Upon a God's Eye

[Christoph]

Closed to Ioder. 400 word max for intros, 300 max for all subsequent posts.

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.

[Ioder]

Lightning shot through the arena's dark stormy sky. Gale-force winds tore over the platform, ripping at Ioder's feathers as he calmly faced its might. His wings and armor radiated with a bright off white hue while his tattered black cloak blew in the wind. The energy of the storm invigorated him, he knew these winds. He tilt his head back and let the rain embrace his face.

He called out to his foe across the arena. "I am no specter." Though, he had been called such countless times before. Ioder raised his left hand brandishing his sword, a titanium blade so sharp it could cleave metal. A white mist manifested itself rolling out of his right first. “I am a warrior.”

With the slightest of efforts Ioder extended out his wings a full ten feet, riding a strong gust and lifting off the ground. Staying close to the ground he flew towards his opponent. Moving left and right he glided across the platform as light struck all around them. With a quick flick of his right wrist he sent forth a wave of white magic soaring swiftly forward. It road the ground as it traveled tearing up the stone and metal platform leaving a three inch trench in its wake. His magic twisted and leap like sand jumping across a dessert chasing down his prey.

“The name is Ioder and you may address me as such. Let us make this a match for the ages, we’ll want an audience by the end I’m sure.” Ioder yelled banking upward into midair space centered in the arena disk. He pointed his right hand down towards his opponent, tracking him like an eagle would a mouse, before firing off a concentrated blast of his nebula energy down towards his foe. His angelic wrath roared quickly towards the man dancing to ensure it hit it mark.

How do I needed this thrill in my life once more.