Snake v Parasite?

[Swix]

*The Air Summons appeared to become indecisive, that is until a short, sharp hiss that sounded quite capable of slicing through your eardrums was heard from Kheesth*

*The bird took off, following the parasitian until it was close to the patch of trees where he'd come to rest. It then moved to and hovered in the air above HollowEyes for a few seconds, before raising it's wings. The Summons then proceeded to spin, unleashing a miniature tornado and whipping leaves, branches and debris around with it*

*Kheesths red tinge had changed to a shade of yellow, seeing the magma heading straight for her. She'd curse herself if she had the time, but she didn't. The Portal wouldn't work either, that required both a chant and a bargaining tool, and again there was no time*

*The serpent slithered backwards as fast as she could, the advantage of being what she she was meaning she had the ability to twist all the way round and keep an eye on what was happening behind while she moved. The two lower hands pushed inside her cloak and quickly drawn out, holding much smaller amounts of a similar powder to the one used to Summon the bird*

*One quickly thrown, to her perspective, in front of her, creating a wall of water which splashed down upon the river of molten rock. The other thrown behind, causing the ground to distort and heave upwards, creating a hill*

*The water wall, Kheesths reactions or perhaps simply her speed of retreat didn't stop the magma getting her however. It flowed over her tail before the water wall was created and she could take refuge on the newly created hill, causing her to yell loudly*

AAARRGH-hsssss

*Kheesth moved above the flow on the hill, and brought the end of her tail around so she could see just how much damage had been done. The tip was now non-existent, melted away in the magma. Shooting pains ran up her spine as part of that too, was no longer there. Her flesh and skin around that area was blackened, burnt and charred*

*Not just this, but Kheesth had just 'borrowed' the power of two other Summons to do what she had done, and she could feel they were not happy. She hadn't asked*

((The wall of water will disappear in a few minutes but the hill won't, I'm testing a few ideas. Hope you don't mind ))

[3kul]

((Not at all, I need to test out a few ways to use some of my newer charms anyway ))

Amidst several branches, HollowEyes had been swept up by the miniature tornado and was now airborn. The summons would have the advantage in the sky, so the Parasitian had to quickly formulate a counter-attack before it could get in first. He stuck a few demonic squid charms to the branches that he was on before attaching two petrified beetle charms to his feet. As his feet turned to stone, he quickly fell back to the ground, letting go of the branches at seperate intervals as he did so. Landing hard on the ground, but otherwise relatively unphased, he looked back up to check that the charms had worked.

Sure enough, a thick black smog was spewing out of the branches that he'd stuck to them, and the high speed winds had caused it to quickly spread around the tornado as it descended. For a few minutes at least, he'd be out of Kheesth's sight, so he'd have to make the most of it. This summon did not appear to be all that intelligent, so now would be a good chance to dispose of it.

Sticking the Charm of the Locust Fiend to the ground, HollowEyes felt the massive pulse that it gave off as hundreds of insects flooded out of it. He quickly shrieked out a few commands to them before pointing up, hundreds of piercing voices shrieked back in delight - the bird looked like a big meal. Not hesitating for a second, the fiends poured into the whirling winds around them, quickly ascending in a circular motion towards the bird.

[Swix]

*Kheesth snapped her mouth shut, she could taste the smog from where she was as the water wall vanished. She'd lost track of HollowEyes as well, even unable to 'taste' the air as well as see*

*Not wanting to be caught too unawares, the lower hands retreat inside her cloak, hidden away*

*The bird looks down the tornado as locust fiends circle, moving quickly towards it. Letting out a screech, it let's it's confusion be known to Kheesth*

*Because the bird has stopped to stare, so has the tornado, but not before the Locust Fiends get close to it. Close enough to cover it and start biting it before it can get too far away*

*The second the bird 'dies', it's body changes back into the powder and makes it's way back into Kheesths pouch. Though the powder would be useless for a while*

((As the birds body turned back to powder, so will any part of the bird your Locust Fiends have devoured))

[3kul]

The Locust Fiends cried out in dismay as their meal turned to dust and drifted back into Kheesth's pouch, though before they could begin their angry shrieks about how once again HollowEyes had pitted them against an inedible enemy they too disappeared.

HollowEyes didn't want Kheesth dead or anything, since this was only a sparring match, and killing was the only thing that the Locust Fiends were really good at. Standing up and looking to where Kheesth was, and noticed how badly the lava had damaged her tail. "Ah, sorry! I honestly thought that you'd react a little better to that..." What was meant as an earnest apology probably ame off sounding a little cocky, though HollowEyes didn't realize it.

Pulling out another Demonic Squid charm, though this time attaching it to where his throat would be, HollowEyes decided to give Kheesth a chance to take a break before he made his next move. "Did you want to stop, or are you happy to keep going?"

[Swix]

*Kheesth stared at HollowEyes for a split second after his apology. At least he had, sort of. The snake woman then tilted her head to look at the damage to her tail once again, before looking back up at the Parasitian and bobbing her head in the 'nodding' motion she had before, so her neck was briefly above her head. A piercing pain shot through her spine from the movement and cause her to slightly shudder*

A short break, I think

*The serpent admitted she was impressed with this HollowEyes, though a big factor in this was that he hadn't taken the same path the feline had*

[3kul]

"Very well then." HollowEyes said, quickly removing the charm stuck to his throat. He walked over to her, still feeling a little awkward about burning the end off of Kheesth's tail. "Sorry again about the tail. Most of my charms aren't really designed for training, I'd find some that are but I doubt any spirit would find that appropriate. I'm afraid I'm not much of a healer either, so the best I could do is petrify it or something like that."

The Parasitian wasn't really all that sure what to say, he didn't really know anyone outside of the Evil Council and as such wasn't really that skilled with casual conversation. "Uh... The way you use that sand to summon creatures is pretty interesting, how does it work?" He was quite curious, given that it was a technique he'd never seen before, but he suddenly thought to add "if you don't mind telling me, that is."

[Swix]

Hmmm...

*Kheesth began to turn her usual grey-green colour, though the blue aura surrounding the serpent remained constant*

The powder 'borrows' a creatures energy, which gives it it's form and power. The bird you were fighting is simply sand given life and controlled by those creatures

*She brings the two hidden hands out, one is holding some of the now-useless powder she'd used to summon the air elemental*

This is useless now, because those insects effectively 'killed' it and returned it to this. It will be useless to me... for a while.

*She conceals it again, putting it back into it's designated pouch*

I have to ask and complete a task for them first, of course. Two of them aren't very happy with me right now.

*She turns to regard HollowEyes with her lidless stare, and gestures with her arms*

Those charms you have are interesting, I have not seen that used before. Where did you learn it? My species trades with others, but I have not come across something such as yourself

[3kul]

HollowEyes thought carefully about what Kheesth had said, very surprised at how similar the sand was to his charms. The key difference lay in the relationship with what was giving power to the charm, though he wasn't too sure which seemed more troublesome to deal with.

"I can't really say whether or not other Parasitians use charms, though it really doesn't seem like the kind of thing that they'd use. One of the spirits I've formed a contract with taught me how to make them a while ago, but basically they're not much more than spiritually charged pieces of paper. The process of making them isn't too hard, provided that you know how to do it."

He paused for a moment, thinking of the best way to quickly sum up how it all worked. "I have an agreement with each spirit who's power I borrow, and provided that I uphold my end of the agreement they're obliged to uphold theirs. Some tend to be easier to deal with than others, but for the most part I manage to keep myself out of debt, so there's rarely any problems."

[Swix]

I see. You learned to make these from a spirit? Most intriguing

*Kheesth commented, hands pulling the cloak tighter around her as though it were still too cold for her*

My tail won't grow back, but, I am grateful for the 'apology'.

*Something from the beginning, before they'd begun training made her stop and turn*

This may be late in my asking, but have you seen the feline I was 'training' with afterwards? I believed she was dead, so there was no point in my asking her what it was she was doing

[3kul]

HollowEyes couldn't have felt more awkward now that he knew he'd just permanently and irreversably injured this poor person who'd offered to train with him. At least she saved him from having trying to change the subject.

"Ah, the cat... I don't really know what happened to her. Like I said earlier, I left not long after the flooding bit."

((Sorry, I'd type more but I can't think of anything else to add ))

[Swix]

((lol nvm 3kul, I don't mind ))

Of course. I wondered whether you'd seen her afterwards. No matter.

*Kheesth again lost one of her four arms inside her cloak, and partially opened her mouth to allow fresh air to circulate inside it. Closing it with a slight hiss, Kheesth gestures to HollowEyes*

I believe I shall be able to continue without the impairment of my abilities now. Do you wish to resume our training?