Racey Racey (Carlz, Roshie and Caddie) Spacey? Not Lacey

[Elilliane]

Posted: 07 Dec 2005 06:08 am Post subject: Racey Racey (Carlz, Roshie and Caddie) Spacey? Not Lacey

 

"I know."

 

Reaching up and scratching Stephanos behind the ears, Con waited patiently as he sat on the fence. He was here early, nothing unusual about that, and he wanted a moment to himself anyway. Lathe balanced on his lap, the lead that ran through it gave it quite a hefty weight. Wielding it as quickly as a lighter one, the weight gave an advantage when taking the blows of others and more importantly, to beat past an opponent's guard. Today that would be important, as the test that faced Carla required both mentee and mentor to participate.

 

The race was an old tradition of sorts, and although the way it was run, what was used for obstacles and such changed, the basics remained the same. Con himself ran a similar race under Mikalen Gaidin, except it was with fellow trainees only who ran alone. One of the obstacles had been collapsable pits, and while Con had gotten through, one of the other students had fallen in. Hearing her cry of shock, he'd gone back to pull her out, which had resulted in him being overtaken by everyone else. Together they'd finished the race, coming last but in Mikalen's mind coming first. The object of the race then had not only been to show athletic ability, but also to work together.

 

But back then, trainees had been left to figure that out for themselves. Now the mentor and trainee worked together in the same course against another pair. It had become alot more competitive as a result, and the competition would prove interesting. One of the new trainees, Cado, was a bit of an unknown in terms of ability and his mentor, Rosheen, was an accomplished fighter in her own right. He'd been unhappy to lose her from the Tower Guard to an Aes Sedai, but that was each man and woman's choice.

 

Still, Con had a great deal of faith in Carla's ability. The girl was shaping up well, and though his instruction was harsh to some and constant, she had a degree of natural ability which stood her in good stead. Still, he knew from his own time as a trainee, it must seem to her that her victories were far and few between. Today he planned to give Carla one of those rare victories. He could hold back in the spar, but that would be unfair on Carla as she was going to give her all, he could do nothing less.

 

Still, the course would prove interesting, very interesting. The first task they had was to climb the wall, a fifteen foot set of logs. Using the niches between the logs, they were to make their way up and over. Lathes waited on the other side, and once people were across they armed themselves and sparred. Whoever won by disarming the other pair then got a head start on the final obstacle. In this case, the pairs had to crawl across the ground underneath nets which made sure they could barely rise.

 

The prize for winning the race was a weekend free, though in common practice, the mentor of the trainee who lost the race often gave them the same leave for the weekend. Then again, not every mentor did, so it was incentive just the same to try your hardest.

 

Getting off the fence, Con walked over to the other side of the wall, Stephanos still sitting on his shoulder. Laying the lathe on the ground, Con went back to his seat, thinking about his own race as he waited for the others to arrive.

 

 

Con Stavros

Commander of the Tower Guard

 

Note: Retro RP

 

Posted: Wed Jan 18, 2006 12:40 pm

 

As Rosheen calmly walked around the lap once more, she allowed herself to be overtaken by the trainees that had been running the same lap as she had, only with less ease. One of them grinned at her, as though he seemed to think she was tired. She grinned back at him, as if she meant to tell him he was a fool. He was, of course. Running laps was something she had done with a great deal of joy ever since she had arrived at the yards. In a way it still reminded her of her life before she had taken up the challenge, and aimed towards becoming a Tower Guard. She took a moment to stretch, making sure that her muscles were loose enough for the challenge that was to come.

 

Moridin was the first trainee trained by her who would go through the race. That also meant that this would be the first time Rosheen did the race as a mentor, not as the trainee. She wondered what it would be like. Back when she had been a trainee she had won, mostly due to the similarity in size that she and Raisa had. It had made things a lot easier. She would have to see how things turned out today. Moridin’s style of fighting was still influenced a lot by the things he had learnt before he came to the yards. She wasn’t quite sure if that put him at a disadvantage or not. Either way, she hoped he would do well. He was dedicated enough as it was, even if he didn’t always seem to know what he was dedicated to.

 

After she picked up a lathe which was weighed down slightly at the end, she walked over to where the obstacle course was waiting for them. As it turned out, it wasn’t the only thing waiting. Rosheen grinned as she saw Con sitting on the fence, with his trusty squirrel on his shoulder. She had kept squirrels when she was younger, until her mother told her that she couldn’t take them with her because it wasn’t fair to take them away from the forests they grew up in. She guessed that Con’s mother had never bothered telling him that.

 

She waved a greeting at the commander of the Guards, and placed the lathe behind the wall. She eyed the one Con had brought for a moment, trying to see if it was special in any way. It looked normal enough. She grinned briefly before walking back to the fence. Mumbling a greeting she sat down on the ground, with her back against the fence. “Moridin had better not be late.†She said. She didn’t think he would be late, but one could never be too sure with trainees. Even if they were the same age as you were.

 

Rosheen

TG here, I suppose.

 

Posted: 18 Jan 2006 10:32 pm

 

OOC: Wow we sure let this get away from us... glad you noticed it Rosh cause i'd completely forgotten.

 

IC:

Moridin had been up long before the sun as the little sleep he'd gotten hadn't come easily. He just wasn't tired. Physically he had been fatuiged but his mind was racing and wouldn't allow him the rest he was going to need for the days training. He was also reasonably anxious with regards to the lesson he had before him today. Rosheen Had talked to him briefly about the obstacle course yesterday but the details on it had been vague. It was his first official lesson here at the tower. In the time he'd spent here ha hadn't recovered any memory as he'd hoped. Nothing had come to him as the brief knowledge of warders had when he had entered. It was mostly these thoughts that kept him awake at night.

 

He had spent over an hour running in hopes of clearing his mind though the irony of it was that it was a clear mind that troubled him. Basic worldly knowledge was simply gone. He head words and names used frequently by most but understood none of them. He made a mental note to spend some time in the Towers library in hopes that learning something might trigger a memory. He continued running all the same, almost trying to outrun the sun that was slowly rising behind him. He was a fairly decent runner which only wound up spawning more questions in his mind. There were a fair number of others running who were faster then he but as time went on and more people came out he discovered that he was in the minority of those who ran well and with ease. Before the sun completely cleared the horizon he stopped and found a darker and more reclusive spot of the yard to rest briefly.

 

He was able to watch the yard and it's occupants going about their routines from where he sat. He watched them mill about in groups or alone, practicing with their swords or other weapons, exercising and stretching. All of them with a purpose and a goal. and the knowledge of where that goal or purpose came from. His eyes also came upon his mentor Talking to an older looking man with a small furry animal sitting on his shoulder. He chuckled a little at that and decided to go over and greet his mentor.

 

"Good morning Rosheen." He said as he drew close enough and gave her a small bow. "And good morning to you Sir." He gave the man a bow as well. He wasn't sure who he was but he had seen how his Mentor had regarded him and guessed he must but a superior officer. "I hope i'm not late." Seeing as Rosheen had only just arrived he assumed he wasn't but it was good to be sure. Noticing they both held training lathes he decided it would be best if he himself got one. He chose one of a slightly smaller build then most in the same design of the sword that he wore. It was strong but light as well and allowed him to quickly get inside another’s defence. He only hoped he was well enough rested to be able to do that in their lesson today.

 

Posted: 02 Feb 2006 12:46 pm

 

~’*’~ The smallest tendril of fear wound its way through her as she stood lurking beneath pale shadows, hands nervously tugging the edge of her light apparel. A washed out grey that had been painstakingly ironed the previous night; Carla wondered briefly how much dirt & tear it would bear much later, if not worse. Even now she hesitated to walk towards her mentor, no uncertain amount of doubt making her pull back until her back bumped against the hard, cool wall that loomed above her. Con had trained her well & hard to the extent of her being resentful of their lessons during the odd occasion but now, to test those honed skills… an intimidating prospect. He would be discontented if they lost, she was certain, while she would combat the mortification for having not been on par with his expectations.

 

~’*’~ She lifted her gaze to behold the morning sun light up the yards in a pale, mellow glow that threw shadows onto hard soil. Verdant floras and the sleek ivory tower were the only vibrant colours patent against the general blandness of surroundings that was regarded through her hooded eyes. Brown eyes shrouded deep in obscure maudlin contemplation though there really wasn’t much to be considered, should Carla ever decide to be truthful with herself. It was best the event come to pass promptly so as to allow more time for the memory to be coated in grime; at least she hoped it to be so. She hardly dared to risk herself to speculate on the likelihood of a victory just yet.

 

~’*’~ A forbidding mass of logs rose before her as she stepped cautiously towards her mentor, eyes shifting slightly to note the few others that littered the grounds. None too many present as witnesses; thank the Light. Carla lifted a hand halfway to still the apprehension that was wrecking havoc within her but paused a terrible moment before it came to settle on her middle. A red flush coloured her pale cheeks when the others turned their impassive face towards her, observing her walk towards them, scrutinising. She was the last to arrive, oddly enough. Suddenly, the brisk morning air felt too cold & compressed and the land too open & steep; far too vulnerable for suitable defence.

 

~’*’~ Winters past, she had stumbled in to train for the right to protect yet never had the notion of such omnipresent danger being applicable to herself occurred, until now. She had abandoned the abode of her past for what she had deemed far loftier & appropriate, eagerness crowding her thoughts until all other specks of doubt were compressed thoroughly. Those early days she had managed to endure by virtue of her eagerness to prove her worth, her steely character carrying her through many unbearable days. But she had shifted through mentors with an abandonment that frightened her witless at times; to wake up another day and wonder whether her instructor remained the same person, or had they reckoned her too fickle & weak for their time? Too many times had it occurred in the past to the extent that she no longer dared attach herself to one mentor for fear of discovering one day that they, too, had abandoned her to yet another. Left alone. Cut off. Deemed worthless. And so it was that her whittled determination wilted away…

 

~’*’~ Such dark uncertainties as they were Carla kept shuttered safely in the back of her mind, as she bowed her head meekly to hide any emotions that managed to escape. A sere leaf, crushed with its brown veins protruding by its side; she concentrated on that as the greetings slipped out from her, soft and respectable. She traced its translucent membranes studious with her eyes, noting how fragile its connections were, how it held itself together by a thread. A gentle wind would suffice to shatter its attachments, or perhaps a feet; it hardly mattered. Her world swirled to a standstill as she heard the words being spoken, words that would carry such momentous consequences. Thump!

 

It starts now.

 

Carla Sades

Tower Trainee

Mentee to Con Stavros

 

Ooc: My apologies for the delay.

 

Posted: 08 Feb 2006 01:12 am

 

"You're late"

 

These days it was rare if Con smiled, yet there was a hint of one as he looked to his twin sister who was approaching with the ropes. Mia was going to act as their marshall for the day, so as to ensure things were fair. Catching the ropes thrown to him, they were a foot long in length with each end in a noose. Slipping his right hand through the noose, he tightened it before moving onto the ankle rope. Looking up to see Mia collecting the remaining lathes, she was putting them on the ground of the other side of the wall. Once they'd made it over, they'd be able to take their lathes up, so as not to impede their climb further.

 

Turning to his student, Con laid his free hand on her shoulder as he spoke. "Remember, unity of movement. Lead off with your left, and I'll match your pace. At the wall, we scale at the same pace, everything in the same motion. As long as we maintain that, everything flows from there."

 

Clapping Carla on the shoulder, Con turned towards the wall, his knees bent and leaning forward, ready to start when Mia called out for them to begin. Even if they didn't win, they were certainly going to make Rosheen and Cado earn their victory every step of the way.

 

 

Con Stavros

Commander of the Tower Guard

 

OOC: Rightio, best way to unfold this... Rosh you take us to starting off and reaching the wall, Cado you get us halfway up, Halvie you get us over? Dunno, should do it though

 

Posted: 09 Feb 2006 06:54 pm

 

OOC: Sounds good to me

 

IC:

Rosheen only had a moment or two alone with Moridin before the race would start. And even that was stretching the definition of alone a bit far, as Con could hear every word she said. That was the one thing she didn’t want, as he would be a part of their competition during this race. She didn’t have high hopes of winning this, as she had only known the trainee she was working with for a few weeks, and they hadn’t done any serious training together, aside from a few runs. It was too soon. “The sooner we get this over with, the better.†She muttered under her breath. “What’s your sword hand?†she asked, embarrassed that she had to ask. Still, it would be even worse if she didn’t ask. She imagined her trainee being defenceless because she had picked the wrong hand.

 

Moridin kept his voice low as he answered. By the time Rosheen was ready to tie them together, Carla also appeared. Rosheen greeted her briefly, and wondered if she looked as tense as Carla did. The trainee/mentor pairs were just tied together by their ankles and wrists on one side of their bodies as Mia appeared, ready for them to go. Rosheen leant over to Moridin, hoping that Con and Carla wouldn’t be able to hear. “Just take moderately sized steps. We’re of equal size, so it should work in our advantage. Start with our tied foot, and then with our untied foot.†And then there was no more time for instructions, as Mia called for them to get in their places.

 

As Rosheen had expected, the first few steps went fairly well, considering the fact that they’d never ran with someone tied to their ankle and wrist. Then things got worse. Even though Moridin had her height, his strides were slightly longer. Rosheen silently cursed the male arrogance in him that wanted to get to the wall before Con and Carla did, and wanted to reach it by sheer force. “Steady.†She said, barely unclenching her teeth enough to make herself heard. Con and Carla had just found a way to work together better even though they had a size difference to deal with. Even though they had stumbled slightly at the end. Rosheen and Moridin arrived at the wall just a few paces ahead of their competition. As Rosheen looked up she realised that climbing the wall would be harder than she thought.

 

Posted: Sun Feb 19, 2006 6:17 pm

 

OOC: alrighty then. good ol' weekends and having friends who havn't broken their computers. Yet...

 

IC:

“What’s your sword hand?†Moridin looked up and noticed Rosheen had walked over to where he was. Carla and her mentor Con were nearly ready to begin and he realized he must look stupid standing there doing nothing. Quickly though he looked over the course once more and ran his eyes over the log wall. Alone the wall would have been scaled easily as the grooves were easily large enough to provide a decent grip. But, attached to another person...

 

"My right hand." he replied in as much a hushed tone as she had. It was at this point that someone he hadn't met before came over and began tying the pairs together. He didn't like the idea of being patially immobalized but for the moment it was a necessary evil which had to be over come.

 

“Just take moderately sized steps. We’re of equal size, so it should work in our advantage. Start with our tied foot, and then with our untied foot.†Aknowledging her with a nod of his head he was about to say something but he was interupted by the woman who was governing this exercise. They had no more time to prepare and Moridin knew he would have prefered to stretch a little more before they started but that time had passed. With the sound of a sharp whisel they began.

 

They began well and their steps were fairly sincronized but after a few more Moridin began to feel some resistence against his movment as Rosheen took ever so slightly smaller steps then him. Why do women always have to be all slow and calculated... He thought to himself. But, as he heard her mutter to slow down he realized there was no time for discussion on the matter and paced himself to her. Upon reaching the wall he had an idea to more control their movements.

 

"Tied on one. Free on two." Glancing at Rosheen he saw her nod her head to say she understood. Without timing here they would surely fall. Wasting no time he began. "One" They both moved there tied foot in unison and found a footing on the first log. "Two" Bracing himself he moved his second foot to the log above. "One" Grabbing a higher log with his hands he moved his tied foot once again with Rosheen. "Two" One log higher. "One, two, one, two, one, two..."

 

OOC: Alrighty then. Up to you Carla.

 

~’*’~ She drew in a sharp breath and took a brief moment to steady herself. The instructions were acknowledged with an imperceptible nod she knew Con could hardly miss; she trusted that he knew her well enough. It was to be hoped that her anxiety would not serve to enhance the confidence of their opponents, both possessing skills as yet unknown to her. Her limbs were stiff with tension and for a long moment, her eyes rested upon the length of rope that was to prove a hindrance during their journey across the wall. The trills of many a creature grew muffled as literally everything faded into obscurity exempting the obstacle that lay before them, waiting.

And then they were off.

 

~’*’~ The first steps taken were done hesitantly and Carla gritted her teeth whenever the other pair seemed to cover the ground at a speedier pace. During those times she would attempt to hurry only to find herself close to stumbling and that would leave her more frustrated than ever. And fretting as to how her mentor regarded her progress thus far, fearful to know how he analyzed her performance. “Unity,†she muttered almost agitatedly, despair giving way at the sight of the pile of logs before them. They were doomed.

 

~’*’~ “You first,†she gestured slightly towards the front before hastily scrambling forward. It was a painstaking progression that soon commanded all her attention and had her ignoring the advancements of the other pair. Frozen fingers assisted in her getting into position as they climbed, with Carla ever wary of maintaining her balance lest she slipped. And there were such moments when increasing confidence had her rushing forward, recklessly destroying their steady tempo. Those were the times when realisation would hit her with all force, reminding her of her companion and the extra care that had to be taken into consideration. Cursed game!

 

Carla Sades

Tower Trainee

[Wayfarer]

Making their way over the wall, both pairs jumped as soon as they could to try and gain advantage. Recovering their lathes, Con and Carla turned to find that Rosheen and Cado had theirs and were advancing. Matched up against Rosheen, Con was already contemplating what to do. Heavy strikes and locking lathes, he'd try to put her off her balance as much as possible so it would interfere with Cado's movement, maybe give Carla the chance she needed. And if he managed to disarm Rosheen, all the better. Eitherway, he wouldn't be holding back.

 

"Lion on the Hill, Carla." Choosing an immobile guard stance to make it less likely they'd unbalance each other, they received the first attacks and slid into counterstrikes even as their own attacks were parried. Rosheen seemed a little surprise at first, but only for a moment and her attacks grew stronger.

 

More concerned with keeping pace with Carla's movements so as not to impede her than pressing any advantage he could gain, Con was patient. Sooner or later, something would happen to alter the course of the melee, hopefully in he and Carla's favour. It was simply waiting for the opportunity to present itself.

 

 

Con Stavros

Instructor

[Death Incarnate]

As soon as his feet hit the ground Moridin began looking about for where he'd left his lathe and quickly his eyes found where he and Rosheen had laid theirs aside. Quickly taking up his lathe he straightened and looking over at Rosheen, caught her eye. They both nodded in unison and began advancing on their opponents position. He noticed the instructor whisper something to his mentee but couldn't make out what was said though it made him think some small words might be usefull.

 

"Once we begin to fight we need to plant our tied foot in one spot. Moving that one will surely cause us to lose our balance." Rosheen nodded though by her reaction it seemed he had simply stated the obvious which, in truth, he had. better to get the obvious out of the way then wind up regretting not having mentioned it. And with those final thoughts he shut everything out of his mind except the fight before him and his instincts took over. His lathe quickly darted at the centre of his opponents torso before striking for the head and legs. He was testing her reflexes and reactions to those strikes to see if she was weak on her guard though she quickly and easily defelcted each blow showing adequate skill. He'd have to press his advantage of strength as he wouldn't beat her with speed.

 

Testing her skill...? Where did he learn to do that? His mind was given no time for thought as he quickly was forced on the defensive as her blade swept towards his chest in a downward arc which he barely reflected at the last moment, costing him recovery time in which she launched back into a thrust which he blocked more quickly and easily. Shutting off his mind he completely focused on the fight. Stray thoughts would cost him. Something inside him took over and his eyes focused and sharpened and things seemed to slow down. He and his blade were death. Strange... That sounded familiar.

 

He began with an apward slash with the backside of his lathe which was stopped by a horizontal block at chest level from which he reversed and brought down as hard as he could which caused her to stumble somewhat under the force of the blow but didn't break her block. Using the moments he had while she recovered he inverted his holding of the blade so that the blade was pointing backwards and moved it behind him to allow for a full swing. It was risky but unexpected and as she brought her eyes up he launched. His blade swung out from behind him and he saw her eyes go wide as she realized her sword was guarding the wrong place. His blade arced towards her head and she quickly raised her guard just enough so that it was pointing directly up infront of her and causing his blade to come within an inch of her face but miss. As momentum carried his sword away he spun it with his fingers, reverting it back to a forward grip and brought the slash back at her head where it had only just moments before missed. More prepared this time she struck it downward and they locked blades. Instantly they both began spinning their blades trying to break the others block and this went on for a few moments before her blade dipped and as it slipped inside his guard he twisted to the side so the blade just narrowly missed a killing blow to his side. This brought them almost face to face and for the first time he actually got a good look at her.

 

Although she was taller then he was she was still just another one of the young kids that seemed to polute the yards. Thankfully though she showed more dicepline and skill then most of those kids of he would have beaten her easily within the first few moments. He didn't have time to observe anymore then that as he felt her moving her blade to strike again and his was now trapped awkwardly between them. Using his free hand he grabbed her wrist and twisted slightly to stop her from achieving a blow that would have ended the fight then and there. To free his sword up he would have to step back but to step back he wouldn't be able to maintain his grip on her wrist. His only option was twisting her arm some more so her blade was no longer facing him and then pushing away to give himself the distance needed to prepare for her counter attack. Glancing over at Rosheen quickly he found himself quite surprised that all of this hadn't put her off balance or disrupted her fight. His attention refocusing on his opponent he prepared himself for the next onslaught.

 

OOC: Alrighty, since I'm supposed to lose I figured that I'd wait a few days for some folks to post about some fun fighting and then have Moridin lose due to some flashbacks of old memories that cause him to lose focus. I figured that something like that would work best as we're both supposed to be of equal skill.

[silhouette]

Fighting with someone tied to your dominant arm and leg was something Rosheen didn’t do all that often. In fact, while she avoided getting hit in the head by a blow from Carla that Cado deflected, she was already thinking of ways to avoid doing it ever again. While they kept their tied foot solidly in place, Rosheen still found herself yanked off balance quite often. She recovered swiftly though, silently thanking Alden for all the hours she had spent on a tightrope, working on the perfect balance, and the ways to regain it before he took a swipe at her ankles. She was also glad that she’d spent a week here and there with her dominant arm tied to her back, training her left arm. It had grown from being practically useless, to being partially useful. Slowly but steadily she’d learnt to use it, not as easily as her dominant arm, but well enough to keep Con from easily defeating her, at least.

 

A swift glance exchanged with the Commander of the Guard told her he thought the same way as she did about this spar. It wasn’t about them, but about their trainees. While they tried hard to get each other off balance, most of their time was spent avoiding deflected blows from the trainees they were tied to. Rosheen sidestepped The Falcon Stoops , twisting until she was almost behind Cado, before twisting back on her tied foot, hearing her Ribbon on the Air come to a full stop on Con’s lathe. It took most of her speed, and a slightly sprained wrist to keep Bundling the Straw from reaching her chest. After blocking it she was pleased to see Con step back swiftly to avoid Tower of Morning, pulling Carla back with him slightly.

 

The tall trainee was off balance for a moment, and Rosheen was pleased to see Moridin’s take advantage of that by attacking furiously. Her smugness was ended rather abruptly by Con taking a swipe at their tied ankles. Raising the foot in time was out of the question, so Rosheen used some force the yank it backwards, messing with Moridin’s balance. To give her trainee a moment to regain his balance, Rosheen stepped forward again, locking her lathe with Con’s and pressing back, hoping to keep him occupied for a moment.

[Elilliane]

~’*’~ It was a frantic scramble down the mountain of logs that resulted in not a few heart-stopping moments when Carla felt her foot slip, body instinctively bracing for the crash onto the ground that never came. During instances such as those, she found herself dependant upon Con to steady herself & recover her equilibrium, barely having time to heave a sigh of relief when her feet did eventually touch the blessedly solid ground. The weapons were snatched from the ground before they immediately swirled around to confront the other pair already in position, waiting. A small part of her cringed in disappointment to find that they could not be so easily beaten, having formed an absurd notion that they could perhaps have attacked while the other two was still unarmed. That was hardly meant to be.

 

~’*’~ The basic guard stance was promptly assumed as instructed; she could not have acted otherwise. Too long had she been training under him, his heavy Illianer accent filtered pass all doubts & contorted forms of anxiety; she simply obeyed. But spars would always limit the amount of conversation and instructions that could be shared and thus Carla soon found herself frantically thinking of ways to deflect a stinging blow, angling her in a certain manner to met his. A frantic exchange that only grew more desperate as time wore on, before Carla found it best to simply quit thinking and allow her body to remember the movements she had trained hard to master. It did not entirely dispel the fear and uncertainty shifting deep within her, but at least she managed to meet him blow for blow.

 

~’*’~ Yet she was forced to adapt to the situation, when arms instinctively moving downwards would meet with resistance, when a step back proved unbalancing for she had neglected to remember the bonds around her arms and ankles. Hummingbird Kisses the Honeyroses was attempted with relative success, a quick thrust that quickly resulted in the heavy clash of wood against wood. Rebounding, she altered position slightly and parried the slashes and blows that were aimed at her, unnerved when one came unfortunately close to drawing blood. She did not fancy continuing the parry with open injuries however minor, though there was a sneaking feeling that she would be sporting several bruises as souvenirs from today’s fast-paced events.

 

~’*’~ Muscles strained to maintain momentum and she came to rely upon Con when she slipped or dealt a blow that lacked the strength, leaving her vulnerable. A strong gust of wind that blew in their direction momentarily blurred her vision as she squinted, head shaking slightly to clear the few strands of hair from her eyes. Her complexion was scrubbed raw by the sheer intensity and chill of the wind, a minor distraction that very nearly caused her to miss the shadow of a lathe arching down towards her. Carla raised her own weapon to block its descendent, although it was already far too near for her to be able to block it successfully. Its unexpected weight had her staggering, consequently placing Con in a rather awkward position. In a more… calm situation, she would have felt mortification to cause discomfort of whatever form towards her mentor but with the stakes placed so high, she hardly dared to so much as glance at what he did. Or what his opponent was dealing in response to his retaliation, though she did occasionally observe those graceful, flowing movements; unknown forms that did not register in her mind.

 

~’*’~ A surreal moment came about during the time when their blades were clashed & locked, causing her to twist her blade to prepare for a counter attack. It spanned no more than a split second, but Carla could have sworn to have noted a shadow of… something cross her opponent’s features, so distracting that he paused a while longer than was wise. The opportunity presented, Carla manipulated his apparent hesitation with a swift disarming tactic, The Grapevine Twines, delighting in finally being able to catch him off guard. It was a classic move that did not fail, for them.

 

Carla Sades

Tower Trainee

Mentee to Con Stavros

[Wayfarer]

As soon as Cado's sword sailed from his hands, Con knew there wasn't any time to lose. "Lets go!" Turning around Carla, the pair headed towards the last obstacle. Ropes had been strung across mud, just high enough to allow a person to crawl on their bellies. Whoever reached the end of it first finished the race, and with their headstart for winning the duel, they were bound to win, as long as they didn't slacken off.

 

"Reverse the grip on your lathe. Like the wall, move our legs together at the same time, move together and we win." Lathe pointing down instead of up, Con fell to his knees with Carla, then onto his belly. The squelch from the mud as they landed was quite audible.

 

As one, they slipped underneath the ropes as they made their way forward. Con could feel himself catching on the ropes, which made him push even harder to keep pace. While he wasn't the tallest man, he wasn't skinny either and in this challenge the lithe had an advantage. Still, he kept pace with Carla's movements even as their competitors joined them at the third obstacle.

 

 

Con Stavros

Surging ahead

[Death Incarnate]

The sword moved through his hands as if by its own will. Smooth arcs and slashed danced infront of him though he had no idea where the knowledge came from. It was more then instinct but it beyond his knowledge. His knowledge? Ha! He had no knowledge. Knowledge required memory. Yet all the same he kept this well trained student at bay and her blade away from his skin. What happened to me? Suddenly a strong wind rushed by, kicking up dust and hindering everyones vision. It could have happened withing the blink of an eye.

 

The sword lashed out at his throat and he could feel the blood pouring from the gaping wound in his neck. And as quickly as it had appeared it was gone. No sword. No blood. Just his own blade flying from his hand. Shaking his head he looked around. What had happened? He was disarmed and his sword lay out of reach. he made to move for it but enountered resistance. What was holding him back? looking behind he saw a very angry and confused looking woman whom he was tied too by the ankle. Suddenly everything came back to him. The test, the wall, the fight. Looking back again he saw his lathe laying on the ground. This time when he moved she moved with him.

 

"Pick it up and get moving." Rosheen sounded angry. Quickly grabbing his lathe they quickly set themselves back into the earlier pace. With a Dive they landed in the mud filled trenches and with barked orders set into a steady but from the angle they were at it was impossible to tell if they were recovering distance.

 

OOC: i'll leave it for one of the victors to finish this up.

[silhouette]

From the look of things, the fight had been turning in their advantage. Moridin was fighting as though he’d done nothing else in his entire life. Even as Rosheen locked lathes with the Commander of the Guards she wondered about his past. The man had always been quiet about it. Not that he was particularly talkative to begin with, but when it came to his past it was as though he drew into himself. She’d stopped asking about it after the first day. A man’s past was his own business, after all, as long as it didn’t bother her. And it didn’t, because he was a good trainee. In good shape, and always willing and ready to do as she instructed. A relief, compared to some of the younger trainees she watched over.

 

She glanced sideways in time to see him move in forms he should not have control over yet. It bothered her a little, but not enough to warrant a visit to the Mistress of Trainees. None of her business, she reminded herself as she avoided getting Con’s knee in her gut. Then suddenly it was over. One moment they were getting ahead, and the next she saw Moridin’s lathe fly to the side. His expression was hazy even as Carla and Con turned as one, slipping under the rope. She counted silently in her head, sending a swift glare to her trainee. They could have won this. Not easily, but they could have. He shook himself slightly, as if he finally realised what was going on. Mia nodded at her, signalling that their penalty time for losing was over. “Pick it up and get moving.†She growled, more than a little disgruntled over losing.

 

Con and Carla had been almost graceful as they slid under the wire. Moridin and Rosheen were not, she dived forwards, pulling him with her. Fortunately they both got the hang of moving together soon enough to allow them to reduce their distance a little. Not enough to win, of course, but enough to keep them from looking like a bunch of pathetic losers.

 

 

ooc: if I'm not mistaken we need three more posts to finish this req.

[Elilliane]

~â€*’~ The moment of shock passed as they quickly turned towards the final obstacle, with her wearing a slight triumphant grin. His defeat was testimony to how every move was essential in ensuring victory though it could hardly be called so for them just yet. The taut ropes above their heads were an irritant and hindered her to a large extent, while the squelching of mud beneath her was another matter that could hardly be ignored. Heart pounding fiercely, she attempted to move in harmony with her mentor and impulsively increased her speed when she heard the other pair fall in behind them.

 

~’*’’~ A clock seemed to tick deafeningly in her hand and not once did Carla worry that some part of her was beginning to feel the strain of such exertion and cramping. Short periods of anxiety soon forgotten in their haste to reach the opening, she heaved a huge sigh of relief when their goal was actually reached. She stumbled a little when they got to their feet and the edges of her vision turned black until everything before her was consumed by darkness. The dizzy spell lasted for only several seconds and she shook her head to clear away the feeling of confusion that came with it. She had overstretched herself too far in the race. Exhilaration was an emotion that was a long way in coming and even when it suddenly upon her that they had won, she could only manage a weak, hesitant smile. All she longed for was a shower and her bunk.

 

~’*’~ “You were… good,†she commented shyly towards her male opponent, wincing at the condition of his clothes and tousled hair. It did not take a fool to know that she too was a sight to behold. “Perhaps you could show me some of the moves you made?†She suggested further, when she perceived no response from him. Uncertainly, Carla then cast a glance towards Con and Rosheen, standing awkwardly though still breathing hard, waiting. Little streams of cold wet mud continued to drip and form puddles at her feet, little oblong patterns that grew larger as time passed. It was so cold.

 

 

Carla Sades

Tower Trainee

Mentee to Con Stavros

[Wayfarer]

Freed of their ropes, Mia had taken them from the pairs as they had emerged from the last obstacle. Letting Carla go and speak to her fellow trainee, in part glad to see her opening up to new people, Con had to admit, he was proud of his mentee. Well, he was proud of all of his trainees, but Carla rarely ever had a victory, and Con could understand that. His time as a trainee had initially been spent on the bottom rung, and even if his natural strength had come into play later, he had still possessed many things that had drawn him back, things which hadn't been resolved till he was a Tower Guard.

 

Turning to Rosheen, Con's face bore a slight smile as he reached out and clasped Rosheen's arm. It not a gesture born of smugness, rather one born of relief that it was done. "For a trainee your student do be having some interesting moves Rosheen. I do be thinking that your student be ready for the Tower Guard soon with a bit more training. He do be a credit to the time you be spending on him clearly."

 

"So who be your trainee? I no be knowing aught of him, and at the rate he be going, he be most likely wearing the crimson before long. It would be good to be knowing a couple of things about him." Con's voice throughout his ramble had been low enough not to carry over to the trainees. With his duties as Commander, he had rarely given much thought to trainees except those that were his responsibility, and those never got his full time in the same way others did. Still, they turned out well, Carla was proof of that.

 

 

Con Stavros

Finito

 

OOC: Edited mate, sorry about that.

 

OOC: Edited again, done! :D

[Death Incarnate]

Moridin moved rhythmically and with focus through the mud trying to ignore the fact that he could feel it seeping into his clothing. He couldn't see ahead enough to know where his opponents were but if he attempted to rush now he would likely only break their rhythem and slow them down. He began to grow tense with impatience. How far were they behind? Were they even gaining? suddenly he broke into open space and looking up saw his opponents standing several feet away. Watching them. His heart sank. He had cost them this race. What was wrong with his head! He cursed himself inwardly as he got up out of the mud but quickly cleared his mind. There was no use brooding on it as it would only produce harsh feelings. He didn't want to be making any enemies here yet. As he stood brushing himself off he heard a voice that could only be that of his opponent.

 

“You were… good,â€He found it somewhat surprising that he heard a hint a shyness in her voice. It made little sense as she had beaten him. Then again, it was hard to maintain any sense of dignity when you were drenched head to toe and covered in mud. “Perhaps you could show me some of the moves you made?â€His mind flashed to their fight. It was somewhat vauge in his mind and as he recalled some of what he had done he wondered if he'd be able to repeat them. Where had those movements come from? He realized she was wating on a response but he wondered hoe to reply.

 

"You faught well yourself. Obviously as you bested me. You have a surprising amount of skill for one so young." Looking at her again, she must have been at least seven or eight years younger then him. "I could try and show you a few things sometime though." He hated introductions but it seemed that one was needed here. "I'm Moridin by the way." he said as he extended his hand. He made a mental not to learn what that meant.

[silhouette]

“Ugh.†She muttered, looking down at her attire. She was dripping with mud and no doubt other things that she didn’t want to think about. And worse, it was all for nothing. Well, nothing was a big word in this case, because she’d seen Moridin fight properly for the first time. When they had practised it was like he had to think everything through for a long time before he made the move. Now, in the heat of the competition he had moved as if he’d done nothing else his entire life. Not for the first time she wondered what his past was like. She walked up to him and grasped his shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “You fought well.†She muttered, before grinning at him. “Better luck next time though.â€

 

When she turned she saw Con’s eyes on her. Just what she needed, a talking to from the Commander about how her trainee had gotten distracted during a fight. “I’ll never hear the end of this.†She muttered as she walked towards him. Surprisingly there was little in the way of criticism in Con’s words. He seemed more interested in her trainees past. Well, that was something she could relate to. “He calls himself Moridin.†She said, smirking slightly as she always did when she heard the name. “But that’s not the name his parents gave him. Sometimes it takes him a while to react to it, as if he has to realise first that it is his name.†She shook her head slightly.

 

“Other than that I don’t know much about him. But I recon he doesn’t know much more about himself either. He came to us looking as if he’d been in a scuffle with a few trollocs. Fayth couldn’t find any damage in his head, but that doesn’t mean much. I’ve seen people forget they were married when faced with death.†She glanced at the Commander. “But he’s a good man. He listens well, and he’s a hard worker. He doesn’t seem to mind Aes Sedai all that much either, and that’s a good thing, considering the future he’s chosen for himself.â€

 

~Rosheen Tahn Sakhr

Tower Guard

 

Ooc: ok, I’d say we’re about done with this requirement :D