Mister Couch [Training|Bahir, Aengar, Adrastos]

Ever since he had joined the rebellion, Azix had dedicated most of his time to the cause. While it pulled him away from his efforts at providing more opportunities for his workforce program, he had the support of not only the staff at Opportunity Hall, but the workers themselves. While the gears on that kept turning, the orange magician looked for other ways to assist the rebellion's efforts. One thing they had a surplus of was volunteer soldiers which lacked experience. While he wasn't much of a fighter, Azix figured he could at least provide combat experience through sparring for those apt at close-combat. If he was lucky enough to find magicians, Azix would be able to aid their research and hone their skill with magoi.

With Octavius' help, Azix spread word through the rebellion's channels that he would be offering training for any interested. 'Bring blade, axe, stave, wand, or whatever you can wield and meet at the Trusty Steed,' went the message. Everyone was to meet at the tavern in two days time.

The day of the training, Azix arrived early to prepare before his students arrived. With his Twist Reality spell, he formed an illusion of an old graying man around himself and sat at the bar. His wand was held in the palm of his hand and hidden under the long sleeves of his illusion's robe. He gestured to the barkeeper for an ale while he cast Phantasm's Redirection to create an illusion of a large warrior sitting at a table nearby. The illusory form was huddled over a book of magic and while it would make no noise, it was completely solid and felt real to the touch.

Azix clutched the mug of ale that was handed to him and slurped the foam loudly before gulping half of it down. With his preparations complete, he drank quietly to himself while he waited for people to arrive.

[321/750]

[Intel Training WC: 494/1,000]

Aengar so far had only involved himself with Kandir and training with his friends. But he did little training outside of that with other people. But he had received a letter noting that he had been invited to train with other people on his equal level or higher this for Aengar would be exciting. The letter noted that he would have an opportunity to train with a very strong magician who works with the Reim workforce program. This would give give Aengar the opportunity to hone his ability to create spells and use Magoi, for Aengar this would bring great pleasure to become stronger and get better at using magic.

Aengar heard of this opportunity by hearing about it through the rebellion channels, Aengar normally hadn't involved himself with the politics of this human kingdom. But getting the opportunity to train with other magicians besides Kandir and his comrades. The letter itself went "Bring blade, axe, stave, wand, or whatever you can wield and meet at the Trusty Steed". Aengar had never been to the Trusty Steed but taking the journey to the place to receive training didn't bother Aengar.

Aengar entered the bar looking around he noticed a man with a wand in hand it maybe possible that he could be the magic instructor for this training he saw a man that he had met previously before during a job.

Word Count:231

Azix tilted his head back to drain his mug as a silver-haired man entered the tavern. When the man approached the bar, Azix set the empty mug on the counter and let out a content sigh. He gestured to the bartender to fill his mug up as well and turned to study the darkly clothed man. Azix quickly noted that he was looking at a magician by the tall staff he carried with him and looked back to see that his mug had been refilled. Without hesitation, Azix took a deep gulp of the ale, his Twist Reality spell sustained so he continued to look the part of a drunk, elderly man.

A few moments later, Azix was briefly reminded of Yakuroro when an Imuchakk magician entered the room. Another man also entered, dressed in a white suit with weapons at either hip. Out of the three who entered, this man seemed the most eager to learn, seeking what would appear the most obvious target in the tavern. The note had instructed bring either the weapons of a warrior or a mage, so the warrior sitting in the corner, reading a book of magic fit that bill. The man would receive no response from the warrior, as it was simply an illusion created by Azix with Phantasm's Redirection. However, when Bahir nudged the illusions, the warrior would slowly look up with an annoyed look on his face before lurching forward to strike Bahir's closest shoulder.

At the same, Azix cast Force Wall to form a small wall about the size of a palm and sent it towards Adrastos' mug to knock it from his hands. Azix's wand was still hidden beneath his illusion and he made no sudden movements to betray his intent.

Regardless of how either Bahir or Adrastos responded, the illusion around Azix would suddenly fade away. Azix wore a black shirt and pants under a long brown coat that came down to his black boots. He wore an eyepatch over his left eye, partially hidden by his chin length black hair. He would then hop out of his seat, tossing some coins on the counter to pay for the drinks and head for the door. "You must always be vigilante and aware of your surroundings. That is your first lesson. Come, follow me."

Without waiting to see if they would follow, Azix left the tavern and began heading out the city gates nearby. He would lead them out into a field before he stopped and turned around to see if they followed. Azix glanced at each individual, attempting to gauge their skill with a blank expression on his face. They all looked like they had some combat experience, but he wasn't sure how much. The best way to find that out was through a good ol' fight.

Azix got into a fighting stance with his wand held in his left hand and gestured for them to do the same. "Alright, first one to break my Borg gets doesn't have to do fifty push-ups." He stood at the ready to intercept their attacks and test their skill.

OOC: Assume we are standing ten meters apart to start.

[840/750 WC]

abilities used:

[Intel Spec Training WC: 1,242/1,000]

Abilities Used:

OOC
Training Word Count for Sting: 644/500.

Abilities Used:

Aengar wasn't the only person who received a summons in the corner of his eye he spotted Neo the man who he had completed some jobs with but he also saw another man he looked to be Fanalis and he seemed mighty suspicious. Aengar watched from the backed not wanting to make any sudden moves for all he knew this could be a trap to bring the rebellion together and for them all to be crushed by a single opponent so Aengar would re frame from making any sudden moves. Aengar studied both the man reading the magic book, and the other two for now these would be his priority. Aengar watched as the Fanalis man approached the man reading the magic book trying to strike up a conversation but in some way was lunged at Aengar thought to himself “Why is the man so hostile” the man seemed like a snow wolf of the north, gentle till you touch it's tail. Aengar held his staff tighter being prepared for any possible combat that would have a chance of happening Aengar surveyed the room everyone here looked like average citizens from thet working class but only 3 stood out of the ordinary. As Aengar watched he observed the man Neo getting his cup of ale split over himself this seemed to subside the rather hostile mood of the area. Aengar then watched as Neo ran frantic trying to remove the smell of ale from himself. Neo then bumps into the man sitting at bar. Aengar watched the marvel of the same magic that Neo saw that old man became a young kicker. He was a light magician no other magic could pull such a marvel. This young man was possibly the man who had summoned them here he was a powerful light magician stronger than Aengar. Aengar watched as the man spoke and they all followed him out Aengar reared. Aengar watched as the man challenged them with a task to break his Borg. But what good would it do but show a mental prospect of what each of them were capable of.

Word Count:353
Total Word Count:534/1000

The silver-haired man reacted without hesitation, immediately drawing tiny flocks of Rukh, but Azix stood his ground. A flutter of blue proceeded Adrastos' first spell, which caught Azix's attention. 'Ah, a water magician,' he mused to himself, reminded of Garret. 'How should I respond,' Azix hummed softly to himself as several three-foot long shards of ice started to form above him.

Azix decided not to rely on magic as his three students might expect, but instead get creative. He sent his magoi into his hair and it started to grow. Rapidly. In less than a second his chin length hair slithered along the ground. As the shards rained down, Azix's hair flicked left and right deflecting the attacks. Swish. Swash. Whiplash.

Of course, the silver-haired magician hadn't been idle during this time and sent a pressurized stream of water at Azix. A solid followup with an aerial distraction, but it would also find itself impeded by Azix's wild hair. Out of the corner of Azix's vision he saw movement to his right and turned just in time to notice a man throw two projectiles. His hair flicked over to deflect the throwing spikes inches from his arm. Azix spared a moment to look closer at the man and recognize him, "Bahir? Is that you?"

That distraction opened Azix up for Adrastos last two spells; the first being a large wave that was followed up by three large ice spears. Azix's Borg flared up to take both attacks, but Adrastos did manage to chip the magoi barrier. The orange magician gave the silver haired man a side-long glance, noticing the differences between this man's spells and Garret's. Azix briefly wondered if there was a reason behind it, such as a reflection of one's personality.

Azix held up his hand when he realized that the Imuchakk magician had yet to join the fray. "Hold on a moment." Azix pointed to the silver-haired man, "You did good to get to my Borg. What's your name?" After the man responded, Azix would then point to the Imuchakk. "And yours? Why haven't you attacked?"

After getting their responses, Azix would introduce himself, "My name is Azix Niraj. Now, as your teacher, I must say I hope you all have something more than this. Come on! Break my Borg!" He threw up his hands and got into stance once more with a look of disappointment on his face. Out of the corner of his eye, Azix noticed that his long locks of hair were soaked and frayed at the edges with bits of ice stuck in them.

[750+/750]

Abilities Trained:

[Intel Spec Training WC: 1,887/1,000]

Abilities Used:

OOC:
Ammunition
8 Remaining Spikes
Cool-Downs
Hunter's lounge - 2 post remaining
Sting - 2 post remaining

Aengar watched as the men talked in battled he trapped in his thoughts. Aengar thought of his homeland and how the magician that he trained with as a lad could still be there. Aengar now even deeper in his thoughts, was now thinking of what he could accomplish if he would to go back to Imuchakk and train under his first and only master. His name was Shinono he was out-casted from his village for a mistake he had made and he warned Aengar of the price of magic. Aengar now slowly leaving his mind said leaving all previous questions to him void "Sorry but I must depart more pressing matters are to be attended on my part sorry for this but I must be on my way"
[Exit]

Azix smiled at the man called Neo reacted without hesitation and pointed his staff at the orange magician. Little flickers of blue Rukh proceeded the formation of ten water arrows which launched towards Azix. As they approached the orange magician, the arrow's state would shift from liquid to solid. That bit of info went unnoticed by Azix who was busy casting his own spell. A Large Force Wall ten meters in length and width formed before him. To Neo, he would see the wall radiate a black, inky light, while Bahir would notice a translucent shimmer streak through the air. The two spells would clash against each other in a burst of magoi.

As expected Neo continued his stream of spells, conjuring nearly two dozen water cyclones that filled the space between him and Azix. The orange magician looked in awe at the creative use of the blue magician's spells while his mind searched his options. Most of the spells he had available to clash against the cyclones would catch his students in the crossfire. While it might not pose a problem to Neo, the magician had a Borg, but Bahir did not. Instead, Azix stood his ground as the cyclone grouped up and slammed into his Borg.

While the cyclones distracted Azix, Bahir sent two spikes at him which also struck his Borg. Between both students, they had managed to destroy the magical barrier. As the dust settled, Azix began to slowly clap, "Congratulations, you succeeded. Except the Imchakk, I still haven't seen you-" Azix blinked and looked around, where had the Imchakk gone?

He gave up and shrugged his shoulders, "Oh well, where was I? Oh yes, I was lying before. You both have to do push-ups still." Azix flashed an evil grin before dropping to the ground. He spread his arms to shoulder-width apart and his back straight before pushing his body up, counting out as he finished the movement. Then he dipped his body down and continued the process, watching to make sure his students were doing the same, until they had performed fifty push-ups.

Afterwards, Azix took them on a light jog around the outside of the city walls, for several laps. The rest of the day would be spent performing various exercises to increase their cardio and body strength. If Neo asked how it would help him learn magic, Azix would simply smile and ignore the question. It had a purpose, but the question would remain unanswered until he revealed it.

At the end of the day, Azix led them to a tavern where he paid for food and drinks. He would wait till their bodies were full before dragging them outside to sit under the stars. Azix would gather them around a campfire and clear his throat. "This next part of the training will be for the mind. There will be magic theory involved, I hope you don't mind, Bahir. You might find it helpful to learn, even if you aren't a magician. I promise I will teach you something you can use by the end of it though."

Azix took a deep breath before continuing, "Now, as I'm sure you know, Neo, there are eight 'elements' of magic. Each element has it's own uses, some more powerful than others. Each element appears naturally in the world and can be differentiated by the color of the Rukh. Neo, I imagine you noticed a flutter of black Rukh when I cast that earlier spell, yes? You'll see the same in nature at times, for instance during the rain you can see flocks of blue Rukh if you look carefully.

My earlier spell was a strength spell which sent a wave of force outward. Strength magic is used to harness the same forces of the world, like gravity. Next, we have light magic which has a plethora of uses from creating beams of light, disguises, illusions, etc. Those spells give off orange Rukh. There is also life magic which is purple. It is a strong magic type that can be used for healing, detecting life forms, growing life forms, and more. Sound magic turns the Rukh green with a few uses, such as creating loud sounds and muffling dialogue. Water magic is blue and can be used to control water and ice. Since you are familiar with that one, I won't go into more detail.

There is also wind magic which gives off a white color and gives control over wind, obviously. Lightning magic is scary and has a yellow tint. The last is Heat magic, which gives off a reddish tint. While mainly used for creating fireballs, there are other uses."

Azix exhaled and shifted into a more comfortable sitting position. "There are a few other basic magics, but those are the most common. With those basic elements, more advanced magicians can combine them to increase their potency. For example, I can combine strength and light to create shadow magic." Azix's wand appeared in his hand and he cast Shadow Spawn. Suddenly, a ten meter large tentacled creature stood beside Azix. The creature's appearance was horrific with its tentacles writhing and an inky substance dripped down its body. It vanished as quick as it appeared and Azix hummed to himself. 'I need to think of nicer things...'

Azix looked between Neo and Bahir with a grin on his face. "Now that I have properly bored you with a lecture, it is time to teach you something you both can find useful. I am going to show you how to meditate which allows you to alter your state of mind. The breathing exercises you will learn have been beneficial to me in many different circumstances. In stressful situations, it allows me to drown out the distractions of my thoughts and emotions, helping me focus on my objective."

Azix straightened his back and inhaled a slow, deep breath through his nose. Holding it for a few moments, Azix exhaled and equally slow, deep breath. He instructed them to do the same and provided pointers before telling them to close their eyes. "Still your mind by imagining your thoughts as a river coursing through your inner landscape. Now imagine them floating away with each breath, the river appearing further and further away, until there is nothingness.

---

The training regimen would continue this way for the next few days, sparring in the mornings, exerting themselves physically, and then meditating in the evenings. Bahir and Neo would find themselves drifting off to sleep easier at nights after meditating. They would also find themselves more conscious of their body and its reactions.

On the final evening, Azix would look to Neo. "You asked why you had to do these exercises? Try using a spell now." Azix would watch as the blue magician called to the Rukh and waited for Neo to feel the difference. While working himself not only mentally, but physically, Neo's control over magoi and the spell itself would feel stronger. Azix would give Neo a knowing smile before signaling for them to begin their last meditation session together.

[1181/750]
[exit]

Spoiler:

Trained:

[Intel Spec Training WC: 2,311/1,000] (Completed)

[WC: 2,507/1,000]
[Exit]