Out of Character:
Elijah Belov awoke in the storm’s eye. All around him, black clouds and wraith-like howling wind. Above him, lightning whipped across the sky, slashing the darkness with phantom wounds. Thunder roared in response. Heavy raindrops pelted his exposed skin. Beneath him, a great stone disk was suspended defiantly in the air, refusing to budge against the tempest’s wrath. Forty feet across, its circumference lined with nine-foot metal spikes, Eli marveled at epic feat of magic holding it in place.
“For that matter, how did they fit a damned hurricane inside the Citadel?” the sorcerer wondered aloud. He’d demanded a challenge worthy of his rank and the Ai’Bron monks held nothing back. The Lornius Corporate Challenge loomed; a high profile Citadel victory would go far toward attracting a competent partner. He would dispel all doubts. ‘What have you even done, lately?’ they ask.
Lightning bolts streaked down, striking the spikes and sending arcs of electricity coursing through a metal grid covering the disk’s surface. The flash burned in his eyes and he nearly failed to react. He shuffled awkwardly to the side, pulling his feet off the grid. Some electricity jumped off and stung his ankles, but otherwise left him unharmed.
What have I been doing, lately? Besides surviving the real world, that is.
He shook his head and scanned his surroundings. Across the arena stood an unearthly luminescent silhouette. What manner of foe faced him? He drew his sword, glyphs blazing blue across the blade. He leveled toward the glowing figure, calling out.
“Step forth, specter, and let's get this over with!”
His free left hand made a series of intricate motions, as though weaving invisible threads. Strange, inside-out words spilled from his lips as he pulled the strands of magic into his body, energizing his muscles with strength and speed. His skin took on an unnatural sheen as arcane energies infused it with the strength of steel. The web of flame-like scars across his arms and torso glowed faintly in the dim.
Fear a man with something to prove.
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