Spirit Warriors: Protectors of Freedom

Ardigan was fighting hard. He had given upon mental attacks, concentrating mainly on his fire now. He could cause another explosion like the one he had used in the arena, but he doubted he could muster the energy. Besides, it was way too dangerous. Ardigan quickly feinted, and the shade he was fighting fell for the ruse. He quickly switched hands, delivering a fatal blow to the monster's throat. As soon as it fell, another took it's place. But it proved that they weren't very good at thinking. Sure, they could fight-- quick reflexes, and skill and strength-- but that's all. They could only respond. They didn't plan. They didn't think. Ardigan told Sven, and together they managed to outwit one more, communicating with the speed and accuracy of thought.

Six more...

As he ran away from the two, he found himself trapped by another two. This time, they grabbed his arms. The one with his arms free, luckily had no weapon. It's strength though, was unexpected. He punched Avian in the stomach. "Bleack!" he coughed, spitting out saliva. It punched him again in his face, leaving a deep black eye and blood dripping from his nose. Avian struggled to get free but he was having less than no luck. "Dang it," he yelled, being kicked in the chest as he leaned forward. He couldn't take much more, the kick had knocked out his breath. As he tried to gasp for air, the monster grabbed his neck and began choking him for several seconds. He was being tortured and had no way out. It wouldn't let me. Avian looked around at the scene. His vision was getting blurred. Suddenly the shade let go with one hand, and punched him in the face once again. Avian shut his eyes, knowing he was going to die.

CRAWWWW!

Avian didn't open his eyes, but he swore he heard a raven. Life was just about over so it didn't matter. He heard the noise again. This time his head filled with though. He raised his hand in his mind and a bird flew ouut. It was made of shadow. It looked just like a raven and it flew like one. In his mind it was fighting, dealing much damage. Avian knew what this was, it was his spirit animal. They were animals that come to you when you need them the most, and they become your pets for battle. Avian opened his eyes. "I.. can't die.. now," he said, as the last of his life came. He used the last of his strength and broke one hand free, raising it high, and he let shadows fly from it. He concentrated, creating a bird shape, and soon he had the raven. It flew at the one holding his neck and it's break pieced it's chest, causing blood and making the shade let go.

The "blood" looked more like goo that came from it, but it didn't matter. Avian began to choke the shade and called for his raven. "Quickly. Hit the neck!" he yelled meekly, coughing after he finished. The pet obeyed and drove, drilling it's break into the shade's neck and ending it's life. It perched itself. The animal was noticeably bigger than Avian was. "Dang," he said, getting an idea. He went over and tried to get on the raven, and the second he did, it took off. He wrapped an arm around the bird's neck, and used his other to aim at the shade he held his arm. "DIE WITH THE WIND!" he yelled, sending out a giant burst of air at the creature. What he did made the air sharp as it hit, and the being fell and died as it looked like something sharp stabbed it's head.

His raven landed on the ground, and Avian nodded, breaking the connected shadows. "I guess the elements," he coughed, "separated when I was near death." There was a mark where the shade's hands had been, and his black eye was slightly swollen. His bloody nose seemed to stop though, and he joined in fighting again, his hands glowing black and he went and punched a shade that attacking Suki.

"Thank you," she said gratefully. "I didn't see it behind me."

Ardigan was awed. And....jealous. A spirit animal? So soon? Unheard of. Some Spirit Warriors went their whole lives without knowing theirs. Ardigan hoped he wasn't going to be like that. Desperately. There was nothing for those who didn't. They never reached their true potential. They never became especially powerful or influential.
They were never important.

And Ardigan wanted to be important. He wanted power. He knew he could handle it. He didn't know how, he just knew. He knew he wouldn't mess up. He believed it so strongly that there was nothing anyone could do to stop him from trying to get there. But if he never got a spirit animal, he would never be more than second-rate.

Anger. Not at Avian. At the world. At everything. Not because he hadn't unlocked his spirit animal yet, but that was part of it. Because this monsters were allowed to exist. Because whoever created them was still out there. Because the world was full of people like them. And Ardigan knew he would eventually find his animal. He knew. Just knew.
But for now...

The sword's deadly arc ended when the blade melted. The shade did not feel surprised; it wasn't human enough. It didn't feel anything, anything at all. Even when the red-tinted sword ended it's life. If you could call it a life. Ardigan spun around, blue flames running down the red blade, and slashed at the nearest shade. The monster's sword raised in defense, but Ardigan's sword cut through it like a hot sword through steel.

It didn't make sense. He shouldn't have then energy to do this. He should be exhausted. But he didn't think about it. He didn't tell himself that it was impossible, because if he did it would be. If he stopped and thought about what he was doing, he would die. Manic energy shot through him. The red sword spun and twirled. The last shade fell.

Ardigan laughed.

Then the anger deserted him, the energy disappeared, and exhaustion caught up. he sank to his knees.

When Avian looked away from Suki to glance around, he saw Ardigan at the start of a blood rush. Three people watched him get angry and rage, as he mercilessly slashed away with his blade on fire. Avian only could have guessed why he got so vicious. Nothing that was alive was safe, and he started to back away as his friend murdered his first shade. He didn't feel a "spirit warrior's duty" when Ardigan killed, just a souless murder in vain. "What the hell is he doing?" Avian muttered quietly. There was nothing he could do to stop the madness for now, so he hung low and watched the carnage.

The second death, and Avian started to summon his raven again, just in case he needed to stop Ardigan. By the third kill even Suki was backed up with them, and the two watched as Ardigan fell on his knees, though none made amove to go near him.

Ardigan was tired. He shouldn't have done that. Not like that. But it had killed them, hadn't it? It had worked! The shades were dead. Everyone was alive. Sven and Suki and Avian. So wasn't it a success? He could use it. Use the anger.

He tried to get up, but he stumbled, and dropped his sword. He cursed, reached down to pick it up, and sheathed the weapon. He managed to walk to a tree trunk without falling and sat down.

"I need rest."

Avian nodded. "Suki, Sven, protect him. I'm going to scout for any more ambushes. He summoned the raven and hopped on, as they soared above the air. His eyes stared as he held on to his pet, and he searched the area in the best way he could. His eyes widened, and he returned back to their group. He saw something perfect for them.

"Guys. About two hundred meters, 11 o'clock," he said, giving directions. "I found the monster we're after, and we're gonna kill it and return home."

Ardigan thought. He had trouble even knowing where eleven o' clock was in his current state. He needed sleep...no, he needed energy. Ardigan probed his surroundings mentally. The tree he was leaning against was most prominent. He was surprised to find that it had a sort of consciousness. Just very old. And slow. Very slow. But it had energy. Ardigan focused on the energy, drawing on it, and suddenly he felt it flowing through his veins, not the tree. It felt good. He stood up, and them spun around as he heard the creak of wood as the tree died and fell over.

Avian gave Ardigan a look. "You grow quickly," he said, running off in eleven o'clock. He ran past trees again and again, as the other three followed. He found one of the shades, and put two fingers to its throat, sending a blade of wind through it's neck, running off. More of the gooey blood spewed from them, as more and more went on. After a few minutes, he found the center, where the creature was. There were many, many of the shades around, some of them more elite, and it was obvious which. The creature was that of a giant, deformed mushroom leaking with black blood. He didn't have much time to devise a plan, and just yelled the the three behind him. "We're going to kill the thing, I'll take care of the minions, you kill the creature!" he yelled.

He unsheathed his blade, but was thoughtful for a moment, and put it away. He ran into the battlefield and became a distraction, letting them run and crowd him. He tried to count the limitless creatures, shooting his blame flames at them. "Die," he muttered, but soon it became too much. They backed him into a tree, but all he did was smirk. "You can't take me," he said, sending out a wave of black air. It didn't burn, but it was powerful enough to make some of them go flying, away from him and the creature in the middle.

"ATTACK IT DAMMIT!"

Ardigan led the others running towards the monster. It had no defenses he could see. He slowed, cautious. He held up a hand, and the other two followed the example. He took a step forward, sending his mind before him to sense any attack. There had to be something about this that was so dangerous. And suddenly...

Something was planted in his mind, a small spore of an idea: turn back. Go away. Go back to those who sent you and tell them you failed. It grew, taking over, killing everything else like a fungus kills trees. You think you have control, you think you can be powerful, you think you have a future, but you have nothing. You haven’t even discovered your spirit animal yet. Turn back.

Ardigan took a step back. No. What am I doing?

A step forward. Submit. It wasn’t very loud at first, but it grew, expanded, spreading into every fiber of his conscious and screaming one word: Submit.

A step back. Two. Ardiagn sank to his knees, resisting the urge to take a third step.

Avian glanced over to Ardigan. He ignored the rest of those fighting him and ran towards the mushroom creature. He slowed though, his thoughts clouding. He shrugged it off as him worrying too much and continued, but the pain getting worse. "Erg.." He continued to trench on but had to stop. "What.. what is this.." he questioned himself, before hearing a faint voice.

Your friend was smart. You may have skills he doesn't, but at least his brain is smarter.. You're pointless here.. you've done nothing in the shadow of him. You don't deserve to be a spirit warrior.. you don't deserve to breath. Come closer.. I'll steal your breath.. but go back and live.

Avian smiled. I'm not afraid. I could be better, and he could use work too, but this is our first mission. You know.. we've been warriors a few hours. Punk. He slowly trudged on. I've met those with enough skill to destroy half of my in a blow from their first strike. But.. your spirit doesn't break.. let's try this language. High pitched, indescribable noises screeched in his head, making Avian fall on the ground. Now my poison will kill you. Avian held his breath quickly, but had no air and started coughing immediately, breathing in the toxin. A little bit more.. and you can't be saved.

"CRAWWW!"

The familiar raven noise, before a slicing sound. Avian looked up and smiled slightly, barely able to move. He coughed for a bit before speaking. "Discouraging me doesn't help.. my raven flies with me.. you can't kill me. I'm too hard to kill." He fell down on the ground, coughing some more.

**

Suki watched the scene before smiling at the raven. Black blood flew everywhere, getting on both the boys. "DIE!" she yelled, striking with her strongest blast of electricity.

"It'll die of blood loss soon," Suki yelled over to Ardigab, careful not to hit him as she continued to pound the creature. It was already dead but she wanted to be sure. Avian still laid on the ground, Suki fearing the toxins were too strong, but after a few seconds, he got up. She stopped and ran over to him. "Thank god, I thought you were dead," she said giving him a hug. "Now come on, we have to go report back," she said, walking off.

**

Avian smiled, standing up. "Yeah," he said, walking away As soon as he started, a vine wrapped around his waist and a high pitched voice screamed. "YOU WILL NOT BE THE VICTOR!" it yelled. It was crushing Avian, who had easily taken enough damage during this trip to last him a while. "M-my raven... come backk..." he said weakly. "THE RAVEN WON'T HELP NOW. I HAVE KNOWLEDGE OF IT'S ATTACK AND CAN DETER IT!" the voice boomed. Talking mushrooms.. they were annoying alright.

Unfortunately, the raven's voice crowed again, and it came spiraling down, but a few feet from the mushroom (who had prepared to grab and kill it), it made a sharp turn, ramming into Avian. He took no physical damage, but yet spat out blood. His eyes blurred as he stared at the creature still. He was going to die, his raven made sure of it... no.. he could feel a burning in his left eye. A deadly black flame escaped from it. It crawled slowly, hitting the mushroom.

This flame was special. It burned for seven days and nights, and was sure to end the monster forever. It released Avian, who covered his eye. When the pain went away from it, he let go and blood dripped from under it. "W-w..how did I do that?" he questioned, watching the plant die.

What was that? It looked...painful. He almost pitied the plant. Having a flame burn away at you that would never go out? Watching as your insides were eaten by the flames, helpless to do anything about it....he shuddered.

"Okay. Talking mushroom dead. Lets get out of here." Were all the missions going to be this strange?

Avian nodded in agreement, letting the rest of the blood drip, as they walked back. The gate was closing as they returned. It stopped and let them open, along with strange looks from the gatekeepers. The mission was supposedly a difficult one. The team couldn't take another step until they were back in the headmaster's office. He stood watching them. "Y-you all.. that fast..? We were watching.. the aces.. even they were stunned. For a first mission.. you've earned this," he said, handing them each a small coin. "You use it by attaching it to the bottom of each of your swords. It will teleport you all to to a special training field for aces.. and certified warriors."

In a flash, all four were back outside. "That was weird," Avian said, smiling slightly. He looked at his coin with pride.

**

Suki grabbed Sven's arm. "Come on, let's go do something else before we get dragged into the training," she said, taking off.

**

Avian looked at Ardigan. "Shall we train?"

"We shall." Ardigan slapped the coin onto the pommel of his sword, and looked up. He was in a field, with a bunch of straw mannequins standing around at staged intervals. They were great for training, if your opponents were armless and immobile, as lifeless as a sack of hay. These were not what attracted Ardigan's attention. What did where the spirit warriors scattered around the field. And their attention, as Ardigan couldn’t help but notice, was focused quite clearly on them.

Ardigan's hand went to the hilt. They noticed. In the center of the field was a dirt-floored ring, a necessary blemish on the face of the green. He had a feeling this was where the training happened, not in the surrounding field, with its fearsome, yet still somewhat armless, mannequins.

Avian poked one of the mannequins, seeing if it would fight back. Nope. They were probably for decoration only. Then he saw the two Spirit Warriors on the other side of the arena. "Hey! Who are you guys?" he called out, waving to them. One of them appeared in front of the two instantly. "Hello Avian, Ardigan," he said politely. "I'm Raven, the Shadow Ace," he smirked. "Back there is my friend Minoru, he's the Fire Ace. We're two of the few you saw back at the office," he said, flipping his long, brown hair out of the way. "As an initiation for anyone who gets to come here, we're to fight you. Try to.. do as good as you did there. By the way, that deadly fire you used? I can use it too without the blood from my eye. When you're advanced enough, come find me," he smirked, instantly appearing back with Minoru.

"BEGIN!"

Avian smiled. "Come on Ardigan, let's kick ass," he said confidentially. He sent his piercing wind at Raven, but Raven appeared from behind him at an instant and kicked Avian halfway across the field, but he recoiled and got back up, running, letting Raven come behind again, as he reached behind and send out his black fire., but Raven was faster and appeared in front, punching Avian hard enough to send him flying again, crashing into the wall next to Minoru.

**

"Damn," Minoru smiled. "He means well but he could use work controlling himself," he sighed, running at Ardigan, sending out harsh flames.

(I guess it's later.)
Ardigan reached out with his mind, and found his attacker shielded. He drew his sword just in time for Minoru to arrive. He deflected the first blow, and then lunged in for a strike of his own, absorbing the flames as he moved. The aggressor didn't use flames again; he seemed to begin testing Ardigan on his swordcraft. Minoru parried and then feinted; Ardigan almost fell for the ruse, as he took the attack almost to the point of committing and then switched hands and struck. It took all of Ardigan's speed to deflect. He tried another lunge, and then a feint of his own. Minoru's sword moved lightning fast to intercept. He grinned at Ardigan momentarily, distracting him. Minoru brought his arm up and smacked Ardigan in the face with the pommel of his sword. There was an appreciative groan from the watchers as he fell back.

Ardigan came up rolling, but his sword wasn't in his hands. He spat blood into the dirt. Minoru had kicked the sword out of the circle. His own blade soon followed. "Now. Let's see how you do unarmed," he said, not in the least phased. He twirled a finger as he moved towards Ardigan, and a ring of blue fire followed it, forming a shimmering, pulsing halo...that slowly grew, hypnotic, with a faint hiss. Ardigan couldn't take his eyes off it. Minoru came closer. And closer. Ardigan tried desperately to move, to get away from the man, but the halo held him down. The whispers came back.

Worthless.

Pathetic.

You really think you have a future when you cant even take your eyes of a stupid fire? You really think you can compete with that? Avian wouldn't be standing there stupidly. He would be fighting, not waiting.

His mind cleared, and he brought the scabbard of his sword, now lying on the grass somewhere, up and smacked Minoru with it on the jaw, who was now just an arm's length away.. It surprised him; he had had confidence in the halo. He stumbled, and Ardigan took advantage of the momentary confusion to turn the tables. He sent tendrils of fire racing towards Minoru. He stood up,and as he did so they evaporated. He was angry now, that one so fresh could score one on him. Ardigan was once again on the defensive. He wondered if it had ever been the other way around.

Ardigan felt heat surround him, close in, condense, the ground beneath his feet baking and the air shimmering. every breath hurt. He looked up. Minoru was just staring fixedly, determinedly. Ardigan had trouble focusing...

He sank to his knees, and tried to think of a way to break Minoru's concentration, but nothing came to mind, nothing he could do...

Nothing he could do. AVIAN! The thought was broadcasted in all directions.

Avian's head jerked up, his eyes wide, he saw Raven running at him. Quickly, he broke free from the wall, and waited.. not even a second left, and instantly, his sword was drawn, the tip pointed at Raven's heart, both of them had their faces an inch apart. "Caw caw," he crowed, taunting Raven. "There's two ravens in this room.. one who may be an ace but met their match against a newbie.. and one.." he smirked dangerously. "ATTACKING MINORU!" he yelled, the familiar screech playing, and a black creature attempting to strike the enemy, though its sole purpose was to be a diversion for Ardigan to be freed. Now the attention turning back to Avian, he jumped out of the way of Raven's dangerous shadow blast.

"Too bad we're not allowed to use any extra elements. I would love to see how you feign so well against yin-yang to it's full power.. though I admit you're very skilled. Not many could ever pull a sword so fast, or get up after that hit, especially since you've been a warrior less than a day.. I can see it in your future.. Minoru and I being replaced by you two.." Then, in an instant, Raven disappeared from view, and appeared behind Avian, grabbing both his arms, before he even knew what happened. "I give it a weak before we meet again. We'll teach you stronger versions of you attacks.. and if you do well, teleportation.. Until then.." Raven threw Avian into the air, and sent out a wave of shadowy fire at him.

Avian saw the flame as an insult, and made his own, but circled it around, absorbing the black fire for his own, and sending the darkness back. "You won't insult me!" he yelled, landing on the ground. "I know you aren't going all out.."

"If I went all out you'd need to move much faster," Raven explained. "But the strength I'm using now shouldn't even be close to counterable. We were supposed to let you feel pain, but instead you.." he paused, jumping over the wave. "Sent it back." He appeared in front of Avian, and drew a punch back for his face, but Avian only smiled, and fell on the floor before the punch even started moving, letting it become a miss. He jumped back up, but behind Raven, and grabbed his arms. "Let's see how you like it.." His arms turned black, and he threw Raven, but Raven grabbed onto his arm, and threw him while in midair.

Raven landed on his feet, and watched Avian move at high speeds, but appeared at the end of the toss, and punched downward, hitting Avian in the stomach, and knocking him to the floor. Avian coughed blood. "Like I said, you have amazing talent, especially for so new. But you made a simple error and lost."

Ardigan jumped to the side, taking advantage of the distraction to remove himself from harm's way. He broke into a crowd member's head and screamed Sword. NOW! The man, his eyes glazing over, reached down and grabbed Ardigan's sword, tossing it to him. He caught it, giving it a few twirls to regain his feel for the weapon. Now it might even be a close to fair fight! Minoru had overcome Avian's raven and turned to face Ardigan once more. Still angry, he stepped forward without noticing the sword that Ardigan now held horizontally to his hip, pointing at Minoru. The champion took another step, the sword still unnoticed.
"You are angry. How did you manage to get your position if you can't even use your anger?" Ardigan taunted.

"Shut up. I know more about using anger than you will ever know. It's part of our physiological profile; the fire that burns inside us always, just looking for an excuse to burn you. I know how to use it without getting burnt. Do you?" Minoru spat the words, stepping forward.

"Oh? Then for what reason have you failed to notice this?" Ardigan lunged forward with the sword, the point directed for Minoru's face. Minoru batted the sword aside, so that it only grazed his cheek, but the blade was sharp and the cut deep. he growled, kicking Ardigan in the chest and curb-stomping him on the way down. Ardigan gasped silently, all breath gone, as he tried to inhale, exhale, anything; his head swam and his eyes were clouded by red mist.

"Fool. You think I hadn't noticed? I am in this arena fighting you for a reason. I am the best. You and your friend over there want what we have? Earn it." He spat at Ardigan's feet, and walked out of the arena. The crowd parted. When he was gone, Ardigan let his head fall back onto the dirt and sighed.

Avian slowly got up, Raven looking at hi. "You know when to quit?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "Why get up? The fight's already over." Avian continued to get up, and pushed Raven out of the way when he was finally up, and stared at Minoru. Raven sighed, thinking he already knew where it was going.

**

Avian stared at him. "Minoru.. you bastard.. no one is going to talk to my friend like that. I've only known him a few hours, but hell will freeze over before I let anyone mock my teammate." He ran at him, not caring to draw a sword or send a wave, just run. His goal now wasn't to win, just to prove a point.

Ardigan looked up and sighed. Best just to take he hit mad try harder next time. No point in proving a point. Not yet. The team was too inexperienced. Prodigious, maybe, but inexperienced. Avian would just be knocked out of the way, ignored, until he was proven. Proven to be able to fight, to kill whoever you were told, no matter who or what they were. Good and bad. Ardigan guessed they were doing the right. Most assassinations were of those who would cause more death and destruction if allowed to live, but still. Sometimes Ardigan wondered what the Nation would be like without the Spirit Warriors. Different. Very, very different. But better?

Minoru heard Avian's monologue, ignoring it, waiting for the attack. He heard him charging, and he waited, waited until he was close enough for-
Minoru spun around, punching Avian full in the face, knocking him back.

Avian stuttered back and fell on the ground, staring up. Blood started to flow freely from his nose and down the side of his face, leaving a small stain of red on his cheek. "Mark this Minoru.. Ardigan will surpass you one day. And that's the day all your shame will be crowned and draped over you. I'll enjoy that day." He whispered his last few words quietly. He came to a stand and pointed over to Raven. "Shouldn't you two be going? You made a point..."

**

"He's right Minoru. Let us be going. Hopefully we didn't leave a bad impression of the other aces spread through the division. Most of the time we're calm.. but a certain trouble has brewed and caused us much stress." He took a deep inhale, and exhaled through his mouth, but instead of air, it was his dark flame. When it cleared he was gone, but he was next to Minoru.

"Time for our departure," he said, grabbing his friend's shoulder, the two disappearing into air, leaving just Ardigan and Avian.

**

Avian spat a bit of blood. "I hate Minoru," he said calmly. "I came to train today but now I'm in much pain.. Let's just call it a day."

"Lets." Ardigan stood up, shakily, and looked around. Everyone had vanished.
***
He lay in his bed. Long day. Sleep. He summoned sleep, the abyss, the pit of dreaming, enfolding all our greatest hopes and darkest nightmares, our love, our hurt, our joy, our despair. Ardigan lay there.

He fell into the pit.
***

Running. Its behind you, don't stop now. Ardigan drew his sword. Heat. Heat radiated from behind. Ardigan tried to run faster, but can you outrun an idea? Incompetence. Failure. Worthlessness. Behind you, run faster! Can't outrun ideas....

Better try. Better run. Don't stop now. A cliff came from nowhere, and Ardigan toppled over it, falling, accelerating at ten meters per second squared, falling faster, faster, until...

You can't outrun an idea. It's behind you.

Fear.
***

Ardigan woke. Sunshine. Eleven in the morning. Everything ached. He searched for Avian mentally, finding him, and then sending him a message: Wake up. I want to practice before noon.

Avian had been dreaming, yes, but not of torture or fear. Avian had no fears, none that particularly concerned him. He dropped fear for it was a waste to him. Such a precious thought but it could so easily ruin your life if it got to you. Back to Avian's dream. Inside he was dreaming of Unicorns flying around. Unicorns were not the pathetic fairy tale known to most though, but they were mythical creatures known as Pegasus who fly gracefully and fight back.

Wake up.

Avian's eyes snapped open in an instant, and he knew what to do. "Ahhh Calvin," he said, climbing over to a window. He lived in a house with his guardian yes, but he loved the tree much more. Quickly he got changed into his white t-shirt and spray-painted black khaki shorts. "Gonna be a hell of a day," he said, tying his sword sheath around his waist and taking a few steps back.

"Hey yo I'm gonna be out all day. Or multiple days. You know how it is!" he screamed. He got a tired "Goodbye," but it didn't matter. He ran towards his window and jumped out onto the branch, then turned around and closed the window. He wished his wind didn't combine back with his shadow so it would have been a swift motion, but he had no control. His only fear was that they would never separate.

**

He ran throughout the town, finding directions from anyone he could for Calvin's house. Finally, after an hour of searching though, he made his way. He looked around for a tree but frowned when he found none and grew nervous as he knocked on the door. "I'm here!"

Ardigan pulled the heavy door open. "I know. You were thinking so loud walking down the street Im suprised noboddy else heard you." Behind him a viewer could see a richly-furnished landing, with an elegant looking coatrack that suprised the observer with the fact that it could hold anything up, even a coat. Aside from that there was a simple portrait of a man in a chair. Boring, but meant as a class statement. Ardigan's family owned and paid and furnished the house. For all intents and purposes, the house belonged to his father. Ardigan just happened to be the sole occupant. He already had his sword ready, attached to his belt. He rested his hand on the pommel as he walked out the door, slamming it closed behind him. "Lets go."

"Impressive place," Avian commented. "I never really see my house. Sleep on a tree and leave quick," he said. He pulled out his coin, then placed it where it was supposed to be on Ardigan's sword, sending his friend off. He then proceeded to teleport himself too. They were back in gym with the mannequins, but this time no one else was around. "Probably all asleep," Avian told him. That's when a voice echoed through the room.

"Zone battle or spar."

"Zone battle," Avian called after chatting it over momentarily with Ardigan. Neither had a clue what Zone Battle was but it sounded fun, and they didn't feel like sparring with each other. Out of no where though, the ground started getting wet. Avian looked down and saw water. It was rising quickly, and showed no sign of slowing down. "This is weird," he said, not minding it too badly.

Then the mannequins started to move. Where the arms did not exist they started to grow. And grow. And grow. The arms were all different colors. "This is really weird.." The walls around them started to make little areas to stand, and the ceiling seemed to rise up a bit. Random tiles started to float up as if to show places to be.

"I don't get this," Avian said, until a yellow-armed mannequin shot lightning at him. "Oh shit!" he yelled, pushing Ardigan out of the way. The water now at three feet. "I get it now."

There was seven opponents. Avian quickly moved to a platform and jumped on it. "Who's first.." he wondered, jumping just out of the way from a ball of fire and back into the water, which rose a bit more. He got out soaked in water and was angry. "Die!" He covered his arm in a shadowy substance and flung a wave of his dark element. The wooden dummy shrugged it off though.

"I think these guys are even stronger than that plant guy.."