The desert was no place for an Elf. Especially a desert with no oasis in sight, no living creature for miles, and no food or water. What in the name of the gods possessed him to come out here? He thought back a few days... Oh yea. Somebody had told him that there was an ancient treasure buried underneath the sand at the exact location that he was at. Hmph. That was the last time he trusted a talking floorboard. He looked around for a moment. To his right, there was a wall of cacti, about ten in a row, in a semi-circle formation. To his left, sand. And after that, sand. And then, some more sand. Was that a tree in the distance? Nope, just more sand.

Next to the two middle cacti of the semi-circle, there was a five foot deep hole which the Elf had dug earlier. Alas, the bottom was nothing but sand. No treasure not even fake treasure. At that point, if Thal found a piece of yellow stone at the bottom of the pit he would have been overjoyed. At least it would resemble treasure. Somewhat.

Well, at least he learned his lesson: Never trust a piece of wood.

Depressed, Thal sat down in the sand, forging an indent with his butt to make himself more comfortable. He wiggled around for a few secons until his makeshift seat was perfect. He then lay back in the sand, hes head on his hands, looking up at the sky. Which was a mistake. The sun was directly overhead. The Elf thought he was going blind. He blinked a few times, and large yellow circles erupted in front of his eyes.

"Stupid sun," Thal said under his breath, as if the sun could hear and would smite him if he said it too loud.

The Elf continued to lay in the sand, thinking about which direction home was. Not that he had a home anymore. Some crazy Elf with a flaming scalp destroyed it last time he visited. Thal was more concerned with how he was getting out of this desert at the moment. He decided that he really was not a fan of sand.

Slowly walking through the great, empty expanse Anfauglir Desert, was a Drow. Each footstep thudding on the sand, the exact same as the last, not a single difference. He kept on walking, standing out like a beacon over the expanse with his impressive height. He had been wandering through the desert for a few hours, the sun shining down on the Drow, whose name was Sargtlin Olath.
This desert, can there really be a stronghold here? thought Sargtlin, for he had come into this blazing inferno to find a desert stronghold that he had heard rumors of. He looked out as far as he could see, only sand could be seen though.
Wait, is that a person? thought Sargtlin, as he saw something out in the desert that looked like a man laying down. Sargtlin headed towards him, wondering if the man was actually there and not a mirage.
Perhaps he is not real, or not alive. Either way I will find out. thought Sargtlin smirking to himself at the thought of the blood of the man, if it turned out to be real at all.
I should have traveled by night, little late now. thought Sargtlin as sweat poured off of all of his body. The sun was making itself known to Sargtlin as he silently cursed the sun. He came closer to the man or mirage.
Looks real, but then again, so do mirages, or so I've been told. thought Sargtlin, as he walked within shouting range.
"Hey you!" shouted Sargtlin, hoping to, if the man was real, get his attention.

Laying in the sand, Thal lost the world around him. So when somebody who was apparently travelling through the desert called out to him, he jumped. Like, literally jumped up to his feet. He looked around and spotted the source of the call. What the heck is somebody else doing out here? Thal thought. I thought I was the only one dumb enough to be out here looking for treasure.

Nevertheless, Thal raised his hand in greeting to the newcomer, calling back to him loudly.

"Hey! What brings you to the desert on this swealteringly, scorchingly, wedgie giving day?"

Sweat dripped off of Thal and onto the sand, evaporating almost instantly. He was amazed as the smoke from his sweat curled up into the air. He hadn't realized just how hot it was out. He picked a really bad time to go treasure hunting.

((OOC: Sorry for the short post))

Sargtlin watched as the man whom he had yelled at, jumped, literally, to his feet. Then the man raised his hand in greeting to Sargtlin and began to speak.

"Hey! What brings you to the desert on this swealteringly, scorchingly, wedgie giving day?"

Doesn't seem like a illusion, just a very weird man. thought Sargtlin almost in response to the man's words as he continued walking towards the man standing on the hot sand.
"You wouldn't happen to have seen a desert fortress around here would you?" asked Sargtlin, laughing at himself inside.
Probably the most unique question he's heard. Why am I even asking him anyway? thought Sargtlin, the sun shining into his eyes as he continued to walk towards the man. The sweat was pouring off of the Drow in massive amounts from the baking heat of the sun, like if his sweat was a waterfall.
I wonder why he's out here in this cursed desert? Perhaps for the same reason as I am, if so then I'll just have to kill him. thought Sargtlin, thinking about the crimson blood that would flow out of the man if Sargtlin made a fell sweep of his sword into the man's flesh.
"What brings you out here into this desert?" said Sargtlin, smiling to himself, wondering if the man would stay there long enough for Sargtlin to get to him, or if he would run off to avoid the cruel Drow.
If he has thinks that I wouldn't hurt him, then he would be making a major mistake, but I doubt he does think that. thought Sargtlin as he trudged on, the heat going through his shoes into his feet, the sweat pouring off of him and evaporating when it touched the ground.

"Hmmm, a fortress? Can't say that I have. Though I have heard rumors about it. It's supposed to hold some great treasure or something like that, right? I wish I knew where it was." Thal looked around briefly, as if he would suddenly see a huge fortress that he hadn't seen previously.

Thal looked this man up and down. He didn't exactly look like a cheerful kind of guy, but you never know. Thal once knew an elf who looked like a pretty nice guy. That guy turned out to be a serial murderer.

"What brings me here? Well, I was told of a treasure where the cacti make a moon." Thal looked around at the cacti around him. They were definitely in a moon shape. "Guess I was misinformed."

Thal sighed. He wanted that treasure. No, he needed that treasure. He needed money to buy himself some new equipment, or else he wouldn't survive very long. A simple katana and a cloak weren't going to do much if he came up against a dragon. Or even another person more well equipped than him.

Sargtlin was looking the man up and down when he heard the man's voice.

"Hmmm, a fortress? Can't say that I have. Though I have heard rumors about it. It's supposed to hold some great treasure or something like that, right? I wish I knew where it was."

Sargtlin was wanting something to do, and he was getting bored of just ordinary sand, so he started to make his move. He moved forward slowly as the man responded to Sargtlin's second question to the man.

"What brings me here? Well, I was told of a treasure where the cacti make a moon. Guess I was misinformed."

"Oh well, I guess I have no use for you then. I will be happy to exterminate you though." said Sargtlin as he drew his sword and rushed the man, all in one movement. He held his sword in his right hand as he brought his left hand down, grabbing one of his two throwing knives that he had strapped to his legs. Pulling it's cold, shining blade out of it's sheath, he threw it at his foe's face, seeing if this itself would end the fight. That did not matter to him though, and he continued to charge, swinging his shining sword blade at the man's stomach.
"Can you live through my wrath? Or will you perish? Let us see which will happen." said Sargtlin as he swung his sword at his foe. He looked at the man as he charged, thinking about what the man would look like coated with crimson. He smiled at the thought, then he wondered what he would look like coated in crimson.
I guess I wouldn't see that would I? Oh well, I will just have to find out what he will look like in red. thought Sargtlin coldly and cruelly.

"Oh well, I guess I have no use for you then. I will be happy to exterminate you though."

Exterminate me? Whyever would he want to do that? What did I ever do to him? Thal didn't have time to ponder this for too long, though, as the man threw a dagger at his face. Thal quickly spun to his left, whipping out his katana as he did so. At the finish of his spin, he swung his katana, knocking his enemy's strike away.

"Well now, that wasn't a very nice thing to do," Thal said. "I was nothing but nice to you, and this is how you repay me? By throwing a knife at me and trying to gut me? Tsk tsk. Well, I guess I'll just have to teach you some manners."

Thal never actually understood that saying. If he was going to teach this man manners, why would he try and kill him? He pushed the thought from his mind. Right now, he needed to concentrate on killing this man. More importantly, he needed to concentrate on not dying. Planting his feet, Thal gripped his blade, grinding his hands against the handle of the katana.

"If you want a fight, so be it." Thal shot his leg out at the man's chest and followed up by spinning backwards and swiping his other leg at the man's knees. He spun all the way around and brought his sword from over his head in a downward strike, so that whether the man was on the ground or not, the strike had a chance to connect.

Sargtlin saw the man dodge out of the way of the deadly projectile, thrown by Sargtlin, then then man knocked Sargtlin's strike out of the way with the man's katana.

"Well now, that wasn't a very nice thing to do, I was nothing but nice to you, and this is how you repay me? By throwing a knife at me and trying to gut me? Tsk tsk. Well, I guess I'll just have to teach you some manners."

Sargtlin heard the man's words, he smiled at the words.
Either he's better than he looks, or he underestimates me. Or both perhaps. thought Sargtlin as he turned towards the man, when he had turned around he felt the man's foot make contact with his chest. He stumbled, trying to catch his footing in the treacherous ground. Then the man swiped his other leg at Sargtlin's knees, as the man was spinning. Sargtlin jumped up to avoid the attack, at the same time he brought his sword up to use his weight coming down on the man with his sword blade. But instead he saw the man start to come arching down with the katana, so Sargtlin angled his sword, tip to sand underneath him and the flat of the blade facing the sky and the ground. He had angled it so that he felt the man's sword make impact, but slide off of the cold blade. Then as Sargtlin's feet hit the ground he brought his body down, swinging his menacing blade at his foe's ankles, then he raised his body, throwing an uppercut as he did so straight at the man's jaw. Then he used the momentum from the blow, unsure if he had made contact or not, to spin his body around, swinging the long blade of his sword at the man's stomach.
"You had better have some good tricks if you want to beat me." said Sargtlin as he made his attacks.

Thal felt his fist connect, as well as his sweeping leg kick. Had the desired effect. Unfortunately, his sword strike didn't land. It was blocked by the flat of his enemy's blade, and his katana slid off. As Thal righted himself, he saw the man swing his sword at Thal's ankles. The Elf jumped into the air to avoid the blow, only to be met with a fist in the chest. He was lucky. If he hadn't jumped, he would have been slashed in the ankles, and punched in the face.

Luckily, the attack hit his chest. Well, not so luckily, perhaps. It still hit him and knocked him back a few feet. He hit the ground and skidded a few feet, his back scraping against the sand. The tiny bits of rock and stone cut into his back, causing small slices and cuts his cloak and shirt. Some rocks even cut through the material and reached his skin. Small bits of blood oozed out as sand seeped into the cuts.

Thal rolled to his side and jumped up as soon as his enemy's second sword strike was finished. He looked straight at his opponent as he decided quickly what to do next. He recalled his past attack and how his enemy responded to it. It was then when he decided what to do. Slowly, Thal began to circle his opponent, crouched low, sword in one hand, other hand along the flat of the blade, about halfway up. Slowly, Thal drew closer and closer to Sargtlin.

Finally, after about thirty seconds of this stalking, Thal jab stepped to his right, spun back to his left until he was once again facing his enemy, and stabbed his blade at Sargtlin. He followed it up by aiming a kick at his opponent's chest. If it hit, and his opponent fell, he would slash at his grounded enemy. If his opponent was still on his feet, he would slash at his neck.

Sargtlin felt his sword slice through air, instead of the man's flesh as he swung at the man's ankles. But he felt his fist connect with the man's chest, knocking the man back onto the hot, rough sand. Then his second slice towards the man missed it's target, but he didn't mind to much.
As long as one of my blows hits, then I will just take him down a little slower, and more painfully. thought Sargtlin as he brought his sword back into a mid-guard position.

Sargtlin watched as the man crouched low with one hand holding his sword and the resting against the flat of the blade.
I wonder what he's planning now, oh well, whatever he does I will deal with it then. thought Sargtlin as he watched his foe's moves, his foe slowly coming closer and going around Sargtlin. Sargtlin watched his swiftly move to the right, then spun back to the left and stabbed the cold blade towards Sargtlin. He brought his own sword down, deflecting the swift thrust, and as he was about to go charging his foe he saw his foe's foot shoot out towards his chest. Sargtlin moved forward, stepping to side out of the way of the man's foot, and brought his sword slicing down at a forty-five degree angle towards his foe's neck. Following his body into the blow, he carried himself, throwing a punch at his foe's face right after his sword slice.
"Just die swiftly, then you won't have to feel the pain from my attacks anymore." said Sargtlin as he started to swing his sword at the man's neck.
This desert heat is very irritating, I must say. To bad I can't blot out the sun, the world would be alot more beautiful, and the air would be so much cooler. thought Sargtlin, annoyed by the heat of the desert beating down on him.

Thal felt both of his attacks miss completely. This enemy was more powerful and much faster than he originally thought him to be. This would prove to be a much more interesting and trying fight than the had first expected. Thal was actually happy at this fact. It would provide more of a challenge, which, in turn would make him grow stronger much quicker... Provided he didn't die first.

Sargtlin brought his blade down at an angle at Thal's neck. The Elf blocked with his blade, the two swords locking together. Then, Olath aimed a punch at the Elf. Thal released his sword with one hand and grabbed the fist as it came at him. He let the momentum of the fist carry his hand a bit before the Elf spun and attempted to throw his opponent to the ground by using the momentum of his pivot. As he pulled the man's arm, he pulled the sword away from his opponent's, and followed his enemy with it, aiming at his back. If it hit, it wouldn't be a deadly strike, but it would probably hurt. Sharp steel hitting skin usually did.

Sargtlin felt the solid feel of steel meeting steel, and heard the harsh, loud sound as they met, crashing into each other. He felt the man grab his hand and tried to use his own momentum against him by trying to throw him to the sand. Sargtlin knew that he should just try to think of what to do from the ground, letting himself land on the ground bracing the impact with his hand. Then he saw a glare off of his foe's sword from the sun as he started to follow it in, he turned his body, letting the blade slice through some flesh, but not severe, only a small bit on his side. He felt the pain from the blow still, but ignored it bringing his sword swinging vertically at the man, flipping himself with the swing so that he was on his back.
"Not half bad, but only a minor cut, it can be easily healed." thought Sargtlin as he started swinging the sword.
"This isn't through just yet," said Sargtlin, pointing his left hand at the man, fingers pointing out, "Comson Nizzre'!" Soon after he had said this, bolts of red, chaotic energy came shooting out of his fingers, aiming right for the man at the close range.
"If that hits, it will cause some major damage to the man. He's not bad, but I am not just skilled with the sword as he will find out if he gets struck by my magic. If this continues much longer, he and I both will have to stop, for this heat and the fighting and dehydration will get to us soon if we are not careful." thought Sargtlin while saying the incantation.