Earth and Metal (Talen)

[Nashira]

Winter 2, 511 AV The sun's rays seemed even stronger this time of year, despite the celestial orb being farther away from the world than usual. The Ethaefal could feel their fire sinking into the gentle curvature of her back. The way it arched forward like a crescent moon, into her work. She could feel the bright rays following the length of her spine, sinking into each individual knob. She could hear them clicking as her body slowly rocked forward and back, with each movement of her hands. For she sat with her back tilted forward, her shoulders furled into themselves as she held her legs out ahead of her. Caleb's old sword draped over them lazily. She held the hilt tightly in her right hand. Her fingers winding around its length as though they were serpents moving about a tree. In her left hand she held a whetstone, which she slowly dragged up the length of her sword. From the tip, to the hilt. Scraping the metal against the rock hurriedly. The sound it produced was maddening. A sharp hiss. A grate. The Ethaefal was surprised she didn't simply stop, and cover her ears. Force the weaponsmith to sharpen her sword for her. But Nashira knew, somewhere inside of herself, that she had no time to seek the man out. For, something inside her said that she'd need the weapon long before she could get herself there. Not only that, but there was no reason to pay for a service she could easily render herself. Thus, Nashira continued to drag the whetstone across the length of her sword, sharpening them, brightening them, as they sparkled in the sunlight alongside her pink skin. Lined with golden undertones. As her long, light brown hair cascaded down the length of her shoulders, nearly burying her curled horns. A deep forest green, to mark the coming of the new season. Nashira's molten amber eyes remained upon the sight of her sword for several bells, as she continued working on one half of the sword, and then, after a time, turned it over and began work on the other side. The day was fairly silent to her, save for the subtle whistling of the wind, her breathing, her even heart beat, and the sound of the stone. So very quiet, until a time when footsteps broke the strange song that flowed through the hills, causing the Ethaefal to halt her stone towards the middle of her blade, and look out. Her eyes gazing over the other rounded hilltops, the grassy terrain. The yellowing stalks as they swayed in the breeze. For a long time, Nashira could not find the source of the sound- the nearly inaudible crunch of grass underfoot. But after a time, she caught a glimpse of tanning skin. Of a head of blonde hair. She watched the figure approach for several moments, her lips curling into a small smile, for she knew, company was coming.

[Talen Stirling]

Exercise was hard when carrying weapons. The sword at his side jostled merrily against his leg despite his efforts to hold it still, and the steel shield felt thrice it's weight after the first small period of running. Cold fire flared in his lungs, and ropes tightened around his calves as Talen ran at a steady speed through the foothills outside of town. He blinked against the sunlight and hung his head when a small hill reared up in front of him, as if nature itself was screaming "You shall not pass!" in the face of his efforts. He had been tired today, the pressures of work and a kind of winter weariness settling itself upon him. But then the skies had cleared, and now he was here, running a route that was a little further than the usual one. He skipped into a jolting halt, looking up the hill with a tired and annoyed glance. Perhaps he would just climb it, and then head back...? That option sang a sweet song of relief for him, and he'd already made his run for the day. With a sigh he walked towards the hilltop. Winter worried him, and perhaps that was why he had wanted to go further and do more than usual. "With winter comes death if you are not valiant." He remembered the feastday all too well, those ominous words heralding destruction and terror. All the more reason for him to work harder, to stay strong and do his duty.. Even so, an exhausted guard would be a useless guard. His feet brushed through the grass, surprisingly dry for the season. Certainly this would be the last of such days in a long time he thought to himself, and looked away from the hill over the city with an absent minded gaze. His breathing was steady once again, although it felt as if the air in his lungs was strangely light. That did not prevent it from getting stuck in his chest momentarily as he turned around to see an unexpected person sitting armed in the grass only a short distance before him. Unnatural, foreign and gorgeous the strange Ethaefal he had met at the beginning of Fall stood before him, appearing as if she'd just now fallen down from the sky itself. He looked confused for a moment, his subconscious deliberating whether was angered or somehow pleased by her presence. Perhaps both, although which would win out was hard to tell.

[Nashira]

Nashira watched the figure approach for awhile. Realizing soon enough, that it was someone she had encountered before. Talen Stirling, a member of the city guard. Her lips curled into a slender smile, as she watched him slow. More than likely coming to the realization that she was someone he knew. She simply looked a bit different, now that the season had changed. The Ethaefal placed her whetstone aside, atop her bag, as she called upon her hypnotic djed. She knew Talen was still far away, but she wanted to see if she could send it to him nonetheless. She imagined the tiny tendril of silver light, her djed, moving from the top of her head, to her toes, where it slithered into the ground like a snake. She imagined it wiggling its way towards Talen, before winding its way around his feet. Trickling up his legs, to his head. Where it crawled into his brain, via his ears. Come closer. It urged. Come closer. You know you want to. Friend. Nashira's eyes sparkled as they bore into Talen's forehead. She hoped her magic had taken hold. She hoped he'd obey, if not because of what she had done, because he felt like doing so, on his own. But she could not be sure. She didn't know how far her magic stretched. She didn't know how powerful she was now. How great she had grown after having spent such a large amount of time away from Zeltiva. Away from Caleb. The memory of him, and what they could have been. Why she had taken on the knowledge of how to hypnotize others in the first place. The Ethaefal shook her head lightly, willing herself to stop the use of her magic. Her attempt at control, and to simply, allow things to happen on their own for once. At least, for a little while. "Hello Talen," Nashira called. "Miss me?" OOCAbout the magic- it is unclear just how far away Talen is from her, and she isn't particularly powerful. Feel free to act entirely unaffected by it if you want. It seems unlikely the magic would hit.

[Talen Stirling]

He stood still and looked for a moment as she placed her whetstone aside, the bastard sword looking just as strangely misplaced and powerful in the hands of someone so slender. He remembered well enough on what terms they had parted last time, but perhaps that had just been a mistake. He didn't think of himself as petty, and he would rather be friends than foes. He took a single halting step as he looked at the blade in her hands, looked up with a quirky smile and walked closer only to stop a short ways off. Standing too close was awkward if the other person were sitting. He rolled his shoulders against the restrictions of the straps holding his shield and the fatigue settling in his bones. "Hmm... Maybe.. You're quite interesting." He looked down at her then, the changes she had undergone between fall and winter summoning a puzzled expression from the young man. Deep, soothing green horns had replaced the sparkling gold ones, and her long, fiery red hair had changed to a soft brown. He smiled a sudden friendly smile. "Looks like you've changed a bit. How have you been settling in?" It was easier to simply start over, and play at peace. If she had not gotten up he sat down crosslegged in front of her, careful of moving his sword and shield so he could sit comfortably. He looked at her with a little more calm, a little less enthralled this time. As if he had gotten a little more used to her alien, but beauitful, appearance.

[Nashira]

"Interesting in what way?" Nashira asked, as she flashed Talen a weak smile. "In the sense that with every season comes a rather visible change? Just as when the sun finally sets, and my skin ceases to sparkle?" The Ethaefal paused as she followed his form with her molten amber eyes. As she watched Talen settle down. Sit in much the same fashion as she, before her. "Or is it something else entirely that entices you?" Nashira inquired, as she drew Caleb's old sword across her lap, so that each end balanced in a space a few inches above her knees. The silver metal flashed violently in Syna's light, reflecting Nashira's sparkling flesh, as her flesh refracted the light the blade gave off, in just about every direction. Her arms rested across her legs, her hands cascading over the length of her knees, dangling uselessly in the air. "Settling," Nashira said, simply. "It has been done before. Nothing has really changed, since we last met, save for the color of various adornments." The woman paused for a moment, as she stared into the man's eyes. Willing her hypnotic djed to seep through her own, and somehow, draw Talen's sight into it. His very will. His ability to think for himself. Quit questioning. The magic hissed. Accept what is. Start from here. Not over. The Ethaefal's pupils dilated as she sat, silent. Waiting. Wondering. She knew that Talen was close enough now, for her magic to reach him. She simply wondered, if she was strong enough now, to get her way. To accomplish what she never could when she was younger, when Caleb was still alive. "Now, how have you been since we last met?" Nashira asked. "Obviously, you're off duty, or have abandoned your post as one of the city's finest guards," the Ethaefal went on, as she lifted her right hand, and combed it through her long brown hair. "Or you wouldn't be here right now, talking to someone you hardly know, or understand... not after what happened last time we met. Unless, of course, the others think me a threat because of it? Or perhaps you do, since you were so easily drawn into an illusion, and made to let down your guard?" The Ethaefal chuckled, as she pulled her hand out of her hair, and set it back down in its place upon her knee. "Do you wish to redeem yourself, Talen, after what happened in season's past?" Nashira's smile widened, she much preferred asking questions, toying with a young mind, than being the one interrogated. "Or are you here for something else... it seems unlikely after all, considering how you're not holding the point of a sword to anyone's neck." Nashira paused, "so if that's not it, why are you here Talen? After all, you didn't have to come over to meet me..." Answer. ... Truthfully ... OOCJust in case it's unclear. Just about everything in italics is Nashira's hypnotism skill at work. Save for the "are" in the second to last sentence of the last full paragraph. Everything else is though.

[Talen Stirling]

Talen mirrored her pose but for the sword, stretching and sighing as he sat down to rest. It was pleasant to take a break from running, even in such strange company. His eyes lingered on the blade for a moment before traveling slowly to the alien allure of his companion. He smiled a quirky smile, her relaxed poise upon the blade reminiscent to the dangerous beauty of a beast of prey. He opened his mouth about to speak, but her continued tirade cut him off before he could even speak. He leaned back abit as she raved at him, taunts and questions flying through the air like daggers. This time though, he took it easy. He even smiled a little as she mentioned what had happened last time they met, and asked if she had become a thread to anyone else. As if he had even told anyone else, or thought she was a threat because of a misunderstanding. Was she always so paranoid? "No I--.." She cut him off again, and he closed his eyes in a moment of concentration, then opened them to enjoy the excellent view while her words sent swift questions and interpretations his way. He would stay calm this time, rather than end up the fool again. He looked up suddenly, his attention sparked by her last question and the fact she finally seemed to slow down enough for him to get a word in. There was an earnesty to her question, and he mused momentarily about what a true answer would be. "I was out for a run... And perhaps I approached you because I did want to redeem ourselves." He blinked his eyes, a little confused at why he had presented such an answer. A nervous twitch caught at the side of his lips but didn't shape itself into a smile. Perhaps he had misunderstood her intentions last time, perhaps she had given him an impression that wasn't honest. Either way he did not want to be her enemy, and it was obvious to anyone what else he had in mind from his actions last season. "W.. Why are you out here? Practicing again?" He stumbled over his words as if the question wouldn't pass his lips, but he shrugged off the strange inhibition. A little of that same, confident smile found it's way onto his lips. That spark of contest and life that rested within the young warrior.

[Nashira]

"You mean redeem yourself," Nashira corrected, as her eyes sparkled, and her grin turned all the more mischievous. "After all, you're the only one who feels the need to seek redemption," the Ethaefal went on, as she leaned into her sword a little more. Allowing the cool metal to flatten her skin, and sink into her bones. A small shiver shot up the length of the woman's spine as she considered Talen's final question. Wasn't it obvious? Couldn't he see the truth of the matter for himself? "No. Sharpening Caleb's old sword," the Ethaefal finally replied, rather simply. "After all, you can't well run someone through with a blunt blade. Surely, you can see the truth in that?" The Ethaefal leaned back a little then, allowing her horns to catch the sun's glow in their curled web. "What do you say we test it a little?" Nashira asked. "Just to be sure a decent job was done. Just to be sure that when a true threat shows itself, no one is caught unprepared." The Ethaefal paused for a moment, before allowing her right hand to glide upwards, towards the hilt of the blade. When she reached it, she allowed her fingers the time to wind themselves around it. Afterwards, she dragged her hand slowly to the right, allowing the metal to slide across her skin. When it had inched as far as was reasonable, Nashira delicately made her way onto her feet. Straightened her body out. Stood tall, with the sword held at her side. Its point resting against the ground. Pinning several stalks of grass to the cold terrain. "What do you say we have a rematch?" Nashira asked. "Surely, the higher powers that be will appreciate your taking the time to practice. To get all the better at what you do." The woman paused, as she extended her left hand towards the boy. Let her palm face the sun. She was offering it to him, hoping he'd take it, and accept her challenge. If not, she'd drop her hand, and turn away. After all, he was a bit boring at times. Prepare yourself, the magic insisted. It won't be as easy this time.

[Talen Stirling]

"Surely, you can see the truth in that?" "Yes.." His eyes trailed along her svelte form and up to the strange golden horns reflecting the sun. He snapped back to attention as she suggested testing the blade resting carelessly upon her skin out, mixed feelings of anticipation and hesitation furrowing his brows. Her hand moved gracefully to the hilt of the blade, and he couldn't help but smile as she dragged it out into the open. She stood, and he looked up at her with a playful smile enjoying the view and deliberating his answer. Temptation reached out to him with a fair hand, and he was bound to take it. His own hand took hers gently and he stood up with a faint tug, letting her help him onto his feet. "I agree! It should be good." He smiled at her and stepped back, releasing her hand after holding it just a little longer than he needed to. He drew his sword slowly, enjoying the hiss of the blade as he pulled it out of the sheath which he held by his left hand, like a viper from it's den. He took another step back and stretched the blade into the air in one hand, balancing it in the air before letting it lower and rest its tip on the ground. "The shield...?" His lips pursed into a lynx smile as he reached behind with his left arm and let his arm slide into the holders, pulling it off along with the strip of leather holding it. He didn't know if she would let him use it this time. If nothing else, he was going to argue his point. That fights didn't have rules, and a person used what weapons they were capable with and were given.

[Nashira]

Nashira followed the flash of metal with her eyes. The subtle sweep of the sword as Talen eased it out of its scabbard. It seemed largely the same as she remembered, perhaps even shinier, as though it had recently been polished. As Talen spoke again, Nashira's eyes wandered to his shield. The silver steel. The triangular rise, like a mountain to be bested. "Only if you think it necessary," Shira responded, her voice somewhat cold. Why do men always have to make the playing field so uneven? Nashira wondered, as she watched him strap the shield to his arm. The Ethaefal sighed. And why must they always be so predictable? Nashira's mind added, as she pulled her sword off the ground with a swift flick of her wrist. The metal blade swung upwards awkwardly, shaking quite a bit, as Nashira's left hand flew over to the hilt. Within a few seconds, her fingers had wound around the hilt, just below the right hand. Her palm pressed into the cool black expanse, bracing her right hand. Serving to steady the blade, as she brought it up a little. As she forced its point towards Talen; a space between his eyes. Nashira took a step back as she drew in another deep breath. In through the nose, and out through the mouth. She bent her arms at the elbows a little more, and her legs at her knees. She lowered herself into a slight crouch, so that there'd be a greater spring in her step. She raised her sword a little higher. She dug her heels into the ground. She stared at the point of her opponent's blade. Nashira pushed her hands away from her form a little more. Watched as the body of her sword cut Talen in half, as the tip threatened to poke out his eyes, even from afar. "Ready?" Nashira asked. Nashira paused, taking yet another deep breath, in through the nose, and out through the mouth. As soon as the ethereal air had left her lips, Nashira would lean into her right foot, and sweep her arms down, dragging Caleb's old sword towards the ground. As it lowered, she'd twist it, winding it in a small circle, before bringing it back up, in a diagonal line, towards Talen's shield. She hoped to knock it out of the way. Lift it up towards his face, so that she could sweep her sword to the side. Effectively, raking it across his newly exposed chest.

[Talen Stirling]

"Yes..." He answered as he shifted into a comfortable position, right foot back and left foot forward, shield forward and the sword held low to his right. A faint smile quivered at the corner of his lips, but he frowned with focused eyes following her blade like a beast of prey. He could feel the joy, the spirit and the energy of the fight enter his veins, muscles almost twitching. This was what he did. Suddenly she moved swiftly, making a huge blow low blow with enough force to stagger a man. He hadn't expected it and stepped backwards from the blow swinging out flat of the shield at an angle to let it glide upwards and past. It had too much force, and even though the shield was not thrown completely out of the way he fell backwards on his feet, swinging a low protective blow out with his right as he tried to stop stumbling. He hadn't expected so much force behind the blow from someone so light, and his efforts to regain his composure was intensified by the expectation of an imminent followup by his sunlit and almost radiant opponent.