Crystalized Shards (Miro)

[Aello]

Summer 4, 512 AV Aello sat silently in the grass. Hands resting upon her knees, palms upturned, directed towards clear skies. Beads of sweat trickled down her brow as she folded her legs beneath lithe form. As she took a deep breath in through her nose and out through her mouth before closing her eyes. Golden curtains peeled back, revealing a blank canvas for a stage. There she imagined a blanket of white. Soft, fluffy. A bed of snow, upon which streamers of bright yellow light cast by the sun hung high danced causing everything to glimmer. To sparkle as though flakes of mica had been scattered across the surface. For a time, the girl saw only this. But after a few moments, she added remnants of her time in Avanthal. A polar bear at first. Thick white fur billowing in the wind; blending into the snow. Deep black eyes staring out at the horizon as it tread without destination in mind. Large paws leaving a trail in its wake. The only blemish on an otherwise perfect, winding terrain. The aurist watched the creature lumber along for a time, before she made her way into the picture. Innocent, devoid of clothes. She trembled as she folded her arms over herself. Teeth chattering as the bear looking up; at her. Through her. She smiled weakly as she took a step forward. Foot sinking into the cold; feet grown red as toes wiggled, trying to draw in more heat. But it did nothing. Scared that she would freeze to death, she began running, directly for the bear. Just before their bodies would crash into one another, the girl halted, only to slip on a patch of ice; which sent her sprawling into the creature's fur. Her hands clutched the swaying fronds, so soft for but a tick before she fell inside. Becoming one with the creature. Sharing its eyes. Its fur, its warmth. Seeing and feeling what it felt. Aello could only smile as the cold melted away. As a comfortable temperature settled into her skin. She imagined what it would be like to have a shield that locked this feeling in. Locked in enough cold for her to not feel so damned hot. With another deep breath came another thought of it. What it would be like to be a bear in this weather. How wretched it would be. With twisted lip she imagined it for a moment, before running back into the bear's fur. His body. Imagining what it would be like to feel the opposite of heat; a cool air. And if only she wished it, a shield that would lock it all in. As she concentrated on this thought for several chimes, her body began to exude djed, a soft lavender which trickled out of each of her pores. The consistency of paint, it drizzled all over her body. It was the same with the bear, whose fur was melting. Dripping from the ends of quills. Aello watched silently as she endured the sensation cast by the knowledge that her djed was clumping in some areas like a candle's wax as it cascaded down the sides of blackening wick, where in other areas, it refused to stay. But even so, with the shield's task in mind, and with the hope that everything had been covered to at least a small degree, Aello finally opened her eyes. Breaking her concentration. The instant she had opened them, Aello realized that she felt largely the same as before. Uncomfortably hot. Tired, and sick of waiting. With dilated pupils, she gazed out at the world, wondering if her shield had accomplished anything at all, but doubting it greatly. She sighed. "Maybe next time," she whispered to herself as she got to her feet, and bent at the waist so as to pick up all of her things, which had been set down beside her. She deftly strapped everything back into place before taking a few steps forward, and then coming to a halt. A twig had snapped off to her right. She wondered who or what was coming.

[Miro]

Miro had not slept quite so well in some time. The night before he had worn himself out, finding a nice tree to sleep under. Being outside was a treat, as always. When the sky darkened, the temperature dropped, putting the boy at ease. The sounds of nature were his lullaby, the grass his bed. Just knowing Aello was nearby made him happy. He had found just what he needed, another friend. What could be more fun than finding somebody who would push your limits? It was this thought that drew him back in for another round of abuse.

There was no doubt, if things kept up Miro would either fall under the weight of pressure or rise to a new height. With a friend by his side there was nothing he could not rise above. But did Aello return these feelings of kinship? It hardly mattered, he would strengthen their bond, or something like that. Miro let out a yawn, stretching his arms out. It was unusual for him, it was, to feel so moved by the actions of a person. Yes, he knew, there were others with gifted people in the world. But to find one so willing to share their presence, it was almost too much to comprehend.

In this mystery, the boy found excitement, once lost to apathy. Perhaps the threat of death, if he failed to impress, was his fuel. A craving to push his life to the very edge, to be able to glance across the abyss and to walk still in the realm of mortals. Life was madness, from that madness the deepest truths are found, the answers hidden by sanity. Was discipline not the biggest lie? Those who find truth, who lose their sanity, is their lost discipline not a result of finding greater understanding? A fine straight line was drawn in the soul of every magician. The mind only able to work as a vague compass, the body only capable of walking so far. This was the life Miro lived, something so complex. One in his position could only see it as a twisted game.

Miro walked forward, entering the clearing where in the previous day training had taken place. The air was still heavy with Miro's scent, the metallic taste of reified ice against his skin. That delicate tinge, the pain of loss, reminiscent losing the fond memory. A strong breeze passed through, causing Miro's long hair to pick up and dance in its caress. With it the last traces of magic Miro could sense fled. His heart remained silent, knowing that today's lesson would start without the realization of his true desire, to be close to the girl. An ache began to grow in his chest, the fuel for what was to come next.

Djed began to flow from his core and into his right hand. The wizard began to tune into the djed flux of each of his limbs, calling them to attention. With his eyes closed, the boy was able to visualize the pathways, to feel its flow. He began to task his body beyond its normal means. By tapping into those pathways, he began to redirect energy from his legs and left arm, pulling them to the entirety of his right arm. A hot wave of shock came over him, increasing in intensity the more djed used to flood energy to his arm. A surreal feeling overcame his enhanced limb, as the muscles absorbed stolen power. A new unity with the djed flowing through his arm was obtained.

Miro visualized the river in which he had learned to control the element of water. It was from that same river that he drank from each day, taking its seemingly infinite amount of djed into his body. Freezing cold, yet never halting to experience the beauty of becoming ice. Like that river, Miro tasked his djed to flow, not into his arm, but through it. A torrent of powerful liquid res burst from his arm and encased it, solidifying into an icy blue shell. It took only a moment, yet the toll was great.

Tasking the Flux to pull from so many places and increasing his res production speed were both new. Using either discipline to drain djed so quickly would prove tiring, but in unison, it was exhausting. Miro released his pull on his pathways, allowing his djed flux to return to normal. The sudden djed loss left him on the ground wheezing. His sight turned hazy, causing the sight of his hands holding up his body to distort and sway in and out of focus. He had no idea why it was important to push himself, but it was an absolute condition. If he was going to limit himself, he might as well not use magic at all.

Miro held his left hand to his chest, forced his breathing under control, then returned to his feet with a smirk. His right arm still retained its form, from his fingernails to his shoulder, he brandished res. It surrounded his nails and hands in a thin membrane, still showing much of the detail under it. The rest of his arm was considerably different though. It looked as if it were coated in layers of crystal that flowed up to his shoulder like scales, interlocking and passing one another. That tapestry of crystal djed would be Miro's hint at madness. "Aello, I hope you rested well. You are going to need it. Today I will show you what makes my reimancy unique. My heart and soul are in every technique, and they are on display for your eyes only."

A mage of any other calibre or discipline would see res as something separated from the body, only awaiting transmutation to elements. Not Miro, he saw something more. Res could only last for a short while and was quite limited, but gained a great potential. With all greatness came sacrifice, and in this case, those sacrifices could be explained by the simplest lessons of djed.

Djed can not be created or destroyed, only transmuted. Some forms are more purer than others. And some changes are irreversible. His res was not created, only his soul after an irreversible transformation. It lost purity, being able to only become magical elements and would decay, unlike the djed still in his body, which had potential to become any magic. In the end his res would return to Mizahar.

This seemingly useless analysis showed the truth to Miro. Beyond his mind, body and soul, there was something more, his res. Though the cost of reimancy was great, the gain was even greater, in the right hands. When res was added to the equation, he had mastery of all elements. His coated arm would be shielded from fire, able to attract it to rest safely on his body. At the same time he could manipulate water into ice and attract wind to grow the flame. How easily he could keep the ice and fire from ever interacting.

Miro walked to the farthest tree and pointed his arm at the girl. "Pull your daggers, pray to your gods, do whatever you need to in order to prepare. You may find yourself unable to keep up with my ice, for I won't pull my punches. When, if you are up to it, you're ready, I will launch shards of sharp crystal your way. Dodge them, break them, whatever you do, just survive." In his mind he took a few moments to collect his thoughts, saying a silent prayer. "Morwen, our queen of ice, smile down. Bless me so that your grace may fall over me like snow in your frozen kingdom." Though a nervous tension remained in his chest, he was ready to start.

[Aello]

Aello's lips curled into a delicate smile as the half blood invaded her vision. Her stomach rumbled as her lips parted, emitting a series of chuckles. "No hello?" she asked. "No good morning?" she paused as she peered into Miro's deep blue eyes. "Very well then. If you are in such a great hurry, we can train now," she said as she walked over to the nearest oak and deposited her bow on the ground. Before pulling her bag and quiver from her shoulders and resting them each on the ground beside it before turning back to the mage. Her eyes grazing over his form lazily as she took a few steps closer; tightening the gap that lay between them. When they were standing no more than six feet away from each other, Aello stopped dead in her tracks. With hands resting on her thighs she waited for but a tick as she took a deep breath in through the nose and out through the mouth, before reaching past the slit in her clothing. Losing her hands behind the folds for an instant before they furled around wire hilts. Tearing them free. A soft metallic ring bounced off the trees as she loosed the weapons from their beds, and brought them into the open. Silver glowing in the light of the sun as the girl eased herself into a crouch. "Ready when you are," she called as the vapors rose from the earth. Coloring their field of battle crimson. As though it had already been bathed in blood.

[Miro]

As Miro readied up his aim, his heart began to beat more quickly. There was no room for error, if he failed to concentrate on his magic correctly a mistake could easily be made. Aello was impressive, but even she was not immortal. Reimancy, in Miro's hands had been quite infallible. Overgiving was even very rare, only happening when the wizard would decide to push his limits in a controlled environment. Not to hold back on Aello was a hard decision, but the obvious choice.

The woman's skills were beyond impressive. In a way she almost seemed legendary. To be in her presence pounded a sense of respect into Miro. She could handle a test of a master's skills. There was no doubt, if there was a match to find, it was here. In Alvadas, Shale would have paid triple for performing. To fight such an opponent and put on a show, it would create a new fable for the Colosseum. All of the citizens would gather and cheer, wanting to see the fight of a lifetime. The crowd was few, just Ender, and there was no pay, but it was no less gratifying.

Miro was ready to start the match, and his plan was decided. Once more he ran it through his head. He would shoot five projectiles, turning three to ice, and aim them to be hit and shattered. The remaining two would combine, becoming a larger ice projectile. It would move in between the other three, aimed at a more vital point, becoming quite dangerous. Though it was a rough warm up for her, he was hardly trying to hurt her. With luck she would be able to figure which targets to hit and which to avoid, causing the audience to roar in awe.

If all went well maybe Ender would shut up and start respecting Miro's talents. The show was not only for Ender, but for Aello, who would also see his skills. It would be a treat for Miro himself even, being so inspired that he crafted techniques on the spot. The familiar had been quiet for some time, he wondered if there was a chance of getting through to him."I'm sorry for being so reckless. My magic, it's not a curse, I promise you. I know it uses our djed, and that it becomes dangerous easily, but you don't need to worry. Just work with me this time. If we fight together you will see, there is no need to be afraid. Were not on Fyrden anymore, we can take charge."

There was no response. It seemed the summon did not care to hear him out, but still, there was always a chance it would reach him. Now he would start, his mind was focused and unhindered. Miro poised his arm, directing his focus to where he would aim. The three small spikes would be aimed at Aello's thighs, and a third at the center of her chest. The last much bigger spire would be directed at her core, aimed to pierce her through her stomach. He now focused on his res, causing areas to shatter into shards and float in front of his out stretched hand.

A rain of icy blue res swirled before his hands, clinging together and taking shape. The five masses were shaped into long thin spikes of ice, a few inches thick, but almost a foot long. They came to a very gradual point, and began to hover further away from the wizards hand. "Alright, here I go!" The boy talked in a loud determined voice, but the call was not for Aello, she had her warning already. Miro was determined, focusing his entire being into the precision of this spell. Control was key, he needed to aim the spell and give it the perfect amount of power to hit its mark.

Though it seemed complicated, Miro had years of practice in controlling his reimancy. He took a deep breath out, redirecting a slight amounts of energy from the pathways throughout his body and into his brain. A euphoric enlightenment began to surface in his consciousness, causing a feeling of heightened reality. The wizard drew back his fist, sending a punch forward and stopping just shy of the res. As his fist came to rest, he sent the projectiles forward, each lining with their target.

Now he would finish the spell. By sending each in tandem he could give her a chance to avoid damage entirely, if she was quick. First he sent the topmost shard. As he propelled it forth, aiming it at Aello's chest, he transmuted it to ice. The moment the transmutation was complete he severed all connection and thought from it completely, readying to fire once more. He sent the bottom left spike forward aiming at her thigh. Turning it to ice, he switched focus to the rightmost shard, firing it and transmuting it to ice as well. After the last of the chunks was transmuted, he would focus on the remaining attack.

By now the res was over halfway to its target, but it would still be plenty of time for the woman to react. Miro called the two remaining chunks of res together, creating one larger piece. It was nearly twice as thick around, and its length was well over a foot. The wizard propelled and transmuted the projectile, sending the icicle forth at a slower speed, sailing to impale Aello if nothing was done. Though the spell was cast with the capability to kill, but Miro had no intention of letting Aello die.

Finally being free of casting, Miro was able to allow the djed to flow out of his brain and back into his pathways, causing a moment of lost concentration. He quickly gained his focus back, sighting his spell. If it looked that Aello would be harmed by any spike, he would quickly tap his gnosis, turning the ice to water. This was a good warm up, but it seemed things could get become a lot more fun. Ice made for great spells, but he had control of several elements. Next round he hoped things would pick up. Miro was curious to see the woman standing across from him start to get serious.

[Aello]

Aello watched as formerly transparent misty hazes took form, coalescing into icy dagger. She could see their sharpened edges glimmering in the sunlight as the first of their brethren cut through the air. Creeping closer and closer to her in an attempt to strike. But the woman was too quick. She swept her left foot it, bringing the boiled leather against her side, where the heel slid up the length of her leg. Bent at the knee, the appendage was brought forth, raised towards the woman's middle as her core curved on slight, inching just out of reach. The huntress then, balanced uneasily on her right, as she awaited Miro's next trick. Which, fortunately for her, considering the level of her known impatience, wasn't long at all. For the second shard came sailing towards her hip. Seeing it coming, Aello left not a breadth in which she didn't move. Adjusting her body upon its pedestal as she swung her left hand up and around, slamming the blade into the icy spike. Forcing it to shatter on impact. The glassy likeness crashing to the forest floor as she put her foot down, and forced all of her weight onto it. Another heartbeat and she had drawn her right foot back, in a wide arc. Her toes drawing lines in the dirt as she twirled halfway, while bringing her blade around. Bringing its bloodied sides against the shard and shattering it simply as her muddied irises caught sight of the final projectile. A far larger shard destined for her core, had she not side-stepped just out of its reach. "That all you got?" Aello asked as she watched it sail by. Thinking it best not to harm the cast out remnants of her opponent's self. "Or are there even more tricks up your sleeves? Something larger, and more agile perhaps? Things that will truly get the blood flowing?"

[Miro]

"Fine, fine, you won't have to worry about easy any more. But don't you worry too much, I won't hurt you...much." Miro jerked his head to the left, then the right, causing his neck to loosen up. He then began to pull his arms across his chest and perform a few squats, loosening the rest of his body. "You know, not quite as fragile as you look. Surprising. Well, not really, but you get what I mean. I pulled my punches a bit, but you seem to be able to keep up well. Very well in fact. Let's bring you up to speed then, shall we?"

Miro's body was filled with excitement and energy. It was hard for him to contain it even. The rush of adrenaline caused him to let loose a bit more than he'd like, though it was fine, she asked for it. If she wanted it to stop, she could always beg for it. Seemed that so far, she was the one having the real fun. Oh well, he was sure it was fun while it lasted. Now it was time to put her to work.

The wizard's skills were mostly in magic, but he was talented in other things. His skills in fighting unarmed were far from having any real development or style, but that was just his style anyways. The woman across from him looked like she knew a few things, perhaps he could learn a lesson. It was something new, but there was an idea that came to mind. While his martial prowess was minimal, his magical was quite advanced.

Assisting hand to hand combat with the Flux had happened many times in the past, as it would today. But that was not at all what would give him an edge. Reimancy worked so well in close quarters, it only made sense to use it while fighting with his fists. Sure, it would be a struggle to merge so many skills, but there was a tension in the air that told him he had to try.

"Okay, I can do this. Just run in, slap her around, cast some magic, look awesome. Well, let's check off looking awesome now, and hopefully I can double check later." Though he talked himself up big in his mind, there was more than a shred of doubt. Not in Aello, nor his fighting, but his discipline. There could be no room to slip up. To keep focus and a level head was key.

Many times in the past he had slipped up and let his anger get the best of him, causing an unwanted amount of damage to his sparring partner. Nah, it was not going to be the same this time, everything was different now. He was hardly even the same person anymore. New Miro was always in control. Meaning there was no room for hesitation, he had to put his heart into every movement.

Today she would get the best of him, the skilled wizard she believes in. Miro took off running in at Aello. The crystal res on his arm had served its purpose, he now imagined a new form for it to take. He willed the crystal to shed from his arm, breaking into segments that morphed into spheres and hovered around the his arm. A total of ten balls, each the size of a large man's fist.

Now he was on, finally to perform. Ten feet from his target and closing. Miro sent his right arm forward, signaling three of his orbs to be transmuted to ice and cast at Aello with great force. He quickly followed in and made up the distance, coming within striking range of her. Even if she took a few hits, he couldn't stop or hold back.

Miro focused on the pathways trailing down his left arm, transmuting his djed into a signal redirecting the energy within. As the wizard's left arm grew weak, he drew back his right arm, readying for a punch. He sent the slowly drawn punch forward with amazing speed and power. Immediately calling his djed to reverse the spell, to attack with his other fist.

Streams of energy rebounded from his right arm draining into his left as he cocked it back, readying for yet another powerful punch. Miro adjusted his position, moving in closer, and also the position of his res. The balls of res shot up and outwards, occupying the air surrounding the pair. Things were going to get a little complicated.

The wizard took control of one of his res orbs behind Aello. A hard pull sent it sailing at the woman from behind aimed at her back. Miro sent his fist forward just as he transmuted the res to ice, aiming to strike in unison. His attacks were far from unpredictable, but his skills were just warming up. With more practice he could polish his skills and perfect the technique.

[Aello]

Aello nodded her head. A firm gesture, akin to a hand shake. She imagined herself giving a small squeeze as her heels dug into the ground. Her weight shifting to adjust to her body's fall. Legs bending further at the knee, deepening her crouch. Gravel grating against the slight heel of a boiled leather sole. She could hear it whistling if only she strained to listen. The brown grains beginning to cling as she took a deep breath in through the nose and out through the mouth. Her chest rising and falling slowly as she inhaled and exhaled, calming herself, preparing herself as her opponent, Miro, did the same. Soon enough, it seemed, he was coming at her again. The ice about his form, one of the many elements within his command, changing to his will. Morphing into something he could hurl at her, with ease. She stood her ground, dug in the flats of her boots as she waited on him to near. At tick, it seemed, before the first wave of reimanic arts drifted her way. Twin orbs of ice, directed at each of her sides. Swiftly, she raised her daggers as her grip tightened around each hilt. A flick of the pointer against the edge of the wiry black to drive them up more swiftly. She could feel the cool impact, radiating against her nails as the blades twisted, and her feet began to move. One moving to the side, while the other swirled in slight. Drawing a small half circle in the ground as her hips rotated. Each blade coming to meet the first onslaught in time. She could feel each shattering against the metal. Shards falling to the ground within an instant. As soon as they had sounded, a deep clatter against the ground, something cold and hard rammed into the center of her spine. Aello's lips parted in surprise, although she managed to stifle a cry as her body was flung forward. Her feet blindly shuffling across the ground, crushing the shards of ice beneath as she stumbled forward, in vain attempt to right herself. Her muddied irises grew wide, as thin crimson rivers pulsed angrily against a bed of stark white. Akin to the shade of a ghost's form. As her feet drew across the dirt, digging thin beds, her arms flailed. Fingers unfurling in slight, so that the hilts of her daggers rolled about her palms. Jostling them as her gaze finally hardened, and another sharp pain rammed into her lower right ribs. Another moment, and the young spiritist had caught herself just before she fell. Narrowly avoiding a collision with the opposing mage. Her fists tightened around the black of her blades, as the silver itself sparkled in the sunlight. She could feel the reflection playing across her facial features as she drew in another deep breath, pressed her lips tightly together, and allowed her irises to recede. She smiled unpleasantly then, a near grimace as her gaze swept over the younger half blood. Her thumbs playing uneasily over the hilts as she bent her knees again, and eased herself into a refreshed crouch. "Darn it Miro!" she exclaimed through tightly clenched teeth. "That wasn't exactly fair," she muttered under her breath, as the white walls parted. Marbalized stone grating against each other, as the gate split. A slight severance for the damned to pass through. Even though you both were cheating... One using auristics, and the other the damned magic Nex is attempting to master. The thoughts paused, as she held her gaze. Unwavering and cold as the ice he loved to use on her. Flux, is what he called it, isn't it? she asked herself, although inwardly she already knew the answer. Damn shame you can't tell him what you already know, without giving yourself away, the girl's mind added as she whipped her right arm up. Sweeping it from beside her, towards her chin, but a little out ahead. A threat, for she knew although it would never extend its reach far enough, he would be able to feel its cool air. The aura of the frightened; those she had taunted, tortured, and destroyed before. Or so she'd like to think. After all, she hadn't decided, or rather, figured out just how observant he was. Or perhaps, how sensitive to such things. "Again," Aello growled as she lowered her blade. And this time, none of your filthy half blood tricks, she thought as she eased herself uncomfortably into a starter's stance. Perhaps though, you will have learned enough about him now, how he thinks, how he moves, where you shan't miss an orb... The wind awoke then, tousling her long mane of brown hair. Throwing it across her face. Allowing it to stick to lightly trembling lower lip. Perhaps she was truly a wild woman... OOCSorry this is awful. Also, I hope I understood your post correctly. Um... if you only threw three orbs at me, (I thought there were four), assume the final shot of pain was just a random side effect of the one that hit her in the back. Thanks! Also, no power, so I may be slow. I don't know if I told you that yet.

[Miro]

As Miro cranked up the intensity on his fighting his heart got pounding faster. Making contact with both spell and fist gave him a bitter sweet chill through his body. A shock of excitement a tinge of regret. Maybe he should have held back. Aello was tough though, he would definitely give her that. He wondered though, which hurt more, the fist or the ice?

Still, the way she handled everything thrown at her, it was stunning. Was being assaulted with magic so easy to shrug off? She came at him wild with passion and fervor, nearly assaulting him with her fist. It was clear that she could do better, that they both could. This time he would focus on fighting her close, to change his use of reimancy a bit. He did not need it for offense, not when he had fists.

The wizard smirked at the woman's determination. "Alright, alright, I'll go again. This time maybe you can fight back a little." He was not well versed in the ways of hand to hand combat, but he would try to work with what he had. The Flux would have to give him enough speed to take advantage of the openings created by reimancy.

He had only six shots left, for now at least. It was likely that Aello was a strong fighter, which meant it was important for him to be fast. He had enough djed to sustain a fight, so there would be no excuse for being hit. The kid put aside all reservations about striking his partner, but still kept in mind her safety. There was no need to strike hard, just to strike fast.

Miro walked back a distance and massaged his shoulder vigorously with his hand. He turned and took a stance, his feet planted firmly and his fists raised. He held his body low to the ground though, knees bend and mind sharp. Behind him were the six orbs of blue res, three on each side of him hovering just above his shoulders. "Ready when you are."

One more moment of calm before the assault. He drew in a deep breath, then released it before running in at Aello. She was not going to make this easy, so he could not afford to come up short. Speed, he had to be fast or else he may come to find a fist across his face. "Stay agile, you have this Miro." But to be faster than her he would need to guide his pathways efficiently.

Miro cast his res to the ground at his right side and spread it thin. He forced the small puddles to form into one blanket res and attracted the dirt and the smallest of rocks below to its hold.. As he neared his target his res reached its capacity and triggered his next movement. The wizard called it to gather below his right hand and condense into a ball.

Nerves made his heart pound as he began to enter striking range. It had been a while since he had taken a punch, and got the feeling he would never have that thought again. Miro swiped up his right hand upwards, as if to throw something, and signaled his res to follow his broad swipe and release the attracted dir from within. The released earth was sent forth, directed towards his targets face.

Now under the cover of his dirt barrage, he could ready for his attack. It took him a moment to stop and adjust his stance. He had to hope he would be quick enough to strike and evade a counter. It was unfair for him to fight in such a way, but what choice did he have? She moved with a speed and grace that he simply could not match. Not with his natural speed at least.

Miro firmly planted his left foot and brought his right side back and turned his foot outwards. He drew in a deep breath before he twisted his body and lead with his right foot. His lifted leg was posed to strike her ribs with his shin, but he was not aiming to hurt her badly. As soon as the attack would connect or be avoided, he would move on to his defense.

It hardly mattered if he hit her arm or if she evaded it, his focus was tuned on evasion. The opening left by his leg striking in such a way would give her a chance to grab him, but even so, he wouldn't let her off that easy. His shortcomings in fighting would be aided by his expertise in magic. The Flux in this case.

The wizard's attention quickly drew now to the pathways in his right leg. He tasked his djed to redirect the streams of energy within it back through his core and down to his left leg, which was firmly planted on the ground. His planted foot began to fill with the strength needed to disengage and allow him to regain form.

Miro bent his left leg and attempted to push away from his foe, though he knew that recovering from such a maneuver wouldn't go so smoothly. To land on his feet while his energy resided in the opposite foot needed to catch himself was not ideal, but he would try to make it work. Immediately after he forced himself back, he released the pull on his redirected energy. It would take a moment, but his body would gain back its natural strength.

Aello was talent enough to deflect reimancy using her skills with daggers and observation, but that only said so much. The aim of the young combatant was to test his opponent out and find the balance of power between them. She had an apparent grace and agility to her movements, enough to startle the mixed-blood. Now he would see truly start to understand her limits.

Desperately he wished to null himself of his dependency on reimancy to win. Opening with it may have contradicted such a will, but it was often wise to force a slight err in the stead of a costly one. As he had been told before, better safe than sorry. It was time to see what his opponent was really made of.

[Aello]

Aello stood tall. Silent and unmoving; laying in weight as Miro called his magic forth. To her, it seemed an eternity, the preparation. The work that went into casting a single spell, and this to her, meant death in a more realistic field. But she held her tongue, and didn't taunt him with such. As she waited, her muscles tensed, her thumbs flicked over the wire hilts of her daggers until he came for her, and they stilled. She could see the magic flowing through the earth, with her eyes and the power of her magic combined. It seemed to churn; as though mud had been set to a boil. The soil bubbling as the magic flowed through it; a river which came to her, and then sprang. As though it were given the strength of a serpent, its forked tongue licking the air as rattled tail shook back and forth. Playing out the tune of its attack; a pace by which the earth flew at her. Startled, the girl turned her face to the side, as she hastened a half step back. Dark brown grains buffeting her face, her chest, her legs. She could feel their cool air running down the length of her pale flesh as she shut her eyes and let her magic guide her. Parted her lips with the cascade and spat to get it away, as she lifted her right hand up and then swept it out to the side, so as to ward the mage off as he finished his attack. His limb making contact with her arm. Causing it to sting as she opened her eyes, and then stepped back once more as he receded, before jerking herself the other way. The huntress forced her body forward, rolling her left shoulder into her chest. To the other side of her lithe form. She tucked her head in as she brought her hands up, and then pushed them back down towards her as the blades fell against the length of her arms. She could feel the cool metal against her as her feet pushed up against the ground and her body began spinning through the air. Forward she fell, and then rolled against the length of her back, towards the half blood mage. Her heart hammered as her ears rung, the earth flattening beneath her weight as she extended her arms as she came out of the forward roll. Her legs stretching ahead of her in the end; to her dismay, she used the momentum she had built to tuck the left under her form, whilst she bent the other at the knee, and held the foot beneath. Kneeling in the last moment; the last breadth, as her arms swung she scarcely bothered to breath. She had crossed the distance that he had tried to form, and soon, had her cursed blade slamming into the ground close to his feet. She had been aiming for the one on the left, trying to pin the edge of his cloth boot to the ground whilst she placed her left hand on the ground for support; allowing all of her weight to fall into them as she jumped a little, and whipped her left leg around. Bringing it against the outside of his own limbs; close to the ankle in an attempt to knock him off his feet. Once she had either succeeded or failed, Aello would wrench her cursed blade from the ground as she pulled her leg back in, and then, lunge at the mage. Intending to drive the flats of each weapon against him repeatedly, unless he forced her, for whatever reason, to temporarily flee. OOCHopefully I understood your post. If this is confusing, just PM me about it.

[Accolade]

Aello

Experience

Skill	XP Earned
Meditation	+ 1 XP
Shielding	+ 1 XP
Unarmed combat	+ 3 XP
Duel wielding	+ 4 XP
Acrobatics	+ 2 XP

Lores

•	Lore Earned
•	Wonders, of the life of a bear
•	Seeking a cool meditative state
•	Facing off against Miro

Miro

Experience

Skill	XP Earned
Flux	+ 3 XP
Reimancy	+ 4 XP
unarmed combat	+ 2 XP
Observation	+ 2 XP

Lores

•	Lore Earned
•	Preparing for battle
•	Reading ones flux
•	Facing off against Aello

Notes :

Good combat thread guys, PM me if you have questions.

The Sylir has spoken

If you have any questions or concerns regarding your grade, please send me a PM and we can figure it out.