dev 2 - overgrowth

The place, distant from the city of Osrona, could offer plentiful on its own- the places of myriad wonder and nature plenty, something to give them enough space to actually work on quite literally anything they could possibly think of. Though, with that thought.. shouldn't they focus on the matters of their training?

His gaze steadily turns to the two.

"I'm not sure what either of you is training at this point, but I would assume that Marisol still needs studies in the Light. There was also peculiar something that I wanted to practice.. something that I think discovered back in the slums."

"During my fight against one of the agents, that is."

Though, he didn't push the envelope- he didn't intend to 'overtake' training, and would rather opt out to let them practice against one another - and perhaps, make it a 'two versus one' if it's necessary.

"What did you intend to train, Lax?"
(Nerin)

"I wanted to force some more on my Magic, to make it obey to me once more, so for that I'd need to fight someone of my calibre. Maybe that way, I could force it into submission, and it won't act on its own, thinking it does better than myself."

And with that, he would reach for his stave, nodding at Marisol as in gesturing her to prepare. "I'm sorry if it will act on its own, but I'll try to make it not hurt you."

His manner of speech, it seemed genuine enough - after all, the priestess was a friend...
(Lax)

"Fighting someone near your caliber, when you cannot control your magic isn't a good idea." She finds herself beginning to grow silent, her gaze drifting off elsewhere. It's clear that she's extremely weary of Lax and his inability to control his vines and creations. "I believe...That you should focus on will and intent. Don't look at your creations as...separate entities, but instead, as an extension of your will." Just something to help him. When eh can push his will through his creations without second thinking or struggling, then he'll reach that perfect much faster. But to digress..

She would soon begin to make distance..

"Please be weary- I don't have several magics like others...I've only limited myself to holy magic, as of now." Which, strangely enough, has scared people from attacking her or insulting her on multiple occasions. But to digress...She begins by preparing the three wards that she was taught by Yvel Endore.

It starts as nothing more than a careful barrier...Holy magic becoming concentrated, thinning out into a small veil over her mocha flesh...That soon extends, becoming a barrier...And then, her intent and will...It cycles through mana coils, empowering her- as if she were absorbing the very light of the sun itself..

"I'm ready."

Once there, she begins her own training. Concentrating her mana into a finer-quality of holy. A means to no longer protect, but instead, harm. And purify. "Let's go."
(Marísol)

And it was like one could have predicted - the young man's Magic, it was rather dynamic as it seemed, more than before whatsoever. Whilst the terrain was to his advantage, he seemed sloppy in his movements - the vines moved away on their own, not listening to their commands, whilst the plants were not fully blooming, as they should have been.

However, despite all odds, he managed to entrap the priestess in his battlefield, having her grappled by all tree vines and immobilized, not hurting her much in the process.

However, visibly bruised by her holy Magics, lacks would simply nod, assisting her up and making the vines find their place back around their Master.
(Lax)

Winning isn't always about winning. Sometimes, it is about finding one's self within the loss. Finding one's self amidst the decadence and destruction of another's magic. For even now, with the exchange in movement and mana...She cannot help but to feel herself further empowered by transitioning through the three fundamentals smoothly. However, despite such a thing...What is difficult...Is pushing forward. Once again, she loses within a similar fashion. A tree flourishing beneath her form, vines wrapping around arms and lengths, squeezing tightly as a means to restrain...Not hurt.

"N-ngh.."

The light within the palm of her hands flickers...Bruises and scratches caused by the lashing of the vines were going to be felt later. But as of now, the rush remains deep within her veins. It shows in how she prepares to battle once again...Where this time, she begins to cast differently. To become more aggressive...

To make it hurt.

"Again."

This time, there is a foreboding sense of effervescence within this light. where she does not remain depressed...But instead, where she welcomes the battle. And loses herself within the light's fervor.
(Marísol)

As the man's eyes closed, he would exhale heavily, a click having taken place inside of his mind - something must be happening, the connection having appeared yet again between him and the World.

His arms would be extended forth, -commanding- those whom he had summoned at a much larger and potent scale - this time, they would not stumble upon eachother anymore.

The vines, they would snap at her feet, causing her to trip against them and face the mud, in which she'd sink in even if lightly, not allowing her to move much and once she'd do so, sprays of spores would be spread all over the place, seeping deep inside of her Pattern.

She would slowly start feeling dizzy, the spores slowing her blood pressure into perhaps knocking her off, slowly stripping her conscious away from her, and she knows that if such isn't purified soon enough, she will faint, most likely.

That is when Lax would withdraw all those whom he's summoned, leaving only the dirty Marisol, onto the ground perhaps, fighting not to fall asleep, knowing that may the man wanted, it would have been toxicity he had seeped inside of her bloodstream.

Rushing towards her, he'd drop onto his knee, starting a healing process of sorts, to be able to draw the toxins out of her body - nothing bad would happen, save for perhaps a deep sleep and some fever, but as mentioned before, she was a friend.

"Do not worry, nothing bad will happen. Sorry for having gone too harsh on you, Marisol."
(Lax)

How curious to see them wield such magics; although, he couldn't help but feel as if Marisol is severely limited in her own potency, so long as she would remain only to the Holy magics and perhaps those of the Light.. that maybe, it would be worthwhile for her to also invest into something else entirely. But what could it possibly be then, for her to learn that much?

One thing is clear too - Lax has come quite the path through in order to improve.

With the way he battles, with how the beings under his command become nigh sentient and almost act on their own.. perhaps, his mastery over Nature magic has improved a lot more than expected. There were certainly mistakes noted and opportunities missed for the two of them, and yet..

Yet it feels all too different.

This could be the perfect opportunity for him to test out his own limits, to see just how far he would come before ultimately succumbing to the overwhelming numbers- he's known thatneither of them are quite up to par with him, so a single contest would just not do. After all, if he's been taking on Syndicate this way.. then why would he focus on something like taking on only a single opponent that's weaker than him?

That would not yield any results.

"Good work you both."

So long as they kept improving, it would matter at least something. Though, he most definitely needed training of his own, and it's not something that he would miss out upon so easily - there are only so many opportunities present before he'd miss his chance.

"Say--"

"I do need to work on something myself, but I imagine fighting either of you alone would be detrimental to that." If anything, it wouldn't really.. result in anything.

"So I was thinking.. what if the two of you attempt to team up and take on me at once?"

A two versus one? How quaint..
(Nerin)

Some things are different than others. The apparent weakness of the Valenciaga is something that all were aware of. And while it seemed as if she hosted much potential, the truth of the matter is that her limited arsenal had given many enemies the advantage over her being. Moments, where she could 'assault' were bitten back by her inability to cast. And because she was still practicing what it takes to become something more...She is left within the most fragile state. Of feeling anxiety and excitement together all at once. To feel her heart rate rise...And this adrenaline to pulse...Even when others wouldn't be able to tell.

This is the part of battling that she likes.

What does not like, is the disrespect afterwards. The loss of control. The push into the mud- or perhaps, the poison that dares to come afterwards. It clogs airways...And the threat of unconsciousness flickers amidst the dying holy light and energies. But comes within moments such as these...Are a hidden rage. She makes it not apparent, but there is promise within the hazy gaze..

She won't be losing for much longer.

It is...As if darker intentions were threatening to sweep over her. Where a prey decides to no longer become prey...But instead, to become the predator. The priestess does not move immediately...She does not respond, but in time, a hand reaches over- and Lax is abruptly shoved away.

"-Don't.."

A moment is given. A pause.

Eventually, with a few heaving breathes...She'd attempt to recouperate on her own, using her staff as a means to stand once again. "Yeah- I can...I can do a two on one." It'll be difficult. Extremely so, but she's prepared for everything. Even if she is a bit bitter.
(Marísol)

An eyebrow is quirked - Lax is known to have predicted many things before, but this is something he could not have foreseen in perhaps, two lifetimes now.

He would give it some thought, however, he glances Nerin's way, simply nodding so - it was not his call to make the poison last, or to cause any suffering, it was just the harsh way Nature works...

"Let's go."
(Lax)

It's rare for Nerin to wail on some opponent just like that.

But he remembers the murderous intent with which he attacked the Syndicate agent that day, in which he pushed the boundaries of his body beyond the typical measure- now, he intended to take that measure and carefully observe just how much he can push before it becomes too much.. and perhaps, learn more from it all the same.

Maybe it'll be useful..

After all, whenever you try to learn something, it's important to reflect on what you've experienced - and it's important to carefully adapt towards such, ensuring that you can actually control the process. As such, remembering back of all the things he's done to the Syndicate agents..

Steadily his eyes close.
A brief inhale follows.

There's a brief snap that echoes within his knuckles, almost as if reforming; the mana surge pulses through him as it did never before, clearly a preparation for something. It's clearly related to his fighting style, the way how he empowers himself, but.. this time?

It's something different.

A stance is taken, and his gaze re-opens, if only to gaze upon them two. Followed with a roll of his shoulders, he speaks out.

"Very well. Let's go."
(Nerin)

It's certainly difficult to fight them both..

If anything, he can already tell why strength is in numbers; despite his superior power when compared to them both, they exhaust Nerin for quite a few, causing him to push himself to the limit. The bones fly out one after another, intending to incapacitate them as they move- but the vines, the holy magics, the toxin in the air.. it all makes the matters that much more difficult.

He couldn't be sure whether he'd make it.
Not until the very end.

Inhale, exhale. Just like he stabilized himself during the fight against overwhelming numbers of agents back then, so he should do the same thing here. When pushed to the edge, when constantly attacked from seemingly all sides.. he taps into the inner strength, into the wellspring of mana that coursed through his veins - the mana which he learned to operate so well.

The first target becomes Lax.

When the Nature magi nears Nerin, beaten and on the verge of losing, there's a sudden tremendous force unleashed unto him- with surprising swiftness, Nerin's entire bodymass goes to propel him into a singular strike right against his brother's plexus; had they fought with no restraint, then it'd be enough to damage even his organs, but..

With this?
It's enough to knock the wind out of his lungs.

But it hurts to push himself to this edge. It hurts to deliberately push your body into an overdrive to give it tremendous force and speed behind a single hit - one in which they could've sworn he disappeared for just a moment, if only to re-appear elsewhere once more.

No doubt the work of enhancements.

Marisol becomes the second target. A rush towards her, and in conjunction with the bones protruding out of his body, they were fired out to incapacitate her briefly; another surge followed, one in which she was directly struck in her gut - enough to make even a powerful magi blackout for a moment.

It all happens in what seems like a flash.

This, however, takes a toll on him. When the combat finally stops.. just as they'd be no doubt hurt, he seems to be that as well- the minor wounds from two-on-one accumulating on top of what he's just done. There are no words..

"Huff.."

Only labored breathing.
(Nerin)

With the fight commencing, Lax knew they would be defeated to say the least, but he had not expected his work, with Marisol's aid, to be that effective against the most vulgar mage before them.

The ways of his, they were gruesome, but they did not frighten him - he's seen worse before, so he decides to simply push through, being knocked backwards eventually.

"Thud-.." - is to be heard once he hits the ground, accompanied by a groan, and constant breathing, as if trying to gain the lost oxygen. He remained there for a few good moments...
(Lax)

Stand. She has learned throughout her years to not appear to be so fragile. To roll with the punches within life and push far- further than what she would have ever expected. The weakness comes within the form of violent gasps when his being crashes into her own. He's fast...Much faster than what she could have comprehended...Much faster than what she would have liked to note and yet, she still stands. Even while her vision wanes and her body sways within the radiant breeze..

She stabs her staff into the ground, leaning forward. The exhaustion and lack of air found within the violent coughing...Where the warded magic that lies across her form is shown to be in pieces, cracks, as if glass was on the verge of shattering from one more touch.

It's clear that his impact had shredded through both, her guardian and her regular shield. But what more could possibly be said or done in response. "Haah-...Haah...Hh.." She does what she can...Lingering, until she sinks to her knees.

Her fall is a long, slow one...

But it occurs nevertheless.
(Marísol)

Have you ever been so high on power that it feels like you're in the clouds?

This is how using this technique felt- like he's on top of the world and nothing could stop him. It's an addictive feeling, one in which he could expend more and more mana in order to defy what a normal body can do, a singular strike of tremendous force delivered in order to end the fight like this - if anything, he imagines that should he become practiced enough with it, then it would become something potent to end people rather quick.

But just like with any high..
There's also a crash.

Something that causes him to grimace in pain the moment that empowerment of mana begins retreating and the pain floods him- a punishment that his body provides for pushing himself to such excess. Torn muscles, tiny fractures on bones, and overall heavy exhaustion.. it all overwhelms him so suddenly, that he could've sworn he'll collapse any moment.

Yet he stands.

Because he knows that he doesn't have the 'right' to; if he is to carry on with what he's told about the others, if he is to prepare for what's to come.. then such weakness isn't allowed. Instead, his gaze pointing over to the two of them as they collapse, steadily shuffling over.

"I didn't hit you two too hard, did I.."

He isn't certain. Though, carefully, he picks them up one after another; a single arm devoted for each of them. Thankfully, even in this weakened form he's capable of rather impressive physical feats.. or at least, enough strength to devote for each of them.

"Come on.. I'll take you both to rest a little."

Perhaps, it's best if they're done with it for now.
(Nerin)