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[Fallon]

12th Summer 513AV
Noon - 12th Bell

Summer, Fallon hated it. She had officially decided it a few days ago upon this self decided fact. It was too hot, too sticky and it made her grouchy and difficult to deal with. That and she thought she was going to pass out at any moment whilst in full swing in training. And so, she was left out to wilt in the midday sun, and observe the fighters of the Pit. Unlike the squires and knights in the training ground, the pit was different. People from all over came over, unconcerned about the views of honour and fair fighting, and perhaps it was an advantage. It forced someone to fight and fight to the death. And it allowed them to survive. Of course the weapons were not that deadly - in theory at least. She had seen enough of the men who flocked here return with a blooded nose and some nice bruises and cuts.

Upon the mats there was a group of men wrestling and brawling, fists being punched as they fought to beat each other. But that was far from Fallon's immediate interest. She found her eyes more focused upon the the pair of bad duelists fighting with long swords. She watched the dull metal strike against each other, the ringing of blunt steel filling the air, of feet striking the earth as both men fought for superiority. From her position against the wall, she observed, eyes fixed more upon their feet and the way they moved than the actual movement of the blade. Foot work after all was just as important as knowing how to swing a lump of metal. Her eyes narrowed down upon them, watching the pair move back as a sword swung at their owner and the ring of metal sounded as steel met steel once more.

A cry of one of the men asking to give where the mats were sounded out, a squeal of pain before he fell silent and he crawled away. His head was held low; his face blooded as he nursed his hand and quickly left the grounds. It was perhaps an advantage once more that Fallon was a girl; it kept her out of the way of most fighting though with her current area of interest it was a slight disadvantage too. A squire could only learn so much through watching after all. She gave a glance at the dulled Tulwar that was in the training rack, considering for a moment of going over to practice with it, but her attention once more was grabbed by the two swords men trying to fight. She gave a tug at her gloves and her collar, and felt the heat grab at her tightly once more.
Dang heat. How am I suppose to train like this? she released a sigh, Train by night or something?
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[Ximal]

Day...Glorious day. Xi rolled his neck and stepped onto the dusty grounds of the fighters pit. the cloak around his shoulders felt hot in this weather however Xi was close to un-phased. Sliding it off from him and wrapping his backpack and other items within it XI stepped out onto the sands tossing his pack to the side and then atop the pack his shirt, letting the scarred flesh of his chest catch the sun light beads of heat drawn sweat glistening in the sunlight, then came the breeze. That light cool breeze. Xi rolled his shoulders his hands and feet still coated in steel. Stepping out onto the sands Xi smiled and rolled his arm around. Xi smirked and pointed at three unsuspecting fighters in the pit. "Right one opponent isn't enough for me...I'll take all three of you guys on at once." Xi smirked and the thre guy's looked at each other and the began to circle around him. Xi took a deep slow breath and flexed his fingers. As his face pulled up into more of a smirk the blended edge of teh first man's sword came flying at him. Xi lent back and lt the blade pass over him before snapping back up and bringing his left arm around on a hook. As he followed through with that he used his right arm to block a strike at his right hand side from the second of the three men. Xi then pressed on that blade pushing it out and back before bringing his right hand up to catch the second man's jaw and send him flying back. Xi the turned back around to the last of the three men who now stood mildly scared holding a blunted longsword between himself and Xi. Xi though was oly playing with them and warming up his skill and in no more than two moves he'd incapacitated two of the men. Xi rose two fingers before flicking them back and forth with a slight bring it on gesture. Xi watched the man charge him as if trying to run him through. Xi sighed and turned in tandem with the blade rushing at him letting it pass by with a lot of room as the man followed through Xi brought his right hand behind himself and slammed the knife like edged of his hand into the back of the man's neck knocking him out from hitting the central nerve at the base of his skull. Xi sighed and rolled his shoulders before picking on two more people to come at him. These two wielded a war hammer and a blunted axe between them. Xi smirked and rolled both shoulders. Flexing his hands from normal to closed fists a loud cracking of knuckles could be heard. "Two more lamb for the slaughter." Xi wasn;t going to hurt anyone but he was trying to show that he had skill enough to help promote his school back in nyka. As the two people circled him one on each flank. The one with the war hammer came first swinging loudly and wide. Xi leant back to let the war hammer pass over head as he did the second man swung his axe from the opposite direction to take out Xi's legs. Xi snapped his legs out and for the split second he was in mid-air both the axe and war hammer missed him. As he came back down to the ground though he caught himself on his arms pressed down on them and used them to spring load him self back up to a standing position. Xi took a slow breath and then in a instant brought his body weight around on his right hand foot and used his left arm to punch the axe wielder of the two men in the chest knocking the breath out of him, and then in a single simple move brought his right arm around following through with his weight driving the back side of his fist into the warhammer user's face driving him to the ground. "The people here certainly need some more training....You could use a lesson or two at my school in nyka...There you'll REALLY be taught how to fight!" Xi smiled in a half pleased half feral grin as the five people he'd beaten lie on the ground either out cold or too stunned to speak. Xi shook his head lightly. I guess i kinda over did it this time.

[Solin]

Feeling the heat of the day getting hotter with each passing chime, Solin walked into the fighting pit with his tulwar strapped to his side. Solin walked along the sides of the crumbling wall trying to stay out of the middle of any of the spars happening in the middle of the arena. He knew he didn't want to interfere with any of the matches until he was ready to participate himself. When he found the perfect spot to put down his things and stretch, he stopped and watched a lone human start to boast about taking on three opponents at once. Solin immediately thought he was arrogant and over compensating his abilities, but than the match started, and the men started to circle their lone opponent like a pact of wolves. Solin shook his head when he saw the lone man was allowing them to use their weapons, but as soon as the first went in for the first strike. The blade sliced in the direction of the lone human, but the blade never connected because the lone human ducked back under the blade. Soon after the fight was imitated the lone human retaliated quickly with a hay maker across the cheek of his opponent. The first human in the pack immediately went down without much of a fight. Solin nodded in approval and thought to himself, “OK, maybe the lone wolf is skilled enough to be arrogant?” Suddenly the next human in the pact attacked with his sword, and the lone human blocked it with ease with his right arm. Solin immediately impressed with the man's ability to take on multiple opponents. The lone human struck at the second human with a punch to the jaw. He immediately stumbled back from the blow and was out of the fight.

The Lone Wolf immediately turned to the third human in the pack. Who seemed to have pissed on himself at the sight of both his pack members falling prey to the Lone Wolf. Solin watched with a smile as the man stupidly charge a superior opponent out of sheer desperation. He hoped the Lone Wolf doesn't show him mercy for his blatant ineptness in his battle tactics. The Lone Wolf quickly side stepped his opponents attack, and he brought a knife hand up and brought it down across his neck of the stupid human. Solin immediately thought the third opponent should just take up art for that display of “skill”. The kelvic knew he was just a notice in the martial arts, but he had something the Lone Wolf opponents lack. It was intelligence and not a complete death wish. Suddenly, two more opponents rushed the martial master in a blind attempt at glory. The first opponent swung at a quick opponent with the slowest weapon on the battlefield, the war hammer, and yet again the fourth one in the pact completely missed when the Lone Wolf leaned back. Suddenly, Solin smiled widened and wanted to clap for them when the Lone Wolf opponents decided to come at him with a plan. Solin thought to himself, “Even if they lose, they still understand combat is not just swinging your weapon as hard as you can.” The pack members struck at the Lone Wolf at once, and they tried to take out his legs. Good strategy the kelvic thought to himself as the Lone Wolf jumped into the air causing their weapons to miss completely, and he came down on them bring them to the ground. The Lone Wolf had the advantage now since they were on the ground as he easily dispatched them with a one quick punch for each opponent.

Solin listened to the martial master advertise his fighting school for the people in the fighting pit, and Solin immediately thought it would be a honor to learn from a warrior with this much skill. Solin immediately stepped forward towards the Lone Wolf, and said to him with a nod of respect, “Lone Wolf..” He needed to call himself something instead of Human Number Six! Solin continued trying to sound respectful as he could to a teacher, “I am going to be honest you. My skill is unarmed combat are adequate enough not to hurt myself, but I wish to get better. Could you teach me some of your skills?” Solin learned to be polite and respectful to people even if they weren't respectful to him. However, the kelvic was proud of his abilities and his bright blue eyes displayed it as he waited for the Lone Wolf to reply.

[Fallon]

It was the cry of a boisterous man that once more dragged her attention from the pair of sword fighters and to the mats. She watched fists fly, the grunt and groans of men as swords were brought into the fray. So effortlessly did the man fight and fend them off, as if the others were little more than flies to be swatted away. The men with war hammers approached, yet their sentence was already decided, for no sooner did they get into range of those fists did they meet a quick demise. Of course, the man than announced himself rather loudly a grin plastered upon his face. He had caught the attention of the people by now, among them a light haired boy with an all too familiar weapon at his side.
Ooo! Tulwar!

Her eyes slid up him as she approached the mats to get a better view of the few massing others. Her head peered over the tops of shoulders, glancing through gaps as she worked her way round to see this skilled fighter and to hear more about his supposed school in Nyka. A place that was a mere stone’s throw away in comparison to other cities she had previously visited. She slid through a pair of other observers, and to the right of the man as the boy addressed him as ‘Lone wolf’ and begun to ask questions.

And then she realised who this man was. By the Gods Fallon was surprised, or at first she was. A wave of panic and the call to disappear and hide quickly followed afterwards. Out of all the people it could have been, fate had to make it him. That boy from Sunberth from those few years ago, from another lifetime and another phase on her journey.
Shyke! I need to get out of here! She turned sharply on the spot to see the wall of the crowd behind her Out of all the people it had to be Ximal!
Squeezing herself back through the gap, Fallon pushed her way back through the people, not that it helped too much when she found herself being directed back to the mats once more by a firm guiding hand of a brute that was in awe with all “Hey, lass you should see this man, he’s somethin’.”

Once more she was guided to the edge, and in turn she stood their sheepishly, shoulders hunching in as she tried her best to look as unsuspecting as possible. Her hands were firmly placed into her pockets, and her eyes fixed upon his feet and remaining for a moment silent. Or at least until she actually raised her gaze and let out a low mumble “So you gave up on being a hero and opened a school instead? Dang… It’s been a while Ximal.”
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[Ximal]

Xi's beaten up five men in under a few moments, well more like a chime. But still he hadn't expected this kind of crowd to gather around him he'd assumed that he'd have to beat up everyone there in order to get the point across that he had some skill. Still though it wasn't like he could argue with how things were going. Xi folded his arms across his chest the steel glistening in teh sinlight and the sheen of light sweat mirroring it's rays. Though something happened that made Xi pause for a moment. someone stepped forwards, calling him "lone wolf". Odd Xi's never been called anything other than his name before. Or giant but then again that's cos he was one. Xi smirked though and listened to the man who'd stepped forwards. Least he was honest, he wasn't the most skilled of people in his opinion. But Xi would be the judge of that. Xi smirked and glared back into the new guy's light blue eye's with his own neon black blue ones. The dark deptsh weighing up the man before him. Before he could say anything though, his thoughts were interrupted by a familiar voice. Xio flicked his eye's to the side and caught site of someone he hadn't seen in years. least not since that time in sun berth and seeing that note she'd left. Xi smiled and spoke up. "You say i gave up on being a hero. Not really. I'm sure you heard about what happened to nyka in spring...I had a hand in helping stop it. If i'm going to be a hero. I'm gonna have to stay there as that's the most dangerous place i've ever been. And not for normal reasons." Xi smirked then returned his attentions towards the man who'd approached him first and announced to both him and the gathering crowd. Taking a deep breath he rose his voice louder than normal but still nowhere near his maximum volume. "My name is Ximal! I own a school of fighting in the city of nyka! I've come here to look for student's worthy enough to take a place at my school!" Xi rolled his arms and flexed his fingers. "Anyone who thinks they can train with me or under me, can stay. The exam to enter my school is to fight me and last longer than these five louts." As Xi finished his speech about half of the crowd dissipated leaving a large number of people to stand by to take his test to see if they could enter his school. Xi smirked and hoped at at least one of then would have the nerve to try it. Then Xi turned to speak to fallon. "I am still going to try to become a hero...The difference is, now i see i need more than my own skill, i need to enable others to defend themselves. It's less about being strong yourself, and being strong enough to strengthen others. If you think i'm wrong, feel free to show me what you've learns in the time i've not seen you." A strong grin formed on xi's face shifting the scarring lightly and sowing the kind souled man he was beneath his hard arrogant and boisterous exterior.

[Solin]

Lone Wolf finally said his real name was Ximal, and Solin gave the large man a closer look, and he could tell the man was giant by the sheer size of him. Ximal was almost six inches higher taller than most men, and he was built like bear. The kelvic had a feeling if he was willing to train potential students in unarmed combat that he was a man to be trusted. Suddenly, the large man announced his attentions of finding students to the crowd around him, and the blond young man frowned when he saw the crowd start to disperse. However, the kelvic realized the challenge the large man stated, and he knew most men would try to a avoid a dangerous situation if they could, but Solin knew the kelvics were made a solders, so he said to the large man, “I will take up your challenge my name is Solin Valhir.” Suddenly, a woman came out of the crowd, and she seemed to know the Ximal from long ago and his dream of becoming a hero. The man boasted about him saving the city of Nyka, and Solin figured to himself that he should let the two friends catch up while he prepares for his spar.

Solin moved away from the two humans and took of his shirt and unstrapped his sword. He put them down in a neat pile, and he tied back his long blond hair. The kelvic kept a eye on the two humans, and he could tell that the woman was a capable warrior with the way she carried herself. Solin noticed the sword strapped to her side, and he saw it was the same shape as his tulwar. He figure it could be fun to train with her later if he was conscious to do so. Solin started his stretch routine, and he started to roll his neck and his wrists at the same time. When the muscles were loose enough, he bent over as far as he could to touch the top of his toes. He held the position for a minute before he stood back up. The kelvic sat down on the dirt and spread his legs. He bent over and tired to touch the tips of his toes. He held the position for a minute until the back of his hamstring started to hurt than he repeated the stretch on the other leg. When he was finished with the sit down stretches, he lifted his foot and started to roll his ankle on each foot. When he was finished stretching, he waited patiently for Ximal to call him over for his beat down.
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[Fallon]

Fallon did not hear anything about Ximal and his supposed heroics. Nor of the news in Nyka and the mishaps there. For all she knew it could be little more than a story made and designed only to impress.
“Hate to break it to you Ximal, but none in Syliras have heard about the events in Nyka. Though I’m sure it was so impressive that we did not hear about it,” there was a twang of sarcasm in her voice, and one that could not be hidden “Must have been so wonderful.”
She rolled her shoulders as she watched the boy Solin – as he had introduced himself - begin to stretch himself out and prepared himself for a good beating. She knew already what was coming, she had seen it first-hand some time ago. Of course, that was then and this is now, and from the little she had seen he had no doubt grown stronger. As did his somewhat braggart attitude.

“What have I learned?” She turned her gaze up to the sun at that point and raised her hand to her forehead to create shade “That being called a hero is simply a title people put upon others, a pedestal that people are placed upon forcefully to explain why others do no achieve,” Cruel perhaps, but that was Fallon’s outlook on the subject of heroes and greatness “That of course is my own opinion, nothing more, nothing less. I also discovered that wolves are heavy, though I would presume you know that already.”
The squire rested her hand on the top of the Tulwar and her eyes finally sliding back to Ximal properly this time. She met his gaze and gave an incline of the head before speaking in a firmer and more direct voice “Or is the question on more specific learning?”

The few others began to filter away, leaving only a few observers who were still deciding if they wanted to partake or not. Fallon remained at the edge, watching still the boy warm up and stretch himself out. She gave a nod to him and flexed her fingers before tugging at her gloves “Don’t mind me, I’m just watching. Observing. Doing what I do best. Maybe I’ll decide to write about this legendary hero before me instead of training.” The girl gave a wink and folded her arms, watching and waiting for the ‘lesson’ to begin “Don’t forget to play nice Ximal.”
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[Ximal]

So the brave boy's name was "Solin". Least the boy had some semblance of manners. Xi smirked and barely moved an inch as he looked at Fallon keeping in mind the boy's positioning. Using sound only. Though Fallon herself was by far more interesting. She hadn't heard of the events on the forty-fifth to the fiftieth ? Xi would have thought the whole damned world would have heard about the events hat happened there. Xi sighed lightly as he could almost see the sarcasm dripping from her words. It wasn't thinly veiled like zand's not quite so well put forth as ana's but still it was there heavy and blatant. Though when fallon continued her speech about what she had learnt he could see her mood shift with her words. Being called a hero was simply a way of putting forth the way of putting someone else on a pedestal for achievement of little merit ? Xi smirked and couldn't stop himself from responding. "Perhaps that's what happens with the knights here. Hollow honour and little merit to their words, no better than jumped up thugs in shiny armour and with supposed better morals. All lies." Xi kept a half eye on the boy now. Xi watched Fallon place her hand on her tulwar and then speak of a more specific learning. So she was jut there to observe what was going to proceed between the apir of them. Xi rolled his neck and cracked the vertebrae there. I'm only assessing so i can cut my power down by half, and slow myself voluntarily though...I may still be too fast. Then came the comment about "playing nice. Xi couldn't help but laugh out-loud and then took a few steps away from Fallon so as not to catch her in the cross fire. "When do i not play nice...I only knocked the five people here out...I could have killed them...In the same time frame." Xi turned his full attention back to Solin now. Xi took up no formal stance instead opting to use his "formless" stance, one where he stood like normal and prepared for his opponent in his own way. "Well boy, your brave enough to fight me. On equal footing no-less. You could have used your sword but that would make little difference. I'm still going to be wearing my steel. Mostly for your protection. So when your ready...Start your assault!" Xi's eye's narrowed lightly his deep black bluye eyes now becoming hard as sapphires embedded in marble.

[Solin]

Solin kept a eye on the two humans, and he could tell by the way she was teasing the large man that they were pretty good friends. The woman seemed thoroughly amused and had a hint of disbelief at his heroics in the distant city of Nyka. Solin was kind confused if he was a hero in Nyka than why would he come to Syliras? A different city where nobody would know of his heroic deeds, but he figured the large man was trying to expand his sphere of fame across Syliras, so the kelvic wasn't the kind of man to judge the large man's intentions. All Solin knew if the large man connected a blow with his fist or foot against his slender and lean frame, he will fold like a piece of paper. Looking at the curly haired woman, the woman seemed to have the demeanor of a intellectual. If it wasn't for her tulwar by her side, he would swear the woman would be reading a book in the library somewhere, but he knew appearances can be deceiving, so he turned back to the task in hand of trying to prove himself to the large man. It would be nice to learn a thing or two from a true master, and even if the man was loud and sort of obnoxious. Even though he was a brash man, Solin still thought the man should be honored and respected for his dedication to his martial art.

Walking over the woman and Ximal, Solin couldn't help smirk when the woman said “play nice.” He smiled at the curly haired woman and said with a laugh, “Most than likely, I won't remember anything after the thrashing.” Realizing he was being rude by not introducing himself to her, he said with a half grin, “Oh my name is Solin, I figure I should introduce myself before I forget my name.” Solin didn't wait for her tell him her name. Before he turned to face his opponent. He knew he was facing a master martial artist, so it will be like hitting a stone wall, but he was worried about how hard the wall will hit back. This fact didn't frighten the kelvic at all because Solin was not kind of person to back down from a fight. Especially when he initiated the challenge to Ximal, so he walked in front of his opponent was just staring at him waiting for his attack. Solin refined his fighting technique in Riverfall, so he got into his fighting stance with his left fist in front of his face, right foot back, and his lifted his left foot, so he barely resting his weight on the toes of his foot. The kelvic knew he didn't want to put every first attack because he didn't want to make the same mistake as his first opponents. As Solin moved forward to attack the Lone Wolf, he adjusted his blocking hand with each movement of his back leg, so he would have a better chance blocking a strike to the face from Xima when the large man retaliated from his initial attack. When the kelvic was in range, he did a quick jab to the nose of Ximal with his blocking hand as a distraction. After the initial jab with his blocking hand, he stepped forward to add in extra momentum as his right fist drove toward the large man's stomach.

[Fallon]

It was upon the mention of knights and their ways that Fallon simply looked at him, shoulders straightening out and her gaze turning sharp. It did not surprise her on how little the people thought of the Knights, and all the supposed lacking states and thoughts, along with their supposed cowardly nature. She would not deny that there perhaps existed such squires, she could possibly consider several already who could easily slide into that category. But the knights themselves? A rare chance, but those sorts would not rise through the ranks and so be of little influence to the whole order.

They would be little more than dead flesh to be hacked away at the best possible moment.

Knights that survived though, they followed their beliefs to the core. They were keepers of the peace, workers for Sylir. They served under Eyris, Yahal and Tyveth too sticking to the ways of wisdom, faith and honour. The squire gave a snort. In turn it lead her finally to the conclusion that the ones that Ximal had met were either failures, fakes or weakened so they could not serve correctly. In the case of the later, well there was little they could do if they were weak, for the others well anyone could throw the title up that they were a knight.

“So, am I to presume you have met all these sorts of knights then?” she shook her head “Then I should fit in wonderfully with them all,” Her lips curled, “After all I am a girl who carries hollow honour, little merit, and is little more than a jumped up thug. All false and lies, aren’t I now?” There was little point beating about on who she was now, and she cared little for what Ximal himself thought. His words would be little more than water washing over her. Besides, as far as she was concerned she was doing the right thing, and the right thing to her meant being able to help defend the place that she called home. Even if home was little more than a giant stone coffin that housed fifty thousand people.

She gave a quick nod to Solin. Although he had manners, she wondered how long those manners and polite tongue was going to exist after Ximal had dealt with him “I’ll tell you my own name when you come round.”

And then the spar began. She watched Solin’s form or more over his feet whilst her eyes traced down briefly to her own, before finally she made space between the two of them and allowed them to fight. Perching down on the ground a good few feet away, Fallon watched the two and remained silent all through the while.
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