Battle Upon the East Fords, the Braids of Glittering-foam

Far overhead rolled purple-bellied clouds on a warm eastern wind, wandering towards the unseen but dimly heard the sea. North and south, to the edge of sight were glittering braids of the mighty river, as it wended and trickled towards the ocean. And interlaced, so that a deer could bound across the river-braids, were innumerable eyeots of gravel winking brightly beneath the warming sun, and little islands grown with the shuffling shapes of elegant pines. The whisper of the wind in the pines was like a song recalled from a happy memory. Hapless travellers who chanced upon this place were bewitched by the Pine-song, where they stood bewitched until their strength failed and they fell, and eventually died on the very spot. And indeed, these pines were more than mere trees, but Quickened Trees, the fierce and legendary Huorns. Trees whose spirits and branches had been brought to life. Who could speak to one another, even move. They were ancient and proud, the last fathers of days when forest covered all of Ea. They would only tolerate a person to stand beside them for two minutes, before they would swipe out, battering the trespasser into the water.
Between the enchanted isles many bridges stretched and spanned. Enchanted bridges erected by the hand of the God of Nature himself, made of living water which gleamed and shivered arching over the river-braids with impossible exquisite beauty. Each of these rose up from the river like the frond of a briar-rose growing, and blossomed into its shape for a minute, before they fell with a splash -like the sound of bells- back into the river.
Upon the each and every one of the stones standing proud from the surface of the river, wreathed in white-gleaming foam, there had been raised tall garlanded staffs, more than a thousand of them with streamers and bright flags flying in the wind, and at the tip of each was a bright stone, casting rainbows and prisms of light like the raindrops of a summer shower through the river water and the breathing Huorns. The flowers with which the staffs had been bedecked were ever blossoming and withering in an endless state of renewal, and the scent of them upon the air was a powerful perfume encouraging all but those of the strongest wills to lay down upon one of the shining river-shores and dream the bright dreams of the God of Nature, and let all cares wash away.
Ethereal shapes moved in the waters of the river: the fabled white river-dolphins of the great river; the guardians of this holy place, whose sleek forms betrayed their perilous ferocity, and their taste for the blood of any who dared set foot in the Gods Blessed Waters. And emanating out of the waters was their haunting song, echoing and re-echoing between river-islands, bridges, and staffs with the God of Natures Holy Will.
Upon the largest of the islands had been built a wide platform, and a sleek ship was pulled up to it. It's white sails cracked and whipped, and its rigging and sheets shone. Here a hundred long tables were set as if for a feast, with white plates, and white mead-horns at the ready. Wide barbecues smoked readily, as if a hundred chefs were about to arrive. But there was no one there. Not yet. The feast would be held, in the Presence of the God of Nature himself, to honour the Victors.
But before the Champions were announced, there was no one there, none save four.
Nathaniel M. Rystoff and Jade Valdis; Xoco and Vaudeux Jupiter. said a mighty voice, which seemed to come out of the very water, out of the stones, out of the very air and from the bright clouds. Black Flame, and Voice of Chaos. Welcome to these, my most blessed shores. Let your competition begin.

ooc. In this fight you'll have to keep moving, you see? You aren't safe in the water for the dolphins, on the islands for the huorns, nor do the bridges last longer than a minute...

So they had beat their toughest competition. No matter of high-hand or witty shield could pilfer their well fought-out victory, but for one reason or another, the judges had taken pity on the team so infamously in the half-light of a new dawn and moved them to the final round instead of the rightful victors. So BlackFlame appreciated their placement, begrudgingly mind-you, to again match wits with one last team before they were freed from the tournament’s clutches. But they were hell-bent. They have something to prove. To combine such powers, of darkness and fire seemed like an atrocity when spoken, but they were demonstrating the very terrors that evil had to offer. An unpredictable force, a consuming flame and foreboding shadow, crooked in their direction to show Ea just what was rising from the goodness of the tides. A slow, momentous mist of power rising and looming and doing all that existed in the nightmares of the pristine deep.

It was in one of those stretched silences that Vaudeux considered his partner and ally. A man who was capable and tactical, devious and who possessed just as much hunger for the surrounding world as he. Long beyond the tournament, Jupiter could foresee a future that would perhaps grant him everything he desired, the power and notoriety of a God… and it would all start with the bonds of BlackFlame. A simple meeting that had turned into something greater, an acquaintance into a powerful alliance, the very bonds that lifted him into hubris. There was nothing that could stop the inevitable fate of their coalition. And in the dimly-lit competitor’s holding tent, Jupiter quivered with the possibilities. Face permanently cast in shadow, Xoco was lounging nearby, running one of his blades over a flat stone which chimed stridently to the rhythm of his sharpening ways. Vaudeux watched the Ainur’s back for a moment, still tense with his former thoughts, and was soon overcome with pronounced zeal to articulate them.

He stood up from a cushioned seat, that sat conveniently adjacent to a mirror, and strode over to his ally from the comfy corner. With placed poise, he found a spot just across from the Shadow Guardian and there Jupiter sat with outlooks brimming. He allowed the span of minutes to pass, until Xoco had completed his droned sharpening, before he was certain with speech. But when the drawl came, it came accompanied with a pair of eyes alight with expectancy, “Xoco, no matter the outcome of our battle, I hope that our partnership extends beyond this tent or the arena. That we still have more to fight for, yes?” Vaudeux motioned to their surroundings, the movements spanning wider than the cushions or the mirrors but broad and figurative to the world that flourished. A world for their taking. He conveyed the meanings with a wry chortle escaping his dimpling countenance, “And that Ea has not seen the last of BlackFlame.” His smiles settled, an expression of satisfaction bloomed, and shadow and fire once again plunged devilishly into their tactics. All the while gazing out across the deep and the tides that rose in their favor, and that foamy hiss that seemed to call for action - before it once again settled in peaceful slumber.


“Xoco, tell me, who does this remind you of?” Came Vaudeux’s spirited drawl paces behind his partner. The call caused a halt in their progress, but the pair had already covered much land that a momentary respite would be welcomed. The trees overhead shaded them from only brush-strokes of light, whose shafts glittered blindingly in the eye but shone vibrant to light the foliage with a healthy glow. Greens were brighter in patches, but looked deadened elseware. Leafage was crisp and fragrant, as was the taint of moisture from the many streams that spider-webbed through the valley, so that the pair inevitably passed them in majority along the length of their journey breathing in lungfuls of wetness. They presently marched through the brush and pine, seeking only for what crested them at the top of the forested incline ahead. BlackFlame previously estimated their locale, set off at once, and found that they trooped towards the Eastern coast. Needn’t to rush, their spirits were high and their inhibitions nonexistent with the fortitude of their bond. And so Jupiter was feeling comfortable enough to lighten their spirits further before the final battle.

He had fashioned the length of his cloak to bundle up tightly round his neck, similar in the fashion of a familiar enemy. Next he had found a wedged piece of bark, of which he placed to wear hat-like over his spiked locks. When the Wraith turned, Jupiter was broadening his chest while rubbing the invisible brim of a wide hat, and looking profile - all in the atmosphere of mocking one of the most eccentrically dressed beings in Ea. There he stood, molding his new persona for a moments quip and brush of laughter, before he straightened up and began an exaggerated set of complex fingers movements with a placid expression, resisting the urge to chuckle. But he was already shrugging off his cloak, unable to suppress the snickers in the foolish mockery he had produced. So the tree tops regurgitated all sets of wildlife, flocking away and bleating in annoyance to the cruel cackles that now filled their space.

Soon after the humorous outburst, the pair rose jovially over the incline. And perhaps, for a moment, had forgotten what they had been journeying towards, for they stopped in awe at what appeared at voyage‘s end. Crystals of light glittered in rope and bridge formations, all the movements of transparent liquid of a water so clear. These bridges were only connections between the gaps of platforms, who rose like basins on thin daises. Dais touched the seas below, who rocked with lively creatures playing amongst the cerulean waves. Vaudeux’s eyes moved from platform to platform, noticing a common theme branching over each earthen surface. They were trees, whose motionless branches took nothing away from the notion of power hidden in their being. Jupiter even sensed a certain weight that bared on him, that the very same strength was intended to impact him. Then he recognized such a feeling. The way the peculiar touch of his senses was inflamed and broadened, but constricting to an authority all-too superior than his own. It’s familiarity touched him and incensed his mind furthermore, until he grew wise in understanding of his surroundings. The knowledge was just as perturbing as it was irritating. He knew who the essence of the trees, the waters, and all nature belonged to. And in knowing that the atmosphere tainted his very mind…

He could have growled bestially in anger.

His expression grew dark, Curin. And in his absolute loathing, he was quick to approach the platform. He spied the setting of the voice, smooth and once friendly, now assaulted his ears at it pronounced itself so genially to the competitors. Putting his mighty self on a boat across the seas, reachable only by the platforms and the accursed water-bridges, which were just out of reach and which all rang derisively in Jupiter’s ears. He’s mocking me, The Ainur broodingly declared, staring with slits of hate at the surrounding water, glistening in all its unrestrained enchantments. His eyes flicked dangerously back to the distant ship of where the essence of his great enemy resounded, But he will see. All that he tried to steal of me will be displayed, here, today. At his sides his broad, tanned fists curled at the thought of the selfish God, promptly whitening the hardened knuckles like pearly rocks exposed through a transparent sheath of flesh. A fist designing itself with reflections of the Valar, but dangerous still in the forefront of battle.

The approach of his partner was almost silent from behind, but Xoco soon joined the fire guardian on the platform last - along with their competition. Vaudeux glanced back down to the present, still blinking the fury away from his emerald orbs, and posed himself in scrutinizing observation. First his eyes came upon the form of a woman, dressed in just enough equip and weapons that a sense of speed and cunning could be observed. He had seen such fashions before on assassins of Ondolond, but none which garbed so scantly as competitor Jade. When he had taken in enough of her appearance his gaze unavoidably stuck on her partner, who strutted in from behind. With a sickening jolt, his stomach protested the sight just as his eyes widened with a new blazing wave of hatred. Mud-man Nathaniel! Whose skin was now no longer covered in a dripping mess like their last encounter, but rather appeared clean-cut in an array of royal reds and darkened attire, and smelled not of manure nor even anything distinguishable at their distance. If he had not been so tainted with revulsion for the man, he might have considered him presentable. But he was, otherwise, biased at the thought of having to fight the fellow. Who he feared might take a close proximity to Vaudeux during battle, to his most queerest advantage. Just like before.

But besides the disgusting appearance of the mud-man, and his shady accomplice, Voice of Chaos was nothing extraordinary. Jupiter peered over to Xoco, just to see his reactions of their opposition, when he noted a dark glare rolling over the Wraith’s unabashed façade. Growing in wonder, Vaudeux took note of his partner’s gaze, whose eyes roved the untried paces from platform to platform, formulating a plan through stoic irises. The Ainur was quick to catch on, roving away with the sparkling bridges and adjacent wonderments. They agreed, subtle and silent as mutes, on the mental tasks of their surroundings and what footfalls would next grace the earthy stage. So it was with a passing moment that the God’s voice again rang through the coast, beckoning the conquerors to battle. Bodies flurrying, movement broke the cycle of stares into the first stages of combat.

Jupiter was ducking low and dodging behind the closest tree impediment, peripherals eyeing the form of Xoco who rapt the stage with his cunning magics. Vaudeux pressed himself against the motionless trunk, heart a drum-beat in his chest. But from out of the pounding, his senses tickled intimately and he could feel the heat beckoning him once more. The flame strings appeared and the Ainur took to work without any doubt, tying knots and loops and swirls, swift motions through the air where he was fixated on the imperceptible licks. He shaped them to his desire with the fluidity and quickness of a predator cat pouncing on his prey. Then, when all of his blood seemed to pump into his opened palms, Vaudeux reappeared into the fray. He took the south appearance, peeling away from the protection of the tree - which stood between him and the rest of the platform - so that he was paces away from the stage’s edge. But then the predator slashed with his claws, aiming a fiery creation at his oblivious target. The heat surged aurora-like and vibrantly orange through the field, devouring anything in its path with a collision of conflagration.

Heat waves rose from the blast, distorting the images in the distance into wriggling iotas through the fever veil. But Vaudeux withstood the moderate ascent of his magics, pushing them further across the pitch until they encompassed what would be their next victim. Fire swirled, opaque and pulsating, unstoppable through the air as it inevitably descended. Then, a terrible snake-like hiss erupted upon contact. Fire and water met in a grudge-match of elements, steam birthing from their struggle in great phantom-like mists. Water boiled under the heat of the fire-cloak, so that even the structure of the beautifully crafted water-bridge seemed to grow pustules in its attempt to shake the flames. Jupiter was relentless. Every muscle consisted of concentration, every tendril guided by his merciless fervor, so that beads of perspiration dotted his striking brow and even the clenching of his jaw could keep him from crying out in labor. Yet he could see that his work was prevailing, that the fires had started to creep into the cracks of the loose enchantments, and that with a flexed regime he could conquer the only thing that would transport the competitors to their next area safely.

Time elapsed. Quickened Trees stirred. They sensed the man that had first greeted them with his presence. He was handsome no doubt, but had outstayed his visit. It was with the blessings of the Gods that he be removed from the alter, that not even the spirit of a flame could tide away the Trees. The being shifted, the very same who had acted as a barrier for the man, the very same who now rose a clubbed limb in his direction and swipe persistently at his form.

The bridge collapsed, jingling into the water, with an aftermath of heated mist. It clouded the atmosphere before it rose quickly, to join the clouds of the heavens. Jupiter did not pause to watch their ascent, but to reclaim his expended verve. As the fires faded, his mind grew wide and empty and became susceptible. There, at once, a song prodded his core. A melodious hum to enchant him, to wisp him away into their calming folds. Oh nature, so soft and soothing, how could it be of any harm? It whispered to him, conveying nothings into his lobes, into his limbs. He was lost in a hapless trance to the first wave of Pine-song, doomed to fail at the high price of listening or perhaps show his halted progress with a prolonged bodily pause-

White flashed across his eyes, a pain spattered across his scalp, and Vaudeux was released from his deadly indulgent. The Ainur spun to face his attacker with wild-eyes, which only lit up in bemusement at what they saw. Just making out the russet trunk and spiny branches, twisting and contorting in animation, that Jupiter observed was alive and walking from its previously rooted spot; before the being then twisted around and hooked the Ainur up in its swinging limb. Jupiter had little time to react. He could only wince as he tried to block the swift attack which left his forearms burning and strained. However the pain grew the least of his worries in his ambushed state, for the ground disappeared beneath his feet. Vaudeux clawed at the being forcing him off the platform, but it was to no avail, his body was falling, losing to the great hand gravity in his fight to stay grounded. And in release he spied the the platform drifting away, but knew that no amount of intense yearning could return him. And so, he fell.

One day prior…

The water swirled gently as Xoco traced his finger around the edges of the pool within the small bowl. The table underneath it has his symbol roughly hewn into its surface, a patchy job which he had done with his sword in under ten minutes. Only five runes were carved into the design, the simplest one he knew how to draw, but it would serve his purposes just as well as a more secure carving with more protective circles and runes. The bowl was placed directly in the center of the carving, and black fires burned on the five corners, placed along where the circumscribing circle and the points of the design met.

Xoco’s finger traced the outer edge of the bowl 6 times, and he spoke a constant steam of incantations as he went. Each circle caused the water to turn darker and darker, until it was entirely opaque black when he lifted his finger from the water’s surface. The swirl in the bowl continued, the dark energy of the spell continuing to circulate within the dark chalice. His eyes were entirely black as indistinct whispers wafted out of the spinning vortex and made their way to his ears. To anyone else who may have been eavesdropping, the words were indecipherable. But to Xoco, they were as clear as if the person he was contacting was standing right next to him.

The first whispers made their way out.

“Yes,” replied Xoco.

More whispers, louder now than before. A strong wind blew through the room, accompanied by a distinct chill in the air.

“The demon hunter… strong, as expected.”

The water flashed with energy, as if a storm cloud was circulating in the bowl.

“No, the girl was just an annoyance. No threat there,”

The whispers turned in howls, the sound of gale-force winds.

“Of course, we lost the match, as planned…. no, no more tests are necessary.”

The water flashed once more, lighting up with bright flashes and the sound of thunder.

“Yes. Everything is going according to plan. The forces are set into motion.” He paused for a moment, looking up from the bowl. “In a fortnight, we make our strike.”



The brush snapped and cracked underfoot as Xoco made his way along, keeping good pace with his partner, Vaudeux. He had adopted his human form, in all of its blue-and-silver-clad glory, simply for the purpose of maneuvering through all of this underbrush. It was a less intimidating persona, to be sure, but it provided him with sure footing and easy navigation of this dense forest. He made his way along behind his partner, heading south towards the place that they had been informed would mark the spot of their final match. While the tournament’s biggest cash prizes were being awarded in the other match, there was still a considerable sum to be won here. Any and all funds that could potentially aid the cause of BlackFlame would be taken with the most profound greed.

“Xoco, no matter the outcome of our battle, I hope that our partnership extends beyond this tent or the arena. That we still have more to fight for, yes?” His partner spoke with his hands, motioning to the world around them. Xoco nodded, pausing a moment. He drew a deep breath, taking in his surroundings.

“Apart, we are just two men workings towards nothing but a difficult end. The forces of our enemies grow steadily in number while our own dwindle. But united, we are a powerful force that not even the mightiest of warriors can hope to overcome. The tales of this great alliance shall span far beyond this meager gladiatorial competition, Jupiter. They will hardly speak at all of this small victory when it is masked by all of the other accomplishments that are soon to follow,” he said. Without further delay, he continued to make his way through the dense brush and undergrowth of the forest.

It was with the promise of an immense sum of cold, hard coinage in full view that Xoco made the monotonous march to the scene of their next battle. For some reason, now the carriages which had carried them to the location of their previous matches were forsaken in the name of traveling on foot. Xoco merely shook his head when he had found out, dismayed but not disheartened. He had every intention of turning whatever mortals they were pitted against into smoldering piles of dust. Together, Xoco and Vaudeux were unstoppable.

“Xoco, tell me, who does this remind you of?” came the call from behind him. Xoco turned, to find that his partner had taken on the visage of their shared adversary, the Guardian of Sun, Sartana. Jupiter had masterfully crafted a mockingly exaggerated version of the demon hunter’s famed attire from spare bits of natural material. He puffed out his chest a little too much, and waved his left hand about in the air in a series of random motions. Xoco smiled a genuinely amused grin, without the slightest hint of malice or evil intent. A chortle of laughter half-escaped his lips before he let out a warm chuckle instead. He looked Jupiter dead in the eye, shrugging and shaking his head.

“I haven’t the slightest idea,” he shot back, a hint of light-hearted sarcasm on his voice. His gut continued to bounce jovially at the bit of humor as he turned and made further headway towards their destination. Upon coming close, he could begin to smell the rushing water, its crisp, clean scent entering his nostrils and filling his head with visions of cool streams and crisp, mirror-like lakes. Combined with the greenery that surrounded them, and the pine trees that lay ahead, it was quite a cornucopia of smells that mixed into an aroma that was so complex, and yet could be summed up in a single word.

“Nature…” he thought. No sooner had the word crossed his mind then the pair of them reached the peak of the incline which they had been hiking up for the last ten minutes or so. What he beheld upon the other side was nothing short of spectacular. The brilliance of the sun cast a thousand beams of shimmering light across the cleanest, brightest water he had ever seen. It was almost unnaturally beautiful, as if a painter’s brush had captured every positive aspect about the running streams and superimposed it upon Xoco’s eyes. The streams broke across fertile island, which each sported a multitude of impressive, tall trees. Something was off about the tall, bark-encased sentries, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on it. At the same time, he examined the water more closely, finding that something was certainly out of the ordinary there as well. Each island was closed off from its brethren by the water, which held a multitude of odd, ghost-like creatures resembling dolphins. As with everything else in this tournament, they probably weren’t as harmless as their living aquatic counterparts. To provide safe passage from one island to the next, the arena was equipped with a series of bridges formed out of water, which rushed like powerful rivers and yet fell like feathers upon the banks of the islands.

There was only one being who could have conjured such a spectacular show of natural brilliance. Curin, the God of Nature. Xoco wasn’t aware that he had any involvement in this tournament. He shrugged; nothing to be too worried about. Except for Nocturne in the first round, the judges hadn’t been too troublesome in terms of interfering with the fights. And yet, when he turned to look at his partner, he saw that a wrathful expression had come over Vaudeux’s face. He had gone from being uncharacteristically jovial and light-hearted one moment to a dark, determined warrior the next. Xoco was uncertain of what kind of history could have possibly prompted such a response from his partner. He assumed that there was more to Curin than met the eye, if he had crossed Jupiter so deeply.

Xoco knew when a fight was not his to pick. He turned his gaze upon the rest of the battlefield, looking for their opponents. He spotted the pair of them not far off, entering the arena from the opposite direction. Xoco smiled devilishly to himself as he overlooked to the two of them. Just a simple pair of mortals, like the ones whom they had so easily dispatched in their first match. Then again, Xoco made sure not to underestimate his competition; they had made it this far, surviving two tough rounds of combat, and thus they were not to be taken lightly. They had fought just as hard as BlackFlame to get to this point. Taking this to heart, Xoco tried to pick out the dangers in the both of them. One had the distinct aura of a magic user; but it was faint. He wasn’t a powerful mage, but he did have a few tricks about him. The other had no such aura; she was just an assassin, from the looks of her garb and her weapons of choice.

Xoco had never encountered either of these two before, but something told him that Jupiter had seen the clean-cut warrior before. His surprise was not well-hidden. Xoco simply shrugged to himself, not really caring what history the pair of them might have together. It was none of his business. His only business was to grind the pair that stood before them into the dirt with such convincing ferocity that the judges would have no choice but to award them the tempting cash prize. He turned his attention to the magic-user, the man. He knew of a spell that would cut him down to size almost immediately. He conjured it quickly, with just a few words and a quick movement of his right finger to aim the spell. It was hardly even perceptible that he was casting a spell at all; over the years, he had mastered the art of covert spellcasting.

The mana discharged itself silently, taking instant effect. The spell couldn’t be countered by simple Dispel Magic, a favorite of both magicians and non-magic users. Nor could the victim react to the spell, its effects were instant, and it cut off spellcasting capabilities. There was only one specific spell that could cure Silence, and unless his partner knew the proper remedy, Nathaniel would find himself with quite a tied tongue for the next 15 minutes. Plenty of time for them to dispatch of him.

After he was done, Xoco felt the heat begin to explode all around him. Vaudeux radiated the pure awesome power of all the divine might which he was conjuring all around them. The great waves of heat erupted all around them, ripping across the once-serene arena in a blazing inferno to rival the flames of hell itself. The heat connected with a bridge of water, which hissed in protest as Vaudeux battled for supremacy. For a moment, it seemed like he might be denied, but Xoco’s partner was strong. The determination in his eyes told him so. Xoco watched as the bridge was reduced to nothing but a cloud of steam, which wafted over the battleground, turning it into a sauna. Visibility was instantly limited as the steam from the bridges rolled in great clouds, encompassing nearly everything around them.

No doubt, they were all trapped on this island, with no obvious means of escape. The only bridge connecting to and from this island was destroyed, making traveling between the islands suddenly much harder.

Xoco felt the attack rather than saw it. The unnatural creaking of the wood behind him turned him on heel, ready to face his attacker. He found himself confronted with a 100-foot tall monolith of twisted bark and gnarled wood. It rose itself from the ground on a million twisted roots, displacing an enormous amount of sod in the process. Xoco’s eyes widened in a state of shock and panic as he found himself confronted with such a deadly foe. The tree took a swing at him with one massive branch. He ran to the side, avoiding the blow, only to find that another tree had awakened and begun to swing at him. He stumbled backwards, nearly falling before he regained his balance. Each and every tree on the island was now alive, and they were not too happy that their fertile atoll had been invaded upon.

Xoco heard the Pine-Song, the mystical sounds that proved to be the undoing of so many men in the songs of bards and the tales of rangers. The song of these trees, which were blessed by Curin himself, was especially strong. Xoco’s mind, however, was like a fortress, trained over years not to become hazy or deluded by such tricks as would befall the minds of lesser-trained men. His great ability to clear his thoughts and Concentrate would aid him greatly today.

His partner, on the other hand, was not quite as fortunate. Vaudeux found himself enraptured by the song of the Quickened Trees, and Xoco winced as one took a swing straight for him. It collided, and he knew that he had to think fast to save his partner’s life. Already, the vigilant ethereal river dolphins were gathering, ready to snap up their meal as he fell into their deadly clutches. Xoco ran, bobbing and weaving left and right to make himself a difficult target. He called out to his element, reaching out and drawing it into himself. At once, his eyes turned as black as the midnight sky, a deep, obsidian darkness which pooled behind the lenses which had witnessed so much evil in their time. The powers of his guardianship served him all too well; the shadows came in tendrils and ropes, in flowing waves and ebbing tides, and as h e ran, he found himself swept up on them.

Underneath him, formed from the very essence of his element, was a great warhorse. Its hoofbeats pounded upon the soil like thunder, his nostrils flared with fire and his eyes raged with the infernos of the abyss. The dark beast, carved out of the essence of darkness, bid Xoco up onto its saddle as it was formed, finally attaining solid form and making great haste across the tiny islet. Xoco reached Vaudeux in the nick of time, grabbing him by the collar and hoisting him bodily up from the clutches of the water. Xoco’s black congurence bid them across the water, the river dolphins in hot pursuit. They nipped as his heels as he pulled Vaudeux up onto the shadow horse and dumped him unceremoniously on the back. They raced across the gap between that island and the next one, their mount leaving a wave of shadow with each stride.

After they had crossed the water, Xoco allowed the shadows to disperse. The beast fell out from underneath them, returning to its former state as scattered patches of shadow with an enraged whiney. Xoco landed catlike upon the ground, turning to check the state of his partner.

“You should be more careful,” he said jokingly. Chuckling lightly at his own wit, he stared across the waterway they had just crossed, looking to see how their adversaries were handling the enlivened trees which were now furiously battering away at anything that moved.

The Voice of Chaos did not have quite as delightful a journey. The team, known simply as the Sixth House a short span ago, was busily trudging through land and water to their destination. It brought back memories of a certain jungle hike, one filled with plants larger than men and mud that clung futilely to limbs. The muck there was an oily brown, threatening all manner of nature-defying beasts and grotesque transformations for the unfortunate. Nathaniel had taken care to avoid especially thick patches. Here, though, there was no such issue. The soil was a tanned pitch, and though not loose its consistency meant it was easily displaced. The vegetation that grew from it did not hold the leech properties of blood-sucking plants; instead they were vibrant greens that grew in perfection, bidding the earth thanks.

So too, was the air moist. Yet the very trees were testament that none were mere heated blazes; instead, the cool breath of wind curled like a lover against him, before slipping off into the leaves and other plants. A mere flirt. "Jade," His voice was even, straight. Nathaniel's eyes didn't stray from their stare onwards, dark eyes analyzing what they could. It wouldn't have mattered if he did look to her; she was immune to his sight. Still, the rustle of mink-soft grass, the raise of hair on his neck warned him he was not alone. More than that, he trusted the other fully and thoroughly. Jade Valdis was not a woman who would betray him, even if she delighted in infuriating his senses. She had once underestimated him, thought him no better than a hormone-driven bull. That had changed some time before this journey, however. Long before the assault of the rooster's crow had struck the land. Before even the sleep-dreary sun had lit twin figures moving in the lands.

Nathaniel and Jade had been practicing. It was not a challenge of force, nor a test of wits. They were done with testing the other out, and instead had turning to perfecting their teamwork. Though loathe to abandon Nobunaga at this crucial juncture, he'd been given no choice regarding the warrior. So his attention turned to the lovely Valdis. One whom he planned a future with, who was just as happy to fufill his dark intent as he was. The woman was not a racist, but she was also human and damnably good at what she did. Choosing her as a partner hadn't been a difficult call at all. What had been difficult was learning how they would form the bond that would bring them to the top. How they would bind their souls into one, fusing themselves so they would be one. With some hard work, he'd managed to erect something of a course for them to train on, for that very same purpose.

"Are you familiar with the concept of the two-headed snake, Jade?" Nathaniel's voice had been terse, breathless. A simple manuever had allowed him to avoid a high flying kick, taking it to the forearm. The force had almost been enough to shatter it, and he felt the pain lace his words. Yet continue on he did; waiting for her lack of acknowledgement to continue. "The two-headed snake," A low crouch and lunge sent him leaping towards a nearby net, allowing him to climb up onto a small platform. "Is a beast of weakness. One would hope that two heads would be better than one, and yet..."

Nathaniel lumbered, raising his shoulders and making himself seem larger as he strafed around the female assassin. "It is possibly the weakest life there is." He rushed at her, though a quick feint brought him rolling to the side so that he could aim a kick at her legs. He had no doubt she would dodge, but that was the point of this exercise. "You see, it has two heads, but one body. Constantly it fights over direction, and food." Nathaniel threw himself forward,aiming an open-palm blow towards her face; she was fast though, and anticipating this he dropped his hand low to swing his meaty fists at her. It was something of a combination, and whether it hit or not there would be a follow-through of blows. When he brought himself out of it he again lunged, this time to a lower platform that left him rolling to keep the pressure from harming his legs.

"Eventually, the two-headed serpent devours its second head. Usually it bleeds to death. Sometimes it enjoys devouring the whole of its body, not aware it is equally killing itself." Nathaniel took a defensive stance, legs spread evenly and weight distributed so he could defend himself from oncoming attacks. "We must be the opposite. Twin serpents with a single head. We must move with clear decisions, clear awareness. Always we must know what the other is doing," When Jade finally moved in to attack he went into blocking any of her blows, throwing wrists and ankles away from himself though he did not in turn attack. "We must be one, my dear Jade. The head defends the tail, and in return, the tail suffocates the prey. Do you understand?" Nathaniel blocked by a single blow more, before lunging backwards to the edge of the platform.

"So I ask you, Ms. Jade. Heads, or tails?"

"Find a tree." He said quietly, as trees drew back to reveal twin competitors in the light. "I will defend you. In return, you will kill them." There no arguing to his words, no need to respond or even confirm. It seemed to answer itself. The warrior gave but a single brisk nod before striding onwards, stepping out of the greens and into the bright lights. He didn't let his steps falter until he stood on the platforms, diaganol from Vauduex Jupiter. A cruel smile twisted his lips at the sight of the other man. "Battle becomes you." He commented gruffly, though it could simply be lost amongst the trinkling bells or whispering wind. Now out in the open, he suddenly felt at a loss.

Jade was not to be seen. It was as they had conspired, and yet still a certain pang was to be felt. What if she was not to be found? Not to be had in this environment? The foes across looked brutal indeed, and he wasn't fond of the water all around. The only aptness he'd had on a ship (the same as an ostrich's ability to fly, at that) was due to his desire not to drown. Falling into the blackened abyss seemed a horrid fate, and even if these streams did not appear deep the tournament had taught him to constantly be on his toes. Even now the whispers through the air spoke to him; the crackle of the trees and the white glare in the moving water was not natural or to be trusted. There were other islands, too. All large; a decent run and good room for fighting. But the way across involved bridges that seemed to dissipate. It was too far to jump, and he didn't doubt falling into the waters would have interesting consequences.

"You must excuse my partner," He called loudly. "You know how women can be." The pair hardly seemed the type to jest with, but then they hardly seemed the type a sane man fought either. Nathaniel considered saying more, perhaps even an introduction, but the rumble of Curin overhead was heard. When it faded he began to prepare a spell.... which decided it wouldn't form at all. Confusion crossed his features, and he went to bark the words instead. Still they refused to issue forth. In reluctance and submission he drew the strapped weapon he'd brought with him; a holy barbed staff. On loan from one Stella, it was quite the interesting piece. Not only was it gifted in destroying faces, but it was especially apt to bite into the face of evil. And that shadow was evil, if he'd ever seen it.

But he did not charge. Not yet. There was a signal he needed to wait for; a protection he needed to bestow upon his snake's head. It would do no good to divide and take these enemies separately.

His wisdom was rewarded by a lack of searing agony, concentrated flames slamming against the trinkling water bridge to utterly destroy it. Nathaniel had to tug away and shield his eyes, the mist from it giving him trepidation for fleeting moments. Every sense became alive as he became more aware of his surroundings, listening to the birdsong and rippling waves. Another sound touched his ears, though he shook it off quickly. As it faded from him so too did the mist; across from him he could spy the two being drawn across the waters on an elaborate horse. And there, lumbering towards him, was a mighty tree.

Quickly he drew his staff, ready to draw the attention of the tree as best he could. Nathaniel didn't need words to tell Jade he would fend them off. Didn't need to ask her to shoot at the retreating frames. For she knew, just as he did, that so long as they were at a distance the other team was utterly defeated.

With a sharp intake of breath he felt a branch slam into his midside, the frozen winter's cloak beneath his clothing acting like hardened cardboard and denting painfully against his ribs. A roll saved him from a downward thump, and all too quickly he was scrambling up onto his feet to get away from it. The tree was large but slow, and Nathaniel could think of only one manner of getting rid of it.

The water!

If he could knock it off the platform, they would be safe one more tree. In the meantime, Jade would need to shoot at the buffoons across the water. Still, dark eyes watched out for any signs of her stumbling towards them; if she was not immune, he would need to help her. A certain concept flashed behind his eyes. Rolling low he scooped mud into his palm, lunging up out of it to avoid a low swing from the tree. Still no magic would issue forth, but the warrior refused to curse his luck yet. The snake was not to be slain so simply.

The training course had been set with wooden platforms wide enough to hold them both comfortably perched on high set wooden beams. The heights all varied, and some of them were free of platforms all together. Below was knee-deep water, which would cushion any falls. It also meant any clothing they wore grew heavier, and the ascent back to the top was that much more painful. This exercise was not to beat the opponent; the idea was to ensure neither one fell, while equally avoiding taking too much damage. This was about control; knowing the moves of the other and how to use them to your advantage. The desirable outcome was to reach the top of the platforms, both fully aware of what the other could do.

Nathaniel was content in mere pants, a sash tied around his waist to keep them from falling. There were no weapons today, no tricks or magic. Just straight duelling. Exactly how it needed to be. "Come, my little snake! Higher yet!" While Jade was easily prone to using the poles without any platforms (her agility and balance allowed for such), Nathaniel had to rely on bolted nettings on platforms. This meant the paths up were considerably different. Though if they tried they could use the other one, Jade's strength wasn't as focused in her upper body as Nathaniel's was. A simple genetic trait.

With a lunge and quick climb he found himself once more alone on a platform, grin slicking his features and body half dried. Already they'd both fallen a few times; the poles weren't enough to climb when you got low enough, unless you landed near the initial climbing beam. Every nerve was alight in Nathaniel, and for once his faith in a woman was dangerously close to the faith he had in men.

Things change all the time. Every day, the sun is out and the planet makes a change from day time to night. People and events also change. A change in Jade’s life also occurred when her friend who was at first was meant to stay strictly business related, asked her to change her schedule and be apart of his team for the last round of the tournament. Jade had wanted to join the matched from the beginning, but she trusted nobody enough to be partners with them. When Nathan cam offering her a chance, she eagerly accepted.

Nobunaga Oda was the name of his last partner. Rumor had it that he was now gone from the lands. Some say he was even dead. Who cares really? Things change in peoples lives, something changed in his and it was now playing for the best for Jade herself.

Punch after punch was thrown at Nathaniel as he dodged them swiftly. Jade quickly followed with a leg kick that landed on its mark but the problem came with the recovery process after the kick. Jade had planted herself on the wooded poles wrong and a foot slipped off. Jade struggled a bit to pull herself back up as she looked at Nath. “No. I have honestly, never seen a two headed snake.” She said slightly out of breath but still mustered up the strength to stand. The thoughts running through Jades head wasn’t that of brutally hurting Nathan, but more or less learn the lesson in which he was trying to instill in her.

As soon as she was back up on her feet, Nat had launched himself forward towards her. In a quick action, Jade raised her fists to guard her face and tucked her body low to make sure her body was defended fully. “A beast of weakness” Jade said trying to keep up with his movements and words at the same time. He had tried to attack her legs with a quick leg sweep, but she simply raised her left outstretched leg and watched as the leg went right under her stirring up the dirt and dust on these wooden platforms.

Seconds went by like nothing as the adrenaline in the two of them pumped heavily. Jade ducked her body low and shot out a quick and brief blow to the side of Nathan hoping to catch him of guard. Once the blow was thrown, she back stepped putting a bit of space between the two of them as he started talking again.

Jade’s green eyes surveyed his body looking for any movement that signaled an attack. His words was still sinking in, she was just in a heavy concentration to the point that nodding was all she was able to do to signal she was listening. Right after his words, a punch to her face which was a rather bold and upfront attack. That should be the one thing that he learned about her and that was to not make the attacks superbly obvious.

“Heh.” She snickered as she tilted her upper body to the right as the wind of his fist cooled the side of her face. “Too easy babe.” Jade snuck in between words and punches only to catch a shot to her side by his heavy fist. A small gasp escaped her beautiful lips as a stinging sensation rushed through her body. The hit was not as hard as it could have been, but it still hurt a bit. Jade was a slender woman, a heavy hit could possibly break her.

On a quick return, Jade charged back at him using her gifted speed to her advantage. She rushed in and quickly noticed the defensive stance. She went to work as she threw to solid straight jabs for his upper body. The hits were used only for luring purposes, as she quickly followed up with a heavy knee to the same area. This would be sure to break his guard, and if it did two more quick solid jabs were aimed right for those opening points. The entire time of her assault nath had been talking to her the entire time. The point he was making about the snake was a very valid one, but the answer could not be given at this moment, for thought would have to be put into it and she was having too much fun throwing punches at her partner.

The trip to the fighting place had been uneventful and somewhat quiet. Her partner talked a little bit here and there, but the sounds of the wildlife echoed through her head. She had always loved nature, and this place kept her in peace with herself. The lush greenery and soothing sounds of chirping birds put her in a place where fighting couldn’t. A place that was purely peaceful. A place that was unaffected by death, sadness, sickness or any other things a person would view as normal. It was a place of pure bliss.

Jade kept a smile throughout the entire walk until the time came to get serious. Her footsteps were light and slow as she sighed to herself deeply. The thoughts of how proud her family would be of her at this moment came into her mind as she remembered the life she left behind. Leaving behind riches for the life sharing close resemblance to that of a barbaric life style. It was great. A small tear stroll down her cheek as she stopped walking. “This is for you brother.” She said in a slight whisper bringing her hands to her heart and clasping her hands together in a tight fist on her chest.

Jade couldn’t let Nathinel down. Not like Nobunaga had did. She couldn’t let her brother see that she has come so far only to fail. She had a chance to show that she could be worth more than a job in the heart of someone. She had the chance to prove to herself that she was not just a do-girl and could actually be counted on. “I wont let you down. Watch me brother. Watch me Nathan.”

In a flash, the silent assassin leapt into the trees and took her bow out. “Lets do this now” she said as she crept higher into the trees. The figures of the other two came into sight and her jaw dropped when she found out who their challenge was. None other than the guardian of fire and the guardian of shadow in the flesh. Their power was great, their achievements unreal, but did they have the drive and determination to push themselves over the top? No. They failed to have heart, which is what is needed in a time like this. When pure power, strength, and skill is not enough, there is the drive to win that will push Jade and Nathan to win this.

Jade checked her equipment as she ran her hand over her potions. Thank goodness she had brought her fire resistance potion with her for she might need it. Jade knocked two holy arrows into her bow and took aim at the guardian of shadow. Judging the situation closer she put her bow away. Jade could try to take an early lead right now and attack them while they were unknowing, but the training that Nat and her had undergone before the match came to heart. Attack as one, but be different entities.

Just as the thought of taking an early lead came into mind, Nathan had come into view. He was in the same clearing as the two guardians. It was Jades purpose to protect him. With this in mind, her mood changed. She went from her sad determined self, to a concentrated, hard figure.

While being in the trees, she completely changed her mind about keeping distance between the three of them. They fight as one but remain 2 separate and distinct units. She jumped down to the lower areas of the trees and reviled herself. She was in the trees a few meters away from Nathan. It was obvious that he didn’t know that she was behind him because of the comment he had said.

A slight hint of nervousness fell upon Jade as the realization of who her challenge was sunk in deep. Without delay, Jade was about to act and reach for her bow again but in an instant, Jupiter had launched an incredible fire attacked that began to burn everything around. His emissive power was unrivaled. A flurry of steam began to rise as the fire started to mix with the water. The fire had also began to burn many of the trees, including the tree directly beside her. This was getting bad extremely fast.

His showing off of power came with its own draw back as the trees began to come to life. Jade tried to jump off the tree she was in, but suddenly found herself in between a tree and one of the arm like branches. The tree had pinned Jade against it but not too tight. Jade was somehow moderately safe but she had to get to Nathaniel for he was having trouble. The two guardians began to make a small run for it, well wraith was. Jupiter was more like…falling.

“Im coming.” She cried out softly as she maneuvered her body out of the grip of the tree. When the feel of slid ground connected to her feet, she had never felt so happy. The sexy assassin had to act quickly or the two guardians would get away and Nathan would die from walking trees. That sounds slightly funny.

Fear and worry were the only emotions that Jade felt right now. Her palms became sweaty and moist and her heart raced. The heat and smoke began to pick up and generate a even bigger feeling of fear. A worried look in her pretty eyes, she looked at Nathan. Something told her what to do just simply by looking in Nahtinels eyes as he fought off the trees.

Jade turned to the retreating guardians and unhooked her bow. She locked three holy arrows into her bow and closed her eyes. “Guide my arrows.” She said as she activated her spell true flight arrow. She aimed her bow at the guardian of shadow. Her bow whispered out to her and with that launched the three arrows. The arrows would hit him even if he moved, and since they were holy arrows, they would do fairly nice damage no matter where they hit.

“Nathan. Hurry up and come here. Were going to meet them there and show them who we are.” Jade said with a proud voice. She prepared herself to teleport over to the island where the guardians had ran of to. As soon as Nat had latched on they were off. This fight had fully started and they were running already. The heart that Jade and Nathaniel had would overcome all. Jade and Nathaniel would overcome. They had to!

Vaudeux flopped willingly onto the mount, hoisting himself further up and on the shadow-muscles with fervent work. Ever-glad that he was whole and dry he peered over to his savoir, master of the black steed, director of their combined triumph. His breath was quick and panting, only now just returning to him after his near-injurious fall. He couldn’t help but stare forebodingly at the waters and its monsters prancing below, which all seemed to curse their luck back up at him when no meal fell into their clutches. But his face shone triumphant, for he was sure - instances before - that he was falling to his death. Once rapt in frantic fear, now smug, the Ainur held tightly onto the conjured shadows - perhaps more than necessary - as they glided through the air. Xoco’s steed shook phantomlike below him, as it finally touched land. It was at the moment he knew he was safe. In his excitement, Jupiter rushed from the back of the stallion and inelegantly dismounted, knees to ground, palms halted deep within the moist turf.

There, muscled and quaking, the Fire Guardian considered the trees. A craft of Curin no doubt, fashioned to deceive and then strike out. They were strange entities, deadly in all their essence of ancient bark and towering limbs, and their intentions to cause Jupiter a death-plunge into the ocean below. Again trying to rid me of this world feeble man? He thought glaring up in the God’s direction, not seeing him but sensing his distant presence. The Valar, too, was doubtlessly cursing his luck at his failed attempt to wreak harm on his disobedient Ainur. And yet, he was sure that this was not all the horrors the fiend would bestow upon his battling guests… It was then that the voice of Wraith baited him from his thoughts, with a sardonic tone and his familiar chuckle. Yet Jupiter did not banter in return, but instead looked up with a prominent glister of fear in his pupils.

“The trees,” Breathed Vaudeux, his voice still noticeably out-of-breath and his eyes motioning to the violent plant-monstrosities in dread. In the distance they still writhed with much verve, “They came alive and swung at me.” Continued he, rocking up from his spot, with a countenance rapt in incredulous fear and a voice that refused to hide an inflection of insult. He spoke as if Wraith didn’t already know this, but the episode scoped was truly perturbing. When he stood, he peered round and was brought to horror at what he saw. They stood on a platform that was all-too calm and similar to the one they had just fled from and, on it, were the same still patches of dangerous trees. In his mind, Jupiter could see the nature beings again springing to life if he wandered too near. But the archaic oaks didn’t seem right. He had pressed his back against one and, only passing moments after his body was away, did it strike him. Almost as if it was waiting for the right moment to attack. Like a powerful warrior disguised cleverly as a statue, the guise of the oaks was just as shrewd.

Determined to pass this revelation onto his partner, he turned back towards the Wraith and was again surprised. There was a look of forced concentration across his visage. Brows which were furrowed, eyes that seemed to focus so hard that his very irises swirled in effect. They zeroed in, spying every detail as if he was a predator hawk scouting his prey. Vaudeux’s anxiety grew as he momentarily watched his fellow, before spinning around to see the object of his ally’s desire. There, shinning in the sky, was two descending bolts, catching the rays of the brilliant sun across their lustrous shafts. They came fast and rocketed as if guided by true spirit. Peaking, their journey grew quicker before they then plummeted straight for BlackFlame. His heart had risen to his throat as he watched them, praying that whatever spell Xoco was employing would prevail. Just as the arrows struck down on them like lightening, Jupiter took notice of his competitors in the foreground. Finally they came together and looked prompt and ready to flee the chaotic platform any moment. His mind whirled, frantic for a solution, and he glanced around attempting to predict the arrival of their opposition, to perhaps head them off and prevent possible bushwhacking.

But Xoco was already one step ahead of him. “Jupiter, here!” Called the Maiar to Jupiter’s immediate notice. He offered him a hand; yet it was not a palm of greeting nor an appendage of aid, but the kind of cupped foot-hold one would give whilst hoisting a body up over a tall partition. Vaudeux acted at once, if not with much bemusement, and launched his boot towards the flat hands of his partner. He knew not what the man was planning, but trusted his judgment - just as he had trusted him with his life. And if he was going to lift Jupiter up in the air, he better be aware that he was no lithe elf. The Ainur leapt onto Wraith’s hands, like it was one giant step on a staircase, and pushed himself skyward; yet Xoco did not seem to falter under his weight. Even a second later, when the guardian was throwing him, he seemed unhindered by Vaudeux’s burden. It was as if the brawny man was nothing but a feather, with the way that Xoco disposed of him. And so the Guardian of Fire flew upwards, in the spirit of a bird, twisting through the air as he soared from Xoco’s grip.

The salty air swiftly caressed his face, blowing his hair, billowing itself up in pockets within the Ainur’s loose garments. Visions streaked by like melted auroras with the speed of his progressing, catapulted body. At a point he spied the ground and almost grew worrisome, before he perceived the cushion of two bodies quickly streaking his way. His mind worry quickly quelled, Clever, Xoco. Yet the collision seemed imminent, and so Vaudeux prepared. Quickly he tightened his eyes to a close, orange vibrancy appeared where once the scenes of his rapid decent were painted. At once, the licks of flame came to his aid, first oozing out through his flesh. Fire burst from every pore, eating away at every thing that dare near its undulating heat. The Ainur felt only his flesh tickle at the arrival of the flame-cloak, prickling with the flickering power that blazed across his body. With his arms outstretched he came at Voice of Chaos like a scorching phoenix, whose attack was greater than a fireball and heavily weighted, and more dangerous than the swinging limb of a tree or stab from a sword. Jupiter went to observe his surroundings once more, wrapped in a blanketing comfort. So, with open eyes, he felt the collision in all its tackling, bone-knocking intensity. With his forced speed and decent, the bodies would have provided a nice cushion - or, at least, his shoulders in rolling from the fall.

Only when he had viciously burnt all the necessary skin, that his act of being a human projectile had produced, Jupiter would twist up from the fray and mingled bodies, bouncing back onto his feet like a cat. He was very much alive and animated with his movements, enthralled in the ardor of battle. Heat radiating, vigor rising, Vaudeux moved to withdraw his sword. It appeared as if the fire demon was extracting from itself its own limb, for the cutlass that materialized was engulfed in the same vibrant conflagration as his form. He spun it once, loosening his wrist, and aimed it at the pair before him. There was a beat of tension between the foes before the body-fires exploded away. Jupiter was left bare-chested to the world, his shirt devoured by his own spell-work, and rushing. He moved, swift and precise in the direction of the mud-man Nathaniel. The streak of his sword was a lash of ginger as he swung it, upwards, cross-ways, with an alacrity only defined by the devastation of his rapid, trained slashes.

The water reflected beams of sunlight into blinding patches of brightness. They marred his vision as he gazed across the waterway to the island from which he and Jupiter had only narrowly escaped. The watched from a safe distance as the Quickened Trees bashed furiously about, pulverizing the soil of the once-pristine island and turning the island paradise into a violent maelstrom of swinging oak and flailing cypress. He observed as the man afflicted with his silence spell stood his ground and fought back against the Trees, but was rewarded with nothing but a large limb to the torso. It sent him rolling, and Xoco’s face half-turned in feigned empathy for his opponent’s pain. The warrior was blocked from his vision by the movements of the trees, lost behind the unfolding chaos. Xoco’s eyes flicked across the water to the partner, the female assassin. She too was busily dodging and weaving, but was taking the time to attack BlackFlame rather than trying to confront the trees.

“Smart,” he thought, “Disciplined and focused. She’s the dangerous one.” Xoco’s attention was called away by his partner, who was talking about the Trees, informing Xoco of how they had come to life and nearly killed him. Jupiter was obviously shaken from his near-death experience, but Xoco knew him. He was an experienced fighter, and would surely shake it off quickly. The Shadow Guardian took some more time to ingest their situation, just a few moments to comprehend the exact terms of the battle. If the trees were so interested in destroying those who walked among them, why didn’t they just attack immediately? Why wait?

His visage turned to a contemplative stare, examining the facade of harmlessness put up by the towering Trees that surrounded them on this island. Examining them closer, he could tell now that they were certainly no ordinary oaks. After a moment of thought, he realized the purpose of the trees, as well as the monsters in the water and the precious few aquatic bridges that connected the infested atolls. He turned his attention to his partner who was now pressing himself against one of the Trees.

“The battlefield itself is more lethal than our opponents. We cannot stay in once place for too long, lest we anger the Trees. They will not attack if we spend a few moments underfoot, but if our boots mar the soil for too long, then they will attempt to rid their island of us. The bridges are meant to be our only way across the water, which is more deadly than the Trees,” he said. He paused for a moment, noting the incredibly creative brilliance that went into the making of such an exotic and interesting playing field. “Curin certainly knows how to make a scene.”

A sound. It was faint, and far off, but Xoco knew he had heard it before. It was the straining of wood, the slight creaking of a bow crafted of real yew, as it was being bent to its very limits. He turned on heel, looking across the water at the assassin. Not one, but three metal tips glinted in the sun as she drew the bow back, releasing the arrows. Each of them arced gracefully, flying across the gap with deadly accuracy. Xoco waited for the opportune moment, watching each missile as it hurtled towards a painful confrontation with his midsection. The tips each shone with a superior brilliance thay betrayed the magical nature of the arrows. Certainly something to avoid at all costs.

And yet, the way they were flying was unnatural. The cross-wind was strong, and it rippled the leaves on the trees. The arrows should have been directed to Xoco’s immediate right upon firing to account for the wind sheer as they flew towards their target. And yet they were entirely unaffected, seeming to fight against the wind to stay on course. Not only that, but the arc they flew in was not nearly high enough to bridge such a large gap. A trained archer would have shot them up, in a high trajectory, to ensure that the power of the bow would provide extra flying distance. These arrows should have dropped into the water a long time ago, and yet they flew perfectly, as if guided by an unseen force towards their intended target.

Xoco had seen this spell before. The arrows would stop at nothing to hit their target, dodging obstacles and shield to strike their intended target. The caster, however, had no control over where the arrows hit the target, only that they would draw blood. He had only one way to counter the spell. Xoco raised his hand, moving his fingers ever so slightly to the left. The magic was strong, his telekinetic powers drawing the arrows ever so slightly off course. He turned his body at an angle, watching as the arrows bore down on him with near-deadly accuracy. He guided the tips past his torso, watching as they grazed his arm. Each arrow hit him, slicing a small cut into his upper arm. The three cuts dripped blood down his forearm. They stung, more than they should have. He felt the electric shock of the holy energy as his flew down his arm, causing momentary numbness and a distinct burning in the wounds which continued even after the feeling had returned to his arm. With the True Flight Arrow spell satisfied, they slammed into the ground, burying the tips into the dirt.

Xoco grimaced slightly, wincing at the pain. His pain turned to a flare of anger, his attention turned back to his opponents. He would make the assassin pay for that, and pay dearly. He watched as the two of them teleported across the waterway, making a rather anti-climactic escape from the peril that Jupiter had so masterfully crafted on the other island. At least now they could make a more informed confrontation. Xoco wondered how long they had spent on this particular patch of soil. It had only seemed like a few moments, but perhaps that was all it took to anger the trees. He readied himself, taking mental note of the location of the bridge by which they would escape when the Trees awakened.

Their opponents appeared a short distance away. Xoco’s mind raced, thinking a few quick means of dispatching them, or at least hindering their progress so that he and Jupiter could escape to the next island quickly when the time came. He flipped through the pages of his mental spellbook, wondering which of his many tricks to employ here. He could cast a large bolt of black lightning at them, or perhaps turn one of them to stone, or set them on fire, or drain the life out of them with but a touch. All of these things, though, were too easily countered, and these two had already proved to be a clever pair. He needed something a little more... concrete. Thinking, his eyes flicked to Jupiter, and an idea came to him. With a few words and a quick hand motion, he employed one of his most-used spells, an incredible strength enhancer which infused his muscles with the might of a dragon.

Keeping an eye on their adversaries, he shouted, “Jupiter, here!” He cupped his hands as if he was going to give his partner a boost. But that was hardly his objective. His partner launched himself up, and Xoco grabbed him by the ankle. The brawny man, who probably weighed as much as 200 pounds with all of the rippling muscles that burdened his frame, was nothing more than a toy in Xoco’s hands. The effort of lifting the warrior seemed like picking up a quill pen. He turned once, like a discus champion, careful to ensure enough clearance such that he would not smash Vaudeux into anything. At the precise moment, he released, sending his partner flying through the air like a deadly missile. He knew the fire maia would react quickly, and react he did. While he was hurtling through the air towards their opponents, he burst into flames, becoming a streaming projectile of raw power.

A smile came over Xoco’s face as he followed his partner on foot. He drew his sword, gripping it in his right hand as his left came up, He whispered a few words, feeling the magical energy welling up and pressing against his fingertips. When the short incantation was through, he released the energy, sending a torrent of black fire hurtling directly at the assassin. He followed the fire one foot, hiding behind it and jumping through the wave of energy as he approached the other two. He exploded out of the energy, taking a swing at the Silenced mage with his lethal broadsword.

In his mind, a clock was ticking. He knew they didn’t have much time; this skirmish wouldn’t last long before the Trees decided to end it.

Nathaniel had to act fast. It was the clearest thought he could manage, given the high intensity of the battle. His blood pounded like a furious orc, slamming against his flesh as if it may burst free. Every breath he drew was painful, causing him to twist slightly to the left like some maddened street rat. Under his flowing cape and dark colours he wore a winter's embrace, an article of fine craftsmanship. The cold cloth, pressed against his bare flesh, helped numb some of the stinging pain. However, it had the added effect of freezing the layers of clothing outside of it, thus indenting them painfully as frost gripped the woven thread and tried to hold it fast.

The blow hadn't been enough to kill him, but it had knocked him off kilter. As he scrambled up to locate Jade, he found a second tree uprooting him through a well placed low root. Nathaniel's ankle flared, but not as much as his skull might have been had the downward blow aimed by the tree connected. Instead a slender frame came in view, and without thinking he latched on. The brutal impact of the branch hit the ground instead, burrowing deep past grass and mud. Then, with the intruders gone, the trees seemed to resume their still stance, roots snaking back into the ground and torsos standing straight. It was disturbing, but Nathaniel didn't have time to dwell on it.

"Good, very good." The warrior commented, knelt on the platform and holding his jaw. A well placed kick had knocked him over, and now he nursed the wound like a gentle father. It hurt, and would no doubt bruise later, but that was precisely what he needed. The pain added realism to this match, an adrenaline that could not be achieved otherwise. Carefully he rose from his fallen position, and looked to Jade with approval. "It isn't enough, though. Fighting is an art form... to master it is to master all of its aspects."

He crouched low, then made the jump to a lower platform. His forearms hit first, then the momentum brought him full force and into a roll. At the end of it he was able to raise, uninjured. Another platform was just barely beneath this one, and with the ability to hover or jump twice within the air one could simply get atop this one from there. Nathaniel dropped the short distance, knees bending as his feet touched the platform. "We need to be in sync as well, Ms. Valdis. One of the most hypnotic features of the snake is its movement. Even attacking as one; we must move as one as well. That means knowing what the other will do, besides violence."

Another jump, this one bringing him into a crouch when he landed. The water rose just below his waist, but when he stood straight it was again at his ankles. He spared a glance to the sky, then looked back to his partner. "I want to try something. Thadius here," He gestured to a man who was dark from years of labour in the sun, and wore the hardened muscles of a mountain bear. "Will set it up for us. The object will be to break the vases. But,"

He produced a rag from his pocket, which was sopping wet from the falls he'd taken. A single glance to Thadius was enough to bade him to fetch another, and Nathaniel slipped it into his pocket. "I will be mute. And you; deaf. See if you can still find the vases, and understand my actions." Thadius, employed by the manager of this training area but not Nathaniel himself, returned. In his hand was a long white bandage, which initially appeared to be for wounds. It was crusty and worn, but it at least was dry. Wrapped in it were twin metal casings, that looked to be for the ear. The inside was the hollow design of the ear, and a small thimble like bulge was no doubt to enter the ear. The design would minimize the ability to hear.

In his other hand, Thadius procured a long piece of paper. Nathaniel took it graciously. When Jade had come down, Thadius moved out of sight. Slowly, the sound of cranks could be heard. The soft clinking of porcelain could also be heard distantly, though it was light and clearly not enough to break anything. Large wooden beams seemed to come in sight, blocking the sun's light. It was amazing to watch; the massive beams like black curtains, closing on the outside. It had the profound effect of instilling a sort of claustrophobia.

When it was sealed entirely, only a single beam of light still entered. From above, a hole seemed to be cut just where Nathaniel stood. An examination of the ground revealed a worn dias; no doubt how he'd known where to go. In this pale light, he offered the sound-impairing devices to Valdis. "You will not know which platforms have vases, or even where they are. Some are safe; others have dangerous creatures."

He straightened some. "From here, you will be able to see me no matter where you are. I will direct you, without words, where to go and how to remain safe. Afterwards, if you wish, we can switch roles." When Jade inserted the impairment devices, he nodded off in the direction Thadius had taken. The whistle of ropes sounded, before the soft thunk of porcelain descending upon wood. The sound wouldn't be heard by the assassin, which meant she couldn't rely on where she'd heard them. She only had the ability to ensue her fate to her partner. Nathaniel gave a nod off to the great beyond, then fastened the bandage around his mouth. Just to be sure he wasn't caught off guard.

Hopefully Jade would remember where the last platform was from their sparring and constant movements around it. However, she would need to make a noise for him to know where she was. From there, he would need to figure out how to direct her. A glance down to the paper in his hands revealed the layout of platforms, and which vases were safe. Nathaniel eyed them quickly, then tried to seek out his partner in the inky blackness. The light around him had blinded him however, and any hopes of adjusting to the darkness beyond was gone. This was as much a test of his fortitude as her own.

They had spent many hours perfecting the art. Many hours figuring out tiny gestures to signal the other, small twitches of the head or touches to the shoulder to immediately state what was needed. One of the first things they'd mastered was teleportation; a grasp. Nathaniel need only grab her, and they could teleport. The necessity for such a silent language was due to their hidden traps, and the fact they were relying on stealth to defeat the guardians. Which seemed to be defeated entirely as they were brought to the platform with the pair of them, the visage of Black Flame awe-inspiring and brutal at the same time.

Nathaniel saw Xoco's movement and interpreted it quickly, moving with haste to the edge of the platform. Jade had done well to place them here; it gave them a long distance and thus made them safer from the wrath of the guardians. It also meant they were backed in the corner, but that was necessary if they were to trick the others into such a corner as well.

Without hesitation he drove his fist into the water, forearm disappearing into the depths. And, within seconds, the powerful jaws of a white dolphin clamped down on it. Bone and flesh crushed, his precious clothing tearing. The only reason his arm was not fully shorn was because the instant the teeth connected with the winter's embrace the creature was forced to an instant freezing. The power of it had still mangled his arm though, and he knew it would be pointless to try using it again in this fight; lest he lose it entirely.

Quickly he turned, striding ahead of Jade to defend her with his body. Both guardians were already coming at them, and Jupiter had met the highest crest of his leap; now he was simply falling. Grasping the snout and gums of the dolphin with his other hand, he let his tightly held holy staff clatter to the ground. Then he tore the beast free of his arm, flinging it full force at the oncoming shadow blast and guardian beyond it. The animal, freed of the freezing embrace, awoke instantly and hungrily. Blood sprayed in a small arc from Nathaniel's arm, and the pearly teeth and muzzle of the exotic aquatic beast wore the same bright, watery red.

The arc did not end with the throwing however; instead he ducked into a low spin, catching his staff up and bringing himself up once more as he spun again. Vaudeux was too close for him to run; he would still be injured. Instead he willed the power of the winter's embrace into his staff. Realizing the tendons of his left arm would never hold against the onslaught, he turned sharply enough to the left to swing the staff full force at the face of the guardian. The mace was terribly good at mangling faces; he knew from firsthand experience, and with its combination of holy and ice imbuing he imagined it to pack quite a punch if it connected. Hopefully that was the case, for he could not imagine the fast falling meteor twisting away in time.

Whether it connected or not, though, he wasted no time. Jade had fired from behind him with more arrows; hopefully to deal with the other guardian that he'd lost sight of. The shattered arm was flopped against her side like a drowned fish, and as second nature she brought him to where they had planned all along. Just as he knew she would; just as they had sworn one another. His right arm was singed where it had gotten too close to the warrior of flames, though he'd held onto it as low as he could without breaking grip. The knuckles wore telltale blackened stains, crackles in the flesh showing moist pink flesh.

The edge of the forestry leading to the initial platform was where they could be seen, the place still visible from the second island. Within moments they disappeared into the thicket though, hidden by flora and fauna. Within these precious lands traps had been set; careful and deliberate. They had been sure not to disturb the landscape when they'd set them, careful to maintain the natural beauty and ensure it stayed as such so that the others would not expect.

Falling to the base of a tree, Nathaniel rested his back against it and panted weakly. His arm was on his lap, and he was still curled inwards. However, a twisted grin touched his lips, giving the thoroughly ruffled warrior a feral look. This had been planned from the start. The guardians would no doubt seek to push their 'advantage', and follow without thinking. Even better, they had been duped into using their magic early on in the game. Nathaniel still had his full arsenal of mana, even if it was somewhat out of reach.

Touching the side of his forefinger to his nose, he rose both middle and forefinger in a silent gesture. Soon. Soon he would be able to heal these injuries, soon they would defeat the guardians, and soon they would claim the prize. For now, he was content to wait a short distance from the entrance, waiting for signs of the noisome bunch. When they heard them he could again move, but for now he needed to conserve his energy. Every breath was painful, and he kept from fading into shock only because of the training he'd done with Jade. He'd been smart to keep from healing after every wound; the pain had kept his endurance going.

Carefully he shifted, grinning to his partner in reassurance. Then he rested the holy staff on his lap with his right hand, letting the cold metal rest against the wound caused by the white dolphin, his right hand resting on it as well. He couldn't place the back of it directly against it, or it would risk peeling the flesh away entirely. Instead, he was forced to wait for osmosis. Despite this, and even though his vision jerked every few moments into a spike of colours, he couldn't help but feel thoroughly confident. For the snake was a predator who could survive the most brutal of thrashings, and even now Jade was able to prepare with her arrows to pierce the hearts of the guardians.

The House of Black Flame had underestimated their foes, and left their defense sorely lacking. Now the snake would borrow into that flesh wound, and devour them from the inside out. The pair were brutal, but the Voice of Chaos had cunning on its side. That would be their eventual success in this place. Even now, the guardians likely had no idea that the upfront assault had been planned, nor did they realize their use of mana was foreseen and calculated. Such things usually were beyond Goliath, before he was felled and left to rot in the desert sands.

Fear was something that every normal warrior would be going through at this very moment, but fear was not a factor at this point in time. Fear was nothing right now thanks to outside factors that were falling into place directly as planned. One could as how could fleeing opponents and a hurting partner be a good thing, but the truth behind it was that Jade and Nathaniel had something up their sleeves that left a smile on her face as a bead of sweat trickled down her brow and watched the guardians running. It’s a sad thing when you’re a mere mortal and you watch the near death and instant fleeing of two guardians who try to hold themselves on an incredibly high stature. It’s a sight that would almost never happen, but here two normal beings without any godly powers witnessing the scurrying of two godly blooded beings. How sad.

As a second sweat bead ran down her brow, the quick churning of energy revealed the planning of their sweet and brutal plan falling into action. Jade flicked her fingers lightly as she counted the seconds until she felt the warm soft hand of Nath on her soft skin. As her fingers flicked in the air causing a light current of cool air to blow in between the rest of her fingers, she watched the arrows she shot chase the guardian of shadows. She had shot simple arrows at him this time, but what the guardians didn’t know was that she had created a custom set of arrows before the battle. She had taken some of her arrows and broke the tips off and tied them together and tied the newly custom tips to one stick combining the power of her arrows effect. She used most of her arrows in this process making arrows such as holy tipped and poison tipped tied together, and barbed and lightning. A simple but deadly mixture of effects that could be unleashed. “There.” The silent assassin thought to herself as the hand touched her sleek body using the energy prepared, teleported within a blink of an eye.
~~
Jade jumped between platforms as her blows landed and she tried to keep herself in a tight and focused state of mind. She absorbed the teachings of Nathaniel like a sponge. She was silent but still soaked it in. Instead of having a back and forth conversation with Nat, she kept her focus and listened carefully to every word he said. The advice he gave was brilliant and masterful. The only reason she was so intrigued by this was the simple fact that she had never fought on a team basis and had always stayed the solo act. Here Jade was now, fighting in a team that would be the best even after this tournament was over.

Graceful, agile, and sexy. All words that Jade lived up to and she showed it even in the midst of battle. She resembled an angel as she landed on one platform and leapt into the air to land on another. Her movements were swift and keen, her breathing was short and staggered to not bear her down.

She paused on one of the pillars to give time for Nathaniel to catch his breath and to give her long slender legs a quick rest before the next array of motions. As she stood on the pillar, arms crossed and eyes closed, she let the gentle breeze and sound of water fill her ears. The calm peaceful sounds that put to ease any warriors mind. As she listened to her lush environment, the sound of his voice broke her blissful state.

Within moments after he was done with another small speech and after the dark skinned man had had played his part, everything started to go dark. Jade was motioned to get a set of items that looked like ear plugs which made complete and total sense if she was to be deaf. She hopped down pillar after pillar and took the plugs and quickly jumped backwards to another pillar and inserted the plugs. The sounds that were previously heard were now gone and her ears were tainted by silence. Her eyes were tainted by darkness, and her spirit was blooming with light and joy. A joy that comes with the feeling of success. But what was there to have a successful feeling over though? The fight with the guardians had not started yet, but the fight was already over with Nathaniel M. Rystoff and Jade Valdis as the victors.

Everything went dark within seconds as the only sound she could here was her own short and shallow breaths. She was deaf, and he was mute, but they were both somewhat blind. She could see him and only him, while he could see the pillars a small tad, but couldn’t not see her. This was a real challenge that pushed the limits of a partnership and showed that one could do things in cooperation without verbally speaking. The effects of team work could be greatly increased if plans could be executed without verbal warnings. By simple gestures established between the two of them, a lot more can be done with a higher secrecy involved.

Jade clapped her hands one time that she could not hear but to Nathaniel, it would be a way for him to keep her location at all times. Jade jumped from one platform to the next and clapped her hands again giving Nat her new position. Whenever she reached a new platform she copied that same tactic and watched as his simple movements lead her to the first vase which she shattered quickly and jumped to the next platform. The platform in which she jumped to after the one with the vase was one in which Nathan tried to motion not to go to but she read his movements wrong. A large stinging pain surged through her body as a creature had bitten her on her leg. Trickles of blood seeped though the tiny holes. ~snap~ The creature let out a yell that Jade did not hear as she snapped the animals neck. This was the exact reason behind the training exercise. This is why they were doing this now, so no mistakes could be made in the heat of battle.

A small thud resounded and a small patch of dust kicked up as the two of them appeared on the dry land after the quick teleportation. The guardians were not very far away but they were already on the move. Nathan had nodded his head as Jade quickly reacted. Jus tlike in training, it was the signal for the surprise they had in store for the two guardians from the start.

Jade and Nathan had arrived at these islands long before the two guardians did. Doing so, they planted traps in various places, but most of them were set in the exact spot that they were on at that very moment. Some of the traps that were set were normal traps that would render the two of them crippled quickly. Vine whips ready to strike, and projectile after projectile ready to be unleashed at a moments whim. Sharpened sticks, arrows, throwing knives, shurikens, and other random projectiles they could find were ready to go off. Most of them were meant to cause a major distraction to throw the two off kilter long enough to be struck with some of the bigger traps and tag team attacks the mortal pair had mustered up. Giant boulders were being held back by short vines, vines with daggers on the tips ready to lash out, and other very random and very deadly traps that were ready to be let off.

With a snap of her body, Jade ran into the thick forestry not far away and quickly jumped into a tree. The trees would awaken soon so this would have to be fast. Jade clutched her bow in her hands tightly and knocked a barbed arrow into it and took aim for a small bush a few feet away. Tied to a rock in the bush was a string that led to a small vine whip that released a few projectiles. These projectiles were the custom arrows that Jade had crafted and merged together. A bunch of randomly combined arrows and two of her shurikens.

Nathan had acted as a tank, just like he would have in the beginning, and as time ticked to the right moment, once the guardian of fire and the guardian of shadow were placed in the exact position the barbed arrow flew through the air and cut the string with perfect aim. This let off the array of small projectiles and sent them hurtling at the guardians at incredible speeds.

“It doesn’t end here.” She whispered as she locked one more arrow into her bow. She shot the arrow in a diagonal direction into the air. The arrow flew through the air making a small whistling sound as it hit the leaves and finally connected with the tree. Once the loud thud was heard it was time to move for a loud rumbling sound followed directly after. In a matter of seconds, a large log with arrow tips lodged into it fell at back breaking speeds aimed to hit the two guardians. The arrow tips were faced with the pointed side outwards turning the simple log into a lethal spiked weapon that could just about turn the tides of any battle.

A smile wiped across Jade’s face as she threw the only throwing knife on her to a tree beside her which released a pile of rocks and sharp sticks. The rocks and thick sticks were not normal, they had been carved and sharpened and at the speeds they were moving, they wouldn’t just scratch, they would impale. The way the traps were set up was that if either guardian tried to dodge either of the three traps, they would run head on into the other. They had to think quickly on their toes to get out of this pinch, for Jade had locked one single arrow into her bow and aimed it masterfully at either guardian for the traps were just the stalling of the much bigger effect to come. Seems like the snake started to make its move, always sneaky, always sly, but brutal when bitten. These two were about to be locked in the jaws of the two headed snake. Check and Mate.