Anarion

TSL: The Excess of Flowers

Today had been a day for gargantuan demon generals. Raising and calming the dead. Summoning deities and reading tea leaves and so much more. Ranked among all that, demon snakes were maybe an annoyance. Regular snakes were a source of excellent potion ingredients. Did you know that snake venom is a necessary ingredient to produce snake anti-venom, and that it also forms the basis for several different kinds of witch potions and two types of divinations (one in which you take the snake venom and describe your hallucinations, one in which you give the snake venom to a goat ad then make predictions based on its path of movement)?

Oh, you weren't interested in Giri's encyclopedic knowledge of snakes? It seemed like Uusha wasn't either. That had hurt. It was understandable, she really didn't know what she was thinking trying to reach out to Uusha like that, the woman was hellbent (poor choice of words) on her mission, ready to fight a forever war against the Dominion, and had such a haunted look in her eyes. Giri had just wanted to, to reach her somehow. But instead she'd startled like a wild deer and leapt away before actually leaping away.

A vine looped into a lasso by Giri's hand lifted one of the demonic snakes from its throng, its loop tightening around the snake's throat and cutting off its hissing. Snakes around it suddenly found themselves without their marching orders and, facing many large beasts, stopped and hissed or slunk away. Giri held the demonic thing, her mind still elsewhere, thinking of Uusha and her touch. Her hand had been soft. Oddly so, she had expected all calluses, but there had been the slightest give of her skin at Giri's touch, soft and supple.

Begone the witch voiced in the language of the gods, and struck the demonic snake against a tree, which could not burn with demon's fire. When its head bashed the wood, it vanished in a puff of smoke and the vine noose was empty. Giri pulled it to herself, loosened it, and stepped towards the next demonic snake.

This she could handle, and she wanted to hold Uusha's hand again. She wanted to reach her and find some other way to keep the Flower Kingdom's free. Free to hold hands, to drink tea, and practice magic, and sit in the rain and breath in that fresh scent. Not to disrespect their ancestors and burn it to the ground just to make sure nobody else could have it. Giriel sighed and scattered the next group of snakes, making her way towards scattering the whole of the wave slowly but surely.

[Giriel is scattering the snakes by banishing the demon snakes. She rolled to defy disaster with metaphysical knowledge. She was willing to sacrifice Uusha, who could fend for herself, but she has rolled double 6s for a total of 14.]

Sunshards

Oh Rose. Are you still afraid you'll hurt your little Chen? She loves you, and she wants you, and do you know for all her maid dresses and her frilly skirts and how much she loves it when you pick her up and ride her on your shoulder, she loves this part too. It might even become her favorite part.

Her hand presses down on your chest, firm and hard, the pressure pushing your chest up and in. Doesn't that feel so good and make you just want to moan with pleasure? But she won't let you because her other hand is up and over your chin and your mouth, pressing it closed. You know that maybe, if you tried your absolute hardest, you could resist her, but you can't, can you? You can't bring yourself to move at all because this is what you want from your princess, this is everything you want from your princess.

"Yes, and yes" she says, and her smile and her happy blushing cheeks are still there, but the turn of her lips and the gleam of her eyes is feral now. She hasn't had the chance to tell you all her fantasies about getting a sunshard and being a snow leopard herself and giving everyone in her domain some of the powers to transform their bodies that you Rose from the River inspired. But she doesn't need to either because you can hear that purr in her voice.

"I know I'm dangerous, and I know you're that easily beguiled." And here she steals another kiss, still pressing on your breasts and your cheeks as she does it. A deep kiss pressing your lips in and making your mouth feel so thick and full, and then as she pulls away she adds a peck on the nose. "And you're already mine. My girlfriend. And my handmaid, we did such a good job in the sky castle, it's already decided. hee~" and she laughs because it's cute that you thought it wasn't. (And because, you know, she's never going to be as harsh as Keron and isn't going to try. She wants you to see she's enjoying herself, that she's having fun at your expense and for you to want to be a good girl for her because you just can't bear to bring a frown and a pout to those smiling lips, can you?)

"Besides, you forgot" she says, pressing even harder, adding a bit of magical touch to pin you down much harder than that little body of hers could manage on its own. "I promised to pay you back for my introduction to Keron's service. And I'm sorry to say that's going to take days to do properly my little rosepetal." And then she giggles again because she's found a good nickname for you and she couldn't get through that delivery with a straight face. But she's still pressing down on you so hard and she's holding your face and...and now she's asking if you agree to all this and her hand on your chin is making you nod ever so slowly. She's given you all the time in the world to shake your head, but you didn't, did you, and you're too silly to nod it yourself when your whole body wants to melt and have her work her hands over you. And when she's done, she starts doing that, still firmly perched atop you, touching you everywhere, gentle hands rubbing your shoulders and your arms along the outside and then the inside, and then along your sides and over your belly and down the thighs.

As she's working on you, she leans down and whispers sweetly. "I think we're going to have to punish you for being so forgetful, aren't we? So you'll remember next time. We'll just get rid of some of those silly duties of yours so you don't have to worry about them." Then she raises her voice "Cyanis, crawl over here, would you? You did such a good job helping Hyra, rosepetal has decided to let you go with a warning this time! She just told me! Isn't that great?" Then she leans back into her petal with her whisper, "now show me what a good girl you are and let Cyanis out of her net without moving out from under me." Chen's looking at you with the biggest smile and she's still massaging along your legs and up your back now. You're not going to let her down, right petal?

[Entice: 6+4+2=12. So many strings~]

TSL: The Excess of Flowers

There is a smile on Giriel's lips and then a laugh deep in her belly. Yes, there was something to these people. Han boasting and picking up pretty girls, like it was just so much showing off. Giriel chortles. "If you get them all the way to the castle, we can add your little priestess to the top of the stack and then you can really show off!" she shouts.

Yes, this is good, the sort of laughter that cuts through tension and lets everyone ignore their paranoia on dark roads and deep jungles. This is good because it means that she can look around without setting the others on edge. She smiles a deeper smile when she sees Uusha doing the same thing, her own small chuckles hiding the way she carefully looks around.

There is something Fae in Giriel then. Perhaps the stress of the day, the myriad of troubles finally reaching the point where she forgets herself. She steps up to Uusha quietly and puts a hand on hers. She meant to say something reassuring, to offer a squeeze, but Uusha is not prepared for this, perhaps not prepared for it from anyone and her reaction to Giriel's touch is harsh, isn't it?

[Roll to entice Uusha: 1+3+2=6]

Sunshards

Helping Yue and Hyra land safely and seeing how much they were focused on each other made Chen's own heart flutter. They were each other's whole world for a little while and that was something special. And that gave her time to turn away from them and let them have their moment in the duck pond while she turns to Rose.

And then there are kisses, Rose from the River! Chen's breathless and excited, her cheeks flushed red from the cold and the wind as she comes and throws herself upon you, raining kisses first on your cheek, and then along your ear (so flowery!) and down your neck before she works her way back up and around to firmly press those lips to yours. In fact, she might bowl you over entirely when she presses herself up and into you and takes a nibble of your lower lip while she's there.

When the two finally part, still breathless in a new way, Chen's concern is evident on her face. Yes, even though she saw you step as though the air was as firm as a mountain, still she's got a cross little look on her face. "Why'd you wait until the last second, huh?" she asks you, Rose. You can see on her face that even though she'd made a tactical move in the air, even though she'd entirely correctly left you to her own devices, she'd actually been worried. What if she had been wrong? What if you'd been distracted or weakened or Cyanis had done something unexpected in the fall and she'd been wrong? So she's hiding it with an in your face accusation. But considering the height difference, doesn't she look like a petulant little toddler that you just want to snap up for hugs and tickles, hm? And doesn't it make you blush, too, knowing that someone cared for you, that your little girlfriend was really honestly worried and wanted to protect you as though you were still a dainty handmaiden who might trip all over herself?

Indeed, Chen is so up in Rose's face that the suddenness of it bowls her onto her back and results in a "don't try and dodge the question!" as Chen comes toppling down on top of her, Cyanis entirely forgotten (and surely too busy trying to wriggle her way out of her new net and scoop up the rain of gold coins all at the same time). And it would all be too much if Chen didn't start laughing upon finding herself directly on top of her girlfriend and coyly bringing her face right up to Rose's face with a smile that requires almost crossing your eyes to look at her in focus. "I'm waiting, are you going to explain yourself?" she says, only just sticking her tongue out at her girlfriend.

TSL: The Excess of Flowers

Before Uusha Enters

It's funny how an age difference can change over time. When you're six and a baby's just born, the gap is so vast it's impossible to bridge. You can do a little to take care of them, but your thoughts and your life are into exploration and adventure, perhaps into learning your first real skills and you're not near old enough to get your mind around what a baby must actually be feeling.

When you're twelve and you're babysitting a six year old, their wishes and their dreams seem so simple. They can be rough and tumble and you're busy wondering about whether the Miller's girl who's almost fifteen was flirting with you or not and afraid that if you follow up on it she'll laugh at you because she's so cool and mature and she's taller and bustier than you because you haven't quite sprouted yet.

When you're eighteen and they're twelve, they're still a kid and you're not, but at least you can start to share things, you can both talk to each other and you're at different points on the journey but it's the same journey and you might start to understand each other a little bit.

And when you're twenty four and they're eighteen, well there's a gap but it's not so far of a gap at all. It's someone else who's strong and skilled and you can see the routes that you've taken and the routes that they're taking and how they've already passed you in some big important things all at once.

So...you probably don't understand all of that Han, but you might understand that Giriel's hug suddenly gets a little tighter. That when you turn and glance up at her face there's a little bit of eye watering that might just be confusing, and a smile that's definitely pride even though it can't possibly be pride because you have absolutely no reference point for what a proud smile looks like directed at you.

But then she says "you got strong, Han" and she's still smiling. She lets you out of the hug to wipe the tear from her eye, and takes a sip of her own tea and she's smiling.

And in her heart, Giri is wondering why she felt so angry just because her plans didn't work out. When here's little Han having her girlfriend stolen right out from under her and ready and raring to go. Giri's almost ashamed she was that petty. This storm was a lucky thing, really, and so was meeting her old friends.

[Comfort and support: 5+5+2=12. If Han opens up to Giri, they both get to select an option. Giri will write off Angry.]

***

After Uusha enters

Giri finishes her tea and puts the cup down gently. There's a little tension in her stance, but not so much. "I'm sorry" she says to Uusha and she means it sincerely. That spirit had caused a lot of trouble and Giriel fully acknowledges that Peregrine is a better witch than she and absurdly better when it comes to Uusha's goals. "I found quite a lot. Ven kidnapped a priestess who's at least part goddess. We're going to help my friend here gesture to Han get her back safely. And the waitress over there" Giri points to where Piripiri is sitting "overheard our conversation and apparently escaped from Kingeater Castle if you want to interview her about the defenses and all that. Also the whole tournament thing was hijacked by a Rakshasa who could be literally anyone including you, but I did stop it."

She delivers all that in a straightforward tone, then stops and refills her tea from the pot, taking another sip of the steaming cup. She's almost getting good at this. Apparently being a witch today means that everybody wants information from you. And more than just asking about how best to treat Daffodil's ailing cow. Giri's almost getting good at the delivery at this point.

Sunshards

Here's a fun fact about freefall that you might learn if you fly a lot. That feeling of falling that's so scary, that's from changing speeds. Once you hit a point where you're falling as fast as you can, it doesn't really feel like you're falling anymore. When you're wearing a floofy cherry blossom skirt, it only takes about five seconds to reach that point, and then you're just...there. All those muscles relax and your heart stops getting a constant flood of adrenaline (the relaxation response is why cats have a reputation for landing on their feet: they have a good instinct to spread out in a fall and land more safely).

For Chen, it's a moment to just take in everything. To bask in the glow of Yue and Hyra's joy, to lean on Rose's oh so strong arm and feel the pure presence of her girlfriend and have it be the only thing in the whole world she can touch, that's really special. To grin at Cyanis' fluffy tails going swish swish swish amid all the gold and gems, and to lift her head and look back up and wonder which sparkles are loose coins and which one might just be Jessic sparkling through the hole all the way up there.

Chen hoped she'd get to spend time with them again. The sky castle had really been something special. She'd learned all about anime! She'd won a super cool sword duel! She'd made new friends and she felt like she'd found something about herself that she could hold onto. Even when they got back down to the ground and she had to deal with Yin, Qiu, and her Moms. Even then, she had new dreams and wishes and nobody could take those away.

Speaking of getting back down there, how were they all planning the landing? Chen looked down to see the ground starting to have features to it. Streams and rivers, the great lake, roofs of little villages bits of farmland and forest all spread out down there on top of the ruins of the burrows, the occasional distant metal tower or odd ruined building dotting the landscape too with their unusually straight and square shapes. She actually expected that Rose could either stop herself or take the impact with no harm done.

Chen began moving herself with her sword, humming a song from the beginning of one of Jessic's anime games (which they really hadn't had proper time for) where a strange young princess with a ruby necklace in her throat sprouted angel's wings. Later she and her friends seem to be on an epic journey, and there's a cute scene where she leans into her swordsman friend in a town amid the snow and they hold each other close, but Chen doesn't have too much time to reminisce.

She moves herself down and just below Yue and Hyra, giving them a smile and a passing wave if they're not too busy at the moment. And then she starts dancing.

Well, properly, what she's doing is a more complex version of the flight spell Yue had been learning, but with a bit of her own special flare. The story went that the princess who had discovered the sunshard in Sourcefall had originally been scared, but the north wind had called out to her and they had danced over the ice and snow and that's how she had first attuned to her shard. On top of that, Chen had spent her youth in Ys, where Ysel was never afraid to cut loose and where the hot desert sands and cold nights called for dances with flowing, twirling silks and gleaming gems set amid naked chests and bellies.

So Chen, now, is doing what might be a Ysing desert wind dance with her sword, leading with her hips into a step and twirl that sends her cherry blossom skirts twirling amid the breeze and then trailing her chest and lowering her head after. She looks for all the world like a fluttering cherry blossom caught in a breeze dancing up and down, each petal rolling up and down in turn.

And around her, there's more than a breeze! The air swirls and the gems and coins all about them are caught up in a sparkling upwards waterfall, streaming around the lovers. The air slows their fall, gently at first, and then with greater strength as the ground comes closer and closer. Chen angles the air a little so that they don't fall right into a village and break things, instead bringing them to a field full of sheeps milling about.

And so they come to rest, not speeding but gently floating on a swirling blanket of wind. It slows them enough that by the time they reach the field they're going at about the speed of a light jog and can come to rest atop the nearest fluffy coat.

TSL: The Excess of Flowers

"Melody of Silver Bells" the way Giri says it, it sounds melodious, doesn't it? Like she's chanting. She's looking down with some pride at her little Han. She's not fool enough to say something like you must really like her or she means a lot to you, doesn't she but she's thinking it and it makes her happy. Happy to see the children she remembers minding up in the mountains caring about someone, and maybe even something a little more than that.

Instead she says "you do, Han. And you won't be alone." Her arm around your shoulders is thick and strong, but also soft, gentle, a source of comfort. "Yes, that was great information, Han, more than enough for a perfect divination! Look here, see these leaves, they formed into the shape of the tower and then crumbled into a waving banner, and with them the red dahlia and the snapdragon. A truly lovely blend of tea for its clear signs and its taste both."

There's still that note of concern in her voice, but this is her element and you can feel Giri's own comfort in her specialty, in being good at something that will help. That's a really nice thing, isn't it, to be able to help with something and do it well. "What it means is that Ven has your little priestess, perhaps up in that tower of hers. And she's at the center of many things. There is a...demon, a general of armies that will want her, this Melody of Silver Bells. She's ah...

Giri stops. Han had called her a priestess several times now, did she know that Melody was most likely the daughter of a god? Would that change things? She ought to tell Han at least. "ah...she's perhaps more important than you realize. I think, I can't tell exactly from the divination but she may be the daughter of a god or goddess, something beyond your typical priestess. Perhaps that's why she's so much less terrible than her compatriots." Giri smiles and her hands are firm and reassuring. Be calm, take this in, there will be time to think it through she says without speaking the words.

"It may reassure you that from the signs, this Ven who took her is torn herself. I don't think she wants to give Melody to the demons, but she does want her for something, perhaps leverage over whatever god she's related to? It won't end well though, the servants of hell will try to betray one another and however it turns out this little priestess will be stuck in the middle. Now..." her hand is just a little more firm for a moment because she knows, Han, that you're about to jump up and try to rush off. "...let's take this carefully. We're all going to help. Whatever demons are wanting, we don't want them getting their hands on it, doubly so if it's a shy little lady. So, let's get our things together and find the other knights, we've got three here, miracle of miracles. And that waitress, wherever she got off to, there's more happening there for a certainty. And then we'll all go together and we'll get her out of Ven's clutches and any demons who have a mind to get in your way, eh Han?"

Sunshards

At first, Chen is caught up in the joy of the dance, and the urgency of the moment. She has Keron on the ropes, and her opponent tosses aside her Naginata and flees as Chen takes flight for an advance. But before she can end the fight completely, she realizes that Rose is being forced back by the sheer shock of a dragon wielding a naginata in her tail, and that in turn leads to Chen being thrown back with a wing buffet. And for an instant, Chen is about to zip back in again quick as lightning and rejoin with Rose as she gathers herself so that they can do a proper 2v2 fight to decide the ultimate winner (never mind that more guards were streaming into the room, that was a future Chen problem).

But then, then there are explosions and Hyra making her grand re-entrance and it turns out that Jessic's sunshard is a tiger's eye and it's really huge and beautiful. And and and wow. Hyra is standing on top of it with Yue amid all this treasure and then boom, they're freefalling and the world is rolling over itself like it's trying to get into a circus act.

For a moment, Chen simply lets it take her and relaxes. Falling is freedom, it's escape, and it's an opportunity to let forces that are very much bigger than a little princess like her hold her close all wrapped up in their metaphorical arms.

But only for a moment because there's a lot happening, and a skilled princess has people she needs to look out for ahead of hitting the ground. So Chen opens her eyes and looks around her. The first thing she sees is Rose, and instinctually she flips onto her sword and rushes towards her, but quickly realizes that Rose is quick-stepping from gem to coin like it's nothing and she has nothing to worry about. Chen smiles with a blush of pride at how cool her girlfriend is!

Next, she notices a little bundle of brown and fluff and little white mittens in amid a pile of gold coins and that one actually requires a rush. It's okay Kat, she's got you, she's aaah, no chormps, no chormps! shhh shhhh it's okay no panicking, your second best buddy in the whole world Chen has got you, there there. And she pets Kat with one hand while holding her all bundled up with the other close to her chest so that Kat is shielded from the wind.

Finally, that gives her a moment to actually look around and see...oh. Oh! Oh!!! Yue and Hyra, both girls, no flufferdoodles to be found and they're sharing a kiss that makes Chen blush. The kind of kiss that's like, like the whole world disappears and your heart's flying all by itself and you can see how the two of them are completely absorbed in each other and that kiss and how special it is. That's so special that the fall wouldn't dare interrupt until they're done.

Chen finds herself drifting over to Rose and takes her arm, resting her small head on her girlfriend's strong bicep. It's at once comical as they balance atop flying sword and myriad coins, and yet beautiful as they both look at the pure joy their friends are feeling and let it wash over them. The wind is too loud for words, so Chen just leans her head onto Rose's strong arm (still being sure that her own arm is keeping Kat nice and safe) and with the quickest little flash of mischievous eyes, she gives Rose her own little kiss on that strong strong arm, just above the elbow, and a little nibble too. There'll be more later, it promises. They'll get around to landing eventually, but there's no rush after all.

TSL: The Excess of Flowers

For an instant, there is a low growl that begins in the back of Giriel's throat and those of you sitting there may be reminded of a bear that has been disturbed and is offering a warning. Kalaya has stormed out and some new girl has simply joined the table with information about Ven. Just as likely to be the Rakshasa as anything else, being this brazen! Thing after thing after thing, can there be no peace?!

But then the growl is gone. Drowned out in the sudden downpour that so marks the flower kingdoms. And in that moment, the cool air from the fresh rain and the smell of the damp earth wafting into the tea house lowers Giriel's anger from a roar to a low and gentle flame. This, she loved of the flower kingdoms. The sudden change in the land, the remembrance of the world around them, sounds and scents. This was a blessing of the gods and the kindest thing, perhaps, to have come from her summoning in anger earlier. Even more than that, the rain simplified things. Petony had run off, and there was no point running out into all this. And what had the new girl said? That she'd left kingeater castle and that Ven was 'based' there.

"Ven's not home at the moment, is she?" Giriel's lips twist into what might be a smile and she takes a long sip of the steaming tea. You can see her large body shudder with pleasure at the warmth suffusing her and her shoulders lower and relax from their tension. Then, she turns to Han. Where was the rambunctious little mountain monster she remembered? Han was all menace and tension, even more than Giri was. That was no good!

"Han, drink your tea" she says it in that big sister tone of voice, Han. The one you remember from being young and playing in the highlands, the one that you trust and you find yourself reflexively taking a sip before you can really think about it. Which is good because you got such a fancy tea, didn't you? A perfectly brewed orchid oolong, well that's the kind of tea that when it touches your mouth makes you feel as though everything's going to be alright. It's warm and just a little naturally sweet, and it has that floral feeling that you would never admit in a million years makes you relax but you're relaxing now and it's good. Besides, it's Giri, she knows what she's doing. Right now, that even happens to be true!

She's stood up from her little chair and come to stand behind you now that you're a little more calm. Then her large, skilled hands are massaging your back with a firm but gentle pressure. It makes you feel like you could melt and like all the harsh energy is being pressed up and out of you. She's breathing slowly too and it's natural that your own breath would match her rhythm when you can feel her chest rise and fall against you. You might want to take another sip of tea as you breathe deeply in and out.

You might want to complain as well, that this isn't the time for such things, but it's clear from that first tone of voice that Giriel is doing something more than just trying to relax you, and you can realize it when you've had a little more tea and she takes your arm with one hand and begins to swirl your cup while the other holds you around the shoulders. "Han, describe to us who you're looking for, slowly and calmly, with as much detail as you can," she instructs. You move together in slow, calm motions, her hand gently guiding yours, and as you begin to speak, she follows along with you chanting your words in the language of magic.

This is not unlike Red Wolf's divination. Tea leaf reading is a classic for a reason and usually caused less of a scene than burning bones. But where Red Wolf's was hesitant and blushing, a forward and almost rude thing to do, here Giriel is taking charge in her role as a big sister, bringing Han into a safe place where the magic can do its proper work.

It's hard to say exactly what she'll get here. Han is looking for Ven and for a priestess. They might be in the same place or they might not, and since this is a focused reading, it's going to be up to Han what she describes for the magic to follow. But one way or another, it is going to work.

[Divination: 4+4+2=10. Giriel will tell the truth once she gets the reading, allowing Han to clear a condition.]

Sunshards

This fight was always a hurricane. What else could it be with the magic that Hyra of the wolves had wielded? It was a fight to make the viewer spin about, to look here and there and see everywhere something happening. Maidens collapsing, explosions, a dragon bursting onto the scene. Then once the team was free, people were dashing across the room, criss-crossing this way and that, toppling groups of guards, slowing the reinforcements, and making a general mess of everything.

Chen had begun as a piece of that hurricane, and Rose had become the whole of the storm. Her eyes were the lightning, her arms the thunder, her hair the swirling clouds. Within it, Chen was flying. She had already circled the room, then found herself momentarily on the back foot as the Countess, freed from her grapple with Hyra, had gathered her bow, her naginata, and her guards. But of those, the latter had been scattered by Rose as Chen dashed in and out among them flowing like water.

It spoke too of their bond that Chen could operate so with Rose. That she manages, in what is almost certainly for her, the best presence of mind she has ever shown, to grow warm with a blush as one of Rose's arms gently brushes her cheek and yet maintain her form perfectly, disarming one of the guards and sending her flying. That she then completes a parry and riposte of another who goes flailing to the floor and in completing the move finds herself with a moment to smile at Rose and, as she slides through the storm again, run her own free hand through Rose's soft, supple hair en route to the countess.

You see, at first, the hurricane was made for Hyra. She was the eye. She stood still amidst the chaos. But, she has vacated that position and Chen has claimed it in her place.

The guards are scattered and as the Countess looses another arrow, Chen's arm is already in motion. Her muscles ripple and her wrist snaps the blade forwards, cleaving the great arrow in two along the tip. Yue, did you catch that one as you were running? That might come in handy at some point.

And then Chen is upon the countess and she's matching her new sword vs. the Countess' naginata. Here, then, is the final lesson of training at the sky castle: winning a duel is about who learns the best.

That's not to say that it's not about other things as well. Speed and strength, conditioning, reflexes, and technique all play a part of course. If one duelist is slow and out of practice, they might well lose to an opponent who attacks quickly before there's even a chance to size anyone up. A reckless beginner may find themselves face first on the floor without even knowing what hit them. But we are imagining skilled combatants, people who have dedicated themselves to the craft and, as with anyone who dedicates themselves to something, have developed their own preferences, specialty, and style. And in such a match, the winner is the one who learns the best.

There is a second part to this grand secret as well. You learn more from losing than from winning. If we may, again, reflect on Qiu for a moment, this is her great source of frustration. If nobody can offer her a proper challenge, she cannot learn and grow. For Keron, the last fight with Chen was an exercise in what she already knew: fight with crushing power and punish a poor fool who hesitated and left an opening. If you didn't want with all your heart, she knew how to punish that and offer something better. But for Chen, it was the start of completely rethinking how she approached her fights. Importantly, it was also rethinking how to fight a naginata.

If you saw the duel between Chen and Yue, you might have figured out what she was testing back then. When she slid backwards in the air in response to Yue getting a good shot, Chen was using the dynamics of magical swords to change the shape of the duel and then she countered before Yue was ready. Keron was much, much stronger than Yue, but that also meant that her swings had that much more momentum to play off.

Chen closes forwards past the arrow, dodges sideways in response to an overhead swing, and then when the countess rotates and brings her naginata around sideways with all the strength of her powerful hips, Chen takes it for a ride. Her sword blocks the blade with a resounding clang and her free hand grabs the haft as she's thrown from the impact, rotating her in a circle around the countess with all the strength of Keron's blow. She comes around the side faster than Keron can rotate after she's already committed to her move and this time, there is no hesitation. Instead, there's a smile and a promise, unspoken, that she had to keep: "we can do something beautiful together." And then she strikes and her thrust hits with enough force to shatter a piece of breastplate and send the Countess flying onto her back.

[Fight: 6+2+2=10. Chen is taking a string on Keron, Seizing a super position of landing a decisive blow and sending her sprawling, and creating an opportunity for Hyra to make her escape. Keron may pick one in return.

This also triggers impressive swordplay and, if Phoe agrees, I want to take a string on Yue, who may be taking a bunch of notes on this as Chen's friend and dueling partner.]