Austere
02-21-12, 10:43 PM
Vera "Raikou Tora" Kyun
General Description
Vera is a woman of twenty and seven years. She possesses relatively fair skin in comparison to others with deeply set and lazy, narrow eyes. Her eyes are clouded and murky white, the result of events in her past which she is reluctant to reveal, generally speaking. The left side of Vera's face is a mangled patch of burnt skin, extending from her ear nearly to her nose, making one of her eyes more deeply shut than the other. Her gaze is unsettling and unwavering, revealing very little except for her cold and calculating nature. Many Althanians who encounter Vera mistake this cold and calculating appearance for anger, resent, or envy, which is a facade that Vera will often employ to her advantage.
Her hair is an auburn so deep that it is seemingly black, when not in the light. It is long and frames her face in a dark but oddly attractive manner, with a long bang that falls to cover some of the scars encroaching on the left side of her otherwise fair face. Within this frame is a sharply set nose, untouched by the scars and as such the only part of her face completely unaffected by her aesthetic ailment. Under her nose is a mouth set with a serious and seductive set of lips. The normally serious expression is forced into a smirk on the left side by the glossy scar tissue, giving the impression that Vera is always slightly amused with the happenings around her.
The half-ravaged face sits atop a lithe and athletic body. Toned from many years of martial training, Vera's muscles bulge ever-so-slightly from underneath her fair skin. Overall, Vera's figure is very typical of a Corone-born human. Her well-toned body is accompanied by a set of hips and breasts that would be suitable for child-bearing. These attributes are often overlooked due to the abnormality of her facial injury.
A Brief History
How... Vera believed she had understood the technique she observed before her, until she had attempted the replication of it herself.
The thunderous boom of her master's fist echoed through the canyon. In a small niche in Northern Corone, lay a small temple built of light stone, deep within a canyon. It was weathered from years of wear and tear by the strong gusts of wind that came with the changing of seasons, particularly in the transition from summer to fall. Around the temple was a cascade of grass and trees for as far as the eye could clearly discern. Beyond that, it was only jagged, hard rock which was cut only by a strong flow of water from which the inhabitants of the temple drew their sustenance.
Before Vera stood her master and her fellow student Raz, though with his back turned. Their master's lips were smiling at her, but his eyes gave away what he was truly feeling about her failure to achieve any discernible results. Outside, on the training grounds, a second thunderous sound roared. Raz has succeeded in replicating their master's technique, smashing one of the grey boulders placed for the purpose of this exercise. In back of the master were ten more boulders, all relatively large and cylindrical in shape. Raz stood before two of them, one obliterated by their master's hand, the other destroyed, though in larger chunks, by Raz himself. Vera felt her throat and stomach tighten in nervous anticipation of the scolding she was sure to receive from her master.
"You must harmonize the charges, Vera. You can never complete the lightning fist with such weak inner-energy control." The old man said with his usual stern and cold tone." Do your breathing exercises again." The smile disappeared from his face. Vera's master had a hard gaze with shallow but very strong eyes that shone a unique shade of vermillion. Unlike most men his age, his eyes were not glazed over and he had more wits about him than most who were thirty years younger. Although he was at the peak of his martial arts, wrinkles covered his weathered face like a crumpled piece of parchment. He turned toward Raz and walked to him, speaking in a hushed tone. Vera could not make out the words, so instead she sat and crossed her legs, folding her hands into the complicated pattern required for the exercise. She could still make out the light around her as her eyes closed and her breathing slowed. Inhale, exhale. Vera knew the method and could easily gather her energy to her core, where it would be dispersed to the rest of her body. The trouble was controlling all the wild, violent inner-energy that she gathered. It was like a hurricane inside of her at times, a result of her impure lineage, Raz had told her.
A number of hours passed and Vera's eyes began to peek open, her master and fellow student nowhere in sight. She could feel the energy raging inside her, gathered from the tenuous streams throughout her body into a large mass of pure force. It pushed at her abdomen and created a queasy feeling that was not unlike the feeling before vomiting. Her master had taught her the method to control the energy. She knew it. But knowing the method and putting it to the test were two completely different ends of the spectrum. Vera stood and began stalking toward one of the boulders, gathering the energy in her fist, trying to keep it all together. Her vision began to sharpen and she focused on the point where she would let her fist impact the rock. She could feel the force gathering in her arm and pushed it outward toward her fingers, trying with all her might to keep it there.
A small, white fist flashed out from her body. It made contact with the rock and there was a moment of silence, then a loud crack as the boulder began to split in half, each half falling to its respective side. I made progress, finally!
Seven years later...
Taking a half-step to the left, Vera dodged the large fist plummeting at her from an angle slightly above her field of vision. Raz was beginning to tire and the sparring match was now leaning in her favor. The dodge created an opening, Vera grabbed Raz's wrist with her right hand, pulled it further past her and jabbed with her fingers into his ribcage. The resounding crack of bone that resulted was a satisfying result. Raz's legs flew out from under him, flailing like a ragdoll while Vera held his arm firmly in her grasp. The thud of him falling to the floor was a sign that she had won the match. Over the years, Vera had gained control of her energy beyond that of Raz, surpassing him and creating a fierce rivalry between the two students.
"Well done." The master of lightning approached from the place he had been observing from, his gait considerably slower than it had been a few years ago. He was aging.
Vera turned toward him and bowed. "Thank you."
Raz tried to stand and moaned at the pain in his side, sweat beading on his forehead, threatening to wet his eyebrows. Vera turned and clasped his bicep, helping him return to his feet. The look in Raz's eyes was one of contempt, his cold, blue eyes glaring at her own. It was midsummer and the wind that blew was hot and carried the smell of weeds and murky river water with it. The trees blew gently in the mucky, wet breeze. Vera appreciated the conditions, it made Raz tire out faster than her, as her body was slender and lithe, where his was bulky and muscular. They both now wore the attire of adepts of their master's art. The attire included a set of fairly loose pants that were milky white in color, a light jacket that was a deep violet, which Vera adorned over a black, sleeveless top that clung to her body tightly. She had finally made their master proud by beating Raz in a sparring match, it was the first they had since she had seemingly gained the upper hand in their practice exercises.
"It was a fluke, master. The conditions are in her favor..." Raz spit out blood as he spoke, the red littering the tan stone on which the trio stood.
"Do you think that you will always fight in ideal conditions, boy? You should fight accordingly. When you expend your energy too fast, you tire fast, that is a basic principle that you seem to have forgotten." Their master's gaze was hard and Raz's was just as hard right back at the master, a stare that was framed by his square and sturdy face. "I taught you this and ingrained it into the very essence of your fighting style, you forget yourself out of the emotions you feel toward Vera. Let this be a lesson." Their master turned away and began to walk toward the shaded patio where he had been observing with a guest, which was a rare occurrence.
Vera vaguely recognized the man from her youth, he had platinum hair that was slicked back and framed a hard, angular face that resembled a wild cat of sorts. His attire was like theirs, but instead of a violet jacket, he wore a deep crimson one, with no shirt underneath. This revealed a toned and muscular body that was obviously the result of hard training, much like Raz's own core. He sat lazily in one of two wicker chairs under the shaded patio sipping on a glass of water. Their master approached the man and he stood, the man towered over the master, who was already considerably tall. The two turned and began to walk toward Vera and Raz, who were quietly observing the scene. As they approached, Vera could see that his eyes gleamed a deep brown with flecks of red, making it seem as if his eyes themselves were small embers. When he was about two arm lengths away he bowed deeply.
"Hello, I am the Ka Ryu, but please just call me Myun." As he stood erect from his bow, his eyes met Vera's own, a warm gaze that was unlike was she was used to from the only two men around her. The fire drake's eyes were filled with kindness and warmth.
"I have invited Ka Ryu here to spar with one of you, and since Raz's body is hurt, it will be you, Vera." Their master spoke slowly, becoming sluggish in the heat in his old age.
"Master.. how can you possibly think one victory makes her capable of beating someone of his caliber?" Raz's voice was filled with disgust and he spat more blood onto the ground. Funny that it matches the color of Ka Ryu's jacket. Vera thought to herself.
"It will be as I say, Raz, you have lost and you are injured. Go inside and reflect on your loss so that you may improve yourself further." The master's voice was stern this time, he was making effort to have to say it only once. Raz's face turned a light pink and he turned, embarrassed, and stomped off toward the inner rooms of the temple. The fire drake chuckled and looked over Vera.
"You know, Raz might be right, you're so thin that I think I could break you like a twig!" Myun was taunting but it was in a tone that Vera was not used to. Where Raz was cold and serious, this new man was warm and seemingly fun-loving, she realized he was making a jest to her. He extended his hand, "It is my honor to meet you, however, we can spar on the morrow. I'm sure that you have been tired by your fight out here in the heat with your friend."
"The honor is mine, Ka Ryu." Vera said in as pleasant a tone as she could manage, and clasped his hand in her own.
The next day...
It was a cool, crisp morning. The air was almost harsh going into Vera's nose as she ate her soup. It was her normal routine to wake very early and reflect on the previous day's happenings by herself, she felt that in this way she could improve and become a worthy successor of her master's art. She heard the slap of bare feet on the stone in back of her and turned her head to see who it was. The fire drake approached her and sat next to her with his own bowl, gazing out onto the sea of grass in front of them. He interrupted her quiet reflection, "I'm not used to this cold weather. Where I come from, just walking outside any time during the morning, and even some nights, can make a man sweat."
Vera glanced at him, realizing how handsome the man was. His angular face, though feline in nature, exuded power and confidence that hid behind gentle eyes. Her own face had some of the same characteristics, especially a sharp nose. But where his eyes were gentle, hers were cruel and hard, cold and calculating. "Why is it that we're sparring anyways, Ka Ryu?" She had been wondering for a majority of the morning why her master had given no warning of the arrival of the fire drake.
"My master told me that the lightning fist is one of the most fearsome techniques he has ever seen, apparently my master and yours had quite the rivalry when they were younger, and please call me Myun." He gently tipped the bowl of broth in his hands into his mouth, letting some of the liquid slip into his mouth.
"I just find this all very sudden, we had no warning and no time to prepare. Although I already know the basics of your art, I have never studied it extensively." Vera looked at him again, this time longer, and he met her gaze. He flashed his teeth in a big smile and laughed.
"There's no need to worry, this is just a friendly match between two peers! In fact, your master and your friend are coming right now." Vera had not realized it, being absorbed with what the fire drake was saying, but Raz and her master were very close behind them. Vera and Myun both stood and bowed to her master, who bowed in return. Raz only stood with a scornful expression making his already homely face looked even worse.
"Shall we begin this match while the sun is low below the canyon, as to avoid any disadvantages to one party?" The master of lightning spoke softly, he was tired more of the day than not lately.
"I find that quite alright, if Vera accepts." The fire drake turned toward the small figure next to him. She nodded.
The two walked apart from each other to the proper distance, turned and bowed. Myun entered his stance first. It was low, with his left foot and fist forward, his right hand tucked in closely, palm open, to his abdomen. It was a stance that allowed the opponent a narrow area to attack while also allowing the right palm to grab or strike as the practitioner saw fit. Even in the low light of the morning, the Ka Ryu seemed to shone brilliance and was seemingly a force to be reckoned with. His expression had hardened and his eyes were now more somber, it was a complete transformation in a matter of seconds. The man revealed himself to be a serious and calculative fighter in that alone. Vera recognized the expression, as it was her own as well, albeit a majority of the time.
Vera then entered her stance, a more casual version of the fire drake's own, right foot forward, with an open hand extended parallel to her leg. Her left fist was tucked in close to her core as Myun's left was. It was the polar opposite of her opponent's. Where his offensive power was in front of him, Vera's was behind. Where his defensive and grappling power was tucked beneath him, Vera's explosive offense was tucked away safely under her. The two met eyes and both knew that the fight had begun. No words needed to be said. Around Vera, all perception of her environment ceased to exist and the only object to observe was the ferocious warrior in front of her. She breathed slowly, quickly gathered her energy and pushed it into her feet, she would take the initiative in this fight. Her footwork was immaculate, she moved with blinding speed toward the Ka Ryu's left, where he would be most vulnerable. No doubt the fire drake had expected it, he expended his own energy into a quick turn to meet her assault.
What the warrior had not expected was the feint. Again, Vera shot the energy from inside of her into her legs and wrapped around him, extending her hidden fist into a fully exposed leg. Electricity flowed out of her hand and into Myun's muscle, causing a spasm that she could feel through her knuckles. However, a quick retreat was necessary, the fire drake had a great amount of reach compared to the petite body of Vera. Her Shuurai had been successful. The drake fell on one knee and groaned. His face hardened and his gaze became far more ferocious than Vera had ever seen even Raz's or her master's.
Then she felt heat, a presence unlike that she had ever experienced in her twenty and four years. This heat was followed by a thunderous roar and a blinding white light that forced her eyes shut.
When her eyes tried to open, she found that they were covered in cloth tightly wrapped around her face. The throbbing pain in her face forced her eyes to squeeze shut, she could vaguely hear voices outside but there was no way to discern what was being said.
When she awoke next it was to the gentle shaking of Myun's hand on her shoulder. Vera's eyes tried to focus on the room around her but they would not cooperate with her brain. The left side of her head throbbed and ached like before, but this time it was more of a dull ache. She attempted to sit up but was gently held down by the hand of Myun, who she could vaguely make out. The door to her right opened and she saw Raz walk in with a grim expression. The fire drake turned around and chatted in a hushed tone with Raz and then exited the room promptly. Raz pulled up a chair and sat next to her, as he approached Vera could vaguely make out the details of his physical condition. She let out a gasp of surprise when it came to light that there was a stump where Raz's left arm had been. He began before she could ask any questions, "Ka Ryu's rage got out of control, if I hadn't stopped him, you would have lost your life. The master is going to become one with the world again soon and wants me to bring you so that you may have the title of Raikou Tora, the lightning tiger. Let's go." Raz helped Vera out of her bed with his good arm.
"What exactly happened to my face? I haven't seen it, I only know it has bandages on it." Vera reached up with her left hand to touch it, but Raz stopped her with the snap of his voice.
"Don't. You are severely burned. The Ka Ryu's assault was more ferocious than anything I have ever seen, the master and I both stepped in to keep you from dying, do not concern yourself with that now. Your wounds are not healed enough to take the bandages off."
The rest of the trip to their master was carried out in complete silence. When they arrived, they found their master sitting and doing his breathing techniques. His eyes crept open as his students entered. "You have come Vera, that is good." The master of lightning stood and approached Vera, "Are you prepared to become the next Raikou Tora? My days on this world are limited, it is time to pass it on, and Raz has lost an arm, the privilege and responsibility falls on you now. However, there is one final challenge that you must overcome if you are to earn the inheritance of this martial art."
"I am prepared for whatever you would have me do." Vera responded, bowing deeply.
"Then kneel."
She knelt. Her master put an index finger on each of her temples and spoke, "I, Ma-guyong, give you your final challenge as it was given to me." The sudden jolt of pain was like that of the Ka Ryu's ferocious assault but only on the inside of her body. Vera let out a shriek of agony as her inner energy raged inside of her. She could feel the pathways narrowing like clogged veins. She could feel her energy beginning to constrict and clog. Again, she fell unconscious.
When she awoke, her master was standing in the same spot as he had been when she knelt to him. He spoke once again, "This is your final challenge Vera. You must repair your closed energy pathways and re-discover yourself in the process. It is a long and arduous journey, as well as cruel, but it is one you must walk to become Raikou Tora, the lightning tiger. You may come back here when you have completed this task."
This is where her journey to the outside world began...
Skills:
Martial arts: Vera's martial arts ability, despite her energy pathways being closed, is still above average.
Reasoning: Vera's ability to discern details, deductively reason, and strategize has been developed to a level that is above that of the average combat specialist, this is something that was unaffected by the loss of her energy pathways.
Abilities:
Note: all of Vera's abilities rely on her inner energy, which has been severely hindered. Her ability to control lightning is under the premise of the 'eastern' view of the elements of the world. Those being water, fire, earth, wood (also encompasses air), and metal (includes electrical charges). These are tapped by one's inner energy, in theory. Also, because her energy does not flow well, this creates a barrier to her ability use, generally speaking, she can utilize her abilities up to about five times per day total (assuming the circumstances are relatively stable, one to two less times if used in combat against an even opponent), in any combination (for example, two Shuurai and three Inadzuma, or five Inadzuma alternatively, etc).
Shuurai (lightning strike): This is the ability to channel inner energy into a limb and create a severe spasm upon contact with another person's body. Because of her current state, this ability does very little damage and can only cause a limb to feel like it has fallen asleep for a period of about ten seconds.
Inadzuma (flash of lightning): This is the ability to channel inner energy to a particular area of the body to enhance the speed of its motion, such as when she "flashed" to her opponent in the history. Because of her severely lessened state of energy flow, this ability allows her to seemingly "flash" within about a two foot radius, and only sparingly.
Hiraishin (lightning rod): This is the ability to manifest lightning outside of the body. With her current level of energy flow, this ability is completely dormant and useless to her.
Raiden (thunder created by lightning): This is the ability to essentially take Hiraishin a step further and use the created lightning and produce a sonic boom that can send an opponent flying. Just as the ability needed to create this boom, this ability is dormant and useless to her at this time.
General Description
Vera is a woman of twenty and seven years. She possesses relatively fair skin in comparison to others with deeply set and lazy, narrow eyes. Her eyes are clouded and murky white, the result of events in her past which she is reluctant to reveal, generally speaking. The left side of Vera's face is a mangled patch of burnt skin, extending from her ear nearly to her nose, making one of her eyes more deeply shut than the other. Her gaze is unsettling and unwavering, revealing very little except for her cold and calculating nature. Many Althanians who encounter Vera mistake this cold and calculating appearance for anger, resent, or envy, which is a facade that Vera will often employ to her advantage.
Her hair is an auburn so deep that it is seemingly black, when not in the light. It is long and frames her face in a dark but oddly attractive manner, with a long bang that falls to cover some of the scars encroaching on the left side of her otherwise fair face. Within this frame is a sharply set nose, untouched by the scars and as such the only part of her face completely unaffected by her aesthetic ailment. Under her nose is a mouth set with a serious and seductive set of lips. The normally serious expression is forced into a smirk on the left side by the glossy scar tissue, giving the impression that Vera is always slightly amused with the happenings around her.
The half-ravaged face sits atop a lithe and athletic body. Toned from many years of martial training, Vera's muscles bulge ever-so-slightly from underneath her fair skin. Overall, Vera's figure is very typical of a Corone-born human. Her well-toned body is accompanied by a set of hips and breasts that would be suitable for child-bearing. These attributes are often overlooked due to the abnormality of her facial injury.
A Brief History
How... Vera believed she had understood the technique she observed before her, until she had attempted the replication of it herself.
The thunderous boom of her master's fist echoed through the canyon. In a small niche in Northern Corone, lay a small temple built of light stone, deep within a canyon. It was weathered from years of wear and tear by the strong gusts of wind that came with the changing of seasons, particularly in the transition from summer to fall. Around the temple was a cascade of grass and trees for as far as the eye could clearly discern. Beyond that, it was only jagged, hard rock which was cut only by a strong flow of water from which the inhabitants of the temple drew their sustenance.
Before Vera stood her master and her fellow student Raz, though with his back turned. Their master's lips were smiling at her, but his eyes gave away what he was truly feeling about her failure to achieve any discernible results. Outside, on the training grounds, a second thunderous sound roared. Raz has succeeded in replicating their master's technique, smashing one of the grey boulders placed for the purpose of this exercise. In back of the master were ten more boulders, all relatively large and cylindrical in shape. Raz stood before two of them, one obliterated by their master's hand, the other destroyed, though in larger chunks, by Raz himself. Vera felt her throat and stomach tighten in nervous anticipation of the scolding she was sure to receive from her master.
"You must harmonize the charges, Vera. You can never complete the lightning fist with such weak inner-energy control." The old man said with his usual stern and cold tone." Do your breathing exercises again." The smile disappeared from his face. Vera's master had a hard gaze with shallow but very strong eyes that shone a unique shade of vermillion. Unlike most men his age, his eyes were not glazed over and he had more wits about him than most who were thirty years younger. Although he was at the peak of his martial arts, wrinkles covered his weathered face like a crumpled piece of parchment. He turned toward Raz and walked to him, speaking in a hushed tone. Vera could not make out the words, so instead she sat and crossed her legs, folding her hands into the complicated pattern required for the exercise. She could still make out the light around her as her eyes closed and her breathing slowed. Inhale, exhale. Vera knew the method and could easily gather her energy to her core, where it would be dispersed to the rest of her body. The trouble was controlling all the wild, violent inner-energy that she gathered. It was like a hurricane inside of her at times, a result of her impure lineage, Raz had told her.
A number of hours passed and Vera's eyes began to peek open, her master and fellow student nowhere in sight. She could feel the energy raging inside her, gathered from the tenuous streams throughout her body into a large mass of pure force. It pushed at her abdomen and created a queasy feeling that was not unlike the feeling before vomiting. Her master had taught her the method to control the energy. She knew it. But knowing the method and putting it to the test were two completely different ends of the spectrum. Vera stood and began stalking toward one of the boulders, gathering the energy in her fist, trying to keep it all together. Her vision began to sharpen and she focused on the point where she would let her fist impact the rock. She could feel the force gathering in her arm and pushed it outward toward her fingers, trying with all her might to keep it there.
A small, white fist flashed out from her body. It made contact with the rock and there was a moment of silence, then a loud crack as the boulder began to split in half, each half falling to its respective side. I made progress, finally!
Seven years later...
Taking a half-step to the left, Vera dodged the large fist plummeting at her from an angle slightly above her field of vision. Raz was beginning to tire and the sparring match was now leaning in her favor. The dodge created an opening, Vera grabbed Raz's wrist with her right hand, pulled it further past her and jabbed with her fingers into his ribcage. The resounding crack of bone that resulted was a satisfying result. Raz's legs flew out from under him, flailing like a ragdoll while Vera held his arm firmly in her grasp. The thud of him falling to the floor was a sign that she had won the match. Over the years, Vera had gained control of her energy beyond that of Raz, surpassing him and creating a fierce rivalry between the two students.
"Well done." The master of lightning approached from the place he had been observing from, his gait considerably slower than it had been a few years ago. He was aging.
Vera turned toward him and bowed. "Thank you."
Raz tried to stand and moaned at the pain in his side, sweat beading on his forehead, threatening to wet his eyebrows. Vera turned and clasped his bicep, helping him return to his feet. The look in Raz's eyes was one of contempt, his cold, blue eyes glaring at her own. It was midsummer and the wind that blew was hot and carried the smell of weeds and murky river water with it. The trees blew gently in the mucky, wet breeze. Vera appreciated the conditions, it made Raz tire out faster than her, as her body was slender and lithe, where his was bulky and muscular. They both now wore the attire of adepts of their master's art. The attire included a set of fairly loose pants that were milky white in color, a light jacket that was a deep violet, which Vera adorned over a black, sleeveless top that clung to her body tightly. She had finally made their master proud by beating Raz in a sparring match, it was the first they had since she had seemingly gained the upper hand in their practice exercises.
"It was a fluke, master. The conditions are in her favor..." Raz spit out blood as he spoke, the red littering the tan stone on which the trio stood.
"Do you think that you will always fight in ideal conditions, boy? You should fight accordingly. When you expend your energy too fast, you tire fast, that is a basic principle that you seem to have forgotten." Their master's gaze was hard and Raz's was just as hard right back at the master, a stare that was framed by his square and sturdy face. "I taught you this and ingrained it into the very essence of your fighting style, you forget yourself out of the emotions you feel toward Vera. Let this be a lesson." Their master turned away and began to walk toward the shaded patio where he had been observing with a guest, which was a rare occurrence.
Vera vaguely recognized the man from her youth, he had platinum hair that was slicked back and framed a hard, angular face that resembled a wild cat of sorts. His attire was like theirs, but instead of a violet jacket, he wore a deep crimson one, with no shirt underneath. This revealed a toned and muscular body that was obviously the result of hard training, much like Raz's own core. He sat lazily in one of two wicker chairs under the shaded patio sipping on a glass of water. Their master approached the man and he stood, the man towered over the master, who was already considerably tall. The two turned and began to walk toward Vera and Raz, who were quietly observing the scene. As they approached, Vera could see that his eyes gleamed a deep brown with flecks of red, making it seem as if his eyes themselves were small embers. When he was about two arm lengths away he bowed deeply.
"Hello, I am the Ka Ryu, but please just call me Myun." As he stood erect from his bow, his eyes met Vera's own, a warm gaze that was unlike was she was used to from the only two men around her. The fire drake's eyes were filled with kindness and warmth.
"I have invited Ka Ryu here to spar with one of you, and since Raz's body is hurt, it will be you, Vera." Their master spoke slowly, becoming sluggish in the heat in his old age.
"Master.. how can you possibly think one victory makes her capable of beating someone of his caliber?" Raz's voice was filled with disgust and he spat more blood onto the ground. Funny that it matches the color of Ka Ryu's jacket. Vera thought to herself.
"It will be as I say, Raz, you have lost and you are injured. Go inside and reflect on your loss so that you may improve yourself further." The master's voice was stern this time, he was making effort to have to say it only once. Raz's face turned a light pink and he turned, embarrassed, and stomped off toward the inner rooms of the temple. The fire drake chuckled and looked over Vera.
"You know, Raz might be right, you're so thin that I think I could break you like a twig!" Myun was taunting but it was in a tone that Vera was not used to. Where Raz was cold and serious, this new man was warm and seemingly fun-loving, she realized he was making a jest to her. He extended his hand, "It is my honor to meet you, however, we can spar on the morrow. I'm sure that you have been tired by your fight out here in the heat with your friend."
"The honor is mine, Ka Ryu." Vera said in as pleasant a tone as she could manage, and clasped his hand in her own.
The next day...
It was a cool, crisp morning. The air was almost harsh going into Vera's nose as she ate her soup. It was her normal routine to wake very early and reflect on the previous day's happenings by herself, she felt that in this way she could improve and become a worthy successor of her master's art. She heard the slap of bare feet on the stone in back of her and turned her head to see who it was. The fire drake approached her and sat next to her with his own bowl, gazing out onto the sea of grass in front of them. He interrupted her quiet reflection, "I'm not used to this cold weather. Where I come from, just walking outside any time during the morning, and even some nights, can make a man sweat."
Vera glanced at him, realizing how handsome the man was. His angular face, though feline in nature, exuded power and confidence that hid behind gentle eyes. Her own face had some of the same characteristics, especially a sharp nose. But where his eyes were gentle, hers were cruel and hard, cold and calculating. "Why is it that we're sparring anyways, Ka Ryu?" She had been wondering for a majority of the morning why her master had given no warning of the arrival of the fire drake.
"My master told me that the lightning fist is one of the most fearsome techniques he has ever seen, apparently my master and yours had quite the rivalry when they were younger, and please call me Myun." He gently tipped the bowl of broth in his hands into his mouth, letting some of the liquid slip into his mouth.
"I just find this all very sudden, we had no warning and no time to prepare. Although I already know the basics of your art, I have never studied it extensively." Vera looked at him again, this time longer, and he met her gaze. He flashed his teeth in a big smile and laughed.
"There's no need to worry, this is just a friendly match between two peers! In fact, your master and your friend are coming right now." Vera had not realized it, being absorbed with what the fire drake was saying, but Raz and her master were very close behind them. Vera and Myun both stood and bowed to her master, who bowed in return. Raz only stood with a scornful expression making his already homely face looked even worse.
"Shall we begin this match while the sun is low below the canyon, as to avoid any disadvantages to one party?" The master of lightning spoke softly, he was tired more of the day than not lately.
"I find that quite alright, if Vera accepts." The fire drake turned toward the small figure next to him. She nodded.
The two walked apart from each other to the proper distance, turned and bowed. Myun entered his stance first. It was low, with his left foot and fist forward, his right hand tucked in closely, palm open, to his abdomen. It was a stance that allowed the opponent a narrow area to attack while also allowing the right palm to grab or strike as the practitioner saw fit. Even in the low light of the morning, the Ka Ryu seemed to shone brilliance and was seemingly a force to be reckoned with. His expression had hardened and his eyes were now more somber, it was a complete transformation in a matter of seconds. The man revealed himself to be a serious and calculative fighter in that alone. Vera recognized the expression, as it was her own as well, albeit a majority of the time.
Vera then entered her stance, a more casual version of the fire drake's own, right foot forward, with an open hand extended parallel to her leg. Her left fist was tucked in close to her core as Myun's left was. It was the polar opposite of her opponent's. Where his offensive power was in front of him, Vera's was behind. Where his defensive and grappling power was tucked beneath him, Vera's explosive offense was tucked away safely under her. The two met eyes and both knew that the fight had begun. No words needed to be said. Around Vera, all perception of her environment ceased to exist and the only object to observe was the ferocious warrior in front of her. She breathed slowly, quickly gathered her energy and pushed it into her feet, she would take the initiative in this fight. Her footwork was immaculate, she moved with blinding speed toward the Ka Ryu's left, where he would be most vulnerable. No doubt the fire drake had expected it, he expended his own energy into a quick turn to meet her assault.
What the warrior had not expected was the feint. Again, Vera shot the energy from inside of her into her legs and wrapped around him, extending her hidden fist into a fully exposed leg. Electricity flowed out of her hand and into Myun's muscle, causing a spasm that she could feel through her knuckles. However, a quick retreat was necessary, the fire drake had a great amount of reach compared to the petite body of Vera. Her Shuurai had been successful. The drake fell on one knee and groaned. His face hardened and his gaze became far more ferocious than Vera had ever seen even Raz's or her master's.
Then she felt heat, a presence unlike that she had ever experienced in her twenty and four years. This heat was followed by a thunderous roar and a blinding white light that forced her eyes shut.
When her eyes tried to open, she found that they were covered in cloth tightly wrapped around her face. The throbbing pain in her face forced her eyes to squeeze shut, she could vaguely hear voices outside but there was no way to discern what was being said.
When she awoke next it was to the gentle shaking of Myun's hand on her shoulder. Vera's eyes tried to focus on the room around her but they would not cooperate with her brain. The left side of her head throbbed and ached like before, but this time it was more of a dull ache. She attempted to sit up but was gently held down by the hand of Myun, who she could vaguely make out. The door to her right opened and she saw Raz walk in with a grim expression. The fire drake turned around and chatted in a hushed tone with Raz and then exited the room promptly. Raz pulled up a chair and sat next to her, as he approached Vera could vaguely make out the details of his physical condition. She let out a gasp of surprise when it came to light that there was a stump where Raz's left arm had been. He began before she could ask any questions, "Ka Ryu's rage got out of control, if I hadn't stopped him, you would have lost your life. The master is going to become one with the world again soon and wants me to bring you so that you may have the title of Raikou Tora, the lightning tiger. Let's go." Raz helped Vera out of her bed with his good arm.
"What exactly happened to my face? I haven't seen it, I only know it has bandages on it." Vera reached up with her left hand to touch it, but Raz stopped her with the snap of his voice.
"Don't. You are severely burned. The Ka Ryu's assault was more ferocious than anything I have ever seen, the master and I both stepped in to keep you from dying, do not concern yourself with that now. Your wounds are not healed enough to take the bandages off."
The rest of the trip to their master was carried out in complete silence. When they arrived, they found their master sitting and doing his breathing techniques. His eyes crept open as his students entered. "You have come Vera, that is good." The master of lightning stood and approached Vera, "Are you prepared to become the next Raikou Tora? My days on this world are limited, it is time to pass it on, and Raz has lost an arm, the privilege and responsibility falls on you now. However, there is one final challenge that you must overcome if you are to earn the inheritance of this martial art."
"I am prepared for whatever you would have me do." Vera responded, bowing deeply.
"Then kneel."
She knelt. Her master put an index finger on each of her temples and spoke, "I, Ma-guyong, give you your final challenge as it was given to me." The sudden jolt of pain was like that of the Ka Ryu's ferocious assault but only on the inside of her body. Vera let out a shriek of agony as her inner energy raged inside of her. She could feel the pathways narrowing like clogged veins. She could feel her energy beginning to constrict and clog. Again, she fell unconscious.
When she awoke, her master was standing in the same spot as he had been when she knelt to him. He spoke once again, "This is your final challenge Vera. You must repair your closed energy pathways and re-discover yourself in the process. It is a long and arduous journey, as well as cruel, but it is one you must walk to become Raikou Tora, the lightning tiger. You may come back here when you have completed this task."
This is where her journey to the outside world began...
Skills:
Martial arts: Vera's martial arts ability, despite her energy pathways being closed, is still above average.
Reasoning: Vera's ability to discern details, deductively reason, and strategize has been developed to a level that is above that of the average combat specialist, this is something that was unaffected by the loss of her energy pathways.
Abilities:
Note: all of Vera's abilities rely on her inner energy, which has been severely hindered. Her ability to control lightning is under the premise of the 'eastern' view of the elements of the world. Those being water, fire, earth, wood (also encompasses air), and metal (includes electrical charges). These are tapped by one's inner energy, in theory. Also, because her energy does not flow well, this creates a barrier to her ability use, generally speaking, she can utilize her abilities up to about five times per day total (assuming the circumstances are relatively stable, one to two less times if used in combat against an even opponent), in any combination (for example, two Shuurai and three Inadzuma, or five Inadzuma alternatively, etc).
Shuurai (lightning strike): This is the ability to channel inner energy into a limb and create a severe spasm upon contact with another person's body. Because of her current state, this ability does very little damage and can only cause a limb to feel like it has fallen asleep for a period of about ten seconds.
Inadzuma (flash of lightning): This is the ability to channel inner energy to a particular area of the body to enhance the speed of its motion, such as when she "flashed" to her opponent in the history. Because of her severely lessened state of energy flow, this ability allows her to seemingly "flash" within about a two foot radius, and only sparingly.
Hiraishin (lightning rod): This is the ability to manifest lightning outside of the body. With her current level of energy flow, this ability is completely dormant and useless to her.
Raiden (thunder created by lightning): This is the ability to essentially take Hiraishin a step further and use the created lightning and produce a sonic boom that can send an opponent flying. Just as the ability needed to create this boom, this ability is dormant and useless to her at this time.