With Insults Comes Combat (Xalet)

[Xalet]

"Hmm..." he pondered for a moment. What was a squire? Sure, it was like being a Knight in training, but there was a bit more to it than that. Being someone's squire was almost like being a member of their family. The Akalak was having difficulty trying to put it into words, "A squire is like...the ward of a Knight. They exist to learn and become a valued member of the Order, and in return the Knight gives them everything they can. Knowledge, skills, values, ethics. Many Knights take pride in their squires, even to the point of competition. A squire is...almost like the reflection of their Patron, I suppose. When a squire acts with honor it gives the Patron something to be proud of, almost like I imagine a father or mother would feel about their son or daughter."

As they reached the Antonious Training Grounds, Xalet led Septimus into the building and began climbing a flight of steps with her. If she thought the brickwork was unsteady upon the streets, she was in for a treat when they arrived at the true training grounds. The training grounds themselves was not actually within a building, but physically on top of it. The air moved rapidly at that height, kicking up rocky dust and debris at times. One could see a fair distance into the Castle Town from that height. Materials, rocks, dirt, wood, and all manners of items were strewn about the top of the roof that served as the floor of the training grounds.

"In Syliras space is limited, and the population is always growing. So, we must become creative in how to expand our work areas. That is why instead of building outward, we built upward and created these training grounds. Training outside is always the best, as it makes one understand the impact of weather, light and dark, and especially the heat of the sun." The Akalak stopped for a moment to survey the area. Indeed there were various Knights and Squires going about their business, trying one way or another to improve themselves. Xalet knew all about the sun, as his body was almost always covered in a sheen of sweat. Wearing heavy armor meant the body needed to keep itself cool however it could, which meant Xalet often had to intake large quantities of water or face overheating.

[Septimus]

Septimus smiled "Alright but if we do train it must be a quick session. We must get that message to your Sergeant." She examined the humans' training. They were extremely agile and elegant all the same. The way they darted from lunges with a sword and even made a few quick offense moves of their own. Her eyes instantly locked on one pair that were going at it fiercely. Sweat was beading off their foreheads and with each move, they looked as if they were getting more and more frustrated and their intentions looked more like they were set on killing one another.

"Umm, Xalet? Are they just fiercely training or are they seriously trying to kill one another?" The men were still going at it and harder with every minute that passed. Every second felt like an eternity. She looked around and it appeared to her that no one seemed to notice them but then again, she had bad vision when it came to long distances. She huffed in frustration trying to make out any eyes that were watching. She finally gave up and looked back at Xalet then back at the men.

One of the pair used a technique that sent the other man's sword clashing to the ground. Septimus' eyes grew wide in worry but they soon returned to normal when the man swiftly picked it up and engaged in combat once more grunting with every swing and lunge.

[Xalet]

To a newcomer the training of the Knights could be viewed as violent and harsh, but to Xalet it was just another day on the grounds. The body could take a lot of punishment, the Akalak knew this now. Demonstrating proper technique and wearing your armor correctly went a long way in keeping one from being gravely injured. When using wooden or blunted weapons, even a good piece of leather took away most of the force of impact, leaving the receiver of a strike knowing that they were hit, but with all of their bones still in tact. "Simply training. Squires train to fight as they would in the wilds, as that is what the body will resort to when pressured. You have a unique situation amongst our Order being...what you are. However, you must still learn the basics of the Knighthood all the same. It may very well save your life one day." the Akalak said simply. He didn't have to move very far to pick up a piece of discarded equipment. It was a large round shield, a bit different than his heater, but useful all the same. It's diameter made it larger than a typical targe, sitting at around 32". "Slide this on, I'll show you a few quick things." his arm extended with the shield held firmly in his grip. Once Septimus retrieved it, he continued with his descriptions, "The sword and shield style begins with a proper stance, the most common of which is the triangle stance. Keep the shield leg forward and the weapon leg back, this will blade the body, and reveal less openings. The bottom of the shield is left away from the body, while the top rests near the shoulder. By doing this, the shield is angled and will disperse impact and repel strikes by allowing them to slide down the angle. Unsheath your weapon. Now, hold with the hilt angled toward the rear somewhere close to the middle of your ribline, while the blade is angled toward the front, roughly to where your eyes touch the tip of the blade. This particular stance then forms a line along the blade, the edge of the shield, and the hips, making a triangle, hence the name." Suddenly Xalet pulled his own shortsword from it's sheath, while removing his wooden heater shield from upon his broad back in one brief motion. It was a practiced retrieval, one that had been replicated over years of Squire practice. Upon placing both his defensive and offensive tools in his hands, he assumed the triangle stance, giving Septimus a visual aid. "When you strike with a sword, you strike to cut, not to hack. Think of using a knife to cut a piece of food. Do you simply push down upon the food with the knife? No, instead you push and pull the knife back and forth, that is the difference between trying to exert overwhelming pressure, a hack, and creating linear pressure, a cut. So, when you strike with your blade, you will meet your target and then draw across it's surface." As he mentioned this, his sword whipped against Septimus' shield. The moment contact was made, Xalet's wrist bent slightly, cushioning the impact, and his elbow creased in order to create a streamlined cut across the front of the shield. "There isn't much to the beginnings of learning a sword, much of it comes from practice. When you can prepare the triangle stance quickly, and recover to it after attacking or receiving an attack, different strikes can be learned. For now, concentrate on cutting my shield, not hacking it." he said, tapping the flat of his blade against the edge of his shield. Already a few eyes began to settle upon the pair, not due to any exhibition of technique, but due to the size of the man and woman practicing. Septimus could tell, her height was greatly superior to several of the younger Squires, and quite a few adults as well.

[Septimus]

Septimus watched him grab a shield all the while listening to him speak. She took the shield from Xalet's large hands once he offered it to her. The shield was round and once she tested the weight by moving it with her hand, it felt light against what she was used to carrying and pulling. This shouldn't be so bad. She removed her sword from her scabbard, fingering the decorative hilt and doing as Xalet had instructed. She once again tested the weight of the shield and compared it to her sword. Both of which were about the same weight, but not exactly. Her sword was a bit heavier so she assumed that that was good. She examined the indentations and notches of the used shield then turned her full on attention to Xalet. Hmmm, triangle stance. Got it. She did as told and put the shield leg forward, letting the other slide about a foot behind as described. She angled the beaten shield as said then raised her sword to the preferred spot. She swallowed softly, but not out of fear, just out of habit before she did something big, then examined the small triangle she'd made although she was sure she didn't have it right. She almost never got things right on the first try. She examined his position then analyzed hers. Both were the same. A small piece of happiness grew inside but she knew not to get too over confident. She braced herself, unaware of what Xalet was planning on doing next. "But wouldn't hacking with a sword gain more power and deal more damage?" she questioned as his sword made contact with her shield. "That wasn't bad." she said, then examined the new mark on the front of her shield. "Well, the impact on me anyways." She got her sword ready for cutting as Xalet had recommended then struck in the motions Xalet had used barely leaving a mark. She sighed "I suck at this!" She huffed then looked at the mark Xalet left on her shield then looked at the tiny mark she left on his. "The tiny little mark I made is repulsive compared to yours! "But then again, you have had years of practice." She focused once more then braced herself for anymore blows.

[Xalet]

"More damage..." Xalet repeated her question, looming over those words. After she had struck he allowed his guard to relax in order to more properly answer her inquiry. "To understand damage you must first understand the body. The Syliran Knights hold province over the largest iron mine around, it is how they are the most heavily armored of any force. This as it is, a majority of the times should you fight, you will fight against those with little or no armor, not actual Knights." Inside, Xalet was confused of exactly how he should treat Septimus. She wasn't Human, but neither was Xalet. She wasn't truly a 'person' either, but philosophically Xalet wasn't exactly sure what a 'person' was. What exactly was a horse that became a Human? "The inside of you is very weak." he gestured toward her abdomen, pointing not at the 'soul' or core of her, but instead trying to verbally describe her organs, the phyiscal parts that made Septimus, "The things within your blood, the insides I mean. They are weak. The ouside of a person is strong, the things on the surface. The skin, the bones that touch the skin. When you hack, a blade can be stopped by these things, they will break and they will bruise, but all of the damage is outside. You can recover from that damage. When you cut, the blade parts the skin, parts the bone, and reaches deep inside. The damage outside is very small, but the damage inside is very big. When the weak insides are damaged with a cut, it is difficult to recover from that damage." Xalet leaned back a bit, attempting to judge the reaction to his words. He watched Septimus' face for signs of understanding or confusion, the simple fact however was that his teaching skills had a long way to go. He was simply a squire, trying to give another would be squire some information. It was best to give a demonstration, "I am large, but I use a small weapon." he mentioned as he waved her over toward one of the wooden training dummies littered about the grounds. The thing sat clumsily into the ground, hastily put back by another squire more than likely. A large sack of feathers, some sticking out at odd angles represented it's torso, while crude wooden beams wrapped with canvas were attached as it's arms. "To hack." Xalet mentioned briefly as he let his shield settle onto the ground with a clamor. With a motion he swung into the side of the post with his right hand, bringing his left, now emptied, against the back of the blade for added support. The overall force of the impact drove the post up from the ground and sent it toppling over completely. Leaning down to pick the training instrument up, Xalet took a moment to reorient the dummy back into the ground, a score lining the canvass where the edge of his blade had met, along with splintering in the wood, "It is visually impressive, but one can recover." "To cut." his method of attack was completely different. His arm lashed out, his hips swiveled, his body turned, but much of the attack was powered by finesse. The sound of the weapon striking the dummy's arm barely registered as half of the limb simply fell to the ground. Bending down, the Squire gripped the canvass 'sleeve' of the arm and pulled it up before giving it a toss at Septimus. "It is difficult to recover. But there is more to combat. Using great strength will tire the body quicker. Using less will allow you to fight longer. When tired fighting skill rapidly decreases. Mistakes are made, openings appear. You do not suck. You prepared the triangle stance quickly, and you hold your offensive and defensive hands in the correct places. Fighting is more than doing damage. It is footwork, it is balance, it is endurance. Take one more cut into the 'stomach' of the dummy. This is a common offensive combination. As you approach, you will bend the legs, this will lower the body and create a smaller target. You will then raise the bottom of the shield up into the middle of the dummy, this will push arms or weapons aside and 'screen' the view the opponent would have. From below this 'screen' you will stab into the body with your sword. It is difficult to block or dodge an attack you cannot see. Using the shield to block the view of an opponent before attacking is a very handy tactic."

[Septimus]

Septimus' head cocked sideways slightly as she was comprehending what he said. More metal, more armor. These words racked around in her head and he continued speaking. "Who would possess such idiocy to send their soldiers into battle with no armor? That's almost a certain deathtrap." She didn't understand people's logic sometimes. If you were to want to win, wouldn't you take all the precautions necessary to try and win? Something like making sure your soldiers had protection? This is what confused Septimus greatly. Watching as he gestured towards her abdomen her confusion about hacking slowly began to dwindle. So we're not aiming to deal brief damage. We're firing for long-term damage. She laughed jokingly "But wouldn't it all be the same if I just crushed them with my hooves? Can't get far with a ruptured liver." she chuckled but hinted it as just being a joke when her face turned serious once more. As his words continued she analyzed it very thoughtfully. She began to understand what he was saying clearly. His shield clamoring at the ground made her sensitive ears twitch back and every one of her nerves were screaming 'Stay alert!' but her human form seemed to be counteracting it screaming back 'It's just a shield!' Despite all this going on in her head she managed to stay focused on the practice dummy which her eyes widened with impressiveness as it toppled over. "Wow." was all she managed to say. She highly doubted that she could become that good. She was just supposed to be a war horse. One that helped the Knight, much like a tool. He cut at the dummy and she watched as the part of the wooden practice target fell to the ground. She couldn't help but smile when he complimented her footwork then as he explained what he must do she nodded thoughtfully "I shall try my best, Xalet." She prepared the triangle stance once more, placing the shield at the appropriate angle and facing upwards a bit. Her blade met the appropriate place as practiced then she slid her weapon foot back once more. Do as desribed all in one quick motion, she shoved the shield into the dummy's face then used her sword to come through and strike the abdomen of the dummy in a cutting motion. She turned her wrist as described and used once more another cutting motion as she thrust the blade upward, wedging in between the wood even deeper. This left a deeper and more effective mark on the wooden dummy than she suspected but it did the job fairly well. The wood was about halfway cut through the abdomen "Did I do it right?" This question was serious and she added her serious tone in a way that one would know she wasn't joking. She was proud of herself for actually hitting it with enough force to leave a mark this time. "You think if I hit that thing with my shield it'd break the dummy in half?" She judged the cut then looked at him questioning eyes.

[Xalet]

"There aren't many soldiers in the world besides us. It is appropriate that we train utilizing each other, but in practicalapplication, most of the opponents you will face will be lightly armored, or monstrous creatures with no metallic armor at all. Leather or hide is much more common." Xalet took the time to explain. Syliras had the largest iron mine and smithy around, but for the rest of the world heavy armor was not so easily forged or purchased, given the extreme cost. "You could crush them yes, if you were a horse at the time. It is important for a squire to have multiple options in both attack and defense however. This is why it is required for a squire to train not only in a weapon to be used at melee, but also in a weapon that can be used at a distance as well. Not because the Knights would rather slaughter opponents out of arms reach, but because there are opponents that are difficult to engage in a melee fight, such as ones that can use magic, or ones that can fly." "Yes, it was a successful attack. As you learn a new attack, you perform it in parts. The bending of the knees, the transition of the weight, the movement of the hips. When you practice a technique enough time so that you can perform it without thinking, this is when you will obtain 'fluidity in motion.' When you have this, the speed will come much easier." benting down momentarily, Xalet retrieved his shield and slung it back over his shoulder, allowing the flat to rest inbetween his broad shoulder blades. "We will have a more complete training session another time. Come, let us finish our task." Now Xalet had one more errand to complete. Later in the day he would need to return and replace the arm of the training dummy. Each squire was required to care for the training equipment and repair it as needed. "Each squire finds a set of weapon skills that they have talent with, it is important to find these weapons for you. Perhaps your favored weapons will be your hooves, but do not discount a crossbow, bow, or thrown weapon in a pinch if needed."

[Emblem]

Congratulations! You Get Glorious Experience! Xalet Skills Teaching- 5 XP Rhetoric- 3 XP Tactics- 3 XP Lores Initiating the Uninitiated Shield Technique: Screening Cutting vs Hacking Other Shenanigans: Nothing here. Septimus Skills Observation- 4 XP Rhetoric- 3 XP Tactics- 3 XP Philosophy- 2 XP Weapon: Broadsword- 1 XP Weapon: Shield- 1 XP Lores The Syliran Knights (Partial) Shield Technique: Screening Technique: Triangle Stance Hacking vs Cutting Other Shenanigans: Nope Comments : Really nice thread guys! Xalet, I think you summed up the gist of the order quote nicely in this thread. Hopefully all the skills and lores make sense you all. If not, well, PM me and we will get it sorted.