Shake it Up (Eric)

[Mathew Amtrum]

He brought an arm up to block the stick as it collided with him. Clanging to the ground in front of him, unable to break through his armor now. But this time he didn't attack her. She would not be punished for the move.

"How would you come at me now?"

OOC: Qi use 12/30

Level 2: Stone Skin - Eric manipulates a thin layer of stone over his body to act as armor. 1/2 energy stat added to his defense.

Defense 65

[Bailey Oleander]

Blessedly, there was no further attack. At least, not yet, but Bailey remembered how he pummeled her in the back to drive the other spike further in. She didn't want to give him the chance to do that again.

"First, I'd get rid of this." She'd reach over with her other hand and pull out the spike, bloodied fingers slick against it at first as she fought for a grip, eventually pulling it free. When she cast it aside, she picked up her other stick, slamming it into the side of his knee as she spoke.

"Try to even the field, knock you down. Buy myself time or an advantage." She frowned as she looked up at him, not trusting herself to get up yet as an idea came to her.

"Or, since you are certain I am weak, let you believe that and use it against you."

[Mathew Amtrum]

He didn't stop her attacks as she narrated what she'd do. The stick colliding with his armored leg. A good move, but still futile in this situation. If she had done this earlier at her peak, it would have been a different story. But now it was too late. Except she was learning, she was identifying new tactics. Even if her weapon would thud against his stone armor.

"Only one man has managed to dislocate my knee. And he didn't do it by striking it while I stood."

OOC: OOC: Qi use 13/30

Level 2: Stone Skin - Eric manipulates a thin layer of stone over his body to act as armor. 1/2 energy stat added to his defense.

Defense 65

[Bailey Oleander]

He was making her think, work out the flaws in her own thoughts. Her stick would thud, useless, but point taken. Her lips pursed in thought, eyes narrowing as she considered what he said.

"Then I should have done something to immobilize you earlier, or not do it when you have the advantage of height." Too bad her other stick was off to the side, out of reach. A thought came to her that normally wouldn't, considering she had brothers who complained about it, but she continued.

"I could go for your groin, since you're a man." She raised the stick, indicating a strike to his nether region. "But this," she would use the stick to jab, tip-first, into the area where lymph nodes and pressure points clustered along the part of the inside of Eric's leg that joined at the hip, grateful for her interest in human anatomy.

"Would be better."

[Mathew Amtrum]

The stick would still find armor where she struck, his nerve clusters, and thankfully unattacked groin well protected. But the point was taken.

"That would have been something. You could also have tried to bait me into a physical attack which you could then utilize my momentum and strength against me by redirecting the force."

OOC: Qi use 14/30

Level 2: Stone Skin - Eric manipulates a thin layer of stone over his body to act as armor. 1/2 energy stat added to his defense.

Defense 65

[Bailey Oleander]

She paused for a moment at that, surprised. Since coming here, most of the people went with qi attacks first in some way, or weapons with range. Even Eric had a sword. But she knew how to deflect those blows know, and redirecting the force gave her ideas.

"So like the rocks? But with redirecting your attack instead of deflecting them." Things that would have been better earlier on, but were taken note of now for next time. Now, however, she had time to think about her current situation.

"I could use movement against you now, if you were moving. Knocking your balance if you took a step." She would jab the stick at the insole of his foot. "But that's only if you're moving. As it is, my options are limited." She sighed and resisted the urge to grimace, though her lips still twisted.

"Nevermind, point taken. Don't let myself get in this position in the first place if I can help it."

[Mathew Amtrum]

"Don't assume your tactics will work without knowing what someone can do."

He'd say, his body shifting rapidly around her without him moving his leg. The ground under his feet shifting instead while he remained grounded.

OOC: OOC: Qi use 15/30

Shifting Sands - Eric can move the ground under his feet giving him a boost to his speed. 1/4 energy stat added to speed.

Speed 48

[Bailey Oleander]

That startled her, causing Bailey to gasp in pain again as her body moved with the reaction. She rolled over to her other side to face him, her stick drawn protectively though she was already too late. He had moved without actually moving.

"Know they enemy," she said softly. Then, clearing her throat, she would continue as normal, a thoughtful expression in her eyes.

"Still, you have range, as well. My current situation wouldn't go so well if you used one of them." Not while she was stuck, unable to rise, without some form of counter. She'd need one.

[Mathew Amtrum]

"Adapt. Or Die."

He held out a hand, his brows furrowing in some effort as a sharp spike fired out of his sleeve without an impact to fly by her. Close enough that if she didn't move it would graze her cheek. Excuses in a fight were pointless. And if he still had the desire to kill her she'd have died no matter what excuses she could make about how her situation wouldn't go well.

OOC: Qi use 16/30

Stone Strike - Eric hits the ground and the shockwave sends out small pillars or projectiles of stone at his foe. 1/4th energy stat added to his attack.

Attack: 48

[Bailey Oleander]

She didn't trust that hand any more than she'd trust a viper not to strike her right now. It certainly was not to help her up. As his hand came forward, Bailey would roll to the side, every movement jarring as she tried to compensate for the fatigue, slamming her stick against the inside of his elbow on his now extended hand.

"Then I'll adapt."

___________

Bailey Attack: 21

[Mathew Amtrum]

The stick hit his arm, knocking it to the side slightly, but otherwise simply thudding against his stone armor.

"Prove it."

He'd say as he lunged himself at her. His right hand shooting out to try and grab her by the face and slam her head first into the ground. Not all enemies fought with weapons and Qi.

OOC: Qi use 17/30

Level 2: Stone Skin - Eric manipulates a thin layer of stone over his body to act as armor. 1/2 energy stat added to his defense.

Defense 65

[Bailey Oleander]

Shoot.

Her entire body felt like it was floating in a river of gelatin, the edges of her vision going dark. She could have rolled out of the way, could have tried to use her stick to deflect the blow or go for a shoulder joint. Instead, she tucked her head down and rolled forward, hoping to trip him up mid-lunge. She'd strike out with her stick, , twiting to make sure she could see what he was doing, but the motion made the world spin even faster.

[Mathew Amtrum]

She forgot already. She might have avoided his first attack, but she triggered his second one. Spikes would erupt from the armor where her stick hit, firing out of him to try and stab her and add another bleeding injury and further reduce her mobility. He was finished blunting his strikes, it was time for her to think.

OOC: OOC: Level 7 - Alchemize - Eric can combine two of his abilities with Alchemize to create a single new ability. (Can not surpass 125% Energy, Using Alchemize with two other abilities only uses 1 use through Alchemize its self)

So instead of spending 3 uses, you only spend 1

Alchemized Level 1: Stone Strike - Eric hits the ground and the shockwave sends out small pillars or projectiles of stone at his foe. 1/4th energy stat added to his attack.
+
Level 2: Stone Skin - Eric manipulates a thin layer of stone over his body to act as armor. 1/2 energy stat added to his defense.

Created Recoil - Eric reinforces the armor around his body and uses the vibrations from an attack landed against him to power the stone spikes coming out of his body for his counter attack! 3/4 Energy added to attack and defense.

Defense: 80
Attack: 78

Qi use 18/30

[Bailey Oleander]

Her upper arm was also now punctured on the right side. Yay! Torn between the fact that Eric could use it against her and the fact she really needed to stop bleeding out, she'd pull out the spike enough to make sure she wasn't pinned, barely able to stand as she muttered, "Should've just gone for the head." She had the escrima stick. He'd been lunging for her. She could have let momentum do the work.

[Mathew Amtrum]

He'd not even turn to face her as he snapped his fingers. The ground rumbling underfoot as slabs of stone came up to slam against her and encase her. The fight was over as far as he was concerned. She did better than expected and thus made this less of a waste of time than he'd anticipated.

OOC: Qi use 19/30

Stone Tomb - If Eric has struck someone with one of his elemental attacks he has left his magnetic signature on them. This allows him to activate it as a beacon to bring stone and metal up from the area to slam and crush the target adding his energy stat to his attack. Afterward, the signature dissipates. The attack is announced by intense tremors of the Earth as the rock and metal is ripped from the ground.

Attack: 108