dMage

Check out Target and GameStop for the majority of these games, they are definitely cheap right now. Also, as far as games, Halo 3, Prince of Persia (very pretty graphics) and CoD4 would be my recommendations. Also, you definitely need XB live to truly take advantage of the wonderful world that is a 360.

Not sure how much time you want to spend in getting it, and whether he would mind getting it in parts, but you could do the following, and get an Elite for the price of a Pro (minus the fact that its black and all) $181.04 - Xbox 360 Arcade - Dell - 6/06/2009 $5.98 - HDMI cable - Monoprice - 6/07/2009 $10.98 - New Xbox 360 Headset - Amazon - 6/24/2009 $65 - Genuine 120GB hard drive - eBay - 7/07/2009 Its one way to save, and if you want, you can still get him some games.

The pacing in this movie is nothing short of brilliant. I don't think I've yet seen a movie that does such a great job at keeping you so completely enthralled in it. The acting was also quite phenomenal. This movie was simply amazing. And Raiha, I totally agree, that scene was one of the coolest throughout the whole movie. Really set the tone for how the Joker would be for the rest of the film. Also, how many people are psyched for "Watchmen"? That trailer was intense.

[FONT="Courier New"][COLOR="Green"][B]Immortal Name[/B]: Gui-mor [B]Mortal Names[/B]: Morpheus, Hypnos Guifi, Remiel, Aislin, Darshana, Ramla, Ruya, Yerazig [B]Area of Godhood[/B]: God of Visions/Dreams [B]Manifestations[/B]: Among the people of Earth, Morpheus has no true image. He can be the dead lover of some wrecked man, the small little boy a mother lost at sea, or that strange tree that somehow is constant in all of your dreams. To his brethren though, he always appears the same, an old hobbling man with hooded, bloodshot eyes who does not walk, but rather floats around. Yet, whenever he stands still, he is always supporting himself on his yew staff. [B] Power Card[/B]: [IMG]http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/8069/visionae4.jpg[/IMG] The vision card gives the player who holds it precognitive abilities, that at sometimes happen immediately after he/she has the vision, to days later. Its main drawback is that in time, if the player relies too often on the the card abilities, they begin to think that every fantasy and image they see in their minds will become true, which may very easily lead to their own demise. [/COLOR][/FONT]

This movie is ridiculously amusing, it has a clever and engaging script, along with awesome character acting by all actors involved. You should see it soon!

[FONT="Arial Narrow"][COLOR="Green"]1. Do you have any birthday traditions? Dinner with the family. Sometimes, my mom likes to make it a bigger affair with family coming over, but for the most part, I enjoy it when its just me and my immediate family. 2. What was your best birthday present ever? Probably my full/queen bed. Its insanely comfortable, and after having slept on a small twin mattress on the floor for about 4 years, I was very grateful for it. 3. Has knowing your age ever given you a certain mindset? Did you ever feel like you'd passed a certain rung or like you had to change? I was really disappointed when the knowledge of the universe didn't hit me when I turned 18. Other than that, I believe that you make your age most of the time. People will act hoe they wish, and I (hope) that the majority of folks here act how they wish, and not try to act in a certain way because they believe thats how they are supposed to act at whatever age they happen to be. 4. What was your favorite birthday? When I turned 8. I had the ultimate TMNT themed party ever. We're talking balloons, candy bags, pinata, birthday cake, the works. It was totally rad.[/COLOR][/FONT]

[FONT="Arial Narrow"][COLOR="Green"]I happen to have 2 toys that are very memorable to me. The first is K'nex. I remember getting a set from my parents on Christmas when I was 9. They were the best, back then and now. I remember that my one great achievement with them was building a sword that could "fold" down, and with one swipe, pop out to full length. I called it my light saber design:animesmil I also remember designing vehicles with my cousins, which we would then take outside and race. The second favorite toy is my stuffed Little Foot. I got him when I was about 3, and till this day, even after I moved away from home, he still hangs out in my room.[/COLOR][/FONT]

[COLOR="Green"][FONT="Arial Narrow"]As far as fantasy goes... The Last of the Renshai: Mickey Zucker Reichert Really great developed lands, with an interesting premise. I love it mostly because of the philosophical undertones concerning law, chaos, and balance. The Earthsea Series: Ursula K. LeGuin Another cool concept as far as fantasy tales go. Also, very short, which is nice. Chronicles of Narnia: C.S. Lewis I'm sure you've probably heard of them, but in the case that you haven't read them yet, most definitely recommend. Life of Pi: Yann Martel Really great story, and the main character is an absolutely awesome, complex guy. And also, these authors are pretty good IMO Gabriel Garcia Marquez Ray Bradbury Milan Kundera[/FONT][/COLOR]

[IMG]http://cache.gizmodo.com/assets/resources/2006/06/bdslitekey.jpg[/IMG] Yeah. I bought the r4 and a separate 2gb memory card for it. It provides music for me while driving, seeing as I once had to destroy my cars antenna to break into it when I locked my keys in the car =/ I also used to have the Rio carbon, its 1gb, and cost me an amazing $30 US. But I gave it to my little sister once I figured out how to use the ds.

[FONT="Arial Narrow"][COLOR="Green"]2 quick little snippets, 1) Had anybody else considered making Hagrid Head of Hufflepuff house. I think it would make for some very awesome and interesting posts. 2) As far as the class schedules are concerned, I do believe that students partake in 2 lessons of each subject during the week, with a Double day happening either once a week or once every 2 weeks. At least, that how I understood it when I was reading the books.[/COLOR][/FONT]

[FONT="Arial Narrow"][COLOR="Green"][B]Name[/B]: Aodhan Sirius Lupin [B]Gender[/B]: Male [B]Age[/B]: 16 [B]Year[/B]: 5th [B]House[/B]: Gryffindor [B]Wand[/B]: Yew, 10 inches, Supple and Flexible, Sphinx Feather Core [will finish the rest by tomorrow, if thats ok] [B]Appearance[/B]: [B][URL="http://img.ragnarokonline.com/download/wallpaper/wallpaper_75_800.jpg"]Aodhan[/URL][/B] He stands 5'9 and weighs a lean 155 lbs. Yet, as a Lupin, descended from the infamous marriage of Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks, Aodhan has inherited the abilities of a metamorphmagi. Though still young, his father taught him to master the abilities at a very early age, so that now, Aodhan has almost complete mastery over his abilities. With the exception of some of the staff at Hogwarts, very few know of his gift, which Aodhan has learned not to abuse. [B]Personality[/B]: [B]Bio[/B]: [B]Classes[/B] Defense against the Dark Arts Transfiguration Charms Herbology Potions Astronomy Arithmancy Care of Magical Creatures Muggle Studies History of Magic [B]Private lessons[/B]: Occlumency[/FONT][/COLOR]

[QUOTE]Nerdsy Said: Did anybody have a thing for [B]Blossom[/B], or am I the only one?[/QUOTE] [COLOR="Green"][FONT="Comic Sans MS"]She was ok, though I always thought her best friend was cuter. By the way, did anybody ever watch the morning line up on UPN (channel 13 here in socal) They had [B]Beast Warz[/B], [B]Biker Mice From Mars[/B], [B]King Arthur and the Knight of the Round Table[/B] and 2 other shows that many people seem to have never heard of; [B]Bruno the Kid[/B] (which was freakin awesome) and [B]James Bond Jr[/B]. (which was also a really fun show.) Just curious to see if anybody else saw and remembers it. Also, I'm sad that no one has yet mentioned [B]Wishbone[/B]; my random knowledge on classic books plot lines and main characters is all in thanks to that wonderful Jack Russel Terrier.[/FONT][/COLOR]

[SIZE="2"][COLOR="SeaGreen"][FONT="Comic Sans MS"]@Phenom: Were you perhaps thinking about Tailspin? It was a pretty awesome show, and featured Baloo as a pilot. In any case, there are tons of great shows on when we were kids. Specifically, I remember [B]Freakazoid[/B] [B]Animainiacs[/B] [B]Pinky and the Brain[/B] and on of my all time favorites, [B]Darkwing Duck[/B] (though Phenom already mentioned it). It makes me sad that kids nowadays prefer to watch live shows like Lizzy McGuire and the Suite life of Zack and Cody, as opposed to cartoons.[/FONT][/COLOR][/SIZE]

[FONT=Comic Sans MS][COLOR=DarkGreen][U]What Is your element of power:[/U] The cards. They allow me to manipulate them in many ways. [U]Who taught you to ride a bike[/U] My best friends older sister. She was tired of me riding the scooter while everyone else rode bikes, so she took me under her wing, and after one full day of practice, I rode like the wind... [U]When do[/U] So often, it makes me blue...[/COLOR][/FONT]

Primarily, I wish to say that this story, while very different than what we are used to from JKR, was still a fantastical read. [QUOTE] [I][B]Lunox[/B] said[/I] [spoiler] Didn't we read about 40 pages of Harry sitting through Occlumency lessons in OotP?[/spoiler] [/QUOTE] [spoiler] Some people have talked about that, not only here, but in other forums as well, and I can't help but think that this a flaw of Harry's which he will realize, and augment in the final installment. JKR has to, as of yet, write something without fleshing out somewhere later along the line. My theory on Occulemency is that it will be among the final and most key forms of magic that Harry will become powerful in. At the end of the book, when he's semi battling Snape (I say semi because in reality, he's getting totally pwned!) Harry will be in the middle of a hex or spell, and then wham, Snape hits him with the counter. Even when he's using slient magic. I think this is due to Snape mastery of Occulemency (and we know Volemorts is just as good, if not better) and abiltiy to know what will get thrown at him. I think that Harry will realize this, and then train in the art (which we know he can be very good at, as was showed a few times in OotP) so that he will be a much more deadly adversary. I do agree with some that the whole HBP thing seemed kind of forced, if not almost totally inconsequential title. Unlike the other stories, in which the title is very much important, in this book, HBP seems just really kind of quick out. I think the fact that theres all these love declarations and such at the end of the novel is not only very important, but almost like an homage. Dumbledore believed in love conquering all, and with both Tonks (and let us not forget) Fleur still loving these highly dangerous men, it shows that even in when all hope for such things would be lost, love still allows itself to not only spring eternal, but realize itself in even the most darkest places. Again, I agree with most that Snapes lessons were almost non-existant, but of the few that he gave, they were incredibly insightful. Snape describes the dark arts in a way that links it almost to fire or chaos, in that it is ever evolving. This is the power that Voldemort has. Yet to conteract it, Harry has an art which is equally as dangerous and just as powerful and incomprehensibel; Love. [/spoiler] I think thats all my insight, or at least babble, for now.

[COLOR=DarkGreen][SIZE=2][FONT=Courier New]I agree with you both that adequate nutrition is necessary for optimal muscle growth. You just can't exercise and not eat healthy, or at least a bit more consciously, and expect to tone up and get in shape. As for your comment Merlicht, I would have to say that there is nothing wrong with the once a day curriculum. If you noticed my pattern, I try as much as possible to avoid using tired muscles every day. Hence the upper body, lower body pattern. Not only that, but you must also remeber that when working out big muscle groups like your chest and back, you're actually doing a compound workout, and not just solely working out the chest or back. It really hard to do.Instead, with the chest workout, you stress the tri's as well, and with the back, you get your bi's. And as for legs and and abs, you kinda got work on those a little everyday anyway, what with all the laughing and walking we do a day.[/FONT][/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=DarkGreen][FONT=Courier New]Firstly, I really want to thank you for posting this thread up. I was arguing with myself whether or not I should go to the gym today, and on seeing this, have decided I should. Getting toned can be a hard thing, but with perseverance, and didligence, it will become a reality. I think the hardest thing about getting/staying in shape is the fact that you need some motivation. I thnk we should all encourage each other, and hopefully that will help us all stay on target. Bloodseeker stated: [QUOTE][B]Bloodseeker stated[/B]: (arms first day, chest second day, legs, third day, start over the next, use Sunday to recover)[/QUOTE] That sounds like a pretty good plan, but I have just a few suggestions. I think it might help if you did something like arms/legs/ and then chest, just to let your tri's recuperate a little more. Also, if you plan to work out your back, either superset in conjunction with your chest, or devote a whole singular day to it. Personally, I found this method, (which I used when I was pretty serious about toning up and getting into shape) the best. You do the following muscle sets once a day: Day 1: Bicep and Triceps Day 2: Legs Day 3: Chest Day 4: Calves and Abs (though you should do some light sstuff every day with both these muscles, devoting a whole workout session to them is also really good) Day 5: Back Day 6: Cardio Day 7: rest yourself up. rinse and repeat[/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR=DarkGreen][SIZE=2][FONT=Courier New]Name- Paul Englin Age- 27 Alliance- Eliminator Appearance- Paul stands at 5'10, and weighs about 160 lbs. He is quite good-looking, as he is always dressed in dark clothing, but in a style that imitates most movie stars and celebrities for its style and flair. While his suits and slacks may look flashy, they are picked and tailored to allow him the most ample of room, allowing them to not hamper his movements at all. He has jet black hair and intense green eyes, which more than one vampire remembers as the last thing he/she saw before they were sent to the pits of hell. Weapons- Paul owns a cane given to him by his father, within lies a sword crafted of pure silver, and which has been enhanced with runes of warding and blessed by the Pope himself. He also carries stakes (both wooden and silver) that have been crafted so that they are aerodynamic, allowing him to use them quite effectively as both long range and close quarter weapons. Extra- Paul carries many extra's on his person that give vampires a world of hurt. He has golden cross that he carries on his person at all times. He also has a small compact mirror (many people think that its because he's vain or something...if only they really knew) as well as flashbangs, which emanate a very potent flare of UV light (think Van Helsing) because they are so hard to make, he only carries one on him, and has a total of five (vampires found the maker and killed him, making these five among the last in the world) He also carries a flashlight that shoots out UV light. (think Blade 2) Personality- Paul is disillusioned with life. He has been trained all his life to be an Eliminator, but even more so than that, he has been trained as an exorcist. He was an orphan when a nun found him lying on the steps of the church. After taking him in, a priest there raised him as his own, and taught him much in the ways of God and humanity. When he was 12, he witnessed his father exorcising a woman, and became fascinated. He went to the Vatican, and was soon acknowledged as one of the best Eliminators around. But soon, the demands of his father to make him into a priest, and the constant suffering and death that surrounded him led him to leave the order, and try to make his own life away from the church. Yet wherever he went, he always found the Devil, right there making his life miserable. He is now a bit of an alcoholic, and can be flashy and overbearing when drunk, but when in control and sober, he is quiet and dedicated, as he slowly somes to the realization that killing abominations is what he's good at, and he can't do anything less than keep at it. Fighting Style- While not as brutally strong or fast as vampires are, Paul still chooses more often than not to engage with them blade to claw. His technique and skill with the sword are good enough to have helped him walk out of various encounters with vampires as the victor. Along with learning excellent battle techniques, he knows a spell of healing, and a spell of searing light. Character Snippet- Paul sat silently at the bar table, comtemplating the whiskey inside the glass with an almost forlorn expression. He was tired of life here, the damn locals were nothing less than a bunch of ragtag idiots who couldn't tell right from left, and the women weren't good looking enough to catch his attention. Not only that, but the damn bartender didn't even know how mix a good cocktail. Damn morons the lot of them were, and it would have been better is maybe he had allowed that hellspawn that was Miruko to kill the whole lot off. Lord knows that by making them spawn, they villagers would have proven less of a nuisance and waste of space. At least then God would approve of killing them off. Smiling bitterly into his glass, he swigged the contents down before getting up and slowly staggering off his chair and to the front door. He was halfway there when the door opened suddenly, and a gust of the outside wind helped clear some of the fog from his mind. Looking up slowly, he saw the same damn clothes on this guy that all the other guys wore, the same guys who always proved to be a pain in his ***. Letting out a groan of frustration, he walked over to the young priest. [B]"Just give me the damn particulars now and you can be on your way."[/B] [B]"Umm...are you the one who..." [/B] the young priest began, setting up the code they were supposed to use to identify those they didn't know of the order. [B]"Yea, yea, i'm the one, here"[/B] Paul replied, cutting off the other before he could reply and showing him a tringular tattoo on his forearm. [B]"Now what is it that you want to give me?"[/B] Though confused by Paul actions, the other did not hesitate after seeing the mark, and handed Paul a manila envelope. After giving it, he made his way back to the door, and out, but not before crossing himself, and then turning and directing a crossing to Paul. Waving him away, Paul turned and opened the packet. It seemed that big bad *** Kuroichi had finally decided to make his appearance, and was after that new hot-shot, Beth Archer. It looked like his ticket out of this place had finally arrived, and it was taking him to merrye olde Englande.[/FONT][/SIZE][/COLOR]

[SIZE=2][COLOR=DarkGreen][FONT=Courier New]Mage watched in surprise as the wheel came flying towardss him, whistling a deathly peal as it headed towards his head. Many men might have stayed in place, watching death come with a sense of loss, but Mage was no such man. When the blade was no less than an inch from his face, his blade flew up in a block that sent the wheel spinning again,watching it as this time it lodged deeply into one of the surrounding trees. Turning his attention back to his opponent, Mage offered him a grim smile. [B]"I can't believe you would be one that would turn to such foolish tricks Anarchy."[/B] The other looked at him unfazed. [B]"Simply because you think throwing something as a weapon is wrong doesn't mean it can't be effective in battle."[/B] he replied. Mage simply shook his head in disgust, and stood patiently, wainting for his opponent to make a move. If the fool wanted to throw his other disc and leave himself unarmed, it would be his fault, and he would pay the price for such insolence. They stood, both waiting for a few seconds, before Anarchy said in a challenging voice, [B]"I already tried out my little trick Mage, it your turn now."[/B] Mage looked at him in silence before he nodded, and leapt at Anarchy, sword whislting as he slashed at his foes midsection. Anarchy watched the blow, and when he judged the timing to be right, blocked Mage's blow with two hands on his blade, and used the momentum from his swing to propel his shoulder into Mage's chest. As his opponent stumbled backwards, he swung his blade around in swipe which missed grazing the other's face by mere centimeters. He then flowed into an acrobatic air kick that caught Mage full in the face, making him fall unceremoniously to the ground. Anarchy walked away contemptously from Mage, making his way to the blade that was stuck deep in the tree. He was almost there when he heard shuffling behind him and saw Mage standing, blade in hand, and a very, very pissed off look in his face. [B]"I'm sorry old friend, but it seems like this dance isn't quite over yet."[/B] Smiling, Anarchy moved over towards the other blade in the tree. Applying force, he removed it and turned back towards his opponent. [B]"Ready when you are."[/B] ========================== Mage nodded once before rushing his foe. Anarchy's face belying a seconds worth of surprise before Mage's blade crashed down on his own. He parried quickly and used the other blade to gash at Mage's midsection. But the other moved quickly, shuffling to the side and bringing his leg up in a kick that knocked most of the wind out of Anarchy's stomach. Straightening, Anarchy scowled and launched into an offensive, disc's and legs flying as he used every trick in his repertoire to make his opponent go down again. But Mage was ready, blocking, parrying, and shuffling out of harms way, fighting a mostly defensive battle. Anarchy was feeling tired when Mage finally switched tactics, attacking Anarchy relentlessly, and efficiently landing two to three strikes for every blow Anarcy attempted. He was feeling overwhelmed when suddenly he saw an opening as Mage brought his sword down in a forward slash. Taking the risk, he swung his left disc Mage's exposed left side. Or at least, which had seemed exposed. In a draw quicker than anything he could have expected, he saw Mage's left hand flash down to his side and out again as he brought out his short sword and used it to stab into one of the holes the wheel had, effectively pushing it away. As he did this, Mage, brought his other blade down, using the flat side to hit the now exposed forearm. As Anarchy grunted in pain, Mage reversed his blow and parried his foes incoming strike, before stepping into a front kick which caught Anarchy in the jaw and made him fly back to fall in an almost comical fashion before falling on the ground. Mage fell back into a defensive position, patiently awaiting his opponents decision...[/FONT][/COLOR][/SIZE] (OOC: My apologies for not being able to post earlier. I hope that everything is okay with what I did, and if there is any problems...my apologies in advance.)

OOC:my apologies for taking so long to post this up, my computer has been on the fritz, but I will post every chance that I get. Hope you like the setup, and PM if you find any discrepancies, or just anything at all thats bad. ================================= [COLOR=DarkGreen][SIZE=2][FONT=Courier New]Mage walked with a deliberate tread, his movements smooth and fluid, but to those who were near him, a sense of tension seem to emanate from his persona. The Basque fighter had not too long ago recieved an "invitation" from an old "acquaintance" asking him to meet him on the outskirts of the trading city of Pudar. It had taken him a weeks travel to get to the city, and he had awoken early today, feeling restless for the days beginning. This was why he reached the gates of Pudar hours before it was to open, and why there was still a bit of twilight gloom left. He saw the closed gates, and fell silent for a few minutes, wondering what to do. As he contemplated his surroundings, his warriors mind slowly recorded the landscape: A massive wall blocked the city from entrance, but the bridge which allowed access was lowered, making the opening of the town much more convenient. The city used a portcullis,crosshatched, and which would allow some to easily climb up it. A moat ran around the town, with its western side mostly plains, and its eastern side (which was where he currently was) a dense forest. He was about to leave the gates and move towards the woods when he heard rustling from the trees, and saw a figure decsend from an evergreen. A huge smile lit Mage's face, as he slowly walked toward the newcomer. [B]"I take your presence here means you recieved my letter."[/B] The other said in a slow and even tone. Mage removed a letter he carried in his pouch and showed it to the man. [B]"I indeed recieved it, but what I did not understand was why you thought I needed a white glove."[/B] saying this, he extracted the piece of garment from his pouch as well. The other smirked at the sarcasm evident in Mage's voice [B]"I figured it might bring back fond memories from your homeland." [/B] he replied in a cool voice, as his hands slowly moved down the length of his coat to his hips, where two odd gleaming disks seem to hang. [B]"Ahh...I see. Well that explains some things...but you see dear Anarchy, this glove thing is mostly a [I]french gentlemanly[/I] thing to do, and both of us both know you're no gentleman.[/B] Anarchy scoffed as Mage flapped the glove around. [B]"Well then, I guess that was my bad. Of course, the question is, what are you going to do with it now."[/B] Mage smiled broadly as he walked closer to Anrachy. "[B]Well, the only thing I really can do, give it back to you." [/B] he replied as he stopped right in front of his foe and slapped him lightly on the cheek. A small smile lit Anarchy's features for a moment before he let out a growl and drew both his wheels, bringing them up in a slash meant to rent deep gashes in a Mage's front. But as he brought the wheels up, a quick black blur came up and the beautiful ringing sound of blade on blade was heard as Mage brought his blade out in the quick draw that made his one of the most lethal warriors around. Anarchy hadn't expected the blades to make contact with his opponent, but the others speed draw had always been something he had been impressed with. Shaking the thought out of his mind, the battle between them began...[/FONT][/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=DarkGreen][SIZE=2][FONT=Courier New]*grabs metal gauntlet hanging conveniently from a nearby suit of armor* I, dMage, accept your challenge good Anarchy. *Slaps Anarchy with metal gauntlet, a ala Robin Hood men in tights* and my honor shall be replaced with a battle pitting our skills against one another. The battle field, should you choose to accept, shall be near the entrance of a a trading city. A wooded area off to the side, with the main bridge down, but a portcullis stopping all merchants from entering (its night time).[/FONT][/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=DarkGreen][SIZE=2][FONT=Courier New]I would agree with Astdis that our little spar is over. If anyone is willing, I'd be more than happy to take on another player. And dear lady, thank you so much for a wonderful little dance.[/FONT][/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=DarkGreen][SIZE=2][FONT=Courier New]Mage blinked twice before he fully realized the implications of what Artemis had said. Yet as soon as he realized what was going on, a full smile blossosmed on his lips as he extended his free hand towards the warrior on the ground. "You know, you looked quite sexy down there on the ground" he said as they walked back to the makeshift camp where the battle had started. "Oh really." she replied coolly, though a small smile was forming on her lips. "What say we just exchange moves for tonight after you find us something to eat?" Mage laughed aloud at her reply, thinking that their would be much they both would learn over dinner.[/FONT][/SIZE][/COLOR]

[SIZE=2][COLOR=DarkGreen][FONT=Courier New]Mage was exhilarated that he had found a partner that was so competent, and was proving to be adequate during spar. Her attacks were coming in fiercely now, and the switch she had made had thrown him off a bit, but he was finally starting to feel confident again when he saw the blade coming straight towards his gut. As he saw the blade whistle in, he knew there was absolutely no way that he could wholly avoid the attack, but what he was sure about was that he could manipulate where the blade would land, and that it might just give him a great advantage. As the slash came in, Mage once again drew his short sword in a reverse grip. Artemis short sword was already within his gaurd, but Mage's plan didn't revolve around blocking the blow, instead, he used the momentum from his draw to force the blade to turn so that the flat of that blade was what now would strike him. As he did this, he stepped towards the blow, effectively trapping Artemis's blade between his own short sword and left oblique. Her eyes widened in suprise, as she saw his move, but he wasn't quite done yet. Sliding his sword up hers, he struck at her hand, loosening the grip she had on her blade, and then he struck hard with his own long sword at her blade, making it fly out of her hands and into the woods. They stared at each other for less than a second before Mage went on the ofeensive once again, delivering blow after blow as she moved back, using the broadswords impressive size as a shield. Mage kept at her, swinging his blades as she effectively parried each of his blows. Though the fight was good, he was tiring, and knew that the sooner he put her away, the better. Still, to stop fighting against someone so comitted and skillful was sad, and Mage was willing to go as long as they their stamina could stand. This was why, when he feinted with his short sword, causing her to drop to a low gaurd, and he was able to pin her against a tree, he only leaned in to whisper, [B]"You look quite beautiful when you're concetrating so hard." [/B] before hopping back and sheathing his own short sword, putting them both on an even setting.[/FONT][/COLOR][/SIZE]

[COLOR=DarkGreen][SIZE=2][FONT=Courier New]Mage took a two-handed grip on his sword as he stood in a defensive posture, assesing mentally the wound she had given him. It was light and mostly superficial, and with other warriors, it would have given him an edge, as most would think that it would put him back. Not so with this lady. She inspected him for a few seconds before she bore in again, short sword on gaurd, and broadsword behind. This time though, Mage was ready. As she brought her broadsword down, his own blade flew up in a block. Thinking him to be defenseles, she thrust her shortsword to her abdomen. Yet as the blade came in, Mage drew his own short sword in a reverse grip, easily countering her attack and using the forward momentum from his draw to slice at her bicep. She drew away quickly, slashing at the air with her sword to her cover her defense. He knew that the stroke was minor, and so Mage went onto the offesive, hacking at her gaurd. She recovered easily enough from his first blow, using her short sword much more effectively than anyone else could use a shield. But she was purely on the defensive now, countering his attacks, as if waiting for a chink. Mage knew that she was more than competent and quick enough to exploit any minor mistake, so he kept his blows fluid and interconnected, never giving her the opportunity to come in. They had danced around the fire, and were now moving to the forest when Mage picked up something peculiar about her style. While she used both weapons effectively, she almost never brought the short sword into play as an offensive weapon. The moment this thought hit his mind, and the second of hesitation he took when he realized, almost cost him the battle. Suddenly, she swept her broadsword across, effectively trapping both his weapons to one side. As she did this, she corkscrewed her body into an impressive piroutte that exposed his left side. She kicked hard at his left oblique, which she followed with a slash at his midsection. It was only the bramble that effectively tripped him which saved him from gaining a huge gash across his midsection. Yet he used the momentum from the fall to roll back and right onto his feet once again. They stood both breathing hard, one from the fall he had just taken, and the other, from the exhaustion her arms had taken from blocking so many blows...[/FONT][/SIZE][/COLOR]