Rain regards the cackling weasel with a puzzled look, curious to what might be going on in Kai's tiny head.
He flashes Kai a calculating look but quickly stops, realising he was wasting his mental energy focusing on trivial matters.
And so, he goes back to calling forth the tenebrous band, the shadows churn, heeding his call and coils around his temple, covering the entirety of the tracking rune.
An excited chuckle slips from Rain's throat, his eyes gleaming as the red dot signifying his location enlarged, coverering a large part of the screen.
He cackles,
*Good luck tracking me now*
The tablet said* that he was all over the trial land, he couldn't help but imagine the confused looks of his would-be trackers.
And to add a cherry on top, the rate of dissolution of the tenebrous band was really slow, at that rate, he would need to renew it twice or thrice a day.
Ahhgh.
He moan-winces, his sore muscles stretching, eliciting a pleasant kind of pain.
His mind kept churning out incessant pleas to rest, but he couldn't settle down.
Not when there was so much to be done.
Speaking of things to do, he had to test out the combat capability of his new shade, Abberant... and what better test dummies than the unwilling champions of melee, the Simian Treejumpers.
Their combat expertise made it as such, best opponents, or maybe, just maybe...it was his vendetta speaking.
*Nothing beats a pleasant morning of whooping some primates senseless*
"Come on, boy" he calls for Kai, ready to depart from his lair, get some fresh air for once.
The weasel jumps up his shoulder and enters his hood, peeking out with its head adjacent to the ominous treant mask.
"Come." Rain turns his head, ordering the shade of Abberant to follow.
Imagine his surprise when it dissolves into motes of dark arcana and barrels into his shadow.
That simple action of the shade had him rubbing his palms together, subconsciously, whilst his mind churned out ideas after ideas on how to best capitalize on it, each more ominous and sicker than the last.
Puff.
Whoosh.
Their figures flicker and disappear into the shadows.
***
During the dives and blinks within the realm of shadows, Rain recalls that he had dropped his crossbow when they hit the land...and his dagger, knocked out of his grip within the shadow realm.
The crossbow he could find with minimal issue, whilst the dagger was another matter entirely.
He'd have to learn fighting with one dagger, a handicap if you asked him.
Whoosh.
Their figures appear with a silent whisper, Rain raises his arm to shield his eyes from the sudden bright lights, wincing as the radiance bit into his eyes.
Not that it was a big issue, as he acclimatizes within the next fraction of a second.
His eyes sweep the foliage, landing on a patch of overgrown daffodils, a closer look and his eyes discerned that those were the remains of the treant.
Cruel and efficient mother nature had already taken the corpse into her embrace, asimilating it with the undergrowth.
*Fuck*
Rain's gaze lands on his prize, the crossbow, he curses in frustration, gently stroking the once smooth and polished wood, now reduced to splinters.
The crossbow now could be used as a club at best...and that was pushing it.
Nonetheless, he carefully secures it on his back, convincing himself that he'd fix it– though he knew deep down that it wouldn't happen, it was his hoarder mind speaking.
But to his gleeful __ , a lively chitter interrupts his melancholic drivel.
Some poor beasts to ___ his frustrations upon.
His gleeful grin further widens upon realising that it was only a duo of simians.
[Appraise] flashes, he was cautious, lest he bite more than he could chew–and get another beating.
Simian Treejumper
Rank: Tier 2
Remarks: masters of close quaters combat
...
Simian Treejumper
Rank: Tier 2
Remarks: masters of close quaters combat
Normally, he would quiver at the sight of two tier 2 simians, reeling back after the PTSD dealt by one of their kindred.
But today?
No...never.
He had help, tilting the odds back to being fair.
"Abberant." He whispers.
The shadows churn, coalescing into the familiar creature of shadow.
He points towards one blissfully unaware simian, yelling.
"Attack!"
Abberant flickers, blinking and emerging out of a shadow closer to the simian.
*Did he just use shadow vault?*
Its smoky limbs coils, forming a spike, it lunges forward, its trajectory aimed square on the Simian's torso.
The simian's ears perk up, sensing danger.
Its head turns to face the source only for its eyes to contrict, paling in horror.
Shik.
The simian dodges, yelping as the spike grazes its back, shaving off some fur.
Showing unparalleled agility it swings from branch to branch, evading all of Abberant's blows.
*Come on*
Rain yells internally, seeing the simian dodging more than fighting.
The other simian grunts, charging for the onerous* form of Abberant.
*That's more like it*
Rain commentates.
The simian tilts its head, letting Abberant's first blow rush past its furred cheek, close enough that it felt the gust of rushing wind.
Its orange eyes gleamed, calm and calculating.
Its counter came faster and sharper, dishing out a punch that sent Abberant's figure crashing into the branches.
Rain's gaze momentarily flickers, about to jump in but halting when Abberant's figure came rushing in.
It twists it body, tackling the simian.
Guh.
The simian grunts, loosening a knee slam that almost folded the shade in half.
Abberant recoils, dishing out a counter of its own.
Guh.
He slams his knee against the chest of the simian... getting a fleeting smirk from his opponent instead of the expected grunt.
Rain sighs, the shade was still green, yet it still had the potential to grow-- a great learner.
He bursts into action.
Not to back up Abberant but towards the fleeing simian.
Abberant could hold its own ground, he'd let it get forged in fire.
Shuk.
He leaps, landing before the fleeing simian, expecting a showdown.
To his surprise the simian shrieks, wanting nothing to do with him.
*what a coward*
He facepalms, chasing after the fleeing simian.
Shik.
He jabs with his dagger, tearing flesh off its shoulder.
The simian increases its screaming fervour, still running away.
Rain sighs, this was no fun.
He wasn't the one for wanton killing, he wanted the beasts to forge him so that when he met his enemies he'd be a formidable adversary.
And yet, this simian kept running, such a disgrace.
Rain snorts, kicking the back of the fleeing simian, sending it flying into the churning shadows, getting swallowed live.
He sighs, shadow vaulting back to to the worthy battle.
To his gleeful surprise, Abberant was holding on quite well, though its body was reduced to tatters, it dished out counters of its own.
A grin mars Rain's visage-- though hidden by the treant mask.
A tag team looked quite enticing at that moment–- the appeal was too ill to refrain.
And so, he jumps into the midst of the two, dishing out a jab at the simian warriors torso.
The simian twists its body, the jab missing it, it delivers its counter, the signature move, a knee slam.
Guh.
Rain grunts, his body folded in half, air knocked out of his lungs.
His grin faltered as the force drove into him, he staggers, almost losing his foothold on the perched branch.
He pivots, twisting his balance back whilst simultaneously flashing down a vertical drop kick.
The kick lands on the simian's shoulder, buckling under the impact.
The brute simian staggered, eyes bulging in shock.
It lunges, its claws swinging, aiming to tear Rain apart.
Shik.
Puchi.
It halts in its track, teeth still bared in that arrogant grin, but now trembling in disbelief.
Blood bubbled at his lips, its left arm clutching a black spike jutting out of its torso – Abberant had delivered.
He swings out in desperation, his clawed fist cutting through the air in an arc, but Rain caught it.
Rain watches it as it grins, bleeding out.
"You died a warrior, fought till the very end." Rain speaks up, acknowledging the simian.
He loosens his grip when the simian falls limp, gently resting the corpse in a dignified position.
His shadow flickers.