Between Hylon Forest and Fonhinqann
Main Highway
Six Hours before Twilight
Tristan reaches for something, anything behind him, and his hand settles on something cylindrical and round. Just at that moment, however, the immense Dire Dust Bunny leaps out of the closet and its teeth sink into Tristan's shoulder, drawing blood. (-5 hp)

After the attack it draws back from Tristan, as he smashes the swarm it summoned into dust puffs, but not before they manage to bite him a few times (-2 hp). This bunny seems to be as big as Tristan, and if it wanted to, it could look him straight in the eye. Its body is rather bizarre, consisting of speckles of dust compacted into a tangible form. Just how much it is compacted suggests that it is rather hard, not unlike an earth elemental, made up of compacted earth.

getting into his drunk stance once again, Tristan starts to stagger and weave about in an irrational and spontaneous manner. Becoming more elusive in his 'sloppiness' Tristan goes for another round about swing with his weapon in newly attained weapon, tipping on one toe to bring down the umbrella stand vertically down on aggressive the creature.

Willow fingered the band around her left hand ring finger. Joseph had given it to her, a magical ring that could turn away anything trying to harm her. She had thought it a sweet gesture, and certainly the ring was nice, but she was still surprised to find that the tiny loop actually did contain protective magic. As she gazed at it, she contemplated her up coming leave from the Barracks, when she would add another to this engagement ring. She had already began introducing herself as Willow Hiswena, as stange as it still felt to have a last name after so many years gone by without needing one.

Her eyes darted to the door at the sound of a knock.
"Hey, Willow! Are you busy?" A voice calls from the other side of the door. She wondered who had betrayed her to him as she winced at another series of pounding upon her door. At this time of day she wasn't usually confined to her room, but today she didn't feel much like going outside. OBviously somebody had seen her return and had told Yin.

She lifted herself off her bed without haste until a third reverberating chorus motivated her to reach the door before a fourth. Judging by the flinch of the man on the otherside as he pulled his fist back, Willow discovered that she had arrived just in time.

"Yes?" she asked, looking down at the barely older man. She guessed that his drive for disturbing her peace was so that he could once again spar with her, though she hoped otherwise with realized futility.

"Hi Willow! Are you busy?" Yin eagerly repeats his question.

"Not right now." She replied, not anymore. She glanced at the trunk wherein lay her armor, tailored to her dimensions.

"Oh, Ok! Umm... do you like to read?" Yin asks hesitantly, his armour softly glinting in the light from Willow's window.

"Yes, I do, but give me ten minutes, I'll meet you in the Training Hall," she replied, cutting off what may have been a lengthy round about discussion resulting the question to her answer introduced seemingly at random. Yin grinned immensely and departed quickly. Willow closed the door behind him and reflected on the trouble she once had learning to read; Such skills were never necessary when she was growing up, but within the walls of civilization, there was much to be gained by understanding the written word.

~Assuming no further distractions between changing into armor and arrival at the aforementioned destination~

Willow walked quickly into the Training Hall, to where Yin waited on a bench to one side. Her armor made very little sound as she swept past, a testament to the expertise in its craftsmanship. She selected two of the many enchanted swords that trainees fought with, enspelled to take the lethal edge out of each swing.

"Are you ready then?" She asked of the one who refused to accept defeat. Though she had to admit, he never gave up.

Between Hylon Forest and Fonhinqann
Main Highway
Six Hours before Twilight
The immense bunny brings itself upright, its head touching the ceiling as it slams down with both its paws at Tristan. However, Tristan ducks to the side of both of them, and when it leaps forward to bite, he whaps it sharply with the umbrella stand. The umbrella stand jars in his hand's grip, vibrating roughly from the attack, as a slight crack appears in the bunny's side.

It is definately harder than it looks, Tristan can easily conclude as he raises the umbrella stand. This time he lands it squarely between the eyes of the bunny's head, and a loud CRACK can be heard as a the bunny's head shows a spider-web cracking from the point of impact. The bunny recoils from the attack, and shakes its head, as though clearing its mind of fog, but it returns to gaze at Tristan quickly enough, too quickly for comfort.

Aqinarr's Soldier's Barracks
Training Hall
Six hours before Twilight
"Are you ready then?"
"You bet!" Yin says, grinning. He holds up the two swords he already picked out for Willow, "These are the ones you always use; I made sure I got the right ones." He says, passing them to Willow.

He then grabs the longsword next to him and almost runs to the starting position outlined on the many circles along the hall. These swords used in the Training Hall are specially made; no death can come from these swords, for they don't draw blood. That doesn't mean they can't knock out a person for an hour or two though, and Yin knows this, but he doesn't care; already, Willow can see in his eyes that strange determination that only a self-proclaimed rival can achieve.

seeing the damage that he is doing to his enemy, Tristan decides to continue to deal damage to the enemy by putting in more forceful and faster blows, hoping that the lack in accuracy will be insignificant due to the damage he had done before. With his mighty fists and umbrella stand, Tristan goes for the kill... in a stumbling and clumsy manner.

Willow accepts the pair of longswords offered to her by Yin, realizing only now that she has indeed made a habit of choosing her weapons from the same location.

Note to self, she thought, choose different swords next time. That and never send him ahead anymore.
She positioned herself opposite Yin on the field, quickly shaking loose any laziness of her limbs from her previous preoccupation. As soon as Yin saw fit to start, she would be ready to react, whatever happened from there was up to skill and luck.

Between Hylon Forest and Fonhinqann
Deserted House
Six Hours before Twilight
The bunny again rears itself back, but this time catches Tristan in the arm with one of its paws. (-3 hp) This time as well, its head bobs from side to side, and it strikes true, drawing blood from Tristan's leg. (-7 hp)

This beast is dangerous, but not so dangerous as Tristan when he puts his mind to it. Twirling his deadly umbrella stand of doom, he whacks the bunny on both sides of its head, the cracks from the strikes traveling a bit along its body. One part of the crack severs the beast's eye, but the redness of the eye remains intact, and doesn't go out. From the cracks now, little puffs of dust trail out in a set rhythm, almost like the beast is breathing in and out, maybe even panting slightly. Not yet finished, Tristan brings the umbrella stand to hit it on its raised back, causing another crack to form.

Aqinarr's Soldier's Barracks
Training Hall
Six Hours before Twilight
Yin raises his blade, but Willow is the first to react. Running forward, she slips her blades around Yin's, and twirls him around as she slices, but both hits glance off of Yin's armour. Encouraged by this, Yin twirls around and strikes with his blade, the blade passing through the junction in Willow's armour at the elbow point. The blade passes through, but no blood is drawn, despite the fact that Willow felt her strength wane just slightly from the attack. (+6 nonlethal)

Yin's eyes light up as he successfully strikes the first hit. Perhaps this time would be different...

seeing the damage done is starting to degrade the creature, Tristan goes in with all his might and speed. [If this keeps up] Tristan thinks to himself. [I may have to resort to drastic measures...]

Between Hylon Forest and Fonhinqann
Deserted House
Six Hours before Twilight
The bunny goes to strike again, but this time its movements are predictable, and evading it is easy. Once again, Tristan whacks it thrice, once on the side, and twice in the head. Now the cracks extend over its entire body, and the rate in which dust seems to be drawn in and out of the cracks is far greater. One red eye has gone out, and the other is rather dim.

The creature almost seems to want to run, but something keeps it from doing so. A desperate look appears in its one eye as it looks at Tristan for perhaps the final time.

With his weakened enemy before him, Tristan shows no mercy. He simply goes in for a strong and accurate finish as the enemy seems like it will crumble with a single punch/slap of his stand.

Between Hylon Forest and Fonhinqann
Deserted House
Six Hours before Twilight
The Dire Dust Bunny looks at Tristan, then suddenly opens its mouth and unleashes another shower of hits upon Tristan in the form of a new dust bunny swarm. Tristan manages to twist his body to avoid the worst of the attack, but it now felt like he had a few golf-ball like divets in his body. (-3 hp)

The new dust bunny swarm completely ignores Tristan, and runs out the open door, running away from him as fast as possible.

Tristan shows no mercy and whacks the Dire Dust Bunny hard on the back, causing it to crack just a bit more. However, the second hit, and it is a hit, just glances off of its hard body.

Tristan is at a loss as to which monstrosity to go after, but decides to stay and defeat the origin of the swarms before going outside to hunt that last one.
Using his strength and aggressive prowess, Tristan puts in another two blows with his 'special' weapon and hopes that the creature will finally fall...

Fonhinqann
Gladiator Arena
Six Hours before Twilight

Manalagna Hammer listened intently to the announcer as the roar of the crowd drowned out his own bold introduction. The Charismatic Orc had placed such an emphasis on the words "... expensive for the contender, and that’s why few people challenge her these days ... I suggest you don't use any really expensive weapons." ... that Manalagna Hammer got the chillingly distinct impression that were he to lose this battle that he would forfeit his weapons and belongings to this ..."Xira, the defending champion!"
"So Then ... to the Victor Belongs the Spoils?"
Manalagna Hammer paused long enough for another possible roar of the crowd to die down and for the Buff Orc to respond in some Charismatic fashion to the Dwarven Druid's boldly stated question.

He also pondered upon the declaration from the Buff Orc that "... you cannot summon any allies ... this is a one on one battle." and realized with a wry grin that Takas would have to sit out this Sand Dance, as Manalagna Hammer liked to refer to the Arena Battles when he was dueling on the arena sands of Alastari, before his veteran manager Hammer had deposited him upon this world by utilizing one of his Elven Orbs of Transport that had opened the Time/Space/Dimensional Realm corridors a few years past to convey Manalagna to this particular world.

Too bad that Hammer did not allow Manalagna Hammer to keep one of the veteran manager's Elven Orbs of Transport for himself, as this seemed to be a situation where one of those EOTs would have come in quite handy!

Manalagna Hammer conveyed a silent message to his faithful and trustworthy Takas to refrain from joining the battle. This Xira was only to be Dwarf Bait for this particular Sand Dance! Takas would have to be content to wait for a future battle!

The Dwarven Druid did not flinch as he raised his head to look full in the face of the Buff Orc and with a competitive defiance against the odds that seemed to be stacked against the diminutive challenger boldly questioned, "What Is My Reward for Defeating Your Defending Champion ... This Xira?"