the Rift


Equality for the win [Paladin]

Lace the Silverthorn Posts: 459
Deceased atk: 5 | def: 9 | dam: 5.5
Stallion :: Equine :: 15.3 hh :: 14 HP: 65 | Buff: NOVICE
Fajira :: Plain White Dragon :: Fire Breath Chan
#1

LACE</style>
Time Flies - Time Dies
Truth like a blazing Fire
</style>


The bout with Azzuen had awoken something within him, something that had slumbered during the long, cold winter. Now, as the winds grew warmer and the snow had melted, that something bloomed and unleashed itself from within, making the Glazier remember what he used to be.

A warrior.

Dancing along the shoreline of the Endless Blue as the heavens pulled themselves together to unleash the fury of a spring storm, the silver steed felt like nothing could beat him today. Each high-kneed step was filled with jubilant joy, springy and elastic, as though he hanged from threads, controlled by a puppeteer. Weightless he seemed and weightless he felt, and in chorus with the crying gulls he reared up high to call out for someone to come and prove him wrong. The dragon by his side chimed in, her voice adding a metallic tone to the egging call - hoping, wishing, that someone would come to dance with them.

It was a glorious day. The sky was black, the wind whipping and stirring the waves of the sea into a frothing brew. Dry sand swirled in the wind, pricking the eyes into tears and tangling both tail and mane into a roped mess; shifting, ever changing beneath his hooves as he paced and waited.

It felt like home.


[A friendly spar, set in Endless Blue, midday. Weather is windy but dry, clouds threatening with rain at any time. 2 posts each + defense, magic and companions allowed. Judged.

Do remind me if I forgot something. :D ]


CREDITS: Schwartze | venomxbaby | 116802
BronzeHalo.deviantart.com
♦ Permission granted to use magic and violence on Lace and Fajira
♦ Only tag in new threads, spars and if it's urgent
The Store | The Warden

Paladin the Valiant Posts: 153
Deceased
Stallion :: Unicorn :: 16.3 hh :: 15 Years Buff: DANCE
Tamme
#2


From the dawn of time, to the end of days
I will have to run, away
I want to feel the pain, and the bitter taste
Of the blood on my lips, again




How long had it been since he tasted the crisp, metallic air of the battlefield? The chaos of his battle against the unicorns of the Edge had been a most welcome reprieve from dealing with the complaints of his own herd, as he remembered. Now, a newly accepted member of the herd he once ruled, the black dun was beginning to find himself again, beginning to develop a purpose here that had seemed to wash away like the shores of the Tides. Though he could deny his nature all he wanted, the fact that he was born into battle, into bloodshed, would never leave. The urge to feel the slick and blinding spray of crimson against his face, the urge to emerge from a battle the victor was in his blood, coursing through his very veins. To deny himself the ache of battle would be to deny his very soul.

The soft sands of the Endless Blue brought back memories of the Tides, but this time, instead of plunging him into the darkness of his own failures, the crashing of the waves lifted his spirits. Crimson orbs closed, and he inhaled the salty scent deeply, allowing the windy air to fill his lungs. He felt invigorated. Sand caught in his long, white lashes, and he blinked, narrowing his gaze slightly to keep the grains from irritating the tender flesh around his eye. Dark blue clouds rolled in from the north, the threat of rain only enlivening his spirits more.

A familiar face appeared on the horizon, a stallion he remembered from long ago when he was still a lead of the Foothills. Lace. He had met the stallion along with a black striped mare, whom he remembered not liking very much. However, the grullo stallion was pleasant, if he remembered correctly; they shared similar views. A white streak in the sky dampened this font memory. Dragons. He hated dragons. Paladin's half-smile dropped into a tight grimace as he approached, warily watching the white lizard. "Greetings, Lace!" he called, having to tear his warrior's gaze from the alabaster threat.

"What brings you to the shores on this tempestuous afternoon?"



[OOC: I accept these terms! You can start the fight at anytime. I just did not want Paladin to go headlong into an attack! :P ]



ABOVE ALL ELSE, EQUALITY

Lace the Silverthorn Posts: 459
Deceased atk: 5 | def: 9 | dam: 5.5
Stallion :: Equine :: 15.3 hh :: 14 HP: 65 | Buff: NOVICE
Fajira :: Plain White Dragon :: Fire Breath Chan
#3

LACE</style>
Time Flies - Time Dies
Truth like a blazing Fire
</style>


He had been expecting much when letting his voice cut through the whipping wind, but to see the silhouette of the Valiant appear on the horizon was not one of them. A sudden surge of excitement made the silvery skin tingle as if every strand of hair attached to it had been charged with electricity. From seeing the ally - and maybe friend? - once more, for having such a skilled fighter appear before him at this very day, right at this moment... His smile was wide and welcoming as he danced forward to meet the horned steed with the neck arched and muscles swelling..

Ah, it was so hard to contain all this pent up energy.

"Paladin!" he replied, voice lined with an open, honest happiness that made him seem far younger than his years would otherwise suggest. "Nothing much, I just can't seem to stay still today. Thought to see if I could find a stranger in the mood for a bout, but then you showed up." Nostrils quivered as he halted in front of the older unicorn, nose reaching out carefully to nudge the others - not quite sure exactly how much friends they were. "It's good to see you again, Valiant. Have you been well? There have been so much going on since the invasion of the Edge, you wouldn't believe it. Seems the unicorns that exiled themselves have found a new land, the God of Sun is back in his shrine, and he even seems to have brought a new god with him...

But I'm sorry, perhaps you know all of this already."


The grin turned slightly sheepish as the Glazier attempted to halt the sudden surge of words. Excitement without a real source attempted to blow him up from within, he felt like he was a three year old colt again with nothing to loose.

It took some time for him to notice the red-eyed glances thrown in Fajira's direction, and pair them together with the memory of their first meeting - and the obvious burns on the Valiant's face. Old, but unmistakable for someone who had spent much too time in the company of a dragon who preferred to torch her prey to death. Fajira had noticed the apparent nervousness of the steed as well, and had a great time flitting around just out of reach for his teeth, moving round and around them to see just how long it would take before Paladin grew tired of her antics.

"Don't worry about her" Lace said with a roll of the gilded eyes. "She's a showoff and a tease, but she won't do anything to a friend." Not unless they gave her a really good reason, like taking her prey, threatening him or teasing her until she lost her temper. None of which were likely at this point.


[OOC: Alright! Next time it's my turn then, as not to turn this into a normal chat thread ;D They can always catch up more afterwards.]

CREDITS: Schwartze | venomxbaby | 116802
BronzeHalo.deviantart.com
♦ Permission granted to use magic and violence on Lace and Fajira
♦ Only tag in new threads, spars and if it's urgent
The Store | The Warden

Paladin the Valiant Posts: 153
Deceased
Stallion :: Unicorn :: 16.3 hh :: 15 Years Buff: DANCE
Tamme
#4


From the dawn of time, to the end of days
I will have to run, away
I want to feel the pain, and the bitter taste
Of the blood on my lips, again




Paladin could not help but smile at Lace's exuberance, and the emotion was oddly infectious. The stallion caught the bug of this mood, and arched his neck in response when the golden-backed one drew near. Such a wide smile was not a greeting he was used to receiving, and the Valiant chuckled, smiling back and bowing his head in a noble greeting. The black dun listened to the other's words, taking them in with an excited quiver in his soul. Battle? Was that indeed what he meant by a bout? Because if so...

"I have experienced much a day like what you are feeling, when your hooves seem to take a path of their own and the beating of your heart will not slow." He returned the cordial greeting, lightly touching his scarred muzzle to Lace's nostrils exhaling strongly. Any being for equality, with a personality as boisterous as Lace's was not just a friend, but a brother. Patiently and with interest, Paladin stood still and proud while the grullo related the tales of Helovia, and the stallion furrowed his brows curiously. The web-faced one apologized, and the Valiant quickly shook his head. "No need, I have not heard of these tales. Since the elections, I have been... wandering. Curious that there is another god, but ever since the Tome Guardian wanted my lover's heart, I am wary of any being with that much power."

The black dun's expression darkened when he remembered the wicked, vile creature who should have died long ago wanting Soleil's heart. He hoped that bastard had rotted in hell, eaten by shadows. "Knowing that my sisters have procured themselves a new herdland however is most disturbing news, indeed." The Valiant knew what darkness lay in those once loving hearts, as he had once reveled in their madness. "Ah, but no matter. Such shadowed speech is not warranted among friends, not on this day." Paladin grinned back at Lace, though he did not know why. Something about his excitement seemed to grab hold of the charcoal stallion's mind and give it new life.

The grin turned into a playful scowl however as the dragon that made him wary taunted him by flying just out of reach. Ebony ears tilted to the side, and he snorted at the white creature before raising a brow at Lace. The Valiant trusted his friend, however, and he could not help but admire the creature's personality. Paladin liked to tell himself that he did not fear dragons, but rather had a healthy respect for them; he was lying to himself, of course- trying to save a fragile, male ego. "Her spirit is commendable," he replied with a small smile. "But I am wary of their power." As he slowly smiled again, he could feel that scars that stretched through his eye and down his face, neck, and shoulder tense.

With a snort and a toss of his head, Paladin took three, swift steps back and tensed his muscles, testing the way they shifted beneath his ebony hide. "You want a bout then? I eagerly await your challenge..." he trailed, rolling his shoulders and lowering his neck ever so slightly. Like a true warrior and tactician, he took to the hardened sand, just where the water kissed the beach. Paladin was used to fighting in this climate, on beaches, and he watched the golden-eyed friend with a hawkish, keen gaze. All of his old habits fell easily into place, like the whisper of a well oiled machine.



[OOC: :D Definitely should thread after this.]



ABOVE ALL ELSE, EQUALITY

Lace the Silverthorn Posts: 459
Deceased atk: 5 | def: 9 | dam: 5.5
Stallion :: Equine :: 15.3 hh :: 14 HP: 65 | Buff: NOVICE
Fajira :: Plain White Dragon :: Fire Breath Chan
#5

LACE</style>
Time Flies - Time Dies
Truth like a blazing Fire
</style>


In the midst of all his enthusiasm at finding Paladin again (even though it was Paladin who had done the finding), Lace payed little heed to a peculiar sense of content that settled in the chest when close to the other stallion. It held the same hues and tastes as when he grazed next to Mirage, when he crossed the borders of the Edge, or when he dozed by the glowing embers of dying campfires, dreaming of faraway lands that he once called home. It was the sensation of security, comfort, as if all the things good and happy in the world could be found simply by speaking to the other. Whether it was just him or an air exuded by the experienced steed was hard to say, but the result was an immediate trust in the other. As if Lace had truly found a brother, bound not by blood but something deeper, stronger...

He nodded thoughtfully as Paladin spoke, agreeing in the sentiment that nothing good would ever come from the Basin. The mention of the Tome Guardian and Soleil almost resulted in a new torrent of questions, but fortunately the mind of the Glazier was fickle today, fluttering and flighty like a newly hatched butterfly. The offer to spar lured him off topic like a bear drawn to honey, instantly retrieving his mind to his original though, sending the nerves to the very edge of the skin in an attempt to feel everything, all at once. The wind in the mane, the sand under his feet, the grains that sometimes whipped up in the face and left him blind and choking. It reminded him that he had been in the midst of a dance, one he was only too delighted at returning to.

Grinning widely from anticipation, Lace followed the former lead down to the shoreline, legs carrying him with all the poise and elegance a veteran soldier should possess. But as he studied the shape of the warrior before him, the confidence of the Edger wobbled ever so slightly. He knew his way in wars, yes, but there was something about Paladin that made him feel like a green colt fresh on the training grounds. It was strange, because physically there wasn't much difference between them. Both were well trained and muscles, the unicorn perhaps a hand or so taller and possessing the red-tipped horn to offer him an advantage. But between their similar breeds, Lace's magic, the gift of fire breathing and Fajira, what reason was there really to feel uneasy?

None, but it didn't keep him from testing the ground with the feet a few more times than what was strictly necessary. Gold-dusted shoulders rolled to ease away the tension, ears twisted and turned to find a position where the wind wasn't howling quite as loudly into them; then he eased forward, closing the distance between their battle-ready bodies at a steady trot.

"Well then, ready or not.." he grinned and threw an eye to the side to locate Fajira, allowing the words to serve as Paladin's only warning before the grulla sprung into action.

Knowing that the horn likely would be his biggest problem, Lace chose to avoid charging in from the front as he sometimes did. Instead he shifted his path ever so slightly to the right just before reaching the velvet-skinned steed, so that the approach became slightly diagonal. Almost casually the sooted lips parted and snapped forward, aiming to strike at the area just above the shoulder, where the skin was looser and a bite would be less likely to slide off.

Knowing that the attack was quite easy to avoid, Lace followed up by pivoting the rear around to the left, all the way in a 350 degree angle until he stood side by side with Paladin. Then he began to press to the side while trying to trample the outer areas of the white-socked legs, intent on pushing and forcing the taller horse into the foaming water - knowing that the cold spring waters might slow him down, chill the legs to numbness and make every movement twice as taxing.

The time for laughter and smiles was over. A change occurred within the tree-marked grulla once the battle ensued, as if he suddenly become an entirely different being. Cool, calm, intensely focused... If Paladin even for a second thought that Lace would be an easy opponent, he was about to be proved wrong.

And all the while, the dragon circled above the two, watching and waiting. Searching for exactly the right moment to strike, and aid her beloved in this delightful game.


[OOC: Word Count: 773 Magic use 0, Companion use 0

Lace came toward Paladin diagonally from the Front and Right (picturing the ocean on Lace's left side) and aimed a bite at the base of the neck. Pivoted around his forelegs to end up side by side with Paladin and pressed into him toward the right while trying to trample his legs, intending to move him into the water. ]

CREDITS: Schwartze | venomxbaby | 116802
BronzeHalo.deviantart.com
♦ Permission granted to use magic and violence on Lace and Fajira
♦ Only tag in new threads, spars and if it's urgent
The Store | The Warden

Paladin the Valiant Posts: 153
Deceased
Stallion :: Unicorn :: 16.3 hh :: 15 Years Buff: DANCE
Tamme
#6




From the dawn of time, to the end of days
I will have to run, away
I want to feel the pain, and the bitter taste
Of the blood on my lips, again


Paladin was a wiser fighter now after his experience with Gossamer. His first battle with a dragon resulted in his physique as he stood now – scarred. Tissue that mended poorly stretched over his left eyelid and down along the crest of his neck, ending in a scarred patch on his left shoulder. Mane, once long, pale and crimson now refused to grow past a brushy, colt’s length, though his muscular physique aged him well out of his youth. He heard Lace’s Spanish steps behind him, similar to Silverline’s. Both were built with large shoulders, smaller hips and the ability to turn in a tight space, but unlike Silverline, Lace had slenderness to his type.

In comparison, Paladin assessed himself to be more agile, his springy breeding rather well tuned for speed and balance. He stood taller, making him weigh more, but that could also be a disadvantage when engaged with a stallion who had a much lower center of gravity, such as his current opponent. A bright, golden burn on his back alerted Paladin to his opponent’s battle experience. And always, one eye had to be trained on the little white blighter with the mocking eyes.

All of these things raced in a logic pattern that was unique to his mind, honed through years of brutality and murder. A past, darker than a moonless night haunted his steps, tainted his heart with a cruelty that reared its ugly head in battle. He could feel the black rising now as he turned to face his opponent, crimson eyes taking on a cold and calculating glint. The good nature, calm spirit and brotherly affections were erased and replaced by a machine, constantly following a system of cause and effect, multiple scenarios playing out at once, planning his reactions to each and every one. Paladin shifted his weight onto his hind hooves, testing the ground and digging the point of his hoof, reading them to leap forward. Muscles contracted and relaxed almost rhythmically as he crouched onto his hocks, the words of his opponent reminding him more of a game of hide and seek rather than bloodshed and pain. The contrast was ironic.

Almost the second the grullo’s words hit his ears, Paladin watched the stallion come at him from an angle, the ocean to Paladin’s right crashing and roaring in his ears. He braced himself for impact, lowering his neck in preparation to swing his horn, but rather than the brunt force of a muscled body, pale teeth flashed. In a split second decision, he shifted his weight onto his forehead and swung his hips around to the right, hindquarters facing the ocean. Instead of the bite landing on the base of his neck, his opponent’s teeth grazed along the side of his neck, hitting scar tissue that held damaged nerve endings. Paladin felt the pressure of the scrape, but not the pain normally associated with hair being plucked from his skin.

Paladin saw the way Lace swung around and realized his plan with a slight smirk of his lips. The stallion would have tried to push him into the ocean, but now, since his body was perpendicular to the Endless Blue, he would only be swayed along the beach. Before Lace’s shoulder hit his left one, Paladin braced into the wet sand, driving his hooves deep. Lips curled back from white teeth as the crimson eyed demon took advantage of their closeness, lifting his much longer, slender neck and tilting the axis of his skull. Paladin snaked down with jaws open wide, attempting to grab Lace on the crest and latch on tightly, effectively controlling his movement if he were successful. If he managed to miss, at the very least his jaws would be ready to snag whatever skin along his neck he could find.

The potential gain of this maneuver was worth the price he paid just then. One of Lace’s solid hooves managed to scrape along the outside of his left, front canon, the spray of the ocean stinging the skinned limb. Paladin clenched his jaw and grunted, quickly jerking his foreleg out of range, but he was unbalanced in the process. Using his hind legs as a power source, the black dun jumped to the side, untangling their bodies and escaping from Lace’s hooves with a nick on his hind, left hock. The wounds on his legs were aching. He needed time, so he extended upon his opponent a product of his past, violent magic of fire that burned from the inside out. The screams of Boudicca rang in his ears, remembering when he unleashed his power onto the wine mare in the Tides. Would Lace scream too?


[Words: 780 | (1/2 + defense) | Magic use: 1/2 ]
[Paladin turns on his forehand, hips to the right to avoid Lace's teeth, but he still scrapes along his scar. Now butt faces the ocean. He braces for Lace and tries to reach above Lace's neck and grab onto his crest with his jaws, but will try to bite if that is unsuccessful. Gets scraped along the canon and nicked on the hock. Jumps away and then uses his blood boiling magic on Lace to gain time to regroup.]


ABOVE ALL ELSE, EQUALITY

Official Posts: 847
Administrator
Stallion :: Equine :: ::
Official
#7
3 weeks have passed, Lace forfeits and Paladin wins by default!
Paladin can now use the battle buff, Dance! Remember you must specify which 2 battle buffs you're using in your first fight post.


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