For the first time in almost three years Josh was returning to his home. For the first time in almost six years Josh had been robbed of the self-assuredness that he was well known for, he could feel the hesitation in each and every step he took. Of all the things he had faced over his lifetime the act of returning to his villa was one of the most frightful things he had ever done. Each and every step up the path of smoothed stones tested his resolve, each and every step closer to the wooden gates tempted him to turn back and forget this foolish endeavour. He didn’t though, or rather he couldn’t, every fibre of his being was telling him that if he turned back today he would never be able to work up the courage to return ever again.

This was Salvation Villa, this was Josh’s home, seven buildings and a training ground and an expansive garden, it wasn’t the largest place around, but to him, well this was the most sacred place he knew. More than just his home, this place was the last place of worship in the entire land dedicated to the Goddess Kirstaline, the Goddess with whom, the last time he was here, he had been in quite an argument with, an argument which had ended in his banishment from the villa, never to return until she saw fit. Oh the power this Goddess held over his life. Now the moment had arrived, Josh had reached the ornate wooden gate that separated the villa from the outside world, the next moment would decide whether he was welcomed back into his own home, or cast aside once again to wander the world as a vagrant, vanquishing evil as he went. His arm extended slowly, his finger outstretched to their maximum, slowly at a pace a snail would be ashamed of Josh reached out and touched the gate. His eyes closed as he flinched in pre-emption of some mystical force, but no such force came, and instantly all the tension he had been unaware he’d even been holding back fled from his body and he almost collapsed in relief. With the worry over Josh stroked the gate, reacquainting himself with its form, his fingers caressed the flowering vines etched and carved into her surface, green and gold in colour it was a beautiful gate, a gate he himself had carved painstakingly for his Goddess as he rebuilt her place of worship back to its former glory.

Emboldened he pushed the gate open and strode through, straight into his training grounds. Any who visited thought it was strange that the moment they stepped through there was no garden or foyer in which to be greeted, rather an earthen training ground more often than not containing a single martial artist reinforcing his skills against the equipment within. This wasn’t by flaw or mistake, rather it was purely by design, protected by the will of the Goddess the only way into the Villa was through that gate, and once through anyone with evil intent found themselves in a place designed for combat, were the most zealous defender a Goddess could wish for would be waiting for them, in a place where his full power could be unleashed without fear of damaging the beauty that was Salvation Villa. This was Salvation Villa, you came here to be saved or the Goddess help you would need saving.

It hadn’t changed since Josh had left, perfectly square around about 50 metres on each edge, and an earthen dirt floor, solid enough for fighting but soft enough that constant practise wouldn’t cause injuries to the muscles of the legs. Within that 2500 square metres of spaces was training equipment, wooden dummies sat in three rows on two opposite sides, one side marked with the placement of various organs and nerves to train accuracy of blows, on the other side the dummies were segmented with limb like protrusions, these dummies spun when struck, aiming their ‘limbs at the attacker’ dummies for teaching one to attack and defend at the same time. In the centre was a tree ground straight and true out of the ground its foliage high above the tallest man’s head, its trunk thick and its wood tough; Josh had many a memory of toughening the various striking areas of his body by slamming them into the wood over and over again. In one section stood tall thin poles of bamboo where one could test their agility by weaving between them, or their balance by leaping atop them. Most importantly throughout the grounds there were small and large rocks placed at random, half built walls ranging from ankle to knee height, there was no pattern or conceivable layout to these, they were their so that regardless of the training you did, you remained aware of your surroundings, or you payed the price by tripping over an obstacle. There was one last feature, on the side of the ground opposite the gate, was a wall, an epic wall, 2 metres thick and the height of four men tall, and in the centre of it was a door a simple unimportant looking door that opened into the rest of the villa, only if you made it across the grounds alive could you hope to enter the rest of the villa. It was at this wall that his Goddess spoke to him.

“Finally you return to me,” Kirstalines voice was as soft and perfect as ever, the perfect tone and pitch to Josh’s ears. “And not a moment too soon my love, for today right as you return to my embrace I have a Job for you.”

“Anything beloved,” Josh was completely sincere, for this Goddess he would and had killed before, whatever she asked he would inevitably do, even if he argued before he did.

“There are strangers coming here today, they seek the knowledge of magic within my temple, they must not be permitted into the Villa, bar them from the final door.”

“Nothing passes me on this day Beloved, no man that enters this temple today will leave alive, for today I stand as your Guardian” Josh was already checking over his weaponry, ensuring everything was in place.

“Not alone you won’t, these strangers have power, I have summoned help for you on this day,”

“I do not play well with others,”

“And that’s why she called me to help you.” Josh turned to the wall’s door as it opened, and through it walked… anexplosion rocked the training grounds, and the Villa’s front gate, the very gate that Josh had carved himself for his Beloved hurtled past him and embedded itself into the wall mostly shattering on impact. The invaders of Kirstaline’s temple had arrived.

The pack wasn't always with him but there souls and hope were with him as he traveled. The campsites they made where simple things a couple tents at the base of a tree. Each night he and myrie would cool the Sylvaan's fever long enough for her Nuncia to get to sleep. Morgoth got another message that their mark is in position and that he should hurry now. He followed the path layed out in the map sent by Kole. The two hadn't had contact in almost a decade and suddenly his student thinks he's found a new master to train his old. This letter should fear and awe the emotions of the weak. Morgoth would have to whip some sense into the silly monk once done with their mark.

He came down through the grove and past it there was a path following it he could see a short distance away was what appear to be a large single homestead and a gate the had been knocked in with quite some force. Morgoth saw his student standing half way between himself and the village. His demeanor of calm looking on such destruction was admerable considering the last scene such as this had been Kole home village. After Morgoth and the resitance burned his home and salted the fields for his families loyalties to the crown. Luckily for the warrior his father saw the light and instead of fighting joined the resistance conscripting his son to join as his squire. Morgoth thanked the old man and took his banner and sword back to camp with his new monkey. The lanky boy had a strange air about him that night as well but a stranger calm wasn't seen beyond that of himself approaching his father. Morgoth had seen that deadened look only once before and it was the look of a man ready for the end.

We're attacking the judge of this realm the sole reaming worshiper of kristaline. This bodes ill for future ventures my friend. I know no one man has returned from combat whole after fighting Josh. The simple fact is my student has gotten cocky in his complacency lets see if your cockiness was worth the risk of our lives and precious time brother.

Your discussed is note and will be taken into consideration should we live out this day. Though I doubt I'll be the one having problems leaving I'm a monk after all I've studied the teaching of his god to a certain extent. You on the other hand are an oath breaker. A murder and an inept one at that. You couldn't finish the she witch of the north even when you had her at your knees. I spit on such cowardice as you're the one who has become complacent in your old age Morgoth.

After the witty spat the two armed themselves carefully and walked down the path the the remence of what looked to be an arched gate of some kind. Morgoth poked his head through and saw a figure standing in a cleared space that appeared to a training ground.

Joshua I presume. I am Morgoth Shine prince of the Underdark and friend of Nuncia Algos. She is very ill and we are looking for allies for fear of being at the mercy of a new guild of brothers. Some of the strongest warrior's in the land banded together under a pirate. Tiam something a blowhard leading an assasin, Stolatos, A samurai by the name of Suetra, Finally Two high elf casters named Vius and Ellia. They are formidable alone allied I fear the worsted. Besides this threat we also face a sickness plaguing the earth and making Nuncia very ill indeed. Her link to the land is strong as a Sylvaan and she needs medical assistance immediately. Also I come to pay respect to Kirstaline.

His final words ended in a bow as Kole frowned at him furrowing his brow but he didn't speak at first.Then the Elementalist spoke his voice resounding as he barely kept his voice level.

I'm both sad and angry at the meeting of another who worships the gods. Your method of worshiping confounds me beyond belief. Killing in the name of your goddess sound like nothing but disrespect. What would happen in the worshiper were to misinterpret the goddess' word. You could kill an innocent and thus shame your goddess. That being said I have a great respect for your conquests in combat. Unfortunately we disagree on how to homage to our saviors. I am Kole Rhineheart Elementalist. I've been trained by the four greatest elemental masters of my craft. Devout monks of the north who worship a myriad of gods for their services as protectors of belief.

His words were harsh and he let them hang in the air as if a challenge of his faith. The insolent monk would have to be reigned in but Morgoth didn't have the time or patients to try and correct his students folly. The die was cast and now it's in lucks hands what of Kole ill thought out words of heat and passion mark their fate or would the Judge live up to his title and lay out fair judgement.

Moments before the villa’s gate hurtled past him Josh caught a glimpse of the ally being forced upon him, and for the moment before the gate impacted with the stone wall Josh could almost laugh at how ingenious Kirstaline’s plan had turned out to be. Josh didn’t play well with others, gifted with the ability to see the pasts and sins of all things, it was exceedingly hard to befriend anyone knowing full well every single wrong doing they had ever done in their life. So with his eyes there truly was only one person he could trust…

Himself…

And that was exactly who was standing in the doorway, himself, before him was a man identical in looks to himself, it was like looking into a mirror, a slightly distorting mirror, but a mirror all the same. There were minor differences of course this Joshua was far more heavily armoured than he was, completely decked out in protective vestments, he also didn’t carry the weaponry Josh did, all that was visible was an ordinary set of knuckledusters, a pair of obviously well used, but meticulously cared for knuckledusters, they looked identical to the set Josh had received the day he had been declared an adept in his art. He wasn’t sure how Kirstaline had done it, or what it had cost her, but it was immediately apparent that this wasn’t just someone that looked like him, it was him, a him that at some point in their life had when they had come to a fork in the road where a decision to go left or right was apparent they had chosen different paths, now in her time of need two parallel worlds had come together to fight in her name.

The gate hit the wall, Josh lifted his gauntlets guarding his face from the many splinters launched into the air, Joshua simply tilted his head letting the splinters from the impact bounce off of his leather cap. As one they turned to the intruders, identical faces stone cold as they gazed towards the pair that dared to damage the home of their goddess.

“Joshua I presume. I am Morgoth Shine prince of the Underdark and friend of Nuncia Algos. She is very ill and we are looking for allies for fear of being at the mercy of a new guild of brothers. Some of the strongest warrior's in the land banded together under a pirate. Tiam something a blowhard leading an assassin, Stolatos, A samurai by the name of Suetra, Finally Two high elf casters named Vius and Ellia. They are formidable alone allied I fear the worsted. Besides this threat we also face a sickness plaguing the earth and making Nuncia very ill indeed. Her link to the land is strong as a Sylvaan and she needs medical assistance immediately. Also I come to pay respect to Kirstaline.”

Drow, leather armour, Katana, a samurai if one went simply by observation. Josh tended not to like Drow, not after the fiasco that was his clan member, particularly one that announced their presence by blowing a gate off its hinges.

“I'm both sad and angry at the meeting of another who worships the gods. Your method of worshiping confounds me beyond belief. Killing in the name of your goddess sound like nothing but disrespect. What would happen in the worshiper were to misinterpret the goddess' word. You could kill an innocent and thus shame your goddess. That being said I have a great respect for your conquests in combat. Unfortunately we disagree on how to homage to our saviors. I am Kole Rhineheart Elementalist. I've been trained by the four greatest elemental masters of my craft. Devout monks of the north who worship a myriad of gods for their services as protectors of belief.”

High elf, Robes, a bladed staff, Josh wasn’t entirely sure about this one but if the other was a samurai then this one was responsible for the explosion of the gate, this portrayed a magic user of some description. Still it was a strange sight to see a High elf and a Drow in one place without a blade to each other’s throats.

“Morgoth Shadow stalker, you claim to come in peace, seeking aid for a friend and to pay your respects to my Goddess, and yet there is violence in your heart, and you carry a blade onto sacred ground. Did you think I would allow you to enter the inner sanctuary given your mana of entry.”

“Kole Rhineheart, would you doubt my faith, would you doubt our ability to fulfil the Goddess’ will, doubt our ability to comprehend her commands. No innocent falls to my blade, no evil escapes my sight, you seem to think yourself as some sort of protector and yet such chaos and violence lives in your heart. Your manner of entry betrays your heart to me even before your soul was within my gaze. You portray your own Gods as selfish being, creating monks purely for their own defence rather than that of the people, truly I ask which of us it is that shames their Gods.

As one they delivered the sentencing, “You have both been judged in the eyes of the Goddess, violence holds your souls in its grip, one more than the other. Morgoth, we sense your hesitation to follow this creature in his violence upon this place, but still you follow him meekly without any attempt to apologise for the destruction he has already wrought upon this sacred place. Kole Rineheart, you were condemned long before you came to this place, but to willingly come to a place of worship, to willingly and maliciously commit wanton destruction of property at said place of worship, and then you insult the worship of the Deity the church is dedicated to on their own grounds. You came here expecting us to bar your entry and so we shall, you are both expelled from this place of worship, leave before we make you.”

It seemed they thought along the same wavelength, used the dialogue and had the same beliefs, yes Josh felt like he could fight with this other Joshua as his ally, and he knew that the other was thinking the same of him.

I vowed on my honor to come here and earn your trust if that means combat I will not falter now. I cannot go back on an oath especially for those I love the pack is my family now and I will protect them from all. I need your help but it seems my cause is lost in this childs ill thought out approach. So it comes to this, and all I have to say is I apologize for the absent mindedness of this youth but that threat I cannot abide. It may have been year since my student was under my tutelage but this boy is part of my family and I will not abandon him.

Your words are betray you brother and for that I should give you the beating you deserve. Morgoth thank you for your faith in my judgement however miss placed it may be.

“You have both been judged in the eyes of the Goddess, violence holds your souls in its grip, one more than the other. Morgoth, we sense your hesitation to follow this creature in his violence upon this place, but still you follow him meekly without any attempt to apologise for the destruction he has already wrought upon this sacred place. Kole Rineheart, you were condemned long before you came to this place, but to willingly come to a place of worship, to willingly and maliciously commit wanton destruction of property at said place of worship, and then you insult the worship of the Deity the church is dedicated to on their own grounds. You came here expecting us to bar your entry and so we shall, you are both expelled from this place of worship, leave before we make you.”

Both entities spoke as one and it was a little unnerving for the elves. They shared a glance readied their arms into easy combat positions. Morgoth's blade loose in his right hand and Kole's voulge was held two handed angled from right shoulder to left hip across his chest. The challenge wasn't as intimidating as they had expected. Kole was anxious to get started and activated the runes of his staff they glowed with the blue light of the mana coursing under the skin of the elf. His eyes glowed faintly under his hood as well his body was en-tune and that fact alone made him confident.

Kole charged and held the mana for [Shifting winds]+[One with the elements]+[Runic Casting] The elf would release the spell at the first sign of enemy attack. He knew this was risky but casting the spell immediately was not the correct move it would leave him short the speed necessary to fight such two Martially trained monks. This was a strange foe, this temple made one man two this day and he feared that they weren't strong enough for a single moment before his focus drew him back.

Morgoth's plan was less flashy he just had his blade ready and really wished he won his last fight and got his own shiny jewel. A speed jewel would have made a world of difference this man was spoke of in taverns as the fastest and strongest man alive. Few knew that this humans ego must be the reason he didn't win the tournament. He was too cocky going in and the brotherhood stood in a lofty position over the land because of this man's arrogance. If he must die to bring an awakening to this mans goddess to the evil that lurks beyond these walls he would gladly fall. Nuncia seemed so sure he would return however he couldn't help but hope she was right and the rumors were nothing but fallacy a simple judgement by a simple man. The judge was nothing more than a hot head with a curse. He saw evil everywhere because of the nature of the living. This mans bite could have been much worse than his bark. He looked to his brother and saw the glow beyond the hood and upon the staff his student hadn't event activated the jewel. Yet he almost glowed with the energies just below the skin.

I cannot believe how much power you've amassed youngling. I fear your going to burst and we're all going to be the worse for ware. We may all die if you push your body beyond its limit's and explode.

The fear in his voice was all to real the simple fact was he lost his student years ago. This miasma of power had enveloped his mind and tainted his judgement he may had pushed himself hard enough they he was no longer natural. No one skin should glow when your casting a simple spell. The lack of fear Kole showed made the stress more likely to get to Morgoth than his brother in arms.

The faint glitter of a smile beyond the hood showed the mirth Kole must have been the result of the stuttering fear in his voice. His warning brought out the laugh that sent shivers down Morgoth's spine. A deep evil laugh that belayed the truth Kole wasn't the same man he once was and the simple fact is he needed the rude awakening this harsh fight will give.

________________________________

Stress: 0/6 4 posts after shifting winds resolves/ stress count starts

Shifting winds charged released upon enemies first action against them.

~~~Sorry Azazel, had a car accident yesterday so i kinda wasn't in a writing mood, still aren't but i forced it out for you.~~~

I vowed on my honor to come here and earn your trust if that means combat I will not falter now. I cannot go back on an oath especially for those I love the pack is my family now and I will protect them from all. I need your help but it seems my cause is lost in this childs ill thought out approach. So it comes to this, and all I have to say is I apologize for the absent mindedness of this youth but that threat I cannot abide. It may have been year since my student was under my tutelage but this boy is part of my family and I will not abandon him.

Your words are betray you brother and for that I should give you the beating you deserve. Morgoth thank you for your faith in my judgement however miss placed it may be.

The samurai drew his blade, the mage readied his stave, runes engraved upon it blazed and his eyes began to glow beneath his hood. He was full of mana, energy blazed through his body Joshua could feel the mages aura expand outwards as the power within him leaked from his body into the air around him. How could a mage, a class of person that completely ignored the existence of Ki within their body, be holding enough of it that it unconsciously leaked from their body? This person was dangerous, Joshua wasn’t entirely sure how he was dangerous, what manner of spells would he be casting?

“Exactly how different are you?” Josh spoke out of the corner of his mouth, they were far enough away that that the level he choose wouldn’t be heard by the intruders. “I don’t doubt your strength, she wouldn’t have brought you here if you weren’t as strong or stronger than I. But how different is your style to mine?”

Joshua strode forward past Josh towards their opponents, “Like night and day… Like night and day. Stay out of my way, the mage is mine… Pruina…”

Ice Jewel

The air seemed to grow colder, water condensed from the air around Joshua, spiralling from all around him onto his limbs, water collected on his fists, his elbows, knees and his feet. Ki twisted and controlled the water, shaping it into sharp spikes on his knuckledusters, elbows, knees and his feet. Instantly they froze solid and sharp. Josh looked on in wonder before hurrying to follow his other self, he was amazed by how much control he had over his ki. Pulling the water from the air with Ki? Freezing it into weapons over his body, he had only dreamed of such control over the world around him. This man before him was him, but at the same time he could sense the world of difference between them. Together they strode towards their enemies, they’d move over their slowly, they wouldn’t attack quite yet, soon they would reach their opponents over the other side of the training field, over all the obstacles. Then they would fight, two Josh’s fighting together against a common foe, the world would quake from the energies about to be unleashed…

~~~~~~~~~~~
Joshua Ice jewel active, non-fighting post so counter begins next post.

Kole released his spell and his skin continued to glow with the energies the boy now a man had at his command. In a second Kole was gone he sprinted moving faster and faster as his spell took effect.[Shifting winds]+[Athletic scholar] He closed the distance in a mere 10 seconds as he came in he swung Torment right at the neck of the crystallized Joshua using the full momentum of his charge to carry his weapon quickly across and recover.

Morgoth blinked and his student was gone the boy had traveled an immeasurable distance struck out at their foe before he could finish raising his weapon. Then he started his own approach more carefully walking slowly with his blade at the ready. The target made sense the one who should magical talent was to be handle my their magic user. Unfortunately Morgoth knew all to well that the martially talent judge wasn't to be trifled with. He was much more talented with blade and far faster than himself. Though at this moment he had the advantage of surprise the simple fact was that his apprentice had shown them a side they hadn't expected in a caster. The boy had talent physically and mentally and this was going to be fun to say the least.

How's your face Joshua, I see you like the taste of iron.

The joke made both elves snicker a little as the irony of the situation struck. The judge of this realm had been duplicated by the grace of his goddess for the significant of this fight. The two paths either Morgoth or Josh could have taken were explored this day. The chance to battle with the skills both had lost would make this event all that much more momentous. Morgoth stopped his approach about 10 feet between him and the two Josh's with Kole to his left.

Your talent with a blade better be better than your sense of humor brother or i fear we are as doomed as the door I knocked in upon our entry. I lied to you Morgoth I came here to test my prowess and nothing more I wanted to see if I could make the judge beg as he made my father. He killed my father for his past "sins" my father was a monk and his only sin was my birth. He slept with another mans wife because of his love and my birth he was condemned. Condemned to the judgement of this man a man who killed my father without a second thought. Divine justice, where was it when I left without parents my mother became very ill shortly after I turned two and died. I was abandoned by my "father" and left to die. The monks of my true fathers order raised me as one of their own and sent me to see you I've lied all these years to get to this moment. Josh you will beg for your life like my father!

Joshua, the second one, was different from Josh, he was constantly in a state of almost meditation, his immeasurable pools of energy were forever calm and still from years of training. His Ki constantly held in a tight grip, because when not a single shred of your power escaped your body without permission you could sense the power of others. Josh could feel the energy of every living thing around him, and when the aura surrounding the mage before him suddenly shifted he knew that magic was being cast.

He stopped and readied himself for the inevitable blast of magic flying towards him but it didn’t happen, instead Kole took off like a horse out of the starting gate, charging like a bull with that fancy little stick he held in his hand. Could he have been any more obvious with his intentions? Joshua had ten seconds to prepare for the attack; in a fight ten seconds was a life time. In that time period Joshua had been able to dispatch multiple skilled opponents. So he prepared, plenty of time to prepare for every eventuality, when Kole began the swing Joshua was already ducking, but it wasn’t necessary, apparently he wasn’t the only one that had ten seconds to plan everything as well.

***
Josh had step into the path of the blow, Yalan was raised, held in both hands one near each end. He caught the blow from Torment in the centre of his own staff his legs and arms bending under the force of the blow. His feet slid backwards in the dirt momentarily before another body leaned against his back bracing him against the blow, Joshua dug the spikes on his feet into the ground as he braced his counterpart using them to stop the backwards sliding; with the strength of two people defending against the blow it was absorbed.

“You sure you can take him? He seems more my speed at the moment.”

“This magic will wear off, worry about the samurai.” Joshua dove forward while Torment was still in contact with Yalan and threw a fast straight punch at Kole’s midriff, knuckleduster enhanced by the icy spikes that now adorned it, instead of a blunt blow it now carried the force of his punch, but gained penetration with contact.

“Not even a thank you? Didn’t realise I was so grouchy.” Josh laughed a little as he disengaged himself Torment and left Joshua to his chosen opponent.

Your talent with a blade better be better than your sense of humor brother or i fear we are as doomed as the door I knocked in upon our entry. I lied to you Morgoth I came here to test my prowess and nothing more I wanted to see if I could make the judge beg as he made my father. He killed my father for his past "sins" my father was a monk and his only sin was my birth. He slept with another mans wife because of his love and my birth he was condemned. Condemned to the judgement of this man a man who killed my father without a second thought. Divine justice, where was it when I left without parents my mother became very ill shortly after I turned two and died. I was abandoned by my "father" and left to die. The monks of my true fathers order raised me as one of their own and sent me to see you I've lied all these years to get to this moment. Josh you will beg for your life like my father!”

Is he right in the head? I’m about 20, how in the seven sins could I have slain his father when he were young? I was still in training... Crazy ass Drow... Josh walked over to Morgoth as he spoke returning Yalan to her clip on his waist. “I’ll give you your chance.

With a soft click Josephine was released from her captivity into Josh’s waiting hand, her handle was warm to his touch, her tassel shone brightly in the morning sun. Her blade thin silver blade was like an arc of light as she reflected the sun in her morning glory. This could possibly end badly for him, but he needed to gauge his strength against a samurai. Fate had landed the perfect opponent into his lap.

“Did you know your father begged for his life before I swung my axe at his head? Begged me to spare all of his sins?”

~~~~~~~~~~~
Ice Jewel 1/8

I was in an incident with a car myself. I was riding my bike when i was clipped by a car. I'm fine just a little bruised shin but my tire looks kinda like a V now.
***
Kole= Blue text
Morgoth= green text
***
[Nervous reflexes]
Stepping back into a ready position abandoning the strike whence the blow was absorbed and taking a breathe. He wrapped his right forearm around the shaft gripping near the base of the top blade. As he expected a punch came for his chest and with a little smirk Kole brushed it aside with the shaft parallel to his arm. He knocked the tip of the stalagmite aside like a bothersome fly.

Of course that shell of a man begged he was a simple minded fool. He prefered the sword to the intricacies of the mind attempting to hone his talents with blade rather than studies. My father betrayed his nature that day and deserved to die but you will bow before me this day the way I wish I had made him. Your a monk who worships the gods and you haven't given a single thought to past lives? Each and everyone of us has been countless times its tapping into that knowledge you've failed. I'll teach you this day even if it kills me.

With that Kole swung Torment taking advantage at the remainder of his increased speed at the Josh still directly in front of himself. He maybe strong but Kole was certain his talents weren't to be taken lightly either. Kole had trained effectively under Morgoth for eight years. His training was rigorous and he doubted his trainer had spent the last few years doing nothing.

So its you and me Joshua? I'm honored you think I warrant the effort of a charge. Lets see what you've got.

Morgoth approached ready and attempted a short sweeping strike. Stepping for with the attack and keeping a keen eye on the now loose blade of the glaive this Joshua wielded with skill according to the rumors. Morgoth just probing the depths of this opponents skill in the use of his choice of weapon.

I've got to return to Nuncia alive the pack needs me and that's all there is too it. I'm not bending to this petulant child. He may be a man by human standards but this overgrown child had grown an ego of the years and now he fancied himself a judge. Nothing makes any one being better than anyone else his work for his goddess doesn't make him special.

________________________________

Stress: 2/6 3 posts/reduction.

“ Of course that shell of a man begged he was a simple minded fool. He prefered the sword to the intricacies of the mind attempting to hone his talents with blade rather than studies. My father betrayed his nature that day and deserved to die but you will bow before me this day the way I wish I had made him. Your a monk who worships the gods and you haven't given a single thought to past lives? Each and everyone of us has been countless times its tapping into that knowledge you've failed. I'll teach you this day even if it kills me.”


“This is my range,”

The distance between the was negligible, Joshua could easily land a punch without having to move from where he was standing, a distance close enough that avoiding a staff wasn’t as difficult as it could have been. The glaive was a long and mid ranged weapon, Torment would suffer the same disadvantages in close range combat that Jasmine suffered. Toe to toe a glaive couldn’t be swung with its full force, the length of the shaft was what gave the weapon its momentum, Kole had moved back a little before Joshua’s punch, enough that he could turn it to the side with the staff, but while he readied it to swing Joshua had stepped closer again. Josh ducked under the swing, Torment cut only air above him, as it reached the other side Joshua rose up again, rose into an upwards knee strike at Kole’s stomach, the stalagmites on his knee pointing upwards ready to pierce the casters stomach.

************************

“So it’s me and you and me Joshua? I’m honored you think I warrant the effort of a charge. Lets see what you’ve got.”

Josephine swung up as Morgoth swung, her blade caught his as she rose pulling it up with her as they both travelled through the air. Morgoth’s blade was cast over Josh’s head harmless as a fly by Josh’s own.

“A charge? I walked here, I question your sanity elf. First you come here to attack the stronghold of my Goddess and now you remember things that never happened. I pity you more than anthing."


~~~~~~~
Ice Jewel 2/8

“This is my range,”

Kole pulled his chin back as he let the spike glance off his armor. The grin across his face shown as he looked at Joshua's face. The glow around the caster faded away leaving him a little sad for it. He sighed and simply darting his arm under joshua's throwing his palm high at joshua's chest. [Bolt touch] The sparks around his hand arching across his palm with this simple attack he'd force josh to pick offensive or defensive and hopeful the former instead of the latter. At this point all he had to do was keep this one in line while he decided what spell he'd use to obliterate both sides of this looking glass.

“A charge? I walked here, I question your sanity elf. First you come here to attack the stronghold of my Goddess and now you remember things that never happened. I pity you more than anthing."

"You couldn't pity me more than I pity myself. I've lost more than you will ever know."

Following his blade with a jump Morgoth turned down the length of Josephine sliding his blade down it's length toward Joshua's shoulder. A risky maneuver considering the the staff wasn't to be completely ignored. [Bleeding night] Using his weight he attempted to force both Shadow and Josephine into Joshua's left shoulder.
________________________________
Stress: 4/6 2 posts/reduction

Kole released a hand from his staff and performed a deft palm thrust at Joshua’s chest ducking under Joshua’s raised arms to do so. [Life Aura] Koles inner Ki had changed; it was a minor change, but a change nevertheless it was enough to tell Joshua that a spell had been cast and judging by the attack it was a spell centred on Kole’s hand. Electricity arced across Kole’s palm as it moved but Joshua wasn’t one to lose in close quarters combat especially against a mage.

“Duro” [Gaia Seal][Earth Jewel]

Energy rippled across Joshua’s body expanding outwards from the seal inscribed on his chest. His skin, his clothes and his armour hardened like stone turning everything about him into a flexible shield. The charged hand struck and lightning arced across Joshua’s chest it bit through his armour and his skin but much of its charge was lost as it struggled to go through the defences bolstered by Josh’s enhancing seal. Immediately Joshua struck back punching with his left fist, driving the full weight of his body behind the blow, Koe was so close it would be difficult to escape before the blow struck. Kole was wearing a version of the rare and expensive Mage mail judging by the lack of damage from Josh’s first attack, but even if this shirt was capable of preventing a certain amount of cutting and penetration it was still cloth a large portion of Josh’s pure blunt damage would still make it through.

~~~~~~~~~~

Josh was in a difficult situation, Kole was a skilled swordsman with a leap he had turned Josh’s own counter attack against him attempting to push Josephine back into Josh. Acting quickly Josh slid one hand up his own blade and bolstered his defence by blocking the attack with one hand on the hilt and the other three quarters of the way down the blade using his full strength to stop both blades from hitting him. Defense complete he kicked out with his right foot aiming a sharp kick at Morgoth’s shin enough damage to the legs would stop leaps like this in the future.

~~~~~
Ice Jewel 3/8
earth Jewel 1/8

I'm sorry I can't do this right now. I'm conceding to khan, School starting again and I'll be less active but you'll still see me around I might try and pick up a new battle this weekend. Battles for me are supposed to be fun and this is forced post after force post.

Sorry
~Azazel