Round 1: Valkyrie (Brynhildr) VS. Assassin (Galathea) - Judge Kicks

[Kicks]

http://fotos.fotoflexer.com/2632436c972dcd0cae56078bb6c961b0.jpg
A beautiful scenery! Sprouting flowers! Blooming daisies! Fields and fields of nothing but beauty! This is what the fighters found themselves in. A large and open space with life thriving around the contestants. Flowers that could come up past their ankles and hanging near their calves gently. Whether this was to slow them down or make it more difficult to hide was unknown.

However, in the midst of the beauty were bees to pollinate such flowers! When disturbed they would sting or buzz around their heads, serving as a distraction or an irritant to competitors.

The space was large, wide, and open. It was full with flowers and bees hiding in petals. The lack of any structure would make it difficult to hide. But the space was wide, giving room to run or attack from a distance, at close combat too.

(After two turns each, the bees will become disturbed and start to serve as an annoyance to the competitors. After four turns each the bees will calm back down again.)

You have 5 posts per person and 72 hours to respond between each post.
By the twirl of a wand, the first to post is Assassin.

[Dire Hoef]

「Round 1」【Galathea】 「Round 1」


Her quiver rattled against the meadow’s wind as the sound of a thousand insects creaked and moaned against the silence of the meadow. She'd been traveling on foot for hours now – with her thoughts being just as vague as her appearance. Her eyes sauntered the horizon knowing there were mountains towards her north and a valley towards her east. She took a quick, and helpful, note of her surroundings before engulfing in the brief [but envious] smells of the wild. The smells that could bring a man to tears – the beauty that can even outclass a woman in her appearance and sex appeal. The wondrous animosities of nature can even cloud the strongest of man’s thoughts with peacefulness and solitude. However even then the growing presence of defiance was strong. Something was coming and Galathea understood this completely and without hesitation. She knew and understood the feeling all too well and it was apparent that even though the presence was [surely] there she paid no mind to the fear it brought and focused her eyes [and thoughts] solely on the origin of this… Unwelcoming aura…

Galathea stood with profound greatness and seriousness. As though she had prepared for this moment. The moment of which none could be the wiser. Her elvish ears twitched backwards for a brief moment before her ears could pick up on a sound that broke the unjustifiable silence of the meadow. The sound was not of vengeance, but of mercy and and guidance. However the sound was not without intimidation. Galathea prepared herself as her [right] clad footing took a moment's step to her front. Her daggers were at the ready as her stance tightened around the crumbling soils of the litter layer. Her eyes locked on another individual. Her possible opponent. Could she be the one that Galathea was after? Possibly. She didn't question her job, but the job seemed to be more of a task than anything she has seen thus far. Close-quarters combat was immanent for her as the power and intimidation of her opponent had sent chills down her spine. She knew she was outclassed and in the wrong battlespace. This had put a damper on all kinds of counters that could be made against this opponent.

'Why must there be strength held in her will,' she questioned herself in a soft, but audible, whisper. She kept her body still and focus as her eyes waited upon her opponent.

[Juder]

Brynhildr woke up in a strange place. The meadow was new to her, beautiful and serene and yet strange and unwelcoming. She knew that she didn't belong here, and yet she couldn't remember where she came from. She must have been a warrior, she knew; her blood pumped through her veins, flooding her body with strength that only a skilled fighter would have, and yet...she was something else. The only thing else that felt familiar to her in this strange world was the strong black stallion that was dutifully carrying her, ready to charge the enemy at her word. Brynhildr closed her eyes, trying to look for some memory that would hint to who she was, but it was useless. Her mind was a blank slate, and all she had was her gut...which was tight with caution. Something was wrong...she knew without a doubt that she was not alone in this deceptive slice of hell.
,
Brynhildr opened her eyes again, her sharp eyes searching for the enemy that was here in this wretched place. She could feel a steady gaze watching her, like a fallen angel would watch over man: Something that may have been kind at one point, but had been perverted and now was only concerned about itself. However, she didn’t feel any ill intent coming from anything. She felt…was that apprehension? Bah! She searched wildly around the blasted meadow until, finally, her ears caught a whisper. If she hadn’t been listening, she most likely would have missed it---after all, the sound was softer than the wind itself---but she was able to trace the sound back to a small-looking elvish girl. She snorted. Was this the opponent that she was supposed to face…? The corners of her mouth twisted into a bloodthirsty smile, the taste of a soon-coming fight making her blood boil in her veins.

The elf did not attack her, so she decided to take the first move, but did her best not to underestimate the girl. Because of the girl’s blades, Brynhildr knew not to engage her in close combat. Instead, she spun her shield in the air and released it. It sped to the girl, so fast that it looked like a blur, and then sped back to its owner like a boomerang.

[Dire Hoef]

「Round 1」【Galathea】 「Round 1」

The speed and quickness of her opponent had not prepared Galathea for the coming storm of combat. Her eyes widened for a split second before being engulfed with pain and unmatched fear. Her body flailed for a moment before it became static amongst the meadow. Her head was in total pain, and her body was numb. However now was not the time to be worrying about the pains of her body. She heaved herself up to her feet - her legs feeling like jelly. Her breathing staggered and punctuated here and there to symbolize the amount of air that had left her lungs from that attack. Surely it was an attack worth noting.

Her arrows were scattered amongst the meadow, but coincidentally a metal arrow laid right by her left leg. Galathea glanced at the arrow for a moment before taking the arrow by the mid-section and taking a good long look at her opponent's black stead. Galathea let loose an idea before grabbing her bow from her back and preparing to let loose an arrow that would soon agitate the situation.

Galathea took a moment to breath before counting down the motions. 1... 2... 3... FIRE!

An arrow was launched from the elastic string of the bow. The arrow waved for a split second as the kinetic energy entered and left the projectile sending it zipping through the air towards the stead's head and neck area. She wasn't an expert at marksmanship, but she could consider herself a good shot. She had hoped that something good would come out of the confrontation, but hope could surely be shattered in an instance if things don't go the way she had planned.

It could very well come crashing down upon her.

[Juder]

The arrow caught Brynhildr by surprise; she blocked the arrow by instinct at the last minute, barely saving the horse’s life. The arrow bounced off of the shield, hitting it with a disappointed plunk. Brynhildr chastised herself. She had underestimated the elf girl, and it had almost cost her the horse. Anger expanded inside her, much like the way magma built up steadily inside a volcano until---BOOM!---The pressure was too much and the volcano exploded. She tried to calm herself down and then prepared for her next attack.

She held the shield in front of her so that it would protect both her and the horse from an attack from the front and steadied her lance behind it. She charged the girl, making sure that the elf wasn’t in range to slash at the horse’s legs (at least not with the range of a common fighting knife or sword), and then slashed at the elf’s legs with her lance. Thank god that she had a long weapon.

Had she been an inch further away, Brynhildr realized, she would have had no chance of hitting the elfen girl at all.

[Dire Hoef]

「Round 1」【Galathea】 「Round 1」

The arrow was a miss! That was not good for her ranged capabilities - she needed to stay a good distance away from this woman to avoid close-quarters combat. However the woman knew that all too well and devised an attack to strike her from the far. This put Galathea in an awkward position. How was she able to keep her distance and sustained a good amount of control of the battle? She didn't know the answer. But she did know that if she kept her distance and fought defensively she could avoid any unnecessary movement. She prepared herself for her opponent to come before her and strike. And she did. Feverishly.

The attempt was nigh. The attempt had nearly rendered the assassin legless and in distress. However Galathea could not afford to lose in such a way. Galathea leapt over the spear but suffered a deep cut to her left leg rendering her incapable of further movement. This was even worst than having her legs cut off. She was unable to move at her regular speed! This was unexpected predicament. "Dammit," she cursed herself. She punched the ground before standing to her feet limping towards one of the steel arrows she spotted some few feet away. She picked up the steel arrow and drew it to the bow.

She took aim once again. Her right eye personified to be the iron sights of a pistol or automatic rifle. She breathed in - as would a sniper that was about to fire off the caliber of the rifle. She waited for the right moment and... Swoosh... It was off the bow and zipping through the air to penetrate the horse this time at much lower angle - preferably the legs. She would soon be on the move again to search for another arrow that was hopefully within her immediate vicinity.

[Juder]

Brynhildr blocked that as well, nearly toppling off her steed, but she was not prepared for the force of the arrow. It hit her shield like a ton of bricks, knocking her off her horse and onto the ground as well as temporarily stunning her. The horse neighed, spooked, and then stampeded to the other side of the meadow. Brynhildr swore. She'd cost herself the ability to use her horse for the remainder of the fight, most likely; she couldn't afford to avert her attention long enough from the elf to calm the horse down and get onto it. No, she would have to fight on foot from now on. She analyzed the girl's movements. Her skills of observation weren't the sharpest, but she figured out two things: the little sprite was looking for something, which was bad for Brynhildr, and she was obviously trying to avoid combat, which meant it was in Brynhildr's best interests to get closer...and also try not to get stabbed.

She waited until the girl's back was turned and tackled her by the legs, aiming specifically for the one that was injured.

[Dire Hoef]

「Round 1」【Galathea】 「Round 1」

Galathea screamed in pain as the leg that had been rendered useless snapped. The bone gave a sound of wood snapping under the pressure. The bone protruded from her leg to show that her leg was now even more useless than it was before. She was useless in this state, but not entirely useless. She pushed the armored woman off her and backed away gaining some distance. Though the distance was feeble and pathetic - possibly a few feet from the armored woman. She couldn't run or even walk for that matter. She was left to limp defenselessly away from her opponent even though her opponent was well aware of her attempts at gaining ground. This was entirely a mistake on Galathea's part. She had made her movements more obvious than they need to be. This predicament become more of an issue as the severity of the situation stagnated. She was left with a few more options but those options were very limited as it is. She contemplated the options carefully and this she made her move present before turning towards the armored woman and standing her ground kicking up some bees that were irritated with her invasion. They buzzed around her - often time stinging her. They were a problem and so she swiftly swatted at them bashing them away from her. Her then returned to the armored woman... As she unleashed a flurry of blades...

Her reflexes tightened to the mere sense of a gunslinger. Her hands were swift and motionless. They made no sound. They were as silent as the wind. Thus ten distinict throwing knives were made in a swarm of metal and fatality. These knives carried the message of hate and disdain for this arrogant whore. She needth be put to the test. Her arrogance will be her downfall and Galathea will exploit that to the best of her ability.

[Juder]

Brynhildr barely got up before the knives flew towards her face like a hellstorm, made worse only by the bees that buzzed around her, droning angrily and attacking her with their stingers. Brynhildr blocked her face and vital areas with her arms, but she still got cut in many places, and her blood oozed out, drops falling towards the bloodthirsty ground. The earth seemed to swallow it up, the dark red of her blood seeming to reveal the true nature of the deceptively quiet meadow. She made a mad dash for her shield, not wanting to be caught without it in another attack, but it was too late. Nine of them had sliced ribbons of flesh off of her arms and the last one had lodged in her side. Damn, the elf is more savvy than I thought, Brynhildr reflected. Hell hath no fury like an elf scorned.

Before Brynhildr could think, she heard a sound like the hellish steeds of Pluto himself. Before she knew it, her horse was running past her; it managed to knock her over running past, its eyes haunted by the heat of battle. It charged madly towards the elf,stampeded over her, and then darted out of sight, its hoofs coming down like heavy anvils. It wished nothing more than to save its master. Brynhildr winced; she almost felt sorry for the girl. Nothing could beat being stampeded by a horse.

[Dire Hoef]

「Round 1」【Galathea】 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGH6L8RS_44) 「Round 1」

Trampled was the word to describe the pain that Galathea felt in that moment. She lied on the ground in silence. Not unconscious however, but rather in undeniable pain. The type of pain that could only be described in moans and groans - in which Galathea did very little of. Her body was tattered and destroyed. Some bones shattered on her left arm, right leg, and left shoulder. Overall the feeling of pain was hard to deal with and the bees were of no help either.

She laid there. Unmoving and mute. She couldn't move or else it would bring more pain than previously described. She hadn't anticipated this ending - especially when the ending is where one person get's trampled while the other bleeds to death. To a wise man Galathea would be the least likely to survive her opponent long enough to bring death upon her. She almost regret and anguished for having not done anything sooner to prevent the coming end she could see so plainly so.

'Bless me with the
Leaf off of the tree
On it I see
The freedom reign

We are falling
The light is calling
Tears inside me
Calm me down

Midnight calling
Mist of resolving
Crown me, with the
Pure green leaf

Praise to my father
Blessed by the water
Black night, dark sky
The devils cry'

She muttered in a melodic tone. Twas a song her foster parent had told her - before she died. She heard that when a devil cries it is usually heard before the death of thy or anyone else. Her death was quickly approaching and the devil's cry was ringing in her ears. Her foster mother told her that when you hear the devil's cry - accept it. You've done all that you can with the world and now it is time for you to come to the otherside.

She heard it. Faintly. The sound, the melodic sound, coming closer and closer. Twas it death that waited her? Surely so. Her voice feeble and sad-ridden. "Why... Why must I accept death," she muttered, "Why must it be me that accepts death and not that arrogant whore?" She repeated these questions over and over before her mind had finally had enough of it.

Her mind disobeyed her heart and decided to come up with a plan to strike this woman down with one last strike. Her hand instinictively slipped towards her blade which made itself comfortable in its sheath. She would strike the arrogant whore down with one final strike. A strike that would end this battle once and for all.

Truly an ending worth savoring.

[Juder]

Brynhildr heard the elf muttering on the ground, and only caught the words 'arrogant whore.' Her mind flooded with anger. "I'm arrogant, eh? I'll show you arrogant, little elf." she hissed. She was so caught up in herself that she didn't even defend herself when the girl's blade hurtled towards her. It hit her square in the shoulder, rendering her arm useless. She cursed herself; she'd let the wench hit her! Maybe she was arrogant. Had she really underestimated her opponent so much that she'd led it hit her? If your opponent is alive, it is still a threat, she chastised herself silently. What kind of warrior could ever forget that?

The pain was so much that it burned through her veins like the ice-cold flames of hell, tongues of darkness teasing the edges of her vision. She almost embraced oblivion, but then her instincts took her over, reminding her that everything she was depended on living. Death was not pleasant; some part of her knew this, although she couldn't remember how. Death was like where the land and sea met; the sea floor changed, shaped by the environment around it, living in harmony with the clams and fish around it until the tide came. The waves washed away everything, and then nothing that the sea floor had ever been mattered. It had become a blank slate, making way for a new life.

"I'm not going to die, wench. Your demise will make way for my triumph, and the world will go on as if you never existed," Brynhildr hissed. "This is the natural order of life, and nothing will ever change it."

With her arms, she chopped at the back of the neck. There was a pressure point there that would knock the elf unconscious if hit, and the pain from using her injured arm would likely knock her out as well. She knew that the elf would never wake up from her sleep, but also that there was a chance that she may not wake up either. Either way, her limbs had decided for her; the blow had been struck. Pain raced up her arm like lightning, striking her to the ground and tightening every muscle in her body. As she faded from consciousness, she realized the horse had come up to her and was nuzzling her affectionately, encouraging her to get up. She petted its soft, velvet-like nose, fighting against the darkness for just a few moments. "It'll be alright. This old horse is done fighting for now," she whispered. "I'll see you in the morning, sweetheart."

Then she fell into the abyss, shadows picking her apart until there was nothing but shatters of senseless, broken dreams.

[Kicks]

Each opponent has reached their five-post limit. The battle is over and the scores will be tallied up soon. Please check back for an update.

[Kicks]

The winner is Juder.

Note: From what I had read and derived, both combatants had exceptional details, character portrayal/understanding, fantastic environmental awareness as well as combat interaction and strategic awareness. The determining factors, because you both did so well on the above listed, relied solely on your conventions, flow of the story, and control of the fight.

Hoef's Total Score: 25
Note: There were minor convention flaws, and a few times when I didn't completely understand what was happening. Regardless, your character understanding and attention to detail were amazing. I haven't seen detail quite like that before, and I enjoyed the level of expertise in writing it portrayed.

Juder's Total Score: 26
Note: I was able to clearly understand what was happening through your posts and enjoyed your strategies during combat. The only thing that I docked from you was just a few minor convention flaws. However, you have a near-perfect score.

This was a very close battle, unbelievably so. It was difficult judging this battle because you both are powerful writers. So, I congratulate you for your efforts and ability to write so well!