Training for Death

[Quistis]

((OOC - yeah dramatic title. lol. I got a storyline going on in another website and I thought it would be nice to branch out what my main character there is up to. Basically she's hiding right now and wants to prepare for her final mission. So this is where this post is coming from. I don't require overly detailed replies but please put some effort and thought into it and I will return the favor))

Mina steps into the clearing into what looked like an abandoned arena.

Looks perfect.. she thought as she uses her magic-laden dagger to cut through a worn down training dummy like hot knife through butter.

Now if only I could get a new training dummy..that actually fights back she sighs as she whips her long black hair back and twist it together for a bun. Her intense green eyes look around as she senses someone around her. She bares her fangs and hisses as her superhuman senses confirm her suspicions.

"Come out of hiding. Do you want to play or what?" she grins.

[SOLDIER #819]

"HA HA! So you spied my spectacular silhouette, did you?!"

A large man rushes out from under a random patch of overgrowth, bronze armor clinking and clanking about. Wrapped about his formidable form and clutched in his horrendously huge hands is a golden chain, spikes and hooks littering the length of it. He flexes his manly muscles and thus speaks:

"When I flex my brawny brain, so-called scholars whisper on high!
When I flex my brilliant biceps, children joyously cry and all women pleasantly sigh!"
He strikes a pose and flexes once more, the various weapons fastened to his arms and waist jingling and jangling about.

"They call me the Steel Serpent! Slithering Doom! Death Incarnate! For to utter my true name alone will make the earth to quiver, and to yell it on high is to prepare your own grave! But do not worry, fair maiden, for I shall grant you the mercy of allowing a nickname. INDEED, BURN THESE SYLLABLES INTO YOUR VERY SOUL."
He strikes yet another pose and grins a sparkly grin. "YES, you may call me... GORF."

[Quistis]

Mina tries to stifle a laugh but fails miserably upon setting her eyes on her opponent and hearing his introduction.

"I haven't laughed in a long time, I'll give you credit for that." she said with a bemused grin while wiping a lone tear from her eye.

"Quite a collection you have there, Gorf, mind showing me how they work?" she continues, chuckling over the mere mention of his nickname as she motions for him to attack while holding her dagger with her other hand.

[SOLDIER #819]

"AHA! To bring a smile to the face of whomever I may pass; yet another excellent item for my list of endless exploits! Though I must say, you must be mad or with fever to grin in the face of fear itself!" The golden chain coiled about his form unravels and falls to the dirt with a metallic thud.

"A chivalrous being such as myself would not usually normally resort to such cretinous behavior, but since you have so desperately beseeched a bustle on my part I have no option but to oblige! I SHALL MOVE FORTH WITH GREAT FURY! HEAR MY THUNDEROUS ROAR!" He stomps the ground where he stands as he lowers his stance. To his credit a few pebbles about him do shift about. The earth had quaked... if only just a bit.

Tightening his hands about the chain, he proceeds to lift it above his head and twirl it about. It whirls and whistles in the air as it picks up speed and melts into a golden blur. Satisfied that his display of power had been sufficiently provocative, he lets the chain fly free with a flourish. It cuts a path through the air and snakes toward his opponent as if it were a ravenous, rabid best striking out at its prey!

"THE SERPENT STRIKES!!!!!!111!!1"

[Quistis]

"My dear, I have been faced by foes far scarier than you..." Mina hisses as she backflips to avoid Gorf's first strike. The brunt of his attack shatters the concrete of the floor from where she was standing and turns it into debris of sand upon impact. The pebbles and debris shoot out like small bullets toward her nonetheless, sending her back with various small cuts on her exposed skin.

Oh this is good..he's stronger and not as dumb as he looks.. she thinks as she uses her superhuman speed to rush towards him, utilizing the dust and debris as her cover before they settle to the ground.

Dagger at the ready within the firm grip of her leather-gloved hands, she leaps upwards and tries to strike Gorf at the top of his head with her blade.

[SOLDIER #819]

The armor-laden Grof is unable to keep in time with his opponent's swift movements. As the woman's wicked shadow descends from above, his neck reflexively cranes skyward to try and pinpoint her direction of attack. An unfortunate thing, for the descending sun's dazzling rays catch him in the eyes! Oh! Ouch! He shields his retinas with his attacking arm, but the damage had been done. It burned so badly!

Luckily, this unfortunate misstep caused him to recoil with a fortunate back step. And just in time! His meaty morsel that was his mind, which would no doubt have become a savory shish kebob with the slightest of pokes from Mina's dagger, avoids such a horrendous fate. The arm protecting his face from those dastardly UV rays, however, does not. The baneful blade easily bypasses the reddish armor at the top of his forearm and skewers flesh, as it had no doubt so many succulent steaks before him. Gorf can barely bite back a painful yelp.

"Your weapon wounds me no worse than your words!!" he grunts through gritted teeth, even as blood slowly seeps from the wound that dagger had bitten into. He made no attempt to remove it or to push Mina away. "You said you wish to become better acquainted with my arsenal, correct? Then, go ahead and..." With a flex and flourish, he twists his body and uses his other hand to fling the opposite end of the barbed chain toward her. If it managed to grab at and wrap about her neck the battle would no doubt end in short time.

"SAVOR THE FLAVOR OF MY FANGS!!"

[Quistis]

Mina curses under her breath upon the realization that she missed her mark. Mina lands gracefully on her feet, the scent of Gorf's blood from his wounds and some of it that remain on her weapon sending her closer to a state of bloodlust.

No time to savor it however as Gorf immediately counters with a fling of his barbed chain towards her. Instincts command her to shield herself as she raises her arm to block the attack, similar to how Gorf used his to block hers earlier. The chain wraps itself around the first thing it touches, in this instance- Mina's arm, like a hungry serpent. She successfully saves her neck but the results, no less painful.

The chain is barbed and, although immortal, Mina is still made of flesh that can be easily pierced by such a weapon. She lets out a scream and tries not to pull away or she'll risk losing her arm.

One of the few times I regret not wearing metal armor in favor of speed.. Mina thinks as she grits her teeth to contain the pain.

"You know what they say about men who carry big weapons? They are trying to compensate for something." she grins wickedly using her words to distract her from the agony and at the same time to try to get under Gorf's skin.

"And don't talk about fangs...you're making me hungry!" she snarls showing him her fangs. Mina is a vampire, although she detests the sun more than anything, it is not fatal to her.

Her abilities, however, go beyond more than that.

Not wasting any more second in her opponent's deadly grasp, Mina uses her free hand to slip the blade of the dagger into one of the chain links between them that's within her reach. Her eyes glow a purple hue as a strange energy appearing to be a strong surge of electricity shoots out from her blade and travel through the chain towards Gorf.

But none of it is real - for Mina is also a mistress of illusions.

[SOLDIER #819]

What a simply spectacular turn this battle had taken! A genuine vampire! If Gorf were able to beat this beast into submission (for how can you beat something to death that is already dead?), he would prove his most metaphorical but nonetheless marvelous dental structure to be superior to that of even the most feared and primeval of predators! Yes! Now was the time to act! A large toothy smile spread across his countenance, one which would normally spell an impending end to any of his foes.

But much to his chagrin, his grin was short-lived.

"LIGHTNING!?!" No matter how immaculate his immunities were, he couldn't yet say that he would be able to withstand fizzling, crackling death. Even if he could survive the shock, the shame of having been wounded with the aid of his own weapon would be too much to bear! And so for the time being he relinquishes his weapon. The clamor it makes as it hits the soft dirt is akin to the anguished cry of a child, and Gorf cannot head but weep inwardly. Though, he quickly gets over it.

As gives his weapon one last stare, he notices that the evil energy surging about it had gone just as quickly as it had come. Huh. No matter!

"YOU! V-vampire!!" he shouts at Mina with a slight stutter, a pointer finger outstretched in her direction. It wasn't quite clear if he was frightened or overly excited. "Many a moon I have waited for a monster worthy of me to unmask itself in my midst! Now the time has come and I shall put this trump card of my very own design to a test!" He strikes a dramatic pose.

From one of the many pouches on his already weapon-filled waist he produces a pale sphere of about the size of an apple... "I will have you know that my arsenal does not compensate -- IT IS BUILT TO SCALE! FEEL MY FURY!!" ... and with a quick twist of the ball and then a toss of the hand the object goes sailing above the damned damsel's head. A small hissing and whistling precludes a CRACK and a POP, and a black dust fills the air about them.

"How do you like my Specially Blended Spice Bomb™!? A simply celestial mix of onion for the eyes, pepper for the throat and nose, and a large portion of garlic to keep those of your kind on your toes! It's also spectacular on spaghetti! GYAHAHAHAHACKCOUGHBLEGH!!!"

In his scramble to slay his newfound prey, Gorf had forgotten he wasn't really all that resilient to his own creation! His eyes burn anew and his throat itches uncontrollably! OOPH! YEOWCH!

[Quistis]

Mina pulls the relinquished weapon and tosses it away, far from Gorf's reach.

"I guess that's mine now. And your weapons are built to scale? Pfftt..." she said smirking looking equally amused at Gorf's reaction to the realization that she is a vampire.

But Gorf has more tricks up his sleeve as he tosses a strange sphere the size of a fist towards her head, Mina tries to duck but she realizes that her opponent is not really aiming for her. The object explodes above her head.

"Damn stupid vampire myths. We're not afraid of garlic but this concoction is just as repulsive as it is...to everyone!" she hissed as she coughs and tries to step out of the way and get some fresh air.

My eyes, it burns... she thinks while taking comfort upon hearing Gorf sounding like he is just as affected as she is by his creation. Time for another attack!

With her sight temporarily out of commission, Mina tries to listen intently to pinpoint where the sound of Gorf's voice is coming from. She then tries to take aim and throws her dagger blindly (literally) towards him.

That dagger is merely for show, I got another one...too bad I had to use my non-throwing hand, I need sometime to let the other arm heal... she thinks.

[SOLDIER #819]

Too busy clawing at his throat and pawing at his eyes to worry about much else, Gorf takes little notice of Mina or her dagger. He does, however, perceive a painful sensation in his leg when the blade pierces his thigh. It takes a moment for him to process what had just transpired, but when finally he does he does his best to convey his feelings on the matter of being stabbed in the leg.

"#@!$#^%DJGKH*&AAHGHAGHGAAGGHHH!!!!!"

Heroic deeds and hunting the damned would have to wait a moment. Now was the time to hop on one leg and performing ballads in honor of this particular sensation! His throat burnt from his own bomb and a bloodthirsty beast on the loose, however, he knew he would not be able to keep this up for long. With this in mind he begins to hop away (with a great sense of purpose, mind you!) from the fog of seasonings.

"Haah... haaah... You must think... you've goAAGGHGGHGHHH!!!" What he wanted to say to his opponent would have to wait but a moment. The dagger needed to come out. He drops it to the ground with a small thud. "... haaah... got me. BUT IT IS YOU WHO WILL BE GOTTEN!! BEHOLD, FOR YOUR DESTRUCTION IS AT HAND!!" With that proclamation he produces a small stick. It's a match.

Gorf fidgets about with it for a few seconds. He seemed to be having some trouble with it... wait no, he got it! And voila! A small spark of light is born.

"I realize your kind prefers their meat rather... raw. But this is the Great Gorf's cooking class! As such, everything is WELL beyond done. Which is why I've added to my little recipe..." and a slightly maniacal expression begins to shape on his tear-stained face as he says this, "...a secret spice to aid in that."

His wrist flicks. The match leaves his fingertips. Its gentle flame traces an even gentler arc through the air. It reaches out and touches the blackened cloud of culinary delights. Another spark of light and a small crackling is heard. And with a resounding BOOM the air about Mina is unceremoniously transformed into a sea of flames.

"YES! There is nothing better than the smell of roasted garlic after a hard-fought battle, wouldn't you agree my malicious madame!? But wait, you have been valiantly vanquished by me, THE BLACK DEATH!"

"GYAHAHAHAHAHAHAHACKCOUGH!!!! Urgh... I require refreshments. The pepper is overpowering."

[Quistis]

((pardon me for writing in past tense now. >_<. Also because I fail at descriptions, here's what she's wearing lol

http://fc01.deviantart.net/fs71/f/20...na-d2so6qf.jpg
))

Hearing a loud scream akin to the sound of an animal being butchered validated to Mina that she hit Gorf..somewhere while her feeling rather disappointed at the fact that it wasn't fatal as she heard his threats afterwards.

Mina stepped back a few more paces in an attempt to get away from the effects of spice bomb but something stopped her on her tracks as she wiped her eyes.

It's getting a little hot...What the ?!?! she thought as she finally managed to open her eyes and saw the inferno around her.

The scorching heat surrounding her was unbearable as the vampiress dropped on the floor and tried to roll out away from the flames until it was clear, hoping that the fact that heat tend to rise up in the air could give her the safety of the soil beneath her. A portion of Mina's clothes were singed but otherwise she was alive.

"Nice trick. Almost got me..." she hissed as she stood up to look at him, ripping off the sleeve of her jacket and wrapping the makeshift bandage around her wounded arm to protect it while it healed.

"You look a little tired Gorf..are you okay?" she grinned suggestively using her magic to actually try to convince him that he was feeling that way. "You CANNOT even move." Mina stated as she grabbed Gorf's barbed chain that she threw aside earlier.

"I don't want to be a meanie..so I am going to give your weapon back...Okay?" she smirked as she hurled the chain violently towards him while keeping a hold on the handle, hoping that her magic had convinced him not to dodge.

((also her magic doesn't have to have an absolute hold on him it could just be that he'd move slower like there's a weight preventing him from moving, just an FYI =P. Up to you.))

[SOLDIER #819]

Just as the villainous vampire had said, Gorf had found it rather hard to move. Was this the work of that wretched weapon embedded in his thigh?! A fast-acting poison, mayhaps?! How devilish and deceitful of her! Such cowardi--

It became apparent that Gorf had been allowed very little time to ponder the matter. The golden barbs, who he had counted each and every one as a tiny friend (numbering somewhere in the realm of 207 last he checked) had embedded themselves at the top of his shoulder! No! His very own comrades! He grimaced, mixture and shock plain on his face as he turned to stare at Mina. "You... you foul fox! Forsaken fiend! Facetious fornicator! FOR THIS, I SHALL PLANT YOUR FACE IN YOUR FANNY POST-HASTE!!"

The worst of the atrocious attack had deflected off his blushing bronze armor harmlessly, and the remainder of the pain had long since fled. ALL THAT REMAINED FOR HIM WAS FURY! He grabbed at the least painful-looking section of his chain in reach and pulled with all his might. No doubt this would send that wench off-balance! And when that happened...!

Rage-induced insanity had already made deep roots in his mind. Gorf no longer knew of any pain less than a solid slap in the face from the bar wench of the watering hole he frequented (which was not to be underestimated). With no hesitation he wrung the hilt of Mina's discarded dagger, still planted in his leg, and quickly wrenched it out! Globules of blood were sent flying every which way, but he paid it no mind. He pulled ever harder, the want to regain his chain overpowering all else! And then...

"SAY HELLO TO YOUR LITTLE FRIEND!!"

He had launched Mina's own dagger back at her!

[Quistis]

"Guess you didn't like the 'nice' gesture , huh?" Mina scoffed as she watched her own weapon get thrown back at her which she dodged just as easily as she saw it coming while keeping her hold on the other end of the chain as she rolled out of the way. Her real concern was Gorf's anger. She knew a friend who did such grave destruction when his rage took over, Mina could not help but wonder at the thought if Gorf was the same.

Not because she was afraid. Oh hell no. She would love to see a challenge. The blood spattering through Gorf's wounds just made this encounter even more....appetizing for her.

Still unable to untilize her wounded right arm properly, Mina could feel her grip slipping from the handle as Gorf tried to regain his weapon. At least she got the handle and didn't have to put up with having to hold on to the barbed part , she thought.

Mina knew that the longer she waited, the odds would more likely fall against her. If Gorf seemed to be realizing that she could cast illusions, then the less effective they would be the next time she used them on him. Illusions provide limitless possibilities but one had to use them carefully for its effectiveness relied mostly on how her opponents would perceive them.

"I changed my mind, I want it back. I am a woman so being fickle minded is generally acceptable." she smirked

Mina tried to pull the weapon with all her strength in an attempt to let the barbed part dig deeper into Gorf's skin further, or have him pull it harder. Either way suited her plans.

[SOLDIER #819]

"OH HO HO, a tug-of-war is it?! I'll have you know that my tug is second to none! Adult and child alike tell tales of my tug! HOWEVER," Gorf flexed his biceps with his free arm, then withdrew a small vial from a pouch on his side. Its cherry red contents pulsed with a faint light. "Whole empires know me for my toss! Gorf the Troll Tosser they call me!"

Gorf then wrenched the stopper out of the glass vial with his teeth and spat it out onto the dirt beneath. "And now I'll show you why!" His face had lit up with a devilish grin that glowed much brighter than the potion he held, but that didn't seem all too befitting of a hero. With a single, unceremonious gulp he drained the potion and through the empty vial to the ground at his side. However many things he was supposedly known for, "environmental conscientiousness" did not seem to number among them.

"NOW, FEEL TRUE FEAR!!! GAHAHAHAAAAAAAARGGHHGDJKNWOUZJPH"

Gorf's grin had gone and gave ground to a great grimace. His teeth began to chatter! His eyes bulged out momentarily! His muscles bulged out not-so-momentarily! At that very moment he was undergoing a metamorphosis. He was being remade! Harder, better, faster, strong! But it was very painful. His very veins were on fire! Ouch! Eek! His bones hardened and grew! Growing pains! Oof! Ack! His muscles stretched and contorted to accommodate! Ugah! Ooah! Was this all really worth a +6 Str bonus!? AGH! KYAA!

No doubt he must have thought so. That same malevolent grin had ascended once more to its rightful place on his face. His biceps bulged! His skin shined! Gorf was ready! Ready to rock! He gripped his weapon once more. The barbs dug into his skin, but it felt like there weren't there at all! Oh ho! This potion's price didn't seem so exorbitant all of a sudden. And so he dug his feet into the earth and began... to spin!

"I call it... THUNDERING TITANIC TWISTER!!"

And twist he did! Around and around he whirled, pulling the chain and Mina with him! Would she resist it? Would she release it? Would she ride with it? Gorf did not know, nor did he care! A great fire, stoked by a furious gale, was at that moment raging within him. He had become one with the twist! The twist had become one with him! He was the eye of the tempest!!

[Quistis]

Well now that my plan was deemed useless... Mina thought as she let go of the chain and let it hit the now seemingly invulnerable Gorf. Mina then darted out of the gigantic twister's path towards the arena benches on the opposite direction of the twister and she watched Gorf continue to destroy anything it touched.

"Are you done with your dance? I am over here!" Mina yelled trying to get Gorf's attention and get him to stop momentarily.

If he hasn't lost all his gear yet through all that wind and debris, I'll make sure to take care of the finishing touches. It may not be a pretty sight but what the hell... She smirked as she grabbed her daggers and started charging at him anew. hoping that the spinning would disorient him and give her the advantage.

((lol basically she's planning to strip him to his underwear upon realizing that his potions and weapons were hidden in his clothes))

[SOLDIER #819]

The sensation of the spin had left Gorf with a heavy headiness. He felt so much lighter! Faster! Was it perhaps the potion? No, no no. Something seemed strange. Though his opponent was but a blur, he had taken note of her sudden nearing and just as swift dissolving into the haze that was his vision. The wench was up to something!

"This ride will now come to a complete stop! Be sure to collect all your belongings and limbs, and please mind the DREADFUL DUST DEVILS!!!!"

With a cacophonous cry and extreme effort Gorf forced the chain down unto the dirt as he continued to whirl about. The screeching of the steel serpent sounded across the soil. Dirt was kicked up every which way. And then he ceased his rotation and gyration altogether. The chain withdrew closer to his person and wrapped about his waist (harmlessly, mind you).

And as the dust settled after his attack, it became all too apparent that... the dust had not settled at all! A cylindrical fortress of wind and dirt had sprung up about him, concealing himself from his enemies and his enemies from himself! He would take this treasured time to empower and arm himself further with magicks and maces, and as he reached to withdraw a particularly deadly device he found...

Air. It was not there. Perhaps he had left it on his arm? And so he checked , only to come up with nothing! Just what was going on? What could have--

"YOU WICKED WENCH! HOW DARE YOCOUGHHACKCOUGH--!!!"

What she had dared to do was not heard all too well, as his own defense of dust tickled his throat and almost forced him to forgo his lunch. It was plain to see however (given you could see through the thick dirty mist) that he had shed much weight in the way of weapons. A search of his plentiful pouches, filled to the brim with potions aplenty, turned up little as well. Yes, even the secret stash in his underwear was missing. What in the blazes!!?

"I HOPE THE WEIGHT OF YOUR CRIMES BREAKS YOUR BACKGACKHACKFACKACKACK!!!"

Rage filled him! With the potion still in effect, he would come at her like a bull the next moment he laid eyes on her villainous visage and rip her to ribbons! With his entire armory on her person and sapping her speed it would certainly be no difficult task!