betrayedblade | ventinove || video [note: backdated to early sunday morning]

[The post starts with a twirling view of the sky, the ground, the sky again, the ground again, etc as the device bounces on the pavement. It just so happens to land mostly on its side, slightly tilting upwards as it leans against some debris behind it. The shot is perfect for catching a white-hooded man standing with a drawn sword in the distance. His robes are stained with black scuff marks and lots and lots of red blood.

Something has taken a beating, but it looks like it dealt out as much as it received. The Italian drops his form a second later and stands perfectly still, sword tip resting on the ground lazily. His body language depicts he doesn't seem to care about anything right now.

Indeed when he turns towards the communicator a minute later his expression is utterly blank. Its an eerie calm and cold expression with no emotion. Even his eyes reflect a dead golden hue. He walks calmly towards the device, his hand barely holding onto a sword many know he normally takes very good care of but now its practically being dragged across the ground in his limp grip.

He bends down and calmly picks up the communicator, and without even a second glance simply turns it off.]

[[Giovanni has hit rock bottom emotionally. He appears utterly calm and cold, dead even. But in reality he's insane from grief. Provoke him and he will snap. He's somewhere near the big baddie for any up for a commentlog. :3]]

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[Silence. Then Kadaj turned slowly back to the chaos and gave a detached shrug.]

Then you will meet the same fate as them.

I will not--I can not--allow you do this. You cannot simply destroy all these people on a whim!

I've been thinking about it for a while.

And you can't stop me.

That won't prevent me from trying.

How about I just kill you right now?

Try if you must.

[By now, he has his hand on the hilt of his sword.]

But you don't have to do this, giovane.

[Kadaj scoffs at the gesture.]

If you get in my way, I will.

If you try to hurt anyone, I will get in your way.

I'm hurting everyone.

Not while I still stand.

Stand no more.

[Without warning, Souba is out and pointed at Giovanni. He doesn't move to attack though.]

[Giovanni unsheathes his own sword as the boy stands still. He holds it loosely at his side but his body language reads as fully ready to react.]

Why do you have to do this?

Because it is my purpose in life. I have sworn to protect others. No matter the cost.

I don't want to kill you.

[He's silent for a moment. He's touched. Under any other circumstances he would so this in a physical reaction with an appropriate expression... but today is not a good day for that. The only indicator of his emotional turmoil to the situation is his moment of silence.] Neither I...

You do what you must, and I will do what I must.

Isn't that how it always is?

[He speaks bitterly, the loathing making up for the lack of volume. He goes so far as to look away from Giovanni, because he thinks he won't strike without any warning. His left hand twitches and he begins to approach the edge.]

[Giovanni won't make the first move at all. He'll wait until Kadaj attacks him or makes a move to do something destruction and potentially hurt someone else. He stands, his eyes following the boy's every move, and waits.]

[Lifting up his hand, a swarm of missiles go out to one of the buildings in the distance. Not enough to destroy, but cause some tremors. He jumps off the edge and lands in a crouch before running.]

[That's Giovanni's cue. He leaps off the building and lands with a nice cat-roll that deposits him on his feet and looses no time in chasing after Kadaj. His sword is (re)sheathed while running, but he doesn't need a sword to attack when he catches up.]

[Kadaj tries to use his speed to his advantage, but it's not enough to outrun Giovanni. He comes to a dead end and doesn't bother to look over his shoulder.]

[Giovanni doesn't slow. He's knows he can't hesitate or he just might not go through with it. Instead he keeps running, and at the last second he flicks his left hand as he nears and attacks.

He may not have had his hidden blade fixed yet, but he'd found an alternate method. He struck out with the small dagger in his hand in a similar manner to how he normally would have with his hidden blade in place.]

[Kadaj tries dodging the blade, twisting himself away and holding Souba out in front of him. Fighting with blades is one thing, but he isn't used to dealing with such small weapons. Did Giovanni have more hidden?

He keeps his stare locked on the man, watching for the smallest twitch.]

[He had enough.

He backs off with the failed stab and eyes Kadaj resolutely. He isn't going to wait this time. His hand flickers and the dagger is sent flying at Kadaj even as he unsheathes his sword with his other hand.

He is not going to hold back.]

[Kadaj tries dodging again, but his own hesitancy gets the better of him. The dagger catches him in the arm, weakening his hold on Souba. He doesn't want to fight him, but he will try getting past him.

Kadaj runs for Giovanni, feinting an attack with the blades.]