[IC] ALL HOPE IS GONE (Xavier Vs. Auz)

[Xavier Bloodbayne]

@Doc Doctor
A small smirk touched at Xaviers face as Auz did this, the speed of his march increasing slowly. At around 20 feet Xavier would be jogging towards Auz, his right arm and sword swinging in time with his step. At around 8 feet if distance Xavier would come to a sudden stop. With footing as wide as his shoulders Xavier began to march towards Auz again. Though his steps were much slower this time around. Xavier lifted his right arm so the tip of the blade was pointed towards Auz. The same small smirk painted across his lips.

[Doc Doctor]

@Xavier Bloodbayne

Auz approached Xavier once he had gotten to within eight feet, hunkering into a half crouch as he moved, shield and dagger lowered. His eyes had become flat and vacant, all distracting thoughts clearing out. Soon Xavier's sword would be in reach.

[Xavier Bloodbayne]

With a four foot blade and a 2.5 foot reach, the tip of Xaviers blade was a good six feet infront of him. Leaving only 2 feet between Auz and his blade. There was little to signal what was about to come next, only a faint and brief *click* from the swords hilt.

Starting at the base of the hilt the blades 4 foot length began to extend rapdily. It created 16, 3in connected segments, effectively doubling the length of the blade in a second. The tip screamed through the air towards Auzs chest and would be able to extend an extra 2 feet beyond that.

[Doc Doctor]

@Xavier Bloodbayne

It was a good thing Auz had cleared his mind, otherwise he'd have probably been too confused to react immediately. As it was, his senses were fast enough to keep up with his body. He slid his right foot back, twisted his body sideways, and leaned away, all in the same, fluid motion with nearly flawless mechanical skill. Nearly. It had been a fast surprise attack, after all, there was little chance of Auz getting out unscathed. A normal stab would have glanced off of Auz's breastplate as he turned himself to the side, but at these speeds steel was but a paltry defense. A groove was gouged over Auz's right pectoral, biting into flesh and reaching the bone. Instead of shying away from the pain, Auz darted a blurring skip forwards along the outside of Xavier's extended weapon, paying careful attention to spacing to ensure that he could keep his opponent in slashin' range. Were Auz to get close enough, then with his left foot leading and his right crushing a furrow into the ground with the forces exerted, his raised sword would spite the air with its speed, literally whistling as it seared a horizontal arc for the base of the front of Xavier's neck. Auz wasn't hitting like a bantamweight anymore. From this point on, the intensity of his attacks would be of such magnitude that even a monster like Xavier might feel the old reaper looming behind him, a pair of bony hands massaging his shoulders. At any rate, this meant that Auz was reaching his blade over Xavier's own, but due to his superior acceleration, it'd be a nigh improbable feat for the blood-manipulator to bring his long right weapon up in time to guard. Mayhaps he could shorten his sword just as effectively for close combat, but even then the timing would be tighter than a triple granny knot.

[Xavier Bloodbayne]

@Doc Doctor

It was not necessary to use the right handed weapon, Xavier had feigned an opening for this very reason. The muscles of his upper left arm suddenly tensed as the first blade cut into Auzs arm. It had been wounded yes, but the metallic stitching across his wound was anything but a stitching. A quiet *click* sounded from his left arm just as the metallic strands on his arm began to gleam as they were retracted. The blade on his left hand began to expand as it was swung only a foot. In this instant another key feature of the blade was shown. Each blade segment was capable of shifting 160 degrees to either the left pr right. Xaviers swing generated an incredible amount of forward momentum as the segments began to be created. Upon the creation of the first his arm was snapped to a sudden stop, transferring the momentum towards the tip.

It created a sort of wave with the sections that would begin small at the hilt. Only for the impact zone to grow as the blade flew. The air itself was torn by the blades force and perfect edges, creating dark red streaks in its wake. The attack zone went from 3 inches, to 2 foot across just before the intended horizontal impact with Auzs lower abdomen. With the speed of Auzs counter he would be hard pressed to make a successful dodge.

Meanwhile, behind Auz, the first of the blades had circled back and was headed back to join the fight. It would only arrive a time after the first blade did or did not make contact.

[Doc Doctor]

@Xavier Bloodbayne

Xavier might have expected his opponet to get close, but his feint was an opening before the superior speed of Auz. After all, the fleet swordsman's counter came immediately after Xavier's initial attack, and so at the very best Xavier could expect to launch his second at the same time as Auz's, whose blow would be faster, and hence might land first. If Xavier wasn't devoting any attention to stopping Auz's swing, then he'd probably wind up without a head. It'd be worth noting that since Auz was aiming for the base of the neck, the chance of Xavier having second thoughts and trying to duck or otherwise Matrix his way out (without having intended to do so until having seen the conclusion of his own counter) would be slim to none. He was trying to beat Auz at his own game. That being said, Xavier's attack probably would land, as Auz was in the midst of his swing.

*A single trade, a split second fight. The most likely result? Two deaths, Auz sheared by Xavier's whipswords, Xavier missing a significant fraction of his cranium. The ghosts of both warriors might even spit snarky insults as they waft upwards.*

[Xavier Bloodbayne]

@Doc Doctor
Xaviers attention shifted for an instant to Auzs sword, it seemed a slight miscalculation had been made. Auz had become marginally faster than what had predicted and his sword seemed poised to sink this lesson home. However as quick as Xavier had realized this he also fashioned a rough plan. Visibly, Xavier buckled at the knees, knowing full well he would gain only inches before impact.

Within his body blood and muscle began to shape and harden, specifically within his neck and upper right body. Outside the blood which had collected on his throat lurched towards the side of his neck. This blood would not move directly to the impact point, but instead to the outer perimeters of it. Here it would both harden and embed itself within Xaviers skin to connect with the already hardening tissue.

The shape it created was similar to a half oval, with the top curve beginning near Xaviers jaw and the end near his collar bone. This would be supported by a series of stiffening muscles and layers of interior metallic blood to better absorb what impact would still be felt. The goal of this would be to "catch" Auzz blade by its cutting edge using the curved metallic barrier. The blade would cut into Xaviers skin a half inch before meeting this defense. Which if all went to plan would have the blade angled through his neck and out again, towards his right shoulder.

Upon his shoulder the metal had created a type of pauldron which would cover from his sternum and lower right pectoral, up over his shoulder and to the bottom of his shoulder blade. His shoulder blade itself being an extra hunk of metal to cut through. The pauldron was 3 inches thick over the shoulder and thinned out to 2 inches across the rest. It was half the metal on his chest as the rest would not reach in time. Ontop of this pauldron Xavier’s chest muscles had also locked up similar to his neck in anticipation of the damage in an effort to provide more stopping power.

Impact. Xaviers buckled knees dropped his body and raised the impact zone of Auzs blade to below his jaw, in perfect alignment with the metallic curve. If all went well the blade would be given no point in the neck to unload its force, cutting only a chunk of meat from Xaviers throat before being sent to his chest.

Second impact. Xaviers buckled knees come into play again, bowing heavily under the force to absorb whatever impact they would be allotted. The impact would be dispersed against the pauldron, his shoulder blade and outer rib cage as well as various muscles. All of which, except bone, would be attempting to compress ahead of its wounded counterparts to further wedge the blade in place. With any luck diagonally within and halfway through Xaviers right pectoral.

Click Here If You Agree With Above Defense

Not a whimper or a grimace would come from Xavier as strings of his dark red blood flowed around the weapon, shifting to metal in piles along the blade to try and hold it in place. In his boot, a cut from earlier in the battle launches a spike into the ground in hopes of expanding once there and anchoring him. Xavier wanted Auz where he was, the other of his bladed whips was aimed for his back, with more than devious plans in mind. Should it hit, it would attempt to do so in Auz lower left back so that it may enter the body cavity and began to attack from within.

[Doc Doctor]

@Xavier Bloodbayne

Auz's sword indeed got stuck, and at about the same time his right flank was cloven by one whip, opening a cut deep enough to make a gash in the base of one of his lungs, as the other sank into its destination, at the small of Auz's back.

The immortal instinctively tried pulling his sword back after it had landed, only to find that due to his opponent's superior footing, he'd have only wound up jerking himself closer, well within the blood manipulator's reach. Then the pain hit him.

It was so unexpected that he dropped his dagger and pissed himself. Auz tried to suck in a breath with which to scream, but halfway through, a load of blood surged up into his mouth and he jerked violently in revulsion.

Nearly choking, grievously wounded, and with a sickening belch, Auz did the only thing he could do. If only to spite Xavier as some sort of last insult, Auz spewed the mouthful of blood at his opponent's face. SURPRISE. It was enough to get some sweet coverage, very possibly even getting all into Xavier's eyes and mouth. Auz would have traded his left nut at that moment for AIDs. He hoped that it would buy him enough time to actually verbalize a fitting farewell. One with a lot of nice curse words, and maybe a pun or two.

(You still around mang? I intend to see this through to the end. The fat lady has only drawn breath.)

[Doc Doctor]

If Xavier did nothing and froze up, Auz would pick his dagger back up and finish the fella off with a knife to the skull.

[Xavier Bloodbayne]

As the blood came towards him Xavier simply stood unflinching. The blood hit him in his open eyes, coating them entirely. However that dark red energy which quivered behind his eyes seemed to burn it away. Allowing him to hold his gaze on Auzs face should he die here. As the blood dripped down the remainder of his face Xavier would stick his tongue out. Allowing the blood to land upon it before cascading over its sides.

Meanwhile the blade which embedied itself within Auzs lower body would continue to enter. Creating a mound of writhing blades in his lower rear abdomen which was poised to strike. At the same time Xavier called on his left blade, willing it to coil back towards his left hand. The blade would have been on Xaviers right side following his attack on Auz and now as it swung back around it threatened to ensnare Auz. Hopefully wrapping around his body from toe to chest in anticipation.

Xaviers face had contorted itself ton a mixture of concentration and discontent. Now though it seemed to momentarily melt away as a wide, bloody toothed grin slowly appeared on Xaviers face.

[Doc Doctor]

@Xavier Bloodbayne

Xavier's eyes might have been able to burn blood, but unless it vaporized or atomised the fluid, it'd likely leave a stiff, troublesome residue of toasted plasma. Even then, how fast could the energy torch what was before it?

One last race to the finish, and this one lilted in Auz's favor. The coil of Xavier's left sword succeeded in wrapping over Auz's torso, but there'd be no sign of his left arm hanging there. Given a heads up, he might have had time to process this. As it were, the instant the blood met Xavier's eyes, Auz had gone off like a starter pistol. Not to pick up his gauche on the ground, no.



He still had a spare stiletto on his left flank, which would have been drawn out in the same motion Auz had used to bring his left arm up. A good old Wild West quick draw. His movement could easily be interpreted as more futile attempts at trying to jerk his sword out, which had been on Auz's part, a ploy to disguise his plan. With Auz's sword fused to his upper body and his neck wounded and stiffly reinforced, Xavier would find it exceedingly difficult to dodge the attack even /if/ his eyes weren't being obscured for a moment, which would be all Auz needed to cleanly thrust the length of sturdy steel deep through his opponent's right temple and into the brain.

[Xavier Bloodbayne]

To compare the literal meaning of the word 'burn' to what had seemed to happen to the blood would be a mistake. Or perhaps the mistake was in using the word at all as a description. It was not heat that caused the blood to disappear but rather the energy behind his eyes "absorbing" it. However it was not an instantaneous action, allowing Auz to begin his movements unwatched. That smirk which had begun to touch on Xaviers lips widened still, for he did not need his sight now.

The blade which was collecting itself within Auzs body cavity could feel the muscular quivers firing off in his body. The blade itself responded with a slight quiver before blossoming open at those first signs of movement, meaning whether or not Auzs first move was his attack, Xavier's would follow immediately. The size and shape of the collected weapon would have been that of a mini Football in Auzs lower body. It would move quickly but expand slowly, allowing the blades to enter the rib cage for containment. It would need very little time to eviscerate Auz.

So while Xavier could not definitively say which direction the attack was coming from, there was confidence still. Confidence that the total destruction of the striking arms power source would drastically weaken the blow. As Xaviers weapon was embedded within Auz already it would have the advantage of causing immediate damage. They would both undoubtedly find their targets around the same moment. Auzs blade to Xaviers skull and Xaviers blades filling Auzs chest cavity to the base of his neck. The only question now, is which would be enough? Would Auz maintain enough force to drive home a killing blow? Or would Xaviers blades tearing apart his vital organs and muscles rob him of that force?

[Doc Doctor]

@Xavier Bloodbayne

Auz was dealt a mortal blow, however, he had the initiative to pierce Xavier's skull, holding his opponent's head in place with the sword and driving the thin blade home with not just the muscles in his abdomen, but in his arm and legs as well. Were such to occur, then Auz would slump to the ground, losing huge amounts of blood. He'd have just enough time for that farewell he promised.

"Sorry to have 'holed' you up for so long, bastard. I know it was a 'stab' in the dark... UGHHHH..."

*Sad death scene music began playing as Auz gacked, camera view panning up high to get a bird's eye view of the dead*

[Xavier Bloodbayne]

@Doc Doctor

As the cold tip of the dagger found its mark, the broiling energy behind Xaviers eyes seemed to flicker for a moment as his focus went distant. As though he was focusing on something beyond Auz. In that same moment Xaviers lips gave a faint twitch, loosening the smirk he wore by only a fraction. The metal and blood which had covered the majority of his body began to shift again. Though this time it simply lost its form and color, oozing down his chest and off his arms in thick globs.

No longer were Xaviers eyes a dark red color. The energy had all but drained from them, leaving a pair of eyes whose light blue tone was almost unnoticeable now. The firm muscles which had built a stern complexion loosened as well, leaving an almost childlike innocence staring into the distance. This state would last for only a moment before the muscles contorted again. Replacing the stern stare Xavier was known for as Xavier made eye contact with Auz again. As he stared it could be visibly seen that the wounds upon his body were disappearing. The wound in his throat was leaking a dark red mist like substance. Which would appear to simply close the wound back up with not even a scar. Upon his chest was the same event, a wound leaking energy and closing up around the blade embedded within his chest. Xaviers skin was changing as well.

From head to toe Xaviers skin seemed to be burning away and exposing frail ashen skin to the world.

"That only...half works...idi...o-o-t"

When Xavier first spoke, the voice which left his throat was quite noticeably not his own. It's pitch would be a few octaves higher and it's composure shaken. Like that of a child.

As the final syllables echoed into the silence a metallic clang could be heard as the front portion of Auzs blade fell to the floor behind Xavier. The portion that was within his body was simply gone and with it went Xaviers foundation.

Not even a thud had echoed from his body before a thick, dark red energy bolt tore from his body. Entering the sky with a thunderous explosion which would shake the ground and scatter that energy across the world. That bolt of energy would have been Xavier, beaten but not killed. Forced to find another host.

On the ground infront of Auz would be the body of his former host. A frail, malnourished and almost perfectly persevered teenage body with its arms wrapped across its chest. Adorned in rotting cotton clothes. The different orifices of its upper body were caked with the remnants of a thick black substance. Pieces of which could be found on the soil around the bodies face. The body was in nearly perfect condition, save for the dagger which protruded from its skull.

There would however be no evidence of these two bodies for wanderers to find. As a matter of fact this land would no longer see any travelers. For in only a few minutes the ground around the dead bodies would begin to crack and fissure. Opening up a sinkhole almost 60 feet wide and 30 feet deep into which the bodies were lost. For a thick black liquid began to fill this sink hole. Filling it up to the brim with the black liquid.

What had been created was known in Xaviers world as the Black Lake. The very place responsible for Xavier coming into being in the first place. This would be the only thing to remain of their battle. A horrid and evil scar that would in time give birth to Xavier Bloodbayne once more.