A Night of Deceit(Closed)

[Seigmand Dezmar]

Dusk had fallen over the forest of the Crespuculum Kingdom, and Seigmand, Andy and Jasmine had settled into a cosy inn for the night. The moon was high in the night sky when Seigmand quietly moved out of his room to the door of Andy's. He opened the knob slowly, trying his best to minimize the noise lest anyone should here.

Aside from the soft creak of the wooden floors, he shifted silently into Andy's room, pausing only to close the door before calling out in a whispered shout to the lumpy bed he assumed Andy was occupying.

"Andy. Psss, Andy! Wake up, we gotta talk." He darned not get any closer, just in case the man was one to leap out of bed with sword in hand.

There would be no better time than this for Seigmand to have his chance, and with Jasmine no doubt asleep he'd have Andy all to himself without the distrustful tag-along to disturb him.

[Andy Jammer]

Andy stirred from the whispering, slowly he sat up and yawned. He spotted Seigman and blinked once or twice.

"...Why are you in my bedroom?"

[Seigmand Dezmar]

Seigmand chose this moment to ditch the facetious personality. His eyes lost the charming glint and his tone became stern. "Andy, I've not been completely honest with you. You were not hired to guide me to a town. Instead I've been searching for strong and capable warriors to aid me in something of a sensitive nature, which is why I searched you out."

He paused for a bit, just to make sure Andy had been awake enough to stay conscious before he went any further. "I can understand if you don't necessarily trust me, and right now that doesn't matter. I want a battle with you Andy, a friendly spar in the woods where no one will disturb us. Should you meet my expectations, then I can explain further. You can help save the world, if you're good enough that is. Are you interested?"

[Andy Jammer]

Andy blinked again, finally arising from sleep he gave the man a hard glare. He reached for his sword...got out of bed and headed for the door.

"You wanna fight? Let's get to it."

[Seigmand Dezmar]

"No questions? No concerns Andy? Either you're very confident, or you're very trusting. Very well, come with me I know just the spot." With that Seigmand moved outside the room and down the inn's old fashioned stairwell, moving as silently as before to the outside. Checking occasionally to make sure Andy was still following he took them about 10 minutes away to a small clearing in the woods. The moon's light let both of them see each other clearly as they stood on opposing ends, like gladiators pitted in the arena ready to do battle.

Seigmand stood upright, taking no stance and not drawing his weapon. The sleek metal gauntlets that protected his arms and shins glistened in the pale light. "Are you ready Andy? Come at me with all you've got, and this is especially important; surprise me." He grinned before spreading his feet apart, sitting low in a back-stance with his arms spread wide apart.

[Andy Jammer]

Andy said no words, he undid the cloth and wrapped it around his hand. Spinning it like a flail and sending it at Seigmand.

[Seigmand Dezmar]

Seigmand sighed with regret at the slow attack. He moved his hands and feet independently of each other, stomping down with his front foot towards the attack's direction while his hands glided horizontally in a sweeping motion. The earth stirred in response to the energy directed by his movements. A thick, hard wall of rock thrusted out from the ground between him and the attack while a wave of mud skirted the ground for only a moment before lashing out at the cloth as a razor sharp blade. The wave passed through the simple fabric effortlessly, leaving the sword to fly unguided towards the stony wall.

"I said with all you've got Andy! I know I said for you to surprise me, but that doesn't mean discarding your weapon in a slow and predictable attack. Now, try again. I'll wait for you to retrieve your weapon." Seigmand again slipped back into his previous stance, watching with stoic eyes pointed at the youth.

[Andy Jammer]

".....Heh." Vanishing quickly as well as his blade he appeared on the far end, "Bankai Number 003: Mirokumaru." Hios clothes changed to something like a wind dancer, his sword turned into a staff with a circle at the end. He began waving his staff and the wind around him picked up, creating a storm of lightning, wind, and rain.

[Seigmand Dezmar]

The sudden disappearance of Andy and his weapon did spook him, but seeing him appear back in Seigmand's range of vision affirmed that Andy was not attacking...yet. Hmmm, an elemental weapon. Could be somewhat problematic if he knocks me into the air, but otherwise no issue. Seigmand stood still as he contemplated the best course of action against the torrent that appeared before him. He determined he'd keep at long range till he at least learned what the weapon could do.

"Fine Andy, if you just going to stand there looking pretty than I'll make the next move!" he shouted towards the boy, trying to be heard over the intense wind. He stomped with his back foot creating a firm wall behind him and took quick measure of Andy's position.

Outside my ring for now Andy. Maybe we'll do something about that. His hands moved deftly, stretched out on either side they began to twist and turn as he brought them higher up. The earth responded on either side of Andy, slowly raising as twin vortexes of mud and sand. As he thrusted his hands out in front of him, the churning earth sent itself directly at the spiky haired foe.

[Andy Jammer]

The torrent of sand and mud flew toward Andy, deciding now would be a good idea to unleash his attack, he shaked the circle on his staff and using both hands he pointed at the rushing torrent. A jet of win belched from the staff and slammed into the opposing attack. The two meeting midair, each one occasionally pushing against the other only to end up midway again.

"I hate this Bankai, I prefer to attack my foes head on...but I admit this move has it's uses..." Andy grinned, "I play to win, and I hope you do too, otherwise this is going to be a boring fight!"

[Seigmand Dezmar]

Seigmand only tried to force his attack against the wind storm briefly before letting it fall lifeless to the ground. He realized the wind's power at least rivaled his and choose not to waste anymore energy maintaining it. Letting his hands fall back to his side he paused for a moment before reaching up to grab his staff from behind him. Letting the tip touch the ground he conjured the earth around it forming a heavy sphere on the lower end.

"You clearly do fight to win there Andy, but what do you fight for? I've often wondered what drives you earthlings to play in our little chess game. Care to help me?" He grinned as he dropped the small hint about exactly how much he knew, hoping to get a reaction from Andy.

[Andy Jammer]

"Do I need reason to help people?" Andy quiped back, gripping his staff tightly. "I help the people of Crepusculum over the Sumata because I can't stand idly by as people get hurt and die..."

He lowered his head, the bangs obscuring his eyes. "You called me an Earthling...and judging by that, since only certain people seem to be awar of Earth...you're a Sumata aren't you!?"

[Seigmand Dezmar]

"You call me a Sumata A harsh claim, but what does that really mean boy? In the end it's just a word, like how you're called a Hero. People seem to dub you as such, yet the bad guys still run around free." Seigmand's tone was smug, jeering harshly at Andy. He wanted to see the boy riled up, angry and sloppy if he could push the right buttons.

As he continued to goad the young fighter his body resumed bending and moving to launch wave after wave of now sludgy earth towards Andy. "The world is still in danger Andy. People's lives are still threatened so tell me; what have you done to earn that title? Better yet, what can you do to be worthy of it?"

[Andy Jammer]

Andy was onslaughted by wave of wave of sludge, bringing him to his knees not of tiredness, but of the strength of each wave. He forced himself up and gripped his staff.

"I don't care about what you think of me! I can't call myself a hero..." He growled, "But guess what, you're no better either. You who play people like a game, there is no use in strength if it is meant to manipulate others! You want to know what makes people call me a 'hero'?"

He aimed his staff at Seigmand and began to compress the air into a hard ball, "I have dreams...dreams of people not living in fear from a madman's desire, DREAMS WORTH DIEING FOR!"

He fired the compressed air ball as he yelled the last few words.

[Seigmand Dezmar]

Seigmand moved with greater intensity as each wave hit its mark, hoping each one would break through Andy's defenses. Yet when Andy began his speech Seigmand eased off, pausing out of curiosity to hear his answer. He held his staff poised at his side ready in case of an attack.

Hmm, good hearted yet naive. Willing to die even? Well than, all that remains is to see if he's strong enough to back up his words.

As Andy thrust his staff forward, releasing the powerful strike directly at him, Seigmand's hands and feet twisted and whirled in a pattern. Each time it ended with him raising his hands up and causing a wall to spring between him and Andy's attack.

He stood low in his stance, calculating his next attack. Three should be enough to take that out. Now, if I use the wall as a blind spot and... The powerful spray of rock fragments he saw interrupted his thoughts.

Son of a! He held his staff out in front of him, bracing it defensively as the airball struck through the last wall, sending stone shrapnel flying out towards him. Luckily the force of Andy's projectile had deteriorated after going through the three walls, succeeding in only sending Seigmand a few inches against the wall he'd placed behind him.

Springing off the wall after taking the impact, Seigmand took his staff and thrust it out in a forceful push. The heavy stone on the tip fired out as a cannonball of dense earth. Realizing Andy might very well be more powerful in ranged combat in his current form Seigmand charged forward. Trailing shortly behind his attack he leapt forward, his body curled back and his staff ready to lash downwards only a few feet short of Andy.