Solo Dimakarux: A beginning

A training thread in which Vypec learns basic forms of his Dimakarux style.

(This is a thread from Mizahar's fantasy role playing forum. Why don't you register today? This message is not shown when you are logged in. Come roleplay with us, it's fun!)

Built into the cliffs overlooking the Suvan Sea, Riverfall resides on the edge of grasslands of Cyphrus where the Bluevein River plunges off the plain and cascades down to the inland sea below. Home of the Akalak, Riverfall is a self-supporting city populated by devoted warriors. [Riverfall Codex]

Dimakarux: A beginning

Postby Vypec on December 20th, 2016, 2:34 am

1st of Winter, 516 A.V.
Kuvay'Nas Lodge

Vypec forced his arms into the Dimakarux guard. He was not used to two blades and found his mind wandering to the second, less familiar one during down time between exchanges. As he engaged with Kazma or Delric or Mirrix, the second blade fell back and wide as he leant on the skill of his main hand. Delric in particular was amazingly hard to fight. With a fierce style and two deadly Lakan, the Cerulean was imaginative and unrelenting in his offense. Vypec was covered in a sheen of sweat as he staggered away from the bigger, harder hitting Mirrix and his claymore. Kazma primarily used Mirrix to build Vypec's defensive skills.

With enormous strength the huge Akalak and his claymore could not be blocked with a single blade. Vypec was quickly learning the basic blocks of the Dimakarux style, prompted by the merciless strikes of the claymore. Vypec felt the force of each strike through his entire body. But Mirrix was stepping back and Delric was readying his twin Lakan. The skull-like ink spread in a sinister grin across his face.

"Don't just absorb the blows, misdirect them." Kazma was barking as Vypec turned to face the cerulean. That kind of block wont work on these Lakan." He said.

The Lakan bit at the air between them playfully. They moved with separate and seemingly random motions. Vypec found himself dangerously ignorant of one if he tried to follow the other too closely. As they slashed out in a probing strike, Vypec slid both gladii forward and opposite directions, deflecting the Lakan wide. The simple counter that left his own sides open. Delric slid his left blade around, grazing the edge of Vypec's left gladius as he spun his body. The Cerulean rounded the left, weaker, side of Vypec's blades and thrust a short jab with his right Lakan at Vypec's exposed side. Vypec panicked. He tried to pull his left gladius back to block while stepping back and to the right.

The Cerulean twisted his Lakan around and the curved blades flipped the gladius out of Vypec's hand. He felt the hilt leaving his fingers and for a heartbeat made to retrieve it. But that would have left him open for the kill. Even before it left his hand completely Vypec was back pedaling and bringing his remaining gladius around to stand between Delric and him.

It had all happened in a handful of ticks.

At least throw it at him if you are going to throw it away. Vypal said in his mind. The other brother was cynical about the practice. Sparring with far superior opponents made him moody.

Noted. I'll try that next time. Vypec said back, too tired to even feign agitation.

Delric sheathed one Lakan with a fluid motion and picked up Vypec's fallen gladius. He threw it gently to him. Vypec caught it, barely. His left was just not familiar with swordsmanship. He needed more practice.

"You have to plan the series before-hand. With two blades it's twice the motion, twice the strategy. Make a flow and follow it through." Delric said as he returned his deadly Lakan to his hand. "All of this..." He began to move his blades in that chaotic motion. "Is just mind games. The attacks come in a flow, not disjointed." As he finished he lunged at Vypec. His blades followed each other around Vypec's guards, through his own strikes, or across the path of counters. They were like two dancers supporting each other.

Vypec began to see the pattern of strike strike, block strike, perry strike. It was always two actions, and there was always a bit of offense and a bit of defense in it. Vypec backed up, retreating ground fast as he deflected or blocked Delric's strikes. He missed the mark for most, simply leaping backwards, but at least he did not drop his new gladius. Vypec made a few feeble lunges to try to push back, but again his second blade was underutilized and he was pressed back harder.

The sounds of blades clashing filled the yard behind the Lodge in which they practiced. Vuhran and Banador were both absent, on a mission for Kazma. Vypec glanced at Kazma as Delric finally pushed him out of bounds and they were forced to reset.

"Okay, so what did that show you?" Kazma asked as he waved Delric back. The Cerulean flipped his Lakan in his hands and slid them into the hip sheathes in a fluid motion. Kazma had his arms crossed and his longsword naked in one hand, resting on his shoulder. The light of the sun shone a bright white hot on the blade's perfect edge.

Vypec let the gladii fall to his sides as he met his squad-leader's gaze. "Flow, follow each action with another."

"Exactly. The strength of the Dimakarux, and of the Lakan, is the versatility and mobility, speed and trickery!" Kazma said, punctuating each point with a jab in the air of his finger. "You can't just be flopping around hoping twice the blade means twice the strike. You have to plan it as you go, not depend on reactions." Kazma eased the longsword off his shoulder and beckoned Delric forward.

"With a fighter like me, reactions and opportunity it your game." Mirrix said from where he stood across the yard. "But with Delric, and most opponents, you have to be proactive. Create the momentum you need to pull off the feints and the reversals."

"Watch." Kazma said. And without another word he and Delric were sparring. Delric let his blades follow each other through his attacks. One would engage or deflect an attack and the second would push the offense. He would weave around the longsword with an series of lightning fast twists and thrusts. Kazma was, however, equal to it in every way. His blade moved in such a simple way it seemed impossible that it blocked or deflected all of Delric's advances.

"See the heartbeat of it?" Kazma said as he pulled away from the Cerulean. "Tap-tap, tap-tap, tap-tap. This is the basic flow of Dimakarux. In more advanced stages you can alter this. But in the beginning I want you to plan through that flow. The structure makes it easier to wield the two blades." Kazma said as he motioned Delric forward again. "I will watch."

PurchaseGladius: -45GM
Scabbard: -4GM

User avatar
Vypec
Night Stalker
 
Posts: 122
Words: 156592
Joined roleplay: January 21st, 2016, 6:49 pm
Location: Riverfall
Race: Akalak
Character sheet
Storyteller secrets
Scrapbook
Plotnotes

Dimakarux: A beginning

Postby Vypec on December 20th, 2016, 5:29 pm

Vypec raised his blades again, mimicking the motions of Delric's blades. He was not as good and found himself moving them together more often than not, but it served to keep his awareness for the second blade active. As Delric stepped forward with a slow advance Vypec began to think through his assault. He moved forward and began with a dual strike, one after the other.

Vypec lunged with one blade and wove the other over it to strike the exposed wrist from Delric's parry. But before he could Delric's second Lakan was there and deflected the attack. And with that the momentum was somehow turned. Delric pressed his attack with strike after strike. The two paced beat becoming more a stream of deadly edges as Vypec diverted and parried a pathetic few. The less experienced Akalak once again resorted to retreat to avoid the blades.

Vypec tried to concentrate on his grip. Loose and agile, but firm and connected. The sword was the arm and the arm was the sword. He tried to remember all he had learned and channel it into the less familiar arm. His gladii danced after each other in a vain attempt to regain the upper-hand. He let the less familiar left lead the attack. This seemed easier for him, but translated to sloppier swordsmanship. Delric saw this and dove into range with a pair of strikes from on high. Just as Vypec raised his blades to block a second, identical pair, Delric feigned back and under on the second one, bringing the sharp point of the Lakan to rest at Vypec's neck.

They were both still for a few heartbeats as Delric's skull tattoos shone with sweat. "You didn't drop it this time, good." Delric said as he lowered his blades. Vypec grinned back as he too dropped his swords to his sides.

"Elbows in more. It's better to lose an arm than get puckered in the ribs." Kazma said, his eyes were on Vypec's body. He was like some sort of dance instructor, critiquing the form with an ever analytical eye. Vypec listened to every word, this was his life's craft. "You had more of a flow to it, although that last part was clumsy. It will come with practice." Kazma stepped in front of Vypec and tapped each blade with his own sword. "You need to sync your blades more. Don't block strikes unless you have to. Deflect them. Move. Step around your enemy. The close blade is defensive and the far blade looks for an opportunity." Kazma shifted his stance to Vypec's left. He indicated the defensive gladius and then the other.

"Flow from the direction. Don't block a strike and then lunge with a stab, that leaves both your weapons potentially immobile." Kazma mimicked Vypec's movements from the spar. "Slash or push the enemy's weapon away. Always think about how you can set up the next set of strikes." Kazma assumed a stance and looked expectantly at Vypec.

"We're going to run through some slowly. The same set over and over until you are comfortable."

Vypec raised his blades again. His side was cramping and his arms felt like lead but he did not say anything. He knew they were feeling them workout too. Delric had sheathed his Lakan and was shaking out his arms. Kazma alone seemed unbothered by their extensive lesson. His muscled rippled at he raised his sword in an easy guard.

Vypec felt his shoulders tense as he began to move his blades. He tried to put the pain out of his mind as he focused on the razor edge and deadly points of each gladius. He knew Kazma would be looking at his form. He told himself he would not let the pain and fatigue overcome his technique. Saying it was easier than acting on it.

Kazma faked a slow thrust to prompt motion and Vypec initiated an equally slow deflect. His right gladius came up on the left side of the longsword and he pushed it out to the right. "Good, now what?" Kazma asked as they paused mid-motion. Vypec looked at the blades and how the two of them were arranged.

"I move forward with a... thrust here?" Vypec asked, indicating Kazma's chest with his free gladius.

"You could do that, but the momentum would stop." Kazma said. He lifted one hand from the hilt of his sword and gently directed the tip of the gladius from his chest to his neck. "The soft spots don't stop the momentum. Neck or perhaps lower side are best in this situation. Either way, you want to be able to move past and turn for the back." Kazma explained. Vypec nodded and followed through with the neck thrust and stepped through behind the squad leader. They both turned and faced one another once again.

"Again." Kazma said. "Keep it going." With that they both moved in their slow, precise way. Kazma would thrust slowly and Vypec would deflect and counter-thrust. They would both follow through with their movements and reset. They continued this pattern with Vypec's left blade sliding inches past Kazma's throat until Vypec was comfortable enough to speed it up. Right when Vypec was beginning to get comfortable with the set Kazma had him switch sides.

"Alright, we're moving to the other side. Left deflect, right counter-thrust." Kazma said patiently, he was. No longer covered in sweat but Vypec could see a muscle in his shoulder twitching. They had been training for a few hours and it was beginning to show on even the strongest of them.
User avatar
Vypec
Night Stalker
 
Posts: 122
Words: 156592
Joined roleplay: January 21st, 2016, 6:49 pm
Location: Riverfall
Race: Akalak
Character sheet
Storyteller secrets
Scrapbook
Plotnotes


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 0 guests