Funnily enough, Regi had been on board to call the Purrzerker’s mother a devilish fiend and a riot in the shack. Considered the double-sided axe the giant feline swung as a scam too. So when Regi had been flung to the opposite side of the arena after his attempt to block a brutal swipe from the beast, Finn couldn’t help but laugh.
It was confusing. His lack of fear for such a dire situation. His instincts signaling that agitating their natural predator wasn’t the best choice. He couldn’t understand the lack of self-preservation surging through him as he watched his companion fly off.
Whistling in appreciation, “Damn you have a nice swing don’t you?”
The Purrzerker agitated, ears twitching and snapped its neck towards Finn. It’s claws slid back into its massive furry paws, and it tightened it’s grip on its battleaxe.
“You dead Regi? Hell, I’d probably be dead too. That fucker hit you hard.”
He got a groan in return.
The Purrzerker was still about 20 meters away, Finn thought.
He’d have enough time for banter.
He always had enough time for banter.
“If that fucker actually did do you in, means we split the bounty half-half. I’ll say nice words at your memorial. Promise.”
“Go fuck yourself.”
“Insulting my secularity?”
“If that’s what you call deficiency.”
The thumping steps of the enraged beast grew closer. The scrape of the dangerous edge as the Berzerker dragged it over the arena gravel.
Welp, banter over.
Finn analyzed his target.
Half a meter tall, pretty standard for a warrior feline.
Stocky and mottled, clearly not to be tussled with.
A solid layer of thick fur, not very pierceable.
Face as red as a melon. Enraged obviously, but that wouldn’t help him. Tussling with a Berserker was the last thing on his wishlist.
Berserkers are notable for their staying power. He liked to think of himself as aloof, but not stupid. Stupid brings death. Aloof brings unlucky tidings.
There’s a difference right?
But, Feline’s in general were different. Nothing too tanky about the furballs, fast and dangerous though. Benefitted from hitting hard and hitting quickly usually.
The two were like oil and water and Finn liked his drinks clean.
“Aren, help me out? Feline Berserker, odd choice for the fur ball right?”
Meters behind Finn, whittling away at a branch of wooden logs, with an oak longbow slung across it’s back sat a white mouse. Looking up from it’s carving work, and sighing.
“Battle axe almost snapped Regi’s shield clean in half. Shit’s made of pure steel. Same old, precision bonus, instead of a claw or dagger, the edge of an axe and a whole lot of testosterone.”
“Any recommendations?
Finn felt like he knew the answer before he asked.
“Don’t get hit. Or do. I get paid either way.”
“Why do I keep you around again?”
The Purrzerker, still red in the face, sauntered ever closer to Finn before coming to a sudden stop. Hunching over, it began it’s watch, looking for a twitch to strike.
“Heh, I guess it’s a duel then?”
The feline looked confused.
Finn unbuckled his bracer and threw down his armband, emblazoned with a shield sigil. As the bracer hit the ground, a translucent blue screen popped up in front of the Berserker. The tomcat looked briefly surprised before giving Finn the slightest nod.
The feline bounded to the opposite wall in the arena, an almost 20-meter gap between the two. A similar yet smaller screen appeared in front of Finn’s face.
The Duel of Fates has been accepted. Temporary death has been enabled for both participants. The duel begins in 10 seconds.
Duelist Finnault Aegis felt the words before he read them. Blood began rushing through his veins, his heart pulsing, and his sword arm shaking. There was no greater moment than the countdown.
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Miffed and tired about Finn hogging an opponent, Aren walked over to the personal crater Regi had yet to vacate in the arena wall. After plopping down he redraws a block of wood a curved knife to whittle away the boredom.
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The Purrzerker took the first move. Bounding across the arena, kicking up sand behind it as it ran on all fours, claws sliding out of its paws with a hollow schlink. It’s battleaxe clinking on its back, threatening destruction.
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He drew his sword and waited.
A 6 centimeter rapier of steel. An edge magically sharpened and threatening a quick death once it reached its mark.
He wasn’t very worried about this fight. It was one of the first dances he had to learn. Not all dancers are refined or balanced. Some rely more on strength than skill. While the hammer can dent easily, all duelists know the scalpel is fatal.
So he moved.
The moment before they collided, Finn dropped and slid under the beast, his rapier sticking straight up. The Purrzerker, too bloodthirsty and running too much momentum, ran straight through the spike, cutting a gouge into its underbelly. Wasting no time, Finn returned to his feet and charged the Purrzerker, looking to capitalize on the Beast’s recovery.
Finn couldn’t trade with the beast. His axe and size would dominate an exchange. However, his tempo would carry him through the battle.
Finn danced towards the beast, insistent on maintaining his advantage, dark blood dripping from the wound down the beast’s stomach.
The beast looked angrier than ever, it’s muscles bulging with mass, nigh ripping off it’s jerkin.
The Purrzerker slashed at the charging rodent.
He backstepped. The slice cutting the air ahead of him.
A monstrous step forward, sinking into the gravel. Another slash, diagonal. Another backstep, followed by a short lunge, a centimeter of silver sticking into the beast’s lower leg.
The Purrzerker, spun with its axe, shifting the blade. The sun blotted out as dark energy amassed on the edge of the axe.
A second to react, a third backstep.
The beast’s yellow orbs shifted and Finn realized his mistake.
The axe shifted, extending in reach past it’s length. Finn was forced into a scramble and his tempo was broken.
The Berserker showed no mercy once on offense. A myriad of slashes and chops rained down on Finn.
Roll. Shift. Jump. Crouch. Duck.
He couldn’t keep this up.
Without a tempo his fencing was useless.
The Berserker shifted the polearm from a horizontal to a vertical chop.
With a thud, the enhanced blade came down, splitting the gravel and kicking up dust.
Maybe this wasn’t so hopeless?
Finn leaped onto the edge of the polearm as the Berserker regained control and readied it once again, business end up.
Finn slid down the pole.
Waiting…
Waiting...
Waiting...
He leapt onto the Berseker’s face, claws first. Scrambling up and hooking his hind claws into the beast's eye sockets.
Violent shakings from the beast in response only worsened it’s suffering.
Finn grabbing his rapier threw his arm back as far as he could throw it.
“LUNGE!”
He wrenched his arm back. Nearly pulling his shoulder out of its socket as the rapier soared into the Purrzerker’s eyelid.
The battle cries were nothing compared to the sound let out.
Finn’s ears bled with the sound of yowling and the rustling of the Berserker trying to free it’s defenseless sockets.
He twisted the blade.
Yowling erupted.
Again.
More yowls.
He wrenched it out. Slowly, millimeter by millimeter, using his strength to pull his blade out of the cat-stone.
The yowling almost grew pitiful.
“This is where it ends! Fatal Strike”
The tip of the rapier glowed. Finn’s entire body felt light as the tempo overflowed within him. He could feel every motion of the cat, every rustle of the wind.
The orb of light on his rapier grew brighter and blinding. Like a river, pouring out energy from a place he didn’t know.
He wrenched his sword arm back again. Rapier facing away from its ocular destination. He lunged once more. Rapier slipping inside the eye and piercing the skull with minimal resistance.
Finn felt like he was guiding a needle through gelatin.
The Purrzerker stopped cold.
Finn unhooked his claws and slid out his rapier, slick with matter and shards of keratin.
The Purrzerker fell on its back, without even a death throe.
It felt like an unsatisfying end.
The Duel of Fates has ended. Fencer Finnault is victorious.
5 more duel victories required for Class Upgrade.
Honorable Victory!
The God of Duels is proud and rewards you!
* +50 Valor
* 500 Duelist Ranking
* 1000 Fencing Ranking
* +5 Agility +3 Strength
* Skill: Feline Fury (Locked)
* Meet Race Requirements or Samurai/Parivir Class
Sighing, Finn dipped his blade into the sands trying to clean off the brain matter sticking its point.
Not the greatest rewards for such gruesome duel.
Aren still whittling away at his wooden log, glances up.
“I shot it earlier, it was poisoned with an aphrodisiac. It would have passed out in exhaustion in another six minutes. Too much acid in the muscles would have paralyzed it.”
“You’re a useless sack of arrows.”
“Are we splitting 50-50?”
“Fuck you.”
Ignoring Finn’s remark, Aren stands. His hand drops to his trusted knife and pulls it out, it’s curved edge glistening.
“This is my favorite part of the hunt.”
He stalks toward the carcass of the fallen feline.
Finn wouldn’t forget the sound for days.
Finn also wouldn’t forget the payout from the Dark Alchemists for such a ripe specimen.
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Finnault Aegis-
Path of the Duelist
Fencer V
Duelist X
Skills:
* Active Skills:
* Lunge
* The Fencer lunges with their rapier. Pierces armor or natural defenses.
* Has 15% chance to pierce armor. Deals critical damage if used on unarmored weak point.
* Can be amplified by Fatal Strike
* Pierce
* Fencer draws arm back and quickly strikes with rapier
* Has 15% chance to pierce armor. Deals critical damage if used on unarmored weak point.
* Can be amplified by Fatal Strike
* Backstep
* The Fencer does a quick backstep. Cancels any active Fencer or Duelist Path motions.
* Can be used at any point in combat. Cooldown is instantly refreshed during Duels or after when hitting weak points.
* Maintains Tempo if used to dodge
* Fatal Strike
* Unique Duelist path ability. Can be used atop any attack or certain Active Skills. Immense drawbacks if not the final strike of a duel.
* Increases Damage on an attack by 200%. Fails if used on an armored point. Total damage is tripled if used on a weak point.
* All Stats are instantly cut in half if failed or missed. Immense Valor is lost if attack fails. Stats are regaint at the end of the duel. Valor is not.
* Able to be canceled twice per duel with Backstep.
* Bonus Valor if used as a final hit.
* Passive Skills
* Fencing Tempo
* Fencer is able to do bonus 30% damage to weak points.
* Rapiers gain a bonus 10% damage on attacks and 15% on weak point attacks.
* Fencer takes 20% bonus damage from normal melee attacks.
* Fencer is unable to equip or utilize the following without stat reductions and skill neutralization: Heavy Armor, Shields, Great Swords, Bows, Staffs
* Mistepping loses these effects and Tempo must be regained by either sequential dodging or rapid attacks.
* Duelist Tempo
* During Formal Duels the Duelist Gains (½ During Informal Duels)
* 15% Bonus Damage
* 20% Critical Damage
* +5 All Stat Bonus
* Mistepping loses these effects and Tempo must be regained by either sequential dodging or rapid attacks.
* Limited to 3 Formal Duels every 24 Hours
* 1 Dance to the Death every 48 Hours