Primal Masquerade (Closed for Kaena)

[LucianDevine]

Valas' let out a low grunt along with the rest of the slaves in the fully enclosed wooden wagon as it hit another large bump in the road and jarred all of them in their already uncomfortable sitting positions. It wasn't the bump itself that caused them such discomfort, so much as the shackles that they involuntarily moved against with the motion, causing the unyielding steel to dig into the flesh, rubbing against it until it was red and raw. Blood trickled from the wrists and ankles of some of the captives, those that had been in the wagon longer than others. It was as impossible to tell where they had all come from as it was to even guess where they were all going. The only hint that they had that they were potentially nearing their final destination was the sound of voices that could be heard from the people up in the front of the wagon. They'd been talking about random things throughout the entire journey, but now they were talking about what they were going to do when it was done, and such a conversation would be little more than a tease of themselves if they were not close.

Valas' suspicions were confirmed when the wagon finally pulled to a stop.

"Ah, at last!" A loud males voice sounded from somewhere outside the wagon. "Today's entertainment has arrived! Let's see what we have first, shall we?" As the man's words faded, the doors at the back of the sturdy wooden were cast open. Everybody inside let out another groan as sunlight suddenly flooded what had been a near pitch-black space. The man looked them over before wrinkling his nose and turning to the side. "Let's just hope they can fight better than they smell!" As the man made his joke, what sounded like a fair few people let out a fit of laughter and cheers while they clapped, clearly eager for their...entertainment.

The man scanned over the group inside once more, sizing up each of them before his gaze finally settled on Valas. A sinister smile came to the man's face. Valas knew what was coming, almost before the man even said it, or so he thought. "We'll start with this one." The man said to one of the fully armored guards that had kept watch over the prisoners inside the wagon. One guard reached for a ring of keys that had been tucked inside his armor and moved to unlock the set of manacles attaching the man's first choice from the other armored knight. He then grabbed the chain and took a firm grip on it before handing the keys to the other guard. That guard in turn unlocked the four shackles that had bound the man's hands and feet, holding him in place. Now only the collar around the man's neck, that was attached to the chain, was left. That part wasn't removed though. The guard holding the chain gave it a sharp tug, forcing the slave to his feet before starting to walk, paying the exhausted and emaciated slave no heed as he led him out of sight of the doorway.

That left the other armored guard with the man giving orders. The man leaned close to the guards ear and whispered something that most would not have been able to hear. Valas was unlike most people though. He was a drow elf, and his keen ears picked up on the words. The man had said, "We'll save the drow for last.

And so it was. Each man was pulled from the wagon one by one until Valas was left alone in the wagon. The method of transport was ingenious in it's own way. There was no way to escape, because even when you were freed from your manacles, you were still locked and chained to a man wearing a full suit of plate armor. And no matter how desperately one wanted to escape, you couldn't pull such weight at any meaningful speed.

If the man's initial statement about wondering whether they would be able to fight better than they smelled wasn't enough, Valas' ears also picked up the sound of combat. It sounded weird though. It wasn't the normal sound of two weapons clashing. It was similar but different... The crowd cheered constantly, but when they roared and applauded, it left no doubt in Valas' mind what had happened. Only when the last sounds of battle and a final roar of the crowd faded did the man approach the wagon once more.

"And now my friends, I have for you all a very special treat. Our final piece of entertainment is..." The man paused for dramatic effect as the guard stepped forward to unlock Valas' shackles. The guard holding the chain wasted no time in pulling the chain. He was pulled roughly to his feet, and though the guard tried to pull the chain suddenly at the last second to make him fall out of the wagon, he managed to maintain his footing as he leaped down from it onto the ground. "A drow elf, freshly caught and ready to entertain all of us! Legends speak of their skills in battle and how they train from birth to kill. Let's see if this one can live up to it's name shall we?" The man roared to the crowd as they all cheered, clearing knowing what a rare privilege it was to see one of the ebony skinned fey creatures up on the surface.

The crowd of people that Valas couldn't truly see continued to cheer as the guard now pulled him into a large iron cage the size of an average persons house. The multiple bloodstains on the ground made it quite obvious what this large cage was for. The guard made sure that the cage door was locked behind the pair of them before stepping forward and shoving Valas back into the corner of the cage. A man approached from either side and secured his hands into shackles, leaving him helpless so that the armored guard could unlock the collar that and chain that bound them together. Valas' violet gaze was struggling with the bright light of the sun. He was not of this place, and it hurts his eyes to be surrounded by such brightness.

While Valas was trying to look around and get his bearings, he heard the door on the far side of the cage open. He had thought that it was just going to be the armored guard leaving, but when he focused in that direction, he saw a lightly armored man standing across the cage from him, brandishing a sword and a cocky sneer. It didn't take long for Valas to understand why the man seemed so confident. His hands did get released from the shackles that bound him, but the weapon that was tossed into the cage at his feet was...a wooden sword. He stared down at the weapon for a second in disbelief, growling low in his throat when he heard the crowd laughing at his reaction. His left hand clenched slowly into a fist as he knelt down, keeping his eyes on the man across for him as he picked up the wooden training sword. He was already sweaty from the long and hot journey in the wagon, and his body glistened in the sunlight as he waited for his opponent to make the first move.

 

[Kaena]

Shayra moved swiftly through the sea of masked people. The sound of soft violins played in the background, unable to drown out the excitement in the voices of those in the crowd. It had been awhile since the Elite had thrown a masquerade ball and the rumours of what the evening’s main entertainment would be had gotten everyone all worked up. As for Shayra herself, she really didn’t care to be there, only coming out of duty to represent her family along with her brother. Her father was currently away taking care of state affairs and her mother had fallen sickly again, and was not up to entertaining guests. Shayra had tried to get her to cancel the ball, but, her mother had been planning it for months and refused to let her cancel the event, confident that Shayra and her brother would be able to keep things running smoothly. In truth, it was her brother that was keeping the show running, Shayra was just trying to keep a low profile and not be recognized.

Shayra sighed as another masked guest brushed against her, her hand moving to the slit in her skirt that allowed her access to her knives. Out of everything she hated about the ball, the masking of identities was at the top of the list. As the head of state, her father had many enemies and it would be easy for any of them to slip into the crowd unnoticed. Hence Shayra had been on edge all evening. There was a plus side to the masks though; it did allow her to mask her own identity. The silver leopard mask she had had made for the ball hid her features well and the eye holes were tinted in a way that they obscured the fact that her eyes were a crystal blue with silver flecks, a fact that would have given her identity away immediately. Unfortunately, she had been unable to hide her long silver white hair, the long locks falling across her bare shoulders and held back away from her face by a half braid held in place by an elaborate silver pin. The dress she had picked out for the ball was just as elaborate as the pin in her hair. It was blue and silver with silver designs on the bodice and delicate silver chains draped over her bare shoulders. In any other situation her outfit itself would draw attention to her status; however, everyone else at the ball was dressed just as elaborately.

The noise of the crowd increased as her brother mounted the stage at the front of the room to address the crowd. Where Shayra was fair and delicate in features like her elven mother, her twin Shael took after their human father. His long hair was raven black and his eyes were a dull grey. Despite his lack of elven features, he was still stunning to look at and drew the attention of the ladies in the room rather quickly.

“Ladies and gentleman,” Shael began. “It is my great honour to welcome you to our home. Unfortunately my mother and father were not able to join us this evening, but, please do not let that put a damper on the festivities. I have word from the guard that the evening’s entertainment has arrived and there is a wonderful surprise for us all. If you follow me to the amphitheatre we are about to begin.” Jumping down from the stage, Shael turned towards the entrance of the amphitheatre with a flourish, smirking as two women rushed to his side to link arms with him, their masks dripping with jewels and feathers. Even with the masks, Shayra recognized them as Shael’s current consorts. Jasmeen and Faelen.

At Shael’s urgence the crowd surged forward towards the amphitheatre. Shayra tried to move out of the way, but, found herself being moved along with the sea of bodies.

“Hey, watch where you’re going,” Shayra mumbled as she was jostled to the side by a woman wearing a dress made of feathers, her mask designed to look like a bird. She just managed to steady herself when she was pushed from the other side, this time by a tall man wearing a simple black mask. Letting out an exasperated sigh, Shayra pushed her way through the crowd and took a seat at the edge of the arena. Her eyes moved to where her brother sat across from her on the other side of the arena. Since he made his identity known to everyone, Shayra was keeping a close eye on anyone around him, since it didn’t seem like he was really concerned of the potential danger that could arise.

It wasn’t long before the seats surrounding her were filled and the excited voices of the others filled the air and Shayra’s attention was drawn away from watching her brother to the center of the ring where a slave was being led in. She had been to many death matches, but, she was interested to see what was so special about tonight’s entertainment, something her brother had kept close to his chest.

The crowd roared around her as the first battle began and ended quickly. The first slave’s body dragged from the ring as another slave was being brought forth for their amusement. Over and over the scene played out and Shayra felt attention waning. It appeared to her that these matches were not any different from any she had attended before. That was until the announcer stepped into the center of the ring and announced the final piece of entertainment of the evening. As the drow was led into the ring she moved to the edge of her seat so she could get a better look. Her mother had told her of the dark elves that lived in the Underdark, but, she had never seen one in the flesh. She knew she should have been repulsed by the creature, but, for some reason she found herself attracted to the way his sweat glistened in the sunlight on his ebony skin. It was apparent that he was no stranger to battle, his skin already peppered with scars and his body well toned and muscular.

Shayra wasn’t as amused as the crowd at his reaction to the weapon he was provided. She was more interested in seeing if the rumours of his race being skilled in battle were true. With bated breath, she waited for the battle to begin.

 

[LucianDevine]

Valas' violet gaze stayed locked on his would be opponent as the two stepped towards the center of the cage. Even when the two stood no more than a couple paces apart though, Valas didn't move to be the aggressor. He was already at a disadvantage. The last thing he needed to do was rush foolishly into the fight that he knew would come to him.

Thankfully neither Valas nor their audience had to wait long for the other man to act. He took the first step forward as he lifted his arm. A second large stride closed the distance, and the mans arm came down in a wicked and lethal arc. Valas might have had a wooden sword that would never have been able to block the blade, but that didn't mean he was defenseless. He brought the weapon up and around as he took a step to the side, parrying the attack before twisting his body into a spin, spinning as he sidestepped so that when his spin was finished his wooden sword struck the off-balanced man right behind the knees. The man crumpled to one knee, and tried to push himself to his feet once more. Valas wasn't done, though, and as the man tried to stand, his wooden sword swung back around, catching the man clear in the face, sending him sprawling to his back as his sword fell free of his grasp. Valas was quick to capitalize once more, his weapon arching downward as he stepped over the man, hitting him in the face again. He started to spit up blood, or would have if he'd had a moment to do so. Valas dropped to a knee over the man as he brought his weapon down again and again, striking his helpless opponent until he stopped moving.

Despite the furious flurry of blows, Valas was barely winded. He rose to his feet, ignoring the blood that splattered his ebony skin and short white hair. He stood over his felled foe, waiting to see what would happen next.

"Well, that was rather anticlimactic wasn't it?" Valas heard the announcer from before call out. "Maybe the second round will be better!" The sound of the chains on both of the doors to the cage being opened pulled at Valas' attention, and he turned his head first one way then the other, seeing one man enter from each side. He took a step back towards his first opponents' fallen weapon, lowering himself to one knee so that he could grab it before his opponents got too close. He gripped the real sword in his right hand and the wooden one in his left as both men charged at him.

The two blades came down almost as one, leaving Valas with little option. He lifted his real sword to block the one on the right before turning his wrist to block the one on the left. He then thrust out with his left sword, trying to push that man back so that he could turn his attention to the man on his right once more. That man's reaction was faster than he'd expected though, and his left leg kicked out and caught Valas behind the knee. He dropped down to one knee, moving his sword to once again block the blow that he knew would be coming. The man on his left side was far from idle though, and even as he blocked the first blow, the second came, just as before. He tucked himself into a roll and pushed off, trying to gain some distance from his opponents. He pushed himself to his feet and brought his sword around in a horizontal slash, trying to keep both men back. The wild slash was ill-advised though, and left his left side open to a counter attack. The man attacked with a horizontal slash of his own, and even as Valas reversed his grip on the wooden handle, putting it's blade down the length of his arm, he knew it wouldn't block what was coming. He felt the impact of the two weapons and felt the wooden weapon give way, splitting in half before his opponent's blade slashed across his left forearm.

Valas roared with his anger and used the motion of his horizontal slash to spin himself once more, his feet almost dancing as he did so, dodging the weapon of the opponent on his right as he slid to the side of the man who was still open from his previous attack. Just as before, his sword came around and caught the man behind the knees. This time, though, it was a real blade, and rather than knock him to his knees, his legs flew from underneath him with a spurt of blood before he landed on his back. He heard another cry of battle, and the other man standing charged at him, moving beside his fallen comrade in the process. Valas simply stepped to the side, around the fallen man, using his body to keep distance between the two of them before he drove his weapon down into the man's heart. His left hand scooped up the man's fallen blade as he danced away from what now was a corpse. Now, armed with two blades, his foe wasn't as eager to attack. With adrenaline fueling his body, it was finally Valas' turn to go on the offensive. He rushed the man in his moment of hesitation, catching him off guard. He feigned a thrust with the blade in his left hand, but only to get the man to commit his one weapon to that side. Only then did he roll his wrist and switch his motion to an outward slash that pushed his weapon away. The clash of blades sent a shudder down his injured arm, but didn't distract him from bringing his right blade up in a lethal slash that easily cut his opponent's throat.

"Yes! Now we're getting somewhere aren't we?" The announcer called once more. "Round three!" It was then that Valas knew that he wasn't going to be leaving this arena alive, especially when he saw one man enter from one side, and two men from the other. It was just going to be one more opponent each time until he finally fell. If he was going to die, though, he wasn't about to do so without a fight. Valas charged immediately at the lone man on his right. Even as he charged, though, he knew that this was going to be a different sort of fight, a harder one. This man had a shield. The man made to ready himself against the charge, but just before he made contact, Valas leaped into the air, bringing his right sword down into a thrust against the man's shield. Though his opponent was larger, Valas had momentum on his side, letting his thrust force the man to stagger back. Valas didn't hesitate, but continued after the man, lashing out with first one blade then the other, pushing the man back step by step. He then brought his right weapon around again, knowing he was almost out of time. Just as his opponent raised his shield to block what he thought was going to be another slash, though, Valas turned his hip and his wrist, driving the blade down to stab the man in the foot. The man let out a cry of pain, but it was cut short as Valas took advantage of his moment of weakness and brought his other blade up to cut his throat, just like he'd down with his previous opponent. It was clearly a motion he'd practiced many a time, and just as he finished off his one opponent, he turned himself around to meet his other opponents.

The two men also bore shields, but where momentum had been on Valas' side before, it would not be true this time. He dove to the side, once again trying to gain distance before his back was pushed against the cage. Mobility was his only advantage right now, and if he didn't use it, he was done for. One man had to stop his charge and change direction while the other was able to keep going. Just as Valas was about to regain his footing, the man charged at him, shield first. The impact caught him on his strong side, but still sent him sprawling. He the ground and tried to foll to dodge the blow he knew was coming, but he felt the bite of a blade cut into his right thigh. He roared with his pain once again, not wanting to give these people the honor of hearing his cries of pain. The one saving grace though, was that the man's momentum had stopped with his slash. It gave him time to get to his feet, blood trickling from two wounds now as his two opponents stood side by side and stepped slowly forward. Their position made it impossible to attack the one on the right, the other guys shield was providing too much protection, meaning his target had to be the guy on his left.

Even having a plan didn't make things easier for Valas, because he still had to try and find an opening to strike. He let the men come, moving only when he had to, and only to keep as much room behind him as he could. When their attack finally came, it came as a united assault, forcing him to defense with both blades again and again, all the while they kept pushing him backwards. Fatigue was starting to catch up to Valas, though, and he felt himself waning. His opponents could sense his weakness and pressed harder, striking faster and with more force. It came with a trade-off though. They couldn't keep their shields as ready when they were attacking. It was then that Valas knew what he was going to have to do, and he already hated it. When the men made to attack, Valas pushed himself forwards instead of back and to the side. He braced his weight on his left foot as he turned his body sideways, dodging both swords for now. He shoved his shoulder into the left man's shield, forcing him backwards, giving Valas just enough time to thrust his sword upwards, now inside the other man's guard, and into his stomach. His blade stuck true, but this man didn't go down so easy. He brought his shield around and hit Valas square in the face with it, sending him sprawling once again. That man later crumpled to his knees, but the damage had been done. The last man advanced on Valas' prone position as he tried to force himself to his feet. The man lifted his sword and shield into the air, declaring victory before giving Valas a firm kick in the ribs, sending him rolling once more.

Valas was gasping for breath, covered in sand, sweat, and blood as he saw the man approaching once more. He lifted his lead to look into the man's eyes as he lifted his weapon and prepared to strike. The blade came down, but not before Valas could turn over and thrust his own sword into the man's stomach. He lurched with the strike, and Valas gave it a firm twist before the man jerked and fell backwards.

There wasn't a doubt in Valas' mind about what was coming next, but still he forced himself to his feet, wanting to meet his death at the hands of the next four men on his feet.

 

[Kaena]

The room was electric with the crowd’s excitement as the drow and his opponent moved to the center of the cage. Shayra wasn’t surprised when he didn’t rush into the fight head on, he seemed smarter than that. The speed that he moved away from his opponent’s descending blade was very impressive, as was how quickly he was able to disabled him and took him out. The viciousness with which he beat the man to death was more than she had ever seen in the ring before. It was obvious he was fighting for his life and wasn’t going to go down easy. When he rose to his feet covered in blood, she gasped along with the audience and her hand went to her knife, as if she expected him to come out of the cage into the crowd.

Shaking her head at her own ridiculousness, she leaned forward to watch as he picked up the fallen sword and turned to face his new opponents. When both of them went at him at once, she was sure that she was watching his death. She was pleasantly surprised to see that he was able to defend himself quick enough to avoid a lethal wound, however, she for some reason she was not happy to see the slash across his forearm. She pondered on why that was briefly as she watched him quickly kill the first opponent and take up his blade before going after the second, dispatching him to the underworld just as quickly as the first.

As round three was announced, Shayra felt herself start to get annoyed with the blood thirstiness of the crowd. Even though she had gone into to watch the match with the full knowledge that the drow was not intended to come out of it alive, one way or another, she suddenly didn’t want to see him die. It had a been a long time since she had seen any fighter go beyond the second round and his fighting skills were something to be envied. As a self appointed protector of her family, she wished she had the fighting skills he had. But, she knew it was not something anyone would be willing to teach her, since she was a lady of the court and not one of the guardsmen.

As the third round progressed, Shayra’s conviction that she did not want to see him die grew stronger. When he was knocked to the ground, she was once again convinced the match was over, but when he once again escaped with another non lethal wound she couldn’t help find herself internally cheering him on. The other men in the cage were inconsequential to her, mere men that had been captured on the battlefield. She didn’t care whether they lived or died. In the moment, her full attention was on him and him only. When he was thrown to the ground again, she found herself covering eyes, not wanting to see the final blow. It was the gasp and cheering of the crowd that drew her attention to the cage again, where he stood once again victorious, he wounds dripping crimson onto the already blood stained floor.

As the doors began to open to introduce his next opponents to the ring, Shayra found herself jumping to her feet.

“That’s enough,” she yelled, her voice strong and authorative. The crowd booed in response. “This fight has gone on long enough.” She blushed beneath her mask as she felt the eyes of the crowd move to where she stood.

“Who dares to interrupt this fight,” the announcer demanded his face red with anger. “Only our esteemed host has this authority.” With these words he pointed towards where her brother Shael sat. Even in the lowered lights of the amphitheatre she could see the smirk on Shael’s face as he recognized it was her that had spoke. He didn’t respond to the announcer, instead, he sat back in his seat to see what would happen next. He knew his sister was quick to temper and to be spoken to with such derision was sure to set her off.

“Have you forgotten that there is more than one host to this party,” she said, removing her mask and stepping forward, her hand sliding to her knife of her leg. At the revealing of her identity the announcer blanched slightly, having heard stories of what happened to others that had crossed Shayra’s path.

“Please forgive my rudeness My Lady,” he grovelled. “I did not realize it was you that spoke. However, I cannot allow you to stop this fight. This drow does not belong to you, therefore you have no authority over what happens to him.” As the man spoke he slowly backed away from where Shayra stood, his voice wavering, his eyes not leaving her. He knew better than to turn his back to her.

“Fair enough,” Shayra said, stepping forward. “I wish to purchase him now, before he is sent to what is surely to be his death in the next round. I will pay 100 pieces of gold to whoever is the owner of this drow. I wish to take him as my slave instead of having him killed.”

At hearing these words, Shael got to his feet and waved his hand dismissively at his sister. “There is no need for the exchange of money sister,” he said, nodding to the guards to move in and shackle the drow again. “He belongs to me and I know you will not back down once you want something, so you can have him. Though I do not know of what use you would have this vile creature. Do with him what you wish, though, I fear you might come to regret your decision.”

Shayra didn’t respond to her brother, instead she walked to the edge of the cage to watch what would happen when the guards moved in to shackle him again. “I want him collared and brought to my chambers,” she ordered, her eyes never leaving his sweat glistened body.

 

[LucianDevine]

People often think about what they would do when they are staring death in the face, but it is so much easier to think and talk about it than it is to actually face it. It did get easier, though, the more times it happened. It was not the first time he'd fought for his life. So he now faced his death with a calm look on his face. He knew he'd fought well, despite being at a disadvantage all three times, and he would not be ashamed to die.

Despite his readiness to die, though, it seemed fate had something different in mind. A female voice called out above the roar of the rest, demanding the fight be stopped. His previously stoic violet gaze faltered briefly to a look of surprise. "No, it had to be a trick, right?" Valas thought to himself as he shook his head. Certainly nobody on the surface was dumb enough to spare the life of a drow. Yet, here he was, listening to a conversation between this woman and the announcer and then with who turned out to be her brother. None of this made any sense, and yet his four would be opponents stepped back, moving now to guard the doors as they opened and the two fully armored guards stepped in. They carried the same type of collar and chain he'd been forced to wear before, but now there were two of them.

Valas did not fight the men as they secured first one and then the other collar around his neck. It was uncomfortable wearing both collars, one above the other, on his neck, but their purpose became clear. One of the guards he was chained to stepped ahead of him to lead the way while the other trailed behind. Both chains were pulled tight ensuring that even though his hands and feet weren't yet shackled, he couldn't escape.

The exit from the cage and walk towards the chambers the woman spoke of was more comical than anything else. In addition to the two fully armored guards that Vals was chained to, no less than eight guards were also charged with escorting him. There were four directly around him, swords drawn, likely to ensure that not only could he not escape, but to protect him from anybody that would rather see him dead. There were at least two more guards leading and clearing the way and tailing behind.

Additional men were walking with them, discussing how best to secure the prisoner in the ladies chambers to ensure that he couldn't escape. Most of the ideas were reasonable enough, but some were downright ridiculous. Despite that, though, Valas had to give the men credit. They were at least giving his race the respect it deserved rather than risking their ladies life.

By the time Valas and his elaborate escort reached the ladies chambers, the means with which he would be secured were there waiting for him. A swift kick behind his knees was enough to knock him from his feet down to his knees. A spreader bar was then attached to both his feet. His hands were kept in front of him but bound in a similar fashion, ensuring that even if he did know how to pick locks, he wouldn't be able to reach it with one hand, let alone two.

 

[Kaena]

Shaya was surprised when the drow didn’t even put up a fight when he was collared again. After what she had witnessed, she had expected him to put up some resistance to what would now be a life of servitude, instead of a honourable death. Still, she wasn’t going to take his lack of resistance as complacency. She was sure he would kill her and escape if given the chance.

It was the dirty looks she was getting from some of the crowd that prompted her to assign a large number of guards to escort him to her chambers. She could hear the whispers of how he should not be allowed to live and it was an abomination to have a drow alive on the surface. Though when she turned to address those who spoke, they quickly fell silent under her stern glare and scurried away back to the party in the ball room.

“You are brave taking him as a slave,” Shael’s voice drew her attention as he materialized at her side. “A drow is not easily tamed. It is not too late to change your mind and throw him back into the ring.”

“It may take me awhile to break him,” Shayra replied, watching the guards lead the drow from the arena and towards her chamber before turning her attention back to Shael. “But, once I do, I have a feeling he will be just the slave I have been looking for. Now, if you have no further need for me this evening, I will retire to my chambers. But, I warn you brother, there are many that are not happy with your gift to me, be on the watch.”

“You worry too much sister,” Shael chuckled, leaning down to kiss her cheek. “Besides, I have many bodyguards hidden among the crowd, that I am certain even you were not aware were there. I am not as clueless as you think I am.” With a smile, Shael linked arms once again with Jasmeen and Faelan and moved swiftly through the crowd to join the party goers.

Shaking her head, Shayra quickly left the amphitheatre and followed after the guard escort. Once they reached her chambers, she watched as they secured the drow with the spreader bars.

“Would you like us to leave the collars on My Lady,” the head guard inquired as he worked to unlock the collars chains from his armour and that of the other guard.

“Just one will do,” Shayra replied as she slowly walked around her new slave. Something excited her to be this close to what she knew was a very dangerous man and have him completely at her mercy. Taking the chain for the collar that the guard offered, her, she locked it in place to one of the many metal rings hidden around her room. The drow was not the first slave she had taken to her chamber and her room was equipped for even the most unruly of slaves.

“Leave us now,” she ordered the guards, motioning towards the door.


“Your brother has given us orders not to leave you alone with him My Lady,” the head guard replied. “We do not know what he will do once you are alone.”


“My brother has no authority over what I do in my own chambers,” Shayra replied, her voice once again taking a stern tone. “If you wish, you can stay outside my door, but, I do not wish to have an audience in my own chamber. Besides, I am plenty capable of handling a bound slave myself.”

“As you wish,” the guard replied, waving the others towards the door. Shayra watched them leave before returned her attention to the drow chained at her feet.

“You are an impressive warrior,” she said as she once again walked around him, admiring him from all sides and brushing her fingertips along his bare shoulders. She took note of his injuries and made a mental note to dress them before they got infected. “But, you are now my slave and I expect complete obedience from you. Anything less will be punished. First, I want to know your name.”

 

[LucianDevine]

Valas kept his smile contained as he listened to the conversation between the woman and guards. It wasn't until the door was closed and the two of them were alone that he let himself chuckle and smile. He turned his head to watch her as she circled him, letting her finger trace across his sweat, blood, and dirt coated skin.

"What use is a name to a slave?" Valas asked rhetorically with a chuckle. ignoring for the moment the pain from the wound on this thigh that was aggravated by his current position. "You would do better to heed your brothers warning before something...unfortunate happens."

Valas let his words hang in the air for a moment, continuing to ignore her question as he asked one of his own. "You speak of punishment, but what does one such as you know of punishment?" His violet gaze was strong and defiant, despite his position. He was more than a little curious as to what she would say and do.

 

[Kaena]

Shayra had always been quick to anger. It had been both useful and a hindrance during her lifetime. She could feel her anger start to rise at the sound of his chuckle. It was obvious he was not taking her seriously and considered her no threat. She had been treated that way all her life by the males of her family and she wasn’t going to allow a slave to reduce her to nothing more than a helpless female.

Moving with a speed comparable to any warrior that had trained many years, she moved behind him and pushed him face first towards the floor before he had a chance to get his hands underneath him to stop the fall. Placing her foot on the back of his neck she held him down, taking a deep breath before she spoke.

“You underestimate me,” she said calmly, the anger broiling beneath the surface well hidden from her voice. “Keep on pushing me and you will learn very quickly why I am feared by those that have crossed me.”

Removing her foot from his neck, she kneeled down beside him, placing her knee on the back of his injured thigh. Leaning in close to him, she grabbed his hair and twisted her fingers through the strands, pulling his head to the side so he was able to see her, her knee digging into the back of his leg.

“I believe I asked you a question,” she said, her icy blue eyes watching his face closely. “What is your name?”

 

[LucianDevine]

Valas' gaze was still following the woman as he mocked her, still curious what she would do when challenged. He didn't have to wait long, and when she disappeared behind him, he turned his head to the other side, expecting to see her come back around. He didn't actually expect her to actual lash out in anger, and was actually surprised when she suddenly pushed him flat on his face and held her foot on the back of his neck. He suspected that it was more an act of bravado than anything else. His suspicions were confirmed when she quickly removed that foot from the back of his neck without repeating her original question.

As he saw the shadows shift, Valas knew the woman was kneeling beside him, and though he wasn't chuckling any more, there was still a hint of a mocking smile on his lips. That mocking smile was soon tainted with the sight of his teeth as he let out a soft hiss of pain when he felt her brace her knee on the back of his injured right thigh. The hand that twisted into his hair and jerked his head to the side would have been an act of bravado like the first action she made, if not for the knee that she started to dig into the back of his leg as she repeated her question at last.

Despite the searing pain surging through his leg and scalp, Valas didn't cry out in pain. It was impossible to stop another hiss from escaping his clenched teeth though. She held his violet gaze with an icy stare, waiting for his response. "Now we're getting ssssssomewhere aren't we?" He asked, hissing with the pain as he forced a mocking smile onto his lips. "My name isss Valassss."

 

[Kaena]

“Valas,” she repeated his name softly. The name sounded foreign on her tongue, which was to be expected since he was the first drow she had ever met. Though his mocking smile still infuriated her, she was impressed with how well he controlled his response to the pain she knew he was in. His eyes gave him away though, even if he didn’t vocalize besides a couple of hisses while he spoke. It satisfied her that she could bring him such pain, since he was getting under her skin.

“That wasn’t so hard was it,” she mocked him back, pressing her knee into his leg one more time before getting back to her feet. Using her foot, she turned him over so that he was lying on his back, her eyes roaming up and down his body. The wound on his thigh was bleeding again, his crimson blood dripping down on to her pristine floor. He wasn’t going to be much use to her if he bled to death.

“Get up,” she ordered, taking a step back to give him room. She made no move to help him, even though she knew it would be difficult in the position he was in.

 

[LucianDevine]

Valas let out one final chuckle when she voiced her rhetorical question and followed it up with one final hiss of pain when she pressed her knee against his wound one last time before rising to her feet. He didn't fight her as she rolled him over onto his back, but couldn't resist speaking when he saw her eyeing him up and down. All he wore was a loin cloth which did little to hide his lithe and toned ebony body. "Heh, like what you see do you?" He asked tauntingly.

The command to stand actually pulled a slightly annoyed sigh from Valas. "Really?" He asked rhetorically as he watched her step back, clearly annoyed. He braced himself for the pain that was coming before he finally forced his body to move. He grunted with pain and effort as he forced his restrained body to roll back over on his stomach. From there it was a just a matter of reversing the process by which he had gotten flat on the floor in the first place. He had to scrape his hands along the floor flexing his muscles which once again made him grunt in pain from the wound on his forearm. Once be got his hands beneath him he bent his arms and gave himself a push so that he could force himself back into a kneeling process. The last step was the most annoying, because it required him to rock back and forth on his knees, building up momentum before he could finally rock backwards with enough momentum to get his feet beneath him and slowly rise to his feet. The action made his injured leg feel like it was literally on fire, and he was actually gasping for breath a little but was at last standing as she'd demanded.

 

[Kaena]

Shayra didn’t reply to his taunt about his body, not wanting to let on her attraction to his toned and muscular body. She also didn’t let her eyes pause too long on the front of his loin cloth, though she was curious to see what was hidden beneath. It would be revealed to her in time, though judging by the bulge against the cloth, she wouldn’t be disappointment by what she found there.

She couldn’t help but smirk and feel a bit of vindication with how difficult it was for him to get to his feet. She watched as he rolled himself over and struggled up onto his knees and then to his feet. With the way his legs shook slightly beneath him as he stood, it was obvious he was in extreme pain from his injuries. She waited a second for him to catch his breath before undoing the chain attached to his collar from the floor ring and taking hold of the spreader bar attached to his wrists. Giving the bar a tug as an indication to follow her, she walked slowly towards a small room off her chamber. She knew he couldn’t move very fast with his restraints and injuries, so she kept her slow pace as they entered the room.

It was obvious by the layout of the room that it was meant to be a bathing room. An elaborate tub stood against the far wall and the floor was tiled with a glistening marble. It was to the middle of the room that Shayra led him, letting go of the spreader bar in order to reach up and grab a chain that was attached to the ceiling.

“That injury is going to get infected if we don’t get you cleaned up,” Shayra said as she attached the chain to a ring in the middle of the spreader bar. Pulling on the end of the chain she raised his hands above his head and locked the chain in place, leaving him standing in the middle of the room, but, unable to move from his position.

Picking up a bucket of water, she gave him another smirk before dumping the cold contents over his body, letting the water run down his skin into the drain beneath his feet. Taking a wash cloth, she rubbed away the sweat and blood from his skin, leaving his injuries to last. Dipping the cloth into another bucket of water, she washed the injury on his forearm before moving to his leg and wiping the blood away from there as well.

 

[LucianDevine]

It was hard for Valas to not consider lashing out at the woman when she unhooked the chain that bound his spread bar to the floor. His mobility would naturally be hindered by the bars, but he could still likely inflict a fair bit of damage before she called for help and he was inevitably subdued once more. Despite how appealing the thought was, he forced himself to resist, though, and followed her lead as best he could despite the bars that naturally made the journey slow and awkward.

The purpose of the room was obvious enough by it's appearance. Valas didn't see any servants in the room, and it was hard not to wonder if she would be foolish enough to loose him from his bonds so that he could clean himself up. She had something else in mind, though, and before long the spreader bar between his wrists was attached to a chain hanging from the ceiling, pulled above his head, and locked in place. It didn't take long for him to discover the full of her intent, and while he was surprised by the realization that she was going to wash him herself, that wasn't nearly as surprising as the shockingly cold water that she poured over his overheated body. The shock of it pulled an uninhibited gasp from him, and the jerk of his body that came with it sent a surge of pain through from both of his injuries.

The pain and cold weren't enough to distract him from the feel of her washing him. While her touch was impersonal and thorough, it was still gentle in it's own way. Unlike before, she wasn't intentionally trying to aggravate his injuries. It was at this point that he finally decided to ask the question that was on his mind. "Why did you save me anyway? What use am I to you that couldn't be served by a more willing and less dangerous slave?"

 

[Kaena]

Shayra couldn't help smirking at his gasp when she dumped the cold water over his body. She had chosen not to warm the water first for one reason, aside from her delight in his torture by it. She had felt the heat radiating from his body and feared that a fever had set in due to his injuries. A sick slave was useless to her.

She could feel his eyes watching her as she washed his body, but it did not distract her from the task on hand. Once she was convinced most of the blood and sweat washed off, she turned her attention to dressing his wounds. First she applied a salve her mother had created which was infused with healing magic and then wrapped both of the cuts in clean bandages.

His question caught her off guard and it took her a moment to formulate a decent answer. Since the moment she had saved him till now she had been asking herself the same question. Why did she do something so reckless and stupid and totally out of character?

“You’re different,” she began, taking a step back to check her work. “Something about your strength and resilience drew me to you. I have been looking for a strong slave for awhile now. One that could be trained to be a protector as well as a lover. Any of the slaves I had before you fell short.”

As she spoke her eyes moved to his loin cloth and the one part of his body she had yet to wash. She had left it for last, mainly because she thought it would be a distraction but also because she wasn’t sure how he would react to her touch. The fact that he had yet to pull away from her made her wonder if despite the situation he was not adverse to her hands on his body.

“You have fighting skills that I wish I had myself,” she continued, moving to undo the strings of his loin cloth. “None of the men in my life prior to now have been able to or willing to teach me how to fight like you to. It is a skill you will teach me once I know you are no longer a danger to me.”

Pulling his loin cloth from his body she faltered for a second as his impressive member was revealed. From the bulge against his loin cloth she had had an idea as to what was in store, but, she had to admit she was pleasantly surprised. Gathering her senses once again, she got anoteher clean cloth and dipped it in a bucket of water that had been warmed for her bath. Looking up at him, she took his cock in her hand and began to wash away the sweat, her hand gliding sensually along the skin.

 

[LucianDevine]

Valas heard the woman speak as she washed the blood, sweat, and dirt off of his body. He barely managed to stifle the chuckle that boiled up in his belly when she mentioned him being a lover. That chuckle couldn't be stopped when she mentioned him teaching her when he was no longer a threat. That chuckle faltered only briefly when he felt her soft touch on his bare cock.

"You are a naive fool to believe in such things." Valas started simply, despite the vulnerable position he was in. "Love is not something drow believe in, only something we take advantage of. Love is a vulnerability that makes otherwise powerful people easy targets." Even as he spoke, Valas' cock started to harden and grow in her hand, growing until it was a full nine inches of glistening iron-cored ebony. "Sex is a powerful weapon we gladly use to our advantage, but your final request desire is the most foolish of all." While all conventional logic told him to speak otherwise in an attempt to gain her trust and thus ease any attempts at escape, he fund himself strangely compelled to tell her the truth that she likely already knew, or at least should have. "Trusting me with a weapon in your presence would be a mistake. Anybody you ask would tell you as much."

Despite speaking words that he doubted the woman would like, and his admittedly vulnerable position, Valas showed no fear as he continued to look at her once again curious what she would say and do in response to his bold but honest words.

 

[Kaena]

It was obvious to Shayra that Valas still considered her as nothing more than weak woman and not a threat to him in the slightest. The way he mocked her and found everything she said amusing was starting to annoy her. He needed to be shown that she wasn’t what he perceived her to be.

“I didn't say anything about love,” she said, looking up into his eyes as she slid her hand once again along his erect shaft. “I simply chose the word lover to not sound so crass. But, if you prefer sex slave instead, so be it. I don’t expect love from you. Only obedience.”

Walking around him slowly, she slid her hand along the bare skin of his stomach and along his side before taking her knife from its sheath and bringing the blade up against the soft skin of his throat.

“You act like I should be afraid of you,” she said quietly, her mouth at his ear. “Perhaps any normal person would be. But, I am not like everybody else. I am not easy to kill and I am not stupid enough to give you a weapon you can use against me. There are ways to train without the use of weapons.”

Sliding her knife back in its sheath she reached around him and took his cock in her hand again. Pressing her body against his she stroked him slowly. She had noticed his reaction to her touch and she wondered how far she could push him before he begged her to stop. It wasn’t just the drows that considered sex to be a formidable weapon. She had seen many men submit to her and this time wasn’t going to be any different.

 

[LucianDevine]

Valas didn't flinch or give even move a muscle when Shayra spoke and slid her hand along his firm and erect cock. His breathing was slow and steady, his violet gaze firm and serious. He followed her movement with his head and his gaze, even as she moved to his side. He saw the way her hand moved towards the weapon she carrier, but again didn't flinch when she drew it and pressed it against his throat.

"You should be afraid of me." Valas said simply as he leaned his head forward until he felt the sting of her blade cutting into his neck. "It's not because you are weak, but because anything else is foolish. There is nothing I can tell you that you can trust, and the sooner you realize that, the safer you'll be."

Even when Shayra sheathed her blade, Valas could still feel the blood trickling down his chest. He kept his gaze locked with hers as she pressed her lithe body against him and dropped her hand o his cock once more. He was hard and throbbing, leaving no question as to what he thought of her attentions, but his gaze was still hard with determination. "This is not a fight you can win, but if you free my hands and legs, call your guards, and give me a weapon, I can show you that which you desire, show you as only I can."

 

[Kaena]

It was Shayra's turn to laugh at his insistence that she be afraid of him. He was so tied up in his thought that he was the superior that he seemed to have forgotten who she was. It was true that he had one up on her physically and he was not one to be trusted, but she was far from scared of him.

“I am well aware that you are not to be trusted,” she replied. “But trust and fear do not have to go hand in hand. Just because I don’t trust you, doesn’t mean I have to fear you.”

Shayra shook her head as he pressed his own neck against the blade of her knife. It was nothing more than a useless show of bravado, as was his request to be freed and given a weapon. She chose not to comment on itt as she tightened her grip on his cock, squeezing it none too gently before moving her hand away.

Turning on her heel she left him standing there and returned to her chamber. Walking to a cabinet beside her bed, she pulled out a wooden box and set it on the bed. She opened the chest to reveal an elaborate leather collar. Taking it from the box, she smiled as she felt the hum of the magic she had infused it with. It had been many years since she had needed to use the collar, but, it was just what was needed to show Valas that she was not one to be trifled with.

Returning to the bathing room, she undid the collar that currently encircled Valas’ neck and threw it to the side. Meeting his gaze once again, she slid the leather collar round his throat and buckled it in place, speaking a locking spell to ensure it could not be removed.

“You have spent so long beneath the surface that you seem to have forgotten why my people have managed to survive for so long,” she said flashing him a wicked grin. “Where we lack in stature we make up with our magic. All your strength is no match to what I can do to you with this simple collar I have placed around your neck.”

Watching him warily, Shayra moved quickly to unhook the chain from the ceiling and then removed the spreader bar from both his wrists and ankles. Taking step back out of his reach she took a deep breath before she spoke again.

“On your knees,” she ordered, praying to the Goddess that her magic would not falter.

 

[LucianDevine]

The tight grip on his cock didn't feel the greatest, but Valas was far too distracted by the battle of wills to let it show all that much. He did let out a soft gasp when she released him, though, and was curious what her intentions were when she spoke and left the room. He didn't have to wait long, though, and before long she returned with what looked like a simple leather collar. He was notably confused when she took the collar from around his neck and replaced with her own. He heard the words she spoke, and though he didn't practice magic, he recognized the ancient language.

When she met his gaze once more, Valas couldn't help but be curious what she had in mind, especially when she spoke and slowly started to remove the bars that bound him. He could see her watching him warily, likely expecting him to lunge for her. He simply raised his eyebrow at her as he rubbed his wrists that were a little red and swollen from the cuffs and the pressure from the spreader bars. He watched her take a deep breath before she spoke.

Shayra's command was three simple words, and Valas wanted to laugh, or at least chuckle, but he felt his body starting to obey her. He felt his knees starting to bend, and he fought against the urge until his entire body was quivering with the effort it was taking to resist it. Soon, despite his efforts, his knees were starting to bend. His fists and jaw was clenching, his entire body shaking like he was freezing and shivering. When he finally collapsed to his knees, he actually let out a heavy sigh of relief, because at least the struggle was over. He had to take several deep breaths before he finally forced himself to look up at Shayra once more.

"Now that's more like it." Valas said with a soft chuckle, still recovering from his fight with the magic that had literally forced him to his knees.

 

[Kaena]

It had been awhile since Shayra had been able to witness the full power of the collar, having used it previously on a less resistant slave. To see such a strong man brought to his knees before her, no matter how hard he fought it sent a chill up her spine. She couldn’t deny that the knowledge of how much control she had over him had an arousing affect.

She stood silent as he caught his breath and finally looked up at her. His comment caught her off guard. She wasn’t sure whether he meant that he was glad to not be struggling against the magic now that he was on his knees or that he was finally impressed that she shown her true power over him. Either way, to hear him laugh again after what had just happened still made her wonder he still considered inferior to him.

“The collar you has been infused with a strong and ancient magic,” she finally spoke, moving closer now that she knew he was under the magic control and no threat to her. “Aside from forcing you to obey me, it can also not be removed by anyone but me. If you try to remove it, you will suffer for it and if you think killing me will break it’s power over you, you would be wrong. Since the collar is linked to me, if anything happens to me while you wear it, you will die as well, and the death will not be pleasant.”

Walking around him slowly, she brushed her fingers along his bare skin, resisting the urge to use the collar again to force him to follow her into the bedroom. She wanted to test if he would obey on his own or keep resisting her.

“Things will be easier for you if you obey me and do as you are commanded,” she said, running her fingers along the collar. “However, it doesn’t matter to me. You are the one who will suffer if you resist me.”

Moving to the doorway leading to he bed chamber she motioned him to follow her before disappearing into the next room.

 

[LucianDevine]

Valas remained on his knees as Shayra spoke and circled around him, tracing her finger along his clean skin once more. He listened to her words very carefully, and one of them in particular stuck out to him, the word "commanded". His gaze had followed her movements from start to finish, and when she headed towards the bed chamber once more, turning her back to him after signaling him to follow, he hesitated to confirm his suspicion.

Just has he had suspected, Valas' body was not compelled to obey Shayra's unspoken command. It seemed to him that the collar's magic only worked when she verbally commanded something of him. After that bit of confirmation he rose to his feet and followed after her. When he saw that she didn't turn around, even when he got close, an idea came to him, and before he could talk himself out of it, he acted on it.

Without hesitation, Valas surged forward, his left hand wrapping around Shayra and covering her mouth as his right hand pinned her right arm against her body.

"Rule number one of fighting...never underestimate your opponent." Valas hissed into Shayra's ear as he let go of her right arm to let his fingers trace slowly up the curve of her arm, along her shoulder, her neck, and finally to her hair. His hand fisted in her hair, and when he tried to pull against it, he felt the muscles in his hand and arm lock up. Struggle as he might, he couldn't do what he'd intended. He made a mental note of that as he changed his plan and let his fingers brush against her cheek, down her breastbone, feathered around one of her heaving breasts, down her stomach, and finally to grip the hilts of one of the daggers she kept sheathed.

In a single flurry of motion, he pulled the dagger from it's sheathe, shifted his hand away from her mouth, and pushed her away from him towards the center of the room.

"Since you weren't brave enough to give me a weapon, lets see if your brave enough to try and take it from me, or if you are going to rely on your magic to do it for you." After he spoke, Valas took up a relaxed stance, holding the dagger loosely in one hand, waiting to see what Shayra would do.

 

[Kaena]

Shayra hadn’t expected him to fall in line right away. Frankly she would have been disappointed if he hadn't attempted to test the magic of the collar. By leaving him alone in the bathing room, she was giving him a chance to test the boundaries of the collar and to see if he would try to attack her once her back was turned. It didn’t take long for her to sense his presence in the room, but she pretended like she didn’t notice.

She resisted the urge to tense up and draw her dagger when he grabbed her from behind. Instead she took a deep breath and focused on the feel of his hard body against her. She could feel her heart quickening at the touch of his hand brushing along her bare arm and across her shoulder. When he finally tangled his hand in her hair she smiled to herself. She could feel his arm shaking as he attempted to pull her hair and chuckled softly when he finally let it go in defeat.

Shayra couldn’t deny that she was enjoying his touch. She shivered softly as his hand be used her breast and down her stomach. She knew he was going for one of her daggers but she didn't do anything to stop him. When he finally pulled one of them and pushed her away from him, she finally turned to face him, shaking her head as she drew her other dagger.

“You speak of underestimating your opponent but you continue to underestimate me,” she said softly, shifting the dagger so that she held the tip of the blade. She contemplated attempting to throw her dagger to see if she could disable the arm that held his weapon, but by how closely he was watching her and how quickly she knew he could move, she doubted it would be effective. If anything, the only thing that would happen is he would have two weapons and she would have none. Shifting the blade so that the handle one again rested in her hand, she circled him, cautious not to turn her back on him while he was armed.

“I am more than just my magic.” She continued, studying his stance for any weak points. It was true she had not been officially trained as a warrior but she had spent many hours watching her father’s guards practice in the court yard and then practicing the moves on other slaves she had in the past. Of course they were easy targets and Valas was surely anything but. Ducking low, she made a sweeping motion with her leg in attempt to either knock him off his feet or at least off balance before rolling away and back onto her feet before taking her own defensive stance.

 

[LucianDevine]

Valas heard Shayra speak, and while she wasn't completely wrong, that wasn't the purpose of him doing what he was doing. He kept to his stance, knowing that she was probably going to attack. Tactically speaking, her attacking was the wrong move, but the expected move. As such, when she did duck low and rush at him, he was ready. He felt the tension in his injured leg as he lifted it to dodge her sweeping leg, but it was already starting to feel better from the healing salve she'd put on it. He felt one step further though, pivoting on his other foot as he did so, spinning quickly as his arm snapped out and around. He could have stabbed or slashed her in the ass or thigh if he'd wanted, but he knew that the collar would have stopped it. So he instead chose to just give her a tap on the ass with the flat of his blade before he fell back into his stance once more.

"Don't be so quick to rush your opponent." Valas said simply as he stepped forward to attack, bringing the blade up from the right side in a would be attempt to stab her in the stomach. "Speed is good, but haste will get you killed!" He naturally wasn't actually going to stab her, but he was testing her defense to see how she reacted and how quickly she reacted.

 

[Kaena]

Shayra knew she made a mistake in being the first attack before he even spoke, but, she had been so focused on having the upper hand that she hadn’t taken a moment to think first. In the end all she ended up doing was showing how amateur she really was when it came to fighting. She let out an involuntary yelp as he tapped her ass with the blade of the dagger, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment. In any other circumstance, where he was not limited by the collar, he could have killed her before she even had a chance to react.

In what she lacked in combat training she made up for with the defense skills she had been taught by her father. Where she was not skilled at being the aggressor, she was apt at defending herself if someone came at her. She saw his arm come up and moved quickly in reaction, using one arm to deflect the blade away from her body, she countered by driving her elbow into his stomach and pushing him back away from her.

Backing away to catch her breath she watched him warily, her skin starting to glisten with sweat. Aside from his skills, he had one other advantage on her. He wasn’t weighed down by clothing like she was, which was impeding her ability to move as quickly as she liked.

 

[LucianDevine]

Valas knew well enough that his attack would be dodged or blocked. He telegraphed it well enough, but it had it's purpose. He watched the way she blocked it, and was glad to see and feel her follow that up with an elbow to the stomach. "Yes, good!" He said as he stumbled back. His eyes burned with intensity as he readied himself once more and flipped the dagger around in his hand, putting the blade parallel to his forearm.

Valas stepped forward again, gauging her reaction before moving his left leg forward to try and sweep her right leg from under her, much like she'd done to him. He knew what she was going to do, though, and even as he performed the motion, he was ready to follow up by planting that foot, stepping forward with his other foot and bringing the blade around. The reverse grip on the weapon gave him the option to use either his fist on her stomach or face, as well as the blade itself, and by the time she knew what was coming, he'd likely be inside her guard.