The Dance of The Blood (Flashback~Puck)

[Taithrosa Eldytia]

Timestamp: Flashback. Sometime before the Valterrian. Location: Valkalah Reason: Remembering Training with the Lakan and the forging of his Lakan. Status: Puck Taithrosa Eldytia walked the paths of Valkalah. His pale blue eyes looked only straight ahead ignore the pride of the Akalak civilization that rose around him. His feet marched with a strong purposeful step towards the arena. His sandled foot showing off the brilliant cobalt skin that marked his as a proud memeber of the Akalak race. His destination was no less then the fighters hall. At his side was the wooden Lakan that he had used for years now as he practiced the uses of the weapon. He was so very close to finally gettin his Lakan. He had passed his test of manhood and today he would be forging his lakan. He just wanted to practice one more time before he was given the real blade. The Blood blade that would always be bound to him. So he walked with a faint smile as the inner voice once again spoke to him. Sydai the other half of his soul. 'took you long enough. If I had..' Taithrosa kicked a rock as the only sign of the frustration he felt. 'you couldn't have focused long enough to do anything.' He snapped back mentally. 'I am sorry what were we saying. Ohh look at her." Taithrosa turned his head despite not wanting to. Walking along another path was a human woman. Tall and strong she would bear strong sons. Taithrosa shook his head and took control of his mind and body again. 'ahh but it would be so good.' The internal monology contiuned as the two contiuned to fight. Ever walking towards the practice hall. ******* The Ethaefal Taithrosa Eldytia sat in the water his body relaxing. His arms and hands floated on the water and his face was turned upwards towards the sky, his silver eyes rolled back and stairing at his master Leth. His skin glowing like a small moon. He hadn't had such a vivid memory return but it was important and so it contiuned. ******* 'You know we really should take care of that Cartian idiot. He could possible do better then us on the final.' Taith eye twitched. 'I happen to be friends with Cartian.' was his irritated responce back. He walked more quickly towards the hall.

[Puck]

Taithrosa reached the end of the hall, being confronted by a large door. Upon opening this door, the Akalak found himself in a large room with Akalak of many ages milling about. On the far end of the rectangular room was an opening to a set of stands, and to either side of it two elaborate doors could be found. Though the pair of portals was recognizable, Taithrosa could not quite recall where they led. Murky images of stairways and dimly lit halls came to him. The doors were a mystery yet. Younger Akalak ignored Taithrosa, for though it was a public forum and arena, generally combatants were matched according to their age and skill level. Most of them were on the side of the hallway, practicing their combat skills on dummies. More experienced or skilled Akalak waited for the arena. Potential arena participants, mainly Akalak one or two years younger than Taith, eyed the newcomer warily. At the moment, Taithrosa was the only one in the antechamber preparing to forge his Lakan. Other people were mildly worried about facing the more experienced Akalak, except for one. The Akalak that stepped forward was, by far, the most focused memory Taithrosa experienced. The challenger's facial details were vividly etched into the back of his eyelids. He was about a head shorter than Taithrosa, and had much less muscle mass. In fact, this Akalak was quite wiry for his kind. His eyes, a deep blue, stared up blankly at Taithrosa. Though his eyes gave off no indication, the Akalak's face was dead serious. It looked as if someone had hung weights on it for far too long, for his face was worn in a perpetual frown. In his hand he held a wooden Lakan. Taithrosa's proposed combatant opened his mouth and spoke, but the words were swallowed up by time. About half a chime later, the Akalak stopped speaking, turned, and exited through the left door. Before shutting it, he gave Taith one more glance. The rest of the Akalak in the training hall stared at Taithrosa Eldytia.

[Taithrosa Eldytia]

Taithrosa paid little attention to the doors beyond or even the younger Akalaks in the room. He was at that age were he was confident in his abilities. He was about to turn thirty and would take his Rite of Manhood. He was looking forward to the chance to face against the slavers. He paused as he was faced by the short and irritable youth. His pale blue eyes remaind calm, but that inner soul wasn't happy. 'Why the stupid moron.' Taith had to focus exclusively on keeping from reaching out and strangeling the young man. His other half was strong and violent. Despite his inability to stay focused once anger he was powerful. He hadn't emerged until Taith had been ten years old and those first years had been very difficult. 'That punk who does he think he is to be speaking to me like that.' He looked over at the man as he departed the room. Taithrosa allowed his eyes to narrow, the only sign that he didn't have complete control of his other half. He turned that look upon the other boys near him and then stepped off to the side were one could stretch out before one began to exersises. His eyes still held that dangerous look as he began to stretch. Taithrosa had always been good at acrobatics believing that one needs to keep there body loss and not just focus on weapons. He began to stretch lossen out his muscles. He worked his way from top to bottom, rotating his head around in circles working to lossen his kneck. He then contiuned to worked downwards working on his shoulders and arms, and then down to his hips. He stretched out his calfs and ankles. He performed a verity of stretches working but all of them simple and just long enough to achieve the desired results. He also did the stretches to qwell the inner voice. He wasn't going to allow Syadai to control the situation. Slowlly and steadly he felt himself taking control and soon he felt the clam that he worked best in. Standing up he walked over to the door on the right reading himself for a practice match against the twerp.

[Puck]

As Taithrosa opened the door, a long hallway of stone stretched before him. Magical lights, contained in glass domes on the wall, threw low light in the corridor. Taith entered, and the sounds of Akalak beating on dummies and conversing was suddenly cut silent as he closed the door behind him. He continued down the flights of stairs which wrapped around the arena. Inexplicably, a small feeling of nervousness gnawed at Taithrosa. There was little reason to the emotion, for his opponent was both smaller and younger than Taithrosa. However, try as he might to rationalize his brain, it refused. Never did it grow to overwhelm or make him hesitate. Just a tightening of the muscles, a few beads of sweat, the anticipation of battle. He continued walking. Parts of the memory faded, shadows piling up in corners he could not recall. The rest of the walk was a dark journey, only bits and pieces of light punching through the veil. Try as he might, Taith could not summon up the same vivid memories of this part of the journey. A small snippet of feeling cut through though, but somehow Taithrosa knew it was not related to this hallway, for there had been nobody here before the memory had faded. The Akalak continued down the blotted out hallway, but he swore he felt a small stabbing pain in his stomach. He was on the ground level. There was a small antechamber with an array of weapons and a bench or two. A sharpening stone, some chalk for his hands, two harness' on the wall, and a helmet. Opposite the equipment was a metal grating that took up the entire wall. While Taith recalled most of the equipment being optional, he was required to don one of the gladiator's harness' and the helmet. The lighter of the two pieces was mainly cloth and leather. It covered the chest with a cured leather piece, and then two pauldrons and a skirt summed up the leather components. Woven cloth served as coverage for less targeted areas. The heavier of the harness' was more metal, with leather as the accompanient. It was identical to the cloth and leather one, except where there was leather on the light one, there was bronze on the heavy one. Leather also replaced the cloth on the heavy harness. A bell hung from the wall by the harness'. If Taithrosa were to discover neither of the harness' fit him, he could order a slave to come and fit him to one. In front of the metal grating was a large lever. If Taith were to pull it, it would signify he was ready. Once both Akalak were prepared, combat would commence.[/color]

[Taithrosa Eldytia]

The blank in Taithrosa's memeory caused a momentary rappied blinking but the meditation didn't break. His liquid silver eyes still stairing up straight at the moon. His mouth opened a bit at the feeling of pain in his stomach but no scream or sound came from his mouth. His meditation was to complete and he was to losted in the memory. He stood in the armory looked over the options that he had for armor. He wasn't particularly looking forward to the fight in just a few moments, it wasn't actually anything big since the real test would be the hunt after the completion of the Lakan, but he had wanted one more practices before he started watching the forging later this evening. He didn't have long to focus on which one he wanted. He prefered the lighter armor as he believed in being able to move quickly. The metal armor did provided some better protection but Taith knew that it would affect his moving around the feild and especially in responces to attacks. He was large but he had worked hard to overcome that including working through gymastic training while he had been growing up. Turning his head he looked over the armor to make sure that it wasn't flawed in anyway that could harm him. His hand ran along the leather checking it over. Assuming it turned out good he took it down and checked it to be his size. He was pleased with its fit. Comfortable, it didn't allow for restriction while didn't hang so that anything would be caught. He breathed in deeply focusing his mind. Strangle Syadai had been silent the whole time, but Taith suspected it had to do with excitment for the comming battle. While he wouldn't ever admite to it, nor would he ever compliment Taith. They two understood one of the basics of battle was the battle. It was the only time they had agreed to stop the insulting and to work together. If only for the duration of the battle. Once victory had been determined then the fight would start again. Taithrosa checked his wooden Lakan admireing the weapon that had been with him for so many years. He smiled at it. His light blue eyes showing a foundess, and his white teeth flashing against his dark skin. This would be his last battle with wooden Lakan really. Now he would keep it and use it to teach his sons with it later, but after today he would have the real thing. His large hands with their tappered fingers holding it firmly and familiarly. He reached out and pulled leaver indicating he was ready.

[Puck]

A startling clanking sound, and chains pulled the grate up. Sunlight filtered into the antechamber from the arena, dust floating in the rays. As Taithrosa stepped forth, the stone floor gave way to sand. So too, did the walls fall away, arcing out in a great circle. This was the training arena, where many Akalak before Taithrosa had earned respect among peers. Seats did not line this small arena, only a box for judges and a few of their peers. Blue figures, and oddly enough a human woman, stared down from the height, awaiting the commencement of combat. A great sense of history intermingled with the unexplainable tension in Taith, making the entire experience quite surreal. But mixed among these emotions was a cold sense of finality. To think, this would be the last time Taithrosa would enter this arena before he received his Lakan. If he walked out of this ring today, manhood would be his. The boy strode out of the antechamber opposite Taithrosa. The sandy earth around Taith flickered dangerously as another wave of darkness threatened to overtake him. His opponent's visage remained clear throughout the blackouts, his figure outlined with razor sharp clarity. The boy approached, face anxious and neutral. Taith saw the sweat dripping down his face even as the world about him flickered like the sun was a torch in the wind. Then his opponent let loose a battle cry, and charged Taithrosa.

[Taithrosa Eldytia]

Taithrosa eyelids began to flutter as the memory seemed to dim. Here was the critcal part of the memory. It was here that the fighting began, but it was also here were the memory was the weakest. His memories in fights seemed to travel to a different set of rules in regards to time. His focus was different, and seconds seemed to last forever. In his mind eye Taithrosa wasn't aware of his body in the present instead his mind was back in the past remembering the events of another lifetime. He noticed briefly the observers but paid them little attention as they weren’t important what was important was the boy on the other side of the arena. His mind was focused on that figure standing at the ready across from him. Thaithrosa was dancing his final dance with the wooden blade. Blue eyes were focused on other side of the arena. Everything around him seemed to flicker as if it was hard for him to recall the memories, which given his clear focus on the boy fighting against him. The sand beneath his sandaled feet was just part of the floor. He was an Akalak youth of Valkalah. Even his second soul was focused on the youth before them. Blue eyes narrowed as the youth screamed and charged across the field and all of his focus and that of Sydais was placed upon the boy. He step forward his skills coming from the many hours of training. As a healer in training Taithrosa understood the body, and had trained accordingly. He understood the Akalak anatomy as only a healer can. Because of that he had trained not only with his Lakan, but also with his body. The blade moved faster and better when ones body was also tuned to quick responses. Taithrosa also moved into the arena, but he didn’t scream and didn’t run head long. He did move quickly though out into the field. He didn’t want his opponent’s charge to give him to much momentum against and attack, but he also wanted to use it against him. Taithrosa was prepared for the incoming attack and as the other boy charged him Taithrosa would see to what side he held the weapon and at the last moment he, traveling slow enough to still control his movements, would side step to the opposite side and bring his wooden blade out to swipe at the boys ribs. He would allow the swing and the momentum of the his run to allow him to spin around and face off against the attacking boy again. He held the laken firmly as he did so the inner voice nodding in approval.

[Puck]

ApologiesSorry for the horrifically late response The boy's yelp was the first indicator Taithrosa's hit had landed, soundly thumping against his torso and forcing a loud "oomph" from him. He did not press the attack, instead backpedaling a few steps to glare at Taith, who was now facing the boy. Eldytia's opponent gritted his teeth and clutched at the growing welt with his free hand as the pain simmered under his skin. Hid did not sit idle for long, releasing his grip but not his glare. His chest heaved, chest already aching from the dash across the arena and the burning welt. Taithrosa's world steadied itself as it took a breath of rest from the charge. His adversary did not immediately approach, but instead cast his eyes about. Not two seconds later his face lit up and he dashed to the left. Not two steps later though, his right leg kicked out and threw dust in the air like a brown fog. His leg struck out again, large plumes erupting from the ground. Gritty sand and pumice shrouded Taithrosa, coating his skin and rubbing into his eyes. His memory reeled, yet strangely he did not feel off balance in the depths of his meditation. His opponent apparently had little heed for the well being of his own eyes for he rushed through the dust cloud, which was now sinking to the ground. Each stride kicked more of the arena's floor at Taith, until the boy had finally closed the distance and loosed a vicious diagonal blow to the older Akalak's shoulder. Without waiting for Taithrosa to parry, or conversely fail to do so, he pulled his lakan close to him and stabbed at Taith's abdomen with all the force he could muster. The boy made small grunting noises with each strike, his eyes boring into Eldytia's as he threw his weight into the thrust.

[Taithrosa Eldytia]

Dirt in the face wasn't an uncommon tactic and while annoying Taithrosa was completely surprised. He felt the sand and dust settling around his face but he didn't allow that to interfear with him. He began to quickly blink his eyes, so that he would keep most of the sand out and keep his sight. His impulsive opponent was trying strange tactics, but also ones that slowlled his movement. Just that little extrat effort to kick the sand would slow his movement down and distract him. Taithrosa kept his calming contiuning to blink away the little dust in his eyes. The tactic really hurt them both as the other boy would also have to deal with dust in the air. He held himself ready for a coming attack. The boy wouldn't be throwing sand in the air if he wasn't preparing to charge again. Taithrosa, moved quickly, but didn't run. He constantly tried to stay at the edge of the cloud of dust so as to avoid the general dust. He thought was prepared and listened with his ear and much as saw with his eyes. As the boy move to strick him across the shoulder, Taithrosa didn't bother with blocking the blow. It was to high and could very easily take his out of the way. Instead he used his body and turned sideways swivling on the foot opposet of were the attack was coming. Careful of his blance he moved quickly and allowed his swilve to carry him about three fourths of a full turn so that he would no longer be standing in front of the attack boy but instead would have moved to be facing the boys side. He would quickly stick his wooden lakan forward towards the boys side again, before quickly moving back again and out of the reach of the enraged boy.