[ARENA] The duel

[Qhell~Velladorn]

[color=crimson:3hpp36v8]A lone male stands it the middle of a forest clearing. Near him lays a pack and two sheathed bastard swords, while in his hands rest two poles of equal length and weight of his normal weapons. He stands there and awaits his opponent, not moving or flexing a single muscle as he has been disciplined to when thinking on the act of swordplay.

Covered from head to foot in light leather armor the male takes a seat on the ground, his long flowing silver hair tied back from his face in a ponytail. Once seated in an indian style positionhis bright green orbs close and he starts breathing seep breaths, relaxing his body and clearing his mind.

As he continues to sit and meditate his body starts to lift from the ground, and he extends his legs back to there full length and settles down to the ground. When his eyes open again, all thoughts are gone from them. His mind cleared he walks oer and takes a waterskin from his pack and drinks from it while he awaits the arrival of his opponent.

After drinking from the skin he walks back to the center of the clearing and takes his seat once again, his eyes resting on the only path the person he waits for will be able to come through. A slow smile spreads across his face at the thoughts of the upcoming duel, [i:3hpp36v8]another test to prove my skills, or one to teach me a lesson if I happen to be bested,[/i:3hpp36v8] he thinks to himself as he calmly waits.[/color:3hpp36v8]

[Verlansia Arseaniamaen]

[color=orange:2w81kw0g]The ground vibrates as the sound of hoofbeats trample through the forest. A small glint of reflected light fashes upon the lone male's face. Before him a massive unicorn stops short, dust curling up at its feet and mist streaming from its nostrils. The stately unicorn bows his majestic head and lowers his shoulder to allow an elf maid with waist length flaming red hair safe passage, to descend his back. As soon as she has released her hold of the silken strands of flowing white mane and dismounted his muscular frame there is a whirl of white light. The last of which can be seen is his tail in the swirl of dustswept wind.

She steps forward with a half smile and rapier in hand at her side. Her softly glowing amber eyes seach over him and their surroundings. She is wearing forest green tinted leather armor and carrying a few pieces of weaponry in a rucksack. She speaks in sylvan.

[b:2w81kw0g]"What took you so long?"[/b:2w81kw0g] [/color:2w81kw0g]

[Qhell~Velladorn]

[color=crimson:341k520a]The drow male smiles and stands when the elven female speaks to him. [i:341k520a][b:341k520a]Unlike you, I had to walk to get here. Travelling upon a magical beast would have been grand, but unicorns favor the followers of Meilikki more than those of Eilistraee.[/b:341k520a][/i:341k520a]

As he is speaking the young male walks toward the woman, both poles resting under his left arm and extends a hand to her, not wanting to begin the trial between the two in an unfriendly fashion, causing blood to boil, and maybe one or both to be hurt. [i:341k520a][b:341k520a]Lorn Moonchaser, m'lady. Ranger of the forests and servant of the Dark Maiden.[/b:341k520a][/i:341k520a] At his mention of the great goddess, the drows' green eyes sparkle some, like some inner fire comes to bear at the mention of one of the Maidens many names, and his smile seems to brighten as well.

As he stands there with his hand politely extended Lorn takes note of the womans weaponry, admiring it in the time it takes an eye to blink. Having done this, possibly without her realizing, his calm visage settles upon the woman once again, the smile still on his face and in his eyes.[/color:341k520a]

[Verlansia Arseaniamaen]

[color=orange:21dzomyz]Chattering squirrels appear among the vast limbs of the many old oak trees, some cling to neighboring trunks. A glint of reflected sunlight again fashes before Lorn's eyes. The elf is wearing a silver symbol over her chest. It is a silhouette of a unicorn rampant in front of a full moon. The flame elf has very fair skin with a luminous bronze freckling. She extends her free hand to Lorn with a lift in her half smile.

[b:21dzomyz]"Verlansia Arseaniamaen, Beloved of Valarian. " [/b:21dzomyz]

She nods her head toward the direction from which the unicorn departed.

[b:21dzomyz]"We serve the Moonlight Stallion, Valarian. He teaches the protection of woodlands and proper respect and reverence for the natural good aligned magical beasts that dwell within them.[/b:21dzomyz]

Her amber eyes glow with the cheerful warmth of twin flames.

[b:21dzomyz]"Perhaps in this we have some things in common."
[/b:21dzomyz]

She carefully slips her spiral wrap rapier into a green frog leather sheath holster and removes the rucksack from her shoulder.[/color:21dzomyz]

[Qhell~Velladorn]

[color=crimson:20kctww2]Lorn takes the prffered delicate hand of Velansia as she extends it and bows over it, placing a gentle kiss upon it. Coming back up from the bow and kiss, his head tilts as he listens to her words, a slow smile coming over his face.

As she starts to dig in the rucsack he steps back and speaks to her, [i:20kctww2][b:20kctww2]Aye lady, we may have somethings quite in common, but then again we may not.[/b:20kctww2][/i:20kctww2] The smile still on his face, he takes the poles from beneath his arm, one in each hand, and awaits the lady to finish her digging. While doing this, he gets his mind focused once again on what is to come, trying to shake Verlansias' beauty from his mind and not get distracted by the fact that she's a femae.[/color:20kctww2]

[Verlansia Arseaniamaen]

[color=orange:enniporv]The elf maiden blushes as he kisses her hand. She removes her weapon and taking a green cloak from the sack, wraps the rapier in it, placing it inside. The flamelf then ties back her hair before removing a long wooden pole and round shield. She sets the sack against the side of one of the trees and turns to her opponant, walking to the center.

[b:enniporv]"Ready when you are."[/b:enniporv][/color:enniporv]

[Qhell~Velladorn]

[color=crimson:223ftuuu]Lorn bows to Verlansia after she speaks, then begins to circle her ina slow stalking motion, watching how she handles her pole and shield. As he circles her, Lorn slowly starts closing the gap, hoping that she will make the first move, and awaitng to see if she does or not.[/color:223ftuuu]

[Verlansia Arseaniamaen]

[color=orange:27e9ino7]Verlansia's facial expression becomes more serious in thought as she engages slowly. Her amber eyes maintain her control and focus on the positions of her feet, sword (pole), and her opponent's swords (poles). The flame elf lifts her shield and takes a defensive stance, allowing him to spiral around her yet she moves around with him, being sure to keep alert and keep her guard up at all times. Her sword (pole) is running from her hand just below her lower hip to right at the top of her head of fiery hair. Verlansia holds her sword (pole) firm in position yet loose in her wrist so as to remain flexible. She reminds herself to slowly extend her sword (pole) so as to keep her opponent far enough away from her, hoping there is a less chance of her getting sliced as if it would in an actually fight. Her glowing amber eyes size the dark elf up as to measure the distance between them and prepare to send a single strike. In an actual sword fight against an enemy of the forest she would have to end it with the first blow struck. If her blow misses, she would leave herself open to attack. The flame elf's eyes glance over this body, searching his form looking to see if she can find an open trajectory for her sword that will result in a positive hit. She extends her shield out in front to cover her from his opposing blade (pole) and extends her sword (pole) to stike into the joint of his shoulder. That is something she would do to disarm a sword weilding enemy. Her concern mere to disarm, not to kill.

The squirrels grow in number, filling the limbs of the forest oaks, they remain still, their tiny dark eyes watching.[/color:27e9ino7]

[Qhell~Velladorn]

[color=crimson:38xlv7jb]Lorns face stays as expressionless as possible, watching as the woman begins to circle with him. Noting the sublte shift of her shield and sword the drow male relaxes even more, praparing to defend and counter all at the same time. The pole in his left hand snaps up to block the sword thrust from the fire elf just at the last moment, possibly sending a shock through her hand and arm. Just as soon as his left hand moves, his right hand sings in a wide arc seeming to swing directly at her shield, but at the last instant he changes his aim and the pole drops toward her unprotected knees. Feeling his body relax even more Lorn awaits the sheild bash that sould come as the rtaliation to what his orignal aim was, unless she can shift it fast enough to block his changed strike pattern.[/color:38xlv7jb]

[Verlansia Arseaniamaen]

[color=orange:2s0u47wx]It is a bit of a shock as wood has a lighter density. Her sword arm swings in an arc down from the parry and curls back up in an attempt to hit back up from under the joint of his arm and shoulder, possibly to strike from the underarm up. She winces as his strike meets her knee and she lowers her shield just a bit to deflect another strike. Her eyes still set on the movements of his limbs. [/color:2s0u47wx]

[Qhell~Velladorn]

[color=crimson:26uo6ykn]Lorn his body completely relaxed now, sees her shield lower and also takse not of the switches angle of her sword. His mind and body moving as one as he flows from on the attack to on the defensive he moves of the side just enough to keep from being hit with the wounding blow to his shoulder. As he does so, his left balde comes donw from above onto her sword shile his right blade comes up from where it had conected with her knee, moving to catch her sword from underneath and cause it to flip from her hand. If his attack is succesful then he will move onto what ever flows from his mind to his body in the next movements of attack and defend.[/color:26uo6ykn]

[Verlansia Arseaniamaen]

[color=orange:353bnyd3]She keeps her wrist loose but her hand remains clenched tight. She is somewhat surprised by his counter manuver. She steps one leg back. With a low growl she then pushes her shield out toward his weapons where they cross, and pulls her sword (pole) back. The flame elf twirls aside from him, moving in the direction behind him, her feiry hair trailing with her, Verlansia smiles, her eyes glowing brightly. [/color:353bnyd3]

[Qhell~Velladorn]

[color=crimson:168whvsy]Feeling the shield being pushed against his body as a defensive action to free the womans weapon, Lorn rolls with it, tucking his shoulder and comeing to his feet just enough of a dostance away from her to get in a surprise attack. Snapping both his blades up in front of him in a salute to her skill, the young drow gives her a smile of his own as his eyes light with an inner fire.[/color:168whvsy]

[Verlansia Arseaniamaen]

[color=orange:mc9vtqvt]Her flame red curls comes to rest, laying over one of her shoulders and she raises her eyebrows. With a mischievious grin she lowers her head a little, moving slowly backward and to the outter most side. The elf spins her shield up high and strikes low to his side. [/color:mc9vtqvt]

[Qhell~Velladorn]

[color=crimson:16rvtz9n]The smile disapears froms Lorns face as Verlansia tries to nail him with an old trick that his trainer always used. Ducking low to avoid the shield swipe, Lorn riases the blade in his left hand to cath and deflect her sword while he slashes in hard at her completely exposed knees. The inner fire in his eyes becomes more intense now that hse has deiced to step up the pace of the contest.[/color:16rvtz9n]