End Of An Era.

by **Alexander Faircroft** on September 30th, 2016, 9:59 am

85th Fall 516AV
12:01Pm
Description "Alex Common" Alex thoughts "Myrian" "Fratava" "Others"

Alex had made his decision and had made his preparations. This was the last time he’d do this so this time he had something to prove. Alex stepped forwards into the training rounds. Adorned in his borrowed plate. Bastard swords the only weapons he carried. The rest left in his borrowed room. Everything about him except the clothes he wore and the weapons he carried was borrowed.

Borrowed ideals, borrowed plans, borrowed style. Nothing was his own. The cold mists rolled through the training grounds as Alex stood there sullen. Silent. He’d agreed to one final challenge with Garland. This one to show who was finally the better skilled fighter. Garland or Alex. Thgey’d face off twice. Once with a squad, once solo. And both had one win a piece. Today was one of Alex’s last days as a Squire and one of his last days in Syliras. So right now this was Alex’s last chance to settle the score. His blade Hissed against the wooden scabbard as he crew the blade, the shining steel glinting in the faint trickles of light which filtered through the grey oppression.

He heard the sound of steel on stone behind him, and then on sand.
“Last time Garland.” Alex smirked turning around. “Don’t expect me to go easy. And don’t expect the same man you’ve seen all summer.” Alex turned to face Garland now. That sense of valour and honour that Alex had worked so hard to cultivate still there but belayed with something darker. A feeling of deep seeded anger. Alex glanced towards the ground. Only as he drew the second blade from it’s sheath would he give Garland an idea of just what he was fighting against. Both blade tips rested in the soft moist sand. He exhaled slowly He wasn’t used to this and he knew he couldn’t fluidly move both of the blades at the same time but then again just using two blades was often enough to scare most people. But Garland wasn’t most people.

Alex shifted his footing, grinding his heels into the sand as he lifted his gaze towards Garland a spark of electricity snapping across his eyes. He shot Garland a look, one garland had never seen from Alex before. A look of pure unfiltered unabated hatred and anger. Something he’d tried his best to keep repressed and unknown. He’d finally embraced the truth, of both himself and his family.

The moment Garland drew his blades Alex pushed off of the sand racing towards Garland. A fake swing leading into a pommel strike with his left hand. His right following shortly after with the edge of the blade angled at Garland’s shin aiming to knock him off balance and footing.
“You finally get to see the truth of who I am Garland.” His only words, strangely calm despite the fury of his body’s motions.

by **Garland** on September 30th, 2016, 5:57 pm

Garland knew this day would come, Alex was different, everyday the old Alex died and a new one takes his place. It was a surreal feeling to see your hero change like this.

Garland had brought something as a parting away gift for Alex, it was expensive, and custom made, they didn't stock these things at stores, Garland even bought a box to go along with the things he bought.

The box was just a simple wooden box, no intricate designs or special flowery inlays. Garland looked at his gift, and gave a small smile.

Garland closed the box with the gift inside, and placed it in his bag. The squire walked out the dorms and headed off to the Training Grounds.

Alex was already there, waiting in the thinning fog, almost a thin mist now. "Kept you waiting, huh." Garland dropped his bag to the side and walked into the ring with Alex.

"I never expect to see the same man, I expect to see a better man. Pressure must be getting to you." Garland still had that smile even when Alex gave him that seeded anger.

At first Garland thought something bad must have happened to him, that he needed to vent out his frustration, but by the way Alex glared at him, there was something else.

Garland nodded and drew his blade. Alex rushed forward, attacking Garland with such intent ferocity, he was not ready for it. Garland raised up his shield to block one of the blades, but it was just a feint, and Garland completely fell for it.

Garland felt the blade scrape and smash on his leg, but he held strong, he just gritted his teeth, and gave a savage grin. "Looks like I don't have to hold back either!" With that Garland laughed and just punched Alex back with his shield arm.

Garland tried to calm himself down, this was as real as it would get, but this was still a spar, they were not trying to kill each other.

At least, that was what Garland kept telling himself. He had always kept himself in check, all his fights were strictly business, nothing personal, except for that betrayal.

If he had completely let himself run wild, they will have to fight each other to the death. He didn't want that, but his heart was thrilled with this fight, it wasn't just a show of skill and technique, it was a show to what was inside the two fighters.

Garland let loose a wild swing, aimed at Alex's neck, it was a full-on attack, but his shield arm had other plans. If Alex blocked the sword, Garland would place his foot pass Alex and ready to trip him up.

He would then smash his shield as hard as he could right into Alex, hoping to knock him prone and pin him to the ground.

Expenses :

by **Alexander Faircroft** on September 30th, 2016, 6:14 pm

Description "Alex Common" Alex thoughts "Myrian" "Fratava" "Others"

The strange stillness between them was still there like two forces clashing. Even when Garland took the strike to the leg he just held his ground. Experience had taught Alex that Garland wasn’t one to crumple from a single strike. Nor was he an unstoppable juggernaut either. The simple matter of the fact was right now Alex was at a minor disadvantage but so too was Garland.
“Show me how strong you really are. You say you look up to me but I know that as much as you say that you hold back.” The lash towards Alex’s sternum was something he was used too. Alex oft did it himself when aiming to strike against another armoured target. Alex leapt back just in time to see the blade slicing through the air towards his neck, the singing steel rang out as Alex’s own blade darted up to meet it.

The tripping motion was something Alex hadn’t expected from Garland as he took a step back started to tumble. Only just managing to catch himself on his back foot. Then came the weight of the shield. In this close with Garland was never a good idea but it needed to be done even as the shield sank into Alex’s side and he shifted his weight with the strike as best he could sucking momentum out of the blow. Using his left hand blade to help him stay up he smirked.

“This is not going to end well.” Alex smiled. A cold smile, one which many people saw on killers and sadists, something that had no place on Alex’s face but this was something his father had taught him. That cold hollow smile straining to look pleasant with none of the warmth. His feet shifted regaining his balance as his sword came around with a broad arc cutting through the empty space and towards Garland’s shield A full on feint It was too high to make contact and Alex used the swinging momentum to carry his leg across as well and kick firmly at Garland’s other leg.

His left hand blade then came down overhead like a bolt of lightning wanting hoping it would be stopped by the shield he would then bring the pommel of his right hand blade back across and strike towards Garlands torso. His goal wasn’t to win with a single strike, no he had to wear garland down to break his unbreakable grit. To push him to the point where he couldn’t hold himself up. It was the only way to well and truly beat him.

by **Garland** on October 1st, 2016, 2:33 am

Garland's plan almost worked, Alex just barely righted himself before Garland could act. Garland did not back off, in fact, he just kept as close as he could to Alex.

Alex gave that dark smirk, a smile that could make entire groups of men break down and run, or their morale would crumble. Not Garland, he returned the smile with a snarl, a savage snarl, something you would see on a wild beast trying to protect his territory.

Garland saw the blade coming, but it was too high to hit him, but to be sure, he ducked down low. Garland didn't see the kick coming, but the way he positioned himself meant that his shield caught the kick anyway.

Garland then saw the blade coming down on him like a hammer, Garland instinctively just rolled out of the way of the weapon. He quickly pushed himself off the ground.

The snarl on Garland's face grew wider, showing the teeth. Garland lunged forward, swinging his blade wildly, trying to take Alex's attention away from his movements.

He copied Alex's previous attack, using a large swinging arc as a distraction, but instead of aiming for the leg, Garland was aiming for Alex's stomach. Garland would then grab Alex and use his other leg to knee him as hard as he could in the stomach.

Armor protected the wearer, that much is certain, but to Garland, everything was a weapon, and the actual weapon was just a distraction for everything else. He had been on the receiving end of gauntlets to his fists before. It was not a pleasant fight, but if it taught Garland one thing is that a metal hand hurts a hell of a lot more than just a normal fist.

The Training Grounds were still fairly abandoned, no squires here, just a few stray knights or cleaners accompanied by knights. Everything was still on high alert, most gave cautionary glances at the two, but went on their way.

Garland and Alex fought and the aura of rage and bloodlust just made few people here veer away from them.

They were two dark forces that were suppressed and only released now; Alex's dark anger, and Garland's wild battle hunger were not the way of the knights, these were the deep seeded spirits of the two fighters that were hidden, that were controlled, but just for today, they were released to try and break each other down.

by **Alexander Faircroft** on October 1st, 2016, 9:01 am

Description "Alex Common" Alex thoughts "Myrian" "Fratava" "Others"

Dodging. So even Garland was starting to understand that even his stamina had limits. This was how the two truly acted. How they truly fought behind the veneer of pleasantry and honour, behind the nobility and pride. Garland fought with raw instinct and brute force like a wild animal. Alex with intelligence and forethought, like some cruel tyrant. The large open swings far too wild for the innate talent. Alex stepped backwards taking the time to get out of range of the strike. Stepping in too close with garland was like stepping on a bear trap and liable to be very painful. As Garlands hands reached out to grab a hold of Alex he brought his blade up and swatted at Garland’s elbow from the inside.

The sneering snarl from Garland only just registered on Alex’s mind as he now saw the true face of a man-beast. He pondered for a split second about what he must look like himself before his hand whipped around and brought the left blade to bear against Garland. Striking with full force towards Garland’s blade however at the last second he took a leaf out of another sword user’s book and angled the blade down onto Garland’s wrist to knock the blade free of his hands. Hopefully it worked as that would afford Alex a moment’s reprieve to get in close and give Garland something to worry about.

Despite the odd stillness of the air around them Alex could see the fog was growing thicker, denser. Even as peering eyes locked on the twos clash. They weren’t masters not by a long shot but they were good enough to make people worry about how it would end. If Alex’s initial plan to disarm Garland worked or failed Alex would still back up a few steps and plan out his next action instead of taking the time to allow him a pause Alex would charge in and bull rush Garland And then fall to the ground, using the built up momentum to slide along the loose sand between Garlands legs and try to hook them out from under him that way. A fairly rudimentary technique but one enough that Alex could bank on Garland not expecting. Though if it didn’t work Alex would slide on through and return to his standing position behind Garland.

by **Garland** on October 1st, 2016, 3:17 pm

Garland just roared, a battle cry that would have shaken any normal fighter, but Alex was no normal fighter.

Alex and Garland were far from masters, far from gods that could level entire mountains, but to anyone seeing this, it was a clash of titans. Garland didn't think, he just went with his guts.

And his guts usually say to just run at them until they go down. Garland raced towards Alex, and leaped up in the air to bring down his sword against Alex, the sword sung through the air and landed right where Alex would have been standing.

Dust and sand kicked up, mixing with the fog, giving a strange effect on the battlefield. When the dust settled Garland looked down to see just sand, and no Alex.

Alex had slid from under him, and stood right behind where Garland would have been. That didn't work. Maybe blindly rushing into the fray is not a good idea. Garland's thoughts were interrupted by his body just not caring, and rushed towards Alex.

He threw a strong thrust with his sword, aiming at Alex's leg, despite this intense battle, there was still something holding Garland back, and it was respect and love.

He loved Alex like a brother he never had, a moody brother that always seemed to give such a cold, practiced smile to everyone else except Garland. There were times Alex had that annoyed frown, or a forced smile, but Garland could always make Alex smile for real, intentional or not.

Garland wavered, just a tick, enough to leave an opening. If Alex didn't capitalize on it, Garland would try to grab hold of one of Alex's blades, he would try to disarm him.

by **Alexander Faircroft** on October 1st, 2016, 7:15 pm

Description "Alex Common" Alex thoughts "Myrian" "Fratava" "Others"

He hadn’t fully expected the slide to work however it had. He hadn’t tripped Garland like he’d intended too however it had offered him the brief vantage he needed to take stock of Garlands reach and current ability to analyse clearly. In short it was shot. However something was there. Even as his blade streaked towards Alex’s leg he could see the reservation in his motions. The smallest fraction of being able to hold back.

Alex knew what the truth of the matter was. Garland was the closest thing to family that Alex had left. And Alex could tell garland felt the same way at least in some format. They weren’t related by blood nor by anything other than a strong camaraderie, a near brotherly bond. As much as Garland claimed not to be smart or forward thinking as much as that occasionally held truth above all he had a big heart. And that was really mattered.

Alex twisted his leg and then pivoted his whole body running the flat of the blade against the steel over his thigh. His body shifting to let Garland come closer in. For a brief moment that smile faded, the cold emptiness filled with something akin to regret, and deep seeded sadness that he was abandoning what felt to him like a brother. His arm the spun around and he attempted to bring the rear of his right hand and the pommel of his sword against the small of garlands back. Using it to knock him off balance.
“I’m sorry Garland, but I feel if I wait for direction my life will pass me by. I’ve got to seize my future with my own two hands. And no-one and nothing is going to stop me.” Alex would then step away from garland taking the reprieve for a moment and shifting back to a more familiar stance. His left blade low and resting atop the sand, his right pointed forwards like a warning sign. This was Alex’s coup de grace. His brain child born from seeing others fight with other weapons and styles. A culmination of everything he’d learned. Though now may not have been the best time to use it he knew that something which Garland hadn’t seen would prove useful in throwing him off of his game.

This was Alex’s parting gift to Garland. A glimpse of who he’d called his “hero” at his least restrained and most driven to win. In this instance, Alex didn’t want to win for himself but to show Garland that he could make it without the knights.

by **Garland** on October 2nd, 2016, 2:46 am

Garland staggered when Alex hit him on the back of his head. Still he held up, but only barely. The thing about Garland's wild ferocity is that it would only work on a large number on idiots and morons, not one genius.

He felt an odd warmness on his cheek, he touched his face, expecting to see blood, instead there were tears on his face. "I... know that..." Garland quickly turned around, sword singing through the air in a large arc and hitting the sand by his feet.

It wasn't a half-hearted swing, but he wasn't aiming for Alex, he was hoping to keep him away. He had no doubt that if they were fighting for real they would seriously hurt one other, the previous thrust was held back just enough so he could aim for something that wouldn't grievously injure Alex.

Garland's vision was cloudy as he tried to focus on his enemy, but he could barely see anything. Garland composed himself as best as he could and rushed forward, his blade had power when he swung at Alex, but his attacks were aimed at places that did minimal damage, his hands specifically, if he couldn't force Alex to yield, he would force him to disarm.

Tears streamed down his face as he swung his blade, the ferocity of his attacks that were present before just seemed... weaker, not entirely gone, but was replaced by something else, desperation.

He knew that Alex had to leave, he knew why he had to leave, he understood the reason why Alex had to leave, but he just couldn't come to terms with it. Emotion dictated that he injure Alex so he had to stay in Syliras for a few more days, but logic disagreed.

Alex was like family. No, he was family, and seeing him leaving just destroyed him inside, everyone he had known, everyone he had been close to left, disappeared, just vanished, Alex had stayed with him for a long time and he had come to count him as his closest friend, the twins' uncle, and a brother.

by **Alexander Faircroft** on October 2nd, 2016, 5:13 pm

Description "Alex Common" Alex thoughts "Myrian" "Fratava" "Others"

The weight of the situation had finally dawned upon the two. He could see it’d hit garland harder than Alex had expected. Finally finding root within him and blooming like some kind of desolate desert flower. This was quite possibly the last time the two would ever see each other. The realization hit him harder than any blade could ever hope too. Alex realized that when he was the trickle of tears from his eye.

He’d never seen anything but joviality and grit on the tough gits face. This was entirely foreign to him. But not unknown. Garland lashed out again wanting to keep up the pace and the battle however unlike his sharp movements earlier his blades were slower. Reserved. Hesitant. That hesitation was going to cost him.
“This is one of the reason’s I’ve got to go.” Alex spoke as he slid back out of the blades path barely worried. “Because for as much good as I do, I’m causing more harm by becoming a beacon of hope. You can’t bare your sword against me fully. And what would happen if I were to fall? Would you be the same or would you fall to the carnality that lies within? Would you fade into a monster? A beast? I can’t let you do that, not for my sake but for the two whose hopes you carry. And it’s for this reason I’m sorry.”

Alex took a half step backwards his right blade siling up to meet garlands his left cutting across aiming up to catch the edge of Garlands shield and blow his defence wide open if he connected. His goal wasn’t to injure Garland nor was it to cause him harm just to show him that he could take care of himself and was thankful for Garlands help through the times he needed it. His trikes if they worked would be a perfect opening for a finishing blow. And Alex wouldn’t take it Instead opting to stab the tip of his blade into the sands and draw a line across it.
“Garland, unless you’re willing to walk cloaked in evil in order to do good don’t cross that line. Because I don’t want to lose a friend. Least of all to his own darkness.”

by **Garland** on October 24th, 2016, 6:11 am

Garland took the bait and Alex parry and attack left Garland wide open. He stepped back, trying to get away, but Garland knew that if Alex had wanted, he could have ended the fight then and there.

Blood pounded in his ears, all the sound around him was muffled, distorted by his bloodlust, but he saw Alex's lips move, despite the pounding of the drums in his ears, he understood what Alex was saying.

Garland saw Alex draw the line in the sand, the beast in him saw the opening and wanted to rush in, but the sliver of self-control held him at bay. Garland stepped closer and closer to the line, his hands shivering and shaking, barely able to hold himself back from swinging.

Garland burst with a loud scream and threw his sword down on the ground and with his sword gone, the anger and frustration on his face turned to shock and worry.

His eyes were wide with horror as he just stumbled back, he had always known that there was something dark inside him, inside everyone, but he had never thought that he'd lose himself so completely, and for what? A spar with his best friend?

Garland wiped the sweat off his brow and tried to compose himself, it didn't work, his hands were shaky, knees week, palms sweaty, but he had that smile on him, that cocky grin he's known for.

"Guess that's one win for me, and two losses." Garland looked at the sword and bent down to pick it up, he hesitated and just grabbed the sword, and sheathed it.

"I'll miss you, ye magnificent bastard." Garland ran up and hugged Alex tightly. "We're settling the score next time we meet."

Garland pulled away, and wiped away his tears, not because he was ashamed of them, it was because he wanted one last look at the hunter, turned Squire before he turned mercenary.

"I almost forgot!" Garland rushed off to his bag and pulled out his gift. "I got this for you, I thought you might need it." He said and handed the gift to Alex.