Lucasiel Before Heiour - RPLOG
Participants
Date
16/9/479
Log
The sun blazes down on the sand of the arena and the crowd roars its approval as warriors, madmen and beasts battle it out for their entertainment and the glory of Heiour, whether they know who that is or not. A rough looking, scarred armadillo wearing piecemeal armor stands in an alcove off the arena itself. "You sure about this?" he asks the panther beside him, "Calling on Heiour himself isn't the same as a normal fight here in the pit. Think about that little girl of yours."
Lucasiel was no stranger to the pit. And no stranger to Heiour. "Of course," she says calmly, expression hidden behind her helm as she looks out over the sands. "We've met before. I have bested his creatures before. I know him. He knows me. This pact should have been made long ago, but the chance was never available. Now it is." She props her shield against the ground and leans on it. "And her waiting for me is exactly why I cannot fail. There is no doubt."
The Armadillo snorts and nods, thumping a gauntleted fist over the elaborate tattoo on his chest in salute. "Glory and Honor," he says, then turns and leads Lucasiel out on to the burning sand.
A supplicant comes before Heiour!" he roars, his voice echoing over the stands, the accoustics of the place carrying his voice over the general rumble of the crowd. The crowd roars in approval, though it suddenly seems distant, as if it were coming from very far away, or through some kind of bubble. The great dragon statue that circles the arena from above slowly turns its head and its usually dark eyes glow with a burning red. "I hear," comes a rumbling voice that might be in the mind more than the ears, "Who comes before Heiour?"
"Glory and Honour," Lucasiel echoes, taking up her shield once more and striding out into the sands alongside the Armadillo, her other hand drawing her waraxe from her hip. The familiar sun and the sands, and even the crowd are more than enough greeting. "You know who I am," she calls back. "I was there when your shrine was uncovered. I bested your beast. And now I stand here once more. To prove my strength beyond doubt."
The huge, black dragon tilts its horned head, considering the panther and bares its teeth in what might be considered a smile on a being. "Then prove your strength!" the dragon roars!
The sand on the far end of the arena suddenly ripples, as if something huge had stirred underneath it, and the Armadillo makes a swift retreat back to the alcove to watch.
Lucasiel thumps her axe against her shield and sets in a ready position, eyeing the sands. "Bring it on, then! Show me what you've got waiting in the wings. I will conquer any that come!" By standing her ground. She's no fool. Chasing after shifting sands in all that armour would only tire her out.
The dragon does not answer again, but it watches carefully as the distant crowd cheers.
The sand shifts again, roiling like a boiling pot until a huge beast tears itself free from the ground, shaking a shower of sand from its body. At first glance, the creature appears to be some kind of bull monster, with thick, heavy forelegs and great horns on its head. But a second glance shows that it only bears a passing resemblance to the terran mammal. In place of hooves, the monster has huge, spade like claws and its thick body extends in a long, thick, draconian tail that waves slowy behind it and it's head is too long and wide on its short, thick neck, beady black eyes pointing forward like a predators. It snorts and tosses its head, shaking sand from its head and haunches before zeroing in on Lucasiel. The thing's piggy little eyes narrow and it nearly unhinges its jaw as it opens a huge, fanged jaw to shriek like a boiler whistle at the Panther, before charging her at a lumbering, but deceptively speedy gallop!
Lucasiel tenses at the beast's approach, pulling her arm back, bracing herself. Once it starts to draw closer she lets out a roar of her own and charges to meet it head on, peeling to the side at the last minute and bringing the axe in a wide, sweeping arc with the momentum of her rush, trying to gouge it along the side.
The two howling combatants slam into each other in the center of the great arena! The monster's strange gait threw off Lucasiel's timing and she could not get out of the way to avoid the charge, but her armor holds strong, shielding her from the bulk of the blow as she is knocked aside by a shove like paw. Her own blow also finds its mark, cutting deep into the foreleg of the creature, even as it struck!
The Bull-beast roars in pain and rage and spins about on its good legs to lash out with its long, heavy tail!
Lucasiel is fine with trading blows. Her defense has always been her strongest asset, and her armour would not yield to the likes of this creature. She gives a snarl as she regains her footing, bringing her shield up and setting her legs to try to withstand the blow with her mass.
The bull-beast howls as Lucasiel deflects its heavy tail, but it does not attack again immediately. Instead it withdraws a little, shrieking its battle cry and circling just out of reach, limping on its injured leg.
Lucasiel does not, however, let up on the assault. She lets out another warcry and charges after it, this time going for the other side. With luck, the injured leg would prevent it from turning too much while she struck out for its -other- leg. If she could cripple it, it'd be an easier battle.
The wounded animal is nowhere near fast enough to stop Lucasiel. The bull beast tries to swipe at her with its good foreleg as she draws near, but staggers when it tries to support itself on its injured limb, leaving itself open to her strike.
And what a strike it is! The Panther's axe bites deep, finding its way deep into the creature's knee joint! There is a sharp crack as the knee breaks and twists in an unnatural manner. The monster screams and crashes to the ground, unable to support itself. Its huge, horned head thrashes in the sand and its tail whips about wildly.
Now was the time. Stepping back just long enough to reset her footing, she steps in again with her axe held aloft. A trial though it may be, she was never one to prolong suffering nor battle. She tries to deliver a deathblow, axe coming down for the beast's neck while it was down for a hopefully swift end.
The Axe hits home and bites deep, slicing into the join between the creature's head and thick shoulder. Though Lucasiel does not actually manage to decapitate the beast, the axe lodges deep in the spine and gouts of arterial spray erupt from the thing's throat. It thrashes around a little bit more, then goes limp with a final, rather horrible, gurgle.
Lucasiel brings her arm and shield up to save her helmet from the blood spray, lest any end up finding its way inside. Heaving with heavy breaths, she wrenches her axe free and thrusts it skyway, accompanied with a triumphant cry. "I've bested your beast once again, Heiour! I have proven my strength as required, here, for all to see."
The strange beast slowly drains of color until it matches the sand beneath its great carcass, then it starts to disintegrate, returning to the sand from whence it came.
"So you have, warrior," comes the rumbling voice of the dragon. The sounds of the crowd are suddenly gone. Looking around, the arena seems somehow bigger and older and completely empty. The sky is an inky black, filled with strange stars and the huge black dragon looks down at Lucasiel. "You have proven yourself mighty indeed," he says, leaning his head down to consider the panther, "What is it that you seek?"
"Strength." Lucasiel says, pausing for a moment to let the word hang before she continues. "But not for conquest. Not for tyranny. Strength to defend home and country. And our world when needed. I seek glory through honour and virtue, and strength of arms. I seek to ever surpass limits. To break records and set new ones."
"I could give you all of that," comes another voice. There is a wet tearing sound and a tall, imposing stag being steps out of the empty air. "Why do you come to this outsider for strength?" asks the stag, "I could give you strength and guidance and purpose, if that is what you seek."
The dragon does not move from his perch, wrapped around the edge of the arena, but that toothy smile returns. "I offer no such thing," he rumbles with a sound like a mountain chuckling, "I offer no strength but your own, and a promise that you will fight on until you are too weak to fight any more. But I will also promise you glory and the chance to test your skills against ever greater opponents."
Lucasiel eyes the stag for a moment before shaking her head and looking back towards the dragon. "I came to you because I do not need the strength of others. I have strength. As I have demonstrated time and time again. I do not need guidance and purpose, for I already have it. My purpose is to safeguard the future. I am not here to request strength, but the opportunity to hone it. Few have ever risen to challenge me. I seek greater opponents to hone my edge against."
Heiour gives another predatory grin, though it seems that this one is for the stag being, not Lucasiel. "Do you witness, Kendrac of (The dragon rumbles something incomprehensible here)?" he asks the stag.
"I witness," Kendrac replies, inclining his head just a little, though it is obvious that he is disappointed.
The dragon turns its burning eyes back on Lucasiel. "I am Heiour!" it roars, "I bid you seek glory through honorable combat and I offer you the chance to test your strength against others! You will search the land, seeking foes worthy of combat, and testing yourself against them. Ever improving your skills, gaining glory through your trial. For my path is one of glory and skill, through hard fought battles and blazing victories."
Lucasiel turns to look at Kendra. At least, that much can be determined from her helmet's new bearing. "Do not seem so disappointed. While I may walk the path of another, you know that my goals are not so different from your own. As said, my strength is in defending. I will safeguard the realm against your enemies, as well. Against all enemies. That includes the Old One cults. So do not despair, friend." She bows her head before turning her focus back to Heiour. "May my victories ring in the halls of honour forever, then!"
Kendrac says nothing, only inclining his head toward the Panther, but Heiour roars his approval. "Then it is done. I am yours and you are mine, you will come when I call and I for you. Take my gift."
There is a smell of ozone and a sound of tearing and a heavy, metal gauntlet drops into the sand at Lucasiel's feet.
Lucasiel stoops to pick up the gauntlet, sliding her axe back into its sling. "For Glory and Honour, then, Heiour." She removes one of her own, tucking it under her arm and fitting the new one over her hand. "I will continue to strive towards ever great heights, in the name of victory," she says, placing her fist over her breastplate in a salute before flashing a grin towards Kendrac.
"And you... You and your esteemed followers know how to reach me. Wherever there is a darkness to be outed, I will be there. Follower or not. A champion is defined by the deeds they do, not by what banner they follow."
As Lucasiel slides the gauntlet onto her hand, there is a sudden burning on her face and on her chest, as if somone had just shoved a branding iron against her flesh! Little whisps of smoke rises from her as lines of bright color are etched beneath her eyes and an elaborate pattern sears itself on to her sternum, showing through her armor.
"I have no doubt that we will have need of you soon," Kendrac says, then vanishes as quickly as he came.
The roar of the crowd suddenly swells back into existence and Lucasiel finds the Armadillo from earlierby her side, holding her up and raising her hand aloft toward the roaring crowd.
Lucasiel winces at the burning sensation, though it was not unexpected. She knew what she was getting into, even if she might've preferred a different location. She shakes it off, though, nodding at Kendrac's parting words before she finds herself back in the arena proper. It takes her a moment to reacclimate, but once she does she lets out another roar of triumph. It was a good day to fight.
