Kind offerings...sorta

THWONNNNGGG

My eyes jerked open into the gloom of Dustwallow Marsh.

What the fuck was that?

I looked over to my prisoner and saw her very guiltily out of her bindings and pawing at her weapons.

Her shield, which had made the noise was stuck a good few inches in the ground as she dropped it.

"Don't do it." I tell her.

She looked at me with pity in her eyes, the kind of pity you see in a master's eyes before it beats it's dog.

She grasped her shield and heaved it onto her arm then reached for her mace and readied herself to fight me.

I just sighed.

"Don't try ta fight me, ya won't win." I told her.

"Seems that you hold yourself in high esteem, but you want to fight me with what? That decorated stick you call a staff?"she said, pointing at my quarterstaff.

She quieted as I jumped to my feet, grabbed my staff and prepared myself to fight her.

She gave another laugh and ran into me like a bull.

Oh she's a tank, I would have guessed healer.

'Spose you can't judge a book by it's cover.

I moved out of the way before she collided with me and expected her to stumble and fall.

Instead she stopped dead in her tracks and turned around.

I raised my eyebrows, that must have taken a lot of willpower to stop so suddenly with so much weight on her.

She charged me again, and I dodged again.

And again and again and again.

She looked at me the last time panting slightly.

And threw her hammer at my face.

I wasn't expecting that, so it hit me and my world went blurry for about two seconds.

When I could see again, I felt the human's shield ram into my chest, knocking the wind out of me.

My staff went flying out of my hands, lost in the heat of the fight.

I fell to the ground, and took a single deep ragged breath, before I felt a boot connect with my stomach, knocking that breath right out of me again.

And I snapped, I took in one deep breath and jumped to my feet, away from the girl.

"Fine den, you want ta fight? Den fight we shall." I told her.

And before letting Virigosa do anything, I dived for her face, foot first.

It connected with a sickening crunch.

She fell to the floor, and I on top of her.

And I just let my anger boil through me.

I just started punching her in the face, over and over.

After a few dozen punches I felt her struggle beneath my blows, and I came to myself.

I stopped, mid-punch.

And then I felt sickness welling up inside me, what had I told my master so long ago?

Never attack someone that can't defend themselves.

I crawled off the human and stared at her, dumb folded.

She groaned and spat a wad of blood onto the dust as she crawled to her knees.

Pity and self hate welled inside me.

I summoned up some of my Chi and moved my hands to the girls bloody, bruised face.

As her eyes focused onto my palms she flinched.

"I won't hit ya." I reassured her, with a grunt.

You just punched her bloody, do you really think she'll believe you?

I released the Chi I held in my body, sending out small healing waves to the human.

I slowly went cold as my life force bled out of me.

That will take some time get back.

I watched as Virigosa's face healed noticeably.

She looked up at me with pain addled eyes.

"sleep mon, ya'll need it, nobody will be hurtin' ya."

Her eyes flitted shut, as if my words had power, and just collapsed onto the dirt.

I sighed.