Biara closed her eyes,
letting the pulsing wall of sound wash over her as the crowd roared her
name. Her arms were outstretched, reaching up into the blue sky as rose
petals showered down upon her. Every sensation, every little detail was
etched in her mind in this moment. The sounds of her companions
breathing nearby, the feel of the sand grinding beneath her boots, the
trickle of blood running down her arm from her spellblade that was
grasped in one fist. The arena filled her with life and left her
breathless with excitement.
As the crowd continued to roar, Biara lowered her arms and opened her eyes, looking to her two companions. Beside her Kyliska panted, her armor covered in the gore of her foes. The excitement in her eyes and the way her body shook after their latest battle was almost sexual in nature, and Biara knew her sister greatly enjoyed the thrill of the fight, just as she herself felt the same delight from the casting of spells. The Magistrix's eyes shifted, taking in the third person in their little team, Elunearia Moonblade.
Her eyes were wide and her breath came in gasps, but not of excitement. She stood there upon the sand of the arena, shaking with some emotion that Biara couldn't quite place. Her golden hair had fallen in disarray during the fighting, and two small specs of blood, enemy blood, dotted the pale skin of her right cheek. Again Biara was reminded of a spirit or ghost, the shell of an elf that contained mysteries she couldn't fathom.
The gates on the far side of the arena opened and servants spilled out, with officials of the arena amongst them. The officials shoved their way to the fore, bearing laurels for the winners of the match. Biara stopped them with a stern gaze, taking one of the laurels from an official even as one was placed on her head. She turned to Elunearia, meeting the other's gaze.
It had taken some coaxing to get Elunearia to come to the arena. Only reassurances that those participating were doing so voluntarily, and that many of those who fell were ressurected with spells had convinced the priestess to even accompany them. Once in battle, Biara had been shocked to see the priestess in an almost rage-like state, her spells lashing out at foes or curling around them to protect them from harm. The Sin'dorei had put her all into the fight, and Biara was beginning to suspect that some of the rage and hurt from her current situation had been released on the sands of the arena and the hapless foes that had faced them.
All of these thoughts flashed through Biara's mind as she stood there, holding the laurels in her hands and staring into Elunearia's eyes. The priestess gave away no emotion, but Biara could guess what stirred beneath that gaze. She smiled and said, "Our victory here was yours as much as mine and my sister's. Without you we would never triumph, we would never stand in the winner's circle or enjoy the entertainment and relaxation that this place provides. Again you have served my House, and in a way that I did not expect you to be agreeable to. Again you have shown surprising inner strength. The rewards of our work should be yours as much as ours then."
Elunearia said nothing, merely staring at Biara as the Magistrix stepped towards her and gently rested the laurels in her hair. She gave a slight nod, as if the gesture was appreciated. Biara studied her closely, and for the briefest moment she thought she could detect something behind the emotionless mask that made the priestess' face. Sorrow. Deep within, the elf was filled with despair, or so Biara imagined.
"It's alright Elunearia," she said softly. Around her the crowd continued to cheer and Kyliska waved her bloody sword around returning the shouts and calls from those above, but this close, the two Sin'dorei were almost in a private world. "I understand more than you know. Come, take your relaxation now, let the stress of all of this fade away and the raw emotions be stilled if but for a time."
Biara reached out and clasped Elunearia's hand, her slender fingers entwining with the other's. Elunearia tensed, and in that brief moment Biara learned many things about the other elf that she had never known. The feel of her hand, used in gifted healing was so alike to Biara's. Two sides of expert and dedicated use of magic. The tension in the priestess came from the feel of the blood on Biara's own hand, and her deep rooted loathing for violence and inflction of pain on others. And beneath that all, beneath the surface of her skin, flowing all throughout her body was magic. Magic so strong and bright, so filled with Light that it almost burned Biara to touch it. The burning flame of faith and righteousness, of love and light made up all that Elunearia was.
Biara almost gasped as her senses reeled from the contact. There were few people that Biara had ever met who had such power within them, who had melded their very souls with something. There were none who were a beacon of Light the way Elunearia was. The experience was dizzying and the realization of her power was awe inspiring. Biara's words failed her for a moment as she gathered her thoughts again.
After a moment's hesitation, she smiled and gently lead the priestess through the mass of people around them, away from the screaming crowds and the overload of sensation. Into the darkness of the Gladiator's chambers, where the priestess would be pampered by servants and given the finest wines and food available. Where she would, for once in her life, be treated as royalty. It was the least that Biara could do for a kindred spirit.
As she parted from Elunearia, leaving her with her servants she paused and looked back at the priestess one last time, "When you have a moment, come seek me out Elunearia. There is much that you need to learn about our people, about our House, and about me. Although we all have a savage nature within us, we are not savages. There are things about me that you do not understand, CANNOT understand without taking into account all of who I am."
She turned and started to walk away, her last words only barely heard. "Bloodshed does not make up all of what lies in my heart."
As the crowd continued to roar, Biara lowered her arms and opened her eyes, looking to her two companions. Beside her Kyliska panted, her armor covered in the gore of her foes. The excitement in her eyes and the way her body shook after their latest battle was almost sexual in nature, and Biara knew her sister greatly enjoyed the thrill of the fight, just as she herself felt the same delight from the casting of spells. The Magistrix's eyes shifted, taking in the third person in their little team, Elunearia Moonblade.
Her eyes were wide and her breath came in gasps, but not of excitement. She stood there upon the sand of the arena, shaking with some emotion that Biara couldn't quite place. Her golden hair had fallen in disarray during the fighting, and two small specs of blood, enemy blood, dotted the pale skin of her right cheek. Again Biara was reminded of a spirit or ghost, the shell of an elf that contained mysteries she couldn't fathom.
The gates on the far side of the arena opened and servants spilled out, with officials of the arena amongst them. The officials shoved their way to the fore, bearing laurels for the winners of the match. Biara stopped them with a stern gaze, taking one of the laurels from an official even as one was placed on her head. She turned to Elunearia, meeting the other's gaze.
It had taken some coaxing to get Elunearia to come to the arena. Only reassurances that those participating were doing so voluntarily, and that many of those who fell were ressurected with spells had convinced the priestess to even accompany them. Once in battle, Biara had been shocked to see the priestess in an almost rage-like state, her spells lashing out at foes or curling around them to protect them from harm. The Sin'dorei had put her all into the fight, and Biara was beginning to suspect that some of the rage and hurt from her current situation had been released on the sands of the arena and the hapless foes that had faced them.
All of these thoughts flashed through Biara's mind as she stood there, holding the laurels in her hands and staring into Elunearia's eyes. The priestess gave away no emotion, but Biara could guess what stirred beneath that gaze. She smiled and said, "Our victory here was yours as much as mine and my sister's. Without you we would never triumph, we would never stand in the winner's circle or enjoy the entertainment and relaxation that this place provides. Again you have served my House, and in a way that I did not expect you to be agreeable to. Again you have shown surprising inner strength. The rewards of our work should be yours as much as ours then."
Elunearia said nothing, merely staring at Biara as the Magistrix stepped towards her and gently rested the laurels in her hair. She gave a slight nod, as if the gesture was appreciated. Biara studied her closely, and for the briefest moment she thought she could detect something behind the emotionless mask that made the priestess' face. Sorrow. Deep within, the elf was filled with despair, or so Biara imagined.
"It's alright Elunearia," she said softly. Around her the crowd continued to cheer and Kyliska waved her bloody sword around returning the shouts and calls from those above, but this close, the two Sin'dorei were almost in a private world. "I understand more than you know. Come, take your relaxation now, let the stress of all of this fade away and the raw emotions be stilled if but for a time."
Biara reached out and clasped Elunearia's hand, her slender fingers entwining with the other's. Elunearia tensed, and in that brief moment Biara learned many things about the other elf that she had never known. The feel of her hand, used in gifted healing was so alike to Biara's. Two sides of expert and dedicated use of magic. The tension in the priestess came from the feel of the blood on Biara's own hand, and her deep rooted loathing for violence and inflction of pain on others. And beneath that all, beneath the surface of her skin, flowing all throughout her body was magic. Magic so strong and bright, so filled with Light that it almost burned Biara to touch it. The burning flame of faith and righteousness, of love and light made up all that Elunearia was.
Biara almost gasped as her senses reeled from the contact. There were few people that Biara had ever met who had such power within them, who had melded their very souls with something. There were none who were a beacon of Light the way Elunearia was. The experience was dizzying and the realization of her power was awe inspiring. Biara's words failed her for a moment as she gathered her thoughts again.
After a moment's hesitation, she smiled and gently lead the priestess through the mass of people around them, away from the screaming crowds and the overload of sensation. Into the darkness of the Gladiator's chambers, where the priestess would be pampered by servants and given the finest wines and food available. Where she would, for once in her life, be treated as royalty. It was the least that Biara could do for a kindred spirit.
As she parted from Elunearia, leaving her with her servants she paused and looked back at the priestess one last time, "When you have a moment, come seek me out Elunearia. There is much that you need to learn about our people, about our House, and about me. Although we all have a savage nature within us, we are not savages. There are things about me that you do not understand, CANNOT understand without taking into account all of who I am."
She turned and started to walk away, her last words only barely heard. "Bloodshed does not make up all of what lies in my heart."
No comments:
Post a Comment