Alric lunged but Tariq lifted into the air levitating. Fireballs erupted from his palms and roared toward Alric but the Lykan dodged with unnatural speed, rage gleaming in his eyes.
Tariq rose higher into the air preparing another volley but Alric bent low tucking his legs under him, muscles rippling he launched into the sky.
Thirty feet up with claws flashing.
A gust of wind slammed down on him. He smashed through the forest felling tress, bones breaking.
Moments passed.
He limped back into view, his right arm bent at an unnatural angle, but it was already popping back into place the bone mending, flesh knitting back together. He looked at Tariq in the air with ice cold eyes.
He was visibly seething with anger, his animal side taking over with each passing moment as the battle went on. His muscles rippled and swelled as he grew bigger.
As his arm fully healed, he tore of the body armor he wore around his chest. His muscles bulged as his skin darkened from its Caucasian color to a deep black.
Fur grew on his skin as he grew in height, his hair and beard darkened to the same color of the fur, blending seamlessly into one as his face took a lupine form, his mouth elongating to accommodate his row of fangs.
He had fully shifted into his 12 foot Lykan form. A towering humanoid wolf, an unnatural blend of man and beast. To stand in front of such a creature would have had anyone on their knees in fear but Tariq had faced his kind plenty of times in the past and having just experienced the power of the beast just moments before, the one before him now looked like a joke.
Tariq landed lightly on the ground but Alric didn't charge, instead he grabbed one of the bodies on the ground and hurled it at Tariq like a missile. It flew with such speed he barely had time to dodge.
The moment he dodged Alric was already there, claws tore through Tariq's side drawing hot blood.
The crimson color clearly pleasing Alric as Tariq screamed, barely able to get away before a second swipe nearly took his head.
Though most, if not all Velari (supernatural species) were immortal, they each derived this power from different sources. The Lykans believed to have attained it from a divine entity while the magic in a Witch's blood was what sustained their immortality.
This is why the witch in the Null box had been shriveled. His magic had been nullified, though it would seem it failed to fully disrupt his magic hence why he was still alive.
The vampires on the other end required blood to sustain themselves. Prolonged abstinence made them weaker, vulnerable and easier to kill.
Blood is life.
Unlike the Lykans and Vampires, Witches did not instantaneously heal but required healing spells. This is why they would have tattoos drawn on them of runes for healing, strength, agility etc. This would allow them to access such abilities at all times without the need to cast any spells.
Though slower, Tariq's side had begun to heal, flesh covering the exposed ribs.
Alric lunged again and this time even faster.
Tariq raised both hands ignoring the pain in his side, a ripple of pressure surging outward an invisible force field that buckled the ground beneath them. It caught Alric mid lunge slamming him sideways into a boulder with a thunderous boom. The stone cracked as dust rose nto the air.
Alric stood bleeding with a wolf's grin. He cracked his neck, flashed his claws and charged again.
Both arms still raised Tariq chanted. "Sanguis ligare."
BLOOD BIND.
The magic struck Alric as his legs locked, veins bulged along his arms and face writhing like snakes. The Lykan stumbled, then roared in pain.
Blood poured from his eyes, nostrils and ears as Tariq twisted his fingers manipulating the blood inside him.
"Do not kill him Tariq" Eirik said " We require answers yes, but killing him would result in your imprisonment and possibly execution"
"As you can clearly see my friend" Tariq said straining "Each time he has struck he has aimed to take my head. Killing him would be self defense"
Blood binding allowed one to manipulate the blood of others to their will locking them in place. It caused severe pain as one could stop the blood from moving, causing oxygen debt within the body leading veins to burst.
But the fight had started taking its toll on Tariq. Injured and slowly healing while trying to contain a fully transformed Lykan was a difficult task and seeing their leader on his knees, the surviving Lykans moved to intervene only for Lira to stop them.
She knew that if they intervened they would destroy his pride completely.
Alric howled as fury burned in him, eyes glowing with menace he strained at the force that held him down. His own blood pooled at the ground around him. The whites of his eyes were now blood-red due to the burst vessels in his eyes making him look like a rabid animal.
"Call of your witch" Lira said now seeing that Alric was clearly in trouble "Call him off or I'll kill him myself"
"There's no need" Eirik replied "That spell will hold him in place until he is worn out"
"You will call of your witch" Lira said her voice now turning into a growl "Or else I'll have to kill you too"
Her fangs had started to sharpen, claws curling. Darius had joined her, he too was now in a fighting stance.
Eirik hopped down from where he sat, his own claws flashing getting ready to defend himslef but just then Alric broke the spell. Through sheer force of will, he shattered the spell like glass. This drew their focus towards them as Tariq's eyes widened in shock. In a blur huge arms closed around Tariq in a bear hug, his arms snapping under the pressure with a sickening snap.
He screamed.
Immortal he might be but pain was still pain.
With his prize in his grip, Alric shifted back slowly into his human form. He loomed over him, chest heaving claws still bared and with a mouth still full of fangs he spoke.
"Know your place spell caster. No amount of Witchcraft can help you win against me. I heal faster than you, while you require your cheap spells to do so. My fatigue is dispelled, stamina restored as I continue to fight, I am nigh unkillable. Question me again and I'll feed you your tongue"
Tariq laughed blood staining his teeth.
"I've never had roasted wolf before" he said.
"What?" Alric said frowning, clearly confused.
"I've never liked the smell of dog to be honest. Even now I can smell the stench off dog of you though I find myself suddenly in mood of roasted wolf but as they say, there's a first time for everything"
Then he whispered "Adolebitque mihi lupus" (Burn for me wolf)
Flames ignited across Alric's body, white hot scorching flames. The others had to retreat from the sheer intensity of the heat.
Lira tried to step forward but Eirik held her back.
Alric howled releasing Tariq from his iron grip. Thrashing in agony, the flames licked every inch of his skin. He rolled and clawed at the dirt but the fire would not dissipate.
Tariq stood smiling, unscathed by the fire. Blood dripped from his mouth, his hands hanging uselessly at his sides. He would need more than just a healing rune to treat his injuries.
"You would think yourself superior, yet here you lay at my feet burnt to a crisp by my own flames. Do not lecture
me about knowing my place when yours is at the feet of your masters like the very dog you are"