Closed Feel the Burn (Kavala)

[Ashar]

514AV
11th of Autumn
Kendoka Sasaran
"Try harder, vagik!"

"Come on, swing like you mean it!"

"You trying to beat me or massage me, helioc?"

Normally Jek would not be one of the best fighters in the Kendoka. He was well aware of his shortcomings as a fighter, and was also well aware that most members of the Kuvay'Nas could easily knock him flat on his ass. However, things had changed since the beginning of the season, and in a number of ways.

First off, those that usually frequented that Sasaran slowly stopped arriving. It was not a sudden change where all the fit of Riverfall decided to simply stop coming, rather it appeared simply as if they were inclined less and less to go train. Conversely, those that usually would keep at least a tier between themselves and the Sasarans started showing up and training incredibly hard, as if to catch up on however many seasons of training they missed. This led to a drastic change in the skill level of an average visitor to the Kendoka.

And Jek was loving it.

With only his moderate understanding of fighting style and fitness, he managed to maneuver his way around these untrained hopefuls, stepping gingerly along the matted floor of the Sasaran. What helped was that they decided to fight him one at a time, either out of inexperience or a desire to improve their own skill rather than just team up on this one fighter. That simply made it all the easier to avoid their pathetic attacks and bring the blund blade of his practice naginata colliding into their gullets. All too often the sound of a thump as someone hit the matted floor was heard in their corner of the Sasaran, unprepared trainees clutching their smacked limbs and abdomens. So far they had not received any bruises, but that would change eventually.

Jek, for his part, was immensely gleeful that he had the chance to wail on so many mobile practice dummies. Frustration from being the repressed soul had built up in him a great deal more than he'd thought, and now that Ashar was happier to do petch all it was up to Jek to go to the Sasaran and make sure people got enough beatings to learn from.

A human male brought his practice sword from the side in a clumsy slash. It looked as if it were the first time he'd touched the thing. Jek stepped back, just out of reach, then brought his longer polearm around for a similar horizontal slash above the sword's path. The practice naginata arced through the air and the length of the wooden blade struck the man on the side of his face, forcing him to cry out in pain while Jek bore a toothy grin.

Another one came from behind, deciding for some reason that it was best to get pumped before his attack and announcing it with a large howl. Jek assumed that the green fighter was coming at him straight on, and sidestepped out of the attacker's way. Too late, the downward arc of the attacker's weapon carried his body downward, opening him up for his head to be kneed in the side, sending him reeling.

"Is that the best you got?" the dark soul called out in his native tongue at the small collection of trainees that had gathered around him, knowing full well they probably didn't understand a word he was saying. Miraculously, none of them left. The stupid losers must really be intent on learning.

Hey, Jek? Why don't you calm down a bit, Ashar spoke up. He rarely did that these days. Jek must have really bothered him.

Why? They're sticking around, they obviously want more. Jek's reply was accompanied with a grin, at which point he went on the offensive.

Planting his leading foot down in front of him, he raised his naginata high above his head as if going for a downward strike. It was an obvious feint, his center of balanced too low to bring the weapon down with any real power, but the trainee opposite him didn't know that and raised his sword appropriately. With that out of the way, Jek proceeded to knee him in the balls, bringing his back knee up in front of him at the same time as he leaned forward. It drove the bony joint right into the trainee's carriage, causing him to scream.

The next target was to his right. Another man, wincing as he felt his fellow's pain acutely. Wary of the same technique, he brought his sword down in front of him, wisely keeping it centered so that he could move it in any direction he needed. However, his stance was off, and this was something Jek decided to exploit. He brought his naginata down for a sidestroke, which was subsequently blocked, but the slow speed at which Jek attacked allowed him to plant his right leg behind his opponent's. Instead of recoiling for another attack, the Akalak leaned in further, pushing against the man until he had no choice but to trip backward over the Akalak's planted foot, falling to the mat with a thump.

One by one the others were bruised too, not in any quick or stylish fashion but with slow methodical application of what Jek - or rather Ashar - knew. It wasn't like it was a fair fight. Most of those fighting him looked like it was their first time in a long time visiting the Kendoka. Though it did require a good deal of thought, it was far too easy for Jek to knock down all those who were hoping to learn from his beatings.

It ended with him surrounded by five or six trainees, all on the ground clutching some body part or other. Looking down on them all, Jek switched to common for only one comment. "Pathetic."

[Kavala]

Kavala watched quietly from behind some of the newer folks that had started coming to the Sasaran. She herself wasn’t sure why the Konti felt a driving need to train. Part of it was because of the isolation she’d felt lately. The other part perhaps was because no one at home would make a bought of training count for much. Here, they didn’t mind thrashing each other senseless. And truthfully, that was what the Konti felt like.

Pain.

She’d needed it. Kavala wasn’t sure she could find it here, not the type she really wanted. But upon being here ten minutes she knew she could at least find the mind numbing exhaustion that came with fighting a great many people while skilled men overlooked and called out advice. Truthfully it reminded her of her days on Mura with Seth and how much he’d pushed her and Matthew. She missed those days and wondered suddenly why she couldn’t hire someone out at the facility to equally train the healers and denizens that way as well.

It was just hard to find anyone with a motivation to do anything these days. And that was downright weird. She should have been more concerned about the fact that the city felt different since the coming of the Iyvess, but mustering her inner need to give a rats ass about anything was difficult these days.

But finding a sparring partner was not. Many of the Akalaks and humans alike in the Sasaran wanted a piece of her hide. The moment she’d walked through the door with her tan training leathers on, her daggers, and her double bladed longsword, she’d known someone would want to try her. Many had. Some she’d bested, but by and large she’d gotten schooled by most. Now, still winded and taking a break, Kavala leaned against a training dummy and joined the crowd that was slowly gathering around an Akalak who seemed to be taking on most of the young population of the Sasaran. Kavala studied his form, watching for ‘tells’ on his moves. He lead with his feet, often giving away what he’d do by his stance before he did it. But he wasn’t afraid of a challenge, and certainly didn’t stagnate his style by keeping his movements repetitive or his chambering level.. He seemed to adapt well and for his size was quick on his feet.

She wondered briefly if he’d be as agile doing other things.

The thought caused her to blink because it was uncharacteristic of her. She shoved down her feral thoughts and fingered the wooden practice daggers she held in each hand. Dual wielding wasn’t her specialty. In fact, she was just learning. But she could see how it would be affective with the man’s naginata. Block, parry, thrust, if one was good enough one could do two things at a time.

Kavala waited. She listened. She watched.

Then, when the crowd thinned, she moved forward. When no one else seemed to be wanting to take up the challenge, she presented herself in front of the now sweating Akalak and gave him a short bow out of respect. “Do you have one more training round in you? Or did they all thrash you soundly?” Kavala taunted slightly, half afraid he’d turn her down because she was both female and he was definitely not fresh for the fight. And she wanted to try her hand against him, and to see what he was made out of. She rose on her toes, bounced backwards slightly, and assumed a half crouch fighting stance with her daggers at ready in case he said yes. To Kavala, sparring was just as good as a lot of other things people took pleasure in. The man before her would indeed scratch an itch she’d been having for quite some time now if he gave her a nod or any sort of indication she was welcome in his combat sphere.

[Ashar]

Something about a trained Kavran wailing on a bunch of inexperienced trainees must have been entertaining to the others at the Sasaran, as there appeared to be a miniature audience in attendance watching him as he spun his wooden practice blade around. However, that entertainment only lasted as long as someone was getting a bruising, so the moment Jek - or rather, the poor saps he was beating on - took a break the audience began to disperse. Which was fine with Jek; he did not require an audience to train, nor had he asked for one. Such things just happened, regardless of Jek's apathy towards it.

Allowing the people he had recently just knocked to the ground to crawl away, Jek stood still in the center of the mat, collecting himself and recovering his energy. He was not don yet, nowhere near, and he wanted as much vigor as he could manage to fight the next batch of fun idiots.

As it turned out, there would be no batch. There would be only a Konti, stout but full and with a dagger in each hand. He turned his head to face her, acknowledging her presence stoically. Her bow almost made him raise an eyebrow, but he did not want to dash a mark of respect. Especially from a Konti.

"Do you have one more training round in you?" she asked. "Or did they all thrash you soundly?"

Jek flashed a toothy grin, the sides of his mouth tipped upwards. He was not so blinded by pride to see clearly the intent behind the taunt, but there was no need to show his hand just yet. Instead, he turned the rest of his body to face her, putting his free hand on the stave of his weapon and lowering the wooden point at the Konti.

"I have more than one," Jek replied, bringing his left foot out to the side and lowering himself into a lunging crouch. His right leg was directly beneath him, holding up the majority of his weight and giving him a somewhat unstable stance to take a blow. It was not a stance meant to take blows however, rather one to avoid them altogether. "Do you know how to use those?" he asked, nodding at the knives the Konti held in her hands.

Without waiting for a reply, the Kavran spun about on his left foot in a wide arc and swung his naginata around at the side of the Konti's head, using the built up tension in his right leg as a pushing off point.

Whether the attack was evaded or blocked, Jek would retreat a step after carrying through his swipe, returning to the same stance and pointing his naginata right at the Konti once more. His face wore a large toothy grin, and his eyes were burning with interest and zeal. "Do I seem thrashed to you?" he asked, taking humor out of the verbal jab he had received. There was more to his sudden attack than mere bluster, however: he wanted to see approximately how good his opponent was, and whether she was any better than the morons he'd just schooled earlier.

[Kavala]

The Konti's lip curled in the start of a smile at his question. Did she know how to use the wooden daggers? It was a good question, one she could have asked him in regards to his weapon of choice. "Pointy end towards you right?" She answered with good humor all the while watching his body, waiting for the attack she could see coming in his eyes. The Konti didn't tense, but rather seemed warmed up and loose, ready to strike or counter depending on how the Akalak behaved. And while she waited, content to let him set the pace, she studied him.

He was tall, strong, but had the look of a younger Akalak about him. They were the ones to watch. His skin was deeply toned, dark like she was used too, and gave off a healthy glow. Indeed... he was young.

The young had an arrogance all their own, possibly because they hadn't been truly tried in battle yet and didn't know the costs associated with it. Some did, but they had aged eyes that leaked wisdom like light spilled from candle-lit windows in the darkness.

He'd seemed content to beat up some of the younger crowd, but none of the older men had stepped forward to school him. Perhaps they understood these mini passages were important and that the youth of the Akalak Nation just had to get the aggression out of themselves somehow.

When the man spun about on his left foot and swung his naginata around aiming at her head, the Konti neatly ducked, shifting her weight back and striking out with her right foot. She tapped his left weight-bearing foot, not hard enough to kick it out from under him, but hard enough to distract him away from the daggers in her hands. It was more of a 'hello' than an attack. And the truth was Kavala was testing her reach, starting with her feet, so she knew how far or close to him she had to be to strike. He was big, even though he was graceful, and that size gave her cause to be cautious. Bigger and heavier than her by some lengthy measures, she just wanted him to know... to understand... that in battle standing was a privilege he had to earn.

After her foot connected, giving him the light tap of introduction, Kavala danced back.

They were playing a game right now. It was an introduction only, a single mingling of breaths before the actual kiss. She kept an eye on his hips, trying to decide where his rotation would take him next, and waited for him to complete his swing-through with the naginata.

Stepping back, she re-chambered and regrouped, letting him do the same thing before she took a breath and came at him. She lead with her right foot, dancing forward and striking with her right hand towards his blade arm while trying to block with her left. She didn't expect to connect. What she expected was for him block, and perhaps parry. The Konti wanted to see how his offenses measured up.

"I'm Kavala... and you seem overconfident. Which, seems to me, worse than thrashed." Kavala said, smiling lightly. Her blond hair was caught up in a braid behind her head. She should have twisted it into a bun before challenging him, but she doubted he'd resort to grabbing it to control her head motion in their sparring match

The Konti began to sweat lightly, keeping her feet moving, and her eyes passing back and forth over him. She wanted to catch a hint of what he was doing before he did it. If he didn't drop obvious clues, she'd look for the more subtle ones.

[Ashar]

Kavala's playful kick to Jek's pivoting leg did not go unnoticed by the Kavran. As he danced away to return to his uneven stance, with coiled tension in his right leg and light support from his left, he noticed the absolute calm that the Konti before him in the wake of his attack. Such practiced confidence only came from experience in combat, so it was clear that this slight woman would not be a simple pushover like the simpletons who'd challenged Jek before. This was going to be a good fight.

It also did not escape his attention that she waited for him to be ready as well before commencing her attack. This was a good sign, for it meant that she wanted to draw out his best as well. Such a duel was the type Jek had been thirsting for.

Once both he and she were ready, the Konti came at him, and it was the Akalak's turn to show his defensive techniques. His polearm was held across his left side, with his right hand farther up the shaft pointing the weapon at his opponent. When she came at him, it was with her own right hand which was coming from his left, so Jek had the opportunity for a counterattack. Pulling his right hand closer to him, he brought both his naginata and his right leg back so that he was just out of reach of her dagger's limited range, then pushed out with his left arm so that the butt of his staff slapped her right shoulder, too far from her left dagger to be blocked. It was not a serious attack either, like her previous kick, more just to show that he was not incompetent either. This was still the prelude to the violent dance both were about to partake in.

Pivoting again on his left foot, Jek spiraled away toward the Konti's right and keeping a good amount of distance between himself and her. Polearms and daggers were opposites in terms of reach, so whoever could keep their opponent in their weapon's effective range would have a distinct advantage. Jek's size also contributed to his reach, making him most likely the one to be distancing himself.

He didn't bother lowering himself into a complicated stance this time, just keeping one foot in front of the other and his balance spread more or less evenly between them. If she wanted to monopolize on the advantage of her weapons, she would be coming after him quickly and with a flurry of attacks. That left little time for preparation, and so Jek would have to rely on his ability to adapt. Whereas before he was just beating on some greenhorns, this duel would actually be a test of his aptitude. Such was one source of the Akalak's glee.

Grinning, the Akalak nodded briefly. "Jek," he replied. "And I guess we're about to find out, aren't we?"

With that, the Akalak commenced his second attack, for he held firmly to the belief that it was better to act than to react in a duel. He didn't approach Kavala, for his weapon and size meant that he could strike at her easily from a distance, but instead swung the blade of his practice naginata around from his left, aimed at her right side between her rib and hip. Keenly aware that, having two weapons, she would be at a distinct advantage when counterattacking, Jek followed his weapon around to her right so that he would be out of range of her left dagger. Hopefully.

His muscle flexed as he struck, a sheen of sweat glistening on his purple skin, almost making him glow. Jek felt much like he appeared: alight with energy and life. Thrilled by fight, inspired by by skill, this was where Jek felt at home. With their dancing blades, he and Kavala were about to get to know each other in a way that could not be achieved through any other means.

Without waiting for her counterattack, Jek then brought his left hand back and rotated his right arm forward than up, which had the effect of the butt of the naginata coming at Kavala from below. If she was going to incorporate some kicks and other weaponless fighting techniques into their duel, he'd have to consider the fact that she had, in fact, four weapons instead of two. That meant he had to come at her from all angles, and keep his weapon in a place where he could block an attack from any direction.

This would certainly be a good fight.