The Dance of the Knights
Posted: Tue Feb 04, 2025 7:07 pm
Pahoran Taselia Rayunia
. . . . . Knight of The Dawnmartyrs . . . . .
Frost 3 124
Pahoran sat at the edge of training ground in the old Citadel. He had been her as a boy watching his brothers as the trained and became knights. His thoughts were far away as remembered with excitement wanting to practice in this very field. To learn the skills of fighting and magic, to perform the knights dance. He smiled at his own naivety, there was really so much more to being a knight then just wielding a weapon. The values of the Knighthood were just as important as the ability to wield a weapon, and perform magic. It was the values that had set the Knights apart over all that time. Justice was a delicate thing, important but delicate as a push can make it no longer Justice. The tenants of Light were difficult to maintain at all times. Compassion, Courage, Tenacity. Hope as well was something that was as delicate and strong as justice.
Pahoran found it ironic that here at the Citadel he was facing a struggle in compassion, courage and tenacity. Many of the younger members had viewed him with distrust which Pah was compassionate towards. The armies of the Imperium used his kin to great effect in their wars. He was understanding of their fears and concerns. He had his reasons for being here, and original it wasn’t to talk with other people. It was to visit his birth place and to visit the tombs of his ancestry, but he geared up his courage and went out to speak and help where he could.
Gregone, the young man he had meet when he had first was still not accepting of him. Pahoran pondered how he felt about the young man. He wanted to just be compassionate towards him, but unlike the others who were warry of him, this young man was just hostile. Pah couldn’t deny that he was annoyed at the young man, but as he thought about it he did actually feel sympathy for that young man. He wondered how he could make peace with Gregone.
As if reading his thoughts Pah heard the sound of footstep coming into the room. They weren’t loud but the room was quiet and echoes easily traveled through the room. Pah’s ice blue eyes turned upwards and staired upwards at the source of the noise. Gregone had walked into the arena and was walking down the stairs towards him. Pah didn’t stand up but watched the young man as he approached. His eyes were slightly narrowed, and Pahoran could detect the challenge in the other man’s eyes. Pahoran felt the desire to sigh well up all the way in his toes.
He watched Gregone as he approached and didn’t take his gaze off the young man as he stopped a couple feet away. “I am sorry did you need this room?” Pah asked, but he didn’t make any move to actually stand up.
“No. I was just wondering how you like the tour.” Gregone asked.
“I didn’t get a tour.” Pah said. “While there were specific rooms I haven’t ever visited I have seen I am familiar with the layout of the place.” He commented back, not about to be caught in such a stupid trap. “I did visit the my families old rooms though. It wasn’t fun though.” Pah said as he tilted his head. “I remember as a child wanting come here and watch my brothers prove there worth as a knight.” He stood up and walked on to the floor. “I looked forward to the day I would practice here.” Pahoran did sigh at that point. “Instead I practiced out in the woods far from here.”
He turned and looked at Gregone and raised and eyebrow. “If you are up to it there is something you can do.”
Gregone looked at his suspiciously. “What?” He answered shortly.
“Give me the chance to fight once in this arena.” Pah said. “Will you fight with me?”
The young man eyed Pahoran suspiciously. He studied the calm young man standing before him wondering if there was some type of trick. Which he was right there was a trick. Pah could sense that this young man wanted a fight, and so he was offering it here under Pah’s terms. He was also being honest about wanting to have the chance to battle here were generations of knights had proven themselves.
“I will.” Gregone said after a moment thought.
“Good.” He said. “Normal rules.” Pah said watching Gregone who nodded his head in agreement. Pah felt a weight, it meant that despite the young man’s miss trust he was still dedicated to being a Knight.
* * * * * * *
A hour later the two stood in the ring with Varinse and another knight watching as witness. Pahoran stood in his leather armor watching Gregone who was also now it armor. The two stood across from each other. Pah smile at his opponent as they sized each other up. He felt a bit of excitement at the coming combat. He didn’t like fighting to kill though he was willing to do it, but a fight like this was a dance of skill. Like a concert for a fighter.
His opponent also had that light in his eyes as they faced each other. Some looked at the Dawnmartyr training and saw its hardness, but Pah knew that that same commitment existed with any who wanted to master there chosen skill. The two both Materialized their weapon as they watched each other. Pah briefly noticed that while it was a fine blade there was little customization in the blade indicating it and him were still bonding. Pah’s own blade had white blade with gold and silver veins running up its length.
Pah stood ready for the combat but he didn’t prowl like others did including his opponent. Instead he prepared to move when his opponent gave him and opening. Gregone sprinted forward, and Pah had to respect the young man speed. The Avialae raised his blade and moved to the side at the same time and the blade came in contact but threw Gregone off balance as his moment wasn’t behind him any more.
Pah continued with his side movement and turned as he did so to have his opponent. He brought his blade up and swung it at Gregone’s exposed side. Pahoran kept on the aggressive forcing his opponent be on the defensive. He didn’t push it though, he conserved his strength and didn’t fall for Gregone’s effort move from spot to spot. They did move and stopping that would have been stupid, but Pah focused his energies on dodging and his swings. Gregone was good but still clearly in training, he also tended for the fancy fighting. Which could get you killed. Though in a combat like this that type of fighting was more acceptable.
Pah felt a grin spread across his face as he dodged another swing and brough his blade back up. There was enjoyment in this combat. It wasn’t really going on that long, but in the fight time was different and followed strange un knowing rules. Pah could see an answering grin on his opponents face as the battled. Two Knights forming a bond. Feigning tiredness he let Gregone begin to take the offensive. He moved with blocks of the blade. He paid attention to his opponent and worked to predict his opponents movements but focus on the subtle changes.
As the other young man began to sweet more. Pah decided it was time to finish this. With the energy he had conversed he brought his blade down and know began to employee his superior strength and skills. He combined swings but also used power behind the swings and forced Gregone to back up a couple paces before the other man tipped on his feet and the uneven floor. Pah brought his blade to the other mans throat and said. “Thank you.”
Pah pulled the weapon away stirring the aether around themselves at a slow pace allowing the pact weapon to slowly dissolve itself into his aether. It was a slow process and would take a few minutes. Pah stood there knowing using Sanctuary left him exposed but he trusted all of these people, even Gregone that he would be safe while he focused on the release. His trust proved well founded as he was able to focus upon the world once the dematerialization was done.
Gregone had moved to one the seats and was breathing in and out deeply at the effort of the battle and the pain of dematerializing his blade. Pahoran sat down next to Gregone his own breath coming out quickly while he felt his own body complain at the fight and the use of magic. The two just sat there as Varinse and the other knight came forward and giving them both advice and also congratulations.
The two sat there after the older men had left. “You are good.” Pah said.
“You are to.” Gregone said. Pah looked at him and could see respect in the other man’s eyes. The two stood up and walked out of the room arena, a brotherly bound beginning to form.
Pahoran sat at the edge of training ground in the old Citadel. He had been her as a boy watching his brothers as the trained and became knights. His thoughts were far away as remembered with excitement wanting to practice in this very field. To learn the skills of fighting and magic, to perform the knights dance. He smiled at his own naivety, there was really so much more to being a knight then just wielding a weapon. The values of the Knighthood were just as important as the ability to wield a weapon, and perform magic. It was the values that had set the Knights apart over all that time. Justice was a delicate thing, important but delicate as a push can make it no longer Justice. The tenants of Light were difficult to maintain at all times. Compassion, Courage, Tenacity. Hope as well was something that was as delicate and strong as justice.
Pahoran found it ironic that here at the Citadel he was facing a struggle in compassion, courage and tenacity. Many of the younger members had viewed him with distrust which Pah was compassionate towards. The armies of the Imperium used his kin to great effect in their wars. He was understanding of their fears and concerns. He had his reasons for being here, and original it wasn’t to talk with other people. It was to visit his birth place and to visit the tombs of his ancestry, but he geared up his courage and went out to speak and help where he could.
Gregone, the young man he had meet when he had first was still not accepting of him. Pahoran pondered how he felt about the young man. He wanted to just be compassionate towards him, but unlike the others who were warry of him, this young man was just hostile. Pah couldn’t deny that he was annoyed at the young man, but as he thought about it he did actually feel sympathy for that young man. He wondered how he could make peace with Gregone.
As if reading his thoughts Pah heard the sound of footstep coming into the room. They weren’t loud but the room was quiet and echoes easily traveled through the room. Pah’s ice blue eyes turned upwards and staired upwards at the source of the noise. Gregone had walked into the arena and was walking down the stairs towards him. Pah didn’t stand up but watched the young man as he approached. His eyes were slightly narrowed, and Pahoran could detect the challenge in the other man’s eyes. Pahoran felt the desire to sigh well up all the way in his toes.
He watched Gregone as he approached and didn’t take his gaze off the young man as he stopped a couple feet away. “I am sorry did you need this room?” Pah asked, but he didn’t make any move to actually stand up.
“No. I was just wondering how you like the tour.” Gregone asked.
“I didn’t get a tour.” Pah said. “While there were specific rooms I haven’t ever visited I have seen I am familiar with the layout of the place.” He commented back, not about to be caught in such a stupid trap. “I did visit the my families old rooms though. It wasn’t fun though.” Pah said as he tilted his head. “I remember as a child wanting come here and watch my brothers prove there worth as a knight.” He stood up and walked on to the floor. “I looked forward to the day I would practice here.” Pahoran did sigh at that point. “Instead I practiced out in the woods far from here.”
He turned and looked at Gregone and raised and eyebrow. “If you are up to it there is something you can do.”
Gregone looked at his suspiciously. “What?” He answered shortly.
“Give me the chance to fight once in this arena.” Pah said. “Will you fight with me?”
The young man eyed Pahoran suspiciously. He studied the calm young man standing before him wondering if there was some type of trick. Which he was right there was a trick. Pah could sense that this young man wanted a fight, and so he was offering it here under Pah’s terms. He was also being honest about wanting to have the chance to battle here were generations of knights had proven themselves.
“I will.” Gregone said after a moment thought.
“Good.” He said. “Normal rules.” Pah said watching Gregone who nodded his head in agreement. Pah felt a weight, it meant that despite the young man’s miss trust he was still dedicated to being a Knight.
* * * * * * *
A hour later the two stood in the ring with Varinse and another knight watching as witness. Pahoran stood in his leather armor watching Gregone who was also now it armor. The two stood across from each other. Pah smile at his opponent as they sized each other up. He felt a bit of excitement at the coming combat. He didn’t like fighting to kill though he was willing to do it, but a fight like this was a dance of skill. Like a concert for a fighter.
His opponent also had that light in his eyes as they faced each other. Some looked at the Dawnmartyr training and saw its hardness, but Pah knew that that same commitment existed with any who wanted to master there chosen skill. The two both Materialized their weapon as they watched each other. Pah briefly noticed that while it was a fine blade there was little customization in the blade indicating it and him were still bonding. Pah’s own blade had white blade with gold and silver veins running up its length.
Pah stood ready for the combat but he didn’t prowl like others did including his opponent. Instead he prepared to move when his opponent gave him and opening. Gregone sprinted forward, and Pah had to respect the young man speed. The Avialae raised his blade and moved to the side at the same time and the blade came in contact but threw Gregone off balance as his moment wasn’t behind him any more.
Pah continued with his side movement and turned as he did so to have his opponent. He brought his blade up and swung it at Gregone’s exposed side. Pahoran kept on the aggressive forcing his opponent be on the defensive. He didn’t push it though, he conserved his strength and didn’t fall for Gregone’s effort move from spot to spot. They did move and stopping that would have been stupid, but Pah focused his energies on dodging and his swings. Gregone was good but still clearly in training, he also tended for the fancy fighting. Which could get you killed. Though in a combat like this that type of fighting was more acceptable.
Pah felt a grin spread across his face as he dodged another swing and brough his blade back up. There was enjoyment in this combat. It wasn’t really going on that long, but in the fight time was different and followed strange un knowing rules. Pah could see an answering grin on his opponents face as the battled. Two Knights forming a bond. Feigning tiredness he let Gregone begin to take the offensive. He moved with blocks of the blade. He paid attention to his opponent and worked to predict his opponents movements but focus on the subtle changes.
As the other young man began to sweet more. Pah decided it was time to finish this. With the energy he had conversed he brought his blade down and know began to employee his superior strength and skills. He combined swings but also used power behind the swings and forced Gregone to back up a couple paces before the other man tipped on his feet and the uneven floor. Pah brought his blade to the other mans throat and said. “Thank you.”
Pah pulled the weapon away stirring the aether around themselves at a slow pace allowing the pact weapon to slowly dissolve itself into his aether. It was a slow process and would take a few minutes. Pah stood there knowing using Sanctuary left him exposed but he trusted all of these people, even Gregone that he would be safe while he focused on the release. His trust proved well founded as he was able to focus upon the world once the dematerialization was done.
Gregone had moved to one the seats and was breathing in and out deeply at the effort of the battle and the pain of dematerializing his blade. Pahoran sat down next to Gregone his own breath coming out quickly while he felt his own body complain at the fight and the use of magic. The two just sat there as Varinse and the other knight came forward and giving them both advice and also congratulations.
The two sat there after the older men had left. “You are good.” Pah said.
“You are to.” Gregone said. Pah looked at him and could see respect in the other man’s eyes. The two stood up and walked out of the room arena, a brotherly bound beginning to form.