Eliel sat down on a bench, watching the two men joust with interest. He had thought that perhaps coming back to refocus on the basics of swordsmanship, he could see past what he could as a novice swordsman. He chuckled as he watched the two, chin in his cupped hand.

If anybody asked him, he could point out a number of flaws and mistakes in their swordplay. But nobody else seemed so interested in the beginners as he did. His eyes caught every hesitation, each misplaced foot. Eliel chuckled as one of them eventually got the upperhand and disarmed the other. His sword was at the other's throat, both heaving and sweating from the work. Eliel clapped amusedly and picked up the loser's sword and handed it back to the poor man.

The blond youth came over and snatched the sword away in a huff, stalking off. He passed a couple of younger men and poured a few coins into their outstretched hand. Eliel wore his cloak and hood, the harsh sunlight increasing the darkness of the shade underneath it. Nobody could tell he was a drow here, everyone would be focused on other, more pressing matters.

The tall drow approached the winner of the spar and set a armored hand on his shoulder. The man was fairly skinny and too tall, not a very good physique for an agile swordsman. Eliel spoke as the two of them watched the blond skulk away.

“You know, he's far too aggressive a fighter. In a battle against any other competent swordsman, he would have lost in moments.” Eliel teased the boy, hoping to make him angry enough to challenge him. Sure enough, his words tipped the man's temper again and he jerked away from Eliel's hand.

“Well, if you're so good, why don't you spar with me? We'll see who's swordsmanship is most faulted.” Eliel grinned and backed to the opposite side of the circle. “Very well. I accept.” He said coolly, and threw his cloak to the ground. He made a show of putting all of his extra weapons and trinkets away into the cloak, wrapping it up, and setting it off to the side. After a few seconds, Gwen appeared from the shadows and sat by the equipment. Eliel turned his attention back to the boy.

The young man had paled significantly, but seemed to still be with his decision. He stood in an awkward stance that would seem correct to any beginner, but in truth it limited your flexibility and maneuverability. Eliel simply stood and pulled forth his longsword, a simple steel work made by humans. It was an acceptable blade for use, but would be unfit for his usual battles.

“First blood it is.” Eliel chuckled as he spoke.

Shadeen stood on her hands, manoeuvring her body forward with her hands. Her legs were bent at the knee giving her better balance to move around in a handstand. She had found that since she had come into her abilities as a cat charmer she could perform these tricks with much more agility and grace than she ever could before. She pushed her weight upwards using her arms and flipped back onto her feet, putting a little somersault at the end to add a little dazzle for the children she was entertaining.

There were seven of them, ranging from about 5 to 10 years old. The oldest girl sat on her haunches unimpressed with the little show Shadeen had put on but the others gathered around her and clapped, asking her for another trick. Shadeen smiled, wanting to do another but she was tired now since she had been doing tricks all morning for the children. She supposed they were the children of the members of the academy who came to train, or the women who came to watch.

She shook her head slowly. ”I’m sorry. I’m really tired, I’m going to go sit down for a bit.” Shadeen heard the kids sigh but their disappointment was soon forgotten as they started up a game of tag, running wildly about the training grounds.

Shadeen made her way over to the benches that had been set up to watch the sparring matching that happened daily. She plopped herself down and settled in to watch a match that had just started. Shadeen tilted her head interested, she hadn’t sparred with her new abilities and the outcome might be interesting. She smiled as she decided to approach the winner and ask for her own chance at a match.

The match had barely begun and it already seemed uneven. A novice and a... well she wasn’t sure what exactly the other person was but much better than the boy he was fighting against. One of the children came over and tugged on Shadeen’s clothing. She lifted the girl onto her lap and pointed out the match they were about to watch.

Eliel grinned as the man nodded simply. He looked to the sidelines and grinned at the woman sitting there and winked before turning to the man he was sparring. The boy had hesitated in taking the opportunity presented to him. Eliel frowned as the boy moved forward to attack. Eliel shook his head as the boy took a swing.

The drow merely batted the blade aside and moved around and up close to the boy, batting at the back of his knees in a flash, slapping him with the flat of his blade. The boy tumbled and got up immediately, anger in his eyes. He took a wild swing. Eliel rolled his eyes and parried, throwing a few light but quick swings at the boy. It was truly simple, an easily predictable attack. The man parried all of them with a large amount of strain.

The brown-haired boy looked furious. “Stop playing with me! How can I get better if you go easy on me?” He demanded. Suddenly, a sneer appeared on his face.

“Or are you man enough?”

Generally, remarks like this didn't bother him, but the boy seemed to be one of those people who made Eliel mad. His temper rose and his sword arm flashed, parrying every desperate move the boy offered, giving three slaps for each wild swing.

Eliel drove the boy to the edge and pushed him over, disarming him neatly, sweeping his feet from under him, and bringing the blade to his neck in one quick, smooth move. The boy was pouring sweat, and the drow had the smallest bead of sweat still yet to run. “I believe we agreed on first blood?” He asked, placing a foot on the man's adam's apple and raising his sword. With one careless swing, he flicked a half-inch long scratch across the boy's chest.

Eliel bowed his head and sheathed his sword, walking from the spar unchallenged. He didn't even look at the boy while he moved towards the woman whom had watched.

“I must admit, it's fun when they challenge me. Just wish they offered some challenge. Would you care to spar?” He asked her politely, a tone of humor in his voice.

Shadeen felt her cheeks grow hot when the man winked at her, but it was soon forgotten as the match began. Shadeen bounced the girl on her lap as she watched, swivelling her head around to see who else might be watching as well. There were very few around, men mostly standing and snickering at the two in the ring, and some women who flittered around them. The children were off playing and Shadeen hadn’t realized that the battle was getting into swing until the girl in her lap tugged at her clothing and pointed towards the pair in the ring.

Shadeen leaned forward, resting her chin on the top of the girl’s head and watched intently. The man parried and blocked each boy the novice seemed to swing at him, which came as little surprise seeing as how experience almost always won, unless beginners luck made an appearance.

Shadeen smiled and felt the girl wiggle in her lap. Shadeen released her arms and the girl smiled before taking off. With no one in her lap Shadeen leaned forward, resting her head in her hands and her arms on her knees. She was interested and the combatants pulled her in and made her want to watch.

The man eventually won out, tripped the boy up and drawing blood along his face. Shadeen smiled and clapped her hands together.

When the man approached her Shadeen blushed again until he mentioned a spar. So she wouldn’t have to challenge the winner after all. A smile crept onto her face and her eyes glowed happily. Shadeen grabbed an elastic band and tied her hair up into a hair ponytail, keeping the hair out of her eyes.

”Sounds like fun.” Shadeen picked herself up off the bench and meandered over to the ring. She turned and faced the man. The smile that rested on her face didn’t seem to fade as she regarded the man. Shadeen knew that she wasn’t nearly as skilled as he was with a blade but she did have agility and maybe that would be enough.

”What are the terms?”

Eliel chuckled as the woman blushed and agreed. He leaned on his sword and smiled at her. “Very well. My name's Eliel. Who might you be?” He asked as he strode over to his belongings.

Eliel bent down and slid his sword into the bundle and pulled out a rag, then his scimitar. The drow unsheathed it and wiped it down with his rag, tossing the scrap material to the ground.

Eliel twirled the blade and performed a warm-up, his blade creating a dizzying display of flashes and twirls of the curve on the blade. He settled on a slow ending, and walked to the ring, giving Gwen a quick pat on the head.

“The terms? Hmm... No magic. That's it. Other than that, it's a sword fight.” Eliel chuckled and watched her carefully. Several more people gathered around, pointing at the two and muttering amongst themselves.

“Don't mind them. I'm a regular here. If anybody spreads rumors, tells about anything, anything out of line. I'll fight them personally.” Eliel winked at her and chuckled

"Well then. Have at it." Eliel took his stance and smiled at her. He snapped and Gwen trotted over with one of his gauntlets in her mouth. Eliel slipped it over his left hand and flexed it. It was his shield, his weapon, part of him.

For some reason Shadeen recognized the name Eliel but she couldn’t quite place it. ”I’m Shadeen.” The girl moved towards the ring, still wondering about the name of the man. Eliel. It struck her as so familiar, but she didn’t know why and it drove her mad. But once Eliel drew his blade Shadeen reached for her own and pulled it out.

”No magic,” Shadeen nodded her head. ”Sounds fair,” Shadeen swept her eyes across the gathering crowd, even the children had pointed her out and come to watch. Shadeen doubted they would stay very long. ”I doubt any rumors will be started.” Shadeen hoped that it was true but was still glad that Eliel said he would set them straight.

Shadeen took up her own stance, matching Eliel’s own. Shadeen smiled as he put on the gauntlet, if he was allowed to use that then she supposed she should be allowed to use her own claws. She didn’t bring them out but instead smiled at Eliel and waited for the gauntlet to be in place.

She levelled the sword in front of her and pointed it at Eliel. ”Once the swords touch the battle begins.”

Shadeen waited for Eliel to touch his blade to hers before she moved back. Her plan was rather simple, let him strike first so she could dodge. She had to remember that Eliel was experienced where she was quick.

Eliel nodded at her and allowed himself a smile as she matched his stance. Not many could do it who weren't around his level. Usually, one who didn't know their blade as they knew themselves would find this a hard, complex stance to pull off. If done correctly, it could throw the other off balance on the first move, unless they were agile enough. Eliel observed her catlike appearance and wondered.

He looked over to Gwen curiously. Gwen seemed to understand and nodded. Eliel frowned an turned back to his sparring partner. He looked over her and back at her blade. He breathed deeply and let his conscious mind envelop his blade. It was part of him, an extension of himself, like a finger rather than a tool.

Eliel moves his blade forward, into the center. Gently, he tapped her blade and drew it back to himself. He stood there patiently, statuesque, remaining perfectly still. His breathing slowed as he cleared his mind, thinking of blackness, of total harmony.

Eliel made it plain that he was waiting for her, then dove out suddenly, making a couple in the crowd jump where they stood. Eliel began a relentless flurry of attacks, gauntlet always at the ready.

Eliel merely attacked with intent to drive her back, striking at her sides unpredictably. He would win this, his mind was set on it. She was a newer face around here, and Eliel was determined to make a name for himself.

((OoC: Kinda short sorry, hope its alright))

Shadeen shifted in her place unsure weather to ignore her plan and attack or if this was all just a trick to get her to attack. She made up her mind and stood her ground waiting for the first move. It didn’t come right away and when it did it caught her by surprise. She barely was able to move back fast enough. She was driven back to the end of the circle with the onslaught. She wasn’t going to lose this quickly though, that just wouldn’t do every well for her.

Shadeen waited for the perfect moment, one where he would strike right at her. She jumped up instead of moving back and used his sword as a spring board. Once in the air Shadeen put both hands on Eliel shoulders and flipped over landing lightly behind him. Shadeen swung her foot out to try and trip Eliel. Failed or no she jumped moved forward and turned to face him once more.

She held out her blade in front of her and swung in it vertical slashes at Eliel, pressing her own ground so that she was no longer on the edge of the ring.

Eliel was rather surprised when she did her little acrobatic feat. He turned on the spot and smiled at her. All in all, you couldn't win a match on pure acrobatics. He had her outclassed with the blade by quite a bit. And in the end that's all that matters. He grinned and parried her attacks with ease, recognizing an ameteur move. Too predictable. There wasn't even a strategy in play here, a set of moves designed to force the opponent into what you want them to do. But that required a certain amount of strength, skill, and confidence to pull off.

Eliel thought quickly, looking to gwen for advice. Not that it mattered. She wasn't allowed to barrel into the woman unless she violated the rules in some way. A large several hundred pounds of muscle beast can stop an unfair fight pretty well. He used her as his referee, because she had no problem doing so to eliel. She may not qualify as a referee, seeing as she wasn't truly neutral ground. She enjoyed tackling eliel more than the other guy.

Eliel shook his head as he blocked and tried to keep track of the woman's movements. She reached out to trip him and eliel, not being much of one for acrobatics, had his feet swept from under him. He landed neatly on the tips of his toes and fists, rolling and standing to make himself a smaller target and get his footing back. He was noticeably closer to the edge.

Eliel parried the first few, then brought his left hand up, fingers cupped into a u-shape to catch her blade, scimitar coming around to slap her wrist with the flat of the blade.