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[Alexander Faircroft]

26th Summer 516AV
9:23AM

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

Alex sat quietly on the corner of his bed his bastard sword laid across his knees, the sharpening stone hissed as it cleaved another dull spot to a sharpened edge. A sullen silence rocked over the empty room as Alex pondered the loss of some of his friends. Mostly for reasons unknown. Breaking the silence Alex heard a sharp knock on the door.
“It’s open.” All he said as he chipped another dull edge back to sharpened gleam. In the hallway as the door swung open stood Ser Sebastian Greyheart. Fully trussed up and armoured. A sight Alex wasn’t unaccustomed too but not fully used too. There was only three times that he fully gussied himself up and one was when it was important.
“Alex… I think it’s time I tried you with something. I’ve gathered a small group of squires, all of which needing practice in team work. I’m giving you control of a leadership position. Show me that everything I’ve taught you hasn’t been for naught. You’re being judged on this by not just myself but three other sergeant knights. Don’t let me down.” The flash of a smile at the end of his words meant to be endearing and reassuring. However it was neither.

Now instead of a quiet bit of peace that he was looking forward too he had to get the respect of several of his peers and then lead them? How in the heck was he going to do that? Alex closed his eyes and nodded as Greyheart left the room. In the wake Alex shook his head trying to snap himself back to focus as he picked up the sheath for his blade. An eerie calm veneer over him but as he tried to replace his blade his hands shook with such ferocity that he had to lay the blade on his thigh to line it up.

He was scared. He was worried. And he was being judged on this. For all he knew this could dictate the rest of his life in the knights… Donning his armour Alex rolled his shoulders and marched out of his room, blades strapped to him and shield in position. If he wanted to make this work, he was going to have to at least look the part.

[Alexander Faircroft]

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

In the centre of the training grounds the five squires milled about intermittently shifting where they stood and bickering between each other. Cameron Tamson, one of the squires there along with Will Salpes. Both squires Alex had worked with before at least out on a join patrol, when they’d been ambushed by a small group of yukmen. The other two Squires that had gathered Alex hadn‘t met before, one Sylvia Lumistar and Elise Carden. He knew only about Sylvia through reputation of magic, and Elise Alex had no clue about still listening to the petty squabbles was something he had no time for. The arguments began rising to a high point as Alex arrived at the training grounds.

Rising up into the training grounds the wind sank to a dead stillness. The argument in the distance continued in a loud uproar even as Alex’s heavy steel boots thudded against the solid stone works. He knew with the exception of Sylvia he was quite possibly the youngest person here and as such. He’s have to earn their respect. Standing still at the edge of the training grounds Alex folded his arms just standing by and watching taking note of what was happening.
“Well if you didn’t have your head shoved so far up your ass maybe I could see your point?!” Elise barked out towards Cameron her hand reaching for the Warhammer at her back.
“Love keep the weapon where it is or you’ll find out just how good I am with mine.” Cameron took his hand down to his weapon and before the actual tensions could reach boiling point Alex cleared his throat quietly and his normally calm and somewhat soothing gentle voice changed. The tone harder edged attempting to cut through the din.

“Enough of that!” Alex barked out the three words with a fury that belied his normal reserved and meek demeanour. All four heads snapped towards Alex now. The imposing height of him laced with enough blades to make most people cower. “For the next twelve hours you guys are under my command.” Alex stepped forwards despite the age difference Alex stood four inches taller than even the tallest of them. Pulling his bastard sword free from it’s sheath Alex glinted the blade across the feet of them. “Of the four of you the only two I know are Will and Cameron. In the season since you guys last saw me I’ve…Changed a little.” He wasn’t joking both Cameron and Will could see a tiered resignation in Alex’s eyes.

“Now before I can effectively lead you, I need to see what you guys can do. Will you’re up first.” Alex tilted his visor down and lowered his stance ready to see what Will could do.

[Alexander Faircroft]

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

Will drew his sword and settled up in stance opposite Alex, the other three fell strangely quiet almost unsure of what was about to happen. Will had two years in age on Alex and a total of five years on him in as a squire. Still though it almost felt as usual everyone was rooting for Will. Alex hefted a breath out slowly. As will darted towards him. All the brazen bold bolstering valour of a knight. Alex watched as the sword came down. With a single motion Alex tilted his shield up so the blade would run across the shield and be deflected, leaving him open for a counter.

Alex struck once, but once was enough to let will know that he’d grown substantially. The strike hit just at the join of the breast plate to the looser plates around the abdomen allowing the plate to shift. And with just that Will dropped to one knee reeling in pain.
“Care to try again Will?” Alex asked calmly extending his sword hand down sans the sword to offer Will some help up.
“No thanks Alex. Any harder and I’d be… A lot worse off.” Will grunted and winced as he walked back over to the group a little shocked amongst them.
“Who’s next?” Alex asked calmly whirling his sword around his arm. Brandishing and flourishing the spiral. Almost with a confidence that he wouldn’t end up like will Cameron stepped forth.

“Alex you know I’m better than you with a sword right?” Cameron half joked with a cocky smile across his features. Alex stabbed the tip of his blade into the sand lightly in response, and checked his shields straps.
“That may be the case but you know where I excel don’t you?” Alex asked back calmly pulling his blade from the sands. Before Alex could fall entirely into stance Cameron rushed him. Instead of deflecting the stronger squires strikes Alex Lifted his shield and braced both arms together, and endured them. Taking the punishment again and again and again, outlasting the lashing.

[Alexander Faircroft]

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

Five, six, seven, eight, nine… Alex kept track of how many strikes he could make back to back and before Cameron could pull pack for his eleventh consecutive strike Alex made his move. He’s taken blows from solid stone against his shield arm, blocked magic enhanced strikes and even endured the blows from an enraged akalak against it. Ten swings from a moderately sized human wasn’t even going to phase him. In the instant between the strokes Alex stepped in and twisted his shield to strike out and intercept Cameron’s sword arm.

Striking at the right point to stop the blow before it began he drove the pommel of his sword with all force into Cameron’s side knowing full well the weak spot. Seeing the glint of pain in his face but the resilience not to fall Alex hooked his leg around the back of Cameron’s and pulled him almost completely off balance. The hard impact followed by the quick placement of Alex’s blade by Cameron’s throat signalled the end of that bout. Not quite as swift as the one against will however.

“You wanna go again Cameron or are you willing to listen to me?” Alex asked calmly not moving the edge of the blade. As much as Cameron didn’t like the idea of being lead rather than doing the leading he just grit his teeth and spat out the words.
“Fine.” He passed a small insincere smile with a small grunt. “After you then Ser Faircroft.” The Ser mocking and somewhat condescending however Alex just stomached it and pulled his blade away offering his shield arm to help Cameron up.

As Cameron walked back to the small grouping Alex winced lightly beneath the helm. His arm had taken a battering. Shaking his hand out lightly, he muscled through it. Only two left now to garner the respect of. After all most squires were so self-confidant in their abilities that unless they were bested they didn’t give two thoughts to anyone but their patrons or their superiors.
“Elise or Sylvia, which of you two wants to see if they can beat me? If you can then you can lead and I shall follow.” Alex spoke calmly with a lightness to his words that carried an honesty and sincerity to them.

Of the two female squires Elise stepped forwards. In her hands a broad headed Warhammer.
“Faircroft was it? You mean what you say? If I claim victory here I’ll lead this group?” Elise spoke with a practiced slyness trying to garner the truth out of Alex. However it was already out in the open for her to see.
“Exactly Elise. If you win you shall-” Before Alex could even finish his sentiments she lunged her hammer cracking down into the sands in the space where Alex once stood. Luckily for him he was used to dealing with impatient people. And often very angry hammer wielders. He’d have to thank Ira for the display of their destructive power. However with her strikes there was a loose brutality to them. Less form more raw strength. Alex groaned lightly as she struck out towards her the sword glancing over her head as she ducked beneath it swinging her hammer aiming for Alex’s shins.

She was clearly better with a weapon than the other two even without a resolute form. Alex stabbed his sword in the ground behind him leaping into the air lightly and using the root of his blade as a means to hold his balance for the instant he landed. Instead of striking he simply bided his time using it to learn her habits and tactics when attacking. In truth they were brutal and very effective.

[Alexander Faircroft]

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

The difference in their skill level at least with a weapon was readily apparent. Elise had begun to wail on him over and over. Each hit hard and heavy but Alex was used to strikes like that. Heavy weighted blows. His legs bent and acted like shock absorbers as the hits came in. Minimizing the damage was part of his plan but he could see for as good as she was with the weapon she followed a set strike pattern. Something that he’d learned over time. Rhythm. The flow of the battle, right now it was entirely hers and he was just acting like a drum. Being beaten and wailed on.

There! His Shield this time surged up and struck her hands along the haft of the Warhammer, interrupting the strike. Instead of simply pushing ahead on what she thought he’d do he didn’t strike out with the blade. As she moved her hands across to angle for the coming strike of his sword he twisted into his shield using all of his superior mass and partially better strength to shove her a little off balance. Within a split second he then looped his foot behind her ankle and she tumbled over like a tree falling in the forest. He was about to strike down and hold her at sword point for the finish of his blows but no instead she rolled on and out tucking and using a tactic he’d seen garland use before. He didn’t give her the time to retreat too far. Instead he let her rise. One fall in that much weight often put most people out of commission, at least if they weren’t completely used to it.

She and he both were. Now there was a stand-off. Drawing his sword across the ground in front of him he carved out a line for her to see where she’d retreated from.
“Brute force can only get people so far. You’ve little of what you truly need. Planning.” He spoke with a calm evenness that he could see half weirded out both Cameron and Will. Despite the exertion and the pain his voice was so even and easy that he could even see a twinge of fear in Elise’s eyes. “Now… It’s my turn to attack.” He drew in a deep breath slowly twisting his sword arm and rushing in towards her. His form small and fully blocked from the front by his shield. She lifted her hammer to swing but as she did his sword snaked up and cut off it’s path meeting the head of the hammer at the point it joined the haft.

His shield arm drew back and drove the point of it into the softer plates of her armour and knocked the wind from her. Then rolling in formation he pulled his arm back and drove his knee into the same spot, causing her to drop her hammer into the sands and sink to her knees. His sword then rested gently across the back of her neck. “So used to hitting yet not used to taking the blows.” His words cold and hard. “Fall in line.” Short tempered and hot blooded people often needed a cool and even headed, even possibly a little cold hearted people to lead them.

“One left now.” Alex rolled his shoulder trying his best to drown out the ache in his fore arm and shoulder. “Your turn Sylvia. Show me what you’ve got. And don’t be afraid to use your magic. I’ve experience dealing with it.”

[Alexander Faircroft]

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

Beneath the steel he was visibly worn out. His face shew it and hisbody as already beginning to bruise but he stood firm and resolute. Like a man possessed of a need, a deep seeded need to prove himself to people. But it wasn’t these four he needed to impress. No it was the simple fact that he needed to impress his patron Ser Greyheart. He’d given him a aim, a focus, a goal and kept doing so. Pushing Alex further and further down the path of Knighthood. So now his goal wasn’t to just win. No, it was to earn the respect of his peers. And now he only had the most dangerous of the four left.

Alex rolled his sword in his hand and lifted his shield across his chest and face.
“Come Sylvia show me what you can do.” As Alex spoke he watched a wall of fire rise in front of him and encircle Sylvia. A barrier of flame meant to both protect her and keep him at bay. Five feet around her in all directions, meaning no matter which way he came at her from, without leaning his body into the fire he’d be unable to reach her. And then the fireballs came. The first one caught Alex off-guard blind-siding him and catching him across the abdomen, the fire exploding out and licking up his breast plate before dying out. Counting himself lucky it’d just met raw steel and none of the padding beneath which would have acted like kindling.

The next one Alex swatted out of the air with his shield, back handing it wand watching the fire explode into a plume of burning anger. The red glow illuminating the side of his face beneath the helm, catching in his Resolute almost electrified green eyes. Watching and timing his motions was easy however making sure that diffused the ball without causing himself harm was the issue. The third fireball he sliced in half with the length of his sword, whipping it across like an axe through a log. The pieces of fire bursting into flame and trailing behind his swords length.

Now I can defend against the projectiles but how do I… Wait. Sand! Alex smiled beneath his visor as the next fireball hurled towards him. This time he let the shield absorb the impact and let the fireball burst to act as a distraction, his left foot twisted in the sand and sprayed it over the fire wall at the base smothering the flames and putting them out long enough for Alex to leap through the flames and square off against the female squire. Her significantly lighter armour a lot easier for him to deal with. Despite the explosions of the flames the impact was significantly lighter than the rocks which Saga had thrown at him.

His blade places at her throat the steel still hot enough to be felt, and lightly ringing from the collision.
“Yield?” His only word to her now. Followed by a subdued supplicant nod. “Good.”

[Alexander Faircroft]

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

The moment she nodded Alex dropped his sword to his side before falling to one knee. He was drained. Even if it was four squires one after the other the sheer amount of effort involved in discerning their strengths and weaknesses mid combat had taken a lot out of him. Now he struggled to even stay up. Still he had to act the commander and he couldn’t let them see him down for too long. Struggling to his feet he used the tip of his sword stabbed into the sand as a walking stick.
“Right. Now, where did you all go wrong?” Alex spoke with a twinge of pain at the back of his words. Rising to stand once more. As he did the four squires in front of him looked between each other not entirely sure they went wrong at all. “You didn’t work together.” He spoke with a calm word.

“Individually we are strong enough to hold our own. But when faced against an opponent who completely overwhelms one of you.” His words broken by a short glance at Will. “It behoves you all to attack as a unit. When the skill of one won’t surmount, act as a one unit. It’s why knights act in wings as opposed to on their own. Since you’ve all proved that you don’t think far enough ahead to have thought to act as a group I’m still in command. And I know I sad face me, but I never said one at a time. You all acted individually banking on your skills to see you through to victory and earn you the right to act as a commander for a short while.”

Alex sheathed his sword taking his helm from his head with his now free hand. Long golden locks and the blonde beard he’d been cultivating through mild neglect spilling forth. He gave them a gold hard stare each.
“You were all willing to allow each other to fall just to achieve your own goals. Now I’m here to form you four into a unit. With that said let’s look at your strengths. Sylvia is clearly our ranged spell caster. Elise and Cameron you’re our frontline hitters. And will you’re our defensive line. You move where you’re needed, and help protect the ranged units.” Shifting his weight across his feet as he walked trying his best to keep aloft he tried to set them out into a formation with the two heavy hitters at the front, will just behind, with himself and Sylvia at the back. “And it should sting you all to know that my sword and shield isn’t my best weapon.”

[Dove Brown]

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Alexander Faircroft

Skills

• Logic 1
• Strategy 2
• Leadership 3
• Weapon: Shield 1
• Teaching 2
• Weapon: Bastard sword 1
• Acting 1
• Endurance 2
• Negotiation 1
• Brawling 1

Lores

• Judged on leading other squires
• Tone matters more than volume
• Leadership: looking the part
• Discerning strengths and weaknesses by using spar
• Teamwork overcomes individual skill

Miscellaneous

• Shield points 1 (training)

Comments: Enjoy your grades