The owl's plan had worked. Now the vulture was stuck, pinned down. Perhaps this wasn't such a good idea: then again, did he ever really think things through? He was going to lose this fight for sure, at this point.

Angry, he thrashed, doing his best to escape. Flapping his wings and twisting, doing his best to throw the other bird off of him.

Round: 4
Attempt: Free himself
Defenses: None
Injuries: Minor bruising


"Speech.

@Talion

A heady rush of triumph tore through Talion as his talons connected with the other Gembound. He latched on to their chest feathers, and then let his body weight shove them back into the mud.

"Maybe next time someone asks you a question," Talion began as he stared down into the other bird's eyes,"You answer with a little more res- AAAAA!"

Just as Talion was about to finish his "lesson" to the Gemling, their thrashing sent a glob of mud straight into his left eye. The barn owl let loose a screech of pain, and fury, as he reeled back, blindly flapping and stumbling off of his opponent. Instinctively, he tried batting at his eyes with his wings first, but he quickly figured out that did absolutely nothing. Next, he frantically shook his head back and forth, as if that would fling the mud from his eye, which was firmly squeezed shut.

@Xervas

Round: 4
Attempt: Hold him down
Defense: None
Injuries: Mud in his eye

(Let me know when you want to end it. It's a good spot here if you didn't want to do anything too serious, since Talion will be pissed after this. I'm good with anything though, and am glad to keep going!)

Xervas was trying to prepare himself for whatever would come next. The owl was talking; not that the lammergeier was listening to a single word. But Xervas's constant thrashing seemed to be working!

Mud went up into the other bird's eye, and this game him the chance he needed to free himself. Standing, he turned, pointing himself directly at the bird. Hopefully the mist wouldn't cause any more issues-- though he could see his opponent still, at least.

He sent out his magic, which came much easier to him this time--it was unreliable, it seems-- and he sent it out, yet again, in a shockwave. But he tried to lessen it. He didn't want to send the owl flying. Just knock him over. It would be worth it, he thought to himself.

Round: 5
Attempt: (gentle?) dispel
Defense: None
Injuries: minor bruising


"Speech."

@Talion

In his fit of self-defense, Talion had somehow ended up with his back to his opponent. Had events not gone the way they already had, this probably wouldn't be a problem. However, in this moment and this battle, it was more than a mere obstacle for the owl. It was a make or break point to proving his supremacy over the other bird.

He was in the midst of peeling open his injured eye whenever the push came. Talion didn't know it was magic, and wouldn't have cared that it was. What mattered to him was that, in the instant after the shove came, he felt himself him falling. Falling into the mud that I have shoved him into, the owl thought as time seemed to both slow down and speed up at once.

Talion's wings snapped open and frantically pinwheeled in an effort to keep him up. Whenever he still continued to tilt forward, he subconsciously figured out that that wasn't working. In the blink of an eye, the owl went from spinning his wings around in a panic to beating them in steady, rhythmic thrusts. He pushed at the ground as hard and as desperately as he could, as if that would keep him from crashing into it.

For a moment, he truly didn't think it would. Then, with one last thrust, Talion pushed himself back upright. He staggered, and held his wings out to balance him.
Once he settled though, he looked up at the younger Gembound with narrowed eyes. "That all you got kid?" He taunted again, though even he noted the breathlessness of his tone.

@Xervas

Round: 5
Attempt: Stay upright & out of the mud
Defense: None
Injuries: Blurry sight

Xervas glared at Talion. The owl had wobbled. Had almost fallen, but not quite. It was a disappointment. If only he had fallen! That would have been a great satisfaction and would have possibly made up for his failure.

He attempted to summon his magic again, but it evaded him. It seemed, to the lammergeier, mostly useless. It never responded when called.

So, instead of launching an attack, or even saying anything in response, the bird was left glaring in silence.

Round: 6 (Maybe last?)
Attempt: C'mon just push him into the mud (dispel)
Defense: None
Injuries: Minor bruising


"Speech."

@Talion

Nothing but silence, and an indignant glare, answered Talion's challenge.

He watched the younger bird for a couple of moments, assuming that it was thinking up some plan or preparing more magic. When nothing at all came, the owl let threw his head back and guffawed.

"That's what I thought!" He snapped just after his heart-shaped face snapped back down. Inky pools narrowed at the other Gembound as his peppered feathers began to poof up. Within seconds, he appeared twice his size.

"Next time an elder Gembound asks you a question, answer it a little more nicely," he started in a low, careful tone. By the end though, Talion couldn't stop himself from hissing out the words.

After a tense moment passed, the owl abruptly screeched,"Now get out of my sight or I'll hold you under the mud!" He raised one talon and clenched it for effect, making sure to keep his gaze locked with the other bird's.

@Xervas

Round: 6
Attempt: Intimidate him!
Defense: None
Injuries: None

Character: Talion Age: +22 (22 Cycles) Magic Level: +3 (Strategist) ROUND 1 Attempt: +17 Penalties: - ROUND 2 Attempt: +12 Penalties: - ROUND 3 Attempt: +19 Penalties: - ROUND 4 Attempt: +1 Penalties: - ROUND 5 Attempt: +7 Penalties: - ROUND 6 Attempt: +15 Penalties: - Total: 96

Character: Xervas Age: +2 (2 Cycles) Magic Level: +1 (Fledgling) ROUND 1 Attempt: +6 Penalties: - ROUND 2 Attempt: +3 Penalties: - ROUND 3 Attempt: +6 Penalties: - ROUND 4 Attempt: +6 Penalties: - ROUND 5 Attempt: +17 Penalties: - ROUND 6 Attempt: +3 Penalties: - Total: 44

WINNER: Talion

@Talion @Xervas

Talion glared at the younger Gembound until they eventually faded into the fog. Once they were out of sight, he straightened up and unfurled his wings. My work here is done, he thought with a satisfied nod.

The compulsion to screech out his victory clawed up his throat so quick that he actually parted his beak to do it. However, he held the urge in check and firmly clamped his beak shut again to help resist it. He didn't need to gloat over an easy win, even if he wanted to.
To help distract himself, the owl leaped into the air and began the slow, steady climb up. His peppered wings churned the fog beneath him as he thrust them downward and propelled himself higher and higher.

Talion kept an eye out for the other bird as he flew across Cetus, but he didn't see them again. Either they were hiding, nursing their wounded pride, or they had decided to leave. He thought of doing the same but instead decided to angle toward the Heart of the room. Surely there would be prey at the water's edge...

[EXIT]