Third Place: Asukastrikes v Zephyriah

[Max Dirks]

The battle begins tomorrow at 12 AM EST. Good luck!

[AsukaStrikes]

The fight with Letho Ravenheart was swift and painful, as far as Asuka could recall. Grainy sand. Gruesome corpses of gulls flakked by shrapnel shots. Red drips of liquid bundled into cute tiny marbles. Sweat. Stinging sweat.

Hot blood.

It had been so long anyone had managed to actually make the lass bleed and feel angry about it. Since the day her father died. Since the day she forsakened her feelings of attachment to Akashima. Since the day she left for the outside world.

But where am I? The redhead girl wondered as she looked around the ominous void, her eyes meeting only darkness. A shiny object darted out from the deep abyss and sliced open her right arm, drawing a warm stream of red fluid as it whizzed by. Asuka instinctively clamped her hand hard on the wound, trying to stop the bleeding in futility despite the complete lack of pain. Another whoosh caught the girl's attention and her head snapped away from the unrealistic cut. What was that? Somebody's there? Where?

The sound of metal slicing wind drew the girl closer to the source, her right hand moving to draw Kazeryu out from its sheath. What is tha-

Asuka froze when her eyes met the fearsome gaze of her previous opponent. But it did not belong to the dark swordsman she had fought earlier. In fact, she didn't believe for a single second those eyes belonged to anything short of a blood-thristy demon. But she didn't even have time to rationalize his existence when the whooshing sound suddenly changed into the sound of steel rending through flesh.

Her flesh.

Asuka was struck dumb as the fine dehlar gunblade sliced her petite form clean through the waist, cleaving the young girl into two. She stared wide-eye into the swordsman's triumphant malicious smirk, his razor-sharp canines portraying the demonic creature within without a doubt as she landed heavily on the cold, hard ground. The lass opened her mouth and hollered, cringing from the nonexistant pain. But not a sound escaped her throat but wind.

Wha- wha- what's wrong- with me-

She couldn't feel her legs at all. But she could see her left arm writhing at her feet. Asuka's sword hand hung idly in front of the girl's eyes - clinging to the sheathed Kazeryu still attached to her upright waist. But no torso. There was nothing from the waist up except the stream of liquid gushing forth and filling her vision with crimson.

ahh- ahh- ahh~...

"AAAAAHHH!!!"

Bolting upright in a comfy bed, the swordsmaiden found herself clutching the torn bedsheets in her cringing bandaged hands. Sweat drained down her scarlet bangs and dripped through a hole in the sheet, soiling the fresh bandage on her stomach. The windows were opened and a light breeze swept into the homely shelter, cooling her fever brows. She sat there staring down at herself, panting uncontrollably as a horrendous banshee scream echoed through the night, followed by an ominous hush of silence.

It wasn't long until the sound of footsteps racing up the stairs could be heard outside her room. The simple oak door slammed open with the velocity only a gale was capable of accomplishing, followed by the imposing shadow of a burly man, a petite young girl and some bald guy with thick spectacles. Asuka stared hard at the figures pouring into the room as her eyes strained against the light coming from the lantern in the large man's hand.

"Hey, missy. You alright?" The musclar one asked while the lady, sporting a large white hat and blonde curls went about and prepared a cool towel. The bald man fumbled with the contents of his hand bag and fished out a crude lense attached to a stick. "We heard ye scream so we came as fast as we could."

"What are you talking about, old man? And where in the name of-" She budged forward in an attempt to snag the huge man's shirt collar but winced back at the sharp jolt intruding her lower torso. The pain nearly knocked her unconscious as Baldie and Blondie hurried to her side while she laborously slid under the damp linen covers.

What's going on?!? Who are these peolpe?!?

"Hey, missy, easy! Ye ain't wanna move too much er else that thing'll open uppa whalloper!" Baldie exclaimed frantically, examining the swordsmaiden's exposed body with the strange glass tool. Asuka was completely unaware that someone had taken her leather armour off up until now and the only thing keeping her from wandering around naked was a layer of linen strips covering her lower region all the way up to her unimpressive breasts. Instinctively, her left hand whipped out and caught the old man's face with a backhand strike, knocking off a few of that old fool's teeth.

"Whoa, bonnie. Easy with the brawlin' there." Bear spoke up once again and was met by an angry emerald glare.

"What have you done to me." Her voice was quiet but forceful, causing the guy to back away nervously. Even Blondie nervously crept away from the redhead's bedside. "Answer me.

"I, er, we- We found you o'er by the beach when tha battle was over. 'Tween you an' that big guy with two humongous swords. Letho, yeah. That's 'im. We thought you'd be dead when the fight was over but you wasn't."

"I was the one who took your armour off an' dressed your wounds." Blondie piped up, still very nervous about her patient. "An' we called on Doc Albert ta give ye medicines."

"'Twas a nasty gash as well, young'n." Doc Albert sputtered as he examined his broken specs and teeth, collecting them as he continued. "If I wasn't here, you'd prolly be dead already."

What?

"Doc!" Blondie exclaimed, trying to hush the nonchalant practitioner.

"Yea, a terrible wound indeed. Purdy deep in that tummy o' yours there."

Asuka touched her bandaged stomach with quaking hands. What... happened... here...? Her eyes widened with disbelief at the next few words carelessly spouted from the doctor's mouth.

"So I had ta take out tha destroyed womb or else it'll rot inside and kill ye in a couple a' dayz. Ain't you glad I was around?"

You... what...? The Akashiman's hand shook uncontrollably as her mind feebly attempted to grasp the exact meaning of his words. "You... what?"

The first one was small and surprised. A few seconds later, the lass painfully got up and wobbled over to the unattentive doctor, eyes flaring with hatred. The other two frightened people cowered on the opposite side of Asuka's bed as she snatched the bald man's tiny throat, crushing his windpipe with unholy rage and screamed into his cringing face.

"You... WHAT?!?"

~~~

The early evening winds rushed up to meet Asuka as she trudged through the dusty street, eyeing her surrounding with contempt. Not a soul in sight... Feh. These people probably knew better than to stay here. Wooden boards decorated every single window in haphazard patterns within this lifeless town to the southeast of Serenti. I took her a great deal of foot travel to finally reach this place, two and a half days to be exact. And by now, the golden orb was sinking slowly to her back as the heavens pulled its deep purple blanket over the restless world below.

Taking refuge at an abandoned porch, Asuka leaned back on the creaky wooden support and closed her eyes, listening to the voices of the wind blowing from the east. However, the turmoil within her heat remained.

That idiot... She couldn't believe her mind that the stupid excuse for a doctor removed her only tie to motherhood. But at the least he did save her life, and the wound healed nicely as well, so she helped him in return by launching the bald man through the opened window to a quick, painless death. She couldn't remember where he landed and was not interested in finding out.

That murderer... Letho... Ravenheart... She couldn't believe the sullen and tired buffoon had the nerve to inflict a mortal wound to her as fatal as this. Obviously the man could've finished her off when she was still down but had displayed some form of discretion, as she later contemplated. But nonetheless he also took away her only link to being a woman. You... You'lll pay for this curse...

Hot tears streamed from the young girl's closed eyelids, feebly trying to hold back the bitter flavor in her throat. Trying in futility to rationalize her future. Trying to no ends to deny the truth.

Then, she remembered her wish back in that mansion, the events that played out before her battle with Zieg. She had forsakened her family. Who needs a family... I said that... I actually said that... No longer able to withstand the flood of emotion at the realization of her wish, the swordsmaiden broke down and cuddled into her knees, wailing at the empty night creeping slowly over the rickety ghost town around her.

Asuka finally understood the meaning of an ancient Akashiman proverb: "Beware your tongue for what the mind wishes." But she had to learn it the hard way.

[Zephyriah]

Behind the closed door of an executive office on one of the higher floors of the P3 establishment, I found myself surrounded by the ever loathsome black suited men. There were approximately ten of them, all identical save for the few that were of darker, chestnut skin color. Their eyes were hidden behind a pair of sleek sunglasses, which added to the enigmatic persona of this professional sect. But they were nothing but henchmen. Individuals stationed strategically in a square formation around me in order to ensure that nothing got out of hand while their boss met with me.
In appearance, he seemed more nonchalant and carefree than his subordinates; an elderly gentlemen with wild, unkempt whitish gray hair, donning a white mink and a navy blue jumpsuit underneath. Quite the ridiculous visage, but I dared not let my guard decrease. He was their leader for a reason, and much like anyone that possessed a great deal of strength, he sought to hide his true nature, whatever that was, from not only me but his employees.

There’d been silence amongst us all for twenty-seven, long uncomfortable minutes. My eyes wandered, making sure that ever second or so, these lavender eyes embedded in my head glanced at each of my surrounding enemies. However, sitting behind a perfectly polished oak desk with papers neatly stacked upon it, the eccentric looking “boss” simply stared at me, never gazing elsewhere. His brownish pink lips had curved upward, displaying this smile that was a cross between maniacal, and a look of pure exaltation. Such an expression was furthering my already precarious state. If he wanted to say something to me, he would’ve already done it by now. Just what was he waiting for?

Suddenly, a yawn coming from the mink wearing elderly fellow had snapped the silence, drawing all attention to him. “Zephyriah…..do you know why you’re here?” He simply stated, as if this were some simple business transaction.
“I don’t know. How about you tell me since you had your thugs forcibly bring me up here.” The thought of that still irked me, but it was greatly suppressed by the astonishment that such attention had been drawn to me shortly after the start of the bout between Storm and I.
“Thugs? My men were simply doing their job. If memory serves me correctly, your actions were more akin to that of a thug. Were you not about to slaughter those fifty or so men and women right within our own lobby?”

“Keyword: about to. They were coming after me, interfering in my fight with Storm, so naturally that made them eligible to die by the might of my sword. Surely you understand.” I sized up the older man, yet stopping when my eyes set upon the man’s big, scarred hands. The gashes that’d long healed up were indeed deep back when they were fresh, for the healing process that did once take place left ghastly lacerations that slightly elevated as skin would do suffering from burn marks. Upon seeing me stare at his healed wounds though, he held them up proudly in front of my face as if they were gold first place trophies.

“I used to be like you long ago. Young, brash, and hard-headed. But after countless battles, killings, and other kinds of problems, I learned that there is a better way to fight…..and it’s with your wallet.”

“Huh?” I uttered, confused as to what the elderly man was yapping about.

“Money can demand power and respect much fast and more effectively than any brawl can. I do whatever is necessary to increase financials, and I know just and how under almost any type of situation,” Pausing, the boss took a sip of some clear carbonated liquid sitting in his wine glass. “What you did today boosted our rating tremendously. I don’t recall a time when a competitor had actually drew the common spectator into the battle. It was raw and it was edgy. Somebody like you is just what we need make the Serenti tournament even more lucrative than it already is.”

“So you’re suggesting that I threaten the lives of spectators in order to make more money for you and this tournament?”

“No, no, no. What I’m saying is that I want you as an active presence in this tournament at all times. You’ve struck fear into the heart of the people, but also intrigue. They love to see one who is rough around the edges; cold and calculating. For that reason, I would be honored if you participating in the third place match against Asuka Murakama.”

“Third place match? Are you kidding me!? I don’t do things just because other people want me to. I work on my own terms, and nothing else.” I leaned back in my chair and threw my head up in roaring laughter. My voice rang throughout the entire office, penetrating the ears of the black suited fellows that stood around me, as well as the older gentlemen seated in front of me. However, his nonchalant attitude had now grown very solemn, almost to the point where he was desperately holding back deep seeded rage that’d just now climbed its way to the surface. “You might want to reconsider Zephyriah.” The boss smiled, before signaling to one of his stooges to play a video on the PictaBox. The images were static at first, but clarity quickly set in. Yet what I saw was something that I thought I’d never be faced with again.

“Mother!!” She was in some squalid dungeon, chained and surrounded by the entrails of humans that’d once been tortured to death.

“Hahaha! Does the mighty Zephyriah have a soft spot?”

“You had better release her from wherever it is that you’re holding her or else it will be your blood that is upon my sword!!” Springing forth from my seat, I collared the older fellow from over his own table. The black suits rushed to break my hold on him, but their leader calmly waved them off.

“It has always been too easy to get you Einylin dogs aroused. Each one of you are nothing but hot-tempered fools….the scum of Mal-Sin.”

“Y…You…why do you call me…Einylin?” That word alone was sharper than any two-edged sword for I remember an extremely formidable foe called Atsui calling me by that unfamiliar term.
“Heh, you shouldn’t be worried about that. After all, you’re mother is being held in our custody. Now, you will compete in that match unless you want your mother gutted right before your eyes!!”
My fingers had loosened the grip around the old man’s mink collar, realizing that he had the upper hand for now. All that there was to do was to do as I was instructed; risking mother’s life over my brashness was not worth it.
Picking “Nothing” from up off of the azure carpet, I left the office without saying another word.

* *
“Boss, how in the world were you able to get Zephyriah to comply so easily?” One of the henchmen said, after Zephyriah had exited.

“Do not concern yourself with such matters for it is well beyond your understanding. Just know that Zephyriah is fully understands power when he feels it.”

* *

[Abandoned Town, sunset]

According to the directions given to me just as I left the Piston’s Pleasure Palace, this rickety, dilapidated eye sore was the spot scheduled to act as the battlefield for my opponent and I. It was vast, yet congested at the same time, causing one to increase his guard, unaware of what could be lurking around the dusty, dark alleyways. However, I could not work up the proper concentration that was necessary if I were to truncate any preemptive attack that the enemy might try and throw my way. The weight of sorrow was heavy upon my heart over mother’s apprehension, and the weight of frustration was heavy upon my mind due to the fact that I hadn’t fulfilled my mission and ended Thoracis’ life. Nevertheless, I had to find some way to focus in on the task at hand, or else it would be my life that is claimed, thus leaving no possibility fulfill what it is that I needed to fulfill.

[AsukaStrikes]

Dust, weed and wind blew past the sullen Akashiman as she sobbed within her protective emotional barrier, blocking out her surrounding and even her own thoughts. She was afraid of it, afraid of her own thoughts about not ever being able to feel like a mother. Never to have a family. Never again.

But what, then, was her purpose in this tournament? In the first round, it was to look for the supposed Akashiman noble whom was spotted by some bystanders. That turned out to be a false lead. She was the only red-headed girl in the entire line-up. Then, in the second and third round, she thought that if she could rise through the rounds high enough, the fame would aid her in locating that sneaky noble for sure. But her dreams was cut short by the blades of a formidable giant - a demon and murderer in her eyes. So what was the point in fighting in this round anymore? What could she gain from being just third place?

If it wasn't for the sound of boots crunching against the grainy street, Asuka was sure she'd already be dead even before this bout was supposed to begin. The Akashiman immediately snapped out of her sorrows to see a shadow appearing several yards in front of her along the singular stretch of dirt, tall and lonesome just as the girl had been moments before. There was a strange, heavy feel to each step the man took - the feeling of shouldering an oppressive burden that an ordinary man would've collapsed under long ago.

However, that alone was enough to tell the swordsmaiden that her opponent has just arrived.

What's my reason for being in this hell-hole of a tournament anymore? Her thoughts drifted and swirled as the lass hastily dried her eyes and steeled her heart. If the girl was to look like she could put up a fight, she had better not let her opponent see her weak and teary.

What's my reason for fighting this fight?

"hey, you! Who goes there!" Asuka shouted at the white-clad figure while he was still a fair distance away, all the while stepping out from the porch and into the middle of the dusty road. "If you're not here for the Serenti, then you'd best leave now!"

What's my reason for being in this place? I've got nothing to gain anymore.

"Don't say I didn't warn you, stranger." The north wind breezed through the rows of houses and swept Asuka's frayed coat away from Kazeryu's hilt, the steel ring at its pommel gleaming with dull light from the waning moon.

Then again, I have nothing more to lose...

[Zephyriah]

Through the barren streets of a remnant, once vibrant town, I dragged my feet slowly as if depleted of all physical energy, yet only moving by the might of my will. Chains and weights seemed to be clamped to my ankles, seeming to grow tighter and heavier with each square inch of dry, sordid ground I covered. Nothing in my path imbued me with hope, yet only reminded me of the bleakness and emptiness of my life. The life of a criminal that’d done many horrendous deeds who’d rarely suffered the crushing pains of guilt; that was me. However, the Thaynes surely were having their day, for just punishment, just agony was falling upon my head. Similar to a criminal carrying his cross to be crucified, I carried the weight of my burden and my responsibility. This tournament was no longer about my selfish gains, but it was solely about the well being of mother.

She’d been through so much. From her womb came two sons that’d caused her nothing but trouble. Too many times she would extend her love and kindness to us, but my brother Xirei and I would always manage to disgrace her name. Her suffering is my doing. Mother screams torturously in that gloomy, somber dungeon wondering what her captors were planning on doing with her. But the captors weren’t entirely to blame; I was. My foolish ways and my lust for carnage was nothing but a cancer that started within me, and spread to those that are connected to me in some fashion.

“Mother……” the guilt was setting in. My limbs trembled as I continued on my course. The urge to simply cry was seeking to overtake me, but I would not give in to such weakness. Many other warriors had experienced similar, if not worse situations than this and were able to abolish any threat of an emotional invasion. However, I couldn’t help feeling a mixture of sadness and anger over the issue. Foolish men had the audacity to trouble those that were dear to me and they would surely pay! Vengeance would be mine, even if that meant I had to play along with their little game for the time being.

I came to a point in the town where I heard more than just the wind mischievously toppling over small, mundane furniture that’d been put out into the street long ago. There was a woman in the distance, sitting on a residential porch, calling out to me brazenly. Who in the world was she? Was she a crazy traveler? A long time denizen of the town that’d refused to leave during its time of destruction? Or was she……..

The blade in her possession answered my question….unfortunately. This pitiful woman was indeed my opponent; the one that those money hoarding, kidnapping men had scheduled me to battle. This however, only escalated my indignation. If they wanted to fatten their already wadded pockets, wouldn’t they have matched me up against someone who would actually be…..worthy!? My frustration transferred from simply residing in my mind, to coming into fruition through my actions. Sighing angrily, I stared at the girl, completely ignoring her ramblings.

“I don’t know who you are and I don’t care. You’re in my way, like a stone in a forest trail. Forfeit this match now and live. I win no prize for staining my sword with the blood of school girls.”

[AsukaStrikes]

Forfeit?!?

It was a word completely foreign to the brazen Akashiman. Living a life that always involved shoving other people away to get what she wanted, there was no backing down once the deeds were started. No way was she going to forfeit this match. Not since she had already made up her mind.

School girl?!?

This, however, was a word that wasn't exactly foreign to her. Nor was it friendly either. Asuka had her fair share of being the subject of such ridicule when she was a mere child. Those bullies and snobs, calling her a weakling. A no-show schoolgirl. A coward. The derogatory word tugged at the girl's nerves, coaxing her to dash up and slit the cur's throat open without another word.

"Oh, now you've done it." Asuka tensed up, trying to keep her temper from boiling over. There was a reason why this man was here. He defeated a great many others just as she had, with the demeanor and sullen glow in his eyes to prove. "I'll be the stone in your forest trail, alright. And I'll make sure you trip and fall!"

Another light breeze swept over the empty homes and shops, stirring dust and dried grass across the narrow strip of road. The gauntlet had been dropped and Asuka craved to be the first to draw blood.

The rush of dry, stinging wind was followed quickly by the sound of her boots against the compact dirt. Throwing her flowing jacket hems out behind her, Kazeryu slid effortlessly out of its sheath and poised ready for the strike. A mere bluff on her part, though.

The two of them were too far for Asuka's speed to be of surprise and she was sure her opponent would be able to predict her actions. She would wait, even while running, for him to initiate his attack. The logic was simple: get the opponent to open himself up, evade and then go in for the kill.

I'll show you who's the stone in the trail...

~~~[Days before the battle]~~~

"Hrrgh..."

Asuka had never felt so much pain in her life such as this, not even when she fell out of the apple tree at the back of her home. The swollen torso pushed against her tight leather armour and groaned with each step she took. Fighting stubbornly, the redhead stumbled to the tavern bar downstairs where she was hospitalized and ordered some refreshment.

"Hey, er, young missun. You'd best be drinkin' just water fer now. Ale ain't gonna help with that gash o'yours." The bartender pointed out in his ragged voice.

"Well, obviously," Asuka quipped, taking the glass of water he offered instead, "you should stop snorting that bunch of rolled weed. It's not going to help you with that throat problem."

"Harrmph. Err, aye. Mehaps yer right." He responded and went off to attend another customer. It wan't long until he returned, wiping an empty glass as he spoke.

"Yer that lass, Asuka Murakama, roight? Y'know who yer 'ponent is"

Asuka stared at him from the corner of her eye, surprised to hear her name.

"Yer moighty popular 'mong these parts nowadays. Most of us here are avid Serenti Invitational fans, y'see."

Well, this is... fantastic. She chuckled at her little fanclub, realizing that the Serenti did more than she had imagined. "So, who is my opponent for this next round?"

The bartender fiddled with his mustache for a moment before telling her it was a human-looking man by the name of Zephyriah Ablione. A formidable fighter with a string of deeds and legends, including conspiracies, to boast his prowess.

And if she was to gain any more attention from the people in power, this man might prove to be her stepping stone.

[Zephyriah]

Was the lass, standing before me who paraded around as a warrior, really serious? Did she really believe that donning a demeanor of false tranquility would cause me to think twice about the actions that I would soon take; the events that would soon transpire? I read clearly through her plans. She was terrified, yet masked it with fool’s rage fueled by the insults that I’d hurled at her earlier. The woman reminded me of a hot-tempered child with a world of passion, yet no real power at all. This most certain fact could’ve infuriated me, as it was quite apparent that yet another opponent of mine would not be able to measure of to the great power that I possessed, but previous experience with fighters like such enabled me to remain clear-headed.

“Obviously you don’t know what you’re getting yourself into, but soon you will realize that you should’ve done the wise thing and forfeited.” Smoothly pulling ‘Nothing’ from its scabbard, I pointed the blade at the school girl in a taunting way, just before placing it to my own neck, gesturing that death would come to her momentarily.

Hasty movement was desirable on my part, but despite the fact that I knew this girl could not match me in power, that didn’t mean that a careless move couldn’t turn the tides against me. Rushing forward, unable to predict the opponent’s counterattack would spell a shameful demise. Cleverness had to be the deployed weapon at this point in time; not brute force.

There was a sign composed of rusted iron and wood that hung above a decrepit store adjacent to the girl. In its ‘hay-day’ it served as a saloon, which was made apparent by the dull scent of alcohol lingering in the air, probably fleeing from the open wine barrels posted on the store’s porch, as well as up against the building. Every exterior detail of this ancient establishment was taken into my mind by way of peripheral vision, so as to not alert the female of what it was that I was planning. Not that it would’ve mattered, but taking the necessary precautions never set a warrior at a disadvantage.

Knowing that the scheme I devised would be too obvious if done in a direct fashion, I opted to dramatize this severely bleak atmosphere. “Get prepared girl! I’m going to do my worst!” I screamed, channeling electricity through my sword. Electrical tendrils soon began to spawn from the blade, snapping forward like vipers ready to sink their fangs into their prey. Running madly towards the enemy, I held ‘Nothing’ above my head, giving the impression that I would simply charge the girl head on. But upon coming within twelve feet of her, I whipped my blade towards the shoddy saloon sign, letting the tendrils latch onto it metal components. Then with a low growl, I yanked ‘Nothing’ in a horizontal manner, hoping that the wide, yet thin rusty sign would cleave the girl, thus ending this lucrative ‘game’ engineered by the corporate giants of the Pistons Pleasure Palace.

[AsukaStrikes]

Evidently her feint rush had the desired effect, coaxing the pale vagabond to respond with a head-on charge. His eyes glimmered with resolution and the desire to kill so obvious she nearly bursted out laughing. Oh, how they think so highly of themselves. Snobs and bullies. They're all so predictable. The gigantic sword weaved through the evening air like a rigid sail, illuminated by strange, white tendrils running up and down the blade.

What in Lore is that?!? Asuka wondered as the two embattled warriors closed in on each other, both eager to cleave flesh and bones. The Akashiman was going to allow Zephyriah to bear his sword onto her first, confident that she could simply side-step out of harm's way. The task surely was not of much effort, considering her lacerated thigh had completely healed by now. Still, those electrical sparks caused the lass to question the man's tactic. What is he going to do next? Joly me with lightning?

The swordsmaiden reacted almost immediately with the flick of his wrist, but her estimate was off by a wide margin. He had no intention of cleaving her from head to toe like Letho had attempted in the previous round. But rather, like his second attempt that sent her flying.

Asuka had already leapt off to her left in anticipation that his next attack would be across the body when the hybrid's tendrils hurled the saloon's rusty sign towards her. Surprised and panicking, Asuka did the one thing left in her option: Pushing off her healed left leg, the redhead lass rolled pass Zephyriah into a flashing ball of red hair and brown dust, tumbling to safety just behind his right elbow.

"That was dirty, you know that?" She winked a dust-covered eyelash at him and slashed out with Kazeryu, aiming to slice open his knee joint. If there was one thing she was good at, it would have to be disabling her opponent and going in for the easy kill. It would be too tasking for such a venture if said person could run like she could.

[Zephyriah]

There was comforting certainty in knowing that an issued attack had caught your opponent off guard. Her posture, her demeanor was much too relaxed as I ran towards her, which in had me realize that she was expecting such a maneuver. But the panic, the sheer fear that spread through her body like an infectious disease was most exhilarating to exhibit. I thought for sure that the corroded sign would whipped right through her body, leaving her lower half to fall lifelessly to the ground, the her torso to be thrown into the brick wall of a residential building. Unfortunately, things did not go according to plan, since the cunning school girl rolled beside me, seeking to serve up a counterattack. Surely if panic had seized me in the way that it’d seized her moments ago, my knee would’ve been destroyed by her calculative strike. But upon diving leftward, damage was minimal. The back of my right calf suffered injury, for I could feel the blood running down my leg. It was but a mere scratch though, a minor wound that would heal in due time.

Taking advantage of this slight moment of inactivity, I pulled down my boot sleeve and tied my white sash around the wound. This was done for several reasons. First, the obvious reason being that added pressure to my minor wound would stop the bleeding quicker, thus allowing me to concentrate solely on combat, rather than acting conservatively due to the fear of fainting as a result of too much blood loss. But the second and more important reason was because I wanted to see if this school girl was the type of fighter that I thought she was; if she was ‘disabling’ type of fighter. The mere fact that she went for my knee instead of my liver, which would’ve been easy enough to do, was a clear sign as to what kind of mentality she had. Therefore, with her seeing my ‘bandage’, perhaps it would make her future movements all the more obvious.

“So, the school girl has been trained to a certain degree,” I nonchalantly uttered, showing not the least bit of concern for her or my injury. “For your sake though, I hope you are capable of much, much more.”

My eyes set once again on the wine barrels that were on the porch of the saloon. They were nothing extraordinary, but were utilizable due to their metallic components that partially made up the design. Whipping the electric tendrils at two of the wine barrels, I lifted them aerially, skillfully spinning them. The longer this occurred, the faster the barrels spiraled. The wine inside of them could be heard sloshing around, but once its containers reached a certain velocity, the liquid pressed against the inner “walls” of the barrels by means of centrifugal force.

“Are you frightened little girl,” I taunted, adeptly guiding the barrels so that they now faced her. “You should be, because this is where it all ends. SPINNING BARRELS OF DOOM!!” Without further hesitation, the tendrils fired off the barrels like torpedoes toward the red headed female. I had to contain my laughter however, for uttering such nonsense before an attack was clearly out of character for me. But my plan wasn’t so much as to bank on the wine receptacles smashing into the girl, but to further watch her movements. She’d surprisingly dodged the sign I’d thrown at her, so if I was going to unleash my full power on this worm, I had to be sure that she didn’t have any other tricks or capabilities that would miraculously thwart what I have in store for her.

[Ashiakin]

This was the beginning of what looked to be a very good battle, so it's a pity that it didn't get finished. It's not ten posts long, so there will be no scoring and no rewards of EXP or EXP. The winner, however, will obviously be given the third place tournament rewards. I really liked how you both had the theme of motherhood/family running through your posts... It really could have been awesome if you'd gotten to a conclusion. Asuka: Excellent intro, good character and dialouge, and a skillful use of flashbacks. Zeph: Awesome job at using an event to create suspense and a plausible sense of character motivation, good strategy, and use of NPC characters. This was an extremely close battle. If it had been scored, I think there would only be a point or so difference between you two. Ultimately, Zeph's slightly better writing style pushes this match in his favor. Zephyriah wins third place!

Zephyriah receives the third place tournament rewards.