Lumikki Hrútr and Brone Heavyaxe, both fellow members of Paradise Dawn, had fought in many battles in the company of the other. It was through the mentorship and the care of the Dhain Dwarf, that the little raven grew to the Demoness that she became. But in all those battles long fought, the yearning to test their strength among other legends also settled in. It was becoming a reoccurring complaint that the young mage often had.

Brone, a warrior that respected and honored every battle, would see no difference among her concerns. Of course, with the swift answer of their coming opponents, there was an electrifying twinkle in his eye. For what warriors of his grit and metal could ever turn down such a momentous occasion. A chance to go all out once more but in the company of his family proved promising. Lumikki would agree, with a devilish look in her eyes and an impish smile, she would write back the answer and arrange for the coming day’s events.

As the promised day approached, Lumikki wove all things into place. Sending ravens with the paperwork to book their time in the arena and sort matters in the guild so that she wouldn’t be missed. Brone and her found their own ways up toward Seven, as the Dwarf was never keen for flight but there was no reason to share a horse in travel.

The pair approached the front and were met with stares of both apprehension and amusement. They’ve seen Lumikki participate in some battles before and noted her elemental might, but the prospect of the Shield of Dawn also attending was intriguing, paired with the soon arrival of the White Empress and their quickly rising champion, Knuckles Shi. Then this was already turning out to be an iconic fight.

Long fought most of their entries in solo battles, so to witness a fight among two pairs was enough to sell out many seats. The names on the posters only prompt sales to rise further from high demand. And so all the participants involved would be welcomed graciously and  be provided rooms to wait within until their big event.

”Are ye nervous Uncle? Fighting comes naturally to one with yer name, but an audience for such things is still rare? Do ya feel the chill for what’s to come? I’m curious how it’ll feel fighting me beloved and yer former Guild Master….though I would be lying if I didn’t have me qualms.” Lumikki spoke through the smirk on her face as she was both nervous and excited. Still, she couldn’t wait for the day she fought beside her lover as well.

They two would hardly have more time to talk as there was a knock on the door. It was there time to make center stage, and neither of them were the type to delay it. Lumikki was the first to pass through the door, her Snow Monarch Concealment bunched around her neck and Twilight veil snuggly on. Her Kal el cape with raven feather flourishes flapped softly behind her in the small breeze that proceeded them in the final hallway. But the air current would pick up greatly until they reached outside.

Deafened by the premature cheers, the crowd amongst the seats roared unanimously on their entry. Welcoming the fighters to the ring with greet gusto. The announcers as well will sing all their proceeding praises as to build up for the clash to come, but Lumikki was hardly paying attention to any of it as her eyes were focused on the scene.

And what a setting it was! The ring was split in two, as oppose to the tundra she was welcomed to before. Now it stood like a pit of fire and the crushing depths of the sea on the other side. Where two stepped, they were right down the middle. Both avenues an easy task to wander, that is of course if one could handle the searing flames. To which Lumikki were turn from in complete aversion.

Despite the towering flames that danced along the right of them, curled among the support pillars of the coliseum, it was paired with dancing flames that slithered among the maze-like walk ways. The paths were two meters in length and so spacey to walk through, and would be mirrored on the proceed watery side. Where the flames seemed like they reached for the heavens, the water seemed to touch the ever depths of below. Its surface hardly still with all the stirred below, nor pleasant for any who fell in. Where the fire was brutal in its heat, the water could serve death in its chilling grasp. And almost like the gods of Seven lending their might and fervor, the Sun and Moon would show above in each respective side. Bolstering the effects and chaos of each respective element below.

In the center of the arena, there was a large circle to fight within, its diameter veering toward twenty meters. It would serve as a platform for most of the clash, should the warriors let it. And a large barrier would separate the crowd from the elements so that they were safe from its blistering affects.

Lumikki and Brone would calmly walk toward the center, though she would stay onto the left which held the side full of water. The crashing waves constantly overlapping the walkway and slicking the path.

”Suppose it’s time Osborn!” Lumikki called out to her Uncle with excitement. The sight of her beloved sending another surge of giddy, glee. She was happy to see him and it would show on her face and flashing him a small wave where she curled her fingers. ”This’ll be something, won’t it?” She’d utter while meekly turning away. Fighting alongside her Uncle and beloved were still far too new experiences for her.

And upon the arrival of Alisa, Lumikki would throw her whole body into a wave, ”We meet again Lady of the South. A clash wasn’t how I had our next encounter in mind, but let us find some drink when it’s all said and done.” At the yield of her wave, Lumikki would swing her arm forward, grasping at a staff almost what seemed like thin-air and pulling it back with her two hands. The Abyssal Spine, a staff the sits within the in between, beckoned at her will and now sat comfortably in her clutches.

Learning from her mistakes before, Lumikki twirled her staff and took a proper bow, an introduction that was not forsaken or overlooked like before. But soon after the rise, she’d look carefully. ”Gunnar, me love, I will not suffer that pain once more. Send out Murder now so that I may fight in peace, or I shall not fight ye at all.” Her voice was stern and true, she didn’t mind if he benefited from the support of her bird, but she would not see him harmed.

A battle was one thing, but a team fight? Brone was already intrigued. It wasn't until he arrived in Seven that he found out that his opponents were Knuckles and Alisa. He had frozen for but a moment when hearing her name. It has been a few years since had last seen her; that day was filled with a mix of emotions, but time has passed and he has grown, he could only hope the best for his old guild master.

He and his niece waited in their provided room for the time being until they were called. Like a routine, he would inspect himself in the mirror before every fight partially to psych himself up and partially to make sure he was geared up correctly, but the day he first viewed a Fiorean mirror, he saw a younger, shorter dwarf with brown hair and tanned skin. Now he saw a reflection of a more seasoned dwarf with little resemblance of who he was back then; his hair, though still tied in a ponytail, pure white as his beard, his skin now ashen gray from head to toe as if he lived within the coal mines, absent of light, his eyes no longer brown but shining bronze as if heated in the forge and the veins displayed around his body, especially where it's more noticeable on his face, two lines extending from the end of each eye running down his cheek... golden instead of blue or red. His body, now different, stronger, he felt he was barely mortal any longer... he wondered if anyone else would recognize him.

"Aye, lass, I'm excited indeed" Brone answered his niece as he ran a hand over his cold breastplate made of never-melting ice, "I know each of us... all of us will give a fantastic show" he turned to her with a wide smile, the golden lines on his face glowed a bit due to the rush of blood from his excitement. He could no longer feel his heartbeat, for his heart was no longer normal, and didn't need to beat, but the blood circulated all the same, "I never got te see her in a full battle, so I look forward te it" Brone thought about the day he met her for the first time and how she produced beautiful crystals with great precision and power.

Then the knock on the door came. Brone grabbed his blue helmet and held it under his arm as he and Lumikki walked out, heading towards the arena. The cheers from the audience put some bounce to his step. They stepped out into the area, upon a long walkway that led to the center platform that stood in the middle between an ocean on the left and a terrain of roaring flames to the right. Such an interesting arena to be able to adapt different terrains for making battle more unique. "This will be a day te remember, so have fun, lass" he would tell Lumikki as they made their way towards the center platform. As his niece would edge towards the water, Brone would take closer steps towards the blazing terrain, the heat not breaking a sweat upon him.

As he would see the red haired warrior Knuckles, the dwarf would clenched his fists and slammed them together, knuckle to knuckle in excitement, "Good te see ye, Knucks!" he called to him, the bronze in his eyes glowing as if they were about to set ablaze. Then his demeanor changed when he would catch sight of Alisa; years have past and he still remembered when he first met her.


Brone would bring a closed fist to his chest, then gently open it and placed the palm over his heart as he gave a bow, presenting her with a warm smile, "Good day to ye, miss".

763

So it seemed like there was a newer twist than ever. For the first time in his life, Knuckles would be doing a fight that was a two on two in the arena. The Daemon had always thought it to be something that would be he and Lumikki versus others. Though it seemed like fate would destine him to be challenged by his Fiance and her uncle.  Well, that was fine by him, it would allow him to test just how strong he was now against both of them. Since his time against Lumikki, he had become able to handle more pain.  Not only that but he had acquired a new set of armor which he was looking forward to displaying at some point.

For Brone Heavyaxe, the man whom Knuckles sought permission to marry, and the Uncle who was more of a father figure to his Paetron Knuckles would seem like an entirely new warrior.  While yes, his armor had remained the same since the two had faced off last, Knuckles was not the same fighter at all. Knuckles had learned to combine the effects of his hammers to use at a more lethal standard of range, while also improving the effectiveness of his close-quarters combat skills.  

If he was facing them alone he knew his hands were more than full. He had wagered he could last as long if not longer than he did when he faced off against Yuurei, but not much longer.  Knuckles had pocket aces up his sleeve. See he had attained an item that would now help him track his wife, or so he hoped, and the item would help the effects of his mana burn from his storm.  The second ace would be something that would be a shock to most who knew Knuckles Shi.  

If anyone would have ever guessed who Knuckles would fight within a two-on-two combat they would have likely assumed it to be Ittindi. Ittindi would have been Knuckles' first choice, however last time the pair had a sparing season right here in Seven Knuckles had found that Ittindi had not been using his magic for some reason and that the Butler/Bestfriend of Knuckles Shi was a bit too squashy for people like Brone and Lumikki who Knuckles Shi had yet to beat himself.

No his partner today would be Alsia, Guild Master of Blue Pegauses. The Team of Guild Masters faced off against two of the brightest of Paradise Dawn. Knuckles had thought of others first truthfully, like Kon of the Rune Knights, but his whereabouts were unknown to Knuckles. Sir Toga, while powerful in his own right would likely be overwhelmed by the sheer power of Lady Lumikki's Dark Frost. Lady Alisa on the other hand had shown Knuckles while in their trials against the Void that not only was she a smart fighter who could assist others, but she had the offensive power both with range and close combat.

He had tasted the effects of her spells firsthand, testing her and Toga's spells to judge their strength, and had found Lady Alisa to be a cut above most.  The most alluring feature of Alisa was that her magic was designed to kill those like Knuckles and Lumikki being dubbed Demon Slayer Magic. Much Like Lady Lumikki's magic which had been crafted to slay Gods.

He hoped with any look that the recent battles against the void creatures would give them a fair fighting chance against these two Iceberg fighters. Though Knuckles already had a sound plan in mind, one he had briefly discussed with Lady Alisa.  Warrior versus warrior and mage versus mage what be what was expected but that would not be the case.

As Knuckles readied himself to exit the gate with his partner, he looked over to her as Murder rested on his right shoulder. "Remember, if you see an opening take it. I do not care if I am in the way. Use me as a tool to land blows when you can. I am not so weak that I care if you hurt me. I am a reckless fighter anyway I do not use defensive-style tactics, so fight like I am not even there. Brone will try to be a shield for Lumikki, but I will force him to defend against me or he will lose more than just his focus. "

His tone was cold, but stern there was no chance of death here, people were protected from the battle as the people within the ring were perfected from all sorts of ill effects from magics on a permanent scale. It was the perfect place for those who sought to better themselves could go all out without fear of anything negative happening to them or others.

With a recap of his plan, Knuckles lifted his arms as he summoned his gear forth over his new brolic body. His body rippled with muscles replacing that form Skinny tone body he fought with before.  His training had really scaled up and because of it, he had progressed rather quickly. That Angel being the goal line to know he had made it. Before the Angel could be reached he needed to break through the Shield and the Demoness.

His body glowed with a red aura before both hammers found themselves in his hands. Mjlnoir in his right hand and Shattered Mjlnoir in his left. The twin hammers raced with lighting once they touched his flesh lighting up the cavern they would emerge from.  Wrapping around his head was a white mask-like helmet that was every bit as scary as the merciless wraith of the daemon in combat, the clown clout helm which born two wooden horns from the forehead cementing the image of evil and a demon under it. Paired with the helmet was a studded leather armor ordained with feathers, the clown clout armor.

Both items Knuckles had blessed with his first Norse ritual to give him strength, and they enhanced the man four times his normal strength alone.  When the gat raised Knuckles turned to Murder and shrugged his shoulder. "Be a safe friend. Stay here until I move out of the distance of your enchantment but stay away as much as possible. "

Knuckles exited the gate as the light of the sun. No, this was a heated light flame rippled across the area yet it was not overbearing, the opposite of a waterscape. Knuckles shook his head chuckling as he walked out of the gate and looked forward to his foes.  Lumikki welcomed Alisa, then addressed him.

"He is behind me Frør Dróttning, ease your mind. Though do not tempt me with an advantage to dismantle Lord Brone without your support my lady." Knuckles joked of course but not about dismantling Brone. "Yes, a good day to you too My Lord Brone. But this battle will not go as our last one did. Best bring out your beast power now if you still can. You have lost a great advantage giving those arms of yours up.  

His gaze from under his helm burned into Brone, his Shingami Red eye setting the weakness within the man's armor and the man himself, though something was off about Brone. His eye could not see what but there was something not right about his state of being.  Only time would tell Knuckles of what that change was. It would be foolish to think that man had not changed and bettered himself either, though Knuckles was damned confident he had caught up to the man if not only two strides behind him.

Knuckles looked around to the crowd around them and lifted his hammers to the sky letting out a battle roar letting his blood be fueled by his warrior spirit. "For the Gods of all Norsemen I dedicate this fight, take this offering as tiding from my warrior spirit!"

It was already time to get started!

WC 1323