[SP-F7] Dixon

[Azide 0]

A series of slashes tore the poor creature to shreds- any further strikes would only serve to pile on the overkill factor. Azide shifted his grip, then hacked at the beast once more for good measure. The creature's torso was severed by his blade, and slid free from its legs. Before its upper body could even hit the ground, both halves shattered and dissolved into the gentle breeze.

Blue crystal-like particles were swept away by the breeze, and he watched as they faded from view. Azide returned Quantum Slicer to sheath, and Lucifer slithered out from the end of his sleeve. It coiled its slender body around his arm and contoured his body to face him unblinking eyes. Its tongue flickered in the wind as his serpentine companion tasted the air around them.

"I think that settles it," said Azide. A smile worked its way across his lips as he returned the creature's gaze. "It's time we paid him a visit."

[Azide 0]

His knuckles rapped the marble door, but did little in the way of actually bringing about sound. "I guess this is why we moved on to wooden doors," he mused. In spite of the light-hearted joke, he was in no mood to be playing games- ironic, considering where he was at the moment. Azide clenched his hand into a tightly wound fist, and proceeded to bang against the door.

The rougher efforts succeeded in producing a low, booming rumble, though he still had doubts on whether or not the sound would reach its intended target. "I don't have time for this," he muttered. Azide leaned the weight of his entire body against the heavy stone and pushed until it worked its way open. He dusted his hands against each other, then let himself inside the humble abode. From inside the folds of his coat, Lucifer received his actions with a quiet hiss.

[Azide 0]

As he entered the building, the first thing he noticed was how dark it was in here- as in, dark enough to warrant an accuracy debuff. "I figure the only reason why there isn't one active in here is because it's in the safe zone. God knows this place could use some more windows." He stood in the room for what felt like ages before his eyes finally adjusted to the subpar lighting.

With his eyes finally making themselves useful, he swept them around the dimly lit room. Even with the welcome change, it was still awfully dark in here; all he could make out were blurry silhouettes that threatened to fade back into the inky darkness as soon as his eyes shifted beyond them.

He took a step forward as his eyes strained to focus on what appeared to the the shadowed form of a man sitting on the other side of the room. It was an unsettling, uncertain image, to be honest. "Is somebody there?" he asked. He heard another hissing, and would've dismissed it- had it not been coming from somewhere other than his own coat. His eyes darted around the dark room, finding nothing. When they returned to where he thought he'd seen the shape of a man, they returned to nothing but empty darkness.

[Azide 0]

"Alright alright, you can cut the whole ominous act," called Azide. He paced around blindly, holding his hands in front of him as a guide. His knee bumped into furniture of some sort, and immediately his hands swung down to clutch it as he bit his tongue. "God damn it- this is why you should never let it get this dark inside..." All the rods in the world couldn't possibly save anyone from its all-encompassing nature.

He heard the creaking of a door come from behind him and he swiveled around out of curiosity. Precious light flooded into the room, and he raised his hands in front of him to protect his retinas. Though it was a welcome change- his eyes were still sensitive, having taken the time to adjust to the low-visibility conditions.

Suddenly, he felt a hand grab his shoulder. A low, gravelly voice uttered a warning to him. "Not the most impressive of first impressions, young man." Moments later, he was cast out through the open doorway. The stone door was pulled shut, and all he could glimpse was the shadow of a man from his spot on the ground.

[Azide 0]

"What the hell is your problem?" called Azide. He picked his crumpled form off of the cold hard ground and stomped his way back to the front door. Clenched fists banged repeatedly against the heavy white stone. In all likeliness, it was probable that his efforts were doing more to make his hands ache than they did to draw the man's attention.

Regardless, he soon heard the same voice grumble at him from inside. "You might wanna try again, kid," said the man. His reply sounded distant, yet booming- like a far off thunderstorm. He'd no doubt moved away from the door, and yet his voice carried easily to him, even through the thick walls of his home. It carried a sense of authority and command.

[Azide 0]

His nostrils flared as he considered giving the man a piece of his mind, but his better judgement kicked in at the last moment. Azide stopped short of kicking the door down altogether, and instead took a deep breath and decided to re-compose himself. Perhaps the man was old-fashioned, like the masters one might see in movies or read about in books. In truth, he'd only seen classics- but perhaps this man was a Kurt-esque figure, a la Coppola's Heart of Darkness.

His fist was still clenched, but he rested it against the door and leaned against the heavy structure, sighing heavily. He closed his eyes. "Positivity," he thought. "Just be positive, and try to keep an open mind." Azide wasn't normally the hot-headed type, but this was a matter in which he did not wish to drag out. The sooner he grandmastered his swordsmanship, the better. "Every day I dilly dally with this is another day I fall behind."

[Azide 0]

Azide dropped to his knees, deciding that humility seemed to be the way to go with this man.

Lucifer poked its head from over the top of his collar and hissed in his ear.

"If I'm going to do the whole respectful thing, I'm afraid you're signed up for the ride as well, pal."

The slender serpent shifted itself around so that its head pointed towards the door, then bowed and flicked its tongue out quietly. It was small things like this that made him wonder whether his reptilian friend was truly intelligent, or just understanding. Perhaps it simply appeared that way, and his confirmation bias colored his expectations and made him read into more than he should.

He smiled and planted his palms flat against the ground. Lucifer was quiet, but the silently supportive type. He cleared his throat, then spoke up in the most diplomatic voice he could muster- his guild leader voice, as he called it. "I apologize for my earlier rashness, Master Dixon. I was impatient, and my rashness got the better of me. But I've come here today to learn from you, and I hope that you find it in your heart to forgive a hopeful student. Please."

[Azide 0]

A moment passed by with no answer, followed by another. In his state of impatience, the wait seemed to take a thousand years- it was downright torture, but he didn't want to jinx his chances with the old man. "Who knows when I might find another swordsman of his caliber?" he reminded himself. And so he waited.

In reality, only half a minute or so had passed by, but to him it'd felt so much longer. As he'd said before- time was relative. The door rattled and shook, then slid open, revealing the darkness that lay inside. But the man was not there to greet him. He stood himself up and took a step closer, peering into the building. "Are you there, master?" he called.

A hiss called his name, and he took a step back. Moments later, a cobra slithered to the doorway and bore its fangs at him. The sound drew the attention of Lucifer, who slid its way down his coat and made its way over to the new snake. They swayed back and forth, locking eyes with each other- each one equally curious of the other.

Then, he heard the man call to him once more. "Ah, you learn quickly, boy. Good." A heaving cough interrupted his words, but he managed to recuperate from the sudden attack. "Come in."

The cobra eyed Lucifer and its owner, then returned to the darkness of the home.

[Azide 0]

He hoisted a hefty rock over his shoulder and planted it in the doorway, where it wedged itself in the crook of the door. As he entered the building, the stone kept the door open just enough to allow light into the room. It was dark- but the overwhelming, smother darkness of before. Azide followed the cobra's lead, taking him to the opposite side of the room, where it stopped at the side of a well-aged man.

The man sat in a way reminiscent of monk, but his features suggested European origins. His hair was a silvery gray, but conveyed a lifetime of experience, rather than the old wear and tear. His body was not massive, but lean and sculpted; he seemed to be stronger than his appearance would lead one to believe. Eyes of an impossibly calm nature stared somewhere beyond him with a paradoxical intensity. They didn't search, but rather, they knew. The man seemed to have found peace, to say the least.

Azide bowed his head. "Master Dixon, I'm here because I've heard of your prowess with the rapier. I'd be honored if you would help me bridge my own skills to the next level. Will you teach me?"

The man lifted his head and took a deep breath through his nostrils; as he inhaled, his eyes closed- only opening as he exhaled slowly. "So you wish to be a grandmaster?" he asked. His voice was low and gravelly, like a stream of pebbles being poured down a metal pipe. He stood up slowly, revealing just how tall he really was. The master was not exactly a giant- but just barely so. "Very well then, boy."

His eyes focused on the player in green as they stood their respective ground, each without a word. Then, he erupted forward with impossible speed. The unmistakable glint of a rapier flashed dangerously amidst the darkness.

[Azide 0]

A hand shot to Quantum Slicer and unsheathed it in the blink of an eye. His entire arm trembled from the repeated impact of the man's blade against his own as he struggled to keep up the deflections. This man was the real deal- he was fast, agile and strong. The master's movements were far more precise and concise than he keep hope to imitate.

Azide leapt back as Dixon lunged forward with a powerful thrust of his rapier that came inches away from his heart- and would have plunged inches into his heart, had it not been for his own mobility. His eyes darted left and right, noticing that he'd been forward outside of the building. He steadied himself, and shifted to a more offensive posture while the opportunity presented itself to him.

He heard the hiss of a slithering Lucifer, but signaled for his companion to stand down. A second snake appeared from behind- the cobra which had earlier greeted them. It settled next to his own reptilian comrade, and together the two watched the ensuing scuffle.

[Azide 0]

From out of doorway, Dixon emerged from the building. Here, in the broad daylight, he was an even more impressive specimen. An outside observer would glean nothing of the cons of old age had they compared him to the young Azide. Dixon stared at the player for a moment; a mild interest glinted in his eyes at the sight of the player's change of stance. But he must have been expecting more, as the look was distinguished when the player failed to make his move.

Azide had hesitated- but he preferred not to call it that. He preferred to think of it as waiting for the perfect time to strike, and attempting to process his opponent's movements. A window had been opened for him to attack, but he'd opted not to take it. He watched as the man's expression changed from one which threatened a smile, into one which was simply threatening.

The young man in green charged forward with renewed vigor- but the opportunity for such a one-sided strike had since closed. Dixon had been allowed the opportunity to charge in with equal, if not greater momentum, and the two met somewhere in the middle. The elder man's jabs and thrusts were nothing to sneeze at, and Azide barely managed to hold his own as he parried and dodged them while tossing out a few strategically placed strikes of his own.

But Dixon was not even phased.

[Azide 0]

Azide gritted his teeth as he continued to skate by in their impromptu duel. They were in a safe zone, so there was no threat of any lasting damage. Other than to his ego, of course- but even that could heal with enough time. "I can't get a handle on this man." For all of his calculation, he could feel himself being left behind in that department. This man he fought was no fool- it was as if he were one step ahead, out to meet him at every corner he turned. He could not outthink this man; not while they were engaged in a trade which he'd perfected.

He huffed, and his breaths quickly began to grow ragged. "I'm using all of my energy just trying to bridge our skill gap," he observed. His hands were trembling, and at this rate, his expenditure would be unsustainable. An attempt at a stab was quickly swatted aside by Azide, and he gathered enough breath to pose a question as he noticed that the man was not even breaking a sweat. "Master Dixon, I need to know what it is that separates us in this trade we ply."

[Azide 0]

He hadn't struggled this much with a sword since the old days- when he'd barely been able to figure out how to use the thing. Back when he was still fresh from the Town of Beginnings, stepping foot from its safety for the first time with a weapon he'd never never before wielded. The rapier.

Memories of slow, lumbering movements flashed in his mind's eye, and he remembered the man he'd used to be. He was ineffective with the blade at first- both in damage and in execution. What took him swing after swing back then would take but a single swing nowadays. Azide felt that he had honed his art- made it more efficient, and trimmed away the excess. Not a single day had gone by without practice of his skills; it showed in the deftness of his movements, and the familiarity with which he swung the metal in his hands.

But even with all of his efficiencies and gleanings, the opponent he now faced seemed an unsurmountable wall. How was it that his skill had transcended the level in which Azide felt trapped? He had to know.

[Azide 0]

Up until now, it'd always been so easy to progress in his swordsmanship. From the very first time he'd swung his rapier, he could feel the invisible tug of CARDINAL assisting him; he'd felt the way it assisted each of his movements, and served to bridge the gap because his actual proficiency, and the one which appeared in-game.

Every once in a while, he'd invested a few points to further progress the level of bridging done by the system- bringing him a step closer toward perfection. Up until now, that'd been the extent of his progression; although, of course, he'd gained plenty of familiarity and experience through the countless mobs that'd been cut down in his wake. Hours dedicated to this and practice everyday, combined with readings and traditional literature couldn't have hurt either. But his progress had hit a wall at some point- around the time he learned that he couldn't simply drop his points willy nilly and take the final step towards absolute mastery.

And so he found himself here, engaging an old man and struggling to even stay relevant in the ensuing confrontation. Why couldn't he keep up?

[Azide 0]

Suddenly, Quantum Slicer was knocked from his hand. He turned his head to watch as it flew into the air and spun a full revolution before dropping out the sky. It landed against the stone-paved road with a metallic clang; the thin blade vibrated as the impact sent ripples flowing through it.

Dixon's blade was thrust against his chest without making contact, and Azide threw his hands up. He knew defeat when he saw it. This was unmistakably a clear defeat. His eyes locked with the elder man, and they twitched with steely frustration. But he also looked at the man with a grudging admiration, and the sight of his ability bestowed upon the young player a sense of hope. There was still room for his own abilities to grow- beyond even what they'd already become.

The master lowered his sword and took slow paces away until he came upon the fallen blade. He picked the weapon up and held it between calloused hands. "So you wanna know what separates us?" he grumbled, running his eyes across its length. He swung the blade experimentally in sweeping, elegant arcs. Then hardened eyes turned back to address him once more. "You wanna know why this world has grandmasters and plain old masters?" he continued. He tossed Quantum Slicer back to the defeated player, who luckily caught the sword by its grip.

Dixon flashed him the same look of amusement he had earlier, and something of a smirk painted his eyes and lips. "Well you're gonna need that if you wanna find out." The man beckoned for the boy to one again take up his arms as he gestured with a few inward curls of his fingers.

[Azide 0]

A look of surprise came across his face as the man tossed him his rapier, and he managed to catch the thing without fumbling it. It was more luck than anything- he'd never been particularly good at things like rugby or baseball. He could run the field in football or track, and even keep up in a rousing tennis rally- but only because of an abundance of speed and maneuverability. These gifts simply didn't transfer into high-speed hand-eye coordination, and he was lucky to have the system to bolster it to an appropriate level.

He nodded at the man. "Very well, Master Dixon. But I don't suppose you could give me a few pointers? I very much doubt that anything will change if I come at you with my previous mindset," he replied. He held his arm at his side, so that his rapier pointed downward at the ground. "Something has to change in the way I fight- but I'm not sure what that something is," he explained.

In truth, he still felt a sort of bitterness about his loss. He hated losing; everybody did, but he'd never wished to be like everybody. Wins often carried with them an almost irrational significance- as if every victory, no matter how minor, served to reaffirm his self image. But now was not the time for egotism. Not before it was earned, at least.

Azide spun Quantum Slicer in his hand, then tightened his grip. He would learn the man's secrets, even if the process sent him to the ends of the Earth.

[Azide 0]

The old man threw his head back and bellowed a deep, hearty laugh. He grinned wryly at the youngster who stood before him, inquiring of him what he could do differently- as if it were simply some sort of secret technique, or a change in form or posture. Hell, maybe the kid even thought that it had something to do with his breathing. He was a tired, weary soul- countless kids had appeared at his doorstep, asking what they could do differently. But they just didn't get it, and neither did he.

"You're a smart one, aren't you?" remarked the man. He noticed the boy's confusion, and followed up to shoot down whatever it was that he would say. "Now don't go mistaking that as praise, boy. I can see it in your eyes- you're a bright kid. You think you've got it all figured out, don't you?" he pressed.

Azide listened, but didn't understand. "Of course I think it through," he blurted. He realized that he'd allowed that comment to escape past the polite filter he'd switched on, so as to avoid insulting the master for the duration of their encounter. Luckily, he hadn't said anything too rash- but it'd managed to slip past him nonetheless, and that was a worrying thing. "I'm not going to just swing blindly, like an idiot."

[Azide 0]

Dixon simply repeated his gesture from before, coaxing the youth to strike at him. The knowing curve in his smile seemed to tack on the the words, "... if you can." His confidence had to be admired, but of course- it'd be earned ten-fold.

Azide scanned the man with his eyes, identifying all the of the points he'd be able to feasibly hit with a single step; due to their distance, there weren't many, and the ones which existed would only be possible with committed full-length thrusts. Such actions would only be overreaching, so he struck them from the list. He continued, and moved onto all of the points he'd be able to strike within two steps after taking into account the man's agility, and the parrying ability of his own rapier. He continued this, increasing the number of steps available to him each time. In his head, he followed every promising path far enough to ensure that he wouldn't immediately be defeated in the ensuing exchanges.

But he soon grew dizzy as he realized his prospects, and the fallacy of his actions. What was the point of it all? He couldn't hope to beat the man at his own game. "But is he really predicting each of my strikes?" he wondered. Perhaps that wasn't what he did at all. After all, such a process quickly became exhaustive, even for himself.

[Azide 0]

Deciding to meet the man's challenge, he rushed forward and delivered a series of tentative thrusts and swings from a distance. With the man's quicker agility and nearly boundless stamina, he figured it was best to continue testing the waters until he could find some sort of exploitable weakness. Until he'd learned what it was that gave this man the skill he displayed. What separated the two of them?

"You're still trying to think everything through, aren't you kid?" asked Dixon. He effortlessly repelled each of the youth's timid strikes without strain, as if to send a clear message for his challenger to seek a different approach. With his passionately 'offensive', the boy would never get anywhere with him. His arm extended forward as he delivered an aggressive blow which knocked Quantum Slicer aside and grazed the boy's chest. "I don't blame you for trying. It's not a bad idea- but you lean on it."

Azide narrowed his eyes as he stepped back and swatted the blade away from him with his own. "Are you saying you haven't been doing the same?" He stepped forward and launched a series of calculated strikes, intended to draw the man's blade away from its position, so that he could attack the hole left behind in its absence- but Dixon was too clever. Too experienced.

The man simply bobbed, weaved and otherwise evaded the blows without having to resort to the use of his sword. He shook his head. "Are you kidding me? I'm not a robot, and neither are you. So quit acting like one, and you just might be able to hit old Dixon."

[Azide 0]

"Can I really be thinking too much?" he wondered. From anybody else, the suggestion would've seemed stupid, and he would've shut them down with a snappy remark or two. How could thinking be bad in a life or death situation such as swordplay? Besides- it'd gotten him this far, and he liked to think that it separated him from many of his peers. His was a cerebral style, defined by efficiency and an analytical flair. It was calculative, and it was effective.

Then again, that wasn't exactly true in this case, was it? "I haven't even been able to land a hit on this guy," Azide realized. True, Dixon hadn't managed to land a hit on him either- but that was more of a technicality than anything. The old man had already knocked aside his sword once, while the second time he'd simply stopped short of delivering the decisive stab outright. Even worse, the man didn't even seem to be trying all that hard. "How would I fare if I were to face him in his full capacity?"

Probably not very well, he decided. So perhaps there was some merit to the man's words. Something he could draw from and work with. True- thinking had indeed gotten him this far, but it seemed to break down as soon as he'd come into contact with this man. Perhaps it was time to try a different approach after all.

Azide adjusted his grip around Quantum Slicer and gave an experimental flex of his fingers. He tightened them as he deemed the position a comfortable one. "Oh, I'll hit old Dixon alright. You can be damn sure of that." A new fire filled his eyes, and a rapid succession of footsteps set the ground beneath him ablaze. He toor across the stone-paved road, letting his sword fall wherever it should fall.