Shortly after Valcrist finished speaking a slight breeze began to pick up, and the raindrops slanted ever so slightly. The wind attack! Valcrist braced his legs and began to judge if he could make it around the boulder in time. The wind did not gain any more force though, and Valcrist slowly calmed. I suppose I'm being hasty...but that was a sudden change of the winds...he didn't respond to me either, he must be plotting something. With this in mind Valcrist felt it necessary to be ready to move at a moments notice. What happened though was completely unexpected. The boulder which Crestierem had supposedly been behind exploded violently, and the the debris was sent hurtling toward Valcrist at an amazing speed. Valcrist acted immediately, turned on his heel, and made to dash behind the boulder he had been standing next to.

Made it! But Valcrist was too hasty in his presumption. As he dove toward the lee of the stone a large chunk of rock smashed into his shin, pulling him a few feet back through the mud. He was then picked up by the wind and slammed against the stone wall which had formed behind him. Most of the remains of Crestierem's boulder had already passed, but one last large portion found it's way into Valcrist's ribs before falling to the ground.

Valcrist now lay on his side, his head pounding and his body engulfed in pain. He attempted to prop himself up, but his mind screamed and his wounds forced him back down. He turned his head and vomitted into the mud.

The night waged on, Lightning erupted in the sky, etching its path through the darkness. Few mountains that belonged to Avalon scattered through the realm. Large birds of prey circled the mountains, Hawks, Eagles, and Gryphons waiting for a meal they hoped would come soon. A small heard of cattle grazed on the few flush areas of grass that was on the mountainside, working their way down. Goats also grazed on the mountain, eating nearly everything but the rocks themselves. Two fighters would come to the mountains this very night to see what fate has in store for them. The area they would be fighting in was made of large rock formations, boulders the size of taverns, to small rocks. There would be a few witnesses to this duel, and they sat on boulders to the side of the make shift arena that the mountain had provided for the two skillful fighters. The adult men were already making bets on the matches, drinking large amounts of alcohol. Yells, cheers, and boo’s echoed through the mountain as the small crowd anticipated a splendid duel. One man stood in the center of the rock formations, waiting for the fighters to make their way into the duel. The man would soon shout “DUEL!” Just below the mountain, in the foothills another duel was to take place.

Valcrist stepped forward. It was odd to see a crowd in such horrid weather, despite the circumstances. He had assumed that most in Avalon had long ago grown weary of bloodshed, but aparently the prospect of witnessing a round in the semi-finals could still tempt some souls.

Perhaps it isn't that bad. It's possible that seeing capable warriors who aren't orcs is uplifting. Valcrist scoffed. Capable indeed. I sure wasn't capable when it really mattered...no, I don't want to think of that. Maybe these peole are just looking for heroes. I would welcome them with open arms myself if there were any left. But heroes come in short supply when the odds are stacked against them. Valcrist moved a lock of hair away from his eyes. The rain was chilling and became as burden as it began to soak into his hair and cloak. This isn't good. Not only is my vision diminished, but if this takes long my cloak could become a serious hindrance. Valcrist shivered. I could sure use a warm bath right about now.

Moving another lock of hair out of his eyes, Valcrist looked to his opponent who was just entering the area opposite him. It was impossible to tell who it was at this distance; the rain turned the form into little more than a blurry mass. Valcrist found relief though in the knowlege that his opponent must be just as cold as he was.

Crest listened to the rain fall to the dirt, pounding the ground into a mud as he walked towards the center of the arena where his opponent waited. Crest examined the desolate area, trying to estimate his advantages and disadvantages from under his cloak and hood. This is a good area, Crest thought, It's very open, plenty of room to run and keep my distance, and the heavy rain is excellant cover for me, making my opponent almost as blind as I am. Crest thought with a slight smile. He lifted his hand into the rain with his palm towards the sky. It's a shame it's too damp for my firespells, but in its stead, I could use 'Cleansing Falls'. Lightning crackled the sky at that moment, lighting up the arena with such brightness that Crest could see the light from beneath his blindfold. That can also be my disadvantage as well, unfortunatly...

Crest shivered under the coldness of the rain just as he "saw" his opponent before him, though he would be a blur to actual sight. He could hear metal armor ring as the rain drops fell ontop of it. He could hear the tapping of the rain onto the mans clothes and hair. Crest pictured his opponent from the sounds that he listened so closely to and realized who his opponent was. An old friend.
"Hello, Sir Valcrist...It's been a long time since we last met..." Crest whispered as a smirk appeared across his face.

Valcrist grinned. "Hello there Crestierem. I never would have guessed that I'd see you here in the tournament. I can't say that it's a surprise you made it this far though."

Valcrist's previous meeting with Crestierem had been short, but much to Valcrist's benefit. Had it not been for the mage, Valcrist most likely would have ended up the victim of a bandit ambush. During the short skirmish Crestierem had appeared seemingly out of nowhere and had done most of the work in repelling the bandits. Had the tournament occurred at that time, Valcrist would have been certain to fail against such an opponent. As it was though, he hoped that he had grown strong enough to stand up against Crestierem.

"So tell me: Have your travels been fruitful? And I suppose more importantly for me at the moment, have your powers increased since last we met?" Valcrist spoke lightheartedly but was eager to find some clue as to how he could defeat his opponent. Clearly it would be a battle of strategy, as the most difficult task ahead seemed to be closing the distance between himself and his opponent. Crestierem could not match Valcrist in close quarters, but at a distance Valcrist was at a severe disadvantage. With this in mind, the knight surveyed the field again, searching for any aspect of the terrain that he could put to his benefit. Careful note was taken of the boulders scattered about the field, and which were closest to each combatant. Valcrist also tried to see the battlefield from Crestierem's point of view. The rock formations couldn't be of too much use to a mage, and the rain would greatly weaken any flame-based spells. But fire was not the only element at an adept mage's disposal.

I'll have to think carefully in this one. I could just charge him head-on and hope to take minimal damage on my way there...but that's risky at best. I think I'd better play this one defensively. There's a rock to my right of which I could take advantage...it would certainly provide enough cover. After that...I suppose I'll just try to get as close as possible before charging.

Valcrist gripped the handle of his rapier but let it remain sheathed. He left his broadsword alone; weilding it now would only slow him down. Valcrist decided to wait on any immediate action. He would wait for Crestierem to make the first move and then, hopefully, he could initiate a successful counter-attack.

"I'm sorry to say that my travels havn't been as 'fruitful' as I had hoped, and about my powers...well...your just going to have to find out with time." Crest answered. So...Valcrist is my opponent...a knight if I remember correctly, which means that he'll have thick armor and a heavy sword...both to my disadvantage. Crest thought. Crest listened to the rain that fell around him, paying attention to where every drop fell, where every drop splattered in height and distance. Crest "saw" the boulders and different rock formations that scattered the field. If he is as educated as I remember him being, he'll most likely use the rocks to his advantage...maybe to cover himself from my spells...but maybe I can use them to my advantage as well. Crest thought. Crest gently pushed his left foot deeper into the wet mud. If he tries to run, this will slow him down which works towards my advantage. It will slow me down as well, but less than he, since he wears heavier equipment. With the examinations done for the time being, Crest waited for his opponent to draw his sword, showing that the fight has begun, something that he usually wouldn't do to anyone else.

I might as well make the first move, Crest thought after a few seconds have passed, it will work towards my list of advantages. "Prepare yourself!..." Crest shouted in warning to his old friend, "...it's about to get windy..." Crest whispered right before he began to chant. He began his spell, one of his favorites so far. An unnoticable gentle breeze made the raindrops fall at a slight angle that pushed the drops into Crest's back, and into the face of Valcrist. The wind grew stronger around Crest, now spinning around him rather than against his back, carrying the raindrops with it. At the same time, a wall of stone shot out of the ground behind Valcrist, several meters high and wide. Crest lifted his right hand, with his palm pointing at Valcrist and finished the words to the spell, unleashing a powerful gale that plowed towards the knight, carrying all the raindrops with it that looked like several miniature arrows. And for one full second, there wasn't a single raindrop around Crest. Then, they fell on him again.

Valcrist had tensed the muscles in his legs, ready to leap out of harm's way if it should come in his direction; it did. He wasn't prepared though, for this type of attack. The rain began to slant, and the wind changed direction until it was blowing horizontally. A wind attack! There wasn't enough time to make it to a boulder. Though he hurried, Valcrist used up precious seconds switching hands to his broadsword, then removing it from its sheath. The wind had quickly grown strong and Valcrist had just enough time to drive the blade of his sword into the ground before the attack reached the strength of an outright gale. Valcrist gripped the sword with as much strength as he could muster, but as his legs were lifted off the ground he began to feel that he was slowly moving backwards. Instead of firm soil, the broadsword had been thrust into what the rain had turned into little more than a muddy soup. It didn't hold. As the sword slowly began to tilt away from Crestierem, Valcrist desperately tried to get his feet back on the ground. The mud was too slick though, and as the sword finally loosed itself from the earth it also was ripped from Valcrist's hand by the powerful gust. Valcrist was flung backwards head over heels, and he pushed his arms and legs out, trying to find something that he could hold onto. His feet found their way into the mud and Valcrist managed to stay upright for about a second while he skidded through the watery earth. After that second though, he colided with the rock barrier that had sprung up behind him. As soon as the two made contact the wind abated and Valcrist fell to his knees, battered and out of breath. A few feet away lay his broadsword, ironically with its blade driven into the ground again.

No time to sit still! I have to think! He must be tired from the spell...I need a distraction...the sword... Valcrist drew his rapier, then hurled it directly at Crestierem. He got up sprinting, heading in the direction of his broadsword, but he was slower than he would have hoped. His legs were stiff from the attack and the mud sucked down at his boots. By the time he was able to pull his blade from the ground and dash behind a large boulder, he had serious doubts as to whether his diversion had succeeded. After Crestierem would presumably dodge the rapier, coupled with the distraction from the rain and his loss of stamina from casting the spell, Valcrist was hoping that he had managed to escape to a location unknown to his opponent. Of course, Crestierem would know that Valcrist was behind one of the boulders. He just wouldn't know which one.

Alright Valcrist, let's hope this worked. And if so, let's hope he'll come to me.

Crest felt the sudden dizziness after the spell that was an early and weak stage of fatigue. Crest heard a thump that sounded when Valcrist flew into the stone wall behind him. The spell worked...excellant... Crest thought. Right then, something flew towards him. The rain in it's path was inturrupted by this object. Crest could tell it was metal, because of the sound the rain made as it fell upon it. But because it was thrown with little accuracy, it was off target. Crest simply turned his body and the metal object flew by harmlessly, stabbing into the ground next to him. Crest turned his head back to where Valcrist stood, only to "see" that the knight was not standing there anymore. Where could he have gone? Crest thought as he "looked" around him, not moving a foot in any direction. The rain made it difficult to listen for any quiet sounds that might give his opponent away, he did, however, hear something unusual far off, but he could not think what it was.

Wait a minute...if he threw his sword at me a moment ago, then he'll have no weapons at all...but why would he do that?... Crest wondered as he picked up the rapier that Valcrist had thrown earlier. Perhaps he has two swords, and he threw one of them at me...and if he retrieves this one, then I will be at a fatal disadvantage... Crest thought as he stabbed the rapier in the ground to the hilt. Better to deal with a one sword knight instead of the two sword knight. Crest thought as he twisted and bent the hilt until the blade completly broke off the hilt of the sword with a "Cling." After Crest broke the sword, he stood up and threw the bladeless rapier behind him, and continued his search for his hiding opponent without moving a step in any direction.

Valcrist waited. He tried to control his breathing as he clasped his broadsword to his chest. A short distance off he heard a faint metallic crack, then silence. He wondered what exactly had caused the noise, but did not dare to peek around the edge of the boulder. He knew that Crestierem was blind, but the mage seemed to have a surprising awareness of his surroundings. Anything might give Valcrist away.

The knight stood silently, waiting for any sign of action from Crestierem's direction. None came. The rain continued to fall, and Valcrist began to shiver. A flash of light illuminated the battlefiled, then a low rumble followed less than a second after. That lightning is too close for comfort. I sure hope he doesn't have any spells that he can use to harness its power...

Time passed, and Valcrist tried to find a way to amuse himself while waiting for a break in the stand-off. He had taken to trying to count the seconds between the flash and subsequent thunder, but he found that most were within less than that amount of time. The storm did indeed seem to be directly over them now. This is mind-numbing. I need to see what's going on. Valcrist began to peek around the boulder, but noticed something that he might be able to use to his advantage. The rock surface wasn't nearly as smooth as one might expect after generations of being weathered. Wide grooves ran up the side of the boulder, and one was deep enough to use as a foothold. Valcrist hoisted himself up and perched atop the boulder, careful to stay low; it was difficult to tell what Crestierem might be able to notice. As for Valcrist, he had a fairly clear view of his opponent, considering the heavy rainfall. He decided to watch and wait, again, hoping that a view of the mage might change the course of the duel in his favor.

Crestierem stood in open view, standing still like a statue. He continued to face forward into space, but his "eyes" were "watching" everything. The rain continued to fall harshly, pounding on his now drenched cloak and hood that covered him. Suddenly light filled the arena for a second, bright enough to glow through his blindfold, then the rumbling thunder followed a second afterwards. A sound! Crest lifted his head slightly as if he was a wolf picking up a scent. Something was climbing a boulder...Valcrist perhaps...or maybe some animal that happened to wander into the field... Crest continued to listen to the the sound, but then it stopped at the top. Crest listened intently in that specific area. Any sound of breathing, metal being dragged on stone, the rapid heartbeat of a tense fighter. "Tap." The same unusual sound he had heard before. "Tap tap taptaptap." The sound still was there, barely audible to any normal person. It was the drenched cloth being beaten by rain, faraway. "I have you..." Crest whispered silently.

Crest began to chant the words of magic for another spell. As Crest chanted, he felt the procedure repeat itself every time he casted a spell. He felt the stamina drain from him, being replaced by the power of magic flowing from within himself. Crest's body slightly loosened as he was being drained of his energy required to cast his spells. A sphere of white energy appeared high over Valcrist, slowly growing as Crest drew closer to the end of the spell. Crest turned his head in Valcrist's direction. Lightning cracked the sky as he said the final words to the spell, releasing the orb of light to shoot downwards at the knight. The orb of light landed and released a blinding spectrum that widened off the large boulder and onto the ground.

The sky was yet again lit up, and Valcrist initially dismissed it as another bolt of lightning. It was soon obvious though that instead of quickly dying out, the light was still present and was in fact growing brighter. Valcrist looked up.

...damn.

He pushed off from the boulder, rolling over the side and back behind it. He landed with a squish just before the orb of light made contact with the stone surface. Valcrist put his face to the ground and covered his head with his arms as chunks of rock rained down upon him. Though the spell had not made contact, Valcrist was battered by the stones. The orb had blown the top off of the boulder and sent pieces of rock in all directions. He would have heavy bruising in the morning.

He can hear me! There's no other way... Valcrist struggled to his feet quickly, but had to rest his hand on what was left of the boulder for support until he could get his bearing again. I need to act. Now. But Valcrist first waited for the right moment. A flash of lightning, and thunder almost at the same time. Good. This is it. He removed his cloak. By this time it had become totally soaked through and would only weigh him down. He tossed it casually on top of the boulder. He might get lucky and it dould draw Crestierem's attention. Valcrist picked up his broadsword from where it had fallen when he rolled off the boulder, and grasped it tightly. Don't want to drop this now... Another flash of light, the deep rumble accompanying it, and he was off.

Despite the throbbing in his legs and back from Crestierem's two attacks, Valcrist sprinted as fast as he could manage. He headed directly for the mage. It was perhaps fifteen feet - not so bad. When Valcrist had almost reached Crestierem he pushed off to the right and his momentum carried him a few feet as he slid through the mud. Valcrist pulled his arm back, then launched the broadsword directly at the mage. For the time being, it would mean giving up his only remaining weapon. If this succeeded though, it would be worth it. He pushed off from the ground for a second time, ignoring the flare of pain in his legs and again heading for Crestierem. Valcrust lunged forward, arms wide to tackle his adversary to the ground.

This is the best I can do. If he really is discerning my position by hearing, then the thunder must have temporarily blinded him...even more than he normally is...depending on how you look at it...

He must be tired from casting those spells, and it would be difficult at best to dodge the broadsword at this range. Even if he succeeds in that respect, I can't see how he could possibly regain his footing fast enough to avoid the tackle. Either way, it's almost over. It must be. Keep pushing Valcrist.

Crest heard many small pieces of stone fall into the mud near the large boulder. Some of them hit something harder than rock. Crest waited before taking another action. He had casted two advanced spells already and it was still the beginning of the battle. Crest was clearing his head and straightening his thoughts when he heard a long piece of cloth, like a cloak or cape, fly back up to the top of the boulder. What is he doing? I just blew the top of that boulder away a moment ago...no matter, it will be his downfall. Crest thought as lightning stuck the air again, leaving a low rumbling sound. Crest raised his right hand high into the air. The rain lightened and became no more than a few sprinkling drops. Then suddenly, something caught his attention. Footsteps! And they were running towards him! Then something flew towards Crest ahead of the footsteps. It sliced the air as it flew towards Crest. A sword! Crest's mind screamed, realizing what it was that had been thrown. Crest moved the target of his spell and dropped his raised hand to point at the ground. The water collected from the rain fell down as a waterfall directly onto the sword, pushing it to the ground before Crest. A moment later, the rain returned to it's usual strength, pounding onto the fighters the very same way it did in the beginning of the battle.

Valcrist lunged forward to tackle the mage. Crest smiled as he casted another spell, one much simpler. Crest hid his right hand under the damp cloak and there, appearing just above the palm of his hand, a fireball appeared. And since the fireball was underneath the cloak, it was protected from the pouring rain that would have destroyed it too quickly. With the fireball in hand, Crest thrust the fireball forward, hoping to smash the sphere of fire into the upper torso of his opponent, causing an explosion that would blow Valcrist away, and the fireball would not be weakened by the rain much, because Valcrist was too close for the fireball to get wet.

Just before Valcrist lunged forward, Crestierem lowered his hand and an inundation of water cascaded down in front of the mage. It smashed the broadsword to the ground and created a small barrier about two feet from Valcrist. Though he was able to slow his charge, Valcrist was unable to stop completely and raised his hands in front of his face to shield himself. The water dissipated quickly though, and Valcrist was barely doused. Upon emerging from the water he was greeted by Crestierem, who was removing his hand from his cloak. The mage held a ball a flame which he tried to thrust at Valcrist, but the two were already too close for the mage to fully extend his arm. Out of reflex Valcrist threw his arm forward and grabbed Crestierem's wrist. Less than a foot from his opponent and still in motion, Valcrist simultaneously raised his other arm and drove his elbow directly toward the mage's face.

I'll be damned, that water attack actually saved me. If I hadn't raised my arms to shield myself there's no way I could get into this position. And let's see him try to dodge this.

He may choose to release the fireball...that would be unavoidable. But if he does, it will effect both of us. And he is less sturdy than I... Valcrist felt satisfaction as he realized this.

Crest's arm stopped in mid-attack, not because it had contacted his target, but because his target had grabbed his wrist. Crest could feel his opponent still rushing towards him, but he also "saw" the knight raise his arm for an attack. Slow and predictable... Crest thought as he ducked right as Valcrist drove his elbow towards where Crest's face used to be. His mistake was to draw back to throw an attack, if he attacked using his own momentum as the draw, then I would have been down on the ground by now... Crest then opened his left hand, which was still free, and another fireball appeared, and Crest pushed the second fireball, aiming for Valcrist's chest which would explode upon contact. Let's see the knight dodge this... Crest thought. This will be near impossible to dodge with him so close to me and still holding my arm.

I may be close enough to be injured by my own spell, but because of my several layers of damp clothing, it should be enough to protect most of my body from the flames. As for him, he already has given up his cloak and I doubt his armor can absorb much water, if any...but still, he's getting clever, and now he forces me to fight close range which he might do again. I must think of a differant strategy...

Less than a foot from Crestierem's face, Valcrist's elbow sped toward it's target. When it had mere inches to travel though, something unexpected happened; Crestierem managed to move out of the way. He had ducked away down and just slightly to Valcrist's left.

I've never seen anyone move that fast! One moment he was there, then the next he wasn't! And the speed at which he cast those spells...

The mage concocted a fireball in his other hand, and again aimed for Valcrist's chest.

He fell for it. Amazing.

As the mage had swiftly brought his hand closer to Valcrist, the knight had pulled back, then pushed forward, sandwiching the fireball between their chests and forcing it to explode in Crestierem's hand. A small concussive blast erupted between the two, and Valcrist was pushed back, into the mud; but he kept an iron grip on Crestierem's wrist - and he knew that the mage could not match his strength.

Valcrist was momentarily stunned and shook his head to clear the effects of the blast; the flames were less than damaging. The leather breastplate was wet and had resisted most of the fire, but most of it bore sizzling evidence of the fireball's point of impact. Despite the rain having put out the flames now that Valcrist was on his back, the smell of scorched leather hung in the air.

The real damage had been caused by the blast. A force powerful enough could have turned both their insides to jelly. Luckily, this was not so strong. Most likely Valcrist would escape with only a sore stomache and maybe a cracked rib. He was lucky - if he hadn't had any armor to protect him it could have caused some serious damage. And it was hard to say what would happen to Crestierem's hand.

As he struggled to completely regain his senses, Valcrist also fought the pain which was all too noticeable throughout his body. He had been through a lot so far and was sore and stiff throughout. He looked to his right. Next to him, half-covered in mud, was his broadsword. Valcrist extended his arm and clasped the handle. As he begain to regain his focus, he held his blade in his right hand, and Crestierem's wrist in his left.

The knight took a step backwards, dragging Crest forward with him, and then pushed forward, accepting the fireball's blow and causing it to explode between the two. The fire bursted in every direction, blowing Valcrist backwards, and because of his tight grip, pulling Crestierem with him. Heh, too bad he didn't realize that I am used to handling the explosion at such close range, doing so, many times in the past... Crest thought with a smirk. The heat of his own fire burned his skin on his hands and face, but it was only minor detail in Crest's plans. Now is my chance! Crest thought as he pulled himself toward Valcrist in mid-air, bringing up his folded legs and placed his feet on Valcrist's chest. Crest then twisted his wrist and spun his hand clockwise, forcing Valcrist's thumb to move awkwardly untill the hand looked more like it was trying to scoop water from a river or lake, rather than holding a wrist. Crest pulled his wrist away and pushed off Valcrist with his legs, sending the mage in the opposite direction. Crest backflipped in mid-air and landed uncomfortably in the mud, the impact causing his feet to sink deeper into the mud than what it should have. As soon as Crest landed and regained his footing, he unsheathed his borrowed Hell's Bane with his right hand, placing the sword in front of him at a forty-five degree angle, and brought out his dirk with his burnt left hand, simultaneously...but fatigue was finally catching up to him, causing him to be slightly loose.

Tch, I can't go on instinct with this one...I broke his rapier already, which at least decreases the odds, but they're still in his favor. I can't cast 'End of Time' in this place, too damp for that spell, and he would probably reach me by the time I finished 'Winds of Fate,' making him too close to be effective and a waste of energy...I can cast 'Dark Flare' since the flames are pure energy instead of actual fire, but I would like to avoid casting that spell...or if I have to, a last resort...One thing for sure, his target will always be the same, and that will always be me, until this battle is finished... Crest sighed in frusteration. How irritating...Oh, I know...that could work. His target will always be the same...me. Crest's thoughts repeated as he begun to chant another spell.

Valcrist sat up to a vision of colorful spots dancing before his eyes. His left hand shot to his forhead as pain seemed to reverberate within his skull. It was then that Valcrist realized that though his fist had still been tightly clenched, it no longer held his opponent. That was odd...I don't recall letting go...oh that's right...acrobatics. Valcrist pushed his sword into the ground, used it to prop himself up, then pulled it out of the mud with a wet sucking sound. He clenched his teeth, ignoring the pain; his head gradually cleared, and he faced his opponent. Crestierem stood ready, sword and daggar drawn.

He's inhuman. That blast incapacitated me completely for quite some time. He is totally unfazed by it, yet he is far less sturdy than I and has almost no armor to protect him. And his hand, which should have been rendered useless, is fully functional. And his speed...

For the first time in the battle, Valcrist began to feel fear.

How can I defeat such an opponent? I can't match his speed, and I can't match him in terms of raw damage I can deal...I need to think of something...

But nothing came to Valcrist's mind.

He's goading me. What spell could he be casting? He isn't going anywhere...at the moment at least. He might plan to try to stun me with magic, then attack physically...What would he cast? That water spell perhaps. He can't hit me with another fireball, he doesn't have any free hands.

Valcrist took a step toward his opponent. He focused his energy, and began to direct it to his sword. Faintly at first, then more and more strongly the broadsword began to glow with an eerie light. Valcrist kept walking. He moved purposefully, and his eyes were carefully watching Crestierem's actions. He was ready to leap away from danger if need be.

I can't stop now. I may be almost beaten, but I refuse to give up.

He wielded the sword with both hands and held it down and to his right. His muscles tensed, his fingers gripped the handle even more tightly, and Valcrist brought forward the charged blade in an upward slash at Crestierem.

Crest heard Valcrist walk towards him, his sword at his right side, pointing to the ground. Crest could feel the magic that radiated from it. As Crest chanted, another ball of white energy appeared high into the air and began to slowly grow. Crest felt the stamina drain from him again, and again, filling him with the strange feelings of power from the spells. Crest became even more limp and slightly nauseous, causing him to slightly wobble, forcing him to replace his footing to keep himself from falling over. Crest stopped his chantings near the end of his spell, now all he needed was to say the final word, and the spell would be completed. Tch, I need to finish this battle, or at least find a safe place to rest, otherwise I might as well defeat myself... Crest thought as he shook his head, as if to shake away the dizziness.

So he plans to attack from underneath...easy enough to dodge... Crest thought, taking the time to "observe" the situation. Crest "watched" Valcrist carefully and waited patiently for Vacrist to reach him, but the closer the knight got, the more nervous the mage became. The time allowed Crest to think of all the possible attacks Valcrist might attempt, all the possible ways for Crestierem to be defeated. Would he attack downwards after slashing upwards? Crest thought nervously, Or perhaps he would jump forward and slash at an angle...I can't possibly block that attack, since he's using both hands with a charged sword, he would overpower me with mere muscle...it has to be a miss or hit...

Once the knight was within range, Valcrist slashed upwards from his right side. Crest jumped to the right, and heard a part of his cloak that flowed behind him get cut to a smaller size. Before landing on the slippery mud, Crest yelled the final word of the spell, allowing the sphere of pure energy to shoot downwards towards Valcrist's head. The ball landed and exploded into a blinding light that spread along the ground. The impact blew Crest farther away and Crest could see the light through his blindfold that would temporarly blind him...but that wasn't a problem for him, since he was already blind to begin with. Crest's back landed into to mud, but the force that had blown him away kept him sliding on the mud for a foot or two. After Crest had slowed to a stop, Crest staggered to his feet disoriented, but he kept "a close eye" on Valcrist.

The sudden increase in light was familiar to Valcrist; he knew what was coming. In an attempt to stop Crestierem from completing the spell, Valcrist followed through with his planned attack. Hmm, not fast enough I suppose. Crestierem had jumped out of harm's way, and had finished casting his spell before he had reached ground again. Damn. Not taking the time to see how close the attack was, Valcrist jumped as far to the left, and closer to Crestierem, as his tired muscles could manage. He planned to fall into a roll, then come to his feet with a wide slash aimed at Crestierem's midsection. That isn't how it played out though. Valcrist hit the ground leading with his left shoulder, but did not begin the roll at all; he had underestimated how tired he really was, and his legs would not obey what his brain was trying to tell them. Instead, he slid several feet in the mud as the blast nearly missed him. He was pushed by the force, but the greatest hindrance came from the blinding light of the explosion. Valcrist had been ready for this and had shut his eyes as tightly as he could. He had not, though, been facing away from the blast. It was enough to partially blind him, and when Valcrist opened his eyes again it was difficult to make out definite shapes.

Dammit, that was brighter than I had expected. And I took more of the blast than I had thought I would...I suppose the boulder had made a better shield than I had realized. Valcrist struggled to his feet, left hand propped on his knee and right hand still holding onto his broadsword. His lungs seemed to be struggling to pull in enough air with each breath. He was tired.

Valcrist tried to find his opponent in order to continue the attack, but it was difficult. Most of his field of view consisted of a dark blur above and a not so dark blur below. The light splotches of boulders polka-dotted the landscape at irregular intervals. Finally though, Valcrist noticed movement. It's human-like...it must be him...and he must be winded. I can't last much longer myself. I have to make this count. Valcrist set his teeth and raised his sword. If I can get off just one sustained assault...that might be enough... Valcrist forced his legs to work for him yet again. There would be time to rest later. As he charged the fuzzy blob that was Crestierem, Valcrist spun into the first slash of his fallen valor attack, directing the slash down and slightly at an angle. He then brought the sword up for the second slash, then thrust directly toward his opponent's chest. Valcrist's vision was too poor to aim at anything directly, but a solid hit to Crestierem's torso would be more than enough - not much aim was required.

Crestierem heard Valcrist's heavy steps charging towards him. Damn it, I'm not ready... Crest thought exhausted as Valcrist spun around and slashed downwards at Crest. Crest wanted to move, but fatigue had finally caught up to him, he was weak and dizzy from the lack of rest. Crest was trying to clear his head when the first slash came from above. He felt the sharp edge of the sword cut across his chest. The sharp pain travelled to his brain, and actually helped Crest to clear his thoughts, and before the second slash came, Crest dove to the side, avoiding the the second slash, below and out of range of the thrust. Crest tried to roll to his feet, but the slippery mud would not let him, and instead he slid head first through the mud. No choice, if I stay any longer in my current condition, he'll surely finish me off. Crest thought. Crest then tiredly pushed up with his hands, hopped to his feet, and did what he only did when there was no other option...he made, what he called, a "strategic retreat," sheathing his weapons and covering his new wound with his left hand.

Crest's running became more of a jog. The mud that sucked down his boots were tiring him out more than what he was used to. Since I am wearing less heavy equipment than he, so I should at least be able to run slightly faster than him... Crest thought as he continued his retreat. Crest's jog became a walk, and as he walked, he "looked" around, searching for a suitible hiding place to rest. Crest had begun to breathe heavily, always facing towards the ground so that rain would not go into his mouth and then, into his lungs. He had forced himself to run with little energy, but if he had stayed, he would have been defeated right there and then. Lightning struck the skies again, followed by thunder. Crest walked around a boulder and leaned against it to catch his breath. If Valcrist was following me, the rain would diminish his sight and hopefully I would have dissappeared...and if he was following my footprints, the pounding rain would have erased them by now, making them to look like puddles, or maybe the rest of the field... but still Crest stood, listening to his surroundings intently as he tried to formulate plans while he rested, leaning against the boulder in case his opponent did somehow find him.

Since my 'sight' is farther than his in this weather, so to speak, that means I could cast spells from out of sight... Crest thought, but what? 'Flameblast' and 'End of Time' are out of the question, by now, he seems to have figured a way to dodge 'Circle of Light'...That leaves me three spells... Crest gently patted the boulder he leaned against. This might be helpful if it were made of smaller parts...If I can somehow break it, then...yes that's good...but how would I break it? Crest mused over the ideas that had finally appeared into his head. I can't use 'Circle of Light,' that would give away my my position too early, and, quite possibly, my plan. My other spells are too weak...Oh wait...that spell... Crest thought, no longer ethusiastic about his plan. Again, Crest quietly patted the boulder he leaned against. Might as well, I had too many disadvantages to begin with and would have eventually lost anyways, if this fails, I'm as good as defeated... Crest thought. Then he remembered what he had thought earlier in this fight. '...I might as well defeat myself...' Crest's mind repeated as he waited for the final piece.

Crest managed to evade the second slash of the attack and escape to safety. Valcrist flailed with his broadsword, hoping to slash Crestierem before he was out of range, but the effort was of no avail. Valcrist tried to search for his opponent, but his vision was still too poor to aid him.

Dammit, I have to fall back. Valcrist stumbled to a boulder, decided on a side that was most likely away from Crestierem, and sat down in the mud. It was cold and wet, but it was a place for Valcrist to catch his breath. As he listened intently for a sign of his opponent's movement, Valcrist tried to relax as best he could. He rubbed his thighs, doing what little he could to loosen up his legs. After a short while of uninterrupted peace, Valcrist decided that most likely Crestierem was regaining his strength as well. Oh well...at least my vision is beginning to return. Hello, what's this? Now able to make out more definite shapes, Valcrist noticed that many rock fragments were littered about his hiding place. It seems I've somehow made my way back to my initial shelter. Well, it served me well earlier, hopefully it will do so again.

Valcrist's vision had almost fully returned, and he had regained a regular rate of breathing. He pushed himself up into a standing position, then paused to think for a second. I may as well take this with me. It just might come in handy. Valcrist reached atop the boulder, which had been reduced in height so as to be just taller than he was, and retrieved his cloak from where he had left it previously. It was soaking wet and quite heavy. Valcrist wrapped it around his left hand into a tight ball, and stepped into the open. At the moment Crestierem was out of view, but Valcrist knew that it would be foolish to assume safety. He remained close to the boulder, waiting for his adversary to emerge.

Crest waited next to the boulder he had chosen to rest against. The rain seemed to fall heavier than before, but it might just be Crest imagining that it was falling heavier. Crest had finally slowed his breathing to a calm pace, his exhausted and fatigued body was now rested up and ready to act...but his mind...his mind was concentrating on the sounds of the field...expanding his "eyes" farther around the field. His plan was set, but all he needed was the final piece. He must be resting somewhere as well... Crest thought, having difficulty finding his opponent. He must be near a boulder...or under some cover...too far for me to hear his breathing, but he has to still be in the field, otherwise it would have been considered forfeiting by now... Crest strained his senses outwards even more, concentrating at the parts where he heard rain against stone. Not a single step heard, no mumbling of desperation...he must be hiding...he is playing a game of patience. See who would come out in search of the other first...then jump him from the side or rear, taking the opponent by surprise...

Crest listened intently to every drop the skies had produced. Pictured the field into his head and search for any humanoid figures that stood, sat, or leaned against the stones and boulders that scattered the seemingly dead land. He found a humanoid figure near a broken boulder that was broken down by an earlier spell. It has to be him, he's the only one IN this arena. Crest thought. Crest ran around the boulder he hid behind with his feet lightly tapping the mud that tried to pull him in, to another boulder closer to Valcrist. He waited to see if there was a reaction from the knight, though he doubt he could be seen from this distance. He ran to another boulder and waited...then another, and waited. If Valcrist moved, Crestierem did not move from his hiding place untill he was sure it was safe to move again. He continued doing this untill he was only several yards away, still hiding behind the boulders that scattered the field. From here, Crest rested on his feet, ready to move around the boulder to keep Valcrist on the opposite side in case the knight saw something, and decided to come and investigate...preparing to begin, what might be, the finale.

For some time the arena was actually peaceful, save for the occasional clap of thunder which interrupted the patter of rain. Then, Valcrist noticed movement between one boulder to the next closest one.

Interesting...he came to me...well, not completely to me. I wouldn't have minded if the distance were even less than it is now. That's maybe...twelve feet. Not a great amount of space to travel, but perilous nevertheless. Oh well, here goes.

Valcrist stayed within a foot of his boulder and circled around to the front. It was impossible to be certain of exactly what the mage would try, but Valcrist was sure that it could potentially be very painful. He began to move toward the boulder that Crestierem was behind, but decided that that might not be the best course of action.

He can stay away from me as long as he likes behind that boulder. He can see me coming no matter where I am...I definitely do not have the advantage there...which means he could easily lead me into a trap. It's entirely possible that he let himself be seen in order to lure me over there. No, I think I'm safest here. Though this might get very boring, very quickly.

"Hello there! I don't believe that I like the conditions very much on your end, so I'm going to stay right here! Whenever you feel like opening up an attack, feel free!"

That might not get him to come out at all, but hopefully it will speed things along. Sure makes me wish I had something up my sleve for him when he came out. Guess I'll just have to wing it.

Crest waited for the perfect time to take action. He wanted to take his opponent by surprise and hopefully wound him to the point where it would have to be considered a lost. Something moved towards him. Footsteps...footsteps were walking towards him. Crest was readying himself to move around the boulder when the footsteps stopped.
"Hello there! I don't believe that I like the conditions very much on your end, so I'm going to stay right here! Whenever you feel like opening up an attack, feel free!" Valcrist yelled. So, he knows that I am here, but refuses to move from his spot... Crest thought, no matter, he didn't try to find me, therefore, I can still go on as planned...

Crest turned his body towards the knight from the opposite side of the boulder. The mage went through the plan one more time in his head, and began to chant a spell. The wind grew stronger around Crest, swirling around him making his cloak flutter around. Crest heard the stone wall erupt from behind his opponent and, pointing the palm of his hand towards Valcrist through the boulder, the powerful gale was unleashed...but with the large boulder in front of him, Valcrist wouldn't notice much of the breeze. Crest stood limply, exhausted, but already casting another spell...a spell that he did not think well of. His body engulfed in dark flames and at the same time, the stamina required to cast spells drained from him. He felt the power of the spell surge through his body, as well as the burning of the dark flames that surrounded his body. He placed both hands in front of him with each palm facing inwards as if he was holding a ball, and from there a ball appeared and steadily grew. The ball continued to grow, and as it grew, Crest slowly moved his hands farther apart so that they would not be enveloped into the dark energy ball itself. The ball stopped growing at an enormous size, a foot or two larger than the size Crest was in height. The mage felt the flames that engulfed him withdraw to his arms, then hands, and eventually, disappear into the ball. Crest withdrew his arms and hit the ball away from him with the palms of both hands, sending it forward, shattering the boulder that was in it's path, and headed towards Valcrist with all the pieces of the boulder carried with the gale of the previous spell that would not only send him flying, but beat him with the rocks. Crestierem fell to his knees, just about ready to pass out, then he fell to his side, landing on the mud that strangely seemed just as comfortable as a bed. The mage's burnt and exhausted body laid still on the mud from casting two advanced spells so closely together, with his senses dimming until he was truly blind, no longer able to focus his other sense to "see" what was happening. The rain that fell upon him gave him little relief from the flames that was burning him a moment earlier. Crest lay there almost helpless, hoping that he had succeeded in some way. But...just in case... Crest thought drowsily as he reached for his dirk that was hidden beneath his cloak. Lightning stuck the skies again, followed by the well expected thunder, but Crestierem couldn't help thinking that it was a sign of either his success...or failure...

Valcrist

Tactics: 10 (Kudos... What more can I say?)

Regulation: 10 (Fallen Valor, Charged Slash. More than 1, but still within parameters.)

Quailty: 10 (Wow. Only 1 spelling error, very animated and lively. Characterized. Beautiful.)

Fairness: 9.5 (I'm sorry, I know I said the grab was okay. But the way it was worded wasn't. Technically, very very technically, it's a forced hit. But it didn't hurt too much.)

Technicaility: 10 (You didn't dodge all of them. But damn did you evade most of those beautifully. Or at least you attempted to. It was amazingly well done. Kudos.)

Overall: 9.9

... Wow

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Crestierem

Tactics: 10 (Excellent job with your tactics. Used your spells, as a Mage should.)

Regulation: 10 (7 spells, I won't list them, too many. Good job, though.)

Quailty: 8.5 (This hurt you. Some spelling errors. You also went a little overboard on your light-footedness.)

Fairness: 9.5 (I didn't see any forced hits. But there were other minor errors.)

Technicaility: 8.5 (I must say, I felt that you would have been too fatigued to do that acrobatic flip and such after the FlameBlast. Your 'fatigue' didn't seem to hinder you much when it came to your ability to manuver. The hand was okay, Mages, or Magic rather - is very closely related to 'sleight of hand', so dexterity is expected. Kudos, though!)

Overall: 9.3 (A respectable score!)

What an intense match! That was amazing you two. However, all things come to an end, and this match, too, is over.

Valcrist + 2 Lvls