It was a beautiful day for training. The sun was out with very few clouds. Tempris Found a nice tree to rest her stuff up against. She removed her white veil and rest it on her brown bag. Tempris wore a red sleeveless vest with a yellow thin shirt underneath. She had a lighter red skirt with yellow spanks underneath and brown boots with white knee-high socks. She held her divine sword which was engulfed the only flames of Illumin. Today was an off day from the Rune Guard and Tempris wanted to use it to get stronger. She hasn't had too many chances to really practice with her sword recently so now was probably the best time.

She swung her sword diagonally into the air, letting the weight pull her forward before using the momentum to shift into a horizontal strike. Then she it the ground to propel herself into the air and flipped to slam her weapon into the ground and letting the holy flames splash over over the grass. It was a beautiful site but she wasn't here to watch flames. She wanted to get stronger. If only there was another person here to train with.

WC: 202

Stats:

The weather was good and the skies clear as Ikazuchi travelled by mount towards Baska. He didn’t have a care in the world as he enjoyed the sights, though the wind was becoming irritable after having it batter against him for so long. Thankfully, he could see Baska in the distance and wouldn’t have to continue travelling in this manner for too much longer.

‘Wait…’ Something just occurred to him as he was gradually nearing the distant town. ‘...will they even let me bring a wyvern in the town?’ This question left him stumped for a moment before he quickly decided to land at the outskirts and go from there. He was able to easily relay his intent to land at the closest clearing that they could see to the red wyvern and arrive there momentarily.

He couldn’t restrain his satisfaction after returning to the ground and had a slight smile on his face as he dismounted the wyvern. Back on solid ground he had the luxury of petting the wyvern and expressing his appreciation for it. It was a genuine gesture, but it ended quickly. Neither of the two had the personality to continue to give or accept affectionate gestures excessively.

It was around that time that he heard a distinct sound that he had long since become familiar with over the course of his many years of training. He found himself unintentionally searching for the origin of the sound due to his own personal curiosity, but what he saw further away left him shocked.

‘A little girl?’ Under normal circumstances he would be confused about why a child was alone so far outside of town, but in this case he found himself unable to wrap his head around the fact that he just witnessed a small child wielding a weapon that was apparently mythical. He couldn’t help but glance at his own swords after seeing her finish a slash with the weapon. ‘They really don’t compare, do they?’

In fact, Ikazuchi learned a lot about the little girl before him due to the blessing he received previously. Information continued to appear within his mind upon seeing her to the extent that he vaguely felt a sense of familiarity with the girl due to not being accustomed to the influx of information in such mysterious manner. The most concerning piece of information that he gained was her affiliation to the Rune Knights.

Ikazuchi appeared here by chance, and his curiosity wouldn’t allow him to walk away after seeing such an interesting sight. He also couldn’t deny that a part of him wished to see such a rare sword from a closer distance. He naturally approached from diagonally behind her left side with those thoughts in mind and stopped a short distance away before speaking loud enough for her to hear him clearly. “Hey kid, it’s dangerous to play with weapons...even more so when they’re on fire.”

Ikazuchi wasn’t particularly concerned for her due to all that he knew, but he still felt that this was the most appropriate way for himself to approach her. There was also no denying that under normal circumstances he wouldn’t be saying anything wrong. Still, these circumstances weren’t normal so he could only wait and see how she would respond.

Word Count: 540

Spoiler:

*Kid?!* Who their right mind would disrespect her now, especially with all the holy flames around her. She looked toward the sound of the voice to see some strange sinner in the distance. She had half a mind to just ignore him but then she got an interesting idea. If he cared about her safety so much to insult her, maybe he would be willing to help her train. Tempris put on her gear before heaving her sword to her shoulder. Then she proceeded to walk over to the sinner. There was no reason to yell. All she did was smile, excited to see a potentially new partner.

When she reached the guy, she dropped her smile for a more innocent face while puffing up her cheeks. "You shouldn't call other people kids and I'm not playing. I'm training. I want to make the world a better place but I have to be strong to do so." Tempris turned her back to the man to look up. "I do wish I had someone else to work with. What ya say mister." Tempris turned around dropping the blade off her shoulder so that it rested on the ground on her left side with the handle still in her left hand. "Want to train with me?"

‘What a creepy kid…’ That was what Ikazuchi thought to himself as the little girl made her way towards him while hefting the sword that was just as big as she was. He simply watched as she drew closer and attempted to appear innocent with a growing sense of unease. She spoke to him while acting upset about what he said before, but Ikazuchi wasn’t drawn in by her act. Simply due to the fact that the girl in front of him held a mythical weapon, it was impossible for him to just accept her innocent and cutesy actions at face value. ‘Ah, she revealed what she really wanted…’ This was the thought that ran through his head as he heard the girl make her request.

For a moment Ikazuchi was excited to be able to experience a mythic weapon. The opportunities for him to do so would always be limited. Unfortunately, the owner of the weapon dampened those feelings greatly. His brow unintentionally furrowed as he contemplated the issue further. “Let me think about that for a moment.”

‘Is it okay to fight a child?’ This question ran through his mind over and over. The moral standards of the world constantly told him that he shouldn’t do so. At the same time, he distinctly remembered fighting his own father for training when he was younger than this girl. He unintentionally found himself resting the palm of his right hand on the hilt of his sword. It was becoming clear what thoughts were winning in the mental struggle.

Finally, after a few seconds Ikazuchi gave in to what he considered normal rather than act how others would. ‘It’s not like I have to kill her…’ Ikazuchi’s face relaxed as he looked closer at the girl one more time before drawing his swords. Unlike his child self, this girl was equipped with enough gear that he didn’t need to be too concerned. In fact, his earlier excitement returned even stronger after reminiscing about his father.

“Fine, I won’t be holding back other than this…” Ikazuchi turned his swords around so he would only strike with the blunt side of his katanas. “...so make sure to come at me with everything you’ve got.” As he finished speaking to this point, he immediately leaped backward to reset the position between the two of them. After landing on the ground Ikazuchi remained in place and simply observed and waited. His pride wouldn’t allow him to make the first move, but the smile that had grown wider betrayed his excitement.

Word Count: 420

Spoiler:

*Fine* was all she needed to hear. It was time to show this guy what a "kid" could do. Right after she heard the word fine, Tempris attempted Cleaved her sword her sword into the guy hip area. If she hit him, magic fire would explode out of the sword and fall onto the ground like sparks from clashing metal. Tempris would follow the boy in what ever direction he moved to the best of her ability and keep on the assault, swing her sword she he provide another opening. "Who's the kid now." she would taunt satisfied if her blow landed. A sinister grin would spread across her face as she prepared for another blow.

However, if the man were try and dodge her weapon, she would try and back up (not lunge) and swing in an upward diagonal motion should the man come within range of his on weapon. To be able to dodge her surprise attack would show the battle experience of the man and Tempris would only be able to grit her teeth now that her truth nature was revealed.

Should he attempt to block her attack, tempris would then use the force of her attack to push her in the opposite direction of her swing and lunge in preparation of a counter attack. She would countinue moving why pushing her sword against the man in hopes of getting behind him.

‘What a fucking brat…’ this thought passed through his mind as he was interrupted by the child’s action of readying her sword to strike. It was obvious that the girl was intent on interrupting him. He had ample time to react as he clearly saw the girl reach her right hand across her body to properly grip her two handed sword, so he rotated his swords in that time. Even if she was rude, he wouldn’t hit a kid with his blade for no reason. ‘At most a few broken bones…’

Ikazuchi could easily predict the general range of motion for a slash from that position, so he moved preemptively by lunging off of his right foot directly past Tempris’s right side avoiding the sword swung from her left. Rather than move as far as he could, Ikazuchi rotated his body part of the way through and stopped on his left just outside of where the girl’s sword would lose momentum due to her range of motion. In the same moment that his foot touched the ground Ikazuchi’s right hand would be in motion to perform a horizontal slash with the dull back of his sword targeting the back of the girl’s head.

Having already turned his sword around Ikazuchi had no reason to hesitate. He understood well enough that at worst the girl would be rendered unconscious, and even that was unlikely in his opinion. After his swing Ikazuchi would pivot on his left foot slightly to bring the right side of his body back and place his left side in a slightly better position to respond. Following that slight turn he would move two steps to his left and more behind Tempris as a result. ‘What now, kid?’

Word Count: 290

Spoiler:

Her plan was perfect. She lured him into a moment of weakness. She had the element of surprise. It was Illumin's will that she knock this guy on his tail. So why was he able to quickly move behind her while she was swinging. From the corner of her eye, she noticed that man going for an attack aiming for her head. She was potentially ruined but there was one thing she could do. So Tempris check swinging. She lowered her profile to duck under the attack. She shifted her right foot so she could continue the arc of her swing which would be aiming at his chest. If the move hit, flames would explode from her sword like steel clashing against steel. Tempris would back up so that she was just out of range of the man's sword but still within range of hers.

She seriously never expected than nobody to be this fast. It was clear she needed more practice and training as a whole. Worst, she was a Seated Knight. How could she lose to some peasant sinner. If she could scream and unleash all her magic, she would. But for now, she had to play it safe. Else, she would be eating dirt and dirt is heresy.

‘Not bad…’ That was what Ikazuchi thought as he noticed the child shift positions and maintain her swing. If she couldn’t do at least this much, then her holding a mythical weapon would simply be a joke. He was mid-attack as well, and couldn’t move too far as a result. It was a calculated risk for him to move where he had, but he truthfully hadn’t expected much from Tempris.

He was in the process of making his sword swing, so he couldn’t avoid this strike in the same manner as before. He knew that the moment the sword continued beyond his predictions. Ikazuchi had enough experience to move the moment he couldn’t avoid her strike. He was accustomed to dual wielding, so he didn’t hesitate to move the sword in his left to attack across the shortest possible distance.

The attack that occurred in such a natural manner was a simple, compact thrust. The distance that the tip of his blade had to travel was minimal, especially when you considered the girl’s height relevant to his sword held at his side. At the same time, Ikazuchi slid his left foot towards Tempris in order to allow his chest armor absorb the girl’s strike. This movement would shorten the distance for his left sword to travel and time required to do so.

As for Ikazuchi’s first strike, it wouldn’t connect due to the angle that he attacked at. It moved in a slight upward angle allowing the short girl to lower her posture slightly and avoid it. The only question now was how the girl would avoid his sword stab at her chest that followed it immediately.

He honestly was confident in exchanging strikes, but he couldn’t be sure of success at that moment. The reason for that was the simple fact the mythical sword connecting at roughly the same moment. The force of the sword connecting his chest armor wasn’t something that let him be certain of his success until the exchange was over.

After being hit squarely in the chest Ikazuchi would retreat backwards a bit over a meter before lunging back another eight meters to assess the situation properly the moment his foot touched the ground. He would at least need to confirm the success or failure of his attempted exchange before continuing.

Word Could: 370

Spoiler:

She did it. Her weapon ate a large hole in his chest piece. She did it. She showed him how serious she was in this ordeal. However, it was a bitter sweet victory. A painful thump in her chest followed by a the a flash of his blade as he was pushed back made her realize again how fast her opponent was. Had that been her head, it could have been over. If she wasn't wearing armor, she was sure that would have been over. Still, she did it. She did hit him.

She pulled her weapon back and reset her footing and noticed the man running away. Was he scared? Maybe he thought she had a chance. She wouldn't back down though. "Who's the kid now!" She grinned and just started walking forward with her sword in front of her. Her armor was very loose but it still functioned. She needed to find a way hit the guy without taking another hit. If her armor broke, she was done. If she got caught in an attack, she loss. She was had to think of something. She had to hit the man one more time. And she was going to do it.

After properly retreating away roughly eight meters Ikazuchi could comfortably assess the situation. His armor was in shambles after that strike, but that was within his expectations. Still, knowing what that sword could do and experiencing it were very different things. He would be more careful going forward now that he lost most of his defenses. As for the girl, he could clearly see some damage from his own sword on the chest of the armor. ‘What a bullshit weapon…’ Ikazuchi technically lost in this exchange, but only due to the weapon that Tempris used.

It only took a moment for Ikazuchi to fully understand the circumstances between the two, and around the time he confirmed everything that Ikazuchi heard the girl speak. ‘That’s what she was upset about?’ He had been stumped about the reason why the girl would attack him so suddenly, but it was only now that he understood that this child had serious mental issues on top of being very religious.

Ikazuchi couldn’t stop himself from smiling at the girl casually in response. 'You’re the kid, you crazy brat.' There wasn’t any need for him to respond to the girl at this point, he was already intent on beating the girl.

The girl had started walking his way after she finished speaking. She was roughly four meters away from him by the time he had judged the girl mentally. Around this time he would start to walk her way as well, paying close attention to her actions in order to respond immediately. He would continue forward until he was roughly two meters away from Tempris. He wasn’t fond of taking the initiative at this point, but it was clear that the girl wasn’t willing to take the initiative again.

The girl was holding her sword directly in front of herself as she gradually walked forward. Even now, she was inching forward into her range. There wasn’t a distinct opening for him to take advantage of due to her passive approach, however he didn’t agree with it either.

It was at that moment that Ikazuchi moved with a quick step forward pushing off of the ground with his left foot. He simultaneously slashed out with the sword in his right hand at the flat of the girl’s blade at the point closest to her hands as he took that step. He had the speed advantage, so he was confident that she couldn’t out run him. All he had to do in order to guarantee victory was bypass that mythical sword, and at that point he would just be dealing with a tougher than average girl.

He would move to the right side of her sword in order to make it more difficult for the girl to wield her sword with his next step forward. As he approached with footwork Ikazuchi was making fluid motions with his arms as well. During the process of his first swing with his right sword Ikazuchi would have already moved his left arm raising his sword over his right shoulder.

With his left foot on the ground Ikazuchi would strike towards the girl’s face with his pommel over that short distance. His body positioning relevant to the girl would place her within arm’s reach directly to his left due to how he turned his body during his second step.

At the same time, he didn’t stop with his right hand. If his attempt to deflect the girl’s attack was successful then he would immediately abandon his sword in that hand and proceed to reach for the girl’s arm in order to immobilize it. If the girl avoids the clash of weapons, then Ikazuchi would simply thrust at the girl’s body once more as he struck with his pommel strike.

Word Count: 640

Spoiler:

Tempris would not willing walk into the man's range. She knew she had some what of an range advantage and felt her weapon hit harder, given it was blessed by Illumin himself. So when they were 4 meters apart, she would halt and slide her left hand to the base of her blade on the side close to her. This would tilt her blade diagonally a bit with the edge (which did not have her left hand on) still facing the man.

When the man started walking to her she would walk back at the same speed in hopes of forcing the man to commit to a movement option. If he went into a sprint or lunge or similar action she would stop moving knowing there was not much she could do to get away she kept her eyes on the man trying to predict where he would move and what tricks he would employ.

If the man still dashed at her and slash at her with his right hand, Tempris would push off her right foot and move towards the man to her left so that she was evading to the man's right side. This would put her 2 feet to the man. At the same time, she would pull in her hand holding the hilt of her blade to her chest so she could use her other hand to bunt the edge of her blade into the mans blade or even his arm or side in an attempt to parry. This motion would have the man's blade trajectory heading to her guard. This was her new plan. Get close and burn him with a counter attack.

Str: 2+20 (172) S-Rank
Spd: 5 +20 7.5/15m/s
Con: 59 2S-Rank
End: 7+60 S-Rank
Int: 10
Mana: 1700

Body: Magical Phasing Cloak S A

Ikazuchi didn’t hesitate when the girl paused her steps roughly four meters from himself before moving backwards. He was surprised by her hesitation, but he took steady steps forward despite that. It didn’t matter to him why the girl with such a fiery temper would retreat before they even clashed. That was something to consider at another time. Now was the time for combat under the guise of training, something that the girl forced upon him.

Ikazuchi’s first step covered most of one of those four meters as it fell in the moment that she had paused to change direction. After that, the distance gradually closed between the two due to their circumstances. The girl made steady movements while maintaining her stance, but she was not only slower but also shorter than himself. He naturally out paced the girl if she didn’t attempt to run, so how soon they clashed had only been delayed for a few more steps.

At roughly the two meter mark that placed them both just outside of their ideal ranges Ikazuchi would continue with his original intent to step forward. His sword was in motion at that moment, but so was the girl. Maybe it was due to the way he moved earlier, but she moved to his right side at that moment. It was an awkward positioning for him, mainly due to the fact that his swing was naturally headed towards that side.

Ikazuchi only slightly altered his wrist positioning in order for his slash to continue into a pommel strike at the side of the girl’s head. The spot that she stopped moving at was directly to his right, basically the perfect distance away for this strike.

Ikazuchi had his eyes locked on the girl, so he could see her defensive actions as well. That was why he knew that his arm wouldn’t come out unscathed after this strike. With their current timing it seemed impossible for him to avoid burns to his arm, but it was equally likely that the girl wouldn’t be able to avoid his pommel strike.

At the same time as he was making that strike, Ikazuchi didn’t hesitate to rotate the sword in his left hand to be able to strike with the blade as he stabbed towards the girl’s body at her position two feet to his right side. He was hopeful for this strike that would be hidden by his first. Still, he naturally shifted his right foot back a bit in order for his body to rotate and allow him to better respond to changes in situation as he stabbed. He would be ashamed if he wasn’t coordinated enough to handle such minor positioning inconveniences.

Word Count: 450

Spoiler:

The pummel to the head was a serious blow for Tempris. To think the man would be able to strike still despite her best efforts to limit his ability to attack. He was just just too flexible an enemy. He left no openings and everything he needed to really push a lead. Tempris still would not give up. With her blade hitting his arm. She would continue to push her blade into the man while moving behind him. She needed to dodge his left hand while attacking his right arm. It was all she had so she continued to press forward.

Rage consumed her as she hoped her holy flames would weaken the man. Anything other than a knock out or take down was unacceptable in the eyes of Illumin. She had his blessing, thus she had his strength. There was no way a sinner would understand her devotion, her dedication to save the souls of everyone, and her fury to cleanse the world. He was but a peasant to her god given right to be strong. That was believe, her will. The world will be purge of sin and that started with becoming stronger and defeating this man. This was the final pursue.

The pommel strike that was made by transitioning his horizontal right-handed slash into a separate attack landed cleanly. It connected to the side of the girls head extremely quickly due to the nature of the strike. Ikazuchi couldn’t avoid the flames from the girl’s mythical sword. As for the second strike, the girl moved towards the area behind Ikazuchi narrowly avoiding the stab.

Ikazuchi wasn’t foolish enough to keep letting his arm get burned after that and naturally separated it as she also moved away. There simply wasn’t any way for the girl to keep her sword in contact with his arm while moving behind him. As for the damage to his arm, it was pretty serious with some obvious burns on his forearm. Thankfully, he could still barely keep his grip on the sword in his right hand. If he took another strike to his arm then it would be out of commission, but until then he would be able to fight.

As for Ikazuchi’s response, his actions were simple and direct. He stepped away to prevent the girl from being too close. With some extra distance he would pivot on his left foot to properly slide his right foot around to adjust his body positioning. He did this to make sure his right sword was between the girl’s sword and his body.

Ikazuchi wouldn’t hesitate to step forward and use his right sword similar to how he had previously after taking that short moment to adjust his stance. [1] He swung the sword horizontally at the side of the girl’s sword in order to control her guard.

[2] As for the sword in his left hand, he would swing it as he immediately stepped forward after connecting with the girl’s sword. He would swing in a compact manner this time from roughly shoulder height for himself. It was at a slightly downward diagonal angle that targeted the lower portion of the girl’s head.

[1] Attack 1: This is a horizontal slash outwards towards Ikazuchi’s right side that is targeting the right side of Tempris’s sword.

[2] Attack 2: If the first attack connects with Tempris’s sword, then Ikazuchi would step forward and use a compact swing to target her head and a slight downward angle to make it more difficult to duck under. A compact swing in this situation refers to a swing that doesn’t fully extend the arm fully and reduces the overall travel distance for the sword.

Word Count: 320

Spoiler:

Tempris roared in rage and charged the man who basically punched her in the face with the guard of his sword. Seeing the man going another swing of his sword, Tempris tried to reduce her strike-able profile and slid on the ground hoping to get between the man's legs while thrusting her weapon forward. She was hoping she could thrust her weapon through him in the weakest part of any male sinner's body. This would be her only shot at winning. It was an all or nothing tactic. Either she hit the man and take him down in one fell swoop or he capitalize on it and defeat her. That was unless the man went for her chest.

Her armor would survive another strike though she knew it would be the last strike it would block. Also her movement options would be severally crippled to the point that the man would be able to dance around her. Of course, it the man attacked without his sword, then she could potentially continue fighting but a sword it itself would spell the end for either her or her armor. But that wouldn't happen. Her plan was too full proof to fail.

Ikazuchi couldn’t contain his confusion when he saw the girl make her best attempt to slide at him. He was already mid swing, so it would be impossible for the girl’s sword to pass through the area in front of him without resistance. His sword would shatter as the two blades clash, but the brief pause would allow him to alter his original intent slightly. With the girl’s rush, there wouldn’t be any need for Ikazuchi to step in himself. Instead, he could simply pivot on his left foot once more to allow the sword targeting the center of his body to pass harmlessly to the side.

He could feel the heat, but it wasn't enough to harm him; he didn’t hesitate. His following action was barely delayed as he adjusted his sword angle to follow the girl’s head as he himself continued to pivot around on his left foot as necessary. Ikazuchi knew that Tempris’s momentum wouldn’t carry them too far, so he believed that his strike would be able to strike the girl before she escaped his range. His breathing was steady as he followed through with his strike. No stray thoughts clouded his mind. It was a rare occasion for someone’s focus to reach the limit in such a manner, and it was with that focus that Ikazuchi followed through fluidly.

Word Count: 220

Spoiler:

It was the perfect plan. It was suppose to work. However, she not only failed burn the man's groin. She had a throbbing feeling on the back of her head. Her vision was blurry. Her body felt week. He lost her ability to speak. Her sword fell out of her hand. She couldn't move. It was a loss. Despite having Illumin's blessing, being tasked to purge sin from the world, and being chosen to wield this divine weapon, she loss. She wanted to beg for forgiveness. To think she was this weak, this stupid, to lose to some random stranger on the road. Illumin did not will this. Yet here she was.

Everything went dark despite how she hard she fought, how hard she resisted, how much she prayed. Nothing was saving her. The back of her head was hot and throbbing. Illumin was telling her something but she could not understand. So it became cold. She became cold. The world was cold. Was she forsaken? Tempris would know. All she knew was that she was cold. She was alone. If only Illumin could forgive her. If only she was strong, strong enough to stand her ground against a sinner. With that she fell into complete unconsciousness.

-knocked out (exit)-

Conflicted; this was the only way to describe Ikazuchi’s feelings as he succeeded in striking the girl’s head. There was the natural satisfaction of victory, but there was an equal amount of shame. The quality of the weapon was irrelevant now, he had simply beaten a child. Ikazuchi couldn’t restrain a sigh of disappointment now that he could think clearly about the situation.

Ikazuchi’s pride wouldn’t allow him to truly celebrate this victory, even if the person that he defeated happened to wield a mythical weapon. In the end, it was a young girl wielding the weapon. He gave himself an excuse after considering his past, but it was mostly due to his desire to experience the girl’s weapon. He had far too many advantages in the form of his overwhelmingly better physical capabilities. Even just his height and reach advantage prevented Tempris from taking advantage of her weapon fully.

With the victor decided now, Ikazuchi wouldn’t cruelly leave the girl on the ground. He made sure to check her physical condition for any lasting damage first. After confirming that he hadn’t accidentally killed the girl, he simply carried her and her sword to a large nearby tree and leaned the girl upright against it.

It was at that moment that Ikazuchi had a particular thought. He wasn’t proud about winning, but he also wasn’t forgiving enough to forget the girl’s surprise attack. A smile grew wider on his face as he looked at the tree that she was on. ‘That seems like a good idea…’ Without a second thought, Ikazuchi grabbed the girl’s sword from the ground and proceeded to scale the tree that she was leaning against. At the highest point that he could do so, he pierced that sword into the tree. When it wasn’t in the girl’s hands it seemed so plain and normal compared to the moments when he dealt with the flames striking him.

It didn’t take long for him to climb back down after getting the weapon, and he couldn’t help appreciating his handiwork as he looked upward. He knew that the girl would be able to get it, but she would still have more trouble getting it than he did putting it in place. He once more drew his sword to quickly carve an arrow pointing upward into the tree before sheathing it again. “Good luck getting your sword back, you little psychopath.” Ikazuchi spoke to the unconscious girl as if she were awake, not even sure if she would notice the arrow when she woke up. After that, Ikazuchi was finally able to walk away satisfied.

Word Count: 430