Flamelord & Renose Collab (Part 10)

The blade seemed to move quickly and fluidly like a feather dancing on the wind as sparks and bits of flame and electricity from both blades leapt off both blades and onto both fighters as their swords clashed. Serin could tell that Thomas was searching for it. He could tell from how Thomas' movements seemed to change somewhat as Serin actually had to put more effort into blocking now than he did before. Still, Serin had years of experience, it was going to be hard to get past his guard unless Thomas managed to pull something incredible off like Serin had done with his blade to Thomas just a short bit ago. 

"Who are you?" Serin asked as he slashed at Thomas, but instead of getting a hit was forced to counter Thomas' attack with his own, it having been a close call there. "Are you Thomas, or are you someone else? Because right now" he paused to counter yet another blow that almost managed to get him, Serin being able to feel the lightning from Thomas' blade sparking off against him. "The only person here, in this place right now..." more clashes and blocks as Serin's fire magic on his blade let off short bursts of flame with each slash. "Who can land a blow on me is him. Is that you, Thomas? Find yourself, find the you within that can land a blow against me". 

It was indeed close as the sparring continued, but Serin wasn't going to let Thomas land a blow so easily. He wouldn't even let Thomas land a blow even if Thomas managed to find what Serin was talking about. No. If Thomas wanted to get past Serin's guard and begin a counterattack he would have to do it with his own power. He would have to find the will that would allow him to begin pushing Serin back and place him on the defensive. 

Sparks flew, scattering about the immediate area as they clashed, and thomas could note the difference, times when he had gotten close only to be denied when Serin's experience shone through in stopping him. His swordsmanship was improving in that case, and he carried on with a solid determination, though he didn't answer Serin's question immediately as he struggled with the answer himself. Who was he, what did he want to be? A mage, the hero, a leader, someone exceptional, a Keyblade warrior, a middle child from a provincial town. But was he actually any of those, or were those just things he wanted to believe he was? For certain the last thing was true, and fairly hard to deny at that, those others he used to be certain of, but had fallen more and more into doubt, beyond actually being a mage. He tried to hide the doubt though, as he had before.

Still, in spite of that he wasn't going to let it stop him in his attempts, though Serin was doing a good job of that on his own. It ddn't matter that much for a sparring match, did it? Not when it wasn't a fight for his life or some intense struggle. And perhaps it was this lack of motivation that restrained him, but there was no real way to combat that in this situation, in his mind. So just carriyng on, darting in for a few quick strikes before moving out again, seemingly stalemated as it was though he held the initiative for the moment.

Something was holding Thomas back. Serin could tell. Perhaps the boy just thought of this as a simple sparring match, which it was, but it was also much more. Serin felt like one more final push was needed, a push that would force Thomas to search deep inside himself and break his limits. Suddenly Serin's eyes grew intense as did his slashes. He was relentlessly striking now, aiming for Thomas' vitals a few times even. Suddenly with one slash a torrent of flame seemed to leap from Serin's sword and strike the boy, but Serin did not stop there as with another slash blades of air also leapt out from his blade, striking him as if Serin had struck at him with multiple swords. 

"So, if you're not Thomas, then I guess this means you're an imposter then..." Serin truly did not want to resort to this, but the experienced Red Wizard could see the untapped potential within Thomas and if threatening his life was going to bring it out, then Serin would do so. He believed in Thomas' power and knew that with it Thomas would not die, but that doesn't mean he wasn't going to get hurt. "I am teaching Thomas here, so I can't let an imposter walk away with my secrets..." The tone of this 'sparring' shifted in an instant as suddenly the Red Wizard waved his hand, stone pillars appearing and blocking off all exits. 

"So unless you can prove to me who [b]You[/b] are... I will knock the memory right out of you..." And with that declaration Serin slashed downward towards Thomas' head, wind and fire making the pressure of his sword intense. This was no longer a sparring match. It wasn't a deathmatch, but it certainly wasn't a sparring match anymore. 

Thomas was unprepared as the spar went to a whole other level, serin effortlessly (it seemed), taking control of the fight and driving him back, barely blocking some strikes aimed at areas he was fairly certain were improtant from his basic knowledge of the human anatomy. Sweat broke out as he more frantically fought back, that torrent of flame sending him stumbling back, and the blasts of air tossing himto the ground, to scramble back to his feet. He was breathing deep, scared a bit by the aggressive tone this had taken, and his gaze flew almost wildly to the exits as stone pillars rose to block them off. He wasn't really serious, was he? There might be an annoying part of himself in his head, but there was no way Serin would be accurately able to judge any sort of mind control or something like that, not with how shortly they had known each other.

It was a quandary, a potentially deadly one even if some small kernel of him still believed that Serin wouldn't do it. He might have been certain at the start, but now, this far in his journey, he didn't know who he was, didn't have a satisfactory answer that could fire the drive Serin was apparently looking for inside him. But the obstinant part of him didn't want to say that, to admit his own faults, as if he'd be letting down Serin and himself by saying so. But it was hard to argue in the face of getting his ass kicked, and then Serin may do it anyway.

Still, it did spark some primal fear, some motivation to survive, and as serin slashed downwards, he took action. His arm shot up as he dropped to cover his head, catching the magic enhanced blade with his Keyblade armor, face twisted as he cried out in pain, the blow and his dark wound, his arm felt like it was shattering as armor warped and shuddered under the power of the blow. But at the same time he struck back, stabbing forward with his sword at Serin's gut. If this didn't work, he would be in a heap of trouble.

The push was working as the blow seemed to work, Serin grunting as the blow struck true. Of course no blood was shed, as Thomas would have noticed that despite getting hit by the swords they did not cut despite being sharp, probably due to some protection magic. Still they hurt anyway when hit with one and even a piece of metal enchanted to not cut could kill or break bone if one was hit hard enough in certain areas. Thomas' blow though was met with a counter attack, his sword surging forth in a sideways slash like a rocket propelled by the flame magic, aiming straight for Thomas' side. 

Whether or not the mage blocked or dodged didn't matter as Serin kept up a relentless onslaught, watching as Thomas' sword skills sharpened as did his ability to keep the magic in his sword and wield the magic blade. Still though it was as if something was holding Thomas back, Serin could feel it. Not feel what it was, but he could feel that something was holding back Thomas' potential. So he decided a slightly different approach now. "You're not human... are you?" His tone, despite the onslaught of blows, was quiet and dark. "Humans have faults, they are imperfect creatures". With these words his sword strokes grew more skilled as they aimed for mainly his sides, but also some other vital areas. 

"If you are Human, acknolwedge your faults. We all have them, even I have them and find nothing wrong with it. To prove that you are Thomas show me your strength by admitting your faults, show me everything about who you are. What makes you strong, what makes you weak, what makes you human... but more importantly... what makes you, Thomas, yourself..." One more powerful cross slash to his mid section rang out. "If... that is even who you are". 

Finally, he could take the satisfaction in at least one hit, even if it hurt like hell to land. And he was glad in turn that it didn't draw blood, cause he had some pretty unpleasant images of what Reno/Oner would do to him if it had, regardless of how happily eclectic either of them might be. It wasn't enough for Serin though, and Thomas leaptr back up while his blade swept in an arc, knocking the slash aside before it could hit, though he now had his doubts on whether a solid hit would draw blood. The magic might, but the sword itself probably wouldn't. Hopefully. 

Still they went on, him driven to his limits as he went through a fighting retreat with Serin, the frantic pacde distracting him from the black liquid seeping through the cracks in his armor, staining the metal and dripping to the ground as they moved back and forth in their pace of combat. Block, leap back, duck sidestep. Whatever he needed to do. And his frustration at this insistence grew, pushing him towards breakdown though he was determined to stay strong. "I can handle my problems on my own,' he growled back. "People don't need to be bothered worrying about me when theres a whole lot of bigger issues out there, and they wouldn't get it anyway." He'd already said too much of his own opinions, but if it got Serin off his back (Not that he expected it would), if was worth it.

Serin could tell that something slowly was happening, especially as he saw the black liquid dripping from his armor. Something that was odd, but right now there was something more important before him. After listening to Thomas' words he stepped back, snapping his fingers before pointing them towards the walls of the area they were in. A roof made of stone pillars appeared over the alleyway they were in as flames appeared along the walls, lighting their current battlefield. "There. Now there is only you and me. I know that Thomas could handle himself, but you... you need to prove to me that you are that person who can handle himself. Show me who you are with your sword and magic then, if you can. Show me your will...I'm waiting". 

Serin took a stance now, changing the magic around his sword to just lightning, waiting for Thomas to come forward now. "Show me WHO you are. Not a mage, not a swordsman, not a leader of a group, not a Keyblader. Those are titles and labels that you can stick to anything. You need to show me Thomas, because that is what I want to see. Find whatever is making you hold this back and bring it out, along with every other part of you, bring it out through your Will!" 

Serin's own sword changed as he suddenly shouted this. Lightning was no longer swirling around or in the blade, it had completely covered the blade. It was as if the Red Wizard was wielding a sword made out of just pure lightning. "This is part of who I am. This sword is my will and, in a sense, it is me! Now come. Show me who you are! Make me understand what you say others wouldn't get! Show me with your Will."