T A L O N
60 Ash 124 Steel
Talon stretched. He rolled his shoulders and rotated his torso. Gently he flexed his wings, the silver of the feathers reflecting the light of morning sunrise. He closed his eyes, drawing in a deep breath as the warmth of dawn flowed into him.
Dawn.
He was always at the zenith of his might with the rising of the sun. Across the echoes of time and all throughout the Aetherium, he could feel the reverberations of so many souls looking toward the new morning with a renewed sense of Hope. The new day meant so many things and while he was slowly teaching his followers that the Darkness was not something to be feared, he understood the reverence that came with each new day. As he went through his stretches, he could hear the morning hymn being sung by the clerics that tended to the Temple of Light. All across Dawnhold and in the town of Light’s Reach, extending even into Kalzasi, Talon could feel thousands of people entering their morning prayers to him. As the Dawnking, and the deity who had spent every morning throughout the Eclipse shining light upon Kalzasi, it had become a habit for many who had adopted his faith to pay homage to him with the rising of the sun.
Talon stood within the Arena of the Chosen wearing only a pair of comfortable linen pants and a sash around his waist. His torso was bare and the feeling of the sand beneath his feet helped to ground him for the task ahead. He dropped down to his knees, resting the flat of his palms over his knees, adopting a meditative pose as he closed his eyes. He spread his consciousness across Dawnhold and Light’s Reach, allowing his mind to drift loosely as he listened. Talon did not think he would ever be comfortable with the idea of being worshipped but much like his role as a prince, he saw his stewardship of mortal faith as a responsibility more so than an entitlement. So he watched and he listened, taking mental note of things that would need to be visited in time.
When dawn had passed, Talon heard the sound of Dawnmartyrs and squires making their way toward the Arena of the Chosen. Today was a momentous day for the Order. It was Exhibition Day. Today would be the day that those who had survived their initiation into Reaving showcased their progress in coming to understand the depths of the magic as taught by the senior Dawnmartyrs.
Every Dawnmartyr, to be a Dawnmartyr, had to carry the Rune of Reaving. It was a great burden. Squires spent a considerable amount of time preparing to receive the rune and great pains were taken to stress to them the dangers of the initiation. Not all survived. Those that did needed time and mentorship to heal from their initiation. Time to process. Time to mourn lost friends. Time to face the reality of what it meant to be a Dawnmartyr. It had also become the day thatTalon marked the rookie knights with his Emblem.
That time had passed and now was the day that all of their training came to a head. Where they showcased their skills in controlled combat. Prior to the establishment of Dawnhold, the new knights would have likely held their exhibition in a very different setting. Within Dawnhold however, the Arena of the Chosen allowed for a very unique setting. The Lightforged Crystals could project and manipulate the landscape of the arena to any environment, creating an illusory setting that the newly initiated could interact with. Talon had sat to quietly watch a few exhibitions over the past year and had been impressed with the skill, creativity and intelligence of the newly initiated knights. Today was going to be different. Today, his squire was showing his skill. He had informed the leadership of Dawnhold that he wanted to personally administer this exhibition. The new knights had no idea that he was going to oversee their exhibition and he was looking forward to seeing their reaction.
“Remember that you are fighting rookies, beloved.” Talon opened one eye to see Aoren taking a seat in the arena. Talon smiled.
“Yes, yes. This is to teach. Not to humble.” He chuckled softly. In short order, he heard the murmurings of the incoming crowd. The sound of armored warriors, the feeling of both anxiety and excitement permeated the air. Before others could set foot inside the arena, Talon bent the light around his body so that he would appear invisible. Using his mastery of Semblance, he cloaked his aura so that any who might be inclined to peer beyond the physical would have a more difficult time finding him.
You and your theatrics. Aoren’s voice echoed across the Bond but it was accompanied with a warm fondness that took the bite out of his teasing.
Let me have my fun.
The equivalent of a telepathic hug wrapped around his mind and soul as Aoren merely got comfortable in his seat. Soon people began to file into the arena. None questioned Aoren’s presence there as he was a regular sight around both Dawnhold and had been present at exhibitions in the past. It did not take long before the seats around the arena were filled. Talon saw members of Kalzasi’s nobility. He saw common folks from the city. He saw knights and their families. Exhibition Day had come to be open to the public as a way of showcasing the skills of the Dawnmartyrs and a means of shedding some light on the normally secretive ways of the Order. As the masters of the Order took their place, the rookie knights assembled on the sands of the arena. Quiet settled over the crowd and for a few moments, the rookie knights stood still. Talon studied each of them for a moment as he was still cloaked in his light bending technique. He could see nervousness. He could see confidence. He could see anxiousness. Most of all however, he could see a readiness to face the challenges ahead. Finally, his eyes settled on his squire.
Mathias.
The young man had come a long ways since Talon had found him on the streets of Gel’Grandal. He stood straighter. His frame was no longer thin from lack of food and rest but strong and hale. Mathias initiation into Reaving had been harrowing for Talon but he had been confident that the young man would pull through. He had and now it was time for Mathias to step into the role of a fully-fledged knight.
Talon dropped the illusion he had wrapped around himself, rising to his feet in one fluid motion. As soon as he appeared, the assembled rookies dropped to a kneel. A hush fell over the crowd.
“Brave champions,” Talon spread his arms and his wings. There in the light of the arena, an echo of his nimbus glowed softly around his head. “This is your day of triumph. This is your day to step into the Light as keepers of Justice and Hope. Long has been your road and many have been your trials. Rise, my knights. Greet the dawn of this new day with heads held high.”
Talon watched as twenty young knights rose to their feet but his eyes settled on Mathias. His squire met his gaze steadily and Talon felt proud.
“As you step out into the world carrying the mantle of the Dawnmartyr, you shall uphold the ideal of Light, you shall honor the call of Justice and you shall carry the torch of Hope wherever it is needed.” He saw a few of the knights stand taller. “But first, a test of skill. Today you shall show to both your teachers and those watching, all that you have come to learn.”
Normally this was the part where the new knights were divided into teams that would be pitted against the challenges presented in the arena. It was meant to be a test where they worked cohesively as units displaying not only leadership but cooperating together to face challenges that made them think on their feet. Sometimes the units faced monsters. Sometimes they faced rescue missions. Sometimes it was an obstacle course. The challenge was always different but the spirit of it was the same, overcome the task together honoring the ideals of the knighthood. He could already see glances being cast among the group. Silent communications likely about roles that had been discussed, tactics that had been reviewed depending on the challenge.
“This exhibition shall be different.” Curious glances and some murmuring rolled through the crowd. Talon kept his eyes on Mathias. His apprentice’s features immediately hardened. That alone told him that Mathias knew what was coming.
“Today, all of you shall be working together toward one task, one goal, as one unit.” Several of the rookie knights shifted. Talon took out a simple yellow ribbon. He tied it around his right wrist, secure enough that it would stay in place but loose enough that it could be tugged off if grabbed. Talon held up his wrist, showcasing the ribbon.
“Retrieve the ribbon around my wrist.”
“Oh fuck.” One of the rookies blurted out. Behind him, Aoren burst into laughter. Talon smiled.
“Use every skill at your disposal. Now,” The Lightforged Crystals around the perimeter of the arena flared to life. The sands began shifting. The magic of the crystals washed over the arena and soon the terrain morphed into a replica of the frozen heights of the Astralar Mountains. Islets of floating rock and a breezy and airy planescape sprung into being.
“Begin!” Talon leapt into the air, spreading his wings and taking flight. He jumped a fair distance away from the assembled knights and hovered in the air between several floating rock formations. There he waited, suspended easily with hands resting calmly at the small of his back.
Talon stretched. He rolled his shoulders and rotated his torso. Gently he flexed his wings, the silver of the feathers reflecting the light of morning sunrise. He closed his eyes, drawing in a deep breath as the warmth of dawn flowed into him.
Dawn.
He was always at the zenith of his might with the rising of the sun. Across the echoes of time and all throughout the Aetherium, he could feel the reverberations of so many souls looking toward the new morning with a renewed sense of Hope. The new day meant so many things and while he was slowly teaching his followers that the Darkness was not something to be feared, he understood the reverence that came with each new day. As he went through his stretches, he could hear the morning hymn being sung by the clerics that tended to the Temple of Light. All across Dawnhold and in the town of Light’s Reach, extending even into Kalzasi, Talon could feel thousands of people entering their morning prayers to him. As the Dawnking, and the deity who had spent every morning throughout the Eclipse shining light upon Kalzasi, it had become a habit for many who had adopted his faith to pay homage to him with the rising of the sun.
Talon stood within the Arena of the Chosen wearing only a pair of comfortable linen pants and a sash around his waist. His torso was bare and the feeling of the sand beneath his feet helped to ground him for the task ahead. He dropped down to his knees, resting the flat of his palms over his knees, adopting a meditative pose as he closed his eyes. He spread his consciousness across Dawnhold and Light’s Reach, allowing his mind to drift loosely as he listened. Talon did not think he would ever be comfortable with the idea of being worshipped but much like his role as a prince, he saw his stewardship of mortal faith as a responsibility more so than an entitlement. So he watched and he listened, taking mental note of things that would need to be visited in time.
When dawn had passed, Talon heard the sound of Dawnmartyrs and squires making their way toward the Arena of the Chosen. Today was a momentous day for the Order. It was Exhibition Day. Today would be the day that those who had survived their initiation into Reaving showcased their progress in coming to understand the depths of the magic as taught by the senior Dawnmartyrs.
Every Dawnmartyr, to be a Dawnmartyr, had to carry the Rune of Reaving. It was a great burden. Squires spent a considerable amount of time preparing to receive the rune and great pains were taken to stress to them the dangers of the initiation. Not all survived. Those that did needed time and mentorship to heal from their initiation. Time to process. Time to mourn lost friends. Time to face the reality of what it meant to be a Dawnmartyr. It had also become the day thatTalon marked the rookie knights with his Emblem.
That time had passed and now was the day that all of their training came to a head. Where they showcased their skills in controlled combat. Prior to the establishment of Dawnhold, the new knights would have likely held their exhibition in a very different setting. Within Dawnhold however, the Arena of the Chosen allowed for a very unique setting. The Lightforged Crystals could project and manipulate the landscape of the arena to any environment, creating an illusory setting that the newly initiated could interact with. Talon had sat to quietly watch a few exhibitions over the past year and had been impressed with the skill, creativity and intelligence of the newly initiated knights. Today was going to be different. Today, his squire was showing his skill. He had informed the leadership of Dawnhold that he wanted to personally administer this exhibition. The new knights had no idea that he was going to oversee their exhibition and he was looking forward to seeing their reaction.
“Remember that you are fighting rookies, beloved.” Talon opened one eye to see Aoren taking a seat in the arena. Talon smiled.
“Yes, yes. This is to teach. Not to humble.” He chuckled softly. In short order, he heard the murmurings of the incoming crowd. The sound of armored warriors, the feeling of both anxiety and excitement permeated the air. Before others could set foot inside the arena, Talon bent the light around his body so that he would appear invisible. Using his mastery of Semblance, he cloaked his aura so that any who might be inclined to peer beyond the physical would have a more difficult time finding him.
You and your theatrics. Aoren’s voice echoed across the Bond but it was accompanied with a warm fondness that took the bite out of his teasing.
Let me have my fun.
The equivalent of a telepathic hug wrapped around his mind and soul as Aoren merely got comfortable in his seat. Soon people began to file into the arena. None questioned Aoren’s presence there as he was a regular sight around both Dawnhold and had been present at exhibitions in the past. It did not take long before the seats around the arena were filled. Talon saw members of Kalzasi’s nobility. He saw common folks from the city. He saw knights and their families. Exhibition Day had come to be open to the public as a way of showcasing the skills of the Dawnmartyrs and a means of shedding some light on the normally secretive ways of the Order. As the masters of the Order took their place, the rookie knights assembled on the sands of the arena. Quiet settled over the crowd and for a few moments, the rookie knights stood still. Talon studied each of them for a moment as he was still cloaked in his light bending technique. He could see nervousness. He could see confidence. He could see anxiousness. Most of all however, he could see a readiness to face the challenges ahead. Finally, his eyes settled on his squire.
Mathias.
The young man had come a long ways since Talon had found him on the streets of Gel’Grandal. He stood straighter. His frame was no longer thin from lack of food and rest but strong and hale. Mathias initiation into Reaving had been harrowing for Talon but he had been confident that the young man would pull through. He had and now it was time for Mathias to step into the role of a fully-fledged knight.
Talon dropped the illusion he had wrapped around himself, rising to his feet in one fluid motion. As soon as he appeared, the assembled rookies dropped to a kneel. A hush fell over the crowd.
“Brave champions,” Talon spread his arms and his wings. There in the light of the arena, an echo of his nimbus glowed softly around his head. “This is your day of triumph. This is your day to step into the Light as keepers of Justice and Hope. Long has been your road and many have been your trials. Rise, my knights. Greet the dawn of this new day with heads held high.”
Talon watched as twenty young knights rose to their feet but his eyes settled on Mathias. His squire met his gaze steadily and Talon felt proud.
“As you step out into the world carrying the mantle of the Dawnmartyr, you shall uphold the ideal of Light, you shall honor the call of Justice and you shall carry the torch of Hope wherever it is needed.” He saw a few of the knights stand taller. “But first, a test of skill. Today you shall show to both your teachers and those watching, all that you have come to learn.”
Normally this was the part where the new knights were divided into teams that would be pitted against the challenges presented in the arena. It was meant to be a test where they worked cohesively as units displaying not only leadership but cooperating together to face challenges that made them think on their feet. Sometimes the units faced monsters. Sometimes they faced rescue missions. Sometimes it was an obstacle course. The challenge was always different but the spirit of it was the same, overcome the task together honoring the ideals of the knighthood. He could already see glances being cast among the group. Silent communications likely about roles that had been discussed, tactics that had been reviewed depending on the challenge.
“This exhibition shall be different.” Curious glances and some murmuring rolled through the crowd. Talon kept his eyes on Mathias. His apprentice’s features immediately hardened. That alone told him that Mathias knew what was coming.
“Today, all of you shall be working together toward one task, one goal, as one unit.” Several of the rookie knights shifted. Talon took out a simple yellow ribbon. He tied it around his right wrist, secure enough that it would stay in place but loose enough that it could be tugged off if grabbed. Talon held up his wrist, showcasing the ribbon.
“Retrieve the ribbon around my wrist.”
“Oh fuck.” One of the rookies blurted out. Behind him, Aoren burst into laughter. Talon smiled.
“Use every skill at your disposal. Now,” The Lightforged Crystals around the perimeter of the arena flared to life. The sands began shifting. The magic of the crystals washed over the arena and soon the terrain morphed into a replica of the frozen heights of the Astralar Mountains. Islets of floating rock and a breezy and airy planescape sprung into being.
“Begin!” Talon leapt into the air, spreading his wings and taking flight. He jumped a fair distance away from the assembled knights and hovered in the air between several floating rock formations. There he waited, suspended easily with hands resting calmly at the small of his back.
Off Topic
Anyone interested in spectating is welcome to join this thread. At certain intervals player-character audience members will be able to offer up a challenge to be placed in front of the rookie knights attempting to retrieve the ribbon around Talon's wrist. The make-up of the Arena of the Chosen is infused with magic both divine and mortal, the trial itself is non-lethal but will certainly be entertaining!
