Quantcast
Channel: Suvudu » kevin anderson
Viewing all articles
Browse latest Browse all 2

Cage Match 2011: Paul Atreides versus Allanon

$
0
0

The Contestants

Paul Atreides.jpg

Click to view original image source

Allanon.jpg

Click to view original image source

Paul Atreides Paul Muad’Dib
Age: Early-30s
Race: Human
Weapons / Artifacts: Benne Gesserit Training
Special
Attack:
The Voice
Allanon
Age: 500ish
Race: Human
Weapons / Artifacts: Druid magic
Special
Attack:
Druid Fire

The Breakdown

Advantages
  • More-or-less a God
  • Prescience
  • Inhuman agility, strength and speed
Advantages
  • Hundreds of years of experience
  • Huge, muscular frame
  • Lies through his teeth
Disadvantages
  • Melancholy and Self-defeating
  • Reliance on Spice
Disadvantages
  • Has trouble making friends
  • Limited use of his magics
Kills
  • N/A
Kills
  • N/A


How we think the fight will go


Thump The too-bright sun bounced off the endless sand, turning the entire world into an endless, shimmering mirage. Allanon drew the cowl of his black hood tighter, shading his dark eyes. Blue flame enveloped the Druid's hands, licking eagerly along the length of his cloaked arms. He waited. Thump The Druid searched the empty dunes for the source of that throbbing sound. His opponent was somewhere out there, biding time. Thump Thump Thump Where was he? Suddenly the world erupted. Sand filled the sky, a whirlwind of sharp blades cutting at the Druid as he was thrown into the air like a child's doll. The sand dug at his eyes, choked his breath. With a thought, Druid Fire enveloped his whole body, a shield as strong as his iron will. He reached the peak of his ascent and then began to fall. Below him a huge pit gaped, eighty meters in diameter, every inch covered in razor sharp blades, curved and deadly. The cyclone of sand and whipping wind smelled like cinnamon. The pit shuddered and gnashed with anticipation. Not a pit—a mouth. Allanon tumbled toward the huge sandworm, it's hungry maw waiting to shred the Druid and devour him. Riding aback the monstrous beast, like a tiny gnome riding a Kraken, was Paul Atreides. Maud'Dib. Allanon tumbled helplessly through the hot desert air. The gaping mouth swallowed the Druid. The crash of the sandworm falling back to the ground shook the world. Paul waited on its back, gently coaxing the beast with his Voice. It is done. He is dead. None can survive the certain death of a sandworm's deadly mouth. Boom An eruption of blue flame engulfed the head of the enormous sandworm and tore the dunes apart around the beast. Endless sand was sucked into the superheated air, a vacuum of shredding, swirling madness. Paul was thrown violently from the back of his enormous steed. He fell heavily to the earth. Heated sand and melted globules of glass rained down on him. The acid smell of burning Spice and the sweet smell of charred Sandworm flesh filled the air, reminiscent of war. Allanon tumbled from high above, shielded still by Druid Fire. He rolled as he hit the ground, came lightly to his feet, black cloaked billowing behind him. His dark face was grim, unharmed. Not even this miraculous turn of events could shake Maud'Dib. He picked himself up off the ground so gracefully that one would never have thought he'd just been thrown so unceremoniously from the back of his blasted, dying, and—until recently—thought near-invincible steed. "Impressive," Paul said. "An army couldn't defeat a sandworm so handily." The Druid stared back impassively. His Druid Fire shield had dropped, but his hands were still sheathed in cerulean flame. "But now you will turn around. Walk away, Druid. This is a battle you cannot win." A single drop of sweat formed on Allanon's forehead, slid slowly down his face to the tip of his hooked nose. It dropped to the sand at his feet. His black eyes were cold as iron. The Druid raised one flame-wrapped hand. The struggle to do so showed plainly on his face. Paul's blue-in-blue eyes twinkled in the harsh desert light, but his face was dispassionate. "Usul, you fool," growled Allanon. "You think to use the Voice on a Druid?" A small flicker of displeasure passed over the Maud'Dib's face. His eyes flashed blue for a moment. His fists clenched. More Druid Fire shot from Allanon's outstretched hand. Paul flitted from its path with the grace of a cat and the speed of a diving Needletail. Allanon was far larger than his opponent, towering over the slender Atreides and much heavier. A trained Druid, his skills in hand-to-hand combat were unmatched in all the Four Lands. Hands aglow, he leapt at the smaller man, sure of an easy victory. Allanon was fast—but Paul was faster, and could anticipate the hulking Druid's every blow. He danced around heavy punches, and played with his opponent's momentum, sending him tumbling first one way, then the other. With the ability to see every twitch of every muscle that his enemy makes, the Maud'Dib could be touched by no mortal not trained by the Benne Gesserit. Allanon fought a losing battle against the Kwisatz Haderach, the shortening of the way. His defeat was not an 'if', but a 'when'. Still, Allanon worked his way in closer to Atreides and it became almost impossible for the smaller man to avoid the wide, walloping swings of the Druid. One connected with Paul's left side. The gusting wind stole away the sound of crunching ribs and sizzling skin. Paul grunted and danced backwards. Allanon pressed the attack, but Paul was ready. With superhuman speed, Paul met each of the Druid's heavy blows. Some connected, but Paul was untouched by pain. He took no punch that did not lead him closer to the inevitable end of his opponent. He could read the future of every punch, every glancing blow and parry. Now he was toying with Allanon, like a kitten with a mouse. The huge Druid was tiring. The blue flame still licked up-and-down his arms, but its glow was lessened, dim in the harsh light of the sun. His hood was thrown back and his hair whipped around his gaunt face — grey streaked black. Sweat poured down his face now. His black eyes squinted in concentration and pain. Paul's eyes glowed bright blue. The poisonous Spice coursed through his body, a euphoric rush of god-like prescience and power. Amidst the blows traded with the flagging Druid, he started uttering quiet words. Caught in the heat of the hand-to-hand fight, the Druid's other defences were down. His concentration was broken completely as Paul slid under one heavy haymaker and landed a quick jab, breaking the Druid's large, hooked nose. His whispered words wrapped themselves around Allanon's heart, caressed and captured all the heat and energy in the Druid's powerful body. With another word, that energy released all its profound potential in one burst. The Druid exploded in a gory blast of fire and viscera. Paul Atreides stood over the remains of his dead opponent. The only emotion on his face was a small twitch at the corner of his mouth. Finally, he took out his thumper, placed it in the ground. Thump Thump

Predicted Winner: Paul Atreides



NOTE: THIS MATCH ENDS ON SUNDAY, MARCH 13TH, 2011, AT 5 PM, ET

Check out the previous match! Check out the next match! Check out the Bracket
Paul Atreides is a character from the Dune series by Frank Herbert, Brian Herbert, and Kevin Anderson; Allanon is a character from the Shannara series by Terry Brooks Paul Atreides image courtesy of Universal Pictures. Percy Jackson image courtesy of ~MyrddinDerwydd Aidan Moher contributed to this Cage Match

Viewing all articles
Browse latest Browse all 2

Latest Images

Trending Articles





Latest Images