The wolf roared in triumph as Talbain blasted forward, powered by his
soul energy into his Beast Cannon attack.
The other werewolf only had time to step backward, palm forward and yell "Light Force!" as Talbain's attack connected. No normal Darkstalker could ever survive that move; only nobles and a few of the strongest had ever stood against this move, so it was over. Or so Talbain thought until the dust and smoke cleared and the other werewolf stood there, palm still extended, and a shield of white energy pressed against his palm. Suddenly the shield flickered and blinked out of existence.
"I underestimated you," the other werewolf regarded Talbain, his breath a bit labored as well.
" I thought you another of my father's lackeys!" Talbain was astonished, even the wolf was silent in his mind, and he realized he faced no ordinary opponent.
The other stepped forward, energy loss plain to see, he didn't try to hide it but then Talbain though, neither did he.
" Let me show you a trick of my own!" he said like a child with a new toy, which would have made Talbain laugh, had it not been for the look in his golden eyes.
The other smiled ruefully to himself as he stared at his up turned palm. An aura of black energy flared around him for a split second then in his palm he held a ball of the same black energy. I don't like this! Talbain though to himself as the other smashed the ebony orb with his other hand. Then all was silent as Talbain looked on, nothing happened.
"You call that an attack." Talbain began, but was cut off as black energy erupted from the other werewolf's clenched hands.
The energy crackled and blazed as a smile stretched across the other's face. The energy finally reached its form in a few moments, a form Talbain recognized, it was a sword, he had created a sword of pure soul energy.
"Nega Sword." he said, a large satisfied grin on his lupine features.
Felicia stopped, she couldn't pace Talbain, and in fact she had been following his trail for at least an hour. Of course that had been mainly because Talbain did not want to be followed, but he had taught her more about tracking than he knew, so she found his scent, regardless of the fact he had taken to the sewers to avoid any such tracking. Then she had quite a time jumping buildings, she was a Darkstalker, but nothing could match a werewolf in pure speed and agility. Now she found herself wandering alleyways, it seem as if his scent had disappeared. A sudden pain in her back caught Felicia off guard. She fell face down onto the concrete.
" Don't tell me that's all you've got?" a voice greeted her from behind.
Felicia spun to meet her assailant, claws extended from their furry sheathes and was surprised at what faced her. It, or she Felicia amended was a werewolf. Blue-green eyes met her own, and her golden wine colored fur blazed in the harsh glow of a nearby street lamp. She regarded Felicia for a moment, sniffing the air, and staring a hole through her. Then she finally spoke again, in the same sarcastic, arrogant tone.
" You are with that other one, the blue-gray werewolf?"
"Talbain?" Felicia asked the worry plain in her voice.
" Whatever his name is, don't worry though my love has probably killed him already!" she said, voice dripping with venom.
"What?" Felicia said, her voice flat with grief.
"He is dead!" she repeated smugly.
"Cat Scratch Fever!" Felicia yelled grief was quickly replaced with rage as she dashed forward claws slashing like mad.
The werewolf simply jumped backward and began parrying her blows. Rage burned like an inferno, consuming her, scorching her soul till she could take no more.
"I'll kill you, then I'll kill your love, do you hear me?" she raged.
Talbain somersaulted avoiding another sword strike. He wondered how long he could keep it up, the other werewolf was much faster than Talbain had expected and was running him ragged. He dodged again, this time his fur crackled at the nearness of the strange dark energy. The other slashed with two-handed swings; Talbain had hoped he would over commit to a swing and leave an opening, but know such luck, he was a pro swordsman. Talbain jumped back from another swing and slammed painfully into the building's cooling unit, he was trapped. He felt the wolf rise once again in his mind and his hand ran over something hard. A metal pipe his mind cried even as he clutched it in one hand. Talbain swung, swung as hard as only he could.
The black and white werewolf dodged the swing, only to have the pipe reverse direction and smash painfully into his left shoulder. He howled, not only in pain, but rage. He stumbled for a moment, as agony dashed through his arm in hot needles. That moment was all Talbain needed, jumping to his feet he kicked the other werewolf with all his strength. The other fell to his knees as the companion agony to his shoulder coursed through his midsection. A wide grin stretched across Talbain's features, the wolf knew soon the other's blood would stain his claws and fangs. Suddenly, like a hammer blow the man's consciousness knocked the wolf back into the darkness of his sub consciousness, he was in control, and he chided himself for getting caught up in the battle rage.
Talbain fell backward holding his arm he had forgotten his opponent, the other werewolf had slashed his wrist. He looked down at the damage done to his wrist. The wound didn't bleed, in fact it had been cauterized, the burn was ugly and red but he could move it without to much discomfort.
" I cut you? I'm sorry, but you'll be more sorry!" the black and white werewolf taunted, as Talbain got to his feet. Talbain howled once again, the sound echoed through the buildings like a thunderclap, a force of nature and rage incarnate. Then horror, Talbain fell to the ground, clutching at his wrist.
" What's the matter?" the other werewolf asked in fane sympathy. Then his own grin stretched across his features.
"That is the side affect of my little trick. This sword," he said gesturing at the black energy sword in his hands " feeds on negative emotion, especially that of the dark hearted, in effect allowing me to use a person's dark heart against them!"
"The burn you feel, is the sword's power reacting to your anger, rage, frustration, all of those negative emotions!" he said shooting Jon another smile.
Negative emotion? Talbain thought and realized that it was true; the burning had eased, as he was now calm. However Talbain realized he should sill act like he was in pain, else the other find something worse to do to him and he wasn't sure the slash would allow him to defend himself.
Then suddenly the words of his grandfather flooded to the surface of his mind "Calm yourself! The martial arts are not about conflict, but serenity." It was odd to Talbain that these words would come to his mind, his grandfather, had only taught him the martial arts, he had been a good man, but had died when he was young. To Talbain he was no different than any other nice stranger he had met. Those words however would not be denied as they drummed through his mind time and again.
The wolf howled in Talbain's mind, a howl of pure rage; rage at the man that held him from his battle, rage at the other werewolf for daring to challenge him, and rage at the world itself, he was deep into the battle rage that lived within every werewolf. The wolf snapped, raging out of control, but only the man's will thwarted him, a will he would break for his freedom.
Grandfather was right! The thought came to Talbain, as the sword's burn ebbed from the agony that had taken his senses.
Then he stumbled, an agony worse than before, racked his whole body. At first he thought of how the sword's power could hurt him, while he was so calm, then he realized it wasn't the sword.
Then he saw him, the wolf met him in his mind and attacked. Then agony like a thousand white-hot needles, pierced his skull, he knew if it continued he would die. His vision blurred, his every move hurt like every bone in his body had been pounded to dust, and finally, mercifully everything went black.
Felicia was battered and bloody. Though to Felicia's amusement so was her opponent, so miss "I'm undefeatable" can bleed and stuff her trash talk! Felicia thought to herself. Their fight had been evenly matched, after Felicia had calmed down, a result of hearing Talbain's familiar howl, she knew he was fighting close by, but she had her own fight to finish first. "Rolling Bucker!" she shouted, somersaulting into a ball and slamming into the werewolf's chest. She fell back stunned, but recoiled like a true fighter hopping to her feet. "Still think you're going to kill me? Not likely vermin!" The werewolf laughed. "Crimson Claw!" She roared as Felicia prepared to block the move that she had become increasingly intimate with. The werewolf charged forward, her clawed hand glowing with red soul energy. Then just as she had three times before she clawed at the air, which erupted into a hailstorm of small soul energy blast. Each blast stung like acid as it hit; fur, skin, and seemed to leek into her body
The black and white werewolf hoisted Talbain over his shoulder and jumped to the ground.
Felicia smiled as once again a look of disbelief spread across the features of her werewolf nemesis. She wondered how the cat girl had taken four Crimson Claw attacks that was impossible, even the most stubborn and powerful in her pack had yielded after two, but this pathetic creature had taken four and was sill attacking.
"Delta Kick!' Felicia yelled as she attacked with the soul energy enforced jump kick, she caught the werewolf square, sending her flying face first into a nearby wall. "How'd you like that one!' Felicia laughed, a smirk smugly planted on her features. The werewolf struggled to her feet. She glared in pure hatred and rage, willing the cat woman's death she spit a mouth full of blood/saliva strait at Felicia. Felicia dodged the horrid projectile and almost fell as she hit something behind her. She turned only to be face to face, or face to chest rather because he was much taller, but he was a werewolf and not Talbain.
"Who are you?" she yelled at the stranger. He didn't answer, only looked down into her eyes with the same golden eyes as Talbain. "Who are you?" she repeated with far less forcefulness. Then from behind she heard the answer "My love!" the wine colored werewolf said. Felicia had forgotten the creature in her confrontation with this stranger, but she had more important things to worry about like this killer who had fought and did God knows what to Talbain.
The black and white werewolf stared at the cat girl. She was beautiful; lean bodied, though a little short with emerald green eyes, luminous blue hair, and white fur that covered her body in an almost garment like way. He looked into her eyes and almost melted, they were wondrous, but immediately he saw she was troubled. What had Tigress done this time he wondered? Looking over at the wine colored werewolf he knew whatever it was, it wasn't Tigress, she been hurt too badly to really be a threat. Then it struck him he was her worry. Then as if to accent his revelation Felicia attacked. "Cat Scratch Fever!" she roared, attacking with the claw striking attack. He dodged backward avoiding most of the strikes, but nearly fell as pain laced through his midsection. Damn, he must have broken some of my ribs the black and white werewolf thought as he remembered the other werewolf's kick.
Felicia pressed her attack as the werewolf gripped at his ribs, she had him and he knew it. Then suddenly, in a blur of motions, the black and white werewolf watched as Tigress jumped to her feet bounced across the ally and landed behind his attacker. With speed even he didn't know she possessed she caught the cat girl on the side of the head with the flat of her claws.
Felicia didn't feel the blow, just its aftershock, as pain exploded in her skull and slowly every thing went black, her last sight the satisfied smirk of that wine colored bitch.
The other werewolf only had time to step backward, palm forward and yell "Light Force!" as Talbain's attack connected. No normal Darkstalker could ever survive that move; only nobles and a few of the strongest had ever stood against this move, so it was over. Or so Talbain thought until the dust and smoke cleared and the other werewolf stood there, palm still extended, and a shield of white energy pressed against his palm. Suddenly the shield flickered and blinked out of existence.
"I underestimated you," the other werewolf regarded Talbain, his breath a bit labored as well.
" I thought you another of my father's lackeys!" Talbain was astonished, even the wolf was silent in his mind, and he realized he faced no ordinary opponent.
The other stepped forward, energy loss plain to see, he didn't try to hide it but then Talbain though, neither did he.
" Let me show you a trick of my own!" he said like a child with a new toy, which would have made Talbain laugh, had it not been for the look in his golden eyes.
The other smiled ruefully to himself as he stared at his up turned palm. An aura of black energy flared around him for a split second then in his palm he held a ball of the same black energy. I don't like this! Talbain though to himself as the other smashed the ebony orb with his other hand. Then all was silent as Talbain looked on, nothing happened.
"You call that an attack." Talbain began, but was cut off as black energy erupted from the other werewolf's clenched hands.
The energy crackled and blazed as a smile stretched across the other's face. The energy finally reached its form in a few moments, a form Talbain recognized, it was a sword, he had created a sword of pure soul energy.
"Nega Sword." he said, a large satisfied grin on his lupine features.
Felicia stopped, she couldn't pace Talbain, and in fact she had been following his trail for at least an hour. Of course that had been mainly because Talbain did not want to be followed, but he had taught her more about tracking than he knew, so she found his scent, regardless of the fact he had taken to the sewers to avoid any such tracking. Then she had quite a time jumping buildings, she was a Darkstalker, but nothing could match a werewolf in pure speed and agility. Now she found herself wandering alleyways, it seem as if his scent had disappeared. A sudden pain in her back caught Felicia off guard. She fell face down onto the concrete.
" Don't tell me that's all you've got?" a voice greeted her from behind.
Felicia spun to meet her assailant, claws extended from their furry sheathes and was surprised at what faced her. It, or she Felicia amended was a werewolf. Blue-green eyes met her own, and her golden wine colored fur blazed in the harsh glow of a nearby street lamp. She regarded Felicia for a moment, sniffing the air, and staring a hole through her. Then she finally spoke again, in the same sarcastic, arrogant tone.
" You are with that other one, the blue-gray werewolf?"
"Talbain?" Felicia asked the worry plain in her voice.
" Whatever his name is, don't worry though my love has probably killed him already!" she said, voice dripping with venom.
"What?" Felicia said, her voice flat with grief.
"He is dead!" she repeated smugly.
"Cat Scratch Fever!" Felicia yelled grief was quickly replaced with rage as she dashed forward claws slashing like mad.
The werewolf simply jumped backward and began parrying her blows. Rage burned like an inferno, consuming her, scorching her soul till she could take no more.
"I'll kill you, then I'll kill your love, do you hear me?" she raged.
Talbain somersaulted avoiding another sword strike. He wondered how long he could keep it up, the other werewolf was much faster than Talbain had expected and was running him ragged. He dodged again, this time his fur crackled at the nearness of the strange dark energy. The other slashed with two-handed swings; Talbain had hoped he would over commit to a swing and leave an opening, but know such luck, he was a pro swordsman. Talbain jumped back from another swing and slammed painfully into the building's cooling unit, he was trapped. He felt the wolf rise once again in his mind and his hand ran over something hard. A metal pipe his mind cried even as he clutched it in one hand. Talbain swung, swung as hard as only he could.
The black and white werewolf dodged the swing, only to have the pipe reverse direction and smash painfully into his left shoulder. He howled, not only in pain, but rage. He stumbled for a moment, as agony dashed through his arm in hot needles. That moment was all Talbain needed, jumping to his feet he kicked the other werewolf with all his strength. The other fell to his knees as the companion agony to his shoulder coursed through his midsection. A wide grin stretched across Talbain's features, the wolf knew soon the other's blood would stain his claws and fangs. Suddenly, like a hammer blow the man's consciousness knocked the wolf back into the darkness of his sub consciousness, he was in control, and he chided himself for getting caught up in the battle rage.
Talbain fell backward holding his arm he had forgotten his opponent, the other werewolf had slashed his wrist. He looked down at the damage done to his wrist. The wound didn't bleed, in fact it had been cauterized, the burn was ugly and red but he could move it without to much discomfort.
" I cut you? I'm sorry, but you'll be more sorry!" the black and white werewolf taunted, as Talbain got to his feet. Talbain howled once again, the sound echoed through the buildings like a thunderclap, a force of nature and rage incarnate. Then horror, Talbain fell to the ground, clutching at his wrist.
" What's the matter?" the other werewolf asked in fane sympathy. Then his own grin stretched across his features.
"That is the side affect of my little trick. This sword," he said gesturing at the black energy sword in his hands " feeds on negative emotion, especially that of the dark hearted, in effect allowing me to use a person's dark heart against them!"
"The burn you feel, is the sword's power reacting to your anger, rage, frustration, all of those negative emotions!" he said shooting Jon another smile.
Negative emotion? Talbain thought and realized that it was true; the burning had eased, as he was now calm. However Talbain realized he should sill act like he was in pain, else the other find something worse to do to him and he wasn't sure the slash would allow him to defend himself.
Then suddenly the words of his grandfather flooded to the surface of his mind "Calm yourself! The martial arts are not about conflict, but serenity." It was odd to Talbain that these words would come to his mind, his grandfather, had only taught him the martial arts, he had been a good man, but had died when he was young. To Talbain he was no different than any other nice stranger he had met. Those words however would not be denied as they drummed through his mind time and again.
The wolf howled in Talbain's mind, a howl of pure rage; rage at the man that held him from his battle, rage at the other werewolf for daring to challenge him, and rage at the world itself, he was deep into the battle rage that lived within every werewolf. The wolf snapped, raging out of control, but only the man's will thwarted him, a will he would break for his freedom.
Grandfather was right! The thought came to Talbain, as the sword's burn ebbed from the agony that had taken his senses.
Then he stumbled, an agony worse than before, racked his whole body. At first he thought of how the sword's power could hurt him, while he was so calm, then he realized it wasn't the sword.
Then he saw him, the wolf met him in his mind and attacked. Then agony like a thousand white-hot needles, pierced his skull, he knew if it continued he would die. His vision blurred, his every move hurt like every bone in his body had been pounded to dust, and finally, mercifully everything went black.
Felicia was battered and bloody. Though to Felicia's amusement so was her opponent, so miss "I'm undefeatable" can bleed and stuff her trash talk! Felicia thought to herself. Their fight had been evenly matched, after Felicia had calmed down, a result of hearing Talbain's familiar howl, she knew he was fighting close by, but she had her own fight to finish first. "Rolling Bucker!" she shouted, somersaulting into a ball and slamming into the werewolf's chest. She fell back stunned, but recoiled like a true fighter hopping to her feet. "Still think you're going to kill me? Not likely vermin!" The werewolf laughed. "Crimson Claw!" She roared as Felicia prepared to block the move that she had become increasingly intimate with. The werewolf charged forward, her clawed hand glowing with red soul energy. Then just as she had three times before she clawed at the air, which erupted into a hailstorm of small soul energy blast. Each blast stung like acid as it hit; fur, skin, and seemed to leek into her body
The black and white werewolf hoisted Talbain over his shoulder and jumped to the ground.
Felicia smiled as once again a look of disbelief spread across the features of her werewolf nemesis. She wondered how the cat girl had taken four Crimson Claw attacks that was impossible, even the most stubborn and powerful in her pack had yielded after two, but this pathetic creature had taken four and was sill attacking.
"Delta Kick!' Felicia yelled as she attacked with the soul energy enforced jump kick, she caught the werewolf square, sending her flying face first into a nearby wall. "How'd you like that one!' Felicia laughed, a smirk smugly planted on her features. The werewolf struggled to her feet. She glared in pure hatred and rage, willing the cat woman's death she spit a mouth full of blood/saliva strait at Felicia. Felicia dodged the horrid projectile and almost fell as she hit something behind her. She turned only to be face to face, or face to chest rather because he was much taller, but he was a werewolf and not Talbain.
"Who are you?" she yelled at the stranger. He didn't answer, only looked down into her eyes with the same golden eyes as Talbain. "Who are you?" she repeated with far less forcefulness. Then from behind she heard the answer "My love!" the wine colored werewolf said. Felicia had forgotten the creature in her confrontation with this stranger, but she had more important things to worry about like this killer who had fought and did God knows what to Talbain.
The black and white werewolf stared at the cat girl. She was beautiful; lean bodied, though a little short with emerald green eyes, luminous blue hair, and white fur that covered her body in an almost garment like way. He looked into her eyes and almost melted, they were wondrous, but immediately he saw she was troubled. What had Tigress done this time he wondered? Looking over at the wine colored werewolf he knew whatever it was, it wasn't Tigress, she been hurt too badly to really be a threat. Then it struck him he was her worry. Then as if to accent his revelation Felicia attacked. "Cat Scratch Fever!" she roared, attacking with the claw striking attack. He dodged backward avoiding most of the strikes, but nearly fell as pain laced through his midsection. Damn, he must have broken some of my ribs the black and white werewolf thought as he remembered the other werewolf's kick.
Felicia pressed her attack as the werewolf gripped at his ribs, she had him and he knew it. Then suddenly, in a blur of motions, the black and white werewolf watched as Tigress jumped to her feet bounced across the ally and landed behind his attacker. With speed even he didn't know she possessed she caught the cat girl on the side of the head with the flat of her claws.
Felicia didn't feel the blow, just its aftershock, as pain exploded in her skull and slowly every thing went black, her last sight the satisfied smirk of that wine colored bitch.