Description: "Dear Diary, What was supposed to be a Neo League match turned out to be something else entirely. I'm not sure why he lured me out there exactly. Maybe he wanted to see where he stood against the power of NESTS. Like many others, he proclaimed himself a God, but in the end, seemed to bear the same mortal limits as so many others who have said that... What is this designation that so many aspire to it? Is it so important?"
The challenge had come through the usual channels. Thrown down by a mysterious new challenger to the fighting circuit. The challenge had not listed a name, only a location, and a time. That time is now, and for the past thirty minutes, Urien has been standing in the middle of the jungle. Wearing an elegant, and very expensive- were one to be the sort to note such things- dark brown suit, his hands are tucked lazily into his pockets, and, it would soon become swiftly obvious that there are no cameras here. Although, behind him, a couple of his goons, wearing far more appropriate camouflage gear, lurk and keep an eye open. He'd arrived by rowboat, and intended to leave the same way. That way, there would be even fewer ways for Kula, or her employers, to really ascertain what had happened here.
Unless, of course, she had brought monitoring gear of her own, to take a snapshot of his face. That would scupper all of his attempts at security... but we can't dwell on that possibility!
No, now, Urien can do nothing but wait. Lounging, indolently, for his opponent to make herself known. The intent? To get some idea of Kula's abilities first hand. Perhaps ascertain the degree to which she can utilize them in a situation not, exactly, conducive to large amounts of ice. And, of course, to deliver a strong beatdown to one of NESTS top agents. But, Urien is no fool. He realizes that this fight ... may prove to be quite a difficult one.
Regardless. The stage has been set. All that it requires now, is the second player.
There is no address by which one can mail the ellusive Kula; no phone number, email address, or any means of contacting her directly at all. There is, floating around, a number for her 'agent', but that appears to be nothing more than a voice mailbox that will never be answered by a live person. It is, however, the channel by which she seems to be able to be lured out into the open. The Neo League or SNF circuits leave their information with that voicebox and nearly every time, the now famous, ruthless ice using young teen will make her appearance.
Within NESTS, the challenge filters down through the internal channels. Those responsible for handling the girl's schedule and transportation process it, compare the timing against whatever missions she might have on her plate, and make the call back to the League: She'll be there.
Reaching the remote jungle site is tricky. Landing at one of the rural island's few airports, the girl was then escorted to a helicopter and ferried to the general locale where the match was to take place. Urien will have likely noticed it make a few laps around the immediate area, searching for a place to land. When no such clearing is found, however, it shifts to hovering over the shore for a few seconds.
From the side door leaps the challenged fighter, dropping straight down toward the wave crested ocean. Her feet land on ice, the water freezing before she would have splashed down. Standing up straight on her temporary platform, the young assassin glances up at the chopper, the currents from its rotors whipping the water around her into a fine spray. She's uneasy about this arrangement, especially as the helicopter rises up to fly off. Her handlers promised her that they would find a place to land and come watch on foot. Given the thickness of the jungle in this area, she might be justified in finding that unlikely...
Still, this match is her assignment for now, and the sooner she gets started, the sooner she can go home. Turning, the girl walks the fifty feet between where she touched down and the shore, the ice flow expanding in front of her and collapsing behind her, the entire process seeming to take little effort from her... until at last she steps onto solid ground.
She moves into the jungle with a certain wariness. The last time she was challenged by an unknown, it turned out to be Vega. And that experience left her broken and traumatized for quite a long time. It's easy to understand why she might be reserved about this; fears of a repeat incident in the forefront of her mind.
When she finally steps into view of her challenger, however, there's a soft sigh of relief. It isn't Vega. She looks to be dressed remarkably warm for a location like this. A black, form fitting bodysuit is covered by violet hued leather. Engineered by NESTS, her jacket and the chaps over her legs are in fact a highly durable, extremely effective leather body armor, designed to keep their billion dollar investment from breaking too easily from blunt force! Her eyes are violet, her hair long, unrestrained auburn locks that rest against her shoulders.
"Hello." she speaks up calmly, looking Urien over from head to toe. "I am Kula." He's tall, she ponders. But it wouldn't be the first time she'd fought someone who towered over her. Is he even a serious fighter or just someone trying to make a name for himself by challenging such a renown combatant such as her? "Remember, there is no shame in asking to stop when you've had enough." she notes, taking in a breath then exhaling softly. A shimmer of white energy courses over her, leaving in its wake frosty blue hair and the presence of small crystals of ice drifting immediately about her form as she unseals her combat-level ice manipulation. "Until you do, I won't hold back." she declares coolly.
Urien allows himself a small smile as the girl steps into view. Detaching himself from the tree, the grecian straightens himself up, and casually cracks his knuckles. Walking to position himself directly in front of the girl, he notes the professional demeanor. Casually, he does his level best to sum her up. An interesting one, to be sure. He can't help but find himself wondering what has led to her being the way she is. Certainly, such an attitude would have to have been crafted, not made naturally... wouldn't it? Ah well, there are far more immediate concerns than merely wondering, uselessly, about the situation that led to her being who she is.
Now, there was only time to concern himself with the fight.
"Of course." He states, smoothly, as his two goons step back and away from their master. "There is never any shame in yielding to a superior force." His eyes shine for a moment, and the mans lips quirk upwards. "I would urge you to remember that yourself."
And, suddenly, he clenches his fist, and energy sparks up around him, burning away the suit in a sudden flash and burn of power. His skin noticeably darkens, becoming tan, and soon, he stands only in his loincloth, eyes focused intently on the girl before him.
Because... more important than anything else, he wanted to see how she reacted to /HIS/ power, as much as how hers actually worked. If there was even a hint of familiarity there... then things were far more complicated than he had any logical reason to believe.
... not that Urien has gotten where he is today by being logical, of course.
COMBATSYS: Urien has started a fight here.
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Urien 0/-------/------=|
COMBATSYS: Kula has joined the fight here.
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Kula 0/-------/-------|=------\-------\0 Urien
COMBATSYS: Urien focuses on his next action.
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Kula 0/-------/-------|=------\-------\0 Urien
Her eyes, violet when she arrived, are crimson hued when contrasted against her sky blue hair. The visible changes an indication of the girl unsealing her full chi control. Even without unlocking that potential, her casual control over temperature and frozen matter is significant. But it isn't until she transitions into combat-level control that she becomes the young menace she's known for being.
It seems she isn't the only one with tiered chi manipulation, however. As the man's suit is burned away, Kula tenses up. A fire user? No... that isn't it precisely. Still, his energy control registers as formidable and his physique suggests that his strength is not to be taken lightly. But she's NESTS' pride and joy. Their one great, significant success in the lab. The most powerful crafted entity they know of. She is strong enough to overcome anything, or so she reminds herself.
Hands clench and unclench, each one covered by a yellow, insulated glove. Taking a look at her, it would seem she was prepared to fight in conditions far colder than this swelteringly warm location. But not a bead of sweat can be seen on her face, her body working overtime to regulate her temperature here. "You have three seconds to prepare yourself, and then I will attack." she warns, her expression neutral, eyes studying him carefully. With little information to go on, her implanted combat algorithms are going to have to see more from the man to really begin to formulate plans to defeat him. For now, she'll need to test her opponent and provide her instincts with more parameters to work with.
Those three seconds pass before she moves. But once she's in motion, she's fast, launching forward on a horizontal line between her and her opponent. The uneven, rough jungle ground denies her some of her mobility, as she can't simply skate over such surfaces. But her insulated boot covered feet are most definitely not slowed in the slightest. A flash of white brings ice to her right hand, drawing moisture out of the atmosphere and solidifying it into a small, translucent gauntlet over her closed fist.
Sliding in quickly, she braces at the last moment, left hand going to her right arm as she readies her opening strike... until at last she slams her ice covered fist forward, targeting the chest of the man. Urien may notice, if he's quick, those two small spikes jutting out over her knuckles, adding a sharp edge to her punch. This girl is clearly not squeamish about drawing blood!
COMBATSYS: Urien blocks Kula's Medium Punch.
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Kula 0/-------/-------|==-----\-------\0 Urien
Urien straightens up as the attack comes in. He had been counting, and when those three seconds are up, there is a nearly imperceptible nod. This was, of course, what he had been expecting. And when the strike comes in at him, his arm comes down, and around. The blow causes a light scratch across his forearm, and the ice spikes are, of course, noted. But this was nothing. Not yet.
Her strength, her speed, as much as is possible for him to judge is judged. She is good. Better than most, that was undeniable. But. She was not one of the creations of the G-Project. That much he could tell already. No. Her strength had come from another source. Now that he had allowed the touch, he could be sure of it.
But. Still. It would be remiss of him not to demonstrate his power, and to test the finest that NESTS had to offer, wouldn't it?
With a sudden movement, Urien steps back, and raises his arms. Electricity crackles all about him for a moment, and gathers in his palm. "Good enough." He comments, allowing the light to flare even brighter in his hand for a moment, before he begins to squeeze, compressing it further.
"But allow me to demonstrate precisely what it is you are up against, girl!"
And suddenly, his hands are hurled forwards. A large ball, about the size of a basketball, made of compressed metal, and buzzing with electricity bursts from his outstretched palm, rocketing towards the young assassin. He had no intention of going easy on her, just because of her age. No. If Urien was going to fight her... he intended to leave some marks of his own to remember him by upon her!
COMBATSYS: Kula reflects Charged Metallic Sphere from Urien with Counter Shell.
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Kula 0/-------/------=|=------\-------\0 Urien
He fends off her punch with both precision timing and pure strength. While he's an unknown to her, he's not without his skill. That much is apparent in this opening exchange. But it's when the vastly taller fighter draws his hand up, gathering energy about his palm, that Kula gets a real sense of his chi control. It's rare for her to face opponents with a respectable amount of chi manipulation. Her master, Igniz... Kain Heinlein... are among the few that can drive that energy with the same kind of power she can manifest.
It begs the question. "Who are you?" she demands, drawing her arm back and stretching her fingers, causing the ice gauntlet to shatter and fall away, turning to fine powder then melting all together before it would reach the ground. How did he get this power? Is he just a frightful prodigy like Heinlein seems to be? Or was he engineered - a byproduct of man's relentless pursuit of greater power?
Still, her eyes never stray from that energy building over his hand before he compresses it down, concentrating it into an even more potent force. Eyes widen as a sphere of metal is thrown her way, charged with power visibly coursing over it. Her response is to fall back one of her many effective defense mechanisms, taking a step backward, sweeping her left arm through the air, leaving a swath of white energy in its wake. Her right hand reaches forward secondly, fingers pressing into the energy and in that moment it solidifies, becoming a shimmering, thin mirror of highly reflective ice.
She isn't sure if it will hold, pouring her strength into it, but the barrier holds, driving that incoming attack directly back toward its creator. Withdrawing her right hand, the mirror shatters, becoming a thousand diamond tears as it falls to the ground at her feet. Her expression has shifted from impassive to a certain level of intensity. Was he made like her? Is that why he could seal an unseal his power? Why he changed visibly beyond simply the burning of his suit as he became ready to fight?
"Who taught you?"
COMBATSYS: Kula successfully hits Urien with Reflected Charged Metallic Sphere.
- Power hit! -
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Kula 0/-------/-----==|===----\-------\0 Urien
If Urien has one flaw, it is his arrogance. Perhaps this is what spurs him on here, with a harsh snarl, to start forwards, and aim to slap his attack back and away from himself. Whatever it was that caused him to consider this an acceptable course of action, however, it is soon one that he regrets. The ball plants itself firmly in his stomach, and sends him skidding backwards. It takes him a moment to recover, and when he does, it is clear that his anger is getting the better of him.
How ... How DARE she reflect his own power back at him? Disgusting. He would -punish- such arrogance!
The air about Urien becomes charged, his energy surging about him as he allows it to come to the fore. Energize him. Cauterize the small scratch he had taken, and bring feeling, forcibly, back into his numbing midsection. The man, empowered as he is by his own energy, does not bleed. Instead, his lips curl up into a sneer.
"Who am I?" He repeats, his voice thrumming with his energy. "What leads you to believe that I have been trained at all, girl? You have some talent, but this battle is -FAR- from over. Repeat your questions when we are finished." And then he steps forwards, planting his foot firmly in the ground, and taking up a strong, firm stance. "If you are still able to speak at all."
COMBATSYS: Urien enters a meditative state.
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Kula 0/-------/-----==|====---\-------\0 Urien
In one quick moment, she seems to have drawn his ire. Was it turning his attack against him? Or was it the questions? She isn't sure. The girl isn't entirely unfamiliar with megalomanias. Look who she works for after all. But that doesn't make the transition from calm to irrate any more agreeable. The air all around becomes charged with energy - a stark contrast to the aura of frigid temperatures that normally orbits young Diamond.
He stomps forward, his foot planted as the man brings that impressive energy to bear - mending his scratches, charging a respectable amount of potential in the process. As sharply tuned as she is to follow the manifestations of chi, Kula can't help but respect the implied threat of what the man is preparing.
It's the implied threat that gets to her, however. It's her job to make threats like that; to make it clear the futility of trying to resist her strength in combat. He seems interested in more than besting her in a fight - his intent coming across malicious from such seemingly harmless questions. Still - she's been trained to be unshakeable. A calm demeanor is a deadly one, an angry one a potentially mistake-prone one. "Very well." she replies, her voice level, her breath a visible mist as it escapes her lips. Tense, maybe a little annoyed, but she isn't quite scared. It takes a lot to shake a NESTS assassin.
She doesn't stand idly by as he builds up his power, either, taking a step backward, clenching her fists at her sides. Drawing together the power necessary to create her more impressive ice displays takes some effort in this hostile environment, but she manages. Chi whips around her figure - pure white, almost fluid-like in the way it moves... and then she leaps.
A graceful, forward flip, with all that energy still coursing around her. A forward spin has her sweeping it all up into one arm as it moves through the swath of power, only to leave the gathered energy concentrated in front of her. At last a snap kick sends it dropping down toward Urien - a giant collection of ice shaped into the oddly inocuous form of a massive snow flake. It may be easy to dismiss that as harmless at first glance, perhaps. But a closer inspection will reveal that each length of the snow flake is covered with thousands of jagged spines eager to slash or pierce... and the moment it connects with the ground or Urien, it will explode, sending a hemisphere of ice shrapnel flying out in every direction!
For her own part, Kula simply lands a few feet from where she jumped, standing up straight and calmly brushing her hair back up out of her eyes.
COMBATSYS: Urien reflects Diamond Shoot from Kula with Aegis Reflector.
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Kula 0/-------/-----==|-------\-------\0 Urien
Urien's anger is an impressive thing indeed. It is also, as the slightly nervous looking goons in the background attest, not something that is all that rare an occurrence. As Kula comes in, the man narrows his eyes, concentrating intently upon the girl, when she leaps, when that power has been gathered, he already knows precisely what he intends to do about it.
The snowflake is unexpected, but, Urien has a formidable grasp of the working of chi himself. Something that has served him remarkably well over the years, and something that he intends to put to use right now. "Good..." He states, as the snowflake comes ever close, for a split second, he seems to relax. And then, suddenly, his arms snap out to the side.
"BUT NOT GOOD ENOUGH- AEGIS! REFLECTOR!!"
Suddenly, there is a bright wall of pink energy between himself and the snowflake. Where before, its deadly, exploding goodness had been drifting in towards the tall greek, it sparks off the wall of energy as though it had been launched anew, Urien's power bending it and sending it hurtling back towards its originator.
As for Urien himself? He simply resumes his stance. Though this time, his arms are raised. Waiting, watching. He had dealt with his attack being turned on him with anger, and a new surge of power... would she do the same?!
COMBATSYS: Urien successfully hits Kula with Reflected Diamond Shoot.
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Kula 0/-------/---====|===----\-------\0 Urien
The moment she brushes her hair out of her eyes, she's faced with the impressive sight of her explosive take on ice chi being driven back toward her at frightful speeds. Blasted back as it is, it's currently beyond her power to stop it. All she can do is try to defend herself from it! Both hands extend forward, a thick, encrusted barrier of frozen matter forming between her and the incoming power.
It isn't enough to hold, however, in spite her efforts, and the icy grenade manages to blast through the barrier and knock the girl clean off her feet. Jagged spikes cut into her cheeks and imbed themselves in her body armor as her back hits a sturdy trunk. Thousands more spear into the ground and bark at her sides. Stumbling forward out of the bed of needles, the NESTS killer brings her hand to her face, brushing a few of the sharp spines out of her skin, rubbing a streak of red blood across her features in the process.
Crimson eyes narrow, her mind trying to make sense of the techniques she's up against. A chi master, capable of turning energy back on her... the threat of that cannot be taken lightly. Gritting her teeth, she extends her right hand, palm facing up. The ice all around, just now starting to melt due to the intense heat of the island nation, begins to shimmer, losing its shape, becoming that pure white energy once more, only to be drawn back toward the young girl's hand into a small whirlwind of potential.
A deep breath is taken then a slow exhale, and in the process, that chi is absorbed back into her, vanishing into her limb, knitting the cuts on her face and invigorating her muscles to keep fighting at potential. Unlike him, she doesn't seem angered by his reflective technique, only contemplative. She'll need to be careful. Her combat parameters, however, have been given sufficient information to make some sense of what it is she faces. Now it's time to make good on that data.
COMBATSYS: Kula gains composure.
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Kula 0/-------/----===|===----\-------\0 Urien
And the moment the chi begins to melt back and away, Urien comes charging forwards. He hasn't actually moved all that much in the fight so far. But how much that changes now! Low to the ground, he tears across the uneven jungle floor like some terrible predator that has caught the scent of blood, and is hungry for more!
The girl had remarkable talent! Whatever methods had been used to gift it to her... he couldn't deny that! To be able to create such vast amounts of ice... well. Urien is no fool. Her abilities with chi most likely outweighed his own capabilities by quite some way. He certainly can't keep throwing around energy like she is... but, then, there is more to a fighter than just their ability to manipulate energy.
Which is what he intends to demonstrate now. Contemplative she might be, but Urien's blood is up. He still intends to punish her, greatly, for the damage and indignity she had inflicted upon him by turning his own attack back at her. Which is why, suddenly, he hurls himself forwards.
Rather than come in any sort of /sensible/ position, either, the man simply leaps, and brings both his knees forwards in a blur of momentum. Power and speed aiming to crash both knees firmly, directly into Kula's face.
... Which might be indicative of his fighting style, or might just continue to show that he's still really angry with her. Who can say?
COMBATSYS: Urien successfully hits Kula with Violence Knee Drop EX.
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Kula 0/-------/--=====|===----\-------\0 Urien
Her time to react is limited. Focused, as she is on, reclaiming her spent energy, recycling expended chi into further use to conserve her strength, her ability to contend with the incoming attack is drastically impared. Eyes widen slightly as Urien takes to the air. His forward momentum is significantly faster than she had anticipated, the speed at which he moves strangely fast for his impressive size.
She attempts to slip out of the path of the attack, eager to avoid those crushing knees. But the blows land true. Striking her exposed face rather than landing blows against her protective body armor reveals just how paper thin the girl's defenses against such strikes are as she flies back right into the same tree trunk as before, a spray of blood left in her trail. A sharp gasp escapes her lips as she impacts the wood with a sick thud then slips forward, falling to her knees, her right hand going to her bloodied nose, her left hand sinking into the dirt to keep her from falling face forward to the ground.
Gritting her teeth, the girl decides to ignore the damage done for now. There will be time to fret about such things later. Pushing down with her left hand, she clenches her right, a sudden surge of energy building over her fist before solidifying into a sphere of translucent ice. And then she springs, lunging back toward Urien with lethal intent, drawing her right arm back, arm bent at the elbow...
From a few yards out her attack comes as Kula slams her right hand forward. The half of the sphere closer to Urien morphs then, as suddenly three lances of varied lengths explode out toward him. Each one diamond-strong and deadly sharp, the girl seems to be intent on spearing Urien directly through without any consideration for the potentially deadly damage she might cause. And thus she holds her position, arm extended, left hand resting against her knee to keep herself upright, her head bowed.
COMBATSYS: Kula successfully hits Urien with Critical Ice.
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Kula 0/-------/=======|=======\-------\1 Urien
To say that Urien is surprised, would be to do a disservice to the shock that runs through his mind when the attack bursts out of Kula, and he finds himself attempting to surge forwards and on through a sharp, stabbing wall of ice, and pain. The trio of diamond-hard spears combine to draw blood, forcing him to stop, lest he impale himself fully and do some real damage. This sudden, enforced halt in his brutal rampage draws an angry, bitter snarl from his lips.
With a sudden wrenching motion, Urien pulls himself backwards, off the lances. There are no words, however. The pain had been sudden, and as brutal as anything he had experienced in the past. The girl had not built her reputation on nothing, after all. It is with a fierce determination blazing in his eyes that he surges forwards, forcing himself to continue. She was good. But she could do -better-. He could feel it.
And he had, of course, taken note. The girl was powerful, but brittle. And her face made a rather... obvious weak point. So without any further consideration, he wrenches his body around, and packs as much force as he can into a crushing, powerful blow. Bringing the full force of his fist around, and intending to make sharp contact with the side of her head.
COMBATSYS: Kula interrupts Fierce Punch from Urien with Crow Bite.
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Kula 1/-----==/=======|=======\====---\1 Urien
Critical Ice - one of her more lethal attacks; her fallback technique when things are looking rough, almost never fails the girl. And once again it proves its fearsome reputation as three ice cold lances spear through the faction leader. As he wrenches himself free from the blades, Kula draws her right arm back and relaxes her control over the ice, allowing it to shatter and fall to the ground. A punishing blow, she surmizes, and perhaps something to teach him a lesson about just how deadly her ice use is. Against normal people, such an attack would be fatal several times over, but she knows better than to rule out Urien's ability to counter attack just like that.
A patient fighter, she knows better than to expend all her resources recklessly. But as he draws back his arm then swings, aiming to deliver a brain jarring, bone crushing blow to her head, the girl reacts with one of her few techniques even more feared than her ice lances. She suspected something like this was coming on an instinctual level. Her combat algorithms are starting to get a better read on the other man. Engineered by NESTS and fine tuned after every fight she engages in, the girl is continuing to become even a more deadly combatant. Each battle yields more data for NESTS scientists to tweak and adjust her fighting technique. The result: the deadly, young thing Urien finds himself fighting now.
He knew where she seemed weak by now, and he would strike there. Unfortunately, she seems ready for just that. Turning her left shoulder into the blow, a small padding of crystalized water appears there - a bit of armor for his mighty fist to crash against rather than being able to land a clean blow. There's that look on her face - a fleeting break in her normally impassive expression - that 'gotcha' moment as her right arm becomes encased with a limb-covering gauntlet of thick ice that covers her entire arm. Along it are jagged spines, sharp spikes of sheer ice ready to draw blood...
And then she strikes. An uppercut with that fearsome armored limb is the actual attack as Kula tears into the man with all the physical force her chi-augmented body can muster, aiming to rip into him with that ice-bladed arm. She lunges with enough force to take her into the air, where she spins quickly, planting a ice spike-laden foot against Urien and kicking him back further even still, before she comes down to land a few meters later in a three point crouch.
Slowly she pushes herself back up to standing, staring back across at the impressive fighter, a faint frown at her lips. Shaking her right arm a little, she sheds the weighty, possibly blood-tinged gauntlet of ice, allowing it to collapse into the slowly growing mud at her feet. Her expression is grim but satisfied. Ruthless as he is, his desire to strike her where she's weakest might have made him just a little too predictable in that moment.
Urien, perhaps, realizes his mistake a moment too late to do anything about it. The shine in her eyes is -not- missed. For all this girl was a cold one, she was still... well, human. And Urien knew people. He also knew when he had made a mistake. And he grits his teeth, unable to do anything to get out of the way in time, the harsh blow ploughs through his defenses, and lifts him off his feet. When he hits the ground, it is with a nasty gash across his upper body.
When he picks himself up from the floor, it is with a different expression on his features. A newfound respect. The girl could match him. Could, perhaps, even best him. Urien knew this, and when faced with such a power, there is only one real viable course of action; one that, he is glad, remained open since the beginning of the fight.
Clearing his throat, he cracks his neck, and straightens himself up again. Still turning to keep as slender a target profile towards her as possible, when he raises his hand, it is not in a stance, but rather with his palm facing towards her. He's not ready to completely drop his defenses, but, he needs to play for time, if nothing else. The blows had come down too quickly, striking too hard, for him to foolishly ignore the protests of his body.
"Hold." He demands, still managing to exude an aura of confidence, despite the rather ... painful, and visible, injuries that he has taken. "You are a worthy opponent. Come. I propose a trade. Ask your questions, if you have them. And then I will ask my own. I believe that if we continue at this pace, neither of us will be in the condition to ask, let alone answer, anything important."
COMBATSYS: Urien gains composure.
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Kula 1/-------/=======|=======\===----\1 Urien
Kula doesn't stop for long as Urien lands. He's only starting to get to his feet as the girl leans forward, planting her palms against the ground. White energy begins to churn over her arms, an aura of white whirling about her body as she prepares one of her ranged killing techniques - the Diamond Edge - The ability to inflict horrific damage upon someone at a distance. The ground around her begins to freeze over, a deep rumble in the earth beneath her as she prepares to drive her energy into earth.
When suddenly Urien speaks, extending his hand, bidding her to hold her ground. A conflicted look crosses her features as she stares back at him, hair draped down around her face. In a sanctioned fight, she gives no quarter, never holds back, but rather leans upon her techniques to find a way to win no matter what it takes. On the other hand, he is openly inviting her to sate her curiosity if she but hold off her attacks for a moment. A soft, vapor-breathed exhale marks her response as she lets the building energy subside and slowly stands back up.
The ice slick immediately around her person remains in place - evidence of just how much power she was pouring into the ground until she stopped. He declares her worthy and she seems to regard the compliment neutrally, as if declaring something she always knew to be certain herself anyway. This behavior - this stopping in the midst of an assigned fight - isn't something she's used to. But her curiosity can't be kept at bay indefinitely. "You know who I am." she states. At least her name. That he knows her to be of NESTS is not something she is cognizant of.
"Who are you?" Fighters of his calibur are rarely unknown. Few make it to the top without frequent and common shows of combatative skill in the public arena. Yet she knows nothing of him. No idea where he came from or how he managed the type of chi manipulation he had demonstrated. "I do not recognize your style." Charged metal from nothing? That he possesses elemental control is clear... but few fighters of her caliber have demonstrated that outside of the rare prominent chi prodigies like Kyo or Benimaru, or the NESTS manifactured fighters, like herself and K'...
COMBATSYS: Kula focuses on her next action.
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Kula 1/-------/=======|=======\===----\1 Urien
"Who I am is not an easy thing to answer." He begins, calmly. "Suffice it to say, that I am a man with a clear mission. To save this world from a threat that it is not even cognizant of."
Urien's voice is commanding, a man who knows his position, and what he was doing, absolutely. But, perhaps, it was time to put the cat amongst the pigeons. Just a little bit. Inevitably, Urien's goals, and his methodology, were going to clash with NESTS. This battle had not precisely done much to bolster his confidence in his ability to wether the storm. Perhaps he should work to put a little paranoia there, too.
"To state the matter simply, I am a God. It is only natural that you would not recognize my style; it is the style of divinity itself."
His smile is quite disarming, as he brings himself up to his full height, to beam down at the girl benevolently.
"Now, then, my questions. I simply wish to know, were you born with these abilities that you wield, or were they gifted to you by your organization? And, finally, now that you know the truth of my abilities, will you insist on throwing yourself against me uselessly, or shall we part ways?"
Urien's eyes flash for a moment, as he grins. "Make your choice quickly, Kula. Because from this point onwards, I will not be holding back any longer."
COMBATSYS: Urien gains composure.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > //////////////////// ]
Kula 1/-------/=======|=======\==-----\1 Urien
She notes his initial answers. To save the world? Is he some kind of super hero the likes of which are featured in the comics, movies, and cartoons of the mass media she's been exposed to due to Angel's occasional 'field trip'. But after that decisive pause, he goes on to clarify his nature lest she be confused. And with that, her eyes actually do widen with a small amount of surprise. A God, huh. She half closes her eyes, lowering her head slightly, contemplative for a moment.
"You are hardly the first," she finally speaks up, her voice level, "That I have heard call themselves a god." Her hands tighten into small fists as she stares back at him. His questions are declared and the girl pauses, caught off guard. The first question is uncomfortable, the second a daring insult. The nerve of this guy...! "Both." is how she responds to his first question. He knows of her organization then, it seems. Then does he not know of its leader? The man who calls himself a god as well? A divine being beyond that of normal mortals?
She unclenches her hands slowly, standing up straight, staring back at Urien with a calm, level gaze. He declares any attempt on her part a useless endeavor. He makes it sound like he's been holding back. "You're bluffing." she declares after a moment, her smile shifting to that of a predator's. If he means to disuade her like this, the girl has other plans as she extends her right arm out from her right side.
A shimmer of white along a narrow, horizontal path solidifies into a long shaft in Kula's grip. A staff of crystal over six feet in length. And then she's back on the offense, sprinting forward, gripping the polearm with both hands. The far end of it changes shape as she draws nearer, one end of it extending into the familiar sight of a curved scythe blade.
"My power is a gift from one who calls himself a God. Let's see how you compare!" Her voice raised for once, rising to the implied challenge in his voice and tone. Disrespect of her ability seems to be one thing that can draw the even tempered girl out of her shell. She spins in quickly, slamming her right foot out for his chest in an attempt to stagger him backward before she completes her turn and brings that bladed ice scythe around, aiming to hook the sharp thing into Urien's side with a vicious strike.
COMBATSYS: Urien blocks Kula's Strong Kick.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ///////////////// ]
Kula 1/------=/=======|=======\===----\1 Urien
Urien's smile fades, replaced by a look of simple disappointment. "There are many who claim this title." He states, calmly. "I have no illusions about that. But. My claim is by blood. Let us see whether the ... lesser power bestowed on you is enough to stay my wrath."
Suddenly, she is on him, and his arm snaps up. Taking the brunt of the kick for him, the pain is a mild distraction. But that is all it is. A distraction. Not enough to stay his anger, as he gathers his energy. But this time, the energy that crackles and coalesces. All that masterful potential... is not simply being fed back into himself, but is charging in his arms, as he leaps back nimbly, feet simply forcing their way into the ground. No concession to the terrain, this time. He imposes his will on the earth, and it yields.
"You have asked your questions, and I have answered! Now, though, there is nothing more for me to say to you! Taste the power of a true God, and if you survive... understand that I." And now the electricity crackling in his palms surges violently, his eyes narrowing.
"Do -NOT- bluff."
And with that, it explodes out of him. Every scrap of power that he can bring to bear flung forth in a surging, powerful bolt of sheer, crackling chi. The energy is a dark black in its center, a wide orb that hurts to even look at, so much power concentrated in such a small space, lightening to just a deep, vibrant purple, and shot through with bright, crackling purple lightning.
... Of course, reality, doesn't quite correspond to Urien's claims. He is not invulnerable. Nor is his power really limitless. A perceptive girl like Kula, could hardly fail to note that after the blast, he is breathing just a touch harder, his stony exterior cracking with the exertion necessary to level such devastating forces at the girl.
COMBATSYS: Kula reflects Temporal Thunder from Urien with Diamond Shell.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////////////// ]
Kula 0/-------/------=|==-----\-------\0 Urien
He claims his birthright by blood. Igniz claims his by his power, his technology. The world is full of self proclaimed gods. Vega... Rugal... And now this man that stands before her. "What makes a man a god?" she asks back icily, "Is it power? Is it the ability to lead? Or is it having ideals that transcend mortal limits?" She tenses up as he draws power unto him. The quantity is impressive, the threat level reading as frightfully high. "I have already met better."
Electricty crackles, the entire atmopshere around the jungle spot charged with that energy that he commands. Her combat algorithms have no problem estimating that the danger in what he controls is significant... And thus it is that she calls on her greatest defense. An ability honed and crafted to protect her from the violent Kusanagi flames of K'. In its perfect execution, it is capable of deflecting any energy in the world, provided she calls upon it before it's too late...
And this time, it isn't too late. Huddling up, arms folded over herself as if she was trying to stave off a frigid chill, young Kula Diamond draws all the power from her previous attacks back into her. Risidual ice, cold water, shards and fragments of her previous attacks each in turn drawing back into her.
And then it solidifies, sealing her in ice. A perfect shell over her entire body, leaving no point exposed to the charged storm that explodes against her. The collision is significant; were it not for her flawless defense she would have been blasted clean off her feet and savagely harmed. But Igniz's 'gift' holds true. And as she suddenly stretches, exploding the shell from off her, an explosion of all that collected energy blasts out from the girl, forming a hemisphere - a mixture of slushed ice, jagged shards, scattered lighting, and that violent, purple void of Urien's visually formidable attack.
The explosion is enough to send a blastwave some distance, ripping branches from trees and leaving a small crater where Kula stands of dislodged jungle dirt. And where she stands, that predator's faint smirk of confidence returns.
COMBATSYS: Kula successfully hits Urien with Reflected Temporal Thunder.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////// ]
Kula 0/-------/------=|=======\-------\0 Urien
Urien's answer comes quickly, savagely. The mans voice thunders with all the power that he has unleashed, "DESTINY." He roars, with a furious certainty. "/I/ am the ONLY one who can prevent--" And it is then that he realizes, exactly, what it is that is happening. A vicious grin plays on his features. Pathetic! How could this girl be so stupid as to think that a mere barrier would protect her from his unleashed fury.
And then it all goes so horribly, horribly wrong.
The resultant explosion literally lifts Urien from his feet, flinging him along with it. The two goons who had been here? They ... are no more. An unfortunate side effect, and one that he would likely be cursing later, but, for now, there is only the pain of being at the center of a world of hurt. For a few moments, it even looks as though the detonation has spelled the end of the self-proclaimed deity.
But Urien is nothing if not a stubborn man. Forcing himself back to his feet, he raises from the hole he had made. He is definitely looking worse for wear. The continual beating, and the dismissal of his most powerful attack... it left him drained. Never mind the physical pain that wracks his form. But Urien's anger is tightly focused. He had been played. Like a fool. If there was one lesson that he was taking away from this, it is that NESTS number one assassin... was both incredibly talent, and extraordinarily dangerous.
The man shakes bark and dirt from his form with a simple motion, and clenches his fists tight. "I admit; there may be truth to the claim of your ... God." He states, calmly. Stepping forwards once. Testing the muscles. Good. He was hurting all over, but, he wasn't quite out of the fight yet. Still enough left in him for one last assault.
"But, let us see how well it works against..."
And, suddenly, without even finishing his sentence, Urien is charging forwards again. A truly shocking amount of speed in the maneuver. But what else was there for him to do? Lay down and die? Retreat? Perhaps ... Retreat would be the sensible option. But if he was going to be defeated, he was going to send a message with it.
The intent is subtly different here. Where before he had leapt to plant his knees in her face, this time, his shoulder leads the way. A powerful, shocking amount of force thrown into the blow, in a direct attempt to plough Kula off her feet, and keep on going until he hits something nice and solid to smash her against.
COMBATSYS: Kula blocks Urien's Chariot Tackle.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > ////// ]
Kula 0/-------/-----==|=------\-------\0 Urien
He shouldn't get up from that, she ponders. The amount of damage she's put his body through has been savage and relentless, leaving him very limited time to recover. Her techniques are full of slashing, spearing, blood letting attacks that can wear down even the most battle hardened warrior eventually. And her defenses, honed by countless fights and endless refinements by engineers and scientists, are difficult to overcome. The girl is a frightening package of destruction and no one who has had to fight her has discovered otherwise. For once, in her mind, NESTS got it right.
The two grunts, destroyed by the explosion, mean nothing to her. She's killed a lot of people in her tenure as a deadly assassin. It's their fault for standing too close to the location where titans are doing battle. They should have known better. Crimson eyes come to rest on Urien. The girl, bloodied and bruised as she may be, is still going strong. Her energy reserves drained but not empty, her ice manipulation still a valid danger. But rather than stay down, he moves, getting to his feet, testing his body. The young thing shakes her head slowly but stays silent. No point in stating that he should stay down. His determination is too obvious to deny with simple words...
He charges forward and she stays put. Her hands reach forward, creating a barrier of ice, several inches thick. Ice forms at her feet, bracing her boots to the ground, giving her more traction than she would normally have. And then he collides. The barrier shatters before his mighty shoulder, but it takes some of the bite out as he crashes into Kula's arms. Her ice boots shatter after a moment, letting him drag young Diamond back, until her back slams into a tree, a soft grunt of pain escaping her lips.
But now he's close. Now he's open for counter attack. And counter attack she does, lest he crush her flat into the tree. Her right hand slams forward, a closed fist, going for his sternum. Her left hand is the real threat, however, as she gestures quickly, bringing a shard of ice into existence, hovering behind Urien's bare back. "You should be more careful," she whispers as she flicks her wrist, moving that blade of ice, aiming to paint a line of crimson along the tall titan's back. "If your goals ever clash with ours..." She'll attempt to shove him off, to buy herself space to breath, "Who knows what will happen..."
COMBATSYS: Kula successfully hits Urien with Behind Slash.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /// ]
Kula 0/-------/-----==|===----\-------\0 Urien
Urien grunts as the fist impacts his sternum. "Is that all you--" He starts, only to grunt, and fail to find the words to finish as the shard slashes across his back. When she pushes him away, she meets no resistance. Instead, the large man drops to one knee, sweat pouring down his features, he can barely find the strength to stand. And for a moment, he doesn't. He does, however, flash a small smile.
"What indeed?" He replies, at last. Standing is an effort. But one that he manages, barely. "You've made your point." He states, falling out of the fighting stance, his skin pales again, and there is no trace of the energy he had been utilizing throughout the battle. There was only one real option, when faced with an overwhelming force greater than your own, and he knew it. He had to lie.
Urien, humbled, simply bows his head. "But, that will not be the case. I yield. I have no wish to die. And that is, quite clearly, what would happen should I neglect to heed this warning. Thank you for your time, Kula. I shall not contact you a second time."
COMBATSYS: Urien takes no action.
[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ < > /// ]
Kula 0/-------/-----==|===----\-------\0 Urien
Pushing him back, Kula slips out from against the tree, stepping over to the side, circling Urien, looking very much like she might be inclined to strike again. He might not realize how hard he's pushed her. She held nothing back - he witnessed all but her ultimate technique in the course of the battle, and she was running shy on power herself. Her breaths are controlled, but come more frequently than normal, and as she slips out from that tight spot to stalk around him, he might notice those slight beads of sweat at her temples and hairline, her internal temperature regulation pushed to its limit contending with a man of his power in this unforgiving heat. She wants to get out of this miserable place.
But it seems there is to be no more fight for now. The points that needed to be proven, in her mind, have been. No one mocks her abilities and gets away with it, self-proclaimed god or otherwise. The young thing has proven to be a menace against all who have faced her. She is proof of NESTS' power; their ability to engineer living weapons. She has fought many of the greatest fighters and minds around the world, been pushed to her limits, and then forced to go beyond them time and time again. Until Urien can claim likewise, she won't respect his power.
And as he speaks, she believes everything to be in order. Who he is; what his very name even is, remains unknown. But he is a leader of some kind; of that she's certain. Maybe Igniz will be proud of her having asserted his superiority in this exchange. Maybe she'll get a nice pat on the head or some ice cream out of it. It isn't really why she did it though. This was a test for herself. She told Seishirou she would prove to herself what she could do - and no one was going to stop her.
"Thank you." she states calmly, relaxing her defenses slightly. "This has been an... interesting exchange. You seem driven to be something. I'm sure it will prove worth the trouble as long as you stay out of our way." She dips her head just slightly and turns her side to him to face back out to the shore. It's time to get her handlers back here - it seems they never really did find a place to land!
Urien is no stranger to needing to make concessions to those in a position of power. Less, still, those who had bested him in combat. It had, in fact, made up the majority of his life. But just look at how that had wound up for the last person to underestimate him. Definitely dead. Very dead. So dead, in fact, that there was no doubt at all that the guy was, well, dead.
No, really.
Nodding solemnly, Urien straightens, and allows himself a little smile. "It was interesting, indeed." He states. The man turns, and simply walks away. It is hard, after all, to look dignified and strong after taking such a painful beating. But, he does as well as could really be expected. Making his way slowly, and calmly, back through the jungle, to the place the rowboat had been stashed.
It would be quite some time before Urien actually left the island, and when he does, it is to begin a long, slow journey back to a predetermined rendezvous point. Plenty of time, during this process, to remember why he had brought those two goons along with him in the first place.
Note to self: Tell hired help to stay BACK next time.
Log created on 13:07:21 02/07/2009 by Kula, and last modified on 19:59:09 02/07/2009.