Blood in the Sand (1v1)

[Lilium Kether]

...With a Grain of Sand...

I had arrived at the academy only because of my rescuers. That was after I figured out they were rescuers. But now to the task at hand! I remember my first fight at the Academy's training grounds. I specifically selected the battlefield that was much like a desert of my homeland. I felt so at home in the sand while the sun was so high in the sky. My body tingled with warmth. This place had so many diverse people, all of them so young and bright. Full of so much hope. They weren't around when time was just beginning. They hadn't been around long enough to know what was going to happen eventually.

There I sat at the top of a rolling dune of arid yellow sand, with my cloak's hood up. My staff Hraveslagr rested on the dune under my right palm, and my book was in my cloak's right inner pocket. Yes, I also had my wonderful boots on with that little pair of daggers that pops out of the right boot when I move it a certain way. Then I waited for the first person brave enough to enter my home arena, and attempt to make me.. oh how do these children say it... beg for mercy.

I have been begging for mercy for all of my life. And never have I received it, not even from the God of my Father.

Never did I blame Him.....

I will just take out my anger.. and my angst... and my frustration... out on the poor soul that comes to me...

[Raiden Matsutani]

Sand huh...not a bad place for practice...

Raiden arrived in the training grounds again for another session of training. These past few days he felt the need to get stronger. No place was better for gaining power than the training grounds. Today was nice anyways. The sun was shining and bright. As Raiden walked through the forest its started to change little by little. Enough the dirt ground changed into sandy kind of surrounding. Raiden on the edge of the forest found himself standing right in front of a desert plain.

Wow... Raiden was simply amazed as his ruby red eyes scanned the desolate plains of this mini Sahara. 400 years of sleep and he's missed all of this. Everything just seemed so cool. Especially the nice warm sun beaming down on his bare skin. A gust of wind picked up carrying his two pony tails with its. As Raiden enjoyed nature he enjoyed its surroundings. The best part was the peacefulness the desert explictly showed. This place...is perfect...

Little did he know...someone else was there to change it all...

Possibly today's encounter would set something off in Raiden...

[Lilium Kether]

....Round 1, Blood in the Sand....

I felt someone's presence come within range. Perhaps it was over the next dune? I recall I had then promptly summoned a Sand Serpent to search for my opponent, and engage him in battle. The little creature sprung forth from my right outstretched arm as bones, then flesh wrapped around them and began to slither off with naught but my will to guide it.

Go young serpent... and find my opponent....

The snake had been buried under the sand for a few moments, the slithering form wouldn't be recognized very easily. It's natural camouflage made sure of that. It's little head popped out of the sand near the presence, and confirmed that it was a male, taller than I, with different features. That was about all I could figure from it's eyes. The snake lunged with extreme agility at the man's ankle.

~~~~~

There is a 1/5 chance of Raiden getting poisoned

[Raiden Matsutani]

Raiden continued on through the desert. Every chance he got and climbed atop a sand dune to get a look around. This place was magnificent. A desert in all its splendors and this is the first time Raiden has gotten to see one let alone traverse in it. Being alive had all its surprises that's for sure.

Raiden wondered what type of creatures he would meet out here. Well, he was about to find out. Not to long ago Raiden nose caught wind of another being's scent. This being wasn’t to far off. It was only one person so Raiden wasn't worried. He was curious though...so he followed the scent all the way to where the snake was buried not to long ago.

Without warning the snake lunged at Raiden. Raiden could have found many ways out of this situation, but decided not to waste to much energy at least. As soon as the snake came into contact Raiden by his own will activated 'Body Spark'. The snake like a fly was zapped before anything could be done. Raiden wish he could regulate at least the heat sudden electrical discharges can disperse, but he wasn't at that level yet. So, the poor thing would sustain heavy burns and so forth.

Raiden backed up a few steps from the snake keeping his distance. Hmm? A question mark was in Raiden's mind as he looked towards the skies. Another gust of wind brought along a strangely similar scent to the snake's... Raiden walked to the top of a dune scanning the desolate plains. Less than maybe a few meters away there was someone else atop a sand dune.

Not only the scents of the two were the same, but the magic aura of the snake was the same as this other person's aura as well. Raiden could interpret automatically that this person was searching for a fight. Well, alright then... He scratched the back of his head and like always stretched his legs. After doing so he pointed his index finger as well and his middle finger of his left arm toward this person. With nothing else to lose Raiden fired one single bolt of lightning. If the person contained any kind of metal on them anywhere, it was a definite hit.

[Lilium Kether]

....Round 1, Reflection....

I felt my Sand serpent's life dissipate, and immediately summoned another. The creature coiled around my free arm and raised it's head as a warning. Just then, the other had walked into my view. He didn't take much of a break before launching a bolt of lightning at me. It would prove ineffective. Lightning was an air element, and I was considerably immune at the air elements.

Just a mere twirl....

I reacted instantaneously, with an arc of my staff Hraveslagr, I bounced the bolt back at it's conjurer. Yet at an angle, it would strike near his feet, and not near his chest. Unfortunate that I was not as adept at reflecting magics I am immune to then as I am now. At that point I was seriously considering changing my form, into something more.... adapted at fighting in my home environment.

("This fight is for practice, yes? No one dies, yes?")

Though I'd like to.... I can't be killed...

[Raiden Matsutani]

OOC: I added more.

Raiden watched as the bolt of lightning he sent off towards the person was deflected back at him. Raiden didn't flinch of move though considering he was immune to lightning baised attacks as well as heat. It landed at his feet though and disapated into the sand. No harm...no foul...

Raiden first attack was a good warning shot too. He learned many things from just that one shot of his. He of course knows now that indirect shots with lightning in a sand situation like this isn't going to work period. Also, this person may very well be next to impervious to lightning attack...which may be in tie with wind and fire also. This also showed that this may very well be this person's style of magic too. If so Raiden was at an equal stance against this person. Lightning still might prove to be ineffective though... That was a hinderance, but not a great one.

Raiden silent as ever stared across the plain towards the person now. It was official now anyways that he was in a fight. It didn't matter anyways, its not like its a challenge to the death right? He won't have to kill anyone right? He wouldn't have to get angry right? Its just practice...that's all....

Raiden to cool it on using lightning for now. He would at best conserve his strength and energy for other spells. So the plan for now what to stick to hand to hand combat. Staying fast and low was the key. Always keep moving... He reminded himself of that as he started moving. He ran forward down the hill towards the best at a normal running pace equivulent to maybe a star runner on a human track team.

As soon a he got with his a meter's distance of the person he would come in with a flying kick. If the person responded in or retaliated in anyway possible he would substitute himself for a stone he's been holding in his right hand. If she gets distracted by the substitution he would come directly from behind with the same powerful kick keeping his momentum from running.

[Lilium Kether]

....Round 1, Close Quarters....

Well, well, well. My quarrel wanted to take it to the closer level. Apparently he didn't like the fact that I merely reflected his lightning shot. How unfortunate. For him that was. I waved my staff in front of me as he started to move forward through the sand. The great thing about sand is, it slows one down greatly. Like shallow water. I had begun to shift my shape by the time he got to the base of my dune.

("AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!")

I screamed in pain, dropping to the ground. Suffering from complex seizures as if I was dying. I wish I was dying. I wanted to die so badly. But I didn't. I had begun to sprout more limbs, and grow in size. My face contorted, and pain raged through my body. I rolled down the backside of the dune. Half transformed. Black carapace covering my entire body. A long black tail taking shape as my body was torn apart and put back together.

("AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH")

My high pitch scream rang. And then I collapsed onto the ground. With six legs more than I had before I changed. And two pincers for arms. The tail was long, and held high. If I had to guess, I was around five meters long, and about a foot and a half off the ground. My tail towered over me. At the crest of my head rested the head of my staff Hraveslagr. Allowing me to use it as a channeling point for lightning based attacks. However, the book of tempest was lost within my body, being used as a medium to sustain this form....

("BRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGHHH!")

[Raiden Matsutani]

Raiden kept moving quick across the sandy plains. Sure sand prohibited his speed some by its next to zero friction, but as long as he kept his steps light it wasn't really a problem.

Raiden reached the foot of the hill in no time flat, by the time he got there though something happened. The figure from before morphed or something. It was horrible to watch really. By the sound of the screeching feminine voice he picked up it was a female. Raiden watched as the woman suddenly transformed into this hideous thing. When it was done taking shape it appearence to be a scorpion with the body size of maybe a sedan or something.

At least its not the size of one of those eighteen wheely things I've heard of like Tristian's dragon...

As Raiden got it a little distracted, this was the first time he's ever seen a scorpion. Raiden was kind of holding himself back by being intrigued by it. Focus... Raiden leapt back several meters making a good distance between him and this person. Your move... He was still slient as he watched.

[Lilium Kether]

....Round 2, Inverted Tables....

The tables had turned on my enemy. My Shapeshifting had completed itself, and he was now at a disadvantage. As I had observed over the ages, it was man's way to overcome his enemies. find a way to put them at a disadvantage, and exploit it to the fullest. Always find a way to win. That was how it was done. Yes? That's what I had observed. And that's what I had done.

The long curved barb at the end of my tail looked like it could carve up a wild boar....

I skittered forward, pressing the attack. With my tail I lashed out at his belly, trying to impale him. Of course it wouldn't really impale him. I had preset myself on training mode. All my weapons, and all my spells, and all my natural edges, would produce a mere scorching effect. The equivalent of many sparks flying off one's skin, and much sunburn. Unsightly bruising would be a problem. But that was about it.

("Come now.. it's just practice!")

I said to him. I imagine how I sounded now.. with a voice that sounded like as deep as a mine, and filled with coins. How unbecoming of me.

[Raiden Matsutani]

I hate sudden changes...

Raiden was beginning to hate this woman's sudden change in appearance. It was really a good hinderance since he had to fight in slightly a different style to take her on. He's already taken on a giant dragon and that was tough...but now a scorpion...oh joy....

Raiden watched as the giant scorpion moved towards him. Before he knew it a giant barbed tail swung out at him. Raiden thinking fast Substituted as soon as it was within an inch of making total contact. (The most likely object he'd switch with out here is are rocks.) He switched and determined her back as a landing point. He would reappear only inches off her back and draw his sword to strike at least twice. Diagonally one time and vertical the second time.

[Lilium Kether]

....No Skin off my Back....

My tail completely destroyed the rock that it came into contact with. The head of the staff on my forehead sparked rapidly, as I charged a static field onto myself. Not for the purpose of damage, but for the purpose of numbing and paralysis. I felt two hits on my back, rather light grooves in my armor plating. But it was progress for him, showing that my armor was not invulnerable. However sparks flew off of the wound like they normally do for me. Draining a little of my physical energies.

("Time for a ride Demon.")

I moved, and quickly, just before letting loose the static field that could have numbed his entire body. Bolts of black lightning jumped all over my body as I skittered across the desert dunes. Up and down, up and down, up and down. Like a ship bobbing at sea. Then I dived in the sand, to shake him off finally. He'd find that I could move under the Earth, nearly as fast as I could on it.

[Raiden Matsutani]

Raiden saw that her skin in this form was tough, but not tough enough at very least. All Raiden had to do was bare his strength do on it and it would break just like that, but there's no fun in that. The battle would ending quickly right?

Raiden held on as the she took him for a little ride. He felt little by little the build up of electricity and lightning, but to no avail it had the smallest effect on Raiden being he's all about lightning. F

Finally the scorpion lady went under ground. Raiden stood up and brushed his pants off. Well...that was fun.... Now...the only option for now is to wait until she re-surfaces. With his hearing out stretched...he would listen for the smallest tremor. He also glanced at the reflective surface of his gauntlet. If she tried and surprise attack he'd see coming.

[Lilium Kether]

....Ambush!....

I waited underground for a moment. Until it was silent beneath the sand, then I reached my right pincer up through the dirt beneath him and tried get him in a vice grip. If this surprise attack worked, the very tip of my claw would be caressing his chest I believe, as I had come up between his legs with the pincer. A most unexpected angle.

To top it off like how these young children say, a cherry on top, I sent my sabre like stinger from the sand to strike where his head would be. Of course there would be maybe a few inches of air in my aim, but if he reacted the way I supposed he would. Then the stinger would hit him in the stomach. And he'd go to his stomach.

[Raiden Matsutani]

Raiden stood there in silence as he waited for a vision to come up. Soon enough it did. It revealed perfectly the first two following attacks. Raiden watched ever bit of it and had to say...it was not pretty at all... In the scorpion form of hers...she sure does enjoy impaling...*shivers* Now way could he ever enjoy that. Raiden is definitely not a masochist that's for sure.

Well with the actions pre-determined Raiden focused and dodged at the right time. First the pincers on schedule shot up, but missed... At that time Raiden could guess she knew herself she missed her target, but Raiden decided to instantly take advantage of that. Raiden with a sudden quick draw slashed at the woman's pincer horizontally in hopes of lobbing it off.

[Lilium Kether]

....Round 3, Ancients are Persistent....

His blade struck my stinger, and sparks exploded off of it. It reeled back and lashed back at him, this time at his groin as I came up out of the ground further. My legs were mostly in the air now. I was overcoming him now. Both my pincers struck for his gravity ruled body. One just under his armpits from my left. The other just above his hip from my right. By that time my stinger had returned to it's position, and my two remaining legs were coming from the ground.

One more stab at him... Before I land....

The final lash with my stinger came extremely fast, to hit him square in the chest. It was a four move combo. I had to hand it to my opponent. He was a fast one, and a worthy opponent. But I would never admit that to him, that would give him the advantage. You never know the powers of others.