Instruction of the Sword (Andar)

[Death Incarnate]

Drenn was practically bouncing on the balls of his toes as he went about his early morning routine. Even earlier then usual as Andar had been intent on an earlier lesson then usual. This meant that Drenn's early morning became an extremely early morning and he was up long before the sun. The trouble he'd been having sleeping lately made it much easier to be up in time for his exercises though. It was quite strange though how he was functioning normally dispite this significant lack of sleep. He should be feeling alot more tired then he was.

 

He finished his morning run along with his other exercises as the sky began to glow slightly with its pre-sun light. With that finished he made a quick stop at the inn for an early breakfast where he briefly greeted Dashiva, one of the only other men to wake as early as he did. It was a good high protien breakfast, good for building muscle and one of Drenn's favourites. He ate alot and he ate quickly as he wanted to make sure he had enough time for a brisk walk to let his breakfast settle as so it wouldn't make a reapearance during his training as he was sure it was going to be hard. With respectful farewells to the M'Hael Haran he set off on his walk. He made a quick lap of the inner yards which took him a good fifteen minutes and significant enough time to settle his breakfast before he headed to the reclusive location which had been chosen for the training.

 

He arrived to find Andar waiting for him though he didn't think the man would have been waiting very long. With a quick glance at the sky, the light of the now peaking sun glinting off of his jet black eyes, the sun's height showed that he was not late. He had to work to control the twitching that threatened to pop up again as he itched to use a sword.

 

"Good morning Andar." he said with a respectful bow. He looked around a little bit trying to get an idea of what was in store for him.

[Andar]

It was early, way too early. Andar had a busy day planned and therefore was forced to teach this weapons class much earlier than he would have liked. Getting up early made him grumpy, and he hadn't eaten yet either which didn't do anything to improve his mood.

 

Drenn arrived on time, which was good. The man looked positively ecstatic, no doubt he was one of the many newer ones at the farm who insisted on getting up before the sun. Andar shook his head at the mere thought. Only children or being on the combat trail could usually coax him out of bed early and these days that was the way he liked it. His early years with the Lancers had given him his fill of pre dawn starts.

 

"Good morning Andar." Drenn greeted him with a small bow. "Hello Drenn. You look way too cheerful for this time of the morning. Put a frown on that face will you." He replied with good humoured grumpiness.

 

"Lets get started shall we?" He rose and began some loosening up stretches as he spoke. "We will begin with practise blades until I can judge your skill. Do any warm ups you feel necessary."

 

Andar moved aside a little, giving Drenn room to move and began to run through some simple forms. Drenn began doing the same thing and they practised in silence for a few minutes.

 

Andar came to a stop and watched his student for a few seconds. He moved fluidly between the forms, it was obvious he had some natural talent, it would be up to Andar to hone that talent and see what he could make of it.

 

"Drenn!" He called sharply, "defend yourself." The other man looked up sharply and spun around, just in time to deflect Andar's thrust straight to the chest.

 

"See if you can hit me Dedicated.... The lesson has begun.

 

Andar

Asha'man

[Death Incarnate]

Drenn wrapped himself within the void and calmly went through some of the forms he knew in preperation for his lesson. His repertoire wasn't exactly large and for the most part he improvised fillers to get him from form to form. as he was switching forms he heard Andar call from behind him with a sharp tone which quickly got his attention but his second words truely made him snap around.

 

"Defend yourself." He turned just in time to see Andars practice blade coming towards his midsection. Drawing back slightly he just barely managed to swing his own blade out in time to parry the attack. Bringing his blade to bear Andar paused momentarily to speak. "See if you can hit me Dedicated.... The lesson has begun." And with that he settled into defensive stance and waited for Drenn to attack.

 

Drenn didn't wait long and quickly struck out with several quick slashes arcing towards Andar's neck, torso and knees before returning to the top with an upward directed vertical slash. Once the blade tip reached its apex he quickly changed directions and brought it back to his middle with a diagonal slash before lashing out with several quick thrusts. Each and every strike was met with a steady blade foiling his attempts to reach the man it guarded. Andar was to fast for Drenn to break throuhg his defense like that. He'd have to try something else...

 

OOC: about how big is Andar? I was going to have Drenn "try" and overpower him but I'm not sure how to describe him.

[Andar]

OOC: Sorry about the delay. I've had major internet problems but hopefully that is fixed now. Andar is only of average height and build. He is not thin but relies more on speed than power. Note that he is not weak by any stretch but he is not a physical powerhouse.

 

IC:

Andar blocked and deflected all Drenn's attacks. The Dedicated was not bad, his technique was sound, he was just lacking some of the more advanced forms and some of his transitions were a little sloppy, which left some openings.

 

Andar began to probe at these weaknesses, never delivering a killing blow but using the attacks to highlight to Drenn where the weakness was. Each attack was slower than it should have been to give his student time to block the hole.

 

"Keep it up Drenn, keep trying to hit me when you get the chance."

 

Andar

Asha'man

[Death Incarnate]

Drenn with all he had bet his blade could not get past Andar's guard. The man simply flowed with his blade and flowed right around Drenn's. He could feel the man holding back though. he knew he would have been done in seconds had he attacked withh full force but he still disliked facing an opponent who was holding back.

 

Andar's blade darted at him here and there in a probing manner whenever Drenn left himself open and he found he was barely able to deflect the blade before it hit him. After a little while though he began to notice a pattern in the way Andar was coming after him and it took him a few moment to realize it wasn't a pattern in his mentors style it was a pattern in his own. He was systematically leaving himself open to attack after certain forms or movements and as he began to realize where these were he began to alter his style ever so slightly to close these holes. After a few minutes of correction Andar smiled slightly.

 

"Keep it up Drenn, keep trying to hit me when you get the chance."

 

Drenn almost laughed at that. When he got the chance? Andar didn't leave any holes like he had to present a chance. Drenn decided it was time for a new tactic as he current was was simply unable to get past his mentors guard. He knew Andar was faster then him, by far, so he decided he would press the advantage he had. Strength. If he could not find any holes in his montors style then he would have to make them. He began putting more force into his blows in hopes of overpowering him. He silently thanked Isha for his spars with the man. Those matches had given him the strength and the ability to counter strength that he would need here.

 

His blade swung upward in a diagonal arch and was easily met by Andars blade, as he had hoped. His momentum was significantly more though from what his regular attacks had been thus far. He overpowerd Andar's block and brought the man's sword upward with him though the block had succeeded in stopping his blade reaching his target. Now both men stood with their swords locked and held overhead. what came next would have been more hen obvious before hand. The blades began to spin in an attempt to disarm the opponent and Drenn quickly began to feel it slipping from his control as the faster man pressed his advantage. When his blade was on the left side of Andar's he pushed forward and to the right with all his strength and as he felt his mentor stumble back under the force of his push, Drenn began a new assault.

 

OOC: Andar may not be a powerhouse but Drenn certainly is. Isha's the only one who can best him in strength. Of course more strength means less speed so he'll probably just tire himself out.

[Andar]

Andar was pleased, Drenn had picked up on the lesson he was trying to teach and systematically began to close the openings. They still opened up from time to time but more practise and some drills would fix that problem so Andar stopped pointing them out so often.

 

The Dedicated had potential, he soon seemed to realise that he would not be able to break through Andar's defence using the current tactics, his repetior was simply not big enough. Drenn's attacks started coming in harder and harder, each strike jarred Andar's arm and he found himself having to twist his blade a little to counter the extra force.

 

He blocked an upward strike and Drenn's momentum drove his blade up until they were locked, not a particularly good position to be in when facing a stronger man. They began the spin and Andar's speed began to tell again. Drenn pushed and Andar found himself being pushed back, he stumbled slightly and Drenn flew in again, the blade flashing towards him.

 

Andar was taken aback for a moment and began a desparate defensive effort, the blade clacking loudly in a flurry of blows and counter blows.

 

"Well done Drenn." He grunted as he began to get the spar back under control, it was easy to be gracious when in reality the fight would have been over in seconds. Still, his student had done well and adapted when he had needed to and it had given him an advantage. Some of his final blows had come close, a real blade may well have even left a whole in the sleeve of his shirt, something that was not to be tolerated.

 

For the first time in the lesson Andar stepped up a level. The dedicated was too strong he he flet himself beginning to tire, age and a lack of regular practise was beginning to tell. It was only a lesson but he did have a certain reputation to maintain and in a lesson he always made it a point to win decisively in the end. It gave the students a realistic view of where their skill level was and how much improvement was still to go.

 

If the unthinkable happened and they ever were to fight with the white tower, he wanted his Asha'man to rely first on the one power rather than a blade. Many warders would cut even him apart and he wanted the students to learn how good they weren't in practise rather than for real.

 

He attacked in a realistic fashion for the first time, his blade lancing towards throat, chest and groin, Drenn's greater strength less useful in defence.

 

"Try and stay alive Drenn," He instructed, "now I'm attempting to kill you."

 

OOC: This is pretty badly written but I'm sure you won't mind too much.

 

Andar

Asha'man

[Death Incarnate]

"Well done Drenn." He heard Andar grunt from under the barrage of strikes Drenn was raining down on him. If it kept up like this it seemed that Drenn just might have a chance at victory. Then he found himself somewhat surprised when he noticed Andar smile. In the position he was in Drenn didn't think smiling was quite warrented but there it was. And then he felt why. Andars blade began to move faster and stronger and with more purpose then it had before. Drenn had to stop using force for the most part and use every ounce of speed in him to keep Andar's blade away from him.

 

"Try and stay alive Drenn," He instructed, "now I'm attempting to kill you." Drenn was now grunting against Andar's barrage of which he was barely managing to block in time but in spite of himself, he smiled.

 

"Yes sir." Now, he knew, he was no longer facing a mentor, he was facing a master. He smiled at this knowledge as he knew Andar was no longer holding back. He liked that true challenge of someone using their full potential against him. Thats why he enjoyed sparring with Isha. The man never held back. Now Drenn faught with a new ferver, something driven by the sheer love of the fight. Something that now was going to be greatly needed to stay alive.

 

Andar's sword moved quickly, exploiting the holes in Drenn's form. And they were of plenty. He had to work almost as hard at correcting the flaws in his form as Andar leapt for them as he was working with the blade to keep him back. He blocked and blocked and blocked. He had no time to work on an offensive as he didn't have the speed nessecary to be able to. he knew if this kept up he had no chance and he was quickly going to tire. he needed a moment to think. As Andars blade lanced at him in a vertical attacke he met it with a horizontal blade and locked up with him. Here he pressed his advantage and pushed Andar back with as much strength as he could muster. The man stumbled back significantly giving Drenn the space and the time to rest and think on what he had to do.

 

Andar was too fast, he knew this. He was never going to beat him with skill as he simply lacked enough to even come close to matching him. luck and good reflexes had kept him alive up to this point. He knew he was stronger but he lost too much speed to be able to keepup in the fight when he attacked with full force. He'd need to find a ballance of the two if he was to have a chance at victory here. Or to atleast save face. He was only going to survive aswell if he could manage an offensive. A good defense would save him but it would never win the fight. He knew what he had to do andhe had to do it quickly or Andar would be on him once more.

 

Rushing forward he quickly covered the short distance between then and launched full force with a vertical slash from groin to head. Andar's block gave him just enough time to move out of reach of Drenns blade which rose up harmlessly. Catching this Drenn pushed forward with the blade once it reached chest level in a powerful thrust which was easily pushed of to the side but he used this momentum to swing himself around and come in with a horizontal slash to the other side of which Andar blocked again but was driven back. the mans blade was always there. How could he press his advantage if the man was simply too fast. and then it came to him. He knew what he had to do. quickly he closed the distance between them again but this time brought himself even closer. If he couldn't beat Andar's speed he would take it away. In close quarters, speed would be irrelivant if he didn't have the space to move his blade as freely. It was his only chance and he had to take it.

[Andar]

OOC: Sorry it's taken a while. More net problems. Should be solved now though, new ISP YAY!!!

 

I'm home for lunch atm, no time to write so I'll get something up tonight for you.

 

Andar

[Andar]

Drenn charged in, closing the distance between them quickly, he thought well on his feet and adapted his tecniques well. By closing the gap, the larger man was attempting to nullify Andar's speed advantage, not a good thing in Andar's opinion.

 

He thrust forward quickly with the wooden blade, catching Drenn's sword, then he spun quickly around behind the larger man, clearing space as the dedicated tried to halt his charge. A quick slashing blow scraped along Drenn's side, as Andar spun past him. Not a killing blow but one that would prove telling if the blades were live.

 

With distance once again between them, Andar began to attack again, it was nearly time to end it but he felt that Drenn still had some things to learn from this fight. The landed blow would probably fluster him somewhat, it was his reaction to this that Andar wanted to see.

 

Andar

Asha'man

[Death Incarnate]

As Drenn closed the distance he just barely managed to block Andars blade as it lashed out towards him but he didn't find the resitsance he was looking for and his charge continued through as Andar slid around him and his blade found its mark. Drenn felt the sting of Andars wooden blade striking his side. With the way the blade was moving it wouldn't have been a killing stroke but in reality it would certainly have hve been a crippling one.

 

But why wasn't it a killing stroke? It most certainly could have been. A thrust at his open back or side would have meant certain death. So would a slash aimed upward at his neck or head. He had been happy when he was fighting everything Andar had. Was the man holding back again? He said he was going to try and kill him so why hadn't he taken the oppertunity? Surely an enemy wouldn't miss it?

 

"Why injure when you can kill?" he growled as he resumed his attack. Since Andar hadn't dropped his guard Drenn assumed the fight was still on and pressed onward. Although it had failed once, closing the distance and making it close quarters was still his only chance. So this time he approached more cautiosly and ready for any quick movements on Andar's part. He couldn't afford to give him the oppertunity for a killing blow again.

[Andar]

"Why injure when you can kill?" Drenn growled angrily, as he closed again. He was more wary this time, and his blade moved quickly to counter the few feints that Andar made. Close range was still a bad thing for the smaller man, so he attacked quickly with hard thrusting jabs to the chest and throat. Drenn deflected the stabs aside but his forward momentum was halted by the direct thrusts.

 

"Here it comes now Drenn. Do you think you can stop it?" Andar asked seriously, his shirt was slicked wet with sweat and he was starting to tire, he probably should have killed his opponent in that last exchange, and in a real fight he would have. The moment had passed now though and he would have to create a new one. Now he just had to see how Drenn would react to the threat.

 

Andar

Asha'man

[Death Incarnate]

Drenn kept trying to bring himself closer but direct thrusts towards him from Andar were making it difficult. The mans blade came back too quickly when he bashed it aside to allow him to close any more distance. After a few of those Ander spoke in a tone of calm, seriousness that surprised Drenn given the man being in a potentially bad situation for himself. A kind of calm that could only come from experience.

 

"Here it comes now Drenn. Do you think you can stop it?" Andar was making no jokes and nor was he bragging. Drenn knew the man was good for his word and he was filled with a mix of feelings. There was a level of nervousness about the fact that his mentor was getting ready to finish him but there was an excitement at the fact that this was what he was waiting for. This was going to be the pinacle of the fight and the ultimate test of what Drenn could do.

 

As Drenn pushed forward a final time another thrust came towards him. But instead of bashing it aside he merely pushed but held his blade and moved forward pushing both mens blades out to the side of them uselessly, bringing himself face to face with Andar.

 

"You will meet nothing short of my best." With a push he seperated from his mentor and prepared to close once again. Finalé or not he wasn't going to give up his only advantage. He didn't know whether or not his best would be enough but he would be proud to face his mentor's best. A strange calm settled over him as he approached.