Table of Contents https://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/229522482/0/0 Avery offers a hand to her opponent and helps her to her feet. The woman melts back into the audience, greeted with encouraging pats and claps. Miel's voice cuts through their chatter, "As you just saw, you're gonna need technique and skill to beat the Commander! Would anyone who can actually fight like to try?!" Hands shoot up once again. Miel examines them then sends off Sinekis, who returns with a Vandal from House Devils in tow. Excited murmurs buzz through the air. "A Vandal," Miel declares, "Tougher than the rest of you meatsacks! I'm guessing you'd like to fight the Commander?" The Vandal nods and Avery exhales wearily. He settles a meter in front of Avery, towering over her and flexing his four arms. "Hey," Noel reaches up to rest a hand on my shoulder, "I'm not sure I was alive before you all signed the Treaties. Didn't you and Aves get famous fighting Eliksni?" "That was one reason," I answer. Noel looks up at me. After a moment he moves his other hand in a circular gesture, as if urging me to do something. When I don't react, he sighs, "Come on, Keis. Elaborate a little. You've got a serious vagueness issue." "I do?" I inquire. Noel crosses his arms and gripes, "Clearly. I've been Vanguard for a few years, but I barely know anything about you. I could probably count the people who know anything about you with-" "Watch and learn, moppets," Miel advises, interrupting Noel, "Begin!" "Bah, forget it," Noel huffs. The two combatants shift towards each other carefully. When they get within arm's reach, the Vandal strikes first with a hefty slug, but Avery sidesteps and bashes her adversary in the stomach. The Vandal is barely fazed and jabs her shoulder and chest with two arms. Avery backpedals, putting space between them. The Vandal stays where he is, waiting for Avery to make a move. Avery bursts towards him and jumps at the last second. The Vandal barely has time to react as Avery's leg whips around at his head. He raises an arm and her leg slams into it. The arm absorbs most of the damage, but the force of the kick drives through it and her heel connects with his head. He's forced down to his knee by the impact, and Avery lands on her other foot in front of him. She twirls, pulling her leg off of the Vandal and swinging it around. Her heel pounds into his side and he tumbles to the ground. Shaking off the blow, the Vandal rolls back up to his feet and lunges at Avery. All four of is arms swing at her and she ducks slightly, using her arms to block, then hops up and rams her helmet into his jaw. He reels back with a hiss, clutching at his ether mask with one hand and slinging a punch at Avery with his top left. Avery blocks the swing and firmly jabs the spot between his left arms with her fist. The Vandal recoils and Avery wraps an arm up around his shoulder, keeping him from moving away. He beats at her, but she pulls in closer, making it hard for him to land a strong blow. She punches his gut hard and he doubles over. Avery pulls him down farther then raises her arms above her head. She pounds her fists onto his back, beating him down and striking his head with her knee. The Vandal falls to her feet. "That's enough!" Miel calls. The crowd erupts with cheers and applause. Miel impatiently taps his cane on the ground and shouts, "Who's next?!" Noel rubs the back of his helmet and ponders, "Been awhile since we were all in on some action like this." The Vandal gets up and sinks back into the audience while Miel looks for a candidate. Noel adjusts his cloak and continues, "When was the last time you did the Crucible?" I think for a moment, then reply, "When Avery beat me." "Ooh, tough way to go out," Noel jests, "Got your butt kicked pretty bad? Couldn't show your face in public? Had to go into exile?" "No," I answer. Noel waits for more, then throws his hands up and scoffs, "You're vague, Keis. By the Light, you're vague." Avery chimes in on the comms, looking at us from her position in the ring, "I'm sure you could find the article on a terminal. Probably a video, too." Someone behind Noel and me catches Miel's attention and he calls, "You, with the stupid helmet!" Noel and I turn to see a man pointing at himself questioningly. His helmet has a bulbous visor that resembles large goggles. "No, not you!" Miel corrects, "With those ridiculous spikes!" The man next to him, with three spikes jutting out of the top of his helmet like a Mohawk, doesn't register the insult and whoops joyfully as he squeezes past Noel and me. He crosses the circle to speak with Miel. "Why are the comms on?" Avery realizes, then demands, "Who's in the Vanguard Chamber?" The comms crackle on and a female voice replies, "Just a few City Guard members taking advantage of your camera feeds, Commander." "Captain," Avery vents, "Your duties-" "We're off duty, Commander," a man assures, "Just like you. The combat Frames gave us some sideways looks, but we're not breaking any rules. Captain Nebo is keeping an eye on us." Noel shrugs, "She's right. No harm done." Avery doesn't bother arguing. The man finishes speaking with Miel and waves avidly in my direction. A man without a helmet squeezes between Noel and me, joining the man with the spikes. Miel signals the Captain with the sparring gear, who tosses one of the helmets to the second man. "Who do you two ragamuffins want to fight?" Miel questions. "The Commander and Keis-53!" The man with the spikes proudly states. Avery and Miel look at me. "Hey, looks like you're up, champ!" Noel encourages, patting my back, "Get on out there!" I step out into the ring. "Hold on, Vanguard," Miel directs, holding up a hand, then addresses the challengers, "Are you tots sure you want to do that? Just one of 'em would be fair, and-" "Come on, you battered old tin can," the second man interrupts cockily, "We can handle ourselves." "You're not in any condition to be tellin' us who we can and can't beat," the man with the spikes adds. The consort falls into a strained hush at their remarks, whispering heatedly and anxious to see how Miel will react. Even the second man gives the spiked man an uneasy glance at his cutting insult. Miel glares at them silently, tapping the ground with his walking stick. The spiked man waits defiantly. The steady clicks stop and Miel speaks calmly, "Then I'm sure the two of you wouldn't mind proving that you've got what it takes to beat the Vanguard before I let you have a go at 'em?" "Yeah," the spiked man answers. "S'long as we get our pick after," the second agrees. "Good," Miel says, stepping forward, "If you can beat me, you get your pick." Questions and chatter burst from the throng. "Uh..." Noel puzzles, "What's he doing?" "Not sure," Avery responds, striding to us and tugging me with her back to my spot next to Noel, "But it can't be good." Miel calls for silence until the babble becomes quiet enough to talk over, though he still has to raise his voice. "Why would we fight you?" The spiked man asks. "Why not?" Miel taunts, "Scared you'll lose?" "But you're a cripple!" The second man objects. "You think I'm a cripple?" Miel queries. "If the boot fits," the spiked man grates. "Then you'll have no problem winning," Miel concludes, moving out into the ring. "Woah, woah," the spiked man objects, "No weapons. Ditch the stick." Miel stops and gives him an inquisitive look, "What, I'm too crippled to fight but the stick makes me scary?" The audience laughs as the spiked man fumbles for a comeback. Miel waves for Sinekis to come to him, then hands over his walking stick. They have a quick discussion before Miel impatiently sends the Eliksni back to the sideline. Miel returns his attention to the challengers and trudges towards them unsteadily. His feet scuff the pavement and his slouch deepens as he takes his position a meter in front of them. He appears to be on the verge of falling over, but remains upright. "Feelin' tough, tots?" Miel needles, raising his fists in front of his face like a boxer, "Takes some real strength to take on an incapacitated man who's older than your granddaddy." Noel leans closer to Avery and me and quips, "I'd be willing to bet Miel has punched one of those guys' granddaddies before." "Combatants ready?" Arcite sounds off. The challengers prepare themselves unsurely, still trying to figure out if Miel is being serious. "Begin!" Arcite blares. Miel pounces forward in an instant, nailing the second man in the head with a sucker punch. Before the crowd has time to gasp, Miel slugs the spiked man in the face. They both fall, gripping their helmets. Miel takes a second to admire his handiwork, letting the audience applaud him, then announces, "I yield!" The gathering breaks into an uproar. Arcite and Sinekis join Miel in the center while the challengers clamber back to their feet. Miel accepts his cane from Sinekis and leans heavily on it, clasping his abdomen tenderly. The second man says something, but it's lost in the clamor around them. Miel slowly turns in a circle, striking the end of his staff on the ground and calling for silence. The crowd slowly quiets down until Miel is satisfied.