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Annie is on her trike on her way to school.
This van labeled HAZARDOUS MATERIALS is also on its way to school.
The van hits a patch of black ice. It goes spinning, it turns over, it slices itself open on a wrought-iron fence with spikes, and it disgorges boxes which smash open on the pavement. Some of them skitter clear into the slush.
Some of them - along with most of the van - land on Annie.
There is a whirl of bewildering pain and confusion -
- and she falls to the ground, injured and in more kinds of discomfort beyond that and moaning.
She slowly starts to heal before the eyes of her sole witness.
six artifact pileup annie in thedas
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The next day Annie gets into her new outfit which actually fits, and kisses Stalas goodbye and walks with Kador to the Proving because it would be weird if she walked with Stalas.
They sit in the front row. She fidgets.
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Kador very gently pats her on the back.
The stands are separated from the fighting floor by a high wall, and elevated so that spectators can easily look over the wall and down into the arena, with tiered benches allowing even the rear seats a decent view. Kador politely hunkers down so that people sitting in the second row can see over him.
An announcer calls out that this is an honour Proving, meant to settle the matter of accusations against Prince Stalas Aeducan, and that it will be fought in four rounds. Someone sitting behind Kador and Annie mutters a bet to his companion regarding how many fighters will be killed, and she snorts and mutters back that Prince Stalas is the least bloodthirsty fighter she's ever seen and she'd hate to take her friend's money over a foregone conclusion.
Stalas himself steps out into the arena, and the opposing champion for the first round steps out at the other end. The opposing champion is wearing heavy plate armour and carrying a massive war axe. Stalas is lightly armoured and equipped with several daggers and a longsword. Despite this imbalance, he walks with poise and confidence.
The stands are separated from the fighting floor by a high wall, and elevated so that spectators can easily look over the wall and down into the arena, with tiered benches allowing even the rear seats a decent view. Kador politely hunkers down so that people sitting in the second row can see over him.
An announcer calls out that this is an honour Proving, meant to settle the matter of accusations against Prince Stalas Aeducan, and that it will be fought in four rounds. Someone sitting behind Kador and Annie mutters a bet to his companion regarding how many fighters will be killed, and she snorts and mutters back that Prince Stalas is the least bloodthirsty fighter she's ever seen and she'd hate to take her friend's money over a foregone conclusion.
Stalas himself steps out into the arena, and the opposing champion for the first round steps out at the other end. The opposing champion is wearing heavy plate armour and carrying a massive war axe. Stalas is lightly armoured and equipped with several daggers and a longsword. Despite this imbalance, he walks with poise and confidence.
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Annie attempts to point her face in his direction, for appearances' sake.
first-and-final
The announcer calls the start of the match. Stalas stands and waits. His opponent charges, axe raised. He sidesteps, drawing his sword; they go back and forth a few times like that, with Stalas occasionally meeting the axe-swings with his sword but mostly just declining to get in their way at all. It is abundantly clear who has control of this fight, even without Stalas making any overt use of superpowers.
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She is still a little tiny bit fretful, but she can mostly distract herself by being admiring.
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Stalas toys with the axe-wielding warrior for a few more exchanges, then lures them into overbalancing slightly and strikes a blow with his sword that rings off the plate mail but lays the warrior flat on the ground. They decline to get up. The match is called in his favour, and his opponent staggers off the field.
His second match is against a pair of twins armed with daggers much like his own. This one is trickier. One of them manages to put a long slice across his lower back, but he ignores it completely and knocks both of them to the ground with powerful blows of his sword. The match is called in his favour again, and his third opponent steps onto the floor, another plate-armoured warrior with a spiked hammer. That one goes down in short order, and Stalas is visibly healed by the end of the match. Nearby spectators whisper to each other about the rumours of that new magic the Legion of the Dead started using a few days ago, that heals your wounds in minutes.
His fourth match is against yet another plate-mail type whose war axe is even bigger than the first. He gets more aggressive against this one, perhaps finally tiring of the game, perhaps just subtly testing his new strength.
...And then someone in the stands starts loudly singing.
His second match is against a pair of twins armed with daggers much like his own. This one is trickier. One of them manages to put a long slice across his lower back, but he ignores it completely and knocks both of them to the ground with powerful blows of his sword. The match is called in his favour again, and his third opponent steps onto the floor, another plate-armoured warrior with a spiked hammer. That one goes down in short order, and Stalas is visibly healed by the end of the match. Nearby spectators whisper to each other about the rumours of that new magic the Legion of the Dead started using a few days ago, that heals your wounds in minutes.
His fourth match is against yet another plate-mail type whose war axe is even bigger than the first. He gets more aggressive against this one, perhaps finally tiring of the game, perhaps just subtly testing his new strength.
...And then someone in the stands starts loudly singing.
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Annie does not like Stalas being sliced at all but it doesn't seem to be impairing him and he'll heal -
She crumples out of her seat when the singing starts, hands clapped uselessly over her ears, screaming.
She crumples out of her seat when the singing starts, hands clapped uselessly over her ears, screaming.
first-and-final
Stalas doesn't scream, but he stumbles, winces, freezes—
His opponent, either unaware of this unfair advantage or willing to exploit it anyway, swings her massive axe.
And Stalas catches it, one-handed, by the edge. The blade bites into his palm and there is a flare of brilliant white light, and when he closes his hand the steel crumples like soft leather. His opponent stares. Stalas wrenches the ruined weapon out of her grasp, tosses it aside, and turns toward the source of the singing. His eyes glow white, and the blood dripping from his hand fairly blazes.
The singing stops. The glowing doesn't.
His opponent, either unaware of this unfair advantage or willing to exploit it anyway, swings her massive axe.
And Stalas catches it, one-handed, by the edge. The blade bites into his palm and there is a flare of brilliant white light, and when he closes his hand the steel crumples like soft leather. His opponent stares. Stalas wrenches the ruined weapon out of her grasp, tosses it aside, and turns toward the source of the singing. His eyes glow white, and the blood dripping from his hand fairly blazes.
The singing stops. The glowing doesn't.
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Annie catches her breath and climbs back into her seat and says softly, "I can, I can undo it -"
first-and-final
Stalas's opponent looks at the remains of her axe, shakes her head, and says, "I yield."
The announcer calls out shakily, "Prince Stalas wins this match, and with it the challenge!"
The singer notices a nearby Legionnaire getting up and turning toward him - not one of the ones who took the healing property, but one of the ones who was present when it was distributed. He attempts to flee the stands. Someone trips him on his way out.
Stalas attempts to calm down and stop glowing, but the glowing doesn't seem to be entirely voluntary, and it does not wish to turn off at thie time.
The announcer calls out shakily, "Prince Stalas wins this match, and with it the challenge!"
The singer notices a nearby Legionnaire getting up and turning toward him - not one of the ones who took the healing property, but one of the ones who was present when it was distributed. He attempts to flee the stands. Someone trips him on his way out.
Stalas attempts to calm down and stop glowing, but the glowing doesn't seem to be entirely voluntary, and it does not wish to turn off at thie time.
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It is a significant effort of will for Annie to stay put and not wobble over to Stalas and demand hugs.
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Arena guards approach the singer and escort him out of the stands. The Legionnaire who was menacing him lets him go.
Stalas exits the arena, leaving behind a trail of glowing drops of blood. Spectators ask each other what the fuck is up with that. No one has a good answer.
Kador says, "Well, that was exciting. Are you all right?"
Stalas exits the arena, leaving behind a trail of glowing drops of blood. Spectators ask each other what the fuck is up with that. No one has a good answer.
Kador says, "Well, that was exciting. Are you all right?"
"Time to go home?"
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"Yeah."
Wobble wobble. She trips, once, on the way up out of the stands.
Wobble wobble. She trips, once, on the way up out of the stands.
"I can carry you," offers Kador.
Scoop.
Back to Caridin's house they go.
Back to Caridin's house they go.
first-and-final
Stalas arrives shortly after they get home. He's all healed up by now.
He proceeds directly to Annie and gives her a hug.
He proceeds directly to Annie and gives her a hug.
first-and-final
"It was a pretty clear attempt to interfere with the Proving. He'll be fined, and possibly banned from attending any more Provings. Depending on who complains how loudly to whom, we might end up with a law against singing or humming in a public place. I should talk to Bhelen about whether we want to push for that this early, but I wanted to make sure you were all right first."