Solo An empty hand, and a closed fist.

[Alexander Faircroft]

37th Spring 516AV

11:02AM

Description "Alex Common" Alex thoughts "Myrian" "Fratava" "Others"

The morning crept through as the cold winds began to blow. Nothing too chilly given the time of year but enough to let Alex know it was there. Looking up to the sky Alex watched the first rays of Syna peak and crest over the Suvan. He’d foregone his regular armour and chosen to step out in just his regular clothing. And so Alex stood in the training ground his hands and body free of their steel casing. His hands stood pressed together fingertips only touching. His eyes closed and his breathing slow. He was simply standing and feeling the slow breeze of the wind. His breathing slowed as he practiced the focus he’d spent time learning with Nivel hardening his focus to a point. A sharpened blade.

He circled his foot forwards slowly. His hands parted and curled lightly into half fists, not quite closed but open enough for him to lash out as needed with them. His eyes opened slowly as he stared at the wooden dummy. Slowly circling it with hand over hand. Mimicking a basic form his mother had taught him long ago. He paced around and then stepped in driving the heel of his hand into the centre of the dummy’s mass. His right elbow swinging around to catch the side of the dummy’s head. He pulled back and reset.

His stance the same except for one alteration, he flipped the leading hand. Stepping in again from the front of the dummy he struck once with his back hand using the distance to build momentum for the strike but little power. Then repeated the strike with his left hand pulling his right back. Over and over again, his fists flowing like a waterfall, a series of well-aimed strikes. However the speed was lacking for the amount of power he’d delivered. He shook his hands pulling back wincing lightly.
Still too slow to be effective. I need more speed, this is the most effective method I have to disabling someone without harming them too much. I can’t draw a blade unarmed people so this is the only way… Alex paused again planting his hands back together and willing the pain away even as his knuckles puled with pain and showed a bright red.

Another deep breath filled his lungs as he brought back that focused concentration forcing a path through the pain. Alex brought his hands apart again but both out in front of him.
Ball, a three inch tall pycon completely destroyed me without a blade in his hands. I need to learn at least a piece of that skill. His arms snapped out to the sides like he was blocking an invisible attack. He was trying fully to envision fighting someone and it just wasn’t fitting together. He reset his hands and faced the dummy again. Perhaps he needed more real combat practice. He pushed his right hand out bringing his left up to strike at where the dummy’s face would have been.

Every knight I’ve met, ever squire I’ve face is strong beyond belief. I’ve managed to hold my own but that’s just willpower which has kept me going. I need to be stronger to stand alongside them. Priskil, show me the light, and Yahal show me the path. Sylir bring me peace and eryis being me understanding. Please. Alex stepped in lifting his leg high up about stomach height and wheeled his body across driving his kneed into the wooden dummy. He bounced off wincing in pain and rubbing his knee to soothe the pain. In the process he fell on his arse.

[Alexander Faircroft]

Description "Alex Common" Alex thoughts "Myrian" "Fratava" "Others"

Standing back up he resettled into his full stance. He was trying to channel his anger, his irritation trying to focus it into a form that he could excise it in. The fighting style his mother had briefly introduced him into, Vana.

A special style that relied on no strength, and was perfect for Alex who as much as he knew was weaker than many he’d met. In physical strength but his spirit was something else. He shifted his foot forwards and leant back slightly putting weight on his rear foot. Spring-boarding off of his left rear leg he kicked the dummy pretty firmly. Only to find that the dummy didn’t so much as shift and his leg was now throbbing with pain.

He went to catch his weight and slipped tumbling onto his rear again. He groaned loudly, rubbing his shin he stood back up slowly. He didn’t have the full skills required to adjust to this fighting style. Not the speed, nor the resilience. Alex sighed firmly knowing at some point or another he’d have to get used to the lack of skill he had and would have to practice the same thing over and over.

The basics. The core essentials of the style. Alex closed his eyes and focused his mind. Picturing the dummy in his head, his hands opened in front of him palms out as he stood with his feet in line with his shoulders. Still feeling the pain in the palms of his hands he groaned lightly. Shaking his hand subconsciously he slid his foot in. his eyes snapped open as he hooked his arm around the dummies head and attempted to toss the grounded thing. Obviously with no luck but enough to know that he could pull off the basic grapple.

Not enough…Speed, nor form. The technique is lacking. I'll adjust, onto the next form. Alex slid his foot back after stepping out of the grapple and curled his hands into half fists. His right arm back and his left leading the charge again. He shot out both arms simultaneously his left going for the dummies jaw and his right for the dummies core. One a distraction the other a full power strike. In this instance his right held the full force. Oddly though he didn’t step in as he threw the attack instead turning his hips to the left empowering the strike of his right hand.

The moment his bare knuckles collided with the wood though he recoiled in pain shaking his hands firmly and bringing his right to his mouth he pulled out a splinter from his knuckles with his teeth.
Too slow and too weak. Again. He ran through each of the basic forms and strikes what must have been tens of times each holding the forms to memory.
Fulgur Ictus, the stance of strong kicks. Velox Ventus, stance of throws. Procellam Pulvia, stance of punches. Alex stepped in again, Fulgur form. His right leg planted in front of the dummy as he leant his weight back and brought a mid-height kick over, attempting to balance his weight on one leg, as he brought the kick in his lack of practice caused him to fall. He slipped slamming his shoulder into the hard stone.

Rolling over again he stood back up, pressing his hands into the ground and holding himself there for a brief moment. It felt odd not wearing his armour. He’d become so accustomed to it over the last season or so, but he knew there would be times he would find himself attacked without it. Learning like this was occasionally the best course of action.

[Alexander Faircroft]

Description "Alex Common" Alex thoughts "Myrian" "Fratava" "Others"

Alex closed his eyes again standing there hands together pressed fingertips but apart palms. Alex stood simply swaying in the winds. He always felt more comfortable with a bow than a blade or no weapon at all, but with the Knights that was not his primary option. Not anymore.

But then again he knew he wouldn’t always have his sword. So this was his alternative. His breathing slowed as he took up the Pulvia stance. The same striking form from before. Alex tried to repeat the process again against the dummy, left, right, left, right. Alex repeated the strikes over and over again pounding the dummy in front of him over and over again. Light punches but the repetitive impacts was wearing on his knuckles to the point where when he pulled them back he could see a small patch of blood on the wood. He’d cut his knuckles lone on the wood. Wincing lightly at seeing that he shook his hands hard trying to shake off the lasting pain.

Maybe I should take a break for a bit…I mean I’ve cut my hands open…Behind him he heard the slow clatter of steel against stone as a familiar head of blonde hair peered over the edge of the training grounds. Alex smiled a little giving a firm salute to his patron.
“Ser Greyheart.” Alex spoke calmly trying to mask the pain in his hands.
“Ah Alex…Odd.” Alex looked at Sebastian curiously. “You’re not in your armour. It’s rare I catch you out of it. You take things so seriously normally it’s strange to see you so relaxed.” Greyheart gave a small smirk and clapped Alex firmly on the back of the shoulders. “So what’re you up to today? I mean you’ve no weapons on you…Wait…You’re practicing fighting unarmed?” Greyheart gave Alex a sharp and strange look. By comparison Alex wasn’t what one would call “built for physical encounters” so the look wasn’t out of place.
“Yes Ser. I’m not good with strength so I’m focusing on technique.” Greyheart chuckled lightly but in a well-mannered way.
“Counteracting a lack of raw physical presence with technique. So like you. So show me what you’ve learnt. Fighting a wooden dummy will only work for so long. Just give me a moment to doff my armour and we’ll see how you handle yourself.”

Whilst Greyheart stepped out of his armour Alex closed his eyes again. He’d never really had a chance to face his patron without weapons. So this would be an interesting experience. Still there was a rather large experience gap that Alex wouldn’t really be able to overcome, even with a technique that relatively few people knew. A chime passed as Greyheart doffed his armour and Alex waited paitently eyes closed and going over and over the styles again. He pressed his fingertips together once again clearing his mind slowly focused on just the techniques. Winning or losing wasn’t the option here it was purely about learning and refining.

Finally he heard footsteps re approaching him. Heavy and well-trodden, a sense of purpose behind them.
“Whenever you’re ready Alex. Let’s see this technique of yours.” Greyheart lowered himself into a crouching position arms raised and open towards Alex. Alex himself spaced his feet evenly and half curled his fingers settling into the Pulva stance. Before Alex was even fully ready Greyheart pushed in throwing rights and lefts out trying to catch Alex off guard. Alex in turn back peddled, shifting his torso to dodge the strikes as they came in. Not all of them though one caught in in the centre of mass and he buckled forwards…

Alex, wrapped his hands around Greyhearts wrist and twisted his body pulling him off balance and slamming his elbow into Greyheart’s head. Attempting to pull him off balance worked however the strike to his head wasn’t successful. Greyheart brought his other arm up to stop his elbow. Knowing he didn’t have firm footing, and both his arms were occupied, Alex brought his knee up into Greyhearts stomach. The force was enough to knock the wind from Sebastian.

Alex backed up tensing his abdomen, his body still sore from the sheer tour de force it had gone through over the first half of the season.

[Alexander Faircroft]

Description "Alex Common" Alex thoughts "Myrian" "Fratava" "Others"

Sadly since Alex’s technique focused primarily on Speed and using his opponent’s force it was a little less than effective the power strike he’d just attempted. Having said that, it still was enough to give Greyheart a brief pause. Taking the distance Alex switched stances again changing to ventus. His stance grounded and hands open towards Greyheart. Alex stomached the pain in his abdomen, the stamina pool he had much larger than before. And his pain threshold greatly improved.

Greyheart flicked his eyes up at Alex and with a smile he nodded and then bull rushed him charging at him. Alex slid his right foot forwards and lined his hands up with Greyheart. With a single step turn Alex placed his hands onto his shoulders and as Greyheart stepped in he opened his arms to try and grab hold of Alex. In turn Alex turned him throwing his balance off to the side, turning his own body with it using Greyhearts speed and ferocity against him. Even with this he felt the arms reach around him and drag him down with Greyheart, both slammed into the sand beneath them Greyheart taking the majority of the impact but Alex took enough to let him know he’d feel that in the morning.

Alex rolled over and put some distance between them again. Shrugging off the pain in his side and hands. He tried to focus through it to sharpen the pain into action. He changed into Fulgur stance. Each of his forms had been shaky and unpractised but he at least knew how to hold his footing. Alex held his left foot forwards and his fingers curled into fists. His knuckles creamed at him as he did so but still he pushed through. Alex stepped back with his right foot, his arms in front of him left hand back this time.

As Greyheart pulled up Alex readied himself for an onslaught this time. And he got it. Greyheart had stopped playing with him and rushed in, three consecutive strike landed on Alex before he could adjust. One to his abdomen, one to his liver, and one to his chest. He stood firm against them but the pain pulsed through him he wanted to drop to his knees but he wouldn’t fall, not yet. He whirled his right foot out towards Greyheart. Swinging his torso over attempting the kick from before that sent him onto his rear. However he’d adjusted his balance somewhat and rolled into the kick. He felt it connect, but not with any part of Greyheart’s centre mass. Instead Greyheart had blocked it with both hands and now had a firm hold on Alex’s leg. With a swift tug Alex fumbled to the ground landing shoulders down. Before he could even begin to scramble to get up Greyheart was over him with his fist pointed at his face.

“Not bad squire…But you’ve a long way to go still.” Greyheart spoke with an air of encouragement and Alex felt all the tension just seep out of him as he just splayed out against the sand.
“Yeah…” Alex sighed out wistfully knowing he still had a mountain to climb.
“Just remember though Alex.” Sebastian said as he offered his hand to help pull Alex up. “The journey of a thousand miles begins with but a single step. You’re going. But you need to keep going. Or you’ll never be a leader.” Alex took his hand and accepted the assistance to be hauled onto his feet.

“Ser…What if I’m not cut out to be a leader?” Alex Asked with an earnest tone. “All the knights I’ve seen who lead people including yourself are…Charismatic and bold…I’m neither…” Greyheart laughed hard.
“It’s something which comes with experience. The only way you learn how to make tough choices is to actually make them. You’ll never know if you’ve made the right one. And they’ll always haunt you, but that’s something you just learn to deal with.” Greyheart spoke staring off into the distance slightly before snapping back to attention. “Still, you’ll learn how to lead people. Not everyone is cut out for it, but those which are do so by thinking. You’ve a brilliant mind. Use it to push people like you’re pushing yourself.”

[Shimoje]

Your Grades Are Here

Player: PC Alex

XP: Unarmed Combat +4, Tactics +2, Endurance +2, Socialization +2, Meditation +1
Lores

✦ Unarmed Combat: Fulgur Ictus, the stance of strong kicks
✦ Unarmed Combat: Velox Ventus, stance of throws
✦ Unarmed Combat: Procellam Pulvia, stance of punches
✦ Tactics: Changing stances to fit combat

Notes: Shield Points +3; A scar bearing the cut on your hand will slightly be apparent. Enjoy your grade! Edit: Forgot meditation, also though the topic of leadership was discussed- I did not see any actions resulting in said leadership.