Tournament: Setsuna vs Xander

    Xander has been busy with his own dealings. One part training in silence, another helping on the ranch, and doing whatever else the Salamander may do.

When it comes to Tounament time however, there he at last shows up in full armor from head to toe. Shield in hand, sword at the ready. When his name is called he enters the arena with all seriousness on his face.

While many of the Scale have not seen the tank in some time, it is obvious that Xander hasn't change much. He is still giving that intense look and there is still that fire in those draconic fiery eyes that glow out from the shadows of his helm.

Now all he does is wait for Setsuna to make his entrance. His eyes staring at where the 'Necromancer' should come out from, and he twirls his blade ever so often as he waits-- Including for the timer to start.

    Setsuna's entrance had an entourage. Thats right , Setsuna comes riding up on his Dire Wolf, Roki, with his skeleton knight, Skull, riding bitch. Next to them was a Cerberus now the size of a full grown Malamute with a quacker slime riding on it's back. Taking a moment to get off the dire wolf, set aside the slime and walks forward, Cerberus and Skull in tow. " Xander, it's been a while. I am glad you get to be my first fight in the tournament as you were the first duel I ever had. Of course unlike this time, when I win or you lose I plan to buy you a drink. " There isa cocky grin as the two monsters spread out a little and Setsuna draws his dagger, Skull draws his knife, and the Cerberus is now hunting a fly. What can you expect from a puppy. Setsuna just watches and sighs for a moment, " Don't mind them they take a little bit tto get their heads in the game. We are ready when you are."

    Xander stares at Setsuna, then his army, then back to Setsuna, "Hm. You will try Setsuna. You will try." As soon as the counter starts he moves himself into a defensive posistion. Once it hits zero, he doesn't charge in.

Instead he casts out a bright blinding flash at the whole group that Setsuna has with him, while then making a move, as he also tries to get a regen up on himself.

This may come in handy, as Xander has to deal with a massive strike that comes his way, trying to use a fire wall to keep it at bay with no real suuccess. The Salamander is shoved back, with deep gashes across his armor, before he charges back in.

His blade ignites with runes as it glows bright white, as he attempts to strike not only to leave a cut, but to try and hit to cause a bleeding effect.

Once more the attack comes, but this time the Salamander is ready for it as the strike slams into his shield only to cause a rebounding spelling to shove it away. Once more, the blade glows and Xander lashes out.

    Setsuna gets right in to it as a dark aura surrounds him he rushes the bright flash deflecting it from the monsters and it burns his hand as he waves it around trying to brush it off. His eyes glow with magical energy as does the skeleton as both their weapons glow with dark energy. Setsuna moves himself to a corner of the designated dueling grounds as does Skull before they both slash the air sendinwaves of dark energy at the tank known as Xander.

     Moments go by the battlefied as Xander moves in to strike at him and the blade passes through him. At least it appears that way but even the real Setsuna who seems to step out of a shadow moment later is still bleeding and he has to spend time cauterizing his own wound. Fortunately though the monsters can fight while he does.

The Cerberus howls as darkness gathers around Xander's eyes to blind him, mean while Skull performs the next waves of dark energy on his own. Finally as Setsuna is one again attacked with the blade he shakes his head and quickly moves himself out of the way and then raises more minions of the skeleton variety. " Not a party without more people. Get him minion A." One of the skeleton minions charge forward while Setsuna keeps the other close by, his two more mainstream monsters keeping their distance.

    Xander roars out as the blinding darkness tries to bind him. It does work, in essence, with the Salamander sending out a massive wall of fire. While it may back away some of the enemies, the skeleton comes around where he doesn't send a wave and slashes him across the face.

The Salamander growls and then strikes out with his blade, almost becoming like a fire whip with its streak in the air, trying to burn everything it passes by. After all, what you can't see-- Just burn it with fire wildly!

As Xander's vision comes back, he has to move suddenly quickly as Setsuna seems to make use of his own guards to keep him safe and use for attack. Once more the Salamander calls upon his arcane runes to create a rebounding shield and once again he moves in to attack with his shining blade of holy light.

    However, this may have played perfectly into Setsuna's hands as a major attack moves in. The sheer force slams Xander back and nearly into the air. The Salamander slams hard into the ground, rolling a bit before he slides to a stop.

He struggles to slowly get up, wincing with one eye closed, but with a roar of defiance, he shoves back up on his feet and moves in to attack attempting to block, attempting to strike, but not with much previal at first it seems.

So the Salamander does the only thing he knows how to do. Like he did so many years ago when the virus hit; When /that/ virus attacked his own team. When he watched them foam at the mouths, dying to it---

He didn't stay away like he was ordered...

He jumped in...

He made his attack...

... Even if it almost coast him his life.

    Like here, it was a foolish gamble, a mad stride, but Xander roars out as his blade ignites on a raging streak of fire, but more runs follow his steps, as the flames' edges take on a strange glow, a mixture of elements fusing together!

As he lashes out, he goes to slam down the enchanted flaming sword with everything he has, all in a desperate hope he survives and Setsuna will get a taste of pain.

    Setsuna grabs minion B and uses it as a shield as he then rolls into the fire attack sending some of the flames back at Xander and then he looks at the minion bones, " Get back up you lazy bums. I am so not done with you. " The skeletons rise back up and once again they move to position themselves witth one attacking and one defending.

    Setsuna sees the attack and grins as he grabs his minion shield and throws it infront of Xander but it gets ran over. It gives Setsuna just enough time to look over at the Cerberus and whistles. Looking back he gets hit by the attack but he trades by throwing his dagger at Xander's shadow. The guy would possibly notice he has been slowed , but its better then being immobilized. Then just as a follow up from the Cerberus a ball of black flames strikes at Xander. " I think they like you Xander."

    As the wild swing comes down at him he doesn't stick around , disappearing into the shadows and appearing out of Skulls shadow as they both immediately launch more waves of darkness. " Sorry to tell you this Xander, but the castle wall of yours is not getting a break today." Then the flaming sword is coming and Setsuna doesn't hesitate as he summons minion shields and then literally grabs one and reshapes it into a shield of bone and energy. Even when it was all done , he was smoking.

    The Salamander stands there, breathing heavily after the attack. His eyes locked onto Setsuna, with no light in them; Setsuna knows that look.

He has seen that look before.

There are no words given back and as the undead charge for him once more, the Salamander raises up another flame wall the shove back some and uses the fire on his blade like a whip toward the others.

But slowly, very slowly, the undead are starting to overpower the Salamander. Setsuna may actually indeed get his victory; Though at what cost?

    Setsuna could still feel his body burning but as he looks at the littered bones of his summoned minions across te field he considers just keeping it up but as that flaming sword causes him to have to duck out of the way and move as quick as he can, he simply has to try to keep away even as those embers still burn his burns. In all the commotion though he does manage to summon a small subtle thing. A single snake to go and bite Xander on the ankle, maybe snap him out of the dead eye look.

    Oh, Setsuna, you know that isn't how this works! Once Xander goes into that mode there is only two ways he'll snap out of it!

Either he murders you-- or he is murdered!

As the snake comes, his armor glows. It bites down and while the fangs make no good hold on the armor, the poison debuff does find its way on his status hud.

Yet the Salamander tries to get past all of Setsuna's guuards with the holy, glowing sword of his once more!

    Setsuna watches those eyes and still sees no response as Setsuna is feeling his own stamina catching up with him. Really it had been for minutes now but he had been trying to hide it. Now he couldn't even do that, instead he was breathing hard and moving slower and starting to make mistakes. The sword of Xander's seems to be faster, and takes a hit from the blade and groans in pain as he pulls his magical energy as well as he can. His eyes glow once again as he thinks he finds a chink in Xander's armor and calls on the Skeleton knight to once again bring the dark waves.

    Setsuna is tired, Xander is tired. Both of them have pushed themselves to the very limit. So as the Salamander readies to cast a massive holy to try and wipe out some of Setsuna's forces...

Well... as it was stated earlier, they /were/ slowly over-powering him and that overpowering takes place, because one undead gets in one good unholy hit in and slams Xander back before he could finish casting.

The caster yells the victors name as Xander falls down to his knee. His eyes wide as he just-- stares at the ground for a moment. The people cheer, and Xander continues to just stare at the tile under him.

While he doesn't look up at Setsuna, even as the cheers go off he does say under the shadow of his helm. "... Congratulations-- but keep your drink for someone who deserves it."

With that, he dismisses his blade and his shield. Then goes to make his way for gate out. "Keep at it Setsuna," He at least calls back. "Make it far and do the Scale proud."

    Setsuna drops to one knee as well but stands back up as he hears his name being cheered. With a smile he looks around and seems to be basking in his victory. It was rough but well fought and if nothing else it proves just how far Setsuna has come. The vindication was worth it all. Then he looks over at Xander and at his response, " Xander come on now, you fought hard. Another few moments and it would be your name and not mine. " Setsuna watches as Xander walks off, the crowd still cheering his name. Setsuna won, and it had hurt.