He couldn't get properly to his feet.

It was lurch, flail, struggle, but anger was driving him and it was driving him toward that thin smoky bastard who'd attacked him. Abaddon threw himself up and forward in another hefty lurch--off his flanks and to his chest--but he couldn't untangle legs from metal. He kicked out and tried again--if he couldn't stand right away, to trample and to gore, at least he could throw himself on the smaller Gembound. It wasn't really a coherent thought, or planning: just blind, and potent, fury.

It was clumsy momentum that threw him for the beast--a throwing of his own weight, scrambling with hooves, rising and falling as he struggled to gain his feet. His horns dropped and thrust at nothing, striking thin air, but he viciously hoped that he had something caught beneath him.

For those with issues reading the table:

He couldn't get properly to his feet.

It was lurch, flail, struggle, but anger was driving him and it was driving him toward that thin smoky bastard who'd attacked him. Abaddon threw himself up and forward in another hefty lurch--off his flanks and to his chest--but he couldn't untangle legs from metal. He kicked out and tried again--if he couldn't stand right away, to trample and to gore, at least he could throw himself on the smaller Gembound. It wasn't really a coherent thought, or planning: just blind, and potent, fury.

It was clumsy momentum that threw him for the beast--a throwing of his own weight, scrambling with hooves, rising and falling as he struggled to gain his feet. His horns dropped and thrust at nothing, striking thin air, but he viciously hoped that he had something caught beneath him.

Round: 8/?
Attempt: Throw self onto Sentinel
Defense:
Injuries:

He had barely any time to react before the bull came for him--too much weight crashing down, too fast. He twisted away, bringing an arm up as if to shield himself--spikes up. It would do nothing, perhaps, to prevent the brutal weight from slamming down onto him... but if he survived the initial strike, the bull would be bleeding and he could, perhaps, banish it for long enough to get away.

Teeth gritted, and he found himself realizing that if Abaddon simply went limp, atop him, he would be crushed completely. As it was the bull was still thrashing, attempting to get back to his feet, which spared the Sentinel the brunt of the beast's weight.

"It must--remain-" he tried, his breath more a wheeze than usual.

Round:9/?
Attempt: Impale the bull on the arm spikes
Defense:
Injuries: getting pretty f-'d up by now. battered ribs, cuts, a bull laying on him

He felt the upthrust of something sharp into the cavity of his chest, just beneath the ribs--it was damaging, if only barely. It hurt. He did not like pain.

The bull bellowed, thrashing, feeling the spill of hot blood; he twisted, struggling in now-frantic movement to get to his hooves and drive his horns down into the beast beneath him. If he managed, it would be his full weight--all his muscle--behind scrabbling, driving hooves, his horns thrusting and twisting in an attempt to truly push straight through the torso that lay beneath him.

Round: 9/?
Attempt: Gore the Sentinel
Defense:
Injuries: Impaled by spikes

For those with issues reading the table:

He felt the upthrust of something sharp into the cavity of his chest, just beneath the ribs--it was damaging, if only barely. It hurt. He did not like pain.

The bull bellowed, thrashing, feeling the spill of hot blood; he twisted, struggling in now-frantic movement to get to his hooves and drive his horns down into the beast beneath him. If he managed, it would be his full weight--all his muscle--behind scrabbling, driving hooves, his horns thrusting and twisting in an attempt to truly push straight through the torso that lay beneath him.

He felt the flesh pull up from his spines, felt blood streaking down, saw the pale horns driving down toward him. The Sentinel kicked out, twisting away, a flicker of magic rising up like a shielding cloak. One hand snapped closed around the halberd's haft and he rolled, snapping it up toward the bull's nose as a deterrant as he got fully free.

He felt the strike that should have impaled him, felt the bull bounce away from his magic, and a moment later he was struggling back onto his own feet.

In pain-... but alive.

"It would be-... useful," he tried. Vinegar, as it turned out, was not working. "It could have... rewards."

Round: 10/?
Attempt: avert damage! reflect!
Defense:
Injuries: same as before

He felt what felt like his own two horns crashing into him, not deep but terribly painful nonetheless--dimmed, at least, by adrenaline. Hooves scrambled at the floor as he regained his balance, the splatter of his own blood dripping from multiple wounds loud in his ears.

He was irritated that he hadn't done more damage to this thing, but he had damaged it, and at this point he just wanted out.

No-... He wanted in. He wanted to stampede into Draco and have a good, long look; no skinny monster would keep him from his goals. But instinctively he wanted to avoid the creature, avoid further harm.

Cloven hooves hammered at the ground, and he took off: an attempt to charge away, snorting, through the pulsing Aperture and into Draco proper.

For those with issues reading the table:

He felt what felt like his own two horns crashing into him, not deep but terribly painful nonetheless--dimmed, at least, by adrenaline. Hooves scrambled at the floor as he regained his balance, the splatter of his own blood dripping from multiple wounds loud in his ears.

He was irritated that he hadn't done more damage to this thing, but he had damaged it, and at this point he just wanted out.

No-... He wanted in. He wanted to stampede into Draco and have a good, long look; no skinny monster would keep him from his goals. But instinctively he wanted to avoid the creature, avoid further harm.

Cloven hooves hammered at the ground, and he took off: an attempt to charge away, snorting, through the pulsing Aperture and into Draco proper.

Round: 10/?
Attempt: Just run away from this tall fool
Defense: Piercing wounds (arm spikes, half-reflected gore)
Injuries:

On a normal day, anyone getting past him would be chased down, or at least he'd try to. Right now?

With smashed ribs, and wheezing breath? ...And an easy-to-follow blood trail? He winced and doubled over, and watched the black bull charging off.

He would follow, for now--at a distance. And quietly. Perhaps if it went to ground somewhere, to rest and heal, he could bring Vargas to it where it slept. If he were lucky, it would get lost in here.

The Sentinel moved as quickly as he dared, adrenaline leaving him trembling and out of breath, a little dizzy and with the pain now rushing in. But it wasn't over, yet, and he pushed on, attempting to at least keep the brute in sight.

His movement slowed from a hefty gallop to a slow trot.

He was wounded, but not severely; by instinct he could feel that the wounds would likely seal--and heal--before he lost much blood. It wouldn't be pleasant. They might become infected. But he'd survive, for now.

Head lifted, dull eyes regarding cave walls and Black Spire from a distance. Strange scents filled this place--of monsters unknown--and had he known the den of beasts he was trotting so stubbornly into he might have even second-guessed himself.

But the caves were large, and--for now, at least--he saw nothing else in motion around him. Behind him-... that was another story. The thin black thing was still visible in the distance, and Abaddon had only to slightly turn his head to see him there.

He picked up speed, again, trying to charge off and away--over the horizon and out of sight completely.

For those with issues reading the table:

His movement slowed from a hefty gallop to a slow trot.

He was wounded, but not severely; by instinct he could feel that the wounds would likely seal--and heal--before he lost much blood. It wouldn't be pleasant. They might become infected. But he'd survive, for now.

Head lifted, dull eyes regarding cave walls and Black Spire from a distance. Strange scents filled this place--of monsters unknown--and had he known the den of beasts he was trotting so stubbornly into he might have even second-guessed himself.

But the caves were large, and--for now, at least--he saw nothing else in motion around him. Behind him-... that was another story. The thin black thing was still visible in the distance, and Abaddon had only to slightly turn his head to see him there.

He picked up speed, again, trying to charge off and away--over the horizon and out of sight completely.

...And off it went.

Well, his only option was not to fall too far behind--yet again. Silent, grimly determined, he limped--hobbling a bit, breaths rasping. He could have flown, he knew--but the concept of it failing and dropping him from a nasty height was not a pleasant one, not with his current wounds. He also wasn't sure he could focus on magic right now--but if he truly lost his target, he would resort to it.

For now, there were faint, small droplets of blood that formed a clear enough trail on the dark stone, gleaming a sinister red in the voidlight.

Character: Abaddon Age: +9 (9 Cycles) Magic Level: +3 (Brawler) ROUND 1 Attempt: +12 Penalties: - ROUND 2 Attempt: +17 Penalties: - ROUND 3 Attempt: +8 Penalties: - ROUND 4 Attempt: +12 Penalties: - ROUND 5 Attempt: +3 Penalties: - ROUND 6 Attempt: +19 Penalties: - ROUND 7 Attempt: +1 Penalties: - ROUND 8 Attempt: +6 Penalties: - ROUND 9 Attempt: +11 Penalties: - ROUND 10 Attempt: +19 Penalties: - Total: 120

Character: The Sentinel Age: +8 (8 Cycles) Magic Level: +5 (Transcendent Pupil) ROUND 1 Attempt: +2 Penalties: - ROUND 2 Attempt: +6 Penalties: - ROUND 3 Attempt: +14 Penalties: - ROUND 4 Attempt: +16 Penalties: - ROUND 5 Attempt: +6 Penalties: - ROUND 6 Attempt: +11 Penalties: - ROUND 7 Attempt: +15 Penalties: - ROUND 8 Attempt: +2 Penalties: - ROUND 9 Attempt: +12 Penalties: - ROUND 10 Attempt: +20 Penalties: - Total: 117

WINNER: Abaddon

Abaddon was oblivous to the splatters of blood he left behind. Instead, he sought somewhere to rest, now: weariness trickling in. But he wasn't stupid enough to lay down in the first flat area that presented itself, no: he trotted on and on, searching out the perfect, defensible location.

This took him to the Womb.

A cracked honeycomb of Oilstone pods full of scattered bones might not have been anyone's prime bed, but to Abaddon it was perfect: he'd be hidden (he thought), sheltered (he hoped) and able to present nothing but horns to anyone disturbing him.

He didn't want one that hung too open, so he picked one with a smaller hole, and set about enlarging it. With horns and hooves he crashed through the thinned and ancient shell, pushing his way inside--turning, after, and flopping down, nostrils flared with a great and heaving exhale. The metallic stink of his own blood rose in his nostrils--angering him--but for now he needed rest.

He would remain alert until he drifted at last off to sleep--and heavens help the thin smoky thing if it came anywhere in sight.

For those with issues reading the table:

Abaddon was oblivous to the splatters of blood he left behind. Instead, he sought somewhere to rest, now: weariness trickling in. But he wasn't stupid enough to lay down in the first flat area that presented itself, no: he trotted on and on, searching out the perfect, defensible location.

This took him to the Womb.

A cracked honeycomb of Oilstone pods full of scattered bones might not have been anyone's prime bed, but to Abaddon it was perfect: he'd be hidden (he thought), sheltered (he hoped) and able to present nothing but horns to anyone disturbing him.

He didn't want one that hung too open, so he picked one with a smaller hole, and set about enlarging it. With horns and hooves he crashed through the thinned and ancient shell, pushing his way inside--turning, after, and flopping down, nostrils flared with a great and heaving exhale. The metallic stink of his own blood rose in his nostrils--angering him--but for now he needed rest.

He would remain alert until he drifted at last off to sleep--and heavens help the thin smoky thing if it came anywhere in sight.