One on one on...(Sal + ?????)

Unlike the man's attack the gray hollow's unstable crystal had a quite different effect. Both did cause a blast of fire, but Stratus' glowing gemstone launched a hail of razor shrapnel in every direction. But the main difference was that instead of an intense inferno the crystal caused a huge explosion. With the crystal that big the force of the explosion was greater than expected. Even as Stratus tried to protect himself the emerald shards hammered into him and then the shockwave struck. The rush of air and fire hit him head on and tossed him like a leaf on the wind. The large gray hollow was sent flying by his own attack as he frantically tried to summon his slime to encase himself. It was a futile effort. He had expended too much energy in making the large bomb, and now he was at it's mercy. An attack that endangered himself not just his opponent. Hardly his brightest moment, but it was some consolation to know that the warrior was ground zero of such an attack. Stratus could feel more crystal shards hit his body as he continued to sail through the air. There was no sound, but the roar as the air from the aftermath of his attack There was nothing he could do but ride the explosion out. He tried to cover his face as he fell end over end and crashed into the hard earth. He lay there for several moments before looking up. He'd flown quite far. He saw no sign of the warrior or the other hollow. His body hurt all over. Looking down he noticed his body was riddled with holes and large chucks of jagged green rock. There was a foot long piece sticking out of his leg. Slowly he grabbed the piece. Pain ran through the whole leg. Bit by bit he rocked it back and forth. He grimaced and then with a tug pulled it free. Blood oozed out the gaping hole. Stratus tried his best not to cry out. There was no telling if the others were close or not, the wound was already closing up. Shakily he stood up and opened his senses. The signals were jumbled, it was hard to focus. He was still too weak from the last attack and the damage he received didn't help matters. The gray hollow staggered and then righted himself.

If there was ever a time where Sal Norongachi should have learned humility, it should have been just before his world vanished in a brilliant display of sheer destruction.

He couldn't hear, he couldn't see, his mind was fogged over from the sheer sensory overload that his body had just endured. Pain ran helter skelter from so many points he wasn't sure where it was coming from.

The only conciliation was that when he finally ceased being airborne and hit the ground like a comet he was in so much agony he barely felt himself being buried face first into the earth. He lay there a moment trying to reassemble his mind to form any sort of coherent thought and then pushed himself up onto his knees with one hand.

The damage was extensive, his torso was cut to ribbons, bone showed through in some places across his sides and his left arm looked like a dart board with all the razor edged crystal shards embedded in the skin.

He felt the familiar feel of his Zanpakuto still clutched in his right hand and then with his entire body quivering pathetically looked around. He couldn't see anything, there was so much dust in the air that getting any kind of line of sight was practically impossible and the blood pouring into one eye certainly didn't help matters.

Sal ground his bloodied teeth together and has face became a mask of rage. The very tentative control he had upon his spiritual power was released and all the screaming pain centers in his body found a voice in a roar that ripped from his lungs along with his considerable spiritual energies that burst from him like an erupting volcano.

Ren struggled to get up she was no match for the hollow, the human was right she just got in the way here she is now nearly half dead, or more dead; then she was. Half way up she opened a portal to the World of the Living but was intterupted the a firce roar and a strong SP not from the hollow but the human. Who knew he could give off that much energy?! she thought. Forgetting about the portal she ran for the forest.

Ooc: I appoligize for it being short.

There was no mistaking the direction the torrent of spiritual energy was coming from. The warrior's yell only hightened the feeling of terror that washed over the gray hollow. While he had hoped his attack had killed the man, it had only proven to make him angry. In his current damaged state running into the enraged man was the last thing he wanted to do. There was no choice, he had to retreat. Stratus directed himself away from the awesome spiritual pressure and put one foot in front of the other. Painfully slow, each step was utter torture. The body was trying to heal, but by moving the shards cut the wounds open anew. He didn't have time to take them out. As much distance as possible had to be made between him and the opponent. If they crossed paths now, chances were it wouldn't end well. Another day, another time. The man would be the one battered and broken running away. If not that, he would feast upon the man's soul before tearing it asunder. Stratus spat on the ground. He would remember this, and he would indeed pay.

The faint spiritual energies were growing fainter still, moving away from him and for that he was truly grateful. As quickly as it erupted the font of energy vanished, blown out like a candle, and Sal fell onto all fours hacking and coughing flecks of blood hitting the ground beneath him and trickling down his chin.

He was in rough shape, that was without a doubt, he had no illusions that if those Hollow had used their heads and come at him two on one at this very moment it would be a very one sided affair.

No matter, he thought, it was time to get the hell out of here before any Shinigami showed up. It wouldn't be the best time, that was for sure.
He struggled up and using his sheathed weapon as a makeshift cane hobbled away in the opposite direction from the Hollow, deeper into Rukongai where he could eventually open a gate out of here.

That Hollow....the Crystal wielding one. They'd meet again and next time Sal wouldn't be so polite.