Intermediate Dagger Training

[Viskyia Crow]

TS: Afternoon, First Cycle of Aperitus, Spring, Era XIII (pf)

Viskyia slipped into the clearing she'd started calling her own in The City Gardens of Nexus Prime. It was located near the boarder between the tame and wild gardens, on the tame side. It had a giant Satyr statue gracing one of its edges near a small pond that often had a water bird or two fishing its depths. She'd often came here to train, and it was in this first clearing she'd taught herself her first dagger moves. It was also the clearing she'd started teaching herself Shaasskah with Nydardomond. This place had many fond memories for her.

Her cousin Skylis had promised to meet her here. He had seemed adamant about furthering her education in dagger, and perhaps getting to know each other better. She was nervous and excited at the same time. Her Grandmother Meg had caught up with her at last, and sent one of her relatives to make sure she was okay. When Skylis discovered that she was teaching herself dagger, he’d insisted on continuing on her education. Skylis was a trained scout for her former Master, and dagger was one of his more interesting talents. She hadn’t known him very well when she lived back at the estate, his duties taking him multiple places and not to small world she existed within. But looking at him, she knew her father had used him as she had been used. His yellow eyes and his own ear brand gave him away. Even if they hadn’t been related, there would still have been a bond there because of that.

She'd hoped, through the course of the dagger training, that she'd get to know him a little better and perhaps understand her past a bit more. So she waited quietly, and sharpened her daggers, wondering what Skylis would have in store for her training.
She wandered the length of the clearing, nodded to the goat-man statue. She’d eventually have to learn what sort of creature he was, and sat down on the bench. She found her thoughts traveling to the bath house and her new friends there.

[Verus]

Like a shadow, Skyliss slipped through the gardens. Dressed in a simple brown tunic and trousers he blended into the surroundings without meaning to, a skill bred into him as a scout. Seeing his cousin sitting on a bench in the small clearing, the older elf approached her, only making his presence known when he sat down beside her.

”Good afternoon, Viskyia,” he greeted her, pulling her from the fond memories of the bathhouse that she was enjoying. ”How have you been?” Eyeing the dagger that she was sharpening, Skyliss wondered to what extent she was able to wield it. He knew she had been teaching herself how to wield it, but he did not know the true extent of her skill, then again, it was likely that even she did not know.

”Have you had much time to practice with your dagger?” He asked curiously once the initial greetings were out of the way. He knew that the father they shared was not aware of her whereabouts, but wanted desperately to find out. He wanted her back, and if and when the time came that he found her, it would be good for her to know how to protect herself. This was the main reason that her cousin had insisted on continuing her training.

[Viskyia Crow]

She had been lost in thoughts of the past and of how many questions she hadn't been able to answer in the bath that evening. When Skyliss sat down she was snapped back to the present, and she turned and looked at him with quiet acceptance in her eyes. Her cousin was an anomaly to her. Throughout her whole entire life, the only love she'd ever felt was the stern strictness of a worn elderly esh elf who showed her love by fiercely educating a slave girl and never telling her why. In the end, Meg and Viskyia had grown closer, and the truth of it had all came out in the very end. But it was a bittersweet revelation. She only found out the truth when she'd had to leave. And now Skyliss was here, someone she was used to seeing as Meg's shadow... now shadowing her. She had so many questions for him, but she never dared ask. She didn't know where he stood. She thought he was a Meg's creature, not Lord Kedrinus Laskinu Gha’Nalis'. But she couldn't be sure.

"I'm well. It's been a quiet day filled with work. How are you, cousin?" She asked, meeting his citrine gaze with her own. He was older, but the stamp of the Gha'Nalis family was strong on his features. Anyone passing by would see the obvious stamp of the family resemblance upon their features. It wasn't just the pale hair, the pale skin, but their eyes. There was a mystery to their eye color, and Viskyia longed to ask Skyliss if he remembered the ritual that changed them. She did, but only in ghostly images like a half remembered dream.

Then he asked her about her skill in dagger. She smiled a bit. That was the stoic man she remembered. His mindset was about weapons and security and uprooting the enemy. "I'm okay with it. I've taught myself a bit, but I'm no professional. You were always good with Dagger. I could use some further instruction. So far my sparring partner, hes a little bit like granite." She pointed at the satyr statue and grinned.

"How have you been? And how long are you staying? You know I'm doing alright. You've already sent word to her where I'm at, haven't you?" She turned, looked at him, and smiled kindly. She forgave him the roll of being a watchdog.

[Verus]

”I have been well,” was the simple answer that Skyliss voiced. He did not delve too deep into his daily routine, he told what needed to be told, and that was all. Listening as his cousin told him of her skills, Skyliss looked over to the statue that she pointed at. Regarding the statue, Skyliss wondered if she could actually protect herself with the dagger she owned. Had she actually gotten into any trouble and used it to help her? Or was all she had child like dreams of fighting a statue and thinking she could wield the dagger?

Before her cousin could voice his concerns thought, Vis started asking a torrent of questions. ”Yes. Meg knows you are here,” he told her. He had sent word near a cycle ago, so she would have received it by now. ”I am staying here until I am required elsewhere.” It might sound cold, but that was simply how he was. He worked for Meg, finding out what she needed to find out. When she needed him elsewhere he would pack his few things and leave.

With the questions answered and no more asked, Skyliss took this opportunity to voice his concerns. ”Have you only practiced against this statue? Or have you actually defended yourself against a living being?” He questioned her. Practice by ones self was all well and good, but she would not really know the extent of her ability without actually having to really and truly defend herself. It was in times like those that one was at their best.

[Viskyia Crow]

Darkness clouded her gaze for a moment, and she glanced down at her dagger. She looked back up at Skyliss, and nodded. "Yes. I've used it. I went to a strange tavern filled with rough sorts. It was a mistake, but I was with a friend who assured me things would go okay. A man... accosted me, and when he wouldn't be persuaded to release me, I... accidentally chopped off most of the fingers of his hand." She wished it had happened a different way. Sometimes, maiming someone was more horrible than actually killing them. It was a new experience to Viskyia, and she still wasn't sure how she felt about it. She wasn't a killer, and she wasn't even remotely a fighter. She was just a jeweler, and that meant more than anything to her. "If I'd had more control or experience, I'd have nicked him instead of taken his fingers off. It... still haunts me." She wondered if she should be admitting such a weakness. Probably not. She wasn't brought up to show emotion or invest in any sort of feelings. Such things were new to her since she'd come to Nexus Prime, and she was slow to warm to them. But since she'd been here, Viskyia had discovered a warm and generous nature inside herself. She had truly no desire to go back to the cold silent girl she'd been before her arrival here.

She said this all softly, looking at Skyliss. She knew he knew how to kill. As far as she knew, he had the dispassionate manner of the people of her birthplace. Though he was Meg's creature, she knew he was trained in many things, and better at some than others.

[Verus]

Listening as Viskyia told him of her encounter at the tavern, Skyliss lost himself in thought. He thought the whole idea of that memory haunting his cousin was foolish, she should not be learning to defend herself if she was not ready to actually defend herself. She should not feel bad about defending herself, whether that entailed cutting a man’s fingers off or killing him. Deciding to do something about this, Skyliss reached over and slipped Viskyia’s dagger from her grasp.

”What would you have done if you nicked the man and he didn’t even flinch?” He asked her. Then he emphasized his point. Quickly he cut across the back of his hand with Viskyia’s dagger. A shallow cut, but more then a nick. Blood ran immediately from the wound, but the wounded hand did not flinch a muscle and Skyliss’ eyes never left Viskyia’s. ”What would you do then? I can do that sober and it bothers me not. A drunken man would feel even less. He would also know you intend to hurt him and you would not have the advantage of surprise anymore.”

Pulling a handkerchief out of his pocket, Skyliss wiped his blood from Viskyia’s dagger before handing it back and binding his new wound. ”Never feel sorry about defending yourself. It makes you weak, if you try and spare an opponents life while he tries to kill you… you will surely lose,” he lectured her harshly.

Standing, Skyliss looked around the clearing that Vis had chosen. It was as good as any for her to train. ”We will start now. Some sparring. I’ll pull my blows, you pull yours. When you succeed at landing what would be a killing blow then we will be done,” he told her. Pulling a dagger out from the small of his back, Skyliss looked at it for a moment then stood there, relaxed and waited for his cousin.

[Viskyia Crow]

She wanted to open her mouth and protest. Viskyia wanted to say 'But he was just a drunk. He meant no harm. He just wanted someone on his lap, something he thought was pleasing to fill his hands with. There was no malice in the man's actions... only poor choices brought on by drink.' But when she opened her mouth to speak, she knew her cousin was right. Even she herself told herself over and over it would have been better to kill him than to maim him. Had she not pulled the blow that would have struck him down, resulting in his disfigurement? 'Shut up.' She told herself. 'Stop whining. No excuses. Listen to him. He's right. He's always been wise.' She closed her mouth as Skyliss drew his own blood. She glanced down at the wound, then back up into his eyes.

A year ago she'd never have met his gaze. Her head would have remained bowed, and she wouldn't have spoken to him unless he addressed her first. Things were different now. And Skyliss' message came through to her loud and clear. She nodded. "I understand." She said simply. Skyliss was a Gha’Nalis through and through. His father was Kedrinus' younger brother, an Esh that was killed in some mysterious manner long before Viskyia was born. She wondered what he had been like, and knew, like the rest of the servants, that the rumors said Kedrinus slew his brother. Is that why Meg had attached herself to him? He was another grandson, and old Esh tended to keep them close.

She bowed, removed her coat, and laid it on the bench near the Satyr. Then she took a nice wide-legged stance, gripped her dagger firmly, and watched him with all expression gone on her face. She knew he'd wait for her to make the first move, so she took a deep breath, told herself this wasn't Shaasskah, and flowed forward anyhow. Her feet were light, and her body still slightly warm from the run to the park. So, she came smoothly forward, slipped sideways slightly in a right-handed feign, and switched hands with the dagger suddenly. Then she used a vertical slash attack with her left, coming from the bottom upwards, trying to catch him unaware.

[Verus]

Skyliss was glad that his cousin had accepted his message. Maybe she did not realize it, but that man would no longer trouble her, and any who had seen her take the man’s fingers would have a hard second thought before bothering her. It was better then if she had given into the man’s perverted wants, then every man in that tavern would think they could do it as well.

Watching as Viskyia stood up and took her coat off, he still did not assume any stance. He still stood, straight up, the dagger held in a relaxed position by his thigh. Even as his cousin fell into her stance and charged, Skyliss stood there. Watching his cousin come at him he waited, not budging a muscle, just… waiting.

He watched as the dagger wielding right hand came towards him and prepared to move, bending his legs only a tad he caught the toss. Now the dagger was coming up from the left. Only when his cousin would not have enough time to change her action did Skyliss act. A simple maneuver, taking a large step to the left he evaded the slash, and let himself fall into his relaxed state again.

He did not strike back, though he could easily have. No, only evaded for a reason. He wanted to find out if his cousin was quick to anger, and from experience, Skyliss knew a man who could not get a hold of his opponent was easily infuriated.

[Viskyia Crow]

She didn't realize it, but the Zinn'ka training had done a great deal for her. Before the Zinn'ka, she'd jerk herself to a halt and try another attack, probably awkwardly. But now, there was a rhythm inside of her, a cadence she ran to, she breathed to, she fought to. It was the type of motion that easily converted from one attack to another in a flow that was designed to keep a body moving and the mind sharp. The only difference was, there was cold dwarven steel in her hand, and it felt odd to her. Lately, the sparring she'd done was with her bare fists. It was more difficult to use the dagger, because it felt alien and not part of her like her fists did. The dagger made that motion a bit odd, as if she wasn't quite sure what to do with the device that was so out of context with what she was used to doing. She'd definitely have to change her mindset to be successful with her cousin.

She followed through with her initial movement, whirling around, and trying an horizontal slash across his chest, turning sideways as she came around to face him again. The motion of turning sideways kept her profile sleek and gave him less of a target should he chose to strike. And allowed her clearance to bring the dagger across his chest. Internally, she told herself to keep her dagger moving, to keep her body connected to her mind... to dwell in her whole form, not just in her head.

If he indeed was waiting for her frustration and anger, it would be slow in coming. She was, as he was, a Gha’Nalis. Falling back into the thinking of the bloodline was second nature to her. Emotions served no purpose growing up. There had been no love, no laughter, no mirth. There also had been no sorrow, no longing, no hope for something better. Her existence just was. And she accepted that. Just as she accepted her cousin being here, sparring. She'd spar with him without complaint until he called a halt or as he'd stated, she landed a killing blow. It would be a long day, she decided, as she controlled her body through the move.

[Verus]

It was unexpected that his cousin was able to shift and launch another attack with tripping and falling on her face. Hastily, Skyliss jumped backwards out of Viskyia’s, and fell into his stance. Playing cat and mouse might not be the best thing; Viskyia had some training with more then her dagger.

Holding his dagger up in front of him, Skyliss watched his cousin’s fluid and graceful movements. She had received some training in Zin’Ka. No matter who you were, you did not learn to move like that while playing with a dagger against a statue. ”What style?” He questioned her, ever watching for the next attack. He knew she was trained, but in what style he was unaware. The fact that she had some hand-to-hand training should please Meg, as to what style was more for Skyliss’ own curiosity.

Before the question was asked, Skyliss made his move. Changing from defensive to offensive, he moved swiftly towards his cousin. With her standing side on, he moved forward in an arc that would take him around to meeting Viskyia head on. With the dagger in his right, he moved forwards in a slashing motion, his slash aimed towards his cousin’s chest. But at the last moment he changed it to the same trick that Viskyia had played, only on a more difficult level.

Releasing his dagger, he crouched, still on the move he let the dagger fall down until it was caught in his lower left hand. With his right free to catch any attempt that Vis might try to end their match, he continued on altering his direction slightly to pass right beside his cousin he brought the dagger up to where it would give Vis a gaping wound across her side if she did not act fast.

[Viskyia Crow]

She'd never quite appreciated Skylis before. But now, sparring like this, they moved like dancers and there was a satisfaction in the dance. Though taller, and stronger, he moved with the same fluid grace she did. And in the dance, they were something other than half-elves, something more predatory. She almost smiled, though she knew the sentiment wouldn't be welcome. She didn't mind that it was with steel and there was no music, and the intention was a test of her training. It was still enjoyable.

Perhaps she could turn it into something of a lesson. After all, she knew what Skylis was about. This was his way of interviewing her. A normal person would have simply asked 'Hows your training going?' But this was her cousin, just as much a product of the stifling upbringing of the Esh Estate outside of Vortex as she was. Instead of words, he asked with his body, and judged the result for himself by how much blood he could draw through her carelessness. There was no room for failure.

The move he tried delighted her. Some part of her mind started reviewing it over and over and over, because it was so much more sophisticated and smoothly executed than the one she'd tried. The arch was beautiful, so was the gravity enhanced dagger pass from one hand to another. She would have avoided him, if she hadn't already had her knee half lifted for a block kick to take the weapon out of his hand. It put her weight off as she had to quell her instinct and force her leg back down to concentrate on JUST working dagger. She did it so fast, it happened in a heartbeat, but it was enough to throw her off balance and make getting out of Skylis' way difficult. She cursed her stupidity inwardly, which distracted her when the dagger was brought up, and though she inhaled and surged backward gracelessly, the dagger still bit lightly into her, drawing first blood.

To her credit, she didn't flinch or halt. She retreated enough to regroup, ignoring the painfull kiss of steel. She firmly told her feet to stop, and said without hesitation "Shaasskah". Then she handed her dagger to her right hand, which was her prominent one, and started forward, in a powerful motion she met his gaze, and without looking where she was going to strike, she punched the dagger forward, aiming it towards his midsection, and the soft vulnerable tissue there. She knew he could easily dart aside, but she'd keep coming wanting to prove to him that she could take a simple wound and not let it get to her.
.

[Verus]

The block that Viskyia had started was turned useless as Skyliss’ dagger dropped to his free hand. The slash that Skyliss’ had sent towards his cousin’s side would have been a nasty wound, but at the last second, he had bent his wrist leaving only a shallow cut that did little more then bring a small amount of blood to the surface.

First blood was drawn and there was a lull in the sparring match, albeit a short one. In the short pause, Vis answered the question that Skyliss had posed. Shaasskah. That small bit of information helped Skyliss more then Vis knew it. He could now adjust his fighting to help him counter her hand-to-hand experience. From what Skyliss knew about shaasskah, it involved mainly kicks and punches. If he closed the gap and fought closely, he could eliminate some of the power that his cousin could put behind such attacks.

Then it was on again. Viskyia came forwards once more. Shifting her dagger to her right hand, Skyliss could tell that she was better with that hand. It was only normal for a new fighter to favor one hand; over time they became good with both though. With his cousin favoring her right hand, Skyliss would have the advantage id he stayed to her left.

Watching as she came forwards, Skyliss did the unexpected. Standing there he waited, the easiest course of action would be to sidestep the simple thrust, but Skyliss had something else in mind. Waiting until the right moment, he stepped forwards closing the gap and preventing her from kicking out at him. Tossing his dagger to his right hand while he stepped forwards, he brought an open left hand up and pushed at her knife hand elbow with enough force to twist her body.

Simultaneously, the more experienced combatant brought his dagger low under Vis’ arms. Coming around in a hook he aimed his own thrust at Viskyia’s midsection, only at the last moment he twisted his wrist, dealing his cousin a hard punch to the stomach rather then a knife blade in her ribs.

It was a fatal strike and the match was over. Stepping back, Skyliss relaxed his stance and allowed his cousin to catch her breath. Stepping in beside her, he lifted her shirt a bit and peered at the wound he had given her. Satisfied that it was only a graze, Skyliss let the shirt go and stood back. ”You did not do too bad Viskyia. A couple mistakes, but we can fix that easily. Have you learned anything?” He questioned her. There were two main mistakes that Viskyia had made. Neither of them could really be called mistakes though. One had been caused by her trust and family ties to Skyliss, the other might be blamed on eagerness.

[Viskyia Crow]

She stood there watching her cousin as he called a halt to the match. She hadn't expected him to repeat the same move she'd tried on him right back at her, and then to accomplish it with such finesse. Her stomach burned where the punch hit, though she'd instinctually clenched her stomach muscles at the last moment to absorb some of the force. Luckily that stomach wasn't flabby. It was hard from hours upon hours of running the fat off herself that seemed to accumulate leaning over a work bench peering at objects too small to see clearly with her naked eyes. She still blinked at the pain, doing her best to ignore the sharp hard blow.

She didn't even flinch when he lifted her shirt. The inspection was impersonal and she knew it for what it was. Besides, it was clear to her at this moment, that Skylis was the better fighter, and had a great deal to teach. She'd accept such handling in the name of bettering her skills.

"Yes, I have learned a thing or two in the last few moments. And yes, I have made mistakes." She answered truthfully. Almost outside herself, she wondered if her mistakes angered. "I am trying out-think the move, when I should be letting my body follow through. I'm trying to separate out one style from another, when I should be making them both my own. My hesitation left me vulnerable. I also tried the difficult task of switching hands back and forth without having the foresight to practice the move until it became second nature. Your technique doing so indicates its as part of you as your breathing. "

Then she paused to see if that was what her cousin was looking for in terms of answers.

[Verus]

”Without trying to switch hands, you wont get any better at it,” Skyliss told Viskyia solemnly. He was actually impressed with her attempt, it had not been as fancy as his, but he was impressed that she did not fumble or simply drop the dagger with her limited training.

She was right no her other observation though. She needed to concentrate more on combining her knowledge of dagger and shaasskah and make it her own. She would become more skilled that way. ”Yes, if you are able to combine your two styles, you’ll have the advantage in a fight.”

Stepping away from his cousin, Skyliss fell into his stance once more. ”I want you to try and beat me again. This time don’t rush in. Your headstrong… likely you get it from your mother. Anyways, wait for an opening to strike, or make an opening yourself. Combine your moves, some feints and a couple shaasskah strikes. It may look fancy, but it can confuse your enemy, make them give you an opening and all you have to do is take advantage of it. Now, try again,” with the instructions given. Skyliss waited patiently; once more he stood on the defensive, waiting for Viskyia to come to him.

[Viskyia Crow]

She nodded with what he was saying. That definitely was her problem. She'd trained far more in Shaasskah than she had in dagger, and it was hard to suppress the zinn'ka in favor of the dagger. It hadn't occurred to her that they could both be used at the same time, and in the training of the dagger as well. She stood quietly, on the balls of her feet as he spoke, listening quietly until he mentioned her mother.

Then, her eyes widened, and she took a breath to speak, breaking her contemplative listening breath. "You knew my mother? What was she like? How did you know her?" She asked abruptly, hungry for any knowledge of her mother. For all that she knew, her mother was just another of the human slaves that Kedrinus used for a time and threw away.

Then he told her to move forward, to come at him again. She was standing before him, but not within easy striking distance. Also, he was waiting for a strike, for her to move forward. She knew Skylis well enough to know he'd answer her questions eventually, but right now the training was the priority. So, she attacked him as she would Nydardomond... to get rid of the advantage he had over her in size and strength. She didn't give him any clue, but locked her yellow eyes with his own and simply dropped to the ground. She had practiced the move hours upon hours, and for her leg sweeps were as easy as breathing. She slumped straight down, a controlled fall, and swept her legs out, not loosening her grip on the dagger as she aimed to bring him down. Regardless of if he went down or not; if he was startled or not, she'd turn her sweep into a forward lunge at his knee level, slicing the dagger across them, regathering her feet under her and remaining in a crouch. Her breath was calm, unexcited, focused. She used it to her advantage, waiting to exhale for the slice horizontally across the plain of his legs.