go through fire and water

"Oh, Cammuravi, let it alone!"

Perhaps Brighid felt unmoored without her Driver, but even Aegaeon raised a brow at this rare burst of volatility from the Jewel. The Seraph was junior to them and much more eager to joust with any serious opponent - not that it looked like eagerness, on him. Perhaps earnestness.

The trouble with Cammuravi was that he inflicted damage upon himself as a battle tactic whenever he needed to fight at his utmost, which was always, so there was no such thing as a low-stakes scrap.

And obviously his chosen opponent thought the same way. This was not just a question of survival, or victory. It was for valor and honor, if not glory.

To make matters worse, both combatants were on fire: Volga performed the darts of dancing flames in circles around Cammuravi, while the Seraph smoldered in wait for the opportunity to strike, and when he struck, it was brutal.

"Is your brother always this committed?"

Darunia's question appeared to be directed toward Aegaeon, who merely sighed.

"We are among the most steadfast Blades in all of Alrest," Brighid answered for her partner, "but our colleague's rashness in the name of zeal sets him in a class all his own."

"He certainly is determined," remarked Ruto. "I wouldn't devote half so much energy. Volga tends not to pursue if you haven't engaged him first."

"Volga? Not engage? I have to laugh!"

Now the Zora princess shot her Goron counterpart an unamused glance. "Of course it's too late now, Darunia." But his deep chuckles were not lost on her, and after a check to the Ardainians to see that they were not unduly concerned, she smiled as well.

"So...will they kill each other, then?"

All laughter quieted to a murmur.

"Are you worried about that possibility, Aegaeon?"

"Just being prudent, Brighid."

Volga had abandoned his transformation and aerial fireball attack, seeing that it only boosted Cammuravi's damage output, instead attempting to break his guard repeatedly, so that both balance and critical healing would be unavailable. The dragon knight, indeed, showed no sign of sparing his opponent, and the hotter Cammuravi burned, the wider his grin spread. Shouts of "Come at me!" and "Is that all you have?" rang out. It was a good thing there were no high walls surrounding their current arena, or Volga might realize an opportunity to corner Cammuravi up to a turret and really burst his confidence.

"So, Aegaeon, I hear you're an expert on fish," Ruto said, clearly uninterested in the battle and desperate for any other avenue of distraction.

The Crest nodded. "Indeed. I am quite curious about the features of the Sea and River Zora - your migratory patterns, diets, reproductive rituals. Do you stay in one region regardless of season, or do you move to a different body of water to lay your eggs?"

A cough, adorably polite, issued from Darunia's rocky throat. While Ruto was mature enough to handle this curiosity as she would, and while Gorons were far from uptight about their gender and genealogy, one had to wonder if this was Aegaeon's normal approach to polite conversation.

Unfortunately, Brighid had a look of sly interest on her face that told Darunia he'd no safe port nor cave to shelter from the meteors soon to fall from this thunderhead of a meet-cute. Don't get him wrong, he was always glad to meet new brothers and sisters, but this was another thing entirely.

Where to turn, then? To Aegaeon, the academic? To Ruto, the coy? To Brighid, the bold? To Cammuravi, the zealous? To Volga, the straight-up dangerous?

Sighing, he brought out his hammer and gave one colossal strike to the ground between the combatants. Once recovered, they looked up, bleary-eyed (Volga's narrowed faster).

"Alright, guys, break it up. Chief's gotta roll on home, and he's not leaving the ladies here-" that was Aegaeon included "-without a bodyguard ready to smash some heads while you two are busy being knuckleheads."

Ruto scoffed. "As if I can't defend myself!"

"And if she couldn't," Brighid put in, "I would."

"Hey, I'm sure you would. Aegaeon, it's been real, brother."

Aegaeon bowed. "Indeed it has."

The fiery fighters kept gazes locked on each other as they departed, far more committed than even Brighid's flirtations and Aegaeon's inquisitions.