Location Visiting the Storm Shrine [Ayatah]

New lessons in combat.

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Center of scholarly knowledge and shipwrighting, Zeltiva is a port city unlike any other in Mizahar. [Lore]

Visiting the Storm Shrine [Ayatah]

Postby Saraphina Skyglow on September 17th, 2014, 1:14 am

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Saraphina Skyglow



21st Day of Fall 514 AV


S araphina guided Abaccus through the gates of Zeltiva. The crisp air of the fall season made her skin glow a healthy rose color and the morning sun caused her Bloodbane to prance happily. The two had found a place in each others lives over that last few weeks. Saraphina groomed, fed and cared for the sorrel stallion and he in turned hadn't yet tried to bite or kick her, though there had been several times during their rides when Abaccus attempted to throw her from the saddle. Thus far, he'd been unsuccessful, but Saraphina knew it would only be a matter of time before her inexperience won out. Still, on this morning, the rider and horse were at peace with each other. The mid morning rush of the streets made the trip to the Strom Shrine a bit more hectic and Abaccus snorted aggressively when a cart drawn by a mixed blood horse rattled nearby. Saraphina tighten her legs around the muscular girth of her mount and turned her heels inward. She foolishly thought for a moment that she'd managed to keep the Bloodbanes viciousness contained. That was quickly proven to be false as the dark sorrel stallion suddenly lunged towards the cart horse. Saraphina cursed loudly as her seat on the saddle suddenly left the leather and she found herself airborne. Though sheer instinct, she managed to keep hold of one of the long reins even as her feet came loose from the stirrups.

H er experience from the numerous fights she'd been in prepared the Kelvic for the fall. She exhaled as her body headed for the cobblestone road, tightening her hold around the leather strap she held. The impact still hurt a lot, but she wasn't as stunned as she was really expecting. Abaccus suddenly jumped backwards, causing the arm holding the loose rein to be pulled uncomfortably and reminding the Kelvic that she was now off her mount. Growling around the pain in her back, she rolled up onto her knees. Abaccus was dancing around and people were wildly trying to get out of the way. Scrambling back to her feet, she quickly grabbed the Bloodbane by his bridle and pulled his head down. The battle of dominance lasted for a few short seconds before Saraphina ground out in a firm voice, "Enough!!" Abaccus's ears flicked forward and he stopped prancing about. Exhaling sharply through her nose, she looked around at the scene her energetic horse had caused. The cart was long gone, several people were glaring at her and one women had dropped her bag. A small child nearby piped up and innocently said in a loud voice, "Do it again!!" Saraphina felt her face turn several shades hotter as she waved to the crowd and pulled Abaccus along behind her. Shaking her head as she headed towards the Old Quarter, she looked over her shoulder at her troublesome horse, "I know you don't get along with other horses well, but can you at least try not to buck me off if you want to start a fight. You make it seem like I don't enjoy a good battle." The stallion waffled softly as he followed behind, but of course, he could offer no other responses. Shaking her head in amusement, Saraphina looked forward and saw the telltale lighting rod of the Storm Shrine sticking out above the city.

T he odd looking temple was set peacefully into the green foothills. The design reminded Saraphina heavily of the holds of Avanthal and she paused to study the architect for a few chimes. But her impatient horse nudged her from behind and she rolled her eyes. A small hitching post was set up near the temple and she was glad to see there were no other horses tied up. Removing the saddle and switching the bridle to a halter before tying Abaccus securely to the pole. Giving him a pat on the neck, the red haired Kelvic headed inside the temple. She walked pasted several statues that held small offerings and candles. Saraphina had no ties to the storm god which the temple was dedicated to, but she gave a polite nod to the idols anyway. Stepping out into the courtyards, she lifted her head and smiled at the bright sky. Looking around, she noted several wooden representations of weapons. There was one of a long sword, a staff, some sort of weapon that looked like two short sticks connected by a rope. This would certainly be a good place to learn to use weapons as opposed to her normal style of unarmed combat. Now she just needed to find the person she'd arranged to have as a teacher. Saraphina had heard of a young women that had been giving training lessons in the Shrine. Hopefully her message had been delivered.

Last edited by Saraphina Skyglow on November 13th, 2014, 1:17 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Visiting the Storm Shrine [Ayatah]

Postby Ayatah on September 20th, 2014, 12:40 pm

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It seemed Eyris was pushing Ayatah towards a life of teaching - something the half-Eypharian had not expected to necessarily want to do, but found herself keenly planning lessons all the same. She had spent the majority of her life hunting down pieces of information, always desperate to learn more, to know more. It was satisfying to be the one imparting knowledge and not the one seeking it.

Today was different. Today, she was training someone - and Ayatah liked to keep the ideas of 'teaching' and 'training' as separate in her mind. The former centred on books, and the verbal exchange of ideas and facts. The latter, however, was physically taxing whereas the other was mentally so. She would return later that day with aching muscles and sore joints, but an exhausted smile on her face.

Her student today was female - and this was all Ayatah knew of the woman. A letter had arrived at her door some days ago, requesting her services as a personal weaponry trainer. It struck Ayatah as a strange compliment; in Taloba, she would not be considered as worthy of the role of 'teacher', but apparently in Zeltiva her ability was impressive enough to deserve the title.

She readied herself briskly, dressing in her Myrian leatherwear with a simple coat on top. It was impossible for her to train whilst dressed in anything other than her cropped leather top and shorts - any additional layers made her feel restricted and unnatural. The cold winds of Zeltiva would nip at her bare skin, but the half-Eypharian would grin and bare it. Before she left, Aya tied her hair in a messy, but intricate, Myrian plait that was circled around at the top of her head. Wobbling her shoulders, she ensured that the 'do would not fall down when she walked, and with a final nod, Ayatah left for the Storm Shrine.

The wind howled and yanked at her as she made her way to the top, tugging at her coat and the leather satchel hanging on her shoulder. With a frustrated grunt, she dropped the bag onto the ground, wooden weapons inside clattering as they landed. Her obsidian eyes scanned the area, seeing only a small number of other people. She spotted another woman, with strange orange hair, looking as equally searching as herself. With long strides, the Myrian made her way towards the other woman. "Sarahpina? She extended her hand, a polite smile on her face. Introducing herself to others always made Ayatah feel cautious; they would either be intrigued or fearful of her. "I am Ayatah."

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Visiting the Storm Shrine [Ayatah]

Postby Saraphina Skyglow on September 22nd, 2014, 10:01 pm

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T he ginger girl explored the courtyard briefly while she waited for someone to approach her about the lesson she’d asked for. There weren’t many people around, just an elder man whom Saraphina figured must be a priest or keeper of the shrine as he was dressed in a loose white robe and a young boy who was armed with a broom and seemed determined to eliminate any trace of dirt from the wooden floor that trailed around the open space. Saraphina scuffed her feet a bit on the ground, stirring up a small cloud and making the young boy glare at her from under his messy bangs. The Kelvic turned away and grinned softly to herself. Her mischievous intentions were interrupted by the arrival on a young women who enter the area from the same door she’d come through. A quick glance over made her think that this was the women who’d received her letter. Saraphina could see the toned muscles on Ayatah that marked her as someone who knew how to handle themselves. The braided hair was a very interesting touch and Saraphina thought she noticed a slight glow to the women’s skin, but it might have just been the way the sunshine broke the darkness around the building. The dark haired women dropped a bag on the ground before approaching her. Saraphina nodded to confirm Ayatah’s question and took the offered hand in a firm shake, “Nice to meet you Ayatah, I’m glad you got my letter. Thank you for taking the time to tutor me, I must admit I feel a bit embarrassed about the whole thing. I can fight well unarmed but some of my companions suggested that having a weapon nearby might…I don’t know…make me appear more intimidating. In any case…it’s something I’d like to try.”

I f Ayatah was expecting a hostile or fearful response from the Kelvic girl, she would find none. As someone who both prided herself on her open mind and easy acceptance, Saraphina had little time for racism. Then there was also the fact that she knew next to nothing about most other races. Human was human as far as she knew. Certainly there were different cultures, but she knew nothing about the blood soaked Myrians, the nomadic Benshira or the horseclan of Drykas. And even if she did know of them, all would be equal in her eyes till actions proved otherwise. Even then, she wouldn't judge the whole race as bad or good, only the individual that she dealt with. So Ayatah's bloodline went unnoticed by Saraphina and only curiosity and friendliness was seen by the dark haired women.

S tepping back from Ayatah, Saraphina frowned as the wind picked up and tossed her hair around her face. Normally she wasn’t bothered by the long strands blowing about, but if she was going to be training and respectful of her teacher, attention would have to be absolute. Which meant that her long hair should be tied back. Running a hand through her hair, she gave the Half Myrian a sheepish smile, “I guess I didn’t think much about what was going to happen today. Do you by chance happen to have an extra hair tie I can use? I don’t want to be distracted whenever a wind blows by.” Saraphina gathered her hair into one hand and held it in place. She supposed if worst came to worst, she could always tie it in a knot and work out the snaggles later. Glancing over at the bag Ayatah brought, she figured she should probably give her new teacher a bit more information on what she wanted, “I’ve never used a weapon before. I am Kelvic and usually we fight bare handed or in our animal forms, so I really have no idea what kind of weapons are out there or what’s best suited for me. I prefer speed and agility over power. Anything heavy or cumbersome I probably won’t like. If I could combine a smaller weapon with some of my close combat skills it might be a nice combination. What about you Ayatah? Do you have a preferred weapon or something that you think I might good with?”

OOCKinda short, but we still need to get to know each other, so it’s a start. 


Last edited by Saraphina Skyglow on October 8th, 2014, 12:15 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Visiting the Storm Shrine [Ayatah]

Postby Ayatah on October 3rd, 2014, 7:15 pm

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Ayatah smiled warmly at the redhead's polite introduction. Customs varied so much between individuals that it was impossible to know whether one was meeting with a classy woman or desperate harlot. Thankfully, her latest student seemed to be definitely more the latter. "It is nice to meet you, too. Don't feel embarrassed. Zeltiva is hardly the place where someone needs to be battle ready." She swept a casual hand at the quiet scene surrounding them. At the other side of the shrine, someone coughed.

The issue with the Kelvic's hair, however, was somewhat less impressive. Nobody wore their hair long in Taloba, in the same way that nobody wore heavy clothes. Such things could slow a person down in battle, or limit their view. Aya herself had learnt how to tie her thick head of hair up and out of the way as a young girl, not bothering with the messy or lopsided appearance. It didn't matter about being fashionable if you were dead. "That's fine." She said coolly, hand dipping inside her bag and retrieving a small handful of wooden slides. "Though I would suggest you invest in some of your own."

As she waited for the other woman to fix up her hair, Aya wondered whether her previous brusqueness was a little harsh. She still found it difficult to separate the basic lessons that she knew from Taloba and applying it to the peaceful life in Zeltiva. Women could wear their hair however they liked; there were no Dhani or wild animals in the port city.

Not intending to come across as a complete she-wolf, Aya smiled. "I am much the same as you," she said, "I am not as strong as my maternal people, but I am quick like the Eypharians. I use a dagger, so I expect you'll like the same." Again, her dextrous hand unfolded her satchel flap and pulled out a wooden dagger. Handing it the Kelvic, she spoke again: "Real daggers are heavier than this, but the balance is quite similar. Obviously individual weapons vary a lot, so some daggers are shorter bladed, others longer. But this will be a good place to start." She retracted another wooden dagger; the twin of Saraphina's. "Shall we start?"

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Visiting the Storm Shrine [Ayatah]

Postby Saraphina Skyglow on October 8th, 2014, 1:08 am

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T aking the wood slides with a small look of confusion at the strange accessory, Saraphina twisted her hair into a messy but workable bun. Fiddling with the slides, she managed to figure out how to pierce the device through her thick mane and get her red locks out of her face. Smiling a bit sheepishly at Ayatah, the Kelvic answered in a lighthearted tone, "I will most defiantly make sure to get a few on my way out. Sorry for the trouble." Ayatah cool and business like voice gave the red head no pause or insult. She was used to being spoken to in a firm voice, her Mother often had to use the same tone of voice to keep the young girls attention.

A yatah's mention of Eypharians made Saraphina perk up a bit. She gave the dark haired half breed a wry smile and nodded in understanding, "You are of the desert. I met a girl like you in the summer, she was nice. She wore strange clothes and painted her eyes, but I liked her. Do you paint your eyes too?" The Kelvic happily took the wooden dagger from Ayatah. Testing the weight and giving the pretend weapon a few experimental swings, she decided that she did like the idea of using a dagger. It was small and light, making it easy to move quickly. She also only needed one hand to use it, which left her free hand available to use for punching or grabbing an opponent.

S hifting her feet a bit and taking on a more defensive stance, Saraphina nodded to Ayatah to show she was ready to try an attack. Unfamiliar with how to hold the weapon in her hand, she kept the dagger's pommel pointed towards her. Keeping the wooden dagger hovering around her lower gut and pointed towards Ayatah, Saraphina started to circle her teacher. Watching the center of Aya's mass to see if she shifted at all. Making a move, she lunged forward, stabbing the dagger towards the other women's gut. But Saraphina knew that a blind attack would not be enough. Ayatah was a fighter, otherwise she would have not accepted the offer to teach her. So as the Kelvic moved forward and attempted to land a hit with the wooden weapons, she also jerked her hand forward to try and strike her open palm on the bottom of Ayatah's chin which might knock her head back and give the ginger an opening.

Last edited by Saraphina Skyglow on October 13th, 2014, 3:29 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Visiting the Storm Shrine [Ayatah]

Postby Ayatah on October 8th, 2014, 10:08 am

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The half-breed almost choked when the Kelvic mentioned the desert-dwellers. Nobody - nobody - outside Taloba had addressed her as 'of the desert'. Her pureblooded clansmen, of course, knew all too well how different she was from a Myrian. Yet outsiders it seemed could only recognise the Myrian blood in her, and only a few noticed the glittering of her skin. "I was raised in the jungle." She informed the redhead, not rudely, but firmly. Her heritage was something Ayatah did not like to be mistaken, "my father was Eypharian, but I've never been in the desert myself." The idea of endless sand, even now, freaked her out.

It surprised Ayatah that the Kelvic was so quick to begin training. Part of the mixed-breed was impressed, but another - the more expert part - was amused. The attack was easily dodged; Ayatah twisted backwards, turning her body to the side of her student so the wooden dagger stabbed nothing but air. "You need to learn how to hold the dagger and move with it before you attack." She stated, a smirk on her lips. "Though I appreciate your keenness to begin. But if you push yourself too hard with a real dagger, the only thing you'll stab is yourself." Perhaps her techniques were a little slow and boring to begin with. But Aya came from a place where weapons were highly respected. All children were taught how to safely handle their toy blades, and all knew how dangerous it was to simply attack.

She held her own dagger up in the air, horizontal to the ground so Saraphina could see how it was held. "There are two main ways to grip a dagger. Forwards, like this. See how it points away from my body, with my thumb towards the blade?"[/b] Aya twisted her hand left and right, displaying the grip to her student. "This grip is the most basic, and allows you to swing your blade into a foe. It's easy to control, but not the strongest of attacks. And because your blade is pointing away from you, it's hard to defend yourself from a truly on-target attacker." Her hand swung backwards and forwards, left and right, in a few demonstrative examples. Her movements gradually sped up, until Ayatah was slashing at the air. "It's useful to use your other hand to counterweight your moves, too." This was also demonstrated, until Ayatah stopped cutting and her arms remained still, at her sides.

She nodded to the Kelvic. "Now you try. Stand yourself at an angle to me, making yourself seem smaller and harder to stab." The Myrian twisted her body in such a way, counter clockwise and away from the redheaded woman. "Don't try to hit me just yet, but just familiarise yourself with the movement and balance required."

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Visiting the Storm Shrine [Ayatah]

Postby Saraphina Skyglow on October 13th, 2014, 4:09 pm

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S araphina was a bit put of by how easily Ayatah dodged her attack. True, the ginger was unfamiliar with using weapons but she was still a skilled fighter. Still, after whisking by the dark haired Myrian, she whipped around to face her, somewhat afraid of a counter attack. None came as Ayatah looked mildly amused and calmly explained that she needed to learn more about the weapon before she attacked. But Ayatah did seem impressed with Saraphina's eagerness, so the prick to her pride was lessened. She still sniffed primly, miffed that her attempts were scoffed so easily by the golden girl, but the red head said nothing. As Ayatah gripped her dagger to show her how to properly hold the wooden weapon, Saraphina noted that her teachers hands looked rough and callused. Ayatah's fingers curled around the dagger with confidence. These were not the hands of a wealthy, pompous merchant that never touch dirt. These were the hands of a fighter, a warrior, someone unafraid to draw blood and endure pain. It made Saraphina feel better about her botched attack. Ayatah had clearly earned her skills, Saraphina would respect that.

A ttempting to mimic the hold Ayatah showed her, Saraphina tilted her head in an inquisitive manner as the Myrian spoke, "The jungle? Where is that? I've only ever been to Avanthal and here to Zeltiva. I was told about the desert, someone says it never snows there. I don't think I'd like that. But what's the jungle like?" Saraphina shifted her grip till it looked identical to Ayatah's. The Kelvic was surprised by how much more natural it felt to hold the wooden dagger in this way. Now she could feel the pretend weapons weight and easily twist her wrist around. Rotating her wrist to familiarize herself with how flexible she could be, Saraphina followed the Myrian's instructions. Turning her body to the side was a common tactic in combat. Making the target smaller and harder to hit was one of the key points to winning a fight. Stretching out her free arm behind her to help keep her balance, Saraphina moved the wooden dagger back and forth in a slashing motion. After several swipes, she speed up her practice swings, feeling an immense sense of satisfaction as the whistling sound the dagger made through the air as it moved. Stopping the slashing attacks, the Kelvic rolled up onto her toes and danced back, envisioning a foe coming at her. She pulled her arm back towards her body and thrust it outwards, stabbing at the air over and over, as though jamming the blade of the dagger into an opponent. Stopping the practice, she looked over at Ayatah, "How did that look? You are right, holding the dagger properly make it feel more natural to handle."

W alking back towards her teacher, Saraphina showed Ayatah the grip she had on her dagger so the Myrian could adjust her fingers if the hold was incorrect. As she studied Ayatah's fingers gripping her own wooden dagger, a small splash of black color on golden skin caught her eye. Focusing her better than average vision on the spot, Saraphina saw a marking on Ayatah's collar bone. The black spot looked like a set of....bones? That was odd, why did Ayatah have bone tattoos on her body. Saraphina had seen tattoos on other people, but she'd never been interested in getting one herself. The Kelvic wondered briefly if her teacher would be offended if she asked about the markings. Then she thought over it again and decided she didn't care if she upset Ayatah with her question. She was blunt and unafraid to ask questions, if the Myrain got upset, she shouldn't show off her tattoos. "Ayatah....why do you have bone markings on your skin? Do they mean something to you and did it hurt to get a tattoo done?" Saraphina shifted back a bit, prepared to back away from the women if she started to yell or something. It wouldn't be the first time the Kelvic's lack of social tact had gotten her into trouble.


Last edited by Saraphina Skyglow on October 13th, 2014, 7:51 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Visiting the Storm Shrine [Ayatah]

Postby Ayatah on October 13th, 2014, 5:24 pm

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A smile crossed the Myrian's lips at the Kelvic's question about her jungle home. Few people had actually stepped within the heady foliage, but everyone else whom she had spoken to knew exactly where Taloba was. It was not a bad thing that Saraphina didn't, though; in fact, Ayatah quite liked it. She would be most likely free of prejudice. "The jungle is in Falyndar. It doesn't snow there, either. It's hot, but different to the desert. Like a wet hotness" She considered how best to describe her home to the Kelvic. "There are trees everywhere, and it is... very, very different to here." Her voice almost cracked. Myri, how she missed the jungle.

The movements from the Kelvic caught her attention, and shifted it away from homesickness. Ayatah observed the redhead carefully, brows furrowed in concentration. Her black eyes scoped up and down, taking in almost every detail of how the other woman moved and slashed the dagger. "It looked good. You move on your feet very smoothly, quickly." She inspected the Kelvic's offered hand, tweaking the woman's fingers a tiny amount so her fingers were more evenly spaced down the hilt of the dagger. "I imagine that once you practise more dagger work, you'll be very good at moving yourself around your opponent. Which is half the battle in itself."

She enjoyed teaching; it was, after all, why Ayatah was chasing a career at the university. Since she was a girl, Aya had hunted knowledge like a wolf hunts its prey. Now, the tables had turned and she was delivering all those facts and stories to other, willing minds. It would be some years until she was a respected professor in the field, but for now Ayatah was more than happy to be a professor's assistant. The joys of teaching without all the papers to mark.

Once again, it was Saraphina that pulled Aya from her own imagination. She blinked, a little surprised at the question, but eventually another warm smile framed her lips. Nobody had asked her about those tattoos before, but that was not to say that Aya did not like to talk about them. "My clan name is 'the Scattered Bones'--" She said the name in Myrian first, then the Common tranlsation, "-- and one of the clan traditions is to get three miniature tattoos of bones in three random places on our body. It serves as a reminder to us that we are nothing more than a bag of skill and muscle, filled with bones. When we die, it is the bones that remain and so they are spiritual, important. They tie us to the land." The speech was well rehearsed, one that had been told to Ayatah thousands of times when she was child, but she loved it nevertheless. Even in chilly, civilised Zeltiva, Ayatah still carried the beliefs and messages of her clan. "And no, those tattoos did not hurt. This one, however--" She twisted to the side, revealing to Saraphina a thin black line that travelled up her waist-side and disappeared into the cropped leather of her Myrian top. "--hurt like Myri's wrath." A faint chuckled left her lips, one that was full of fond memories and good times.

Ayatah held up her dagger one again, this time showing Saraphina another grip style. "This is the reverse grip. Before, it was my thumb that was closest to the blade, but this time it's my little finger, see?" She twisted her wrist to demonstrate the hold, "This grip is good for dragging a blade across an enemy, when slashing a throat or opening someone's bowels. It's a stronger hold, too. Try it, and you'll see what I mean." She nodded to Kelvic, indicating that it was her turn to try again.

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Visiting the Storm Shrine [Ayatah]

Postby Saraphina Skyglow on October 13th, 2014, 9:11 pm

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T he image Ayatah's words painted of the jungle made Saraphina imagine a huge forest that constantly dripped dewdrops. It wasn't a bad image and the knowledge of a new land, Falyndar, was intriguing. She wondered briefly if her teacher wanted to return to her homeland in the same way Saraphina wanted to return to Avanthal. In time she would eventually go back to the winter wonderland, but for now....she had a lesson to finish. Ayatah's scent changed a bit as she spoke of the jungle, taking on a tingle of sadness and regret. As she practiced with the dagger, she questioned Ayatah, "
Do you miss the jungle? I feel homesick about Avanthal quite a bit. My Mother was of Skyglow Hold and I took her last name as my own. Its tradition among the Vanthian people. As my Mother is Vantha, I consider myself the same, even though I can shift forms."


A yatah's praise at her practice movement made the young ginger glow happily. She wasn't arrogant enough to think that she was an expert in using a weapon, but her experience in unarmed combat, the natural skill all Kelvic's seemed to be born with would certainly give her an edge on training a complete raw recruit. Saraphina was please to discover that she'd been correct in her first observation. Ayatah's hands were indeed worn with battle marks, though they were still surprisingly soft. The adjustments to her grip were memorized by the red haired Kelvic and a few more experimental slashes cut through the air. Saraphina bobbed around on her toes and gave the dark haired Myrian a smirk, "I think I may like using a dagger Ayatah. It's lightweight and I can still dance around an opponent naturally. It might be a good choice." Stepping back afterwards, she paid close attention to her teacher as the next lesson was given.

S araphina was quite pleased when Ayatah offer a tale of her family willingly, speaking about a spiritual belief of bones and how they were flung across the land. Nodding in understanding once the story was over, Saraphina added her own option, "Bones are the structure that make us, the foundation in many way and when prey falls, often only bones remain. Its good to remember and respect them. Many look at them and see a fearful structure. They forget that life and death flow hand in hand. That is the way of nature, the laws it holds above all else." When Ayatah lifted her shirt to show the Kelvic the tattoo on her right side, Saraphina leaned a little close to see it. An arrow shape, surprisingly detailed and long. Ayatah said that it had hurt, and she could see why. It ran over large areas of flesh and came close to some sensitive places. Saraphina didn't think she'd like to have something like that done to her body.

A yatah seemed to be done with sharing snippets of her past and moved back to the lesson. Saraphina smirked a bit figuring she could poke a bit more afterwards. The golden skinned women demonstrated a trickier hold on the daggers hilt, a grip that had the blade running along her forearm rather than pointed outwards and away from her body. It limited the motility of her wrist and made her have to rely more on swinging her arm rather than twisting her carpus joint. But Ayatah made a good point, the slashing move felt stronger. Saraphina could almost see an attack that would eviscerate a foe in the same manner her claws could in her Tiger form. Stepping back from Ayatah, the Kelvic practiced swinging her arm back and forth. She had to take care in the movements a few times, as she over swung and temporarily stumbled a bit. But Saraphina could also tell something else about the new hold she'd been shown. "This reverse grip.....its also useful as a blocking technique isn't it Ayatah? To knock aside other weapons because the blade falls against your forearm. You can use the strength of your arm and upper torso to deflect attacks, while using your free arm to initiate counterstrikes."

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Visiting the Storm Shrine [Ayatah]

Postby Ayatah on November 9th, 2014, 11:13 am

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Ayatah mulled over the Kelvic's first question. Of course she missed her family and friends, but did she miss the jungle itself? She supposed that the very fact she was having to ask herself the question indicated to Ayatah that her answer was no. But that seemed unappreciative of Myri's kingdom, and guilt nibbled away at her conscience. Her head tilted slightly, and Aya frowned as she considered her reply. "I don't know. Sometimes I do. When I feel frustrated, I wish I could stride into the jungle to be alone, but here there are so many people." She shrugged her shoulders before speaking again, "but other times I realise how much Zeltiva can give me. Taloba could never provide me with the knowledge and career I wanted. Do you want to return to Avanthal one day?" She hoped that the other woman would say no; it would certainly make Aya feel less guilty.

As the redhead slashed her dagger, Aya circled her slowly, black eyes scanning up and down her body to take note of her stance, arms and hands. Once again, she was impressed. Saraphina moved smoothly, as if her muscles were liquid and her bones jelly. "Have you ever danced before, Saraphina? Or perhaps acrobatics?" If the girl had good balance and was light on her feet, Aya guessed she would be able to master Myrian Fire dancing in no time.

But it was the redhead's statement about bones that truly impressed the half-breed. She smiled faintly, and the modesty of her smile hid the appreciation and admiration that swelled warmly in her belly. "You are the first person outside Taloba who seems to appreciate Bones the way I do." Saraphina had been correct when she'd said that most people regard bones as fearful. Many individuals who Aya had spoken to reacted in such a way when she introduced herself. "It is good to hear someone else say those words."

The Myrian demonstrated the reverse grip once more. With a flick of her elbow, she raised her arm vertically to block an imaginary attack. She nodded. "You're correct. By raising your arm in response to your opponent, you can block their attack or knock their weapon out of their hands." Her unarmed left hand tapped her wrist and then her elbow. "You must be careful, though. If you connect a joint to your opponent, you could fracture your bones."

Once again, she regarded the Kelvic before twisting her body, presenting Saraphina with her slim right side, leading with her dagger in her right hand. Her knees were bent, joints poised and limber and ready for battle. "You know the two most basic holds now, so let's practise them." A smirk came to her lips; she was clearly enjoying this. "You try to stab me, and I'll try to dodge or block. Take your time, though. It's important that you familiarise yourself with how your muscles move with the dagger." She demonstrated by reaching forward with her dagger in a forward-grip, poking Saraphina in the navel before retracting her arm away. "As you feel more confident, and become more on target, we can speed up." With that, Ayatah nodded, and shuffled herself left and right to become a moving, bobbing target. Should Saraphina move to stab her, Ayatah might turn left or right to dodge the dagger, or raise her left arm to block the jab. Other times, she allowed the wooden blade to touch her skin, and when she did Aya would watch the dagger carefully until it came in contact with her stomach or arm, as if measuring the pressure and accuracy with which Saraphina wielded it.

oocSo sorry for the delay! In truth, I thought I had replied to you a while ago but clearly hadn't. My apologies! :)

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Ayatah
The Scholarly Savage
 
Posts: 737
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Joined roleplay: December 27th, 2012, 11:30 am
Location: Riverfall
Race: Mixed blood
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