《Beast World》Beast World #16: Last Trick Up The Sleeve
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Michael's back and head ached as he felt them impact with the dirt and grass, his hands still curled into fists, one holding onto the Hay-yen enemy's fur, while he pounded down in a desperate manner on its head. 'Don't get stabbed. Don't get stabbed.' Is all that went through his mind as fear now properly crawled under his skin, especially once Woh was safe and out of the way. He was used to fist fights, the feeling of one's fist hitting him with a sharp pain and the feeling of his own knuckles stinging dully when connecting with another living being's body, but not a weapon.
The Hay-yen swung wildly trying to reach at him, but a backwards headbutt is what managed to stagger Michael, the beastly opponent escaping his grasp. The two of them stumbled to their feet as a stare down ensued, the Hay-yen keeping a distance and with its dagger at the ready, letting out a growled laughter towards the young man.
Michael's legs shook as his heart burned and pumped harshly against his sternum, his ears were on fire as he could hear his pulse and heartbeat echoing through his body dully, quickly. With the corner of his eye he caught a glimpse of the glove Woh sat on previously, for what seemed like a fraction of a movement. Time felt like it moved slower around him, but he also felt sluggish. His legs trembled, it felt like he was sinking in a deep water as terror of the beast in front of him now finally had a proper grasp on him. It was like in the ancient times for humans, prey and predator, one exuding fear and the other oozing wrathful fury. The one eyed Hay-yen although keeping watch for the best time to strike it growled with a malicious cackle, which even without understanding, it oozed of determination to take someone down with it, even if it meant death for itself.
Michael began moving slowly, the Hay'yen following slowly as they circled one another. Once the young man knew the glove was roughly behind him, he slowed down but he felt hesitation build up into him. 'Move you fucker! If you die here, all the change you talked about won't happen. You will be a grain of sand in another world's sandglass for nothing!' He told himself as he then smirked with a fake confidence towards his opponent. 'Let's hope this works...' Is the last impromptu prayer that went through his mind as he began quickly waving his arms in the air and then towards the Hay-yen. "PERISH CASUAL!" He growled out with as much phlegm in his throat as possible to distort his words, while waving his hands towards the hyena like enemy.
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The Hay-yen ambusher who was on edge flinched and immediately dropped down onto the grass covering its head with its arms, at which point Michael smirked wide as he began a quick dash towards the glove. Due to the short distance and a need to slow down he tumbled onto the grass as he grasped the glove by the sleeve and slid it on his right hand. When getting back to his feet he immediately saw the Hay-yen rising up as well, although cheap tricks can be effective, the wonder and effect wears out quickly, indicated by the angry cackle of his opponent.
"Fuck that!" He yelped as he then began gunning it towards Azhul, who was still dealing with the two other assailants. 'Fists and bites are different. I don't know how a nineteen inch blade feels nor am I fucking curious!' Is what rushed through his mind as he dashed as quick as his legs let him. The combination of a video game playing sedentary life and a weird liking to long mountain walks, resulted in the young man having a slightly above average leg strength, but not by much. This was shown by the Hay-yen who was quickly catching up despite the later start into the sprint.
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Azhul has been dealing with the two Hay-yen ambushers for a bit now, but she was holding her own well, which is to be expected from a 6'3'' juggernaut of muscle, flesh and fur. The one who threw a dagger at her before tried to lunge to get a stab in, but Azhul's halberd had something against that idea, as she used the spike at the end of it to pierce the beastly enemy several times. The counter attack forced it to back up, still not before it got a cut at the sow's inner thigh, drawing blood.
The first one then began backing up towards the treeline, holding onto one of its many bleeding wounds. The second one, who was flanking, rushed up to attempt a similar underhanded attack. A quick swipe of the halberd's axe like blade around neck level, made it quickly back out of the attack before it lost its head, instead opting to openly stalk the sow for a time to strike.
Azhul knew how they operated, how they attacked, she stared at them with bitter anger, oh how she hated them. She could stand Michael doing underhanded things, but not the Hay-yen, not these brutes, not after what they cost her. 'Hide. Ambush. Immobilize. Kill. I know your tricks you mutts. Never again.' She thought as she was letting out an angry series of oinks, she really seemed to have been angered by these things. Still anger and determination could count for so much, when you had to focus on stopping your wounded leg from trembling, the injury was well placed, typical of the Hay-yen.
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As the Tuskir behemoth and the agile Hay-yen ambusher locked eyes, Azhul's gaze glanced over her opponent to spot Michael rushing towards them, his own attacker in tow and catching up. The one chasing the young man began letting out a bloody maniacal cackling, which seemed to get the attention of the other, who was about to turn away from Azhul and charge towards the young student.
"Oh no ye don't! Who said I was done with my hunt!" She growled as she rushed forward and using her halberd akin to a hook pole she tripped her enemy by its hind legs. The satisfaction of seeing the mutt eat dirt made her huff as she was about to bring down her halberd on it.
"HELP! HELP! HELP!" Is what Azhul heard as she looked at Michael, the Hay-yen chasing him, nearly behind him, with its dagger raised up. Her attention quickly shifted as she trampled the downed enemy to instead rush forward in a lance style attack with her halberd, which got the Hay-yen off of Michael and to back off.
The one on the ground was growling about to jump at her, Azhul knew she wouldn't be able to turn in time so she braced herself, but the lunge never came, instead she saw Michael simply slap it downwards over its snout. Shortly the Hay-yen began wheezing and clutching at its own chest, gasping shallow breaths. The capillaries in its yellow eyes began to show clearly as blood dripped from its mouth. Then just as quickly the mutt ate dirt once more, convulsing as pink foam left its snout and mouth.
Despite the horrifying sight, her mind was still focused on the fight, but as she turned to see the last one remaining, it... was backing away, both hands empty and up. Still, it had a wide cackling grin on its maw, as it then rushed off towards the tree line. She kept looking where it dissapeared into the thick forest and also where the first one retracted itself from the grove initially.
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Michael was breathing heavily as he could feel sweat drip down every part of his body, his whole existence burning up and letting off heat from the chase, his heart pounding like it was overclocked now, he kept his eyes about, much like Azhul, for several minutes and he eventually dared to exhale and relax his breathing.
"Oh thank fuck... we lived..." He groaned as took off the poison glove, tossed it on the dirt and, the held onto his kneesm while trying to force himself to breath slower. The young man let out a whimpered chuckle at the prospect of avoiding death by sneaky hyena people.
Azhul huffed and while keeping an eye on the tree line she would glance at him. "If you managed to beat bloody one of ourn own and a Hay-yen then would have killed you, I would have taken it as an offense to our people." She said joking letting out a dry chuckle accompanied by some light snorts, as she then began approaching him, with a slight limp.
The human let out a light laugh as he straightened up, letting a groan as his back ached. "I-... am glad I didn't dissapoint.... huff... phew..." he retorted with a light tone as well, as he could finally feel himself calm down a bit, but the quick intake of oxygen made him feel light headed still.
The large sow nodded as she reached and gave him a few pats on the back, feeling his garments as being damp and warm. "Agh! You really need to do the sweating thing to cool off huh?" She asked as she pulled back her hand, but looking at her palm made her freeze, it dripped with red blood.
"Y-yeah. W-we huh... heat up easily, s-so its our only way of..." He said lightly as he staggered in place. Michael noticed Azhul kept quiet and he looked at the large sow, then her dripping hand, taking a moment to realize what exactly that was.
The young human then turned his head and looked as best he could at his back and, there he saw it. The Hay-yen made dagger, sticking from his back on the left side of his body. He looked at it, but it felt like he was staring at a dream scene, as blood dripped off of the blade and he saw the stain of blood on his clothing slowly grow larger. He then stared towards Azhul.
"H-huh... and here I was afraid i-it would hurt... haha ha... I d-din-'t even... feel it. S-silly... m-me..." Michael said with sweat dripping off of him, his voice dying in his throat a bit and eyes slightly tearing up. The light headed feeling from before made him feel sleepy, his legs now finally shaking from the strain and giving out from under him, as things went black.
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