[The Sanctuary] Circles Within Circles

[Kavala]

Timestamp: 24th of Fall, 514 AV

She looked winded as the Konti stood in the half light of a massive training circle that was lined with a thick leather mat. She was not alone. A massive Akalak stood before her carefully instructing her on what appeared to be unarmed combat. The Akalak was dressed in the normal combat leathers of Riverfall. He looked unruffled by any training that had been going on. Indeed, if anything he looked slightly annoyed at the Konti who seemingly was having problems catching her breath. She stood with a hand across her middle, bent over slightly, panting.

"You still haven't recovered fully have you, Kavala? Almost dying should give you some incentive to work hard. You can't be compromising your training for time to run around being a healer. I know you think that is perfectly acceptable, but truthfully it isn't. If you want to be as good as you want to be, then it takes devotion. It takes skill, stamina, and you must build up your endurance. I just ran you through three basic forms. Before the Winter you would have been well able to handle them. Now? You are wheezing like an 80 year old human male. You must work harder. I want you out before dawn every morning running. That's the fastest way to build your body back up. You have to do the work. Feeding animals, cleaning stalls, hauling hay and seeing clients are all well and good, but its not structured concentrated effort. You need that. You need training every day.” Anir said, pacing back and forth between some of the decorated stitchwork on the leather pad that seemed to indicate various positions in the training circle.

Kavala nodded and abruptly took a seat groaning. “I know. You are right. I will set aside time each day to train. I used too religiously. But it seems like with the children, the students, and all the comings and goings I don’t have much time. Plus, with Vanator missing, I don’t have anyone to spar with. That’s why I asked you out here. I wanted to get a handle on what I’m doing right, wrong, and where to start. Can you design a program for me?” Kavala asked, flexing her knee and bringing her foot up to rest in her lap where she could rub it.

The Konti was wearing next to nothing. She had on some sort of stretchy cotton pants that fitted her lower body like a second dark skin. Then, past a bare mid-rift was a sot of halter top made of the same substance that wound around her torso for modesty. And other than bracers on her wrists, the Konti was bare footed and wore nothing else but a leather wrap to keep her hair up and out of her face. She leaned back, groaned, and rubbed her foot again.

Anir kneeled, took her foot, and rubbed it for a moment, shaking his head. “I just don’t want you to step backwards.” He said, looking thoughtful with the annoyed look fading.

“Today we’ll start with kicks. Got it? Now… I want to make sure you have a good grasp on the terminology.” He gave her foot a tug, then glanced up at the entrance. He noticed a Kelvic lurking there and shook his head.

“One of your pets is lingering in doorways. I’d rather he join us or leave, but not lurk.” Anir said, then gestured to the shadows of the entrance. His infravision was keen in the low light. “Come…. Come in. I insist.” The trainer said. Kavala half turned where she was sitting, and offered a slightly pained smile to whomever walked through the door. She would be much more have suffered her humiliation alone, but perhaps with company Anir would divide his attention and ease up a bit on her

When she recognized Adrien, she broadened her smile. “Be welcome, Adrien. Adrien, this is Anir. He and his brother are trainers that come help out sometimes here at The Sanctuary. You are welcome to join us. He’s about to talk about kicking. Take off your shoes and your shirt if you like and join us.” Kavala said gently and then turned her attention back on Anir. He was gripping her right foot.

“I want you to understand when I walk about certain parts of the foot, what I mean.” He said, rubbing Kavala’s heel. “This of course is your heel. That’s the last part that slides into your boot. This part on the bottom directly behind your toes is called the ball. And when I tell you to get off the heels of your feet, and on your balls I want you up on your toes. This will give you power knowing this.” Anir said, then stroked his hand down Kavala’s foot to the arch. “This is your sole. The outer edge on the same side of your foot as your pinkie toe is called the edge. And the top just slightly off center towards the pinkie is called the instep. I need you all to know these terms.” Anir said, releasing Kavala’s foot. He rose and stood back.

“Get up.” Kavala scrambled to her feet and shook her arms. She glanced at Adrien and wondered if he was going to survive Anir. With a chuckle, she somehow thought he might.

“Now, the best kicks use balance, hip torque, and your powerful flexible legs. There are many factors that play a direct roll in the success of a kick. However, the true secret to your kicking prowess is how you utilize your stationary foot and pivot on it. Remember, one leg strkes out. One leg supports. Your support structure is that support leg. If its not strong, balanced and moving perfectly odds are your kicks won’t amount to anything..” He stated flat out. Kavala nodded, acknowledging his words.

“Every kick has its own set up, shift, and pivot. The actual action for the pivot in the body will differ from kick to kick too.” Anir gestured to the center of the leather padding’s circle in the floor that had stitchmarks in the leather radiating outwards dividing the leather like a pie. “This circle is a three hundred and sixty degree circle.. meaning it is divided into three hundred and sixty parts. Half a circle is one hundred and eighty degrees. Half of the half or a quarter is ninty degrees. “ He pointed out the location of a quarter of the circle from standing in its center. “A braggart will tell you that a kick circling all the way around is the only way to go. That’s wrong. Pivoting more than forty five degrees on the front kick makes it difficult to keep your form. You loose balance, have leaning issues, and can obviously strain muscles. Pivoting too far can put a great deal of strain on the knee due to the excessive twisting motion while carrying your entire body’s weight on that leg. The knee of your planted leg should always line up with the toes of the planted foot. That’s where your strength lies. Why? Because when you turn your hip into the kick, the knee follows. That means your foot must pivot to stay in line with your knee. Always keep this line. One of the major causes of knee damage is kicking without pivoting on your stationary foot. So we must MUST learn form before we learn fancy or function. Remember, we learn to kick because your legs are longer and stronger than your arms. They have a better reach and make better striking weapons than your arms.” Anir finished the lecture and talked back and forth a moment.

“Now plant your foot, watch the length of your leg and where your knee is aligned with your toes. And listen. I’m going to run through the elements of a kick then teach you a few. Remember, this is practice, so while I will tell you about the kicks, I want you following through.” Anir said, walking back and forth between the two of them.

Kavala did as Anir said, and stood loosely. She started with her hands and arms in a basic guard position. Her hands she kept in loose fists, just below her cheekbones, with her palms towards her face and her forearms almost vertical. Anir had said moments ago that the arms didn’t move during a kick, so this way she could keep them out of the way but still generating force or assisting her to keep her balance. She made sure her elbows were not set into her torso, but loose and well able to move.

Then Anir started to speak again.

“You must fully chamber your kicking leg before firing off a kick so maximum muscle force can be used when you lash out. Then, the kick starts from a solid stance with the harms held in an effective guard position. You keep the arms up here.. like this… the whole kick.” Anir demonstrated tucking his arms against his chest, loosely held at the height of his head, ready to block punches or kicks aimed at his face. “Next, your leg chambers for the kick and as it does so, your kicking foot is shaped into the shape that is best used for the attach. If you are kicking with your heel, arch your foot. If you are using the heel, curl the foot out. Each kick has a different foot shape. We’ll talk about a few here in a bit.” He continued then moved on. “Next you fire the kick. If its something like a side kick, only your thigh muscles move. But if it’s a round or hook kick, your calf muscles must also engage. Well talk about teach individual kick as we learn them. Next we pivot the base foot, roll our hip over into the kick impact, re-chamber our leg, and pivot your base foot and step back into a solid stance, keeping your arms high and protective.” He said, then paused, ran through the steps again, and demonstrated.

Kavala glanced at Adrien, smiled, and followed through on the demo, attempting the steps on her own for the first time. She felt awkward, a bit wobbly, but ended up taking it far more seriously than she thought she would.

“Any questions?” Anir asked, glancing around.

[Adrien Dair]

It had only been two days since Adrien's meeting with Kavala in the market. He had moved to the Sanctuary, bringing the few things he had with him. He was still trying to learn his ways around the grounds. Wandering around when no one had asked for him. He walked the underground of the Sanctuary. Feeling slightly trapped the rhino was not a creature used to being underground. But he shrugged off the feeling and continued to explore the place. His wandering had led him through the kitchen and into the training room. Where he saw Kavala sitting while an Akalak rubbed her foot. He watched wondering if he had walked into something he was not suppose to see. It was then that he caught the Akalaks view. Standing his ground he did not move. Even though part of him was screaming, telling him to run.

His fist clinched in a tick of anger as he heard the word pet. He knew the Akalak was referring to him. He beckoned him to come in and join the two. Still the voice in his head told him to leave. He stayed where he was until he heard Kavala's voice. A wide smile spreading across her face calmed the anger that he held. His fist released from its clinching. "I am sorry. I did not mean to intrude" he said. Slightly bowing his head. He walked forward, his bare feet padding onto the leather mat. He pulled his shirt over his muscular frame and folded it neatly. Placing it at the edge of the mat, he walked closer. He knelt down off to the side of Kavala. Sitting on his knees with his feet poking out from behind him. His eyes studied the Akalak.

His eyes raced down his arm to Kavala's foot in his hand. He watched as he described each part of the foot. The Akalak explained how they were used in a kick. Adrien watched Kavala scramble to her feet and then stood himself shortly after her. He could feel her eyes on him for a tick but did not bother looking over. His ears were locked on the words of the Akalak. He listened to him talk about about the circle and breaking it down into halves and then quarters. Everything the Akalak said was new to him. He had not known that there was such detail in kicking. So many things that you should remember to avoid injury.

Adrien watched Kavala's stance. He moved to stand in his own stance. Sliding one foot back, his body turning as it slid on the mat. He then stood in a stance similar to Kavala's but his fist were held lower and were a clinched tighter. His body tighter then Kavala's an obvious sign of his inexperience in actual martial arts. He had not spent much time training to fight. Not pushing himself to be better in fighting and learning stances was far from what crossed his mind. When he was attacked he swung his fist and tried to use his weight against the attacker.

He knew that this was going to be a totally new battle. He could almost feel the soreness and pain that would attack his body tomorrow. He watched the demonstration in front of him as the Akalak talked and fired off some kicks. He raised his own arms, his body still feeling tight as he watched Kavala follow through the demo. It was then that the rhino tried. His stance far from perfect, he struck out. He could feel the muscles in his thigh tightening as he swung his leg out wide. Sweeping it as his foot was pointed out. He had swung with to much force. His hips twisted causing his form to be slip and he crashed to the floor. He looked up at the ceiling for a few ticks, blinking a few times before rolling over and pushing himself up. He shook his head and looked away from Kavala and Anir. A thick blush covering his cheeks. He cleared his throat and took his stance again. This time trying to relax his body. He repeated the demo as Kavala did. His body feeling awkward as he went through the motion. Each feeling more alien then the next. Once finished, he taking his stance again. He shook his head and glanced over to Kavala.

She had flowed through the lesson with much more easy then he had. Her body turned at her command. The Akalak had even greater command of his. The power and physical control that he displayed had made Adrien jealous. "Actually yes. How long have you been doing this?" he asked looking at Anir. Adrien was ready for Anir to look down on him in some way. He knew that in the Akalaks mind he was just a pet. Not a creature that could actually think for itself. A slight annoyance taking over him as the thought ran through his mind. Adrien did not share their mindset. He did not think that anyone was worth less then someone. Of course there were the people close to him. But he did not view any form of life as less then another. He glanced again at Kavala as he waited for his answer. Wondering if she could feel what he was feeling like she had done before at the market.

[Kavala]

Anir almost smiled. The Kelvic would notice the big Akalak rarely had time for a sense of humor or a deeply ingrained joke, though Kavala seemed at ease enough around the man. Anir had saved Kavala’s life once upon a time, bringing her back from the brink of death due to starvation and a medical condition no healer could cure. He’d bullied her into finding her stride again, rebuilding her body mass and her muscle. He’d taught her how to fight blind and in return she’d given him a reason to get out of bed in the mornings after his retirement from leading the Sasaran. “I’m older than I look to you, little bull.” The man said, again almost smiling, but not quite. The comment was in response to Adrien actually questioning his experience. Sure, Anir had a hands off training technique for the most part, but then again he believed he didn’t have to half beat his students to death to show them some fighting moves. “I lead the Sasaran in town for a few hundred years before I retired. I’ve trained more men and women than I can count. I’d say well over three hundred years professionally.” Anir responded, folding his arms across his chest and leaning back without quite leaning against anything.

As Adrien glanced at Kavala, she was busy studing Anir. The Konti had thought the Akalak would be resistant of including a Kelvic rhino in her classes, but the man had just shrugged and said nothing more about it. That lead Kavala to believe Anir at least didn’t share all his people’s prejudices or at least perhaps his mother had been a Kelvic. Perhaps he had a brother or a daughter by one as well. Anything was possible. Some people had the prejudices of Riverfall. Some people did not. Kavala didn’t want to ask him on principle. If she brought up racism, she might insight racism. And that wasn’t acceptable. She’d prefer Adrien and herself be treated as equals, not inferiors. And it was in her experience that was exactly what Anir did.

Anir moved to Adrien and shook his head. “You are not as limber as you should be. If you want to turn your body into a weapon, you must be able to move like a weapon. Your muscles need to flow into one another like water flows across the land. You must strengthen your joints and the muscles of your upper body. I can tell you’ve relied on your arms and legs up until now. But they will only take you so far. You’ll need your built up, your hips and the small joints… ankles and wrists… strengthened. Your goal here is going to be to gain flexibility and strength. You seem natural in your technique. If you were honed a bit more on your physical training, your body would conform to your will more easily and you’d master this faster.” Anir said, asking for another round of practice kicks before he approached Kavala.

“Flexibility is not your issue. You are doing well in that aspect. You’ll need more control of the strength you have and to be able to build up even more strength on top of what you have gained back.” He said, gently patting her shoulder before circling around the two so they could drop back into their guard position with the basic stance he’d shown them.

Kavala listened hard, nodding. Anir had yet to steer her wrong and she wasn’t going to let him in this instant either.

“When Kicking. Always keep your guard up. Train your body hard so that it knows how to balance and you don’t need your hands out or your arms up to do so. You’ll need your arms in a fight. They must guard, block, and attack your opponent while your body itself moves. If you have strong, toned, and powerful muscles then balance won’t ever be a problem. If you are weak as in your musculature is bad, your conditioning has suffered, or even that you have a pot belly… you might have to thrash around with your arms flying wildly to even maintain your balance. This is not acceptable. This makes you vulnerable to your opponents. And there is NEVER a time swinging your arms can add power to your kick. I also want to ignore your feet in regards to kicking. The only duty that the foot performs during a kick is to become a striking point. Know what point you are going to strike with in regards to your feet, then forget them. The real power and speed comes from your knees and hips. If you use these two areas correctly, your kicks will develop nicely. Always keep your knees bent. You will increase your speed since the knees do not have to bend before you move. Train with weights and running to increase your leg power. The more leg power you have the more rapid your motion will thus increasing your kicking speed.” He moved then, demonstrating what he meant before he continued.

“By increasing the depth of your stance…” Anir said, loosening his stance then increasing it as he explained. “… you move your lead leg closer to the opponent and decrease the distance the kick must cover. Your heartbeats off your motions and those heartbeats can mean the difference between life and death.” Anir said, looking thoughtful and studying each student in turn in a thoughtful way.

The lecture continued as did the practice kicks. Kavala kept running through the detailed (albeit slow) motions of the proper kick stance, including the chambering, as Anir spoke. “Your reaction time needs to improve too. It’s fundamental. You improve it by sparring. Fight each other often and seriously. The quicker your reaction time can be the faster you will most likely be. You build muscle memory that way… doing things over and over again. But you want to lay down the CORRECT muscle memory, so do it absolutely right each time. Do you understand?” Anir barked, walking a back and forth between Kavala and Adrien, watching their motions.

Finally, he backed up so he had both of them in his sights and called a halt. By this time, Kavala was breathing hard and used a moment to lean to one side, gripping her waist where there was a stitch. She walked in a small circle, shaking out her tired legs and glancing over to where Anir was gathering his thoughts.

“I’m going to teach you a bunch of kicks, why to use them, when to use them, and how to practice them. But you need to know how to perform your kicks to get the most out of them. You don’t use the same kick the same way each time. You have to know how to modify the kick to do what you want it to accomplish with as little of effort as possible in the right way possible.” Anir said, looking thoughtful and reaching out to pat Adrian on the shoulder.

“I want you to practice your kicks both with power and without power. Now unpowered kicks still form muscle memory and all that I’ve already explained to you. However, powered up kicks in sparing is a good way to get hurt unless you are practicing blocking, dodging, or countering. If you are just practicing for toning, muscle memory, and to gain healthy, then always use unpowered kicks. This goes with kicks against dummies as well. You both should build some fight dummies or otherwise procure some to spar and train with. Wrapped barrels are best. Now… unpowered kicks. This is a kick where your opponent is barely touched. These kicks help you focus either your own attention or your opponents. They are often used as distractions, diversions, and a whole cohort of things.” Anir said, demonstrating by performing a crescent kick on Kavala and then Anir which was devoid of power.

“We modify kicks for all sorts of reasons. We push kicks through with thrusting power which generally is used in fighting or breaking things. You generate maximum power with a thrusting power kick. Part of the technique is visualization, and part of it is concentrating your energy from your hip and knee to snap up and translate through your foot. You can trade the thrusting power for pushing power, which simply removes your opponent or target form your area. Kavala, when your horses kick, they thrust kick, pushing things they warn off away from them.” Anir pointed out, causing Kavala to nod. But this time she’d resumed her chambered position, and was concentrating on the way he was saying to modify posts and what they were used for. She was thinking about her warhorses, their kicks, and trying to replicate it. Just by simple trial and error, Kavala could see how transferring and translating the energy in her body with her intentions clear, caused her form to change and the nature of the kick to Transform. It was quite astonishing in her mind, something she was thrilled to understand.

But Anir had three more types of kicks. “There are snapping kicks, of course, which are used in sparring and fighting where quick powerful game-changing moves are needed. Its whip fast and tends to break bones when you snap a specific type of kick. Snapping a kick can even be deadly. Don’t forget that.” Anir said, then moved towards Adrien. He seemed to focus on the rhino Kelvic for a moment.

“Your whole body is going to be designed for power. Your greatest struggle, Rhino, is in concentrating your power and not thrusting or pushing kicks through. Your nature is to use your size to defeat people, but as a human there is so much more involved in the form having a fight. This is where jamming your kicks will be helpful for you, Adrien. When you jam a kick, it’s a lot like a kick without power, except it stops short of a target so that the opponents forward motion carries them into the kick, with little or no effort on your part. They run straight into it, like I said, and often it disrupts their flow, the next move they had planned, etc. Use jamming sparingly though. It is an easy type of execution to spot for someone skilled in unarmed. And if you use it often, they won’t fall for the deception more than once. But with you, Adrien, in practice, it will help you learn control of your enormous power fasr faster than anyone else or anything else could.” The former Sasaran Master explained, looking at them both to make sure they understood.

Kavala took that as her que to nod, and she did so, wondering what the last sort of kick execution was. She didn’t have long to wait. Anir was off on the last time, explaining it mostly to Adrien, even as Kavala listened.

“The last form of executing a kick is to change it up and into an accelerating kick. This means you add various movements like spins, flips, and jumps, to speed up your kicks, give yourself added reach, height, or surprise. We won’t teach you these forms executions until you’ve got some basic forms down, some muscle memory, and you both have your legs more in tone. Once that happens, we’ll trade up and get on it. Now… on to the types of kicks I want you learning. Face off… and let’s begin with a Crescent Kick.” He said, nodding to both his pupils, obviously signaling lecture and break time was over.

[Adrien Dair]

Adrien watched and listened to Anir as he walked and talk to him. Answering his question with more honesty then Adrien thought he would get. His interactions with the Akalaks had usually ended up in a show of strength, or an argument of some sort. The Rhino preferred to ignore them, their views on his people made him angry. But Anir seemed different, at least to him and Kavala trusted him. If he was good enough to earn her trust enough for him to come to a place where Kelvics come and go then there had to be more then what met the eye. Adrien bowed his head in a sign of respect and a slight apology. Wondering if his question had come of with a bit of spite or disrespect. He would keep him mouth shut for awhile and just listen. The man had more experience then Adrien could really argue with. His hundred years to Adrien's seven on this world made it hard for Adrien to even try to argue in any form that he might have tried. But he felt no reason to.

Images of Adrien fighting to protect someone filled the young mans mind. He could not see who it was that he was protecting, but inside of him he knew. He felt the person's feelings. He knew that who ever it was they were his bondmate. Though Adrien pondered the thought. He was fighting as a human and not a rhino. He wasn't throwing his weight around and charging at the would be attackers. Shadows of some form that he striked at with hands and feet. Catching one as they ran at him and slamming them into the ground. The would be battle continued to play out in his mind.

He snapped back into focus, his eyes unclouding as Anir spoke to him. A shake of the Akalaks head. His eyes locked on the Akalak as he spoke. He knew that everything Anir was saying was true. But he did not want to admit it in a city of warriors that he did not train his own body. He had no reason to do so, no true interest in the matter. He defending himself with ether his words or his instincts. Though he had never been in a true fight, most scraps not lasting long before they are decided. Usually with Adrien on his back. Not wanting to be taken as a pet or worse had made it hard for him to defend himself in a fight. But Anir did not talk with the disrespect that Adrien figured an Akalak would. He spoke with pure knowledge and experience on the topic. Pointing out things that Adrien needed to do. Strengthening his hips and smaller joints. Even a sort of complement thrown into the mix. He nodded when Anir asked him to practice more kicks as the Akalak walked towards Kavala.

He took the basic stance again. Arms raised in defense as he let his breath steady. He kicked out, striking at the air while rotating his hips to get more behind it and to help strengthen them. Planting the foot after then striking with his other leg. He repeated the process, move, twist and strike.

He stopped and faced Anir, ready for his next instructions. Taking in the mans words with eagerness. His view point changed with images of him defending his bondmate and the new respect he had for Anir. Never swing your arms, keep your knees bent and forget about your feet. Adrien nodded and watched his demonstration.

He quickly went about practicing as he listened. Striking out with his knee bent. Keeping his arms up and close to his body as his feet moved. Striking out into the air over and over. After one last kick he stopped. His breath a bit harder but nothing to extreme. His chest moved faster to make up for the lack of oxygen he was feeling. He watched Kavala walk in a small circle before turning his attention back to Anir. He tried his best to pay attention to Anir's demonstration that he preformed on Adrien.

He nodded as Anir spoke. Understanding what he meant about his power and the lack of concentration. Taking in the tactic and style of the kick he was describing. He practiced a few times as Anir walked away. Trying to get some form of grasp down on it before the lesson continued.

Adrien turned and nodded at Kavala. Kicking out in her direction. Tucking his arms in tightly around his face. He mimicked Anir to the best of his ability. He brought his foot up, swinging it outwards until it reached it point of striking. His hips twisting as his leg came around, knee bent until it was straight ahead of him. Pointing slightly in the air. He continued on his own. Watching Kavala strike out when he was in the process of resetting. His eyes trailing down from her foot down her long let when she striked. He smiled and kicked again this time switching feet to try and strengthen his other leg and kick opposite of the leg that Kavala was kicking with. He wanted to get stronger not only for himself but for the bondmate in his vision. To help them when they needed him. His urge growing stronger everyday. He had begun to wonder if it was someone at the Sanctuary. Maybe he was closer then he thought and he didn't even know it yet.

[Kavala]

Practicing with Anir was difficult, but having Adrien there acted as a sort of buffer to the Konti who had been training under the old Akalak for quite a while now. Anir had drove Kavala back from the brink of death, forcing her with his sheer determination to get back into shape again. He was the reason she was good with a double blade and the reason blind fighting didn’t’ bother her much. And he was also the reason she was so determined to please him.

He was a worthy instructor.

Hopefully Adrien was finding that out. Anir was treating him no differently than he treated Kavala, even if the Konti noticed his blows to Adrien seemed a bit fiercer than the ones he gave Kavala. He also drove Adrien a little less, compensating for his youth and inexperience. Kavala appreciated that. And she was sure Adrien’s future bondmate, whomever that was, would too. “Now, we use Crescent Kicks as defensive moves to block punches, knife attacks and knock weapons away. It’s an easy kick to block, so we don’t utilize it for offensive combat. But because it’s easy to block, it’s a good kick to start with in regards to having a pair of you to deal with. One practices kicking, one practices blocking the other. Face off. Adrien, you will be blocking, then switching to take the offensive after ten kicks. You can use this kick as a means to soften an opponent for a round kick too because when you come off of it, your perfectly set up for a round kick with the other leg. That’s why I want you to be flexible, able to switch feet back and forth and attack as if you aren’t right handed or left handed but ambidextrous. “ Anir said, launching into the explanation of the kick as the two students faced off.

Kavala turned to Adrien, bowed, and then assumed a vertical stance with her shoulders marking the width she stood with her feet apart. “We’ll start with an outside crescent kick. Your foot will be vertical, toes upwards, and you’ll strike with the outside area of your foot and ankle. Your leg may be straight throughout the kick or you can snap it as you like. Your kicking foot travels inwards then it travels outwards. It’s a sort of circular motion traveling inwards then upwards. At the height of the intended target…” He demonstrated showing the kick in slow motion, rolling his leg up towards Adrien’s head indicating the height. “…the foot travels outwards horizontally through the target. Then the foot returns back to the floor completing its circular and downward movement as it does so.” He said, finishing his demonstration. He had Kavala and Adrien run through the motion.

The Konti found running through the motion slowly clogged up her thinking so as she got the gist of the movement, she sped up and it seemed to work better. Anir barked corrections at them both as they tried it a few times then faced off. Kavala practiced snapping her foot up in the circular motion, striking at Adrien and then returning it to the floor while her leg shifted. She even tried to move the motion into a round kick to demonstrate to herself how well it did work as Anir had said. They faced off again after they thought they had it down and Adrien pretended to have a sword which Kavala pretended to knock out of his hand. They switched places and then Anir let Adrien try he had them go slowly at first, but they sped up as it became apparent they had learned the kick. Then, Anir gave Kavala a wooden practice blade and set Adrien at disarming her. Kavala was shocked at how easy it was for Adrien to knock the weapon out of her hands and when it was her turn how easy it was for her to knock the weapon out of Adrien’s hands.

Anir had more to add on the crescent kick, at least the outside version of one. “There are two types of motions you can get with this particular crescent kick. You can get the straight leg version which causes all of your power to come from where, Kavala?” The Konti frowned and looked thoughtful.

“Hip rotation?” The instructor nodded that this was correct, a smile briefly playing across his face.

“The kicking hip rotates inwards firing the straight kicking leg upwards sending the kicking foot in a large circle that drags it through the target and spins it back outward to replace itself on the ground. It’s a beautiful move and very useful if thoroughly trained to be innately instinctual.” Anir said, demonstrating again. Then he moved on. “In the snapping version, you simply augment the power of your hip rotation with a snap of the…..” Anir glanced at Adrien, waiting for him to answer. He meant the foot, obviously, because that’s what snaps did.. they snapped foots and fists through objects, augmenting the power behind them.

“The kicking hip has a rotation inwards, and the knee that’s kicking is raised upwards towards he inside of the circle . The hip rotates, pulling the leg and foot through the target as the leg snaps the foot into the target. The kicking foot moves in a narrow oval, quite unlike the straight leg version.” Anir admitted, motioning for them to practice.

Kavala did, kicking with her leg straight then changing it up and kicking with her knee bent and snapping her foot forward. She liked the snapped version intimately, because it gave an element of surprise. Kavala didn’t like her opponents on the battlefield to anticipate too much of what she was going to throw at them in combat. If they could, they would kill her anticipating her moves. Kavala didn’t want that.

So instead she quietly started sweating and kicking, following Anir’s instructions on the crescent kick then wondering what the difference from it was - being officially Outside Crescent Kick from an inside one.

“So what is an Inside Crescent Kick then?” She asked as the sweat began to trickle down her back and make her pant slightly. She noted with some annoyance that Adrien wasn’t even winded yet.