20th Day of Summer, Early Morning
Outside Syliras City Walls
Grassland
Outside Syliras City Walls
Grassland
Blackthawne had camped outside of the city walls for the night, and upon waking he stretched, ate his light breakfast of porridge and packed up his equipment, deciding to, as per usual, keep his family longsword strapped to his side instead of the travel sheath on the side of his rucksack. After he walked from his campsite to the walls of Syliras, he decided it would be a good idea to go through his sword movements. Setting down his pack on a patch of grass a moderate ways away from the incoming and outgoing traffic of the city, he drew his blade. His combat stance was one of his own making, legs a shoulders-width apart, but with his left leg one step forwards. He found this stance gave him the most balance out of any that he had found.
His sword, he kept gripped in his right hand, with his left hand kept empty and out infront of him to begin with. With his longsword being quite a sturdy blade, t his entire opening was merely a rouse. Taking a quick glance around to ensure nobody was nearby and he had the area to himself, he pushed forwards off of his right foot, and swinging his right hand forwards, brought his blade around to a central position, where his left hand swung inwards to take ahold of the grip also, giving him a two-handed grip (The sword in question holding a hand-and-a-half hilt for use without a shield). From this position he proceeded to move through a series of vertical, horizontal and angled slashes, keeping his body moving in a varied manner of directions. Firstly he moved forwards for a few paces, then, as if moving in a defensive manner, backwards, and also rapid sidesteps and quick jumping movements as if trying to out-maneuver a foe.
"Never moving too far, constantly keeping a center of balance, slashes must be powerful to try and throw the foe off their own balance, but never strong enough that a miss would remove my own center...."
Under his breath, he repeated the statement over and over as he worked, keeping his mind sharp as he proceeded through the movements. This was how his father and the other mercenaries he had met in his time had taught him. His movements were not of a specific teaching, more mixed from what everyone had taught him to form a collaboration of movements he could call solely his own. This was an advantage in combat, as his foes would not be able to research his form beforehand and find its flaws.... They would have to do so on the move, in combat. This would distract their mind from watching his blade slightly, another upper edge for him....
