{7/17-18} Weakened Chains

[23:46] When they reached the field, Fera pulled the hammer from her back once more. It was odd seeing a child carrying a weapon that could dwarf an adult.

When her hands made contact with the weapon, a hissing sound could be heard as water was vaporized and turned to steam that emitted from her hands. Flames ignited from the flathead of the hammer to cover it entirely, the winds blowing around North's form only serving to quite literally add fuel to the fire.

"I wonder who's flames is greater, yours, the spirit you ate, or the hammer?"


(Fera Fengari)
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[23:58] It was almost amusing. To see the way the ookami brought that hammer to sway about. Impressive, though, the relative ease with which she used it. Even the undead drake had found difficulties under its weight. The strain it put upon Mertaisyl had been rather taxing.

But oh, they felt alive right now. More alive than they've ever truly been. It could feel each breath with more clarity. The colors of the world around seemed so much sharper to its eye. The sway of the wind on Fera's whims brushed past gleaming onyx scales, and the thing could almost shiver.

Almost. If the heat within did not burn brighter.

The voidling drew a full breath. Filling its lungs entirely, before turning its head back across its form. Within its maw it started to focus mana into the runework which had been seared into its flesh. Into those stones held in place by scarred skin. Spiraling inwards toward the central piece.

That glimmering ruby gem, truly on fire now. Flames ever licked across its surface. A dull pain in the neck, but one the voidling dragon happily withstood. It opened its maw, and poured forth a rolling breath of flame.

Violet and black tongues of fire licked across pitch-dark scales. Set alight, far hotter than the drake expected. It did not wince away, though it made a mental note of that.

Next time, light up the usual way..

It turned its gaze back toward North. Its maw stretched open once more to expel the last of its breath in a single huff. The central stone hadn't quite been called upon just yet, but already the glow was visible within. An ireful red flame lashing out against cerulean and gold runes which kept the spirit inside bound.

What a horrible sight that was.
(Mertaisyl)
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[00:51] It was- Something. North moved fast despite the weight of the hammer. The thing hadn't quite expected her to be capable of swinging it so rapidly. Wider arcs and slow buildups seemed more apt for such a thing.

But somehow it was like a madman with a dagger. Light and quick enough that catching up was damn near impossible for a time. The ookami darted out of shockwaves. The thing had seen her fight, but it had never been very good at keeping up with the swift ones.

So when the girl got in a particularly lucky shot with a shockwave of ice, the thing back-winged away for a moment's respite. Sent flying by the impact, and caught upon the air. Surveying the field from above.

The thing had yet to use it..

A deep breath. Its plague had been sent into the flames as fuel before, but it did not pour that virulent haze forth again just yet. It held its breath, and when North came to meet it in the sky? The thing dropped right out, only just stretching its wings again at the last moment.

It caught itself before impact, and came to a half-running, half-skidding stop. One clawed 'hand' hooked into the earth well enough and set the thing to spin about. To face the ookami, presuming she'd chased after it.

Only then could North see the glow within its maw.

Cerulean mixed with crimson. Those colors melded together as portions of its mana had poured into the stone. Now it gleamed between bared teeth, a malevolent violet, ethereal flame of a similar caliber burning away in its maw.

All at once its maw dropped open, and from within its breath was forced outwards. The fiery prowess contained within the Fury of Ifrakain was expelled all at once, alongside the fuel, the plague within its lungs. Runeworks seared into the back of its throat forced the fire out and forward.

Even still, it felt its teeth rattle in place at the sheer concussive force. It shuddered under the strain of the recoil, a flare of pain shocking through the nerves in its neck.

It'd have to get used to that one..

In the moments it took to recover, it seemed North had managed a recovery too. Escaping the shockwave's full force, probably- Else she might not have been very.. Well.. Alive? Yeah like that. She darted up to hug the damn thing.

The low rumble it emitted should've been enough to warn her, if the fires burning across its form weren't enough to scare her off. It was still entirely on fire. Set alight. Black flames singeing her every moment she stood near the beast.

How long would it take for her to let go?
(Mertaisyl)
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[01:34] Comparing the sheer destructive power of the Plague Bringer's attacks she was now facing to when she had spectated from the side like most do some time ago, there was an obvious and terrifying difference. Just what did that field trip do for the Human Body Recycling Dragon?

The hammer's weight was truly something else now that she had a real opponent to fight with it. It'd definently make anyone else slump terribly in an attempt to wield it properly given its weight, assuming they even had the durability to hold it in the first place. While it was mainly the head lit ablaze, the entire thing felt like directly touching fire. It was only through constant use of water and ice on her hands throughout the fight could she wield it painlessly, large amounts of steam constantly emitting from her hands.

That earlier test with the Dryad had given the Ookami a good idea on how to wield it hwoever. Her body was already incredibly nimble. Rather than improve her speed, why not improve the speed at which she could swing the thing? While her speed wasn't as great as when she was fighting bare-handed, it wasn't noticably worse either. She was more than capable of putting an intense focus on moving around, dodging, and biding her time. Biding for that one moment where Mertaisyl was caught out of position.

Fera had dashed forward into the Dragon, collecting the moisture in the air along the way until it was enough to fill a small body of water. Just a few short feet of Mertaisyl, she had split it off into dozens and dozens of tinier balls of water that turned into sharp oval shapes that surrounded the Ookami and froze.

With a powerful and sudden burst of wind, they were launched out towards Mertaisyl and the surrounding area with frightening speed. It wasn't powerful enough to pierce the Dragon's defenses but it had enough power to leave the dragon feeling numb across its body. In the process however, she had shoved Mertaisyl back and gave her breathing space.

When Mert flew to the skies, Fera had followed suit. To her surprise, the Dragon had let itself plummet towards the ground without hesitation, stopping itself at the last moment with a well performed 180 turn thanks to a grip in the earth.

Once again, Fera chased after the dragon, shooting towards them like a bullet.

And she regretted it immediately after.

She had noticed the glow far too late. Her instincts began to blare loudly in her head to do whatever it took to dodge the soon to be released onslaught of terrifying magic. Fera was heading in a straight line for Mertaisyl and she was in the air, not on the ground. At the speed she was coming at the dragon, she couldn't make an effective turn. At the most, she could just slightly veer off to the side.

That's when the glow was replaced by violet flames she could feel the heat before they even got close.

Her eyes widened inshock, pupils shrinking to the size of tiny dots as the flames quickly became all she could see. The only thing she could do now was desperately try to turn herself into a block of ice, similar to when she needed to defend herself from the spirit Ifralkin on their field trip.

That's when two orbs of mana suddenly seperated from her body, manifesting into small black and white heads respectively. Just before she collided with the flames, a thick field of sky blue mana surrounded her body beneath the numerous layers of ice.

The released fury from Mertaisyl's maw had immediately the ice surrounding Fera's body with ease, but the field of mana was something else. It had managed to withstand the brunt of the flames before turning feeble and fading away, leaving the Ookami to take the last of the attack herself. She'd been sent flying far worse than when she managed to catch out the Plague Bringer with her ice.

Painful burns, blisters, bruises, scratches , fatigue and soreness wracking her body and mana circuits alike, but there was no major injuries.

Fera had to admit it was exciting. The hammer definently made a difference in her ability, one she was getting more and more used to and that spirit made one in Mertaisyl's. A terrifying and destructive difference. A little celebration was in order in her opinion. With massive amounts of adrenaline pumping through her, she had recovered enough to get up and run over to the still recovering from the backlash Mertaisyl fairly quickly. A short hug lasting half a dozen seconds ensued before she quickly backed off and began to surround herself in a pool of water.

"Ghh! Still hot...."



(Fera Fengari)
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[01:58] It hissed through grit teeth until the moment North backed off. Virulent breath leaked through, drifting from its maw and nostrils alike. Catching fire, where the flaming shroud and verdant haze met. From within its maw a crackle of gold flickered through.

The voidling paced backward a step. Its wings shook out to either side, dispersing the fires which clung to its form in a miniature shockwave. And in the midst of the charred field it rested. Trying to get the burning to stop.

Like the worst heartburn-burps after chili and hot barbeque, the back of its throat was on fire. Without hyperbole the thing could claim as much, wretched crimson flames searing out against the constraints. Worse was the flare of exorcist magic- Holy light flaring in attempts to restrain.

Several moments passed. It felt a sizzle.

Then, finally, the creature shook its head. To one side it breathed a minute puff of flame, clearing away the sensation as best it could. Whatever had beengoing on died down. Apparently.

Another puff of breath, this time lacking in flame. It drew another, and allowed that to escape its lungs as well. Better. The voidling blinked, then refocused again. When had Sors and them gotten here? What?

Well- not a bad time. Kind of.

The thing leaned over to mutter toward North, then slunk off the field. To coil 'round to the man's right side. To sit there, wings folded back, still smoking. Its tail coiled forth to wrap over its forelimbs, its eyes narrowed to a lazer focus on the Adjucator.

Patient enough to wait for him to address it.
(Mertaisyl)
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(bit of chatter, too much, eventually Mertai get's Sors' attention to watch the fight)

[03:50] What was this, the third time now?

It was getting on the voidling's nerves, just a small bit. To have to put in so much effort when there was a certain lack from the other side. But no matter. At the least it offered an opportunity to start using what its path toward strength had accrued.

One fight, he wasn't there, it was solely for the purpose of practice. The next, he was there for the start, and by the end of it he'd wandered off somewhere else. Busy with something else.

That happened a lot.

Third time's the charm though, right?

Apparently so.

As per usual the beginning was a bit slow. Mertaisyl sat itself on the field, allowing North to do most of the pre-battle moving about. Its leathery wings stretched up to point towards the sky, making itself a massive target. Taunting, as it had done with that starlit hawk.

And this time, it was cautious. It drew a deep, deep breath and let its lungs do the work of tainting it. Rather than igniting it within its maw the thing let that verdant mist pour out over its scales, and cling to its form. A flick of its tail, and it was set alight.

Black fires raged in a shroud across the drakes form. But it remained still, until the moment North made her first move. Then it beat its wings down in a great arc, leaping over the initial strike.

From there it was a dance. The voidling only just escaped the more decisive blows, and its fires couldn't quite melt away all of the ice sent its direction. Steaming waters lashed against its hide. An icy chill turned boiling in proximity.

Honestly? It was closer than the creature liked to admit. But the thing held back. It tried to force itself to proceed without breathing flame. To save that for later, when it figured out just what had been causing it such pains.

But it was too close. It couldn't let the opportunity slip.

Another deep breath. Leathery wings raised after a particularly nasty blast of energy was followed through by a condensed beam. It sent her back, forced her away, giving the thing just enough time to drive into the air once more, trailing smoke and ash.

This time she could probably catch the tell-tale sign. But simply being in a position to see it meant she was in a position to be struck by it, too. And it didn't take long for the charge to build.

Cerulean light flowed across seared runework. Into deep crimson metallic stones, set within its throat. All seeping inward toward a central point, a glimmering mess of flame-tones, brilliant azure, and far too-bright golden energy.

As its corrupt, undead mana flowed into the crystal once more it felt something sizzle. It felt the flames which danced across its surface flare, ruby and sapphire melding to a near-neon amethyst tone. The energy which kept the spirit bound flared, as Mertaisyl pulled upon the power of Ifrakain's flames.

With itsomething popped out of place.

It felt the exorcist magic tremble, and dampen.

.. Uh.. uh oh..

To be sure it did not burn its lungs the voidling exhaled all at once. A massive gout of verdant fuel to the shockwave-flame. All propelled on the force of runework, and spiritual energy alike.

With a massive crackling roar Ifrakain's fury was unleashed upon the field. Rolling out in a shockwave, as ethereal fires took over across the voidling's head. In those verdant eyes. Perhaps North would recognize the spirit in question's visage overlaid with Mertaisyl's own.

Perhaps pulling on something that was bound, intentionally, wasn't quite the most brilliant of ideas. If the bindings were stronger that would've worked out fine but..

Well, for now it seemed alright. The voidling shook free of its own flames, and the visage faded out. Within its maw the ireful crimson glow still shone, but nothingcame of it then. Nothing but the defeat of Sors' retainer in training.

.. Had she blocked this shockwave well enough?

Hopefully so, Sors might be displeased if she were hurt..

It scanned the field, before locking its attention on him.
(Mertaisyl)
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[03:51] Mertaisyl says, "..."
[03:51] Mertaisyl says, "Ahem."
[03:51] Sors Ultovex says, "I saw. Merta was tha' winner."
[03:53] Mertaisyl asks, ".. Is that.. all you have.. to say?"
[04:13] Mertaisyl was quite literally playing with fire. Three fights later, and once again, Fera could see the warning signs that a gargantuan wave of flame similar to their first spar was imminent. Compared to her first encounter with the terrifying heatwave though, this one was far more panicked on Mertaisyl's part.

Any attempt to close distance with Mertaisyl was immediately shut down. Fera had began to rapidly leap backwards as far as she possibly could, using the blast force of the shockwave as a assisting force to increase her velocity going backwards.

It had worked well, but not well enough

As fast as she was moving backwards, the blast from Mertaisyl was moving faster to catch up. When the force collided, she was sent spiraling through the air like a torpedo, a whistling sound following her as she crashed into the wall of the tower. Stray pieces of stone and dust was sent everywhere, denying the vision of many.

When it cleared up, Fera was lying there in the rubble, coughing as she patted her clothes down to kill off the small fires that clung. Cuts and scratches were visible all over, her clothes was a mess, and she had to rest a moment before grabbing her weapon and climbing out the indentment.

"Okay Mert, no more o' that. I give up. Sors, she- Sors?"

Where the fuck did he go?
(Fera Fengari)
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