Two fighters, both in unusual guards but having taken them for different reasons, stand 6 ft apart from one another.
"This test will be in two parts to see the full range of your skill, each of extreme simplicity. First you will attack me with all you can. Secondly, you will defend from my strike. For the first you may use any means at your disposal, for the second you must receive my strike with your sword. Begin your first test when ready" said Gabriel.
Cyrus, now of his other half, calmly reasoned in his mind "I know far too little about swordsmanship to possibly attack him properly. Magic is my best chance to catch him off guard, especially so when I have no idea what he is doing with that stance. His sword is slanted downwards and towards me with the point at my feet… it seems as if he is full of openings. Is this his mercy or some kind of trap?"
Temporarily pushing his reasonings to the side, he made his plan the best he could giving what information he could glean from his opponent before moving into action. With one hand he modified the surrounding death essence, making full utilization of his Mors domain of magic. With the other he kept his sword, of which had aroused a few murmurs of surprise and recognition from the peanut gallery, on his shoulder as more of an ornament than anything else. He coalesced a thick mist of shadow and death essence, slowly coating himself and his blade in it to obscure readability of his moves. It was so thick, in fact, that some of it even reached the soles of his feet. Seeping into the ground ever so slightly, causing the grass around him to rot. Curiously to Gabriel, Cyrus stood there and used the entirety of his will reserves for what should have been an ordinary spell. Nevertheless, with his preparation complete, Cyrus charged forward towards Gabriel now with two hands on his sword.
Not bothering to figure out the mystery behind his opponent's stance, Cyrus struck directly at his opponent's torso hoping to provoke a reaction. Gabriel, who had difficulty seeing exactly where Cyrus would strike due to his magic, brought his sword in a fast uppercut which would catch the sword no matter where it struck. The two swords met with one another as both had expected, with Gabriel then riding the edge with a step towards Cyrus in a fast maneuver. As he did, however, the ground behind him exploded open as a deformed skeleton of a man leapt out of the ground and jumped towards his back, full of a blind and ravenous hunger for the bountiful life force contained within. Slightly shocked, yet not blinded, Gabriel changed his edge slide into a lock and forced Cyrus back with a quick shove. He then turned around with inhuman speed and bisected the undead from head to toe before snapping back towards Cyrus with his sword resting on his shoulder ready to strike with full force, all within the same breath.
Not willing to forgo his sole opportunity, Cyrus produced various flying knives from who knows where, launching them towards Gabriel's sole opening in his war gear as he was knocked back. Each knife was thrown in such a way that if Gabriel were to simply move his head to dodge, the next one would surely find its mark to compensate. In response, his opponent simply moved his sword forwards with the point facing his enemy and the blade almost parallel to the ground. Mimicking a spear almost, putting his steel sword as a point for his enemy to run into if he were to advance. As he did this, with one slight motion he looked towards the ground to allow the projectiles to harmlessly bounce off the top of his helmet. Cyrus considered attacking once more, with yet another opportunity created by his opponents' defensive measure, but he did not. Instead he simply stood there in his familiar defensive stance, awaiting the next test. Thus, marked the end of the first test with but a mere few exchanges lasting no longer than a dozen seconds.
Gabriel looked up, somewhat curious as to why Cyrus had not followed up and asked
"Why did you not persist, that was a brilliant set of moves no doubt, yet was the purpose not to allow you more room to press the attack?"
Replying Cyrus stonily and without any apparent embarrassment said, "Indeed. With much regret, I severely lack attacking methods as I have only really studied and put to use defensive measures with my mentor. I did not have a real method of answering your final move, as any quick thrust could have easily ended with me in check. The moment my knives were countered all roads led to my defeat. If practicing what I was taught and assuming this was a real fight, I would have run the moment you began to counter my knives"
Nodding in approval Gabriel said, "Good, and logical no doubt. Testing your enemy's strengths with your own while leaving room to disengage if the difference proves too great. From your misdirection with your magic, making me believe you were merely setting up a strong defensive measure, to responding fluidly with a ranged attack once you were forced back. Not to mention making amazing use of the terrain, searching for and making full use of the opportunity that was a convenient corpse in the ground. Nevertheless, I believe everyone agrees with me as to how competent you are." Gabriel gave a once over towards the spectators, particularly focusing on Fauve, before continuing "All right, the first test is over. Now for the second, where all you must do is fight a single defensive exchange with me. I will match my strength with yours so what will truly be tested is your technique. Prepare yourself!"
Cyrus, who was still in his defensive stance with the sword at waist level slightly angled towards the enemy, was feeling somewhat confident in the second test.
"I have far more experience with this half of swordsmanship, having practiced on dozens of real opponents in the desert. While none of them have even the skill of one of Gabriel's toes at least I understand what I am doing" thought Cyrus in passing as he prepared to take the first strike.
Gabriel raised his sword with both hands towards his right shoulder while slightly twisting his body away from Cyrus. He then, in one alarmingly fast motion and containing his entire bodies force, cut towards his opponent in one deft downwards swing. In reaction, Cyrus brought his blade up and attempted to parry and slide towards Gabriel as had been attempted on him in the first test. Yet, as if history were dead set on repeating itself, Cyrus noticed that the amount of force generated by the opposing sides attack was far too much for him to parry as he was. In an uncanny move of immense dexterity, he shifted from parrying to a deflect and allowed the opposing blade to slide off to the side. Bringing his blade from his top left he brings it around to the right in a twirl, generating force with the movement, and hacks at his opponent's neck. As quick as the strike was, it was stopped by Gabriel's blade just before it reached its destination, who had recovered by quickly shifting his balance and bringing his deflected blade back up to lock Cyrus' blade in place once more. Now in a dead lock, as the two had the exact same strength, they both shifted their weight in the same instant in order to kick at the other. Noticing this, Gabriel laughed before saying
"All right second test is over, while I may have a few more tricks to bring this to a halt I believe this is enough."
Cyrus, understanding that Gabriel had arranged this to purposefully make him look good by showing off his good sides, nodded in understanding and disengaged. Sheathing his sword and taking off his mask, quietly enduring a slight backlash as all his suppressed emotions came rushing back, he did a long formal bow while saying, "Thank you for the duel, Honoris."
This time Gabriel saluted in response, bringing his hand to his right temple, "It was my pleasure Cyrus" opting to use his name instead of his title.
As the two sheathed their swords, the peanut gallery finished their hushed discussions of the spectacle and began to walk towards Cyrus. At the head of them was Fauve, who's forever scowl had a slight hint of approval on it. "Passable for one who has yet to even begin his formal education, barely" said Fauve as he reached Cyrus, patting him on the shoulder… giving Cyrus somewhat mixed signals.
"Now, let me formally introduce you to some of your mentor's most trusted retinue" said Gabriel as he joined in with the crowd.