A Splash of Red in a World of Blue (Ticoga/Challenge AT)

She really couldn’t speak, even if she wanted to. After a few silent but visible poking and prodding about in her mouth, Zerori came to the conclusion that most certainly bit off the tip of her tongue. It wasn’t an issue… that required immediate attention but it was clear that if she didn’t seek out some form of medical care soon, she might just asphyxiate on her own blood while fighting and-

Oh, what the fuck do I care?! It’ll heal up on it’s own in no time! Zerori grumbled inwardly, no doubt influenced by her mother’s incessant need to tell her the ‘consequences of this’ and the ‘ramifications of that’. When Ticoga had given a simple nod to her, either out of a sense of pride or how big of an impression she’d made on him, Zerori was just grateful he hadn’t used the moment to really kick her while she was down. The brief thought to thank him through telepathy had come quickly but was gone just as fast when she recalled his ability to shut her out.

That was fine; she was quite good at adapting. To his compliment, Zerori just animatedly grimaced with her face in dismissal and waved her hand as if to say ‘You ain’t seen nothing yet’ just before he went on the offensive again. She was ready this time, at least and focused her senses sharply enough to keep close attention to his movements. Still, it irked her that he was holding back with the power of his hits - moments where his fists made complete contact lacking the impact his elbows did. He really did have powerful elbows.

Zerori. Stop thinking about elbows, Zerori admonished herself like a crazy person. With gnashed teeth, she took an opening she found after a clean side-step and quickly made to cleave at his back with her sword. There was very little power behind it, though, the edge barely making it through his armor if it made contact.

Son of a BITCH, he’s fast! Zerori mentally cursed, feeling the smack of a tail from under her elbow just before the trajectory of her sword was woefully redirected. It wasn’t much and hadn’t hurt, but it didn’t take a genius to know what was about to come next. He wasn’t that much smaller than her with his muscles as big as they were but somehow he was able to fit under her off kiltered swing and it was BACK TO THOSE ELBOWS AGAIN. Fuck you! Her body learning from her mistake faster than her mind comprehended the pain that was about to come, Zerori was releasing her grip on the sword and bounding backwards only millimeters before the elbow would have made any distinctive damage. It had grazed her, virtually avoided, but that still left the mercenary to roll haphazardly along the ground backwards before getting back to her feet.

Using one hand to grip the ground and stop the slide of her momentum in a kneel, Zerori used the other to call her sword back to her hand before it had even managed to fall to the ground. I’m NOT-! She pulled the sword close to her body, pumping magic back into it and forcing a malevolent glow as she snarled in his direction. -going down-! She swung horizontally and produced another slash from her sword - a red glowing crescent of dark energy this time - hurtling straight at Ticoga! -like a BITCH!

It wasn’t that strong but clearly this wasn’t about winning or losing more; the deck was stacked against her the moment he tanked her magic with a form she’d not be prepared for. Now it was just up to Zerori to rock her shit until she couldn’t rock it anymore.

With a grin that looked far too satisfied to match the dire straits of the situation, Zerori was glad that she was still able to damage him - especially with his power glowing like a beacon of superiority. Still, giving a little flourish of her sword, Zerori nearly dropped it from a sudden pain in her shoulder and instead shucked the sword into the ground to lean against it. With a tired, weary eye, the strained grin began to fall as she noted just how utterly DONE Ticoga was with the situation. The matter of fact way that he’s stood, even covered in bloody cuts, bruises and forced to transform to what Zerori hoped was his best. When he finally spoke, Zerori took in a slow, centering breath before she sighed out through her nose.

Alright, then, She forced herself to stop leaning against her sword, struggling at first before managing to pull it out from the ground. Let’s end this. She agreed, attempting one last time to connect to Ticoga’s mind with her own so he could hear her. As he rose into the air, the sensation of his power seemed to rise once more as she watched him point at her. The curiosity ate at her as she brought her sword slowly to the side in preparation for her own answer to Ticoga’s attack. Which, as she assessed her options… wasn’t really much to go off of!

The warmth she felt from this battle, however, and the eventual defeat in the face of Ticoga’s conviction was proof that she’d made the right choice to test him. Ise was powerful. As was Mint and (she hoped) Brumal. If there was ever a time to let go… it was now.

Dark red and black magic overflowed along Zerori’s blade, the runes that were typically a muted red glowing with what power she had left. And Ticoga-? She sent to him, cheeky as ever, -Thanks. Your elbows fucking hurt.

The slight hesitation Zerori noted as Ticoga had stayed where he was, his finger leveled at her mutely with only a sparkle of the power she could feel growing, had Zerori wonder if he was also hesitant in some of his resolve to finish her off. She knew he had no intentions to kill her but this, from the very beginning, was a battle to what COULD have been to the death… if they hadn’t already had an idea where this was going. Yet, feeling him accept her telepathic collect call, Zerori was glad to know that he knew exactly what she wanted in the end. He’d even sent over his own sentiments, a statement that had her scoff in amusement before she gave a cheeky little single-shouldered shrug. Anytime! Until we kick each others’ asses again-!

Between their conversation and the odd check-in, Zerori watched the small sparkle expand to enormous - and she couldn’t overstate this - ENORMOUS proportions, the size of which Zerori’s eye would blink rapidly a few times in disbelief at what she was looking at. It just didn’t seem REAL. In spite of knowing that she was going to take this literal ball miniature sun, the fact that he had this in his arsenal the entire time was reassuring. It meant that she could rest knowing her time wasn’t wasted. Ise, the one who was the most important to her…

She would be safe.

And if she ever wasn’t - she knew exactly who to look for. Protect her, little Shield.



The sudden approach of the tiny sun was like the world had gone into fast forward and Zerori was giving a roar of exertion. All at once, bringing her sword up defensively, a dome of infernal black fire would surround her in a bid to try and protect herself. In a matter of seconds, Zerori would find herself giving only the most minor resistance from the attack’s momentum - managing to hold the ball back for an impressive FIVE WHOLE SECONDS before the barrier around her began to crack, slowly at first, before they progressed so rapidly that before she knew it? She was feeling as if her entire body was one FIRE.

Her sword was flung away from her body, undamaged due to the magical runes that kept it protected from being broken, and slamming into the snow where the drifts melted nearly instantly around it. After the ball had detonated, shockingly not causing planetary damage (likely for narrative reasons) the debris and destroyed ground around where Zerori had stood would reveal the woman utterly knocked out and in such a poor condition. While most of her body had been pretty fucked up - most of the damage would have been transferred to her right arm where it bled and visibly bubbled from burns.

For a while… Zerori might struggle to use that arm.