Friendly Poke | Lukas & Sumia
@unbalancing-act
     Like most of her acquaintanceships, her introduction to Lukas began with an apology. A bump, a string of sorries, then the eventual revelation that he was not only one of the staff, but a fellow polearm user as well. He was an easy enough man to get along with. They took meals together here and there in the cafeteria, shared stories of their homeland, pointed out observations about the weather, and, of course, talked shop.Â
     Erm, talked techniques, that is. They both had a few ideas and different ways of approaching things given their vantages. Sumia was up in the sky while Lukas was on the ground. Totally different move sets.  It was only a matter of time before a demonstration was suggested. By whom, Sumia couldnât recall. But if she was honest with herself, that was the trajectory of all their conversations, wasnât it? The desire to see anotherâs skills in a field you were trained in⌠it was only natural. And, perhaps, she should stop being so coy and label this meeting for what it actually was:       A duel.      Not the kind that the students partook in, either. Glancing at her weapon, it wasnât blunt training iron that reflected the flames around her, but sharpened steel; the same kind Lukas carried. Was it reckless? Well⌠yes, a little bit. But she trusted him enough and he trusted her enough too, apparently. They werenât amateurs. They knew how to give hits and how to take them. Besides, this was more realistic training. When it came to fighting for your life against soldiers, or worse, good sense was something that needed to be abandoned in favor of instinct. The time for contemplation was over, and the thoughts of hateful eyes being the last thing you may ever see saved for a campfire and a lonely evening.      One by one, Sumia snuffed out the surrounding torches in the sparring area. No students, no staff, not even the moon was present to witness them. Soon it would be just her, him, and the darkness. With each light that went out, Sumia felt another rush, another throb in her limbs. Nervousness⌠and anticipation. Even if it was just blows against their armor, it could still hurt enough to bruise in the morning. Sumia hoped she would have something to show for all those Risen she killed. For all those times she thought it was seconds before another darkness claimed her.      The torches were out and only a final candle remained. She would use her breath to choke its warm glow. Thatâs when they would start.      Her breath held.      âUm⌠Lukas?â The flame wavered as she turned, her stare now scanning the floor. Everything was completely swallowed by shadow except for, to her surprise, Lukas himself. He hadnât put out his own candle yet, waiting for her. Her heart leapt into her throat. It was a whisper of air that held the line between familiarity and foe between them. She wanted to keep it long enough to offer him a smile.      âDonât go easy on me, okay?â      She hardly caught glimpse of the white trail of smoke before she was engulfed. The black of the night, the cold of the cloudy sky rushed upon her so quickly she thought it got inside her. She couldnât see and the throbbing in her body intensified. Every hair stood on end, waiting to sense even the slightest atmospheric ripple.      There was none... that she could feel, anyway. No leaves rustling, no creaking wood, not even insects. Certainly no footsteps or shallow pants that might give Lukas away. Ah, what did she expect? That he would start tripping over himself, like her? He was probably already zeroed in, creeping at the edges and ready to sneak up from behind. Why did she even--      No, no. Keep it together, Sumia. Lukas mightâve been pretty impressive, but even he couldnât evolve fast enough to see in the dark. The playing field was still even. Just take your first step.      Her foot came down on the cobblestone, silently. It was nothing short of a small miracle, but there it was. Maybe she wasnât totally hopeless without her pegasus. Creeping forward, Sumia thought about the layout of the field again. Just a simple square. They started at the same point, so it would be the same distance for the both of them to get to the center. The problem was she had no idea which direction he was going in. The more she walked, the more Sumia realized how foolish this was. Why would she go to the center, where she was exposed at all sides?!      Her shoulders raised and it was sheer last minute luck that she managed to keep herself from sighing. He mightâve not been able to see, but he could still hear just fine. They were probably both straining their ears for the other to give themselves away first.      âŚÂ      Well, she might not know where he was, but if she could make an educated guess⌠Sumia extended her polearm, steel side out, then very, very lightly tapped the floor with the tip several feet away from her.      She waited only seconds before taking a strike in the same spot, aiming for where she guessed his legs might be if he approached.
