Cold Night (Darren and invited)

[Vladimir Vin Niktu]

Vlad let his cloak loose as it whirled to the ground beside him. He stood--wearing a white, satin, button-up shirt with a collar and longsleeves and black pants and boots. A young slave girl stood before him, her hair matted with dirt and blood from others who had died around her. Some of the feeders here were strange, Vlad thought. Some were fearless, their eyes not waining in the face of pain. They lived such a desparate, purposeless life.

Perhaps that was the drive behind their courage.

"Don't worry, my dear, this will be over so, so soon." He smiled, motioned toward her with one hand. She obeyed, robotic, making her way to him. "There, there. Let me ease your pain." Then, his mouth fell upon her neck as he drank, sucking the lifeblood out of her. Envigerated, he smiled, the now crimson teeth glinting red in the dim light of the pit.

FLASH

He felt another. Strange, he had sworn he was alone. It was another like him, and the Force had made his presence clear. Or the other had--one of the two. Vlad stood, his muscles tensing as the blood revived him.

"Would the disturber of my meal please show himself?" He said teasingly wondering who would pay him a visit this night.

[Darren Caerdeth]

Darren yawned slightly as he walked the perimeter of the pit. Appartantly Vlad was as bored as he was, as this feeding was even more dramatic than a few Darren had participated in. Obviously Vlad had overlooked one minor detail.

He was standing in Darren's pit.

"Aye. You're a bit gunshy f you're that easily disturbed."

Darren mocked Vlad's tone slightly as he walked up and stood at the girl's feet. He knelt down and looked her over, then glanced up toward Vlad.

"I thought you were having dinner. Looks more like a midnight snack ta' me. She wasnt too much of a handful, was she?"

[Vladimir Vin Niktu]

"She was a good snack," he said, wiping his mouth and allowing himself to square up with Darren. Why he did so. . .he could not explain. It was a male thing, perhaps. A sense of rivalry. Darren was showing no signs of a real threat--at least, not physically. Still, Vlad found himself cracking his hands and rolling his shoulders.

"She was sweet, and I enjoyed it. I feel. . .recharged." He smiled, flashing his fangs ever so slightly as a twinkle took over his eyes. "I feel as strong as one hundred men. 'Tis a good feeling, so envigorated." He turned his body to stretch. He was thirsting for a fight, and he wondered if Darren would be up for it.

"I feel as though I could take on the world," he said, his back to Darren though his body prepared.

[Vampyre Dalamar]

"Yes by all means fight Darren, I would like to see both of your talents in that regard. As the resident Warlord I need to have an accesment of your skills."

The Dark Lord sat back in the upper part of the Pit where there where some chairs and a betting table if some where so inclined. Alone in the darkness the outline of his armor could barely be seen. The red neon glare of his eye's left no mistake though of his prescence. Out of the darkness two swords flew landing in the Pit floor. " Though they could not see him they where left with the impression that the Warlord was smiling....

[Darren Caerdeth]

"But Warlord Dalamar, You've yet to send me an opponent!"

The smile on Darren's face widened slightly. A little bit of prematch banter was always fun, and Vlad seemed the type to oblige.

"Should I send this man here to fetch me a worthy opponent?!"

[Vampyre Dalamar]

The voice in the darkness answered deeply. "By all means do so if he has no objections?" The Vampyre chuckled at the way Darren was taunting his opponent. But he seemed to take it in stride. Not making a sound in responce.

The Warlord leaned forward maybe this would be worth his time....

[Vladimir Vin Niktu]

Vlad smiled.

"You jest, friend," he replied, un buttoned the cuffs on his tightly bound shirt sleeves. "Perhaps I should change your attitude, eh?" Vlad loosened his muscles as he stretched out his arms, allowing the Force around him to shuffle a bit. He called upon dark energies to fortify him--something The Rat had taught him long ago. He chanted in an ancient Sith tongue long forgotten:

Vidala son de dala
Emergia!
Invista due!
Di komade su vervis!

Darkness of the dark
Ermerge!
Fortify me!
I command your servitude!

His body was strengthened--above that of a typical being, not unlike the Vampire strength many knew. He found himself now prepared to engage his friend. However, he had never been caught in this position with Darren before, and he hesitated. He wondered how to engage his oppent and at last concluded to allow the other to take the first step.

[Darren Caerdeth]

Darren's smiled grew and grew as Vlad began to chant. He was recently fed, so a fight seemed like the next logical step. When vlad finished his litle tune, Darren was almost laughing....

"A lullaby! He's trying to put me to sleep! Underhanded knave!"

Darren resisted the urge to double over and laugh..

"Here here! I have one!

The Vampyre cleared his throat a little, as if preparing to belt out a tune of his own..

'"WELLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Darren's face was totally mischievous....

"Wellllllllllllllllllllll

Vlad's mother's a bitch
She's a big fat bitch
She's the biggest bitch in the whole wide world
shes a bitch, she's a bitch
if there ever was a bitch
Shes a bitch to all the boys and girls!!!!!"

Darren fought back a huge grin and took another breath, preparing to continue his song.....

[Vladimir Vin Niktu]

WHOOSH

Vlad's right fist shot through the air with frightening speed, whipping past Darren's head and now silent mouth as he arched his torso a bit and snapped his neck left, dodging the quick fist. Vlad was trained in the martial arts--he preferred to rely on his body as a weapon as opposed to putting his faith into a blaster, sword, or some amulet of power.

Vlad smiled a bit--he wasn't truly injured or angered by Darren's vulgar and somewhat annoying song, but he had gotten the point. The truth was, he didn't remember his mother. It had been nearly 60 years since he had fallen to darkness, and he found that he lost most memory of his past before it.

With his right arm displaced across his body, he threw a left underneath it to strike Darren's stomach. Twisting his body, his right arm came back as he struck--but his fist was caught by Darren's left hand. Darren twisted it to incapacitate his arm. Instead of the usual reaction from an opponent (pain and whimpering), Vlad let his entire arm dictate the motion of his body. He twisted with the twisting, performing a mid-flight spin as he whipped his right arm behind him.

Grabbing Darren's right fist, the two found themselves standing, essentially holding hands. They struggled for strength, and Vlad let his momentum stop, carrying the two bodies together--neither one releasing grip on the other. Their chests pressed together, Vlad went in for a headbutt. Darren--suprisingly--dodged quickly, throwing his shoulder into Vlad's forehead.

Stumbling backwards, Vlad found his bearings, the grapple released. He resumed a defensive stance, his fists raised to the standard position, shielding him.

"Well played," he said, noting a small drop of blood from his blodied lip.

[Darren Caerdeth]

Darren smiled as he too brought his fists up. Darren's stance was slightly more aggressive though, as he began to slowly circle with Vlad repositioning himself, keeping square with Darren. Seeing that Vlad wasnt going to leave himself open, Darren pointed toward his oppositions face..

"You got a little something on your lip there..."

With barely enough time to draw his arm back, Darren took tow quick steps and brought his left leg up and forward, his motions almost a blur as his foot traveled toward Vlad's chin. To Darren's surprise, Vlad caught his foot. Before the other Vampyre had time to follow up, Darren had already sprang up with his right leg, and brought his right foot toward's Vlad. Vlad released Darren's foot and took a step back. As soon as Darren landed, Vlad came in with a punch. Darren twisted his body around to dodge, essentially bringing himself behind Vlad. He brought himself square, with Vlad's back turned to him. Before he could capitalize though, Vlad's elbow shot backward and connected with Darren's jaw. Darren was barely able to stagger back before Vlad's foot came back and hooked behind Darren's, sending the council member to the floor of the pit with a thud.

Darren immediately nipped back to his feet, as Vlad whirled around to face him. The two combatants squared up again, this time, with Darren reaching up to wipe a small droplet of blood from his chin. Darren smiled and shot a slight wink to Vlad...

"I scratched myself..."

[Vladimir Vin Niktu]

"Looks serious, my friend," Vlad said, a smile crossing his lips. Darren was good. Very good. He could tell that this conflict would not be resolved any time very soon and that the two combatants would not settle for mediocrity. Rather, this was a good chance for Vlad to show a little bit of muscle before Dalamar and Darren alike. He wanted to make an impression on the leadership, and this was a good oppurtunity to capitalize.

He thrusted himself forward, a quick barrage of punches taking flight against Darren. Right-right-left-right-left-left--all quick, moving jabs to get the defense lossened up. Darren moved with them fairly easily, not buying any of Vlad's attempts to fake with his head. Darren struck back with a left jab at the end of the fray, Vlad raising a swift left forearm to block.

With a jab step, Vlad threw a strong left-legged kick into Darren's midsection. Darren quickly caught the leg with both hands, but the momentum and strength of Vlad's leg pushed into him. Though he shielded the blow, Darren's backwards momentum was sure to carry him off of his feet and to the ground, as Vlad smiled.

It was less than pleasant for the confident one.

Darren used the momentum skillfully, sending himself off of his feet. As Vlad's body continued forward--in a bit of a stumble--Darren propelled himself into the air, taking a bit of liberty in an unnatural jump through the Force. Little else was needed as Vlad slid forward. Darren threw one foot out in a quick jump kick--aimed directly at Vlad's jaw--which connected brutally with his right cheek.

Vlad's eyesight flashed bright white as he caught the blow, sending his body spinning and stumbling off to the right of the pit. He barely found balance, coming to a crouch in the corner, one hand steadying his body between his legs as the other held his cheek. His breathe billowed from a pained mouth as blood found a straight stream down his neck.

"Lucky, perhaps," he said, somewhat ambigiously. He was lucky that Darren hadn't done anymore damaged, but one could take the comment as a mock on Darren's own skill level.

[Vampyre Dalamar]

Dalamar watched on with interest but kept silent for the most part. When Darren struck Vlad and spun him around the Warlord still watched. There hand to hand was interesting but Dalamar wanted a real test of skills. "Use the swords!!" was all he said....

A hum could be heard as a switch was struck. The blood pit contracted becoming smaller. Spikes sprouted surrounding the Pitt. More spikes appeared at the top and the floor began to rise.....

"Use the swords now!!" he said with a sadistic smile.