Barbarian Training (Private, Ilista)

[Soldier]

Colin nodded. “Armed, equipped and ready, are ye?” he asked cheerfully before grabbing the Sea Elf by the arm and dragging her off. The first thing Colin did was show her to the area where all aquatic creatures were kept. It was a large building built directly over the flowing river, and next to it was the barracks where the aquatic members of the clan slept. He knocked once and entered, revealing a hallway through to the back. The back held a door that led onto a balcony, under which the river flowed noisily. A wooden slide and a rope ladder decended to the water. The interior had been divided into two large rooms, one for the males and the other for the females. Furs lined the floor against the wall to create sleeping areas, and a large stove provided heat in each area. No one was inside, so Colin led the girl into one side and directed her to take a sleeping area.

“Once you are situated, we will begin to teach you our ways. Mind ye don’t be takin’ one o’ th’ areas already claimed, hear?” Each sleeping area consisted of a pile of furs, a chest large enough to hold equipment and a rack for weapons. “Make yerself comfortable an’ I’ll be meetin’ ye outside when ye’re ready.” With that, he turned and left Ilista alone to get acquainted with her new home.

[Ilista]

Timestamp:
Third Cycle of Cryxatum
Season of Summer Era XIV
Mid Brightening

Ilistas' eyes danced around the room things were curiouser and curiouser the place and not only the surface dwellers, but this clan in particular, that however was not a complaint. The clothes fell odd upon her she but the feeling had become familiar from adorning herself when in town and quickly forgotten as the Telera had followed Colin to this place. Perhaps tonight she would speak to others, but for now she had work.

Ilista moved around the divided room looking at the sleeping spots passing over each that held a weapon on its rack or contents in its chest. Finding one a place both emptied of weapons upon its rack, and clear of items within its just Ilista parted with the pack she arrived with taking with her only the weapons issued the short halberd with the mace like end in her hands and the quiver and short bow across her back.

Her place claimed and weapons on hand the Telera exited back the way they had entered, her hands and shoulders adjusting to the weight and oddness of the weapons upon her as dark eyes searched before locking onto Colin as she exited blinking at the high brightening light, "Situated, will it be alright if I bring the weapons, to at least get use to the weight this day?"

[Soldier]

Colin was standing outside when Ilista emerged. “As you will.,” he said cheerfully, leading the girl to an open area, covered in sawdust. “As a Warrior, lass, ye’ll be learnin’ the knife first. Now, take out yer blade an’ be ready.” The Barbarian got into a stance and directed Ilista to do the same. “Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, one foot slightly ahead o’ th’ other. Lean slightly forward. Hold your dagger blade up and your other hand up next to but slightly less than shoulder width apart from it, palm out, as if you are going to push someone away. This is the Basic Stance.” Colin demonstrated the correct position. “From here, we will practice the basic thrust. Throw your dagger hand forward, following through with your shoulder and shifting your weight forward. After contact is made, twist the dagger to open the wound. Then pull it back and get ready for a second thrust. Now… THRUST! TWIST! RECOVER! THRUST! TWIST! RECOVER!'” He called out the moves as he corrected Ilista's stance and posture.

[Ilista]

Ilista followed the larger man as he spoke, in the clearing he led her to the earth softened with a pale colored fluff that smelled vaguely familiar before turning and speaking to her once again. Following Colins’ directions the Telera parted her legs to the ready position, her newly booted feet moved the sawdust until boots met the earth and the woman was no longer worried about losing her contact with the solid earth through the new, unfamiliar footwear.

Shifting her shoulders at the weight of the quiver and bow Ilista leaned forward slightly drawing her dagger from her forearm sheath. Lithe fingers wrapped around the pommel and as she raised her hand with the blade, her second hand rose slightly behind the hand that gripped the dagger, a hovering guard. The Basic Stance.

Her body adjusted as Colin demonstrated, her leg crept forward more for a better balance and her arms lowered her hand and dagger from her face to her chest. The next lesson made the sea womans’ lips curve distant memories of hearing similar instructions, she moved slowly with care as Colin spoke her eyes following her movements before looking to Colins’ face to read her instructors expression for a gauge of her performance. Ilista felt odd making such movements on the earth, barely touching the ocean floor least to sleep, the earth had been nothing more but to climb or walk upon without thought. Her body wavered on the first follow through before she compensated for balance.

Thrust. Twist. Recover. She adjusted from small corrections Colin made to her form. After a while a small smile formed, her balance for the thrust seemed to have been mastered, the small woman grew more confident with the exposure caused by the thrust, she imagined the twist of her dagger to be particularly vicious deep in the gravelly hide of a deep water shark and was pleased with her recovery. With her smaller size the woman had adopted a more crouched smaller position to launch her attack and to return to with a quick retreating step in her recovery.

Thrust. Twist. Recover.

[Soldier]

Colin walked around Ilista, correcting stance, grip, and thrust as he did. After he was satisfied as to the Sea Elf’s competence, he began the next drill. “Now we will learn the slash.” He took out his dagger and held it, blade up, the standard stance. TThrust the blade forward, then down to one side. Don't go too far or you will not be able to recover in time. Turn the blade toward your opponent, and cut up as you bring the blade back to your starting position. The idea is to make two rapid cutting motions, one going down and one coming back up. Now practice.” Just as before, Colin walked around Ilista as he called out, “SLASH! TURN! BACKSLASH! RECOVER! SLASH! TURN! BACKSLASH! RECOVER!”

[Ilista]

Ilista shifted as the lession progressed, she dug her booted feet until they touched securly upon the earth once again, the woody smell of the saw dust almost indistinguishable now. Her legs parted and body slightly croutched for the ready position Ilista had quickly gotten use to the weight of her gear but could feel her muscles and the begining of a gentle ache, her body use to neither the clothing and weapons, nor the way it was being told to move now. It was oddly a rather satisifying feeling.

Slowly her opened and closed her fingers loosening and tightening her grip uon the dagger pommel as Colin drew his own, her hands rose raising her blade and her gaurd. She watched as her eyes tried to visiulize his instructions matching them to his movements, "Thrust the blade forward, then down to one side. Don't go too far or you will not be able to recover in time. Turn the blade, and cut up, back to your starting position." She spoke softly to herself, she wasn't sure how he had made in so quick, but then that was what she would have to learn herself.

Ilistas' lip quirked in a self humoring smile she was puzzled, but not doubtful, as Colin has said the goal was to maketwo quick cuts, one down, one up, and keeping herself safe, it was just a two part slash, and most likely whoever beign attacked would be in pain to respond too quickly if her speed faltered. She had already been adding a twist to widen the wound, so instead of retreating, she would be taking the offense.

“SLASH! TURN! BACKSLASH! RECOVER! SLASH! TURN! BACKSLASH! RECOVER!”

llista lunged forward a step with her downward slash, her hand twisting the blade on Turn, blade being pulled up on Backslash, and taking step back into her ready position on Recover.

[Soldier]

“Very good,” Colin barked out. “We will practice one last technique before we break for a meal, the parry.” He pulled out his dagger and assumed the standard stance. “To learn this technique,” he began, “you need to understand the concept of ‘The Box’. The Box is an imaginary square that goes from the top of your head, down to your groin, and to the sides encompassing your arms. When defending yourself from attack, you must keep your blade point in this box. Always keep your weapon between you and your enemy. Don’t try elaborate hidden dagger type techniques. If you get fancy, you get killed. Keep it simple. When an attack comes in, counter with your own blade and redirect it to one side. Do not try to stop it dead, especially if your opponent is stronger than you are. That wastes energy that you will need elsewhere. Keep light on your feet and try to move out of the way. If the attack is coming in on your right, spring to your left and parry the blow to your right. If the attack comes in on your left, go the other way. If high, duck. If low, spring backward. Always parry to make sure you do not get hit.” As he was talking, the incredibly agile, though large Human was demonstrating exactly what he meant by ducking, weaving, and parrying in the air.

This time, as he watched Ilista, he carried his dagger unsheathed and used it to get her to parry his slow thrust and slash. All the while he called out “DODGE LEFT! DUCK! DUCK! SPRING BACK! DODGE LEFT! DODGE RIGHT!” in an unpredictable pattern, completely throwing off Ilista, who had expected a mesmerizing pattern.

[Ilista]

The parry, it had sounded so easy, but truly the woman should have known she was in trouble when she had to wait for Colin to explain to the sea maid, what exactly a box was, to begin with. She withheld her inquiry to what the square was getting a vague grasp of what the instructor meant, she mimic as he displayed the stance, her eyes on her blade point before moving it more towards her center as he spoke to keep the blade between her and her enemy. She knew nothing of hidden daggers, and in her usual garb, there was no where to hide anything, the self and body were open and bare of falsities and deception in such a manner was unheard of. As was the skill to get fancy, but the woman understood and showed as much with a nod of her head.

It sounded so odd, so complicated, it took the woman a moment to just make sense of some of the words. Even as she tried to understand, Colin was demonstrating, and for a large man, human or not he moved swiftly.

When he stood and Ilista stood crouched ready there was a moment she was uncertain what he wanted her to do before as before his voice called out however this time it was accompanied by naked steel blade , she was slow at first taken by surprise by the on coming blade, however slow coming and it was clumsily rerouted. Its aim deflected with the slide of her blade. Again he called out his command and as before his blade, slow but oncoming, a duck this time brought the palm of her freehand to the sawdust covered earth and made assistance with Colins’ nect command, her legs propelling her back when told to spring back dagger in other hand at the ready to deflect should he follow more aggressively show she take her eyes off of him. Dodge left, dodge right. She stumbled once, free hand going to the earth to stead her balance as she kept her eyes upon Colins blade. It was heard to know where her instructor came from and she was certain that indeed was the point and her lesson along with the parry.

[Soldier]

There was a break for a meal, and Colin led Ilista to the mess tent, a low tent with rows of benches and clusters of people scattered all over. After the meal, Colin herded his student outside. Colin gave a brief lecture about Warrior protocol, a brief history of the Fianna, and started looking at the sun regularly. Then he said, “It has now been an hour since you ate, so we will now do a little light exercise.” Herding the Sea Elf out of the compound, she found out that ‘light exercise’ to Colin meant a 2-mile run.

After the run, the new Warrior went through dagger practice. A course had been set up where they charge forward to a set of 6 wooden dummies. The first they thrust at, the second they slashed left, third was slash right, and the other three were for practicing defense. The rest of the afternoon was spent on the dagger drill. After that, the training for the day was over.

Ilista had the rest of the evening to herself and she was encouraged to enjoy it. The next day would be tougher. The Elf was shown back to her barracks, where her bunk mates were set up. Finally, Ilista saw her own people. Several Sea Elves and other aquatic people were already sitting on their bunks, preparing for bed. They turned to look curiously at the newcomer.

[Ilista]

They broke then for meal, and trailing after Colin, the sea elf followed the barbarian to a low tent filled with tables and people that crowded them. She followed the one who was her teacher as they retrieved food and ate, something the small woman in fact was quiet well versed at, enjoying the foreign food while in observation of those around them.

It was after the maid had cleared her plate that the warrior began speaking, of the ways of the Fianna Clan, and their history, it was a candle mark into the lecture when the tall man glanced to the sky and motioning her to rise and follow him with a remark of little, ‘light’ exercise.

That was an ordeal, even if she was better adapted to walking than a mermaid, and more use to it upon the surface and other thelyri she knew, the running was something new, at such a distance, her muscles were use to, with the additional unfamiliar weight and shifting of the strange clothing and weapons. Her lungs and gills worked, skin flushed and perspired, and finally, it was through.

Ilista huffed before slowing her breath and breathing a bit more quietly through her gills as she followed behind the human in a tired, but new respect to the land creature. She regarded the course with its stiff figures and her instructor again before she withdrew her dagger and worked through the course at Colins’ commands until finally the day was over.

Freedom was sweet, although her skin and muscles where sore, it was a sense of accomplishment, she would become skilled in the ways of surface combat, and with these skills she would be safe and could continue out her mission. Shown back to her barracks the woman wearily made her way inside and wished for nothing but to strip away her human trappings and sleep in the flowing waters and let them wash over her. As she stepped in there were others, faces of her own and familiar races from the mother sea that turned to see the new comer.

“Vedui.” Said the Telera she was too tired to be shy at such a time, and with careful glance, put her weapons in their place along the wall, and slowly began to remove her outer wear and fold them with care and place them within the wooden trunk until the lass was down to her binds and loin cloth and she sat back on her bed with a sigh before looking around again.

“Has any one heard of a Teleris called Elensar within these waters?”

[Soldier]

At 0500, a large Sea Elf male stormed into the barracks to wake everyone up…by banging loudly on pots and pans. The noise was enough to wake the dead, much less those who just thought they were. "TIME TO GET UP, RECRUITS!" the Elf yelled. "WE’RE BURNING DAYLIGHT. ROLLOUT OF THE SACK AND BE ON THE EXERCISE FIELD BY 0600! I WANT BEDS MADE, GEAR STOWED, AND YOU READY TO LEARN THE WEAPON OF YOUR CHOICE! MOVE IT! MAKE IT HAPPEN!"

[Ilista]

It was a shock, a jolt, the first night sleeping out of water was ended with jarring noises that were aliening, and well, loud. Bleary eyes blinked looking up as bodies moved, among the movement and noise, a voice spoke. In another time perhaps in her hazy waking state, she would have thought this, was the voice of the sea, the voice of a god, but that would have just been silly. What god shouts about an exercise field?

The Telera sat up slowly and touched her skin it felt dry and tight, but glancing she saw many were on their tasks of resettling their beds as they looked the night before. Looking up from her own the sea elf glanced at the Teleris, he was not hers, and so went back to making her bed as others did as well.

She did not understand this 0600 until a mer woman of auburn hair told her they had but a candle mark to settle their places gather their things and report to the field many of the seasoned members had their morning to a science, and after their beds were made their way to the river and those who had slept there, made their way out.

Bathed in rejuvenating waters the women dressed, gathered their weapons and headed to the field, Ilista among the second group to arrive hair damp and piled up, on time with a scant few moments to spare.

[Soldier]

The day began with a grueling set of exercises; push ups, sit ups, jumping jacks, crunches, and a run that seemed so long it made everyone wonder if the Sea Elf wanted them to eat lunch in Aelyria Prime. Then another turn through the dagger course (including another one-on-one session with Colin). Finally, a rest period came around, as well as a dip in the river and food. After breakfast, the Sea Elf had everyone back out on the field. “Alright recruits,” the as-yet-unnamed Elf called out, “it is now time to select the main weapon of your choice. As you can see…” He waved his hand around, “spread along the edge of the field are various stations were my assistants have set up practice dummies and tables of weapons. If you do not see the weapon you wish to learn, see me. Classes begin in one hour. Take your time.”

The weapons stations displayed included the sword, axe, bow, crossbow, morning star, dual dagger, staff, halberd, hammer, mace and spear.

[Ilista]

It was a shock although she was fit like many of the water born, exercise upon the surface was by far more stressful and she was beginning to think it had less to do with her not being use to it and more of the impact. She had never heard of, let alone seen these techniques called ‘push ups’, ‘sit ups’, or ‘jumping jacks’ while she was able to do what was asked such movements seemed like such a game until time marched on and her skin tickled with perspiration and muscles protested at these odd movements. By the end of the run Ilista felt the weight of her body pounding upon the earth with every step. It was difficult to lose one self as they can in the water their mind wandering or meditating under the silent count of the strokes of their arms, a mediation that brought such contentment, was not possibly in such exercise.

It was after that where the lessons learned the day before with her dagger were reviewed and despite the fatigue and the additional wave of exhaustion that followed was pleased to see Colin again, a familiar face again so soon was a pleasure. And then there was break.

Ilista was one of many that quickly shed her clothing at the riverbank and disappeared beneath the clear waters, letting the current and her weight carry her soothing her skin and muscles and cooling to a much more comfortable temperature. Food, strange still was not given the pleasure of visual stimulation but eaten with much hunger, despite her uncharacteristic curves, there was a willowy grace to her form, and a grace of her features but still the woman cleared her plate with a longing lick of her lower lip as the mer woman from before silently shook her head. It was for the best no doubt.

Walking back to the field with the rest of her bunk mates, the sea elf from the morning was there, and Ilista was faced with a dilemma her main weapon, the bow, or a halberd. The Halberd was probably her best choice due to it being a weapon that would not be an issue beneath the water, and it still kept the enemy at a distance. Despite her body being able to stand the pressures of the vastness of the sea, it translated into little of physical strength.

With unconscious sway the woman walked the field edge in leisure taking in the weapon stations until finally the halberd station came into view and the telera crossed to it, the halberd that had been a weight upon her back most the day came into focus once more as Ilista neared.

“Vedui.”

[Soldier]

The Sea Elf walked up to the table. He picked up a heavier version and said, “The basic position with the halberd is feet shoulder width apart, one foot a half step in front of the other. Point the head of the halberd toward your opponent. For defense, it is just like the dagger; keep the point inside ‘the box’. Concentrate on redirecting the incoming attack. Remember that you will almost always have the advantage in reach, so use it. Keep your opponent away from you, don't let him close in. If he gets past the head of the halberd, most of his troubles end and yours begin.” He faced off with each recruit and began to thrust with his own halberd.