It was almost time. Crouching, hidden behind the fallen log as the Ixal beast drew ever nearer, oblivious to his presence, the hyur was relying completely on his sense of hearing. The sound of everything being destroyed under those massive talons filled his ears and became his whole world. Nothing else mattered beyond the sound of it’s approach. Not the past and not even the aftermath. There was no room for distraction nor hesitation. He just needed to get this right.
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*Crunch* .. *Crunch* .. *Trundle*
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("Here it comes") was the hyur’s single thought. His index finger tapped rhythmically against the object he held in his hand to each step Ixal took, calculating the remaining distance and timing carefully.
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("Just a little more and...")
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*crunch* *crunch* *crunch*
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Drawing near to the log, the Ixal’s pace suddenly quickened as he prepared to launch himself over it with a single stride, an effortless task for a creature of his stature. Andre’s knuckles grew white as his grip on the thick branch tightened with determination.
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……
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“…!â€
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Suddenly launching himself upward, Andre drove the log with all of his might until it struck the legs of the airborne Ixal, sending the beast into a tumble as it lurched forward to land heavily in the soil behind them, causing the ground around them to tremble slightly from the impact.
Success.
The unsuspecting Ixal grunted heavily as it slowly scrambled to push itself back to it’s feet, having momentarily been dazed by the sudden fall. The colliding force of the beast and log had briefly forced Andre back to his knees though luckily he had escaped the daring attempt uninjured. With a sharp exhale he too, returned to his feet and turned to face the Ixal whom had also regained it’s composure. The two of them quickly met eyes as a dark atmosphere quickly descended down around them. The surrounding environment almost seemed to grow dark, the world around them shrinking, as both man and Ixal faced one another - both with an impassioned intent to kill. A low and threatening growl escaped as the Ixal bared it’s fangs menacingly and reaffirmed it’s grip on the large blade that it carried by it’s hip. Taking a moment to size up the creature that stood before him, Andre slowly strafed around to the side, placing himself further away from the large log behind which he had been hiding, his eyes locked with a permanence against the Ixal’s beady orbs. The creature’s gaze followed him closely; refusing to break away from the arrogant scum that had dared to assault him. His dark eyes burned with an uncontainable fury as he stared the hyur down. This Ixal, as was typically their kind’s nature, would not sacrifice vengeance in exchange for the girl. Andre drew to a halt once more and awaited the beast to make it’s move. Holding his attention for but a little longer would ensure Clover’s escape.
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A sudden roar of anger filled the air as the Ixal suddenly charged forward and began swinging long and powerful strikes in the hyur’s direction. Andre narrowed his eyes in focus as he quickly responded with evasive dodges and crouches, anticipating each attack well as the fury-driven beast hastily threw wild slashes in predictable patterns. He retained his grip on the log in both his hands, holding it firm and close to his chest protectively, ready to use it at a moment’s notice but holding himself against retaliating too hastily.
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"…!"
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Andre’s attention was momentarily diverted as his back collided with the trunk of a tree, its rough bark pressing sharply against his back with warning. Hurriedly returning his attention forward, his gaze focused on Ixal just in time to see a downward strike slicing through the air down toward him. A sudden gasp pushed out of the males pressed lips as he launched himself away from the tree, barely escaping the Ixal’s fatal wrath as he nimbly dodged beneath it’s sword and passed behind his assailant. The sharpened steel drove cleanly into the aged, tree bark with a mighty crack, pinning the Ixal for a fraction of a second as it quickly jerked away to pull himself free again. It was a small window but not one that was wasted. With a forceful heave, Andre slammed the log against the Ixal’s back to strike it’s tough body with it’s entire length. The heavy piece of lumber struck cleanly against the Ixal’s spine, pushing it roughly into the tree before it.
Andre withdrew a couple of steps to regain his own balance and to allow his breath to return to him. His eyes seemed to grow a little wider with surprise as a sudden feeling of hope stirred within him. He was certain he would die, or at least be captured here... but now he had briefly been captured with the idea that perhaps it didn't have to end that way. If he could just remain focused then perhaps even with only a mere log...
He tried to control his excited breathing by returning to take in slow and deep breaths, his eyes still focused on the Ixal’s back as it agitatedly turned to return his glare upon the hyur once again.
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The Ixal snarled angrily, as it turned away from the tree he had been thrown into. His merciless eyes appeared to grow even more fierce as it became progressively more agitated, his glare focusing intently on Andre once more. Andre returned it’s glare in silence as he, once again, awaited the beast's next move - to launch into yet another attack. The Ixal grunted loudly before charging forward again, resuming it’s flurry of strikes all thrown with an unrivaled aggression in the direction of the blonde male. Despite his elevated aggression, the beast’s strikes had grown slower and more precise this time as each one was more cleverly delivered than from the time previous. A raspy breath escaped the hyurs lips with each dodge as the blade drew nearer and nearer to striking it’s target, quickly slicing away the thin veil of hope that had only barely begun to creep over over the male. He knew that he was quickly approaching his limit.
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"Gyahh..-ah..!"
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A small cry escaped as the beast’s blade eventually made it’s first mark. A cleanly cut laceration to his upper arm almost forced the male into a spin as the blade dragged across his flesh with great force. A thin lace of crimson danced through the air and landed amongst the green shrubbery that nervously spectated from beneath the safety of the nearby trees. Andre fought against the instinct to protectively grip and seal his wound as he forced his gaze back upon the Ixal. He was hardly given the opportunity to so much as respond to the pain before the Ixal quickly followed through with yet another downward strike aimed directly for the man’s skull, but this time there was no time to dodge. Andre quickly threw the log upward in an arcing pattern across the blade’s path as he had no option but to attempt to parry the strike. The Ixal’s steel blade sliced deeply into the log, causing the air around them to resound with a fearsome crack as it almost completely snapped through, but otherwise succeeded in stopping the blade in it’s path. The Ixal didn’t hesitate for even a moment. Retracting his weapon suddenly, Andre was roughly drawn in toward him before being met with the beast’s massive, driving claw. The creature’s harsh grip spread out firmly across his neck, choking the hyur with a frightening level of malice before casting him backwards to collide against a nearby tree. Andre’s head harshly struck against the trunk of the tree, forcing his back to slide down along it's length until he came to a seated position at it’s base. The young male grunted weakly as he slowly reached up behind his head to attempt to alleviate the pain that pounded furiously from within the back of his skull.
Knowing that his foe had been momentarily incapacitated, the Ixal strode toward him with a bitter satisfaction, his pace moderated but anxious.
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Andre’s eyes struggled to lift themselves away from the ground that was shaking dizzily beneath him. He blinked repeatedly as he vainly tried to regain focus and clear away the darkness that had moved in to occupy the borders of his vision. Eventually, with a slight shake of his head, the hyur laboriously forced his gaze upward just in time to see the Ixal draw to a stop before him. The creature appeared no less determined than it had been all along but there was something else… a faint hint of joy that was struggling to creep past the raw anger that dominated it’s naturally-sculpted, threatening features. With a low hiss, the Ixal’s sword rose high into the air as he prepared to deliver the finishing blow.
In the end, it was as he had initially predicted. There was no recovering now, this is where he was to die.
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Beyond his daze, within the corners of his vision, the hyur could once again see the fleeting, ghostly form of the young girl’s back as she rushed through the woodland to escape the scene behind her.
Andre blinked wearily as he tried to focus on the image. If nothing else, he could take with him the satisfaction that at least she would survive. Her innocence, Clover’s.. innocence.. it had no place here. For her kind to be taken or even to have loved ones taken from them by the violence and corruption that tainted the hidden reaches of this world was just too cruel of a thought, and yet... it happens… it has already happened.
Hidden reaches...? The thought echoed back through Andre's mind. It no longer even seemed that way to the hyur. The dangers of the world had always been present, but they were not something that could just reveal themselves to anyone... least of all the people he knew and cared for. Was it that the world was changing or had he truly been so naively ignorant to it's extent all along?
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A grunt echoed from the pit of the Ixal’s throat to interrupt his train of thought, announcing it’s readiness to deliver the final strike now.
Forcing his eyes to a close, Andre tilted his head away away as he awaited his fate.
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*Crunch* .. *Crunch* .. *Trundle*
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("Here it comes") was the hyur’s single thought. His index finger tapped rhythmically against the object he held in his hand to each step Ixal took, calculating the remaining distance and timing carefully.
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("Just a little more and...")
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*crunch* *crunch* *crunch*
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Drawing near to the log, the Ixal’s pace suddenly quickened as he prepared to launch himself over it with a single stride, an effortless task for a creature of his stature. Andre’s knuckles grew white as his grip on the thick branch tightened with determination.
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……
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“…!â€
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Suddenly launching himself upward, Andre drove the log with all of his might until it struck the legs of the airborne Ixal, sending the beast into a tumble as it lurched forward to land heavily in the soil behind them, causing the ground around them to tremble slightly from the impact.
Success.
The unsuspecting Ixal grunted heavily as it slowly scrambled to push itself back to it’s feet, having momentarily been dazed by the sudden fall. The colliding force of the beast and log had briefly forced Andre back to his knees though luckily he had escaped the daring attempt uninjured. With a sharp exhale he too, returned to his feet and turned to face the Ixal whom had also regained it’s composure. The two of them quickly met eyes as a dark atmosphere quickly descended down around them. The surrounding environment almost seemed to grow dark, the world around them shrinking, as both man and Ixal faced one another - both with an impassioned intent to kill. A low and threatening growl escaped as the Ixal bared it’s fangs menacingly and reaffirmed it’s grip on the large blade that it carried by it’s hip. Taking a moment to size up the creature that stood before him, Andre slowly strafed around to the side, placing himself further away from the large log behind which he had been hiding, his eyes locked with a permanence against the Ixal’s beady orbs. The creature’s gaze followed him closely; refusing to break away from the arrogant scum that had dared to assault him. His dark eyes burned with an uncontainable fury as he stared the hyur down. This Ixal, as was typically their kind’s nature, would not sacrifice vengeance in exchange for the girl. Andre drew to a halt once more and awaited the beast to make it’s move. Holding his attention for but a little longer would ensure Clover’s escape.
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A sudden roar of anger filled the air as the Ixal suddenly charged forward and began swinging long and powerful strikes in the hyur’s direction. Andre narrowed his eyes in focus as he quickly responded with evasive dodges and crouches, anticipating each attack well as the fury-driven beast hastily threw wild slashes in predictable patterns. He retained his grip on the log in both his hands, holding it firm and close to his chest protectively, ready to use it at a moment’s notice but holding himself against retaliating too hastily.
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"…!"
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Andre’s attention was momentarily diverted as his back collided with the trunk of a tree, its rough bark pressing sharply against his back with warning. Hurriedly returning his attention forward, his gaze focused on Ixal just in time to see a downward strike slicing through the air down toward him. A sudden gasp pushed out of the males pressed lips as he launched himself away from the tree, barely escaping the Ixal’s fatal wrath as he nimbly dodged beneath it’s sword and passed behind his assailant. The sharpened steel drove cleanly into the aged, tree bark with a mighty crack, pinning the Ixal for a fraction of a second as it quickly jerked away to pull himself free again. It was a small window but not one that was wasted. With a forceful heave, Andre slammed the log against the Ixal’s back to strike it’s tough body with it’s entire length. The heavy piece of lumber struck cleanly against the Ixal’s spine, pushing it roughly into the tree before it.
Andre withdrew a couple of steps to regain his own balance and to allow his breath to return to him. His eyes seemed to grow a little wider with surprise as a sudden feeling of hope stirred within him. He was certain he would die, or at least be captured here... but now he had briefly been captured with the idea that perhaps it didn't have to end that way. If he could just remain focused then perhaps even with only a mere log...
He tried to control his excited breathing by returning to take in slow and deep breaths, his eyes still focused on the Ixal’s back as it agitatedly turned to return his glare upon the hyur once again.
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The Ixal snarled angrily, as it turned away from the tree he had been thrown into. His merciless eyes appeared to grow even more fierce as it became progressively more agitated, his glare focusing intently on Andre once more. Andre returned it’s glare in silence as he, once again, awaited the beast's next move - to launch into yet another attack. The Ixal grunted loudly before charging forward again, resuming it’s flurry of strikes all thrown with an unrivaled aggression in the direction of the blonde male. Despite his elevated aggression, the beast’s strikes had grown slower and more precise this time as each one was more cleverly delivered than from the time previous. A raspy breath escaped the hyurs lips with each dodge as the blade drew nearer and nearer to striking it’s target, quickly slicing away the thin veil of hope that had only barely begun to creep over over the male. He knew that he was quickly approaching his limit.
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"Gyahh..-ah..!"
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A small cry escaped as the beast’s blade eventually made it’s first mark. A cleanly cut laceration to his upper arm almost forced the male into a spin as the blade dragged across his flesh with great force. A thin lace of crimson danced through the air and landed amongst the green shrubbery that nervously spectated from beneath the safety of the nearby trees. Andre fought against the instinct to protectively grip and seal his wound as he forced his gaze back upon the Ixal. He was hardly given the opportunity to so much as respond to the pain before the Ixal quickly followed through with yet another downward strike aimed directly for the man’s skull, but this time there was no time to dodge. Andre quickly threw the log upward in an arcing pattern across the blade’s path as he had no option but to attempt to parry the strike. The Ixal’s steel blade sliced deeply into the log, causing the air around them to resound with a fearsome crack as it almost completely snapped through, but otherwise succeeded in stopping the blade in it’s path. The Ixal didn’t hesitate for even a moment. Retracting his weapon suddenly, Andre was roughly drawn in toward him before being met with the beast’s massive, driving claw. The creature’s harsh grip spread out firmly across his neck, choking the hyur with a frightening level of malice before casting him backwards to collide against a nearby tree. Andre’s head harshly struck against the trunk of the tree, forcing his back to slide down along it's length until he came to a seated position at it’s base. The young male grunted weakly as he slowly reached up behind his head to attempt to alleviate the pain that pounded furiously from within the back of his skull.
Knowing that his foe had been momentarily incapacitated, the Ixal strode toward him with a bitter satisfaction, his pace moderated but anxious.
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Andre’s eyes struggled to lift themselves away from the ground that was shaking dizzily beneath him. He blinked repeatedly as he vainly tried to regain focus and clear away the darkness that had moved in to occupy the borders of his vision. Eventually, with a slight shake of his head, the hyur laboriously forced his gaze upward just in time to see the Ixal draw to a stop before him. The creature appeared no less determined than it had been all along but there was something else… a faint hint of joy that was struggling to creep past the raw anger that dominated it’s naturally-sculpted, threatening features. With a low hiss, the Ixal’s sword rose high into the air as he prepared to deliver the finishing blow.
In the end, it was as he had initially predicted. There was no recovering now, this is where he was to die.
Â
Beyond his daze, within the corners of his vision, the hyur could once again see the fleeting, ghostly form of the young girl’s back as she rushed through the woodland to escape the scene behind her.
Andre blinked wearily as he tried to focus on the image. If nothing else, he could take with him the satisfaction that at least she would survive. Her innocence, Clover’s.. innocence.. it had no place here. For her kind to be taken or even to have loved ones taken from them by the violence and corruption that tainted the hidden reaches of this world was just too cruel of a thought, and yet... it happens… it has already happened.
Hidden reaches...? The thought echoed back through Andre's mind. It no longer even seemed that way to the hyur. The dangers of the world had always been present, but they were not something that could just reveal themselves to anyone... least of all the people he knew and cared for. Was it that the world was changing or had he truly been so naively ignorant to it's extent all along?
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A grunt echoed from the pit of the Ixal’s throat to interrupt his train of thought, announcing it’s readiness to deliver the final strike now.
Forcing his eyes to a close, Andre tilted his head away away as he awaited his fate.
![[Image: ecec20e41f.png]](https://puu.sh/xvMxb/ecec20e41f.png)
Characters: Andre Winter (Hy'ur) / K'nahli Yohko (Miqo'te)
