[The Warfields]Blood Stained Stone[Ximal]

by **Ssafirsotibones** on June 14th, 2013, 2:01 am

40 Summer 513

How could Bones not have heard of a giant stone maze outside Nyka, were citizens and random entrants went to train and fight? Him being who he was, he had of course been interested in it right away.

He had been there once or twice before, to train, but was still new to the maze, and was working to get his bearings inside of it. But at least it was not as bad as the maze back in Alvadas, which shifted and moved. By comparison, this maze was tame. Even if it was full of warriors, monsters, beasts, and other people with less than honest reasons.

He wore his simple cotton clothes, with a well used pair of cotton robes over it, along with some simple sandals. He did not like wearing shoes or boots, in case he needed to quickly change form, as they would slow him down.

Across his back war strapped a pair of gladius in sheaths, forming a x across his spine. For now though, he left them put away, until a reason to take them out came up, such as an opponent wielding a weapon.

With no further ado, he entered, quickly moving into the maze deeper and deeper. A left, a right, another left. Soon enough he was deep inside, and lost. Now he would just keep moving, until he ran into someone, or something ran into him.

by **Ximal** on June 14th, 2013, 2:37 am

Xi walked across the wall of the maze having run up the wall and latched his hands over the top to haul himself up Xi now paced across the tops of the nykan maze. Following the walkways of the maze walls occasionally leaping between them. He was searching, searching for someone who drew his attention more how they carried themselves than anything else. Xi's arms and legs were coated in his steel boots and gauntlets. Xi traced himself over the tops of the maze until his eye's fell upon a person walking through the stone walls . A pair of blades across his back forming an X. Xi smirked and rolled slightly ahead before flipping down to let himself fall into the path around the next bend the man would be forced to take. Xi stood is arms at his sides and hidden beneath his cloak. Xi played with the djed in his arms. Not quite sure what to do with it his understanding of morphing limited and his knowledge of flux growing to the point he felt like he could punch through stone. Xi drew a slow breath and let his djed flow back around his body his arms becoming limber with just his own flexibility.

Xi crossed his thoughts, weighing up his options about how he could take down this opponent, unsure of what he was. Thinking him just another human.

by **Ssafirsotibones** on June 14th, 2013, 2:59 am

After a bit of going about the maze, Bones slowed from a trot, to a walking pace, albeit one with a fast stride. He did not want to tire himself out after all, at least not before the fight, whatever form it might take.

So as he walked about, he was conscious of the thought that a opponent might lie around any corner, and bend, or attempt to sneak up behind him. It did little for soothing ones nerves, and tended to make one a bit paranoid.

He of course had not even considered a skyward assault, someone cheating the maze and dropping at him from the sky.

He tensed suddenly though, as he heard a thump from nearby. Was it a foe? Another pair of fighters battling ahead? Or maybe someone fighting in the next row over... Or some fool collapsing after getting lost for to long.

No, not the last, the sound was not right for that. It was not the all to familiar thump of an unconscious body striking the ground. The person was still alert and reacted to the fall or drop.

Already paranoid, Bones moved his right hand back to grasp the handle of his newest gladius, and slid it out an inch in its sheath to make sure it would not stick when he needed to draw it, making a quiet rasp of leather on metal.

Hand at the ready, Bones rounded the corner, and his sight fell upon a man standing before him. Quite a large man, even compared to Bones height and heft. Though his body appeared skinny, Bones was actually in shape, and full of compact muscle. It was an odd quality of constrictor Dhani, that they rarely showed muscle, even though they were invariably strong. Bones was no different, and at first glance would appear skinny and weak. Perhaps it was an added mechanism, to fool ones foes into thinking the Dhani was weak?

Bones froze, hand on hilt, ready to pull it out should his opponent advance.

"Ssso, wiss weaponsss, or not? What sssay you?"

speech :

by **Ximal** on June 14th, 2013, 2:54 pm

Xi kept his arms folded as the man rounded the corner wiry and lithe in his standing. Some what...odd, thinner than he'd expected but Xi knew better than to judge a person by their looks. Xi drew a slow breath as he watched hi shoot his arm up to his shoulder and pull his blade around an inch from it's sheathe. Then came his voice? Was he a dhani like kalia? there was the voice impediment but that was his only indication hat it was a dhani...He wasn't stupidly fast like she was. But that might have meant he excelled in strength or possibly endurance. Almost instantly Xi was beginning to regret his choice. Xi focused on pulling his djed around his body filling out all the muscles he knew he might need. Rotatory muscles, his biceps, his quads, his triceps etc. Xi then took a deep breath before responding calmly. "Up to you...I fight without a weapon however." Xi's eye's focused hard he could see something about him, possibly something hidden within that smaller frame...Xi immediately shifted into his stance. Left arm in front of him in dead straight line with his left foot, his right leg swept back and his right arm by his right hip. What would look like a huge opening left in his defence. Instead Xi was ready for absolutely anything...Barring divine intervention or magic...

by **Ssafirsotibones** on June 14th, 2013, 4:40 pm

Bones had fought enough battles to know this moment was almost as important as the actual clash. Testing the enemy, prodding and preparing before the fight... Seeing what the other was made of. Were they of honorable stuff? Or a stinking Myrian in the grass, ready to strike like a coward.

Were they fighting to kill? Or to wound? Or simply to spar and enjoy themselves? Hard to say. Even harder when dealing with humans, whose expressions still confuse Bones, after living with and around them for decades.

Bones eyed the mans metal hand and feet coverings, and shook his head.

"I would not call ssat wissout armsss. What of ssossse metal fissstsss and feet? It would not exactly be a fair fight wiss you having ssossse, and me fighting wiss my true fissstsss. "

As the man shifted his weight, Bones unconsciously did likewise, slipping into his own ready stance. Knees bent slightly, in case he needed to move, the arm of his free hand slightly bent, elbow almost to his chest. And the other hand still on the gladius hilt, ready to draw it out and strike in a single pair of motions, straight up, and then swinging down... He was ready for it, if need arose.

He did not yet respond to the mans movements, unsure if it was a feint to elicit a response from him, or something else entirely. But he did not appear unskilled.

"Ssso what will it be? Truly unarmed? Or jussst a sssemblance of it, forssing me to fight with my blade?"

speech :

by **Ximal** on June 15th, 2013, 4:02 am

Xi smirked and had to admit that the man in-front of him was right he should probably take off his gauntlets. "Alright, toss your blades over there-" Xi tilted his head to the left and then spoke again,. "-and i'll do the same with my gauntlets and don't worry i don't intend to kick." Xi smirked brining his hands together and sliding his gauntlets off. Tossing the steel to the side. Xi reset his stance. Though the man's speech was heavily hurt with his lisp, Xi could still some what understand him. "as i said i left the choice up to you, whether or not you challenged me in unarmed is your choice." Xi braced himself grounding his feet and hardening his stance watching out for what ever the man before him could throw at him. If he drew his blades regardless of what he'd just said then Xi was ready for him.

by **Ssafirsotibones** on June 15th, 2013, 4:21 am

Bones let out a pent up breath, that he had not even realized he was holding. He was not sure why but he felt like he should be taking this fight very serious, like the person in front of him exuded an aura of... Strength... He could not quite describe it or explain it. Perhaps it was just in his head. Or perhaps it was his own hoping that the man was a worthy opponent, being conveyed to himself.

Either way, it seemed the man was one of honor. Bones watched as the man slipped off his metal fists, and set them on the ground. Bones released his grip on his hilt and let it slide back in, and then unclasped the bit that was holding his sheathes on his back. He did not toss them aside as the man said, instead, slowly setting them down with respect, as the blades deserved.

All the while keeping his eyes on the man, not even looking down at the ground were he was placing the blades. Instead setting them down by touch, and then slowly rising back to standing after releasing them.

He took a half step to the right to be clear of them, and to make it clear he would not lunge at them.

That was when Bones smiled, which likely would be an obvious clue to the other man that something was wrong with Bones. Though clearly he was attempting the human expression, it was just off. Like someone had described a smile to a blind man, and he had carelessly sculpted the description onto a clay statue.

Even though he had lived amongst humans for some time, that was one expression he just did not "get". Physically it was mostly right... But it just did not look right on Bones, to forced, to fake, and clearly not natural.

"Unarmed isss fine. Unarmed isss good, it isss for learning. A good ssump in sse head teachesss one a lot better, ssan sssteel inssside sse gut. Sssteel isss for killing, and for finality. I don't ssink eisser of usss wantsss ssat today. Besssidesss, even if one doesss die by sse fissst, it jussst ssseemsss more... Honorable, and more persssonal, ssan sssteel."

With his piece said, Bones dropped back into his fighting stance. He mainly used straight up unarmed combat, but also mixed in a bit of wrestling, as was common amongst constrictor Dhani. At times he even did a bit of brawling, though he doubted there would be much call for it today.

His knees bent and ready to move, his arms flexed and bent, elbows into his chest, his body limber. Bones was ready to fight.

He took one step forward toward the man, and then a second. Then he launched himself at him, with a swiping punch aimed at the mans head with his right, followed by a quick jab of a punch at his gut with his left. It was just an opening gambit, to test him, to see how he responded.

He did not even go full strength, limiting himself to just above normal human power in his blows.

speech :

by **Ximal** on June 15th, 2013, 4:42 am

Xi could see something about his newly chosen opposnent was off however Xi wasn't quite sure of how to respond to it, instead Xi himself hardened hsi gaze and let himself emit that pressuring feel. Not one of magic but one his body naturally exhumed. even as the man before him sank into his stance Xi could see that he had some skill just from the way he spoke, dying by the fist having more honour than by steel. He was right there, at least in Xi's opinion. Xi smirked ad spoke in the brief flashes before Bones initial attacks. "I agree with you there. My steel is only there for the purpose of blocking another's steel. So show me are you strong ?" Xi smirked as he watched his opponent close the gab between them in a slow controlled close. Xi watched his opponent's shoulders more than anything else to see his strikes catching the movement of both his left and right arms. The strike at his head Xi simply leant back slightly to avoid his grounded footing letting him do so and as the strike towards his middle came in. Xi brought his right hand up in time to catch and knock his opponents punch off course.

From the single deflection Xi would then snap out his right arm letting his fist travel towards his opponent's jaw. Using that split second counter and response Xi would use that as the distraction for his left arm going low and into his opponent's stomach. Holding back his power for about three gears in strength and four in speed. Xi more than anything wanted to see how this would pan out but for some reason felt like he himself was being held back on. "Why do i get the feeling your holding out on me?" Xi smirked a rather...Sharp grin coupled with the hardness of his eyes it was more like staring at a blade edge.

by **Ssafirsotibones** on June 15th, 2013, 3:16 pm

His first attack had just been a test, to see his opponents skill in comparison to himself. He was not trying to finish it right there, and in fact would have preferred for the first attack at the head to miss. Punching someone in the face was not good, especially if you hit the mouth, as you could end up damaging your fist.

He avoided that by simply leaning out of the pathway of the fist, a simple enough maneuver. The other fist aimed at his middle was turned away by a simple deflection Bones himself had used many times. Applying a bit of force to the wrist was usually all it took to make the punch go wide. And deflecting a blow was always easier than stopping it in its tracks.

It was a bit trickier on a limb in motion, but not impossible or amazing by any means.

Acting on instinct Bones left hand would slap up, as his eyes had barely registered the stir of motion that told him of the fist coming right at his jaw. He had not even thought it through or registered the blow as he deflected it wide of his face with a push of his left palm on the mans wrist.

Of course, when dealing with a hand to hand fight, things always did occur at a fast pace. The entire fight could be over in a matter of seconds, and more activity could occur in a minute than would seem possible. This was because each action of offense and defense, attack and avoidance, took split seconds. Reacting instinctively as the fighters had trained their bodies. If a fighter attempted to think their way through such a fight, they would soon be pulverized, as there simply was not time for it.

But the distraction had worked, and Bones did not have time to react to the fist coming at his gut.

He let out his breath in a "Puuuh!", and stumbled back a step, instinctively bending over at the waist to take in air.

He eyed the man as he spoke to him, the off smile of before still on Bones face, but taking on a new hue. The pain radiating from his gut just made him mad, and more driven to fight. He responded to the mans words, a bit mockingly.

"Oh I am sssorry, were we going all out? I ssought it wasss jussst a friendly ssspar?"

Bones of course had no way to know how much his opponent was holding back, though he had already gauged that his foe was more skilled than himself.

If this had been a life or death battle, Bones likely would have taken this moment to leave, knowing that he could not win. But since this was just a spar, albeit a intense one as Bones liked, he was not done quite yet.

Deciding to change things up, in hopes of throwing him off, Bones suddenly charged the man like a bull, attempting to grab him in a wrestling maneuver.

He would run straight at him, and attempt to pin both of his arms to his sides in a great bear hug. Many a human had their spine broken by such a hug from a Dhani, albeit usually in their Dhani form that was stronger, not in human form.

If he managed to pin the mans arms to his sides, he would attempt to keep them there by sheer force, exerting his full Dhani strength into the bear hug, a strength just less than that of 2 1/2 men, which he believed was more force than a mere human could overcome.

If he missed one or both of the arms in the grab, but still managed to grab him about the torso in the hug, he would use his full Dhani strength and attempt to lift him off his feet, and then throw him back to the ground to land on his back.

speech :

by **Ximal** on June 15th, 2013, 4:17 pm

Success the blow had connected. Though it barely left anything more than a simple grunt exhuming from the man he'd hit. Though the response to Xi's statement came with a rather glaring grin, slightly twisting behind his words. Xi watched the man side from the slight crouch whilst speaking. Were they going all out ? Xi laughed lightly at that he never went all out. However as the man looked at him Xi could tell something in him had shifted and in a sense shifted his own footing raising both his arms in-front of him opening a gap between them and holding his hands slightly open. Xi Shifted up a gear in both strength and speed. "If you'd like me to stop holding back I can. Though it may not end well...for you." Xi smirked as he watched his opponent bull rush him and instead of trying to dodge Xi had already made up his mind on what to do. He was going to exploit a simple point on his opponents body and exploit a never cluster in conjunction with a simple arm twist to render his opponent powerless in an instant. Xi let bones get closer and closer knowing that if he mucked up this was going to be bad for him. Xi waited.

Then as he was about to grab a hold of him Xi pressed his right forearm into the back of Bones neck and let his left arm shoot to his opponent's right arm aiming to pull it up and hyper extend it whilst bearing down all his weight on the back of bones' neck exploiting a flection moment to render his opponent's attack powerless. If it worked the hyper extension of the arm coupled with the weight bearing down on bones' neck would converge into an attack that pretty much immobilized bones and allowed Xi the ability to snap either his neck or his arm at will. However this was a risky gambit because if he mucked up then he was in a world of pain. "Well i can say that your brave regardless of what you do...I'm just wondering if your acting at your full power ?"