Private Tales A Pupil In Waiting

[Audun]

The Annuakat Fight Pits roared with excitement and cheer, the crowds gathering and dispersing among the arena's vast array of seats. Voices shouted out for the vendors to come closer, as coin was spent on food and bets alike. Perhaps hundreds of people, a colorful menagerie of races, had come in to observe the day's match, a respectable amount. Though it wasn't a royal arena fight by any means, the crowd that had gathered today seemed enraptured in the fight to come.

Braziers began to be lit around the pit, signaling the coming match's beginning. From the veranda, the match orchestrator sat. The crowd slowly quieted down to a simmering silence, enough to allow the man to speak. "Welcome, one and all of Annuakat! Today, we gather for what is sure to be a truly stupendous fight! On one side, we have the myth of the desert, the elf who the sands obey... the Stonecarver!"

The crowd erupted with cheers and whistles, which only grew stronger as the Stonecarver himself stepped into the arena. An abtati dressed in metal armor and crimson cloth, two curved swords placed at his hip. Audun threw his hands up to the crowd, invoking a final surge of applause from the excitable audience. As he did so, the sandstone beneath him seemed to bevel and rise, forming a pedestal upon which he stood. As the orchestrator finally continued, the earth flowed back to its prior flattened state as he bowed.

"... And on the other side, we have the hound of the East, the Jackal!"

Opposite Audun stepped out a humanoid Jackal, as the name would imply. Black fur coated his form, gold decorating his armor and scimitar. The Jackal rose a clawed hand, beckoning Audun in a taunting gesture.

"Let the fight..."

A tense air hung about in the arena, one strong enough to silence the crowd's exuberant applause as they all anticipated the match's official beginning, holding their breaths until the word was spoken. Audun leaned in, letting one hand drift to his sword and another to the sand that coated the arena floor.

"... begin!"

Medja

​

 

[Medja]

It wasn't unusual for the VIP box at the Annuakat Fight Pits to be bought out, but this fight marked the presence of an unusual guest. The Hands of the God-King herself, Medja of Ragash, occupied the best seat in the house on this day. Her chair was suitably throne-like for her tastes, and markedly comfortable. Two hand-picked servants stood at her sides and gently fanned the courtier with palm leaves.

This wasn't usually the type of event Medja preferred to occupy her free time with, but a particular rumor and title had caught the woman's attention as of late. Namely, the so-called "Stonecarver." Tales of an abtati man who could bend the sands to his will struck a familiar chord with Gerra's own chief geomancer. If the rumors were true then this would be a splendid opportunity...

Seated nearby within the box were the arena's manager and one of Medja's own attendants. The manager was a portly man, one Zufar, if memory served correctly. He fidgeted in his seat, rubbing his hands together in anticipation.

"Let the fight...begin!"

"Ah, you see, Mistress? We are underway, right on schedule." Zufar boasted. Good. Medja's time was precious, and she didn't want to waste it on waiting for this insipid event to start.

"This 'Jackal' is the one I requested, yes?" Medja inquired, unimpressed, taking a lazy sip from a glass of wine. Zufar was visibly sweating.

"Yes, yes! The fastest, most skillful beastfolk fighter in all Amol-Kalit, I assure you."
The courtier had hand-picked Audun's opponent from a wide portfolio that Zufar had presented her some weeks ago. Apparently it had taken quite a few favors to get the Jackal here, but Medja had made it clear that the arena manager's continued employment was dependent on this exchange.

"Good. I have no interest in taking on inept disciples. If he cannot best the Hound of the East then I have no use for the Stonecarver."

So show me just how talented you are...

 

[Audun]

As the battle began, there was little hesitation before the first move was made. The Hound of the East rushed forward, his feet pounding against the pale sand as his glaive gleamed in the desert sun. He hadn't spent this much time honing his craft, becoming as famed as he had, just to get his career upended by some upstart Abtati with a sponsor.

Yet even as the Jackal charged towards him, Audun remained still, his hand still grazing the sand as though he had yet to even notice the match had already begun. Just as the beastfolk had nearly made it to the Stonecarver, the glaive rearing to pierce armor and flesh alike - a plume of sand suddenly erupted near the clashing duo, obscuring the nearby vicinity from view and sending some unlucky audience members into a brief coughing fit.

The earth beneath the Stonecarver jutted upward, propelling the Abtati warrior into the air outside of the sand cloud. He landed gracefully on the other side of the arena, his impact seemingly creating a brief crater in the sand that soon filled itself in.

The Jackal stepped out from the cloud, his gaze immediately landing on Audun with visible rage. The only response the beastfolk received was a brief smirk before the Abtati kicked the ground, sending a shockwave of shifting sandstone pillars surging towards him. The fighter quickly leaped over the rolling onslaught of geomancy, letting out a chuckle. "Thought you could be clever, did you?"

Audun shrugged, "That wasn't the clever bit, I'm afraid." Though the Hound of the East had effortlessly jumped over the shockwave, the earthen pillars still rested along the edges of the arena wall. With a tug of the hand, the pillars shattered into jagged shards of sandstone, shakily hovering in the air. As he closed his fist, the shards shot towards the Jackal with violent speed.

The beastfolk rose his shield, letting a shard pierce it harmlessly while he bashed another away with the blunt edge of his glaive. However, the onslaught of earth wasn't over yet, as more soon streamed in from various parts of the arena floor. Though a few missed their mark, those that aimed true swiftly broke through the Hound of the East's gilded armor, and the small number that struck skin left crimson gashes that stained ebony fur. The crowd's rampant cheers surged with renewed life with each one that struck and with each one that missed, excitement seeping from their seats with every twist and turn the battle took.

"That was the clever bit," Audun remarked. The humor dimmed as the Jackal continued to stand, the rage only growing from within his gaze. The Stonecarver unsheathed his swords, slamming the metal blades together. There was more to come, after all, and the audience thrived on it.

 

[Medja]

The Stonecarver certainly didn't disappoint. Medja's eyes lit up as she watched the first crest of sand burst from the ground. The way the man launched himself, sailed through the air, then cushioned his landing with his magic immediately caught her attention. The courtier leaned forward in her seat and rested her chin on her free hand, swirling her wine in its glass with the other. Already the abtati was matching the speed the Hound of the East was so regarded for.

A keen smile began to curl across her lips when Audun began his geokinetic assault. The Jackal was doing a decent job of keeping up, but was clearly getting overwhelmed by the timing and direction of the attacks. Already a clear picture was starting to form: these were simple tricks, but the Stonecarver was employing them with a level of creativity that many geomancers simply lacked. For someone who had supposedly never been trained, this man's raw talent was immediately apparent.

"Sameera," Medja called to her aide. "What did you say this warrior's name was?"

"Audun Sinai, my lady. He is a local." She replied.

"Audun...hmm..." Medja tapped her chin and bit her lip thoughtfully. Perhaps Zufar would get to keep his job after all.

The show wasn't over yet, however. The Jackal was still very much standing. Medja watched with baited breath as the Stonecarver unsheathed his blades, eager to see what would happen next.

 

[Audun]

The Hound of the East charged forward, a cracked and broken shield held in front of the beastfolk's form to defend against any attacks to come his way. The sand was beginning to bear the color of blood upon its pale visage, and the Jackal refused to let it only be his that stained the arena.

The glaive came tearing down before coming to an abrupt halt as it met the dual swords of the Stonecarver, which held it in place. However, one does not become the Hound of the East through idle weakness. The Abtati began to bend backwards, the glaive's sharpened blade inching closer towards his face, unable to be kept at bay for long. Someone had to give.

Audun suddenly pushed the glaive to the side, releasing his swords from their locked state. The rocks beneath the Sand Elf quickly moved him in the opposite direction, just enough to avoid the Jackal's aggravated retaliation, the glaive striking into the sand harmlessly.

Audun jerked his wrist upward, causing sandstone to suddenly surge upward, encasing the glaive's blade in a rocky prison of earth before it could be moved out of its grasp. The Jackal tugged and pulled, but the earth continued to shift and churn around the weapon, leaving his efforts in vain. As the beastfolk gave a final attempt at freeing his weapon from its tomb, Audun slashed at his side, leaving two crimson streaks in his fur.

The Jackal howled in reply, quickly turning around as his claws arced towards the Stonecarver. Instead of meeting skin, however, the Jackal's claws scraped against stone as a wall erupted from the arena at the beckoning gesture of his target. Grunting in frustration, the beastfolk went around the wall, only to have more of it jut out at his presence. "Stop hiding, knife ears, and face me!"

If he insists. The wall shot forward, pushing the Hound of the East helplessly across the arena floor. As the sandstone hit the wall, it instantly molded and shifted like sand, soon encasing the hapless Jackal against the wall.

From across the arena stood Audun, both of his hands outstretched towards the display of geomancy, his fingers flexing as if to pull upon invisible strings tied to the moving earth. The Jackal thrashed about within the Abtati's earthen grip, pushing against the stone in a foolish attempt to break free.

A smile spread across Audun's face as he stepped forward, positioning the tip of his sword underneath the Hound of the East's chin. "I think we're done here." The swords quickly found their place at his hip as he fell into a bow, the crowd immediately bursting into thunderous applause at the fight's triumphant conclusion.

"In a fantastic display of martial and arcane prowess, the Stonecarver has put down the mighty Jackal!"

 

[Medja]

Medja bit her lip as she watched the match unfold. At every turn Audun outsmarted and outskilled the Jackal. Every time the warrior displayed his magic Medja felt her heart flutter in excitement. Such skill, such wit, and yet...so unrefined. Medja finished her glass of wine and enjoyed the remainder of the show.

The tumultuous roar of the crowd signaled the end of the match if Audun's utter dominance wasn't any indication. It was a well earned applause; the courtier even found herself politely clapping along. Her eyes and smile told of joy and wonder at a match well fought, but inside she felt a familiar hunger. This one, this Audun the Stonecarver...he was perfect.

The Hands of the God-King leaned forward in her seat and placed a bandaged hand on Zufar's shoulder.
"Well done, manager. I shall see to it that your arena remains properly funded and...shall we say, sponsored?"

The arena manager looked at Medja as though she had just spared his soul from the depths of hell.
"O-oh! Thank you, thank you Mistress. You honor me and my humble ring!"

Medja eyed the man scornfully, running her fingers around the rim of her empty glass.
"Yes, I do. Arrange for the Stonecarver to join us here. I wish to speak with him face to face. In the mean time, Sameera," She addressed the aide once again, whose attention quickly snapped onto her lady. "Begin drawing up the paperwork I discussed with you earlier, if you please. If he agrees I wish to remove him from this wretched place immediately."

Zufar scrambled from his seat and began shouting at his subordinates to retrieve Audun, whilst Sameera began calmly removing scrolls from a satchel and marking them with ink and quill. All that remained was for Medja to wait expectantly for her guest of honor to arrive.

 

[Audun]

Audun bowed to the audience, the sounds of their applause filling the air as the battle came to its conclusion. Slowly, they filtered out, talking amongst themselves about what had just transpired before their eyes. The young Abtati among them spoke loudly of magic and swords, miming the actions with unbridled enthusiasm. It was a common sight, yes, but a heartwarming one nonetheless.

"Audun," one of the arena's workers, a girl named Kamilah, called for him from the top of the arena steps, "the manager wants you to come to the VIP box as soon as possible. Apparently, you've had an important set of eyes on you this match."

The Sand Elf furrowed his brows at the instructions. "Is that so? And these eyes belong to...?"

"Someone important," Kamilah replied dryly with a sarcastic tilt to her words. "Run along, Stonecarver, she's not the kind to be kept waiting."

Shrugging, he ascended the stairs with a quickened pace to his steps. Who could've been watching him? Zufar mentioned there was a sponsor for this match, hence why they managed to bring on the famed Hound of the East to their pits, but nothing about being observed.

Audun had little time to dwell on the matter, however, as he found his way to the door of the VIP box. Entering the room, his eyes first glanced across the entourage of servants and aides, some with palm fronds in hand and one with a stack of papers. At last, his gaze landed upon a regal human woman sitting upon an equally regal throne, dressed in what could only be described as lavishly elaborate clothing.

It took less than a second to realize who he was standing before: the Court Sorcerer of God-King Gerra, Medja. A brief moment of stunned silence filled him, uncertain as to what he should even say in this situation. "I take it you're the one who called for me?" He asked finally, quickly adding, "It's an honor, Sorcerer Medja."

 

[Medja]

It took only minutes for her honored guest to arrive, but the sorceress was impatient. She spent the down time rhythmically tapping on the arm of her chair with her nails. She certainly hoped no one involved intended to keep her waiting...

Thankfully Medja did not have to wait long. An armored abtati bearing twin blades and a physique crafted through years of rigorous athletic training. The warrior was as impressive to behold up close as he was in the arena. Medja drank in the sight of him, thoroughly pondering over all of his features. Yes, he would do nicely. A well trained body was key to proper geomancy, and this man more than had the basis for it.

"I am indeed, Stonecaller. It is good to finally meet you face to face." He was surprisingly well mannered for a pit fighter. Perhaps Medja's name and carried with it her strong preference for social protocol, or maybe someone just told him to be on his best behavior. Either way, Medja found herself smiling.

"You're likely wondering why I went through the trouble to organize all of this, yes? Come, sit with me, champion of Annuakat." Medja gestured to a nearby open seat. Hopefully he wasn't too shell shocked by a visit from a member the God-Emperor's court. The last thing she needed was having this man be too stunned to discuss his future.

 

[Audun]

His eyebrows rose briefly at the confirmation, the Abtati swiftly replying, "Hopefully it lives up to your expectation, then." His mind continued to try to answer the question at the forefront of his mind, filling in the blanks with possible answers, only to discard them a moment later.

Audun slid into the seat as it was gestured to, glancing over the room once more as if to find a clue that wasn't there. "Sounds like quite a few strings to pull to get someone like the Jackal here, and I'm guessing it isn't just because you wanted some entertainment." His hand tapped the chair's rim idly as he spoke.

"So what does bring the court sorcerer of the Emperor herself here?" Though he, of course, had little knowledge of the inner-workings of a monarch's court, he could imagine it wasn't the sort that gave it's courtiers much time for idle conversation.

 

[Medja]

"It does. As did your performance." Medja smiled and shifted in her chair as Audun joined her. A servant poured her a new glass of wine, which she graciously accepted, and offered the gladiator a glass of his own. She didn't wait to see if he accepted before continuing. "As thrilling as it was, however, you're correct to assume that this is not particularly my cup of tea."

From the corner of her eye she could see that Zufar was once again getting fidgety. The manager must've picked up on where this conversation was going already. He was quite astute to have figured it out so quickly, but if he'd wished to keep his best pit fighter around he would not have entertained this whole event to begin with. Appealing to someone's short term greed was such an easy thing.

"It is simple, really. I'm here for you. Stories of your deeds have reached as far as the Imperial Palace, and I have found myself intrigued by them." The courtier took a sip of her wine then slowly gyrated the glass. "To put it plainly: I want you to work for me."

 

[Audun]

Audun nodded, his hand taking the glass of wine as it was offered to him. He took a long sip, his eyes darting to the arena manager. The man looked nervous, fidgeting anxiously as he looked on silently. Something was on his mind, and it wasn't mere nerves in the presence of royalty. His eyes shifted between his favored gladiator and the sorcerer, his lips opening as if to speak, only for them to close immediately after.

The Abtati's attention once more focused on the courtier in front of him as she spoke, setting the glass down on a table beside him. An eyebrow rose as she began, a momentary wave of surprise passing over him. "Work for you?" He asked, more to repeat the statement to himself rather than receive confirmation.

Working under a famed geomancer would surely help him improve his own skills, and to be within the court of royalty would be a massive step-up from fighting in the pits for a living. Still, it wasn't wise to accept such an offer without understanding it. He wasn't about to start work fanning people with palm fronds, after all. "What exactly would working for you entail?"

 

[Medja]

The courtier leaned onto the arm of her chair and rested her chin on her hand.
"I am in need of an enforcer and...let us say, a pupil. There are many tasks which I myself cannot deal with do to my prominence, some of which require brute force, others which require more discretion."

Medja looked to her aide to check on her progress. The pile of scrolls she had to sort through was imposing, but Sameera was quickly and accurately tearing through it. It looked like she'd be ready to present a contract to the Stonecarver when they were done discussing details.
"You may or may not know: I am a member of the intelligence branch of our God-Emperor's court. That means I make things happen. I direct others in making things happen. But there are things that simple couriers, spies, and even mundane assassins cannot accomplish. I need specialists. I need you."

Medja rose from her seat, quietly alighting as she did. Her supple form hung gracefully in the air, suspended by an unseen force. The sorceress lifted a hand as though to beckon a servant and a pair of hands crafted of stone, gold, and clay came to life and joined her in her weightless procession. Each one was as large as her torso, at least. Medja directed the hands like a conductor, and each one carried out an elaborate series of movements and hand signs.

"Of course, such work would not go without compensation. You will be well paid for your services. In gold, in housing, and..." The hands suddenly balled into fists and smashed into the floor of the VIP box. Suddenly, pillars of stone began to sprout forth from the walls, floor, and ceiling around Medja, each rushing towards her as if to crush her. With the finesse of a dancer, the courtier dodged and weaved between each pillar, never once letting one so much as graze her. Without warning Medja threw her hands out, the Fists of Aramekh mirroring the motion, and twisted the stone pillars into a spiral around herself. Finally, she laid her hands flat and made a gesture not unlike a bow, and every stone she had moved began to be reabsorbed into the room around her. "...in training."

Satisfied with her brief display, Medja approached Audun's seat and gazed down at him.
"As you are now you are talented, Stonecarver. However, you lack prowess. You are an uncut emerald, and I can refine you."

 

[Audun]

The gladiator listened intently as the court sorcerer explained her offer, a slow smile crawling upon his face. An enforcer? A pupil? The offer was tempting, incredibly so. He had little interest in the logistics and paperwork of royalty - handling and dealing with fickle nobility was never his taste - but he held far more aptitude for brute force and discretion alike.

"I'm listening," Audun replied, taking a sip of wine. His eyes darted to one of the courtier's aides, taking quick note of the extensive number of scrolls piled in front of her. If he had to guess, it was a contract. A contract that he wouldn't mind signing. He nodded along to Medja's elaboration on her duties, a momentary look of surprise at the new information. He had known she was a court sorcerer, that was common knowledge, but he was unaware of her being a part of the court's intelligence branch.

He remained quiet, leaning back in his chair to allow her to continue on. However, what came next wasn't an elaboration, it was a display. His gaze remained enraptured by the statuesque hands, each one a beautifully gilded carving that seemed more like art than tools, as they effortlessly rose to accompany the court sorcerer in a silent, aerial dance of gestures.

Audun continued to listen at the mention of payment, a smile growing bit by bit with every point. Pit fighting paid decently, but it wasn't exactly a comfortable wage. If a lull ever occurred or if the public found their attention drawn to another gladiator, there would be little gold coming his way for some time. New living arrangements would be quite appealing as well, especially ones that were up to royal standards.

However, that wasn't what intrigued him most. The room shifted and churned, pillars of carved stone flooding the air as the earthen chorus rushed towards the sorcerer, whose grace danced effortlessly around them without a single one so much as brushing against her skin. The pillars abruptly curved and twisted, moving to form a spiral that seemed almost fluid despite its rigid nature. With a simple hand gesture, the stone molded itself to the floor once more, leaving the room as though nothing had ever occurred.

As the word left Medja's mouth, the Stonecarver's smile grew. Training. A natural aptitude was good, yes, but without a mentor it meant nothing. Before him was a master of geomancy, the most renowned in all of the Empire, offering to tutor him as a pupil. This was his chance, his chance to turn his magic into more than a simple trick for an audience to pay for.

When he replied, the words came out effortlessly. "When do I start?"

 

[Medja]

Audun's response came quickly and confidently, both qualities that Medja liked. The courtier grinned. She always liked when an investment turned out the way she planned.
"Immediately. My aide, Sameera, has been drawing up a contract of employment for you. Look over it, see to it that everything is to your liking, then sign it if it suits you." No sooner had the sorceress finished her offer than Sameera finished scrawling on a scroll. The aide rose from the makeshift desk she had made for herself and politely handed the contract to Audun to look over.

The contract detailed Audun's wage and benefits (some five times his current earnings, details of his new living space, mentions of magical tutoring, etc), as well as expectations and requirements for working under the Hands of the God-Emperor. Efficacy, loyalty, and commitment were among the top traits she demanded of him.

Zufar shot from his seat, his anxiety finally having overwhelmed him.
"N-now wait just a moment, Mistress! Y-you can't just...I mean, the Stonecarver, he represents a s-significant portion of my profits, and--"

"And what, exactly?" Medja snapped back, a threatening tone in her voice. One of the Fists balled up almost reflexively. If there was one thing she couldn't stand it was being contradicted for such petty reasons as this. "Audun Sinai is not your slave, is he? I had it on good authority he was a free man. Which means he gets to choose who he works for."

The arena manager flinched, his hand shot up to his mouth.
"And nothing, mistress. My sincerest apologies."

The courtier's usual serene calm returned almost immediately.
"Good. In any case I never intended to leave you empty handed. The Jackal's contract is yours. He should serve as a fine replacement." Sameera handed Zufar a few scrolls of his own to look over, which he enthusiastically accepted.

 

[Audun]

Audun grasped the contract with a curt nod, his eyes gliding over the scrawled terms. At the wage, he let out a chuckle, a mixture of pleasure and shock as he looked at the large figure. The housing wasn't anything to scoff at, either, and it went without saying that magical training was an exciting offer.

His hand had just brushed the ends of a quill, about to pick it up to sign the contract, when his manager suddenly unleashed the simmering anxiety that had been boiling within him during the course of their discussion. Audun moved to speak, but Medja quickly retorted with her reply, which was nothing short of threatening coming from someone who had displayed extensive magic mere moments prior.

As she spoke, the Abtati found himself with an odd sense of gratitude. He could have handled Zufar's anxious complaints himself, of course, but having his freedom defended - when for so long it had been ripped away from him - was gratifying. A part of him wondered if the mention was intended, as a way of swaying him a bit more. She did her research, that was for sure, and it worked. "Zufar," he called out once the remarks ended, "enjoy the Hound."

With the interruption over, Audun took the quill in hand and dipped it in the murky ink. A moment passed where he looked over the contract once more, more out of simple disbelief than suspicion, and he scrawled his name on the scroll - the signature wasn't exactly elegant, per se, but it was eligible regardless. He handed the signed contract back to the aide, Sameera as she seemed to be named, and stood up from his seat. "So, Court Sorcerer Medja, I'm in your service." He gave a half bow, a brief dip of his head as he spoke. "What's first on the list?"

 

[Medja]

The courtier had expected Audun to take at least a day to mull over his prospects, make certain he could trust her, but instead she heard him tell off his boss. Medja had known what it was like to exist at the dregs of society and claw one's way up. She admired anyone else who could do the same. Perhaps it was a soft spot she had held in her otherwise selfish heart. The courtier found a genuine smile creeping across her lips as Audun signed the contract.

"What's first on the list?"

Medja signaled for her various servants to pack up.
"Getting your things and leaving this place behind," She had already spent too much time here for her own personal taste. "Then we can start honing that magic of yours."

The palace had its own empty courtyards that could be used for things such as archery or magic training. Geomancy tended to get quite destructive often times, especially for a novice mage, but thankfully the palace was constructed mostly from stone. This meant any damage Audun caused during his tutelage could be easily fixed by Medja, or even Audun himself once he had gotten good enough.

"I look forward to seeing you grow, Stonecarver. I know you will not disappoint."

 

[Audun]

Audun nodded, tapping the two swords that hung at his hip as if to ensure they were still present, and the amulet that circled his neck. Unsurprisingly, they were still there. After all, those were his most valued possessions. The swords because they took an arm and a leg to buy, and the amulet because of its sentimental value.

Besides those two things, he didn't really have much to pack up. He wasn't exactly one to live a lavish lifestyle, even if he could afford it, and as such didn't have many personal things to bring that wasn't already with him. Maybe now, he'd be able to change that.

"Thank you, my Lady. I don't plan on wasting this chance." He took a sip of the remaining wine and was ready to go. "I'm looking forward to see what you'll teach me." With that, he was ready to leave his old life behind and begin anew once more, following Medja out once she left.