[IC] Collision Point: Steam, Magic and Blood

[Voltus_Ventus]

The wind howled outside and a man stood in the center of the snow courtyard, his eyes wrapped with blood stained bandages and his cost in tatters but he stood strong his white hair more radiant then the snow fall, "Yuri!" he called out "I heard screaming!"

[Totts]

Garland slowly began to move backward, with a shivering Karina in his arms. He chuckled slightly, the fear of the girl invigorating him, he backed up towards the window, ready to jump out and make his escape.

[Voltus_Ventus]

Pulling his sword from his sheath he readied himself "I knowst thou art here heathen!" he roared into the sky "cometh hither and fight me" he entered a battle stanse and kept his ears open for the crunching of feat in snow, his teeth grit in pain as his knee burned and his face ached from cold.

[Totts]

Garland laughed maniaclly as he pulled karina and jumped out of the window, landing on the cold, hard icy snow below. He shivered slightly before beginning to run.

[Voltus_Ventus]

Following the sound of the crunching snow voltus began to run, even with a heavy limp he was faster then most people. He wasn't sure how close he was to the man he was persueing but voltus knew it was a man, the sound of the breathing making it clear but he could hear another person breathing, this breath was quick and ragged and high pitched.
"Karina?!" he yelled into the blackness ahead of him, trying to follow the sound of crunching snow infront of him.

[Totts]

Garland pressed his hand down on Karina's mouth, trying to keep her quiet, she bit into his hand and screamed out, hoping Voltus would hear her, and come and save her. Garland quickened his pace to try and escape Voltus.

[Voltus_Ventus]

Voltus could hear the muted sound of a scream ahead of him and was sure that it was Karina, the man ahead of him started to run faster as was evident by the quick pace of his steps, Voltus was trying desperately to catch up but he could still hear the foot steps growing farther and farther away from him.
"You can't take my daughter!" he roared in futility as the kidnapper ran away "You can;t have her!"

[Totts]

Suddenly Garland tripped and fell on a stray rock, Karina pushed free from him and started running to Voltus, screaming 'I'm here! I'm here', she eventually found Voltus and stood next to him. Garland had injured his foot and got it tangled in a stray branch, this might be the end for him.

[Voltus_Ventus]

"Karina!" he cried out as he heard her voice squeak, the quick crunch of foot steps followed and she was close to him, the warmth of her body resonating off of her skin. He bent down and threw his arms around her, embracing her in hug, feeling the fast pace of her heart thump against him. "I'm so glad you're ok," he whispered, clutching her towards him feverishly "I'll never let you go again, never."

[Totts]

As Voltus clutched his hands around her it became painfully evident in the height difference, he was at least a full foot taller than her. She felt Voltus' warmth against her, it reassured her. "W-w-why did you leave me? And why did you come back?' is all she asked, as she drew herself closer to Voltus.

Garland quickly followed the footsteps in the snow, this was one thing that makes tracking easy. He eventually spotted Voltus and Karina. He stepped out from the tree he was hiding behind. "I've never lost on any mission I've been sent on, and I don't plan for this to be the first." he said as he began to swagger towards them.

[Voltus_Ventus]

Karina's questions were returned with a a swift answer, "because I love you too m-much." he said with a hitch in his voice, though it was hard to see it was there, a tiny tear tracing his face from the gap between his face and the bandage that wrapped his eyes. However the moment was short lived.
"I've never lost on any mission I've been sent on, and I don't plan for this to be the first." the kidnapper snarked, as if his arm ran on clockwork It sprang out with his sword pointed outwards in the direction of the voice.

[Totts]

"Voltus, my objective is not to fight you, my objective is to capture Karina" He said, as he drew a long elegant sword, and pointed it towards Voltus. He pricked his ears back. "But if I have to fight you, I will gladly do so" he said as he paced towards them. "You know, Rhory has been pretty angry since you killed his brother, angrier than normal. He's changed the policies in the city, they're getting more and more opressive, I just thought you'd want to know about that" and with that he swaggered forward, and bowed infront of Voltus, ready to start the fight.

[Voltus_Ventus]

"if you want her," he began slowly, pushing karina behind him and pulling his pistol from his jacket, "you're going to have to kill me and when you're done with me, you have to kill the rest of the town gaurd." he pointed his pistol in the air and fired 7 shots in quick succession at the eighth shot the gun clicked empty and he tossed it aside, favoring his saber over the fire arm, "now tell me, how partial are you to living?"

[Totts]

"My record is more important to me than my life" He said simply. He looked to Voltus' saber, an excellently made weapon. "Before I engage you in battle, there's one last thing I need to tell you. In Steamland there is a forge, within that forge is a glass. Beside that glass there are several herbs, which when mixed perfectly, give you magical abilities, like the steam Rhory and Rhodri can morph into." He said, "Go on, you can have the first hit" he said, putting his sword in a defensive position. The snowfall stopped, and the air got slightly colder.

[Voltus_Ventus]

"I'm blind," voltus said plainly "for all I know I could be swinging at thin air,", after years of digging voltus had learned that it was much more advantageous to defend rather then attack, the attacker often leaves himself open somewhere when on the offensive. Voltus adjusted his grip on the handle and planted his feet firmly in the ground, "you strike first.". The snow had stopped and the wind had died down voltus just hoped that would be enough to hear his opponent move swiftly.

[Totts]

Garland jabbed at Voltus' torso, cutting it slightly. As he was about to go for a second, more deadly blow Karina grabbed a rock and threw it at Garland's knee, it didn't do anything, but Garland flashed her a glance that made her stop, but it staggered him slightly, giving Voltus a chance to attack him.

Karina shivered in the snow, and wondered what had happened to Voltus' eyes, hopefully he wasn't permenantly blinded, but it might be a possibility.

[Voltus_Ventus]

Voltus felt the hesitation in the air, the first light attack was meant to be followed up by another light one or a heavier one, it was an unwritten law of sword fighting but the second attack didn't come fast enough so voltus took his chance. He swung blindly into the air and felt the blade connect with a body and go through the other end, judging by the time of resistance on the blade it was a shallow wound but it still made voltus smile. As he returned to a defensive stance he suddenly convulsed in pain, the slight wound inflicted by his apponent grew deeper as he twisted back to the non-offensive stance, he must have punctured a muscle point that was anchored to bone.

[Totts]

The blade had sliced into Garland's left hand, causing him extreme pain and severing his little and ring finger. Enraged, he lost all control and charged into Voltus, both of their swords knocked out of their hands, and they both fell to the ground in a mass of blood and fists. The snow sputtered into both of their faces and the snow picked up again, Garland was now as blind as Voltus was.

[Voltus_Ventus]

Voltus found himself on the floor with a weight on top of him, fists were flying as voltus attempted to block but hit after hit were Lansing on his head and voltus was feeling light headed, the wound in his side deepening and dripping out more blood. He grabbed his apponent by what he thought was the shoulders and held them tight, he planted his left foot on the mans abdomen and powered it upwards using his hands as a hinge, throwing the other man over him and onto the snow behind him.

[Totts]

Garland was heavily wounded, and decided to flee the scene, even though his record was very important to him, he could complete this another time, but for now he dispersed into a black cloud of steam and jetted to steamland, bowing his head as he reached the king.

Karina quickly grabbed onto Voltus "Dad, dad are you alright? What happened to your eyes?" He was dripping blood and she helped lift him up as they limped back into the house.