[h2][list]Thuraya Azize vs Drosil Maeneld[/list][/h2]


Drosil couldn’t help but look on excitedly as they approached the battlefield, checking, double-checking, evne triple checking himself to make sure he was properly prepared for the battle ahead. He had forgone his usually robe for something more easily maneuverable, a thick leather jacket over similar-insulated long sleeved shirt, with thin woolen breeches and a few small pouches here and there. He even wore some armor, mostly in the case of his legs and arms, thick leather armor, and a rather dull-looking leather cuirass. All of his clothing was covered with runes of protection, fortune, and swiftness, as those were the three things he’d need of he was to succeed in today’s endeavor.

As the rules were announced to them all, Drosil found himself being measured up by an interesting individual, apparently another of the beastfolk, only they seemed to be part-scorpion. Her entire posture spoke of cockiness and the look on her face clearly stated that she didn’t seem to think much of Drosil, which he was rather fine with. It was always best to have your opponent over-estimate their own abilities, as then it’ll be easier to surprise them when the moment finally came. While he had the time to prepare, Drosil would place his staff in front of him,eyes closed as he tooka knee in what seemed like prayer, mutter silent whispers in the language of magic, each one resounding in his own mind with every syllable uttered. As he spoke, the runes that decorated his clothes would activated, shimmering in the light as they temporarily took on a golden hue. 

As soon as the battle was called to start, however, his voice would quickly change as he let out a quick and sharp command in the voice of the crackling embers and raging wildfires, a duality creeping into his voice as the green in his eyes was overtaken by a shimmering, fiery red, small embers flitting from his hair as he pushed it back, bringing his staff to the fore ground as a cocky grin of his own spread across his face. If one were to look at the mage from the corner of their eye, his form would seem to shift and cange, switching between the man standing there and a more intimidating humanoid figure with red skin, charred horns, and large cloven hooves, fire licking at their body as they stared down their oppoenent.

[i]“Come then, half-blood, show us the best you have to offer.”[/i] As he spoke, he cast out a hand to  send forth a barrage of small stinging embers hurtling towards the scorpion-tailed woman. They would do little in terms of initial damage, but they were certainly hurt like hell if they came in contact with any skin and flesh. Drsoil would then  proceed to back away, not intending to get in range of the scorpion woman’s blade and stinger anytime soon if he could help it.

Thuraya didn't move too quickly to engage when the word was given to start. Instead she took the time to watch, learn what she could about him, gather the information needed to proceed. Did she need to be cautious? Aggressive? Sneaky? Tactful? These were the things that ran through her head, though she did step forward slowly- As the embers came toward her, eyes widened and with a swift movement, her sword came off her shoulder and dug into the ground infront of herself. She ducked a bit behind it, mostly covered by the massive blade. A few stinging burns came across her shoulders and thighs but she'd managed to shield her face, the rest was coated in plate, chain and scalemaille. 

As he spoke, her head peeked out from behind the blade and she gave him a genuine smile. So, he was a mage of sorts, clearly from his initial attack. Though she'd noticed something else- an illusion? The way he spoke lead her to believe otherwise... Though it was hard to make certain the voice and way of speech was not also part of his little illusion. Caution, regardless, would be taken, yet not so obviously. 

Sword came up from the ground, and her feet took her off in a quick sprint toward Drosil. Her smile changed as she gained on him, first to a small smirk, then more sadistic as her feet carried her closer. Her tail straightened behind her, curling only if she needed to turn at all to follow him as he backed away. If he was going to back off and cast spells the whole time, it might turn into an issue. But that thought simply caused her to quicken her steps. Once in range - a slash of the sword, vertically, slightly to his side to lead him the best she could for a horizontal strike next.

[i]How interesting, so she uses her tail to help her keep her balance when moving at high speeds, which makes it easier for her to swing that giant swords straight at my- WOAH![/i]

Drosil's analysis was cut a bit short as his opponent attempted a vertical slash, the blade only barely missing him. Unfortunately, this caused for him to loose his balance a bit, keeping him from getting out of the way of the woman's next attack, a horizontal slash this time. Seeing no way to dodge, he went for the next best thing, casting a short spell on his staff as he thrust it to his side. Thuraya's greatsword would clash against his staff with a melodious ringing sound, like that of a crystalline bell being struck. The sound would continue as Drosil used one hand to divert the horizontal string over head while he ducked, the spell he'd cast on the staff causing it to temporarily float, saving him the trouble of watching his fingers.

While this was happening, one of his hands would burst into flames all of the sudden for no discernible reason, and by the wincing on Drosil face, it seemed to be affecting him. However, the reason for it was soon revealed as a red hand would appear behind the Scorpion woman, rushing forward to grasp her tail by the base of the stinger, radiating such intense heat that it would nearly burn her if it succeeded in it's maneuver. Once she was in hand, the arm would pull her away from Drosil, aiming to toss her a good distance away before dispersing in a burst of heat and fire. While this was happening, Drosil would be backing away, the staff returning to his hand as the flames on his arm died down. The cloth of his shirt had been burned away and he had a few minor burns as well, but if he'd managed to get the scorpion woman away from him, it was worth it.

"[i]Focus.[/i]" He whispered to himself, taking a breath before she raised his staff, the orb changing to a fiery orange color that was soon laced with silver. Slamming the staff into the ground, he'd bring forth 3 Sentry flame elementals, there silvery bodies bursting outwards to make a rather impressive display. He'd stay behind them, making sure to keep the motionless creatures between him and his opponent as he prepared to cast a more decisive spell. Chanting to himself in the that strange flame tongue again, he'd keep watch on his opponent, circling the elementals around her and hoping she wouldn't figure that just one good hit with her great sword would be enough to end his creations.

It was a surprise, for sure, when he managed to block her sword with a measly staff - though she had noted the magic as why it was possible. This would be an annoying opponent for sure. Emerald eyes glared daggers as she thought of how to proceed- it would need to be fast, but that thought was cut short. She felt a searing heat on her tail. Head moved to look just as it pulled her away. A small yell escaped her lips just before feet left the floor. Eyes closed as she was flung away, and tail straightened the best she could make it so she could let her body roll, rather than slide across the ground.

He was backing away again... This of course, wasn't going to fly. She quickly got herself up off the ground, and sprinted toward the man. Sprint nearly came to a skidding halt as the flames came up between them. She stared for only a moment before lifting her sword to the side and swinging across to cleave through and continued. Even if it hadn't destroyed his sentries her mind was set, and she would get him - she'd made a promise she wasn't about to break. She would win, if it was the last thing she did. 

There would be no bigger cast. If she was to be his opponent, he would play by her rules now. Not his own... [color=coral][b]"Come on! Quit the light show and show me what you've really got!"[/b][/color] she called out to him as her sword came in for a few more strikes- leading this time with horizontal and followed by vertical. He'd dodged to the side before and ducked under, but if she could simply bring her blade down over him, then that would be it! Behind her, her tail coiled for a moment, stinging still from the flame's heat, yet managed to uncurl enough to linger over her shoulder. After her vertical strike, her entire body would crouch, low to the ground. Tail striking forward at Drosil as she gave a small hiss.

[i]Well, that plan going down in flames, pun very much not intended[/i]

Drosil continued his chant, going slower now as he had to keep his focus split between keeping the magic he was building stable and not getting diced to pieces by the determined scorpion-woman. As she charged to the flames, cutting down the Sentry elementals with ease raised his staff, aiming to blast her away with the spell, but quickly switched to the defensive with a low mental curse, continuing the chanting in order to contain the magic and keep it from mis-firing. She'd swing at him a few times, and each time he was forced to block her, as her reach and speed made it impossible to get enough distance to safely cast his spell. Not only that, but with each ringing clash of steel against crystal, he felt his grip loosening as his fingers and arms began to lose their feeling. His muscles were not use to such constant abuse, and soon enough, they would give out at the worse possible time.

The horizontal strike would knock the staff from his arms, as well as slashing through his cuirass and biting into his chest. The pain caused his teeth to clench together for a second, the area around him heating up as the magical energy began to leak out of him, but he continued his chanting as he saw the overhead coming down on him. His voice never breaking, his left hand would quickly burst into flames again, and a fiery portal would launch outward from a space next to him to grab the descending blade, holding it place with relative ease, though from the look on Drosil's face, it wasn't so easy on him to maintain this magic. And then they would both make their move, Drosil reaching towards the gun on his hip and Thuraya crouching low to the ground.

A shot and a scream of pain would ring out as they both struck at the same time, his flying out of the barrel towards her shoulder at the same time that her own would strike his. The stinger would dig in deep, meeting some resistance from the rune-enchanted clothing, but ultimately sheathing itself rather firmly into his flesh and even managing to make it's way into the joint between his shoulder and arm. However, if his shot had managed to make it's way into his opponent's flesh, then she'd have a bit to worry about as well. A rune would be emblazoned on her flesh, sending an intense burning pain running through her body. And finally, the worst thing that could happen would happen, as Drosil's spell suddenly flared outwards in a rather violent explosion of heat and force, pushing both foes back quite aways from each other. Drosil's body would go into the air before hitting the ground hard, skidding across the arena floor before coming to a halt. For a moment, he seemed to be unconscious, his form silent and still, until one of his hands started to scramble along the ground, struggling to push him up off the ground.

Drosil's skin was covered with lacerations and developing bruises, and if his troubled breathing was any indication, he was suffering from either a broken or fractured rib. Not only that, but his right arm was a bloody mess of burned, blackened flesh and bleeding red cracks. However, despite these injuries, he managed to stand up from the ground, his breathing rough and ragged as he looked up towards his foe, a smile on his face as he chuckled to himself, wincing from the pain of his protesting ribs as he walked towards them. 

"Well. . . I must say, that was . . . rather exciting. Sadly, I seemed to be very much outmatched as I currently am. So please, let me slip into something . . .more fitting for this type of fighting." Drosil's face would twist into a cruel grin, one he's practiced many, many times before that day as he began to commit the switch. With each step, dark shadows and brilliant red flames would erupt from his feet, coiling around him like a nest of ferocious vipers until there was nothing left but an inferno of black flames, his form completely hidden with it's destructive caress. However, it wasn't for long, as the inferno would quickly die out, leaving behind something even more frightening in it's place. Towering over with a glare holding no small amount of dark rage and barely repressed killing intent, stood a monster that took a form barely resembling that of a mortal man. The black armor would shine as flames would flicker at the edges ever so faintly, it's clawed hands clenching and unclenching as it seemed to be struggling with something deep with in it's twisted mind. But the worse part of the beast was that behind it's helmeted head were two burning white eyes filled with such a feeling of rage and darkness that it would probably make smaller men wet themselves in fear. 

What Thuraya wouldn't know, however, was that while the flaming inferno had raged, a spell had been cast by Shadar to make himself exude and aura that breed fear and self-doubt. When looked upon, the weak-willed would flee and even the strong-willed would find themselves intimidated by the towering figure more than they normally would.

[b]"Well then, girl, you wanted me to show you what I really got . . ."[/b] Shadar would mutter darkly as he reached to his back to draw his own greatsword, it's black blade gleaming in the light of fires that danced across Shadar's midnight scales. It's was likely equal in length to Thuraya's own weapon, but the blade wasn't that much thicker than that of an average sword. Easily flipping it around in his hands a bit, he'd level it at the scorpion woman, though something in his stance made it very clear that he didn't really fear her, or even respect her. [b]"But in truth, I don't think you're shown enough skill to take me on at my full strength. But I'll humor you for now and make your defeat, or death, as quick as possible. No need to embarrass you in front of your precious chief now, is there?"[/b]