S2010AFRRIAT Round 3 Match 3: Iat'Ly Ti'Ari Ru'Sel Dryear Rretyn'Tlithar vs. Bloodleaux

[LAZtheinfamous]

"Welcome back, we've already seen one elf on elf battle tonight, and we are about to bring you another one here in the third match." says LAZtheinfamous.

"But this is different. There's millennium of enmity between the High Elves and the Druchii. And these two have been verbally sparing since the beginning of the tournament." says The Dreaded One.

"Bah, it will be all over in moments. The girly uses poisons! She'll drug him and drag him around easily!" says Commissar Kringle.

"You would think so, but Iat'Ly is a shadow warrior, the elite warriors of the High Elves who almost exclusively fight the Dark Elves. I wouldn't be surprised if he has an antidote for everything she tries." replies LAZtheinfamous.

"You're getting into the swing of things here, Infamous." says The Dreaded One.

"I haven't spoken nearly as much as I should be. I've been letting the inmates run the asylum so to speak. I have more vested interest in the later matches. The early ones are just about gauging the interest and the ability of the participants. Dread, please remind everyone what the stipulations are." remarks LAZtheinfamous.

"Of course. This is a Chained Four Corners match. Chain matches and four corners matches are common staples of pit fighting. And we've put them together for tonight. Each combatant is chained with handcuffs to their opponent by their left hand. Which will really limit the amount of moves they can make, and how they use their weapons. What makes it hard though, is that just like in a traditional pit fight, there's a ring in the arena. To win the four corners match, you must touch each of the four corners of the ring, in order. One person has to touch the clockwise posts, and the other counterclockwise. So everyone will be dragging each other all around the ring!" expounds The Dreaded One.

Iat'Ly Ti'Ari Ru'Sel Dryear Rretyn'Tlithar comes to the ring with no fanfare. Just like the other high elves have already done. Sir Justin meets him in the ring.

"The biggest difference here between Iat'Ly and the other high elves is that he's primarily a distance warrior with the bow, and others are duelists." says The Dreaded One.

"A good offense is better then a good defense any day. However, I can't wait to see how he draws that bow of his with his arm handcuffed to the chicka." laughs Commissar Kringle.

Bloodleaux appears in the arena on the back of a Dark Pegasus, issuing Druchii taunts, somersaulting off the mount before it vanishes. She flips into the ring, as Sir Justin looks on and locks the two of them to each other.

"Being the first to the ring, Iat'Ly will be required to touch the posts in a clockwise order, and as second to the ring, Bloodleax will be required to touch the posts in a counterclockwise order. Which brings to mind a wonderful symmetry to my mind." says Sir Justin.

"THIS MATCH IS ON!"

[Anne Marie]

Bloodleaux looked from the handcuff on her wrist to Iat'ly, back to the cuff, then the High Elf, and then back to the manacle which held them together. Judging the distance between the corners, she tried to come up with a winning strategy, and one that could inflict as much pain as possible on her opponent. If all else failed, Bloodleaux could attempt to slap that conceited smile from the Asur's face while dragging him around. The imagery made her chuckle.

"Well," she batted her eyelashes, "doesn't this make things intimate? And you smell so wonderful. You bathed, how pleasent. Have I ever told you what a lovely shade of green your eyes are, Iat'ly?"

The Asur leaned back, shifting his weight; Bloodleaux immediatly countered and did likewise. If she started with the first pole on her left...

"You know, the Hag Queen I was given to for training was right," Bloodleaux continued in a conversational manner, baring her teeth. "Learning to use a blade with both hands, even if one is bound, is an asset." She unsheathed one of her poisoned blades, holding it at an angle. "Now, try and not turn your back on me."

[Inquisitor023]

"I wouldn't dream of it, my Druchii friend," Iat'ly smiled fiendishly, "Surely you know me better than that?"

Behind Iat'ly's smile was a feeling of anger. Two matches lost so far and now, when it came to this Dark Elf Witch, he couldn't even use the Segamo. Insulting. Then an idea struck him. 'Unless...'

It was a good thing Iat'ly tested the ground by leaning back. He saw Bloodleaux doing the same. 'Yes... Yes, this'll work.' Iat'ly's hand reached quickly to his arrows and pulled one out. As it was pulled out, he dropped to his back, bringing Bloodleaux down with him. As she fell, her blade barely missed his face. A drop of the poison coating the blade splashed off the blade, landing on Iat'ly's face. It burned like Hellfire, but Iat'ly blocked out the pain, for now, at least.

The Druchii was falling onto Iat'ly, but that was what he wanted. As she neared him. He twisted his torso to the right, leaving his left arm extended. She fell, crashing into the arm. Iat'ly gritted his teeth. Nothing was broken, but it would bruise. Regardless, he had to act now. With the arrow in his right hand, he slammed it between Bloodleaux's shoulder blades. Iat'ly knew she would be in pain right now, from the arrow and blessings both. As it worked its magic... something in his mind began to roar, to scream in utter joy. It was the same something that warned him of his emotions in the last match... He would worry about it later.

Pulling himself up, Iat'ly rolled Bloodleaux onto her back which would push the arrow in deeper. He then began to drag him towards his first post.

[Anne Marie]

The pain was brilliant, lancing over his skin and through her body, cutting like knives. Bloodleaux screamed, and screamed some more, when she was pushed onto her back and dragged along the ring. Heaving herself onto her side, the Witch Elf's grip tightened on her blade until her knuckles turned white.

"You arrogant varjal," she shrilled. All she could see was Iat'ly legs and feet as he dragged her across the floor. It was enough for her to work with. Gritting her teeth, Bloodleaux raised her poisoned blade and drove it through the High Elf's left ankle, the blade passing through his boot, skin and all to come out the other side. He fell, and Bloodleaux knew the poison was already doing its work. A wonderful neurotoxin of her own devising, in the span of heartbeats and breathes Iat'ly's vision would blur, disorientation would follow with nausea. After that, his nerves would feel like they were all on fire.

Wrenching her poisoned dagger out, she re-sheathed it. Her breathing was ragged as the holy arrow continued to pain her. With her hand now free, Bloodleaux scrabbled to grab the arrow in her back. Ripping it out, the blessings scorching the palm of her hand, she tossed it from the ring. Warmth trickled down her backside; she giggled madly.

Clambering to her feet, the woman hauled Iat'ly along behind her as she reached for the first post, bracing herself against the ropes.

[Inquisitor023]

Iat'ly fell, his breathing ragged. His vision swam, he felt sick and his nerves were burning. The Druchii was dragging him along. Iat'ly fished into his pocket and pulled out a small orange berry and ate it quickly, his eye twitching as he swallowed. It was a rare Kalyn Berry, or Dragon Bolt Berry in human tounges. It was a powerful pain-killer and anti-toxin, but it also caused small long term damage due to the intense heat it creates inside the consumer's stomach.

He got it from a black-market dealer before the match, but only had the one.

Gritting his teeth against the intense feeling of heat spreading throughout his body, Iat'ly dug his heels into the sand. He was by no stretch of the imagination overly strong, but he could slow the Druchii, give himself time to think. He did so, Bloodleaux having to strain to move him at all. He had to think. He felt a chill near his waist and he looked down. All he saw was his sword.

His sword! It's handle was highly ornate and its handle would make a formidable glove, if wielded right. He moved it into that position quickly, ignoring the biting pain of the steel cutting into his hand, ignoring the small amount of blood flowing into the cut. He swung, with all his might, into the back of the Druchii's knee. She dropped to one knee and Iat'ly yanked on the hand-cuff, ignoring the bite of the steel into his wrist. He bled from a cut caused by the friction of his skin and the cuff. As Bloodleaux fell onto her back, Iat'ly staggered to his feet and punched her square in the nose. Then, he dropped onto her, placing a knee onto her stomach and began to strangle her with his free hand.

[Anne Marie]

(OOC: They really seem to be getting along.)

Blood dribbled from her nose and into her mouth; it flowed down the back of her knee. Once again, she was being choked. What was it with everyone trying to choke her? First the dwarf, now the Asur... Bloodleaux's mind concluded, as it began to starve for oxygen, that her throat was very pretty. Beautiful, in fact, which her nose was not.

Her left hand clawed against Iat'ly's - wonderful, to be chained so close together - gouging into the skin, deep enough to bite into the muscles. Her nails were covered in his blood. With her right hand, she punched him full in the face. His nose broke. As he reeled back, more from surprise and the shock, Bloodleaux gasped for breath.

Finding herself within arm's reach of her first post, Bloodleaux's sweaty palm slapped against it. One down, three to go. As if that mattered; she was more intent on killing the High Elf. Pushing Iat'ly off her, Bloodleaux scrabbled for her second dagger.

"This next one will be fun," she hissed. With as much strength as she could muster, the Druchii jabbed it into his left forearm just above the handcuff.

[Inquisitor023]

Iat'ly barely felt the clawing, the punching and the stabbing. He would soon, however. The Dragon Bolt was still in his system. It delayed and dulled the pain he was in. It was delaying the poison now in his system. He had to act. Between the poison and bleeding, he would die slowly and painfully. So he'd have to make it a good death, either through a victory or be taking the Druchii with him.

Pulling the knife of his wrist, he went to ram it into Bloodleaux's chest, but only succeeded in slicing around her and throwing the blade across the Arena. Damn it. His strength was leaving him already...

Bloodleaux climbed onto him again, in the same manner as the time they met outside the Arena. Iat'ly lurched, knocking her off and, as she got up again, swung his leg, kicking her full force in the jaw. Stumbling back, Iat'ly jumped up and speared her, knocking her to the floor. One punch to the jaw, two, three. Bloodleaux began to fight back at this point, kicking him off. Iat'ly plan was working.

With each fight, they were closer to Iat'ly's first post. Staggering to his feet again, he realized they were around fifteen feet from the post. Looking between Bloodleaux whom was now getting to her feet, and the post, Iat'ly sighed. This was going to hurt...

"Druchii whore!" Iat'ly taunted, "Are you going to kill me or keep flirting?" Iat'ly kept stepping back, giving her out of reach. He continued taunting and realized he'd stepped up against the post. Touching it, he smiled. "Much too sensitive my Druchii foe, much, much too sensitive..."

[Anne Marie]

He wasn't screaming. He wasn't writhing in pain. He wasn't begging for mercy. That just served to make Bloodleaux angrier. Now they were tied, one post tapped by each of them. Stupid rules, stupid Arena, stupid Iat'ly!

"You think I care about who wins? I just want you dead!" Jerking the chain violently, the Dark Elf pulled Iat'ly toward her and back to the center of the arena. She punched him in the gut, kicked him on his wounded ankle, and then fell on top of him. She clawed at his face, wanting to shred it from her memory. He'd carry scars from her to the end of his days even if he managed to survive this fight! She was feeling light-headed; a combination of the blood loss and sheer elation. Another High Elf for Khaine, another skin to flay!

"Flirting with you is so much fun," Bloodleaux whispered intimately to the archer. "But, dearest Iat'ly, even that must end. Khaine wants your blood and I will give it to him. Consider this a parting gift." Blood from her broken nose dripped onto Iat'ly face, mixing with his own, pooling onto the sandy floor of the arena.

Pulling a thin needle from her black hair, Bloodleaux pressed the tip against the Asur's cheek. Without any grace or remorse, she embedded it into his skin. He might not feel the pain from her other poisons, and even from the wounds inflicted, but this special poison made by the Hag Queens was the veritable kiss of death.

[Inquisitor023]

The Dragon Bolt was leaving his system. His nerves began to burn. His vision blurred and swam. He felt sick. He felt like death and he knew he was. He'd lost a lot of blood. Then, Bloodleaux's Kiss of Death pierced his neck. As a Shadow Warrior, he'd injested countless Druchii poisons and it was this which prevented him from dying instantly. But he was in pain... So much pain. His nerves were ablaze, his muscles cramping. He had to act. One last act of hatred from a Shadow Warrior.

Through all the pain, Iat'ly reached into his arrows one last time and pulled another out. "And Asuryan... demands... you die. I will... not... fail him," Iat'ly hissed in his dying breath, jabbing the arrow with all his might into her right eye.

Then, he screamed in pain. Screamed till his throat was raw. He felt he screamed so loud, the Gods themselves would hear it. Then, the scream faded. Iat'ly fell silent as his heart stopped beating.

[Anne Marie]

(OOC: Yay, they killed each other!)

Victory was short-lived. Bittersweet, in fact. At least she heard Iat'ly scream before she died.

Bloodleaux never saw the arrow, but she felt all the pain. It exploded through her body, firing into every nerve, burning her blood, and seared her mind. Even as she spasmed in death, hands clutching at the arrow, the chain which bound her to the Asur rattling, Bloodleaux grinned. Two deaths for Khaine. Her god would be proud.