Envy's Ford [Vanyel, Veralia]

Were it about five or ten years prior, maybe he really would have been able to get a grasp of fire before water. But, with everything that had happened in the last few years of his life, that anger and aggressiveness that he had during his yakuza days had dimmed. The mastery he had garnered over martial arts had given him a sense of discipline, more than he had back then.

His soul was calm, cool, collected, focused, determined. As Veralia spun around, the flames that followed her trail forced Vanyel leap backward, rather than going immediately into a counterattack. His arms lifted instinctively to protect him, but his body and clothes still got singed from the sudden conflagration.

The side of his shirt where Veralia had jabbed him had a hole in it, the edges burned, several fist-sized holes burned into the back of his shirt, and now his sleeves and some of the front had been taken as well, revealing the musculature underneath. Taking in a deep breath and releasing it slow, he took his stance again as Veralia started to speak.

Fire responded to emotion, to action, aggression, and restlessness. It was alive, active, and wild. What made his soul burn? What drew out such a reaction from him? Fighting felt like the easiest choice, especially when it came to expressing it. But...he knew it went deeper than that.

He always had fun fighting Kenichi, he enjoyed teaching martial arts to Senna and to Violet, but, he also remembered all the times he clashed and butted heads with Amaranta. He focused on his energy, channeling his thoughts within that flow, the feelings he had when in those situations, both positive and negative. Gradually, he could feel his energy heating up, and he subconsciously began to guide it through his body, funneling it to his hand.

His arms lifted, his breathing calm and level as his fists began to glow with the color of garnet, heat rising around him. Taking in a deep breath, Vanyel pressed his foot down on the air, energy rippling from the pressure, and, firing forward in a flash. All of those emotions and thoughts fueled his attack as he unleashed a devastating palm strike to Veralia's chest, a wave of heat rushing by, even if the attack was avoided.

THE FIRE OF ENVY NEVER DIES

THE FLAME THAT BURNS THE BRIGHTEST

Veralia’s eyes flared as she watched the garnet glow of Vanyel’s fists and felt the rush of heat from his strike. He was learning, adapting faster than she expected. The impact of his palm strike was fierce, even if she managed to avoid taking the full brunt of it. The heat seared past her, singeing her clothes and skin, the energy palpable in the air.

"I don't know what the fuck you thought of, but keep your focus on that."

As the hiss of fire crackled in the air from Vanyel's movements, she rose an eyebrow as she wondered how much of that fiery spirit she could push out of him. And, in turn, how much further could she refine her attacks? It made the woman grin with delight before locking in.

Out of instinct, she exhaled a fast breath, and her eyes shut as she went to work absorbing the leftover heat from his assault. Son, her hands were drenched in an emerald flame as her body reacted to the sudden energy consumption. Fueled by the heat she absorbed, Veralia planted her feet firmly and rushed forward, aiming to meet Vanyel’s garnet energy head-on. She swung both of her fists in a wide arc, aiming at his chest and midsection with an overwhelming surge of emerald fire coating her hands.

This attack wasn’t just about brute strength—it was an attempt to disrupt his calm and control by matching it with raw, fiery force. As her fists swung, they unleashed a shockwave of heat and flame, designed to test his ability to defend against intense, powerful strikes.

Not giving him a moment to recover, Veralia followed her counter with a high kick aimed at Vanyel’s upper body. As her leg ascended, emerald flames spiraled around her foot, building in intensity. The kick was quick and precise, meant to strike at his defenses while maintaining her momentum. The fire trailed after her, leaving a streak of intense heat in its wake, threatening to engulf him if the kick connected.

Whether or not the attacks landed, Veralia’s voice cut through the crackling of flames as she steadied herself, her breath measured.

"That any better?"

Even if she had avoided it, he didn't care. The fact that he had been able to pull it off was enough. He was, however, quick to switch to the defensive as he saw her arms start to move. His stance became wider, reinforcing his lower body as both arms went to meet Veralia's. Energy pooled around his arms as she swung, but even though it mitigated some of the fire, Vanyel winced slightly as he felt the growing heat, his feet being pushed back as he fought with every fiber of his being to keep himself upright.

He hadn't been prepared for the follow-up, and the shockwave caused him to jolt his head back in a way that was only human, habitual recoil, facing away from the source of being stunned. It caused him to drop his guard, his arms spreading far enough apart for Veralia to connect her foot, sending him flying backward. With his rhythm disrupted, he fell from his platforms and to the ground, crashing into a tree. However, Vanyel still refused to give up. His eyes lit up with determination as he forced himself to his feet, stumbling once or twice.

"Getting better. Don't rely on your flames all the time. Refining and honing the natural aspects of a humanoid body are important as a foundation."

Gathering a small amount of energy in his legs, he shot forward with that Shunpo-like step, gliding upward as if he were soaring weightlessly through the clouds. Focusing on those memories and thoughts, he tried to gathering his energy to make it happen again.

But, regardless of whether the incoming swiveling kick to the side of Veralia's midsection hit or whiffed, that surge of garnet never appeared.

THE FIRE OF ENVY NEVER DIES

THE FLAME THAT BURNS THE BRIGHTEST

"Force of habit. This time, I won't use my fire."

Understanding the shortcomings of her style, Veralia let the heat and flames dim around her, eventually giving way to an emerald aura around her body instead of a flame. Entering a focused state of being, Veralia exhaled a soft breath as she tried to ignore her burning irritation to keep an eye on Vanyel as he sped toward her.

Letting go of that contempt, she let her body react instinctively as Vanyel’s kick came close, Veralia shifted her weight slightly to the side, pivoting just enough to dodge his attack while staying within striking range. Rather than relying on her flames, she reached out, aiming to grab his leg or foot as it passed. If successful, she would pull him forward and twist, aiming to lock his arm in a grapple. Her goal was to throw him off balance and restrict his movements.

Should his arm still be in her grasp, Veralia would lean into her advantage by delivering a swift knee strike to his midsection. Her focus was purely on precision and power, not relying on her flames but instead using her physical strength to push him back.

The whiff of him trying to throw out that attack again left him open and confused. Already, he was trying to think of what had gone wrong in that moment. But, with that opening, it wasn't a surprise that Veralia took advantage of it by grabbing his leg and pulling him in. Caught in an awkward position, all Vanyel could do was use his arms to try and counter.

But, even in the small movements, he realized what she was wanting to do, using her arms to lock him down, and, in all likelihood -- if what she said about not using her fire was true -- using her lower body to attack. More than anything, he realized that he needed to keep his balance, to try and use that intent against her, all while remaining stable.

So, he brought his arm back to keep it out of her reach. But, rather than attack, he instead shifted his weight, putting more force and emphasis on his trapped leg, trying to force it forward and downward to displace Veralia's weight and balance. Even if he wasn't successful, he would still try and mess with her general stability by throwing a sudden, swift chop to her throat.

Though, despite all of the thoughts and memories that he tried to channel into his actions, that garnet glow never seemed to appear, earning a loud growl from him. "Why isn't it working?!"