Training [SE] Snow on the Sahara
Talyson Seawright
the Messenger
Courier

Age: 27 | Height: 5'10" | Race: Accepted | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: King's End
Level: 10 - Strg: 44 - Dext: 46 - Endr: 50 - Luck: 52 - Int: 1
BOREAL - Mythical - Dragon (Fire Breath)
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#1
The cold, Tal could deal with. He'd grown up with it deep in his bones like every Halovian, and he was most at home bundled up in layers against the deadly chill of the Tundra.

The heat? Not so much.

There were only so many layers you could peel off before you hit skin and then you were just fucked. But Safrin had told him to look at mirages and he'd been coming to the desert more frequently for Guild hunts and deliveries this past year so the courier figured he'd better do some training to toughen up. It might not matter for the War, but he was planning to survive that and there would be life beyond the battles to prepare for.

So here he was on the edge of the Furnace and peering through his goggles at a distant stand of wavering palm trees, stripped down to a broad-brimmed, floppy hat, tank top and light, loose pants. His brown skin hadn't started to redden it but it would soon if he didn't cover it up beneath the blazing sun. He leaned on his new glaive and scowled to himself as Boreal circled lazily overhead, blowing the occasional plume of fire for the sheer joy of it.

A note had been left at the Guildhall in case he got eaten by a landshark anyone wanted to join him for training, but he wasn't expecting anyone in particular and when he saw a human shape walking towards him he sighed and rolled his eyes behind his goggles. "Okay, that's the best one I've seen yet, but it's still a stupid mirage," he grumbled up to Boreal.

Sah
Sah Lovi
the Wild Thunder
Hunter

Age: 26 | Height: 6'0" | Race: Abandoned | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Halo
Level: 11 - Strg: 40 - Dext: 40 - Endr: 48 - Luck: 40 - Int: 1
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#2
Sah

When Sah saw Tal's notice, a brief flicker of panic had hit him. The last time he'd seen the courier in the desert, the man had nearly died. It was hard not to be worried. As such, he figured he might as well show up to back the fool up. And training bullying sounded like fun.

The Abandoned left Lilly at home, not wanting to expose his furred companion to the blistering heat. Her poor paw pads would've burned on the hot sand too. He himself, wore long loose clothing to protect his skin, arrived not long after Tal. When he spotted the man in the distance, he couldn't help but chuckle.

Walking up with a playful smirk Sah eyed Tal's glaive. "Looks like you got a new toy. Know how to use it yet?" The Outlander had his own weapons strapped to his hip as usual. If the courier wanted a weaponry spar, he was all for it.
My soul is in the sky
-William Shakespeare
Talyson Seawright
the Messenger
Courier

Age: 27 | Height: 5'10" | Race: Accepted | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: King's End
Level: 10 - Strg: 44 - Dext: 46 - Endr: 50 - Luck: 52 - Int: 1
BOREAL - Mythical - Dragon (Fire Breath)
Played by: Cirago Offline
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Posts: 1,869 | Total: 7,219
MP: 10170
#3
It was a very good mirage as it moved towards him, Tal had to admit. Much more solid than the palm trees, but why the fuck did it look like--

Then the mirage opened its mouth and Tal froze.

Oh.

Well, at least now he knew how to look for differences between mirages and not-mirages, even if his cheeks were burning at the mistake. He scowled at Sah's smirk reflexively even as pale eyes wandered over the other man's attire. He looked more at home in the desert than Tal did, which did nothing to soothe his ruffled feathers at having been caught out in a silly mistake.

He had more mirages to hunt for Safrin, but first...

"Why don't you find out?" he called back, straightening up and spinning the glaive lightly in his hands with a cocky grin until it rested in a defensive position and he slid a foot back to present his less-scrawny-than-it-used-to-be side to Sah. Somewhere between a spear and an axe, he'd found a weapon he could really dance with!
Sah Lovi
the Wild Thunder
Hunter

Age: 26 | Height: 6'0" | Race: Abandoned | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Halo
Level: 11 - Strg: 40 - Dext: 40 - Endr: 48 - Luck: 40 - Int: 1
LILLY - Regular - Grey Wolf PAD - Regular - Grey Wolf
Played by: Blackbird Offline
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MP: 3215
#4
Sah

Despite Tal's assumption, Sah was miserable in this heat. The Thunder was a creature of the ice and snow long before he came to Halo. It was only through sheer determination that he wasn't melting. And just maybe he'd developed a slightly higher tolerance having just come from hunting in Torchline. Maybe.

Regardless, Sah eyed Tal's form approvingly as he drew his own weapon, his short sword. "You've improved." Even without the spar starting, it was clear from the courier's stance and increased muscle mass. The Outlander was satisfied with his fellow Halovian's progress, not that he'd ever admit beyond the small compliment he just threw out.

"Alright then. Just weapons. No magic or other items." Terms set, Sah exhaled before surging forward. As he came in closer, he quickly spun on his heel and attempted to slash at Tal's undefended side. As he came out of the spin, hit landed or not, he'd attempt to use his momentum to keep spinning and land back into a ready stance afterwards.
My soul is in the sky
-William Shakespeare
Talyson Seawright
the Messenger
Courier

Age: 27 | Height: 5'10" | Race: Accepted | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: King's End
Level: 10 - Strg: 44 - Dext: 46 - Endr: 50 - Luck: 52 - Int: 1
BOREAL - Mythical - Dragon (Fire Breath)
Played by: Cirago Offline
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Posts: 1,869 | Total: 7,219
MP: 10170
#5
It might have been a compliment coming from Deimos, but coming from Sah it just sounded patronizing and Tal snorted, rolling his eyes expressively. "Sure, but have you?" he challenged, grin sharpening. He hardly needed to agree to the terms; he had no magic of his own and his items weren't of the offensive variety, but it was still good to hear that the Abandoned was going to play on his level.

Okay, so maybe the hunter had improved. His speed as he charged forward was even faster than Tal remembered and though the courier instinctively moved to block he wasn't quite fast enough to shift the glaive across his body in time and Sah scored a tear in the courier's shirt.

The grin shifted to a scowl as soon as he realized what had happened but he wasn't about to take the hit lying down. Tal lunged forward, stabbing the glaive three times in quick succession - low, high, low - before pulling back to reopen the distance between them again. He pulled his attacks with the same care that Sah had, aiming for clothing rather than skin as he glared in fierce concentration.
Sah Lovi
the Wild Thunder
Hunter

Age: 26 | Height: 6'0" | Race: Abandoned | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Halo
Level: 11 - Strg: 40 - Dext: 40 - Endr: 48 - Luck: 40 - Int: 1
LILLY - Regular - Grey Wolf PAD - Regular - Grey Wolf
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Posts: 1,760 | Total: 3,391
MP: 3215
#6
Sah

Sah rolled his eyes slightly at Tal's jab, "Probably."  He'd been having too much magic focused training lately in his opinion. Not that he didn't love his magic, but it just felt off balance to not spend some time with his sword. This was a much-needed change of pace.

When his sword cut through Tal's shirt, the Abandoned felt a burst of satisfaction. Both at being able to land the hit and not cut skin, but also at Tal's own reaction time. The courier had truly improved. A fact that was made even more apparent as his next three attacks came. The first grazed Sah's hip, making a tear in his shirt.

The second attack is dodged with a simple shift in weight as Sah sidestepped it. But Tal's glaive had a longer reach than Sah was used to. And the blade's third attack not just lands but actually cuts a small slice in the skin just above his knee.

Sah hissed in mild pain as he stepped back, more annoyed than hurt. "Careful there, Errand Boy. Let's keep it a spar, shall we?" Without saying anything else or waiting for an apology, Sah went on the offense again. This time he aimed for Tal's glaive.

The Abandoned attempted to strike the base of the glaive as close to Tal's wrists as possible in a disarming maneuver. Not waiting to see if that succeeded, he'd twist and try to ram the butt of his sword into Tal's chest.
My soul is in the sky
-William Shakespeare
Talyson Seawright
the Messenger
Courier

Age: 27 | Height: 5'10" | Race: Accepted | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: King's End
Level: 10 - Strg: 44 - Dext: 46 - Endr: 50 - Luck: 52 - Int: 1
BOREAL - Mythical - Dragon (Fire Breath)
Played by: Cirago Offline
Change author:
Posts: 1,869 | Total: 7,219
MP: 10170
#7
The training with Deimos really was paying off. His dodging might have needed more work, but his attacks were steadier and more precise and - most telling - when he did score with his first jab the only indication of satisfaction on his face was a faint narrowing of his eyes behind his goggles. The second attack didn't hit home, but he hadn't expected it to; the jabs were meant to distract and disorient rather than damage even if he had been thrusting with intent to harm and in the end it was, perhaps, an overestimation of Sah's skills that saw the third strike grazing in to nick flesh rather than cloth.

Tal's retreat was as much in startlement as defense and he was off balance when Sah attacked again. The sword struck close enough to knock one of the courier's hands off the weapon shaft in a stinging disarm, but he was already shifting his feet in a sidestep as Deimos had drilled into him over. And over. And over. And as he moved he spun the glaive one-handed until he could get his double grip on it again and swing it like a staff (or a bat) towards Sah's shoulder, careful to use the flat of the blade rather than the edge. "My bad!" he sang back, all genuine mortification at having actually drawn blood shaken loose by the stinging return the hunter had managed. "I thought you were gonna dodge!"
Sah Lovi
the Wild Thunder
Hunter

Age: 26 | Height: 6'0" | Race: Abandoned | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Halo
Level: 11 - Strg: 40 - Dext: 40 - Endr: 48 - Luck: 40 - Int: 1
LILLY - Regular - Grey Wolf PAD - Regular - Grey Wolf
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#8
Sah

Sah shrugged slightly, "I was planning on it. I've never dealt with a spear like that before. Why do you think I asked to spar? What's it called by the way?" The best way to learn how to deal with unknown weapons was to have a friendly sparring match with an ally, in his opinion. That way one could learn how to outmaneuver an enemy in the future, should they encounter a similar weapon.

As Tal swung with the flat of his blade, Sah properly judged the reach this time and twisted out of the way. As he did so, he attempted to move in closer and slash at Tals' upper leg, taking care not to make the courier's mistake, and accidently slice down to the skin.
My soul is in the sky
-William Shakespeare
Talyson Seawright
the Messenger
Courier

Age: 27 | Height: 5'10" | Race: Accepted | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: King's End
Level: 10 - Strg: 44 - Dext: 46 - Endr: 50 - Luck: 52 - Int: 1
BOREAL - Mythical - Dragon (Fire Breath)
Played by: Cirago Offline
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Posts: 1,869 | Total: 7,219
MP: 10170
#9
Tal hadn't really thought about why Sah had asked to spar. It kind of just seemed like the natural thing to do when they saw each other. Usually words, sure, but weapons had their place, too. And just because Sah was annoying and insufferable and just ugh - except when he wasn't, which was maybe more often than it used to be - Tal knew they wouldn't really hurt each other.

"The soldiers called it a glaive. It's like an axe an' a spear combined into one," Tal said proudly, as if he'd invented it himself and not found it rummaging around in the barracks armory.

As if to prove his point he swung it axe-like at the hunter, but the downside to such a powerful move was how much it telegraphed his intention. He didn't even have time to scowl as Sah dodged and then stepped in, but the glaive's shorter shaft was far easier to maneuver in tight spaces and faster to shift around than that of a proper spear, and he was easily able to draw the weapon back to get the haft between his leg and Sah's sword.

And from there it was almost instinctive to try and twist the blade away in an attempt to open up Sah's torso to a friendly tap from the business end of Tal's weapon.
Sah Lovi
the Wild Thunder
Hunter

Age: 26 | Height: 6'0" | Race: Abandoned | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Halo
Level: 11 - Strg: 40 - Dext: 40 - Endr: 48 - Luck: 40 - Int: 1
LILLY - Regular - Grey Wolf PAD - Regular - Grey Wolf
Played by: Blackbird Offline
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Posts: 1,760 | Total: 3,391
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#10
Sah

Sah scanned the glaive with new eyes, "Fascinating." It truly was an interesting weapon, with more diverse applications than an axe or spear alone. No wonder it was so tricky to spar against for the first time. It made the Abandoned feel a little better at how much trouble he'd been having thus far.

It was a bit of a surprise to discover that the glaive also worked well in close contact, as seen when Tal dodged his hit. But it's length also had the drawback of having some limits at such close range. As Tal tried to hit his torso, Sah was able to twist just enough that it only lightly brushed his side, leaving a minuscule tear in his shirt.

Now that there was a little more distance between them, Sah twisted on his heel in an effort to get behind Tal, slashing at the back of the courier's leg as he went. And of course, making the effort to only cut clothes.
My soul is in the sky
-William Shakespeare
Talyson Seawright
the Messenger
Courier

Age: 27 | Height: 5'10" | Race: Accepted | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: King's End
Level: 10 - Strg: 44 - Dext: 46 - Endr: 50 - Luck: 52 - Int: 1
BOREAL - Mythical - Dragon (Fire Breath)
Played by: Cirago Offline
Change author:
Posts: 1,869 | Total: 7,219
MP: 10170
#11
Tal grinned at the implied compliment - or at least, he was taking it as implied, whether Sah meant it that way or not - and turned his focus back to the battle at hand.

Unlike the hunter the courier still had to pay attention to every move and countermove. He wasn't good enough yet to talk while he fought; not without risking losing track of all the myriad moving parts that went into a fight. His grin faded, too, as his face fell into lines of intense concentration while he blocked and then riposted, taking advantage of Sah's surprise to land a grazing nick to his dance partner's shirt.

Sah was still faster than him, much to Tal's chagrin, and managed to get behind him while the courier was still twisting to try and keep him in his sight. He tried to lift his leg out of the way of the attack while simultaneously swiping the blunt side of the glaive at the side of Sah's knee in return.

It wasn't exactly successful.

In his attempt to dodge Tal lost his balance and stumbled to land ass-down in the sand, but he still managed to get off his final attack - just not with the finesse he'd imagined in his head.
Sah Lovi
the Wild Thunder
Hunter

Age: 26 | Height: 6'0" | Race: Abandoned | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Halo
Level: 11 - Strg: 40 - Dext: 40 - Endr: 48 - Luck: 40 - Int: 1
LILLY - Regular - Grey Wolf PAD - Regular - Grey Wolf
Played by: Blackbird Offline
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Posts: 1,760 | Total: 3,391
MP: 3215
#12
Sah

Sah prepared for Tal's counter, but he was still unused to facing a glaive. And in his effort to dodge, he ended up putting himself in range of the other side of the weapon. It hit hard with the force of Tal's fall. Wincing Sah dropped to a knee, only to slide in the sand and end up on his ass just as Tal did.

He blinked for a second before his lips twitched and he playfully kicked Tal, "I'd say that's a draw.  Truce?" Snickering slightly, he eyed the courier with a raised brow. "We should absolutely do this again. We both clearly need practice dealing with glaives."  
My soul is in the sky
-William Shakespeare
Talyson Seawright
the Messenger
Courier

Age: 27 | Height: 5'10" | Race: Accepted | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: King's End
Level: 10 - Strg: 44 - Dext: 46 - Endr: 50 - Luck: 52 - Int: 1
BOREAL - Mythical - Dragon (Fire Breath)
Played by: Cirago Offline
Change author:
Posts: 1,869 | Total: 7,219
MP: 10170
#13
The courier looked entirely too pleased with himself in spite of his ass hitting the sand once he realized that his final strike had connected and Sah was down in the dirt with him. He kicked right back at the hunter, though mostly just to knock sand over the other man's pants than with any real intention to hit him this time. "Truce," he agreed with lofty graciousness that trailed off into a grin. "For now."

Until the next time, at any rate.

The ground burned like hot metal through the thin layers of his clothing so he wasted no time in rolling up onto his feet. As soon as he was up again Tal adjusted his Goggles and peered out over the burning hardpan towards the mirage he'd been watching earlier, offering a distracted hand to the hunter. "What're you doin' out here, anyways? I'm lookin' at mirages for Safrin." Otherwise he'd be someplace - anyplace - more civilized. Aka: not so blasted hot.
Sah Lovi
the Wild Thunder
Hunter

Age: 26 | Height: 6'0" | Race: Abandoned | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Halo
Level: 11 - Strg: 40 - Dext: 40 - Endr: 48 - Luck: 40 - Int: 1
LILLY - Regular - Grey Wolf PAD - Regular - Grey Wolf
Played by: Blackbird Offline
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Posts: 1,760 | Total: 3,391
MP: 3215
#14
Sah

Sah snickered and sent Tal a feral grin, "Till next time." The Abandoned stood up and brushed the sand from his pants, shaking his head to get the bits that had somehow ended up in his hair. He paused when Tal spoke, turning to gaze at the mirage. "That thing?"

The Outlander had heard about these shimmery illusion type things being in the desert. But he'd never seen one in person. He'd been wondering what he was seeing in the corner of his eye as he traveled through the sand. It made sense that it'd be a mirage. "I'm here because I saw your note actually. Why does Safrin want you looking at mirages?"

He didn't elaborate as to why Tal's note had spurred him into action. The courier would never let him live it down if Sah admitted to having been worried about him.
My soul is in the sky
-William Shakespeare


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