The announcer called out the two fighters, Lily preparing her spells and auras to respond to the Sentinel. She felt her heart beating in her chest, the words from Edwin fresh on her mind. Begin! the sound reverberated through the arena, mixing in with the cheers of the enthusiastic crowd. Lily looked at her opponent, the Sentinel vanishing an instant after the battle start, her knives flashing in front of Lilys face as she dodged backwards. She deflected two strikes but couldnt keep up with the two weapons of her foe. Instead she used her pack, the wolves pouncing out of the shadows and towards Celeste. She teleported again, avoiding the wolves before she threw the knives instead, forcing Lily to move into the shadows herself. She came back out a dozen meters away and found one of her wolves cut apart, another one stabbed in its slightly ethereal head. Lily rushed forward with more of her wolves moving out, recalling the last one engaged with the Sentinel with a whistle. It jumped away when Celeste whipped forward her right arm, the chain coming lose before it wrapped around the wolf. A thrown knife entered the creatures head, the being quickly dissolving into nothing. Lily grit her teeth as she and her pack approached in a formation, three each moving to the left and right, one staying right in front of her. She watched as Celeste sheathed the one knife she held and twirled, sunlight reflecting off the metal bits of her freshly polished armor. Two chains whipped out with quick motions, moving in unpredictable patterns one high and one low. The Sentinel walked forward, meeting the charge with moving steel. She took two quick steps and moved sideways, the chains whipping out with blinding speed, one ripping through two wolves in a single strike, the other taking out one on the other side. She twirled again to regain the momentum, the chains now past the approaching wolves and Lily. Shes wont stay there. Lily whistled, her wolves rushing out and away, only the one in front of her still running towards the battle healer. Lily herself waited until the last moment, watching the Sentinel disappear as she had expected. Celeste appeared a few meters back and to the right, her chains whipping through where the wolves wouldve been, missing them by an arms length. Lily ducked under the second chain and teleported forward, stabbing her knife at the womans neck. Her foe tried to block with her left arm but found herself unable to move it, two wolves pulling on the chain they had caught. Her blade found a space between the shoulder piece and helmet, biting into the flesh below. Lily didnt let go, her wolves rushing forward when Celeste kicked her. All the air left her lungs as she lurched backwards, still holding on to the blade. Three wolves jumped the woman when she moved her shoulders, the chains falling to the ground before she grabbed for two more knives. She met the jumping wolves with her blades, one of them stabbed in its upper jaw and the other grazed on its leg. Two still bit down, one on her calf and the other on her right wrist. Lily let go of the blade and transformed, her form growing larger until she pushed down the woman, two wolves still biting her calf and arm while Lily herself pushed her massive claws into the Sentinels shoulders. She opened her maw around the womans helmet and bit down, finding resistance in the form of one of her arms. Bone and metal groaned under her jaws and teeth, the helmet now gripped as well. The strength she could use was reduced by the blocking arm but she still managed to break through. Her claws found purchase as well, biting deep into Celestes shoulder until the combined effort of her wolf and her claws managed to rip off her right arm. The crowd winced as the bloodied bit was pulled away by the monstrous wolf, Lilys large form still pushing down the struggling Sentinel with her claws glancing off her armor, teeth grinding against bracers and helmet. She did all she could, letting go once before she bit off the womans hand instead, ripping on the second arm with her claws cutting down on her shoulder. She couldnt quite rip it off but the fight was over regardless. She moved her head to the side and lifted the woman off the ground, slamming her down with a spray of blood splattering against the thin layer of sand with the sand of shattering bones. Her wolves were rushing at the Sentinel again as Lily let go and jumped back, her own form returning to normal. She went to one knee and coughed up blood, sweat pooling on her brow. Too long. She could feel every muscle in her body ache, whistling to send her remaining wolves at the downed woman. Her eyes opened wide when Celeste vanished. She appeared next to her arm and kicked away the nearby wolf. A groan escaped her as she bent down with her injured leg and grabbed the piece of mangled flesh. She placed it against her bleeding shoulder socket and huffed, cracking her head in the process. Her other arm turned and cracked as bones realigned, the hand Lily had removed already back. Three knives were thrown at the wolves, two more in the Sentinels hands as she rushed at Lily once again. Lily looked at the black eyes now taking her in. The casual demeanor was gone, instead she looked at a hunter. Her knife came up to block the strikes but Celeste now moved without regard for her own health, simply ignoring the counter strikes that glanced off her armor or left shallow wounds. Lily felt the first stab in her arm, the next biting deep into her stomach. She winced at the pain, two more stabs sliding in past her ribs, the blade remaining inside. Another two stabbed deep into her shoulders, her arms slumping down. She fell to her knees and looked up, seeing the Sentinel back with her chains, whirling the heavy links in the air above her. She felt the air whistle when one of the chains whipped past just above her head, her jaw shutting with a quick motion as her vision blurred. It hurt. Everything hurt. She looked down and saw blood pooling below her. Lily tried to grab the bloodied black dagger but couldnt move her arm far enough, then she fell forward, barely feeling the impact of her head on the sand. A loud voice resounded but she couldnt hear anything, a strange feeling spreading through her until the pain suddenly eased. Warmth flooded her, the familiar feeling making her add her own healing with the little mana she had left. Metal clang to the ground as the blades were removed from her body. Lily rolled onto her back with her eyes open, taking in fast breaths as the phantom pain made her grit her teeth. Not bad. Pretty nasty that monster form. Just have to prevent a teleport and you can go to town, the voice of Celeste came from the side. Lily turned her head and found the woman crouching next to her. Your armor is shit. And you should get that pain tolerance sorted though I know its near impossible without help. She glanced up to the terrace and returned her attention to Lily. Dont think about it too much. For me it helps to have another fight right after, makes you focus on something else. That or drinking. Celeste offered a hand and Lily took it, the woman easily pulling up the savage wolf before she slapped her shoulder. Dont know how I wouldve fared without my armor, Ill be honest. How did you ignore all that your arm your face, Lily stuttered out. Celeste just looked at her. What do you think we do all day? Rip off each others arms? Lily asked in a borderline mocking voice. She shook her head lightly when the woman didnt reply. She repeated the question in a more serious tone. Usually its cutting. Its important to learn how to deal with that kind of injury. Plenty of monsters can do worse than what you just did in even less time. Its damn near impossible without healing, but you do have a spell. Maybe work on that more, might come in handy, the woman said. She started collecting her daggers and knives, some of them looking like they belonged in a kitchen. Lily watched her, more people in black armor standing nearby, giving both of them a few looks. She felt more healing magic before the other Sentinels left, the two people she assumed to be Shadows gave each other a look and left as well. She sighed and glanced up to the terrace. More to think about and consider. Ill definitely watch her other fights.
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