SPLASH!

The lizard surfaced with a gasp of air and a thrashing of scales, claws and water.

Again, his magic had failed him - he had dove underwater, sunset eyes searching for a tasty meal among the murk and attempted to generate that familiar film of water over his hide that would allow him to breathe where there was no air. He tried it time and time again, and failure was beginning to feel like routine to him. Once or twice the lizard had actually managed it, but those felt like flukes. Accidents. He tried to repeat it, to revisit those few times that he had actually succeeded in lurking underwater for longer than usual, but every time he lost his focus. The water moved too quickly, or he caught sight of a fish, or some seaweed brushed his leg. It would break his concentration and the film would dissolve back into the water, leaving him clamoring for oxygen.

When he crested the surface with his broad snout, the lizard splashed a few times before righting himself in the waters. His front legs splayed out at his sides while his hind legs kicked, his tail like an oar swaying through the water as he struggled to remain aloft. Ghanyarah sucked in a breath, restoring the air in his lungs while his tongue flicked and tested the air. It didn't look like anybody had witnessed this failure of his, but Ghanyarah could never be too careful. He frowned and plunged forward, moving like an arrow now through the water - no, a wavering, curving line that cut through the surface, towards the shore.

Maybe he was too hungry to get it right. His stomach rumbled that instant, reminding him of the reason why he had tried to breathe underwater in the first place. Hunting. Fishing, rather. Perhaps he would have better luck on land. With a huff, Ghanyarah made his approach, appearing as no more than a ripple as he swam his way back.

table and code © chelsea of ORIGIN


@Zariel

Exploring had become a bit routine for him. He was doing just as his father asked and day by day he was learning more. Within his body he could feel electrical things, mostly centered around his gem. He didn't know what was going on with it but he knew it couldn't be anything bad. It was probably magick. The stuff that his mother had told him about. So far he'd had no occasion to really practice it. No need.

Perhaps today would be different.

Zariel found himself in a new area today where there was an all-pervading fog. He could see nothing but he wasn't afraid. Zariel's brain was very good at keeping track of things... creepily good. As he traveled he remembered the exact number of steps he took so that he could take those steps back.

Seven-hundred eighty-four.

He continued to walk until the ground underfoot turned boggy. For a moment he stopped and stared at the earth. It was not a pleasant feeling but he could deal with it. He continued on.

Seven-hundred ninety-nine.

He stopped when he saw the movement of something swimming nearby. Some water-creature thing. He blinked his eyes, staring blankly at it. He'd never seen such a thing before and he wanted to learn about it so he stared as it swam.

---

19
@Ghanyarah
---
5/10

"Talking looks like this!"
Thinking looks like this...

Oh, it must have been his lucky day.

He had raised his head from the water, blinking the muck away from his eyes and there before him amassed a small white mammal, as though a gift of the gods had materialized out of thin air. Aquarian must be rewarding him for something, yes, but what? He shrugged it off for now. He had been gifted with a meal through some mysterious and marvelous miracle, and Ghanyarah wasn't going to let it go to waste. The pits of his chest rumbled with a snicker, causing bubbles to froth up from his nostrils just below the waterline. He examined the white canine for a moment, all the while rapidly working out his plan for attack.

Alright. Maybe one more time, he would try to hide underwater. The creature looked curious enough, so perhaps Ghanyarah could entice it into the water - into his element. The komodo dipped beneath the surface again, and a thin film of mucus swept across his hide, encasing him in a flexible lung that would allow him to absorb oxygen at least for a little while. It was thin in some spots, non-existent in others, but it would suffice. He dove down and touched the muddy bottom, walking towards the shore still - only this time he was hidden within the murk, ebbing closer and closer to the pup from below.

table and code © chelsea of ORIGIN


@Zariel

Eight hundred.

He looked out at the murky water, eyes trained onto the thing below the surface. What was it? He could not place what it was. He did not even know if it was sentient. If it wasn't then it would be a waste of breath to say anything and if there was one thing that Zar didn't like to do it was waste breath. So, he just sat and watched as the thing popped its head out of the water and then went back under. What was it doing? Trying to breath? If it was then why didn't it just come out.

The dog tilted his head to the left and then the right as he stared for a moment longer. However, with how this was going he figured that the thing was just going to swim away or stare at him. He couldn't even see the thing anymore, not even the ripples from him breathing.

It was time to move on. He had other things to see and learn. He turned to continue on his way.

Eight hundred two.

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182
@Ghanyarah
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5/10

"Talking looks like this!"
Thinking looks like this...

(hope this use of bloodhold is ok!)

He moved closer and closer to the shore - there was only so close that he could get before the water would be too shallow to hide him, though, and he didn't know that the dog was already beginning to lose interest. Ghanyarah did manage to hold his attention long enough for the komodo to advance as close as he could get, and as soon as the dog turned away, the komodo struck. Now was the time - if he wanted his meal, he'd have to move fast. The lizard lunged forward out of the water in a great splash of dirty brown water, intending on a physical lunge at the small dog, but his magic acted otherwise.

A surge of energy escaped the lizard, wrapping around the dog's paws. While Ghanyarah wasn't close enough to get a hold of the canine himself, his magic thankfully had other plans and entirely against his will, snagged the dog's paws and took them out from under him, intending to topple the dog onto his side.

Round 1/5
Attacks: Lunging out of the water and using Bloodhold to trip Zariel
Defenses: n/a
Injuries: n/a

table and code © chelsea of ORIGIN


@Zariel

Eight hundred four.

That was all he was able to count to before he heart the sound of splashing water. Before he even turned he knew it was the thing he had observed in the water. His golden gaze looked at the water-creature as it lumbered towards him. Perhaps he should have felt fear or should have run away. He latter thought appeared in his mind. For some reason he knew that this thing wanted to eat him, it was stamped all over its face. However, when he moved to run he felt that his paws were locked to the ground with a prickling pain. He stared downwards, confused at this turn of events. Why were his paws locked to the earth? He had no idea but it was simply a minor setback. If he could not run then he would fight. If he did not fight well enough then he would be eaten and die.

Such was the way of things.

It was then that he felt his paws swept from beneath him and he landed on the earth with a small "oof". His eyes were locked onto the lizard-water-thing as it lunged towards him. Zariel did nothing but stare for a moment while his eyes blinked. What could he do about this situation? His mother had told him of magic and fighting. He'd never used a spell before but now would probably be a good time. After all if he just sat there and let himself be killed Mama Arkrael would probably be disappointed and sad... He would be sad too. Who would give him cuddles in his death?

So, he inhaled and began to focus on magic he'd never used and then he coughed up and spat out a tingly glob from his mouth.


Zariel vs Ghanyarah
I of V

Attacks: Blast Yarah with Electroball!
Defense: None.
Injuries: None.

---

297
Ghanyarah
---
6/10

"Talking looks like this!"
Thinking looks like this...

Ghanyarah advanced on the fallen canine with half a mind that it was his own stupidity that made him slip and fall, though the tingling across his hide ultimately suggested to him that it was magic that swept the dog's paws out from under him. The lizard clomped closer, dragging his bulk through the mud while saliva gathered in his gums. He could practically taste his fresh new meal, and it would be still warm - the best kind! Of course Ghanyarah wasn't above scavenging, but a hot meal was so much better than a cold one. He was too busy savoring the moment to realize the dog was preparing to rebute his attack, and before he knew what had happened a sharp electric shock ran through his body.

Ghanyarah hissed and sizzled as static crept across his scales, charring his snout where the charged spittle had landed. Fried gator probably smelled just as good.

He shook his head, sending the spittle flying; once the shock subsided, Ghanyarah grimaced and parted his jaws to reveal rows of razor teeth. "Lunch is supposed to stay down!" The komodo scowled and stepped back, pulling at the moisture all around them and willing it to harden the dog into the mud.

Round 2/5
Attacks: freezing zariel into the mud
Defenses: n/a
Injuries: jittery nerves!

@Zariel

The young pup watched as the electrified ball he coughed up landed on the water-lizard's face. The scent of charred scales hit his nose and it was not unpleasant. For the moment he was sure that this was a lesser gembound that was mindlessly coming after him. If it was a lesser gembound and it smelled good... No. The probability of him winning this fight against such a large creature was very low. Perhaps only ten percent or something lower. No. He'd do better to try and get away. Besides, this creature was not threatening Eridanus. It was simply trying to eat.

When it spoke though he realized that this wasn't just a mindless lesser gembound but a gem like him. He didn't think greater gembounds ate each other but he supposed it was. "Lunch does not stay down." It wasn't a retort as it was still spoken with Zariel's normal monotone. He was simply stating a fact that he figured the lizard-creature overlooked. When you were hunting unless you killed the prey it got back up and tried to run, much like he was doing.

The pup stood up and stared at the lizard-creature. His eyes were unblinking as he simply stood and did nothing. He knew that to this larger creature he was lunch so he didn't try to dissuade him from coming closer or attacking again but what he did do was stare. Perhaps he could keep the thing back if he let it know that he was dominant and not to be messed with. Mama Arkrael was an alpha and while he didn't outrank her, perhaps he could outrank this.

In an omage to his mother he opened his eyes wide and simply... stared. No blinking, no moving, no nothing. His body was absolutely still as he attempted to bore his tiny puppy gaze into the lizard's soul.


Zariel vs Ghanyarah
II of V

Attacks: Creepy stare to creep Ghan out and make him run.
Defense: Staaareeee!
Injuries: He's muddy... but that's not really an injury...

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312
Ghanyarah
---
6/10

"Talking looks like this!"
Thinking looks like this...

The dog had the nerve to resist him, stating as if it were matter of fact that lunch didn't stay down. Oh, no, but it should! Ghanyarah didn't want to face the folly of having lost his lunch especially after he got it down once. Soon as it was down, it should stay down. If he was so incompetant a hunter that he let his meal find its feet again, then Ghanyarah hardly deserved to eat. Survival of the fittest, after all. The komodo preached it. How could he call himself worthy of survival if he couldn't even hunt for himself? Ah, that was opening a whole other can of worms - a split second thought process that curled itself around in his mind the moment the dog responded.

Instead, Ghanyarah grumbled and lunged for him, but he'd already stood. His tail lashed in agitation and he faltered as the canine turned to him and - well, he was expecting it to lash out with its teeth, but the thing only stared at him. Stared... And stared... Well, if he wasn't going to reciprocate an attack or turn and flee, then maybe it was this animal that had failed. Perhaps Ghanyarah was the fittest after all. Despite how unnerving the dog's stare was, Ghanyarah only held it for a second before he charged at the puppy again, cranking open his jaws and summoning his cold magic, intending to make a lunge for the side of the dog's neck. Should his aim prove true, maybe he'd be able to freeze that juicy neck of his.

Round 3/5
Attacks: ice bite to Zariel's left side of neck
Defense: none
Injuries: charred nose, jumpy nerves

@Zariel

For a moment it seemed that the stare worked, the water-lizard held his gaze for a moment and seemed to hesitate. It was only a few seconds of hesitation as the lizard lunged right for him. The pup didn't move for a moment, only stared and stared in hopes that the lizard-creatures would realize that he was quite dominant... But it didn't work. He came ever closer and finally was right upon him. The pup stared with his golden eyes and then at the last moment leaped out of the way of the attack. He could feel the icy fangs close momentarily around the fur of his neck but besides a few plucked hairs he was unscathed.

Now the pup danced a few feet away and stood, eyes locked onto the water-lizard again as he waited for its next move. Because it was hungry there was no doubt that it would attack again and he needed to be ready.


Zariel vs Ghanyarah
III of V

Attacks: None
Defense: Dodge out of the way quick!
Injuries: A few plucked hairs, muddy.

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---
Ghanyarah
---
6/10

"Talking looks like this!"
Thinking looks like this...