A day in the jungle...Why me ?(nasrin)

[Ximal]

31st of autumn

Taking a slow walk through the dense jungle, xi let his mind wander about a few things that had happened whilst he had been in the spires... for near half a season nothing eventful had happened. and now that autumn had rolled around it looked like ovek was haveign fun dictating his life again...Brilliant...Shaking his head and walking slower into the forest Xi came upon a small clearing an empty space which could possibly be a brilliant place to spend a day. blooming flowers aroudn him in every place but still the ground level was never safe... then again neither was anywere in the jungle but the high branches were some what safer. So Xi took himself up and into the trees, looking for hand holds on the trunks of the massive trees around him, gripping them hard and pulling himself up using his climbing knowledge, his acrobatic nature and his strength he haulde his massive frame out of the ground clearing upinto the trees before taking a break and a rest on a thick and sturdy branch. almost fifteen feet off of the ground. Taking a seat in the tree branch Xi sat and began to sdo something he handn't had a chance too in a long whilst... he meditated just focuseing on the past events, and trying to understand liro a little better. Slowing his breathing he slipped into his meditative state, the deadly silence of the forest heling his mind clear and relax into the blankness of his mind...that is untill a familiar voice crept up into his mind again. It's been a whilse since we've had a chat eh Xi ? youve done a good job at suppressing me Now lets have a talk after alll i need to discuss our working relationship. What now ? When are we going after this back stabbing bastard wrenmae ? youve been stuck here for almost two seasons... We'll leave when my skills are polished enough for me to know i stand a chance at stopping him. right now with that hypnotisem he uses i have no chance in this life or the after life of stopping him. and who knows how much more power he's gained whilst he's been awaiting our return ? By now he may have mastered the flux i tought him...

[Nasrin]

Nasrin huffed lightly. She'd been picking about the ground for at least an hour now, making her way over massive roots and between thick, clawing bushes that pricked at her skin and clothes. If vegetation wasn't such an integral part of her work, she'd say petch the whole lot of it. A thin layer of sweat covered her already shimmering skin, and wisps of dark hair stuck to her neck irritatingly. It was by no means hot, especially compared to her beloved home of Anhatep in the summer, but such hard physical exertion was...foreign to her. Of course she had done her share of combat training as all Eypharian children had, but her family were not manual laborers, but craftspeople; her days were filled with delicate workings, alembics and bottles. Back home, they had simply purchased their supplies from merchants. Here, she was being forced to gather them herself; a daunting task, but worth it in her mind for the fascinating and varied multitude of fragrances and effects made available to her. Reaching a small clearing, she decided to break for a spell. Lower arms placed her pack upon the ground while upper ones smoothed wisps of dark hair from her face. A few strands of the exceptionally long mass had escaped her elaborate braid, but there was little to be done about it now. There were some curly, flowering vines crawling up a nearby tree that looked promising, and she moved to them swiftly and examined the tiny blossoms, not taking note of the figure seated not ten feet above her head. "Ahh, such a pretty little thing. And such a sweet fragrance, hm?" she lilted in Arumenic, running a glove-covered finger over the delicate petals.

[Ximal]

keeping his mind in the conversation with liro and his eyes closed Xi remained held up in the canopy just having his traditional internal war with liro until a sudden foreign and very strange language broke the silence. Strangely melodic but still completely foreign to him. Glancing over the branch he looked down at the figure below before having a moment of heart attack, a human with FOUR arms ? What manner of monster was this ? Grippingthe branch and sliding down behind her before dropping to the ground with an ominous and loud THUD. Xi rose slowly behind her like a monster of man rising to full heigh and towering over her completely. a stern look on his face, Unflinching and unafraid. "Who, and what are you?" Xi as he spoke took a step backwards with his right leg. He'd already been slapped more than once for surprising a lady he wasn't going to take another especially not from a woman with two sets of arms. Xi kept his eys on her shoulders rather than her arms. It was by far harder to keep track of four arms when keeping track of four rolling joints is a much easier job. Keeping his arms ready in a defensive placement just incase a weapon might come flying at him instead of a hand an he might need to block instead of just dodge.

[Nasrin]

Nasrin felt the heavy vibrations of an object hitting the ground behind her milliseconds before the sound of it reached her ears. Inwardly she cursed herself; she should have been paying more attention, this was a jungle for Dira's sake. Whipping around, she drew her double-bladed dagger from her belt and crouched low, swinging one leg behind her so that her body was at an angle. The first thing her gaze fell upon at eye level was...a chest? A massive chest, at that, seemingly belonging to a huge and frankly distastefully scruffy looking human man. Her nose wrinkled when he spoke to her, the rough edges of the Common tongue scraping over her ears like sandpaper. How dare he question her! "What kind of brute drop from trees to attack lady, then has nerve to ask what she is?!" Her Common was haughty and yet slightly broken, but she was sure that this beast of a man couldn't understand her native tongue. Tightening her grip on the hilt of her dagger, she began subtly rocking from side to side; this motion was taught to her as the most basic fighting technique, designed to keep the fighter in motion at all times, presenting a frustrating target and continually rebuilding kinetic energy for use in dodges and strikes. Usually it was much more pronounced and quick, but Nasrin didn't want to show her hand so easily or provoke this human; she was not so arrogant as to believe that he might have no training of his own.

[Ximal]

Xi watched the small four armed woman drop. Weapons...it always had to be weapons. Xi rocked back on his right leg before leaping back a small way to put some distance between the two of them as he listened to her shaky common speech. She was talking down to him? Well at least she had some grasp of the common language which meant she might not be a monster of the jungle but instead someone out on a job and now he felt bad for scarring her. "I'm not the one who drew the knife. And i have no intention of attacking." Bringing his arms up he sank into stance, holding his feet apart and his arm steady blocking his throt and jawline. that knife was enemy number one but not priority one. Priority one was ht efour arms. at most he could stop two at once. Rising his left foot onto the ball of his foot he firmly planted his right for support. " Still you havent answered my question. What are you ive never seen a person with four arms before." Hunching his back over he dropped his height by almost a foot and looked her in the eyes briefly before watching her shoulders again. Looking for any signal of an attack by her, he had an arsenal of counters but this would be only his second time fighting an armed opponent who didnt have natural weapons. He didn't count the battle with bat boy as a fight, that was survuiveal pure and simple.

[Nasrin]

An angry hiss escaped Nasrin's teeth as her frustration boiled over like a kettle on the fire. His words said one thing but his defensive stance said another; he was clearly expecting a fight, and easily-angered Nasrin was feeling inclined to give him one. She had always had a terrible temper, and it had earned her many a punishment as a child, but nothing had managed to temper it except for the presence of her friend Ayana; mostly because Nasrin felt that they were rivals and she must try to outdo Ayana in all things, including self control. Ayana wasn't here though, and this human was. "Lowly human, you are lucky to set eyes on Eypharian even once in your life! I would not expect lesser race like you to know!" Her upper left arm, the one holding the dagger, lowered slightly, though not entirely out of peaceful intentions. Nasrin was by no means a master of her weapon, and so she was forced to use the less...skillful tactics. Her eyes darted to his belt. He said he was unarmed, and true his hands were empty, but surely a body did not come into the forest with no weapons do defend themselves. It was very possible that he was waiting for her to let her guard down, to lower her weapon before rushing her. Sneering, she said as much. "I'll not be putting knife down, human. Not until you back up and show me no weapons!"

[Ximal]

watching the arm with her blade in lower signalled she was going to do something the moment he showed he was carrying no weapons in his hands. Did she not notice the two axes sitting in plain sight on his belt ? "A human i may be but lowly i'm not. An eypharian? So that's why you've multiple sets of arms right ? And call me a lesser race when you speak common fluently." "Bitch" Xi grinned odds were she didn't know myrian, he'd only picked it up from his time in sunberth around the fighters and their brood. Sunberth was a haven to the myrian people much like where ever it was they came from. His hands raises lightly as his right arm dropped slightly and came closer to his waist. If she made the first move he wouldn't kill her he might in capacitate her, he was already seeing the course of action, her knife would swing up from the low point trying to catch a vital spot. His right arm would dart out and slam into her wrist jerking her hand back and then he would sweep her legs out subduing her. At least....that's what his mind said she would do... "The moment i make a move to show you i have no weapons is the moment that dagger ends up sticking out of my chest so no offence but i think i'll be staying right where i am and besides my weapons are already plain to see. Mind if i ask your name ? After all it is only polite to know the name of someone who you may end up fighting. And my name is Ximal. " "Does she think i'm some sort of idiot , ive seen to many fights to know what'll happen the moment i show here an open pose..." Hard to say but your not the sharpest dagger at market. so i'd keep your moth shut and watch those arms.Xi ground his right hell into the earth his stance was strong still and steady but very defence-able hers looked almost like she was willing him to attack so he would miss and she could counter.. something was off though her movements didn't scream attack me...Something here didnt quite fit with her stance.

[Nasrin]

Nasrin actually growled low in her throat as Ximal commented on her rough grasp of the common language, then spoke in a tongue she didn't understand. It didn't take a genius to realize that the single word he spat at her was likely an insult, and the very notion that this inferior being would insult her was infuriating. "What would barbarian like you know of manners? I am Nasrin re Ihsan, and I will cut that tongue from your mouth if you dare insult me again!" Nasrin's three unoccupied arms came up and around in front of her body, beginning a swaying movement that was deliberately off beat with the swinging of her body. She was not capable of the acrobatic flips and feints that her chosen style was known for, but her multiple arms lent themselves well to beguiling and distracting opponents. Red-lacquered nails caught the dapples of sunlight as her hands flourished, hopefully distracting from the fact that her foremost leg was slowly inching forward. If she could catch the brute by surprise, his greater size would have no bearing on the outcome.

[Ximal]

Xi shifted his weight further back on his right foot before grinding his heel into the earth niow he expected an attack from her, time around him seemed to slow, the actions of her to his yes pronounced themselves, her arms motions even the warble in her throat, slowly Xi opened his right hand to prep for a counter assault, Her shoulders betrayed her movements even the slight waver of her lip a she spoke. "I may be a barbarian as you put it, but at least i have the manners to treat everyone equally. And you speak myrian ? Well that is a surprise. And i doubt you could even get that knife close enough to me to do any damage before your on your back wishing you hadn't." Watching the waving motion of her arms told him the whole story she was trying to use those three arms to distract and take his attention off of her one holding the knife. She may have had a blade and three arms but at most she only had six points of attack...He had thirteen And even thoguhshe was threatening him and acting superior, he wopuldnt harm her in bringing her down as that would serve to destroy her ego more if he brought her down without so much as a scratch. If he put her on her back with out leaving a mark then she would have to concede defeat. "I see what your doing, your trying to use your excess arms to confuse me. you wont." His right hand was open and flat, He would deflect her initial strike with the knife grab her wrist with his outstretched hand, sweep his right leg behind her and then drive her into the ground with his left hand all this before she would be able to counter atttack but this entire planned assualt of his hinged upon one fact...Her making the first strike with the knife.

[Nasrin]

Nasrin ignored Ximal's babbling, concentrating instead on the only other skill she had that might give her an advantage. The art of manipulating others with djed was something she had attempted to learn in the Halls of Peret in Ahnatep; she had shown little aptitude for the magic, and it did not come easy to her, but if there was ever a time to attempt it, now seemed to be it. She had always imagined a space about an inch behind the middle of her eyes as the seat of her djed, and imagined a string of it being pulled from there into her eyes. It helped a bit to facilitate the process, though she had not been able to learn anything beyond the mildest of suggestion in her lessons back home. She imagined the string piercing into Ximal's mind, and let the feeling she wanted to send him travel down it like water dripping down a thread. She projected the suggestion that the movement of her arms was hypnotic, distracting, rythmic, lulling. There was no way for her to know if her technique had worked at all, and the effort left her nearly shaking. There was an irritating itchy feeling on the left side of her face that Nasrin ignored; if she'd had a mirror she would have seen a bright trickle of blood escaping the outer corner of her eye. There wasn't any more time to waste; she could see by his stance that this human was no petty brawler. He would be ready for her dagger, should she choose to strike with it. In a moment of desperation, she did the only thing she could think of; with a quick flick, she tossed the double-bladed dagger forward, herself darting towards Ximal a second later, fists curled to strike.