Rivers Between Us at 19:34, 1 November 2006

2006-11-01T19:34:39Z

Rivers Between Us at 06:47, 1 November 2006

2006-11-01T06:47:54Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 06:47, 1 November 2006
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	#[[Chronicles of the Daybringers]]		#[[Chronicles of the Daybringers]]

	#[[Heaven's Mandate]]		#[[Heaven's Mandate]]

Rivers Between Us at 06:47, 1 November 2006

2006-11-01T06:47:34Z

Show changes

← Older revision		Revision as of 19:34, 1 November 2006
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	“Never. They’re not even part of the Marukan alliance, are they?”		“Never. They’re not even part of the Marukan alliance, are they?”

	“They have a king, and they like to think they’re independent.” Rivers rubbed his eyes and stretched his neck. “Really, they’re just begging to be conquered and turned into a garrison with those walls. We’d love to offer them protection and be that garrison, only without the killing, but so far they’ve rebuffed our ambassadors. It seems they don’t trust our ability to back up our claims. Oh, and they hate us, just like they hate every nation close enough to field an army within sight of their turrets.”		“They have a king, or voivode, or whatever, and they like to think they’re independent.” Rivers rubbed his eyes and stretched his neck. “Really, they’re just begging to be conquered and turned into a garrison with those walls. We’d love to offer them protection and be that garrison, only without the killing, but so far they’ve rebuffed our ambassadors. It seems they don’t trust our ability to back up our claims. Oh, and they hate us, just like they hate every nation close enough to field an army within sight of their turrets.”

	“So we’re going to conquer them? I may need a few more women...”		“So we’re going to conquer them? I may need a few more women...”
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	“I’m still not following you. Does this involve singing and dancing?”		“I’m still not following you. Does this involve singing and dancing?”

	“A tournament. A martial arts tournament for anyone that can afford the entrance fee, sponsored by ~~King~~ Turrakhan himself. What do you say?”		“A tournament. A martial arts tournament for anyone that can afford the entrance fee, sponsored by the immaculate order and Voivode Turrakhan himself. What do you say?”

	“Who will I get to fight?”		“Who will I get to fight?”

	“There’s no telling who might show, but there should be an immaculate presence.”		“There’s no telling who might show, but there should be a heavy immaculate presence.”

	“Really? This far from any realm outpost?”		“Really? This far from any realm outpost?”
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	“You must be the team sent by those arrogant bastards in God Crossing. Varsi is a free town. We don’t need devils to protect us. You can turn around and go right back the way you came... except maybe the little firebrand,” he said with a grin.		“You must be the team sent by those arrogant bastards in God Crossing. Varsi is a free town. We don’t need devils to protect us. You can turn around and go right back the way you came... except maybe the little firebrand,” he said with a grin.

	Yao Ye opened her mouth, then closed it without making a sound. Selara took a step toward the man with the head of a goat, and the four people on either side of him moved in to surround her. They grinned patted their weapons, one swinging a saber in an arc past her throat, one with a halberd tapping it against the pavement. Selara looked left, then right, and asked, “Are you the ~~king~~ of this town?”		Yao Ye opened her mouth, then closed it without making a sound. Selara took a step toward the man with the head of a goat, and the four people on either side of him moved in to surround her. They grinned patted their weapons, one swinging a saber in an arc past her throat, one with a halberd tapping it against the pavement. Selara looked left, then right, and asked, “Are you the voivode of this town?”

	The goat-man gave a barking laugh. “I’m just the lucky man who’s going be throwing your corpse over the wall in five minutes.”		The goat-man gave a barking laugh. “I’m just the lucky man who’s going be throwing your corpse over the wall in five minutes.”
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	----		----

	The ring for the competition was a raised stone dais before the ~~king’s~~ palace, a fluted basalt tower that rose like a barbed pillar from the cobblestones. Around the edges of the courtyard over a hundred people had gathered to watch the fight. The citizens of Varsi did seem to be a rather martial lot. Every man, woman, and child carried a weapon, even if it was only a whip, a pair of war fans, or a wooden sword. Hawkers were traveling through the crowd selling hachimaki for the tournament, and for a small coin they would ink the name of one of the contestants on the headband. None of them had Selara’s name on their brow.		The ring for the competition was a raised stone dais before the voivode’s palace, a fluted basalt tower that rose like a barbed pillar from the cobblestones. Around the edges of the courtyard over a hundred people had gathered to watch the fight. The citizens of Varsi did seem to be a rather martial lot. Every man, woman, and child carried a weapon, even if it was only a whip, a pair of war fans, or a wooden sword. Hawkers were traveling through the crowd selling hachimaki for the tournament, and for a small coin they would ink the name of one of the contestants on the headband. None of them had Selara’s name on their brow.

	~~King~~ Turrakhan himself stood in the center of the arena. On his shoulders he wore an immense sleeveless robe of ermine, but around his waist was a leather belt as broad as a man’s forearm. On his head was a thick, regal mane of brown hair, shot with silver, but his beard was a wild mass of bristling curls that ran halfway down his chest. In his hand, he held aloft a pair of magnificently etched and wrought bracers.		Voivode Turrakhan himself stood in the center of the arena. On his shoulders he wore an immense sleeveless robe of ermine, but around his waist was a leather belt as broad as a man’s forearm. On his head was a thick, regal mane of brown hair, shot with silver, but his beard was a wild mass of bristling curls that ran halfway down his chest. In his hand, he held aloft a pair of magnificently etched and wrought bracers.

	“The rules are as follows: no weapons and no armor are allowed in the ring. The fight continues until one contestant surrenders, is thrown out of the ring, or cannot rise to her feet. No techniques, martial or enlightened, are barred, and no interference will be brooked. To the winner, dinner with myself and companion you choose, the title of Champion of Varsi, and this pair of pure jade bracers.”		“The rules are as follows: no weapons and no armor are allowed in the ring. The fight continues until one contestant surrenders, is thrown out of the ring, or cannot rise to her feet. No techniques, martial or enlightened, are barred, and no interference will be brooked. To the winner, dinner with myself and companion you choose, the title of Champion of Varsi, and this pair of pure jade bracers.”
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	Green Devil Cui stood opposite her, and as he entered, the crowd began cheering in a dull roar. He was as short as Ye, with wild red hair in a glistening affro, reddish brown skin, and a rather lewd picture of a green devil tattooed over his chest. He roared at her and performed a kata, but Selara was not fooled. This was not an enlightened contestant.		Green Devil Cui stood opposite her, and as he entered, the crowd began cheering in a dull roar. He was as short as Ye, with wild red hair in a glistening affro, reddish brown skin, and a rather lewd picture of a green devil tattooed over his chest. He roared at her and performed a kata, but Selara was not fooled. This was not an enlightened contestant.

	At a signal from the ~~king~~, who had retreated to a balcony overlooking the square, Cui charged at her with both arms raised in fists above his head. Selara stood, impassive before him, and then reached out with the first charm in the snake form.		At a signal from the voivode, who had retreated to a balcony overlooking the square, Cui charged at her with both arms raised in fists above his head. Selara stood, impassive before him, and then reached out with the first charm in the snake form.

	Of the hundred and thirty-five onlookers, six of them blinked at that precise moment. Thus they missed the first bout of the tournament. The remaining hundred and twenty-nine that were looking at that instant at the arena saw Green Devil Cui charge, Selara’s foot rising as he approached at the last possible instant to lightly break his nose on the up swing, and then Selara’s foot falling in a devastating ax kick to the crown of his head. In the blink of twelve eyes, Cui was on the stone, bleeding quietly, while the crowd as a body inhaled in a gasp of surprise.		Of the hundred and thirty-five onlookers, six of them blinked at that precise moment. Thus they missed the first bout of the tournament. The remaining hundred and twenty-nine that were looking at that instant at the arena saw Green Devil Cui charge, Selara’s foot rising as he approached at the last possible instant to lightly break his nose on the up swing, and then Selara’s foot falling in a devastating ax kick to the crown of his head. In the blink of twelve eyes, Cui was on the stone, bleeding quietly, while the crowd as a body inhaled in a gasp of surprise.
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	Two days later, Selara returned to the arena, ready for her next fight. In the chill dawn air she stepped onto the stone platform in her customary brown robes of office. Opposite stood her next opponent.		Two days later, Selara returned to the arena, ready for her next fight. In the chill dawn air she stepped onto the stone platform in her customary brown robes of office. Opposite stood her next opponent.

	From high above in his balcony, the ~~king~~ personally announced the fight once more. Today he affected a bearskin thrown over his shoulders, and he drank from a steaming mug before bellowing out over the square, “The first match of today will be between Puyo’s own Ogre Fist Kuyen...”		From high above in his balcony, the voivode personally announced the fight once more. Today he affected a bearskin thrown over his shoulders, and he drank from a steaming mug before bellowing out over the square, “The first match of today will be between Puyo’s own Ogre Fist Kuyen...”

	The crowd, somewhat larger that day, burst into a cheer that echoed of of the walls of the tower, raising their fists in the air and stomping their feet as a seven foot tall man with arms like tree trunks stepped onto the stone platform. He wore a leather vest over his scar-crossed chest and breeches of the same material, all of which were carefully worked in repeating patterns of wild beasts prancing in endless circles. Thick leather bracers covered his wrists. His skin was a deep tan, and his deep brown hair was cut flat and short on top of his head.		The crowd, somewhat larger that day, burst into a cheer that echoed of of the walls of the tower, raising their fists in the air and stomping their feet as a seven foot tall man with arms like tree trunks stepped onto the stone platform. He wore a leather vest over his scar-crossed chest and breeches of the same material, all of which were carefully worked in repeating patterns of wild beasts prancing in endless circles. Thick leather bracers covered his wrists. His skin was a deep tan, and his deep brown hair was cut flat and short on top of his head.

	The ~~king~~ motioned for silence and continued, “...and the green monster of God Crossing, Selara!”		The voivode motioned for silence and continued, “...and the green monster of God Crossing, Selara!”

	The crowd stared mutely at the dais where Selara stood. From one side she heard Yao Ye shrilly shrieking at the top of her lungs, “Go Selara! Break his fat head!”		The crowd stared mutely at the dais where Selara stood. From one side she heard Yao Ye shrilly shrieking at the top of her lungs, “Go Selara! Break his fat head!”
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	She lifted an open hand, palm up, to her foe. She shouted in a sing-song cant that cut through the chill morning air, “I am Daybringer Selara, daughter of Chebhar the horse-thief. From the age of four I was trained to steal and flee. Know then, Kuyen, that a horse-thief’s daughter will use half of her martial skill to defeat your pathetic Razor Palms, for the glory of the solars who punish those who abuse their station and rely on pedigree instead of compassionate ability!”		She lifted an open hand, palm up, to her foe. She shouted in a sing-song cant that cut through the chill morning air, “I am Daybringer Selara, daughter of Chebhar the horse-thief. From the age of four I was trained to steal and flee. Know then, Kuyen, that a horse-thief’s daughter will use half of her martial skill to defeat your pathetic Razor Palms, for the glory of the solars who punish those who abuse their station and rely on pedigree instead of compassionate ability!”

	Silence filled the square. The ~~king~~ himself leaned over his balcony to have a closer look at what was happening beneath him in the street. Yao Ye looked to her left and her right, then jumped on Zhou Wing’s back and and lifted one fist, shouting, “Selara!”		Silence filled the square. The voivode himself leaned over his balcony to have a closer look at what was happening beneath him in the street. Yao Ye looked to her left and her right, then jumped on Zhou Wing’s back and and lifted one fist, shouting, “Selara!”

	And then a small miracle happened, though not without the assistance of certain feats of essence. The crowd as one looked to Selara and began to cheer. The irrational exuberance spread like wildfire through those assembled, and in an instant the people in the square were leaping and shouting as though a great hero had returned to them.		And then a small miracle happened, though not without the assistance of certain feats of essence. The crowd as one looked to Selara and began to cheer. The irrational exuberance spread like wildfire through those assembled, and in an instant the people in the square were leaping and shouting as though a great hero had returned to them.
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	Then her head dipped forward, smashing its bleeding crown into his nose, and he fell into the bystanders.		Then her head dipped forward, smashing its bleeding crown into his nose, and he fell into the bystanders.

	As she stepped down from the ring, ~~King~~ Turrakhan shouting congratulations after her, Yao Ye waited with arms folded. “I suppose you think that was good,” she said sadly. “Still too quick! Another two minutes and we could have doubled this crowd. Too hasty!”		As she stepped down from the ring, Voivode Turrakhan shouting congratulations after her, Yao Ye waited with arms folded. “I suppose you think that was good,” she said sadly. “Still too quick! Another two minutes and we could have doubled this crowd. Too hasty!”

	Selara flicked the blood from her forehead onto Ye’s shirt, and said, “I don’t need your magic, or whoever’s spell that was.”		Selara flicked the blood from her forehead onto Ye’s shirt, and said, “I don’t need your magic, or whoever’s spell that was.”

Chapter 4 - Revision history

Rivers Between Us at 19:34, 1 November 2006

Rivers Between Us at 06:47, 1 November 2006

Rivers Between Us at 06:47, 1 November 2006