sheriffexe | [ WEEK SEVEN – KILL LOG (MILLA) ]

[It's more than Milla, but, for now, it's only Milla. She's the first, unfortunately. He seeks her out where he last saw her leave: the homestead, a familiar place.

It was his safe spot. His place of zen.

He hadn't wanted to taint it, not with the animals here, but there isn't much he can do about that right now.

He rides up in a hard gallop because he thinks if he goes at a trot, he'll change his mind, and he can't change his mind. The horse rears when he jerks the reins for it to stop, but he doesn't slide out of the saddle, and when the thunderous hooves clap the ground again, something glistens at Damian's side.

A katana.]

[the homestead was the only place Milla could find the proper feed to give to Felix. and that's why she can be found there, near the end of the day, crouched on the ground as she watches Felix devour his dinner along with the other chickens. every so often she reaches out to brush her fingers against their feathers, a light smile tugging up the corners of her mouth]

[but the sound of hooves pounding against the ground catches her attention, and her instincts take over. her gaze snaps up, just in time to see the horse charging at her. just in time to see that the one at the reins is a familiar face]

[just in time to see the glisten of what she knows, what her well-honed battle instincts tell her, is a sword at his side]

[she leaps to her feet immediately, reaches for Higekiri's sword and draws it with ease. but her injuries slow her movements down, and her confusion clouds her judgement]

Damian--?!

[what in the world was he doing?]

[Even with the sword drawn, Damian doesn't get down from the horse. He doesn't draw his own sword either.]

I told you if you unsheath a sword, you should be prepared to use it. [Swordsmanship isn't something Damian takes lightly!] This game is finished. It's gone on for too long. I'm ending it.

There's only one way to leave. [From his pocket he removes what looks like a hand-made dart, the feathery end familiar--something from one of the chickens here.] You have two choices: allow me to sedate you and end it, or fight me to your death.

[she stands up straight with her weapon ready at her side, staring him right in the eye without an ounce of hesitation or fear. the chickens around her feet scatter, frightened off by the sounds of the approaching horse. she doesn't respond to his first statement, but her gaze does flicker towards those darts, and then back again]

. . .

This is how you choose to end it?

[that's not an answer to his question Milla!!]

With my life, and not the Deputy's?

[Damian frowns. He isn't angry at Milla, but at himself. Because he had been a fool.] I believed there was another way. I believed... I could find a way to end this as my father would without having to take any lives at all.

[Instead, he failed. Go figure.]

I watched everyone else be chosen instead: to kill, to die. It's useless. It was all useless. All of it. This was a game. You all worried about finding a killer at a pretend trial, but it never mattered. This was never about finding a killer. It was about suffering.

If I had killed the Deputy, it wouldn't have likely mattered. Everyone has to get on the train. There's only one way to do that.

Take the Methohexital. It's quick, and you'll be asleep. You won't feel anything.

[ah. . . so he had learned that as well, huh. her battle-hardened expression softens some. the letters from those who had died. . . the hints they were giving. . . her conversations with Noctis, and the conclusions she had drawn as the result of same. . .]

[she had, at least, mentally prepared herself for this. even if she's a bit surprised it's Damian who is approaching her]

You weren't the only one who believed there to be another way.

[because Milla had, too. she believed in Damian's conviction, even if she thought his no-killing stance was a bit naive. she wanted to support him, wanted to help him find a non-deadly way to bring an end to this entire charade]

[perhaps Damian wasn't the only one here who had been a fool]

[she shakes her head, and the firmness in her stance returns]

But I won't take it. I'm not a coward, Damian Wayne. If I'm to die here, then I'll face it head on.

[she takes a step back and readies her weapon]

And I'll ask you to prove to me that you're worthy enough to kill Maxwell, the Lord of Spirits.

[Surprisingly, Damian doesn't persist in trying to get her to accept the tranquilizer. It was an offer, but he understands the pride of fighting for your life.] Fine.

[When he tosses the dart down, it shatters. Fluidly, he stands up on the horse's saddle, then jumps to the ground below. When he stands, he whistles sharp and pushes at the horse's side and front.] Go on. Get.

[He faces Milla, still without drawing the blade.] I accept.

[pride is definitely something Milla has in droves. so even if she can accept that this is how things have to be. . . that her death-- and perhaps the death of several other people after this-- is the only way to end this game, she refuses to go out peacefully]

[it wasn't in her nature. it never would be]

[she knows how skilled Damian is. remembers how well he had wielded Higekiri's blade back when they first met. so she doesn't let her guard down, even when he doesn't draw his weapon]

Do you intend to fight bare-handed? I won't hold back just because you're unarmed.

Even if I don't have a weapon, I'm never unarmed. Don't underestimate your opponent.

Pay attention. When you draw a sword against another person, there's only one outcome: death. Someone is going to die even if you think you are going to use the sword nonlethally. Any weapon has the same result.

[With a thumb, Damian pops the katana loose from the closure of the sheath.] It's foolish to fight me, but honorable.

When you're dead, is there anything you want done with your body?

[her mouth twitches, her smile is wry]

You're young, by human standards, yet wise beyond your years. I can admire that.

[and then she shakes her head]

If you manage to kill me, then you may do with my body what you please.

["if," she says, knowing that he has an advantage. her cracked ribs will slow her down, her lacerated arms will take some of the power from her blows. and yet. . .]

[when she finally kicks at the ground and lunges at him, sword glistening at her side, it's clear that she's keeping her promise. she isn't holding back]

[At least they both talk in confident outcomes...]

Fine. [Luckily for Milla, Damian isn't anymore about disgrace. He'll take care of her body appropriately.

But even when she lunges, he doesn't remove the sword. One hand keeps it from slipping completely out, and the other hefts the length of the sheath up to catch the blow of Higeriki's blade.]

[ah. she sees what he's doing. so he won't draw his weapon until he's ready to end this, huh. . . even in this situation, he sticks to his convictions]

[she can truly see why the Sheriff picked him as the Bounty Leader now]

[Higekiri's blade clangs against the sheath in a successful block. but instead of letting that slow her down, Milla pivots on her heel and swings her own weapon in a circle, aiming to slice at Damian from his right side]

[He's too much smaller in stature to stand up and rally against anyone bigger, but that hasn't even been the point of martial arts. It's not about who is bigger or faster or stronger. It's about direction.

She comes right, and he goes left, hooking the end of the sheath into the crook of her elbow. The guard of the katana catches Higekiri's sword, locking it from sliding away. Putting the sheath butt on her hip, Damian tries to push her off balance and away as he goes around her.

He could follow through now that he's halfway behind, but doesn't. He abandons the sheath as an irritating distraction, letting her deal with getting rid of it while he claims the full sword and puts some distance between them.]

[it hurts]

[twisting that way hurts and leaves her breathless as her ribs throb in protest of the movement. the sheath getting stuck between her blade and arm make matters worse, and she doesn't have time to do anything about it before Damian shoves her off balance]

[she stumbles, trips, and one knee hits the ground. her back is towards her opponent (never turn your back on an opponent) but everything hurts and her lungs are begging for air as she fumbles to dislodge the sheath and cast it aside. she needs to move, to stand, but no matter how willing her spirit may be, the body refuses. this is what six weeks of exhaustion can do to even the Lord of Spirits]

[she's wide open, but she struggles to her feet, to lift Higekiri's sword to block an attack she fears is coming. her breath comes in shallow gasps. not yet. she can't give up yet]

[This feels dirty. Worse than killing in general, something he's forced himself to be disgusted by, to react with horror toward. This feels dirty, fighting Milla when she is at a disadvantage.

Winning doesn't feel like winning.

No attack comes. Damian has loosened his stance.] Stand up.

Warriors die on their feet, fighting.

[she hates being at a disadvantage. she thinks, if only she had Undine's power, she could cast a healing spell to ease the pain in her body. if she had Sylph's, she could use his wind to guide her feet. if she had Efreet's and Gnome's, she could use their strength to add power to her blows. she's missed them since the moment of her arrival, since the moment she realized they weren't here with her. but it isn't until now that she actively wishes they were at her side]

[it takes her far longer than she'd like to climb to her feet, but when she's upright again, she turns to face Damian. he really is a warrior with honor, refusing to attack her while she was incapacitated. it's admirable]

I have-- [another breath. the pain has eased somewhat, but it still remains in low pulses, preventing her from breathing properly] -- no intention of dying any other way.

[she hefts the blade up, holds it in front of her in a defensive stance. she doesn't attack]

Good. [Not that she's dying, but that she's fighting to live, even against him, even at a disadvantage. Even if Bruce doesn't fancy murder, Damian can at least appreciate someone with code.] It's an honor to battle you.

[He raises his sword. The attack won't be brutal, but it will be long enough to tire her out. (Not that she isn't already tired.) He goes, pushing off. He's fast, being small and trained. His swings aren't wild so much as just many.

The look in his eyes is focused and determined.]

[another smile at his compliment. the smile of a warrior]

And it's an honor to battle you as well.

[she stays on the defensive, blocking every swing that she can-- left, right, center, left, center-- but his assault pushes her back. she stumbles, though she tries to maintain her balance, and it's that mistake coupled with her exhaustion that leaves him another opening to strike]

[at her heart]

[There's no use drawing the battle out. As cheap as it feels, Damian takes the opportunity to end Milla as swiftly and mercifully as possible.

His strike is true, right through the heart, and there's a surprisingly amount of power behind the thrust. The al Ghul blade is made for killing. It's razor sharp, and can pierce the toughest pieces of protective material.

It splits cleanly through Milla from front to back. Damian doesn't dice her; it's in and then right back out just as fast. He steps back and straightens up respectfully, lowering the sword at his side.]

[it hurts. it's sharp and white hot with pain that's even worse than when her legs were injured so badly she couldn't walk. surprise and shock registers on her expression, even though she knew-- she knew-- that this was coming. she knew from the very beginning she wouldn't be able to best him in a fight, just as much as she knew she that she couldn't back down from one]

[she doesn't have time to register the warmth of blood soaking the front of her clothing. she doesn't have time to register the way her knees hit the ground. she doesn't have time to register anything but the pain and a brief, fleeting thought of it's up to you. . . Damian. . . before her world goes black]

[her body slumps forward, collapses onto the ground, Higekiri's sword lodged loosely in her hand]

[Milla Maxwell is dead]

[ WEEK SEVEN – KILL LOG (MILLA) ]

no subject

no subject

STAND DOWN ANAKIN I HAVE THE HIGHER GROUND

ARE YOU GONNA FIGHT ON TOP OF A HORSE DAMIAN PLEASE SAY YES

HAHAHA i mean, he can, but... no that's disrespectful

it's probably better for the poor horse tbh

GOD

the chickens, however, will always be watching

STOP!!!

DAMIAN CAN NEVER ESCAPE HIS SINS

no subject

no subject

writing fighting scenes more like ┐('～`；)┌

HAHA s-so true... but I'm having fun!!1

SAME

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject