Empires of Ashes Reboot

Yenn draws both the scimitars at her hips. She draws them from the oposite side to her hand, the blades crossing her breast as she does so, the steel ringing true. The blades shimmer in the light, the sun dancing as it does upon a still sea, highlighting the patterning upon the sword.

While Li widens her stance, Yenn stands tall, the scimitars hanging loose in her grip. The hilts hook at the pommel, over yenn's little finger, she is barely holding them.

"Do you wish me armed?"

"Of course."

she glances over at Justinian. he in turn getsures to one of the two soldiers accompanying him (sh they were always there) Who brings LI her Magna Spatha, a huge sword with the blade alone standing at nine feet long.

Yenn steps to her left, foot over foot. In her hands, she begins to flourish the curved blades. The steel flashes and glares as the blades catch the sun, one after the next.

LI holds the blade's handle in both hands, pointing upright slightly to her right. she waits, stock still.

Yenn steps slowly forwards, winding up for a swing towards their knees.

LI starts swinging the blade infront of her in a great figure of eight motion, leaving no part of her unprotected by the whirling blade

Yenn steps to the left, committing her weight, then almost dives to the right. It looks as if she is going to fall, but she steps once, twice, and a third time, and is upright again, on the other side of LI's great barrier of bladework. Her right blade stayed up as she dove, warding against a blow, no suggestion of going to protect herself from the fall which was seemingly imminent.

LI rotates, turning on a dime to face Yenn, keeping the blade-barrier separating them

Yenn continues to twirl the scimitars around in her hands, moving surprisingly deftly, despite the weight of mail she wears. She steps this way and that, ducking and weaving around, searching for an opening. She moves strangely, like she is permanently off balance, staggering like a drunk.

Suddenly LI's figure eight stops

Yenn immediately lunges, quick as a viper, thrusting towards Li's armpit with the point of her right scimitar. Stabbing with such a curved blade requires an odd technique, a slightly curved arc, to thrust the point up and into its target.

her arm slams down, clamping the scimitar blade between her bicep and torso in a vice-like grip

The blade is halted, but not before it impacts. Li can feel, the mail part before the blade. Yenn lets go of the blade, dancing away, tossing the remaining blade between her hands, a wry smile on her face.

As she attempts to dart away, Yenn feels the impossibly strong grip of the clavae grab her arm with lightning speed, preventing her from retreating. She pulls her forwards, and delivers a knee to her stomach, her knee pad clanging loudly against Yenn's armour

Yenn rolls in Li's grip, defly avoiding the knee. She bends at the knees dragging a hand along the dusty earth, her sword in the arm captive by the clavae. She lifts both feet from the floor, kicks her own sword, dislodging it from under the clavae's arm, and in the same motion palms a handful of dirt into her face.

LI does not move, simply tightening her grip, and lifting it, forcing Yenn up onto her toes in order to still have feet on the floor

She, again, using her own core strength, lifts up her legs and lashes out a foot. But instead of kicking, simply presses her boot into LI's eyeslit, blinding her. As she swings her legs up, she tosses her sword from her left to her right hand, and lunges for the elbow of the arm holding her, stabbing over her own chest, rolling her hips and shoulders for extra leverage into the thrust.

this attempt, while valient, fails. the moment her foot goes for LI's face, the clavae's other hand, having discarded the sword, with inhuman speed is there, grabbing Yenn's ankle. This results in her dangling, somewhat embaressingly, from one arm and leg. A moment later, LI simply drops her, making sure to bring her foot down and pin her opponent to the floor before she can try to roll or get up

As Yenn is pinned, she is smiling wider than anyone has so far seen, one of her arms is pinned underneath her, her hand wrapped around the hilt of a knife she was attempting to draw during the fall.

After a moment, LI removes her foot before holding her hand out to help Yenn up

Yenn takes the offered hand. "I did not draw blood, did I?"

after a pause, LI reaches under her arm to the point the blade struck. Upon bringing her hand out again, one finger has a few droplets of blood upon it
"You did." she looks at it for a moment. then she locks eyes with Yenn, her expression and mood unreadable.

Yenn looks surprised. "Hmn... so you do bleed..."

"....I have lived for centuries. And no one has ever drawn blood against me in single combat."

Yenns eyes widen, then narrow, then widen again, in a cycle of surprise, question, and disbelief. "Imibī... Really?" (Fuck)

after a pause, to Justinian's obvious surprise, LI reaches up and removes her helmet. She is...smiling.

Yenn looks incredibly surprised. As if she has just seen a ghost.

LI smiles at her for a few moments longer

A smile pricks Yenn's mouth, after she gets over the initial shock.

LI offers her hand. "I am called LI. I am glad to have met you, Yennefasi."

Yenn takes it. "More friendly than i was expecting, of a demon."

"That is your word for me?"
she doesn't seem offended by the term

"The word is Aganiniti in Kelthrovi."

"Interesting. There are many words for my kind, I am told"

"A great many."

she's still smiling, but she puts her helmet back on. with the sound of hobnailed boots on earth, Yenn can tell Justinian is approaching

Yenn retrieves her swords, sliding them back into their scabbards.

LI: what are those blades made of?

Yenn: "A relic of the old world." She rests her hand upon one of the blades. "Stracia still guards her secrets."

Justinian: well... *smiles a little* You passed the test.

Yenn: "The most interesting trial an employer has imposed."

Justinian: your combat role was never of any question. It is obvious at but a glance. What was at a question, if you do not mind my saying, was your resolve. Mercenaries do not have the best reputation when it comes to that.

Yenn: "We will not die for you, but we will fight for you."

Justinian: you faced a 'demon' willingly, and didn't turn tail when she began to get the better of you. That's good enough for me.

Yenn shrugs

Justinian: The auxiliary camp is in the eastern block. You'll be working with them. Find first shield Decurion Theresa, their commander. Might be an idea to get to know her.

"I will have words with her."

Justinian: fair warning. she's a lot less 'professional' than Myself and the consul. *chuckles* Any questions?

"If i have any, I am sure the Decurion can answer."