AI Dev --- Months of Dedication

AI Dev --- A Day Dedicated to Perfecting the After Image

[13:22] Judging by the time of day, Orion could tell the evening was growing later by the second... He took a moment to meditate, wondering what Mei, the original Mei, his master, he wondered just what she was doing now these days... It seemed like he was now short of one master ever since Song vanished after that big fight. So Orion kept his sword within the sheet, strolling down towards the beach.. Oddly enough he didn't feel like flying this day, his mind was too focused on the disappearance of Song.

Orion Sinclair rolled a dice and it landed on: 2


Orion Sinclair rolled a dice and it landed on: 4

Orion Sinclair rolled a dice and it landed on: 4

Orion Sinclair rolled a dice and it landed on: 3

Orion Sinclair rolled a dice and it landed on: 5

Soon enough, he would stand there at the center of the beach, taking his shoes off and stepping into the shallow portions of the water, letting the little waves crash against his shins. He closed his eyes, focused on nothing more but his speed and the ability to teleport... Although he only understood half of it, Orion channeled his internal energy throughout his entire body, molding it as he would when in the Cetus stance, granting him the ability to teleport behind his opponent by sheer chance.

But this time, Orion tried something different, instead of mimicking Mei's ability, he would finally try to grasp it on his own, making several attempts to achieve such an ability by running down the beach as fast as he could, using his Cetus stance properties as aid to the teleportation method... Though it was simply sheer speed, it felt more complicated than that.. And so Orion would dedicate an entire day to this, his training to obtain the After-Image ability and use it for his future battles... He had a passion to defend and protect those within the Glade, as well as those whom he deemed fit to protect... He was not as strong as Alexandrea, but he knew that he could grow to be as strong or simply out-class her strength with overwhelming speed.

"Mother, all of the gods, please guide me... I can't take on the world alone... Before I can even find those Sentinel's, I will need to polish my own abilities... We can't enter uncharted lands without the ability to protect ourselves..."

Orion not only continued to blitz about on the beach, he poured more energy into his limbs, mobilizing himself with the swift ability, a magic boost that grants the user such speed to do the impossible at times... But this was hardly even scratching the surface, Orion knew he could go beyond this limit, he did not spend all those years running and training his agility for nothing... No he knew the secret lied within himself, within the golden ratio of the human body... Mei was human just like him, he knew that without the gifts or blessings of any god, that humans could reach a height like no other.... Their potential was unrivaled, but this isn't a proven fact, as many believe demons to be superior...

For now, he would continue to run about, using his abilities of time to increase his running speed, and that's when it clicked... Instead of trying to rely so heavily on the three abilities of his... He would have to forge a new one, the actual aura of the after image, something he could not see physically, but he knew was there within his power, within his reach... He'd try several more times, failing some and nearly passing others, that was until he finally managed to push himself enough.... He needed not only sheer speed but the wits to calculate the situation and apply the golden ratio to his natural movement...

Orion imagined his mana as a cycle, one rotating, making a spiral within his legs, within his own mana circuit, and from there this spiral would spin quickly, even faster as he runs with the natural movement he's been using... From that ratio came the birth of a unique form of mana, covering his entire body in a thin layer, granting him immense speed for those few seconds... And it was at this moment where Orion would finally use the proper version of his great Master Mei's ability, moving with the speed of a bullet, he'd teleport up onto the mountain where Azira stood, nearly crashing into the grass.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! This isn't good enough! I must continue! For as long as I stay here, I need to master this ability for the sake of Mei and the Glade...." Orion spoke to himself with a stern attitude, attempting to perform the After Image teleportation once more.

(Orion Sinclair)



[01:28] Standing there in the arena, going up against yet another whom was quite talented with the Fomorian stance... Orion had just witnessed the mans feats and saw it to be no easy match, and so he prepared himself, ready to use the abilities hidden within the Cetus stance....

Orion would make several attempts to mimic his teachers after image ability during this fight, but at the heat of the moment... He would only be able to teleport through the use of his water properties through the Cetus stance as well as when he strikes with the movements of a phantom... However Orion wouldn't stop there, he continued to make his attempts...

He thought in regards to his old Master Mei, a 70 year old women, someone who's been forcing him to run since the day he stepped foot into the Glade, all for the purpose of one day obtaining the same feats as her with the After Image ability...

There was one cost though, she would not give him the answers to his problems, she would have him face these hardships, have these struggles mold him into a proper swordsmen... Into a proper Kendo master, one with the ability to teleport through the very fabric of battle, manipulating the field to their leisure...

And thus, Orion pushed himself in his spar against the Ookami known as Jack Lorden… From time to time, he would channel his mana into his legs and throughout the rest of his body, creating a consistent flow of mana... He would do such as if it were a mathematical problem, but in this case, he'd be trying to create the perfect mana flow, one that would function as a spiral and push his speed in a perfect formation.

This was Orion's theory of the Golden Ratio within the human body, taking their physical strengths as well as their natural form, using it to find that potential deep within... And thus, Orion managed to slightly distort himself through space and time, teleporting a few feet closer to Jack at every corner, landing him the overall victory... And although it was just a spar, Orion enjoyed himself, he was quite sure the other swordsmen did as well, coming so close to defeating one another... For the time being, Orion would rest, letting his body recover from the strain of utilizing his Faux After-Image...



"I'll Catch up with you someday... Master,"
Orion thought to himself
(Orion Sinclair)





[02:28] Calm yet steady, the young Glade Knight Orion pushed himself to achieve such speeds, he would one day inherit the abilities of his master Mei, that was for certain, but his methods were rather questionable... He didn't work himself so hard out of brute force and will power alone, he tried his best to calculate everything he did, clearing his mind at times to see which of the two worked better for him.. As all would know, fighting with a clear mind is great but some people were natural thinkers and in this case alone, Orion's overthinking just might serve him a bit of justice...

Like a falcon soaring through the sky, Orion concentrated on this thin layer of energy he had forged around his body, trying to maintain it and utilize it to the best of his ability... Much like in his fight against Jack and all of his other previous fights, he would make such an attempt during the heat of the moment... But without someone to fight, he'd have to put the strain and pressure onto himself... "This has to be done..."

Orion ran off at a steady pace, going into the caves just near the beach of the town he was currently in, he would then search for demons to face, utilizing not only his sheer speed but his mana control... He'd try to keep his mana in check, making it so that it would not be wasted for anything else other than increasing his own agility. Orion was determined, trying to break through the natural speed points of the human body, even though he was already a magi, people known to have obtained super human like abilities. He would also have to push himself in order to be capable of teleporting on his own at will much like his great master before him.



"One day, I will master this..."

(Orion Sinclair)


[05:01] Ei Sei says, "I'm about to beat you once more-- but this time."
[05:01] Ei Sei says, "You will have Orion's help."
[05:01] Orion Sinclair asks, "----Not even a hello first huh?"
[05:02] Ei Sei says, "Hello, step in, thanks."
[05:02] Yuki M. Emberstone says, "Or I could fight Orion.."
[05:02] Ei Sei says, "You would lose, Yuki."
[05:02] Ei Sei says, "I want you to work on cooperation."
[05:02] Orion Sinclair says, "Fire and Water together in arms, poetic..."
[05:02] Ei Sei says, "That's how I killed Reveler afterall, kukuku.."
[05:03] Yuki M. Emberstone asks, "Kukukuku?"
[05:03] Yuki M. Emberstone says, "Shishishi.."
[05:03] Ei Sei says, "Fufufu.."
[05:03] Ei Sei says, "Water and Fire? Ah-huh."
[05:04] Ei Sei says, "OK, you two have to put me down."
[05:04] Igleta Eclipsa Mariposa asks, "Don't think you can beat all three of us Sei?"
[05:04] Igleta Eclipsa Mariposa says, "Hehe."
[05:04] Ei Sei says, "At once? I don't know."
[05:04] Igleta Eclipsa Mariposa says, "I have found your weakness."
[05:05] Ei Sei asks, "I don't hit women?"
[05:05] Walking by the young teen, Orion assumed a quick sword stance, one flexible like no other, the Cetus stance with a form of Kendo to add along with it... With this, Orion held a steady posture, looking at the one next to him known as Yuki... The young Glade swordsmen remembered Ei Sei from long ago, he figured the man would be as strong or stronger than Alexandrea...

"You ready?" He'd ask with a polite and calm tone... Orion saw this as a chance to develop his after image abilities.
(Orion Sinclair)

[05:21] Dashing throughout the arena along side Yuki, the young Gladed Knight made several attempts to teleport through the use of his master's After Image ability... This ability would not be inherited from master Song but from Master Mei instead...

Though he traveled through the arena, he found himself at a large disadvantage, being taken down by the insane speed and strength of Ei Sei a fellow swordsmen... He now understood why Mei mentioned him being much stronger than him... Even though Orion and Yuki did great in a few rounds, the battle eventually came to a close...

Orion fought with passion, attempting to utilize his Faux After Image and doing so through the use of his Cetus stance. With this he was able to gain a much deeper understanding of the technique and why it was not something you would get all willy nilly… Orion was panting, sustaining minor injuries, but nonetheless, he and Yuki grew with one another during their spar...



Team Work... Makes the Dream Work!
(Orion Sinclair)

Later that day…

[08:21] The day was indeed a long one, both fatigued and hungry, Orion pushed himself until the sun would come to rise... The night grew later and later and the tides grew higher... Orion could hardly focus, but he would now hinder himself when the day was coming to an end... He would begin to focus, concentrating on his internal energy, trying to bring it out and mold it into a thin layer of light surfacing above his skin.

Though he was just 18 now, he was anything but inexperienced, having trained and practiced the art of the Afterimage for so long, he began to obtain a general grasp upon the unique power. Something so valuable to him and those swordsmen much like him, Orion strived for more, growing hungry, not for a meal but for this power he wished to obtain. At this point, the attempt to advance any further would be useless without first trying to obtain the true base form of the After Image ability.

"The limit of my own weakness... Is the line, of the wretched world that I was apart of..." Orion focused his energy into his core, pushing himself with a high jolt, blitzing down the beach, only to turn around and make another lap, running so fast that the sand began to pick up... He was not attempting to master the ability of swift but rather gain a better understanding and grasp upon the After Image ability.

However, he could not help but to think about his masters... His mother Adsila, wondering about the Glade, wondering about the cruelty of the worldo around them... Orion had hoped that his homeland was safe but he could not return just yet, he'd forbid it until he's gotten strong enough to defend she, Alexandrea the one who currently protects all of the Glade... Though she was somewhat of an enemy at times, Orion had a point to prove, that she was not the only Guardian, that no one should bow to her as if she were all that they had.

"And this, this is the line that crosses over it... Me, the line that brings this world into my hands, I will ascend the ranks! I will show my home, what it means to follow the Gladed way..." Orion talked with a stoic tone, panting heavily, pushing himself with aggression. Orion then assumed a proper stance, it was not the Cetus however, it was something new...Something fitting for the After Image technique...

This stance involved him shifting his foot in line with his shoulders, one foot flat and one arched, this stance was the cause of his increase of strength along with merging this stance with his After Image form, very similar to his teacher Mei's own aura, so his energy light was much brighter and deadly however as it was imperfect, he lacked the true benefit though he easily tamed it.

With flowing moves, he augments himself and works with his weapon to increase his power in battle with this stance. His body emits a slight silver glow which represents the meaning of volition, his focus so intense that one can predict movement at the heat of battle, or training for this matter with a slight hint of time magic to foresee events.

Time and time again, Orion would make multiple attempts to teleport throughout the beach through the use of his faux or rather his hardly even obtained After Image ability. By doing so, he drained himself a great deal of energy, collapsing to the ground, crashing with the speed of a running horse! He rolls about until he came to an abrupt stop, gazing up into the sky, breathing ever so heavily...



"This land... I will cherish it, but for one to live so freely... He requires the ability to walk amongst demons, to defend himself... In this world of Mandom… I will sail across my Ocean of Time, and stroll merrily upon the Moonlight Passage..."
(Orion Sinclair)




[12:50] On the beach again, Orion knew just what time of day it was, that's right, the time to train... He would do something rather unusual for this training session, he would first re-enchant his scarf, making it so that he would gain some agility during this practice... Second, he would take off his shoes, making himself as light as he could, enchanting his clothing to better benefit his own speed...

Soon enough, young Orion stood there with a patient mind, molding the energy within his body, doing so in order to forge the aura of Mei's famous after image... Orion knew the task would be difficult but he has gained much experience so far and he would use this to his advantage...

Thinking back on the past, during his training session's with Mei, he noticed just how quick she was BUT there was nothing else...

Orion Sinclair rolled a dice and it landed on: 3

Orion Sinclair rolled a dice and it landed on: 6

Orion Sinclair rolled a dice and itlanded on: 3

Though the first time had proven to be too difficult for him, nothing stopped Orion from trying again... And so, upon his second attempt, he managed to grasp ahold of an image with much clarity, even capable of teleporting up the cliff... Upon his third attempt, he would try to do the same going down, but unfortunately, he was unable to succeed, crashing into the sand with an unstable aura and reckless speed.

"Agh! This is beginning to get on my nerves! But I can feel it, I'm just but ways from this technique!"
(Orion Sinclair)



[14:22] Shaking his head, Orion would quickly disregard the situation, "Maybe a little work out will wake me up...Hey, Mei, how about another spar eh?" Orion asked with a small grin, using his water magic to wash away the little specs of blood on his hand.
(Orion Sinclair)


[14:22] Mei Xiang asks, "Huuuh?"
[14:22] Mei Xiang exclaims, "A spar? Sure!"
[14:23] Orion Sinclair says, "Great, it'll wake me up... I think."
[14:24] Mei Xiang says, "Ready when you are."
[14:24] Orion Sinclair says, "Hm, you look different today... Eh, damn I shouldn't have drinked that stuff."
[14:27] Though he was hungver, Orion made sure to maintain somewhat of a good posture, the headache got to him... That potion, it made him think of only one person, and he knew nothing of it.. He had no idea what the woman had slipped into his sake, but for now, he would try to focus on this spar, trying to go on with his advancements towards the ability of his master...

"I don't think I've told you this before, but you share the same name as my Master... An old woman named Mei, she's the one who made me come here to find someone as strong or stronger than me to hone my After Image abilities with."
(Orion Sinclair)


[14:28] Her sword is drawn, as usual.

Held close to her body while she assumed a rather sturdy looking stance. "I've been told I share the same name with a few people, was your master a Kitsune...?"
(Mei Xiang)


[14:28] Orion Sinclair says, "Nope...Human."
[14:29] Hayashi Guren whispers something.
[14:31] failing to perform his after image abilities in practice, Orion didn't quite feel like himself, but he was starting to feel the familiar pain of battle, that blade colliding with his own and bashing against his body...

"Oi, that was heavy..."

He felt a little hindered, but now, his eyes were opened, preparing himself for their second round... "I can go again."
(Orion Sinclair)


[14:32] Mei Xiang says, "*smiles widely.* "Well, I am a pretty hard hitter, ya know? I'm gettin' better at keepin' my ground!""
[14:32] Moriya Ukitake says, "Hm...I'll face the victor."
[14:33] Eagleheart asks, "Are you sure you're on the same level, Moriya?"
[14:34] Orion Sinclair exclaims, "Oooh man, that was exactly what I needed!"

[14:37] Though he was intoxicated, Orion gave it his all, dashing throughout the entire fight, he was having the bad end of a day, feeling the adrupt change in the field.. But he felt the growth in his rivals ability... He felt her attacks become heavier, her movements more fluent...

He would make several more attempts to grasp a better understanding of his after image ability in development... But due to such intoxication's he would not be able to grab a proper understanding.
(Orion Sinclair)

Later that same day….

[04:19] Orion Sinclair says, "I won't hold you up, go get some rest."
[04:20] Mei Xiang says, "Right, I'll see ya tomorrow."
[04:20] Orion nods and waves.
(Orion Sinclair)


[04:27] Standing in the dojo on his lonesome, the Kitsune works on his influence over nature magic--vines twist up from the floorboards very slowly, very carefully.
(Feiyan)


[04:32] Making his way into the dojo, Orion noticed something new, a new face a kitsune he has yet to meet in this strange land of samurai and fox blessed people... Though the kitsune were known for their abilities with the magics of fire and illusions, this one sparked his interest... Casually manipulating the plants of nature, altering the flood of the arena.

"Ohh, that's impressive... A nature magi, much like mother eh? Maybe you can help me with something I've been lacking... To establish a true hold to the world," Orion spoke with a calm yet stoic tone, placing but one hand onto his hip.

Though he has been facing off against multiple civilians on this side of the world, he wanted to push himself not just through the sword but while facing magi as well.
(Orion Sinclair)


[04:35] Turning on the floor after Orion had appeared, the Kitsune closes his eyes for a few moments as his hand runs through his hair--fingers trace across the sakura flower resting in his ear as it almost seems to twist within his tresses; empowered by nature magic, it was now.

"Hrm?" He ponders, looking at him for a few moments before a half-smile comes across his face.

"I don't know much about nature magic, but shoot your shot," He declares. If he was interested, perhaps he'd join with him. "What are you lacking?"
(Feiyan)


[04:38] Shaking his head, "No, no, what I'm lacking has little to nothing to do with nature, what I lack is control... I'm trying to obtain a power my master has trained me for, but has left the rest up to me..."

If Feiyan paid attention to detail, he'd notice a vine going down Orion's right arm with a white flower symbol near his wrist, this was the mark of Adsila.

"So, how about a spar? I've been hard at work with this after image ability but in order to get a proper grasp on it... Much practice is needed, and just doing it alone is frustrating."


(Orion Sinclair)


[04:44] Ah, it wasn't something he was working on outside of combat-- it was a skill! Interesting.

Feiyan often sparred nowadays. He wasn't very great at it, but he could surely give it a try. His eyes trace towards his Mark, but he has no idea what it means in truth--ignoring it, he nods.

"Sure."
(Feiyan)


[04:49] Looking at his opponent, young Orion positioned himself at the opposite side of the arena, drawing out his sword... Seconds later, he would assume the Cetus stance to aid his practice in the arts of the After Image, then he would focus on his internal energy.

With this serene state of mind level of concertation, he would make it a tad bit easier to follow through with his attempts to teleport. One thing's for certain though, he knew what he was up against, a magi, the worst enemy of those wielding a sword, people capable of burning the entire area without even receiving so much of a starch.

"Y' ready? Here we go," said Orion, maintaining a solid focus on his Faux After Image like aura.
(Orion Sinclair)


[04:51] Feiyan was not a melee fighter for certain- walking to the other side of the arena and drawing his twinblade, one can tell from its look alone that it functioned better as some sort of channeling rod.

"Don't go easy on me, and I won't on you," He declares; moments later, a shroud of holy flames bursts around his form, dancing around him as brilliant flames.

Spores begin to flow around him, too. The Sakura on his head begins to bloom- as if empowering him-- or the vice versa, as he closes his eyes.

The magic of crystal was long-gone within him, but it was no issue. Nature was within his grasp now.
(Feiyan)


[04:58] Though he moved swiftly, dashing through the fire towards his opponent, using his element of water to fend off against the flames.. Orion couldn't handle the heat, it rushed to him like a pack of wolves from all corners, as if he were playing the literal definition of 'The floor is lava'

Nontheless, he managed to teleport through the use of a Faux After Image, this being him adapting the teleportation abilities of his Cetus stance, applying it to his body with the calculations of the golden ratio... Orion pondered about it for so long but it was not until today where he took such immediate action...

Now knowing such flaws, he would try to concentrate less on the flow of energy and more on the fight so that this thought process, this focus would come naturally. "Almost there, I can feel my speed increasing as we fight, keep it coming... These flames will be a reminder to my body of what to avoid." He spoke of muscle memory for his physical prowess, having such a desire to be as fast or faster than his master.
(Orion Sinclair)


[05:04] Feiyan's control over his fire was something that almost seemed mastered to Orion. Where he was once messy, the flames quickly reignite themselves after being doused with the water. It was his will of the flame that forced it to live on. Even so, Feiyan's nature magic is certainly lacking--

Debilitating spores are his best trick. Forcing him to cough, it allows him to strike with more fire and holy magic. Feiyan's eyes are closed as he practices, trying to imitate the art of his friend from long ago, Katya.

feel through the nature. i come from all walks of life.

Even as Orion tries his best-- going so fast can only be so useful against a slower Kitsune who strikes hard once caught he was caught out. He rushes past the Sinclair, a blast of flames trailing behind him forcing him down.
(Feiyan)


[05:07] * You have been awarded 1 Roleplay Points! *
[05:11] Golden flames quickly spread throughout the arena, like a scorching ocean of fire, the wood tiles however probably suffered no damage due to it being holy flames... Orion however felt their sting, the raw power behind each incantation as a burst of flames crashed into his body like a violent tsunami...

Though he grunts in pain, he continued to push himself, forcing his energy to push beyond their natural limits, utilizing magic for the sake of his practice... With the help of his Cetus stance, he was able to teleport throughout the arena more than a few times, creating a more balanced use of his practice with his current Faux After Image, trying to attain the true shroud that it was.

But in the end, despite such great speed, rushing in through the flames proved to be fatal to his cause... He was eventually defeated, close but being close never cuts it in a battle as no one is remembered for coming close, only succeeding...

Orion fell to the ground, forced onto his back by a trail of flames, "Geh!" he was defeated, his aura, his stance, all faded away... But, in the climax of their little spar between himself and Feiyan, young Orion showed a gesture and an expression of gratitude, smiling at the Kitsune... Even learning something new about their culture behind magic during this fight...



This, was one heck of a roundabout spar...
(Orion Sinclair)


AI Dev --- Spars For Improvement

[15:49] Though he grew tired by the minute, Orion was just only waking up, stumbling onto the beach, having found no one to train and hone his abilities with. This world was one of many or thousands of great magi and yet, he failed to find one suitable for his progress, a partner aside from Mei, someone who could push him but also, someone with similar or the same goals as himself... He had people like those within the Glade, but no one truly knew who he was or what he desired aside from protecting the Glade....

This is what pushed Orion to train, to place himself above the rest in terms of speed and skill, to find his position within the world. To achieve such a power and become his master's successor, and to one day ascend to the top. To one day, achieve his positioned sail upon the Ocean of Time...

Orion then focused his energy onto his legs, arms and all, his focus was that of a serene state of mind. He was more than determined to achieve this ability, the After Image his master has pushed him so hard to achieve. No he was hungry, he desired it, he craved it with a fiery passion, one so high in ambition that you may even consider his personality to have changed so drastically...

Though he was at the border of deciding what type of man he would be in the future, he maintained this focus. Like the calculations of the golden ratio, young Orion proportioned this mana throughout his entire body, thus making several attempts to teleport himself around the beach, some even possibly landing him a small injury or more due to the sheer intensity he was putting himself through.

"I've lost so much as it is, I will not hinder myself, I will not fall to Mei or any other damned swordsmen again! This is a line I must cross, the horizon within my Ocean of Time!" He yelled with a furious and violent tone, rushing down the beach as he makes his attempts with the After Image ability...

Orion Sinclair rolled a dice and it landed on: 1

Orion Sinclair rolled a dice and it landed on: 4


Orion Sinclair rolled a dice and it landed on: 1

Orion Sinclair rolled a dice and it landed on: 6

Upon his first attempt, Orion crashed into the ground, unable to stabilize his ability, failing with utter embarrassment. A tear within his pride, "Dammit!" He shouts, getting up to try again, barely even succeeding this time, still stumbling upon the sand... Upon the third attempt, he failed once more, even more so miserably than before, he crashed into the sand, throwing himself into the water....

Now angered, he got back up with a furious roar, rushing out of the water, focusing all of his energy into a single point, the core of his body. "Aggh! God's! This is what I pray to you for! Let's go!" Orion had been pushing himself for so long, now begging the gods for a helping hand in his cause, begging for power, hungry for more... More than determined to surpass his masters, and shape that portion of the world that he holds so dear into something he deems worthy, a land of Mandom.

Though he succeeded so greatly upon his final attempt, Orion was out of breath, his eyes tired, but his face filled with so much hatred and anger... What was driving him, what made such a sudden change in his behavior, well the answer was quite simple... His defeats, his loss, losing everything, losing those he cared about in the Ocean of Blood... Losing his master’s trust, but gaining the love of others... It was not enough, Orion was being pulled in by his old desires... His old ambition to rise and ascend to the top of the world of which he lived.... To Guide the Glade, to become a leader of some sort, however he knew that no leader would be weak and for that! He required this power, he craved and thirsted for this change, he was driven by a new cause, a new world he's foreseen upon a dream!

"I will never let myself fall again! To do such would be useless, it would be my eternal sin... I have a land, I have people to protect... I am the Pride of my home, I am my master's successor, I am Orion Sinclair!"
(Orion Sinclair)



[20:59] The boy moves into the center, pulling out his light staff. He concentrates for a moment, lifting into the air, directing forces to keep himself upright. Fire alights around the tip of his staff, spiraling down and forming geometric patterns around himself, slowly turning.

"Okay- I am ready."
(Epsilon)


[21:01] Orion took on his normal stance, the Cetus sword stance, ready for Epsilon to rush forward.. Though they were on two different scales of power, he saw this as a learning opportunity for the both of them.
(Orion Sinclair)


[21:03] Utilizing his abilities of a faux after image, young Orion managed to dash through the flames... Teleporting around his target from all corners before delivering the blow that would land him this victory...

However, the flames burned him just as much as he had harmed his opponent, a doubled edged sword tactic to go diving in a storm of fire.

"That's very good, now keep it up!"
(Orion Sinclair)


[21:06] Epsilon seems nervous, unsure really of how to fight at all. He simply defaults to what he thinks probably would work best, forming patterns of fire in the air and gently pushing them towards his opponent, in between warping the gravity fields to delay Orion.

The other boy is fast, however, dashing through the flames and landing blow after blow. Despite his desire to prove himself, he's clearly more concerned with ensuring he doesn't injure either of them.

"O-okay!"
(Epsilon)

Later that day….

[03:44] Orion assumed the Cetus stance, looking over at Valeriya with a focused gaze for he knew that she was not one to stand idle, he would imagine that she had grown much stronger since the last time they faced one another... He saw something familiar, the use of fire and illusion from what he was told.

Her skills resembled that of an Kitsune and what they represented behind the two arts... But for now, Orion would keep his focus on one thing, maintaining his faux After Image like aura, this was so that he would be able to make those attempts of teleportation throughout the battle.

"Our weaknesses, are lines of the wretched world that we are apart of... You can cross those lines Val, that I know..." He then gives a nod to Fox, agreeing to help the man with his control over the pyro arts.
(Orion Sinclair)


[03:45] Fox exclaims, "cosmic, nicee !"
[03:45] Fox exclaims, "energy *!"
[03:48] Val reached up and pulled out what was basically a stick with a stone on it. Nothing fancy, and by no means did it stack up to Orions sword- but a weapon was a weapon.

A clone of herself came wandering up behind Val, patting her on the bottom. To wit- She turned around and winked at it, which seemed to trigger something in the clone to take the lead.

Val then assumed the Ifrit stance as an energy aura began flowing through her.

"Ooooooh… That's new!" She said with a giggle, as the clone turned around and winked back at Val.

"Yah... I know." She then took her stance and prepared for the oncoming fight.
(Valeriya Smyrnoi)


[03:54] "It was a good fight, the two did well!"
(Fox)


[03:54] Though he dashed throughout the field, young Orion felt himself slowing down not only that but he had lost his vision for a time... He couldn't allow such to get to him, and so he performed his combination of both the ocean and time, allowing himself to move freely despite the slowing spell...

It was after that point would he utilize his Cetus stance ability as well as his practice behind the after image to teleport behind Valeriya, catching her by surprise on some occasions, however he fell for some of her traps as well... The Ifrit stance was a violent one, and this excited him, he went as far as to shout at Val during the start of their next round...

He teleported away to a safe distance once he had become victorious from his heavy striking abilities and sheer speed... "Are you ready?! Break out of that cage and show me ever inch of that anger within you!" He thought these words would push her, or make her even more so violent... He saw the potential she had, he knew she could be just as strong or stronger than him in the upcoming years...



He desired such, he wanted to see this Crimson Hell Flower Blossom.
(Orion Sinclair)


[03:59] The fight drug on and she slowly got angrier... Slowly found herself losing it bit by bit- until finally she had been beaten and she just stomped her foot. Over, and over, and over again.

Then finally- out of the blue- a small amount of red began getting mixed in with her energy aura, as if signifying her change in mood. A small growl... Until, finally she just let go and screamed.

He wanted her to snap- she snapped, she was going to do what she could to actually beat him, despite him being a great deal more powerful.
(Valeriya Smyrnoi)


[04:01] Fox exclaims, "wow, nice fight !"
[04:01] "I found the strength and speed of the girl interesting ... She almost knocked you down Orion ..."
(Fox)


[04:07]

And there it was, an ember of rage sparked into a violent storm of hell-fire... Orion and Val charged at one another with the grace of two warrior's trained in the ancient arts of their respective blade styles... Though he was experienced, nothing could truly prepare him for the illusive abilities she had, throwing his strategy way off course...

Despite his serene state of mind on the field, he would be challenged by her violent waves, coming for him with one attack after another... Her clone even joined in on the action, striking him in area's he wouldn't expect, taking full on advantage of her reign over the mind... Illusion's were deadly in the hands of a violent melee based magi...

But, Orion focused his mind on the golden ratio that lies within all life within the form of the human being... He focused this energy to his core, allowing himself to teleport multiple times around Valeriya, ultimately leading to his victory, delivering one final power smash as their blades collided...

Their battle was close, it seems like the two were rivaling one another in terms of sheer power and talent... Orion had been training in the arts of Kendo and the After Image technique, much like his master Mei has taught him for the past few years while Val was more of a raw power house with her methods of combat... No mercy was shown, but their fight was for the better, for their own improvement....

A roundabout match.
(Orion Sinclair)


[04:10] As Val was finally finished off- a clone came running up to her- offering her a hand up-. She slowly pulled herself up with herself and looked over at Orion, taking a few deep breaths. Within a few moments the girl calmed herself. It took... longer than most people for her to get to a state where she wasn't trying to strangle someone.

Once she had calmed down- she found herself, hand in hand with her clone.

"WHOOOOO- That was a hard fight."
(Valeriya Smyrnoi)



[20:36] Myrrah exclaims, "Alright... I'm ready!"
[20:38] Orion paced himself to the opposite side of the field, strolling about until he had the proper distance between himself and Myrrah… And so young Orion would look at the slightly older kitsune, admiring her figure and posture through growth... Her ability to fend for herself now, as she was steadily making her first steps into a true mages world...

But Orion had his own goals as well, and such would be put onto display... He kept his sword sheeted, and his bear knuckles out for grasp and magic casting... Though he was a hand to hand combatant at the moment, he would pull his punches during the fight, not wanting to harm Myrrah… But for now..

He would begin to concentrate on his body, applying a golden ratio motion of mana throughout his body, this would be for the sake of making his attempts of performing the After Image ability during their spar. The aura was light and hardly visible, but to Orion, he could feel the familiar surges jolting about through his mana circuits and entire body...

It would be noted that these were only attempts for him to develop and one day master this ability he's inherited from his master Mei... Young Orion assumed the Cetus stance, making sure he was loose and nimble...

"Have at you!" He declared the start of their match.
(Orion Sinclair)


[20:40] Orion Sinclair exclaims, "Time Ocean!"
[20:46] Flames of a golden blaze lit up the grass around them, but because they were flames of the holy art, they would not harm the trees of nature unless intended... Orion saw Myrrah's opening and pressed forward, trying to make her realize what she was lacking in, and although her fire power was great, she needed more time to hone her skills and make it so that even he would be terrified of being caught in the flame...

A new ability was displayed, one of a fire ball that was capable of chasing him, something new... Something only an kitsune was capable of... This pushed Orion, he had to avoid this attack, utilizing his Faux after Image to teleport around Myrrah up until the very end... He was unable to re-direct this wild blaze, all he could do was try his best to avoid it...

But in the climax of their first round, young Orion proved himself capable of teleporting during the heat of a moment... Dashing through the air with enough sheer speed to make himself seem as if he were nothing but a blur... He'd finish the first round off with the combination of his that is known as his famous Ocean of Time...

"That was some ability, a new trick you've learned?! Damn, that was frightening."
(Orion Sinclair)


[21:09] Myrrah fought her hardest. Her lost against Eve showed her she required more flexibility in her form. Something was missing. Again, Orion was zooming around the battlefield. But this time she had a counter for that. She took advantage of her kitsune heritage and worked on a homing spell that would keep Orion distracted. However, her holy fire wasn’t enough. She had already seen this during her spar with Eve and how powerless she was against the torrents. Nature… but of course! How could she have not seen it? She was trying to achieve her golden sun. The sun was a celestial object. Of course she couldn’t recreate it just with fire and holy fire. She had been too reliant on Mother Earth… She knew what she had to do. She would have to balance her Magic between Mother Earth and Father Sky in order to achieve it.

“Thank you Orion, this fight just confirmed my suspicions. I felt this during many previous battles.. But now I understand… I’m too reliant on Mother Earth, I must also seek guidance from Father Sky that way… I will truly be able to find nature’s balance!”


(Myrrah)



[21:12] Nodding his head, Orion was drizzled in sweat after running for so long, being chased by such a mass of fire, it felt like it would never reach an end.. Magi definitely had the upper hand on those with just a sword...

But now all had become clear for Myrrah, "And what about your spirits?. To make them stronger is a great hand in battle... Someone to hold off your targets as you plan things out."

Orion deactivated his Faux After Image like aura, although it was not too clear to see in the first place, his body felt much more relaxed.
(Orion Sinclair)

Later that day, he spared Eagleheart...

[23:05] Eagleheart says, "Alright, now. You and me, I believe, Orion Sinclair."
[23:05] Epsilon scampers over to sit in front of the bench by Mei. He gestures to Ara as he begins speaking.
(Epsilon)


[23:05] Orion Sinclair says, "Yes sir."
[23:05] Eagleheart says, "I'll take it a bit easy, if you don't mind."
[23:05] Epsilon whispers something.
[23:06] Orion Sinclair says, "Not at all."
[23:06] Mei Xiang whispers something.
[23:07] Eagleheart moves a hand, returning the mythril sword that fell upside down on the other side of the arena to himself. Quickly, it is sheathed back, hidden underneath the cloak.

And soon enough, his own hammer, amidst broken wooden planks, is returned as well, but it is quickly put to the side, resting at the bench like many others.

And like that, he puts both hands up, covering the face. No earthen shell protecting him, not this time.
(Eagleheart)


[23:08] Epsilon whispers something.
[23:08] Epsilon whispers something.
[23:08] Orion made his way into the arena, his posture as calm and as focused as ever, staring at Eagleheart with a warrior's gaze.. He would assume a kendo based stance, spreading his legs only shoulder width apart and both hands maintaining a firm grip upon the hilt of his Glyph-Blade... This was no other than the Cetus stance he had trained with since his times with his old Master Mei of the Glade... It was not long after where young Orion would begin to focus on his internal energy, channeling it like a calm river, no an ocean at that, all so calm and steady but capable of becoming a violent tsunami if needed...

<Come On…>He thought to himself as he would begin to focus on the way he was channeling his energy, doing so with the calculations of something similar to the natural laws of a golden ratio, looking to perfect the balance and rotation of his breathing, his movements and his mana flow all for the purpose of practicing his Faux After Image.

It was something he named Faux simply because it was not a true After Image but one he would have made during his practice, slowly climbing the ladder as he trains day by day with newer opponents. <Come On…>He thought once more, focused and concentrate fully on his mana flow until there was a thin layer radiating from his skin.

"Have at you," said Orion, ready for the spar to come...
(Orion Sinclair)


[23:09] Mei Xiang whispers something.
[23:09] Epsilon grins, his face reddening just a fraction. He waves towards Ara, gesturing for the other boy to scoot closer.
(Epsilon)


[23:13] Eagleheart says, "Ah... I guess being a bit harder comes at this time then..."
[23:13] Orion Sinclair says, "<Damn he's like a mountain that punches back!>"
[23:13] Orion Sinclair exclaims, "Here we go!"
[23:14] Eagleheart slowly becomes covered by stones. And... He grabs a short sword!
(Eagleheart)


[23:20] Ei Sei exclaims, "Give me an opponent to crush!"
[23:20] Eagleheart actually has to pull up a short sword. Fighting without the earthen shell was hard -- He felt the brunt of all hits against the mythril arm, even!

Yet, it was obvious that slowly he got used to the faster fighting style of Orion. Perhaps this was the point of it all, in the end. Eagleheart was, indeed, as Orion thought... Mostly a mountain that hit back.

The short sword was quickly sheathed back once he got distance yet again, and it was time to finish it off. Eagleheart charged again, cosmic magic flaring all around him. A salvo of punches sent the boy down to the ground.

Luckily, it seemed he learned something with Mei! Perhaps he would obtain a few bruises along his torso, after all, but there was at least no harm to his face!

"Heh. I underestimated you. Close call..." He spoke, slowly rising a hand to adjust the mask.
(Eagleheart)



[23:26] Despite his best efforts, utilizing his Cetus stance to better mobilize himself and concentrate on the practice of his After Image, young Orion was soon smacked into place...

Like a mountain with iron fist, Eagleheart managed to capture him at every corner, and it became clear to Orion that sheer speed was not enough at this point... He would call upon the spirit of Cetus but even then, he'd catch the merciful hands of a man with years of experience.

Those iron like punches sent Orion down to the ground with multiple bruises upon his body, grunting in pain but smiling in delight, he had finally gotten the fight he wanted... His first steps into the true man's world, a world where he would have to be prepared for danger and people with such strength at every corner...

He's learned a lot from this fight, not just about ways he could better conduct practice for the After Image but how he could manipulate the fields of battle.. He'd pick himself up, making his way to the benches with his chin up.

"That was one hell of a match."
(Orion Sinclair)