Battle

His brazen stance sent a chill down my spine, the man's air is thick, it feels almost hard to breathe. The sweet smell of magic burned at my noise. From the man's raised palm came loads of pressure like I was under gallons of water.

He took a step and my ears popped, coming with it a crack splintering the ground, leaping into the air, I found my footing on a nearby half destroyed tree. 

"Hey, I thought you said you were ready, don't go and retreat on me." His stupid grin maybe the words bitter.

As one of the Hǔ héshàng retreat is forbidden, one must die before faltering. Magic begin flow through like the start of a great engine, its force to much for my body to hold it began to leak from all my pores, shrouding me in a thin mist that bent light not letting any enter looking both from the outside and the inside like a dark viscous void. This would blind the two of us, but this is one of the base moves the monk taught me, so even if I can't see him I can still sense him. Bounding over the ridge of the tree, my legs caught the ground, but to my avail the weight down here was even higher than in the tree. My legs feel like jello, it takes all my might and the use of magic to stay standing. 'Just who is this guy?' 

The distraction was just enough for me to lose track of him. 'There's too many Bodies, what one is his?' like a lance the force of a peer magic punch shattered every bone in my left leg. My flight response flaring, I enter into a Tactical roll, returning to my feet with a mind numbing crunch. My leg is shaking like a dog in a storm. 'Hold' I beg 'please hold'. But inevitably it did not, folding into a kneel. After a loss in concentration, the magic dispersed. 

The man standing there holding his side, with in his bloodied hand is my favorite knife.

"Well I'll be damned, you appear to have more tricks up your sleeve, so how about you join my crew we could use a man like you?"

I signaled "Crew?"

"Oh your mute, how about this." He took out a contract and a pen. "Sign here if that's a yes."

'Is it wrong to fear this man. To know that with him holding back I lost. That this was all some kind of interview. But a place I am wanted does sound nice. Even if this is all treason.'

"I won't make you fight your country if that's what you're worried about. "I take the pen and write my name. "Welcome seat of Jackal, it's nice to make your acquaintance. You can call me Lynx."

. . . .

Kane's fist met my face, my body flowing like water moved in unison with his attack grabbing hold of his wrist and pulling his ankle from under him. Well plummeting to the floor I enter a full body arm hold.

"Hey, that was pretty good, I'm impressed. Now let me show you a trick." He held out his other hand. "Fei v sumerkakh." 

Clouds formed in the arena and from them a milky haze. An arm reached out filled with the most perfect skin of witch's beauty left one to imagine its whole. As gently as a mother cuddling her baby it picked up Kane wrapping its fingers around his whole body. I lose my grip and drop to the ground. The hand faded into holy rays, and what was left was Kane in an old Russian uniform, with a thick black colt, fine boots and a ushanka on his head. His face looked almost good looking, and his ears grew long. 

"Veny." 

A wave of vines shot from his hand. Out of instinct I activate void.