Shadow and Steel

Tix jumped back on her feet "At least I'm able to control myself now!" She replied "All that talk of a world of peace, yet, when you get angry you lose track of everything! Her blade was still burning while shw rushed towards him...

Obsidian Ashes: 8 - Success!

Sending Ferro a powerful fire slash, and back to the floor "I can even feel your hate, you are not even trying to hide it, I feel it burning inside of you! You don't want me here, don't you!?" Tix was surprisingly calm as she said this.

Ferro: 7 + Shadow Flame + Burning
Tix: 22

Sent from Topic'it App

Such a forceful strike sent him to the floor, but he didn't get up this time. "So what should I do...it keeps happening, I keep failing and letting people down. If I can't even beat a single aspect of "Ixana", what good am I?"
With those words, he got up to his feet, ignoring the burns and the pain and readied his staff again. The metal of his staff melted down and creeped across his arms, forming a sort of second skin.
(68)
-Second Skin, Active- Ferro's staff is melted down and doubles the strength of his unarmed strikes, however, he loses all staff moves for the rest of the match, and he suffers 0.5 damage with every strike.

That really got to her "I had enough." Tix sheathed her blade and turned her back on the monk "This 'aspect' had enough of your bullshit, go back to beating defenseless mannequins, don't worry, I won't tell the other 'aspects' what you think about them." With the same annoyed look she started to walk towards the door "I knew Ix was fucking wrong, what I didn't knew is that so was Dixi... Get this on your fucking hard head! We are NOT aspects, neither of Ixana or Lina, we are our own persons now, you'll do right remembering that."

He glared at her back as it distanced further. The utter war of emotions raged harder than ever as his mind drove hard to determine what to do next, until it all calmed for a moment...
"You're right. You're your own people..."
(76, 44, 22)
He rushed in and bombarded her with a combo, launching her to the floor. As Tix got her bearings, he stood tall and stared her down with a steely gaze. "All the more reason why I can't lose this time! Now stand up and come at me, Tix!" He put up a ready stance and awaited her next move.

Tix: 10
Ferro: 6.5 + Second Skin

Tix stood up, looking at him with an angry look, or so it seemed "Pfft... Hahahahaha..." She laugh "You really are a moron you know that right?" She took out her sword "But I will give it to you..."

Dragon's Claw: 10, 70, 42, 36, 99

"I guess you are not that bad of a guy!" She added while slashing Ferro several times, for her final slash she slowed down, which allowed Ferro to evade it "And you are finally getting the rid of thing here, good." She finished with a smirk.

Tix: 10
Ferro: 2.5 + Second Skin

(40, 42, 18, 29, 39, 78, 41, 70, 66)
Ferro backed away after her last strike and immediately performed the nine cuts, building up his mental and spiritual fortitude to ease his pain.

Tix: 10
Ferro: 8.5 + Second Skin

"Healing?" Tix asked "Well, you know what they say, no pain..." Sheathing her Muramasa, Tix took out a blade that gave out a powerful aura "No gain!" 

Black Dragon’s Soaring Thunder Blade: 60 - Success! Down chance: 72

Tix vanished and reappeared in front of Ferro, before he could even react, slashing him twice, rendering him unable to move, red and black lightning running through her blade as she pointed to the skies "Come, soaring the skies, raging and destroying all that crosses your path..." Black energy building on her sword, creating a big pillar of energy "Totsuka!" She yelled as she delivered the blow, crashing the pillar of energy against Ferro, leaving him down on the floor.

Tix: 10
Ferro: 1.5 + Second Skin + Downed

And just like that, he collapsed to the floor once more, weaker than ever and struggling to pick himself up. Is this really all he can do? "Haha...God you're such a monster," he coughed.
(10)
From his downed position, he whipped up his magics and summoned the Swamp Succubus, who appeared from behind and forced Tix's face to hers for an utterly breath-taking kiss, allowing Ferro the opportunity to get his ass off the floor.

Ferro: 1.5
Tix: 10 + Paralyzed

That got her by surprise, she wasn't expecting a succubus to come and give her a mouthful, as she cleaned her lips she looked at Ferro, feeling still a bit dazed to move "What is it with you guys and summons?"

(Auto)
He smiled as he poured out more magic to summon Lasciel to come in and heal him up again. The angel appeared from her summon feather and helped him to his feet with an embrace as soothing radiance eased his pain. "Thanks, Ciel! Now let's see how long thus lasts..."

Ferro: 5.5 + Second Skin
Tix: 10

"You have determination, I'll give you that." She praised him as she sheathed Totsuka "But I wonder if you have the strenght to back it up!" She added, taking position...

Quick Draw: 4 Success!

She eyed the angel vanishing as well as the spectator side of the room before directing her gaze back to Ferro.

Ferro: 5.5 + Second Skin
Tix: 10 + Quick Draw

(6)
Ferro stood straight and pulled out one last use of his magic, hardening his skin to that of stone. "I'm about as ready as I'll ever be for this..."

Ferro: 5.5 + Second Skin + Stone Skin
Tix: 10

Seems like he's learning Tix thought to herself, unsheathing Kurou no Tatsu "Then prove it!"

Spirit Hunt: 80 Success!


Tix charges forward once more slashing out around her, hitting Ferro once again, she could feel the enchantment on his skin as she strikes.



Ferro: 4.5 + Second Skin + Stone Skin + Marked

Tix: 10

(88, 11, 98) Crit
Ferro took the slash dead on before unleashing an unbelievably bone rocking combo on Tix, knocking her head in, missing a swing of his elbow, but managing to pull her into a knee bash.

Ferro: 4 + Second Skin + Stone Skin
Tix: -6
Ferro Wins

Tam raised an eyebrow in surprise, but then grinned.
"Aww.... Did lil Tix get a boo boo from the mean human boy with a stick?" She cooed. "Want me to kiss it better?" She laughed. It was quite clear that it would be some time before Tix lived this down.

Jane, meanwhile, began to prepare her first aid kit to deal with the post fight injuries. It appeared that, part way through the fight, Ferro had manager to come to an epiphany of sorts. She made her way over the the middle of the room to assist with the bruises that Tix had sustained, as well as the cuts and burns Ferro had taken.

After a couple of minutes from the brutal beatdown, Tix's wounded started to heal, really quick as she got up, cracking her neck and stretching her arms, just to look at Tam and raise a brow "Say what you want, I bet you are wishing for me to say yes to your kiss offer." She replied before looking at Jane who was there with the first aid kit "What? I heal fast." she said to her before directing her gaze to Ferro "Did you finally get it, you knucklehead?"

"Yeah, more or less," he said as both his Stone Skin enchantment and his Second Skin ability deactivated. He smirked at Tix and said, "And all it took was to kick your ass. Go figure!"
To be honest, he was both proud of himself and angry with himself. He still felt highly conflicted about his track record as of late.

"Ho? I wonder if you are asking for a rematch, this time me going full power..." She replied with cold eyes and a pretty terrifying aura but deep inside, she was feeling embarrased for being defeated in front of Tam, after all, she wanted to impress her, even if she won't admit it.

"Nah, I think I'm gonna go out for some food," he said. "Might even get some drinks."

"For once, you say something intelligent." She looked at Tam "Want to get something to drink, Tam? Keep in mind, I'm not asking you for a date, just us all going for a drink."

Yumi had observed the match silently though not within the normal audience range but outside of it. Compare to such power that Ferro and Tix displayed, she felt largely inadequate with her own talent in combat. Shadow flames, attacks rivaling avalanches, her own are child's play....at the moment. She cannot let the inadequacy bring her down though, she has to continue t improve. For Dixi's sake, for Jennifer's sake. For her sake.

She leaves the ground to prepare for her next lesson. And hopefully, she can be the bring that is the protector instead of the protected.

"Oh, you're coming along? Alright, ya wanna invite anyone else?" He thought of Dixi and Xana first and foremost, and then of course Jane.

"You can invite that knucklehead you call friend if you want..." She said refering to Dixi "But don't get weird ideas like we are friends or something like that, we just happen to be going to the same bar..." She then looked at Tam "You coming or what, fox?" She asked, slightly annoyed.

"Of course, of course," he chuckled knowingly. "Jane, how about you? Wanna join us? I'll ask Dixi later."

Tam shrugged.
"I suppose I've got nothing better to do. After all, I'll just bet you can't hold your drink. Someone's going to have to make sure you get back here in one piece. Especially if even this guy can beat you up." Tam grinned. "Maybe some random in an alley somewhere well try and take his chances with you. I can't be having that."

Jane nodded, as she finished patching up Ferro.
"That sounds nice. Perhaps a double date. Or, if we invite Dixi and Yumi, we could make it a triple date." Jane suggested.

"Who said this was a date?!" Tam commented, her eye twitching a little.