Legem Terrae, II.

[Loken]

Seventy Fifth of Summer, 518 A.V.
Continuation from...

PermissionLumi gave me permisison to use the NPC John Lhutav

"I'm afraid I'm not well versed in dancing, neither have I ever eaten a swamp frog." Loken paused, a small smile on his face. He had been answering many questions put forth to him by his guide along their way to the Shinyama Pavilion, finding the boys questions were all asked with Innocent intent.


Oishi Sakana laughed to himself as the stopped to motion a hand towards an elaborate building. “Well, we are here. If you ever need a guide, I can often be found at the Cosmos Center. Its been fun getting to know you.” Loken reached out with a hand to offer Oishi a shake. When it was accepted, he gave a nod of approval. “You have been a satisfactory guide. I may seek your help in the future. And should you ever need a sword to protect you, seek me out.” Oishi canted his head then chuckled before making his way back to the Center.

Loken made his way into the Pavilion where a Shinya Acolyte as soon as he stepped into the building. “Greetings.” She said with a rather pleasant tone. “I’m Reagan, do you require assistance?” Loken gave her a small nod before glancing around. “Hello Miss Reagan, my name is Loken. I’ve been informed on several occasions that the Shinya are the city guard of Lhavit. If possible, I am here to inquire about joining .”

The dark hair man intoned in a soft, muted voice with just a hint of curiosity in it. Loken was fully aware that he could be a charming man when he wanted too, but those moments were generally few and far between. Perhaps this would be one of them, perhaps not. It felt like this place could become one of his favorite places of learning.

“Well then, let me show you around. If you like what you see then consider sticking around. If you have any questions, just ask them.” She began led him to the right of the main area, taking him to what appeared to be an open training area where several people were in the middle of sparing. The sight instantly reminded Loken of the days he spent training at the Librium. His gaze settled on a man who appeared to be meditating silently in the corner. All of the current combatants seemed to have avoided that general area, most likely out of respect for the man's meditations. "As you can see, this is a public training area. Its a busy hub for anyone wishing to better their skills." She said while lifting a hand to wave at people who had just ended their sparing session. They seemed to be friends of hers, so Loken took a few steps away from her as she acknowledged them with distant greetings.

Loken would have moved his focus away from the man if he had not instantly sensed that the person was also marked by Gnora. "If you will excuse me, miss. I wish to go converse with a that man over there." He gave her a slight nod before walking over to the man. He had already started walking away before she'd realized who Loken was talking about. She lifted a finger in thought about stopping him to inform him who the man was, but smirked to let him figure it out for himself. She then went back to the main area to greet other people.

***

Loken walked along the outer perimeter of the training area until found himself near the Gnora marked man. The Cultist removed his backpack, the weapons harness that held his hook sword, and his coat; placing his sword on top of his coat after neatly folding it into a square.

Disarmed and adorned in leather armor, he stepped from the perimeter onto the training floor proper, breathing calmly, and strode across the expanse, heading for the meditating man where he knelt down to sit on his knees three meters away from the Gnora marked individual. There was not anything special about him, not really. Loken was a normal person, as normal as he could be with a gnosis gift.

Loken started to let his body relax into a natural ebb and flow of breathing. He closed his eyes to let his mind wander into the dark black of endless spaciousness. Each of his breaths were deep, filling his chest to capacity through his nostrils, before being gently released like a steady stream from his mouth. He focused on making his shoulders roll in rhythm with his breathing, letting them rise, roll, and fall back.

They both sat in contemplative silence for five chimes before any real semblance of a conversation sparked. "Ano?" Loken heard the other man state impassively. He did not open his eyes, but rather remembered the details of the mains appearance when he spoke. "Hair: front shaved, back grown into a long braid. Clothing: Black robes, loose fitting allowing for greater freedom of movement." The visualization faded away once Loken started to focus on the spaciousness of his breathing. It helped him blot out all other noises to focus on the moment. "Yes. Pon of the Ano. I am Loken. Have I disturbed you?" He stated just as mutely.

Loken could not see the slight nod of approval the man gave him, even though he would not have even cared if he'd even seen the gesture. "No. I am John Lhutav, Shinya. Why are you here, Loken?" He opened his eyes to find John looking right at him. "To join the Shinya." It was an obvious answer, one that John simply wished to hear Loken state aloud. "Why?"

The Cultist sat in silence for a moment to truly think about the answer."This path is the most logical for me to follow. My aptitudes are of that of martial prowess. My personal beliefs and faith are to keep order. The Shinya walk the path as well, so I will embrace it wholly. This choice is necessary, and..." He paused for a moment then spoke out a proverb of Gnora. It was a statement which John repeated with him simultaneously.

"What is necessary is always logical."
"What is necessary is always logical."

Word Count: 1033

[Loken]

"Your logic is your resolve. A good trait to have, one which gives merit to your apparent pledge of dedication to join. But first, lets see if your martial abilities are in fact as good as you say."

The both stood up at exactly the same time, each taking their own unique combat stances. John lifted one leg slightly off of the ground, imitating the way a crane stood on one leg with a slight bend at the knee. Each of his hands were raised up up to his shoulder, not making a fist but holding his fingers in a way where his bent wrists looked dual crane beaks. Loken eyed him from foot to head, taking note of the man's balance and coordination.

Loken took a neutral stance that also emulated an animal, sliding his right leg back to take what is commonly referred to as an orthodox right handed combat stance. However, each of his hands were held up in a snakes head manner as he extended four fingers like a spear. His thumbs pressed up against the bottom of his palms like the mouth of a snake. He lifted both of the heels of his feet off of the ground to only rest on the balls of them.

Loken did not have time to feel surprise when John bent down even more on his one leg, then jumped at him like a flying crane. John managed to cover the three meters between them, then snapped out with his right leg while in midair to plant the heel of his foot right into the chest piece of Loken's armor.

rollsI'll be using rolls to properly play skill levels.

Loken Unarmed skill: 41
John Unarmed skill: 76


John skill: 76 + 1d100 = (52) = 52.

76 + 52= 128 to attack!

Loken skill: 41 + 1d100 = (30) = 30.

41+ 30 = 71 to block!

John wins: Loken did not move from his spot. He lifted the palm of his right hand up, waiting for John's foot to get close to him so he could parry the attack. His timing was off since the White Crane closed the distance so fast. When Loken swung his palm into John's calf to try to slap his leg away, there was just too much force behind the kick as it bashed right into him. It sent Loken flying backwards off of his feet. His back slammed against the ground, but he did not have time to get back to his feet.

rollsI'll be using rolls to properly play skill levels.

Loken Unarmed skill: 41
John Unarmed skill: 76


John skill: 76 + 1d100 = (39)

76 + 39= 115 to attack!

Loken skill: 41 +1d100 = (70)

41+ 70 = 111 to block!

John wins:John appeared into Loken's line of sight out of nowhere, floating in midair yet again after jumping into the air again. The man was about to come crashing down yet again, aiming to plant his foot right into Loken's chest. He brought up his left forearm, then grabbed the back of that arm with his right hand to brace it. The bones of that arm were strengthened by his gnosis mark which was why he often used it first when blocking. His block was hardly useful as John's full body weight planted against Loken's forearm. His bracing hand gave way as both his arm and hand were forced into slamming against his chest. His forearm definitely had a bruise on it, but John was only slightly holding back. This was a test after all, so he did not aim to break his arm.

Word Count: 515

[Loken]

John used his planted foot to leap off of Loken's chest shortly after the attack landed, jumping past his grounded foes head to take his crane-like combat stance yet again. Loken rose from the ground to take his stance as well. Even as his arm hurt, the Ano Cultist made no show of it. He pushed the negatives of what just happened out of his mind, extracting the information he needed to counterattack. "He fights like a bird, able to close distances. An effective long range melee style, flexible in his strikes. I need to strike first, keep things close. See how he responds."

He slowly inched his way forward with several small steps until he was within arms reach of John. The Shinya seemed to allow it to happen, a thing Loken knew John allowed since his opponent clearly knew how to gauge distances. Loken lashed out with his left hand, but it was a faint he used to distract John as his left leg kicked out at the same time. He aimed to round house kick at the leg the man used to stand on to knock him off balance. He thought the attack went as planned as the shin of his kicking leg connected with his opponents. However, it did not harm John in the slightest. It was like kicking a tree trunk. John flexed his calf muscles while bending even more at the knee to keep himself balance while absorbing the strike, using technique to block the kick.

John did not even strike out at Loken. No. For now he was going to gauge the Ano Cultists offensive capabilities. As far as defense went, the Shinya Guardian knew that Loken's unarmed abilities were on par with most full fledged members. The Guardians thoughts shifted back to the fight as he watched Loken move to stand to his right.

The cultist now decided to strike at a key area of John's body. The hardy muscle of his base legs calf. He crouched down low enough to bring the man's leg into arms reach, then stuck out with a snake head spear, slamming his fingers into John's calf. Then once his fingers connected, he grabbed his calf by letting his thumb wrap around the muscle in a viper's bite. It was a move that he had used to stun many foes during past fights in his life, but John seemed to not even flinch at the technique. Loken realized that instantly as the Shinya simply stood firm. He glanced to the side only to realized that all of the other Shinya who were practicing in the training area had stopped sparing to watch him.

When his gaze shifted back to John, he realized the knee of the Shinya's raised leg swung back, slamming the heel of his foot into the shoulder area of Loken's leather armor. It sent him toppling to the ground from his crouched position. He stood back up without taking his eyes of of John. He would have continued to stare the Shinya down if not for the fact the man had finally lowered his raised leg. If the murmuring he heard cascading through the onlooking crowd was correct, an attack of some high ability was imminent. Loken shifted his arms close to his body, ready to block or parry.

Word Count: 555

[Loken]

He watched as John pulled what looked like a small stick from a sash the Shinya wore as a belt. With a flick of his wirst, John opened the Iron Fan he used as a weapon. "You came here with a sword. Retrive it. A Shinya needs to be proficient in a weapon, lets see if you are with yours." He gave John a nod of his head before turning to retrieve his hook sword from where he had left it. He drew it from the harness, leaving its carrying strap on his backpack before taking his place back on the training floor.

"An interesting choice of weapon." John spoke in a matter of fact tone. One could never tell with a Gnora marked if statements were mocking or truthful. However, Loken was of the same mindset as his eyes shifted to the iron fan. "A sentiment shared." The Ano Cultist stoically responded. He griped the hilt of his tiger hook sword tightly in his right hand, kept facing diagonally downward in a deliberately nonthreatening pose in front of him.

RollsLoken Hook sword Skill: 36
John Iron Fan: 27

John:
27 + 1d100 = (60) = 60
27+60 = 87 to Block

Loken:
36 + 1d100 = (77) = 77
36+77= 113

Loken hits: He then swung the top of his blade in an upward arch, aiming to run the outer curvature of the hook up the front of the Shinya's body. It was a bladed weapon used during a spar, so while he swung to connect, he also only aimed to lightly cut. John used the open steal barbs of the fan as a shield, swinging it at the hook sword in attempt to parry Loken's strike aside. However, the Shinya was surprise to find out that the attack had far more weight behind it than expected. His hook sword forced its way against the iron fan, causing it to slam against John's chest. The iron fan nullified the slash, but turned the upward strike into a hammer that bludgeoned against him.

The Guardian took a step back while holding a hand up. "We are done here. I as Guardian of the Shinya, welcome you Initiate." Loken knew over the couse of fighting the Guardian that he had the skill to be a high ranked member. However, he still had no idea what his rank meant. "I am honored you have accepted me. But, forgive my ignorance. What does it mean to be a Guardian?"

The voice of a woman spoke up from where she stood with the group of onlookers. Loken turned to realize it was Reagan as she spoke. "Sir Lhutav is second only to the Ascendent. He is second in command. I meant to tell you that." John closed his fan to set the weapon away before motioning Loken forward. "Do you have any skill with the arcane?" It was a question Loken did not expect to come up, but he answered humbly. "I have novice ability in the use of the Flux. But that is the extent of my arcane ability."

John nodded his head, but still refrained from exposing any type of emotion in his outward expression. "Good. You know of the workings of djed. Even before the Valterrian, we have practiced Projection diligently. Using meditation to focus out minds as well as honing our bodies. You will need to grow as skilled at those abilities as you are with your weapons. Rest, for next season I shall initiate you into the art of Projection. There is wild djed at work this season and It is not wise to initiate you while it it active. In the meanwhile, mediate on the state of your soul, and the connection you have to the world around you. Find where you see yourself within it."

[Loken]

Self-Grade

Skills

• Socialization: 1
• Rhetoric: 2
• Observation: 4
• Meditation: 1
• Logic: 1
• Unarmed Combat: 2
• Tactics: 1
• Weapon (Tiger Hook Sword): 1
• Interrogation: 1

• Lhavit: Shinyama Pavilion
• Shinya: Reagan, Shinya Greeter.
• Meditation: Ebb and flow of breathing
• Shinya: John Lhutav, Shinya Guardian.
• Logic: What is necessary is always logical
• Shinya: John Lhutav, Crane style unarmed combat.
• Unarmed Combat: Snake fist, finger spear.
• Unarmed Combat: Snake’s fist, palm block.
• Unarmed Combat: Using Severing marked arm to block.
• Unarmed Combat: Snake fist, low kick faint.
• Unarmed Combat: Snake fist, ‘Snake poisons calf’.
• Tiger Hook Sword: Outer hook, upward slash.
• Loken: Shinya Initiate.
• Shinya: Sir Lhutav, second to the Ascendent.
• Shinya: Pre-Valterrian Projection users.
• Lhavit: Wild djed magic interference?