Legend of Ransera

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۞ The High Hopes Tavern was a place where patrons would go to relax, unwind and even indulge in the hedonistic luxuries of drinking, gambling and even fighting in the ring. Aurelio was looking around the bar for a moment, taking in the view of the patrons as well as observing the area vigilantly. There was never a day where you could be too careful, with a world filled with opportunity there was no doubt people would take advantage of it.

The loud excitable cheer of men could be heard as they screamed, whistled and hurrahed at the sign of the winner. He tilted his head for a moment as he walked over to the bar “Hey, how's it going?” He asked as the bartender smiled “Alright, Kid?” The bartender asked with a friendly smile as Aurelio smiled back “So, fight night?” The bartender’s lips curl up into a smirk as he leant against the bar “Well there’s a chance to make money, If your in just ask Darren over there” He said gesturing to the nine-foot tall Mortallen. Aurelio whistles at his height as he shook his head “Formidable opponent.”

The bartender chuckled as he cleaned the glasses and flagon’s out “He is indeed, it’s rumoured that very few people have beat him, but if they did… They get a grand prize…” Aurelio smiled as he looks at him with a grin “Well, some people always try their luck and end up losing, you should try your luck with well... Something smaller if you want to make quick cash” He said as Aurelio laughed as he rejected the comment he made “That would be too easy, wheres the challenge” He smirked as he crossed his arms, staring at the Mortallen. He appeared to have a stern glare always, arms crossed as his biceps were big. He watched him demonstrate his strength as he picked up a single human with ease and popped him back down on the floor.

The bartender smiled, looking as his eyes narrowed with a feline expression upon his face “So, what can I get you since we’ve been chatting for so long… Your throat’s probably dry” He laughed as Aurelio looked over at the drinks menu on the chalkboard. ''I guess just a beer” The bartender moved towards the keg and obtained a flagon before filling it as Aurelio paid the coin for a drink “Enjoy…” Aurelio stared at the flagon in front of him as the bubbles from the bear frothed heavily. He headed over to watch the aggressive fight within the ring as it appeared the fighters were wrestling with each other as he sat at the booth alone, watching from the comfort of the high ground within the bar. ۞

"Thanks," he said to the bartender. "I've got her drinks."

The woman he was talking to looked uncomfortable, but not because of him. She glanced toward the door. He handed her a small pouch, which she immediately hid upon her person.

"I'll see what I can do with the information." His smile was rakish, but there was something reassuring in his voice. At least, she seemed to think so, loosening her shoulders and sighing into her drink. "Why don't you go watch the fight while you finish your drink?"

Her mouth opened as if to ask what he would do with the information, then thought better of it and nodded at his suggestion. She bid him good night and moved off through the knots of people muttering about cultists. He could wish she was more circumspect, but he knew the honest clash and primal letting of blood would distract her and she wouldn't think about the troubling things she had told him for a while. Finding his gaze wandering down to watch her backside sway before it disappeared behind another patron, he finally turned back to the bar.

Aurin looked up—and up. Damn, but Avialae were tall. He wasn't short himself, but he would have been a runt of an Avialae if he had wings himself. Thankfully, he was just a normal man.

"Come to fight or come to watch?" he asked the young Avialae. He seemed old enough to have completed his Warren March, but all the young wing boys seemed like they had something to prove. Time didn't make them men—surviving a trial into the depths of danger did, at least in Kalzasi. He supposed they all looked for some new challenge to pit themselves against. It made sense if their lives up to that point were focused on that seminal challenge.

Of course, Aurin wasn't so quick to put all members of a race into a box, but culture was a powerful motivator in his experience. He almost laughed at the thought of himself with wings, though. He would make a terrible Avialae.

---

۞ He looked over at the imposing figure upon him, there was something oddly roguish about the man "You look like a man who can take care of himself..." Eyeing the man, he tilted his head "Not to mention, his name has to be a obvious mystery... I'm Aurelio, but you can call me Lio." He smiled as his eye contact pierced straight through him as he looked up at him with such confidence before smiling "I guess, watching for now, have a seat" He said as he gestured to the chair opposite the booth as he continues watching, observing the fighters. He appears to be calculating the mistakes of hand to hand combat. Observing one's combat techniques was the way Aurelio learnt the tactics of combat as Aurelio witnessed the Hytori fighter deliver a hook punch as he dodged and immediately punched him in the stomach "For example, rule number one... Don't make the first move, watch your opponent" He eyed Aurin once again and smirks "Don't you agree?"

Aurelio eyed at the corner of the room, noticing a hooded man. He turned out the door as he eyed the room vigilantly, looking at every nook and cranny in the bar for any suspicious activity, however there appeared to be no other signs. The biggest question was who was the hooded man? It seems like for now that was the least of Aurelio's worries. He came to the High Hopes to wind down and drink his sorrows away, not to be drowned in them again.

"In fact, since we were talking fighting... Why don't we spar, loser well... Lets say any favour they desire?" He said as he gestured over to him, eventually downing the entirety of his beer. Aurelio smirked as he crossed his arms as he tilted his head, gesturing over to him "Come on..." He said, walking downstairs to the ring. He undoes the belt buckle straps of his leather doublet, revealing the strong glistening piece of architecture that anyone had seen. His abs were well sculpted, ripped from the amount of training he gave himself throughout his life, from childhood to adulthood. He was a fine example of a mature Avialae, yet he was still growing internally. This fight was his form of practice. A hand to hand situation for both Aurin and Aurelio۞

His gambit paid off. Aurin smirked, though it bore no malice. He sat down opposite the Avialae with his drink and a curious look.

"Aurelio," he said slowly, pronouncing the name with a foreign cadence before he smirked once more and repeated the nickname, sounding entirely local once more. "Lio. I'm Aurin."

His gaze followed the younger man's and he observed the Hytori's strike with a bit more contextual knowledge. But his mind immediately began to analyze for weaknesses to exploit. From here, he could investigate a potential opponent, and he would have an edge on him if they came at each other in the future.

"Alcohol and bloodlust," he murmured to himself. His mind went far away for a moment, to another city, another fight in another arena. He looked back at the man instead of the fight. It was easier than remembering. "Don't strike first unless you have a clear advantage. Don't waste the advantage. But all things being equal, definitely feel out your opponent first. See how he moves. See where he looks."

Aurin groaned at the suggestion, but it was good-natured.

"So you were just waiting for some poor fool to sit down for you to suggest a spar, eh?" He laughed and finished his beer. "All right, all right." He followed Aurelio, noting how even a step behind and above, the younger man was as tall as him. Fucking winged giants. But he was curious to see how he would stack up against one of the holy warriors of Kalzasi. He laughed again as Aurelio stripped down, then followed suit. His physique wasn't as impressive, but he hadn't a spare ounce of fat on him and his lean muscles were strong from training in private. In general, he preferred to avoid a fight. That was the best win. But it wouldn't hurt to know a friendly Avialae if he ever found himself in a fight in the future.

Taking some strips of cloth, he began wrapping his fists and considering Aurelio. He would have reach and strength on Aurin, but Aurin might have speed on his side, and the wings would be a hindrance on the ground. Of course, he would also have to watch the wings if they flared out while Aurelio turned.

"All right," he said, walking out to the center of the ring. Apparently, nothing was set up officially for tonight. The people who wanted to fight were just fighting. "Who was that hooded man?" he asked, hoping to throw Aurelio off.

---

۞
As Aurelio made his way to the pit, he looked back at the other male, seeming it was finished empty as everyone dispersed for refills. It was not common that beer spillages on top of clothing were a thing from rowdy patrons of the bar. The quiet arena could be the source for taking advantage of a little effort to spar between the two. After all, he had just made him sit down and get up again. Poor man. His attempts to distract him were rather cute and charming; rolling his eyes. It was the same old thing any opportunist would do; divert your attention away for a one moment before striking.

"Nice try" He uttered with a smirk as he cracked his neck and knuckles; ensuring he had good posture in combat. With his knees apart and legs bent, he verified that the position of his feet were ample and balanced. This was a huge test for his footwork as well as his tactical decision making in combat as he lunged at Aurin, trying to catch him off guard for a moment; taking a few steps back as he provoked him "What's the matter, are you too scared to come at me? Am I took imposing for you is that it? If your not scared, show me what you got, little boy..."

However, things were suddenly about to get more interesting as what was a simple sparring session would develop into a full on betting fight "Alright, place your bets boys!" Darren initiated as he stepped closer to the other male "Wait, but this is private between us." Darren laughed "No, it's fight night! The best warriors fight for wagers, a chance for cash to be earnt! Winter takes half of the money wagered, loser pays fifty avens towards the winners earnings. Wagers, prepare, it may be your lucky day!" The Mortallen grinned as he sadistically cracks his knuckles sadistically; with caution, he watched the room, knowing the mess he got himself into; his nerves made his ears twitch as he made eye contact once again.

Sometimes I wonder to myself; why do you always get yourself in sticky situations. Aurelio thought, this time he was really hoping that he would be the one ready for it as he placed his forehead against Aurin's staring at him with an intense glare. He waited for the staring gun "I'm not gonna go easy on you" He said. Darren eventually crossed his arms and looked down upon the two fighters in front of him "The rules, no magic, no sharp objects or deadly weapons, pure brawn and fists! Any violation of the rules would result in barring from the High Hopes" "Do I make myself clear!" Aurelio nodded as he watched vigilantly at the man, hoping to inspect and find weaknesses within him; being muscular and imposing was one thing, but having the intelligence to identify combat situations was another. Before the fight, he kneeled down to grab some dirt from the pit's floor.

The real test began as the starting gun went off, this time he watched Aurin vigilantly as he stepped across the room, wondering who would make the first move. Eventually, Aurelio saw an opportunity and threw dirt at Aurin's face, before lunging at him, he let out a furious battle cry as he aimed his fist towards Aurin's face. ۞

Aurin smirked and shrugged, more upset that the man didn't know anything about the hooded man than that his distraction hadn't worked. The ginger did love his secrets, and perhaps later he would follow up on the hooded man if he were still around. But for now, he was assessing the Avialae. The careful way he got into position was telling—his form was good, but it wasn't second nature yet. The taunts were of the schoolyard variety, and so his smirk only deepened.

He almost launched a strike when Darren distracted him, but this was just sparring. The need to fight as dirty as necessary to win was more appropriate for an actual life-or-death situation, and this wasn't one of them, no matter how strong the Avialae was. So he waited, shrugged at the rules, and nodded. If people were going to bet on the outcome, that didn't concern him. He only wished he wasn't so rusty, having only really practiced with himself for a long time. Perhaps if things went well, Lio would want to train again some other time. It would get Aurin back into fighting trim, at least.

The older man fell into a fighter's stance almost instinctively. He might avoid combat these days, but he had been drilled in these things since he was small. The muscles didn't forget.

The handful of dirt was smart, but he wasn't secretive about it. If Aurin was trying to teach him, he would have told him to save that shit for when the other person wasn't expecting it. Aurin was. He dodged it neatly, as well as the follow-up blow, aiming a fist to the gut as they came together. Lio had broken his own rule, striking first rather than trying to get a fix on Aurin and his style, his tells, and everything.

---

۞ The mistake cost him; always taking chances over observing the rhythms of combat; something which he foolishly looked over upon, despite already giving advice. It had not been the first time Aurelio had misread combat ques. As he fell on the floor, Darren began shouting a descending countdown in Synskrit, a language which the Kalzasi people had adopted. Calming himself, he resilently got up and decided to learn from his immediate mistake. By now, he should've known the movements of his adversary's tactical positioning, however it appeared ambiguous. He didn't know his rival very well, but it appeared that he had to figure out the roguish figure. He had just met him, but there was something awfully intriguing about him.

Aurelio watched the movements of Aurin, carefully as he makes eye contact. However, hard it was it was better to wait it out and observe for a better opportunity. Sometimes, Aurelio needed to learn to listen to his own advice, rather than take charge and act on impulse "Oh, by the way... Aurin, did you say your name was..." He said looking at him with a grin "You pack a punch, for someone who's small..." It was then, he mentioned back and forth; fishing for opportunities.

Eventually, he misplaces his foot as his movement and stumbles; it was because he had been moving erratically, that he had misplaced his foot. His posture appeared to be ruined as he tried to recompose himself, not wanting any advantages to fall onto Aurin. He waited and stopped, as he wanted to predict the man's next move, but he waited patiently. The crowd was cheering, booing and screaming at the top of the lungs "The squirts got no chance!" A patron said, clearly identifying his allegiance with Aurelio. However, Aurelio didn't particularly care who he had on his side, he just knew he needed to win for his own dignity. ۞

The human didn't press his sudden advantage. If Lio had cornered him in an alley, he would have been upon him with sharp steel before he had recovered from the blow. Instead, he let him recover, he let him bluster, just smirking and observing. His psychological warfare needed work, though he knew plenty of hotheaded pugilists who might have bristled at the banter. It only amused him.

He circled, hardly even in a fighting stance, nonchalant and watching, waiting. The crowd could catcall all they wanted; he didn't care about them. Even for this informal spat, his attention narrowed down to the Avialae and himself, the boundaries of the ring. Lio tripped over his own feet and he wondered if the statuesque Avialae had just finished his last growth spurt, making him clumsy as a young pup. He didn't move on that opportunity either, but he finally answered his taunt.

A vulpine smile accompanied a squeeze of his crotch as he promised, "Don't worry, pretty boy. You'll feel me."

Then he brought up his hand, two fingers beckoning him closer, though a woman shouted to save the fingering for later.

Another member of their audience screamed at Aurelio, "What are you waiting for, coward? You're a fucking giant!"

Aurin heard that last bit, and he thought the guy was an arsehole, but whereas Aurin was able to tune all that out, he didn't know if the Avialae would be or would be distracted. He waited, knowing he had a better chance in an encounter if he could use Lio's momentum against him rather than try to attack him outright.

---

۞ The rowdy crowd eventually tore away at Aurelio's concentration, like voracious shamblers in the warrens. However, it didn't entirely tear at the core of the other male. He knew he was extremely manipulative in combat, something which Aurelio wasn't use to as fighting creatures in the wilds was somewhat predictable. Fighting an intelligent, yet free-willed being was much different. They didn't have stingers, they had quick witticism, charisma and a foxes' cunning. He still held back for a moment until he realised the game he was playing.

It was just as petty as any other game people would play, through the realms of seduction. However, the technique seemed to be paying off slightly as he blushed. It was flattering; watching the male present even dirtier ways of fighting. He admired his eloquence; his ability to present his charisma in fighting situations was no doubt on the level of an experienced man. There was something about Aurin that was esoteric, mysterious and exciting; only the hope of playing the game could be the answer to preserving his dignity as a warrior.

"Pfft, y'know anyone can play that game." He laughed displaying a blush. He was in denial, he liked the techniques he used against him. The elements of seduction were hopefully paying off slightly as he tried to mask how uncomfortable he was; following in the same footsteps and games as he rubbed his hand. He played along with the man's inviting facade as he slowly rubbed a hand against his chest down to his abs "I'm a man of self respect, only the worthy get this." He grinned, hoping his comment would rile up the male further. There was a odd sense of discomfort, exposing himself like that in public as a faint blush overshadowed his face.

As uncomfortable as he felt, he hoped his efforts paid off as he tried to lure him into a trap, wondering if he'd ever secure his victory and keep his dignity intact. At the moment, it seemed he wasn't cunning enough, , perhaps his survival of the warrens marches and the slayer trials was just pure luck. However, Aurelio thought of a clever way of distraction for Aurin, before unfurled his wings fully; revealing a speckled infusion of white and gold. Everyone had to step back at the 17ft long wingspan, giving him more room in the ring "He means business now! Go on, fucking lay the lanky fucker out, stop being a fucking pansy!" A patron shouted from the corner; showing malice towards the other male.

He stared over at the other male, knowing he had one advantage. The floor was filled with large amounts of sand and dirt as he gave Aurin a calculating stare "One rule, always have a plan B" He laughed out; buffeting them once with such force that it imitated a slight gale as well as fanning the sand and dirt towards Aurin, hoping he would be blinded by it. The bar patrons flinched at the dust gale that made the room misty. If it was one thing he learnt during his training was using the environment around him.

Aurelio took the golden opportunity to sneak behind the other male and force him into a headlock. He began to wrestle with the other man, before kicking him in the shins; hoping it would make him relent and give up "I bet you're wishing you had wings, squirt" He said as he tightened his forearm around the other man's neck, growling as he tried to use his full bodyweight to subdue Aurin.

۞

"This isn't the fucking Velvet Cabaret, bird boy!" someone shouted.

"Get a room!" yelled someone else.

Aurin just smirked. The flush was telling; the riposte was interesting. And if the stories about the Avialae were true, then Garel of Atoria was an artist as much as a necromancer. The young Avialae was certainly something to look at. This one's wingspan was impressive even for his race, but Aurin didn't take too much time to admire. The open stance gave him an opportunity, but even the riling of the crowd was drowned out as he focused, looking for just the right— And then the boy did something unexpected: whipping dirt into the air with a powerful blast with his wings.

That impressed Aurin. He would have expected a young Avialae to showboat, but not court the disfavor of his audience by blinding them as well. But it was that sort of thinking that would keep him alive in a real fight. Aurin was quick enough to duck and cover his face with his arm, so he wasn't blinded, but he was not in a good position to prepare for Lio's maneuver, and then he was in a headlock.

He kept his chin down, trying to prevent that impossible strong arm from getting around his neck properly. And then he began driving his elbow back into the boy's gut over and over again. It might have felt frantic, but it was strategic: he was searching for just the right point to trigger his release—perhaps the solar plexus or the lymph node in the groin.

Pride wouldn't prevent him from tapping out if he thought his life or limb were in true danger, but he wasn't the sort to give up easily.