Flashback [Kendoka Sasarin] Forever Numb

[Imass]

Summer 3, 505 AV

Garonn picked up the training Lakan from the weapon's rack with a strange grin on his face.

The Dark Brother was feeling blood lust from beating down Imass into unconsciousness. His head was pounding with each beat of his aching heart. It would be only a matter of time before Imass would come back from slumber to beat back Garonn into submission. The battle of wills between the two brothers was never ending.

Spotting Vypec standing around, Garonn approached him in a power-walk. Being a somewhat tight-nit community in Riverfall, Garonn knew who Vypec was.

Without saying a single word, the shorter, blue Akalak shoulder checked the taller, purple Akalak, "Huahh!"

Since Vypec was standing around in the Kendoka, he was fair game. Taking two steps back, Garonn got into a combat stance; his feet shoulder width and slightly off-set. He held the Lakan in a defensively, the blade facing down, running along his forearm. His free hand palm open.

No words were needed. Garonn merely nodded for Vypec to begin.

[Vypec]

Vypec spun around with a growl. The sudden impact and the aggression from the other Akalak, one he had seen a few times before, brought out Vypal. The Dark Brother was eager to inflict retribution on the offender. He drew his own Lakan and grinned his eagerness for the combat. The taller Akalak held the blade low in front of him, the curved blade pointed towards Garonn's neck. He was vaguely aware that this was just a training session, in the Sasaran such things were just another part of the dynamic. Men vied for prestige just as in other places, but here it was earned with combat. With blood. Vypal appealed to his brother. What do you think of this one? I think you should have let me take him. Vypec said, making a mental plea for control again. Vypal ignored it. Are you any better with a Lakan than I? Vypal asked, knowing they were equal in having virtually no skill in the traditional weapon of the Akalak. He hoped this other Akalak didn't know that though. The blue man seemed to be quite aggressive and Vypal had the sinking feeling that this was his dark brother as well. Growing up in Riverfall, around Akalak, one acquired a sixth sense about such things, or one found themself in danger quite often. Most dark brothers were considered to have the undesirable traits that civilization neither required nor appreciated. Vypal liked to think of it differently. To him, he possessed those abilities that ensured survival. Vypec could keep his naive and arbitrary ambition for glory, and his disciplined regime of training. Vypal ensured they would never be stabbed in the back. Trust was a crutch that those too weak to be vigilant leant on. I have more discipline, more technique. Vypec said hotly. What do you have to lend to this battle? "Instinct." Vypal hissed in a very low voice. He said it aloud simply to glory in the fact that he could. Vypal lunged, swiping wide with the Lakan. this attack wasn't really to strike, but to set the tempo. He would move back a tick later, waving the blade in front of him menacingly. He held it tightly in order to not drop the thing. It was lighter and faster in his hand than the more familiar gladius, but he could find himself getting used to it...in time.

[Imass]

The first thing that registered into the Dark Brother's mind was the big Akalak's height and reach advantage. Garonn made the decision to test the purple-man's hands.

You all power, no speed?

Instead of lunging, Garonn took a succession of quick steps forward in order to keep his hips under his feet. He turned his shoulders perpendicular to his opponent, to give Vypal only a small area to attack. These moves were all fundamentals Imass had learned, but Garonn would copy.

Bringing the hooked edge of the Lakan down, Garonn aimed to disarm Vypal. He would continue to hammer away until one of two things happened; He was able to hook onto the weapon, or Vypal responded with a counter attack. If the later, Garonn would immediately shift backwards and block with the flat of his Lakan.