Postby Magekind » Sat Aug 13, 2005 4:37 pm
(Guardians, cont'd)
The silence was palpable as everyone froze, waiting to see the stranger's reaction. He looked around slightly bewildered at the group, and finally reached a hand down to the boy, saying as he did so, Watch your step, child.
Although he didn't understand a word of what was said, the boy took the man's hand and was lifted off his feet. That moment made an impression on Joshua Carmen as he was raised to his feet by a total stranger that he would never forget. The tension was broken by Lydia continuing with her introduction, showing them a little of the house, and finally the room they would be staying in, should they choose to stay for the night.
Their odd attire had garnered quite a crowd by now, and it was easy for Ren DaRin, the tall, thin, long-haired stranger, to touch one for a second, and gain a little more of their language. The difference was hardly noticed, although he would have preferred to keep it to only one person. The words were quite a mumble-jumble now, but he was sure once he began speaking, they would start to make sense. The others, of course, would have to rely on him to teach them.
As the night wore on, and even toward the wee hours of the morning, they found themselves mingling easy with what little of the crowd remained awake, down in the basement where a ring had been drawn on the floor, and John was making his expertise in combat known. The three looked at each other for a second as John issued a challenge, having bested many in the crowd without striking them once. Finally, Rouen, the warrior of the three, spoke. It wouldn't be right to hurt him, would it?, he asked.
No, was Ren DaRin's reply. But even I, the weakest of us, could combat him. Your intervention would be too much.
The other two nodded, and Ren DaRin approached the circle. "I will," he said haltingly. John raised an eyebrow. "You want to fight me?"
The man nodded, and stepped into the circle. "I was trained by the best for a long time."
Ren DaRin simply nodded, and John appointed a referee. The rules were simple: Knock your opponent down or put him outside the circle before he does the same to you. "Out" of the circle consisted of both feet, "Down" consisted of the referee's count to ten before standing back up. Ren watched John closely as he dropped into his stance, and waited. The man was certainly sure of himself.
Take it like you gave it; what else matters in the end? To be honest, it's all a one-shot test; that leaves plenty of places to go wrong, but how will you ever know? There's a pointer, I will admit. Turn it on, listen to it, feel it burn.
At-Close Paren-Right inclusive bracket-Tilde. Thanks to CAA mods. Taken from Jaden Mental's sig.