Neutralisation.
This situation called for the neutralisation of the figure before you on the grounds that he was a potential taint bearer, that he was sympathetic towards the things that went bump in the night. He was also outright threatening you, making it clear that he was going to prevent you doing your duties by force.
You quickly summarised your knowledge of your current form, determining that your best course of action in neutralising this individual was to rely on your reduced bulk, to use your lower mass to your advantage. You could manouver with greater speed than before, that while a poor substitute for your prior armoured form, at least permitted you to attempt to avoid taking damage. You knew that without pulleys and gears to provide power however, that your ability to exert physical force was diminished.
"Go," uttered the man as he pushed once more, narrowing his eyes as he met your own, as he gave you a forceful enough shove to push you back a few steps. "This is your last warning, leave this place before my patience wanes and I am no longer willing to stay my hand," the figure continued, breathing out slowly, deliberately as he did so.
You quickly assessed your surroundings, taking note that your smaller form was advantageous in this situation, that your smaller body would permit you to manouver in what little space this alley way provided. You took a deep breath as you took half a step backwards, glancing about for a weapon of some form to use against this individual.
There was nothing, no discarded planks, nothing.
You were going to have to do this with nothing but your own two hands.
Your first blow met with air as the figure stepped back, seeing your clumbsy attempt to punch him coming, though you were fast to adjust your stance. Your second punch likewise met with air, though this time it was more fluid, less awkward as you again adjusted your stance to permit for efficiency. The man evaded a third blow in the same manner, laughing now as he wagged a finger at you.
"So be it, little one. If you wish to throw your life away in such a manner-"
The man's words were silenced as you quickly repeated the motion of the three blows from your new stance, your right hand impacting with his chest, your left hand with his stomach, followed by your right hand swinging up as you hooked him while he was reeling. You were unhappy with the results, given how he was still standing despite how you had dealt those blows flawlessly to him.
You hopped backwards as the man retaliated by attempting to backhand you, your arms crossing and thrusting upwards as he twirled around and directed a kick towards your torso. Even as you thrust your arms upward he flipped backwards, landing gracefully on both feet before he hopped backwards once, twice, then thrice. "You should just make this easy on yourself, lay down and accept the fate you have chosen for-"
The figure's words were silenced once more as you stepped forward, your foot swinging upwards, prompting a muffled cry as the man clutched between his legs, shuffling backwards as he put distance between you both, as he stepped out the back of the alley and onto one of the streets.
"You fight without honour!" the man yelled, though you remained impassive, only briefly wondering what his intent was making a statement of that nature. Honour was a strange concept that hindered survival, the survival of the people of the city was the thing that was your greatest concern. There was no place for honour when it came to the safety of those you were tasked with protecting, no bizzare notions such as glory.
Things were black and white, you either survived or you did not.
You required a weapon, you told yourself again as you followed the figure out onto the street, your attention shifting between the lamps that bathed the street in pools of light and the barrels that guttering crawled down the walls into. There was nothing small, nothing immediately available for you to pick up.
The figure took your momentary distraction as a chance to retrieve a weapon of their own, though with your attention averted you had no idea where it had been concealed. The glint of metal in the moonlight was what alerted you to it, to the short blade that they held in their hand, a sword of unknown design. A sword that tipped things in their favour, while you had nothing to rely on apart from your hands and feet.
You needed to take their advantage away.
Both hands wrapped around a nearby lamp as you strained briefly to lift it, as the sound of the figure laughing echoed in your ears. You could feel your muscles tense, you could feel them protest in pain as you pushed them, you could feel an odd sense of nausea in the pit of your stomach. The figures laughter was silenced quickly as it started as the sound of tortured metal and splintered stone filled the air, as the lamp half snapped and half pulled free of its base. You made a mental note that the lamp had been so hard to lift as it was set in the ground for future reference, while the fact that you had accomplished this failed to register as unusual to you.
Your hands shifted along the length of the lamp as you took hold of it, both hands clutching it near the base as you brandished it like a bat, as you stepped towards the figure as they edged backwards. The sound of metal impacting against flesh and glass shattering filled the air as you struck the man before you with the lamp, sending him sailing from his feet as he was propelled away from you.
Broken glass made its presence known underfoot as you approached the man once more, glass that had once sat at the top of the lamp, glass that you could feel cut through the unprotected soles of your feet. Ichor trailed behind you as you barely slowed, as you looked down at the figure as they writhed in agony, as they looked up at you with fear in their eyes. "Who are you?" they managed to gasp, clutching their chest in the location you had struck them.
"I am designated Guardian Unit Three-Seventy," came your response as you swung the lamp overhead, causing the figure to howl in agony as you struck them again and again, bludgeoning them with your improvised weapon.
Every blow was followed by a cry of agony.
Every cry of agony was followed by a blow.
You continued to strike the figure over and over, cracks lacing out from beneath their body as the pavement beneath them steadily gave way, while your heavy weapon was steadily bent out of shape. That sensation in your stomach grew steadily stronger as you continued to beat the still moving figure, a sensation you dimly realised was likely hunger.
Your exertion was causing that sensation you assumed to be hunger to grow quickly, yet the figure before you still moved. He appeared to be misshapen, yet you couldn't tell if he was incapacitated or not. The fact he still moved made it clear that he certainly wasn't neutralised, however. How were you going to deal with this situation?Earth: ? - (? ? ?)
Fire: 7 - (? ? ?)
Air: 3 - (Creature Lore)
Water: 1 - (Tracking)
Powers:
0 - Ageless.
With enlightenment came eternity.
2 (fm) - Pretender Immortal.
Few know the only methods capable of killing you. Fewer still are able to apply them.
4 (fmmv) - Tainted Flesh.
You rapidly recover from all manner of ills, though there are still substances that your body cannot process. A side effect is, that your bodily fluids are toxic to others.
? (?) - Jötunn
? ? ? ? ? ?
Points Pool: ---
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Topic: They told me I could be anything... (Read 79002 times)