Paidi vs Astyanax

While some people had the luxury of flight or other aerial transportation, the young crimson-clad woman currently ascending the long, winding staircase of the clock tower was not among them. Yes, she had to walk. All. The way. Up. She had to admit, the effect was particularly sobering. Nothing like a good long climb to make a fighter appreciate just how hard a fall they could look forward to at the first tiny mistake. For an event with such strict penalties on death, things were already starting to look fatal; however quick and painless it may be.

Painless... the thought made the young woman frown. A gesture reserved purely to herself since the thick crimson veil that loosely fluttered over the lower half of her face obscured any such expressions. Even the furrow of her brow was partially obscured by the hood of her Winchester cloak. Light, half-circled, and bound with a black ribbon just below her bosom, the garment left a great deal of her midriff exposed as it flared out around and behind her with each step, barely managing to maintain public decency with a pair of cheap cloth pants that were matched an equally vibrant red. The mantle did a good enough job of covering her shoulders and the slits in the lower cloak that allowed her arms complete freedom while still only exposing the deep bronze skin of her forearms. Perhaps the only things conceivably out-of-place were the thick iron shackles that clung greedily to her wrists; the right occasionally clanking against her FIGHTER as she moved. Perhaps a bit less out-of-place, she also fiddled with an ornate silver dagger. Its relatively small size, jeweled hilt, and razor-sharp blade that curved like the body of a snake suggested that its purpose was probably more tuned towards rituals than actual combat.

The steady clang of leather boots upon metal stairs finally ended with a single clak as she set foot upon the wooden floor. One look at her opponent and the arena around them and she knew exactly what kind of day this was going to be. She had come dressed for fun while her opponent seemed ready for war. Perhaps one of them had missed a memo somewhere along the line. They could not have selected a worse match-up for her even if they tried. Yet despite the odds, her red-stained auburn eyes still squinted in an obvious smile, that trademark glint of gleeful mischief ever present. It was too late to turn back anyways. The gate had already closed behind her. Even the camera crew had comfortably situated themselves upon the stairwell, eagerly awaiting the brutal beating she was about to endure.

"You are Aestyanax, yes?" she chimed; a sweet, steady voice masking her rapidly beating heart. She gave her FIGHTER a quick glance to make sure, even though she had probably examined the thing a thousand times by now. Not that it would tell her how to pronounce the name anyways. "You may call me Selini. Shall we play?"

With a deft twist she let the dagger flip once in the air before catching it in her left hand and bringing it to rest against her right arm, just below the FIGHTER. Whether he cared to chat or not, she was going to show him exactly what he was up against right from the start 'lest he get any smart ideas. With her arm held out for both her opponent and the cameras to see, she ran the blade down the length of her forearm. A trickle of red quickly followed, pooling at her elbow before lazily dripping to the floor. All the while she reveled in the pain as adrenaline sped through her system. On the surface it may have appeared a simple, mentally-unstable act of an adrenaline junkie, yet to those properly attuned... something about it seemed strange... supernatural. Perhaps the most obvious symptom was a subtle shimmer of crimson collecting in her eyes, but even that was discreet.

One way or the other, things were about to get interesting. Fast.

[Post Count - 1 / 10]

Feast of Agony - 4 | -

Aside from making sure to correct her on his name, he seemed to be a man of very little words. Still, he was eager, and that had to count for something, right? She didn't even have time to apologize for her pronunciation before he was on the offensive. His stance showed marks of a seasoned fighter. Even while fully armored against a small (5'6"), unarmored and menially armed girl it didn't look like he would take any chances.

As if in a daze, she barely even began to raise an arm towards the oncoming punch. A reaction time that almost seemed intentionally slow until...

WHACK

Yeah, there was no 'until'. Her veil did little to muffle the sickening sound of metal slamming against flesh. Her vision went black for half a second before returned with the full shimmering glory of a cheap Starry Night imitation. She stumbled back and to the right, making her unsteady way to the opposite catwalk and gripping the outside railing with her right hand. She could taste the sweet succulence of blood as her growing aura filled with power. When next her eyes were visible that subtle shimmer had become a crimson glow.

The nervous high had settled into a steady hum, finally steeling her nerves and allowing her to settle into her own fighting stance... or at least as much as the small space allowed. Her wide dance had to be changed to swaying among small steps, but she quickly found a rhythm that suited her. One foot shifting forward as the opposite arm came up, then back to a small dip, then the other foot forward, then back. Her whole body constantly in motion. For now all she could really do was sit back and wait. Beating herself against a wall of steel likely wouldn't get her very far, and her usual acrobatics were a good bit more dangerous here. So to pass the time, she decided on another attempt at conversation, assuming he wasn't still actively on the offensive.

"Such a vigorous greeting. Have you played on this stage before?" Of course, she was talking about Heaven or Hell rather than this specific arena, but the beauty of idle conversation meant that it didn't much matter which way he interpreted her.

[Post Count - 2 / 10]

Feast of Agony - 9 | -

Bloodhaze - 1 | [Stage 0]

A man of little words indeed. She giggled inwardly at her curious opponent. Silent and serious, yet still polite enough to allow her a bit of indulgence. Not that she wasn't indulging already, for the stinging in her arm and jaw were still sending exquisite waves of excitement throughout her body.

Though she hadn't drifted far, a faint hum quickly brought her mind back to full reality, and in that instant the bulky knight struck, moving far faster than anyone in that much armor had any right to move. More curious still was that he had decided to dip down. All the way down. Now a normal person in this situation would try to run away... but Selini was anything but normal. No, she saw this as possibly her only opportunity to strike at his one vulnerable spot. Therefore, as he dipped down, she would push off with her left leg and leap up. The lesson was simple; there were never only two options, especially with an acrobat involved.

Perhaps the first thing he would notice as he came in contact with her ankle was that beneath the pants rested another iron shackle to match the pair that bound her wrists. The second thing would therefore likely be the pair of aforementioned shackles coming down hard as he sprung back up. She made sure to aim her right at his left arm in an attempt at breaking any last-second blocks while the shackle bound to her left wrist was fully dedicated to smashing down right upon the top of his head.

The rest was all hope. A hope that her attack would daze him enough, allowing her time to shake her right leg free of whatever grasp he might have had, plant her left upon his chest, and leap back to a relatively safe distance.

[Post Count 3 / 10]

Feast of Agony - 9 | -

Bloodhaze - 1 | [Stage 0]

She could feel it. The shocking, concussive pain coursing through her opponent was almost as exquisite as her own. His screaming nerves resonated within her and her aura feasted. Even as she sprung backwards it had already solidified around her, though still invisible to the naked eye. Her eager smile was lost beneath the veil, but her eyes still reflected their mischievous glee.

True to the nature he'd displayed thus far, she didn't have but a moment before his next attack came in full force. A single step and he was already launching a sweeping kick at her side. She even thought she was prepared for his speed this time, yet even that wasn't enough. While her best efforts went into stepping to her left, his kick would land a solid blow upon her right arm. This time, however, the impact did not ring of metal against flesh, but rather against... something else. An invisible shell that seemed to absorb most of the momentum from his kick before shattering under the pressure. Her step became a flailing stumble into the railing, but she had lost no ground and seemed little worse for the experience.

The surprise didn't give her much, if anything, however. Astyanax was still perfectly defended and holding all of the advantages. She had to think fast or she was soon to be in some serious trouble. As she prepared to retreat across the last 4 feet the little catwalk would provide her, she quickly ran the blade of her dagger viciously across the palm of her right hand. The pain alone sent encouraging shivers through her body (enough that an excited gasp even managed to escape her lips), but this time the ritual was not intended merely for her aura. No, as she backpedaled a short foot out of his reach she shoved her hand beneath the veil and drank deeply from her own cursed blood. She could already feel her sanity slipping as the bloodhaze clawed across the edge of her vision. All it took was a tiny drop of energy and she was cascading down the first wave.

Bloodhaze Wrote:

Blood magic can take many forms, and vampirism is one of the most common. If Selini consumes too much of her own blood or mana she will begin to transform, losing sanity in exchange for sharpened teeth/nails and small, but noticable boosts to her strength and agility.

[Post Count 4 / 10]

Feast of Agony - 9 | +8-8 = 0

Bloodhaze - 10 | [Stage 1]

Relentlessly pursued and slowly herded into a corner like some animal, Selini seemed to be in a very bad spot. Not that she was concerned. At least, not anymore. In an instant that glint in her eyes had gone from mischievous to crazed (though no less gleeful). Still still had enough sanity for a bit of rational thought, but it probably wouldn't last long.

With instincts and agility as sharpened as her new set of claws, this time she saw the attack quite clearly. Yet still she didn't care. With a slight bend of her knees, the gauntlet connected with a light crack against her forehead. Her head lulled back as the delicate bronze skin tore, sending yet another small trickle of blood down the bridge of her nose. The force of the blow even managed to knock her hand out from under the veil. Through it all, she merely smiled. A friendly poke to remind her that she was still alive. Alive and well.

Finally, it was her turn to act. Shifting her weight back and to her left in a small stationary bounce, she flung her right hand forward as if she were wielding a whip. Of course, the hand itself would come nowhere near him. Her blood, on the other hand, made a much better projectile, and it was aimed to splatter all over his face. With that distraction in place, her bounce backwards became a resolute leap forwards as she nimbly positioned her own right foot to the outside of his left and aimed to dash beneath his distracted arms. She also kept her own arms up in an attempt to push aside any resistance he might offer, or at least spin herself to avoid a grab. If she didn't have to spin, she was also about to test the solidity of his armor as she flipped the dagger in her hand and made a passing stab at the back end of his thigh, hopefully striking behind the tasset and digging into sparsely protected flesh; the exotic curve of the weapon distinctly designed to saw open a much wider area and produce as much pain as possible.

[Post Count 5 / 10]

Feast of Agony - 11 | 0

Bloodhaze - 10 | [Stage 1]

Logic and reasoning. While she still possessed the capacity, she was increasingly lacking the desire. Instincts were taking over. Dark instincts. Yet even that couldn't do much against the surprise awakening she was about to receive.

Feigning an attack from the left did little good for him. If he had followed through she would have escaped, so she was completely free to ignore it. Rearing back and placing a fist in her path was a different story altogether. If he had reacted even a second later she would have had all the opening she needed, but he was much too good for that. The man had just dodged unexpected blood at point-blank, so in hindsight she wasn't going to be very surprised, but for now the shock was enough to send a brand new surge of adrenaline pumping through her system.

CRACK!

If the sound of his previous hits had been sickening, this one was utterly disgusting. It had been easy enough to throw her hands in front of her face in a semblance of defense, but even that wasn't much compared to the veritable hammer smashing through her. The job his fist set out to do was easily accomplished as her own knuckles slammed into her face, snapping the delicate cartilage of her nose out of place. She watched as her world flashed red and then spun in all manner of directions until she could no longer tell which one was up.

Naturally, her existential conundrum didn't last long before the soft, comforting ground at the end of the walkway answered all her questions. (Or at least, it was soft by comparison.) Her body had spun little more than halfway as she was sent sailing backwards, causing a new wave of stinging pain to course through her cut forearm as it took half of the landing impact. The rest of her body was in too much shock to really care about the waves of agony pulsing through her, but after flipping onto her back Selini would soon remind it of why exactly she was here.

During the impact and subsequent tumble, the hood of her cloak had been jostled off and to the nape of her neck, revealing well-primed locks of raven black hair tied into a tight bun. However, that only helped pronounce the extent of her cloth-fastening skills, for as she turned to her back the crimson veil that covered her damaged nose and mouth still sat perfectly in place. Without hesitation she brought both hands up to her face, gripping the dagger in the bottom two fingers of her left, and quickly snapper her nose back where it belonged. The subsequent crack was accompanied by a high-pitched shriek, yet despite the pain that filled her cry there was also a hint of... pleasure. She even managed to lick at the blood that came streaming down, trying to keep the veil from absorbing too much of the precious fluid.

Whatever her expression, her eyes no longer betrayed it. After such an ordeal her cursed blood had become charged to the point of bursting. Her aura feasted so heavily upon her suffering that it could hardly contain the energy. This is what her eyes reflected; glowing a deep, sinister crimson and literally swirling as if a storm were brewing in her very soul. Sweat was beginning to bead upon her brow and she breathed heavily between gulps of her own blood. As a woman, she was a sorry sight indeed... however, as a cornered animal pulsing with an invisible, but no less sinister aura, she was something else entirely. Frightening? Well, if her opponent could gather anything from her state, it was probably that his next advance would sting.

Trust me. I'm a doctor.

[Post Count 6 / 10]

Feast of Agony - +9+1+4 = 25 | 0

Bloodhaze - 14 | [Stage 1]

It seemed the curtain of friendly or polite elements to their fight had been lifted (as thin as it was to begin with) as Astyanax kept his offensive and advanced upon his downed foe. Synapses quickly fired off within her as his foot raised. This was no longer a competitive bout. It was a fight for survival.

In the instant his foot came down she jerked her head to the right and curled her left arm up, all thoughts of the dagger gone as it rang soft protests against the ground. His heel drove itself into her shoulder instead, and probably would have dislocated it if he had been stomping with the intent to kill. Since that wasn't the case (?) the pain was actually mild compared to the plethora of throbs and stings running through her head.

Now it really was her turn, and she wasn't about to give him even a second to react. Her curling arm met his leg as it impacted with her shoulder, aiming a full set of talon-like nails to dig deep into the meaty bulk of his calf. Yet even if she managed to sink in she wouldn't be holding on for long, for at the same time she thrust her right palm forward as if she were trying to push him without actually touching... and in a sense, that was exactly what she did.

Siphon of Destruction Wrote:

Selini unleashes a cone of magical force in a direction of her choice. This wave consists of pure blunt-force energy and cannot pass through solid materials. The more "mana" she imbues into the attack, the larger and/or more powerful the blast becomes.

With a mental trigger, Selini unleashed as much energy as the limited grasp upon her abilities allowed. The resulting force permeated the air with so much magic, it looked as if the space between them had turned to water followed by a hissing sound as wind rushed away from the suddenly occupied space. Yet even that wouldn't serve to warn him in time for much defense, for the attack was traveling at some 40mph, covering a 4' diameter area, and already at point-blank. From his torso up it would feel as if he had been hit by a car, and from her newly skewed angle she had every intention of picking him off his feet and sending him hurling into or even through the flimsy railing. The cloven windows and various metal support beams would hopefully prevent the attack from being fatal, but if this was to be a fight between her life and his, she was obviously going to choose her own.

[Post Count 7 / 10]

Siphon of Destruction - 20 | MAX Charge

Feast of Agony - -20+5 = 10 | 0

Bloodhaze - 14 | [Stage 1]

Dazed and driven mostly by the bloodhaze, Selini stumbled to her feet and prepared to move. She could feel the reassuring blanket solidify around her as the aura feasted off her opponent's suffering. Yet as she took her first few dizzying steps in preparation to charge, the man did not rise. Her building jog receded back down to a stand and, gripping the railing for support, she took a closer look at him. Surprise was an understatement. Suspicion pinged more distinctly than anything else, but just in case she glanced curiously at the staff situated in the stairwell. The only fatality she had been concerned about was knocking him off the stage, but if a medical team needed to step in, she wasn't about to start beating on him more than necessary. That sort of behavior was reserved for the later stages of bloodhaze.

[Post Count 8 / 10]

Feast of Agony - 10 | +?

Bloodhaze - 14 | [Stage 1]

Yet low and behold, for he is risen. She wasn't quite sure whether her suspicion was washed by waves of relief or regret, but either feeling would fuel her resolve just fine. Were it not for the blood that ran from his head and perhaps the one line he had spoken, she may have been convinced that her opponent was a machine. She could not help but admire his steel... how many battles had he fought, she wondered.

With one last burst of adrenaline as he charged still some 5 feet away, the FIGHTER beeping down their final moments, Selini cleared her vision and thrust her right palm forward once more. Just as before the air in front of her took on a watery haze, but this time the sound was more akin to the hiss of leaking gas. The 2' cone washed out towards his legs, but instead of knocking his feet from under him as precedence would imply, he would feel something a bit different. Pain.

Siphon of Agony Wrote:

Selini unleashes a cone of entropic energy in a direction of her choice. This wave can pass through most non-magic materials in a manner similar to radiation. When it comes in contact with a creature's nervous system it causes feelings of intense pain, depending upon how much "mana" she imbued into the attack; however, it does not cause any real physical damage.

Like the poke of a hundred needles, it would feel as if he had stepped into a nest of fire ants. The attack was minimal and the pain not all that great, but its purpose was all psychological anyways. Whether he stumbled from the panic of another alleged 'force' attack, or faltered from sudden, unexpected pain didn't much matter, all she needed was just a little loss of balance.

From there she would tighten the muscles in her arm, as abused as they were. She kept it extended as motioned as if she were making another attack, but that was merely a feint to make him swipe at her hand. As soon as he did, she was ready to act. In one smooth motion she let loose the spring that was her coiled body. Her right leg shot forward, aiming to dart over and behind his advancing leg with all the speed her bloodhaze-enhanced strength could muster. At the same time she jerked her hand back to dodge his parry, before instantly slamming it forward with all her might. To top it all off she would dip deep into the last of her energy and fire off another Siphon of Destruction. Unfortunately there wasn't much mana left, so the watery air of force would feel more like a solid punch against his chest right before she ran her leg into the back of his knee and slammed both her palm and her weight upon him. The attack was made with every last bit of effort she had, and she would even throw the rest of her body into it if she had to.

The end result would hopefully be a match for the tabloids. One in which a small, 130-pound girl took down a large, fully armored man with her bare hands. If not it might still be headline... the one where they feature her beaten, hospitalized pulp.

[Post Count 9 / 10]

Siphon of Agony - 4

Siphon of Destruction - 6

Feast of Agony - -10 = 0 | 10

Bloodhaze - 14 | [Stage 1]

((I'm really sorry for not posting. I've been working nights/overtime the last 4 days.))

Her eyes flickered, a hint of frustration even as the unnatural crimson glow faded back to a dull auburn. She watched as the heavily clad knight danced to the single foot of room the small walkway would allow for him to dodge her first siphon. Watched as he came in for his assault. Yet when she feigned another magic attack he did not reach for her hand. He didn't even come in low as his intentions originally appeared. No, he went straight for her head. With so many changes, she had to adapt just as quickly, and this time there was no room for 'last stand' heroics. Especially when she could feel the protective shell around her fade, unrenewed by the sweet pangs of suffering.

Instead of springing forward, her coil collapsed, sending her straight down to the ground and dodging his grasp. In the precious few seconds that followed, there was no time to think. Instinct had to guide her, and there was nothing more instinctual than her 'dance'.

With fluid, well trained movements she fell straight with legs tucked in close. Just before her derriere hit the ground she twisted, pulled her left arm into a crook near her hip, and caught herself with both her hand and, a little more gently, her head. In the same fluid motion her legs left the ground with all the momentum of the fall. With him trying to spin around her and the walkway only 4 feet wide, it didn't take much foresight to aim as she swept her left leg out to match her twist. She aimed to smash the shackle bound to her ankle against the back or front of his knees (whichever direction he was facing), once again an unbalancing precursor to the knock-down follow-up. Which would come shortly thereafter as she swept her right leg up, shifting her body into a full handstand, bent her knees, and twisted the rest of the way so that her forehead was resting against the ground. Once her spring was latched she uncoiled with full fury, sending a solid kick to his gut (or lower back). The armor would obviously prevent it from doing much damage, but at the very least she hoped to re-acquaint him with the railing, and maybe even the ground if she was lucky.

If her kick connected and he didn't move, she would have more than enough momentum to roll forward and back into a crouch. If it did she would simply fall to her knees and then roll. In either case she would be ending in a crouch just in time for the FIGHTER to sound with the end of the fight.

'Saved by the bell' seemed like a fairly accurate phrase as she remained crouched on all fours, staring at the ground and panting. From there she went into her own little 'round 2'. Using Bloodhaze had some serious after-battle repercussions, but luckily she hadn't let the corruption go too far. Regardless, she still had quite a fight to go before she could leave the tower with enough sanity for public decency.

[Post Count 10 / 10]