(CLOSED)A Second Battle, or Lady Luck's Gamble?

[Mark Angelus Fri]

*At first Mark never wanted to kill for him knowing that he was doing this for himself, but Seigmand had just sent him off the edge and it was getting worse. Mark had enough of his little games.*

Mark: Time to die. *He raising his power levels and rushed forward at him but when he was just a bit away from him he hit his blade into the ground cracking it and sending himself over Seigmand letting him swing at his spine.*

[Seigmand Dezmar]

"Keep dreaming." He muttered as he spun his staff around and held it behind his back, blocking the vertical slash Mark made at him. Crumbling the hardened platform he made, the area reverted back to the soft and malleable sands. Using his staff to direct the pure minerals all around him, he couldn't help but think how lucky he was to end up in a desert of all places. Usually flat earth and any other terrain had other materials he had to worry about, but not in this place. There was barely any plant life, no water, no metals. Only the element of his choice at his disposal.

His first swing brought a thin wave of sand slicing just in front of Mark to give Seigmand time to retreat a few steps. Bringing up the staff he then swiped down in a diagonal swipe. Another wave of sand rose from behind Seigmand before flowing over him and down towards Mark as a mound of heavy sand.

Hmm, well he's easy enough to rile up. I wonder if he's at all like Andy in that he gets stronger when under the influence of rage.

[Mark Angelus Fri]

I'm at a environment disadvantage, although I can make up with that with his limited powers.

*Mark summoned his light magic then shoved his blade into the sands that was flying at him and then the light took it away the intensity of the light so strong that it turned the sand into glass, the glass acting as a small barrier between the two.*

Magic won't be wining me this fight, I'm sure he has more mana then I do so I need to catch him be surprise.

*Mark twirled his blade and rushed forward slicing through the glass that he had created and then slicing right at his shoulder.*

[Seigmand Dezmar]

Hmmm, charging forward, and aiming for a non lethal shot. Predictable. Seigmand parried the blade with his staff and swung out in a barrage of sweeping and thrusting attacks. The clashing of their weapons in close combat reminded him that Mark was sadly faster than him, letting Seigmand remain on equal footing only due to his ability to read Mark's style and the power and reach granted by a bo staff. As Mark's blade swung just a bit to fast for him to block Seigmand's forward foot slid back swiftly, letting a channeled wave of sand roll from below him and shove Seigmand up to the top of the dune in a swift dodge.

"Understand this Mark. I know you're injured from whatever happened in the forest with Night, and you've used up some of your power against that beast of a man. If you aren't going to fight to kill, then there's only one outcome for our battle. I'm not the same man in the quarry you taunted so long ago."

Seigmand swung the staff out and released the links that binded its segments together. With its heavy ended tip the staff careened towards Mark as a mace to his torso.

[Mark Angelus Fri]

*Mark threw up his blades although the force of the impact sent him backwards.*

Mark: You want me to fight to kill...? *He looked up at him with a different look in his eyes, a cold, dark stare, eyes of a killer.* Then I shall kill.

*Mark leaped into the air and his wings came out of his back, once they did he made a huge gust blowing up the sand then why he believed he had blinded Seigmand he raised his hand, the sun felt good shining down on him.*

Mark: Double Cast: Holy! *He waved his hand sending two Holy spells down at him, this wide spell had enough length to cover the sand he blew up and just a bit more.*

[Seigmand Dezmar]

Finishing the sweep the segmented staff finished its course and reattached itself. With the staff back in its rigid form Seigmand moved the sand that flew towards him, letting it swirl around, each moment adding more and more from below him till he was domed over in the grains of sand. While the movement blocked his vision the powerful shout of Mark gave him all the info he needed. Jamming the staff into the ground he struck against the sands in a rapid flow of blows, each one turning the encasing dome into a hard shell of stone.

Seigmand was familiar with the common white magic attack. Like an explosion of pure light, it destroyed the weak and annihilated the black hearted. But Seigmand was neither, and his knowledge of it ensured him he'd be safe.

The entire process took him only a couple seconds, more than enough time to react to the spells as they pounded away at his protective cover. The force of holy spells hitting at once was enough to break open the sand shield in an explosive reaction. While Seigmand felt a brief sting of the pure light against his skin, Mark could see him with the same smug look on his face.

"You do know your magical powers are weaker here don't you boy? The gods' powers are not what they are on our planet, and a spell like Holy lacks the focus to strike through a solid enough barrier." His hands pulled the staff out of the ground and holding in out in front of him he began to swirl the end against the ground. The sand followed the tip and as Seigmand spun the staff around him, the sand flew out as a twisting vine. With a mighty thrust out the vine fired out at Mark's airborne body, hoping to pierce the lovely wings that kept him in the sky.

"On the other hand, it doesn't matter what planet you're on Mark. Stone is stone, and sand is sand, and they are always as dense and as strong as I want them to be." He stared hard at the boy hoping to read his next move.

[Mark Angelus Fri]

*As it flew to Mark his face suddenly changed to his own smug smile, he folded his wings back into his body and dropped right before it hit him. As he fell his smile never left him and then he vanished just inches from the ground... right in front of him.*

My powers may be limited but I can still use them, not the jump I wanted but it'll do.

Mark: I'm sorry? Did you think you were winning? *His smile grew large and he shoved his blade into the ground.* These hits are like training hits. You need to swing with more power... or is this all you have?

*He twisted his blade in the ground making it explode around the two hoping to send him in the air.*

[Seigmand Dezmar]

Seigmand cursed under his breath as the attack missed its mark, no pun intended. He slammed both palms deep within the moving structure, solidifying it to be used for later. As Mark descended right in front of him he made no sudden moves. Merely stared into the boy's eyes.

Hmm, his bloodlust is gone so soon. He's too content to play. Disappointing.

As the sword plunged into the sandy ground beneath them, he could feel every inch of it, shifting ever so slightly in Mark's hands. He could feel the razor edge against the grains, and the tremors that slowly built before he released the explosion underneath. Unsurprised by the strike, Seigmand hardened the sand into a firm shape, channeling the power into a shaped explosion that burst away from him. The dust that kicked up gave him enough time to skid back to the base of the dune and punching away at the glistening white hill entered into it without a trace.

It was a more exhaustive effort than usual to carve out the hollow cave he'd work from, but the purity of the terrain was a blessing to Seigmand, and he enjoyed the way his powers were reduced compared to the others. His art did not stem from the divine or the arcane, and as with any elemental control one needed only to grasp the reins tighter so as to steer the raw power properly on this planet.

As he felt the inner walls, he waited to sense Mark. To feel for him to move, and taste the hidden wrath from below.

[Mark Angelus Fri]

*Mark looked around and noticed he had vanished.*

Hiding in the sand...? You must know, when the two elements like the sun and ground collide, their attacks will have the same effect.

*Mark raised his hand touching the ground, he heated it so much he started to turn the sand into glass.*

Thus are the rules of battle.

*Mark knew the glass wouldn't hold him under there, but at least he would have a heads up for when he broke out.*

[Seigmand Dezmar]

Seigmand waited for a moment, sensing only the stillness around him. For a moment he could feel the faintest of moments through his palm, and then, nothing. There was only one situation when he could feel nothing, and he thought back to Mark's use of his attacks to render the sand harmless by turning it to glass.

A decent defense, but he's still just guessing. He doesn't actually know where I am, merely covering near himself. Well then let's see how he deals with this.

Above ground only the winds stirred the sand, leaving the field calm for a strained moment. Suddenly from a dune across from Mark burst an explosion of sand, as if something or someone had forced itself from it. Seigmand quickly began to move his hands and feet, striking the sand and causing it to ripple and froth as stony spears propelled through the sky towards Mark. Arcing high into the air, they descended upon him in a deadly shower.

[Mark Angelus Fri]

Mark:... *He stayed silent seeing them fall to him then quickly spun his sword cutting the large ones but the smaller ones did in fact get through, cutting into his arm, at least three or four major slashes on his arm.*

Heheheheh, why don't you let me play with him?

*Mark cursed to himself.* Solaris... shut up, I got this.

On really...? For how much longer...? You're getting rusty.

...

Mark: Hey, Seigmand, we got a surprise for you. *Mark growled, why was he loosing the mental battle with Solaris, was it the limiters? He's never felt so helpless to Solaris till now, plus the annoying intense laughing in his head only filled him with rage.*

[Seigmand Dezmar]

Seigmand walked slowly up from the sandy hill across from Mark, looking as serious as possible. He was enjoying himself, but his last sentence had filled Seigmand with unease. He kne Trucido had mentioned something about the boy holding hidden power, so maybe this was it? As much as Seigmand feared the unknown, it enticed him, and he pushed on.

"Mark my dear boy. Face it, you aren't a match for me anymore. Not here, not anywhere. And no little surprise is going to save you from that. You're a strong fighter, but all the power in the world means nothing without the conviction to use it. It is that that makes you weak." Seigmand clutched the staff in his hands tightly as he jabbed it out in Mark's direction.

"Check. Your move." He smiled devilishly.

[Mark Angelus Fri]

I really hate that man... taking advantage of the limiters...

Mark: It's not over yet! *Mark yelled, he wasn't going to give up, he had family to take care of and he wasn't going to let some overly grown brat kill him.* But it is for you!

*Mark fell back to the ground, gripping his head in pain, his eye in flames of pain. Finally, he stopped moving.*

Mark: Nehhehehehehhe... so you like games...? I like games too... *his eyes opened and they were all white.* Let's play burn the skin off the worlds smartest man!

*Mark, or now Solaris jumped into the air then warped right to Seigmand and shoved his hand at his arm, aiming for a none vital part to make the 'game' more fun.*

[Seigmand Dezmar]

From the tone change in his voice to the cold and vicious words he spoke, Seigmand knew that whoever this was, it wasn't Mark anymore. He took a defensive stance awaiting the new Mark's strike. He only hoped the being fought like Mark.

Sure enough the blinking phase of the man's flash step was all too familiar and Seigmand evoked a wall behind him while keeping his eyes forward. In a blur of flesh and steel his strike was almost too fast to see. But Seigmand didn't need his sight to know the attack was coming and heaved his staff out to knock the arm away. His arms strained as he was barely able to do so, the sheer pressure coming from more than Mark's physical strength. Again in close range Seigmand went all out to keep the Hero at bay with every swing of his staff and strike from his limbs conjuring sand to slash and grab at his opponent. He knew as long as it came down to range he could hold off the boy, regardless of persona.

"So, do you have the guts that Mark lacks? Are you strong enough to kill to save the world? Or are you just a vulgar thing playing parasite in the boy? If you're the former, we need not carry on this pointless encounter." He said over the sound of clashing metal. Ducking low to narrowly avoid a horizontal sweep Seigmand pounded at the ground, causing two massive arms to reach out for Mark's legs. Catching him or not, Seigmand sprinted off to the side, taking time from the distraction to put distance between the two of them. He could feel his lungs straining from their battle, and refrained from taunting to suck in the pure air around them.

God I hope this thing isn't as battle hungry as it sounded. I might have to resort to my killing techniques if this thing wants me dead. Whatever it is it hits a lot harder. Seigmand stood at the ready, his body on a hair trigger and nerves ready to react to the slightest sign.

[Mark Angelus Fri]

*He waved his hand slashing the two arms that flew at him, turning them into little glass shards as they met in contact with his hand.*

Solaris: Tell me, have you ever heard of the story of the 14 gods who made each country? If you have you might recognize this name! My name is Solaris, god of light! And I was sealed by my brothers and sisters inside this little shit boy! *His hand starting glowing once more.* I won't have long till Mark fights back, so please yell as loud as you can, I WANT TO HEAR YOU SCREAM!

*He jumped forward then once he hit the ground he ducked low thrusting his arm forward aiming for his gut.*