Completed [Anthonius Pit] Show Me What You're Made of (Ethan)

[Kaie]

Timestamp: 40th Day of Summer, 513 AV


She was breathing hard. Harder than she should in a mediocre place like this. Her body was tired. Muscles sore from a recent beating that only recently managed to escape. On the contrary, her eyes were bright and full of life. She was pleased with herself even if a couple bruises said differently. She had won the fight, hadn't she? Nothing else truly mattered in her mind.

It had been pretty close, her fight. The other guy was just about her height. A decent sized man with a sharp brain and even better reaction. For every hit he landed on her, he returned. It was a constant struggle for dominance but eventually she managed to come through just in time. It was insane how such a well timed strike in just the right place could totally alter the fight. Just that one powerful jab to his jaw and he was reeling, getting clobbered from then on by the more coherent warrior. That was her favorite thing about the fights. That rush. It flooded her veins like some kind of illegal drug. It drove her crazy and always left her rejuvenated, craving more. All that could combat that exhilaration was glorifying the Goddess Queen in battle. Even then they both went hand in hand.

Kaie had seated herself on the bench beside the water trough then. She took a rag and wet it in the cool water. The liquid felt good on her face and her aching muscles. Soon enough she'd be ready to hop back into another round of training. Another match to win. Not yet, though. For now she needed to rest. To sit back and watch the others. What she needed to do was scope out her next opponent.

She shook her brunette curls behind her shoulders and washed her body with the wet cloth. Meanwhile, her exuberant eyes scanned the dusty arena searching for her next target. Planning her next moves. Yet, who would be the first to approach her? Or better yet, who would catch her interest to earn her attention?

[Ethan Ironhorse]

Every once in a while Ethan came down to the Pit to watch the average people fight and train in hopes of one day impressing the Knighthood and being chosen. Prior to the training that Gerard opened for the public, people sought tutors for their children. Now boys and girls sat around watching the fighters practice fighting or sword play. Little wooden practice swords were occansionally pulled out and Ethan could the children practice swings or practice a mock duel with one another. For the older crowd men and women sat watching fighters and movements to gain a better edge at betting in the Spinning Coin. Ethan had come for another reason, he sat watching a woman and man brawl back and forth. Trying to watch the couples hands and movements, two seem matched well and the man kept his body protected while searching for openings. Fists, elbows, knees were all in use, Ethan saw the man pull for a body blow when the woman came in punching him in the jaw. The man went down to the sand floor and the match had ended. A well place blow could end it easy enough, and Ethan didn’t look forward to thinking about such training. Carefully, Ethan hopped down from the ring and making sure to kick off his boots and pulling off his shirt he went out to the ring. The man had been knocked out flat and it didn’t appear that anyone was going to pick him up unless they needed the space. Ethan went over to the fighter and lightly turned him over patting his face in light stinging slaps, the man woke up with a start. For a few moments Ethan talked to him, making sure he cleared his head and was able to get back up. Looking at his eyes, Ethan could tell that the man was focusing on him and had clear responses. Ethan allowed the man to walk over to the bench and sit down, helping the man had been an excuse. Ethan had walked out to the ring in to look at the weapons rack. He had always heard that Ros was an excellent fighter with a warhammer, yet he had never had the courage to ask him about one. After making sure the man got to the bench to rest Ethan looked at the weapons rack a little. There was an array of weapons had hand; swords, daggers, spears, and even a war hammer. It seemed like a brutal weapon, even though Ethan could understand its effectiveness. However, it would have to be paired with a shield or Ros’ Isurian arm for defence. No Ethan understood the warhammer, made to penetrate thick hide or armour but to him it didn’t seem like something that made sense unless you were working in a team. Swords made sense to him, he picked up a gladius not really knowing what it was. The heavy blade appealed to him, it was thick and held a bit of weight. He had seen a couple of pit fighters use it with shield. The weapon had been made without a hilt and would block another’s blade from coming down onto his hand, but what it lacked in nature defence it was strong and felt solid. Ethan knew that if he wanted to continue to work towards his goals of truly capturing the wild back from Djed storms and creatures. He would need a weapon, as well as, magic to protect whatever land he could claim for himself. The longsword was favoured by knights, but Ethan didn’t feel like it really was a part of who he was. Often he thought of the iron knuckles that could be poured and have made for fighting, but he knew that a piercing weapon was needed for perhaps the tougher hides of the animals he would end up fighting. By the Gods and Goddesses, he would also need to think about a range weapon at some point. Ethan scratched his beard as he generally thought about what weapon to pick and perhaps play the lesson cost for Gerald to teach him.

[Kaie]

Kaie couldn't help but notice the bearded man from where she sat. The way he so easily strolled to the downed man and tended to him. There was always one in the pit with the heart to look after the fallen guys. This one seemed different to her though. Almost out of place. For someone who came to the Pit on a regular basis, she was surprised she didn't recognize him. Plenty of strangers passed through and left the city the next day. This man seemed more..Residential. Funny she hadn't seem him before.

"You know, if you keep staring at the weapons rack like that, other fighters are going to think you're an easy target," She said jokingly, taking a jab at his slow decision making skills. She had seem him pick up a weapon or two and appraise the rest. Kaie knew that no one with combat experience would've taken nearly as long as he was. Definitely new to the arena, and if she could see that much, others searching for easy opponents would too. Though she never understood why some looked to best the inexperienced just to look good, she did recognize it happened.

The Myrian had appeared out of no where when she spoke to him just beside him. She studied the rack for only a second, on the contrary. Quickly, she grabbed the gladius. It was the only weapon that was truly familiar to her. A dulled blade but still something that made her feel comfortable. She had wished she had spent more time training with the weapon, but it had proven more useful to perfect her unarmed skill. Syliras Knights never took well to sharp, brandished blades in their streets. She never really had a reason to truly learn, which was odd considering she carried one with her always.

Chocolate brown eyes flickered to the young man. She shrugged and put away the gladius, leaning against the wooden side of the rack. Kaie looked at him in thought. Finally after a moment or two, she spoke.

"I've never seen you here before. How about a friendly spar?" The Myrian asked easily, eyebrows raised at her possible opponent.

[Ethan Ironhorse]

Ethan’s upper body slightly jerked as the woman surprised him with talking. He turned his head to her and smiled, for the moment Ethan choose to say nothing as he recognized the young fighter as the woman that had just won the match with her sparring opponent. Ethan, looked over her vest and loincloth, something about her said wild and dangerous. Something about her said that she wasn’t born in Syliras, but Ethan had been around enough merchants at the Windmount Stables shoeing horses that different customs weren’t strange or startling. He watched the lithe and strong form of the woman grab the gladius, he could see in her hands that the weight and balance was familiar to her. Ethan wondered why she kept so much hair, he had heard in gambling duels that men had been known to tear or grab other’s hair allowing them to control the fight. Ethan figure she had to be decent enough to make sure such a thing wouldn’t happen. “I am pretty sure that even in a friendly spar, I will end up on the ground with a cracked head. The reason you haven’t seen me before is that I am a farrier, shoe the horses at Windmount Stables or at times when it’s slow, I fill orders at the Ironworks. Came down today to see if I couldn’t pay for a lesson in learning a weapon with Gerald.” “However, I don’t have an idea what weapon to train in. So how about this, no head shots or broken bones in this friendly spar, and I will try not to embarrass myself.” Ethan held his hand out to the ring, as he slowly began to stretch and roll his shoulders. Being a blacksmith made sure that Ethan had the upper body of most fighters, additionally the hard labour forging iron into an item, made sure that Ethan had endurance. As he walked out to the middle of the ring Ethan called out to his friendly opponent. “Name is Ethan Ironhorse.” Ethan remembered watching the fighters, they kept their movement light and on the balls of their feet. Lifting up his heels Ethan moved his weight back and forth. Slowly, Ethan made fists making sure that his thumb was on the outside of his closed hand and placed himself in the best fighting stance he could. He knew that he only wanted to expose the tougher areas of his body to his opponent, his goal was to try and block the few punches and kicks with his arms and legs before trying to even score and hit on his opponent.

[Kaie]

A blacksmith. She should've guessed. He was certainly built like one, arms muscular and well defined from his work. Kaie's eyes lit up a bit out of respect for the trade, knowing damn well the value of one who could manipulate metal. Taloba wasn't in such dire need of such services considering they used anything from wood to bone for their weapons. In the barbarian world on the other hand, blacksmiths were a must. Metal controlled everything. Well at least it seemed like that most of the time. Their weapons were made of it, horses wore it, hell even their homes and wagons sometimes had it. She could scold them about their dependence for it all she wanted. The truth was it was a huge advantage and extremely useful.

Her brow arched when he seemed to turn down her offer. He seemed formidable enough and she had hoped he'd pose a bit of a challenge, even if she could tell he wasn't too experienced. Then he surprised her, agreeing to a spar after all. Kaie grinned, clearly entertained by the idea and enthusiastic. She nodded once to show she agree to his terms. Since she was already warmed up, the Myrian didn't require much stretching. Instead she simply shook out her wrists to prepare them for another round. Suddenly his voice rang from the pit. An introduction.

Ethan Ironhorse. How fitting.

"Kaie of the Cutthroat Shadows. Try to stay on your feet blacksmith," She said with a wry grin, approaching. Just as she neared him she settled back into her fighting position. Knees were bent and her guard was up, elbows close to protect her ribs and hands defending her face. Suddenly, she rushed him hoping to see how exactly he moved compared to everyone else.

Immediately, she drove her heel right toward his middle thigh. A forward kick to let him know her pace was rather different from the rest. She was testing him, waiting to see how he moved. Kaie was quick, and as soon as she sent her foot out, she would return it back to its proper position irregardless of whether or not she made contact.

[Ethan Ironhorse]

Kaie of the Cutthroat Shadows… Great, Ethan thought, I am dealing with a Myrian born fighting. As Kaie approached Ethan tried to stay focus on her body and movement. Her shoulders tilted upward and Ethan knew that she was throwing a kick at him. Without thinking Ethan’s weight hit his back foot and he sprung forward. He had moved perhaps a foot forward and began to throw a quick jab at Kaie's shoulder. In the back of Ethan’s mind he knew from experience that a horse’s kick was most dangerous when it was fully extended. So Ethan’s hind mind had decided to take getting a bruise on his leg or stomach, instead of trying to back away. The jab had been a quick counter to Kaie’s speed. Ethan hadn’t really thought about his style of fighting. In truth, right now all he was a ball of aggression, trying to shock and awe his opponent with fast and hard strikes. Ethan had been in enough scrapes as a child and seen enough fights as a man to know that full body swings of power only opened the person up to be hit a lot more. So during those childhood scrapes, he had learned to close with his opponent and strike out with hard fast blows where ever he could. It usually disoriented the opponent as Ethan kept up the brutal punishment. Ethan felt the heel hit his thigh soundly. The force of the blow whacked his meaty left thigh and Kaie's foot started to fall to the outside. Ethan's left jab was only half way extended towards Kaie’s shoulder and mid bicep as he felt the hard pain of the hit. It wasn’t as bad a mule kick, but Ethan’s thigh numbed up and he could feel the hot bruise that would color the top of his mid-thigh. Gritting his teeth Ethan felt his body float downward with the blow, so Ethan shifted his right arm to cover his mid-section better and continued with the punch.

[Kaie]

Ah, there it was. The feeling of a hit well struck on her opponent. She could feel it in her heel, the way it dug straight into the flesh. It was intoxicating to the woman. Though as she began to draw it back she realized Ethan had rocked forth with an extended arm regardless of his pain. It was a well timed reality check for the Myrian, who in turn shifted the position of her hand to eased up in preparation. As soon as her foot returned behind her where it belonged she reacted. Just before the man's punch landed upon her shoulder, Kaie used her left her to knock it outside his body suddenly. She hadn't the time for her more preferred style of counter, but this would have to do.

With his left temporarily out of commission, she hammered her right fist forward to strike his solar plexus brutally. If she succeeded, she'd quickly follow that up with a left hook in his ribs.

[Ethan Ironhorse]

Ethan felt the woman’s arm stretch and strike the inner side of his arm. Pain briefly blossomed like a soft knock of the hammer upon skin as his arm swung off it mark and Ethan saw the woman come in with a hard jab at his middle. It was hopeless in a way as Ethan watched the move in slow motion. The hard jab came in and hit him in the solar plexus. Pain blossomed in his chest as the air expelled from his lungs in a rush. Immediately his body bent, ribs protecting his diaphragm and his muscles tightening around the explosion of pain. Instinctually, Ethan gave up his strength and quickly brought his arms in protecting his ribs from the first strike. Ethan had barely gotten his arms in as his left elbow defected the left hook on his ribs. Granted the bony elbow felt the hit of her hard knuckles and an angry red welt started on the elbow, as the fist deflected downward. The pain that Ethan was experience made his anger began to rise and he quickly start started to step in. Additional pain exploded on the back left side of Ethan’s hip as the completed left hook of Kaie made contact. Granted most of the strength behind the blow had been deflected by Ethan’s elbow, so the dull thud of the hand hitting the skin, stung like a someone had quickly slapped Ethan. Ethan instincts of rushing his target and grabbing her arms in a bear hug took over. He was inside her ability to kick and though he really hadn’t understood that, his mind wanted to crush his opponent, waiting till he closed past her effect punching range to fling his arms open and embrace her in his strength. As such a grumbled that threaten to turn into a roar started to come to his throat.

[Kaie]

Ah the classic bear hug...

Kaie grinned as soon as she felt him take her angrily, wrapping his arms around hers in an effort to take her down. Such a move was common in the Pit. A favorite with the men. Something about tackling really gelled well with the barbarian street fighting. Of course the Myrians, well, she liked to think they had better technique.

Feeling her balance shifting behind her, Kaie stepped once back to compensate. She then shoved her hands into his hips to earn herself space. Following that she reared her knee up right into his gut in hopes he'd release. If he did, Kaie would continue her brutally assuming he'd double over. Elbow could come down fearlessly upon his shoulder blade, once or two if she could get away with it.

[Ethan Ironhorse]

Ethan might not have been a brave or courageous knight, in fact he hadn’t done much fighting of anything since he was a boy. However, as he felt his arm surround the thinner smaller opponent he began to tighten as quickly as he could. Ethan felt his back began to flex and his arms tightening the squeeze. As his opponent, Kaie, moved her hands to her hips Ethan felt the pressure that his biceps were exerting on her arms lessen as she rolled them to his elbows. Ethan continued to apply crushing force to her back hoping to restrict her chest and lungs from breathing. Yet there was a drop of her weight backward and the feel of her hands on his hips and Ethan knew from the hold she was trying to gain distance with her legs for a knee. Ethan could feel how tender his stomach was from some of Kaie’s punches. He needed time to think Ethan took a step forward to block the leg to his gut. Kaie’s knee came up and Ethan’s shin stopped the blow from hitting his gut. However, pain screamed throughout his shin and he grunted, “Petch!” as Ethan used as much of his upper body strength to tossed Kaie to the opposite side of her hit, hoping to topple her. Ethan needed time and to get his head back into the fight, so he back up as fast as his limping leg would allow. His left shin felt like it was on fire as he back away from his opponent to try and come up with some type of gambit.