HBTmini: Practice Fight

Kanoru entered the practice hall, the smell of new pine, fresh and wet, clung to the air, mingling with odors of sweat, leather and metal. Everything about it screamed new, while the hastily hung décor contributed its own scent of must. Old banners bearing the triforce and the symbols of the sages adorned the walls along with a map of Hyrule. A nick in the surface of the old parchment betrayed where a blade had pierced it; no doubt a competitor of few words or bold actions had used it to pinpoint their place of origin to a stranger. Torch in hand, Kanoru lit four torches, the open ceiling showing that the sky above was overcast and made the room as black as its inky body.

“Too afraid without the light?” a voice said from the darkness. Kanoru turned to see a purple guard leaning against the corner of the hall she’d come in from. Her arms were crossed proudly, and a spear rested against the wall next to her, its metal head and her eyes gleaming in the dark light.

Kanoru doused the tourch in her hand. “I’m not a thief anymore,” she sighed, the palm of her hand itching against her scimitar, anticipating another Gerudo to materialize and attack from behind.

“Keheheheh,” the other laughed behind her hand, her eyes squinting into crescent moons and she surveyed the ex-Gerudo. “You always were the mysterious one. A mask on no matter where you are.” Kanoru knew the voice. She’d never talked to this particular guildmate before, but she knew her. They simply stood in different circles of friends and never crossed paths before now. “So tell me,” the woman in purple continued, mirth still in her eyes as if she’d stumbled on a big secret, “What are you up to? Magical treasures? Gold?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” the ex-thief said flatly. This only seemed to make the other more gleeful. She cackled and stepped forward into the dim light of the torches.

“Oh please. I’ve figured it all out. You used the Guild until it ceased to be useful to you, stopping right before you obtained the position of white because, of course, you’re sworn to the king for the rest of your life at that point.” She waved at the air and rested her hands on the edge of the training square in the middle of the room. “So you found a man to latch onto, squeezed him of what he was good for and got rid of him when you didn’t need him any-” before another word was uttered, the purple clad woman was thrown to the ground, knee on her chest and the thin blade of a curved edge was pressed against her throat.

“You will not sully the memory of my husband with your dirty mouth, bitch,” Kanoru seethed between clenched teeth. Nima, for that was the purple guard’s name, glared up but still smiled behind her mask.

“Still playing your game I see.” She sat up as Kanoru stepped back and started leaving. “Where are you going? I’m still alive.” Kanoru didn’t answer and opened the door to step out into the night. “You have gotten soft. Didn’t have balls enough to be a Gerudo, so you settled to be a Hylian’s wife.”

She knew it was bait. She knew she should ignore it and just…

Kanoru slammed the door shut and walked back to the woman just starting to stand up. “What do you want?”

Nima smiled again and jerked her thumb at the wooden ring. “One match. No time limit. No blades. I wouldn’t want to be incarcerated for killing a competitor before any of the official matches started.” She picked up a staff from the floor and stepped into the box. The wood almost rang as it was slapped against her palm and echoed up into the night sky, the pattern steady as Nima waited for Kanoru’s decision. Minutes ebbed by as she weighed her options. Taking a deep breath, Kanoru unbelted her swords and laid them aside, picking up two heavy sticks and hefting them slightly. The minute her foot touched the wooden boards of the floor Nima advanced and the clack of wood stabbed their ears over and over in the echo of the room. Kanoru pushed her off and got her other foot over the side boards, ready for more cheap shots, but Nima only prowled, waiting for her chance to strike. Kanoru circled with her, her own eyes glinting dangerously in the torchlight as she rushed forward and wondered what she’d gotten herself into.



There ya go. My submission for the mini-contest at HBT.

Sorry for the crap coloring. I really wanted to do more, but time is running short. After this, I'm probably not going to touch on Kanoru's issues with her old guildmates anymore. It's one of the few things that will remain unresolved all her life and will frustrate her to no end. But that's not the purpose of her being in the tourney, so there ya go.


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