Division 2: Semi's 1, Alkaiser Vs Artemis

[Odin Reeves]

...

[Alkaiser]

Alkaiser approaches the ring in which his second fight will take place. After the first fight, Steve still felt nice and fresh, having done very little to secure the victory by way of technicality. Still wanting to stay loose, he immediately begins his pre-fight stretches and timing routines. His run through the ring is a little slow, so he takes extra care to stretch out all of his muscles as if he were a big-league kicker being iced with time.

Steve's opponent had a familiar name. He had never met this 'Artemis' fellow, but he had recognized the name from a Genaht roster he had acquired once through a bit of research. Steve's influence with the gang was slipping, but he still knew which way was up, and still held on to a small group of faithful followers. This fight had nothing to do with Genaht however, and Steve made sure to wash the organization from his mind.

The opposing fighter was not around yet. He probably had to do a bit more work in his fight, and Barzahd envied him for it. Few things disappoint a fighter like an early stoppage, but this is just something that has to be dealt with. Steve looks around the crowd in anticipation. Their eyes fixed upon him made him surge with energy. Pleasing the crowd was something that made these tournaments worthwhile. Still, Steve couldn't help but think of the last tournament he was in. The semi-finals were just one fight away, and Alkaiser could feel it. He was ready.

[artemis]

Artemis sat on the bench for a few seconds with his back against the wall. He allowed himself to be bathed in the symphony of sounds(second link down) coming from his headphones. He lulled himself into a sense of security for a moment going deep within himself. There was nothing outside of him there was only darkness. He was the solitary inhabitant of the world. There was nothing but him and the music that pervaded every aspect of his being.

His muscles relaxed and his mind loosened, becoming translucent and clear. A cold rush of heat slowly ebbed its way through Artemis’s body filling him with a sense of purpose and contentment. Few things matched these moments, right now, in this one solitary moment, Artemis was at peace with himself and what he was. His mind wasn’t buzzing with data, facts and calculations, he just was. At this moment he existed in a universe all his own in perfect contentment.

After a moment Artemis opened his eyes and stared out at the noiseless crowd in front of him. His matched had ended a mere seconds after it had begun, so this meant that the majority of the fights were still underway, if not just starting. Artemis worked his way silently through the crowd. Watching the fighters in the other three rings fight with his piercing gaze. He tried to see through them all. Find their weaknesses simplify there fighting strategies and see inside their mind. Artemis walked slowly from the right side of the arena to the left silently observing the fighters in front of him.

They were all exceptional fighters, each with a great deal of a ability and talent, but As Artemis walked to the left side of the ring one fighter seemed to stand out above the rest. It was Odin Reeves, past champion of the underground tournament. As Artemis watched the fight, he saw a level of experience and finesse in him that far surpassed his own. His natural instincts and ability seemed to at least match if not surpass Artemis’s ability to observe and adapt, and Artemis found himself fascinated in the complexities of the man’s style.
Very logical and controlling
Artemis thought, which from him was probably the highest compliment that could be given.

Artemis watched the fight through to its conclusion, and then allowed his mind to switch gears. Odin wasn’t important right now, what was important was the match ahead. As he had predicted Steve Alkaiser was his next opponent. Artemis immediately recognized him as a member of Genaht and started going over what limited data he had about him in his head as he walked to the ring.

When he got there he noticed that Alkaiser was already there and waiting for him. Rather then jump right in Artemis found it a good idea to circle the ring from a distance for a while and gather as much information about his opponent as he could. Artemis’s eyes locked on Steve with a cold and piercing glare as Artemis slowly made his way around the ring. He observed him as he warmed up watching his body language and movements. He seemed like a fairly quick individual with a lot of agility on his side, and Artemis guessed by the way he carried himself about the ring that he was a fairly experienced fighter. This probably meant he knew how to use his speed and agility to its full advantage. He was obviously excited, adrenaline was most likely pumping through his veins as he made his sprints across the ring. There was no obvious sign of injury and fatigue on his body and Artemis guessed that he was nearly in perfect condition like himself.

Artemis circled around a few more times attempting to take in every minute detail about his opponent before heading up the stairs to the ring. He slipped in and walked with a steady even determined pace that he normally had to the center of the ring. He stopped there and stared right into the eyes of his opponent with his cold piercing glare, as he attempted to see through him. After a moment or two he simply stated in a calm steady voice.

“Ready when you are.”

[Alkaiser]

"There he is..." Alkaiser thinks to himself gleefully as he shakes out a knot in his neck. Steve's first glimpse of the opponent comes while he is running across the ring. The tall looming guy with his eyes affixed upon Steve...that's the one. That's Barzahd's opponent right there.

Artemis gets into the ring smoothly and immediately assumes a position in the center of the ring, quite intentionally limiting Steve to the corners and sides. It's one of Alkaiser's own most trusted strategies, and he rushes at the challenge of toppling his own scheme. Artemis neglected to stretch and physically prepare for the fight, however, and Steve wonders to himself if an opponent rumored to be so cunning would forget such an important step. Barzahd soon evicts the thought from his mind and focuses on his adversary.

This Adler fellow seems to have quite the delicate build. Thin and tall almost to the point of being outright lanky. Steve generally makes a note to never let anyone be quicker than he is, but he questions if this opposition will even be able to match him in power. It's time to put those questions to the test.

"Of course. Good luck to you." Steve replies, showing the other man in the ring a good deal more respect than the average competitor he comes into conflict with. Steve then begins to move forward to meet his opponent. With every inch closer he gets to Adler, it's another inch out of the corners and sides that he can boast. The extra range is an important supplement to Steve's speed, so the more room he has, the better he'll perform.

Once Alkaiser has gotten within striking range, he attempts a leg sweep. It's quickly thrown and quickly retracted, with little more power than is necessary to topple his foe should the attack connect. Being in the center of the mat, Barzahd fully expects this move to be dodged, as his opponent has much room to do it with. Therefore, Steve elects to watch where Artemis dodges to and react with a stiff right jab, also quick to retract, on his way up from the low kick. These moves are more to feel out the other contestant than to injure them, but if they connect they will feel no less than serious.

[artemis]

Artemis watched his opponent carefully making sure that his focus and concentration would stay unwavering for the duration of the match. When you were dealing with an opponent who could use speed and agility correctly, it is important to be able to read the movements as soon as possible to be able to react in time. Luckily, Artemis’s observational skills made him excellent at reading other people’s body language, so it was only a matter of staying focused and not taking this match for granted.

"Of course. Good luck to you."

The reply was genuine and respectful, something very welcomed and refreshing to Artemis as of late. He had only been at hircine for a few weeks now and already the insolent attitudes of his fellow students were beginning to annoy him. At first he felt indifference towards it, taking it as a learning experience. That was simply what is was like here, but as of late Artemis couldn’t help cringing at these student’s attitudes. He was brought up where manners and gentlemanly conduct, came only second to logic. People who were rude insolent and arrogant, were uncultured and uncivilized, they paid heed more to their emotions then to their minds.

Artemis immediately gained a new sense of respect for Alkaiser as he spoke to him. He supposed that is why he liked Genaht so much. Genaht was the exception to the general rule of ignorance and idiocy that permeated the school. Genaht members were individuals who let logic and reason guide their actions, opposed to pure instinct and emotion.

Artemis nodded slightly to Steve’s reply his new found respect for him peering out from under his gaze for a moment before being swallowed in an intense cold focus.

As Artemis watched his opponent inch closer to him he played through the match over and over again in his head calculating all the possibilities from the limited data he had gathered. Artemis stayed focused on him watching his every move when he noticed a distinct change in weight distribution and body language.

Alkaiser’s eyes flitted up and down Artemis quickly his the center of his weight shifting downward and all his weight shifting to his left (or right) foot. As Alkaiser’s center of balance continued to shift closer to the floor Artemis recognized the maneuver and started going through his options.

Finally, he decided. Artemis bent his legs slightly and jumped a foot into the air avoiding the strike. He then brought his right arm forward with his first two fingers extended heading for the pressure point on the upper part of Steve’s arm. Once connected it should serve to numb the muscle and possibly send a nice jolt of pain in the process. Artemis made sure to not shift his body weight while performing this maneuver because in the air his body would be subject to wherever the majority of his body weight lay. If he allowed his body to shift forward he would give his opponent the advantage by landing closer to him with a lost sense of control. Instead he opted to push using just his arm, which would land him in the same spot he was in the same posture. Hopefully the force from the strike would disrupt Alkaisers sense of balance in his awkward state and put him off balance.

As the right jab came for Artemis he again played through his options. He opted to let this one go. He shifted his left arm to take the punch at his forearm, which would cause minimal damage.

It was important that Artemis Prioritize in this fight as much has he could. He didn’t know how far Alkaiser would be able to push him, so he had to save as much of his energy as possible for the worst case scenario.

Artemis landed in the same spot he was in his normal neutral standing stance waiting to see the results of his endeavors .

OOC: be slightly more detailed particularly with where your attacks are aimed and what you are using for them what direction etc.

[Alkaiser]

Artemis opts to take flight, to Steve's surprise. Although he had taken the direction into account when he made his strategy, he discounted the probability of the action due to it's high risk factor. Normally, Steve could land several blows in between liftoff and touchdown, but he was off balance and had one other factor to take into account; Artemis' fingers.

From what Alkaiser knew of his opponent, he was smart and calculating. Other than that, all Barzahd could make were inferences as to what he would do. Smart people use their opponent's body as their own strongest weapon. Joint locks, restricting blood flow, and pressure points are tools of the trade. When a hand morphs into two solid fingers, pressure points are the target. The problem with pressure points are the small margin for error. Such precision is needed that the slightest change in conditions can throw the whole attack out the window. Steve couldn't directly block the attack at the time because of his positioning, so he allowed himself to shift forward with his kick ever so slightly, causing Artemis's fingers to rocket into a more safe area; Alkaiser's left shoulder blade.

Now came Steve's punch. He decides to still go through with the attack, but dedicate a little more to the motions. Instead of the quick jab he had initially planned, he elects to follow through with his weight, Smashing his fist straight into his opponent's block and transfering motion further. The forearm was a small target, and it caused Barzahd's attack to glance off of the body with minimal damage to Artemis. Where the extra motion comes in is when Alkaiser follows his shoulder through and into the midsection of Adler, right under the arm that he extended for his attack, just as he finds himself landing back onto the mat. All of Barzahd's speed focuses on getting to the opening under the arm before it closes.

A few possibilities come from this attack. Should it hit, Artemis will probably either be driven backwards forcefully, or dropped to the canvas. If the fight goes to the ground, Steve will pick himself up quickly, as the last thing he wants is to be tangled to a perssure point fighter. Should Adler stay standing, Alkaiser will move into the center of the ring where he hoped to be in the first place, raise his defenses, and watch for his adversary's next move.

[artemis]

Artemis sent his right hand forward with pinpoint accuracy. At the last moment before connecting however Alkaiser’s body position shifted causing his Strike to go fairly harmlessly into his left shoulder blade. Artemis immediately began retracting his arm back into a neutral position just as Alkaiser struck him with a right hook.

Artemis had the feeling that something wasn’t quite right about Alkaiser’s stance at the moment as he blocked his hook with his left forearm. To further test this theory, Artemis pushed against the hook as he blocked. If it was a simple jab it should be easily reflected.

It was not however and Steve’s hand continued its assault downward on Artemis’ forearm with little regard to the resistance it was meeting. This probably meant that this would not be the end of the strike. Artemis stared at the angle of his opponent’s arm and the force that it was excreting and started making calculations. The arm continued to gain force as Alkaiser put his body into the punch until it finally glanced downward off of Artemis’ forearm. In the small time before this occurred Artemis
The punch glanced on and continued to travel across the body as Artemis’ feet touched the ground. Artemis braced himslef for the attack from Alkaiser's shoulder. The attack hit Artemis on his right side, the majority of the force forcing down on his right shoulder. Artemis lossened his muscels and allowed the momentium to flow through him. forcing him downward to the ground. He would land on his back in realtively the same postion, which was the best and most controled way to control the momentium.

However before the the attack hit,t he rest of Alkaiser’s body came with this attack, and in this moment of weakness Artemis saw his opportunity.

Artemis took his left fist and did a quick explosive jab to Alkaiser’s nose. Artemis put enough force into the short explosive punch to quite possibly break his nose if it contected. Artemis would hit him with the top of his fist punching outward similar to the motion done when doing butterfly exercises in weight lifting.

Artemis would take the opportunity after this move to recompose and reposition himself. If Alkaiser didn’t move back from the blow Artemis would take advantage of his reaction, but otherwise he would simply reposition himself in a comfortable neutral position a few feet from his opponent.

[Alkaiser]

Steve's shoulder crashes into it's intended target, sending his opponent to the ground. Although he himself is not entirely sure how much damage he had just dealt, he could plainly see that his opponent was thrown onto his back, allowing Steve to assume his place in the center of the ring just as he had wanted. There, he shook his head, trying to refocus after taking a strong shot on Artemis' way down.

The very positioning of the two fighters made Artemis' shot too quick to dodge. Steve's face was in very close proximity to the area of the collision, so there wasn't much momentum built behind the attack, but it was still quite explosive. If Artemis had had a base to draw power from, this shot surely would have broken bones. Alkaiser is relieved that his opponent was never balanced enough to draw that strength however, thanks to his acrobatics and the shoulder in his side as soon as he landed. Adler's fist had caught Steve's nose right on the bridge, causing his eyes to water as he stood in the middle of the battleground. "That was a close one."

The opposition quickly repositions himself on the outside of the ring, seemingly ignoring his new placement and concentrating more on Barzahd. Steve blinks his eyes rapidly until his vision clears, and refocuses himself. He moves in, wanting to stay on the offensive and hopefully trap his opponent on the ropes. Artemis was a good reactionary fighter, there was no questioning that. Steve just needed to be a better engaging fighter, and he constantly reminded himself of that fact.

Alkaiser positions himself at Adler's front side, opposite the bounds of the fighting area. He begins to throw jabs cautiously, testing the waters and looking for an opening to appear. A right, a left, another left...the shots were coming. Artemis could dodge, but Alkaiser would just continue his barrage while edging his opponent into the rope trap. Steve always makes sure to keep one arm up in a guard in case Artemis counterattacks, and watches his opponent's weapons closely. It was up to Adler now, depending on what he would do.

[artemis]

Artemis laid there on the ground his right shoulder radiating heat. It felt sore and a sharp pain came from something out of place somewhere in between the shoulder and the back. The damage Artemis speculated was minimal as long as it wasn’t constantly abused the minor injury would go unnoticed.

He lied there on the ground for a couple of extra seconds allowing his opponent to become comfortable with his position. They had reached a critical point in the match, from this point on whoever controlled the momentum of the fight would most likely be the winner. One would simply become dominant offensively and win the match by controlling its flow.

Artemis knew this even before he hit the floor. The only thoughts that plagued him for the next few seconds was simply how to best gain the upper hand. Part of this was simple, but it had to be done precisely and correctly.


All Artemis had to do was change his rhythm. Up until this point Artemis had been a careful and cautionary pinpoint fighter. Accurate, but reserved. This set a template for his tempo and his actions. To totally shift styles and go for a fully aggressive attack would most certainly throw Steve off guard.

This didn’t mean that Artemis would be dumb enough to leave himself open he would just have to focus harder and strike sooner.

After Alkaiser gained his cautionary stance Artemis would flip up on his feet and go after the man at full speed. He was careful to keep his defenses up and keep the center of balance neutral, so it couldn’t be exploited.

Artemis went at Alkaiser with a barrage of punches all with significant strength behind them. They would be blocked and Artemis knew that so instead he focused on the arms that would be blocking particularly the Alkaiser’s right. He would aim for the outside of the shoulder bruising it and thus diminishing its effectiveness. He would be careful during this whole time to alternate Offense and defense like he always had simply at a quicker more aggressive pace.

The punching game would only last a number of seconds before Artemis would discretely kick out his right leg to the right focusing on Steve’s right kneecap, as he continued to play the punching game. The kick would hit with Artemis’ heel pushing directly on the side of Steve’s kneecap forcing it sideways as the foot followed through. This would do significant damage to the leg as Artemis continued the kick more into a sidestep to the right.

If this attack connected, Artemis would bring his center of gravity down and duck down with the kick as it followed through. He then would quickly come up in a openhanded uppercut with his left hand. After this he would take advantage of Steve's exposed neck and grab it with a firm grip pushing down on the two main pressure points on either side with excessive force. He would continue to apply pressure until Alkaiser passed out, being careful to look for a counter if it came.

If the attack did not connect Artemis would still do realtively the same thing, but instead he would attack with his left elbow at Alkasier’s middle section. If he didn’t meet resistance it would connect, but either way he would bring the elbow up into the same openhanded uppercut and perform the same procedure with as much speed as his body could muster.

[Alkaiser]

(OOC: Changes made to correct dispute. We good )

When Artemis hit the canvas, something must have clicked for him. Steve would see that only moments later, when his opponent came back at him like a pouncing tiger. The two engaged in a vicious duel of fists, neither one budging an inch. Adler sends a fierce right and Alkaiser catches it, then counterattacks with a calculated left that gets batted away. This cycle repeats for almost a half of a minuite, which happens to be an eternity in fight time. The outcome of this game was obvious, however. Adler had the edge, with stronger shots and renewed focus. He would not be denied. Steve had to do something.

When an enemy is coming at you with a great deal of resolve and their fists flying, you only have a few options. Each one of those options stresses that you put distance between yourself and the berserker that's chasing you. If someone was charging him, Steve could just employ one of sambo's tried and true basics to stop the onslaught. Steve quickly lifts his foot up, leans his weight into it, and thrusts it down in a sidekick that would hit the charging man in his foremost thigh, just above the knee joint. It was as if he had done this movement a thousand times, allthough the truth was that he had probably done it more than that. It seemed that Adler had the same idea, to go for the legs while the mind was preoccupied with the arms, but Alkaiser's was a higher kick, causing the opponent's kick to safely swing under his own attack.

There was nothing more to the move. All it did was force Adler's own foot to plant into the ground so that his movement would be halted. Steve hops back simultaneously to ensure that no more damage can be done. From this distance, all of the attacks were safely out of range, and Alkaiser could now adjust his own movement to keep them there. With Artemis pressing the action, Steve elects to let himself be put onto defense for a time, and see if his opponent has any better ideas for attack. His stance is low and wide, which allows weight to be transferred easily from foot to foot. From this stance, counterattacking was very easy. Artemis would have to take more caution if he wanted to win.

"Come on Artemis, don't be so modest. You're smarter than that." Steve announces mockingly, knowing that such a barrage probably would have worked on 90 out of 100 fighters. It was just a bad break that Steve happened to practice such a style for dealing with this type of technique, and used similar ones himself.

[kai]

OOC: Alkaiser advances, he was the clear winner throughout the whole thing.

[Odin Reeves]

[Kai, please remember you are but one of three judges.

My choice goes to Artemis. His style of writing as well as his control over his own character is unique but well done.

I enjoyed reading what there was of this fight.]

[kai]

OOC: I know, I thought it was a given I was just stating my opinion.

[Kyukaku]

Close, but in the end I'm going to side with Alkaiser on this one. I liked this fight, it was fun to read.