Edric stared into the Underforge. Getting here had been quite a trial, but the boar had an odd fascination with foreboding holes and tunnels now. Who knew which of them might hide more Altars, after all? The thought that there was only one did not even occur to him. Oil was universal, so why should the Altars that consumed it and drove the chaos not be commonplace?

In any case, this particular tunnel had not led to a second Altar, but what it had led to was nearly as fascinating. The whole place was lit by spurts of fire and magma, and occasional objects or rubble littered the rock surfaces that stretched across streams of lava.

Most of these did not look useful at all; Edric had no idea what anyone could possibly have wanted them for. He ventured deeper into the forge, peering this way and that for something that would be of more interest--perhaps even use--for a boar.

@Mirac

Mirac was returning from one of his trips to Draco. He was finding he did not like the strange, breathing cave. He had tried to stab it multiple times, but it didn't die. Nor did it make pain noises. However, Mirac was glad to be back in the forge. Where he was free to continue destroying swords. But he realized something was off. Evidenced by the massive black boar, back lit from flames. Mirac had only met two others in here, and they both wanted to fight. So, he assumed the same for this one.

"HA!" Mirac exclaimed. "ANOTHER challenger? You DARE enter MIRAC's lair? You wish to FIGHT Mirac? Mirac LIKES the underforge. It brings Mirac CHALLENGERS." Mirac pressed out with his will, his mind. His excitement, and the adrenaline was nearly palpable. His magic flooded the cave. An all encompassing, telepathic order to: "FIGHT ME!"

"speak" think

@Edric

Nothing so far--but then there was someone behind him, and Edric spun around as fast as a boar with a marble leg could. Mirac was the oddest thing he had ever seen, save for the being of literal shadow at the Dark Altar. The sword looked a lot less intimidating than the Shadow, though. As far as the boar could tell, it was only a sword.

And if it wanted to fight him? So be it. Edric could beat it easily. "All right, then!" he bellowed, stomping a hoof on the ground and grimacing at the rush of hot air as he moved. It really was a terrible place here. But before he could get distracted wondering about a drink, Mirac's magic hit. All through his mind, there was only the valkhound's one command: FIGHT. Even the excitement he would have felt at his sojourn here yielding another being who could send chaos through his mind was only a dim blip on his mental radar. There was only FIGHT. Edric would FIGHT. The only thing important in the world was FIGHT.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!" Edric roared, lurching toward Mirac and shouting all the way. HE WOULD TRAMPLE THE SWORD BENEATH HIS HOOVES. HE WOULD CRUSH ITS STEEL AND GORE OUT ITS EYES WITH HIS TUSKS. HE WOULD DRINK ITS OIL AND BATHE IN ITS BLOOD. HE WOULD BE VICTORIOUS!

(oop forgot the battle table so editing that in--)
Round 1/5, brawler level
Attempt: trample the sword
Defense: ha
Injuries: none

@Mirac

The opponent was massive, an intimidating bulk of a boar. And it was extremes that Mirac loved to fight. "YES," Mirac said. The boar looked and sounded absolutely feral. As feral as Mirac felt. Mirac felt no fear seeing Edric charge him. He felt only joy, and a childish excitement. His blade shifted to a molten color, a hiss audible.

"YES! YES, YES, YES! A BATTLE-err, a SPAR we will ENDURE! Feel PAIN, foe!" He cried. There was a minor issue, however. The boar was charging him faster than Mirac had expected.

Mirac managed to move out of the way, just barely, but the shock left his own attack petering out, and instead lancing through him with white hot bolts of pain. "FFfuck!" He ground out. "That HURTS! Yet Mirac does not BLEED. Make Mirac BLEED, FOE!"

speak think

Round: 1/5? (Ig LMAO)
Attempt: Zap Edric
Defense: N/A
Injuries: self zap

@Edric

Edric had been too slow. He lurched past the floating sword, feeling nothing but hot stone beneath his hooves. Charging with a limp was pretty hard. He snorted angrily, swiveling to face Mirac again. A little frown wrinkled his face. Edric didn't think he'd come into this horrible lava place with the intention of turning it into a bloodbath just yet. Why were they fighting again? Because the sword told him to? Edric didn't take orders from anyone! HE'D SHOW THAT SWORD. By, uh, beating it. In a fight.

The sword was kind of hot-looking, though. It had changed color, and now there were little bolts of purple lightning crackling across its length. Is that gonna hurt? Edric wondered. An idea struck him. He could touch it with his leg! Stone didn't hurt, he was pretty sure. Maybe. It was still a risk.

Before he could think himself out of it and ruin his show of force by looking like a scaredy-cat, Edric kicked out his marble leg toward Mirac. Touch the sword briefly, then pull away real fast. It couldn't hurt too bad as long as he was quick about getting away, right? If it hurt at all. And not that Edric was scared or anything.

@Mirac I GUESS WE'RE FIGHTING NOW HAHAHAHAHA
Round 2/5
Attempt: poke Mirac with his marble leg
Defense: none
Injuries: none

He made to send a tentacle lashing, grabbing at Edric. The magic, just barely, had begun to respond to him. But he wasn't able to keep the hold up. The sharp kick from Edric had the sword reeling. The glowing orange tint his blade had taken died out rapidly. Mirac rubbed at his muzzle.

"OW!" He complained loudly. Mirac could barely focus on the dark shape of the boar, his vision still swimming, and his levitation awry from the impact. "You are a FORMIDABLE FOE, Mirac thinks!" He says. Mirac laughs, clearly enjoying himself.


speak think

Round: 2/5? (Ig LMAO)
Attempt: Zap Edric
Defense: N/A
Injuries: self zap

@Edric

Edric laughed. "YES! I am a FORMIDABLE foe!" he repeated, delighted with himself. Was the sword laughing too? Was he not being intimidating enough? Clearly, if it was laughing. It better not be laughing at him. What had they been fighting for? Edric had forgotten. But he didn't care. This was fun! Putting his strength on display for all (well, really just the sword) to see!

Emboldened by the lack of electrocution from his first poke at the sword, Edric attempted to step on Mirac with his marble leg, like a gloating cartoon villain. "LOOK!" he boasted. "I am BIG! I am MIGHTY! Look at me and TREMBLE, sword!"

@Mirac Round 3/5
Attempt: step on Mirac
Defense: none
Injuries: none

"YESS!" Mirac hissed. Knocked prone, Mirac was surprisingly feeble. He was, quite literally, a sword, with no limbs to get up. Mirac, of course, did not mind. His silver-lined pupils glared at the Boar, its silhouette warping with splashes of purple.

Mirac laughed. "Mirac, TOO, is mighty! Mirac is not DONE yet, foe!" A crackle began, short static-y bolts climbing up the sword, before the purple-black energy condensed around Edric's hooves. A strike shot for Edric.

speak think

Round: 3/5?
Attempt: Zap Edric
Defense: Electrocuted self
Injuries: self zap x2, (was) briefly stunned

@Edric

Edric laughed with Mirac. "MIRAC is mighty? Bold words for someone getting stepped on!" The gathering magic was insidious. Edric didn't feel the crackling through his marble leg, and he wasn't paying enough attention to notice it. "Do you SURR—"

The lightning crashed into him at full force. Edric didn't even have time to shriek as his muscles seized and convulsed, let alone do anything. An acrid stench, even more than before, filled the Underforge as hair and flesh sizzled. His nerves were set on fire with agony. When the electricity left him after what felt like an eternity of burning alive, Edric simply lay there, staring at the ceiling with a scorched, shocked expression. He had a feeling it might hurt to move. Even more than he was already hurting, that was.

@Mirac Round 4/5
Attempt: idk last minute electrocution throes?
Defense: no
Injuries: electrocution

"Does Mirac WHAT?" He said. He winced at the hooves on his face. Then, suddenly, they were gone. "What is SURR? Mirac did NOT hear your last words." Mirac paused. He strung things together in his mind. He didn't hear anything from the boar. A strange stench filed the air. And the boar was no longer pinning him, to boot. Mirac blinked.

"HELLO?" He said. Mirac righted himself, red eyes searching. The boar laid on the ground, unmoving. Eyes wide open. Completely at a loss, it took Mirac a moment to form thoughts. "Are you DEAD? Stop dying, NOW. Mirac does not LIKE it when things die."

He tried to use his magicka to, well, poke at the boar. Make sure it was still alive. But he couldn't muster it. Instead, he felt the tentacle sprouting from him coil around him tight. Too tight. "OW." He cried. Figuring his magicka would not assist him at this moment, Mirac instead unfurled his wrap, poking Edric with one of the stingers. "RISE." He commanded. "Mirac is not done SPARRING."
speak think

Round 4???/5
Attempt: poke edric
Defense: none
Injuries: self zap x2, (was) briefly stunned

@Edric