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 Posted: Fri Oct 24, 2008 8:54 am
"Uh...why did I come here early?"
Euan, the glorious master of water, was becoming impatient for no apparent reason. His duties involved with his apprentices, new and old, were much more important than anything he would need to be doing at the moment, which was nothing.
Despite his mental rantings about, again, nothing, Euan noticed the sound of footsteps. Was it the newest apprentice, or an old one coming to watch? Whoever it is, they were about to face the master's wrath.
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Posted: Fri Oct 24, 2008 5:29 pm
Gabriela sneaked her way into the large room in which Euan was supposed to greet and train the new apprentice. Or so the rumors stated, anyways. She was wearing her usual getup, a long bleach white skirt and top matching set, golden wrist guards with knuckles and her trusty sword buckled to her side... just in case Euan went commando.
She leaned against the wall and her ocean blue eyes scanned the place. A water fountain kept a steady beat and the apprentice herself felt relaxed, feeling the water flowing within the palace itself. Water was such a beautiful element. Gabriela attempted to keep that train of thought rolling, but she met her master's frustrated gaze and sighed. "Erm... Hi Euan! What's up?" She managed to bring up a smile and stand up. She was in deep if he was in a bad mood.
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Posted: Fri Oct 24, 2008 6:03 pm
Raven walked along through the hall, the palms of her hands within her pockets. She was surprised she felt no sense of nervousness or excitement. Perhaps it was because the echoing sound of water calmed her. Keen on her appointment with her new Master, she was already sure she would get an earful for being late.
Exhaling slowly, she blew the ebony bangs from her line of vision. The emerald optics took in her surroundings with each step, impressed by the architecture of the palace. It brought back distant memories of a long, forgotten past. Raven had become aware of how clumsy and loud she sounded. The rough, black jeans brushing with each step, the loud echo of her black boots. The rustling of her long-sleeved maroon shirt, and the subtle clink! as the chain rattled along the blade of the Naginata strapped to her back. I'll have to work on my appearance and entrance more, she reflected.
It was then she saw him clearly, the Water Master she was to train with. The very stature of the man showed signs of impatience, and she smiled grimly. Quickening her pace, she found her self in the man's close range, perhaps eight steps away if one were to count. Halting there, she raised her gaze to meet the elder man's, meeting him squarely. She had picked up on the rumors, and chose to show no fear of the man, the grim smile fading away from her visage. "Apologizing for being late won't do me any good. But I at least arrived, which if more fair not wasting your time by not appearing at all. At least, theoretically speaking." Raven spoke clearly, listening at her own fluid voice echoing in the palace, dying away in the trickle of the fountian she spotted as being the source.
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Posted: Fri Oct 24, 2008 6:50 pm
"Hmph"
Euan didn't bother spending words on Gabriela's arrival. She wasn't big news, considering it was her home as much as it was his. Instead, he spent the few moment before the newest apprentice arrived glaring down the only hallway leading to this room.
His rage slowly quited though as the presence of a third entered the master's mind. The ability to sense any water, even in living creatures, coupled with the echo of footsteps signaled her arrival. But once she did, Euan's mood went from slightly irritated to completely stern. Still, the emotion was completely pointless and unnecessary, but it was exerted nonetheless.
Still not caring for legible words, the master just stepped forward and began circling the new edition to the water elemental family. Unsatisfied, he made a large grunt and strutted back to his original position. Making a quick decision, he turned and looked at Gabriela.
"Test starts now. Gabriela, force her to show me what she's got."
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Posted: Fri Oct 24, 2008 7:01 pm
Gabriela placed a carefully kept mask over her face, draining all of her emotion from it. The veteran apprentice drew her sword without a pause and already felt the water around her, keenly thinking through her attacks. "Yes, Master." She almost whispered before she disappeared from sight. At least, that's what she wanted the new apprentice to think. Gabriela had actually shot off heated water vapor from the soles of her feet, creating a slight mist but not as much of a show as a whole current of water would. It would appear, to untrained eyes, that she had dissolved into mist.
From the ceiling, she created water hooks, into which she slipped her feet, next to a large opening in the ceiling used mostly to keep the air flowing in and out. Gabriela used it to summon her shield, in which she had inserted water-filled orbs into. The gold item appeared and she fastened it to her right arm. With her left she held her beautiful amethyst sword, polished and embedded with sapphires. Her sky hair hung down but she still had a clear view of her opponent. Without hesitation, she drew her right arm back and swung the shield directly at the apprentice, the shield itself separating from the place where she could attach it to her wrist guards. It slanted at an angle so it wouldnt be a fatal blow, as most attacks with the jagged edges of it would prove to be. The water enchantress remained on the ceiling. [If you want a reference for my shield, look at the shield in the Holy Gauntlets, my sword is like the frostbite sword]
Almost like a shadow, She willed the water within her sword to move towards the far end of the hall and fly straight and true towards Raven. Either the apprentice dodged the gold shield or her sword. Gabriela prepared her next move from where she was on the ceiling.
[Btw, to clarify on the way she summoned her shield. Gabriela basically keeps it next to an open window in her room and because of the water within it (AND her sword) she can will them to go anywhere, really. So she didnt just make it appear, but instead manipulated the water to come to her through the windows =D]
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Posted: Fri Oct 24, 2008 7:36 pm
((Hopefully, this will make sense. If not, I shall be more than happy to create another approach. ))
---
The air within the palace had been very cool had been so very cool. Raven noticed the water vapor swirling like mist within the air. This was to be a test, wasn't it? She had eventually slown her pace, knowing it would cause her to be late. But it was best to be late and appear prepared than on time and unprepared, in this case. The aura seeped from the tips of her fingers, a glowing, mist-like substance that began to form and manifest a chain around the shaft of her Naginata's place. She removed the Naginata from around her head, tossing it forward and into the air.
As the chain solidified to resemble a true chain, it willed the water vapor within the air to pull forth towards it. Forming into an undefined conglomerate, the water began to manifest into an vaguely designed human shape. Raven was concentrated on the form, her own image forming in her mind's eye, the aural gravity reshaping the water, until it resembled her own form, which reached up, the water pressure and current rushing through the 'body' to imitate her own gait and movements, as though it were real. It caught the Naginata, the chain clinking as it served to bind the form together. With a part of her own being attached to this manifestation, it would serve to speak on her behalf should her clone need to speak at all. She watched her own image walk down the Hall to meet the Master, hoping her suspicion of this test were indeed correct. The stillest body of water can reflect the sky perfectly. Water can serve as the calm illusion, she had reflected silently.
---
Watching the angle of the shield, she noted the angle and path of trajection as it flew for her. Her concern did not lie with the sword as much as the shield. The way it moved, it were as if it carried more weight than it should have. The very scent of water reeked from it, and she wrinkled her nose, suspecting it to carry more than it appeared. Grasping the familiar shaft of the Naginata, the chain rattling loudly, the eighteen inches of steel relinquished from resting along her shoulder blade. Her movements as fluid as water itself, she dipped low as the shield came into close range, knowing the sacrifice would have to be made. Shifting the Naginata within her grip, the butt of the Naginata shot up for the upper inner rim of the incoming shield, avoiding its edge in an upper-cut motion. She changed the trajectory, the force of the shield diverted from it's original path towards her.
Stepping forward to regain her stance, the sword permeated her being, cutting right through her. The chain of the Naginata shattered, dispersing into its original, nebulous form. The being that had arrived to greet the Master and face her opponent burst into a puddle of water, revealing itself as having been an illusion.
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Posted: Sat Oct 25, 2008 5:26 pm
"What the..." Gabriela growled and closed her eyes. That little chicky was farther along in her training than this apprentice certainly imagined. She herself hadnt been able to do illusions that well until a couple of weeks under her master's wing had passed. After a couple of seconds the irritated apprentice caught her opponent's magic print. Cove had taught this to her, each elementer makes a slight change in the natural flow of things when they use their magic. It was easy to identify that this was a water user, due to the... feeling of her magical aura. It wasnt as big as Euan's, but that was to be expected.
Gabriela drew the water from her opponent's surroundings and created hundreds of spheres that were approximately an inch in diameter. The balls surrounded the new apprentice and were launched at her. Before they made contact, though, Gabriela made sure she slowed the molecule's pace and froze the balls in mid-strike, thusly pelting the new apprentice with a mini-hail storm. When she froze them, she had also made sure to relinquish all hold on the now frozen projectiles and disengage her own feet from the ceiling. These actions relieved the slight pressure that manipulating water often created.
Now, with sword and shield in hand, Gabriela walked out of the large room and to where she sensed her opponent. Blade raised at the ready, she faced the apprentice.
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Posted: Sat Oct 25, 2008 7:19 pm
Raven's true being slipped from behind the fountain. She had long-since trailed after her clone, slipping to the side of the fountain. Observing the movements of the elder apprentice, she dipped the palm of her hand into the water of the trickling fountain. "Hm. I think this will do."
Standing abruptly, she shifted her form, and dashed out into the open, watching as her Naginata dropped to the floor. Dipping low, Raven dropped onto her shins, sliding along the smooth surface of the palace floor. She pulled her back near the ground as she slid, the left arm slid out to grasp the Naginata as it rested on the ground. Throwing her weight to the right, she rolled onto her feet, the tip of the steel blade raced along the surface of the puddle that had once been her clone.
With a graceful arc, the flow of her aura raced from the tips of her fingers along the Mahogany shaft, extending to the tip of her blade. It drew upon the loose molecules within the air, feeling the drop in temperature as the balls of hail began to manifest around her. Exhaling slowly, she relinquished her aura, the water drawing forth as her concentration fell first to imitate that of the elder apprentice, the molecules slowing themselves as her aura crooned to the element, drawing it nearer to her.
Trickling like a wall, the ring of water began to solidify, the graceful arc almost complete. She threw her concentration on the lattice of ice forming into the wall of protection from the hailstones that were practically among her. Shards of ice chipped and flew off as the first wave threw itself against the wall at the elder apprentice's will.
Flinching at the impact of hailstones against her flesh, Raven placed the pain out of her mind, the Naginata completed it's full circling. The shards of ice that once served as primary protection forcibly knocked themselves against the last wave of hailstones, dropping them to the ground. She released her aural connection to the ice she had formed, the molecular speed increasing steadily as the ice began to melt.
Her gaze fell to the nearest tiny puddle of water, watching the ripples to form with each step the elder apprentice took. The emerald optics scanned the area, a tiny smile on her face. The conductor of sound waves with the recovery period between each shockwave of water told her precisely where her opponent lay.
Simply calling to the puddles of water around her, the pools of liquid began to form into a large circle before her very feet. The right heel of her boot rested on the surface, her concentration broke immediately. With a sigh, Raven focused on redirecting the flow of her aura along her feet, allowing a connection to manifest between the soles of her boots and the water she relied on for her next movement. Feeling the solidity, she felt reassurance at the moment.
Digging the left heel into the ground, Raven pushed off, the circlet of water wobbling beneath her. That was definitely something she would have to work on later as well, she reflect in a brief moment. Gliding along the ground, the water carried her along the smooth, cool floor. Locking the elder apprentice within her sights, Raven raised the Naginata, the blade of curved steel braced against her right arm. Drawing it forth before her, the left hand maneuvered the shaft, guiding it as she slid against the ground, the left heel pushing her as though she rode a board.
Closing into the close range of the elder apprentice, Raven flicked her wrist, drawing the blade in a waxing vertical arc. The water that she dipped along the flat-side of the blade pooled together at the tip, resting along the very edge as the aura remained tied to her hand. A sphere of water forming, she released her control, firing to sphere for the sword-hand of Gabriela upon entering the six foot range of her. Even if the woman was able to avoid the close shot, the acceleration of her Naginata's blade could prove to be dangerous. It was only a brief second in which she wondered what path Gabriela would choose. Slipping in her offense, or her defense?
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Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2008 2:30 pm
Gabriela moved her sword to her left hand and took the blow aimed at her. Crack. A sickening snap rung through the room and the elder apprentice's hand was clearly broken. The force of the water had twisted her wrist the wrong way and it just snapped. No grimace showed on her face, but instead the calm mask was broken by a sadistic grin. "I've been worse." She spat and a sphere of water of her own making circled her hand and a twin crack was heard. The clear liquid had forced the bone to realign and now the water molded to her hand, making a clear glove. This little begginer had wounded her, and now it was time to return the favor, Tenfold.
Sure, the pain was still there, but that didnt stop her from changing her shield's arm and now Gabriela swung at her oponent with her left arm. Ambidexterity was one of the many natural skills she harbored. Without hesitation or pause, Gabriela created spikes from the water around her body and mercilessly brought them down, along with the blade of her own weapon, on the young apprentice's body. It wouldnt be fatal, but the spikes would hinder Raven's moves. They surrounded the young girl like a death trap before shooting at odd angles of her body.
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Posted: Mon Oct 27, 2008 4:09 am
Even as she heard the sickening crack, Raven disregarded it. There was no point in being in a test if victory was that easy. Her keen gaze caught the sadistic looking grin on the elder apprentice, her thoughts reflected in the woman's words, even as she began to fix the wound temporarily.
Here, Raven was faced with another personal challenge. What form of art would she perform next; she could always dance. There was certainly no logic in using the same technique twice--she could have frozen the spikes to a point they cracked and shattered, but she had already proven to do so.
Without losing sync in her movements, the tip of her right root lifted on the shield-like puddle of water she rested on. Pivoting her petite form aroundin a circle, Raven pushed with her left foot, and entered into a series of spins. The very friction between the tip of her toe and the aura connected to it began to build up the water pressure there. As the spikes began to surround her, the puddle of water spun itself into several lines of ribbons, shooting them off. Each ribbon was tagged with a tracing of her aura, aiding the water pressure with enough build up to smash each spike head on, deflecting them and knocking them away. She felt a searing pain along her right thigh, knowing she had missed only a few, her aim far from perfect. Another sickening squelch was heard it one slashed through her shoulder.
Pushing the pain out of her mind, The blade of the Naginata descended as she brought her spin to an abrupt halt, a jarring sensation rocked through her arm as it met the blade of Gabriela's sword. Raven braced the Mahogany shaft around her the left arm, locking the scythe-like weapon in place, the steel blade hissing upon contact with Gabriela's own sword.
She chuckled quietly, amused by the spar so far. There was surely more to follow up with as it continued on.
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Posted: Mon Oct 27, 2008 4:24 am
A nod from Euan commenced the fight.
[align-right]
Gabriela's eyebrow rose and adrenaline surged through her body. So she also used dancing as a battle style also? Well, this battle had certainly gotten more interesting. She put all of her weight on her blade and knocked back Raven's own naginata. Extending an arm up to the sky, the one with the broken wrist to be exact, she formed twin blades of water on each side. The cloth coming from all of her anklets and wrist guard, which usually aid in the visual part of her fight, turned rigid with water too. Now she had two blades per arm and one on each of her legs.
"Get ready, you wont be laughing for long." She whispered, a hint of worry on her voice. Time to test out this new technique.
With trained agility, Gabriela jumped into the air and landed on her unharmed hand, holding the other to her stomach. She had discarded her sword during the jump and her shield was nowhere to be seen. Her legs spun in the air and she continued the flips. She flew through the air like an Olympic gymnast and her blows held true. She aimed for both of Raven's arms and legs, choosing to at least harm one so thoroughly that it wouldn't function correctly for a while.
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Posted: Mon Oct 27, 2008 7:57 pm
Raven sighed, humming quietly with the exhaling motion. She twirled upon her toes, dancing backwards, the palm of her left hand extending. She could feel the more natural connection, the steps familiar to her as she began the most basic of pattern dances.
It had been a bere three steps, the water pulled to the palm of her hand as she silently called upon it's uses. The Naginata had been knocked from her hand, but Raven knew she could do much better. The particles of water were quick to coagulate, forming a conglomerate that extended and shrunk in width, until a solid shaft-like appearance formed. Five feet in length, her concentratration upon the curvature that began to form. The make-shift Naginata complete in her grasp upon the last circuit of her third step.
"You almost left yourself open..."
Twirling the shaft in her grip, a simple thrust forward were aimed for the chest of Gabriela as she had moved to strike at both arms and legs. Having extended the shaft, she placed distance between her self and the elder apprentice, a keen eye trained on the smaller puddles of water around them from their Elemental use. The left hand traveled along the shaft, holding the Naginata as she truly would infront of her, the blade raised to strike for Gabriela's chest. The next move was her to choose, but this game of Chess would have to end soon.
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Posted: Tue Oct 28, 2008 4:15 am
With much concentration, the water blade aimed at her chest bent back and became a blunt stump."Remember? I can control water too." Gabriela spat and continued her own attack, still aimed at the young apprentice's legs. The edgeless item still knocked the wind from her lungs, but she continued. After a couple of sure strikes to Raven's legs, Gabriela drew back. A few flips and a leap got her all the way to the other side of the hall. Her shield was already on its trajectory, going so fast that one could barely see it, The ragged edges were aimed at Raven's legs.
Water tentacles shot out from under Raven's feet, too, and bound her down. Gabriela, determined not to make the same mistake, slowed the molecule's speed and froze the water that bound her to the floor. If that doesnt work, Gabriela thought with a grim set to her face, Then i have to finish it soon, my stamina isnt doing too well.
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Posted: Wed Oct 29, 2008 4:52 am
Even as Raven felt the bounds to her feet solidify, she began to counter, almost as Gabriela had done with her own blade. The molecular construction began to hasten, the once frozen bonds unbinding and falling to water at her feet. She rolled to the far left, feeling the shield whiz past her.
The pain was dull to her, something she had years of training to put out of her head. Glancing briefly to her legs, she grimaced at the shallow laceration inflicted on the back of her left calf. The Naginata that had formed from the water swirled from her grip, and began to encircle the open wound. The water discolored, swirling with red, before it withdrew back into the open wound. A wall-like barrier of water formed there, acting as a bandage whilst pulling herself to her feet. She checked the reflex of her leg; the tendon had not been slashed, but it would slow her down.
Keeping this in mind, Raven stumbled to her feet as she ran for the water fountain. Gods forgive me for this, I'll rebuild it later. She reflected. She stooped, scooping up her true Naginata as she found it along the floor. Raven grasped the shaft tightly in the left hand. With a twist of her body, she swung the blade as though it were a scythe, slashing at the water fountain itself.
With a loud crack, water began to spill onto the floor of the palace. And even as she stood there, she released a violent amount of energy, the water traveling along the ground erupted into large spikes of ice, coursing towards Gabriela.
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Posted: Wed Oct 29, 2008 3:16 pm
Gabriela didnt even blink and just merely pumped herself up to the ceiling with water and made two more of the same-styled hooks on it. With her feet secured, she directed a similar attack at raven. Gabriela manipulated the excess water that wasnt within a 10-yard diameter around the apprentice into a new set of spikes, all directed towards her. This time she focused all of her energy on controling them herself as they flew at her oponent. At this point, only Euan could truly take command of the spikes.
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