As was becoming custom in the yards when there was a special training fight to happen there were many more spectators as those who would train in any given day. And all of them looked down at the sandy pit where one dark man and pale woman stood waiting. Everything about the pair was intimidating. Brynhildr looked like sharp and unforgiving ice, the only color to her the ink of her hair. Viggo was taller, broader and dark in every way Bryn was light. But both gave the impression they could hurt you without much effort.
When the king stood everyone fell silent and his voice rang out over the space. “Today marks the 5th fight for the training yards,” Thor began with a slight smile as he continued. “Viggo, son of Loki will face off against the Valkyrie Brynhildr. A reminder, this is for training. No killing shots, nothing to maim or due permanent damage. Absolutely no magic.” He motioned for them to head to the weapon racks. Viggo picked up a spear, whirling it with ease in his hand. Brynhildr plucked up her bow, a full quiver and a smaller sword.
With the kings call of, “Fight!” they moved to their places and took stock of one another. Viggo was confident, that was clear in his face and Bryn looked almost serene. She grabbed an arrow and notched it quickly, letting the thin strip of wood fly at her opponent. Viggo and his spear easily knocked it off course. Three more times in rapid succession Bryn let arrows fly and Viggo using his spear knocked them off so they clattered to the floor without incident.
Her frustration growing she started to use the things around him, aiming at the shield that lay off to the side or a stone pillar but though it made him whirl around he deflected easily. He was good at playing defense but he didn′t play offense and Bryn wondered why. She hooked her bow over her back a she pulled free the sword. He didn′t move directly in which caused her to smile, and so she did. His spear was pushing in, testing her defenses, but she didn′t let it cut her. Where before she had been frustrated now he seemed to be the one with those little lines between his brow. Reaching back int her memory of what she knew of the man she realized quickly what was wrong.
“You know one little zap, a little push of those powers and id be on my ass,” her ring of his wood stopping her steal almost drowned out her voice but she knew he heard her. She spun around quickly, arm cutting backwards towards his midsection which he stopped with his hand, shoving her back so she spun out of the way and a few steps out of range. Now she knew why he was playing defense. His offense was all magic and using it would knock him right out. So she sprang into action wanting to draw him out into his weaker state.
She used arrows again, hoping to tire him just a bit as he deflected shot after shot. And each time she tried to gauge how quickly he moved. What would give her a better chance. And when she saw an opening she took it. His stance had been taken wide to knock an arrow off course and she used that, springing in towards him. With the body unprotected he had to fall back a few steps and that lost his steal like hold on the staff her held. She used her elbow to knock his head back, her swords tip prying free the hold he had on the spear.
Without that he was truly done, but he wouldn’t simply give in. So she still had to test defenses and he was fast, moving away from her again and again. But he wasn’t good at offense without his magical skills. So she kept at it, and when he tried to spin around her she stopped him cold. Brynhildrs sword stopped just before his belly, not wanting to actually hurt him. But as he had been moving forward, and she was swinging in if there was no rules Viggo would have been sliced by her blade. There was a moment of silence before the kings voice could be heard, “The fifth fight goes to the Valkyrie Brynhildr!” And she dropped the sword she held for Thor to lift her hand, the crown now making almost to much noise.
