Four In A Row Diagonally [Spar or Recruiting]
Dark clouds chocked the sky above the Boneyard as Ashiel strode across the dusty earth. The air was warm and humid and he could smell the rain just waiting to fall and soothe the parched soil. He was on the look out for loners to recruit or spars to engage in. He needed to be in tip top shape and there will still ranks within his pack that needed filling. Rolling his shoulders forward he gazed up at his companion, a black-winged kite, who was circling lightly above him. They'd both been restless and Ashiel found himself needing to roam a bit to work off excess energy. Thankfully, his mother had agreed to keep a watch on the pack while he was out. Though… maybe he shouldn't have been thankful for that. He'd be lucky if the canyon was still there when he returned.
Knight
Auster was foreign to him. He had never been in these parts before, mainly having kept to Boreas. But the curiosity of what lay beyond the sand bridge brought him here, and his paws had carried him into a place that reminded him of the battlefield back on the other side. Bones littered the ground here, reminding him vaguely of his earlier years. He swore he had left his homeland just yesterday, but it seemed time had passed all too quickly. It had also been quite a long time sine he'd been in a fight or anything of the sort, so he wondered if he ought to get some practice in.
It didn't take too long for him to spot a bird in the air. Scavenging dead things maybe? Crimson gaze watched it circle around for a few moments, and when he brought his gaze down he saw someone not too far off. He stood and watched him for a good minute, finally decided to approach at least close enough to be within earshot. Ace doubted he had gone unnoticed, being as large as he was. And even this male was a big brute, almost as tall as Ace himself. Was he looking to spar too? Or something else? Ace detected the scent of a pack. Recruitment, perhaps? "Are you looking for something?" He questioned, though not in any way impolite.
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Ashiel stretched while he waited, watching as Griff moved to perch in a nearby tree. "Ah, Griff. Some days I feel like I'm waiting for a sign. How long do you think my uncle will be gone?" He gazed at the bird and Griff considered him for a moment. "Signs happen when you aren't looking for them, Ashiel. Show patience, as to your uncle… with winter around the corner I do not expect to see him til spring." Spring. Ashiel nodded. It seemed so far away and he felt particular alarm at how close winter was. It would be his second year.
Griff let out a call and Ashiel turned to see a large mortal approaching. As he got closer Ashiel realized the man was massive and even taller than he was! Ashiel's eyes narrowed. Could this man also be descended from some fallen deity? Well, if Iskra could look as she did and still be a mortal, this man could to but he was certainly curious. He nodded in answer to the man's question. "My name is Ashiel Abraxas, Emperor of the Eclipse Empire. I was looking to either hone my skills in battle or to seek out those wishing to join my pack. What brings you here?"
The young male seemed to gaze at him with a certain curiosity, which wasn't unusual for the scarred man. He didn't know how many of his size roamed the lands, but that didn't matter much to him. He listened as the yearling introduced himself as Ashiel Abraxas, surprised even more to know that the young male seemed to be the alpha of a pack. Ace had never heard of the Abraxas or the Empire, but he supposed it didn't concern him. As a loner, he didn't feel the need to keep up on pack affairs and politics and all that, but he was impressed that someone so young was leading a pack. He must have been ambitious, like Ace and Elias had been at that age.
"Acere Praetor," He replied, the man continuing to gauge the young male. Crimson gaze looked him over quietly with interest before returning to Ashiel's green optics once more. "I must say I'm impressed that someone so young has managed to secure a pack. I imagine you've got plenty of fight in you to have accomplished such a feat." He offered a grin, "As for why I'm here, I suppose just looking to hone my own skills as well." It seemed to sort of be his hobby as of late. He knew he was rusty, and though this...Ashiel was young, he had the advantage of youth on his side. It was quite possible that he could be beat by the spritely boy.
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Ashiel listened carefully as the man introduced himself as Acere Praetor. The name did not ring of any familiarity but with his impressive build it was a name Ashiel aimed to remember. He grinned lightly as the man acknowledged Ashiel's efforts to claim a pack at such a young age and he nodded. "Being descended from the fallen god means I out to have a good amount of fight in me. If you are here to test your skills then how about you spar against me? You look like a serious student of battle. I would like to see if there is anything you could teach me." He moved away from the man leaving a space of about ten feet between them, his head tilting lightly as if to ask if that was acceptable. He would leave it to the other to adjust as he felt necessary. In the meantime Ashiel would set his defenses in preparation.
A cry would ring out and Ashiel would look to his companion. He shook his head."Thank you Griff, but no, I think I should like this fight to be entirely one on one." Turning his attention back to Acere he spoke. "Would you like to go first or shall I?"
Ashiel vs Acere for Spar
Rd. 0/?
Build: Heavy
Height: 42"
He nodded to the young male, he had spirit. "I've not heard of this...Fallen God, but I would be interested to learn later." He mused, "And I think I will take you on that offer, if you've managed to secure a pack then I'm sure you're a tough opponent." He watched as Ashiel put more distance between them, Don't let me down He thought, his head lowering as he took a squared stance. He eyed the bird that circled above them, and when the younger male spoke to it, Ace's head tilted. They were companions? It was most curious to him. While he had heard of such a thing, he had never seen it with his own eyes. Ashiel then asked him if he wanted to go first, or not. And Ace nodded.
The dire beast began to set the defenses that came most natural to him, especially after years of fighting. While indeed he was rusty, the training was still there in his mind. Now it was time to put it to the test, to figure out what he might need to retrain. Skull lowered over his throat, chin tucking as it aligned with his spine, tail flagging out to balance him. He rolled his shoulders forward to better guard the sides of his neck, his scruff pulling forward to add a barrier of fur and fat between muscle and bone. Legs spread hip and shoulder width apart for better balance, toes splaying over the earth and nails digging in for traction. He pinned his ears as close to his crown as he could, hackles bristling down his back. Lastly, he bared his yellowed fangs, crimson gaze narrowing as the skin from his quiet snarl bunched his visage.
He was ready as could be now. The titan burst forward with incredible speed, powerful hind legs kicking off the ground leaving behind a cloud of dust in his wake. Large paws pounded the ground as he aimed to come straight towards Ashiel. He wasn't going to come head on, though. He would let the young male think that, perhaps throw him off at the last second. Once Ace was in closer range (About two feet or so), he sought to feint to his left, and then to his right. He aimed to align his left shoulder now with Ashiel's left shoulder, with his (Ace's) shoulder pointed forth like a javelin. His goal was to slam his left shoulder into the left side of Ashiel's throat just near and slightly above the boys shoulder. His goal was to force Ashiel's breath from his body, bruise him, and even potentially force the kid back with his heavier weight.
Next, Ace's left forepaw would rise above the ground, attempting then to bring his claws down Ashiel's left foreleg as he sought to land a crushing stomp upon the Abraxas' left forepaw. With any luck, he'd crush toes and bruise them, perhaps even pinning him which is what Ace wanted. His other legs spread slightly to keep his balance, tail straight out as he kept his balance. Lastly, Ace's jaws flung open, spit flying every which way as he tilted his head to his left. He sought to bite the left side of Ashiel's head, with lower jaws seeking a grip just beneath the hinge of the boys jaw and his upper fangs seeking a grip just under the base of Ashiel's left ear. His aim was to try and get a solid hold on Ashiel's head, prevent him from moving too much, or at the very least, give him a good bite to remember him by.
Acere vs Ashiel for SPAR
Round: 1/?
Height: 45"
Build: Heavy
Ashiel's ears perked up at Acere's reply and his interest in actually hearing about the emperor's religion. Such responses seemed a rare treat now that the Abraxas' reputation had spread, even if it was only the darker side. That was to be expected. Fear spread faster than any disease. Ashiel grinned. "I'd be happy to, as for myself I believe I am skilled but I am young. If I have learned anything it is that I still have much to learn." Acere moved into a squared stance and Ashiel followed suit. He swiftly set his defenses as the older man agreed to make the first move.
Ashiel's head and tail gracefully shifted to align with his spine. His chin tucked as his neck scrunched back, shoulders rolling forward in anticipation as his hackles stood on end. Ashiel shifted his limbs equidistant apart, just slightly wider than shoulder and hip width respectively, his weight shifting evenly across his limbs. Ashiel's limbs coiled to lower his center of gravity and his toes splayed, claws digging into the moist soil for extra grip. His jaws parted in preparation, brows wrinkling to wrinkle the flesh of his face as his ears pinned tightly to his head, eyes narrowing.
Acere sprang forward and Ashiel tensed, his body already coiled like a spring, before he pushed off with all four paws, leaping forward to his right in an effort to get out of the way of the larger male. For the most part he was successful. Ashiel's leap managed to keep him out of the way of Acere's shoulder and the older man's left forepaw would miss with room to spare. However, the man's neck had a farther reach than Ashiel counted on and his top fangs would tear short, moderate lacerations across Ashiel's upper left side, a few inches in front of his hip. The pain was sharp and sudden but not enough to deter him.
Planting his hind legs Ashiel twisted his upper body slightly to his left as he pushed forward seeking to close the distance and to angle himself in towards Acere's left hind leg at a 30 degree angle. He attempted to throw the point of his left shoulder forward into Acere's flank behind his leftside rib cage with all the force he could manage, seeking to severely bruise the unguarded flesh and jar the man's organs. Simultaneously, Ashiel attempted to throw the center of his chest forward, seeking to crash his weight into the older man's knee with the goal of spraining the joint. In unison with his other attacks Ashiel's jaws attempted to lance forward for Acere's left side for the crevice where his left hip met his side. He sought for his upper fangs to dig into the mans flesh a few inches below the spine with his lower fangs a half foot below his upper ones. His goal was to snap his jaws together in a brutal hold that would shred through the muscle and tendons there, leaving severe lacerations and hopefully slowing his opponent down.
Ashiel vs Acere for Spar
Rd. 1/2
Height: 42"
Build: Heavy
Acere had succeeded in getting a bite in on his opponent, but the fight quickly turned against him when his hind leg seized up. He grit his teeth, his left hind leg cramping. He pulled away from Ashiel, but not before the young male had shouldered into his left flank. Ace turned to face Ashiel, his fighting posture falling away. "Wait!" He growled, though the growl was aimed at the gripping pain from his seizing leg. It felt like an iron grip was clamped tightly around it, forcing his leg to straighten out to the point he couldn't relax the muscles let alone move his toes. Well, this was embarrassing. Though it wasn't his fault, either. This was the first time that his leg had done this, and he wasn't quite sure why. Maybe just a one time thing? He hoped so. He couldn't fight properly if his leg was going to work against him...
After a minute or so, his leg finally began to relax and he too, let out a breath of relief when it finally stopped. He stood straight again, dipping his head in apology to Ashiel. "Sorry about that. That's the first time it's happened, not sure why..." He flexed his hind leg, testing to see if it would happen again...but now it just ached. "Perhaps we can try again whenever you wish. Be it today or another day," He sighed, embarrassment from what happened washing over him. "Sorry to disappoint you. But...if you don't mind, I meant when I said I was curious about your Fallen God. Mind telling me more about it?" Might as well do story time for the moment.
Ashiel was just finding his rhythm when the man called out for him to wait. He did not seem the time to pull a trick or fight unfairly so Ashiel was swift to come to a halt and move away from the man to give him some space. His ears flicked forward as he watched the tremors in the mans leg. Had Ashiel caused that? If so he felt rather pleased about it but then on the other paw it had messed up their fight altogether which hadn't been his intent.
Ashiel nodded. "Sure, that works for me. It's probably for the best I don't linger here to long anyway. I do have a pack to get back to and an unruly mother who is only likely to get into more trouble the longer I leave her unattended." He chuckled. Surely she couldn't get up to to much in such a short amount of time? He turned his attention back to Acere. "Certainly, he is my ancestor. He ruled the celestial realms long ago but some of the other gods, in their jealousy attacked him. There was a great battle that ripped the heavens asunder. In the end even those he trusted turned against him and he was hurled down and in a diminished state." Their mission was simple, to restore their lineage to its birthright and re-obtain their place in the celestial realms but he didn't really feel like telling the mortal that. "My family and I are his descendants and are also bound to mortal form."