Shanna made for quite an alluring sight with her armor off. There was something about the way she was dressed that almost seemed to emphasize her nudity, her long gloves and equally long stockings drawing incredible attention to the exposed parts of her, and with her bodice covering her bust (though leaving plenty of cleavage exposed), there was one part far more exposed that any other. From her midriff down to her juicy thighs, with the most alluring sight somewhere in between. How he wished he still had a tongue that he might taste her with, to say nothing of other parts he missed. But the moment he spoke, she deprived him of that beautiful vision and pulled out her sword with practiced ease. Even in her obvious shock, it seemed her training wasn't deserting her, which was a good sign.<br/><br/>30 years of being powerless had changed the way Cyprus reacted to many threats, but a sword wasn't one of them. There were benefits to being ethereal. Even as she brandished it so close that it would have taken out his heart if he'd had one, he felt nothing except mild amusement. She gave an entire little speech, and he had to wonder if this was just a natural part of who she was, or whether it was all part of the gladitorial obsession with spectacle? Who was to say it wasn't both; this had clearly been her identity for long enough that it was plausible for her to have fully internalized it.<br/><br/>"I would be very impressed to see you try to kill me, considering you can't even find me," he countered, letting her wear herself out. He would have happily let her carry on endlessly, if not for what happened next. Catching him completely off guard, she slipped a finger beneath her thong. She must have been sensitive, because either she was the best actress he'd ever met, or that moan was completely genuine. He knew that she was baiting him, and even he was almost falling for it. A mortal man might not have been stupid enough to come charging out, but it was quite the sight, demanding attention, impossible to ignore. An unapologetic display of lewdness that made Cyprus long to have his body back. To show her what happened when she mocked a god.<br/><br/>Unfortunately, he'd have to get by doing a lot less. But that didn't mean he couldn't intimidate. Even broadcasted into her thoughts, his voice carried some clue as to its location, which was how she'd known to look at least in his general direction. And that was something he could use to his advantage.<br/><br/>Stepping toward her, so close that his eyes were only inches from hers, he could clearly see the flush in her cheeks, practically perceive the fog of each steamy, shuddering breath she took.<br/><br/>"I'm looking," he said from an inch in front of her face, his voice even louder and clearer than before. "And I've seen you looking." There was an upside to his lack of parts. They couldn't make him throb with that desperate ache that could scramble even a god's brains. "But you can't find me. You can't even imagine where I am. Go ahead, tear this room to shreds if you want. Once that's done, maybe you'll realize that this isn't a trick, this is<em>power</em>."<br/><br/><strong>Cyprus: Persuasion 14+0=14<br/>Shanna: Insight 4+0=4</strong><br/><br/>He was lying, of course. It was quite a bluff, trying to pass off his complete absence of power as exactly the opposite, but it was a worthy risk. If she believed him, maybe she'd be a bit more cooperative. Or at least less confrontational.<br/><br/>"Or you can skip that and decide to actually listen to what I have to say."