Fiona and Abigail filed into the meeting hall, which was even more packed than the first time they were there. Where before there were mostly Elementals of the house Icaza, there were a significant number of higher ranking Jade Falcons here now for the final round of the Trial of Bloodright. Fiona did not recognize any of them, but the regalia of dress uniforms made the importance of the ceremony known.

        Abigail pointed to one man near the podium, who was dressed in a particularly noticeable uniform, with a helmet strikingly more ostentatious than any of the other spectators. "That is the new saKhan, Vandervahn Chistu. He recently replaced the disgraced Timur Malthus after the Falcon Guards were destroyed on Twycross. He is known to be particularly cunning and shrewd."

        She nodded. "Wait, an entire cluster was destroyed on Twycross? How did that happen?"

        Abigail shook her head. "It is a long story, perhaps I will tell you later. The entire unit was wiped out and the unit standard know carries great shame, as does the whole bloodline of Malthus, for it's commander.

        There was a hush as Amelia Icaza strode to the podium, and as before, she went through the ritual chants and phrases, introducing the competitors and declaring the rules of the trial. Lovvins opponent in this final round was an elemental named Gragg. He looked particularly foreboding, and apparently had killed each of the opponents he faced up to this point in the contest.

        As before, Amelia Icaza placed the two warriors coins in the Well of Decision. They spun and chased each other through the funnel, and she pulled the coins out and examined them. "Lovvins, you are the hunter. You will choose the manner of combat."

        Lovvins faced the crowd confidently. "A Bloodname should be about nothing more than the blood that flows through our veins at the command of our warrior hearts. I choose to fight unaugmented, with no weapons but our bodies."

        "And you, Gragg, where do you choose to be hunted?"

        Gragg faced the crowd as if posing for a photograph. "I choose to earn my bloodname fighting in the gladiator hall of the Icaza sports complex, here in Ironhold City."

        Fiona leaned over to question Abigail. "What of that venue?"

        Abigail nodded thoughtfully. "It is a sporting complex, all kinds of sports are played recreationally there. The gladiator hall has all kinds of equipment and stages, there is a climbing wall, a giant pyramid, hanging rings, towers for fighting with pugil sticks, and so forth. Normally these sports are played officiated and non-lethally, but the empty setting is a maze of danger and things that can be weaponized, especially for ones as strong as they."

        "Who does it favor?"

        Abigail shrugged. "Clearly this Gragg has a plan in mind, but Lovvins is resourceful. It will be a tough fight."

        Hours later, they were seated in stadium seats looking down on the gladiator hall. The two competitors stood on platforms at opposite ends of the vast room, with it's vast array of equipment and courses. Each was clad only in a pair of form fitting black shorts, and each was moving back and forth trying to bleed off excess energy. They were both eager for the fight.

        "If it is not to the death, why has the other guy killed all his opponents. It seems rather unlucky."

        Abigail shrugged. "Sometimes they choose to fight with deadly weapons and a critical injury occurs. Sometimes they fight augmented in their BattleArmor, and there is no telling what will happen then. Plus, look at them, they are like feral animals bred to tear each other limb from limb. In the heat of combat, things get intense."

        Fiona shook her head. "I understand that, but it seems so odd. My interactions with Lovvins, he seems so calm and collected."

        Abigail nodded. "Aff, he has an unusual calm for an elemental. But make no mistake, he is still a beast of war. When unleashed, he is fearsome like you cannot imagine. I think you forget sometimes, surat, that he and I are creations with a purpose. Your freebirth parents had you because it was expected, or because they were filled with lust, or any number of random reasons. Lovvins and I were crafted by a scientist, genes carefully woven to try to produce the greatest combat warrior possible."

        A horn sounded, and the two combatants launched themselves off of their platforms, racing towards each other. They mostly avoided the obstacles and equipment, eyeing each other's path. Apparently settling at first for combat on the pyramid, each man climbed up the massive stepped pyramid in the center of the room. As they neared the top, it became a game of cat and mouse, neither wanting to over-commit, but each wanting to get at the other.

        Finally, by sheer chance, they both happened to feint in the same direction, leading them into each other's path. They grappled immediately, each trying to seek some kind of advantage of leverage over the other. The wrestling match continued for a surprisingly long time, until finally Lovvins gained an upper hand and launched Gragg off balance. The giant of a man tumbled down the pyramid, taking blows that seemed like they should kill a man, and landed at the bottom and quickly scrambled to his feet.

        Standing at the bottom and looking up at Lovvins, he was faced with a choice. Unwilling to expend the energy to climb the structure and give Lovvins an advantage, instead, he made his way over to a platform that led to a rectangular field of hanging rings suspended from the ceiling by chains. Beneath the rings was a pool of water. He made a goading gesture to Lovvins and then mounted the rings, swinging from one to another until he was in the center of the arena.

        "What is he doing?"

        Abigail leaned over and responded in a low tone. "After Lovvins threw him from the pyramid, he did not want to climb to the top and face Lovvins after such exertion. Now he is goading Lovvins onto the rings. Lovvins will have to descend the pyramid and climb the platform, then get on the rings. Gragg can simply wait on the rings."

        "Why does Lovvins not simply wait him out? And what advantage does Gragg gain, he must be getting tired hanging from the rings"

        Abigail waved away Fiona's appraisal of the situation. Lovvins cannot sit back, this is a Trial. To sit and wait would be cowardly. And you misinterpret the strength required on the rings. It is not much effort for one as strong as an elemental to hang from the rings. But once they are engaged, it will be a test of lower body strength, not upper."

        Lovvins dutifully descended the pyramid and swung onto the rings. As the two giants came close to each other, they began to try to grapple the other. At first they kicked each other away deftly. Then after a third clash, Gragg pulled himself up higher and tried to grapple his legs around Lovvins neck. Lovvins managed to dodge this, and wrapped his own legs around Gragg's waist, then released his grip, allowing his full weight to hang on Gragg.

        The other Elemental held on for a few seconds, but finally let go, and the two men plunged into the pool below. The spectators could see somewhat through the clear water and plexiglass walls of the pool, but it was hard to discern what was happening in the massive ball of flesh and muscle that spun around under the water's surface.

        Finally, a head broke the surface and grappled the side of the pool, holding onto a bar there to keep his upper body out of the water. A tremendous thrashing churned up splashes and bubbles beneath him as he strained with every ounce of his strength. Finally, the water began to calm, and he climbed out of the pool. Seconds later, a body floated to the surface of the water, face down. Two other elementals and a medic scrambled to the pool's edge and worked to pull the body out as the other elemental turned around, revealing Lovvins face, an exhausted expression showing as he raised his hand triumph.

        A few moments later, they greeted Lovvins as he turned and finished speaking to the Oathmaster. He had donned a simple jumpsuit, and his hair was still slightly damp, but nothing could hide the pride that beamed from his entire body. Abigail shook his hand in congratulations and exchanged a few words with him as Fiona kept a discreet distance. 

        When it was clear they were finished, Fiona stepped up and offered her hand. "I told you this moment would happen. Mechwarrior Fiona congratulates you, Star Commander Lovvins Icaza."

        His massive hand dwarfed hers as he took it and shook it firmly. "Indeed you did, Mechwarrior. We have now accomplished all that we set out to on our return to Ironhold. The Inner Sphere will tremble at our return. The election of the new ilKhan should occur soon. There is even talk that it may be our own Khan Crichell. Regardless, we will lead the strike towards Terra once again in short order."

        Abigail joined them. "Tomorrow we will officially get the surat here her warrior gear and settle all the formalities."

        Fiona raised an eyebrow. "I get a goody bag for making mechwarrior?"

        Abigail looked at her confusedly. "You already have your neurohelmet and cooling suit. We will update your codex, get you official uniforms and rank insignia, your clan leathers, and hopefully get you assigned to suitable quarters, something better than the freebirth bondsman quarter."

        Lovvins nodded. "Aff, there are many formalities, my own Bloodright Ceremony will be in a few days. But now is a time for celebration and relaxation. If you are amenable, I would have you come to my lodging and couple this evening, Abigail."

        Abigail smiled. "Most amenable, Star Commander Lovvins Icaza."

        Fiona turned to head back to her quarters when Lovvins called out to her. "Mechwarrior Fiona, you are as much responsible for our success here as anyone. I would have you join us, if you believe you can handle an Elemental." he said with an eyebrow raised and a devilish look on his face.

        "I am always eager for a challenge, Star Commander, you know that."

        A few hours later, she found herself astride the largest man she had ever seen. As waves of pleasure pulsated through her body, she tried to dig her nails into his chest, but found only rock hard muscle. As the sweet release of orgasm climbed ever closer in her core, she let her mind wander free. It was less than a year and so much had changed. Her body, her loyalties, her priorities, her mindset, her life. She had started as a wanderer, and now she was Jade Falcon. The die was cast. What would fate have in store. As her release came, she let out her falcon cry.

        The coupling had continued long into the night, and when everyone's passions had finally been quelled, Lovvins had been the first to fall asleep, the two mechwarriors huddled close to him like a lion king in charge of his pride. Fiona slipped gently out of his embrace and stepped out onto the balcony. The city outside was mostly asleep, though some activity could be heard off in the distance.

        She felt Abigail walk up behind her and slip her arms around her. "You are alright, surat, quiaff?"

        She nodded. "Aff. I am just thinking on all that has changed. Everything that I have left behind. And everything that I have gained. My place in all this."

        Abigail chuckled softly and put her chin on Fiona's shoulder. "Perhaps you should have been a Nova Cat, surat, you think so deeply."

        "Do you not think about things like that?"

        She inhaled deeply of the crisp night air. "Aff, I do. But I try not to focus too much on it. Much has changed for you, I realize that. But much has changed for me as well."

        "What do you mean?"

        She felt Abigail squeeze her grip slightly tighter as she responded. "When I was first saddled with your training, I thought it a weight around my ankle. Now when I think about you, I think of strange un-clanlike notions of friendship. I earned my right to be a warrior out there somewhere only a few years ago, and yet that sibko brat would not recognize the warrior who stands here now, tolerating freebirths, plotting long term future strategies to rise in the clan with an Elemental. Perhaps the invasion has changed me more that I realized. Fah! Listen to me rattling on like a canister nanny. It is foolish for us to stand out here naked, some freebirth child will probably be running through the streets and would not knw what to do with the sight of it. Come back to bed, surat."