Sathanas Rex

[Unranked] Sathanas Rex vs Melonhead

Florian blinked. He knew there were two kinds of people in this world: those who were immediately on guard when an opponent presented an invite, and those who attacked blindly into it. He had hoped Brennus wasn't the latter, but this too would be interesting.

It appeared Florian's simple ruse had succeeded. Brennus moved his right foot forward, striking in gran passata towards his left shoulder. A gran passata allowed the fighter to cover large distances, but was difficult to control. Florian knew this very well.

With a practiced movement, he brought his left foot forward in passata and parried Brennus' attack, moving his arm above his head, so as to position Florian's sword horizontally, point facing left, protecting his upper left body, where Brennus was attacking. His own passata allowed him to reach grappling distance -- but Florian had the advantage, since Brennus' movement would take several moments to complete, and his sword was already caught by Florian's parry.

As the gladiator completed his movement, Florian moved to grab his sword hand. If this succeeded, he would disengage his blade and take Brennus' head cleanly off.

[Unranked] Sathanas Rex vs Melonhead

The warrior wasn't actually that tall, now that Florian stood closer to him. Still, he was bulky and as menacing as he was twenty feet away, if not more. After flexing for the crowd a bit Brennus assumed a very defensive guard, left side facing his right, sword close to his body. Surprisingly defensive, for a gladiator who fought for sport. Maybe he valued his life? Interesting. It was at no risk now.

Florian debated flexing for the crowd, but he knew it wouldn't have the same effect. He assumed a second position invite. His sword, in his right hand, was pointed diagonally to his left, leaving his upper body entirely uncovered. Grinning, legs bent, Florian shifted his weight slightly forward, hoping to give the impression he was closer than he actually was. Like so, Florian watched his opponent. This was rather more exciting than his food, he had to say.

"Beautiful weather, right?" he said, still smiling widely.

The crowd behind them watched, silent and wide-eyed. Florian hoped matronae everywhere were swooning.

"And so, our two brave contestants face off!" the manager said. "Will this mysterious blond man take down our champion, or will Brennus' rule remain uncontested?"

Oh yes. That was something for the Annales all right.

[Unranked] Sathanas Rex vs Melonhead

shhh he's an imposing and menacing man. Though Florian is taller than him, now that you mention it.

[Unranked] Sathanas Rex vs Melonhead

*quietly tags @MelonHead*

**

Florian faced his opponent, determination in his eyes.

The plate of cold meat occupied most of the large table in front of him. It appeared as impassive as it was five minutes prior.

I will eat you. Florian thought. He had no choice, really. He'd paid for the thing already. A King's meal, the innkeeper had told him. Composed only of the finest meat, sculpted so perfectly a greek would cry, dripping with fat and juice, like some sort of cannibal's cornucopia. Limited time only. Its very appearance was daring Florian to take it on. He was not at fault.

Florian glanced up at Lucian. The innkeeper stared back at him smugly. He'd placed the plate at his table with a certain weight to his movement. The others around Florian were eating their bread and garum quietly, looking down at their plates. Florian had seen Marcus and his parasites tackling the beast in front of him the day before. It was then he'd decided to try it. Of course, there had been four of them, and only one of him. But such odds had never scared Florian Eleuterios.

He was about to take his first bite when he heard a commotion outside. A man rushed inside, eyes alight.

"Lucian!" he exclaimed. "Come see! An Icatian gladiator has just arrived! He's in the plaza doing some demonstrations."

"An Icatian gladiator?" Lucian's eyebrows raised.

"Yeah, some big brute with crazy brown and blond hair," the man replied.

"Oh yeah, I think my cousin told about someone like that," another man in a corner said. "He was in Rome a few weeks ago, apparently that gladiator placed quite highly in the games."

Florian's ears perked up. A renowned fighter, up here in Mediolanum? This was news. He bolted up, turning in the same movement.

"What are you doing, Florian," Lucian said. "You haven't even started eating."

"If I am to die," Florian began, raising a finger skyward, "it will not be at the hands of grease, but that of a mighty warrior!"

Lucian sighed deeply.

"I say we go and take a look at this famous gladiator," Florian continued. "I will challenge him to a duel. If I win, you will eat that monstrosity at my table with me."

"And if you lose?"

"Why, I will buy another!"

**

The gladiator was indeed big, and was indeed strong. He loomed in the center of the theater, as two others circled him. They attacked the man simultaneously. Brennus sidestepped to the left, grabbed one, and threw him bodily onto the second.

The crowd cheered.

"Brennus!" yelled a third man, in a safe corner. He faced the crowd. "The greatest prodigy Rome's arena's have seen since the time of heroes!"

Brennus flexed his muscles appropriately. Florian grinned. Evidently, this was a practiced routine. His manager was good.

"Dare any of you stand up on this theater and challenge him?" the man in the corner continued. "Fifty denarii to any who can best him!"

The crowd exploded. There was a small riot as some threw themselves towards the theater and others rushed to pull them back. Florian dodged a flailing limb and jumped up.

"I will!" he exclaimed.

There was silence.

Florian glanced back at Lucian, who was standing a few meters from the crowd. He winked.

"I challenge Brennus the gladiator to a duel!" Florian repeated himself.

"Come forth, challenger!" the manager bellowed. "State your name!"

Florian clambered on the stage. He unclasped his cloak and let it fall to the ground theatrically.

"I am Florian the Free," he said, trying to have himself heard above the crowd's roaring. "And I am here to have my name sung throughout Mediolanum!" He raised his arms like the imperators in their triumphs. The crowd's roaring intensified.

"I am also here to avoid dying of indigestion," he muttered to himself, "but nobody needs to know that."

The manager scrambled to clear everyone off the arena. The men Brennus had previously beaten up hopped down the stage lithely. The crowd slowly quieted as the two contendents eyed each other.

Florian picked up two wooden longswords that had been discarded in a corner. He tossed one to the gladiator and winked.

"Nobody wants to get hurt here."

Arena Chat Thread

@MelonHead I was looking in the wrong place then. Brennus seems like a fair foe for Florian, if you'll spar me.

Arena Chat Thread

@MelonHead yes you did, many months ago ^^ I don't recall if we ever finished that though.

The only character I have so far, Florian, is very much a regular human. The characters I see in your roster are all powered, definitely too strong for him. Maybe I'm not seeing the one you're talking about. A battle with a normal character would be great.

Arena Chat Thread

I have no clue how this new person found out that we're a secret society of warrior trees so quickly, but someone here must be a snitch. This sets our plans back 20 years!

Maybe I can come out with a sentient tree character that's of normal power level, or at least the offspring it sends out to fight for it. It's nuts can grow out warriors linked to the entire tree in mind.

@ImportantNobody

hahaha... gnarly.

*cough*

Arena Chat Thread

@Sathanas Rex Hmm. I don't have any normal characters though, only powered. XD

My fallacy, I guess. :P

@DJAtomika

oh woe. I suppose I'll wait for somebody with a normal character to show up then.

Arena Chat Thread

@DJAtomika yes sir/m'am/tree, in the arena rankings character sheet area, I have all of one shiny character. His name is Florian, and he likes gentlemanly bouts. Normal power level, because I'll deal with magic and superpowers after I deal with how to fight in this forum.

Arena Chat Thread

I've been told this is a good place to ask people for unranked spars. Is someone willing to show a no0b the ropes?