"AAAAAND THAT'S A VICTORY BY KNOCKOUT!" The announcer declares, holding up Freyja's arm, which she holds up in a clenched fist, with a small smile on her face as she gazes at the cheering crowd.Afterwards, she helps her opponent up - another dwarf, a younger-looking man whom she just thoroughly humbled.She gives him a proper handshake in a show of sportsmanship, then exits the ring, grabbing a beer bottle that's offered to her and chugging half in one go. A drink right now, while still riding on the high of adrenaline, really helps.
Reply to: @Freyja Frostroar (@giant_minior)
"AAAAAND THAT'S A VICTORY BY KNOCKOUT!" *The announcer declares, holding up Freyja's arm, which she holds up in a clenched fist,...
Hearing through the changing room Freyja would certainly hear the announcement of the outcome in the 2nd ring.
"AAAAND THAT'S A VICTORY BY TAPOUT!! THE NEW GUY SHOWS HIS FANGS ONCE MORE! OR SHALL I SAY HIS POINT!"
It was a little pun about Archim's lance, but he cared not... with a blank expression, he went back into the changing rooms as his gas mask practically hid all his facial features.Freyja could see a man walk in wearing a heavy military-grade greatcoat with a set of armour plating protecting him and a helmet that had an old black gas mask instead of a vizor. His right hand had a glove, while his left was completely exposed, letting others see his prosthetic limb.The large lance rested in his arms and as he made his way to a bench he settled down placing his lance to the side and took a deep breath to relax as he simply refused a drink that was also offered to him.
Reply to: @Archim Rommel (@Artemis [Ar 6,Al 10,Vi 5])
Hearing through the changing room Freyja would certainly hear the announcement of the outcome in the 2nd ring. "AAAAND THAT'...
Freyja gives him a light pat on the back, taking another swig of her beer. "You won your match too, huh newbie? Makes sense, though. I'd expect as much from a soldier."
She's not got any armor on - in fact, she fought while wearing just a simple, plain shirt and pants. Now that her match is over, she's wiping the sweat off her body so she can put on a more proper outfit. Her weapon of choice, a two-handed axe, is left leaned up against a wall.
"I'm Freyja, nice to meet you. I've seen you fight before; you've got real skill, I can tell as much."
Should Archim have seen Freyja's fighting style, he'd know she prefers to intentionally take hits that leave her opponents open to devastating counterattacks. Her own pain tolerance and hardy physique mean that she can shrug off incredible amounts of punishment, and so she plays to her strengths.
Reply to: @Freyja Frostroar (@giant_minior)
Freyja gives him a light pat on the back, taking another swig of her beer. "You won your match too, huh newbie? Makes sense, t...
Feeling the light tap Archim's gaze shifted a bit to notice Freyja next to him. His heavy breathing and the sound of the air purifier doing its job filled the silence of his voice instead.He had no idea how to properly greet someone normally, so instead, he quickly rose from his bench, standing upright and placing his sitch-full and callus-covered hand on his forehead into a salute.
"Private First Class Archim Rommel... currently on involuntary educational leave."
He was most likely shorter or at least close in height with Freyja. His choice of words also seemed deliberate and yet not a sign of emotion could be felt through them. The only thing that might hint at his disdain for being in the city would be the word involuntary as his body and tone not once hinted that he would mind being here. Although... it was hard to tell due to his gas mask.
"I have also seen how you fight miss..."
He was at a loss for words on how to call her as he wasn't sure if her name was all right to be used casually or not.
Reply to: @Archim Rommel (@Artemis [Ar 6,Al 10,Vi 5])
*Feeling the light tap Archim's gaze shifted a bit to notice Freyja next to him. His heavy breathing and the sound of the air p...
"Whoa, no need to be so formal! We're not in the army here, newbie." She laughs lightly.
"But no matter - nice to meet you, Archim. Always good to meet a fellow warrior. Educational leave, eh? How's that working out?"
"Also, just call me Freyja. Or if you have to be formal about it, miss Freyja is fine, I guess."
Reply to: @Freyja Frostroar (@giant_minior)
"Whoa, no need to be so formal! We're not in the army here, newbie." She laughs lightly. "But no matter - nice to meet you, A...
"Whether we are in the army or not makes no difference. Formality is a virtue to uphold the basic level of respect lady Freyja."
His tone got harsher and more raspy as he spoke and even earned him a caugh to fix it every now and then since the stitches were yet to fully heal.
"Educational leave has been going as the orders permitted. Nothing more nothing less. There is no place for defying orders given."
His back remained straight while his arms were placed behind him in a resting yet elegant pose, just as a military should stand at attention.
Reply to: @Archim Rommel (@Artemis [Ar 6,Al 10,Vi 5])
"Whether we are in the army or not makes no difference. Formality is a virtue to uphold the basic level of respect lady Freyja....
"Oh, I see, you're a stickler." Freyja ruffles his hair. "Let me let you in on a secret: formalities are there to teach you discipline and self control. It's those underlying principles that you should be learning. As for respect, it's best shown through actions rather than words, wouldn't you agree?"
"Also, don't strain yourself, please. You're clearly still on the mend from some wounds. Demons must've gotten you bad, eh?"
Her own posture is more relaxed and casual as she leans on a wall, holding her beer in one hand and gesturing with it as she speaks.
Reply to: @Freyja Frostroar (@giant_minior)
"Oh, I see, you're a stickler." Freyja ruffles his hair. "Let me let you in on a secret: formalities are there to teach you di...
As she ruffled his hair, she could clearly feel countless stitches present underneath as well... there would be many dents in his skull as well, mostly from concussions during battles, though at least his hair seemed to still be presentable despite that. It seems whoever took care of his recovery knew what they were doing.In the meantime he seemed to not really understand the idea behind her ruffling his hair based on the fact he simply let it happen.
"I would disagree. Words and actions have similar values. Some use their words to fight their battles after all."
For someone who seemed to only focus on battle, he put a lot of effort into learning how to speak... well... how a soldier should speak. He clearly had no idea what informal language was like.
"As for my wounds... well, the enemy won't care for them, so it is best to get used to fighting with them, and yes, it was a demon that caused these wounds."
He then circled back to Freyja's first sentence as he heard a word he didn't exactly know.
"Though, if I may ask. What does being a stickler mean?"
For the first time Freyja might get a hint of emotion out of him as his curiosity showed with a ever so slight tilt of his head to the side.
Reply to: @Archim Rommel (@Artemis [Ar 6,Al 10,Vi 5])
*As she ruffled his hair, she could clearly feel countless stitches present underneath as well... there would be many dents in ...
"Some use words to fight their battles, sure... But formalities act as a smokescreen for such people, a cover under which they weasel their way to taking what they want. Words still have their place, though." She laughs a bit and pats him on the head before retracting her hand.
"If you heal wrong, you'll fight worse in the future due to chronic pains and such. Take it from me, I know what I'm talking about when it comes to taking hits, okay?"
"And a stickler is someone who sticks to the rules, no matter what. Lots of soldiers are like this, but usually in the higher ranks. Keep at it and you'll have a bright career in your hands, boy." She jokes and lightly nudges his side.
Reply to: @Freyja Frostroar (@giant_minior)
"Some use words to fight their battles, sure... But formalities act as a smokescreen for such people, a cover under which they w...
"Ah, please... don't misunderstand. A career is all good and all, but I don't exactly care much for acquiring ranks... I simply wish to kill as many demons as I can as I must serve the god's will... and the god's will is to fight and die... and death is simply my duty."
His words cold yet never more true... his tone finally changing from his usual monotone nature... with clear determination he spoke with a will that resembled his appearance...
Reply to: @Archim Rommel (@Artemis [Ar 6,Al 10,Vi 5])
"Ah, please... don't misunderstand. A career is all good and all, but I don't exactly care much for acquiring ranks... I simply...
"Oh, sweetie..." Freyja's voice takes on a tender, motherly tone. "Your duty isn't to die. No one's duty is to die. This war has taken many things from us: our lands, our cities, our loved ones, our happiness, our security... Don't let it take away your hope."
"Your wish to slay as many demons as you can speaks to your determination, to your sheer will to fight and survive." She gives an encouraging smile, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Your duty isn't to die. Never was, never will be. Your duty, Archim, is to kill."
Reply to: @Freyja Frostroar (@giant_minior)
"Oh, sweetie..." Freyja's voice takes on a tender, motherly tone. "Your duty isn't to die. No one's duty is to die. This war h...
"Do not misunderstand... none of my kin wish to die. In fact, we despise unnecessary expenses of resources. Heroism... selfishness... pride... those are all flaws that lead to one's death... just like fear and anger. One is a true soldier only when they realise they are one and the same as their kin serving a cause that the gods have given them... the only true fear that guardsmen should have is that their life was not counted..."
The way Archim referred to soldiers.... it almost felt like he was talking about bullets... rations... resources to be expended, used, and strategically sacrificed! And to make it worse he seemed to be prepared to take on such a fate with open arms... well... arm...Her hand seemingly having little effect on the boy... was he too far gone or did he simply not understand what compassion and kindness was?
Based on Freyja's experience, it's not unusual for the battlefield to break something in those who pass through it. She definitely didn't escape being changed by war, either.Of course, she doesn't know the true extent of Archim's situation, but she knows at least that he's still too young.
"Heroism isn't a flaw, unless it's blended with foolishness. While fear and anger can both be tempered and harnessed, put to good use, too. Selfishness, pride, and complacency, though... those always pave a path to destruction."
She starts putting on her normal outfit as she talks - a leather jacket with a fur trim, a matching shawl, and some practical dark denim pants.
"There is another flaw that leads to destruction, you know... One that's a bit more insidious. And to explain that, I'll need you to answer me, too. Tell me, why do we fight the demons? Why do we kill them? Why do we push them back at every opportunity?"
Reply to: @Freyja Frostroar (@giant_minior)
*Based on Freyja's experience, it's not unusual for the battlefield to break something in those who pass through it. She definit...
"... there was someone. A girl who offered a flower to the passing soldiers. Three years ago. The soldiers simply paid her no mind, and as I looked at her, I wondered what it could mean. I pondered that question that night, and it led me to more questions... funnily enough,, they all seemed to lead to the exact same word... why? Then I realised. It wasn't about the why, how, where or what we were fighting for or against. Each individual would have had a different answer or a reason. But no longer were we alone. We were now soldiers. Kin in arms. Brothers. No longer did our own wishes or reasons have a meaning. If the demons were coming for us then we fought back. If they didn't, we took the opportunity to advance. If you are stuck out there on the front line... asking yourself why... well... you would be dead already as you wouldn't have time to even do so. In the end... if we banded together and abandoned individuality, we could survive as alone we were nothing more than ants to those beings."
If he was truly honest he might say that he forgot his true reason for fighting... was it to avenge... to protect... or to simply survive. The outcome was the same no matter what it was. He was going to kill the demons regardless, and as long as this war would end in humanity's victory... even if he died, at least his life counted.
Reply to: @Archim Rommel (@Artemis [Ar 6,Al 10,Vi 5])
"... there was someone. A girl who offered a flower to the passing soldiers. Three years ago. The soldiers simply paid her no m...
"And that brings me to the flaw I wanted to talk about - a sense of purpose, or rather, the lack thereof. You won't find yourself asking why when you're out there fighting, if you know exactly what it is you're fighting for. If you have no purpose, if you simply fight because it is what your superiors tell you to do... You'll grow used to it. Complacent. And that's when you're prone to making fatal mistakes; when fighting's become routine to you."
She frowns a bit. "Let's imagine that the rest of your unit got wiped out, and you're left alone on the battlefield. You can't wait until that moment to decide if you will fight, if you will retreat, or if you will find another unit to join. Knowing why you fight will make your choice in that kind of situation quite obvious."
"Of course, that's just one example... But I think, for all that you say you don't know why you fight... I think, if you look inward, you know." She gives an almost enigmatic smile.
"Once again, you are mistaken. We do have a purpose and that is to win this damned war. Each one of us knows what we are protecting behind the large walls of the capital. Yet our reasons for joining were different, and our purpose has now become to fight if the gods will."
He would then hear out the other question, and with an actual confident answer, he spoke.
"I have experienced my whole unit being wiped out, and I have been left alone on the battlefield as one of the few survivors. It was then that I first saw how one should decide such outcomes. If you are alone and have no clear way of escape, then it is simply better off fighting. One more demon dead is still one more demon dead. If you do have a way to safely retreat or at least have a high chance of being able to do so when your whole unit has been done in, then return to the regiment and join a new squad so you can continue your duty. It is pointless to waste your life fighting a battle once your whole unit is gone. At that point, it is best to save resources as your unit has done its purpose to stall the enemy at least one more hour."
His voice was still strong as ever... indicating his belief that he already knew the purpose of his life and his reason for fighting. Of course, such determination could only come from someone who knows nothing else but fighting and war... nothing about the life within the city walls or the everyday life of a farmer or a scribe...
Reply to: @Archim Rommel (@Artemis [Ar 6,Al 10,Vi 5])
"Once again, you are mistaken. We do have a purpose and that is to win this damned war. Each one of us knows what we are protect...
"Then like I said, you know your purpose." Freyja has known what it's like to be at peace, to have a family, to live simply and happily. The war took all that away from her. Still, she can't quite relate to Archim's situation. Never having known anything but war... it's a situation she's never really seen before.
"Where are you from, anyway? One of the invaded territories?"
Reply to: @Freyja Frostroar (@giant_minior)
"Then like I said, you know your purpose." *Freyja has known what it's like to be at peace, to have a family, to live simply and...
"..."
The question would have stunned the man. His mind raced, trying to think back, just hoping that back there, something would tell him the answer. But nothing came to mind... not even a general area or what was it like. He couldn't even remember if he lived in a snowy or dry climate at his young age... all he could remember was... ah yeah... that... the walking... so much walking... an old dirty road... with a cottage... no... no at the time he already walked past it to remember it now.
"I'm... ... ... I'm from a road... a... a dirt road."
That was all he could say. A road. A road he walked in for a long time before his adoptive parents found him and took him in which caused him to be raised in the military ever since he was 6. He had no recollection of his original parents, nor could he remember much else but this long walk down a dirt road before he was found by his new parents.
Reply to: @Archim Rommel (@Artemis [Ar 6,Al 10,Vi 5])
"..." *The question would have stunned the man. His mind raced, trying to think back, just hoping that back there, something w...
"A road..." She pats his shoulder again, having noticed the young man's distress.
"No hometown, no home in the first place, just, a road? Oh grace, you've been through a really harsh life." She ruffles his hair again.
"Say, do you have free time? I'd like to treat you to something. As a friend."
Reply to: @Freyja Frostroar (@giant_minior)
"A road..." She pats his shoulder again, having noticed the young man's distress. "No hometown, no home in the first place, j...
Snapping out of it he would slightly tilt his head as he got confused as to why she would need to treat him. He didn't think he was hurt anywhere... or at least he was sure about it until a moment ago!
"Uhm. I am not sure I require any treatment? Or at least I do not believe I am hurt anywhere."
He would even pat himself around just to make sure that was the case before looking back at Freyja. If it weren't for his gas mask maybe she could tell what his expression was like but nevertheless, his gas mask made his face look the same in any situation.
Reply to: @Archim Rommel (@Artemis [Ar 6,Al 10,Vi 5])
*Snapping out of it he would slightly tilt his head as he got confused as to why she would need to treat him. He didn't think h...
Freyja chuckles lightly. "As in, treating you to a drink. Or, well, a hot chocolate, in your case. Have you ever had hot chocolate before?"
Based on what she knows about Archim, it's fair to assume he mostly subsists on military MREs and similar.
Reply to: @Freyja Frostroar (@giant_minior)
Freyja chuckles lightly. "As in, treating you to a drink. Or, well, a hot chocolate, in your case. Have you ever had hot choco...
"Apologies but I must refuse... the military regulations strongly forbid their soldiers from drinking on duty."
*He was technically still on duty right now, thanks to the fact the academy allowed him to come here on the pretence of training. Violating that by heading out to drink alcohol was not something he could do. And yes, he had never heard of hot chocolate and hence assumed it was some alcoholic beverage.
Reply to: @Archim Rommel (@Artemis [Ar 6,Al 10,Vi 5])
"Apologies but I must refuse... the military regulations strongly forbid their soldiers from drinking on duty." *He was techni...
"Hot chocolate doesn't have alcohol in it, so you're in the clear there." Freyja responds. "I know a coffee place near here where we can get some."
She starts heading out. "Feel free to come along-"
Reply to: @Freyja Frostroar (@giant_minior)
"Hot chocolate doesn't have alcohol in it, so you're in the clear there." Freyja responds. "I know a coffee place near here wh...
Hesitating for a moment he would remain as unreadable as ever before stepping forth to follow the lady. It would have been hard to say if he was just coming along to be polite or because he was intrigued, but in any case, he did come.
Reply to: @Archim Rommel (@Artemis [Ar 6,Al 10,Vi 5])
*Hesitating for a moment he would remain as unreadable as ever before stepping forth to follow the lady. It would have been har...
She heads to a small, low-class cafe not too far from the fighting pits. She gets hot chocolate for both herself and Archim, and sips on hers while it's still scalding hot. Doesn't look like it actually bothers her, though.
"Here. You should let it cool down a bit before you try some. Don't try to copy me, I'm a dwarf and you're a tallman." That is Freyja's term for humans, btw.
Reply to: @Freyja Frostroar (@giant_minior)
*She heads to a small, low-class cafe not too far from the fighting pits. She gets hot chocolate for both herself and Archim, an...
Taking a look at the brew before him Archim realised it would be hard to drink if he kept his mask on... though he didn't like the idea of taking it off it would still be unpolite to not drink it and using the straw that connected to his canister wasn't an option since the thick hot chocolate would clog it up.With a slight sigh, he began to loosen the belts on his mask, slowly getting it to let go of his face as one could hear the vacuum that the mask made while strapped to his face being released. Finally, he placed down his mask, revealing his face in full.... a blank expression decorating his face with black circles stretching down from his eyes and covering quite a bit of his cheeks already. There would be countless stitches practically keeping his face together. Cuts and bruises seemed to simply be normal on him as the metallic eyepatch in place of his right eye sucked up most of the attention. The prosthetic, even if well-placed, still clearly wasn't one of the expensive sorts but more so a second-hand prosthetic most likely just provided by the military as an extreme measure.Looking down at the chocolate, he slowly lifts up the cup and takes a sip. If one expected to see some good reaction they might be surprised to find Archim looking a tad confused... the years of war and the need to eat either some spoiled food maybe sometimes even poisonous had long scorched his taste buds leaving him in the dark about tastes though even then he could at least feel the bit of sugary taste after the chocolate properly set on his tongue.
"It's... somewhat sweet?"
He couldn't exactly pinpoint the taste as he rarely had any other food but what the military provided him with.
Reply to: @Archim Rommel (@Artemis [Ar 6,Al 10,Vi 5])
*Taking a look at the brew before him Archim realised it would be hard to drink if he kept his mask on... though he didn't like...
Freyja doesn't seem too surprised by Archim's appearance underneath the mask. Warriors get all sorts of injuries out on the field, after all. She is a bit surprised by his reaction, though.
"It's one of the sweeter drinks you can get, and one of my personal favorites." She responds.
9:37 π.μ.
"Especially when you drink it while it's still warm... It's a nice respite from the cold and the bitterness you face everyday." Freyja smiles softly, taking another sip of her chocolate. "I think the meaning of happiness is found in small things like this."
Reply to: @Freyja Frostroar (@giant_minior)
*Freyja doesn't seem too surprised by Archim's appearance underneath the mask. Warriors get all sorts of injuries out on the fie...
"..."
He had little understanding of what Freyja meant by happiness in such things. His mind immediately thought about how unfortunate it would be if the demons were to win and destroy all this, and instead of thinking of it as a happy thing, he just found another thing that he and all the soldiers out there had to protect from the demonic corruption.
"Do most people here drink things like this?"
He wouldn't exactly have a word for the hot chocolate; he couldn't yet find a way to describe the beverage in his way. That's why he began to inquire about it and people here since if he was already forced to be here, he might as well find out how the citizens lived within the city.
Reply to: @Archim Rommel (@Artemis [Ar 6,Al 10,Vi 5])
"..." *He had little understanding of what Freyja meant by happiness in such things. His mind immediately thought about how un...
"Most people drink alcohol way more than drinks like these. I think that's a shame, really... but then again, it's not like I don't also drink my fair share of booze." She laughs heartily, drinking some more of her chocolate.
"I think the army's got the right idea to forbid alcohol while in service. Sure, it helps the mood, but even having a little bit of alcohol really blunts your reflexes and makes you much worse at fighting."
Reply to: @Freyja Frostroar (@giant_minior)
"Most people drink alcohol way more than drinks like these. I think that's a shame, really... but then again, it's not like I do...
"Ah... is that so? Hmmm..."
He thought about it a little and the more he thought the less reason he could find for someone to drink alcohol...
"That seems... rather unwise. Drinking alcohol while in the middle of a war... could have used the resources to make it for something else..."
His mindset was clearly hellbent on the fullest efficiency to win this war and the forceful removal of anything that might stand in the way of that.
"If everyone had the right idea, like the army, then the war might be going better than it currently is..."
Reply to: @Archim Rommel (@Artemis [Ar 6,Al 10,Vi 5])
"Ah... is that so? Hmmm..." *He thought about it a little and the more he thought the less reason he could find for someone to...
"Morale is still an important factor to consider, don't forget that." Freyja says.
"Most soldiers aren't as single-minded as you; they still need breaks. Given the corrupting and mind-affecting nature of the Bleeding Trenches, it's to be expected, really. So, alcohol for people who aren't in active service makes sense, when considered from this angle."
Reply to: @Freyja Frostroar (@giant_minior)
"Morale is still an important factor to consider, don't forget that." Freyja says. "Most soldiers aren't as single-minded as ...
"It is not my duty to think of soldiers' morale... the commander takes care of such orders. I simply follow as instructed..."
His eyes darting down towards his drink which he couldn't exactly drink thanks to his mask. Thinking back, it was hard to know why anyone would drink something besides water... hell he hadn't drunk anything but water himself before, so how would he know the appeal? Even after her explanation he still couldn't understand how someone could be happier just by drinking something when they could just grab their shovel instead...
"If morale is such an issue... they could just hand everyone a shovel. That should help. Hell, it would even save lives if you ask me."
His tone was serious as always... he didn't actually know what it meant to joke around, and his comment on shovels was most certainly genuine. In his mind, there was little you couldn't do without it. Need a hideout? Dig one out. Need a barricade? Dig some dirt and you have it. Need to go under a wall? Dig a hole. Need to warm up or cool down? Dig underground and you will be cooled or warmed up. One might even use a shovel as a last resort to fight off a demon or it may just save their lives by protecting them from an attack.
