Dialos vs The Mercenary King

The patriarch stands stoically before all of the onlookers, his towering frame garnering everyone’s attention as everyone falls silent. Running his left hand through his black mane, he raises his voice. “I appreciate all of you for accepting my invitation to witness the youngest up and coming talent of my children and a special guest. I hope that the events I have planned for today will showcase their growth after the ‘particular’ set events that occurred in Blackwood. Of course, there are things that can’t be displayed to outsiders, but I’m sure the reception will make up for it.” With a faint smile, he sees the crowd of people alongside the Overseer's intrigue rise as whispers spout up throughout.

Re-garnering everyone's attention, Roderic Von Terra fake coughs as everyone turns back to him. “To start I’d like to introduce one of our special guests who is very happy to assist in the showcase. Come on up, I know you're there Roxanne!”

He turns his head to the trees towards the right side of the arena as a woman with cherry red hair strolls on up to the podium. She’s dressed in dark brown laceless boots rising up her calves covering some of her form fitting black pants. With a sword by her side and a dark brown cloak resting gently over her exposed shoulders and red bound leather top rising up around her neck, her doll-like skin reflects the sun's light.

Joshua’s eyes widen as his gaze meets hers. His blood running cold as a smirk crosses the mercenary king's face. Looking away quickly, he begins internally freaking out. “By Serox no. I do not want to deal with her right now. It is way too damn soon to get involved with her.”

Draxis, mentally snickering at Joshua’s miss fortune, continues to goad him. “What’s wrong kid I can feel your heart racing? See someone you don’t like. Or perhaps are afraid of.” His voice laced with sarcasm only fuels Joshua’s increasingly torn nerves.

“That’s my other master Draxis… Well a younger version of her at least, but she doesn’t look much younger than I remember. Why is she here?” Joshua closes his eyes and takes a deep breath.

“Fate has a funny way of screwing with you clearly. At least she’s a beauty. I mean you could have been taught by some meat head with no sense of decorum.” Joshua’s eyes twitch at the comment as Draxis couldn’t be any more wrong.

Aslandra’s still small voice creeps up in Joshua’s mind unnoticed. “Breath child, it will be alright.”

Joshua, if he could, would slap Draxis for his comment, but following his assistant's advice he lets it go. “Yeah, she’s beyond gorgeous, but she’s so far mentally unhinged that she’s a danger to everyone around her.” Letting out a quiet sigh he continues listening to his father speak. Wilhelm, sitting beside him snickers quietly hearing Joshua's not so internal monologuing.

The patriarch’s voice pierces through his thoughts. “As I was saying, she is the youngest person to achieve the title of Mercenary king at only 25 years old. She’s also the childhood friend of my late wife. She was also on mission when I contacted her, so I ask that everyone treats her with the same respect that you all give me.

Aside from her, we have members of the Caldfell Royal Family present, they will be staying with us for the next few days before heading back out. They have been a long time ally of Terra and I expect the best treatment possible for them. Is that understood.” His gaze turns towards his overseers whilst everyone else turns to the Queen Regent Lucille as she gives a light bow in greetings to everyone.

“The first event planned will be an exhibition match between my Eldest and The Mercenary King. He recently arrived home after a heavy monster subjugation in the north. I hope everyone will enjoy the match. I’m sure the two of them will put on quite the show.”

Everyone in the crowd falls silent as a tall lean figure with long jet-black hair and red eyes steps out from trees. He’s wearing a long thin black trench coat alongside a completely black outfit with red trim work. His skin noticeably looks like a ghost. Walking up to the podium, Dialos gives the twins a look that causes them both to shudder in fear only to turn his gaze towards Joshua with a smirk.

Joshua gulps, placing a hand over his face whilst taking a deep breath. His voice trails off as a feminine hand caresses his shoulder. “Oh no, this isn’t going to be as simple as I thought. Dialos...”

Saria leans in, whispering into his ear. “Don’t be nervous young master, you know he’s under the patriarch’s foot here. Don’t worry about him.” “That only helps so much. We all know how his personality can shift in an instant.” Joshua sighs aloud while Roxanne and Dialos make their way into the arena.

Quickly taking off her left glove alongside unsheathing her blade, she drags her index finger along it, drawing blood as a nearly translucent barrier immediately erupts around the arena. Shielding the guests and viewers from harm. Overseer Hugo in particular, eyes light up with intrigue.

The twins turn to Joshua in shock at what she did. It was the same thing he had been doing in Blackwood. Blood magic. “She can do it too; did you learn it from her?” They whisper. Sir Gideon with a smile, lets them banter without interruption.

Getting closer to them, Joshua lifts his finger to his mouth with a low voice. His eyes tell them all they need to know as they darken. “Don’t let anyone know that, especially her, do you both understand? This isn’t a request, its an order.”

The twins nod their heads in understanding as the patriarch goes through a boring speech about testing one's metal, honorable battle and honoring traditions. Joshua however completely blanks out as his mind races through hypothetical scenarios until Draxis forces his body to calm down with a shock through his spine.

After a slight back spasm, Joshua opens his eyes letting out a sight. “Thanks, Draxis.”

“No problem, I’d say just pay close attention to the fight and see what you can learn. Or at the very least figure out a way to run away from those two.” Joshua nods his head in agreement.

Everyone looks on through the barrier as the two powerhouses draw their weapons as blood red energy surrounds the two of them, one aura and one a forbidden power.

Dialos’ eyes immediately tinge bloodshot as the two of them clash blades in an instant. Jumping back, he spins his blade around. His cloak whips around as he starts barreling down at her like a blacksmith using a hammer.

After a moment of steadying herself and getting her muscles warmed up, she backflips out of the way, her hair fluttering with the wind. Changing the grip on her sword, she lunges at him now going on the offensive.

Tracing her own blood upon her left palm, a typhoon of wind knocks him back. Twisting her free hand around, she motions sideways and town with her index and middle finger as another wisp of wind hits him from above. He grips his face with his left hand, as the wind slashes his cheek, the blood trailing down his face.

As his cloak is blown off his frame, he draws a second blade from his waist. In a frenzy as he lunges forward and slams them against her in an X-guard. Roxanne does her best holding Dialos back as catching his blows from both blades is a bit exhausting. Eventually Dialos withdraws to catch his own breath, surprised that she’s still standing. “You're stronger than I thought Wench.”

Her eyes twitch with malice at those words. As soon as she gets a moment to breathe, she immediately knicks her finger again and draws a symbol over her right eye as it starts glowing red, her blade arm immediately bulges out with muscle. Dancing around his strikes, she crashes her blade down with tremendous force. Shockwaves ripple through the arena ,even shaking the ground and chairs in the crowd.

“Why don’t you do that kid?” Draxis questions, curious about that sigil.

“I was never taught that one.” Joshua replies swiftly, getting back into watching the fight.

Trying to recover, he lifts his right blade back into the air as he swings his left blade towards her wrist, however she successfully parries it knocking the shorter black blade from his grasp. It clatters against the ground and completely out of his reach.

Quickly regathering himself, he jumps over her next strike. As she spins around, the two catch each other in a blade lock once more.

The grinding of metal wrenches through the air, as the two smile ecstatically at the strength of their opponent. Making a weird looking hand sign with her open hand, another torrent of wind knocks Dialos off balance leaving him wide open. Reeling back herself, she pushes back and then forward in a thrusting motion intending on stabbing into his chest. However, her aim is a bit skewed by Dialos twisting his torso around. She ends up tearing through his side instead, more blood being drawn than intended.

Quickly recovering, he stands back up straight as aura coats the wound, slowing the blood flow.. Livid that both his handiwork and himself was damaged. His eyes spark up and flash red four times as he seemingly teleports and front flips towards her swinging his blade down.

Barely able to keep her leverage, she refuses to kneel, staying on her feet. Her body shudders in recoil, the muscles in her arms screaming and her bones wrenching from the pressure. Gritting her teeth in defiance, she backsteps out of conflict for a moment. The tension spread across her face. Dragging her palm against her blade she draws the sigil for “Flame’ with her off-hand.’ She calls the word forth as her blade ignites with a bloody red flame. It looks as if its chaos itself is dancing across her right arm as she rushes towards him.

As she continues swinging her blade, Dialos starts catching the strikes with ease, his aura usage increasing by the minute. Sensing this, her frustration continues to build. As her emotions eventually reach a fever pitch, her eyes begin glowing with an ungodly energy; Rage, fury, malice, the most primal emotions. Her pupils begin to warp into living flames, as they start to scorch the skin on her face.

Instantaneously she lunges towards Dialos trying to catch him off guard, but having been honing his skills fighting rabid beasts and monsters this whole time he doesn’t lose his composure. Although the heat from her body and blade cause him to sweat and his outfit to begin scorching and burning away.

Spinning himself around after parrying her strike he continues to taunt her. “You’re going to have to do better if you wish to beat me. I’m not even going all out yet.”

His eyes turn into a darker red in that moment as his black blade’s metal begins to glow red.

Falling for the taunt, Roxanne goes completely berserk as her pupils completely vanish. Letting out a primal roar that sends chills down most of the crowd's spines. Even the barrier around the two wavers, flickering in and out of existence. She immediately launches towards him using enough force to knock the remaining sword from his hand as her blade crashes into his.

Rather than forfeit, a devilish look forms across his face as a black spectral blade begins forming in his palm as his necklace lights up with an eerie glow. “You’ve done it now.” He begins to laugh sadistically.

His feet begin to shift back and forth as he changes his stance. This catches Joshua’s attention as the two continue clashing back and forth, completely unhinged. The barrier itself even starts cracking from the pressure.

The fight especially catches Celia’s attention as she’s shaking in her seat with excitement. Blaine, seeing this gently, hits her upside her head to calm her down. “Calm down little sis, this is only the exhibition match. I’m more interested to see how the three brothers perform. They’re much closer to our age.”

“Geez bro, let me have some fun. Also what do you mean our age, you're an old man already. I just turned 14.” Crossing her arms she turns her face like a spoiled brat. Blaine chuckles before getting defensive. “Celia, I’m only 15. I’m not that much older than you.”

With remarkable precision, she cuts him off. “Nope, that's not how that works. I’m happy and youthful and you can be old and bitter.” Blaine sweat drops as she changes the subject. We don’t get to go out very often and you know I like this sort of thing; father just doesn’t want me getting hurt even though you're more at risk than myself.” Lucille shakes her head with a smile at her children’s reactions and banter as she gazes back towards the fight at hand.

“That form seems similar to the one in this book.” Joshua mumbles to himself, pulling the book out of his pocket and matches the two of them by their similar footwork and stances. Noticing the subtle differences however, his gaze focuses on how the movements are heavy and rigid rather than smooth and fluid. “Just what did you create Dialos?”

Screaming in an almost demonic voice, the air ripples “First Form: Crushing Claw” Swinging down, his blade’s aura tears through the ground, appearing as if it slams into Roxanne only for it to stop in its tracks, instantly dissipating.

Instantaneously the barrier shatters as none other than the patriarch has Dialos by the throat. His eyes burn blood red and red energy circulates around the two as even with Dialos’s towering height, his father still stands like a mountain. “DIALOS I ALREADY WARNED YOU TO NOT USE THAT BASTARDIZED TECHNIQUE IN MY PRESENSE.” Joshua reads his father’s lips.

Dialos’s eyes and teeth grit in anger as he lets his spectral blade vanish. The patriarch stares into his burning red eyes with his own as he lets him go. Dropping to his knees, the eldest grabs hold of his own throat, struggling to catch his breath. The patriarch turns around to face Roxanne, who's left in mild shock at how the fight was stopped in an instant. She knew the patriarch was strong, but that on another level. Just one move in no time at all and it was over.

Massaging his neck, Dialos regains his stoic face, before walking over and picking up his trench coat and two blades. His eyes widen with a hint of mania, before bowing towards the guests with a wicked smile. Walking off back towards the manor, he takes a slight pause turning towards the youngest before winking at Joshua.

“Uhm. Why did he just wink at me.” Joshua thinks aloud, catching his surrounding neighbors off guard as Gideon turns to him.

“Young master Joshua, I do believe that master Dialos wants to see what you’re made of. He wouldn’t have signaled to you otherwise.”

Vilhelm curiously turns to him, curiosity tickling his ears. “How do you know that?”

Elegantly, a smile forms on the older man's face. “I’ve known Master Dialos for a long time and he typically doesn’t acknowledge people unless he holds some form of interest in them. That's why he decided to fight seriously against the Mercenary king.”

—------------------------------------

Back in the arena the patriarch kneels down beside Roxanne, knowing that she’s strong, but being limited in this confined space puts her at a disadvantage. Alongside the inability to kill her opponents.

“Go take a breather dear, the next match will be the twins. You did good, I’m proud to see how far you’ve come in the past few years.” The patriarch stoically pats her on the back as she climbs back to her feet sheathing her blade and walking off herself.

Bumping his chest with his right fist he turns back to the crowd with a smile. “Ahem. I apologize about that, but using such swordsmanship techniques are not allowed on our estates premises as it causes extensive damages. I do hope everyone has enjoyed the match so far.” Roderic calls out with his deep robust voice as many in attendance let out a round of applause as the neutral territory members cheer.

Joshua looks down in slight disappointment, wanting to have seen more of the differences between the two techniques as he sits the book back down onto his lap. “Kid, that last attack landed, you saw it right?” Draxis exclaims.

“Yeah. She should be down for the count. Not that it would have killed her though.” Joshua mentally replies.

“How the hell… I didn’t even see your father move. Just like your damn founder!”

Joshua snickers, letting out a yawn. “It’s easier to not ask questions, Draxis. After all, we have a long day ahead of us. And I’m more interested in that technique he used. Maybe I’ll have a chance to try out what’s in this book today.” Draxis mentally agrees as Vilhelm's voice interrupts Joshua’s thoughts.

“Hey, Wil. I think we’re up next, are you ready to show off what we’ve learned?” Vilhelm turns his face to his brother excitedly.

Wilhelm, with his broad shoulders and bulkier build looks down nervously. “Not really, I don’t care for everyone watching me. After all, you're the one who likes the spotlight.” Vilhelm grins in response.

“Come on, it’ll be fun. Just think of it as more training.” Vil pats his brother on the shoulder as he stands up. the patriarch quickly notices from the corner of his eye.

“It looks like my twins are ready, come on up you two. Show our guests what you’ve learned.” The patriarch’s voice rings out while Wil trembles slightly at his father’s words. But nonetheless he follows his brother as Vil strides into the arena all giddy. Hopping over the railing instead of going through the gate the more rambunctious of the twins clasps his hands together. Stepping on to opposite side of the arena, the barrier from earlier remains in play. As the twins of Roderic eye each other down, they brandish their weapons and prepare for their fight.