"Honour? Heh."
The deep, masculine voice belonged to a giant, red-scaled Argonian. With a fanged smirk, the mercenary sauntered his way towards the training ground, obviously overhearing Hilf's polite decline. Blinking once, Axel turned around to eye the newcomer, and once his gaze fell over the beast-man, his eyebrows shot towards the top of his forehead. Immediately, the Argonian initiated eye contact, his vibrant green hues staring hard into the Redguard's dark-brown eyes. The stranger was huge, standing seven feet tall in height and weighing in at a solid three hundred pounds. The Saxhleel wore ebony-plated leggings and gloves, both crafted with a tinge of Daedric influence. For the most part, his muscled, toned upper body was bare, save for a black sash modified to serve as a vial holder. Test tubes lined its slots, filled with different potions and solutions. A sleek black scabbard was slung across the beastman's back, holding a massive, six foot long Ebony Great-sword. "Well well well, it's been a long time, hasn't it Axel?" the humanoid lizard said, a short smile curling across his face. Axel stared confusedly. How did this guy know his name? Even though he looked to be a complete stranger, Axel felt there was something strangely familiar about him, almost too familiar. Then it hit him.
"J-Jye?!"
The Argonian's smile grew so wide that all of the sharp, white teeth that lined his jaws were visible. "I knew you'd remember. You would've hurt my feelings if you didn't remember your best friend," Jye sneered, the tone in his voice making it clear that the two were anything but friends. "And you look as weak and feeble as ever." Jye mustered a short laugh while Axel looked down towards the ground in silence. Noticing Hilf and Brynn, the Argonian mercenary straightened himself up. "I apologize if I'm interrupting. You see, it has been a while since Axel and I have seen each other," Jye explained. "I suppose you haven't heard about me since I've left, have you Axel? I have made quite a name for myself as a skilled mercenary . . ." The Redguard twisted his mouth. "Mercenary?" he repeated, intrigued. "Yes. I mostly deal with criminals, but I do escort travelers from time to time. The job has netted me plenty of coin too," the Argonian grinned, his light green eyes flashing. "But never mind about that. What I'm interested in is seeing how you hold yourself in combat. Since this gentleman here isn't too interested in sparring you, I'd be more than happy to accommodate you."
Axel suddenly grew extremely quiet. His visage turned incredibly stoic. Ever since the two of them were little, Jye always had the perception that Axel was inferior to him in every way. Even with the five years that had passed since Jye had left the village, his attitude about Axel didn't change one bit. However, after hearing Axel ask Hilf for a spar, Jye's curiosity peaked and he had to see the boy's combat prowess for himself, that is, if he had any to begin with. Clutching his hands tight, the young Redguard exhaled. "Fine Jye. Let's spar," he said, much to the Argonian's glee. A sharp-toothed smile sprouted on the reptile's face. He was almost giddy with excitement. "Perfect," he cooed, flexing his clawed fingers. Axel turned to address Hilf and Brynn. "I hope this is okay with the two of you," he stated, clearly not wanting to overstep his boundaries. "But I need to do this. I need to settle this right here and right now." Jye let out a deep, twisted laugh. "Bahaha! You speak as if you actually stand a chance!"
His right hand clenched around the hilt of the great-sword strapped to his back. With a smooth gesture, the Argonian unsheathed the enormous, deadly weapon. Even with the Ebony great-sword's size and weight, Jye held it with ease with one hand, a clear testament to his ridiculous strength. Axel couldn't help but stare in amazement. "I'll go easy on you, though I feel that you could use a scar or two . . ." Jye chuckled, eagerly waiting for Axel to draw his weapon. Silently, the alchemist rummaged through his pockets before pulling out an ordinary pair of leather gloves. He slipped them calmly onto his hands with Jye staring befuddled all the while. With a controlled inhale and exhale, the twenty year old assumed his fighting stance. Judging from his stance alone, it was easy to see that he was trained and knew what he was doing. It took a moment for Jye to register that Axel didn't have any weapons on him and was actually choosing to fight bare-handed. The realization caused Jye to grin wildly. "You think you can beat me without a weapon!?" he laughed, finding the thought absolutely hilarious. "Suit yourself then!" The Argonian slipped into a battle-ready stance of his own. Flames encircled his gauntlets for a brief moment, a minor display of his magical prowess. The wild, toothy smile remained on the Saxhleel's face. A swift breeze billowed through the training field.
A furious battle was in its wake.
» WORDS - 800
» OOC - THE FIGHT HAPPENS.