We stand united 1x1 Maple Bat

[MickeyAdaptus 2,211]

"It is alright, though I do hope this won't happen again in the feature, interruptions in such a fight can really break the battle itself, and you could have even gotten disqualified for his interference if he had tried to move you or Evelyn in any way, it's a good thing I can still act reasonably in such situations." Karthspire said.

"Though I must say, I really enjoyed the fight, those rumours about you were true regarding your strength, being able to stand up against one of our own most talented warriors." he said with a smile.

"And I also have to thank you for the performance of you 2, I had to convince Luna of Evelyn's skill in particular and this should have set a good example." He whispered to her.

"Since Maple has forfeited, Evelyn has won the match." He said as the crowd starting cheering again.

"This might be a good time to talk to your brother since we will be having a small break before we continue our next match." Karthspire said to her.

He then walked up to Evelyn.

"You have performed a great fight here, I couldn't be more proud of you." He said to her.

 

The masked figure had been watching the spectacle with his usual silence but had put some directional glances to Karthspire multiple times with a hint of distaste.

[Maple Bat 3,568]

"Thank you." Maple replied to Karthspire before, looked at her chest you could see the core from the outside given that it was in the same place a normal heart. Perhaps Woody did just save her "Why did you do..." Maple started angrily "That..." When Maple looked at him he looked terrified. "Wow... Something's really made you more defensive. What... Happened?"

Woody just looked at her "I..." He motioned for Maple to follow her for a minute. After they were away from the arena he looked at her and said "I saw you die Maple, twice, Do you know what that's done to my sanity? I'm sorry for ruining that match but please... I can't stand to see you get hurt for no reason..."

"... Alright, I'll keep away from this kinda stuff. I am going to fight to rescue mom but then I'll cut back on it." Maple said hugging Woody "Don't worry about me I'll make it through this."

 

"I told that Bat I could beat her." Evelyn said, "Though we'll probably have to train again sometime I like the way she fights."

[MickeyAdaptus 2,211]

"Indeed, but I have a very important task for you once the tournament is over. I will assign you to be the protector and close ally to the boy here." Karthspire pointed towards Jack among the crowd.

"He might have been among the Equestrian group by now, but his name is Jack Gonriel, the last pure descendant from that bloodline, also one of the only survivors from the destruction of Plemothos. You might be wondering why I am assigning this to you but You are the perfect one for this, and this will be a very important one at that, because you will be saving countless of lives by doing this, it has already been a big loss that his father is dead, who had so much positive influence on the races, we cannot afford this to die out by letting his descendant die as well" He said.

"But this is not your usual guard thing, I wouldn't have given you something so boring because you 2 will be an excellent team during battles as well. Do think you are up for this task Evelyn? All I would need is the confirmation of his foster mother, and then it will be set." Karthspire told her with confidence.

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It was a great match nonetheless, but I am now worried how the match will end up. When this break has over, Ember has to fight that masked person, i just hope she is going to be alright." Jack said with worry.

Edited September 27, 2017 by Mickey Adaptus

[Maple Bat 3,568]

"Yea... I shouldn't be too hard. I mean he's got the dragon friend too. Though, one thing, how will helping that kid save countless lives? Because of his bloodline? Or is it something else?"

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Festus looked at Jack "Ember won't be taken down that easily, Don't worry about her!"

Luna chuckled "While she is strong, I don't know, I feel as though he is stronger than he gives off to be." Luna eyed him quickly before looking back at Festus

Edited September 27, 2017 by Maple Bat

[MickeyAdaptus 2,211]

"Perhaps not only bloodline but also the fact that he could very well become his father's successor, which would prove important when we have the chance to rebuild all that we have lost. But at the same time, but there is more than that, many have tried to hunt him down, including Valtrek, and for the fact that a being of such power would want to try and catch a little boy is not normal, no. There is something bigger behind that which none of us is aware of. But I can only summarise it has to do with things from the past, ancient relics, knowledge, it could be anything really, but it has to be something very powerful if the madman himself takes an interest so much in it." Karthspire said.

"I am perhaps not one who knows much about that magical stuff, but back in my older days I have seen things that would make everyone drop their jaws from astonishment, and let me tell you, your ancestors, my ancestors, all of our ancestors have been in times where they held powerful things, artifacts, its a thing that many of us try to recover these days, some use it to gain power, but others use it to set things right, to perhaps even win this war without risking everything during the action." He said with interest.

--------------------------------------------

"I have to agree with Luna here, do you see the way how he is observing everyone? I bet that those times Ember and you saw him on the streets were also just methods of observing her movements, so he could perfect his own skills in combat against her." Jack said.

 

[Maple Bat 3,568]

"Alright, I'll do it for you..." Evelyn said as she looked at the door "Kinda wish she would've kept fighting... Though I guess she did have something more important... Maybe I was too harsh on that... Maple, was it? Perhaps she's a lot more than what I've seen."

---------------------------------------

Woody was still embracing Maple on the are they where. "Thank you... I just can't bear to see you fighting so much, You've become just as bad as jack has with the 'need to handle this myself' thing, You and Jack should probably be kept away from fights for a while after we rescue mom... I hope she's alright if she isn't then she's in for very big news when she sees both of us." Woody said with a sigh.

"Don't worry Mom will be scared at first but she'll learn that these things happened and it's done," Maple said with a smile, "she'll still accept us as her kids since we both still have her traits and all. Let's go back I want to see that masked stranger fight ember, It'll be one to remember."

"Alright," Woody said a little down "Just... Don't get into any trouble... not that I think you will."

"I won't. Promise." Maple said heading back to the arena

[MickeyAdaptus 2,211]

"Indeed she is, but she has things to worry about herself now, family related things. But I think someone else will be needing your attention more at this point if I may say, you can catch up with her whenever you like, but I would suggest to not let it interfere with your duty, getting your mind on something else too much could cause you to forget about the one you are supposed to protect, that boy seems to attract our enemies like a beacon, and if something were to happen while you were too occupied... It would be too late to do anything." Karthspire said, a bit more serious now.

"It is one of the reasons why Zukir looks so grumpy and stern most of the time because he takes his duty very seriously and doesn't let other things get in the way of his main priority. I am not asking you to act all grumpy, but i am asking that you never let other things get in the way from your main priority because a lot things will be depending on this, i would not have selected you if i din't think you would be the best Vermonian for the task." He said.

'Soon, the next match will start again, i am curious how that fight is going to play out.' he thought to himself for a moment.

Edited September 28, 2017 by Mickey Adaptus

[Maple Bat 3,568]

Evelyn shook her head "You say that but he's safe here. Don't worry though I'm not gonna be the only one protecting him. The equestrians will no matter how many people we have around him. I'll catch up with the bat later, before anyone leaves the city, for now, I wanna watch this next fight!"

---------------------------------------------------

Maple and Woody eventually arrived back in the stands. Woody didn't meet anyone's gaze, "Sorry about what I did everyone that was foolish."

Luna shrugged "You did as you, thought was right, and none of us are going to blame you for that." She smiled and moved over a bit to let 2 siblings sit down.

[MickeyAdaptus 2,211]

"Alright, but don't forget my words, everything may seem so safe but it won't stay that way for long, there is a reason why I founded this city in the first place," Karthspire said as he walked.

Eventually, he walked back to his spot.

"Sorry for the long delay everyone, it is now time for the next match between Ember and Xixir." He announced.

It was then that the masked warrior walked into the ring and stood in position, he had his arms crossed as he stared into the distance waiting.

[Maple Bat 3,568]

It was apparent Ember was prepared She had gone with a larger sword this time, but not one that would require both hands, and the tower shield she had before. Her kit would look like it would reduce her agility but knowing ember anyone would know better she's trained to use heavier weapons with relative ease. She rested the large shield on the group nodding a 'ready' to karthspire.

[MickeyAdaptus 2,211]

"Begin!" rang out through the arena.

The masked warrior stared at Ember deeply but did not move as of yet.

He was keeping lots of anticipation open in the arena, as he was not doing anything, until after a few moments when he a hand gesture to Ember saying *come and get me*, showing his rather confident nature.

[Maple Bat 3,568]

Ember approached rapidly, keeping her shield raised as she approached, she stabbed at her target with the sword she stepped to the left of her opponent bring the sword across their body. She put up her shield and braced herself for whatever counter attack this masked person would throw. They were strong as she had witnessed so she wasn't going to put any sort of slack into her fight style.

[MickeyAdaptus 2,211]

The masked person suddenly went straight into action as Ember was preparing her sword attack, he jumped straight over, as he made a half flip in the air, he used Ember's shoulder as some sort of platform, he used this method to gain more moment for another small jump which he used his now currently balancing on the arm, as he was in the air again he rotated his body in a 90 degree, and kicked Ember straight at the left side of her chest. It was a similar kick he had used against his previous opponent, but it was not as lethal because of Ember's scales.

[Maple Bat 3,568]

While the kick didn't do a lot of damage, Ember was still sore from earlier on the side, She growled at him taking a huge downward swing at him with her heavy shield which would break the ground that she slammed the shield into, Which kicked up a lot of dust.

----------------------------

Festus looked at what happened "If that connected he's not gonna be faring well." The young dragon commented.

Maple agreed "She was mad and that was a heavy blow with that shield of hers."

[MickeyAdaptus 2,211]

When the shield connected there was a loud crash where the dust was emerging from all over the place, but when it cleared, it was showing something totally bizarre

The masked person had been literally been forced straight into the ground which had create a pretty sized hole, but to the utter surprise, the masked warrior was using his feet to keep the shield further at bay and prevent from almost crushing him, while he was using his hands to push himself away from the ground, which took an incredible strength from anyone to keep such as weight at bay.

---------------------------------------------------------------

"No way..." Jack muttered in astonishment.

[Maple Bat 3,568]

Ember was amazed he was ok to say the least she jumped onto the shield to add her weight to it. She knew that it would hurt him but not kill him as long as she was careful with this but honestly, she felt if she killed him somehow she'd be upset but not as much as she should be given how 'ominous' this particular person was.

[MickeyAdaptus 2,211]

The masked figure noticed how much pressure it was giving and knew it was not going to hold, he decided to use a different tactic.

He let his right arm go from the ground and started punching straight in the stone next to it.

After 3 strong blows, a small chunk of the floor collapsed as he used this to quickly escape from the hole, which caused Ember's shield to fall straight into the hole itself.

He used this moment of confusion to jump straight at her and punched her very hard at the same spot that he had kicked her before in.

It appeared the masked person had intense reflexes as he was moving his individual body parts simultaneously which allowed him to get really fast response times in his actions.

 

[Maple Bat 3,568]

Ember couldn't understand how he could move and react so quickly which only made her more angry, she ran at the masked person then swung at him if he reacted she'd stop back and spin around with her sword extended cutting in a big circle.

[MickeyAdaptus 2,211]

The masked person has dodged the first swing but got cut from her circle spin, the cut itself had been done on his forearm.

But even from this smart manoeuvre that Ember had made, the masked person grabbed Ember's tail that had been spinning around as well during the rotation.

When he had grabbed it with his left hand, he yanked her from her tail straight towards him with a strong pull, and when she was flying towards him, he used her current going momentum to punch her straight into her already twice hit spot, which was really painful from such incoming speed.

[Maple Bat 3,568]

Ember got up after he punched her "Getting... Really sick of you punching the same spot." She said looking at her opponent waiting for him to make a move before she did this time.

-----------------------------------

Maple was almost as upset as ember was, Her body seemed to almost seem to heat up. "Geez how cheap. Hitting the same weak spot over and over until the opponent gives up."

"It's cleaver though as it is working." Woody commented "Of course that doesn't make it 'right' "

[MickeyAdaptus 2,211]

"It is indeed clever since Ember is a dragon, she can take on alot more than any other races in general, and her opponent knows's this, so he is slowly creating a weak point in her body." Jack commented.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

'Then perhaps you should give up 'Dragon', I have been reading your movements like a book.' The masked man suddenly said in her mind as something was in there that she could feel.

 

[Maple Bat 3,568]

Ember pulled her shield closer to her side, the one he kept attacking, she wasn't gonn let her oppent hit that spot anymore. She cleared her thoughts and didn't think about what she was going to do next she using more of instinct just ran at him and lept swinging at him.

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Maple was still upset, "Come on... This is stupid, She was suffering there from an earlier match.", It was clear that Maple didn't like this masked person one bit

[MickeyAdaptus 2,211]

The masked warrior kept dodging her attacks, as an act of mocking her further. But he was starting to use something, the presence that Jack and Luna had felt earlier started to flare up 10 times.

At one time he caught the blade with his bare hands, but there was a very tiny purple afterglow surrounding it, almost unnoticeable.

-----------------------------------------

"Um, guys? Something is not right here... I am feeling this same presence before that Luna and  I have been talking about, but now it is skyrocketing." Jack said with lots of worry.

[Maple Bat 3,568]

Ember growled and smacked the Masked person with her shield again in the face this time with the intention of breaking or at least knocking off, the enemies mask.

-----------------------------------------

Luna felt the energy again too "I feel it as well should we intervene? Ember's not going to just surrender... even on the verge of death."

[MickeyAdaptus 2,211]

The Mask suddenly shattered from the impact, but what was revealed behind the mask was a terrifying sight.

It was a face, but it was lacking everything normal about it, it bore no nose, eyes or mouth. It was a straight blank face with only some sort of weird looking eye painted on it as war paint.

The crowd suddenly started to erupt in chaos and terror, not only from the face but from the specific mark that was painted on the face.

Karthspire did not know what to say, he stared at the ongoing face with lots of concern but just did not say anything.

------------------------------------------

"Oh no... I should have known from the way he dressed, and from those unreadable powers... You guys remember Montarion? This person is from the same allegiance, and this is why the crowd is erupting in terror." Jack said a bit pale.