Anyway.
Chance Downtown, the blood manipulator, goes up against Stefan Norberg, also known as Light, the fallen angel.
Spoiler (Click to Show)
Little raindrops pelted the sidewalk, painting it over quickly. The water pooled in the edges of the street, making streams that led down hill. It seemed peaceful, here in the middle of nowhere, with water running across the ground.
Against the grey scenery, Chance's hair stood out like a sore thumb. His black coat wrapped around his body, and he held a red umbrella over his head, preventing rain from touching his body. To his side, a man in a jet black, mechanical suit walked next to him. A single, jade green light shone from the middle of his helmet, and wires of the same color laced up and down his body. He, however, walked in the open, the rain splashing off the dark suit that surrounded his body.
The duo walked in silence, not a single word passed between the two; not even glances in the others general direction. They stared straight ahead, their sight fixed on the single, cement building at the end of the road.
As the walked along, the only thing that filled the silence was the rain. But it was clear that there was some tension. Hoping to break it, Chance turned his head to the pseudo-android.
“So, Cooper, I was th--” He didn't get much out before a suited hand rose, cutting his sentence short.
“Statement: No need to say anything, Chance. This is merely to test how well you have trained.” Bl.An.C, said, his monotonous tone seeming to blend with the bland weather.
Chance bit his lip and merely nodded, turning his head back towards the building. They weren't far off now, and the gentleman's heart began to race.
“Cooper, how much information do you have on this guy?” The red-headed man inquired, his accent becoming thick in his worry.
“Apologies: Sorry Chance, but this is to properly assess how you do in different situations, including one where you go in blind.”
As the words slipped through Bl.An.C's vocal processor, Chance inwardly groaned. Going in “blind”, as his friend called it, was one of his biggest pet peeves. He hated not knowing anything about his opponent, especially if he were being tested like today.. Could anything go right?
“Inquiry: Are you nervous?”
“Of course I'm nervous, Cooper!” Chance shouted, throwing one hand up to express himself. “I mean, think about it. I'm going up against some unknown guy, and my bloody life could be on the line!”
“Chance. Calm down.” The helmet to Bl.An.C's suit slid away from his face with a slight hissing noise, exposing his head to the elements. “We're here.”
The red-headed man glanced at his companion with a half-scowl, but quickly turned his sight on the large opening in front of him. He peered inside, taking a quick glance around the arena. It looked earthen, with spots of grass growing in random places; there were even several rocks ranging in large sizes laying around the place. What was more, was that the there was no ceiling, just a giant opening that let the rain in, turning several spots on the ground into mud pits. And just like most outside arenas, stone steps and seats surrounded it, now slippery and glistening with rainwater.
“An outdoor arena? In this weather?” Chance whined. “You've got to be bloody kidding me..”
Obviously reluctant, the red-headed man shrugged his jacket away from himself, swapping the umbrella from hand to hand as he did so. Bl.An.C looked on, doing as he usually did and inspecting the area; he seemed to do that quite a lot.
“So where is this bloke?” The gentleman asked, now dressed in an expensive looking, white suit, complete with matching trousers. He held his jacket, folded neatly, over one arm while his other continued to hold the umbrella over his head.
His companion's gaze swept over the area, taking in everything. “I don't know. I guess you'll just have to be patient. Just remember your training and I will see you afterward.” With those words, Bl.An.C's helmet concealed his features once more. “Continuation: I will, however, intervene if necessary.”
Without hesitation, a flash of blue erupted from his back, and he went soaring into the sky. His wing pack carried him to a seat around the stadium; one of the ones furthest away.
“Thanks, mate! I appreciate your care!” The gentleman shouted after him, knowing it was useless. Grumbling, he walked a little ways and stopped in front of a small rock placed against the wall. He set his jacket down on the stone and turned back to look out at the arena, trying to make a plan.
“Those rocks might be able to help me if he uses anything long range.. As long as it isn't explosive that is..” Chance muttered to himself, tapping his chin as he did so. It was ironic. He hated not knowing who he was going against, and yet he really had no idea how to plan.
“Bah.. Forget it.. This kind of stuff is Cooper's area of expertise...” He groaned, extending his arms above his head and stretching. His umbrella reached up towards the sky, and when Chance looked up, he smiled just slightly. The bright red over the grey background looked nice.
Taking the handle of his umbrella in both hands he spun it, sending rain drops flying in different directions as the material was struck with new ones. He felt like a child for a fleeting moment, but it soon disappeared as he remembered why he was here.
With a sigh, Chance held the umbrella steady over his head, squinting at the arena, still trying to formulate something that could give him an advantage. There was a large rock, one that was bigger than most the others, that could give some great cover if needed. Off to the side of it, there was a small quarry of much smaller rocks, which he was sure would somehow come in handy.
Trying to make a plan was beginning to frustrate him, and his opponent being late wasn't helping either. A loud groan escaped his lips and he hung his head. He absentmindedly closed his umbrella, and set it next to his jacket, which was already soaking wet. It was then he heard the sound of heavy footsteps hitting the soaked ground. The sound of metal hitting metal clanged not too far from Chance's current position, and the gentleman turned towards it. All he could do was stare in awe at the sight.
A giant of a man was talking towards him; his size doubled Chance's own. What was even more impressive was the armor that actually fit him. The red-headed man had never seen someone so large, or covered in so much armor before; not even Bl.An.C could have been this covered.
“Mortal! Do you dare stand there and gawk at me like a child, or do you wish to introduce yourself?” The large man shouted, dwarfing Chance in size.
The red-headed gentleman shook his head and cleared his throat. “Chance. My name is Chance.” His voice seemed strained, and he still had not gotten over the immense size of his opponent.
“Chance. Greetings, you may call me Light.” With that, the large man bowed, but quickly straightened out again. “Now that introductions are aside, shall we begin?”
Before he gave Chance an opportunity to respond, he pulled a massive sword from a sheath that dangled from his hip. The sword itself was just as big, if not bigger, than the red-headed man, and Chance couldn't help but feel a little belittled and afraid.
“Alright, mate. I'll play your game.” The red-head responded, unable to help the soft shaking of his voice. He turned his body to the side and eyed the large man. “So sword play it shall be.”
Light let out a hearty laugh that caused the mud puddles around them to ripple. “Puny fool, you do not have such a weapon at your disposal.”
“Oh? Oh that's right! I don't! Silly me.” Chance mused, smirking as he brought his palm to lips. “One second, my dear.”
His mouth opened, exposing glistening white teeth. Within a fraction of a second, he brought them down upon his palm, easily breaking the skin as he did so. Red liquid swelled from the wound, and slowly dripped down the back of his hand, and even sliding down the sleeve of his suit. He followed up quickly by flicking his hand into the air, sending little red droplets flying up to meet with the rain.
With a snap of his fingers, the blood spun in the air, forming a small, crimson whirlpool. Chance looked towards Light, who was staring fixedly at the scene.
“And, here we are.” With another snap of his fingers, the blood formed into sabre, and placed itself into Chance's bleeding hand. The red weapon was pointed straight at his large opponent; the wielder with a wicked grin.
“What is this witchcraft?” Light shouted, anger apparent in his tone. “You walk hand in hand with the Devil himself!”
“Oi, mate. Enough. I don't work with the Devil. Sinning though, I can't deny.” The red-head chuckled, keeping his maroon eyes fixed on Light. “So are you going to make the first move? Or shall I?”
“Sinful fool! You will regret for giving me such a chance!” Light roared.
He took his sword in both hands and swung it over his head before arcing it down in a powerful slash. Luckily, Light's large frame and sword made his attack sluggish, and gave Chance enough time to counter. The red-head straightened his posture and placed one hand behind his back.
“En garde!” He shouted playfully as he parried the attack, lifting his own weapon above him in a defensive manner.
The larger blade struck his crimson sabre, sending chips of hardened blood flying in different directions. A grin spread across Chance's mouth as he used his free hand to brush aside a piece of wet hair from his face.
“My my, you are quite strong, you know.” He cooed, his arm shaking slightly as he struggled to keep the large blade from crashing down on him. This much power with just one stroke? This was going to be tough.
“Fool, you are only tasting a mere fraction of my strength.!” Light argued, taking a step forward and forcing his blade to cut deeper into Chance's. The power forced the red-head to take a step back, and to grasp the handle of his sabre with both hands.
Behind his playful grin, a tic formed in Chance's jaw. His arms were still shaking, and were beginning to grow tired the longer he stood his ground. His maroon eyes looked around the scenery, trying desperately to think of something that could save him. When he looked across the muddy ground, it donned on him how to gain the upper hand.
“Say, mate. Do you like mud baths?” The red-head asked through clenched teeth.
“What ridiculous question is this?” Light responded, clearly taken aback by the odd inquiry.
“Just wondering.” Chance chuckled. With one swift motion, he forced Light's sword away and sidestepped, grimacing as the blade grazed his cheek and went crashing into the mud.
Following up quickly, Chance tossed his sword at the larger opponent and snapped. With the cue, the sword reverted back to a liquid state and lassoed itself around Light's leg before he could react. With another snap of the red-head's fingers, the red liquid constricted around the armor, and pulled. Thanks to the slippery ground, the giant of a man's leg easily came out from underneath him, sending him splashing down and into the mud. Light let out a howl as he struck the ground.
Chance scowled as he regained his composition; looking down, he noticed mud had splashed onto his pant leg, staining the white material. “Oh for fuck's sakes.. This was bought just last week..” He complained, noting that it was now soaked as well.
“Impressive, small man!” Light roared from the ground, taking no care for Chance's suit. He stood himself up, once more towering over the red-head. “No mere man could have taken that without at least being cut in half!”
Another roaring laughter escaped from the armored giant, and he picked up his sword again. All Chance did was stare at him, not yet done brooding over his ruined suit. He rolled his sleeves up to his elbows, caring no more of what might happen to the expensive fabric.
“Let's just finish this up, mate. I need a new suit.” A small scowl flashed across his features as he glared up at Light. “So. As we were, your move.”
“Well! I see this will take more than just my trusty blade!” Light held his sword out in front of him, and placed his other hand on the base of the metal. His hand drew across the blade as he whispered inaudible words under his breath. The sword slowly began to glow, casting small shadows into the puddles that surrounded him, and along with it his armor. Everything around them grew lighter, and a glow surrounded nearly everything. It was certainly a bright sight.
Chance narrowed his eyes just slightly, and watched with amusement as an even brighter light began to expand from Light's back, slowly spreading out and taking the shape of what seemed like wings.
“Now, mortal. We truly begin.” Light's armored hand slid away from the blade, and he grasped the hilt firmly with both.
The wings made of light that graced his back moved back and forth, slowly gaining enough speed to lift the large man a few inches off the ground. Once he was up, he let out a loud battle cry and sped towards Chance. The quick action caught him off guard; he didn't expect such a large being to be able to move swiftly, wings or not.
His thoughts scrambled as Light closed the distance between them within mere seconds. It took all his willpower to merely sidestep an arcing swing, jumping out of the way and slipping slightly in the mud. The onslaught didn't stop as the armored giant recomposed himself and swung his blade out to the side. Chance ducked, the blade swiping mere centimeters above his head. Red locks of hair floated right in his line of sight, and his body tensed in fear.
However, he was vulnerable in the this position, and the roaring giant brought his leg around in a powerful, sweeping kick that caught the redhead in the sternum. The force driven behind the blow sent Chance flying, his body skidding through the mud. He only came to a stop when he met the wall, hitting his back hard.
An exasperated grunt burst its way past his lips on impact, and he fell to his knees, falling face-first into a puddle of dirty water. His entire body was throbbing in pain, and a ringing noise filled Chance's head, obscuring any other sound or even a thought. Ragged breaths ripped their way in and out his lungs, each one filling his nerves with an immense amount of pain. He couldn't move, or at least he didn't want to, fearful of what was to be felt.
“Foolish.” Light said, who had made his way over to the fallen prince while he was dazed. He stood over the smaller man, wings of light clearly seen against the grey of the sky. “No sinful mortal could take me.”
Although it seemed boisterous, his tone was tinted with pity. Chance slowly rolled his eyes to look at the giant, who's massive frame was keeping rain from hitting him. He tried to move, but his muscles and bones screamed at him; he even already knew that he had several broken ribs, and definitely his left arm. It took every last ounce of willpower to lift himself up on one shaking hand, barely able to stand the horrid sensation that racked his body.
“There... There's nothing... That.. Pisses me off.. More..” Strained words escaped his mouth, but a coughing fit sent his nerves into a frenzy, cutting him off mid-sentence. The giant of a man merely stood over him, watching him closely as he struggled to finish. “Is being pitied..”
With a surge of energy, and against the will of his screaming nerves, Chance stood. He even surprised himself, but instead of showing it he stood up straight. It was then he noticed that there was blood dripping down his cheek, its source being a gash from when he rolled across the ground.
Damn.. I need to hurry.. His eyes darted towards where Bl.An.C was seated; he hadn't moved. With his left arm broken, and a few ribs too, it was going to be tough from then on, even more so than it already was.
“You still wish to continue?” Light inquired, lif