Flashback Blades Of The Akalak

[Riaris Dovukalis]

Summer 505 AV
Solo

The Kendoka Sasaran, a place the Akalaks of Riverfall knew well. It was the best training dojo in the city for armed combat. Riaris was one of the many that came there to train since a young age, and continued to do so. On this day, the young Akalak headed inside where the buzz of the dojo greeted him once again. It was normal to find the mats full, combats taking up the size of the place for hours to go. Arriving earlier gave one no more chances of finding a spot then if they arrived in the evening.

Still Riaris showed up during the earlier bells of the day and entered the dojo where he was greeted by Mizra Aqdas. The massive Akalak stood much taller than he, and was almost twice his size. However Riaris wasn't intimadated by this at all. Mizra Aqdas was a teacher, and beyond his accomplishments in the past, he was a teacher now, and the young Akalak looked to him for wisdom and training to better his own skills.

"Young Riaris...welcome back." Mizra Aqdas said loudly, his voice deep and booming.

"I'd like more training, my blade skills are lacking at best.." the young Akalak replied.

"So you'll be looking to train in Lakan then?" Mizra Aqdas asked as he escorted Riaris inside and over to the racks that contained the wooden weapons stock.

"No..I want to attempt the two-bladed sword again." He stated firmly, then reached onto the rack to pick the desired weapon.

Mizra Aqdas smirked, recalling the first time that Riaris had attempted to use the weapon. The Akalak had learned something of the weapon's use, but was far from able to use it correctly. True it was better to learn one weapon well first before attempting another, but it was just as smart to test other weapons to see if there is one that could be better suited. Riaris would continue to improve himself with his lakan, but he also wanted to work with the two-bladed sword and see if he could truly handle such a unique weapon.

Riaris took the wooden two-blade weapon into his hands and tested it's weight. He then stepped out onto one of the empty mates and slowly moved the weapon around in his hands to get a feel for it. The weapon was well balanced, but it's true balance was in that of the wielder. The young Akalak moved about with the weapon in his hands, slipping from side to side, then thrusting the weapon forth, with his body angled to the side of it so that he wasn't stabbing himself with the other end of the blade that was closed to him.

"I see that you remember what you learned for your first attempt at using it. Keep it up that will do you well once you're ready to move on to trying the real thing."

Mizra said as he observed the man's movements. Riaris smirked, gripping the handle of the blades firmly within both hands as he held it outward, and attempted a vertical slash across the air. He stood back and attempted the move again, only this time he turned his body in after the first strike and spun on his heels to bring the other side of the weapon into a sharp swing.

[Riaris Dovukalis]

Mizra watched as the young Akalak handled the blade and whirled it around with all the gracefulness of a child. It was to be expected, one had to learn to wield a weapon and one of that size was much harder to get used to. The two-bladed sword was more than twice the size of a lakan. The weapon was created with a long sword mounted to each end of an extended handle. The weapon was made to be handled by two hands, as the lakan was only a dagger to be held in one.

"Well, I think that you are ready, let's begin." Mizra said firmly as he moved to the weapon's rack, and took a wooden longsword for himself and stepped back onto the mat.

Riaris glared at him, shifting his weight to balance between both legs, as he turned the handle of the weapon and spun it around. He took in a breath and tightly squeezed the handle with both hands as he moved forward. Mizra smirked at his young pupil and offered him a bit of advice before starting. "Don't hold it too tightly, wouldn't want you to injury your wrist." He nodded to Riaris then, lifting his wooden blade as he prepared for the spar.

Riaris was ready, and moved in taking a light swing at Mizra's leg. The much taller and wiser Akalak easily blocked and stepped in with a jab towards Riaris' stomach. The young Akalak blocked, lifting up his weapon to where the wooden object struck at the handle between his fist. A rookie move to be sure, but Riaris was a long way in his training. He moved on Mizra, attempting a high swipe with one of the blades, and then turning the other end on the Akalak to try and surprise him.

Mizra stepped back, using his longsword to block both attempts. "Again Riaris, put your body into it, own your weapon, don't yet it own you." Without a nod, and a somewhat grunt, the young Akalak did just that. He moved against Mizra swinging his blade wildly against his shoulder. Mizra slipped to the side to block it and swinging his sword against it hard enough to almost cause Riaris to lose it. The young warrior stumbled as he fought to catch his weapon, only to turn with it and find Mizra already striking at him again.

He doubled back, attempting to sway his body in the opposite direction of the longsword's slashes. Riaris lifted the blades higher, able to block a few of Mizra's strikes, before taking a hit to his shoulder and ribs.

"You have to be faster young one, strike then block." Mizara commanded.

Riaris frowned, tightening his grip on the handle as he rushed in, swinging the blade wildly in the air, and turning his body along with it to allow the blade to sweep on both sides. Mizra smirked, his eyes narrowed as he stepped back and slashing against one of the blades then bringing a stiff foot to the Akalak's back. Riaris stumbled forward again, quickly turning around once he realized how easily he was just out done. "Again!" he said firmly as he moved against his teacher for another swing.

[Riaris Dovukalis]

Mizara nodded, rotating his longsword with his wrist and preparing for another attack from Riaris. "You need to concentrate feel your weapon and use it as an extension of yourself."

The young cocky Akalak grunted and stepped forward, he moved lightly on the flat of his feet, knees bend slightly. His pale eyes focused on his opponent and he watched his limbs trying to anticipate his next move. Riaris stepped to one side, and swung the blade vertically towards his opponents mid section. Mizara turned his blade to block the shot and readied to attack with a swing of his own.

"An extension of myself of my arm...fair enough."

Riaris blocked the longsword, turning his weapon in a slant as it crossed with Mizara's blade. Whether Mizara was impressed by anything that his young pupil did, it did not show in his features. The Akalak was focused, his mind on helping Riaris to become stronger, and he wasn't about to slack off on him. The young Riaris turned the two-bladed sword on his mentor, swinging low with one side, then turning the blade in a downward sweeping motion towards his shoulder with the other end.

Mizara's easily blocked both attempts and brought his long sword down on the boy's shoulder. Riaris was learning the weapon, but he was still to slow and clumsy with his attempts. He jumped back then, attempting to reset after taking a blow to his shoulder, and found himself taking another step back, as Mizara dashed in with his own attack. The bigger and much stronger Akalak reigned down with a flurry of strikes with his longsword, slashes coming at Riaris' shoulder, chest, and thighs.

He doubled back again, turning the two-bladed weapon horizontally as he tried to block the in coming strikes from Mizara. In a sudden and bold move, Riaris slipped closer, swinging wild with one end and to the other at Mizara's blade. The teacher blocked the spinning blade from side to to side as quickly as Riaris struck but leaving himself open. Seeing this, Riaris turned into a spin and brought the weapon across his chest as he readied to swing it around at Mizara's ribs.

Sadly he was too slow, and the wiser Akalak saw his move, and shoved his foot into his back before he could even finish the turn. Riaris grunted as he was suddenly forced into a forward tumble. He turned around just as Mizara closed in on him, swinging his longsword between his arms and knocking the two-bladed weapon away from him.

"You still have a lot to learn."

[Riaris Dovukalis]

Riaris glared up towards Mizara, then turned on his side and rolled his body towards the direction that his blade had slid to. Once he was close enough he snatched the weapon from the floor and turned around, to find Mizara coming towards him with a downward swing. Again Riaris turned on his side, this time rolling himself away from his opponent.

His speed was still slow, and he didn't roll very far either. Once he rose back to his knees, he found Mizara already upon him, with yet another downward slash. The young Akalak quickly swung his blade upward, the middle bar catching the wooden blade of the long sword before it could reach him. Mizara stared down at Riaris, he could clearly see the frustration in the young man's face.

"Take it slow, think about what you're doing. It will take time to learn, and you must adapt to this new weapon. As this moment, you are letting your actions guide your thoughts and you're moving around without thinking of what you're doing."

He stood back then, allowing Riaris to get to his feet again and prepare. He huffed then, standing up with a growl-like grunt. He looked weak in front of Mizara, and that brought on another lesson that he was far too proud to listen too. Still he would calm himself and take it slower. No more fancy attacks, or clumsy dodges. He would take it slow and steady. Riaris held the handle of the blade firmly, but not too tightly. He balanced the weight with his arms rather than with his wrist only.

When Mizara was ready, Riaris stepped forward, swinging left with a blade and putting his body into it while planting a foot behind his swing. Mizara blocked the swing, and Riaris quickly turned the other end forward and swung the blade on the opposite end, and as he had done before, lifting a foot and planting it forward to keep himself balanced and he swings less wild. Mizara continued to block the attacks, but there was a smile on his face, the boy was learning.

[Limey]

Skill and Lore Rewards Skills Lore Sword 4 Lore: The Kendoka Sasaran Observation 3 Lore: Mizra Aqdas Acrobatics 1 Balance Is In Wielder, Not Just Weapon Grip Is Important Own Your Weapon Be Creative In Combat Additional Notes : Pretty straightforward and well-written, all-in-all. I noticed a few spelling errors (there's only one "a" in "intimidated") but aside from that this was a solid training thread that played Riaris' skill level very well. You're keeping his cocky, brash attitude very consistent, too, but at least you have given him enough depth to learn from his mistakes. Any questions or queries, please PM me.