"You got me," she said, "I'd be dead right now in a real fight, so we'll call it yours."
"Not like you made it easy for me," He said between pants. The fact of the matter was that he merely outlasted her. He was better able to handle swing a sword larger than a knife through an entire fight and if she perhaps had the same stamina he did, she may could have walked out of the spar the victor. Finally, with the end of the spar, the entire weight of the day came crashing on his shoulders. He hadn't felt it earlier because of the surges of adrenaline and such.
He straightened up, placed the sword back on his back, and began to accept Talae's extended hand... Though he missed the first time. The sudden shift in weight had slid his foot to his side. That and he was tired may had played some... Factor. The second time he hit the mark and shook the Dark Elf's hand firmly. "Just work on your stamina... Then you can really mess some children up," He said, a dark smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.
"Now I think it might be a good idea to clean ourselves up and get some rest. No good to chew each other up and make it easier for a bloody white-robe to finish it, eh?"
"They'd have to try harder than that... But 'spose your right," Cain agreed, rubbing his neck and back. He was sore there as well due to the contortions and twisting he put himself through. "Imma go get... Cleaned up," He said, rubbing a muddy hand through muddy hair. Not like it made matters worse. He turned and strode carefully away from the clearing to avoid slipping on the torn up ground and threw a hand back in something one would call a good-bye. On his way, he passed the Deep Human who had watched... What was his name... Kisikoni? "Like the show?" He asked in sarcastic wit. He moved on passed the Deep Human and towards a tent. One he would call his own.
Inside the rudimentary shelter, there was a cot and a wash basin and not a whole lot else. He immediately went to the wash basin and set to getting the mud and grime from his hair, face, and hands. Suffciently cleaned, he removed the armor and placed it beside the cot with his weapons. Then he noticed that mud simply slides off of the leathers he wore. He merely ran a hand across the surface and it looked to be good as new. He then laid his weary head on the cot and proceeded to rest... Or at least he tried...
"This is General Derenthi of the Legion of Ashes. Every unit not assigned to this outpost is required to report to the bonfire located in the middle of the tent masses immediately. Those who fail to do so will receive martial punishment to the fullest extent." after a short pause, he added, "That includes you Yan'vega."
Anyone within hearing distance of the tent would hear a... Loud exclaimation of, "Motherfucker!"
Lily was about to respond enthusiastically to the being calling the roll... Though the sudden force shoved her through the portal before she could even finish her high pitched, "Eeek!" As a result, she arrived on the other side of the portal yelping the tale end of the squeak. A couple of the legionaries glanced at her, to whom she responded with a smile and a wave... Then she began to blush, embarrassed at her outburst.
"Members of the Black Guard! Congratulations! Many would think of a vanguard as a foolish term to describe those who take the most risks meeting the enemy in battle first...but I have lead the Black Guard on several occassions. We are simply the first to taste victory!"
"Oooh! Blackguard! Doesn't that sound neat and strong!" Lily exclaimed to any who would listen. Then she bit her knuckle in thought. That meant she was in an elite group. That meant she should probably act like it... The thought was dashed almost as fast as it appeared and the bright smile wrapped around her face again. If she was an elite soldier in a prestigious Legion, then she could act however she very well pleased. Her eyes scanned the group of soldier's that had congregated in front of her... A group of battle-hard and red blooded warrior's it looked like... Especially the man with the face full of scars... "My, my... he doesn't look too happy..." Lily pointed out.
Caine was pissed. He had just closed his eyes to get some damn rest and he was summoned to the damned meeting around a damned bon-fire... Although, for good reason it seemed... They all were promoted to Blackguards... A fierce name to be sure. And the golems were a surprise. The fact they carried weapons in carts was the topping on the cake. Caine instantly assumed that was for them and anxiously awaited to check them out... Looks like he wasn't going to have to clean his weapons after all!
Caine kept quiet during the cheer, but he was with a pleased smirk. A gesture that spoke louder than any cheer could ever. Their payments were increased (Caine didn't care much... What good was payment when you fully expected to die each and every time you marched?) Ration were increased (He did enjoy this...) but the best part? He was a Blackguard. His pride welled and he glanced upward towards the heavens once more. "Proud?" He asked.
As the procession was dying down, he caught a glimpse of an elven girl staring him down. Strange, it seemed her throat had been scarred, normally a fatal wound... A sense of vague recognition pervaded his mind, but he could not for the life of him think who she was. A thought emerged in his head that he should investigate her. See who she was, why she was familiar. He simply disregarded this. This was a new girl, a replacement, a stranger. He didn't feel comfortable talking to one who had just entered. Instead, he made his way to the weapon's cart, eager to get new leathers, armor, and most importantly, weapons. He couldn't help himself from glancing at her as he walked though... Who was that?
At the weapons' cart, he took the standard leather and armor, though perused the selection of weapons... Weapons from all over Norr sat in the carts. Longswords, mallets, sabers, spears, bows and matching arrows, maces, anything and everything. His eyes hung on a ornately crafted White Saber with a tassel hanging from the hilt. Caine never was one much for looks, only effectiveness... But the saber was beautiful and deadly. He picked the saber up and removed it from it's sheath. The blade was just as stunning as the hilt... Caine merely said, "Mine," and looped the saber's sheath on his left, for right handed access.
Then he looked for the second in the pair of weapons. After scouring the cart for a couple of minutes, his spied something black. He picked up the weapon and it seemed to be a katana of some sort. He pulled it part way out of it's sheath and noticed that the blade was as black as the hilt... A fitting sword for one of the 'Blackguard'... "Also mine," The berserker claimed. He held this blade over his shoulder, with the set of new leathers and armor in his other. Now... Perhaps if the heavens bid it.. He could get some rest.
Lily was skipping through the camp, already wearing her leathers plus a bit of her old outfit. The black colored leather encased her legs and torso, while her one of her hand and both upper arms were free. Her wrists to her elbow were also encased in the leather with her right hand being gloved in the same material. "Helps with the bowstring," she told a wandering eye. She hoped that was, indeed, what the wandering eye was looking at... She was a beautiful and light creature, something the fortieth- Blackguard no doubt had not been accustomed to...
White fabrics roped around her hips in a white sash while a length of white cloth extended from the sash, over her groin and down to her knees. Also, the same white cloth hid her bare upper arms and a hood was laying flat at the base of her neck. As Lily skipped through the camp, the mud and soft ground appeared to not even affect the bubbly girl. No doubt due to her tenure as a hunter. She greeted each and every single person she came across with such enthusiasm the fortieth had seen as of yet. She did, however, keep her distance from the scarred man...