Tournament Kauchemar vs Setsuna

The big moment has finally come. Black smoke briefly billows across one end of the arena, out of which Kauchemar walks with the same confident stride of a performer taking the stage. Which for her, it's really all the same. Dueling matches really were performances, just of a different style of arts. Well. In her case the two blend together a lot, but you get the point.

She takes her starting point, giving her head a shake to whip some of the midnight mane out of her face. Regardless of how this turns out, the audience is definitely going to get a show.

    There is no black smoke or scary signs of powerful dark energies coming from Setsuna's side of the field. Nope just a guy and his three headed pup as they walk out to the field together. Taking a deep breath as he gets to his spot and slowly lets it out, taking a moment to repeate the process a few times before he draws his dagger from ehind his black. "Ok Demon, today we just need to worry aout this right here. If we survive you get grunty when we get home. " There is a trio of barks of happiness as he looks towards Kauchemar, "Whenever you are ready."

"By the way, Uta says she's -still- waiting for that slime kibble." Kauchemar snickers softly, like it's some long running gag. "We'll see if you have to worry about that it~" She draws her whip, giving it a dramatic flick open. But then grabs the length in one hand as she twirls the handle in the other to hold it upside-side, making it look more like a microphone. She's going to open up this fight true to style it seems.

"o/~ No time left to be hypothetical ... Best beware when I get musical
As you come to face me at last... Now I will take you to task
Listen to words I've said... As I get into your head!

Run! Run! But you can't run away!
Casting spells to cast down my enemy
Divination, Darkness, Deception
You can't fathom the tidal inception! o/~"

The sheer resonance of her voice carries power with it, with the tune hitting just the right frequency to get lodged in the mind as well as rattle the body.

    The necromancer begins to move the moment the singing starts, because well if he waited for an actual attack the battle may be half over. With a dark aura of energy around him he traverses the field rather quickly, trying to outrun sound itself. As he moves around the field he asks, "Did you have to start with something so annoying?" The stress in his voice is evident but he doesn't slow. That is until he pops up right infront of Kauchemar, and what does he do? He throws a snake at her. Yes a snake. Where he got the snake who knows but that is what he did. " Also I will get to the kibble after my time in the tournament is over."

"Someone has improved their handling of darkness since last we fought," the Nightmare notes of the dark aura. Then Setsuna is right in front of her, as if trying to get her with one of her own tricks. Reflexively Kauchemar jerks back, letting go of the length of her whip with one hand to grab the snake. Resulting in it snapping onto her wrist briefly, before going up in a plume of smoke and fire, leaving charred remains which she flicks at the necromancer. "That was probably cruel to the snake, but I don't need you reanimating that repeatedly."

Did get her to stop singing though, at least for the moment.

Instead she sweeps an arm upward, drawing elements together to create several spikes of ice infused with darkness, which she sends raining down towards Setsuna.... Though she seems to avoid directly anything at Demon, unless the tri-doge actually gets involved in the attacks.

    So many ice spikes rain down on Setsuna , tearing him to shreds, very graphical. There are kids crying in the stands as they watch the gruesome sight, before it vanishes into nothing. Setsuna is actuallying petting the puppy while he waits for the weather to improve. " Your aim is lacking. Really really lacking. " Standing up he looks unphased, except for the cut above the eye that is now bleeding a little and suddenly he has blood in his eye. " Damn it, wait wait hold on I have something in my eye." He seems a little distracted as he continues to rub his eye for a moment. "Ok I think , I think I got it out." With that said he seemes ready to fight again, as he raises up a ball of water around Kauchemar and attempts to keep that ball of water around her head. " Now then if you could just try to take deep breaths while your head is in water, that would be great."

Kauchemar applauds. "There, that's the shameless bravado in the face of adversity we're looking for. I was starting to think my little improv shook you up -too- much." Though the bubble keeps her from getting into Chew The Scenery mode. Instead she just gives Setsuna a flat 'Really?' look. "A kelpie couldn't drown me," her voice does that 'underwater' ripple effect cartoons use to love, "what makes you think you can do it better?"

Then she's back to her mischevious mannerisms as she sing-songs. "o/~ Anything you can do, I can do better. I can do anything better than you." As she conjures a bubble of her own to engulf Setsuna... And a few seconds later he'd realize that her bubble is better because it's made of toxic contaminated water! Which just complicates the matter when she also summons a Fire elemental into a big burning sphere and sends it after Setsuna to explode! Must be going for some manner of antipode combo.

    Setsuna is suddenly breathing water, which is unforunate for him as he is not someone who can breathe water. Fortunately he can't really focus on that at the moment and , did Kauchemar poison this water?! That is just low as he gives a dirty look in Kauchemar's direction remembering that he had to focus to avoid the fire elemental. Running running running its all he can do but in the process he does manage to send a few of his, quickly becoming , dark waves of energy trying to claw his way back to being in control of this fight.

Despite her indifferent demeanor Kauchemar does realize she's in a bit of a rough situation, and in response she threw the larger combination of techniques at Setsuna to by some time. Runes flicker on the ground at her hooves, than erupt into ghostly flames. From which her Binder Shield flies up, summoned onto the field just in time to intercept the Dark Claw attack and reflect some of the energy back at the Necromancer to boot.

Kauchemar meanwhile calmly grabs the bubble that's been collapsing around her head and gives it a yank to pull it off. Clenches her hand to pop it. No more having to deal with that.

She's giving Setsuna a potential opening... or is she? Hard to tell how many moves ahead in this game she's trying to play...

    Setsuna had his own drowning problem to deal with as he takes his dagger and very carefully stabs the bubble. The water dissipates and he takes a deep breath as he looks in Kauchemar's direction. " I realized why this is all going so poorly. I forgot my ritual. Kauchemar , I apologize for what is about to happen. " His apology given he tightens his fist and raises it up into the air as two skeleton minions stand up and one charges Kauchemar, while the other seems to be giving Setsuna a leg up as he throws his relic blade at Kauchemar's shadow. Moments later she would be slowed.

Kauchemar leans to the side. "Hah, you mi--" Then realizes it wasn't aimed directly at her. She turns her head enough to see the dagger stuck into the ground on her shadow, it's magic acting like a tether to limit movement. "--Oh. I see someone discovered the old mythos of shadows being connected to one's spirit. Not quite such a myth now." She's as unflappable as ever, rolling up non-existant sleeves as Setsuna calls forth his bony minions. "Not the knight, huh? Oh well." Dark arcane energy wells sharply around her, and despite the situation the Nightmare grins. "I guess I'll just have to get creative..." her voice shifts to take a demonic reverb. "NIGHTMARE SPHERE!" Darkness erupts from her hand held up and cascades down around them. Shadows shift and distort, if she can't move she'll just make the shadows move instead. Unfortunately it doesn't work quite as well as intended, as darkness doesn't deter the boneheaded skeletons from charging into her!

But at the same time a different sound echos in the darkness. The sound of... is that galloping hooves? Even though she can't move? How is that possible? What is it, the Nightmare Were Fang is pinned!

Demonic red eyes flare right next to Setsuna, their haunting glow highlighting the appearance of a properly monsterous equine ust as it rears up, and then aims to slam it's darkness infused hooves onto the Necromancer!

Who knew the Nightmare Were Fang had a Nightmare monster to call on now.

    Setsuna felt like , at least for a moment, things were turning in his favor and then the horseshoe dropped. However that is why he keeps one of his minions back with him to use as a skeleton shield. Throwing it into the nightmare sphere. Unfortunately its not that effective and so Setsuna does the one thing that this entire tournament has taught him he is good at. He runs away. With an aura of darkness and lightning in his step he does his best to out run the nightmare of the nightmare. As he runs he drags his hands through the air like he is trying to claw at Kauchemar as dark waves fly out at the pinned lady.

Kauchemar takes a bludgeoning of bone before she finally manages to seperate herself from the skeletal assault. By appearing to step back onto her 'trapped' shadow and disappear into it, blipping away from the dagger that had magically pinned it in the process. The Dark Claw wave crackles past mere moments later, making it a narrow escape.

In reality she didn't so much disappear as make it look like such as she pulled her shadow free and moved with such speed it's impossible to see her directly.

That is until she steps back into view, watching as Setsuna runs by. With the non-werefang nightmare chasing him. "You do realize you're just making it worse, right? Nightmares are predators, as long as you run, we're going to chase." She unfurls her whip, charging some of the lingering dark energy into it, and *KACRACKS* it viciously in Setsuna's direction to try to trip up his Benny Hill Chase Scene.

    Setsuna looks at Kauchemar freeing herself from his technique and then that whip hits his foot and he falls to the ground before disappearing as it appears to be another illusion. " Man if you had tripped me that would have hurt. " Setsuna says from behind Kauchemar as he waves to the summoned nightmare. " A predator is only dangerous if it is fast enough to catch you. One of those monster handler tips. " With that Setsuna splits his attention as he summons more skeletons to go toe to toe with the summoned nightmare, while he slashes the air sending waves of darkness at Kauchemar.

By this point the other nightmare trots off to the side of the arena... and despite being a large horse manages to make itself unnoticable some how. Probably some of that darkness they posess to stalk prey in the night. It's probably just waiting for an oppritunity to try and strike again... or for it's Summoner to weaken its prey... maybe both.

More skeletons are summoned, but Kauchemar has no intention of letting them trap her between themselves and Setsuna, who's trying to steal her usual trickery. Water surges abruptly beneath her hooves, launching the Were Fang away from the skeletons, while the dark claw merely clips her across the side as she glides away from the little gathering.

"o/~ You hear the beating of your heart; you know the scream's about to start
Here comes the really scary part!"

Then just abruptly she turns around and comes racing right back AT the necromancer at his entourage, speeding close and then using the sliding effect to do one of those fancy skater spins that ends her hoof sweeping at her opponent. "o/~ And it's Terror Time again! Got you running through the night!
And its Terror Time again! And you might just die of fright! o/~"

    As the hoof comes at him , Setsuna wraps his body in dark energy as he feels himself kicked , the energy coat only absorbing so much. " It's always music with you. Always music, and its not even the good kind. " Thats right Setsuna went there, it was the lowest blow Setsuna could give. " I guess I will just have to kill the radio star." With that Setsuna takes some of that water Kauchemar was so nice to provide and sends a bubble of it to wrap around Kauchemar's head. At the same time he is reviving his skeletons to go back in for round three or four or whatever round it is of skeleton minions vs Kauchemar.

The Necromancer throws out a rather harsh insult.... Except for the fact that Kauchemar smirks at it. "Well if it was -good- music it wouldn't be effective at getting on your nerves, now would it?" she retorts, and cackles. Predictably he's raising more skeletons. "Well then." She snaps her fingers, and ghostly flames crackle around her once more. They swirl up her arm, then out to take form, materializing her Binder Sword in her hand. At the same time the Shield zips in from wherever it had been lurking to hover next to her. "Let's move this on to final act, shall we? o/~ AAAAAAH-AH-AAAAAAH-AAAAAH! o/~ " Yes, that is the scream from the start of a certain song she's doing, even as she charges back into the fray. Being a summoner herself she knows she can't just focus on the skeletons, or the necromancer... so barrels into group with the shield in front of her like a ram, then releasing the sword to make a slashing sweep in a circle around her to clear some space.

    Setsuna nods his head, " Yes I think we have played long enough. Lets go ahead and push to the end shall we. " With his agreement, as Kauchemar begins to scream, Setsuna whistles. Over at the end of the field the cerberus's ears perk up as finally they have been called to action and as if summoning darkness fit only for tartarus and sends it towards Kauchemar. Meanwhile Setsuna just summons MORE skeletons before he has to move out of the way of the sweeping pony. "IF you want to sweep, I am sure you can find a cafe to work at."

The summoning of more and more skeletons does little to keep the quick-hoofed Nightmare from moving about, zigging and zagging between undead trying to swat at her and then knocking them aside. While at the same time dispelling the attempt to leave her short of breath again that Setsuna somewhere snuck in there. He has gotten better, she will give him that much.

Then out of nowhere the tri-doge finally gets involved, expulging some manner of hellish darkness at her. It's enough that even her own affinity for the dark (ie some level of darkvision because nocturnal predator monster) can't see through it entirely. She skids to a stop, something nipping at her leg before she stomps on it. She can only assume it's one of those snakes Setsuna loves to throw like he was a novelty can. But her focus will not be so easily shaken.

Again she calls on her favored natural element, a wave of seafoam rising behind her as she raises an arm, then arcing over when she snaps her gesture forward, to crash to the ground and surge towards Setsuna trying to hide behind his boneheads. Carrying a payload of nasty little venomous jellyfish, almost too small to see in the surging current of the watery cascade.

    Setsuna watches as the venomous jellyfish move toward him, sort of. A blind nightmare apparently doesn't have the greatest of aims as it is only just barely gets him wet, but one of those damn jellyfish washes over his boot. It stings so bad too. tthe necromancer doesn't let it stop him those as he begins to draw in magical energy around him as his eyes begin to glow with energy and he grins able to see holes in Kauchemar's guard. " Now!" He sends waves of darkness towards Kauchemar while Demon unleashes a trio of small electric orbs.

Kauchemar brings up the Binder Shield in front of herself as she starts to advance on Setsuna, which ignites in ghostly flame as it does so. The first orb slams into it, sending embers cascading back at her opponent, but there's an oof as it hit harder as expected. She digs her hooves in and shifts position to deflect a second, and a third.... and then the 'hole' Setsuna saw comes into play as the Binder's defensive charge is spent, it's hellish aura dying down. "Oh son of a bi--" Explicitive cut off as the wave of darkness hits her straight on. Dirt is kicked up as she skids backwards from the blow, left with multiple red 'damage' marks as she stands enough to look over the shield. "That was pretty impressive, not gonna lie. You have learned a few nasty new tricks."

But she's not out of tricks either. As while she had been on the defensive she'd 'dropped' the sword, which then zipped away from her during the bombardment of spells.

And now was coming rocketing back at Setsuna from the side for revenge!

    Setsuna doesn't seem to be letting up. He seems to be completely focused on overwhelming his opponent before she can fully recover. More and more waves of energy as he keeps burning through his mana, his own body starting to weaken. He is also tasting copper, thats probably not a good sign. Also his side is hurting, oh its because of the sword in his side. " I am fortunate for there not being organ damage . That would be a painful experience. " Setsuna doesn't let up , instead he summons more skeletons to go punch Kauchemar in the face.

Water may be her strongest natural element, but it's not her only one. Especially when you can put them together. She creates a small surge of water, only to drop it into the ground around her. Which turns it to mud. Which in turn makes the Stone Catapult more like a mudslide as it sends her hurtling forward. Part of the slosh of muck rolls before her, dampening but not completly stopping the dark blast from hitting her. Then sends her crashing into the skeletons, getting pummeled in the process. She is not looking the best of shape, either, even as she hauls herself back up from the beatdown.

But it puts her into position to unleash another surge of jellyfish infused water, persistantly hurtling things at him even if his graveyard gang keeps getting in her way.

    Setsuna didn't wait around to get poisoned again, as he does his best to leap away from the water. Did you know though the jellyfish have tentacles and one decided it really wanted to go with Setsuna as that damn toxin gets into his leg. Why didn't it grab the skeleton leg damn it. As he lands he kicks the remains of the jellyfish off. " Those should be illegal. " Another whistle is given and more hellish black magic from Demon wraps it self around Kauchemar as Setsuna sends another barrage of magical claw slashes at Kauchemar. " You did say we were going to end this soon right? "

Kauchemar gives a shake of her head to flip some wet and muddy mane out of her face. "Oh, we're nearing the final curtain alright." Pauses to grunt and cough softly, and bring the Binder Shield back up in front of herself. "But whatever the outcome, it's going to be quite the show." Darkness descends to cloud her senses again... And then the Nightmare herself is gone, the dark claw rippling through where she had just been standing. We know the trick this time.

When she stops it's right behind Setsuna. "Boo!"

And then that damn sword drops towards him from above, because her trying to hit him directly after her shifty movements would of been too obvious.

    "Hmm I thought you were only suppose to say that after you died. " Setsuna chuckles before the sword slashes through him and he disappears. Also did Setsuna just threaten Kauchemar? Maybe it was just an attempt at trading barbs and he was out of non lethal wit. Stepping out of his hiding place, which was over there, he lets out a loud chirping whistle. The cerberus barks and then sends another trio of electric shock balls at Kauchemar as Setsuna sends more waves of darkness. Unfortunately he lacks the ability to see any gaps in defenses this time.

The downside to Setsuna's potent little combo is his signal. Equine ears flick at that whistle, and she knows what's going to come. Water sloshes around her briefly, then with the extra fluidity in her movements she slips through the shadows once more just as a orb crackles past where she was. "Nope. Over here." She appears, only to disappear from the second. "Try again!" The third also misses, as does the Dark Claw Setsuna launches at her admist the blitzing orbs. Though she can feel the static tingle in her nerves, even if she avoided getting bombasted.

The Nightmare flickers back into full view. "That's a cute trick you taught him... But my balls bigger," she remarks, even as she hurtles the sizzling sphere of explosive flame at the necromancer. This mare does not go down easily.

    Setsuna takes a deep breath as he steps towards the fireball and with a deep breath that dark aura wraps around him and he seems to push all that aura out to his hands allowing him to catch the fireball. "Looks like I have you by the ball then." With that he tosses the fireball up into the air for it to explode like a firework. His poor hands are a bit burnt but over all he seems ok. The last of the dark energy is sent out to the skeletal remains as his minions reform. " Well then boneheads, don't just stand there , get her."

Kauchemar snorts softly as Setsuna diffuses the Fireball. But she isn't going to just stand around and let him bring his boneyard back to unlife that easily. Water roostertails behind her as the Nightmare erupts into motion, charging into the fray with all the energy she can still muster at this point. That's some impressive endurance if nothing else.

As the water dies down embers fly with her hoofbeats a moment later, and then ignite a fiery aura around herself to plow directly into one of the skeletons and send smoldering bones scattering with the impact.

Then she skids to a stop. "Well, seeing as you didn't like my singing, I won't." Instead she opens her mouth wide and unleashes a deafening scream with those mighty lungs.

    Setsuna can literally see the soundwaves, that is how powerful Kauchemar's scream is . The compression waves in the air and everything and forunately it gives him a way to avoid them, he just has to move faster then sound. Setsuna takes off dashing about and as he does he runs right by Demon and makes a click sound. Still running though he doesn't stop. Fortunately Demon picked up the signal and unleashes a small ball of magical energy. It's not a lot but its a sign that this puppy should be formiable one day. Meanwhile Setsuna turns and dashes back toward Kauchemar and runs right by her tossing her a present, yep its a poisonous viper. Where he gets these from who knows.

By this point Kauchemar isn't entirely waiting to see how Setsuna responds to her various techniques. He's proven he can keep up with her, even predicted gaps in her defenses. Probably a downside to this being so late in the tourney, having had time to see her other fights. He's clearly learned not to give her too many openings in his own attacks to exploit. So she's already starting to weave the next move together. Shadows ripple as soon as she moves, the shift distorting her position to make the dark shot miss. But the good boys are trying! The snake, those damn snakes, does manage to bite her this time, but is quickly yanked off after delivering it's venom. Kauchemar, worn down but refusing to be dissauded, does what she does best once more.

"o/~ I am a mangled mess. Totally in distress...
But not as much as you will be, when I compress
Your little soul inside the spell of my design.
Within the darkness you will cave...
o/~"

And once again she brings ennervating darkness surging into manfest and weaving around Setsuna's position on the field. "NIGHTMARE RAVE"

It might sound like she mispoke the spell name. Unless one remembers how she was comboing moves and attack techs last time she fought. But it doesn't really describe what the combination is.

Until the forms of unliving beings emerge in the darkness around Setsuna, thrashing about wildly with bodies and limbs because that's what one does at a rave party!

    Setsuna's not sure what happens really. He had seen a way to victory and all he had to do was play a game of keep away . However Setsuna is caught in that rave magic and next thing he knows he is out cold on the ground. He would get up eventually but for right now he was out.

The monster mash ends... and Setsuna is out cold on the ground, having gotten partied a little too hard it seems. Kauchemar holds her breath for a moment, just in case it's a trick, because that's exactly the sort of thing she would do.

Until the Duel System actually signals that he's out of fighting HP. Then she lets out the breath in a long sigh and flops down on her rear on the ground. "Oh thank the Goddesses. I was seriously starting to doubt how much longer I could hold out... And I don't doubt that easily."

After a moment to catch her breath she gets up and walks over to give Setsuna a helping hand up. "Com'n, back up on that boney leg of yours. You did a bang up job, boy. I take it you saw some of the previous matches, with the way you kept interfering with my... orderly chaos."

    Setsuna groans and stands up slowly, " I should have invested time in figuring out vampiric magic instead of undead magic." Its a statement that makes probably little sense to anyone who isn't Setsuna. " I saw a few, I heard more, however you still fight the same way you did a year ago. That hasn't changed , it's just a matter of the details." With a loud whistle he calls Demon over to him and begins to check to make sure Demon wasn't hurt. Looking up at Kauchemar he finally says, "Thank you for the fight. Congratulations on the victory. "

Anyone that's not Setsuna or Kauchemar, being she strikes some of her summoning tact from similar cloth. She just throws a lot more Spirit and Elementals into the mix. She gives him a pat on the shoulder. "Thank you for making it a fight worth fighting! And watching!" She leans down to give Demon three pats, one to each head, as well. "And this little guy is going to be pretty formidible some day. That darkness trick stalled even me."

She pauses a moment. "Speaking of formidable..." She glances off to the side...

And sees her nightmare at the edge of the arena, chewing on some of the meat on the sticks a vendor was selling. She sighs. "Yeah, fine, it is past your meal time." She walks over, tosses some money to vendor cowering away from the demonic horse. "I'm sure Setsuna appreciates you distracting him," she adds with a wink. Then climbs onto the nightmare's back. Heh. Nightmare riding nightmare, who starts to trot out.