Author's Note: The group arrives in Ascalon City, after setting out from Grendich Courthouse. I decided I was too lazy to fill in another dialogue-laden walk, so I decided that I'd introduce the backgrounds of each character through the story. Add in drama effect ya kno, like the movies.
Ascalon City. What used to be one of the great cities of Tyria was little more than a refuge for those who remained after the Searing. The bystanders watched curiously. These were not Ascalonians, nor were they of Kryta or Orr. Kotetsu felt the eyes watching him, shifting between all who had arrived from over the Shiverpeaks. Eleanor shooed them off. "Make way, make way, visitors for Sir Tydus. Make way!"
They marched up a set of stairs, seeing a very tired man barking orders to various groups of people. Eleanor walked up and saluted him. "Sir Tydus! I bring you these hunters from the west. They have pledged to assist the Vanguard in fighting, training, and the rebuilding of Ascalon." Sir Tydus looked over the group. "This motley band? How can they help us? The Charr are not for those who spend them time hunting docile animals. Be off with them."
Several of them stirred, some muttering. Kotetsu worked to keep himself calm. Eleanor frowned and spoke again. "They have fought the Charr, and did quite a number on that raiding party that we couldn't handle! With their help we managed to not only push them off but destroy them completely! They are as good as any soldier here!" "No one joins the Vanguard on a common soldier's say. We may be short on soldiers but we will not be responsible for the deaths of a few over confident wanderers." Eleanor held out her arm as Kotetsu was about to stride forward. "Don't make this any worse than it has to be." Eleanor gave him a sharp look. He gazed back. She knew him well enough that if Tydus made one more remark, things could get very ugly very fast.
A nearby Vanguard stepped up. "Sir Tydus, why don't we put them through a test. Let them choose a fighter, and we shall do the same. There isn't much going on in the city right now. The people need a show of the Vanguard's ability." Tydus nodded. "Keep going." "We should hold a match in the Arena, one of them against one of us. If they do win, than we have formidable fighters joining us. If not, the morale of the people will raise, as they see that we are not made up of random individuals with no skill."
Despite her efforts Eleanor was unable to stop Kotetsu at this point. The soldier flew backwards, holding his face which was bleeding horribly from Kotetsu's strike. His outstretched fist quivered angrily. "I don't need some two bit soldier telling me who has skill and who doesn't! I accept the challenge. Send forth the best you have within an hour." He turned to walk off, amidst the cheers of his comrades and an exasperated look from Eleanor. He looked over his shoulder at the soldier crumpled on the ground. "Just one thing. Where's the Arena?"
The Arena was crowded, the spectator bench nearly overflowing with the people of city. Sir Tydus walked to the center. "My fellow Ascalonians! Today we have a very special event! Today, you see exactly the kind of Men and Women who have joined the Vanguard, as the chosen one fights against the challenger! Who represents your own, the Vanguard? Here he is!"
The doors to one side of the Arena opened, and a tall warrior clad in armor stepped out. The crowd fell silent: His hammer was nearly as big as he was, yet he swung it around and drove it into the ground as if it were a toy. The crowd roared, the silence breaking. "That is correct! Wallace Oxhead, the Divine Hammer of Balthazar represents your own!"
Eleanor let out a huff. Korah turned to her, stroking the young kitten in her arms. "What's wrong?" "The fight's already over." Korah grabbed her by the shoulders, Mitsuhide growling at the abrupt movement. "Don't say that! Kotetsu's the best at what he does!" Eleanor nodded. "I know. It's over. He wins. Regalia could beat that idiot, and she's nowhere on par with Kotetsu." Korah apologized and let go, somewhat overwhelmed with a sense of pride. She turned to look at Regalia, who was bouncing up and down in her seat. She was surprised at just how small the warrior was without her armor. She turned back to the Arena as Tydus began speaking again.
"And the challenger, representing the hunters, which as we all know are the best of fighters…." A loud laugh echoed through the crowd. Korah's face burned. Eleanor just sat back, opening a wine skin and taking a drink. She seemed the sort who couldn't wait for the underdog to win. "Drink?" Korah shook her head. "No, I don't drink. I can't hold my liquor well." Tydus continued after the laughter died down. "…here is Oda Kotetsu!" The doors of the Arena opened, and in strode the average-sized hunter, his bow slung over his shoulder, but there was something different about him. His gaze wasn't quite as gentle, his hair was tied back into a ponytail, and slung onto his back were two extra items: A strange curved sword, and a staff. The crowd jeered and laughed. Eleanor took another swig from her wineskin. "This is going to be good. Short, but good." Korah frowned. In all the years she had known him, he never had a blade other than his dagger, and only used a staff when he had an injured leg.
Tydus declared the rules: At the first sign of incapitation, the battle was over. Korah inquired about these rules. Eleanor explained simply: "The concept of resurrection is not as simple as it sounds. It has to be done relatively fast to be successful. See those mages? They use a soul net to keep the soul from escaping, effectively allowing for a limitless amount of time to rebind the soul. Still, it's better to be safe than sorry. The further the soul is, the weaker the resurrection is. It isn't practical to have someone near-death for nearly a month, just because someone was slow or couldn't get to them fast enough." "Can't they just heal them in that state." Eleanor shook her head. "It's not a matter of physical damage to the body. The damage is spiritual. It takes time to fully rebind with the body, the time depending on how far the soul was. The more potent resurrection spells require longer cast times and a completely rested state, but keep this spiritual damage to a minimum." Korah nodded, turning back to the Arena as Tydus declared the fight to start. "Fighters, begin!"
Wallace charged forward, shouting a motivational slogan that garnered cheers from the crowd. Kotetsu stood where he was and nocked an arrow. Wallace kept charging, taunting him. "It'll take more than an arrow to bring down the Divine Hammer!" Kotetsu smirked and let the arrow fly.
Pfff! Kesch!
Wallace stumbled, the arrow piercing his leg, causing him to halt his charge. This time it was Kotetsu who taunted him. "Take you down, maybe. Slow you down, nah." Wallace's face contorted with a mix of pain and anger as he tore the arrow out of his leg. Kotetsu watched, intrigued as Wallace straightened up, drawing a signet in the sky with his finger. The wound in his leg healed, and he let out a mighty laugh. The crowd went wild.
"This is going to be a little more fun than I thought it would be." He slipped off his quiver, to which he threw that and his bow into the crowd. Korah caught them, staring at him with disbelief. Eleanor put away her wineskin. "With what's going to happen, if I keep drinking I'll just end up throwing it back up." Korah trembled. That warrior could heal his wounds, meaning that any attacks Kotetsu made would ultimately be ineffective.
Wallace's heavy steps echoed again as he resumed his bull-like charge. "Let's see how you like this!" The hammer came down in a graceful arc, generating a huge dust cloud. Again, cheers came, from the drunk and sober alike. Eleanor smirked. Korah watched in horror.
"Eh? Where did he go?" Wallace raised his hammer, but the young hunter was nowhere to be seen. Someone tapped on his shoulder. "Have you tried behind you?" Startled, Wallace turned as a hard boot connected to his face. Kotetsu landed as Wallace fell onto his back. "You dirty cheater!" A loud laugh echoed through the Arena. "Are you just going to sit there all day, or are we going to fight?" "You bastard!" Wallace stood and swung his hammer in a wide, horizontal arc. Kotetsu took out his staff, moving in close and than parrying against the steel shaft of the hammer. He was nose to nose with the lumbering warrior.
"There's something on your face, let me get it for you." Kotetsu swung the hammer haft over his head with his staff and then drove the end of it into the warriors face. Wallace flew backwards. "Oh, forgive me. That was your nose. My mistake." Wallace was red with blood and anger, and began to draw his signet again. Big mistake. Now, let's see. Kotetsu studied the signet intently, every line, curve, and angle. I see! Wallace charged forward once more, unscathed and undaunted. There was a wicked grin on Kotetsu's face. He placed the staff back onto his back and drew his sword. He crouched down slightly, waiting. Wallace increased his speed, nearly obsessed with the idea of smashing this hunter into the ground. He swung the hammer in mighty circles around him. "Not even twenty Charr can bare the force of this swing!" When he was within striking distance he placed both hands back onto the hammer and brought it down in a massive strike. NOW! Kotetsu dashed forward, avoiding the attack and bring the sword across the side of the warrior. It was a solid hit, there was a line of blood flying out from where the blade hit, several of the warrior's fans getting a speck or two on their face and clothing. He sheathed the sword. Wallace coughed up blood. "You're not bad, hunter. Not bad, but I'm better." He started to form his signet again. Kotetsu dashed forward and brought his elbow to the mans neck. "Well than, here's something I learned from one of my friends. I never saw much use for it myself, but I think you will." He grabbed the warriors arm and drew a signet with it.
Felicia laughed. Eleanor glanced at her, curious. Her answer brought a grin to Eleanor's face. "Signet of Agony."
Kotetsu was blasted backwards when the signet finished. Korah stood, Mitsuhide letting out a growl. He got up, shaking his head a little. Wallace didn't fare well at all. He was on his knees, bleeding badly from cuts that seemed to appear from nowhere. Kotetsu walked up to him. Wallace was inscribing the signet again. Kotetsu sighed. "You don't learn." He grabbed the wrist, stopping any attempts to make the signet. He flung the warrior on his stomach, taking the arm and pushing it forward abruptly.
The crunch was sickening. Wallace was lying in a pool of blood, his arm in a position that it shouldn't have been, all of which was drowned out by his cries for mercy. He let the arm drop, and walked towards the center of the Arena. He turned to the crowd, but more specifically, he turned to Sir Tydus. "Thank you for the warm up. Now, where's the actual fighter." The crowd was silent, save for a small group of individuals who stood and cheered. "That's my husband! That's mine! All mine!"
As Wallace was dragged from the Arena, Tydus stood, his face contorted in anger. He turned to Regalia. "Suit up and get in there. Teach that hunter a lesson, to not mess with Ascalon." Regalia shook her head furiously, whimpering. "Our mightiest hammer warrior, and yet you're afraid of him?" She shook her head. "I won't hurt him! I won't!" Tydus turned in disgust. He addressed the other soldiers. "Will none of you fight for the Vanguard's glory? It's pride? It's honor?"
"That is quite enough, Tydus." "Prince Rurik! What brings you here?"
A tall man with gold armor and a strange blade of flames came forward. "I heard of a special event in the Arena and came to see it. Judging from the looks of it, I just missed it." Tydus kneeled before the prince. "My lord, that insolent hunter disgraced the Vanguard! I can find no other soldier who will fight for it's honor. I may have to do it myself." Rurik frowned. "Disgraced the Vanguard? In what way?" He turned towards the warrior, who was whimpering, refusing to go out and shake his opponent's hand. Rurik walked into the Arena.
This is not going to end well. "You are the prince of Ascalon? It is an honor to meet you." Rurik nodded. "Likewise. A good leader must keep his soldiers satisfied if he is to expect them to follow out of love rather than out of fear. I hold nothing against you, but I must keep my soldiers morale up in this bleak time. We will have to fight." Damnit.
"Have at you!" The prince charged forward and swung his sword. That's pure fire, I'll just have to dodge it. Kotetsu moved out of the way easily. The blade suddenly switched direction and came at him again. He slid down and did a quick leg sweep, knocking the prince off balance. That was when he noticed the crowd. His own comrades and Eleanor's sat, eyes full of pride. The rest were weary, seeing their favorite beaten so easily, and now even their prince was having trouble. Sometimes you just have to take the hits. Can't make it seem too obvious though. He dodged the next attack and pushed the prince backwards. He let himself get hit with the blunt of the sword, the shield, or the occasional kick, making sure to avoid the actual flames. It's been about 10 minutes now…ok, time to show some compassion. He gave the prince a good kick, than proceeded with a very open swing of his sword. This is going to hurt. And it did. His armor wasn't penetrated, but the force of the blow and the intense heat sent him sprawling. It hurt a lot more than he thought it would. He kneeled up, grabbing his side. Rurik stepped forward, with a suspicious look in his eye. The crowd watched, wondering how the prince would finish, but one wasn't content to stand around.
Eleanor made a grab but missed her, just barely. Korah ran into the middle of the Arena and put herself between the prince and Kotetsu. "Stop! You win! Stop fighting!" The crowd jeered. "Get out of there, ya damn woman." Rurik held up his hand. "That's enough. Who are you to condemn one's love for another, especially in a time such as this? This hunter fought well, and he fought honorably. If they are all this way, especially if they show this compassion for us as they do for each other, than the Vanguard would benefit immensely from their aid and knowledge. Wouldn't you say so, Sir Tydus?" Being singled out of the entire crowd, he had little choice but to agree with the prince. Rurik lifted Kotetsu. "That was a great thing you did for the crowd. Thank you." Kotetsu gave a nod, and walked off to the stands with Korah's help. Minshana quickly ran forward. Kotetsu held up his hand. "Let me test something first." With a good 3 feet between him and anyone else, he drew a signet into the air. Felicia grabbed his arm and stopped him in mid-draw. "Not that one. The circle's here, the triangle here, and the lines connect here." He followed her instructions, feeling his wounds knit together. "Thank you. I'm starving, let's eat." He seemed to intentionally avoid Korah's gaze. He knew what she was going to ask later. A Vanguard soldier walked up to them.
"Prince Rurik would like to meet with you and your comrades."
Kotetsu's stomach growled. Mitsuhide purred.
"There'll be dinner. He said he could hear your stomach throughout the entire fight."
He stroked the cat, generating a loud purr. "Well, let's go!"