Kaz caught wind of a secret organization holding illegal fighting. They harbored in the center of town. What better place than right under the noses of the nobles. Some of the royalty may even have been a part of it.

Corruption was running high these days and Kaz set out to stop it. With it being so close to the nobles potentially being involved he may have overlooked it. But more intriguing was the faint rumors that members there had information on movements of a criminal group he was actually after. Murderous and bandits that roam the land.

He made his way towards the entrance of the establishment. He didn't wear his usual attire but he carried himself with the same confidence.

"I'm here for the fights," he announced to the guard that was casually sitting by the back door in an unassuming alleyway. The man glared back with suspicion in his eyes. Today Kaz had no time for games if the information was correct. He held out his hand and sent a blast of wind knocking the man out cold. "I'll just let myself in,"he said as he propped the man's body back up and sat him in a comfortable way for when he woke back up.

Kaz entered the door and made his way down the hall. The closer he got to two large wooden doors the louder he could hear the roar of the crowd. Yells and hollers spurred on the excitement flowing from within.

Two men stood at the doorway and put hands on their belts. Before they could speak the wooden doors opened revealing a well-dressed man.

"Ah finally. I was wondering when you'd make your way here." The man gestured for the guards to sit down and waved for Kaz to follow. The wind mage narrowed his eyes and strode in behind the man.

He opened his mouth to speak but the well-dressed man cut him off. "behold," he waved at the nearly hundred people that swarmed around an incaged arena with combatants within. The cage was protected with magical seals. A balcony of wealthy patrons sat overhead. A waiting area was filled with warriors wielding all manner of weapons and mages clinging to their staves, ready for action.

"I know why you're here. And if you want it that badly. You'll have to do like everyone else and fight for it."

Kaz balled his fist ready to protest when a woman walked by him. Her perfume, making him dizzy and in that brief instant, two cuffs were slapped on his wrists. His mana drained from his body.

"What the,"he exclaimed raising his cuffed hands and looking them over. He had put them on people so many times it was surprising to have them on him once more.

The man nodded towards the arena. A lone warrior stood over a fallen enemy. The crowd beat on the cage howling his name and others cursing it. Fortunes were made and lost in minutes.

"Face him and we'll talk."

Kaz felt a nudge on his back and he stepped forward. He was ready to make a scene but a quick look over the area told him not to. He didn't know the capabilities of anyone or the patrons. A move now would be too risky. He had to indulge them and play by their rules.

He stepped into the ring with the man standing triumphant. "My name is Kazimir. I'm sorry we have to engage in conflict for the entertainment of others." he said politely

”I swear to you, once you win the fights you’ll get your money! I’ll even double what I owe you if you manage to get five wins in a row.” The owner of the voice was none other than a royal of Fiore. A young man, just turned 21, carried himself with airs of confidence as he walked alongside a slightly older male. Kenzo looked at the man with a distrustful look without speaking a single word. ”Think of it also as an opportunity to make a name for yourself with other royals. Some of my relatives and tons of my friends frequently go over there to bet and gamble.” Placing an elbow on Kenzo’s shoulder, the noble acted with an uncomfortable familiarity.

The blue haired man had met the guy a couple of nights prior. It had been his birthday party, and decided to celebrate it at Batra’s inn, where Kenzo was staying. After saving him from an overdose with a pair of unlikely strangers, Mumbasa had grown somewhat fond of Kenzo for a strange reason. ”The money you owe me is separate from me fighting.” Kenzo shrug Mumbasa’s elbow away from his shoulder. ”Still… I’m always up for doubling it up” A smirk crossed his lips. Fighting in an underground arena for the prospects of winning copious amounts of money seemed like an interesting change of pace

The mercenary arrived at the place fully outfitted with his gear. He still held the crappy pieces of armor that he’d left Joya with. It was in moments like these when Kenzo missed his old stuff. What he’d give to get his old katana back. Either way, he needed to focus on the task at hand. ”The only rules are… There are no rules.” The voice of a well dressed man echoed in Kenzo’s mind as he finished dispatching his fourth opponent in a row. He’d had great troubles winning the last fight, since just before he dealt the final blow, a section of the noble’s box illuminated in a blinding light that disoriented the mercenary. By mere luck, Kenzo was able to evade a strike and finish the opponent before him. Still trying to recover from the flash, he looked towards the fight’s organizer with a fierce glare. ”No shit, you bastard”

Nevertheless, the crowd roared as he stood victorious once again. One more victory and he’d be crazy rich. Maybe he’d finally be able to get some decent weapons for himself. As his new opponent came to the arena, Kenzo instantly knew this was going to be a different breed of opponent. Hearing the older man introduce himself with a dignified air, the blue haired man followed suit, amused by the man’s remark. ”I’m Kenzo.” Making a pause as he twirled his sword in his hand, the mercenary flashed a smirk, shrugging as he continued. ”Don’t mind them. I just think of it as a noisy training session. One where I get rich off the loss of those idiots.”

Taking a fighting stance, he readied himself for the following battle. ”Whenever you’re ready”

Equipment:

From the man's reply, he knew his opponent reveled in the idea of combat. His flourished inticed the idea of conflict. There was a youthful exuberance in his eyes. That look mingled with the blood on the floor made Kaz wonder how long the man had been fighting in the pits. It was a different life than he led but they were both still fighters.

He nodded back as the man spoke about ignoring the crowd, "I'll give it a try,"he replied back politely. Kaz's hand reached back and grazed the shaft of his wooden staff. How long had it been since he used that old thing? He gripped it as Kenzo stood in a fighting stance. "Let's begin then," thinking of it like a training session helped bolster the wind mage. A skirmish between two men to test themselves.

He crouched down he rose his free hand in front of himself. His right hand still held the staff at his back. The shackles were an annoyance, hugged around his wrists. He glanced across the top of the metal cuff. He had never done something this physical before. It was no domain for a sorcerer but it was exciting to see where it could take him.

A breath escaped his lips. He could play it safe. Test the waters, but that would be too predictable. No, he had to dive in.

His foot dug into the ground behind him. It pressed against the cold blood-soaked ground. His heart beat once and he dashed forward as quickly as he could. He covered the ten-meter distance between them in less than a second. He swung the staff from his back upward, attempting not to strike his opponent but to hit his sword. The knuckles on his hands were white from gripping the staff harder than was needed. A sign that it was something not totally ingrained in him. His real attack coming from the fist that drove threw the air trailing behind the staff strike.

Equipment:

Current Stats:

The purple haired man in front of his held a long staff in his hands. Taking a closer look, Kenzo noticed two cuffs tied to his wrists. They seemed to make the man feel uncomfortable, but the mercenary tried to pay it no mind. For now, he needed to concentrate on the following fight. He was still unsure on what stance to take. On one hand, the first to strike always held an advantage. In fact, his strategy so far with the rest of his opponents had been that very same one. However, something inside him told him that the man in front of him was a completely different kind. Before he could even make a resolution, it seemed that Kaz was the one to decide for him.

The warrior’s body tensed as he saw his opponent take the initiative. Preparing himself, he rose the shield on his left hand as he held his sword on the right.  The buckler he held was nothing special, but it would do the job. As Kenzo saw the older male take a sprinting stance, he prepared for the incoming attack. There were 10 meters between them, so he had plenty of time. Kenzo’s first mistake, was thinking the male was anything like he’d fought before. Almost in the blink of an eye, Kaz had seemingly teleported right to where he was. The distance between them meant nothing to a real fighter of Fiore. However, Kenzo’s experience in the country merely amounted to regular people, so he was honestly caught off guard.

Without enough time to react, the staff hit Kenzo’s sword with a strong blow. It had been a clean hit. He could feel the force behind it, but he also noticed that he could withstand it. The moment his blade and the staff made contact, the wooden weapon and the cheap sword were both damaged. From the looks of it, they would only withstand one more hit like that before breaking for good. Startled by the attack, the man could barely react to the fist thrown after the staff strike. Lifting his buckler to block, Kaz’s punch cracked the small shield. It didn’t break, but it was close. Kenzo wasn’t yet sure if the equipment he had was of such a bad quality, or the strikes behind the attacks were simply too strong. Nothing like this had happened before. Either way, a smile appeared in the blue haired man’s face. ”This is gonna be fun”

After recovering from the attack, Kenzo dashed forward with his shield on the front. With an outward swinging motion, he bashed Kaz with his shield. Without wasting a moment, he would quickly follow with a downward diagonal slash of his sword. The mercenary aimed at his opponent’s left shoulder. Hopefully, the shield attack would disarm the man and hinder him from covering from the sword strike.

The hasty movement seemed to catch his more well-built opponent off guard. Something that was Kaz's only hope in a battle of melee. The staff stung his hands from the clash. The wood cracked like an old door coming from its hinges. He had never used it that way before and began to see the limits of having outdated gear.

His hand slammed against the shield and throbbed from the strike. Even caught off guard, his opponent had the battle sense to put up his shield to block. This man was no slouch. He was a trained warrior and one to be cautious of. With that kind of quick thinking, Kaz couldn't do the same trick twice against him. So far Kaz's sparring sessions helped him not look like a complete novice. He had battled others at close range before but never with what amounted to swinging a club now.

Kaz shook the pain from his hand as the man spoke in some quick words. The wind mage opened and closed his hands with deep breaths at the pain, but it was beginning to subside. Something in him did like it though. It felt like a new kind of progress to him. Skills to sharpen. "Yes. It, Will,"he replied in agreement to the man.

With his hand still in pain, Kenzo closed the distance between them. The man's shield rammed into Kaz. The wind mage tried to put up his arm but it only half blocked the blow. Most of it squeezed above Kaz's arm and dug into his torse. The blow staggered the mage's eyesight. He instinctively kicked downward, attempting to create a gust of wind that would dash him away. The cuffs flared with blue runes. Nothing came out of his foot.

His shocked expression turned to wincing pain as the sword hurled downward into his left shoulder and tearing into the robe. The blade cut through and pierced the first layer of Kaz's flesh. A thin line of blood trickled from the wound.  "Agh," escaped his lips.

His mind went to a more primal place for a moment. His eyes turned to a cold seriousness. His left hand rushed upward and gripped his opponent's hand that still held the sword, trying to prevent it from being retracted yet.

With his right hand, Kaz jabbed his fist towards his opponent's body. It was an unorthodox fighting style, but it was all putting together the pieces of the puzzle that was his opponent.

Current Stats:

Kenzo’s shield bash found its target. Trying to block it with his arm, the impact staggered his opponent. In an instinctively reflex, Kaz kicked the ground. There was definitely something wrong going on here. In the mercenary’s eyes, his opponent was well versed in combat. He exuded the kind of reflexes and instinct for battle that someone that’d seen plenty of action would do. However, there was still something odd going on. As his leg stomped the ground fruitlessly, the blue runes in his cuffs further confirmed his hypothesis. Kenzo had no solid proof, but it was a safe bet. In this melee fight, it seemed that he held the advantage. But what if his opponent was not specialized in hand to hand combat? After all, Fiore was known for its combat mages. Either way, the man had yet to show any signs of using magic. The warrior had to capitalize the fact for the moment before he decided to do so. With a shocked face, Kaz received Kenzo's sword strike in his left shoulder. The blade dug through his clothes and into his skin. It was a shallow wound; the low-quality steel of the sword had difficulties tearing through the robe's fabric, but it still managed to draw some blood for the first time.  

The crowd roared at the sight of the superficial injury. Humans were all the same. Living day and night, trying to avoid danger while stabbing each other’s back just for a little more money. Wealth was king in the minds of a man. The rest were merely a steppingstone in the way. Carrying themselves with airs of sophistication, nobles were the worst bunch of them all. Behind the fortunes invested into their educations and connections, they were exactly the same as the next guy. Beasts, thirsty for blood and violence. Their primal instincts surfaced in places like this arena. That was exactly a reason why these kinds of underground fights were still in function right in the heart of Crocus. Unbound by their responsibilities, appearances and status, nobles and commoners could revel in the sight of blood. Government officials who would normally be in charge of cracking down illegal fights like the one taking place right now were the same people that now cheered from the sidelines. For Kenzo it was obvious that the statement held especially true in Crocus. One had to simply look at the magnificence of the Domus Flau. The great arena of Fiore was the ultimate testament to the true nature of humans. One of Fiore’s most important monuments was of all things a battle arena. Not a university, not a hospital, not an orphanage or market. A battle arena… Even if Kenzo enjoyed a good fight, deep down it was sickening for him. And yet, here he was.

Kaz quickly recovered from the blow and tried to make the most of the situation. Without wasting a moment, he grabbed the hand with which Kenzo held his sword. The blue haired warrior flashed a half smile as a thought crossed his mind. "He definitely knows what he's doing" Trying to immobilize your enemy's weapon when unarmed was definitely the right choice. Kaz's quick thinking was right on the spot. However, he made a miscalculation. Letting the older male hold to his hand, he once again rose his shield to block the fist that was aimed at his torso. The damaged buckler barely managed to survive the strike. The wooden shield was now held together merely by its metal frame, but it still retained its shape. Just barely. At the same time, Kenzo let go of his sword. Overpowering Kaz’s grip with his own strength, the warrior turned the tables. Twisting his wrist free, the mercenary now grabbed onto Kaz’s. He was not letting go now. Holding him in place, Kenzo turned his hip as he shifted his weight onto his left foot. In a swift movement he threw a powerful low kick aimed at his opponent’s left leg.

If the kick landed, Kenzo would take advantage of the moment to recover his sword from the floor and point it at Kaz’s neck, offering to end the match with an amicable smile. He could respect someone like him, and was tired of taking orders from the organizers of the event.

[1711/X] Words so far.

OOC: I don’t think the shield does any damage. And thanks for the reminder~

Kaz's fist rang against the metal bearings of the shield. A twinge of pain trailed through his arm from the vibration. Once again the man was able to react quickly and put that tattered shield in the way. The crowd roared from the blood that was drawn from Kaz's shoulder. A reminder of all the reasons he hated these events. Spectacles for those to fatten themselves on the pain of others. Nothing honorable about a fight in the slums for the whims of others. It made Kaz's hears hot with frustration at the screams of enthusiasm washing over them.

His opponent was cunning. As Kaz's hand hit the shield the man released grip on his sword and dropped it. Kaz's weight shifted as the man used his superior strength to overpower his grip and turned it against him. The wind mage's mind flooded with all sorts of ways to escape with magic but that wasn't an option now. It was both painfully irritating and liberting at the same time. Never had he been tested in this way and his weakness were a delight to explore.

Kenzo used this moment to shift his weight to his left foot. Kaz saw the shift in his body and twist in his hips. He knew a kick was getting ready to fire off at him. A million magical responses flooded his mind about what to do and how to do it but none of them would help. Or would they? He didn't need magic to fight like he had it. He had been doing that all along. Those are what the lessons all those years ago in the wind clan were about. He just needed to use them.

'White Tiger Tornado,' he thought to himself as he threw his he shifted his own weight to his right foot, and pressed of the ground. He did a half-jump that took his left leg off the ground while his opponents attack left the ground. Using the momentum he brought his right leg around for a jmping kick aimed at Kenzo's head.

Kenzo's kick would still land but he'd have to do something about Kaz's The blows would land about the same time. If Kenzo followed through with the kick, the force would topple Kaz over in the air and he would tumble across the cold ground, rolling to a crouched position.

He had a smile on his face as he rubbed the leg that was just battered by his oppnent. His eyes flickered to the sword between them and If Kenzo moved for it, Kaz would patiently wait. although he worried how much more he could take between that sharp blade and Kenzo's kicks.

Current Stats:

Even when faced with an upset in his plans. The purple haired man was still able to masterfully adapt. After receiving the full force of his clash with the Kenzo’s buckler, he changed gears before getting hit by the mercenary’s kick. With a half-jump, he launched an aerial kick that was directed at the blue haired man’s head. Since he was throwing a kick of his own, the height were his head was had lowered considerably. This put it in the perfect collision course with Kaz’s kick. However, the almost destroy buckler served its purpose for one final time. Rising his arm at head’s height, the force of the impact completely destroyed the mercenary’s shield. It hadn’t last long, but at least it had done its job decently. Kenzo would remember to get a new one whenever he had the chance. The brunt force shook his arm with a bit of pain. He even bashed his fist with his helm due to the force it received. However, his poor-quality equipment had proven to be more useful than what he’d ever expected.

Roughly at the same time, he caught Kaz mid-air while throwing his own kick. He could feel the impact through his boots. It was well placed across the male’s leg. From the reaction he felt, that leg was done for the moment. Kaz would still be able to stand, but perhaps not run like before. The explosive speed that had caught the warrior by surprise at the beginning was now limited. After landing on the ground with a thud, Kaz nimbly rolled through the ground and away from Kenzo. The man sobbed his leg with a smile on his face. Instinctively, the mercenary smiled back. ”That one was close”

Taking advantage of the opportunity, he recovered his steel sword from the ground. Instead of grabbing it with one hand like before, the blue haired man changed to a double handed stance. He was well versed in one handed swordsmanship. He had learned to fight with a sword and shield since he was a kid. After all, the legions of bellum were renown through Earthland as some of the best disciplined heavy infantry forces in the continent. Their shield formations were especially famous for being able to adapt to any threats their enemies threw at them. As a son of a notorious Bellan commander, the man had been instructed in the ways of sword and shield fighting.

However, his real expertise laid in two handed swordsmanship. After becoming an orphan and being shunned by his land of birth, Kenzo joined a mercenary group that travelled the land. From fighting in the deserts of Desierto for the Shahs, to naval combat in the seas of Minstrel. The mercenary company traveled wherever money called them. However, they would soon find a permanent residence in Joya.

The warriors of the country were unlike those of the neighboring countries. Known as samurai, Joyan’s mastered the art of double handed swordsmanship. Kenzo and his band fought many battles throughout the country, serving one daimyo after another. For years, the blue haired man was able to adopt the style of fighting of the Joyan samurai, coming to prefer it himself. As he now got rid of the destroyed shield in his left hand and grabbed the sword with two hands a nostalgic feeling filled the man.

Taking a step backwards, he planted both soles firmly on the ground. Making use of the built-up power in his heel, Kenzo instantly dashed forward. The distance between Kaz and him was not great, and he’d close it in almost an instant. Readying his sword to the left side of his body, the mercenary would make use of the momentum to make a horizontal slash from left to right. The strike would be aimed directly at Kaz’s torso, and judging from the state of his leg, he’d have some trouble defending against it.

After slashing, Kenzo would come to a halt a couple of steps afterwards. Turning around as quickly as he could, he’d point his sword at Kaz’s back. Making just enough force to make the purple haired man feel the tip pressing against his skin, he’d speak with a slightly heavy voice. ”Should we end this here? I’d rather us not kill each other.”

It seemed ironic. Kenzo had just cut four people before fighting Kaz without batting an eye. However, he recognized the man was holding back for some reason. It just didn’t make sense for the mercenary. Clearly he was no slouch in combat, but it was as if something was holding him back. Almost like if a master fighter was suddenly transported to a body he was not used to. It’d be better to end things quickly, before the man decided to reveal his true power or things got ugly.

[2516/X] Words so far.

His feet burst through the shield. the bits of leather and metal that held it together scattered around his leg like a canon ball burrowing into the side of a ship. He had finally made some kind of headway against the man even if it was only a little. His moment of personal triumph mitigated by the terrible blow he took to his leg that was swept by his opponent.

He tumbled to the ground and rolled to his feet. His leg throbbed from the pain. He had forgotten the last time he was struck such a precise blow from hand to hand combat. Rubbing his leg as he stood up, the two men locked eyes. Kaz tried to put weight on his leg and the muscles shuttered.

He could stand but there was no way he could dash around on that leg. Not in this condition. He had gotten ahead of himself and learned an important lesson. No matter how this bout turned out he found a weakness in himself. One he would need to root out. "You're an impressive opponent. Nice reflexes," Kaz took the lingering stillness between them to respond before the next clash.

The blue-haired man, planted his heel and pushed off. He held the sword in two hands now. 'A Joyan style?' Kaz thought to himself. It had been years since he had seen it, but it was recognizable none the less. It was a style used near the village he grew up at. His eyes widened in the realization of the man's fighting style. It was pleasing to see it but it rose many more questions.

Kenzo came forward with the sword held ready for a powerful horizontal slash. it reminded him of the swordsman he fought against so many years ago now. The slash was aimed at his torso and there was only one path to take for survival. His leg couldn't support weight so he would go with it. Kenzo hastily closed the distance like living lightning zipping towards the wind mage.

In response, Kaz let his body drop. He shifted his weight to his left side and dropped down on his left knee, into another roll. As his knee hit the ground and his body began to yuck for the roll, the sword whizzed towards his head. It was risky but he had little other choices. The blade sang close to his ear, the melody of assault. The weapon stole Kaz's wizard's hat from atop his head. A deep gash was carved into the headpiece. The flopping sections fell to the ground open like the wide maw of a beast.

Kaz rolled to his feet. it was slower from the wounded leg. He avoided putting much pressure on it. The extra time it took him gave the skilled swordsman more than enough time to whirl around. Kaz felt the tip of the sword press against his back.

The tip of the sword threatened to penetrate with any sudden movement. While Kaz thought he could take it he had to evaluate if it was worth it. The wind mage held his hands up. the cuffs hugged his wrists. He stood up listening to the heavy words of his opponent.

"You are indeed a very skilled swordsman. Thank you for the lesson," he replied as he lowered his arms and turned to face Kenzo. He gave an ever so slight bow at the hips, not taking his eyes of the man.

The crowd began to boo and jeer as they realized the anti-climatic ending of the battle. They hungered for bloodshed and mayhem.

Kaz looked over the crowd and then back to the man. The wind mage made no movements away from where the sword had been pointed at. "Unfortunately, I needed to beat you to get what I wanted and the crowd has turned against us. I had hoped to avoid anything getting out of control. But, I suppose I have no other option than to take the fight to them. If you are only here for the money, I will compensate you for any lost wages because of it,"He made the offer wondering what the man would say. Kaz stood with his hands casually on his hips now until he perked up, "Oh," he turned away while waiting for the man's answer and picked up his hat. he was perfectly willing to pay the man for the trouble as long as their fight was done and didn't expect the warrior to fight along with him.

As the two spoke in the arena, the well-dressed man grumbled and gestured for his own men to rush the arena. A clamber of boots clacked against the ground as a small squad yanked on the door to the cage Kaz and Kenzo fought in.

Kenzo’s powerful swing slashed through the air before him. It was a movement natural for him. A cross body slash starting from either side of the body that traveled in an outward motion. According to the warriors of Joya, the strike’s name was Yoko Giri. It was merely but one of the basic strikes of Joyan-style swordsmanship. The man had used it plenty of times in the past. It was a simple, yet effective strike with the aim to disembowel an opponent in the soft region of the abdomen. Honestly, a strike that hit could produce some gruesome results. With the state of Kaz’s leg, the mercenary momentarily averted his gaze as his arms swung the sword in a swift arc. The feedback from his strike though, brought a smile once again to his face.

Instead of the known feeling of steel tearing up flesh, the impact felt hollow. It was the clash of metal against a hard surface. The sword had grazed his opponent’s headpiece, tearing a gash into it. With a glance at the purple haired man, he noticed he was able to evade the strike by a hair’s breadth. The whizzing sound of his sword cutting air was like music to Kenzo’s ears. The man was not one to spare thoughts on the people he fought the majority of time. But he knew it would be a shame if his opponent fell to the strike. The mercenary wanted to fight with the man again in the future. However, his desire was to do so during circumstances that allowed him to fight at his full strength. He was still unsure what the secret behind this man was, or the reason why he felt something from him was missing, but it was definitely one that intrigued Kenzo.

Either way, the match was now over. A pair of cuffed hands rose to the air admitting defeat. Kaz complimented the mercenary as he bowed in respect, never taking his eyes away from Kenzo. Even if his words signaled the end of the match, a chill ran down the warrior’s spine. Every last hair of his body stood up, alarming the man that he was in the presence of life-threatening danger. Behind the polite and calm manner of the older male, a beast hid deep within. Instinctively, Kenzo understood with only a deep look at his eyes that he was someone that could obliterate him if he so desired. Letting out a laugh, he returned the compliment with a full grin on his face. ”The pleasure was all mine. I hope we have a chance to trade blows again when you’re more in the mood for it.” He didn’t imply it directly, but the comment was aimed to see if he brought a reaction out of the man that could confirm his suspicions. With a swift movement, Kenzo sheathed his sword. From the previous impact, he noticed the edge of the blade had received a terrible nick. For all it was worth, it was effectively useless for the moment.

Finishing his sentence, the cheers and jitter of the arena turned instantly into boos. No wonder they were mad. The fights in the arena were commonly fought to death or loss of consciousness. Considering Kenzo had won four fights in a row previously, he was well aware that many had placed a bet on him by now. The thought of watching the reaction of dozens of greedy patrons realizing their money was now forfeit with the result of the match was one that filled him with laugher. Before he could say anything, Kaz was the first to speak of the two.

His words aroused the blue haired male’s excitement. He told him there was something he needed to obtain by beating him. However, he threw the idea out of the window and instead now looked to take the fight at the event’s organizers. He even offered to compensate Kenzo on any lost money. Standing still for a moment, Kenzo burst into laughter before answering. ”Let them keep their dirty money. I’m sure sticking with you will be far more interesting.” The mercenary twisted his arm and cracked his neck and knuckles. ”I’ve also got a bone or two to pick with them. Mind if I join the fun?”

As he saw it, the potential money he lost from not finishing the fight was chump change compared to the benefit he saw in helping the man. Either way, he had already made a killing betting for himself in the previous fights. He wasn’t in this for the money now. The thrill had become bigger than that. Within a second, the door of the cage flew through the air and into the ground. Three squads of twelve people quickly surrounded both fighters. In a matter of seconds, both men were encircled by a score of armed thugs. Most of them were the kind of gorillas that’d pose as bodyguards for VIPs and royals, towering above the 2 m. height mark. Some of them seemed to possess magical power even. With an almost devilish grin, Kenzo wondered how they were getting out of this. His sword was effectively out of commission after hitting Kaz’s headpiece. He could still fight barehanded and was sure he could take a couple of them out, but with the state of his now turned partner’s leg, getting out of the place alive was going to be really tough. Covering Kaz’s back with his own, the man lightly turned his head without taking an eye away from the goons surrounding them.

”Got any ideas?”

[3451/X] Words so far.

He nodded back at the blue-haired man. He had a feeling anyone who would adopt a Joyan traditional fighting style had a warriors honor in them. He was a fierce competitor with speed and reflexes to bolster his natural talent. To accomplish so much with only the bare minimum equipment was a marvel. It left anyone to ponder what Kenzo would be like were he given a blade to match his skill. Perhaps he'd tell him about the relic that would fit him perfectly. After all the madness died down.

Kaz gave a small head tilt and looked away letting a small breath out from his nose. "You have a keen eye. I'd be delighted to. I must admit I took this as a chance to learn more about hand to hand combat," Kaz spoke and was genuine about meeting the man again in the future for another bout between the two.

The crowd grew more restless as the two exchanged what could be taken as pleasantries in the middle of the crowd's thirst for action. Kaz didn't know what to think in the moment of silence as Kenzo digested what the wind mage had said. Then there was a sudden burst of laughter. Kaz shifted his weight to his right leg and put a hand on his hip and the other on the back of his head with a smile and chuckle at what Kenzo said. "More interesting," he glanced beyond the man at the footsteps headed their way. "Probably,"he said scratching the back of his head. "I always welcome the company. Especially when it has to do with knocking around some criminals."

It wasn't long before the thugs rushed the room they were in and surrounded them. A mix of magic and melee in their hands. The well-dressed man yelled from his secure position, "You two won't fight for me like I want. I'll give my patrons a blood bath they can enjoy at your expense!"

The men that surrounded them let out heavy bated breaths. Glances shifted between them all as if deciding who would move first. The inched their feet forward and back, testing the waters. The mages curled their hands around their staves.

Kaz turned to face them and felt a slight bump on his back as Kenzo stood back to back. It brought back memories of his younger days. Kaz grinned as he eyed one of the warriors holding a katana. "A weapon," he coyly answered Kenzo.

"HEY!," he yelled at all the men around him. "You're all under arrest. Please surrender."  After a moment of looking around...no one moved. "It never works," he whispered to Kenzo.

He reached into his pocket and brought out a small key. It slid into one of the sides of the cuffs and with a low rumble the magical runes faded and they snapped open. The cuffs dropped to the floor with a light clank. "That's better," he said as he rubbed his wrists and stretched his back, feeling the flood of mana return to him.

With a deep breath, his demeanor changed. A feeling of wrath came over the mage as his eyes glowed white. Feathered wings sprang to life from his back. The thugs took pause, their hands tightening on their weapons.

He looked up at the ceiling and roared. The image of a white tiger appeared roaring with him the area was filled with a white magic circle. The wind swirled above them and a dozen tornadoes rained down around them and tore through half the ranks of the thugs, angled so it wouldn't hit them. The tornadoes ripped through the stands sending the onlookers that were too thirsty for blood reeling to the ground. The mages cast spells in response that sparred a few of the stronger ones from the onslaught. Debris scoured the area. He sent a gust of wind blowing the katana towards him. He snagged it from the air and turned to face Kenzo with the handle of the blade facing the blue-haired man as an offering.

"An idea...We take down everyone," he said with a cold passion as the men regrouped and others pulled themselves from the wreckage. A dozen and a half men charged them. half wielding spears and swords. The others were swirling staves to send forth fireballs that peppered around them. The flames gleaming from the new steel weapon held out for Kenzo.  

WC 800

status:

It seemed that Kenzo’s hunch was right. According to Kaz, the whole matter was a chance to learn a bit more about melee combat. This made complete sense to the mercenary, he was definitely specialized in magic combat after all. The fact that he tried to fight without magic made his respect for him grow even more. Kenzo was a person that disliked weak people. Not merely for the fact of being weak. But rather, he had no sympathy for people that blamed their bad luck and didn’t try to improve themselves. Like the old saying goes: You can’t choose the cards you’re dealt with in life, but you can choose how to play them. For Kenzo, it was more about the fact that you could make your own cards in life. If you didn’t have one, you’d work for it. The fact that the purple haired man recognized a weakness in his hand to hand combat abilities and tried to make up for them was worthy of respect. More importantly, the idea of fighting him without reserves, fired him up.

Luckily for him, he wouldn’t need to wait much to see Kaz in action. Both men would temporarily join hands to get out of the fighting pit now. The night’s organizer was livid. His higher ups were definitely hearing about this, and the first neck to roll would be his if he didn’t fix it. The tension was palpable, not one party wanted to make the first move. After asking Kaz if he had a plan, he muttered to himself some words. ”Tch.. If only I had a weapon”. Even if the words were addressed to the air, it seemed the older mage heard them. However, he’d leave the comment alone for the moment.

After demanding them to surrender, Kenzo laughed. The way he spoke, was eerily familiar to the manner Judina carried herself. ”What’s it with me and Rune Knights?” For a second, he wondered if he’d gotten himself involved with the law enforcement organization again without knowing. However, he had no time to waste thinking on that for the moment. The sound of a key unlocking his cuffs caught his attention. Glancing back to see the pair of cuffs drop with a clank, the blue haired man’s eyes changed at the scene before him. In an instant, the atmosphere transformed. As if a current had come and snatched all the oxygen in the air, he felt a surge of tremendous pressure forming behind him. A set of golden wings sprung from his partner’s back, his eyes turned white and his expression was transformed to one of anger. Kenzo saw the scene with a smile as he struggled to fight the feeling of being underwhelmed.

The arena’s building was built like a bunker. Since fights took place everyday while wealthy and noble patrons enjoyed them for entertainment, it was natural that the place was constructed with maximum considerations on security. Regretfully, they were nothing before the rage of the purple haired mage. With a fearsome roar, a white tiger appeared on the area as a magic circle formed beneath them. Seemingly out of nowhere, tornadoes rained from the sky and tore through the enemy lines. Mayhem ensued. Iron beams and chunks of concrete flew around and were destroyed like it was child play. Large portions of the crowd rolled through the wreck and fell off their seats. So much for maximum security. Observing speechless, a chill ran down Kenzo’s spine. His hunch was right, he’d remember to never anger the man before him. There was no way he could compete with something of his caliber. Yet.

After snatching a katana from a fallen enemy with his magic power, Kaz offered it at the still silent mercenary. His cold demeanor contrasted the terror he’d just caused within the opposing ranks. Slowly taking the hilt, Kenzo could do nothing but grin. ”Sounds like a plan” He was excited to join forces with someone as strong as him. A sudden rush of things crossed his mind, but for now, they’d need to finish the surviving enemies.

Grabbing it with both hands, Kenzo nod at the man and instantly lunged at the enemies that charged at him. All of them had survived Kaz’s previous attack. Certainly, they were some of the best men the arena had. Leaving his back to his partner, Kenzo focused on the men in front of him. Four people wearing swords charged at the man while two mages at the rear prepared to cast a spell. One by one, the mercenary cut them while evading their strikes. With a swift strike, he slashed the first two as he closed the distance between them. It was the same technique he had previously attempted at Kaz. As blood gushed out of their torso, the blue haired man sneered at them. Same technique, completely different results. Without wasting a moment, Kenzo turned around evading a slash aimed at his head. The blade missed his body by a couple of centimeters when he took a step back. Since the enemy had poured his whole strength into his strike, failing to connect made him lose his balance. The young warrior took advantage of the situation and grabbed the man by the arm, pulling him towards to his left and into the trajectory of the 4th swordsman’s attack. Shocked by the realization he had just cut down his partner, Kenzo swiftly pierced his chest before he recovered. Kenzo’s blood was pumping up, remembering the days he spent in the battlefield.

Taking the blade out of his body, the mercenary suddenly felt a rise in temperature. Turning his head around, he was too late to notice the two fireballs that trailed quickly right at him. He had been naïve; this battlefield was nothing like the ones he was used to. He now had to deal with mages too. Both fireballs found their marks, damaging his helm in the first impact and completely breaking it with the second. The force of pushed Kenzo a couple of meters back but he was unscathed thanks to the helm’s protection. Directing a deadly glare at both attackers, he sprung to action as they frantically gathered their magical power for another barrage. Regretfully for them, they were too slow. Two bodies fell to the ground with a strike of his sword. 6 down, 12 to go.

He’d finished all the enemies on his side. Cleaning the blood stains of the borrowed katana with his coat, he turned around to see how his partner was doing.

[4546/X] Words so far.

Kenzo slowly took hold of the weapon with  grin. Kaz knew once Kenzo held it he would carve artistry onto the battle field. They were surrounded by enemies and those that hd not wanted to surrender. This was not a time either of them needed to worry about holding back of restraint. The wind mage nodded back and turned to face more foes just as Kenzo darted forward to battle the others.

Taking a moment to look over his shoulder at his partner, Kaz saw the man in all his glory. He had complete confidence in his skills on the battle field. One after another his enemies fell before him in heaps. It was like he felt no fatigue from all the battles he had already fought. With a smile Kaz faced his own slew of enemies.

Two people with spears dashed towards him as three mage's hurled fireballs. Kaz dashed 20 meters into the air. A powerful gust of wind shot out from beneath his feet, blowing the attackers hair into tangled messes. They squinted through the sudden rush f wind to see the angel hovering in the air above. Kaz was finally able to test out his own growing abilities.

He held out one hand at those that held spears and another towards the mages. Fireballs streaked towards him with blazing glory. From each of his hands a stream of wind rushed out. One of the whirlwinds clashed with the fireballs, consuming them and snuffing them out. The other was barreling toward the spear wielding warriors. The dove out of the way as the whirlwind tore into the ground, gashing a wound into the cement.

Kaz swung his palm and the tornadoe changed course to hunt down the would-be threats, As they rolled to their feet the whirlwind slashed into them, sending them back to the ground.

The mages on the side geared up for a final assault. Their wands held at the ready and they were joined by a single warrior with sword and shield, standing in the way. He dug in his heels and held the shield before him. His eyes leered over the top edge of the shield. The sword was at the ready and bumping gentle on the side of the shield poised to strike. The mages laid their wands on his shoulders to aid their aim and glowed red with dripping flames.

Their power swirled together and Kaz kicked his foot behind him. In an instant he dashed across the wind, appearing right infront of them. The shield bearer tensed. His eyes wide and his shoulders tight. He pressed the shield down to reaffirm himself. Streaks of flame shot out over head as the mages fired off where Kaz once was. Spits of fire rained down around the wind mage. The flames contrasting the white hot wrath in his eyes.

Kaz swiped his hand creating an explosion of wind in front of himself. The blast sent the group flying backwards. They smashed against what remained of the arena wall with bits cascading atop them. Kaz didn't let up. With a deep inhale of wind he roared out once more. This time a vacuum of wind fired out and struck the pile of enemies. As it hit, it burst into a tornado sapping the consciousness from them. six more down.

The wind mage turned as a volley of arrows peppered around him. He threw his arm in the way as they cut his cloths and sliced his flesh. He swung his arm creating a vortex of wind knocking the remainder away and stepped forward alongside Kenzo.

The twelve men lined up. Three mages, three ranges, and six warriors, all intent on brining death. The man in the suit stood outside of the arena, grinding his teeth and clinching his fist. He knew this had to be the last stand. His men needed to stop the two here and now. All the while he inched ever so slightly, closer and closer towards the door that would grant him an escape. One one body guard lingered beside him.

"Got some more figth left in you," kaz asked knowing full well what Kenzo's answer would be.

wc: 700
total wc:1500

spells used/trained:

Taking a look at the battlefield behind him, Kenzo could only think of one word: ”Amazing…” This was the real power of magic. Kaz’s combat ability fighting with magic was far superior to anything the warrior had ever witnessed before. For a second, his mind went back to his childhood days. He remembered the time when he lived with his mother and father in the faraway lands of Bellum. His father was a legionnaire commander, his mother was a member of Fairy Tail that had left Fiore to challenge a 100-year quest. Young Kenzo loved hearing the story of how his parents met. While in campaign, his father lead a small detachment for reconnaissance missions near the border between Bellum and the Peregrande Kingdom. However, a large host of knights from the Kingdom crossed the borders and surrounded the Bellan commander. Coincidentally, the 100-year quest had led his mother to the conflict zone without knowing. Finding herself trapped with the legion, she decided to join forces with them. The sorceress proved to be an invaluable asset for the forces of Bellum, and she was received in the capital as a heroine. Seeing Kaz dominate their enemies with his magical prowess made the mercenary wonder If that’s how his mother would have looked so many years past.

However, he needed to concentrate for the moment. They still had work to do. As the mage finished taking out another 6 fighters, he joined Kenzo once again. After hearing the man’s question, the blue haired warrior answered with a confident smile. ”I could do this all day”. However, that was half the truth. He was starting to get tired. He was not sure how much longer he could keep up with the barrage of attacks of their enemies. Furthermore, there were still 12 people they had to take care of. Taking a glace through the corner of his eye, Kenzo could see the leader of the place inching closer to his escape. That wouldn’t do. They needed to find a way to finish this soon. Luckily, an idea sparked in Kenzo’s mind. The only bodyguard left to protect the well-dressed man had what seemed like a bazooka. He had seen its destructive power before. Many countries that didn’t enjoy concentrations of ethernano as dense as Fiore had to develop other means of waging war with magic forces. A blast from the weapon had devastating power. The warrior knew instinctively what to do. However, he needed some time to enact his plan. ”Can you buy me some time? I’ll finish this with a blast” Kenzo motioned his head towards the lone bodyguard at Kaz. He was sure his partner would quickly catch wind of his idea. The only thing he needed was 1 minute at most to get the weapon.

Immediately, Kenzo sprinted at the stairs. He went out the cage and nimbly made his way to the enemy. The well dressed man instantly panicked. ”FIRE!!!! FIRE!!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING YOU IDIOT?! BLOW HIM UP!!!! The bodyguard received instructions, but was still hesitant. ”B-But Sir!!! If I shoot at him the staircase will collapse and many VIPs will d-die” The answer sparked rage on his superior. Blinded by anger, he left his final chance of escape as he moved downstairs and took the bazooka out of his bodyguard alone. ”Spineless coward! I’ll do it myself-“

He was too late. A strike of Kenzo’s sword crossed the man’s chest and tore through his skin. In a scream of pain, the man fell to the ground along with the weapon. His bodyguard stood frozen as the mercenary picked it up. ”Get the hell away from here if you want to live” Kenzo quickly made his way back to the cage. He was about to blow the whole place up.

[5180/X] Words so far.

Kaz gave a smile at his companion's zest for the fight. They still had a long night ahead of themselves and enthusiasm was a welcome endeavor. Fighting alongside the man reminded Kaz of all the times he stood alongside his comrades in arms. And then of the times, he spent in training as a young member of his clan. Those times were simple. Wake up, train, survive, improve. There was a calmness in that way of life. Not caught up in the tangle of politics. Kenzo seemed to embody those ideals. He saw a spark in the younger man's eye. One untapped potential ready to be realized. The man was already a force to be reckoned with and it seemed the sky was the limit for him.

As the two prepared themselves for what was to come, Kenzo made an odd request after catching their leader trying to sneak away. "Oh" Kaz began and looked at the area Kenzo motioned towards. "OHH," he replied as he tightened his jacket up and then his gloves. "I'll give you as much time as you need." Kaz was eager to see how this all played out now. Kenzo rushed off towards the bazooka. A plan that would bring most of this to a halt if they achieved it. Just as the blue-haired man was making his way over the fence, a group of the twelve gave chase and others readied arrows.

Kaz dashed forward and with a swipe of his hand, created a current of wind, sending the arrows scattering to all corners. Kaz's dash skidded him right in the path of the warriors. The men scrambled to regain their balance at the wind mage's sudden appearance. "Your fights with me for now," he said as he dashed between them and opened his hands. Two men were to his right and two to his left. one of Kaz's hands pointed at each couple and a raging whirlwind appeared and tore into them. The men collapsed in pain. Needing to keep them busy for longer, Kaz dashed around them. The mage's struggled to keep up with him. their fireballs peppering the arena in the footsteps the wind mage left behind.

Kaz spun in the air and sent a blade of wind cutting through one ball of fire. Embers blew past him, warming his face. As those flames flickered out, the emblazoned voice of Kenzo yelled out a warning for all to abide. More guards began to pour in. The B-team's arrival. As soon as they stepped foot in the arena they heard Kenzo's warning. They fell to the ground in fear and scampered backwards, clawing at the ground to get away faster.

The others rushed to get out, trampling over one another as others climbed over what was left of the cage. Kaz dashed into the air and used his angelic wings to fly to Kenzo's side. He landed and gazed behind them once, to make sure none others were coming and then waited for the show. "I think you got their attention," he said. Kazimir had opened the performance with a bang and Kenzo would end it with one. The bazooka likely possessed enough firepower to topple all of it Once Kenzo did, Kaz would simply push away and debris hurling towards them with the wind.

Kaz was excited by the plan. The mercenary noticed his eyes widen when he understood instantly what he meant. He was sure a person that enjoyed the thrill of battle just like he did. While going up the stairs he could feel the immense pressure of the wind mage’s spells tearing through the enemy ranks. He could only smile at the thought of fighting again with him in the future. As he was now, there was no way he held a candle in a proper battle. However, the mere prospect of improving to a point where he was able to go toe to toe with him made his blood boil. One day he’d surpass him. Or at least, that’s what the blue haired mercenary’s mind was set on achieving.

When he finally retrieved the magic weapon and looked back to the cage, Kenzo was not surprised by the fact Kaz had definitely delivered. From the looks of his fight, the purple haired mage had to be one of the strongest people in the country. Heck, perhaps the continent. Through battle, he had met some of the strongest mages from other countries, but definitely Fiore’s wizards were a cut above the rest. He could deal easily with buying the time he needed to get the weapon. It sure was a spectacle to behold.

Kaz landed from his flight right next to him while dozens of terrified patrons stampeded towards the exit. They tripped and pulled each other down in a desperate attempt to be the first to get out. The sight was just another reminder of the nature of the place where the fights had taken place. These people shamelessly entertained themselves with the sight of blood and violence. Still, they panicked and fled at the first sight of real danger. Either way, it made no difference in Kenzo’s mind. He couldn’t care less about them to be honest. However, he knew it was unwise to get involved in an incident where royals or influential people got harmed. His target for the moment were the remnants of the now-wounded well dressed man’s guards. Remembering a scene from an old film he’d seen, Kenzo locked the crosshairs directly at one of the cage’s pillars. A smile came to his face as he recited the iconic dialogue. ”Say hello to my little friend.”

WOOOOOSHHH!!!!! The lacrima enhanced rocket flew through the air in a stream of smoke and flames. Almost like in slow motion, the projectile made its way at its intended target. Far from the danger, Kenzo could visibly see the expression of the enemies still inside. The face of realization they made while still trying to recover from Kaz’s attack was priceless. He could even swear he saw a pair of lips muttering a single word seconds before the bazooka found it’s target.

”Fuck”

A dome of fire covered the lower area of the arena. The steel and magically reinforced beams of the cage melted from the heat of the explosion. A thunderous roar surged through the area while debris and concrete flew through the air. The ground shook like if an earthquake had struck and the support pillars of the whole construction began cracking. Throwing away the rocket launcher, Kenzo looked at his partner before speaking. ”I think we should leave as well” The man chuckled after finishing his sentence. He never expected his night to end that way, and the whole thing was pretty surreal. However, his comment held every bit of true. They needed to get out before the structure collapsed and trapped them inside.

[5777/X] Words so far.

Kaz stood beside the man as the rocket whizzed through the air and ruptured the pillar holding the roof secure. He cracked a grin at the splash of exuberance in Kenzo's quick saying before he pulled the trigger. Panic ensued among the people as chunks of granite and concrete fell. The ceiling buckled under its own unsupported weight.

Fire bathed the arena floor, scorching the dried blood left there by countless battles fought in the past. Kaz took in a deep breath and looked down for a moment. It was always difficult to bring about so much destruction but...He looked back up and nodded his head. They didn't surrender and they had brought down the entire heinous facility. It was something to hold some pride in and Kenzo had shown himself to be a valued alley ina world of chaos. Kaz relished the thought of them crossing paths again in the future. The wind mage's eyes peered at the foreign weapon to him. "Interesting. I've never seen one up close before," he spoke as his wings dispersed in dim light. His eyes returned to normal as the glowing wrathful white light faded.

The fires of the arena still smoldered as people climbed their way out. Their bodies were ravaged by the attack and some didn't make it. Killers that had met an untimely fate. Thus was the path of a warrior. Live by the blade and die by it. Words that he had heard growing up. Words to prepare him for the difficulties that came with the path of any mage or warrior, living by force of arms.

Kaz nodded as Kenzo tossed the launcher to the side and spoke. "Yeah, sounds like a good idea," he turned away from the mayhem behind them. The well-dressed man was still sitting on the ground. Blood pooled around his chest from the wound he was left with. The wind mage walked over to him and grabbed him by the back of his collar. He groaned as Kaz tugged and drug him along. With his wings gone, the pain in his leg returned and he was unable to lunge or run once more.

"I'll get us a short cut," he said as he took in another deep breath and exhaled a vacuum of wind that burst through a wall to the side. With Kaz unable to run it was a quicker way out. The building continued to crumble, dust wafting around as large pieces shattered against the ground. He walked, keeping most of his weight on his uninjured leg, but he didn't seem upset by it at all. If anything he was delighted to have been put to the test in such a way. he made haste as rocks began to cascade around them. A small piece of a column broke free and rained down on them. Kaz shielded eyes from it as bigger blocks toppled to the ground around them. "I still have some information to get out of him."

Their exit was a hole just big enough for them to step through. It led to a stairwell, with broken steps from the burst of wind that blew through it. Kaz heaved the man over the hump and dove in after. His body skidded against the rocks on the ground. As his ally, Kenzo would dive through the remaining large sections fo the roof fell.

Kaz jumped to his feet as fast as he could and drug the man up the stairs with them. Light was pouring in from the open door above. People had already used it to make a hasty retreat.

"I'll have my men come in and clean this place up. Make sure we round up as many people as we can," Kaz spoke loudly over the deafening sound of the debris like jackhammers battering the ground.

"Oh yeah. Name's Kazimir Seiryu. Captain-Commander for the Rune Knights. Won't forget what you did here today. Thank you," Kaz spoke with disregard to the danger crashing down around them. He had a knack for squeezing in words whenever he could.

As both men made their escape, Kaz grabbed the well-dressed man by the collar. Making an effort, Kaz dragged the wounded man trying to overcome the pain on his leg. Before Kenzo could speak, the wind mage said that he’d make a shortcut for them. With a single breath, the purple haired man cut a hole through the wall so they could cross. He said there was still information he needed to get out of him.

Making their way through falling rocks and concrete was getting dangerous. Kenzo noticed that Kaz was trying his hardest to keep the pace while making sure he didn’t injure more his leg. As they made their way, he grabbed the man he was dragging and spoke. ”Let me help you with him”

Around a minute later, Kenzo and Kaz had finally made it through the opening. Just after they got out, the roof collapsed and sealed the exit they just used. They had definitely been lucky. The place was completely in ruins. It would definitely upset some dangerous people, both leaders of the underground and the nobles that held shares on the venture. Either way, what was done was done. Kenzo’s only hope was he could at least avoid being targeted. It would be a pain having to watch his back from everyone in Crocus. Still, with his partner besides, he might be able to avoid any troubles after all.

The mage finally introduced himself as the captain commander of the rune knights. The warrior’s hunch was definitely right, he had managed to involve with another knight once again. However, Kazimir wasn’t your run of the mill knight. He was one of the top brass in the organization. Truth be told, Kenzo’s opinion on them changed slightly after this meeting. ”Don’t sweat it. Glad to have joined hands with someone like you.” The warrior placed both hands on his head as he spoke with a smile on his face. ”My name is Kenzo Valens. Former mercenary and bounty hunter. Sorry about your leg.” The blue haired man extended his hand for the captain to shake it.

It had been a long time since Kaz felt a wound like that on his leg. each step was a hindrance but the pain was from a lesson learned and an experience had. Next time they met one another he will have worked out that weakness in himself. Kenzo seemed to pick up on Kaz's struggle and offered to help.

Kaz let out a small laugh out of embarassment and appreciation. If it wasn't for the injured man he would just leap through the wind to get out but he didn't want to risk injuring his future source of information. "That would be great thanks," Kaz said with a smile. The wrath and seriousness he had during the battles were now replaced with a calm jovialness as he handed half the man's body to Kenzo and Kaz still held the other as they made their way out.

The hole was shut with fallen debris and large stones. Its loud crash agaisnt the ground sent shockwaves through the earth and the two men.As kaz greeted the man, he was also met with a proper introduction. It was nice to see Kenzo smiling instead of swinging a sword to open up Kaz's gut. Kaz pushed off the wall he was leaned agaisnt and resting. He extended his hand to shack Kenzo's. "A pleasure to meet you Kenzo. And don't worry about it. You're a strong opponent. I'll also have to get you a new shield."

The man was a mercenary and a bounty hunter. Something that should have been an easy guess given the man's skill and presence here. It was more calming to know he had a purpose and wasn't just fighting for the sake of it. At least not all the time. Kaz could repsect a man who fought for his life. Used his talents for a purpose. Were things different Kaz may have ended up as a bounty hunter or merc as well.

"An interesting profession. You wouldn't mind taking some jobs from the knights from time to time if they pay well?" kaz siad with a grin.

As they were speaking, the clatter of boots had already arrived at the top of the stairs. The wind mage's attention turned towards it as pages from the knights poured in. They eyed them both and ran toward Kaz, who put up a hand to stop them. "Get reinforcements and secure this area. Take this man in for interrogation," he said as he handed over the wounde man. "This is my informant. We'll need to leave and he needs a new shield. Thanks," Kaz spoke to one of the pages that saluted and ran off to take care of things.

Kaz looked back at Kenzo, "They shouldn't give you any trouble now that they think you're my informant. Well as long as you don't kick up too much trouble," he added with a shrug. He dusted himself off and began the climb up the stairs towards the way out. "So...that was a Joyan fighting style yes? I've not seen that for years." One of kaz's many weaknesses was his curiousity. There were times when he simply couldn't help himself.

Kenzo was surprised by the speed at which the Rune Knights reacted. It made sense though, since they were now in the capital of Fiore. Surely the grand city of Crocus had to been correctly guarded by the rune knights. Furthermore, being a commander meant that probably this was an operation Kaz had been working on for a time. While chaos still ensued in the surroundings, both men shook hands. Kenzo was definitely not forgetting this night. It was way more exciting than what he’d signed for. However, he was still worried deep down about the young royal he’d come with. After all, Mumbasa still owed him a large number of jewels. He just hoped he had made it safely too. Either way, it was his fault if he was caught in the crossfires, that was sadly too part of a person’s luck.

Kenzo laughed as Kaz offered to get him a new shield. ”Well, it served its purpose at least.” Kenzo took a moment before continuing. ”The pleasure is mine.”

Just after exchanging greetings, Kazimir let out quite an interesting proposal. ”Hoh? Consider me interested. I’m currently staying at Batra’s Inn in case you ever need me. You can look for me there or through him. I’ll make sure the money is well spent.” A confident smile exuded from his face. If Kenzo had a pride in anything was that he could get the job done. Sure, he normally worked between both sides of the law… But it would be a good change of pace having an employer with power to do what needed to be done. Just then, a squadron of rune knights had started entering the place. The blue haired warrior was able to witness Kaz in his line of work. The man definitely enjoyed the respect of his troops. He could understand why. He was a person that didn’t mind getting his hands dirty to get the job done. Many leaders would sit in their highchairs and order people around. He even made sure they knew Kenzo was merely acting as his informant. That was definitely a weight off his back.

”I’ll remain low for the moment. Truth be told I need a bit of a rest these days.” Kenzo really meant his statement. He had been working non-stop ever since he arrived at Fiore. He needed to take a break from time to time and enjoy the small fortune he had started to make for himself.

As they moved up the stairs and into the exit, Kenzo was caught off guard by Kaz’s question. ”Well well… I knew something about you didn’t quite match with most people from here.” The warrior let out a half smile as he continued. ”Yeah, I spent many years involved in the wars between daimyos. One could say I really grew up fighting in Joya. With time I adopted their fighting style.” What Kenzo shared with the rune knight was the truth. However, not all of it. He was not normally someone to open with others, but he at least had grown to trust the man in a sense.

”What about you? Joyan are not the most outward looking of people, so its not normal for someone to know about the country unless they’ve gone there themselves.” Kenzo took a small pause before taking his right hand to his chin. ”Unless... you are Joyan yourself.”

Kaz's ears perked up at Kenzo's enthusiasm for the proposal of work. The wind mage figured it was better to have him paid to do work for good than if he ended up taking jobs from criminals. needless to say, Kaz was glad the man agreed. He could accomplish things and get places that most people couldn't.

"Batra's Inn huh. I've heard nice things about the place. I won't forget it," he replied. It was good to know there was an easy way to find the man. The Inn was a popular one and knowing that Batra could get ahold of him was more than helpful. He would definitely hear from him. Kenzo reassured the wind mage with a bit of wit that he would spend it well. "Of that, I have no doubt," he said back with a smile and a small quip.

After the pages had come and gone they marched up the stairs toward fresh air.
"Yeah, I think after tonight I'll take it easy for a little while myself. Been overdue for a vacation anyway." Kaz intended on this being a quick in-and-out mission. He didn't expect to be confronted with dozens of mages and fighters. The night took its toll on him and he was ready for the comforts of a bed and a long shower to wash off the grime.

Each step was a moment of relief. Drawing ever closer to the exit of the blood-stained battleground. On the way up Kaz engaged in a bit of small talk. They reached the doorway as Kenzo answered. "I suppose you caught me again then. It's been an even longer time since I've heard of the Daimyos. Joyan is a proud culture. hard and particular about their style. Certainly, a hard road to walk but one that's worth it. Looks like we've both traveled far to get here," he said leaving it open if he wanted to expand more or not.

"As for me," he said as he pressed his hand against the doorway of the exit. The street lights poured in. He leaned his weight on it, taking a breather. "They are an isolated people. I was raised in a village there. Its where I learned magic. How long has it been since you've been there?"

The two of them stood on the street now. pages rushed by them into the pits to take care of things. A wind blew in as Kaz took a quick breath. There was a shield already waiting for them on a small bench within the perimeter. The page that had brought it rushed off to help people out of the debris while others eased the panic of the citizens.

”Yeah, its quite a nice place. Beer over there is just of a superior quality in my opinion. Hit me up if you’re ever there, I’ll treat you to some drinks.” Kenzo was noticeably excited about the topic. He was normally not this talkative, but when it came to booze, the blue haired warrior was simply too invested to feign uninterest. Either way, he was looking forward to getting back to the inn and get some well-earned sleep. Kenzo decided he was not leaving bed the next morning, he’ll sleep himself tired.

Kaz agreed with the man in the matter. Apparently, the action of the night was more than enough for both men. It was important to be serious at work, but it was also important to know when to take breaks. After all, what was the point of making money if you never spent it right? As both men walked through the corridor, they spoke about Joya. It was not a matter Kenzo expected to touch upon so quickly, but life was always full of coincidences. The man’s suppositions were once again proven correct. Kaz was indeed a person from Joya, and a very strong mage at that. He had met wizards while travelling the country, but he knew there were some secluded clans within the mountains that were simply on another level. He was lucky he never fought against one of them. Now that he saw how strong Kaz was, Kenzo was grateful for the fact.

”Actually… it has been at most 3 weeks since I left Joya. I’m freshly arrived at the country, so there’s many things I don’t know about. Part of the country seems to have been ravaged terribly by a war. What happened here?” Kenzo had heard rumors about the war between angels and demons that had taken place in Earthland. All throughout the continent the forces of hell fought against the messengers of heaven. However, the warrior ignored the fact. Actually, he didn’t even know that Joya was also attacked. The reason for his departure was in fact a more personal one. Something he didn’t want to touch upon.

His question had the intention of directing the conversation away from any further inquire by the wind wizard, but he was genuinely interested in knowing about it. ”By the way. Are those wings of yours..?” The mercenary didn’t know how to approach the subject. He had tried to keep his curiosity in the bag after seeing the male fly before. Kenzo automatically reassured himself that they must also have been part of his magic. Inside, he hoped it was true. The blue haired mercenary was still sorting his feelings about nonhumans. Apparently, they were more of a common occurrence in Fiore than he had expected. Kenzo had come to know tribes of Nekomata people in Joya and had grown to tolerate them to a certain extent However, he was still a distrustful person deep down. He knew that humans couldn’t be trusted, so why would he trust other races to begin with?

Either way, Kenzo took a look around while waiting for Kaz’s answer. He saw the pages of the rune knights working tirelessly to control the situation. A few nights ago, he had a terrible experience with the Rune Knights. He had been exposed to the sad truth of corruption within the law enforcement organization. Looking at the young people work at the moment, made him wonder how it was possible that the same coin had such different sides to it.

"Sounds like a plan then. You may see me sooner rather than later," the wind mage replied. He wasn't that avid of a drinker it seemed like it'd be an enjoyable time. A couple of battle-hardened warriors exchanging tales.

Kaz picked up the shield and handed it to Kenzo, "And there ya go. Although I'm sure you'll be upgrading soon. With your skills, I don't think this one will keep up with you," he said, meaning it as a compliment. The man was far too talented a warrior to be held back by gear that couldn't withstand the rigors.

With the shield passed off, they continued their walk. "Oh. Three weeks. that is pretty new. Well then welcome to the country. There are some...differences. It took me a bit to get used to it." Kaz paused at the man's next question. It was a difficult subject to approach for many people and the wounds in the land were still fresh.

"You came at a good time. All that has just come to an end," Kaz spoke as his pace slowed a bit contemplating quickly about what he wanted to say next. "Yes. There was a great battle. And there was a rift in the religious organization here. Demons began to show up and we fought them back the best we could. From there Angels came down to meet them. Fiore became the battleground of heaven and hell. A man rose up and created an organization to battle both. In the end, the otherworldly beings were pushed back and a great number of lives were saved." He looked back at Kenzo, "The people are still rebuilding and there are a lot of changes taking place." He let out a small breath after having spoken about the most trying time of the countries recent history but he was ready to answer any follow-up questions. He would leave out the part about having joined Nerva's inquisition himself. Something that was impacting and brief.

The real curveball question came when Kenzo asked about the wings. Kaz had overlooked it completely. He was caught up thinking about the demon wars and Nerva and it slipped his mind that the blue-haired man may want to know that too. It seemed they were both very inquisitive people. He should have expected it after talking about angels though. Kaz put his hands in his pockets while walking. He could almost still feel the presence of the wings on his back.

"Nephilim Wings. The angel of wrath came down and forced divine grace upon me and my partner. Now we live as Nephilim," he paused to gauge what Kenzo's reaction was to that news. He then cocked a brow with a lopsided smile trying to anticipate the questions that would follow, "it did make it difficult when we battled angels. I have no love for them but they did question my humanity and wonder why I turned on them. I fought with them, and helped get rid of their connection to Earthland." He spoke and he may have eluded to it in his words. His real fear was that getting rid of the connection would have affected him. Or that he would end up being one of the last of his kind.

"But I still live life as a human. It took a while to get used to it or comfortable with it." They finally got out of the area, and pass the pages that were rushing in to help the others.

"Its nothing major though. Turns out there are a whole bunch of races wandering Fiore."

He'd answer any other questions or concerns the man would have and then ask, "But what's coming up in your future? Staying around here long term?"

Kenzo would eagerly wait for an opportunity to meet the wind mage again. It would be interesting to hear some experiences from someone that had come from Joya and now made a living in Fiore. Furthermore, it would be also a nice change of pace to have someone with whom he could exchange stories that held a common ground. Either way, the mercenary was simply glad to meet someone like the commander.

Taking the shield replacement with his right hand, Kenzo smiled at the compliment received. ”Much obliged. Honestly, I’d better start looking for a way to change these pieces of junk I’ve got at the moment. Fighting with this gear surely makes me miss my katana every time.” The warrior let the comment in the air without plans on expanding more on the matter. He had left all of his equipment when he left Joya a couple of weeks ago but talking about the matter would have to be left for another time. Perhaps after a couple of beers.

Furthermore, the rune knight’s answers were something that really interested Kenzo. Apparently, there had been a fight between demons and angels. The mere thought of it made a chill run down Kenzo’s spine. For years he had doubted his own memories. He had met a demon as a child. Heck, both the jawbone protruding from his cheek and the hole in his stomach hidden beneath his clothes were proof of that meeting. However, Kenzo had never heard or seen anything regarding demons all this time. As years went by, he started convincing himself the matter had simply been a product of his imagination. Yet, there was someone giving him definitive proof of what he needed. Demons existed, Angels did too. What was more, there was a way one could fight them. Perhaps he could one day…? No. No use getting his hopes up. For the moment, the mercenary listened attentively to what Kaz had to say.

There were no questions left after what the wind wizard had just told him. Kenzo needed some time to first digest all the information, and perhaps start to plan a new course of action. In addition, the matter regarding Kaz’s angel wings quickly piqued his interest, taking him out of his thoughts. ”Hoh. Seems I’m not the only one then…” Kenzo’s left hand brushed past the sharp bone teeth on his cheek as he answered with a pondering tone.

The mercenary nodded at the next comment Kaz made. From his short stay in Fiore, he had managed to piece together the fact. Apparently, it was common for many races to exist in the country. It was nothing too special actually, but rather novel for the young warrior. The only other races he was familiar were the Nekomata, due to their ties with Joyan society and culture. Either way, he was still distrustful from them for the moment. Best be prepared than sorry.

”Well… For the moment yes. I’ve come to Fiore in search for answers.” Kenzo alluded the comment he had previously made. From what he had learned from Judina, Kaz’s fellow rune knight and Nuala, the mysterious hooded woman he met in a bar, he had been apparently cursed by a demon. If there was any place, he could find answers regarding that, it was Fiore. ”I also have some unattended matters I have to resolve with Fairy Tail’s guild master. So I guess I’ll be heading to Magnolia in the next couple of weeks.” Kenzo took a look at the night sky as he took a breath of fresh air. ”After that… I guess I’ll see where the wind takes me.” There was a certain tone of nostalgia hidden within his phrase. Truly, he had lost the place he could call home. He had nothing left in Joya now, and was still looking for a place to belong. Maybe Fiore was the place he was destined to be.

”Any advice for a newcomer?”

"Ah, yeah, you probably did use a katana a lot back in Joya. Never had the chance to explore that one," Kaz said with his own thoughts racing. perhaps that's what he was missing. A way to root out his weakness. To plan for the unintended, when magic was not an option. A thought sparked in his mind about a new training regiment to take. One that would make him a more diverse mage to deal with.

It was nice to see his words were not to heavy and that the man seemed to have a vested interest. it was not often Kaz ranted a bit about all the things of the world and others would be curious to pick it up. One of the benefits to being a foreigner in this land was the thirst for learning about all that made it up.

Kenzo didn't so much as flinch hearing about the origin of the wings on Kaz's back. His response was much more cryptic. The wind mage followed the man's hand that ran across the bone on his face. Something he had avoided asking about out of politeness. "Demon or Angel? Either of them. They are both killable. And I am to defeat mine. But it won't be easy." He said assuming the man's story was one that would be bitter and left him with revenge against the culprit as Kaz's had done to him.

The talk made Kaz reflect on all that he had been through since coming to this land. Love, violence, adventure, and growth. It truly was a unique place among Earthland. He spoke about searching for answers. Something that Kaz had done but only found himself entangled by even more questions. Despite it all, he did have clarity now as to what his path is.

"Matters with Fairy Tail, huh. A good guild. I know someone a part of it. Judith is a good woman. Very caring. If I hadn't found the knights I may have been a mage there. Magnolia will be a good trip. Dangerous roads, but I've no doubt you'll handle it well."

Kaz smiled and looked at the ground, kicking a small rock out of the way as the man gazed at the sky and commented about the wind. Something Kaz often did himself. "The wind reaches all places after all. It can be swift and slow."

They reached a fork in the road. One path leading towards the Inn Kenzo was staying at and the other back towards the headquarters of the knights. And the final path leading further into town.

"hmm," he began as Kenzo asked him the most difficult question of the evening. "Be like the wind. There is a path for everyone in Fiore and there is always someone else walking along with it too," he said with a smile and his hands on his hips. His gaze turned towards the blue-haired man.

"And no matter what paths we each decide to take. You will always have an ally and if you ever need anything. I'm easy to find," he reassured Kenzo. it was a difficult path to move to a foreign land, seemingly with no one and making a fresh start. Kaz wanted the man to know that no matter where they would end up. Kenzo would have an ally to depend on in times of merriment and strife. The wind mage extended his hand for a goodnight to the man.

"You'll be hearing from me soon about work," he said with a grin, in place of a standard goodbye.

"Safe travels."