The Annual Harvest [Open]

[Cana]

It was indeed cute to hear him growl in frustration, Falona thought. She caught Corvus's staff. The iceflame had done its work well.  The ice crawled up the handle of the staff, reaching Falona's hand in seconds. The frostbite was very quick to penetrate her skin, but only a smile was evident upon her face. "When you live a life such as mine, you learn to enjoy pain." Falona squeezed the staff. It immediately turned to ashes. She cast her own staff aside, clearing the frostbite from her hand. "Now that we've established our abilities, let's try some physical combat. No weapons, no magic. Just skill." She leaped forward kicking Corvus to the ground. She stood menacingly over him. "I'd like to see if the legends were true. That vampires are inhumanly strong and fast. Well, get up. Vampire." She smiled with a mischievous gleam in her eyes.

[Lion]

Corvus was growing irritated more and more quickly.  As she somehow managed to knock him to the ground, he peered up ar her with peculiar glint to his dark eyes and slowly sat up, smirking at her taunts.  He wasn't much of one for physical fighting, but if she asked for it, that's what she would get.  He did move fast, but he had a feeling she would anticipate his moves as she'd done so so far with magic.  His fists moved like a whiplash of lightning as he struck as her face, her body and quickly dropped down to sweep a leg underneath her feet.

[Cana]

The pounding hurt Falona. But that didn't mean she was in pain. Cutting off her magic for a short time was risky, especially for her, but there was once a time when she had no magic. Though it had been centuries ago, The memories came flooding back to her mind. Falona jumped over Corvus's leg. Her vision was sharp and clear, no details escaping her gaze. Falona began to move in the rhythm of Corvus's lunges. bobbing and weaving, she quickly studied every part of his movements. She threw fast jabs into his abdomen and jaw, angling her knuckles for more potency. Falona's eyes were glowing. She was laughing, but not with the chilled evil of before. This laughing was melodious and beautiful, like cathedral bells at dawn. It filled the room with a warmth that could be felt nowhere else in the palace.   

[Lion]

Corvus had eearly forgotten what pain felt like, the physical trauma that quaked through his form through Falona's calculated blows.  She hit well and she hit hard and turned his head and body this way and that. He's never been one to favor  physical combat but his body grew to hold the strength of the soul that possessed it, a desperate longing to survive.  Corvus lost his footing with another blow to the gut, but used that motion to make a lunge for her legs, tackling her to the ground with animal savagery and stuck his claws at her throat.  "What's so funny?" he growled, tightening his grip.

[Cana]

Falona continued her beautiful laughter, panting. "I haven't had such fun sparring for decades!" Blood slowly trickled from Falona's neck where Corvus still held her, but she didn't notice. She stared him directly in the eyes, hers sparkling like rare gemstones. Falona used her right index and middle finger to jab the center of Corvus's throat, momentarily stunning him. Taking the upper hand, she rolled until she was on top of him, and pinned him there. She smiled. "You appear a little unhappy, Corvus. Is it because the mighty Vampire is being beaten by a woman?" She didn't bother to hide the coyness in her voice.

[Lion]

At her words, the growling subsided a little, but only a little.  And his eyes sought hers for the moment.  They burned with a hidden temper, the quiet coals burning with a small satisfaction.  He actually smiled through a snarl and stilled his struggling for a moment.  "Not at all, Mistress," he said.  "I never thought myself so high and mighty.  My only dissatisfaction may come from displeasing you."  It was half-true at least, but there was little he could do from his position on the ground.

[Cana]

Falona came closer, her face inches from his. "Trust me. It would take a millennium of things for you to displease me." She smiled. Sitting here was definitely more entertaining than sparring. "So, should I just sit here, perched on top of you all day, or are you planning to find a more comfortable way to lose?" Falona laughed again.

[Lion]

"A millennium, truly?  Then I'll do my best to get started," Corvus half-grinned back in jest.  The brown of his eyes was still warm and he wasn't sure he was ready to lose just yet.  But maybe he didn't have to...  Corvus relaxed his features and peered his eyes down toward her mouth and her smile and then to her neck, though it was a look of a different hunger.  "That depends on a few factors.  One, movement in my current position is quite limited.  And two, you're much stronger than I anticipated.  But if you had a better idea in mind, I wouldn't be opposed to losing gracefully."

[Cana]

Falona smirked mischievously. "You will find some women harder to please than others," She said as she swiftly plunged her knee in a certain tender area. Falona stood up, the smirk still on her face. " Was that loss soft enough for you? It can be harder once I beat you again, if you like. That is, of course, IF, I beat you again." She put her hands on her hips. "I know there's more in you. I want to see it. I'm not a priceless artifact, Corvus. You don't have to worry about breaking me." She winked at him.

[Lion]

Corvus held his breath but refused a scream when her knee came down on him.  He was a little red in the face, but stood up and cupped his sore area until most of the pain subsided.  His grin was smug despite the literal low-blow and he gave a shrug of his shoulders.  "I think I'm more worried about you breaking me," he said, giving her a once over.  "But I think this is a good opportunity to gracefully bow from your challenge."

[Cana]

Falona growled playfully, positioning herself like a werewolf ready to attack his prey. "BRING IT, Vampire!" She smiled, barring her teeth at the same time. This Exhiliration was something she wasn't going to give up any time soon. She no longer cared who beat who, she just wanted to continue having a good brawl. Falona was silently thanking herself for sparing Corvus's soul. It was definitley worth it.

[Lion]

Corvus frowned at her and straightened as he fixed his shirt from where  it'd gotten ripped and torn and wrinkled.  That frown turned into a small scowl as he stepped away.  "No," he said adamantly.  "I think that's quite enough."

[Cana]

Falona straightened herself out, frowning. "Oh? You think that's enough? You think that merely because your feathers have been ruffled that you've had enough?" Her expression soured. "You know nothing of battle. You can fight me, but only until you're tired. You do not know the pain of battle, the anguish." She turned away from him. "When you're out there, surrounded by screaming and blades and blood, you cannot stop. You must fight, or you must die. I had to learn this at a very young age. Very young...." Her voice trailed off. Falona turned back to Corvus. "you must learn to fight past the pain, to fight past the exhaustion. I shall teach you how, in time. For now, we will cease. Come," She went to the door.   

[Lion]

Corvus straightened as she spoke, but his brown eyes never left her face.  He watched what little emotion that displayed across her features, as if the very events of their cause flashed across them.  But he couldn't read minds. He knew only his own.  And that he stopped not because of pain.  Pain he could take, it was real, and in a manner of speaking he relished it's sensation.  For it served as a reminder that one was still alive.

He said nothing and neither did his face when she came forth.  He gave no warning when he struck at her, claws coming down across her face and his should rammed into her.  He stalked around her with a half-amused smirk. "And you should know better than to put your guard down."

[Cana]

Blood trickled from the fresh wounds on Falona's face. She swiped some on her fingers, looked at them, them smiled up at Corvus. "Well, aren't you special. You've managed to cause more flaw in my strategy than anyone before you." She punched his stomach, hard. As he caved inward, she grabbed his arm and went behind him, twisting it all the way backward. "Just what do you have to say for yourself, oh master of weaknesses?" She purred into his ear.

[Lion]

Corvus knew she wouldn't give up so esssily and she should have known that he wouldn't either.  But it was one lesson to be learned and both would learn it well.  He only laughed at her words and grinned, even with the pain of his twisted arm.  He soon forced himself backwards and dissipated his body, flowing through her like he did to make it through her walls, phasing through her.  And becoming solid through the other side.  He appeared behind her and grabbed her around the waist, picking her up from the ground before planting her on the ground, slamming her hard.

[Cana]

Falona's head smacked hard into the stone floor. For a moment, the world became a blur of color. Then, she remembered where she was. She locked her legs around his, pulling him down with her. She held him there, refusing to budge. She was certain she had a concussion, but that was nothing a little magic couldn't fix later. For some reason she couldn't quite grasp at the time, Falona hissed like an animal at Corvus and began clawing savagley at any part of him she could reach.

[Lion]

Corvus fell when her legs entwined with his and dropped him like a fly.  He slammed down and seethed through grit teeth when she started to claw into his legs.  He lunged forward and slammed his body on hers, headbutting her in the process.

[Cana]

Falona gasped loudly when Corvus's head smacked hers. She started clawing and hitting his upper body with what strength she could muster past the throbbing in her head. She knew she may pass out, so she fought hard. Finally, she managed to kick him off. She lied there on the cold stone floor staring at the ceiling, her chest heaving. Her vision was beginning to greatly distort the room.

[Lion]

Corvus was sufficiently bruised and beaten when she threw him off her at last.  Magic had given her strength enough to vault his body over her head and he landed with and "Oof!" just opposite her, his head was beside hers.  "That was good!" he coughed beside her.  He turned over and knelt over her face.