Welcome to Gaia! ::

(( I basically asked for clarification on:

- Defended how?
- Did it hit and if so, where? ))

(( Aye, but they'd definitely lodge in vines... and I never really gave much thought as to whether or not it mattered if the arrow actually stayed in.

10-15' is the radius. I doubt the Embrace has 40' arms. ))

(( Because basically my thought process was this:

You snag an arrow in the vines. You snag another. You get struck by another. Or however it is that they were deflected/guarded despite being a pretty easy target. Now you've got a buffer zone to where it really has no real ability to defend itself.

Then he shoots Qwy in the face.

No magic, no magic wood, and he suffocates in his wooden tomb.

Hence why all the arrows were aimed at Qwy. Each one chips away at the ability to defend itself, and once the antimagic finally takes out the 'brain' there is nothing to control the Embrace, which means it does nothing more than a normal tree... sit there and waft in the breeze. ))

(( ...I have no idea what to say to that. I don't see an edit in the last IC post, so... should I just go ahead and do some fisting or what? ))

[edit] The boy drew and fired another arrow at the heart of the beast, seeing the opportunity to do so as it slowed. He also stepped in, however, attempting to put distance between himself and whatever adverse effects the ball of green fire may rain down upon him in retribution. [/edit]

Kenji had fought against Qwy in the first round, and had watched as the Tree Mecha had been grown and used. It was through Kenji's observations that Hikaru was able to make his attacks so tactically - a proper strategist uses reconnaissance to his utmost advantage, after all. Through Kenji Hikaru had learned the location of the 'control box' of the Embrace, and through his own divine archery he had planned to disable it and remove man from machine.

And this was the end of the filler text.

Hikaru... used his powers of observation?

The Embrace seemed to be dead, or dying. Paralyzed and hopefully would remain that way. The ball of greenfire was just that, a ball of green fire that had embedded itself in the wall. He could see nothing past it, and only assumed that the attack that had 'failed' before had been a persistent one.

He drew back the string of his bow; leaving the head and shaft of an arrow set against it with the faux fletching between his fingertips. The crystaline arrow held there, waiting for Hikaru to release it or to do something else, but the light within two feet of the bow seemed to dim a few shades as a large amount of the ambient light was drawn into the crystal.

The boy knew his priorities. The first was addressing the issue of what these things were.

If they were an attack, they would be moving towards him, if they were not, they would simply be moving about of their own accord. His first action would be to address this question; whether or not they looked like they were attacking.

If they were not, he would hold his ground and do his best to watch them.

If they were, he would again, act upon priority. The sphere on the (left) was moving faster than that on the (right), and in a much more predictable pattern of movement. Due to the speed and the direct movement, it would reach him much sooner than the other. In response the boy would hastily put the crystaline arrow between his teeth and draw another wooden one from his quiver. He would align a shot, aim, and fire. Should the arrow pierce the ball of flame it would more than likely be snuffed out due to the aura of magic suppression present in the arrow.

After a glance upwards at the third ball, revealing that it was still only ascending, the boy would take to flight; backpedaling to extend the time before the ball of green fire would close the distance between them, and knocking another arrow in preparation. As soon as it came close enough so that he was sure he would be able to hit before it zagged in another direction, the boy would fire, with the same intended results as the first.

Knocking a third arrow, Hikaru would then draw the bowstring, but not aim, nor fire. He would hold it at the ready and watch the fireball in the sky for what actions it might take... and would move back to his position near the front of the Embrace.

(( Arrows used so far: 8 ))

Hikaru would then, as he had said, be holding his ground with the crystaline arrow drawn in the bow. Always watching, but not acting yet. Patience was a virtue... especially when one had no idea what the other might be doing. Attacking relentlessly worked more often than not, but only when one had that option.