Solo The Art of the Sword

[Dor'gen]

Timestamp: 4th Day of Summer, 514 AV Kenash was...quite different from all that the Akalak was accustomed to. For the totality of his life, Riverfall had been his home; and as such his days and nights were filled with simple things. A perpetual goal of mastering his abilities characterized the whole of his life, yet upon coming to Kenash he was greeted with a totally different world. The muggy, swampy city was filled to the brim with what could only be described as excesses; for a simple walk down the main road brought Isley into contact with many activities that would disrupt his overarching goal. However, despite how different Kenash was from his hometown, the Akalak decided to make the best of his "home away from home". This began with the simple act of furnishing his home. Although money was tight, Isley had more than enough to purchase the necessary pieces to make his villa feel like a home. At the top of his list was staple furniture and hygenic items...in addition to a simple, unremarkable practice dummy. Affixed to a single post of wood in the backyard of his villa, this basic means of honing one's skill was the centerpiece in converting a foreign building into a place Isley could call home. Of course, there was only so much that putting up the dummy would do...so the time soon came to break it in! As such, the Akalak dedicated one of his mornings specifically for the task and arose just as the first rays of morning began to streak about the heavens. Wearing naught save his pants, the midnight-skinned warrior calmly made his way out the rearmost door of his home and walked across the dew-slicked grass; coming to a halt before the dummy. Resting within his grasp was Devorah's Song: a Bastard Sword passed down to him by his sire. Gripping its hilt in his dominant hand, Isley then set about untying the rope which held the weapon bound. Whilst a foreign practice to the man, Kenash had a standing edict regarding the binding of weapons to prevent their usage; unless there was a damn good reason for their being used. In Isley's mind, this was quite a solid reason to utilize his personal weapon, and as such his fingers worked swiftly to release the sword from its bondage. Once free, the Akalak gave the hilt a solid tug, thereby releasing it from its scabbard. Taking a moment to set the scabbard upon the grass, Isley then faced the dummy and drew a solid breath, centering himself.

[Dor'gen]

Over the course of his lifetime, the Akalak had been educated in a diverse assortment of sword forms. Each served a different purpose on the field of battle...yet all were built upon the most basic form of all: "Meka'Seivo". Also known as "the Way of the Glassbeak", this form of sword combat revolved around mounting a basic offense against the various, vital zones of the body. Amounting to six in number, these vital zones consist of the Head, Arms, Legs, and Torso. Taking a moment, Isley reviewed the concepts of this form before making a silent assessment of the aforementioned zones upon the dummy's body. At once, he then took a solid step forward and raised Devorah's Song over his head; promptly dropping it in a deadly arc. The blow was aimed for the practice dummy's skull; but in that instant the Akalak did not see a mass of burlap and straw. No, he saw an armored assailant, baring his teeth defiantly as their contest of strength began. As opposed to recognizing that he was standing within the back yard of his villa, Isley placed himself in the midst of a raging battle; with swords and shields clashing all about. Here, he would fight at the apex of his abilities; as opposed to exercising mock restraint against such a stationary foe. The strike landed with impressive force, enough to send the head of the dummy bopping relentlessly. However, Isley did not see this...he saw the helmet of his opponent being splintered under the weight of his blade and watched as the man slumped to his demise. At once, a mace came out of nowhere, aimed for his head! By the skin of his teeth, Isley leapt back and rolled, coming to a halt in a crouched position. Now, he projected the mental image of a hulking, menacing warrior upon the dummy...and allowed himself to feel the thrill of battle fall upon him. Rising to his feet, he then resumed the "opening stance": holding Devorah's Song aloft before him. His opponent then reared back before bringing his mace down, attempting to crush Isley's skull. Of course, swift footwork on the Akalak's part allowed him to dance out of the way before spinning on his heel, launching a prompt counter offensive. Devorah's Song sang through the air before slicing into the practice dummy's left arm, burrowing itself into the burlap.