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[indent][indent][indent][color=gray][sub][right][color=dc143c][b]Location:[/b][/color] Strange Reign Guild House -- City-State of Theremia, Aetheria[/right][/sub][/color]
[hr]Graves nearly stumbled over his feet trying to escape from the repeated, hammering blows of his opponent. The dulled edges of twin swords clashed in the practice yard of the Strange Reign Club's guild house. It was an expansive piece of property just outside the city of Theremia, with numerous smaller structures surrounding the central manse that served as the guild's headquarters. Their status as one of the most successful PVP guilds in Pariah afforded them no small amount of wealth. It'd all been very impressive to a nineteen year old Andrew who'd barely touched video games prior to winning Pariah's machine in a raffle. His family never had the money to afford such extravagances as a [i]console.[/i]

Now it served as the familiar backdrop to his regular beatings at the hands of his mentor. Graves gave swift retreat across the practice yard yet the bull of a man before him never faltered in closing the distance. Einhart leapt forward, slamming his shoulder full-force into Graves' chest and knocking him flat onto his ass. [color=dc143c]"Shit!"[/color] He shouted between heaving breaths. Fighting in Pariah wasn't quite the same as it was in real life- the pain was duller, and it never grew beyond an annoyance. But he still felt exhaustion deep in his bones.

[color=a0410d]"Tired already, bud?"[/color] Einhart grinned, resting the sword across his shoulders. [color=a0410d]"We just started!"[/color]

[color=dc143c]"Its been an hour and a half,"[/color] Graves groaned, pushing himself up into a sitting position. [color=dc143c]"And I got work tomorrow morning."[/color]

The guild leader reached down to grab Graves by the collar and wrenched him up to his feet with only a single hand. [color=a0410d]"I thought you said you wanted to be the best."[/color]

[color=dc143c]"Well, I do, but-"[/color]

[color=a0410d]"And to be the best you have to make certain sacrifices. I'm not saying you gotta quit your job or anything, bud, but you gotta commit to this. The Reign ain't for casuals."[/color] Einhart cocked his head to the side. [color=a0410d]"Respectfully, 'course."[/color]

Graves rolled for Einhart's legs before the other man even knew what was happening. He took hold Einhart's greaves and used them to drag Einhart to the ground. The ensuing struggle was a blur of thrown fists, curses and steel. Graves was barely a novice at the sword compared to the venerable Einhart; but Andrew'd learned what a [i]real[/i] fight looked like in the alleys and parking lots of Westwood. 

The brawl only ended with Einhart finally had enough of it and drew his palm against the sharpened edge of his breastplate and let his blood flow free. A sudden force knocked Graves up and off Einhart, sending the boy flying back across the yard and into a bundle of trimmed bushes nearby. [color=dc143c]"Goddamn cheating bastard!" [/color]Graves snarled in frustration, fighting to free himself from the branches and brambles of the bush. 

Einhart just laughed, wiping the blood from his hand onto a cloth. [color=a0410d]"No such thing as a 'fair fight' in Pariah. You either win or you die, simple as that."[/color]

After successfully defeating the bushes, Graves pushed himself to his feet. Shame, irritation and exhilaration all rushed through his veins as he approached. [color=ed1c24]"Then teach me already. What's a sword s'posed to do for me up against mages like that?"[/color]

The older man hesitated. [color=a0410d]"It's not like the other elements, bud. The way you gotta fight to use blood magic effectively ain't easy. You're more likely to down yourself than the other guy if you can't balance your defense and aggression [i]perfectly[/i]. That, and..."[/color] Einhart looked away, his smirk transforming into a thoughtful frown. [color=a0410d]"It messes with the way ya think. Blood magic incentivizes you to hurt yourself to grow more powerful so your brain sorta-"[/color] he wagged a finger around his temple, [color=a0410d]"-stop paying attention to the 'pain.' The buffs it pumps you up with can get you a little too excited to fight, if ya get what I mean."[/color]

The old man's warnings only made Graves sneer. [color=dc143c]"Come on. If a dumbass like you can do it then so can I. Besides, all that shit about it being [i]cursed[/i] or whatever is just flavor text. Ain't no different from everything else."[/color]

Something about the look Einhart gave Graves made a shiver creep up his spine. That face was burned in Graves' mind as he lay in the streets of Thorinn, bleeding on the stone with consciousness slipping away from him. 

He couldn't help but wonder what would've changed if he paid heed to Einhart's warning. 
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