Chapter 12: Yuri Arshavin, Animalistic Warrior

(Daggir's POV)

In all my nightmares, my interpretation of a monster was always a horrible creature with a hideous appearance and an unrivaled potential for destruction. Never in all my 17 years had I thought a mere human could be a monster.

The last time I had fought this boy, he looked like the normal frail creature that I had known humans to be. It was clear that was not the same boy that I had fought then. He may look the same, save the new scar over his right eye and on his chest, but he seemed completely different.

For one thing, his muscles seemed slightly more defined than the last time, and they just added to his intimidation factor. I towered over him, and yet I felt like I should be standing in his shadow. On another note, the fact of the blood on him was especially fightening, to the point where he looked like a murderer.

And I had a good feeling that in a few minutes, he would be.

There were many factors that made me fearful of fighting him a third time over, but the most important was his eyes. There was something about them that scared me more than any other opponent I could possibly face.

Before, they were greenish, then when he used that power, they were almost red. But now, they looked completely different. His eyes were now golden like the Bright Circle, and burning with rage. They say the eyes are the windows to the soul, and his were showing the soul of an animal.

And at the same time, they showed the soul of a warrior...

Before I had even finished this train of thought entirely, he was on the move. And before I got the chance to defend, I recieved three punches to the ribs. They were far more painful than that punch to the jaw, and it knocked the wind out of me.

Normally, I didn't feel the pain of an attack, but he had my number since the beginning... He had already beaten me twice. And I was still weak after the last one. Those knee strikes nearly broke my damn ribs, and they haven't recovered much.

Even so, I have to fight! I attempted to rush him once more, and the moment I threw my punch, he grabbed my arm, and threw me over his shoulder.

While I was on the ground, he kicked me straight in the chest. I was sure I was coughing up blood after that.

I got up, and attempted to rush him again, only to be taken down. He grabbed me by both of my legs and slammed me into the ground, my back hitting a rock.

He was certainly fighting much more furiously than before. And I could've sworn he snarled at me while doing it. "What is this?" I asked threw my heavy breathing. And his response made me even more afraid than I've ever been in my life.

"This is what'll be your downfall!"

The moment I got back up, I was hit with an onslaught. He was hitting me with his fists, his legs, his knees, and his elbows, all of which I could do nothing to counter.

I believed myself to have only one option. I grabbed my hidden stone dagger, and waited for him to strike me. He threw a strong punch, which I narrowly avoided, and slashed him across the stomach.

Though it barely did any damage to him, leaving another small cut that left him in only slight pain. He grabbed my arm, took the dagger, and stabbed me straight in the left shoulder. The pain was unbearable, and my left arm went limp.

Letting me go, the first thing that happened was I staggered. There was another opening to this cave, and I seemed to be getting dangerously close to it. I had to ask out of fear:

"Are you going to kill me."

"No," he said, "But if you die after the fight, then so be it." This is very uncharacteristic of this boy, as far as i've seen. But then he continued: "You're right that I'm no murderer. But now I've the instincts of an Animalisitic Warrior!"

An 'Animalistic Warrior'? What does he mean by that?

"So know this, Daggir," Yuri said, "I will not kill you myself, but I will destroy you if I must. And if you get back up 1,000 times, I'll knock you down 1,001!" And with that, he kicked me to the ground, and started to leave.

(Yuri's POV)

The blood loss was starting to get to me. I'm going to have to get to a waterfall and wash off my wounds. My vision had returned entirely in my right eye, and I was lucky enough to find that no blood got into it.

Speaking of blood, I honestly don't want to fight for a while now. At least until my injuries heal. Though I was wondering if the rest of the group were okay, and hopefully I'll get the chance...

Or so I thought! Only a second later, Dagger came up and attempted a chokehold on me. I was weak at the moment, and this wasn't helping. "I will not go down," Daggir said, as I felt myself running out of air, "But I'll be sure you do! And then I'm going to take down the little longneck girl first!"

And once again, instinct took over once more, and I was re-invigorated. Running backwards, I slammed the sharptooth into a wall, and started to elbow him in the ribs. Once he had let go, it was the chance I was searching for. I would have to destroy him, or die myself.

Now I understand 'Survival of the Fittest'.

Rejuvenated by this, I continued my onslaught, automatically thinking 'Destroy him'. Punches, Kicks, Knees, Elbows, you name it, I hit him with it. Eventually, he was staggered over by the opening, and this was my chance. Getting a running start, I jumped up, and dropkicked the Sharptooth, sending him falling down the side of the mountain.

It was done, and that meant I could leave.

As the rage from the battle died down, I still felt that rush of energy that was going on all throughout the fight. Not only that, but my senses felt stronger. Almost as if I felt more in tune with the world.

Such a feeling was amazing, and it meant that I had accomplished my goals. It was amazing, and meant I could head back out to the Valley. Which is what I planned on doing. Looking out to the exit, I found that there was a little bit of yellow right behind it. "Cera, were you there the whole time?"

"...Yeah," she said, coming out from behind the rock, "But can you blame me? That was amazing!"

I wanted to be mad at her, but I couldn't. Mainly cause I happened to agree with her.

Hm? Yes? Tense? I hope it made for an epic fight scene imagined in all y'all's heads, and I hope this was a good way of making Yuri get his instincts. And yes, Daggir, the Sharptooth Yuri refused to kill before, is dead. But he died from the fall, so it wasn't entirely by Yuri's hands.

Next chapter up next weekend.