Come on... Come on you. Come on!

I smash my forehead against his as our fingers entwine and squeeze. We growl against each other as my body screams its acheful muscles at me. But, I ignore it, I need to see this through, this is personal. I can feel it, he's not stronger than me, he has no right to judge me!

Bugs.

I keep thinking back to my time with them, I couldn't really learn much, but some things make sense now. Vapooliar explained that I cannot make a point of trying to harm him, but I can redirect him. The ground below us is breaking up from my feet and his points. It's not wet enough to slip and slide, but he's losing his chance to keep himself in it.

I take one more, explosive step forward and force him up and out of it, going into a charge!

"YOU CAN DO IT, NIN! BEAT HIM!" a voice screams with all she has from the platform and I slow down.

Losing focus as I register that I did just in fact hear my name. I know that voice but it shouldn't be saying that, it feels wrong to hear that. I am not the only one to be confused, however. My head shakes just in time to meet my opponent's confused gaze.

Breaking free of his loose grip, I grab under his arms, turn and throw him up towards the mountain. His mind comes back his body adjusts and points stab into the mountain, cracking the immediate area wide open. He bends into the landing, but I intend to give him no time to stand back up. Charging straight for him from down under, I bring his back onto the mountain as his points keep him staked.

Driving him up the rock slightly, my grip tightens, with my turned set of claws drawing blood. Kicking his points out with plates of stone, they smash against me harmlessly. His little points continue to scrape against the rock as nothing gives him any purchase. What moss he does find wipes away in clumps and falls.

He's at my mercy and I emphasise it with an upwards jolt and little stones dribble down his front...

His grip on my forearms loosens and he slowly raises his palms, "I GIVE UP!"

"Gods be right you are." I mutter as I let go of him so he can stumble out into the open.

"I RESIGN! THE CHAMPION WINS!" he calls out as he takes my arm to throw it into the air. He lets go once again and stumbles backwards, only to drop to his knees and prostrate to me. I do not know why, I can't figure it out, but, I won. I look to Vapooliar with a raised brow but her eyes are oddly stern at this gesture from the Gilded-Bark.

"What're you doing?" I ask as I have not seen this happen thus far.

"Son of the Mountain that Grazes the Mightiest Moon, will you not raise me?" he asks and my brow rises higher in confusion. I look again at Vapooliar, but her gaze has not changed in the slightest. Is she jealous? That doesn't seem like her...

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The oldest, closest thing I have to a friend in this strange land is her... I'd rather not upset them.

"Just get up." I go to the Gilded-Bark as he blinks in confusion. He does what I ask of him, but he seems clueless now.

"You do not follow Jhrarda the Mighty?" he asks and I almost blurt. This man is legitimately baffled that I am not what he thinks I am.

"Jhrarda the Mighty? No! Why would anyone..." I go as I try to figure this out. I cannot wrap my head around it, however, I really can't. Jhrarda the Mighty tried to destroy the world! Why would anyone worship our near-damnation!?

He's confused and so am I, wonderful...

"No, I am from a city called Tobaballe. I am not from around here in the relative of relative senses. My craft-god is Thurnmourer, God of Thunder and Creation." I say, hoping this maybe clarifies some things. I help him up back to his points and he nods at me, seemingly satisfied and de-confused.

He looks away, shamefully, "I am sorry for what I have said, for how I have treated you thus far. I was wrong to judge you the way I did. This city you have mentioned, it has produced a very fine son, one many can and will be proud of."

I nod slowly at his respectful tone as my eyes look over how his body communicates his shame. But, I start to frown as he backs up further, smiling as he does so. It was so sudden. He just completely changed his attitude...

Something is coming.

I turn to face it only to fall straight onto my back with a pair of slender arms around my neck. My mouth feels strange as something barges into it, straight past my lips. I stare at the faceful of Rose as I grow acquainted with the enjoyably sickly taste of her as well. My eyes don't stop widening as I sort of go blank in the head.

I stare at Vapooliar as she stares at me and Rose-sweerui with a flustered expression. It's a bit hard to tell admittedly as I have all this rose-coloured hair in front of me. But, my eyes soon meet the culprit of my current, strange mixture of emotions. Tears drop down onto me as she shows her face.

She smiles sweetly before she returns her lips to mine. She breathes with joyful raggedness as her lips keep suckling on mine with each swish of her tongue. I keep completely still, even in my mouth as all this excitement surrounds my tongue. The one-sided kissing ends again and I blink as Rose-sweerui shivers right up against me.

There's a beautiful woman of another species on top of me with an endearing gaze. But, mine's not like that, I'm just confused and baffled as to where this is all coming from. Honestly, what is with her? She's been ignoring me since I had that drink with her in her tent and now she wants a snog?

Women, aelenvari women? Huh!?

Well, it felt nice, I guess, she certainly seems to know her way around the mouth. I feel like I should be more surprised by this given what I know of her. Or, maybe I don't know her that well... I blink again as she slips down slightly until one of her ears is pressed up against my beating heart.

Just now, it was slamming up against me to fuel my fight, but, it hasn't slowed down since.

"Y-You doing alright, feeling better, maybe?" I ask, blinking once again as I try to register what is going on. She affectionately nuzzles up right against me as her head slips up next to my cheek. Her lips plant themselves on it and a wet smack ripples across it. Warm, lingering, nice...

"My Champion... My Nin... My Love... I am feeling the very best I can be." she beams out quietly next to me before she shuffles on top. Her nose rests against my own as her eyes look deep into mine. That loving gaze of hers is still there, but it feels strange... Aelenvari eyes are just solid black.

I keep my eyes open as hers close, with our lips meeting once again at her behest. Though her excitement is not shared in the slightest, yet, somehow, I can't find the willingness to stop it. She just keeps going and my right arm twitches as my vision gets a little hazy yellow. Shaking my head clear of her tongue, she giggles before a wet smack vibrates on my cheek.