The Overwatch (Risk/Open)

[The Rising Dragon]

The Imperial City of Kallagulia was, like always, noisy. Being the very heart of the Holy Empire of Stamaria, it was constantly alive with activity. Cars and wagons were constantly moving through the streets as people went to and from work, or dropping off children at the schools, or going out to shop for the family. Construction was always happening through the use of the Constructors and work crews as buildings were constantly improved on. Up above, airships moved in and out of the city as they moved both people and cargo within their hulls. And the Imperial Citadel was no different. The towering structure at the heart of the city was constantly abuzz as patrolling aircraft flew to and from it, and soldiers and knights moved throughout its interior and across its battlements. The only place that could make more noise in a city was likely the capitol of Tsuminar.

Kalia felt that it was no different, here in the training yards at the barracks. The woman stood at the outer rim of the training arena, overlooking as nearly three dozen men and women in sweat-stained clothing went through sword maneuvers while a middle-aged woman with golden-brown hair watched imperiously, frequently giving out commands that she could barely hear over the din of feet striking the stone floor, the ring of steel as sword struck against sword, and the yells and heavy pants of the trainees as they attacked one another over and over again. Other training arenas were similarly filled with trainees with an instructor watching over them. Elsewhere, the knight could hear the sounds of gunfire from the firing range, where soldiers were using blade rifles to practice their aim underneath the instruction of another officer. Dozens of loud, three-round claps cut through the air at repeated intervals, followed quickly by the sounds of a target splintering under the impact of the bullets making their mark.

A breeze cut through the air suddenly, whipping past the knight as she observed the training below her. Her ponytail whipped off to the left, rustling the long white cape that was draped over the blue-black shoulders of her uniform. Kalia paid the wind little mind, as it was unable to pierce through the shroud of her uniform. She lifted one steel-clad hand up from the railing it had been resting on, and brushed a strand of hair out of her vision, tucking it behind her ear. Some way beside her, she heard the snort of her companion, and spared the wyvern a glance. Light gleamed off of the war wyvern's burnished bronze hide as the creature shifted around, ever observant of the area. Occasionally Amatlan would flex, opening up the webbed membrane that made up its arms and wings, shifting the weight on his feet for a moment before settling back down.

"Bored, are we?" Kalia spoke to the creature, causing it to turn one yellow-gold eye in her direction. Even if the creature couldn't talk back or express nearly as much as a dragonet, Kalia could tell that Amatlan was listening to her. They were smart creatures, after all. "Don't worry. We shouldn't be here too much longer. Sophia doesn't look like she'll need me for this session.

The beast merely snorted again in response, turning its horned head about--gestures as if to say that worrying about such trivialities was beneath his station. Kalia grinned at the action and shifted her weight back, taking it off of the railing she had been leaning on, and placed a single hand on the pommel of her sword.

[sentranicia]

Swords clashed against each other, shields splintered against jousting dummies. Subtle grunts of effort and hisses of pain filled the air, the whisper of grass under swift feet giving a calm backdrop to an all too aggravated scene. The recruits were learning well, but still there was much work to be done. Each of them was still weaker than was called for, and each required far more training than they already had. Amongst the new recruits, officers paced on foot and horseback, shouting orders and correction to the lowliest of the trainees. Their voices intermingled with the sparring and training sounds created a loud environment, but one that was caressingly familiar to an officer on a white horse. A stern looking animal with ears turned back, alert to the command of its rider, it was outfitted in heavy black leather tack and the lightest of silver armor. Mane falling over the plating on its neck, eyes peering out from its face plate, the creature looked almost as dangerous as the woman atop it.

Though not in her admired amethyst armor, but rather the uniform armor of a commanding officer, the ranking Commander of the army sat upon this white beast, pacing back and forth across the fields of training men and women, barking orders and correction just like the other officers, but with more obvious effect. These recruits knew who the woman was upon the white stallion, and they knew that she was someone to impress. Never did a kind word leave her lips for a minor accomplishment, and never did she render a smile on her face for one of them, "Overgrip! Step forward! Crouch!" Her voice sounded harshly amidst the crashing swords and shields.

Finally, disgusted by the way training was going that morning, the Commander pulled on her gauntlets, dismounted, and handed her horse to one of the nearby stable hands. She tied her hair into a long ponytail at the left side of her face and stepped to the highest point she could spot, "Recruits!" Her voice echoed through the training grounds and all sound ceased, "Listen up and pay attention. Take a lesson from a more experienced combatant."

The Commander looked around for her sparring partner and spotted a knight nearby, a war wyvern at her side. Calling up to her in a loud voice she said, "Knight! Join me on the field. Let's teach them how it's done." She offered an encouraging smile, "Leave the wyvern. We're only sparring."

[The Rising Dragon]

Like many of the others about the training yards, Kalia turned away from the railing at the sound of the commander's voice. As the noise from the training recruits died down, their attention diverted, and scanned the area briefly while Amatlan looked about. Both of them quickly spotted the commander standing atop a small pile of storage crates, and beside Kalia, the wyvern relaxed its stance. Below her, the knight could hear the sounds of Instructor Greenville's trainees halting their exercises, and they proceeded up the steps to the main grounds of the training yard.

Kalia regarded the commander as she spoke with carefully hidden curiosity. Like everyone else present on the grounds, she too recognized that the woman was of a higher rank--technically, as soldiers, she and the commander were of equal rank, but this woman had the added weight of nobility, placing her higher on the chain of command than her. And above all, she recognized the armor, those amethyst plates stacked over one another into an ornate structure. The armor belonging to one of the once-esteemed Order of the Blade. When did she arrive here? Is she here to recruit for the Order? she wondered. Or was the Order called in about the investigation?

And then the commander began addressing her directly, challenging her to a sparring match. Not one to question authority, Kalia quickly nodded and raised her fist up to her breast, over her heart, in salute. "Yes, my lady!" she replied loudly. Turning, she motioned for one of the stable hands over to her, and handed him the reins to Amatlan so he could be tied down with the other mounts. The wyvern obeyed without fuss, having been well-trained, and Kalia spared the beast a quick glance as it was guided over to the stables, and placed beside the commander's own steed.

Soon, they found themselves on the dueling arena at the center of the training yards' proper, while the recruits gathered around along with their instructors. Kalia had suited up in her armor, and had drawn her own blade, placing the tip of it in the ground before her, both gauntlet-clad hands resting atop its pommel. The commander stood on the opposite side of the arena floor, and between them was Sophia Greenville. Though of common upbringing herself, Instructor Greenville was in charge of the entire training yard, and here, she outranked everyone except for the high lords and the generals. Clad in the green uniform and beret, she gave a sharp contrast to the commander's amethyst plate and Kalia's steel gray armor and indigo uniform and white cape.

"This will be a standard one-on-one sparring match," the Instructor called out for all to hear. "The standard rules will apply. Neither side will be allowed the use of magic, nor secondary weaponry--only the swords they have brought. Neither side will fight to kill, and the match will end at pin-down or first blood. Now, proceed and touch swords."

Kalia nodded and picked up her blade in her right hand, stepping forward calmly.

[sentranicia]

Alyssa calmly straightened her gauntlets on her wrists, placing her right hand on the hilt of her sword as she readied herself to both teach and duel. It had been a while since she had been in one on one combat such as this, with no magic, only a sword as both defense and weapon. She looked around at the recruits, watching intently as the Knight and Commander stood prepared to fight before them. Most of them knew that Alyssa had led legions of armies for nearly eight years, and that she was an experienced combatant.

But Alyssa was also not cocky. She knew that a Stamarian Knight was skilled with a sword, trained only for combat. As the instructor finished detailing the rules of their duel, Alyssa drew her blade and stepped forward, pointing her sword at the Knight’s feet to touch swords. She smiled at the soldier, “Doesn’t need to be fancy. Let’s just show ‘em how it’s done.”

The feel of the blade in her hand was one that the Commander had not felt in quite some time. Certainly she had used the blade to train herself in her quarters, but she had not been in combat in nearly a month now. Still, the form was familiar, and her memory sharp. Her skills would not be hindered by such a thing as little practice. Bowing low as was the custom, Alyssa took a firmer grip on her sword, anticipating the word to begin, longing for it.

The mere moments seemed to take ages for the Commander, her desire to fight pounding in her veins and head. Her eyes scanned her opponent, finally recognizing her as Kalia Dragonheart. She thought momentarily, We are well matched. This will be a good fight. But there was no more time for thoughts such as these. The sound of Greenville’s voice rang out again for them to begin, and Alyssa took her first aim, swinging her sword upward and stepping forward, sweeping a blow at her partner’s knees and spinning again to parry the coming attack. The skill was one that the recruits should have learned by now, for in a proper duel it was easily the simplest of attacks, and one that was easily mastered in solitary practice.

[The Rising Dragon]

Kalia's blade tapped against the flat of of Alyssa's own weapon, producing a soft clinking noise. Kalia smiled at the other woman's words, and nodded in acceptance. These kids weren't ready for more than the basics right now anyway. Idly, she wondered if the commander would be truly ready for this. As a commander, she doesn't see true combat as often as the soldiers, knights, rangers, and magi do, but that didn't mean they couldn't practice. Did Alyssa Lightshield still have her edge?

As the other woman bowed, Kalia returned the gesture, as protocol demanded. Both rose up at the same time, staring each other in the eyes. Kalia could see now that Alyssa recognized her as well. And as both women brought up their blades, falling into combat stances, Kalia could see the commander's familiarity in the form, and the confidence in her eyes. No. She's ready, Kalia affirmed in her mind. She's more than ready for this.

Turning, Instructor Greenville stepped away from the arena, moving to its edge before turning and facing the two knights as they faced off, waiting for her call. "On my mark!" she called out, raising up her right hand until it was above her head.

It swept down. "Engage!"

Kalia immediately saw that despite wearing much more armor than she did, Alyssa was by no means hampered by it. The beginning attack was swift and precise, followed by a second strike at the knees to hamper movement. A simple, effective strike, one easy to learn and easier to master. As was the proper counter--Kalia's body sidestepped the initial blow, and her sword dipped down and flashed to the right side, the flat of it slapping against the commander's blade and deflecting it away from her body.

Angling her wrist, Kalia swept her sword up and back around as she stepped forward, slashing at Alyssa in the opposite direction of her parry. The ring of metal against metal sounded as Alyssa parried her own strike as she came out of the spin. Kalia spun about her self, whipping around in a quick motion and slashing the opposite direction, a movement meant to put someone off-guard more than anything else. That's how Sophia had instructed her--don't wait for the opening. Make your own. And take it out.

[sentranicia]

Alyssa's stomach instinctively bent inward to avoid the strike as her wrist flicked sideways, deflecting Kalia's strike without much effort. She'd seen that technique on the battlefield several times over, and remembered it well. It had done in her allies simply by confusing them, but she would not be taken so easily. There was a reputation to be upheld here, and that was worth fighting for. The orbs inside her sword's hilt danced furiously, begging to be released, but she refrained from the urge to call on her old friends. It had been ages since she'd seen them, fought next to them in battle, but they would have to wait just a while longer. This was not the place to unleash such a power.

Magic surged through her veins, fighting to get out, but this she held back as well, thought not without some effort. She felt the familiar warmth of it in her muscles, something she could not ignore. She was sure that it was not aiding her combat, but it was a welcome old friend, as was the ache in her shoulder with the effort of lifting her blade, easy enough, but a workout for anyone as always. She carefully pushed all desire to let the magic out away and smiled with enjoyment as she moved to attack again.

As she brought her sword back up from the parry, she arched it over Kalia's head and slashed downward from her shoulder to her hip, then across from one hip to the other, stepping forward to add weight should her strike make contact. It was a fairly simple maneuver, only meant to put your attacker off their feet where you could more easily take them out.

[The Rising Dragon]

Kalia backpedaled a bit as Alyssa parried her surprise attack, smacking her sword aside and moving in to counter. The knight could feel her body growing warm, her heart rate increasing to make up for the increased activity she was undergoing. The breeze was cool as it slipped through her uniform, cooling her skin, and as she stepped back, her cape blew out back from behind her, taking her ponytail with it. Despite this, she barely felt tired, as she was still accustomed to the rigors of training, and it'd be a little while before she'd break out into a sweat. Narrowing her eyes, Kalia grit her teeth as the commander closed in to attack.

As the amethyst-clad woman's sword came down, Kalia swung up with her own weapon, deflecting the first strike along the flat of her blade. The ring of the two weapons glancing off one another was muffled by Kalia's helmet, and a quick glance gave away the next strike that Alyssa would make. The knight pivoted about to the right and brought her weapon across in a slash, parrying the second strike. Blades locked together for the briefest of moments, both women entered into a contest of strength that neither could really win.

Kalia found her footing again and disengaged, stepping back slightly before going on the offensive. Quick strikes followed, alternating vertical attacks that were meant to drive her opponent back as the ricocheted off the incoming parries. As the third strike whipped back, Kalia used the momentum to drop as she spun, twisting about and slashing at the commander's legs from left to right, and finally rising back up with a slash aimed at Alyssa's right hip going up to the opposite shoulder.

[sentranicia]

Alyssa strained against Kalia's sword with her own, watching her opponent do the same. Shortly after their swords broke, they began a battle of parrying swords and fast moving feet. Each strike from Kalia, she parried easily, keeping on the defensive for a few blows before a more aggressive attack was aimed at her torso. She forced all her energy into her parry, running her blade down the enemy sword and thrusting forward when she reached the hilt. She didn't wait to see if the sword had left Kalia's hand as intended before crouching low and thrusting her leg out to knock her feet out from under her, spinning a fast circle and turning back to face her with a fierce glint in her eyes.

The recruits around them were almost entirely silent, a soft breeze rustling flags nearby the only real sound that accompanied the clashing blades and grunts of effort. She could feel the eyes of everyone on their feet and blades as they struggled against each other. Among the feelings of being watched were feelings of muscle strain that she had not experienced in a long while. Still, she had yet to break a sweat, and her muscles were still calm and collected.

As she turned to face Kalia once more, her sword pointed downward, to point at a fallen body or ready to parry an oncoming attack. Regardless of what was to come, the commanding officer was prepared. Alyssa was as good a knight as ever.

It felt good to have a sword in hand again.

[The Rising Dragon]

Kalia felt her enchanted blade jolt in her hands through the metal and leather covering them as Alyssa parried her rising slash, and both women shoved their weight into their attacks, once against attempting to overpower the other so they could press the assault, or luck out and end the duel with a sure victory. Metal scraped against metal for several long seconds, and both women's boots ground against the stone arena floor, grating against the ears of those watching the duel take place.

And then a scraping sound rent the air as Alyssa's blade slid down the length of Kalia's sword as it was thrust forward, and Kalia barely managed to sidestep out of its way so it wouldn't cut her open. The crossguards struck against one another, and before Kalia could tighten her grip on the weapon, it was torn from her hands, flung away in the direction of Alyssa's thrust. It clattered to the floor and skittered away out of immediate reach. And before the lesser knight could make a break for it and regain her sword, she saw Alyssa sweeping around with her leg. It struck hard with a muted clank as their armored boots struck one another, and Kalia let out a little yelp as her legs were kicked out from under her.

She landed hard, and the kevlar sown against the plate did little to absorb the impact as she landed on her back. A whistling in the air followed after, and in the next moment, Kalia found herself peering up the length of the commander's sword. The sharp noise of a whistle cut through the air immediately afterwards, signaling the end of the duel.

"The match is over," Instructor Greenville called out as she lowered the whistle from her lips. "The victor is Commander Lightshield, by disarmament and pindown."

[sentranicia]

Alyssa grinned as her blade found its mark, aimed at the knight's throat, elbow bent just enough to give heer room to strike if it had been a real battle. The call of Greenville sounded in her ears followed by a sharp whistle, and she lowered her weapon, sheathing it quickly and offering a gauntleted hand to the other woman to help her up. She bowed respectfully to her near equal and spoke kindly, "Well fought, Knight. It is good to know that there is one in our ranks that can match me." She smiled and turned to the recruits, "There's not a single move that was just used that each of you does not know. I expect improvement, and practice, from each of you. Your instructors will be happy to aid you at request. Befriend a Knight such as this. She knows what she's doing." Alyssa gestured to Kalia and then turned on her heel to leave the arena, waiting at the gates for the other knight.

Tilting her head, arms crossed, she watched her walk toward the exit, "What name might I call you by, Miss?" She smirked, "I am Commander Alyssa Lightshield. You do look a tad familiar, I must say, but I've never been wonderful with names." A quiet laugh sounded from her throat. As if the woman did not know who she'd been fighting. The sword and armor were likely enough to make that clear. But still, it would be rude to assume. Offering her hand to shake, she awaited a name and title.

[The Rising Dragon]

The instructor watched as Kalia smiled and accepted the commander's hand, borrowing her strength to pull herself up. Sophia glanced over at her trainees as Alyssa spoke to them, nodding a bit in agreement with the commander's words before she departed. As both knights left the ring, Instructor Greenville turned to the trainees and began to speak. "Now, who among you is aware of what mistake Knight Dragonheart made during the match?"

Kalia could hear a murmur of voices as the trainees discussed it among each other. Kalia herself already knew what mistake it was that she made, and as the voices calmed, Instructor Greenville confirmed with a nod. "That's right. She locked blades with her opponent not once, but twice. When you lock blades like that, you give your opponent an opening to exploit, allowing them to disarm them," she continued. "And as Commander Lightshield showed us, being disarmed by opponent is an extremely effective way of getting killed, as it can put you off balance and off guard, and allows them to do further harm to you. And if you're unlucky enough to be disarmed by a Korin guard, that mace they carry will make short work of you."

Sophia's voice became indistinct to Kalia as the distance grew, and pretty soon she saw the trainees split off to do whatever drills the instructor just set for them. She turned her attention back to her companion, listening as she spoke. Smiling, she accepted Alyssa's hand and gave it a firm shake. "I'm Kalia Dragonheart, Knight Bachelor, my Lady," she identified herself. "You occasionally instructed my squad when I was training under Instructor Greenville."

As the familiarity began to set in for the two of them, Kalia felt more relaxed. "I must say, I'm surprised to see a member of the Order of the Blade visiting Kallagulia at this time," she conversed as they approached the stables where their mounts were waiting. "Was the Order called in about the investigation going on in the armories?"

[sentranicia]

Commander Lightshield smiled, "Ah yes, that's correct. You were among, if not the finest of the recruits in that squad." Walking with hands clasped behind her back, resting on the curve of her spine. They walked quietly with each other for a while, her attention focused more on getting her stallion and finding some other sort of entertainment than on the woman at her side.

She'd nearly forgotten she had a companion when the Knight spoke to her, questioning in her tone. Tilting her head to the side, she listened carefully. A situation in the armory?

Putting her arm out to the side, she gestured for Kalia to stop at her side. Turning to face the woman, she placed her gaze at the center of the woman's forehead and narrowed her eyes, "What investigation?" Her shoulders tensed, and her tone became hard.

Taking care not to appear horribly nervous, she inclined her head, "No. I am not here for that reason, and I should not have to tell you that it alarms me that the Order has no knowledge of such things. Please, explain the situation to me."

Looking around, Alyssa realized that there were many people about the courtyard, and none were so busy with their training as to ignore a conversation such as this. Assuming that the investigation was of importance to the Order, Commander Lightshield shook her head and began walking to the stables at a brisker pace than before, "Come. We can talk in the dining hall."

[The Rising Dragon]

Kalia was grateful that she did not blush at the commander's compliment on her capabilities as a soldier and as a knight in Stamaria's military force. As they neared the stables, she saw Alyssa gesture to her and she turned to see what the matter was. She was surprised at the hard tone that the commander spoke with, but she had dealt with superiors long enough to tell when one was upset with her or not--and thankfully, such was not the case with Commander Lightshield.

She opened her mouth speak when she noticed Alyssa seem to think better of asking out here, and quickly closed it, waiting patiently for what the fellow knight would say. She hoped that Alyssa wasn't jumping to conclusions--the incident being investigated, while troubling, was only minor in nature.

Kalia nodded when the Commander informed her that the Order had not been informed of the investigation, and thus that she had not come to oversee it. She nodded again when Alyssa asked for her to join her in the facility's dining hall, and they quickly entered the stables. As she untethered Amatlan from his stable bar and saddled the wyvern, Kalia wondered why the Order was in the city--she, like everyone else in the military, were aware of the betrayal of the previous guildmasters, and that as a result, the Order of the Blade had become a pariah in the eyes of the Empire. Was there something else coming up? Something involving the Korin? Perhaps she'd better get into contact with one of her friends on the southern borders...

Soon the two had taken their mounts and departed for the far end of the training grounds, and the dining hall that awaited them there. They tethered Amatlan and Rezalio to one of the large stable bars outside, and Kalia ordered one of the stablehands to have Amatlan fed, as wyverns required more food than horses tended to, and was thus fed more often. They entered into the dining hall and retrieved midday meals for themselves before they sat down.

"The situation isn't as bad as it seems, which is why the Order wasn't called, at least to my understanding," Kalia started as she picked up her fork. "Several days ago, there was a break-in at one of the armories, and surprisingly, only by a single culprit. We suspect that whoever he may be, he may have had some operatives or support. The thief only stole a single object, an enchanted blade that was to be presented to a soldier upon his raising to the rank of Knight Errant.

"One soldier on duty managed to confront the thief during the break-in, but the problem is, that soldier was Ryo Shoryu, of the rank of Spearman," Kalia continued, looking off to the side. "Ryo is... not the best soldier. He means well, and he works hard and does his duty, but he's not the smartest among us, and a bit unlucky to boot. So when he called the alarm, the rest of the soldiers did not take him seriously. So the thief managed to get away, and now there's an investigation as to who the thief is, how he managed to break in, and why the other soldiers did not properly respond to the incident."

[sentranicia]

Alyssa rode quietly and Rezalio and Amatlan paced well together for the two knights to ride side by side until they reached the dining hall. As they tethered their mounts, the Knight-Commander made sure that her sword was securely at her side. If there was a problem in the armory, it could be more than just a thievery. People didn't steal weaponry unless it served a higher purpose...or a higher command. Removing the bulk of her armor, she packed it quickly into one of her saddle bags, and then slung it over her shoulder with care. This left her in black leather pants, black boots, and an emerald green silk shirt. Sword still on her hip, she pulled on a pair of yellow gloves and shrugged on a long, light, gold coat, green threads embroidered into intricate designs at the edges.

As the two women walked inside, Alyssa looked around the area. Things were somewhat quieter here, and at this time of day she supposed most of the recruits were cleaning up for lunch. Following Kalia to snatch herself a meal, they sat down at a far corner of the room, away from the entrance of the dining hall where they could keep their conversation private. As Alyssa listened quietly, she took several bites of her food and nodded, swallowing slowly before she began to reply, "The theft of a single blade is often dismissed rapidly as a poor swordsman. Even such a sword as the one in this case being stolen can be put off as a not-so-bright poor swordsman who didn't know the difference. Unfortunately..." She paused as a shout from several people entering the room caught her attention, "That is not always the case."

Recruits were flooding in through the doors now, hungry and rowdy, bumping each other around and swapping tales of the day's events and making insulting jokes. She grinned. She'd been one of them not too long ago, "This Ryo." She said, "Has he ever given anyone reason to doubt him before? Whether he's the brightest soldier or not, it's disconcerting that no one would believe him."

[The Rising Dragon]

"As far as I can tell, no," Kalia started after Alyssa had asked her question. "While a bumbler, Ryo's been loyal to the Empire since he enlisted and has never willingly done anything to harm the citizenry or deliberately cause trouble to the higher-ups."

Casting a quick magic spell with her free hand, Kalia conjured up an imaging screen connected to the computer networks of Kallagulia, a spell nearly all magic-capable, higher-ranked officers knew. Pressing a few of the "buttons" on it, Kalia brought up Ryo's profile, displaying an image of the youthful soldier, and a detailed report on his standing, listing both his achievements and his demerits during his enlistment in the Stamarian military. She turned the screen towards the commander with a wave of her hand so she could have a look herself.

The knight took a few bites of her food and chewed thoughtfully for a moment, pondering her next words, before swallowing. "Right now, the investigators are more concerned with what occurred to Ryo during the aftermath more than anything," she said, looking back over at her superior. "Apparently, after he was unable to apprehend the thief, he found some sort of bracer attached to his wrist. Whatever it is, its magical in nature, and we've been unable to remove it. The resident mages have managed to confirm that it poses no danger to himself or anyone around him, but... well, whatever is going on, the higher-ups want Ryo out of the way, so he's been reassigned to one of the northern posts, near the old mines. I don't know if its to keep him out of the way or to punish him... I can't get a straight answer one way or the other. But they are, at least, having a Taron Magi come in from Minervum to take a closer look at his bracer and find out what exactly it is. The mage will be meeting Shoryu at whatever fortress he'll be stationed at in the coming days."