Samuel's Trial Part One~
@Wolfsin vs
@Sammael9216
"Mhmm.." Baliel murmured as he stared back at the new comer.
"You talk big pup, Lets see how it all works out for you in My arena." Baliel chuckled to himself then swept by the man, not caring to pay him any more pleasantries. This wouldn't be like battling the pups, and so he called to one of the sisters to the guild.
"Please go fetch me my armor, and my weapons." The woman nodded then scrambled off. meanwhile Kanari lead the way and out the back they went to stand in a large circular pit surrounded by about eight foot walls.
Kanari stood at the center and waited for each of them to take up their place on either side of her. Baliel hung back though and waited until the girl returned carrying a large half plate cuirass, and some greaves, and bracers. On her back was a wrapped up spear that Baliel grabbed up first, and then the intricate looking shield as he armed himself, and spoke only a few words that allowed his armor to instantly encase him.
Baliel wore no helmet, his piercing blue eyes stern across the battlefield towards Sam. In his left hand the mighty shield, and in his right, a wonderfully intricate spear with lions fur protruding wear required detail. The blade was curved and came down slightly over the far end of the shaft to create and almost glaive like appearance. Baliel turned then and swung the spear around before tipping it at the edge of his shield pointed directly at Samuel, at his side a wicked looking scimitar sat sheathed. Baliel's eyes focussed in on Sam and a smirk played on his features while he waited for his opponent to prepare.
Samuel waited patiently for the man to don his arms and armor.
Is such a thing necessary? Samuel thought to himself. Samuel stood solemn like a statue carved from stone. When the man finished his preparations, Sam undid the buckles of his cloak, the heavy garb fell in a heap behind him leaving his upper body bare. Speed and endurance was far more effective than strength, and Samuel would have no need of a heavy cloak to catch and snag on this man's spear. Samuel extended his arms slightly outward. Sparks of lightning began to jump from his fingertips, then slowly spread throughout his body. His hair stood on end as static electricity thrummed throughout his body.
Samuel would make the first move, a test to see if this man could withstand a jolt of electricity. Sam judged he could keep this fight at a distance, after all this man was larger and stronger the he. It would be unwise to rush into this fight. Taking his stance, Samuel began to channel the latent energy around him in the palm of his hands. When he was ready he extended his hands outward and a bolt of lightning jumped from his fingertips. Naturally this kind of attack would be hard if impossible to aim. He could direct lightning, but he could not command it to strike where he willed. Samuel took a gamble on the fact that this man's spear would act like a lightning rod and pull Samuel attack to him.
"A mage?" Baliel admitted that he was surprised, but his guard didn't lax either. With a shift in his bodies motion he started directly towards Samuel whilst he started to spark up. His eyes remained locked with Sam's and soon his short march turned into a full charge. Baliel was tactical, in the way he fought, not good in duels so much, but excelling in group combat, and or fighting mutliple opponents. His mithral armor would suit him well in this fight.
The lightning cracked just before it was about to let loose, and Baliel grit his teeth, before stomping his boot upon the ground, his body seemed to shift as a spark of silver light followed him. In an instant he had closed a large amount of the gap between the two of them. Baliel was not much of a magician at all, but his items had been infused with crystals that helped him to combat magic, and place himself in the position he needed to be, this particular spell, was a mixture of two crystals. The first one that allowed him to forward his positioning by becoming air for only a few seconds, and the second which left a trail of mithral dust behind him.
Baliel raised his shield just in time, and a crack of lightning passed through space smashing into his shield, the armor rebounded and condensed the power of the blast and from his position a massive shock wave rebounded outward in a cone that released a more pulse like form of the lightning. Baliel took the deafening flash as a chance as he lunged forward with his spear and aimed to pierce Sam's right thigh.
Samuel was taken by surprise by Baliel's sudden burst of speed. In an instant he had closed the gap between them.
Shit, Samuel thought to himself, in the same instant Baliel had effectively countered his attack and readied for an attack of his own. Samuel had little time to dodge the spear about to connect with his thigh. He could dodge yes, but for how long he wondered? The prospect of fighting at a distance was quickly losing its appeal. Samuel widened his stance and lowered his arms. He looked as if he was about to lift some incredibly heavy object. Baliel's spear struck him in the meatiest part of his thigh. Samuel gritted his teeth in pain, but in the same instant heaved his arms up even with his chest, his palms facing upward to the sky above.
Wind danced around the two men in a great force. Wind would not harm Baliel no matter how fierce, but that was not the intent. As quickly as the spear cut into flesh, the dry earth in which they stood jumped up into the air, and swirled about the arena like a sandstorm. Dust stung his eyes and all but blinded him, he would wager the man with no helmet was feeling the same effect. Sam took this moment to lurch backwards and free himself from the spear. Blood spurted from his wound and stained the ground. Samuel hardened his skin with one of his most used spells, the spell would drain him but at least he would not have to suffer more spear thrusts.
As he knelt on bended knee he placed the palm of his hands on the ground. He could not see his foe, but he wagered the man was close enough if not directly on him. Samuel turned the solid earth in front of him into a puddle of mud. The area was split in two. The side Samuel stood on was solid earth, bit that in front of him turned to mud that would slow his opponent down. In a moment the sandstorm would subside, and when it did Samuel would face his foe head on.
Wind swept up around the two of them and the sudden cloud of dust forced Baliel to draw back, his hand clenched into a fist, and he knew until his vision was back he'd been placed in a tight spot here.
Slowly Baliel strafed to the side, listening as best he could, the trail of sparkling mithral dust followed him, yet Baliel knew he was still deep in the woods as it were. Suddenly and all at once his fody jolted backwards, and like a bolt of electric his body travelled along the trail of mithral dust as if he were a part of it, returning him completely to his original position. Baliel smirked from behind his shield, and watched, before he started strafing to the side in a full circle around the arena just outside of the muddy path ahead of him. This was his arena, and he intended to make that known.
Samuel listened and waited for what seemed like an eternity, but no squelching sounds of boots pulling at the mud could be heard. His trap had failed, but may yet prove useful in the near future. His foe was clever and cautious. Samuel rubbed the stinging dust from his eyes, and whipped away the tears swelling in his eyes. As he rose Samuel walked headlong into the mud. Each step was a struggle. The mud was wet and perilous, each step he sank down to his knees. Each step left a trail of red behind him where his wound continued to bleed.
Samuel could feel Noland stir inside him, turning his mind into a hectic mess. His thigh ached, but the adrenaline flowing through his body served to relieve much of his pain. He pushed all other thoughts aside and focused solely at the task at hand. By the time he had reached the center of his muddy pool the dust swirling about them began to subside. Slowly at first, but the dust fell quickly as the wind died down. To his left Samuel could see his foe clearly just outside the reach of the mud. Samuel turned awkwardly to match his foe's gaze. The mud made it hard to turn and move, but that made no difference to Sam. His foe was a forward opponent, preferring to fight close quarters. Knowing this Samuel allowed electricity to flow from his feet into the watery mud. AS soon as his opponent stepped into the mud, he would receive a considerable shock. In the meantime Samuel formed bits of ice along his fingertips. Each wave of his hand sent spikes of ice flinging at his opponent. Samuel did not doubt his spikes of ice would shatter like glass against Baliel's shield, but that was not the point. He would harass his foe, forcing him to take the fight into the mud.
Wave after wave of frozen shard pass through the air and Baliel deflected each and every one of them with his shield, though the frequency was becoming very annoying. Samuel remained a center point in the middle of all of the mud, watching waiting, and that concerned Baliel, more than he was willing to admit. However the ranged game was something he was willing to play for a time as well.
In his hand Baliel's spear began to glow, just the same as the wound on Samuel's leg did. Baliel deflected another barrage of Ice and then let loose his spear straight into the air, where it was cloaked in light by the sun. Then it came down and homed in on Sam striking from the air like a shotting star. Baliel had used this distraction to step back and assess things. he prepared to charge if need be.
Samuel smirked as the spear of light came shooting down like an arrow fired from the sun.
A pesky trick, easily nocked aside. Samuel raised his hand to meet the spear. With a flash of light of his own, a field of light created a shield around the point of impact. A simple spell many mages neglect for its lack of offensive capabilities, but Samuel found it to be most useful. The spear deflected as if it was just thrown against an impenetrable wall, it swirled in the air a moment before returning to the hand of its master.
This game was beginning to grow tiresome. His foe was keen on avoiding the mud as best as possible. Samuel feared he would not fall prey to his gamble. Before he could come up with a better strategy, he felt his mind slip away into darkness once again. Noland had used Samuel's distracted mind to assert himself in control. Noland was growing stronger with each day, while Samuel only grew weaker. Samuel fell to his knees in his attempt to regain control of his body, but failed in the attempt. Samuel fell, and Noland rose to take his place in the fight.
Things were about to get interesting.
