He makes Dovev wait.
And wait.
He watches, to see how long it takes. How long would the boy wait? How badly did he want this?
Ashley’s ember eyes peer through the grasses, ears flicking forward in a vain attempt to hide his red pelt from the boy. Eventually, he gives up the ghost, and moves to stand in front of Dovev, the light going out in his eyes as he faced the boy with the bone armor. “Interesting shift in appearance, Dovev,” Ashley says with a hiss, clicking his teeth and shifting his weight to his backhand to test the ground. Soft, not much traction. He gauges the wind, and makes note of any marked foliage in the expanse; any form of cover to shield himself or the boy from oncoming obstacles. Flat sandy ground, boulder on the far side past his pupil. The master takes a mental note. Always be aware of your environment. If your opponent has not established it, make sure you do. Your environment is as important to your offense and your defense as your attacks are.
Sizing up the small boy, the old king, pushes up, arching his back, and presents his own armored plates that push forward from his body. His crest is pushed towards the ground, abdomen and stomach up as his wings are shed from his body, fading into a crimson myst of blood and feathers. Flight will do no good this day. Bones that have snapped to produce his armor and break his wings away crack back into place with a loud grunt, and Ashley shakes, his joints loose, his body in agony. Magic aside, there are still consequences for body manipulation.
Magic always has a price.
“Unlike you, my plates will not someday choke me to death. Before that day comes, you must learn to use it to your advantage, boy. Remember what you have, play it into your hand. Know your opponent’s body. Always know where they are. Be aware. Read between the lines.” Find some good diagrams on equine skeletal and muscular systems. Knowing this and being able to manipulate your post to include scientific locations of bones, muscles and organs allows you to be able to predict and say with authority what the consequences of your attacks and defenses will take. Organs if you also intend to include blood/bleeding injuries, and digestive disorders (eg: a Kick to the right place in the stomach would induce vomiting, etc)
Sooty black plates overlap on his back and spine, crossing the front of his barreled chest and up the back of his neck his hair plaiting through the plates, laying flat against his skin. His tail flicks outwards, the plates working their way down his tailbone, making their way over his back flanks. What was a man is replaced by mostly calcified rock, moving and turning with a grace that only a magician could have, despite the weight he carries. “You want to play, but this is not a game. You long to be a man, but you’re barely out of shortpants. If you want to chase the shadows and dance with your nightmares, I can give you what you seek, but you will pay dearly for it.”
He turns away from him then, his ears turning backwards, to hear the sound of the grasses swaying around Dovev. This was a mock, but there was no way that the child would come out of this not bleeding. The King has a student—the student must be broken.
He snarls, his voice echoing down his body and backwards towards his prey.“Take what you think you know, and try to strike me. I promise not to kill you. Today.”
And wait.
He watches, to see how long it takes. How long would the boy wait? How badly did he want this?
Ashley’s ember eyes peer through the grasses, ears flicking forward in a vain attempt to hide his red pelt from the boy. Eventually, he gives up the ghost, and moves to stand in front of Dovev, the light going out in his eyes as he faced the boy with the bone armor. “Interesting shift in appearance, Dovev,” Ashley says with a hiss, clicking his teeth and shifting his weight to his backhand to test the ground. Soft, not much traction. He gauges the wind, and makes note of any marked foliage in the expanse; any form of cover to shield himself or the boy from oncoming obstacles. Flat sandy ground, boulder on the far side past his pupil. The master takes a mental note. Always be aware of your environment. If your opponent has not established it, make sure you do. Your environment is as important to your offense and your defense as your attacks are.
Sizing up the small boy, the old king, pushes up, arching his back, and presents his own armored plates that push forward from his body. His crest is pushed towards the ground, abdomen and stomach up as his wings are shed from his body, fading into a crimson myst of blood and feathers. Flight will do no good this day. Bones that have snapped to produce his armor and break his wings away crack back into place with a loud grunt, and Ashley shakes, his joints loose, his body in agony. Magic aside, there are still consequences for body manipulation.
Magic always has a price.
“Unlike you, my plates will not someday choke me to death. Before that day comes, you must learn to use it to your advantage, boy. Remember what you have, play it into your hand. Know your opponent’s body. Always know where they are. Be aware. Read between the lines.” Find some good diagrams on equine skeletal and muscular systems. Knowing this and being able to manipulate your post to include scientific locations of bones, muscles and organs allows you to be able to predict and say with authority what the consequences of your attacks and defenses will take. Organs if you also intend to include blood/bleeding injuries, and digestive disorders (eg: a Kick to the right place in the stomach would induce vomiting, etc)
Sooty black plates overlap on his back and spine, crossing the front of his barreled chest and up the back of his neck his hair plaiting through the plates, laying flat against his skin. His tail flicks outwards, the plates working their way down his tailbone, making their way over his back flanks. What was a man is replaced by mostly calcified rock, moving and turning with a grace that only a magician could have, despite the weight he carries. “You want to play, but this is not a game. You long to be a man, but you’re barely out of shortpants. If you want to chase the shadows and dance with your nightmares, I can give you what you seek, but you will pay dearly for it.”
He turns away from him then, his ears turning backwards, to hear the sound of the grasses swaying around Dovev. This was a mock, but there was no way that the child would come out of this not bleeding. The King has a student—the student must be broken.
He snarls, his voice echoing down his body and backwards towards his prey.“Take what you think you know, and try to strike me. I promise not to kill you. Today.”
ashley
I walked the path, it led me to the end.