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Foresaken By War
01-30-07, 03:28 PM
(My first battle has not ended yet, but to show some time and character I pretended as though it has and will make some occasional refrences to it in the first couple of posts, but they will be vague.)

It was early in the mourning and the sky above Corone was peering down ominously, almost as though it was showing anger towards someone or something. It had been almost a week since his last sojourn at the citadel. He would have gone sooner, but there was something that he wanted either the next time he went back, or wanted to be learning while there. His last opponent as he was told was blessed with magical talent, and he heard that many possessed this magical ability.

Doing his research he realized that it was in his blood. Some of the most prolific mages in the world were Elves. He found one person that he heard some about, and he wanted him to teach him how to harness his own power. His name was Atzar Kellon. It wasn’t long after finding out about him that Aralian had left a message for him at a place that he normally frequented reading.



To One Atzar Kellon,

It comes to my attention that you are a mage. I have a proposition for you that would be best taken. Meet me in the citadel on following eve of the full moon.

Signed,
Forsaken


Many people think of fighting as pure chaos. What is Chaos? If you use the traditional meaning, it is a state of utter confusion, the lack in organization and order. Fighting has the tendency to have more order than most plays that you would see. Each move is a delicate and intricately planned move to remove of the person that has angered you.

Now the citadel on the other hand, it is no more than a theater for which people can come and amuse themselves. To some it is a mere building that stands for intimidation and barbaric chaos, and to others they crave it more than their body craves blood. That slight security knowing that they can achieve things in the citadel that the real world can not give them. They can train and hone their instincts when it comes to fighting, with out the consequences.

It was Aralian’s second time heading to this prized building. The very same building that probed at him in his sleep after the first time he was here.

“I remember everything about my first time,” he said to himself as he looked up at the building that towered above him. “I remember the first time so clearly, Vigo, his size, weight, coloration, weapons,” he paused momentarily, “Even my first taste of battle since the army.”

Aralian felt the top of his head where Vigo’s weapon had dented his skull. The monks had done a great job of healing the wound. There was only that small emotional feeling that had hovered in his soul. His mind moved on to other things, like making his way into the citadel. Without haste he stumbled up the steps and into the building, smelling the musty air as soon as he entered. Almost instantaneously he was greeted by a monk in a brown robe, similar to the one he was wearing. The monk peered around trying to peek into the darkness of Aralian’s hood.

Aralian turned his head swiftly as the monk tried to see in again, “I need a room,” his voice echoed loudly for his small stature. His tone was threatening, but polite for the time being. The monk tried to peer down into the hood once more before darting down the hall. Aralian had to move swiftly to even keep up with the hasted monk. Before he knew it he was breathing heavy and right behind the monk who was jogging down a long corridor. He stopped suddenly and Aralian ran into his back, his face hitting just around the middle of the monks back.

The monk started to walk away when Aralian grasped his arm tightly, causing a slight look of laughter to come upon the monks face, who knew he had to power to dangle Aralian between life and death.

“I want to be left with a mage named Atzar,” a coy look swept over Aralian’s face, even though nobody could actually see, it was still obvious he was up to something.

Upon entering the room, he was astounded. The room was completely different from the last time. This seemed to be a room that matched the feeling that the city of Corone would provide today. The skies in the room were dark, almost with a sense of hate. They seemed like they were ready to pound the dry soil under Aralian’s feet with barrage after barrage of water. The lighting was dim and natural and only gave compliments to the strange house in front of him.

It was an old place that had seemed abandoned for many years. Signs of death flowed through this room. A few dead rat skeletons lay on the dusty arid ground. Small dust clouds fled away from the ground as Aralian took a few steps forward to check out the small house. The side he was looking at that was immediately in front of him was collapsed. Most of the wall except for the corner was bed down on the dry soil. Chunks of wood and stone were stacked up on edge. On the front side of the house, or to the right of where Aralian was looking, you could still see a small place where a doorway used to be located.

His feet kicked up a small dust storm as he trudged in and around into the doorway. He peeped through cautiously until he was sure there was nobody home. The back wall stood mostly in tack, except where the chimney had fallen backwards and taken a few blocks with it. The last wall was much like the first, only this one had the skeleton of a horse sticking up out of the shambles. Apparently the creature had been tied to the wall there and never made it out of the debris. He exited the small home, releasing that this would be the only cover for as far as the eyes could see. The rest of the landscape was covered with the dry dusty soil, a few tufts of dying grass, and flat land. Hopefully he wouldn’t have to wait long for the monk to bring him Atzar.

Atzar
02-01-07, 05:10 PM
Sorry for the wait, I was having a hard time coming up with a good way to respond. The first two parts are merely backstory, feel free to skip over them if you wish.

Why did she always have to deal with the difficult ones?

Shara stalked huffily down the aisles of the big, dimly-lit library, searching for the long-haired boy and his beast. He she had her way, she would still be sitting comfortably at her desk, reading a book. But no, the walking corpse had to come in and ask her to deliver a message. It annoyed her to no end.

People were always treating her as if she was a slave, just because she worked at the library. Shara snorted at this humiliating thought. She was no more a slave to them as they were to her. She worked there out of the goodness of her own heart, trying to help readers become more knowledgeable, but did she ever receive thanks? No!

They never hesitated to give her the undesirable jobs, though. Searching for the boy, for example, was one such job. The boy might have been nice enough on his own, but the… animal that came with him? Positively vile! Her blood still raced at the name it had called her.

Several more rows of shelves, crammed full of books, passed on either side. Finally, at the last row, she spied the twerp. He was seated cross-legged on the ground, apparently absorbed in a book. Thankfully, the blue-scaled monster was nowhere in sight.

“Excuse me! Are you Atzar?” she asked quietly, forcing civility into her voice. It was her job, after all, and nobody was ever going to accuse her of incompetence.

The long-haired boy jumped at the sound of her voice. He nodded after a second, getting up and closing his book as he did.

Shara yanked the letter out of her pocket. “Here. A visitor told me to deliver this to you.” As if she was some common mailwoman. “Unsavory-looking fellow, but what you do with it is up to you.”

“Some nerve you got, calling other people unsavory,” a high-pitched, mischievous voice chipped in from around the corner.

That did it. A harsh noise escaped her throat, a combination of angry scream and offended growl. She chucked the folded parchment at the boy and, whirling around, stalked furiously away.

The nerve of some people, insulting a helpful girl like her.


#~&~#




To One Atzar Kellon,

It comes to my attention that you are a mage. I have a proposition for you that would be best taken. Meet me in the citadel on following eve of the full moon.

Signed,
Forsaken

The mage mulled over the letter as he walked. What could ‘Forsaken,’ if that was indeed his real name, possibly want with him? Why did it matter that he was a mage? The mysterious figure had asked him to meet in the Citadel. Perhaps it was simply a challenge. Perhaps it was something more.

Only time would find out.

“Stop worrying about it,” Zirkan piped up. Atzar looked sternly down at his companion.

“Will you tell me why, exactly, it was necessary to treat the librarian that way?” the wizard asked the little blue dragon pointedly, ignoring the statement.

“Because she was arrogant. Arrogant people annoy me,” the creature shot back.

“Zirkan, there’s a thing called ‘common civility.’ You don’t go around insulting people just because you don’t like them.”

“Common civility,” the dragon snorted. “Do I look common to you?”

This wasn’t going anywhere. Rather than argue to no end, Atzar simply said nothing.

It was early morning, and the wide main road of Radasanth was relatively devoid of people. The mage was thankful for that fact; pygmy dragons weren’t a common sight, and he didn’t like the curious stares that nearly everybody felt necessary to send in his direction. He had to agree with them, though. He hadn’t even known that Zirkan’s kind existed until a few weeks prior. He had explored the caves beneath his home village of Tel’Han to search for Ceran Tumultos. Rather than emerge with an eccentric old man, he emerged with an eccentric miniature dragon. The reminiscent thoughts evaporated, however, as he recognized the gigantic, ornate complex off to his right. He was there.

The Citadel.

A chill swept through Atzar’s spine as he recalled what had happened last time. He had heard of the legendary battleground. He had figured that it would be a good change of pace from Charms, a purely-magic game played at Tel’Han. A change of pace it was, and he was exposed to a battle much harsher than that he was used to. He was destroyed by a wicked woman by the name of Witchblade. Yet now he returned, wanting more. Such was the nature of the adventurous spirit that developed inside him.


#~&~#


“Ah, you’re Atzar. Yes, we do have such a one waiting for you. Follow me, if you will.” The sturdy monk handed the letter back to Atzar and, without another word, sped off down one of the many dark halls that branched out from the atrium.

The mage and the dragon followed him, a sense of familiarity in Atzar's mind as he recalled his last visit to the Citadel. The only difference was the scenario. Last time, he had simply asked for a room and waited for any random foe. This time, he was the foe. He was answering another’s challenge.

The monk stopped and pointed to his right. “In there,” he instructed gently. “Your opponent is already waiting.” His task complete, the monk returned to the entrance. Atzar, hand trembling slightly in nervousness, pushed the door open.

If there was any similarity between this battle and the last, then here was where it ended. His last battle had taken place on a mountain of ice, full of detail and life. This place was barren and desolate, and the only sign of life was a dark, run-down house that looked as if it had not been inhabited in generations. The mountain’s climate had been cool and comfortable, and the moon had shone gently down from the night sky. Here, the air was humid and oppressive. The ground, which looked as if it had never enjoyed the gentle caress of rain, was about to get more than its due moisture. The darkness came not from night but from shadowy, foreboding clouds, ready to burst at any time.

The mage approached the decrepit old building in front of him, Zirkan following closely behind him. Atzar could tell that the forlorn atmosphere was getting to his friend; the dragon had not said a word since they had entered, which was a rarity.

Suddenly, a figure walked out of the door that he was approaching. His initial reaction was fear; this person wore a hooded coat similar to the one his previous opponent had worn. After a moment, however, he noticed the differences. This one appeared to be a male, and was a lot smaller than his previous opponent.

“I’m Atzar. You were expecting me?” the mage said by way of introduction. The dragon by his side said nothing, choosing to simply stare the hooded figure down.

Foresaken By War
02-03-07, 10:19 AM
"Never have I seen such a baron place filled with death and no life," he said to himself in his native Elvin tongue. "To think soon this could be the place that brings me a power I had never seen before. I power so strong that maybe my life could change, maybe I could talk to Rhox one last time in person."

He continued to look down the desolate plain not knowing what to expect from this mage. His hopes and visions envisioned a knowledgeable young lad with a repertoire and love for magic that would compare only to love of a newly wed couple. Part of Aralain's aspirations for this mage were training, the other part maybe a friend. It was like Rhox said, "When someone has what you want, the best way to get it is be nice.... or kill them." The situation for that was totally different and was against a dwarf infantry soldier, but that is a different story all together.

It wasn't long of looking at the desolate plain that he said a pray, a pray of hope and protection from his buddy Rhox. Just as the final words came out of his mouth he saw the man he was hoping to see. A look of intrigue slammed across his face as he looked him over, although Atzar would not be able to see this which was hiding behind the shadows of his hood. The elf looked at the man with his deep blue eyes covering every bit of him.

The man towered over Atzar by almost two feet. His hair was lengthy and the color of a night with out a moon. His eyes were much around the same coloration as Aralian's, a little different because he was a different species. As he continued to look, surprise nipped harshly at him. He looked down sharply at the small blue thing walking towards him.

This small creature intrigued Aralian making him curious as to where he would be able to get one. It looked like a dragon, but the army said that dragons were mythical creatures that only existed in old war stories. This seemed to be a very real thing. The elf continued to look at the dragon who was blue in coloration. He had short stubby legs that seemed to hold lots of power. Claws that look perversely sharp and a mouth that looked like it could bite into pure steel and make it look like an archers shooting dummy when it was done.

He heard Atzar's words long before he made a reply, mainly because he was so fascinated with the dragon.

"Yes..." he stammered in Elvin, before correcting himself in common language because he wasn't talking to an elf, "Yes."

He paused for a brief moment taking back his hood, revealing his strongly Elvin characteristics. His pointed ears, his angular face, his blue eyes, and his black and brown hair, they made their first appearance out of the hood in a week.

"My name is Aralian (Er-Al-EEN)," he took a small bow and breathe before beginning again. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but you are a mage, a mage that has the ability to distort water, fire, air, and ice. I want you to teach me how to use that ability in myself. Or find the magic that my body can produce. It is in my blood I am an elf, I know that I possess these talents. I need you to help me harness them. In return you get my friendship and protection when and if needed." A brief pause came so Aralian could take a breath and ask, "What do you say?"

Atzar
02-04-07, 11:03 PM
A short, barely audible growl emitted in the throat of the dragon at his side, and Atzar saw the signs just in time.

“Quiet,” the mage barked rather harshly at his friend. Aralian hadn’t yet earned his trust, and the situation could turn sour at any moment. The dragon’s sharp tongue would likely only serve to speed that process. Luckily, the dragon listened, cutting short his witty retort with another growl. Atzar’s gaze returned to the little elf, causing him to miss the angry glare that Zirkan sent his way.

Atzar was doubtful, however, about fulfilling Aralian’s request. Magic was a stubborn creature; it frequently took years of study to find one’s magic. In addition, the mage definitely didn’t consider himself a master on the subject by any stretch of the imagination. The environment wasn’t particularly conducive to learning magic, anyway. Air magic was the only kind that Atzar could access at the moment.

“I don’t know, Aralian,” he voiced his misgivings. “I can try, but I’m no master, and we’re not in the best of places for you to learn. I’ll help however I can, though, I guess.”

The mage hesitated. Aralian probably wished to merely watch and listen. Unfortunately, that still didn’t make an adept teacher out of Atzar. He fumbled mentally through his thoughts. Nothing, nothing… nothing. Hiding a small sigh of frustration, the wizard forced himself to begin.

“I guess I’ll demonstrate what my area of magic can do,” the mage began. As soon as the words came out of his mouth, his magic began building, swelling to a peak inside him that made his skin tingle and the hair on his arms stand on end. Almost immediately, he began to unleash the magic that was beginning to feel so commonplace and familiar to him.

Hands held out in front of him, palms facing each other and about two feet apart, the wind began to stir. At first, a mellow rippling of the front of his shirt was the only effect of the invisible blade. Then, as more magic came forth and the wind grew in power, the ripple became more pronounced. Faster… dust whipped up from the parched ground at his feet, stinging wherever it contacted bare flesh. Faster… the cloth shirt was billowing now with the force of the wind, and Atzar’s long hair flew out dramatically behind him. Faster… time to let it go.

The blade shot away from the mage in the direction of the crumbling building, throwing a cloud of dust high into the air behind it. When it struck the corner of the building, it tore straight through the weakened, damaged wood with a crash. The corner sagged in even further on itself, and a few planks on the roof finally gave up their stand against time, falling inside with loud clatters.

Atzar watched the effects with wide eyes. Although the devastated house embellished the aftereffects of the magic, it was still clear that his air magic was quite a bit stronger now. The wizard hadn’t realized just how potent that magic had become.

Foresaken By War
02-05-07, 02:06 PM
A sly smile was nestled nicely onto the young elf’s face as he watched in awe. Thoughts brewed through the elf’s head after the man chided his pet, “You may not be a master, but you are still far better than I.” The man hesitated a little before showing some of his awesome talents. A rumble came from the angry clouds and the wind began to pick up. Aralian’s robe began thrashing about in the same manner of a wounded deer.

His eyes seemed almost fixated on the mage’s hands as he worked his magic. Atzar tantalized the air making it fiercer as the time passed by. Small dust tornadoes formed from moving air hitting pockets of non moving air. Dust nipped harshly at Aralain’s eyes and he was forced to throw an arm up to defend from the feisty particles.

It was not long before the magic was released to do his bidding, smacking the lifeless house with all its might. It hit quickly and sent some debris flying through the air with a cloud of dust.

*Cough* *Cough*

The dust seemed like the true enemy here, attacking Aralian’s lungs with an unmatched vigor.

“Wow,” he hacked out in Elvish, “That is what I want to be able to do.” His words were supposed to be to himself, but in the awe he may have spoken loud enough for Atzar and the dragon to hear.

When the dust cleared Aralian went to inspect the damage. The last remaining shreds of roof that were on that corner had vacated the premises. They appeared a few feet away from the house. The corner stones of the house found themselves roughly the same distance away, but some of them in many smaller pieces than before.

As he looked at the awesome havoc the power created, excitement surged through his body. It was like watching a young boy see something catch fire for the first time.

He hustled back over towards Atzar, yelling the whole way, “Whoa… That was …” he caught himself speaking in Elvish and reverted back to common language. “Amazing my friend…” he was breathing heavy with excitement. “How and When? And I want to do that? Where did you learn?” He could barely contain himself and he was not speaking in coherent sentences.