WAOA Arena

[Gearhead mk2]

Before Mina could answer, the arena... changed somehow. What was a blank space had suddenly become the ruins of a fort. Open courtyards, wooden spiked barricades and crumbling stone walls surrounded them, with stairs and small towers dotted throughout, allowing access to higher ground. Small streams and fires worked through the ruin, not big enough to be hazardous but noticeable nonetheless, and the towers flew tattered banners of unknown clans.

Spoiler: Arena

"Contestants, are you ready to duel?!"

 

[ShindoL Shill]

Annika looked around as the arena changed. [color=c41e3a]"Mitä!?" (What!?)[/color] she exclaimed. The bear translated the announcement for her, and she quickly put him inside her coat. Annika cautiously looked around, waiting for an attack.

 

[Gearhead mk2]

Mina looked around as the voiced thundered, then raised her hands as if quickly lifting something. The rubies on her blades lit up, and they floated out of their sheathes. Her hands went back to a default position, and the swords hovered around her, orbiting slowly.

 

[ShindoL Shill]

Annika closed her eyes, and clasped her hands together. The ring on her right hand, a simple metal band around the middle finger, began glowing faintly. The glow moved around her hands and passed over her body. Once her eyes opened again, both of Annika's hands, and both her feet, had a dull white aura around them.

With a sudden burst of speed, she charged at the nearest wall, and leapt at it. Her fingers dug into the stone, just enough to create handholds. Annika quickly clambered up the wall and perched on top of it, looking around.

 

[Gearhead mk2]

Mina followed her up the wall. With twitches and flicks of her hand, she directed the floating blades, embedding them in the wall to use the flat of the blades as stepping stones. Neither of them could see much when the got to the top, just more ruined fort. The swords flew up the wall, getting back into formation around Mina.

 

[ShindoL Shill]

When Mina reached the top of the wall, Annika jumped up and kicked the swordswoman in the chest. The blow would have more force than Mina may have expected, and was timed to take advantage of Mina likely having little balance as she was climbing.

 

[Gearhead mk2]

Mina was knocked back by the kick, nearly falling off, but she managed to steady herself. She grimaced, then turned to face Annika and thrust her hand forward. One of her blades flew towards Annika like an arrow.

 

[ShindoL Shill]

Annika leapt off the wall, back down to the ground and out of the way of the sword. As Annika fell, the aura around her hands ignited, making it seem as though her hands were burning. Annika thrust her hands up, towards Mina, and sent out a burst of flame.
Annika landed feet first, the aura around her boots keeping her steady and preventing her from being hurt.

 

[Gearhead mk2]

Mina jumped to the right, dodging the gout of flame, as she recalled her blade. The sword came back to her like it had been pulled by a rope. Deciding to keep the high ground for now, she sent down two blades, one going for a straight stab and the other coming in from the side to slash Annika.

 

[ShindoL Shill]

Annika shot a blast of fire up at Mina's face which would, if nothing else, impede her vision. Annika then moved away, and sprinted around a wall to conceal herself.

 

[Gearhead mk2]

Mina ducked back, blinded for a second by the bright flame, the swords she sent out missing Annika. When vision returned, she saw the girl was gone. She recalled her blades, and walked along the wall, hoping to get an angle on her from the high ground.

 

[ShindoL Shill]

When Annika heard Mina approaching from above, she placed both hands on the wall. Slowly, the area around Annika's hands began turning dark. By the time Mina was above Annika, the wall was barely able to hold itself up. Annika sprinted away as the wall crumbled under the increased weight.

 

[Gearhead mk2]

Mina stumbled as the wall started crumbling away, coming down with the stone. She jumped off as it fell, landing on the ground. It wasn't exactly a soft landing, but she wasn't badly hurt. She looked around, spotting the fleeing Annika, and ran after her, sending a sword after her like a throwing spear.

 

[ShindoL Shill]

As soon as the wall came down, Annika turned on the spot and charged directly at Mina. Mina would struggle to see Annika through the dust and ash, until Annika had leapt through the small cloud. Annika would attempt to pounce on Mina, and tackle her into the rubble. If this attack was successful, Annika would try and burn Mina's head with a blast of fire.

 

[Gearhead mk2]

The threw sword missed, and Mina was tackled and pinned by Annika. Mina recovered in time to dodge the flame blast, then called back the flying sword, hoping to get it to stab Annika in the back as it returned.

 

[ShindoL Shill]

Annika forced her hand onto Mina's head and began incinerating it, using the same power she had performed on the wall. Annika was intending to kill Mina before the sword hit her in the back, but if she failed, the blade would likely take both of them out.

 

[Gearhead mk2]

The sword flew towards Annika, impaling her... But only barely. It was survivable. Annika's flames had spread to the pouch around Mina's neck, burning it away. From withing fell many rubies, similar to the ones within the swords. The glow briefly, then dulled as the scattered, some shattered by Annika's weight, others damaged by the heat. Mina was dead.

 

[ShindoL Shill]

Annika screamed in pain as the sword hit her, and reached around to pull it out of her back. She moved away from Mina's body, wincing and groaning in pain.

 

[Kirke]

Once Mina died, a loud voice from above spoke. "Cease! All living contestants, please exit the arena." As the voice spoke, the arena reformed itself into the dusty plain that was it's basic form, and the thick steel door opened. Beyond it, Junkil was standing with his arms crossed. He looked with disapproval at Annika, though why was still a mystery.

And as the fight ended, Annika would feel her wound knit back together. Meanwhile, Mina began to reform in a steel tube in the locker room.

 

[Gearhead mk2]

After reforming, Mina fell out of the tube, clutching at the pouch at her neck. She was alive, and the rubies in the pouch were all perfectly formed. She let go, then stood up gingerly.