Ajax in the Blood Sport

[Phoenix]

Here is the latest story that Ajax as given me although it's older chronologically speaking.

This mission was originally of the very classified variety but I have recently been cleared to share it. The importance of keeping it secret has passed and there is valuable information to be shared.

The mission happened over a year ago during a period of heightened vampire activity. Some of those vampires were more in the spotlight than others. The one in this tale was far from the spotlight but also very much aligned with the other troubles going on at the time.

The monster in question had a rather unsurprising interest in blood sports. In fact it was an undefeated champion in an underground cage fighting circuit. Of course that was when she wasn't out spreading her evil at her masters behest.

Contrary to most missions that I get, this one wasn't to kill the creature. No, this job was going to be a lot harder than that. Oracle wanted this one captured alive. So get it alone and stake it, right? Not so easy as all that, I'm afraid as she typically wore armor about her chest that provided all around cover for her heart. The materials to which she was vulnerable would have a negligible chance of overcoming it.

Still, we had a plan. Well, Oracle had a plan. The plan involved me getting into the ring with this beast and going toe to toe with it. What's more, I had to do what had never been done before. I had to win the match.

It wasn't all bad. While in the (semi) public eye, it avoided using it's more flashy powers. Still, it's strength, speed, toughness and ability to regenerate were all superhuman qualities that were impossible to ignore.

Still, Oracle had found ways to help tip the scales a little ways back into my favor. For one, my 'coach' was a mage who would be casting protective magics on me between rounds. He would also see to healing as well. And then there was a dirty trick of oiling up my skin before the match. Not against the rules for this style of no holds bar fighting, some people did it to be harder to hold onto during grappling.

Ever notice in the bible how people are often anointed with oil? Holy water is based on the idea, with the oil mixed in and diluted by the water because water is cheaper than oil. I was getting the pure, concentrated stuff. And if my sweat diluted it? Still good. At least that was the hope.

Speaking of sweat, concentrated garlic doses in my diet hoped to create more of an irritant for my opponent.

The wrappings around my fist were likewise soaked in a holy oil and essence of garlic mix. Unfortunately brass knuckles and similar weapons were not allowed into the ring.

I was chosen for this particular mission for a number of reasons. First of all, I'm quite strong and when fighting the supernatural I often get even stronger for short bursts. I've also found that I can focus my will into my fists and feet and injure opponents who are otherwise immune to injury.

It doesn't hurt that I'm a very skilled fighter as well.

When I climbed into the ring, I could see her opposite me. If I hadn't known what she was, I might have underestimated her. Still, there was no denying that hungry, predatory look in her eyes.

The ref was explaining the rules to us and she stared directly into my eyes.

You cannot defeat me. Her eyes glowed red as I heard her voice in my head.

I smirked confidently and shrugged it off. I may be a big tough jock and not too bright all the time but it takes more than a Jedi mind trick to put me down on the mat. I also noticed that the ref didn't react to her glowing eyes. No doubt in on it. I hate collaborators.

He got quickly out of the way and the bell rang. She lunged at me like a wolf going for the jugular. My open palm met her solar plexus and landed a devastating first blow. Immediately her skin cracked as it dried out.

She snarled and pulled back, circling and re-evaluating me. Also, I realized she was buying time in order to let her natural recuperative abilities overcome what I had done to her.

I wasn't about to afford her that luxury. This time I lunged in and ignored the scraping of her nails against my skin. I pounded her face with my fist, forcing her back yet again.

She was fast but not noticeably faster than me. She was strong but my gifts made me her equal. She was tough but so was I. Her one advantage in this match was her ability to recuperate much quicker than me. But with my power focused into my fists, I was laying the damage on quicker than she could heal. What's more, she quite clearly relied entirely on her natural abilities. She had no actual combat skill at all.

Against most opponents, she was stronger, faster and couldn't be hurt. She relied entirely on those abilities to win, again and again. Against an opponent who could match her most of those areas, she soon found herself on the ropes.

She hurt me, of course. My back, chest and arms were criss-crossed slashes from her claws. I had to ignore the pain and focus on doing as much damage to her as I could as quickly as I could.

I'm told by those who watched the match that it took less than a minute for me to lay her out on the mat but it felt like an eternity. And having dropped her, I didn't relent. I straddled her and continued to hammer her face.

If you can do enough damage to a vampire, they will go into a coma state. Don't be fooled by it! They're not dead and will revive quite quickly. We figure 90 seconds is average but it can happen anywhere between a minute and two minutes.

The crowd wasn't cheering anymore as I pummeled her prone form. The ref tried to pull me off her and I remember tossing him against the cage before going back to smashing the blood suckers face. The only blood on the mat was mine.

Eventually the paramedics arrived and I moved aside. They weren't the usual ones that the ref was expecting (not that he was expecting it to need any) but I distracted him by getting in his face and arguing with him.

Quickly and professionally the paramedics hooked up a holy water IV and rolled her out on a stretcher. I hastily retreated out of there as well, not bothering to go collect my winnings for the night. Instead, I hopped into the back of the ambulance with our captured cage fighter.

My partner (back then I still had one) grimaced when she saw the shape I was in. "You look like hell."

"Thanks for that." Was about all I could manage. The psychic healer and mage were both already seeing to my wounds. They were all very energized by the presence of the predator in the ambulance with us. None of us were certain how well the IV would counter its regenerative abilities.

"That's what I'm here for." My partner replied before going about the task of chaining the vampires wrists, ankles and neck with silver shackles and chains. Another thing we weren't certain would work.

When the last of the IV dripped away, we waited anxiously.

About 90 seconds later she opened her lids and screamed at us. She lunged and was held fast by the chains. She seemed to focus and the edges of her form blurred for a moment but she did not change. We had done it. We had captured a live vampire.

Oracle would be pleased both to have a prisoner to interrogate and a subject to study.

My understanding was that the interrogation was of limited utility but the study produced a wealth of information about a vampires physical capabilities. Of special interest was ways to contain a vampire, especially in it's mist form. For those who may wonder, the subject did not survive long in captivity.

[Ron Caliburn]

There's no such thing as a fair fight with a vampire, best to not even pretend to make it one.

Applies to most fights really.

[Phoenix]

You know, I had to go back and see if Ajax used the word fair in his report. So far as I know, Ajax isn't concerned about fair when it comes to fighting the supernatural or fighting in general. You two would probably get along.

He also underplayed his injuries a bit. My understanding was that in addition to numerous badly bleeding lacerations, he had several broken bones and a concussion. And his (former) partner was quite right. He looked like hell. Thankfully the healers were able to heal him and he has his boyish good looks back.

[Gotham Witch]

I don't know too many people able to take on a supernatural being in a front front, much less a fist fight. Hopefully it was worth the lacerations and halitosis.

[Hannah]

I know a few, and all of them I consider heroes, and friends.

Hannah

PS: Well, some of 'em are family too.

[Daichan]

Now I totally want to bare knuckle box a vampire. And now that the little monster is out of me, I'm tempted to try it!