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Bite Me
Apr 12, 2021 16:14:24 GMT -6
Post by Nerius on Apr 12, 2021 16:14:24 GMT -6
[Varkon - Ebil Nom ("Feed") - 3]
Nerius watched as the creature withered, soon dying to the wiurn's vampiric bite. Not as soon as he would have liked though, beast fights went fast, and if this had been in a tournament match, the creature would have had time to retaliate long before enough life force was drained.
<Not bad, but you are going to need to speed that up a bit for a fight,> no point in being negative here, especially for a first go. <You don't need to be able to keep it up for long, just for a 'sprint', essentially.>
<I'll try again than, give me another,> Varkon didn't seem to mind, possibly because he was getting breakfast. Or at least snacks, the small creatures weren't anywhere near a full meal, even if he were to feed off all of the grubbles in the crate.
Nerius passed him another rodent, and once his hands were safely away, instructed <Feed.>
(Nerius: 1/10) (Varkon: Lv: 45, 149/150 | Lyl: 31, 149/150)
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Bite Me
Apr 12, 2021 16:22:34 GMT -6
Post by Nerius on Apr 12, 2021 16:22:34 GMT -6
[Varkon - Ebil Nom ("Feed") - 4]
Varkon struck with his jaws again, siphoning away the creature's life force until it was just a husk. <Good, that was faster this time!> Nerius encouraged, though he had suspected this would be a rather simple thing to go over. Varkon already fed that way naturally, so it wasn't exactly learning a new technique.
<Try it again, alright?> Nerius passed him another grubble, which was no less wiggly than the others, <Now feed!> Varkon bit into the large rodent, quickly draining its life force. It withered even faster this time, quickly enough that it probably wouldn't have taken longer than any other attack in the Pit.
That was good, as he didn't have too many grubbles in that crate. They may have been small for Varkon, but were still rather large for Nerius to have to carry around too many of them. They still had enough to practice with, and Nerius passed the wiurn another grubble.
(Nerius: 2/10) (Varkon: Lv: 46, 150/155 | Lyl: 32, 150/155)
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Bite Me
Apr 12, 2021 16:54:44 GMT -6
Post by Nerius on Apr 12, 2021 16:54:44 GMT -6
[Varkon - Ebil Nom ("Feed") - 5]
Again, once his hands were out of the way, he instructed, <Feed!>
Varkon bit into the grubble, and the rodent withered as he siphoned its life force. He'd achieved the speed Nerius was looking for, and he told the wiurn as much, but he wanted the cyborg to keep practicing to make sure it stuck. There were still grubbles in the crate, and Nerius had him feed on the rest of the rodents, siphoning them away one at a time.
By the time they were out of grubbles, which still hadn't been more than a snack for something the size of a wiurn, at least when life force was concerned, Nerius was confident that Varkon would be able to feed off of his foes quickly enough for it to have a payoff. It would never be a big damage dealer like rend, but the wasn't the point here, but rather to use that harvested life force to boost his own.
(Nerius: 3/10) (Varkon: Lv: 46, 151/155 | Lyl: 32, 151/155)
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Bite Me
Apr 18, 2021 14:30:21 GMT -6
Post by Nerius on Apr 18, 2021 14:30:21 GMT -6
[Varkon - Hardy - 1]
Varkon's method of feeding meant that he left a good deal of physical material behind, but Nerius planned on having the TROD remove the grubble corpses when it arrived with a 'training aid'. This was another thing the wiurn's pride wouldn't appreciate, but it was vitally important. Like before, Nerius had started with something that wouldn't put the cyborg in a foul mood from the get go, and had the TROD retrieve the thundergug later.
They'd just arrived too, and the TROD attached the thick chain being used to lead the beast to a nearby tree. Once that task was done, it collected the grubble remains into the crate, and left. Varkon was less interested in the TROD and the grubble remains as he was the large creature, and Nerius could already see he'd tensed up a little, expecting to fight perhaps, eyeing the thundergug unhappily. <What is that thing doing here?>
(Nerius: 4/10) (Varkon: Lv: 46, 152/155 | Lyl: 32, 152/155)
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Bite Me
Apr 18, 2021 14:46:03 GMT -6
Post by Nerius on Apr 18, 2021 14:46:03 GMT -6
[Varkon - Hardy - 2]
<That is Quake, and he'll be helping today,> Nerius explained, sounding downright cheerful compared to the grumpy wiurn.
<As a target?> Given that he'd just finished using grubbles for that same purpose, the wiurn's guess wasn't unreasonable.
<No, no, he has a different purpose,> here was the part Varkon wouldn't like. If he'd had more social finesse and charisma, he might have been able to put this more delicately. But as people skills weren't his strong suit, Nerius went with blunt. <He's here to help you get less jumpy around big critters.>
<I am not jumpy,> as expected, Varkon was quite offended, growling slightly as he spoke through the ribbon. Of course, that meant the thundergug could hear him. A grumpy carnivore sound wasn't something the gug liked, and he snorted, turning around with heavy steps to watch the wiurn better. The sounds of the large creature was enough to make Varkon jerk back, indistinctly flaring his wings.
(Nerius: 5/10) (Varkon: Lv: 46, 153/155 | Lyl: 32, 153/155)
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Bite Me
Apr 18, 2021 15:14:09 GMT -6
Post by Nerius on Apr 18, 2021 15:14:09 GMT -6
[Varkon - Hardy - 3]
<You were saying?> Nerius couldn't keep himself from sounding amused, the corner of his mouth sneaking up into a smile. The wiurn didn't respond verbally, and shot him a glare.
<This is what I mean though,> he explained, less amused now, <That instinctive reaction to a large creature keeps you from fighting at your best.>
But the description did little to improve the wiurn's mood, quite the opposite. <I am not going to cower in the middle of a fight just because of a fierce opponent!>
Nerius took a not too obviously frustrated breath, before continuing, <No, you're like a person who's reaction to being jump scared is to punch the scarer in the face.> It maybe wasn't the perfect metaphor, and Nerius didn't really know how to punch someone properly, but hopefully it'd get his point across. <But because of being startled, the aim ends up a little off, or there's not as much force behind it as there could be.>
(Nerius: 6/10) (Varkon: Lv: 46, 154/155 | Lyl: 32, 154/155)
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Bite Me
May 1, 2021 14:29:21 GMT -6
Post by Nerius on May 1, 2021 14:29:21 GMT -6
[Varkon - Hardy - 4]
<I.. see your point,> the wiurn grudgingly, irritably agreed. Obviously he'd prefer not to do this, but was putting up less an argument than Nerius would have expected. Then again, he probably remembered his last run in with a thundergug in one of the tournaments, and how poorly that had ended. Nerius hadn't a lot of experience with creature battles back then, and had underestimated just how badly a big beastie could throw off even the most brazen of creatures.
<Excellent,> and it was, but while Nerius was doing his best to sound like he knew what he was doing, he wasn't quite sure where to go from here. Sure he'd used the gug to desensitize other creatures of his, but never with something sentient. Usually his technique was to reassure the critter while giving them treats every so often. That sort of thing would only insult the cyborg though, and Nerius did want him to continue to cooperate.
(Nerius: 7/10) (Varkon: Lv: 47, 155/160 | Lyl: 33, 155/160)
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Bite Me
May 1, 2021 14:39:52 GMT -6
Post by Nerius on May 1, 2021 14:39:52 GMT -6
[Varkon - Hardy - 5]
At least Varkon hadn't noticed his lack of a plan yet, being a bit too distracted by Quake. He'd been eyeing the gug suspiciously, and bared his teeth as the big creature moved, though it was only to nibble on some leaves.
<Don't worry, he's just getting a snack,> Nerius decided to try the old encouraging words trick, though he kept his tone the same as normal. A 'talking to frigtened animal' voice would just piss off the wiurn.
<I can see that,> not that Varkon wasn't irritable about it anyway, but it would have been worse. The ribbon was often helpful in training, but this was perhaps one case where it wasn't, it was much simpler to sooth a sarane hatchling hiding in his backpack. A sarane also wasn't likely to get frustrated by a lack of progress. A hatchling would only be concerned by the big beastie, but Varkon was likely to soon find 'just standing here' to not be helping reach his goal of being able to fight better.
(Nerius: 8/10) (Varkon: Lv: 47, 156/160 | Lyl: 33, 156/160)
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Bite Me
May 1, 2021 14:58:53 GMT -6
Post by Nerius on May 1, 2021 14:58:53 GMT -6
[Varkon - Hardy - 6]
It was, but since the training didn't involve actively doing something, Varkon was likely so see it as 'not doing anything'. Rather ironically though, he was still too laser focused on the thundergug to have reached that point. He was watching the 'gug's every move, which was mostly a lot of chewing at this point, twitching at anything he considered a 'fast movement'. Well, 'fast' was a relative term, for a thundergug.
It was extremely unlikely the 'gug would do anything though, Quake was a gentle giant, which made him ideal for this kind of thing. So while Nerius kept an eye on things, he otherwise left them alone. His attempts at encouraging words had only made the wiurn more irritable, so he just kept quiet and observed. Varkon had been tense since the thundergug had arrived, twitching whenever the 'gug would move, flaring his wings or lashing his tail or performing some other defensive posturing.
(Nerius: 9/10) (Varkon: Lv: 47, 157/160 | Lyl: 33, 157/160)
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Bite Me
May 1, 2021 15:09:38 GMT -6
Post by Nerius on May 1, 2021 15:09:38 GMT -6
[Varkon - Hardy - 7]
Slowly though, Varkon started reacting less to the thundergug's minor movements, and over time, he quit going into defensive mode every time Quake so much as turned his head for more leaves. He was still tense though, his body language and posture a sharp change from his usual assertive confidence. He had grown comfortable enough with the thundergug to reach a different milestone though, complaining.
<This is stupid,> he grumbled through the ribbon, though didn't take his eyes off the thundergug even as he was 'speaking' to Nerius.
It wasn't, but it was a good sign. It meant he was no longer on max alert if he was able to feel frustrated about a 'lack of doing anything'. Nerius didn't try to persuade him otherwise, but instead offered another idea.
<If you're comfortable enough with Quake, we can start on another technique,> he offered, sounding downright cheerful compared to the dour wiurn.
(Nerius: 10/10 +Added!) (Varkon: Lv: 47, 158/160 | Lyl: 33, 158/160)
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Bite Me
May 1, 2021 15:22:12 GMT -6
Post by Nerius on May 1, 2021 15:22:12 GMT -6
[Varkon - Hardy - 8] [Varkon - Wing Buff ("Gust") - 1]
<..While that thing is here?> Varkon actually tore his gaze away from the thundergug for a second at that.
<Oh yes, you'll need to be able to fight effectively against creatures like Quake, not just stand next to them,> Nerius explained. Doubling up like this might make for somewhat slower learning curve for a new technique, but being able to land an effective hit against an intimidating foe was rather the point. <Nothing too difficult,> he continued, <Just to use your wings to create a strong gust. You were able to create an impressive draft during your flight training, you should be able to weaponize that.>
The wiurn was a bit conflicted, clearly when he'd complained he'd been fishing to stop with the desensitization training. That wasn't what was being offered, but he did want to learn new techniques. It took him a moment to respond, but he finally did, agreeing grumpily, <Fine.>
(Nerius: 1/10) (Varkon: Lv: 47, 159/160 | Lyl: 33, 159/160)
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Bite Me
May 8, 2021 18:02:33 GMT -6
Post by Nerius on May 8, 2021 18:02:33 GMT -6
[Varkon - Hardy - 9] [Varkon - Wing Buff ("Gust") - 2]
<I'd like to start with you on the ground, we can try while you're in flight later,> Nerius explained, ignoring the wiurn's grumpiness. <For now I'd like you to create a powerful gust with your wings, as if you were to take flight, but aimed at a target instead of actually getting off the ground.>
<At the thundergug?> Varkon asked, with a hint of bloodlust.
<No, no, Quake is not the target,> Nerius quickly clarified, before pausing to actually chose a target. There was a large leafy bush nearby; that would do, and he pointed, <Aim at that.>
<You really need better practice dummies,> the wiurn grumbled, giving the bush an unimpressed look while keeping Quake in his peripheral vision. Nerius had to agree, his training setups weren't usually the best.
Still, he'd work with what he had now, and instructed, <Strike it with a gust of wind from your wings.>
(Nerius: 2/10) (Varkon: Lv: 48, 160/165 | Lyl: 34, 160/165)
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Bite Me
May 8, 2021 18:17:57 GMT -6
Post by Nerius on May 8, 2021 18:17:57 GMT -6
[Varkon - Hardy - 10] [Varkon - Wing Buff ("Gust") - 3]
Varkon technically followed the instruction, angling to face the plant, and beat his wings a few times. It created enough of a gust to make the leaves rustle, but very few of them were shaken loose from the plant. First tries were rarely impressive, but he was clearly also still distracted by the thundergug.
<That's the right idea, but you're going to need a lot more force behind it,> Nerius instructed, right now it wasn't enough to even knock him over. He doubted it would ever be highly effective against larger foes, but the versatility could come in handy.
The wiurn huffed, but didn't otherwise argue, and Nerius continued, <Try it again with more power this time, gust!>
Varkon beat his wings, creating a mildly stronger gust of wind to strike the bush. It still wasn't enough to do more than shake a few leaves loose, even if it was a slight improvement.
(Nerius: 3/10) (Varkon: Lv: 48, 161/165 | Lyl: 34, 161/165)
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Bite Me
May 8, 2021 18:32:10 GMT -6
Post by Nerius on May 8, 2021 18:32:10 GMT -6
[Varkon - Hardy - 11] [Varkon - Wing Buff ("Gust") - 4]
<That was better, but still needs more power,> Nerius told the wiurn, who wasn't thrilled with the feedback.
<If I beat my wings any harder I'm going to take flight,> he grumbled. Varkon was never cheerful, but having the thundergug around was making him even more irritable than usual.
<Try angling your wings, and gripping the ground with your claws,> Nerius advised, though his suggestions were only a guess, he didn't have wings after all. He'd never taught this technique before either, though he'd seen it used in tournaments before. <Now try it again, gust!>
Varkon let out a mild growl, his equivalent of an irritated sigh, before beating his wings with more force. This tore noticeably more leaves from the bush than his earlier attempts, but also lifted the front half of his body up, and his front legs left the ground. Not ideal perhaps, but still an improvement from before.
(Nerius: 4/10) (Varkon: Lv: 48, 162/165 | Lyl: 34, 162/165)
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Bite Me
May 8, 2021 18:44:07 GMT -6
Post by Nerius on May 8, 2021 18:44:07 GMT -6
[Varkon - Hardy - 12] [Varkon - Wing Buff ("Gust") - 5]
<Better!> Nerius still encouraged him, <Starting to lift off isn't ideal, but lets get the power needed down first.> Eventually he wanted the wiurn to be able to perform the technique in flight too, but basics first.
<Give it another try, gust!> Nerius gave the instruction before the wiurn could complain again, though if he really wanted to he'd just cut in anyway. But other than an annoyed huff, Varkon cooperated, hitting the bush with another gust of wind. It tore even more leaves free, and was even enough that Nerius could feel it from where he was standing, though the wiurn's upper body lifted off the of the ground again.
He was also paying less attention to the thundergug as well, which was good. The wiurn still shot Quake glances every so often, but the majority of his focus now was on striking with his new attack, not laser focused on the 'gug.
(Nerius: 5/10) (Varkon: Lv: 48, 163/165 | Lyl: 34, 163/165)
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