Completed Rupture

Alistair casually handed over the rod of metal. It was lightweight, Alistair had made sure they were all relatively light, but it was no sword yet.

"You won't be able to tell much until you get a blacksmith working on it. There are only a few in the city that I would trust to work on that material."

He was right about his second statement, but that only led Alistair to smile. Yes, it would cost, Tyrian iron was no cheap thing as it took some effort for Alistair to get his hands on the stuff.

"Oh, yes, but I will just send the payment to the Academy. They have an interest in arming you as best they can, especially when it enhances your magic."

Rhidian
 
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The latter of what Alistair said brought a shit eating grin to his face. "Now that's something I am happy to do." He laughed, twirling and tossing the pole like it was something to fiddle with. There was no question about it; Rhidian had been brought up on weaponry and how to wield them prior to coming to the Academy. The Guard just didn't have anyone to foot the bill on such nice material to be used on a commissioned piece.

"What about you? You got something Tyrian to wield too?" Rhidian asked. If his family had hands in the trading business of it, he was sure that Krixus would have a few pieces of the sturdy iron.

Alistair Krixus
 
Rhidian's smile brought out Alistair's own smile as they could both agree that making the Academy pay for things was always a bonus, especially when Alistair stood to make a profit.

He moved over to the wall where most of his things were resting, one of them was a uniquely curved sword along with a dagger about the size of a seax. Alistair had been given both of these weapons as gifts on his first trip to Tyr. One from a friend and the other cementing a trade deal. He pulled the sword from its sheath and handed it to Rhidian.

"The metal itself is incredible, but the skill of a Tyrian blacksmith also makes wielding that blade a completely unique experience."

Rhidian
 
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Rhid whistled as the blade was drawn from the sheath. "Now that is a beauty of a sword." Curved too! The imaginations of using such a blade in combat excited the boy that grown up with soldiers, but he knew there would be a skill in utilising it correctly.

Stepping away once holding the offered blade, he tested the balance with a few slow slashes. His face echoed his appraisal, longing for such craftsmanship of a weapon to be his sooner than later. "I got to get myself to Tyr." He laughed, slipping the blade back into the sheath and sighing. "I think I am being spoiled learning from you. No offense to the Proc, but she just doesn't get weapons." He thought Healers would be adept in combat at least.

Alistair Krixus
 
"The Proctor has her own specialty, mine just happened to line up well with your needs. I specialize in magical study and also the blade. I likely would have tried to shoehorn in a weapon no matter what, I was just lucky."

The Tyrian sword was always fun to use, but it rarely got the actual work that it likely desired. Alistair was accustomed to using his runesaber, or one of his rapiers. Alistair had spent more time practicing with the weapon, but he would not use it until he considered his skills perfect.

"I recommend visiting Tyr, but it is a...strange place. Not to mention, it is also all the way on the other side of the world."

Rhidian
 
Rhidian snorted. "Right... and does that mean a sword forged in Tyr would take it's sweet time before I can wield it?"

Suppose Proctor Urahil had some skills he wasn't privy to. Rhidian too, has a skill in need of getting used to and able to wield it. It was another thing to combine his weapon mastery and destructive magic.

"So with the theory of Tyrian Iron working best with my magic, what will that look like in practice?"

Alistair Krixus
 
"Yes, I would suggest getting a blacksmith from her just using this material. Vel Anir is not shy with its own expert smiths."

Having no more need for the rack and the other materials, Alistair began the process of cleaning up and clearing out some of the space for their use, before answering Rhidian's question.

"Nothing so flashy, it will just be more efficient. Less likely for the sword to break, it should be able to hold your magic longer before the magic escapes. Also, it will probably just be quieter, but I wasn't really thinking about that one."

Rhidian
 
Well that wasn't a haldf bad idea. Having the Academy foot the bill and the Anirian smiths fashion him a suited sword, Rhidian was liking the idea of future lessons now.

"Ah, an obvious answer. Wouldn't want to destruct a sword and have shrapnel go everywhere. That shit could hurt me." He laughed.

Rhidian moved to help Alistair clean up, clearing the space to an almost reset. "Any more training or theories we want to try while we are here?"

Alistair Krixus
 
"No, theories, but I want a better understanding of how well you have advanced. Think of it like... an exam."

Satisfied with the space before them, Alistair moved over to his supplies and came back with a standard-issue Anirian sword and then his rapier. He tossed the standard-issue guard's sword to Rhidian.

Alistair unsheathed the rapier and began casually progressing through a few stances with the weapon. His blade was covered in several runes.

"I don't use this one as much as I use to, but it was one of the first projects I ever engraved that wasn't absolute shit..." He smiled warmly at the weapon before continuing, "Anyways, rules are simple. Do whatever you want, but let's try not to kill each other. Also, try not to shatter the sword. Like you said, that would hurt."

Rhidian
 
Rhidian caught the standard-issued by the hilt, pulling it free and lightly letting the sheath down at his side before moving to stand opposite of Krixus. This blade he was familiar with, something of it's like handed to him during his recruitment, and before that, learning with his father.

He twirled it by rolling his wrist, setting himself up for an attack stance and giving Alistair a moment to compose himself before lunging in with a warm up. Minutes passed before Rhidian stepped out from his stance and reset. "Alright. Let's try it." Magic swelled inside him and gently moved to the blade. It was a small amount, not the full capacity he knew he was capable of channeling, but it was enough to give some impact.

Lunging once again, the magically infused blade thrummed upon impact.

Alistair Krixus
 
Alistair did not immediately use any of his magic. For starters, the best way to understand something was to experience it, and Alistair wanted to experience Rhidian's magic. It was as impressive as he thought.

The magic added a strong force behind the blow even with the need to put too much effort into it. While Alistair managed to deflect the blow, it was still enough to numb his arm. That was a good sign, but now they needed to step this up. Could Rhidian focus on his magic and his sword skills? That was when things would really start to click.

Alistair took a step back to re-center himself before he lunged forward to go on the offensive. He activated his runes to increase his speed, but only slightly. At this point, there was so much magic in the room that Alistair could see everything perfectly, each individual grain of sand beneath them, the smallest details, even a clear few of the flow of magic inside Rhidian's body. It was exhilarating.

Rhidian
 
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Rhidian hadn't had a good sparring session in a good while, but Alistair proved to be a wise opponent. He had taken the blows, let the magic flow through the rooms in quiet booms of energy, Rhidian feeling the frequency physically travel.

It was not until Alistair activated a rune that Rhidian grinned wider. He prepared himself, slipping into a defensive stance and met with his challenging blows. The concentration it took to focus on wielding and conjuring was difficult, but Rhidian had spent years being drilled on offensive and defensive tactics, on how to move and counter a strike. He was taught to do this without thinking, and so the young man relied on this.

Magic pulsed back into his sword, an added strength to each blow he met and deflected, the fight bringing a smile to life on his facade.

Alistair Krixus
 
Alistair was pleased with Rhidian's skill. The magic still needed to be improved, but he was already trained to be a guard, so the foundation was there. Now, they just needed to expand they way he thought. After all, Dreadlords were not guards.

Alistair continued trading blows with Rhidian, all the while his free hand began casting subtle spells. Nothing incredible, but the ground beneath Rhidian's feet would shift at the most inopportune times, or Alistair's sword strikes would suddenly grow heavier before returning to normal. Things that were meant to throw Rhidian off balance, but not outright win the fight.

"Not bad, for a guard."

Rhidian
 
The changes were subtle, enough to make him notice. Having to correct himself within half a thought tripped him up, allowing him to now take in effect that magic and combat needed to be in the same thought.

Rhidian gritted his teeth in concentration, applying these thoughts actively. His movements slowed, but nothing to take him away from properly defending against Alistair.

The magic waned slightly, but Rhidian pulsed enough magic after a moment or two. There was no reprieve of advancement from his sparring partner, but the Initiate kept his concentrations. Until a blow caught him off guard.

It was a light butt from Alistair's hilt at his shoulder, too busy overdrawing his defensive move to counter. Rhidian winced through his teeth, letting the odd feeling simmer through to his arm. His magic waned again.

Alistair Krixus
 
Alistair could see Rhidian's core so clearly that he could also see the pulses coming. Rhidian probably didn't realize it yet, but Alistair was timing each of his spells and shifts to occur right when the pulses of magic began or ended. He was essentially trying to force Rhidian to make the magical energy almost constant. It wasn't about flicking a switch anymore, now he needed to remove the switch altogether.

He continued to add more date as Alistair started a conversation, while also continuing the fight.

"So, where did you learn the sword? Was it just the guard?" If so, maybe Alistair's opinion of the guard would change a little.

Turning on the pressure, the next spell added more strength to Alistair's strikes as he pushed harder.

Rhidian
 
Rhidian began to catch onto what Alistair was doing. His determination to succeed held such priority, that it took him a moment to let that go. He was here to hone, to exercise.

"My father taught me before I joined the Guard. Said the Vaughns cannot look like novices on the first day with the Guard." Rhidian grunted, stepping away from one of Alistair's blows. "The best members of the Guard are found outside of Vel Anir." He grinned, stepping back into play as he coursed more magic into his sword. It became a new arm, a new limb. Magic never ceased, and Rhidian corrected his movements in accordance.

He acted on instinct now, stopping himself from assessing Alistair's fighting style.

The extra push on his advances were met with Rhidian's steady might, deflecting and blocking so hard, his magic seemed to quiver under the weight, but not die down.

"Fancy runes you got there, Krixus." Rhidian chuckled as he braced his blade against a strike.

Alistair Krixus
 
Good, that was better. The magical output was stabilizing, big bursts of power were great for some fights, but more than often fights were determined by the person who could last the longest.

He would also need to give his compliments to his father. There were some holes where the guardsman style did not align well with someone using magic, but overall it was better than most.

"The guard is a lot like the Dreadlords, in that regard. Most of the Dreadlords in my class were pulled from whatever holes they could find them. That might have changed a bit, recently."

As Rhidian got his magical output under control, Alistair backed off his push and began to let Rhidian push back as he went on the defensive.

He stopped with the spells moving that ground, focusing on just the runes he had activated.

"No, they really aren't." So far, Alistair had refrained from activating any of his more complicated runes. One reason was because this was a simple spar, and the other reason was because this was an older sword with older runes.

Rhidian
 
Rhidian saw the opening to change to being on the offensive, lunging forward and aiming a swing through the middle before following back with a back handed arc upwards. It was to create distance between himself and Alistair, allowing Rhidian to get some powerful blows and strikes in, the magicked blade resounding with significant frequencies. After a few moves, it was evident Rhidian was holding back on his magic, but the Initiate didn't want to damage anything his mentor owned. Even this standard issue.

"No, they just pluck anyone with magic and tell them they are here to help." It was bitter, the truth he spoke of his own admission to the Academy. He didn't want to be here, hell, if he could just learn to control and never use his magic, Rhidian would.

Alistair Krixus
 
Alistair adeptly dodged most of the incoming strikes choosing not to try and block them as the vibrations from Rhidian's sword would transfer to his own when he tried to block it. He did not seem all that moved by Rhidian's clear displeasure with Academy policy.

"You aren't the first to think negatively of the Academy." Alistair had found that it was all about ones viewpoint. Sure, getting taken away from your parents could seem like a bad thing to some, but then there were others who were taken off the streets where they surely would have died. Even Alistair's case, he was taken from his family, but his father was abusive and Alistair was turned into a warrior. He saw that as a win.

"The policy is partially based on wanting to gain tools for the city, but I also think Vel Anir are afraid of that life us. Especially when left to our own devices."

The next bit of magic Alistair used was far more subtle, and something that he had only just begun training with. Taught to him by Archon Zana, he began to match his magic to Rhidian's own. Then, he began to counter it. Not completely, he was nowhere near skilled enough for that, but Rhidian might begin to notice his magic feeling slippery or harder to pull on than usual.

Rhidian
 
Anger and resentment seemed to be a constant flow for him, enough to make him unaware what was being done to his magic.

He focused on his strikes, on his powerful blows, and his tricky lunges. "But I am not from Vel Anir." He countered, delivering a strike. "I could not trust my own squad mates to not rat me out, and here I am. Where was my say in this? Isn't that what the Republic preaches?" He was born to continue the generations of Vaughns serving the Guard. To not be anything more, or anything less. Rhidian was happy to continue that...

But now he was to become a Dreadlord. All these decisions being made for him, without his consultation..

His frustrations bled into his work, now merely hacking at Alistair.

Alistair Krixus
 
The ferocity of Rhidian's strikes crashed down on him like waves, but Alistair weathered it all taking several steps back. Seeing Rhidian's anger, Alistair chose to let him continue to release his frustrations, wanting to see how much control he would lose with this anger.

"You are now, such is the life of a Dreadlord."

He knew it was unfair, but there was not much of a point in complaining about it. The Republic was not perfect, that fact had become painfully obvious over time, but it was better than what they had had.

Another question popped into Alistair's mind, "Where are you from Rhidian?"

Getting tired of this onslaught, Alistair pulled hard on Rhidian's magic looking to cause a much more noticeable slip in control.

Rhidian
 
"Vel Hetren." He growled out, bow notocing the shift in his magic. Rhidian, believing it is his doing, called upon more magic and continued. "I am from Vel Hetren."

The Initiate was not aware of how much he packed in his swings, blind to the force that rippled up his arm and met at the pulsing magic at his chest.

Alistair Krixus
 
Alistair nearly laughed at Rhidian's statement. Vel Hetren was Vel Anir, it was all Vel Anir in the eyes of Anirians. He knew that Ridian did not see it that way, but all that mattered was the Republic saw it that way.

"I don't believe your complaint will reach many sympathetic listeners."

It had taken much debate to get the Dreadlords to stop stealing children from out of the territories of Vel Anir, and that had likely involved some bribery. So to try and tell them not to take kids from any city with the word 'Vel' at the front...good luck.

A big smile broke onto his face as he watched Rhidian's magic. While he wasn't doing anything amazing, he was still managing to pull from his magic with Alistair disrupting it. That showed a real growth in his control.

Rhidian
 
Rhidian chuckled wryly, pulling away from the fight to take a moment. He carefully put down the sword he had been wielding, and watched as his magic still remained as his hand released from it. "I'm just angry... I made a choices for my life and was looking forward to them. I felt so sure it will go the way I planned." Rhidian turned to lean against the table Alistair had sat behind earlier. "It feels as if I have been handed this, something I didn't ask for, and told to be happy about it. Told to feel proud of myself because what I am capable of?"

He felt deflated. These expectations put on him by others had been pushing down on his head, his shoulders, and even his knees buckled enough to let them do so.

"Proctor Urahil gets no lip from me because she was the first to ask me how I was feeling about all of this." And she listened to his angrier complaints. There was no forcing to accept this new opportunity, or even truly forcing him until he was ready to train.

"I know. I should be careful who I complain to... but sometimes it's just something I need to get off my chest." Rhid stared down at his shoes. Magic was going a lot better than he had thought, but only because Alistair had shown him he was more than just a walking detonation device.

Alistair Krixus
 
Now, they were getting to the true essence of Rhidian's anger, and Alistair could more than understand. It was something that nearly every Dreadlord initiate wrestled with at some point in their life. There was always that oh-so-obvious 'what if' of them never becoming Dreadlords.

Alistair relaxed his stance as he looked at the young man for a moment.

"Life rarely gives us the satisfaction of seeing our plans work out perfectly...but you are right. None of us originally wanted this. However, it is what we are given and most of us would fight tooth and nail if someone tried to take it away from us."

It was Rhidian's right to be angry. Hell, a large portion of Alistair's class were runaways or rebels because of that very same anger. That rage drove Dreadlords to do amazing things, but at the same time, it drove Dreadlords to break.

"What made you want to be a guard? Was it just your family?"

Rhidian
 
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