| (1876-04-22) This Means Spar |
| Summary: | Axe vs. Sword. Who run Rykertown? |
| Date: | 2020-04-22 |
| Related: | Firestorm |
| NPCs: | None |
| Players: |
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| The Kultepex - Vir Sidus Paras Front |
| Training Yard |
| 1876-04-22 |
It's still way before noon and already Ludovic has corralled Dacian, stuck an axe in his hands, and then promptly tried to murder him. Ok. Ok. Dovi isnt really trying to murder Dacian. Although it might have felt like it once or twice during the last thirty minutes worth of training where he has honestly dominated the match to an almost embarrassing level. A quick move and Ludovic wrenches the training axe out of Dacian's hands before tossing it off to the side and stepping back. "You were wrong." He tells Dacian. His tone completely empty of superiority. "If you take an axe near Teleko. You're dead." He gestures to the racks of training weapons nearby with his own. "Grab something else. I'll wait."
-
Dacian takes a few steps back at that wrenching grip, catching his footing, tilting the visor of his helmet up to study Ludovic for a long, mute second. "Thanks for the vote of confidence," he drawls, before drawing a deep breath. "I can handle myself with an axe if I have to," he insists, before moving to arm himself with a bastard sword, his eyes narrowing slightly before he flicks the grating back down again over his eyes. His voice is slightly muffled through the metal. "Shield as well this time?" he wonders, before he moves to pick it up.
-
"When we fought Teleko at Mathis." Ludovic answers "When he'd just finished doing all that magic and was tired. There was a whole group of us. He wounded people at least as good as I am today and escaped to do mischief here on this border. I'm not trying to belittle you Dacian but you have only the most rudimentary knowledge of how to use that axe. We could fix it. Given time. Sure. But we don't have that time." The question of a shield earns a shrug. "Choose what you're comfortable with."
-
Dacian takes up a shield not dissimilar from his own usual one. "Ready." And he squares himself off, bending lightly at the knees to add more spring into his step, waiting for Ludovic to select his weapon of choice. "You know, it's a good thing nobody save you saw that performance, but this one will be better."
-
"Ah nobody would have thought the worst of you for it." Ludovic answers with certainty. He eyes Dacian's choice of weaponry and then picks up the same training axe he tossed aside so recently. "I'll bet the same thing would have happened to me if i'd tried coming at you with a sword." His gaze lingers on the shield for a moment but instead of grabbing one for himself he merely settles into a combative stance (which in dovi's case mostly just involves setting his feet and waiting)
-
Dacian moves to strike out. He's much more confident with the sword. Isolating the weak points in Ludovic's armor, he goes for one of them, precise and unerring, and manages to make a touch. Maybe it's the annoyance at his relatively poor showing with the axe that has him a bit fired up, but he's not exactly holding back, even as he has his shield up to parry any thrusts that the Stormbull might make in turn.
-
Ludovic gives a soft oof as the blade strikes cleanly. "That would have hurt." He almost sounds like he's enjoying himself. "I'm glad." He grins ear to ear. "Now I know I dont have to hold back."
-
Dacian grins a bit sharply at Ludovic. "This is for lying to me about Alia." It's a joke; he doesn't actually take offense. But he does move in for another quick strike. It opens him up just slightly to a touch, but gives him a decided advantage, as he moves to push Ludovic back and cut down the angles from which the man can attack. He /is/ a trained swordsman, which should become readily, perhaps damningly, clear to the axeman.
-
Ludovic backs away after that smashing blow, eyeing Dacian with a newfound respect. "When did I lie?" He holds a hand up to ask for a pause and then heads on over to the weapon stands to switch out his weapons. Where before he had a single axe now he has a warhammer and shield. Moving back to the center of the training area he finds his starting position, swings the hammer through a figure eight, and nods to indicate he's ready.
-
"Calling her the Empress." Dacian presses his advantage, perhaps a bit too quickly. His swing doesn't quite connect well enough, maybe due to sizing up that warhammer, and he would have taken a glancing blow had he not moved his shield to knock the warhammer out of the way. The blow makes his hand ring, and he shakes out his shield arm as he awaits the next strike.
-
Ludovic takes a step to one side and powers a savage blow right into the body of Dacian's pauldron. Striking with power enough that the shock goes all the way through Dacian's arm despite the padded weapon. Ludovic keeps moving, stepping behind Dacian, and circling around to face him again. "What else would you call an Emperors wife? Just cos he's uncrowned right now and they might not be calling themselves husband and wife doesn't make it less true." He checks to see that Dacian is ready before once again moving in to the attack.
-
Dacian turns as Ludovic moves around him, pivoting on a heel. He may not have the power that Ludovic has, but he's sharp, and so is his weapon. He moves in fast, making himself open to attack but seizing the moment, his sword striking in for the bigger fellow's torso. He would have gotten the blade right up in Ludovic's ribs, if it weren't padded.
-
As Dacian moves so does Ludovic, bringing that hammer back for the sort of strike that would pound a lesser man into the dirt. It hits, hard, forcing Dacian's knees to buckle just as the other knights blade presses into Ludovic's ribs. For a moment Ludovic stands there, locked into that position, staring at the blade as if it doesn't actually make sense. Then he barks a laugh. "Damn it man. Damn it. I think we just killed each other." His head goes back and he laughs again.