21st of Fall, 518 A.V.
A few Dragoons were making their way down the cobble road towards the walled off area ahead. Kynier would've called it a structure, but it was too wide across and looked as though it was an open-air compound. Walking just a little slower than most on the street allowed him to really examine it from the exterior. The main gate had more people flowing through it than he had seen at The Gold Lodge. Dragoons, as well as a few normal citizens of Sunberth from the look of it, were going both in and out of the place. Several guards were stationed at the entrance, barring some from entry. Kynier hesistated for a moment before falling in line to approach the place he had heard referred to as "The Proving Grounds".
As his place in line slowly diminished, Kynier was taking glances at those around him. Men and women of varying ages and builds were with him. Those before him were revealing their indications of membership. Guards forced others out from the line. Kynier grew anxious, wondering what sort of trouble he’d be in if they didn’t believe his forgery. He pulled up the edge of his sleeve as he came to the front of the line. The nearer guard looked at the marking on the back of his hand and nodded before he even held it up for a closer inspection. Kynier nearly hesitated to walk inside. He expected the guard to be more thorough. Perhaps he was lucky, and it had been near the end of the guard’s assigned shift.
Stepping through the puddles, the grunts and shouts of the training field grew over the sound of the rain lightly impacting on the hood of his cloak. There was a section of the grounds that was built like an arena, where only a few people were gathered. A woman was shouting directions to someone, while the others appeared to simply watch. As for the rest of it, there were target dummies suffering the abuse of archery and melee weaponry. A large group was gathering around a certain area, which caught his interest. The spy made his way over to that place and joined those that had gathered.
Several of the people were shouting, trying to be heard. They were… suggestions? A woman with an expression of mild annoyance stood with her arms crossed, surveying those that were shouting things. “This is the advanced bell!” She hollered over everyone. “And we will not waste the chimes with such basic concepts. I asked if there was something in particular that people wished to improve upon, and the only shyke I’ve heard could be done by a one-handed barmaid!”
“Duel Wielding,” a voice called immediately in the following silence. “Deflection and riposte.” Eyes turned to an angular faced man. There were grumbles among those in the crowd and some walked away.
“Fine,” the woman said. “Everyone picks their own weapons. Find a partner with different weapons than what you choose. Those of you that don’t have practice weapons yet, hurry the petch up! And pay your training dues!” People started to scramble at that. Kynier quickly looked around for a place where practice weapons could be acquired. Some people were huddling around a place and walking away with wooden weapons. Kynier went over and set down five gold for two wooden short swords and another twenty for the lesson. As he walked away, people were quickly forming pairs and establishing claims to where they would train. The man that had purposed the training regiment was standing with his arms crossed, waiting. Kynier arched an eyebrow and approached the man.
“Ah,” he said in mild amusement. “Someone actually willing to spar against me? Normally the last one ready gets to work with me.” Kynier gave the man a once over. There was some bulk to his frame, and thick stubble around his jawline. Well groomed, and in good physical condition. The man drew his wooden weapons, a longsword and a battle axe. Kynier reaffirmed his grip on the wooden short swords as he stepped closer.
“Just a new Raider that doesn’t know any better,” Kynier said with self-mocking lightheartedness. The man gave a dry laugh.
“The man has some wit,” he commented aloud. “Well, step forward. I was hoping to learn more that teach today,” the man’s tone was that of disinterest. The spy furrowed his brow slightly. Who was he getting involved with now? The man held the battle axe with his left arm, and the longword in the other, but held the longsword forward and the axe up high behind his head. Kynier took a slightly wider than shoulder-width stance with both weapons held up before him. Not the stance he preferred, but he needed to display something other than his normal self.
“Deflection,” the woman from earlier said loudly for every pairing to hear, “is not the same as blocking! Blocking against someone with two weapons will get you killed quickly. Alternate between attacking and deflecting with your training partner.” Without delay, Kynier’s partner was bringing his sword down at his head. Kynier took a small side step and pivoted his weight on that foot, bringing other behind him so that the sword would miss entirely on its own. Kynier took his left-hand weapon and brought it up to deflect the attacking weapon.
Rather than just let the attack end and allow the man to freely retract his weapon, Kynier continued to push down on the attacking weapon before leading it down and away in a circle so that he could easily step in and attack. Stepping forward with his back foot, Kynier brought his right-hand weapon up to come down on the man’s head. The man’s movements were a perfect reflection of what Kynier had just done. He stepped out of the way and brought his battle axe up to deflect and redirect the attack, to follow through with another attack with the longsword. A rhythm was established that Kynier fell into rather comfortably. Once he did, the other man smiled with half his face.
He changed the attack to be a circular slash from the side as he stepped in.
As his place in line slowly diminished, Kynier was taking glances at those around him. Men and women of varying ages and builds were with him. Those before him were revealing their indications of membership. Guards forced others out from the line. Kynier grew anxious, wondering what sort of trouble he’d be in if they didn’t believe his forgery. He pulled up the edge of his sleeve as he came to the front of the line. The nearer guard looked at the marking on the back of his hand and nodded before he even held it up for a closer inspection. Kynier nearly hesitated to walk inside. He expected the guard to be more thorough. Perhaps he was lucky, and it had been near the end of the guard’s assigned shift.
Stepping through the puddles, the grunts and shouts of the training field grew over the sound of the rain lightly impacting on the hood of his cloak. There was a section of the grounds that was built like an arena, where only a few people were gathered. A woman was shouting directions to someone, while the others appeared to simply watch. As for the rest of it, there were target dummies suffering the abuse of archery and melee weaponry. A large group was gathering around a certain area, which caught his interest. The spy made his way over to that place and joined those that had gathered.
Several of the people were shouting, trying to be heard. They were… suggestions? A woman with an expression of mild annoyance stood with her arms crossed, surveying those that were shouting things. “This is the advanced bell!” She hollered over everyone. “And we will not waste the chimes with such basic concepts. I asked if there was something in particular that people wished to improve upon, and the only shyke I’ve heard could be done by a one-handed barmaid!”
“Duel Wielding,” a voice called immediately in the following silence. “Deflection and riposte.” Eyes turned to an angular faced man. There were grumbles among those in the crowd and some walked away.
“Fine,” the woman said. “Everyone picks their own weapons. Find a partner with different weapons than what you choose. Those of you that don’t have practice weapons yet, hurry the petch up! And pay your training dues!” People started to scramble at that. Kynier quickly looked around for a place where practice weapons could be acquired. Some people were huddling around a place and walking away with wooden weapons. Kynier went over and set down five gold for two wooden short swords and another twenty for the lesson. As he walked away, people were quickly forming pairs and establishing claims to where they would train. The man that had purposed the training regiment was standing with his arms crossed, waiting. Kynier arched an eyebrow and approached the man.
“Ah,” he said in mild amusement. “Someone actually willing to spar against me? Normally the last one ready gets to work with me.” Kynier gave the man a once over. There was some bulk to his frame, and thick stubble around his jawline. Well groomed, and in good physical condition. The man drew his wooden weapons, a longsword and a battle axe. Kynier reaffirmed his grip on the wooden short swords as he stepped closer.
“Just a new Raider that doesn’t know any better,” Kynier said with self-mocking lightheartedness. The man gave a dry laugh.
“The man has some wit,” he commented aloud. “Well, step forward. I was hoping to learn more that teach today,” the man’s tone was that of disinterest. The spy furrowed his brow slightly. Who was he getting involved with now? The man held the battle axe with his left arm, and the longword in the other, but held the longsword forward and the axe up high behind his head. Kynier took a slightly wider than shoulder-width stance with both weapons held up before him. Not the stance he preferred, but he needed to display something other than his normal self.
“Deflection,” the woman from earlier said loudly for every pairing to hear, “is not the same as blocking! Blocking against someone with two weapons will get you killed quickly. Alternate between attacking and deflecting with your training partner.” Without delay, Kynier’s partner was bringing his sword down at his head. Kynier took a small side step and pivoted his weight on that foot, bringing other behind him so that the sword would miss entirely on its own. Kynier took his left-hand weapon and brought it up to deflect the attacking weapon.
Rather than just let the attack end and allow the man to freely retract his weapon, Kynier continued to push down on the attacking weapon before leading it down and away in a circle so that he could easily step in and attack. Stepping forward with his back foot, Kynier brought his right-hand weapon up to come down on the man’s head. The man’s movements were a perfect reflection of what Kynier had just done. He stepped out of the way and brought his battle axe up to deflect and redirect the attack, to follow through with another attack with the longsword. A rhythm was established that Kynier fell into rather comfortably. Once he did, the other man smiled with half his face.
He changed the attack to be a circular slash from the side as he stepped in.
Boxcode credit goes to Gossamer!