Alaroc and Cruxis stare each other down, Alaroc's challenge invoked, and Cruxis' smite radiating Alaroc and Twenty-Four take off and begin darting around the arena. Cruxis backs to the wall so that he can't get him from behind, and he only needs to watch one direction.
Alaroc knows that staying too close to Cruxis would let him unleash his magic through his blade, so he makes use of his training he's done to make Ride-by Attacks across Cruxis front. Cruxis uses his shield to stave off the left side swings from the Dragonslayer side, then uses his forearm behind his shield to deflect the right sided energy attacks.
With his shield in front Alaroc seemed to have trouble picking out where the Paladin's hand is behind the shield. Alaroc may not be able to break his physical defense, so he tried to break his mental defense instead by shouting,
"You plan to win by standing still?! You have no chance if you don't fight back!"
Alaroc's shout seems to work as Cruxis steps a bit further out. Alaroc spots an opening and slashes in at Cruxis' shield arm at the shoulder with his energy blade. Finally Alaroc manages to crack through the two magic items protecting the Paladin and his slash hits home. As Alaroc begins to speed away he suddenly finds that he is flying toward the ground. He crashes hard as Twenty-Four fades away under him.
He looks back to see Cruxis dropping his shield from the wound on his arm, but he also notes that the Smite Aura from Cruxis's blade is fading away. Alaroc stands as Cruxis turns and speaks, "Bet you didn't know I can't fully smite unless the gods' will it or my target is evil."
Alaroc takes a moment then stands up holding his shoulder and says, "You weren't trying to smite me."
"Holy power and the undead don't mix, friend."
"Well, you can't use your smites on me, so from were I stand..." Alaroc twirls his two blades verse Cruxis' one blade ,"I'm at the advantage."
"While it's true I can't call on Freya or Arete to smite with a blade..." Cruxis whips his blade around and it suddenly becomes surrounded by fire and glows. The fire and frost mix but to not fight making the blade continue to crystallize flowing energy. The action looks similar to how Leo enchants his blade. "I have a Divine Bond that goes beyond just fighting back evil."
Cruxis also presses his hand to his shoulder and repairs the wound and picks up his shield, saying, "Also, I'd rather have a shield than an extra blade."
Alaroc once again rushes in, and slashes with the dragonslayer. Cruxis deflects it easily with his shield then stabs with his own blade. Alaroc snaps right and now sweeps low with the energy blade Cruxis hops back, but stumbles. He's never been forced to dodge this much in heavy armor making him much more exhausted than normal.
Alaroc takes advantage of this and kicks right onto Cruxis' shield forcing him back even further and falling to the ground. Alaroc leaps in with his dragonslayer and energy blade pointed down to thrust into Cruxis to try and pierce the armor.
Unfortunately for Alaroc, Cruxis meets him in that motion and raises his own blade to stab at Alaroc. He also manages to hold off the dragonslayer with his shield, but the energy blade thrusts into the prone paladin's midsection. Alaroc is stabbed by the dual enchanted flaming and freezing blade in his shoulder as he leaps up and off, losing his balance a bit from his new wound.
Alaroc rubs his wound and winces, as Cruxis uses all of his lay on hands power uses to take care of the huge wound he received from Alaroc. The Cavalier snickers as Cruxis rises with an anrgy expression and asks, "That wound would have killed me, have you a lust for murder, friend?"
"Not murder, faith. I've fought along side you enough to know how skilled a healer you are." Cruxis smiles at his opponent's vote of confidence. The two clash again, but Alaroc's shoulder wound now keeps him at a much more even level with Cruxis.
The two go back and forth, blocking each other's attacks blade for blade until both are exhausted and breathing heavy. Cruxis began to cast his spells to help him, but Alaroc had seen all Cruxis' spells before, and with dazzling displays of swordsmanship, countered each one.
After a time Alaroc felt his lips going dry again despite having drank for the entirety of the fight when he could. Alaroc tucks his dragonslayer under his arm and tries to drink from his flask, but to his shock, nothing comes out, at that Cruxis laughs deep from his center.
"In the long time we've worked together, never have I seen you run out through a single fight! How long have we been fight." Alaroc smiles and hooks his flask back onto his belt before responding, "Not sure, you should know I'm not the best chronicler when I'm drunk."
The two swordsman chuckle as they begin to steel themselves for the rest of the fight. Alaroc struggles to lift both his blades under their weight, and has to let the energy blade fall, placing both hands on his dragonslayer blade. Cruxis smiles, with a bit more energy left than his friend. He capitalizes and moves in, to bash Alaroc with his shield.
Alaroc darts left as Permafrost comes toward him. He ducks down and the blade dings off Alaroc's helmet. Alaroc takes advantage of this and slashes up Cruxis body. Alaroc's blade is halted at Cruxis' waist after cutting into some of the armored skirt. Cruxis readies his blade to bring it down on the cavalier when Alaroc does something that silences everyone at the arena.
With a war cry that would make a barbarian jealous, Alaroc flexes and forces his blade to continue upwards. Alaroc's blade cleaves up the rest of the length of the plate mail and forces Cruxis up and to the ground.
The heroes from their platform stand aghast, even the Monk, who had been motionless the entire fight, widened his eyes in surprise. Alaroc stood breathing heavily as Cruxis looks to him and then his split, useless armor. The paladin takes his time to remove his armor as Alaroc crouches down to rest for as long as he can while Cruxis rights himself.
Cruxis stands, armorless, holding just his shield and sword, his clothes soaked with sweat, his breath forced out of him from his rough landing, but his eyes unerring. Alaroc clashes his blade into the shield again and dodges away, expecting the blade that Cruxis was to tired to swing, before falling from fatigue when he tried to establish his footing.
Cruxis tries to bring down his blade but Alaroc plants his heel right into Cruxis' stomach and forces him to the ground as well. The two fighters lie there breathing heavy, wounded, and out of tricks. both straining to stand. For almost an entire minute both fighters remained there.
The crowd began to chant the names of both the fighter over and over, in a chorus. Both fighters only heard their own names as they fought with all their might to stand. The unsaid consensus was that the one who could stand would be the one to win.
Baited by the sound of the crowd, now shouting his name, one of the swordsmen sat up. He slowly force himself to his knees, then his feet before finally standing tall and puffing out his chest. The crowd all shifted, now not chanting for both fighter, but only chanting over and over the name of the swordsman that stood.
"AL-A-ROC! AL-A_ROC! AL-A-ROC!"
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