#get her janan she's a little shit

[gerudosage]

the system of touch.

combat. for our muses to train together in combat. @sentinaels & janan.

the crack of splintering wood hit the air like a thunderclap, & beneath it, nabooru sounded like a wounded animal, grunting hard as the shockwave traveled up her arm, & into her shoulder. a few stray splinters drove themselves through the pale linen wraps criss - crossed across her forearms, finding purchase in the skin below, blood welling in small spots, but for a moment, she held her position, fresh sweat beading on her forehead all the while. she lasted only as long as it took for janan to lift her weapon ; without the pressure it provided holding it together, the shield fell to pieces, & so, too, did she.

❛ stop, stop, stop, ❜ she gasped, axe raised across her face to block any incoming blows, until she was certain the other had taken heed of her words, & given her the space to catch her breath. each day they fought a little harder, trained a little longer, but janan, still, was the stronger of the two, & though she wished to press on, to slash wildly at her mentor & hope for a blow to land, she had absolutely nothing left to give. the edge of the coliseum was dotted with benches, but she found the thought of making her way to one agonizing ; instead, she collapsed on the spot, legs buckling, & for a moment, she felt that she would retch.

❛ you win, ❜ she wheezed, half – lying, half – falling onto her back, too tired to push aside the slivers & shards of polished wood, accepting her fate as they pressed into her shoulders, her back, her thighs. ❛ again. please … i just need … ❜ but all the air in her lungs was gone, & the sentence hung, abandoned, in the air.

true recovery was a long way off, but lungs filled with air bolstered her, if only for a moment. after a few minutes of heavy breathing, she gazed up, eyes flicking to janan’s face, & grinned, even as all her muscles screamed. ❛ cheater, ❜ she managed, in a hoarse sing – song. ❛ couldn’t let me have it just this one time ? ❜