Honor

[Zeva]

Closed to Remedy.

The Citadel.

It was a place for warriors to test their skills in combat and put them to their best. That was why Zeva FlameShadow, heir of the Hametsu, was here. As the future ruler of clan, Zeva needed to have the proper skills in combat. She'd trained in the FlameShadow clan war code her entire life, but she rarely had the opportunity to test her skills in actual combat. Given so, the Citadel was perfect. If she died, she simply would be brought back to life again.

Zeva had been led into a door quite close to the Citadel's doors. From there on, Zeva simply walked in.


~~~

It was so organized, so royal... so beautiful!

A simple, round room made of stone. On the floor was a blood red rug with gold trimming. It had no roof, allowing beams of sunlight through and onto the floor. There was no windows or pictures or anything; just bare stone walls and floor - plus a rug.

Zeva kept her posture and properly placed her hand on her FlameShadow Cutter's hilt, and waited for her opponent to come.

[Remedy]

I... don't... like... to... fight...

I really don't. I had spent most of my life on the road, travelling here and there selling my goods under the watchful protection of the others in my group. Even if we weren't fighters by trade, they were old enough, and skilled enough to look after themselves.

Now however I was alone, and while I relished the opportunity to step out and make my own money, the fact was that I would need to know how to defend myself. The words of my semi-adopted mother still rang true in my mind.

“Remedy, you need to be smart,” she said, tapping me on the side of the head, “and being smart means being prepared.”

With that in mind I arrived at the citadel early as the first rays of morning broke over the impressive structure. I felt a nervous rumbling in my stomach. More than being worried I would lose, I was worried about the power within me. It was my curse, my cross to bear, and one that I didn't like to publicise. It was my determination that won out, and I tightened the small ponytail to ensure my hair stayed out of my face. I had forgone my normal small braids for something more practical. I absently ran my hands over my suit and checked the pipes were connected. A good five minutes of procrastination later, I entered.

The monks were quick, ushering my from the entry into a near by door. I entered, feeling more like I was walking on clouds than the hard stone ground. The door closed behind me and my eyes adjusted to darker room. In the centre a beam of light fell on a red carpet, ostentatiously rimmed in gold. On the other side of the room was a woman I assumed was my opponent.

I ran my golden eyes up and down her with more than a bit of surprise. I had expected some towering meat head, but this girl looked like she could have been my sister. My hair was a bit darker, for sure but still a vibrant orange. She was also a bit taller, but our eyes were the same colour and even our skin was a glowing pale.

“Oh shit...” I stammered.

Remembering where I was, I pulled a dagger from my belt and held it in my left hand. My right, covered with the zap glove was positioned near the hilt. I opened and closed my hand slowly as I walked towards my opponent. I didn't know if there was some routine that I should have been following, some sort of formality or name exchange. I just walked towards her.

[Zeva]

Zeva frowned, her opponent hadn't even introduced herself. Her heavy footsteps on the floor became muffled when they hit the rug. Zeva coordinated herself and entered her third sword fighting style. It was a style meant purely for defense. Zeva eyed her opponent as she drew her FlameShadow Cutter. The girl looked a lot like herself, pale skin and red hair. This girl's outfit though hardly seemed fit for combat. Zeva fixated her cutter into a block easily as the knife met it. A previously calm room seemed to come to life at the sound of metal against metal clanging out.

Zeva did not lose her stance, she simply blinked before throwing her knife away from her, not at all harming her opponent.

She took several steps back, coordinated in each and every cell move to fit my stance. Now she decided to speak. She wouldn't call her out for zero introduction, but she would use her own.

"An honor to meet you, friend. I am Zeva FlameShadow."

She then switched into style two, a loose but aggressive form of sword fighting. Zeva walked towards her opponent's slowly. She then swung her blades to disarm her opponent. She then planned to use her sword to target the girl's stomach.

[Remedy]

“Friend...?”

The word cut through my hazy mind more than a blade would. I paused for a second as I summoned courage to see me through this battle. The girl was disarming, and I felt my bottom lip tremble at the thought of drawing blood, or worse having mine drawn.

NO! NO DAMMIT! I will not lose to myself!

“Winona Remedy Blue!” I shouted and charged forwards.

The iron dagger in my hand shifted nervously as my feet pounded into the carpet. I made to lunge at the Zeva, even shifting my left foot forwards and stabbed my hand forwards. The blade would never reach her though. At full extension my arm was a good metre from her. Blue flames licked across my hand and blade as the torrent burst from my wrist.

The air crackled and popped as the blue flames washed around each other towards Zeva. She looked like me, but dammed if I wasn't sure she'd burn.

[Zeva]

Zeva wasn't the fastest person ever, but could duck through the flames. The fire only hit small parts of her face, leaving first degree burns. Meanwhile, her armor became slightly heated. It wasn't hot enough to cause burns, but the small amount of heat there would cause problems.

Thankfully, the strong pain threshold Zeva had allowed her to pass off her burns as small stings.

"W-woah..." The FlameShadow rose her free hand awkwardly, "No- need to be aggre-resiv-v-ve..." Zeva had honor, she followed a code and fought with her all... however, she was socially the awkward, zero-backbone kind.

"I..."

She just stood there. Pondering the honor of her opponent while still eyeing her for whatever she would do next.