The Edge Of A Blade {Attn: Dazar}

[TaiDashan]

Tai pulled his head from the cold spring and spluttered a bit before weaving Air to clear the liquid from his eyes. Despite the cold he was stripped the waist, black velvet coat hung on a branch nearby. Three stone dummies stood silently in a loose circle, chipped and missing chunks in some places. Pulling his blade from the earth where he had left it he wove Water, lifting a fountain of flowing water to his lips to drink. Shaking his head vigorously he returned to the center of the practice stones.

 

~He may be your brother, but he will kill you for sure. End his life and spare him from the Shadow. Never trust, trust is death!~ Savagely Tai forced the voice to the back of his mind and stepped through the forms once more.

 

It had discomfited him  at first that the voice could be heard inside the Void. But now he simply took it as a matter of course. He had wove wards to alert him of someone's presence as usual about 100 paces from the clearing in all directions. He would know when his pupil arrived.

[Dazar]

"Another day another bruise." Dazar'Sei mumbled to himself.

 

Training at the Black Tower had been a lot harder than he had imagined it would be. For starters he wasn't even allowed to use his hands for any simple tasks, Tai forced him to use Saidin just to open a door. On top of that Dazar was amazed at how exhausting it was to use The One Power, he had almost given up on even collecting condensation on a glass.

 

At least this morning he would be able to do something different, do something he had some experience with. Last night Tai had told him that they would be training with the sword today. So with that thought fresh in his mind Dazar buckled on his sword belt and headed for the clearing that Tai and him always used for their training sessions.

 

Before he had even made it to the clearing he noticed that Tai was looking in his direction.

 

-Yea well I guess I'm used to that by now, it is weird thinking of a male channeling being an every day thing, let alone me doing it.

 

With Tai watching him Dazar went over to the spring and dunked his head in, letting the cold water help clear his troubled thoughts about what was to come. While Dazar wasn't a stranger to a sword, he was no expert, and on top of that he definitely was not what you would call strong in the power. Take those two thoughts and combine them with the fact that Tai didn't exactly like him and that led to a very uncomfortable Dazar.

 

Pushing away the last of those thoughts Dazar gritted his teeth. Never before coming to the farm had Dazar felt fear, or even admitted to someone being that much better than him. With a sly grin on his face Dazar assumed the void and drew his sword.

 

"Ready whenever you are Tai."

[TaiDashan]

Tai watched his mentee stride into the clearing. The man was his brother. Strange as that seemed, it was entirely possible. He had wrestled for sometime with that fact and that he truly disliked the man. He was proud, hard headed, and thought he was better than everyone around him.

 

Dazar went over and dunked his head in the spring and Tai winced inwardly. He had done just that not ten minutes ago. It still was not comfortable to find that the two of them shared more than a father. Dazar drew his blade and grinned slyly.

 

"Ready whenever you are Tai." Tai frowned at the man and gave his sword a level stare.

 

"You forget yourself Soldier. I did not tell you to draw." Tai suppressed a satisfied grin as the other mans eyes widened just slightly with shock. It took him a moment but he sheathed his blade once more and stood there stiffly. At least that stupid grin was off his face.

 

~How DARE he?!~ Howled the voice. ~Kill him! Strike him now, where he stands!~

 

Ignoring the voice, he nodded in satisfaction. "Good, now stand between the stone dummies." Tai slammed a shield in place as yet another flicker of shock and possibly fear ran across the man's face. "Are you ready to begin?"

[Dazar]

Dazar berated himself for the slip up, he should have known Tai would be upset about the drawn blade.

 

-It seems like every time I try to put on a happy face, Tai makes it his mission to get rid of it.

 

Try as he might Dazar was still having trouble thinking of this ignorant commoner as his brother, but he trusted his fathers honor. If he said Tai was blood, Tai was blood. That didn't mean he had to like him though.

 

"Good, now stand between the stone dummies."

 

Before the last words had left Tai's mouth, Dazar felt the shield slam into place. Without realizing what he was doing, Dazar desperately clawed at the shield.

 

-It's no use, Tai is much stronger than me, but what if he has gone mad?

 

Suddenly it seemed as if Tai's eyes had an extra "glint" to them, and on top of that he seemed to be talking to himself. It seemed like more and more people at the Tower were starting to loose it. Just the other day an Asha'man went over the edge and tried to take out half the farm. Was it so hard to believe that the man in front of him had been just as corrupted by the taint?

 

Assuming the void was difficult but Dazar finally achieved it. Dazar became one with the ground the trees, even Tai. In this state was the only time that Dazar could accept Tai as his brother. Letting all anger flow from out of his thoughts, Dazar floated in the emptiness of the void, even a madman having cut him off from Saidin seemed like a small thing.

 

Dazar calmly walked over to the dummies.

 

"Any time your ready." Dazar said making a stiff bow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[TaiDashan]

Weaving Air around Dazar's blade, Tai instructed the man through the forms. Most of them he knew, but Tai led him through them anyway. Step by step, through the dance. As he passed through the exercises Tai thought about their father. Dazar had not said much about the man. Simply that he was a Borderlander and nobility. Tai let that thought roll around as if tasting it. Were it true, that would mean that he was nobility by birth as well. The thought made him chuckle out loud. Him? A noble. That was just too good. He tucked the thought away to laugh with Arath over later.

 

Dazar was getting a drink now, he had been working through the forms for about an hour now.

 

"I know you are used to that sword at your hip." Tai said to the man. "By the way you wear it you have had at least basic training in its use. A jewelry merchant learns the making and selling of jewelry. Be that as it may, i may have a thing or two to teach you. Come, let us spar."

 

Tai wondered what the man was thinking. He was as over-confident as Tai was over-eager. Being trained in the borderlands had most likely given the man the idea that he was fairly good with a sword. But Tai had seen the slips in the forms. The mistakes he had made. Channeling to clear the space they would spar in, Tai drew his blade, wove Air around it, and waited for Dazar to do the same.

 

"I am going to leave you shielded. It's not that I am afraid of you channeling," Tai grinned at the man to soften the comment on the other man's weakness. "I simply want you to learn how to fight without Saidin." Waiting for the man's acknowledgment Tai nodded and dropped easily into a ready stance. "Begin."

 

OOC: Feel free to RP some of Tai's actions and fight around a little. Throw in Dazar's POV and maybe even some attacks from Tai.

[Dazar]

Dazar had worked through the forms multiple times. In fact he sometimes did it to calm down, but the way Tai made him do it seemed to demand absolute perfection. By the time Tai finally let him go get a drink, everyone of his muscles were sore, but with a long drink from the cold pond, Dazar instantly felt ready for more.

 

"Be that as it may, i may have a thing or two to teach you. Come, let us spar."

 

Dazar grinned, this was the moment he had been waiting for. Now he knew Tai was good with a sword, but Dazar had grown up in the Borderlands after all.

 

With that thought Dazar confidently walked into the clearing while drawing his blade. He was still amazed that he could sense the other mans weaves as they encompassed his blade.

 

"I am going to leave you shielded. It's not that I am afraid of you channeling,"

 

Dazar tried his hardest to keep the scowl from his face. It was hard going from always being the best at what he did to being one of the weakest channelers in the whole farm. He couldn't even make that pond ripple.

 

"Begin."

 

Before the words were even out of his mouth, Dazar started in on the attack. He started with Arc of the Moon, which led into the Boar Rushes Down the Mountain and finished with Bundling straw. With every attack Tai countered it perfectly.

 

-Pure luck!

 

With that he headed back in again. Settling into Lion on the Hill, he instantly followed with Lightning of Three Prongs. With that Dazar noticed that he had pushed Tai back. Abandoning all inhibitions, Dazar went on the offensive without any thought to his defense.

 

-I can't wait to see the look on his face when I beat him!

 

 

 

ooc: I thought I would let you end it how you wanted.

[Dragon420]

Wondering where Tai had gotten to, Toram decided to check the clearing that Tai liked to use, maybe he would be there. The man had said he would give him sword lessons and then disappeared. Well even if he is not there then I can still practice some power moves by myself and maybe try to figure some newer things out. Thinking about his new abilities and what he could possibly do with them, Toram walked in comtemplation. So deep in his thoughts that he didn't even realize he had been hearing some sounds of a struggle fo a while. "Wonder what that could be?" he wondered out loud. Getting closer to the clearing he seen his mentor and some man who looked somewhat like Tai. I wonder if that is his brother or some relation, they certainly look a little like each other. Walking to the edge of the clearing he watched as the two men practiced the forms. The forms were so fluid it seemed as if they were almost doing some sort of deadly dance.

 

Watching and waiting for them to be done, Toram sat on the ground and decided to try and assume the void. Might as well get some practice in, he thought to himself. I don`t want to startle them by saying something and one of them hurt the other. Even though someone could heal it I suppose. Watching and waiting he failed to form the void much more often then getting it to hold. Must need a lot of practice.

[TaiDashan]

Dazar started in on the attack. He started with Arc of the Moon, which led into the Boar Rushes Down the Mountain and finished with Bundling straw. With every attack Tai countered it perfectly. Tai had to try hard not to grin, this was too easy. He knew the frustration that must be pounding at the other man.

 

Settling into Lion on the Hill, Dazar instantly followed with Lightning of Three Prongs. Tai gave ground, hoping to bait the man. It was a similar weakness in the two men if for two separate reasons. As Tai expected, Dazar grinned and pressed forward with all he had. Sweat beaded on the man's face and he danced the forms. Tai felt his ward trigger outside the Void and worked his way left, sparing half an eye for the trees. His Saidin enhanced vision picked out Toram. Tai would have to have a word with the man about how things worked at the Farm. He seemed to wander far too much. Letting his thoughts return to Dazar he quickly suppressed another grin. The man had taken his inattention for weakness.

 

Dazar's blade darted in with Bundling Straw again. Before he could arc Tai dropped to on knee, his thrust becoming The Grapevine Twines. The look of shock was priceless as Dazar's blade was locked and thrust upward into the air. Tai almost nodded when the man didn't even glance up. Tai whirled on one knee and struck Dazar's knee with the butt of his blade. In the same motion he arced his blade. As Dazar came to one knee, Tai's blade quivered inches from his neck. Dazar rolled to one side, away from the halted, be-heading blow. Catching his Blade he handed it back to him.

 

"That was good. However," Tai held up a finger and getting to his feet. "You must be calm, you must never get over confident at an advantage. As I have shown you, an advantage can be turned to a deadly disadvantage in an instant."

 

Dismissing the man with a wave he released the shield, and chuckled as the man filled himself with Saidin. Getting another drink from the spring he called to Toram.

 

"I know you are there Toram, come out. We need to have a word."

[Dazar]

While Tai seemed to block every one of his attacks, Dazar felt like his time was coming. Noticing that Tai was distracted, Dazar decided to try Bundling Straw one more time. Realizing his mistake to late he could only watch as his sword was thrust up words. With rapid efficiency Tai hit him in the knees, and before he had even fallen all the way the blow was already heading for his neck. As Dazar rolled away he thanked the light that Tai had stopped the blade short, it may have been covered in air but it still would have hurt something fierce.

 

"You must be calm, you must never get over confident at an advantage. As I have shown you, an advantage can be turned to a deadly disadvantage in an instant."

 

Dazar nodded as he realized that his pride had gotten the better of him. At least Tai wasn't trying to embarrass him about his mistake.

 

With that the shield was released and before he realized it, Dazar had filled himself to the brim with Saidin. Riding the frozen molten flows, and trying to ignore the taint, he was amazed at how complete it made him feel; just after that short while without it.

 

"I know you are there Toram, come out. We need to have a word."

 

Turning around Dazar noticed the young man sitting at the edge of the clearing. Instantly anger gripped him.

 

-That commoner saw your mistake, look he is even laughing, KILL HIM!!!

 

Quickly Dazar let go of Saidin.

 

-Who was that? That wasn't my own thought. I can't be going mad already can I?

 

Shaking his head Dazar tried to forget the voice, and the fact that he had almost listened.

 

"Dedicated Tai may I have permission to leave?"

[Dragon420]

"I know you are there Toram, come out. We need to have a word," Tai said to Toram once he and the other man were finished. As he finished what he was saying Toram's tenuous grip on the void shattered.

 

Oh light! Did I do something wrong, Toram thought. Was I supposed to announce my presence or something? Not attempting to form the void any longer he stood up and walked the rest of the way into the clearing and stood before his teacher. He doesn't sound pleased I should be careful of myself. Saluting to Tai he says, "Yes sir? You want to speak with me?" Looking at the other man he noticed that he was a Soldier also by the lack of any pins on his coat. Well Soldier or not, he has had some training with that sword or I am a fool. He couldn't be that good for just recently learning.

[TaiDashan]

"Dedicated Tai may I have permission to leave?" Tai raised an eyebrow. The man had never sounded quite so meek. In truth he looked somewhat shaken.

 

"Yes, you have done well Dazar. Meet me again tomorrow we will go over some combination training with Saidin and the sword." Nodding with satisfaction at the man once his back was turned, he turned to Toram. "Toram, you seem as if you have much free time of late. A Soldiers every spare moment when not taken up with training should be dedicated to forging himself into a weapon for the Dragon." Tai counted off on his fingers the things a Soldier spent his day doing. Chores, Weapons Training, Basic Weave Training, Basic Saidin Training, Complex Weave Training. The list wound down and he looked satisfied at the look on Toram's face. Good. The man understood that there was no time to be aimlessly wandering about. "When it comes time for your lessons i will summon you. Now, today we will learn about the sword." Tai walked over to the pond and grabbed the second sword he had put there for just such a purpose, and handed it to Toram. Weaving an edge of Air he dropped into a ready stance for the hundredth time today. "Begin."

[Dragon420]

Looking abashed at shirking his responisibilities, Toram assured Tai that it would not happen again. "Yes sir, I will do my best to become the weapon the Lord Dragon wants me to be."

 

Once Tai was done telling him the duties of a Soldier, he handed a sword to Toram and weaved some Air around the blade. As he crouched a little and held the sword up he said "Begin."

 

"Begin?" Begin what? I dont have the slightest idea what I'm doing here! Toram thought furiously. He attempted to imitate Tai's stance by crouching a little at the knees, but he felt like if he took a step then he would be walking like a duck. Lifting the sword he didn't realize how heavy it was. It weighed a goodly amount even thought it had looked like Tai and the other man were swinging them around like a couple of tree branches. Holding the sword in both hands, he tried to again imitate how his teacher was holding his blade.

 

"Here hold it like this," Tai said as he came over and moved the sword a little bit and adjusted Toram's grip some. "And dont crouch so far down. Bend your knees just a little bit and have your lead foot behind the other foot."

 

"Like this?", Toram asked. Putting his feet as indicated and tightening his grip on the handle of the slightly curved sword. At a nod from Tai he waited for his first, well second actually, lesson in swordsmanship.

 

"The first one that you shall learn is called Boar Rushes Down The Mountain. This is a fairly simple maneuver in which you do a vertical slice from top to bottom." He demonstrated it a couple times with practiced ease.

 

Trying it a couple of times slowly to get the hang of it, Toram tried it a few more times with more force and speed. Now without thinking of waiting for Tai to give him another instruction, he turned a little away from his teacher so as not to hit him on accident, and tried it while pushing forward on his front foot to add a thrust and more force to the strike. Also a little more range even with his long arms could always be handy.

 

After swinging the sword a few dozen times in the form, Tai told him, "Alright that's enough of that one. Try this one now. It is called Arc Of The Moon. It is basically a curving horizontal slash." Once again demonstrating it a few times he stopped to let Toram try it.

 

He moved back a little ways from his mentor and tried it once slowly. Then a couple more times with slightly more speed. Once he felt he could hold on to the sword without it flying out of his hands he started to do the move with more speed and force going fully back to a ready position before attempting it each time.

 

After a while of swinging the sword around feeling like his arms had been holding a heavy weight all day, he lowered the point to the ground and had to catch his breath for a minute. "Sorry Tai, I have to rest for a moment. I'm just an innkeepers son, not any soldier or anything like that." He chuckled at himself at how he must sound like he was making excuses.

[TaiDashan]

"Begin?" Tai blinked as the man crouched like a scared frog and awkwardly lifted the blade. He had not thought about the fact that not everyone knew the basics of a blade. Sighing inwardly he walked over to the man. He was a stark contrast to Dazar. So open, so willing to learn.

 

"Here hold it like this, And dont crouch so far down. Bend your knees just a little bit and have your lead foot behind the other foot." The man caught on fairly quickly. He nodded as Toram checked that he was doing it right and continued. Might as well teach him some basic forms. Skipping some of the easier forms he tried to show the man how to swing a blade. "The first one that you shall learn is called Boar Rushes Down The Mountain. This is a fairly simple maneuver in which you do a vertical slice from top to bottom." He showed him a couple of times and then backed away for the man to try them himself. He watched as Toram added his own flair of sorts to the form and nodded in approval.

 

"Alright that's enough of that one." He said, stopping the man. "Try this one now. It is called Arc Of The Moon. It is basically a curving horizontal slash." Once again he showed him a couple of times and let him try it.  After a time, the man had tried a few more forms that Tai had shown him and looked slightly tired. Grounding the point of his blade he leaned on it and spoke.

 

"Sorry Tai, I have to rest for a moment. I'm just an innkeepers son, not any soldier or anything like that." Toram chuckled then. As a matter of fact Tai was somewhat tired himself, he head been training for a while now and the sun had started to fall from its zenith.

 

"I could use a rest myself Toram." he grinned at the man and channeled Earth and Water. Two cups of stone rose from the ground and were filled with water from the spring. Tai wove Air and floated the two cups to them so they could enjoy the cool, clear liquid. He looked at the man considering his mentee. Draining the water he spoke. "I want you to practice the Void. You are getting better and soon should be able to do it with no problem. That will give you a moment to rest." Quickly he gathered his things and pulled his shirt on over his head. Once his head popped through he glanced at the untied laces and left them. Buttoning up his coat he said to Toram, "I will be back shortly" With that Tai wove a gateway and stepped through.

 

Letting the gateway wink out behind him he breathed in the air. Soon enough he was inside the walls and had walked to a blacksmith. The blacksmith's assistant glanced at his velvet black coat and his pins and swallowed, dry-washing his hands.

 

"Good day sir." The man said over the ring of hammer and anvil. "What can I offer my lord?"

 

Tai had the man show him the swords he had for sale. Many looked like they would do but he was looking for something-

 

"Ahhh, that one." Tai said pointing at a newly finished blade lying against the door to the forge. The assistant insisted that was not for sale and at Tai's insistence went to get the Blacksmith. After much talking and agreeing to pay twice the swords worth, Tai stepped outside and went back to where he could safely weave a gateway. Stepping back into the clearing he tossed the wrapped sword to Toram. It was light for a reason and the man caught it easily. "Maybe if you have a fine sword to practice with it will encourage you." He grinned at the look on the man's face. He couldn't wait to see it when he unwrapped it and saw the roaring lions on the hilt and the roses climbing the blade. The lion's where back to back and on their hind legs forming the hand guard to either side of the blade. It truly was fine craftsmanship. "Go on, close your mouth and open it." Tai urged laughing.

[Dragon420]

      Tai weaved some earth and water to get them both some cups of water, which was like ice sliding down his throat, he was so parched. Once Tai had instucted Toram to practice on the void, he put his coat on and Toram noticed a new addition. A Dragon pin. "Congragulations Tai. I didn't know you were and Asha'man now." Toram felt like he had to do better now that he was being taught by an actual Asha'man. Silly, but thats how he felt. As Tai took hold of saidin, Toram watched what he did intently to learn as much as possible. He seen the silvery slash rotate and knew that it was a Gateway. He watched very intently. I will learn all the weaves that there are. I swear under the light.

 

      Realizing that he was just staring at the residue left behind, he snapped out of it and closed his eyes working on the forming the void. He actually formed it and held onto it for a good little while before it slipped away. He immediately went back to forming it. Feeding all of his emotions into the flames. This time he held onto it for a little while longer before it broke into a million little pieces. He flew back to it again. This go around though it lasted less time than the first attempt. Then he sat and just breathed in through his nose and out through his mouth. Deep even breaths. And he focused on the forming of the void much more than before. He felt every hairsbreadth that it grew and solidified. Until he was sitting in absolute nothingness. But it wasn't nothing. It was everything around him. He felt all the trees, the ground he was sitting on, the wind gently blowing on his skin, and he even seemed to be able to feel the tiniest of movements by birds and small insects from feet away.

 

      And wonder of all wonders he actually held on to it until Tai had gotten back, and then it was just the shock of feeling a weave being completed that brought him out of it. I guess I should have been sitting with my eyes open. As he felt the weave closing and Tai coming closer he stood up to greet his teacher. Instead of some greeting Tai tossed some kind of long bundle at him and Toram actually caught it. A look of amazement crossed Toram's face. He couldn't have.... Toram unwrapped the cloth from around it and pulled the sword out of the sheath and gaped in astonishment at the work of art that he held in his hands. The blade was climbed by roses and the hanguard was two lions back to back on their hind legs. he looked up at Tai, "I can't accept this. This is too much, it must have cost a fortune." He wanted it really badly, but could not accept such a grand gift.

[TaiDashan]

"I can't accept this. This is too much, it must have cost a fortune!

 

Tai grinned and clapped the man on the back. He was glad he liked it.

 

"Lets just say I know a guy. You are about to be raised Dedicated soon," He laughed at the look on the man's face, he really had come far. "Yes Dedicated. Soon i said, not tomorrow. The point is i wanted to get you something to show you I was proud of you. Meet me tomorrow we will train some more." Tai walked the man back to the Inn. Both of them would be dedicated soon. It happened so fast.