Fields of Ice

[Amaterasu]

Amaterasu and Oki stood before a dwarf that was unusually tall for one - his head was at chest level for them, and even then he was as muscular and bulky as his shorter companions. He was clad in light training armor and had a brutal-looking warhammer slung over his back, looking as if he could jump into battle at any moment.

"So, yer both 'ere for the test, eh", he said as he eyed Oki over, then Amaterasu, all the while stroking his thick beard. It had several braids weaved into it which made it a bit more difficult to make out how long it really was, but Amaterasu realized that even for dwarven standarts this beard had to be glorious. "Good... well then. I'm Garven, the training master of Dwarfholm, so it's me duty ta ensure ye fight fair, and yer opponents too. Bu' first, get over to the rack an' pick yer weapon."

"I have mine", remarked Oki with a nod towards the hilt of Kuton, that was slung over his shoulder. But the instructor shook his head.

"Nay. Normal weapons ar' banned from sparring matches. We ain't slicin' each other up 'round 'ere, stranger, unlike them trolls. Trainin' weapons ain't sharp like the real thing."

Amaterasu was already over at the rack and rifled through the neatly lined up weapons. Despite being only training weapons, as Garven had remarked, they were exceptionally well made and holding any of them felt very natural. She passed by the heavy broadswords, twohanders, clubs and such without so much as looking twice at them and eyed the daggers and shortswords more closely, as well as the handy battleaxes. Finally she settled for a relatively heavy battleaxe that could be wielded with one or two hands. How much use that thing would have though, she had no idea. She'd have picked something similar to the blade of Kusanagi had they had anything of the sort around, but none of the swords were both light and long - either one or the other but never both. When she returned, Oki was already back with a heavy-looking twohander.

"Yer up first, lass. Show us what ya got", the instructor said and pointed towards a pit in the center of the room, with walls to keep spectators from falling in. A miniature arena. Amaterasu's eyes widened a bit when she saw her opponent. The dwarf was wearing heavy iron armor that covered his entire body, and held a battleaxe in his hands that was larger than he was tall. He had pushed up the visor of his helmet right now so that he could see his opponent, and Amaterasu could see the scars of his battle and his friendly yet self-certain smile. He was confident in his ability, and didn't think of her as a big threat. When Amaterasu came into the arena he laughed.

"Aye, yer probably stronger than ya look, stranger! Ah've learned never ta judge a Prime by their looks. But, sorry to say, yer not gonna gain entry to tha King's Halls while Ah'm yer opponent."

Amaterasu sized her opponent up and weighted the axe in her grip. Maybe if she could get to his neck she could proclaim a victory... this armor had to have a few weak points to exploit. "Don't apologize, I would not expect you to give anything but your best in this fight." She put her axe down and bowed before her opponent. "Where I come from the opponents introduce themselves to each other before a duel... and I would like to know who I am going against. I am Amaterasu Omikami, Firstborn of Izanagi."

The dwarf laughed heartily but didn't put his axe down as he bowed as well, and not quite as deep as Amaterasu. But that was to be expected, as he was wearing heavy armor. "Ah, fer a sparring match tha's a good rule. Name's Nolan McHaroldsson, Secondborn of Harold McOrkansson, an' I wish ya luck. Yer gonna need it!"

Amaterasu grabbed her axe once again as the instructor announced the fight's start. Nolan began to walk towards her with slow and heavy steps, and Amaterasu knew that the armor was undoubtedly weighing him down. He probably was slow and needed momentum for his wea- WHAM! Nolan had suddenly bursted forward in a leap and was swinging his axe against her in a brutal slashing motion. Had she not reflexively guarded herself he would have broken a rib or two. Even so, he knocked the flat side of her axe against her side and sent her sliding backwards on her feet, with her arms trembling. Dear lord, he was strong... and fast! She could barely hold the axe, the blow had shaken her up badly. But Nolan neither gloated nor inquired if she was okay, he grasped his battleaxe again and walked towards her, to close the gap and swing again. This time she was ready, she tried to block his blow and get past his defense, but when he struck he nearly sent her axe flying with the force. How? How was he so strong with such a heavy weapon, and yet so fast? He had his visor down but Amaterasu could tell that he hadn't broken a sweat. If he struck her again like this she would lose her weapon...


"Ammy, what's the matter?! That's not the kami I know!" Oki shouted into the arena from behind the guard wall. "Come on! Show him what you can do!"

Amaterasu bit her lower lip, then nodded. The third blow she did not attempt to block, she leapt back and to the side, dodging it, then jumped off a wall to gain some distance from the dwarf and to avoid getting cornered. She tossed the axe up and over the wall, out of the arena. She wouldn't need that excuse for her divine weaponry... she slammed her hands together and brought the Yasakani no Magatama up from around her waist, to float around her neck instead. They would not be strong enough to pierce through Nolan's heavy armor, but... as he came closer she sent several to bang against his helmet, and he was unable to block them. Each caused a loud bang as they hit the metal, ringing his ears and disorienting him. It slowed his advance considerably. She would have to wear hi-

Before she could finish that thought Urist launched a surprise attack. He was out of range for his usual strikes, or so Amaterasu had thought... the dwarf gripped his battleaxe very close to the blade, and thrusted it forward like a spear. As it turned out the end of the long hilt had a pointed tip, similar indeed to a spear, and Amaterasu had not noticed it coming. Had it not been for her disorienting strikes against his helmet, he may have struck her chest there and then, leading to an instant win. But he only struck her shoulder... "only". Even the grazing hit made her scream in pain as the blunted edge rammed into her, her body protected by nothing but her Miko dress, and sent her stumbling backwards several steps, gripping the spot where he had struck. That would leave a mark, no doubt. And now he was close enough to finish the job, he was just pulling his axe back to turn it around and strike with the blade.

That was when the opportunity revealed itself to Amaterasu. Rapidly, almost reflexively, she thrusted her hand forward when Nolan made a motion with his arm that leaved one joint at his left elbow exposed, and the bead she sent flying struck right between the two pieces of platemail. Nolan only briefly flinched, as below that platemail he still had light chainmail and cloth to protect the weak spots, before attempting to finish the job. That was when he found that the joint was blocked: he couldn't move it past a certain limit because the bead was blocking it, like a wrench thrown into a gear machinery. "Wha..." He mumbled before switching his focus into his other hand, to swing the battleaxe with one hand. Amaterasu only barely dodged the whizzing blade, and though the edge was blunted the sheer force and speed at which Nolan brought the battleaxe around a strand of her hair was cut off. Such strength... but with his wide motion and carried by momentum, he was leaving himself wide open. Amaterasu fired two more beads at his elbow and shoulder, getting those joints stuck as well, then leapt over Nolan as he began to recover and blocked his right leg as well. Suddenly the poor dwarf was all but immobilized, like a rusted robot. One final bead struck the battleaxe out of his hand and sent it flying a meter, away from his reach.

"Are you ready to... give up?" asked Amaterasu, grunting from the pain in her shoulder. She should NOT have taken that jump.

"Nay! I'll fight til my last breath! Judge, don't call it yet! I'm not finished!"

Amaterasu grasped her Celestial Brush and drew a circle into the air. A small one, summoning a small Cherry Bomb. Nolan grunted and struggled but couldn't do a thing until the bomb exploded and blasted him back. His armor protected him from the worst, but he was still down. "The next one will be larger. Give up, Nolan, or I'll have to hurt you."

"I said I'll-"

"I'll count to five. If you... give up, I'll snuff out the fuse. If not..." She drew another circle, a full Cherry Bomb this time. "One."

Nolan remained quiet, but Amaterasu could just about see how he was gritting his teeth beneath the helmet as he observed the fuse running out.

"Four. Three. Two..."

"Damn you! I give up! Stop the fuse!"

Amaterasu's bead hit the fuse just as it was about to reach the base of the bomb, which went up in a confetti explosion. Up on the spectator ranks, Oki and Urist broke out in applause, as did a few dwarves. But most were surprised, some even turned and went away from the wall. "Don't blame yourself, Nolan McHaroldsson. You gave me a real tough fight!" She recalled her beads and returned them to her waist, then reached out to help the dwarf up. After a few moments Urist took the offer and let himself be dragged to his feet before he grabbed the axe from the edge of the arena. "Yer a damn good fighter, Ah'll give ye that. But are ye not worried tha' the fight'll not be counted? Ah mean, ye used a weapon other'n yer axe."

"The beads are blunt weapons and couldn't have killed you. I don't see a problem with using them."

"Heh. The instructor's gonna have to decide on that. But ye fought well... real well. Ah'd pronounce ya an honorary dwarf right here if I could, bu' tha's not my decision to take. Ah can only hope tha' ye get admitted... an' tha' the beer in Mithral Hall tastes as good as they say it does."

✓ Wampa killed and skinned for its hide.
✓ Troll slain and proof of its death obtained.
✓ Cobalt ore chunk mined.
✓ Dwarven champion defeated in spar.