Clash of Fire and Ice (Closed)

[Landen]

The only place Landen had seen or traveled once he had gotten to Althanas was Corone it was all he knew.Although Landen had seen many go to the Citadel, Landen had yet to do the same as a fighter. Today was different he would step in the ring. After he had made his way through the alleyways of cobblestone and through beggars of coin he had reached his desired location. There he paused and eyed the others in the area all looked like a rough bunch. Landen looked like a chew toy compared to them or at least was how the picture seemed to him. He would hope one of those he just eyed come in his cage after he signs up for a match. Landen walked up to a monk like those before him to speak with the man. “I need a arena,sir” Landen spoke in a matter of a fact tone. The monk with not even a single word spoken pointed to a the open ledger filled with signatures. Landen who could only assume was signing out arena like you did for a hotel, and so he did. Putting his john hancock on the dotted line and once he finished he looked to the monk who had already turned way facing a bright green portal. Landen had seen this part several times now and knew what was next, but he had to say something before stepping through. “Thanks Old Man”


The flash of light was brief. He landed into the next room fall from the top of the room or ceiling, at least it felt the way. Landing in his rented arena there was a two tier/stage arena. The bottom was stone circle fifteen foot in diameter with two stair ways, one on each side. These stair ways made of solid beautiful dark cherry wood totaling six steps up to the second tier. There were metal bars as the floor boards. The floor made of metal looking like chicken fencing with thick metal bars. The catch being Landen noticed the Metal although easy to stand on Landen doubted would hold up in a serious battle. Landen stood on the cold metal looking at the swirl of color in middle of the metal arena. A four foot in diameter pot of fire and liquid ice as the element rotated he could feel moments flowing of both hot and cold surrounding. Landen watched the two element swirl and dance two like fish in a pond going in circles or like a perfect rhythm of yang and yang.


Landen stood there as he was mesmerized to point of complete stillness. The party boy styled male ran his left hand through his black head of hair pulling the long strain on top back as he whistled to the sight of the arena. He would have to apologize to the elder for being rude after seeing such a sight. Now he awaited his opponent. There in his Nike shoes, and other out of world attire of party boy clothing suc as the purple and white button down long sleeve and blue jeans. Landen eyed the sleeves of his shirt with his light blue eyes thinking that this wouldn’t do. He rolled up the sleeves. He was ready for the show to begin. He knew he was seasoned in fighting your common male in a bar, but this was a different animal all together. The reason for being here today was to find out if he was who he believed himself to be or something else. This was an answer he could only find in battle.

[Hailwing Of The Citadel]

Hailwing arrived in a flash of green, a statue of granite, arms crossed over his chest and the dangerous glaive's blade ascending above his head. A moment passed before the stone around his flesh began to collapse and break, slowly revealing his skin, eyes, face, and body.

In his last battle he had awoken to a beautiful field of wheat drowned in sunlight, a frequent breeze catching his blonde hair and tossing it about. It had been a wondrous feeling to become alive, to feel the warmth on his face and the crunch of plants beneath his feet. The part of him which allowed such thoughts had hoped to encounter something similar, again, at his next summoning. It was not the case.

His feet covered in cloth shoes, the stones beneath did not bring that same excitement. This was a cold and isolated place; the walls, floor and ceiling solid (except for the metal links separating the two levels) - in juxtaposition to the wild outdoors, Hailwing felt as if he were still constrained inside of his statuesque coffin.

He wore simple black pants and cloth shoes, otherwise unfitted, his taught muscles revealing something about his level of strength and conditioning. The wings on his back, perhaps two feet each when extended to their utmost, might have looked intimidating but were utterly harmless - despite a claw-like appendage on the end of each of them.

Finally he looked to Landen. The youth looked slightly out of place, Hailwing thought, though he knew very well not to judge warriors on appearance alone. The most interesting them about him were his tattoos - the Citadel's guard had rarely seen tattoos in person, though of course he was aware of their existence.

"Greetings," he called, his booming voice echoing across the stone. "You may call me Hailwing. I am called here to answer your challenge. Whether it is a challenge decreed by you, or you merely required an opponent."

His yellowed eyes flashed, and he reached behind to take hold of the mighty glaive fastened tightly to his belt.

"The contest will begin at your call, or when you move to attack."

[Landen]

“Ah so it was time to begin”, Landen mused. The green light shined and out came someone to play or at least something… A being in the form of a statue had been present in front of Landen. Tell he noticed the large piece of stone was slowly turned into that of a male. Landen was seriously about to get angry with the outcome he had presumed to see. Luckily he was wrong. His light blue eyed pierced the open area locking onto the new comer who seemed to talk quite a bit. This trait though Landen did not mind, but it felt as if the other seemed to believe he already had this in the bag or it came off to Landen as such a feeling. Still looking straight forward he finally opened his mouth and spoke, “ I’m Landen.”

Without any other word he just smiled. Standing sstill he opened up his right hand watched the tattoos on his left arm stretch out as he summoned his blade “Lenora” his mighty monk’s spade. The long metal weapon of iron had many tricks and several uses for the correct user. With his weapon summon he felt more so at ease. He did notice the other draw for some sorts of blade himself so he figured why not even the odds.

The one thing that troubled Landen and although he had not really allowed his mind to roam the subject tell now was the attire. He wore the male looked incredibly opposite to himself. Landen wore much more flashy attire. This being a very minute detail but he felt like this one item in his mind proved to him that although they might in some random way be similar, without a doubt they were completely different individuals. Yet, who was he to judge a fighter own appearance, for all he knew his opponent might have or be considering the exact same topic in their own mind.

After several seconds had passed and maybe even a solid minute Landen figured there shold be no more time wasted. He opened up his right hand as he created a ball of fire. He flung the flaming volleyball size object toward his opponent. Landen aimed square for the chest, of course with this Landen would like to hit the target. This like all other attacks is meant to do; however, this was just the start. He needed to get movement going. To see how his opponent reacts was a key item to learn. So with a flaming ball coming from his right and his opponents left, Landen would take off pushing off each metal bar in the opposite direction of the side he threw the fire ball.

Only time would tell what he needed to know for victory. He just had to last long enough to get the answer he sought out.

[Hailwing Of The Citadel]

Landen was not a talker. This much was obvious as the fireball came into being, then came to bear, flying true toward Hailwing.

Knowing he did not have time to bring forth the glaive to defend, the draconic fighter brought his left arm inward and then threw it out, hitting the ball of flame with his iron vambrace, dispersing the projectile about his arm and passing through it. Biting, stinging fire singed his skin, but the warrior was already rushing forward, bringing the lengthy polearm out from his back as his feet slapped against the stone.

This wasn't the golden field or the paradise by the waterfall. The cold, unforgiving arena surrounded them like a tomb, trapping them in what would be a battle to the death. Other battlegrounds could be deceptive, could convince the combatants that the fight meant little, giving hope and reminding the warriors that there was life outside of the Citadel. Not here, Hailwing knew - he would take advantage of the finality of their surroundings.

There wasn't much space between them, and so Hailwing was within range very quickly. Halting his charge and bringing the glaive back in his grip, Hailwing drove the point of the weapon forward in a stab aimed for the center of Landen's chest.

[Landen]

The charge was too easy, but Landen would go along with this game. As he ran toward his opponent a top of the huge metal cage he neared his opponent. Landen nearly laughed as he watch his opponent just smack his fire ball. In his mind there were some points to be earned for such a straight forward defense. His opponent was not a runner. This made Landen very excited.

The point of his opponent’s weapon came up toward in thrust. This was just what he wanted. His opponent attacked the same way he defended. In solid and straight forward movement. The Monk’s Spade in his left hand stood at an erect angle. He used this position of his weapon as he went to step to the side as he ran forward at his opponent. The motion of his side step aside would continue as he allowed the bottom of his weapon to under his opponent’s weapon. This while still making a gain in distance on his opponent position. Pulling his weapon now with both hands in a swiping motion. While doing this he would use his long legs. Throwing his leg behind the footing of his opponent for the swipe. His foot coming forward and his weapon being thrown back he would put his opponent on his butt.

Of course, this all being that his opponent wasn’t a person of monstrous strength. Turning back around after he completed his move he would look at his opponent. He would not go in for the kill (Even if able) This was for him to get better, not just kill another combatant. Landen grinned as he looked over. As put his body in a defensive position now. His right leg back, his left slightly forward. Landen’s body was slightly turned at a side face angle, much like a boxer’s stance.

Now he knew he didn’t come off as a talker or he felt like his first few moments with the new comer might make him seem that way, but he was about to bust that theory. “That awesome right???”, Landen spoke with his smile wide and face shining. He was a happy type of person that couldn’t take even most life threatening problems serious. In simple he couldn’t hold up the façade any longer.

[Hailwing Of The Citadel]

Hailwing didn't overextend during his attack, knowing that reaction time would be his friend alongside his superior range. He'd already learned the strategies behind a weapon such as the glaive, but had recently began to put the knowledge into practice. When Landed sidestepped and charged forward, Hailwing pivoted to the side away from Landen's approach.

The man ran up alongside the dangerous polearm, but Hailwing turned and pulled the glaive back, using the weapon's shaft to separate them. The human didn't get close enough to execute his planned attack, for the Citadel's warrior was more than prepared to deal with the counterattack, particularly so early in the battle.

If he'd had more experience, Hailwing might have been able to backstep quickly enough to drag the glaive and attack Landen with the blade from behind, pulling the protruding barbs into his back.

Now they stood opposite of one another, with Hailwing holding the glaive sideways between them.

He suddenly shifted his weight and turned his body sidelong, using the force of his hips to slash horizontally with the curved tip of the weapon. The slash was aimed at Landen's waist. Hailwing intended on following through regardless of the outcome of the attack; if he hit, it would drive the edge deeper into Landen's body; if he missed, he could spin full circle and bring the weapon back around for another try.