Cry in the Clearing (Solo Hunt)

The Skylight Woods were a thick congregation of trees that always made Hyght feel far from modern civilization. The dying ember light from the Dust crystal embedded in his lantern spilled forth, illuminating the darkness that laid before him. Hyght moved through the dark, careful of any surfaced roots to trip his feet or of soft patches of wet dirt to cause him to slip and take a potentially nasty fall. The leaf covered grass was already wet from the mid afternoon rain so the young baker made sure he was aware of his footing.

Skylight Woods was the location of Hyght's work for tonight. He had slipped from his room, leaving his roommates in their beds, and made his way for the clearing in the center of the forest. The clearing was occasionally used for events of some kind or another. Hyght, being a newly minted first year of the Academy of Syne, had yet to experience any events of festivals in the clearing but knew it could be a good place for a solo Hunt.

With his lantern in hand he navigated his way to the clearing and found himself standing at the edge of a large, empty expanse of land. Almost seems like a final fight scene for a movie. Hyght thought as his dark eyes glittered in the ambient light of his lantern. With one hand he snuffed the light and let his eyes adjust to the dark. Without the light pollution of the city the young man could make out a variety of constellations and felt a strange sense of calm in the heart of the Skylight Woods. Don't get too relaxed. He thought bitterly as the hair on the back of his neck began to rise.

With his left hand Hyght pulled free his short sword and shrugged his shield from his back. The weapons were of low grade materials and simple design but Hyght had found them good enough for every task he had come across thus far, so he had yet to replace them. With his shield raised in guard position he scanned the clearing as he moved toward the center; opting more for the chance he might spot the attacker before it could strike him.

It didn't take long before Hyght had company. The sound of rustling grass and tree branches tipped him off before he the creature came into view. Hyght's dark eyes turned and he found himself staring into the burning spheres of a Deathstalker. The young baker felt sudden horror and realization that he had made an arrogant assumption that he could handle a small hunt on his own. He felt himself start to stare blankly at the Grimm but the adrenaline rush of fear tore him from that. Hyght's mind, instead, ran over all that he knew about a Deathstalker as if closed the distance between them.

Thick and durable exoskeleton. Large, strong claws with far more reach than I have. A long, fast moving tail tipped with a glowing stinger. And eight powerful legs used to propel itself forward with great speed. Hyght's list wasn't helping his mood but it did help him remain mindful of all its dangerous potential. Once it had closed the gap between them to twenty feet, Hyght noticed the slow movement of another half score of orange orbs. There was a second one waiting for a good opportunity to attack. However, the bone grating clack of the First Deathstalker's claws made him wary of the first attack. Afterall, he had no experience against Grimm, only Bartholomew, some training dummies, and other students in the Adacemy. But when the large Grimm lifted the front part of it's heavy body into the air Hyght took the opportunity to do something it might not expect.

As the large claws rose into the air and the Deathstalker's eyes were set skyward for its smash, Hyght barreled forward, his many hours of physical training allowing his legs to devour the distance in moments. Once the Deathstalker's body met with the ground Hyght would leap forward in a vault onto the top of the Grimm's exoskeleton. "Small eyes up front." He growled unconsciously and went to slash his sword at the largest two eyes on the creature's left side.

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HP:150
Aura:150
Weapons:
Short sword: Good condtition
Rounded buckler: Good condition
Vial of Dust(Ice): Full
Items: Dark Lantern(nearly depleted Fire Dust crystal)

If Hyght had anticipated the response of the Deathstalker his reflexes were far too slow to help him. As his blade bit into its eyes the large Grimm began jostling and bucking and sent Hyght flaying backward and rolling over his shoulder in an awkward angle for his neck. The portly hunter-in-training landed on his back and felt his head rap against the grass of the clearing. Black specks littered his vision and his world tilted as he tried to climb to his feet. As he shook the spots from his eyes he instinctively lifted his shield and readied himself for the next attack. However, the Grimm apparently thought he was still atop of it and it reigned heavy blows onto its own body. He counted himself lucky until he remembered the second one and turned to find it's eight powerful legs tearing tiny silhouetted bits of earth as it charged.

Hyght, certain that the barreling Deathstalker's intentions weren't the warm and fuzzy sort, dove to the side as it rushed past him. In his attempt to dodge his left leg was struck by one the Grimm's legs sending his dive into a spinning sprawl that ended with him on his stomach far closer to the beast than he had wanted to be. In expedient panic Hyght scrambled to his feet and was in motion before his good sense could advise him otherwise. As he flanked the new dance partner he readied his shield for the attack it was no doubt about to unleash. Just when Hyght would be within its range to attack his instincts screamed at him and he darted back and retreated to a few feet outside the Grimm's reach.

"Dust..." He swore through his labored breathing. "Two two two two two two two." He said over and over, his eyes flashing between both Deathstalkers and their extremely intimidating weapons. Which will attack first? I've gotta cut off their mobility. Somehow separate them from each other again. Hyght needed a way to protect himself and a smart way to attack, simply rushing in wasn't going to work. Especially if he can't see very well. Why the hell did I come out here alone? AT NIGHT!? Dust, this was beyond stupid!

You don't get much time to rest when you're waltzing with two Deathstalkers. Hyght found himself without words or thoughts as the bright glow of a stinger filled his vision. In the last possible moment he avoided the piercing point of the attack but sliding the right side of his body to run parallel to the attack, but the bulbous base of its stinger bludgeoned his shield sending his fist into his stomach, knocking the air from his lungs. Hyght gasped for a moment and took a half step back in a daze before his arm came crashing down in an overhead slice to the base of Deathstalker II's stinger. He felt the impact reverberate the bones of his arm and his muscle and fat shook in response. Hyght's face twisted into a roar of anger as the razor sharp edge of his gladius bit into the Dathstalker. With the tough skin adn armored exoskeleton of their bodies in mind, Hyght used the front of his shield and the heavy weight of his body to increase pressure on the blade. He wanted to sever the bastard's tail, he wanted to survive. He wanted blood.

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