Dedicated Training: Advanced Offence/Defence

[Guest Dalinar]

Dalinar rested his quarterstaff against a weapons rack and turned to face the group gathered before him.

 

"Right then, let's get started. No point in beating around the bush is there."

 

"You're all Dedicated, and very shortly, you'll be experienced enough to earn the Dragon pin on your collars. So this, one of your final classes, is to teach you the art of combat with the One Power."

 

"Unlike your previous classes, you aren't going to be attacking inanimate objects... This class will be about using the Power against another channeler. Shielding, cutting flows, attacking and defending. When you finish you will need to be ready to face a rogue channeler, a Darkfriend, an Aes Sedai aggressor, perhaps even one of the Forsaken if you are extremely adept."

 

"So," Dalinar gestured to the group, "Pair up, and then we will begin."

 

Dalinarius Traachanshield,

M'Hael.

[Death Incarnate]

Drenn was up before the sun as usual but was in a far better mood then usual. Today he would be learning what he had truly come here for. How to be a weapon. He knew some things about attacking with the power as thats basically all he had been doing since arriving but it was still painfully obvious that he had a long ways to go.

 

He arrived at their lesson early though he was not early enough to have beaten the M'Hael. Dalinar was standing there with his quarterstaff twirling it about everynow and then while he waited. Reporting to him, Drenn stood infront of him as others slowly began to trickle in and line up aswell. After about twenty minutes there must have been anough people because Dalinar put his quarterstaff away and addressed them.

 

 

"Right then, let's get started. No point in beating around the bush is there." Drenn listened carefully to what was said and with some significant enthusiasm. He couldn't wait to begin trying some weaves. "So," Dalinar gestured to the group, "Pair up, and then we will begin." Looking around to see who was present Drenn quickly found another Dedicated who was standing alone. He had seen the man around the grounds here on occasion but had never really met him. Either way he walked over to the man and with a quick nod both turned to wait for Dalinar to continue.

[Asfaloth]

Nakor was excited. Very excited. He would finally be learning how to attack and defend against other channelers. This was surely the real reason they were here. The Lord Dragon needed them to help fight dreadlords and Forsaken, not just non-channelers. After all, that's what he had all those armies of his for. No, this was their true purpose.

 

When the M'Hael told them to pair up he looked around for a likely partner. Finally spotting someone he knew he walked over to the man, "So, you ready for this stuff?"

 

OOC: Didn't know who else was joining so anyone who comes in can feel free to respond.

[Kael]

Rion listened with a growing trepidation as the M'Hael began to speak of what they were going over today. Fighting. Combat. Rion let out a very unsteady breath as he suddenly began to feel rather sick. He hated violence, the mere thought of it was enough to make him begin to shake. He had had his varying moments of cowardice when violence was present. Being reduced to a shaking sobbing baby by Linten at the mere drawing of a sword and a small threat.

 

So it wasn't suprising that Rion stood with a slight shake in his hands, grasping the cloth of his pants with white knuckles. But it also presented the strange paradox within Rion at these classes. He wanted so much to prove himself to those around him as well as learn to wield the One Power that he could not avoid these situations as well as the fact that he was in fact a weapon. Dashiva had already pointed out how inept he was in combat classes and how he barely moved through the motions, but still...

 

"So, you ready for this stuff?" Rion nearly jumped out of his boots as someone spoken next to him. He turned to see Nakor, a dedicated Rion had met once or twice. He sook his head quickly and bit his lip. "I think I'm going to be sick."

 

 

Rion

[Muirenn]

Combat again. It was the thing Serge hated most about the training in the Black Tower. Whether it was with sword or saidin, he did not at all like the idea of fighting with another. He strove for harmony, and had experienced more than enough of fighting at home in Illian simply for who he was. Even here, there had been some tense encounters with others. Nothing had yet come to blows, but he was certain that was only a matter of time. It always was.

 

And so, today he was part of a class of Dedicated learning thier combat weaves. Worse yet, it was always so easy for him to create the weaves to harm, and Healing was mostly beyond his grasp. No matter that he had tried to study it. It simply seemed his talents lay in the area of destruction rather than creation, much to his chagrin.

 

On the order to pair up, he walked over to another Dedicated and gave him a quick nod, which was returned just as abruptly.

[Guest Dalinar]

Dalinar watched closely as the students paired off. It was interesting to see who paired off with whom, and what grounds they chose. Sometimes friends were not the best class mates, especially in a class like this, and Dalinar wondered how much of the competitive streak that was buried in so many male minds would come out during the lesson. Of course, sometimes strangers were no better - trust was something that was essential for this kind of class also.

 

"Right then, gather around," Dalinar gestured in a semi-circle around him.

 

"We will begin the class with Shielding. Many of you would have already come across this weave as it is used freely in disciplining and damage control in classes and across the Farm. There are several important things to remember when Shieling," Dalinar continued, elaborating on several points. The difficulty in Shielding someone holding the Source, particularly if they were much stronger than you, breaking Shields, tying Shields off... And finally the difference between a weave to Shield, and a weave to Sever.

 

"The next part of the class will involve cutting flows, but to begin with, I want you to simply practice Shielding each other and playing around with what can be achieved with a Shield and what can't be achieved. I'll move around between you and assist as needed."

 

Dalinar made a short gesture at them to spread apart from each other slightly, "Begin when ready."

 

Dalinarius Traachanshield,

M'Hael.

 

OOC: Sorry it's late. Minimum 1 post, preferably 2 posts each before moving on. Which will be (hopefully, provided I don't get caught up with RL stuff) a week's time at the most, perhaps as early as Monday my time. Any questions feel free to ask, but I run my classes fairly free-form - it's about the writing not so much whether it's 100% true to books or whatever (though if you go TOO far outside the square I'll tell you ;))

 

Cheers,

Dali/Ben.

[Kael]

Rion took is position opposite of Nakor and reached out for Saidin slowly. He sighed to himself as he dipped through the taint and the familier torrent, teh struggle for survival that spoke of just how alive you could be began.

 

Rion filled himself with Saidin, though not nearly as much as he could currently hold. He paused momentarily as Nakor seemed to do so as well and then stood unsure of what to do. Whether he should be the target or the attacker first.

 

Silently Rion decided to continue first, teh weaves began to form and he continued when Nakor did nothing to halt him. He shield settled over Nakor and, began to stop. Rion could feel the strain as he tried to push past Nakor's state of being filled with Saidin. The strain was apparent on Rion's face as he continued, small beads of sweat forming on his brow. Streangth had been mostly a second thought, something Rion never had really payed attention to but as he tried to force his shield on Nakor he could not note that they were equal, if nor Nakor was stronger.

 

Rion by nature had a competitive personality, though he never really showed it from his euqally craven personality. He contemplated how he would be able to cut Nakor off from the source, not wanting to dissapoint the M'Hael by not being able to finish his shield.

 

Quickly Rion wove a seperate smaller weave, simply a bar of air and cracked Nakor across the back. The man reeled foreward and a shocked look passed over his face matched by Rion's triumphant as the shield slid into place. Rion hadn't though that would work.

 

Rion

OOC: Sorry if I NPCed Nakor a little to much, if you want I can go back and change it up a little

[Death Incarnate]

OOC: ok since WK isn't showing up for this i'm gonna edit my previous post so that it's me and Muir instead that way we're all partnered up. i'll continue in this once i've made the edit

[Asfaloth]

OOC: No sweat! I'll probably have to return the favor here.

 

IC: As Nakor lined up across from Rion he reached through the void to grasp hold of Saidin. The taint no longermade him retch but it still came close. Still, the struggle for survival made anything the taint could do to him worth it, he'd never felt so alive.

 

Nakor let Rion go first, preferring to learn from the other man's mistakes if there were any, rather than make his own. He watched as Rion struggled to shield him. They seemed to be too evenly matched. He had to wonder if the other Dedicated would be successful after all. Suddenly, Nakor felt himself reeling pitched forward as though pushed from behind and just as suddenly shielded. He struggled against the bonds, reaching with all of his strength for the elusive Saidin, for all of a minute. Then he surrendered to the shield, nodded to Rion and raised an eyebrow.

 

When the shield was released he sucked as much of Saidin into himself as he could hold, nearly drawing too much. He knew it was unwise to draw so much but after being cut off like that he needed to hold as much as possible. He needed to feel the life flow through him once more. He allowed a slightly evil grin to cross his lips as he looked back at Rion, "It's my turn now."

 

He was expecting a struggle, they were too close in strength for there not to be one, bt he didn't realize it would be impossible. When Rion had distracted him earlier to get his shield in place he had thought it a dirty trick but now he could see that it was the only way to succeed. Except he knew his partner wouldn't fall for the same trick he had used, he'd have to think of something else.

 

He remembered how he had been underestimated and looked down on by so many in his life. More important though, he remembered the power this gave him over them as they surrendered part of themselves by thinking he was easy prey. Perhaps he could use that. One thing the Ashaman tried so hard to teach them was the art of hiding your emotions and not letting others see your weaknesses. This would help to as it would allow Rion to more easily believe it real.

 

Nakor continued his struggle to place the shield but exaggerated the strain on his face. Then he began to slowly back off the amount of strength in his attack while making it seem he was trying even harder. Eventually he had eased the weave down so far that it was barely even there. Now he was free to try something else. While Rion was defending still against the threat he thought was real Nakor wove flows of Earth and Water to create a sinkhole beneath him.

 

As Rion fell he saw that it had been a trick and there was really no strength in the shield. As he then turned his attention to the hole beneath him Nakor wove a new shield that settled easily over his opponent.

[Death Incarnate]

"We will begin the class with Shielding." Drenn listened with a small smile on his face. He had some minor experience with shielding but had never been taught some of the finer points to it. Not that that mattered much, finer points weren't particularly his speciality. Amoung the strongest channellers in the tower his skill lay in brute force of which he had become quite adequate at dealing. Spirit was also one of his highest elements and as he listened to Dalinar talk he realized that this was probably going to be fun. turning to face his opponents they stepped back a few paces and readied themselves.

 

Drenn waited a few seconds and formed the void leaving his mind empty of emotion and ready to work. Once held He took hold of Saidin and it's raging torrents hit him with immense force. The sweetness filled him and everything bloomed into blissful clarity but as fast it it came so came the taint. His stomach nearly emptied itself from the foul, thing, that slicked Saidin's surface.

 

Drenn went first and placed a simple shield over his partner and felt as he tried to take hold of Saidin once it held him. After a bit of that he released Saidin and let his partner do the same to him. He felt the shield settle on him and immediatly felt a minute sense of panic. he was defenceless. Reaching for Saidin He found he could feel it but just not quite touch it. it was just beyond his reach and try as he might he couldn't reach it. Pushing harder to get to it he felt the barrier flex somewhat but it held firmly in place. After what seemed to be an entire age the shield disapeared and his partner released Saidin aswell.

 

Both stood there for a moment uncertain of what to do Before they both seemed to simultaniously come to the same conclusion. Reaching for Saidin at the same time He felt its torrents of flaming ice stab at him and threaten to pull him along and the Euphoria came once more accompanied by its sickly counterpart. He struggled slighty to take control which was unusual but thankfully it didn't cost him much time and he struck out with a powerful shield. It was somewhat clumsy as he lacked the skill for finesse and the training to properly weave it but it was the best he could come up with. As it nearly settled on his opponent he felt resistance and his weave stopped moving forward. Dalinar had been right, it was difficult to set a shield on someone with the power already in hand. Now, not only was he feeling resistance but he was also feeling the man fighting back. Putting more strength into his weave he felt it slowly moving in the direction he wanted it to go.

 

OOC: I'll leave it for you to finish Muir. You could let Drenn overpower you or use your higher level of skill to your advantage and outweave him. Up to you.

[TheWitchKing]

ooc: Hey Drenn, if Muir does not show up, I could always take his place...

[Death Incarnate]

OOC: Welcome back mate. I've been waiting on Muir for several weeks now so take the spot if you want. I'm all for getting on with this.

[Guest Dalinar]

OOC: *grunts* Me too. I'm itching to promote some people darn it. :P

 

Dali/Ben.