13 Cylus 720
Jerald stood across the training area with a wooden sword at his side, a few wooden daggers, an a wooden quarterstaff in his hand. He didn't notice Balthazar who had noticed him first and moved in a wide circle around the training area so he could take as much time as possible before actually facing the man. Balthazar focused on Jerald's frequency, something he saw as a slight mist around individuals and things before he focused on it and heard the sound that most Attuners associated with their magic. It was easy to recognize the familiar notes between Jerald's frequency and his own. They were both human and the tune of their frequency was similar but Balthazar had a little difficulty picking out the notes so he kept his distance while he tried to figure out the man he'd be facing. Fortunately for Balthazar, Jerald was not waiting on the mage. Jerald was currently engaging in a spar with another trooper and a few others had assembled to watch it. That meant Balthazar had the time he needed to shift through Jerald's frequency.
The frequency of a man in combat was different than anything Balthazar had tried to Attune to before. The notes of the song of combat were notes Balthazar felt familiar with because they were notes he often felt in his own frequency. He focused first on Jerald's note of anger which seemed to heighten with each swing of his staff. He was good. He was fast. Faster than Balthazar thought he would be with the staff. But Balthazar was not watching that, Balthazar was listening to the note as it rose and fell. When the note of anger faded another note rose in it's place. Confidence? Pride? Yes it was pride. Jerald was a cruel man and it had made him an effective Element. Balthazar realized that Jerald was proud of himself- or he assumed it based on the scathing remarks he heard Jerald giving the man who he'd knocked down.
Then he was spotted- Balthazar that is. One of the men in the crowd noticed Balthazar staring and to be fair who wouldn't? Balthazar was relatively young with white hair, golden eyes, and skin that glowed slightly. He stood out when he wasn't in dark colors and for some reason he'd chosen a white shirt today. Balthazar couldn't exactly hear what the man in the crowd said to Jerald but he felt the sudden shift in Jerald's frequency. First the anger again (probably because he was interrupted) and then something else. Amusement? No. Balthazar couldn't figure it out before Jerald turned to face him. Jerald moved across the training field quickly and Balthazar, not willing to look the lesser, advanced to meet him in the middle.
Jerald's crowd followed him like vultures waiting for a meal.
"So you showed up after all." Jerald said in a wry tone. Balthazar nodded. "Little Trooper Black."
"I'm not Trooper Black yet."
"But you think you can be." Jerald sneered as he twirled his staff to switch it to his left hand. A beat later he said. "You're not one of us. Mages like you have no place in our ranks."
"That's why I came. You're wrong." Balthazar took his quarterstaff in both hands and Jerald smiled.
"Alright, Black, let's make a man out of you." The crowd backed away and Jerald took his staff in both hands, dropping back slightly into a wider stance. Balthazar tried to copy him but he didn't know exactly what advantage it gave. Jerald's eyes scanned the mage and Balthazar listened in on Jerald's frequency for the note he knew was coming. The anger.
When it rose, Balthazar swung the high end of his staff downwards towards Jerald's leg only to find Jerald was far faster with the quarterstaff. He blocked the low strike with one end of his staff and then bought the other end around to wack Balthazar's head. Yet Balthazar was not without speed of his own, he brought his left arm up to block the quarterstaff strike and a sickening whack broke the air. Balthazar backpedaled, shaking out his left arm in pain while Jerald pressed his advance. For the first time in a long time, Balthazar realized his opponent was better than him... but that didn't mean Jerald would win this fight.
Jerald swung his staff in a wide arc towards Balthazar's legs and Balthazar planted the butt of his staff on the ground to block it but Jerald's superior strength resulted in Jerald knocking Balthazar's staff aside and throwing the mage off balance. The quick Jerald twirled his staff around himself and then brought it down to wack Balthazar across the back as he stumbled passed Jerald. The crowd that began to gather winced at the sound that came from the strike and Balthazar winced at the pain. Jerald twirled his staff around a few more times as if the flair gave him some advantage other than making him look like a spin-happy ass.
Balthazar adjusted himself, taking the quarterstaff in both hands again while he tried to clear his mind and focus on Jerald's frequency. It would warn him when the strikes were coming, he just needed to figure out what to do when they arrived. Balthazar watched how Jerald seemed to circle him. He watched how Jerald was holding his staff and tried to copy him.
"Come now, Black, I expected more from you." Jerald mocked as he thrust his staff towards Balthazar. Balthazar parried it aside with the butt of his staff before shifting his momentum and weight to the top of his staff and bringing it in a downward swipe towards Jerald which cracked against the Element's shoulder. A gasp rang through the crowd and Jerald roared. Balthazar felt the note of anger spike higher than before as Jerald recovered, and charged.
Jerald thrust his stick out and Balthazar parried it in a similar way but this time before he could counter, Jerald blocked it. Jerald pushed back, throwing Balthazar off balance before he jabbed his staff towards Balthazar's face. The unbalanced and backpedaling Balthazar had only the advantages provided by his spark and unarmed training. He bobbed his head backwards, just out of range of Jerald's stick, which swiftly came around to knock Balthazar off his unsteady feet.
"You are unsuited for the rage of war." Jerald mocked as he struck at Balthazar while the mage was on the ground. Balthazar rolled to the right to avoid the first strike, then he swung his legs around in a starfish kip up, kicking aside Jerald's second strike and pushing himself back onto his feet. Balthazar stumbled though and Jerald seized the opportunity by literally grabbing the front of Balthazar's shirt and suddenly jerking him forward. Balthazar lost his balance and fell to the ground again. "Pack up, go home, you're through." Jerald ordered with a stern voice as Balthazar crashed to the floor behind him.
The mage groaned in pain and slowly pushed himself up off the ground. He coughed to clear his lungs and then turned slowly back towards Jerald. With a wave of his hand the wind flung Balthazar's staff up off the ground. "You're wrong. I've been fighting people like you since I first became a mage. People who think it makes me less, people who haven't realized what I have. Being initiated was the best decision I've ever made." Balthazar said as he reached out and caught it staff. "And that's when I realized I was destined for greatness."
