Private Tamriel's Unlikeliest Heroes

[Aerin]

Shadow shrouded the thief's face, her hood pulled heavy across her brow. Vivid green eyes honed in on the large pouch brimming with pretty gold septims just begging to be taken. The tavern was crowded and filled with the raucous singing of drunkards and bards. Elsa was currently sat talking to a man beside the bar while she waited for the best time to reach below the counter and grab her prize. The nord she was speaking with seemed not to pick up on her increasingly rude suggestions that he leave her be. He only seemed to get the idea once his rather forward proposition was only met with stony silence and a glare that could make a frost troll cringe.

Watching the back of the nord disappear into the crowd Elsa returned her attention to her immediate surroundings. The inn keeper had just ducked down into the basement to find extra supplies for one very weary looking traveller, and taking her chance Elsa quickly dipped her hand behind the counter, nimble fingers closing in around the neck of the coin pouch. As swiftly as she had grabbed the bag she had her prize stowed away within the confines of her cloak. Satisfied she downed the remaining mead in the tankard left in front of her and she walked away, pushing aside those who failed to move out of her path. Walking out into the mild air of Falkreath Elsa looked around, pleased to see that no one had spotted her hasty exit just yet. Jogging down the stairs she made her way behind the inn to an area hidden by bushes in order to count her gold and store it away properly. Once satisfied she stood to her full height, her things arranged comfortably. It was still early enough that she might leave the town and find somewhere to camp before nightfall. Then again it would be nice to have a bed to sleep in. Her train of thought came to a halt as the hairs on the nape of her neck rose, the young thief experiencing the all too uncomfortable feeling of being watched. Fingers slipped around one of her daggers, muscles tense and ready to strike on instinct.

 

[Acrylic]

The stench of hard liquor hung the air, burning the Redguard’s nostrils. Brutes and bards hooped and hollered as they guzzled down mugs of mead. Axel had no clue why he thought it would be a good idea to stop at the inn around this time. He figured that there wouldn’t be too many people inside and that he would be able to wind down and relax. Sighing to himself, the twenty year old sat up in his seat, doing his best to drown out the drunken yells echoing around him. His dark-brown eyes temporarily hovered over the bar area. There, a young Nord male was flirting with an uninterested cloaked girl. “Well, at least I’m not dealing with people like that,” Axel thought. Rubbing his nose, the dark-skinned boy watched the lusty thug leave his seat to join in on the festivities. Axel was just about to focus on something else until he noticed the quiet girl slip her hand underneath the counter. She snatched something up, a bag of sorts and quickly stuffed into her cloak. The Redguard raised his eyebrows. “Is she stealing something?” The shrouded lady wasted no time in making her way out of the bar, leaving Axel to contemplate on whether or not to pursue her.​

​

A brief moment passed before the lad rose from his seat. He quickly made his way out of the inn, incredibly relieved to breathe in warm, fresh air. Scarcely noticing the thief scurrying behind the inn, the biochemist calmly walked down the front entrance’s stairs before following the pilferer from a safe distance away. The girl promptly hid in some bushes in order to count her loot in piece. However, it wasn’t long before she noticed that she had been spotted. She stood completely still and Axel took that as a sign that she was very aware of his presence. “Yes, I saw you steal that bag,” he announced, crossing his arms. “I know you don’t like him but you didn’t have to go and do all that, you know? I actually don’t want you to get in trouble. There’s still enough time to go back and put the bag back where you found it.” Although Axel’s stance was relaxed, he was ready to react at a moment’s notice. He was dealing with a thief after all and they didn’t waste a second in killing somebody if it meant saving their own hides. The enhanced Dwarven crossbow remained slung across Axel’s back, a clear indicator that the short Redguard was ready to defend himself if need be. “I don’t want any trouble, honest. Why don’t you just . . . put it back and if you need some gold, I can spare you some myself.”​

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» WORDS - 457​

» OOC - THAT'S RIGHT. AXEL SEENTED YOU STEAL THAT, ELSA.​

 

[Aerin]

Turning slowly Elsa expected some hulking brute in a suit of polished armour to have confronted her. This wasn't the first time someone had attempted to set her upon the straight and narrow. She didn't understand the way so many men felt some kind of obligation to save her from her wicked ways. Taking in the sight of the would-be enforcer of the law, the nord had to stop herself from laughing. Stood before her was a rather unintimidating redguard. She had to have at least a few good inches on him, and she would bet she would be able to take him down if he tried anything. "Well aren't you just adorable?" Cocking her hip and folding her arms, a wry smile spread across the thief's face.

She slowly approached the redguard, silently calculating the best course of action. The little milk-drinker didn't look like he packed much of a punch, and even with that nice looking crossbow of his she fancied her chances. "You know if you didn't want any trouble you should have just walked on by." Slowly circling the man Elsa took the time to silently assess his belongings. She wasn't looking for any confrontation, most likely she'd let him run along unharmed, no lighter in the pocket than when she found him. Standing in front of him once more Elsa gave a him a look that had gotten her very far in the past. "Now. Why don't you run along, and we'll pretend this little encounter never happened."

 

[Acrylic]

Adorable?​

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Axel blinked once, watching as the seductress stuck her shapely hips out. Her voice dripped with pure arrogance. Judging from her relaxed stance, she seemed completely confident that she could crush Axel like the scrawny little bug he was if he actually tried to go toe to toe with her in combat. Sadly, this wasn’t the first time that Axel had been underestimated due to his small stature and his nerdy personality. He didn’t bother getting angry. Besides, Elsa would see soon enough that he wasn’t one to be trifled with. ​

​

The thief circled Axel like a tigress sizing up her prey. Axel remained completely still, his dark-brown eyes following the woman’s movements. She stopped in front of him after making a full circle around him. The cunning vixen passed the biochemist an alluring look, coaxing him to run along so that she could make off with her stash of loot. ​

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Unfortunately for Elsa, Axel was having none of that. ​

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Visage stoic, the dark-skinned boy slipped off the pair of ebony gauntlets off of his hands. He lightly dropped them towards the ground, the heavy gloves hitting the grassy floor with a dull metallic clank. His right hand fished inside one of his pouches before pulling out an ordinary pair of leather gloves. They were covered in a light layer of soot and Axel brushed them off on his ebony-plated vest. With ease, the twenty year old put the gloves on, stretching the bottoms to ensure that they were fit on snugly. His earth-toned hues hovered over the cocky pickpocket. ​

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It looked like she wasn’t going to give up without a fight. ​

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Slowly, the master alchemist shifted into a fighting stance. His hands rose to his face, clenched into half-fists. His right hand and foot were placed forward while his left hand and foot were placed slightly behind. Knees slightly bent, Axel stared silently at his soon-to-be opponent. A gentle breeze swept through the air, serving as a precursor to the upcoming confrontation. ​

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He wasn’t going to spare any more words. He would let his fists do the talking. ​

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» WORDS - 350​

» OOC - THEY FINNA FIGHT. / PLACES BETS.​

 

[Aerin]

Watching with quiet amusement as the young redguard swapped his ebony gauntlets for leather gloves Elsa couldn't help but feel as though she may have found herself in a deceptively difficult situation. The man was calm, precise in his movements. He exuded a silent confidence that had the thief second guessing her opponent.

As he sank into a fighting stance the thief cocked her head to the side, her lips parted in consternation as she realised she would have to fight him. Hand to hand? I can do that. Though I don't think I like how quiet he is. Dropping her belongings on the ground Elsa took a step back, preparing herself to go on the defence. She had no idea what his fighting style was like and she was waiting on him to make the first move, so that she might try and guess his next moves. She hadn't made it this far without knowing how to win a fight with her mind.

 

[Acrylic]

Even though he was dealing with a thief, Axel remained polite. He allowed the sneaky vixen to get herself situated and was even set on giving her the first move. However, it seemed as though Elsa wasn’t keen on launching the opening strike. It was fine either way, Axel had no problem with going on the offensive. A short five meters separated the two combatants. The dark-skinned boy took a very short step forward, followed by another one. He remained in his stance, deep brown eyes gazing at the confident brunette.

Then, he immediately shot forward.

Arms and legs pumping, the twenty year severed the distance between himself and Elsa in but a short moment. It was almost frightening how fast Axel was despite donning a set of heavy armor. Sure, his frame and stature might be small but the lad was still pretty strong for his size. All of that intensive training whilst in his armor was definitely paying off. Once he reached striking distance, the biochemist’s right shoulder shifted and his right arm quickly rose upward. From the looks of it, it appeared as though Axel was getting ready to throw a right-handed jab. Elsa would surely catch onto this but what she might not know was that this movement was nothing but a clever feint. Instead of going through with a right jab, Axel would abruptly step forward with his left foot. His left fist would zip towards the female’s stomach, hips turning to add that much more power to the blow. The punch would definitely dish out plenty of hurt if it connected. Judging from the twenty year old’s stance and attacks; he wasn’t going easy on Elsa.

Because unlike her, he wasn’t one to underestimate his opponents.

» WORDS - 300​

» OOC - Mmm.​

 

[Aerin]

Elsa's eyes widened as she saw the redguard's fist come at her body, her instincts guiding her to turn and jump backwards at the last second. She had very nearly fallen for the feint, but the movement of his fist drawing back had been enough to warn her of his trick.

Glaring at the young man she realised that she'd been foolish to think this would be easy. Clearly he was just as deceptive as she was. Growling she let her anger take over, her movements viciously precise. This wouldn't just be a simple bar brawl, no, this was a far more serious affair. Walking around him she flexed her hands, her feet moving quickly to avoid tripping or stumbling. Her eyes were trained on his movements, her heart racing as she tried to remain focussed on the task at hand. "Why do you care so much about this anyway? I could have taken a lot more but I didn't, just a small amount compared to how much he's got stowed away in his room."

 

[Acrylic]

Well, she was quick on her feet. ​

The lad continued with his punch, his fist hitting nothing but the warm, Falkreath air. His dark-brown eyes followed the thief, watching as she circled around him once again. Rage crept across her soft features and her stance gradually shifted into a defensive one. Her hands rose at the ready and she stood on the balls of her feet. Angered and mildly confused, Elsa asked Axel why he was so determined to stop her from stealing such a measly amount of gold from somebody who was probably loaded with money. Turning to face the vixen, the Redguard didn’t say anything. Instead, he suddenly charged at her once again, aware that he was dealing with an impressively quick combatant. Ordinary strikes weren’t going to work against Elsa. It looked as though Axel had to step it up a bit if he wanted to be able to actually land a hit.​

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He just needed one good hit.​

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Once Axel reached striking dance, his right hand shot towards the twenty-four year old’s stomach once again in a low hook. It was the exact same strike from before and the youth was almost certain that Elsa would avoid it. However, if she did, then she’d be met with another fist flying towards her. This time, it was a sharp right hook, poised to smash right into her upper right side, right near her chest. Whether or not the punch connected, Axel would then finish his combo with a hard left straight, one that was aimed right for the center of the woman’s supple chest. The punches were executed with surprising speed and power and they were chained closely together to minimize the time Elsa had to react to them. The entire time, the biochemist remained calm and silent. He wasn’t being rude by not answering the pickpocket’s comments. He’d simply speak to her after their little “spar” was over. ​

» WORDS - 320​

» OOC - FISTS OF FURY.​

 

[Aerin]

Before she could plan where next to step she felt the wind being knocked out of her. Pain bloomed across her chest as his fists collided, and damn did he pack a punch. Unable to retaliate fast enough, the force of the blow had her on her back, leaves tangling in her hair as she tried to catch her breath. Clearly the only way she would be able to beat this stranger would be from a distance, or if she decided to play dirty and use her daggers. But that wouldn't be the honourable thing to do, and she had no intention of killing the redguard. Perhaps main or otherwise injure, but murder was not something she engaged in.

Whimpering a little bit Elsa raised a hand to her ribs, wincing as she felt bruises already forming and blossoming across her skin. She had to hand it to him, he was a surprise and a half. She was impressed with his hidden strength, curious to know how he learnt to fight with such power. Swallowing her pride she looked up at the redguard who stood over her, his fists still raised. Letting her head thump back onto the unforgiving soil Elsa closed her eyes in defeat. She knew when to pick a fight and when to walk away, and she would have had to be monumentally stupid to have challenged him again. "Okay. Okay, you win. Where in Oblivion did you learn to hit like that?"

 

[Acrylic]

The thief flopped onto her back after the Redguard’s fist smashed into her chest. She whined in obvious pain. Purple bruises surfaced on her pale skin. The skilled pickpocket tried to push herself onto her feet but could not find the strength to do so. Plus, she noticed the dark-skinned boy standing over here, looking as though he was ready to strike her down if she dared to resist any longer. With pure reluctance and battered pride, the brunette admitted bitter defeat. Hearing her surrender, Axel lowered his fists. His stance gradually shifted into a neutral one and he made sure to answer the seductress’s question. “. . . I learned how to fight from monks. They taught me how to fight unarmed. It’s actually very effective. I never liked or was good with weapons anyways.” ​

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Reaching into a pouch at his waist, the youth pulled out a single potion bottle. He then knelt down beside the injured Nord. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you that much. And to answer your question from earlier, I could’ve tried to seriously hurt you, maybe even kill you. I don’t think anyone would’ve gotten too upset at me for killing a thief. But I didn’t try to do either of those things.” Axel commented, twisting the cork of the bottle off. “Here, this is a potion I made. It’ll fix you up completely in a few seconds. It’s not poison, I promise.” The lad pressed the vial’s opening to the woman’s lips before tilting it slightly to slowly pour the liquid into her mouth. Elsa would feel the healing potion’s effects almost instantly. Her bruises would begin to fade away and the pain that jolted her body would slowly disappear. In but a few moments, her wounds had healed completely and her body was at perfect condition. Axel smiled, happy to see that the stranger’s recovery went incredibly smoothly. “Now that I’ve fixed you up, I think it’s only fair that you give the gold you stole back to its rightful owner,” the master alchemist said, nodding. “I think he’s still preoccupied with drinking and singing. If you’re quick enough, you can slip the gold back without anybody noticing.”​

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» WORDS - 400​

» OOC - See. Axel's a very nice person.​

 

[Aerin]

A little confused at the young redguard offering her a healing potion after so easily beating her Elsa was more than reluctant to drink the potion offered. Of course she could hardly move, her ribcage feeling tight and constricted as lungs fought for air, so turning down the redguard's offer was almost impossible. Incredibly he was actually telling the truth, and she soon felt the healing warmth of the potion take effect, her breathing coming easily now, her bruises fading. Slowly sitting up she looked up at the redguard with both admiration and irritation. She could respect a man with those abilities, healers especially often going under appreciated by many. He was honourable too, choosing not to kill her despite the opportunity presenting itself to him.

But he still wished for her to return the gold and that irked her to no end. Grinding her teeth she slowly stood up and grabbed her things, including the fat purse she had picked from the bar. Was she really going to return the gold? She supposed she didn't need the money, she was doing quite well for herself at the moment. Of course she'd never returned anything in her life and she wasn't looking to start now. But there was little to no chance of her getting away with the theft now that this kid had decided to play guard. Damn, could this day get any worse?

Rather sullenly Elsa returned to the tavern, waiting for a good moment to slip the coin purse back to it's rightful spot. It felt so...wrong. Her hand hovered over the purse a while longer but eventually she stood back, reluctantly doing the right thing, despite how unnatural it felt to her. Walking back out of the tavern she saw the redguard walking out from behind the tavern and she had to assess her next move. While she was tempted to simply walk away and pretend the encounter had never happened, she was intrigued by the small fighter. There was clearly more than met the eye and it wasn't as if Elsa had anything pressing to do. "So...trained by monks. That's quite a tale. Did they teach you how to use that crossbow as well?"

 

[Acrylic]

He could tell how irritated and reluctant Elsa was. Here she was, about to make off with a hefty sum of gold, before a tiny Redguard stops her, proceeds to beat her into submission with his bare hands, heals her with one of his insanely potent potions, and then politely asks for her to return the stolen money back to its rightful owner. With her ego busted and bruised, the thief slithered back into the crowded inn. Axel waited patiently outside, not feeling the need to follow Elsa. He trusted her enough to do the right thing even if she was a sticky-fingered pilferer at nature. If he didn't know any better, he'd probably even assume Elsa to be a mild kleptomaniac. A few moments passed before the Nord exited the tavern. Axel gave her a quick glance. He wasn't going to pursue her longer, already knowing that she must've been pretty pissed about the whole ordeal. Instead of walking away, the brunette decided to stay and converse. The curly-haired Redguard blinked his eyes at the older woman's question. "This crossbow? No, they didn't. The Asura Monks really don't do weapon training," Axel stated, slinging the golden crossbow off of his back. Its sleek, metallic surface glistened in the afternoon sun. "I'm interested in Dwarven technology so I built this weapon just to see how crossbows truly work. Honestly, I'm not even sure why I'm carrying it around, especially if I wouldn't even use it in a fight. I'm terrible with any sort of weapon." Chuckling lightly, the Sura slung the bow-gun around his back. He was about to ask Elsa a question of his own before a deep, masculine voice called out from behind him.

"Well well well . . . look who it is."

It sounded so familiar even though Axel had never heard it before. A huge, red-scaled Argonian made his way towards the small Redguard and the attractive Nord. He easily stood at seven feet tall, and his choice of attire made it obvious that he was a seasoned fighter. He wore ebony-plated leggings and gloves, both crafted to have some sort 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 Greatsword. The Argonian closed the distance between himself and the dark-skinned kid until they stood only a few inches apart. He looked down at the much shorter Redguard, his towering form casting a shadow over the confused and nervous twenty year old. "It's been a long time Axel," he said. A grin curled across his reptilian features. Axel lifted his eyebrows. "How'd you know my name? Who are y-?" He stammered before suddenly falling silent. Shock erupted on the boy's visage. "J-Jye?! Is that you?!" Axel nearly shouted, bringing a closed fist to his mouth. The toothy grin on the Argonian's face grew extremely wide, showing off nearly all of the sharp, white teeth in his mouth.

"Surprised to see me? That's good. My feelings were going to be so hurt if you didn't remember your "best friend"," Jye sneered, his vibrant green eyes narrowing. "My, Axel. Did you even grow any taller or stronger after all these years? You look even more like a tiny, little insect from up here." He let out an amused laugh, his deep, powerful voice carrying throughout the immediate area. Axel twisted his mouth, his brown eyes averting down towards the ground. "S-So, how have you been?" Axel asked nervously. He earned an amused glance from Jye. "Me? Oh, I've been great. Ever since I left Riverwood, I've just been traveling and doing work here and there. I'm a rather famous mercenary now. Money, fame, girls, you know. I even bought me a house here in Falkreath," the Saxlheel explained. "And I've gotten much stronger, as you can see." Jye flexed his arms and his abs to prove his point. They were defined and practically ripped with muscle. Axel took a step back, doing his best to hide his awe. "So what about YOU? After I heard from everyone in Riverwood that you left to travel, I just HAD to come find you. I'm surprised you were able to last five seconds outside of the village. After all, you were ALWAYS the runt." Jye's attention shifted towards Elsa. He widened his eyes. "And to think that you're with a girl TOO?! HAHA! YOU? WITH A GIRL?!" Oh, the whole situation was too much for Jye. He did his best to stifle his laughter with a closed fist but to no avail. "Listen, I understand that you must feel sorry for him, and that you'll hang around with him to make him feel better but you shouldn't be forced to do that, especially with a beautiful woman like you and a weak, little milk-drinker like him," Jye said, flashing a sharp-toothed grin once he saw Axel dip his head in quiet shame. "Why don't we go get a nice drink or two in a few, hmm? I'm sure it'll be more enjoyable than having to deal with Axel here." Axel remained silent.

» WORDS - 910
» OOC - I know, I'm sorry for writing so much BUT I HAD A LOT TO SAY. And also, Jye's here. He's an asshole.

 

[Aerin]

Elsa listened with genuine interest at Axel's story behind the crossbow. She was reluctant to admit that she was impressed by his skills, and the thought of trying the contraption herself flittered across her mind as he spoke. Before she had a chance to ask after the bow however she noticed an astonishingly large argonian approaching. He must have stood at twice her size, and he looked like he could grapple with a mammoth. Her eyebrows shot to her forehead as she took in his impressive stature, though she subconsciously folded her arms across her front in an immediately defensive motion.

"Well well well . . . look who it is."

So, he knew Axel, and from the way the argonian drank in the sight of the small redguard she assumed they had once been amicable. Of course all of that changed as the brute carried on. Although Axel had beat her up, and forced her to return her gold, any dislike for him fled as she witnessed the argonian's ghastly treatment of the kid. For a while she was glad to had slipped the lizard's mind, hoping to silently fall back into the shadows, but her hopes were dashed once he did catch sight of her. Instantly he seemed to leap to some assumption and began to further shame and humiliate Axel. Elsa wondered if her face let slip her growing revulsion towards this Jye character, but she was certain that her following reaction would be suffice.

"Why don't we go get a nice drink or two in a few, hmm? I'm sure it'll be more enjoyable than having to deal with Axel here."

At first Elsa was left speechless, her mouth hanging open in silent shock at the argonian's arrogance. Soon though, surprise gave way to comprehension, and in turn amusement. The giggle bubbled up her throat uncontrollably, her melodious laughter drifting through the gloomy streets of Falkreath. Her laughter grew slightly hysterical as Elsa's eyes began to water, her stomach aching as she bent over and let her laughter ring out. Clutching at her abdomen she fought to remain upright, her knees almost buckling as her body shook with hysterics. "By the Divines! Are you serious? Are you actually serious?" The words came between deep gasps for air as the thief struggled for control, the nord girl looking between both Axel and Jye. "Oh come on!" Elsa gestured wildly at the argonian, who she absently realised would likely fail to appreciate her reaction to his invitation. Catching her breath Elsa stood upright and slowly exhaled through pursed lips, her head shaking in disbelief. "I'm sorry, I really am, but are you that in love with yourself to think that I'd just drop everything to go along with you? Really?" At some point Elsa had decided that she disliked Jye t the point where she felt the irrational need to do everything in her power to piss him off. The fact he was a sell-sword irritated her further. She may be a thief, but she was loyal, her bow and blade couldn't be bought to challenge her loyalty. Some might question her notion that she was a thief with honour, but at least Elsa herself was convinced.

"Oh Jye, you poor misguided lizard. And was that line supposed to leave me swooning? You need to work on that unless you're content bedding dullards who don't know how to keep their legs closed. Dibella have mercy on us all!"

 

[Acrylic]

Jye stared silently as the brunette hooped and hollered, apparently extremely amused by the Argonian's cocky invitation. She made every attempt to piss him off with her response, and boy, did it work. Blinking slowly, the seven foot tall Argonian's visage turned dangerously stoic. His vibrant green eyes were fixated wholly on Elsa, slitted pupils seemingly piercing into the thief's soul. Really, as clever Elsa thought she was, she wasn't acting too bright, especially if she thought it was a good idea to taunt and ridicule a seven foot tall, three hundred pound Argonian who was packed with muscle, totted around a giant-ass Ebony greatsword, and had the ability to launch beach-ball sized fireballs at people. A murderous expression crept across the Saxlheel's face. His white fangs were bared, and his green eyes were wide with unrestrained anger. Sparks flickered amongst the Argonian's red scales. Some erupted into outright magical flames, distorting the air with their intense heat. Even Elsa would be able to suddenly feel the temperature elevate in the immediate area, enough to even cause her to lightly sweat. It was but a small demonstration of what Jye was capable of with Destruction magic. Axel stood in frightened silence, nervous that Jye was going to do something rash. Instead, the mercenary sighed. He managed to calm down quickly, enough to where he managed to muster up a teasing smile. ​

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"Is that so? Your eyes speak differently. I saw that look you gave me when you first saw me," Jye chuckled. Elsa wouldn't be able to deny that she was impressed with the beastman's incredible physique. Then again, she wasn't the first to be, and she definitely wouldn't be the last. After all, Jye spent an awful amount of time making sure that his body was as physically fit as possible. "Dullards who don't know how to keep their legs closed? Hah, you're so clever. They are fine, bright women like yourself actually. You could've just said "no" if you were uninterested. Oh, and don't ever refer to me as "Lizard". I already get enough racist plops from your kinsmen," Jye glared hard at Elsa, giving her that same murderous look from before. It was absolutely terrifying, and even Axel shuddered slightly in fear. With a controlled exhale, the Red Salamander turned his attention back towards the Redguard. He rolled his broad shoulders, his mouth curling into a smirk. "So, who made that armor for you? And that crossbow too?" Axel remained quiet for a brief moment. " . . . I did," he answered. Jye gazed at the dark-skinned boy, shocked. Axel was capable of smithing equipment out of ebony ore?! Plus, that crossbow looked to be in top shape, and it was a clear piece of technological innovation. He had to be a very talented blacksmith, there was no doubt about that. The Argonian smiled. "Well well, I guess potions aren't the only thing that you're capable of creating," Jye said, intrigued. "Maybe everyone in Riverwood was right. Maybe you have truly changed. They even claimed that you're a competent fighter now!" The mercenary crossed his muscular arms across his defined chest. He stared down hard at Axel, and the Redguard did his best to avoid any sort of eye contact. Jye cracked a small grin. "You know what? Now I have to see this for myself. So Axel, how about you and I have ourselves a spar?" ​

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Axel bit his lip, clearly apprehensive about his "best friend's" offer. While Axel has sparred many times with the Asura Monks during his intensive training, he never thought that Jye, out of all people, would ask for a spar with him. "I . . . uh," Axel stammered, unsure on how to answer. Jye's sharp-toothed grin grew. "Are you scared of me? I'm sure you are, and you have good reason to be. Then again, I've always scared you, ever since we were children. I wonder, do you have the courage to face your fears?" A tense silence fell over the area. The young Redguard tilted his head down, his eyes pointed down towards the ground. He remained deathly still, and equally as quiet. Clouded thoughts flew through the Sura's mind, but in the midst of his anxiety and fear, he managed to stay calm. He flexed his fingers before curling them into tight fists. Suddenly, Axel lifted his head. He craned his neck upward so that he could initiate eye contact with the intimidating Argonian. A determined look marked the lad's features. ". . . Alright. Let's do this," Axel responded, his voice firm. Jye's smile spread to its limits, displaying all of the white fangs that lined his gums. His green eyes shined with terrifying amusement, and he was already starting to become giddy with excitement. "Excellent," the Saxlheel cooed, the fanged smile still plastered across his visage. "Shall we find a more appropriate area? I'm sure the town guards won't be too happy if we had our spar in the middle of town. Your friend is more than welcome to accompany us." Turning on his heels, the seven foot tall lizardman began to walk towards one of the town's entrances. He raised a plate-sized hand, gesturing for both Axel and Elsa to follow him. Axel calmly followed the Argonian, leaving Elsa to decide on whether she would join the two males or not.​

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» WORDS - 895​

» OOC - Ooo gurl. Elsa better watch herself. And oh hell, I think she's going to start freaking out now. :[​