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The brilliant flash burst from Iden's person. His ears rang with white noise as the bomb burned through the leather safeguarding his hand; his palm was scarred a horrible, burned red, as was his hip. Yet the shadows were banished by the sudden light, leaving him to advance on his counterpart.

Of course, then Roan had to show up. Anger flared up in Iden's eyes.

No, Roan, I'm at least finishing SOMETHING before you get your plaything.

Heedless of the matron, he charged full tilt for Cerberus, steel claws extended and ready to rip his counterpart asunder.

His windpipe was being crushed under the matriarch's iron grip. He hissed spite through his teeth and tried to rip free with both sets of claws, but to no avail; her hold would not be so easily broken.

First Cerberus was cast out, then Iden was thrown to the bar. He landed in a heap, but slowly stood with an air of absolute defiance.

I'm not going back. Not with you, of all people. Not when I can't even recognize the home I was raised to love. ******** guns, I'll take you bare handed if I have to...assuming you're not too high on your own laurels to fight like you once enjoyed.

He spat blood to his left, then lowered himself into a stable stance. His hands held close in a tight guard, defending his head and torso; his claws gleamed crimson and stood ready for battle.

I think you've lost sight of what sin IS.

She moved with a fluid grace Iden had tried for so long to surpass. It had always been an affront to his pride to be so bested in his own best talent...

But she would not master him as a puppet so easily. Instants before impact his stance narrowed, and the impact drove him back to the ground. His arms were forced aside, but his legs pulled up to plant to her chest, and hurl her from him.

If honor is steamrolling everything in your path for no good cause, then I'm better served without it.

The kick left him land lightly on his feet much the same as she did. His back was to his Sire, prompting him to watch her carefully over his right shoulder; his stance was adjusted accordingly to a more stable posture.

Your "honor" has you acting like a prissy blue blooded brat, sicking her pet hounds on whomever she likes. You're twisting your name into the mockery that ape outside hails from.

Her aggressive approach landed the blow directly on his ribs as he twisted about. Bones cracked under the impact as he rolled into it and threw a backhanded swing at her face. It was a feint, however; the true strike was the reverse punch his left hand threw. Steel blades lunged for her side in a sharp strike meant to split her open from hip to rib.

Heh. Like mother, like son.

He tried to stand his ground; he honestly did. However, once again she was far and beyond more powerful than he was. All of her Potence overwhelmed all of his and saw him slam into the wall violently.

Not skipping a beat, he fell forward onto his feet and surged forward with renewed vigor. He had to be in exceptional pain; there was no doubting it. Despite this, he still drove onward.

Oh, wait, what was that, you helped arrange your own Sire's death? Oh, wait, you're TAKING HIS PLACE.

He darted in with a leading right jab to force her defenses, then darted in with a screaming left thrust that led into a right uppercut. Bloodied claws whistled as they split the air, each trying to rend her asunder. There were no holds barred, it seemed.

As soon as she forced him forwards, he swung his rear arm back in an elbow meant to drill her in the temple. It may or may not have struck, but she still landed a blow that caused him to stumble. Hitting the ground hard, he rolled over into a rough posture, one poorly suited to strike from.

I don't WANT to kill you. I want you to wake up...Roan DeSeer is not a goddess! She never was, and should never be! LOOK AT YOURSELF!

Now more wary than before, he did not press the attack. Instead, he pulled back, lifting his arms in a cautious guard once more to stave off any onslaught she had prepared. He needed to gather his wits and think things out; the furious assault was going nowhere.

The s**t you pulled in the Halo? The forced coercion? THAT is what made Cerberus. I will not let you drag me down to that level.

Too little, too late.

Watching his sire like a hawk, he was waiting for the right moment. Her sudden lunge was just that time; his body began to twist in preparation for the impacts to come. He twisted inside of her punch to the gut, throwing himself headlong into the strike for his other side. Weathering the blow with little more than a grunt, his left arm dipped over Roan's swinging head to curl about her neck. And then, the whole of his weight came to rest on that one point, seeking to drag her down into a heavy crash onto the ground. To follow would be another series of clawed slashes as he tried to mount her and hold her down so the abuse could keep on falling.

You're right. We've slipped. Neither of us are walking the knife's edge...we both fell off, and the world won't accommodate someone trying to be what they aren't anymore.

For all intents and purposes, Iden WAS trying to kill her. His fists were not going to show mercy, and the multitude of wounds he was leaving were testament to that. But of course, his strength was an ill match to her own. His fists were halted shy of another series of violent blows, leaving him staring into her eyes.

If following your footsteps will lead me to this, then damn it all. I'll find a way to break free.

The matriarch bucked her body, forcing his balance to falter. They rolled, forcing him onto the ground beneath her. The spiteful child gritted his teeth as his weight shifted over his split and cracked ribs, but he did not cry out. Regaining his senses, he latched onto her hips with his legs in a vicelike grip.

I can't let you do this. There's too much undone, too many wrongs to right.

The words came out through snarled teeth as he tightened his legs, and thrust his head forward. He was aiming for her neck...if it came to it, he would drink her into torpor to break free.