[center][b]Amazonia Imperiia[/b]

Ethyssa [/center]

"Thank you," Ethyssa replied to the Amazonian remark on her strength. "I take great pride in strength, and I had heard rumors that there are few as strong as an Amazon. By the looks of it, for once rumors didn't disappoint." 

Ethyssa was counting on Amazonian temper and excessive force to tire her opponent, the key to victory here likely lied in forcing the Amazon to over-exert herself. The Amazon was big, and as her grip tightened on the spear the muscles on her forearm striated. Often times opponents would keep their muscles limber, and only tighten before or as they struck. Oddly enough, the Amazonian's intense musculature and bare skin could help Ethyssa, for if Ethyssa noticed the muscles of the forearm tense then a strike was likely not far behind. Briefly Ethyssa's thoughts trailed off, the Amazonian had been identified as Elyssa, and suddenly Ethyssa couldn't help but think about the parallels in their names. 

"Elyssa, right? Pretty name, but it's not Ethyssa," she teased as she began to circle the Amazon's left. Abruptly Ethyssa picked up a more serious tone, "Win or lose, thank you for this opportunity." 

With that, Ethyssa did a quick jab, careful to keep her form proper and her defense up. She would test the waters and measure Elyssa before she committed to a serious offensive strike. 

"We'll see about that." Elyssa murmured under her breath cryptically. Quietly and calmly she braced for a charge, thinking her opponent would be brutal and vicious like everything she grew up with she was instead surprised by the cautious jab, being taken aback as it hits her stomach and causes her to gasp in surprise. Had that been an actual spear, she would be moderately wounded, but instead a small bruise is left behind. "... Skilled and strong..." She seemed almost a bit afraid. "I am not yet so skilled."

Mira watched contentedly from the side lines, leaning against one of the large trees she shakes her head. "Stop thinking and counter attack sister!" Whether that was metaphorical or literal, one couldn't exactly tell at face value with the Amazons. Still. Elyssa took the advice to heart and immediately counter-attacked, aiming for Ethyssa's ankle to try and trip her. However, her attack was slow, and gave Ethyssa enough time to avoid the attack.

Ethyssa could almost laugh, but she saved face for the sake of respect. Her nerves about dueling an amazon had gotten the best of her. Whether she had a tendency to be overly cautious, or simply underestimate herself, it was a common trend with her fights. She sidestepped the Amazon's blow to her ankle and brought her own spear down with a quick snap, aiming for the Amazon's left wrist. 

"Skill comes with time... How do you two feel about us being here? The Imperium for the negotiations I mean," Ethyssa inquired. 

Elyssa was able to bring her staff up in time to block the blow to her wrist, and in an uncharacteristic manner for an Amazon, takes the opportunity to dash a few feet back from her opponent. She then brings her staff up in a guard position, ready to strike out the moment Ethyssa moved in to attack. Quite simply, she was playing the defensive game, showing no signs of wanting to go on the offense. Mira raises an eyebrow in amusement. "Surely you know to attack?" There was no response from Elyssa as she listened to Ethyssa's question. "Me, or the Amazons?... I don't know. We lived with them once, I think we can again."

"Don't feel pressure to attack; you'll only rush your swings," Ethyssa said as she continued to side-step, with each footstep being careful and deliberate. The Amazon's weakness was in her inexperience and uncertainty. The other woman, Mira, was offering no sound advice in coaching Elyssa to stay on the offensive, and indeed if Elyssa had been the considerably stronger or more experienced duelist then an intensive offense might pay off, but that was not the case. 

"I agree with you. Me and my brothers would like to see our people unite, but I'm curious: Do most Amazons share our belief in unification? Also, what is it the Amazons seek to gain from the alliance? When I look around me, I see an endless jungle. I imagine if we had tried to navigate through the jungle as opposed to being escorted in as we were, there would be a great deal less of our number, even more so if you and your sisters stood against us. What i'm saying is: between Amazons and the natural hazards of the jungle, I don't imagine any army would be foolish enough to march against you. I could be wrong, but wouldn't it be easy for the Amazons to remain isolationists? So why reach out now," Ethyssa asked stepping back for moment and turning her eyes to the other amazon, Mira, and continuing, "I would like to hear your opinion as well."

Mira sighed and leaned against a tree, crossing her arms and shaking her head. "I, like many traditionalists, don't see much of a point, as you said..." She then glances at Elyssa. "Some cubs, however, see it differently." 

Elyssa lowers her training spear and bites her lip nervously. "Because some of us sense something wrong. Something bigger than us. The jungle is scared. This jungle, of all places, scared... It must be something greater than ourselves posing a threat... Then whispers of demons from the outside world... It makes sense to stand with the world, we still live upon it."

Ethyssa also put her spear to ease. The importance of the duel was secondary and even negligible to the importance of the conversation, "It's true that demonic influences have been appearing and growing more prevalent in recent years, and I think even now no one knows how much more has yet to come, but ultimately the importance of such things are for you and your queen to decide." 
 
She furrowed her brow and continued, "I hope I am not asking something that might offend, but we have heard rumors of the Amazon princess claiming the queen is under demonic influence, and I was wondering if either of you could elaborate on the accusation." Ethyssa then readied her spear and did a quick jab, meant more as a light practice check then an actual strike.

Elyssa blocks the jab quickly enough. Ethyssa, after all, had also lowered her guard temporarily, and that gave Elyssa enough time to respond to any attack... Yet she remained defensive, not responding with an attack immediately, and instead preferring the conversation. "It's not easy to explain, we've never had demons in our history." She states simply, shifting her stance slightly. Ethyssa didn't recognize it.

Mira didn't seem to care much for the conversation and yawned. "The mother claims this, the daughter claims that. It's a family fight, really." Elyssa frowns. "Don't be so sure, sister."

"Have either been acting strangely as of late," Ethyssa inquired. 

They look at each other.

"We come from a village on the outskirts, we hardly see them, so we wouldn't know." Elyssa replies.

"Oh, I had assumed you saw them more frequently since you are both here in the queen's camp. Elyssa, earlier you implied the bickering could be more than just infighting, do you have any reason think such?" 

Ehtyssa smiled and continued, "I apologize. I don't mean to come across as an inquisitor, and I hadn't expected the duel to turn into a series of questions. I think I am more inclined to agree with Mira as it would be silly to suspect demonic possession every time a child and their mother disagreed, but being with the Queen's Blades and tasked with the handling of demonic activities I have some obligation to make inquires."

Elyssa almost seemed annoyed by the lack of belief, considering Ethyssa's position. "It was serious enough to show weakness to outsiders." Mira seemed to go into thought about that. "We are an insular society. We are not comfortable showing weakness due to how few of us there are."

The culture barrier had made the supposedly obvious far less so, "That was something I had not considered." 

Ethyssa couldn't put the pieces together. The queen had made her nation vulnerable by exposing weakness, and if such a thing was to be taken as seriously as the amazons implied it would almost seem as if the queen had backed herself into a corner. If she denied the alliance with The Imperium, not only would they have exposed their weakness to the Free Holds but they would short themselves an ally as well. It seemed almost as if the Queen had not given herself a choice. By this point is was obvious something was amiss, but Ethyssa had no leads.

Ethyssa focused her attention on Elyssa, "Usually we're advised not to insinuate demonic activities in political affairs, as many people in the past have taken it as slander and honestly I thought you would react far more harshly if I admitted I suspected it was a plausible as it is. Perhaps I downplayed the likelihood of demonic influence, but the fact you're standing by it as a possibility does cause me concern."

Elyssa blinks in confusion. "Why would others make idle accusations out of possessions and demons?" It was at this point that Mira pegged Elyssa with a pebble, then stuck out her tongue. "Outsiders are ruled by men and they're quite the gossipers." Elyssa giggles. "I suppose." She then looks to Ethyssa and in a sudden move, jabs forward. She does manage to land the blow on Ethyssa's shoulder... This woman was not particularly accurate at attacks, it seemed.

Ethyssa was stunned at first, her mind had wandered from the duel but she still hadn't expected the Amazon to land a strike. Ethyssa took a few steps back but quickly turned a switch. "Nice strike. I guess since you landed a hit this is a real duel now," Ethyssa replied with a smirk, and with that she went on the counter offensive with a strike to the leg.

Elyssa attempts to block it and fails, receiving the full force blow to her leg. Mira claps as Elyssa drops her spear and falls backwards, grasping her knee and whimpering in pain. With that settled, Mira smirks and looks at Ethyssa. "Well done. I almost mistook you for being an Amazon... Almost."

"I almost wish I was," Ethyssa jested with smile, and waited for a moment before offering a helping hand to Elyssa. "Good duel."

Elyssa nods, though looks down at the dirt as she takes Ethyssa's hand. "I am... More accustomed to fighting wild creatures, not intelligent people."

"The curses of being born in a jungle," Ethyssa teased. Suddenly Ethyssa took note of how different in appearance Elyssa looked from the other Amazons, "Were you born in the Amazon? You look very different from your sisters."

Elyssa nods as Mira scowls. "It's fine, sister." Elyssa says as she points in behind Ethyssa, towards the river of blood that flows into the jungle. "Most Amazonians drink from that river. There are a few, however, who do not, as a precaution against spirits and certain monsters that like to hunt those who drink from it." She bows her head. "I am one such Amazon. I specialize in fighting monsters and spirits." She then looks at Mira, who was pouting. "Not people."

"They drink from the river? Spirits that hunt those who do, and you specialize in fighting them? I'm sorry but there is still a great deal about your culture I don't know...and I meant no offense," she continued, directed to Mira. Ethyssa walked over to a small pile of stones and took a seat as she laid the spear and buckler aside. "Can you tell me more about your role, or maybe even a story about one of your encounters?" she asked, genuinely intrigued.

Elyssa sat on the jungle floor across from Ethyssa, Mira joined her, crossing her arms defensively, still not too trustful of the stranger. "Storytelling is something we do." Elyssa says with a warm smile towards Ethyssa's curiosity. "As told by my father and the woman who taught me, this river was poisoned by a great cataclysm long ago." Suddenly, her hands start to move with the demonstration, and after a few moments, small images in smoke begin to appear. Either she was a mage, or a very well rehearsed storyteller.

"There was the Great Fire, it spread across the land, unnatural, purple, these flames consumed the Empire of old, and turned all in its path into twisted, yellow sand. The whole world shuddered, and the river that once fed this jungle turned to blood with its victims."

Notable, Mira seemed quite interested in the tale. Surely she had heard it a thousand times, and yet, without hesitation, she was totally absorbed by the smoke tricks and woven words.

"So, in memory, the Amazons drank from the river... The men refused, being cautious of its taint, but the women, seeing the dangers of the jungle intensify, could not stand by idly, and had to try. Those few of us were the first of the newly reborn Amazons... The rest began to follow as they learned of its powers, to control ones own life stream, to escape death from even the most mortal of wounds, and to gain unnatural strength. Every act became sacred, and every emotion intensified. We were, as a people, more powerful than we had ever been, and even now, we remain strong... However..." Mira frowns again, knowing what was coming, and yet, feeling emotional about it. "...Spirits came. Evil ones, Amazonians who were in the Empire when it was consumed by the Great Fire. They returned, and began to possess only the women. Thus, some of us chose to abstain, and trained to fight spirits, and monsters who feasted on others with this taint."

Elyssa pulls up her left pant leg enough to reveal a long, vicious looking scar running down her thigh. "One such creature nearly took my life when I was but a child. That day I vowed to make sure it would not happen again... Thus, here I am."

"In my homeland, not the Imperium but among the peoples who lived on the land before the rebirth of the Imperium, storytelling is also common in our culture, and you may be the best storyteller I've ever seen," Ethyssa replied with a hearty smile in reference to how well the shaman had brought the smoke alive to match her words. Throughout the experience the smoke swirled and swayed as images appeared to literally come to life in the smoke, and Ethyssa could almost swear she saw plumes of color light up as well, much like lightning illuminated the black clouds that surround it. "So the spirits are your ancestors, or the ancestors of your people? And the river. Is there a ritual that goes along with drinking from the river? Is it a coming of age thing, and what happens if a non-Amazonian drinks from the river?"

 "Spirits of our ancestors during the Great Fire... And..." She ponders the question for a few moments. "... I have no idea. All those who drink from it become Amazons..." Her face scrunches in contemplation. "Still... I believe you are needed with your compatriots, right? Mind if we accompany you?" 

Mira rolls her eyes. "Yes. We." 

Elyssa looks back to Mira. "What did I do this time?" She says with a wry smile.

"Oh, you always assume to speak for both of us. That's what!" Mira retorts, followed up with Elyssa rising to her feet and placing her hands on her hips. 

"Fine then, what do -you- want to do, Mira?" 

Mira clears her throat and attempts to immitate what she likely thought was royalty from an outsider country. "Ohh, well, I would deign to join thee on thy exquisite accompanymentingly of the outsider." One could almost feel the sneer radiating off of her lips as Elyssa giggles. The sneer dissipates into a soft smile.

The two were like family.

"Anyway, can we?" Elyssa asks again, this time with Mira's approval.

"Of course," Ethyssa replied as she stood to her feet. "Actually, that would be great."