'Foe' Duel Event: Frayed Nerves

Leaping higher than he thought he was capable of, Tri-blade avoided a heavy claw swipe and darted towards his massive opponent. His armor and blades were a worthy defense against most foes in this battle arena, but against a being capable of immense growth to go along with sharp fangs and deceptively agile movements, luck would need to be on his side to claim a rare victory.

In recent weeks, the seeming turmoil among a leading league in the wake of the Faction event had dimmed; old alliances had reformed and the balance of power in the realm only appeared to tilt slightly. Tri-blade was fortunate to find a new path but knew his allies - his family - were undergoing various degrees of success.

He mounted his blades on his armguards, the click on each forearm guard signaling the security of his weapons. Tri-blade drew his arms back in a semi-circle then thrust his palms outwards, feeling energy erupt from within his body, flowing through his arms and outwards in a brilliant flash of deep purple. It struck his larger opponent square in the chest, surprising him and driving him backwards. Now crouched on one knee, Tri-blade caught his breath, then plotted his next attack. A few seconds later, he leaped again, hoping to draw return fire.

Instead, his body was met by a flying tail swipe. "The hell?" thought Tri-blade as he was hurtled towards one of the energy barriers. He crashed into it and rolled back to his feet. Tri-blade could only shake his head with a smirk as he remembered his massive opponent wasn't the typical four-limbed creature he would usually be in a tussle with.

The clock ticked onwards. Tri-blade sighed, he knew that duel events, rare as they were, tended to go deep into overtime. He was out of Hatoraides and was ripe for being picked off. He caught his opponent's eye, and ran in for hopefully a decisive blow.

He was only mildly surprised to find himself encased in a translucent capsule, the light tint of purple giving away its master. Unable to resist, he was thrown away from his target and directly into the red-and-gold-tipped metallic boot of his assailant's ally. Pain seared through him, but was replaced with bitterness as he realized that he was well and effectively sniped by familiar faces from that long-dominant alliance.

The bell heralding the end of combat predictably rang just before Tri-blade crashed into the barrier. He sat on the ground, head on knees, for several minutes longer. His composure, usually well-guarded despite previous frustrations, was on the verge of breaking down and there was no way that he would allow his friends - his family - to witness it.

A long and audible sigh emerged from the beaten warrior.