Deal with the Devil (Test vs Salem)

The day is breaking into dusk as the sky starts to darken and the sun is setting below the horizon.  Most of the normal visitor have left with a few scant people are getting ready to leave, either from picnic or jogging.  However, there is one individual that is still remaining and had no plan to leave.  A tall purple haired beauty whom is reading a fairly thick book.  Today, she is wearing a red ruched mesh lace trim dress with a short brimmed hat, enjoying the peace at the park for the moment.  However, once in a while she takes a moment to look around, searching for something for a few seconds before returning to her reading.

Earlier ago, she made a posting looking to solve a phenomenon occurring within the local region and needed a skilled and resourceful (yes she bolded that word) adventurer to help her solve this problem.  So far, it has been 5 days and the candidates has been rather disappointing so far; she hopes this day yields better fruit.  Either way, she can always enjoy a good reading while she finds someone capable.

Test scanned his surroundings as he entered the park. This was the meeting place. He looked around for any sign of the one who has posted the job. He was as conspicuous as could be with his leather traveling grab and weapon slung across his back.

As she crosses her legs, reveal under the slits of her dress, her red and blue eyes catches the sight of someone with a weapon across his back, causing an eyebrow to raise. She wasn't sure whether if it was some traveler that happens to come back or an interested adventurer that have read about her posting. With a gesture of her gloved hand, she waved him towards her direction rather than calling out to him.

Test noticed the purple haired woman waving him over and assumed it was who he was looking for. Are you the one looking for a resourceful adventurer?" He asked as grew close.

"Yes I am, I take it that you believe that you are one?" That confirms that he was someone that have read her posting. Salem lowers her book down at the attention of the individual that has approached her. "So tell me about yourself and some of your accomplishments?" Her full attention focused on Test as she gestures over to the seat opposite from the table she is sitting at.

Test sat across from her, taking a second to organize his thoughts. "Well I've spent a lot of time fighting monsters and midara and generally trying to help people. I'm apparently one of the only adventures to ever defeat the ladies of the Amore Manor if that means anything to you." He told her, having no idea how to sell himself.

Salem quirks a brow for a moment as she assess Test's proclaimed accomplishments. It was hard to get a read on her emotions even for a seasoned adventurer. She then gestures towards Test. "Can you please elaborate on your venture with the Amore Manor?" There was no indication of whether she knew about it or not.

Test gave a cut down description of his time at the Amore Manor, describing his battles with the maids, the two foxes, the three sisters, and finally the terrifyingly powerful mistress of the manor, Lady Amata Amore herself. He told her all about the challenges he had faced and how he had ultimately emerged victorious. Although he decided to downplay just how often the maids had successfully hypnotized him into their obedient toy.

Salem listens to his tale for a while, trying to follow the time-line in which how his adventure have went. Nothing stands out as a red flag though she did not have all of the pieces of his tale constructed in her head of yet. "I see. And what do you believe that you had that allow you to succeed where others have failed?"

Test thought about this for a moment. "To be honest, a willingness to persevere along a long and sometimes difficult path. My understanding is that most adventurers who challenge the Amore Manor face Lady Amata without taking the time to train against each of her daughters in turn, and that's why they lose. I made sure to challenge and defeat them all, before confronting Amata. Even though it sometimes seemed impossible." He explained.

Salem listens to Test's words while keeping her gaze on him through the entire answer he provide, nodding briefly in acknowledgement as he finishes summarizing. She did hang onto the last statement mentally. "So you had to rise to the challenge then." The devil paraphrases Test's accomplishment in the Amore Manor. "What have been your biggest challenge of yet? How did you overcome it, if at all? Do not worry voicing if you have not. No one always succeed." She smiles briefly.

"I think that honor also has to go to the trails of the Amore Manor. I've fought and failed since, but nothing was quite like that." The adventurer told her after some more thought.

"Amore again hmm?" Salem surmises that his greatest accomplishment was his toughest if his story checks out. "Well one last set of questions before the test. What is your opinions on midaras and demons? This is actually important because it is the context of what I need assistance with."

"I don't know anything about demons, so I can't really give you an opinion. And I don't have any issues with midara. I've fought a few who were causing trouble, but even then they were usually more self-centered then evil." Test noted, curious as to why exactly she asked.

Salem nods briefly. "If you are wondering why I am asking about this, I need someone to watch my back while investigating an incident. There seems to be a magic disturbance within the local midara population and it is causing some somewhat unpredictable behaviors. Some have ended up encroaching areas where they are normally not found."

Salem begins to stand up from her seat as she starts removes her hat, revealing the small horns that jut from her purple hair. "Before I will start on this. I do need to make sure that you are able to defend yourself against midaras.

Thanks to this phenomenon, some normally docile one can become aggressive and I don't want to invest in a guard that would end up being whisked away. Would that be acceptable?" She leaned forward briefly, giving Test a peek down the soft and smooth valley of her large breasts. Already she is starting to test his resolve but Test was able to keep his eyes on hers rather than her cleavage.

Spoiler:

"Of course." Test replied professionally. "I'm always willing to be put to the test. Pun not intended. How would you like me to prove myself?" He asked, completely failing to notice her attempt to entice him.

Salem's eyebrow raises slightly as her attempted at seduction whiffed over Test's head. Not bad. "Well I know quite a number of charms and seduction techniques and am very proficient with them; they will be used against you in this trial. To put it simply, I want you to try to subdue me while I try to melt your mind."

The sorceress looks around for a moment with a brief frown. "But not here though. No sense to attract unwanted attention. Beside, I do not want to ruin your image." She beckons Test over towards a direction out of the park.

"Good point. No need for people to get the wrong idea." Test noted, moving to follow Salem to somewhere more private.

"Well here we are. Although we don't exactly have too much time before night start to set so we should make this a quick one." It was several minutes before the two arrives at a relatively open grass field. The sun is still on the horizon casting its light, even if it is starting to dip; it won't be long before the field be too dark without artificial light.

She turns towards Test with a grin, almost as if eyeing him as if he is prey waiting to be tasted. "Remember, you have to actually do well against." She then lowers her voice to a husky seductive whisper. "That is, unless you want something else now that we are here in private~"

"If there's something you want I'm sure it can wait for afterwards." Test replied, catching the obvious provocation. He drew his sparring staff, took a fighting stance and waited for her to begin.

River Stance if attacked

"Why wait? I am sure you are rather eager to find out what I am offering~" Her tone making it clear what that offering is, her voice smooth as silk that would draw the heart of virtually every person that listens to it. "Why don't you pu-" Salem had to abruptly her words short as Test interrupts her with a swift horizontal swing. He wasn't going to let the devil continue speaking to tempt him. A slab of metal rises to intercept the staff, blocking the attack.

Spoiler:

"If you really want to fool around it can wait for after you're done testing me." Test told her. Speaking plainly. It was tempting, but he wasn't going to fall for such an obvious trap. He tried to impress his potential future employer by unleashing a barrage of attacks.

Triple Strike

While Salem was braced herself for Test's next attack. Test proved more than capable of his martial prowess. A wide swing was send originally towards her head causing her metal guard to be shifted high only for the swing to strike at her hip instead. A follow up two strike jab follows up while Salem is reeling from the swing. The first strike landed true on the the other hip

But Salem quickly moved forward, ignoring the pain, to try to take advantage of Test's extension of his 3rd strike to try to reel him in. The adventurer dove low and barely avoided the tall devil's grasps rolling behind her. Though he manage to avoid getting pulled into her embrace, he had to abandoned his third attack in the process.

Spoiler:

Test kept a low profile. Carefully examining the devil to try and predict her next move. He feinted a quick jab at her leg before throwing a powerful swing at her torso.

Overwhelm

Test decided on a singular blow this time towards the legs. Salem notices where his watch is at and prepares accordingly to prepare his eyes for a trap. However, the moment she saw Test spins the staff behind him, she recognize the type of attack was coming. Due to her discretion, she was able to narrow have her leg get smacked with the momentum of the diagonal spin built from the spin initialize behind him. However, a part of the staff ended up hooking to a part of her lower dress causing her to stumble from having part of her clothes being abruptly yanked.

Spoiler: