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It was late. The sun had already disappeared over the horizon and Vilya was beginning to nod off.
came a soft, growling voice in her mind.
Vilya stifled a yawn and tightened her grip in the gryphon’s dark feathers. “I’m awake.”
The steady beat of Tura’s massive wings was hypnotic, and they’d been flying for a good five hours. Vilya was awake, but only just.
It had been several weeks since they’d taken a boat from their southern island. The going had been fairly uneventful, as she guessed most of the combatants were ahead of her on the journey to the capital.
She and Tura had taken their time, gathering information and educating themselves about the advancements the mainland peoples had made.
Vilya loved her simple village dearly but because it was so isolated its downside was just that; it was simple.
They had visited every library and document archive on the way, and now could brag they were both fairly up to date.



Tura needed no spell to know this, with her keen raptor eyes she could see the fire about a mile off and make out several figures seemingly ready for combat.
“Does it look serious?” Vilya asked, straining to see over the gryphon’s tufted ears.

They did as Tura suggested, the gryphon’s black feathers and fur allowed them to slip almost invisibly into the trees.
As they approached, the pair could see a fight was indeed about to start. Vilya moved the thick scrub aside and Tura came to watch just behind her.
Vilya thought, about to sheath her blades.
Tura stayed her hand delicately with one large talon.
At first Vilya didn’t see what she had to do with anything.



Vilya looked upon the impending battle.

"Down, little girl." Said the shorter of the two men.

"This will be an Intruder Combat. No rules other than that." Said the taller.

"Alright, first of all, you do not get to simply state what kind of Combat we will be using. And second, there are always rules in any form of Combat. You break the rules and you get reported, you get reported and you are suspended from entering the Annual Tournament. Repeated offenses are punishable by a removal of your binding and the Suppression Curse." Sai said to them, casually letting his hand fall into a position where he could more readily draw his sword.

((Btw, the Suppression Curse is administered by the reigning Heads of The Combatant Council. It is a spell that can only be cast by them and when cast upon a person that person is no longer able to use magic. 'removal of your binding' refers to another spell cast only by the Council that removes the soul portion from a bound creature and destroys the original binding stone))

"Ah, but you do not see the beauty of our not having rules."

"If there are no rules, we are free to kill. And if you are both dead, then who's left to report us?" Said the taller as he drew his sword and swung it up to connect with Minatsuki's.

Sai drew his own sword in a flash and, with a quick twitch of his hand, reversed his grip on the sword so that he was holding it blade-up. He darted forward and held his sword with it's point towards the throat of the shorter man.

"Sheathe your weapon and leave." William said to the taller man without removing his eyes from those of the shorter.

"Fool, you cannot defeat me with a simple blade." Said the shorter and then swung up his left arm.

Sai lunged forward and stabbed at the man. The mans sleeve slid back and revealed a solid metal bracelet on his wrist. There was then a sudden flash of light and Sais blade recoiled from a solid shield of light in the shape of a large half-sphere. Sai leapt back and looked at the man intently.

"Now do you see? You have no choice but to accept our challenge and our terms." Said the shorter man. He then held up his right hand.

The light shield faded and Sai was able to see the emerald green stone that resided in the ring that was on one of his fingers there. There was a brief flash of light and suddenly beside him there was a humanoid cat creature. The creature was roughly the same hight as he was and covered in brownish fur with large black spots. It wore a loincloth, a feathered headdress, and a short and wickedly curved saber.

"This is my partner Nacal. You might also like to know the name of the man that is about to slay you. I am Bron. Now, make ready for you final moments of pointless struggle."

"And I am Tor. This," He was interrupted by a flash of light, "is Quiss."

The light faded to show a sinuous creature. It stood on all four of it's lithe muscled legs, each of which ended in a set of dexterous-looking claws. Its face was feral, with dozens of needle-sharp teeth filling it jaws. Its body was covered in blackish green scales. There was a crest of spine-quills coming off of the crown of its head and a large spined dorsal fin coming from each of its shoulder blades and also from either side of its hindquarters.

"Ready to take your final dance with me little girl?" Asked Tor.

Vix continued circling the clearing underground and undetected.
Vix said quickly to Kin.

Kin replied with a large smile and began to sprint towards the camp.

Kin ordered. Kin was about 100 meters off the clear but could see clearly what was going on with his unnatural vision from his golden cat-like eyes.

Kin was still running but could very well make out what was happening. Minatsuki looked as if she were about to attack. I could wait and observe her ability but... I'v waiting so long, I have killed something is SO long... Kin thought to himself as he began to run slower. Kin decided to stand on the edge of the clearing and observe Minatsuki's attack. In the future I can use it to my advantage. Kin thought evily.

Kin told Vix.

((Could someone please control Tor and Bron so SN doesn't have to control 3 characters at same time? His post feels infinitely busy... eek ))

'Calm... Don't lose your calm...'



Minatsuki strained to keep herself from releasing it. It was harder for her to do so at night, because she was not fully awake. She barked an order out towards Asako, hearing no reply.

"Incendia spiritus."

As Minstsuki lunged for Tor with her sword, she muttered under her breath. As soon as her words left her mouth, Asako's flames shot out from her feathers, and a long stream of fire began to shot out from her beaks towards Quiss. On the exact moment her sword made contact with his, Minatsuki casted her second spell.

"Talea."

A slimy substance appeared on the point of contact on hte two blades, harden quickly as it came so that the two swords were now connected. Close range was much more advantageous to Minatsuki; she began to apply more pressure onto his blade, pushing him backwards, step by step.

"You make less of a man than a garden gnome... You can't handle me."

Minatsuki growled, the corner of her mouth curling upward. Minatsuki caught a glimpse of Bron's state as Sai inflicted his damage, and casted three combo spells without hesitation.

"Occulto per chalybs, quod vesica, ocius quam ventus."

The second spell was for Asako, turning her claws into steel and edge of her wing to glaming steel blade. Asako flew towards Quiss, thrusting her entire weight against the beast to send it flying backwards. She flew up once again, and dived towards Quiss repeatedly, making an attempt towards the beast with her razor sharp claws and wings.

Minatsuki's steel boots began to glow as the light moved upward to cover her entire legs. When the light had gone away, her legs were covered with steel armorized boots with sharp teeth to each of its sides. Though the weight of the steel was tremendous, Minatsuki's third spell allowed her to run faster than the wind. When Asako flew for Quiss, she darted for Bron, witout giving him a chance to recover properly, and slammed her sword to the ground, and supported her weight on it, lifting her legs. Because of the pressure, the sword bended like a rubber stick, and shot her towards Bron, her movement only a blur and her sword aimed at his wound. She gave him no chance to raise up his shield, though if he did, it would not be sound against the tremendous momentum.

Tura watched the battle, her keen eyes darting around the field. Once more the cat creatures multiplied.

Tura placed her talons gently on the ground.

"Terrenus ad laqueus de aren."

The ground on the battle field twitched, under the feet of the many cat-beasts the earth grew soft and sandy. Without any warning at all it gave way, trapping them just above their knees in quicksand.

But She could not stop yet. There was still a matter of those shields the two brigands had. She needed to locate the items...

"Revelare verum positio."

The spell was cast and at once the magic infused items started to glow in her mind.

Vilya sent a mental nod in reply and pulled her blades in front of her.
She leapt from the bushes with a yell, aiming to catch her opponents off guard.
Wasting no time she darted for the closet target (Which happened to be Bron), bringing her right scimitar in a downwards arc straight at the bangle he wore.