Broken Contracts (Hana ✗ Sen)

[Hana]

The huntress leaped down from the branch she was perching upon, landing from a height onto the leaf-covered forest floor with nary a sound. She gave the second prince a considering stare, how had this young man kept up with her and Phynex's hunt through the forest? He must know every inch of the grounds, perhaps, but even her partner was good at coming through these areas as hard to see or detect. She glanced at the silver Northern goshawk that settled onto his master's arm with an arched brow, then at the felled rabbit at the prince's feet. There were no guards behind Yinbao to indicate he had had the pair tracked by soldiers. It was only the prince and his hunting bird.

What was supposed to be the 'base camp' among the mountain grounds was actually the vacation palace of the royals, on a mountain path that the prince and his entourage of guards led their guests through. They had tied up the fallen deer's limbs, as well as taken the rabbit hunted by the hawk and were carrying it back. Once they came to the grounds, situated in the highest peaks of the mountaintop where light fogs kissed the ground, the party once again settled. Selene glanced around their surroundings, it was quite light here on top of the mountain - and it afforded an amazing scenery to the eyes of those who were able to come to this place. Sunlight cast the mountain palace in a shining white, lightening the entrance. It was a beautiful morning.

"Shall we proceed to the competition now, your highness?"

 

[Mu]

The guards had set up the training grounds for their match whilst they were out hunting. After handing the deer and the rabbit to the men who would prepare them to take back to the royal kitchens, the three headed out to the small clearing free of trees and kept clean for its uses. A wide square area where there were no trees. It was pressed up against a looming chunk of the mountains, where Phynex could see two more targets set up on a flat surface, why was that there? Now there were four targets for them to shoot at, two for Yinbao and two for Selene. One at their eye level, and one that took some head tilting to see.

Although Phynex could have preferred to grumpily throw himself at a chair, he willed himself to stand just a few steps behind his partner like a proper bodyguard. The least he could do was watch their competition, and he had his mind set on another victory for the huntress.

As the guards moved away from the targets, the prince released his hawk back into the hair. "I thought we would add another gimmick to our game, Selene-san. Pardon such late notice," he said, pointing at the mountain ahead. "I thought it would provide a good challenge. One arrow up on those targets shall be worth double points." The prince stated the rule with an air of confidence, the fire demon could tell that even shooting at such a wide arc would be his forte, it was another test to see the huntress' abilities.

 

[Hana]

Following after the prince's lead, huntress and demon stood on one end of what looked like a small clearing set aside for Yinbao's use. Selene glanced at the four targets situated on the far end of the clearing, one at a horizontal lineup and the other at a high angle for each archer. She silently arched a brow at the higher targets, realizing the added difficulty of shooting those due to the way it was situated - among steep rocks that must have taken caution to scale just to place a target on, branches swaying before them. Plants and flowers grew among the crags of the rockfaces.

Sensing Phynex's presence like a ghost behind her, Selene spared the fire demon a long look before turning away. "I see." It was the same challenge as yesterday, only with two targets for each of them to shoot multiple arrows at. The goal was still the same as that first time Prince Yinbao challenged her... Yet it was clear he knew he was good at shooting at such wide arcs. There was also the winds that would whip past and rustle the branches at the tops of the mountains to be considered.

The same aide accompanying Yinbao the last time signaled the beginning of the challenge, and so the prince and his guest took up their bows. Selene moved her focus on the two targets once more, eyes narrowing as both archers nimbly loaded arrow after arrow into their bows, loosening the strings and sending them flying towards the wooden targets. And the wind could throw our aim off more, she realized with an inward frown. It wasn't something she had never dealt with before, but they had to consider the very angle they released their arrows with just to adjust it to the way the wind would veer them off course.

It was after they finished that Selene blinked in slight surprise as she noted Yinbao's accuracy and speed - had he improved himself since last time? "... Very well done."

He had actually scored more points than her this time, and being beaten at one of her skills was a rare pleasure she had to know. Selene smirked slightly at Yinbao. "You're certainly impressive."

 

[Mu]

Phynex and the soldiers watched with silent awe at the flurry of arrows that soon took to the skies. Arrow after arrow found their marks in the wood, peppering the targets dead center. Prince Yinbao and Selene nocked their arrows at the speed of light, some of their shots a frighteningly straight line while some soared above them in a wide arc in order to score more points. The fire demon was confident the huntress could win, and judging from the way some of his men looked at the traditionally-clad woman, Phynex would say they shared the same thoughts as he did. The match felt as if it had spanned a long time, but it was over in a flash. The prince was noticeably breathing slightly heavier than usual, pinpricks of sweat beads appearing on his forehead before he wiped it with his sleeve. There was silence, an eerie quiet as the guards began pulling out and counting the arrows the two had fired. Everyone was holding their breaths in anticipation, and Phynex was steeling himself for another victory to Selene - and probably another ridiculous prize given to the huntress--

"Second Prince Yinbao wins!" a guard held up a bundle of arrows. "76 against 75!" the man stated once more. The entire audience stared at the huntress, then at the prince, before offering polite applause. "Congratulations, Prince Yinbao!" many voices echoed around the young prince, who smiled faintly. It was an odd expression on his face, the fire demon was used to seeing that emotionless and uncaring clean slate of a look. He always seemed disinterested in everything, but it was different when it came to passion. The fire demon's eyes lit up - it was just like him, wasn't it? Whenever it came to working with Selene, or doing his job as a contract demon, he was just as concentrated and as happy as the second prince. Not wanting to be disrespectful to Prince Yinbao, he clapped along with his men. "Congratulations, Prince Yinbao. You are very talented," he complimented with grace.

The prince nodded at the fire demon. "And you, as well. Your hunting skills are impeccable." His voice was a low murmur but held a tinge of pride and gratitude. Sharp eyes turned to the huntress, still humble even after winning and earning a victory. "It was a challenge, Selene-san. I look forward to our next match. It will be even more interesting to see what you are capable of," the prince did not smile, but there was one in dark grey eyes.

He wondered how long Selene would stay happy that she had managed to find someone who had bested her at something. Phynex had to admit he was a little bit jealous.

---
​

Though that night they were blessed with a feast of rabbit and deer, cooked with spices and broth by the royal cooks, there was no time to rest. The following day they were expected to ride up to the mountains where Arashi, the Old One who was a well-known swordsman with a strange ability, would be waiting for them. The fire demon and the huntress had tiredly retired to their room where little speech was shared as they prepared for bed, but were content with the warmth of the sheets and quiet whispers of reassurance and their future being passed as they slid under the sheets. Normally, a bodyguard and a lady sleeping in the same bed would be preposterous, but they knew that wasn't the case for them.

The sun rose high in the early hours of the morning, breakfast already prepared and piping hot as the foreigners slipped into something more worthy and sturdy for a mountainous area. Unfortunately for Selene, and much to her disappointment - that still meant a kimono.

Their next destination was a mountain that sat behind the Capital, a mountain that was shaped like the maw of a terrible dragon sticking out of the ground. Smoke billowed from the crack that acted as the mouth, and Phynex couldn't help but laugh when they approached the huge volcano. This was what his father had created during his stay? Kimyotake had told them with joy what had happened. General Naberius, who had gotten comfortable during his diplomatic mission, decided to spar against an Old One. His fiery breath and his sword sliced the mountain in half, his fire melting the rock itself, giving way to the swirling mass of liquid magma underneath. Since then, youkai that could wield the power of fire called the mountain, named Longya Mountain, their home. It soon became one of the royal forges, using expensive and irreplaceable rare metals given to them by the Emperor to create fine weapons for the elite. And as a special treat, the foreigners could help themselves to a weapon of their choice in these famous forges.

"Do you really think a guandao suits me?" Phynex asked Selene in the midst of a discussion of what weapons they would choose. They had not yet seen most of the weapons in the East, the fire demon knew what these long pole-armed weapons looked like... but these strange knives and blades the huntress spoke of painted no particular image in the fire demon's mind. And that was not the only thing he was nervous about. There was Arashi. He seemed to be a gruff person among the other Old Ones. Friendly Kimyotake, quiet but wise Crane, jolly and slightly annoying Sankawamaru and the nonchalant Shiruchishi. Compared to them... Arashi seemed a bit hot-headed. They still needed to get to know each other, and Phynex had a feeling he would be seeing the red-skinned oni a lot further down his journey here in the East.​

 

[Hana]

"With time, yes. You have experience with your glaive, Ignis." Or a sword. He used it more in his demon form, but the knowledge of how to use guandao in his human form would probably improve his overall skill. She glanced at the oddly shaped terrain of the Longya Mountains as the carriage steadily made its way. The initial sight of the mountain had caused her to arch a brow as Phynex burst into peals of laughter, at least someone was amused. The mountain forges were supposedly impressive, and it was now their time to see for themselves the famed weapons forged from rare metals. "I read up on the weapons and the guandao is similar to a glaive or a naginata, which is another Eastern weapon."

She had noticed the curious and apprehensive looks he was sending her way, and murmured, "You'll see the butterfly swords and Deer Horn Knives as well. I think they will suit my needs here adequately." Along with the challenge and pleasure of learning a knew weapon, she was as close to looking forward to this visit as she could be. "And are you nervous about meeting Arashi-sama?" Amusing how Arashi had a rather simple and direct name compared towards the more graceful names his colleagues had. It was also rather telling of his reputation.

Storm. Arashi was a storm, to put it bluntly. She knew that 'Arashi' was not his entire name, but it was a moniker that fit him like a glove. And it was strange how despite his gruff demeanor and brutish appearance, he was apparently one of the renowned swordsmasters in the East - where sword styles were known for control over the body translating to control over the weapon as an extension of self. They hadn't seen his sword in the royal family's presence, but he had promised to show them today.

 

[Mu]

"Father taught me how to use Ignis since young," he pointed out to the huntress, raising an eyebrow at her. After the burning ritual and his speedy recovery, the general had helped him create his first weapon. It was a heavy glaive that grew with him, and now was his trusty sword that he could easily call upon if he ever needed it. Phynex had many years, even centuries, to perfect his swordsmanship with it. But if he were to choose a guandao and learn its ways, he would have to train a lot in the short span of time he had if he were to ever have any hope in swinging it about gracefully and usefully in battle. Embarrassing himself with his lack of skill in a weapon was not an image of a bodyguard the fire demon wanted to show the Easterners.

They were nearing the top of the mountain where Arashi would be waiting for them. On the subject of the oni Old One, the fire demon had to admit he was a little nervous with having the youkai as a potential teacher and guider. Phynex never got along with extremely volatile people, and from what the fire demon had seen so far, Arashi was loud-mouthed and confident in what he had to say. He was silent for a moment after hearing Selene's questions before nodding slightly, replying with a soft voice "A little." There was something wrong if he was getting scared of another demon, Phynex never recalled a time he looked at another one of his kind - or even a cousin of his species - and felt fear and terror. Aside from... that one incident. His eyes flickered to Selene, tightening his fist and falling into silence, simmering in his own self judgement and thoughts.

At the top of the mountain where the edge of the jaw opening began and acted as the entrance to the forges was Arashi and a youkai. He took the form of a dark skinned man, someone who was used to be outside in the sun and did not mind the heat. Phynex could sense the fire burning inside of him, a trait that all fire-wielders like him had. Two horns stuck out of his forehead, parting his dark hair to the side. They looked similar to Arashi, though the latter only had one. Another oni type? "Welcome to the Longya Forges, Selene-san and Phynex-san," the stranger greeted. "Arashi-sama has noted of your arrival. It is an honor to meet you." He bowed low, the blacksmith's tools hanging by his waist banging against his leg as he shuffled.

 

[Hana]

"I think," she murmured after scanning him over with an indiscernible, miniscule frown, "That your worries far exceed that of the actual level of concern suitable for this." Selene had pressing concerns in her mind herself. The thought of her father lying in that treacherous state far away, the state of affairs in Nora, and all the changes were still very much things that had their own kind of pain or unease. And Phynex - he was lingering either on what happened in the past years, or he was flagellating himself over what he had done. What people would think of him. How he would approach people and situations from now on. She didn't speak afterwards, glancing out the small windows that let them see outside the carriage. "Arashi and the other Old Ones of this land are much calmer than those in the West." Even if that oni looked like he had a volatile temper, she seriously doubted he would desire to clash with a stranger. He had likely met all kinds of people and it looked like he just had no patience for tomfoolery.

The carriage slowed to a stop at the mouth of the forge, the horses neighing softly as they kicked up their feet on the rocky ground. Selene sighed as she and her partner gingerly made their way to the entrance, the huntress unamused at her kimono, but soon turned her attention to the distant sounds of metal hitting metal, of furnaces and people, just past the entrance. It sounded like the forges of Longya Mountain were already quite busy in this time of the day, even if they only served important officials and soldiers, as well as the royal family.

Arashi of the Storm's looming red figure stood out, the swordsman standing with another sizeable man of the same species. His muscled arms were crossed over his bare chest, the redskinned oni's top hanging from his hips as if he had shrugged it off. Maybe the heat from inside the forge was something, because both the onis were lightly sweating even now, smudges on their arms and on their skin as if from work. Even the Old One handled and supervised the processes when he was there, it seemed. He moved his blue eyes to Phynex, and then to the huntress, and grunted noncommittally. "Guandao. Butterfly swords and deer horn knives. Come on. We have some of those already, but you need to test those out before we forge something to suit you as guests."

 

[Mu]

The fire demon stopped and stared at the oni as he loomed above by the entrance. Phynex had already begun to associate the East as a place of modesty, many of the people and the youkai he had seen or met were incredibly different from those back home. They were less loud, less foul-mouthed, always used honorifics even to a stranger. But Arashi didn't seem fazed that he was standing bare-chested in public, leaving Phynex to wonder if this was normal behaviour for either Arashi or his species. His eyes flickered to the smaller oni beside him, he had thin clothes on, which was understandable. But then again, he looked down at his own skin - unflushed and not sticky from sweat like the workers inside – he could not really feel the heart, much less think it was a discomfort.

"Yes, we have some spares in the storage," the smaller oni said before turning to guide them into the opening of the volcano. There was no need for light, as the roaring magma underneath provided an unnatural red glow that covered the entirety of the forges. Very small hanging torches had been nailed onto the sides near the rim, the bright sky shining beyond. All they could hear were the yells of the oni workers and the clanging of metal as they met the blacksmith's hammer. It was rhymic and soothing at the same time, despite the dangerous looking sparks that flew when metal met metal.

They were taken to a much quieter area of the Longya Forges, where there were several smaller caves carved into the sides of the volcano, barred by guards and doors. They seemed to be the storages and the offices of the most important workers here. "Let us start with the guandao before moving to the knives, lady and gentlemen." Disappearing into the darkness of one of the storages, he emerged holding the polished long pole of the guandao. Painted a dark imperial red, its blade glinted in the red light. A dragon design had been carved onto the surface, along with a signature. The creator's signature. "For you, Phynex-san?" he inquired, passing the weapon to the fire demon handle first. "Our guandaos are so you will have no trouble with letting it carry its weight," slitted eyes glanced at the silent fire demon's build. "Your build suggests that it will be easy for you to attack, but more difficult to control sudden sharp movements or defense, so we have refined and strengthened the pole as well. Not to mention…" he continued blabbering on, pointing out the imperfections that had been corrected compared to other weapons produced by other blacksmiths. How he manage to calculate all of that? Phynex gave the weapon a twirl, the blade cutting through the air with a 'whish'. "How do I look?" he asked, blinking at Selene and Arashi.

 

[Hana]

Selene was a little bemused at the loud and aggressive yells that echoed off the cavernous walls of the forges, the group passing by oni whose oddly colored skin shone with sweat and were smeared with ash. Holding out their hammers and then swinging them down with a loud yell more fit for a battlecry. Much like a traditional forge, the small caves were fitted with torches along the craggy walls, casting a hellish glow on hard grey stone. Alongside the smith's worktables were flickering lamps that lent them the light to work with their tools and their creations. The deeper they went inside those cave rooms, the hotter the temperature seemed to become. Glancing at Arashi's barechested self, she sighed and inwardly contemplated loosening the front of her kimono. It was sweltering in some portions of this place. Yet Phynex wouldn't even begin to feel the beginnings of it, even as he wore lighter clothing.

She listened with a steadily rising brow to the other oni accompanying them, eyes skimming over the proferred guandao. He did like to rattle on about the weapon's qualities. The maker of it must have been well-respected, or they were very assured of the quality their blacksmiths made. "Yet that is not the one that will be forged for him." She was doubtful that making the pole lighter and 'easier to swing', as they put it, would help Phynex. He would need something heavier to tame his demonic strength and it would also lend more power to his strikes. There was a balance between a weapon being light to help the wielder be swift, and it being so light that it became too swift. "A heavier build would be more suited for him in controlling his strikes than a lighter one would." She was speaking from personal experience.

"Like you need to be trained so you don't accidentally lop some poor fucker's head off, boy," Arashi snorted lightly at the fire demon's question, eyes critical as he looked at Phynex's form. "And I'm supposed to help you? You bet your ass you'd need to work hard under my watch. He needs something with heavier metal, but the form is fine. Might need to test this guandao out more to at least teach him not to walk and carry it without hurting himself." That was a rather blunt way of addressing Phynex, Selene mused. Her partner was quiet and tense already, she was curious as to how he would face up to the unrelenting pressure that was the Old One.

"And you. You want knives and those swords. You're going to be testing out the Deer Horn Knives against someone from here."

 

[Mu]

"Heavier?" the oni who had handed him the weapon blinked at the snow-haired woman with surprise, eyebrows raised. He stood confused and dazed for a second, his eyes flickering to the guandao he had just passed before nodding. "You know Phynex-san better than I do, miss. Take that one for practice now, Phynex-san. We have a cooler area you can head to, we'll be observing, of course." He began muttering under his breath about what iron and metals to cast and look for for a heavier blade and pole.

The fire demon chuckled light heartedly, trying not to take offence to the tone Arashi was using to speak to him. The red-skinned oni already came off to him as that sort of gruff man who said words he didn't particularly mean. "I'm used to a blade's weight, not something like this." He gave it another swing, "Maybe the pole needs to be heavier to balance it out." And definitely sturdier so his weapon wouldn't be smashed with the sheer force he could sometimes apply to it. Phynex was suddenly grateful his sword was forged the way it was, so unlike a conventional weapon. And he had his father to thank.

From the storage room, the smaller oni reemerged with two weapons, each hidden under cloth. When removed, it revealed a dark grey... strangely-shaped blade. Or were they blades? It looked like two steel crescents, like boomerangs, crossed and attached to each other. It had four rounded claw-like points each, but the edge were sharp like blades. A new, tightly wrapped handguard protected it's wielder and it looked light enough to swing and use with ease. "For the lady... ah, be careful, Selene-san." The oni seemed proud of his handiwork, "There are our spares. Of course, they need adjustments. Newly forged, very sharp. Perfect for deflecting longer weapons like swords. Difficult to hide as a lady roaming the streets with the sun up, but they are suitable for night raids." He blinked at her, "Is it to your liking?"

 

[Hana]

Phynex's calm and measured reaction to Arashi made her look over at him, the huntress taking notice of his seeming ease at the oni's bluntness that verged on rudeness for some people. Was he actually keeping himself from taking offense? She knew how certain taunts had a way of getting the fire demon fired up or competitive, she took advantage of it when they trained together, after all. But he only really responded well when she was the one being that blunt, and to an extent with his good friends. As a demon he was probably used to crassness and malicious jeering back in Phantisamine but he was polite as a person. Even politer than her in some aspects.

She turned and accepted the pair of oddly shaped weapons from the blacksmith, catching the glint of light that traveled the sharp outward curve of the larger blade before it reached the tip from one. As expected from what she had read it was two curved blades that crossed with each other, the handle in the midsection of what was the longer curved blade, a hand guard wrapped around the important sections to protect the wielder's hands. It was the outer edges that were dangerously sharp, as was the ends that curved into deadly points. It was slightly larger than the smaller traditional deer horn knives that most used, the big blades spanning her forearms, probably because it was created by the oni of Longya Forge who thought up better ways for it to be used.

Selene glanced at the oni. "We'll see." She had read up on the weapons but this weapon had a related art that she had to test out herself. Baguazhang. She wondered if there was anyone trained in that in the royal court, or if she had to study it from diagrams and scrolls on her own. The huntress was experienced enough in learning other styles and adapting it to her own fighting to study it by herself, but she took a look at Arashi and realized there was an actual person to test it with. She held the knives by their proper grip, having learned how to hold them properly and intuitively picking up on how to hold them on her own. Holding it out in front of her with one below the other, the huntress locked the blades together experimentally. It was capable of catching swords and blades if locked together. "Hmm. Can we test it out against a swordsman?"

"Perhaps Arashi-san?" She peered at him pensively, noting the usual scowl on his face had smoothed out upon hearing her. The oni arched a white brow at her.

"You've got guts. But you and your partner should give those a few practice swings where he'd be leading us now." He jerked his thumb at the other oni. "And we also have people here you can test those against."

 

[Mu]

The fire demon watched as the smaller oni laughed nervously at their suggestion. "I mean no disrespect, Arashi-sama and Selene-san. But we're still fixing up the other testing ground-" he coughed politely, "after your last bout." They didn't like their attention being turned away from making weapons, especially for fixing their forge. The sentence hung in the air unsaid. Phynex could tell that the Old One must have frequented the place a lot, due to the fact their guide didn't seem as afraid of him as how the general public seemed to regard any of these ancient youkai. Not friends... but close. "Seeing as Phynex-san has a guandao, and Selene-san has Deer Horns, how about we get them to try them out against each other? It will make the process faster," he suggested.

"But let me first get..." he disappeared back into the storage. Leaving the three outside, with Selene still admiring the knives and Phynex trying to balance the lightweight weapon in his hands. He returned quickly with two blades, ones that Phynex recognized from Kimyotake's weapon scrolls. Butterfly swords. "Very interesting choice for a lady," he commented. "But certainly very brutal. You'll see plenty of sea-farers wielding these beauties. Brass knuckles, arm guards, good for martial arts. They are certainly one of a kind," he rambled on with pride. "If you would like, we can make your set follow its vintage predecessors..." the man continued. Phynex nodded, knowing what he was talking about. The older styles of these blades had blunted edges from the halfway point down, used solely for non-lethal combat and blocking without denting sharp edges, suited for several martial arts due to the fact some were practiced for inner peace and not violence. "I'll hold these for you, Selene-san."

He locked the storage behind them before moving with quick feet away from the wall of the man-made caves, heading to a higher plateau that was still away from the chaos of sparks and hammers. A flat, round area perfect for combat, surrounded by iron fencing to avoid imminent death if one were to fall down to the boiling magma below.

 

[Hana]

"Thank you." She moved her attention momentarily to the set of butterfly swords the oni had approached them with. Both of these weapons were versatile in their own way, now she only had to consider whether she wanted to take one kind or the other. The butterfly swords were easier to conceal in long and voluminous sleeves, could be flipped to be held in a reverse grip, and even modified so it could be used similar to a tonfa if the crossguard was elongated. If she wanted to use the swords in a non-lethal way, it could be done, but the same could be said of the deer horn knives. Selene raised a brow at the implication that the swords were in any way unladylike. As if that even mattered. Though she knew that these swords were used in a manner that wasn't her usual way of approaching fighting.

As soon as they were lead to a the testing area, Selene eyed Phynex with a faint quirk to her lips. The guandao looked... Different beside him. She wanted to see how he would look once he actually gained proficiency in the weapon with the same power he had with Ignis or his fighting in his human state. Testing out her grip on the surprisingly malleable yet firm holds wrapped around the handles of the knives, the huntress murmured, "I request for a week to learn these blades." A week was enough for her to learn the forms and stances and ingrain it in her memory, as well as the practical applications. "The blades that I choose, that is."

"Granted under my notice," Arashi muttered under his breath, moving off to the side of the 'arena' and crossing his arms. "I damn well expect a show from two foreigners holding those for the first time," he said with a distinct sarcastic note.

Without a word, the huntress shifted one blade to her other hand, holding both by the handles and sighed. "Not in these clothes." The heat wasn't as boiling as in the other areas of the forges, but she was still cloistered in a bundle of needless clothing. Clothing that constricted the movement in her legs. She was going to have a talk with Kusamaru about adjusting some things in her traveling clothes. Idly, the huntress slipped out a knife from her sleeve and into her waiting hand, flipping it over and then, in front of the eyes of the onis, quickly crouched and cut a precise, clean line in the side of the kimono. There was a slicing sound that quickly cut out as the huntress raised a brow at the unexpected durability, it took longer to simply slice the cloth. It was made of spider silk that refused to be cut until she injected magic into the blade.

She had slid the blade up to her thigh, and as she stood up the split clearly showed her leg as she tested her movements in her clothes. "I'm not sure what you think of me, sir blacksmith, but I'm not an Eastern lady despite the clothes I am wearing." Selene didn't even look at the oni who was by now staring at her in astonishment. "Perhaps one day I'll eventually appreciate fighting in these clothes but for now they will only get in the way." She tilted her head and adjusted the tops of the kimono so it loosened and slipped almost off her shoulders. Once she was satisfied, she resumed holding the knives in both hands and arched a brow at Phynex. He, by now, shouldn't be too surprised at what she had done.

"Let's dance, Phynex."

 

[Mu]

His eyes widened, the butterflies the smaller oni was holding for Selene loose in his hands. He blinked once, twice, watching as the foreigner in front of him slit such precious silk. Phynex could tell he wasn't used to dressing in such luxury, he was probably a blacksmith who spent most of his life here in the volcano. The way the oni seemed fascinated yet horrified at what the huntress had done to her clothing almost made him chuckle. Selene's behaviour, to anyone who did not know anything about the West, would have seemed strange and almost disrespectful depending on whom she had done it in front of. The fire demon could only imagine Kusamaru's face at the tatters of his beloved work.

Phynex took a deep breath to calm himself, taking his place on the other side of the battlefield. He hadn't practiced with Selene for a while, the last time was... his eyes closed, remembering the day Nora screamed, and the rising of the 'princess of the Underworld'. Trying to focus on the weight of the guandao, he inwardly swore at the difference in weight. Ignis and this guandao... the difference was noticeable and great. If only he could tie down rocks or something onto the pole, just to balance it out for him. The blade gleamed from the corner of his eye. What did he remember from what Kimyotake had told him, she had taught him simple forms and techniques. And he had seen some do the guards do their training. Phynex didn't know much of combat with a weapon like this, but his body wasn't going to fail him. Going with the flow... just to let these blacksmiths observe his movements and adjust the real thing accordingly. All around the arena he could feel the eyes of blacksmiths boring into their stances and stilled bodies, some holding parchment and brush, ready to take notes.

At Selene's signal, he exhaled once, and charged. You had to be cautious with a guandao, he remembered. A sword was an extension of the arm, it was a dangerous weapon all around. A guandao was something more, it was both a shield and a blade. It was more flexible, more capable, but less deadly. He had to master utilizing both its functions, not just rely on brute force. He'd just snap it. What did that Old One say? Fluid, graceful, supple but sharp movements to protect yourself. Everything Phynex wasn't, but that wasn't going to stop him. The fire demon's movements were like a snake, a strong grip guiding the guandao towards his target. But he knew she could so easily cross her knives and throw him off, so he shifted upwards, feinting a jab to her face. Followed by a deft movement where he snaked under the Deer Horns, twisting the blade vertically and bring it up for a powerful slash with a grin and a grunt.

 

[Hana]

Well, it looked like the fire demon hadn't lost his trait of taking initiative and attacking first at her signal. Selene remained calmly postured on her spot, one arm extended with the blade while the other was held slightly over her head. Subtly shifting her feet so that one was pointed forwards as well as positioned before the other, with her knee bent, she tilted her head at the rush of brown and red that lunged at her like a snake. He's going to feint first... She didn't even want to consider if he thought she was going to fall for such an obvious move towards her face. The huntress remained still in the sudden burst of movement between the two, leaning only slightly back to avoid the kiss of a sharp edge on her skin. He twisted downwards, trying to attack from under the deer horn knives she held in front of her.

Her back arched as she leaned back, far enough to unnerve some people at the startling display of how boneless she could look like - legs remaining perfectly steady on the ground. It was similar to when a male partner would dip his lady in a lively, vigorous tango session - only no one was holding her as she dipped so low, the blade passing harmlessly through thin air. She spun from her arched position, twisting sinuously and almost sensually if it weren't for the quick viciousness in her body as she locked the knives around the pole of the guandao, throwing him off-guard as she caused it to topple and swing, unsteady. He still wasn't used to the light weight of the weapon.

Selene had already gotten how to use this weapon as she moved with it, and made it hers. Darting forward with the knives crossed she was caught in a dance, moving forward in quick, vicious swipes that contrasted sharply with the graceful, dance-like quality of the rest of her body as she moved.

 

[Mu]

He didn't even gasp when the blade snaked past his partner, though he could hear some of the oni draw their breath. His guandao barely even grazed the fine fabric of her kimono when he was thrown back, her knives crossing to push upwards, forcing the fire demon to take a leap back. Though what she was wielding was different, Phynex had an idea of what Selene was going to do next. She was a very fluid mover, but she could also go at her target like a ferocious animal.

But the fire demon was much too close to be able to deflect all of them successfully if he blocked them traditionally, with circular spins using his waist as the axis for quick changes in direction. Quickly and silently he backed up a few steps, meeting the Deer Horns with the tip of the blade as one hand wrapped tightly around the midpoint of the pole and the other at the end. One thing he liked about having one half of the weapon lighter than the other was that the heavier end became slightly easier to control. With simple and small movements from his arms, fended Selene's swipes away with short jabs and clashes of their blades. It became the head of a deadly cobra, lashing out again and again, steel against steel. At an opening, he brought the weapon close for a split second, whirling it around his waist and back out at the huntress, his blade hissing through the air in the shape of an arc.

 

[Hana]

The way he was using the weapon, using his body as an axis to swing the weapon in a circle and around as much as he needed, told the huntress something. One, he had seen some instructions on how to move with the guandao, despite it being his first time. Two, someone had taught him some forms and stances. Interesting. There was none other than Kimyotake who could have taught her that. But she had fought against someone who wielded a similar weapon - Crow and his naginata. Or any pole weapon user, really. She had long since grown used to twisting and moving a lot to evade those blades at the ends of their handles, the huntress gracefully pushing off the ground with her feet and spinning over the wide arc of the guandao as it swung towards her.

She sharply brought herself low to the ground, the locked knives parting together as one was parallel with her leg stretched out towards Phynex, the other raised and poised to strike. Her pragmatic nature was still there as she swept her leg out under his feet to trip him. Quick as lightning the huntress shot upwards, anticipating his next move and preparing to lock the knives around his guandao again should he use it.

Selene bore down on him like some avenging angel, face ever so subtly showing a smile as she looked down at him and brought down the knives in two successive slashes, about to reach Phynex if she didn't control her movements, when-

"Time's up! We've seen enough. Boy, have you actually taken advice from Kimyotake?" Arashi strode forwards as the two partners backed away from each other. Selene drew back the deer horn knives, looking somewhat satisfied with herself. The Old One snorted once again as he looked at the two. "That's hell of a way to show it."

 

[Mu]

Spotting Selene's leg begin to move, sweeping under his body, he jumped to avoid it. But that left his body open, ready to painfully accept the impending slashes she was about to deliver as she almost moved to meet him in the air. With a growl to match her smile as he landed before her, he skid the guandao across the ground, sparks flying as he brought it up with a whirl - the blade ready to clash with her first strike and pole the second-

They broke apart, the fire demon realizing that his chest was heaving and he was wearing a grin from the excitement of battle, relishing in the adrenaline it gave him. Phynex was sweating lightly, exerting effort in trying to use the new weapon well. It was so different from a sword, but he liked it. He twirled the pole in his hands, looking up at the curved blade. "Yes," he breathed, smiling with satisfaction. "She taught me a few things." Starting with only a stick she had found, she helped him achieve a decent stance with it before showing him those scrolls. There were many kinds of dao he could have picked form, but he wanted this one. And the Old One supported him all the way, the fire demon was more than grateful.

Their guide clapped as he stepped forward, a small smile visible on his face. "Beautiful. It is so strange to see foreigners wield our weapons, but it was beautiful." He approached Selene to take the Deer Horns, swapping them for the butterfly swords. They gleamed under the torchlight and the eerie glow of the volcano, much bigger and intimidating compared to the elegant weapons she had before. "Once more with the guandao... or do you have another weapon, Phynex-san?"

Phynex tilted his head at his partner. "Ignis?" he offered. It would certainly be more comfortable on him, sword against sword. Well, two swords against his.

 

[Hana]

"Your call." She raised a brow back at him after taking the butterfly swords from the blacksmith, her attention roving over to the blades she had swapped for the deer horn knives. They were broader than the long knives she preferred back in Nora, but with interesting additions added. They were similar to a sort of weapon she had encountered back in Nora, and with familiarity and ease the huntress flipped the blades in a reverse grip, now parallel to her arms, as if they were arm guards. Useful, but the deer horns also had their uses. These 'arm guards' would be good if she wanted to take a more defensive position even in non-lethal combat, protecting herself from kicks and punches by giving her arms additional reinforcements. The handles and crossguards could also be used to punch similar to brass knuckles... She understood why it would have seemed brutal for a lady in the east.

They took their positions back across from each other once again. Selene sighed, the heat was irksome at best. At least she wasn't the only one out of breath after the first bout finished, she had caught Phynex panting. Awaiting for him to summon his signature weapon, Ignis, the huntress narrowed her eyes. "You said yourself you are more comfortable wielding Ignis in your demonic form. What changed your mind?" It was going to be interesting, at the very least. He was going to be wielding Ignis, which would be heavy for his current form even though he still had the strength of a demon. That actually made things more exciting...

After he had summoned his weapon in a burst of fire that blew heated air across the room, disturbing her clothing, Selene didn't allow him a moment to spare. He was ready as soon as he had his weapon, so far as they were both concerned, and she knew that through their bond already. The woman flickered from her original place in a blur of silver and blue, rapidly heading towards a form clad in reds and browns, crossing the swords before spinning to the side of the fire demon and swinging one out. As if testing the waters. Then she got a grip tighter on the handles and started an assault, the butterfly swords a blur as the two figures clashed. She was the aggressor this time, and she was going to force him on the defensive if she had to.

 

[Mu]

He watched quietly as she tested out the grip of her new weapon. It looked different on her, almost brutish like the oni had said. But the fire demon chuckled to himself, that didn't really matter when her movements could be as smooth as a dancer, contrasting any weapon she had in her grasp. It had been a while since he had summon Ignis, at least the last time he could recall was during that major ordeal in Nora. Glancing down at his still-recovering arm, he sighed as he felt the heat begin to flare from it, through the bandages yet not leaving any signs of searing the material. Fire began to gather and take shape as he concentrated, bursting to reveal his trusty weapon - shrunken to accommodate his form. The oni around them seemed to have stopped breathing at the sight of it. "Comfortable, yes. But I'm not going to repeat what my father did." He grinned at her as she charged, remembering the stories of Naberius and how this forge had been formed.

There it was, that familar weight, and the flashes of silverblue. He easily shifted his position to meet Selene, both hands gripping the hilt of his blade tightly. With a powerful push, he flung the huntress off of him, but within seconds she was already in front of him lashing out with the butterfly swords. Despite her having two, with the familiarity of Ignis, his movements were less clunky and chopped, fluidly moving with the sword to deflect her strikes. One thing about having two swords instead of one... was that with brute strength, that was a perfect opening. With a grunt, Phynex began to apply pressure, not letting up on pushing every time her blades crossed to block or catch Ignis.