Our Legacy (Allen)

[Allen Hollows]

Fear ripped through him at seeing spikes rushing his way. Throwing up his arms, he knew they would shred him to pieces. He knew there was no chance he was going to be getting out of this without pain. But as he brought his arms up in a sudden surge of said terror, stone ripped out of the ground in a shield, Eric's spikes ripping through it but now with blunted tips, smashing into him and blowing him away to roll ass over head for several feet. He was face down, blood leaking from his cheek and mouth from the hits, bruises forming on his arms and chest as well.

As he came to his hands and knees, the earth would be bubbling under his hands. He blinked his one good eye before wiping blood from the other and opening it too. He looked down at his hands, then back up to Eric. Baring his bloody teeth, he spread his legs and threw out his own arms, stone blades erupting around his feet and firing at the man in mass.

10 blades shoot from the ground made of stone.

Atk/spd/def = 23

[Mathew Amtrum]

Eric, on the other hand, was calmly picking himself up from the rock, his eyes catching the glimpse of motion from the Earth as something quite similar to his own attack came back at him. Curious, and very interesting. He'd calmly reach to his hip as he strode toward the flying blades, his arm whipping forward as he unsheathed the blade to cleave the ones directly in front of him out of his path with his sword. Forged by the Knights of the Round to be able to withstand even Excalibur.

"I believe you have lost. This would be the time to tap out."

Charging Jade Dragon

Qi use 6

[Allen Hollows]

"I believe so too."

Yet he didn't seem to be stepping out of his stance. From out of the ground, two swords that looked very similar to the one Eric held rose out of the ground, sweat beading his brow. Grabbing both handles, he launched himself forward, whipping up the right sword in a bottom right to top left diagonal slash, spinning as he did to bring the left sword in a hard slash to Eric's left, doubling up the attack there.

If one broke, another would immediately shoot up from the ground for Allen to grab and keep fighting.

Sword stats: all 23

[Mathew Amtrum]

Eric brought his sword up to deflect the first blow, stepping inward as Allen spun around he'd kick at Allen's back to try and force him away and create distance once again. At this point, he was mostly just curious how long Allen could keep pushing himself with the beating he's taken. It was making for a good show though.

"And yet you continue. Is there a reason?"

Charging Jade Dragon

Qi use 7

[Allen Hollows]

At the kick, Allen's body would jerk forward, and the young male threw himself into a front roll. He'd slide as he came back to his feet, grabbing the handle of another sword as he launched himself back at Eric. He'd throw a side slash, aiming to hit him at the left shoulder. As the sword broke, another would pop out as his left hand slashed down for Eric's head. Grabbing the new sword he'd slash for Eric's inner left thigh, intent to continue trying to put more than a single mark on him.

Blood was continuing to drain from several of his wounds, Allen getting pale and covered in sweat.

"I...need to...get better!"

[Mathew Amtrum]

This time rather than countering or taking the blows Eric would shift the sand under his feet to send his body back to avoid the attacks, the sword being held casually at his side as he noted the blood loss. He admired the answer the boy gave, but he was being stupid about it.

"And do you feel like you have improved from pressing onward after you had lost?"

Qi use 8 Shifting Sands

new Speed 34

Charging Jade Dragon Qi use 9

[Allen Hollows]

As he slid away, Allen would shoot some pillars out from behind Eric to try and smash him in the back and force him back forward as Allen rushed on, bringing his right hand up to try and smash the handle into Eric's face.

"I don't....know. I've lost....and quit before.....I won't do it ever again.."

[Mathew Amtrum]

"Ah. So it is better to die a martyr than to live and reach your potential."

Eric's steps would generate some pillars of his own to slam into Allen's pillars as they angled upward into a steep incline. He'd hop upward to perch on the pillars as he thrust down with his sword just as a warning to not get terribly close to Allen.

"Such a waste."

Qi use Stone Strike pillars 38 Qi use 10

Charging Jade Dragon Qi use 11

[Allen Hollows]

Knowing better than to try and block the strike, Allen would step to the right and use his right sword to parry, making sure not to meet force for force and instead shifting the direction of force. He'd leap back and slide, taking a knee to catch his breath and wiping some blood from his face.

"No, but in war sometimes sacrifice.....is necessary. Running from a battle....just because you lose or are afraid to die....could mean others die in your place. I won't make....a habit of it."

He'd scowl. How to deal with this man? He was probably close to his age, or appeared to be. Yet he fought with the capability of someone far beyond his age. Fighting Blake, it was a brutish battle without the finesse this man had. He'd proceed to take the time the man perched there to recover even a little of his strength.

[Mathew Amtrum]

He allowed his blade to be parried, rotating his wrist to bring it back into position as the man backed off for the moment. Eric would not press his attack. He didn't need to, not with the injuries the other man had endured. He simply had to wait to be the victor.

"Agreed. But sacrificing a piece is only worthwhile when you can claim a piece of greater value or maneuver into a stronger position. Sacrificing a piece out of stubbornness is how the battle is lost. Learn the difference or die and condemn your team to the same."

Charging Jade Dragon Qi use 12

[Allen Hollows]

Allen's face scrunched up.

"How can one tell the difference, exactly? Ordered in to battle, you don't have the luxury of questioning the benefits of fighting for your life or running away. You follow orders, until you're told differently."

Standing, he winced, hand going to his chest. The battle was indeed coming to a close.

"There are no merits of battle here- just the merit of knowing I didn't give up when the opportunity arose. But out there, you don't get to pick and choose when or how you die. You just...hope it means something."

Perhaps he was naive in how he thought- but in order to sacrifice pieces, you'd have to lead them. Allen wasn't in that position- he was just a pawn in another players game until he as strong enough to change it.

[Mathew Amtrum]

"So you claim that you are unable to tell when the battle is lost? Or to make a judgment call on when it would be best to fall back or change tactics?"

To Eric, he claimed to be little more than a bulldozer that only knows how to charge forward until it hit a wall it couldn't break down or ran out of gas. If that was true then he truly was but a pawn, the one piece that can only move forward.

[Allen Hollows]

"When fighting to grow, like now, you can't just flee because you know you can't win. The only way to grow is to fight those better than yourself until you can't anymore. That is what i mean."

He frowned as his vision blurred.

"In war, perhaps you're right. I don't really know, as I've never been in one. But if your claim is that, when you're in a battle, you should know run when you're losing because there are better ways to waste your life, we'll have to....disagree. Knowing when to fight and when to retreat is essential- but knowing when to fight on despite the odds is just as valuable."

He'd swipe his hand at Eric, firing several swords at where he stood. After they were launched, Allen would pitch sideways, planting on the earth.

He'd passed out.

[Mathew Amtrum]

"Then we disagree."

There were plenty of ways to grow, this was but one way. One path. Eric would let the blades slam into his body this time. The stone covering his body under his clothing cracking slightly under the blow, but holding with his Qi reinforcing them. Though it did little to protect his shirt.

He'd click his tongue when Allen passed out, hopping down from his perch to approach the young man. Gripping his blade tighter as he contimplated on whether he should finish it or not. He'd stand there for a long moment before sheathing the blade and instead picking up the fallen warrior and putting him over his shoulder.

His wounds should be fine in the morning with some medical attention.

Qi use 13 - Stone skin

New Defense 53

[Allen Hollows]

/end thread