Crux before Heiour - RPLOG
From Rusted Promises
Participants
Date
19/3/479
Log
A large ox strides into the arena. On his back he carries a shield and a spear, a helmet underneath his right arm, armor covering his chest and legs. He walks up to look at the arena, then looks around. "I'm here because I've been told a spirit is here!" He bellows out loudly. "Heiour! I'm here to dedicate myself to you! I am Crassius Utah Xavier, and if you'll have me, I am willing to prove myself to be one of your callers!"
A deep, rumbling voice can be heard from the otherwise empty stands. The source is quickly identified as an old canine, probably a wolf or wolf like dog, it is hard to tell since his fur has taken on an uniform gray. He is covered in scars and is missing his right eye, clearly a seasoned warrior. "Do you really think the Lord of glorious combat will just show himself because a young one is making a lot of noise? If you really are determined to serve him, you need to prove you got it in you."
Crux looks to the wolf and nods his head. "I'm more than willing to do what it takes to prove myself. I can fight. I've taken more than my share of blows, scars, bruises, broken bones, and I'll take more if it means to provem myself worthy to him," He yells back. He puts the helm on his head and makes sure it's seated firmly before drawing the shield and spear off his back before climbing into the arena. "I fight for my friends, for my family, for the weak, for the strong, young and old. I will make myself stronger to protect them so I may keep my honor. Please! Send me a fight to let me show my worth!"
The rumbling laugh fills the arena once more. "Alright, alright." The old man slowly gets up from where he was sitting and sets his bottle onto the ground. He eyes the Ox up and down and then nods. "I think we have something we can let you fight, shame there is no crowd, but its probably for the best." He turns and slowly moves into the intestines of the ancient building, vanishing from sight. Minutes pass till something happens and one of the gates in the walls of the sands opens and a huge, gray beast with no fur and a huge horn on its face storms into the arena like an angry bull.
Crux grins underneath his helmet, knuckles white unerneath the fur as he grips his shield and spear. He stretches as he waits, warming up his muscles after the long ride on the airship. As he hears the gate open he grabs his shield and spear again, holding them at the read as the creature comes out. He draws his shield in front of him and brings the spear along side it, pointing it towards the large creature. "Not skimping on the foe I have to face, huh? Well then, come on big guy, let's give Heiour a good show!" he calls out, slamming the bottom of the tower shield into the ground as he stomps a hoof.
The Ox is not the only one stomping a hoof. The beast stomps and scratches in the sand while snorting out air through its horned nose. It only spends a couple of seconds like this, galloping into a charge at Crux, who raises his shield, blocking the beast, however he does not manage to hold onto it as it gets hit by the mighty horn.
Crux grunts and hisses as he loses his shield. He holds out his hand and firmly grabs his spear by the midsection of the pole. He glances sideways at the shield, a short distance for someone of his size, but picking it up and readying it would be another task entirely. Without his shield he goes on the offensive, thrusting the bladed tip towards the large creature, aiming to cripple him by hitting a leg.
The spear connects, but fails to pierce the skin with the thrust, gliding off of it and giving it a superficial cut at best. The creature kicks back its legs and staggers the towering being before galloping to the wall and turning there, scratching the sand with its hoof once more.
Crux sneers at the glancing blow and grunts at the kick, stumbling from the strike. He uses the momentuum though to lunge for his shield, grabbing it. He gets his footing and stabs the spear's base into the ground, sliding the shield back onto his arm before grabbing the spear once again. He readies himself for another run, pressing the bottom of the shield into the ground and ducking behind it so barely more than the top of his helmet and his eyes are visible, spear poking out from behind the shield as he readies another charge.
The thunderhoof charges once more at the bovine warrior and a loud sound of bone and metal clashing fills the arena as the beast hit the shield head on and gave itself a major headache, while at the same time impaling its own shoulder on the spear. The creature roars and kicks wildly around for a moment, before galloping away, with the spear still in its flesh, and right into a wall, where it both hits his head and trashes around again.
Crux tightens his muscles as the thunderhoof charges in, grunting at the massive impact, but holding his ground and feeling something grab his spear. For a moment he thinks the creature has physically grabbed hold of it in his hands, but when he sees it run with the the spear into a wall he can't help but chuckle. Though he's down a weapon he rushes towards the thunderhoof, using the shield as a battering ram, both hands arms behind it to steady it and ready for the impact with the creature as it thrashes.
The shield connects, but does little to calm or distract the frenzied beast, it keeps kicking around itself, roaring and crying out, but Crux manages to block enough blows with his shield to reach and pull out his spear again.
Crux widens his stance to protect against the blows, leaning his shoulder into the shield. He grunts as the creature thrashes against the large shield, but waits for the opportunity to grab at the spear. He grips at the midsection tight and pulls, throwing back his weight to tear the spear from the thunderhoof, trying to tug it at an awkward angle to make the blade tear through more of the creature's flesh before he steps back from the berserking beast..
The creature cries out in pain, a huge wound on its foreleg now. It struggles to keep its weight up, but that is not keeping it from banging its head around, clonking its horn against the shield once more, before falling to the ground, out of stamina and hurt.
Crux walks up to the creature, holding his shield to the side. He grips his spear tight, shield arm ready to draw in front of him, but looking at the creature he relaxes his posture. He sets down the shield and stabs the spear into the ground, reaching to his side to pull out a bag of medicine as he kneels. "You fought well, now calm yourself. I'm no medic, but hopefully this'll help," he said, pulling out a salve to rub into the wound he left the creature. He lifts his head and looks around. "I beat him! Are you going to send someone else out to take care of him or leave this up to my clumsy hands? Might be more kind to put him out of his misery than let that happen!"
The old man does step out into the sands and gives the bovine a nod before tending to the animal's wound, just before a rumbling fills the arena, this time it is no laugh though. A droning voice emits from the dragon statue that sits proud over much of the arena. "You fought well, Crassius Utah Xavier. Do you truely desire to become my caller, like many have before you?"
Crux smiles from underneath his helmet and pats the old canine on the back before standing up, stashing away his herbs. His ears flicker and he looks around the room before finding the statue. He pulls off his helmet and puts it underneath his arm as he walks over. Nodding his head, he calls out, "Yes! You're a warrior, an honorable one. If I must sully myself to protect others then there's no point in fighting. I want to fight for you, along side you, to strengthen myself so I can be the best I know I am capable of being!"
Shadows draw from all sides of the arena into the center of the sands, forming and solidifying into a person clad into what must be the highest quality armor on the whole planet. The man is covered from head to toe in black steel and only his glowing red eyes show through his helmet. "I bid you to seek glory through honorable combat." It is the same droning, loud voice as before. "I offer you the chance and strength to test your skills 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." His eyes fix Crux. "Will you accept my path?"
Crux stands up straight to the dragon, brows lifting a little to take in the dragon more clearly. He exhales through his nostrils as he nods, clenching a closed fist to his chest. "I do sir! Only fight honorable battles, only kill when neccessary against an worthy opponent. I will gladly bear your mark and accept your gift, and wear them both with pride." He kneels down, hanging his head and resting his helmet in front of him. "I dedicate myself to you Heiour, to be your caller."
"Then I am yours and you are mine. When you call, I shall come. And when I call so shall you." The knight takes a deep breath and blows it at Crux. The air burns like fire and settles onto the bovine's chest and face, forming impressive patterns to forever sit on his skin. At the same time a gauntlet of the finest of steels manifests onto his right hand like a splinter of the spirit's own, perfect armor. When Crux finally looks up, the knightly figure is gone.
Crux nods his head and utters, "Thank you," as the breath bathes over his body. He closes his eyes, wincing at the heat, but keeping himself still as it settles over his fur. He looks down at his fist and clenches it, grinning widely before looking up. He stands again, grabbing his helmet as he does. "Thank you! I will do you proud sir!" he calls out again, holding his gloved fist high in the air.
