- The RhyDin Post's black and gold logo flashes with an epic, orchestrated introduction theme. The logo spirals off the screen, and displays a high-tech news studio with flat screen television sets, and a massive, glossy black desk. Two men sit behind the desk. To the left (Peter Pham) is in his early thirties, of Asian ethnicity, has gelled black hair, and is in a khaki suit. To the right (Chris Reed) is of Caucasian ethnicity with dark brown hair, is in his late thirties, is wearing a navy suit, and has a vertical scar running down one side of his face. Both men, equipped with headsets, smile at the camera. -

Peter: How's it going, RhyDin" I'm Peter Pham, sports columnist!

Chris: And I'm Chris Reed! What do I win"

Peter: Welcome to the Post's continuing sports coverage, ladies and gentlemen. Tonight, we're pretty excited to bring you the final match of a relatively quiet but beefed-up Barony challenge between two of RhyDin's greats: Baron of Old Market Tormay Eludes, and Warlord Cassius Gaius Maximius, who we've actually covered once or twice before, unless I'm mistaken.

Chris: Do you hear me complaining, Pete" Maximius is exactly as you've said - one of the greats. He has a record of wins about as long as my unpaid alimony records!

Peter: You just can't discount Eludes in this case, though. His Barony has been held since April, with two solid defenses already.

Chris: Be that as it may, Maximius will always be one of my favorites, Pete. Fighters like Maximius, Dragoon-Talandor, Ar"Daumon, Ar"Din, Oakenshield" those are the ones that are just born to hold a weapon, you know" - Pulls out a piece of paper and studies it seriously. -

Peter: What's that you're doing, Chris" Writing them some love letters"

Chris: Not at all, Pete. I'm double-checking my Fantasy Dueling League team to make sure I included Dragoon-Talandor. I just reminded myself.

Peter: Oh, please. You're just playing safely, aren't you?

Chris: What are you talking about' Dragoon-Talandor and Maximius are good picks.

Peter: They're safe picks! They do consistently well. The fun of FDL is to pick a surprise entry - a wildcard if you will.

Chris: Says you who picked a former Archmage for magic.

Peter: Well, magic is tricky. Either the fighters are good at it, or they're not. There isn't much room for improvement there.

Chris: Well don't bash my picks then, Pete. I pick to win. My fantasy team will crush yours this cycle.

Peter: If you tell me you have a Simon in there somewhere"

Chris: Don't judge. I've got to support my CrushBob.

Peter: Oh, god. It is Tour de RhyDin all over again.

Chris: Hey, hey. You want to put some money down now" I don't even need to look at your picks. I know mine will tear yours apart three ways from Sunday.

Peter: Actually, Chris, I would like to commentate on this fight, if that's all the same to you.

Chris: - Coughing. - Pansy.

Peter: I'm so glad you agree with my assessment of you.

Chris: Ha-ha! You just' wait, what"

Peter: Play the fight if you would, Andrew.

- Roll footage, Round 1. LC/LC. 0 All. -

Maximius: And this duel began much the same as the last...a furrow being dug into the basin of teal that was now laced with irregular swathes of carmine, a pivot, and the libretto of colliding blades undulating across the cerulean shards which loomed above the ring.

Eludes: Blades meet low as they both attack.

Peter: Wow. That is one frustrating way to begin a match.

Chris: Oh absolutely, Pete. And right off the bat, you can tell so much about how the fighters are feeling.

Peter: How so"

Chris: Well, just take a look at their forms. Can we get a close-up, Andrew"

- Camera returns to the studio, where Chris is pointing to the zoomed-in shots on a monitor on his desk. -

Chris: Ignore their expressions for a moment. Maximius's feet seem generally pretty disconnected with the ground here, which is an excellent sign in any case, as good footing is paramount to just about any fighting style. But if you'll have a look at his sword arm during the strike, you can see that the tension therein is radically consistent, all the way from his wrist into his upper torso. That kind of stiffness leads to an ungainly weightiness up top, and can upset a fighter's balance. If any other fighter had had this kind of round, I would say he'd have lost his grip right there. Thankfully, though, Maximius is a veteran. He's learned to keep his hands glued to his blade at all times.

Peter: I'm not sure I understand. Maximius is usually well known for his stellar upper-body technique.

Chris: Oh he is. But the tension he exhibits in this round gives us some insight into the pressure he's feeling about now, I'd imagine. What he needs to do is to step back, take a deep breath, and reset for the next round. We all get frustrated from time to time.

Peter: But on the other side of the ring, we see that Eludes is actually looking pretty limber, isn't he"

Chris: Right you are there, Pete.

- Zoom in on Tormay's form from the knees up. -

Chris: Have a look at the line of his arm, won't you? He keeps his blade supported from underneath, but not excessively. I can definitely see that fae in him here. His connection rippled like water. That's a very good arm.

- End footage Round 1. Roll footage, Round 2. FLP/TH 1-0 Maximius. -

Maximius: An olive-tinted palm found purchase upon the circular gradient of his pommel, aiding to guide the gladius as it lashed upwards in the fashion of a windmill, aiming to hook into the deep meander formed by the angle of Tormay's blade. A simple step forward brought a broad shoulder into the fae's frame.

Eludes: It doesn't take much to knock Tormay around, and Cass has more than enough mass to send him flying back.

Chris: Ah ha! And here we see that brute strength that Maximius holds working out to his advantage!

Peter: His advantage" If anything, I would say Maximius's form changed entirely since the last round. That was a perfect exploitation of Eludes's rushed onslaught.

Chris: I will give you that, Pete. One thing truly noteworthy about Maximius is that he is a master at adopting and modifying techniques to overcome disadvantages in combat. Now obviously Eludes is a little quicker than him here, so he rectifies the situation by having a keener eye for openings. Impressive perception there. Really impressive.

- End footage Round 2. Roll footage, Round 3. SL/LC 1 All. -

Eludes: Plays possum for a moment as he slowly gets up before striking out at Cass's legs to keep the slash away, flashing a quick grin as he does.

Maximius: "Well done." Quipped after the exchange" and slashing a quick grin would work, given the slanting laceration that was driven into the sinuous buttress of his calf by the crystalline blade.

Peter: Oh my. I'm not sure whether to feel appalled by that particular maneuver or ridiculously proud.

Chris: Appalled! I call foul! Foul, I say! The round started with Eludes already on the ground. Eludes engineered that round.

Peter: Eludes's precision was flawless. Maximius should have recognized that. It was his own mistake.

Chris: Maximius doesn't make mistakes.

Peter: Say that to the blood coming out of his leg, then.

- End footage Round 3. Roll footage, Round 4. LC/SH 2-1 Maximius. -

Eludes: Braces, unsure of where Cass is going to go after that slash, and isn't ready to bring the defense where it is needed.

Maximius: The gladius darted forward before retracting it's advance, the rapid velocity of the movement much akin to a viper testing the defenses of it's adversary. The billowing sibiliance of stale air being clove in twain issued into the cusp of his ear as the blade turned downward in a split-second, aiming to batter the hip as much as slice it.

Chris: BOOM! Absolute perfection! See" this is why Maximius was born to hold this weapon. He knows all its ins and outs by heart.

Peter: How do you mean"

Chris: Well the gladius has historically been a Roman weapon, Pete. There are a few designs: You've got your Gladius Hispaniesis, which has some Spanish inspiration, and is typically the largest type of gladius; You've got your Mainz variety, which has a little bit of a waist running the length of the blade, and is shorter and broader than the Hispaniesis; You've got your Fulham, which has a longer point than the Mainz, and isn't quite as waisted; And then you've got your Pompei, which tends to be the most recognizable and popular type of gladius, and is plainer and has a shorter, sturdier profile than its brothers. Now, the most important thing to note here is that - Hispaniesis excluded - all the gladii are generally slashing and stabbing weapons. They are usually pretty small and easy to maneuver, so that a fighter can step right into an enemy's guard and render a longer weapon effectively useless. That is exactly what we see with Maximius doing here. He penetrates Eludes's solid defense just by utilizing some fancy footwork and flicking his blade in like a snake.

Peter: And with that amount of force, I can't imagine Eludes standing right for a few rounds after that.

Chris: Just be glad he isn't on Eludes with a Damascus blade. Those will cut through steel like butter, saying nothing of human or fae flesh.

- End footage Round 4. Roll footage, Round 5. FSS/LC 2 All. -

Eludes: Ignoring the pain in his hip from the last thrashing, Tormay goes back to the trusty low attack to keep Cassius from gaining position.

Maximius: Currents of pain appeared to haunt the sinew of his calf like a malignant shade, being birthed by Tormay's exquisite strikes as soon as they appeared to ebb into oblivion.

Peter: I have to give it to Eludes here. He is incredibly adept with shallow maneuvers. I have to wonder if he hasn't had some fencing training in the past.

Chris: Fencing-shmencing. You and your big words. Shallow maneuvers. Yeah. I know another name for that, Pete. Low blow.

Peter: It is a completely legal move, Chris. I'm sorry to say, but Maximius walked right into that one.

Chris: He's just testing his footing is all.

Peter: That's one hell of a way to test one's footing. I'd rather just perform a lateral half-circuit.

- End footage Round 5. Roll footage, Round 6. LC/SL 3-2 Maximius. -

Eludes: Gets a little reckless, and opens himself to another cut.

Maximius: As the former centurion assessed even the slightest gesticulation of the fae with a piercing gaze, he could not help but notice the rising crest of impatience within the youth which was beginning to manifest itself. As the wild swing was dodged, Gaius stepped inwards, the gladius held in a horizontal stance as it aimed to rake across the breadth of the Baron's abdomen.

Chris: Oh, beautiful. Beautiful, beautiful. Remember what I was saying before, about Maximius's ability to adopt techniques to suit just about any situation' Here we see a prime example of tactic reversal. Trial and error on steroids, Pete. He saw what move combination was effective in a prior round, and he fitted it into his fighting style.

Peter: I will give you that, but Eludes is also partially at fault here. He seems to be getting a little antsy to put himself in the lead and finish up this match.

Chris: Well if that were the case, I would stay off slashing. Slashing exposes the arms of a soldier and necessitates more defensive manipulation than mere stabbing does. Besides, as you said, Eludes's form just reeks of Italian or East RhyDin Provinces" influence. I would say his strength lies in the thrust.

Peter: Unless I'm mistaken, that sounded like constructive criticism, Chris.

Chris: He's a good fighter, Pete. No doubt one of the greats. But there is absolutely a reason why Maximius is my number one pick for the FDL.

Peter: Well, be that as it may, Eludes has a certain spark about him. An unpredictability. I think he's just made it onto my team.

- End footage Round 6. Roll footage, Round 7. SH/HC 3 All. -.

Eludes: Stays in close, ignoring the danger from the gladius. Straight in, puling up at the last moment to avoid the brace with a quick slice from the feint to tie the score. Again.

Maximius: Gaius had begun the process of segueing into defense when the quick strike caught him, a tinge of searing pain imparting the wisdom of never letting his guard down.

Peter: Well, for all your criticism over his notoriously low aim, Eludes certainly has taken a turn for the better, hasn't he"

Chris: The way I see it, Maximius was anticipating a direct blow here. Eludes isn't the type to conduct a full reversal - his body isn't made for it. You hit it on the head earlier, Pete. The way Eludes is built, he excels in unpredictable, clipped maneuvers. But when he has speed, he doesn't harbor much strength. I would say by his half-circle abduction, Eludes sacrificed a lot of force. If he were in real combat, he likely wouldn't have dealt a mortal blow.

Peter: But we're not playing to kill here, Chris. The fact of the matter is Eludes had just enough speed and precision to penetrate Maximius's defenses.

Chris: I'm telling you, Pete. It's all in the wings. The wings have got to have something to do with a fighter's speed. I'm conducting a study.

Peter: Chris, how do you plan to conduct a study when you couldn't even finish your ninth grade science project"

Chris: In my defense, that was a Tuesday. I like to sleep on Tuesdays.

- End footage Round 7. Roll footage, Round 8. DIS/LC 4-3 Eludes. -

Eludes: Feints in with a second thrust, this time slicing low instead of extending to catch Cass as he tries to get away.

Maximius: Settles back after the strike, inching forward.

Chris: I certainly can't fault Maximius for this maneuver here, Pete. It's become obvious that Eludes is looking to secure the victory, so he is going in for hit after hit after hit. I would easily have kept off of him as well.

Peter: But once again, we see Eludes zeroing in on Maximius's legs as he pulls back. I can't help but think that Eludes has some kind of underwater stare that keeps his eyes riveted to the ground.

Chris: Well, about fifty percent of a fighter's ability lies in his footing, Pete. The fact that Maximius's is exceptionally good proves that Eludes is just as exceptionally perceptive for having recognized it. You cut a tree by the roots, it's going to fall down.

Peter: Just hope that it falls away from you, then. I'd hate to be on the receiving end of a gladius strike.

- End footage Round 8. Roll footage, Round 9. FSS/HC 5-3 Eludes. -

Eludes: Doesn't bother with the feint this time, just slices high for a third cut and hopes Cass walks into it.

Maximius: He does, and he pivots with the strike. "Well won, Baron."

Peter: And we see Eludes reverse again! For all that speed/force talk, Chris, it looks as though Eludes is more than capable of handling both.

Chris: That, and it seems like my guy Maximius was getting a little tired there at the end. Can't blame him. These Barony matches can be brutal sometimes.

- Camera returns to the studio, where both men are engaged in a frank discussion. -

Peter: Especially when trying to keep up with a Baron of Eludes's caliber.

Chris: Don't discount my boy, Pete. Eludes is good, but Maximius is among the best.

Peter: Say that to the two points my team just won.

Chris: Give it a week, and your so-called ?team' will be floundering, Peter Pham. Mark my words.

Peter: Consider them marked. For now, we'll just congratulate challenger Cassius Maximius and Baron Tormay Eludes for a match well fought. Congratulations, Tormay, and well tried, Cassius!

Chris: Fights like that - with such excellent duelists - always get my blood pumping. I think I need to go stab something.

Peter: I am not bailing you out of prison again.

Chris: Don't worry. I'll just make it look like an accident again. Or I'll just stab you.

Peter: Well, ladies and gents, while our good friend Chris here is investigated by the RhyDin Watch, I'd like to remind you all that if there is any match you would like to have covered, don't hesitate to write us! Or just write us anyway, since we love to hear from you! Until next time, I'm Peter Pham.

Chris: And I'm Chris Reed!

Peter: You stay sporty, RhyDin!

- End tape. -