WMAT C1 Artorias vs. Sagat

WMAT C1 Artorias vs. Sagat
Date of Scene:	28 June 2014
Location:	WMAT Arena - Devil's Hand
Synopsis:	The Emperor of Muay Thai faces the Abysswalker in the first round! Can Sagat's martial arts break Artorias's unwavering shield, or will the dark knight prove victorious? Find out next time in round 1 of the WMAT!
Cast of Characters:	95, 182, 268, 396

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Artorias (182) has posed:
The ruined castle of Devil's Hand seems like the perfect place for a knight to battle. No matter that there are probably ghosts lurking in the halls below the surface, threatening to make things all the more difficult for the possessed-sounding warrior. He can manage that when it comes, if said rumors are even true. What's the worst that could happen?

The castle's courtyard is where Artorias awaits his opponent, standing tall with his greatshield by his side and his greatsword resting on one shoulder. He almost seems to blend in with the shadows rising in the dimming light, with his Abyss-corrupted armor and darkened mantle. At least he's nowhere near stealthy; at twice the height of any normal human, it would be a wonder not to notice him anywhere.

Sif, of course, is not with him in this match. Artorias entered the competition on his own, and it just wouldn't be fair to team up on an opponent in a duel.

Gough (268) has posed:
Up on a plateau, the commentator's box is empty.

That is because today's commentator doesn't FIT in the commentator's box, and is just as BIG as the commentator's box.

Sir Gough the Hawkeye, Knight of Gwyn, is perched up against the side of a mountain, sitting in a partial hollow that he may or may not have made for himself. His bow is leaned up against the rock, less because he needs it and more because it goes where he goes. He's sitting cross-legged, whittling at a piece of archtree wood while his greathelm is fixed in the direction of the ruined castle below.

Gough is not using a microphone. This is mostly because he doesn't NEED one.

Gough also may or may not be providing a nice high perch for the Lord's Blade, too.

Ciaran (396) has posed:
Perched on the sidelines in nervous anticipation is the masked assassin, Ciaran. The sight of Artorias preparing for battle always gives her a mixed feeling of pride and anxiety, and tonight, despite the tournament's setting of safety, is no different. His life is in no peril, but he may still endure injury...but is the opportunity for glory in the name of Gwyn not worth a little peril?

No matter what logic she presents herself, she cannot keep her heart from pounding. Ciaran's hands fold together over her breast, and she watches, her eyes wide behind her mask.

Sagat (95) has posed:
On his way into the castle, Artorias might have noticed a length of metal that has been, apparently, both deliberately molded into a certain shape, and then warped and twisted and broken as if by a violent impact. At one point, it was the bumper from a motor vehicle known colloquially as a 'Hummer'.

At a later point, said vehicle was the subject of Sagat's training.

The Emperor of Muay Thai emerges from within the ruins of the castle, pacing out to the courtyard and nodding a greeting to his opponent. "So the time has come for our match ... I look forward to our fight." He walks closer, extending a hand - open and empty - to shake before the match starts.

Gough (268) has posed:
"It looks as though our opponents have both arrived!" Gough claps his hands cheerfully. The sound is a little like boulders being knocked together. "Sir Artorias is looking to be in fine form, though I would expect no less of a Knight of Gwyn. And Sagat too appears to be in fine form, ready for his opponent; he even offers to shake hands, before beginning the match. Chivalrous of him!"

Artorias (182) has posed:
Once Sagat arrives, Artorias takes a moment to tuck his sword on his back. "Well met, Sir Sagat," the knight greets, his tone friendly and welcoming despite the unnerving ghostly echo behind it. A gauntleted hand is extended to accept the handshake, his grip firm and strong but not crushing. "As do I! Let us make it as thrilling for our audience as 'twill undoubtedly be for us, eh?"

With that, the Abysswalker steps back, opening up the distance between them. His sword is drawn once more, the blackened blade set back upon his shoulder. Artorias waits for the match to begin, and once it does, his attack is swift...though probably not what one would expect. He doesn't lead with his sword, but instead with a bash from his heavy greatshield, using his size and strength to try and knock Sagat back with a blunt hit.

Sagat (95) has posed:
A loud grunt escapes Sagat as Artorias slams his shield into the towering Muay Thai fighter - although to be fair, Artorias is *even bigger than Sagat*, which is a particularly rare experience for him.

The impact is enough to leave Sagat taking a couple of steps backwards to recover his balance - but he's grinning nonetheless. "I should be remiss not to, good knight ... and you're already setting a high bar for me to strive towards."

He closes in on Artorias - and rather than trying to break through the knight's defenses or circumvent the shield, Sagat brings his right leg up and simply *kicks the shield itself*, aiming right at the center of it. Even if he doesn't put a noticeable dent in said shield, the impact should travel back through Artorias's arm and into his body ... or at least, that's the theory by which Sagat is operating.

Ciaran (396) has posed:
"Oh!" Ciaran's hands come up over the smiling lips carved into her mask as if she can stifle her gasp and alarm. It looks a bit silly, and she knows this, and she forcibly lowers her hands again, only for them both to shoot up into place whenever Sagat takes /his/ turn. "Oh my..."

Gough (268) has posed:
"And so it is that Sir Artorias opens his match, not with his sword, but with his shield, attempting to drive it into our fair Sagat's face. 'Tis a solid blow, should it find purchase; of that I can assure thee!"

The carving knife goes 'scrape scrape scraaaape,' as though Gough were completely unperturbed by this meeting of champions down below. If he has any of Ciaran's nerves, which is doubtful, he's very good at not showing it!

Actually, it's probably debatable whether there's anything that actually CAN perturb the giant.

"Sagat is skillful himself, and recovers quickly! He retaliates by... hmmmm~? Kicking Sir Artorias' shield, is it? An interesting tactic, but that looks to be quite a powerful kick. We shall see what it does to Sir Artorias."

He pauses, greathelmed head swivelling around when Ciaran's hands fly up to her slightly creepy mask. He chuckles, a good hearty chuckle of genuine amusement. "Calm thyself, little sister! 'Tis no duel to the death."

Ciaran (396) has posed:
Ciaran waves off Gough's concern in some embarrassment. It's not like she can help herself!

Artorias (182) has posed:
While his face is still hidden under oppressive shadows, Artorias's excited grin is clear in his voice. "Good, good! 'Twould hardly be a duel if we lacked a standard to pass!" He backs away again after his bash lands, keeping his shield up to prepare for Sagat's retaliation.

He isn't expecting the man to simply go straight for the shield.

The impact hits with a resounding CLANG, resonating through the arena and jarring the knight's shield arm. Even as strong as he is, that hit is both strong and skillful enough to have some effect. While the shield is not dented or scratched in the least, Artorias finds it much harder to keep up for the moment, grunting his discomfort as he lets the shield lower slightly.

Ah, but he's not going to let that opening give him a disadvantage. Even as his shield is lowered to let the tip rest against the ground, Artorias steps forward and suddenly lifts his knee up to strike Sagat's chest. Not the strongest hit, but hopefully enough to buy him a moment and some space to regain the sturdiness of his arm.

Sagat (95) has posed:
The Emperor of Muay Thai seems to have been ready for that, by contrast - while he may not have 'expected' it in the usual sense of the word, he *is* a martial artist, and every part of the body is a weapon to a properly-trained practicioner of his chosen style of fighting. So an armored knee is aimed at his chest ...

Sagat catches it, making a faint noise at the impact. It's not even pain, really - just a rough exhalation, as much from the effort as the impact.

Then he shoves Artorias's leg to the side, trying to leave the knight off-balance - and in the split second he anticipates that buying him, he lashes out with another kick: specifically, kicking *hard* at the inside of Artorias's leg, the one he's still standing on.

This is a man who used a Hummer for a punching bag in preparation to fight an opponent who wears heavy armor, after all.

Gough (268) has posed:
"It would appear that Sagat's blow to Sir Artorias' shield is not without effect. Sir Artorias is staggered for a moment, and forced to lower his shield; I have been in battle beside Sir Artorias, and I would not have expected such a harsh blow, I can assure thee! "A loud, VERY deep laugh. "I am impressed, both at Sagat's directness, and his skill!"

Gough pauses long enough to lift the chunk of carved archtree wood, presumably eyeing it through the slots of his greathelm. Apparently satisfied, he resumes carving, the knife a steady scraping counterpart to his deep voice.

"Sir Artorias will not let that stand, however, and he retaliates by lowering his shield, and attempting to striketh Sagat in the chest with armoured knee. But oh ho! Sagat catches that knee, though it appears to cost him dearly!"

"Sagat attempts to unbalance Sir Artorias, and to kick at the inside of Sir Artorias' remaining leg, no less! Hah hah hah! This is getting interesting, is it not?"

Artorias (182) has posed:
Artorias is someone who endured the war against the Everlasting Dragons. To fight even one is a struggle, as a single wrong move or missed moment could end in death. It's ingrained an intense awareness of his surroundings and quick-thinking in him when he enters battle, and though Sagat may not be a /dragon/, Artorias is still forced to think on his feet.

It's thanks to this that he's able to quickly adapt to Sagat's counter to his own attack. Moreover, the knight is remarkably agile for his size, and as Sagat's kick flies for his open leg, Artorias shifts his shield to the side just in time to deflect the kick along the shield's curved surface. Again the arena is filled with a clang at the resounding impact, though at least it's less severe than the last. And...strangely, Artorias lets his sword fall from his shoulder, the tip crashing down against the floor.

It's not the best position for him, but finally Artorias makes use of his greatsword. A shove of his shield is given to try and take Sagat off-balance, but the real attack comes as he turns his upper body with a shout of effort. The tip of his cursed sword scrapes against the floor with a flare of sparks before he brings the heavy weapon up to /smash/ Sagat with the side of the sword!

Sagat (95) has posed:
It's not like Sagat's never fought somebody who uses a weapon before. Even a *sharp* weapon - just look at that matador-turned-assassin who used to be in Shadaloo with him. On the other hand, while Vega could definitely draw blood with his claw, it wasn't exactly made to cleave an enemy in twain, the way a greatsword like Artorias's is.

The fact that Sagat takes the impact from the flat of the blade is a huge boon, really - but the impact still resounds through the courtyard, and it hits hard enough that Sagat is actually bowled over by the blow. He doesn't stay down long - in fact, it seems to an inexperienced observer like he barely *touches* the ground with more than his hands before rising back to a standing position - but the first fall goes to the otherworldly Knight of Gwyn ... at least, if anyone's keeping track of things.

So far as Sagat knows, the match is only determined by who goes down first *without* getting back up. And it's far too early to call that.

Sagat is, however, relishing this match, to judge by the grin on his face. "It's as well that I didn't try to anticipate how you'd fight, Sir Artorias!" he booms, and then - with just two or three steps of run-up - he leaps ...

Trying to fly *over* Artorias's shield and kick the knight in the face. Even if said face is almost eleven feet above the ground.

Gough (268) has posed:
"Sir Artorias proves that there is more to him than his size would indicate, and he is moving to deflect Sagat's kick, using the curve of his shield to turn aside what would have been a crippling blow! And he lets fall his blade, before swinging it back up, attempting to swat Sagat away with the flat of it!"

Scrape. Scraaaape. Gough takes his eyes off the battle again long enough to check his handiwork. "Yes, that seems to be coming along nicely," he mutters cheerfully to himself. Of course, a mutter from a giant like him is not very quiet, and probably audible to everybody on the field.

Scrape. Scraaape. The knife goes on, as does Gough's commentary. It may be that he isn't as exciteable as Artorias, but he still seems to be enjoying the match immensely!

"My, my." Even Gough winces at the sound of that impact ringing through the courtyard. "Sagath taketh a mighty blow from Sir Artorias! The flat of the blade, thank the gods, or it may have been unfortunate. Quick is he to find his feet again, and--oh, my." His voice rises from its mountainous depth for just an instant in surprise. His greathelm even cocks slightly to one side. "It seems Sagat wouldst kick Sir Artorias right in the face."

He rumbles to himself, as though intrigued. "I should like to know how Sir Artorias will answer to that."

Artorias (182) has posed:
It's a good thing Artorias's attack hit so hard, or else he might have a big problem on his hands. Thankfully, Sagat's recovery gives him just enough time to bring his sword and shield back up into a combat stance, readying for the martial artist's counterattack.

A good thing he had enough time for that, because there's not even a moment to respond to Sagat's comment before the man is suddenly leaping up to /kick him in the face/. The leaping part is surprising enough; the kick is just an added bonus.

He only just manages to duck so that the kick doesn't knock his helmet off, instead clanging against the upper curve of it and jolting Artorias's head to the side. The knight grunts and steps back, not so much from a stagger as to open up the space between them, and already he's retaliating! While Sagat is descending once more, Artorias twists his body in the opposite direction from before. This time he brings his shield up and around to smack Sagat with the edge rather than the face before leaping back several feet with surprising agility.

"I admit, thou art surprising me already, Sir Sagat," the knight breathes heavily, still grinning through his voice.

Ciaran (396) has posed:
Ciaran pumps her right fist into the air after Artorias at last succeeds in landing a solid hit on the Muay Thai Titan! Leaning up on her tiptoes puts the fist up just a bit higher, to show /just/ how thrilled she is in that instant. It's only dignity keeping her from shouting out.

And then she's recoiled again, because she /knows/ Sagat can't be taken down so easy, and his retaliation will no doubt be fierce indeed...

Sagat (95) has posed:
Now, if Artorias had *sharpened* the edges of his shield to do something like this, Sagat would have a real problem - he wouldn't even be able to block it or he'd be losing blood, if not part of his arm (and his hand with it) for the attempt.

That's not to say that it doesn't hurt anyway - much as Sagat isn't used to fighting opponents who are this much bigger than him, he's also not accustomed to them using hunks of metal to fight with. But he's fought Decepticons, for that matter - and been entirely unintimidated by them.

If he's intimidated by Artorias, he certainly isn't showing it. "I should say the same to you, Sir Artorias," he remarks, "but if I have no expectations of my opponent, how can those expectations be defied?" A fierce grin punctuates the statement - indicating that it is indeed meant as a compliment ...

Or at least, it would indicate as much if Sagat held still long enough to let the grin be seen. He's trying to get *under* Artorias's raised shield and inside the colossal knight's guard, aiming a series of attacks - a punch, an elbow strike, and a knee strike in rapid succession, followed by a punch aimed at the knee-guard - all along the same leg he kicked at earlier.

And then he endeavors to slip out from inside Artorias's guard ... which might not be the smartest of all possible moves, admittedly. You get inside somebody's reach like that, it's USUALLY smarter to stay there - but then, Sagat's not too keen on finding out what Artorias *can* do to an enemy who stays that close.

Gough (268) has posed:
"'Tis a fast and furious match indeed! Even mine eyes, among the best in Anor Londo, are struggling to keep up." Gough's tone remains cheery, if incredibly deep. He's enjoying watching this as much as Artorias is bound to enjoy the fighting. They're knights, they like to do things like beat each other up with big sticks made of metal.

Gough cocks his greathelm-clad head, regarding the courtyard from a slightly different angle. "Sir Artorias ducks Sagat's kick to the face, if only enough to save his helm from being flung off. And he retaliates quickly! Hah hah hah! The Wolf of Anor Londo is nothing if not savage when pressed into a corner, is he not? Off he goes, to try to crush Sagat with the edge of his shield. 'Tis solid, of that I can assure thee!"

Shifting the chunk of archtree wood and eyeing it speculatively, Gough doesn't move his helmeted head, but he is presumably watching -- because even as he seems to pay more attention to his carving, he's still calling the match accurately.

"And lo, does Sagat maketh the attempt to duck below Sir Artorias' shield, and inside the knight's guard, with clear aim to striketh where he may be vulnerable... and get away before Sir Artorias decides to retaliate."

There's a pause, in which that big helmet cocks towards the spectator stands. And another one of those big, hearty laughs. "Little sister! Thou shouldst have brought a pennant with the sigil of the Wolf!"

He may in fact think that she's the most adorable thing ever. It's hard not to.

Artorias (182) has posed:
As agile as Artorias may be, Sagat's size comes to his advantage in that moment. Though he is large, Artorias is even more so, and Sagat soon slips in under his shield to deliver a dangerous series of hits. The first only misses due to a lucky reflex, as Artorias suddenly yanks his leg aside moments before Sagat's fist can reach it. But Sagat is quick to follow up, and his surprisingly strong elbow cracks against Artorias's armored thigh before that knee /slams/ in for the next hit.

Strange how much power someone so relatively small can hold.

Artorias gives an abrupt shout of pained surprise as he feels the impacts rock through armor and bone alike. Normally it would take a great deal for the Wolf to even flinch, but this time he actually drops to one knee. Part of this is simply due to how hard Sagat's strike found him, but part is also to try and lessen the area he can be hit: by lowering himself and bringing his shield in just enough, he at least spares himself the strike to his knee as Sagat's fist is barely deflected by his shield. Those strikes to the leg itself were bad enough; he doesn't want to find out how much damage Sagat can do with an unguarded strike to the knee.

"A clever tactic! Clever indeed," Artorias grunts, his tone still good-natured even though it sounds like he's speaking through gritted teeth. Somehow he's still having a good time with this. "I must be getting rather rusty against those smaller than I!"

As he's speaking, however, that knee he's resting on shifts up so that he's instead in a crouch. His shield is pulled aside to rest on his back, and without any warning, he suddenly leaps. He shouldn't reasonably be able to jump with such force and strength for his size, but that's precisely what he does, leaping toward Sagat with a single forward flip through the air. It's all to build momentum, for when he reaches a full rotation, that greatsword comes /slamming/ down onto Sagat with enough force to shatter the stone beneath his feet.

And then he does it again. And again. And again, chasing Sagat with every successive leap no matter where he evades to.

Sagat (95) has posed:
That first hit REALLY stings, to judge by Sagat's yell of pain - but it's also enough to put him on his guard against the follow-throughs. Artorias also seems to get credit for first blood, as the edge of his sword bites into Sagat's shoulder ...

How exactly did that *not* lop the entire arm off? Is that due to Artorias's skill, or Sagat simply being that damn tough? Or a combination of the two?

Either way, Sagat's too focused on not letting any more blows land THAT solidly to observe or comment or elucidate - although the fact that there's a big damn crater where he was standing the *first* time Artorias's sword came down on him may explain some of it. As for the rest ... well, Muay Thai requires conditioning of the student's body, literally right down to the bone. And while Artorias pursues Sagat very closely and hotly indeed, Sagat is also somewhat faster than most people would expect anyone his size to be.

... never mind somebody Artorias's size. The Emperor of Muay Thai clearly has his work cut out for him with this opponent, though, trying to determine how to put a halt to the knight's continued flipping out at him -

And then the solution presents itself.

"TIGER UPPERCUT!!"

Once he's got Artorias's movements timed, Sagat simply stops dodging and goes on the attack, his fist rocketing skywards with his arm and body following, aiming to simply deck the Knight of Gwyn right out of the air.

Gough (268) has posed:
"Unfortunately, it would seem Sir Artorias' own size is against him! Sagat is able to get in past Sir Artorias' shield, and delivereth dangerous blows at close range. Despite the difference in size, Sagat proves he is dangerous enough to our good Wolf."

Scrape. Scra-a-ape. Gough twists his knife to stick the thing point-first into the carving, coaxing some detail out of the wood as he continues on.

"And Sir Artorias /explodeth/ from the ground, to leap up and flip, and build momentum to bring his blade down on Sagat with cruel force -- not once, but two times! Three! /Four/ times! Truly, I fear for thee, Sagat! How will thee recover from such an onslaught?"

Scrape. Scrape. Scraaaape. Whether he's wearing an expression of concentration or none at all, it's hard to say. Gough's helmet remains firmly in place, and save for a very slight tilt of that greathelm, it's as blank as the mask Ciaran wears, or the empty hood that shrouds Artorias' own helm.

Being virtually faceless seems to be A Thing for the Four Knights, innit?

"Sagat seems intent to turn tail and flee from Sir Artorias, but he must decide against the tactic, for he turns and attempts to... punch Sir Artorias from the air?" Gough reaches up with one huge fist and adjusts his greathelm slightly, though he doesn't move to take it off; the way his head cranes forward a little suggests he's probably squinting at the unfolding battle. "Ahh. Yes. He is trying to punch Sir Artorias right out of the air. And truly, what a savage blow it is!"

Artorias (182) has posed:
Very few things can move Artorias when he's on the ground if he doesn't want to be moved. Flying through the air...that's a different matter.

Just as he comes down for one more smash, Sagat's fist comes up and strikes with incredible force. Artorias is not only knocked out of the air, but he is knocked /back/ a good distance with a surprised and pained grunt before he lands flat on his back. Armor rattles and the ground nearly shakes, but the Wolf doesn't stay lying down for long. With a groan of effort, he rolls over to his front and rises up to his feet in a single motion, holding his greatsword against the floor to his side as he faces Sagat again.

"Ah, another good blow, Sir Sagat!" The Abysswalker chuckles, rolling his sword arm's shoulder a bit. "Thy timing is truly impeccable."

Rather than a series of blows, then, Artorias brings his shield from his back once more and rushes toward Sagat. Strangely enough, however, his feet don't seem to move much. It's almost like an abruptly swift slide as Artorias closes the distance between himself and Sagat with remarkable speed so that he can swing his greatsword diagonally upward to smash Sagat into a far wall.

Sagat (95) has posed:
See also previous observation, about big guys who move faster than you'd expect from them.

While Artorias's 'running without moving his legs' - or something close to that effect - throws Sagat off a bit, the fact that he's *approaching at all* does not go unnoticed, and Sagat finds himself reminded of one of Bison's favorite maneuvers. That's probably what lets the Muay Thai fighter dodge as well as he does - he gets clipped by the greatsword, but Sagat doesn't go flying at all; he just turns with the impact, straightens out facing towards Artorias -

"TIGER!!"

- and thrusts his arms and fists forward, channeling his personal vital energies through his arms and out, the focused gold-orange wave of a Tiger Shot erupting in pursuit(?) of the Knight of Gwyn.

Gough (268) has posed:
Gough goes so far as to wince when Artorias is smashed out of the air. "Now that is quite a blow to Sir Artorias; swatted from the air as one swats a fly, sent sprawling in to the flagstones. O, pity! It looks as though he has some trouble rising again, but he bears our good Sagat no ill will, it seems. And Sir Artorias answers Sagat in kind, then: With his shield."

The helmet cocks slightly to one side, watching. "And Sagat dodges well, very well indeed, for in my experience, when Artorias chooses to lay something low, it is lain low! Hah hah hah! Sagat channels some kind of energy -- I know not what, from here -- but it is something our Knight of Gwyn will not enjoy, I think."

Artorias (182) has posed:
Artorias doesn't actually keep going once he comes near Sagat. His rush is meant to close the distance between them, and he banked on that distance opening again after his hit landed. When it doesn't, that means he finds himself right in front of Sagat with his guard left wide open.

Is it any wonder that shot hits him dead-on, then?

He's sturdy enough in his place that it doesn't knock him away or send him to his knees, but the iron-willed Wolf is forced to at least /flinch/ under the powerful rush of energy crashing into his stomach. That alone is enough of a feat, considering how difficult the Wolf Ring's power makes even something like that.

Still, that's also where the ring's advantage comes. Artorias hasn't been sent flying back, which means he's still close enough to hit Sagat. With his sword held to one side, he's in the perfect position to deliver another strike, and what a flourishing hit it is. Artorias crouches slightly before he suddenly swings his sword up to knock Sagat upward, and it seems as if he uses the momentum of the swing to leap up and whirl through the air. His jump sends him back several yards before he lands again, crashing to his feet in a light crouch with much more space between the two of them.

Sagat (95) has posed:
Now that reminds him almost of a certain American soldier from the World Warrior circuit ... except Guile didn't use a sword the size of a fighter jet's wing in his fighting, just his own fists and feet (and everything in between, more or less).

It's also Sagat's turn to go flying - and he winds up landing, not tidily in the *least*, atop one of the still-standing battlements ... which may not remain standing after Sagat's landing atop it. But the Muay Thai fighter makes his way back to meet Artorias once again, never mind that he's visibly bruised and occasionally bleeding.

"They should have had us out somewhere that there's no tourist traps to worry about," Sagat remarks with a fierce grin. "You're definitely giving me a good run for my money ..." He circles slightly around Artorias, his grin fading as he focuses on the problem of his opponent. Then he drops into a crouch ...

"Tiger Knee!!"

... a very short-lived crouch, just enough to gather his legs under him for a forwards leap, leading with his right knee - sort of repeating his earlier blow to the shield itself, but hitting it even harder, and higher. Is he actively trying to *break* Artorias's shield?

(Yes. Yes, he is. Now, whether it does any good ...)

Gough (268) has posed:
"It looks as though Sir Artorias flinches beneath that onslaught, which is as knocking any other man over! Well done, well done, Sagat!" Gough claps in appreciation, the sound a bit like rocks being pounded together. "Sir Artorias is not staggered, and takes advantage of this, flourishing his blade and using it to try and knock Sagat upward; once he swings mightily, the Wolf leapeth back to distance himself from his opponent!"

"And such a strategy works well. Sagat is sent flying and does not land well, but it seems that will hardly pose him duress. Sagat drops to a crouch and leaps forward, right knee to Sir Artorias' shield, as before. Has he intent to break it? Mayhap, mayhap. We will see if such strategy succeeds, faithful spectators!"

Artorias (182) has posed:
Another good-natured chuckle from the giant knight. "Oh, what's a little more ruin added to the ruins, when thou think'st on it? Consider it as simply adding to the rustic air of the scenery!"

Artorias keeps his shield lifted, braced strongly against his arm as he keeps his eyes on Sagat. The man has tried to strike at his guard a few times now, but maybe, if he tries it again... "And thou art proving a worthy adversary thyself. I can hardly take a moment to breathe!"

There it is, another rush and a strike to his shield. The magically-enhanced greatshield has already weathered many blows that would dent or outright shatter weaker metals, so it would be unlikely for Sagat to break such a weapon even with his constant powerful strikes. That's not so much Artorias's concern; instead, there's the issue of having to weather such blows, a feat which his poise can only endure so much.

So as Sagat rushes in to slam his knee into Artorias's shield, Artorias doesn't block it. In fact, he pulls his arm back and lets the shield simply drop, clanging against the ground like a gong cut from its supports.

Now that hand is balled into a fist, and with his arm held back, he can put all his weight into a solid /punch/ aimed for the Muay Thai Emperor's chest, twisting his entire body and lurching out at the moment Sagat's blow fails to connect.

Sagat (95) has posed:
When Artorias's fist slams into Sagat's chest, the Muay Thai fighter does not let out any noises of pain.

Unless you count coughing. In fact, coughing *blood* - even with the conditioning Sagat has endured, that blow REALLY hurt, particularly given Artorias's size and the armor he's wearing over his entire body.

It also sends Sagat flying backwards, skidding to a halt on his rear end. He lets out a few more coughs - not much blood this time, fortunately - and quickly gets back to his feet, his one visible eye burning with fury. Apparently this stopped being quite so much fun for him, and he brings his hands together, chi crackling between his palms ...

"TIGER *CANNON!!!!*"

The wave of chi that erupts from Sagat's hands as he thrusts them forward - followed by his whole body, really - makes the earlier Tiger Shot look like a matchstick compared with a flamethrower; the Tiger Cannon thunders towards Artorias, carrying all the force the Emperor of Muay Thai can put behind it - an all-or-nothing gambit, really. If he doesn't put Artorias down with this, it'll be the Knight of Gwyn who advances to the next round of the tournament.

Gough (268) has posed:
"And Sir Artorias' shield... falls to the ground? Hmmm? What's this? Sir Artorias instead takes the blow and uses the momentum to uncoil and punch Sagat, whose attack had missed... clever reversal, but will it be enough?"

Gough's knife continues to scrape away the archtree's heartwood. He seems unconcerned, despite his commentary; placid alone among the cheering stands.

"Sagat takes the blow, too, and appears to be bleeding. Coughing up blood. Ah, he must be coming close to his limits, but look at him rise up! Truly, an admirable warrior, and he brings energy to bear on Sir Artorias once more. A fearsome shot! We shall see who is left standing after this round, fellow spectators!"

Artorias (182) has posed:
There are times when Artorias thinks something he just did was absolutely brilliant and then regrets it not five seconds later.

This is one of those times.

Sagat sends a rippling wave of power over Artorias, and if he had his shield in hand, he might be able to endure it without much difficulty. But he tossed his shield aside for that one punch earlier, and now...it's a very different matter. The Tiger Cannon blasts over him, sending him staggering back /several/ steps. It's even enough to make Artorias lose his grip on his greatsword, sending the heavy chunk of metal clattering to the floor. Sagat must /really/ be doing some damage to him to make him falter that much.

But Artorias doesn't /fall/. No, the Abysswalker is still standing, at least for now. How much longer that's going to hold up isn't clear yet, but if he can use one last burst of strength to take Sagat down...

The Wolf doesn't stay standing where he is. He crouches, briefly resembling his namesake ready to pounce. Then he leaps, but not in the same way as before; no, this time his jump carries him almost straight up, where he lifts his fists above his head. A resounding shout echoes through the arena, and in the next second, Artorias is falling down right on top of Sagat like a steaming black comet, bringing down a hammer smash of his fists on top of the crashing weight of his entire body.

Sagat (95) has posed:
Enervated though he may be from unleashing that much chi into a single attack, Sagat still has the wherewithal, the will and the drive and the reserves, to bring his arms up to block the descending Artorias.

And the ground beneath him pays the price, the force of the blow travelling straight down through Sagat's body to carve out another crater around the two - and it may well be a double crater, depending on what Artorias does with the rest of gravity's claim on his giant form.

On the plus side - well, the very questionably 'plus' side - Sagat's grin is back. He really did think it was going to be decided just then; he's far from displeased that it hasn't been - because it means that the chance of victory hasn't deserted him yet ...

And then he takes advantage of Artorias's position - twisting around, trying to grab the Knight of Gwyn by the same fists that almost drove Sagat into the ground like a giant tent peg, and use the leverage that gives him ... in an attempt to *THROW* Artorias into what's left of the wall Sagat landed on earlier.

Gough (268) has posed:
"Sir Artorias is staggered by that energy, and 'tis a mighty blow indeed if it can stagger him! Nay, to /falter/ him, for Sir Artorias has dropped his blade. He remains on his feet, if only just, only to crouch and leap for his opponent, to strike him down with his fists from on high! Such speed!"

"And Sagat blocks Sir Artorias! How, I know not; surely both combatants must weareth out; just as the tide must ebb, and the sun must sink below the horizon, so too must their bodies sag -- but they fight on, against all odds! Truly, such fervour."

Gough's knife scrapes away at the chunk of wood, which he raises to inspect from the slots of his greathelm, turning it this way and that. He resumes carving with a faint shrug.

"Sagat attempts to seize Sir Artorias and throw him into the wall, which at this stage of the match will surely be a grievous blow! Surely both of these combatants must be nearing the end of their rope."

Artorias (182) has posed:
That sort of attack is usually what ends an opponent, particularly one smaller than Artorias. To see Sagat /survive/ the blow so cleanly (and not only that, but /grinning/) is remarkably baffling to the giant Abysswalker that just slammed a crater into the earth with his landing.

It's an opening that Sagat clearly makes use of. "What-?!" Artorias is grabbed, twisted around, and actually picked up off his feet and hurled off into the wall. Artorias has only ever been outright lifted off his feet once, and that was by a saiyan. Now he can add a human to that list, it seems. The Multiverse will never cease to amaze.

Artorias slams against the wall, but it's his method of doing so that saves him from being completely ruined. With remarkable control, he twists in midair so that he lands feet-first against the crumbling wall. The structure trembles and crumbles even further against the impact, but for a split second, Artorias has some footing. That's all he needs to try and make one /last/ attempt to bring down the Emperor of Muay Thai who is somehow even more stubborn to fall than Artorias himself.

It's not graceful, it's not practiced. Before the rest of the wall crumbles, Artorias simply leaps off of it, propelling his body toward Sagat shoulder-first as if he were trying to become a speeding car. Given his size and armor, though, he may as well be one for how hard that's going to hit.

Sagat (95) has posed:
As Artorias's flying mass impacts on the Emperor of Muay Thai, Sagat lets out one more yell - of pain, or of exhilaration, or of defeat ... it's kind of hard to tell.

But he doesn't stand his ground under the impact, even though he tries to block it - there's simply *far* too much inertia behind that for anyone to stand his ground against an impact like that ... at least, anyone less than, say, two-thirds of Artorias's armored weight. And Sagat is maybe half Artorias's overall size - lean and unarmored. Maybe Rufus could have stayed in one place; not Sagat.

The Emperor of Muay Thai hits the ground, bounces, hits again, tumbles, and finally comes to a halt in an untidy, battered, bruised, and utterly unconscious sprawl. He won't be getting up for at least five minutes, maybe closer to fifteen.

Gough (268) has posed:
Even Gough has to stare for a moment as Artorias is lifted and bodily hurled into a wall. And then he laughs heartily. "Hah hah hah hah! And here I thought I was the only one large enough to lift Sir Artorias off his feet. Sagat indeed manages to dash Sir Artorias into a wall, but lo, 'tis in Sir Artorias' favour. He rebounds and twists himself to land, and to charge Sagat and ram into him."

"Alas, but that wouldst appear to be the end of the line for Sagat! Our brave contender striketh the ground, bounces, striketh the ground one more time, and tumbles to a halt. He wouldst appear to be unconscious after such a mighty blow."

Ponderously, the giant climbs to his feet, twenty-five feet of hide that looks like rock and strange, piecemeal-looking armour. Sawdust spills from his lap when he does as he inhales.

And then he thunders in the voice of a mountain itself.

"AND NOW, A WINNER HAVE WE! SIR ARTORIAS DOTH DEFEAT THE CHALLENGER SAGAT, IN GLORIOUS SINGLE COMBAT! THOUGH SAGAT FOUGHT BRAVELY, SHOWING GREAT AND IMPRESSIVE SKILL, SIR ARTORIAS OF THE KNIGHTS OF GWYN SHALL ADVANCE TO THE NEXT TOURNAMENT OF THE WORLD MARTIAL ARTS TOURNAMENT!"

Gough then proceeds to sit back down and go back to his carving. Well, he /could/ drag them both to the infirmary, but it probably wouldn't be as gentle as the established medics... and he might bruise them a little in so doing. Besides, he apparently has an important project of some sort or another he's working on!

Right?

Artorias (182) has posed:
With the way Artorias lands, one might think that /he/ was the one run over. He tumbles and rolls for several yards until, finally, he comes to a halt on his back past Sagat. It's a few seconds before he rises, but finally, he does just that. Slowly, groaning and wincing his discomfort, Artorias drags to his feet, holding his stomach and hunched over slightly. A look is given over to Sagat to see if the man is going to get up again, but when he doesn't, Artorias strides over and lowers himself to one knee near the martial artist.

"Thou fought excellently. Most wonderfully indeed, Sir Sagat. Thou hast my respect. May the Lord guide thee."

And then he shakily rises to his feet to collect his weapons and find a place to nurse his wounds. He'll definitely be needing it after that fight.