Practice Fight Balmung Vs Tenji.

Balmung walked into the city of the Phoenix his swan feather cloak blowing in the wind,His eyes drifted up as the wind whipped dust into little whirlwinds throwing them around the civilians that lived there.Balmung looked at the sky his white hair being caught in the wind and blown around in the coming storm,The wind shifted the temperture dropped as black clouds closed the blue sky.Thunder boomed over the castle as lightning crackled across the sky like a giant serpent searching for prey.Rain fell in thick sheets causing little visability.

Balmung took a step forward glad his armor had been polished with beeswax preventing rust and allowing free movement,Balmung wore a plate armor over his chest meatl gloves and greaves the same plate as his plate boots and leggings,A powerful and deadly sword hung at his right hip the handle wrapped in a leather grip.Balmung continued walking through the rain loving the feel of the cool wind and powerful storm of nature the true queen of the land.

Balmung entered the Phonix Castle walking past the gaurds and up the 200 stairs the added weight was nothing for the young warrior who was use to traveling.Balmung finally reached the top both hands behind his back under the Swan feathers which had been covered in soft oil making them water proof,The sign was of peace since his hand was nowhere near his weapon.Balmung stopped in the center of the ring looking around taking it all in.

The ring was a massice circle with two paint lines going in,It was surronded by deep stone walls of heavy rock a good defense against a charging infantry but would do poorly against calavary,The young man turned his sights to the ring and waited his hands moving so fast they were nearly unseen in the storm which had picked up blowing rain slamming into the sight lines.Balmung took a deep breathe loving the smell of the battle field even a ring now was a different challenge one of testing for the Empress herself.

Foxes. They are both gentle and fierce creatures. Their ability to lash out and kill. Their gentle side to their young. It's all like it. The storm and foxes. The storm roared like a beast, as if a fox's young was being threatened and they roared to try and scare the opponent away. The lightning was as if the fox had lashed out to try and attack. The rain fell in an elegant manner as nature was always like that. Even the storms displayed a sense of beauty and elegance that showed no mercy to hell its self. The smell of dew, the feel of the crackling thunder, the spectacular show of lights from the sky.

A small clack sound echoed through the castle that was barely heard from the thunder and rain. The wind caressing a figure's face. The figure rose over the stairs slowly. First to be seen was black hair whipping and churning about in the wind. The next to be seen was just below the hair, a head band. This head band was long. At standing still the rest of it would hang to his waist, yet, it was whipping about behind him as violently as his hair was. The figure slowly came over the stairs more to reveal his eyes. He had dark brown eyes that looked black to almost everyone. This was a common mistake but he allowed it to be thought that. Next was his nose. It wasn't special but it was perfect for his face, almost. It protruded slightly and from a profile view was slightly long. After that was seen his mouth. A somewhat plump mouth for a male but that was not that odd. inside his mouth, despite the raging winds and rain, was a hand rolled cigarette, a blunt if you will. Next into view was his gray shirt. V-neck, and one could see part of his chest. Shaven and cleanly showing his attractive chest, some would think anyway. Next was his waist and below. When his pants came into view so did his wrists and his sword. On his wrists were two gray, metallic, bracelets. From there was his pants. His black, dark gray pants were a little torn at the end, this allowed them to move around like bell bottoms. After this was his feet. The feet were strapped into a wooden, specially crafted so it would not rot and decay, clogs. These are what made the clacking sound.

Going back to the sword, it bore a red tsuka, a red saya, and a black skin under the wrappings. The Tsuba was of a black flower like object. Inside the saya was a reverse blade sword. With that, he finally worked his way to the ring. His left hand holding the blade and the tassel, red horse main, fluttered in the wind. The very crackling of the thunder could be felt through the chest cavity of this man, the black flash. On his bandanna, the cloth around his head, was a picture of a Japanese rising sun, with no rays, and the Kanji for number two. From here on out he would wait for his opponent to attack, if need be.

Balmung noticed the stranger walking forth from the other direction,he took in the sword at the man's side before nodding it seemed this man would be his challenge on this stormy day,Balmung looked at the sky testing the wind it was blowing up from the south which was now sending the sheets of rain at his opponent.Balmung chuckled what a stroke of luck,His hand moved down taking the handle of his sword he drew it the blade making a soft hiss as it was pulled from it's sheath.

Balmung slid into a stance the blade in front of him,his left foot back and the right one forward,Sliding forward Balmung bent his knees before charging at his opponent covering the 10 foot distance between them in a matter of seconds.Balmung struck thrusting his sword forward at a forward thrust aiming first at the top left shoulder before pulling it back striking again at the right leg.Balmung finished by twisting his bod and doing a downward angle from the top right corner down to the bottom left aiming to slice his opponent from shoulder to hip.

The hissing of the blade of his opponent was the sign. With that, his left hand gripped the saya hard. From there, his feet quickly spread apart, his left food behind him, his right facing his opponent. The saya and sword to the left of his body. His right hand slightly ahead of his body, near the tsuka. His eyes were trained to his opponent and his sword. The wind whipping the small dances of rain into his eyes. the water dancing down his face. He closed his eyes gently. The pants kicking around,his shirt flapping, his cigarette in his mouth as he inhaled, his head band whipping around, and his hair following the rest of his clothing and misc. items.

The scraping of his sandals was able to be heard as he moved about. Like a response, rather, the storm was acting in unison with Tenji. His blade struck out with great speed and at the same time a large crackle of thunder sounded. The very feel shook his rib cage. His eyes still closed but he could feel it all. One trained in swordsmanship is always able to feel his surroundings. From this, his blade struck the opponent's, after this the opponent aimed to strike at his right leg. This was adverted by Tenji sweeping down, as he did so he clasped his blade so that the opponent's blade was caught in the sheathing of the blade. Tenji then spun around the opponent, his blade releasing the opponent's blade, sheathing fully. With that he was now behind the opponent a few inches.

With great speed and like an act of god Tenji's reverse blade sword unsheathed and struck out with all of his force and speed. All of these events transpiring in a matter of a few moments. Sword fighting between two masters was like watching a dance. His voice then cracked aloud after his attack struck or missed.

"It's said that when two masters of the art of sword fighting fight, their thoughts transfer to their blade. So, when they clash, their thoughts, emotions, and feelings all collide. It's said that when two master's blades collide they become one in that moment and share a bond that allows them to communicate. I'm not talking about telepathy but an understanding of each other's views. A feel of their heart as well."

With that, Tenji's body shifted around and faced so that his back was towards his opponent. Sheathing his blade he then took his right index and middle fingers and gripped the cigarette in his mouth. Exhaling he removed it from his lips and thought a moment. After he placed it back to his lips and let his arm dangle down.

Balmung felt the shift of his blade his own body turned when the man struck,Leaping back his feet floating over the ground his opponents reverse blade sword hit his Plate armor causing a slight bruise to the flesh underneath.Balmung looked his opponent feeling the winds shift his blade hummed with life as Balmung struck weaving the blade like a serpent around his opponent without giving the man a moment to turn back to face him.

The blade whistled striking like a serpent from legend,Left shoulder slash,Right hip cut,Left leg thrust,Slash at throat.The blade weaved faster with each strike until it was a blur coming from all directions.Balmung bunched his legs as he leaped flipping over his opponent he came down one hand on the blade as he landed Balmung struck out with his sheath aiming for the man's nose in hopes to break it while the sword flashed out to remove the opponents left foot.

Balmung responded his eyes staring calmly at his foe."All must face each other in time my friend no one is exempted from the rules but to over come them and hold back the finishing blow is in itself honor and a strike against the reaper himself,I fight you out of necessity not out of want I forgive you for your actions this day and hope you forgive me.