Ready? Fight! (solo)

[Lyam]

Spring, 10th 512 av Nadya had really done a good job. My shoulder did no longer hurt, even if my skin remained puffed up and red. And no doubt that no scar would mark my skin or hamper my movements. Taking my two-bladed sword under my bed, I left my room, excited. That morning, I would have my first fencing class. I stepped down the big stairs of the dormitory, heading towards the field where swords men were training. When I arrived, there were only two men, barefoot on the dirt, who were waiting. “You’re Lyam, aren’t you?” the biggest man said. I nodded and gazed at the giant that would be my teacher for the upcoming season. He was wearing no shirt and was showing with pride his prominent muscles. “Great then, let’s begin” he announced “So as I was telling to your counterpart Aaron, it’s very rare to find warriors with two-bladed swords. That’s why I’ll learn you at first to fight warriors with normal swords, axes or bows. Then you’ll learn to fight one against another. Right?” I nodded once again but remained silent. The man then indicated he was called Arnesko and asked us to remove our shirts. “You’ll be more free” he added. Aaron whistled when he saw the tattoo on my chest. “Gods! That’s a tattoo man!” I just smiled and did not answer to his silent question. He was more muscled than me and was certainly stronger, but I was quite sure I was faster and more flexible. Arnesko scrutinized us and estimated our strength and capacities with a single gaze. “You’re a Kelvic” he said without any hesitation “A wolf.” “How do you know?” I asked, flabbergasted. He did not answer and faced Aaron “And you’ve worked as a black smith, but not so long.” “What the…” Aaron tried to say. “All right, take your sword boys” We gazed at each others with surprise as Arnesko took his own blade and held it in front of him in a strange way.

[Lyam]

“First of all” he explained “You have to find the balance of your weapon. Take it that way” he said while putting his sword on his wrist. “You shall find the perfection in your sword. You have to feel it, to consider it like the extension of your arm.” The blade was pitching on my wrist as I tried to find the balance. Aaron was not much better than me. But Arnesko gave us more advices than we needed, and soon I felt something like he had described us. “I feel it” I whispered and Aaron repeated it few seconds after. Arnesko nodded with satisfaction and invited us to try to imitate his movements. He wielded his sword and began to fight an invisible adversary. It seemed he was dancing. At first, I was too curious and astonished to move myself. And when I finally tried to follow my giant teacher, my movements were neither fluid nor graceful. I hit my legs with my blades many times, but hopefully I was protected by my greaves. Aaron did not have this chance, and soon he had to stop because of his bleeding shin. “What are you doing?” asked Arnesko when he saw I was over Aaron’s leg. “I’m helping him” I answer with a tiny voice, very intimidate. “Would anyone help you during a fight? During a war?” “Well, no, but…” “So stand up and go ahead” “But…” A simple gaze made me shut up.

[Lyam]

When I finally came back on my room, I had many bruises and some little bleeding wounds everywhere. I had only trained an hour and a half, but it seemed like I had fought days long. I let me fall on my bed, exhausted. But before I could fall asleep, I remembered my first real lesson. I was holding my sword in front of me, making it turn as quick as I could. My wrists hurt, and so did my shoulders but I continued. Never give up. Arnesko had taken a long wood stick and was striking me so that I could learn to defend myself. But my sword was no shield to me, and I missed his stick more than I should. Arnesko never stopped to talk to me, correcting my position, forcing me to do this or that way. But it ended the same: the hard wood hurting my bare skin. But the moment came I was fed up. So instead of trying to catch his stick, I just ducked and jump to avoid it. I was always in movement, so that it was much more difficult for him to touch me. After few minutes during which he did not touch me more than five or six times, Arnesko stopped and smiled. “You get it” he just said. Never be motionless.

[Paragon]

Adventurer's Loot Lyam's Loot : Lyam Skill XP Reward Two-bladed Sword +2 Body Building +1 Lore: A Balancing Act, Basic Sword Strikes Items or Consequences: A few cuts, but nothing major! Good solo, you did the instructors personality well! Remember, more detail = more points - if you have ANY questions or concerns about this grading, don't hesitate to PM me.