[Kendoka Sasaran] In The Mix

by **Razkar** on December 23rd, 2012, 3:40 am

Continued from here

30th Day of Winter, 512AV

"Students! You have a new arrival!"

To say that Razkar's arrival was received with hostility would be untrue: it was more like... prickly apprehension. Myrians had a fearsome reputation outside of their jungles, and few Akalaks either knew enough or had seen enough to think otherwise. Naked save for his loincloth, tattooed across his body, scarred, pierced and sullen-eyed, Razkar did not help matters.

But to his amazement, the moments of weariness and bristling uncertainty were just that: moments. Then they were gone, dispelled from the group of humans, Kelvics, Konti and Akalaks by the simple fact that their master and teacher Aqdas had spoken for him.

"This is Razkar. We have been sparring for a while, and I believe him ready to take his place in this class." He extended his arm to introduce Razkar, and a wave of bobbing heads greeted him. He returned them and stepped forwards. "So... continue."

Razkar noticed quickly that all the students were holding two weapons, just like him. Evidently dual wielding was not just for Myrians. At their master's word, the students paired off, couples scattered around the mats, and began sparring again. Razkar found himself opposite a pale-skinned Konti, who nodded curtly, and raised her weapons: two training swords.

He did the same, and they began.

The Konti struck out first, with her left, and Razkar was slower than he wanted to be in blocking. His hand ax jerked up and the weapons smacked together, but the Konti's second was already sweeping, no, thrusting-

-Razkar stepped back and batted the weapon away with his gladius, pulling back his hand ax and chopping at the Konti-

-who jerked her sword back to block the blow, just as Mizra had instructed-

-giving Razkar a moment to step further back, out of reach...

Male and female circled each other, unsmiling but eyes sparkling even in the well-lit hall. Razkar felt his pulse begin to hasten, feeling the familiar rhythm of combat beat and pound in his soul. His world was just this space now, just him, the Konti and their weapons.

Under the watchful eyes of Mizra Aqdas, he lunged forwards.

by **Razkar** on December 23rd, 2012, 8:31 pm

The Master of the Kendoza Sasaran knew that to devote too much time to one student or couple was favoritism, in a way, and he was not for that. It inhibited others and spoiled those in question. But his eyes wandered back and back again to the Myrian and the Konti as they sparred.

Promising. Not great, but... good. Both of them.

Razkar came forwards again, opening with a strike from his gladius, vertically this time, aiming for the Konti's head. The pale humanoid slid to her left and jerked her own wooden sword up, holding it flat, stopping the blow dead-

-already thrusting her second sword to Razkar's stomach, the Myrian swiping down with his wooden ax to knock it away-

-striking in at the same time, but the Konti swayed back.

Mizra watched the whole dance unfold with a growing sense of satisfaction. Both were learning well. Not just the movements, but the fluid nature of them. With two weapons between two fighters, a duel could flow in dozens of different directions and disciplines. Now double the number of weapons. Unpredictability and adaptability were necessary in dual-wielding, and his students were learning well.

Razkar let out a bark of pain as he blocked too slow, wooden sword crashing into his upper arm. But the joy of that minor victory distracted his Konti opponent, slowing her arm-

-as he stepped forward and thrust out his left arm at the same time, slamming the end of his gladius into the woman's sternum.

Now the Konti grunted, back-peddling slightly, but throwing himself back into the fray immediately. Razkar smiled, impressed, and with his arm still stinging, met his blows in the air between them.

by **Razkar** on December 23rd, 2012, 9:38 pm

The dance went on and on, but neither dancer slowed. Razkar rejoiced in the skill and tenacity of his opponent. The Konti displayed none of the disdain or disgust that his old one, the Akalak Omshev, did when he first sparred here. The Konti was focused and quiet, driven solely to better herself and not judge or belittle anyone else.

It made her much more challenging, and Razkar embraced the opportunity... and the pain it afforded him.

He grunted again, pain kissing him with stinging lips yet again as the Konti managed to duck down and get a blow in under his arm, tchwacking into his left kidney. He gasped in pain, sliding to his right, swinging wildly and getting out of range. The Konti's eyes blazed for a brief second, but she did not make the same mistake again, and backed up, weapons ready, for Razkar's retaliation.

Razkar did not make any. He needed a moment... and once he'd had it, he lurched forward again.

A blow from the right, blocked. The Konti followed it with a right of her own, both knowing Razkar would block it-

-and the Myrian followed it with a boot, lashing out at the girl's leg-

-only for her to twist her body sideways, dodging the blow, right sword sweeping down to smack the Myrian on his out-reached leg.

Razkar barked again, shin on fire, but fought through the pain as he had been trained to do for years. He went down to one knee but before it had even hit the ground he gave a short chop with his wooden gladius to the back of the Konti's wrist, knocking it numb and seeing the sword fall from her hand to the mat.

If your opponent wields two weapons, you should wield two, or none at all, Razkar thought in a flash, remembering what Mizra had told him a whole season ago after he'd sparred with Rykanis. The Akalak had wielded two lakan to Razkar's one ax, and thus dominated the entire duel.

Through the pain in his side and his leg, Razkar grinned, showing sharpened teeth. Time to find out what that felt like.

He sprang forwards and now the Konti was on the defensive, but she was no lamb to slaughter. Her remaining sword slashed and jerked from side to side, blocking Razkar's blows time and time again, but she backed up, losing ground, the initiative-

-until she stopped another blow and gave the Myrian a short, sharp right jab to the jaw.

Stars and black threads filled the Myrian's eyes and with an almighty whack his hand ax was knocked from his grip, clattering to the ground. He blinked and his vision grudgingly returned, just in time to grasp his gladius with both hands, jerking it up to stop a vertical slash from braining him-

-the weapons met and his hand jerked out, grabbed the Konti by the collar of his shirt and ripped her forwards-

"Stop!"

by **Razkar** on December 23rd, 2012, 10:09 pm

His headbutt stopped in mid-air. The Konti's expression went from surprised to resolved to quietly relieved all in mere moments. All around them frantic feet and clashing weapons paused, then started again when they realized that the Myrian and the Konti were the subject of those words, not them.

Razkar found himself panting. The world returned to him, wider than this mat, this enemy, these weapons...

No, he corrected himself, reining in his bloodlust, opponent. Not enemy; opponent.

He let go and stepped back. Mizra stopped in the space between them, looking to the Konti first.

"Impressive, young Evandil. Your ability to improvise is increasing with every visit. But next time, try to grab a second weapon before anything else." His eyes flashed to Razkar for just a moment, as if sharing a private joke. "When your opponent has two weapons, you'd better have two. If not, you retire or you... use less-than-honorable tactics."

Razkar crushed a smirk. Kevlar would have done the same thing. He knew damn well that in real combat, where lives, not pride or medals were on the line, honor was a joke that wasn't even paid lip service to. Warriors knew that fair fighting got you killed. Survival was what you won in a fight to the death. How you survived was irrelevant.

"Yes, master."

Razkar nodded so low it was nearly a bow, giving his opponent the proper respect. Unlike the arrogant Akalak he'd fought a season ago, Evandil returned it equally, a playful smile touching her lips as he picked up her fallen weapon.

"Tricky, aren't we?"

"I try."

"Yeah." Evandil said, massaging her sore wrist. "You do. Good journey to you, Myrian."

"And to you, Konti."

Evandor left the mat and Mizra turned to the Myrian, slightly more critical in his appraisal. Razkar tilted his chin up a little, ready for whatever was said next.

"Much improved, Razkar. You started simple and worked your way to the more complex. But mind your grip next time, and don't be so quick to lash our with feet and fist. You saw how easily they can be struck, and how exposed they make you."

The towering Akalak then stepped closer, deep, aged eyes boring into the younger man's from two feet and two hundred years. His voice dropped lower so it was heard only by by them.

"And control that lust in your soul, Razkar. You know of what I speak. A fire I see, always flickering, just waiting for you to feed it. In battle that will aid you, but only so far. Better to think than rage; remember that. It is, ultimately, a weakness, and of all weaknesses, it is the easiest for an enemy to exploit."

Razkar felt his heart beat drop from racing to plodding at the master warrior's words. Was he truly so transparent, or was Mizra just that wise? Was it both? But before he could say anything, Aqdas extended a hand, and on instinct he shook it.

"Good journey, Razkar."

"Thank you... master."

Mizra turned and left the Myrian. Razkar walked to the entrance, returned his wooden weapons and reclaimed his own, along with his clothes. By the time he had dressed and dropped the usual ten gold mizas into the collection box, Mizra was already sparring with two new students, fighting both at once without even a bead of sweat on his brow. Razkar marvelled at his grace, his fluid movements and discipline...

And the mind behind them, he told himself as he clutched the handle to the door, that's what makes him truly unstoppable. Power and grace and skill are one thing. But knowing how and when to use them...

Razkar opened the door, new lessons locked away in his head, and braced himself for the bitter winds of Winter.

RecieptTraining: 10gm.0sm.0cm
TOTAL: 10gm.0sm.0cm