In Transit (Open)

Zahn stepped off the train and sighed. His cloaked figure was slightly imposing and caused him to stand out rather obviously from the crowd around him.

Here I thought wearing a cloak could hide me from trouble. The looks I'm getting just prove the exact opposite. With the Council cracking down so hard on Dark Guilds and Guildless, I've really only made myself a target.

Sighing once again, this time even more dramatically, Zahn took off his cloak and wrapped it up, tucking it under his arm as he continued to make his way out of the station. It wasn't every day Zahn got to just laze about and explore someplace he'd never been before. So, whether or not his presence had stirred up any suspicion he was going to enjoy this time as much as he could.

"The Magic Council might be able to take away my pride, but my freedom belongs to me and me alone. I'm never going to let anyone tell me what to do."

Zahn uttered his reassurance to himself and started walking again. He took in the sights as he did so. He noticed a lot of happy couples and smirked, mostly to himself. To think there were people enjoying life, even in these trying times.

People like them will never really know how strong they are, or how lucky. To be able to smile, even when the world falls apart around you. A war happened a little more than two years ago and yet these people go on with their lives trying their hardest to be "normal". I envy them some times. Ignorance is bliss, or so they say, but somehow that bliss seems a better option than being aware and completely powerless to do anything about it.

Zahn was completely lost in thought, only managing to dodge oncoming passersby at the last second, muttering quiet apologies when they told him to watch where he was going. He'd then return right back to his thoughts. As much as Zahn believed other people ignored their surroundings and the current events, Zahn himself lived in his own little world. While this world existed mostly inside his head and consisted only of his thoughts it was enough of a distraction from the realities of every day life. Realities like the fact he was essentially homeless. On top of that, despite being a mercenary Zahn was currently broke, and starving.

"... ah."

Zahn sighed once more, his biggest yet. While he was never one to wish for excitement, the fact he was extremely hungry bothered him to the point of wanting something to happen. Anything to take his mind off the sad truth that he had no idea where he was headed next and how he would get there. Considering he was also in transit on an empty stomach he wasn't really looking forward to making any long journeys anytime soon.

"Look this is not a shake down or some sort of threat, I was just told to remind you that you owe the Crossroads for the supplies you were loaned."  Atrum sighed as the man he was talking continued to insist that Atrum was some sort of gangster, he really should stop eating at the crossroads when he didn't have any money.  These jobs were usually made unpleasant by those who did not wish to pay, or could not.  Leeway were given to those who had no money to pay with in doing jobs for the place and the debt was cleared.  He rolled his eyes as the man before him continued to complain about Atrum's being "rude" and "brutish" with his "Demands".  He had about enough of the man's rambling and placed on of his large hands on the man's shoulder.  "Sir, I will only explain this once so please try to listen.  You owe the crossroads for the supplies you recived.  If you ca not pay for them they have some jobs you can do and they will call the debt paid.  They are not a dark guild or even a guild, they are just a group of people trying their best to stay in business while helping as many people as they can.  and yes even you."

The man stared at Atrum for a second and took the giants hand off his shoulder before grumbling and promising to go visit them within the month.  Satisfied with the man's change in behavior Atrum removed his hat and gave the man a small bow before Taking out the list he had and looking at it.  He smiled knowing that with this he had finally finished the jobs he owed to the place for basically consuming all their food the last time he made a visit as their customer.  Now that he had some free time maybe he could enjoy himself, unfortunately he had no idea what kind of entertainment this place had.  He should really leave Magnolia more often.

He looked around unfortunately finding nothing of interest to him, this place was actually kind of boring to a person like him.  'Perhaps I should make my way back home on foot.  I am sure I could use the exercise and you never know what you might run into in the wild.'  Atrum smiled at the thought, a good fight and some exercise would be great for him definitely, but first he was hungry it was time to sniff out a place to eat.  He turned around and looked about certain that this town had a restaurant somewhere around here.  He would just ask a local, the people of Fiore in general seemed to be nice enough to help out someone who was lost.  He replaced his hat back it it's place and grinned, in his opinion it was a pleasant day.  He could take his time to explore a bit while he was at it.  After all, what he did in his free time was his business.

"So... hungry..."

Lost in thought, and starving, Zahn didn't notice Atrum until it was far too late. He collided with the other mage and fell back, cursing a bit as he did so. However, he also knew that the collision was his fault. He picked himself up quickly and apologized as fast as he could.

"Sorry..."

However, his brain also registered something else. He had been close enough to hear Atrum getting lectured and he smirked. Another outcast, perhaps. At least, Zahn felt like getting scolded for no real reason made the other mage enough like himself to strike up a conversation.

"Sorry, again. People these days really don't understand how important being responsible is, do they...?"

This statement was clearly in reference to the fact that Atrum was just a few moments ago dealing with someone who clearly bothered him. Zahn knew what that was like. To feel tied down by other people and their nonsensical self-importance. To have someone take advantage of your kindness. The only important thing was to live however you wanted. Zahn wondered for a second what the other man was doing here, though it seemed like he was here on business, but realized it didn't really matter. His business was his, not Zahn's. Suddenly, Zahn's stomach growled.

"... eh heh."

With a swift smack, Zahn punched himself in the stomach hard enough to cause him to grimace and flash a weak smile at Atrum.

"So... egh... what brings you here, stranger? Not many people like to travel these days. The Council's watchful eye makes it hard to just go wherever you please so most don't like taking the risk of being bothered..."

Zahn knew he was probably saying too much, but the fact he sounded like he was speaking from personal experience really couldn't be helped. After all, he WAS speaking from experience. Still, he hoped his questioning the other mage first would prevent any unwanted inquiries in return. Zahn still felt weak from hunger and it was taking a considerable effort not to look around for a place to collapse. Also, Zahn wasn't used to talking this much in a short period of time. Each word he uttered seemed to exhaust him even more and after asking his questions Zahn just patiently and silently waited for the other mage's response, scanning his surroundings quickly to make sure he hadn't caught too much attention.

Atrum didn't often bump into people his sheer size usually meant that people avoided getting near him much less ramming into him by mistake. He turned to the person who had bumped into him and observed them for a second giving them a pleasant smile as his did so. They were short especially compared to him, but it was the eye patch that drew Atrum's attention piquing his curiosity. Atrum offered his hand to the stranger by way of greeting finding himself pleasantly distracted by this person's entrance.

"You have no need to Apologize, I was not injured so you are fine friend." Atrum smiled this person was polite at least this should be a pleasant distraction indeed. "I suppose, I do not presume to know the minds of the citizens of this country. Still It is hard for me to hold much against those I meet here. They are hurting and the healing is not done quite yet." Atrum spoke his mind plainly, though where he currently resided one could almost forget that a war had even happened that didn't mean that he had forgotten it. That was when the young mans stomach growled causing Atrum to stifle a chuckle.

"Well to answer your question I have just finished several jobs I had been tasked with, Business as usual I do not normally leave the town I currently call my home. The council has not bothered me at all, Though being part of a guild probably helps. Not like I care for the council's government either, but since I am a foreigner I feel I do not have the right to question the decisions they make. Just do not expect me to follow any law that I find unreasonable."

Atrum smiled and looked about wondering if there was a place to eat nearby. He preferred to talk over food anyways. "You want to get something to eat? I was just about to look for a place before you arrived, if you help me find one it is on me. That sound good?" The giant asked announcing that he was hungry as well. "My people prefer to talk over food anyways, so as I see it everything works out." Atrum put a hand in his pocket and checked to see if he still had some cash on him before they headed out. He was sure he had enough to pay for a quick snack at the least, it wasn't like he was planning on buying a ticket out of here anyways.

Zahn listened intently, not wanting to seem uninterested. He nodded as Atrum let him know he wasn't bothered by the crash since he wasn't hurt by it. He was glad the other didn't take it as a personal affront. Lots of people were always doing that. Using any excuse to get into a fight. Some times he'd look for a fight too, but usually not to harm other people. He liked fighting because it helped him get stronger, at least when he trained with the right people.

Note to self, don't crash into people too often. It'll save me from having to apologize a lot...

As Atrum continued Zahn realized he hadn't yet given his name or asked the other his. He watched Atrum's demeanor get even more jovial when the other mage saw that Zahn was hungry. He nodded again when Atrum asked if Zahn was hungry. He appreciated the offer of food but...

"You'll pay for me...? Eh... I dunno. I'd feel pretty awful if you took money out your own pocket just to help me eat..."

The young Jinx magician knew that his words sounded slightly empty. He was extremely hungry and it was very obvious. However, he didn't want to owe anyone a debt. However, the offer of food was too good to pass up.

"... my name is Zahn, by the way. Sorry about the crash earlier, again. I'll take you up on the offer of food and even help you find a place to eat. A nice talk over food sounds pretty good as well, however..."

Zahn paused for a moment, unsure of the decision he was about to make. Still, no time like the present right?

"You seem pretty strong. Stronger than me at least, and less hungry. I was wondering if you'd fancy sparring with me? Now that I'm here I'd like to test out how capable I am of fending for myself. After all, you won't be around all the time to save me from starving."

Zahn's mood was a little improved and mostly lighthearted. He meant now harm by this. He just wanted to see how strong he was and his new friend seemed to be pretty tough. Zahn knew he'd be back on the road again at some point and he didn't want to wander around anywhere without enough strength to take care of himself. Plus, it would be interesting to see what he could accomplish on an empty stomach.

"Let's train, and after we've had a match or two we'll spend some time looking for places to eat. By then maybe we'll both be hungry."

That was a joke. Zahn smiled at the other mage, letting him know he was trying to be funny. His sense of humor sometimes was lost on others, and Zahn didn't want Atrum to think he was trying to leave or didn't want to go get food with him. After all, he loved eating. Eating, sleeping and fighting were just about Zahn's three favorite things to do. He just wanted to make sure the other man was on the same page as he was.

You never know what kind of people you will meet when traveling, people certainly are an interesting thing after all.  He hadn't expected many people to suggest a pre-meal sparring match, and he hadn't expected one of the random people he would meet to suggest it either.  Not that he was complaining mind you, a sparring match was just what he needed to shake off the monotony of the work he had been doing up until now.  Atrum gave Zahn a soft smile as he introduced himself and removed his straw like hat to give his new acquaintance a introductory bow.

"I believe I told you earlier that you were fine and that there was no need to apologize."  Atrum smirked at Zahn feeling a bit playful, it had been a while since he had felt the urge to tease someone.  "Keep apologizing so earnestly like that and I may just think you might just have ulterior motives my friend."  He joked, mentally reeling himself back, it would be rude to tease him now, they had just met and he hadn't even introduced himself to him. "My name is Atrum Furea of Fairy Tail, it is quite a pleasure to meet you Zahn."  He responded finishing up his introduction and replacing his hat back upon his head with a bit of a flourish.As Atrum returned to standing straight up his smile shifted to  a wide and earnest grin revealing his monstrous looking teeth.

"That sounds like a wonderfully pleasant idea, you would be surprised at how few people seem to wish to spar in this country."  Even as he spoke it was obvious that he was slightly disappointed in the lack of sparring partners.  Not many people seemed to want to even entertain the idea of fighting almost as if the average person had lost the will for it.  Or maybe Fiore was a less violent country than his homeland, it wasn't hard for him to believe that.  "A bit of friendly sparing and then a meal, that sounds to me like a day well spent to me."

Atrum cracked his knuckles already eager to go, not that it was much of a surprise as he loved combat.  The rush of adrenaline, spurred on by the body preparing itself for battle.  The things one learned from fighting another, the experience was wondrous in his own opinion.  Still he understood why the average person didn't enjoy fighting on the same level as himself, no one with their brain working properly enjoyed getting hurt.  Pain was a sign that your body was receiving damage, a warning sign that you are going too far.  It would be nice to spar with a real person once again, his guild mates were always busy and the only people who had given him a run for his money were definitely not withing walking distance.  Atrum found himself smiling, he felt giddy, excited.

'I suddenly feel full of energy, This feel like it will be fun...  I can hardly wait.'

Zahn watched as his new friend's gaze brightened at the mention of sparring. Zahn found his own mood improving as Atrum bowed to him and introduced himself. It was rare to find someone who liked sparring as much as he did, but Zahn wasn't going to question his own good fortune. As Atrum teased him about having ultearior motives Zahn just smirked back. Now that he knew his friend had similar interests Zahn didn't think he needed to be overly polite. After all, these were two mages with a shared desire to grow stronger. They could understand each other and that made Zahn happy.

"My name is Atrum Furea of Fairy Tail, it is quite a pleasure to meet you Zahn."

Fairy Tail, eh? Hrm. So, I'll be facing off with a mage from that rowdy group? I hear they're all pretty wonderful people to have around and that they never let themselves be too depressed. Still, the bane of property and one of the biggest thorns in the Council's side has a certain reputation that proceeds them. We're in quite a crowded area. It'd be best if we took this elsewhere. I don't know what his magic is and while my magic can't cause too much damage on its own it might just be the exception today if I face off with him here.

Zahn caught a glimpse of Atrum's feral teeth and smiled back, genuinely impressed. So he wasn't just from a guild known as one of the strongest around he also seemed to be just as much an animal as the Dragon Slayers Zahn had heard so much about when he lived in Era.

Things are getting interesting now.

Zahn motioned with his head, signalling his companion to follow him.

"Why don't we take this outside. We'll have more room, I don't particularly like a big audience and I worry that we might cause some damage and draw some unwanted attention."

Atrum displayed signs of readying himself for the match and his enthusiasm was almost palpable. Zahn on the other hand, relaxed himself and cleared his mind. He'd no doubt get his chance to show his skills in the match but Zahn's magic required a sort of discipline that Zahn had to practice nearly all the time every day. His eye twitched underneath the eyepatch. His opponent was pretty strong, Zahn was sure of that much, and Zahn felt he could go all-out today. The sensation of battle, and the bliss that came from trading blows with a powerful person made Zahn smile. His skin tingled with excitement.

"This is going to be fun."

Zahn walked off, motioning for his friend to follow. From what Zahn could recall the station was right next to a forest and that just might be the perfect location to test how strong the two mages really were.

"That is fine, My magic is not exactly a subtle or safe for indoor use.  Indeed that is a practical idea let us take this outside then.  Undue attention would certainly be inconvenient for us."  Atrum agreed easily, his War Flame Magic was destructive in it's use explosions being a factor of about half of his total spells and all of his combat ones.  Collateral damage would most likely be unavoidable if he cut loose inside a building and it was bound to get him in trouble with the authorities for the damage that would've certainly been caused if they had started to fight here.  Yes this would be more fun outside anyways.  

Atrum found himself smiling softly as Zahn lead him towards the nearby forest, a battle ground consisting of large trees and thick foliage.  Easy movement is hampered on the floor with the exception of clearings because of the untamed growth and uneven ground level.  He could work with that, in fact it seemed like a pleasant place for a sparing match though he figured he would have to be a bit careful as to not set the entire forest alight.  This was fine he wouldn't put his combat skill behind anyone he knew other than perhaps his own brother.  He was ready for the sparing match.

'Zahn appears to be confident but not cocky, mentally he is an interesting opponent.  Someone who seeks to grow from his battles rather than to simply win them.  Easy to underestimate, but then again people misjudged others all the time, I guess it does  not truly matter as this is all speculation.  Still it is interesting to see if I can guess my opponents threat level before the fight begins, and physical threat is next. unfortunately he does not appear to have anything too interesting in this regard, actually I could almost swear that he is average in this category.  However since I do not know if what Kind of magic he has, assuming he is a wizard.  He is a bit of a wild card, almost makes this little mental jaunt feel pointless.'

Atrum was sure that his opponent was at a high enough level to make this interesting, and while his size and toughness might give him an advantage you could never be 100% who would win a conflict.  Too many variables to account for, trump cards and hidden strengths or techniques.  This would be interesting for sure, and he couldn't wait to go at it.  As they entered the Forest the giant, Took his straw like hat and placed it on a thick low hanging tree branch causing it to dip from his head wear's added weight.  Atrum began to stretch his arms and legs a bit, taking the fact that this was a sparing match and not a real fight as a chance to prepare.  It wasn't often that he got the chance to do that either, might as well take advantage of such a rare occurrence.

"Well then any ground rules you want to lay down before we begin?  Or shall we just skip to the fight?"

((Sorry for taking so long. My computer is crap and has been dying on me for hours on end. I haven't been on much because of that, but I'm still sorry I couldn't get a post out sooner.))

Zahn scanned the area he'd led them to. Lots of trees, which meant lots of cover. Visibility would also be down the further one went into the forest and the ground was incredibly uneven which could give him the edge if his opponent used purely attacking magic. Most mages nowadays, however, knew and used a variety of spells even if it was from just one school of magic. Zahn, himself, had more than just one trick up his sleeve.

""Well then any ground rules you want to lay down before we begin?  Or shall we just skip to the fight?"

Zahn smiled back at Atrum. He was just as eager as his friend to begin the match. He liked the thought of becoming stronger, and if Atrum got stronger in the process as well then all the better. Good rivals were pretty hard to find these days, especially with the Council banning the use of magic for people who did not belong to an official Guild.

"Sure, let's lay down the law. However, before we get to putting the safety measures into place..."

Zahn reached up to his eye-patch and slowly undid its fastening, taking it off and draping it over a nearby branch. He'd come back for it when the match was done. He turned his one-eyeed gaze toward Atrum and smiled at his friend. The closed eye might no give off much magic when covered, but now that it was...

"Allow me to show you my magic!"

Zahn's previously covered eye snapped open, revealing its icy blue hue, the kanji for "bad luck" inscribed in it  and a determined gaze gradually settled over the young Jinx mage's countenance as he focused both his eyes on Atrum.

"As for the ground rules, how about this...? No killing, or other malicious behavior. We're just two people fighting to get stronger so I don't want any bad blood being formed here. Which brings us to the second rule. No hard feelings, 'kay? Whoever loses, with both win because this is training us to be stronger! Now... how about we get down to business?"

The Jinx mage took his stance and smiled at his opponent. As Zahn had noticed before, Atrum was strong. He seemed to be happy in the forest, even with the harder-to-navigate terrain and the obstacles presented by the shifting visibility rate and dense foliage. Zahn wasn't sure he'd be able to do much damage to other mage either, as Atrum was clearly bigger than he was. Hopefully he wasn't as fast, but Zahn suspected he was strong, fast and pretty tough to boot. This should be interesting, to say the least.

"... and let's have some fun."

The fight was on. Zahn was going to let Atrum make the first move. He'd decide how to deal with the situation afterward and he promised himself he wouldn't let his new friend down. He wanted this to be a fight to remember.

((No problem, if you need to take your time and let's have fun with this.))

Atrum had no idea what the symbol that appeared when he removed his eye patch meant, but he figured that it would be interesting if nothing else to fight someone who capabilities he knew next to nothing about.  The rules were acceptable though Atrum did feel a bit restricted due to his background but that was fine, he wasn't back on the northern continent.  He was in Fiore, He'd accept the rules if only to prove that he could.  Atrum slammed his his into his hand and gave his opponent a friendly smile, he could feel his body heating up and the feeling as if he was becoming lighter, yes he was indeed ready to go.  

"yes, these rules are acceptable, very well then in that case let us begin our match."  Atrum said in a lighthearted tone before raising his left hand in Zahn's direction flames appearing on it.  "This is my magic, The Flames of War.  Let us enjoy ourselves my friend."  He finished as he watched Zahn drop into a battle stance, the fight was on and Atrum wasted no time in getting down to business.

Atrum rushed forwards attempting to close the distance between the two combatants right off the bat, Atrum's physique gave him the advantage of being better tougher and physically stronger than most who came across him.  However the other advantage was that he covered more ground than many suspected.  He drew back his fist and grinned as the flames from his right hand spread over his entire arm, throwing it down towards Zahn's chest not really worried about whether or not the attack would hit directly unless he could get out of the resulting explosion's range he was going to get hit regardless.  

"Let us go all out Zahn!"  Atrum's body already felt like it was on fire, he could feel the thumping of his heart as it pumped his blood throughout his body, the adrenaline moving through him pushing him to react faster and hit harder.  This thrill, this hunger for combat that has been bred into him since he could move unaided, demanded a battle.  He was going to enjoy this he knew it, He hadn't met anyone else who had a similar drive since he left his homeland.  Yes... this battle had only just begun!

Mp: 185/200:

Atrum made a point of displaying his own magic, lighting up his own hand to show off a bit. Zahn nodded grimly as Atrum flashed him a smile.

He seems quite confident in his abilities. Fire-based magic is pretty hard to deal with, especially in an area full of highly flammable surroundings. I don't want to end up burning the whole woods down...

Suddenly, his opponent charged and used his larger frame and longer legs to propel himself forward faster than Zahn was expecting... but not faster than Zahn himself. As Atrum appeared in front of him, the giant reared back and the flames ignited his whole arm. Zahn smirked now, realizing that this attack could be expanded in size. As Atrum thrust his arm forward and attempted to slam his fist into Zahn's chest, the young Jinx mage jumped up and over his foe, using his speed and agility to pull of the necessary leap. As he landed behind the giant he smirked.

His large frame is going to make something like that leap hard to do over and over again...

Zahn cast his gaze on the ground and his newly uncovered eye glowed for a second before he activated his spell wordlessly and jumped back again, trying to gain a little distance.

Jinxed Environment:

Using his fairly unique brand of magic, Zahn caused a few of the loose vines and other foliage to gather up behind Atrum. If the fire mage tried to turn around and pursue Zahn he'd find himself off balance for a second, giving Zahn an opening to kick him in the leg and try and tackle him. His new friend was throwing himself into the fight with all he had, it would be rude of Zahn not to answer with the same passion. After all, he was the one who offered up the idea of the spar in order to gauge his own strength. More than that though, with a mage as physically powerful and wielding such a useful element such as fire, Zahn wanted to see how far he could take his skills in one battle.

"Don't worry, Atrum. I'm not planning to make this easy for you!"

MP: 140/150

Atrum wasn't particularly agile and to make up for it he usually made most of his moves practiced and precise, and so when he shifted his weight and pivoted his feet to turn quicker he hadn't expected some of the undergrowth of the forest to gather so close to his feet if he had just turned he would probably have simply fallen right over instead of being having his foot caught. he was off balance his momentum would suffer for this. Atrum's mind was racing to make sense of this event, even as he turned to face Zahn. He was thankful he had simply pivoted his feet around instead of executing a full on turn.

'Movement impaired, due to sudden growth of foliage... Zahn can affect the battlefield? the entire forest represents an opponent. React! Fight!' The giant grinned ferociously as he felt himself lose his sense of balance, he had no doubt he'd be hitting the ground but that was just a minor set back in the grand scheme of this fight. The problem was that Zahn would i basically already on him by this point, which reinforced the idea that he had done this.

Honestly Atrum had simply not expected to be tripped and though he thought he could handle whatever Zahn threw at him he got a bit lost in the moment assured that he would definitely hit his opponent he had let his guard down and Zahn took advantage of it wonderfully. The giant mind drifted back to his fight with the Ice dragon slayer and he grinned as an idea popped into his head, Zahn was pretty good in the heat of the moment smart too but exactly how strong was he? Again Atrum is not agile and by no means a acrobat however he is if nothing else stubborn and determined, so when he felt his balance falter and the idea came to his head he acted instantly crudely throwing his weight forwards causing him to tilt forwards as if he was doing a front flip and land on the back of his neck with a loud smack. The giant kept rolling forwards until he was his feet hit the ground, and thought he wasn't able to bring himself back to standing like the spell breaker could with ease he was back in a position to continue his attack.

"That is good, this would not be fun if it was easy," Atrum had hurt himself a bit with that maneuver but he could ignore it, he was having too much fun, and his opponent had only promised more to come. "Your magic is interesting let us see what else you can do with it!" Atrum laughed aloud, he was in a back position crouched down with little distance between him and his opponent most of the ground being covered when he rolled forwards. flames began to cover Atrum's left hand preparing to counter attack as the rest of him began to return to his feet proper. The only question was did he have enough time?

Tch... he's very good. He must have a ton of combat experience and daring to have pulled that off...

Zahn dusted himself down, and returned to his stance as his opponent tucked and rolled, distancing himself from the Jinx mage. He didn't want to make any unnecessary moves. From what he could tell, Atrum was even better in combat than he was. Zahn had come up with that plan at the start of the fight, and now that his opponent was once again in front of him he didn't want to carelessly activate his magic. If he used it now Atrum would most certainly figure out the conditions under which Zahn's magic was best utilized.

Honestly, he's a lot faster on his feet than I was expecting. I would've like to use a strategy the allows me to get behind him over and over again. However he's too good for that and his large frame makes acrobatics a poor choice of movement to combat him. Eventually I'll slow down from fatigue if I'm jumping everywhere and he'd finish me off at that point.

Zahn smirked. This battle was a perfect test of his abilities. He'd always been on the run from the Council and from what Zahn could tell his opponent was just as powerful as any of the Seekers he'd face or have to face in the future. Which meant that winning here would mean that Zahn could rest a little easier in the days to come. He might even be able to nap in peace. At this point, Atrum was picking himself off the ground and once again covering his arm in flames.

"Your magic is interesting, let us see what else you can do with it!"

Zahn's grin grew slightly wider as he committed that sentiment to memory, adding some mental commentary of his own in response.

So, he's well aware I have few more tricks up my sleeve. I'm not surprised. With my eye-patch on my magic is dampened, so when I take it off and use it my opponents tend to realize I was hiding something. Leading to the obvious conclusion that I'm still hiding more, I suppose.

Zahn glanced at the area directly in front of him. Atrum seemed like the type who was cautious enough not to just charge straight forward into an obvious trap. So, his traps would have to not be obvious. Even if Atrum leaped at him, he'd have to be right in front of Zahn to physically hit him with the flaming fist move. The fire's expansion was a problem, but the spell Zahn had just cast took care of that too...

Hexfall:

The young Jinx mage would have to sustain the effect for a short while. At least until Atrum charged him. Then the pitfall would trigger and drop Atrum down unexpectedly, giving Zahn another opening to tag his opponent with another physical attack. Of course, this assumed Atrum didn't somehow dodge the attack by some stroke of good luck. While his pitfall was invisible right now, if Atrum was fast enough when he stepped in front of the Jinx mage to attack him he could avoid the trap altogether. However, having gotten a decent gauge of Atrum's speed Zahn knew that was unlikely.

"Don't worry Atrum. I intend to pull out all the stops eventually. However, right now you're going to have to come and get me!"

Zahn settled into his stance, holding his arms up in front of him in a martial artist pose and beckoning his opponent to come at him.

"Let's see the extent of your full powers too!"

MP: 117/150

((Actually I think it might be 175 or 200 total MP since I'm level 2 but I'm not gonna sweat the small stuff so I'll just leave it as a max of 150 for now))

"Geh, heh, heh. Come and get me huh?  Very well then if you insist."  Atrum knew a bait when he saw it, Zahn holding back and baiting Atrum to come after him instead of attacking him before he was truly back on his feet told him that Zahn was a defensive fighter if nothing else.  A mischievous expression danced it's way onto Atrum's face as if something had dawned upon him, still 1he had no idea what the extent of Zahn's magical abilities were.  The symbol probably would've given him some insight if he could read what he could only assume was eastern text.  What could Zahn actually do?  He had moved vines to trip him up, this was a subtle move but how did his magic actually work?  Atrum's own magic was straight forward and simple to understand this was fun the thrill of not know what his opponent could do was getting him fired up.  

'I guess the obvious solution is to cross out what I think he can do until something fits.  Let us start out with the obvious, forest type magic. At first glance it appears to make sense, he manipulated the vines to trip me up and open me to another attack.  If it were me I would have attacked with the vine instead, striking at the face to gain the same result of getting my opponent of balance, and then delivering a separate attack.  Maybe his magic is simply one of the more subtle one and can only affect things in a certain way?  Unfortunately that does not actually tell me anything useful right now.  Well other than it is dangerous to under estimate his magic.  This should be fun.'

"I shall show you my power just like you asked."  The giant replied as he rushed forwards figuring that he wasn't going to learn anything by sitting still, instead he would advance regardless of what was thrown his way.   He drew back his right hand to attack Zahn with again but by the time he reached him he knew something was off.  Zahn was getting taller?  No incorrect, he was falling.  There was a pit right in front of the Jinx mage keeping Atrum from reaching his target.  His punch was not going to reach it's target having lost all momentum, he had literally jumping right into Zahn's trap.  Atrum however was not about to simply let Zahn beat on him while he fell he had prepare his favorite spell just in case he needed a fast and strong counter attack.  

"Not so fast!"  The flame mage grunted bringing up his left hand and pointing at Zahn, before what appeared to be a bolt of lighting launched from his finger tip and shot towards the Jinx mage at with surprising speed for a fire spell.  Atrum who was still falling didn't get to see if his spell connect though as he had a sudden blind date with the ground.  This wasn't good at all he was open like this and it was possible that Zahn dodge his counter attack he had to move fast or he'd be a sitting duck.

'I am not sure exactly what it was that I was expecting but this was not it.  Manipulating vines, making pits in seconds, this is something I have yet to come across before.  Ah, I am actually a bit glad that I do not recognize the symbol in his eye, if it gives away what kind of magic he has I would not get to be surprised by what he can do.'  Atrum thought to him self as he hit the ground.  He had to get moving again before his opponent could capitalize on this disadvantage of his, need to get back on his feet again so he could regain some momentum.

Mp: 160/200:

"Holy shi-"

Zahn had been smiling up to this point, when he had to almost literally throw himself out of the way of the fiery lightning bolt. He wasn't smiling now. He'd gotten a clear look at the bolt and used his magic to deflect it. However, it appeared that the single bolt was far too powerful for him to just deflect and he had to jump out of the way. It power of the attack was enough to singe his clothes a little, even though he'd gotten out of the way in the nick of time. He certainly hadn't been expecting an attack of that level and power to follow up the fact that Atrum had jumped into his trap on his own. He had to release his pit spell, as his concentration had been completely broken by the counterattack Atrum had unleashed.

Jinxed Attack/Empowering Hex:

I guess I made the trap a little too obvious... and Atrum seems to have more combat experience than I do. I thought I was pretty good, but even before the fight started it was obvious Atrum has a lot of bite to back up his bark. I'll have to be careful. I can't let any big attacks hit me, or I'll lose any advantage I started with. I'm lucky he hasn't figured out the nature of my magic yet. He probably can't read the symbol in my eye, or at least doesn't understand the meaning. Also, I'm trying my best but I don't know how long he'll take to understand I have to have line of sight with whatever target I choose to affect.

Zahn narrowed his eyes, watching Atrum intently as he picked himself off the ground and dusted his clothes off. He wanted to wait to see how Atrum acted, but by then it might be to late. He figured that by getting in close, and avoiding any big attacks he could keep the pressure on Atrum. However, even though Zahn was pretty strong for his size, Atrum would likely have more endurance. It might not be prudent to engage the fire mage in a contest of stamina. After all, one clean hit and Zahn would most likely lose the fight. However...

No pain, no gain...

He figured that with Atrum's magic being as powerful as it was he'd have to keep empowering his attack deflection spell for as long as he could, but in the meantime...

"Here I come!"

The Jinx mage threw himself full force at Atrum, and when he neared his opponent he started weaving between trees, finally kicking off of one for more speed as he threw a heavy, gut-buster uppercut at his opponent hoping to flow into a sort of hit-and-run combo. It was taking all he had to maintain his defenses as he also attacked. His magic was subtle and useful for dealing with crowds, usually using the confusion his magic caused to slow down all other opponents, but one-on-one his magic was really only for self-defense. Eventually, his defense would break and Atrum would probably gain the upper-hand at that point.

MP: 92/150

((Apologies for the late and short reply hectic schedaul is giving me a bit of trouble to work around I'll try getting to you faster in the future.))

"Geh heh, what a fun choice you have made!" Well wasn't that an interesting reaction, every time he had used the thunderous spell the flow of battle had changed. Often because his opponent was stunned by the spells power other times by the speed. Yet other times by the fact that it could easily be confused for lighting when his magic was obviously fire based. Most gave pause to re-evaluate the threat the Giant posed, even the spell breaker had to regroup after he had almost scored a hit with it. Yet here Zahn was charging into Atrum's threat range like a madman, that suited him fine as he needed some time before he could sling those spells again in any case. A fist fight was more his speed. He prepared to counter attack Zahn's rush when suddenly he switched from a straight charge to weaving through the trees, trying to keep him from targeting him properly. Clever.

'His small frame means he is a smaller target, a more fragile one, yes, however it will be difficult to hit him if he keeps this up, he is more agile than I am as well. It shall be annoying to get a hit, if he tries hit and run tactics. Better stop thinking, time to fight to to brawl!'

the Giant made a snarling noise as he waiting for a chance to strike when the jinx mage kicked off a tree and launched himself towards the Giant. "Blazing Hells!" He cried as Zahn was suddenly in his face, he supposed this was likely what it felt like to fight him the surprise was elevating! Just as Zahn entered his threat range Atrum's world slowed down, his own body moving too slow to dodge the quick attack. Instead he chose to retaliate once again, throwing a punch aim for Zahn's head. The Jinx's speed probably got him within range faster than he could counter attack however the giant's large arms should at the very least get in the way. Either way he was going to enjoy this brawl, then he was going to fill his stomach in celebration of the sparring match.

((No problem. I completely understand what it is like to have a hectic schedule. Take your time, and as long as you need.))

Zahn was happy that he'd been able to surprise the Giant with his tactics. However, his happiness was cut short when he realized that a counter was coming his way. He had scored a hit but the Giant, while being caught flat-footed, had enough combat experience to counter with punched aimed right at Zahn's head. Zahn's fist collided with Atrum's stomach but Atrum's fist collided with the side of Zahn's face and sent him stumbling backward. The Jinx mage shook his head furiously, and collected himself.

Holy ow... This guy... What a tough bastard! I'm definitely going to feel that for a long time. I'm lucky I managed to turn my head, even a little. If that had struck me square in the face I wouldn't be standing for very long. I should count myself lucky for forcing him on to the defensive even for a little while. He might not have hit me with his magic yet, but with a punch like that? I'd better hope I can dodge all of his magical attacks. Seems unlikely though. That lightning attack felt pretty hot as well... I guess it is still part of his flame magic then... Still, even if I engage him in hand-to-hand combat he is eventually going to overpower me. I have to fight smarter, not tougher. I'm not built to take on guys like him. I could try wrestling with him, but I can't let myself get too close or I won't have time to dodge when he fires off a spell. Time to get a little fancy.

Zahn charged forward again, this time getting behind the tree nearest to Atrum.

Bet he won't expect this though...!

Zahn roared, gathering up his energy and threw himself at the tree as hard as he could, using his magic to jinx the tree, the ground and some vines immediately in front of him. The vines gathered quickly, causing him to trip and be flung even faster and harder at the tree which started to tip because of the softening of the ground. This was all due to his spell. As he collided with the tree, it gave a mighty creak and began to fall.

Jinxed Environment:

"Rrrragh!"

In a last ditch effort to make the tree fall faster, Zahn kicked against it with all of his strength and the tree finally collapsed due to the leverage and power applied to the maneuver. The large wooden obelisk fell forward, gaining speed as gravity finished the job of causing the fall... and unfortunately for Atrum, he was directly in the path of the tree. Zahn did not expect Atrum to be crushed under it. That wasn't his intention. After all, he wanted to spar with Atrum not kill him. However, people usually panicked when something was about to fall on them. The Jinx mage's hope was that Atrum would either put up some sort of flame defense or try to move out of the way. At the point, he'd be open to another attack as long as Zahn reacted swiftly to whatever the Giant's counterattack was.

"Tiiiiimber!"

He couldn't resist making that incredibly obvious joke. Atrum was strong and very good-natured. Zahn was caught up in the fun of sparring with his new friend and as such was certainly prone to joking around during a brawl.

MP: 82/150

Atrum rubbed his stomach While Zahn's physical strength didn't seem too above average he combined it with crazy tactics to enhance it's power, all in all it was a very clever strategy to make up for any weaknesses he might have.  The guy had a decent reaction time as well he could feel his fist not hitting directly a move like that cuts a punch's attack power at least by half.  His stomach was sore and if it was anyone other than him they would probably have trouble standing upright after a blow like that, he had to lock down Zahn's movement or he might be able to chip away at him until he ran out of stamina   Atrum's endurance was probably higher than Zahn's He was built to love long drawn out slug fest, but if he kept getting hit like this without actually hitting his target he was in trouble.  

'Although I have yet to see him attack from range maybe he does not possess a ranged method of attack?  That would definitely give me an advantage if it were true, what I really need it to get my hands on him.   Get a good grip on him so he can not retreat, but the man keeps moving about not staying too close to me for long it might be a tad difficult to grab him.  More importantly need to figure out how to turn his charges to my advantage.'  

Atrum brought up his hands as Zahn charged at him again, thinking that the Jinx mage was going to try another assualt he readied himself for another close range attack.  Then he lost sight of him as he went behind a tree, what was he doing, he wasn't hiding was he?  That's when he heard it, the roar of effort, the cracking and straining of the tree as it began to tip towards him.  Atrum's eyes widened with revelation as it dawned on him what Zahn had done.  He drew back his left fist the smile growing on his face until it gained an insane glint to it, if this was Zahn's game he probably expected the giant to dodge or block.  The problem was that Atrum had no defensive spells, and dodging was almost never attempted, if there was an obstacle in his way then he would break it down with his fists.  As the tree fell towards him, Atrum charged towards the large hunk of wood as a spark of flame began dancing around his hand  in a spiral pattern.

"Overcharge!"  Atrum shouted the dancing flame bursting into a cone around his fist, the giant throwing it forwards with wild abandon smashing the flame covered fist into the bark of the falling tree.  This spell was normally used for welding and cutting through metal, a wooden tree like this would get sheared through without much trouble but that was just the beginning with the cone still cutting through the tree it was still falling towards Atrum and he needed to stop it from hitting him.  He flexed his arms turning it inside the tree flames covering his entire left arm before an explosion erupting from his fist blowing the top of the tree off and chucking it over his head the bottom smashing into his chest and knocking him back.  He was standing too close still got hit, but at the moment Atrum had a hard time caring about that.

"Geh heh heh, well was that not a blast?"

125/200:

((Sorry for taking so long. I'd been really busy up trying to get ready to go to a con, as well as work on filming an episode of my webshow. I know it doesn't excuse me but let me apologiz again for making you wait so much.))

The Jinx mage's eyes narrowed a bit as Atrum sheared through the falling tree with relative ease. He'd expected that his opponent would have a decent counter for his attack, but not only was the counter better than Zahn could've anticipated but he realized his opponent was as crazy as he was.

Yikes... neither one of us has actually gained any sort of real advantage in the fight yet. I'm not able to win a contest of endurance, of that much I'm absolutely certain. I have to finish this with one big attack, but I'll need time to build up to another big move like that falling tree stunt I just pulled.

Zahn sighed to himself. Atrum took his last attack like a Champ. It'd probably hurt him a good deal, but Atrum seemed to be still raring to go. Zahn took his stance again, and thought about his options. At this point it was probably better to let Atrum come to him once again. As long as Zahn focused on defense he could still possibly exploit any openings the fiery giant provided when he attacked.

On the other hand, I doubt he's going to let me keep being clever for very long. He'll tire of me running around soon and he might start burning all my cover down. One solid hit from his magic and I'm toast. Or charcoal. Don't really like either of those options. Plus, I'm starving. All this thinking is only making me want food more.

Zahn turned and quickly climbed up a tree, coming to a stop on branch slightly out of Atrum's large reach. He looked at his opponent and smirked.

"There's no way I'm going to be dumb enough to come within that absurdly powerful reach of yours again. If you want to hit me, you're going to have to hit me up here!"

Put simply, this was another trick. In the time it took for Atrum to fire off a spell at Zahn and the branch the young Jinx mage would leap down and attack Atrum from above. However, there was no guarantee that Atrum would once again willingly walk into this trap. However, at this point, Zahn didn't want to take on the giant directly. It was a better idea to wear Atrum out a little more before going in for the finale.

"Your move, Atrum!"

((Don't worry about it, you got around to it so it's fine by me. Life happens.))

Atrum chuckled when Zahn retreated from him, placing himself on a tree branch out of his reach.  Atrum wasn't really about to walk intoa trap again, instead of attacking Zahn head on once again he chose to reach behind him for the part of the tree he sheered off, reaching for a thick branch and breaking a sizable one off of the fallen tree.  The giant looked back at Zahn and bounced the wooden club he now held in his hand a few times testing it's weight,  his Thunderous Flame spell still needed a few moments before he could use it again.  After finding that he had enough strength to wield his new club with one hand, he reached back and broke another off, this time instead of opting to use it as a club he chucked the branch at Zahn.  He wasn't walking into a trap unless it was on his terms.

'He is faster than me which means he can attack me when he pleases, need to keep him off balance so I can get close and strike at him before he can defend himself properly.  He is tough so I need to be precise with my timing, otherwise he will simply counter attack and we will be back at square one.  Got to get him down on ground level first.'

Atrum was trying to force Zahn down from the trees into a corner, to do so he needed to make the tree tops a rather unpleasant place to reside.  Easier said than done since he still had enough sense in him to avoid setting the tree tops on fire, until he could use his combat seplls he would have to use the club instead.  He would have to remember to purchase a real weapon later on, he had already fought people with swords, claws, and tigers he needed something to actually allow him to fight toe to toe with armed opponents.  Atrum lept towards Zahn's tree, climbing on it to get close hoping the small distraction would keep him from preforming a counter attack while he himself attack the Jinx mage.

Atrum couldn't climb the tree fast enough to grab Zahn but the extra reach from his weapon so he could reach Zahn from where he was, happened to be the entire reason he ripped the branch from the tree in the first place.  He swung the club upwards aiming for Zahn's foot, attempting to finally get Zahn's agility locked down.  The kid wasn't as agile as the Spell Breaker, but he was more agile than he was and that was starting to wear on him.  Atrum's eyes locked on Zahn's leg, this was going to be difficult.  Good thing he enjoyed a challenge.

"Let us Dance Zahn!"

"But I suck at dancing..."

Zahn snarked as he watched Atrum broke off a piece of the seared tree, wielding it like a club. So, he was going to fight the Jinx mage with a weapon, then?

That's pretty smart of him. Since I'm a little faster, increasing his reach will make me have to be even more defensive. This could take a whi-

Then the giant did something Zahn was not expecting. He yanked off another part of the fallen tree and chucked it at Zahn. The young man was so surprised he yelped as e dropped down, swinging around the branch once and then flipping back on to it. He was caught off-guard with how fast Atrum had come up with a plan to get him down from the tree tops. Still, with his agility he could probably keep the high ground for a little while since Atrum was at least sensible enough not to set the whole forest on fire. However, the little problem of Atrum attacking him was back as the giant bounded toward the tree and in a mad dash attempted to knock Zahn off his feet with the makeshift club he was wielding.

I guess it's a good thing I didn't expect this fight to be an easy one...

Zahn ran across the branch he'd been standing on as Atrum neared his position, leaping up to another branch. This meant the giant wouldn't be able to just alter the direction of his swing and catch the Jinx mage in a sweep as Zahn was once again above Atrum. Time to try and wrap this up. Zahn leaped off with a roar and attempted to tackle Atrum to the ground while throwing a massive right cross right at Atrum's face. Whether or not Atrum somehow managed to avoid this Zahn would land on the ground and tuck into a roll that allowed him to spring back up to his feet a moment later. There was no time to waste in a flashy recovery. The longer he tried to wait Atrum out the more opportunities the giant had to fire off his more powerful spells.

This battle is going to come down to who wants the win more at this point. Atrum's an awesome fighter. I can't keep going at this pace forever. As a mage and a fighter I'm just about average in everything. Which means I have to work a ton harder if I'm ever going to win a fight... Now, let's see how badly Atrum wants to win.

'Zahn is on the attack!'  The thought flashed in Atrum's mind for only a second, unfortunately he had totally committed to his swing he couldn't break off and dodge in time before Zahn's attack connected.  No time to dodge, can't redirect his attack to counter attack,  he jumped right into Zahn's arms, trying to move his head away from the full brunt of the attack he accidentally move his chin into the way of the attack.  Zahn's fist smashed into Atrum's chin and rattled his brain, causing him to lose his grip on his make shift weapon.  His vision was blurring an experience that he had not felt in ages, he for the first time felt like he might actually lose, that was probably the most exciting thing about this fight.  His opponent was good, not just good, he was exceptional.  Most people didn't like fighting and even fewer took the time to become good at it.  Here he had an opponent who not only managed to catch him off guard, but also prove that he was more than capable of covering for his weaknesses.  With his brain bouncing about in his skull, Atrum reacted as only a man who has been forced to fight for his life could have.

His mind no longer processing words only the information that his five senses were delivering to him, no thoughts just information and reactions.  The right cross spun his head and his body began to follow, at least until he began to react.  His eyes widened and once again his world slowed down, the slowing down helped with the shaking and blurring of his vision but now that he could actually see he could fight back.   Zahn had made one mistake, an understandable one but a mistake nonetheless.  Every Combatant has a threat range, the range in which they are most effective and can deal the most damage.  For the average person that range is half an arms away from their core, for the average fist fighter that was anywhere from arm's length to arm's and a half.  The latter being where Atrum's threat range normally reached, with a single rather explosive exception.  Zahn extended his own threat range in order to strike a critical hit on Atrum,  and in the process gave Atrum an opening as well.

The Giant threw his left hand out towards Zahn grabbing onto his right arm and clenching tightly, tale tell flames appearing on his hand announcing a imminent attack.  Unable to focus and falling towards the ground, it was all he could do to fire his Thunderous Flame spell off and keep his grip on the Jinx Mage.  The sparks of flame and the sound of cracking lighting once again became a spectacle in the forest, however no flames disguised as lighting graced the place as last time.  This time there was only the sudden explosion from force from the spell detonating instantly, as there was no distance between the launching place and the target.   Atrum's favorite spell hit hard and left a lasting impression on whatever it hit, unfortunately this included him.  Atrum was not immune to the effect of his own spells, and unlike Dragon slayers he could not simply eat the an element to protect himself from harm.  his counter attack had done him no favors.  

He knew he was on the ground, and at some point he had lost his grip on Zahn, he was only conscious now out of stubbornness.  His brain had stopped rattling inside his skull, and he could think clearly again, albeit with a bit of pain for his effort.  'It is not over yet, need to get back on my feet.'  The first thoughts began as he attempted to stand once again.  'That was pretty painful, obviously not one of my more brilliant plans, but it makes a great last resort attack.  If I can get back into the fight I can ignore this, I am sure just need to get ready before he attacks again.'   Atrum had no idea what happened to Zahn he wasn't even sure if he had actually hit him, could've been a tree for all he knew with how messed his head was at the time.  As long as his body still worked he would fight, he didn't care about winning, not really.  For Atrum it was for the combat itself that he pushed himself, as long as he and his opponent could keep going, he would refuse to back down.

Mp:100/200:

The Jinx mage smirked as his adversary was thrown off-balance by his counter-attack. A small sliver of pride worked its way through Zahn's body, causing him to smile at his actions. Atrum was one of the best fighters he'd ever met and catching him off-guard had proven to be no easy feat. As he tackled the giant and rocked his world with a punishing cross-punch he did indeed feel proud.

Finally got him!

However, it was at this moment when things had gone awry. Before he landed, Atrum had counter-attacked once more with his most powerful move. At the time, Zahn was so focused on landing and winning the fight he hadn't really noticed. He remembered the sensation of being grabbed and then the rest was a blur. As he looked back to Atrum to see his opponent's condition he suddenly felt light-headed and coughed up bloody vomit. He'd been hit directly by Atrum's Thunderous Flame spell.

Oh, fu-

Another round of bloody vomit leaked from his mouth. He was in terrible shape. Not only had he'd not even noticed the attack, there was simply nothing he could've plausibly done to avoid it. However, the effects hadn't set in immediately. Somehow, the adrenaline of the fight had managed to keep him on his feet for a split second after he landed. Now, however...

"Uuurghk..."

On bent knees, and being held up only by his wobbling arms Zahn managed to puke up a little more. He was burnt and battered. The fight was over. He'd left himself open to attack for a split second, and like a true master Atrum managed to pull off a last second win. Zahn chuckled to himself mentally.

Well, that showed me a thing or two...

Zahn sat back, allowing himself to recover from the spell. He wasn't tough enough to pull himself to a standing position immediately, nor was he dumb enough to think that if he did he'd still have a shot at winning this match.

"Know when to fold, I say. There's no point in trying to continue this fight. I might get a few more good hits in, but you, my friend definitely taught me something today. Thanks..."

Zahn slowly, but surely, pulled himself up.

"Well, now I'm definitely hungry. I just had breakfast knocked out of me!"

Though he had lost, Zahn was happy enough knowing he could really hold his own against a tougher opponent. If that last attack hadn't been so powerful and so spot-on he might've even won the fight, but that wasn't how the battle had gone. He sat in silence for a few minutes. Then... he walked over to his cloak and eye-patch and re-fastened both of them then walked over to Atrum to offer him a handshake.

"That was a good fight. I'm sure as heck hungry now more than ever. That was amazing, Atrum and I'm certainly glad I got to have such a fun match but food awaits!"

Atrum was surprised when no counter attack came, when Zahn did not immediately strike back or go to put some distance between them.  For a second he was sure that Zahn had not even been hit by his attack and he had instead just blew himself up for nothing, until he heard Zahn retching a bit away from him.  He turned his head to where his sparring partner had fallen to his knees, had Atrum had scored a direct hit?  From Zahn's condition he could only assume so, Atrum felt the smile grow on his face as Zahn began to talk after recovering a bit.  The smile grew into full on laughter as he fell back down into a sitting position and placing a hand on his head as he did so.

'That was fun, Zahn is a resourceful opponent and almost as crazy as I am, if he had more experience I would probably be the one admitting defeat right now instead of the other way around.  I was lucky though, with my head spinning like it was I still managed to grab on him.'

The pain hit Atrum hard now that he was no longer actively ignoring his condition and his laughter was stifled a bit by pain not that it did much to dampen his mood.  He pushed himself back off the ground, and braced himself against a tree in order to keep his balance while he rested.  Right, he had won.   Through sheer stubbornness and a bit of luck he had overcome another battle, and now he was hungry.  He had promised Zahn food as well.

"Indeed that was quite the match, I have not felt my head spin like that since I was back in my home country.  I am definitely glad that we decided to spar like this, definitely worth the effort."  He spoke the feral edge leaving his voice and the politeness returning.  Now that he was no longer fighting he returned to the soft spoken tone he held when he first met the Jinx mage.  Atrum smiled and reached past Zahn's hand clasping the area just past his wrist and taking his other arm and patting the jinx mage on the back.  "It was a great fight, now let us get something to eat."  He said before releasing Zahn to go retrieve his hat, he had enough money to get something to eat as long as there was a place to purchase food nearby.  He just needed to find it first.  He motioned for Zahn to follow him as he turned back towards the town when he suddenly realized that Zahn's magic was still a mystery to him.

'I could ask him but I would like to try and figure it out first.'  He thought to himself defiantly, he ran through the fight again in his head no longer reacting and actively observing he got a lot more information from what happened it didn't actually give him any leads as to the type of magic.  'I guess it really does not matter, his magic is useful and his and that is all that matters unless I spar with him again.  Right now I am more hungry than curious anyways, where do they sell food in this place?'  Well that was a predictable thought process, fighting and food were stereotypical thoughts to float around in Atrum's head but it was easy to see why.  Combat was his passion, and to fight you needed a lot of fuel, right now he was running on empty.  He needed to fix that, soon before he passed out he had to eat more and more frequently than most people and he had let himself forget that little fact.

"Any ideas on where to start looking?"  He asked aloud smacking his stomach when it gurgled at him.

"None whatsoever. I'm... actually pretty new to these parts."

Zahn didn't feel like he had to hold anything back from Atrum, but at the same time he wasn't about to spill his whole life story to the guy. He sighed mentally and collected himself as he turned back to his sparring partner.

"I'm sure that between the two of us we'll find a good place to eat though. We could always try scaring up some dinner ourselves. Still... that was a good fight. Wish I'd been able to eat beforehand. Where did you learn to fight like that?"

The Jinx mage knew he was being a bit nosy, especially since he would've minded if Atrum had asked him about his skills first. However, the giant seemed like a decent guy and Zahn felt like it was ok to trust Atrum, at least for now. Whatever happened in the future between the two didn't really matter. Zahn gave a small smile as he scanned the area.

"As much as I'd love to stand around and just chat I should really be moving on as quickly as possible now that our spar is done. Among other things I'm missing, other than a full stomach, I don't exactly have a place picked out to sleep tonight."

Zahn switched to a more matter of fact way of speaking, not trying to alarm Atrum but at the same time letting the giant know that he was feeling a little worried. Their fight had been fairly noisy and while they weren't near anyone else and the likelihood that the pair who be discovered by Seekers was low the Jinx mage didn't want to take any chances. Better for him to get into trouble on his own, and not involve other who just happened to be around him at the time.