[FLASHBACK] An Axe to Grind (Cryos)

by **Paragon** on January 14th, 2012, 5:23 pm

Adarin laughed at the man's bravado. "Oh, yes. Most definitely."

He parted his feet, lifting the axe slightly.

"Let me tell you a little story, Cryos. It's about outsider's, and the rotten bastards you all are. Last year, an Inartan came to Denval. But he was not just any Inartan. He was a criminal, seeking to use Denval for his escape. Guess what he did to divert the guard's attention?" he paused, watching Cryos carefully. "He set my parents house on fire and burned them alive."

He lifted the axe again, just a smidgen, perfecting the stance he would use to cut at the Isur with. He cared little for lessons anymore.

"That's what outsiders do, Cryos. You'll never be a citizen in my eyes. Never."

by **Cryos Bladebane** on January 14th, 2012, 7:36 pm

"I pity you," said Cryos simply, and solemnly as he looked towards Adarin. "Taking revenge out on someone you barely know, for something that not even my race did to you. I will defend myself..." he finished, his stance forming at last, feet spread apart, battle ax in both hands, as he kept his emerald hued eyes upon Adarin. Remember, aim for the midsection, as he will be aiming for yours. Move as quickly as you can to dodge it, if at all possible. If not, try to block it with your own battle ax, or your left arm. It was almost as if his consciousness was telling him all of this, but he wouldn't bow to this man. It is time to be broken he thought, bow or be broken, and bowing isn't an option.

Patiently waiting to see what the man would do, he watched ever so carefully, noting that he'd only work to defend himself, but if he could strike a blow, he would. He'd try to use the flat of the battle ax to hit Adarin though, as he had no intentions of killing him, even if it was possible. Outsider or not, which Cryos happened to not be, he wouldn't allow this man to tarnish the reputation of the Isur in Denval just because he hated outsiders. Cryos was ready, and his stance was not near perfect as he was just a novice battle ax-wielder, but he had the strenght of courage backing him up now, and had a reason to defend himself against this stranger...

by **Paragon** on January 15th, 2012, 8:03 am

"Then I ask you to answer one question. Are Denvali? Are you truly Denvali?"

Adarin growled, staring Cryos down, ready to strike. He was riled now. All thoughts of training had gone up in smoke.

"Blood is thicker than water."

And then he attacked. Holding the battle-axe up, he drove forward, swinging in a tight arc with his built up momentum. He struck almost blindly, seething with rage, but he made sure there was force behind his hit. He would not kill the Isur however.

Perhaps the teaching could continue. Adarin would certainly teach Cryos a lesson.

by **Cryos Bladebane** on January 15th, 2012, 1:38 pm

Uttering a deep growl as Adarin raged towards him, and struck with force behind his hit, Cryos, as fast as he could, if at all possible, tried to duck to the left, allowing the blade to sail right past him. Once he recovered from his movement, if it was in time, he'd quickly bring the battle ax he was wielding to his right, aiming for Adarin's midsection. He didn't expect to hit the man, and at the last minute would shift the blade so that the flat end would hit Adarin, but it seemed a fools errand right now not to be fighting for his life. But he could not bring himself to kill a native Denvali. It just wasn't in his blood to take the life of someone from the city he had grown up in, had lived in for his entire lifetime.

So, the flat of the blade of the ax it was for this man, and that's what he would strike with. If he could bruise him, that was enough, but he knew that he was only a novice and therefor didn't expect any of his hits to actually strike his intended target, at this point it was Adarin. If he missed, he would try to recover his stance in time to either dodge again, and play the dodging game, or strike again, and go on the offence, remembering to keep his blade aimed so that the flat of it would hit Adarin and not the actual blade. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt this man that was supposed to be training him...

by **Paragon** on January 15th, 2012, 5:26 pm

Blinded by his xenophobic rage, Adarin did not see Cryos moving, and nor did he anticipate a level of skill that could only be projected by a strengthened Isur.

He missed spectacularly, and the flat of his opponents battle-axe smacked him in the side. He fell to the ground, sprawling.

Shamed.

His teeth ground together, free fist clenched at his side. His battle-axe slid a metre away from him. He looked up slowly, through bloodshot eyes. He was going to say something, but he didn't. He couldn't find the words to express his feelings.

Sitting up, he turned away from the man, picking up his weapon. He was raging, a tempest in his chest, in his mind. But he managed to reign some control over it. He could not make a show of himself. He was doing this for his superiors. His Denvali superiors. They expected composure. Denval was a town of martial law, but it was also a town of honour and integrity.

"Good," he said begrudgingly, "I... I didn't see it coming. Good."

He rubbed his hands of the dirt from the ground, avoiding eye contact with Cryos. He felt awkward, but he was trying his very best to hide it. The lesson was nearly over. He couldn't stand anymore from this mongrel.

"I think, a little duel is in order. Flat of the blade, and the first to hit the other wins."

They would clash again. And this time, Adarin would not lose.

by **Cryos Bladebane** on February 16th, 2012, 8:26 am

OOCSorry for the lateness on this >.< School's been really hard this semester.

They would clash again, indeed. The Isur looked towards Adarin through focused eyes, not bloodshot ones. He remained calm, cool, and collected, ready to take on the challenge that Adarin had laid down before him. Moving as quickly as possible, he would shift his weight forwards, bringing the battle axe inward towards Adarin's side, watching Adarin's movements as well. Depending on what he did, he would focus greatly upon the movements that he would do, hoping that the battle axe's weight would not overcome him as he swung it's flat side towards Adarin's right side, swinging mainly with his left arm, his stronger arm, though he kept his right arm reigned in so as to not put lethal force into the blow. Just enough to knock Adarin upon his rear end again.

That is, if he managed to do so. Adarin seemed fairly confident that he would win this next round, and Cryos wasn't so sure that he would have an advantage of surprise this time, since he was attacking first. No further words needed to be said, the challenge had been accepted by a simple nod from the cold Isur. He would focus on assailing Adarin's right side, in hopes to knock him flying once more, but wasn't expecting to win this time. His hope was only to prove to the man that he would become a decent fighter with the battle axe, and would show him exactly how much of a Denvali he happened to be...

by **Paragon** on February 16th, 2012, 9:29 pm

OOCNo problem, school work comes first, I know what it's like! I'm just glad you're back

Adarin dived forward, and swung the axe towards Cryos' side. This was almost a final rush - he had to hit this time. But somehow, the Isur had anticipated the move again, he caught the blow with his axe, the force pushing Adarin a little.

He begrudgingly admitted, the block was good. But he did not say it, and he certainly didn't let on to the Isur. Growling, he pushed back, and then with skill only a person who had trained with the battle axe could have, he came from underneath, and struck Cryos with the blunt edge.

Something inside him made him hold back. He did not strike as hard as he could have done. He resented the act.

Where he had struck, Cryos stumbled, but managed to retain his balance. They said the Isur were made of rock and steel, forged from the earth itself. He wondered if it were true, and then cursed himself for even spending time thinking of the foreigners.

"Very well," he muttered quietely, "I think that's enough training for today." He paused after that, watching the man. He had an air about him, of confidence, and determination. "Unless there was anything else?"

by **Cryos Bladebane** on February 16th, 2012, 9:41 pm

Skill was the only difference between them now. The man was by far more skilled than Cryos happened to be with a battle axe, and not even Cryos' strength would allow him to win this time. The block was good, and he admitted defeat when the blunt side of the battle axe slammed into him, pushing him back a bit, but not that much. At least he managed to retain his balance from the blow, which was a good thing in his mind. It meant that he might actually be improving, even if their lesson was a short one. The confidence and determination that surrounded Cryos' persona made him look at Adarin with eyes that spoke of perhaps more battles to come.

But Cryos was an honorable Isur, and even though the man won their little duel, through sheer skill, Cryos honored that win. "I thank you for your assistance in training my usage with the battle axe," he stated firmly as his emerald hued gaze laid to rest upon Adarin. "You have taught me a great deal today. I don't think I have anything else to learn for the moment, other than to just practice and work hard to become better at utilizing this weapon." His voice boasted confidence that his hard work would help him to better learn how to use the battle axe, and Adarin could see it in the Isur's eyes, that he would practice it, and learn how to use it better than even perhaps Adarin would use it.

Cryos would take the skillset that he learned this day, and practice it forthwith to be able to wield a weapon, even though he is the creator of them, now he'd finally learn how to wield them...

by **Paragon** on February 18th, 2012, 8:18 pm

Adarin nodded slowly. He had learnt the basics, and perhaps the idiot would be able to use the techniques in future. He sneered, doubting it.

"Very well," he said slowly, eying the man. He would teach him no more. In the coming years, would Adarin be facing this man down as an enemy?

Denval would change. Isur like Cryos would be gone, banished back to their earthen home. And even then, the others would leave too. This was a settlement for pure blood humans, a miltarised settlement built of pride and honour. His heart swelled at the vision.

"Then leave here. Your training is done. I'm finished."

Adarin turned his back on the man, wondering if that future would ever be a reality.

Cryos :

You got the big F-I-V-E points for battle axe, since there were a lot of technical specifics, and I thought you did very well! The Lore's are technical too, so Cryos is battle ready with the axe! I hoped you had fun playing with his royal nastiness, I know I certainly did. Nice work!