Faye Petralis, the Glorious Legion Outpost | Infirmary
Cyarin shrugged. "Perhaps your head?" She said. "Knowledgeable in most things, right? After all, knowledge is power. Or so they say, hell, if I knew nothing my patients would be dead on arrival."

The Wand looked to the door and then moved towards it, closing it fully. "Wool headed," she muttered. "Can't even shut the door right."

Lavernius Mylarc, Thalia Valgeiros & Marianna Laranis, the Plaza of the Monolith | Duelist's Tournament
As the conversation drew to a close, the announcer was seen coming back on stage. His attire and attitude didn't differ from before, in fact, he seemed a lot livelier.

"Greetings one and all," he said, raising both hands into the air. "Welcome to the second round of the tournament!"

The crowd began to cheer, Thalia could make out the ten remaining combatants in the crowd. They stood out to her like sore thumbs, perhaps because she felt like they were her targets.

"I would like to call each participant back on stage! Kindly leave all your unnecessary belongings such as food in the outer circle," he said, remindingly. Once he found all the participants moving in towards the inner circle, he spoke again. "Now, according to the scores from before, we have determined the bracket!"

On cue, once the competitors were inside the inner circle, four bullettin boards were displayed by members of the staff, propped up like a canvas. They revealed the pairings of each of the fighters. Seemingly by their scores.

Yasuno and Lavernius found themselves in a crowd, more people had begun to come into the outer circle to witness the event.

"Such is the life of an artist," Yasuno commented. "If one must have the sketch, one must work for it." The izukani woman was short, inevitably forcing her to stand on her chair as she watched the preceedings.

The participants were ushered to their seatsThalia was surrounded by seasoned fighters. Perhaps none like herself but fighters nonetheless. Three seats away from her, she spotted Vermon; eyeing the stage as if it was the only thing that meant to him. A few seats to her left, was Peton, the fist fighter. She recognized Merylin at the Outer Circle, seemingly talking to some people.

"How's the match going for you, Miss Mylarc?" Thalia's seatmates asked. Looking to meet the voice's owner, the retired assasin found a bespectacled man. She recognized him as one of the users of the saber.

"Be a dear and give my husband a hard time for me while I'm gone." Gwennifer Mylarc gave the two a devilish grin and a curt bow before returning to the inner circle. The crowd was a lot larger now, and she had to will herself back into that predator's calm. She found her seat short after.

Thalia shrugged, "First was easier than expected, hopefully the next will be a bit better. Not to discredit Merylin or anything, but her style wasn't best suited against my own." She rubbed at her chin, remembering the saber user's match, "you may fare better if we're to fight one another, but I'll give you a fair warning. I've fought against swordsman all my life." Her hand met his back in a friendly gesture, patting him twice while looking out at the brackets waiting to see who her next opponent might be. "Another piece of advice. If you have to go up against the man that prefers no weapon, make sure you take two. If you're ambidextrous enough. A martial style like that relies on evasion, deflection, and grappling. All of which become a lot more difficult in a flurry of steel. If you can swing it, y'know. Otherwise stick with what's comfortable."

A bit eager perhaps, definitely excited. Part of Thalia was feeling rather nostalgic at watching a tournament of fighter's, and speculating on how to beat them and how others might beat them. She had to keep reminding herself it was a friendly competition, not one where the matches ended in spilled blood.

Lavernius smiled happily at the prospect. "Of course, I would be flattered to. Just don't hurt yourself alright? Be safe out there and don't give Itsuka any ideas." He helped her onto her feet and cupped her hands in his for a brief moment before letting go. The artist watched her go to the front before looking back at Yasuno and chuckling. "That's why there's two of us, we won't miss much together." Lavernius didn't have to stand on his seat, rather capable of peering over the heads of onlookers by standing. "You missed your chance to get seats up close. Shouldn't have wasted time with me." He observed as he pulled out his sketchbook and drawing utensil. But then the artist turned with a grin as he brushed the hair out of his eyes. "Glad you did though, always nicer to enjoy things as group rather than alone."

Lavernius Mylarc, Thalia Valgeiros and Marianna Laranis, the Plaza of the Monolith | Duelist's Tournament

"Company is preferred," Yasuno said, appreciatively nodding to Lavernius' assistance as she stood on her chair. Right now. she waited for the match to begin. "I'm glad that I found you. Would have been a bland afternoon otherwise."

"And yes. It would be best to compare notes," she said. "So try to focus on the match and not your wife."



The two participants talked over the announcer's opening remarks, mostly about the sponsorship from the League of Crystalcrafters and House Lorcanis itself.

"Mmm," the man nodded. "Indeed. Peton has shown quite the preference to disarming his foes. Perhaps it would be wise to add a dagger to my arsenal. Hopefully, I won't have to face him."

"Tristan Wesker of Lorcas and Desmond Karas of Narbondel, come forth and choose your steel!" The announcer's voice boomed suddenly, signalling the start of round one. Thalia recognized Tristan as the person whom she was speaking to and Desmond as the wielder of the broadsword. As the two walked up to the stage, Thalia could see their size difference. Desmond towered over Tristan, even their overall muscle mass seemed to favor the former but Thalia knew size didn't factor that much into combat.

Tristan raised his saber up and pointed it at Desmond. The tall Narbondese grunted and smiled, bringing the broadsword to bare. As the announcer signalled the start of the bout, both fighters lunged at each other. Weapon clashed on weapon, Tristan's strokes far outnumbered Desmonds but one could feel the intensity in each of the latters attacks. The first point was awarded to the nimble Tristan, his saber piercing through his opponent's defence just as Desmond was about to bring down his blade on Tristan's head. The next came from Desmond's ferocity, despite the man's size, he caught the audience unawares with his sudden burst of speed. The narbondese burst with the same power but matched the speed of Tristan for several crucial seconds, sending the saber skittering on the stage. Desmond thrusted the broadsword through the air by Tristan's side as if to show how open the man was to be being skewered.

It was a fair fight between brute force and nimble skill, but in the end one of them would show superiority. In the final match, two points for each contender, Tristan made a fatal error. He lunged forward at the wrong moment, leaving him open to Desmond's jab at his gut. Tristan fell to his knees, the saber weak in his hands as his opponent brought his blade to his neck, signalling the end of the round.

"Desmond Karas takes the first round!" The announcer pleasantly cries. "What a match! Kindly exit the stage and surrender your weapons."

Thalia saw Tristan leave the inner circle, ushered out into its outer counterpart and took a seat there. Desmond on the other hand sat a few seats away from her.

Four more matches occur before Thalia's pseudoname was called on. She was to fight against Peton. The dark skinned man stood from his seat, lean and intimidating. He wore nothing but simple clothing and he had no hair to speak of save for his brows. Thalia could tell the man trained and honed his body, not too different from her. There was always an aura to people who were tested by duels and those tempered by actual combat, this one feels like the latter.

Once the two were on the sides of the stage, picking their weapons the announcer began to draw in the crowd a bit more before allowing the two to enter the stage. As like before, Peton had nothing on hand but everyone who had watched the previous round knew better. Peton had no need for them.

"She's not my wife." Lavernius flushed and it only deepened. "And I was just... surprised was all. Her performance caught me by surprise." He huffed and turned back to look at the match. Watching the fight only made him worry more about her safety, the Desmond fellow was quite large and if he was to hit her... he mentally shook his head, he couldn't think negatively and jinx the situation. She'll be fine, the artist breathed to calm himself. As each fight was called up, he began to not like the odds and glanced at Yasuno, "Well guess we're going to see the match up much sooner than we expected. Shall I focus on Gwen while you Peton?" Lavernius wanted to prove that he was capable of focusing on the job at hand. "I won't get distracted, I promise."

Peton, the skilled hand to hand combatant was to be her opponent. Good. Thalia's body was ready for this sort of test, her muscles begging to be unleashed upon the man. Confident as she was to beat Peton at his own game, she would not fight him on even ground. Instead, she took her own advice that she had just given out and ascended the steps onto the stage wielding a shortsword in each hand. She offered her opponent a sly grin and a dip of her chin before twirling the blades, flexing her wrists.

The match began and Peton was the first to move. He approached and attacked swiftly, trying to feint into a sweep, but Thalia kept her swords up and wits about her, daring the man to try and close the gap between her blades and her flesh. The announcer cried out that a minute had past before Peton realized that Thalia was planning on staying on the defensive, waiting for the fist user to make a vital mistake. Neither did. Thalia stood sidelong, holding the blade in her left hand up to parry and distract while the blade in her right hand waited patiently to find it's chance to strike. Peton lunged forward, ducking under the outward swipe of the extended blade, wrapping his hand around Thalia's arm as he drove a fist for her face. The blade in Thalia's right hand spun twice as she flipped her arm up and stabbed the blunted edge into Peton's collarbone. His fist was several inches short of meeting it's mark, beaten by the reach of her blade.

Thalia went on the offensive at the start of the second round and Paton, to her surprise, was more agile than he seemed in his first match. After leading Thalia on for a few mere seconds, Peton changed up his strategy. Like the first round, he deflected the blade in Thalia's left hand, but rather than moving in to strike he twirled just out of the way of her second blade, striking her twice in the leg with incredible speed, aiming with intense accuracy. She seethed and spung as she fell, swiping both blades across her right side looking to block his advance. No matter how hard she tried, Thalia could not even move her right leg. It laid limp on the ground, completely useless.

"Surrender this round and I'll fix your leg," Peton offered.

Thalia simply cooed, "you don't sound so confident for a man fighting a one legged opponent."

Peton was behind Thalia now as he came in to claim his point, but was met with both swords being flung behind her back. A few open palm strikes knocked one blade from her and leaving her left arm just as ruined as her leg.

Peton checked for dirt beneath his nails that wasn't there, "you were saying?" He moved in again before the judge could declare the point to Peton. In a last ditch effort, Thalia jerked her torso and her left arm swung around as if to swat Peton away. He answered with a punch to Thalia's jaw that had the crowd gasping. Thalia fell and bounced back with a punch of her own. Peton backed away, Thalia flipping her body back and forcing herself to stand on her one good leg barely able to balance herself, but she had endured worse. She placed her good hand against her back and gave the man a fiendish grin as she bowed slightly at the waist, taunting him. The fist user rushed her and lunged, but stopped inches away from smashing his fist into Thalia's nose.

The announcer gave the point to Thalia, who was holding a dagger against Peton's neck. A dagger that she had placed into her pant line against her back before ascending the stage steps. She spat blood before saying. "you've got tricks, and so do I". The crowd had to take a second look before they even realized what had happened, and cheered wildly at the turn around. They waited a moment for Thalia to rub her leg and arm where she had been struck, massaging the muscle until she was able to move again. Even still, her muscles were very tight as her body worked to regain control.

The third round started once Thalia put her dagger back behind her back and retrieved her second sword. They only had about two minutes when the announcement came for them to resume. Peton had no choice other than to be on the offensive, Thalia again waiting for the man to make a mistake in his movements. Thalia's body was acting solely on instinct now, having recognized and memorized Peton's attack patterns by now, it was almost as if she were moving to block and evade before her opponent actually made the anticipated move. She only let the choreographed combos continue long enough for Peton to recognize what she did, and it only took a few seconds. The gleam of realization shone in his eyes, and Thalia struck with her boot to the man's chest, staggering him back before he could change up his pattern.

A sneer, and another assault. Peton was also quite skilled and learned quickly from Thalia's strategy. Thalia slashed downward, but Peton's foot stomped the blade into the ground as his other leg swung to meet thalia's second arm, swinging true. His foot kicked the sword free of Thalia's hand and sent it flying into the inner ring. Thalia heaved the sword up, forcing Peton off of it at the risk of forfeiting his balance. She flipped the blade in the air, catching it with her right hand and her left hand reclaimed the dagger from her back, twirling it in bloodthirsty anticipation. Peton was having a much easier time deflecting one sword and especially the dagger. A high kick sent Thalia's dagger spinning straight into the sky, a swift, double attack to her right forearm forced her to drop her sword. Thalia backed up two steps, barely dodging each time Peton attacked. Another quick shuffle of Peton's feet had Thalia leaping into a backflip to dodge the sweep Peton tried to force. He turned his head back to his opponent and slid towards her, trying to close the distance before she landed. One foot, then the second. Thalia landed, body twisting away, and then jerking back towards Peton. Her left arm extended outward toward her opponent, palm open and empty. The dagger Peton had launched into the air fell from the man's chest, who had gone still, same as the announcer and the crowd. Thalia shrugged and whistled, not able to contain her smirk, "Wooo, talk about luck." She gave the man a wink before rolling her hand forward and taking a bow. The assassin had caught her dagger in the air, landed, and sent it flying straight into Peton's heart.

Thalia turned to face the cheering crowd and peered out, taking every face in as she quickly analyzed who might have seen her performance. She noted Lavernius and his friend, and then looked a few feet from them to where Mr. Greyore's potential prospect was standing. She blew the woman a kiss. The cleaner, Thalia clicked her tongue and chuckled at the thought before leaving the stage and returning her equipment. For all her cockiness and arrogance, Thalia truly knew that if she had not planned accordingly to her opponent, she would have lost. Nerve attackers are very difficult to fight up close, and the limp in her leg and still ruined forearm were more than evident of the danger. She found her seat in the inner circle, rubbing the muscles in her forearm.

No one learns to fight like that because they're afraid of thugs in the street, or lusting fisherman.

"Some people are good at closing doors, the other at commanding the Legion. You can't do it all." Faye smiled following Wand's movement. "No need to close them yet though. I don't think I'll be occupying any more of your time. Unless there's anything else, I'll be on my way." The girl then moved in the direction of the room's exit, intent on saying her goodbyes and leaving if uninterrupted.

Lavernius' drawing was less of a portrait and more of a scenery. What stretched across his sketchbook wasn't a beautiful woman, but a storm. Winds coursed across the page, swirling about storm clouds. The ground rippled as the grass danced in the winds and the trees were pushed about by the powerful gales. The winds seem to take form of a fighter however, the clouds streaming back to create long beautiful hair while the whirlwinds created the silhouette. This was more than just a battle of humans, it was a waltz of elements. Rain shimmered and wrapped around the storm winds like a veil as it danced. As the battle finished, Lavernius put his sketchbook to the side so that he could clap for Illaya. He winced as he watched her struggle off the stage and hoped a break would come soon so that he could hopefully help her. "So that was breath-taking. Don't you agree?" He turned to look at Yasuno.

Lavernius Mylarc, Thalia Valgeiros & Marianna Laranis, the Plaza of the Monolith | Duelist's Tournament
"It was," Yasuno agreed as she finished her sketch of the combat. "Peton's strikes remind of Izukani fighting styles. It makes me wonder where he trained."

She looked up again to take a look at the fistfighter then going back to her sketch. "How would you describe his style?"



Peton smiled when he had lost. "Quite the skilled woman you are Gwennifer," the man's low voice said. "I'd very much wish to know your mentor if you have the time after the match. Never fought one so fine attuned to the moment in these tournaments. Good luck on the rest of the tournament."

With that, the man stepped down from the stage and allowed himself to be lead to the outer circle.

Thalia was then lead to the inner circle after her standing ovation. The other matches were intense, Vermon cleared his with two points against him- the retired asssassin heard Desmond snort in his seat.

After the final match, the announcer again called for the intermissin as the judges began their talks. Thalia and the remaining five: herself, Desmond, Vermon, Qillian and Charm, were allowed to leave the inner circle once more.



Marianna felt a hand on her shoulder and when she looked behind her, she found Hunter's face staring at the conclusion of the tournament's second round.

"That Gwennifer is a sly one," he said. "Her movements tell of a violent history. Or a very good teacher. What do you think, Mari?"

Marianna suddenly felt a hand
Faye Petralis, the Glorious Legion Outpost -> Outside
Cyarin shrugged and allowed Faye to pass. "Take care, Faye," she said. The Staff left the premises without anyone else stopping her.

Faye found herself in the company of herself as she left the outpost. People were moving about doing their own businesses. If there was someone who looked at her, it was only briefly before going on with their lives. There seemed to be a lot of commotion going on in the direction of the plaza and she hears the people who pass by from there talk of duels involving a fistfighter, spearwoman and twin scimitar users.

Mari briefly shifted her focus away from the tournament, looking over to Hunter.

"Indeed. I have encountered that same woman yesterday in the inn, and Mr.Grayore had great interest in her. I assumed she was the cleaner, and from what I've seen here I'm now sure of it."

The leader of the Fangs took a small break from her monologue, taking the time to track the winner of the match as she was getting her standing ovation. For a moment it even seemed that the two women crossed eyes.

"Hunter, I'm sure this is not mere coincidence. If and when we will cross paths with her again, be ready to strike." she murmurred to her second in command.

"You too." Faye smiled and waved, and unlike the commander, carefully closed the door behind her before heading for the exit. As the girl left the building she stopped for a moment, slumping her shoulders and let out a long breathe and as if in a relief.

Now I remember why I don't like them that much...Can't really blame them though, especially now.

The Staff straighten back up, carefully looked around and then moved on with her business. Although her next destination was supposed to be the temple, Faye was fairly quickly distracted by heard 'news'. As she passed by yet another pair talking of the duels, she eventually stopped and looked towards the plaza. "Hmmm...Just a peek and I'll be back on track. It's not like they're gonna go anywhere." The girl murmured to herself, before hesitantly changing the direction of her march.

Thalia stayed in her seat for a minute after the intermission was called. She had been rubbing the spots where Peton had struck her during the last few fights, but the areas on her leg and arm were still tense. After another moment of sitting there, tending to her most valuable weapon, Thalia shot up out of her seat. The limp was practically completely gone, and walking on her injured leg would do more good for it than harm as Thalia made her way through the crowd towards Lavernius and his friend. Some people in the crowd patted her back and gave her praise as she walked by.

Lavernius was where Thalia had left him, standing next to his friend, tending to his sketchbook. The crowd had definitely grown quite a bit, even since her match. Thalia shrugged as she approached the two, "Didn't expect it to go that well, to be completely honest. I'm still pretty rusty." She nodded to them both, grinning innocently, "Itsuka, Lavvy."

"Indeed, there's a distinct focus in his style. If I had to put it in words, I would compare him to a wolf. Uses his speed to overwhelm his enemies. An impressive force but uses too much stamina to fight a battle of attrition. So Gwen's "snake-like" tactics if we continue the animal analogy countered him well. She conserved her stamina by evading and deflecting rather than full on blocking so wasted his and only attacked in opportune moments." Lavernius concluded his observations with a question. "Do you agree?"

He looked to the voice and smiled. "Hello Gwen, wonderful fight, are you alright though? Is your arm and leg fine?" He shushed his henning to realize Illaya said Itsuka as well. "Oh dear..." Lavernius looked from Illaya to Yasuno, "Have I not introduced you? Oh how rude of me my apologies. Gwen, this is Yasuno Itsuka. I'm ashamed I didn't do this earlier, I don't know where my manners went." The artist flustered.

Everyone, the Plaza of the Monolith | Duelist's Tournament
Marianna Laranis, Outer Circle of the Plaza

"Very well," Hunter replied. "I can't say for sure I can beat her. I know my skill, Mari. It's only been good enough for common thugs and the ocassional lieutenant and if Grayore is interested in her shouldn't we scout her out a bit more?"

Marianna spotted a tourniquet on his left arm with blood stains that have long since dried.

He shrugged and looked to one side. "Anyway, I've got no news on the twins. I regrettably have to say they're dead for all I know but I'll try looking harder. I've gathered what's left on the base at the outskirts. Reysa insisted to go to Lorcas to warn the rest of the Fangs but for now she is in the safe house."

Lavernius Mylarc & Thalia Valgeiros, Audience Area - Outer Circle of the Plaza

"It isn't like a snake," Yasuno shook her head. "No..she plays more like a spider, as if the stage was already her web to begin with. She's comfortable if not a bit disturbed by an intruder in her home."

When Thalia arrived, the izukani woman smiled and nodded. "Welcome back," she said. Lavernius suddenly fumbled with the introductions but Yasuno chuckled.

"It is fine Mylarc," Yasuno said putting down her pencil and closing her sketchbook. "We've informally been introduced earlier and that would be that. You did amazingly well. Your brothers must be quite the martial artists to have taught you so much!" She had turned to Thalia in the last bit.

"How is your arm, Mrs Mylarc. I've seen of izukani nerve points but never in actual combat. Its actually done in more controlled situations, like massages."

Faye Petralis, Plaza Proper

Faye watched as the crowd was still growing, centered at the plaza itself. She heard the name Gwennifer Mylarc yelled into the air as the winner of some round as she approached from the distance. By the time she arrived, she had heard other names as well, such as Qilin Irios.

Upon arriving she spotted legionnaires patrolling the streets once more. She spotted a well dressed gentleman and what looked to be an izukani woman with different shades of color in her hair being walked out of the plaza, odd couple but she knew odder ones. It seemed like a normal day despite the morning she had.

"He can be a bit eccentric, Yasuno, but I like to think it's all just part of his charm," Thalia playfully nudged Lavernius with her elbow before going back to rubbing the injured area on her forearm. The woman paced back and forth slowly as well, making sure to keep exercising her leg so the muscles would stay warmed up and even themselves out. She smiled at Yasuno before assuring her, "I'll manage. I've sparred against someone with a very similar style, so thankfully I knew what to expect after the first hit. Peton was much more skilled than any other similar fighter I've encountered. And no, my brothers didn't teach me everything I know. I spent every coin to my name on lessons, and all of my free time devoted to training my mind and body. Like I said early, I obsessed over it." Thalia stopped for a moment before bracing her hips and stretching her back both forward and backward. "So tell me, Yasuno. Is there someone special waiting for you back home?"