duty

[Talon]

duty

10 Searing 121

Talon finished tugging on his gauntlet. The light of the sun reflected down upon the open sands of the Proving Grounds. At his hip hung his sword. The magic of Reaving granting him the grace of never being without its familiar weight whenever he needed it. His wings were spread wider, more relaxed as he stood there. The field had been cleared of all other trainers and sparring partners. The benches of the great coliseum of Kalzasi’s tournaments were interspersed with people who had heard about the fight that was about to take place. Talon resisted the urge to flinch as he thought on that word.

Talon had fought with Rickter.

He had told him that he would be headed into the Warrens to help save Lyra and Naila’s lives. Rickter had insisted on going. Talon had been adamant that he should stay behind and recover so soon after their ordeal in Zaichaer. The last thing that Talon wanted to see was his beloved wolf in mortal peril again. Rickter had not taken his assertions well. The logical side of Talon said that Rickter knew what he had signed up for when he had taken of the mantle of bodyguard. His wolf was not an untrained knave that had just wandered in off of the street. He was a proud and disciplined warrior. But Talon was not thinking with logic. He was moved with an overwhelming urge to keep his bondmate safe after nearly losing him to the callous and bitter trials of Zaichaer. His heart still ached as he re-lived seeing Rickter stumble out of that warehouse, broken and bloody.

“Are you sure you want to do this, Talon?” He looked at his beloved raven. The dark wings of the Kathar warrior who had been by his side for so long. Aoren’s infernal eyes were burning softly but the fires in them snapped and popped in anxiety. Talon felt another pang in his chest. He hated that he was causing such distress in both of his partners but the decision had been made already. Talon would not go back on the challenge he had issued.

“No. No I am not. I would rather this not be taking place at all. I will not, however, go back on my word.” Aoren sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose in weariness. Again, Talon berated himself for placing the man in his current position.

“You know what Rickter’s strengths are. You know that he is as great an asset as the finest of Kalzasi’s warriors. Is this really necessary?”

“Aoren.” Talon’s voice held the note of a warning. This was not a conversation he really wanted to have at the moment. His bondmate ignored that warning and pressed forward.

“Don’t take that tone with me. Rickter has proven himself. Yes, what we went through was awful. It filled me with rage--” Talon interrupted his lover.

“Dammit, Aoren! Twice now in the past year, I have seen the men I love most in my life nearly get killed.” Aoren met his gaze steadily.

“I watched you die, Talon.” Talon flinched. “I heard you scream. I saw…” Aoren shook his head. “I will never forget what I heard and saw, Talon. Never. All because of my refusal to question you.”

Talon’s wings lowered. He cast his eyes to the ground, his jaw clenching and unclenching as he re-lived that awful moment. After a moment, he looked back up. He did not know what to say in the face of that.

“Is it so wrong to want to keep you both safe?” Talon felt small. Despite the immense power at his disposal, it never seemed to be enough. Aoren smiled. The smile was soft and filled with love. He stepped forward, bringing his hands up to thread his fingers into Talon’s hair. The fledgling demigod rest their foreheads together. Aoren pressed a kiss to his brow, massaging small circles in his neck.

“Of course not, love. Which is why, I shall allow this bout to go forward. I think it will mend a rift not just in your heart but in Rickter’s as well. I think you both need to be reassured of your limits and your strengths. You cannot be a shield upon which all the worlds troubles break. That is beyond even you, Arcas.” Talon felt him then. He felt Rickter near. Looking up, he cast his silver eyed gaze across the sands of the Proving Grounds to behold the wolf Rathari in all of his glory. Talon wore mundane armor, having made it clear that the use of the Skyforged Raiment was not allowed. The two of them would be sparring using powers and skills inherent only to themselves. He let out a breath. Aoren squeezed his shoulder then walked across the dirt to meet Rickter.

Talon waited for the two of them to share their soft greeting. It warmed him to see his bondmates so close. When Aoren stepped away, Talon stood waiting for Rickter. A rush of emotions filled him as he regarded his beloved wolf. There was no denying that Rickter was a fiercely capable warrior. He had proven that time and time again but there was a fear in him that...that maybe he would not be able to be that which Aoren had pointed out. Talon recognized in himself the desire to shield his people, his loved ones, and indeed the very Order of Dawnmartyrs that were slowly becoming aware of him more and more. Could he protect them all? Was it not his duty as Prince? Was it not his sacred charge as Demigod of Justice?

“Rickter.” Talon’s voice was thick with all of the emotions roiling through him. “Hold nothing back, my wolf.”

"I am Justice."

[Rickter]

For the longest time Rickter would settle for the simplest of things, never wanting much out of life due to all he'd experienced. One could say he's been through a lot in not just a few seasons, but throughout the years of his history, for the wolf had nothing but colorful experiences to mark the periods of suffering he'd gone through. Yet he kept it all to himself. The demons of his past weren't going to keep up with him here, not on this day, because never in his life had Rickter wanted anything more... than to prove he was still worth something. That wasn't what this fight was about however, no, this stemmed from a choice that one of his closest pack mates had decided.

Talon was planning to head deep within the Warrens for resources, things that were crucial to helping prolong this Naila and Lyra's lifespan together. Rickter wasn't fully aware of the details but things sort of made sense to him, Naila was the other one he'd met that night who was important to Lyra. Though he had never quite seen the woman since then, the wolf understood her role was ever important for Lyra... and that the resources necessary to help them were deep within the Warrens. Rickter wanted to accompany them having learned this but... Well things certainly became heated for a while, as he wasn't prone to just accept the fact he was to be kept behind. Talon's reasonings were understandable at the time, however, Rickter had sworn to be his personal bodyguard even at his personal expense. Put aside their personal feelings, that meant he should've by all means accompany them.

Yet after everything that has happened between them, and the amount of love and care that they share, the only real way for the wolf to convince him was a fight. A test more than likely, but one that was necessary for a multitude of reasons. While together they were inseparable as a team, however, since Zaichaer and their departure there had been complications. The wolf was never really himself and often did his doubts seem buried beneath a layer of cold, yet even now as he walked toward the entrance toward the arena, the light of the sun reflected from the sands to silhouette the figures that stood out there waiting for him. At the entrance to the Proving Grounds arena, Hannah and Telion had watched Aoren and Talon before they turned, and noticed that the wolf had arrived to see this event through. "Rickter..." There was a somberness to her litled tone as Telion's head rose, her eyes endearingly upon him as she looked to be concerned.

Even within the rigid stoicism of his expression, the wolf couldn't help it, as a sigh escaped through his nostrils before he lifted a hand up. A thumb carefully brushed along her cheek when he cupped the line of her jaw affectionately, the features around his eyes only temporarily loosening as she brought a hand up to caress his. "So you're going through with this, then?" Hannah inquired with a tilt of her head as her arms remained crossed, folded together beneath her bosom as she looked up to Rickter sternly. His gaze shifted to Hannah and for a moment he merely stared, his head given way to a firmly slow nod as his hand parted from Telion gently. "Very well then, give it your all Wolfman." There was that hint of serious expectation in her eyes then, as Hannah made it clear what she wanted Rickter to do. The bard next to him detested the idea well enough, though, her concerns were obviously the same as his other lover's.

Having walked out onto the arena he could see that not only were the Proving Grounds cleared, but a small gathering had lined within the stalls due to those who'd caught wind of the bout. So they were here to spectate them then, to see what the fuss was about between the prince as his pet wolf. Rickter knew it went far deeper than that, but there wasn't denying how the rest of the world often saw them. He paid the crowd no mind however as his gaze remained on the two centerfield, they being his focus as he put aside all those thoughts, even so much as burying them with the rest of the emotions kept within. Rickter breathed steadily as he approached but innately his heart pounded, as he suddenly wasn't as sure as he felt earlier now that they all stood gathered at the heart of the Proving Grounds. Aoren was finishing up his own small bout with Talon, the wolf only briefly caught the end of it before Aoren seemed inclined to let things play out.

Was he vouching for Rickter? Stupid question. He knew deep in his heart how much that man supported him, it was redundant to think that he would do anything other than reason on behalf of the wolf. "Finally arrived, huh?" The Kathar greeted as he approached Rickter to award him with a solid pat on the shoulder, as the wolf's eyes averted to merely gaze upon that hand where it rested. "You know what you have to do," the Knight Captain prompted which led Rickter to gaze into his eyes, "now get to it, my wolf." He wanted to smile then, if only for a moment, but the soft pieces of encouragement merely affirmed his determination. He nodded to Aoren and when the raven-winged man nodded back, he parted with a couple more soft pats on the wolf's shoulder. Not a moment later he was off to join the ladies that stood at the entrance, likely to shepherd them into the stands so they would all have a seat for the spectacle.

Two completely different men stood alone on that battlefield now. As much of an arena this was Rickter knew things between them could get ugly, especially given the fact that Talon was extremely proficient with Kinetics. Add that in with the slew of other talents the man possessed, and he was already something the wolf couldn't ever hope to beat. Thankfully though this wasn't a match to the death, or to win either, just a means of proving himself to the man he wanted to stick close by... at all times if ever possible. Talon stood before him in simple armor that consisted of leather, material that was light but fit for the job at the very least. Rickter had opted for the same variant with a few additions of his half-plated armor, though mainly just the gloves, boots, and fauld as those didn't restrict his transformations. Shifting during a battle wasn't something he'd ever fully done before, hell, their first encounter Rickter could only do partials just to slightly enhance his strength. But now?

Every minor advantage the wolf could gain was necessary, because he needed to prove how much he was ready for this. A general cheer of the crowd slowly rose as ambience as the two stood there, the moment of silence following it met with Talon's greeting for the Rathari. "Rickter." There were heavy emotions within his words, feelings that Rickter wanted to pick up on through their bond... yet he wouldn't. He couldn't afford himself the distraction from the cause, nor could he let the indifference they felt convince him to sway from his course. “Hold nothing back, my wolf.” His wolf... Rickter had to slightly shake his head as those words nearly sunk in, how easily he would've given in too were it not for his cause. He was sworn to something beyond him, something he had to be able to face and handle head-on. Talon was more than just a dear and important lover, more than just a charge Rickter was meant to protect. He was fucking Arcas reincarnated.

That meant in order to fulfill the promises of old, Rickter had to be ready to face each challenge with a heavy heart. "...Same to you, love..." He came to finally mutter within his breath as a hand rose, his eyes averted to gaze into the palm with questionable thought. Resolve had brought him this far but... could he take it further? After Zaichaer... Even now the ice in his heart remained thick, which was probably why containing the emotions within were so easy. He had learned his greatest weakness at that time, and yet hadn't been able to rectify it as of yet. In good time he certainly planned to, but not when things were moving to a point where he could hardly keep up. Thus as he balled that hand into a fist his shoulders and legs twitched, a minor shiver but whether in anxiety or anticipation he did not know...

Thus with a flick of his right hand out from his body, Rickter materialized the one pact weapon that had seen him through it all. Howling Fang manifested from the flourish of aether that surged around his hand, the hilt of the weapon clutched firmly in his grip as the wolf brought it up over his shoulder. With a bend of his knees and the assumption of his battle stance, the wolf's focus honed solely on Talon as he waited to see how the man would begin.

"Let's go."

"Common" "Synskrit" "Norvaegan"
"Rickter" "Telion" "Hannah"

[Talon]

duty

10 Searing 121

The emotions inside of Talon felt as though they were ready to burst from his chest. He did not want to fight Rickter but he recognized that in both of them, there was a need to ease some of the tension that had been building up. Talon wanted to see that Rickter could protect himself. He wanted to know without a shadow of a doubt that his beloved wolf could stand on his own two feet. The logical side of his brain told him that he already knew this but his heart still quivered in fear of the bloody and broken man that had hobbled out of that warehouse. It chilled him and he needed to see Rickter’s skills for himself. He searched Rickter’s face. Talon opened up his senses to the aether. He allowed his vision to attune itself to the fullness of his beloved wolf’s aura. Talon saw a reflection of his own doubts in Rickter. He saw a collection of fears, of worries, of anxiety and of frustration. He saw everything that Talon himself was feeling. He yearned to reach across the Bond and soothe those things. He could feel that Aoren wanted to do the same. But no, this was to be a challenge for all three of them in a different way.

And what a challenge it would be.

“I love you.” Simple. Straightforward. Spoken with as much ease as the breath drawn into his lungs. Talon extended his hand. With a flick of his thoughts, his blade materialized into his grip. He held the handle tightly, his eyes trained not just on the surface of Rickter’s aura but into the deeper levels that would lend insight into his intentions. The power to read minds was not his but the aura offered insight into the direction of an individual’s attention, something he had learned some time ago. He would keep a close watch on Rickter’s and meet the man headon. He flourished his sword, spread his wings behind him and offered a ceremonial bow meant to honor his opponent in the highest degree. It was the customary bow that Royals offered only to those they considered their equal. Once the bow was complete, Talon stepped back and adopted his stance. He brought up his blade, the sword steady in his grip as he eyed Rickter.

The arena was silent. Talon could feel the growing crowd of people holding their breath, watching, waiting for the tension in the air to finally snap. The winds blew and Talon could feel the brush of them in his wings. Then, ever so slightly, he felt a shift in the air.

He struck.

Talon enacted Seeming, threading his aether into the space just before Rickter as easily as he could blink. Within one breath to the next, he was shooting forward with all the force that a nearly three hundred pound Avialae warrior could muster. His sword came forward in a broad arc to meet Rickter’s blade with the full weight of his strength as a mortal man. He would not call upon his strength as a demigod. Not yet. It was as their blades met that Talon realized, this would be the very first time that the two of them had battled against one another. They had fought beside one another, bled for each other, defeated monstrosities of such horror that they would have made weaker men tremble, all of it, together.

But they had never fought one another.

In the clarity of that moment, it truly sunk in for Talon that this would be one the hardest fights of his life.

"I am Justice."

[Rickter]

It was already hard enough that it had to be Talon that he had to face, for even in the slightest of scruples he would forever be a terrifying adversary. But Rickter only knew the real kindness of Talon, not the wrath he unleashed unto his opponents. It led him to wonder if the prince before him would begin to do the same, which the wolf contemplated as his fingertips grazed the lines of his hilt. Talon's focus shifted in a manner the wolf recognized, leading him to suspect that the man was beginning to use Semblance. Was he searching for something? As soon as curiosity blossomed the cold in his heart frosted it away, his focus couldn't be afforded to sway from the course at hand.

A simple phrase on the other hand alarmed him, as he realized that even in all this tension, there still resided a profound sense of love for him. Dammit... Even he didn't want this. As much as he wanted to he wasn't a fighter, merely a protector who'd get his hands dirty if he had to. That's all he'd ever been before all this, and often times he did wonder, would he still have been the same... had he not met Talon? He wanted to say it back, he really did, but even Talon knew that words were fickle when it came to a man like Rickter. No... A Rathari. There came a ceremonial bow, however, that led him to widen his gaze in awe. The whole of the arena fell silent as his Bondmate honored him, to which the wolf repeated with a flourish of his weapon down. With a twirl of his fingers the blade pointed down as he brought it close to his heart, the same courteous bow returned to his opponent in turn.

This wasn't going to be easy for either of them, this he knew and yet, the wolf's breaths remained steady as he resumed his stance. For a long moment, there existed silence as the wolf waited, his hand clutched snuggly on the hilt of his weapon, the blade rested over his right shoulder as he hunched forward with a squint in his eyes. "You and me have always been at each other's sides..." Even in this state of clarity his mind somehow strayed, reflecting on the first moment that brought the two to meet. The horde that threatened to swarm out of the mountain, as Shinaegri threatened all manner of warriors gathered that day. The wolf himself could only ascertain his own limitations back then... and now?

The breeze that blew past them died down and within a moment, Rickter traced the scent of ozone surging within the air before him. His eyebrows rose as he thought back to when he'd seen Talon zip through the air, as given his mastery over Kinetics it was hardly dismissable that he was about to launch the attack. Thus as the wolf shifted to react the world blurred into a single moment, one that passed in a simple blink of the eye. As the Synnekar surged forward to close the gap between them, the incredible speed backed with the might of a bear as Talon brought his blade forward. In a broad arc strike that Rickter was able to ward off easy enough, the wolf merely shifted his weight forward with the flat of his blade flashed above him. He'd held the blade in reverse as before, with his left hand used to grip around the pommel area, and his right forearm pressed to reinforce the block he made with his weapon. Both blades clashed as Rickter felt the weight of his opponent sink in then, a widened look in his eyes as he started to growl from the force of impact.

A loud clang rang out from their first blow, and with it returned the reassuring clarity in his mind. It had felt almost like a shockwave initially but in a tingling sort of way, so much in fact that he'd almost forgotten the feeling compared to last time. "You will find that relying on your wits in battle can only get you so far, and you shouldn't become so rigid, allow yourself to flow as easily as the tide of battle." He felt the tingling perpetuate into a state of trance and then clarity once more, his weapon jolting beneath Talon's as Rickter felt the direction that the blade indicated. With a twist of his left foot in an angle away from him, and a shift in his right knee, the wolf threw his upper body into a shift that shoved Talon's blade away. "Never would I have thought that I'd be facing you like this..." He roared as his thoughts empowered his drive, Rickter bringing his blade back around from the left in an obtuse slash that Talon easily deflected.

Rickter's own brute strength was hardly anything to consider when pitted against someone the size of an Avialae, particularly when they've trained vigorously to resist such underwhelming forces. Still, the wolf gave it his all when he made the attack, and he didn't hesitate to go in for another just to buy a bit of time, as their blades twirled in the air with their commitment to the vicious dance of battle. Rickter focused aether into his weapon as the next exchange of blows repeated the jitter in his weapon, Howling Fang practically quivering against Talon's sword upon each strike. "But it's like you said... I can't hold back." The edges of his blade glimmered after the next rebound of their blow, the sword itself charged with aether to generate a minor shield over it. As the wolf rotated around to carry the momentum of the rebound, his sword rose to soar over his shoulder as he brought his arm downward.

"So forgive me... if I take it too far." He focused on the shield casted over his blade now, negating it to keep the very edges from piercing his opponents skin. A failsafe in his regard, in the event he did get carried away, but it was as he had been told once before. To flow with the tide of battle he needed to be adaptable, ready to overcome the challenges Talon posed at him at every turn. The insurance of no harm on his beloved was all the more reassuring confidence on his behalf, as Rickter now had no intention to keep himself from holding everything within back.

Immediately as his next attack closed in, the runes on his body began to glimmer brightly.

"Common" "Synskrit" "Norvaegan"
"Rickter" "Telion" "Hannah"

[Talon]

duty

10 Searing 121

Rickter met his blade and Talon was proud that the wolf did not buckle under the weight of the blow. More than once of his opponents had fallen immediately to that exact strike. Wraiths had been destroyed. Shinaegri shamblers had been cut down and even Somaval hunters had been felled beneath his sword with just that simple swing. That Rickter was able to ward him off was a testament to how well they knew each other as fighters. Through the lens of his aura, Talon watched as aether gathered, forming a barrier along the edge of his blade. At a glance, Talon could tell that it was merely meant to dull the edge. Though that concerned him, he did not let it distract him.

Talon kept on the offensive. He swung his sword, meeting Rickter’s blade in mid-swing. The crackling pop and sizzle of aether flaring into being sounded in the air. Rickter’s shield caused a slight shift in the balance of Talon’s swings forcing the Synnekar to adjust his approach. He did not let up. The Prince of Kalzasi entered into a flurry of blows, the clash of his blade meeting the shielded edge of Rickter’s sword filling the air.

Talon could feel it. He could feel the doubt that had swallowed Rickter. He could feel the anger and resentment that filled his beloved wolf and it filled him with anger. Did Rickter not see how worthy he was? Did he not believe himself to be a greater man than the mongrel he had told himself he was his whole life? Was Talon’s admiration of him so meaningless that it could be so easily discarded? Talon practically heard the thoughts swirling through his lover’s head. The strength of their bond was such that if Talon had wanted to, he could have asked these questions directly into Rickter’s mind. He did not. But nor did he hide his frustration either.

Within his heart, Talon knew the struggles that his beloved Knight faced. He saw his life as a Rathari as a curse. Talon could only see it as a blessing. It filled him with more wonder than he could perhaps say to see it every time that Rickter shifted. The beautiful black wolf that his bondmate could become was a magnificent sight to behold. The Lycan form that Rickter was able to adopt was as regal as it was ferocious. He knew that Rickter saw himself as a lesser man, undeserving of the kindness that he was shown. He had confessed as much upon their return to Kalzasi when Talon had gifted his armor to him.

Even now, Talon could feel the ice that had ensnared Rickter’s heart. The familiar cold used to put distance between the self and the emotions that one could feel. With every swing of his sword, Talon was determined to chip away at that ice until the full fury, anger, warmth, and love of his wolf’s heart was exposed. Talon had lost himself to his own icy rage. He had let the cold safety of isolation and emotional distance wrap itself around his heart and soul. It had nearly consumed him. He would not lose Rickter to that same place.

He refused.

"I am Justice."

[Rickter]

The fierceness of the blows didn't relent even as Rickter had managed to generate the first layered shield over his weapon, however, even though he had no reason to fear hurting Talon as a result of this... that's all he managed to achieve in that short amount of time. Each blow Talon made was backed with the natural strength he possessed, and they came at such a continuous rate that the wolf almost had no time to react for anything else. Another cut from the left ended with another mid-swing clang against Talon's own blade, the aether from his shield fizzling from each encounter as Rickter coordinated a different approach with his footwork. Direct attacks weren't going to cut through his chained attacks at all, and the wolf hadn't the time intervals necessary to materialize his shield without generating a window of vulnerability.

"Trying to wear down my defense already?" He could only wonder with speculation as he twisted with his right foot thrown around, the tips of his boots still grazing the sand before his spin resulted in him pulling out of another swing, as the wolf went in low for a horizontal slash straight for Talon. Easily blocked as per the normal attacks they'd been throwing at one another, Rickter though needed to generate just that small window of opportunity, as it bought him the chance to focus on his blade once more. It took only a mere second to close that gap between them, Talon's blade thrust into another interceptive block as the edge of Howling Fang slammed hard into it. The weapon did more than just tingle this time, for a moment Rickter felt himself nearly taken aback, as the contact of their Pact weaponry created something else.

Howling Fang had become a weapon that reacted upon instinct, or so Rickter had noticed, with each clash against another weapon leading him to feel where to go next. But this time he felt more than just those twinges guiding his hands, more than just the ever-growing howl that started to resonate from the blade's very core. He felt... warmth. Deep within he felt intense warmth seeping inside, and it ended the moment their blades weren't in contact once more. Still, Talon pressed the offensive on him, Rickter's second aetheric layer then tasked to ward from Talon's weapon itself. This made the next hit cause a slight rebound, but Talon's natural strength was still far to overbearing to completely throw the blade off track.

No...

Talon wasn't just strong he was profusely trained against situations like this, where warriors he intended to best could only hope to quell that spirit he possessed. And at each exchanged blow, there still came that warmth. "This isn't going anywhere I had hoped at all..." He realized as he still hadn't found a way to cut through Talon's defense, even though Rickter did his best not to let his own fall to the prince. "I've barely enough time to react, to..." It was almost like it was Zaichaer all over again, the way those men kept coming at him. No matter how much he fought back, no matter how many times his bloodied claws scraped and plunged into someone. He was only a Lycan wolf at that time, his magic practically taken from him prior to his abduction, but even now after the Magebane left his system... He still didn't know what to do.

Panic started to settle into his heart as Rickter blocked another attack, and he realized that Talon still remained on the offensive, as the wolf had not only been shrugging off each blow with a parry... but his feet had been taking him a step back with each encountered strike. "I can't go down like this..." His breathing started to quicken as he realized how much footing he had lost, how quickly he wasn't able to resist Talon the way he could others. He still didn't even know what all his options were, all he could think in that moment was to defend against his opponent. Fury started to build inside his heart as he clenched his jaw, as another blow caused his weapon to deter from where he'd swung it. Was the negation on his sword hindering him further? Where did he go wrong here? He knew Talon's strength and power because he'd seen it, but to experience it firsthand, that was something the wolf began to realize as a totally different front. Yet the panic and fury didn't subside...

He roared out in aggravation as the wolf attempted to step forward, to break through that constant front of assault Talon put up with. Yet just as soon as he pulled his arm back to pull into the next strike, the sand beneath his foot surged as something else spewed out from the tip of his boot. It was a moment where pure emotion welled out of him, where in that moment the Elementalism rune glowed brighter from his left shoulder blade. All that rage he felt went pouring into one single attack against Talon, one that Rickter didn't anticipate creating nor having to control when it took place. From the tip of his boot aether surged outward and crystalized, the very air around the both of them growing rapidly cold in comparison to the normal temperature that day. Yet even as he attempted the unknown Rickter didn't stop, the amount of aether he channeled into the stunt caused ice to just collectively build and rise out, as if the wolf was generating it without even thinking of the fact that it was ice.

In short, a pillar of ice was cascading toward Talon in a rapid fashion, the ice clusters rising higher and higher until they either encased Talon or rose to at least five feet higher than him.

"Common" "Synskrit" "Norvaegan"
"Rickter" "Telion" "Hannah"

[Talon]

duty

10 Searing 121

The air around Talon frosted. He felt the temperature drop as he pressed Rickter more and more on the defensive. In the eyes of his lover Talon saw a widening shock. For a moment, Talon thought to pull back but he immediately cast that thought aside. It would not serve either of them to relent in his assault then. Picking up his pace, Talon deflected a blow that was aimed toward his midsection. He immediately pressed back into Rickter’s personal space, using the advantage of his reach to reduce the wolf’s ability to react. Through the lens of Rickter’s aura, he could see the brief flare of panic that was building up inside of his lover. It pained him to see that. He did not want Rickter to be afraid, to panic or to feel as though he was trapped. Quite the opposite. Talon wanted this to be an opportunity where his beloved wolf could unleash everything at his disposal to see the very height of his potential. If there was anyone in Kalzasi who could take what Rickter had to throw, it was him.

Talon could recall the lessons he had been imparted as a boy when his father had been training him to embark upon his Warren March. How many times had he been put on the defensive and moved to quell the rising uneasiness of his impending defeat? In those moment, the key was to not lose focus on what was in front of him. He had an opponent, a thing flesh, blood and even aether. With that in mind, every opponent could be faced if one had but the wits and willpower to stand up in the face of them. But what he was seeing in Rickter, was an admission of defeat before the true height of both their potentials had truly been unleashed.

He was mid-swing when the drop in temperature in the air crystallized into the manifestation of a spontaneous casting. Talon went wide eyed as he saw it well up inside of Rickter’s aura, a response that not even he was fully aware of. Rapidly, a cascade of ice began barreling toward him, spikes of jagged ice jutting up from the ground as the elemental power speared forth. Talon leapt back, flapping his wings to put some distance between himself and Rickter but he did not react fast enough. The icy power flowed outward, uncoordinated and without direction except to lash out and defend Rickter from Talon’s assault. Talon landed and immediately tucked his wings in close as the ice lanced forward. He gasped as he felt ice cut into his side. He turned his head just in time to avoid getting a spike of ice directly into his skull. He felt something sharp but after a moment, all Talon could see was ice.

Talon was left immobile as the frigid power of his bondmate encased him but he was not concerned. In truth, Talon had not known that Rickter was truly capable of such a potent manifestation of elemental power. He had only ever really seen Aoren create more powerful elemental magic through the use of his lightning. This was different. The ice that formed around him spoke to him. Its sharp edges told Talon that Rickter was in pain. The spontaneous manifestation of it was something that he had heard his raven winged bondmate speak on before. At some point in the development of their powers, an elementalist was viewed with such favor by the elements that they acted to protect the mage in question. Talon could only guess that in Rickter’s distressed state, this happened to be one of those manifestations.

Oh Rickter…

Those two words flowed through Talon’s mind. Was his wolf still so afraid? Was Rickter still in so much pain? If Talon had any doubts about this bout before, this all but confirmed to him that it was necessary. There was much that his beloved was holding back, much that he needed to express. Talon would drive him to express it.

Reaching inside of himself, Talon stilled the flow of his aether. He extended his senses across the sharp edges of the icy construct that encased and immobilized him. He could feel it pressing upon his wings. He could feel it cutting into his side. He drew in a breath...and then sent a pulse of kinetic power rippling across the surface of the ice around him. His temporary prison was shattered, shards of ice exploding all around him as Talon broke free from the construct that nearly skewered him. He did not, however, allow the icy shards to extend beyond the latticework of his kinetic web. Talon hung in the air, suspended above the ground with the ice hovering around him. Feeling something on his face, Talon brought up a thumb. He swiped it along his cheek. As he drew his thumb back, he saw blood smeared across the pad of his thumb. Looking from the blood on his thumb to Rickter.

Extending his hand, Talon willed his sword to return to his grip. It flew from where it had fallen to his outstretched palm. He wrapped his fingers around the handle. As he brought up his blade, Talon began to accelerate the flow of aether around him. He let the strength of his will press upon the aether flux and cause friction. Bringing up the hand not holding his sword, Talon spoke.

“You are holding back...” The air around Talon suddenly ignited, current of aetherborn flame spiraling around the icy shards that still remained. Talon narrowed his eyes at Rickter.

“Don't.”

Talon dropped his hand as though he were throwing something in Rickter’s direction. The kinetic fire that he had ignited barreled forward in a wave of violet-blue, an inferno that was joined by the remaining shard of ice that had manifested.

"I am Justice."

[Rickter]

Rickter had been so caught up in the act of trying to keep up, no, even so much as overpower the constant chain of attacks Talon kept throwing at him. The both of them had practically been so busy dancing with their blades, that the wolf had in fact forgotten about the other powers at his disposal. He'd also been so caught up in comparing himself to Talon, a man with many other strengths and weaknesses of his own, that the wolf himself hadn't thought to consider what they really were. Yet he only realized this as that time came fasting approaching, where emotion took over his thoughts and ice reacted in turn to his fears. He had been midswing in his next attack but that next step, that placement of the foot was when he'd generated the barrage of ice from his foot. Having witness Talon being overwhelmed by its manifestation the wolf's eyes widened, as he realized quickly what had happened right about then.

Had he lost control?

He felt completely himself other than the innate drumming within his chest, his limbs already shaken from the amount of duress he put on himself. Within moments the cascading ice speared out to lance at him, and quickly encase the Synnekar within the cone of frost that surged from the wolf. People throughout the stalls of the Proving Grounds all proceeded to gasp sharply then, their breaths held once more at the sight of the new development. "I... Did that!?" He realized as he looked down at his boot to lift it from the ground, a brief snap heard before the sand muffled a crunch of ice on the underside of his boot. It had been only just a moment, but somehow the only small amount of time he needed to understand. "I can do that?" He questioned as he felt the air around the ice shudder, leading Rickter to look back up at Talon before he shielded his face with his arms.

Wait a moment, Talon had been encased in it?! The wolf's eyes widened in bewilderment as words flowed into his mind, the very voice of his bondmate resonating in his thoughts as he backed away a few more steps. "I..." What was he to do? He immediately wanted to apologize for starters, not intending to blast his lover with a cone of ice at just a mere step. Had the wolf realized it before... No, he hadn't fully realized it before. How could he? He always feared what he couldn't control, always endeavored to conquer even the mightiest of obstacles beyond him. Yet Talon wasn't something to conquer, he was someone dear and special that Rickter never would've dared cross swords with. Right then the air around his ice shuddered, and within the blink of an eye the icy prison crumbled away. Frost surged within the space around Talon as ice shards flew in an orbital pattern, the wolf briefly shielding his face with his free arm as he narrowed his vision only a little. Talon remained suspended in the air with his Kinetic power as Rickter readjusted his stance, his eyes still rife with sheer awe and concern for his own bondmate.

Then he saw it. A spike of ice that embedded itself into Talon's side, as well as the cut on the Synnekar's face as he pressed a thumb against it. Oh, gods... He'd hurt Talon unintentionally with his power, and in doing so, felt a pang of regret for the suffering he'd caused. Talon willed his sword to return and still seemed intent to press on, his words heated dagger that sought to cauterize an open wound. Holding back? The wolf had no intention for this, and yet, Talon wanted him to go even further and unleash the full extent of his own power? Not even the wolf knew what he was fully capable of in his current state, hell he'd literally just speared the prince with ice without even intending to. But at that moment as he watched aetherial fire manifest around Talon, Rickter saw it for himself just what exactly he was missing. Magic wasn't just an extension of the user, he could see that now because of the nature of Talon's aether, because the way his flames manifested from the sheer force of the Flux alone. He truly was a marvel at Kinetics.

In reality Rickter had been so caught up in the fact he was fighting Talon, worried about what the cost of this battle might be as he preserved earlier. Now though clarity filled his thoughts once more, and he could see that the burning aether started to coat the shards of ice he manipulated, as a wall of fire and ice barreled through his previous cone straight for Rickter. "What to do?! Block it!?" Another moment of panic started to rise in him, for this was yet another situation that he hadn't planned for. Then again Rickter hadn't found time to plan anything at all, and while his normal reaction was to generate an aetheric shield with Negation... he didn't believe he had enough time. "Damn!!" The fire closed in to engulf around Rickter as heated fumes surged past him first, the wolf's reaction being a tuck backward so that he could attempt a roll away from the blast. Fire quickly consumed the space where he stood as he felt sand hit his back, Rickter quickly pulling his knees up so that his legs went with him.

From the looks of it, the blast had already engulfed the wolf, many within the crowd already rising on their feet as Telion and Hannah did the same. The blonde quickly covered her mouth in awe as her brunette friend wrapped an arm around her, the rogue's eyes also alight with sheer terror at the sight of these two going at it. Yet as the flames and ice shards bursted away from the zone of impact, something else slid clear across the sand with a high-pitched whir. From the edge of fumes and frost Rickter barreled out backward on his feet and one hand, his position that in a crouched form as he slid across frozen sand beneath him. He was breathing heavily though not from exhaustion, just mere anticipation out of what would've happened had he not reacted. "That was close..." He realized quickly as he gauged the area of impact from that blast, which was certainly smaller in comparison to the devastation Rickter knew Talon could achieve. Still... Aetheric fire with just the power of Kinetics alone?

Even Talon had tricks up his sleeve others hadn't quite seen yet... And though the wolf had struggled with his efforts before, now he could see what exactly he needed to do in order to achieve victory. Magic was an expression. A way the wizard manifested their will to the world, a way that altered the fabric of reality as they knew it. Before Rickter had always treated it like tools of power, things he would only compartmentalize in order to grasp at the fundaments. That foundation clearly hindered his scope of creativity, and in doing so left him to question the potential he could truly achieve. As he looked down at the trail of ice he'd slid across to escape, the air around him swirled with frost as the same ice had lightly coated his skin. It was frigid to the touch yet... didn't hurt him as he expected it to. He also realized that in that moment during his retreat, ice hadn't been the only reaction that had occurred as a result. All his runes glowed now as their witchmarks had spanned all over his back, as well as his front torso and left arm. Every rune was connected like before as they all still maintained their individual glow, yet all around him was the soft glow of blue as ice particles drifted around him.

"So this is expression then..." He noted as he looked back toward his opponent. "My runes change in accordance to the amount of Aether I'm using. So the more aether I use, the greater their influence within the battle." Yet that also meant the danger of Overstepping also, something else the wolf had keenly avoided doing at every turn. Though there were quite a few times his Reaving had left him feeling close. "Alright Talon, I see what you're wanting here..." He credited as he lowered his free hand back down, the surface of his palm chilled as icy sand coated the surface. The uncertainty he felt before somewhat diminished now, since he had a means of not just fighting back, but also moving around thanks to his last-second stunt with dodging the fire. With the weapon still gripped behind him the wolf twirled the hilt between his fingers, holding Howling Fang yet again in reverse as Rickter put pressure on the toes of his boots.

"Here it comes!!" He warned his bondmate with burning thoughts, as he kicked off to rush forward... no... to push himself through the air toward his opponent with his own Aether. Rickter propelled himself forward momentarily, kicking up his feet so that when they landed once again, he skidded forward toward the fire as ice cascaded out from beneath his boots.

With a narrowed look in his eyes Rickter surged around the body of flames he'd dodged, coming to a skidded stop as sand kicked up from jutted ice in the position he halted. It took him another moment to time it, but a secondary push send the wolf hurdling straight in the direction of Talon's path. Ice surged beneath his boots again once his feet made contact with the ground, his aether swirling around him as Rickter brought his free hand over to his right, so that he gripped the hilt of his weapons with both hands. Howling Fang hummed at the moment of contact as the gap between them closed, the wolf himself throwing both arms into a broad swing that was backed by the momentum of his ice slide.

"Common" "Synskrit" "Norvaegan"
"Rickter" "Telion" "Hannah"

[Talon]

duty

10 Searing 121

"D-did you know he could do that?" Beside him, the voice of Rien drew Aoren's attention. The arrival of the Second Son of House Novalys pulled the Kathar from his shocked stupor. He should have been surprised to see the man there but somehow it seemed like fate. The members of House Novalys had been watching Talon more closely, perhaps out of concerns for his well-being. Aoren suspected it was both familial and political concern. He looked at Rien's stunned face before shaking his head.

"I've never seen that before." Hannah's voice interjected the conversation.

"I take it that's not normal for Talon?" Aoren looked to Rien before shaking his head.

"Talon is not an Elementalist, which means that he used kinetic fire." Aoren watched as the wall of violet-blue fire surged forth, wrapped around shards of ice. Across the arena various wards activated in response to the use of higher tiered magic, shielding the stands from harm. He watched as tongues of aetheric fire crawled up the barriers for a moment before dissipating.

"What does that mean?" Hannah's attention was on Talon and Rickter. Her brow was furrowed slightly, one arm still wrapped around Telion who stood beside her.

"Kinetic fire is not elemental fire. It is sparked directly from the aether flux. When it burns, it burns especially harsh for mages. It's not something most kinetic mages can do, if at all." Aoren held his breath as Rickter skated across the sands of the arena. This bout had just risen to a completely different level.

---

Talon held his breath as his attack spread forth, breaking apart the remnants of the cone of ice before him. The shards of ice he had collected all shattered upon impact with the ground. His heart quickened. Then he saw Rickter roll out of the path of destruction, shaken but otherwise unharmed. Talon felt the tension in his chest lessen.

Eyeing Rickter, Talon watched him piece together the full extent of his expectations. It became clear to him the moment that his wolf made the decision to give it his all. A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. Talon flapped his wings gently, keeping himself aloft as his eyes followed the Rathari knight sliding across the surface of the arena sands. Through the lens of his Semblance, Talon saw the aether flowing through his bondmate. There was an element of wonder woven into newfound confidence that warmed him.

With practiced ease, Talon enacted Seeming up anchor himself into the air so as to become immovable. When Rickter leapt toward him, the young demigod brought up his sword to block his bondmate's blow. He felt the weight of the impact reverberate across his blade, vibrating up into his arm. Talon pushed back, sweeping his arm outward joining it with a pulse of kinetic force to send Rickter flying back. Talon released himself from his anchored spot, following his bondmate. As soon as Rickter got his bearings, Talon met him in close combat once more.

"I am Justice."

[Rickter]

The flames that gushed toward him were straight from the impact zone when it hit, and though the fumes were the front in which Rickter faced head-on, even those alone were enough to nearly singe his hair. Thus when the toes of his boots, as well as his fingers, raked into the sand to generate ice continuously, he felt the world around him alternate from intense heat to that deep cold Kalzasi only experienced during Frost. Sure the impact had been controlled but even so, the fires looked to be utterly devastating to be caught within if done so. In fact, the wolf counted his blessings whereas they were, for had he waited longer than another second, surely some of those flames would've touched him.

But seeing the voilet-blue flames as they snaked along with the wards of the stands near them, both fire and protection faded away moments after the aether fizzled out. Determination narrowed his eyes as Rickter's fingers loosened from the frozen sand, the grasp of expression clear in his mind as he briefly reflected on everything he knew. He was a Reaver first. That meant his actual weaponry was the powerhouse, as well as the bond that existed between his blade and him. He was a Negator second. The shields he imbued on his blade were the only shields he could generate earlier, and it was likely Talon wouldn't allow him more time to generate new ones on the fly. Elementalism. Clearly, the ice was expression-given form in this case, though Rickter hadn't forgotten of the other four elements at heart. And then... Kinetics... There was still so little the wolf knew about it, and his practice over the forces of the Flux was nowhere near the astute level Talon possessed. That said he knew enough to at least grant some small mobility.

"I'm afraid your right," Telion finally chimed in quietly after having seen the wolf's escape from the blast, "I've never seen either one of them do things like this." The bard remarked with a look to Rien and Aoren, as Hannah kept eyes on the two within the arena diligently. "Rickter's always braved his enemies head-on but Talon isn't an enemy, therefore, he doesn't want to do anything that would bring harm to him. Seeing how serious Talon is though, he had no choice but to push back." The manifestation of ice did intrigue her of course, as the blonde folded her arms close to the underside of her chest with a hunch in her shoulders. "Another thing to add is that Rickter's runes are lengthening. Every time we've seen them expand, he's accessing greater amount of aether than he normally would."

"She's right." Hannah then commented with a quick glance to Aoren, her gaze serious as she seemed intently focused on Rickter. "They may be getting serious now, but as soon as his eyes glow, Rickter may not be in control of this situation any longer..." She thought back to his time with Hyoga, and how Rickter slipped out of consciousness from just the fight alone. Had she not joined Yumeko in stopping him, then whatever force driving Rickter at that time would've continued to fight regardless. Deep down she dreaded that thought because while Talon was someone who clearly could take Rickter head-on, not even she was able to grasp what the wolf was capable of after what she'd seen.

---

As Rickter readied himself for the first launch he weaved his aether around him, generating a minor push with it to send him off with momentum. As soon as his feet touched ground again he veered around the main body of aetherial flames that lingered on the battlefield, the wolf sensing a test with his balance when he continually generated ice beneath the soles of his boots. Yet as he maintained his posture to continue the slide, the fears that overwhelmed him suddenly felt further and further behind him, the closer he reached his next point to make the turn and propel himself forward with another push. "I can't break through his defense directly, even without a weapon his Kinetics will keep things from penetrating." He noted as the blade he held in one hand was brought halfway over before him, the sword itself being pointed downward away from Talon as he projected forward. Being within the air though the wolf would have to get off the ground somehow, and though he hadn't quite practiced it as much... he hadn't forgotten one of the other abilities one could do with Kinetics.

"I'll have to come at him with everything I've got." The aether from his Negation shimmered across his blade as Rickter held the hilt with two hands, his body lancing straight for the flames that still burned beneath Talon as the wolf braced himself. Lacing his aether around his physical body he pulled a current within the Flux around him, and pulled his arms into the beginning of the swing as he rose toward the levitating Synnekar above him. As his boots grazed the flames beneath him the tip of his sword felt the heat of their lick, the wolf himself tilting his head forward so that his eyes firmly rested on Talon in his projected ascension. Particles of aetheric ice trickled down within the air from where the wolf soared, his blade brought up to clash against Talon's once more as he let out another hefty roar. The force of their blades created an intense backlash as the aether on his sword cackled wildly, the very air around Talon and Rickter brought to a shudder as a soft boom gusted out from them.

The flames below were nearly smothered out, as the wards seemingly reengaged themselves just from the force of their impact alone. But it wasn't the amount of power that the two exchanged that caught Rickter's attention, no, once their swords were pressed into one another yet again more heat filled the wolf this time. A burning sensation with a memory still not of his own.

---

Searing bore down on fields of green and yellow as there were two warriors locked in combat, one of them bearing a crown wreathed in benevolent light above his head. The Nimbus. He went in for the charge as his blade was primed, ready to make a powerful horizontal slash as his intended target went in for the block. Tiberius roared out as his right arm shot out first, the blade in his hand used to intercept the blow, as his left arm lashed out behind him with an open hand. From the space accompanying it his duplicate sword spun around, flying toward his opponent with just the simple gesture of a throw.

Arcas successfully dodged the attack with a pull to his left, with a quick pivot to slam his blade into the levitating sword that Tiberius threw. They were both so fast with their reactions that one would've found it difficult to keep up with, however, both of them were completely synergized as every move they made was swift and sure. Between both of their moving forms and the weaponry they possessed, the battle looked more like an actual dance between the weapons and their masters. It was a sight to behold as Tiberius lunged yet again, this time spiraling over Arcas to his flank, after their weapons clashed again for the fifth time...

---

"What-" Before his thoughts could even finish that question, Rickter was blown back by the telekinetic force of his lover yet again, the aetheric shields on his blade generating more loud pops before he'd been cast back completely. "Damn!" He quickly pulled his thoughts back to the fight at hand then, the wolf tucking himself into a midair backroll, before he kicked behind him to release a short burst of aether through his Kinetics rune once more. By now the Runes covered his entire left arm, his upper right bicep, mid and upper back, as well as the neck and front torso of the wolf. Their glow a soft sky blue now as he readjusted his posture in midair, nearly faltering back to the ground as he loosely gripped his aether around the space he needed to levitate.

"Just now... That was..." He realized where he'd seen that memory before, as it had taken place right here, exactly in this arena when he'd felt part of Talon's awakening through Reaving. He had made a pact with his shield at that time, and in fact, brought Telion to tears because of how harsh the process was to Pact a weapon. But why now? And why see what he just saw?

"Go."

His eyes widened as he felt that resonate within him, a sensation that felt akin to the other instances when things started to occur. Yet Rickter didn't hesitate upon hearing the word, for Talon closed in on him quickly, and that left little room for the wolf to react on such short notice. What he saw though wasn't just a glimpse... It was something he was meant to see. Something that Rickter could only speculate Tiberius wanted him to see. There was no time to dwell on it, to begin with, as the gap between them closed and Talon breached personal space. Rickter rotated counterclockwise within the space he levitated in, so that when his sword arm swung around it was the first to meet with Talon, as the rest of the wolf's form lined up after just as their swords crossed once more. Aether burst from their point of contact as the shield on Howling Fang sizzled once more, the sonic burst of impact sudden as once more the wards protecting the stalls vibrated into action.

As Rickter loomed in a position where his right arm and leg were toward Talon, and the blade in his hand no longer trembled but hummed upon the contact, Rickter's free hand extended out behind him as he focused on Howling Fang alone. "Here goes nothing!!" His hand remained open as he extended his aether out, the Reaving runes tracing their way underneath his earlobes and along his jawline now. A second copy of Howling Fang with the three generated shield layers manifested, the weapon gyrating above his opened hand as the aetheric dispersion of his shield then activated. The third layer Rickter generated across his original weapon, having made contact with Talon's raw aether twice now, responded as a huge burst of it sent the both of them hurdling away from one another, the wolf's feet hitting the wards in front of the stand as he knelt into it from the impact.

With his eyes still forward on where they were, he quickly propelled himself from the surface of that ward, kicking off with another kick to generate a second push with his aether. The right-handed blade pointed behind him as he soared forward, while the left hand remained open-palmed with the other weapon still gyrating as it followed his command. Surely, right before Talon's eyes, the wolf soared out through the smoke left behind by the aetheric discharge.

"Common" "Synskrit" "Norvaegan"
"Rickter" "Telion" "Hannah"