[Razkar] Fire and Steel - Part 1

[Edreina]

Edreina had been fascinated with Razkar's telling. By the way that he described her, Edreina felt that she would have loved to speak with his Ayatah. A love of knowledge was something Edreina could easily relate to though she often preferred to learn it physically compared to in books if possible. After speaking, Edriena realized how much more experience Razkar had compared to her. There was so much that he had seen while she knew only of the Flotilla and a few caves. "Do not rush to find love, Edri. And not try to understand. You see, in my story, love find me. I not even look for it. And understand? HA! Man try a thousand years to understand woman, and all he get will be headache..." Edreina rolled her eyes and snorted. Rush to find love? No thank you... Abruptly, he was staring at her intently, as if trying to bore a hole in her. What in the name of Laviku's tangled beard is he doing... "Never see love? You? I hear something, about man in... Syliras? Docks there...? Come, I tell. Now you tell..." At this, Edreina blushed brightly and grinned, a thousand moments flitting behind her eyes. "Orion... Orion Michaels." She snorted and rolled her eyes, looking down at her hands. His name was said in a thoughtful way, as if reflecting upon a pleasant memory. "He and I were very good... friends." She decided not to taint his mind with the nitty gritties. The delicious, mind-blowing... nitty gritties... Her mind purred as the cycle of images continued until she had to physically stop it by shaking her head. "We met in a tavern one night and had a bit of fun," she smiled to herself at the inside joke of how they had flirted all night and ended up with only bumps and bruises to show for it. "He thought like me, so there was no entanglement, afterwards." Upon a question he posed, she shrugged and smiled again, this time including him in its gentle warmth. "By that I mean that he wasn't looking for long term. He just wanted a friend with whom he could have fun. I don't want anything long term..." Her teeth kneaded at her lower lip thoughtfully as she reflected upon her own personality. "I'm not really interested in creating ties. I want to be free to explore and experience without worrying about another's welfare or wishes constantly." Sighing, she smiled again, a small, self-depreciating sort of smile that did not quite reach her eyes. "Selfish, I know. But if I can't look out for my own interests, who will?" She shrugged and rose to her feet, groaning as her limbs protested. "What say we get on to sparring, now?" There was a lack of light in her eyes. Self-delving was not something that Edreina did frequently for it always brought to light the more negative aspects of her personality.

[Razkar]

"Orion... Orion Michaels. He and I were very good... friends."

Razkar smiled triumphantly and crossed his arms, settling in for the tale. He knew there'd been a man. Only a man could provoke that kind of blush.

"We met in a tavern one night and had a bit of fun. "He thought like me, so there was no entanglement, afterwards."

Razkar chuckled in a way that Edreina decided was far too knowing for a "mere savage". The grin he gave her afterwards was just more of the same.

"Oh, yes. "Fun". I am sure much fun was had by all..."

The conversation took a less lascivious turn from there, and Razkar's grin became less leering and more understanding. He understood what she meant. Not long ago... gods, he had actually been her age, if he remembers rightly... he had been of the same mind. No lover or partner to fret over, no children to hold him back, just his blades, his duty and a whole jungle to prowl. Goddess, how things changed...

"Plenty of time to look love," he said eventually, as she started to shift, "Plenty more time to enjoy world. Is very big. Many amazing things."

"What say we get on to sparring, now?"

Razkar looked over at her fully and found she was already up on her feet, ready to go... but there was no more carefree spark in her blue eyes. He had dug too deep, or so it seemed, and he sighed to see her guard back up. Well... lesson learned, he supposed. And perhaps this was the best mood for her to be in for what would follow.

"Well," he said, perhaps a little too loudly, moving the mood swiftly back to the hard, martial practicalities of their time, "Since now have train weapon so it bit easier..."

He walked to the barrel and tossed her the wooden training sword. She caught it once-handed, and by the hilt, earning her a short nod of approval. He unsheathed his ax and felt the corner of his mouth lift as he heard that beautiful sigh of sharpened metal on leather. He'd never get tired of that sound.

"Before, when we train," he said, happy to find himself sliding back to his teaching persona, "I use ax like sword, to help with thrust and block and parry, yes? But now, I use ax like ax, so you know how to stop ax. But first..."

The Myrian braced his feet, then slid his right back, knees bent, standing almost perpendicular to her, ax cocked back in his right hand. Still. Poised. Ready.

Feels good to be back.

"... we see what you remember from last train. Attack!"

[Anchor]

Loot Razkar's Find : Skill Points Brawling 2 Lore Akalak Weapons: Heavier & Larger Crab: How to Eat Edreina: Young Yet Other Stuff As a result of the multiple lash marks sustained during sparring, Razkar's skin will become slightly paler and clammier. There will be no adverse chronic symptoms, and the effects will wear off in a couple bells after the treatment. Edreina's Find : Skill Points Acrobatics 1 Whip 2 Observation 1 Brawling 2 Investigation 2 Lore Whips: Distance Weapon Whips: Cut not Kill Battle-Frenzy: Losing Control Ayatah: Half-Blood Scholar Good thread, and shorter thank gods. Let me browse through it in a lunch period rather an all day. Just a couple notes I made while reading, none very severe but just things to keep in mind. Leather whips are actually much harder to cut than you might think. I'm not too sure of the physics, but I think that, especially when it is being swung, a wry blade will take a few whacks to get through it. Also the speed will make it hard to hit even with a weapon, unless one holds it up in the whip's path and waits for it. Also marked down some points for Edreina since she's still a novice in both acrobatics and whipping, and withheld points form Razkar for using the wooden sword since he's at the stage where practice weapons won't contribute much. Also watch about controlling the other player too much, it's technically godmodding as well though as long as you are boh fine with what happens then I won't mark it down. Keep writing, I looko forward to reading more!