Stray Fists

[Miro]

8th day of Summer, 514 AV

Miro invited Venser along without much mention of what he had in mind. He told his accomplice to come ready for a fight, to be prepared. It was said that they were to go to the City Center, but with no explanation as to why. The wizard made sure that he was prepared for what was to come. He packed a light bag as well as his usual equipment. Most notably a large scroll dangled from his waist, attached by leather belts to his weapon harness.

The bag contained a few items that would possibly offer some aid to accomplishing the goals the Chained One had in mind. But if all went well they would need none of it. There was just one thing it all came down to, putting everything on the line for the sake of glory. The man who walked away the victor walked away stronger, but there was also something gained in failure.

Venser would agree, of that there was no doubt. Today the staff was left behind in favor of the fist. The duo arrived at the Vitrax, the headquarters of the Ebonstryfe. The black iron gates were constantly watched, always with elite defenses on standby. To some it would be unnerving, but there could be no greater relief to an Ebonstryfe member or true Ravokian.

The Master Apprentice flashed his badge that proved his authorization to the front guard. This cleared the wizard himself, but did not necessarily account for his company. He began to expand his aura of influence to envelop the guard as he walked close with an aura of authority about himself. He knew the people here knew his reputation, whether they acknowledged it or not.

Miro began to cast subtle manipulations on the man, emotional responses of respect, honor, joy and even care. The Hypnotist walked up to the man with his badge presented firmly, then casually tucked it away. He placed his hand gently on the guards shoulder and looked him in the eye intently. "I have important business. Today I need to bring in a guest, of course kept under careful supervision."

It was enough to garner a bit of attention, the serious look returned by the guard, but there was a look of doubt. This was of no concern however, the undead had already accounted for this. At this range, in a space so intimate, it was easy to manipulate. He empowered a powerful suggestion as he spoke. "I have a very promising potential apprentice. Rhysol would be blessed, but first he must be tested."

In the guard's mind a subliminal message of the potential apprentice needing to be tested repeated. With his suddenly inspired respect for the apprentice, he gave a nod and opened the way to the courtyard. The towering gates pulled apart to reveal in full the courtyard beyond filled with the Ebonstryfe in training. There was plenty of scenery to be taken in, but as well room enough for what they needed to accomplish.

Miro was not often found in the Vitrax, but to some his name was known. To many it was a name held with distaste, though a select few showed him respect. Most all knew to fear him at least a little, or at least to stay out of his way. He turned to Venser and chuckled to himself. "We will train here, among the Ebonstryfe for glory, with Rhysol as our witness. Let us prepare first. Sometimes it's best to learn on the field."

[Venser Rush]

Be ready for a fight.

The words were some that Venser had craved to hear since the younger of the Rush twins saw Miro's prowess for himself on that Winter day. Much had happened and the Rush twin had not seen much of Miro since the encounter, but a promise of loyalty was what he had given, and a promise was what he would fulfill. He had prepared himself by wrapping his fists in bandages, hoping that they would save him from the brunt of impact in the event of a fight, which Venser expected would be hand to hand rather than magical. The latter would be fruitless, for Miro had much, much more potential. But fighting hand-to-hand? The Rush twin knew Miro to be crippled, the movements of his body slowed, and despite his status as an undead, it affected him. The Rush twin neither knew nor cared why he was injured so, but the thought of combat excited him.

It was because of the Flux.

It had created a taste in him for battle, the visceral pleasure of defeating the enemy. The rush of excitement with each connected blow. The strengthened threshold against the pain and the undeniable pleasure in the midst of combat were things Venser Rush understood. It was why the grin materialized upon Venser's expression as he prepared himself for the fight at hand.

This was thirty chimes before. Miro and Venser had since met paths, and walked together towards the City Center, the Rush twin familiar with the route, having taken the route many times in order to reach the Institute for Higher Learning. Of course, this time, they were not headed into the IHL itself. Still connected to the Temple of the Black Sun (I guess all of the buildings in the City Center are connected. The Temple is, after all, the governing body of Ravok. It makes sense.), the place, the Vitrax, was just as intricately designed as the Institute was. A statue in the front, within a fountain, all gloriously set before a building which astounded him, but he did not linger.

Venser followed Miro through towards the entrance, the two stopped by a guard, adorned in black armour and fitted with a like weapon. Venser arched his eyebrows as he noted the interaction between what he presumed was a soldier like Karle Worthen was, though the Rush twin noticed nothing particularly off about it.

Miro has quite the knack for convincing people to follow his words carefully. I've seen it before. It's respectable, considering that most fear and disdain the undead.

Impressed, Venser followed after the wizard, taking note of the words he had spoken (A potential apprentice... Tested...), but he decided not to press the point. He would place trust in Miro, who had, for the moment, shown himself to be a crafty man, though none of it was to Venser's fault. It was only natural to presume that Miro had a plan for him that involved him benefiting from the undead's generosity first, but Venser was, as of yet, unaware and unable to garner exactly what this benefit could be, save for the Rush twin's talents in Malediction.

Only time will tell.

When Miro finally spoke to him, turning to face him in some sort of training hall, the Rush twin smirked, nodding in agreement to his rabble about 'bringing glory' to the Ebonstryfe. Glory was a bidden fantasy, an untested want and an unknown desire that welled in his heart, but it was the test that motivated him most of all. He was right. It was ideal to 'learn on the field.'

"Agreed. Combat is not something that is learned with a book and a relaxing night of study. It is gritty, in the moment. I'm looking forward to this."

In the past, bar fights had been his tutor. Next, the Ravokian wolves had shown him what combat was. Now, he would be tested against Miro. It was appealing, in a way. The thought was the last, lingering sensation before Venser took several steps forward, after which he erupted into a stride, closing the distance between himself and the wizard as the Rush twin attempted to throw a punch. Hastily thrown and sloppy, his fist was not fully closed in its ascent towards Miro, Venser forgetting to do so in his rush to make the first strike happen.

Those who act first have the advantage.

[Miro]

It seemed in the process of leading the Legate to this location the wizard had revealed too much. It was more than obvious that Venser was ready for a fight, and indeed had been waiting for the chance. The Colosseum saw a few fighters like that come in, more than a few in fact. Most of them carried their enthusiasm to a peak of cheers when they were slain within their first season. Though there were also those who carried it further, but only because of the source of their motivation.

Those who sought recognition, praise, glory, they often boasted more than they could back. The one's that boasted of themselves, they often were the quickest to go, but not always. However there were also those that fought to understand, to overcome, to tease Dira for themselves. It was often these fighters that went to truly earn praise. This was mostly what decided the career of a gladiator in the Akeldama Colosseum.

It seemed to Miro that he was the only one to properly balance these qualities. Of course he lived for battle, but to kill was one thing, to perform before an audience was another. The taking of a life became an art, a form of entertainment that was mastered. Not mere killing, show by slaughter. To spar as they would, it would be a performance against one another. Even if the audience was only your opponent, it mattered not.

The undead had a heavy burden not quite ready to begin. He moved over to loose his pack and scroll in an open area. The items shrugged loose easily enough and were set easily on the ground. About that time Venser replied, eager to begin as usual. Finally the Chained One loosed his robe, eager to shed the extra weight. It was often difficult to remove, but he had begun to shrug it off quite easily.

Miro caught sight of Venser living up to his name and charging at the undead, even before he was ready. The right arm was the hardest bit to remove, the robe still half on. With no time to waste the wizard called upon his magic. He concentrated on flowing Djed from the pathways in his legs up to his arm as he tucked down his shoulder. The metal robe slunk down and a swift hand quickly grasped it.

The distance between Venser and Miro closed quickly. The eager combatant within several feet neared striking range on an open target. The Flux enhanced arm threw the material forth and let it slide across his arm and down onto his bag. The heavy sound of foot stamps were right upon him now. In an instant the flow of the Flux reversed and the arm was left weak.

The streams of Djed receded from his arm and empowered his legs and core, though the strength was spread thin. The wizard wished to turn to meet his attacker, but knew he could not. With his bond to Ender he was able to tap into the Irylid's sense of sight on his wrist, see the assault coming from behind. There was no time to turn, he would have to react immediately.

Miro concentrated a slight amount the Djed from all over his body to gather in his right leg that coiled and let loose a powerful and swift leap across the ground to the left. The Djed flow then split between the leg in favor of the weak left leg to ensure a safe landing. He took the shock of momentum on his left leg, planted his right, then prepared for a Flux empowered attack.

The speed of movement the Chained One held unrestrained by his armor was quite enhanced. The amount of effort it took to move himself was so reduced that even his weakened leg seemed quite functional, at least while aided by the Flux. Miro in the tense moment finally turned to see Venser nearly beside him now began to launch a swift kick with his left leg.

With how the two were posed, Venser passing Miro's flank, the Fluxist's left leg would have to travel across his own body and meet its target's. The flow of Djed gathered in the left leg and flowed through the core and into the right leg to enhance speed and strength. He pivoted on his right foot, tensed his core as he shifted, then finally a powerful foot came sailing toward his sparring partner's chest.

At the last second, with those last moments of control, the Djed was shifted one last time. The flow of the Flux was split between the plant foot and leg set on a course for impact. With the final moments the undead slowed and weakened his leg to reduce its power and braced himself for the impact. He hoped not to be knocked off his feet from his own attack.

It would not do well to break one's leg and gravely wound one's sparring partner with the first move. That was mere fighting, this was a performance of fists. A brawl for glory was not won with a cheap or lucky strike. Instead it was proven beyond doubt and dispute. It meant showing off a bit, having a little fun.

[Venser Rush]

Venser was not accustomed to dealing with the Flux. He knew the symptoms of its use, knowing the increase of speed and agility by firsthand experience, but what Miro displayed, particularly now that he was out of what looked to be a rather hefty robe, Venser was astonished. The Undead dodged Venser's blow and immediately jumped backwards, taking himself out of the Rush twin's fists. While Venser had 'jumped the gun and attacked at an inopportune moment, it seemed that it was impossible to take by surprise. The Rush twin crossed his arms just as Miro's foot rocketed forward, bracing his weight forward, leveling his center of gravity so that when Miro's foot connected, Venser was more than ready to take it.

The impact was much, much softer than he had anticipated, the Rush twin pushed back by the blow, no harder than a normal kick, though he moved mere inches. The Rush twin smirked at Miro.

This is the power of a wizard. Miro not only used the Flux to jump backwards, but he also used it to strike, then took the magical impact FROM his limbs. It hit no harder than an ordinary blow, yet was swift and instantaneous in response...

Venser felt abrasions form upon his right hand from the weak impact, the smirk vanishing from his features as he adjusted his posture. His body, which had perhaps leaned too far forward to properly take advantage of the block to counter-attack, kept still. The Rush twin tugged at his djed. He felt the energy siphon from his soul, weaving from his arms and shoulders, his hands hanging limp at his sides as he sought to combat the Flux with the Flux. Venser had no intentions of winning this battle, but he was by no means going to surrender to the Undead. Surrender was for the weak.

This battle will end with one of us on the ground. Regardless of whether or not the chancves of it being Miro are zero, it will be an experience...

Venser willed the djed that he siphoned from his body, directing it lower upon his body, pathways flooding with the djed that he sought to manipulate, the words flowing from his lips as he narrowed his focus. This was not mere maneuvering of djed. Shaping it. Magic was intent on being a way to control djed. Within the body and within one's surroundings, in this case, the body, Magic was the way of overcoming the limitations of the body and replacing them with the limitations of the soul. The Rush twin felt his legs fill with strength,

"Daet djed vino. Heat-ala djas."

The incantation escaped his lips as a mere whisper, his eyes closed before they slid open. Venser felt shivers crawl up his spine as the control of djed brought his body to life. Miro had struck first and landed the first his, but Venser was not discouraged. He sprung forward again, though with his enhanced speed, he was able to change his direction mid-step. He made his way straight towards Miro, merely two feet from his reach before he spun his body, his leg extended. Venser lacked flexibility necessary for combat.

The spin was rapid enough in the midst of the Flux, but his kick was low, easily able to be dodged if Miro willed himself to do so, but the movement was mere distraction. Venser Rush took a deep breath, stepping forward with the acceleration of the Flux before quickly raising his right foot.

Venser's weight was easily supported by his left foot and leg as he kicked forward. Forward acceleration would send the Rush twin's foot racing forward. Venser leaned back ever so slightly in order to fully support the speed of his strike. The kick was intent on landing exactly where Miro had attempted to strike him moments ago, his movements less 'flashy' than the Undead's, but learning as he was, he saw the motions as adequate. Venser made no attempt to siphon the Flux from his legs as he struck forward, intent on striking at the Undead with the full force of the paltry magic that Venser commanded.

After all, Miro was a wizard, and Venser was obviously not. A mere practitioner need not show caution.

[Miro]

Miro could practically feel the surprise that surged through Venser when he received the kick. It was a rush, to have such superiority. Though such a perceived sense was one of irony, considering the condition of the figher's body. The fact as well that he fought unarmored for a boost in speed. As well the undead lowered his leg before he unburdened himself further by removing his weapon harness and tossing it too aside.

But the Chained One had an ambitious opponent, one who would not settle for a simple defeat. It was more than likely the merciful kick only spurred on the sense of competition. The wizard was ready for it, an experienced combatant as he was. A part of his mind told him to show off a bit, hold his ground, but another part disagreed. He was nimble now, able to use the Flux to move more freely.

Yeah, it was best to dodge, definitely. Without Alluvia's robe a bit of weight was lost, which meant stability. There was an obvious tension coming from the combatant a mere few feet away. His move was up. A defensive stance was taken, right leg forth, left leg drawn back, right arm poised before his body, knees bent. With his body positioned he was ready for whatever came next.

The itch to trigger a redirection of the Flux was nearly maddening as Miro practically held his breath in anticipation. Then the move came, a move in, but then a dip to one side, quick as it was. A twisting kick came in low, quick powerful as it was, it was likely to break the stance. A good thing a dodge was prepared. Djed surged into the right leg planted firmly ahead.

The Fluxist pulled his right arm back as he sapped Djed from within it to empower his right leg. He kicked the limb straight to propel his body, but then shifted the concentration of Djed to his other leg. The hind limb received both the shift in weight and strength as it planted firmly to halt his retreat. He reversed his stance, left leg forth now, but still held the redirection to his front leg.

The first kick was simple enough to dodge, as a low kick usually had a short range. This meant the dodge was quick, only a short distance back. This would be a good position for a counter-attack, but as well a good position for the opposition to set up an assault to follow. Indeed so, the first attack seemed to be a ploy, a trap so quickly fallen for.

Perhaps being quick to dodge was a weakness, as predictable as it was. To be left like this, left with an upset balance in one's pathways, it meant an opening. A powerful leg came to sail towards Miro's chest, right into the opening of his stance. With Djed built into the weakened left leg, there was no way to break the attack or properly defend.

As quickly as the wizard could manage he began to move his weakened arm and empower it. As well he drew to his core by pulling Djed from the pathways all over his body. His chest and abs tightened to brace for impact while his arm sailed after the assaulting leg. This act, to pull from so many pathways, it was a strain on the body. So many redirections at once cost quite a bit of Djed, but it would be worth it.

The kick landed, and it landed hard. Even with the tensed muscles of the body, no armor meant no absorption at all. There was but a bit of thin cloth to serve as a buffer, something Miro had forgotten all about. At least braced, the pain was able to be absorbed, and it seemed nothing was broken. Nothing broken but the combatant's stance. His formerly legs became weakened by the Flux.

The undead after taking the shock of the kick began to redirect his gathered Djed from his core down to his hind leg to absorb a bit of the force. However the damage had been done. The powerful kick was too much to compensate for, and all that was left was his empowered arm. Already sailing quickly on its path, the hand originally was meant to grasp the leg after the attack. This would not be happening.

When the kick landed, the Fluxist allowed his front leg to loose footing, instead favoring his hind leg. However his body had lost all balance, especially with the hastily guided arm in play. Indeed the front leg had slipped as the arm meant to grasp the leg sailed inward. At best Miro hoped to catch the leg, to push it upward and flip his opponent onto his back.

Honestly though, this was more a hopeful ambition. Whether or not the hand would even meet the Flux empowered limb before the opponent returned to a stable stance was left to Lhex. What was not however was that the Chained One had faltered, and he would soon be much closer to the ground. His left leg had slipped to the side and shifted his weight downward, only caught by his right knee and arm.

Miro knelt before his opponent and was in a bad position. He feared that abusing the Flux as he had been doing would be his downfall. Already he was getting sloppy, if he slipped into overgiving, things would get very dangerous. Moderation would have to be held if this would truly be a show. His glory was on the line here. There was no backing down now. He made a move to rise to his feet, but he was by no means quick in this regard, but ready to act nonetheless.

[Venser Rush]

The Fluxist did not have time to re-order himself and return djed to its proper pathway. Combat was upon him and Venser, in the midst of the rush of it all, had managed to take his opponent off guard. Miro was pushed back by the kick, the force driving into the Undead's body. Venser's legs return to its proper place, his mind settling on tapping into the pathways of djed once again. He felt the energy as it was within his system. Legs filled with the strength of his arms, the limbs hung limp to his side. The Rush twin could not allow his opponent a chance to recover.

Miro demonstrated an affinity for the Flux far beyond Venser's own, but what the Rush twin had was a living, capable body and the ability to strike forth uninhibited. Venser need not feel concern for the undead's life, nor for his own. Progress, transformation, the change and adjustment, progression and understanding were what drove Venser forward and would usher the Rush twin to greatness. The blonde maintained his clarity with a strict, fierce competitiveness, carefully keeping tabs on his djed and the distribution of it through his body. The incantation was spoken for a second time as Venser Rush willed for this battle to continue, the words bringing with them a reminder in the Ancient Tongue, Nader-canoch, that Venser strove for a greater understanding of things.

"Daet-djed vino. Heat ala djas."

The djed flowed upwards along the Rush twin's body as he directed it to do his bidding, Venser stalling for several ticks as the djed crawled upwards along the pathways that made their net through his body. He took care to make the process slow, a steady crawl, though the incantation and the promise it brought with it encouraged the Rush twin, it bolstered him, and with its utterance, Venser found that the transference took less time than anticipated. Leveled out, the djed within his legs was equalized, the residual djed from his arms climbing skyward and placing itself within his right arm, a plan forming within his mind.

Miro has seen me fight before. There is a high chance that he had observed that I favour the use of my left arm... if I use what's left of the strength in that arm to pull a 'feint' manuever on him... Perhaps I can land another blow.

Venser was not an experienced combatant, but logic and knowledge combined together in order to forge a plan, his hope that he could continue to catch Miro off guard until he burned himself out the driving force behind his idea. If anything, this would not work in extended combat, but Venser wished to push the boundaries of his magic in order to transcend them.

One does not call themselves a wizard without raking risks. I'm employing the use of the Flux with as much caution as I can. I simply need to press forward.

The Rush twin watched as Miro gathered himself, rising to his feet, the time it took to do so utilized to Venser's advantage, the djed moving to his right arm in the midst of Miro's effort as again, he strove to make contact. The Chained One would be at his feet as the Fluxist sprinted forward again, several strides, normal in speed propelling him forward as he raised his arm. Venser's fist closed entirely this time, his left driving forth, a straight jab, slower in comparison to what he could normally accomplish and weaker in nature. If Miro was paying attention, he would notice this, but Venser began the movement of his right arm, as well.

The Flux drove his fist forward, the intent on having fist meet the the Undead's flesh, the blow aimed straight for the Chained One's chest as Venser began to feel the bloodlust set upon him, the invincibility, the power of the Flux driving waves of deep, primal pleasure down the blonde's spine as he attempted to defeat the enemy.

That was the purpose of the Flux.

That was his purpose.

[Miro]

Miro felt a surge of pride rise through him as he slowly lifted himself from the ground. It was like a rage, a hatred for the burning shame he felt. To be put on the ground, sure, it happened to everyone. But it was the reason of why a man was put on the ground. A mistake, those happened, to be outwitted, that too, but it did not lessen the sting of being bested. For the first time in a long time the undead's body felt strong.

To have exercised the Flux, to unburden his body, it was liberating. The rush of adrenaline was something lost to the Chained One, as was the rush of blood through his veins. However he could swear his heart was racing in this moment. Thoughts spun through the wicked mind, eager to prove he was the dominant gladiator. His performance would ignite the cheers of his crowd.

The combatant rose to his feet with a fire in him, a looseness in his body. He tested his knees with a slight bend and rolled his shoulders a bit, Venser ran at him. The enemy combatant was an excellent fighter, so able to focus, snap into a tactical mindset. His body was well trained too, and living. The wizard knew that an undead body was far superior.

Though by now Miro was into the fight as well. He was ready to break his body and soul in order to prove his superiority, to never falter. A personal magic user knew that they could always achieve victory, they just had to be willing to pay the price. And be capable of handling the power they tap into of course. It was a startling feeling for Ender to receive.

The Familiar sparked with fear, but it was ignored by his master. To feel the desire in Miro, the pride, but all of it without concern of consequence. It made the Irylid fear not only for his partner, but for Venser as well. Obviously the wizard would not kill or main his foe, but it was likely their session would end with a harsh lesson at this rate.

The Fluxist tapped into his partner's sight to gain superior sight and shook his wrist. It was a signal to Ender to leave his sealed form, obviously wishing to make use of his superior sight. However the Familiar shifted to his replicant form, but without assuming a guise. Miro began to force redirections to his legs and retreat.

The Irylid shifted to a humanoid form, a replication of Miro's body, however without any taint. Both of his arms worked, free of the black infection of his master. His face was revealed, a tired seeming but handsome man. His long black hair nearly to his shoulders, his face and body quite gaunt. The tone of his countenance proved his seriousness, his silver eyes fixed on the fight.

The undead pulled Djed from his right arm to cycle between his legs. First he would start with his right leg, his strong leg, draw the Djed to build strength in the limb. With a quick bend of the knee and release he would propel himself backwards, his Djed flowing with his movements. As he would move back, he would shift only the excess Djed to his weak leg. He would only transfer the momentum with this leg, then carry the transmutation and redirection back to his strong leg.

Though there was an issue, for the Familiar's sight was accessed to view behind him, to ensure he did not back into anything. He had seen behind him before he started he retreat, knew his path was mostly clear apart from a wall a distance away. But with Venser coming in, the distance, although growing, was limited. Soon they would reach the wall, and a crash would mean disaster.

The Familiar that watched the fight of course turned to watch, but his focus was centered on Venser. By the time the wall came into view, the Fluxist was in a bad position. He could stop, as he had slowed a bit already, but it would take some effort. It would take throwing his body's equilibrium off again, the same reason he was downed last time.

Miro was able to see well, in front and behind his target, everything around him. It was perfect, though he knew it was only a slight advantage. The wizard flared Djed to tap into the pathways of his body. His mind and body were in perfect balance. He shifted the entirety of his bodys Djed from his neck down to strengthen his legs.

Djed built in his spine, his abs, and especially in his legs. His left empowered to the greatest degree, able to match his right. His arm, chest, they were drawn from, but only for the moment. The undead planted his feet hard and braced to halt his momentum. As the shock of his weight being countered traveled up his body, he willed the Flux to follow.

The combatant built the greatest concentration of the Djed in his ankles and knees, other joints and sensitive areas that risked damage. He could feel the pressure rise up his body, his Djed willed to compensate. The reinforcing Djed moved up his back, into his abs, along his spine, finally into his arm. The Flux enhanced arm shot down into the ground, his fingers dug in. He came to a quick halt.

And though Miro looked down at the moment, he could see clearly through Ender's arm how close Venser was. As well he could see how close he was to the wall, his back nearly against it as he stood. Only a few moments to react, but this time enough. A rush of seeming immortality coursed through the wizard.

Ender sensed this and worried greatly, quickly running in after the two combatants. The distance between them would not allow much intervention, but in the event that things escalated, the Irylid wanted to be ready. The Chained One took a defensive stance, arm poised, strong foot forward, body kept low to the ground. He boasted telepathically, "Ender, I'm gonna show you and Venser both what a master of the Flux is capable of."

[Miro]

Yes, it did seem things had escalated, for Miro had given into the sweet whispers. The wizard felt a power he had not in a long time, a sense of combat prowess that was lost to him. No longer did he rely on his Familiar's sight. Never before had he felt this powerful with the Flux, on the dawn on a realization. The way he moved his Djed, cast the Flux, it brought enlightenment to him.

His mind, body and soul were in perfect harmony. He knew his body, its limits, its capabilities. Such an understanding was mastered, slowly tested and noted, though the boundaries not entirely explored. There came a point however when one was asking to break their body, when they had concentrated too much strength in a limb.

But no, it was not only when Djed reached a high concentration, but when the body made full use of this power. Especially in operation of an unnatural power, it made the user sloppy. As did the rush of Djed through the nerves. But as well his undead body provided him something, despite its taint of Ink, it offered him enhanced reflexes and control.

Not only was his mind honed, but his body was enhanced. It seemed that he had the perfect circumstances to channel the Flux, his body able to compensate with the enhancements. This was something he had become accustomed to, though still needed more training in. But now, no, this was something new. He had found the greatest method of Flux redirection.

Not only this new technique, but his ability to apply it. His soul seemed to have caught up, having been shaped well by years of discipline. The ability to guide Djed streams through his body had been honed to a masterful level, and now he caught sight of the true potential of a Fluxist. It was Harmony, a fitting name for this technique, his mind, body and soul all perfectly balanced.

With his back against the wall, Venser just before him, the Chained One hadn't opportunity for much. He could stand his ground and defend, but already that had been decided against, a last resort. No, he was not there yet, there were still options. An offense he had in mind, though not one meant to deal damage.

Ender was behind Venser, quite a ways away still, though now quite worried of his master's intentions. When able he would come in behind Venser, attempt to help him. He hated to acknowledge these thoughts, but he wished to stop the session. There was little way to be sure of Venser's state of mind, but the undead had let loose too much.

There was no doubt that Harmony was the most Djed consuming method of Flux use. To perform too many redirections, to redirect from too many pathways, to redirect too much Djed, these three things would send a Fluxist into overgiving quickly. The technique did all three to achieve the greatest speed and strength possible a body could manage.

Obviously as a wizard became overgiven, began to slip, they also posed great risk of destroying their body. When Harmony lost its balance, it would be a different technique then, Discord. Surely to be lost to Discord, that was a death sentence. The Fluxist made his move, his target a mere five feet before him and closing.

Miro drew from the pathways of his upper body and drew it to his lower body. His abs received the least of it with his legs holding the greatest concentration. He planted his left leg against the wall and coiled his knees. His weight lowered and he adjusted his trajectory. Djed flared to his feet and ankles as he began the powerful leap.

In an instant the undead burst forth. His Djed concentrated in his feet and calves especially, but as he extended his body the flow rose through his body. The Djed flowed up his leg, into his butt as his knees extended. He flung his torso into the movement, empowered his abs, chest, and finally released most of the Djed. A slight amount taken from the entire body was gathered in the arm alone now.

The arm went from dead to live in an instant and moved to be cocked back at his side, palm open. Miro was in a path right past Venser, the man finally upon him. The enemy combatant came in sloppily, seemingly caught off guard by what had happened. a light hit landed easily in the undead's gut, enhanced by the oncoming momentum.

It didn't hurt Miro, though Ender's knees felt weak, forced grasped his stomach. The two were now side by side, both of them with Flux enhanced arms coiled for an attack. Miro saw the attack coming, retracted Djed from his legs and into his core to brace himself. The powerful punch was not like the last, it could be felt. Ender cried out in shock, so surprised of the sudden pain.

The punch was foolish though, it could easily shatter Venser's arm. However just as the Chained One took the blow, he landed his hand upon his opponent. In that instant he flared the pathways all over his body to adjust his arm's power. His incredibly powerful arm shoved Venser back harshly, transferring the momentum forth.

Miro's speed was reduced to just about nothing, but his body was cast down hard to the ground on his left side. His badge flew from his sling and landed on the ground beside him. As he landed on his shoulder, his head swung down and hit the ground. It caused a powerful ringing in his ear. For a while he just laid there upon the ground and stared at his badge blankly.

Ender however had recovered from the pain, tapped into his master's sight while he counter-attacked. The feelings he felt from his partner, they were so primal, so instinctive, it was frightening. They caused him to do something he knew he shouldn't, call upon his Djed to cast Reimancy, a most expensive of magics.

But if there was one thing Ender knew, it was how to use Reimancy. He concentrated his Djed to his hands and began to transmute a thick white liquid before his chest, between his open arms. A mass of translucent opalescent fluid hovered before his chest, his arms ready to embrace Venser and see him safely on his feet.

The Irylid was ready, a light use of the Flux drawn to weaken his arms and enhance his legs to get in position. Then, when in position, he would brace his spine and legs for impact with another redirection. His Res would flow to meet his target and upon contact with the Familiar, it would transmute to a fluffy mass of snow. Once finally the impact was taken, a final slight redirection would draw from the legs to arm to embrace the man.

There was no doubt, Miro had caused them to overgive, but Miro was going to be dealt with now. Venser had proven himself, obviously the wizard was pushed to this point. There was no doubt, the combatant was completely untrained, but had natural talent. Great focus, quick thinking, tactical understanding, he only needed a bit of combat experience.

Yes, Venser would be a great asset in seeing the Chained One contained. What damage Miro may have done to his body was still unknown to Ender, but he was at the edge, ready to fall deep into the depths of overgiving. He had to be brought to reason, and Ender was only willing to cast one spell. A powerful flash of emotional surge to sedate him would be enough to settle things.

When Venser was settled, back on his feet, the Familiar would turn his attention to him. Ender would stand beside him and watch his master, speak in a sincere tone. "I hope you're okay Venser. You really proved yourself out there. However Miro is at his limit, and I need your help. I can feel it, he is not done, he is simmering down there."

Miro began to fill with anger, hate for being on the ground, for the pain he had felt. He growled as he began to lift himself slowly, his emotions building. "Help me get near to him. I can only manage one spell, and I need to be close to use it. Help me get my hands on him. Hold him down or beat his arse, whatever gets me where I need to be. Let's see your teamwork skills."

[Venser Rush]

Snow. Venser felt himself surrounded by cold, snow welling in his vicinity. It coated him in its cold, his body recoiled entirely, on the precipice of falling before Ender caught him. The presence of snow in it of itself was unsurprising, for he had seen Miro execute a sort of horizontal avalanche, but feeling Ender do it, and catch him in a quick succession informed the blonde that the Familiar was very much so a being of power himself.

Venser was astonished. A practitioner of the Flux himself, there was absolutely no way that he was unable to feel the sheer surge of djed that welled within Miro. He could not identify where the wizard was re-directing the energy, but before the Rush twin knew what was happening, he was harshly and instantaneously thrown to the ground. A thud sounded as the Rush twin fell, a sharp gasp pouring from his lips. He was horribly dazed from the events that transpired, but still, he found it utterly mindbending that Miro had done what he had done. A forceful push, but more than that, he was instantaneously re-directing the djed flow through his body, and though Venser could not see it happen, he could feel it. He could make his own assumptions about what happened. But, the Rush twin knew for a fact, that if her survived the encounter today, that he would ask Miro what was going on in his body.

Auristics would let him know with utter certainty, the movement of djed an easy outlet and an incredibly useful tool, but for the moment, he had neither the time nor the dedication to resources to divert his djed towards Auristics. The Flux was the only thing that could save him right now. Even though it was impossible, he found it - -

Ender?

The Rush twin found his way onto his feet, scrambling to a standing position as he listened to the Familiar speak. The Familiar reminded him, in part, of a child, though he took what Venser assumed to be the shape of Miro's guise. What magic was pulled into the bond that the Familiar had was unknown to the Rush twin, but Venser suspected, due to the fact that Ender stated his ability to both feel what Miro felt and the fact that he alluded to spells to be cast, that the Familiar had access to either Miro's magic, or some unknown, off-world magic that Ender had picked up on his own. There was no way to know for sure, given that the scenario at hand was a very tense one, but he had the ability to, at the very least, do what Ender asked of him. He assumed that the Familiar had a plan that involved the Hypnotism that Miro was privy to.

"That's fine... I'll find a way to distract him. Just make sure to keep up with me, there's no way that Miro's going to let me escape this unscathed if he's overgiving on the Flux."

The djed within his left arm was weakened by the output of physical contact, used up and it required moving forth. Miro seemed momentarily distracted by his air of superiority, a fact that Venser used to his advantage. Djed swapped through his arm, weaving through the workings of his astral pathways as fresh djed moved from the core of his abdomen, the pull of djed weaving, moving, flowing through his body as he felt strain affect him somewhat. Venser pulled the remaining djed from his right arm, rendering the limb completely and utterly limp at his side, unable to be moved as the Rush twin set out to make his left arm, already stronger than his right, much stronger than before.

He could feel the Flux driving through his body, coursing, strengthening him, willing him forward and granting him power. He felt invincible, though a semblance of terror welled beneath the surface. Strength coursed through Venser's blood, pulling through his nerves as he imagined the situation at hand, a plan forming within his mind as he set about towards his attempt at victory. Despite the fact that Miro, a powerful, deadly wizard in every right was in front of him, he felt assured. The jawbone at his neck willed him forward, suppressing the rush of excitement and invincibility that came with the Flux. It left only the seeds of a migraine building in his thoughts, but he pressed on.

Ender states that he can only use one more spell... This tells me that, somehow, Miro and Ender share vulnerabilities to overgiving. This means that Miro will be sloppy like a Flux user undergoing the 'Weakness of the Spirit.' I have to just press forward. There are risks, but without risks, there is no moving forward. These two are at a completely different level.

Ender's Reimantic snow welled against his body, but Venser shrugged it off, stepping forward before he said,

"I'll serve as the distraction, then. You're obviously the better option for dispatching Miro, so I'll leave that to you. Just try to do it before he kills me."

The Rush twin barely managed a smirk before he made his way forward. A third sprint was beginning to wear upon the Rush twin's ability to run, lactic acid deeply and powerfully building within his legs, but he pressed on. Rather than stay in one place and allow a head on strike to serve to the point of suicide, Venser instead lunged to Miro's right side. The perspective would render Venser's useless right arm irrelevant, and as he pivoted his body, he attempted to toss a Flux-driven elbow directly at the undead's center. He followed the motion, successful or not, with a half-step back, a partial hope lingering that Miro's precipice upon overgiving in the Flux would render him rather unable to defend.

In the times that I've overgiven on the Flux, I've found that my mind lingers entirely on destruction. Hopefully, Miro's the same... I'll rely on Ender to serve as my defense.

The Rush twin lunged forth again, a desperate, final strike directed at the Undead's hip in an attempt to cripple him further.

[Miro]

Miro began to growl and rise from the ground, his mind quite blank, but his body on fire. He thought not, only felt. Rage, power, a lust for destruction. But with no target apparent, he only waited, knew his targets would come to him. It was like he was a wounded animal in the wild surrounded by hungry predators. He would defend himself as if he life depended on it. His eyes were wild and void of any sense of humanity. No longer did he carry his body in any sort of stance.

Ender however was quite emotional, able to sense the disturbance in his partner's mind. What had Miro gotten Venser into? It took quite a bit to get Miro to this point, but without doubt things had gone too far. The Irylid had witnessed it, a new discovery of the Flux, beyond anything displayed before. Never had the Fluxist gone this far with the magic before. At least, not since he lost himself, killed his mother.

Yeah, Venser was impressive, although completely untrained. What made him so formidable was his dedication. This proven now by his willingness to stand against the overgiven wizard. Obviously it was understood the danger of the situation. Hopefully the Chained One would not cast Reimancy, or else they would truly have a problem. There was still the scroll filled with Djed, just in case, but there was no time to use it now.

Venser charged in and Ender followed in close behind. It seemed though that the Familiar was a bit quicker, able to reach the wizard first. Miro lunged at him with a powerful punch, obviously enhanced, but it was evaded. This provided the perfect opportunity for a powerful Flux-driven elbow to land flush on the overgiven undead. It was quite effective, but mostly only on the Familiar.

The Irylid fought through the pain that forced a gasp and tensed his gut. He lunged forth and grappled Miro's arm with both of his arms, stopping a punch from landing upon Venser. But the arm was strong, it slipped away, but the attack was dodged. Now, it had to happen, it had to be now. The pain of the elbow strike had slipped away, but still it took time to gather the focus. Ender began to flood Djed, all he could manage, but it was so strenuous.

No, he had to succeed, had to act now. The Familiar was a powerful Hypnotist, a wizard beyond the scope of most. Miro had slipped away, was going to pursue Venser, but that couldn't happen. Ender charged after Miro and tackled him to the ground. The unsuspecting Chained One toppled over easily. He turned to strike, but the moment their eyes made contact, a torrent of Djed filled the wizard.

The Irylid focused all the Djed he could manage to his eyes to flare an emotional surge. An overwhelming sensation of tranquility. The spell was channeled for a few ticks as Ender shushed his master. Miro's raised fist fell to the ground and his eyes closed as his head turned to the side. The Familiar could sense he was successful, but felt an pain in every fiber of his body. The replicant form began to rescind into his natural form.

The undead didn't move again, but there was no doubt this was settled. Just as long as nothing got him excited again, they just needed rest. Ender addressed Venser now. "Thanks Venser, I couldn't have done it without you. You fought well, and I am impressed. You, well, you should go. I'll take care of Miro. Come see us tomorrow. I'll be sure to tell Miro how well you did. That was pretty impressive stuff. I see why he has so much confidence in you."