5th of Ashan, Arc 719
Watching the necromancer—and Prae was sure he was a necromancer, now—and the Krorros fight each other, Prae wasn't sure which attack was the more terrible of the two. As Prae recovered, tapping his hand to the rune of endurance over his chest and replenishing his energy, he saw the Lotharro fly through the air, blown back by the force of the explosion, and winced in sympathy. He'd been on the receiving end of that before; it wasn't fun. But when the Krorros turned, he saw that the necromancer might well have made the more permanent mark.
Where the Lotharro's broad hand had touched, Praetorum saw bloody flesh, her leather armor, clothes and skin all sloughing off like meat left out too long under the Saun sun. Bitter bile rose in his throat then as he realized what had happened, quickly forced down. He had seen many gruesome things in his time as a soldier, but he had never seen this, a warrior's flesh rotted away in a matter of moments. As the woman moved to pick up a discarded weapon, he could see the exposed muscles move, bunching as her hand closed around the handle of a blade.
Forcing the image from his mind, Praetorum charged at her again, intending to force her quickly from the fight, as much for her own good as for his own success. With her right arm injured, Prae was fairly certain he had the upper hand, but you never really knew with a Krorros.
Despite her injury, the woman was quick to roll away from Prae's charge, and quicker to launch an attack as he barrelled past her. Praetorum whipped his tail to the side, spinning himself around, but didn't manage to find steady footing before she was on top of him.
Literally.
The pair of them went crashing down to the ground hard, with Praetorum flat on his back and his foe above him. Prae had managed to keep his shield between her and himself, but her left hand blade came in around his tower shield, and caught Prae hard in the side, catching on a chink in his armor and slicing a shallow cut across his flank. Mostly harmless, but if he let her get a good angle, she'd gut him like a fish within trills.
So Praetorum bunched one leg up under the tower shield, and kicked out, slamming the heavy metal into the side of her ribcage, sending her flying with an oomph. The ithecal hissed in pain as the sword tip in his side jarred painfully, opening up new lacerations, but the slight gap in his armor now worked against his opponent, catching the weapon and tearing it from his opponent's grip.
Pulling the sword from his side, Praetorum scrambled to his feet, chucking the weapon across the arena so she wouldn't be able to retrieve it. And as the Krorros rose as well, Praetorum began to circle her, trying to figure out his next move. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the Lotharro approach, apparently still fighting fit. He caught the necromancer's eye for a moment, then gestured towards the Krorros, raising his shield slightly. He hoped the message was clear enough: 'Charge her; I'll cover you.'
Where the Lotharro's broad hand had touched, Praetorum saw bloody flesh, her leather armor, clothes and skin all sloughing off like meat left out too long under the Saun sun. Bitter bile rose in his throat then as he realized what had happened, quickly forced down. He had seen many gruesome things in his time as a soldier, but he had never seen this, a warrior's flesh rotted away in a matter of moments. As the woman moved to pick up a discarded weapon, he could see the exposed muscles move, bunching as her hand closed around the handle of a blade.
Forcing the image from his mind, Praetorum charged at her again, intending to force her quickly from the fight, as much for her own good as for his own success. With her right arm injured, Prae was fairly certain he had the upper hand, but you never really knew with a Krorros.
Despite her injury, the woman was quick to roll away from Prae's charge, and quicker to launch an attack as he barrelled past her. Praetorum whipped his tail to the side, spinning himself around, but didn't manage to find steady footing before she was on top of him.
Literally.
The pair of them went crashing down to the ground hard, with Praetorum flat on his back and his foe above him. Prae had managed to keep his shield between her and himself, but her left hand blade came in around his tower shield, and caught Prae hard in the side, catching on a chink in his armor and slicing a shallow cut across his flank. Mostly harmless, but if he let her get a good angle, she'd gut him like a fish within trills.
So Praetorum bunched one leg up under the tower shield, and kicked out, slamming the heavy metal into the side of her ribcage, sending her flying with an oomph. The ithecal hissed in pain as the sword tip in his side jarred painfully, opening up new lacerations, but the slight gap in his armor now worked against his opponent, catching the weapon and tearing it from his opponent's grip.
Pulling the sword from his side, Praetorum scrambled to his feet, chucking the weapon across the arena so she wouldn't be able to retrieve it. And as the Krorros rose as well, Praetorum began to circle her, trying to figure out his next move. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the Lotharro approach, apparently still fighting fit. He caught the necromancer's eye for a moment, then gestured towards the Krorros, raising his shield slightly. He hoped the message was clear enough: 'Charge her; I'll cover you.'