Random encounters (Open)

[Erzbet Bathry]

Erzbet stepped back from her own fight and reluctantly put her human skin back on. Her opponent hadn't made a move yet. It was as if he didn't know how to fight without metal. He wouldn't last a day where I came from. She thought. There was no malice to the words. She pitied him, actually. She'd been a fighter from birth. Not knowing how to fight was like not having all of your limbs to her.

She turned to the other fight. Two against one seemed hardly fair, but the man was holding his own. She was intrigued by the easy way he moved. He's holding back. She realized with a start. But for how much longer? She looked at the other two. They were thinking a lot about the attacks, trying to trick him. He was very clever, so they were probably smart to add a strategy to their fighting. But the strategy was distracting them.

She studied the fight for a while. She couldn't see a way the man could be beaten. He was more mystical than any person she'd seen. He was trained well. The way he fought looked like the way she felt during a battle. As if it was as easy as breathing. For her, it was easier to lunge at an opponent than walk on two feet.

But he has to have a weakness. She thought, watching intently. If he did, and she wasn't sure he did, it wasn't a weakness of strength, skill, or lack of experience. She sighed, realizing she was letting her head become filled with battle strategy just like the two that were fighting him. He was letting his control loosened. They were going to get themselves killed if they didn't think fast.

The image of her father lying on the ground, broken and bleeding, flashed through her thoughts. She took an involuntary step backwards. Her mother would be so disappointed in her. She was supposed to go to this school to become more civilized, not sharpen her skill at killing things. Why did she let herself get mixed up in this? She should turn and walk away without a backward glance. She grimaced, knowing she was going to stay and keep watching.

[reynard]

Reynard cursed as yet another attack did nothing to Cassiel. Cassiel has simply thrown Naki into him. Reynard was trying to right himself when he realized that Cassiel's wings were also en route to cutting his side open. Reynard managed to use his inertia and twist his body so that his wings intercepted the blows heading towards him and Naki. The man's invincibility was starting to annoy him. He and Naki needed a foolproof plan and they needed it now. He toyed with the idea of cheating and using magic but decided that doing so would probably end up badly.

Reynard landed and considered what their next move should be. The first thing that came to mind was that Naki should reveal what creature she was. That might give them a slight advantage over Cassiel. Maybe then Reynard would be able to come up with a plan involving both his and whatever the girl was. "Hey Naki can you go into your true form. Maybe that will give us the edge we need."

[Riyu]

Naki growled as she was simply thrown backwards like a doll, and twisted herself so she could attempt to land safely whe Cassiel came at them, wings slashing. She clenched her jaw as she felt his attack land. Ignoring the pain, she landed in a crouch, before standing and looking at her injury. It didn't appear too deep, but it was enough to bleed. She snapped back to reality as Reynard asked her to drop her skin.

"He has to have a weakness somewhere"

She dropped her skin, enjoying the feel of her wings as she stretched them, twice
as long as her body length, and admired their navy color. Her long tail would provide
her much better balance, and her long fangs and claws were much easier to shred
with. She had missed her Kludde form quite a bit.

"There.., are you ready ?"

[cassiel]

Cassiel felt his wings meet resistance, he stopped his spinning and saw Reynards own wings meeting his and deflecting the attack. He stood for a moment watching the two, Naki had just changed into her Kludde form. He assesed the situation with simple logic and realized without magic or a weapon the two in front of him could easily over power him and take him down, he would have to move a little faster than both of them which will be hard even with his greater speed. He immediately thought about taking to the sky where he was his fastest and most dangerous, but that would change the lesson. He would have to stick to watching for holes in their plan and acting on them, the girl Naki spoke to Reynard then in her kludde form asking him if he was ready. He wouldnt let them get the first strike this time, it was his turn to be offensive.

He shot forward like a bullet aiming a sweeping kick at Reynard's head, His arm shot out like a snake striking at Naki aiming a palmed strike at the left side of her head. He took the second of being off-footed for the strikes, he didnt need much but he was hoping for an error he could work on. He put his full strength and speed into the attacks, making anything that connected feel like a wrecking ball coming from no where. In his world his trainer's would never have given him the oppourtunity to wait and chat about their tactic, it was win or lose in his case and it seemed about the right time to push the two even further in their training.

[reynard]

Reynard was glad that Naki was a Kludde like him. He felt like he could trust her more this way. However it appeared that Cassiel wasn't going to give them time to discuss their next move. Which Reynard reflected was probably a smart thing. Naki would be faster and have greater attack and range now that she was a Kludde.

However the fact that what Cassiel was doing was completely logical didn't help Reynard since Cassiel's foot was heading towards his head. He flared his wings pushing himself down and felt the breeze as Cassiel's foot went right over his head.

Reynard decided to take advantage of the fact that Cassiel had to split his focus by attempting to slice Cassiel's legs with his wings being careful not to overextend himself. One wing from the left and one on the right and Reynard in the center the only direction Cassiel could go was straight into Naki. Reynard had even purposly let one wing be ahead of the other so that Cassiel couldn't simply jump over them. Reynard hoped the blows would land although he knew that since it was Cassiel the man would probably find some way to avoid them.

[Riyu]

Naki had seen what Reynard was planned as he attacked to send Cassiel into her,
and tensed her muscles in apprehension. When she did lunge, she raised her wings
up and spread them out fully, so Cassiel couldn't simply jump up and around her since
he seemed almost uncanny at dodging. Fangs were bared and aimed for his shoulder,
knowing she would be able to take a hit if it meant doing her opponent some damage.

Her claws,which she always kept extra sharp, went to rake down his torso, as she
completely focused her mind on taking Cassiel down. Even though she preferred
to fight with her magic and weapons, she would not be deemed weak in front
of a former Kludde, no matter how much her opponent retaliated.

[cassiel]

He had missed Reynard by inches if that, he stopped his foot about a foot after Reyards head, his wings shot out at his legs one in front of the other looking to cut into the skin and fabric of his body. He felt Naki moving then he wings stretched over him so he couldnt move himself above Reynards wings and away from them both.


Cassiel watched in slow motion as Reynards wings came closer, he could see Naki's claws coming from her paws ready to claw into his flesh. He had to decide to take one or the other, his foot pulled away from Reynards attack. He pulled his leg to himself, as Reynards wings came under his leg and foot he stomped down sending his foot to the tops o Reyn's wings. Just then he felt Naki's claws digging into his shoulders and tearing down on his skin. His body twisted sideways and he leaned back, Naki's Kludde form started to sail over him her right side exposed from his position.

He bent his arm in and clinched his right arm to himself with his left, his elbow shot forward at Naki's shoulder and ribs. He felt the wind beaking along the skin of his elbow as it moved, his foot was still stomping down at Reynard's wings hoping to pin the young Kludde and render him motionless. The cloth of Cassiel's shirt hund loose around his chest, but no blood trickled or pooled from the where the claws had landed. He hoped the two didnt notice the unbloodied wound, he figured they would just think he moved away fast enough to not get his skin cut.

[reynard]

Reynard felt a sharp pain go through his body as his wings were stamped into the ground. Still his sense of triumph overpowered his pain. He knew that Naki had landed a hit with his enhanced hearing he had heard the sound of her claws tearing Cassiel's clothes and flesh. Now maybe Cassiel would be hurt enough for him and Naki to beat him.

Reynard attempted to pull his wings out from under Cassiel's feet but found that Cassiel was pressing on them too hard. He instantly adapted by lunging for Cassiel's feet with his head attempting to bite one of them. Cassiel would ideally not even notice since he was busy trying to take Naki out. Even if he did the second his feet moved Reynard would swing his wings up and attempt to cut Cassiel's upper legs were there was less maneuverability.

[Riyu]

She felt the breath rush out of her as Cassiel's elbow hit her in the side, and for a moment,everything was still. It was one of those surreal moments you get where
there's no sound, and it's like your watching everything happening as a distant
observer. After what seemed an eternity,Naki forced herself to focus and using
her wings and natural flexibility, rebounded herself for another attack. She started
to aim for his neck as she had been, but at the last second, aiming her opened jaws
for his side, her wings whipping near Cassiel's face to force him to deal with that
instead of halting her attack.

[cassiel]

Cassiel felt the teeth and claws of Reynard dig into his leg, he felt the iron grip of his jaw clench down on his calf. His elbow had connected with Naki's ribs, she recovered solidly and came around again to hit him once more. He didn't take his foot for Reynard's wings, he had him pinned to the ground and now the Kludde had taken his leg.


He could deal with immobility for a moment as he watched Naki swiftly striking again, He felt the her wings whip at his face. He did nothing to stop them as her jaw came to clench down on his side, he swung his right forearm up just in time and felt the pressure sink her teeth into his flesh.


He rolled himself as he felt her put pressure put down onto his arm, he brought his arm close to his body and rolled his chest and upper body over Naki. He used the force from her attack and his own movement to twist himself and Naki over Reynard. With his left hand he slid his forearm along the underside of her jaw and twisting his body aiming for the top of Reynard's head with Naki's body, He shoved down taking himself with her speeding down to Reynard's head clamped onto his calf.


He kept his forearm under her neck as they went down, his right forearm still locked into her jaws. Reynard would be able to move back with enough space to move from the attack but his wings would take Naki's fall, both of them so close started to make Cassiel uncomfortable. He would have to shake them off soon or he would lose this spar, he needed to find some room somewhere to slid out from between the two's attacks so he could re-set the situation so to speak.


He knew that the pressure behind their jaws was enough to beak a regular mans arms and legs if they connected. He pictured himself human and bleeding on the ground after a spar like this, he knew humans were frail but the transformed two had something he didn't in this spar.

[reynard]

Reynard bit at Cassiel's calf but could achieve nothing. The wounds didn't bleed at all and were healing while Reynard was still biting them. Reynard was furious that Cassiel hadn't revealed that little gimmick. How were they supposed to spar and win if they couldn't even hurt their opponent. There was no point in continuing this battle since if their attacks had hurt Cassiel than they would have wounded too deeply for him to recover.

Reynard realized what Cassiel was going to do a second before it happened. Cassiel was going to slam Naki into him. At the speeds that Cassiel could go chances were Reynard would be knocked out if he got hit.

Reynard knew that he had to get out of the way and preferably stop Naki from getting crushed. He instantly tightened his grip and Cassiel's leg and pulled as hard as he could digging his feet into the ground and attempting to lift up his wings with Cassiel's feet still on them in an attempt to unbalance the man even more. It hurt but hopefully it would be worth it. Since Cassiel was already unbalancing himself by throwing Naki Reynard's actions should pull his feet out from under him allowing both Reynard and Naki full access to his prone body.

[Riyu]

Well, while Cassiel was busy trying to slam her into the ground, she noticed something. Something that started to make her angry. Even though she was biting down rather savagely into his arm to get some damage into her opponent, he wouldn't bleed. Why wasn't he bleeding ! She knew she had hit him before, but thought that her attack had only ripped his clothing. Now, she knew he wasn't bleeding, even though her fangs were still in him.

Naki knew that since he was going to slam her down, she needed a backup plan and fast. She closed her eyes and quickly felt her skin reform. She focused everything she had at the moment, her adrenaline helping her out quite a bit, and aimed a ruthless kick into Cassiel's ribs, followed by a jab to the artery in his neck. She knew she had to get away so she could attack again, and at this point all that mattered was hitting him.

[Erzbet Bathry]

They were losing. Even with two of them, the odds weren't in there favor. She looked at the man again. What on earth was he? He didn't even bleed. A low growl escaped her throat, accompanied by a look on her face that looked feral, despite the fleshy human skin she wore. This wasn't a training exercise anymore. They were going to get genuinely hurt. She could feel the panther just beneath the surface begging to break free. This man wasn't natural and he was going to hurt people, or worse. While Erzbet wasn't the heroic type, she wasn't one to stand by and watch and unfair fight.

But what if your imagination's just running away? A tiny voice in the back of her head popped up. What if you want a fight so badly you're convincing yourself they need your help. Ah, this was so confusing. If she interfered and it was just a spar, they'd be angry. And she didn't want the man angry at her. If two stood no chance against him, one would do pitifully. But if had turned into something else and it ended badly... she didn't want that on her conscience. She shook her head in frustration. Things were so much easier in the jungle.

Just a little while longer. She compromised. A few more minutes. If it gets worse, jump in. If not, walk away. Really, what was she thinking watching someone fight? There was no enjoyment in it. The entire time she was itching to join them. Why was it that she felt the most alive when she was fighting to the death?

[cassiel]

Cassiel felt Reynard start to push up on his leg, he felt his weight shift immediately. Reynards combined wings and jaw pulling his foot up shifted him off balance, Cassiel tried to use his wings to balance out the difference but couldn't stop his throw with Naki. Naki noticed something as he was trying to throw her, he felt her mind shift and emotions change suddenly.


He knew she had figured out what was happening, he was preoccupied with Reynards pushing he didn't notice as Naki sent an adrenaline rushed kick into his ribs. The force sent him away from Reynard and Naki, he felt his body shift and twist away from them. He noticed it then, Naki was changing again back to her human form. He felt her jab her fingers into the artery in his neck, he felt the pressure but shrugged off the aftermath of the pain. His human vessel taking the blow unhindered, his leg still being held by Reynard came up. Cassiel didnt have the stability in his stance to push it back down, he felt himself floating backward to the dirt. He released Naki as he went back using his wings he shoved with all of their strength pushing a gust of wind at both Naki and Reynard once more.


He felt the pull of his wings start shooting him backwards, he knew his foot would tear from Reynards mouth with the force making it almost impossible to walk if Reynard happened to connect with a ligament or the bone tearing it from his human flesh. It would cut his mobility for a moment until it healed, he sent gusts of wind back with his wings pulling his foot with all of his strength. He twisted his body and head to watch them as he pulled from Reynards bone breaking jaw.

[reynard]

Reynard kept biting into Cassiel's leg trying to pull him down. Finally he felt Cassiel's body give and fall backwards. However as he fell he started beating his wings and started flying backwards. Reynard dug his teeth in and planted his feet trying to keep Cassiel from escaping. However the flesh he was biting tore and Cassiel's foot slipped away.

Determined not to let Cassiel get away Reynard immediately leaped after him trying to land on him and push him to the ground and bite his face to blind him. Hopefully with Naki's help they would be able to pin him to the ground which should count as a victory allowing them to move onto the next portion of their training.