Proposals. Conquered Demons. Exposing the Past.

[DoF Archive]

Date: 2/4/1998 1:23 AM Central Standard Time
From: JadedDeath

Grylac Vallonia, father of Janella, was only one of many to have wielded the weapons known as Vendetta, Terminus and The Accomplices. He was not yet an old man when death had seperated him from his fine blades and gauntlets; his daughter took the items up readily, announcing her rightful claim to them amidst much objection and anger both from her family and fellow townspeople. Janella Vallonia was but sixand ten years old then; though most would've perceived her as little more than a girl, she fancied herself a woman by that age and so did, unfortunately, a few of the men she had already known.If Grylac had had any knowledge of what his weapons were capable of beyond their obvious use, that knowledge had died with him. The man had an uncanny way of keeping such information to himself; his many secrets he had kept secret, even from his own wife. His daughters were no exception: Janella and her sister Donica could not even say where their father had acquired his treasured sword.Over ten years passed with Janella Vallonia wielding Vendetta, Terminus and The Accomplices as her own. Though she matured considerably the warrioress never lost her intense distrust of things arcane; it was fair to say that Janella hated magic. She was loathe to be around those that practiced it and she despised anything which could be attributed to a magical beginning. The few times she had witnessed her sword demonstrate something incrediblehad been shocking to the fighter; she realized that what she possessed was akin to an artifact, but realization and acceptance were two very different creatures in the context of Jaded Death's mind.Janella was nearly thirty years old now, living in a land called Rhydin. She was wanted in dozens of townships. Her journey into the present land had led her down many roads and no matter where she had been she had left her mark. Janella had been mercenary, rogue, whore, kidnapper, assassin, dragonslayer, horse thief, bodyguard... more. Finally, over a decade since she had first raised Vendetta, the magnificentsunsteeled sword, in her hand, the warrioress was ready to uncover what the past and her own thick-headed stubborness and ignorance had held from her: the wondrous powers that the longsword, dagger and gauntlets were capable of.Admittedly, Janella had not ever really wanted or cared to know. This was magic and though the warrioress recognized the power that magic could command she also believed that it was hideously unstable and incontrollable. It was a joke, a flawed tool handed to mortals by the Gods in order to serve as their own 'holy' form of entertainment: divine amusement taking the form of deadly havoc in the world.Vendetta was one of those tools, Janella felt. Vendetta, Terminus, and her gauntlets as well. But it was time to recognize what she herself had in her hands. Deep within her Janella had grown increasingly curious - suspicious, but curious - especially after having experienced Vendetta's special powers thrice in the past two seasons. Janella was going to wield these weapons with understanding, finally, with knowledge of their abilities. GrylacVallonia, as far as Janella knew, had never even bothered to wonder, ever.She had met the tall, Sylvan elf in The Last Chance Saloon several months ago. 'Zyndria, ' was the name that the sorceress had given to Janella. Like most elves, Zyndria had displayed a noted arrogance during that initial introduction. The two struck up a heated conversation amidst a game of daggers."I won that bloody game, too, " Janella thought with a smug smile. After that night they encountered each other a few more times. It was certainly an odd relationship filled with shows of amusement, disdain, mock flattery and affected friendship. Neither woman trusted the other of course but each realized that something could be gained by mutual involvement. Zyndria seemed highly interested in studying Vendetta, if not fascinated by the sword, and Janella recognized the elven woman's keen curiosity and knew thatthe sorceress would work hard to discover the blade's powers.To her credit, Zyndria managed to convince Janella that it was time she learned about the (obviously) magical weapon. Janella had already been entertaining such notions since the previous summer and so with some persuasion the fighter was swayed to agree to the Sylvan elf's proposal.Janella was not exactly thrilled at the prospect of sharing her quarters with the strange girl but the fighter was loathe to give Vendetta up to the sorceress without at least some measure of insurance.Alexis, Janella had decided, was to be that measure of insurance.This slight girl - Takhisis only knew where Zyndria had found her and how - was obviously of some value to the elven wizardess. The girl acted towards Zyndria like a slave to an overruling mistress. She could only guess that Alexis fulfilled some kind of duty for Zyndria; it seemed that Alexis was both servant and student. (Damn elves and magic-users. One could never tell with them!) Janella could not be certain. She was unsure of the extentthat the relationship reached but here was collateral looking her straight in the eye.Collateral. The proposal did, afterall, closely resemble a loan of sorts. Janella agreed to allow Zyndria to study Vendetta for a short time; the sorceress would tell Janella what the sword's abilities were, what its various runes meant, and what kind of history it laid claim to. Zyndria the elven mage was the means to Janella's future, dazzling glory. The weapons' secrets awaited unlocking!Alexis, this small, brown-eyed girl, would rejoin her mistress as soon as Janella had her beloved sword back. Hopefully, too, Janella would have even more than that then... .

[DoF Archive]

Date: 2/8/1998 12:44 AM Central Standard Time
From: JadedDeath

Alexis was sleeping on a straw mat in Janella's quarters at the Red Dragon Inn. So far, the girl had been following Janella's orders without trouble. She was not to venture out of the room unless the warrioress was accompanying her. Janella locked her in whenever she herself headed into town; the previous night had been a dueling night, though. Janella knew she would be in The Outback until very late.What to do with the girl?She dreaded the thought of taking her with her. Simply put, Janella wasn't interested in hearing the questions that would raise. She had to find something for Alexis to do, something to keep the girl occupied and out of the way. The answer was to be found in, of all places, the Inn's barn.To Janella's surprise, the mare showed a liking to the girl immediately. That was, once Janella was able to persuade Alexis to step close enough to her so that the horse could sniff her hand."What is her name?" asked Alexis. The horse stood far taller than she."Diamond, " Janella answered. "She answers to Diamond." Diamond gave a stamp and a whuff then flicked her tail. Alexis's brown eyes widened and she smiled.Janella showed Alexis how to brush her, the way the saddle was seated on the horse's back, the proper oats to feed, and how to guide the mare to where she wanted her to go. The warrioress was eager to get to The Outback though. Grabbing the young stablehand, she told him that he was to keep his eye on Alexis and that whatever care he was going to give the horses that night he was to allow the girl to follow along, watch and learn. "A short lessonin equine husbandry will do the sorceress's student some good, " Janella thought smugly.Janella returned to the stable after the duels had ended for the night. Alexis was sleeping upon several bundles of hay in a far corner. She woke the girl, indicating that it was time they headed upstairs to sleep. Reluctantly, Alexis said goodnight to Diamond and Janella and she left the barn, walking to the Inn's steps. The two passed through the common room, ascending the stairway to the hall above."Do you ride her alot?" Alexis looked to the rather imposing, impressive figure beside her. "Yes, I do." Janella was slipping a key into the lock on room's door to open it. It swung in on noisy hinges."Would you show me how... to ride her?" The girl's voice was decidedly timid; Alexis feared Janella's anger. "I mean, would you ever let me?"The warrioress shut the door behind them, the darkness of the room as of yet unlit by the lamps."Maybe. We'll see, " Janella intoned. "Get ready for bed. I have something else planned for the morning." Alexis sensed a smirk in her voice, next. "You'll need your energy for what we're going to do."

[DoF Archive]

Date: 2/8/1998 8:53 PM Central Standard Time
From: JadedDeath

"You have to punch harder than that!" Janella cried in exasperation. "Again. Do it again, like I showed you!"Alexis bit her lip, her blue eyes shifting from Janella to the stuffed sack hanging before her. When the warrioress had announced that morning that they were going to the Outback to 'practice' Alexis had felt excited. She wanted to learn how to fight with her hands, with her fists, her legs, and with her body. It was something that Zyndria would never approve of; the Sylvan elf had taught Alexis that there were other, better means of defendingoneself. Alexis recognized the power of magic but she also yearned to release the strength which she felt tingling inside her. It was there but it acted as if it didn't want to come out!"If you hit the sack that way, you'll break your thumb." Janella stepped in beside Alexis, taking the girl's hand in one of her own and plucking Alexis's thumb out from her attempted fist. "Your thumb must always go on the outside!" Alexis swallowed and nodded her chin quickly. "Okay, I see."For hours, the two worked together in Rhydin's famous house of the Duel of Fists. Janella was not the most patient of teachers but Alexis was grateful for the chance to have such a strong, skilled woman demonstrate at least the basics to her. Alexis would never get this opportunity while sequestered in her elven mistress's tower. Try, she could, and practice, but what good was it to repeat the wrong exercises? Janella Vallonia would learn her theright way, Alexis told herself.By the time the afternoon was dipping into the evening, they had covered nearly three types of punches and several kicks. Janella tailored her advice to fit Alexis: the girl was far from the 'hulking' warrioress which Janella was. The girl was no taller than five and a half feet, and Alexis stated that a scale in an old shop had once proclaimed her to be ten and one hundred pounds. Obviously, Janella thought, some of her usual tactics would haveto be changed. So, instead of charges, Janella showed her sweeps; in lieu of shoves, she taught her dodges and ducks, and then, for it was clear that Alexis was not yet ready to flip anyone, Janella substitued a lesson on hard twists and rolls."What can I do now?" Alexis shouted as Janella had her pinned to the floor. The warrioress seemed impossibly strong and absolutely overruling. She held Alexis in place with a knee against her chest then brought her arm under the girl's chin. Alexis squirmed and writhed to no avail. There was no escape from this one!"If you can't reach my face to hit me, " Janella glanced to Alexis's left arm, "and you're unable to kick, what does that leave you?""Nothing!" Alexis exclaimed, frowning."No!" Janella retorted. She hissed, clenching her teeth then making a mock bite for Alexis's nose. "You have teeth, too. Think! It won't always be practice, like this. Someday, it might mean your life.""You want me to bite you? But, I can't reach your nose! You have me pinned to the floor!"Janella rolled her eyes, smirking as she looked around then back to Alexis. "Oh, by the bloody Gods! My arm beneathe your chin. Until and unless I do this, " Janella showed her, "you can bite my forearm."An expression of horror spread across Alexis's face. "Should I do it now, then? Bite your arm?"Janella smirked some more, exhaling, and gave a low chuckle. "No. But remember that, if you ever must, it's an option."They worked for a bit longer, then the two headed back to the Red Dragon for some dinner.

[DoF Archive]

Date: 2/23/1998 12:27 AM Central Standard Time
From: JadedDeath

The room was lit, dimly, by a few candles; their wicks were worn by several notches yet Janella sat, awake, in her bed. The quarters could be considered spartan in design, but the bed, appointed richly in delicate satin and soft pillows (no doubt due to the ultimate wealth of the room's singular occupant) contrasted in a most pleasing manner to the surrounding decor. Janella leaned back against two of thepillows, her right arm idly draped across the headboard. A thin coverlet lay bunched at her bare feet as the warrioress contemplated a rather familiar looking treasure between her knees:Tonight, the amber-handled, sunsteeled longsword Vendetta was with her once again. Janella cradled the naked blade in her hands while she gazed down along its gleaming length. The moment had a certain joyous, pristine quality to it. Never had she thought that such an absence would seem so very long. Never had she anticipated the yearning that she would feel for this weapon, to grip it in her fingers, to caress its warm, smooth handle. As the candlelights flickered, Vendetta's runes reflected the firy dance with a superiorblaze. Janella traced a few of the etchings with her bare fingertips, compelled to examine the sword now that it was back in her possession once more. Touching each sapphire, she vowed never to part herself from the blade again. Vendetta swelled with pride under the close scrutiny. Terminus lay beside one of the pillows further up on the bed. The sunsteeled brothers exchanged insults, brought on mostly by Terminus's sudden influx of jealousy as it realized that it was no longer the center of Janella's attention now that the longsword was in her hands. Though loyal to each other, the two weapons would never pass up the chance to spar: abounding envy of Vendetta led thedagger to loose a slew of derrogatory references at it. The longsword, in turn, hurled back rounds of stinging retorts. And so the hour passed, silent to Janella's senses yet tortuous for The Accomplices as they were so unwillingly subjected to the telepathic assaults. The gauntlets refused to join in the fray, having long ago learned that to do so meant losing to at least one, if not both, of their sharper tongued (and sharper edged) brothers.While Terminus and Vendetta argued over which was the better (with Terminus eager to cite its recent victory with Janella over Rhydin's Duel of Sword's Overlord in an outside match - much to Vendetta's surprised annoyance) their chosen wielder contemplated what she had heard from the elven sorceress regarding Vendetta's powers. Late that evening, Janella had met with Zyndria outside the Red Dragon Inn. There, the two concluded the final exchange oftheir deal: Janella handed the girl Alexis back to her mistress, and Zyndria returned Vendetta after a week's time of studying it. Not only had the wizardess divulged little information but she had actually brought along, or had invited company: some heinous female with black wings! The creature had reminded Janella more of some sort of cursed bat than a woman. Or a giant spider... .In any case, the scene had been dark, and the situation was still grim as far as Janella could judge. Over a week's time, and what had the elf told her? Vendetta's hilt could glow, and, the sword could deflect fire - with an almost random accuracy. What help was that knowledge? "Help for what, " Janella quickly asked herself. Indeed, what was she, herself, after? The fighter drew some mental notes. She was close to seeing thirty summers by now, the last two having been none other than Rhydin summers. (Oh, the horror.) Certainly, she still had her strength. But by now, she wagered, she was ready for some greater challenge, elements beyond the usual, beyond that which she had already mastered long ago. The answers from Zyndria were small, underdeveloped things. The revelations were trifling to say the least! What could she do with them? Nothing! They only led to more questions, more wondering and more mystery - as long as Janella allowed it. More and more, though, Janella was moving towards acceptance. It seemed only natural that the truth would eventually be revealed to her. "Why wait?" was becoming her most recurrent question to thatnotion.Knowing who you are and all that you are capable of. Like a sofly beckoning call, the play of the room's candlelight on Vendetta's gleaming surface lulled Janella passed deep reverie to slumber. Once the warrioress's eyelids fluttered closed, the weapons stole together in practiced collaboration, and Janella's dreaming began.