[b][color=aba000][h3]Andreim[/h3][/color][/b]

Having changed his attire at his home, the young man gave himself a last look in the large mirror placed in the room. There he stood with his black and red training attire, it was time to train fiercely for the upcoming tournament. He had practiced much in preparation for the day it would begin.

The entire rank thing wasn't what really interested him or getting a prize which he could show around or gloat at others with. It was the fame, the respect he would attain by winning it, from his allies, enemies and most importantly lady Lise.

Having pondered on the possible teams, he had thought Katherine to be a powerful ally to have at the side, but she was fond of her fire using friend Cassius. Meaning they were likely to team up, he couldn't team up with them because that would leave Lise without a team or forced to team up with weaklings.

That was something he would hate, seeing Lise struggle in the tournament against sadistic mephisto bastards. No, he had decided that Lise was an obvious choice for him to team up with, both to show her his ability to protect her, but also having her near would raise his own awareness and motivation. She was however also a weakness, that he would have to ward off from attacks.

He considered who was going to be the third member of their team. Foxboy? No. He was too unreliable. William? Yes, there was also William. He had seen the broadcast about him on the TV which had all his powers. Andreim had quickly made notes about it, not mainly as something to use would he ever have to fight him but also find ways to make use of it.

William had a fine gathering of abilities, Andreim admitted. More than he had first considered, his powers would however be not very useful with someone like Samoth. Well or Lady Lise who Andreim didn't consider a close range fighter type. Thinking about it however, he had never seen Lise fight physically. Well, he had seen her physically. That was close enough for now.

William was likely best put to use with both the fire users, to give them a solid support and empowerment. It would make them a wellrounded and powerful team able to challenge anything the Mephisto school would be able to send against them. There was also Meredith, who he had never actually spoken with. She usually hang around people like foxboy. Andreim shook his head.

[i][color=aba000]No.. she's likely too unreliant like foxboy. We need someone reliable and strong. Samoth. [/color][/i]

He was both physically adept and a good thinker, a threat to his own ascension would Samoth have had more charisma than a stone that is. Despite his flaws, like most people have more or less. He was a reliable and valid choice. Even for the upcoming renewal of the world, Samoth could likely be a good bodyguard.

If nothing else his anti-magic properties could be salvaged to forge anti-magic weaponry and armoring. His mind was set up. His teammates was going to be Lady Liselotte de Castellan Valois-Saint-Remy and Samoth. He headed out of his place, locking the door and went to his training grounds.



[i][color=fff200]Some time later... in the outskirts of the city.[/color][/i]


The training grounds were empty as usual, he stood there in the open dry terrain, a plain field with the occasional rock formations. He closed his eyes to himself, taking a few breaths. He was reminded of his training under his parents tutoring, they were relentless up until the point he would bleed in a major way where they would stop.

Mostly for their own concern as his blood was poisonous, it had first began to manifest when he was young. His control of water also came early, from it he began to learn to control the particles within it, turning his own body heat up and down the scale was one thing, doing it on the water another, but he was able to do it.

His parents yelling and pushing him to try harder was always there, they were unforgiving to any sign of physicaly weakness. Fight until you are on the verge of becoming weaker then you would stop. How he despised them and their egoistical ambitions to have him be their 'savior' due to their own failure to wring the school from Mephisto's hands and it later falling into his daughter's hands.

Their dream of attaining grandeur through him beating up Clara and seizing the school from Mephisto. Now he could do little but to pity them for their small scale ambitions. Opening his eyes he began to manifest a spinning vortex of water in his left hand, a much larger one appearing just around his feet, causing him to be lifted up abit by it. Any dust, sand or dirt caught up by the vortexes would could be flung out of it if he so wished, but right now it was fine.

The vortex under his feet began to move forwards at his call, before gradually beginning to speed up at a high speed, travelling on the surface under it violently, causing various debris to get thrown up into it and spinning around and around. He smirked and caused three spinning slices of water, the size of frisbees to losen from his vortex in his hand, he held out his other hand to cause them to turn into ice as they flew away. Like sawblades they sliced into the tree in the distance.

Andreim reached out with both his hands causing the vortex to form into a wall around him, he turned it into ice then shot himself up over it's somewhat obscuring shape, using one hand to create a strong jet of water to lift him up, then with his other hand shoot a spear of water turning into ice midflight towards a nearby stump of a tree. Then he reshaped the jet pushing him up, causing it to take a spiral shape, turning it into an ice slide down to the middle of the icy cage he previously made.

He'd suddenly attuned to heat instead, causing the ice to instantly melt and produce a nice mist around him, he quickly attuned to cold to turn it into fog. Before activating his thermal vision to see through it. There was obviously no heat signals of anyone near. He called forth water in his left hand, then drew a large portion of it out with his right, turning it into a blade of ice, he dashed out of the fog now with his thermal vision, the water in his left hand, held like a fireball, he aimed it towards a nearby stone. Before turning the water into ice and then heatening it up in an instant causing it to shatter violently, sending shards of ice towards the rock. He swung his sword towards some of the shards ricochetting back at him. Then targetting another rock with his free hand, shooting a powerful jet of water at it to make him fly towards the right, then midflight he targetted another rock to shoot himself slightly forwards to the left. Until he got close enough to give a slice across a nearby tree using his ice sword, he flung it over his shoulder after the cut, causing it to get nailed into the bark. He swiftly finalized his movement by holdin out both his hands towards the ground below, pressing down at it with jets of water from both his hands.

Letting him land softly.

He panted heavily. [b][color=aba000]"Haah... hah... ehhh...Nnn...haah..."[/color][/b] He rolled up his sleeve to look at the watch. [b][color=aba000]"Still can improve on the time..." [/color][/b]

The young man took his both hands to his legs and stretched them abit, then his back and arms.

[i][color=aba000]There are so many different opponents I will come to face, I should have a tool ready for just about anyone. Even if I have to use underhanded fighting methods to win, a win is still a win. If I can use my cunning to win over another person then the victory is rightfully mine. Ice swords aren't as strong as regular metal swords or magical ones, but it can do in a pinch against raw flesh. That or handing all of Lise's shadows swords like that will likely make them alot better at causing damage to the enemy team.

Mobility is important. It doesn't matter how strong a beam or ball of fire is if it cannot hit you. I'm sure Alto aswell as Cassius knows about this well, I may not be as quick as them, but I make it up with my own little tricks. Water can help me just flow with it, saving my body the strain of running or dodging, when I can just control my vortex of water to evade it for me.

Hmm... as for melee combatants. Staying clear of them I can do quite well, be it using jet pressure to make me jump or dodge in rare occassions, but more commonly I'll use it to just press myself at a higher elevation where they cannot really reach me physically. Would they walk close enough to my water shields, I have a nasty surprise for them. Ice shards moving inside of the quick current of water is going to tear them to shreds unless armored.

Ranged? Creating mist which they cannot see me standing in or using walls, or barriers of ice is my best option for defense, but for attack. I can throw spear like projectiles towards any enemy.

I can also shoot out large amounts of water and turn it into ice to make it rain shards of ice. Lastly, but very effectively. I like to create water to fill an entire field, much like this one. Just a little bit up to the heels, that will allow me to sense where anyone is walking, but I can also create jagged spikes of ice from where I feel it or encase someone in a tomb of ice.

Only ones who can get away from that one is those who fly. Gives me a perfect board where I can guide my enemies into a trap or location I'd like. Preferably into Samoth's arms.

But it is still not enough... I have to become stronger and stronger still.
[/color][/i]

Andreim went out in the middle of the field and spread his arms apart summoning water on each side of him, placing himself inside of the water itself, he separated a small bubble of air inside of it for him to breathe as he attempted to build up a tall wall of water.

He then sneezed which caused him to partly lose concentration, causing the water to come crashing down. [b][color=aba000]"Ah.. damn.."[/color][/b] He gathered some of the water around him in a ball like shape before causing it to shoot out large jagged spikes of ice in all directions, still attached to it's shape. The young man finalized it by placing both his hands on either side of the ball of ice he was now within, sending shards flying all over the field. [i][color=aba000]I need to get this right in the tournament if I have to use it. My final card when all other things fail. My tidal wave.[/color] [/i]

[i][color=aba000]I need to get it high enough so none can jump over it, forcing them to take it head-on. This move is going to be exhausting but if it will allow me victory. I shall have this wave wash away the competition. There are some it just won't work against though. People like King, Christine and Brutus. Who can interupt me easily enough, hinder or avoid being hit by it.

But anyone else will be in for a rough surprise.
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[h3][i][color=fff200]On the tournament grounds at the day of the tournament...[/color][/i] [/h3]

Andreim had waited until all participants of St.Laurel's had gathered before he made his move. Stepping up in front of all of them.

[b][color=aba000]"Fellow students of St.Laurels, I know I am just a 1st year, but I have some words for each and everyone of you! I want all of you to give your all in this tournament. For your school, for your families, your friends, the future that is on the horizon and for your own sakes in that future! Give it all you've got! Fight with all ounce of might in your body and soul, fight with all of your skill empowered by your will! Put faith in your comerades, but more so in yourselves! We of St.Laurels must fight, we shall compete and we will win! In honor of champions of the past, the champions with us at the present and the ones that will be in the future! Vic-tor-y! Vic-tor-y!" [/color][/b]

He raised his right arm with a tightened fist in a cheering manner, while holding out his left for the others to place theirs on as a team gesture. [i][color=aba000]This will be remembered in the storybooks as that fateful day. When we took the first steps on the stairway up to the stars. This is a good moment to also look for potential allies within the Mephisto school. Surely not everyone among them are vile and wicked, I shall find the oppressed and guide them to the brand new world that is to come.
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