Hammer and Mace

Log Title: Hammer and Mace

Characters: Illarion, Solus Prime

Location: Valvolux Arena - Valvolux - Northeastern Cybertron

Date: January 15, 2020

TP: Valvolux TP

Summary: Illarion and Solus Prime spar in the arena.

As logged by Solus Prime - Wednesday, January 15, 2020, 9:31 PM

Valvolux Arena - Valvolux - Northeastern Cybertron

 * When Valvolux was thriving, this arena hosted a number of massive State Games, many featuring Valvolux's famed home team, the Valvolux Hammers! The rebuilding of the city has come to the Arena as well, and it has safe and comfortable seating for all sizes of Cybertronians. While there are no State Games on modern Cybertron, Valvolux regularly hosts gladiatorial combat on the arena sands. Unlike the notorious Pits of Kaon, combat in the Valvolux Arena is non-lethal due to a forcefield system installed within that blunts killing blows. In the same spirit, there is a small repair bay built into the staging area where combatants can be patched up enough to get home safely.


 * When there is no scheduled combat, people within the city can come here to train or to blow off steam. The forcefield generator can be tuned high enough to prevent all damage, but is rarely used at that level.

Illarion is off to one side of the Arena, moving through some of her training routines as a handful of the milita as well as a number of the citizens work through their own routines.. earning a nod of respect and a occasion suggestion from Illarion for their efforts.

Solus Pime approaches the arena again after a long day of working on various construction projects around the city. She stops on the edge of the pitch, leaning forward with her arms crossed on top of the wall. Watching Illarion work with the militia trainees can't help but make Solus smile. She keeps her own hammer on hand: the mighty Forge of legend. Her optics critically watch Illarion's every move.

Illarion moves through a few more of her routines, going slowly and occasionally restarting one as she either is off point or tries a new way then again takes some time to look over the others, making corrections where she can before she catches sight of the Prime at the entrance.

She turns and gives a bit of a bow, her shield and make sliding back into their storage while her armor reverts to her 'basic' form, "Good evening, Ma'am... what brings you here this night?" More then a few shocked expressions and mouths hang open at Illarion's words and quite a few heads seem to be on a swivel as the bounce back and forth between looking at the Dominicon leader and the Prime.

Solus Prime smiles in response to Illarion's question. "I appreciate a show of martial prowess... and one willing and able to pass on those skills," she replies. "since my arrival here, I find I've missed sparring with my partner. I didn't realize how much it brought us together until he was gone," she muses quietly. Straightening up, she walks along the wall until she reaches a gate into the combat area. "How's your armor working for you?" she asks with polite interest. "Is the mace balanced properly?"

Illarion glances down at the one particular hand where her main mace is stored, "It is, and the reinforcement to ensure it's sturdiness with my adjusted strenght has worked well the few times I have gotten to use it." A smile appears briefly, "It was one of my duties before the War.. training new recruits." The rest of what is said finally registers and she tilts her head to the side, "My new armor has not yet been truly tested.. and though I am no match for your partner I am more then willing to offer to spar with you if a one such as myself can be of use." There is a certain amount of chatter now among those training.. the training almost all now having stopped as they watch the two Femmes.

Solus Prime grins, taking the bait. "Well, if will help you get a full accounting of your armor's upgrades, then how can I refuse such a request?" Leaving the Forge on her belt, Solus strides over to the arena's weapon racks, carefully drawing a spear from among the choices provided. She gives it a few practice twirls, testing its weight. With that she pads towards the center of the ring, looking light-footed for a femme her size. Illarion watches the Prime's movements before she steps over to one of the starting spots for duelists as the milita and civies all make for the stands to get out of the way as Illy's armor flows back around her, shifting her into her armooured form while her shield extends, mace returns and the low hum of energy clear as it flows through both and dips her head in acknowlgement as she slips into a defensive position, mace and shield raised as she smiles a bit, "When you are ready, Solus Prime." She will give respectful titles to those who deserve it.. but on the sparring field all are equals in rank if not strength.

"I am now, Protector Illarion," Solus Prime replies respectfully. She gives Illarion a brief bow and then charges towards her. Prime takes short, swift steps and twirls her spear in the air. When she almost reaches Illarion, she stops the spinning spear and jabs with its point, but it's just a feint. In anticipation of Illarion's dodge, she spins the staff around again and slams the blunt end at Illarion's thick helm.

>> Solus Prime strikes Illarion with Slam. <<

Illarion moves just a bit, foot sliding back as she braces herself.. she knows she is not quick with her full armor deplyed so she simply waits for the Prime's attack, her mace rising in a try to knock the spear to the side but the spin works it's way around her weapon and only a quick tilt of her show to deflect most of the damage prevents the Dominicon's head from getting a serious dent and a very rare smile appears on her face, "I am suddenly having second thoughts about this but I do not backdown from a challenge." With that her faceplate slides into place, her optics glowing brightly through the slits in it before she strikes out with a simple but quick kick at Solus' stomach.

>> Illarion strikes Solus Prime with Kick. <<

Solus Prime's optics are on Illarion's hammer - and she gets kicked in the stomach. "Nice!" she comments with a grin. "I approve of your flexibility." She takes a step back, spinning her spear, and then twists. She strikes out with the spear again, feinting again before twirling her entire body around and launching out a strong kick of her own. "Sometimes I rely too much on the tools I've created, and not on my own form. Thank you for reminding me of my options," she says sincerely.

>> Solus Prime strikes Illarion with Kick. <<

Illarion stumbles back at the blow and almost seems to fall, and though she does fall it seems it is not just from the kick as her mace disappears and both her hands reach for Solus' leg as she half spins and tries to throw the Prime past her. "Easy to do.. when even your simple.. weapons are.. works of art." Throw or not she keeps rolling a bit and comes back to her feet rather quickly, mace and shield reappearing as she moves into a defensive stance agian.

>> Illarion misses Solus Prime with Slam. <<

Solus Prime steps back, nearly avoiding Illarion's attempted throw as she spins the spear once more and circles the Dominicon leader. "Even this simple spear is a work of art," she comments, twirling the edged spear and passing it from hand to hand. "Beautiful, simple, and potentially deadly." She suddenly stops the spin and stabs the spear forward, intentionally missing skewering Illarion's head but flicking it on the drawback to potentially scratch the Dominicon's cheek.

>> Solus Prime strikes Illarion with Slash. <<

Illarion dodges the blow.. but this time chooses to dodge the wrong way, her head almost tilting into the path of the spearhead, a deep gash scarring along the side of the Dominicon's head, "No one who calls Valvolux will lack a true weapon.. nor will they have to suffer weapons that will break easily." She reaches up and brushes at the gash, which is leaking just a bit of oil, "Not bad." A shifting of her feet and she propels herself forward, the energy in her shield pulsing stronger as she tries to drive it into Solus.

>> Illarion strikes Solus Prime with Shield Bash. <<

>> Solus Prime temporarily loses motor functions from the attack! <<

Solus Prime oofs as her slash is met by a powered charge that succeeds in knocking the towering Prime on her aft. In response, the gathered crowd oohs and ahs! Shanix begins to exchange hands as people start placing bets. Solus lost her spear in the fall and winds up on her back, hands to either side of her. "Excellent counter-strike," the Prime replies. "Powerful, too," she compliments.

Illarion had started to follow up her shield strike with a blow from her mace but she stops it suddenly and draws back a small distance from the Prime and waves her mace at the weapon, "I am what I am because of you. In a true battle I would of followed up but this is not to the death and I will not take advantage of a unarmed opponent." Agian she waves towards the weapon, "Stand and rearm, My Prime."

Solus Prime chuckles, climbing to her feet and retrieving her spear. "As long as you don't do this sort of thing in battle when lives depend on your winning," she grins. "In fact," she says, walking over to the weapons rack, "If we're taking advantage of a break, I'm going to slip into something more comfortable." With a smile, she selects a warhammer from the collection, swinging it with confident ease. "Yes," she beams. "This is more like it." She returns to the pitch, and signals for Illarion to resume her attack.

Illarion waits patiently as a new weapon is selected and a soft chuckle escapes the Dominicon Leader, "If others were at risk, no.. I would not. But if it was simply me at riskand they fought honorably.. I might allow it as striking a opponent like that would earn me nothing." At the Prime's signal she moves forwrd again, taking her time to get close before she leaps forwrd with a slight bending of her legs and spins at the last second to swing her mace at the Prime's side, "Even over the centuries.. I have my own Code I will not.. break."

>> Illarion strikes Solus Prime with Smash. <<

Solus Prime twists to allow the mace to slide off her armor but still grunts at the glancing blow. With a rumble she acknowledges, "A code of ethics is necessary in peace and war." Even as Illarion strikes, Solus brings up her hammer, swinging it laterally, ideally before the Dominicon leader can pull away. "Megatronus lost his," Solus muses. "I pray I never lose mine." Hit or miss, she immediately spins off to the side.

>> Solus Prime strikes Illarion with Hammer. <<

Illarion moves her arm almost on instinct, tilting it jsut enough that the Prime's blow hits it dead on and there is a bright if constrained flash as the energy built into her shield distrubtes the energy back out in a mild flash.. but even then the Dominicon's feet slide back a few feet in the sand of the arena. She then takes a step back and shakes her arm a bit, the motors in it whining a bit as they bleed off the excess energy, "Seems your strong in both the forge and battle." A brief turn of her shoulder before she resets herself, "There are many who would be there to bring you back to yours if that dark day should happen you lose it... and I would be one of the first in line to do so." She charges back in, her mace moving in a small flurry of strikes at various spots on the other Femme.

>> Illarion strikes Solus Prime with Clobber. <<

Solus Prime is forced back as Illarion presses forward with her onslaught of blows. "I should have kept that staff now," she laughs, wincing slightly at each hit. "And it's good to know if I lost my way there would be good people ready to stop me. I've seen hero worship lead to people following others down a dark road," he warns. "It's good that you hew your own way." After the last successful strike of Illarion's Solus spins around and lashes out with her hammer again, backhand.

>> Solus Prime strikes Illarion with Bash. <<

Illarion steps forward, her shield arm dropping and pushing the blow down just a bit as her steps brings her just inside the weapon's head and mildly lessening the damage, though the Prime's strenght is more then enough to drive the Dominicon a few feet to one side. Instead of stepping back she stays in close and arches her shield arm up and at Solus' head.. but instead of striking her with the shield it fades away in a shimmer and Illarion's clenched fist drives at Solus' face, "There is always those who will follow blindly.. as I once did. Never again. I will not abandon those important to me but I will not just charge after them without seeing where I am going."

>> Illarion strikes Solus Prime with Roundhouse. <<

Solus Prime's head clocks back at the unexpected roundhouse punch. "Good!" she says. "There's hope for this planet yet," she decides. "If only more of you would stop following that pretender and seek your own path." She steps back, shaking her head, which causes the flowing conduits to sway down her back. She then stomps forward, bending down to strike at Illarion's legs with her borrowed hammer.

>> Solus Prime strikes Illarion with Slam. <<

Illarion drops to one knee, slamming her shield in the way of the blow at her leg to again block the blow but again the sheer force of the blow still damages her, "Few will... he has led them for so long.. for a reason. It took a crisis of faith for me to reconsider the path I had taken." Taking a split second to adjust to the damage and pain she drives back upwards to her feet... and this time driving her head up at Solus' chin.

>> Illarion misses Solus Prime with Slam. <<

Solus Prime flails back just in time, using her height to her advantage to avoid Illarion's headbutt. "I can hear Mal now - 'that's using your head!'" Solus smirks, shaking her own head. She spins and lashes out with her hammer again, this time putting some of her weight behind it. "Maybe more will take your lead," she says with undying hope. "You have a nice city here and a safe place to go," she points out.

>> Solus Prime strikes Illarion with Hammer. <<

Illarion again moves enough to get her shield in the way but this time it's not quite enough as her arm gets slammed into her from the force of a blow from a Prime, drawing a deep grunt from the Dominicon as her shield sputters before the energy dancing along it fades away, "It will be a great city again soon.. too many are putting all their effort into rebuilding it and I will make sure they the chance to stay free and happy." She moves her arm a bit, the shield flickers a bit again but doesnt come fully online again, "Guess we are both warmed up now? Time to get serious." Her stance, while strong before, tightens up.. showing less opening as she drives forward, the deep whine of motivators going into overdrive as she leans to the side a bit and sweeps her mace in a short but sharp arc with almost her entire strength at the other Femme's side.

>> Illarion misses Solus Prime with Heavy Mace. <<

Solus Prime is sparring with Illarion in the arena before an ever-growing jostling crowd. Solus quickly side-steps Illarion's powerful mace attack, trailing one foot behind to sweep Illarion's legs out from under her while the Dominicon leader is hyper-extended. "You are a good leader," Solus says encouragingly. "And a good protector. I feel safe leaving my city with you when I depart Cybertron," she says confidently.

>> Solus Prime strikes Illarion with Kick. <<

Illarion lands with a decently loud /thump/... she is afterall very much not a lightweight. "No.. you built it, you guarded it but it is not your city anymore, at least not yours alone. It is my city, my Daughter's city, and every single being who wants to remain free of either faction.." She curls a leg underneath her and jumps forward, still low to the ground and strikes out at the back of Solus' knee with a foot before she rolls along the Arene floor and back to her feet.

>> Illarion misses Solus Prime with Stomp. <<

"You're right," Solus Prime says after a fashion. "The city is yours - I am simply a relic of the past. You represent the future, and a fine future you will bring." Solus steps back, avoiding Illarion's attack... and then brings down her own large foot, attempting to pin Illarion to the ground. "You fight honorably and well. Primus never did appreciate the combat arts, but if he did, I'm sure he'd be proud of you as a descendant of his creations."

>> Solus Prime misses Illarion with Stomp. <<

Illarion doesn't stop moving, rolling yet again just in time to avoid Solus' foot coming down and comes to her feet, "No. It is still your city.. it is not JUST your's." That low whine of joints and motivators again fills the air, the faint glow from Illarion's joints growing in brightness as she darts forward, "Your place here will only ever fade... if your raise your hand to the city. It.. will stay your home.. from here to the end of time.." Keeping the image of her Daughters, the many citizens of the city she somewhat considers her sons and daughters and the many she hopes will choose the city as their homes, focused in her mind, the Dominicon Leader puts every bit of energy and strenght into her swing as she aims for the Prime's side.

>> Illarion strikes Solus Prime with Mother's Fury. <<

>*KRUNG*< Solus Prime staggers to the side as she's hit with all Illarion has. As she stops to look at her dented side, her expression is a mix of approval and pain. "Very nice," she says, unhooking the Forge from her belt. She casually swings the legendary hammer with one hand, a common Valvolux one in the other. "It is good to know I will always have a home," she smiles. "No matter where I go."

Raising the legendary Forge, she says quietly. "Now, allow me to answer your furious strike." Solus brings both hammers up and brings them together with Illarion in the middle.

>> Solus Prime misses Illarion with Forge Of Solus Prime. <<

Illarion does not get hit as just before the blows would strike, the Dominicon leader is falling backwards as the shock to her system and the energy needed to power it overwhelming Illarion as she has not used it before and had not yet made the proper adjustments with the end result the attack overloading her system and sending her into unconsciousness.. the large Femme landing with a solid thump on the ground.

Solus Prime looks surprised as Illarion suddenly passes out from overloading her system. After calling for a medic, Solus does what she can to stabilize Illarion, before whispering to her, "Rest well, young warrior."

>> Solus Prime finishes the repairs on Illarion. <<