The New Warders
Damien found himself in the practice field that afternoon, his new blade in hand. A good sturdy blade, one he had learned with all his life, a Kandorian blade. And his dagger. He was used to fighting with them and now he was ready to absorb all the knwledge he could from the Master at Arms.
Slowly, two other trainee's worked their way into the field. damien gave them a half smile half sneer. He didn't want more people.
"Master Richard call you two here as well," he asked, stepping forward, ready to defend his territory, his grey eyes nearly lifeless, yet full of intelligence.
Richard watched the three of them calmly from his office window, nursing the bruise on his chest. It seemed everyone could learn.
Raekal RP Admin Band OL King of Manetheren
Posts: 174
(5/22/06 4:48 pm) Reply
Re: The New Warders
Tristan walked slowly across the Grounds. His mind was elsewhere, as usual, though he was focused. He was worried. It had been a while since he had "dreamt" of Sophia, and that in itself was becoming . . . unnerving. He was resting his hand on the hilt of the beaten and battered blade that he wore here, still a lot larger and heavier than the blades he had been used to.
He saw Damien, heard his words, and let them flow across him. He stopped only a few feet away and smiled thinly. He had to learn. Fast. Time was running short.
"Yes." He said simply. He locked eyes with the man and felt a shiver run down his spine. The glazed eyes did not dull with the essence of stupidity, but burned deeply. He swallowed hard and tapped his toe in the dirt. "We're here to train with you. Duel."
(Raekal Dunshain) -- First Stormleader Asha'man Bonded to Brenna Selanos (Saker Mandell) -- King of Manetheren (Seia Vron) -- Asha'man (Tristan Du'saa) -- Gaidin in Training (Kerin Lizaile) -- Aes Sedai of the Blue Ajah
Ivron Silverrus Andor's first
prince of the sword
Posts: 19
(5/22/06 6:12 pm) Reply
Re: The New Warders
Ivron's mouth clamped shut as the reply he was about to give was silenced by the slight trainee's challenge. Standing a full head shorter and slighter of build than his opponet, tristan squared up to the larger man with an air of confidence.
"Master Fedora has sent us to seek you out, no doubt to further our learning," Ivron finished loud enough to gather the attention of both men. "My name is Ivorn and his lordship to my right is Tristan."
Re: The New Warders
"Damien," Damien said with the slightest of bows, "And do you wish to help your friend, or watch his desimation from the side? I like a challange."
From the barracks, Damien saw Master Richard walk out, but he said nothing, hoping to start the session before either of the other's saw their mentor.
Raekal RP Admin Band OL King of Manetheren
Posts: 178
(5/22/06 6:33 pm) Reply
Re: The New Warders
Tristan glanced over at Ivron and frowned slightly. He was not "lordship" . . . not anymore. His lands had been taken, his family slaughtered . . . blood and bloody ashes, he had been through more than many of these men, and yet they still sought to mock him? A bit of fire crept up within him. By the Light, he would see Damien bowed before the day was over. And Ivron . . . there was not much he could do about the arrogant man. Some important man from Andor, and a fool all the same at times.
Silently, he pulled his blade and set himself in his stance, letting the void fill him, empty him, embrace his heart and make him whole. "I don't believe anyone here will be 'decimated' as you say, Damien. But I do believe that two of us will walk away, and one will be paying a visit to the Aes Sedai." He began circling to the right, hoping that Ivron would take up the cue and work to the left. Divide and conquer. A simple task. Never easily executed.
(Raekal Dunshain) -- First Stormleader Asha'man Bonded to Brenna Selanos (Saker Mandell) -- King of Manetheren (Seia Vron) -- Asha'man (Tristan Du'saa) -- Gaidin in Training (Kerin Lizaile) -- Aes Sedai of the Blue Ajah
Ivron Silverrus Andor's first
prince of the sword
Posts: 20
(5/22/06 6:56 pm) Reply
Re: The New Warders
With a slight twisting of his usually solem features Ivron pivoted on the balls of his feet and deftly unsheathed the three and one half feet of curved,blur fringed, power wrought steel. A sharp stab of anger quiclly faded from the void as his quick feet brought him to a position opposite tristan and trapping Damien between the two. This arrogant fool was even more self obsessed than kell.
"Damien I would of thought that being surrounded by warders and the like would of quashed even the self absorbed pride you seem to indulge yourself in. No matter,Tristan I've seen you with that blade and Ive seen what you can do with it.........No mercy lad."
With a wide smile Ivron tightened his grip on the hilt of his sword and fell into the deadly dance of blades.
Re: The New Warders
Damien couldn't help but smile as they spread to trap him. He wasn't overly nimble, but he could tell they hadn't worked together enough to be overly coordinated against him.
His blade and dagger came out, and his teeth shined from inside his beard. He stood and watched, letting them move first.
"And the teacher is in time to watch," he said, bowing his head slightly to acknowledge Richard, hoping it would draw away their attention just slightly. It was a gamble.
Lunging toward Tristan with a power he had honed, attaining the Void as he moved, he moved to Courtier Taps the Fan, hopiing more to pin Tristan's sword up high and move in with the dagger. If the dagger could be avoided, his mass and speed would simply overrun Tristan and send him to the ground, which would buy Damien the time he needed.
And he felt his blade grind against Tristan's as a growl escaped his throat. The fight was on.
Raekal RP Admin Band OL King of Manetheren
Posts: 182
(5/22/06 7:37 pm) Reply
Re: The New Warders
Tristan was ready for Damien's powerful attack. In the void, he had seen the very slight shifting of the man's weight to his right side, prepping for the launch towards Tristan, and in the blink of an eye had taken in the fact that he was dual wielding and had his move set in his mind. He put his blade up to block, holding the hilt above his head to the left with the blade nagled back to his right side. Even as steel touched steel, his right foot was sliding backwards in a sweeping arc, tracing a line of flying dust.
It was only at this point that Damien's earlier words registered in Tristan's mind, but at that point it was too late to care. Damien's superior power and girth began to push down, through Tristan's defensive stance, but the stabbing lunge with the dagger had the man on a temporarily set path. That Tristan had already vacated as he let his sword fall, guiding Damien's harmlessly past, towards the ground. Even as he continued his spin, picking up speed, he knew that the return slash was going to meet steel, and sure enough, it did. Damien pushed Tristan back with a powerful shove--powerful enough to let Tristan know who was the more physically powerful of the two of them, and who would win in a one-on-one contest.
Luckily for Tristan, this was no such contest. Ivron came in next as Tristan recovered his balance, waiting for his opening to come in again. He and Ivron had not worked together before . . . they were new to each other's styles and methods, but they had to make the best out of it. Their honor, and more, depended upon it.
(Raekal Dunshain) -- First Stormleader Asha'man Bonded to Brenna Selanos (Saker Mandell) -- King of Manetheren (Seia Vron) -- Asha'man (Tristan Du'saa) -- Gaidin in Training (Kerin Lizaile) -- Aes Sedai of the Blue Ajah
Ivron Silverrus Andor's first
prince of the sword
Posts: 21
(5/28/06 1:25 am) Reply
Re: The New Warders
The distinctive "Clank" of metal on stone might of well have been a brillant waving red banner for Ivron. He knew what that sound was. It was a defensive weakness. His feet and sword were in motion before he could consciously will them into action. Reading Tristan's feint had been too easy. The slight cairhienin had used superior intallect against the larger agressor. By appearing to have a haughty disposition he had drawn the overpowering figure of damien to himself and exposed his backside to Ivron. At a full charge Ivron closed the single pace distance between him and damien but instead of taking the easy strike at the man's back he continued the charge lowering one of his broad shoulders and crashing into the man on his flank. The impact slightly jarred Ivron and sent the smaller damien sprawling. However even in his flight to the grass damien managed to lock one of his feet precisly behind Ivron's knee and the other at his ankel. The effect left Ivron half turned about and stubmling for his own balance. Rather than to wast precious seconds regaining his own footing Ivron simply tucked one shoulder while outwardly extending his blade arm and executed a tight tuck and roll. Back atop on his feet Ivron noticed damien had also regained his own footing. Now all three of the combatants were evenly spaced apart. Three paces seperated him form damien and tristan alike. The three fighters circled each other like caged wolves snapping blades in and out in quick measured thrusts,parrys and slashes. The strikes were not meant to kill more to gadge weaknesses and speed.
"Together Tristan," Ivron spoke, calm as death. "Rember what master fadora has taught us. He cant block the weight of my sword with that dagger so he has two options: keep me on his strong side or move so fast that only one of us can engage him while the other maneuvers. Ivron mouthed the words eyes never leaving daminen's.
"we must unfold his weakness and capitilize on each other's strikes......Together Lad, NOW!"
'
Re: The New Warders
Damien had underestimated Ivron's speed. The man was like a mountain, but moved like a river. Damien knew his back would feel that impact in the morning, but he knew better now.
He was in a bad spot now, but Master Richard wouldn't have suggested this if he had thought Damien would be horribly beaten. He coudl think his way out of this.
He knew he had the superior blade work of the three of them. Ivron defintly had him in size and they were about equal in speed. Tristan definitly could beat him in speed. It was a tough place to be in. The choice was size first, or speed?
Ivron was right though, he couldn't take the full weight of a blow on the dagger. At least not often. Too bad for Ivron that he had said anything. Damien's mind was working double time to find a way out.
He ran out of time. Both men moved to hem him in and it was only blade work that could save him. He side stepped Ivron's first blow, his dagger moving in and moving his blade away. Parting the Silk catching Tristan's closing blow. Now all three were tightly noted blades crossed, like the middle of a game of stones, where no clear winner has been shown.
He had to push Ivron back. If he allowed him to keep his momentum coming forward, it would be lights out for him. Tower of Mourning followed by Courtier Taps the Fan he hoped were enough. A simple chest level swipe with his dagger was hopefully enough to keep Tristan busy.
And in the background Richard watched, smiling at the three men fighting, and looking close to the warders they would soon be.
Raekal RP Admin Band OL King of Manetheren
Posts: 194
(5/28/06 11:39 am) Reply
Re: The New Warders
Tristan read Ivron's lips as the man mouthed his instructions. There was a small bit of ire burning outside of the void that this man thought to order HIM around, but . . . the words were true enough, and the emotion vanished into the flame as he closed his eyes for a split second, breathing in the moment, focusing his attention, and when they reopened, his vision was clearer, his mind sharper.
Tristan was the smallest of the three and perhaps the weakest standing on his own. But he had speed, and a lot of it. He had learned from chasing deer through the trees how to sprint silently while leaping obstacles and landing correctly. He had learned his "quick wrists" in his fencing lessons. He had learned power here. It was time to mix all that he knew and see what he could do.
As the two of them closed, hoping to overwhelm Damien, Tristan went in with a feint, knowing that Ivron, the power source of their duet, would come full on. Damien reacted as only a trained bladesman could, and despite the man's attitude, Tristan felt a small welling of respect for the man's abilities.
He merely leaned backwards to avoid the swipe at his chest and retailated in kind, twsiting his sword around and driving it straight at Damien's midriff--his first "real" strike of the day. Damien was too smart to fall for a simple trick as such though, and the dagger easily scooped under Tristan's blade and redirected teh thrust harmlessly away. Tristan made a noise in the back of his throat of disgust with the sloppiness of his own form. How was he to save Sophia, and Cairhein itself, fighting like this? He had more on the line than either of them!
He stepped backwards, watching the bladework between the two larger men flicker back and forth. Ivron, while talented, was being kept on the defensive, using his abilities to keep Damien at bay. Tristan circled them, Damien keeping on eye on his while he did so.
Then Tristan struck, coming forwards with his blade raised in an overhand blow--Striking the Spark. Damien twisted, slashing at his midriff--a blow that would connext far sooner than Tristan's . . . if . . . Tristan didn't turn suddenly and launch himself into a backflip over the blade, it passing harmlessly beneath him, catching at his shirt and ripping it up the back. He landed hard, less tahn a foot away from Damien, and did the only thing that he could . . . drove his elbow into the man's dagger arm, the nerve just above the elbow in the bicep. Then he somer-saulted away, rising to his feet with his sword held in front of him with both hands, a small smile playing on his lips.
(Raekal Dunshain) -- First Stormleader Asha'man Bonded to Brenna Selanos (Saker Mandell) -- King of Manetheren (Seia Vron) -- Asha'man (Tristan Du'saa) -- Gaidin in Training (Kerin Lizaile) -- Aes Sedai of the Blue Ajah
The Void wavered around him as numbness shot up his dagger arm, and it was all Damien could do to hold it together. However, his grip still didn't work as the dagger rolled from his lifeless hand.
Damien turned back to fighting, but he was in a bad way. Ivron's defence played perfect for a Water student, wearing Damien away, holding out long enough outlast him. And he had underestimated Tristan. The man had done what was needed, and now Damien was stuck at a point where he could not win, at least, not unless his feeling came back anytime soon. He couldn't even grip the sword with two hands in an attempt to strengthen his blows.
Now he was fighting with half his power, and they were still nearly full. He gritted his teeth and dug deeper. He wouldn't lose.
Ivron Silverrus Andor's first
prince of the sword
Posts: 22
(5/28/06 9:52 pm) Reply
Re: The New Warders
The "clatter" of Damien's dagger hitting the the practice yard's rough white stone did not phase Ivron nearly as much as the sudden widening of Damien's dark eyes as Tristan sprung past him. Through the eyes of a warder trained bladesman Damien's next strike seemed sloppy, even desperate. Ivron could tell the swing had not been meant as a strike but more as a deterrent to keep him at bay as he collected himself. Steel on steel echoed loudly as Ivron's larger curved blade met Damien's and turned it in almost a full circle before bringing it to the ground atop Damiens. With a growl Ivron spun left stepping inside of the man's sword reach, and completed the full turn slamming the hilt of his sword into the man's face. Blood oozed it's way down the pommel of his sword even before the man hit ground with a guttural groan.
To Ivron's shock and dismay the bloodied form rose again and set itself into a defensive stance shaking off the blow as if nothing had occurred. The man's threshold for pain was astounding! That,or this man was quite insane. Switching sword hands in turn to accommidate wiping damien's blood from his hands to his black trainee's breeches, Ivron flowed through several forms and settled on a defense of his own. Spinning through a series of graceful figure-eights and lightning fast movements Ivron advanced on the bleeding man. He truely hoped that Tristan and he did not have to seriously hurt this man for him to give way. However if a contest of wills was what this seemingly untamable man wanted Ivron was ready to accommidate him. A soft whoosh filled Ivron's ears as Tristan's blurred form darted past him at a speed that was in Ivron's mind only to be marvled at.
Re: The New Warders
Damien hit the ground, the Void shattered with his nose, but it was only momentary. He gritted his teeth, spit the blood out of his nose and then got back to his feet, reforming the Void, though not as sturdy as it had been.
Testing his numbed hand, he found it usable again and wrapped both hands around the hilt of his sword, preparing to continue the fight.
"HOLD!" Richard called, watching all three men freeze. "That was as eaqual of a fight as I've ever seen. Now that I know all your strength, take till lunch to heal up, practice, and get to know each other. I'll be going over all the intermediate forms with you after lunch, so make sure you're drinking water. Dismissed!"
Damien let go of the Void, dissapointed. He had been beaten, though his opponents were good. He had faught fiercely, and he had lost. He went back in his mind and started finding his errors. It was not nearly close enough to perfection.
Picking up his dagger, he started back to his quarters. He had to clean up his shattered nose, sharpen his blade, and then hopefully get some food before todays training. He loved learning new forms.
Raekal RP Admin Band OL King of Manetheren
Posts: 197
(5/30/06 4:18 pm) Reply
Re: The New Warders
Tristan watched Ivron move with a whole new appreciation for the man. They were working fairly well together, for this being their first time. Tristan had found what worked for him in this fight, what complimented Ivron's sheer power and size, and he started to exploit it as Damien got back to his feet, stepping back a few times from the fight . . .
And racing in, sword held low to one side to come up across his body in a viscious slash as he moved past Damien. . .
He never made it, however. "HOLD!" echoed across the grounds, and when Tristan looked at Damien right then, all he saw was Voda, staring back. His blood ran ice-cold in his veins, time spun around him as hate, burning, bitter hatred, boiled through him in a rage. Then vanished as he blinked, and was staring once more at Damien, who had already dropped from his stance and was moving away from him and Ivron, quiet, no words to compliment his opponents. Tristan had a feeling that the next time they fought, things wouldn't go quite so easily for them. He looked at Ivron, saw the man staring at him, and turned hastily away, wondering how much of what just went through his mind had played on his face. He sheathed his sword quickly, and when he turned back around to face Ivron, there was a smile on his lips.
"Well. I suppose that went fairly well. I like your style. Next time we'll do even better, I bet. I suppose we should go grab some food, don't you?"
(Raekal Dunshain) -- First Stormleader Asha'man Bonded to Brenna Selanos (Saker Mandell) -- King of Manetheren (Seia Vron) -- Asha'man (Tristan Du'saa) -- Gaidin in Training (Kerin Lizaile) -- Aes Sedai of the Blue Ajah
Ivron Silverrus Andor's first
prince of the sword
Posts: 23
(6/4/06 7:34 am) Reply
Re: The New Warders
A rare smile crossed Ivron's face as the thrill of victory subsided. Tristan's voice sounded to his right.
"Well. I suppose that went fairly well. I like your style. Next time we'll do even better, I bet. I suppose we should go grab some food, don't you?"
He angled his head to regard Tristan. "Of course, however I have to know two things first." "The first is that feint you used against Damien. You must teach it to me as I am sure that brilliant move will prove invaluable," Ivron finished with a respectful nod. "The second," ...........Ivron Sheathed his large curved blade and turned about to face Master Fadora and motioned toward the leaving form of Damien and uttering, "Forgive my impatience but what were we to learn from that angry man?"
Re: The New Warders
Richard smiled to himself. Ivron was asking questions, just not the right ones.
"His blade work was better then either of you. You'll see it again this afternoon. And also consider, young princling, that you perhaps weren't the ones who were supposed to learn. Even when you're as old as I am, you'll learn things. I learned today just how well the three of you will work together. I also learned that you fight like I do. I will be watching you."
Richard turned back and headed to his office. He needed to learn more, Master had shown him that.
Damien cleaned his face in the wash basin still struggling to keep himself together over the pain of his shattered nose. He was furiouse with himself because he hadn't won. He needed to make himself stronger.
With a growl he took the bloodied water from his basin and hurled it out the window....with the basin. He would end up paying for that, but righ tnow he didn't care. He needed to get better.
He started towards the dining room, planning to get a meal into his body before going to learn more forms this afternoon.
He had to give them credit though. The two little lordlings could weild a blade fast enough. He could maybe learn a few things from them. If he didn't kill them first.
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