[1v1] Round Two, Pony Boy! (Invictus & Hel)

[Lucyal]

Okay, Hel definitely did not forget about that rematch she had wanted from Invictus. No, she most certainly did not. Time just…slipped away from her, that’s all. Year Two exams, then some training, and then the Christmastival fiasco, and then more training…and well, she needed to get back on that rematch with the heir to Conquest! She would keep challenging him no matter how much…stronger than her he was. She had something to prove! Hmm…GroanSpring was convenient and all, but the last time he sent her an invitation to battle, it was through a well written letter (which she still had), so Hel decided to return the favor.

The valkyrie slipped a hand-written invitation for a rematch under the Co-Ed bathroom door, addressed to Invictus, and then scurried off to the Open Arena to wait for him.  

[demon_pachabel]

The fact that Invictus had gotten the letter at all was likely a stroke of luck. The state of Conquest hadn't exactly been secret in the time since the Haunted House revisit-fiasco and the meeting with his father - obsessive. It was a state that almost mimicked a previous state of being he'd been seen in before, this obsessive behavior of his. He forcibly created order wherever it was he went, whether it was by a strange way of arranging everything, or just generally being angry and creating distance.

Part of this may have also been sleep deprivation, keeping himself awake to unlivable hours of the night and running on an amount of sleep that would make the undead collapse with exhaustion. He would not fail again, he would not fail again, he would not fail again.

He'd done this song and dance before with the same results, but he couldn't help but push himself to meet that challenge. As it stood, he had nearly missed out on the letter until his obsessive arrange-everything kicked in, picking it up in the middle of his tirade, reading it over, lips set tightly.

Why not? It would serve you well to expend some energy productively. he thought to himself, tucking the written challenge away as he left the Horseman Domain to go and meet the Valkyrie.  

[Lucyal]

She wasn’t disappointed, of course not!

Hel stood in the middle of the open arena with her hands firmly planted on her hips as Invictus appeared, and a small grin couldn’t help but pull at her lips. “I do hope you are aware of what you are in for, Invictus.” Hel started. “I am going to keep on challenging you until I defeat you!” What then, she wondered? You know, she hadn’t thought about that yet. Huh. The ghoul moved her hands off of her hips and summoned her spear.

“I thank you for coming regardless!”  

[demon_pachabel]

"I am fully aware why you summoned me, Hel." he answered, his voice more terse than intended, his stress showing more than he would have liked. Still, as she summoned her spear, he too moved, summoning his bow. He didn't speak any further at the goading she gave to the regard of challenging him until she won.

He would have been disappointed if she didn't, and he had expressed that before. No need to remind, as far as he was concerned. It was obvious that he didn't intend to just let her win - if she did, it was likely that he would issue the next challenge, if only to keep the game alive.  

[Lucyal]

demon_pachabel

The reaper brought her spear around, but paused as she took in the Heir’s tone. Now granted, she hadn’t exactly spent a lot of time around Invictus, but all her past encounters with him, the boil had been rather…how did one say…calm and collected…seemingly in charge of the situation no matter what. Now? He seemed…well…not like his ‘usual’ self.

Hel shifted, spreading her feet a bit apart as she held her spear in front of her and waited for the Heir to Conquest to make his move. “…Something the matter?”  

[demon_pachabel]

Invictus's expression was worn, even as he watched the Valkyrie on the defensive, as though she was waiting for him to do something. He didn't. Instead, he moved cautiously, just out of the reach of that spear of hers. "Ah, yes. You weren't there when my Honored Father came before us, were you?" The way he spoke 'Honored Father' denoted a strange mix of both respect, and fear.

Genuine fear and the deepest respect that could possibly exist for anybody. Stress. Definitely stress.

"My father has a way of.....motivating...me." it was strange, admitting that. It was obvious, and yet unexpected that he'd share so much.


HP: 60/60
Damage Dealt: Failed  

[Lucyal]

demon_pachabel

She was waiting for him to do something, definitely…so when he didn’t, she did. Her hands tightened on her spear, and the ghoul lunged forward a bit, striking out at the horseman with her spear. Just a clip but she’d take it. The ghoul pulled away then, circling around Invictus cautiously to keep herself moving.

Hel grimaced as he spoke. She always seemed to be missing big events, huh?

The way he spoke though, also had her curiosity piqued. The way he spoke…it was rather contrasting from the Heir of Conquest she was use to dealing with! What kind of power did this…dear father have that made Invictus speak so…

“I…see.” The ghoul replied slowly, her brows furrowed. “…I assume as of late you have been…ah…motivated, then?” If his strange behavior was any indication.

HP: 40/40
DMG: 3  

[demon_pachabel]

He stepped back in time to prevent Hel getting too solid of a blow in with her spear, not seeming rattled, but...unfocused somehow. Like his brain was trying to be everywhere and anywhere all at once. Everywhere all at once. It was.... a small mess, really.

It made it hard to stay in the moment, even as he finally retaliated to her first-blow with the use of his bow - or rather, the manipulation of Gravity it so helpfully bestowed upon him, reaching out but for a moment to give his pull. Not as strong as when he had forced others to their knees, however. Not by any lengths.

HP: 57/60
Damage: 11 - 8 = 3  

[Lucyal]

demon_pachabel

Invictus being off was throwing her off. No fair, really!

The ghoul couldn’t help but grimace as he called forth that damn gravity well attack of his. She felt that pressure on her joints and the ache in her knees, but she knew too, that it was no where near as bad as it could have been. That being said, she tried to lash out at him once more, but had a feeling it wouldn’t connect.

“I can’t help but feel like your mind is elsewhere at the moment.” For some reason as well, she was fighting to not tack ‘friend’ on the end of that statement.

HP: 37/40
DMG: 0  

[demon_pachabel]

He reacted to the weapon by stepping towards it, one hand reaching to grab the hilt as he clenched his other hand into a fist, pulling down with it, a faint red glow spreading through the bow around his wrist as it seemed to react to his command.

"Am I? I would suspect so." Invictus didn't fight the observation, accepting it plainly. "Father is the only person I have ever needed to prove myself to. My entire life has been fueled by that, it is hard to get away from." His lips turned into a frown, one of the most obvious displays of emotion that Conquest had ever shown to the public, which seemed to be reflected in the strength of his gravity pull.

HP: 57/60
Damage: 17 - 8 = 9  

[Lucyal]

demon_pachabel

Hel frowned as he grabbed her spear, and tried jerking the weapon out of his grasp. She hated when he did that! No one else ever grabbed her spear usually…but that was the least of her concerns as she observed the energy gathering around his fist. Uh oh…

Her eyes slid over to Invictus’ face as he spoke. Huh…he was being oddly open…and Hel could sympathize. The ghoul was further stunned as the Horseman out right frown, but she didn’t have too much time to linger over that thought as she was suddenly forced flat out onto the ground. “ACK!” The pressure was unnerving…and it was here the ghoul couldn’t help but laugh. It came out choked at first, but then clear. That was the kind of strength she grew to know from the Heir to Conquest.

The reaper dismissed her weapon, and once she was able, pushed herself back up to her feet. She wiped the back of her mouth with a sleeve and grinned, summoning her spear once more. “Question for you, Vicky!” The ghoul started to charge him. “I understand how important a parent’s approval is…but…have you ever been driven to prove yourself to yourself, and no one else?” She thrust her weapon forward them, looking to lance him.

HP: 28/40
DMG: 4  

[demon_pachabel]

He laughed. Not a humored laugh, but a bitter one that seemed to stem from some sort of stress, both of his fists clenching now as the gravity already summoned seemed to pool again. However, the ground did not pull at Hel, but rather it seemed it was time for him to throw some things...more readily now. Projectiles from whatever surface would renege them easily.

"Do not call me Vicky." He suddenly hissed, even as he let the objects fly, his frown deepening angrily, visible rage creasing across his face. "Someday, I should introduce you to my father. Or at least put you two in the same room. Then perhaps you will understand how he can break me so easily...."

HP: 53/60
Damage: 19 - 8 = 11  

[Lucyal]

demon_pachabel

Hel drew back again once she landed a strike on him. Oh dear, did he look pissed! Ha…ahaha…ow.

The valkyrie was knocked right off of her feet again as she was struck by a multitude of projectiles. She let out a cry of pain as she landed on her back, curling into herself for a moment before she pushed herself up again, ready for more abuse apparently. She held her spear out protectively…though it really did little against those projectiles. She wanted gravity powers too, damn it!

“…Ah, but Invictus, I would probably not last more than five minutes in your father’s presence! Five minutes it stretching it too, friend, if my first encounter with you would be of any indication.” Despite all the damage she had taken so far, Hel still had the cheery disposition to poke fun at herself and grin. As much as she was getting her a** handed to her, it was enthralling as well, battling such a powerful opponent. The ghoul twirled her spear then, and started to focus on casting a spell…but it seemed she would be lacking the concentration, as it missed its mark. "...Do you think the Clans will start accepting students...to teach them?" That was something she was very, very interested in.

HP: 17/40
DMG: Fear Attack – The Mind- MISS (gdi Invi)  

[demon_pachabel]

"Even I do not survive my father for five minutes.." Invictus said calmly, seeming to have regained his head to some extent after that quick burst of anger. It was more like him than he'd been acting previously.... but so was the formation of the familiar red-glowing projectiles that formed around his hand.

He launched then all in rapid succession, as though they were a slew of arrows at his command, though they were nowhere near as dangerous as what it was his father would unleash.

"You missed the announcement about the Horsemen that are not the four heirs roaming the campus, then, Hel? Why does that actually surprise me?"

HP: 53/60
Damage: Swift Strikes - 25/ 1/2 --> 12.5 ---> 12  

[Lucyal]

demon_pachabel

“If you do not survive your father for even five minutes, then I definitely stand no chance.”

Uh oh…

There was no way to counter that attack, and the reaper’s body could only jerk this way and that was she was struck by the succession of red-glowing projectiles. Hel let out a snarl of pain as she felt that attack take another large chunk out of her fear shield and the ghoul staggered, wobbling in place. Damn…she had advanced a year, but really, was she doing any better than last battle? At his question, the reaper snorted softly. “I am not certain friend…apparently I am missing all the important things. It is not intentional, trust me!”

Regardless, she was determined to go out giving her all again. Hel twirled her spear, and then charged the Heir to Conquest, letting out a battle cry as she thrust her weapon at him.

HP: 5/40
DMG: 8