Re: picture perfect practice [Sol/Liana]

Wed Feb 02, 2022 8:07 am

Solhammond Palliser | SURPASS EXPECTATIONS

Although it felt as if the world was so viscerally real for the fighter, he spotted dots around his vision. Black spots which came and went as his mouth opened slightly, heavy breaths escaping his mouth. Steam seemingly slipping out from the heated breaths, his body keenly aware of the searing pain which invade it. His arm was gone. His arm was gone! But he didn’t stop fighting, and perhaps that was his greatest achievement to date.

It was as if he was fighting something else, not merely the golems she erected. It was as if he was killing a part of him. Something he hated, truly. Whatever it was, whoever it was, held the focal point of his rage. The question of if he would tame this wild rampaging beast that was his soul or if it would dominate him seemed to remain in the air. As he began to fall to the floor he landed sloppily on his feet, his body swaying slightly. Bloodshot irisies staying at Liana, silent in their intentions, but defiant.

He brought his only good arm to grasp the asauchi at his side, holding it sideways for a moment. His grey irises staring at the blade, examining the length. He had never spoken with it, and it’s name was silent for him. His mouth opened slightly as blood trickled from the corner of his lip. He felt the tinge of power within it, as if it was stirring in response to his trials. The resonance of his soul and the blade seemingly incomplete.

He shifted his grip on the wakizashi, adjusting his stance to account for his lack of an arm. Despite not being a formally trained sword fighter, his natural prowess with weapons and martial arts made it’s way known. His style is akin to a knife fighter, reversing his grip on the short sword. He shifted his feet to move, approaching with the confidence of a man who’s tomorrow wasn’t promised.

When he moved in jerked his head to the right, ducking low as he slashed diagonally with the blade aiming for their chest. Regardless if the strike connected, he’d drop his entire weight rotating his hips, as he followed through with the strike. His legs coming upwards to perform a follow up round-house kick aimed at their head instead of chest.

He was, after all, a former professional fighter.

END POST | WHITE KNUCKLE BRAWLER

Wed Feb 02, 2022 8:27 am

LIANA UNOHANA

When Liana stabilised his spiritual energy, she felt something to it. A shifting, a movement from something nestling deep within it. Perhaps the prelude to an inevitable transformation.

This sort of affinity to the combat, and the will to perservere--frankly, Liana was feeling a smidge jealous of her colleague captain in seventh division. Murasaki had talent in her ranks.

The shikigami standing opposite to Solhammond had no reflections of Liana's impressions. Rather, it reflected Sol's agility. The shikigami brought the blade of its sword to rest against its back, bobbing away from Sol in avoidance of the lunge. As the roundhouse followed, the shikigami brought its own leg up to cross the man at his shins, a reciprocal roundhouse kick. As if his movements, every subtlety leading up to it, was read and resolved.

Wed Feb 02, 2022 10:54 am

Solhammond Palliser | GROWTH

It seemed this thing was quite the fighter, on top of it having both arms. But Sol was no push over, nor was he the type to stop his assault just because he was merely matched. As their legs met a backlash of power would ripple outwards, creating a small gust of wind as their powers matched. In response Sol would throw his one leg from under him, beginning to fall towards the ground before extending it seeking to plant his leg in the middle of it’s chest with enough force to launch it backwards.

Provided this was successful he’d smash into the ground on his back, quickly rolling to his feet as he prepared his blade once more. His eyes focused on his enemy, a lethality to his stance.

He was going to make this thing bend the knee, his entire body was set aflame with the genuine earnest desire to win. He’d approach once more, ideally, seeking to clash blades with the creature. Instead of a focused strike, he would rotate the sword in his hand seeking to launch a flurry of strikes. One slash aimed for the collarbone, another for the neck, and at the same time he’d seek to do a small calf-kick aimed to throw it’s stance off.

He was going to dismantle this thing, one limb at a time, if need be.

END POST | WHITE KNUCKLE BRAWLER

Sat Feb 05, 2022 1:16 am

LIANA UNOHANA

The difference in arms didn't seem to make much of a difference, outside of superior balance. The shikigami neglected to use its empty-handed arm offensively or defensively, just moving it along for superior fluidity of full-body motion.

While Sol dropped to the floor for a centre-mass kick, the shikigami repeated the previous actions of the opponent. It ducked low, so that its head would be where its chest would've been, and jerked its head to the right. The sword kept to its back came swinging down like a cleaver poised to rend the man in two.

Someone of Solhammond's calibre, of his martial experience, would surely have the battle sense to intuitively understand some things. The shikigami wasn't merely matching him, reading him, but mimicking him. Every motion and technique he'd use could, and would, be reciprocated.

Fri Feb 11, 2022 12:10 pm

Solhammond Palliser | GROWTH

This entire situation was annoying in the way the solution should be clear, but it most certainly was not. As Sol fell towards the ground it was only due to his somewhat superb martial skills that he was able to deflect the oncoming blade, allowing him a moment to breathe. As he managed to roll to his feet, the lack of balance he had with one arm was noticeable, so be it.

He stared at his opponent for a moment, gauging on just how he would deal with this. No amount of fancy sword play could outplay someone who was just universally better than him, or well able to copy him down to a letter. So he was left with one real option, move faster. Be stronger. Push himself to the limits with a furious display of martial talent, until it could no longer copy him. It was an exceedingly simple, and dangerous plan.

When he moved into combat range again, he did so opening up with a slash which caused the veins on his arm to protrude. A horizontal slash seeking to attack it’s arm, and without waiting he’d pivot to the left continuing the assault. Rather than entering into a straight one for one battle, he’d attempt to mix it up with footwork and repositioning, each strike building with it momentum.

C’mon, faster. And the moment he saw an opening, even if it cost him blood, he’d take it.

END POST | WHITE KNUCKLE BRAWLER

Wed Feb 16, 2022 2:36 pm

LIANA UNOHANA

There. It was those moments precisely that Liana was aiming to draw out of Solhammond. It wasn't for him to simply improve his martial skill--there were other ways to do that. This was a moment of opportunity, for a beast to be drawn out, for the man to reach his own sort of martial enlightenment. Simply forcing him to hone his techniques were insufficient; he needed to not improve himself, he needed to exceed himself. To force himself to pine for being stronger, being faster. This shikigami was not one which could be bested in technical capacity--it was only through raw, savage power that Solhammond would overcome this.

The first hit was ineffective, the shikigami bobbing out of the way of his initial strike. The follow up was no different, missing it altogether--but coming closer. The third hit, the fourth hit, all inching closer to its target until they landed. First, it was a mere graze, then a scratch, and in every attack the hits grew deeper, stronger, until finally: Solhammond's last swing of his blade cut straight into the arm of the shikigami, severing it clean off.

Now, they were matched limb for limb. A clinking noise resounded; the shikigami's arm fell unceremoniously to the ground, still gripping its sword. As if it were sentient, the hulking mass bowed forward while it sunk into the ground, like the shikigami that Solhammond bested before it.

"You've got one more. Keep going, and do your best."

Liana raised her arms again, once more stabilising the man's energy. At the same time, the tall shikigami standing at a 2.5 metres stepped forward. Just as LIana's hands came down after using Hands of the Redeemer, without warning or chance to gain rest, the shikigami's own hands came up. A barrier formed around itself, visible by the gossamer lilac sphere forming around itself. In the same turn, a kido reached out towards Sol, the same one he himself casted towards Liana: Bakudo #4, Hainawa.

Wed Feb 16, 2022 11:43 pm

Solhammond Palliser | GROWTH

Sol was tired.

His body was protesting against every movement he made. Each limb feeling like lead as his vision seemed to unfocus momentarily. He could see now why people didn’t indulge in this type of training with the captain often, it was something that really pushed the limits of what was feasible possible as a mortal. But that was what he needed, regardless of what he thought he wanted OR needed.

His body swayed slightly as his eyes closed, a smile forming on his lips while a chuckle escaped his breath. “God damn.” He’d sighed out as his eyes opened, his gaze focused on the final target. He was down a single arm but he could win this. He had to.

When every was said and done he had a kido coming towards him, and it was more instinct when he brought his singular arm up to begin a quick incantation. His asauchi still in his hand he chose to go with a Kido spell because the particular spell she casted might simply chase him down. Instead he would rely upon a mix of magic and might casting Bakudo #8. Seki . An orb of blue energy would manifest in front of his fist as he brought it to meet the tip of the energy rope.

This Bakudo was designed to repulse whatever striked it back, and as he swung it on his fist he hoped to have it shot back at the Shikigami opening up the chance to move forward. Intending to move in close, ignoring the protest of his limbs. Opening his mouth shouting the incantation of perhaps the simplest Hadō ever: Hadō #1. Sho.

As he arrived in front of the barrier, his index finger would point out from the grip of his asauchi. At point blank range a considerable amount of kinetic force would be expelled from his finger tip aiming to focus that energy into a singular point. A slight modification of the Kido which might allow it to become semi-armor piercing. But this was not without drawback, such a modification at his skill level led to an influx of energy that backlashes against him.\

The skin, nail, and flesh from his finger would explode outwards adding a red mist to the kido. Such was the power of it to damage himself.

END POST | WHITE KNUCKLE BRAWLER

Thu Feb 24, 2022 3:23 am

LIANA UNOHANA

This would... probably be Solhammond's most difficult trial. Perhaps one he simply innately could not pass. The method was kido, but his mastery was simply too underdeveloped. Or, perhaps this would be his most valuable tribulation, one that would demonstrate the degree of improvements he had before him, and the depths to which he could strengthen himself through the avenues of kido.

Struggle as he might, the Seki Solhammond conjured was simply too feeble to stop the oncoming ropes. Without a successful defense, the ropes wrapped tightly around his body, threatening to constrict to the point of complete immobility. It slowed his movements, the man's approach towards the barrier laboured intensely; by the time the ropes would manage to complete their binding, Sol's Sho fired off at the barrier--and then:

Nothing.

The only consequences to be had were on Sol, the feedback tearing the skin of his hand from tendon, and tendon from bone.

"Well... Do your best. I suggest a defensive kido."

The Shikigami trembled, as if it charged momentarily, before it raised its arm towards Sol, a single finger pointed at him. It was a familiar gesture, though the senses of a spirit could tell how much more menacing it was. A brief, nearly imperceptible pulse of energy resounded, barreling towards him.

Sun Feb 27, 2022 4:22 am

Solhammond Palliser | GROWTH

Damn. It seemed he was backed into a corner, one which was not able to be overcome by his means at his disposal. He was starting to feel the wear and tear on his body, his legs spreading apart to hold himself up. His face turned into a pained smirk, the type of grimace which displayed the pain he felt. His lungs burned with the exhaustion which came to being pushed to your utter physical limit.

Alright. He’d use kido. He’d put his all into it, if his body was going to fail them then he’d rely on his mind. He had to trust not in the raw instinctual intelligence he had, not the years of training disciplined into his body, but his knowledge of magic. Something he wasn’t inclined to but he was none the less.

He brought a singular hand upwards, his lone arm, as he spoke words into ether.

“O’ lord of broken things, hear my plea and shield me in your power. Bakudo #10. Shield!”

Sol’s Japanese was not the most proficient, but it was good enough. Enough that she could understand the incantation of the kido, of his intentions as he yelled it. With his index and middle finger pointed upwards he drew the Kanji for shield, fully committing to the defensive effort as a triangular barrier errupted in front of him, each point anchoring itself against the walls. Sol’s focus seemingly on maintaining the barrier for the incoming attack.

END POST | WHITE KNUCKLE BRAWLER

Tue Mar 01, 2022 3:55 am

LIANA UNOHANA

#10 was probably the extent of Sol's efforts. For the level Liana could ascertain, frankly, the stability of the kido was acceptable. For being pushed this far, to this extent, at this point of spiritual exhaustion, it was within her goals for Sol. Still, in the grand scheme of things, Sol's proficiency in kido was still woefully underdeveloped; therefore, it was without surprise that the barrier would fail to hold.

The Sho, sent from the shikigami's fingers, collided with Sol's barrier. If it were any consolation, at the barest, slightest moment of initial contact, Liana and Sol would both feel resistance. They'd feel the hesitation in the Sho, a moment of pause, before the barrier shattered and drove straight into Sol's forehead with enough force to whisk away his conscience.