Live Steel

Log Info

• Title: Live Steel

• Emitter: Dolan

• Characters: Andelena, Aryia, Dolan, Thurid

• Place: A03 - The Colosseum

• Summary: Dolan and Andelena are sparring when Dolan notices Andelena's form is all off, her attacks more like she's trying to kill him than to practice form. They talk about their relationship and the difficulties they're having in adjusting to their new sense of normal, as well as what's changed. Aryia and Thurid stop by and chat. Aryia is almost about to give a demonstration of her power until she's run out of the Colosseum, leaving the Daeusites to their own devices.

-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-<* A03: The Colosseum *>-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-

Crafted largely of stone, the Colosseum sits heavily in the midst of the district. Effectively a giant arena, seats form its sweeping sides like the forefront of a great stage. At its center is a stained, stone floor. Each end is overseen by the opposing statues of Kor and Angoron, their arms raised and each holding weapons in gestures of triumph. Staged at a crossroads, their stone gazes stand in eternal challenge over the battlefield floor. Angoron's statue appears to have something of a smirk, opposing Kor's dreadful scowl.

Construction here is on the massive scale. The Arena's stone form was carried piece by piece from the Redridge. Borne on the shoulders of ancient oruch and formed by the tireless hands of the khazad, it is second to none in ancient craftsmanship. Old tribal and clan symbols, nearly worn away, reveal themselves when blood and sweat pools in their minor crevices. Their unusual display brings to life, if only for moments, memories of warrior traditions past. It is for this reason the Arena serves as a diplomatic grounds for some cultures, as well as sport and competition.

Beneath the arena's stage are preparation rooms for competitors, and retiring areas for the wounded. Here, warriors are tended to by aids and medics, by coaches and priests. Tarianic laughter echoes from the chambers on the Angorite side. These unseen areas run alongside a cleverly, khazad-designed system to flood the arena's floor for certain performances. When flooded, the arena draws waters from the nearby Tornmawr. During these occasions anything is possible, as even the Nar-Sektoth have been known to visit from far off Am'shere, and display their powers beneath the gods' banners.

The encircling seats provide a grand view, while vendors often walk the aisle ways between, selling food or taking bets. Clear as blood is the single, red line drawn down the arena's center between the twin statues, daring an opponent to cross.

-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=- Dramatis Personae =--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-    
Andelena             6'0"     180 Lb     Human             Female    Redhead with steel-grey eyes and powerful build. 
Aryia                4'8"     110 Lb     Shadow Elf        Female    A heavily scarred mul with a resolved look about her.
Dolan                5'10"    174 Lb     Human             Male      Brown-haired human with scars down his face.   
Thurid               7'1"     249 Lb     Giantborn         Female    Bright-eyed, muscular, blond Giantborn woman.  
-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-

GAME: Dolan rolls weapon1: (10)+5: 15
GAME: Andelena rolls weapon1: (2)+6: 8

A frosty chill lay over the city of Alexandria, kissed by the early-morning sun, when Dolan and Andelena had made their way out to the Colosseum for a little sparring practice. A little, they'd said. The sun is now high, and they're still at it, cloaks and overlayers tossed aside over the railing at the edge of the seating area.

Dolan today has opted to spar with the prosthetic eye inset, although the eyepatch is ready to hand should he desire to disable it, resting atop the nondescript gray woolen cloak of which he has proven so fond. He holds his greatsword with both hands in a guard pose, waiting and watching, shirt and trousers clinging to him sweatily, his hair slicked back and wet with sweat, droplets beading on his face. A twinge in the side that had been clawed yesterday is starting to make itself known, but it's not hampering him yet, and he stares, focused, at his sparring partner.

Andelena's fighting is more erratic than normal today. Her blows don't connect as often, her movements more brash and reckless. Even Dolan can see that she's clutching her longsword so tightly that it seems like it's less an extension of her and more of a weapon used in desperation.

This is not reflective of the Sunguard that he knows. Even the look in her eyes seems a bit more like a wild animal that's cornered--perhaps more like the lion freed from the cage than she'd ever care to admit, her copper-blonde mane of wavy hair flowing behind her. She pants for a moment as she just stares at him, sword held in a neutral stance, shield off to her side.

"Take five," Andelena says, finally, sheathing her sword and wiping the sweat off her brow. She looks away from him and takes a step like she's about to go walk off in search of water, a sweat towel--or an excuse to get out of his sight.

"Andie." Dolan's words are gentle, concerned, and he drops his guard, laying the blade down carefully on the stone floor of the Colosseum. "Stop for a minute. I've never seen you so tense, not even in training. Are you okay?" He leaves the blade naked on the stone, unattended for the moment, the weapon forgotten in his concern. "Talk to me."

The Sunguard stops in her tracks and sighs, sweeping her hand across her forehead again to wipe off sweat. Her steel-gray eyes flick back to Dolan, and she just... looks at him, almost blankly.

"Just having an off day," she says. "Woke up on the wrong side of the bed, I guess."

She looks down to his sword on the floor. "Y'gonna leave live steel like that on the ground, Bry?" she asks. It's a deflection. There's hardly anyone else here to trip on steel and cut their ankles wide open.

"Fuck the live steel, Andie." Dolan shakes his head, undeterred, and takes a step closer, not even sparing the sword a glance. "Your form has gone wild. I've never seen you so tense. For a little while, there, I thought you were trying to kill me for real. Tell me what's on your mind. I can't help if you won't talk to me."

His open gaze is a strange thing, really, a rippling blend of open concern, adoration, guilt, focus, and unyielding will. The inquisitor and the man all rolled into one. It's not easy to tell, in this moment, which one is speaking louder.

Andelena looks at him for a long moment before she gives a heavy sigh. There's no backing down from the inquisitor and the man who loves her.

"Besides the obvious nightmare, I had a dream after that," she says. "Dreamed I woke up back in our old place and I couldn't stop looking at the ring you proposed to me with. It occurred to me that..."

She shakes her head. "I don't know. What are we , exactly, Bry? It's been nice having you back in my life again, and honestly, I don't give a rat's ass about my blue-blood family disowning me the moment I told them I wanted to marry a farm boy, but... we aren't back to that yet. It sort of hit me earlier today when I woke up and realized there's still this rift."

"No, we're not, Andie. Don't think I don't know that, not for one second." Brydion stops where he is, his head hanging. "Neither of us are the same people we were. I -" He trails off sadly. "There's only one thing that's going to heal what happened, and that's time. I know I did you wrong. I can't forget that. I know why I did it, but - that doesn't matter."

The inquisitor has fallen away - for the moment - leaving only the man behind. "I don't know who in the Iron Hells we are, Andie. I know what I want for us to be. So ... I guess for now, we're partners under His shield," he finishes lamely. "We both need to heal still before we'll be anything else."

Andelena shakes her head. "Bry, no, I'm not saying I want to stop doing what we're doing," she says. "It's just... I look at you and I think, 'That's Bry. I love him. I want to protect him. Maybe I'll slap him on the ass later.' I used to think, 'That's Bry, the man I'm gonna marry and we're gonna give the world hell.'"

She sighs. "Let me put it this way. It feels like I kind of started a relationship with... I don't know. My ex-fiance's twin brother, almost. Instead of going right back into being a woman engaged to marry her first love. Does it kind of feel that way to you, too? It's not bad , it's just... Weird."

"That's exactly what I am saying, Andie. We're not the same people we were when we fell in love. I still love you. Never doubt that. And - I want to protect you, too." Brydion lets out a hard breath that is half sigh and half frustration. "I was young and stupid then. Which I guess means I'm old and stupid now." A flash of a grin that still holds some of the old, fun-loving farmboy brightens his face.

"It is weird, you're right." The smile fades, and he reaches to put a hand on her arm. "We've both changed. But, that doesn't mean we can't find something new. But to do that, we need to learn who we are now."

Andelena lets him take her arm. She draws closer to him, looking into both his artificial and natural eyes. She offers him a little smile after a moment of this. "You may be old and stupid, but you're still cute when you crack jokes."

But a thread of curiosity works its way into her expression as she looks at him. "So let me start by asking--prior to yesterday, I didn't peg you for a scholar of demons. I guess that makes sense, all things considered... How much do you know? How long have you been studying?"

Brydion returns the little smile with a small one of his own that fades away as he looks up into her steel-gray ones. It's a thing he hasn't done since they returned, not in this way, as if he could search them forever and be content being lost in them. Now, he just searches them, looking for - what? Maybe he doesn't know. That gaze isn't lost anymore, it's just searching. "You're still keen to give me shit about it, too, and you're still the sweetest warrior woman I've ever met."

The gaze drops, though, at the question. Just a little, and then it returns. "Since I woke," he answers. "I told you that I was in bed for weeks, didn't I? As soon as I was strong enough, I wanted to learn about the thing that laid me low. So that nobody would have to face that. So that I wouldn't ever be in a position like that again. I spent a lot of time reading while I regained my strength. No, I don't want to summon one. I want to know what to do if someone else does."

"I don't give just anyone shit, Bry." Andelena smiles, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Not the way I give it to you, anyway. I like you. That's why I'm sweet, too. Mostly because some farmboy years ago kept telling me I was the most gorgeous girl he'd ever met and I didn't believe him until he finally spat out the love word. That part hasn't changed, at least."

She keeps her hand on his shoulder as he explains. "Guess you had ample opportunity to memorize with all that time," she says. "Well, it was helpful, so you did a great job recalling all of that in the heat of the moment." It's genuine praise delivered with a smile.

"So you finally got that through your head. You are the most gorgeous girl I've ever met. That hasn't changed either." Brydion tilts his head up at her. "You always will be." The praise does bring a smile to his face, a quieter thing. "At least it did us all some good. I ... wasn't sure what I'd do if I ever actually saw one. I'm glad it didn't hit you." The hand on her arm slides down until it reaches her hand, and he moves to take that hand in his. If she lets him, he'll bring it to his lips.

"So, my turn to ask you a question. What did you get up to while I was missing? Hunt anything worthwhile?"

Her face actually colors a bit when he brings her hand to his lips, combined with his words. She shakes her head and smiles. "Gods, Bry, you've always known the way to wriggle right into my heart like it's a fucking apple and you're a little worm," she says with a laugh.

"Which, well... I did briefly even entertain the notion of just 'moving on'. Like I told you with that one sad night in that bar," Andelena explains. "That proved to me I couldn't. So I kept working what I could on my own while I kept trying to piece together where you could have gone. Mostly, I just marched into noble's parlors and scared the shit out of them until they paid the taxes they were supposed to."

She grins a little too widely at that notion. That was always one of her favorite parts of the job, especially after she'd gotten disowned by her parents. "Honestly, though--it was just work, information gathering on you, and drinking, until I figured you'd probably scampered off here since you've got roots here. It felt like it was time, and I prayed to the Knight--and I felt like He was urging me onward to go find you."

Aryia has arrived.

Thurid has arrived.

Dolan and Andelena stand to one side of the Colosseum floor, both of them stripped to work gear and drenched in sweat. Outerwear is carelessly draped across the railing to the seating area. A greatsword lies on the stone a few steps from Dolan, unsheathed and forgotten, her hand in his.

He lets the hand fall from his lips, but does not release it, his lone brown eye bright and warm with adoration. "Of course He did. I hadn't actually been planning to come to Alexandria," he explains. "I - don't know where exactly I was going, besides away from here. They brought me here to try to restore my sight." What he is talking about is clear enough, below the sweaty brown hair, the sweat on the right half of his face only glistens on and serves to accentuate the twisted, melted flesh and three deep furrows down and across it, into which is set a green gem in a steel-and-brass ring with arcane symbols around it.

Andelena nods firmly to Dolan's words. "Just a twist of fate that you were here, then--no wonder I felt the Knight was with me when I asked for guidance," she says, smiling. "Gods, it's... kind of a miracle we even met in the hospital that night, right?"

She shakes her head. "I mean, think about it. If it wasn't for the Knight, would I have actually come here and have found you? This is a pretty big city. I'm still astounded I found you as quickly as I did."

She has to admit, she came into training a little late today. Recent events have made the regular to this place sort of lazy in their training.

So there's a brisk amount of gesturing upwards from grey hands as Aryia steps into the training grounds, her looking up at an absolutely towering and muscular woman. "Look, I know I've been a little lazy, but just a few days isn't going to do much..!" she pleads her case. Then she bumps into a sword laying about, her picking her leg up high and frowning down at it. She picks it up, some choice words on her hands. <Handspeech>

Thurid is a pace or so behind Aryia as the pair of them make their way into the training grounds- The Jotun woman is wearing her full gear today- golden chainmail glimmering in the sunlight, and her massive Earthbreaker slung over one shoulder, the cold, dark grey-green metal of the maul's head seeming to soak up the light as much as her armor reflects it.

"That's how it starts, you aren't feeling it one day, and you think one day won't hurt, and then the next day you think two won't hurt either..." Thurid insists in response to the hand signals. "Before you- oh that's careless." she says, glancing about, "Who's blade is this?" she wonders, voice lifted a hint so that it carries.

Voices right behind Dolan are the only thing that prompt him to drop Andelena's hand, and he fairly whirls on the pair, surveying them both. "I'm right here," he tells them both testily, putting himself between them and Andelena. "I put the health and safety of my sparring partner ahead of my blade, and it's fucking rude of the both of you to stand two steps behind me and wonder whose blade it is."

He stops, looking from face to face. "Brydion Donnelly. And you are?"

"Hey, hey, easy, Bry," Andelena says quickly, her voice quickly going into a soothing tone. The tall and muscular woman--though no longer the tallest muscular woman in the room--is capable of that gentleness when she needs it. "I know one of them."

She speaks up a little louder. "Sorry Aryia--he put his blade down to check on me and we were talking it out. He gets a little worked up about getting snuck up on--long story. Bry, meet the woman who's been beating the daylights out of me--her name's Aryia," she says, indicating the mul woman.

She grins up at the jotun woman and says, "I don't know your name, but shit, there are days where I wish I was born jotun. Well met, Angorite," she says, happily.

Aryia, distracted by her conversation with the giantborn woman next to her, blinks as she realizes that two folks were a lot closer than she realized. An eye twitches a few times, glowing gaze flicking between the unknown man and- oh, hey, it's the loose sword lady.

She shifts the large blade over to hold it pommel first to Brydion. The scarred mul'neissa raises a hand, points it at him, then levels her hand out to him at his shoulder height. "You're here."

She lowers it to her hip. "I'm going to need you about here."

She doesn't introduce herself, either in gestures or spoken word. But she does up-nod towards Andelena, showing her ragged throat in the process. <Handspeech>

Without missing a beat, Thurid flashes a grin at Dolan, "As you should!" he agreees with putting the wellfare of his sparring partner first. "I suppose I wasn't paying the best attention." she admits then, shifting a bit so her hammer haft can rest more comfortably on her shoulder. Her free hand comes to give Aryia what she hopes is a reassuring (and not painful) squeeze on the shoulder sensing her irritation.

"Thurid Freeborn." she offers her own introduction, "Well met, the both of you." she says then. She beams an even broader grin, bright despite missing a couple of teeth, at Andelena. "It has its advantages." though she cocks a brow, giving the other woman an appraising once over. "Though I can see you're no stranger to effort." she offers, approvingly.

"Andie works harder than just about anyone else I know." Brydion still doesn't look completely happy, but he seems to remember whatever it was that Andelena said of Aryia, because he instantly cools his jets and silences whatever it was he was about to say. He takes the blade with a nod and rests it over his right shoulder, steadied by his hand. It's not ideal, but a leather harness that would seem to fit its size is over with the cloaks draped over the railing, resting atop it. "Well met, the both of you." He stares at Aryia's gestures, but clearly doesn't seem to understand, instead turning back to the other two. "Sorry, like Andie said, I don't like being snuck up on."

"Don't worry, Aryia, he's fine once he gets over being surprised," Andelena says to Aryia with a smile. She puts her hand on the man's back in a familiar gesture, like she'd be about to pull him in for a side hug if it wasn't for the sword he's currently balancing on his shoulder. "Thurid, the name's Andelena, and I'd like both you and Aryia to meet my partner, Brydion Donnely."

She says his name with a surprising amount of affection as she looks down at him--only a tad, as he's only two inches shorter than her. "He's the reason I try so hard, but don't tell him that or he's gonna get all cocky and competitive about it." Andelena grins wickedly.

Aryia's neutral and vaguely tense demeanor seems to get vented easily as the giantborn woman claps her shoulder. She exhales softly and looks up to Thurid, flashing a faint smile.

Hands freed now, she wipes her palms off on her green buckle jacket. Sensing that 'I have no idea what you're gesturing' expression, she just dips her head in a slight nod after 'well met' is said.

The seeming mute cranes her head up to look at the others around her, an inquisitive brow raising at the introduction from Andelena. She clicks her tongue, popping open a pocket on her jacket and sliding out a well used journal. A fluid motion brings a pen into her hand and a fresh page open to the air. Some quick scribbling. The book turns and is held up for all to see.

"Does she drop her sword still? Or is something else going on." it reads.

Thurid offers another nod of her head when Andeline offers more formal introductions. She pauses to reply to Brydion, "Don't know many folks who do. And we didn't mean to startle, nor overlook you." she offers.

Turning her attention back to Andelena she nods once, "It's as fine a reason as any. As for myself, I just reckon it's a shame to waste what the gods have granted us by not using it." she says with a grin. "No man nor woman ought grow old without bearing witness to the power and beauty they're capable of." she adds then.

"Though, having a sweetheart to keep keen certainly motivates well, too." she adds with a bright smile.

Brydion leans over to peer at the scribbled writing, and his eyes brighten with wicked laughter, but whatever he's thinking, he keeps it to himself, instead shooting Andelena a look. "She was taking it a bit too seriously, if anything. I like when she works. I don't like when she's trying to kill me for real." The smile fades. "She's the reason I work as hard as I do," he admits. "I have to, to keep up with her."

He doesn't seem to realize it, but something about his demeanor says that that's not the truth. Or, at least not all of it."

Andelena grins back at Brydion and nudges him in the arm. "You wish," she replies to him quietly--whether it was a reply to his look or his comments is left ambiguous until she looks back to Thurid and Aryia. "We've been together since we were teenagers. He was a scrawny little farmboy always following me around then, training in Daeus' light like I was--but for different purposes. Never did catch up to me in height," she adds. "Stole my heart anyway. Only guy who's ever treated me like a work of art rather than an affront to his existence."

Aryia bobs her head twice, giving a soft, closed eye smile at the mention of a sweetheart to keep one's mind focused.

She rolls her shoulders, brows knitting some as Brydion's expression belies something funny. It seems that the silent elf had similar humor, as she just chuffs and shakes her head. Though, she squints at him for a moment. Ponders poking something, then lets it go.

Some more scribbling, a pause, pen getting chewed, then more scribbling.

"That's cute." In response to Andelena.

"She's good. Doesn't get pissy when she fucks up, which is nice." In response to Brydion.

"Well, they say bruises are the best teachers." Thurid muses, after peeking over Aryia's shoulder to see what she's writing to Bryudion. "As for you two, that's what I like to hear." she says then, "Brings glory to the gods to put forth your best, no matter what your best is." she asserts again.

"Ah, but it's getting on a bit. We'll have to have that match another time." she tells Aryia after casting a gaze to where the sun has disappeared behind the edge of the stands surrounding the arena. "I've evening duties at the Soldier's Defense today." she says then.

Looking back to the other two, "Was good to meet you both. If you frequent the Colloseum, like as not we'll meet again 'fore long." she says.

Again, Brydion leans over to see what Aryia's writing, and just nods. "I fuck up more often than she does, especially lately, but there's reasons for that. She says you're crazy good, and I believe it." He carefully switches the sword to his other shoulder, so that he can lean in close to his fellow Daeusite. He waves goodbye to Thurid, but turns his attention quickly back to Aryia.

"Walk in the light," Andelena says to the jotun woman as she departs. Then, under her breath, she says, "Gods, I wish I was that tall."

She looks at Brydion and says, "Imagine if I was a foot taller than you," before she returns her attention to Aryia. "I told him you crush boulders. You should've seen her destroy a training dummy the other day. I was picturing her doing it to living person and let me tell you--pulp would have been everywhere ."

Aryia lightly smirks, her looking off to the side and thumbing her nose. She bobs her head, grinning a bit and putting a fist into an open palm. She cracks her knuckles, and little glimmers of silver light come from each one. She jabs a thumb over her shoulder, towards one of the training dummies.

"I can show you agai-" <Handspeech>

"OH NO YA DON'T!" a voice rings out from across the arena.

Aryia ducks slightly, her looking over her shoulder as a black-skinned oruch stomps from across the way. "YOU. MY OFFICE. NOW."

She points dumbly to herself.

"Oh cut that shit Aryia, you owe me some replacements! Come. Now."

She glances to the two humans, purses her lips while rubbing her hands together. One raises-

He pulls out a torch.

She pouts.

He glares.

The mute sighs, throws her hands up, and follows after him. She pivots and walks backwards, giving an apologetic smile and waves goodbye as she's lead off to one of the side offices in the Collosseum.

Dolan looks after the mute, his still-mobile eyebrow climbing towards his hairline at the exchange. He waits and watches, mutely, his gaze following her as she goes. When she is gone, he turns back to his sparring partner. "I don't think I'd like you to be a foot taller than me. I'd have a hard time seeing how gorgeous you are."

Andelena just looks at Brydion as he gives her the compliment, her cheeks coloring again. "Gods, if we weren't in public, I'd throw you to a wall and..."

She stares at Brydion for another moment longer, giving him a certain look before she finally says, "I think it's time for a shower."

As she walks back over to their belongings, she adds, "At my place. You're invited."

"As wild as you are gorgeous." Brydion's eye lights up with more of that wicked laughter, and his eyes follow her back to their belongings before he does. Still, he hesitates for just a moment before turning to follow, sword still over his shoulder. "Yeah, I think we've both had enough of that workout for now, and I'd not like to be here when that oruch lady is done with Aryia." He winks, behind her.