Tenshi walked in one of the many rings that had been built in the arena, it wasn't exactly the battle stand in Lomedor but it was good enough for him, he took in the smell of fresh steel of swords, polished arrowd, newly erected targets and people itching for a spar. It wasn't the sort of thing he did in his spare time or enjoy the most, it was just something to occupy his mind with and pass the time not to mention work off a bit of fat threatening to enlarge his belly. Whilst he waited he took out his sword and did a few practise swings with it in mid air imagening an opponent on the other end falling for his every trick and strategy, another fantasy he loved to dream, although he knew it would be completely different in real life.

After a very complicated move where he parried an attack, ducked beneath the opponent's guard, rolled along the ground and made a wild swipe behind him sent his sword flying across the ground he stopped to retrieve it blushing slightly, however nobody really saw it as they were too busy perfecting there own technuiques. But what Tenshi really needed was for a real life opponent, not an imaginary one who seemed so dumb he'd fall for every schoolboy trick, including the one that goes 'Hey look over there!', they look and then get hit in the back, Tenshi needed somebody to practise it on, to see if his tricks would really work or if he was just another overconfident little kid with a sword trying to show off to everybody.

Sin entered into the training camp. Mean everywhere sharpened their skills against each other. The drow fingered his blade as he looked around for someone to fight. He enjoyed fighting, but he was not one for war. Those things were too messy and chaotic for him. He would rather fight on a stage as the world watch his glorious moves.

As he scanned the area his eyes fell on a boy swinging a sword around foolishly. He was tall in stature despite his young appearance. At first glance Sin thought he was starring at an elf, but he then observed that the boy’s ears were rounded.

The boy sword jumped out of his arms as he swung it too hard. Sin chuckled as the boy’s cheeks turned beet red. He bent over to pick up his sword as he looked to make sure no one saw his down-right hilarious fumble.

“What are you doing here?” Sin asked approaching the lad, “where is your father. Does he make you come to watch him train?” Sin teased the boy with a chuckle. He liked children because their minds where like a soft clay, very impressionable. “Would you like a real opponent?”

Sin wondered if his words would test the boys temper enough to get him to step into the ring or if they word scare him off. Either way, it was quite fun saying them, no matter what the reaction. He hand moved down the handle of his blade till it reached the hilt where he gripped it waiting for a response.

Tenshi picked his sword up[ and span it round his hand carelessly, he prbably would have cut himself and wouldn't notice. He looked up and saw a stranger walking in his direction clearly having seen his failed stunt.
Hey look on the bright side, he thought it might have cut through my opponent if he was there.
He greeted the stranger with a careless wave whislt resting his sword on his shoulder by the flat side.
"Hey there," he said brightly.
“What are you doing here?” The stranger asked.
Tenshi's expression grew slightly less humerous at this comment but he still kept the same heir of bright, carefrer attitude.
“Where is your father?” The stranger continued “Does he make you come to watch him train?”

Weel whoever he was he was teasing, not out right insulting so Tenshi let it go for the moment.
"Nope, he's somewhere else," he said "well actually he nowhere else if you get what I mean, okay never mind."
Tenshi tilted his head to one side and gave a stupid looking smile.
“Would you like a real opponent?” The stranger asked.
Tenshi opened his eyes and pretended to think about it. "Probably," he said calmly "as long as your not the look at me show off with my big bad sword type. They really get on my nerves."
He let his sword drop and rest the tip on the ground, slicing a miniscule hole in it.
"Oh yeah, call me Tenshi," he said "before you start calling me kid."

Kid’s got spunk, Zeeth thought to himself drawing his blade. I’ll just test him. “I hope you are not offended, but compared to me you are still a hatchling,” the drow replied with a curt smirk as he raised his steel. The drow wondered if the boy even noticed his elven features or if he thought him an albino.

“Interesting sword isn’t it,” Sin said showing it off to the kid as he untied his cloak, “it is a katana, the sword of a true warrior. Swords like that,” Sin continued pointing at the long sword in Tenshi’s hand, “is nothing more than a sharp-edged stick that brutes like to swing around using force not skill. If you really want to become a good swordsman get one of these.

“But seeing as that is all you have right now, I guess we will have to make do.” Sin moved to the edge of the ring and threw his cloak just out of the battle zone. “I don’t believe I introduced myself. Call me Zeeth. I am um… a wandering swordsman. I simply search for great warriors.” Sin thought it best to hide the fact that he searched for great warriors to convert to his dark religion.

“Now then, shall we begin? I am not going to go easy on you, but I will try not to ‘get on your nerves.’ Perhaps by the end of the battle you will be helping me up off my back.” The drow let out a hearty laugh as he slowly walked back to the center of the ring.

“Now fight!” Sin announced his attack as he leapt toward the kid with his sword arm extended.

Tenshi glanced down at his sword as though it had just accused him of something extremely rude and couldn't really believe it, either that or he'd only just noticed it was there.
"Really?" he said "hm, guess I should have gone with the puppy then." He gave a weak laugh and lifted his blade of the ground and span it to an upright position and watched Zeeth prepare himself aswell.
“I am not going to go easy on you, but I will try not to ‘get on your nerves.’ Perhaps by the end of the battle you will be helping me up off my back.” Zeeth said throwing his cloak aside. Tenshi would have done something similiar but he had no cloak to hand. “Now fight!”

Immediatly Zeeth moved for the first strike, Tenshi just widened his smile and lowered her sword, widened the space between his feet and brought it up again hearing the usual sound of metal on metal, or in this case katana on sword. For a moment he looked at the two mismatched weapons grinding slightly against each other.
Pretty sword he admitted.
Remembering the situation he moved again, this time tilting his sword down hoping the Zeeth's would slide down it, although he'd probaby hesitated way too long for it to work- it was supposed to be an instant movement-but he carried on and stepped round Zeeth's side wondering what he'd do next.

(BTW, my posts are always this cruddy when fighting another player)

The two swords clashed with the sound of metal on metal. For a second the youth just stood there and pushed against the others blade. The drow chuckled to himself as he thought, See, just as I said, only brutes who try to overpower their opponents use long swords.

The youth adjusted his blade trying to push Zeeth’s sword downward, but the drow was a skilled fighter with fast reflexes. He quickly released from the attack and leapt backwards as Tenshi shifted around trying to get a better position on the drow.

Sin was tempted to use his magic, but he stayed his hand. This was to be a battle to prove which sword was better, a katana or long sword. Sin was sure his would win, but it is always best to teach by example, so he would need to show the boy what a katana could do.

He quickly made the same footwork as the boy so that they stayed in front of one another. He shifted his sword back and forth between his right and left hands with a dirty smile. He was just as skilled with his right as his left, and sometimes, fighting someone who was left-handed was a challenge for a young fighter.

With the blade in his left hand he was ready to strike again. He quickly twirled around giving his swing more power this time and aimed a powerful attack at the boy’s side. He wasn’t thinking about how if the boy was not fast enough he could do real damage. He was merely enjoying himself. He had never sparred before; in fact, every time he had practiced before had been in real combat.

Tenshi allowed another stupid smile to give itself away.
"Well, guess I messed up there," he said breifly.
As the drow lunged at him Tenshi leapt into mid air, landing on one hand and used it to swing himself aside. For a second it felt like time had stood still and he raised himself into the air and the katana cut across his vision missing its target and then everything sped up again and Tenshi landed back on two feet and backflipped again just to make sure he was well out of range, he looked up still with a smile on his face.

"Well I guess you're right," he said "that is one cool sword, but I think I'll stick to what I know thanks."
He got to his feet ad brushed himself down, not caring if the drow made his next attack now or next millennium. He raised his sword again and looked up to see what would happen next.
Okay, let me have it, he thought.

The blade of the katana swung clean through the air as the boy back flipped to avoid it. The momentum from the swing carried Zeeth for another 360 degrees. He came to a stop facing the boy as he landed on the ground with his feet after his second back flip.

“You know,” Sin replied with a smile of amusement, “battles are not won by the one who can keep his distance the best. You should try to put your agility that you just displayed into an attack. Who knows you might even hit me.”

“If I am the only charging,” he continued raising his sword towards the heaven, “this fight will get rather dull fast.” He brought his sword down so that it was pointed at the tall youth. “Let’s see some offense.”

Sin bent low to the ground again as he prepared to charge at the kid once more. He shifted his sword around so that the blade was pointed up and the tip was pointed at the boy. This time I’ll put myself into a slightly vulnerable position to see if he tries to take advantage of it. Sin thought to himself taking a heavy breath of air.

The next second he was off again. He ran as low to the ground as he could while maintaining balance. As he approached the boy he began to swing his blade upward trying his sword underneath the boy’s defenses. This wouldn’t work on anyone else, but the boy was tall that it made the attack a possibility. Sin kept his body low during the attack knowing that if the boy tried to counter by bringing his sword down on his he would need room to bring his own sword back.

"Hm, guess you do have a point there," Tenshi replied still smiling.
He looked up and noticed Sin charging low to the ground, evidently trying to take advantage of Tenshi's height, he considered just jumping out of the way again but that would be extremely repetitive, and stuff like that was never good when fighting. For now he stayed his ground and held his sword low and pointing down.
No harm in improvising, he told himself.
Just when Sin was about to make his strike, Tenshi thrust his own sword down on top of his, it clanged against it but slid off, however Tenshi took as much advantage of the situation as he could and attempted to shoulder-barge Sin out of the way.

The next few seconds past in a blur and Tenshi couldn't tell weather he had succeeded or not, he pulled his sword out of the ground and held it back upright. He hadn't noticed the shallow cut on the inside of his arm yet and assumed it was just an itch. He ran forwards and raised his sword, typical move but at least it was something, then when he was close enough he stopped and leapt to one side, using his hand to propel himself again and then swung his sword behind him, course this would work on an armature, or more likely a statue, but Tenshi wasn't used to attacking first so thought he may as well have tried something, to round it off he rolled forwards away from any counter attacks and leapt to his feet.