all. She found herself worrying about Isabella, about her sickness and how long she’d be able to keep up. Even more so she worried because she knew Bella would not draw her sword and kill Kyne. He could take a lot of damage, she knew that firsthand, so Bella’s hits would take a long time to bring him down. Too long. Surely her condition would take its toll before then, and then she would be at Kyne’s mercy, and he would simply-
The flame shuriken glanced off her porcelain mask as she jerked her head to the side and she realized Isabella must have put more enchantments on the mask than the one to make it stay on. She had to remember to ask about that, and thank her for it, considering that stab would have split her face in half without it. She really needed to get her thoughts back on the fight. She’d never had trouble focusing in combat before…
She caught one of Sarya’s strikes on one of her bracers and threw her arm aside to create an opening, striking her in the stomach with an open palm before darting a few steps back. Sarya’s widening eyes showed she understood as Haruka’s Death Mark appeared on her stomach. A second later it exploded, sending the blonde woman several feet backwards. Now Haru had the opportunity to risk a glance at Isabella.
The blue-haired woman was caught in a dance with Kyne. He was taking her seriously now, darting in different directions and striking at openings he could find. Isabella was spinning, leaning and bending gracefully, her sword flowing through the air to intercept attacks in smooth motions, a stark contrast to Kyne’s darting strikes. He managed to get inside her guard and shoved his hand up towards the underside of her chin, but her empty hand hit his and knocked the strike to the side. He instead took a step forward and brought his knee up into her stomach.
Haruka intended to dash over but a flying shuriken caught her attention instead, forcing her to dodge. Sarya then charged her but Haruka sidestepped, turning the fight so she could see Isabella. As the blue-haired woman was doubled over from the strike to her gut Kyne brought his hand over her back, intending to impale her with the Shadowlance. His eyes went wide, though, as her sword slipped between his legs and leveraged one out from under him. Isabella continued the move by rising into a standing position under him, flipping him over her shoulder.
He continued the flip in the air and spun, landing on his feet and unleashing his Shadowlance at her anyway. Isabella threw herself to the side, but it was clear that she was tiring; her movements were no longer as fluid or quick. This renewed Haruka’s focus and her eyes centered on Sarya. The blonde fought her with increasing rage, obviously taking her ‘betrayal’ personally. “This… is… OVER, HARUKA!” She yelled as she leapt backwards into the air, flinging three explosive shurikens at her.
“Agreed,” Haruka stated as her eyes narrowed and she flickered out of sight, moving too fast for the eye to see. The shurikens embedded harmlessly in the ground and Sarya’s eyes widened as Haruka appeared in the air directly before her, a dark shine in her eyes.
“What…?” One word was the only reaction Sarya could manage before she felt three rapid strikes on her torso. Haruka then vanished again and Sarya landed back on the ground, looking down at the three Death Marks that appeared on her. “No…”
Haruka heard the explosions behind her but she paid them no attention, rushing towards Isabella and Kyne with all her speed. They had somehow moved further away when she wasn’t looking, but it would only take her a few seconds to cross the gap.
Isabella was stupid; she fully admitted this to herself. She had taken far more hits in this fight than she should have. Kyne was good, he was, but in truth he wasn’t on Bella’s level. The gulf between their experience and their skill was just too wide. But try all she might she just couldn’t keep Haruka
The flame shuriken glanced off her porcelain mask as she jerked her head to the side and she realized Isabella must have put more enchantments on the mask than the one to make it stay on. She had to remember to ask about that, and thank her for it, considering that stab would have split her face in half without it. She really needed to get her thoughts back on the fight. She’d never had trouble focusing in combat before…
She caught one of Sarya’s strikes on one of her bracers and threw her arm aside to create an opening, striking her in the stomach with an open palm before darting a few steps back. Sarya’s widening eyes showed she understood as Haruka’s Death Mark appeared on her stomach. A second later it exploded, sending the blonde woman several feet backwards. Now Haru had the opportunity to risk a glance at Isabella.
The blue-haired woman was caught in a dance with Kyne. He was taking her seriously now, darting in different directions and striking at openings he could find. Isabella was spinning, leaning and bending gracefully, her sword flowing through the air to intercept attacks in smooth motions, a stark contrast to Kyne’s darting strikes. He managed to get inside her guard and shoved his hand up towards the underside of her chin, but her empty hand hit his and knocked the strike to the side. He instead took a step forward and brought his knee up into her stomach.
Haruka intended to dash over but a flying shuriken caught her attention instead, forcing her to dodge. Sarya then charged her but Haruka sidestepped, turning the fight so she could see Isabella. As the blue-haired woman was doubled over from the strike to her gut Kyne brought his hand over her back, intending to impale her with the Shadowlance. His eyes went wide, though, as her sword slipped between his legs and leveraged one out from under him. Isabella continued the move by rising into a standing position under him, flipping him over her shoulder.
He continued the flip in the air and spun, landing on his feet and unleashing his Shadowlance at her anyway. Isabella threw herself to the side, but it was clear that she was tiring; her movements were no longer as fluid or quick. This renewed Haruka’s focus and her eyes centered on Sarya. The blonde fought her with increasing rage, obviously taking her ‘betrayal’ personally. “This… is… OVER, HARUKA!” She yelled as she leapt backwards into the air, flinging three explosive shurikens at her.
“Agreed,” Haruka stated as her eyes narrowed and she flickered out of sight, moving too fast for the eye to see. The shurikens embedded harmlessly in the ground and Sarya’s eyes widened as Haruka appeared in the air directly before her, a dark shine in her eyes.
“What…?” One word was the only reaction Sarya could manage before she felt three rapid strikes on her torso. Haruka then vanished again and Sarya landed back on the ground, looking down at the three Death Marks that appeared on her. “No…”
Haruka heard the explosions behind her but she paid them no attention, rushing towards Isabella and Kyne with all her speed. They had somehow moved further away when she wasn’t looking, but it would only take her a few seconds to cross the gap.
Isabella was stupid; she fully admitted this to herself. She had taken far more hits in this fight than she should have. Kyne was good, he was, but in truth he wasn’t on Bella’s level. The gulf between their experience and their skill was just too wide. But try all she might she just couldn’t keep Haruka
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