The cure of steel (closed)

The sun was sitting high in the sky, the sound of children running through the market square danced joyously off the cobblestones, and I was excited. Excited about what today’s challenge would bring and excited to see my babies at work. There is nothing more beautiful than seeing something you’ve created live up to its potential, or even better, to surpass it. The test then for every parent was to push their creations as far as they will go. When they break down, well you pick them up, dust them off and make them better.

Today I was testing the various items that comprised my self-defence inventory. I wanted to see how far I could go, and just how useful each one could be. There were few times you could test items like these without putting your life at risk. The citadel, lucky for me, offered just that. Despite the fact I knew I would be walking out of the citadel in one piece, there was a nagging at the back of my head at the possible pain I might experience within the stone walls. I wasn’t a bruised thug-head that likes pain like many that enter the citadel, and I didn’t plan to become one.

The series of events leading up to entering the room was a dull affair. Step up, follow the monk, open the door, in you go. It was over just as fast as it started. I struck with the same series of emotions as the first time I entered a citadel arena; one part fear, two parts excitement and five parts awe. The emotions played across my spin giving me a buzz of excitement and causing a slight shake in my hands as I stepped forwards. A cool breeze hit me, carrying with it the soft smell of flowers. I blinked for a moment as my eyes adjusted to the darker light of the arena. Dabbled light shone down on dozens of tree trunks, easy as thick as three people wide and many, many times taller. High above me was the canopy that cut down the midday sun into a series of colourful splotches that danced across the grassy ground to the whims of the wind upon the leaves. At the base of the trees and spreading out into patches of bright vibrant hues were the flowers. They were small, colourful things of blues, reds and yellows. It was their combined fragrance that filled the air.

There was a tingle of child-like glee when I looked at the flowers, but this was not the time for reminiscing. My opponent was surely arriving soon, and I needed to be ready. I reached up and tightened the small ponytail I had tied my hair into. My hair was getting long, I’d have to cut it soon or else it would be difficult to manage. I pushed the thought away for later and did a cursory check of my items. I had checked them a dozen times since leaving my lodgings, but I did it again regardless. The zap pistol was strapped by my hip, my zap glove was firmly on my hand and my suit was sitting as comfortably as it could. Each movement I made caused the gears of the suit to shift and respond, giving at least some physical prowess to rely upon. In the small of my back was nestled what I really wanted to test, the thopters. Given the thick trees and high reached branches that were above me, it was looking quite likely they would prove some use. Check done, I crossed my arms and waited.