Breathing Fire (Miro)

[Aello]

Summer 3, 512 AV Aello took a deep breath, in through the nose, and out through the mouth. Her heart rate seemed to slow as she stood in the center of a clearing, ringed by overgrown oaks whose trunks were as twisted and gnarled as the elderly. The light of the sun, beyond, filtered through their branches, the leaves they bore. But they and the shadows they cast across the forest floor were lost to the girl, who was only concentrating on the rate of her breathing now that her heart had done what she intended. It didn't take her long to make it slow as well, as she took in deeper breaths. Feeling clear of mind, and all the more relaxed, the aurist allowed herself to open her eyes. It was then that she first took in the forest. Endless surroundings. With a sigh she shuffled forward before coming to grinding halt. She stood silently a moment, before raising her hands high over her head. Then, she started running across the clearing, leaning forward as she ran and then, pushed up against the ground with both of her feet. Thus propelling her forward as her head tucked into her chest, and her hands reached for the ground. Splayed fingers and palms rammed into the dirt for but a tick as she pushed up against the ground again. Freeing them of the soil as her feet game around, slamming into the earth moments later. Her body wobbled on impact, but she soon righted herself, and tucking her head into her chest again, came forward. With hands in the air she bent at the waist before allowing them to follow her to the ground. Her feet pushing up against the ground before she bent them at the knee, and tucked them into her chest. Her body rolling across the ground. Dragging mounds of dirt onto the folds of her dress as she continued going forward. Only to stop moments later, and come to her feet. Dizzied head shaking as the colors whispered. Vapors rising from the ground. Someone was coming.

[Miro]

It was in these wilds that Miro had found his greatest enjoyment. In his travels to the city of scholars, he found himself off path more often than on. The hypnotic lure of the wilderness drew him in countless times. Traveling astray from trees and into paths walked by thousands of feet before him was a bore. It was in the untamed, undiscovered parts of the world that had the most appeal.

Miro in his short time in the city had found himself tempted and lured away from the safety and care of society, finding his roots calling in the form of unrefined nature. With every chirp of a bird, rustle of leaves, any and all of the beauty that was the mystery of the forest calling to him, he could hardly resist. It took him back, way back, before his life even began.

Being born in the woods made adjusting to a city life quite strange. In Alvadas, it was excitement, new experiences, but in recent times, he began to long for the way things used to be. It had been less than a year, and yet he found himself drawn away from civility. Conforming to these rules that appeared with little trace to their source. The lack of animal life, the abundance of ignorant people, it was all too much.

It was not that he hated people, no, not at all. It was that people hated him. Anybody who came near the boy would end up dead or leave him, and none were competent enough to stand long in his presence. How he longed to find a more permanent companion, someone of his kind even. He was a bastard child, one of dirty blood, and an even dirtier history. For his enjoyment lives had ended, in his rage loved ones lost. All there was left was to move on, or perhaps regress.

Further and further the boy wandered, losing his sense of time and location, merely existing in his cage of curiosity. As he walked, his glances swapped constantly. He would look at each tree, each obstacle to tread over, he loved it. Chimes began to turn to bells, which turned into him being quite lost. It would be just his luck, would it not? To finally arrive, only to leave the kind shelter of a city to become lost once again.

It did not matter, for there was no time to regret when having a wonderful time. His bliss had lead him deep into the woods, where few men dared step. Though he had found many interesting fauna, none of which threatening, all of which fleeing, his luck had just run out. A crash was heard just beyond the bushes ahead, a noise Miro could not simply ignore. He ran forward, passing through the bushes with a leap, thinking after the fact.

In front of him lay the most threatening beast of all, a woman, a creature not to taken lightly. There was no doubt, this one was even more dangerous than the rest. It was not her stature, it being rather unimpressive. Nor was it her looks. She held beauty, as many do, but nothing that impressed Miro all that much. It was, in fact, the lack of grace about her. Though she wore a dress, it was stained, tainted by the earth. She stood in these wilds, claiming them, as if they were hers, though she had spoken no words.

Miro could feel his stomach tightening. There was no doubt, she had to know of his presence, but something was unsettling. He was unsure about this girl, unable to choose the correct reaction. It was not apparent whether she lived in these wilds, or if she had been traveling, perhaps from Zeltiva as well. Whatever the case, he did not wish to upset such a thing. Women are fickle, one moment pulling you in, then the next shoving you back, over a ledge. The safest bet was that of his genuine feelings, a sense of curiosity.

"Oh, hello, there." Miro looked away, a sudden awkwardness coming over him. "I am, uh, Miro. I was walking through these woods, you made a noise, I...walked in." Again, the boy fumbled over his words, making more a fool of himself than if he were to turn tail and run. With each passing moment the impulse seemed more inviting. "Are you lost, perhaps, or...can I help you in any way?" Though the anxiety of the encounter loosened its grip, he still found himself unable to resist breaking eye contact once more. He closed his eyes, forcing a smirk and brushing his hair back out of his face. It was not the best impression, but he had survived through it, so far at least.

[Aello]

Aello chuckled as sparkles leapt into her eyes. She was generally amused by the lost little boy. His aura which billowed out around him. Like smoke from a flame. She watched it idly, taking note of his magical knowledge. The burst of intensity that hung there, as each fought for control. There was flux, and reimancy too. Waterfalls crashing about the ends of his form. Thundering waves to be heard off in the distance, crackling fires too. Flickering candles, doused by water's spray. Tendrils of smoke rising as the ground trembled beneath. Smelling of mud and sodden grass, and of course, air too, just to blow everything away. She smiled less easily now, the man was gifted in his art. "Hello Miro," Aello replied as her eyes danced over his form. More seeming of a child than a man. "You may call me Aello, considering everyone else does." She paused then, considering the rest of his words. What she had intended to do with her day. "Lost no. On the contrary, I know precisely where I am going, having made the journey a few times before. Although, it seems unlikely that the same could be said of you." She paused a moment, licking her lips as though to taste the excitement that hung in the air. "Now as for helping..." "Suppose it depends on whether or not you wish to deny that which is already known," Aello wore on. "You're a wizard, are you not?" she asked. "More gifted in reimancy than flux. You use all four." Her smile widened. "That is not something you see every day. A man who can call wind, water, air, and earth to do his bidding. To seep out of the tips of his fingers. Flow from his mouth, or anywhere else, one could suppose." There was a slight pause as the girl's right hand came to her hip. She leaned into it a little as her eyes settled on the half blood's own. "Was practicing acrobatics before. The art of dodging. Surely, you could think of something to help one practice that?" she asked as she took a few steps back into the center of the clearing. Her eyes never leaving him as she did so. "Hurl a fireball maybe?" Her face scrunched in thought. "Make the ground beneath one's foot split at the seams? Toss lightning bolts?" she asked. "Whatever is on your pretty little mind should do." She smiled wickedly. "But don't tell. I do like a surprise," she added, as each hand slid down her form, settling on the folds of her skirts, directly above each of her concealed daggers.

[Miro]

There was a great relief upon her reply. She had quite a beautiful name. It graced the boy's ears, shedding a sense of security of him. It had seemed she was more familiar with their environment than he was, which could easily prove quite useful. He continued to listen in, becoming quite intrigued. Could it be, she actually did want something? At first, it caused him to smile, her being able to identify him as a wizard, but then, it became sickeningly accurate.

What was this blasphemy!? Was Miro perhaps in the presence of a god? No, it was hardly likely, though most gods must look down on him with great favor. Never before had he seen such observational skills. He knew a great many things about magic, many tricks that he worked to hone, but none as impressive as this. It was hardly possible she had been following him, but there was another possibility. It was Miro's guess that he was in the presence of another mage, one who knew tricks so far out his sight, that if Miro looked, it would take him years to find.

Surprise locked on the boy's face, never before feeling so overwhelmed with stark facts as these. It was at least in his favor that the woman was kind, only joking with him, for the time being. Of course, jokes were always appreciated, for a laugh was as priceless as the amazement of those superior to you in every way. "Indeed, you are right, and damn quick. I am a wizard, and yes, reimancy my lifeblood. It is not often one encounters a reimancer as skilled as I, simply because there are none with my skill. Despite this skill, I find it may be hard to surprise you. Never before have I met somebody so eager to test my passion, and never have I been tempted not to hold back."

Miro smirked, building djed in his body, allowing it to pool. It flowed from his core outwards, filling his limbs with latent power. He began to manipulate it, flowing past his muscles, teasing the energy with the imminent release. It itched and beg to be released. He drew in a deep breath, tensing every muscle, pressing the essence of his being outwards. The force against his skin was not yet quite ready to break the threshold into materialization, not until he could visualize what he wished to achieve. He wrapped his mind around an image. He envisioned his soul as a fire, and from it came smoke, while not quite fire, a direct result. With a heavy exhale, he willed its release, spilling blue smoke from every pore in his body. The gaseous res swirled outwards, a thick aqua aura that even the naked eye would be able to see.

Miro allowed it to hang in the air around him, wearing his soul as a coat. "I hope you are as good as you appear, little lady. It would be a shame to destroy such a beautiful thing, that talent of yours." Now, he would start the test. A simple introduction would suffice for now, something predictable, something familiar. It was not quite Miro's style, but he did love to please the crowd. He would create a bit more res, something that would offer a unique taste. It was a bit flashy, a bit plain, a bit unusual, but it would prove entertaining enough. Miro began to pull his res into chest, soaking his lungs in sweet djed.

To spice things up a bit he focused on his arms, sensing his djed flux pulsing along with his heart. It begged to dance along his body, to be called for a task greater than its current idle status. Miro closed his eyes, seeing his internal flow, the nodes and linked pathways, each holding great amounts of power. He began to redirect a slight amount of energy, draining the nodes of their unnecessary strength at the cost of his djed. The redirected power flowed out, along the pathways and into his lungs, where it began to tingle and quiver with unnatural strength.

Miro closed his eyes and drew his breath in deep, slowly producing res in his lungs and attaching it to the air coming in. Once his lungs full with air attracted to res, he began to force it outwards, using both his will and lungs, breathing out a gust of charged air. As it exited his mouth, he willed it to change forms, into a liquid mass, as well as its shape, into a ball. The ball of now liquid res was surrounded by the expelled wind and forced forward by his relentless will. When it moved a few inches from his face, he began to transmute the outer layer, causing it to combust with great force, resulting in a rather flashy transmutation.

With the spell released, all there was left now was controlling it. He released the pull on his djed flux, canceling the redirection and allowing his arms to gain back their former strength. A great stress was released, allowing Miro to focus entirely on the sailing ball of fire. His will pressed it onward, aiming at the innocent looking girl's center, right at her heart. The closer it got, the more res he transmuted to fuel the spell, causing the flame to steadily grow in intensity. He had no intention of redirecting its course, nor canceling the spell. The confident wizard would only push it forward with all of his might, using his res as fuel until it was no more.

[Aello]

Aello stood silently, waiting, her fingers tapping against bare flesh. The inner workings of the slit that ran up the length of her legs. She wondered how long it would take the mage to prepare his first attack. Wondered if he was so much as beginning to question what it was he was doing. She shrugged her shoulders then, rolling away some of the unease as her heart kept on hammering in her chest. Her eyes widening with excitement, with anticipation. Her legs bending at the knees as she waited, her feet sliding apart a few more inches, so that it would be easier to spring. Finally, after a few more beats, Aello could see the first of it come to life. A smoldering flame, which swirled just before the mage. Miro seemed to be spitting fire. Rolling waves of deep oranges and red, which glowed with an intensity and an inner heat all its own. Tendrils of soft grey snakes slithered away, rising into the air alongside the vapors her own magic produced. It was enough to keep Aello's gaze transfixed, until of course it was sent forth, at which point, the girl began to bend at the waist. But as opposed to moving her body forward, she leaned back. Her chest coming up as her head sank towards the ground. Her long brown hair rippling, coursing waves which crashed into the ground. Multiplying the throngs of dirt; turned sodden earth, which surrounded her endlessly. Aello's gaze cast out to the sky. Stayed on a white wisp of cloud. She could sense even then just as the fireball sailed past, growing to a size a few inches smaller than her head, where it lay through her connection to auristic power. She could see it whizzing several feet behind her, seemingly without loss of momentum as her body wobbled, and arms came back. Fingers splaying as she tried to straighten her form but failed. Sending her spiraling towards the ground; caught by palms on uneven earth. She stayed, an unsightly crab as the orb of fire crashed into the ground. Skidding, towards the base of a tree; leaving a small line of flame in its wake. Gasping as her muscles began to ache, Aello braced her hands. Pushing them more fervently into the ground as she kicked up against it with all of her strength, sending her body into a lazy backwards flip, which landed her moments later a foot back. Form scrunched against her feet. In a heartbeat, she snapped like a spring, returning to a more natural position, level with the young mage. "Nice try," she chided. "But is that all you've got?" she asked. "Considering you missed by a bloody mile." Her eyes sparkled, catching remnants of the sun as she took a step forward, regaining her former ground. Her eyes dancing a moment over his form, before she took an instant to peer over her shoulder. "And you see that?" she asked, as she tipped her head forward. "That is what happens when your kind gets sloppy." She smirked. "So why don't you do us both a favor and clean up after yourself before you burn the entire forest down?" Aello asked as she turned her head back around. Allowing muddied eyes to bore into ice. "And perhaps try something else that won't wind up killing everything but the one you are after?" There was a long silence as Aello waited. A single hand lazily trailing through her hair. Pulling apart some of the knots before returning to her side. "If you can..."

[Miro]

Fire reimancy was quite the hassle, as was the process of spitting fire. Miro had hoped that it would impress, but it was only a test fire, hardly anything worth mentioning. This Aello was capable of dodging it. She did quite well in fact, not needing to move her feet to avoid it. Seeing her move in such a way proved to be quite entertaining to watch. She could handle more, no doubt.

Miro loved to hear her taunt him. It lit a fire in his heart, putting more passion into his body. Though her movements did not hold the same grace as an Alvad performer, the precision was apparent. It was not beautiful, but it definitely got the job done. What she had said was true, fire was dangerous, and his attack was indeed sloppy. But such a pittance as a burning tree was nothing to fret about. The wizard was still wrapped in a shroud of res, a substance capable of absorbing and nullifying the fire that was quickly spreading upwards.

Style again would guide his movements. Miro gained unity with his res, ready to shape it at his will. It became condensed, wrapping close to his frame and swirling about him, like a slow moving vortex. He thrust his arms upwards, lifting and manipulating the substance into a funnel that gained speed in its rotation. Just as each bit of res moved past his fingertips he canceled the rotation and changed its form, to that of a liquid. The substance took only a few seconds to all complete its transformation, becoming that of a liquid pillar.

Atop the pillar, Miro molded the shape to resemble that of an exaggerated serpents head, then immediately shaping the would-be tail with a tip and smooth surface. The end product was a foot in diameter, over a dozen feet long. The reimancer slammed his hands downwards, commanding the fierce blue beast forward, past Aello, barreling directly towards the burning tree.

Though Miro would not allow himself to admit it, the amount of res produced put a stress on his body. He would limit the amount of djed used from this point on, knowing his limits very well. Suppressing a warning from the body such as fatigue was dangerous territory, easily allowing sweet whispers to sneak in. But, such was the cost of retaining clarity of thought.

Taking only an few ticks from the time Miro had dropped his hands down, the creature reached the tree. It began to coil itself from the lowest point of the flame, slinking upwards, attracting the fire before slipping away. Miro called the creature back, commanding it to hover above Aello, still containing embers that would fritter away quickly. "You have seen absolutely nothing, Miss Aello. That fire, a joke. As you command, I shall send this Res-Pent after you. Perhaps then we can see if your talk is an accurate estimation of your strength. Perhaps you are underselling yourself, or simply using it as a guise to hide weakness."

Miro forced the creature down upon the girl, causing it to fall as if it were going to hit her. This amused Miro, as he did not by any means intend to have her come in contact with his res, He was focused and prepared his mind to alter the creatures form. It dropped, coming a foot short of making contact with the girl, at which point Miro forced it to hit an invisible wall, causing it to ricochet off in all directions in the form of small beads of res. They began to adhere, clumping together and take the shape of a large band. It remained several feet away from her, vaguely resembling a planetary ring, with Aello as its base.

"Now, test your might! I'll start out easy, but that will quickly change." Miro began to adjust the height of the res, lifting it and dropping it at random. He performed a simple transmutation, freezing the inside rim, giving it a blunt icy edge. "Prepare yourself. I will send this ring at you, bit by bit, at different heights. It is up to you to dodge it, to predict where it will come from." It was a simple plan, and he could sustain the obstacles for as long as the res would last, or the girl, whichever came first. He was eager to see what she could do, though still a bit hesitant to attempt any real harm.

Miro focused on the sections he would break loose and launch. A formation came to mind, a three part synchronization. A triangle in fact. The first piece immediately in front of Aello as well as two pieces behind her, one to the left, the other to the right. Miro sized up the segments, dividing the ring into six parts of equal length, each taller than Miro in size. Once again he began to control his res, sending the chosen chunks forward. All three of them directed across the ground, aimed to stack and cross under Aello's legs. Following their crossing, they were directed back across to rejoin the ring, which was rotated to receive each piece and regain its former shape.

It was a simple task for somebody with observational skills like hers. She would see it coming, giving her more than enough time to react. Miro watch still, ensuring that if the ice struck her it would snap across her legs and continue onward. It would sting, possibly leaving a bruise. If she truly impressed him, of course, the stakes could be raised in an instant. Things were starting to heat up, challenging himself for once. "Tell me when you're ready for the real show to start."

[Aello]

Aello merely smirked as she stood her ground. Her coiled muscles rippling impatiently beneath a bed of paling skin. Flesh glowing as beads of sweat ran down each of her limbs; reddening her cheeks, and her joints as the sun continued to bathe her in its golden tinted light. The colors continued to billow, one a soft blue that outlined the coiled djed snake. The other, a tincture of various shades. Mainly forest and ivy greens, coupled with lavender and periwinkle. The aurist studied them as she remained, her brow furrowing with her concentration. She was watching the snake loom, slithering closer as it coiled above her head. A dark cloud waiting to rain icy shards upon her visage. Instantly, she lowered her form. Legs bent at the knee, she inched closer to the forest floor. Her arms, bent at the elbow, loomed in defensive stance just before her. Hands held flat, fingers together. Her eyes shot up then, as a lightning bolt severed the strings. Caused her heart to tremor. There was something there, in Miro's aura. Something soft, but familiar. Hauntingly familiar. A nightmare's remnant from a time long past, another excursion into the forest: deception. The girl's heart picked up the pace as her irises darted from one side of the surrounding white to the other. Her body remained tense as she watched the res shift. That was the deception, and enough to put the girl at ease, for but a breadth as Miro continued to shape his monstrosity. When he had finished, Aello's gaze had shifted as well. It was fixated defiantly ahead; on him. She was not afraid. She stood a moment, before nodding simply as the first wave was unleashed. Causing her to pull her right leg up as her fingers furled. Hands seemed more like paws, with elongated nails mirroring the heart of a bird's talons; she stood a moment. Perfectly balanced on single leg, while the other rose. Knee meeting the center of her chest as icy shard fell before her, spurring the woman's hand to snap forward. To come against the item's middle. A cool breeze shot up the length of her skin as limb recoiled, and Miro's creation was sent sprawling. Falling back for a few ticks before it shattered against the forest floor. Crystallized shards spraying Aello's feet as she took a small, measured step forward, and reached for her daggers. Her hands instantly coiling around black wire hilts as she tore them from their sheaths. A delicate, metallic ring reverberated through the trees as Aello placed all of her weight on her feet. Evenly distributed now, she felt all the more balanced as she took in a deep breath; she brought her hands back. Dagger points ramming against the upper portions of res. Shattering the one crossing to her left, while leaving the twin unscathed. She watched it escape, circling her lithe form before returning to its brethren. Satisfied with her work, she straightened. But only marginally as she brought her daggers back to her sides; let out her breath. Her eyes were fixated on Miro again, watching waiting. "You mean to tell me, this isn't all you've got?" Aello asked as her thumbs idly stroked the hilts of her daggers. There was a definite sparkle in her eyes. A glimmering grin overpowering her face.

[Miro]

Aello was quite impressive, as Miro had hoped. She could work under pressure while still being able to sense everything around her. Her every movement was an efficient command, not a single breath wasted. It seemed that his res would not last as long as he thought. She was in tune with everything happening, not even flinching from his ruse. Without hesitation she shattered and wounded his ice, able to keep up better than anyone should. That cold look on her face, it made Miro wonder if she even felt any emotions in the heat of battle. Surely she had seen enough of it to lose such burdens.

Miro returned his res to the ring, restoring the off kilter shape. Once again he tapped the gnosis, melting all of the ice to water. It took only a moment of focus to divide the water evenly between the ring, using a bit more res to freeze it. His total amount of res was lessening, gradually slowing the spells movement. Between transmutations and decay, his res could only last a matter of chimes. "Better make the most if it!."

An idea came to mind, a test of not only skill, but luck. He tapped the blue snowflake on his back, separating the ring in two, one section in front of Aello, one behind. Controlling his res, he lifted and folded the rear section to lay on top of the front. Then, as before, he divided it into six parts. Now, six sections, three long, two high rest in her line of sight. One by one he lined them in a row directly in front of her, willing the top and bottom pieces to hover apart from one another. The top row would line up at about chest level, while the bottom at her shins.

"Alright Aello, let us see how good you really are. This ice is thicker, and conversely slower. I shall send them at you in pairs, as you see, in succession. Do not worry, however, for I shall melt one from each row, either top or bottom. Be quick, be sure, be ready for anything. Here I go!" Miro sent the first set forward, followed soon after by the second set, giving a lag of a few ticks. By the time the last set was sent forward, Miro had tapped his gnosis, melting the bottom section of the first set, turning it to water. The melted piece would allow passage through it with little resistance before continuing onward. For the following set, he melted the bottom again, and for the final, the top.

This order would force her to avoid two on top and finally one on bottom. If she was a good sport she would face them head on as Miro intended, but if scared, she could just as easily move to the side. He doubted somebody like her would avoid a challenge however. When the spell was complete, Miro would pull his res around and back to him, ready for whatever game would come next. At best, his res would last for several chimes. But, Miro doubted this greatly. It was not easy to command such spells. His body was beginning to tire, and his res would begin to decay faster the longer this would drag on for.

[Aello]

Aello twirled the daggers between her fingers as Miro gathered his strength. She could see it wavering in the way his aura flickered, but chose to ignore it as much as he. When he spoke to her again, she simply nodded, and forced the daggers to stop rotating. She gripped them tightly as she lowered her body even closer to the ground. Watched as the first wave came towards her. Her heart thundered in her chest as it rose and fell rapidly. Her thumbs stroking the wire hilt as she side-stepped to the right. Her foot dragging across the forest floor as she pointed the left. Toes dragging across the earth as she swept her arms in, and pulled her left leg around. A full moon formed, indentation sprawling across the earth as the aurist rapidly spun her body 360 degrees. Swinging her arms with the motion. A silent cut which sent the shimmering silver points of her daggers into the icy pillar. Shattering it on impact. Shards of hardened water burst from central spire. Shooting across the terrain. Buffeting her legs as she brought her weapons back into a traditional defensive stance. She took a step over, into the onslaught then. Muddied eyes glared at it defiantly, head on. Aello's body tensed as she lifted her right leg. Bent at the knee it hung against her chest as she took a deep breath, in through the nose and out through her mouth to steady herself. Her left foot pivoted as her hip began to twist. Leg extending as she swung her body around. Right arm following the sweeping movement of her leg, bringing her cursed blade across her chest, and out to her side. Hand and foot seemed to run parallel as they inched closer to the next pillar. Finally drawing near enough when they had built up enough momentum to send the magical creation back. It trembled, like sputtering candle. A flame, spitting water as uninterested man tried to douse it. It crept away from her for several ticks, until the outer reaches collided with the icy pillar behind. The edges chipped. Aello could hear them crackling as she pulled her limbs back in, and quickly shuffled to the north. Trying to provide herself with a greater workspace. Thinking it insufficient however, she bent her body at the waist. Pushing her chest out as it furled. Eyes grazing over fluffy clouds as her hands came out. Legs pushing up against the ground enough to propel her form into a temporary withdrawal. Seconds later, her hands hit the ground hard. Her fingers flinched. Loosening their grip on the hilts for but a breadth before she forced herself to work past the pain; to allow her fingers to harden as she pushed against uneven terrain. Forcing her body the rest of the way. She could feel a cool air building around her form. Encasing her in ethereal brace. Aello's body rocked. Her toes pointed, about to touch down when Miro's magic caught up with her. Icy tip pushing her back. Driving her body to fall faster. For form to tumble onto back. Her head rammed into the ground, causing the girl's fingers to unravel. Sending her daggers spiraling away as her eyes slammed shut. She winced, grit her teeth in pain. The colors ripped, seemingly mocking her as she forced her eyes to open. "Petch," she whispered, more to herself than to the mage, as she slid her legs across the ground. Forced the soles onto the earth. Arched her back and placed flattened palms beside her. As coursing pains shot through her, she pushed off, easing her body up slowly. Once on her feet, she brushed herself off. "We'll go again," she commented, intending to meet any obstacles unarmed. OOCI wasn't sure what you'd do with the water, so I left that part untouched.

[Miro]

Nothing he did would even begin to slow down the woman. Casting djed was the quickest way to exhaustion, meaning that the next move would be his last, and his most intense. For this one, there would be his real skill, something that he had avoided until now. There could be no room for error on Aello's part, lest she be struck. He knew well the capabilities and danger of the elements, but he also knew the skill his target possessed. The wizard's life revolved around control. Everyday he lived it, balancing the factors effecting his ability to cast efficiently. It went beyond that though, he made an attempt to balance his life. He would dig deep and gather his mind, though he knew the cost would be thrice the exhaustion later. Nobody liked fighting off the urge to nap.

Miro held out his arm to the side, calling the remaining res back to gather in an orb before his hand. The liquid flowed through the air in several streams that swirled around one central point and took shape. He then changed its form to a solid and allowed the form to fall, landing softly on the ground beside him. The kid let out a long heavy sigh, falling back onto the ground. "Give me a moment. You should stretch out, wake yourself up, make sure that I do not kill you. Really though Aello, this time I am serious. You familiar with the lightning and lava elements? Nah, I am sure you are. Be sure I do not hit you though, as this tends to sting a bit."

The wizard laid back, looking up through the canopy above and at the sky. For a moment he would just take in everything and gather his thoughts. His chest rose and fell quite quickly, but the stresses of working hard would only fade slowly. "E~E~Ender...She is horrifying, right? Have you ever seen such a terrifying presence before? Just imagine if she willed our death! How swiftly we would find ourselves back in the reincarnation cycle. Well, how quickly I would. I am not sure what happens to your kind. But you see what I mean. She is so~o~ome lady. A guy could get used to being treated so special. It costs good Miza for stuff like this, if you know what I mean."

Miro quickly lunged to sit upright with a new feeling of vigor. He snatched the waterskin from his waist and popped it open with his thumb before being interrupted. "Run, run far away. Miro, this woman will tire of you, as I have. And when she does, I die. Run, for our lives depend on it. The woods are not safe, there are wild beasts within." The words only curled the boy's lip before he tilted his head back and drained the waterskin of its contents. A relieved sigh escaped him before he clumsily made his way back to his feet. Looking over he noted that since the break his res had deteriorated further.

His pool had evaporated quite quickly since casting, but it was not completely dry. He called his res and pulled it thin before him, a fog that obscured his lower body. Again Aello would sense something from Miro, a deception, yet this time it was different. His aura would have a darker feeling to it, a twisted excitement. Whatever he had planned, it was not exactly as he had said, yet he was serious. It was indeed that her life could be put at risk, but she may find herself doubting his words. Just as quickly as his aura flicked a change, he would begin hastening his walk, extending his res further, a thin misty veil about him.

In Miro's mind it was already set, even won. A cold rush through his veins, he was ready, and his body and mind raged with craving and desire. He cast his arms out to his side, beckoning his res to swirl and spread even further from his body, the substance becoming nearly invisible to the naked eye. He needn't say it, but still he found himself compelled. "Time to start, so, you know how it goes. Don't let me catch you still, cause well, I prefer a challenge. Have no doubt, I will attempt to hit you." His aura would be resolute, failing to even hint at a bluff.

In a snap, everything would accelerate, though the wizard would not take another step. He would merely stand, guiding his hands rapidly around, orchestrating his res to separate and travel in different directions. It split in five directions, taking varied paths. The first, a snaking trail through the ground, moving in an estranged and unpredictable way. Another that would rise, a mist that would attempt to haze above Aello at a slower pace. And finally, three liquid streams, two that split left and right, arcing around to attempt to cut off any path the girl might take, with the final traveling directly at her rapidly. Her actions would determine which would arrive first, but all would aim to close their gap and come within striking distance.

Miro's mind had already set each transmutation in mind, all being simple and similar. The goal of each transmutation was not to burn and maim the girl, but just as sinister. He would drench her in icy cold water. And while it would seem meaningless and without point, that was hardly the sinister part that fueled his magical drive. For each the three, the transmutation would vary. The skymost, it would rain drops down on her as it hovered above. The three liquid currents would be aim to crash against her in waves. And from the ground, a geyser would rise, only when it would find arrive under her feet.

Aello was impressive, of course, but few were fast enough to dodge rain as it fell. One was guaranteed to hit her, he was not holding back even slightly. He wanted it, and wanted it bad. The aching urge had been building since she first challenged his skills, and now it was his chance. Each spell would aim to knock her off her feet, allowing the next spells to find an easy target. Best of all, when it was all finished, her body soaked in water, he would tap his gnosis. But she wouldn't know of this, not quite yet. Instead he would allow her a moment of relief, perhaps even scolding him for taking it so easy.

"Sorry, Miss Aello. I was misleading you a bit. No lightning and lava today. Did you really expect much otherwise though? C'mon, that's a bit much for anybody to compete with. However, I did not lie, really. I was trying, still am. All of my res is gone though, so you may wonder what is in mind. HMM..." Miro was grinning, waiting for a response. He couldn't wait to show her what he had in mind. It would be a tribute, thanks to Morwen for her wonderful gift. The undeniable proof that she had chosen one worthy. Yes, of course, his winter mother would love the display, it was her present to the world.