By Way of Shadows (Structured Open Challenge [IN PROGRESS])

[Leo the Night Man]

Been getting bored lately so I decided to throw this out here for a moderately structured RP battle. Standard rules for RPing so no god-modding, powerplaying, things of that sort. 1 v 1 so make it interesting for me by sending your template to me via PM and I'll copy/paste it in here.

The Stage

Spoiler:

The First Actor: The Phantom
Name: Aeldo
Age: 18
Appearance: Aeldo can be described as a run-of-the-mill wetboy (another term for assassin) adorned in well-worn black leather armor (which includes a hood and mask) befitting those who lurk in the darkness. The armor appears to be tight and restricting yet allows total freedom of movement, allowing Aeldo to accomplish stunning acrobatic feats. His figure is that of a slim and athletic type, a frame that boasts speed and precision rather than strength and fortitude. Although his black hood and mask usually conceal his face, under the mask is a relatively handsome face under an indifferent expression which he wears almost permanently. With brown skin, shaved black hair and sharp, focused dark brown eyes, Aeldo emits an atmosphere of deadly awareness. This atmosphere is slightly set off by his height (around 5'11") and weight (about 150 lbs).

Equipment: Aeldo's arsenal of weapons and supportive gear have been created to allow for efficiency and versatility. Aeldo's staple weapons are a pair of custom twin daggers. The daggers were crafted in way that allowed them to be able to endure clashing with heavy longswords and maces but at the same time extremely light. With a curved black nine inch blade, half inch width and an acute tip, the two weapons relinquish the best of both worlds for slashing and stabbing areas of the body even through miniature gaps in armor. In addition to this, a slim groove in the middle of the daggers serves as a cradle for poisons, allowing them to be constantly applied with ease.

Aeldo is also equipped with a multitude of black throwing darts that can be thrown from moderate distances. In addition to these supportive tools are smoke bombs, flash pellets and a set poison vial that contain a slow, lethal toxin that slowly worsens as time passes.

Abilities: Aeldo is the product of his deceased master who was known as the greatest wetboy of the era. Trained in the art of stealth and subtle murder, Aeldo's training makes him a silent, agile, and efficient killing machine. These abilities have been sharpened by years of intense training and application. His unarmed combat styles is comprised of quick, precise strikes to pressure points of the body (which derive from a mastery of human anatomy) and sensitive areas for an opportunistic fighting style that capitalizes on weakness. Because of the nature of the style, users are nimble and adept at evasion and counterattacking. This style is slightly contrasted when Aeldo is armed, focusing on vital organs and key areas of the circulatory and respiratory systems, slashing away at critical arteries and tendons to stabbing at kidneys and joints.

Included with his martial training, Aeldo has also taken up the illusion school of magic to contributed to his survivability and efficiency. With a flick of his finger and a single whisper, Aeldo can disappear and become invisible, make his footsteps inaudible, conjure identical images of himself controlled by his will that act as diversions and projecting physical afterimages that replicate his previous movements.

Finally, Aeldo has been blessed by the Night Angels, shadowy spirits that select those worthy enough to receive their the three marks. The first mark, the Signet of Insight, provides the bearer with reflexes that almost reach superhuman levels. The second mark, the Signet of Celerity, allows the bearer to move faster than the naked eye. And the final mark, the Signet of Strife, which grants the bearer extreme amounts of stamina.

The Second Actor: The Ashbringer

Originally Posted by joon61

Name:Kirito strife
Age:20
Appearance:

Spoiler:

Equipment:He carries 2 20 inch swords on his back. He also carries 4 semi automatic pistols.
Abilities: Has complete manipulation of fire and ash. He can burn stuff to ashes and either use it for energy, or return it to it's normal state. He can also course ash energy through his swords, which will turn anything they touch,to ash. He can also ignite his fist to move at great speeds.

He is a master swordsman and has the skill to wield 2 swords at once. He can easily juggle them in the air to pull out his gun,shoot 6 bullets,and put it back in his holster.

He also knows Tae Kwon Do. He uses his mastery of sword skills and and his Tae Kwon Do to overwhelm his opponents.

[joon61]

I walked into a erie forest that seemed to be abandoned. It had a sort of dead feeling to it. Looking up,i could see that it was lots of mist which means that the only way to know weither it's light or dark outside,was to leave the forest."I don't like the air in here." I adjusted my jacket and kept walking though the forest.

After about 5 minutes,i see a man standing in front of me. This forest was already strange enough and i did not need any surprises. But just to be sure i don't kill anyone important,i walk over to the man with my hand behind my head. It looks like i'm rubbing the back of my head. But in reality,i'm holding my sword,ready for anything.

[Leo the Night Man]

The job was pretty simple, none of the details were really left out so a decent handful of information on the target had been given. Kirito Strife, a twenty year old swordsman. The guy looks like he's still a teenager. Aeldo kept his eyes locked on the solitary man he had been sent to kill and adjusted his position in the tree he was perched in. He appreciated the mist that aided to conceal his position along with the dark shroud of the night. Continuing to focus on Kirito Strife, Aeldo made a mental check of his equipment. What do I have on me? Daggers? Yep. Where they sharpened and cleaned before I left out this evening, definitely. Are my darts decently poisoned? Pretty much. How many smoke bombs and flash pellets do I have? No more than what's needed. Good...

He blinked and remained still, taking in his soon to be opponent's actions. Judging by the way Kirito carried himself in this forest, the guy knew to watch his back. He had become uneasy for whatever reason and that troubled Aeldo slightly. In his line of work, targets that could actually tell their head from their asses required a little more studying than usual. The slightest vibration in the ground, awkward weight distribution, and even scent could ruin a preemptive strike. Since ambushing was virtually critical as the first step in victory, messing up usually equated death. He buried his nose in his collar and sniffed himself. Smelling nothing he mentally reassured himself and slowly drew a dagger from its sheathe.

Refusing to turn his gaze from his target, Aeldo crouched low and leaped to an adjacent branch 34 meters to his left. Having two hours worth of preparation, he did a fairly detailed overview of the dark forest. The canopy was pretty dense, chocking the moon's light for the most part and relinquishing an ocean of thick shrubbery and high sturdy branches. The best thing he could do right now was to test the waters, watch how his target reacted to "coincidence", and make his move. Flipping the dagger in his right hand into a reverse grip, Aeldo took out a single black throwing dart. The wildlife here would provide a decent medium for Aeldo's agenda. He scanned the darkness and looming mist and saw a raccoon at least 60 meters from Kirito's front. With a soundless release, the dart flew and landed next to the raccoon, remaining hidden in ankle high grass and startling the animal. The raccoon scurried towards Kirito's position and Aeldo waited patiently, eager to test his theory.

[joon61]

It looks like the man ran away. The thing is,i did not track him."Guess i'll have to start all over again." I needed to hurry and defeat this guy before my time ran out. I sat down and waited. I heard lots of thing,but nothing out of the ordinary. Then,a raccoon zoomed pass me as if it was scared. "He's not far." I begin to look up in the trees. "I see you. Come on out and let's fight for real."

I wanted my fight to be enjoyable. Using sneak attacks was not going to be easy for neither of us. I pulled out my black sword with my right hand and held it with a kendo style grip. "Fight!!!" I say with a smile.

[Leo the Night Man]

(OOC: Easy on the powerplaying)

He's a lot sharper than I thought...interesting. Aeldo had taken on targets that had some form of situational awareness, but this one was a little different. His senses were akin a few mages he had encountered. It didn't matter either way, he had ample time to prepare for this guy. He concentrated and felt himself becoming lighter. A slight hiss whispered from his very being and he leapt backwards, landing silently on another sturdy branch, an identical image of himself remained. The image in itself was harmless, but it would provide him with a possible opening.

He willed the doppleganger to throw itself at Kirito, daggers ready and dripping with poison. Let's see what he's made of.

[joon61]

(What do you mean?)

[Leo the Night Man]

(Powerplaying is a term used to describe a situation when a user assumes control of another individual's character without previous consent of any kind. In the introduction of your character, you stated that there was a man standing in front of him, even though the character wasn't even introduced in the RP until I posted him myself. I ignored that and continued to post, assuming that you caught the hint. However, your character has been stated to have knowledge of a person that didn't even make himself known.)

[joon61]

(oh i see. Well sorry for that. I can change it if you want.)

[Leo the Night Man]

(No problem, just continue with the fight from my last post so we can get things rolling).

[joon61]

Someone jumps out at me all of the sudden."........." I quickly draw one of my four guns and shoot at him as i bend down. I then see that it's not affecting him. I quickly jump back as i see the daggers dripping with poision."Just a image?"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...ZK1m1ggGg&NR=1

I quickly put away my gun and draw my other sword. Using dual swords,i dash past the image,decapitating it's head. I then quickly run through the trees,cutting them down. I stop running and slide behind a tree.

I put both my swords on my back and pull out 2 guns. I jump out and begin the shoot all around me for 5 seconds. "where are you?"

[Leo the Night Man]

Originally Posted by joon61

Someone jumps out at me all of the sudden."........." I quickly draw one of my four guns and shoot at him as i bend down. I then see that it's not affecting him. I quickly jump back as i see the daggers dripping with poision."Just a image?"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...ZK1m1ggGg&NR=1

I quickly put away my gun and draw my other sword. Using dual swords,i dash past the image,decapitating it's head. I then quickly run through the trees,cutting them down. I stop running and slide behind a tree.

I put both my swords on my back and pull out 2 guns. I jump out and begin the shoot all around me for 5 seconds. "where are you?"

So...that's what I'm dealing with. Aeldo dashed through trees untouched by his target's attempt at flushing him out. He acted out of pure instinct, a trademark of most swordsmen. It was fairly reckless if anything else, his target displayed no distinct insight and he revealed more about himself in those twenty seconds than he could have if he had taken him on directly. That was one of the many things he had been taught by his master: to cause distress and confusion. In his line of work, anxiety was just as effective as a blade to the throat. By time his enemy began shooting wildly, Aeldo had made his way to a tree that faced his target's flank. He blinked and felt blood rushing throughout his system as signets etched into his skin blackened under his sleek black leather armor. He drew his daggers and surged toward his opponent at nearly blinding speed. The ground yielded to every stride, making as much sound a mute trying to yell. He raised himself, rotating clockwise and launched a spinning back kick to the back of his opponent's head. The moron's close enough to that tree to get his head bashed in...

[joon61]

Everything was quiet. Could my opponet be defeated by that asault? But then,i quickly looked behind me. "There!!!" I blocked his kick with my arms. "It's only common sense to attack your opponet from behind. The way you were fighting,that would be expected of you." I quickly push his leg away and throw my guns into the air. I then pull out my swords and try to slash his head off.

I threw my guns in the air for a reason. I jump in the air and put my swords in my back. "Blize!!!!!" I catch my guns and begin to shoot down on my opponet. "Blize!!!!"I quickly hoster my guns and pull out one sword. I try to kick my opponet on the side of his face upon landing while trying to cut him in half vertically. "Skill blize!!!"

[Leo the Night Man]

It came a slight surprise that Kirito managed to block his kick. Seeing as how clumsily the man-child reacted to his illusion, he expected an equally clumsy lack of defense. That clearly wasn't the case.

The guy fought like he was a novice, but his techniques were advanced. Aeldo was slightly disappointed that his target didn't actually grab his leg. He could've easily punished Aeldo by attempting to break an ankle or come in close for a throw. It's like giving a child the codes to a nuke... He failed to capitalize on an opportune moment, so that provided even more information on who he was dealing with. By the time, Kirito had lashed out for his head, Aeldo was already eighteen meters from him.

Kirito was dexterous, displaying this characteristic by flinging his guns in the air, catching them, and proceeding to unleash another barrage of bullets. The ground that Aeldo had once stood was now a crude mesh of torn soil and grass. Aeldo was focusing so much on Kirito's movements that he didn't even notice him crying out some phrase. It was just as well, because the incoming kick to temple that was bound to be following by a crushing vertical slash was laughable at best. Aeldo slipped under the kick, and lightly nipped at Kirito's inner thighs with both daggers. It wasn't something that would be noticed, but it would serve its purpose in due time. The slash was parried without a word and Aeldo weaved around Kirito, facing his flank again. If I had shilling every time someone telegraphed their moves like you, I'd make a fortune. He was slowly starting to disdain Kirito. He was loud and foolishly dazzling. Choosing flashiness over effectiveness was beyond idiotic...it was the next closest thing to insanity. Nevertheless, he'd take his time with Kirito, learning what he would need, and chip away at him...piece by piece.

The first piece: his spine. Aeldo kneed Kirito's lower ribcage to his right and launched a left elbow to the middle of Kirito's neck. It was a simple move reserved for a lowly foot soldier. It didn't matter how spectacular Kirito was if he fought like an amateur. Aeldo raised a foot and propped off of Kirito's back, soaring back into the base of a tree and disappearing into the forest's blanket of mist and shadow.

Tonight might be a fun night...

[joon61]

(ummm did you auto-hit me a few times?)

[Leo the Night Man]

(Yes. I had Aeldo "nip" at Kirito's inner thighs, knee him in his ribs and elbow him in the middle of his neck)

[joon61]

(Did i do something wrong?)

[Leo the Night Man]

(Hm? Nothing's wrong, continue with the RP)

[joon61]

(You auto-hitted me. Why?)

[Leo the Night Man]

(Well first thing's first, in all my years of RPing, I've never heard the term auto-hitting once so I don't really have an idea of what you're talking about. Second, your post was slightly confusing seeing as how your character is reacting to everything being done. the way you post it, your character is executing attacks that would have already hit in the first place yet are up for scrutiny. For instance, "I quickly push his leg away and throw my guns into the air. I then pull out my swords and try to slash his head off." When you say you try to slash someone's head off, you heavily imply that the attacked failed. In all sincerity, the post would've flowed perfectly if you had left it at that then follow up into using pistols. Instead you continued with your character's attack, shooting, holstering, then trying to kick my character in the head only to follow up with slashing. Again, if you had worded your post with some form of certainty. this fight would be going a lot more smoothly. I'm just trying to accommodate your style and it's not an easy task as you might be able to tell.)

[joon61]

Originally Posted by joon61

(Did i do something wrong?)

^

Originally Posted by Leo the Night Man

(Well first thing's first, in all my years of RPing, I've never heard the term auto-hitting once so I don't really have an idea of what you're talking about. Second, your post was slightly confusing seeing as how your character is reacting to everything being done. the way you post it, your character is executing attacks that would have already hit in the first place yet are up for scrutiny. For instance, "I quickly push his leg away and throw my guns into the air. I then pull out my swords and try to slash his head off." When you say you try to slash someone's head off, you heavily imply that the attacked failed. In all sincerity, the post would've flowed perfectly if you had left it at that then follow up into using pistols. Instead you continued with your character's attack, shooting, holstering, then trying to kick my character in the head only to follow up with slashing. Again, if you had worded your post with some form of certainty. this fight would be going a lot more smoothly. I'm just trying to accommodate your style and it's not an easy task as you might be able to tell.)

Thank you for telling me what i did wrong.
Anyway,When i said try,i meant i am about to do it. It up to you to dodge it. It's also up to you not to dodge it. By you saying you already did it,you are not giving me a chance to dodge it. And i see that we are doing a different kind of fighting. Other than what i have been doing.