The other side of the coin

"A night stroll in the forest sounds like a wonderful idea..." Crumpling the piece of paper in his hand, he would pocket it and continue to stride quietly through the darkness of the night.

The eerie calls of the night sky bellow beneath the folds of Riley as he takes his first few steps into the night sky. It was a cool evening, a low glancing fog would hang beneath his feet as the soft ground would mush with each step he took. Originally, Riley was in shock with the whole idea of them going out in the middle of the night to complete her deal, but they had to perform this kind of 'training' in an area where they wouldn't be so easily disturbed. He knew her secret, her... 'facade' that she put up in front of others, the monster she held beneath her tentative flesh. He had no idea how it worked, but for now he added illusions to her dossier in his head. There were many things that he still did not understand, but one thing was clear... he was going to learn first hand how to fight these mythical creatures on a much higher level.

The moon was high and mighty, so Riley did not need to use a flashlight as he moved through the brush during his midnight stroll. The foliage above was not thick, so he could trust his limited night vision to grant him access through the darkness. He needed to train his eyes to adjust quickly and accurately so that he could be able to face the woman who wanted to teach him. He still did not trust her, which meant he was not going to let his guard down. His eyes were still alert as he scanned for the open scenery that she described in the note she slipped under his doorway. Looking down at his compass, which glowed in the dark when unsheathed, he could check his destination. Should only be a few more steps... as his hand would brush away some sticks from his face.

For attire for this cool evening, Riley preferred to wear something simple and effective. For the top, he was wearing a dark short sleeve shirt on top of a dark green long sleeve under armor. For pants, he always chose his cargo pocket pants with a mixed green of dark camo . Shoes were hiking boots with steel toes and gum shoe soles. This allowed him to move much quieter through his terrain without being spotted so easily. For arsenal, he did not hide the semi automatic that hung on his waist band or the knife strapped behind his back along the belt loop or the 2 extra magazine pouches plus final pouch on the side. But he would not openly admit that those were his only choices of toys that he had in store for the training he was committing to. As he stretched through the night, he could feel his eyes shifting and his pupils dilating to the darkness around him. He continued to resist the urge of using his flash light and decided to tread slowly through the underbrush. He would probably get a few ticks and gnats, but it was better to pluck those off and be alive than to have his face chewed off by one of the creatures of the night.

This part of the forest was new to him, but it was not for him to belittle the possibility of otherworldly encounters that night.

Arriving in the clearing, he would come to a stop at the edge of the forest... hunker low (low crouch) and look around for his 'contact'. He would allow his arms to saunter so that the foilage would wrap themselves around him. She was there, he knew it, but the trick was trying to find the woman.

Laying low in the shadows and foliage of the trees, he would hear her voice echoing across the landscape. “Glad to see you made it unharmed.” Preventing himself from jerking his head left to right, he merely used his eyes to search for movement on the horizon. It was not for a few seconds before he saw her face emerge from the treeline. Even in the darkness, his eyes had adjusted to the night. The moonlight would reflect off of her flesh and show off every form of her body and reveal to him that she was not using her powers to hide her form. She was exposing herself, exposing her true form to the night sky. And her true form to himself. She would idly stand out in the open and address him from afar, not astonished that she knew where he was. Given her gifts, she probably had the ability to see much more easier in the night. That part was not out of the question; it was such a disadvantage to not have brought his night vision goggles for just such an occasion.

“Come on out Riley so that we may finish this deal of ours.”

As if on command, he would take only a few more glances to make sure the coast was clear before he would step out of the shadows, revealing himself to her in the moonlight. Pushing away spare brush and foliage, careful not to break too many branch limbs, he would appear before her with a casual sigh. She had what he wanted, or at least, what he thought was in her hand covered in some strange kind of leather. The darkness made it impossible to predict what she had, but he would merely take a guess that it probably had his gun. With her distance, she was only about one hundred paces away from him. Taking a few steps forward, he would tap the side satchel before reaching underneath the folds of the pouch to reveal a small vial. In it contained vampire's blood, freshly acquired not too many nights ago. It had nearly cost him his life, and his sanity, but he managed to procure what she asked for. Of course, at the time he had no idea if he was going to be using it in this circumstance... just that he had it in his fridge for a while. It was half of Bruxa's blood. The other half was being kept for his own personal keeping.

Looking around, he merely smirked as he said. "So how do you want to do the exchange? Toss em or just hand it off?" Pausing for a moment, he would look around casually to add "Seems kind of a long way from the castle just to exchange gifts and promises." It would have been a good idea to call a meditary to this kind of meeting, but given his long list of friends who lived here happened to be zero... he was up shit creek.

Pausing, he would wait for her to make the first move after he stopped fifteen paces away from her. He didn't think he would spook her, but there was always a chance he could be walking straight into a trap. He kept his eyes and ears open, listening carefully for even the smallest brush of movement outside his twenty foot circle of her. Even though he was human, he was trained to listen for those kinds of things in the night.

Standing there in the moonlight, the air had a faceless value to it. Like a dying swan, it had a sense of elegance to it that seemed to wrap all around his flesh. But the night was still young, and the aura of death seemed to be knocked on his doorstep, once again, on this lovely evening. Every inch of his fiber whispered and willow that this was not some ordinary game for the girl that stood before him, that the lifelong possession of the gun did not hold true to its value. Nevertheless, the fire burned beneath his flesh as he stared head long into the woman who could possibly end his life in a few twitches of her cheek. He knew better than to play with this kind of hell, but deep down he enjoyed the feeling of being in that inferno. He was born from the hatred of others, so his lust for such daring adventure was apart of him... apart of his nature.

He never quivered a brow as he watched her take a step towards his form. He welcomed it. He craved it.

“I give you my word that I will not harm you this night so that we may exchange the…Gifts.”

His mind was already searching for a way around her words as she halted herself once again, expanding her arms to present him what was rightfully his. Nevertheless, he held his ground as if he was searching her... trying to find loop holes in her logic. It was rather astonishing that they would come out in the middle of the night to exchange their items under only the full moon skies to aid in this task. Then he remembered the remainder of the deal, the reason why she wanted both items in exchanged. Something along those lines made him quiver on the inside, but it was for curiosity and excitement. Hearing her final words only increased the quiver in his soul, but the charm was starting to lose its effect on the traveler set before her. For some reason or another, he would not be so easily lulled to her qualms... but it would show that there was discomfort in his features. He would expose the vial in his hand, but clutch it as he extended his right... beckoning her to place the weapon she held in his left with a free hand.

"Come on, no more games tonite. Not until I have what is mine back. " There was a small clicking sound, but from where it originated she would not know.

When their hands met, there was a sudden chill that raced across his spine. It was not in fear of her touch, nor the sensations of sexual desire, but it was as if he could feel the monster within her trying to lash out and claim a prize. It was a flash, but only for a moment, as his own monster within began to growl from beneath his flesh. Maybe it was his own inner self giving him the chills, rationalizing it upon his own inner turmoils for self control. He knew that beast was there, it was only a single call away from being summoned and taking over. But the last time it came out it nearly killed a woman who so seductively challenged to partake of his inner soul. Although it was merely a ruse for the monster to take what he wanted, part of which was now in the woman's hands, he never needed to fathom the destructive powers it held. It showed, once and for all, with a little luck and power behind him that he could take on, hand to hand, some of the creatures of the night. He was lucky that night, just a stream of good chances, that the woman who fed him her blood came to stop the fiasco before it got much worse.

He didn't want to speculate what would of happen if the monster won the fight. The screams of his little sisters would pang across his mind, but only for a moment, swallowed up instantly by the darkness residing within him.

With the leather pouch within his grasp, and the vial of blood in her hands, he would unveil it... keeping her in his peripherals, to see that underneath the strange skin that was wrapped around the gun was his. Upon quick inspection of his fingers feeling along the grooves of the weapon, he could feel the indentions and cuts where the weapon met some wear and tear during it's first year of use. It was his alright, and there was no doubt about it. Folding the strange leather, he would look towards her to see if she wanted her burlap skin back. If she didn't, he would pocket it in one of his pouches along with the small sidearm. He could already feel that the weapon was still loaded, he didn't need to check, but he would give it a thorough cleaning later. No need to take chances.

Witnessing her smile, once their deal was concluded, he would give her a tilt of his own head. Always patient. Always cautious, he would stand firm as he asked politely. "So tell me, would you like to partake in the other part of the deal now? Or do you want to wait until I grant you the favor first?" It would be nice to see what else he could learn from this woman, but he had a feeling he was at a huge disadvantage this evening. Even with his now acute low light vision that adjusted to the darkness, he was still unable to really see outside the surrounding grove and into the trees, which was probably teaming with life. Limitations of being a human. Would be much easier if he could have a taste of the spare blood that was on him...

He watched. He listened. He let her words flow over him as she spoke about the dangers of the night. Granted, he was nervous... but the fear dwelling within him was starting to subside. He knew what was coming next when he spoke those words to her, easily beckoning a challenge from her. Nevertheless, his stance never wavered as she stepped back into the darkness of the night... witnessing as her silhouette was consumed by the darkness. So instead of seeing with his eyes, he merely changed stances and allowed his ears to pick up the sounds of the environment. Hearing a small breeze and the soft tread of footsteps, he would at least tell in what general direction she was going. Nothing precise, as her steps were much lighter than a normal human's pace. A small wind echoing through the trees would make it easier for her to disappear behind the noise of the forest. He had to be careful and cautious.... making sure that his real way of tracking her was not disrupted.

When the knife fell at his feet, he didn't jump or startle. He merely took his foot and kicked the hilt of the dagger upwards after straddling the flat blade on his foot, catching the handle in mid air. He was not going to expose himself to her, or anyone else that presided in the forest. He knew she had a few tricks up her sleeve, and by her voice she did mention that this was probably going to be odds stacked against his favor. Nevertheless, he had come out of plenty of scrapes before. It was not his overconfidence beckoning him from the shadows, but a deeper voice within. The sinister one that was rolling within it's cage happily, almost sensing the bloodshed before it would happen. Come... bring your torment.... It sent chills down his spine, but it was not the shakes of a man who was scared for his life. No, it was the natural hunger of the creature within, blood thirsty and ready to be ripped from it's constraints.

What Riley and the female failed to note before their encounter, before their times at Caislin Hallows, just about the time before he lost his memory... there was a reason why it was so hard to figure out what happened that night. Why he merely fainted and somehow woke up alive from all the bloodshed. It was a dark secret. A hidden agenda for the creature that paced in the jail that the old Riley created to tame such a beast. With a low growl, the creature started to to bend the bars in the cell... slowly beginning to break free of it's constraints. With a sinister laugh, he merely said to Riley....

It is not as if this is something you haven't done before...

And with a few steps, Riley put himself in the darkness, quietening his footing and waiting for the strike to come to him. Arms outstretched, ears perked. A calm, steady heartbeat resonating from his body.

If there was something off about the blade, other than the fact that it was heavier and it seemed to be hand crafted, Riley would not be able to take notice. Like a blind man wading through a sea of people, there was only so much a normal human could do to prevent certain things from happening...like the fact that the blade gave away Riley's position to the Unseelie. Even with a calm mind and soul, there was only so much he could control on the battlefield presented before him. He had a feeling she had heightened sense of hearing, so even if he quieted his footsteps they would be like loud flash bangs in the middle of the silent night. Nevertheless, it was not as if he was some kind of helpless creature waiting for the slaughter. The moment he let the fear build up within him, he knew it would be his last breath. Just because he had flashy gear and understood the layout of the land did not give him complete victory. Even so, it did give him the advantage of being seen as a pitiful creature compared to her status. Maybe he should play a little along that card...

The monster inside would reach out, trying to gather control. Trying it's best to strike fear in Riley's heart, trying to force him to give into the fear wanting to dwell within him. But as the creature would push forward to be released from it's bondage, the cage would instantly shrink along the creature... forcing the weight of the cage all around the monster residing within Riley's soul. It would call out a cry of defeat, but it would be lost on Riley's external senses. Shocked, the monster within would try to strangle for control but the bonds that constricted it only grew tighter. Something within was playing their trump card, maybe a bit too early...

The monster, at this point, was out of the picture.

A cooling sensation would wipe over Riley as he felt the night breathe underneath him. His ears would perk open to the surroundings. The picture, painted in his mind, was pristine and crystal clear. He was slowly starting to hear not only the distinct pitches between the chirp of the crickets, but how far away... within inches, of where the creature's lay within the grass. He could hear the rustle of small woodland creatures scurrying across the yard. It was a shocking discovery, that made him slowly lapse on his outward surroundings. A bad time for a realization as he could hear the crunches of a foot... slipping forward to strike out to buckle his knee cap.

SHIT!

There was no time to shift his weight in order to avoid the strike. Only time to deal with the aftermath and absorb the blow. Feeling the weight of her boot against the back of his knee, he would drop his other knee to a crouch and drag the weakened knee away from the blow. Using the forward momentum by his own body, and right hand, he would immediately drop himself into a low circular kick.... dragging his slightly injured leg around in a full 270 degree arc in order to try to strike at the female that would probably land in the vicinity of his striking range after her blow. Using his right hand as a pivot, he would immediately push back away from where he could guess where the blow was a few feet... landing first on his uninjured leg and then the slightly bruised one. The pain was gone, the damage minimal, but he needed to put some space between the two. There would be a bruise, but his leg was fine. Luckily...

He immediately resumed the same position as before, the blade outstretched before him... his eyes darting in the darkness. Nevertheless, his ears started to perk up once more... in short bursts, he was getting at least some feedback from his surroundings. Even so, it was random and indiscreet, as if his body was having trouble channeling the knowledge to his brain. Two worlds were colliding for control, and he had to work through the distracting mess while he fought a very formidable foe.

Even after he felt his foot connect with her shoulder, Riley was already back to his original focused stance... eying the dark horizon as his eyes slowly started to focus to the night around him. There was only so much he could do without night vision goggles, but he was slowly granted some kind of gift in this encounter. Nevertheless, as he felt the foot connect the mass of flesh he kicked was gone... and even he had to admit it was as if he was kicking a solid oak tree. It brought some pain, but it did not last very long in his mind. His foot was still completely usable, but it reminded him of the fact that he was just not sparing with someone from the camp next door. This was something of the supernatural, and he had to always fight on his own feet.

His ability to hear dampened when the wind would pick up, causing slightly alarm when it would slowly wane back into his mindset to hear the shot aimed for his left shoulder. The resonating punch would connect almost before he had any chance to recoil from the blow, this time the hit much more punishing than the last. He would feel the pain growing in his arm, fighting back the ability to cry out, as he would immediately roll with the punch once more and use his legs to bring forward a hard, medium height, roundhouse kick towards the woman. Unless she ducked low, given his stature, then the foot would probably connect.

Nevertheless, his left shoulder was temporary paralyzed do to the strike, the total damage unknown at that present time.

She felt the flash of his pain across her mind, a round of ecstasy all her own. Intoxicated she didn’t bother to move as his retaliation came straight for her. Standing a moment too soon his kick would easily connect with the lower part of her rip cage. The air hissed from her lungs in a snarl of joy as she tilted her head back and laughed. Lush lips drawn into a grin too wide for her features, those curved incisors gleaming in the moonlight. There was a tinge of pain where his kick had connected, but again, no mark.

“Come on Riley… This isn’t just a game. You have a knife and you have a monster tucked away all nice and safe.” She grinned and closed her eyes, swaying to an unheard melody. “I can feel it just below the surface, it hungers like mine… Won’t you set it free?” Kalika tilted her head towards the boy, watching him like a cat would a cornered mouse. Hunger was clear in those silver eyes, every muscle tensed to explode with that unnatural power of hers. Spell just within reach as she stepped forward, whether he gave ground or not she would stop just out of reach.

Sanity and madness warred against each other in her mind, rational thought nearly gone as she watched the boy. His useless shoulder the perfect opportunity to strike, though she was doing her best to hold back. Silky smooth voice of hunger dropped to a tantalizing whisper, “Do you wish to stop? A taste of power enough or do you want to see what damage can be done?”

The pain was precise, but not intense, as he could feel the numbing sensation race across that mark. It would easily take a moment before his left shoulder would recover, even if he were to try to clench his left fist it would be weak. Nevertheless, the digits could be moved... testing them with relative ease.
“Come on Riley… This isn’t just a game. You have a knife and you have a monster tucked away all nice and safe.” Fear of his ever changing ear aptitude made him wander if his ears would burst from the shrill uproar of sound. Nevertheless, the voice of her words were crystal and soft. It was as if the auto tune button allowed him to hear it all without the risk of bursting his eardrum. But why in the world he could hear so clearly, he didn't have answer for. As her skin would flash under the moonlight, he would take notice to the girl stepping forward to expose herself. Taunting... baiting him. There was not a whole lot of options for him at this moment, she had the advantage...

Well, whatever advantage he allowed himself to give to her.

Taking a step back, but only one, he would bring the blade in his right hand and flip it to another position in his fingers, one where the blade faced away from his thumb and forefinger. Nevertheless, his arm hung uselessly at his side. Small grunts would bring it forward to bear in front of her, but a simple bat of the hand could easily overpower the injury sustained. " … Won’t you set it free?” The monster within him racked and paced within the confines of the cage, rattling and groaning at the pressure of it's boundaries set before it. Yes... why won't you let me! It would growl beneath the folds of his skin, and then the bindings would shock the monster and drawl the creature forward in everlasting pain. Something else from within was taking control, and allowing this conscious Riley to face the enemy at hand. He remained outside of her reach, giving a few more feet of ground if she perched closer to her and trying to hide his left shoulder from her gaze. Even he needed to fear the facts that he had misunderstood this creature.

“Do you wish to stop? A taste of power enough or do you want to see what damage can be done?” A thought did not race across his mind that he wanted many things to stop in his life. The memories. The pain. The anguish. The mental toils of anguish wrecking across his mind, destroying any hope he ever had of a normal human life. He was tainted, scarred, a sharpened tool in the woodshed with only a few purposes. He saw the sanity slipping past her eyes, awakening a darker creature from within. It didn't take a psychologist to figure out he was fighting someone who had no care for human life; Even if she was only toying with him, he could easily see her slipping up and slicing open Riley's throat if he was not careful. Fear was just around the corner, knocking politely at his doorstep. If he did not act now, he was going to be ensnared by the darkness once again. The monster within him was trying to rip open his cage, growling at the fact that it may disappear from his plane of existence.

"No...."

Flipping the small knife in his hand, he decided it was best to return it to it's owner. Bringing the blade so that it straddled between his thumb and forefinger, he tossed it directly at her. With this motion, he was already dragging his feet forward, charging the woman he knew would try to kill him the moment she saw it was convenient. He convinced himself of this. He needed to act NOW. With the blade hurtling towards her, he would clench his fingers in the proper pattern as he swung his limp arm forward in a jerking motion. As the hand would come towards to hit her underneath her right thigh, a blade would extend several inches from his palm. The added momentum from the spring action would allow him to fling his body forward to strike her against the side. The blade from his palm would most likely hit her with the FLAT side of the blade. With the forward momentum he created, and if she was unable to side step the duo striking maneuver, he would probably crash right into her or clothes-line her with limp flesh. Nevertheless, she had to fight off a blade flying from one direction, and a limp arm from the other. These actions would be within normal human speed, but Riley's highly dexterous nature would leave the blade leaving his hand and the moment he would probably make contact with the palm blade about less than a second.

Maybe it was in his right mind to wait for her to expose herself. Although he used his sight to aim the first attempt to wound her, he would immediately switch to focusing on sound to try to find her. She was only on the edge of his vision, so it was a risky move that could probably get himself killed. However, he was not known for his stunning repository of amazing feats of intelligence once he was backed into a corner.

In the blink of an eye, Riley was on the offensive. Biding his time and showing hints of weakness and uncertainty held its own internal rewards when he had to strike back. Lashing out at the creature set before him set off a trigger of retaliations that he was barely able to ward off with a weaken side. Like a trained boxer, she hammered away at his weakened portions of his body in order to maximize the effectiveness of her wound. Unable to withdraw in time, he would feel the bright pain lashing out as her fingers brushed against the upper part of his shoulder. Bright, red droplets would begin to ooze from the scratched wound almost as soon as she pulled away. It was not until he put a few paces from her that he heard the sound of the sliding of flesh against metal. Remembering the knife almost immediately, he would inwardly smile at the feat he accomplished. Although he was worse for wear, it gave him a surmount of confidence in the fight with her. A small line from some kind of movie trickled into his mind, returning her first wave of gestures with a snide remark.

"If it bleeds, it can be killed."

Even as he said this, he could feel that he was becoming a bit weak from the second blow she administered... already knowing he was now on a time limit before he would bleed out. Even if she just barely brushed his flesh, she had managed to hit a few main vessels and the blood was slowly seeping out of him. For now, as long as he kept his calm, he should clot within a few moments with a guided hand. Reaching into his pack, he immediately lifted the arm and slapped on a quick one time sticky gauze. It would expose him for a second, but he kept his eyes and ears wide open for any sounds of deceit. In no time flat, he had applied a tie off from a handkerchief from his pocket and dropped the remaining articles of the bandage onto the ground. It was already soaking red by the time he had tied off his shoulder, but at least he would be fine for the moment. All in all, it took nearly 20 seconds to complete this action by using his right hand and teeth to crudely dress the wound.

Just enough time to prepare for her next assault.

He heard the dash of the wind changing from behind, so he circled just in time to see the glint of her blade coming for his torso. Training kicked in as he moved to side step the attack and allow her momentum to follow through with the blow. Nevertheless, he was never taught in camp to evade such speed and strength... so once more he was cursed with his human existance. Just as he sidestepped, the tip of the blade would tear a clean cut across his torso. Blood would immediately began to spurt and flow slowly but evenly, but not without retaliation on his part. Knowing she would aim for his left, he prematurely moved so that she would race across his right side. There would be a gaping scar there, but with the knife at least temporarily forgotten, he would move to bring his right arm to lock down across her right elbow and shift his left foot forward to lock her in place. Since his left arm was useless at this point, a bleeding sop bag... the pain throbbing and deep within his skull, he was only able to to use his left foot to lock her right into place and to throw her off balance. It was almost as if he was performing some sort of strange waltz, where he was trying to bring her closer so that their eyes would meet. If this were to be pulled off, it would be almost a magical embrace. Maybe a pause or two to look into each other's eyes in order to see the monsters from within.

If he was able to make the blow, he would immediately bring his head forward in a gaping rage... exerting all of the power he could muster and slam it straight into her own... aiming for the brim of her forehead. It was a two pronged attempt to daze her in order to bring the fight under his control. He was on the losing end, with two wounds and a useless left arm. Fear was now rasping at his doorstep, beckoning to come in. Nevertheless, like a good soldier he kept pushing forward... using anything and everything at his means to fight this demon off. Well... almost everything.

A glorious dance of predators was coming to a rapid end. Both parties were growing weary of one another for different reasons. Kalika’s side ached and her monster burned with agitation. Riley’s pain was an intoxicating pleasure to her, an alluring drug she would have to force herself away from in the future. His bloodied form was a brilliant sight to see, even if it held its own drawbacks.

Once more they collided, titans of an easy battle and an uneasy truce not to kill one another. At least, that’s what Kalika was trying to stick with. Her blade rang with little victory as it sliced across his flesh, blood following in its wake. It wasn’t the strike she intended, but it was well worth the mild effort. She was still holding back, monster clawing ever closer to the surface, threatening to break free at each beat of her heart. She could feel those claws sinking into her skin, constricting like a serpent to slowly drain the fight from her. It was hardly enough to distract her, but it was still a minor annoyance.

Riley pulled a tricky little move and Kalika easily complied with his easy movements. Bodies practically entwined, their forms barely a breath apart from one another. Silver and obsidian clashed with the brilliance of his eyes and she smiled. The span a heart beat, the flutter of a humming birds wings…for this short time their world was on pause. This brief flash of a moment and her monster was silently looking at his. Just beyond the darkness of her eyes it watched and waited. It paced in its cage of her body and will, it paced and it clawed. It roared behind the mask of Unseelie flesh. This one moment of contact and it was furious.

Human skull came crashing towards her own, the mess of his hair tickling her senses as he slammed against her with his entire mortal might. Kalika had managed to tilt her head so that Riley collided nod with her forehead or the deceivingly delicate construction of her nose…. Instead his head would luckily bring its force down against her cheek her jawbone. It was enough to hurt, she would give him credit for that, but his plan to stun her hadn’t worked with the head butt, it had worked with the eye contact. Her monster was becoming more a distraction, more of a pain to keep contained.

Turning the move in her favor she pressed her body against his and grinned, teeth flashing. “Quick thinking.” All his twisting tricks to lock her in place were flawed by his useless arm. Where his left arm was nothing much more than a mangled mess, hers was perfectly fine and one-hundred percent functional. Digits curled to use her nails like tiny knives once more. This time she was hardly hold back, not bothering with the technicalities of avoiding anything vital. Attack aimed to drive her nails beneath his ribcage, satisfaction would come if she hit him anywhere really. This was beginning to get exciting.

Within a lightning's flash, everything went to hell. Over compensation, under development, a lack of knowledge and his way of trying to be fair in this situation was going to cost him dearly. Given the situation, he knew that his left side was completely exposed with no limits of deflecting blows with his left hand. Nevertheless, he tried to use a trump card to put the situation in his favor. It only caused minor pain, an amusement towards the creature dancing wildly in the cage set before him. Instead of restraint, she let go of the boundaries and attempted to strike at him from his exposed side. He heard the strike before he could see it, a break of the wind and the cackle of claws coming forth to strike him down. His right side was already wounded, bleeding out like a stuck pig. The second one would incapacitate him permanently. But even as he tried to move, his body was beginning to become sluggish. Even if he switched to self preservation mode, there was not enough time for the adrenaline to kick in fully before the blow was made. He had to move...

The fingers began to move towards his stomach.

He felt his body shift towards his right.

The claws began to press against his shirt.

His legs began to feel like rubber.

The pain etched in his eyes as he realized he made his vital flaw....

A growl would echo from within.

"Fuck!" He would feel his body immediately jerk inhumanly as his body began to shift with unknown contortion. Rolling his left side as he fell to his right, the fingernails would lace through the fabic and leave a clean slice through the flesh. Curling his right arm around her neck, if she allowed it so, he would use his already placed footing from behind her leg to lock her there to trip her from behind as he would fall towards the right. If his hand were around her neck, he would twist his body around so that his back was facing her chest and pivot his body forward as he fell to the ground. Using the forward momentum, he could compensate for the toss using one arm his arm... but the throw would be faulty and probably land him prone. Nevertheless, the wounds in his sides were bleeding slowly as if the life was draining out of him. He was going to have to end the battle quickly, otherwise he was going to be nothing more than a bleeding sac on the broken earth.

Pain laced her mind, though it was not her own. Fear flowed through her blood like a muddled drug, again, not her own. All sorts of wicked little emotions played along her skin and made her body hum. The beast within was giddy, the blade was bickering for being forgotten… and Kalika was right again. Her world was the same as before. Hunt, play, and the inevitable kill. As if stepping back into her old skin she was beginning to enjoy it again. Like a snake, however, she had grown since her last hunt and stay at this school. The old form didn’t fit just right, pieces ripped apart by the stretch. Something was off kilter even in this fun she was having.

Nails slashed forward to strike at his flesh, four distinct lines would be carved against the boys skin. That familiar flare of pain and panic would hurtle through her system like an electric shock. Instead of what was suppose to happen she was left fighting with her monster for control. Her nails had managed to catch Riley, blood slick along her fingertips. Distraction was all he needed and already the boy was managing another come back at her… Though even Kalika could tell he was weakening from the strain.

Warmth flashed across her neck as he grabbed her and did his best to use momentum and force to throw her. Again, he was weaker now than even a regular human, his only true advantage had been her distraction… Even then she moved easily with him, twisting away in an acrobatic little stunt to land in a crouch. The blade was back in her hands, easily swiped from the ground. After all, she could never lose the thing with its incisive chatter. She stood and stalked forward, hunger in those brilliant eyes of hers.

Hunt or not, Unseelie Court or mortal world… It was all the same to her. This was the moment she lived for. The rush of excitement that could make her feel alive. The blood would redden her skin in more than one way but she would feel only the pleasure of it. Dagger whispered its sweet temptation, called to her monster and both urged her to finish. To draw the knife back and end this battle. A wish cast by both of them, on very different terms.

Teeth flashed in the monstrous grin of hers, her entire form coming to life at the prospect. It was evident what she had in mind as she stalked and circled closer to Riley. He was bloodied, losing far too much to be healthy, too much longer and the boy would surely be gone for. Humans could only take so much after all… Sanity, insanity… Madness loomed against the monster and she stopped.

Mental battle tore everything apart again, rule of the school. To trade a sense of freedom for the rush of a kill. So many better things could be done with her time. A low cursed hissed from between her lips and she withdrew. Kalika put as much space between them as quickly as she could, standing on the other side of the clearing to watch him. Her voice was bitter with an undertone of exhaustion; never had she fought so hard. Not with Riley, but with her own mind and her own tendencies. “Is that enough for you Riley? Are you satisfied to know what a creature like I can do?” She heaved a sigh and rested her back against a tree, tilting her head towards the moon… Though she never really took her eyes off Riley, just in case…

Time and time again, Riley played along the lines again. Sifting with the pain an anguish, using it not only as a remembrance to the past he would never fully understand but as a tool to keep him pushing forward and towards the world of the living. The pain, not unbearable, was bright and antagonizing. His entire body wanted to shut down, to cry, to let it all end. But the pain... the pain only made him want to keep going. Like an everlasting thorn in his side, it only made him keep himself on his feet. It was all he could focus on. It was all he could muster.

With the maneuver complete, he could feel himself becoming light headed. Seeing her drop to a low crouch, he would force his numb legs to take a few paces back. Even if he was losing alot of blood, his maneuver was quick and seamless. He placed enough distance between the two before she would raise the blade against him. With empty hands, he would expose a momentary weakness as his right hand would grasp at the left. The blood flow from his right side was weak and clean, but the left was gasping and bloody. Clutching a mean fist around it he would stare cautiously at the woman before him. If he was given about a minute, he could easily apply a quick bandage. Nevertheless, he would be caught and exposed. As his body ached for rest, his mind only screamed to continue forward.

“Is that enough for you Riley? Are you satisfied to know what a creature like I can do?”

Smirking, Riley took her moment of relapse to open up a side pouch which contained a roll of gauze. Running on adrenaline, the wounds were not deep. The pain was starting to pick up, but he would force these thoughts down. Run with it. Go with the flow. Removing the hand from his left side, he would roll his shirt to reveal both wounds on either side of his chest. Pulling out a few large patches, similar to the one on his arm, he would slap them on each side and roll the gauze tightly around each patch. Tying off the wound with his teeth (long strip), he would roll his shirt down and groan lightly. He was out of time, out of breath. Hiding behind a false bravado was going to get himself killed. She was losing control, and he was on the brink of falling to her blade. If he would have not put the distance between the two, he would have easily gotten a cut right across his throat. His left arm was useless. His body was slashed to ribbons.

But, all he could do was smile. Giving her a quick grin before he would reach into his side and pull out an 8 inch blade.

"Tired?..." This was his time. His moment. His razon for life itself. To live on the edge was his birthplace into this known existence. Even if he was tired, wornout, and bleeding out like a stuck pig. "I'm not..." His eyes were shifting, his body was wavering. But his mind was set on defeating this woman. For whatever reason...

Leaning back, he would motion her forward with his right hand, the knife resting easily in his palm. This was far from over. He needed to know what it really meant to be that close to death.

Agony and Anguish were bittersweet in their addiction. The powerful duo tore through her veins and left everything asunder. Pain was her pleasure, a sweet fix of emotion that Riley was aptly supplying. Every hit, every slice and barb they passed was a thrilling little rush to her system. She hadn’t felt this energized, this alive in so long. It was almost too much for her. Like an alcoholic sipping vodka, one little drop on the tongue and they were done for. Riley wasn’t necessarily her drug of choice, merely a means to get what she most desired at the moment.

Silver flashed in the moonlight as she leaned back on her heels, toes curling against the dry earth. She regarded the boy with a steady gaze and mild fascination, Kalika had never encountered a human that had lasted this long. Let alone a human that would willingly throw themselves back in the fray of things, which is exactly what Riley was doing. A laugh rumbled in her chest like the fine purr of a cat, “You are quite a marvel, Riley.” As close to a compliment as she gave really, whether it was towards the waves of emotions or his actual strength she didn’t say.

She watched as he dressed his wounds, a quick slap of a patch and a roll of gauze would do little against the blood flow if he insisted on moving around so much. It was a little bizarre to be planning out his medical attention as she was planning out her next move to harm him. The savor and the executioner. She grinned as she waited, giving him plenty of time to finish up and test the binding of his handy work. Patience was never her strong suit though. She twisted her blade in her fingers, listening to it hum and giggle with its excitement.

Head cocked to the side, silver and gray hair tumbling across her shoulders to tickle at the top of her shirt. She gave a light scoff at the boy, as if they were children and this was nothing but harmless play between them. Mindless banter, easy smiles, and an understanding for the darkness that neither could escape, “Me, tired? Must be kidding Riley.” Soft laugh danced through the air before she stretched and looked him over. “Don’t bleed to death, that would simply ruin this dance of ours.” Lashes fluttered in a wink before she moved.

Darkness was her lover, it hid her in its comforting embrace. There was still a minor catch in her side but this rush of emotion from the boy helped her to ignore it. The pain an easy thing to deal with considering the iron in her blade had barely brushed her skin. Then again, she had to give Riley props for actually hitting her when this little shindig of theirs began. Shadows ripped apart to give way to her movements; she came at him from the right side, opting to go for the part of his body that was strong. If only to rip it to pieces like the other.

Blade flicked out between her fingers like before, though this time she was focused on avoiding his knife and landing a blow. Immortal strength coupled with immortal speed, the reigns of her power slipping through her fingers as she rushed him. Monster roared beneath her skin, eyes burning with rings of silver. Her dagger aimed for below his ribcage, a less than harmless blow to his right side that would leave her left exposed for his rebuttal.

Blood loss. Fatigue. Confidence. Anxiety. Greed. Pride. Aggression. These emotions and physical aliments mixed together to form a cohesion of what Riley's mental and physical state. This cohesion shone brightly, calmly as he held the knife outwardly with a stupid smirk on his face. Why Riley continued to fight on that dreadful night, he would never know. Was it the pain that thundered beneath his soul, pushing him forward to keep the night exciting for his own personal deeds? Or was it his pride wanting to push him onward in order to stand for whatever he believed in, even if it meant the consequence was the loss of his life? There were many questions, but zero answers for the man who stood outwardly confident towards the beautiful creature of the night, whose fangs shone brightly in the moon light. He was starting to understand his rationale, the reason why he managed to survive that faithful night. Whatever he was before, it did not matter, but at least he knew that the boy who originally stood before creatures such as this and survived was not a normal human to be taken lightly.

That boy was a warrior, and a warrior HE shall be.

When the peace was broken, the fight continued.. but before her blade reached his body he began to feel a warmth spreading over his body. A good, glorious warmth that reached from head to toe. A beautiful feeling that raced across his entire forum.

With a mad dash, the woman set before him rushed cunningly to finish off her prey. With an instant swipe, Riley heard the blade before he saw it leaving her form... reaching out to weaken his right side. Normally, Riley would have been cut to ribbons by this move... an end game punisher for the man who stood before her. Even so, with all the pain and torment that racked his body (and trust me, there was plenty of it) he felt his feet were lighter than normal. With a back pedal that left him off his feet, he landed just barely a few millimeters away from the blade that swiped across his chest. Within those milliseconds, his mind was instantly returning with the following maneuver from his mind Bat the knife away... Normally he would have put more distance from his foe and drawn his side arm to put a few rounds in his foe's chest, but this voice was soothing and yet coarse... but the dominance in it's voice was both alluring and painful. If he were to deny it's actions he knew a grand amount of suffering would race across his body.

So he did as he was trained to do, with a quick swipe he attempted to brush the arm with the knife in her hand with a quick slash of his right hand. Whether or not it connected, he did not have time to consider. Following the voice in his mind, he brought up his foot and attempted to push the girl back a few steps (a boot kick). But this speed and dexterity was abnormal to that of a regular human being. The speed behind the deflection was much faster than a man wounded by several knife wounds... and quicker than a man in tip-top performance. Whatever this warmth was that was increasing over his body was giving him strength. Strength and speed necessary to win.

He could actually do this.

With a heel kick, he would place some distance between the two and ignore the pain in his mind from the denial of the follow through swipe. It wanted and craved flesh blood, but he was not mentally prepared for such a strike just yet.

"Having fun...?" A dull echo would escape his lips. But he did not remember the thought of allowing himself to say that!

A low growl began to echo across his mind. He heard it, it was faint... but deadly. Whatever else that was inside him was slowly coming into light. The warmth in his hands and feet were starting to turn up at an alarming rate... his eyes burned with a powerful form of lust and hatred, mixed with a glorious fire that seemed to be a balance of power and passion. Every single pore in his body began to burn, his wounds ached with a everlasting vengeance for their marks on his skin. They ached for retribution, revenge for such a silly blade to kiss his sacred flesh. This warmth began to flow more vibrantly along his sides and shoulder, a revitalization to his body began to emerge. Originally, his mind and body were nearing their breaking points and reaching their limit. Now his body was on fire. It urged him onward and forward, slowly mixing with his remaining adrenaline and willpower. He had no idea what was going on, but it only urged him to fight.

He was beginning to feel his fingers on his left arm.

Buy some time... A growl echoed within, much stronger than before.

“Why of course… What could be more fun than a little game between… shall we settle on friends? Or mere acquaintances?”

Tilting his head rather curiously, he watched her slowly withdraw her aggressive stance and slip into a defensive step. The withdrawl of the blade only meant that she was, in his eyes, stepping away from the fight. It would seem that whatever beast within that was taking control, she managed to sense it too. With enough time, he will be able to evaluate the situation at a greater degree. But his mind was screaming for conversation, to figure out how to prolong their pause. Every draining second counted. "I guess that depends on what you consider a friend or an acquaintance." Watching her slip the blade into it's sheath, it only affirmed that something was off in his body. Twirling his only blade from stab to slash position in his hand, he toyed with it aimlessly. Buying a few more seconds.

His wounds slowly stopped bleeding...

He continued with the conversation "We do know a bit more about each other than to be mere acquaintances... but the difference from just knowing someone to truly knowing someone is a different matter." His wounds along his sides began to boil, almost too painful to bear, but he showed no outward emotion of this internal dilemma. Instead, he mimicked her move by placing the blade in his back sheath. Things were getting way out of hand, but for some reason the closer Riley got to death... the burning passion to continue forward only grew brighter. He danced with it. He wanted more. But the voice continued to advise him to wait just a bit longer. Just add a few more seconds. Give it the time it needed. His left hand twitched inadvertently.

The warmth was reverberating in his left arm now.

Slowly he brought his right hand up towards her form. Extending it to it's full length, he slowly brought it to bear just below his chest, curled partially to keep his only working hand close to his form. Common sense was screaming to maintain a defensive posture, but his body was already moving towards an offensive stance. His feet slowly parted and his eyes began to shine. Their original dark hazel hues began to brighten to that of the full moon. His vision began to adjust to the darkness, his pupils shifting to oval pattern. He could begin to see the surroundings in a clear light. He was beginning to see the textures of the leaves, the cracks in the ground, and the bugs that lay helplessly on leaves nearby. He took a step forward, just a step. A comforting aura washed over him, as if he was given a second chance in this fight.

With that step, he slowly brought his left hand outward to bear. It burned with a passion to inflict pain onto his opponent. To destroy. To avenge the wound that grieved his arm. Whatever severe bruising and mild fracture in the bone was now temporarily sealed. It would allow movement and enough power to allow his punches to follow through. Whether or not the 'temporary fix' holds under pressure would depend on the extend he had to use it.

The white in his eyes began to shift to a glowing red.

"The major difference between the two is very simple. Trust." Another step, he was within seven or so feet from her, just about in striking distance. Rolling his neck, audible bones popped into place. Rolling his eyes closed, they opened again to reveal bright penetrating red eyes with blackened oval, almost diamond like, pupils. Bringing both of his arms up to guard his upper body, he paused for what seemed to be effect, but it was just to add that last second. With the raising of his left arm to full height accidentally knocked loose the pin holding the bandage together over his arm. Falling off to the side exposed the wound from earlier shown in the moonlight, exposing the drastic cut. Instead of it being a bleeding, soppy mess... it was caked over with dried blood. It would be in the early stages of healing, where the scab was predominantly present. Whether or not it brought severe pain to the recipient to move his arm was lost upon him. "Trust that we won't kill each other after the night is over."

He was here to fight. He was here to win.

The cage for the monster was empty.

Flexing one last time, he smiled a devilish grin. Whatever remaining sanity was lost on the boy as he instantly charged the remaining distance to close the gap between the two.

The first strike was already prepared in his mind's eye. If she were to reach for the blade that was stashed on herself, he would slam a right hand forward in order to attempt to break it away from the user. If the blade was stashed in a vertical sheath (within reason), he would immediately bring his elbow upwards in order to try to smash underneath her jaw. Nevertheless, regardless if she went for the knife or not he would follow with his left to attempt to land a blow underneath her right side (fist), an attempted right uppercut to continue to dislodge her consciousness, and follow this through with a slightly slow recovery pivot his hip to the side of her while bringing his right elbow down to try to smash into her sternum to add more distance between the two (using his left hand on his right palm to add more strength behind the blow). Something inside broken, fixed only with minor imaginary duct tape. That part was broken, so close to death, and only wished to strike back at his foe. All of these maneuvers were heightened, much faster than before. Stronger hits. Devastating critical placements of blows.

He was here to fight. Whether or not to kill, was beyond Riley's sanity.