[Collab: EliteCommander and Blizz]
The Ascendancy was not the most powerful nor wealthy nation on the continent, though one could be forgiven for thinking so upon entering Arcaeda. This city was the first to truly be built with magic from the ground up. For other, older cities, structures built with magic-enhanced techniques had to be constructed around existing structures, and with respect for the infrastructure that was already present. Arcaeda, though, had no such limitations. From the start, it had been built to exemplify everything that could be accomplished with these new abilities. Nestled in a valley between three impassable mountains, the city’s impressively tall walls closed off any other potential gap in its defenses. The walls even encompassed the path from the city proper to the docks on the lake just to the west, keeping every aspect of the city’s infrastructure protected.
Arcaeda was comprised mainly of stone construction, even in the “Ground District”, where the majority of commoners lived and worked. The main entrance of the city lead into the Ground District, though the road leading deeper into the city, and everything that could be seen from it, had a much more intentionally cultivated appearance than the rest of the district. The well-maintained cobblestone road passed through multiple stone archways, each decorated on the inside with murals and carvings. Upon close inspection, one would see that they tended to depict the tales of great people, whether warriors, explorers, leaders, or other heroes. Curiously, not all of them were even citizens of the Ascendancy, or even had any connection at all with the nation. They seemed to simply be celebrating great individuals.
The Middle District was home to tradespeople, merchants, and wealthier travelers, though its famed gladiatorial arena was open to all. Even here, its huge stone buildings seemed to tower over the streets. Many would have been entirely unfeasible to construct by mundane means, but magic gave the opportunity to build what would have been impossible in a previous age. Alongside the roads here were statues honoring notable figures in the Ascendancy’s history. Soldiers, architects, inventors, mages, and others who had made a substantial impact upon the Ascendancy as a whole. Although, curiously, the Archmagister herself seemed to have no such public honors.
The High District was, naturally, the home to the wealthiest and most influential of the city’s citizens. Immaculate marble stonework, beautiful gardens, and breathtaking sculptures were all presented proudly to any visitor to the district. The centerpiece to the district was the tower of the Archmagister. It served as the center of government for the whole of the Ascendancy, as well as the home of the Archmagister herself. It was appropriately massive in every respect, and at the time of its construction, had been the tallest building on the continent. Its exterior, at least, was painted marble, though its interior was mainly granite.
Down the main road into the High District came a procession of foreign dignitaries. A large cube structure of stone, decorated in the purple banners of the Driddic Sovereignty, floated forward through magical means. Eventually, this ominous object came to a stop in front of the gate to the Archmagister’s watchtower, and lowered to the ground. Plates of stone slid away like hands knitted together, forming a staircase to the road before it.
From inside the structure, three individuals of Driisu descent emerged. Two wore the traditional armor of the Kal Dii, emblazoned in gray and purple, and they accompanied the Archon herself. Parzin Elstov. She was dressed in a colorful robe lined with fur, draped in swirling patterns of gray. Archon Elstov stepped out of the structure, hands knitted in a cradle. Her dark eyes scanned the area, as she then turned to her escorts.
”You are both dismissed until further notice. Conduct yourselves well.” The Kal Dii agents nodded in unison, and returned to the stone box they left from. Stone plates interlocked back into place, sealing it shut.
There was a large staircase leading up to the main entrance of the tower with a ramp at its center, down which trotted a Glen as soon as the Archon was seen exiting her litter. He was, by Glen standards, fairly short and lithe, though with his body structure, he still looked somewhat down upon her. He had smooth, well-groomed fur with a soft brown color and little muscle to speak of. On his torso he wore a fine silk vest with a deep violet hue, as well as a white scarf with gold embroidery bearing the emblem of Arcaeda.
“My lady, Archon of the Driddic Sovereignty, it is my pleasure to welcome you to Arcaeda. Please, if you will follow me, the Archmagister can see you right away.” The Glen greeted her with a polite bow.
”Of course. Let us go.” The Archon stepped across the stone road with what could only be described as unnatural grace. She practically glided up the steps to the tower, following the Glen silently as she peered across the entire district with each step.
There was, all things considered, little in the way of formalities for this visit. This meeting had been planned well-ahead of time, and there was no legitimate reason to delay. Archmagister Vyana disliked wasting either her own time, or the time of her guests. The interior of the tower had every bit as much of a splendid appearance as its exterior, though for the moment, there was little opportunity to explore it. Though, even just the guards they passed gave a sense of the importance of this place. About half were Tekeri, though quite a few of the guards in this place were actually S’tor. In the Ascendancy, anyone who was skilled enough could reach any position, though their sheer physical power likely helped the S’tor in matters of warfare. Their armor stood out in particular, as it looked to be an aluminum alloy. Given the rarity and value of aluminum, being even more costly than gold, such suits were fantastically expensive. However, they were also exceptionally lightweight, at least stronger than iron, and most importantly, non-magnetic.
The Glen guided Archon Parzin to a lift that would take them to the upper floors of the tower. For the sake of weight, it was made from wood, though it used a mechanism of metal gears operated by a Lightning mage. Only one mage was required, though two were present on the lift as they rose up to the higher floors. Eventually, they reached the end of a long hallway with a door guarded by a pair of S’tor. Curiously, the Glen would not enter the door himself, but rather brought the Archon to one of the guards, then took his leave before the guard escorted the Archon inside.
“Presenting Archon Parzin of the Driddic Sovereignty.” The guard announced.
The room was a huge chamber with a large, circular table at its center. Off to the right were tall, stained glass windows that illuminated the room. Most of the glass was some shade of blue, so the lighting for the room overall felt cool and peaceful. The stone table was surrounded by at least two dozen chairs with spaces in between that could be used by Glen, with one chair being taller and more decorated than the rest. Though, neither that one, nor any of the others were actually in use at the moment. Rather, the only other person in the room, aside from Parzin and the guard, could be seen sitting just outside on the balcony.
As soon as Parzin was announced, the Tekeri outside stood to her feet and took a step inside. She was quite tall, being almost eight feet in height, though upon first impressions, that was far from what was most remarkable about her appearance. She did not wear expensive jewelry, or indeed,
any jewelry or decorations at all. Her plumage was healthy and well-maintained, certainly, but it lacked the lustrous shine and deep black hue that wealthy Tekeri sought to cultivate. Her feathers were simply…normal. As well, her beak was not polished, which would have been the fashion for Tekeri in more prestigious social circles. She was someone who wore her flaws without shame. Scratches and imperfections on her beak, small scars and abrasions on her hands, and of course, there were two quite prominent scars that were readily visible. One looked to be the remains of a deep cut across her chest, from her collarbone down almost to her abdomen, and another that appeared to be a burn scar on the left side of her face. The latter would actually be considered somewhat unsightly to some Tekeri, as in addition to discoloration, it prevented feathers from growing in an area around her left eyes. It was the kind of wound that certainly would have blinded those eyes, though both were currently in perfect shape. Life magic could have been used to restore them. Indeed, Life magic was perfectly capable of removing all traces of
any of these imperfections, yet they still remained. This Tekeri did not have any of the trappings of status or nobility. If met on the street, her powerful build and rough exterior might mark her as a soldier or laborer, but unquestionably, this was Archmagister Vyana.
“You may go.” The Archmagister gestured to the guard.
The Archmagister was two feet taller than the Archon, though Parzin was visibility unbothered. She met all four of Vyana’s eyes with a blank, controlled expression. She stood with her head tilted slightly upwards, her hands still in that strange formation that seemed less like a spell and more like a passive way to keep one’s hands empty and unarmed before another person. There seemed to be something decorating her wrists that could be seen from underneath her robes.
”Vyana.”Vyana was silent until the guard had taken his leave, and even then, she spoke only briefly as she nodded her head towards the exit to the balcony. “Come.” She remarked.
The Archmagister returned to her seat outside on the balcony. She seemed to have had a chair brought out for the both of them, far more plain than the ones arranged around the table inside, though it did appear comfortable and was at least sized appropriately for Parzin. As soon as she returned to her seat, Vyana pulled a glass of some sort of dark liquid into her hand from the table between them, using Force magic with seemingly just as little thought and difficulty as if she had just reached out and grabbed it by hand. Perhaps even less. “Would you like anything before we begin?”
She waved a hand dismissively.
”I’ll pass. We have business to discuss. You invited me to Arcaeda for a reason regarding the Driddic Sovereignty.” She took the seat across from Vyana, folding her arms and keeping a neutral tone of voice. As she sat down, something rippled down the tower silently, as confirmation to her escorts, who sounded back in a way only they heard. To Vyana, nothing would have happened.
”You have my attention.”Vyana’s attitude was hard to read by default, but she allowed the Archon to see at least a hint that she was pleased. “So many of the politicians I am forced to entertain in this place are fools, expecting formality and a pristine coat of paint on the ‘politics’ we argue over. But that is not who I am speaking to now, is it? I’ve read my diplomats’ reports on you. You know the way of things, and I don’t need to waste my time or yours with all of that…pretending.”
For just a moment, Vyana paused to take a drink before continuing. “You have something that would be of benefit to the Ascendancy. The mountains you inhabit serve as a buffer between the kingdom of Narkant and the Ascendancy. In ages past, they were all but impassable, but the introduction of magic to our world has made crossing them more feasible. Especially with the sort of earthshaping magic your people have demonstrated. If you were either to ally with the S’tor, or be conquered by them, then that would present a threat to my northern border. Additionally, those mountains contain resources that, with the assistance of magic for mining, would be a boon to any economy that controls them.”
Two of Vyana’s eyes that Parzin could see looked down from the Horizon to peer down at her. “And you seek the best outcome for your people. You do not want to be conquered, to lose your identity, nor have your land exploited for its resources while your people gain nothing in return. Overall, what your people truly seem to wish is to be left alone to live as they will. Would that be correct?”
Parzin considered her words carefully. She was blunt, but not rude.
”Yes. Our Sovereignty has stood alone since long before magic was discovered. Now that the resources can be withdrawn magically, we intend to be the one that controls them. We are capable of standing on our own with what we have at our disposal. By staying neutral, we gain more than doing otherwise.”“That is true, at this moment.” The Archmagister nodded in agreement. “But you live in a precarious balance. Your population is a fraction of either the Ascendancy or Narkant. Even with the rather creative solutions you have put in place to maximize your yields, your territory simply cannot produce enough food to sustain a population that can come close to rivaling your neighbors. Population drives economy, economy fuels your military. Your specialized magic allows you strength beyond your numbers, but it is not infinite. Either Narkant or the Ascendancy, if they were truly dedicated to it, could conquer the mountains, despite the difficulty. Just as Kolodon did to the Myriad. However, if either of us were to commit to annexation, then you could ally with the other, and you would certainly make the difference in that war.”
Vyana leaned back somewhat in her seat. “And so this is where we are: a peaceful stalemate. Yet, you have to know the value of your land. Even if it contained no resources whatsoever, the land represents security, to one of us or the other. The ability to make one of our borders unassailable. Should this balance between the Ascendancy and Narkant ever change, should one of us ever be able to devote our full attention to you, then your people may be at risk. But I do not prefer war as a solution. It is dangerous, costly, and for as long as I have ruled, I have not had reason to declare it. I would rather offer you a deal that would be sufficiently beneficial to both of our people. I have laid my motivations bare for you; would you be willing to at least hear it?”
”Under my rule, both Narkant and the Ascendancy are free to trade with us. The roads into both nations are protected by Kal Dii. Food is not an issue for us. If we ever felt threatened, the roads would be closed. We have something you want, and it is inaccessible to you.”Every facet of the mountains themselves were a sandbox which the Driisu had free reign over. Their defenses were not impenetrable, but they could be rebuilt in a matter of hours. Even the capital city was truly indestructible, because even if it was ransacked to its foundation, the Kal Dii could flip it on its head and bring it back to its glory.
”Very well. I am listening.”Vyana nodded, speaking clearly, though without particular emotion. “Your people and mine have a certain shared history in regards to the Kolodon Empire. We were weak. One by one, our tribes fell, lost themselves, became subject to the whims of the S’tor. And we deserved it, because we could not stand tall enough to enforce our own destiny. After Kolodon fell, after I tasted the potential of what magic brought into this world, I decided that we would
never be weak again. Your people carried themselves better than mine during the Empire. Many of your Houses too fell, but Nabarask did not. They fought the elements instead, and survived enough to carve out the land you hold now. You have mastered your environment; shape it to your will. We have both made ourselves greater than what we were. And that is what I see that sets you apart. Unlike Mythadia, and Acanata, and the other corrupt and dying remnants of old Kolodon…they have weakness at their heart that holds them back from what their resources could accomplish, while you have potential that elevates you above what you have. That is why the deal I offer you is…different from what I would have to do if I were to annex any of those places. I want to offer you to become a part of the Ascendancy, truly and completely. I would not demand that your leadership be replaced or your institutions remade. Your society is organized competently. You could continue to govern yourselves as your own province, but with the support and resources of the rest of the Ascendancy at your side. With our cooperation, your mountains can be made impenetrable to Narkant. Our trade routes and agricultural base can allow you to grow your population. As citizens, our territory would be open to you as well; you would be able to support your population with farms on the more fertile lands to your south on our side of the border, instead of being unused as they are now. I am offering you to be able to share in, and help shape, the fate of the Ascendancy.”
What Vyana offered did indeed have Parzin interested. Additional resources, and bolstered defensive power were something that the Archon considered high priorities for her people, but these were things that the Sovereignty had already. There was more to walls than a perpendicular plane of stone.
”As it stands, the Ascendancy and Sovereignty are territories open to each other. Our trade highways bolster the economies of both. We are made stronger by remaining open to both sides. Though, I would assume that you intend to expect something in return for this proposition. You would not send us extensive resources and offer to increase the strength of the Wall without payment.”The Archmagister tilted her head to look more directly down at the Archon. “Fortifying our northern border brings value that will cross centuries. Should enough S’tor in the north become unified to threaten the south, we will have a stronger barrier between us. The next Kolodon Empire will find its expansion far more difficult than the last. But beyond that, your strength will become a part of the Ascendancy, and our strength, a part of yours. The Ascendancy is not a Tekeri nation. It is a nation of all of those who would cast off our weaknesses to shape our own future, by our own terms. I am sure you saw my guards; I hold no grudges for the past. And I see strength enough in your people to be part of our future.”
Pausing a moment, Vyana stood up from her seat and stepped forward, leaning onto the stone railing to look out over the expanse of the city before her. “Do you understand what that future is? My vision for this nation I have built, do you know what it is?”
”You envision a nation without flaws. One where all weakness has been cut away for the greater good, and where anyone can rise to whatever height they wish to rise to, should they prove they deserve it. My people have proven we can survive the things no one else can survive, and in your eyes, that makes us worthy of the highest honor you can afford us. I understand this much.”Vyana gave a quick glance back at Parzin. “Close. I am no idealist. I know that I cannot eliminate flaws from my people any more than I can eliminate them from myself. To seek such perfection is a waste of effort. It is within our power, however, to mitigate the impact of our flaws. Consider the Kolodon Empire. At its height, it was the
only force that mattered on Kanth-Aremek. I have great respect for Cedec Kolodon. He was an unrivaled leader the likes of which this world has not seen since, and few others could have spread his Empire so completely as he. We stand here, conversing in his tongue, because he was able to make his vision into a reality. Yet, there is no Empire anymore. Why? Because his society could not survive past him forever. It took centuries, but the rot of corruption and complacency took root in that bloated Empire. When the children of noble children, unworthy and unchallenged from the day of their hatching, took power, they were unable to deal with the challenges of ruling. That is the lesson I took from history. That is the future I see for the Ascendancy: not one of conquest or Empires, but one that will resist the corruption of time.”
”And you intend to weed out the weakness of my homeland, cut away corruption you assume lurks in the woodwork. The Kolodon believed this when they conquered everyone who stood in their way. They did not survive, despite their sentiments of nationalism. What is the difference between you and an empire that controlled the world?”Vyana answered without so much as skipping a beat. Clearly, it was not a question that came as a surprise to her. “The difference is that I do not try to seek weakness with my own, possibly flawed, perceptions. I do not hunt it down myself. Rather, I simply make it as difficult as possible for weakness to thrive. Kolodon had the concept of nobility. Families who, by virtue of birth, were given wealth and power. They had Emperors with no ability to lead, simply because of their parentage. Their society propped up and enabled that weakness to thrive, until their society could no longer bear that burden. The Ascendancy simply provides an environment where merit must be proven, not assumed. We loathe complacency and try to enable improvement; even the weak can become strong, given enough effort. So to answer your question, I would not try to cut out your weakness, I would just make sure that we are not protecting it.”
”Do you believe I am unable to do so alone? I have led the Sovereignty through two centuries, and neither the Ascendancy nor Narkant has threatened our progress. We have been growing as a people year after year, in spite of our position across borders. We do not inherit thrones in the Sovereignty. Inheritance is arbitrary. You did not answer my question. If the Sovereignty knelt to the Ascendancy, what will you gain from it?”“I believe that I did. We would gain security to our northern border. In terms of more material gains your economy would join with ours. With access to our trade routes, the rare metals and minerals mined in your lands could be sold in markets as far away as Torant where such goods are more rare. Arcaeda would gain tax revenue off of the usage of our trade routes, while you would still be making more from the increased price of the sales.” Vyana answered succinctly.
Parzin kept her eyes on Vyana as she considered everything she had been told.
”You are proposing two separate things. Integration and a trade alliance. The former is out of the question. For as long as Driisu have occupied the mountains, we have stood alone and self-sufficient. As the world moves on, we move on with it by doing what allows us to. If you wish to open lines of trade on a more official level, we can discuss this now. I will be blunt, Vyana. You lack the trust sufficient to warrant my loyalty, but I am open to dialogue regarding trade.”This time, Vyana did seem to take a few moments in thought as she remained leaned up against the railing. “If you just wish to come to an agreement on opening more trade between us, then I can have a trade agreement drafted up by this time tomorrow, and you can take any time you need to review and amend it. The details I will leave to those who are more specialized in such matters, but broadly speaking, we would agree to open access for you to our trade routes to foreign markets, namely Torant, in exchange for a fair tariff. Additionally, we may be willing to allow you access to fertile land for farming near your border, but within our territory. Again, for a reasonable fee.”
”The Lower Highway will be open to any official caravans of the Ascendancy. They are patrolled extensively by the Kal Dii, and lead to each major city. Calasir, Uldresdan and Nadra. Nadra is the center of Sovereignty trade, it possesses the largest market of them all. A caravan will want to go there first. It is closest to the Southern Gate. It will be a simple trip, relatively speaking. We will need to discuss the details of trade first, though. Food, raw materials, precious metals, and such.”“It would be better for me to have one of my clerks draft a detailed agreement for you to review. I must consult with my advisors before deciding on specific goods and tax rates. We can craft this agreement over the next few days, though. Are you in any particular hurry to leave Arcaeda?” Vyana asked.
”I am not. I can leave and return home with little consequence. Take as long as you need. I will be here to negotiate the numbers to something agreeable.”“I believe it would be easier for you to simply stay in your guest quarters here in Arcaeda. It will not take
that long to form the agreement” Vyana remarked.
Vyana turned around to face the Archon. “If you wish to know if you can trust me, though, then you will not find your answer by speaking to me. Lies are just as easy to speak as truth, so one should not simply trust another’s word, by itself. Since you are already here in Arcaeda, I encourage you instead to experience the result of my work. Experience the Ascendancy, from its heights to its depths, as you see fit.”
Briefly, Vyana looked like she was about to move, but she stopped herself short and continued. “I will share a secret with you: I have, on occasion, taken to exploring the city in disguise. I have had a Life mage shapeshift me into a different body so that I may witness the city without being recognized. I have seen not just the splendor and wealth of the High District, but also the most poor and desperate of the Ground District. I have seen them struggle, I have seen them fail…and I have seen them persevere. Having seen all of that, the best and the worst of my people, I still have no hesitation in recommending you to do the same. I stand by every word I have spoken.”
”I suppose I will keep that in mind. Though, this is not my first visit to Arcaeda. You are not the first figurehead to approach me regarding relations with the Sovereignty, and you are yet to be the last. I will inform my Kal Dii of this, and await your draft of the agreement.” She said, though the Archon was currently informing them at this very moment, as vibrations rolled down the tower.
However brief it was, there was a hint of more emotion beyond the collected calm that Vyana always seemed to maintain. It was a simple laugh, though it disappeared after just a moment. “Indeed. I can have a guide assist you and familiarize you with our laws and customs. Though, if this is not your first time here, I suspect you will not require the help. We can meet again here tomorrow for business. In the meantime, you may do as you like. Rest in your quarters, explore the city, it is your choice.”
Vyana glanced out over the horizon. “I think I shall go sparring.”
”It has been some time since I last attended a spar. I’ll join you.” Parzin said, standing up and following Vyana.
In the Ascendancy, the concept of “strength” did not strictly refer to combat, of course. Scholarship, invention, or even just business savvy could all be displays of one’s competence. However, it was also perhaps unsurprising that combat ability was also a popularly celebrated form of skill. Training grounds could be found in every district, and were used by those both rich and poor. Where the Archmagister brought Parzin was a training hall near to the tower. Being in the High District, it was an upclass institution frequented by the wealthy. It was an expensive place, and appropriately, offered more services than training halls elsewhere in the city. There were more, skilled, Life mages available, a wide selection of weapons for use in training, and instructors of both magical and martial arts. Vyana, though, had a particular destination in mind. The staff greeted her politely by name, but otherwise left her to her own devices. She seemed to be a regular client here.
The room Vyana brought them to was already occupied on their arrival, with a fight already going on in the center. The pair fighting in the center were both Tekeri men, with a Glen, two S’tor, and another Tekeri looking on from the sidelines. Without a word, Vyana joined the spectators. The Tekeri and one of the S’tor had their gazes locked on the fighters, though the other spectators acknowledged Vyana and Parzin with silent greetings. By appearances, it was clear that these were not only people who knew Vyana personally, but knew her well enough that her position as Archmagister did not cause them to drop whatever they were doing when she arrived.
The two Tekeri fighters were squaring off, just out of one another’s reach. One was a bit larger than the other, though they were still fairly close in stature. In any case, the larger Tekeri lunged forward, slashing with talons out, prompting the other to dodge back and try to counter quickly. Looking more closely, one would be able to see that both of them had gashes on their arms with fresh blood coating some of their feathers. Tekeri were beings of huge stature with a fair amount of muscle behind them, but they had weaknesses that made them less “overpowering” than that fact might imply. While strong, they were also particularly lightweight for their size, with weaker bones as well. That made them more vulnerable to blunt impacts, and overall less suited for the sort of frontline combat at which beings like S’tor excelled. Although, their strength-to-weight ratio did make them
exceptionally agile. The speed at which they could move or shift momentum could seem almost impossible at times to other species. Overall, their traits meant they favored hit-and-run tactics in a fight.
The bout between the two Tekeri was characterized by lightning fast swings and slashes attempting to find hits on vital areas, broken up by slower posturing and maneuvering outside their mutual reach. This repeated a few times with no more than minor surface wounds being exchanged, but it only took one small mistake for that to change in an instant. The larger Tekeri made a slash that overstepped just slightly. The opponent evaded, albeit narrowly, but he was unable to pull back his arm before his opponent managed to get a grip on his wrist. In an instant, he managed to twist the taller Tekeri’s arm while slamming his fist into his elbow with an audible
snap. Even through his pained shout, the wounded Tekeri tried to retaliate by clawing his opponent’s neck, but he was ready for it, and now had his opening.
The shorter Tekeri quickly controlled his opponent’s uninjured arm to protect himself, then lunged forward to tackle him to the floor. With his weight mostly holding his injured foe down, the Tekeri grabbed his opponent’s head with his free hand and pressed it against the wooden floor to avoid his snapping beak, and to expose his vulnerable throat. In a final, decisive attack, the shorter Tekeri used his sharp beak to pierce his opponent’s throat, clamp down, then thrash and tear through his windpipe.
As the body of the taller Tekeri went limp, the victorious fighter stood to his feet with his beak coated in his opponent’s blood and sinew. Yet, all things considered, the reaction of the spectators was fairly muted. There were a few, minor congratulations, but it seemed that this had been the expected outcome. While the victor went straight to one of the S’tor, the Tekeri who had been watching from the sidelines immediately knelt down beside the body of the loser and placed his hand upon his head. With the other, he began to perform a few signs and trace out patterns in the air just above the body. All at once, the skin of his throat began to pull itself together and mend. After just a few seconds, a Tekeri who had been essentially dead suddenly drew in a deep breath. His twisted arm snapped back into place and healed back in moments. All of those flesh wounds he had taken during the bout closed up before their eyes, and even the feathers that had been ripped out grew back in their proper places.
By the time he was back in good health, the S’tor Life mage had healed the victor of his wounds as well, and both of them went to take a seat and rest, side-by-side on the same bench on the sidelines. Already, the victor was giving his opponent an encouraging pat on the back and opening with advice regarding the mistakes he had made.
Parzin watched the fight with an unbothered expression. She was well aware of the degree to which Ascendancy combat could go. Twice now, she stepped into a training hall such as this, and had been healed extensively by Life mages both times. The sparring match between the Tekeri was interesting, and indicative of what brutality battle could bring. As Miirsaf Elstov used to say, the battlefield was a bottomless river. It stopped for none, and washed away all but those who learned to swim. One could either be swept up by the current and die in battle, or learn to swim and live another day. In the Ascendancy, they seemed to take that to extremes in their training. Parzin could appreciate training people specifically for the reality of death, and so she stepped over to a collection of weapons off to the side, where she removed a polearm. It was slightly taller than her, and sported a straight, sword-like blade ending in a curve.
A perfect weapon for a Sovereignty Archon.
Parzin then looked among the spectators, and pointed to one of the S’Tor who watched the last fight.
”You. Will you join me for a weapons duel?”Vyana tilted her head lightly, raising her brows towards Parzin. There was another hint of what might have been an amused expression that came across her face, though that was hard to read on a Tekeri. The S’tor, though, was much more plainly expressive. His grin was obvious, and seemingly friendly. He held his arms out wide as his loud, booming voice easily overpowered the muffled sounds of fighting from other rooms. “Of course, of course my friend. I would be glad to cross blades with a guest of the Archmagister. I see you’ve chosen your weapon; you have any sort of preference for the kind of weapon you’d like to fight against? Polearms, weapon and shield, tooth and claw, I can give you any sort of fight you like.” He asked.
”Give me the best fight you know how to give with a weapon.” She said plainly, as she walked into the sparring area of the building, and assumed a stand. The blade of her weapon pointed to the floor, legs spread apart, and shoulders far apart. Functionally, it didn’t look like much. In fact, it almost looked like a surrender, but the Archon left the specifics of her opponent’s weaponry to him, and therefore was prepared for any method of attack involving a weapon.
“You want the
best I can give? Oh, but I like you.” The S’tor laughed. It did not take long for him to choose his weapon, as it was a spear on one of the racks in the room. It was a simple weapon with a leaf-bladed spearhead, though being sized appropriately to a S’tor, it was a fair bit longer than weapons made for most other species.
The S’tor returned and stepped up to Parzin, though he had still not taken up his position to start the fight. As opposed to the lightweight Tekeri, he had the sort of strong, powerful build that was common to S’tor warriors. Their physical strength was essentially unrivaled among the intelligent species of Kanth-Aremek. “I know you saw the fight coming in, but if you have any questions about how we do things here, just let me know. One bit of advice to newcomers is, if you have clothes, make sure it’s not anything that you care about getting torn to shreds. Life mages mend flesh, not cloth. Made that mistake once with a nice vest, myself.”
”This is not my first experience with combat in the Ascendancy. I will fight for as long as I am able. Clothes can be replaced, and if need be, I will replace them.” The Archon eyed the spear the man wielded. Noticeably taller than her entire body, and judging by its shape, blows would deflect off of its blade. Parzin took in the details of her opponent. His stance, his body language, comfort with his weapon, and the way his fingers relaxed around it. Even in a lack of a battle-ready position, it was clear he had confidence. Confidence was a weapon of war.
”Take your position. I am ready.” She challenged.
The S’tor gave a light shrug. “Suit yourself. Just give me a moment.”
Unlike the Archon, the S’tor did take the time to change from what was a rather fine outfit into a very cheap, simple set of cloth trousers. They had no shortage of old bloodstains, and already had a few small tears in them. The S’tor himself had deep red scales and somewhat rounded, worn horns on his head. He looked to be approaching being middle-aged, which was rather old for what appeared to be a professional soldier. He had quite a few scars marring his arms and torso. Just as with the Archmagister, any Life mage could remove them entirely, so he likely bore them by choice.
As Parzin’s opponent took his place, the other S’tor woman, a Life mage, stepped up between them. “Even if you have fought in Arcaeda before, since you have not been in his hall, I still need to go through the formalities. All fights are to either submission, or death. As Life magic can restore nearly any wound, and bring one back from just beyond death, there is only one restriction on the type of damage you may deal to another. Life magic cannot restore a dead or damaged brain, so you must avoid making attacks with undue risk of damaging your opponent’s brain. Have you heard and understood these rules as I have spoken them?”
”I understand the rules.” She said, eyeing the scars across her opponent’s body. He was clearly well versed in combat, and likely would not flinch. Experienced fighters were an interesting thing to face, one could never truly guarantee that they would expect what was thrown at them on a battlefield of veterans. Once the S’Tor soldier was ready to fight, the bladed point of Parzin’s weapon pointed upwards, towards his collarbone, but the rest of her body stayed as still as a statue.
With few exceptions, S’tor were beings of great physical power. Their advantage in that regard was essentially unrivaled, so it was little wonder that they had become known for their military prowess. Though, that did not make them invulnerable. Confidence could be weakness as much as it was a strength for some, especially for younger warriors facing down members of other species. Some would lean too heavily towards relying on their natural advantages and end up falling to a sufficiently skilled or clever foe. However, that most certainly did not describe this particular S’tor. For a warrior, he was old and experienced. When the Life mage called a start to the fight, he was not in a hurry to rush forward, nor just to try to overpower or overwhelm her. Rather, he started moving forward slowly. Patiently. He was giving proper respect to his opponent and her potential capabilities, as well as leveraging his own advantages fully. He had more reach with his spear, so he stayed out of her range while opening up with a few thrusts to prod her defenses.
Parzin didn’t budge, she deliberately stood her ground when the S’Tor advanced, and used her weapon’s range to act as a counterbalance against his. She checked each thrust with a swatting motion, deflecting them with a sharp clacking noise. The problem with such a range was that it only worked when one’s opponent was
at that range. If Parzin stayed in place and simply deflected everything, her opponent would have to stay back or find some way to force her back.
His weapon was larger, and therefore he required a reach to compensate. That was a factor that could be used to dictate the pace of the duel, so Parzin elected to stand still and deny it.
One might have seen a flash of a grin across the S’tor’s expression. He stepped back, keeping enough distance that even he could not threaten most of her body, while she could threaten none of his. Yet, he still attacked, quickly and with precision. He seemed predictable at first…until he very suddenly
wasn’t. With impressive speed, he feinted a thrust and transitioned it into a quick slash that cut across a part of her left forearm. While certainly specialized to thrusting, a leaf-bladed spear was still perfectly capable of cutting. Especially for unarmored flesh. It was a minor wound, to be sure, but indicative of the strategy he had adopted. He was staying as far out of her range as he could and targeting her hands and arms specifically. That would not end the fight alone, but he could wound her, make her bleed, and wear her down to make the finishing blow easier to land.
The defenses of Driisu warriors were particularly strong, and the Archon absolutely exemplified that. Not many outsiders knew enough of the Driisu to know what to expect from them in a fight, yet this S’tor was clearly an exception. He knew what to expect her strengths would be, and he selected his weapon and fighting style specifically to counter them. Purely defensive fighting styles were not as effective against an opponent with greater range. Most of his strikes would fail, but he was skilled enough that some could find their mark. If she could not reach him to counterattack, then he would
eventually wear her down.
The cut was a concern, but not a big one. Driisu bones grew through skin, so the bleeding would be insignificant in the long run. Based on his reach and his insistence on testing her guard, Parzin considered it a safe assumption that he had intended to employ a strategy similar to her own. The leaf blade of his spear was a nasty weapon to anything on the wrong end of it. So, she thought, don’t be there.
After the cut was executed, Parzin leveled her spear and took a wide step forward, shifting her weight from one foot to the other, such that she was closer to him than his spear could work with. A weapon of that reach had a specific range it could work in, and hers was smaller, giving her more room to breathe.
Nonetheless, her weapon was still a polearm, which meant the Archon had to take care not to overextend into
her limit, while staying in the no-man’s-land of her opponent’s. A tricky task, but one that was doable.
Once again, the S’tor seemed to have a surprise in store. When Parzin stepped forward, instead of stepping back into his weapon’s ideal range, he pushed
forward into her. With both of them moving towards one another, he could close the gap faster than perhaps expected. As he moved, he shifted his grip towards the center of his weapon’s haft while keeping it in contact with her polearm. He was one who knew how to get the most out of his weapon, as he was now using the spear as one would a quarterstaff: still a deadly prospect, in the right hands.
The S’tor was attempting to control Parzin’s weapon with one end of the spear, while striking at her knee from the side with the other side of the haft. From him, the blunt impact was
crushing. It struck the side of her knee with the audible
crunch of crushed bone as her leg bent unnaturally sideways. Regardless of experience, there was no way to remain standing when her leg could no longer obey her body’s command. She collapsed, while the S’tor spun his spear around to bring its point towards her. However, it was at that point when there was the sound of someone
else dropping to the floor nearby.
A Tekeri woman pushed herself up onto her hands and knees on the wooden floor, panting for breath. She had flown into the city as a bird, then rushed to find the Archmagister as quickly as possible. She was panting for breath, and frankly looked to be right at the edge of passing out from exhaustion. As soon as she set her eyes on the Archmagister, she held up the sealed letter she was carrying towards her. “Archmagister…word from Lenkik…something on the border…”
Vyana stepped forward quickly and took the letter, then gave a glance to one of the Life mages. “Check her over, then get her to the barracks.”
Seeing as Parzin’s match had effectively been put on hold for the moment, the other Life mage rushed over to her to tend to her injuries, while her S’tor sparring partner joined the Archmagister to read this missive. Whatever it contained, both of them shared the same look of concern. Rolling up the parchment once more, Vyana turned back towards her Driisu guest. “My apologies, Archon, but this demands my immediate attention. We will have to continue this later.”
Although the citizenry of Lenkik was in a frenzy about the “meteor” that had come down just over their mountains, word had not yet had time to spread among most of the rest of the Ascendancy. At least, not among the commoners. A messenger from Lenkik had first flown out as soon as the city had first received word from Castigator Nellara, so in Arcaeda, the Archmagister and her inner circle had been informed. With foreign visitors from the sky and a potential Mythadian army massing at their borders, it went without saying that the situation demanded their immediate attention.
For the S’tor, General Kvarr, he was flying out of Arcaeda with a Life mage within an hour of the messenger barging in on his sparring match. He had his orders, and there were few others in the Ascendancy who the Archmagister would trust more to see them done. He had foresaken his clan name and defected to the Ascendancy centuries ago. In his former life, he had been a veteran of multiple wars between the S’tor states of Kolodon, Pell’Tan, and Avko, and countless smaller skirmishes aside. He had not waged war since joining the Ascendancy, yet his was a name that still commanded respect across Kanth-Aremek.
The march to the crash site was nearing its last legs, at least for the first wave of Castigator Nellara’s reinforcements. The bulk of their forces had likely left Lenkik not long ago, but the smaller detachment that had been assigned to accompany General Kvarr were making their way through the mountains. It was risky for him to separate from the main force, but speed was of the essence. Tensions were rising, but no war had yet been declared. Whatever happened, he was going to be a part of it.
