[Tuvya Sasaran] Blind Discipline

by **Aoren** on April 4th, 2015, 5:35 pm

15th of Spring, 514 AV

The sounds of men and even some women grunting with exertion reached Aoren’s ears as he stepped into the Tuvya Sasaran. There in the entrance he could see students being instructed by teachers, some people were sparring against each other and even some training with wooden practice dummies. Aoren let out a breath calming his nerves. He was among warriors now. These were men and women wholly devoted to turning their bodies into weapons and it was evident. He took a step inward then noticed the assortment of shoes and boots lining the entryway. Not hesitating he pulled off his boots and socks before stepping further into the room.

“May I help you?” Aoren’s gaze came to rest on an Akalak man with dark blue skin and the powerful build of a disciplined fighter. He stood quite a bit taller than Aoren with his hands clasped behind his back, feet shoulder width apart.

“I have come to learn, if the Tuvya Sasaran will have me.” He stumbled through the pronunciation of the words unfamiliar with the language of the Akalak. The man’s lips twitched slightly, the barest hint of a smile.

“Come with me.” Aoren followed the man through one of the hallways off to the side until they came to a set of sliding doors. The Akalak opened them ushering Aoren inside. The room was empty though he could still hear the struggles of the other students. He stepped into the room going a little ways inside before turning to face the Akalak.

“Please remove your shirt.” Aoren nodded reaching down to grasp the hem of his shirt. He pulled it up over his head then folded it neatly. He handed it to the Akalak as he reached for it who placed both Aoren’s and his own shirt in a corner. When he returned he pressed a hand to his chest then extended it to Aoren.

“I am Zeklan.”

“Aoren.” Zeklan nodded crossing his arms over his chest observing Aoren for a moment.

“Before we begin your formal instruction, I am going to take a measurement of your skills as they presently stand.” The Akalak dropped into an offensive stance motioning for Aoren to do the same. Aoren admitted he wasn’t expecting such a straightforward jump right into training but he did as he was told. He spread his legs shoulder width apart sliding one slightly to the rear then lowered his hips bringing up his arms adopting a less forward stance geared more toward defense. Zeklan seemed to take a moment to consider this then sprinted forward bringing up a leg in a lightning fast kick. Aoren was nearly caught off guard by the speed of the attack. He barely had enough time to bring up an arm to defend himself. As soon as the flat of Zeklan’s shin slammed into Aoren’s flank the Drykas was nearly dropped to a knee.

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by **Aoren** on April 4th, 2015, 5:37 pm

He had no time to recover as Zeklan dropped his leg and jabbed with one of his fists. Aoren managed to duck out of the way jumping to the side but Zeklan was in hot pursuit. The Akalak warrior performed a roundhouse kick that Aoren was completely unprepared for. It crashed into his side sending him sprawling to the ground. The wind was knocked out of him but he couldn’t dally. He rolled away from Zeklan but the Akalak jumped the distance landing on the other side of Aoren. As soon as Aoren managed to prop himself up on a knee a foot was pressed to his chest knocking him flat onto his back.

Aoren was amazed. He lay there breathless with the Akalak standing over him having completely bypassed every ounce of skill that the Drykas man possessed in the way of physical self-defense that he had. Zeklan had ended the fight quickly and decisively. The Akalak removed his foot from Aoren’s chest then extended a hand to him. Aoren accepted the hand feeling a little ashamed and embarrassed at how quickly he was defeated. Zeklan clasped his shoulder giving him a nod.

“I don’t think I’ve ever been so outmatched.” Zeklan smiled. It wasn’t cocky in any way. It was understanding, even sympathetic.

“It told me where we need to begin with your training.” Aoren cocked an eyebrow as he was lead to a mat with a nearby bucket of water with a ladle. Zeklan helped him to take a seat gesturing to the water. Aoren dipped the ladle into the water drinking from it. He passed it to Zeklan who took a seat across from him.

“You’re a defensive fighter. You avoid direct confrontation attempting to evade and redirect the force directed at you.” Aoren was impressed. Zeklan had learned that much in just a match lasting perhaps only a chime?

“You are not wrong.” The Akalak crossed his legs resting his hands atop his knees.

“You have some skill in fighting but your movements are predictable. They’re rough and unrefined but I can tell you’ve got a solid foundation. You simply do not yet have the skill or confidence in your own body to use it effectively.” Aoren felt incredibly humbled. The only thing he could do was nod. He’d heard some of the stories about the Akalak’s devotion to training and honing their bodies as living weapons. He hadn’t ever faced one such Akalak before though. Zeklan offered Aoren another smile.
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by **Aoren** on April 4th, 2015, 5:40 pm

“If it is confidence and ability that you lack then that is what we shall focus on.” Aoren chuckled.

“Do you think we could take it a little slower this time?” Zeklan laughed nodding.

“Of course. I am not here to belittle you. I am here to teach you and show you where your skills are.” The warrior rose from the mat going over to a shelf. He picked up a strip of black cloth then returned to the mat extending it to Aoren. Quirking an eyebrow, Aoren accepted the cloth.

“A blindfold?” Zeklan inclined his head.

“I will teach you how to have faith in your own abilities. To be able to feel the fight, sense your opponent’s motions even before they make them, feel around you even as you feel yourself. That way when your eyes are open you can see that much clearer the motives of your opponent. If you will learn from me that is.” Aoren’s brow knit together. He looked up from the blindfold giving Zeklan an inquisitive look.

“What do you mean?” The Akalak folded his hands in his lap.

“If you do not feel as though you would be able to learn from me to your full extent, we can find a different teacher for you. It is as I said, we are here to teach you not humiliate you. If you feel you cannot comfortably learn from me then we will find someone you can learn from.” Aoren considered it for a moment. Zeklan had been nothing but forthright and honest since even before they exchanged blows. In that brief spar Aoren had felt completely outclassed but the strikes that had crashed into his body hadn’t been so devastating that he couldn’t recover quickly. He was winded but he wasn’t beaten despite the obvious fact that Zeklan could have seriously injured him. That told him that the Akalak had restrained himself. He shook his head.

“I would learn from you, Zeklan. If you would have me as a student?” Zeklan nodded.

“Then so long as you learn from me, you will call me Teacher.” Teacher. It had been a long time since he’d referred to anyone in that manner. He was filled with thoughts of a grouchy old man with decades of wisdom and a heart filled with more warmth than his gruff exterior let on. Was this the gods telling him that it truly was time for him to move on from such painful memories? Aoren found himself unable to speak as he closed his hand over the blindfold. He simply nodded.

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by **Aoren** on April 4th, 2015, 5:42 pm

“Fasten the blindfold around your eyes.” Aoren did as he was told covering his eyes tying the cloth behind his head snugly enough so that it wouldn’t fall away.

“First we shall meditate. You will focus on your body. Before you can hope to sense, to feel the movements of your opponent you must first have absolutely mastery over yourself. Know yourself and with time then you shall know others.” It was a philosophy that Aoren could relate to on a primal level. It resonated with him from somewhere deep inside of his body. The words felt right and he wanted to embrace their meaning to the fullest. He adopted a meditative pose crossing his legs, straightening his back and rest his hands in his lap with the palms facing skyward. He could hear the shouting of other students. He could hear the words of other instructors seeing to their training. Zeklan’s voice cut through the background noise.

“Focus on me. Hear my words alone.” Aoren gave no outward acknowledgement but he worked on tuning out the noise from the background. Meditation came naturally to him but even he was not perfect. He inhaled slowly finding an even rhythm for his breathing. Aoren did not focus on blocking the noise. Instead he directed his attention to the sound of Zeklan’s breathing that it might be brought to the forefront of his awareness. The rest would fall away as instead of blocking it, it simply faded away. It took a few breathing cycles but eventually he could hear the steady inhale and exhale of someone seated in front of him.

“Normally in meditation the point it to separate yourself from your body. I want you to do the opposite. Become aware of it from the simplest intake of breath to the beating of your heart.” The words were easier said than done. For years Aoren had done the exact opposite. He’d tuned out the world focusing on the abstract instead of the physical. Still he would try. Aoren turned his thoughts toward the feel of his body. He felt for the expansion and contraction of his chest as he breathed. He felt for the dull ache in his muscles from where Zeklan’s leg had impacted his side.

He felt for his muscles themselves. It was a challenge to change the way he perceived his meditations but it wasn’t impossible. The principle of calming himself, of gaining mastery of himself was still there it was simply redirected. Aoren felt a shift in the air around him. It was a vague acknowledgement signaling to him that Zeklan was moving. He heard the Akalak warrior’s footsteps but after a short distance all Aoren could tell was that he had moved away from his immediate vicinity. That was until Zeklan spoke.

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by **Aoren** on April 4th, 2015, 5:45 pm

“Come to the center of the room. Follow the sound of my voice.” Rising to his feet Aoren turned in the direction of where he’d heard Zeklan speak. He lifted an arm out in front of him to ward off objects that he might bump into purely out of instinct.

“Lower your hand, Aoren. Sense the world around you. Do not distract from that ability by limiting yourself only to physical touch.” Lowering his arm, Aoren focused on Zeklan’s voice. In the relatively quiet of the room he searched for the sound of the man’s breathing. It was difficult to manage. The meditative state that he’d managed to fall into somewhat before was gone. The noise of the rest of the Tuvya Sasaran impressed upon his sense of hearing. He came to a halt redirecting his focus working to tune out the noise and concentrate only on what was before him. It flittered across his hearing very slightly. He heard a small intake of breath followed by a steady exhale. It was faint but Aoren followed it through the darkness of the blindfold. He took several steps to his right following a hunch until he felt a hand press to his chest. It was sudden and Aoren flinched slightly as he was touched unexpectedly.

“This is…this is more difficult than I thought it would be.” Zeklan chuckled. Aoren was grateful that it seemed his teacher at least had a sense of humor.

“Many do not realize how dependent upon their sight they truly are. I aim to teach you that there is more to the world than what you can see. There is always what you feel, what you believe. When you have mastered that then you will have mastered yourself.” Aoren felt Zeklan step away.

“Adopt your fighting stance.” Aoren angled his body sliding one leg slightly to the rear bringing his arms up tucking both at his sides.

“You have never been formally instructed in hand to hand fighting, have you?” Aoren shook his head.

“No, Teacher. I have not.” He felt as if there was some dim acknowledgement in the air before hands grasped his wrists.

“This stance makes you predictable. You are telling your opponent exactly what you intend to do before you do it. You are going to defend and observe. A skilled fighter will take advantage of that by remaining unpredictable. That way you cannot form a defense fast enough to observe him.” Zeklan lowered Aoren’s arms. He pressed a hand to the small of Aoren’s back nudging him into an upright position.

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by **Aoren** on April 4th, 2015, 5:48 pm

“It is good that you want to balance the weight between your legs but your stance is too wide. You put yourself at a disadvantage. Limit your movements to what is precise and necessary to both attack and defend. Precision is what is important. You can inflict harm and redirect it without having to stage yourself for such impact.” The concept was foreign to Aoren but then again he had no formal instruction in the way of hand to hand fighting. Everything he knew he’d learned through trial and error not under the watchful eye of a true martial warrior. Zeklan helped Aoren to straighten his back while moving his hips into place. His knees were bent slightly and with a tap of his foot at Aoren’s heel, Zeklan made Aoren tighten his stance. It put a strain on his thighs that he wasn’t quite accustomed to. It must have been obvious to the Akalak.

“We will have to work on your lower body strength.” Aoren nodded. He was already beginning a training regimen at Gideon’s Glory but he would follow what instructions his teacher gave him.

“I am going to give you a series of motions to go through. With the completion of each set I want you to take a step in my direction.”

“Yes, Teacher.” Aoren felt Zeklan’s hands on his right arm.

“This is your dominant arm. I can tell because that is the arm you choose to lead with. We are going to switch that back and forth. In a fight you must be able to rely on the whole of your body not just what you are accustomed to using.” The warrior positioned Aoren’s arms into a new form that was slightly awkward for him simply because he wasn’t familiar with it. His left arm was extended out in front of him with the palm open facing skyward. His right arm was tucked in to his side with the hand closed into a fist. Deprived of his ability to see this position, Aoren simply had to ingrain what it felt like.

“When I say “hit”, I want you to perform the strike I show you in as rapid a succession as you can.” Zeklan guided Aoren’s outstretched left arm through a forward swiping motion. He brought Aoren’s hand back to the beginning position. He closed Aoren’s left hand into a fist bringing it down to tuck at his side. He guided Aoren’s right fist out rotating it as he did. Zeklan guided Aoren through the motion a few times before releasing the Drykas with a nod.

“Think you have it?” Aoren nodded. Zeklan tapped Aoren’s right thigh.

“When I say “lunge”, I want you to kick upward with as much force as you can. Follow through with the motion using your hips to strengthen it. When your foot touches back down to the mat I want you to take a step toward me. Then alternate your stance to strike with the opposite side of what you began with. Do you understand?”

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by **Aoren** on April 4th, 2015, 5:54 pm

“I do, Teacher. Strike with the left hand in a swipe, followed by a jab, a kick and then a step forward. Alternate the side.” It might take a few tries but Aoren believed he could repeat it once he got the feel for it.

“Good. Take your stance.” Aoren positioned himself into the stance that Zeklan had placed him in when they’d begun. The warrior had to correct him on the placement of his feet and the angle of his hips before patting Aoren on the shoulder. The Drykas heard Zeklan take several steps away from him but after a moment the steps were too quiet to truly discern what direction Zeklan had gone in.

“Hit.” Zeklan’s voice rang out to the left of Aoren. Immediately Aoren was taken a little off guard having expected it to come from the front. He repositioned himself then performed the set of strikes that Zeklan had guided him through as precise as he could.

“Lunge.” Aoren swept his leg upward focusing on the strength behind the kick by using his hip to follow through with the motion. As his foot came back down onto the mat he took a step forward then alternated sides.

“Hit.” Aoren repeated the strikes only this time beginning with his right hand instead of his left.

“Lunge.” A kick with his left leg followed by a step forward in the direction of Zeklan’s voice.

“Hit.” Zeklan’s voice came from Aoren’s right this time. He repositioned himself then followed through with the set of strikes.

“Lunge.” A kick followed by a step forward and the adopting of his stance with the alternate side. This set of exercises continued until finally, Aoren reached the edge of the mat. He felt a hand against his chest. His breathing was slightly elevated from the exertions. Zeklan had switched up where he’d been standing throughout the training.

“Very good, Aoren. Remove the blindfold.” Reaching behind his head, Aoren untied the blindfold opening his eyes. The world was a little bright at first causing him to squint as they adjusted to the light. Zeklan was standing in front of him with a pleased smile on his face.

“How do you feel?” Aoren smiled.

“Like I am learning.” The warrior chuckled nodding to the mat where rest the water. The both of them took up seats on opposite sides of the mat. Aoren drank from the ladle when it was offered to him.

“You did well. You are more familiar with your own body than many students who pass through here. That is good but now we must refine your abilities. They are rough but you will hone them and I shall help you get there. I would like to see you every other day that we may work on your techniques. On every tenth day we shall spar to gauge where you stand in terms of progress.” Aoren nodded. He bent at the waist bowing his head.

“Thank you, Teacher.” The bow was returned with a nod. Zeklan extended a hand to Aoren which he clasped gladly.

“You will do well, Aoren. I have faith in you.”

After meditating to calm himself after the training, Aoren was tugging on his boots having paid his teacher for the lesson. He stepped out of the Tuvya Sasaran feeling very satisfied with the lesson. He looked up into the sky with a smile before rolling his shoulders and setting out for home.

Ledger-5 GM for lesson.
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by **Ssezzkero** on April 19th, 2015, 5:06 pm

Grades

Aoren

Skills:

Lores:

Awards/Losses: -5 gm for lesson.

Notes: Loved it. You always find a way to keep a good, not too tedious or fast, reading pace and yet you cram so many important details into your threads. Especially for this combat thread, I found it very interesting. Don't forget to edit your post in the request forum as 'Graded'. PM me if you have any questions or concerns.

Solo [Tuvya Sasaran] Blind Discipline