Tale of Two Swords

The occasional tremors dredged up memories of wars and battles long past; each was reminiscent of the distant fall of stones hurled by trebuchet, or the shudder of siege ram against barred and barricaded gates. Surely neither could be found so far underground, and so they were kept at the back of his mind as a curiousity, rather then a source of worry or unwanted reminiscence.

The chamber Tanaka led him to was far larger then he had expected. Underground chambers were nothing new to Baidrer, but ones of this scale shadowed any he had dwelt in in his home land. Asides from re-purposed natural caverns, he had never seen a chamber so far below ground to this scale. And that it was devoted to training? Another oddity of this land; with so much open ground above in the fresh air...and that itself was an oddity to him, that the air in the chamber was itself so fresh. No number of chutes to the surface could have managed such a degree of circulation as the air of this chamber.

His gaze scanned the room briefly, noticing curious vents and fans and quickly concluding these to be the cause of the clean air. He shook his head, finding no shortage of oddities to which he would have to grow accustomed. By the standards of his homeland, he had been considered worldly and knowledgeable, but here he was hard pressed not to seem a gawking fool.

His attention lowered past the railing to the floor below, where Lord Yuji and his bodyguard, little Chiyo, were greeting him. Likely these two had been the source of the tremors he had felt on his approach; the power needed to cause so much earth to shudder like that was once beyond the scope of his imagination, but even that short glimpse of these strange people's abilities when they so soundly dispatched the daemon were rapidly broadening his once limited expectations of the world.

"I am, Lord Yuji. Thank you again for your hospitality. And hello again, miss Chiyo." After a moment longer to survey the room, with greater attention to what it contained rather then simply how it was lit and aired, he moved down the steps to the floor proper and towards Yuji and Chiyo. No longer encased in his heavy armour, and with a chance to bathe and rest briefly, he had found a second wind, so to speak. When he neared the pair, he stopped shy of the floor mats and ring of servants to flourish a far more proper bow then he had been capable of when encased in steel.

"Hee!" Chiyo grinned happily while greeting him with a bow, realizing she hadn't done so earlier. "You're looking loads better without that stuffy old armor on!"

Yuji simply offered a wave. "It's really no problem, Baidrer. We're glad to have you." He flexed his hands a few times and adjusted the finger-less boxing gloves he wore. They were heavily weighted, which put a slight hindrance on his movements. His clothing was the same as the morning's attire for the most part, except he had removed his blue jacket. He wore a plain white T-shirt of no significance; rather it what was now visible around his waist would be of more interest. Two belt straps wrapped around his waist, looping through small scabbards at the small of his back. The sheathes suggested the blades were around twelve inches in length. Their hilts faced either direction, presumably to allow for a quick dual draw if the need arose. Though they would have been concealed during their fight with the blackened creature, he still neglected their use.

"We can relocate and chat about our worlds if you want." The topic of discussion did not have to be of their worlds. He simply wanted to get to know Baidrer a bit more. "Or did you come down here to spar with us? Hell, we could do it all at the same time!" Yuji laughed. While sparring was a fun way to connect with others for Yuji, he wasn't about to force it upon Baidrer if he so chose.

(OOC: Appologies on both the delay and shortness of this. Still piecing my brain together from working night shift this week.))

Baidrer was tempted to try his hand sparring with either of the two at this point, but there was little doubt in his mind that their abilities far shadowed his own. The only advantage he might have had was experience, and while in most fights that would make all the difference in the world, when so hugely over powered, it would not be a deciding factor as it would normally. Plus, he was still sporting injuries and fending exhaustion, so in the end he had to decline the offer for the time being. Some rest and recuperation was called for first.

If the lad had those knives with him when fighting the daemon, then it only spoke further to the scale of his power, that he had opted to strike only with fists rather then with steel in hand. The creature would have easily waded through entire formations of pikemen, Baidrer had no doubt...and these strangers had so easily felled it. Were such things common place here, to require such abilities? Or were these folks rare exceptions to the norm?

To Chiyo he smiled his soft smile and nodded in thanks for the compliment, "I must admit, little one, I feel ill at ease without some steel on my shoulders. But I doubt I've much need of my chain here."

"I fear the years are catching up to me, Lord Yuji. A good night's rest, at the least, before I dare entertain the idea of stepping into a sparring ring with you and yours."

((OOC: No worries, work and rest come first. Take your time. Sorry for my delays. I'm hard pressed for ideas sometimes.))

Yuji waved Baidrer off. "Don't even worry about it. Maybe next time!" He considered removing his cloves, but ultimately declined the idea. As long as he's idle, he may as well train a little. "So. We can chill out down here and talk, or we can head upstairs." He scratched his head and offered an apologetic smile. "Heh! I'm not too good at the whole 'entertaining' thing. Guests aren't too common. And it's not everyday you meet someone from a new planet!"

Chiyo tilted her head to the side at that. "Erm. Actually, it's totally like that everyday. But it's still super cool when it happens!"

Yuji laughed a bit. "Haha, I guess you're right!" The two often bounced their upbeat attitudes back and forth in conversation. Yuji shot Baidrer a thumbs up. "Good to have you on Earth! Regardless of how long your stay is, I hope you enjoy it here."

The pair reminded him of his Brothers, before the war. They had been a youthful lot, more interested in sparring and drinking then in actual martial practice. While that spoiled, Noble-born innocence was quickly burned away at the Ford, their clung to their humour till the end of the War and the loss of families and loved ones in the purges that came after. He hadn't laughed since. But, their antics were a refreshing sight all the same.

This realm they called home...this planet; he continually had to remind himself he wasn't simply in some distant country...was certainly a strange place. The level of science here was far beyond anything of his homeland; this underground cavern was better lit then any grand feast hall or ballroom in his home realm, despite being so deep underground. Even the quality of the clothing, or the strange material the buttons seemed to be cast of. But no matter the conveniences and wonders, this realm was not his home. He held some small hope that this arcane brotherhood, Nobus, could find a way of returning him where he belonged.

"You are young yet, Lord Yuji. The finer points of 'entertaining' guests shall come in time. Youth should be spent enjoying oneself. That applies to you too, little Chiyo." He had been a grown man by most standards when he had rode to war, late into his 16th year, not much younger then Yuji. In his homeland, Yuji's responsibilities in life would have been ten-fold and the lad would likely have had blood on his hands already, but he had already gathered that this Earth was a very different place.

Chiyo giggled at the notion. Having fun was ALWAYS on her agenda. "Hopefully you're right. I'd rather just act natural." Yuji sighed. It wasn't as if he didn't do that already, though. "For now, I guess we can just talk upstairs." He led Baidrer and Chiyo back to the room they had spoken in earlier that day. Yuji took a seat in the same chair while Chiyo randomly chose a new spot to sit. "Hm... While I thought I could just explain things about our world, it's actually pretty hard. I don't even know where to start. I've got plenty of questions about your world, but I feel like I should answer any you've got first. Anything come to mind?"

Baidrer frowned in thought as Lord Yuji and Chiyo led the way up stairs.  The questions he had of their world were countless, of course.  How did these lights function?  How did they create glass and mirrors so devoid of imperfections?  The strange, flexible materials they used to for for packaging?  Those were not terribly important, at the moment.  Such knowledge would come in time, but were not pressing.  "What can you tell me of this group, Nobus?  I appreciate your help, but I feel I will not fit in well in your world, and there is work for me yet there."


He wouldn't mention his fear of dying so far from his homeland.  Would he join his Brothers if he passed here?  Would he find a cause worth dying for here, or would he pass in a bed of old age?  A terrifying thought, that was.