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Imperfect Brazen Mantra	It's a hot and humid day in Great Forks- made more so by the number of bodies packed into the arena this evening. The petty criminals sentenced to face off against half-starved wild animals are over, warming the crowd up with shows of desperate struggle and bloodshed. Warming them up for what is to come- the main attraction, the superstars themselves. The professional gladiator fights will soon begin under the low warm sun. It is around this time that Imperfect Brazen Mantra makes her way into the stands, haphazardly elbowing her way through the crowd- those few that turn to object find their protests halting in their throats as they crane their necks up to her. She is a giant among mortals, and difficult to miss with her mane of fire-red hair. She presses into the stands, and finds a bench to sit upon- it strains at her weight, and she takes the space of two full grown men upon it as she leans forwards, knees apart and elbows upon them, waiting eagerly for the fights to begin.
Fudou the Mountain	Needless to say..the rows around the titaness clear out once she stakes her claim and dominates the immediate area with her presence. She's afforded a wide berth and not a small amount of outright stars and cautious glances as the crowds meander about and the stands shift from one area to another. Ultimately, all seems well and to begin settling into a bit of normalcy once again. That is until: "Now that's what I"m talking about. Most impressive! You need to get with me, luv! A roarin' good time awaits!" THe voice, brazen, bold and intrusive, rumbles through the air, directed at the towering red head. The speaker's voice a deep mammoth bass rumble that still manages to somehow have a light cheerfulness to it despite its stomach vibrating tone. Should an attempt be made to find the speaker...it won't be very hard as seated, not on the benches but on the wide stairs on the outside aisle, a just a ltitle ways up..is an absolutely enormous man. He grins down towards her, eyes hidden behind silver rimmed spectacles and monstrously muscled figure sort of just lounging there where certainly there wasn't anyone there before. There might have been a bored looking mangy alley cat wandering around the stands earlier though, disappearing not long after the giantess had arrived.
Imperfect Brazen Mantra	Brazen's teeth grit at the catcall and she turns her attention around to where it came from, ready to see just how brave the voices owner is. But her expression cracks into a grin when she spies Fudou, and she barks a short laugh. When she calls out, it is in a sonorous bellow, tinged with a hoarseness that speaks of a great deal of shouting or drinking or smoking or perhaps all three. "Now you weren't there a minute ago, I'd have noticed I'm sure." she calls out to him. TShe rises from her seat, the wood creaking in relief, and presses her way back to the stairs. She makes her way up them to take a seat on the dusty steps near him- though both their voices carry well enough over the crowd. "Been a while since I visited the pits. Who are the ones to watch?" she asks, though her attention has turned back towards the arena below- trumpets signify the beginning of the evenings games. "You!" she bellows at someone selling food and drink among the stands, "Here!" she commands, and stomps her foot on the step before her.
Fudou the Mountain	That poor server. He gapes at the sight of the two behemoths but then seems to think wisely of trying to escape their attention. After a pause and heavy sigh he begins to make his way towards them with the food and drink. As to the giant man. His expression remains cheerful and bemused but seems to almost light up as Brazen responds to his catcalls with friendliness and a demeanor that seems to be exactly what the giant is looking to engage with. "Perhaps I'm a smeaky and quiet sort!" he offers up as explanation for his sudden arrival. "..As light on my feet as I am charming with my tongue!" The very steps seem to groan under Fudou's movements as if in protest to his words and the giant leans forward, resting his elbows on his propped up knees as he waits for Brazen to join him. "I'm afraid I don't know.." he admits as she sits and he gestures to the arena, "It's been a minute for me as well. Much business elsewhere. I had to stretch my legs a bit and attend to some matters but..it's hard to stay away. I thought to find some amusement by watching and if I couldn't to find amusement down there myself but.." His massive shoulders shrug, muscles rolling with the casual motion. "Eh." He examines her more closely now that she is nearby and his smile returns, "You are..from Great Forks then? Or newly arrived?"
Imperfect Brazen Mantra	Brazen lets out a deep, powerful laugh at the suggestion Fudou is sneaky, "Now that would be a sight." she retorts, slapping her knee with one of her massive, callused hands. When the food arrives, she tosses him a coin of unusual make, certainly foreign, and deeply tarnished. "I'll have whatever is good to eat and drink, as much as you can carry." she tells him. She glances back over her shoulder to Fudou, "Hardly sport in it." she agrees with him, and nods down to the arena below. "They're behemoths in their world, but I suspect their world is not yours." she says then, showing a hint of canniness beyond her stature. THe portcullis begins to rise, and two men step out. One armed with a net and javelin, the other with a shortsword and shield. One of them has the deep, rich brown skin of the south. The other looks more local, though is well bronzed by the sun. Both are magnificent specimens in their own right, and they shout and gesticulate to the crowd who respond in kind. Brazen speaks again, "From further east." she explains, "But I was here a few years ago, and recently returned." she explains.
Fudou the Mountain	The Mountain's smile thins abit and his eyes hood. Not in an unfriendly way but he seems to be a hint of mischief there now and an almost mercurial look to his gaze. It seems that there's no fooling some people though Fudou was never particularly great at guile and misdirection. Still, her canniness is now noted and the giant simply confirms, "No....their world is not." He nods his head lightly and then inclines it and his grin slowly returns, "But that doesn't mean that one can't occasionally play in their world. A little unsportsman like behavior can build their character!" The server looks at the tossed coin with some confusion and then simply shrugs. Not his business after all. "Ah..alright...as you wish." he stammers before stepping away. To get help. "East you say? Hmm..have you ever been to the southeast? The Dreaming Sea?" His gaze turns to study arriving warriors as he speaks to her. "Volivat is my place of birth. A nation there but I haven't been there in a long, long time.."
Imperfect Brazen Mantra	Brazen scoffs at that, "Perhaps it can, but there's no joy in crushing insects." she retorts though she has stopped glancing back over her shoulder now as the fighters in the arena move towards its center and begin to square off against one another. Cautious advances, brief scuffles for now. A testing of reflexes, a probing for blind spots. The net is flung, but mostly deflected by the shield- it entangles his arm, though, and hangs from the shield, making it less wieldy. A few thrusts of the trident are deflected by sword or shield. "No, never been there." she admits. "I'm from a small kingdom among the hundred." she offers up freely, "If it still remains." her voice is more guarded now, or perhaps she is simply focused on the fight- She doesn't join in the cheering or goading, for now, instead watching intently.
Fudou the Mountain	"There are some that might disagree but I suppose that speaks to their own form of weakness." muses Fudou as his eyes also study the arena and he watches the battle with a gaze that is more curious and thoughtful then particularly intense. "When I left Volivat, circumstances led me to the Hundred Kingdoms. Full of chaos and change those places." he notes, "My size, strength and training led to me spending some time as a Champion Gladiator but ...circumstances forced me to move on.." His voice becomes likewise somewhat guarded there for a second or two but then rumbles to life once more with more openess and confidence as he fully addresses the match she is studying: "Many come to Great FOrks seeking divine favor. Attention. These specimens are particularly robust. There's glory in the games but also slavery and forced battle. Still, the gift of the exigence is highly sought after and the arena often a place to see those craving it..."
Imperfect Brazen Mantra	The fight spikes in intensity, the sword fighter- mostly defensive until now, closes in on the extended range of the trident with a skillful swipe of his entangled shield to knock the weapon aside. He follows up with a slash that cuts a streak in the other fighters thigh and spills blood. Brazen finally bellows in excitement now that first blood is drawn, thumping her fist against her thigh and hollering her wordless approval at the strike. The shield is disgarded, and advantage is pressed- the injured fighter backpedaling and fending off blows with jabs of his trident. "Perhaps our paths have crossed before, then. But I think I would have remembered." She tells Fudou- demonstrating that she is still listening, even if most of her attention is on the fight. The server arrives with grilled meat on the bone, flatbreads, some kind of piquant sauce made of finely chopped peppers and fruit, and his colleague carries an amphora of wine on overburdened shoulders. Mantra grabs the massive stonewear vessel about the neck in one of her huge hands and takes a hearty swig before offering it back to Fudou. "Slaves can always choose to buck at their yoke." She says then, eyes darkening. "If they don't, the yoke they wear only grows tighter. Better to be bloodied than bowed." she asserts.
Fudou the Mountain	The Mountain seems more reserved then the titaness in regards to the reaction to the fight. Indeed most of his attention seems to fall on her. He studies her with a close lipped smile and narrowed eyes. Carefully thinking and pondering over her words as if searching out additional meaning and clues within them. He does let out a rumbling grunt of approval though. Both at the fight and at her words regarding slavery. His rumble almost akin to the grunt of a massive beast of burden in its own right. "Indeed." he finally states after claiming the offered drink and taking a heavy pull from it as well. Upon lowering it, he offers it back, his grin returning, "Great Forks thrives on its industry of slaves. I've oft wondered what might happen if that were turned on its head. A certain form of chaos, I imagine."
Imperfect Brazen Mantra	Brazen scoffs at that, finally looking back to Fudou only to shake her head at him. She helps herself to what appears to be an entire shank of some large animal. Before taking a bite though, she gesticulates with it as she makes her point. "Freedom can't be given. It has to be taken." she states- as though it were fact, rather than her opinion. She tears off a bite of the meat, offering a glimpse of her chimp-like teeth and then looks back to the pit. And just in time, as the Backpedaling trident wielding warrior stumbles and falls- still losing blood from the wound on his leg. The sword fighter closes in on him, but he overextends and the trident finds his gut. He staggers backwards, dropping his blade to clutch at the open wound on his abdomen and holds out his hand in a yield. Brazen spits on the ground.
Fudou the Mountain	"Huh. To bad!" rumbles the giant man. He rubs his chin, looking surprised at the outcome. "A touch of overconfidence there eh? Perhaps a lesson of sorts in that, mm? Though I imagine most won't get it." His grin broadens as he notes the irate reaction of Brazen though he does pause for an instant to consider her teeth thoughtfully before continuing, "I take it your favored is the one tha went down eh? No money lost on him, I hope?" Fudou leans forward, monstrous physique bunching up with almost audible sound to his sinew creaking and groaning under his vastness as he leans towards her, "Either way..I agree about the slaves.. But sometimes it is the lot of those with power to show those who don't have it ..the way out of a circumstance and to encourage them to follow eh?" His arms spread wide, "Not that I have such plans. I am but a sneaky, stealthy, oversized brawler!" He sweeps his hand down onw, gathering up a massive hunk of meat for the first time himself.
Imperfect Brazen Mantra	Brazen shakes her head again, and turns back to look Fudou's way now that the fight is over. The wounded combatant is dragged off to be tended, and perhaps even survive if the blow didn't piece his bowel, while the victor struggles to his feet and raises his arms to bask in the adoration of the crowd. "He could have pressed on. The wound was bad, but not immediately fatal. He needn't have yielded yet." she says then, to explain her disappointment. She takes another bite from her hunk of meat, stripping most of it from the bone this time. IN a few short chews, it's swallowed and washed down with wine. "Perhaps." she concedes to his point, "But too many would not follow. They prefer the comfort of the yoke to the burden of freedom." she says then. "They would cower behind their masters robes." she says then, with genuine vitriol in her voice.
Fudou the Mountain	THe bruiser falls quiet at that. The vitriol seems to have struck something within him and his bombastic gregarious nature takes a momentary back seat as he studies the giantess as if attempting to pierce through outer shell to what lies at her heart. "...Many would.." he agrees. There is no lie in her statement as far as he's concerned and his bass voice is softer and reflective now in contrast to her biting tone. He looks away to study the arena and the struggling movements of hte bictor. "..But it is better to offer the few the chance to succeed if they would take it...then condemn them on account of the many.." he concludes. Then, like that, his mood changes. Quicksilver in its rise back up towards his more outgoing and boistrous bruiser like demeanor. "I am called Fudou the Mountain. These days. I change it again eventually. Fudou or The Mountain will do." he declares, "The Strongest Man in the East." he adds while clasping his massive hands together and squeezing, producing a prodigious flex in his torso that inflates his muscles outrageously. He relaxes and holds a hand up to the side of his head to pantomine sharing a secret with Brazen as he adds, "At least that's how I market it."t
Imperfect Brazen Mantra	Brazen simmers in silence for a while as Fudou continues speaking, eventually taking the bone from the shank she has consumed and crushing it between her molars. She spits out the sharp bone shards, but eats the marrow freed from within. "They don't realize they could rush through this city in a tide of blood and rage if they wished too." she finally says then. "Each thinks 'won't somebody save me.' but too few choose to save themselves." she adds then. "A rebellion of the few is doomed to fail." she counters. She heaves a great sigh, casting these thoughts aside for now as Fudou shifts his own demeanor, and she tosses the rest of the bone aside before picking up one of the flatbreads and dunking it in the piquant mixture before taking a bite of it. "The strongest /man/. Perhaps." she retorts.
Fudou the Mountain	The brute falls quiet as she speaks and counters his statement with more biting disappointment at the ways of men. Fudou inclines his head and his grin fades ever so slightly but when she speaks on the decleration of his status he lets out a deep rumbling laugh that ripples through the upper stands like the repeated thrums of a set of bass drums. "Ah hah!" he grunts out. The gargantuan brute seemed to have been trying to push his luck, toeing the line on the last discussion to glean what he may by her responses but now his big grin stretches even wider. "Well now, luv, I try and take everyone into account when I speak because I'm open minded like that but here you are going all specific on me. Is there a name to associate with the one that wishes t'cast doubt on my assertion?"
Imperfect Brazen Mantra	"I am Imperfect Brazen Mantra." She introduces herself, turning her attention back towards Fudou. "And I make no claims about my strength. I prefer to demonstrate." she replies as she cracks a grin- her mood lightened once more, it seems. Even if the grin looks predatory when she has those pointy teeth behind it. She takes the amphora once more, and washes down her spicy-dipped flatbread with a couple of glugs of wine, that spills down her chin only to be wipes away on the back of her arm. A couple more fighters emerge, one is clearly Haltan from her nut-brown skin and green hair. And rather lissome for a gladiator. The other is a northern-looking man, on the older side for a gladiator, but well built and with scars that tell a story of his long career. He wields a hatchet, and she a pair of short spears. "Who do you favor here?" she asks Fudou, before stuffing the remainder of her flatbread into her mouth.
Fudou the Mountain	Mission accomplished. It had been his intention to redirect the mood of the conversation and he seems to have done so. He notes the arrival of the new warriors but the full weight of his attention falls onto her at her words and sense of confidence. "Huh! As do!" Fudou leans back, arms akimbo once more as he rumbles, "I am interested in such a demonstration at some point. Perhaps.." He gestures at the arena floor, " At a point in the near future. Or..perhaps not." His smile thins abit once more, eyes hooding, "No pressure." To her question, he looks back to the arena once again and studies it..at first with only mild interest but he then grows thouthgful for a few seconds before finally saying, "I am inclined to think him. He is seasoned and surely hasn't made it this far on luck alone. It would be foolish to under estimate him just because of his age. But she may be able to out manuever him.." he points at the Haltan, "..However given how varied fighters in this arena can be I can assume he's had to deal with nimble fighters before.. and may have a strategy.." Fudou pauses and then his grin returns as he adds, "Perhaps i put to much faith in him.."
Imperfect Brazen Mantra	"You want to fight?" Brazen asks, the corner of her mouth twisting into a lopsided smirk. "You should have just asked." she adds then and laughs. She rises immediately to her feet and bellows "Clear the stage!", her voice carrying over the sound of the crowd as the two recently entered fighters who had just been stepping back and forth and eyeballing each other look up to see where the voice comes from. Brazen does not wait, though, having given her decree she expects it to be followed without question. She leaps from the step she stands on, sailing through the air to land heavily in the arena down below with such tremendous force it unsettles the dust around her. "Are you ready for a REAL fight!?" she demands of the crowd, raising her fists into the air and turning slowly so they can regard her.
Fudou the Mountain	"Hells." It seems she's actually less temperance then even Fudou. Or, boasting aside, The Mountain has lost his edge. "Ugh.." he grumbles though his eyes widen abit as he watches her clear the stands and go sailing into the arena and then begin amping up the crowds. He had some guesses that she was far from mere mortal though of course he knows not what. "Hrn..she's clearly supernatural. If I fight with one hand behind my back and lose then I"ll never hear the end of it. IF I don't go all out and she's more then she seems and I lose..I'll never hear the end of it. If I hurt her by going all out as she ends up being just a bold god blooded....I'll never hear the end of it!" It's a done deal though and he steps forward and makes his way down the steps until he reaches the arena wall and despite his mood..ends up grinning again. A moment later and he has vaulted as well. A much less impressive distance..but he lands thunderously in the arena floor and straightens up to his full height now. "I didn't expect you to be so eager and instant. Forcing my hand, I see."
Imperfect Brazen Mantra	Brazen twists her neck to one side, and then to the other, producing a series of loud cracks with each motion. She rolls her shoulders and pounds one fist into the palm of her other hand as she regards Fudou. "Don't tell me you're having second thoughts. It is impolite to get a woman's hopes up." she taunts the Mountain as she finishes limbering up with a bit of footwork. She grinds her feet into the stone beneath them, spreading them apart for a more solid base and then licks her lips as she eyeballs him. "I thought you were the Strongest man in the east?" she wonders and then holds out a hand, making a beckoning motion, inviting him to make the first move.
Fudou the Mountain	That taunt seems to have done the trick. Fudou grins and draws nearer, rolling his monstrous shoulders as his temple pillar like frame looms in closer and closer. Something feral lighs up in his eyes, coloring his grin with a mildly predatory air now as he retorts, "...It's not that it's just that...there's easy difficulty and hard difficulty...and I don't think this arena can handle 'hard.." And with that he suddenly springs forward, twelve foot frame bearing down on her like some sort of mountain peak hurtled from on high. "Or you!" His body twists, boulder of fist clenched, knuckles cracking with the sound of tree trunks splintering as his fist tightens and his arm comes hurtling forward towards her with a thunderous swing!
Imperfect Brazen Mantra	Brazen brings up her arms to defend against the crashing blow- but the momentum behind it is too much for her to keep her footing. She skids backwards along the cobbles and to the edge of the arena- her heel slipping off for a moment before she sets her footing. She does not look alarmed at this turn of events, rather, her eyes are wide and her mouth twisted into a grin. "Might be some truth to that boast." she says to him, and then kicks off the edge of the arena to launch herself back at Fudou. Her eyes flash and her muscles swell as she moves faster than mere mortal eyes can see to once again close the distance between them. The veins in her arm pulse and her muscles ripple as she directs every mote of momentum from her advance into a clenched fist sailing for Fudou's gut.
Fudou the Mountain	"Hnnn!" The gargantuan man's triumph at his initial strike turns towards immediate concentration as Brazen darts into action with such speed his eyes must flicker about to keep up with him whereas the mortals themselves surely fail utterly. An insant..or perhaps even less..and she's upon him - driving a fist forward towards the canvas sized expanse that is his muscled belly. He braces, body tensing at the last pulse just before the impact..and her fist lands with a resonding *BOOM* that echoes violently throughout the arena floor, swelling up even louder then the roar of the crowds. A plume of dust billows up behind the giant and blasts all around them both as the shockwave rolls outwards away from them. Fudou's eyes bulge slightly. His feet skid backwards a few paces from the force of the blow but he doesn't bow or bend. But he clearly, CLEARLY noticed that. "Hrugh...you've got some -tricks- up your sleeves.." he rumbles with a grin. "Is there something you're not sharing about yourself with me?" Not that he's one to talk. "Very well! We'll go from easy to medium!" He springs backwards, feet diggign into the ground and then with an explosio nof movement that actually sunders the stone behind him, he comes lunging in for a shoulder charge at her. This is in turn followed up by another swing, a massive arm whipping down and then up like some unleashed trebuchet that kicks up more debris from the arc of its swing.
Imperfect Brazen Mantra	Brazen sets her heels hard enough to crack the stone under her feet, and she meets the incoming mountain's charge with her own shoulder- and this time, she does not move an inch. Their collusion sounds out like a thunderclap, loud enough to knock those sitting nearest from their feet sending them cascading out of the front row of the stands. She brings up her hand to catch the massive incoming fist in her palm, and another shockwave of force causes her mane to dance like a bonfire. She grins again, again showing off those pointed teeth. "I could say the same. You are no mere wyld mutant or god-spawn." she asserts to Fudou. Her jaw clenches, and she squeezes the fist in her hand painfully. Her muscles swell and bulge, veins throbbing and darkening as though threatening to burst free from her skin. Finally she shoves Fudou's hand back, and follows up with a flurry of savage punches, one after the other coming almost faster than sight to strike out at his ribs and flanks.
Imperfect Brazen Mantra	As Imperfect Brazen Mantra's unrelenting assault continues, she opens her mouth wide to release a blood-curdling scream of exhilaration and joy at the violence of her attack. Pebbles around her feet tremble and drift into the air, as pale emerald flames begin to lick at her heels, climbing up her body until they engulf her. Upon her brow, a symbol appears- an unmistakable mark of the Anathema.
Fudou the Mountain	The arena shakes and violently trembles from the force of their impacts. Fudou is stopped cold in his tracks. Something no doubt seen as an impossiblity by many onlookers. As for him, his eyebrows raise at her stopping his charge and holding her ground against him and a tight lipped smile forms in responds to her assertion of his nature being more then his flimsy lies and cover stories would imply. But then she counters him. He very much stops smiling anymore. It's a stark contrast to Brazen's behavior, that's for sure..but for his part Fudou is clearly rattled as the force of the rapid fire strikes rip into him violently and send shockwaves throughout the vastness of his gigantic figure. His eyes bulge and his mouth sets into a snarling grimace until he's finally able to disengage by hopping backwards several paces, skidding to a stop and straightening up rapidly..just in time to see that caste mark appear and the flames of hell begin to lick at her feet. "Stop!" he rumbles, abruptly straightenig up and holding his hand out towards her. "Enough." there's a pause as he grins again, "You're 'showing'. Don't do that here. The type of fight you want...I can't give you here. I yield to you this contest."
Imperfect Brazen Mantra	There are gasps and cries of surprise from the crowd, many of them press back from the edges of the arena as the fight begins to get out of hand- for fear of becoming collateral damage in a clash between titans. Many more stare on, enraptured by the unfolding battle. "NO!" Bellows Brazen, and for a moment it seems as though she is going to continue to press the attack despite Fudou's warning, but she grits her teeth, panting from the exertion of her flurry. "No!" she says again, pointing across the arena to Fudou. "I don't accept your yield, not yet." "But you are right. We will continue this another time, another place." it is not phrased as a request, not even a promise. It is a statement of fact. And with Ligier burning on her brow, one can see the assurance of Malfeas in her- an absolute certainty in herself, that her will is reality. And then she is off- she leaps from the stage, and dashes in a few short bounds up the steps before leaping into the air once more- sailing clear over the stands and the arena's outer wall, landing somewhere outside its bounds.
Fudou the Mountain	"...I should have clarified I was referring to lifting things and feats of strength when I said I was the strongest man in the east..." muses Fudou as he rests his hands on his hips and looks after her figure as she bounds away. "....I should probably let other people know about her... Then again..surprises like that are good for them." Shaking hsi head, he grins to himself and turns..starting away from the crowds and for a distant end of the arena to seek an exit.