The Great Chopeck leisurely surveyed his kingdom from underneath the shadow. The shade was provided by the large Armorgrape vine trellises that sat in the corner of the courtyard, and it provided great reprieve from the midday heat to his Greatness.

Paek and Mentor were high in the sky, leaving his females lazy as they too, sought shelter from the midday heat. But even as they were sleepy and sluggish, he was still ever the vigilant sentry.

Today had been a bad day for the Great Chopeck, for the large hairy Egg-thief was the one to visit in the morning. It shamed him to remember how he balked at the sight of the monster. It was unnatural how just presence of the large hairy Egg-thief suffocated him and cowed the mighty Mood.

There were bigger repercussions than just the humiliation of his great pride. For having seen his shameful display, his females would be less receptive to mating with him in the coming days. At least until they forgot it from their weaker minds, but not the great Chopeck.

Putting aside the terrible start to his day, the Great Chopeck was now forced to think of the missed opportunity to grow stronger if had had fought the smaller Egg-thieves and it left the Mood feeling foul.

So in frustration, he kicked up some dirt whilst hissing and slurping angrily.

Some of the Combs nearby shied away from underneath the same shade as him at the display. The silly females think I would vent out on them in anger, he realised with annoyance. Don’t they know that it is the great me that protects them from the world? Why would I hurt them? He thought with angry slurps from his majestic tongue.

But from his earlier kick, he spotted a small and startled Dewpid attempting to crawl for safety on the underside of a blade of grass.

With a swift kick, he was glad to see that he eviscerated the small foolish bug and ruined the tuft of grass it sought shelter in.

But the small joy was short lived. What he needed was victory in a good fight to calm his anger as it bubbled away like hot coals in his mind.

Looking over at some approaching Egg thieves at the threshold to his kingdom, Chopeck slurped happily at the opportunity to calm his bruised ego.

Here comes prey, he thought as he stood erect. There will be no kick-and-runs, for it was the hairless Green egg-thief that dared to enter his dominion. The Green Egg-thief was stronger and had a tougher hide than the smaller Egg-thieves, thus it should be able to take a stronger kick. It’s been a while since I used my medium kick.

Would I be able to let go a little today? the great Chopeck wondered as he tasted the air with a quick inquisitive slurp, even as his eyes remain trained on the Green egg-thief that entered through the holy gate. I should be able to. The Green Egg-thief is not from the same flock as the Large hairy Egg-thief and therefore his death won’t mean the wrath of the monster after all, but just to be safe I won’t kill it.

…..

"You sure about this Kano?" asked Dornmit as he entered the Chitpulka courtyard whilst eyeing the angry black Mood. He felt that it was going a bit overboard for a rookie guard like him to beat up a rowdy Chitpulka. Even if it did give him a few kicks when he was younger, but so what? It was still the same Chitpulka whilst he was a fully-fledged classer now!

Even if Kano says it's as annoying as it is I shouldn’t be beating up a Chitpulka….. Even if it seems to be squaring up to me right now from across the place. Divines now that is one huge Chitpulka, was Chopeck always this big? he thought warily as he braced himself.

The unease he felt before about fighting the creature now faded away at the sight of the Mood brazenly walking towards him. It somehow reminded the Orc of how senior Crag or senior Fellclaw would approach a rookie for a “spar” in the pells. Holding back in a spar was never something that Master Direclaw or his wife, Master Gazelle approved off. So even if it was with wooden training weapons, his seniors would always end up leaving him covered in bruises. They always used that confident and in his opinion sadistic, strut when they crossed the sands to beat the snot out of him.

And here’s a Chitpulka doing the same walk towards me, he thought with annoyance.

He still felt some tiny remorse at the bullying that was about to happen as he clenched the strap of his shield, he did just beat some crazy exploding steel ranked Garuda after all.

…..

Chopeck assessed his prey whilst continuing his approach to the silly creature. It’s large size did nothing to intimidate him in the slightest. Just like an overgrown young upstart of a chick with more places to kick, he thought with contempt. But that pitiful fake hide it is carrying in its mishappen upper legs might be a problem, he analysed.

So with a plan in mind, the Great Chopeck begun his attack.

He quickly ducked low. Then with a quick powerful burst of his humongous thigh muscles firing off, he performed a mighty kick off the ground.

His tongue was already fully extended to his left for balance mid-air as he kept his eyes on his unsuspecting prey. Meanwhile his lower body was turned to the right, as his fully extended right leg arched backwards behind him in the air, against his centre of gravity to generate maximum torque.

Then with practiced ease, the Mighty Chopeck fired off all the synapses in his legs and whipped a kick that whistled through the air at the foolish Green Egg-thief.

…..

“Carefull!” shouted Kano safely behind the high fence as he watched from the side-lines.

But Dornmit barely registered his friend as the Mood attacked. One moment it was still four man-strides away from him, and the next it was sailing through the air at his midriff whilst performing a vicious kick. His training kicked in reflexively as he lifted his shield and braced automatically.

But even as the wind shrieked in agony at how fast and powerful the kick was, the stupid Chitpulka misjudged its own abilities as it fell short by a whole a stride.

Dornmit was able to let go of the breath he was holding as the creature landed stupidly, before making a few short jumps backwards as it retreated. It’s just some stupid Chitpulka you Orc! Nothing to be afraid off, he thought even as sweat slowly formed on his large green forehead. He was still worried at how that kick sounded before. Also he wasn’t so sure, but he felt something grip his heart and giving him shivers just before the moment the Chitpulka disappeared as it performed that kick.

This might not be as easy going as Kano says, he thought glumly.

…..

Foolish chick, thought the Great Chopeck contemptuously as he retreated out of range of the Green Egg-thief’s long mishappen legs. His probing attack was very successful indeed, for now he knew how the Green Egg-thief reacted to an attack. It opted to protect its torso with the fake-hide and leaving its own weak true legs open to Chopeck’s kicks.

Chopeck also noted how he was garnering some attention as a few of the females stood in the shade and started to slurp loudly at the commotion.

Yes, witness my greatness! He thought happily with a quick slurp of his tongue as he took a few steps to close the distance. Now that the trap had been set, it was only a matter of time.

…..

Dornmit watched wearily as the Mood closed the distance. It was now within three strides, the striking distance. But he watched with annoyance as it close the distance be another half stride. The bastard wants it’s kicks to properly have room to follow through! he realised with alarm and annoyance, even as Kano cheered on loudly from the side-lines.

“You said this would be easy!” he shouted angrily at his friend even as he followed the Mood with its quills now fully erect, that now started to circle to his right. Realms, that’s going to make it’s right kick even worse when it jumps from its left, he thought with worry.

“You got it Dornmit! You beat that Garuda just now remember!” Kano shouted from behind him.

Dornmit quickly glanced to the corner of his eye at his friend and was about to shout his own retort when Chopeck attacked again.

The Chitpulka struck as soon as his attention slipped and shot forwards through the air. Dornmit was barely even able to register the attack but crouched down as he presented the shield towards the profile of the small black figure in the air.

But instead of the same kick he witnessed before, the Mood heavily landed on the shield and jumped backwards with a well-executed backwards summersault in the air. The Monster landed with its quills flattened as it began making some weird noises that was a mixture between a choke and slurping noises. But the gleaming mirth in its eyes was unmistakable.

The little bastard is laughing at me! It feinted and I feel for it like a recruit! Dornmit thought indignantly.

In anger he charged forwards whilst raising his shield up, for he was planning to bash down on the insolent Mood using the reinforced tip.

…..

Pathetic, thought Chopeck as the Green Egg-thief rushed him blindly. He relaxed his legs before performing a quick low forwards jump angled to the side and past the rampaging Egg-thief.

The creature shouted loudly in its crude low call in alarm or anger, the Great Chopeck paid it no heed as he landed. He slid from the force of the jump with a low posture with his right leg stretched out behind him to bleed his momentum along with his left leg bent at the knee to balance himself. He quickly rose into a half-crouch even before he fully came to a stop, with his long tongue lashing out to the left as he kicked off the ground once more.

This kick was not the fastest or the strongest one, but it required balance and finesse instead. He flew shortly before whipping his right leg forwards in a kick that hit the hardened back of the Green Egg-thief. But even as it connected with a heavy thump and eliciting a alarmed shout from the Green Egg-thief, he continued for his attack was not over.

With a flash of silver light, the Great Chopeck quickly twisted in the air using the point of contact of the first kick. He spun lightning fast, with phantasmal afterimages of his left leg left in the wake of his second attack that connected on the Green Egg-thief’s left hip with the sound of a small crack of thunder.

Exhausted, the Great Chopeck fell to the ground but he still quickly retreated to a safe distance as he waited for the inevitable retreat of the Green Egg-thief. It was only the opening salvo and the creature was already howling in pain and bent over.

In fighting me, you choose poorly, he thought with grim satisfaction as he fought to catch his breath.

…..

Kano was shouting in alarm even as Dornmit fought with the agonizing pain. The monster had tricked him twice in a row and landed a skill on him. The Orc was screaming in pain in a pitiful crouch with his shield barely up as he struggled to to wrestle the white hot pain under control.

Easy my fucking ass, Dornmit thought angrily whilst blinking away his tears as the pain seared through his hip and back. The pain from second kick to his hip using the skill was of a magnitude greater than the first kick. But Dornmit refused to give up. He had just won a fight against a Freakish bird that was a whole rank higher than him today. He had felt the rush of over levels coursing through him just previously, and now he was losing to a Divine-kissed Chitpulka? A monster that was tin ranked? Noted that this one was probably a variant or some sort of Bronze elite, but he would never live it down if he lost and ran away from a Chitpulka.

With anger coursing through his veins, he grit his teeth before he raised his head to the sky to scream a wordless war-cry. The Mood was already sailing through the air as it capitalized on the opportunity to attack him once more.

But Dornmit was ready this time as he directed the shout down at Chopeck who was sailing through the air and activated Taunt. The red aura of his skill blasted the monster head on, even as he rushed forwards and smashed his shield into a bash.

The Chitpulka wasn’t able to fully extend its kick in time as it suffered from the Taunt as Dornmit collided with his shield into its side mid-air. The Chitpulka cannoned backwards before tumbling heavily on the dirt of the courtyard with a shower of quills flying all over the place.

Dornmit savoured his successful attack as he watched the Chitpulka hastily get up to stupidly charge him once more.

“What the Realms!” exclaimed the Orc as he looked into the Mood’s eye. For the red glow of the Taunt skill had already faded. He recalled the description from when he last checked the skill during his Sacamin with his master, but it didn’t make any sense.

Taunt

Level 4 (Target is taunted for 1/2 Skill levels*2 seconds, for every 10 WIS the target has above the skill user the time reduced by 0.5 seconds)

The Chitpulka had barely been affected for even a second and he had thirty WIS after he shored it up with free stats! That means that this Chitpulka has to have at least 60 WIS! What level is this Monster? What the Realms is Mister Lem feeding his Chipulkas? He quickly worked out even as fear crept up his spine.

…..

This insolent Green Egg-thief would use such underhanded attacks to cloud my great mind?! Such petty tricks will never work twice on me! thought Chopeck in rage as he slurped angrily.

He charged his adversary and noticed that the Egg-thief was using it’s fake hide to block his attacks once more. But it was too slow, and he was too cunning.

For with a slight adjustment of his aim, he sailed through the air and delivered a vicious blow to the stupid creature’s legs. It’s pathetic, yet sturdy fake hide was busy blocking it’s torso whilst also impeded the turtling Egg-thief’s vision from low attacks. Chopeck was glad that he was able to illicit another horrible indecipherable cry of pain from his victim even as he bounced away.

Now let’s see how long you hold up, he slurped and hissed with glee even as rocketed through the air for another strike.

…..

“ARRCCCCCHHH!” shouted Dornmit in pain as the menacing Mood struck him in the thighs with another ferocious kick. He had long stopped wondering how the malicious spiky ball of rage was able to produce enough force to land such horrific hits from such a small body. Dornmit was more worried that he would topple over with his legs buckling from underneath him long before he ran out of health or stamina. He was growing slower with each hit he took, with the blasted Mood not even faltering in the frequency of it’s kicks in the slightest. If anything, then monster was getting faster.

“Dornmit give up! You got to get out of there!” shouted Kano, with Dornmit nothing a real hint of worry and fear in his friend’s voice.

“A bit late for that don’t you think?” he grumbled in annoyance under his breath even as he struggled to defend under the constant onslaught. Just as he was about to curse his friend for putting him in such a predicament in the first place, he noticed that the Chitpulka had rushed past him. Dornmit swivelled round as fast as he could in fear of receiving the same double attack to his back again. But turning around, he noticed that the Mood was rushing at Kano who for some Divine-kissed reason was in the courtyard.

“Noooo Kano get out!” he shouted too late, as the Chitpulka soared through the air with it’s right leg trailing behind it as it wound up for a kick.

…..

You shall not interfere in a fight between real MALES! Chopeck though in anger as he flew towards the not-so-small Egg-thief that dared to intervene.

He was full of battle lust and forgot to hold himself back as he landed a vicious kick at the not-so-small Egg-thief’s face. He noted with satisfaction that the foolish creature had a look of utter terror in it’s eyes even as his mighty feet smashed into its face.

…..

Dornmit watched helplessly as the Mood’s feet smacked right into his friend’s face with a resounding blow. He watched helplessly as Kano, the fool, actually was lifted off his feet with spittle and blood arching away from his mouth. He watched his friend kick up dust as he landed bodily on the hard dirt. As his friend lay there face down in a tablue of defeat, he watched the evil black Mood turn back to him with a vicious glint in its eye as it’s quills stood on end.

Dornmit then only saw red.

…..

“YEAUUARGGGHHHHHH!” screamed the Green Egg-thief stupidly.

Anger won’t help you now, Chopeck thought with disdain as he took languid slow steps towards his adversary. For even if he was taunting his victim in thought, his battle instincts still remained.

The big creature then shook it’s head angrily all over the place with it’s mouth frothing as the battle fervour overtook it’s weak and pitiful mind.

Chopeck was glad to see the creature then throw away it’s fake hide as it rushed at him blindly, whilst continuing to scream in it’s horrible guttural language.

I will gladly put you out of your misery, he slurped as he too, charged the raging Orc.

…..

Dornmit was lost in the throes of his first Orc Rage, his racial inherent skill. It granted him a boost to his strength and physical resistance although the Orc boy would not be able to capitalize on it much. This is due to the downside to the skill being that the boy would suffer a major deterioration of his mental faculties as long as it was active. But the worst off all was that it would leave the user in a weakened stat after the skill wore off.

It was a trick that many races used to goad Orcs warriors into running in circles before finishing them off. But there would be no trickery of such kind in this fight today.

…..

The Great Chopeck easily dodged the clumsily swung fist from the enraged Green Egg-thief. Although he should rename it to Red Egg-thief, for whatever it was that overcame the creature had also imbued it in an angry crimson hue.

But he paid it no mind as he quickly balanced himself with his outstretched tongue, just to the left of the creature. Then with a spinning jump he delivered a mighty kick to its exposed ribs.

But to his surprise it only elicited a minor grunt from his foe.

What is going on? he thought in confusion as the creature rounded on him before he had the chance to bounce away.

With quick reflexes, he immediately kicked of the Red Egg-thief’s hip as he attempted to retreat to safety.

But the creature alarmingly caught his left leg in its big meaty right paw and pulled him back.

It then proceeded to pound him with a flurry of punches with it’s free hand that damaged him greatly.

Chopeck instinctive flexed his back muscles as he flared his quills in self-defence. But the creature still threw a few more punches at him even through his sharp spines. But through it’s sluggish mind, it eventually registered the pain of punching his formidable quills and released him from its grip.

He quickly retreated from it’s range even as the Red Egg-thief stared dumbly at its pin-cushioned hand.

He was badly beaten up, worse than he hand ever been before. That feint I pulled off at the beginning of the fight was all for nothing, he thought angrily. For he had purposely feinted his first attack to make it seem out of his range to fool the stupid creature, but now it was for nought. For he had to finish the fight soon after having suffered so many blows.

The Great Chopeck took a large gulp of air through his snout as he rushed headlong into the ongoing battle once more.

…..

Dornmit was seemingly preoccupied with his damaged hand, but as soon as the Mood flew through the air in attack, he snarled as he cocked his injured hand back and delivered a hammer fist to the creature mid-air.

He was working purely on instinct and realigned towards his foe that was even now saving itself from thumbling. The Mood did so with a great display of agility as it used its legs that it pinwheeled about before standing back up once more, with the aid of it’s snout pushing up off the ground.

It rushed at the Orc and rocketed towards him with another low jump. The enraged Dornmit reacted by throwing his right leg back as he sought to dodge the low kick. But even whilst mid-air, Chopeck flared out his tongue and latched onto the Orc’s now-exposed left leg. Using the prehensile appendage as a pivot, he flew behind Dornmit and kicked off the ground to swing upwards.

First came it’s left kick to his left upper arm then Chopeck glowed silver once more as he activated his double kick.

The Mood used his first kick to pivot himself into a right kick, right into the nape of Dornmit’s neck before using the resultant force to bounce backwards through the air.

The Mood then came to a stop a few strides away but only panted heavily as he observed his foe.

The Orc was slumped over with a knee to the ground as the red light faded from his eyes. For Chopeck had in adverted knocked him out of the Orc Rage with his blow to the spine.

The young boy found himself heavily injured with ragged breath whilst nearly on the ground. He came out of the rage to find himself with a new angrily pulsating bruise to the back of his neck and shieldless.

The Orc boy then slowly stood up whilst under a lot of pain to find the Mood panting whilst also in an equally sorry state behind him. But the glint in it’s eye was unmistakable for the sign that the fight had not yet left the hellish creature.

I’M OUTTA HERE! Dornmit thought in panic as he quickly limped away, but not before pausing to grab the hand of the still unconscious Kano and dragging him to the gates.

…..

That was the hardest fight of my life, thought the Great Chopeck as he struggled to stand from the pain and exhaustion.

The Combs from all over the courtyard started to approach him as the interlopers escaped pitifully from their defeat.

They were all slurping and hissing in approval at his glorious display of his martial prowess.

Hmm, there shall be many matings today, thought the Great Chopeck smugly as he struggled not to topple over.