faderift | { OPEN } We fight for what is good and right

Entry tags:

{ kain highwind }

{ OPEN } We fight for what is good and right

WHO: Belinda and OPEN!
WHAT: The soldier is doing a little sparring in the training ring, and also just hanging around Skyhold.
WHEN: any time you want during the month of Drakonis
WHERE: Skyhold

{ wildcard }
Belinda is rather enchanted with Skyhold. Sure, Starkhaven has beautiful white spires and gleaming stone walls, but there's something unique about this stronghold in the mountains. It's almost as though it emerged out of the ground fully formed, because there are no other settlements around it. But now it's their base of operations and she couldn't be prouder. After acquainting herself with the layout, Belinda falls into a routine, because Templar habits are hard to break, especially when she's only given up most of the things a Templar does.

She still takes lyrium every morning when she wakes up to keep her abilities intact, before she heads to the chapel to pray. Then she has breakfast, takes some time to chat with people she hopes are becoming friends, and goes about her day.

{ training ring }
She then heads into the training ring with her weapon of choice for the day. In her left hand she carries a simple wooden shield, but in her right the weapon depends on the day. Practice swords, axes, maces, and long swords are what she uses, and she'll face anyone who asks. She's tall, and muscular enough, but her cheerful demeanor lead many to assume she's naive and just playing at being a soldier. That is, until she lets out a guttural cry and slams into them with her shield, sending them flying. When she gets knocked back in return, she immediately rolls, sometimes kicking out a leg to keep her opponent back before finding her feet and standing once more with a stone-faced expression, ready to continue. When the sparring session is over, she suddenly beams bright, whether she came out on top or not.

"That was fun! Could we do it again sometime?"

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Grabbing a practice sword- a big two-handed one- Kain is more than eager to jump right in, no matter the opponent. Of course, at first he assumes that this will go down without much of a struggle on his part. He's not exactly sure what to expect from her, and the attack she opens with definitely takes him by surprise. He doesn't drop his guard for a single moment after that. He's pleased to find out that she's so capable and challenging to duel. Their weapons clash several times, and there are many moments wherein one or the other takes the upper hand. For his part, Kain is a stubborn opponent, unrelenting and fast with his offensive charges. For this fight, he's just focused on the pure combat, the swordplay, less so on using any specialized abilities.

When it's done, he lowers the weapon, nodding at her appreciatively. "You're a skilled combatant. Thank you for providing me a challenge."

In the end, he has her down on one knee and winded, her shield held up, but muscles twitching, making the shield shake a little. Blowing out an exhausted breath, she grins and pushes herself up to her feet, letting her arm lower to her side as she rolls her shoulders.

"Thank you too! You have an amazing style. So fast!" And she has to appreciate him being a two-handed warrior. She feels naked without her shield.

Kain takes a moment to stretch himself, after that intense of a bout, it's a good idea. He's never more satisfied than when he finishes even a practice round out of breath. Plus, there's something to be said for opponents he's not familiar with, he'd definitely enjoyed battling someone unknown to him.

"Thank you... When you train to be light on your feet, it comes naturally... but that's not my main power, or even weapon." Still, he enjoys a bit of variety and testing himself against an opponent on weaponry skill itself. Reminds him of being home, fighting Cecil. "It's been a while since I've had a good spar like that. You're a native of this world?" He honestly has no idea sometimes, though he doesn't notice any shard so it's a fair bet.

"Then you must be unbeatable with your main weapon," she says, making to move out of the right so two others can come in and spar with each other.

To his question, she responds with a nod of her head. "I am! I'm Belinda. Pleased to meet you."

"I certainly like to believe I am, most of the time," Kain replies with a bit of a smirk. Careful, such talk will go to his head. Though he's always believed it doesn't do any good to go into any battle believing he's anything less than the best. Even when he really isn't.

"Kain Highwind... and likewise, to meet you as well. I'll have to ask for a rematch sometime."

Belinda knows a few Inquisition agents who speak as he does. They have utter confidence in themselves and don't mind saying so. It amuses her more than anything else.

"Please do! I'm always looking to improve." In her eyes, she is still learning, because she's young and not too far removed from her Templar training. But it's always good to learn other techniques and skills.

Battle is the one thing Kain is truly, completely confident on. He may know deep down that there's always someone out there who's better or stronger... but then that's someone to attempt surpassing. It's certainly that way back home.

"So am I. If we're to battle the kind of enemies I've heard about, then we'll have to be at our best." He's gone against some of them, some demons anyway, but he knows there are even stronger ones out there. "But along with that... I enjoy fighting for its own sake as well. The challenge of it..."

"Yes, I agree. I've not seen these Red Templars or Venatori in person yet, but I've fought off bandits, mercenaries, demons, and more. Every new enemy could have a unique fighting style, and that keeps me on my toes." In battle, there is little time to stop and check out someone's moves. She just has to react and hope she's better. Thankfully, she is. Or if she hasn't been, someone else on her team has saved her.

"Red Templars are as unpleasant as you would expect of an enemy being mentally destroyed by a crystal... Though demons I've fought so far have been a real challenge as well." He makes a face, thinking about those templars and their red lyrium, and the way it seemingly influenced them. Demons are of course something else entirely, beings of the darkness, horrific things. "That's one of our great challenges, as warriors... adapting to unfamiliar foes." He gives a wry smirk. "Which has been near every foe for me, so far, but I'm learning a great deal."

"It's been difficult to hear. I was a Templar myself. Those people were once my brothers and sisters. I might have trained and lived alongside them. And to hear what they've done..." She stops herself before she ends up sounding too emotional. Giving her head a shake, she adds, "Now I can only work to end their lives and send them to the Maker for his judgment."

"I'm sorry to hear that..." It hasn't entirely occurred to him that some here in the Inquisition might end up fighting former comrades, but it does stand to reason that's going to happen at some point. Not an easy or pleasant situation at all. "Trust me, you're doing them a favor. I know it sounds harsh, but if the choice is between living like that or death... death would be truly a mercy."

Belinda has had time to think this situation over from all angles, and she knows they can't be saved. Their bodies are ruined and their minds are gone. A terrible fate for those who were once the Divine's Champions.

"Yes, I know. If I see any, that it what they'll receive from me."

Kain's expression is solemn overall. "It's the right thing to do... as hard as it may seem, it's the best for them. I'm sure it's what they'd have wanted, in their right minds." At least for now, it seems like there's no other choice. There's no means to cure or reverse those effects at present. Truly a frightening state to end up in, he can't imagine.

"Yes, I'm sure of that. Or, at least, I'm sure of it for those who have always been good people until now. The stories I've heard about Templars during this war makes me believe that some were always bad people, who didn't want to protect others, but wanted to control them." Belinda's always believed in the tenet that Templars protected the regular people from dangerous maleficarum, as well as protected mages from regular people who would form a mob and hurt them for what they are. For every story of a blood mage destroying a village, there is another of a village slaughtering a defenseless child for showing magic. That's why the Chantry has -- or had -- Templars in every village Chantry: to take in the untrained mage children and see them safely delivered to a Circle.

"Anyway, I've been trying to learn some new techniques for when I face these Red Templars. Otherwise, they'll already know all my stances and moves."

“Anyone who would seek to control others deserves the worst of punishments.” Kain’s tone is pretty firm on that. He has his reasons, of course, and though he won’t get into them at the moment, it’s clear that he’s got a really strong opinion on the matter. It’s bad enough to see it happen in general, by just plain old manipulation… but throw magic in and it becomes a whole lot worse. He sighs. “Unfortunately, there are corrupt individuals like that in any organization, whether Templars or otherwise.”

He can appreciate the notion of training to learn something new; he’s in the midst of doing so himself, for his own reasons. “A fine idea, to attempt some new techniques. Were those new ones you were using just now?” If so, she seems to have a good handle on them, he’s thinking.

Belinda has witnessed the Circle system, but it was at Ostwick, which was a rather sedate Circle. The Templars there didn't seem like they were controlling the mages, but rather protecting them. Yet she knows the same cannot be said of other Circles.

"A few were. I've been watching others to see what I can pick up. Someone -- a mercenary, actually -- mentioned to me not long ago, that it's not a good idea to have an army of soldiers who all fight the same way. We need diversity, to keep our enemy off guard."

“Exactly. It’s always best to keep your enemies guessing. The best kind of tactics leave plenty of opportunity to… surprise them in such a way.” Kain has been in his share of battles, back home and in the gods’ war, so he’s got a good idea of what works usually. Throwing something unexpected in can really turn the tide.

“In that regard, it may be a good thing we rifters are among you. The enemy won’t be expecting most of the things we’re capable of.” He knows no one has so far here, whenever he’s used his specialized abilities.

"Oh, that's very true!" Belinda exclaims, her voice laced with genuine excitement. "Of course, I suspect not all of you are fighters in your world, but those of you who are -- and wish to help us in this war -- will be a great asset to the Inquisition."

“Probably not everyone, that’s true… I’m sure the Inquisition can find other uses for those unable to fight.” He’s noticed there seem to be quite a few capable enough though, which is a good thing. Still, it undoubtedly takes all sorts to make this all work out. “Then those of us who can fight can work to catch them off guard…” He has quite a few things up his sleeve to use against them. “I’m certainly looking forward to getting out there more against all of those various enemies. I’ll show them how a dragoon really fights.”

"Oh, a dragoon? Would you tell me about that?" Belinda moves towards a bit of fencing used to separate training areas and hops up to sit on the top rung.

“Of course, although…” He glances around, but of course there’s always plenty of space on the training grounds. “I usually prefer to show it, first. Watch this.” He’d stuck to ground-based moves during their sparring because he wanted to train those specifically, he’s got some preparations he’s doing for becoming a Reaver and honing in on those skills is important.

But now, Kain steps back a bit to give himself plenty of space… and then he jumps. It’s as easy to him as a diver going into water, ascending far into the sky, well above the field. Then he swiftly flips around in the air to descend, soaring down and landing on his feet.

He straightens up.”That’s what dragoons do. I have several variants on the move, and the jump is our specialized attack… As you can imagine, it’s good as a surprise tactic here.” No one expects the suddenly airborne armored man.

Belinda leans back so far, she nearly falls backwards off the fence. Her arms flap through the air until she rebalances, at which point she grabs hold to the fence and gazes skyward, mouth open. When he lands, she stares a moment longer before she starts clapping.

"That's amazing! Is it magic?"

Kain can’t help but half-smirk, amused as ever in his way about the reaction. The one place where he’s always enjoyed showing off is in battle. He shakes his head though.

“No, not quite magic…” Though it certainly is a superhuman ability, that much is clear. “Where I’m from, it’s not unusual for non-mages to have specialized combat abilities. We dragoons have a natural affinity for the element of the wind… and of course, we train all our lives to hone our skills.”

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{ OPEN } We fight for what is good and right

Training Ring

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