The woman stood on the bridge, her fists raised to the foe that approached. She was... Powerful. Yes, divine. Why was she hiding her might like this? Why was she hiding her strength? This wouldn't do... No. Before her enemy reached her, she had to show him.
She closed her eyes, focusing--Drawing on her inner power. She didn't know how she drew on this might, only that she did. Only that it was powerful--Many called it horrifying. But she didn't care--She would Ascend to greater heights than anything. Anyone... Even if she died. Even if she lost limbs, even if she went mad. No matter what it took, she would reach the top. And her journey wasn't going to end, not here.
Her hopes. Her dreams. They rested on her succeeding right now. Tonight... She would refuse to die. Tomorrow, she may succumb. But tonight, nothing would kill her. Not even the knight who faced her now, his blade glowing with spectral might.
"You've been busy, huh?" She asked, focusing on her old rival. So much time had passed since they'd met. It had been years. She had grown into her role as a Sanguine, Ascended to greater heights. He had betrayed her when she needed it most. "That's okay. I've been busy, too."
Her body began to swell. Muscles bulged, the tall Avanthar growing broader, taller. More terrifying by the instant, her swelling, growing fingers flexing. Thick fur sprouted across her body, her boots beginning to change and morph to match--Becoming large, terrifying hooves. Her eyes gleamed with power, practically glowing with anger--Pure, uncontrolled desire to kill. He'd come all the way from her homeland to kill her. To kill the filthy traitor. Well, she wouldn't let him.
He began to move faster, charging toward her with his sword bared. He was determined not to let her transformation finish, his blade seeming almost to howl with him, a battle cry that pierced body and soul alike. The air was filled with the sound of his wrath and the clank of metal armor on stone, but she wasn't done yet.
Her skin paled--Turning silvery white, gaining almost a scaled appearance. She'd fought Aschwald, the Dark Angel. What the fuck was going to finish her now? The fact that he dared made her angry... But she held back her fury. This was a battle that rage would not assist in. He was growing closer as horns sprouted on her head, her nails sharpening to claws. She swelled further, growing taller. Her clothing ripped, three decades of scars starting to appear all at once. Two decades of abuse, and ten years fighting on her own. Thirty years alone in the world, with nobody to truly turn to.
"You've never changed, Mar-Mar!" He screamed, leaping up to deliver a devastating downward blow with the greatsword. She raised her arms in an X, blood beginning to mist around her. Rapidly, from her chest outward, steel began to plate her body, reaching her wrists at the last instant. At the last instant, the steel took the impact rather than her unprotected flesh.... And that was all she needed. Her body threatened to buckle under the weigth of the first blow, her shoulders and elbows screaming with the pain of holding the position even after that impact, but she didn't care.
"Yeah, yeah. I hear that a lot." Amari growled, shoving him off with a monumental show of force. He was but a regular man, why was he so strong himself? He went in for a second blow, the woman dancing away at incredible speeds to let the sword impact the ground instead. Rage had always fueled him... And that was what made her better. That was what made her stronger. She'd learned that recently--Fury was not the answer. Fury was the response of a scared animal, and it had been her response for too long.
She stepped forward, unleashing a devastating left jab, followed by a right. As he staggered back, she continued her onslaught--Taking a large step forward and catching him in a right hook that should have sent him sprawling. It didn't, the man stumbling to the side before catching himself. He leapt forward again, his next strike true. It struck deep into her armor, penetrating into a gap. He wrenched the sword aside, leaving her with a gaping wound... But she didn't halt. She barely acknowledged the injury; She'd been doing this for a very, very long time. Sure, it hurt. Sure, it felt like her stomach was on fire. But that didn't mean it had to slow her down--One good hit was all it would take to heal it. Instead, her hand closed around his flimsy wrist, squeezing it with all her might. She'd use all this extra size to her advantage. She'd kill him. She managed to shove him off of her, delivering a lightning kick that sent him sprawling. She loomed above him, a wall of muscle delivering a fierce downward blow. As her fist traveled downward, the Katar she was so known for wielding penetrated deep, slicing into his body. She could feel the energy coiling around her own wound, sealing it shut. She could feel him trembling beneath her, feel the blood pulsing from his injury as she pulled the weapon free. "You're not even strong enough to Feed from. And to think, you were nearly as powerful as I was back home. Run back, child." She growled, turning away from him as he lie on the ground. "I promise you... You're not strong enough for Regalia."
She closed her eyes, focusing--Drawing on her inner power. She didn't know how she drew on this might, only that she did. Only that it was powerful--Many called it horrifying. But she didn't care--She would Ascend to greater heights than anything. Anyone... Even if she died. Even if she lost limbs, even if she went mad. No matter what it took, she would reach the top. And her journey wasn't going to end, not here.
Her hopes. Her dreams. They rested on her succeeding right now. Tonight... She would refuse to die. Tomorrow, she may succumb. But tonight, nothing would kill her. Not even the knight who faced her now, his blade glowing with spectral might.
"You've been busy, huh?" She asked, focusing on her old rival. So much time had passed since they'd met. It had been years. She had grown into her role as a Sanguine, Ascended to greater heights. He had betrayed her when she needed it most. "That's okay. I've been busy, too."
Her body began to swell. Muscles bulged, the tall Avanthar growing broader, taller. More terrifying by the instant, her swelling, growing fingers flexing. Thick fur sprouted across her body, her boots beginning to change and morph to match--Becoming large, terrifying hooves. Her eyes gleamed with power, practically glowing with anger--Pure, uncontrolled desire to kill. He'd come all the way from her homeland to kill her. To kill the filthy traitor. Well, she wouldn't let him.
He began to move faster, charging toward her with his sword bared. He was determined not to let her transformation finish, his blade seeming almost to howl with him, a battle cry that pierced body and soul alike. The air was filled with the sound of his wrath and the clank of metal armor on stone, but she wasn't done yet.
Her skin paled--Turning silvery white, gaining almost a scaled appearance. She'd fought Aschwald, the Dark Angel. What the fuck was going to finish her now? The fact that he dared made her angry... But she held back her fury. This was a battle that rage would not assist in. He was growing closer as horns sprouted on her head, her nails sharpening to claws. She swelled further, growing taller. Her clothing ripped, three decades of scars starting to appear all at once. Two decades of abuse, and ten years fighting on her own. Thirty years alone in the world, with nobody to truly turn to.
"You've never changed, Mar-Mar!" He screamed, leaping up to deliver a devastating downward blow with the greatsword. She raised her arms in an X, blood beginning to mist around her. Rapidly, from her chest outward, steel began to plate her body, reaching her wrists at the last instant. At the last instant, the steel took the impact rather than her unprotected flesh.... And that was all she needed. Her body threatened to buckle under the weigth of the first blow, her shoulders and elbows screaming with the pain of holding the position even after that impact, but she didn't care.
"Yeah, yeah. I hear that a lot." Amari growled, shoving him off with a monumental show of force. He was but a regular man, why was he so strong himself? He went in for a second blow, the woman dancing away at incredible speeds to let the sword impact the ground instead. Rage had always fueled him... And that was what made her better. That was what made her stronger. She'd learned that recently--Fury was not the answer. Fury was the response of a scared animal, and it had been her response for too long.
She stepped forward, unleashing a devastating left jab, followed by a right. As he staggered back, she continued her onslaught--Taking a large step forward and catching him in a right hook that should have sent him sprawling. It didn't, the man stumbling to the side before catching himself. He leapt forward again, his next strike true. It struck deep into her armor, penetrating into a gap. He wrenched the sword aside, leaving her with a gaping wound... But she didn't halt. She barely acknowledged the injury; She'd been doing this for a very, very long time. Sure, it hurt. Sure, it felt like her stomach was on fire. But that didn't mean it had to slow her down--One good hit was all it would take to heal it. Instead, her hand closed around his flimsy wrist, squeezing it with all her might. She'd use all this extra size to her advantage. She'd kill him. She managed to shove him off of her, delivering a lightning kick that sent him sprawling. She loomed above him, a wall of muscle delivering a fierce downward blow. As her fist traveled downward, the Katar she was so known for wielding penetrated deep, slicing into his body. She could feel the energy coiling around her own wound, sealing it shut. She could feel him trembling beneath her, feel the blood pulsing from his injury as she pulled the weapon free. "You're not even strong enough to Feed from. And to think, you were nearly as powerful as I was back home. Run back, child." She growled, turning away from him as he lie on the ground. "I promise you... You're not strong enough for Regalia."
