Time To Test My "Metal"

[TaiDashan]

Tai sighed as he looked himself over in the mirror, his newly brushed coat and the pin at his collar. Arath had been somewhat enigmatic last night before turning in. He had told Tai that he was to meet him first thing in the morning at the Training Grounds but refused to tell him anything more about it. Probably some other aspect of weapons training with the blade if he knew Arath. Leaving his sword where it lay in the corner he made his way downstairs and out the front door.

 

The day was cold and gray clouds hung low in the sky. A slight breeze ruffled his hair as he walked across the grounds to meet his mentor.

 

I wonder why he was so tight lipped. Tai thought idly.

 

~Most likely because he was sick of you rambling on and asking so many questions.~ mumbled the voice sourly.

 

Shut up. Tai thought at it.

 

Catching sight of Arath waiting, he quickened his step. Tai smiled at the man as he approached. "Heya Arath, so whats the big secret?"

[Arath Faringal]

Arath awaited in training grounds, gazing up at the dreary, cloudy sky, and ignoring the chill.  Today was not about comfort.  It was about preperation.  Being ready.  Being a weapon.  An Asha'man.  Seated on a small platform of air, Arath waited for the Dedicated to arrive. 

 

Soon enough Tai'Dashan ambled along, clearly still unaware of what was about to happen.  Good, thought the Attack Leader, he needs to be ready without notice.  Siezing Saidin, Arath wove earth into the ground beneath his hands.  Smooth earthen hilts rose up to meet his fingers.  He grasped them and pulled, tearing a pair of smooth blades wrought from earth and fire from the ground.  Rising slowly, Arath turned to his suddenly hesitant student and quickly explained.  "Today you are to be tested.  Full out combat.  You continue until you are no longer capable of fighting, or once you have shielded me."  He dropped into a ready stance, bringing both of his glowing blades up in front of him.  "You have until the count of three to prepare yourself."  He grinned, hoping that it might unnerve the Dedicated.  "One ... two ..."

[TaiDashan]

"Three.

 

Tai Seized Saidin, dodged to the left, and rolled all in one motion. Quickly weaving Earth, Tai pulled a long stone blade from the ground as he rolled. Coming to his feet he leaned to his left, just quickly enough to avoid a fireball to the face. Arath was not holding back. Tai wove Air around his blade to shield it from Arath's weapons, and launched a fireball of his own before closing in with his blade. He could feel Arath pushing a shield of spirit at his connection to the Source and without thinking he slashed the weave, hearing Arath grunt with the recoil. Immediately however, the probing weave of Spirit was back as Arath focused on using his blades.

 

Light, the man was quick!

 

Weaving Air, Tai kicked up a small bit of dust at Arath. He didn't truly think it would blind the man, but at least it would be a distraction. Arath cut his weave of Spirit just as he was sure he almost had the man, and he ducked just in time to miss the man's sweeping blades. Weaving three flows of Water he channeled for all he was worth. One flow to muddy the ground beneath Arath's feet, one flow to bind his head in a globe of the stuff, and one flow wet the man's hands.

 

Light let him drop his blades! Tai thought as another shield of spirit probed at his connection to the source.

[Arath Faringal]

Arath grinned again as a he sent a quick flash of fire to sever the water weaves aimed toward him.  At least Tai was playing to his strengths this time, not over extending himself in earth like he typically did.  Spinning backwards out of the mud puddle that the Dedicated had created, Arath dropped down into his ready stance again.  "Come now.  Surely you can do better than that." 

 

Deciding it an ideal moment to test Tai's abilities with protective shields, Arath began to spin air and fire in an intricate web around himself.  A bubble of flame enclosed him, and began to spin around in an ever faster circle.  With a shout, Arath fueled the weave with more air and fire, pushing it onward until it exploded outward in a burst of flame.  Light willing, Tai would have the sense of mind to shield himself heavily enough to withstand that.

[TaiDashan]

As expected Arath easily countered his Water weaves.

 

"Come now.  Surely you can do better than that." 

 

Tai grimaced. And prepared to launch himself back into the dance with Arath when he noticed the man weaving Fire and Air. He almost laughed as he recognized the Flame Aura weave. That wouldn't be hard to counter, especially since water was one of Tai's best- Suddenly Tai saw what Arath was doing. Flash Fire, and not a very small one. Without Thinking Tai wove Spirit first. Most men would have wove Water but Tai had found that Spirit tempered better. Weaving a dome of Spirit around himself he filled it in with Air and Water, completing the weave just before the flame flashed outward. The Flame billowed outside the shield as Tai altered it slightly. Compressing it and dropping the flow of Air Tai wove the drowning weave and threw it at Arath.

 

Dodging to the right Tai attempted to surprise Arath. Earth was his weakest element and the man knew it. Weaving he pulled the ground open beneath the man. Expecting him to drop Tai furiously wove his favorite weave. Pouring Fire Air and Spirit and the tiniest bit of Earth he sent a spiraling column of flame plowing toward Arath opening the ground beneath the lancing flames.

 

Dodge that Arath. He thought.

[Arath Faringal]

Arath was caught a little off guard by the incoming line of flame.  When had Tai learned to do that?  As the ground lurched beneath him, Arath decided to play along with things.  Adding his own weave to Tai's, he dropped the earth into a pit beneath his feet, falling inside moments before the column of flame passed overhead.  Knowing that the fire weave would temporarily blind Tai to his postion, Arath took advantage of the situation.  Reaching forward with earth, Arath tore the ground apart in a long raged line straight toward the Dedicated.  Arath couldn't help but smile as he heard a yelp and the flame column disappeared.

 

Raising the pit back up to the surface, he laughed.  "Better!  But not good enough."  Racing forward, Arath watched with a grin as Tai sent another shield his way.  He pulled deeply on Saidin and ignored it, feeling the spirit weave bounce off of his connection to the source.  He grinned evily as closed the distance and began to make lightning quick strikes with his swords.  Tai's excessive practice with the sword paid off, and he managed to parry all of the blows, though some of them just barely.  Arath tested his sword play for a few moments more, then feigned a slip in the mud.  As Tai predictably lunged forward to seize the opportunity, Arath's fall turned into a perfectly executed sweep of the leg. 

 

The Dedicated came crashing down, but to his credit, rolled immediately away and out of harms way.  Rolling his head around to stretch out a little, Arath dropped back down to his ready stance.  "Ready to give up?  Or do you still think you can beat me?"

[TaiDashan]

Tai watched as the column Lanced outward. He felt Arath channel and the ground dropped below him. With a yelp he plummeted into the earth. weaving Earth, Tai made steps to aid his ascent to the surface once more.

 

"Better!  But not good enough."

 

Weaving Spirit, Tai sent another shield at Arath. The man simply drew deeply on Saidin and it was like trying to chop down a castle wall with an axe. Stunned, Tai felt the weave bounce back at him. All at once Arath was there, swords flashing. Putting everything he had into fending off the blows, a thought crossed his mind that he was glad he had trained with the sword. Arath slipped in the mud and Tai jumped at the chance to attack wrists. At the last moment, Tai remembered his weapons class and cursed himself for not seeing the ruse. Arath's leg swept him to the ground. Grunting and feeling the fool he rolled to his feet.

 

"Ready to give up?  Or do you still think you can beat me?"

 

Tai studied his Mentor and friend for a moment before replying. "I do not think that I can beat you, but i will do what I must. I will not stop until one of us loses." With a determined nod he launched himself at Arath weaving Fireballs as he went.

[Arath Faringal]

Arath let the fireballs streak past him and met Tai'Dashan's onslaught squarely.  His twin short blades danced around in intricate patterns, poking through Tai's defenses and just barely missing him several times.  Arath had been told many times how infuriating he was to fight against with those twin blades.  The frustration showed on Tai's face too.

 

With a final poke at Tai's shoulder, Arath danced backwards out of range and pulled deeply on Saidin.  A light rain had picked up, so with air and water, he pushed the moisture in the ground away from him, leaving a small space around him dry, and pooling water on the ground beneath Tai's feet.  Using a couple of fireballs to keep the other man distracted, Arath pulled air, water and fire into a long thread.  The makings of lightning.  He saw recognition of the weave flash across his mentee's face, and he immediately wove a shield above his head, grounding it deep in the ground.

 

With a smile, Arath threw the weave out, causing lightning to flash down a good thirty feet off to the side of them.  And to course through the water to hit Tai'Dashan from beneath his shield.  The effect had weakened passing over the ground like that, but it was still more than enough to knock the Dedicated over in what Arath was sure was a rather painful convulsion.  Calmly walking over the short distance seperating them, Arath placed a shield on the other man and pulled him to his feet, wrapped in air.  He quickly delved for injuries, and satisfied that nothing more than his pride had been hurt, he allowed the grin to slide back onto his face.

 

"Well then.  I wish you had come a bit closer to hitting me, but I think that was a pretty good fight.  How about some breakfast?"

[TaiDashan]

Arath met his attack and pressed harder, his twin blades causing havoc. Over and over, Tai had to narrowly avoid a hit. A light rain had started to fall and the rain was cool as it ran down the collar of his coat.

 

Arath danced back and cleared the water from beneath his feet, Tai watched as he wove the beginnings of a lightning weave and hurriedly grounded himself as he was taught. Suddenly Arath threw the weave down and out, and Tai had no time to alter the shield. White hot flecks danced before his eyes and his muscles convulsed brutally. When Tai could finally move his own muscles he blinked back the rain and gasped for breath in a puddle. Moving his hand to push himself up, he had time to notice his coat sleeve smoking slightly before being wrapped in Air. He had lost Saidin as the void had fled and as he attempted to seize it once more he found what he expected to. The smooth shield mocked him.

 

"Well then.  I wish you had come a bit closer to hitting me, but I think that was a pretty good fight.  How about some breakfast?" Tai glanced at the man, disappointment at his defeat warring with his pride at lasting so long. Finally he nodded as Arath released him.

 

"That would be a fine idea Arath. Glad we didn't wait until after to fight, you just might have slowed down enough to let me win." Tai grinned at the man to let him know he was teasing and clapped him on the shoulder as they headed home.