Heavy lies the Crown [Open]

[Rehtul Orlouge]

The sharp double clack of sandals on stone floors alerted Rehtul to the arrival of one of the Citadel's caretakers, a Monk of Ai'bron. He quickly marked his place in the book he'd been reading and looked up at the robed figure. The young man couldn't have been much older than the cryomancer himself, perhaps as old as thirty, though his face still had the rosy youthful look that the other, gaunt young man had long ago lost.

"Your guest has arrived," the monk said. Rehtul did little more than nod and roll his shoulders to work out the tension that had built up while he'd been hunched over his tome. He stood slowly and arched his back, both hands pressed into the spot just below his shoulder blades. He felt and heard a few satisfying pops and groaned in satisfaction.

"Good... I was beginning to worry he wouldn't show today, either," he said. It had been about a week and a half since he'd had one of his old subordinates who'd been in the Knights' wetworks division sent off to deliver that letter. Apparently Shinsou Vaan Osiris had been either indisposed or in a very out of the way location. Either way, it looked like the former assassin had managed to track down her quarry. It was satisfying to know that even without his former rank, he was still had enough respect from the other former Knights to ask for a favor now and then... though admittedly the five hundred gold up front from the family treasury had certainly helped.

"Would you like me to show you to the room you'll be sparring in?" the monk asked. Rehtul nodded his ascent and began following the man. Their footsteps echoed down the long, empty hall.

"Not much going on today, eh?"

"It's three in the morning," the monk replied with a chuckle.

"Wha-" was all Rehtul could get out of his mouth before the monk stopped short in front of him. He almost ran into the man's back and a jumbled apology fell from between his lips.

"This is the room. Good luck. You'll need it," the monk said coyly as he motioned for Rehtul to open the door.

The hell does that even mean? the mage wondered as he pushed open the door. Bright light blinded him as he felt the familiar disorientation that accompanied the transit into one of the building's many different arenas. He held an arm over his brow as his eyes adjusted to the increased light from the sun above. Shadows passed over the grass at the young man's feet, cast by the clouds above.

As his pupils finished dilating, Rehtul could now see that he was standing in the middle of forest clearing, not unlike what he'd find in the small forests outside of Radasanthia. The sound of rolling water hit his ears and he realized that there must have been a small stream nearby. He scanned the area for his opponent and was delighted to see that he was not too terribly far away.

"Lord Osiris, I presume," Rehtul began, not quite sure whether the man would prefer to be known by or even if he had an actual rank. It was a detail that Felicity had neglected to mention before she had run out of his room after their last fight.

"I am Rehtul Orlouge, formerly of the Ixian Knights. I will be your opponent."