The soldiers nodded, murmuring amongst themselves, and Elias turned to leave the training yard, Lord Varric at his side.
"That fight got my blood boiling," Varric said, cracking his knuckles and stretching his neck from side to side. "Now I want to join in."
The soldiers who had been murmuring among themselves immediately fell silent, only to erupt in hushed whispers moments later.
"Lord Varric's going to fight?"
"Elias is done for now..."
"Nobody stands a chance against Varric. Not even Elias."
The air was thick with anticipation, and many of the soldiers exchanged glances, excitement lighting up their faces. It wasn't every day they got to witness the great Lord Varric in action. Despite his noble duties, Varric was known to be one of the most formidable warriors in Eldorian history—a man who wielded strength and strategy with equal mastery.
Elias turned to face him, a calm smile on his lips. "You want to spar with me, Varric?"
Varric returned the smile with a wide grin, his eyes glinting with mischief. "Why not? You've been dodging soldiers all day—let's see how you handle a real opponent."
Without waiting for a reply, Varric leaped from the pedestal where he had been watching, his massive frame moving with surprising agility. As he soared through the air, he summoned his weapons—two battle axes materialized in his hands mid-flight, gleaming even in the late afternoon light.
Varric landed in the sparring ring with a thunderous crash, his axes held high. The ground trembled beneath the impact, and a cloud of dust erupted around him, enveloping the entire arena. The watching soldiers shielded their eyes from the swirling dust, their vision obscured, but the murmurs only grew louder.
"I can't see anything!"
"Is Elias still in there?"
"Did Lord Varric just end the fight with his landing?"
Elias stood still, completely unfazed by the shaking ground and the cloud of dust. His eyes never left Varric, even as the dust swirled around them. Slowly, the haze began to settle, revealing the imposing figure of Varric standing with his axes crossed in front of him, a grin still plastered on his face.
"You sure you want to do this?" Elias asked, his voice calm, but there was a playful undertone in it.
Elias chuckled, raising his hand and brushing some dust off his shoulder. "Just giving you a fair shot, Lord Varric."
That playful exchange only spurred Varric on. With a growl of determination, he charged forward again, this time swinging both axes simultaneously in a powerful cross-slash aimed at Elias' torso. But this time, Elias didn't evade.
Instead, he stepped forward into the attack.
With blinding speed, Elias caught Varric's wrists in mid-swing, stopping the axes just inches from his body. The impact sent a shockwave through the ground, causing the soldiers to gasp in disbelief. For a brief moment, there was a tense struggle—Varric pushing with all his might, trying to break free from Elias' grip.
But Elias stood firm, his expression calm as ever.
"You're strong, Lord Varric," Elias said softly, his voice barely above a whisper. "But strength alone isn't enough."
With a fluid motion, Elias twisted Varric's arms, forcing the axes out of his grip. The weapons clattered to the ground, leaving Varric weaponless and stunned.
The soldiers stood in stunned silence, unable to comprehend what they had just witnessed.
Lord Varric, breathing heavily but still grinning, looked down at his empty hands, then up at Elias. He shook his head in disbelief, then let out a hearty laugh. "Damn it, Ashdown! I forgot how infuriating your fighting style is!"
Elias smiled, stepping back and offering Varric a hand. "You're still as strong as ever, old man."
Varric took his hand, pulling himself up to his full height. "I might be strong, but you're on another level. I've got to admit, that was impressive."
The soldiers erupted into cheers, the tension in the air finally breaking. Many of them couldn't believe what they had just witnessed—two of the strongest men in Eldoria sparring like old friends, testing each other's limits without a hint of animosity.
Varric wiped the sweat from his brow and clapped Elias on the back. "Well, I'll need a drink after that."
Elias chuckled, shaking his head. "Fair enough."
As the two of them walked off, leaving the training yard behind, the soldiers continued to talk excitedly about the fight, their respect for both Elias and Varric soaring even higher.
It wasn't every day they got to witness such a battle, and it was a moment none of them would soon forget.