Fanwork##
622 words of some improbable training time.
Draw, point, release. Draw, point, release. The metronome like rhythm of Ivory shots had an hypnotic quality. At least memories of Pearl's own marksmanship let him think so. Since he was presently dodging them, the effect was a little lost on him. At first he had opposed the scything arc of his sword to their flights. Even the erratic path of her arrows, they who had the tendency to follow their targets, turn in midair or ricochet from one another at improbable angles, had not managed breach his interdiction field.
That was till Zao decided to tear him to ribbons via giant galls of cutting winds. Which he then set on fire.
Being a standing target had not been possible then, and while predicting Ivory stayed feasible according to the old patterns he recognized in her moves, the Headmaster proved to be a much more difficult foe. Not so much to predict but to analyse, the fact that he tended to surge toward Ulyssian upon pillars of billowing flames was distracting.
That was without mentioning the times he actually had to confront the man at melee range.
Only the echo of a swordsmanship beyond compare let him oppose any type of resistance to the man, the first few exchanges they had resulted in a broken arm for him and a new scar upon Zao's brow. Hardly a fair exchange.
Still no matter how many time he ended up in a heap of broken bones, Numdida arts launched him on his feets at impressive speeds. Even when Zao's upped the odds, his bones breaking strikes growing so much in strength that any body-blows left him with internal damages.
Coughing blood after strenuous hours of training was nothing new to him, having his organs pulped then reshaped was...a novel experience.
Still, it was not without its rewards.
Leaving Ivory buried in a wall or incinerating more than Zao's clothes-the sight of his burned arm had been oddly enjoyable- was cathartic.
Of course that, had led to his present situation.
Stretching his head slightly, Ulyssian surveyed the solidified soil in which he was buried to the neck. Ordinarily, this wouldn't be a problem. Only, the absence of most of his right arm, left dangling from a nearby branch was proving to be a considerable hindrance. Well, he could have punched through the barrier with the other, if this was hadn't be shattered. The best he could say about his situation was that he had the time to cauterize the stump of his arm before he bled out. Apparently, using a daiklave with his teeth wasn't beyond me. The thing were ridiculously big tough, he wouldn't guessed the strength of his jaw to be up to the task. Apparently stress did wonder.
Still it wouldn't do to stay here any longer without doing anything, training time wasn't infinite. Closing his eyes and reclining his head on the hard earth, Ulyssian directed his focus inside, toward something he had only recently reacquainted himself with. If he could reach it now...
The sudden bulk of something much more solid than the hardened substance caging him settling on his body in a snug fit broke the grip the rock had on him. A quick use of the liberated space left him standing upon the edge of the hole he had been buried in.
A sigh escaped his lips when a thunderbolt impacted his newly armored form and launched him the air. Absently guiding his flight away from the rain of arrows that followed, he congratulated his past self on his armor choice.
When he landed near a colossal tree and his figure appeared to dissolve in the shadow it cast, he felt like applauding.
That would have to wait.
