Duel of the Curse Sword

As Merek goes about his business a dagger made of darkness suddenly lands into the ground a few feet in front of him, a moment after its impacts the dagger evaporates into a black smoke. From his side the black clad figure of Shaskur emerges from the concealing shadows.

"Well, well, well. Merek, right?" She says in a jovial tone. Her face mostly covered by a black facemask and her head hooded, leaving only a small strip open for her eyes to peer out from. "I see you decided to keep that cursed blade." And she gestures at the black sword with a dagger in her hand.

"I don't know what /possessed/ you to take that thing, but I feel like maybe you should hand it over so I can destroy it. What do you say?" She continues to walk closer, but it is possible to tell she is on high alert.

    Merek looks then to Shaskur when the woman comes from the darkness. The man lifts up his brow, seeming to think about it while he lifts up the weapon, "I would rather we not fight. Also, it is bound to me, it can't be unequiped. I would welcome you on the quest to find a way to cleanse it though," he states.

Raising an eyebrow Shaskur replies, "Oh, oh, you cannot even unwield the weapon? That is a bit of a surprise.. perhaps." And she taps one of her daggers on her should as she considers. "I'm not sure I really believe that though." And she hums in thought.

"I'll tell you what. You head to the church and ask about removing the curse and I will follow along a bit behind and see what they have to say. Stray too far though and I'm going to assume you're running." She lowers her dagger to under her cloak so it is out of view once more.

    Merek seems to think about it, then he nods while he shifts the weapon while he walks along to Alne, "Well enough then. I will let you watch, but if you wish afterwards. I can prove to you in battle that I won't let it control me while I quest to find a way to heal this land, and of the blade. We have a deal? That should make people less wary when I come by." Which is true, so far his darkness hasn't taken control, but there's no way for folk to know that.

Both of Shaskur's eyebrows raise notably, this wasn't what she was expecting. Perhaps Merek was able to handle the blade, but then why did he still have it?

"Huh, all tell you what, I can see that you aren't completely overtaken by the sword. How about you show me you can keep that control in a duel?" And she gestures at the air to issue a duel challenge to Merek. "Face me now and prove you can keep your head, and save me a walk to town."

    Merek looks to the duel gesture while he seems to think about it. "Very well, I accept it. I will prove it to you. There will not be PK, though if I am overtaken, do all in your power to take me down." He seems to be serious about it, while he draws the dark blade, with that mist of miasma that draws from it. The wind of the plains begin to shift along the beltcape which he wears, while he nods.

    Merek then nods a bit when it's accepted, before he takes a potion which he uses a hand to make into a mist that he swings to cover along Shaskur, in addition to a dark wave which comes from the blade towards the woman, "DARK WAVE!"

As the challenge is accepted the countdown timer appears.

5..
4..
3..
2..
1..
FIGHT

As Shaskur crouches low, twin daggers held in her hands, Merek is on the move. Shaskur rushes forward but Merek lets out a wave of darkness that washes out over the area and obscures her sight. Squinting in the darkness she zigzags to try avoid any incoming projectiles, but it is of little use as a potion of some toxic substance crashes into her.

Coughing against the toxic fumes Shaskur Leaps backwards as darkness suddenly starts to spin in a vortex as it is pulled towards her and seems to be absorbed by her cloak. Then as her sight to merek is cleared her eyes narrow and she sweeps both of her daggers in arcs along the ground, darkness seeping down from her blades into the ground and then twin spikes of darkness enchanted earth launch out towards Merek.

    Merek swings along and takes a coin from the pocket while he swings that at Shaskur, then he swivels about to dodge, managing to take away some of the fierceness of those assailing weapons. All the same it is clear that she's trying to put him on the defensive, he's been improving. He then sweeps along with his weapon into the woman, he manages to be keeping calm while he fights.
    The next time she comes at him, he then allows the pillar to sweep him off his feet, knocking him back along with the damage swinging him into the orange. There's a look up while he then draws his weapon forward to sweep that downwards, calling a rain of light arrows from the skies while he comes around with the weapon!

As her earth spikes seem to knock Merek back Shaskur gives a quick laugh, "Hah, you may have got the jump initially but I will quickly take the initiative. Is this really all the power that sword has?" She comments as she begins to move forward, but then she spots the gesture from Merek and narrows her eyes before looking up.

Her eyes widen as arrows of light appear in the sky and begin to rain down. Shaskur's speed increases until she is but a blur as she weaves around the arrows, but she cannot dodge them all. Glowing red patches score her body and indicate where she was struck, but she keeps moving forward. Finally out of the rain of light she leaps towards Merek a dagger thrusting forward to try impale him while he is still off balance.

    Merek looks to the incoming swing of the daggers while he lifts a hand to call a rock wall in front of him, managing to knock a lot of the assault away. Then he swivels on the hip to airstep away while the poison begins to shimmer away. He twirls along the blade, "I am sure that it can become powerful. I know that it wishes for that, so I try to refrain from taking anything but monsters to it. I was a Beta Tester for CC. It's the duty of mine, even if I am no longer that, to make sure that these exploits don't change people. We are not any longer in ETO as a game, we are people."

"A tester?" Shaskur spits out as she closes in again. "You of all should know the danger of a blade like that then!"

Then continuing to press her attack she twists to the side and her right hand arcs around in rather flashy and indirect attack, her eyes twinkling slightly. Then as her right dagger strike closes in she continues to spin and her left hand thrusts forward through a slit in her cloak, the blade seeming a black shadow as it absorbs the light.

"Yes, this is our home now. That's why we have to protect it from threats. Both those who climb the tower and threats like that sword!" Her cloak flaring out as she spins, her tail visible for a brief moment.

    Merek looks then to Shaskur, while he waits a moment. "I have fought in the Towers. The options are to either let them simply be killed, which I'm not willing to do, or to fight with them, and to fight the Wave that they bring. Yes, we need to protect the world, we also have to learn, there are things we don't know. We could do with learning first." It's clear he does not know what to think. He seems to have the idea ALL must be protected, which in itself, would be a quite difficult thing.
    The man then would begin to sheath the weapon while he takes all the strikes, then he kneels while that screen would tell Shaskur she has 'VICTORY'. "I am Merek, Magic Knight."

As the duel ends Shaskur straightens, her daggers disappearing beneath her cloak as she looks down on the kneeling man. She is silent for a time as she look at him, her eyes narrowed. "Hm. Well, it seems you are holding to your ideals. I don't think you are under the sway of that cursed blade.. Yet.."

Slowly taking a couple steps backwards while still facing Merek she continues, "I'm Shaskur. I will protect this world even if it means killing all who seek to destroy it. I will be watching you, Merek. Don't give in to the curse.. or you will find a blade in your back." She says ominously as the shadows start to gather around her and she disappears from view.

    "I will expect it, and would wish it, if this comes to that," Merek nods a bit to Shaskur, while he thinks on it. He doesn't answer to the things about killing, he does not like it himself, though he does what he must also. He would offer a little wave, "It's a pleasure, you be well."