A training day.

Ren stabbed the dummy with all his might with his spear, then up lodged it by smashing the dummy with his shield, Both weapons were glowing in the after noon sun. His spear was light and weighed perfectly with his grip, he turned and tossed it into another dummy's head. Then Ren pulled out his gladius and charged the dummy. He slashed at its torso, cutting a gash in the straw.

Ren then sheathed his sword and pulled the spear out of the dummy's head. He sighed, unhappy with how he was fighting. He wanted to get better, so he could do better in the war games. He figured training against the dummies would help him, but it didn't seem to be working. he went back to facing the one dummy he had originally been fighting. Then tripped over his own foot, and fell onto the ground. When the young soldier attempted to stand he realized how worn out he was. He let go of the shield's handle and it collapsed into a bracelet. Ren then rubbed his thumb against the shaft of his spear, willing it to turn back into a pencil. He walked over to the bleachers, to where he had a little bench and set his armor on the bench. He proceeded to sit down, breathing hard as a result of the workout.

"Quitting already?" Cain called to the unfamiliar boy. He had been watching for the last few minutes, analyzing the boy's skills. He wasn't necessarily horrible at fighting, at least not the worst Cain had seen. However he was too focused on doing damage to his targets, focusing on one thing in combat could easily be a fatal mistake when engaging multiple opponents, or fighting somebody who knew how to tactically use the environment to their advantage. The boy also seemed to ignore his own physical condition, something that could be a detriment to him in combat. He could push himself too far and get himself killed.

Ren looks up at the person who spoke, and instantly stood at attention, not really knowing what to do. It was the first time he meet the praetor and he wanted to give a good impression, though as he stood he nearly fell.

"Not really, just catching my breath, sir." Ren says nervously as he sifts his footing. Ren quickly puts the armor he set down back on and makes his shield and spear appear.Ren then heads back to the dummies. Ren grips his spear thightly, and then shoves it towards the dummie, stabbing it in a open stop between the armor, then rips the spear out, and quickly gets into a defensive position. Ren looked quite dumb doing this, at least that was what he thought he looked like, as he stabs the dummie again, and then shield bashes it, sending the dummie to the ground. Ren then turned and threw his spear at the next dummie, getting it in the gut. Ren then pulls his gladius, and charges, but trips half way to the dummie, and his sword skids off to the side.

((Mind if I join?))

(Join in.)

Kyain had decided long ago that even though she wouldn't be much help in battle, it would be useful to learn self-defense. Thusly, her knife had come into her hands.

She worked now, the slightest trickle of sweat breaking out on her brow. She wasn’t too tired yet, but it was a hot day. The silver X on her tank top seemed to glitter. Kyain was glad she had a tank top and shorts on, or else she would have been a sweaty mess by now.

To be honest, Kyain wasn't the best in this area. She wasn't bad, but it was apparent that she couldn't hack a dummy to pieces in like 10 seconds, unlike most of the people she knew. Well, dummies were easier. They didn't have emotions, so no pain. Shrugging off these thoughts, Kyain worked on slowly killing the dummy. Slashing and cutting, an occasional stab here and there. She slipped and fell accidentally, and got up quick, embarrassed but determined.

"Your determination is obvious." Cain said, when the boy returned almost sheepishly to training. Having a soldier who runs himself into the ground was never a good thing. Sometimes it did help to take a water break and reevaluate your technique. Most people assume combat was meant to be fully physical, it required the mind just as much as the body. Sometimes training was to sharpen the mind and your tactics. "your technique however, needs work. you leave yourself too open to attack."

Cain then acknowledged the other person currently in the colosseum, whom he recognized as Kyain. She was one person that while not necessarily being a person he fully trusted as he did Andrea or August, wasn't somebody he felt openly hostile towards as he did most people.

"You should try changing your stance. It'll help your footing better. "

Ren sighs as he stands up, and walks over to the dummie, grabbing it and pulls it out, and makes it collapse and has his shield do the same. He then walks towards the gladius, and wipes the dust off it, letting it gleam in the light, before sheathing it. As he returns he staggers. Apparently he pushed himself a little to hard.

"Well, I might be bad for this current time, but I hope you can see my potential. As well as me not tripping over my self." Ren turns towards the girls who was there, seeing how she was fighting and saw how the praetor yells a piece of advice. How did Ren forget! He forgot to ask the praetors name.

"Oh! I'm Ren by the way, what's your name?" He says as he turns to the praetor. He has a friendly smile on his face as he said this as he puts the pencil in his pocket.

"Watch it." Kyain looked at Ren coldly, after nodding to Cain about his advice. Ren obviously didn't know her. And he didn't even know the praetor's name. Stupid, she thought, and arrogant. I'd like to see what kind of pain he goes through, one day. She looked at Cain, watching the conversation. He wouldn't lose his cool over something like this, she knew. She altered her stance and shifted her balance, starting over. She buried her knife deep into the dummy's chest, without hesitation, wondering if she would be able to do that to a real person. Probably not, even after 3 years. She was better at playing mind games.

Cain regarded the boy, Ren, with an emotionless look. He was full of himself, pointing out someone else's mistakes. "Really, looked like you were falling a few moments ago." Cain said rather coldly.

The boy had turned back to him, and Cain naturally was suspicious of him. Of course his name wasn't exactly a thing he kept secret, it was honestly amazing he didn't already know it. "Cain." He answered the question indifferently.

"I was makeing fun of my self" he says as he looks between the two of them with a smile, yet a discouraged look in his eyes. He shakes his head and sighs. He heard the name of the praetor and perks up a little.

"Nice to meet you Cain." He says as he straightens. He was thinking. Him and the girl where both not that good from what Cain was saying. At least that's what ren got from what he was saying.

"Hey, uh......want to do a quick duel? Have Cain over here watch us and then yell insults at me every time I mess up, and complement you as you beat me?" He says a sarcastic but serious look on his face. He was already fiddling with his bracelet.

"No, thank you," The words automatically flew from Kyain's mouth. Who cared if he thought she was a coward? She didn't spar with real people. If she had to, she kept it down as much as possible. She wasn't stupid. Every wound inflicted on the opponent would also affect her in a negative way, and she knew it.

But she didn't care if he knew it or not. Especially if he didn't know Cain's name. He could be a spy, for heaven's sake. If Cain trusted him, he would tell him about it. She trusted his judgement.

Cain wasn't surprised by the fact that the girl didn't accept the duel. after all he knew the extent of her powers. She would never be a fighter with her powers, it just didn't seem smart, if a person is affected by the pain of others, it was stupid for them to actively inflict that pain.

Kyain's powers limited her in some ways, but at the same time they could easily benefit the girl, and the legion, in other ways. The boy offering a duel wasn't generally out of place, it happened often in the legion. People always wanted to see who was stronger. Demigods always seemed to want to prove who was stronger.
Cain even had the occasional person trying to take him on. usually arrogant new members to the legion. Often the guys, who usually assumed they were stronger based on size. They usually learned quickly that Cain hadn't been chosen as praetor based on his people skills, which were virtually non-existent.

Ren turns to the praetor. He was thinking again, he had a half smile in his face as another idea popped in his head.

" Do you want to help me, you and me can duel, and every time I leave a opening on accident, do not feel hesitant to hit me there. Just do not try to kill me." Ren says as he puts a dull smile on his face.

Kyain wrenched her knife out of the dummy with some difficulty. It had gotten stuck deep, and it took her strength. Her ears perked up at the blunt challenge. She looked at Cain. eyebrows raised. Would he, as disdainful as ever, refuse? Well, if he didn't, it would be a quick fight. One-on-one "lessons" with the praetor was rare. They also tended to end quickly.

Cain regarded the boy, taking in the skills he had seen the boy showing as well as the potential takedowns that had already formulated from the moment he met Ren. This kid was practically asking for a trip to the infirmary, and Cain almost thought he actually realized that already.

"Ten seconds," Cain said. "That's the maximum amount of time it would take for me to knock you unconscious." Any person who didn't know Cain would most likely assume the statement was a simply a boast or bluff, but his tone was matter-of-fact, not arrogant or prideful. He was simply giving the boy fair warning.

Ren smiles in glee. he was prepared to be defeated but wanted to make it last more than 10 seconds. He steps back a bit, and prepares for any attack, then realizes he dosnt have a weapon, at least he didnt see one. he left his guard half up, but kept him self aware. for all he knew caiin could have a chainsaw that was normally a chain. Ren takes a few steps back just incase, makeing it so cain would have to either charge him or risk being poked. As Ren backed up, he stumbbled. his guard was droped.

(Useing this as a way for you guys can know what his ability is. even though its a random thing that happens, fighting cain will bring out the adrenaline thing that ren needs to go flashbang. sorry cain.)

Kyain sighed exaggeratedly. She regarded the two, trying to learn from them. What to do, what not to do. Alas, as it had been mentioned, weapons just didn't fit her. So what to do? She folded up the idea of practice and watched them spar. A popcorn wouldn't have been out of space, but unfortunately she didn't think to bring any. She was betting her money, if she had to, on Cain. He didn't become praetor for nothing, and had a sharp mind. He would adapt, she predicted, to whatever the other guy would throw at him. Powers or not.

Cain pressed the button on his watch, causing his shield to unfold, he had his broadsword with him, though he knew he could easily win this fight without the weapon. Still he was supposed to be teaching the kid something from this. So Cain drew his own sword. He had already noticed several openings, and the fact that the boy's guard wasnt up only added to his advantage. So Cain took advantage of the opportunity and used his shield to bash him, knocking Ren off balance, and most likely tumbling to the ground.
(ok finally, ugh combat posts can be annoying to write.)

As he was shield bashed, he moved his shield in the way so he was not hit, and put his foot firmly behind him. He shifts his footing and pushes his shield against his opponents, and as he was pushing, stab towards the foot with his spear. His glowing shield and spear where glowing brightly, just as almost as bright as the sun. This could disorientate hacking, leaving him at a disadvantage

Cain caught the motion of the spear in the corner of his eye. The boy was aiming for his foot. Cain decided to use Ren's momentum against him, after all with the boy both pushing out with his shield, and the momentum from his attack with the spear, it would be rather easy to outmaneuver him.

Cain sidestepped moving in a way that left Ren rushing at air, and left Cain directly behind the younger boy. Cain took advantage of the moment and made a small cut just below the boy's ear. not deep enough to scar, but it was however just deep enough to draw blood. Which meant based on tradition, that the match was officially over.

(alright i decided to end it there, you can write your reaction differently but just keep in mind that the ending will still be more or less the same. however i will edit based on your reaction if it goes differently from what i wrote)

As Ren was charging, he didn't expect Cain to side step. Wing  he did this, Ren was forced forward from his own movement. When he felt a sting, and felt something warm going down the side of his head, he drops his spear and shield, and reaches behind his head, reaching to where he felt the sting and the warm liquid. When he moved his hand back to where he could see it, he saw that there was blood on his finger tips.

I lost.......how did I lose........how did he defeat me! Ren thinks as he crumples to the floor, his eyes wide, he fell unconscious from the shame, his mind shut off, he felt like he couldn't breath, all he could feel was his faint breath, and hear his blood rush though his body, and the dip of it hitting itself on the ground. He passes completely out, as he reached for his spear,

((...well, good going, Cain. Your skills were just so amazing, Ren couldn't handle it.))

Kyain walked over, staring at the boy crumpled in front of Cain. She nudged him a little , then shrugged as he didn't give any response. "Out cold." She inspected the wound under his ear. "I wouldn't think he passed out from his wound. And there isn't really much to be shocked about losing to the praetor." Shrugging again, she stepped away and smiled a little. "That was...quick."

(But it wasn't quite the ten seconds kcal. Said it would, even if it was going by at real motion, the fight would have lasted 11 seconds at the least, even longer if you count that the time Cain could have been fighting was actually around 24 seconds long from causal fighting stances.)