District Four Tournament Semi-Finals: Krigel vs Ellesmere

[lance]

The heat has returned with a vengeance on the third day, the sun rising in a cloudless sky and the overall feel of the day feeling more like summer than spring. Hot, bright, and merry - it's almost a shame that the vast majority of the crowds are here for a competition instead of merriment.

The critics had almost seen what should have been a statistical impossibility. The skeptics were starting to sweat. And the Games fanatics were lamenting what could have been instead of what was. For three out of the four combatants with Leon Krigel's blood flowing through their veins had triumphed, had prevailed, had secured themselves a spot in the top four. But though two of his children had prevailed and a cousin had likewise advanced, out of what could have been the answer to a guaranteed Krigel victory instead found the most unlikely of sources emerge the victor - a no-name warrior from an island home who had unequivocally named himself the dark horse of the tournament as the first to knock one of District Four's golden children out of the tournament. The odds of a Krigel victory had gone from twenty five percent, to fifty percent, to seventy five percent - would the day end with the triple digits, or a dip where there had only been rises?

That question would be answered with the first matchup of the day. The maverick versus the unlikely, an underdog no one had ever heard of before versus the Krigel that everyone had forgotten about. For what was an outlier in a tournament when the children of a Victor were making waves? What was a cousin of a family that had gained everything in one Games and lost most of it three years later? Neither of them were the golden children, the spoiled brats who everyone was looking to carry on Leon's legacy. But right now, that did not matter. In a few moments, one of those outliers would find himself propelled to a chance at the crown, while the other would once again fade into obscurity as nothing more but a novelty. Only time would tell which boy would fall into which role.

This fight consists of Jorah Krigel (Cato) vs Gander Ellesmere (Zori)

[Noah Vau - D2 (Cato)]

Jorah Krigel

Once again I have proven myself, and I plan on doing the same thing again. I am ready to show just how strong I am. I believe in myself, but I am getting tired. Taking blows is starting to take a toll, but I am a Krigel, and I will fight to the best of my ability. Not many of us remain, and I am here to make it to the end and win it all. I know my opponents will continue getting stronger as we get closer to the end. I know that I have to focus on that. I just have to trust myself in all of this. I listen to the roaring of the crowd, and it makes me anxious, but I put those thoughts away.

I look at my opponent, and I am ready to begin. I grip the trident and trust it like I have done so many times before. I am ready to go. I just have to wait for the moment it begins. I nod my head slightly unsure of what to expect, but I know they're getting the full on force of me, Jorah Krigel. I take a deep breath, and when it's time, I don't hold back. "Please focus on the duel hmm? My last two opponents did not."

Seventeen | Distirct Four

[googlefont="Oswald:400"]

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3022 -- Deep Gash on Neck -- 10.0 damagespear

[marguerite harvard d2a (zori)]

Gander Ellesmere

Welcome to the land where the winters try to kill us and we say,
"we will not be killed."
Welcome to the land where the waters try to drown us and we said,
"we will not be drowned."
Welcome to the land where we lost our loved ones and we said,
"we will still go on"
Welcome to the land where winds try to blow, and we said
"No!"

Ages ago there were men who would come to the island to escape. Trouble with the law, debt, all the sorts of things that sent men and women away from warm beds and fuller hearts. They found a jagged rock of land, with its crags and muted greens and decided to call it home. This was better, they reasoned, in a space they could be free.

And so the years went on, families building houses of wood and stone along the cliffside. They taught their children how to make a fire, how to fish, how to live days out under the stars. They dropped letters in words and added an ‘s’ where there shouldn’t have been, but they understood one another just fine.

Gander wanted to believe that he was stronger than a set of words thrown at him by some stupid mainlander. He spent the evening wrapped in a blanket, under a little lean-to he’d constructed from some driftwood and a tarp.

We don’t want you here.

He didn’t want her wounds to become infected or gangrenous, but the more he turned the words over in his head, the more he wished something would happen. Of course, it never worked that way in life, did it? They lived on an island off the coast, and minded their own business. Didn’t bother anyone so long as they didn’t have to be bothered.

But he’d gone and tried to take something that they – district four, the Krigels – thought belonged just to them. He was a foreigner here, an unknown. So perhaps, he thought, he should’ve known that they would disregard his existence. As long as they stayed within the approximation of who they were to be (less than the mainland), and what they deserved (to fall), that would’ve been enough.

Gander didn’t hate her, though. He was upset at how he felt, and that he’d let her get the better of him that way. There was no use in hating someone he hardly knew. She had a lot more disappointment in her heart from losing to him than he would’ve to her, and if this was the hill upon which she’d rest such anger, was bound to have a lot more disappointments in life.

He woke in the morning still aching from wounds on his chest and legs. He dawdled on the beach, and stopped to see that of the four names remaining, his was the only one not to be a Krigel. It stuck with him for only a moment, until he saw that even after this match, no matter the result, he’d have to stay another day.

“Feck me.”

The boy who faced him was striking, and certainly a more imposing figure than Arie had been. When the match started, he called out to Gander, 'Please focus on the duel hmm? My last two opponents did not,' which was all he needed to hear.

“Aye,” He said with a nod.

Of course – this boy showed he was not playing any games, slicing right across Gander’s neck and hard. He hissed, and felt the blood come down his back in spurts. He angled his own trident and turned. With a feint at the boy’s stomach, he stabbed hard at his side.

[Gander attacks Jorah Krigel with his trident]
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[result: 3122 -- Shallow Cut on Left Thigh -- 3.5 damage (Spear)]

*Welcome to the Rock, Come From Away

spear

[Noah Vau - D2 (Cato)]

Jorah Krigel

My body is aching, but I am far from finished. I know what has to happen, what I need to do, and starting this duel off strong is incredibly important. I must keep myself at the ready with every blow. I will not let him bring me down. I look around for a moment, and hearing him agree to remain quiet is exactly what I need, but I realize this duel isn’t going to be easy. I can’t use my silent mind tricks to break the stones of talking. I actually kind of like it this way. Two men fighting together for one thing. I am not afraid, and I’ll never be afraid.

I know I have it in me, and watching the blood rush from the gaping hole, I feel like I have every ounce of strength surging through me. I watch as his attack and see it coming, and I move out of the way at the last possible second. A small cut doesn’t hurt, but it’s one to make me realize I once again need to keep him on read while reading his motions. Some of the best duelists are capable of seeing every attack before it comes, and I want to be one of them. I ready myself once more, pivot on my toes bringing the trident into the air doing what I can to keep myself in control so I don’t forget who I am.

Seventeen | Distirct Four

[googlefont="Oswald:400"]

81kNdx2bPEspear
3108 -- Shallow Cut on Left Bicep -- 3.5 damage

3.5/25spear

[marguerite harvard d2a (zori)]

Gander Ellesmere

Welcome to the land where the winters try to kill us and we say,
"we will not be killed."
Welcome to the land where the waters try to drown us and we said,
"we will not be drowned."
Welcome to the land where we lost our loved ones and we said,
"we will still go on"
Welcome to the land where winds try to blow, and we said
"No!"

This time, the Krigel boy catches him on the arm. Gander pushes back through the sand, and holds his trident to make sure there isn’t another frontal strike. He reminds him of Colt, the way that he’d rather fight in silence until the match is over. He’d have had less trouble in this tournament than Gander, though he imagines a certain quiet pride from his brother that Gander had made it as far as he had.

The islander presses around in a circle with the boy, and presses out the thought of those watching, the mainlanders rooting for some sort of legacy battle. Gander was right there, but, not having someone’s blood apparently made them less interesting. Maybe the islanders had figured it out a lot sooner, that wanting some sort of name or legacy is what led to enslavement and destruction in the first place. He reasoned they’d never figure it out, from what he’d seen. They liked having someone to praise and lead them a lot more than his kin did.

He stepped left, then right. He brought the trident down, and jabbed hard at the boy’s legs, before swinging his trident back.

[Gander attacks Jorah Krigel with his trident]
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[result: 3129 -- Shallow Cut on Left Bicep -- 3.5 damage (Spear) ]

13.5/25

*Welcome to the Rock, Come From Away

spear

[Noah Vau - D2 (Cato)]

Jorah Krigel

Just a little more. That's all I have left in me, and I really need some water, but I can wait. I'm capable of waiting and being strong, but my mouth is dry and it's getting hard to even breathe, but I am here to make an impression. I want to live my life to the fullest every single day, and right now that's what I am doing. It's exhilarating fighting along side the best. Maybe some are having bad days, maybe they're not. I like to think everyone is doing the best they can though. I just need a little more time to really leave my mark and make really big impression that if I'm ever on the games, I'll fight and come out on top. I just don't know what else to do.

I take a breath ignoring the sweat dripping from my brow. I feel like a hot mess right now, but it doesn't matter. All I have to do is grit my teeth and do what's best for me and nobody else. I ready the weapon to the best of my ability. This is the ultimate test, and I have to succeed. I take another deep breath this time steadying myself. I take a step balancing the way I've been taught, and this time I become one with the trident. I am in control.

Seventeen | Distirct Four

[googlefont="Oswald:400"]

7qIDRzQ5NKspear
3001 -- Deep Gash on Left Forearm -- 8.0 damage

7/25spear

[marguerite harvard d2a (zori)]

Gander Ellesmere

Welcome to the land where the winters try to kill us and we say,
"we will not be killed."
Welcome to the land where the waters try to drown us and we said,
"we will not be drowned."
Welcome to the land where we lost our loved ones and we said,
"we will still go on"
Welcome to the land where winds try to blow, and we said
"No!"

This boy had the heart of a warrior, that much was sure. Gander appreciated the tenacity, and that there was nothing to follow his blows but more blows. He felt more at home then than he had in the past two days, even if the match seemed to be tilting out of his favor. Gander had already gotten farther than he’d needed at this point; it wasn’t as though he needed to bring unneeded attention to himself or the island by making the finale of the tournament.

Still, it meant not giving up. That much he owed his opponent, and in a way, himself. He could hold his own, and his training by islanders had given him enough skill to last this long. Even as he failed to dodge another deep blow to his arm, he spat out on the sand and kept going. That was what he’d always been taught – he’d drowned for it – that there was no end until the final end.

So he shifted left and slashed again, this time too short on purpose, before rushing forward with a deep jab.

[Gander attacks Jorah Krigel with his trident]
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21.5/25
[result: 3165 -- Shallow Cut on Right Thigh -- 3.5 damage (Spear) ]

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[Noah Vau - D2 (Cato)]

Jorah Krigel

For whatever reason this fuel seems so much easier than the ones before. Maybe he's tired. Maybe he's given up. Maybe he has a trick up his sleeve. Whatever it may be, I am ready. I am prepared. Just keep going and doing what I am doing that's all I can do. I have to live up to the Krigel legacy, and I have to make sure that everything falls into place, but I can't get cocky. I can't let myself forget the true meaning of this fight. Right now everything is falling into place, and I am here right now in this moment. Silence surrounds me as the crowd is on their feet. I'm unsure what will happen, but this trident is an extension of my arm.

I think back to the training and all that I've been taught. I think back to the moments that I stood wide eyed wondering what would happen next. While this isn't the hunger games, it's where I belong. I am meant to stand tall and take it all. This is my Dream. A goal. My first steps towards making myself have a legacy like my family. I take a breath calming the nerves jittering inside. It's not over until it's over, and all I can do is never give up and stay calm.

Seventeen | Distirct Four

[googlefont="Oswald:400"]

mqaIiUvTsvspear
3057 -- Shallow Cut on Forehead -- 4.5 damagespear