[META BATT] Guard (Keionx + Cerpin)

[Yamashii]

the most important place to armor is the heart

 

[Yamashii]

He knew she was around here somewhere. The question was, under what name? What disguise? The best way to seek her out would likely be to search for trolls hanging around the military armory trying to sneak a peek. Cerpin knew Keionx had been working on that idea for the swamp for a while now.

There she was. That height and the way she walked, it had to be Keionx. He'd studied her movements to learn her fighting techniques long enough to be able to pick her out of a crowd.

"Long time no see." Cerpin waved to the orangeblood with a crooked smile. It was good to see her. He needed a friendly face after some of the recent disasters he'd been through. Focusing his mind on a blade might give him some clarity.

"Got time for a lesson? I think I'm getting rusty without you."

DraconicFeline

 

[DraconicFeline]

The military armory - as a volunteer, she couldn't really get to it easily. And she knew she shouldn't, not as Rutaca. That sniffnode had to remain clean, otherwise the story... the narrative... wouldn't work.

Rutaca, as a character, did not seek out trouble - she found it, dealt with it, told people the story, and then studied science stuff.

But Keionx was not Rutaca, and she managed to slip away to see the weapons. They were all that was promised - gleaming examples of high-grade craftmanship - beautiful works of weaponry. Oh, the balance of those weapons - she bet that if she held one, it would fit her hand as if made for it.

The Initiative could use these... she thought, staring avariciously at them, I want these...

But no, she was not a thief. She did not steal. If things were leftover, of course she spirited them away. Information, she took and deleted.

But she did not steal. She did not... Or did she? Would it not be just and right to arm those who would fight the mighty beast that was the military?

Keionx, no. She admonished herself. She had morals to uphold - she could not lose them, or she would tarnish her very being...

She turned at a familiar voice, a very un-Rutaca-like grin "Good eve!" she greeted him fondly. She was holding back - she had to hold back a lot. Such were the problems around minding a disguise. And yet, there he was - Cerpin, her student, in all his dashing glory, as clear as the moons.

"'Tis good to see thee as well," As far as she could tell, there wasn't anyone important around, "Mine student - how hast thou been doing?" In his quest - his and tevinis - to touch the very stars.

Probably well. Both of her students were very capable and intelligent (and the third was proving to have that same mettle as well...) She hoped to hear more of it soon. In the meantime, though...

Her grin grew wider. "Dost thou knowest - I twas just athinking upon combat moves to run thee through! Tis very coincidental..." She looked around them, alert like a sky-striking beast.

"Lets find somewhere we can truly stretch our legs."

~~~

An open space away from too-interested prying eyes. It was just dangerous enough to be tantalizing - and to need to be aware of what they said outloud. But it was a good space, with good traction, meant for sparring and training. Not like her training meadow, with its scarred trees and stable ground.

But it would do.

Keionx stretched, enjoying the fabric that, as Rutaca, she got to really enjoy. It wasn't armor, but it was nice. "Art thou ready?" she asked - and then she asked it in the universal language of the blade, coming in for the attack.

She trusted him to be ready.

Quote:

Keionx
HP: 20/20

Damage taken: -
Damage dealt: 4

Military Grade Weapon: 1d6+1

Shield - Adept Defense B Artifact: Nullify 2/2

---

yamashii

 

[Yamashii]

Quote:

HP: 16/20
Damage: 4
Military Grade Weapon

"I'm always ready." Cerpin gave his teacher a polite bow of the head before she was suddenly attacking upon him and he tensed up. Her strikes were the right combination of swift and strong to push him backwards and he barely managed to block her blade from cutting through his face. Pressing his strength back into his sword, he stepped to the side and broke contact between the blades to get some room to swing again. He didn't have speed on his side, just pure power.

Charging back in at her, he swung hard and aimed for her dominant shoulder. He was not going to hesitate tonight. He wanted to force his teacher to give it her all. Practice against the daywalkers that roamed the ships had helped polish his skills some. How would he fare against his master now?

"Take this!" He swallowed, vaguely thinking of another orangeblood he knew stuck in the medic bay. A yellowblood with blood dripping from his eyes and nose. Cerpin needed to get stronger. He knew what he was fighting for now. He needed the power to protect.

DraconicFeline

 

[DraconicFeline]

It was a good move - Cerpin's determination took Keionx by surprise. He took his training seriously, but there was usually also an element of play to him. What, then caused the gleam in his eye as he struck her? What, then, gave him those serious creases in his face?

As others might say, Keionx turned it 'up a notch.' If the style he wished for was brute force, then she would give him a wall - she came at him with her shield, a living battering ram.

Quote:

Keionx
HP: 16/20

Damage taken: 4
Damage dealt: 4

Military Grade Weapon: 1d6+1

Shield - Adept Defense B Artifact: Nullify 2/2

---

yamashii

 

[Yamashii]

Quote:

HP: 12/20
Damage: 3
Military Grade Weapon

"Nnh-" Cerpin grunted as he steeled himself for the impact from her battering ram. He knew he was not fast enough to dodge it completely and opted instead to take the attack and deflect it where he wanted her to move. Rolling his body once the impact hit him, he redirected her momentum to keep going and tried to hit her from behind where she had less protection. Kind of a dirty way to fight but he'd take any opportunity he could get. Cerpin was not above cheap tricks.

"Damn, that thing hurts." He stepped back, rubbing at his shoulder. His bad leg ached from taking too much stress from the hit from the shield but he ignored it for now. In a real fight, his previous injuries would hurt and there wouldn't be time outs to heal up. He had to get used to this kind of reality.

DraconicFeline

 

[DraconicFeline]

Quote:

Keionx
HP: 13/20

Damage taken: 3
Damage dealt: 2

Military Grade Weapon: 1d6+1

Shield - Adept Defense B Artifact: Nullify 2/2

---

... and that was, indeed, the problem with a shield, and the reason why armor was worn. She grunted in pain... and in achknowledgement of his strategy. Cheap tricks were part and parcel of fighting - just because she fought fair didn't mean that fair meant the same thing for everyone.

She had learned a lot from teaching Cerpin - that was the give and take of teaching, at its finest.

"Then make it hurt more." she commented, moving in on the offensive to strike him.

yamashii

 

[Yamashii]

Quote:

HP: 10/20
Damage: 7
Military Grade Weapon

"Oh don't taunt me-" Cerpin's tone was playful but there was a hint of warning in it. He took the strike head on before grabbing at her weapon and forcefully yanking on it. It cut up his hands but it got her into the position he wanted so he could attempt a full force body slam on his mentor. If he could knock her to the ground, it would give him a great advantage. Keionx was much speedier than he was.

"It's been a rough week and there's plenty of pain to vent out if you put it like that!" He swung his blade at her without mercy, his mind lost in the mixture of memories of Aerona, Sascha and the daywalkers. He had a lot of turbulent emotions in him spurring him on to hit as hard as he could.

DraconicFeline

 

[DraconicFeline]

Quote:

Keionx
HP: 6/20

Damage taken: 7
Damage dealt: 0

Military Grade Weapon: 1d6+1

Shield - Adept Defense B Artifact: Nullify 2/2

---

This was a trick he hadn't tried before - it took Keionx by surprise as she held onto her sword and gave him the perfect opening. Keionx reacted, landing on her own terms instead of flat on her back, but it was still a vulnerable position, one that Cerpin's merciless strikes took advantage of with ferocity.

It was all Keionx could do to bring up her shield, hold onto her things, and get out of the situation. She scrambled to her feet again, bleeding now quite a bit."Thou... werst not kidding, I see," she murmured, "and took mine advice." Too well, perhaps. But this was part of training, was it not? To be struck and injured and stand back up again to strike again?

She would have to keep up with that move in the future. But for now, her eyes blazed - this was a lesson that was now on both. She must bounce back - and must also teach him anew. Teach, learn, and teach again - she would uphold her end of the cycle.

yamashii