[Training] Sand and Steel

Thalassa

You could do anything,
if you only dared.

After taking the night to recover from their work on the fountain, Thal decided to take a stroll along the Arclight Ocean's sandy beach. The bright sun didn't help with her aching head even if the cool breeze did. She looked out into the deep blue depths of the waters. Under the bright sunlight, it sparkled like the clear night sky. It almost made her want to take a dive, but the colder temperature quickly dispelled those temptations.

As she walked along the shoreline, stretching her legs, she was surprised to see a reflective movement up ahead. Upon closer inspection, it was the Merfolk's king Hadama, cleaning a set of shining armor. Thal approached curiously, feeling comfortable doing so after their collaboration the night before. He had, after all, seen her outdrink most of the confident sailors and workers. With a gentle tilt of her head to ease the accompanying pang, she asked, "What are you up to out here?"

And deep down, you know it too.
That’s what scares you most.

The King of the Merfolk had not participated in the drinking contests the night before. He had enjoyed his liquor with the calm confidence of one who had nothing to prove, sipping and savoring his drinks in his own good time and leaving the challenges and boasts to those who were younger and more enthusiastic than himself.

Not that he was old. But he was old enough to know better.

The late morning was likely a challenge to many of those who had been up partying the night before, but Hadama had been up early to clear out some of the paperwork in the Court of Stars before taking a break to sit out on the beach with his feet in the waves. His magic silver armlet with its imprint of stars rested in his hands as he twisted it thoughtfully between his fingers. He turned his head at Thalassa's approach, however, giving her a nod of welcome and an invitation to join him. "Good morning, Captain. I have been given a quest from Safrin to improve my armor," he explained, his voice a quiet rumble like distant summer thunder. "She has tasked me to test it by physical means." He raised a brow at her, a gleam in his emerald eyes. "Would you have a suggestion for how I could do that?"

Thalassa

You could do anything,
if you only dared.

Thal watched Hadama twist the armlet with obvious interest. It looked more flashy than functional, but most things in Caido were not as they seemed. She'd watched reserved individuals display incredible power and delicate dresses protect against overwhelming attacks. The idea just made her more curious as to the armlet's capabilities.

So when the Mer-king questioned how he could test the armor, Thal grinned back in thinly veiled excitement. Pulling her dagger from a sheath at her hip, she expertly flipped it in the air. "I may have an idea..." Sinking into a fighting stance, she plucked the blade mid-rotation and signaled for him approach with a mischievous gleam of her blue eyes to match his green.

And deep down, you know it too.
That’s what scares you most.

Emerald eyes twinkled with mischief hidden behind his serene expression as Thalassa retrieved her dagger with panache. ”Let us try it,” he agreed, a rumble of humor hidden beneath the solemnity of his voice. After a moment’s thought he set aside his trident and took a few seconds to pull his hair back into a quick braid. Then, rising to his feet, he slipped the armlet into place around his bicep and flexed his arm to test the fit. As he did so, a cascade of silver starlight and feathery down rippled out from the piece of jewelry to cover him in a light, flexible armor that shone in the sun.

Bare-handed against her blade – trusting to the armor that Safrin had helped him make from the defeated Owlbear – Hadama closed his hands into loose fists and settled into his own stance. ”Ready?” he asked her, pausing a moment in courtesy before stepping forward to throw a short, sharp jab at her shoulder.

---

Type: Light | Style: Defensive | Level: Basic
StArmour | Armour created from owlbear down. When not in use, retracts as a silver serpentine bangle etched with constellation and can be activated telepathically. Blocks physical damage. Can be used 1x per thread.

Thalassa

Home is behind, the world ahead,
And there are many paths to tread

Her eyes followed each movement, noticing as the armlet seemed to pulse into a thin veil of stars that settled into a short layer of dense feathers. It didn’t suggest any means of physical protection, appearing more as a blanket than armor, but she still prepared herself for solid impact. However, Hadama’s loose bare-handed stance gave her a momentary pause. Not that she wasn’t against attacking an unarmed person. No. It was instead due to the confidence set in his shoulders and the humor in his eyes. Even if the goal was to test his armor, she was suddenly concerned that she might be sorely outmatched.

Before she could respond to his question, the man was lunging in to strike. It was short and fast, aiming for her shoulder. As time seemed to slow, she bobbed low to avoid the fist. Her counterattack was immediate, her dagger stabbing towards his exposed flank. Thal clenched her jaw at the anticipated force, but refused to lessen her strength.

Through shadows to the edge of night,
Until the stars are all alight.

The scars that crossed the Mer King’s skin were tattooed over in gold, a bright tracery that shone against the dark brown of his complexion. Every scar was a story, a lesson, a reminder in proud radiance of both his mortality and his survival in the face of injury and adversity. He faced Thalassa bare-handed not because he doubted her ability to hit him, but because he trusted in his own ability to overcome whatever wounds he did take.

That, and he always carried a spare bottle of water from the Healing Fountain in the Court of Stars with him.

She ducked beneath his first strike and he began to shift away from her attack when he remembered the purpose of the exercise. Not to dodge or block her blows, but to trust in his armor for protection. It took a conscious effort to take the blow on the thick feathers and hardened starlight that covered his flank, but the enchanted pelage successfully turned the blow aside.

And then its lustre began to fade.

”Good,” he grunted, even as dropped his weight to lower himself a little so that he could throw another punch, this time a straight, solid blow towards her chest where it would be harder to dodge.

Thalassa

Home is behind, the world ahead,
And there are many paths to tread

He took the blow without even a flinch, causing more of a wound to her ego than his body. The impact of her dagger against the feathers jarred her arm and her clenched teeth. It caused her to stumble slightly, but she leaned in to solidify her stance, gripping her dagger tightly for the next attack.

Hadama’s grunted praise of her blow had Thal smiling, even if it was short-lived as his fist came racing towards her center. It was definitely harder to dodge and she was forced to use her arm to redirect the blow and twist past. The resulting placement was awkward as she stood off to his side with her dagger in her opposite hand. With a quick twist of her body, she maneuvered into a back kick to the chest to push him away. He had more of an advantage in closer quarters, so she hoped to give herself some distance to regain her positioning. She didn’t want to make this too easy for the Mer-King.

Through shadows to the edge of night,
Until the stars are all alight.

His armor had done its work well and he was pleased with the demonstration of Safrin’s protection. Thalassa had clearly not pulled her own attack as she stumbled on the follow through, but Hadama waited for her to regain her balance before moving back on the attack himself. Just because they were testing the limits of his armor did not mean that the captain could not gain some benefit from the spar, after all.

He made note of the smile, something to consider later, but for now they were in the midst of combat - however friendly. She met his attack with admirable agility, managing to deflect his momentum even if it cost her position to do so. Before he could make another comment, however, she showed that she was not reliant on the knife alone with a surprise kick that he was only partially able to turn away from. The downside to his strength was that he made a very large target, and her heel hit his side hard enough to leave a bruise - though it was not enough to knock the solid man back. At the moment his skin was hidden beneath the plumage of his armor, but unlike the first attack this one seemed to sink right through the dense feathers without resistance until it found his ribs.

A rumbled hum of thought emerged from the once-Mer as he attempted to grab Thalassa’s retreating foot and use it to pull her into a more careful punch to her stomach, cautious of his strength as he put just enough into the attack to sting without doing more than bruising if it landed.

Thalassa

Home is behind, the world ahead,
And there are many paths to tread

Thal was slightly surprised to feel her kick land. It succeeded in sinking into his chest, more so than her blade, but it failed to create the distance she desperately needed. As a result, her foot became clasped in his vice-like grip, preventing her escape. Pulling it back would compromise her balance, so she didn’t fight it. Plus, she had bigger problems as another punch came flying towards her stomach.

The blow took her breath momentarily, causing her vision to darken at the edges in pain. It would definitely leave a nasty purple mark and have her taking shallow breaths for days. With a gasp, she bent to place her hands on the ground. In a flash of instinct, she used her free leg to rotate into another kick towards Hadama’s head. Although she hoped the movement would twist her out of his grasp, it would be even nicer if the hit landed to give her a moment to catch her breath. Otherwise Thal would probably find herself hanging upside down by her foot, almost completely vulnerable. And that was not how she liked to be perceived.

Through shadows to the edge of night,
Until the stars are all alight.

He was glad that he’d pulled his punch when it connected so solidly, but he didn’t apologize. Thalassa had known what she was offering when she’d taken a stance with her blade and he respected her confidence and courage too much to belittle it. Especially not when they were still in the middle of their mock-combat!

In truth he was not entirely sure what to do with her leg now that he had it and his attack with it had landed. The tall man had gone still, uncertain of his next move until the ancient used his hesitation to throw an attack at him that he had never seen before. Hadama raised his free arm to block her kick but while doing so he let go of her foot, freeing her. He stepped back as he did so, the ball of her heel just grazing the tip of his nose, and though he wasn’t hit this time his emerald eyes gleamed with appreciation for how close it had been. ”An interesting attack.” There was approval in his tone and a new respect in his gaze as he stayed out of range for the moment, unintentionally giving her that moment she needed. ”Aim for the armor again, please.” Though phrased as a request he moved first to step in closer, attempting to close the distance again with a left cross aimed at the shoulder of her current knife hand.

Thalassa

Home is behind, the world ahead,
And there are many paths to tread

Finally free of his hold, Thal stepped back to take a gulp of fresh air. She didn’t let herself pause for more than a second, already preparing for another strike. The satisfaction of hearing his acknowledgement settled in her chest and she gave him a cocky grin. ”There’s lots more where that came from.” Having spent her time brawling against pirates and drunkards, she’d had to find a way to use her small form as an advantage. That meant quick and flexible dodging with strong kicks to supplement her weaker strength. The sharp, fast blades were a bonus in managing further damage. So with a flourish of the dagger, Thal lowered in her stance again, smiling confidently. ”If you insist.”

Being too close to fully dodge his next attack, she dropped the handle to catch it in her other hand, taking the hit. Although she moved back slightly to lessen the blow, it still had her grimacing as she stepped into his guard to land a final hit. She used the turning momentum to flash her opposite arm forward with her switched dagger, aiming for his lower abdomen again. This time she was prepared for the impact and didn’t hold back her strength. He asked for it after all.

Through shadows to the edge of night,
Until the stars are all alight.

”Indeed?” Emerald eyes sparkled right back at her grin and the confidence with which she held herself, and the assurance that she was good to fight all day long after a night of hard drinking. That was the sort of spirit he approved of, and took pride in for his people. Thalassa might not have currently been a Torcher, but she was showing the heart of one.

He did not reply to her final verbal jab, too busy making a physical one of his own. She took it like a champion brawler, managing to roll with the blow and come back before he could bring his arm back to block her. He managed to shift his weight back, at least, drawing his stomach in with a sudden breath. It was a good thing that he did; this time the knife sank into the feathers and through them with minimal resistance until the blade reached flesh. When Thal finished her attack there was red blood on the dagger and the Tidebreaker was stepping back fully, his hand raised. ”Hold.” The single word was deep and resonant before he drew in a slow, careful breath. A look of quiet concentration passed over his face before a pale, milky mist rose up around them, sparkling with moonlight in spite of the sunshine high overhead. The mist was refreshing, warm in the Deepfrost chill, and as it lifted around Thalassa she would find her bruises healing and her aches fading away. As for the King, he took a cautious, deeper breath and then relaxed at the absence of pain.

”Hmm. The armor is more limited than I realized,” he admitted quietly even as the plumage drew back into the silver armlet, leaving him bare-chested once more. ”Thank you for testing it with me.”

---

Turn the Tide | Can cause a moonlit mist to rise in a 15 ft radius that heals allies while causing enemies to roll with disadvantage for 1 round. May be used once per thread with a 3 post cooldown.

Thalassa

Home is behind, the world ahead,
And there are many paths to tread

The contact of her blade was easier than the first time, sliding through thick plumage to slice the bare skin beneath. Thal was ecstatic by her successful attack, grinning in satisfaction as she spun into a bracing lunge. A scathing comment lept to the tip of her tongue, but froze at Hadama’s firm command. She half expected to hear an admission of defeat and a smile prepared to emerge in victory. Until she noticed the red dripping from her dagger.

Her blood ran cold at the sight.

Killing and maiming were not things that she feared. In fact, her incomparable joy at bloodshed was the only thing that frightened her. The way that a bar brawl or ship battle had her anticipating the taste of copper on her lips. The way the crunch of bones made her body shiver in delight. The way her mind had only been focused on striking - hard and fast. That singular mind and utter infatuation was a nightmare that she tried to hide. And now it was on full display. Possibly resulting in an innocent person’s pain.

Trying not to appear too concerned for Hadama and his injury, Thal kept her face slack and void of emotion. She remained still in her lunged position, watching closely to assess his wound. It oozed from beneath his armor in a steady flow that increased as he breathed in slowly. But when his steady mist rose around them, the skin stitched together as if by an invisible seamstress. She watched closely as it returned to an unblemished patch of smooth skin. Simultaneously, her own aches vanished, causing her to stand in surprise.

Thal looked at the king with narrowed assessing eyes. His cut may have been temporary, but it didn’t change the fact that it had been inflicted during a friendly spar. As he retracted the armor, she turned to her only coping mechanism - sarcasm. With a scoff, she said, ”Obviously. Next time don’t ask me to attack something that can’t take more than a single hit.” She turned her head away in feigned annoyance, hiding the relief at his healing.

Through shadows to the edge of night,
Until the stars are all alight.

Thalassa's poker face was as good as his own, and Hadama had no way of knowing the conflict that surged beneath the captain's cool, confident surface. He could only see her eyes on his injury, watching from a face that was as emotionless as a mask - as emotionless as his own - as he drew his magic around them. There was no enemy to target for disadvantage, so the mist healed them both and then dissipated harmlessly into the sunshine.

Her sharp words did not change his own serene expression. He flexed his arm to check the fit of the armlet and then nodded to her in acceptance of her condition. "I will not. The armor will be stronger next time." The statement was made with the calm confidence of something inevitable, rather then a mere hoped-for possibility. Hadama was pursuing his quest as swiftly as he was able in order to gain more useful protection from the magical armor.

That there would be a next time he did not question.

"You fight well," he said instead. "Against the Shadow Serpent, too. Are you a Torcher?" The region was large enough that he did not know all of the people above and below the waves, but there was something almost familiar about the young woman. A shadow of distant memory, less than a dream, but a sense that he had, perhaps, seen her somewhere before... a long time ago.