so Alkioth's strategy changed. He would somehow disarm her and restrain her without causing harm to her. Perhaps his honor would be preserved.

'I need to attack..' Kahlan thought as she watched her opponent. He was in his stance a few feet away from her, and she had to think of a way to put him in an awkward position, and make him block so she can attack again quickly and strike him.

Kahlan maneuvered herself to be at an angle to Alkioth and charged. The blade's of her rapiers were waste high and the sharp edge was facing each other. She gripped the handle tight so as not to have one knocked away, unless he only blocke one, leaving the other to hit him. When she was within arms reach Kahlan stopped and swung both blade's horizontally at his front and back.

Alkioth turned as she charged him, facing her. Her rapiers were about to sever him in half as he dropped into a lower stance, jumping back to avoid her slashes. As her rapiers came together Alkioth slammed his buckler into them, readying for his attack.

His intention was to knock her rapiers away, thus opening his opponent up for an attack. Of course, if the opportunity presented itself he would not gut her. He would merely find a way to put her down.

Dear God, see us through this.

Kahlan

Tactics: 8 (Nice with the Sword Grasp. Thinking ahead. There were some shaky bits in your strategy. Such as a hop or set of hops that angle you to his side? That's a bit... stretching it. But still a decent strategy nonetheless.)

Regulation: 9.5 (Sword Grasp. Acceptable. Though I'm going to start grading down for just 1 technique or 2. You guys need to use more than that in a duel. :P )

Quailty: 8.5 (You were OOC with two tiny instances. "Levels" in your 2nd post. And stating "it did" in your reply to his buckler push implies that you knew his intentions which were unspoken. That thus brings into play knowledge your character shouldn't have had. So it's OOC. But you did have two posts with only one major action, and your grammar / spelling was good. So kudos!)

Fairness: 10 (No forced hits, nice.)

Technicaility: 9 (You sidestepped a move that I think you should have at least been grazed by. But nothing too serious other than that.)

Overall: 9

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Alkioth

Tactics: 8.5 (There were some things you did that you shouldn't have done. Of course you acknowledged them IC, which was nice. But it happened.)

Regulation: 9.2 (You kinda...sorta... used Shield Rush. It was tweaked to have the sword in the front. So I wasn't sure. But I gave you the benefit of the doubt.)

Quailty: 10 (You had a post with no major actions and a post with only one. Your character was also well portrayed and maintained through the battle.)

Fairness: 10 (No forced hits, kudos.)

Technicaility: 9.5 (You took the Blade Grasp with composure, which was good. However, you were in a lower stance when you decided to disarm her. Then in your final post you dropped to a LOWER stance and still managed to jump? I'd think that being so low would make it difficult to move quickly. Other than that, it was nice.)

Overall: 9.4


That was a close one! But Alkioth takes it by a nose and goes on to the Finals! Congratulations. An excellent duel on part of both competitors!

Alkioth + 1 Lvl