Picking your Battles (GM Spar - Brand)

[Guest Arie Ronshor]

It took her surprising little time to become used to the smaller blade that was given to her as her moved up in Rank. The Blademasters blade was barely a third of the weight and size of the zwhielander that she carried with her and the Heron Marked sword swung with a great ease that surprised even Cairma despite knowing all along that is would be to such effect. But she wanted to know if it would be enough. She had seen the look in Brands eyes when he presented her the sword, and it was a look that challenged her way of fighting. Few picked up the larger sword and catered more to the speed of a smaller blade. And even as she moved through the forms she felt the missing weight as a missing extension of herself.

 

Slipping the Heron marked sword into the sheath, Cairma fixed how her blouse hung over her shoulders. Normally there was also the sheath for beast, but without it, her blous hugn loosly around her shoulders that was only pulled tight by a soft leather unribbed corest like vest around her torso, complimented by only darker breeches and shoes. Heading into the Commanders office, she gave the door a light knock, and entered when beconed.

 

"Afternoon, Brand, Sir." She smiled lightly that didn't completely reach her eyes. She was happy, but not completely. This was to be pinicle day to see who spent the night in the infirmary. "I challenge you to a Spar." She carefully watched his reaction. This was the first time Cairma had ever outright challenged someone to a spar. And it was better Brand then any other. At least no one else could blame them for being too soft. which was exactly what she wanted. An unbiast fair fight. But could she win?

 

But that was the challenge.

 

 

Cairma Vishnu

BladeMaster

[silhouette]

It had been in the works for some time now. Brand noticed it in the way she walked, in the way she assessed his movements as he practised, and taught others. He was used to it by now. After spending as much time at the top as he had, there was always a young guard ready to challenge the old order. A challenge Brand had always accepted, and would keep on accepting until the day he died. That was a part of his oath, a part of his purpose. He was a Grand Master, and to him that title meant that he was there to teach others, to help them reach the level he was on. And sometimes, a good spar with an almost always predetermined outcome was just the thing. He rarely lost, after all. Not that he minded losing all that much. It kept him humble.

 

Cairma picked a fine moment for her challenge. Brand was just done with a student when she approached him, asking him for a spar. Brand gave her a small nod, assessing the situation and the threat. He wasn’t in full battle gear, but these spars rarely required it. Cairma had brought her new herron marked blade, and not the zweihander she preferred swinging around, meaning that there was little chance that she’d accidentally chop him or herself in two. It was hard to pull a thrust with a blade as large as the zweihander, and even harder when you were as small as Cairma. It was hard even for Brand, which was why he preferred a lighter blade.

 

“I accept your challenge, Blademaster.” He said, pointing towards a small clearing. Already tower guards and trainees were gathering, eager to see a battle between masters. Brand left the scabbard for his own blade behind, preferring to enter the battle unhindered by things he didn’t need. Almost as soon as Cairma entered the ring of people that had formed, Brand attacked. No point in waiting. A blademaster requested a lesson, and Brand was more than willing to provide her with one. A swiftly executed slash at Cairma’s throat forced her to keep distance between them. This Arc of the moon was swiftly followed by hummingbird kisses the honeyrose. A quick trust at the face was always best to see if a master would flinch, or keep control of their fears.

 

~Brand Ryota

Commander

[Guest Arie Ronshor]

She noted the mans approval of her choice in weapon for the spar, and it gave her no glimmer of hope or any form of illusion that she would not win the fight. However probably that is was that she would loose, the possibility, no matter how slight was enough for her to have her blade out and defending his quick attack in that momentarily blink of an eye. Heron marked sword up, the distance between them was merely a breath away as the thrust to her eyes forced her to step back in order to keep her vision. however, it did not make her blink. Attack or not, it was nto a blade that she feared loosing her life to, and a grandmaster spar was only a test of will. Will and Skill, and she would elt him test her every step of the way. how she stepped up to the challenge would be her part. Win or loose, if she didn't give up that was enough of a victory for her.

 

Water Flows Downhill lead into other attacks as the sparred back and forth in the arena, challenging limits and countering attacks. Cairma, on her own tested his own skills as she brought her blade dangerously close to his skin, be it chest or face, in questions of possible reaction, but he did nto disapoint her and blink back. Water stormed through her eyes as a small smile whispered on her lips at each connection of thier sword. It was one thing to train anouther in the forms. It was anouther to see them in action. She will admit the man was faster than her, without a doubt, and read her at the barest second faster than herself, but her quick reflexes from the use of a larger sword gave her that time to react as her sword moved from The Heron Spreads Its Wings into Striking the Spark. Certainly not an even fight, but it was fair.. And she would not deny the moment that even her own skill surprised herself. She wanted to be better, craved to be. but, as she though in her blade master fight, did she have the heart to take it that step farther?

 

 

 

Cairma Vishnu

BM

Challenging

[silhouette]

The spar intensified, with Cairma giving Brand all she had, and Brand testing her at every touch of blades. She was good, but she wasn’t perfect yet. And that was a big thing amongst those who followed the path of the Blade, almost as much as it was for those who followed the path of perfection. A few nicks and cuts from the spar sent little rivulets of blood streaming down Cairma’s arms, but much to Brand’s amusement she hardly seemed to notice them. This was truly a student of Daemon, who always boasted on never using a lathe, preferring to train with actual weapons instead.

 

It had benefits and disadvantages. People needed to know their limits, and the thing about always training with actual weapons was that you forgot that they were lethal at some point. You could lose your respect for them. Fear kept people from getting killed. That was Brand’s point of view on things, at least. Fear told you to leap back, instead of charging head first into the pointy end of a sword. While Cairma wasn’t quite that careless, there was something in her way of fighting that spoke of a lack of respect for the sharp end of a blade. Brand charged forward, placing another cut right along the side of her neck. She could get it healed later.

 

A few more thrusts and parries, and Brand found himself growing weary with the spar. “You’re good, little one.” He said, while he locked his blade with hers. Using force and a superior technique, he twisted her sword around , effectively disarming her. He levelled his sword at Cairma’s throat. “But you’re not quite there yet. Your technique is good, but your focus could be better.” She was improving rapidly though. Perhaps she would make it to Grand Master level after all.

 

~Brand Ryota

Commander

[Guest Arie Ronshor]

“You’re good, little one.”

 

The first nick went generally unnoticed to Cairma as she brought the sword up to block. The unfortunate side that she was starting to realize was that although Brands sword bit into her skin did not hurt, she was not used to having someone close enough for there to be that easy of a injury to be inflicted in the first place. It did not cause her to frown, but it mentally caused her to pause out of concern as Brand took advantage of her momentary weakness. Relieving her of her sword hi bit into her neck. She looked to him with the same respect she always held for Brand as the warm blood trailed slowly down her neck. She could feel that it was deep, but the pain was far from actually bothering her.

 

“But you’re not quite there yet. Your technique is good, but your focus could be better."

 

Standing without her sword with Brands at her neck ready for an easy strike, she smiled. "I can only aspire to be better. Thank you, Commander. I have learned much this day." She bowed her head in respect as Brand lowered his sword.. "Perhaps anouther time, than?" Brand gave Cairma a polite nod. "Whenever you feel like it. I enjoyed our spar a great deal, and I've always assumed that we learn most from our peers." She smiled as she picked up the lighter sword and saluted Brand. She was in need of a Yellow Sister to heal her neck wound. Along the walk to the Tower Cairma contemplated on her sword work, figuring out where exactly she went wrong.

 

 

 

Cairma Vishnu

Blademaster