A Promise Returned [Al'in, Freyja]

Nothing crippled the soul more than the inability to tip the balance of fate in one's favor. For someone who commonly carried herself with composure, she found it difficult to forgive herself for being unable to fight in the battle against Ichigo Kurosaki. She hadn't even made it to the battlefield. Even now, all she recalled was a flash of light that swept through a section of the city, the blaring of alarms, and voices crying out for her survival. Freyja had survived, thankfully, but that didn't lessen her unease.

A battle in the Seaside tournament had reminded her of her skills and capabilities, but it didn't exactly erase the guilt. There was also Helle to worry about. The woman she had vowed to protect above all else - the remaining armstrong she pledged her loyalty to. It was certainly a lot to reflect on, but as a coordinator, she reminded herself that the best way to avoid these somber thoughts was to simply improve, evolve beyond her current state of skill so that she would never fall again.

Turn that setback into a comeback, or perhaps that's how one of her peers would word it. Of course, she certainly expected that it would be difficult to maintain a poor mood around Al'in, a man whom she requested to meet in the hopes of tempering their respective skills. He wasn't an official member, but she didn't care about that in the slightest.

His intentions still aligned properly with those of the Vandenreich in spirit; that was satisfactory enough. Past thoughts of the last time they trained together certainly could not help but flash through her mind, a small blush forming against her porcelain features. It was truly unprofessional on her end, far from the propriety of one who acted with efficiency and professionalism, and yet she didn't ridicule herself in the slightest.

The words she had admitted then were every bit as true now. He was so unlike anything from her world. Free-flowing, charming, playful in his aura, yet firm in his conviction. She was burned in his flame once, but certainly hoped to remain professional today. Training was the utmost priority. Composure. Focus. It was a day to improve on their skills, not to linger on... her feelings.

The arranged meeting point was probably more to Al'in's liking than the choice she had made in the past. They would not be confined to the closed space of a training room. No, they would be training in a location she had commonly occupied herself. A field located between her own home and the City of Lights. A wide acre of land, it would allow them to train till their heart's content. There, in the distance, she could see him arriving. With a warm smile, she headed toward him to meet him directly, calling out to the male from afar.

"Welcome, Al'in. It's nice to see you again. I sincerely hope time has treated you well in my absence. How have you been?"

Formal and composed, Freyja observed him quietly. Of course, that observation meant that the way he robed himself didn't go unnoticed, and a modest woman would blush today, though she certainly did her best to hide it, her gaze quickly shifting toward his face.

His aura was undeniably calm - his gait purposeful, his demeanor pleasant as always. As expected, there was not a single breadth of worry in his step. From an observer's point of view, it may have appeared he wasn't taking things seriously, especially if they held him to the casual grin that creased his lips. Freyja was quite familiar with his nature, and that pleasant grin was enough to disarm her of the unsavory memories that threatened to wither away at her resolve, his flattery equally effective. Ah, he was charming as always. Even so, there was a purpose to her calling him here today. She could deny herself the indulgence of his charm until their first agenda was settled.

"Aye. we share the same sentiment, Al'in. Your presence is a welcome reprieve from the stress of duty. As always, the upbeat nature of your aura is undeniably infectious."

Those solemn azure eyes cast a parting glance at his form and posture as she creates a few meters of distance between them. From firsthand experience, she was well aware of his martial skill in close combat. He had proven to be a man not easily felled in that regard, but she desired to see more from him than before. He was free to show her everything he had to offer. This clearing was ideal for an archer. Ideal for them. Here, they could fight till their heart's content.

"Of course. I singled you out precisely because I left that spar awed by your performance. From our last battle, you proved quite remarkable in close quarter combat. It was a fine sample, but I certainly wish to see further reaches of your ability, the skills that define you as a Quincy. I look forward to seeing you give it your all."

Settling into an offensive stance, a whirlwind of ambient reishi rushed through her fingers. Flickers of azure reishi danced through the air until a colossal blade materialized in her palm. Sigurd. Her prized spirit weapon. The blade outclassed her frame to a significant degree, but she held the blade as if it were weightless, a mere twig between her fingers. Her blade poised in his direction, Freyja offered him the first move.

"The first move is yours, Al'in."

His spirit weapon had finally been revealed to her at last. An exceptionally large great bow. A magnificent weapon befitting a warrior worth his weight in gold, his own description of the weapon carrying a majesty of its own. She didn't expect anything less. A contest of their most prized weapons painted this spar in an even more reverent light. A mighty sword and a great bow. Even so, no matter the admiration she held for the weapon, the war maiden desired to emerge victorious.

Maintaining her offensive stance, Freyja held her colossal spirit weapon at the ready. She allowed him the first move, and so naturally there was no need to go against her word. The radiant arrow was loosed, and Freyja resolved to counter it. With a wide stroke of her blade, she rotated the sword upward to deflect the arrow. A bold act, to be certain, but Freyja's initial prediction was predicated on the belief that such a weapon carried force equivalent to any other Heilig Pfiel.

Pressed backwards by the collective force of his arrow, a momentary opening was presented if Al'in wished to take it. Stumbling back, Freyja rose an eyebrow in curiosity. Nevertheless, if the opening was not taken, Freyja would propel her body forward, closing the distance between through the high-speed boon of Hirenkyaku, cleaving her blade through the air, a graceful stroke releasing a crystallized crescent of reishi.

"An impressive weapon, Al'in. I nearly lost my balance there."

"is that so? Consider me honored, then, to have remained balanced after being struck by an immense power. I don't think I'll be able to repeat the feat moving forward..."

As expected, Al'in was not one to let his opportunities go unanswered as he extended the distance between them, adopting the long range vantage point that an archer of his nature thrived in. Her crescent arc sailed haplessly through the air with Al'in nocking his finger against the bowstring in preparation for another attack. It was but a single arrow, and yet it proved formidable enough to disturb her balance. If each arrow carried such grand weight behind it, Freyja undoubtedly knew that a direct hit would be equally disadvantageous in her quest for victory against the charismatic archer.

Creating an even greater distance between them, a second arrow followed in his wake - poised directly for her chest. It's swift journey through the air limited her defensive options, affording her only one act of defense to remain guarded against a direct attack. Shifting the colossal sword toward her chest, Freyja was once again sent back several meters by the force of a radiant arrow, a single force that had begun to feel as if it equaled a thousand in nature. By the time she recaptures her footing, he has already shifted his body around in another pattern, another trajectory from which he can overwhelm her with his arrows. His decision to hold back his next arrow allows her a momentary reprieve to recover.

After taking that moment to gather herself, Freyja sets into motion, employing Hirenkyaku in response, darting across the field to close the distance. Of course, she isn't so foolish to expect he'll allow her to close the gap so easily. As such, with one swing of her blade, absorbing and crystallizing ambient reishi, another crescent arc is cast in his direction. A decidedly similar attack as before, but this time, Freyja leaps atop her own arc as if she is riding on a hoverboard in order to close the distance, executing a fierce overhead slash toward his shoulder.

Remaining stationary would only work to her disadvantage. She had to close the distance or match the charismatic archer in a contest of bow and arrow; though she was a proficient bowman in her own right, she sincerely doubts that she possesses even half the wealth of skill that he has displayed so far. She wanted to bring him into her atmosphere, her ideal way of combat.

"Of course. Very well, then. You aren't wrong there. How about this? I take immense pride in knowing I remained upright under the might of Surkh-setâre. My next achievement will be besting you in our duel, Al'in."

Offering confidence and the promise of a challenging duel in equal measure, Freyja bolted through the air atop the crescent of reishi guiding her aerial charge. In but the blink of an eye, a clash occurred. The arrow shot at point-blank range collided with the crescent arc of azure, rupturing the makeshift platform of reishi, forcing Freyja to tumble onto the ground, clearly unaware of whether or not Sigurd had landed cleanly against his frame. Rising from her position in the field, Freyja quickly casts her gaze toward her foe. Acknowledging that her spirit weapon had indeed connected with certainty, she assumed another offensive stance.

Another achievement acquired, to be sure, but Al'in was no mere pushover. One sword strike would not fell a magnificent warrior like him. Of course not. That was why she admired him and everything he stood for. The abundantly playful disposition, the charming spirit, and an indomitable will all coming together to define him as he was. An electrifying man, through and through. Even so, she held back the urge to lose herself in affectionate admiration. Such emotions currently held no place in this battle at the moment. Now was the time to act while he appeared to be vulnerable.

"Now, there is another achievement I seek, Al'in. Absolute Victory against the exceptional bowman that stands before me."

Lifting her sword above her shoulders, Freyja employed the high-speed movement of Hirenkyaku to close the distance between them, collapsing toward him like an imploding star, swinging her blade forward once more, aiming to slam the blunt side of the spirit weapon across his frame to disorient him. Distance was the last thing she wanted to allow him. His arrows were far from the norm. Allowing him to fire off even once at full force would only prove to be her undoing.