Smurfocalypse
Chapter 22: Melee grave round one
"Let the tournament begin!" Hefty shouts, giving the signal with his hand.
The arena assumed a moment of intense dead silence for several seconds, as though time itself had stood still and froze around them. Then, the arena went into chaos.
Falconer gave his mighty bird of prey the command and it immediately took flight, soaring at incredible speed towards our seasoned warriors. Unprepared for the birds sudden speedy approach, formation broke almost instantly and Tuffy's team scattered about the field in evasive attempts to dodge the falcon's attacks. Hefty watched in embarrassment as Tuffy allowed deformation of the ranks over a simple distraction and had them all splitting up. Boxer approached Sweepy and made contact with a powerful uppercut to the jaw which sent Sweepy's helmet flying. Still maintaining balance, Sweepy takes a swing at Boxer with his training mace. The fact Sweepy sacrifices speed for strength was his downfall as Boxer had flawlessly dodged the upcoming attack and responded with his own, sending Sweepy into the dust, his huge shield succeeding only in furthering his burden as it came crashing down on top of him, confining him to the floor. The crowd in response goes wild and Smurfs who hail from Uncle Smurf's village stood and cheered with pride for their fellow Smurf. The thrill of victory went to Boxer's head, he turned around to greet the crowd when a training axe whirled through the air and struck him full force in the back of the head. Boxer let out a shriek as the heavy wooden axe rebounds off his head and into the ground behind him, he turns around to see Timber glaring in pity, shaking his head slightly and rolling his eyes. Boxer can feel the massive welt forming under his cap already, he blinks vigorously trying to sustain consciousness, the crowd gasps as Boxer wobbles helplessly around the arena. He regurgitates and then falls to his knees. The world around him seemed to gradually begin fading away.
"Hold!" Hefty yells.
The arena grew silent and a temporary cease fire was dispatched. Doctor rushed to the scene, desperately trying to keep Boxer conscious. He drags Boxer to his feet and forces him to walk off the arena. Doctor looks back at Timber in disappointment. Hefty takes Timber to the side.
"Damn it Timber what was that all about!? They wont be much use to us if they are dead!" Hefty shouts.
"I'm tired of his cocky attitude! Just who does he think he is anyway?!" Timber says.
"He let his guard down and I struck.. Such distractions result in death in the midst of battle." Timber continues.
"Have you gone Smurfy!? Listen to yourself Timber! You sound like a human! These are our fellow Smurfs here!" Hefty says.
"Yeah? Well not here they aren't! In this arena they pose a threat!" Timber says.
"Well.. Just be more careful ok? Doctor wont sponsor us anymore if we smurf him a hard time and you know Papa Smurf would never approve of this without further word so be more careful Timber." Hefty says.
Timber returns to his side and Hefty claims the life of the cease fire as he gives the signal for the second time today, the tournament resumes. Falconer had another trick up his sleeve, He gave the command and his falcon flew off, the remaining Smurfs on his team guarded him as he gave his commands to the falcon.
"In combat simulations it will be hard to command Zarus… No doubt those Smurfs understand Smurf to nature communication language.. But I am not about to call it quits yet!" Falconer thought to himself.
"Timber! Ignore the bird for now! Don't waist your throwing axes! He's trying to exhaust your ranged resources!" Tuffy says.
Timber nods and focuses only on the teams pursuit and making hostile contact with the opponent. Zarus the falcon soars ferociously above the smurfs, trying in every which way to distract and demoralize. Hefty observes the recruit's strategy playing out from the stands in amazement. To think those Smurfs so new to combat could devise a plan so professionally on their first tournament as a team. They show signs that are truly promising. As the pursuit continues, Smurfs find themselves pelted by training arrows whilst also trying to dodge the falcon's unpredictable movements. Sweepy's massive shield would have come in handy about this time, as they get closer the arrows sting can be felt threw the training armor, leaving welts on the skin.
"Listen up Smurfs! As we approach we have to distract Zealous and Valor so we can eliminate Falconer as quick as possible! Forget the bird right now! If it was going to attack it would already have done so-" Tuffy's words were cut short when his helmet was lifted of his head by the bird of prey that hovers above them so persistently. The helmet landed on the ground with a clink several feet from their location.
"Smurf! If I go back for my helmet I'll break formation!" Tuffy thinks.
Just then Archer focuses his attacks towards Tuffy, the training arrows smacking up against his face was a very painful distraction. Tuffy pulls back as the others continue in front. Farmer charges Valor full force with a custom made training scythe. Blows were exchanged as scythe met shield and sword met scythe. Weapons rebounded and Farmer flipped his scythe around and jabbed at Valor with the hilt of the weapon, which was blocked successfully with a shield. Valor swings at Farmer with his sword but Farmer swiftly repositioned his scythe and absorbed the blow with it. The battle was heated, Valor Smurf was graciously holding his own against one of the knight's best fighters. Farmer attempts again to attack, while his defense was down, Valor's shield slammed into Farmer's helmet. The huge clang of metal echoed in Farmer's ears persistently, he wanted to just shove something in his ears so to not hear the ringing but he shook it off. Farmer leaps backward and swings his scythe with all his might at Valor. The sudden attack distracted Valor slightly, causing him to stagger backward. Farmer then swung his scythe back the opposite way, the would be bladed part smacking Valor hard in the helmet, causing him to falter further in his defense. Farmer goes in for the final strike by flipping his scythe around to the hilt and jabbing it into Valor's breastplate. Valor flew backward flat on his back, his training sword landed blade first in the dirt beside him. It seemed Farmer had succeeded in eliminating Valor quite nicely, that is, until Farmer was charged shortly after by Zealous sending him to the ground faster then he could realize just what happened to Valor. The scores had been evened again, Zealous' risky sneak attack succeeded in evening the score as now 3 knights remain on each team.
Although his attack succeeded in catching Farmer off guard, It also left Falconer unguarded. Wooly took the opportunity to charge at Falconer full force, with a noose tied and ready he launched the rope with haste at Falconer, attempting to get the rope around his neck. Falconer was quicker and had a trick up his sleeve. He leaped back dodging the rope and then made a signal with his arm, commanding his falcon to ram full force into Wooly's torso. But it was not the bird itself that took Wooly down, but the helmet it was carrying.
"Aw shoot! I hadn't thought of that happenin!" Wooly says as he hit's the floor.
Next Timber throws an axe from afar and attempts to strike Archer. But Archer, having observed the whole tournament from a safe distance up to this point, was completely aware of what to expect from Timber and jumped out of the way of the axe. Timber raises an eyebrow impressed with the results and drops his throwing axes at his side. He then frees two small axes that rest in a holster one on each hip and raises them to the sky before charging Archer. Archer's eyes widened as the distance between he and his opponent grows ever shorter. Timber strikes with his axes, breaking right through the training bow Archer had used the majority of the tournament, rendering him defenseless. Timber grabs the rope Wooly was using from the ground, thinking to spare Archer a painful defeat by binding him and claiming him as a prisoner, but when Timber got within a fingers length of Archer, Archer drew two concealed training knives from his sleeves and jabbed them deep into Timber's breastplate, piercing the armor entirely and breaking skin. Timber staggers backward in shock and stares in disbelief at the daggers sticking out of his stomach. Not about to give up easily, he pulls them out, wincing as blood flowed freely down his breastplate staining it red. Archer was still in awe that such an attack did not succeed in Timber's immediate defeat. With no more weapons to spare, he was at the mercy of now enraged Timber smurf. Timber grabs Archer by the collar of his leather tunic and pulled him forth to meet Timber face to face. Timber then rams his knee plate full forced into Archer's lightly armored stomach and Archer gagged in pain, blood running down his chin. Timber then shoves Archer in front of him and once he was in perfect range, Timber swung his two handed training axe at full force, striking Archer in the side of the head. Archer flew back and hit the ground with a thud, Falconer is now alone. As the arrows would no longer fly Tuffy retrieves his helmet and joins Timber in the front lines. Falconer showed no fear, no personality at all what so ever in his eyes as his two opponents closed in on him. He calls he falcon to his side.
"You wont beat me this time Falconer.. I know all your tricks with that bird!" Tuffy says.
"Oh but you don't know even half of them… Furthermore you have no clue what I am capable of alone either.." Falconer says.
"What are you capable of alone?! Pray DO enlighten me!" Tuffy says.
Falconer looks to his bird and nods, it then takes flight from his arm and vanishes into the skies.
"Tuffy… I know what your thinking.. There is no use in fighting him alone! Victory is practically ours! Don't let your pride get the best of you now!" Timber says.
"This is something I must do alone.. Stand aside.." Tuffy says.
"But Tuffy… !" Timber says.
"Don't argue with me Timber! Wait your turn!" Tuffy says, shoving Timber back.
"Hmph.. I don't need you to win anyway. If you want to smurf this up for yourself then do it." Timber says.
Timber steps back several feet to allow Tuffy to carry out his one on one with Falconer against his better judgment
"You honestly believe that you are worth anything without that blasted bird?!" Tuffy says.
"I never had the chance to show what I can do… All my opponents in the one on one tournaments were to weak." Falconer says.
"Here's your chance bird brain! Smurf my day!" Tuffy says drawing his training sword.
"Ok then, if you insist" Falconer says bending down in a feral stance, glancing up at Tuffy.
Tuffy runs at Falconer as fast as he can, yelling out and waving his sword around as the distance shrank more and more between them. Upon approaching Falconer, Tuffy prepares what he truly believed would be the winning strike of his sword, but as he prepared to swing forth his sword his eyes began to water and burn, his vision blurred. Tuffy dropped his weapon and screamed out, rubbing his eyes, he takes two steps backward and not a step more before Falconer's fist met with the side of Tuffy's face, Tuffy flew backward in disbelief and upon landing flat on his back, had met elimination.
"Of all the dirty tricks!" Tuffy shouts out.
In the crowd you hear Jokey laughing his ass off.
"Dirty trick! Now THAT'S funny! Hyuk Hyuk~" Jokey yells followed by roaring laughter.
"Last I checked there were no rules against using the environment against your opponent.. Besides.. If your dumb enough to enter combat of any kind with a helmet that reveals that much of your head you deserve to have dirt thrown into your eyes." Falconer says.
"It wont matter now Falconer your all out of tricks! And now I will finish this!" Timber says lifting his two handed training axe.
"Ah, but how can you finish what has already been finished?" Falconer says.
"What in Smurfs name are you talking about?" Timber says.
Falconer points a finger in the air towards the sky which by the time Timber has the time the glance up to see what was being pointed at a large stone smacked up against helmet, denting it and leaving what would be one hell of a welt on his head, Timber spun around, dizzily trying to keep his balance, but his efforts went in vain as he came crashing down into the dust with a clank of armor. The crowd gasps in disbelief as Zarus returned to his Smurfy master's arm guard and rested his wings. Falconer was the last Smurf standing.
"And the winner of round one goes to Uncle Smurf's team!" Hefty announces.
The crowd cheered and carried on for quite sometime as the eliminated Smurfs removed themselves from the arena to receive medical attention, once the activity ceased Hefty joined Falconer in the arena, as the two of them were now alone Hefty could give his praise and congratulate the winner properly. Falconer and Hefty returned to the village and celebrated Falconer's outstanding victory, Falconer knew however, that round two would be the very next day.. And in that round.. His team would be up against the best of the best… Hefty himself included. It was a thought that haunted Falconer's mind for some time now.. The moment when he would meet face to face with Hefty in the arena.
