- 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 navy suit. To the right (Chris Reed) is of Caucasian ethnicity with dark brown hair, is in his late thirties, is wearing a black 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, and if I don't look good, you don't look good!

Peter: Thanks for tuning in with us tonight! This time around, we had a pretty excellent fight slide across our desk a week or so ago, but until recently we" Chris, what are you doing"

- Camera pans to where Chris is putting up a very attractive poster of Kalinda on his easel behind the desk. The image showcases Kalinda Acheron's extensive tattoos, and is an obvious advertisement for the Fae Zhu's Tattoo Parlor in the Marketplace. Across the top of the poster, it reads "Because you are a work of art." -

Chris: Nothing groundbreaking" why' See something you like" - Sitting back down. -

Peter: Chris, what is that all about'

Chris: Well, Pete, I'm broke, and our sponsors have agreed to pay me five copper to every gold they make off product plugging on our show.

Peter: Wait a minute. You want to use a dueling program to sell things" Forget it. I'd like to keep whatever dignity I have le- wait' is that a pen and a camera"

Chris: You bet it is! The 3-Scale Office DX-9 is your go-to instrument for any conference endeavors!

Peter: Wow, that's actually kind of ne- Heyyyy' I see what you're doing.

Chris: Are you sure you do, Pete" When was the last time you had your eyes checked" Because Brett's Magic Emporium is featuring a twenty percent off sale for corrective lenses if you book an eye exam today!

Peter: I think I've lost a little bit of my soul just now.

Chris: Which is why you should most definitely schedule an appointment with High Consort Weiss Deathbringer in his new location near Stars End Bar - he can put you in touch with your spiritual side in thirty minutes or your money back!

Peter: Right. Well, while our friend Chris here deals with his compromised integrity, I'll go ahead and introduce the fight we have for you tonight. This one was surprisingly under-publicized, which staggers me, given the fighters and the stakes we're dealing with.

Chris: No doubt about that, Pete. The Pathfinder challenge between Jaycy Ashleana and Soerl Lute was pretty important!

Peter: What do you think about these two, Chris"

Chris: Well Ashleana is definitely a crowd favorite, Pete. She's got a high kick almost as good as Koy's and a hook that nearly puts The Tank to shame. Lute, on the other hand, is your typical silent killer. He was down and out of dueling for a little while there, but now he's making one hell of a comeback with his line of challenges. No doubt he wants to assert himself by acquiring his own collection of titles. Of all the recent duelers making comebacks, I'd have to say that Lute probably has the biggest pair of-

Peter: HEY! Chris, this is a publicly available commentary!

Chris: What' I was just going to say boxing gloves. No way a fighter of his caliber has hands like that without ample protection.

Peter: Oh. Well that's a very astute observation, Chris.

Chris: But now that you mention it, I'm sure Lute is anything but compensati-

Peter: - Interrupting. - Roll footage!

- Roll footage Round 1, final match. JB/JB 1 all. -

Lute: Another punch thrown, added to the myriad already sent out. He grimaced as he was struck.

Ashleana: Lashing out yet again.

Peter: See, this is what I love about best-of-three challenges. When you get down to the wire, speed and blind luck are factored out. This being the final match of the challenge, Lute and Ashleana are probably pretty exhausted by now, so their moves have to be meticulously calculated according to a carefully thought-out strategy. It's here when we see a fighter's true character.

Chris: Funny you say that, Pete, because I was about to say the same thing. As Lute's and Ashleana's bodies get weary, so does their perception. It's not a matter of conserving their strength, but rather rationing what strength they have left.

Peter: In essence, creating a strategy.

Chris: Absolutely. Granted, the analyzing process is often impaired as fatigue sets in, so it's not only a matter of stamina and decision-making, but of focus as well.

Peter: Well, here we see them both rushing to wrap this up, taking advantage of the first opening they find. They're really feeling the burn about now.

Chris: A real shame. They both should have started their workouts with Dragonaid - a sports energy drink made from real dragon ligaments. Dragonaid. Taste the bite in every gulp.

- End footage Round 1. Roll footage, Round 2. SnK/JK 2-1 Lute. -

Lute: He went up into the air with a hop and swung his right leg around as he managed to get above her kick.

Ashleana: Again falling back. "Nice," she grunts.

Chris: Wow! I stand corrected. Lute is actually the one with a wicked high-kick!

Peter: Don't be too quick to change your mind, Chris. But I will agree with you there - Lute certainly seems like he's got a set of springs in his ankles.

Chris: You know" his style and overall technique remind me a lot of Sylus Kurgen. I would pay some money to see those two throw down in either Fists or Swords.

Peter: Chris, you have no money to pay. And even if you did, I doubt you would actually pay it.

Chris: Well not now that I have my new Secure-O-Matic Rationator! The Secure-O-Matic is a state-of-the-art safe specially designed to handle all your personal banking needs!

Peter: Up until you take a hammer to it.

Chris: Hammers don't work. Chainsaws, on the other hand"

Peter: You're not borrowing my chainsaw, Chris.

Chris: Oh come on! I let you borrow my sander!

Peter: No, you gave me back my sander, and you somehow managed to sever the power cable entirely.

Chris: " Well that wouldn't have been a problem if you had used Protect-All, a new, armor-plated-

Peter: - Interrupting. - Next!

- End footage Round 2. Roll footage, Round 3 and 4. FLP/FDU 2-1 Lute; FLB/JB 3-1 Lute. -

Ashleana: Flicks a glance down, telegraphing the direction of her intentions. Then she sets a leg - and gets punched for it.

Lute: He dashed forward and took the opportunity to throw a straight left upon catching that glance downward she made.

Chris: Wowee! You want to talk about perception! Hats off to Lute there for catching that tell!

Peter: It was infinitesimally-perceivable, Chris. If I were in Ashleana's shoes, I would have braced in exactly the same way. With her opponent already dropped into a crouch, it's only natural to assume his next attack is going to be low.

Chris: It's a testament to Lute's upper body strength to see him pull off that roundabout jab so effortlessly.

Peter: Indeed. Lute is anything if not precise in his aim, which makes him a formidable double-threat in both Swords and Fists.

- End footage Round 4. Roll footage, Round 5. JB/SW 3-2 Lute. -

Ashleana: Head snapping back, she blindly returns the favor.

Lute: The minstrel hardly had moved before he was struck in return. He stumbled back and quickly shook his head, hoping to clear it.

Chris: Man, that was one lucky shot on Ashleana's end! And I thought Lute was the one with big-

Peter: - Interrupting. - Boxing gloves. He means big boxing gloves.

Chris: No, Pete, I actually mean"

Peter: - Interrupting again. - That was clever strategy for Lute at first, though! He put his opponent on the (seeming) defensive, and then to take her completely off her guard, he wanted to catch her ankles and knock her off balance entirely. That's Defense 101 for you right there!

Chris: A pity his slide was curtailed by a blow to the chin. Bet he's seeing stars right about here.

- End footage Round 5. Roll footage Round 6. FL/FeJB 3 All. -

Ashleana: Reaching with the other hand almost immediately to snag whatever she could and tug, intending to send him stumbling past her off balance.

Lute: It wasn't long enough. He overextended where he meant to feint and went down as she caught him.

Chris: BAM! And my man Lute eats dirt, courtesy of Ashleana's viper-like finesse. That's how it's done, folks.

Peter: Poorly measured attack on his part, if I may say so myself. Usually what makes a feint so effective is the control with which it is executed. Unless a fighter is capable of withdrawing it as soon as he completes it, it is rendered ineffective. Lute's recoil here is sluggish at best, making him an easy target for a quick grab by Ashleana.

Chris: Well, she doesn't hold an Opal for no reason, Pete. She's not quite ready to give this one up just yet!

- End footage Round 7. Roll footage, Round 7 and 8. FaAB/FaLP 3 All; SW/SnK 4-3 Lute. -

Lute: He brought his right foot up fast in an effort to keep her from taking him down.

Ashleana: Falling down, she scrambles back up.

Peter: I see what you mean about Lute's likeness with Kurgen. It's almost uncanny. Both move like water.

Chris: Absolutely, Pete. Like water. Some elastic, mutant, murderous form of water.

Peter: At this point, though, you can see Ashleana's fatigue. Lute has used this move before, but she's got to be so exhausted, she doesn't even have the reflexes to recognize or retaliate against it. I'm feeling for these fighters.

Chris: Don't be so quick to discount Ashleana, Pete. If she's frustrated, she's certainly not letting on. I mean, there's a reason she's a crowd favorite, you know. She's resilient.

Peter: Formidable, too. She's held the Green Opal two times in her career so far, but has taken part in a handful of defenses. No doubt she likes this particular title quite a bit.

Chris: I don't know if I have a favorite Opal, Pete, but it certainly looks like Ashleana does.

- End footage Round 8. Roll footage, Round 9. JB/FaDU 5-3 Lute. -

Ashleana: One last attack, but she lashes out over him. Missing makes her off-balance enough, and she trips over her own feet, falling to the mat next to him, grunting.

Lute: Down the minstrel went, under the attack. He pulled his arm backward, but didn't actually swing.

Chris: You know, I love my girl Ashleana, but she's been taking one too many chances this match.

Peter: She was eager to put a point on the board there, Chris. If I were in her shoes, I would have kept on him just as much!

Chris: All in all, though, it certainly was a solid win by Lute. Though I wouldn't be surprised if Ashleana challenged for Pathfinder again next chance she gets!

Peter: Congratulations, Lute! And well tried, Ashleana!

- Camera returns to the studio, where Chris is conspicuously drinking a Zeppa soda. When he finishes, he makes a refreshing "Ahhhh' sound. Peter stares in annoyance. -

Peter: Don't you ever wake up in the morning and just feel ashamed at what you've become"

Chris: Not often. But when I feel that way, I make sure to take Relievol, for fast, effective relief. Then I feel better all over again.

Peter: Well, on that note, thanks for tuning in with us tonight, folks. Always remember to give us a shout if there is a fight you'd like covered! Until next time, I'm Peter Pham.

Chris: And I'm Chris Reed!

Peter: You stay sporty, RhyDin!

- End tape. -