Of Knights and Forest Sprites (Markus Andres)

[Aello]

As Markus launched his initial, lazed attack, Aello side-stepped to the right, moving around his arms. Her eyes sweeping over his form, as her fists tightened their hold. Squeezing the life out of the wire whose trimmings were etching themselves into her flesh. Reddening that which had grown white with the heat of battle; with ware. As her eyes sought an opening, she did her best to keep her distance, until there was no way to keep on doing so. Having let the knight in, Aello could only remain on the defensive until her eyes found what they were looking for: a possibility. One which came with his offensive, with the threat of his dagger meeting her shoulder, Aello had to act quickly. She stepped forward, into the attack, casually raising her left hand to block. The tip of her dagger came against Markus' sheathed weapon. Lending its smooth sweep a ripple, a momentary pause, although it ultimately sailed past, ramming against the area just below her shoulder. For a moment, it registered, before the adrenaline bursts found in the battle, devoured the sharp stinging pain as Aello lowered her clean blade, returning it easily to her side. As she did so, her right hand shot up, sweeping under the one Markus had extended in his offensive. Should he fail to retract it swiftly enough, the flat of her blade would come up against its underbelly, likely about the elbow.

[Markus Andres]

A word that an honourable knight ought not even mutter, in the presence of the fairer gender soared through his mind as the agile opponent made her move. He had felt jubilation when he had connected with her shoulder. But it had turned to a grimace in the next moment as he felt cold steel slam against his elbow. A sharp pain jolted through his body. She must have hit the nerves directly, for Markus almost dropped his dagger in response. He quickly withdrew. Hopping back out to a more comfortable range. Markus had been too predictable for the girl. She could see through his attack and thus promptly responded to lashing out at what she could strike. His exposed limbs. Markus had not thought the girl fast or precise enough to pull off such attacks. Once again he was at awe at the skill level of this woman. The rigorous training she must have gone through in order to achieve such perfection with the dagger. Markus admired and hated her for it. He wanted to best her more than ever now. Markus felt his foot slide a little across the dry forest floor. He pushed off. Forgetting his own tactic of keeping a distance. It obviously didn't work for him. It was time for a change of pace. Change of style, to a style that somehow complimented his current mentality better. Markus found it a little discomforting how easily his style changed. No longer were his strike trying to be precise. His strikes were fast. Without style. Without finesse. Pure ferocity drove him forward. Hardly would he have missed the target before the dagger would reverse course and swing in again. Swings wild and powerful. Trying to overwhelm her defences with speed and ferocity. It was perhaps a better tactic for someone as uninitiated in the finer points of dagger fighting as he.

[Aello]

As the knight moved, the huntress moved with him. Shifting her body so it mirrored his own. Raising her hands one after the other when he raised and lowered his own weapon to block. Over and over again, metal clashed against metal. Sending sharp clangs into the air. As she moved, her chest rose and fell with increasing speed. Her breath caught in her throat as her arms began to grow sore, and then, almost sting, despite the lack of contact limbs made. "Come on knight, is that all you've got to show me?" Aello taunted, as she swept her stained blade up once more to avert another offensive move before he shifted, as though in response. Smiling wickedly, the girl met him again. Untarnished blades ringing as her feet slid across the ground. Shuffling their bodies closer, closing the gap that rested between them. As she moved, she followed up with the cursed blade, bringing it near the stopped daggers. Although, this, Aello assumed would come closer to striking, if only he didn't shift slightly in time, to block his shoulder area. OOCSorry this was delayed, I don't have power at home. Also, sorry it's lousy...

[Markus Andres]

Markus was fast... She was faster. Much faster. The timing on her blocks were amazing. Even with Markus' wild and ferocious attack patterns. Was he that easy to read or was she simply that good? As amazing as it was, it was as demoralizing that he could barely get a single good hit in. Markus bit his teeth tight together as she taunted him. Tied his tongue, not let her taunting aggravate him further. His breath became more laboured. His arms ached from the high speed movements. A fine layer of sweat covered his forehead. The dagger came in from the right, her cursed dagger was there. Blocking any advance he might have gained. He withdrew and stabbed out at her, gently redirected as only a master could do. His lungs demanded more air. His arms demanded rest. All of his body demanded time to rejuvenate. But his mind would not rest. Not until he had this woman beat. One way or the other, he would win. Her darned dual wielded fighting style made it increasingly difficult to even see any possible openings in her defence. In a way, it was familiar. Just like sparring with his master. Markus' attention was elsewhere in that brief moment. Aello closed the distance between the two and struck hard. Markus had never been a fan of retreating. It simply felt like going against his aggressive nature. Markus stepped forward. Accepting the girl's hand would strike his shoulder and the dagger would hit anything behind his shoulder. Perhaps slide across his back. Pain he was accepting for the time being. He grimaced, but kept his mind focused, adrenalin kept the brunt of the pain away from his mind. His left arm would shoot below her arm and wrap around her back and press her closer to Markus, as if in a close embrace. It was a reckless move, but he was getting desperate to a point of suicidal. The tactic behind this was simple. If he could lock her arms close to her body, he might have a chance at getting his right arm free and stab into the softer organs and achieve victory. But his blade was irreversibly caught against her dagger. It would take too long to try and wiggle it free of her control and she probably knew how to deny him that possibility. And time was not a luxury he could afford. For unfortunately, her right arm was free above his left shoulder, not trapped close to her body. Markus could feel this. Markus realized this and also realized that he could not win with that arm free. Rather than get stabbed to death by her free arm, Markus did something he rarely, if ever, did. "I yield." He said as clearly as he could with lungs aflame from exhaustion and demand for oxygen. Perhaps it was but a whisper he uttered. But the words were clear. But the two were so close that she could probably feel Markus' heart beating fast in his chest. Feel the warmth of his breath. She probably wasn't too fond of being embraced by a stranger like that. Even if Markus thought himself handsomer than the rest. Though he did not care much at that point. "Good spar, though." Markus said. Knowing his arms would be aching the next day. Still close to the woman. She would probably remedy that by shoving him away. But for now, it was good to have some form of support.

[Aello]

Whispered words crossed the distance muddied irises could merely make out. A few steps at the most. A shuffling of feet would be all it took. If not the tip of the toe. Pupils dilated, black coals widening as they smoldered. Running into blankets of white, through which miniscule rivers of crimson pulsed uneasily as the aurist's chest rose and fell rapidly. Her breath catching in the back of her throat as she continued to strain her system to keep up the fight. She could feel it tightening as her fists doubled their hold. Pale flesh pressing deeply into the black wire hilt of her blades. "You yield?" she whispered, as she listened to the beating of both their hearts. Felt her own hammering against the soft curvatures of ivory colored bone. Drumming out a tune each could no longer follow as they stepped around each other in the heat of battle. So slowly, it wound down. "Already?" Aello asked, as she almost reluctantly lowered her blades, returning them to her sides. "We've hardly fought half a bell." She paused, "nay, even a quarter of one," she added uneasily as she glanced up at the sun. At its position. "Judging from where Syna now lies," she whispered as she looked down at him. "It would seem we're both failing in endurance. The strength to continue." Again, the girl fell silent for a moment, as she licked her crackling lips. The dried fissures, from which a strip of bright red could be seen. "Even so, had this been a real fight, dear knight, you would now be dead." She shook her head lightly as a delicate smile crept across her lips, and a glimmer leapt into her dark eyes. Her deep mane of brown hair shifting as her swan's neck twisted lightly. Tickling her flesh, although she ignored it. Allowing her thumbs to glide lazily over the hilts of her blades as she considered. "It is not often one is allowed to yield in the heat of battle. To be taken prisoner perhaps, or left with a few scars to remember their opponent by." The huntress moved a few steps back. Twirled her blades lazily between her fingers before offering them one final spin before driving each home. Into their sheaths. They fell with a hollowed sound. Close to a graced ring, she supposed, but not quite. She smiled then, and dipped her head in slight before raising it. "It was a good fight," Aello added. "Perhaps next time, however, we shall last longer." OOCFeel free to post again, or turn it in. Your choice.

[Markus Andres]

His breath was quick, but not shallow. As he had expected. She had advice for him. Well. One should not call it advice. Rather, words of caution. Words he kept in mind. He would have no intention of showing such a poor display in a real fight. A small promise to himself. Still, her words stung. He was a professional soldier. And he was being schooled by a forest dweller. But he could tell that she did not spend all her time out here. Much too eloquent in her speech. His eyes went to the dangers in her hands. Very proficient with the dagger. More so than mere necessity would demand and far more than casual use. Was she a part of a different city's military force? Out on a scouting mission. Would explain why she had followed him. Mostly people tended to avoid strangers out here. Wilderness was a dangerous place. Markus pushed the silly thought aside. Her reason for not fearing strangers, was simple: The ease with which she wielded those daggers. So simple. Yet so deadly. "Mind you, I would not have yielded had it been more than a spar." Markus casually noted. He did not know what he would have done. Perhaps given her an awkward bear hug or tried to smack his forehead into her face. He looked at her facial features and considered it a shame if he had head butted her. Markus sheathed his dagger as well. Not in as fancy a way as she had, he would only cut himself if he tried to. But he couldn't stop being amazed by how easily she controlled those daggers. "Do you always take that long before you can finish an opponent? Or were you just prolonging the spar for my sake?" Markus asked quite seriously. He was glad the spar had continued. For he had noticed several mistakes he had made. But he had also noticed a difference in how he fought. He looked away from her and at the tree tops. Rather, through the treetop. Try and determine how far across the sky Syna had travelled. He would rather not be caught without a camp site when night came. He could worry about that later. Perhaps even ask Aello to join him.

[Aello]

A smirk crossed Aello's lips, lending a small glimmer to the backs of her eyes. "If you say so, Ser Knight," the huntress commented as she watched his handles fumbling with his own blade; returning it slowly to its sheath. He has no petching idea what it is he is doing, the aurist thought to herself as she stifled a chuckle, her pupils two smoldering coals, although they shimmered pleasantly as opposed to menacingly. "Dear knight, if this had been a true fight, you never would have made it this far. Or should I say, this close." Her lip inched up the right side of her face as her grin deepened. "Never close enough to get a good look at your opponent's face." The huntress fell silent a moment as she bent to retrieve her things, and strap them back into place. By the time she had her fist tighten around the familiar grip of her father's old bow, she found the knight to be looking up at the sky. "We have a few hours of light left," Aello commented rather absently as she looked off into the distance. Through the lines of trees. "There is still time enough to do other things, before we must turn in for the night and make our camps. Lest the forest creatures come close enough to get us." Again, the huntress chuckled. "So then, Ser Knight, what is it you would like to do while Syna still shines upon us?" Aello asked. "Unless you were planning to part now," with your tail between your legs.

[Markus Andres]

"I wouldn't be bothering with a dagger had it been a real fight. But I concede the point. Thank you for the spar, though" He pushed a hand through his hair. Observing the woman as she started to pick up her stuff again. Still impressed that her small frame had managed to overcome him in a dagger fight. He slowly shook his head at the idea. It was ludicrous in so many ways. But at least he had learnt not to judge a book by its covers. He scratched his cheek. Felt the rough stubbles from several unshaven days in the wild. He did not have long to contemplate her words, she did not appear to be the patient kind of woman. Pros and cons with that, but he figured he wouldn't be bored with her around. She was a wild card. He never knew where he had her. Surprisingly, the choice was easy to him. He would try and get her to stick around. Stave off the boredom of the wilderness. For despite his qualms with her aggressive personality and constant mocking, she was a lot more fun than hearing the wind rustle through the summer leaves. "Well... first I was planning on finding a suitable place to camp for the night. After that, I was thinking I would go hunt a little. Hopefully get some fresh meat or failing that, fruit and berries for dinner. You are of course more than welcome to join me in both endeavours. You might even teach me a thing or two about hunting while we're at it. For I am not much of a hunter. In return, I will provide you with my pleasant company, stories of my adventures and a good meal from my rations should the hunt fail." - A good meal... was the dastardly handsome knight a master chef in disguise...? Nope! He looked to the woman, waiting for a response. Hoping she would stick around and keep him company. Dreading she would instead choose to tackle him again.

[Aello]

"Although open, this hill is likely one of the better places. Nothing can sneak up on us from here, although, if you'd rather more cover there is a clearing a few hundred feet south of its base that should serve both our needs," Aello commented before pausing a moment. "And as for hunting, well, ditch that wretched armor your kind so seems to favor or you're like to scare away even the tiniest of bugs in the forest." She chuckled to herself as she began to descend, moving into the line of trees. Letting their broken limbs enshroud her as her fist tightened around her father's old bow. "Come Ser Knight," Aello called over her shoulder, although she never bothered to turn back and look at him. "A hare should be easy enough to find this time of year, and the meat on them enough for both of us with a few berries and a water skin on the side." She smiled weakly as she made a point of walking over the gnarled roots that reached for her; over fallen branches that would snap beneath, and leaves that would crackle, further giving her position away as her muddied irises scanned the beaten terrain. Looking for any tracks an animal may have left in its wake. For several chimes, her eyes searched to no avail. But after a while, she saw drags against the earth. Thin lines of dirt etched, with small gatherings of brown beads to either side. Something came through here in a hurry, the huntress thought to herself as she followed behind the marks. Stepping silently, slowly, to their side so as not to mar what little had been left. The path seemed to flow in a relatively straight fashion, although it'd hit roots and pause for a time, before cascading over. The occasional wood shaving lining the ground about. But they were wisps, scarcely caught it would seem, as Aello continued along, wondering what on earth could have frightened the creature so. Or perhaps, why it seemed to be in such a hurry. OOCI'll let you lead this part. You may want to get it done in a post or two though, this thread is getting a tad long.

[Markus Andres]

Markus was happy that the strange woman decided to accompany him on the hunt. It greatly improved the odds of him getting non-dried food that evening. He responded to her acceptance with a great smile. Even with her words being less than pleasant, Markus would not look a gift horse in the mouth. "The presence of a knight often deters would be bandits. If it be a creature of the wild, better to be warned early, than being caught surprised." He said as he removed what he wore of armour. It wasn't much, as even he felt armour was unpleasant to wear for extended period of time. As he undressed, he wondered if that had been the girl's plan. Have him show his superior physique. But as he threw a glance in her direction, he was a little disappointed that he wasn't even worthy a peek from her. He brushed the disappointment aside and instead focused on getting the olidosapux shortbow and a quiver with arrows. He moved the bastard to his hip, rather than his back, as it conflicted with the quiver. He soon followed the lady of the wilds. His black clothes did little to help him blend against the backdrop, at least until it got darker. But this being summer, that would still be a ways off. The huge knight was far from as stealthy as the, presumed, experienced hunter of Aello and not at all as stealthy. But he tried his best to keep his footing quiet and tried to walk in her footsteps, but where her lithe frame made a minor crackle, he in turn might as well have been beating a drum as they walked. - At least in terms of being stealthy. But he did notice, after a while, that the woman was following a track of sorts. It wasn't big, not like a deer or the likes, rather something as puny as a rabbit. The woman he trailed stopped in her tracks, and Markus, to avoid a collision, did as well. He pondered what she was looking at on the ground. For he had lost the trail a while back. "Would this be easier without me? I could go back to camp and prepare a fire for your glorious return." Markus said in a voice a little louder than a whisper. The woman had already, he assumed, shown him how to track, hunting was in essence just knowing how to track and then securing the kill.