Portraits in Violence (Mehrin's Combat Assessment) (Attn: Roan)

[Quibby]

You're worried. Why?

This could go so badly...

The Deathwatch chuckled. For whom? You? Or her?

Either way is bad for us.

Mehrin had spent an inordinate amount of time worrying about this assessment spar. He had been granted the rank of Gaidin, but that did not mean that he necessarily deserved it. It had been twenty years; he was certain to have lost some of what he had known. What worried him more was what might happen if things turned in his favor. Even twenty years could not possibly dull that instinct, the one that told him to push every single advantage that was given to him. If he struck a solid blow, what would stop him from going after that next one, or the one after that? He did not want to start hurting people in the Yard again. The Yellows did not appreciate that.

Reaching the spot where he had been told to meet the Gaidar Captain, Mehrin set about getting ready. He quickly checked both weapons that he had brought: his actual flamberge, which was in perfect condition, and the training weapon that he had built to simulate it. He had spent quite a bit of time padding the weapon so that any of his attacks would not actually cause lasting injury. This meant that the blade, the crescent spikes, the crossguard, and the pommel were all encased in wool and covered with leather. The end result was a monstrosity that weighed quite a bit more than his actual sword and looked ridiculous. To complete the look, he also had a pair of padded gloves that he would wear; there was no point in padding the weapon when a punch landed while holding the hilt would cause just as much damage.

He quickly removed the light jacket that he had worn to the Yard, leaving him wearing a leather vest and black breeches, his usual practice gear, and began a slow circuit with the practice sword, smoothly moving between various guards. As always, the Deathwatch fell silent and began moving with him, their shared hands on the hilt of the sword. With each pass, the tension and worry in his mind began to fade. It became less and less important what the Captain would think; what would happen, would happen. All that he thought about was just how fun this could be.

[Roan]

As Gaidar Captain, Riahana was the officer in charge of those Gaidin and Gaidar who were not bonded. She was one of the three key leaders for the Warder Yards, and one of key people who conducted evaluations on those who already had some weapons training. Most often, such evaluations were done for those who joined the learning ranks, but today was different. Today, Riahana Ferria, Gaidar Captain, would be evaluating Mehrin Mahrvon Gaidin, a man she fought along side during the Border Patrol ambush not all that long ago.

The Gaidin's weapon of choice was a fierce looking, two-handed blade called a flamberge. Like all two-handed swords, it was a beast to wield with a disadvantage in speed that it could more than make up for in damage when a blow might land. Riahana had little experience with such weapons, though was familiar with the fighting style they required. You could not use such a weapon and not take advantage of any opening given you, thus dirty fighting went hand in hand with the great sword Mehrin Gaidin liked to wield.

The Gaidar Captain bore witness to how fierce a fighter Mehrin was during their patrol of the Blight together. She didn't have time to watch every move or critique him, as she had her own battles to fight, and she still hadn't managed to come away from the ruckus uninjured. She'd seen enough to know that today's evaluation would prove interesting. She did not doubt her skill with her saber-like blade, especially when combined with her footwork, but she was not one to over-estimate her skills, or allow herself to under-estimate those she faced in battle. . .even if it was only within a sparring arena.

Having gone through her usual morning routine, Riahana still wore her riding boots over her black breaches. The hood of her fancloak was down, and as the wind played with the fabric, it revealed the hint of dark blue underneath. As she approached the sparing arena, Ria watched Mehrin as she untied the cloak and folded it over the rack of practice swords. She then swapped out her actual blade for the practice sword she often used when working with those wishing to improve their skill with the sword forms.

Moving so that she was in front of him, Ria adjusted the scabbard of the practice blade so that it hung properly at her hip. The Void began to settle around her as she prepared herself for the evaluation session, knowing full well it would likely not be at all predictable. "Gaidin Mehrin," she addressed him with a warm tone, "As I am sure you are aware, I've been tasked with evaluating your skill with your weapon of choice. This is mostly a formality, as you have already shown yourself more than capable of wielding your Flamberge well enough to dispatch the enemy before he manages to dispatch you. Ultimately, we just want to make sure it stays that way." She allowed a small smirk, "And. . .if I were honest, I would also have to admit a curiosity as to how our fighting styles play off of each other."

Ria tilted her head ever so slightly, "Most of those I have faced have worked with one handed blades, and I know how to best use my footwork and forms to my advantage in such circumstances. I am curious how it will play out here. Unlike other evaluations, I will not offer critique during the spar. The match will be a two out of three match. . .the first two kill shots take the win. Once we are done, if I have advice to offer with regards to improvement, I will impart my wisdom. Does this sound fair?"

[Quibby]

As Captain Ferria spoke, Mehrin paid attention. Her demeanor was professional, yet friendly, as if she had done this sort of thing before; Mehrin was certain that she had done so. Her personal interest in the spar, though, was rare. At the White Tower, he had been viewed more as uncouth and inelegant than as something to learn from.

The Deathwatch, on the other hand, was examining her. Her stance, the position of her weapon, even how her eyes were focused, it looked for clues in all of it. Sometimes, having another person in his head was useful.

"Best two of three, advice to follow. Sounds fair enough." Shifting his stance to fully face Captain Ferria, Mehrin lifted his weapon in his right hand, offering a salute. Captain Ferria returned the salute. "Best of luck, Captain," Mehrin said with a small smile and a nod. Captain Farria moved to assume some guard or another. Mehrin didn't wait long enough to see what it was. As his weapon was descending from the salute, he was already stepping forward, his long blade swinging a wide arc towards the Captain's midriff. She was not caught as flat-footed as Mehrin had hoped, stepping nimbly away from the wild strike. Instead of bringing his weapon back to guard, however, he carried the cut through and twisted it into a heavy downward chop. He knew that it would miss, even before the Captain stepped out of range to avoid the crashing blow that threw dust and small bits of debris up from the impact. It had accomplished his goal, however: the Captain was now well outside his range, giving him room to start working. It was a trick that would only work once, however. Offering the Captain a quick grin, Mehrin began a slow stalk towards her, his weapon held at an angled guard from his right hip across his left shoulder.

Don't run yourself ragged yet.

Chasing after her now is a bad idea.

Are we thinking alike again?

Always. And shut up.

[Roan]

The Gaidar Captain knew coming into this particular evaluation that it would be quite different from any other spar or evaluation she'd faced in the yard thus far. She'd worked with opponents who used shields, daggers, or other tools in their off hand, and appreciated the challenge of adjusting to the different style. She had confidence in her blade and footwork against most she faced in the yards. Ji'alantin Prewtez had been working hard to up his skill, and she had a sneaking suspicion that he had improved to a point where they might be more evenly matched. Secretly, she looked forward to sparring with him again, to see how far he'd come.

Today, at this very moment, though, Ria had a different challenge in front of her. The man saluted, but barely paused for hers as he launched into his initial attack. Ria settled into The Leaf Floating on the Breeze, which was a horizontal guard that gave her flexibility in how she proceeded. Given Mehrin's fast attack, she used the horizontal guard from a defensive posture, though found she could easily step away from his first strike. It was not lost on her the force by which his practice blade smashed into the ground. She wondered what Gareth would think if his wife came in requiring his healing touch thanks to an evaluation spar.

Pushing the distracting thought to the back of her mind, Ria returned to a middle guard with The Kingfisher Watches the Sky. Yes, the Gaidar Captain could initiate the next attack, but she wanted to see what the Gaidin would do. . .how he would try and press advantage. They had plenty of time for her to counter and press forward with her own attack. Staying light on her feet, with her eyes on her opponent, Ria couldn't help but wonder what might come next.

[Quibby]

Mehrin did not recognize the form, but he did recognize the eyes: the captain had chosen her stance and was waiting for him to engage. Let's not disappoint, then...

The flamberge spun smoothly in Mehrin's hands, his grip shifting so that his left hand held the handle of the sword, while his right hand slid down to the leather band between the blade and the hilt, the blade pointing down and to his right, the point angled slightly behind him. His pace increased from a stalk to a near jog as he approached. Captain Ferria was set to defend; this would be interesting.

Mehrin's blade swung up in a diagonal slash meant to take the captain at her left hip, a strike she defended easily. And a strike that Mehrin did not fully commit to. He was already pulling the strike short when their blades touched. Taking a quick step closer to tower over the captain, Mehrin drove his left fist wrapped around the hilt of his sword downward towards her head. He doubted it would land, but would make a quick end to things.

OOC: I'm not sure how much dodging and ducking I'm allowed to do with Ria, so there's that. Just let me know what I am and am not allowed to do.

[Roan]

The Void kept Riahana focused on the spar, letting extraneous thoughts drop away while keeping other distractions at bay. Emotional detachment was often hard for those in the Yard to master, at least initially, but it was crucial to hold on to while in the heat of a fight. Let your opponent goad you into making an emotional response, and more often than not, it could cost you. It was one of many reasons Master Ives drilled the concept of the Flame and Void into Riahana until she could call upon it without a second thought.

Through the Void induced focus, Riahana watched as Mehrin approached, noting how he held the blade, and what the trunk of his body was doing as he closed distance. As his blade came up, she easily parried the strike with the flat of her blade, though she realized there was no follow through from the weapon as the man stepped in, his frame standing two full hands over her own height. With the man's two-handed flamberge, standing toe to toe with Ria meant she was inside his guard, but he was also within hers. The Gaidin's fighting style was flexible, in that he wasn't beholden to solely striking with the sword.

The flamberge, by its very nature, changed the dynamics of the fight to a degree or so thanks to the sinuous shape of the blade. With most swords, Ria could easily maneuver her own blade so that she could either fully bind his blade, or just keep contact to initiate The Lightning Strikes the Oak in an attempt to leverage the tip of her own blade up towards his neck while she side stepped to place a leg behind him, and use his own leverage against him. The shape of Mehrin's own blade made the move difficult, slowing down the Gaidar Captain's weapon, and eating up time when time was always precious and losing a fraction of a second could mean life or death. . .or perhaps consciousness or unconsciousness in this instance.

Being skilled with the sword meant more than knowing forms, and transitioning from one form to another as smoothly as possible. Footwork was also a critical component of the martial art, and it was not unheard of for those who hoped to become experts, or even earn the right to mark their blades with the Heron, to take dance classes. Ria had not resorted to dance lessons, but she had focused on footwork early on in her training. Between that, and the excellent physical condition expected of anyone who wore the Fancloak, Ria tended to have quick reflexes and could adjust to a situation quickly.

While her sword wasn't completely bound, disengaging was difficult, and her more immediate threat was the fist and hilt of the sword that would deliver her to a temporary oblivion if she wasn't careful. All the hours training in the Yards, whether working on her own or sparring honed her reaction time, and instincts. She pivoted on her right foot to bare her shoulder and side to him as she ducked the blow, and disengaged her blade from his while stepping to the left in an effort to gain distance.

The Gaidar Captain knew this would be unlike any other evaluation or spar she'd been involved with, and she knew she'd need to rely on more than just sword forms and footwork. She would likely need to improvise to some degree. . .engaging with someone who 'fought dirty' meant being willing to do the same. As she stepped aside to gain distance, Ria kept her right foot outstretched as she moved weight to her back (left foot). She moved the hilt of her sword upwards such that she looked at Mehrin over the hilt of her sword while the point was angled slightly downward, all part of The Ox Lowers His Horns.

Ria didn't stay in the form long, not wanting to give too much space to Mehrin and his practice sword. She sprung from her stance, her blade going from her shoulder height as she stabbed and struck downward at Mehrin's abdomen, as she transitioned from her guard stance to [/i]The Kingfisher Take a Silverback[/i].

[Quibby]

Ha! I know that one! the Deathwatch laughed as Mehrin parried The Kingfisher Takes a Silverback to his left. Continuing the motion, Mehrin raised the hilt of the flamberge and thrust it forward along the parry. He felt the cross guard drag across Captain Ferria's shirt, but it did not catch anything before she pivoted away from the attempted hooking. Smoothly, Mehrin followed the pivot, keeping himself close and squared with the captain. He wasted no time in reversing the motion of his sword in an attempt to strike the captain's face with the pommel. Again, Captain Ferria slid around the blow, his hand brushing against her ear as the blow missed to her right as she stepped behind Mehrin's right shoulder. She's good on her feet, the Deathwatch muttered while Mehrin tried again to strike the captain in the head, this time with his elbow as he pivoted to square himself against her once more. As he came about, Mehrin drove one of the points of the crescent spikes towards the captain's face while driving his heel down in an attempt to cripple her long enough to get in the winning strike. This woman must be an amazing dancer, Mehrin thought as she sidestepped the stomp and slid under the flamberge and towards Mehrin's left. Reactions honed for decades pulled the hilt of Mehrin's sword down to his waist to defend any potential counterattack before he tried to hook the captain again, this time with one of the crescent spikes. This time, the hook caught, allowing him to throw Captain Ferria off-balance.

Or it would have thrown her off-balance if she had been less skilled. Instead, she turned the momentum of the attack into a graceful step into another guard a couple steps away from him.

The whole exchange had lasted less than four seconds.

You're going to have to get her off the ground if you want any of that to work; her footwork is too good, the Deathwatch said.

Got any ideas for that?

You could let me try...

No.

[Roan]

Most of Ria's days in the Yards were spent working with Drin' and Ji' who hoped to learn the blade or bow. From time to time, she was afforded a chance to spar against someone who had experience, and she relished those moments, as they helped her stay sharp. Mehrin Gaidin had a very different fighting style to most she faced in the Yards, and she had to work to avoid the blows he tried to land. There were a few close calls in their most recent exchange, but she managed to come out of it with nothing more than a scraped ear.

Relying on her footwork to avoid the worst of the last hook, Ria stepped back to gain distance, and then moved into The Swallow Glides to the Branch. With her blade held diagonally across her body, and the tip of the sword pointed towards the Gaidin, she moved towards him, and transitioned into The Swallow Takes Flight without hesitation. She used the diagonal slash towards him to allow her to then thrust her practice blade towards him.

If she did her job right, the blow would land just above his abdomen, but Ria knew he wouldn't leave it at that, and prepared herself for his counter attack. Sweat trickled down her temples, and there was an unmistakable sheen over the Gaidar Captain's forehead. She knew this was not going to be a typical evaluation spar, and Mehrin did not disappoint. She knew what her strengths were, and aside from footwork, stamina was one of them. It was not lost on her that he was matching her step for step, blow for blow. She was curious to see how it would play out.

[Quibby]

After the brief exchange, Mehrin had been concerned that Captain Ferria would take time to work around the edges of reach. While it was certainly true that he had the reach to strike her before she could get close enough to be a threat, that almost never worked outside of a proper melee, where the various two-handed swords had their chance to show their power. The Captain's choice to actually engage him closely again was a welcome offering.

The diagonal slice she led with was obviously meant to lead into something. Don't- The angle of the attack began to change, a thrust of some sort. -think- He took a quick step forward, pushing the Captain's blade high and to his left, then took another step even closer. -just- There was no finesse in what he did next. Seizing the 'blade' of his weapon just past the crescent spikes, he drove the entire thing cross-wise into the Captain's midsection, a blow too wide in either direction to simply avoid. - do- why the hell do I bother? The strike was not a lethal one; in a typical fight, the opponent would be thrown to the ground... sometimes several feet from where they had been standing.

Things usually went pretty quickly after that.

No matter her skill, the Captain was still much smaller than he was, and she was easily bowled to the ground by the blow. It was not an easy kill, however. She managed to scramble to her knees fast enough to parry what should have been the final strike, then found her feet, even under Mehrin's continued onslaught. Another quick parry and a wide slash drove Mehrin back a step, allowing the Captain to reset herself.

Two sets of trained eyes were watching her. There would be something new now, some movement that was not quite as smooth, maybe a telltale wince. It was only a matter of time.

[Roan]

Size. . .it was something people could use to their advantage in combat, but sometimes, it could work against them. There were pros and cons to being smaller than your opponent, just as there were pros and cons to being bigger. Stronger did not equate to better, nor did faster. Riahana was patient when teaching or conducting evaluations. Her goal was not necessarily to best the person facing her, but to gauge their skill level, especially when it came to evaluations.

Too late did she realize he'd opted to treat his blade more like a quarterstaff as he lunges to strike. His size and strength meant he was able to knock her off her feet and onto her backside, but she was not so naive to think that was the end of his onslaught. Rolling away and up, Ria brought the flat of her blade across to parry what would be a beheading blow in a real battle. The following parry and slash gave her room to get back to her feet.

The Void ever present was not enough to fully block out pain when one was injured, but it allowed the person to focus beyond the pain. The blow caught Ria by surprise, and she inwardly winced. There was no time for a self assessment, though, as she settled herself into The Swallow Glides to the Branch, holding the blade diagonally across her body and tilting the blade in the direction of Mehrin. The moving stance allowed for an easy transition into The Swallow Takes Flight as she brought her blade down in a quick diagonal slash to act as a guard and allowed her to position her blade for a short, but powerful thrust.

Knowing her opponent was well seasoned, and having already been too slow to get out of his guard once, though, Ria followed through with the thrust before moving into the guard stance The Kingfisher Watches the Sky as she brought her blade up to a middle guard, holding horizontally in front of her and the grip on her right side.

OOC: One or two more posts from you should wrap it. Remember that if you're going for skilled or veteran, Mehrin won't be able to best Ria in their spar. [/i]