Timestamp: Fall 38, 513
“HuaaAH!” Struck the ground hard enough to leave a several inch deep dent, sand flying up in a wave around her as her opponent leapt back, pivoting for a counter strike while her weapon was down. But Vira followed through as she had been instructed to, the staff rising up and over her shoulder as her feet fell back into their proper positions once more. It went around behind her and then past her feet as her lead foot rose. The staff rose back into position again and knocked the others staff aside once more.
The other did not, however, hold his grip well enough and it slipped from his hands, falling to the ground. Immediately, the teen went for the “kill”, her single eye marking his throat as the staff reset into a yin-yan hold with the majority of the weapon pointing towards the sky; she stepped forwards and jabbed the point of the staff up and into her opponents face, grunting out an exhale as she did. Behind her, the match judge called out “Point, match!” and moved on to the next pit to be judged.
Her opponent happened to be one of her Flight’s team members, a woman by the name of Hespal and whose eagle was one of the many that had been altered by the wild djed, turning the scales on her legs into something resembling diamonds. They had taken on the name of ‘GemFall’, a strange moniker that reflected the teamwork they often displayed in the air. The eagle would lead them into a massive dive, at which point Hespa would release the bindings on her harness’ leg straps and literally drift off of the bird.
They had spent a fortune on specially crafted alloys that would protect her not only from the heat of the dive, but the cutting winds that would otherwise have blinded her. She had had one of the mage crafters in the forges strengthen a glass shield, too, that was both heat resistant and condensation proof, both of which would be needed for high altitude flying. Hespa had transformed herself with the gear into a powerful flier, capable of diving alongside her wind eagle. The only problem was, the bird had to stay near Hespa throughout. Nothing the Inartan forges made could yet withstand the forces of such a dive that would allow for both stability and mobility. If she could fly in the bird-less dive, then she would reach her goal.
But Hespa sparred with Vira because she too had taken on staff fighting as a form of relaxation; the level of intuitive concentration helped the older, more mature rider loosen up after a hard day; she was also one of the only ones who liked Vira on the team. Nash tolerated her, so long as she pulled her weight through and through; all of the others could care less.
”Hey, Lavira, cool down; you’re way too tense! You’re supposed to flow, not…” The other endal waved a hand indicatively at her.
Panting, Vira straightened and leaned on her staff, wiping the back of her brow with one hand and flinging the sweat to the side. “I know, guess I’m just distracted.” She replied, removing her weight from the rod and straightening up. Her fingers loosened only grudgingly from the staff, still white from holding it too tight. “Sorry.”
”Hey, no need to apologize; we all get distracted some time. It’s how we regain our focus that counts.”
“Harder to do with this matter, Hespa. It’s not really something I can just shrug off. You think we can do some Bay sweeps instead? I don’t think I want to work on this anymore right now. I’d rather Greco not yell at me for breaking a staff, heh.” The other nodded, laughing, and took the practice weapon from the other red head in order to return it to its appropriate rack.
”Bay sweeps it is.”
Glad for the change of tempo, Vira called to Mohya as she left the sand arena and fetched her katinu from the storage cubbies on the south side of Greco’s home.
Mohya, we’re going to do some flight training over the bay; feel up for it?
~Sounds like a plan, lass; be there shortly.~
A few chimes later, the two birds appeared, sweeping in over the Hut and its trainees to land in the front. With her katinu tightly wrapped around her, Vira went to the snow-chested bird and stroked her breast feathers as the eagle lowered herself for the woman to climb on to. Next to Mohya, Hespa was doing the same with the diamond-legged raptor as well. Once both were mounted up, and strapped up, Mohya took to the air first, if only because she was the older of the two birds, though her rider was younger. They climbed hard and fast with Hespa and Gem right behind them, massive wings beating at the air and sweeping clouds out of the way.
At the top of their climb, Vira had the same breathtaking view she always enjoyed when flying with the eagle. To the east, Thunder Bay stretched with Thunder Island peeking on the horizon of the bay before it melded with Storm Sea. Both eagles circled here for a few moments before they turned their wings and tails towards the white-capped waters in the distance.
It was a windy day, true, but both knew the limits of their animals and the wind would be the perfect challenge for the newer duet flying with Hespa and Gem. Their flight bright them right past the Bay settlement, their shadows not even passing over the ground as they flew towards the other end of the Bay. The two birds were in communication throughout this venture.
Eventually, Mohya spoke to her once more, ~Hespa and Gem want to know if you would rather have a race to burn off some of that steam.~
A race, huh?
~Indeed; think we can beat them?~
I’m sure we could if we tried…How are your wings?
The bird gave a warcry in reply and turned one brilliant eye onto the other two as she conveyed her message. Gem screeched as well. The race was on.
“HuaaAH!” Struck the ground hard enough to leave a several inch deep dent, sand flying up in a wave around her as her opponent leapt back, pivoting for a counter strike while her weapon was down. But Vira followed through as she had been instructed to, the staff rising up and over her shoulder as her feet fell back into their proper positions once more. It went around behind her and then past her feet as her lead foot rose. The staff rose back into position again and knocked the others staff aside once more.
The other did not, however, hold his grip well enough and it slipped from his hands, falling to the ground. Immediately, the teen went for the “kill”, her single eye marking his throat as the staff reset into a yin-yan hold with the majority of the weapon pointing towards the sky; she stepped forwards and jabbed the point of the staff up and into her opponents face, grunting out an exhale as she did. Behind her, the match judge called out “Point, match!” and moved on to the next pit to be judged.
Her opponent happened to be one of her Flight’s team members, a woman by the name of Hespal and whose eagle was one of the many that had been altered by the wild djed, turning the scales on her legs into something resembling diamonds. They had taken on the name of ‘GemFall’, a strange moniker that reflected the teamwork they often displayed in the air. The eagle would lead them into a massive dive, at which point Hespa would release the bindings on her harness’ leg straps and literally drift off of the bird.
They had spent a fortune on specially crafted alloys that would protect her not only from the heat of the dive, but the cutting winds that would otherwise have blinded her. She had had one of the mage crafters in the forges strengthen a glass shield, too, that was both heat resistant and condensation proof, both of which would be needed for high altitude flying. Hespa had transformed herself with the gear into a powerful flier, capable of diving alongside her wind eagle. The only problem was, the bird had to stay near Hespa throughout. Nothing the Inartan forges made could yet withstand the forces of such a dive that would allow for both stability and mobility. If she could fly in the bird-less dive, then she would reach her goal.
But Hespa sparred with Vira because she too had taken on staff fighting as a form of relaxation; the level of intuitive concentration helped the older, more mature rider loosen up after a hard day; she was also one of the only ones who liked Vira on the team. Nash tolerated her, so long as she pulled her weight through and through; all of the others could care less.
”Hey, Lavira, cool down; you’re way too tense! You’re supposed to flow, not…” The other endal waved a hand indicatively at her.
Panting, Vira straightened and leaned on her staff, wiping the back of her brow with one hand and flinging the sweat to the side. “I know, guess I’m just distracted.” She replied, removing her weight from the rod and straightening up. Her fingers loosened only grudgingly from the staff, still white from holding it too tight. “Sorry.”
”Hey, no need to apologize; we all get distracted some time. It’s how we regain our focus that counts.”
“Harder to do with this matter, Hespa. It’s not really something I can just shrug off. You think we can do some Bay sweeps instead? I don’t think I want to work on this anymore right now. I’d rather Greco not yell at me for breaking a staff, heh.” The other nodded, laughing, and took the practice weapon from the other red head in order to return it to its appropriate rack.
”Bay sweeps it is.”
Glad for the change of tempo, Vira called to Mohya as she left the sand arena and fetched her katinu from the storage cubbies on the south side of Greco’s home.
Mohya, we’re going to do some flight training over the bay; feel up for it?
~Sounds like a plan, lass; be there shortly.~
A few chimes later, the two birds appeared, sweeping in over the Hut and its trainees to land in the front. With her katinu tightly wrapped around her, Vira went to the snow-chested bird and stroked her breast feathers as the eagle lowered herself for the woman to climb on to. Next to Mohya, Hespa was doing the same with the diamond-legged raptor as well. Once both were mounted up, and strapped up, Mohya took to the air first, if only because she was the older of the two birds, though her rider was younger. They climbed hard and fast with Hespa and Gem right behind them, massive wings beating at the air and sweeping clouds out of the way.
At the top of their climb, Vira had the same breathtaking view she always enjoyed when flying with the eagle. To the east, Thunder Bay stretched with Thunder Island peeking on the horizon of the bay before it melded with Storm Sea. Both eagles circled here for a few moments before they turned their wings and tails towards the white-capped waters in the distance.
It was a windy day, true, but both knew the limits of their animals and the wind would be the perfect challenge for the newer duet flying with Hespa and Gem. Their flight bright them right past the Bay settlement, their shadows not even passing over the ground as they flew towards the other end of the Bay. The two birds were in communication throughout this venture.
Eventually, Mohya spoke to her once more, ~Hespa and Gem want to know if you would rather have a race to burn off some of that steam.~
A race, huh?
~Indeed; think we can beat them?~
I’m sure we could if we tried…How are your wings?
The bird gave a warcry in reply and turned one brilliant eye onto the other two as she conveyed her message. Gem screeched as well. The race was on.
