(CLOSED)A Repreve from the Quest

[Mark Angelus Fri]

*Mark threw up his blade in defense, his mistake, the rocks hit his blade making a shock wave go through his body, he gasped from the shaking pulling his blade back.*

He cut out the flooring... so I have one choice.

*He held out his hand.*

Let's give out a bit of my light... just a bit.

Mark: Blind him...

*His hand started glowing sending out a massive amount of light, Mark wasn't sure if this man could take the sudden light change although he wouldn't be to surprised if he could.*

[Seigmand Dezmar]

Seigmand breathed a slight sigh of relief as the attack struck his foe. Pulling the chained weapon back he prepared for another strike, letting the momentum pull his staff backwards and into the air for an overhead attack. Just as the heavy end came back he noticed Mark put his hand out towards Seigmand. As the energy charged and released Seigmand was caught by the intense wave of light, blinding his vision.

Losing the focus he had only a moment ago his weapon clanked against the ground beside him. Seigmand, regaining his composure quickly bent down and struck the bare earth below him with his hands, causing it to rise up and wrap him in a cocoon.

My eyes...arrgh! It burns! Okay, okayokayokay concentrate. This should at least keep me safe for a moment. Seigmand kept his hands on the ground while his eyes slowly tried to adjust back to the total darkness. The ground was still. For now, it meant he was either safe, or his foe had already moved into the air for an attack.

[Mark Angelus Fri]

*The plan WAS going into action at least till the rocks came up, so Mark decided to take this plan onto a different rout. He flew into the air then slammed down with all his might stabbing his sword straight into the rocks it was hard and it took a huge amount of his strength to cut into the heavy rocks, he then dragged the blades across the rocks cutting even a bigger hole to see him.*

Mark: There you are! *Mark raised his sword for an even devastating blow.*

[Seigmand Dezmar]

Seigmand was correct to feel the ground for vibrations, as a sudden push from Mark's liftoff set off his senses. He's went into the air, which means I don't dare come out till I know right where he is. Keeping himself low in case the attack struck deep, he quickly pulled his staff together just in time to see the cold steel of Mark's weapons thrust through his stoney shell.

Perfect, time to get out. Seigmand placed his staff in the ground with the heavy end facing straight up. The blades twirled through tunneling a larger hole till Mark could see Seigmand tucked away inside. As he prepared for a precise stab Seigmand focused his energy up and through the staff into the stone he'd gathered at the top. Its shape sprang out as a pin cushion of stone needles before launching out towards Mark. Hoping the attack would delay his foe long enough he palmed the wall of the cocoon. As if loosing all support the stone cracked and shattered like dust all around him, leaving Seigmand still in the middle of his rings.

[Mark Angelus Fri]

*Mark vanished in time with his flash step, appearing around him many times and disappearing just as fast... he was now playing with him.*

Mark: Am I here?! Or there?! *His voice echoed as he warped away then finally coming to his side.* But really I'm right here.

*He jabbed his sword to his knee, normally he would go for the gut but sense this was a skirmish the gut might be a killing blow.*

[Seigmand Dezmar]

Seigmand looked up to see his foe no longer near him. The faint afterimage of Mark left only a light illuminated trail in the darkness, yet his movements were too fast and fluid to follow by eye. Seigmand once again bent over with his hands on the ground and closed his eyes, focusing his skills on tracking the vibrations of his opponent's footfalls.

The same trick won't work twice boy. His mind never wavering even at Mark's taunts. It was only when he openly revealed his location with a confident phrase that Seigmand's eyes opened and refocused his energy. The earth rose in a pillar to act as a semi solid shield that took the brunt of the blade's force. As the blade was caught in the soft earth for a moment Seigmand took his advantage.

Turning quickly and pivoting on his left leg he struck the pillar of clay with his right hand, it's mass condensing around the blade forming a stone casket it. With Mark's blade caught Seigmand grabbed onto the pillar with his right hand and used it to twist around and perform a sweep kick against his foe. Mark would have to choose between keeping his weapon or keeping his footing.

Suspecting his foe would leap into the air Seigmand used his spare hand to grasp his staff from beside him, ready to leap up on his feet and chase Mark with a thrust.

[Mark Angelus Fri]

*Mark did something that wasn't expected, he tossed his blade into the air catching his kick then holding out his hand the blade vanishing from the air and reappearing into his hand the same ability he used to get his blade in the first place, he then pointed his blade at his neck.*

*He panted, that move he did took a lot of focus but he still had strength to fight if needed.*

Mark: You know, for an old man you can do some pretty crazy moves... but it's over.

[Seigmand Dezmar]

Though he was correct in the boy choosing to let one of his swords stay trapped, the dazzling maneuver he pulled caught Seigmand by total surprise. If not for the blade reappearing in Mark's hand he might have been able to respond, but with the steel tip against his throat, he dropped his staff to the ground in surrender.

"You're good boy. Arrogant, but good. So why not kill me? I may have requested you spar with me, but in the end we are enemies by fate's hand." He painted slightly from the fatigue setting in. Seigmand kept his head calm while he channeled his energy slowly into the ground around his staff. The movement of earth was slow and minor, and with the pitch black darkness he was sure the move would be unseen.

What will be his answer? His eyes glanced just briefly at the staff beside him. Keep him talking just a bit longer. Seigmand was fearful deep inside. Should the boy decide to make the fight deadly, he was confident he'd be able to escape. Yet Mark had surprised him thrice so far, and he knew the boy hadn't played his trump move. The threat of death hadn't felt more real to him in years, and the feeling was almost enough to shake his calm demeanor.

[Mark Angelus Fri]

*Mark looked at him for a long moment, gripping his sword tight in thought.*

He's right, he's my enemy, a Sumata, if I let him live now he could track down my family and hurt them....

*He turned his stance not moving away from offensive, then a flash of a laughing man with a dark left eye went into his head.*

But would I be any better then him? He killed everyone in those thunder fields, no, WE killed everyone in those thunder fields... never again will I kill someone defenseless..

*The blades disappeared from his hands Mark turning his head away.*

Mark: You are right, we are enemies, but this was a skirmish and that is all. *He started flapping into the air,* this is the difference between the Sumata and the heroes, we are not cold, we fight for a reason, you fight for total destruction not order...

*Mark didn't know why he decided to hammer at his beliefs, he knew his words meant nothing to him.*

[Seigmand Dezmar]

Seigmand's mind raced, his attack waiting on a hair trigger as Mark stood above him, his sword poised to strike. Only when the blades disappeared into thin air did his nerves calm and his mind relax.

Seigmand brought himself back on his feet as his foe started to ascend into the air. The boy prattled on about good versus evil, the same talk he'd heard from Trucido. He smiled to himself. it didn't seem to matter who he talked to, everyone thought their plan was the only way to keep order in the world, while the other side drove humanity further into destruction.

"Know this boy. No, Mark Angelus Fri. In the end you and I are both only human. We are just people struggling against the tides of fate, with only purpose to give us the direction we need. Think hard about what I said. What is your purpose? When we meet again, be it in combat or per chance, you'd best have an answer."

Seigmand held his attention as Mark paused in the air, his senses only able to hear the dull flap of wings and see the faint outline of the boy against the night sky. He could not tell if his words had any impact, as the boy's face was lost in the night's shadows.

[Mark Angelus Fri]

Simple, my reason to fight is that I have family here....

Mark: Next time we meet I'll give you my answer, along with your death, Sumata. *With that he flew into the air away from him, vanishing into the night sky.*

[Seigmand Dezmar]

Seigmand watched Mark fly off, until he blended into the night sky. Pulling out his small compendium, he sat on the ground and wrote out all data he had learned about the boy. His techniques had been unique, and his speed was his greatest asset by far. However what the boy had in skill he fell short in his confidence and outright brashness in battle. It would be these that Seigmand would exploit next time they met.


As he sketched down the last few details he contemplated what techniques he should've used. It seemed trapping his weapons was a useless endeavor thanks to that strange retreival ability of his. Linear attacks were also to easily avoided. No, next time I'll have some new tricks to surprise him with.

Confident he had done enough training for the day Seigmand ascended the stairway from the quarry's centre level, making sure to remove all evidence that a battle took place here. I suppose that wasn't much of a break, he thought to himself, after I finish my business in Twilight Kingdom I'm going to need a vacation from this.