PM to join [Bronze Woods]Sword and Snakes[Zsshirshavira]

[Cyrus Blackfire]

43rd of Spring, 513 AV

Cyrus would have normally conducted his martial training with his patron's supervision and inside of the city. There was no need to be secretive about it after all, it was just a normal skill that most expected him to be able to do effectively. Most people didn't carry a massive blade on the their backs just for show, as such things were very uncomfortable. The tall warrior knew how to handle his blade, that was not an issue.

Today he was practicing in the small clearing where he usually practiced his reimancy, the hilt of his blade fitting comfortably in both hands. The tall warrior was, as always, dressed in his trusty banded mail armor. He would be using reimancy today, most likely, however it would be in tandem with his sword. He figured that it would be a good display of control if he could cast while engaged in a swordfight.

He gave his weapon a few practice swings, testing the heft as he always did and the brought the heavy five foot blade into guard before him. Cyrus closed his eyes, breathing in through his nose and out through his mouth, a breathing exercise he had recently been practicing. It never hurt to meditate or calm oneself before a battle.

The warrior swung out a wide overhanded arc, one designed more for intimidation than anything else. He then moved the blade back to balance the hilt against his shoulder before thrusting out and up, a move that would have likely impaled someone too slow to get out of the way. Before his next move Cyrus breathed out a cloud of res as he moved his blade into position. The warrior swung down with a brutal chop, simultaneously gathering the wind to the res and pushing a strong gust outward from his blade.

It was likely that the gust would have at the least thrown some people off balance, maybe even knocked the other if they weren't prepared. However the stress of using both his magic and his weapon was quite apparent as the drain on his Djed felt more than normal for the spell. Apparently his mother had been correct, casting under stress could effect how much power you could unleash.

He sighed slightly and placed his hand on the pommel of his weapon. It would seem that he was a long ways away from where he needed to be in order to cast while fighting with his sword, at least effectively.

[Zsshirshavira]

Vira was finally a squire...the work was dull as of yet, but her initial excitement over having been chosen to join the Knights had yet to dissipate. Her duty was to be to patrol outside the walls of the city, which was most agreeable to her, having lived most of her life outdoors. She was unused to the cramped feeling of a city, people pressing in all around, buildings, streets. It was all very strange still. As such, the young Dhani woman was extremely pleased that her Knightly duties would entail a great deal of work in the surrounding Bronze Woods. She stepped swiftly between trees, looking as a pale spectre, her blue eyes flashing this way and that, exploring the many flora and fauna of her new home. She was particularly fascinated by how trees looked in this deciduous forest. There were no vines, no chattering calls of monkeys above; these were replaced by creeping, blanket-like moss clinging moistly to tree trunks, and sonorous chirping of the multitudes of songbirds that flitted through the trees. Oh, how she longed to shed this alien form and be her true, serpentine self in nature once more. Vira wagered that by the end of her life, she'd have set a record of some sort for having lived in human form as long as she had been. She had never stopped counting the weeks, though. It had been 2 weeks, going on 3. She put such thoughts out of her head. She had chosen this life for herself, and this was merely one of the consequences. Brushing the long ebony bangs from her pale visage, her head snapped around towards a sound she'd heard off to her left. It was a whoosh, as though a zephyr had suddenly sprung into being, then faded just as quickly. Her hand swiftly, but gently came to rest upon the pommel of her simple longsword, and she lowered one shoulder, preparing to cast the shield from her back and forward to meet any threat at a moment's notice. Cautiously, quietly, she stalked through the forest until she came to the edge of a clearing. Used to moving stealthily in her home jungle of Zinrah, Vira crouched behind some underbrush and beheld in the center of the clearing, a man. He was strongly built, broad shoulders, and wielded a greatsword with obvious finesse and vigor. Handsome, she supposed, at least for a human. But what was he doing out so far in the woods? Her eyes flicking this way and that, she saw no campsite, no fire. Was he from the city? Vira attempted to stalk closer, but winced as she stepped on a dry fallen twig, which snapped crisply, the sound carrying through the silent clearing. She quickly set down her sword and shield where they would remain unseen, before taking a deep breath. Drawing her black cloak around herself, she stood and cleared her throat. "Um...hello...I'm sorry to disturb your training, but I'd heard something, and just thought to check what it was..." Vira said shyly, idly fidgeting with a lock of her long, black hair. Her eyes alternated between watching the man and staring meekly at the ground. It was clear to her that she needed a great deal more practice speaking confidently to humans.

[Cyrus Blackfire]

Cyrus was tired, one did not simply throw magic around and expect not to be tired. It might be that he would have to look into using some of the incantations his mother had taught him in order to effectively use magic while in the heat of battle. The tall warrior sighed, pushing back any hidden desires to cast more. He needed to improve his abilities, to hone them to their finest point so that he could be ready to face the challenges that laid ahead of him.

The tall man was about to focus his mind for another spell, an incantation ready on his lips when he heard a twig snap nearby. Cyrus was quick to turn about face, his greatsword ready in his hands. Standing at the edge of the clearing was the tallest woman he had ever met, not as tall as him perhaps but certainly tall and athletic looking. She was rather attractive, though his mind was unconcerned with vain things such as beauty at the moment, if she was not hostile then their would be time to admire the scenery later.

He allowed his blade to lower slightly as she explained herself, mentally relieved that she indicated that she had no idea what made the sound. It would be bad if too many people learned that he was a mage, most people didn't trust Djed users and for good reasons. The knights were the only ones that really needed to know, no one else.

Cyrus smiled softly, his gaze not unkind as he took in the sight of the shy woman. She was an unknown quantity, at least for now, however he was always on the look out for potential assets to his cause. A little charm often went a long way, as far as dealing with the opposite sex.

"Greetings, miss, no need to worry about causing any disturbance. I am quite alright with being disturbed, especially by such a flower like yourself." Cyrus said.

His speech was often criticized for being flightily and overly wordy, but Cyrus enjoyed putting on a bit of poetic speech every now and then. It was part of who he was really, a madman, perhaps, but none could deny his passion for beauty.

"Pray tell, what brings you out and about this fine day, my dear?" Cyrus inquired, planting his sword in the ground and placing his hands on the pommel.

[Zsshirshavira]

Her eyebrows raised at his charming speech. She may have been a literal serpent, but this man had a forked tongue of honey, though she was not unflattered. Hm, eloquent AND athletic. It was not a combination oft found in Zinrah among the Dhani. There, it was you either had brains, brawn, or both if you were female. "Ah, I am Vira." She said quietly, meeting his gaze and stepping further out into the clearing, away from the treeline. Away from where her blade and shield lie. Perhaps most women would not have been as calm as she was around a complete stranger, but she had yet to meet any human that could match her strength. "I am a Squire of the Syliran Knightss," She continued, jutting her chin in the direction of the city. She always made sure to keep track of where it was, since she was still unfamiliar with the area. "I patrol the area surrounding the citadel, though I am new to my duties, so I decided to walk and acquaint myself with the woodss." "Though, I am curiouss...Why do you retreat so far into this wood simply to practiccce your swordplay? And did you truly hear nothing earlier? The noise was quite loud." Her accent was beginning to snake its way into her speech yet again, though most simply discounted it as a lisp. It was a common disorder among humans wherein certain sounds were more difficult to pronounce correctly, and it was a very convenient excuse for her shyness, as well as her occasional hiss when speaking. "I apologize, I don't mean to sound suspicious." She finished with a kind smile. Vira kept forgetting that among humans, females were not typically so demanding, nor were men obligated to answer her questions, as it had been in the caves of her homeland.