Nyssa: Gearing Up #2
Nyssa paced across the length of the clearing, allowing her mind to wander as she walked. Silas lay nearby, bushy blue tail wrapped around his body as he followed her path with curious eyes, occasionally letting out a huff as she walked by. From their short time together, Nyssa knew the little vullaby was unhappy staying in one place too long. With the looming presence of an Erisichthon in the nearby woods, it would be foolhardy to stray too far from where the Manahunters set up camp.
As it was, they were only a few hundred paces away from the main camp and armoury. Nyssa had dragged out a new training weapon and armour set to try out in the clearing, pausing long enough to stretch as she paced from side to side.
The clearing itself was small, only about 20 paces from edge to edge. It was surrounded by thick bushes and heavy tree coverage, offering a bit of shade from the blistering sun. It did little to help with the humidity, though, and even without the coverage of armour, Nyssa could feel beads of perspiration begin to form on her skin. Fighting certainly would not be comfortable – but if it kept the Erisichthon at bay, they would have little choice in the matter.
Rolling her shoulders, Nyssa stretched her neck before returning to the bag of gear. Silas perked up as she approached, pushing off the ground with a trill as he came to investigate the bag beside her.
Nyssa began by pulling out the largest piece – a chest guard with large, flowing shoulder pieces. She frowned as she examined the Mage armour, pulling it over her chest and her back as she fastened the various straps. A giant, blue crystal lay in the center of her chest and Nyssa ran a thumb over it. The surfaces of the crystal were smooth, although the crests of the crystal had been left with a wicked edge. The brass and gold armour almost appeared more gaudy than purposeful, and the metal that stuck up from her shoulders made moving more difficult. While it certainly would be inconvenient for an enemy – particularly one that could fathomably attempt to eat her in one bite – she could not see the benefit it would have in most close combat situations.
With the main piece secured, she pulled on the armour that covered her lower back and legs. There, the armour was far more sparse, and her legs were left fairly unprotected while her lower back was reinforced with a layer of metal. Although, Nyssa did note the flowing fabric allowed for greater range of emotion as she tested it out with a series of lunges. Finally, she pulled on the bracers, and was pleasantly surprised at the range of motion they allowed.
Picking up the final item, Nyssa twirled the long fire staff in her hands and gave it a few experimental jabs into the air. Of all the weapons, Nyssa had to admit she had very little experience using staffs. She had some training with bows and daggers, and on occasion had used larger swords – but staffs were far outside of her area of expertise.
“Come on, let’s head back to camp,” Nyssa said as she heaved the bag and staff over her shoulder. “I’m sure they have plenty of armour and weapons that could use some polishing before they have to be used.” “Just…” Nyssa trailed off briefly as she fixed a stern eye on the vullaby. “Try not to steal anything, alright? These things are actually important.”
Silas gave an indignant chirp at her accusation, and Nyssa rolled her eyes with a smile as they headed back towards the camp. With a bit of luck, they could get some of the armour and weapons prepared without an incident.
[637 words]