Closed Through a Path Along a Road[Aoren]

Rykanis and Aoren meet amongst the wilds

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While Sylira is by far the most civilized region of Mizahar, countless surprises and encounters await the traveler in its rural wilderness. Called the Wildlands, Syliran's wilderness is comprised of gradual rolling hills in the south that become deep wilderness in the north. Ruins abound throughout the wildlands, and only the well-marked roads are safe.

Through a Path Along a Road[Aoren]

Postby Rykanis Dakshata on June 25th, 2014, 5:12 am

5 Summer 514


As Rykanis passed through "the Pass named Mirahil" as he called it, he pondered what he should do on this day. He had not been in Zeltiva long, but he found himself often wanting to get away. While in many ways Riverfall was lacking, it had a sense of comradery and purpose that Rykanis felt was sorely missing amongst Zeltivan's. Rykanis could almost feel his body wasting away, could almost feel the glares and looks from humans as he passed in the street.

While the first was mostly imagined, the second was not, as Rykanis did garner many a look as he took even the most leisurely of stroll. His height did not help, nor did his deep dark violet skin. Nor did the pair of lakan scabbard-ed on either side of his waist.

That was another oddity for Rykanis, being in a city were openly carrying weapons was not the norm. In Riverfall everyone had weapons, and was ready to fight and defend the city at a moments notice. In Sunberth, another town in Sylira he had visited, people wore weapons for a completely different reason. In that case they wore them to attempt to scare thieves off, a tactic that was not always successful.

However in Zeltiva, wearing weapons did not seem the norm, and doing so seemed to add additional looks upon him. While he was willing to conform to many social norms, that was one he doubted he would ever take on. He felt naked without his lakan at his side, and could not imagine being without them.

So on this day Rykanis found himself out of Zeltiva to deal with the first of the reasons he could actually deal with, that of keeping in shape and not letting his body fall into disrepair like a boat beached on a sharp rock.

As he passed through the trees and delved deeper within them, Rykanis made an absentminded motion. He pulled out his right lakan in a downward grip, spun it once with a twist of his hands, gripping it now in a upward grip, and then tossed it to his left hand without breaking his forward stride, glancing down as it moved between his hand to make sure he had his hands set right.

The spin in his left hand was a bit slower, he was not quite as skilled with that hand, but he still managed the wrist twitch and spun it back into a downward position. Tossing it back to his right hand with another downward glance he caught it in his palm, and re-sheathed the lakan in his scabbard.

The motion seemed to calm Rykanis a bit, who was getting restless by simply walking and doing nothing. He was not good enough to do it quite yet without looking, at least not without a bit more practice, but perhaps soon enough he would be...
-You can't truly appreciate the light, until you spend some time experiencing darkness...

-The more you know, the more you learn how little you truly know, and how much there is left to learn.

-Only when you truly understand the darkness, will you not fear it.
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Through a Path Along a Road[Aoren]

Postby Aoren on June 26th, 2014, 10:34 pm

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Aoren had yet to be in the city of Zeltiva for very long but already his time there had been filled with excitement. From the moment he arrived in the city he had faced challenges unlike those to be found in Syliras. Practically his first day in the city he’d been part of a street brawl, been attacked by a crazed wizard, delved into the secrets of a mysterious labyrinth and was steadily moving along in his studies at the University. Overall he was quite pleased with his decision to journey to the coastal city but there came a time when he was in need of a small respite. With so many things going on in his life at the moment he decided to get away from the noise of the city.

When he’d been in Syliras he had found a quiet place within the Bronze Woods to clear his head. It was high time he found some place similar in Zeltiva. The Zatoska Mountains, surrounded by the forest at their base, was something of a familiar sight to Aoren. The Cobalt Mountain surrounding the valley where Syliras was situated had similar locations. At the moment though he was making his way through the Mirahil Pass not but a bell or so outside the city. It was the very same path that he’d taken to get into the city the season prior.

His pace was easy. He wasn’t journeying to any place in particular. He was dressed simply wearing his normal clothes with a pack strapped to his back and his quarterstaff in hand. At his side walked his ever present companion, Isikai. The Bozderon, Zypherian mixed breed was entertaining himself by chasing smaller animals that happened to cross his path only to dart back to Aoren’s side once they’d run away. As he made his way over a smaller hill Aoren caught sight of another traveler not far down the road. From the rear the man looked to be as normal as any other person he might have encountered in the city with one exception…Aoren could just make out the fact that his skin was a shade of purple. Aoren blinked a few times catching sight of the man manipulating an odd looking weapon in a purple hand.

Am I seeing things?

No. He wasn’t. Was the man’s skin dyed? No, as Aoren thought on it he realized the man’s flesh wasn’t dyed with any ink. He was one of the towering men that hailed from a city far from the walls of Syliras. Aoren couldn’t quite remember the name of the city nor of its native inhabitants but he knew that from his appearance, this man was one of them. He had no personal experience with the tall multicolored people from far away but he’d heard enough pleasant things about them to not be alarmed. Still, a stranger on the road was never someone to take lightly. Besides, he might know of a particularly quiet place where Aoren might have been able to meditate.

Hail, friend!” Aoren called out to the man. It was more to let him know that he was there than anything else. From the looks of the way he’d handled that weapon he was at least mildly skilled with it. The last thing Aoren wanted to do was give this stranger cause to fight. Aoren looked down to Isikai jerking his head in the direction of the tall man.

Come on, boy.” With that he took off at an even jog to catch up with the purple skinned stranger. Raising a hand by way of greeting he offered the man a friendly smile. Isikai darted off into a sprint running a little ways ahead of them chasing down a few birds. Aoren let him. The dog didn’t get too many opportunities to just let loose and have fun while they were in the city. There could be no harm in allowing him to let go of some of the restraints Aoren placed on him with life in a dormitory or in classes.

Forgive me for interrupting your thoughts, sir. I was wondering if maybe you knew a good place where one could meditate out here away from the city?” It never hurt to try and glean knowledge from a potential local. He fell into step alongside the tall man looking up at his face to gauge his reaction. He kept a moderate distance from him being sure not to impose on the man’s personal space.
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Through a Path Along a Road[Aoren]

Postby Rykanis Dakshata on August 2nd, 2014, 6:16 pm

Rykanis had been focusing on his lakan, and on the path before him, not doing his due diligence in keeping aware of his surroundings. And so it was that when a voice sounded off, he reacted naturally, having been caught off guard and not having time to make a conscious action.

“Hail, friend!”

As he heard the voice, startled, he took one more step, moving his right foot in front of him. However Rykanis paused after that, froze in his motion with his right foot planted before him. In one motion he then readied himself, bending his knees slightly, rotating on the spot with his feet so that he was now facing the source of the sound. Now facing the other way, with his feet positioned the same, it meant he now had his left food in the lead, and his right foot behind him.

He also had instinctively moved his hands down to his lakan, a hand on each hilt, prepared to draw in an instant if he needed to. But not yet, he did not yet draw, instead appraising the sight before him for threats.

Now that his instincts had given pause, and were no longer acting upon his body, he had time to truly assess the situation. Before him was a man, a single man. He also had a dog with him, standing by his side. He did not seem to be an immediate threat, was not acting threateningly, simply holding a wooden weapon before him he recalled was called a quarterstaff. A far different weapon from his own pair of lakan. But then, each weapon had its own purpose, its own merits and downsides.

Unbending his knees, Rykanis casually looked about, making sure no one was flanking him. It seemed a likely enough strategy, call his attention to a sole figure that seemed non-threatening, only to flank him and attack from the sides with others.

Flicking closed his inner eyelid, Rykanis scanned the surroundings, checking for any other visible man sized objects that would glow in his heat sight. He noticed a few small things flickering about, perhaps tiny game animals, squirrels or rabbits or such, but certainly nothing human sized. Staring back a the man before him, he gave him a final appraising look, and flicked back open his inner eyelids, returning to his normal eyesight, no further need for it.

He smiled back at Rykanis, and in turn Rykanis gifted the stranger with a small smile. He also moved his left hand discretely from his lakan hilt, moving it to his side. His right hand he kept in place for now, resting on the pommel of his lakan hilt casually.

“Forgive me for interrupting your thoughts, sir. I was wondering if maybe you knew a good place where one could meditate out here away from the city?”

Rykanis paused for a moment, looking at the man, assessing, thinking. When he did speak it was by the motive of his other side, speaking a line fed to him word for word. He himself was focused on the mans hands, and on the action he might take with his own hands. While the man had not shown any sign of violence, he did not totally trust such random encounters.

"I am afraid not. I do not know this land well, do not know of its dips and peaks. Do not know of its silent places. I am afraid I will not be of much help for such an endeavor. Though I must say, perhaps I am also not too familiar with its customs. Do people not usually begin by learning of each others names, before continuing on? It seems a bit odd otherwise. How would you address them?"

Rykanis untensing, finally looking at the man, gave a genuine grin for a moment, it splitting his face wide to show his teeth. He still kept a hand rested on his lakan, but his face did not seem so serious.

"Well, one without a name, I am Rykanis. And you?"
-You can't truly appreciate the light, until you spend some time experiencing darkness...

-The more you know, the more you learn how little you truly know, and how much there is left to learn.

-Only when you truly understand the darkness, will you not fear it.
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Through a Path Along a Road[Aoren]

Postby Aoren on August 3rd, 2014, 3:29 pm

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Uneasy.

That was the word that first came to Aoren’s mind as he stared at the towering dark skinned man in front of him. Every muscle seemed tense. Every flick of his eyes seemed to be searching for something in shadows that didn’t exist. If Aoren was being honest it was a little off putting though he endeavored to remain friendly. It occurred to him that approaching this man might not have been the best idea. Isikai panted excitedly next to him before meandering over to the tall stranger sniffing at a boot curiously.

Isikai.” The dog perked up at Aoren’s sharper tone padding back to his side. It was then that the stranger revealed he was as much a newcomer to Zeltiva as Aoren was. The Drykas man shrugged a shoulder reaching up to rub at the back of his head. It was interesting the way the man structured his sentences. There was a fluidity to his words that drew Aoren in almost as if the stranger were about to recite a verse of poetry.

Oh, sorry about that. You may call me Aoren. This…” Aoren rest a hand upon his canine companion’s head petting the dog fondly. “…is Isikai. We are strangers in a strange land just like you. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Rykanis.

The man’s name sounded like a blade in his mouth. It was sharp, without humor or any notion of light heartedness. Given physical form Aoren imagined the name cutting his tongue as he spoke it. He wondered briefly how such a name shaped the man in front of him. If the quickness with which he dropped into a semi-defensive stance going into high alert with Aoren’s approach was any indication, he was a man accustomed to battle. When Rykanis relaxed his stance to that of a more friendly one Aoren released a tension in his back he hadn’t realized was there. He would have extended a hand to the man but something told him to refrain from doing so.

I suppose I’ll just have to find a place to practice the old fashioned way, eh?” Aoren brought his quarterstaff up to rest horizontally over his shoulders. He draped his arms over the weapon adopting a very leisurely pose. Glancing at Rykanis’s hip he nodded toward the man’s weapon.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a weapon like that before. Is it something native to your people or perhaps something you acquired in your travels?” It went without saying that a man not native to Zeltiva was in some way shape or form a traveler. There weren’t exactly any nearby cities save for Syliras and even then the journey took the greater half of a season to complete.
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Through a Path Along a Road[Aoren]

Postby Rykanis Dakshata on August 4th, 2014, 2:05 am

If nothing else, Rykanis reacting as he did showed he had learned his lessons well at the Sasaran. There one learned to react to ambush, to multiple attackers, to blades, fists, and all manner of threats. There his body had been honed, and along with it his reactions.

It was with thanks to the Sasaran and its masters that he had acted as the instincts drilled into him told his body to react.

A stranger in a strange land, Rykanis could not help being a bit ill at ease. But as his other side reminded him, appearing too jumpy might present a bad face, and so he should attempt to appear at ease, as if he had nothing to fear. But it was hard acting one way, as the locals expected clearly, while fighting his training and bodies own natural responses. But of course, likely these people would be just as lost as Rykanis, if not more so, if they were in Riverfall and their places were reversed.

“Isikai.”

As the man called out to the exuberant dog, it was another note in his mind, the animals name. It also seemed to make it less likely that this was some kind of attack, after all it seemed unlikely a bandit or thief would have such a exuberant animal. More likely they'd have an attack hound, or something of the sort. As if carried upon the breeze Rykanis heard a chuckle, a small show of mirth.

Looking about for a moment he checked for another source, only to realize there was none. Or at least, none about in the physical sense. Clearly the human had not chuckled, and the dog was not capable. Nor had Rykanis. And since neither the man or the dog reacted, it seemed the mirth had come in a tongue neither could hear. It appeared it had in fact come from the dogs shadow, as best Rykanis could ascertain. And hearing the language of the shadows was not something most could do.

“Oh, sorry about that. You may call me Aoren. This… Is Isikai. We are strangers in a strange land just like you. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Rykanis.”

Rykanis nodded, his other side noting the name and tucking it away, while focusing on his tongue and accent. Rykanis himself focused on his actions, and his words. Aoren. Also a foreigner.

"It is a pleasant enough experience meeting you Aoren."

This was of course true enough, but distinctly different from how Aoren had said it. While hearing it this oddity might be easily enough confused as a oddity in translation, or in Rykanis shifting about the words a bit, in actuality it was simple a utter truth.

Rykanis was undecided whether or not it was a good experience to meet the man, though it wasn't unpleasant really. So for now he would settle for saying it was pleasant enough, and further assess the man and the encounter.

“I suppose I’ll just have to find a place to practice the old fashioned way, eh?”

Rykanis nodded, his words true enough. Rykanis could not really aid him, and besides the creature attached to Isikai, none of the shadows about them had spoken to him. Perhaps if they were so inclined he could ask them, and they might tell him some information, but for now he was as Aoren said stuck doing things the hard way.

For a moment Rykanis' grip solidified on his lakan hilt, not pulling it but prepared to, as he moved about his own weapon to his shoulder. But he did not use it, and so Rykanis settled after a moment into a almost imperceptibly relaxed position, back to the one he'd had before the sudden motion. Rykanis had yet to decide if he was in combat or not.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen a weapon like that before. Is it something native to your people or perhaps something you acquired in your travels?”

As the man mentioned his blade, Rykanis moved his eyes to it, pondering over his words. For a few moments there was a awkward silence as his two sides argued. Rykanis said he knew more than he should, since after all one could not tell from the hilt alone that his weapon was a lakan. At least, not fully.

His other side however pointed out that Rykanis had been playing with it before, with the flipping, and he might have seen it then. If he had, it would explain how he knew it wasn't just a dagger or some such thing.

"Yes, this is my lakan. It is a weapon of my people. It is not something you acquire or buy, it is something you either make, or are gifted. There is no other true way to acquire a lakan. At least, if you are wise."

This was a somewhat pointed statement, at least if the man knew anything of lakan. If he did not, it might pass by as a odd statement. But his words were all too true, as someone stealing a lakan was the height of dishonor. Rykanis had once had it happen before, and he'd hunted the guilty party down, and extracted his blade that was inextricably connected to himself.

Pausing for a moment, Rykanis looked at the man, before continuing on.

"Though I must ask, for what reason do you wish to come out about here and find a place to meditate? Do you have a specific purpose or need in mind? Is it a regular practice of yours?"
-You can't truly appreciate the light, until you spend some time experiencing darkness...

-The more you know, the more you learn how little you truly know, and how much there is left to learn.

-Only when you truly understand the darkness, will you not fear it.
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Through a Path Along a Road[Aoren]

Postby Aoren on August 10th, 2014, 5:59 pm

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"It is a pleasant enough experience meeting you Aoren."

While Rykanis had not yet spoken very much, Aoren was getting the distinct impression that he was a man very careful with his words. His wording did not escape Aoren’s notice but it wasn’t something that offended the Drykas. How could it? The two of them were strangers who had just met on the road. Aoren had approached him in the hope that he might be able to help him find a good place to both meditate and practice. That hope seemed to be in vain but it mattered little. There was plenty of daylight left to afford Aoren the chance to scope out the area and find a good spot.

Lakan.” He rolled the word around in his mouth. It sounded foreign. It was not a word in the Common tongue that much Aoren was certain of. The inflection he placed on the syllables was slightly awkward for him as he knew nothing of the language from which the word originated. The word itself sounded sharp and intimidating, much like the man in front of him. It seemed an appropriate weapon for him. Aoren inclined his head to Rykanis.

If it is unwise to “acquire” or buy then I shall keep to the wise path.” Looking down to his dog Aoren jerked his head in the direction of the road. A silent command that prompted the canine to begin meandering along the dirt path. Aoren gave Rykanis a nod of his head and a slight wave of his hand moving as if to depart. He did not pause in his steps when the tall man asked his question but spoke over his shoulder.

Meditation is my way of life, good sir. Besides, without a clear head how would I be able to practice my techniques in hand and staff?” As if to accentuate his point, Aoren dropped one arm that was draped over his quarterstaff prompting it to tip over the opposing shoulder. He caught the quarterstaff in a hand swinging it around his body before resting it lazily over a shoulder once more.

You are welcome to join me if you like? I am always in need of a good sparring partner.” It had been some time since Aoren had entertained the idea of engaging in a friendly fight with someone. He had been meaning to make his sparring a more regular occurrence but his studies had taken precedence.

The University was demanding of his time in a way that he hadn’t expected. He was thankful for it but there were days when he was more thankful for the distraction of his work or the chance to hone his more martial skills. By this point there was now a few feet between himself and the violet skinned giant as Aoren made his way toward the tree line. Foraging through the woods in search of something new was appealing on some level, if he got nothing else out of the day he would at least be grateful for the chance to get away from the noise of the city.


NoteI apologize for the delay!
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Through a Path Along a Road[Aoren]

Postby Rykanis Dakshata on October 24th, 2014, 1:30 am

“Lakan.”

Rykanis looked back at the human, as he practiced the name of the blade which he had just told him. Not dagger, or knife. Not long enough to be any type of sword, even a short sword. A lakan, a weapon unto itself, though similar in ways to a longish curved dagger.

It was the racial blade of the Akalaks, and something that could only be made, or earned, in which case it was a gift. One that he carried was his own, forged as he became a full man. One was his fathers, gifted on the day he left Riverfall, a clear sign that his father still lived, even if Rykanis did not know where. For a moment he thought back to that day, to what he had seen, and the secret he still held to this day.

Rykanis repeated the word, again for him, as he had not quite said it right.

"Lakan."

As he continued speaking, it seemed in a respectful enough fashion. Though of all Akalaks, Rykanis knew to look beyond the surface, to the truth's within appearances. Often the shadows hid much that was not at first clear.

“If it is unwise to “acquire” or buy then I shall keep to the wise path.”

As the human made several motions, implying movement or that he was going to leave, Rykanis simply stood and faced him. A nod, a wave, motions Rykanis did little to acknowledge.

His next explanation, as to why he seeked a quiet spot to meditate, left Rykanis wondering more than before the human had answered.

“Meditation is my way of life, good sir. Besides, without a clear head how would I be able to practice my techniques in hand and staff?”

Of what he did say, Rykanis focused in on the last part, of techniques in regards to training by ones hand, and a staff. The staff was clear enough, less of a warriors weapon really. Not a weapon of blood and battle really. Of hand, or as he thought of it of fist, he understood though. He tended to work with the two, of blade and fist, in his own fighting style. Such a combination was common amongst Akalaks. In fact, the weapons they so proudly used, their Lakan, were made with unarmed combat in mind as a secondary skill.

He meditated then, so as to center himself and clear his mind, before training his body? That if nothing else, made sense enough to Rykanis.

“You are welcome to join me if you like? I am always in need of a good sparring partner.”

Rykanis thought on this for a moment. Sparring, with a stranger? He was not to afraid of anything going awry. The man after all fought with a large stick. And being an Akalak, his formidable strength could easily overpower a human. He would not be so foolish as to put himself at ease, or leave himself vulnerable, but he saw on immediate danger in training with the man.

"Perhaps we could spar... Though I am not fully sure how. I after all fight with blades, not something to play about with. And even if they did not damage your staff, I don't think fighting with them would be a good idea. One wrong move, and I might slice you open. Perhaps in hand to hand then? I suppose that could work. No weapons then?"

Rykanis looked back at the man, seeing how he responded. He still kept one hand casually near his lakan, but made no sign of preparing to draw, or of doing anything violent.
-You can't truly appreciate the light, until you spend some time experiencing darkness...

-The more you know, the more you learn how little you truly know, and how much there is left to learn.

-Only when you truly understand the darkness, will you not fear it.
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Through a Path Along a Road[Aoren]

Postby Aoren on November 2nd, 2014, 1:39 pm

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Lakan.” Aoren tried the word one more time getting the feel for it as he was corrected on its pronunciation. To date Aoren spoke two different languages. There was the Common tongue that could be found in most parts of the world. He also spoke the native language of his heritage, Pavi though he wasn’t quite as fluent in the speaking of that language as Common. Now there were the strange words that flowed off the this Akalak’s tongue. He knew that the natives of Riverfall had their own language but he wasn’t all that familiar with it as evidenced by his mispronunciation. It was something he had a small passion for though, the learning of different words as spoken by other cultures.

A friendly smile touched Aoren’s face as he nodded, almost eager to get the chance to stretch his muscles. It had been some time since he’d had the pleasure of going up against a formidable opponent. From the look of Rykanis, given his height, his broad physique and confident stance, Aoren was almost certain that he would be in for quite the fight. It was a challenge that he was looking forward to in many ways. Already Aoren knew that he would have to consider a different angle of attack than was normal for him. When it came to hand-to-hand fighting Aoren was typically a fighter who stood his ground and implemented defensive techniques. With Rykanis the Drykas man already knew that such an approach was going to be difficult to keep up.

I’ve been meaning to work on my speed. This will be the perfect opportunity.

No weapons. It will be a fight with our fists then.” Seeing no reason why they needed to bother going any further than they already were, Aoren walked over to the side of the road. Keeping an eye on Rykanis the Drykas man set his quarterstaff down studying the Akalak carefully. Rykanis was not an easy man to read that much was certain. There was a guarded air about him that told Aoren he would make for an interesting opponent. Aoren would have to be on his toes watching for physical queues that may or may not be easy to decipher. Aoren’s heart was already beginning to pound as he rose to his feet. There was an excitement in him that he hadn’t felt in some time. Perhaps it was just the thrill of finding a challenge?

Aoren took a few backward paces keeping his eyes on the Akalak. In Aoren’s mind the match had already begun and any deviation in preparedness would result in Rykanis gaining the upper-hand. Once he was a reasonable distance away from Rykanis, Aoren took up his stance. He lowered his hips sliding one foot behind him while leaning slightly forward. He tucked his right arm in closing his hand into a fist keeping his forearm perpendicular to his body. His left arm he brought up with the elbow slightly bent and his palm open with fingers together. The transition from casual standing into his fighting stance was almost natural though Aoren had to remember he was aiming for a stance where speed would be easier to use. To that end he position his body in such a way that he could fall into a sprint with ease.

Ready when you are.” Aoren was confident enough in his skills to know that he would at least give Rykanis a run for his money, so to speak. He might not come out the victor in this sparring match but that wasn’t the point. Aoren wanted to learn. Every skirmish that he participated in was the chance to observe and study the maneuvers of a new opponent. Through that study he learned how to adapt his own techniques to future situations. Whether he won or lost in the end there was more to gain in the way of knowledge than simply fighting for combat’s sake.

.
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Through a Path Along a Road[Aoren]

Postby Rykanis Dakshata on November 19th, 2014, 8:03 pm

“Lakan.”

It seemed that the man was agreeable enough, and was interested in a spar. Apparently he was also not put off by Rykanis' height or strange skin. Even for Akalaks it was a bit odd, over the more common blue, but still not all that rare a color, violet.

It had also been a time since Rykanis had a decent opponent, and so he was also looking forward to a worthy foe to trade fists in, to test his mettle, if not his metal.

“No weapons. It will be a fight with our fists then.”

Rykanis nodded back, and watched as the man place his weapon upon the ground. Rykanis did likewise, loosening the belt upon which his lakan resided in their scabbards, and set it aside. After all, he would not need it for this fight, and better to have them out of the way. A blade in itself was a weapon, but not always your own. He'd seen foolish Akalak who'd let an opponent get the best of them, by letting them turn their own weapons against them. Keeping them clear and out of temptations reach seemed the better method of dealing with them.

As the Drykas man prepare himself in his own stance, Rykanis quietly stretched. Nothing fancy or time consuming, just a general limbering up. He put his hands out before him and linked his fingers palms out, flexing his arms. Next was a gentle bending of the knees, which he turned into a squat. Finally he rolled his head on his neck, turning back to the man. Nothing fancy, but better than no stretching at all.

“Ready when you are.”

Rykanis smiled back at the man, and put himself into his own fighting stance. Clearly the Drykas man wanted him to make the first move. Clearly he had the upperhand in terms of range and strength. With his large size, his arms and legs could reach farther forward than this man with his smaller body. Likewise with his larger size and weight, he naturally had more brute strength than a normal human. But then, a fight was about more than just brute strength.

While he might look large, he was by no means sluggish or slow. He could move his bulk just as fast as any man. He was on the slimmer side for an Akalak, preferring to have a build meant for moving and speed over one of pure muscle. He was still strong, but perhaps not so much as those of his brethren who spent their focus of time upon muscles and hitting harder. Though compared to the human, with his slim side, he would likely have to work to keep up. He was not a natural acrobat, but neither was he unused to using the simpler turns and moves and such.

Turning to face the man before him, Rykanis prepared, a bend to his elbows and knees, a limbering or flexing of the joints, preparing himself to move forward. But since he was expected to make the first move, he would need to initiate. With that he moved forward, coming directly at the Drykas with little subterfuge. But then, this was not really a moment for sneaking.

He kept it simple initially, a pair of punches, a right and a left, both aimed at the torso, followed by a kick with his right leg aimed at the mans ankle or lower leg, hoping to sweep his feet or upset his balance by the surprise of switching from hands to feet.
-You can't truly appreciate the light, until you spend some time experiencing darkness...

-The more you know, the more you learn how little you truly know, and how much there is left to learn.

-Only when you truly understand the darkness, will you not fear it.
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Rykanis Dakshata
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Posts: 353
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Joined roleplay: March 21st, 2012, 2:10 am
Location: Syliras
Race: Akalak
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