�������� Ren shook his hand. "Ren.� Ren Aswald."
�������� "A� human?.... Are you foolish enough to walk into the middle of foreign lands and then challenge the best of the tribe?�� You have no chance against me with such weak muscles like what you have."
�������� "Believe what you will, but your overconfidence will be your defeat."
�������� "Hah.�� You have no chance.�� Overconfident or not, you're weak.� No matter how good you are, you'll never defeat me."
�������� "Then hit me in the face"
������� Dylina stepped in between the two before anything else could continue.�� "Stop it, both of you.� Ren, I won't let you fight him.� Espcially in the house."� Her eyes turned into daggers towards Margrimm.� "� And you, you blockhead, I don't want you see you burst into this house again like you own the place."
������� Margrimm mearly shrugged as he walked out of the room and to the door.� "We'll fight tonight then, human, right before I marry you."� He grinned at her in a way that made her shudder.� " And you won't have a woman to defend you either."
������� His departure was a welcomed one to Dylina as she sighed in relief.� Ren took his seat back on the ground as her dad stared at him in disbelief.� Dylina closed her eyes and let herself calm down as much as possible before the brimstone in her eyes fired up.
�������� "What do you think you're doing?!�� You'll get yourself killed!�� I'm not�gonna�let you be a moron and let you die protecting me."
������� Her father nodded.� "I agree with my daughter on this.� There is no way you shall win."
������� Ren looked up at her father.� "Is there anything that prevents me from taking your spot or anything that prevents a 'human' from fighting?� You aren't�in a condition to fight, so I will replace you."
������� He paused for a moment, before he shook his head.�� "Nothing.... but...."
������� Ren stood, grabbing his backpack.� "I'll be alright."
������� Ren began� walking out of the room while her dad thought to himself.� Dylina wanted to stop him, but there was no way she could.� And in truth,� I do want him�to fight for me, and win, but I just don't want him to die in a pointless fight.� He's good, but not that good.
������� ".. the fight is weaponless.� Other than that, anything goes."
������� Ren looked back at� her father and smiled.� "Thanks for telling me."
������� Dylina looked at her father as Ren left the house.� "Why...?� Why didn't you stop him father?!"
������� "I had no other choice if you don't want to marry Margrimm.� He might win, for all we know."
������� ---------------------------------------------------------------------
�������� Dylina watched and waited as the opening ceremonies to the tournament began.�� Ever since a 'human' entered the tournament, most of those who dropped the fight at first returned to save face.� The soft silk of her dress did not ease her conscience as her mind stayed focus on the fight between Ren and Margrimm.� Margrimm was already dressed in his ceremonial clothes, not bothering to change while Ren was no where to be found.
�������� It was when the ceremony came to a close when Ren walked into her village once again. He set his backpack down near her house before he approached the crowd.� Dylina turned her� head back to Margrimm as he merely grunted in acknowledgment.� The crowd slowly parted to watch as everyone watched the two meet.
������� "So what are the rules?"
������� Margrimm grinned.� "To the death or til you yield.� So it shouldn't be too hard for you."
������� Ren�bowed respectfully to his opponent before�he gave himself a little distance.�� He then unbuttoned his shirt,�dropping it to the ground in the cold night as he shivered in his�white t-shirt.�� He then began to stretch himself out, starting with his legs�and working�upward while the crowd watched him.� Dylina wondered how the attention�affected� Ren as Margrimm waited�impatiently for him to finish.
������� "Are you gonna delay or� fight?"
�������� Ren finished his stretching, taking into a fighting stance and motioning to his opponent.� "Then come� on."
������� Margrimm's motions became a blur to her as Dylina watched him call upon some of his�power.� Soon he charged at�Ren with speed that outmatched anyone else in her tribe in that form.� Her eyes could barely pick him up�as Margrimm circled his opponent to taunt him before he went for the strike.�� Margrimm aimed for Ren's face with his fist in order to score a knockout blow and win the fight quickly.
�������� The crowd and Dylina gasped as Ren merely tilted his head to the side to avoid the blow.�� Angry, Ren's opponent stepped back for some more room before he started punching at Ren once again. Ren, however, merely blocked or dodged each blow that was sent to him as Dylina's eyes focused in on his emotionless face.� Such a level of concentration.... no wonder he can see Margrimm, its all he is worried about.
���������� Soon the attacker changed as Ren took the offensive and Margrimm the defensive.� Ren's blows would always come close, but Margrimm would block or dodge at the last second to get away.� This is a�really close fight.� Maybe dad was right, Ren might have a chance at that.� It's a pure stalemate right now, but whoever is able to get their strikes in first will win it no doubt.
���������� It was Ren who made first contact.�� His fist hit Margrimm's jaw as he continued in on the attack.�� His elbow met his foe's stomache� before a fist contact his face and a well placed kick knocked Margrimm on the ground in a tumbling heap of limbs.� Ren watched his opponent slowly as Margrimm stood once again, brushing himself off for a moment before focusing on Ren with anger filled eyes.
�������� "Bastard.�� I barely have used my power, but for you, I'll use all of it.�� No use embarrassing myself in front of a human just because he gets a little lucky."
��������� Dylina watched Margrimm as�he�brought� his fingers to his forehead, chanting� softly.� She could feel the ground tremble below�her feet while�his skin took on a grey� hue.�� His features slowly changed�as fur covered his skin.� Muscles expanded slightly�as�his metamorphisis slowly ended with the tumbling.� His overall size didn't change much, however, as she started at his furre� form.
�������� Margrimm clenched his fist.� "The perfect balance.� You�won't stand for much of the punishment I� dish�out.�� Such a weakling like you shouldn't� fight me..."
��������� He charged at�Ren with even far greater speed than� before as his fist struck Ren's�stomache.� Ren held his stomache,�gasping for lost air as his foe's knee met�his chest.� With a powerful kick, Margrimm� sent� Ren�tumbling in a hard roll, sending him� into the wall of her house with a� loud crash.
��������� After what seemed like an eternity, Ren stood, looking in very bad shape.� Slowly, he made his way� back to Margrimm, who seemed intrigued in him.� Dylina, however, was tired of watching this�brutal fight.�� That�idiot is gonna�die if I don't do anything! � Dylina shook her head as she began running to Ren.
��������� "Yield Ren!� You won't win, and you know it!� There's no need to fight for me!"
��������� She stopped right near him as he merely smiled.� "You're�right."
���������� "� I am?..."
���������� Ren continued to slowly walk to his opponent.� "Yeah.�� I won't win."�
���������� Margrimm closed the distance in between� him and Ren as Dylina stood in between the two, shaking her head.� "Stop it.� You know you've won, Margrimm, so end this pointless battle!"
����������� Margrimm merely pushed her aside.� "Out of my way, woman."
����������� He placed another powerful kick on� Ren that left a trail of dust where he rolled on the ground.� Something in Dylina�just couldn't take it anymore as� tears�swelled up� in her eyes.� She faced Margrimm once again and struck out at his stomache as his face turned�into that� of a mix of pain and surprised.�� He recovered�quickly, however, as� he growled�at her crying form.
���������� "You have feelings for that human?�� I can't� believe� it..... I won't!� I'll make you my wife right now.�� Your body is already changing."
���������� Dylina looked at her arms� as they slowly changed, gaining fur as time passed by.� Her face stretched out as a tail pushed at her dress.� Time seemed to� inch forward as Dylina turned into a wolf furre.� Her body felt lighter and stronger on her paws as she blinked in amazement.
���������� Margrimm� grinned at her.� "Absolutely fabulous."
���������� Before she realized it, he snuck in a punch to her stomache that�made her double over as he pulled her over his�shoulder.� Pain�swelled up in her eyes as she struggled against his firm�grip, clawing him until he�released her.��� She stepped back and fell on the ground,�gathering her� air for a while longer as she watched Margrimm, who was paying her no heed.�� She turned to where� Margrimm was looking and blinked in surprise at Ren.���
������������ "Our�fight isn't over�yet."
Endgame and Aftermath