Arrows of the Drykas

[Sama'el Sunsinger]

Sama'el had not meant to upset the man, but sometimes the greatest service a man could do for another was to speak plainly and challenge him to rethink his position. He had made no decision to dislike Akarn or spurn his friendship; that had not become an issue that needed resolving yet. The young Ankal was not adverse to hearing a man's story, his secret shames. Gods knew he held the secrets of enough people. But Akarn's response forestalled further discussion on such matters, not because they couldn't speak of them, but because it needn't matter. Not right now. Right now they were two Drykas warriors, and they would temper themselves on each other. Perhaps they would not be friends at the end of the day, but one could learn a great deal about a man by crossing blades with him. They just might end up finding a kindred spirit today. Sama'el grinned. "Let's spar a while," he suggested, unslinging his quiver and setting it aside with his bow. "Later when our hands are buzzing, we can see how well we aim." He pulled his scimitar free in one fluid motion like a woman snapping open a fan, but he did not settle into any sort of fighting stance, waiting for Akarn to agree.

[Akarn]

The young Drykas challenger nodded to Sama'el and even gave him a grin. "Blades it is then." Akarn said simply and with a little bit of enthusiasm. He could feel the nervous dryness set in on the back of his throat. The warrior was not sure why either, perhaps it was because he never had sparred with someone from the Watch or with someone of Sama'el's reputation. Akarn held out his bow, dropping it to the side of him and he shrugged off the quiver that was resting across his right shoulder.

While the other warrior stood in front of him seemed honorable, Akarn did not take his eyes off of the him at all. The young man's muscular arm reached up and over his back to free the battle axe from its sheath. With a quick removal of the top leather strap near the bottom of the handle, the rest of the axe lifted easily out of its worn leather blade coverings. The double bladed axe glinted in the morning sun and he held it at the ready. The blade was well weighted for Akarn and he could feel the familiar leather bindings that wrapped the axe's handle beneath the palm of his hand.

He took a deep breath and let it out. He took a moment to note the placement of the objects around him and once finished he nodded. "Let's do this."

[Sama'el Sunsinger]

As Sama'el watched Akarn prepare himself, he began to look for tells in the way the axeman moved that might help him anticipate attacks and feints when they were finally blade to blade. He brought his scimitar up to a high guard, hilt near his shoulder, blade pointed toward the sky. Then he pulled his outside elbow up, the blade twisting and turning until it pointed at Akarn. His legs spread, knees bending, lowing his center of gravity. Between one blink and the next, he sent a silent prayer to Syna and She answered. Not only could he see with his eyes, one framed in a solar orb with a single ray, but he could see their impending dance from above, and thus, would be able to see behind his back if he needed to do so. It would be an advantage, and was now, but the drawback for the time being was that he was not used to working with two visual impressions at the same time. This was fortunate for Akarn, because eventually it was going to make Sama'el a holy terror with a weapon. But not yet. Once Akarn was ready to begin, Sama'el leaped forward with a simultaneous outward thrust and upward slash, ready to pull the strike if it overwhelmed the other man. He had no idea of his true skill.

[Akarn]

The other Drykas male was a little taller and slimmer , whereas he was stocky. Which even though not a seasoned warrior Akarn knew that he would have to count on his strength versus Sama'el's speed. He was interrupted in mid-thought with the other warriors advance. He underestimated Sama'els speed and the other Drykas was definitely more skilled then he was.

Akarn turned to the side rather quickly to a void Sama'el's attack barely avoiding the metallic blade as it started on its upward slash. In a hasty motion he brought up his battle axe and placed it between himself and the scimitar. Once the curve of the axes blade hooked the sword, He took a step backwards. Akarn then forced both of the weapons downward in a circular motion before him trying to force the other warrior off balance.

Once the weapons were clear Akarn took up a defensive posture. Axe in front of him one foot slightly back to keep his balance. He knew to attack before this opponent was the least bit tired would be foolhardy and would be his undoing.

[Sama'el Sunsinger]

Sama'el's curved blade slide out of Akarn's bind faster than the other man would have liked, but that was one of its strengths, and Sama'el's movements tended to have a circular motion to them. But with this doubled vision, he was keeping extraneous movement to a minimum, which was easier because it only took that one pass to know that he had more training than Akarn here. But the other man was stronger, and Sama'el hadn't fought a man with an axe in a while. This was the point of practicing, he supposed. Pushing this advantage, he came in high again with a feint to the neck, the which he changed quickly to a low guard. Normally he would have gone straight through to the next form, but he paused just a moment to allow Akarn to recover before aiming a low swipe at his thighs that the axe blocked. Sama'el used the rebound to whirl around the man to slash at his hamstrings. He was swinging slowly, giving the man more than enough opportunity to block him; he had no desire to maim a fellow Drykas. And anyway, getting in this close gave up his reach advantage, and if Akarn countered well, Sama'el would be hard pressed to recover, greater skill or no. The young Watchman was grinning.

[Akarn]

Akarn was amazed at the proficiency of the other Drykas before him. He could tell that the man while still moving fast enough to test Akarn's ability was not going in for the easy defeat. The long black haired warrior appreciated that. This would at least allow Akarn to gain knowledge and if nothing else give Sama'el a work out. The clan outcast could see the teacher in Sama'el emerging and almost an understanding that the one before him did not care so much for his own glory as he did in making sure that equal footing was given to all.

The blades rang out and the axe resonating with its metallic song. Akarn forced the scimitar back out and away from his leg area. He could see the other warrior grinning through the whole scenario. With the blade parried and forced outward Akarn stepped in towards his opponent and brought up his muscular arm and locked it with Sama'el's sword arm trying to force him backward and hopefully of balance.

[Sama'el Sunsinger]

Sama'el's skill ended if he was disarmed. He was sprightly and acrobatic, and had a chance of getting away or getting to another weapon, but his clever opponent had snatched at opportunity and both taken his blade out of the equation, and kept him close so he couldn't get away. His grin turned to grit teeth, though he was still enjoying himself. Now Akarn had the advantage of strength and a lower center of gravity, and while if this were a matter of life or death, Sama'el would've tried to break Akarn's nose with a headbutt, now all he could do was try to writhe and wriggle his way lose. Or snap his head back by the hair, or knee him in the groin, but he didn't want to rule children out of Akarn's future, and they hadn't agreed to an all out brawl. Thankfully Akarn didn't seem to know what to do with his advantage, but that didn't mean this would be easy. "Dammit," he laughed, and continued to struggle against the man.