Refining the steps (Bella)

[Lugh]

Beron

Beron arrived to the Warder Yard late, his clothes dirty from a day spent patrolling some of the wilder countryside in Andor. With so many troubles abroad, it made sense to show a good presence in their home country, and Beron was growing to enjoy his time aiding the Andoran Queen’s Guard.

While not Borderlander stock, they were still competent, active and dedicated. All traits Beron could appreciate in a fellow soldier. With a cloth he did his best to rub the road dust off his face, he would sink into the bath with a grateful sigh later. For now he knew if he wanted to keep up with his sword practice he needed to get into the habit of working his forms and practicing no matter the demands of his day. Luckily as a Ji’val there would be less trouble if he was out on the sands a little longer.

Arriving at one of the practice rings, he grabbed a wooden practice sword and began working on his forms. The first were his stances, Beron moved slowly through Lion on the hill and then into Hawk surveys the plain , forcing Beron to accommodate the higher guards. He disliked leaving himself so open, but as Haedan had mentioned, training was the time to practice and learn new habits.

He had enjoyed the lessons of the talented Gaidin, and Beron smiled when he finished a strike and saw the very man walking by. “Peace Gaidin, care to make a little practice with me this evening?” Beron called out.

[Bella]

The day was drawing on toward its end, and Haeden was done with his schedule for classes and private lessons. The yards were hardly empty, of course. There were plenty of Gaidin working to keep their skills sharp or learn new ones, trainees continuing their education, and the occasional martial-minded channeler.

Haeden was wondering what to do with himself for this evening, having no plans, when he heard someone calling. It took him a moment, but he realized it was the Ji'val Beron, and he was talking to him.

With a small, curious smile, Haeden crossed the small distance between them. "Well met, Ji'val," he greeted politely, but with genuine interest inside the tone. "It's good to see that you're out here working to improve and keep sharp your skills. I'd be happy to work with you some more. Did you wish another training session or a spar?"

[Lugh]

Beron

With a small, curious smile, Haeden crossed the small distance between them. "Well met, Ji'val," he greeted Beron as the Ji moved over to the fence. "It's good to see that you're out here working to improve and keep sharp your skills. I'd be happy to work with you some more. Did you wish another training session or a spar?"

Beron thought for a moment, he knew he had a decent foundation and had been working on his own skills. While Haedan was the better swordsman, Beron was curious to see and feel the gap in skill and speed for himself, “I would enjoy a spar Gaidin, give me a chance to polish.”

Beron then moved back from the fence, giving Haedan room to enter the training circle. Feeling the sweat stiffen on his jacket, he quickly washed off a little with the water pail. Shaking his hands dry, he saw the other man selecting a training blade, testing it for balance. As he waited, Beron worked on focusing his mind, breathing to calm his mind and prepare his muscles.

As he returned to the centre of the ring, he assumed The Creeper Embraces the Oak . This was so far his preferred stance, and he awaited Haedan’s signal to begin.

[Bella]

Haeden smiled when the young man said he wished a spar. He liked the boy's confidence--although he knew Beron wasn't a 'boy' anymore, he was younger than Haeden and still a trainee--although he hoped it would not prove to be just as much of a weakness as a virtue. A spar with someone of the Gaidin's skill and experience could show that, one way or the other.

He went to pick out a training blade, swinging each one a couple of times to determine which he'd feel the most comfortable with. Once he'd chosen the one he liked best, he returned to the Ji'val.

Beron moved into The Creeper Embraces the Oak and then waited on Haeden. The Gaidin smiled a little and moved into The Leaf Floating on the Breeze, as opposed to his usual stance, moving the blade slowly up and down in this stance's defensive nature. He began moving in the same slow circle opposite the Ji'val.

Although in a real fight, one moved fast to take the advantage, Haeden would give Beron the first strike. This was to help him learn, after all. "Begin when you're ready."

[Lugh]

Beron

Beron knew that he was outmatched by Haeden, the Gaidin before him moved like a wolf; his attention and focus never wavering as the two men circled each other.

From his brief taste of battle at the White Tower, Beron knew that two combatants would not usually circle each other so readily. The first man he had ever killed had been slain in approximately five heartbeats, but somehow the time had stretched far longer in his mind. That was the benefit of training and hard work.

And so as he circled and focused his mind until nothing else mattered except the man in front of him, Beron coiled his muscles for a moment and sprang forward. Lightning of three prongs was his first thought, his blade leaping into the opening thrust, using the momentum of the defence to help slash twice towards Haeden’s hips.

As expected the Gaidin easily defended, but as their blades slid off each other, Beron flowed smoothly into Moon Rises over the Water using the slash that ended one form to allow him to transition into the vertical arc that clawed for Haeden’s throat. As the two men shuffled along, Haeden was able to deflect the attack over his shoulder and Beron seperated as Ribbon dances on the breeze brought him into a guard stance, the motion smooth and practiced.

[Bella]

The Ji'val had been practicing. Haeden could tell this as soon as the young man began to move. He shifted from one form to the next without wavering against the Gaidin's defense. While that defense was not particularly difficult to accomplish, the ability of Beron's response showed his skill was improving.

This meant that Haeden would have to push a little harder. After all, true learning came from challenge rather than simply meeting what was expected.

Without giving more than a moment of time back in guard, Haeden immediately flowed into The Eel Among the Lily Pads. He did not move at the speed he would if this were a fight for life and death with true steel in his hand, but neither did he "dumb down" his maneuvers. It would have been an insult to Beron's skill.

Once seeing how effective this maneuver was, Haeden moved into his next true offensive move without giving Beron time to recover from his defense against the previous. Though, for the moment, he kept it a bit simple as well and struck out with The Boar Rushes Downhill.

[Lugh]

Beron

Beron was keeping the pressure on, trying his best to overcome the Gaidin’s defence. Haeden was experienced and his speed helped him apply a strong defence.

Still he could feel the rhythm of the fight building, a knowledge and anticipation of what could come next that was only built through practice. With the rhythm firmly in mind, Beron was able to sense the split second where momentum shifted in Haeden’s favour.

Eel in the Lily pads darted out and as the tip of his blade cut a figure eight, Beron used his blade to slide the attack higher as he back pedalled, but the other man’s speed was too great. A sting of wood on his leg let him know the attack had struck true, and if the fight had been bare steel, he would bear a bleeding cut on his thigh.

Haeden continued on when Beron showed no concern over the minor mishap, he had fought beside Lysira and Natyla and he had seen how even far more experienced fighters could be cut and bloodied. Only in the stories did anyone keep pristine while slaying foes.

Boar rushes Downhill came next, Beron forced to deflect the first attack upwards where it glanced past his ear, but the next two swings came fast and sudden and Beron pivoted just enough to miss one, though the other one forced him to lock blades with Haeden.

Grinning, the blood pumping in his heart and his body feeling the surging strength that often accompanied a good spar, Beron took advantage of their relative closeness and launched into Mongoose strikes the Serpent . His blade dipped low and slid off Haeden’s while he then punched for the shoulder with his cross guard. Harden defended smoothly, separating the two of them and avoiding the blow with a pivot of his own.

Having expected the dodge, Beron kept close to Haeden and as the other man brought his sword back to guard, Beron attempted Red Hawk takes a Dove hoping the sudden attack for his arm would score Beron a hit to match Haeden.

[Bella]

Haeden saw the Red Hawk coming and managed to evade it, although by far less of a margin than he would have liked. He had perhaps been underestimating the Ji'val, although he had been trying not to. He took it as a good sign, though, and moved swiftly back into a guard stance.

He flowed immediately into The Falcon Stoops to drive some more space between them, before moving into The Kingfisher Takes a Silverback, started low to aim the strike for Beron's legs instead of higher.

[Lugh]

Beron

Beron could now see why the Aiel called battle the Dance of the Spears. There was a beat to the movements both he and Haeden made against each other, and even though Beron missed he knew intuitively that his attack had not missed by much.

The Falcon stoops was Haeden’s response, the sudden shift in attack forcing Beron back a quick step as he forced the Gaidin’s blade low and away. Of course with Haeden’s skill, Beron could see as the other man simply shifted his feet and grip, Kingfisher takes the Silverback suddenly cutting for his legs and thighs.

Knowing that to suffer too much damage to his legs would hobble him in any real fight, Beron grunted as he forced himself to bind Haeden’s blade and hold the power of the strike. As the two men strained, they both seperated and assumed guard stances.

As Beron advanced, he lowered his body gradually and struck with Low Wind Rising , his blade slashing upwards towards Haeden’s shoulder. As the other man deflected his blow, Beron corrected and advanced with Stones Falling from the Cliffs a series of diagonal attacks that beat against Haedens defence.

Beron could feel the power in his strikes, the shift of hip and shoulder that lent his blows their power and yet it was still insufficient to break through Haeden’s defence. Realizing he needed to take a risk in order to try and get through the defence. With that brief moment’s thought, Beron attempted The Rose Unfolds his thrust cutting a circle through the air as he attempted to manage the rotation required to help his sword wick away the defence.

[Bella]

Willow Embracing the Breeze diverted Beron's rose before it was able to begin carving its hole, although it had taken quick thinking and quicker reflexes on Haeden's part. With the blade diverted to the side, then took advantage of it by moving inside. From there, he lowered his shoulder slightly and shoved himself into the other man, to knock him back a step.

Leaping back, Haeden returned to guard. "Remember that the blade is not the only weapon in a fight," he said with a faint smile, before launching into The Swallow Takes Flight.