Re: Nym (Ranger9000)
Rolls:
Nym: 4(-1) vs 7, 4(-1) vs 2, 9(-1) vs 8, 9(-1) vs 8 (3 hits)
Slix: 6 vs 5(-1), 7 vs 8(-1), 4 vs 4(-1), KO (2 hits)
In front of the cheering audience, two combatants clashed. After a long, difficult, painful and in some cases humiliating struggle, they've rushed each other for the last time, each determined to finally bring the other one down for good. Both Nym and Slix were focused entirely on one thing - beating the other one into submission. All pretense of defending against each other's blows was abandoned. By now, the goblin and the human were just slugging it out, desperately trying to hold onto consciousness and what little strenght they've still had while swinging their fists as fast as they could, praying for that critical blow that'd finally render the other one unable to fight any longer.
Slix was the first to score a hit, but faltered for a split second after that, leaving himself open. Nym capitalized on that, and then the two of them were just smashing into each other with the last of their power, the audience swept up in the moment as the assembled goblins cheered both of them on, unable to hold their enthusiasm back any longer, going crazy where they stood. Then, after what felt like hours, it finally happened. Nym struck for the n-th, time, expecting her feeble strike to be about as effective as the rest of her now weak punches... But instead of the familiar resistance, she felt Slix give way under her fist. Whether it was exhaustion or because she finally hit something important, she had no idea. What she was certain of was the sight that played out before her eyes.
The goblin took a step back, eyes unfocused. Then his gaze sharpened, and for a second Nym felt fear. He was going to get back into this, already he was stepping forward and getting ready to swing... And then he tripped, falling forward, his arm reaching out towards her in a futile gesture as he hit the ground. Everybody went silent at this. The audience, Ozin, the shaman and the warrior at his side, all of them stared in complete silence at the arena for what felt like an eternity. Standing there, Nym would finally realize how sore her body felt, and just how exhausted she was. Every muscle in her body ached and she was barely able to remain on her feet. But in the end, even if just for this moment, she was still standing.
The silence dragged on, almost uncomfortably. Suddenly, it was broken as the scarred warrior next to the chieftain moved, the quiet sound ringing out like a gunshot. "That..." He began in an emotion-laden tone, looking deeply moved. "That was fucking beautiful." And like a charm, those words broke the spell of silence as the crowd erupted in a storm of frenzied activity. Howling, cheering, shouting, clapping, thumping, stomping. And above everything else, chanting a single name like a mantra. "Nym! Nym! Nym! Nym!"