Ple-Sen
The battle proved to be a tough one, and the opponents were formidable. In one corner stood Rezara — an opponent with whom crossing swords meant risking bleeding out even if you emerged victorious. In another, Lorican — the Perfect Shield of Sordgard, unmatched in defense here. And last but certainly not least, Gingkink — the antithesis of his one-eyed colleague, serving as the all-cleaving sword of the northern region. The previous battle had showcased the strengths of each of them well, but how they would perform in a miniature melee format was yet to be seen.
Rezara was the first to fall, once again succumbing to a fierce cavalry charge. It felt as though this time she hadn't even tried to win, as if she were unaware of the training opportunity that had presented itself. Meanwhile, Lorican moved in the distance. Carefully. Methodically. The Perfect Knight's intentions were clear — he was waiting for his stalwart companion to finish off the remaining opponents. What he didn't know — and couldn't have known — was that Catharsis had a trick up her sleeve. Carefully planning her next moves, she kept both knights within her field of vision while skillfully slipping out of theirs — the key was to move where they wouldn't look.
Like a raven circling above a wounded beast in anticipation of its meal, she orbited her opponents, occasionally flickering at the periphery of one or the other's vision. Not the most honorable way to wage a battle, but not forbidden by the rules either. Besides, had she shown herself, Lorican would surely have resumed his defensive stance. Or worse, he might have joined forces with the Crushing Blow against her.
The duel's victor did not surprise the Tanarsian — she had already realized that the Perfect's impenetrable defense demanded too much of his attention, leaving no room for counterattacks. And even that wouldn't have been enough to stop the force known as Gingkink Ardelisot. Despite losing his mount, the giant himself seemed not even to have broken a sweat while dispatching his opponent. And now it was her turn to clash with such a dangerous knight.
She could have taken the boring route and, taking advantage of the mighty titan's clumsiness, simply pelted him with daggers. But would that have been an interesting spectacle? And what experience would she have gained from such a duel? The chance to cross swords with someone of such exceptional strength might never come again. No, Catharsis wanted first to test herself in an "honest" fight. To see if her body could withstand Ardelisot's powerful blows before he ran out of strength. Whether she could parry them. Only thus could she learn her weaknesses. And it would help the Crushing Blow himself reach new heights as well. It was worth giving her all before falling back on the pragmatic but dull backup plan.
But the giant was not lacking in endurance — even engulfed in flames, he delivered one mighty blow after another. Each one found its mark. And it seemed the second strike carried even more force than the first. By the third blow, Alaria herself would have run out of stamina, so she retreated, picking up her throwing knives once more, still intent on emerging victorious from this battle. Gradually, step by step, victory drew closer and closer. As it turned out, even such a colossus could not fight without tiring.
When the titan fell, miraculously not shaking the arena, the Tanarsian helped him rise and recover his senses.
— That was something else, my lord Ardelisot. Please accept my sincere gratitude for such an intense battle. To match your power, I will need much more training — had this been an ordinary duel, you would surely have emerged the victor. I hope you bear me no ill will for the tactics I chose to employ.