The Valkyrie
07-23-07, 02:18 PM
Sometimes we miss out on everyone else’s writing because we’re so busy with our own here on Althanas. That’s why we have a lovely little feature known as the Teaser. Take a gander at this week’s teaser, a little preview of a battle in the newly opened Prahna’dyuta in the desert region of Fallien. This battle is a two-on-one event, pitting “Burly Knuckles” and “The Archer” against Fallien’s Vajramushti champion. These two amateurs seek to take out the champion on his home court. Good luck to them in The Hunter of the Cavern - be sure to take a look and keep up with the ongoing battle (link (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?t=5963))!
The beating of hooves over the dunes was surprisingly muted. Though Iblis pounded each step as her muscles surged forward with the gallop, the soft sand under her hooves and the shrill cry of the howling desert winds stifled the noise. Her rider squinted through the slat in his masked turban, his face carefully veiled against the pervasive winds. Though sand slapped against the pair, dragged harsly like a stream by the winds, they continued onward towards the small set of rocky hills ahead. Small plumes of reddish-orange sand kicked up behind the rushing steed as they moved over a large dune, a reddish swelling like a giant blister on the earth. The wind changed direction as they made it past the dune, the air current channeled between mounds of the grapefruit-colored sands. It cut in sharply from the right, and brought the heat of the desert plain with it. Paj winced as he tucked his right shoulder up and tipped his head away from the wind. It was a slap of heat across his right side akin to having a torch passed over him, and he turned his face just in time to avoid the hot current dragging burning sands into his eyes. He held the reins tightly as he steered Iblis onward, spurring her with a loud shout and a flick of the leather straps.
"Hya!"
The pair navigated past the last set of dunes and Paj leaned up in the saddle, squeezing his legs slightly as he tugged gently on the reins. Iblis' gallop began to slow to a trot, the proud filly raising her legs high with each step. It was almost as if she had an ego of her own and thought she was a regal, elegant member of nobility. The rider and his horse slowed further, coming to a stop in the foothills of the large rolling landscape of rocks in front of them. The red sands contrasted sharply against the light gray rocks that they were buffetting, looking almost like fresh blood on the skin of a pale corpse. A small groove was formed between two rocks as they led down into a gully. It was here that two figures stood in silence. They were around Paj's size, and each was clad in a deep brown robe with black stitching running the edges and sleeves in a traditional Delkan design. A large hood came over each of their heads, and concealed their faces behind a veil of darkness that sheltered them from the heat and winds. The hoods each turned to the approaching rider, darkness looking up at him.
"You are here for the competition?" A raspy male voice croaked eerily from inside the hood to the left.
Paj's brow bunched beneath the linen of his turban and he nodded affirmatively. "Competition... Prahna'dyuta. Haj kyrmai suura im sha Idnystar Cimenalthos."*
The hoods nodded, the one to the right responding with an equally raspy but distinctly female voice creeping from its dark void. "Chaarishk Vajramushti.... ro shiikye jhus. Prevt'ish hur xentia?"*
The hoods couldn't see the sour face Paj made beneath his mask, even his eye hiding his discontent.
I don't need a partner, and especially not an Outsider. But they won't allow me to face the champion alone...
"Ir nus vahai."*
Paj dismounted Iblis, leading her over to a small sapling nearby. It was a few feet from the mouth of a dark cavern, a cavern that loomed like the mouth of a great beast waiting to swallow them whole. The cavern would be their battlefield, and it was one where the champion had the advantage. Paj eyed the darkness of the cave cautiously as he tied up his horse, as if awaiting a wild animal to leap out upon them. Turning back, he was surprised to see a pair of black hands jussting out from the shadowed folds of the male figure's robes. Between the two hands rest a chestnut wood box with a brightly polished brass clasp on the front. Looking curiously, Paj pushed the top of the box open slightly, peeking inside. Resting on a bed of dyed vlint cloth was two pair of knuckledusters: one was a standard 'brass knuckles', the other was a wooden set with small round iron pins sticking up from the knuckles. Paj just scoffed, chortling beneath the fabric of his mask. These were basically trainer knuckledusters, low end weapons out for loan during Prahna'dyuta. Reaching within the folds of his lungi, the vajramushti fighter pulls out his own bone knuckleduster, holding it up and shaking his head to the robed figures.
"Ir jassam wyr makki."*
With a slight bow from them, the box slid back into the darkness of the male figure's robe. All three of them turned, looking back out to the dunes, awaiting the arrival of Paj's partner for this competition.
The beating of hooves over the dunes was surprisingly muted. Though Iblis pounded each step as her muscles surged forward with the gallop, the soft sand under her hooves and the shrill cry of the howling desert winds stifled the noise. Her rider squinted through the slat in his masked turban, his face carefully veiled against the pervasive winds. Though sand slapped against the pair, dragged harsly like a stream by the winds, they continued onward towards the small set of rocky hills ahead. Small plumes of reddish-orange sand kicked up behind the rushing steed as they moved over a large dune, a reddish swelling like a giant blister on the earth. The wind changed direction as they made it past the dune, the air current channeled between mounds of the grapefruit-colored sands. It cut in sharply from the right, and brought the heat of the desert plain with it. Paj winced as he tucked his right shoulder up and tipped his head away from the wind. It was a slap of heat across his right side akin to having a torch passed over him, and he turned his face just in time to avoid the hot current dragging burning sands into his eyes. He held the reins tightly as he steered Iblis onward, spurring her with a loud shout and a flick of the leather straps.
"Hya!"
The pair navigated past the last set of dunes and Paj leaned up in the saddle, squeezing his legs slightly as he tugged gently on the reins. Iblis' gallop began to slow to a trot, the proud filly raising her legs high with each step. It was almost as if she had an ego of her own and thought she was a regal, elegant member of nobility. The rider and his horse slowed further, coming to a stop in the foothills of the large rolling landscape of rocks in front of them. The red sands contrasted sharply against the light gray rocks that they were buffetting, looking almost like fresh blood on the skin of a pale corpse. A small groove was formed between two rocks as they led down into a gully. It was here that two figures stood in silence. They were around Paj's size, and each was clad in a deep brown robe with black stitching running the edges and sleeves in a traditional Delkan design. A large hood came over each of their heads, and concealed their faces behind a veil of darkness that sheltered them from the heat and winds. The hoods each turned to the approaching rider, darkness looking up at him.
"You are here for the competition?" A raspy male voice croaked eerily from inside the hood to the left.
Paj's brow bunched beneath the linen of his turban and he nodded affirmatively. "Competition... Prahna'dyuta. Haj kyrmai suura im sha Idnystar Cimenalthos."*
The hoods nodded, the one to the right responding with an equally raspy but distinctly female voice creeping from its dark void. "Chaarishk Vajramushti.... ro shiikye jhus. Prevt'ish hur xentia?"*
The hoods couldn't see the sour face Paj made beneath his mask, even his eye hiding his discontent.
I don't need a partner, and especially not an Outsider. But they won't allow me to face the champion alone...
"Ir nus vahai."*
Paj dismounted Iblis, leading her over to a small sapling nearby. It was a few feet from the mouth of a dark cavern, a cavern that loomed like the mouth of a great beast waiting to swallow them whole. The cavern would be their battlefield, and it was one where the champion had the advantage. Paj eyed the darkness of the cave cautiously as he tied up his horse, as if awaiting a wild animal to leap out upon them. Turning back, he was surprised to see a pair of black hands jussting out from the shadowed folds of the male figure's robes. Between the two hands rest a chestnut wood box with a brightly polished brass clasp on the front. Looking curiously, Paj pushed the top of the box open slightly, peeking inside. Resting on a bed of dyed vlint cloth was two pair of knuckledusters: one was a standard 'brass knuckles', the other was a wooden set with small round iron pins sticking up from the knuckles. Paj just scoffed, chortling beneath the fabric of his mask. These were basically trainer knuckledusters, low end weapons out for loan during Prahna'dyuta. Reaching within the folds of his lungi, the vajramushti fighter pulls out his own bone knuckleduster, holding it up and shaking his head to the robed figures.
"Ir jassam wyr makki."*
With a slight bow from them, the box slid back into the darkness of the male figure's robe. All three of them turned, looking back out to the dunes, awaiting the arrival of Paj's partner for this competition.