Krow's Secondary Magic Training [Private]

The azure skies, well once azure skies, now seemed a bit depressive. The white clouds trapped within their grasp darkened and stained an abysmal gray-ish hue. These dark masses blanketing the skies above the island fitting named Shadow Island only yielding ever so slightly. A few stray rays of white light given off by the sun somehow managing to breach the clouds and give the island at least a small shred of decency. This decency being ripped to shreds by the thick forests filling the bulk of the island from its every edge to its innards. In the epi-center of the island rest an old mountain, once a dingy brown the very gaia that gave birth to it lay stained a lifeless gray that from the outside world would look as if it were one with the abysmal skies resting above it. The island itself being raised above the oceans surface exposing its dingy brown guts to the world beyond it. The sea surrounding it on all sides being rather harsh, mid-level waves crashing upon the raised outer rims of island warding off most who would be so foolish as to set foot upon it.

Any who were actually foolish enough to step foot on the island of shadows would be met by the sound of animal's fighting. Of course, the monster's of the island were nothing more than fodder compared to the "big monster" that had come to this island seeking out an item of sort. A lacrima, or at least that's what normal people called them. The aforementioned monster had a different name for it, he preferred to call it his dinner. One might think him to be a king of the fool's, and they wouldn't really be wrong by societies standards. After all, who would think of a crystalline substance as food....?

Word Count: 305/300

Upon the edge of Shadow Island's northern coastline, a sound foreign to this usually avoided island would be heard. The sound of an apparent human's grumbling in pain. "Ugh.... I'm never riding it again. I'll swim back. Even if it kills me I'm going to swim back." A male with a slightly tanned skin-tone and short, messy black hair had proclaimed to the island and its inhabitants. His eyes were closed at this moment, hiding the pained look trapped within his black eyes. The lids of his eyes soon slipping open to peer up at the skies above held hostage by a sickening gray. "Hey, clear up Sky Bastard! I don't want to be Lord of you if you look so sad!" He yelled up at the sky, or more specifically, the clouds above the island.

The endless aether as if in response to the youth's annoyance at its appearance seemed to have bellowed upon him, from its invisible gullet it let loose a harsh wind that threw the males attire into disarray. The youth's open, long-sleeved red cardigan which held four, large buttons thrashing about. The thrashing of this cloth ripping about within the winds desire, sent it up off his flesh in the back. Thus it would leave the large X-shaped scar covering most of his chest more revealed than it always was. The males maw twisting into a slight scowl of annoyance he lifted up off the grassy noel beneath his feet. The yellow sash tied around his waist whipping about wildly as the wind seemed to intensify, almost as if the element was demanding he head further into the island. The males scowl turning into an excited grin as he quickly dusted off his black shorts which reached just past his knees, the frayed edges of such shorts meeting the top of his shins.

The males excited grin staying present as turned to face the island, the soles of his rather plain sandals leaving their mark upon the grass as thy flattened it under his weight. The youth would loose an excited, yet odd snicker of "shishishi", as he reached towards the back of his neck, his fingers pressing upon the top of the straw hat as he brought it up and enforced its shape down upon his messy hair. "I wonder if the treasure is here." He spoke in cheerful tones as he began making foot falls inward bound upon the island.

Word Count: 407/300

The fool to end all fools snickered his odd yet cheerful "shishishi" as his foot falls slammed down upon the gaia, his sandals leaving their mark with each step he made. The male quickly finding himself within the dense, light deprived forest. From all directions he could hear the sound of animal's fighting one another, the ruckus bringing a look of confusion to the youth's visage. The male looking about in all directions, such actions from most people would signify they were panicked by all the commotion, no such emotion would be found. The male was instead curious about what was happening around him. And he obviously didn't understand how dangerous this place really was, made evident by exclamation of, "I wonder if they will let me play too!" Such naive words leaving him quickly as he took off running through the forest.

The mage would have just pulled himself through a thicket of bushes when two reptilian monsters came into his line of sight. The monsters didn't look very tough, but the mage thought they looked pretty cool. Their small scale-covered faded orange and blue bodies actually being equal in height to his own. The first of the reptilian creatures would rush the male, its jaw opening to expose its razor sharp teeth. The creature would make several successive biting motions trying to ensnare and rip the intruder to shreds. The mage jumping from side to side, foot to foot in what most would dscribe as a frenzied manner. The mages back soon smacking against a tree. The creatures partner in crime, would now rush forth, one had seemed troublesome, so how would he deal with two?

While stupid in most regards, one could not deny this person's combative prowess. When he saw both of the reptilian creatures rush forth believing themselves to have cornered him, his grin widened. The mage waited till just the right moment before his hands, now pressed against the trees rough bark, were used to throw him up along the trees length. This motion actually flipping him so his lower body was higher than his lower body, and the male was left gazing down upon the monsters. His grin turning into a mildly cocky smirk as he let go of the tree. He immediately began falling down towards the monsters, as he fell, an orange light would flare up around his fists, his arms drawn back behind his body, yet still to the sides. This orange light quickly giving birth to flames which engulfed his tightly clenched fists. The creatures not wanting to give up on the meal before them had been stupid enough to jump upwards and try to bite him. The mage in response to this, would throw forth his right fist bashing one of the reptilian creatures back down to the ground. The other creature being met by his left fist, the result was the same. While throwing this punches the words, "Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!" would be heard escaping from his gullet. The flames had burning both of the reptilian creatures heavily, while the downward thrusted punches to their faces that had been enhanced by the flames had slammed them upon the ground with enough force to lodge their cranial structures inside of the gaia as it crumbled under the pressure.

Word Count: 505/300

Combat Status:

Reptilian Creatures:

The fire mage snickered cheerfully when his feet had met the ground once more. He couldn't help but feel excited, he was sure that this island had a lot of strong monster's he could fight. The only problem with that being his tendency to get so engrossed with fighting that he may lose sight of his original objective. The mage taking off running once more, he jumped upwards, his hands clasping upon the branch of a tree. His body would be set within a swinging motion from within this action, back and forth, back and forth, over and over again this motion was carried out building up his momentum. The mage once satisfied would let go of the branch his body now drifting through the air. His gaze being directed towards the bleak skies above leaving him oblivious to where, or rather what he was about to land on top of.

After a few minutes of epic hang time, the fire dragon slayer came crashing down upon an oddly rough surface. His body lurching forward when he tried to skid to an abrupt halt which threw him forward, his face smacking against the trunk of a tree. He was quick to sit up and exclaim, "Ouch. That freaking hurt!" His right hand now squishing his right cheek and rubbing where most of the impact had been made, his right cheek now reddened noticeably. The mage had already recovered from the collision, yet he just sat there with a dim-witted look plastered upon his mug.

A few feet behind where the mage was now sitting his former landing pad was now fully awakened from its slumber, and boy was it pissed off. The aforementioned landing pad having actually been a monster known as an Arzuros. The beast having turquoise colored fur and ursine body structure, a ride of flared up hair aligned with its nose. The creatures back with had two matching sandal prints upon it being made of a tough hide. Hair running from its cheeks, connecting to its back, where it would form a trim along the side of its back. The Arzuros claws being elongated, with razor-like red nails. Each of its claws having a tough brace encasing and protecting its wrists and forearms. The creatures lower body consisting of large, bulky legs connected to oddly small feet, a short, wide tail completing its form.

Word Count: 397/300

Combat Status:

Arzuros:

The Arzuros in a fit of rage swiping its claws in a frenzied manner in the mages the direction, missing the still oblivious mage by a long shot, but easily hacking apart the tree which had stopped the mage only a few seconds ago. The mage while this was going on, had been looking from side to side trying to figure out exactly where he was on the island. He hadn't even noticed the trees destruction until a chunk of wood cracked him over the head. His cranial structure tipping forward, his treasured straw hat would slip from atop his head and be sent rolling across the ground.

The male would lunge towards the hat, the Arzuros trying to stomp on him staggering this action leaving him tumbling across the ground. The youth stopping himself by digging his fingers into the soft gaia. His body raising from the ground, he would blink a few times, a confused look playing upon his mug as he looked at the scattered debris from the trees the earlier destruction. "When did that happen?" He spoke aloud before finally noticing the cause of such destruction. "Blue Bear?" He questioned as he stared up at the beast. The Arzuros rushing towards him at a speed he hadn't expected from something of its size. The beast swiping its claws at him in a frenzied manner, as the beast had done this mage had pushed himself up off the ground. This left him staggering back a bit. "Hey, what's the big deal you stupid Blue Bear!? I don't have time to play with you! I've gotta rescue my treasure!" The male had snapped at the monster while dodging its continued onslaught of swipes.

The male quickly deciding that just dodging these attacks wasn't going to solve anything too it upon himself to go on the offensive. "Fine. I'll play with you stupid Blue Bear." He snapped with a minor hint of annoyance. These words would be accompanied by a flurry of flames which swelled up around his feet. The male watched, waiting for the opening left when the beast switched striking arms. The flames upon his feet swelling and building in their intensity for a moment, his body being carried forward by this minor combustion. He kicked off the ground with his right foot, his left leg lifting up at a slight angle he would propel it forward legging the flames speed up this action. *Thwack* The males foot still engulfed by the raging inferno had slammed against the Arzuros's right cheek throwing it off to the side.

The male hitting the ground standing up-right would begin looking around frantically for his so-called treasure, upon spotting the hat he forgot all about the enemy he had to face and ran towards it. The mage snatching the hat off the ground would take a moment to make sure it wasn't damaged before plopping it back atop his head. While he had been doing this Arzuros would have seemed to have run off. This was only half right, as it was really going to get its allies. The now wounded Arzuros having instinctually realized that what it had taken for a simple pest, was actually quite dangerous.

Word Count: 537/300

Combat Status:

The mage gave a sigh of relief upon seeing that his prized possession hadn't been damaged. Most probably wouldn't get what was so special about the straw hat, by all means, it is an ordinary hat that has no special ability. To this most unusual of mages, the Fire Dragon Slayer known as Krow, this straw hat showed him a path only he could walk. Where this path would led to when all was said and done, he didn't know or really care. All he cared about was the adventures he would have, the friends he would make, and the strong people he would get to fight along the way.

Krow grinned excitedly, his right arm raising, his hand clutching the hat firmly as his lifted it upwards and plopped it firmly upon his messy black hair. While these actions had been carried out, he had also be turning in the direction he had launched the Arzuros from earlier. The determined look upon his mug falling short and slipping into one of confusion. "Where did that stupid Azure Bear go!?" He asked himself aloud, his had swinging about in every possible direction. When he failed to spot it he would simply take off running full speed through the forest deciding that if he ran fast enough he would find it eventually. The Arzuros had almost made him lose his prized possession, so he had decided on beating the crap out of it no matter how long he was stuck searching for it.

This search would be short lived, or so it had seemed. Krow had spotted the Arzuros around ten yards ahead of him, though it wasn't alone this time. To Krow's annoyance, there was now four Arzuros in total and as if that wasn't bad enough, they all looked completely identical. "Which one am I supposed to beat up?", he asked himself, his brow furrowing momentarily. A few seconds later his brow went back to normal as he cracked his knuckles and said, "I'll kick all their asses."

This decision being made he took off running once more. The fire dragon slayer making no attempt to hide his presence as jumped through the final thicket of bushes blocking his path. The mage lunging at the first Arzuros he saw, his right foot swinging up and forward as it burst into flames. This flame clad foot being slamming full force into the back of the Arzuros's skull throwing it forward into one of its comrades. Krow snickering cheerfully as his feet hit the ground leaving him skidding into the middle of the two Arzuros that hadn't been thrown by his kick only moments ago.

Word Count: 444/300

Combat Status:

A loud of dust filled the air, the sound of cheerful snickering accompanying it as the male skidding across the soft dirt that covered the terra's surface. The males skid stopping him between two of the four Arzuros he'd locked his hues upon only moments ago. The two Arzuros he'd left unharmed letting loose a rather impressive dual battle cry of, "ROOOAAAAAARRRRRRRR!!"

Their declarations of war being made they dropped themselves down onto all fours trying simply stomp this perceived pest to death. They would have no such luck, as the male had seemed to spring into the air, his body twisting off to the right in a spinning motion of sorts out from between the two Arzuros.

Meanwhile, the two he had kicked out of the way before were set on opposite ends of the spectrum. One of them was down for the count, no doubt about it, as its head had smashed against a tree crushign the tree under the weight of its body. The other one wounded and in some pain, but more enraged than anything else.

Krow grinned excitedly as the three remaining Arzuros regrouped. His right arm raising out in front of his body, the corresponding hand held open, he would motion for the Arzuros to come at him as he confidently told them to, "Bring it on."

The Arzuros seemed to have some level of intelligence, as they had responded to his goading them by spreading out in an attempt to use their superior numbers to their advantage. One coming at him head on, another coming from his right and the last of the three coming at him from his left.

He would take out the one charging from the front first. Flames bursting into existence upon his feet and carrying him towards the bear-like creature. The beast raising onto into hind legs would swings its upper appendages forward, almost like it was trying to capture and pull him into a bear-hug of death, which it was.

The mage crouching down at just the right moment, would plant his right hand upon the ground and use it to throw himself upward into the air which allowed the flame clad heel of his right foot to connect with the Arzuro's chin launching it into the air while burning its head. From this action he would drop down to the terra below, his hands meeting the ground before the rest of his body had a chance to. He would use the swing himself back around and get back to his feet only leaving a very small window of opportunity for the remaining Arzuros.

Word Count: 437/300

Combat Status:

Krow's hands his the ground, his hands shifting and twisting as to drag his body in an anti-clockwise rotation that presented the end result of his being back on his feet. His nose twitching slightly warning him that the two remaining Arzuros were approaching quickly. This prompted him to cock his neck a bit as to peer of his shoulder.

His sense of smell was spot on it would seem, as one of the Arzuros was now right behind him. The creature having pulled back and swung its right arm forward at a diagonal descent. This strike would have undoubtedly shredded his precious straw hat and his head along with it. That is if he hadn't reacted so quickly by dropping forward rolling out of harms way.

Krow releasing a sigh of relief followed by a rather unconvincing remark about the former situation consisting of, "That was a close one. I almost died." His utter lack of seriousness only being amplified by the cheerful grin that to up residency upon his maw as he stood back up and dusted himself off before saying, "You guy's are kind of fun to play with, but we should play later. I have a really awesome treasure I need to find."

The Arzuros's however, did not seem to share his childish outlook on the situation, or his desire to put their strife on hold. His cheerful expression giving way to one of annoyance at the Arzuros that had nearly killed him barely even a few seconds ago just kept on attacking. The Arzuros swinging its razor sharp claw adorned arms at him in a wild frenzied manner, yet it held an alternating part of left then right. The mage dodging the strikes with little to no effort on his part. Despite his uncharacteristic desire to stop this bout and accomplish his true objective, he was still treating this like a game.

Word Count: 318/300

Combat Status:

Krow kept on dodging the Arzuros's strikes, an oddly overjoyed laughter escaping from his gullet as he did so. This was surely something which very few people would be caught doing while facing a seemingly endless onslaught of attacks from a creature that could and would rip them to shreds if the chance was presented. This back and forth of the Arzuros attacking and the dragon slayer dodging the attacks, while clearly amusing to the fire dragon slayer, was about to be brought to an end.

The Arzuros changing tactics suddenly, the now highly annoyed beast charging forward its arms swinging inward within this charge as it tried to deliver a crushing bear hug to the mage. The mage in response had jumped up in the air just above the Arzuros's head and kicked it lightly. The kick held no real intent towards causing damage, it was simply a means to an end, through which the mages being was carried in a back-flip through the air. This back-flip being made more impressive by how the mages entire body had become engulfed by fierce orange flames while it was carried out. The flip ultimately ending with the males feet planting upon a tree for the briefest of moments.

The flames shrouding Krow, bursting outwards behind him leaving behind a deep impacted impression of his feet upon its bark, whilst also setting the tree ablaze. This backwards directed torrent of flames being caused by the male suddenly kicking of the tree sending him flying towards the Arzuros at a frightening speed. This flame fueled assault seeing to it that the mage slammed into the Arzuros head-first. The impact carrying both combatants backwards and leaving the Arzuros engulfed by the raging pillar of flames left in the wake of this assault. The Arzuros now flying backwards ripping apart the forest as it skipped along the soft terra like a rag doll, while Krow hit the ground rolling only to stand back up right out of this roll.

Word Count: 334/300

Combat Status:

Krow his the ground with a slight thud, his body rolling across the soft, dingy brown terra for a few feet before coming to a stop upon the now ragged, scorched black grass which only moments ago held a healthy green hue. This rolling motion ending for Krow with him climbing to his feet once more. He was quick in swinging his body around, his sandals scraping across the lifeless grass freeing it from the terra beneath his feet. This shift in his position left him with the last Arzuros in his line of sight. A devious grin taking shape upon his maw when he saw the creatures mixed reaction to what he had just done to its kin. "You're next. So don't try to run, got it?"

The last remaining Arzuros had watched as its kin skidded and skipped across the ground. These motions causing the now blazing creature to uplift large chunks of dirt and scorched grass, leaving indented areas in which nothing would exist for quite some time to come. The now down and out Arzuros having finally be placed in a state of rest after smashing through two trees and cracking a third one in half. The constant motions end also extinguished the flames that had been left upon the beast. The forested area that the torrent of flames had set ablaze was a completely different story, as the flames showed no signs of dying out any time soon. Instead they seemed all to happy to just keep spreading and consuming the forest, trees and shrubbery alike, and so they did.

The Arzuros seemed to be hit by many emotions at the same time. While it was angered greatly by what this pest had done its kin, as evidenced by its primal battle cry of, "ROOOAAAAAARRRRRRRR!" it was also frightened of what was going to happen to itself, which brought about an odd sense of apprehension. This Arzuros, unlike the three that had fallen before it, would drop onto all fours and begin searching for some sort of opening it could exploit.

Word Count: 346/300

Combat Status:

Krow had been grinning excitedly when he had heard the Arzuros's battle cry and responded to it with a simple, "You're all fired up, right?" These words leaving him to be rewarded with what almost sounded like an annoyed grunt coming from the Arzuros's gullet. This seemed to bring about a slight sense of annoyance within the dragon slayer, his grin turning into a noticeable scowl. The two combatants staring each other down for what seemed like an eternity, but was no more than a few seconds.

Once both of them had finished with this rather monotonous staring contest they made their respective moves. The Arzuros charging towards the mage on all four. The mage responding in kind by charging towards the Arzuros, his right arm being drawn back behind his body. Flams spiraling down from his shoulder traveling along his right arm until they reached his hand which was now curled into a solid fist. The flames wrapping around his fist where they would thrash about wildly. The combatants closing the distance between themselves quickly. The Arzuros throwing itself into the air in an attempt to pounce upon the mage. The mage thrusting his right arm forward, the flame clad fist colliding with the Arzuros's mug sending it flying backwards a few feet.

The beast quick to regain its composure would move for another attempt at striking the mage. The mage already preparing his next strike. The Arzuros charging the male yet ago. This time however, just as it closed in upon its prey it had drawn itself up onto its hind legs, its arms swinging forward quickly as it tried snatch up the mage and give him a harsh bear hug. The assault the mage had already been preparing hadn't been halted in the slightest, flames erupting from the elbow of his right arm. These flames launching said arm forward enhancing the strength of the punch which was swiftly delivered to the Arzuros's gut throwing backwards and leaving it unable to fight anymore.

Word Count: 335/300

Combat Status: