Like her, this man had the endurance of titanium. He hardly reacted when her attacks succeeded. Yet, he immediately bounced back with his own. Unbalanced by the grapple, Felicity was flung back as he raised his weapons. As she was falling, her upper body was exposed to anything to come. Felicity winced, bringing her arms over her face.

The maces creamed into her chest, sending her barreling into the ground. Felicity choked, spit flying from her mouth as the stone floor cracked beneath her. Her vlince gambeson did well in cushioning the deadliness of the blows, but her eyes watered from how her chest felt like it imploded. She had bones of metal, and a body built to survive nearly anything. Yet, she was winded on the ground for that moment, sunlight blinding her eyes.

Should I use them?

Should she use her powers? Her radiation poisoning and nuclear energy could easily throw the monster off as she regained her footing. She placed her bottom lip between her teeth. Just this once?

Then, all the times she had relied on that power in the past replayed in her mind. No. Not even once this time. She let go of the bite on her lip, leaving her skin unbroken. She would win this, even as her body screamed in pain. She would win this with only her skills and smarts.

Felicity reached down and unlatched her pouch. On her command, the telepathically controlled bluebird flew out and darted for her grim opponent. Flying around, evading, she ordered the bird to keep him distracted, but not attack, as she slowly pushed herself up.

Rubble and pebbles fell from her frame. She could feel that a bone disk had been misplaced in the bludgeoning. Felicity reached up and snapped the plate back where it should be, hissing in a desperate struggle not to scream. She wimpered, struggling to control the bird as she wiped the tears from her eyes. Then, she did the marvelous. She stood up.

She hissed, hunkered over as she reached for the swords at her side. She drew Heart, as well as the prevalida sword Splicer. Holding the weapons threateningly up in a challenge, she caused the bird to levitate between them as she hissed.

"I don't know who or what you are. But I've been through hell, I've lost everything over and over. I'm the rejected, the outcast, the broken reforged. You need to try harder to kill me!"

Felicity glared at her opponent, declaring her resolve, "I am Felicity Rhyolite! Apprentice of Shinsou Vaan Osiris and warrior of the Brotherhood of Castigers! I am the neanderthal hybrid, the abomination! I am the ultimate survivor, and I won't lose!"

She remained steadfast. She ordered her bird to directly dart towards her opponent now. She wanted the metal bird to slam into his frame, like the maces had slammed into her's.