To hold a sword yet again

[The winds of Time]

Belig walked out into the warder yards with his shield in hand. The stout wooden round shield had been crafted in the small time he had in between classes. Belig walked over to the rack of training swords and picked one up the size of a moderate longsword. It felt by far too light than what should be there. A month's worth of training under segewick will do that to i guess. In truth, Belig was probably two or three times as strong as he had coming to the tower. Belig began swinging the longsword in choppy motions and slurred motions. Burn me! I knew i was on the road too long. I've forgotten the forms Brother taught me.

 

Belig stared intently on the practice sword, willing it with his mind to go through the motions he was taught. Parting of the silk Belig moved in a unbalanced swing of the practice sword with his shield being the only thing keeping him from falling on his face.

[_Kynwric_]

Kynwric was working in the yards when he noticed the youth with the round shield emerge and begin to practice with one of the lathes, he watched for a little while before approaching him. Kyn asked, "Do you intend to use that as a weapon or chop wood with it?" It was obvious he had some rudimentary trainign in the forms, or had seen them done for a while before. His balance was off, the shield was out of place. letting him loose on the world would be like leading a lamb to the slaughter.

[The winds of Time]

"Do you intend to use that as a weapon or chop wood with it?" said the man coming up to Belig.

 

Belig looked at the man and took him in in one look before turning and saluting. "Sir, I apologize for my lack of order in my sword movements. It has been quite some time since I had a sword in hand and I fear that I may have forgotten the forms."  Belig looked at the mans eyes and continued on. "Sir, if I may ask what is your name?"

[_Kynwric_]

"I'm Kynwric Gaidin, and you need to get your balance under you. All the forms are predicated on being balanced." Kynwric demonstrated the form known simply as Leopard in the tree, it's all about being ready to move without being out of balance. Kynwric had even adjusted the stance to account for the shield, although in the manner more familiar to him with his own shield.

[The winds of Time]

Belig observed Kynwric intently as he demonstrated balance, making mental notes and referencing every detail to memory. I see. my center of balance needs to be more to the right to help compensate for the shield weight. and slightly more on the heel to maintain a firm base. Belig quickly copied Kynwric, slightly adjusting his position to the back of his heels. It felt more stable and felt as though he could move anywhere that the situation could dictate. He looked up at Kynwric, "So the weight and balance should be more like this?"

[_Kynwric_]

Kyn nodded, "Yes, much better. Now try and move, to to heel for forward and heel to toe for back." Once B elig had mastered the moving Kyn moved on. "Now we try to swing a sword, just the very basics to begin with and hopefully your muscle memory will take over. Try and hit me here." He pointed to his temple. "And swing like you mean it." Kyn readied his block, already cheating the sword in that direction. He was always wary when teaching someone new, and doubly so again when teaching someone who already thought they knew a little bit.

[The winds of Time]

Belig nodded and dropped into a ready stance. He launched forward toe to heel like Kynwric showed him earlier and swung the practice sword with all of his might towards the mans temple.

 

(OOC: I'll be in and out of DM for the next week due to medical reasons. If i dont reply its not because i abbandoned the thread.)

[_Kynwric_]

Kyn blocked the blow and had him run through the same drill over and over again, literally hours of it until he was satisfied that if nothing else Belig could throw the blow at half speed effectively. "Next is the same shot to the other side of the head, instead of keeping your hand flat, palm up try turning it over bringing the sword in to the other side." Kyn prepared himself again to intercept the blows. "Begin."

 

OOC: Move Kyn around a little while working with you, describe the training and work going into it.

[The winds of Time]

Belig dropped into his ready stance again, this time in a more forward stance with his shield facing Kynwric.  He stepped forward with his left foot as he swung his sword backhanded, then threw the foot out backwards reversing his direction, bringing the slash whistleing through the air as he pivitoed on his right foot, sending the slash for the oppisite side of the head. Kynwric blocked the blow and Belig repeated the drill for a couple of hours until a stray thought came to mind.

 

These drills are good and all but I should see what would happen if I pressed the attack.

 

Belig readied himself again, watching and ready to observe the teacher's reaction. He went through his form again but this time when kynwric blocked, Belig forced forward off the ball of his right foot like a spring and shoved his shield towards Kynwric's unguarded chest. Let's see how he reacts...

[_Kynwric_]

Kynwric worked his way through the drills, trying to press the from through to Belig. He noticed the tensing and tightening of muscles as if he were preparing and closed down his defense tighter than what it had been when just blocking drills. When the shield shot out at his chest Kyn sidestepped it, then struck with his own shield, driving the edge into Belig's arm before swinging the lathe around to land at the base of the lad's neck, not hard but enough to leave a mark.

 

Kyn withdrew a couple of steps, his face hard as a rock and glowering at Belig. It was plainly obvious he wasn't happy.

[The winds of Time]

Belig felt the welt at the base of his neck. Ouch! blood and ashes that hurt! Belig looked at kynwric and felt particularly small at his glower. He certainly is not happy... but I got a bigger chunk of a lesson than running drills. Belig got up and dusted himself off, feeling the pain shoot up his arm as he moved it. Belig got into a ready stance and looked at Kynwric.

 

"That is the counter for a shield charge yes? Interesting. I apologize for the rudeness I have shown, but I thought a bit of a change up would be beneficial. I'm ready for any punishment you see fit."

[_Kynwric_]

"Oh aye, you'll be punished when we're done. And that is one counter for a shield rush, one which works when there is a great deal of gap in skill levels. Normally, against someone your size whom I did not know I would merely brace the shield and resist the charge. Live first, kill second. Since you think you're ready to spar, Make ready and let's see what you do know." Kyn then hefted the shield and lathe and settled into his defense.

 

OOC: Kyn is typicaly very patient in a spar, however he also knows there is a great difference between their skill and he's a little pissed off. So write the spar, take your lumps and when you think Belig's had enough wrap it up.

 

[The winds of Time]

Belig saw a change in kynwric, his defense was up and he looked like he was ready to face a trolloc. "I thank you for this honor sir. I look forward to learning the hard way."  Belig dropped into a defensive posture and began circling kynwric, looking for an opening in his defense. Rule one of combat, never underestimate your opponent, rule two: be aware of what your opponent is aware of so one can detect your foe's distraction, rule three of combat: commit to movement, without commitment you are weak and are bound to fail.

 

Belig saw a small opening in Kynwric's defense, between his shield and body. Belig continued circling as Kynwric stared back, Belig suddenly changed directions and moved in with a stab in the gap, closing distance as quick as he could. Kynwric reacted and stepped back with his left foot closing the gap in the defense, and Beligs practice sword glanced off the well made shield. Kynwric continued to slide his left foot back as Belig continued to move forward and brought the sword down on his back. Pain erupted between Beligs shoulders as he continued forward a few paces and turned about to see kynwric moving in on him. Belig countered a sideswipe with his shield and fell back a few paces.

 

He's fast, very fast. Belig brought up his guard and replayed the whole move in his mind. He used my momentum in order to get behind my guard and deflect the blow in one motion... One motion?

 

Belig moved in again closing the distance and brought his practice sword in a upward raising arc to strike at the left knee, kynwric again stepped back and dodged the blow and brought his sword about for a shot at the chest. Belig sidestepped and caught the sword square on the shield as he struck out with a stab at kynwric's chest. Kynwric backed just out of the swords reached and charged with his shield towards Belig's middle. Blood and ashes! Belig side stepped and brought the edge of his shield behind kynwrics as Belig brought his sword up from behind. Kynwric got a stab in and continued forward avoiding Belig's strike. Belig could feel the pain in his gut as kynwric turned about and began moving in with an offensive stance.

 

He used his momentum to avoid the strike while getting in a kill shot of his own... again it's one motion but it's smoother than me trying to copy him... Beilg dropped into a defensive stance and readied himself for kynwric's oncoming attack. Belig barely caught kynwrics shield with his own and attempted to sidestep the oncoming blow from his now occupied shield arm. Kynwrics practice sword barely missed as Belig took a swing to the back of Kynwric's head. Kynwric ducked and forced his shield to force Beligs shield to move upwards as kynwric made a side swipe to the side of Belig's left knee. Pain exploded up Belig's leg as he backed up to gather his bearings.

 

He dodges almost every move instead of blocking with either shield or sword, using both as pure offensive weapons. He uses his opponent's momentum and lack of speed against him. Is this how warders truly fight?? Kynwric patiently waited in a lax defensive posture as Belig turned the last exchange over in his head. Belig took up an offensive stance and moved forward slowly. If he dodges most of the time, how's his block? Belig moved forward bringing the practice sword downward in a vertical slash in line with kynwric's head. Kynwric sidestepped to Belig's right, and Belig changed the direction of the swing to be in line with kynwric's head in a sideways motion. Kynwric took a step back as the sword whistled by his face, and countered with a side slash of his own, aiming for Belig's shield arm. Belig charged forward with his shield, closing the distance between him and Kynwric, and caught the sword along the shield's edge. Belig pressed forward and crashed his shield into kynwrics and brought his sword into another upward arc. Kynwric jumped backwards just as Belig's sword grazed his leg and made a instant counter attack, bringing his sword into a swift three hit combo on Belig's side. Pain reached it's peak in Belig's side as kwnwric brought his sword up to hit the back of Belig's sword arm, then moved downward to strike the side of the knee and turned about to strike a square crack on Beligs back.

 

What the... Blood and ashes what in the light happened? Belig's sword fell from his hand as kynwric brought his sword level with the side of belig's neck. It's over... He's way out of my league. but I learned quite a bit.

 

"I submit sir. I submit!"

[_Kynwric_]

"I submit sir. I submit!"

 

Kyn nodded and backed off as he heard the cry for submission. "I accept." he said shortly. "Now think on what happened and relay it back to me, why did what you did not work and why did what I did work? Other than the obvious I've had more practice."

 

OOC: Good post.

[The winds of Time]

Belig thought over the question, and turned the fight over right along with it. thinking hard and remembering every detail. the smooth movements of the warder, and the keen reaction time.

 

"To begin with sir, Your speed was unprecedented in our fight, you had at least a two fold lead in reaction time and time to close distance, which worked in sync with your smooth one motion style as compared to my two step block and strike that I'm somewhat familiar with.

 

the second reason why i failed, was directly involved with my motions, you could read my movements before i was thinking of them, and thus acted accordingly. I moved like a bull in the porcelian shop and was by far too predictable.

 

The third reason why i lost has to do somewhat with the skill gap in terms of knowledge. your repertoire of techniques and skills outnumbers my own, and even with me attempting to copy your moves, you had a perfect counter for every one and a perfect counter not only blocks, but also attacks quickly and efficiently without gaps in one fluid motion. I on the other hand, have simple blocks and parries at my knowledge disposal, and thus was at a disadvantage."

 

Belig swallowed after his explanation, his throat was dry after the beating he took and giving such a long answer. He hoped he was right.

[_Kynwric_]

Kyn nodded along with Belig's description, "All that is true and it all has to do with practice. I've likely spent more time with a sword in my hand than you have alive. One thing to think about is taking what others teach you and applying it to your style. My style won't work for you, not in whole. Partly because of weapon and shield choice, partly because of the difference in our body types, partly because of our mindsets... but mainly because I am me and you are you. You must be able to synthesize what you see and weed out what will and will not work for you. Speed will come with practice. that being said practice accuracy. The work the speed upwards while still maintaining accuracy. The other suggestion I have is to learn to strike while blocking. If you know where their weapon is you should know what is open and not need to see it to strike it. Defense first, but offense while defending. Make sense? Any questions?"

[The winds of Time]

Belig listened intently to Kynwric's speech and nodded along with the points made. It did indeed make sense to him what each word meant.

 

"no sir I have no questions. Is that the end of our training session?"

[_Kynwric_]

"For today Belig yes, for today. But there will be other opportunities. For now practice, practice a lot."

 

[The winds of Time]

"sir yes sir!" Belig snapped a smart salute and bowed out of the training area.

 

OOC: thanks Kynwric.