154 Red and Blue

Antani and Ellamir's backyard had been fit not with a garden, but an open space where Antani can hone her already impressive swordsmanship. Here, they cannot do their bombastic sparring where Ellamir throws boulders for Antani to slice, but the trade off is that Ellani is always in reach.

And besides, the place was more than enough for Antani's sword forms when she is at it alone.

As a matter of fact, the yard had more than enough room accommodate the duels of two mighty warriors both at the heigh of their physical prowess.

"I've always wanted to take you on ever since I've visited your island." Under Yulia's helm, her tone oozed with enthusiasm. Her shield out and ready, Yulia's clutched her sword as the two sized each other up.

The frost giant smirked, both hands on her metal spear and poised to impale Yulia. Her muscles tensed, prepared to charge at a moment's notice.

"Then allow me to make your day, paladin of Sariel."

Their gazes locked first before their weapons, the onlookers took advantage of the standstill to wage their bets. All gathered in a hut not far from where the eventual clash would be, the Rogues placed their bets.

"Hey, Stefano place your bets, loser gets to buy dinner tonight!"

Gloria taunted. The mermaid had been that comfortable on being Stefano's roommate that she decided to just split the rent.

"Hmmm, let me see, I don't want to make it seem like I'm going against Yulia but I saw what Alara was capable of. What do you think, Naya?"

With Ellani above her shoulders, fiddling with her hair, the resident werewolf in human form was deep in thought. It's going to be a tough fight based on pure skills alone, but if there's someone who has an edge, it's got to be...

"Alara. Bet on her."

Naya's reasoning was sound, oftentimes her mother told her bedtime tales about these blue-skinned warriors. Born fighters with extreme durability and and strength, ignoring the brutal chill of the north as if it was a breeze. When she had achieved justice for her clan, Naya would one day love to visit the place these frost Giant inhabits, a place that even Gaia's blessing failed to reach.

"You know what, you're right, Alara it is!"

"Boo, you dare call yourselves friend of Yulia's!?" The mermaid expressed her disappointment.

"Gloria, you literally asked me to bet. Do you want me to or not!?"

"Then bet on Alara." Gloria chortled. "I, on the other hand, have faith on our dear friend."

Suddenly, the clashing of metal reverberated as Alara's spear thrust into Yulia's shield!

The Paladin parried the spear with a shield swipe, unleashing a thrust of her own from her sword coming in from behind her shield! The paladin's blade on its way to claim Alara's throat!

The reflex of a battle-hardened warrior allowed Alara to sway back in the nick of time. Calculated, Alara dodged mere inches from having her throat impaled!

A paladin in full enchanted armor, for an unarmored combatant, it would be nothing short of unfair to be matched against such. For Alara, it merely evens the the playing field. The Giantess went on the offensive, the butt of Alara's spear slammed into Yulia's shield with a momentum greater than that of a charging bull, the Paladin slid backwards!

The onslaught of spear thrusts continued, overwhelming Yulia's shield! A halo formed around her head, the fallen angel's strength waiting for Yulia to draw upon!

"That's it, both you, stop the match! You're not ruining Antani's training yard!" Ellamir stepped forth. Once they call upon more strength in their arsenal, no other fate awaited this training ground other than ruin.

"What in the!?...you stupid fish!"

The mermaid's wheelchair crashed into Ellamir's behind, just when the battle was getting good, Ellamir just had to ruin their bets!

"Ellamir, don't stop them, we need to see the result for our bet!"

"The result will be none other than destruction of my home! You know what, it's a tie! There's your result!"

The moment of descending into a battle induced euphoria had been cut short, but the two fighters understood Ellamir. This place was not fit to show more of their might.

"Even with all that armor weighing your down, you fought well. I can sense the fire within you, maybe one of these days we can arrange ourselves a more... prolonged match." Alara said, standing relaxed now that their spar is over.

"Oh, I know a place." Yulia replied, giddy as if spilling a place to rendezvous. "But you need to be an adventurer to use it. Say, why don't you apply as one? They'll be taking application next week. With your strength, you can head straight on over to the big leagues. Diamonds!"

"Let me think about it, my goal is to win the Festival of Glory for the Amazons, anything else comes second."

+++

The double windows opened, letting in the refreshing morning breeze. Maessha sat on its railing, overlooking the plethora of vibrant houses underneath the blue sky. The natural light of the sun just hits differently than the illuminating crystals above the underdark's ceiling. Is it more refreshing? Maessha wondered if that could be it as the pleasant warmth touched her obsidian skin.

"Had a battle with Yulia, you missed it. Come to think of it, it's not really a battle, more of a sparring session but we still clashed."

The sudden appearance of this muscle bound woman amplified this feeling of ease, of Maessha unburdened by her responsibilities such as keeping her mother from doing what she always does, scheming and all other sorts of craziness in the name of Lolth.

"Did you want me to cheer for you?" Maessha's timbre, coy as she prodded Alara if she felt the same.

"Damn right, if you were there cheering for me I would've definitely won, you know."

Maessha smiled, Alara's unabashed answer had her heart beating inside her chest. Can Maessha allow herself to find romance in this giantess' buff arms? But with their history, Alara should hate her with a burning passion, the fact that Alara is exhibiting the opposite is emotionally overwhelming Maessha, rendering her all smiles but unable to answer!

As the soothing silence overtakes them both, Alara goes on the offensive, she was supposed to ask her sister for guidance about these dark elves. Her question aside from slaying them, would've been how to win their heart. Alara doesn't know how Ellamir and Antani worked it out but the future Queen of the Amazoness will not be meek about what's inside her heart.

"Maessha, let's head on over to the Guild next week. The Festival is still a few weeks off, are you not curious about what being an adventurer is like?"

"Why ask me?"

"Because, I think…going on adventures would be more fun if I have you by my side."

Then and there, Alara dropped her confession, as clear as the sunny skies above them. Maessha's inner thoughts are now in disarray!

(Keep calm, Maessha. You can do this, breathe in! That's it! There's no reason to deny Alara, but still, Mother might not…Ah, screw it! To hell with what my crazy mother would think!)

"There's this Amazoness that I like, blue and fierce. In the underdark treacherous soil, love is a flower that cannot bloom. I don't have that much experience in romance, do you think she would be willing to guide me?"

If that is the case then they should take it slow, Alara smiled. The Giantess' hand guiding Maessha's head to face her, their gazes betrayed the inevitable as they witness in each other's eyes the yearning. Alara's lips sought Maessha's own. A chaste kiss to celebrate stepping up from friends into lovers.