The swords meet in a furious clash of power. She grunts as she tries to force the other blade back. Peels of void and solar energy bleed from where they meet.
She strains with all her might and for a moment there's equilibrium.
Then her muscles give way, her guard is broken, and she doesn't recover in time to stop the overhand chop through her skull.
-—-
Linvana comes back as she does every death: gasping and panting and feeling like she's falling from a high place.
"Titan. You're smarter than that. Parrying a blow from a larger opponent? You'll be crushed every time."
She groans and climbs to one knee, using her void Infinite Edge to support her weight while she catches her breath.
"It seemed like…a good idea…at the time."
The breeze cools the sweat on her shoulders and she shivers despite the early summer sun. Everywhere else feels cold compared to the heat of Caloris Basin.
"Hmm." Lord Shaxx rests his solar sword on his shoulder. "You're angry. Anger can be useful in a fight. But only if you can direct it."
"Yeah well. Maybe I just want to hit stuff."
Linvana stands up and falls into stance. Shaxx shrugs and raises his own blade.
She launches herself at the massive Titan with a shout. She hacks and thrusts and slashes out a series of attacks she'd learned less than an hour ago. He deflects her sloppy blows with casual ease.
She doesn't think as they spar, just pours everything she has into beating back the immovable Titan that represents everything in the world she's powerless to change.
Like Telysa leaving.
Her rhythm falters and Shaxx wastes no time skewering her through the stomach.
-—-
Falling forever and then cold and then deep painful breaths.
"And here I thought you actually wanted to learn sword combat. If you need to blow off steam, the Crucible is always open. Otherwise, stop waste my time."
She spits out a wad of phlegm and rolls onto her back. There's a rock digging into her shoulder blade but she ignores it.
"The Crucible is full of whining crybabies who care about numbers more than actual fighting," she exhales.
"Perhaps."
Shaxx kneels and offers his hand. She takes it and he hoists her to her feet in a single effortless motion.
"Do you want to talk about it?"
His hard expressionless faceplate stares down at her. She's laughed at dozens of jokes about that helmet. But for as bad as she is at reading people, the impassive plate of plassteel might as well as well be the face of everyone she's ever talked too.
She responds by raising her sword and squaring off again.
Her intention is to fight carefully this time. Probe Shaxx's defenses and try to score a hit.
But the larger Titan moves before she can even register. A jolt of pain shoots up her arms as he swats her sword out of her grasp. By the time it hits the ground, he's already chopped her torso in two.
-—-
She falls out of the cold suffocating shadow and lands on the hard packed earth.
He looms over her, eclipsing the sun and glowering with every centimeter of his body.
"Enough," he growls, "You're punishing yourself. Why?"
Primal panic stabs up Linvana's throat. It all comes out in a gush. "She left me and I hate her for it but I want her back and I hate myself even more for wanting it."
She sags against the ground, suddenly too tired to move.
Shaxx sighs and visibly loosens. "So it's love then." He extends a hand and slowly, gently helps Linvana to her feet.
She retrieves her sword and trudges to the bench at the side of the yard. Wanting to say more but unwilling to say it.
Shaxx grunts as he settles his muscular bulk onto the bench beside her. "Love is a tricky thing. It's exhilarating. Empowering. Distracting. Soul-crushing."
"Yeah…So what do I do then? Find someone else? Stop trying?"
He chuckles. "How should I know? These are your feelings, Titan. Only you can decide where your heart lies."
She waves her hands helplessly. "It's just…I don't know. I, I think I've had a crush on her for a while. And then we started working together, sleeping together, it was a dream come true. But she left me. I wasn't enough to make her stay. And part of me wants to figure out how to do that, but another part of me knows that's not right."
"Love can't be forced, Linvana. If you try to make her stay, you will only push her further away. If she comes back on her own, then maybe there's a chance for you. But first, you need to ask yourself if that's the kind of relationship you want. You have to choose what you need."
The older Titan stands and walks away.
That's it?
"Wait!"
He stops and turns.
Linvana holds out the Infinite Edge. "This is yours."
"Do you truly wish to learn how to use it?"
She nods.
"Then keep it. But don't come back if your only goal is to take a beating."
She looks to the side as she blushes. "Understood."
"Good."
After he's gone, Linvana returns to the bench and rests the blade across her lap. It's a clear, breezy day, and the training ground has a good view of the Traveler. Since she was the only one signed up for the afternoon's session, she has the open courtyard all to herself. She likes it that way.
She's been in a limbo since Telysa left. She can't decide if she should wait for the Hunter or just find a mission listing and get the hell out of the City. And why not? The City with all its wide courtyards and bustling streets and tranquil canals is starting to feel too narrow. Too crowded. There's nothing to do but stroll and train. She needs to be out there, fighting and exploring.
But if Telysa is with her it won't feel so lonely.
The decision isn't coming, so she sets the sword to the side and crosses her legs. She holds her hands above her lap, palms facing inwards, and tugs ever so slightly on the ember of warmth deep in her chest.
A fist-sized ball of orange flame kindles between her hands. It's hungry. It wants to bubble outward and find something to consume. She demands it remain contained.
Slowly and steadily she lets the flow of energy grow more intense. The flames bleed amber, then golden, then pale yellow. The heat in her chest spreads outwards. It melts away the post-exercise ache in her libs and dulls the sharp uncertainty of her thoughts.
A low murmur cuts through her concentration like an icy knife.
The orb of flames evaporates in a fiery whoosh. A small bunch of Guardians is watching her from the entrance of the training yard. Crap. The next training session.
She snatches up her sword and scrambles around the group with a muttered apology.
Once she's out on the street, she forces herself to take a deep breath. "Polaris," she says. He materializes in front of her.
"Are you okay? You know you can talk to me, right?"
"Yeah. I know. I'm fine. It's just…" She was about to ask him to find the nearest shuttle to the Tower. It's faster than walking which means it would leave her with more time to sit around doing nothing in her quarters. Yeah…
"Can you figure out how to get Tower? On foot."
He frowns at the request but doesn't complain. "Alright, got it. Go left."
It's still another hour until the work shift ends, so the street isn't too crowded yet. But that doesn't stop her sword from drawing a bunch of stares. She has Polaris transmat it away. She rubs her forearms as she walks, all of the hair on them singed off by her fireball.
"I just don't know who Telysa really is," she says aloud. "I thought after two months together, we had it figured out. But then some skeleton from her past rolls over and…" She doesn't want to say 'she's gone' again so she motions with her hand instead.
"Well, I don't know humans well at all," Polaris says, "but maybe two months just isn't long enough? You were with Liu for six months and that didn't work out either."
"Yeah, but how can I get to know her better if she doesn't stick around? I thought she wanted this too."
"Who knows what she wants?"
Linvana stops. "You're right! Who would know what she wants? Polaris, pull up the Tower bounty records."