As Lorelai tightened her grip on her spear, Avantus observed her with an assessing eye. The change in her stance, the focus in her gaze, she had made remarkable strides since last week. Gone was the hesitant, unsure trainee he’d seen struggling to wield sword properly, now she had a proper grip for both her sword and spear forms. This time, her stance was grounded with a newfound confidence only obtainable through practical application.
“Lorelai,” Avantus called, crossing his arms as he walked toward her. “I can see the work you’ve put in. You’re handling both your sword and spear like it’s an extension of yourself.”
Lorelai felt her cheeks heat at the praise, but she held his gaze steadily. “Thanks, Avantus. I’ve been practicing.”
“I can tell,” he said, giving her an approving nod. “Let’s your progress through actual combat.” He gestured to the far side of the field, where a figure loomed by the torchlight, watching them. “Thrax! Care to join us ya nosy first year?”
Thrax peaked out from where he had been hiding behind a pillar, his golden, slit-pupiled eyes glinting as he strolled over. He gave Lorelai a grin that held both amusement and something more intense, his gaze raking over her with lust, but she couldn't tell if it was a lust for her, for battle, or a mixture of the two.
“You want me to spar with Lorelai?” Thrax asked, raising a brow at Avantus. “I am unfamiliar with the custom of holding back, and as long as I won't be penalized for what happens, I wouldn’t mind going toe-to-toe.”
Avantus nodded, crossing his arms as he observed the two. “She has improved, the only way to grow is under pressure and you may have to adapt yourself. And quickly," he smiled. "Let’s see, Thrax. How about if you win Ill sponsor an item of your choosing, but if Lorelai wins you get EI. For your motivation.”
Thrax's smirked dropped, his golden eyes flaring with anxiety, “Either I win and get a free item or I am forced into extra instruction? Motivation my ass.”
"Well," Avantus laughed, "Get on with it."
Lorelai’s heart quickened as she took her place on the field across from Thrax. She knew this was a significant moment, Thrax had shown peculiar interest in her and she did not want give him the impression she couldn't fend for herself, her way of stating she was not prey for a predator. She should hate the way Thrax looks at her, but she couldn't bring herself too as she flushed whenever he stared too hard at her. He was abnormally good looking and she hadn't had the time to dive into her inner psych to figure out what the hell was going on. The dragonkin stood across from her, his frame imposing even at a distance, his expression a mixture of amusement and interest like that of a cat with a toy.
[Pyrothraxus; Dragonkin :Thermic Predator]
Thrax's status page, she noticed that his level was the same as hers, but Thermic Predator sounded like another hidden class.
“Ready, little dragon?” he teased, a smirk tugging at his lips.
“Bring it,” Lorelai replied rolling her eyes. Planting her feet and lifting her spear she prepared for Thrax's rush. She felt its cold, silvery power pulse beneath her hands as if sensing the challenge before them. She focused, Thrax wasted no time launching toward her with blinding speed. His stance was loose, almost playful, but his attacks were anything but. He seemed like an untrained, unorthodox street fighter, but his attacks were fierce like a wild animal. Thrax actually practiced a famous martial art from his race: Shatterscale, utilizing his whole body to deliver strikes strong enough to shatter the toughest scales of a dragon's hide. Lorelai blocked his first strike, feeling the force reverberate through her arms. He pressed forward with a series of powerful jabs, hooks and elbow strikes. Each blow carrying a wave of heat, or oddly enough, frigid cold that forced her back step by step.
“Good,” Avantus called out from the sidelines. “Stay focused, Lorelai. Use your instincts.”
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Determined, she pivoted, sidestepping one of Thrax’s lunges and using her spear to sweep low at his legs. He leapt over her attack with ease, but she didn’t let up, pressing forward with a fierce jab aimed at his chest. Thrax deflected her strike, grinning.
“Nice try, but I hope you’ve got more than that,” he taunted, his voice a playful growl. He raised his fists, and suddenly, a wave of searing heat radiated from him as he activated his Thermic Predator ability. Searing blue flames coalesced in between his two hands, then condensed into a long blue spear. Lorelai could feel the heat from it and she could tell by looking at it that it was not simply fire shaping.
Lorelai braced herself against the heat, but she refused to be intimidated. She focused, as he attacked with renewed vigor, each strike of his fire spear that collided with her spear resulted in an explosion. Lorelai had to retreat several paces, skin scorched from the explosions that resulted in each of their clashes. She knew she couldn't parry his weapon or she'd still take some damage. The heat of his attacks was nearly overwhelming, but Lorelai held her ground, moving with a fluidity she hadn’t possessed before. She utilized her dash ability more frequently to dodge more in lieu of deflected his strikes, countering with quick, precise jabs that forced him to stay on his toes. She danced backward, narrowly avoiding the spear’s piercing thrust, the heat so intense it left a burning trail through the air. The ground under her feet seemed to crackle with the residual warmth from his power.
“Focus, Lorelai!” Avantus’s voice cut through the haze of battle. “Feel the rhythm of the fight, adapt and overcome.”
"You're persistent," Thrax commented, his voice a low growl of approval. “But persistence won’t save you.” He shifted his weight and then, in a blink, surged forward with terrifying speed.
Lorelai’s heart skipped, but she didn’t hesitate. With a sudden pivot of her hips, [dash] her body blurring into motion as she darted to the side. Thrax’s spear flashed past her with an explosion of heat, but she was already in motion, her own spear coming in low toward his side.
Thrax, however, was quicker than he let on. He spun, his body twisting with unnatural grace, and caught the shaft of her spear with the edge of his own, the impact sending a shockwave of heat that made her teeth rattle and singed her clothes. She held on, using the recoil to pivot into a fluid backflip, landing with a soft thud just out of reach.
The tempo of combat, and her fierce competitive nature washed away the exhaustion that had been creeping in, the constant evasions and clashes starting to look like a game to gain battlefield dominance. Thrax was practically glowing with energy, it was as if she could sense the elemental power surging through him. Almost as if he was keeping the flames from turning everything to ash. His every movement effortless and filled with controlled chaos.
She exhaled, and as she did, the tension in her body eased, her movements more fluid, more instinctive. Thrax charged at her again, spear raised, but this time she didn’t retreat. [Dash] not away but towards him, trusting her instincts to guide her, trusting her body to react.
When Thrax’s spear came down, she sidestepped, her own spear darting in with the precision of a striking serpent. This time, her strike landed a sharp thrust that cut through the air and connected with the side of his armor, knocking him off-balance.
Thrax grunted in surprise, and for a moment, the playful gleam in his eyes dimmed. He quickly regained his stance, but Lorelai could see the shift, and just like with Gortesh, Thrax's battle spirit had been awakened.
The air between them crackled as he shifted his weight, his golden eyes burning with renewed intensity. Thrax let out a primal roar and charge her, the ground getting scorched as blue fire propelled him forward much faster than normal
Lorelai grinned, sweat dripping down her brow, her heart racing in her chest, but her eyes were alight with the thrill of the fight.
Avantus stepped forward and diverted the class of the two. Thrax's attack destroying some of the training ground's floor and Lorelai's spear got stuck into the ground. Clapping his hands once to signal the end of the spar. “Enough for now,” he said, giving Lorelai a nod of approval. “That was impressive. You held your own against Thrax, but that was going to end being much more than a spar so it'll end here.”
Thrax approached her, his usual smirk softened by a look of genuine respect and a wink. “You’re not bad, Lorelai. I’d say you’re well on your way to becoming a real force to be reckoned with, and when you are; then you'll be my mate.”
Lorelai nodded, still catching her breath laughing. “Thanks, Thrax. I guess I’ll have to keep training if I want to keep up with you, but I don't know about the mate thing.”
He laughed, clapping her on the shoulder. “I’ll be watching your progress. And I expect to see you push even further.”
As Thrax left the field, Avantus stayed behind, watching her quietly. “You did well tonight, Lorelai. I’ll expect even more from you next time.” Avantus turned, leaving her alone with her thoughts and the satisfying weight of her spear.
[Dash has ranked up]
Lorelai eyes widened at the unexpected improvement to her skill, "Well lets see what this does."