Round 1 - Sain vs Zap

[Kender Bard]

The Beloved Knight stood and waved to the crowds, smiling widely. He was loving the attention. While the knight would have preferred to wear more along the lines of real armor, he knew that in Maelstrom he was likely to come up against many Storms and so had forsaken it in favor of leather armor. The tabbard overlaying it was stitched up for the tournament; white with a yellow sun, the sign of Anarlina. He lifted the tournament sword up and gave a salute towards Zap with it.

"Ready?" the judge inquired.

[Northen Light36]

Zap grins at the other man, amused by the showy antics. He casts an eye over the other man, reconising instantly that while Sain is a handsome showoff, he's also a fighter. "Let's put on a good show for the people," he remarks. "Although you'll have to forgive me when I win, my little sister would torment me for the rest of my life if I lost round one." With a bow, Zap prepares to fight.

As soon as the judge gives the signal to start, Zap attacks, attempting to take Sain by surprise and disarm him. While not a Wind, he has wind heritage in his blood and it shows. Zap will never have the speed of Tavia or Aideen, but he, like Artica and Tres, are damn fast in their movements.

[Kender Bard]

Sain is no novice; though he's a touch surprised at Zap's quickness, he's on guard enough not to let that surprise render him even a little helpless. He brings his sword up quick, disliking that he was put so handily on the defensive. Frowning he pushes against his defense, trying to drive Zap back a step, even as his foot lashes out in a sudden kick at the other man's shin in case he doesn't.

[Northen Light36]

Zap skips back a few steps, avoiding the kick. Darting to the side, Zap sends a low level shock at Sain and follows up by stepping forward in an attempt to 'stab' Sain, hoping to at least put the other man back onto the defensive.

[Kender Bard]

Sain grunted in discomfort as the shock partially numbed him. He brought his sword up to defend again but this time made a flicking motion with his free hand to send little embers at Zap's head while pressing forward again.

[Northen Light36]

Zap isn't bothered by the embers, simply ducking away from them and sending a second, slightly stronger shock at Sain before backing up a few steps and grinning mockingly. "Don't tell me this is your best shot?" he asks mockingly, reverting to his favourite weapon. "My four year old niece puts up more of a fight."

[Kender Bard]

Sain backed off, waiting for his numbness to go down a bit. He simply grinned at Zap's jibes. "Then perhaps she should have entered the tournament in your place!" He decides to stay on the defensive for now and keeps a sharp eye on Zap, and continues to move around. He touches the sign on his neck and begins to fill the air between the two with smoke, letting it build. Now don't pull a Wind sign out of somewhere and ruin my day...

[Northen Light36]

Zap coughs and chokes on the smoke for a minute, before quickly ripping off the arm of his shirt to serve as makeshift scarf to make it easier to breathe. What I wouldn't give for your sign right now, Tavia, he thinks. Moving through the smoke so as not to be an easy target, Zap braces for an attack and waits for the smoke to clear.

[Kender Bard]

Sain contemplates the wisdom of using the smokescreen to launch an assault but decides not to. As the smoke lingers, he fingers that Zap isn't a wind - so his next trick might actually work. He ceases pouring smoke in the air and moves quickly, working to build his trap before the smoke completely dissipates. Still touching his sign he works to make a tall ring of fire around Zap.

[Northen Light36]

As soon as the ring starts to form, Zap springs forward to escape before the circle closes. Activating his sign again, Zap tosses a bolt of lightning at Sain. Though stronger then the light shocks he was using before, it's still not seriously dangerous. Just painful.

[Kender Bard]

The judge frowns and keeps a closer eye on Zap - the mercenary is pushing the limits of what is considered acceptable use in the tournament.

Sain grits his teeth but his pride won't let him cry out. He throws a ball of fire dangerously close to Zap in retaliation.

"Combatants will remember the rules of the tournament," the judge calls out warningly to them both.

[Northen Light36]

Zap grimaces as he smells singed hair. That fireball came close. Deciding to end this before everything gets carried away, Zap dashes forward and attempts to score what would be a leathal gut wound if they were using real weapons.

[Kender Bard]

Sain falls to the ploy and is defeated.

"Match to Zap!" the judge annoucned.