[Training] Men with sticks (Kane)

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This shining population center is considered the jewel of The Sylira Region. Home of the vast majority of Mizahar's population, Syliras is nestled in a quiet, sprawling valley on the shores of the Suvan Sea. [Lore]

[Training] Men with sticks (Kane)

Postby John Griffin on July 22nd, 2010, 8:50 am

Noon, 18th of Summer, 510 AV
Traveler's Row


John's boots thumped softly on the ground as he strode down the corridor. Weaving through the crowded hallway, he emerged out into the semi-fresh air of Traveler's Row.

Dressed in a simple cloth shirt and pants, with boots, gloves and a belt, he consciously appreciated the lack of armor. Days off were nice. Perfect for practice. Thus he made his way down the cobbles of the Row, two wooden shields slung over one shoulder, a pair of practice swords tucked under the other.

The knight started to make his way down the long length of wall that was the Row. Glancing at the apartment number he saw that he still had quite some ways to go. Several minutes later he started approaching the four hundreds, and started looking at nearly ever door.

397...402...408...411...416...424...425...426...427...

428. He smiled and stopped in front of room four twenty eight. Hoping he had remembered it right, for it had been ten days, and he'd not written it down, he walked up to the door and used the practice swords to rap on it several times. Then, stepping back, he waited.
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[Training] Men with sticks (Kane)

Postby Kane Roth on July 22nd, 2010, 12:11 pm

Kane was engrossed in what seemed his morning ritual when John had dropped by, having woken earlier, his dreams disturbing him, and had begun to oil his leather gear, what little there was now aside from his boots, a simple belt and scabbard. Things like this took his mind off things, especially things like Ajagur, and helped establish a method which he hoped to maintain into his days of Squirehood, perhaps even Knighthood; for should one not take good care of their leather gear, then it would not take care of you, so to say. Though, as he was examining a particular crack in his belt, a series of knocks on the door caused him slight alarm, jumping before he realized it was someone at the door. Standing, careful to lay the belt back onto the table as it was, he went to receive them, whoever they were, and as he cracked open the door he was pleasantly surprised to see that it was John this morning holding in his hand a pair of practice swords. Opening the door to its full capacity, Kane would've received him with a hearty handshake, though for obvious reasons it might have to be delayed, and instead offered to take some of the load off of John, hands extended,

"A good morning-or rather by the look of it, good day, John. Anything I can help you with there?"
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[Training] Men with sticks (Kane)

Postby John Griffin on July 22nd, 2010, 1:58 pm

John gave a smile as the door opened a crack, then all the way. Shifting the shields a little on his shoulder he nodded. "It is a fine day, Kane. I hope I wasn't disturbing you." At the offer John swung the shields down to the ground, resting them on a boot, and held out the swords. Normally squires would take the heavier load, but Kane was not yet his squire, nor was he a thirteen year old boy that squires oft were. Adult squires were always different. While technically subordinate to knights, they had to be treated as the adults they were, and not as children. "If you don't mind, that'd be great." He stretched out his arms for a few moments before continuing.

"It was a mighty fine day, and I didn't have any plans, so I thought I'd stop by and see what you were up to. Maybe see if you'd like to go outside the city and do a little sparring with me. I haven't had a partner to spar with in a very long time, and solo training only does so much." Shrugging, "In addition, I can get a measure of just how good you are with a sword. Might just be that we'll be able to focus on other things."

His eyebrows raised inquisitively, he asked, "What do you say?"
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[Training] Men with sticks (Kane)

Postby Kane Roth on July 22nd, 2010, 5:14 pm

Taking the mock weaponry, he listened as John explained his plans for the day, suggesting that the two go and spar for a bit, a proposition that Kane could admire, both to polish his already rusty skill with a blade and help prepare him for his time as a Squire. The proposition required little thought, though Kane thought regardless, action without thought having rarely landed Kane in a good spot, but the possibility for mutual benefit was much too great to ignore also considering that little could go wrong with such action, and so soon after the word 'say' had left John's mouth, Kane agreed, "Sounds fine to me, though, let me grab my ruck before we get going..." Kane then, nodding to John, turned about and returned to the room quietly, making his way to the small table in the front corner of the room not taken up by the door, taking up the canvas rucksack by the padded straps, slinging it over his shoulders with little effort, then sitting on the spartan chair he quickly folded his footwraps and in quick succession pulled on his boots, not allowing the wraps to lose any of their tension. Standing, he began to review a mental checklist, Kane concluded he'd all he required in his ruck for the day; bota with water, food, and clothing, and with but a few strides had returned to the door, key in one hand and swords in the other. Proceeding to close the door and properly lock it, Kane deposited the key into a pocket that had been sewn into his trousers, the swords held pressed by his right arm against his side in a manner not dissimilar to how John had come with them as he did such. Turning to John once everything was finished, ruck dangling from his left shoulder, and soon asked, "Ready to go?"
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[Training] Men with sticks (Kane)

Postby John Griffin on July 23rd, 2010, 7:14 am

John had barely finished his question when Kane responded with a positive. He glanced around the street, keeping an eye out for the sort of things knights normally look for, like crime, or people in distress. Shifting the shields that rested on his boot to a more comfortable position, he looked back inside for a moment while Kane was grabbing his ruck, then turned his eyes back to the street. After a short while the larger man came out and locked the door, toting a ruck and the practice swords, and asking if he was ready.

"Ready," came the reply. John hoisted the shields back up onto his shoulder and started walking the short distance towards the main gates, his eyes up, keeping a look out for anything out of the ordinary. He wondered briefly if knights ever stopped such behavior, such as when they retired. I doubt it, my father still has habits from his knighthood.

John turned to Kane as they neared the gates, "So, it may be some time before the interview can be arranged, the bureaucracy of running a city sometimes muddies the operations of the Order. But it's only a matter of time. How have you been the last couple days?"
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[Training] Men with sticks (Kane)

Postby Kane Roth on July 23rd, 2010, 8:30 pm

"Ready."

The two began their short walk to the gates, Kane glancing over occasionally at John, who seemed almost ever-vigilant, always scanning the streets... undoubtedly a habit that would hopefully be beaten into him during his training. Probably looking for anything amiss... Kane began to wistfully think of such work, imagining himself clad in the armor, the line of work being almost the exact opposite of what he'd done before, Still a long journey ahead, though... long and hard. He had his work cut out for him, that was for sure, being a Squire wasn't what Kane thought to be easy, and neither would being a Knight, though Kane wasn't doing this because it was easy; he was doing it because it was right. Though he had to admit, ones like John, despite their good nature, really couldn't put the same value on being a knight, or even being in Syliras, than people who'd at least lived there. Speaking as the two found themselves at but a stone's throw from the gates, John interrupted Kane's thoughts,

"So, it may be some time before the interview can be arranged, the bureaucracy of running a city sometimes muddies the operations of the Order. But it's only a matter of time. How have you been the last couple days?"

Only a matter of time... Kane inhaled before he began, allowing him a brief moment in which to think over just what he'd been doing the past few days, "Nothing much, really. A bit of training, bit of work, nothing really, been too worked up concerning the interview..." Kane paused for a moment before continuing, "Guess you could say I'm excited."
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[Training] Men with sticks (Kane)

Postby John Griffin on July 24th, 2010, 11:43 am

"Don't worry about the interview. It's mostly just to see how much knowledge you have, and what areas you need work in." John smiled, "You'll need that excitement and motivation later, being a squire is a lot of hard work. Trust me, I know." He led the way out the gates and onto a the grass outside of the city. Pedestrian traffic in and out of the city was steady, as was to be expected in the middle of the day. The clatter of hooves on stone mixed with the steady thrum of voices.

Finding a nice open spot, he set down one of the shields, and put the other on his left arm.

John was clearly in a good mood, a smile on his face and a twinkle in his eye. "So, I know you're a bit bigger than me," he started, "But I want you to give your all. It's better for both of us this way. I won't go easy, and I don't expect you to either."

The young knight moved closer to Kane and outstretched his hand, clearly wanting one of the practice swords.
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[Training] Men with sticks (Kane)

Postby Kane Roth on July 24th, 2010, 7:42 pm

John spoke the truth, that Kane knew, and from personal experience too, the two walking the rest of the way to the sparring area in silence, Kane thinking on times to come, his days as a squire, and hopefully a knight... times long and far in the future, undoubtedly. Soon they'd left the walls of the city, getting into the more rural outskirts, where grass and cobblestone were intermixed freely, and soon John found a spot to his liking, setting down one of the shields whilst taking up the other. "So, I know you're a bit bigger than me, but I want you to give your all. It's better for both of us this way. I won't go easy, and I don't expect you to either." Nodding as John spoke, Kane readied the sword he'd chosen as his own, and at the sight of his extended hand, Kane handed over one of the mock blades. Soon after claiming the other shield as his own, Kane readied himself, crouching slightly, for the mock combat to come, and simply asked,

"Everything I've got?"
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[Training] Men with sticks (Kane)

Postby John Griffin on July 25th, 2010, 5:20 am

John took the practice sword and swung it a few times, warming up his arm. Taking a few steps back he moved into his favorite starting position. His shield centered and in tight, and his sword gripped loosely but firm. His left foot, the shield side, was forward, and his right back.

Kane asked "Everything I've got?" and John simply smiled. The bigger man had strength on him, that was for sure, but John figured he was quicker. He was also more practiced using a shield. What he was unsure of was if Kane would fight like a soldier, or like an assassin, as well as just how good he was with a blade. His smile grew bigger, this would be interesting, to say the least.

Without another word John look a quick step forward, closing the distance, and attacked from above at an angle, on Kane's shield side. This was practice, but it was also a chance for him to measure the man's knowledge.
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[Training] Men with sticks (Kane)

Postby Kane Roth on July 26th, 2010, 4:12 am

Quickly the young knight had leapt into an attack, almost too fast for Kane to react to, expecting some kind of response from him, stepping in close with the weapon brought to bare. Kane reacted quickly, the smell of the arena faintly teasing at his nostrils, a pale memory of an age past, and he brought his shield to deflect the blow, which it did much to Kane's expectation. Now proved the unnerving bit, with John's blow deflected Kane might could strike a killing move, if only his shield didn't complicate matters, though John was as Maya; much more maneuverable and quick, though Kane undoubtedly wielded the stronger blow, John could easily best him if Kane was caught without his shield... So Kane decided to take the unorthodox path; strike at his legs, below where the shield could reach. Kane quickly brought the blade down, aiming not at his torso or head but at his right leg, which now was exposed from the move to attack. Kane didn't doubt the young man's skill, for John was a knight and Kane simply wasn't, and training to become a knight was no small feat, though whether John's reflexes proved enough to deflect the blow was yet to be seen.
Last edited by Kane Roth on July 26th, 2010, 3:47 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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