Match of the Millennium

Description: Tremor has only begun his mission. After being driven off by Rashid, the ninja recovers out in the outskirts of Illyria, lurking in the caverns as the invaders and bears battle the expedition. Before he has a chance to fully recover and plot his next counter-attack, the ninja is tracked down by the Arshe Sisters. Thanks to Rashid's information, the duo have come to capture the ninja, and make sure he is no longer a threat to the expedition!

[MUNIN]
Normally, the inside of a deep cave is quiet as a tomb, and black as pitch. Bats roost in the ceiling, while a nearby pond of water is absolutely still.

At the moment, this is ALMOST true!

Within the inky darkness, where Tremor has gone seeking concealment and safety, the echoes from the battle outside resound throughout. Invading forces continue to fight the large bears in brutal and messy combat, but so far none of them have dared, even considered entering his sanctuary....

Until now, that is!

Stepping stealthily, Munin is in her element as it were. Her powers deal in darkness and shadows, after all. All but invisible to those unable to see in the darkness, she keeps just outside of the radius of light provided by Hugins lamp, hoping to ambush their prey.

Word from Rashid was Tremor was on the run, and hiding in this cave. Their mission: capture him and bring him back for questioning by the Order forces.

[HUGIN]
Hugin is only too glad to walk point. The more direct of the Arshe twins, she holds up the lamp before her like a beacon, practically inviting an attack. Though she's not unprepared. Shield on her arm, thick leather jacket, and metal tipped boots all give her some semblence of protection. Even if she doesn't carry a visible weapon on her.

She does however look disgruntled, or maybe she just has resting bitch face, who can ever tell with her.

Nor does she take her time to mask her steps, no, she's stepping firmly and perhaps a bi noisily, all in an effort to keep her twin sister concealed in both the shadow and the noise she herself is making.

COMBATSYS: Hugin has started a fight here on the left meter side.

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Hugin            0/-------/-------|

COMBATSYS: Munin has joined the fight here on the left meter side.

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Hugin            0/-------/-------|
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Munin            0/-------/-------|

[TREMOR]
Tremor has failed in a task. And yet, he ponders, he has not failed in his task. A distinction that is subtle and still profound. The intent to gauge the strength of the Sacred Order mercenaries could not fully be understood had he been victorious over Rashid of the Winds. He would simply be removed from a board filled with variables and unknowns. Now, at least, there was knowledge held.

Perhaps it was a rationalization, but it was still the truth.

Kneeling in the dark of the cave. Eyes shut. His mask rests on the floor. He breaths in and out. Deep and slow as the grinding of the geological forces underneath. Light comes from Tremor's torso, a glowing magmatic orange that rises and falls in brightness with each breath.

For all intents and purposes, he appears to be sleeping in his meditations. But they disturbed. As much as by sound as they are by the walking on the earth surrounding the elemental ninja's resting spot.

The light in his chest winks out. Tremor reaches for his mask and attaches it over his craggy face. His eyes open to the orange light of the burning heat within. There are intruders here. Ones he may have to take care of.

Pushing to his feet, he raises up to take a practiced, neutral stance. Legs wide, senses alert. The heat within his stony exterior glows in cracks on the surface of his skin. "If it is your death you seek. I am willing to grant your wish," he speaks, voice like a rock tumbler, scratching and echoing in the caverns of Illyria.

COMBATSYS: Tremor has joined the fight here on the right meter side.

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Hugin            0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0           Tremor
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Munin            0/-------/-------|

[MUNIN]
Drifting through the shadows, Munin positions herself as close to a flanking angle to Tremor as she can, unaware he can sense her footsteps simply due to his nature of being. She waits patiently as Hugin does the talking, ready to attack should the need arise......

COMBATSYS: Munin takes no action.

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Hugin            0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0           Tremor
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Munin            0/-------/-------|

[HUGIN]
Hugin pauses once that orange glow appears, the flickering light of the lantern still held out before her, she plants herself firmly between Tremor and what she assumes to be the only exit. She's not an imposing woman, but she manages to fill the space with her presence and attitude anyway, hips slightly cocked to the side, ponytailed head tilted just a little backwards in a challenging expression. Haughty or confident, it might be hard to tell which at a glance.

"I come by demand of the Sacred Order. Turn yourself over peacefully for questioning and we can avoid getting this pretty little cave of yours all messy. Or we can chase a horde of bears down here like I wanted, that sounds fun, too."

Hugin adjusts her shield-bearing arm, rolling the shoulder as she continues to hold the lantern between herself and Tremor, perhaps hoping the light will prove some sort of glare should he chose to attack. "So? What will it be? Surrender or fight?"

COMBATSYS: Hugin takes no action.

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Hugin            0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0           Tremor
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Munin            0/-------/-------|

[TREMOR]
Tremor turns about to face Hugin when she makes her presence, demands, and allegiances known. He makes no move in the immediate moment. He wants to let this woman explain herself and all she can. From her threats to her request.

"Ask me what you wish," he says, offering an open palm gesture to her. "I have questions all my own. Perhaps you will give me the answers."

The molten hues under his skin fade and shift, a glistering shine of metallic gold fleck cast in the light of Hugin's lantern. "But there is nothing in this world that is free. I understand that." With this somewhat cryptic statement, he lunges for Hugin. For all his size, the man was trained by the Lin Kuei. His motions betray that fact as much as his uniform.

His leap brings him down on Hugin like an avalanche. A heavy backfist singing down for her, and followed up by a whirling hook and a heavy foot aimed for the shieldmaiden's midsection

COMBATSYS: Hugin blocks Tremor's Rock On.

[   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////// ]
Hugin            0/-------/-----==|-------\-------\0           Tremor
[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Munin            0/-------/-------|

[HUGIN]
Well, that shield isn't for show, and she doesn't carry herself like she doesn't know how to use it either. That becomes obvious as the sound of metal being banged on rings throughout the cavern three times in rapid succession. Each time the ninja tries to land a hit on the shiled-maiden, the white raven emblazoned shield is there to absorb most of the impact.

The strikes still wrack at her arm, but she's clearly keeping her defenses up, perhaps not so aggressive as she first seems. Though once the third strike impacts she's on the move, executing a spin to bring her in closer towards the ninja, for a moment her shadow casts towards the back of the cave and over the ninja, no doubt screwing with his night vision if he even needs that. The flame in the lantern gutters about as it's swung wildly...

And brought down right on the ninja. Either it impacts in a shower of glass, flame, and fuel on the ninja or the floor as she releases it either way.

[MUNIN]
From behind, at just this moment Hugin chooses to attack, Munin too moves in, at least figuratively. From the shadows behind Tremor, a strand of what appears to be pure shadow, formed from chi, snaps out at him from her, attempting to encircle around him and hold him in place! Her eyes, like his, now also glow, small pinpricks of purple in the darkness.

COMBATSYS: Tremor blocks Hugin's Random Weapon.

[   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////   ]
Hugin            0/-------/-----==|=------\-------\0           Tremor
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Munin            0/-------/-------|

COMBATSYS: Tremor just-defends Munin's Shadow Coil!!

[   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Hugin            0/-------/-----==|=------\-------\0           Tremor
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Munin            0/-------/-------|

[TREMOR]
Clanging strikes against steel shield. The white raven protecting the woman behind it. The long shadows stretching tall. The lantern swinging down at Tremor. Arms crossed above his head and the crash of the lantern sends sparks cascading down. Motes of light drifting in a shower around the kombatant.

The attacks unrelenting as in that moment, Munin attacks as well. The shadows slick out to encircle. Wrapping toward Tremor. But as they get close. They wrap around the figure. Binding tight until the figure itself crumbles to stone and rubble. Nothing there where the ninja once was.

Moving through, the stones of the cavern rumble and pile up near the pinprick eyes of Munin, glowing as they are in the darkness. The earthenform ninja bursts from the stone. Palms of his hands slap heavily toward the shadow shinobi. A foot stomping the ground sends aftershock through the cavern. Rumbling stone and groaning earth echoing through the dark cave.

COMBATSYS: Tremor successfully hits Munin with Shock Wave.

[   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////// ]
Hugin            0/-------/-----==|==-----\-------\0           Tremor
[      \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Munin            0/-------/---====|

[MUNIN]
Munin blinks, a bit suprised. That was a slick escape!

When she doesn't see Tremor reappear, her only guess is (oh shit. he's probably in one of my blindspots!). She moves to dodge, trying to leap sideways and roll away just in case....

Sadly, she is too slow, and the strike hits her full on in the shoulderblade as she begins to move away! Instead of dodging away, she is sent flying due to extra momentum! She rolls, coming up on her feet facing Tremor. 'Blades' of dark purple chi form from her hands, and she leaps towards him, arms spinning wide in a hope of catching him with one of her slashing attacks!

[HUGIN]
All the light from the lantern left in the cave comes from the ambient glow of burning fuel spread along the rocks infront of Hugin. At least until an even brighter light suddenly flares to life where she's standing. One sister is shadow, but there's a reason Hugin held the lantern.

In her now freed hand she holds a lance of brilliant light-chi that casts harsh shadows of the rocks and crags of the cave all along it's walls. It's only in her hand for a moment though, as the ninja goes after her sister, Hugin gets a hopefully better shot at his unprotected flank. These two are obviously used to working together. She spins the lance in hand and javelin tosses it at the ninja, a streak of sunlight lancing through the cave.

COMBATSYS: Tremor blocks Munin's Spin Slash.

[    \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////   ]
Hugin            0/-------/-----==|===----\-------\0           Tremor
[       \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Munin            0/-------/---====|

COMBATSYS: Tremor blocks Hugin's Geirdriful.

[    \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////    ]
Hugin            0/-------/----===|===----\-------\0           Tremor
[       \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Munin            0/-------/---====|

[TREMOR]
Two attackers. Tremor wonders if he should be proud of earning this sort of distinction from the Sacred Order. One sent back has the bravery to fling herself toward him. Her chi slashes meet a pair of stony forearms. What she cuts acts nothing like flesh. Sparks and stone fling to the sides as Tremor stands his ground.

A second bolt of chi. The light to the other's shadow, lances toward Tremor. He turns into the strike, palm down, intercepting it and sending a scattering of light in a rainbow of color all over the cavern. The elementalist's arm coated in a blanket of brilliant, bottle green crystal. Crystal that cracks and shows the man under the stone. Deflected, but not without making Hugin's presence known.

Tremor sights the shield once more. "Two birds, and here I am only one stone," he says, voice muffled by the mask he wears. "You wish to fight me? After I break the frail one," these words directed at Hugin. Steady, factual rather than taunting. He is simply stating his intent.

Intent that comes with a rapid turn toward Munin. That crystalline coated fist takes a heavy swing toward the shadow ninja. The shear force of Tremor's punch backed by the ninja's careening momentum. Shards of green augment Tremor's already hefty fist.

COMBATSYS: Munin counters Krystal Punch from Tremor with Terminal Response.
-+- CALCULATED HIT -+-

[    \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////       ]
Hugin            0/-------/----===|===----\-------\0           Tremor
[        \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Munin            0/-------/---====|

[MUNIN]
One of the scenarios Munin predicted, as it sometimes seems to recur, is that Hugin is the 'strong one' and Munin is the 'weak one'. The fighter and the spellcaster, some could say. This is not entirely a concept the pair try to dissuade for just this reason.

Namely, that it isn't true.

Despite her nature, Munin is perfectly capable up close, and shows it now. The swing strikes her dead on.... and passes right through, the shadowy chi making up the illusionary image dispersing as it is struck. The strike comes from behind almost instantly, a swing with another chi-blade like before, this time at the back of his neck. Not enough to kill, but definately enough to wound!

The strike and disuasion successful, she moves again, this time to the side, putting Tremor once more between the pair of them in a pincer!

[HUGIN]
"Frail one? Obviously, you've never met my sister. She even frightens me." Hugin's grin could almost be called vicious the way she responds to the verbal jab from the ninja. But there's not much time to trade to much wit, as Hugin is closing in, using Munin's melee with the ninja in order to get him trapped in a pincer attack, or in this case more of a hammer and anvil. And while she would normally be the hammer in this situation, tactics lead her to put herself in the place of the anvil.

Munin is kind to vacate the space which allows Hugin to lightly spring off the cave wall and into the spot suddenly left open by the vanishing illusion of her twin, the two sisters switching sides as if this assault had been performed numerous times before.

As she lands her shield sparks to life with a serene glow of lambent chi, not nearly as harsh as her lance, but swirling shadow suddenly replaced by bright light just makes it seem all that more brilliant, especially as it only takes a mild swing of her arm to try to shove the metal disc right into the ninja's face as her sister's counter-assault hits from behind.

COMBATSYS: Hugin successfully hits Tremor with Thrud.

[     \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////       ]
Hugin            0/-------/----===|===----\-------\0           Tremor
[        \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Munin            0/-------/---====|

[TREMOR]
Frailty is a subjective thing. Strength and toughness are found in many ways, through many virtues. Some are physical, some are emotional. Tremor is prodding to find the emotional ones. In a way, Tremor can understand. Many who see his size, and his forthright style, tend to consider him slow witted or dull. In reality, Tremor is simply patient as the earth he moves.

His strike outmaneuvered, the cut bites deep across the back of his neck, but still do those blades of chi find mostly a hardened, stony slate to cut against.

The second assault comes. Hammer and anvil. Together they move and strike in a beautiful sequence. The brilliant light glows. Tremor is dashed between blade and base.

And yet, he seems undisturbed. Hard as stone. Immovable as a mountain. His chest rises and falls. The magma glow underneath the cracks that run across his chest intensify. The heat palpable. He stands and squares his ground.

Steady breathing. Focus. His palms touch and the earth moves to meet Tremor. Stone from the ground rumbles and rises along him. The stone sears into place against his skin. It covers the molten cracks. The earth itself coming to coat the ninja with a hissing sound.

"I respect your challenge. I will treat you as you deserve," Tremor speaks, his voice more audible as his mask falls and clatters to the ground.

COMBATSYS: Tremor gains composure.

[     \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////   ]
Hugin            0/-------/----===|===----\-------\0           Tremor
[        \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Munin            0/-------/---====|

[MUNIN]
"I get that a lot" is Munins sarcastic response to her sisters statement about scaring.

She has noted his resistance to damage. As his mast falls, and he says he will treat them as they 'deserve', she isn't sure if thats a good thing or not. On the one hand, it's good to be respected. On the other, she has the feeling this fight might have just gotten a lot harder.....

Still, even rock has it's weak point, and stone eventually crumbles if struck hard and often enough! From her position, she moves in once more, aiming to grab his arm, lift it with a pull, and strike hard at his underarm, where the joint might make it weak!

[HUGIN]
"I wish people would stop acting so high and mighty, as if respect to fellow warriors is something that needs to be proven."

The shield bash from Hugin is quickly followed up by a second, less glowing one, but she's pressing her advantage while the ninja seems to be trying to catch a breather. If there's one place it's simply not good for a rock to be it is hopefully exactly where they have this one, held between the repeated pummels of hammers. Sometimes, you just don't have the time or patience for erosion to work it's magic.

"A fighter's challenge is always worthy! So take your musings and shove it." Well, it's easy to see which one might have a temper, but even then her raving doesn't seem to put off their teamwork.

COMBATSYS: Tremor blocks Munin's Fierce Punch.

[     \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////////   ]
Hugin            0/-------/----===|===----\-------\0           Tremor
[        \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Munin            0/-------/---====|

COMBATSYS: Tremor fails to interrupt Crushing Strike from Hugin with Klean Slate.

[     \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////       ]
Hugin            0/-------/----===|==-----\-------\0           Tremor
[        \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Munin            0/-------/---====|

[TREMOR]
Tremor's arm twists up, but slams back down to cut off Munin's total access to his underarm. And with his movement, he twists to swipe his fist toward Hugin. The dual struggle is enough to slow Tremor down so that Hugin's shield can find purchase against Tremor's chest. A heavy strike, but it seems to clang with reverberation against a metallic chest.

Tremor steps away with the force of the blow, but he seems to be unhurt by the blow. All the same, there is crumbling. He is hurt, but he his holding his facade together with his elemental might.

"Tell me," he speaks to Hugin. "You don't seem to respect my opinion. Do I need to prove it worthy of you? Or are you just the Heckle to her Jeckle?"

[HUGIN]
"What's the saying, opinions are like assholes. Everyone has one and no one wants to hear about it."

How often must she repaint that shield, the battering of it against Tremor's stony body is scratching and scuffing the raven, and yet it's always clear on her way into battle. A point of pride. But there's only a moment to take that it. A brief flash of it once more on display as it reflects the light of the still flickering flames of the lantern's wreckage. "Opinions can be ignored."

She kicks off one stalagmite to gain a little air time. "Opinions can be immutable!"

She kicks off a second higher stalagmite for a bit more altitude. "What can't be.."

Another lance of brilliant light forms in her hand, descending to bring it crashing down on the ninja's head. "Is actions!!"

[MUNIN]
As Hugin does her leaps, Munin can be heard as well "Baseline respect should be a given until unearned".

She seems to vanish repeatedly, becoming harder to lock down a position for, as she comes closer and closer, her words echoing through the rocky chamber "Technique against technique, a winner comes of it, and the fighters move on all the stronger. To feel disrespectful to ones opponent is to disrespect oneself, for only from an opponent trying with their all can you improve youself in the process".

She suddenly stops, appearing next to Tremor, throwing a combination of strikes, before attempting to grab him, leap up and over, and use her smaller height as a tipping point to try to slam him into the ground on the place on his neck she struck. In the process she hopes to set him up to be hit by Hugin as well!

COMBATSYS: Tremor just-defends Hugin's Kara!!

[      \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////    ]
Hugin            0/-------/----===|==-----\-------\0           Tremor
[        \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Munin            0/-------/----===|

COMBATSYS: Munin successfully hits Tremor with Combo Grapple.

[      \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////    ]
Hugin            0/-------/----===|==-----\-------\0           Tremor
[        \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Munin            0/-------/---====|

[TREMOR]
Tremor's face is not prone to a great deal of emotion. This is a curious difference from his kombat with Rashid. Or the soul-infused fury of the man who attacked him in Sunshine City. This was his goal. He had stood against a god. He had walked away from that fight. He had been left for dead. He had been imprisoned. Betrayed. All these things. And now he sought strength from the world's fighters.

Perhaps there were things to learn from all sorts. After all, Tremor knew there was a great deal of different kinds of strength in the world.

The shadow appears at his side. His bulk moves with her momentum. He crashes to the ground with a force that shakes the earth. "Is this your respect?" he asks. The stone on his flesh shifting hue to the crystalline green.

He slaps the ground and with all his might pushes up against Munin. Surging upward, letting crystal shards clattering musically against the ground. "Because I have seen this light trick before." His crystal encased hand stops the energy lance. Once more the light is refracted, cascades of color dance all around. Tremor is up once more.

And this time, the ball of crystal about his fist. Shards bend and rend their way out in jagged spikes. And then they explode. A crashing cascade of crystal slices through the air toward the shield maiden.

COMBATSYS: Hugin blocks Tremor's Krystal Shatter.

[        \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////         ]
Hugin            0/-------/---====|====---\-------\0           Tremor
[        \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Munin            0/-------/---====|

[HUGIN]
There's no annoyance or pouting on Hugin's part as yet another of her spears is shattered apart. Each new exchange gives her a little more insight into the ninja and his abilities. Even the banter serves its purpose, ranting as she may seem to be.

She lands in a crouch, shield coming up to ward off the cascade of crystal shards, a musical rain on the metal shield. "That's more like it!" Or maybe a thrashing drum solo, but either way, the white raven's grin spreads wide.

As soon as the cacophany of crystal on metal stops she brings her shield down in a heavy swipe, using the edge of the solid metal disc to aim a blow at the earth ninja's legs.

[MUNIN]
Munin only gives a faint, echoing giggle of sorts as she smirks at Tremor, eyes glowing brightly as her form blurs. She shifts position to stand just behind Hugin.

Her eyes glow brighter, and as Hugin goes for the low sweep, the chi that has gathered in her eyes explodes in a short-range burst aimed at Tremor! She focused more chi than usual this time, going for a powerful blow of energy!

COMBATSYS: Tremor blocks Hugin's Fierce Strike.

[        \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////          ]
Hugin            0/-------/---====|=====--\-------\0           Tremor
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Munin            0/-------/----===|

COMBATSYS: Munin successfully hits Tremor with Eyeshadow.

[        \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////             ]
Hugin            0/-------/---====|======-\-------\0           Tremor
[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Munin            0/-------/---====|

[TREMOR]
While defending against the blow from Hugin. His body torqued, kneeling, forearm down to intercept the heavy shield. The clang reverberating through the cavern. Tremor is off guard when Munin finds her chance to strike.

With a burst of energy, Tremor stumbles back, heavy footfalls, arms out. A stalagmite is all that keeps the ninja from taking a fall.

He slaps the stone. Shrouded in the darkness but for the glow of his eyes. He breathes heavily. He is feeling the strikes from the paired fighters. But he isn't quite finished yet.

From the darkness comes a grinding. A terrible cutting shriek that fills the air and the ears. A buzzsaw shape. Nearly waist high, rolls from the shadows. Made of crystal, the blade spins and slices through the stone floor of the cavern, rocketing toward Munin in a new test of her speed.

COMBATSYS: Munin blocks Tremor's Krystal Kutter.

[        \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////                ]
Hugin            0/-------/---====|=======\-------\0           Tremor
[            \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Munin            0/-------/-======|

[MUNIN]
The sound gives the attack away, at least that it's coming. If she didn't hear it coming, she likely would be in much more trouble. With precise timing, she uses her forearm to knock the blade off course moments before it hits, while stepping to the other side. While it leaves a decent gash in her arm in the process, it saves her from much BIGGER damage, and only just. The saw still passes within inches, slicing off a few strands of her hair.

Righting herself on her feet, Munin then leaps up into the air, training whisps of shadowy chi, and at the apex of her jump, abruptly lances downwards, foot first, in a kick aiming to strike Tremor in the shoulder. She tries to put enough power into it to follow through and return to the other side of him, resuming the pincer!

[HUGIN]
While one comes in high, the other comes in low. It must be sunset, as the chi-lit shield is suddenly below the more shadowy wisps above it. Hugin charged forward underneath her sister's aerial assault, leaving a trail of white motes drifting through the air in her wake as the shield leads off the direct forward assault.

Once more, Hugin attempts to drive that chi-empowered shield right into her foe, this time putting all her considerable speed and less than considerable weight behind it. Then as long as she's not stopped, spins off to the side opposite her sister, the two moving in their carefully coordinated steps.

COMBATSYS: Tremor blocks Munin's Diving Kick.

[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////                  ]
Hugin            0/-------/---====|=======\-------\1           Tremor
[            \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Munin            0/-------/=======|

COMBATSYS: Tremor blocks Hugin's Brynhildr.

[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////                   ]
Hugin            0/-------/--=====|=======\=------\1           Tremor
[            \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Munin            0/-------/=======|

[TREMOR]
Battered back and forth. The blows come hard and fast. To each one in turn, Tremor throws his weight against the strikes. Munin's kick, lightning fast strikes against the stone assassin. The shield on the other side sandwiches him tightly with a great force from Hugin.

Stone crumbles and a flash of heat and light from the cracked skin of the Black Dragon assassin's skin causes the air to waver and shimmer.

Tremor once more disappears into stone. Falling back into the rocky floor of the cavern. He emerges a short distance away. Covered in dust, dirt and rock. His hands together. Mind in focus. The stones sear and meld against him. Re-enforcing his flesh. He once more falls back on his trick to use the earth around the three fighters as his own support.

COMBATSYS: Tremor gains composure.

[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////                ]
Hugin            0/-------/--=====|=======\-------\1           Tremor
[            \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Munin            0/-------/=======|

[HUGIN]
Hugin pivots as the ninja vanishes back into stone, banging her shield raher noisily on one of the stagmites. Clang! Clang! Clang!

Even as the ninja reappears the challenge continues to be issued, chi starting to stream off of her as her body becomes suffused with brilliant light, the cave suddenly home to a glowing shield-maiden, the whisps of light flowing off of her almost like wings.

Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!

The tempo picks up as she works herself up until she lets loose with a battle cry and dives in to melee with the ninja once more.

She doesn't even keep the shield up defensively as she launches herself forward, she's in assault mode now. As she closes in she brings up her shield bearing arm and lowers the shield like an executioner's axe in one heavy, powerful strike aimed for the ninja's shoulder.

[MUNIN]
As Hugin goes all out with her lightshow, Munin pulls out some stops as well! With the cave now brightly lit, she must resort to OTHER means to try to obfuscate her position.

Coming just behind Hugin, she splits into several copies of herself, two on the left of Hugin, and two on the right. As the shield attack comes in from the front, all these images attack from the sides with varying attacks and moves!

Only one is real, however, and that is the Munin that strikes low with a dashing palm strike. Hit or miss, she follows through, and once behind Tremor, a large lance of chi forms from her hand, and she stabs it forwards at his exposed flank, aiming for the lower sides for the most damage she can without it being a killing blow!

COMBATSYS: Munin blitzes into action and acts again!

[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////                ]
Hugin            0/-------/---====|=======\-------\1           Tremor
[             \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Munin            0/-------/=======|

COMBATSYS: Tremor dodges Hugin's Intercepting Strike.

[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////                ]
Hugin            0/-------/---====|=======\-------\1           Tremor
[              \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Munin            0/-------/=======|

COMBATSYS: Munin successfully hits Tremor with Mirror Image.

[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////                   ]
Hugin            0/-------/---====|=======\=------\1           Tremor
[              \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Munin            1/-------/=======|

COMBATSYS: Tremor fails to interrupt Shadow Spike from Munin with Mountainous Pain.

[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////                       ]
Hugin            0/-------/---====|=======\=------\1           Tremor
[              \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Munin            1/-----==/=======|

[TREMOR]
Quick. The reality is that Tremor is indeed a Lin Kuei ninja. His meditation breaks with the sound of the clanging metal. The light touched maiden charging for the earthen ninja. And when she swings that heavy shield to bear, Tremor side steps the knight and lurches past her. Safe, but worn, weakening. He will not be able to keep the pace much more.

And that is proven with Munin's rapid fire assault A small army of ninjas take the shadows made by her counterpart's light. They charge in. Tremor shoulders the first that comes. But it's the wrong one. The strikes leaves Tremor to recover on one knee.

Downed. He surges toward the suddenly appearing Munin. His heavy hands reaching to take her wrists, to show her pain and the grinding weight of earth. But Munin's blade is faster. A sharp slice into a man that is a man on a technical level, but what measure he is human and what measure he is elemental is a strange and blurry gradient indeed. But there, skewered on Munin's violet energy. He looks at her. There is no rage in the ninja. No fury now. He simply looks at Munin.

"What could you be without her?" he asks in his rumbling, tone. "I yield. I will see your Order's camp."

[MUNIN]
Purple-glowing eyes stare into Tremors as Munin stands there, ducked low, lance of chi thrust into his side. When he concedes, Munin nods, and the blade of chi fizzles and vanishes. She stands up, seeming to think for a moment before answering "She is my sister. What WOULD i be without her?".

Moving to one side of Tremor, she waits for Hugin to take position opposite

[HUGIN]
"She.." Hugin's voice comes from behind Tremor, calmer than it's been this entire fight. She's not the type to continue railing on someone when they're down, as the light drifts from her and slowly fades out. And in the shadows that for the first time manage to fully surround her, those eyes of hers glow a slightly lighter shade of lilac than her twin's.

"She would be as she always has been. Capable of standing on her own. We're just better together." Hugin takes up position on the other side of the ninja from Munin, removing her shield and repositioning it to the specialized holder on her back.

"For a fight well fought we will make sure you are treated with honor." And she offers a quick bow for the ninja before offering him a hand should he need it.

COMBATSYS: Tremor has left the fight here.

[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Hugin            0/-------/---====|
[              \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Munin            1/-----==/=======|

COMBATSYS: Hugin has left the fight here.

[              \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Munin            1/-----==/=======|

Log created on 21:46:19 04/13/2018 by Tremor, and last modified on 16:14:49 04/14/2018.