Don't Mind the Blood (Hayl)

[Aello]

40 Spring, 511 AV Aello was standing between two tall buildings; lost in the long grey shadows they cast across the narrow Ravokian streets. She stood with her right foot a few inches in front of the left. Each foot pointed forward, in the same direction as her gaze, which at this very moment, was stuck in the wooden building to the left side of the street. Her left arm dangled uselessly by by her side, while the right was raised out before her, the elbow slightly bent, as though she were about to punch the air. Her right hand was firmly wrapped around the handle of her cursed dagger, the edges of her knuckles turning a bright red color with the pressure she was exerting upon it. Aello was practicing the use of the bloodied blade within the confines of the space between the two buildings. They provided a good enough level of privacy, and knowing that she was practicing on a little known side street, she was more than likely to remain undisturbed, as far as she was concerned. The blade was held in such a way, that the blood-stained tip pointed towards her body. This way, when she thrust the blade forward to attack, it would turn out to the side, slicing her opponent at an angle. Unless of course, she were merely finishing them off with a killing blow. At which point, the blow would be pointed right at them, and thrust into their failing body over and over again. Aello shook her head lightly, allowing several strands of long brown hair to tumble into her face. Just a few more, she told herself, as she took a half step forward with her right foot, as she brought her right hand out to the side, before moving it towards the left in a wide arc. The blade swung out to the side, cutting the air in the shape of the crescent moon that no longer ruled the sky. As soon as her hand had stopped moving, the girl's eyes grew wide. Flapping her wings rapidly, so that she may hover in the air, only a few inches from Aello's face was Yune. "What are you doing love? You know better than this. Never to come close when your mistress is practicing the use of her blade. Or her bow for that matter." Chirp! Chirp! Aello growled, "that is still not a good enough reason Yune. You could have waited." The bird flew upwards a few inches, so that she was still flying before her mistress, but just a bit over her head now. "Go on now Yune. Let yourself rest. There's more grass for you in the pack if you want to fish it out yourself." There was a slight pause as Aello brought the blade back in the way it had come. Another wide arc, the reverse of the first move on the air. When her hand had stopped moving once more, Yune let herself fall a few inches, before hovering before the girl. Almond-shaped brown eyes were level with the bird's beady black ones. "Yune!" Aello scolded. "Come now! You're just going to hurt yourself." Chirp! Chirp! Aello scowled, and for a moment, remained silent, trying to figure out what to do with her disobedient companion. It was then that she heard something coming from the north side of the street. She turned to her right, and raised her left hand. She curled all her fingers but her index finger into her palm. The index finger she pressed lightly into her lips. "Shhhh, there may be someone coming," was all she said, as she allowed her right hand to fall to her side. Now, she was merely waiting for something to come... or not. OOCOk a few things since you've never threaded with this pc before. Should you engage her in a dagger training session, you'll be fine. There will be no killing. You should note, however, that should you manage to draw some of her blood, she'll be out for blood. Not to kill, just to nick you. Cut you, whatever. Also note, since this is confusing to some pcs, Aello doesn't understand Yune. She just talks to her, even though she is clueless as to what the sparrow is saying.

[Hayl]

“If I ever catch you around this place, Ill kill you…” The angry proprietor bellowed at Hayl like a mastiff, as he drug Hayl around the corner, picked him up like a ragdoll and threw him into the trash collection pile. “Alright old man, no reason to get too excited about it, It could takes precious years off, which you can’t afford.” The indeed elder man was still twice the size of Hayl, and now furious at his disrespectful remarks. The man then grabbed a fistful of Hayl’s hair, and lifted him up, pining him to the wall of the adjacent building from the tavern in the dark alley, choking him with his other hand. The loss of air and dampening blood flow sparked a second of panic, and Hayl placed his right hand on his left wrist, which housed a concealed dagger. But Hayl looked into the flaming eyes of the man and could tell he was no killer, not like Hayl. Perhaps if he was as young as Hayl and as stupidly rash, but he knew the man was wise, so he let him speak, as he placed his hand elsewhere. “You little shit…I have worked far too long to achieve a reputation of having this establishment become a thief free tavern, and Ill be damned if you show yourself here again… leave before I take your life!” Hayl gave the raised eyebrow look of submission as he was really fondling the cord that contained the old man’s satchel of coins. The old man loosened his grip on Hayl’s neck, “Sir… I’m sorry… really and truly…” Hayl mustered in between breaths, “But all I wanted to do was take a burden off your back… or your waist.” Hayl said in a regained voice as he undid the old man’s sash all together, and his poorly fitted pants fell to the ground. The indescribable sounds the old man made were all but a few words of cursing directed at Hayl and his entire lineage. The grip on Hayl’s neck returned and few punches sandwiched his head to the hard cobble-brick wall behind him. After the first two hits, everything else seemed to haze as Hayl recalled a moment of being on his knees looking at the blood columns streaming from his downed face to a growing pool on the wooden floor, then the interrupted moment as a swift boot blanketed his senses into blackness, until the painful consciousness returned and Hayl could not help but grin at the man hustling away with his hands scurrying around the waistline of his pants, trying poorly to hold them up.

Hayl rested for a moment in the comfortable refuse as he collected his disheveled mind and body, then brought himself up steady. Endorphins filled his pulsing head like a drug and whole moment just made him grin like a bloody nightmare. He stumbled down the dark alley, bouncing between the brick-laced walls, walking over to a pile of wood to remove the top layer. He reached in and found his bag that he stashed earlier before he would fail his attempt of pick-pocketing in the tavern. He reached into his left sleeve, the very one that held a dagger, and pulled out the coin satchel from the old man and tossed it in the air to hear the jingling of his reward and then reached his arm in up to his shoulder in the bag and retracted it leaving the satchel and emerging with gauze. Dabbing the open soars on his face, he exhaled from the tender swollen tissue that was unsettled; he then felt water in his boot and sighed. He sat himself down as if he had woken up from a thousand year slumber, and groaned as he pulled his boot off and the pre-wrapped heel was dripping with red. “Damn wound… finally opened again.” He said slowly unraveling till he got to the portion that was fused to his open flesh. Very meticulously he slid the wrapping off, and then reached inside his bag and pulled out more gauze. He did a decent job replacing the old one, keeping the bandage as tight as possible, learning the mistake of what happens if your sloppy with a bloody wound, besides blood was particularly easy to trail and he wanted to hide all evidence of his being in Ravok incase more questions were asked about the ‘incident’ that happened a few days ago. He took his shirt off and inspected all the little bruises and scrapes he had achieved, nothing too serious, and then replaced his old ratty baggy linen shirt with a clean and fresh black shirt. Pouring water from a canteen in his bloodied boot, he washed it out as best as he could and then stuffed the ratty linen shirt in it to dry what’s left of the liquids inside. Replacing the boots in the bag he pulled out newer ones and placed them on his dry feet. He spent the last part of the canteen washing all the blood from his face and cleaned his clogged and moderately swollen nose out and of course running the salve in his hair to give it that strange spike look Finally he packed his things up and stood abruptly, cracking all the joints and ligaments that needed it, then took a sharp breath and shrugged his shoulders as if nothing happened to him at all. He made a decent disguise of the incident, and he felt that was worth an attempt to try to attempt another tavern, but then he heard something. It sounded like a bird, fluttering of wings or something. He looked over his shoulder and saw well hidden in the darkness, that a figure was watching him the whole time. Without turning to face the person, Hayl brought himself to say “Thanks for not killing me, when my guard was down…” half jokingly and half sincere.

[Aello]

When Aello first spotted the man with blonde hair on the other end of the street, she smiled weakly. He is hunched over, yet fairly muscular. Must have hurt himself lifting something heavy. Perhaps working somewhere on the docks. He can't be much of a threat, she thought, as she dropped her left hand to her side and turned to face Hayl. Her dagger was still clutched tightly in her right hand. She'd squeeze her fingers into the hilt over and over, twisting it lightly in a small circle as her sweat sank into the tiny creases within the handle. "You're a little far to kill with such a short blade," Aello called to him, a cold edge in her voice. "But if you come a little closer, we could always change that. Just a few small cuts should do it, don't you think?" she asked, as she tilted her head slightly to the side, allowing her brown hair to tumbled into her face again, and off her shoulders, as she waited for him to respond to her. Aello's right brow lifted into a low arch. Now why would a man be surprised that we did not try to kill him? Aello wondered. Is it simply that we're in Ravok and the city is a dangerous place, and thus, he expects a certain level of confrontation, and the occasional attempt at taking his life, or is it something... else? Her dark brown eyes glanced up and down his body over and over again, taking in the sight of his slightly tattered clothes, his blue eyes, something she could hardly make out in the lack of light. They just seemed, so much very dark... like the night sky devoid of the silver, sparkling stars. As Aello continued to stare, she began to notice a dark pink mist hanging around Hayl. It swirled around his blonde hair in thin little wisps, dancing around each individual strand as though they were the best partners in the world. The dark pink mist curled around the sides of his ears, and wound their way around his neck like a serpent may wind itself around a tree. The mist seemed to hang closer to him around the neck, as though it were tightening its grip around him, slowly choking the life out of him. The rest of his body, by sharp contrast, seemed as though it were allowed to breath. The aura seemed to roll around his lower half, and spark around the sides of his body, stretching a few feet away from his torso, his arms and his legs. This man is a dishonest one. He is more than likely a street rat, much like many of the children who roam this city. There was a short pause. A thief. Aello released an internal groan, as she allowed herself to blink a few times and break her concentration. The aura faded away into the poorly lit air, and Aello was left with dilated pupils, and the beginnings of a headache. The back of her brain seemed to be releasing a dull, throbbing pain against the back of her skull, which truly made the girl wonder why she felt such a strong need to use magic for such small things. "You don't fear a bloodied blade, do you?" Aello asked, her voice quieter than before, although still easily heard as it passed through the quiet street. It seemed to be somewhat sing-songy, a sort of invitation by someone with a playful nature. A tease. "Something that has been used often enough to draw one's life force? To kill?" There was a slight pause. "Do you really wish to have the tip of this blade pressed into your flesh? Somewhere along the neck. Towards the front and center," Aello said with a small smile. Her eyes flashing both playfully, and menacingly. "Yes the neck would do nicely..." "Or do you simply wish to fight for the sake of it?" Aello asked. "Unless you are running away from something," she added under her breath. OOCStuff in bold is what Aello is thinking.

[Hayl]

He looked over his shoulder at her, his back still facing her; his vulnerability apparent. He wasn’t the sort to admit his shortcomings so easily but Hayl could definitely detect his abilities as a fighter, at this given moment, were largely hindered due to his condition. Her voice made him feel a stir within himself, he could sense a strange confidence behind hers, not often hollow like his own, but the words spoken of someone with experience. He turned slowly and looked at her. A young girl, couldn’t be much older than himself, yet she had the eyes of a traveler. She had the sweat from exertion, and a dagger in her hand. The blade looked intricate and original, plus the given setting, Hayl deduced she was no amateur. ‘Perhaps the joke involving killing was not a great idea…’ he thought as he hoped she had not seen the dagger strapped to his left forearm when he changed his shirt. If she strikes, he could have the power of surprise, but Hayl never in his life wanted to fight a women, nor did he really intend to die from one. He gave a coy charming smile as he began to think of something to say, ‘I’m fairly sure flirting would be out of the question, and I don’t think she would be too pleased with me bringing up her appearance as she probably is used to larger men challenging her all the time…’ His thought flickered as he finally decided to address her comment, “I guess your not one to throw a dagger are you? I’m not exactly great at it either, plus what do you do if you miss, or if you even hit the fool but he flees with your dagger lodged in him?” he hoped she would share his crude sense of humor. Hayl was not in the business of making enemies, but obviously people are not partial to his lifestyle.

He watched her watch him, her eyes floating over him, sizing him up looking around him. The way she stared at him, it made him feel there was a bug or something flying around him. Her looks seemed to drain her and the groan particularly weirded him out. He squinted his half opened eyes at her, displaying obvious confusion. Then she asked her eerie question. ‘I knew Ravok was different, but I had no idea…’ he thought of speaking, but the truth was he wasn’t sure. He had received many injuries, none really life threatening, but he knew pain and felt he could tolerate it, but death? He had been cunning enough to never place himself too close to that position before. He chose not to answer when she talked about what she could do to him. He used his knowledge and coy to rebuttal her dark comment, “I’m really in no need of a tracheotomy, nor do I desire to fight anyone, you see I am not armed…” he raised his hands up to display nothing attached to his waist. “Fight? I can take a hit from time to time, but violence is overrated, I believe, even still I’m always looking for new avenues to finding the upper hand of people who I share conflict with.” Some blood began to trickle form his nose as he could sense his charm diminish. At this point he thought she may be less inclined to attempt anything if he showed his acquaintance. “My name is Hayl, and I’m just a simple thief, but only to those who don’t know me.”

[Aello]

"No, throwing daggers at each other is not likely to happen. Well, unless you want to throw one in this general direction. It won't meet its mark though," Aello commented, as she allowed her eyes to settle on Hayl's. And as for losing the dagger, well that won't be a problem. It always returns to the side of its mistress, but he doesn't need to know that, the girl thought, as a wicked grin reached her lips. The blade knows where it belongs. Aello glanced down at the ground for a moment, and then back up at Hayl. He seemed so very nervous around her, as though he could sense that she was a snake about to strike. Her fangs ready to dig into his flesh, to unleash their poison and spill his blood. As Hayl continued to speak, Aello laughed. "Unarmed? Please! Everyone in this city has their own weapon. Whether it be a bloodied blade, a bow, their fists, or some sort of magic." There was a slight pause, "some people just like to keep it hidden, until the time is right for them to use their skills. Don't you think?" Aello inquired. "The element of surprise is always something that comes in handy in a fight... it can bring one back from the brink of destruction, turn the tides in one's favor. It can easily be employed to help destroy one's opponent, when one knows how to use it." Aello's eyes were glimmering playfully as she spoke, the worlds rolling off her tongue easily. "And no one said anything about poking a hole in your neck, just drawing thin lines of blood along it until you fall to your knees, and beg to have a dagger cast through your heart." Her evil grin widened as she took a step closer to Hayl. "Now, as for your dislike of violence..." Aello went on, "well, then, you should not be in a city such as this, should that truly be the case, which seems doubtful. After all, you're a thief, you've said so yourself." Strange he should have admitted it though, usually thieves aren't creatures that make themselves known. Like cats when they stalk a mouse. "So surely you see a fair amount of violence, each time you are caught," Aello went on. Unless it is some sort of trick? Or something he wishes to announce before he dives for our things? Which of course, he will never so much as manage to reach with us being closer. With us being able to pick up the bow and use it against him. "Or at least, you must have gotten a good slap on the wrist, and been showered by spit as your victim hurled curses at you." Perhaps this is his strange way of lulling us into a false sense of security before he tries to kill us and take everything. Aello eyed Hayl warily before taking another step closer to him. "And who might you be to those who know you better?" Aello asked, deciding that it was not yet time to offer her name, should she give it up to him at all. She took another step closer, and then another. Her right leg stood a few inches before the left. Her feet were turned towards Hayl, Aello's legs bent slightly at the knee, as though she were about to spring. About to chase the thief out of the alley. Her arms still hung at her sides, although they were bent at the elbow now. Aello's right hand was still pressed firmly into the hilt of the blade, her thumb inching back and forth over it, rubbing the handle. Her knuckles turned red, and then were overcome by white. Watch him carefully, and if he so much as tries to move towards you, spring into the action. Bring the blade into play. Aello took another half step forward. "Are you sure you don't want to fight Hayl? You could stand to lose a little bit of blood, and if you're one of the city's many thieves, then surely you deserve to have it spilt..." her voice trailed off into the shadows. It was little more than a whisper. Perhaps Hayl had heard her, perhaps not.

[Hayl]

He wouldn’t know how to acknowledge her comment about throwing daggers, so he chose not to. His eyes rolled down her, and noticed her feet shifting towards him. Her coy smile and her look of intrigue become more predator-like. ‘Well this is going no where...’ he thought as he knew that running was definitely out of the option. He could barely walk without showing the limp, but to take off in a dead sprint, he wouldn’t get very far till the wound would open again and slow him down. He listened to her smart comment about his attempt to catch her off guard with what he knew of the human anatomy, but she proved even in that to be his match, as she so simply explained it to him as if she had performed a tracheotomy plenty of times before.

He continued to let her speak, never really wiping the smile off of his face, it was the only thing that he could contend with her right now. Proving he wasn’t afraid of her. She spoke her rebuttals to his words from before, making it sound as if she had a personal grudge against thieves, ‘Great I’m really hitting all the right places here.’ Finally she asked him a question, another chance to make the awry situation more in his favor with his wits. “Well if you really want to know who I am, then maybe you should just get to know me...” he let her approach as uncomfortably as she wanted and listened to her inquires about a fight. “Your right, I have seen my share of violence... I’m not privy to inflicting pain on people, as you appear to get off with, but I will only fight for three reasons.” His words bold now as he felt that if he were to waste anymore time with her toying and analyzing just to die anyway, then at least he could die as himself. “ One: I’ll fight for someone, if the pay is good. Two: Ill fight to defend myself, but lady, I will be honest, I’m not going to fight your, even if you wish to kill me, I’ve taken a blade before (lies) and I fear no form of death (another lie). But if your in the business of dishonorable killing, then at least leave the money I have collected for my sick brother who is dying in that house boat over there(third lie).” He nodded to any boat in particular that was visible from the alley. “Three: Ill fight to train...” He left here with three of four avenues to the situation that could be in Hayl’s favor. She could talk to him about working out a means to part ways passively via coin (Hayl’s second to least favorite.) She could actually believe his poorly conceived story, or at least pretend to so if she did have some moral qualm with the predicament then she could part ways with her pride or reputation untouched. She could also, and Hayl would bet more on this, take her aggression out on him in a non lethal aspect, but for ‘education’ purposes. Plus Hayl would get some much needed experience from that. Or, lastly, she could just kill him (Hayl’s least favorite, but only by a little from the first ultimatum.)

[Aello]

"Mercenaries are weak, hiding behind a few golden coins in order to get by, only to betray the one who paid them in the end, when they are offered more by the enemy," Aello commented. Her eyes were boring into Hayl's sapphire-colored ones. Her gaze seemed intense, yet far away. Like she was angry with him, but trying hard not to be. His aura had come into view again- it was exactly the same as before, the dark pink mist that wound its way all around his body. But now, the mist seemed to pour out of his mouth as she listened to him speak. He is lying about some things. Concealing things. There was a slight pause. This man is as dishonest as they come. Aello thought, despite the fact that she had no idea just what exactly he was lying about. Aello said nothing however, on how she knew Hayl to be bending the truth, instead she said, "if you've taken a blade before then you must remember just how much it hurts. Surely, unless you were suicidal, you would not want another ice cold blade thrust into your flesh, your warm blood gathering on the silver while your assailant pulls it out, only to push it in again. It is in that way that one's kill dies faster, and lets out the most blood-curdling of screams... usually." There was a slight pause, "such long, pained screams. They're quite beautiful really, if you take the time to listen. In their own sort of way... surely you like listening to people scream?" There was another slight pause as Aello considered the last of Hayl's words. "And if you truly like to train, then perhaps you won't mind at least dodging a bloodied blade," Aello finally went on. She raised her right arm, so that it was held out a a few inches in front of her and to the side. The side of the blade was pressed against her pale flesh, following the length of her arm from her wrist to a few inches above her elbow. It felt so cold to her; and yet, it failed to make her shiver. Instead the blade made her feel somewhat more alive, despite what it had the power to do, and what she intended to do; shed some of Hayl's blood with it, if not all of it, depending on how many times he walked into her blade. "Since you don't want to fight a girl," Aello went on, "simply because you know you'll lose, perhaps you should be given a reason to defend yourself." She smiled wickedly, trying to draw out his anger enough where their "training session" would be of actual use to her... or well, at least a slight challenge. Something more than simply fighting thin air. "Come now, it'll be fun to stretch your muscles. To awaken your anger, to play," Aello commented, as she took another half step forward, she moved her right hand out to the right side of her body, before rapidly swinging it inwards, to the left in a wide arc. It was a simple move, one she always opened with. One that caused the blade to turn outwards, away from her flesh and towards her opponent as it sliced through the air. When her hand had traveled as far left as it would go, Aello would swing the arm back in the opposite direction, essentially doing the opposite of the first move. If Hayl did not manage to block the simple move, or dodge, for whatever reason, then he would more than likely find a long bloody gash along the center of his chest. OOCSo I don't know if you're familiar with fighting... but you can try to attack the other person. You can't actually mention your attacks being successful though, that's for the other person to do.

[Hayl]

‘Shit... here we go.’ His thoughts flustered as he deflected the first attack with his left wrist. Having no choice but to strike her attempt at him with the concealed weapon, he hit the woman’s blade square on his sheath that housed his dagger. “CHINK” the very loud and distinct noise. Hayl shuffled his feet, as he readied for whatever happens next, his left eye squinting as he felt the sharp pain in his injured foot. ‘I'm in no condition for this...’ he thought to himself as she retaliated with her second attack. “CHINK” Another distinct blocking sound, both of which would deny any other suspicion that Hayl was not armed.

He smiled as and raised his eyebrows, “Okay you got me...” reaching in his sleeve and pulled out the well crafted blade. He had only the opportunity to train with this new dagger just a few times and never the opportunity to engage someone with it. The handle felt foreign and rough to his palm, as he figured the life he claimed to have it never really practiced, nor use it but as a show of force.

He grinned at her stance and the way she held the dagger. She was good, but what was strange is that she held the blade in a defensive position. Using the forearm to reinforce the blade, enables the defender to withstand heavier blows and close range attacks, but exchanged for range and awkward attacks. Instead he held the blade up in his hand, like a person holding a fork or a spoon, sharp side pointing towards his attacker. Covering his neck with the crook of his left elbow and resting the back of his left hand on his right ear, he lowered the dagger in his right hand down by his groin. This was an alternative defensive stance that was not used often, but Hayl had stabbed a man once by countering the man’s simple thrust with his unarmed defending hand, and in the same motion, impaling him in the gut with his lowered blade. He didn’t intend to do the same to the woman, but wanted to keep her wary of the drastically lowered blade. “I have shed allot of blood today, as a thief. But if you’re so bent on dancing, then I’ll let you have the first two steps, princess.” His wit coming with no holds now.

OOCWhat about blocking? Can I state that your strike was struck away with my strike or do I have to say that Hayl would attempt to block your attack? Im probably looking too much into it

[Aello]

A small smile crossed Aello's lips. "As you wish, street rat," Aello replied, her voice smooth, yet cold. It held a playful edge, as did her eyes. She stepped back, away from Hayl, in order to allow her eyes a chance to pass over him; to look for an opening. She had assumed the basic fighting stance, when her magic began to whisper to her once more, he seems to be on the defensive, but he is looking to keep you wary of him. Perhaps now you should strike, the mind whispered as tiny tendrils of dark pink aura inched closer and closer to her. Aello ignored them as she blinked, and allowed her eyes to remain shut for a second, before she opened them up again. By the time she had, Hayl's aura had faded away, and she was left with dilated pupils. Her irises were surrounded by a thin line of red, and the tiny veins in the whites of her eyes seemed to grow. They shown more prominently now, making the girl look as though she had been possessed, or turned into something not entirely human. The edges of her vision were a little blurry, but she could still make out her opponent well enough; if she concentrated, and did not allow her gaze to drift far from his figure. After a few moments, Aello realized that Hayl's stomach was the most open portion of his body, other than his back, considering how low he held the blade in a defensive position. You should go for the center of his chest, or his heart, even though he only has to bring the blade up to block you, you are more likely to hit that than one of his arms. Aren't you? The girl gave the slightest of nods, allowing a few long strands of brown hair to tumble into the sides of her face, towards the eyes, before she tucked them behind her ears with her left hand. As soon as she was done, she returned her hand to where it had hovered before her a few seconds ago, and then sprang towards Hayl. She led with the right foot, and as soon as she was within striking distance, she began to turn her right shoulder towards the left side of her body. As she did so, she swung her dagger-wielding arm forward, allowing it to be propelled by the movements of her body. It looked as though she were extending her right arm to punch the man's shoulder, and the blade had merely gotten in the way. As such, it was merely an extension of the arm, that turned out and towards the side as the girl pushed it forward. Lets see if he can dodge this one. OOCNo blocking/dodging is different, it is more so for when one attacks. Feel free to pm me and ask questions if this post is unclear. But... the blade, if it hits you, would essentially rake across Hayl's chest in a diagonal line, leading up towards his far shoulder.

[Hayl]

Her body flew at him unnaturally and it made him stutter in his thoughts. ‘Is she just trying to punch me? I had better not take a chance.’ The arm unfolded from his neck and swooped down to meet the forearm of her dagger-wielding hand. His contact delayed from his slow thoughts, causing him to slide his block up to her elbow. His intention was not to be as close to her as he was, but he force the maneuver to work, despite whatever ramifications came from his poor attempt. In this quick instant, Hayl removed his eyes from the foreign blade and settled them on hers. She looked lifeless. Her deep empty eyes made Hayl feel like he was fighting a statue or something. The exhale from the block was followed by a sharp inhale, which brought in her scent. She smelled like a female some faint sweet smell that Hayl would smell on his mother, or other girls he had gotten close to, but she also had the smell of sweat. She was strange, this girl. She was surely no older than Hayl, yet such a talented fighter. Her experience was remarkable, and she talked like a person who has killed her share of people, especially thieves.

His eye rolled down her strange posture, all the way to her legs. As soon as he saw the opportunity he stepped forward, and placed his left foot in between her legs and bent his knee and turned it towards the inside of her left leg. His attempt was to use her momentum against her and have her stumble over his knee. At best the attack would dead-leg her and she would stumble to the ground.

Since this woman took such an interest in Hayl (a lust for his blood is still an interest), he was forced to return the same appeal, just in a less violent method. He thought about ways he could slow down the attacks, and try to get this to return to a battle of wits, “So do you always kill people you meet or did I just come at a bad time?” his question would demand an answer, at lease from what Hayl could deduce from her personality. His gaze less focused now as he felt a sharp pain in his side. He then looked down and noticed she had made contact to his flesh with the last attack. The clothing shredded, he noticed a small portion of blood on his fingers as he prodded the area. “Just a scratch...” he muttered. Still he fixed his stance and braced for another attack.