The end boss is always the toughest [REPOST - ATTN Everyone]

[Guest Arie Ronshor]

Previous Post Count - 3

 

(Recap included in the post)

 

 

 

The day had started out a little different than usual for most of the Tower. Preperations were made, and Rosheen stewed on her thoughts as she made a notion for a new Blade Master to be brought forward. Of course, Cairma had no idea that it was her to be tested.

 

Oblivous, she sputtered at Rosheen with newly showered and cut hair (thanks to an unfortunate prank from a trainee.) as the older woman had entered Cairma's room with the news. Jaw open, she was frozen for but amoment in shock, but recovered and quickly dressed, following Rosheen out of the room and to a secluded place where the blade masteres were gathered.

 

Cairma stood in the center, her confidence restored as she waited. Waited on the Host of the Circle, and her Challenger. Who would challenge her right to be blade master? Did she have the posibility of winning?

 

it was Brand that stepped forward. Cairma bowed her head in respect as the man introduced her to the masters of the circle.

 

"Who comes before this circle to declare themselves worthy of a title so few can claim? State your claim of why this circle of men and woman should accept you into our brotherhood." He passed, avoiding the look from Rosheen and Ginae, " and Sisterhood." he added.

 

Cairma didn't skip a beat. "My name is Cairma Vishnu, and I am stepping forward to claim this title with my blade. I have dedicated my life to my blade and those I protect with it. And i stand ready to take on the title of Blade Master." She paused with a smile of confidence so very hard earned, looking to each blade master from her otherwise unmoved position. Looking only with her eyes. "Who here wishes to Challenge my claim?"

 

 

 

Cairma Vishnu

TG

 

Deamon, your up! ^_^

[Ghaul]

Brand did seem to be a bit surprised when Rosheen suggested Cairma for a blademaster. Obviously the commander of the Tower Guards was not sure if she was ready yet.

 

"Oh she is ready Brand"

 

It was rare for Daemon to speak, so Barid looked at him with part surprise in his eyes.

 

"I second Rosheen's suggestion. Cairma has matured a lot in a very short time. She is ready for the Blademaster's test, she has both the skill and mentality."

 

Wheater Daemon's words had any effect on Barid was not know. Still Barid has decided to give it the go ahead. And as Rosheen went to fecth Cairma, the Blademaster assembled.It was not long before Cairma came, accompanied by Rosheen, who took her place in the circle.

 

"Who comes before this circle to declare themselves worthy of a title so few can claim? State your claim of why this circle of men and woman should accept you into our brotherhood." He passed, avoiding the look from Rosheen and Ginae, " and Sisterhood." he added.

 

Cairma did not hesitate to answer, she never did.

 

"My name is Cairma Vishnu, and I am stepping forward to claim this title with my blade. I have dedicated my life to my blade and those I protect with it. And i stand ready to take on the title of Blade Master."

 

She gave each and every blademaster a look, full of confidence

 

"Who here wishes to Challenge my claim?"

 

For the first time since he became a blademaster, Daemon step forward.

 

"I will be the challenger, Cairma, and the one to test your ability"

 

As Daemon took his place inside the circle, he heard Cairme mutter to herself

 

"I knew it"

 

 

Daemon Ronshor

[Guest Arie Ronshor]

Daemon stepped forward from the circle and Cairma couldn't help but shaker her head. "I knew it." she said but smiled at her mentor with confidence. She had fought him before, many times and knew she could not win against him. But this time it wasn't to win, it was to prove her worth. And she had every intention of doing so.

 

"Shall we dance, Master Daemon?" She fell into her most comfortable stance, low and with her weight more on her back foot and both hands on Beast as the sharp edge of the blade angled down and out to her right. Daemon picked his own stance that she was unfamilar with that caused her to raise her eyebrowns. Seems the old man still had something new in him. Either way it threw her confidence wavering as she realized that there was so little that she knew. Could she really beat him? Light... was she worthy of what she claimed?

 

Deamon's stance was defensive, challenging her to make the first attack. She knew he was ready, he was already ready, and Cairma knew that. Water rushed through her eyes, softening them as opposed to the opposite of Daemon's Ren'shai cold hard eyes. She knew she would never hold that look, but she would one day hold the respect that many fear of the Ren'Shai. Beautiful warriors that fight without reserve. This was going to be one helluva fight. Her eyes met his as they squared off, as if to challenege the other down. Daemon did not intimidate her, he challenged her, that inckling of a fire that she wanted to push and push until he was better. To take every swing and use it against him. To see pride in his eyes. A father-like pride.

 

Her first swing came down on his sword hard using the momentum of her steps to parry his own attack around her sword. Hes look was subtle, but she knew it well, one of respect at the first hit, hard, and fast. Her swings came to the right is went down on the left, she dd not leave his sphere of movement, nor step out of his swords reach as it sliced through her skin on her arm, ignoring.. not using that pain as a fuel to her attack moving her swlrd around as it swipped ot the right, pushing Daemon back without a need to block, Beast moved with her in her dance, and around she moved with Beast sliching upwards and then with a figure '8' like movement down and then moving swiftly into a defensive stance as Daemon boved easily around her attack, but she was ready for him. She knew how fast Daemon was, and compensate her slower attacks by making them harder and forcing him out of her side of the ring. She had yet to truely touch him with her sword, but as she moved back she saw a small opening, for however brief, and moved into the attack. Hoping that he would block it, and knowing that he may or may not. Intentional, it could be used against her and she factored that in as her swing moved closer and closer towards him.

 

 

Cairma Vishnu

TG

 

Ready for you my Mentor. ;)

[Ghaul]

Dance? Well swordfighting was indeed a form of dancing, or so did Arie told him in order for Daemon to agree to her teaching him to dance. Well since it was a dance Cairma wanted a dance she would get. Daemon usually fought in a stance where he was facing his opponent, this time though, he tired something different. He turned his left shoulder towards Cairma, thus hiding his sword behind his body. Now this caused Cairma to freeze for a moment, an opportunity Daemon did not take. He was waiting for her to attack, and the attack came.

 

Well, he had to admit, Cairma was right when she thought that he would not try and block her attacks. Her heavy weapon made blocking a rather risky affair. Plus, Daemon was fast enough to avoid her blows and launch counter strikes of his own. In one such exchange Cairma's arm was nicked by Daemon's blade. Still both Cairma and Daemon were having fun with this, or at least Daemon was. And the fun was just getting better and better. As expected, Cairma saw the opening he left, and attacked. And it was indeed a masterfull strike. After being pushed back by another of Cairma's slashes, Daemon jumped back, almost to the edges of the ring. Daemon's feet had not yet tuched the ground when Cairma launched another attack. She threw herself forward, her sword raised over her head for a strike. If Daemon was slower, he would have been split in two. However, he was not a grandmaster of speed for nothing. When he touched the ground Cairma was already flying towards him. With practiced speed and movements, Daemon launched himself forward too, only that he was 'flying' lower than Cairma. When their paths crossed, Beast was still up high, while Daemon's blade was low. What followed was a glistening arch, and a few crimson drops flew through the air. Daemon had made a slash, and though he held it back, it nicked on Cairma's stomach, cutting through clothing and skin, causing her to bleed. It was not deep enough to get to her intestines, but still it was not an easily ignorable one, as the cut on her arm. Cairma however, payed it no mind. She was Ren'Shai after all. She swung arround to face Daemon.

 

"As expected of you, Cairma" - said Daemon before lunging into an attack again.

 

Daemon raised his sword above his head, and stood like that for a moment, resembling a statue, then suddenly brough the blade down, aiming for her head. With a simple move of Beast, Daemon's sword bounced off. And while that Mountain Cutter as Aran called it made it's way up in a counter attack Daemon was moving again. Daemon pushed forward, slash after slash raining down upon Cairma in rapid succession ( think kirikaeshi ), taking the initiative from her. Cairma stood her ground as she was nearing the edges of the circle, Daemon got too close to do anything. A brief contact betweeing their fists was all Daemon needed to push himself back. First though, before pushing himself back from her, he pushed her hands downwards. The natural reaction was for her to pull her hands back up and that was exactly what happened. He imidiatly took his chance and made a strike towards Cairma's waist. Cairma though was not going to let herself get stuck again. She was quite smart and skilled. She sidesteped his attack and as Daemon opened himself up with his attack, she took her chance. She attacked Daemon, expecting him to avoid again, and to push him back. She was in for a surprise though.

 

Instead of her blade slicing the air were Daemon was just a few seconds ago, the clang of metal in metal was heard. Daemon has pivoted so he would face Cairma, and rushed, of all things to do. His blade slid down the lenght of the zweihander, and when it was near it's base, Daemon pushed it aside. The leverage worked perfectly, and Cairma's blade swished pass him. Daemon's sword however, continued it's path upwards, and with a graceful motion came down to stop milimeterd from Cairma's head. Had this been a real fight, Cairma would have been dead right now. But then again, have this been a real fight, Daemon would be bleeding right about now.

 

They both stood like that for a few moments, than both pulled away.

 

"Well done, Cairma, just like what I expected from you" - said Daemon, his pride of her achievements clearly visible in his eyes

 

 

Daemon Ronshor

[Wayfarer]

Vasya had been tempted to call straight away to be able to test Cairma. As they had stood in the circle and watched her declare herself fit to be known as a Blademaster, calling for anyone to doubt her he felt the urge to step forward. Rosheen had felt confident that Cairma was ready for it and he agreed, yet he also wanted to see it for himself. She had been so quiet, just coasting along until she'd opened up. One of the few reasons he tolerated Aran, Aran had a way of cracking people and making them work again. If it wasn't for that, he would have crippled the man a long time ago. Or had him thrown out of the guard. Possibly both.

 

It because of that he still entertained a few doubts, and with that came a wish to test her himself. She was one of his guards, he wanted to know that soldiers he commanded that bore the heron were worthy of it. With a heavy axe and blade he'd be more than able to handle the monstrous blade the woman still carried about. With his size he could easily give as good as she would if he even gave her the chance to really swing her ridiculously large blade.

 

But he hesitated, Vasya wasn't sure if he could be fair of his assessment of Cairma. That was all the opportunity that Daemon needed to step forward and challenge, her mentor. Vasya frowned, he didn't think it was proper for a mentor to challenge their student in a ceremony such as this, but there was no rule against it. If he went too easy on her then regardless of what he said then she would be refused.

 

As he watched, he found his disapproval shifting from Daemon maybe going too soft for him being too harsh. Injuries were not meant to occur during a testing if they were avoidable, but the man was deliberately injuring her. It was one thing for a person to become injured because they were unfocused or slacking, or due to an accident, but Daemon was a Grandmaster and as such should have had the control to pull his blows. Even if fighting despite injuries was a focus in his training, in a ceremony such as this it was unnecessary and uncalled for.

 

The end of the spar caused Vasya to clench his fists. If Daemon dared to say that Cairma had been deficient or unworthy he was going to challenge the man himself. Grandmaster or no he'd bury his axe in the man and see how he liked it. After a pause, that proved not to be the case but Vasya was nevertheless incensed. As Cairma was declared fit and the gathering was disbanded, Vasya had only taken a step forward to have words with Daemon when someone caught his arm.

 

Borac.

 

Turning to the man, it was a moment before he assented to the man. Leaving the gathering instead, he opted to congratulate Cairma a later time rather than spoil the moment.

 

 

Vasya Paranov

Captain

 

OOC: Didn't expect that, but eh :)

[silhouette]

The fight was hard but good, much as Brand had expected. Ever since Cairma had emerged out of her shell, she’d been coursing towards this moment, this day. And beyond, probably. The fire of ambition was in her now, and she probably wouldn’t stop aiming higher until she reached her peak. Where that was, no one knew. People all set their own limits, and for some those were more restricting then for others.

 

Brand stepped forward, the hilt of a new blade pointing towards Cairma. It had been finished a day ago. Weeks of hard work from the blacksmiths of the yards, some of the finest in all the world. The blade might not have been power-wrought, but it was one of the best blades Brand had seen none the less. He carried a similar blade, light and graceful compared to that monster of a sword Cairma seemed to prefer. With some luck, she’d get a taste for the longsword he presented her with as well.

 

“Congratulations, Cairma Vishnu, Blademaster of the White Tower.” The ceremony was almost over, and then they could drink in her honour. All she had to do now, was cut herself with the new blade, letting her blood soil the ground of the yards once more, and swear the oath that would bind her to her brothers and sisters of the blade, as well as to the White Tower. Brand waited patiently for her to do just that.

 

~Brand Ryota

Commander

 

Ooc: Just read that there’s more to the ceremony than I thought. Make up some kind of oath, and then we can all drink to Cairma’s health ;)

[Guest Arie Ronshor]

OOC - angry to happy cairma.. hard to write.. grrr..

 

A healthy smile broke over her face as she bowed to Daemon, simply ignoring the cuts on her skin. She sheathed Beast easily on her back as she surveyed those within sight. Other than Vasya, most faces wore smiles. Accepted. And she had done it.

 

Approaching Brand, her face serious but her feet light. She accepted the hilt of the Blademasters sword with a near reverence as she noted the fine detail of the blade. She never thought to try working with a simple long sword, but it would not be too dificult as she would have the advantage of speed as opposed to strength with Beast.

 

“Congratulations, Cairma Vishnu, Blademaster of the White Tower.”

 

Cairma smiled as she took the blade and with a swift presice cut on her inner arm, without wincing or hesitation she spoke. "By the Light and the Hope of my Salvation I pledge myself and my blade in service of honor to my Brothers and Sisters of the Blade and the White Tower." Her blood dripped to the ground before she wiped the blood on her white shirt and sheathed it in her belt. Exctatic, She was motioned to head to the Infirmary for minor healing. Just wait till she showed Aran!!

 

 

Cairma Vishnu

Blade Master