Clash of Blades

The temperatures were as cold as she expected; surprisingly, the woman still remained comfortable. Warmth clinging to her as she breathed in the sharp clean air of her homeland; Iceberg. It was the complete opposite of the city, full of its noises, pollution and generally busyness. While she had made a few good friends within that place, and so far enjoyed her time in the Holy Knights, her heart longed for home. So she returned to the place that nurtured her. Reconnecting with her family and friends; nevertheless, Sky was eager to explore the landscape once more, leaving her newfound Freivar with her parents. Among her first stops was the place where her grandfather was buried, a powerful Rune Knight that was among the many Osmas that dotted the centuries long existence of that organization. Either way, she stopped at his tombstone, situated next to a particularly tall evergreen; the same color as the man who was buried alongside it. The comforting weight of his sword on her back allowed her to continue as she filled him in on all that happened. Telling him about the struggles she faced, the people she met, and even the satyr who accompanied her on this journey. "In the end, I've been really busy. It's worth it though. There's much to be done in fixing this world and I plan on doing it." she finished, bending down to place a memento and flowers on the grave. "Love you grandpa." Skylar turned as she walked up the hill, the town becoming a small dot as she continued her ascent. The wind picked up, jostling her hair, yet Sky loved every second of it. There was nothing stale about this place, a mix of serene tundras and magnificent mountains. The winds were vibrant and vigorous; it made her feel alive as she reached the quiet outreach she typically trained in. Surprised when another figure came into view. "Who are you?" she asked, her voice loud in order to overpower the shrieking wind.

Tamo'ei heard the woman just before finishing a swing of his holy blade. She was far from from its positions, yet he could see Dardariel with perfect clarity by stretching his eyes. To an untrained eye, she was a slim young woman, looking barely past her teenage years, donning a simple coat and snow boots. She looked unassuming, some people would say even lovely, with her soft platinum blonde hair and eyes glimmering of sapphire. Yet Tamo'ei knew that behind the veil of a pretty face was lurking a mountain of magical power, ready to erupt at the slightest danger. Tamo'ei was neither worried nor grim- his sword and his instincts were telling him that the soul of the woman was as pure as the blue of her eyes-, only attentive, as is fitting when a warrior meets another. He put away his treasured weapon, the Sun Blade, right in the hilt, then he stood still and stared her back. The cold winds were penetrating his semi-bare chest, almost chilling his very bones. Tamo'ei felt unconformable, but it did not matter: he came to this desolated land, far from the clutches of civilization, just to embrace the cold. "My name is Tamo'ei". He shouted back to Dardariel. "I've come to this land to temper my flesh against the frigid cold. What is your name?"

Skylar grinned as she heard his reasoning for being here, as well as the magnificent blade he wielded. A fellow warrior ready to test his mettle against the unforgiving landscape of Iceberg. She would know, the elements nurturing and forging her as much as her parents did when raising her. Creating the lionhearted woman facing him today. She stretched, processing what he said. "My name is Skylar Osma. This is my homeland." Sky responded, eyeing the warrior and his blade with thinly veiled interest. "Would you care to spar?" she continued, removing her parka. While only donning a t-shirt in this weather appeared foolhardy, the woman was rather comfortable; switching to lighter pants and shoewear. Her smile was tranquil as the nibble of the frigid winds found her exposed skin. Her bones sang with the tale of winter, ready to watch its youngest child engage in a bit of fun. "How do you want to start? Blades first or simple hand to hand?" she asked. Cracking her knuckles, she was excited to tangle with someone new; with her favorite training partners of doing who knows what Sky thought she'd be all alone for what would amount to a dull day. However, she now had the opportunity to stretch some rubber-bands while seeing just how comfortable this guy would be in the cold landscape.

"Straight to the point, I see". Tamo'ei answered. "So am I". He wasn't sure if Skylar could see it, but an excited smirk was painting his face, buried behind his masks. A true warrior is never tested until he faces a kindred spirit, both in body and mind. The Sun Blade was burning with passions, its light warming Tamo'ei back until he stopped feeling cold. That would normally go against the very purpose of his training, but it also means that Ah Kin Himself, from His throne in the highest heaven, was rejoicing and shining, just like many of the tales of his lost homeland sung. Tamo'ei's whole body glimmered like a fireflies; in less than heartbeat, he had already covered any distance between himself and Skylar. He then asked to his new partner: "A young woman like you, delicate yet implacable like ice, should only be caressed with the gentle touch of my sword. Yet, for this time, I would ask to start with barehanded combat. You see..." he gave an askance glance to his holy sword "my weapon is blessed by Ah Kin, god of light and justice, and through it His holy light shines. Though it is hidden by its scabbard, the Sun Blade is radiant with joyous energy. It's warm and pleasant, but I've come here to endure the bites of the cold. Would you mind if I left my blade a bit far from our sparring?"

Perhaps Skylar didn't see the smirk, but she could feel his excitement, something that stirred her own warrior nature. Her gaze remained pinned to the glowing blade on his back, noting the heat that it generated. "I see. That's quite a spectacular blade you have there. It must guard you well." she responded, nodding at his request. "Go ahead. You're here to feel the loving embrace of my motherland, thus it simply wouldn't do to have anything impede that." She was unfazed by his speed; covering such a distance in that short a time was a feat she accomplished in the past. However, it also meant that Sky could take him seriously. "Barehanded combat it is." she said, reclining into a Muay Thai position as she waited for him to dispose of his sword. She placed her own beloved weapon in the care of her Requip dimension, the strapped blade disappearing from her back. "Ready when you are." she responded, absently noting his tendency for poetic verse. It sounded eloquent; were he not a hardened warrior possessing such a magnificent armament she might assume he was orator or poet. No matter, she had lacked a capable sparring partner for too long. Here was an opportunity to remedy that.

Tamo'ei threw away the Sun Blade. The sword drew luminous arcs in the cold and terse air; it fell perfectly still, its point piercing the ground. In normal circumstances, he wouldno have left his own weapon even a centimeter away from his own grasp. But Tamo'ei was sure that was the will of his God too, as the sword blazed more passionately than ever when he mentioned a good old ''mano a mano. ''Gods tend to work in mysterious ways, but even with Them there is room for exception. Tamo'ei clenched his fists and swung his own neck on his sides, which screeched a bit. Then he prepared his battle stance, his feet well balanced on the ground. "My own Lord allows me to leave His gift just to test my and your worth. Please, do not disappoint Him". He said.

"Perish the thought." she responded with a nod. "Seeing as you are the guest, it's only polite that you make the first move." Sky planted her feet accordingly, preparing for what he had in store. Tamo'ei looked every inch the fighter, and had the stance to boot. The fun part was pondering what he would attempt first. The wind continued to whip about the two as they stared each other down. Skylar focused, her eyes like glaciers as she studied every inch of her opponent, looking for weaknesses beyond the obvious ones. A slow smile creeped to her lips. "My motherland gives you the gift of her winds and biting cold to test your mettle and to see if her daughter remembers where she came from. Do not disappoint Her." Skylar concluded.

Tamo'ei's eyes were fixed on her sparring partner. Skylar looked willowy, almost frail, yet her stance exuded power and solidity: from a fighting standpoint, she was as sturdy as a fortress. He circled around her for a bit, balancing every step like a dancer. When he felt close enough to Skylar, he threw a lighting fast jab directed at her face.