A courtyard of the Palatium Umbrarum
50th of Searing, Year 122
The Kalzasern couple were staying at a lovely domus in the Luxium, but it didn't have enough room for Finn to properly practice the fighting style he was developing for himself that relied as much upon his growing skill with his Rune of Traversion as with his longsword. Thankfully, their host was gracious and generous. Phocion had invited him to make use of the courtyards of the underground palace at his leisure. In many ways, the handsome elf was as magnanimous as Talon Shinsei, though he didn't suppose the august Sentinel would appreciate the comparison. As good as his word, the guards seemed appraised of his coming, and he was led to a quiet and otherwise unoccupied space that would more than suffice for his needs.
He hoped there was an opportunity for him to perform for the Sentinel and his guests at some point in order to reciprocate all the favors done for him. But that was a worry for another day.
For now, he warmed up his body—as if it were ever actually cold in the desert city—by going through the motions of several unarmed forms he had picked up over the years. He was much less skilled in a fight without a blade, but he was determined to change that as he had been most vulnerable when he was without a blade and he didn't want to repeat that incident in an alley far, far away. In fact, the undercity was much cooler than the Luxium, which he appreciated as his blood began to heat up and his muscles loosen.
Then he unsheathed his blade, setting the scabbard out of the way, and began to dance with unseen partners. Perhaps it was a function of his musical training that set his movements to some inaudible music, or the fact that he had to shut out the symphonies of those around him sometimes, so keen had his runic "ear" become. In any case, he was as precise as he could be, blending from one form to the next, imagining Zaichaeri faces, perhaps, or creatures he had known in the dangers of the Warrens.
At some point, he went from blending to blurring, almost like a trick of Masquerade. But then he was blinking from place to place, and he imagined a battlefield that had once been a royal wedding reception, and he killed everyone who might have harmed Arry, who had assassinated their Shokaze, who had captured their Shinsei and his consort.
Finn was not a violent man by nature, but his violent dance did allow him a recourse for feelings he didn't know how to process. The silent song continued.
50th of Searing, Year 122
The Kalzasern couple were staying at a lovely domus in the Luxium, but it didn't have enough room for Finn to properly practice the fighting style he was developing for himself that relied as much upon his growing skill with his Rune of Traversion as with his longsword. Thankfully, their host was gracious and generous. Phocion had invited him to make use of the courtyards of the underground palace at his leisure. In many ways, the handsome elf was as magnanimous as Talon Shinsei, though he didn't suppose the august Sentinel would appreciate the comparison. As good as his word, the guards seemed appraised of his coming, and he was led to a quiet and otherwise unoccupied space that would more than suffice for his needs.
He hoped there was an opportunity for him to perform for the Sentinel and his guests at some point in order to reciprocate all the favors done for him. But that was a worry for another day.
For now, he warmed up his body—as if it were ever actually cold in the desert city—by going through the motions of several unarmed forms he had picked up over the years. He was much less skilled in a fight without a blade, but he was determined to change that as he had been most vulnerable when he was without a blade and he didn't want to repeat that incident in an alley far, far away. In fact, the undercity was much cooler than the Luxium, which he appreciated as his blood began to heat up and his muscles loosen.
Then he unsheathed his blade, setting the scabbard out of the way, and began to dance with unseen partners. Perhaps it was a function of his musical training that set his movements to some inaudible music, or the fact that he had to shut out the symphonies of those around him sometimes, so keen had his runic "ear" become. In any case, he was as precise as he could be, blending from one form to the next, imagining Zaichaeri faces, perhaps, or creatures he had known in the dangers of the Warrens.
At some point, he went from blending to blurring, almost like a trick of Masquerade. But then he was blinking from place to place, and he imagined a battlefield that had once been a royal wedding reception, and he killed everyone who might have harmed Arry, who had assassinated their Shokaze, who had captured their Shinsei and his consort.
Finn was not a violent man by nature, but his violent dance did allow him a recourse for feelings he didn't know how to process. The silent song continued.
