Final x Bout[Caelus VS Zafar]

The King of Clubs. Zafar licked his lips as he drew a card and found its fortune promising. There was a queer light in the killers eyes as he grinned and anticipated the high quality fighter his cards promised him. Although, even before he drew the King, Zafar was already expecting today's opponent to be someone worth fighting. After all, he was a man Zafar had chosen to leave alive with the intention that he become stronger so that a match like this could be held. Did the fight seek vengeance? Redemption? Zafar amused himself in the fighters waiting chamber as he tried to guess at what drove him.

Preparations for the fight were made be wearing both the Swordsmans Cloth, and the Abyassal Piercing Cloth together around Zafar's waist. The Bloody Branch was tucked behind Zafar's back and various Edged Chance deck was hidden on Zafar's body spread across several places. The Aviarachnid Swarm had been starved for the past two days and were beginning to become restless for food. Hiding it all was Zafar's Magic Carpet which was wrapped around his head, face, and body like a cloak.

Once the gate opened Zafar stepped out into the daylight with a confident smile despite the endless boos his announced arrival drew from the crowd. Zafar was not a fighter that catered to the crowd based on their whims, but only on his own. The previous fight with Caelus had ended in a scandalous manner, so the crowd was eager to see a proper conclusion. Ideally for them, one which ended with Zafar as a corpse.

The red haired assassin would walk casually towards the center of the arena ignoring the crowds dislike for him. He would stop just 2m away from the exact center and wait there for his opponent to emerge. Zafar was eager to see Caelus again in order to get a sense of how much growth he had since they last fought.

Magoi:190/190
Stamina: 210/210

Gear:

Caelus sat alone in the waiting room.  He hadn't told anyone about his match today, not even Telleus knew about it.  Because for certain, he would have tried to stop him.  Today Caelus would fight Zafar again.  However this time, Caelus wouldn't allow the rat to surrender.  He had no misgivings, knowing that by all rights he should have lost their previous match.  But his victory had not brought him any pleasure.  Instead it turned the crowd, the organization, and others against him, calling him a cheater, or worse a fixer.  It was because of that match that he felt the need to leave the country in the first place.

Although, I wouldn't have met Ban if i hadn't left.  Caelus reminded himself.  Her teachings were what had turned him into the fighter he was today.  He was positive that without her help, he would not have gone any farther in the Colosseum.  She taught him Body Manipulation, and brought his fighting skills to the next level.  He owed her a lot, and in a way, he owed Zafar for making it possible.

Caelus shook his head.  He had made the best of a bad situation, but Zafar was not to be thanked or trusted.  And today, he would prove that.

With the sun high in the sky, Caelus walked into the arena to the sounds of cheers.  In his right hand he held his sword, Valkyrie, strapped to his left arm was his shield, Hurricane's Crest, and hanging from a ribbon on his belt was the orb, Life Aura.  Across the way, he saw Zafar, who despite the heat of midday was wrapped in a hooded cloak.  Just like him.  Hiding whatever he has from sight.  I remember some of his tricks, but i'd be surprised if he didn't have more up his sleeve.  Caelus remembered the sword-catching tool, the razor sharp cards, and the ribbon-blade.  All were much more than they seemed.  He would have to be extra cautious if he was going to come out truly victorious this time.

Before the match started Caelus shouted to his foe, "Zafar!  I won't accept or give surrender today!  Only one of us is walking out of this arena, and it sure as hell isn't going to be you!"  He pointed the tip of Valkyrie at Zafar as he made his challenge.  The crowd cheered in excitement at his bold proclamation, everyone knowing immediately what it meant.

Caelus was going to kill Zafar.

Gear:

Magoi: 180/180
Stamina: 290/290

((Forgot that I gave Zafar's carpet to Zion, derp. From now on, I'll just refer to what Zafar is wearing as a white cloak.))

The warrior's inciting words sparked roars of approval from the crowd as Zafar narrowed his eyes and his lips curled into a twisted look of pleasure. "Aaaaah~ At that time...I wasn't wrong after all~" Zafar thought to himself as his body felt waves of excitement flowing from his "root" and outward throughout his whole being. The boy had not only improved his equipment since he last saw Zafar. There was now the countenance and posture of a man. Surely his strength had grown much and Zafar could see that in Caelus' eyes moreso than his equipment. As Zafar had predicted, this fighters potential was realized after the hardships the assassin's games brought him. Now was the time to reap the harvest.

"Good, you look much more ripe now~"

Truly, the seed he planted had born fruit. The Caelus before him now would not likely be so easily teased as his younger self. Rather than striking first, Caelus was only using provoking words rather than sword slashes unlike in their first fight. The impatience had been replaced with a cunning tongue and vigilant focus. Zafar decided to move first this time by having his hand emerge from the confines of the cloak with a whip-like snap. A single edged card was sent flying towards Caelus' left thigh. Simultaneously the assassin's other arm nimbly drew the Bloody Branch so that it would be in hand. Zafar's legs also bent at the knee slightly and he prepared to kick off the ground at a moment's notice.

After throwing the card, Zafar's right arm would zip back under the cloak and move behind Zafar's back where it could easily draw more cards or his other weapons as needed. In a swift instant Zafar both lashed out and prepared his defenses for a counter. In the next he was ready to attack again. Though his attack was simple it's purpose was profound as Zafar meant for it to serve several goals. Whether or not Caelus would meet Zafar's expectations remained to be seen.

Magoi: 190/190
Stamina: 210/210
Ammunition: 14/15

Trait:

The cloak did a good job of obscuring Zafar's movements, making it so that he couldn't see the card until after it was thrown.  Unfortunately for Zafar, Caelus had expected the ranged attack.  His proclamation was more than a challenge, it was a bait, tempting the clown to throw his card as opposed to another action.  Now Caelus could close the distance behind his own attack.

Caelus dashed towards Zafar until the card was upon him, only for Caelus to swing his shield and Redirect the razor card back at Zafar, aiming for his left eye.  Running after the card, his Exceptional Speed allowing him to keep up, Caelus would stop right at his maximum reach and thrust Valkyrie forward twice in rapid succession, both aimed for the sword cloth he figured would be wrapped around Zafar's waist.  It likely won't do much, but at least this way i can confirm he still has it.  He thought, knowing that before the fight could really get going, he'd need to learn every trick Zafar had in store for him.  The strikes would do double duty, as they would either confirm the sword cloth, or force Zafar to draw his sword breaker.  The eerie red blade was a thorn in his side in their first fight, capable of grabbing and twisting a blade from its owners grasp.  But from this distance, the tip of his blade should be able to slip in and out without being caught.

Frankly, it was a simple test, and one that Zafar would most likely see through.  But it was also a safe test, keeping Caelus right on the edge of melee range so he could test the waters.  But once he had confirmed some of his opponents gear, the real fight could begin.  Just watch, Zafar.  You'll wish you had never challenged me again!

Abilities:

Magoi: 180/180
Stamina: 250/290

Zafars eyes were like those of a beasts as he opened them wide and focused on Caelus’ movements overall rather than on any individual point. The deflected card and subsequent charge were captured in the assassin’s predatorial gaze. Zafar took a half-step back and leaned to his right with speed no lesser than his foes allowing the deflected card to slash past the side of his face. The top centimeter of his left ear was clipped and a small chunk of flesh separated cleanly as the card claimed its due. But the burning across his face was the last thing on Zafar’s mind as he kept his gaze one Caelus. The swordlance thrust was more pressing as it pressured the clownish fighter to stay on his toes.

A turn to the side would see Zafar’s midsection narrowly dodge the first thrust while a snake-like swipe of the bloody branch would attempt to bat the second thrust aside. In the instant Zafar’s swordbreaker would make contact, his other arm would unleash an Endless Dealing consisting of four cards. Instead of releasing all of them at once, Zafar chose to unleash the cards one by one as his arm swept a diagonal line across Caelus’ figure before retreating behind his back once more.  Another large step backwards would see Zafar retreat 1m forcing the warrior to pursue if he wanted to stay in striking distance.

The first card would make chasing difficult at it was aimed for Caelus’ foot. The second targeted his groin and the third his breast. The final card was on a trajectory aimed for his shoulder. Blocking each card with just the shield would prove difficult even though there wasn’t much fundamental difference between it and the first attack Zafar made. There were simply more cards to deal with this time around, but that small incremental rise in difficulty was a deliberate attempt on Zafar’s part to savor Caelus’ growth. Step by step the assassin planned to pull out all of the man’s hidden strengths. Only when burning his brightest would he be worth a decisive strike. Even so, an aura of killing intent still oozed out of Zafar’s being with every movement he made, his anticipation towards the climax of the fight already making his blood boil with excitement.

Magoi: 190/190
Stamina: 180/210
Ammunition: 14/15

Trait:

Ability:

Unable to help himself, Caelus smiled slightly as the card bit through Zafar's ear and left a red streak in its wake across his face.  It wasn't much damage at all, but it was still first blood.  Against any normal fighter this would be demoralizing, but for some reason Zafar's face showed something like rabid joy.  Like a predator experiencing the thrill of the hunt.  

Caelus' twin thrusts did their jobs as well, confirming the presence of the crimson swordbreaker.  Zafar pushed Valkyrie away with his blade and began to move around to Caelus' right side.  Thanks to Caelus' Blind Fight, he heard the soft *shwick* of cards being thrown, and knowing what was coming next he lifted Valkyrie straight up and thrust his shield out towards Zafar to unleash the Roar of the Storm.

Powerful winds exploded out from Hurricane's Crest, disrupting the cards flight completely and potentially cutting Zafar several times all over his body.  They would not be deep, but the number of cuts could cause a problem.  Additionally, Caelus hoped that the damage to the cloak would be great enough that Zafar would ditch it rather than risk getting caught up in the shreds.  Unfortunately, Caelus should have started the blast just a bit earlier, as he missed a card that managed to fly just under the torrent of wind and into his right foot. Zafar's retreat only served to widen the area in which the winds whirled, which then Caelus made even greater by retreating two meters backward himself, dislodging the card as he did so.

Caelus would keep up the pressure, continuing to feed magoi into the shield to keep the storm raging on.  Hopefully he could make Zafar abandon his card throwing strategy completely by showing him this display of power.  That no matter how many cards he had at his disposal Caelus could keep sending them hurtling away again and again.  If i can get him to stop his ranged attacks by fearing the storm, i can keep this fight up close where i want it.  But i have to be patient.  If i start attacking randomly, Zafar will take advantage of that.  I need to wait for him to go on the offensive, and counterattack.  And by keeping up this wind, i'll force him to make a move."

Abilities:

Magoi: 165/180
Stamina: 250/290

For a brief instant Zafar would frown as the shield was thrust forward and winds picked up with sudden intensity. ”Tch...Magic” Zafar thought to himself. Being a magical assassin himself, Zafar could recognize the danger in facing magical equipment as well as the value in using them. But to him they were tools for work, this was “play” for the killer, It spoiled Zafar’s fun slightly but he couldn’t begrudge Caelus as this fight was not gentle enough for such limitations. Even so,the assassin decided to not yet use his own magic weapon and instead stick to the trusty edge of his blades. As Zafar’s foot landed from his backwards movement he immediately performed a Light Step to the left and drew his Swordsman’s Cloth from behind his back. Though the clownish man was quick on his feet, he couldn’t fully escape the cutting maelstrom that had been summoned up. The deflected cards were of no convern to Zafar, but the cutting blades carried by the wind slashed past him for an instant before he could emerge from the cone of wind.

As he landed the tattered cloak did indeed fall away, it’s cloth slashed in several places. Replacing the airspace around Zafar was the neatly unfurled cloth-like blade which made a soft low wobble in the air as it was launched upwards with a swift flick of Zafar’s wrist. ”I see you’ve found yourself a nice toy~” The assassin teased as he held his Swordbreaker at the ready in his left hand as his right hand slashed downward to unleash his Serpent’s Tongue onto an unsual trajectory that arced to strike from above after a breif awkward pause.


Magoi: 190/190
Stamina: 170/210
Ammunition: 14/15

Ability:

Caelus' foot throbbed with pain, each pulse sending out a fresh splash of blood. While the card miraculously hadn't bitten through any bone, it had pierced clean through to the sole. Blood loss would put this fight on a timer from this point, although one look at Zafar told Caelus that the pair of fighters were in similar straits. The battle would become increasingly fierce as the two fought both their opponents and their own bodies to grasp victory. Testing his foot, Caelus found that while intense the pain was bearable and subsided quickly. It'll hurt, but it won't interfere with my movements. he concluded.

As the cloak fell from Zafar's shoulders, the second weapon that Caelus had tested for revealed itself, the ribbon blade. It cascaded off his waist and into the air as Zafar flicked his wrist up to send it high into the sky. As the two were just barely three meters apart, Caelus could avoid it simply by taking a few steps backward. He could even resume buffeting Zafar with the magic winds from his shield. The move itself was also clearly a bait, intended to tempt Caelus into close quarters where the swordbreaker would be most effective. Frankly it was clever. Zafar was managing to reverse Caelus' attempt to force close combat by showing him that midrange was just as easy, striking outside of his safe zone on purpose just to prove the point. Clearly Caelus couldn't move in, and instead would just keep up the wind assault.

But... but what if i spring the trap on purpose?

This thought his Caelus like a bolt of lightning. Now that he knew it was a bait, he could circumvent it. Pull something completely out of the box to throw Zafar off. So, against every tactical instinct he had, Caelus charged in underneath the ribbon blade.

He inhaled deeply and grasped Valkyrie with both hands, holding it low and behind him as if he were going to swing upwards in a large arc. But the moment before he should have begun to swing he screamed, and Lala's Roar reverberated throughout the Colosseum. The piercing volume and pitch would be enough to shatter even the most studious mans concentration, and Caelus took this opportunity to bring the hilt of his blade forward with his palm to slam into Zafar's gut, attempting to knock him backwards and further stun him. A Quickstep brought Caelus around to Zafar's right side, away from the swordbreaker, dropping into Mirror's Edge and launching back in with Brave Engage. The twin strikes would be aimed squarely at Zafar's stomach and midsection, using the black cloth that was now wrapped there like a target.

Wait, black cloth?

Abilities:

Magoi: 165/180
Stamina: 200/290

Zafar's queer grin didn't falter even as the warrior rushed forward quickly closing the distance. The tell tale swelling of Caelus' chest was akin to that of a fanalis prior to their signature roar. Though Zafar had the awareness to steel himself for what was coming with his hands full and a foe baring down on him dropping everything to cover his ears simply wasn't an option. The assassin instead lifted his right hand once more tugging the ribbon-like blade upwards just before Caelus unleashed his mighty shout.

Foreknowledge was not the same as immunity. When the sound waves shocked Zafar's system his body tensed up and his eyes squinted tightly as ringing pain demanded attention. In that short opening a palm strike would impact on the clown's stomach pushing his feet into a slide backwards. The killers upper body swayed with the momentum to stay standing upright the entire way in a display of perfect balance. All the while the perverse grin displayed a mix of pain and ecstasy. Blood shed off the assassin with each movement he made but his eyes remained clear and focused on Caelus.

As Zafar traveled backwards from the palm strike he twisted his right wrist and teased the settling swordsmans cloth into a curved arc that would follow the warrior's movements. Ears bleeding, Zafar pressed his footing into the sandy arena as his left arm woke up from its shock and prepared to strike out. Two loud metallic clashes would sound as Zafar accepted the sword stokes in full. The reverberations from the attack would send fragments of cloth and blood bursting off of Zafar's body as he coughed up a crimson brew. Even so, the clown smiled, glee in his eyes as his right hand had used his own abdomen as a wedge. In the instant the second slash struck Zafar he pinned the blade to himself using the Bloody Branch in his left hand.

Caelus' gambit had been a beautiful work of art and by all rights Zafar should have been cut in half twice as a result. But the assassins strange habits and weapons made common sense break down as seen by his opponents behavior. Since orthodox defenses and tactics were off the table it became a relatively low effort task to back Zafar against the wall. But now that Caelus had stepped into the crazed killer's realm of madness it wouldn't be so simple to walk back out. The way Zafar used his own body in addition to his swordbreaker to pin Caelus down could be said to be an analogy for how he had been bitten by a wild beast he had thought to slay and now it wasn't going to let go easily.

Once Zafar got the swordbreaker onto its target he immediately began apply a Branched Snap attempting to cause four screeches akin to metal crying out in pain. Meanwhile Zafar's right hand would shoot forward and to the left crossing over his right arm. This would cause the swordsmans cloth to drag against Caelus from his back left as the main point of contact. Zafar's wrist twist from earlier all to set up the warrior for this moment. This would present a threat from another angle simultaneous to his assault on the fighters weapon. Hopefully that pesky shield would be occupied long enough for Zafar to fully break the swordlance.

Though it takes many words to explain the actions since the very start of the fight had only taken a few breaths of time to pass. Upon completing his four grinding attacks and the dragging of the cloth-like blade Zafar would take a step in retreat regardless of whether or not the swordlance was successfully broken. Tap, tap, tap, an addition two step would bring Zafar 3m away as he let go of the swordsmans cloth in his right hand allowing it to fall to the ground. His right hand then snaked behind his back swiftly and with the flow of magoi a magic circle lit up on the black cloth-like blade still wrapped around his abdomen. Though the blade didn't unravel fully, it would begin to wriggle and shift as it floated away from the surface of the sheath. Void Arm was now active. Though the assassin didn't say anything, his wild eyes and prepared stance spoke one word. Come.

Magoi: 180/190
Stamina: 120/210
Ammunition: 14/15
Abyss Piercing Cloth: 230/400

Trait:

Ability:

Magic Function:

Though he would never admit it, even to himself, Caelus admired Zafar's ingenuity.  The way he moved, the weapons he employed, his lightning thinking which could change strategy at a moments notice.  It made the man incredibly dangerous, but every second spent fighting him was a learning experience.

As Zafar pinned Valkyrie to himself, Caelus thrust his shield forward into Zafar's face and unleashed the Roar of the Storm at point blank. The torrent of slicing air hopefully startling enough that as Caelus pulled Valkyrie free, it would emerge still intact, if not completely unscathed.

Knowing he would be unable to guard against the sword cloth with his shield, Caelus activated his Reflexive Armorskin on his back, nullifying the damage the blade would have done.  This allowed him to dash backward safely three meters away all the while keeping magoi flowing through the shield.  The Roar of the Storm continued to burst forth from the tip to engulf Zafar, even as the clown retreated.  This would somewhat obscure the unveiling of the black sword cloth, but its unnatural movement inside of the maelstrom would tip Caelus off enough to the magic it held within.  That probably protected him from my attack earlier.  Damn!  Leave it to him to have another trump card hidden away.

Caelus considered for a moment heading back into the fray, but decided against it.  No, there are too many unknowns about that new weapon.  Let him come to me this time.  He thought, keeping up the hurricane from his shield.

Abilities:

Magoi: 145/180
Stamina: 160/290
Valkyrie Durability: 300/400

As the cloth blade dragged across Caelus' hardened back Zafar's brows knit in concern as the sensations felt through the weapon did not feel like that of slicing flesh. Rather than use the shield to deal with his sneak attack Caelus simply shoved the shield front and center relying on its magical winds as a solid counter offensive. His trick to occupy the shield failed and Zafar's grinding blade had only just begun its work before a powerful blade baring gust erupted. This only seemed to excite the insane clown further and a noticable bulge came to form in his trousers. Caelus did not face any resistance in freeing his blade as Zafar let go of both weapons bringing both arms crossed in front of himself  to prevent any cuts from landing on his eyes. From behind the defensive stance Zafar gleamed at Caelus with a thick killing intent.

Slicks of blood and flesh were shaved away bit by bit across Zafar's body as he reached back and activated his Abyss Piercing Cloth having nothing left to use or rely on to turn the tide. Muscles across the killer clown's body strained and even more blood gushed out of his wounds causing Zafar to feel light headed with a case of the tingles. Even so, Zafar seemed to be experiencing exctasy judging from his expression and there was no sign of retreat or surrender flashing through his mind. Some people in the audience gasped in horror as they watched Zafar start to slowly walk forward through the storm of cutting wind as the black cloth unfurled and began to float around him ominously. Step by step, Zafar continued to let his body be torn and tattered. It gave the impression that even if he were skinned down to the bone a smiling skeleton would continue to advance steadily.

No such miracle feats took place however as Zafar suddenly reached up to hold his head and let out a pained shout before falling over.

"I yield!"

Zafar's voice suddenly boomed echoing throughout the coliseum, the sound clearly projected by magic. The voice sounded wretched and fearful as the collapsed Zafar lay still. Were Caelus watching closely he might notice that the voice erupted without the man in front of him moving his mouth. Though it was undoubtedly Zafar's voice, up until that moment he did not have the eyes of someone who had given up. Regardless, the crowd burst into cheers at the sight of the red haired clown falling over. He had earned the scorn and hatred of the crowd for his unfair tricks and eccentric ways. Finally seeing him take a proper loss gave many of those watching a sense of catharsis and relief. The memories of Caelus' false glory from their last match was washed away after seeing him win so decisively. It appeared as though throughout the whole fight he had been entirely at the advantage some thinking he was even untouched as the wound to his foot had not been obvious.

On the ground Zafar's mind was invaded with the orders of his new owner. He had already injured himself significantly in the battle and death was an escape Aponitus Aventti would not allow. The Reiman merchant had made sure his personal magician wouldn't allow Zafar to die before they could get some value out of him. Between blood loss and mental attacks Zafar fell unconscious and could only wait to be treated for his injuries before being returned to the clutches of the fat merchant. Though slavery was illegal there were few things a big enough bribe couldn't keep quiet and there were many who grew up with the practice still willing to turn a blind eye to it within the empire. This loss was only the first of many hardships Zafar would have to endure.

The sight of the mad clown creeping towards him with a hysterical grin on his face was enough to make Caelus' skin crawl. Truly there was nothing this man liked more than the thrill of the hunt and pitched combat. Even as the slicing winds cut away his flesh, the trickster advanced ever forward.

Caelus readied his blade for another offensive, but was shocked by the sight of Zafar suddenly clutching his skull and falling to the ground. The cry of "I Yield" rang out through the stadium, the volume greater than even the hurricane winds. Caelus halted the magic of his shield and looked to see Zafar passed out on the ground just steps away. "I don't understand..." escaped his lips before the crowd roared its approval.

Despite the praise, Caelus couldn't hide his scowl. It was confusing really, the clown had appeared prepared to continue this fight to the death, yet he gave up in the middle of his display? Bastard. You just couldn't give me a real victory, could you? You had to cheat me yet again." In a way, it was to be expected. Zafar was simply that kind of man, teasing his opponents came more naturally to him than breathing.

The winds having obscured Zafar's face, Caelus would likely never know what truly took place at the end of their match. Nevertheless, he had managed to redeem himself in the eyes of the people. There was only up to go from here.