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"Ah, this is unexpected! Figured he'd attack her and get put down by the guards. He's a brave one." Bast muttered.
"How is he brave?" Meliadol glanced from the pair back to Bast, not seeing it. The crowd had already devolved into mutters and whispers at Dethgargar's challenge.
"Aha, well, Darlia is…how should I put this…" Bast thought for a moment, tapping his chin, "Well, she's a PvP fanatic."
"Is she really?" He had issue trying to imagine the woman enthusiastic about anything. She always seemed so detached from things around her.
Bast nodded easily, "She doesn't Player vs Environment, or PvE as its known, which is basically killing monsters and doing quests. She doesn't do crafting or professions. She doesn't collect pets. She doesn't roleplay. None of that, really. All she does is arena and open world PK. She's a well-known regular. Not the best player, since, like the real world, Nevergarden is full of people better than you, but in the PvP circles, she is known as a good player. Like I said, Deth is quite brave to challenge her directly, instead of like ambushing her outside of the city."
"I accept your challenge." Darlia didn't back down, and even Meliadol could see the confident smile that graced her face. "Do you wish to go to the arena?"
"No, we'll duel right here. Let everyone see me faceplant your ass!"
Darlia shrugged in a motion that seem to imply that it was Dethgargar's loss, which only infuriated the berserker further. Dethgargar's eyes flashed blue and a large flag materialized in the air. Down it came, jamming into the stone street, wobbling slightly.
By this time, a thick crowd had formed in a circle around the two. People were always willing to spectate drama, and the moment the duel flag dropped, a hush fell across everyone. As one, they edged back, giving the two combatants room for a proper duel.
"I bet Darlia will win!"
"No way, berserkers have an advantage in this matchup!"
"Why is he picking on a girl?"
"I can't believe they're doing this in the city!"
Everyone began to to whisper among themselves, but Darlia ignored them, her crimson eyes turning blue as she accepted the duel. A number appeared on the duel flag, counting down, and the pair took up combat stances.
3,2,1…
The flag disappeared…
With a roar, Dethgargar charged in, each step punctuated by a swing of his mighty sword. Darlia was already moving, twisting and turning, just barely out of reach of the berserker's attacks. With a spin she ducked under the massive weapon, drawing one of her four swords in the process.
Skkkttttttttt!
Dethgargar caught it barehanded, sparks flying from his Iron Skin ability! But Darlia didn't stop, actually letting go of her sword, drawing another from the opposite side. The hilt jammed into the berserker's throat, rocking him back.
"Silent Thrust." Bast murmured, explaining the fight to a wide-eyed Meliadol, "A lot of berserker abilities are vocal, called shouts, but by using that ability, she limits the amount of options Deth has. The attack, if it hits the throat, has a hundred percent chance to silence you see. Generally its used against magic casters, but it has uses against certain non-casters as well. Also, she's being unusually aggressive. Most blade dancers aren't this in your face."
Bast wasn't wrong; Darlia continued to move in, as if she had no concern for defense. To Meliadol's confusion she tossed the second sword into the air after the Silent Thrust, the weapon spinning as her last two swords came out! She began to turn, her swords leading with each spin. Faster and faster she struck, gouts of blood erupting from the berserker's chest.
Right as the tossed sword was about to fall completely, she tossed her right hand sword up, catching the other sword behind her back, continuing the combo without even so much of a stutter in her rhythm. And so it began, swords flying everywhere, each attack increasing in speed until she was a twisting blur.
…no…wait…there was two swords in the air now! What?
Meliadol didn't know how it happened, but somehow Darlia had gotten all four of her swords. At any given point two were being juggled, and she caught them, or used her feet to kick them up again. Anything to continue her deadly dance of steel.
Dethgargar seemed unable to mount a defense, his flailing greatsword doing little to stop the blade dancer. He was on his heels, constantly retreating. At some point, Darlia's arm bandages must have loosened, for they now twirled along with her, like streamers, adding a beauty to her graceful movements.
Yet, something seemed off. The bandages moved weirdly…
"Whirlwind of Biting Steel." Bast sighed, "It's just like her to play her trump card so early."
"She's kicking the shit out of him." Meliadol said, not understanding Bast's words.
"I would hope she was. Considering that's she's even doing her little 'trick'. It's no wonder he's having an issue even defending."
"Trick?"
"Watch her swords that she throws. She's not doing it at random. Look at when she catches them. That isn't just something she's doing no reason or for style points. She's either using them to direct or mislead her opponent's attention, or she's using it block his line of sight. With her sleight of hand, he can't mount a defense because he has no idea where the attack is coming from."
Meliadol started watching Darlia's movements at Bast's suggestion, trying to apply what he had learned. It was hard, because the sword dancer moved so rapidly, but like a curtain, it was gradually revealed. It was as the berserker said! To think that someone was capable of putting this much thought into a fight! This was almost too high level for him to fathom.
"So…she's gonna win, huh?"
Bast chuckled, wincing as a particularly vicious slash from Darlia caused blood to spray all over the cobble road. "You'd think that." he began, arms crossed, "But you're too inexperienced to understand that the real fight hasn't even started yet."
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