Closed Passing the Time (Razkar)

[Kreig Messer]

Kreig couldn't help himself, he was grinning a wide shit face grin. He contemplated the Myrian's words, especially after the headbutt he had giver the Brawler, and found he was absolutely petching right; Kreig had been in too many battles lately that required him to actually have a stance…. Fights that wouldn’t allow him to exploit his brawling to the fullest ‘I’ve gone bloody soft’ He chuckled, the reason why was because this was not Syliras, none of his fights were a life and death matter and his style would be frowned upon entirely if he pulled the moves Razkar wouldn’t hesitate to use “Your absolutely bloody right” Kreig thought rubbing his forehead softly, brawling was indeed brute force and cunning. He had to recall everything he did in Sunberth to survive, every bloody brawl and every life and death situation… when brawling, he had to recall his origins.

“Be the meanest bastard anyone ever did saw, eh?” He also liked the Myrian’s version of sparring, it bordered on actual fighting but the gent lectured him all the way. Kreig, this time, didn’t bother taking much of a battle position again…. This was going back to his roots after all, why use an obvious stance when your objective was to obliterate who was before you “So… what you’re saying I should do is…”


He charged closer to Razkar once more, he still looked at the Myrian’s eyes to get a clear view of his torso, his left hand extending with an open palm to ‘grab’ the Myrian’s side and thus his damaged ribs, but that was a ploy as he expected him to grab it and if he did Kreig would flip his palm and grab Razkar’s wrist, He’d then lean his head back slightly to feint a headbutt, but in truth would raise a knee to the Myrian’s balls.

If the Myrian happened to slap the left hand away, Kreig would feint aiming for the Myrian’s healing ear with a right punch, when in truth his right leg would hook the back of the myrian’s left leg and with his left hand would push him forward to help with the tumble. Finally, he would simply give a light tap to his ribs.

“…Is use every trick in the book” He said, with a nostalgic look on his face.

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[Razkar]

“So… what you’re saying I should do is…”

Razkar had to admire the human's speed. The sentence fractured and before the echo of the lat word had faded, Kreig's hand whipped out to his bruised side, Razkar forearm snapping out automatically to block it-

-only for the human's hand to shift, fingers wrapping around it as he leaned back-

-and Razkar did the same, sensing a headbutt-

-but the human's right leg jerked up instead, Razkar's left leg twisting inwards to take the blow aimed at his crotch on his thigh instead, grunting as the slab of muscle and fat went abruptly numb-

"Offence!" He managed to snarl as the two of them were close. "Not let enemy make all move-"

-sapping his right hand onto Kreig's wrist, the two of them now holding onto each others forearm, Razkar pulling him forward-

-head tucked low to slam the top of his head towards the human's jaw-

-as he felt a questing ankle hook at the back of his left leg, already off-balance thanks to his block-

-Kreig stepping backwards sharply, aiming to trip him, pull his leg from under him-

“…Is use every trick in the book?”

But Razkar kept his hold on the human's arm, pulling him backwards at the same time, left hand shooting out to grip Kreig's right forearm as it raised to aim a blow at his head-

-then letting himself fall back as the human intended, but taking Kreig with him, ass hitting the ground-

-knees braced against Kreig's chest-

-and throwing the human behind him as he finished his tumble, Kreig flying over the top of him and landing on his front on the deck.

The Myrian grunted in pain and felt an old, sore and barely-healed wound flare into angry life, ribs screeching as he managed to get back up to one knee, seeting Kreig do the same, whirling to face him-

-and twisting himself around brutally, barking out his pain as he did so, battered body protesting as he flung out his left leg-

-shin aimed at the human's head-

-only to be blocked from its target as Kreig threw up both of his hands-

-but the impact was strong enough to put the human back onto his back, thud shaking the deck, giving Razkar a moment to roll away and scramble back to his feet. Both combatants breathed heavy and excited, upright again and circling, impressed, goading smile on Razkar's face as his head bobbed.

"Good! Very good! But not make all feint. Spend too much time making feint, not enough making hit-"

He burst forward, leading with a right straight at Kreig's face that he knew the human brawler would see, arm coming up to avoid it, Kreig twisting away from the blow-

-as the rest of Razkar slammed into him, tackling him and bearing him back to the deck, Myrian on top-

-with his left forearm jammed into the human's throat, pushing down with just enough force to let him know that if he wanted to, much more force could be added.

"If get on ground, get on top," he managed to rasp out, applying a little more force as he felt Kreig tense under him, "Get on top, fight is almost over. Can do what you want to enemy. Choke, punch, headbutt, or-"

His right arm snaked around and grabbed a handful of hair from Kreig's fringe.

"Just smack head into ground 'til he stop moving."

Razkar rolled off the man, several times, until he was a good bit away and got back to his feet. Already the session was taking his toll, recovering body pleading for a cessation... and he ignored it. His ear throbbed, his ribs groaned and his thigh burned... but he strove on.

"Must learn... to take pain." He said eventually, still the paid teacher, after all. "In brawl, unless first hit ends fight, you will get hit back. Force through. Ignore pain. First to give in to pain is loser, and in brawl, lose means die."

Razkar managed to slow his breathing, moderate it as a cool breeze danced across the deck, ruffling his long, untied hair and sending it capering around his shoulders. He cracked his neck from side to side and nodded.

"Again."

[Kreig Messer]

“Petch…that’s exciting” Kreig announced as he smiled, but that smile quickly faded, he could feel a bit of blood trickling from his nose. But it wasn’t that which bothered him as he realized that as exciting as this Spar was, it was again a bordering on a fight. Razkar was obviously in pain, his wounds aching…. And the fighter in Kreig couldn’t except that, but the stubborn warrior and teacher in Raz didn’t seem to care. He respected the Myrian and honestly considered him a friend…. And he felt guilt that he had the man spar with him rather than waiting for his wounds to heal up.

“Aye Friend…. Taking the pain is important..” He announced as all intent for battle suddenly faded “ But ignoring old wounds never a wise idea, especially when this is just a spar” Kreig calmly approached the Myrian, his intent clear as he raised his arms peacefully and once he was close enough he gave a light touch to Razkar’s side, slowly that he could see “… where we are now is not a battlefield, not a battle of life and death. Your body demands rest friend…. Are you so willing to risk your life as a warrior , only to be bedridden for perhaps all of the season or even more simply because your ignoring your body’s cry for reprieve?” He asked, Then his head turned, looking at the door “Petch… come on, I’m sending you back to bed, before I decide knocking you out Is easier”

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[Razkar]

“Aye, friend… taking the pain is important.. but ignoring old wounds never a wise idea, especially when this is just a spar...”

The human relaxed and approached with peace and reason in his voice... so naturally, Razkar immediately went on the defensive. Didn't he just demonstrate this trick?

"Where we are now is not a battlefield, not a battle of life and death. Your body demands rest, friend… are you so willing to risk your life as a warrior, only to be bedridden for perhaps all of the season or even more simply because your ignoring your body’s cry for reprieve?”

Kreig got closer and Razkar found himself listening. Really listening. The concern in the man's voice... no... that wasn't faked. Razkar despised himself for his inability to tell a subtle lie. Obvious ones, well, the clue was in the name... but real manipulation? That was beyond the savage's ken. But when it came to Kreig's word now, he heard only real concern for his well-being.

But he still had a lesson to teach.

“Petch… come on, I’m sending you back to bed, before I decide knocking you out is-”

Razkar waited until he was closer and then his knee came up in a blur and Kreig folded over, feeling like his pelvis had just exploded. Razkar grabbed a handful of hair and Kreig saw the Myrian's dancing eyes over a thin, stern line of lips.

"Weakness." He rasped. "Weakness can be a fake. Can make you think enemy is done. Fight is over. Is not. Fight over in training when men bow and shake hands or other shyke. But in brawl? Fight is over when one man not move anymore..."

Razkar let the human go. He watched in silence, not offering to help him up as Kreig hauled his body upright. They stared at each other in sullen, mistrustful silence... until the Myrian sighed, finally and monumentally letting this human, this barbarian, see just how tired his body truly was.

"You every smoke Taloba Grey?"

The human winked, and frowned. Razkar grinned, and it touched his eyes.

"Good blend... my friend."

[Kreig Messer]

"Weakness." The Myrian rasped in a weak and tired voice "Weakness can be a fake. Can make you think enemy is done. Fight is over. Is not. Fight over in training when men bow and shake hands or other shyke. But in brawl? Fight is over when one man not move anymore..."
Kreig litened to his words, and he conceded he had a point despite the fact he himself was now aching ‘Petch he’d fit in with Sunberth’ Kreig chuckled internally a he hefted himself up, stretching his back as it made loud popping noses and then ran an arm against his nose to wipe away the blood. He gave a concerned stare at the Myrain, he looked like he’d be resting for a few more days all because Kreig was bored and wanted a fight partner.

"You every smoke Taloba Grey?"

Kreig cringed, an eye winking painfully but it was not because he smoked the stuff; but at the idea of smoking anything in general, it was enough that he drank a copious amount of alcohol.

"Good blend... my friend."

“I’ll stick to my beverages thank you…” He then motioned with an arm pointing at the door, hoping the Myrian wouldn’t be so stubborn as to go back to bed. The best Kreig do now was make sure he was comfortable and keep him company. The fact he was called friend wasn’t lost on Kreig, it sounded quite genuine and Kreig couldn’t help but give a soft smile, he’d tease him about that for certain but not now.

“So tell me….what’s the Myrian homeland like?” He asked with genuine curiosity, the land of Myri and her warrior children “I hear it’s a nice travel destination, filled with large cats that could rip heads off and children who have nasty a habit of playing rough with each other” He didn’t need to guess that Myrian may be homesick, petch he missed Sunberth and felt a sorrow that he was now an enemy and an exile.

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[Razkar]

“I’ll stick to my beverages thank you…”

Razkar groaned and rolled his eyes with that air of smokers the multiverse over, despairing at the bloody purists surrounding them. He ignored the pointed finger at the darkened stairs below deck, walking slowly back to his sea on the deck instead, where his harness and rucksack were already laid out, along with his water.

"You loss, barbarian..."

“So tell me… what’s the Myrian homeland like? I hear it’s a nice travel destination, filled with large cats that could rip heads off and children who have nasty a habit of playing rough with each other.”

Razkar chuckled as he listened, and worked with his hands since everything else was aching. He was bent over the pipe between his age, worn and proven pine with a carefully-cleaned head, filling it with thick and pungent brown tobacco. Once it was properly packed, he raised it to his lips and lit a match.

"Much more green than here. Been to Bronze Woods?" He shook his head as the tobacco caught, dried plant matter sizzling and glowing in the bowl. "Think of that, but... ten fold. Twenty. No trail, no road. Every piece of ground has vine and tree and leaves and... life..."

There was a slow, steady sucking as the Myrian inhaled. His eyes closed as the thick, sweet smoke filled his mouth and he swallowed it. Held it. He'd heard tell that Taloba Grey was seen as a "drug" by many, that it have psychoactive, even hallucinogenic properties.

Razkar supposed that was correct... but only if you knew Taloba. For when he inhaled, closed his eyes... the smell and taste bought back those memories. The smell of burning torches and cooked meat on the air. The sounds of laughing children and the crash of training weapons.

Sights of friends. Family. Lovers.

Razkar exhaled slowly, peace seeping through his worn limbs and calming them as he reclined on his chair. A thick, languid tendril of grey smoke trailed from his mouth and slid towards the sky, only to vanish in the burgeoning blue...

"So much life there... so different than here... but home always is." He chuckled again. "Children are raised hard, but raised loved, I think. We just know world is hard. Jungle kill you, if it can, but give us life. Make us strong young. And cats..."

He tapped the end of the pipe against the mangled and long-healed scar tissue on his left shoulder.

"... bad as you say."

He turned his gaze to the oddly-contemplative human sitting next to him, sucking a little more steadily on the pipe.

"Where is home for you? Here? Or other place? Said thing about... Sunberth? Have heard of that place. Like... battlefield, they say. Say 'Sunberth' and people shudder or make face. Like is horrible."

Razkar smiled around his pipe, that hungry expression Kreig knew well.

"Sounds like place for Myrians..."

OOCHow long you planning to stick around? Edreina says she might post her returning to the boat in the morning, if yer interested.

[Kreig Messer]

Kreig smiled softly as he sat on a chair and admired the inside of the Casinor, he found it quite roomy. He then listened to the Myrian speak after he prepared his pipe and lighting a match as he took a deep smoke. Kreig truly listened, an old habit he had back in Sunberth; he would always here the tales others spoke off, hear how their days went as they enjoyed a drink at the tavern after a days of hard work and survival. Hearing travelers speak of their journeys and how they couldn’t wait to leave the city to greener pastures..

He agreed whole heartedly with the fact of how different home was than the next place. Taloba sounded like a place Kreig would love to visit, even if he gathered that the denizens would be far less friendly to him than Razkar was.


"Where is home for you? Here? Or other place? Said thing about... Sunberth? Have heard of that place. Like... battlefield, they say. Say 'Sunberth' and people shudder or make face. Like is horrible."

"Sounds like place for Myrians..."

Kreig couldn’t help but give a loud and hearty laugh that soon turned hollow, then give a small grin to the Myrian as he flashed a similar bloodthirsty grin “Aye, I’m from lovely ol’ Sunberth….and indeed it is a battlefield, but of a different kind my friend”

He stood up from the chair and approached a jug filled with water, looked at the Myrian for consent then poured himself a cup “It’s a cesspool my friend, there is little love, little friendship…. If you call us barbarians then you’d call Sunberth a den of animals” He returned to the chair and sat comfortably, taking a light sip from the cup “Even your people have rules, but Sunberth….. well, imagine Syliras with all its strict laws removed, then imagine no knights to keep the peace. Large gangs controlling pieces of the city, with the smaller ones subservient to them and trying to rise above their station, then imagine the normal worker, the normal person just trying to make a living and prayed to the gods not to get mugged or killed…. Imagine children…. Wandering the streets searching for scraps of food and then they disappear only to turn up dead or slaves” Kreig then took emptied the contents of the cup in one deep gulp before gently placing it on the ground, eyes lost in memory “ Imagine, perhaps the entire population hunting you down relentlessly, from pitiful reasons to things like being a magre, trying to impose order or just being very angry…and there you have Sunberth”

He then looked at a wall “Very few have a sense of decency, of right or wrong, its hard to have in a city where its dog eat dog” He cracked the knuckles in his fingers “ But…. For men like me, and perhaps you, there is always a battle… it’s the home of mercenaries and warriors, those who wish for blood no matter the source and gods did I love it… want to hear how I left?” He awaited the Myrian to nod, then began his tale of how he had entered the biggest of his life alongside a Vantha named Eridanus, and how he was now likely an exile amongst a city of exiles.

OOCKreig could spend a few bells, no problem

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[Edreina]

It had not been a hard day, or even s long day. Even worse, it had been a slow day. Edreina hated working the day shifts at the Herald's Arms. Most people were working, and those that were not tended to come in, grab a woman by the arm, and head up stairs. Every once in awhile, someone would stop in and get a bite to eat. Those few that did would brighten up the redhead's day with a scrap of conversation. They did not tend to stay long, however. Navis appeared to share in his mother's opinion, stretched out around her shoulders, enormous tan ears on a constant swivel as he searched for something to entertain him. As she walked, the Svefra absentmindedly rubbed his paw between her fingers, struck once again by how silky his tiny paws were; each pad felt like a polished pebble. Once free of Stormhold's grasp, Edreina took a deep, satisfying breath of salty air and tilted her face up towards Syna. The life that had been sapped away by spending her morning confined to Syliras quickly returned in the form of a rosy blush that skittered across her cheeks, infusing them with a healthy glow. Once outside, everything about the redhead seemed to come alive once more. With a quicker step, Edreina traipsed her way down the dock towards her ship. Oh the Goldengrotto. It was everything she held dear in life: freedom, security, independence, comfort... It was her home, her magnificent steed. The moment she stepped onto the deck, Edreina was sure that something was off. The way her deck swayed as she leapt onto it was... Different. Rather abruptly, Navis began squirming and yowling angrily, scratching her shoulders as he scrambled off of her. He landed in a puddle of vibrant fur and angry ears before recovering and darting below deck. What the petch is going on? Warning, territorial growls echoed up from the hold, arousing Edreina's curiosity. Whatever had caused the imbalance in her ship's motion must be there. Perhaps she should get a knight if whatever it was proved to be dangerous. Her journey to the hatch of her hold was quickened when she heard a surprised/pained yowl emanate from below. Any consideration for her own well being was tossed aside as Edreina flew into the hold, skipping the ladder to land in a flurry of quivering red hair and a swirling blue skirt. Immediately, her lip curled angrily at the sight of a stranger sitting rather comfortably in the center of her home. He was no guest of hers, and was thereby trespassing upon her ship. Doing so was one of the greatest forms of disrespect among her people. Crossing decks was understandable and even necessary. But to enter another's hold uninvited? "You! What are you-?" so full of racial indignation was Edreina, the question was cried in her natural, fast paced Fratava, appearing to be no more than a jumble of syllables to the casual eavesdropper. Her question was cut short, however, as a movement in the shadows caught her attention. Whirling, all fiery hair and flashing eyes, Edreina turned to see- "Raz?" Obviously this stranger was a friend of Razkar's otherwise he would never have made it over the gangplank. But what was he doing here? Who was he? And what the petch had just happened to Navis? Where was her kit hiding now? "What's going on?" The anger had left her blue eyes, but annoyance still clung to her features, crossing her arms and arching one copper brow. Yes, Razkar was a guest upon her ship, a hold-mate even, since he paid no rent. But this ship was hers and that was the final anchor. If this stranger disrespected her home, she would be honor-bound to ask them both to leave. As he had invited the guest to board, the stranger's behavior reflected upon Razkar himself. Deep down, Edreina wondered if the Myrian even began to fathom the importance of a Svefra's tie to their ship.

[Razkar]

The more Razkar listened, the more his brash smile was reduced until his lips were a thin, serious line once again. He frowned slightly as Kreig's voice became... mournful. Memories were being revealed now, not just observations, and Razkar felt the urge to comfort his new and unexpected friend.

Finally there was silence between them, faint light from the few portholes all that illuminated the hold. Another lungful of smoke was dispelled by the Myrian, and he spoke.

"I was wrong," he said, and Kreig turned, half-surprised, to find the Myrian's face serious and set. "Not a place for warrior, I think. People... barbarians... always think Myrian just kill because can kill. Because thing is there."

He shook his head, more sadness in the gesture than anger, coral fan and bone shards looped into his black hair swinging along with it. He sighed, sucking reflectively on the wooden stem, smoke oozing from between his lips as he spoke.

"Warriors. That is what Children of Myri are meant to be. Warriors need war, not just for kill. I know war can make... awful things..."

The merest sense of doubt crept into the Myrian's voice. Something rarer than gold in a snowstorm, but before Kreig could comment on it... it vanished. Obscured and overwhelmed by that rock-hard foundation of loyalty the young male had to his Goddess-Queen.

"But Glory of Myri does not make city where children suffer so. Does not make place where... gang can make law! Place is evil. I was wrong when heard about it. No glory or honor there for Children of Myri." He paused, voice becoming as dark as his suddenly shadowed eyes. "Better to burn all and make new place..."

Well, wasn't that a scintillating social and philosophical perspective? But before Kreig could start over on it, both men looked upwards at the sound of feet on the deck, creaking and scratching... wait, scratching?

Growling?

Razkar's eyes turned sharply as a ball of snarling fur no bigger than his foot hurtled down the steps towards the human, seated in the middle of the hold, his back to-

"Oh, shyke!"

-Navis, just as the fox buried his teeth in Kreig's rear.

Chaos doesn't really begin to describe it. Both men lurched to their feet, one in shock, the other in pain, until Razkar could bat the little dog off the spinning human's rear, not easy to do with the pipe still clenched in his teeth, ash flying everywhere. But finally Navis bolted away, scuttling under the nearest cabinet and growling, all but invisible save for a flash of bared teeth.

"White Rat! One day, I-"

"You! What are you... Raz?

Both males turned to see a bristling vision with flaming hair and pale skin standing tall at the bottom of the stairs. Clad in her work clothes, but sufficiently loosened now she was off, Edreina cut a beautiful but vaguely intimidating figure.

She was a Svefra whose ship, her sacred ground, had been invaded without consent. Razkar blinked and realized the offence made... but he did not show it. Not yet.

Yeah. Good luck with that, boy.

"What's going on?"

The Myrian straightened up and set his pipe to one side, one last thin wisp of smoke rising towards the ceiling. With due formality, he reached out and clapped Kreig on the shoulder, gesturing to him with his free hand.

"Edreina, I show Kreig Messer, squire for Knights and friend of mine. I know him from Spinning Coin. He come for me to train him. Found me here, so train here."

There it was, then. Kreig nodded his greetings and Raz had to wonder what kind of words the Sunberth-bred boy would speak. But he tried to keep his own gaze level and unafraid. He lived here; he was friends with her, true, but he trained her in the arts of war with bow, whip, bare hands... anything else she wished to know. And never a copper was charged since she gave him shelter.

Razkar tilted his chin up slightly, a barely perceptible challenge to her indignation.

"Is there problem with him coming, Edri?"

[Kreig Messer]

Kreig was somewhat shocked by the Myrian's outburst, somewhat.... part of him actually expected the Myrian to condemn the City loved so much despite its overwhelming faults. He didn't dare say it, but the Myrian's thoughts on that should be destroyed and rebuilt from the ground up were the exact same thoughts of the order. Kreig couldn't help but agree.... and that saddened him greatly, but he burried it deep within as he didn't want the Myrian to see it.

'If there is only one virtue of Sunberth....is that it bred survivors such as myself'

Before Kreig could speak a word, there was a small skittering sound of feet, scratching too 'What's that?' Kreig's answer came in the most laughable and saddest way possible; A small creatur with Fur, perhaps the size of Kreig's foot bolted toward sthe poor brawler. Razkar let out a curse as the target of its ire was the educated brawler himself, leaping at his rump and sinking his fangs.

Kreig bit his lips as a jolt of pain ran through his, suddenly standing upright then froliced about franticly in a circle while Razkar trying to get the rat thing off his hide. When it finally released its fangs, it disappeared to gods know where and left Kreig with a sore rump 'I think I preferred the wolves' He silentky commented.


Then came the Casinor's Svefra owner as she stepped down from the deck into the quarters. She was a handsome woman, though she didn't look like any Svefra he'd seen. In truth she seemed to have more in common with the Inarta when it fomes to appearances.

Razkar placed a shoulder on the Brawler and introduced him to he ships captain and Kreig couldn't help but feel guilt as he knew that a Svefra's ship were everything to them 'Petch, and I'm an uninvited guest im her home'

"Ah yes, sorry for intruding ma'm. I merely wished to borrow Razkar's warrior expertise in hopes of enchancing my own skills, we were merely taking a break when your r...Pet" he quickly corrected " thought it dutiful to bite me in the rump, I'm sorry to say we've cause a mess while trying to remove it" He bowed to the woman apollogeticly, speaking every word politely and with sencere guilt of the trouble he had caused "Er...I'll gather my belongings and see myself off the ship then" Part of him was chuckling on the inside, as he wondered if the Myrian was dumbfounded by Kreig's polie manners.
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