ReusableSword

Halo: Aegis Team

Grikgar /Grik/ Seeker

// Unggoy Ultra // Demolitions and Artillery // Location: Court yard LZ

Grikgar continued to survey the base from where they were. He was aware that he wouldn’t have to be quiet forever and need to memorize what he could about the topside layout. Entrances, exits, weapon caches, crates that could be explosive, crates that are explosive, weapon emplacements, weak areas of the walls and fortifications, and the best path to the central structure. He was knowledgeable on the basic layout of most Forerunner buildings but nothing was ever the exact same with them.

The others seemed set on a stealth approach to start and make an opening for a drop ship. A simple and solid plan something the Unggoy has come to expect about the humans. He was a bit to clunky for what they wanted to do so Grikgar decided to stay back and observe, he was still unsure of just how cooperative all of them would be together and Ben didn’t seem to mind him.

It didn’t take to long for them to be given the signal slip space rifts and the fleet emerging seemed to make everyone stop what they were doing and stop. The Brutes on the ground were the first to roar. A sound that was quickly muted by a MAC round being fired in atmosphere. The human’s definitely where not pulling any punches, all he did was smile. Seeing the brute ship catch fire and split in two was always a glorious sight, the resulting dust storm from the MAC round hitting the ground followed by the ship would be very good at causing more frustration. However, Grikgar could only wonder at the sentinel response if they thought the ships were being hostile towards the instillation.

The comms came alive again this time from a drop ship coming to pick them up. The Unggoy did not waste any time to get in the ship first. Not out of cowardice, but the excitement of being the first one in the base and the fire fight to come. He knew he didn’t have to be silent anymore. The explosive expert was very excited now, it had been too long since he had been in a hot drop.

And a hot drop it was, small arms fire covered the drop point. Lead and plasma filled the dark and dusty air. Just like he wanted Grikgar was the first out of the phantom, his hands glowing blue by the time he hit the deck with activated plasma grenades. Both were aimed at separate choke points where enemy fire was coming from. Hot plasma rippled from those areas while Grikgar quickly made it to cover and began opening up with his dual plasma pistols into enemy positions.

I, the Demon King, Will Summon My Own Damned Heroes!

Ardur The Mighty Hipixie

Tactical Retreat > Let there be light /// Adventuring day 5 // Night / Location - Hopeful moving toward the exit

Seeing the stone fly off and hit its mark was very satisfying. That dammed zombie had been a pain in the butt since we got here. Perhaps it was a mini boss or some kind of elite but at the very least he got a few skills out of it. Maybe once they were finally free from this place they could relax and train these skills properly but now was not the time. Now they had a choice, retreat or fight.

Steve had been doing very well at keeping the undead at bay and had created a very large pile at this point. It was almost akin to the stories of the piles of dead bodies during the civil war. Mother slime seemed to be leading the others out toward the entrance with Asura helping Trent get out of the way. If he kept throwing these stones he could keep the weaker ones from advancing with the pile of undead at the choke point growing larger. Ardur was not sure how much longer Steve could keep going or how long the undead would be held down by her.

A sudden memory crept back into his mind with one of the first things he remembered destroying with Steve. That wisp burned far longer than it should have when it was lit up with the combination of fire and web. Looking to the growing pile all he could imagine was a bonfire. With a smile the high pixie moved quickly to the torch that Trent had dropped when they first began their assault. It was easy to tell that it was still burning as it was their major light source for the fight.

Ardur gripped the torch with his dominant right arm pointing the flame forward and used Throw Item I with Point Strike I to hit the pile of squirming bodies with the torch. just as he saw the zombie throw his javelins Ardur threw one of his own at a much bigger target. At the very least it would give them some time.

@Zeroth
@Kazemitsu

Ardur's character stats

Level: 7
Steve Level: 4

Health: 100%
Mana: 0%
Stamina: 25%

Buffs:

Debuffs:

Inventory: bow horn venison x15 lbs.
+Cooked bow horn venison 5 Lbs.
+Rubber Frog skin Backpack - This item is more elastic than it looks. Can hold 15 Small Items. The number of items held may be affected by larger items that take up more space. It is more durable than most raw materials due to its rubbery composition, but without proper care it may degrade over time.

Clothes:
+Beetle Bracer - This item for your Arm makes you feel slightly tougher.
+Bone Breastplate - This item for your Torso makes you feel slightly tougher.
+Grass Skirt - This item is fragile and flammable, but serves as decent clothing.

Weapons:
+Sharp Stone
+Beetle Mandible - Rather hard and sharp on its own, it might be sturdy enough to refine.
+Old Leg Bone -

Current Party: Asura, Mother Slime, Steve, and himself... I guess Trent is here too

Magic/Skills: Shield II, Lesser Flight III, Minor Heal III, Physical Conditioning I, Fire Resistance I, Taming II, Fireball I, Stronger II, Crafting II, Muffle I, Inspire I, Guidance I, Spell chant I, Use light equipment, Meditation I, Point Strike I, Keen Sight I, Material Analysis I, Monster Analysis I, Alert I, Lesser Cleanse I, Mana Strike I, Faster I, Throw Item I, Stone Shot I,

Kills for current level: 1x skeleblin, allot

Quests:
- purify an Item for Galatine

Long term Quests:
- bring a hero to Undine the sword in the pool.
- find a way to worship all 3 sun spirits.

Other:

Of Blood and Magic

Victor Astorio

An annoying night for sure, troublesome enough that Varis had to put on something like this on. Victor knew there was a play here somewhere but he was unsure as to how the count would spin it. He didn’t think he would be able to pick up on the Sinnondel’s plans right away if at all. After all, the man was smart and had his contacts so gaining information wouldn’t be hard for him. Gaining favor with his most recent actions however, might be his play. This and other things where encapsulating the large vampires mind while he finished getting dressed.

A black military style jacket with a plate mail pauldron on his left shoulder. Polished black metal sheets adorned with silver in lays layered over each other, a bronze colored chain attached near his left arm pit reached across his chest and over his right shoulder. He was not wearing a tie with his jacket buttoned up toward his neck. That combined with his black pants and neatly short cut hair would be fitting at most Astorio parties. A look that combined elegance with the reminder of power from wars long past. A dated look for sure but it was not one that he has shown off during his stay here so far. The last accent to his look was plain white gloves.

The count was just about to call out to his mage to see how he was doing on his look so far when the quiet beep of his cell phone going off caught his attention. The number glowing on the screen might as well have been burned there as he picked it up and looked at it. The count let it ring while he starred at it for a few more minutes before answering it. He didn’t say much as the voice on the other end spoke, all he did was grit his teeth and grip the phone tighter. “understood.” It was all he had to say to whomever was on the other end before he crushed the phone in his hand.

His mood had changed now, he knew this as he looked at the crushed object in his hand. This was going to be a long night, he was sure of it.

Exiting his room he was surprised to see Salem almost ready to go. “You get to carry it. Now before we head over remember what I said, keep your wits and your tongue about you. They are your friends but there is a reason for him to call all of us there, be sure to let me know if you pick up on anything odd after we get back.” His voice was annoyed but not at Salem. Victor placed the crushed phone on the table, “if you could get another phone up and running when we get back it will be appreciated.” Salem was always better at the newer tech then he was. Replacing a lost or broken phone was a once or twice a week chore for the boy. “Now let’s go.”

Once over at the dorm Victor seemed distant almost like he wasn’t really there. It was definitely something he didn’t do often. It was almost like he wasn’t even paying attention to the displays that the mages put on or the other vampires there. Lost in his own little world, the annoyed look on his face never seemed to slip away.

@Trainerblue192
@Achronum

Of Blood and Magic

_{Dates: November 9th - December 6th}

November 22nd - Amaris and Victor

A light breeze twirled about the Countess as she rested in the courtyard, her eyes skimming blindly across the page of the book she held. She had selected a generic historical text detailing the public history of the House of Eve, however the pages hadn’t been turned in some time despite her ever shifting irises. Amaris eventually gave up on trying to read the text and folded the book closed, turning her torso to tuck the object away in her bag. Before she had finished retrieving her hand from the depths of her bag, Amaris’ eyes fell upon the zipped inner pocket. Slowly, the Countess unzipped the pouch and withdrew the playing card contained within.

The face illuminated by the surrounding lanterns was still as blank as it had been the past several times she had withdrawn the thing. She could still picture the look of excitement on the mage’s face as the secrets of the gift were revealed. Every so often, when she was sure Maddie wasn’t around, Amaris still found herself setting the card alight just to see the design again… or perhaps it might have been something more than that. She couldn’t help but to run her thumb along the space that Cassandra’s name was meant to occupy. As she continued to stare at the empty, white space the Countess found herself suddenly overcome by a bout of anger.

Amaris snatched her bag up from the ground with her free hand before departing the sitting area at a quick pace. Her visage was soured by the scowl that she wore as she marched her way down the path, earning her a wider berth than usual from the occasional passerby student. The Countess’ thoughts were riddled by the various possibilities of how the night of the Revel could have gone but ultimately weighed down by the reality that there wasn’t anything she would have been able to change. Even if she had been by Cassandra’s side when she was attacked, Amaris lacked the fighting prowess to defend against such a threat. That much had been proven during their introduction to the Arena, a lesson that saw her lose to the likes of a movie star of all people. If she couldn’t even get the upper hand on Eris there was little hope for surviving an encounter against a forced frenzy.

Slowing to a halt, Amaris glanced off to the side to gather her bearings after travelling without direction in mind. She was somewhat surprised to find that her funk had delivered her straight to the front door of the Arena. Until now there had been little reason for her to enter unless necessary for class, however, now she found herself hesitating from walking away. The recent examination had forced her to face her own limitations and had highlighted flaws she would have preferred to ignore. Perhaps her coming to such a place was a sign from her subconscious telling her that she had a choice to make. She could either continue to pass blame off onto others or she could guarantee that she wouldn’t be caught by surprise again. Deciding that she could at least try observing those more experienced than herself, Amaris tucked the card back into its pouch and made for the entrance.

The worn sands of the arena floor was always a comfort to him. A comfort brought to him by knowing most instances of combat were for training and not survival. The count felt very comfortable wearing only his loose training pants, with the rest of his clothes stacked neatly on the side lines. Bearing all his scars to the few that lingered in the dusty arena. Only a few people lingered to witness them though, most were on their way out.

Victor liked coming here at this time, it seemed most other students did not enjoy fighting like he did. It was in the simpler moments like these that he truly felt at peace here, knowing Salem was enjoying his free time somewhere away from him. Standing tall in the middle of the earthen square, the large brute of a vampire began to slowly move through all of his stretches and warm up moves. Making it a point to breath and strain every muscle with each fluid movement. He wasn't fighting some imaginary foe twice his size or many enemies at the same time it was actually rather slow and almost looked like a strange sort of dance.

The subtle creek of the arena doors opening slightly drew his attention for a moment, the thought of someone trying to find him because of one of Salem's blunders flashed through his mind. Instead he was met with a familiar sight, the Marivaldi Countess was standing there looking quite flustered or perhaps angry. Victor made eye contact with her for a moment, yet strangely he found himself looking away almost as if he was ashamed. That Vampire at the Revel had done a lot of damage. It was only after that he learned that he was not able to stop her before Cassandra was also attacked.

Amaris hesitated by the door as she matched eyes with the Count across the room. It didn’t take very long for her to place his face, especially when they were standing in the same space as where he had been buried for rough handling of a mage. Yet, even as she stood staring at him, Victor’s eyes fell away to find something else, anything else, to look at. For as much as she considered walking away to return at a different time, the way his eyes shifted away had sparked a curiosity in the Countess that drew her to stay.

Calmly closing the door Amaris composed herself before making her way around the outskirts of the room, her eyes fixed on the Astorio as she took each step closer. Despite time spent in the arena with the man for class she had never really paid the man much attention, seemingly content in keeping as much distance with him as she did with Varis. As she drew closer she began to notice a strange discoloration in Victor’s skin that could only be described as scars. She couldn’t help but to dwell on them, finding it difficult to tear her eyes away as they were a rare sight for her to behold.

“Apologies for the distraction, Count Victor. I had not anticipated my arrival to be so… noticeable.” Amaris worked to keep her voice measured as she spoke in spite of the scattered state of her thoughts. The Countess turned slightly to view the rest of the arena, finding the space to feel far emptier than it had during their class lectures.

“I can’t help but notice how quiet it is at the moment, have I come at a bad time?” She probed curiously, still looking around in an effort not to look directly at the Count.

So she was here for him, how strange it didn't seem like she was at all too interested in him until now. Victor relaxed his posture to turn to her and clasp his hands behind him, “it's quite alright, most of the others are leaving and the arena master is doing paperwork in his office.” he gestured toward the large mage’s office, otherwise he did not seem to be lying. “The distraction is fine. Better you than someone trying to find me to go deal with one of Salem's…” pausing for a moment to think of a good word, “Blunders… is there something I can help you with?” keeping his inquisitive posture while waiting for an answer.

She didn’t know why but Amaris found herself stifling a reflexive laugh at Victor’s statement concerning the boy she assumed was his partner. The thought that a mage paired to an Astorio was even capable of committing whatever slights constituted a ‘blunder’ and not end up chained to his vampire’s side was somewhat surprising to her. Still, it was enough to draw the Countess’ gaze back to the Count who stood patiently, awaiting her response.

“I see. Well, I had come in the hopes of observing a sparring match or two but it seems my knack for timing is about as advanced as my skill for combat.” The Countess shrugged as if to play off her mistake but she was unsuccessful in completely hiding the sound of disappointment in her voice. Amaris could feel some of her earlier rage fade as her eyes dropped back down to the ground. She considered excusing herself to try again another time, but something pulled at her to stay. While the Countess didn’t know a whole lot about Victor, she was at least aware of his contributions to the Revel incident. There was no way for her to know what sort of a reaction she might get from the man for even asking, or her own family should they find out, but Amaris found that she couldn’t just waste the opportunity standing before her.

“Perhaps you would allow me to trouble you for some advice instead? If you’re not too busy of course.”

Tilting his head ever so slightly in curiosity. Not once had the countess been interested in training done at the arena before, she always seemed to him to be either inexperienced or have some distaste for violence in general. To have her come here during what is their free time and not to go off somewhere to read or study was very curious indeed. On top of that she actually was interested in training for once. Perhaps coming to him alone she was trying to save face secret meetings and all, but more likely she was embarrassed by her skill.

It did not take him much to think over her request and slowly sit down with his legs crossed in front of him looking up at her. After all, Victor was well aware that he was a bit intimidating while standing. “Oh not at all I can always train at a later date, what exactly are you interested in or you think i can help you with?”

There was a small sense of relief that washed over the Countess as Victor lowered himself to the ground, though she couldn’t be certain if it had more to do with him no longer towering over her or simply his acceptance of her request. Amaris took a moment to consider her response carefully though. Learning to fight properly would only serve to benefit her and had been encouraged at the very least for her own protection, yet she had never considered that she might want or need to share that protection with someone else.

She knew she could lie about her intentions, as he wouldn’t ever know the difference, but what good would it do her? It wasn’t as if her stance on mage treatment was any sort of secret. Finding out she wanted the ability to better protect her mage partner would likely come as no surprise to, well, anyone. And while there was no real reason to tell the full truth either, Amaris considered the snark Victor could have met her with instead of hearing her out. Had she run into Varis instead, he would have ordered a podium on which to stand while his condescension drove her into the ground. Slowly, the Countess knelt down and folded her legs beneath her with her hands resting softly on the tops of her thighs.

“The news broadcast. That was how I learned that some woman had attacked and taken Cassandra away from me. And I keep playing that night over and over in my head searching for some detail that I could have done differently, but do you know what conclusion I’ve reached with every scenario? I lose. Every time, I lose.” Amaris could feel some of the lost heat returning, her fingers curling into closed fists in her lap as her eyes grew sharp with frustration.

“I’m all speed and textbook theory. What I need, what I’m lacking, is the strength and experience to back it up. The only problem is that I have absolutely no idea where to start.” The Countess looked up cautiously as she fell silent. So far everything was going unexpectedly well, and yet, she couldn’t help but to worry about the proverbial ‘other shoe’.

Listening intently, the friendly small smile faded to a sirius look as she continued to speak about the news and what had transpired. Again he found himself looking away from her, his eyes slowly drifting away from eye contact and to the arena floor in front of the countess. When she finished talking she wasn't met with a smile or a joke, she would not find him dismissing her or thinking she was a lost cause.

No, he simply got up and walked up to her. Checking his surroundings to make sure they were alone he didn't want to get caught up in rumors again. Victor knelt down onto his knees in front of where she was sitting seemingly not caring about being in her personal space. The count was well aware that he did not know her and owed her nothing, yet he still took the chance and let his guard down to open up to her in his own way. He embraced her in a hug without a care in the world of how awkward it might make her feel.

After a few moments he spoke with a soft and caring tone one would definitely not expect from the normally rough and stoic Astorio’s. “I’m sorry.” a slight pause between his words, “I know what it's like to lose a mage, especially one you were close to and knowing no matter how fast or strong you are it wouldn't have been enough to save them.” another pause as he released her from his grasp and simply stayed knelt in front of her, “Cassandra was one of the good ones and I'm sorry I could not get her faster. At least you can rest a little easier knowing that that vampire won't be bothering anyone ever again.”

The Countess grew wary as Victor rose and approached her where she knelt. Before she could comprehend what was happening, the man’s arms wrapped around her torso. For a brief moment panic set in and left the girl wondering just how brash he had to be to consider attacking a fellow noble on royal property. The feeling was quick to pass, however, as Amaris realized that what was happening was actually a hug. Still, she had no idea how to begin processing such an occurrence. Nothing was right about the situation, at all. Her eyes darted about the space to see if anyone else was witnessing what she was experiencing, but the arena had already completely emptied. Amaris had remained frozen in her confusion even as Victor released her, the Countess now staring somewhat wide-eyed at the man kneeling across from her.

“I-um, thank you.” She stammered as she attempted to collect her thoughts. Between his embrace and his words, Victor had successfully silenced the Countess with pure shock. What she knew to be true of the Astorios as a family, what she had witnessed right there in the same arena, couldn’t be reconciled with the words he had spoken. Victor had spoken as if he actually understood what she felt and not just empty words of comfort. A man who she thought was supposed to rival Varis in mage humiliation and cruelty was comforting her? Amaris had to snap herself out of her stupor when she realized that she had been staring at him in silence for nearly a minute.

“I’m sorry, I don’t mean to be rude. I guess I was just not aware there were any Astorios that bonded with their mages that deeply. Do you mind if I ask what happened to yours?” Whatever had happened, whoever they had been, it was clear from how Victor spoke that it had some degree of impact on him. While another might have seen it as an opportunity to extract weakness from a rival, Amaris found herself genuinely intrigued by it all. Perhaps he wasn’t as evil as she had originally thought.

Amaris responded to his gesture as well as he had hopped. She didn't outright attack him for it and it seemed like he had absolutely surprised her with it. Sometimes he does forget that he is an Astorio and they do have a reputation. The small smile he had again faded while she spoke. Her words seemed to be the real thing and he didn't think the countess would be pressuring him for information but he could still use it as a motivator of sorts knowing their reputation and treatment towards mages.

“It's not a problem, although i am strict as long as a mage is willing to work with me and put forth the effort. I don't normally have an issue with them, but I don't tolerate laziness or cowardice. Failure is acceptable if they learn from it.” continuing to remain knelt down across from her his hands grasped together in his lap. The muscles in his face moved while he grinded his teeth slightly, he was thinking about what she asked and how to answer.

“Hmm.” followed by a sigh before he continued, “how about a deal, I’ll tell you my mages name and once you beat me in combat I’ll tell you how she died. That does mean that I will be training you and if you would like, your mage too.” he brushed his pants off for a moment and stood up taking a few steps back to where he was before. “I already have my mage Salem on a training schedule and with the permission of Count Eve Salem is also training Lilly. I train Salem, he trains Lilly, it helps to teach him leadership. We don't spar unless we are here. It's mostly weight and endurance training mixed in with form and muscle memory as well as two hours of sunlight a day for mages. If you like i can train you away from the eyes of the other mages or you can train with them. I don't really care.” he was being completely serious with her, Victor was never one for nonsense.

Amaris took a moment to consider Victor’s offer carefully. Nothing he had said or done thus far suggested any form of deceit or malice. While it was entirely possible he was underselling the level of his ‘strictness’ with his mages for her sake, Amaris found that his current actions seemed to back up his words for the time being. He seemed more than comfortable including her into his already established training regiment and had even extended the offer to her own mage as he had done for the Count Eve.

“These terms sound fair to me.” Pushing herself back up onto her feet, Amaris lightly brushed the dirt from the front of her legs. “I’ll be sure to extend your courtesy to Maddie when I get the opportunity. But are you certain I won’t be a distraction to Salem or Lilie?” Even before Cassandra’s departure, Amaris had noticed the distance Lilie had put between her and the Countess. She had yet to find understanding in the mage’s actions but had done her best to respect the wishes of Cassandra’s friend. While she didn’t mind training with the other mages, if she was going to be little more than a distraction to the others involved, she would reconsider training one on one with Victor.

She seemed rather okay with his offer, giving her a nod he continued. “You're not going to like me very much, I'm going to make you work and you're going to have to do a lot of simple things at first. both to increase your strength but also your muscle memory and agility.” again he fell silent looking her over and slowly walking in a circle around her. “I will not have Salem teach you, I will. Although I do trust he would do a good job, I do not need him to have that much of a confidence boost. He gets in enough trouble as it is.”

Continuing to walk around her and talk to her observing things like her posture, how she held herself while being examined, and of course just her looks. “Although I may pull Salem aside to correct him on what he is doing, you can join the others on their endurance training if you wish. So if you would like we can go over some of the basics now or in the evening tomorrow i'll leave that up to you.” Victor slowly came to a stop in front of her again and sighed, “and her name was Sara.”

Amaris did her best to focus on Victor’s words as he made his way in a circle around her. Any uncertainty she held of herself was suddenly tenfold as she could feel his eyes studying her, passing silent judgement with every moment. Instead she tried to think about what trouble the aforementioned Salem was getting himself into that caused Victor to speak of him so. There was nothing so outrageous that it had met her ears, though she figured she might not have recognized him even if it had. After all, she did have her own troubles to deal with starting early on.

As he came to a stop and left her a choice, the Countess cast her eyes down to her outfit of the night. It was a mostly black ensemble consisting of a form fitting, long sleeved shirt and equally tight leggings, which were mostly covered by her striped, wrap around skirt. At first glance, Amaris’ selection was likely far from what was normally considered acceptable for the activity at hand, however the fabrics were light and flexible enough that she could make due for the moment. She would have to remember to pack something better suited in the future, but the present only required that she kick off her boots.

“Why wait, I’m already here right? You’ll have to excuse my footwear though.” She responded sheepishly as she removed the hazards from her feet. “So Sara, huh? A lovely name.”

The large vampire didn't respond to her mention of Sara. Instead he squared up a few feet in front of her placing his left foot forward, letting his weight rest on his right leg, shoulders and hips turned so that his left side was facing her creating a smaller target. “As you wish. This will allow me to figure out where to start with you.” bringing up his arms and bending his elbows so they formed a sort of small shield. His large hands were open but not stiff, obviously meant to grab and grapple rather than strike. “Yes, she was.”

With that one acknowledgement to what Amaris had said about Sara he struck at her quickly with his left hand. Victor wasn't trying to hit her but he did use all of his speed to plant the shot right next to her head. He didn't much care how she reacted only that she did, he was trying to see how quick her reflexes were and if she would respond by trying to dodge, get out of the way, attack him, or freeze. Any reaction would tell him what he wanted to know.

Amaris had assumed a similar stance to her counterpart, with her left leg forward and her arms up in a defensive stance. Unlike the Count, however, her torso was not nearly as angled and her fingers had curled into what might have passed for a fist. There was a subtle shift in the Countess’ demeanor as she readied herself for whatever assessment Victor thought to administer. While her curiosity was driving her to learn more about the mage that somehow paved a way for this very interaction, Amaris knew better than to let her guard down at this stage. Now was the time for study, something that was clearly reflected in her sharpened focus.

She had been prepared for him to move, but somehow found herself unprepared for how. While not quite sure why, Amaris had expected the strike from his other hand as he stepped toward her. Seeing as neither of those expectations were met, the Countess was left with little room to react as Victor’s hand approached the area beside her head. Amaris knew that it was unlikely he would strike her for real right off the bat, but her uncertainty worked somewhat against her. Wanting to at least do something, Amaris threw her right arm up to create a barrier between his arm and her face. Had he been aiming directly for her face, the move should have shifted the blow to somewhere above her shoulder instead… Unfortunately for her, though, Amaris only succeeded in meeting his arm with the outside of her own at its intended target. The Countess was proud of herself for resisting the initial urge to flinch at Victor’s strike, yet she was faced with an equally awkward reaction in its stead.

Amaris stared at the spot where her arm had unnecessarily collided with his, wide, unblinking eyes tracking back to Victor’s face as if she would find some kind of hidden instruction written on his forehead somewhere. Was she expected to counter? Was there a right way to counter from where she stood? She thought a kick to his, now seemingly unguarded, side might have been a viable option but her racing mind only served to paralyze her body. Every question that popped into her head could be seen clear as night on the full moon. Even after having boasted a knowledge on combat theory, Amaris had been tripped up by one failed expectation and, as a result, delivered the world’s most pathetic attempt at a block.

“I’ve already done it wrong, haven’t I?”

He didn't flinch or move to defend himself, although attacking him was an option the way she went about it made him think it was more of an accident then anything. Stepping back into a relaxed posture the count bit his lip. “You think too much. You need muscle memory and a technique to fall back on when all else fails.” tipping his head from side to side for a moment, “but you still tried to block, it's better than doing nothing I suppose… so how about footwork then?” he shrugged and resumed his fighting position this time keeping his left leg forward from his body but his foot still firmly on the ground.

“I'm quite aware that you are very analytical and you more than likely have a lot of book smarts. By knowing that I know that you're coming into this or other fights with a plan right?” he asked. It was a rhetorical question he knew the answer. Slowly stepping forward towards her then around her in a circle to watch how she changed her footing. “I can tell you this right now, everyone, human or vampire thinks they have a plan until they get punched in the face.”

With that last bit of information he came at her, keeping his guard up and trying to step on her feet to make her lose balance and push her over. If she was able to dodge these attacks and he was sure she would. Victor then swung his right leg out and twisted almost to the floor sweeping his leg around to attempt to trip the countess.

Muscle memory and a technique to fall back on… Amaris agreed with the first half, and yet the second seemed to clash with Victor’s analysis of her. He was right in that she was more analytical than practiced and that already put her at a disadvantage. That disadvantage was then compounded by the fact that he knew this and could prepare for her tactical decisions and target her lack of experience. So how would having a technique to fall back change the scenario she was in? The Countess sighed, but kept her question to herself for the time being. It was likely such questions would be answered in time so it was best to stay focused in the moment than to argue with the instructor.

Amaris kept a wary eye on every move Victor made. Every step he took was matched with a readjustment from her. Knowing how quickly she could lose control of the situation, she wanted to keep him in front of her as best as she could. Without lifting her feet from the ground, the Countess shuffled her stance with partial pivots and half steps back. She maintained contact with the sand beneath her feet at all times, prepared to move at a moment’s notice, but the motion was more that of a dancer than of a fighter.

As the pair moved, Amaris listened to the Count and considered his words carefully. What was the difference in having a plan over having a strategy? What good was technique and forms if plans were all but useless in practice. Her mind began wandering down the rabbit hole of twisted and confused logics, just trying to make sense of something. If plans failed and a strike was imminent, what more was she expected to do? React.

A flash of movement registered in the corner of her eye as something moved quickly at her feet. In the void that was left behind by a broken train of thought, Amaris defaulted to the one physical thing she had any practice in; acrobatics. While the sudden steps at her toes had succeeded in throwing her off balance, but rather than falling, she ended up pushing her weight into what could only have been described as a cartwheel. Victor wasn’t yet done with her though, following up his initial disruption with some sort of leg sweep as she was exiting her maneuver. Just wanting to put some distance between her and him, Amaris threw her momentum backward in a panicked back handspring before returning to her defensive stance.

By this point, her frustration on the topic had grown. Even in practice she still didn’t quite get what it was that Victor was talking about. “How is one supposed to have strategies or techniques to fall back on if you can’t plan for any of… this?” She asked while making a vague motion to the space around them.

Watching carefully, Victor continued to watch her. He was paying attention to every slight detail, his words throwing her off, his movements catching her barley off guard, the tension in her muscles, what she was looking at, and most importantly how she responded. The way she responded did surprise him slightly, he honestly wasn't expecting her to have too much skill in acrobatics but at least it was a start. This he could definitely work with.

When the two came to a stop, he let her speak her mind but gave her a quiet moment to think before continuing. “You have a base strategy when summarizing a fight. What are the current conditions? Is it cold and wet or dry and warm? Who or what are you going up against? Is there any chance of collateral damage you need to worry about? Do you need to be deceitful and keep an ace up your sleeve? How many things are trying to attack you? What kind of weapons or magic do they have?” Victor paused for a moment and crossed his arms.

“All these and more would sum up your strategy. Perhaps stealth is the best option, maybe there is no risk of collateral damage and you can go all out without worrying about bystanders, can you run from the fight and avoid it all together, possibly even lure them into a trap?” rolling his neck from side to side cracking the joints in his neck. “Strategy is how you approach an issue, technique is how you deal with it. In the heat of battle sometimes your opponent or opponents can make split second decisions that you were not expecting. In these cases you need to trust your body, trust your instincts, trust your technique.”

Victor moved away from her to the edge of the fighting pit then turned to face Amaris. “The acrobatics are a good step and a good place to start from. However, you need to learn to trust yourself and your body without your mind getting in the way. With that and really just practice you could very well be a capable fighter in time.” with a smile he clasped his hands together and put them behind his back. “So the next step is how you strike and how hard you can hit. I will not stop you or move, I simply want you to hit me in the chest with your best shot.”

“I see… Until now, I suppose I had been thinking about combat as more chess-like with flushed out tactics and optimal counters. But with what you describe to me, it sounds more like a dance with improvised choreography and whose tempo is at the mercy of the musician.” The Countess mused to herself as Victor reset himself for the next portion of the ‘evaluation’. Rather than continuing to dodge or counter, as she had been, she would be the one dealing the blows; or attempting to anyway. She couldn’t help but feel just the slightest bit insulted by the fact that she was being directed to swing her best shot directly at her instructor’s chest. Realistically, she knew that her inexperience alone was enough to ensure Victor’s safety through the next step, however, it still stung to know that there was zero concern of her cracking one of his ribs.

Exhaling slowly, Amaris relieved herself of some of the fog that had built up in her mind and refocused on the task at hand. Victor had moved away from her while he had been talking so she took a few steps to close some of the distance before taking up her stance once again. Now that she had some time to really observe her ‘opponent’, Amaris noted that striking at Victor would be comparable to striking at a brick wall. As a vampire, she was already built sturdier than the average mortal but when compared to a man built and trained for combat, Amaris might as well have been one of the mages he was training. She figured striking with a closed fist put her more at risk for injuring herself during the exercise so she decided on striking his chest with her palm instead. With her eyes locked onto their target point, Amaris finally shifted the weight of her left foot forward and struck out at the man with her right hand. It was her intent to strike him with the lower portion of her hand where her palm was at its densest and twist her torso into the strike in the hopes that her weight might make some difference to its strength.

He could tell she was thinking about the best way to strike while she set herself up. At the very least she was very much aware of how the strikes, “why do you think i enjoyed dancing with Cassandra so much.” he said with a smile. She was the reason he was in this situation in the first place. If it wasn't for her and their brief interaction the countess would likely never have talked to him.

The strike was rather well placed and she did put her weight with her own speed into the strike. His torso moved and his limbs seemed to follow as she sent him to the ground. It didn't make him tumble but definitely sent him to the ground. Victor was still on the ground for a moment before he ran his hands over where she hit him. “That was a good shot, definitely bruised. No cracked or broken ribs, would probably be enough to crack the ribs of others.” he sat up and slowly began to stand. “But your form was off and it almost seemed like you chose your strike while you were swinging. Your arm could have been positioned better and your follow through was a bit off but we will work on it.”

Shock overtook Amaris’ face as she stared down at the Count. The last thing she had expected was to have actually knocked the man over, although she figured Victor had shared that sentiment prior to her strike thus leading to the current position. Amaris shifted her gaze between the fallen Victor and her hand while he assessed his condition and reported back his thoughts. Despite the fact that she had just been doing as she was instructed, the Countess knew that she would have felt at least a little bad if he had sustained anything worse than some bruising. Still, she couldn’t help but feel excitement for the small amount of praise she did receive for her efforts, her small success more than enough to buffer the criticism she knew was to come.

“There’s certainly a lot to be worked on. I wasn’t expecting there to be so much reconditioning to do on a mental level but I’m kind of looking forward to the challenge. So what else do y-” Amaris had started to ask but found herself distracted by the presence of another. In her enthusiasm for the exercise, the Countess had forgotten all about the Arena Master who proceeded over their regular training. She hadn’t expected him to pay them any mind but the aura the man gave off was on par with even Princess Nox.

“A’ight, listen here you two. Dust yourselves off and get out of my arena. Couple of fire mages got the next time slot so can’t have y’all out here in crispin’s range.” He barked at the pair with all the softness of a cactus. If there was anything Amaris knew about the man, it was that his word was law when it came to the arena. She might have been disappointed but it beat spending time in some underground tomb for disobeying.

“That’s unfortunate, although I guess it does give me an opportunity to reflect on what you’ve taught me so far. Oh, would it be possible for me to get a copy of your training schedule?” Amaris asked as she began gathering her belongings to leave.

The count was quite content on watching the countess and her reactions. It almost seemed like she had never struck anyone like that before, that look of wonder and awe at the realization of one's own power was hard to miss. However, his attention on her would explain why the voice of the arena master caught him off guard. Honestly Victor wasn't paying attention to the time. A simple mistake he thought while moving to gather his things.

“Training schedule? Hmm.” he spoke while putting his clothes back on. “For Salem I require him to spend at least 2 hours a day in the sun. however he accomplishes this, i leave up to him. Other than that it's one hour after and before the sun sets and rises. With two days of the week chosen randomly but never back to back to be used as rest or meditation days. So go ahead and stop by whenever you get the chance.” the large vampire waited for her at the door for a moment. “Just don't expect me to go easy on you anymore. From here on it will be a challenge.”

“I’d expect nothing less. It might take me a few days to acquire some clothes more appropriate for the activity but I can assure that you’ll be seeing me soon.” She hesitated as she turned to take her leave, glancing back at Victor with a serious expression. “If at all possible, I would appreciate it if we could keep this arrangement as private as possible for the time being. Unnecessary distractions and all that.” Amaris added before dashing off, leaving Victor behind to make his own exit.

Victor nodded towards her with a smile, “that's no problem for me, i'll let Salem know we may have more newcomers. I’m sure he will be excited.” the duo seemed to part ways after that. He was heading towards his dorm now that little interaction was definitely something he was sure he would have fun training with someone who could handle being tossed around a bit more than salem. “What an interesting day for my birthday.” he whispered while walking slowly back toward his dorm, taking a swig from his flask as he walked.

Halo: Aegis Team

Grikgar /Grik/ Seeker

// Unggoy Ultra // Demolitions and Artillery // Location: Planets Surface

Grik shrugged when given the order to split up into groups and looked around. They were currently in cover but he could only assume splitting up their larger group would work to their advantage. Looking to Ben, Grik pointed at him and shrugged again keeping chatter to a minimum was normally his go to when on mission. Moving closer to the Spartan the Unggoy motioned towards his blade then his pistol. The grunt was sure to follow the Spartan with whatever he decided to do. "Grikgar shadow." was all he said to the Spartan with a nod.

Halo: Aegis Team

Grikgar /Grik/ Seeker

// Unggoy Ultra // Demolitions and Artillery // Location: Planets Surface

Grikgar spent the rest of the voyage on their land ship either tinkering with the sentinel parts or sunbathing. The sleeping arrangements didn’t bother him and the warm climate was something he very much enjoyed. The others talked to him occasionally and the other elite seemed a little awkward about it but it didn’t bother the Unggoy. Occasionally, the grunt would find his way out to the top of the vehicle and climb around it. The armor on the human vehicles was much easier to grip to then the former covenant vessels.

Grikgar had been sleeping in the stairwell leading to the outside of the vehicle. He was very much accustomed to sleeping anywhere and on or in anything. Unggoy were accustomed to being crammed into strange places during travel. The sudden stop did make him roll down to the base of the stairs near the pilot’s. With a quick shake of his head, Grik made his way down to his extra methane canister to fill his tank back up.

The others were beginning to stir now as well and Grikgar was quick to start arming himself to get ready for the movement as well. Making sure that the shield and cloaking on his suit was still working properly. Once he had completed this Girk joined Vael the only weapon he did not have o him was his cannon. He didn’t need it just yet anyway. Now all he had to do was hurry up and wait for further orders.

Of Blood and Magic

Victor Astorio

The trip back to the dorm was quiet, a little tension combined with what Victor assumed was exhaustion kept it that way. The count was otherwise focused on cleaning his feet and putting his shoes back on through the short trip home. Salem was quick to exit the vehicle and head inside as well. With a sigh he thanked the driver and got up out of the car. His demeanor turned almost annoyed but figured he might as well see what was bothering his mage.

Entering the home and closing the door the large vampire took off his shoes and his dirty shirt, placing it by his door. The sounds from the kitchen sounded rather irritated he wasn’t quite sure how someone cutting on a cutting board could sound irritated but he figured it would be best to try and understand his mage and the mood swings humans were prone too.

Entering the kitchen he could see Salem chopping up what looked like bark, the boy always had to have some tea after activities such as these. “Better than drowning himself in alcohol.” Victor thought. Salem began to speak while the count was pouring himself a small glass of blood from the fridge. The count took a drink while his mage continued his questions. Clearly he was upset following the events of the evening.

Patiently Victor waited for Salem to finish as he leaned against the opposite counter with his arms crossed. “Hmm so how about we start with the plant mage. I have only heard of Edmond? Edward? Whatever his name is, in passing. I personally have never seen him fight only heard about it. At any rate, you charged off far too quickly for me to relay any useful information to you in the first place. So in short I didn’t expect anything until after I saw that vampire try to strike you.”

Picking up the glass again, swirling the blood and thinking of how to continue. “As for the first trial, I don’t think I’ve made this clear to you as to what exactly my job on the council requires of me.” Taking another drink the count sat the drink down and continued. “I am a head hunter that specializes in live capture of individuals that break council or treaty laws. That much I’m sure I have told you but what I failed to mention is that if the target or their cohorts are too dangerous and I am unable to take them alive… then I have the authority to... terminate the target. But that’s a last resort option.”

Stepping away from the counter to stand behind Salem waiting for him to turn and look at him before continuing. “I cannot tell you everything, for some of the secrets I carry are better left secrets. That’s why I warn any mental mages around me to not poke or prod my mind, some secrets could very well make those who know it disappear.” Victor still did not move he had a point to make as he towered over his mage. “I cannot tell you who they were, I cannot tell you where, when, or why. However, I can tell you that currently I have killed three humans, four mages, and five hmmm… six vampires.” He wasn’t entirely sure what point he was making but he was going to make it.

“As for Sarah? Let’s just say where Astorio’s are generally traditionalists. You can say that my clan, the Strigois clan, is ultra-traditionalist.” Victor’s muscles began to flex and his jaw tightened, “I killed Sarah because I loved her and my father wouldn’t stand for it. That is why I push for you to have extra etiquette classes… So there’s your secret for today and it best be kept that way.” Turning from him and returning to the glass of blood Victor downed the rest of it and smashed the plastic cup on the counter. It wasn’t as dramatic as glass but it sufficed for his burst of anger.

@Trainerblue192

Halo: Aegis Team

Grikgar /Grik/ Seeker

// Unggoy Ultra // Demolitions and Artillery // Location: Planets Surface

Grikgar continued his single minded attraction to the sentinel pieces, a few of the others showed interest that he could see but little else. The Lekgolo seemed to look in his direction but little more, Grik was certain that it was looking for metal scraps more than tech though. The Spartan that had been talking to him earlier and seemed to be the nicest towards him so far stepped forward and seemed to question what the Unggoy was doing.

The grunt looks up from his work for a moment and tips his head to the side. “Grikgar does not know, only ever saw Huragok repair sentinels once in this way. It attached two power sources together and it stabilized the power source.” Picking up the part and moving it around to see the different sides of it. “Like this, Grik does not know why but if combined with another explosive has….” He paused for a moment trying to grasp the right term. “Unexpected result? If anything at all. As humans say wild card.” Placing the part between the two of them.

Grikgar then began to go over the different scraps of armor and metal frame, again placing those that he deems unusable in a pile. The Unggoy began to put some of the scraps up to his armor looking like he was seeing if they would improve it or not. Again he put more parts into the scrap pile until only a few frame pieces where left in one pile and other inner working parts in another. Moving the more complicated but still technically good parts next to his locker with the few good Frame parts. “Ok now Grik has things to repair his armor with and tinker.” It was his way of keeping away from boredom while also being resourceful.

“Tasuma!” he called out to the Lekgolo in his high pitched voice and waved his arm as if his voice didn’t get its attention. “If you want those scraps Grik is done with them.” Motioning towards the small pile. Spartan Ben was still examining the power source so Grikgar began picking up the sentinel beams and placing them in the armory next to the other.

Halo: Aegis Team

Grikgar /Grik/ Seeker

// Unggoy Ultra // Demolitions and Artillery // Location: Planets Surface

Grikgar watched as multiple machines where taken down by his explosion. This and the combined efforts of the others brought most of the stragglers down. His display alerted him to more incoming but their salvation had arrived in the shape of the gigantic land vehicle, he could only describe it as being the human equivalent to a scarab. The Unggoy was quick to grab the remains of three sentinels that were taken down by EMP and had not detonated. Dragging the husks of metal with him to the Elephant.

The others quickly made their way inside, Grik was not far behind stopping only once he was in cover. “Grikgar has no injuries to report Commander.” The grunt wasted little time to tear into the sentinels that he brought on board. The power cores in these machines were volatile at this stage and he needed to act quickly to attempt to stabilize them. Quickly pulling two of the power cores out and fixing them together made him quickly go to the third. The third power source could not be stabilized before it reached its critical after recovering from the EMP.

The demolitions expert was quick to toss it out the door before it closed, catching fire in his hand as he threw it. Returning to the three sentinels the Unggoy quickly began taking them apart, he did remember a few engineers try to repair a damaged sentinel once and was aware of some of the other possibilities with them. Removing the three lasers and placing them together neatly, then removing internal parts into another small pile, then another pile with what looked like good portions of the metal frames of the machines with one last pile for burnt out, damaged, and just trash parts.

He was very well unaware of what was happening around him Grik seemed consumed in his task at hand. Generally he wouldn’t be the one to tinker but right now it seemed that they were safe and he could do what he wanted in relative peace. Essentially the grunt was looking at replacing his spent explosive charge with the combined power sources of the machines regardless of if it actually worked and attempt to add to his own armor with the metal from the sentinels.

Halo: Aegis Team

Grikgar /Grik/ Seeker

// Unggoy Ultra // Demolitions and Artillery // Location: Planets Surface

Grikgar was paying close attention to the flight patterns of the surrounding sentinels. The team around him seemed to be doing rather well at choosing targets and keeping out of harm’s way. The Spartans and even the other elite were calling out targets and the actions they were taking. This was no simulation but at least it showed him that they could work together. Well most of them anyways.

The hunter and the other Spartans seemed to be quick to cover the blue Spartan and take out the sentinel’s aiming for himself and the Lekgolo. Yet when the hunter shifted Grik could see a few small groups of circling sentinels group up just for a moment before continuing to circle. The Unggoy was quick to holster his right pistol and remove one of the plasma charges from his belt. Quickly molding it in his hand to the shape of a plasma grenade and waited for a moment.

“Take Cover!” the grunt shouted throwing the charge into the combined mass of two smaller groups of sentinel’s on similar flight paths. Following the charge with his pistol the demolitions expert discharged a short 4 round burst from his pistol striking the charge in the air near the grouped up robots. Twisting himself around the other side of the Lekgolo to use them as cover from the blast. He didn’t know if it was close enough but at the very least the EMP or shock wave from the charge might do something.