[Training] train with purpose

Zavien

I think all things,
in their way,

His own attack failed to push her back, the glaive falling harmlessly to the side. Although disappointed, his eyes took in every movement, analyzing her strategy as well as areas for improvement. One particular area was already very apparent: patience. Rushing in with an overhead attack wasn't exactly what he'd consider a 'calculated' move against a swordsman. 

He stepped to the side, letting the glaive fall harmless past him as he made his way closer to Soh. They were close enough for him to see the scar that split her left eyebrow. Chuckling, he said, "Bigger moves make bigger gaps." And then he twisted his blade to use the pommel as a means to strike. He didn't use his full strength, but he gave the motion enough speed to make it difficult to avoid, aiming for the gut.

reflect heavenly truth,
the imagination not least.

There is love inside this madness
We are walking on the moon

It might not have been a calculated move, but Soh was just glad to be able to smoothly transition from one strike to the next without being hit herself. Still, her gamble failed as her strike missed again, and she found herself within range of Zavien’s sword. His blow landed on her stomach, knocking the breath from her, and Soh staggered back a few steps in an attempt to get out of range, holding her glaive in a blocking position to hopefully guard against other attacks.

If she managed to get out of range, she would circle Zavien, a new respect for his fighting abilities clear on her face as she searched for an opening. This time, she aimed with a stabbing motion, preparing to pull her strike if he didn’t block or dodge, but trying for a stab to the belly much like he’d just landed on her.

Though I don't believe in magic
I believe in me and you

Sohalia

Zavien

I think all things,
in their way,

Even though he'd expected to land the attack in such close proximity, he still felt bad when he felt the contact. Zavien made sure to keep the pressure minimal to prevent any serious damage, wincing when he heard her sharp intake of breath. He let Soh put some distance between them as he asked, "You good?" It was training, not real fighting. He didn't want to actually hurt her. 

But then she was jabbing forward to stab him with her glaive, and he got the feeling that she was fine. The Dragoon sidestepped the strike so that he was facing her exposed flank. He stepped forward to get close again as he grabbed her hand, pushing her shoulder forward with his sword in hand. If she stumbled, he'd keep her from hitting the dirt, but if she slipped his grasp, he'd let her go to regain her composure.

reflect heavenly truth,
the imagination not least.

There is love inside this madness
We are walking on the moon

”Fine,” she wheezed as she backed away, a wry grin on her face to reassure her friend that she was alright. The blow hadn’t really hurt that badly - but it had knocked some of the wind from her lungs, and she took the moment she needed to regroup before striking again.

When Zavien sidestepped her strike and grabbed at her hand, pushing her forward and off balance, she gasped at the indignity of being held up by her opponent. If not for Zavien, she’d probably have hit the dirt. As it was, she scrambled out of his hold and away, aiming to regroup before trying another move. ”This is going well,” she joked as she circled, looking for an opening. When she thought she saw one, she swiped at Zavien’s sword arm, hoping to use the glaive’ s reach to keep herself out of range of retaliation.

Though I don't believe in magic
I believe in me and you

Sohalia

Zavien

I think all things,
in their way,

Certain that she was uninjured, Zavien felt comfortable continuing the spar, but he made sure to pull his punches. Especially as he pushed her shoulder forward, he didn't let the speed or adrenaline push too far. When she pulled away, he let her go, allowing her to put some distance between the two of them. 

Soh's words made him smile, eyes following her as she circled him slowly. "You're doing great." He would have added more about possible rooms for improvement or admirable effort, but then she was lunging forward to strike his sword hand. Zavien raised his weapon to block the strike against the wood of her glaive. Then he pulled back, trying to hook the blades together to pull it from her grasp.

reflect heavenly truth,
the imagination not least.

There is love inside this madness
We are walking on the moon

This time, rather than dodging outright, Zavien used his sword to hook Soh’s glaive, and before she knew it, he had wrenched the weapon from her grasp. Gasping with surprise, she felt the wood of the staff portion slip through her hands, leaving her utterly defenseless. Laughing, she held up her hands. ”I yield,” she said, waiting a moment before bending to pick the glaive up from where it had fallen.

Then she leaned upon it as she took stock of the spar. Altogether, it hadn’t been terrible, but it was clear that she had a long way to go. ”So… I’m open to any feedback and constructive criticism you may have,” she assured Zavien, looking at him expectantly. Hopefully his critique would be kind.

Though I don't believe in magic
I believe in me and you

Sohalia

Zavien

I think all things,
in their way,

As the glaive went flying out of her hands, Zavien stepped away to let her retrieve the weapon. Once she'd done so and yielded, he sheathed his blade, running a hand through his sweaty hair as he gave her a bright smile. "Nice job! You've definitely got the movements down." All the forms had been proper, if not a little untested. 

At her request for input, Zavien gave gentle and constructive criticisms. "I would just recommend sticking to smaller movements. Large strikes leave room and time for blocks or closer attacks. It also compromises your balance." As she'd found out. Shrugging his shoulders to release the adrenaline that still clung to him, he added, "Try smaller swipes and jabs. And don't forget about the other half of your weapon. The sharp part isn't the only side that does damage." He gave her a playful smile. It might be the instinct to do the most damage with the blade, but sometimes the wooden shaft was faster and more practical in a fighting movement. 

Sol trotted over from his perch on the skull, sitting at his side as he waited for confirmation of his good behavior. Zavien pulled out a piece of jerky as he continued speaking with Soh more encouragingly. "Otherwise, you're doing great. It'll just take more practice, so let me know if you ever want another sparring session." He'd offer for her to come by the Dragon's Nest, but he didn't think that was the best idea until Stormbreak was back within friendly hands.

reflect heavenly truth,
the imagination not least.

There is love inside this madness
We are walking on the moon

Sohalia listened carefully to Zavien’s feedback, making a mental note of the ways she could improve. She would certainly be happy to take him up on his offer to spar again - he seemed to be a patient teacher, and she’d be interested to see how she could take his advice and put it to use. Perhaps next time they tried this, she’d bring practice weapons and actually manage to land a hit.

In any case, Soh smiled at Zavien cheerfully. ”Thank you for this. It’s been really helpful.” Then, more seriously. ”And thank you for all of your advice. I mean it.” With plans and place and sparring complete, though, there was no reason to linger, so after a bit more comfortable chatter, Soh bid Zavien goodbye and returned to Torchline.

fin

Though I don't believe in magic
I believe in me and you

Sohalia