Soldiers and Demons

    It was getting late in the evening and near by a farm, the Salamander has found himself a good place to set up a little hack n' slash frustration area.

Xander was working his blade around the tree, each swing timed and each step moving with ease. The only thing off about his strikes is that were being driven by anger; A hidden frustration.

The vest he was wearing earlier was also nicely draped over the fence and the tunic had been loosened to give maximum movement.

    Setsuna had left the meeting, party, whatever they wanted to call it the moment the alcohol started getting distributed and it was only by chance as he was trying to take a walk to gather his thoughts, order his to do list, those sort of things. Eventually he would of returned to the city and ended up staying in some inn or getting on a boat to spend the night traveling. Either way he is surprised when he hears the sounds of combat and walks around a barnhouse slowly staff ready expecting bandits, goblins, something attacking a farmer. Instead it is Xander fighting a tree. The tree wasn't even fighting back, so Setsuna does what anyone would do in this situation, he stands there and watches. He doesn't make any unnessecary sound but didn't exactly hide his steps either, on one of the stronger attacks he'd probably even whistle.

    It is the whistle that gets Xander's attach after he hacks off a branch. The Salamander looks over, sweat on his brow, with his lip curled up a little showing those slightly fanged canine.

Though once he realizes /who/ it is, or at least more importantly what it is. He stands up a bit straighter and turns to face Setuna, as he flourishes he blade in a spin. "Need something?" He asks plainly.

    "Not neccessarily," Setsuna answers as he steps forward , pausing to take a moment to stash his staff into the inventory, as a sign of peaceful intentions. He then begins to examine the tree enemy from a distance and then over at Xander. "I am out for a moonlight stroll. I think the question is do you need something?" His head turns from the tree to Xander as he looks at the Salamander, " I mean I know we don't know each other well , or at all , however I have found that when someone starts attacking trees they are in need of something. Even if it is just a good axe."

    Xander chuckles a little then goes to sheath his sword back into the scabbard at his hip. "Just-- taking out some frustration." He then steps back over to the tree and pulls off a branch that has nearly fallen off.

He then tosses it off to the side. "Given there is not to many training dummies out this way. A tree sometimes does the job." The Salamander tilts his head lightly. "So does a duel as well, but you don't strike me as the dueling type."

The Salamander's tail flicks, as he goes to do a quick inspect. "Your name is... Setsuna yeah? Xander." He nods his head. "At least it is nice out... and it seems this side of the Dominion has no undead issues, only when you head eastern direction from the root city. They seem to stay on that side... For whatever the reason."

    Setsuna chuckles and looks down at himself, "Not a lot of magic users like me are typically the dueling type. " Looking back up he nods his head, "Setsuna Kibo, a pleasure to meet you Xander. I agree as well, it is a nice night out and not much danger. As long as you are not a tree. " Setsuna pulls his inventory up and retrieves his staff. " Can't say I have ever had the issue with finding a training dummy. I don't have to aim for a lot of my spells, the system takes care of it all. " Setsuna points his staff towards Xander, " Though if you are truly seeking a duel I am content to oblige. Who knows maybe I will even work up to the question of what has you so frustrated."

    Xander chuckles and gets a mild smirk on his face. "No. No. Most mages /don't/ duel." He then draws out his sword once more, as he watches Setsuna ready his staff, "But tell you what-- If I beat you. You can tell me why you're so interested in knowing... and maybe get me a drink or some food."

He then motions his sword tip toward him. "If /you/ win. I'll answer your burning question.. and maybe get you a hot meal. How does that sound?" Before he fires him off a duel request.

    The Human stares at the Salamander for a moment and then grins, " Ok but you should understand one thing. " Setsuna takes a step back and surveys the area , " The reason why some mages don't duel isn't because they don't want to. " A magic circle appears under his feet. " It's because some of us just don't play fair"
     Placing his staff into the magic circle Setsuna speaks up, " That which slithers I call on thee to reveal thyself and strike. " The brush begins to break as a few snakes come out of the underbrush and seem to be prepping to strike as Setsuna cast another spell, "Lightning strike" The snakes are buffed and gain an auro of static electricity. No real damage but will make things extra uncomfortable. The snakes slither towards Xander with intent to strike the moment they are in range.

    Xander grins gently as he watches Setsuna cast his magic, "That is perfectly fine." He suddenly goes to charge in. "Neither do I!"

One of the snakes comes in, and he creates a magical shield over his arm, which he uses to smack the snake right back for Setsuna's face; though however on return it happens to actually be on fire! Sadly however another leaps up from behind and gets ahold of his arm.

The Salamander growls as he rips it off, feeling the effects of the points and opens him up to take an electrical hit right square in the chest!

He grits his teeth,as his sword lights up with runes. Then with a turn of his body, a flash of electrical energy sparks directly toward the mage, as he uses the magical energy that struck him to counter it back in a less powerful form.

    Setsuna's cockiness gets him in the end, as he quickly gathers up the dirt infront of him to act as a second skin. The snake thrown back at him still bites through , on fire too, so it burned twice as much. He raises his staff at the incoming electric strike and as magic interacts with magic a blinding flash goes off in his face and his vision goes with it. Squinting as his eyes try to regain focus. " I think you are the first person with a sword I have seen fight smart. " He can still compliment, despite his blood and skin both burning, sides talking can by time for him to be able to see again.

    "One, I go back to Fragment Beta and to the very start of Elder Tale Online." He flourishes his blade, then his sword takes on a golden runes along the blade. Then with a swing of the tip across the ground and raise of the blade, the only warning was the rumble from the ground.

Soon vines shoot out and attempt to cut against Setsuna's skin with vile poison in those barbs. "Heavy raider and dueler! I live for this kinda stuff!"

    Setsuna can barely make something out coming at him. Really it is the rumbling in the ground and the sting of the barbs that tell Setsuna to jump back. The earth itself moving under Setsuna's feet to pull him back he can feel the blood tricking down his chest. " This stuff really burns the blood. " He takes a deep breath and begins to try to gain his composure enough to cast, " I require the eyes of the magus, grant me sight." His eyes glow and he can see even though he can't, able to see Xander through even the blindness. Then his big spell begins, "You were mistaken about one thing though Xander, there are undead here. " He touches the tip of his staff to the ground as he smiles, "Wake up, Xander requires training partners that can hit back." With that skeleton warriors rise from the ground and run in to attack Xander head on as Setsuna wears a cocky smile on his face once again. Like he has Xander right where he wants him.

    The Salamander watches the undead rise and grins slight. There was a dangerous look in those draconic fiery, gold eyes. With a battle cry he races right into the undead and goes to slash through them.

They do start to overpower him as he tries to cut a few down, but as he does so, Runes form under his feet as he then uses his free hand to make a sign of some kind in the air and then snaps his fingers through it.

    Like a spark of magic, the air around Setsuna tries to freeze over. Even as the undead try to hold him back, clawing into the Salamander, as red glowing marks form on his body from their attacks, he then shoves some of them off of him, before he swings his sword around, igniting with red runes and flashing into flame.

What Setsuna will see next is a wave of fire coming directly for him!

    Setsuna gathers air infront of him to protect him from the heat and flames. A bubble of air that seems to melt as if it had been turned to ice as the fire knocks him down leaving a burn across his chest and arms. "Ow ! What the hell was that." He meant more his shield turning to fragile ice then the wave of fire. He's seen fire , everyone in this world throws fire. Standing up he taps his staff to the ground again. "Looks to me like your friends could use more help." With that more skeletons rise up to attack and pile on Xander.

    Xander growls lowly as the mage calls up more undead. His eyes narrow sharply as he makes another motion with his hand. A shine of light surrounds him like a field, seeming to slowly increase his regen.

Then as the undead move in, he points his blade forward. "Burn." He says simply as flames erupt in front of him. Each of the undead burning up in flames as he walks forward, the flames dancing around him.

    He then uses his sword to cut down one undead, before another comes in and slashes its claws for his face. Where he moves his head slightly with the impact before he grapples the skeleton and chucks it into the wall of fire.

The flames then dance around his blade, before he goes rushing right for the mage, now forcefully closing the distance. The flames soon become thorns as the runes shift on the sword and he attempts to slash the blade directly at Setsuna.

    It's like a giant game of chess, knight takes black pawn, and then another black pawn and then another and another and finally another for good measure , moving his skeleton warriors into Xanders way. However the problem with skeletons is that they are rather frail and the vines are not something Setsuna was prepared for as they pierce his last skeleton and scrape him again. He should of just stayed at the bar and drank, at least the burn would have been good. Setsuna reacts by lobbing a ball of lighting at the sword of Xanders, whether it was avoided or touched it would explode in a blinding flash. As Setsuna steps back again he looks at the sky, "Did you know Summoners can summon things other then creatures. Like the weather, like lightning clouds. Now guess who is oppositely charged. " With that Setsuna raises his staff to the sky as he begins to dash side ways, letting the lightning rain down on Xander's location.

    Xander watches the mage closely, as he summons the lightning he creates a shield of magic to redirect the lightning bolt directly back at the mage.

However as he tries to move and do it again, he fails, getting slammed hard by the bolt of electricity when sends him down to a knee and blinds him slightly. His free hand touches the ground, as runes form at his finger tips. "... Nice trick. You are a pretty impressive fighter."

    He tries to look where the mage is. It is a blurry area. Hard to make out the details. Even his hearing is slightly off. For just a moment... He winces as his mind tries to go somewhere else, but he pushes through and uses that anger. That memory to drag the dirt up with his finger tips with a roar!

The ground under Setsuna shakes and then attempts to rise up directly under him and then crush him back down to the ground.

    "Thank you." Setsuna answers before he realizes he made a mistake, and bites his lip. Whether it was his voice or something else Setsuna's location is found as he feels the ground begin to throw him into the air. As he rises it up he shouts, "Spirit of the wind grant me flight." It may not be a permanent buff, but it was a momentary boost of buffs and jumping that allows him to stay in the air as the earth settles and Setsuna raises his staff, "Ball of lightning" He hurls an orb of electricity down at Xander as he then gradually lands and smiles. " Your poison still burns like hell"

    Xander can't see very well, but he can still hear slight, and he can pick up movements. Soon as the bright electrical ball comes in, he swings his open hand free. "Raagh!" He lets out as a wave of water rushes in front of his finger tips.

The electrical charge dances across the field of water like a crackling show of fireworks. It was also giving him time to adjust his vision as a few strands of electrical discharge dance across his scales.

Once he spots Setsuna, he drops the field of water and rushes in once more. His sword lightning on fire as he swings the blade not once, but twice at the Mage. Moving with the footwork of someone who has seen experience in combat not in the game, but also in real life.

    Setsuna raises his staff as his entire body glows in a dark aura as he raises his arms to block the blades head on, the human grinning as he looks Xander in the eye now that they are close. " You need to sharpen your sword, no wonder the tree was still standing." He smiles as he stomps on the earth and begins to activate his spell. " I summon the earth it self to strike you" With the spell cast Setsuna would leap back, letting the spell go off and attempt raise a pillar right up as if trying to slip an upper cut under Xander's guard. "Ready to accept your forfeit whenever you are."

    The comment about 'forfeit' gets Setsuna a look that could cut someone at the knees. Along with a sneer that goes along with it. As the ground gives way, the Salamander conjures up a magic shield that takes most of the force of it.

He can feel the rock chips that do get by clip against his shoulder and side of his cheek. Once he lands down though, he goes right back in with another strike of his blade, not seeming to give the Mage any quarter yet again.

    Setsuna's dark aura continues as he continues to do his best to block the sword strikes. It would appear at first glance that this aura was impenetrable, but then why are his sleeves being cut? Setsuna does his best to make some distance as he smiles. "Ok well if your not ready for the party to end then I am going to have to ask for my friends to come visit again." Knocking his staff on the ground the skeletons that lay scattered upon the field rise back up. " I also feel like I need to dress them appropriately." Dirt and rocks gather on the skeleton as there bone swords take on metal sheens and rocks fill in the weak spots of the broken bones. Now looking meaner and buffed up the skeletons charge at Xander as Setsuna says, " Black pawns takes blue knight."

    The Undead come once more and now Setsuna buffs them up. This means it makes it a bit harder for the Salamander to deal with. He drives his blade into them and tries to cut them down. Even brings of a bright shield of light to take of the hits that creates sparks of wisps when impacted.

While some of the hoard of undead do manage to get a few heavy hits here and there, Xander seems to refuse to give up the call to strike Setsuna personally with his blade.

Which this case, the Salamander breaks past his undead army and tries to slide in with an impaling strike.

    The Salamander growls at Setsuna's playful banter, before he brings up another field of flames to eat away at most of the undead once more, with a few more managing to shove him away, if not flat out cut across his body.

The Salamander staggers back as the fire wall dies down, before he then stands up fully. His sword lights up with purple runes, before he clasps it in both hands. Runes form under his feet as he raises it up.

The sky darkens and soon an electrical strike impacts the sword before he swings the blade with both hands sending a lightning strike right for the mage as thunder crackles in the air as it travels.

    Setsuna watches as his warriors fight Xander back and as Xander's sword begins to glow Setsuna tils his head , at seeing the sky darkens and knowing it wasn't his doing he mentally commands his pawns to sacrifice themselves again, the lighting scorching the bones black and Setsuna knocked off his feet by the remainder of the bolt. He coughs a little aas he stands, " Ok that stings a little. " Standing back up Setsuna's body becomes covered in the dark aura again but this time he pulls that aura towards his staff. An orb appearing on top of his staff as he throws it towards the warrior, " Again ready to..., "coughs again, " accept your forfeit whenever. Will even pass on the meal. "

    Xander moves in to strike, he creates a shield around himself as he rushes in, the dark wave slamming into it, as it washes around him.

As he gets in closer, that dark energy wrapping around his sword, as he ignites the blade on fire and goes to strike not once, but twice yet again. Though the dark magic trying to throw off his aim. "I am surprised you haven't figured it out already..."

"I don't surrender!"

    Setsuna feels the backlash from the shield and the electricity and falls to a knee. He was tiring, his vision was blurring from the system telling him he was near death. He sees the flames coming at him he forces his magic to move him along the dirt mostly out of the way but he was tiring. This was his last attack his magic was telling him he had and then he would simply have to swing his staff wildly, and he couldn't really do anything with that. "Black king takes blue knight." He raises his staff and calls down lightning once again upon Xander.

    Xander watches the mage start to struggle, the Holy Knight is not letting up, no matter how tired his opponent looks. No matter how much his own health warns him that he is getting closet to the read.

As the lightning strikes come, he continues to walk /toward/ Setsuna and says very calmly. "I think you are seeing the chess board all wrong, kid."

He raises up his hand and with each electrical strike, he uses a magical aura shield to direct it elsewhere, he continues to do that as he walks ever closer. Some of the electricity dancing across his scales that his magic doesn't fully deflect.

"While your playing two-dimensional.." He then swings his blade in there once more when he gets in close enough. "I am playing three!" Then another swing.

     Setsuna looks at his opponent block the majority of the lightning and just falls back and laugh. " Well you know they say the moment you see you read the board wrong you must concede. " He holds his staff up before he lays it down on the ground, much like someone might do to their king. " You win this time Xander." Setsuna smiles at Xander as he sits there and catches his breath, " Better than a tree?"

     Setsuna looks at his opponent block the majority of the lightning and then runs in for the strike. Setsuna takes it like a champ, head on no shield no magic, he just lets it hit and damn does that hurt. He goes sliding back and lays there for a moment before he begins to laugh. " Well you know they say the moment you see you read the board wrong you must concede. " He holds his staff up before he lays it down on the ground, much like someone might do to their king. " You win this time." Setsuna sits himself up still smiling taking a moment to catch his breath before asking, " Better than a tree?"

    Xander watches the mage go down and he aims the tip of the sword directly at Setsuna. It wasn't till he got the 'win' over his hud does he actually back off.

He then sheaths his blade, before extending his hand to Setsuna to help him up. "You did good..." He says softly. "You just need to learn to conserve your mana pool better."

He then sighs softly. "And honestly one part yes... another part no." He rubs the back of his neck. "But I thank you all the same." The Salamander then goes to rest his hands on his hips in thought.

    "After the tournament, I learned that fighting people is dangerous. I-- don't have very good control over my demons. Ghosts of my past." He motions to Setsuna, "I know I won, but... Here is a very simple explanation..."

Xander goes to cross his arms over his chest as he closes his eyes. "When you are the last survivor of your unit... It /stays/ with you and that memory... Their lives.. It haunts you. No matter where you go. Who you are with. It is always there, just slightly in the back, ready to snap."

His hands lower than down by his side. "Any further details, well," He laughs. "You'll just have to guess. Now, come on. Lets go get us some food... Then I'm going to get me a shower and some sleep."

     Setsuna accepts the help, " You need to make a choice fire, lightning, poison. Hate to say it your not a mage. You are a tank. Find a spot and don't move. " He critiques back as he brushes himself off. " I saw you hitting a tree. My kid use to always hit a tree or a pillow, or well anything he thought he could get away with when he was upset. When he didn't want to talk about his real bother." He was keeping his end of his deal at the least, " You are not my son, but you were pissed and a guildmate and one day you and I will likely be on the same battle field. So better to understand you now." He gestures towards town, " I believe I owe you a hot meal. "

    Xander shrugs softly. "I'm a Holy Knight. If I don't use magic, there is no offense ability. Besides," He laughs. "Have to have a means to deal with those pesky ranged people. /Like/ yourself." He says with a grin.

"Lets face it though..." He sighs softly. "The way things are going... No matter what we think is right or wrong, everything is up on its head and fobared. Best we can do," He glances over. "Is just get by day-to-day and hope we continue to stay on top."