zanathos
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Part Two: Training
Two Years Later
Aerith, now 17, spent most of the time after his conflict with Ultima in the snowcapped Eldrin Mountains, honing his battle skills, and sparing with the Yetis that lived there.
Today was the beginning of the Cryoz Games, where all of the great Eldrin warriors, from the Yetis to the Glaciei Warriors, to even the barbaric Frigdin Trolls meet every 10,000 years to fight in gladitorial matches to prove their worth. Aerith had been training for this since he first met the Yetis, because the winner of the games will recieve the coveted Cryoz Orb, a long dormant magical orb that was seen to have lost it's power back in the great Siege of Olympium by Bangrog the Conqueror. Now it is used as a simple trophy given to the winner of the Games.
First up against Aerith was Jaesid, a slim, young Glaciei Warrior who was rumored to be the son of a Seer. His entire body seemed to glow with focus as he set into his battle position. While Aerith was in a situation like this for the first time, Jaesid had an aura that suggested he was born to fight.
With nervousness slowly taking over his body, Aerith's mind began to race, drifting towards other things and not focusing on the coming match. As he walked into the ring, his brain was a frenzy of distractions.
"Why did I agree to this?"
"He easily has 20 pounds on me!"
"Son of a Seer? If he can see the future how am I supposed to hit him?"
"I'm not sure this leather armor can protect me from a sword..."
"Shouldn't we have shields?"
"What was in that soup Ulgo cooked?"
"AERITH!" Fred, the Ice Master yelled, snapping Aerith back into focus. "Get your Head in the game!"
" Yes sir, it's just, are you sure this is fair?"
"Nothing in the Cryoz Games is fair. It's how you surmount challenges that proves worth." said the always-sagacious Fred. "Now get in there!"
As the battle bell rings to start the match, both Aerith and Jaesid slowly circle around the ring, scanning each other for potential weak spots, neither one making an offensive move. Sword steady, Aerith sees an opening in Jaesid's armor right underneath the rib area. He goes for the strike, faster than lightning, but somehow, with a blindingly quick flick of the wrist, Jaesid blocks Aerith's attack, sidesteps to flank him, and slices upward, cutting into Aerith's cheek.
Not used to seeing his own blood, Aerith, makes an involuntary break in focus. Seizing upon the opportunity, Jaesid quickly lunges at Aerith, sword aimed directly for his heart. Snapping back into focus, Aerith quickly jumps over Jaesid, somersaulting in the air, and, while upside down slides his blade along the back of Jaesid's left leg, creating a deep gash in his calf. Jaesid, pain surging through his entire body, falls hard to the ground and clutches his leg, sweat and blood running down it. A Loud mass of "Boos" came from the Glaciei warriors, obviously outraged at the embarrassment Aerith was starting to give them.
While Jaesid took a quick break to wrap up his leg, Fred motioned Aerith over to where he was sitting.
"You gotta stay focused! If you keep freaking out at every little thing, he's gunna take your head off!" Fred scolded.
"But Fred, Jaesid can see what I'm gunna do before I'm gunna do it! I can't fight my future!"
"Aerith, the future is always changing, you and only you can control your future."
Great, another one of his Ultra Wise teachings... , thought Aerith.
After Jaesid was done wrapping up his leg, both fighters took back up his position. Jaesid's rage was burning in his eyes like wildfire, bloodlust filling his thoughts. Aerith was more focused than ever, slowly becoming more comfortable in the arena. This time, Jaesid made the first attempt to strike, with a slash at Aerith's knee. Aerith hopped over the blade and landed on it with one foot, using to other to squarely kick Jaesid in the chin, sending flying a few feet.
Getting back up, Jaesid's face was contorting with anger, his attacks becoming sloppier and sloppier. He rushed Aerith with a frenzy of blows, each one deflected with a well timed block, with only a few actually connecting. They began trading blows, each fighter becoming more and more fatigued with every block or strike, neither one gaining any visible upper hand.
Then as Aerith came at Jaesid, preparing to do an uppercut slash, he saw that Jaesid was preparing to block it, and changed his direction at the last second, turning it into a horizontal slash at Jaesid's stomach, carving through his armor and cutting his stomach.
So he can't see the future, he was reading my mind, and then blocking my hits!, Aerith realized.
Using that to his advantage, Aerith proceded to rush at Jaesid with a blinding fury of attacks, but slightly changing each one at the last second, leaving him unable to defend himself. The tide of the battle quickly changed, with Aerith gaining the upper hand, and Jaesid becoming almost unable to fight.
In the middle of Aerith's barrage, Jaesid executed a lucky block, and both combatants locked blades, neither one willing to back away from the other. After a few seconds, Aerith gained some leverage, and threw both swords to the ground, and came up with a devastating uppercut that audibly shattered Jaesid's lower jaw. Victory was instantly given to Aerith, while Jaesid lay on the ground, unconscious.
The rest of Aerith's battles he won with relative ease, from the fire hurling giant Ignyr, to the chameleon-like Dark Elf Caecus, to the ice ogre Shrenken. Even though he had only about 2 years battle experience, he managed to fight his way all the way up to the final round, where he had to fight the Three headed cyclops, named Arges, Brontes, and Sterops. It was known for once defeating an entire army of Glaciei and Ignus Warriors by themselves. The creature was about 10 times taller than Aerith, easily discouraging him. However, he promised Fred he would never back down from a fight, so he marched into the arena.
...
The huge, custom built arena that was made to fit the Cyclops wreaked of the blood and sweat of past victims, the poor servants were still cleaning up the last contender off the stands. Aerith was scared down to his very core, and wanted nothing more than to run out of there, all limbs still intact. He turned to look at Fred, who gave him a look of complete confidence, and stepped into the ring.
BOOM.
BOOM.
BOOM.
Each step of the Cyclops shook the arena just a little more as he walked to the enormous ring.
ROOOOAAAAR!!!!
The Cyclops bloodcurling roar definitely intimdated and startled Aerith. I hope my armor is covering up my pants..., Aerith worried. Each one of the Cyclops' revolting heads looked menacingly at Aerith. It then raised up an arm and slammed it on the groun where Aerith was standing, not even waiting for the battle bell. Aerith quickly rolled out of the way, trying to calculate where the beast's weak spots were. The Cyclops tried to stomp on top of Aerith, but Aerith rolled out of the way again, and swiped at the Cyclops' heel, cutting it, and causing it to moan in pain and anger. The Cyclops swatted at Aerith, knocking him away a good 50 feet. I really, really need to get better armor next time, thought Aerith, clutching a broken rib.
The Cyclops, with it's middle head's eye glowing red with anger, shot a beam of fire from it's eye, attempting to fry Aerith. Aerith ran away from the path of the flames, and stabbed the Cyclops in the top of the foot, causing it to scream in agony and look at its' bleeding foot, eye still shooting fire. The fire burned the Cyclops' foot, making him scream even more. Not the sharpest weapon in the armory, Aerith thought, with a chuckle. The Cyclops, in a fit of intense rage, grabbed Aerith, with the intention of eating him. While tilting Aerith over it's mouth, Aerith used his sword to chop off 3 of the Cyclops' 4 fingers, causing it to scream once more in pain, and drop Aerith. While fallling, Aerith landed on the Cyclops' middle head, and stabbed it in the eye. He then jumped to the other two heads, and did the same, while the Cyclops spun around blindly trying to grab Aerith with its one good hand. After stabbing the third head's eye, Aerith jumped down, and watch the Cyclops spin around madly, screaming and growling and moaning from the pain, until it fell and blacked out from trauma.
...
As usual with the winner of the Cryoz Games, a gigantic Victory Ceremony was held in the Snio Temple after the games, except this was the first time a Zenith had won the games. exotic dancers from the Islands of Saravksa, fire spitting trolls accompanied by phoenixes, and more amazing talents all were there showing off in celebration of Aerith, the Victor.
GONG
GONG
The bell to start the giving of the Cryoz Orb rang, it's enchanting and regal sound resonating through the entire temple, calling everyone inside to attention.
"Here Marks A Momentous Day!" bellowed Fred, the honorary Master of Ceremonies (and Ice, as he liked to say). "For the first time in Eons, a Zenith Warrior, one who not many had any faith would last the first round, has mercilessly beaten the atrocious Argos and his brothers in battle!"
"Oh come on Fred, it isn't that big a deal." Aerith sheepishly replied.
"Nonsense! You will be known as the Eldrin Mountains' greatest warrior, and perhaps even Olympium's greatest warrior for the next Ten Thousand Years!" Fred proudly exclaimed.
I couldn't agree more.... thought a mysterious stranger in the back of the Temple.
"And now, Aerith, I present to you, as a symbol of your great achievements, the CRYOZ ORB!" Fred emphatically yelled, his energy clearly spreading into the spectators like a virus.
Aerith, as much as he wanted he seem a stone cold warrior, couldn't stop the smile that streched across his face as he reached for the Orb. However, when he touch the orb, he heard a slight hum, and watched in utter amazement, as the orb lit up with a brilliantly blue glow, brighter than even Olympium's cleanest oceans. Suddenly, a gust of icy wind shot out of the orb and encircled Aerith, pushing away Fred and the closest spectators. The spectators all watched this in a mix of awe, confusion and terror.
Aerith, hands stuck to the Cryoz Orb, began to see several visions of those who wielded the Orb before it had seemingly gone dormant. various battle scenes played out in his head, until the last one, which stuck out the most. a figure, one that looked much like Aerith and his father Ultima, was close to the orb saying some kind of ancient incantation. After the end, the stranger gave the orb a set of specific instructions.
"You shall goto Sleep tonight,
return only when the Zenith fights.
He shall learn of your storied past,
And then finish his destined task."
Aerith then opened his eyes, gasping for air, quickly spinning his head around him to see what had happened. The entire audience was still looking at him in shock, and then he got a look at his hands. They were frozen solid, but slowly reverting back to their original form. Even more startling, the Cryoz Orb was gone.
"Kid, I dunno how you did it, but you reawakened a long dormant magical orb, caused a mini blizzard in the middle of this temple, and absorbed the entire orb into your body, all before I could finish my dinner." Fred nonchalantly remarked.
"Wow, I feel great! I thought being a Zenith was great, but this is really COOL!" Aerith jokingly cheered.
"You may have intense power, but if you make another Ice pun, I'll personally kick you in the face." Fred sternly commented.
"If only Ultima could see me now,.." Aerith reflected. He instantly felt a strange warmth against the back of his neck, going all the way down his spine.
"Im pretty sure he'd be quite proud of you, son." the mysterious stranger stepped up and said, eyes glowing as bright as the Sun.
"Dad?"
...All power can be corrupted, overcoming it is the true test...
< Message edited by zanathos -- 5/5/2012 22:33:24 >
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