Date: 32st of Ymiden, Arc 719
Weapons: None
Buffs: N/A
Status: Discovering new abilities
Weapons: None
Armor: None
Buffs: N/A
Debuffs: N/A
<So,> Prae asked as he stretched, <what exactly do you do?> Marken had suggested a quick sparring match between Praetorum and Edyn for the two of them to get back into the rhythm of things, and neither of them had any reason to object. They were both deeply antsy after only just getting back access to ether, and Prae knew Edyn, at least, desperately wanted to give her sparks a good stretch. Prae couldn't pretend he didn't want that too, but of slightly more immediate concern was....
<Hehehe. Why don't you guess?> Sap suggested playfully. Praetorum had to admit, he was starting to get used to having its voice in his head. The spirit was a little childish, at times, but there was something almost comforting about having it there. It was the same sort of feeling of camaraderie Prae felt with the elements, the sense that here was someone who wouldn't leave him.
Bending over to touch his footclaws, Prae thought. <Hmm... I went into the trials of the weak and the starved to get you... and the names you were choosing all had similar themes.> Straightening back up, he rolled his shoulders. <Something to do with those, I guess? Eating... my weakness?>
<Almost there.> Sap sang in his mind, making Praetorum huff softly.
<Give me a hint?>
<No way, where's the fun in that?>
<Ugh.> Across the courtyard from Prae, Edyn had also finished her stretches, and was now preparing runes over herself. Prae did the same, placing a simple strength and speed chain over each limb, and dispersing an endurance rune over his chest. <You eat... other people's weaknesses? No, that's stupid.... That isn't what you do, is it? I swear to the Empress, if all you do is make my enemies less weak—>
<Honestly, that would be really funny to watch. But no, that's not what I do.>
<Good.> Prae settled into the stance that Balthazar had shown him some time ago, rooted and steady. This was technically an unarmed sparring match, but seeing as how neither he nor Edyn had any real experience in unarmed combat, this was going to be a battle of magic. <Then... you give them weakness?> Another giggle, meaning no. <No.> He realize, in the instant their bout began. <You eat their strength.>
There was a curl of satisfaction from the diri; Prae didn't have time to respond, as he leaped into the air, a heartbeat before the ground beneath his feet shattered open to consume him. The air rushed to support him, and Prae twisted, spinning around so his tail cracked like a whip, sending a whorl of wind towards Edyn, so razor tight that it could have cut her. She deflected it into the wall as Prae landed back on steady ground, and they made their next moves simultaneously; Praetorum sprang towards his opponent, even as she conjured a flight of flaming falcons, and sent them diving towards him.
She'd underestimated his speed; between the runes that adorned his legs, and the running footwraps he wore, he was able to close the distance between them in a matter of moments. Three of the falcons splashed harmlessly in his wake, while two found their mark, striking his back and tail, leaving a soot mark and not much else. Even when compelled by another defier, the elements pulled their punches against those they named friends.
Edyn, despite the many runes she wore, was unable to react in time as Praetorum bore down on her.
Unfortunately, neither was Prae, who currently had the unfortunate combination of being rather heavy, and extremely fast. Unable to stop, and well aware of that fact, Praetorum elected for the next best thing, and simply tackled his mentor to the ground.
Edyn let out a muffled shriek as she was bowled over, and Prae wrapped his tail around her midsection, expecting to have to then wrestle with her magically for control of the ground beneath them so he could pin her properly.
What he did not expect was to feel his diri's power rush to the tip of his tail, then spread across the scales that were in contact with his opponent. <My turn!> Sap sang gleefully.
The sensation that followed was nothing like anything Prae had experienced before, and certainly nothing he had the words to describe. If pressed, though, he might simply have said this: Imagine how a straw feels as it is drunk through.
For one shocked moment, Praetorum simply stared, shocked and impressed as his diri drained Edyn of her strength through his body, living up to it's name and nature. A power like this... for a moment, Prae's mind swam with possibilities as he considered the tactical options this opened up to him.
Then Edyn had the presence of mind to try and free herself with defiance, and his focus returned entirely to the fight at hand.
<Hehehe. Why don't you guess?> Sap suggested playfully. Praetorum had to admit, he was starting to get used to having its voice in his head. The spirit was a little childish, at times, but there was something almost comforting about having it there. It was the same sort of feeling of camaraderie Prae felt with the elements, the sense that here was someone who wouldn't leave him.
Bending over to touch his footclaws, Prae thought. <Hmm... I went into the trials of the weak and the starved to get you... and the names you were choosing all had similar themes.> Straightening back up, he rolled his shoulders. <Something to do with those, I guess? Eating... my weakness?>
<Almost there.> Sap sang in his mind, making Praetorum huff softly.
<Give me a hint?>
<No way, where's the fun in that?>
<Ugh.> Across the courtyard from Prae, Edyn had also finished her stretches, and was now preparing runes over herself. Prae did the same, placing a simple strength and speed chain over each limb, and dispersing an endurance rune over his chest. <You eat... other people's weaknesses? No, that's stupid.... That isn't what you do, is it? I swear to the Empress, if all you do is make my enemies less weak—>
<Honestly, that would be really funny to watch. But no, that's not what I do.>
<Good.> Prae settled into the stance that Balthazar had shown him some time ago, rooted and steady. This was technically an unarmed sparring match, but seeing as how neither he nor Edyn had any real experience in unarmed combat, this was going to be a battle of magic. <Then... you give them weakness?> Another giggle, meaning no. <No.> He realize, in the instant their bout began. <You eat their strength.>
There was a curl of satisfaction from the diri; Prae didn't have time to respond, as he leaped into the air, a heartbeat before the ground beneath his feet shattered open to consume him. The air rushed to support him, and Prae twisted, spinning around so his tail cracked like a whip, sending a whorl of wind towards Edyn, so razor tight that it could have cut her. She deflected it into the wall as Prae landed back on steady ground, and they made their next moves simultaneously; Praetorum sprang towards his opponent, even as she conjured a flight of flaming falcons, and sent them diving towards him.
She'd underestimated his speed; between the runes that adorned his legs, and the running footwraps he wore, he was able to close the distance between them in a matter of moments. Three of the falcons splashed harmlessly in his wake, while two found their mark, striking his back and tail, leaving a soot mark and not much else. Even when compelled by another defier, the elements pulled their punches against those they named friends.
Edyn, despite the many runes she wore, was unable to react in time as Praetorum bore down on her.
Unfortunately, neither was Prae, who currently had the unfortunate combination of being rather heavy, and extremely fast. Unable to stop, and well aware of that fact, Praetorum elected for the next best thing, and simply tackled his mentor to the ground.
Edyn let out a muffled shriek as she was bowled over, and Prae wrapped his tail around her midsection, expecting to have to then wrestle with her magically for control of the ground beneath them so he could pin her properly.
What he did not expect was to feel his diri's power rush to the tip of his tail, then spread across the scales that were in contact with his opponent. <My turn!> Sap sang gleefully.
The sensation that followed was nothing like anything Prae had experienced before, and certainly nothing he had the words to describe. If pressed, though, he might simply have said this: Imagine how a straw feels as it is drunk through.
For one shocked moment, Praetorum simply stared, shocked and impressed as his diri drained Edyn of her strength through his body, living up to it's name and nature. A power like this... for a moment, Prae's mind swam with possibilities as he considered the tactical options this opened up to him.
Then Edyn had the presence of mind to try and free herself with defiance, and his focus returned entirely to the fight at hand.