LightStriker: All Sports Opal

[Michelle Montoya]

On April 2nd, 2019 in The Outback an unofficial challenge was held for LightStriker, a bright new white Opal. This All Sports Opal must be defended in a best of three challenge where all three sports may be fought. Andrea and Kheldar agreed to fight in swords first. The second match would be determined by the loser of the first. With the remaining sport fought if a third round was necessary.

"Ladies, Gentlemen and Trunks! Welcome to our first ever Multi-Sport Match. The winner will receive the newest white opal LightStriker. We have Andrea fighting under the banner colours red and purple. Her Lady of Honor is Lilith, Second is John Cole. She is fighting against Kheldar "The Big Guy". His Lady of Honor is his wife Caedia. He fights under the colours of House Royal."

Match 1: Ring of Swords. Andrea def. Kheldar 5-4 in 10 rounds.
Match 2: Ring of Fists. Kheldar def. Andrea 5-3 in 8 rounds.
Match 3: Ring of Magic. Andrea def. Kheldar 6-5 in 13 rounds.

"With two out of three wins in Swords and Magic, Andrea becomes our very first All-Sports Opal holder and will take LightStriker home. Congratulations Andrea and well fought Kheldar!"

Andrea is willing to defend the All Sports Opal LightStriker against any would-be challengers.

Opal Description:
"There, it's enchanted now." She'd pick up the rock and give it a closer look, then holding it away to show what she meant. The White Opal would begin to glow, brighter and brighter, until Andrea looked away and closed one eye or else she'd be blinded by it. Quickly, it would dim until it looked more like a mood-setting light. "I'm sure blinding someone mid-fight is pretty tacti-cool." Gripping the opal and opening up her other hand -- the light started to manifest there, but as a ball almost akin to a glowing will-o-the-wisp, until she closed that hand; then the hand itself was glowing. Andrea'd knock it against the table once -- which saw the light linger there then quickly flash back to blinding before fading into nothingness. ".. and it can act as a catalyst too for the user. Perfect."

This challenge and the associated matches are non-regulation and were held for caller training purposes. However, players may still challenge for the Opal if they wish to do so. Opal description provided by Andrea.

[Andrea Anderson]

(( The full transcript of the Opal's enchantment. Credit to Michelle Montoya for giving the unofficial title a name, Andrea jokingly called it WhiteBread. At first the Opal was meant to be just an item for them to fight over, since Andrea and Kheldar were training Michelle to call challenge matches and it would be silly to night fight for something, but Michelle asked if it could be something challenge-able after the mock-challenge was over and I though "Sure, why not?". So big ups to her for taking a small plot device for a fight and turning it into something interesting! ))

--

Taking back the Opal and giving it a look. "One sec.." She's then heading to the locker room, but she'd be out in the matter of minutes — and this time with her bag. She'd set it down, along with the Opal, then reach into the bag to pull out a book. By the looks of it - it was most likely a tome from the Tower of Fire.

".. So, I'm not that good — giving a soul to an inanimate object and all, I'd leave that to Gerolt and the boy down.. wherever they are," Looking unsure but not like it mattered. She'd flip open the book while speaking, find something, then cup her hands around the white Opal. For a moment she looked to just be really, really concentrating and nothing appeared to be happening.

"But at least it won't be talking back to anyone.." She's saying while concentrating. Then, with a flash of light, she'd seem to relax.

"There, it's enchanted now." She'd pick up the rock and give it a closer look, then holding it away to show what she meant.

The White Opal would begin to glow, brighter and brighter, until Andrea looked away and closed one eye or else she'd be blinded by it. Quickly, it would dim until it looked more like a mood-setting light. "I'm sure blinding someone mid-fight is pretty tacti-cool." Gripping the opal and opening up her other hand — the light started to manifest there, but as a ball almost akin to a glowing will-o-the-wisp, until she closed that hand; then the hand itself was glowing. Andrea'd knock it against the table once — which saw the light linger there then quickly flash back to blinding before fading into nothingness. ".. and it can act as a catalyst too for the user. Perfect."

"That's as much as I can do for it. Like I said, making a soul isn't exactly something I can do. So, for now, it'll just be a rock that can glow pretty damn bright.. but, maybe someday, it can have a voice of its own." She's squinting and giving it a look.

[Michelle Montoya]

A note was put up on each dueling venue corkboard, the same note each time. It was, after all, an All Sports Opal

Well Andrea, I had the honour of calling your match for this new unofficial Opal. And now that I'm Ruby rank I feel like celebrating. That and Emerald is far away. So I hereby challenge you for LightStriker!

[Andrea Anderson]

Sure. Get at me with some dates and times.

[Michelle Montoya]

For anyone that's interested, this is happening tonight (Wednesday) at 9:30ET.

[Bailey Raptis]

Hello, everybody! Michelle Montoya and Andrea Anderson were kind enough to allow me to call their unofficial challenge for the right to hold Lightstriker, the All Sports Opal last evening, August 14, 2019. Defense of this Opal is done across the three dueling disciplines denizens of our fair city of RhyDin may partake in.

Michelle, who served as the challenger last evening, had Gloria Blaze to serve as her Second for the evening. Kheldar Drasinia served as her Person of Honor. Michelle sported the colors of green and black, representing Atrebla. Andrea, who defended the Opal last night, had Lilith Anderson serving as her Person of Honor. She fought with no Second, and sported the color purple.

Andrea elected to start the challenge with a duel in Swords, eking out a narrow 5-4 victory in 9 rounds. Michelle then chose to fight the second match of the challenge in Fists, managing to pull off a close 5-3 win in 9 rounds again. The deciding duel in Magic ended in a near perfect shutout for Michelle, who won 5-0 in six rounds. Congratulations to Michelle on winning Lightstriker, and well reigned Andrea!

[Mallory]

Michelle Montoya will be defending LightStriker tonight at 8:30 pm ET in the Outback against a mystery challenger! Who will be fighting her for the vaunted all-sports opal? Come watch and find out!

[Tenball]

Tonight we saw a challenge for LightStriker, the All-Sports Opal held by the lovely and talented Michelle Montoya! The mystery challenger was none other than Charles Blackstone!

Charles fought under the banner of a red star on a white field, he had no second, and his Nightmare of Honor was the one and only Skid, much to Skid's surprise!

Michelle fought under the banner of a white chimera on a field of brown. Her second was her son, Allen Montoya, and her Lady of Honor was her lovely daughter, Nadella Montoya.

Due to the multi-sport nature of the challenge, one match was fought in each sport, with a best-of-three to take or defend.

First match - Duel of Swords
Ring BananaSplit: Charles Blackstone vs Michelle Montoya in a dos duel. Begin when ready!
Ring BananaSplit 1: Charles Blackstone gains position. (SS / CP | 0.5 - 0, Charles Blackstone leads.)
Ring BananaSplit 2: Michelle Montoya scores! (SH / LC | 0.5 - 1, Michelle Montoya leads.)
Ring BananaSplit 3: Charles Blackstone gains position. (DU / HC | 1 - 1, Michelle Montoya and Charles Blackstone.)
Ring BananaSplit 4: Michelle Montoya gains position. (SL / SS | 1 - 1.5, Michelle Montoya leads.)
Ring BananaSplit 5: No action this round. (LP / LP | 1 - 1.5, Michelle Montoya leads.)
Ring BananaSplit 6: Michelle Montoya gains position. (LC / CP | 1 - 2, Michelle Montoya leads.)
Ring BananaSplit 7: Michelle Montoya scores! (SH / HC | 1 - 3, Michelle Montoya leads.)
Ring BananaSplit 8: Charles Blackstone gains position. (SS / TH | 1.5 - 3, Michelle Montoya leads.)
Ring BananaSplit 9: No action this round. (LC / LC | 1.5 - 3, Michelle Montoya leads.)
Ring BananaSplit 10: Charles Blackstone scores! (TH / DU | 2.5 - 3, Michelle Montoya leads.)
Ring BananaSplit 11: Charles Blackstone gains position. (DU / HC | 3 - 3, Michelle Montoya and Charles Blackstone.)
Ring BananaSplit 12: Michelle Montoya scores! (DI / LC | 3 - 4, Michelle Montoya leads.)
Ring BananaSplit 13: Charles Blackstone gains position. (LP / HC | 3.5 - 4, Michelle Montoya leads.)
Ring BananaSplit 14: No action this round. (LC / LC | 3.5 - 4, Michelle Montoya leads.)
Ring BananaSplit 15: Michelle Montoya scores! (SS / HC | 3.5 - 5, Michelle Montoya leads.)
FINAL: Michelle Montoya def. Charles Blackstone, 5 - 3.5 in 15 rounds. - dos

The first match opened up with a bit of see-sawing before Michelle widened her lead from half-point to two points by round 7. Then Charles managed to catch up with her to tie it at 3 points each by round 11. However, she pulled ahead and stayed ahead to take the match 5-3/5 in the 15th round.


Second match - Duel of Fists
Ring Nightmare: Charles Blackstone vs Michelle Montoya in a dof duel. Begin when ready!
Ring Nightmare 1: Charles Blackstone scores! (FL / JB | 1 - 0, Charles Blackstone leads.)
Ring Nightmare 2: Michelle Montoya scores! (SN / FAB | 1 - 1, Michelle Montoya and Charles Blackstone.)
Ring Nightmare 3: No action this round. (LP / FDU | 1 - 1, Charles Blackstone and Michelle Montoya.)
Ring Nightmare 4: No action this round. (LB / FL | 1 - 1, Michelle Montoya and Charles Blackstone.)
Ring Nightmare 5: Everybody scores! (JB / JB | 2 - 2, Charles Blackstone and Michelle Montoya.)
Ring Nightmare 6: No action this round. (JK / JK | 2 - 2, Charles Blackstone and Michelle Montoya.)
Ring Nightmare 7: Michelle Montoya scores! (SP / JB | 2 - 3, Michelle Montoya leads.)
Ring Nightmare 8: Charles Blackstone scores! (LS / AB | 3 - 3, Michelle Montoya and Charles Blackstone.)
Ring Nightmare 9: Charles Blackstone gains position. (DU / JB | 3+ - 3, Michelle Montoya and Charles Blackstone.)
Ring Nightmare 10: Charles Blackstone scores! (LS / DO | 4 - 3, Charles Blackstone leads.)
Ring Nightmare 11: Charles Blackstone scores! (CH / FDU | 5 - 3, Charles Blackstone leads.)
FINAL: Charles Blackstone def. Michelle Montoya, 5 - 3 in 11 rounds. - dof

The unarmed match began with first Charles scoring, then Michelle, and then neither for a couple rounds. They both scored and the tie continued. In round 7 Michelle gained, but then Charles tied it back at 3 points each and just built up momentum for the rest of the duel, winning it 5-3 in 11 rounds.


Third match - Duel of Magic
The third match, being a magic duel, was fought in the, ah, special ring. From the live feed:

The lights over the challenge ring and the audience go out, and then spotlights come on from all four corners as glittering silver-white confetti drops down, and keeps dropping. A huge disco ball, slowly spinning, lowers from the ceiling above the center of the ring, right where the spotlight beams meet, and scatters the light through the Outback. Ring Xanadu was active!

After a... suggestion from yours truly, the match became a magical dance-off. Out of respect for both duelists, I will only share the round-by-round transcript and not their actual... performances.

Ring Mandrake: Charles Blackstone vs Michelle Montoya in a dom duel. Begin when ready!
Ring Mandrake 1: Michelle Montoya gains position. (MS / FF | 0 - 0.5, Michelle Montoya leads.)
Ring Mandrake 2: Charles Blackstone gains position. (SH / MB | 0.5 - 0.5, Michelle Montoya and Charles Blackstone.)
Ring Mandrake 3: Michelle Montoya scores! (WB / MW | 0.5 - 1.5, Michelle Montoya leads.)
Ring Mandrake 4: Michelle Montoya gains position. (AB / FT | 0.5 - 2, Michelle Montoya leads.)
Ring Mandrake 5: Charles Blackstone scores! (MB / DS | 1.5 - 2, Michelle Montoya leads.)
Ring Mandrake 6: Charles Blackstone gains position. (AR / MB | 2 - 2, Michelle Montoya and Charles Blackstone.)
Ring Mandrake 7: Charles Blackstone gains position. (FF / MS | 2.5 - 2, Charles Blackstone leads.)
Ring Mandrake 8: Michelle Montoya scores! (RF / FFF | 2.5 - 3, Michelle Montoya leads.)
Ring Mandrake 9: Michelle Montoya gains position. (MW / DS | 2.5 - 3.5, Michelle Montoya leads.)
Ring Mandrake 10: No action this round. (GF / GF | 2.5 - 3.5, Michelle Montoya leads.)
Ring Mandrake 11: Everybody scores! (MS / MW | 3.5 - 4.5, Michelle Montoya leads.)
Ring Mandrake 12: Michelle Montoya gains position. (WB / AR | 3.5 - 5, Michelle Montoya leads.)
FINAL: Michelle Montoya def. Charles Blackstone, 5 - 3.5 in 12 rounds. - dom

And so, Michelle Montoya took the final match for two out of three to retain the White Opal, LightStriker, in tonights All-Sports Challenge! Well defended, Michelle, and well tried, Charles!