Let's Go

[Madalena Antares]

[member="ToKola Bakari"]​

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Madalena knew she would not die that day. The sands of Sandala would not be where she would draw her final breath, would not be where her eyes would close for the final time. Eyes. But no one promised her that she would come out of it with both eyes intact. The warrior that she had so aggravated with the little successes she'd held on to in this match for which she was woefully underprepared had decided to dish her the same thing she had given him. An eye for an eye, in its purest form. And just as she had earlier, now he too went for both of them. Both her eyes.

The wrong instincts took over. She made the attempt to push him off once, twice, her legs kicking wildly. But it didn't work. Of course it did not work. She had no physical edge on someone that size, not without the Force. She felt it calling to her, pooling beneath the tips of her fingers. Her eyeball hurt; he was getting to one of them and she knew she would not be able to resist much more pressure before the irreversible happened. Would Cardinal be shamed more if she lost, or if she used the Force? She wasn't sure. She did not know the fine print of the rules. What if she yielded but Cardinal won? What would the final judgment be in that case?

"I-" she began, but suddenly over two hundred pounds of muscled man were removed from her torso. It took her mind a moment later to register that her eyes were no longer being pressed into, but the pain of the pressure was still there.

Sitting up straight, Madalena tried to open her eyes, but all she saw was blinding flashes of white light. Okay. She tried to work on her breathing while she heard Cardinal not more than a few feet off – heard his fight. Heard his words. She wanted to smile, but the pain in her eyes was still too great.

Whether it was seconds or minutes later she did not know, but the light had mostly faded eventually, and she could see, even if not perfectly. And what she saw was Cardinal, standing in front of her, covered in blood and other things, holding a hand out to her, telling her they'd won.

Madalena smiled and took his hand, rising up to her feet with his help. He stank. She probably did too. She could feel the sand against both of their skins as she leaned in close. There wasn't much she wanted in that moment other than to simply stand close, even if it would be for the span of a few heartbeats alone.

"We've won," she repeated after him, the pride booming in her tone, "You've won, my Lochem," she whispered into his ear. Yes. The win was his. She had merely held out until he could handle the second one.

Casting her gaze then to the crowd, many faces were still blurry in her vision, but she didn't mind. It didn't matter.

"Do we get massages as a reward?" she whispered into his ear with hot breath and a smile, before the elders could approach them. Whatever other jokes and innuendos she had in store for him, they would have to wait until the ceremony was properly observed.

 

[ToKola Bakari]

As Madalena spoke, Cardinal hushed her. His hands pulled her close to him and he spoke plainly. "It was our victory. I could not have seen it done without you."

The same Elder who had spoken ill of Cardinal and Madalena was the very one who stepped forward. He held his hand up, calling for the other villagers to fall silent. The drums remained, subtle and low as the Elder spoke. "You have shown you have the body of the Mountain. The trial of Earth is over. Yibambe." His tone showed there was yet no love lost, but perhaps there were signs of respect to come. The man, Khemu, who had a bald head and strong features seemed so young and vibrant. Yet, in the next moment he let out a deep exhale and his features began to sink and age. Now he looked old and frail, his strong arms had turned thin and his massive frame had slimmed considerably. He turned back to where the other Elders stood, and said nothing more.

The next to step forward was Cardinal's own kin, Wima. She had a cocky expression that passed over Khemu as she walked past him.

"Well done. To pass the trial of Earth is no easy task, but do not believe that it is over. We have only just begun." Wima turned back to the village, raising her hands as she spun on her heel. The drums sounded, loud and proud as she began a strange dance. Her body rocked and swayed, commanding The Force around her to move as her equal.

She did not pause, yet her voice echoed out In a mystical manner. "The trial of Fire will test your mind and spirit, if you are weak or craven it will reveal it to you."

The flames behind her began to twist and strike out. It was as if she was compelling the Force to shift the fire in unison with her body. It became equally alluring and awe-inspiring to see the woman's motions so vividly reflected by the blazing inferno. "Now...burn." she whispered, turning back to the two. She blew them a kiss and the flames that were behind her launched forward. They wrapped themselves around Cardinal and Madalena as a snake coiled around its prey. In only seconds, the flames would engulf the two and they would be thrown from this world. There had been no time to speak or act, it had happened in an instant.

As the flames took them, their very souls would be tested and if they proved weak, the flames would consume them.

 

[Madalena Antares]

[member="ToKola Bakari"]​

"Yibambe," Madalena found herself whispering with a proud smile. Perhaps some of Cardinal's culture was going to stick with her regardless of what the two of them did. For a moment, she easily imagined herself screaming mayelfa while attending a battle field, but the moment passed quickly and she grinned, squeezing Cardinal's hand.

Carefully, she watched Wima before she began to speak. There was something about the woman that was different. She couldn't point her finger at what it exactly was, and she knew that there was no ill will or animosity the woman bore towards Cardinal, but she could still not shake the strange feeling off. Still, she gave the woman due respect and remained silent as she spoke of the trial of Earth and then the trial of Fire.

Before another breath could be taken, the flames were around them. Madalena braced herself as the heat began to rise, wondering what this one was all about. Would she soon burn into ashes? Would she awaken tomorrow morning with three baby dragons against her naked body? So many options. And as she considered them and more, the heat continued to rise.

It had gone past the point of being funny. She wanted to scream now, but she could not – the flames not only engulfed her, but were also inside of her. She could feel them in her stomach, in her lungs, in her throat, in her mouth. She could open it, but no sound would come out. How long would it be before the flames consumed her? Before the ends of her nerves were so burned that the pain would disappear, that she would be a human torch until all her flesh was eaten away?

And suddenly she was not burning anymore. Madalena blinked, looking at the landscape that had changed. Confusion painted her face as she stared at the mountains rolling away, the green grass between her toes, the sky that was so blue it was almost liquid to the eyes. She wasn't on Sandala anymore.

Turning around, she saw her. What in the…

"These are not the Trials of Endelaan that you are facing," the woman said. Madalena stared at her. That skin, that hair, those eyes. She knew who she was, of course. She had seen her in the memories granted to her by her sister. But to behold her like this… "The veil is growing thin between where I am and where my children are," Nessarose deWinter sighed, "but the circumstances are not idea. I don't know if once they shatter, my children will be in more danger, or will they finally be safe from their grandmother."

Madalena, still at a loss of words, simply stared at her mother. Her mother closed the distance between them and held her daughter's face in her hands with a gentleness only a mother could offer, and placed a kiss on her forehead. "Return to Sandala, Madalena," she said with a smile that was so identical to many of Madalena's, "If he is to you what your father was to me, go back to Sandala and finish all the trials. Become one of them as much as they and he will let you. But never forget who you are and where your roots are. Do not forget your home, even there might be years before you are ready to go there. You are my daughter, and you are loved."

Nessarose was grinning when she stepped back. Madalena was sure it was her mother that had faded, but seconds later she realized that it all was gone.

She was standing in the ring again, the flames no longer around her. Her clothes had burned off completely, their ashes lying at her feet for a single breath before the window blew them away. A small prickling on her side showed a mark there. She would need a mirror, but she could see that a brand ran down, from herright armpit down to the middle of her right thigh before it faded into the rest of her skin.

Madalena looked to where Cardinal had been standing what must have been but moments ago.

 

[ToKola Bakari]

The moment the flames engulfed them, Cardinal felt Madalena drift from his arms. She became less a person and more an abstract concept in a mind filled with rage and confusion. The fires danced and blazed around him, to the point where he had to shield his own eyes from the blaze. When finally the heat died down, he opened his eyes to see a magnificent sight. The flames had widened and formed a vortex around him, seemingly twisting to the heavens and far beyond. For a few moments, Cardinal stood mesmerized by the swirling flames. They were not just red, but black, blue, and purple as well.

He allowed himself to stand, partially amazed by what he saw. Yet, it was not long before a voice called out to him. It was deep and low, and had a menacing tone about it.

"You have come far." It was more a growl than an actual sentence. The inferno before Cardinal held two large glowing orbs, eyes that peered down at the man with a curious gaze. Those eyes, they were just like Cardinal's, blazing with the inferno of the Dark Side in it's most natural state. "You must fight if you are to survive. You know this already." The voice continued to call over to Cardinal, yet the man was silent and filled with confusion. He recognized the voice, so much so that it caused him to take a step forward. "Who are you?!" The Sandali warrior demanded, clenching his fists tight while he looked up at the being.

"I am what you fear. I am what you dread. The Darkness that is ever growing, threatening to overcome all that has ever stood against it. I am you." The moment the voice said the final word, a mirror image of Cardinal stepped from the flames. Yet, he was different. His body had grown in size and presence, to the point where he seemed he was a different being all together. His body had bizarre markings that shifted and flowed from one side of his being to the other and upon his wrists were bangles made of bone. Cardinal clenched his teeth, growling in anger before slamming his foot against the ground. "I am To'Kola, son of Torak! And I am not afraid of you, demon."

The form scoffed, looking to the man with a bothered expression. "No you do not. Nor should you fear power. You should embrace it, for you are strong, a true warrior. Why else would you take the trials of our people?!" He said, raising his arms out at the tempest before them.

"I honor the old ways and seek to be a true son of the Sandali, that is why I am here." To'Kola grunted, slamming a fist into his chest as he spoke. The dark image of himself did the very same, before holding a hand out to the man. "Cardinal was weak. His will was broken and his spirit was shattered. Will you be like him? Or will you claim your destiny?"

At this Cardinal's eyes grew narrow and his words low. "What destiny?"

The shade looked to Cardinal, smirking as his very being began to become swallowed by the same flames that had conjured him. "Conquest." His voice called out in a hushed tone, before the flames around Cardinal began to grow violent and unstable. The walls of fire collapsed upon him and he felt his body melt away through fire and shadow.

When finally the embers settled, Cardinal was on his knees, bracing his arms against the ground. Steam bellowed off of his body. His clothes and coverings had all been burned off and his back was marred into a hellish image. The marks and symbols that ran along his back were lined with thick, welted burns that made the entire canvas barely recognizable. The man let out a shallow groan as his eyes came open. His whole body ached and it seemed as if there was little he could do to alleviate that. His hand reached out, even when he was barely conscious and he was able to find Madalena's presence. He opened his eyes, the haze of the vision falling away as he looked up to see Wima. An old crone once again, she had a joyous expression about her and it led Cardinal to believe they had passed their second trial.

All around them, the villagers had been kneeling. It was the custom, to remain silent until either the warrior or the bones were revealed. To no one's true surprise, the duo had survived. Wima patted the top of To'Kola's head as he pushed himself to his feet. "Rest. Your next trial will be in a few hours." She said, before turning back towards the bonfire. It was beginning to die down now and the man turned his gaze to Madalena, taking hold of her hand as he smiled faintly. "Two left." He said, with a happy tone.

 

[Madalena Antares]

[member="ToKola Bakari"]​

​

Back in the hut they had been granted, food had been laid out on the short table. Madalena was seated on the floor, her back leaning against the wall. Her mind was sound and fine, but her body… Every muscle hurt. Her legs, the very ones that had required braces until not too long ago, were cramping like mad. The people of the village had only given them a few hours to rest… But she was unsure that would be enough.

"Come here," she said to Cardinal as she patted the area next to her and motioned for him to turn his back to her, her voice giving away more than she cared for it to regarding her physical state. Sleep would have been grand. Mounting and then sleep would be even better. She wasn't entirely certain she could though.

When they had come out of the fire, the side of her body still felt as though it burned. From armpit to mid-thigh, the burn marks had reddened and swelled, but it was nothing compared to what decorated Cardinal's back. Before she had sat down, Madalena had grabbed a small vial from her bag, one that included creams for burns. Her own was aching, so she could only imagine the amount of pain he would be in.

"Did you know?" she asked him softly, "Not, that I would be added to the trials. But what the trials would be. What was the thing with the fire and why did we have to fight without the Force? What else is in store later today?"

 

[ToKola Bakari]

Once they returned to the hut, Madalena beckoned Cardinal to come sit by her. He said nothing and merely did as he was bid. His energy and adrenaline had finally wavered to the point where he was moving towards exhaustion. He knew he had to save his strength, or else he would not survive what was to come next. He made his way towards Madalena and moved to sit beside her. He exhaled as he looked back at her an spoke in a hushed tone. He turned his back to her as they settled down and replied to her question. "No. The trials are unique to every warrior in one way or another. There is no way to know what will come next." He explained to her, closing his eyes as he allowed her to treat the burns. Madalena would notice that his wounds had already taken a stage further than hers. The burns appeared to have been a day old by this time, the fact was that his skin was healing itself at an advanced rate. As it was, the burns would go away in a matter of hours if they were normal burns. However, Madalena would feel them in the Force, so keenly prominent in Cardinal's presence as if they were their own being. Still, for the moment they seemed to be sleeping, muted in the Force as if they were keeping themselves hidden.

"The trial of Earth is meant to prove you have trained to be a true warrior of the Jiwe and can stand to defend your people. The trial of fire shows you have the ferocity and mind to face any and everything that comes before you. The trial of water opens your mind and body to the gods and the trial of Shadow...." Cardinal hesitated, before finally speaking softly. "The trial of shadow is the trial of the Great Ocean. It is the trial that proves the Warrior from the Shaman." He explained to her. "I do not know anything about it, yet it is the most difficult."

"We fought without the Force to prove we do not need it's blessings to be as true warriors. They teach you this so you know you must never use the force as a crutch. As for the fire....I do not know yet." Cardinal glanced back at Madalena, looking to her for a moment in question. Was she doubting the trials? Doubting him? His hand reached back, searching for hers. He took her hand and spoke, this time with meaning.

"If you wish to stop, I would not stop you my Yua. But I must do this. I have to see it to the end. If I fail here, then my only chance of reuniting with my people will be gone." It was true. He could not force Madalena to continue, but he wanted her to. He wanted her to stand by him and be his partner in all that he did. Forever. His eyes quirked as he realized that. He looked back to her, holding her gaze for a time he could not count the seconds on. He continued to gaze at her until finally he offered a small smile to show his love and realization. His exhaustion was taking over.

He leaned his massive form against her, yawning audibly before sinking his head into his shoulder as his eyes drifted closed. He was tired. Exhausted. His mind was scattered, yet still he managed to speak his heart. She had stood here beside him. She had stood with him in his journeys and she had even been there when he nearly died on Eshan.

"Je utanikabili vita na ndoa." It was a phrase. One that Cardinal had not entirely taught the translation to Madalena yet. However, it was a phrase that was usually spoken only once between two people. In many ways it was a deceleration of challenge. Cardinal had challenged Madalena to combat, to face each other in a ritual combat that could only end in one thing. Unity. Whether Madalena chose to answer it now or not would not matter. The challenge would forever be there.

[member="Madalena Antares"]

 

[Madalena Antares]

[member="ToKola Bakari"]​

​

Madalena stared at the wounds on Caridnal's back. It was not the first time she had seen him injured, far from it. The two were on the battlefield so often that being not injured in one form or another was the rare event. And still, this was new. She considered the matter for a moment, and then decided to go ahead with the salve anyway. At worst, it would cause no new damage. At best, it could help accelerate the healing speed even more. Or at least, so she hoped; there was no denying the feel of the Force about them, both on Cardinal's back and on her side of the body. She had never had to deal with this specific sort of injury before.

It was the last of the trials though that made her raise an eyebrow, her fingers pausing for the briefest of moments. "Proves the Warrior from the Shaman?" she asked, racking her brains for any snippet of information Cardinal may had given her these past few days regarding that. Until she left the previous body she'd inhabited, Madalena had been a Warrior as per the standards of pretty much any culture that had such distinctions. In her current one… She knew that she was not. A combatant still, yes, but not… Not a melee fighter. Not someone who relied on weapons. Not only had her body changed, but her gifts and abilities with it too. It was still something she was getting adjusted to.

When his hand searched for hers though, she wiped it quickly before taking it, and gave it a squeeze.

Her eyes searched him, questioning. Why would he think she wished to stop? The markings on the side of the body were more than a testament to her willingness to go on, but even had they not been there, she would not have left him room for questioning. As they looked at each other, she hoped. She hoped that the silence behind her smile, that the force of the language behind her actions, made him not only understand that, but comprehend it.

Her arms wrapped around him as he leaned back, and she closed her eyes, resting her head atop of his.

"Je utanikabili vita na ndoa."

Later, she would ask him for the literal translation. For now…

"Where you go, I shall go," she said quietly, her cheek pressed against his head, "I shall not follow you, nor shall I lead you. I shall walk by your side, wherever we may go."

She did not expect him to kiss her then. She did not expect him to change his embrace. Gently, Madalena lifted her left hand and called the blanket from the bed to them. Carefully, she nudged from beneath Cardinal until they were both simply lying there, body pressed against body. This was bliss. This was their portion of heaven. And for the next few hours, no one would interrupt them. Madalena inhaled deeply, taking Cardinal's scent into herself. She never wanted to smell another man, woman, or alien, the way she smelled him there and then.

She lifted two fingers, and let them run long Cardinal's lips slowly, eying the curve of them. So close were they now, in ways they so rarely had the time to be. Her fingers remained on him like that and she closed her eyes, resting her face against his chest.

This was bliss.

 

[ToKola Bakari]

When Cardinal's eyes finally opened, he was greeted by an...odd site. When he had fallen asleep with Madalena, they had been the only two in a practically empty hut. Now, the hut was filled with members of the Jiwe tribe. Most were children and their mothers who seemed to have an expectant look about them. At the door, was a single warrior who carried a wooden staff in his hands. The man was bald, except for a single braid that fell down the side of his head. He tapped the staff against the floor and Cardinal realized that was what awakened him. Cardinal tapped Madalena on the shoulder, trying to awaken her as well.

While the warrior turned out of the doorway and those within the hut smiled oddly, Cardinal rose to his feet. "I guess it is time for the second third trial." He held a hand out to Madalena to help her rise and looked to her carefully. They had barely any rest and he was still exhausted from what had occurred. Never mind that his body was bare and burned, he looked to her and pressed his lips to hers. It was a powerful, almost hungry kiss that filled him in every way he needed. "With you by my side, I will never fail." He promised, before making his way towards the door. A young boy approached him, holding out a leather kama and a grass-woven pectoral. After wrapping the leather kama around his waist and pulling the pectoral over his head, Cardinal made his way outside.

A young girl approached Madalena, handing her a similar outfit as well.

As the two walked outside, the flame in the center of the village had been rekindled. It burned brightly in the night, pushing a warmth over Cardinal. The entire village was not assembled this time. No, instead it seemed only the warriors had gathered, forming small circles dotted around the village. In these circles were large jars and each jar had a number of small bowls surrounding it.

It was not until Wima approached that Cardinal arched his brow. "Bibi, what is this?" He asked, as the old crone made her way over. She lofted a brow back at him but merely bit down on her lower lip before answering. "It's your next trial. Go take a seat over there, since there are not other prospective warriors you will ascend with those already here." She pointed over to one of the circles and Cardinal nodded, before glancing back at Madalena. "Like I said, the trials can be vastly different for each person, but I'm not entirely sure how."

Wima moved to the center of the circle where Cardinal was, and she flashed him a sly grin. "You have had your trial of Earth and Fire....now is the trial of Water." She pulled the top off the large jar and dipped one of the bowls in it, before handing it to Cardinal. "Drink and grow closer to the gods." Cardinal seemed hesitant, but in the next moment his eyes went wide and he let out a surprised cough. He chuckled, before holding the bowl to Madalena. "It's Pombe juice." He laughed. Pombe juice was a beverage reserved for warriors of the tribe. It was believed by drinking the juice the warriors would be able to grow closer to the gods. Well, at least that was what they said anyway.

"It's liquor." He chuckled, placing a hand over his face as Old Wima let out a full laugh.

[member="Madalena Antares"]