Mayhem in the Mountains (attn Damien... anybody can come commentate)

[Locke]

Terric

The sickening pop echoed across the Sparing Arena. Instead of trying to break Danos al’Sheen’s hold, Terric had opted to let his arm break. There’s a Yellow in the audience, right? he thought as a wave of numbness hit him. Teeth gritted in pain and delirium, he threw a punch at the bigger man’s neck, followed quickly by a head-butt. The flash of pain in his head was nothing compared to his arm. Pain and unconsciousness, fought to overtake him in waves of flame and blackness. He kept raining blows, each a little weaker, but he had to win.

There was no form, no technique, just grit and determination on the sand. Their struggles and sweat had coated them in a coarse layer. The audience looked on in fascination or in horror. There was a whisper, “Is that his bone?” Should they stop the men? Was this spar a way to deal with bad blood?

No, there was no bad blood. In his more lucid moments, Terric thought that he might actually like this Wetlander. He continued raining blows with his remaining arm, only a fraction of his strength and speed from earlier remained. He was still fighting because it was fun, he was still fighting to win. Unconsciousness finally caught up with him and he slumped forward across Danos al’Sheen.

[Damien]

Danos

Danos heard the bone breaking with a sudden snap, and the unexpected loss of resistance had him off centre when Terric punched his neck and then head butted him sharply.

Red once more filled his vision as Aielman's head smashed against his nose. Bright blood spurted against the white of his shirt and Danos fell back onto the sands.

Danos could see little but he could feel the end of the spar approaching as Terric continued to attempt blow after blow. As the hail of punches continued, Danos had difficulty seeing past the tears in his eyes, but as the cleared he was able to use his arms to bar the repeated blows to the head.

Those precious seconds of a reprieve let him collect himself, and as he heard the whispering and murmurs of the crowd he caught Terric as the other man slumped forward.

Standing with the bulk of the Aielman across him was impossible, so Danos merely cradled the man's fall, laying him gently on the sands.

"I need a Yellow here, someone send for one now," shouted Danos, his voice hoarse from the blow to the throat and the heat. As he sat there surveying the results of his spar with Terric he could feel the sun's heat beating down on his skin. His shirt was soaked with sweat and blood and in his fatigue he forgot his shyness and stripped the sodden fabric.

The intake of breath from some of the crowd as his old burns were exposed was lost to Danos as he fought to calm his raging heartbeat.

Terric looked a mess, his arm broken and bloody and Danos could see bruises he knew he shared with the other man turning under the harsh sunlight. Light but this man can fight. Aiel are as fierce as they say, Danos thought to himself. He had been shamed by the aggression the spar had brought out in him, the reluctance to cause harm he had arrived with slowly tempered into a warriors focus under the trials of the Grey Tower.

[Locke]

Terric

Terric lay sprawled in the sand, hot sun beating down on his face. A woman squatted over him, emerald green eyes full of contempt, black veil hanging down her chest, “Idiot.”

“Jilla!” He attempted to yell. Just then everything came crashing back in around him. His arm was in excruciating pain, his other aches paled in comparison. People were crowding onto the Sparing Arena muttering amongst themselves. What had he been thinking? It had been fun though, hadn’t it? Yes it had been a glorious fight, this Wetlander, Danos al’Sheen, danced well. He began to laugh. Laughing hurt. His nose was bleeding into his mouth and he spat it away and continued laughing. The watchers were shocked. He pushed himself into a sitting position and caught sight of Danos al’Sheen. He looked as bad as Terric felt. His face was mottled with bruises and his nose was also bleeding, even though he had done well to staunch the flow. He extended his functional arm and attempted a friendly smile, “You catch fits well, Danos al’Sheen.” He winced again. “Let’s spar again someday,” he spat a glob of blood, “and let’s try not to kill each other this time.” When was that yellow going to get here?

[Damien]

Danos

Danos was fast growing annoyed with the pressing crowd as the people who had gathered to watch the spar continued to watch and murmur.

Where is the Yellow already, I've almost always seen one stationed at the Yards thought Danos irritably as he sat trying to staunch the blood flow.

With relief he saw Terric sit up, alertness returning to the other man's eyes. The man looked battered and bruised but he was glad to see the grin as he greeted Danos.

"You catch the fists well as well Terric. We will have to spar again, it was a great chance to experience the way an Aiel warrior views the sands. I've learned more than I taught you, and for that I owe you later," said Danos sincerely as he considered how quickly the instincts had led to a much more violent bout.

Danos could hear footsteps approaching, and when the Yellow sister arrived he was glad to see the woman rush down to see how Terric was doing. Knowing the other man was in good hands, he laid down on the sands and shifted to cool the heat upon his back. He knew the sister would aide with his nose when she was able.

[Avyra]

Avyra

"Excuse me, pardon me. Get out of the way please. Excuse me." Avyra moved through the crowd, annoyed by this group of bums just sitting around and doing nothing. She had been watching from a tree, and had come down as quickly as she could. Which consisted of jumping out. She made it to the front, finally, and was glad to see a Yellow sister already assessing the situation. Light, they both looked awful, Terric with a broken arm and Danos all but looking dead on the sand. The fight had gone more violent than intended. What shocked her more that Terric was laughing. Laughing. This wasn't funny! Even Avyra couldn't find humor in this. So she rushed onto the sands, careful to tread around a few small pools of blood. "What in Light's name was that?! Blood and bloody ashes!" She looked at the both of them in turn. "Spars are not supposed to end in broken limbs! When would you have both stopped?! When the other person is dead?! Light!" Avyra's anger seemed to amuse the Yellow sister, who didn't scold her or look up from her work, but she smiled anyway. Avyra sounded like she was the pair's mother, despite the fact that she was the youngest of the trio and one even outranked her. "Just... Light burn me!"

[Locke]

Terric

Tiny Avyra pushed her way to the front of the crowd. She stalked across the sand and began to scold them, "What in Light's name was that?! Blood and bloody ashes!" She shot them both stern looks. "Spars are not supposed to end in broken limbs! When would you have both stopped?! When the other person is dead?! Light!"

Terric gave Danos al’Sheen a look like a boy who had just managed to steel a pie and began to laugh harder. He stopped as pain speared through his body. The mirth never left his eyes though.

The Yellow sister shook her head in amusement, but didn’t stop her from yelling at a Ji’alantin. She probably figured that the lecture would be more affective from their friend than from an Aes Sedai they didn’t know.

She knelt beside them, "Just... Light burn me!" She shook her head in exhaustion.

Terric was glad she was here, scolding and all, “I see you, Avyra.” He paused and gave her a wry smile, “I am not sure if Danos al’Sheen can.” He stifled a laugh he knew would be agonizing, “This Wetlander dances well.” This fight had taught him something. The Flame and Void, these Warders talked about. It was a serious edge. He hadn’t practiced that hard on learning the technique, assuming a lifetime of warfare in the Three-Fold Land would offer a similar edge. He’d been wrong, for most of the fight, he hadn’t even been able to read Danos al’Sheen’s attacks, rendering his marked speed advantage moot. Perhaps the Void would keep other things at bay too. “Danos al’Sheen,” he looked to the burly Wetlander, “Will you help me learn the Flame and the Void?”

[Roan]

Riahana Ferria, Mistress of Arms

Riahana Gaidar spent much of her time in her office, it was true, but she also had self-imposed obligations to work with those who wished to learn in the Training Yards. The Mistress of Arms had her left hand resting on the hilt of her sword as she crossed the yards on her way to a one on one session with a Gaidin who asked for help with his forms. Her appreciation for the spring weather was shattered upon hearing someone, a woman, yelling at someone else.

It didn’t take long for cool blue eyes to scan the yards and land upon a group at the sparring arena. As she closed distance, the Gaidar pursed her lips and frowned ever so slightly when she saw a Drin’far’ji and Ji’alantin Danos on the ground. It wasn’t the Aes Sedai who was yelling, though this did not surprise Ria, given how most fully raised channelers showed their displeasure in more subtle ways. The person doing the yelling was a small Novice.

Taking a deep breath, Ria pulled the Void around her, her senses sharpening as she did, and she scanned the area to see Thea Sedai arrive at the Yards. “Thea Sedai, would you be so kind as to see to the injuries of Ji’alantin Al’sheen?” Ria asked as she pointed to Danos. The Yellow Sister hesitated for a moment, but inclined her head as she acquiesced to Ria’s request.

The Mistress of Arms looked to the Novice, and while part of her was amused that the young woman saw fit to tear into the Ji’ and Drin’, she didn’t let on. The Novice was not wrong, though. . .it would not due for their learning ranks to have a spar turn to a full-on fight. Yes, injuries did happen, but it wasn’t the goal of the Warder Yards to break their learning ranks through senseless fighting.

Ria paused by a group of Ji’ and Drin’, and simply asked, “What happened?” When a bunch of people tried to answer all at once, Ria held up a finger, “One at a time.” One of the Ji replied the pair were sparring, and I think it got a little out of hand.” To this, Ria simply arched a brow as she turned to face the two prone men.

Moving to stand between them, Ria looked from Danos to the Aiel, “Gentleman. . .though I am not certain the term applies here. The goal of a spar is to test one’s limits, yes, but we would rather not have such spars get to a point where our Drin’ and Ji’ are broken and mangled.” She looked around at the remaining crowd, and then back to the pair, “I would also rather not have our spars turn into spectator sports. You are here to learn how to become Warders of the Grey Tower, not prize fighters in Baeron’s fighting pits.”

The Mistress of Arms turned her gaze towards Danos, “Ji’alantin, given your higher rank, and experience in the Yards, I would have expected more from you than a juvenile attempt to prove who is the better fighter.” She then looked to the Aielman as she let go a slow sigh, “I am disappointed in both of you. Once the Yellow Sisters have attended to your wounds, report to Master Darrow. Inform him you let your spar get out of hand. Your punishment is in his hands.”

Ria looked to the Novice and raised both of her brows, “Novice. . .I hope your words get through to these thick skulled men.” She spared a wry smile, “But perhaps it would be best if you returned to your duties and carried on with your day.”

[Damien]

Danos

Danos had yet to look up from the sands, enjoying the heat on tired muscles and letting his body recover its breath, and so the arrival of his friend Avyra had gone unnoticed until she started voicing her opinion on their spar.
Danos sat up with a groan, the thick muscles of his body stiffening now that the fighting had finished and his blood had cooled. Sheepishly he listened to Avyra correct him, and while some part of him definitely agreed with her, he was also biting his lip at the image a white dressed Novice must present when she was berating two men twice her size.
When Terric greeted Avyra,” I see you Avyra, though I am not sure if Danos al’Sheen can.” Danos couldn’t help it and a laugh escaped out of his throat, quickly silenced as the sudden motion made his nose stab shooting pain into his head once more.
When Avyra turned to regard him for laughing, she launched into a fresh torrent of correction and anger, and Danos held his hands up in surrender, “Peace Avyra, peace. It got out of hand and that was my fault.”
Looking to the other man, Danos could see the humour glinting in his eyes and the way he too was stopping himself from laughing. “You dance well Terric, and I would enjoy teaching you what I have learned of the Ko’di. Although it may be a long time before they allow me to teach anyone after this,” Danos said with a groan as he noticed the Mistress of Arms approaching.
Soon he was suffering the not so tender ministrations of a Yellow Sister, who had him roughly set his nose in place before the cold surge of Healing washed over his body. The amount of power coursing through him had his teeth shattering as the sensation was akin to jumping into the river as a winter dare.
When Riahana Gaidar approached, Danos knew that he would be facing the disapproval of both her and Master Darrow before the end of the day. Her correction was much like her teaching in the sword had been, efficient and without wasted anger or emotion. Once the Aes Sedai had finished her Healing, Danos stood weakly and did his best to ignore the fatigue and hunger he was feeling.
Drawing himself as straight as he was able, the stares of the crowd and his scars open for all to see bothering him now that the fighting instinct had cooled. But he did his best not to flinch or fidget under the gaze of the Mistress of Arms. “My apologies Riahana Gaidar, the spar going as far as it did was my fault. I was unprepared for the intense instinct response I had to the power and tenacity of my opponent. I also have been recently using the Ko’di in my spars and practices, and I believe that made my instincts override my concern for Terric. He is a skilled opponent, and a tenacious fighter but I can assure you it was not about pride,” finished Danos firmly, and with a sloppy bow to the Gaidar before him.

[Locke]

Terric

Terric’s body arched as the Yellow Sister placed her hands on his head and healed him. The feeling was not unlike the time he’d fallen through ice shortly after leaving the Three-Fold Land, but ten times worst and not as wet. He let out a sharp grunt then the sensation was gone and so was his pain. All that was left was a gnawing pit of hunger. He leapt to his feet in a quick motion and preformed an Aiel bow for the Yellow Sister. He suppressed a quip about how their fighting was good for her practice and sufficed with a, “Thank you, Aes Sedai.”

He stood to stand by Danos al’Sheen, “I see you, Riahanna Gaidin, This man has no toh towards me, but I do have toh to you. I should not have ignored the traditions of your Sparring Arena.” He could feel the eyes of the crowd on his back. Some were curios, others disapproving, others were approving of all things. The attention, without the distraction of the fight, was making him uncomfortable. He gave the Mistress of Arms a quick Aiel bow, assuring her that he would report to Ravak Gaidin immediately. He collected his neatly folded cloths but decided not to put them back on until he had a chance to clean himself. A small bucket of water was quite undignified but that would have to hold him until he investigated this sweat tent rumor. He set off towards the Master of Training’s office. Once outside the circle of onlookers, he slowed his pace so Danos al’Sheen could catch up.

[Avyra]

Avyra narrowed her eyes further when Terric grinned and laughed at the situation, despite having the Yellow sister over him, healing his wounds. He even asked for more training. Unbelievable!

She set her delicate jaw, green eyes blazing as the two men talked as though nothing had happened. She was about to speak when the Mistress of Arms came up behind her.

She didn't reprime Avyra, but she did drop a subtle suggestion about what she should be doing. Chores. It was her free period.

"With all due respect, Gaidar," she didn't know the woman's name. "I'm on a free period, and both of these men are my friends. I came to watch them spar, and was not expecting such a fight. I'm sorry for any disturbance it may have caused."

She knew she was right, though. There was no need for this.

She ordered the two Warders in training to Ravak Gaidin's office, and she decided to follow, seeing as she still had time to kill. Terric set off on his fast pace, and she all but ran to keep up, thankful when he stopped to wait on Danos.

"Idiots, the both of you." Her voice, however, was affectionate. "Do I have to watch over you both to make sure you don't kill each other? Because I don't want that to happen to two friends."