Self Defense Teaching(Bones)

[Iris Timandre]

59th of Summer, 512
Axe wounds, that sounded extremely deadly. She has been taught that the world was not such a safe place but she hasn't been able to actually see it for herself due to spending all of her life in Mura. When she saw the wounds, scrapes, and injuries that could have been fatal all on her friend Tock the Konti knew that there weren't many friendly people out there and that she HAD to learn something to protect herself.

Magic was not an option, she knew of it. Her family told her about it but she chose the medical path rather than the path of becoming a mage. But Iris just wasn't interested in the side effects of magic. So the Konti studied at the Opal Temple for most of her teen years up until she turned thirty years old. Iris was a very religious Konti. She depended and looked to Rak'Keli for advice and support through everything. Iris lived through Rak'keli.

The Timandre knew the basics of fighting with a sword called the Gladius. It's something she picked up when she first traveled. But she knew she couldn't stay at the beginner stage with the weapon. In her head if she wanted to stay alive she'd have to learn from someone who used the same weapon. But was much better at it than Iris.

Iris made her way through Zeltiva. She recently offered to teach anyone Medicine and Herbalism in return for helping her perfect the Gladius and learn how to use a Dagger. The Konti had the Gladius inside of a leather sheath. She wore basic clothing, A Cotton cloak, high boots, linen shirt, leather pants, and a leather belt with the Gladius strapped to it. Iris thought she didn't need to buy any type of real armor.

She stood still until she saw a man standing(Bones). She didn't think much of it. She continued to walk until she got closer and closer to him and looked him in the eye. Quickly, the Konti stood still and shifted her gaze to the ground not wanting to make the man think she wanted conflict of any kind.

[Ssafirsotibones]

Another training session. It seemed like Bones had been in high demand for training, and sparring partners. It seemed no matter how often he came, there was always someone knew wanting to be broken in a bit, or to sharpen up a rusty skill. He wondered which this would be... Training? Or a spar... As the slight woman, who seemed tiny compared to Bones, stared her in the eyes, Bones gave his odd inhuman smile, which usually came off more as scary than pleasant. He was a bit disappointed when she broke gaze, looking down at the ground... He liked woman to be a bit more fiery, a bit more bold, and not so... Timid... But his eyes did catch the weapon at her waist... He could not be certain of what it was, till she pulled it out, but it was something not to long, certainly not a full length sword... Of course, Bones did not use a full length sword, instead used a finer and better crafted version of a shortsword... It worked better for him... If he used a full length blade, he risked snapping it if he used full force... With its shorter, stockier length and build, there was much less risk of that, and so he found this fitted his style better, even with less reach. "Ssso, we are to fight? Well, ssshow me your blade, ssso I can know what we are dealing wiss, before we ssstart. And how well trained are you? Jussst a bassse to know your area of ssskill..." Having said that, Bones would pull out his own gladius, from its back sheath, the slick of leather on metal as it came out. He did love that sound, after hearing it so many times...

[Iris Timandre]

59th of Summer, 512
The first thing Iris was able to pick up in this man was that he had a tiny speach problem. So she thought. The Konti examined him even closer. The smile on his face forced Iris to take two steps back. She did become afraid. She always feared the unknown. Iris never thought of herself as some type of hero, when she feared something she'd actually admit it to herself to save time.

Iris didn't need to bring any medical supplies with her. She had full faith in Rak'keli. And strongly believed that the goddess would be watching her every move. And protecting her from any harm. Iris closed her eyes for a second and whispered something in her naitive language, Kontinese. She thought the man wouldn't know what she was doing so she went right ahead and clapped her hands together.

"Guide me with your light. I place my spirit in your arms. Let me come out of this safe. I'll always keep faith."

After, the Konti opens her eyes and looks up at the man again resuming eye contact. Iris forced herself to keep looking him in the eyes. She didn't really grow up around the male gender. She was able to talk with them. After meeting Xalet she learned quite a bit. But she still was cautious around them and feared that they'd think lowly of her based on appearence.

The Konti reached her pale right hand over to her right side and placed her palm on top of the gladius' hilt. The man should have been able to see a Twisted Swirling Sigil. The mark of Rak'keli. She slowly began to unsheath the weapon. Once she got it all the way out she was able to hold it with two hands. Both of them gripping the hilt. Iris wasn't the best at using the Gladius.

The Konti replied to the man in the common language. Her heavy Kontinese accent forced the common words out of her mouth. She struggled with some of the speach.

"First of all, hello, and sorry for staring at you. And I think we are working together? Right? If so, my name is Iris."

Iris looked down again. And then at her own Gladius. It was pretty heavy to her. She pulled her right hand back and held it with just her left pointing directly upward.

"Well.....I can defend myself well....I don't think a street bandit would be able to just assult me and steal my belongings. But that's as far as it goes, sir. I'm not an expert at this weapon. I can only swing the blade decently."

[Ssafirsotibones]

Bones just watched, as she clapped her hands together, and said some odd words in a tongue he did not know... He really did not have the faintest idea of what it meant... So he just stood there, waiting on her to do as he had said... Though he did notice how she reacted as he tried to smile, and dropped the expression... He did not know why, but for the life of him he could not get that human expression down. As she reached for her weapon, he did notice a odd mark on the back of her hand, but was not quite sure what it was... "Ssat isss an odd tattoo... What isss it sssupposssed to mean?" Of course, communication was a bit hard for them, since common was not either of there primary languages. Instead he watched her body language, trying to read that... If nothing else, he was good at reading body language in combat, even if it did not carry over to speech. But he did note the fact of how she gripped the weapon two handed. He supposed since she was a bit smaller than him, this was a bit more comfortable. Bones on the other hand used his weapon one handed. But since he was so strong, even in his human form, he could usually do better with a one handed grip, than a human could do using both hands. With two hands... Well that would not turn out well, not when this was supposed to be a spar... Plus, it left him a hand free, to punch and stuff. "I don't mind you ssstaring. And yesss, I do believe we are working togesser. I go by Bonesss. Nice to meet you Irisss." Then she tried to hold it one handed for a bit, though he was not certain how good of an idea that was for her... But she did seem willing to learn, and that was enough for him. "Well, I am no expert eisser, but I am well enough ssskilled to teach you better how to fight. Ssso why don't you ssstart off, by ssshowing me what you have. Come at me and try to hack me to bitsss. Or whatever you do in an attack. And I will do my bessst to ssstop you from hacking me to bitsss. Ssen I will give pointersss."

[Iris Timandre]

59th of Summer, 512
The Rek'keli faithful couldn't hold the blade with one hand for much longer. She had to place her right hand on the hilt again. She couldn't hold the sword one handed for the life of her. It felt wrong, like she'd drop it. And the Gladius seemed to be to heavy for the small Konti to hold the weight up right on one hand. Iris was annoyed. She noticed that Bones stopped that wierd expression he was making. The Konti had no idea that was supposed to be a smile.

When Bones asked about the "Tattoo" on her hand she flashed him a quick smile of her own. It didn't look nearly as creepy as Bones'. When it came to Religion, Iris had nothing to hide. The Timandre felt as if it was a mission of her's to spread knowledge of Rak'keli across the lands. Maybe people would convert to worshiping the Goddess. That's what Rak'keli would want so that's what Iris would try to deliver. The Konti turned the Gladius upside down and carefully slid it back into the sheath. The reason she went that slow was because she couldn't sheath it fast. Iris wasn't used to handling blade and sheath.

Iris turned her right hand upside down and pointed at the mark. But, she wanted to know if the man knew anything about Rak'keli. She was worshiped world wide. He didn't have to know about the mark but he could know of the Goddess' name. Iris responded.

"This is not a tattoo. It's a mark. A gift from Rak'keli, goddess of healing and health, the mark means I've been gifted with some of the Goddess' powers. So I can heal those in need just by touch. Do you know anything about Rak'keli?"

Iris asked, she never hid the fact that she had the goddess given ability to heal anyone. It was part of her faith and belief that she should tell anyone what she is capable of and heal ANYONE who could be in need of health care.

But Bones did offer, he told the Konti to try to hack him into bits. Iris pulled the blade out of the sheath and held it with both hands tightly. She ran, pretty slow, over to bones and lifted the Gladius way above her head. A novice move, and bought the blade down trying to hack at Bones' chest. He was much taller.

[Ssafirsotibones]

Bones smiled, as the woman attempted to hold the blade one handed, but failed, having to use both hands to support it... He was not sure if it was all an act, or if she was really not strong enough... She was smaller, and looked lighter than him by a good bit... Though really a gladius was not that heavy of a weapon... It only usually weighed around 3 or 4 pounds... She would have to be pretty weak, to not be able to support its weight for long... Even one handed. Though of course, his strength was far superior to an average humans, so she might simply be below average. When she explained the tattoo to him, saying to him it was a type of god magic... Well he did not really know much on that. Neither did he know much of the god she mentioned. "Not really... I don't know much about many osser godsss, ssan sse one I follow... I sssuppossse I sssee why people would like it... But isssn't it kind of against nature... If sssomeone isss weak and getsss sssick... Ssen ssey were not ssstrong enough, and nature will weed ssem out. But your magic fightsss againssst what nature would do, to let sse ssstrongessst and mossst fit live." Of course, since Bones followed Caiyha, he did find this goddesses power a bit odd... Luckily for her he did not follow Siku, like most of his kind did... Finally, she moved in to attack, holding the weapon two handed, and coming at him, over her head, trying to pull it down and slice right into his chest. If he had just stood there, she likely would have cleaved him open. Instead, Bones pulled up his gladius, using it to block the incoming blade, holding it like an steel barrier, and bringing it before him. She would have to either go through his blade, or force his weapon down with greater strength, to reach him. Bones would push back, trying to force her back a step. And if she went to pull back her weapon, he would take a slash at her, forcing her to defend. Though he would not attack with full force, lest he knock her flying, or cleave her apart. "If you can't out-force your opponent, you have to outmaneuver, or outsssmart ssem."

[Iris Timandre]

59th of Summer, 512
The Konti's attack was blocked. She tried to force her blade down on Bones. But she didn't have as much strength as him. He was much more powerful than Iris. She used her finger strength to pull the blade back to her quickly. She didn't want to stay near Bones. Even though she had no idea how to fight like a professional she knew staying near Bones was a bad idea since he was clearly much better than she was at using the blade weapon.

Suddenly, Bones took a slash at Iris. To Bones it might not have been much but to the Konti it was really quick. Pure instinct forced Iris to pull her Gladius up. Bones' blade made contact with Iris' and the collision made a huge sound. Iris felt the force and was pushed back by Bones, she tried to stop him but eventually he over powered her forcing the Konti's Gladius out of her hand. The tip of the blade also nicked Iris' right shoulder. Iris yelled out in pain "AHH!" The healer fell down on her butt and looked down at the top of her right shoulder. She bled a little and it ran down her arm.

The Konti attempted to scramble backwards away from Bones. She remained on the ground breathing quickly due to shock. Bones' blade struck Iris. The Konti never had anyone really attempt to hit her with a weapon. And she's been cut. By minor knives and rocks. But never by any blade the size of a Gladius. Iris wiped the blood off the top of her shoulder and then responded to Bones' comment about Rak'keli and healing being against nature. Iris had fear in her tone.

"So basically, you're saying that nature suggests that I have this wound on my shoulder because I'm weak? Well..."

Iris placed her palm on her shoulder and held it there for a minute. After she removed her hand and showed that the minor cut was gone completely. She used the wound to display what she could do to Bones. To let him see first hand that Rak'keli was good. The healer walked sideways over to her Gladius. She was cautious to get close to Bones again. She thought he'd try to slash at her again while she was unarmed. Sometimes Iris got very paranoid.

"The ability to heal those in need is against nature? To me that's preposterous."

The Konti disagreed with everything that clashed with Rak'keli. That's just how she was, and how deep her faith in the Goddess ran. Iris bent down and lifted her Gladius up.

"The weak should be given just as much of a chance to make it as the strong. That's what I was taught to believe. Everyone deserves to live. Now....it's your turn to come at me, it's only fair."

[Ssafirsotibones]

As expected, the woman did not have the strength to out-force Bones, to force down his weapon... Not for lack of trying, but she simply ended up getting no were. Like attacking a stone wall with a wet bit of parchment... As she snatched her weapon back, Bones leaned forward along with it half an inch, before returning, and cutting off the force he had been using to resist her. He wanted to force her to use her skill, to do better than just average... He wanted to force her to get angry, and really think outside of the obvious, as she fought him. As he forced an attack, and slashed at her, she blocked with her blade, the sound of metal on metal clanging out. Good, she had blocked him well. As he went to pull the blade back though, he accidentally made it cut into her shoulder. He had simply meant it as a slash, and to pull back... But apparently he had attacked to hard, and her weapon held up defensively, had been knocked into cutting her, right in the shoulder. As he took a step back, giving he a moment to take care of her wound, which he had not meant to inflict, his tongue darted out, and he tasted at the air... Could smell the blood on it... Making him hungry... He was able to force his wild side from getting out, by concentrating his mind, thinking only of his gladius, picturing each bit and curve in his mind, the clang it made as it struck metal, the feel in his hand... This common feeling, he had experienced for years, helped him to pull himself back... As she got angry at Bones, perhaps for cutting her, and scrambling back from him, she sat still for a bit, holding her hand on her cut... He thought perhaps it was to slow the bleeding, but as she took it away, he saw that the wound had been healed... Regardless, it seemed finally the woman was getting indignant, and angry at Bones... Which would mean she was finally getting serious... And would finally be fighting at her best, not caring if she injured Bones, since he had apparently insulted her goddess. He did not care, would take her hate, if it meant the training went better, and she fought better. Now she wanted Bones to attack her? Well, he did not think it was the best idea, but he nodded his head, and accepted. If that was what she wished... Now Bones would step forward, holding his gladius one handed as usual. He would take a step forward, and feint a slash across her chest, which was actually out of range of her, but would appear close to hitting. But it still might make her defend. Then he would follow up with three light slashes, aiming more around her arms and shoulders, pulling back the blade as soon as it made contact with whatever... Hopefully a weapon coming to meet and block it... Then he would make one more attack, slashing right across her chest, hoping to catch her weapon as it blocked, and hold it in place... If that worked, he would use his free hand, and try to punch her lightly in the gut, just a light jab.

[Iris Timandre]

59th of Summer, 512
The Timandre was heated. She took extreme offense to anything the opposed Rek'keli. Iris gripped her Gladius tighter and grinded her teeth glaring at the man. He came at the Konti and took a Slash at her. Poor Iris thought the slash was closer than it actually was. She couldn't focus in combat like she did with healing.

Bones followed that up with three more slashes. Iris pulled her Gladius up and blocked one out of the three Slashes. She took two light slashes to the left arm blood began to slowly leak again, and Iris was hurting. But the Konti wasn't going to give up that easy. It would be an insult to her Goddess.

Bones attempted to Slash Iris across the chest. She moves her Gladius to block the strike. The man followed up by punching Iris in the stomach. The Konti couldn't stop it because she didn't know how to fight hand to hand. She bend forward a little and held her stomach with one hand. Her face turned pink. What was a light jab to him was an actual punch to the Konti healer.

Iris' face suddenly lit up and she began to try and punch at Bones' right arm with her left fist and. To Bones it wouldn't have been much but Iris had to do something to get to him. She followed up by lifting her Gladius with her right hand and trying to hit Bones in the face with the hilt of the bladed weapon. It's all she thought she could do.

[Ssafirsotibones]

Bones had not exactly been meaning to injure her... Not for real... Though admittedly, he had gotten a bit caught up... And the smell of blood on the air earlier... The taste... Well, it had gotten him a bit distracted. And so, when he attacked with his flurry of blows, he had not meant to do as much as he had. But he had gotten caught up in the flow of things, in the battle, nearly forgetting it was a spar... Luckily for her, he had not really been aiming to kill. If he had wanted, he probably could have sliced her arm right off. But he doubted she could heal that. So the two light cuts on her arm, were shallow, little more than flesh wounds. Nothing serious. The punch though was pretty effective, and ended up winding her, her face going pink. At seeing that, Bones recalled himself, and that this was a spar... Realized what he had done, and took a half step back. Was about to apologize. But he was a bit surprise by the blows to his arm, even if they were ineffectual. He was about to shout out that he was trying to apologize, that it was an accident, and grab her hand, to stop her from continuing to hit him, when she smashed him in the face with her gladius hilt. Right in the nose. The only way he could have defended himself, would have been to seriously hurt her, so he saw no option, but to let the blow land. As pain flared out in his face, he let go, and took another few steps back, bringing his empty hand up to his nose, which was now bleeding from the blunt force... He was not sure if it was broken or not, though it stung pretty bad. He simply eyed her through his now watering eyes. All he could do was grin at her. "Now ssat'sss what I wasss looking for... Sssome fire... I knew you had sssome fire in you, I jussst needed to teassse it out... And once I got you angry, you really let go."