Closed Blood, Mud... What's the difference?

[Jasmine Stormblood]

The blond watched as the scarred man observed her movements. She was confused seeing his smile look before spotting her nervousness. Her body tensed up on instinct seeing him walking over. The girl prepared for a blow that never came instead two fingers under her chin caused surprise to course through her. Blue orbs quickly moved up to look at the contrasting gold and blue gaze of the older man. Jasmine was a beautiful woman with a lot of fire, but there was also so very much pain in her past. A part of her wondered if she would ever try to take a husband after everything that happened with her father. There were others out there just like him yes? How would she know if her future love wouldn't be the same. 'Melee'. That meant to put away her bow for now and prepare for some hand to hand combat. As well as resisting the urge to draw her dagger.

“Okay,” The blonde stated with a nod.

Walking to where his archery equipment laid the woman placed her bow beside him before taking off her quiver. Feeling for where her other weapons were making it seem like she was doing a few quick stretches the blond made notes before walking back over to the man. His stance confused her as she had never seen someone in such a stance. Or she had at least not paid attention to the person any way. Taking a deep breath she raised her hands and took the stance her father had used many times in his sparring matches with her grandfather. It looked much like a boxer would when they would go hand to face. Staying light on her feet she bounced some on her toes watching the man closely trying to figure out some kind of strategy to use against him. Narrowing her eyes some the woman began to slowly feel out of her depth with the warrior. Though one lesson that Jasmine had learned the hard way, Never attack your opponent first. Without proper knowledge of their fighting style any way.

[Azmere]

Thunder boomed in the distance as the predator watched his prey. Albeit a pupil, Azmere was not one to spar at half speed. He knew how to drain some of the power behind his strikes –well, that wasn’t entirely true. He had a good idea of how his body generated some of the hits he has displayed in the past. The warrior simply thought that if something as fundamental as his stance helped him to perform punishing strikes then adjusting that stance should reduce his output. A second clap of thunder brought Azmere back to the present. He shifted some weight forward which was counter-intuitive but he had to find ways to create an opening for Jasmine to attack.

The contrasting gaze bursting with rings of color took a careful appraisal of the young woman’s posture. She was standing tall with an even distribution of her weight. The lithe figure bounced around on her toes which caused the golden hair to wave against the darkening sky. Her vivid eyes looked like water on a sunny day; enticing pools of rejuvenating energy. A warm breeze blew across the right side of Azmere’s face and in that fresh gasp he was able to see a means to begin the exercise. Jasmine’s hands were high to guard her face which was smart and a good foundation for things to come.

To counter, the ankal straightened a bit to bring his form eye-level to the blonde. His hands floated lazily near his midsection for a tick or four then his left hand shot forward like a snake, fingers open in an attempt to grab the girl’s right wrist. His body leaned forward to his left, almost tilting as it were. As an offset, Azmere pivoted on his left foot to bring his right side within her range. This would withdraw force from his effort to grasp her but would not reduce the quickness of the action. As he slid in towards her core, the man squatted down so that his shoulder was aimed towards her sternum. His right arm went straight down, palm up, with the intention to grab behind her right knee. The hand grab was just a ruse to test reflexes but the leg grab was meant to be a means of control. In a fight, one must be extremely skilled to prevail while off balance.
The breeze blew harder and now smelled of rain. In the distance, there was a line of haze that was drawing nearer to the pair as they quarreled. Thunder followed but the downpour was eminent. Within a chime or two, they would be soaked but the teacher didn’t seem to mind or care. Fortunately, Azmere had learned long ago that rain didn’t melt his skin so he rarely stopped what he was doing unless he had to- though it was almost never on account of rain.

[Jasmine Stormblood]

Jasmine watched the man as he took on a different stance from before. Her eyes slightly narrowed trying to figure out what he was planning. She had to think of how to throw him off his game early on, if she had any chance of winning. Though that had not been her intentions to begin with, to learn meant that she would have to lose at some point. Even if that was against her better nature. One clap of thunder sounded over head like Zulrav himself was preparing to watch a brutal battle. This was one of the reasons that Jasmine had began to hate the rain as a child. It watered the ground yes, but her father had often insisted on “training” in it. He had really just wanted an excuse to beat on the child without anyone hearing.

Big blue eyes watched the star riddled across from her. Glancing up towards the sky she tried to see where the weather was at. All that she could see from under her long eyelashes was the dark foreboding clouds above them. The blonde had not heard the second clap of thunder at first, but the sudden launch of the male's body snapped her out of it. Blinking quickly without throwing her head around she noted his arm first. Instinct caused the woman's left leg to jerk back trying to keep some kind of distance between them. However she did not realize that he had been grabbing at her right leg all along. A soft gentle gasp left the plump lips of the young woman when his grip latched on to her leg. Bouncing some she began to thrash around not liking this. Staying in one place meant that he was completely in control, something that was just not a good thing in her mind.

Smirking the women decided that perhaps being a girl would help her. Twisting around on her left foot, she brought herself close to the man while pulling his arm with her. Pressing up against his side with her body flush against his, she ignored the shiver that shot down her spine. The blonde had learned early on how to ignore her bodily cravings or she thought she had. She used her left leg and pushed hard trying to topple the pair over as the dark haze grew closer. Every tick brought the downpour closer and closer to them, Jasmine would have to try and push her paranoia to the back of her mind for the time being.

[Azmere]

Jasmine turned suddenly. Azmere was confident with the hold he had behind her knee but the twist removed the isolated amount of leverage he had held. The wind whipped the golden curls up against his face which caused his eyes to close for just a moment. In that small span of time, the removal of one sense gave rise to the others. The smell of her hair filled his nostrils while the tips tickled the right side of his face. The warmth of her body penetrated his clothes and skin which sent a ripple up his spine. As all this came to pass, the blonde leaned into him and created a wave of inertia that slowly tilted his balance and woke him from the dream-like state.

The watchman used Jasmine’s push to arch his back and slide his right hand free from her leg. To keep her from slipping away, he wrapped his left around her back and pulled the girl against his chest which wedged her leg between them. The pressure from her muscles allowed him to feel his quickened heartbeat but the archer would not be distracted. Now that she was locked against him, Azmere allowed his body to topple backwards but not before crossing his ankles. As the weightlessness feeling set over him, the Drykas flexed his legs in a way that torqued one against the other. This caused the entangled bodies of the man and woman to twist through their short descent. Azmere threw his right arm down towards the ground in an open-palmed punch. The butt of his hand hit the ground and dug in while his elbow bent and his muscles flexed to absorb the shock. His left arm tensed and squeezed jasmine tight against him which kept her from a rough landing.

Thunder rolled and very tiny droplets of warm moisture began to fall from the clouds. Azmere ignored it and stared into Jasmine’s bright blue eyes. His nose lingered next to hers and for a moment, the man could feel her breath on his lips. A shiver cast itself upon him but rather than allow the sensation to pass along his body, Azmere denied it by digging his grip into the soil. Firmly in control of the situation, the ankal suddenly released Jasmine and rolled back onto his haunches. “Never leave your feet in a fight.” The scarred man bounced up to his feet and rolled his neck around his shoulders. Despite the soreness coming from his left thigh, the watchman felt confident about today. As he waited for Jasmine to get to her feet, Azmere dusted the dirt and soil from his hands.

[Jasmine Stormblood]

The sudden shift in momentum threw the young woman off for several moments. One tick she was in control pushing him over then next he had turned it around to where the woman was pressed flat against his chest. Grunting some at the sudden impact of his chest against her now pinned arms, the blonde looked up into the mismatched eyes of her ankal. A slow blush was beginning to make its way on to her face. The lady had never been this close to a man without being angry at him. Strong hammering against her arms were either from his heart or her own. Perhaps both were trying to jump out of them. His soft breath against her lips made it hard for the girl to fight the haze in her mind. That is until he suddenly dropped her on to the ground below. Grunting she shook her head fast trying to clear her mind. The blush on her face was no longer from the tender embrace, but from embarrassment. Him chastising her about keeping her feet on the ground did not help.

Growling in the back of her throat the woman waited till he was not looking before moving into a crouch. The normally soft blue eyes turned hard and fiery as she suddenly launched herself with all the force her legs could muster knocking them both to the ground once more. The rain began to pelt down on the pair with a vengeance. Jasmine ignored the wet droplets that hit the two now entangled bodies. Scrambling forward the blonde pinned the man's arms down beside his head using the surprise to her advantage. Smirking some the girl looked down at the form below her.

“What was that about never leaving your feet?” Jasmine asked with a bit of snarkness to her voice.

Once again the woman was asking for trouble, but she could not give two shykes less. Azmere had managed to piss her off so he had to go down no matter what. And at the moment she had been successful, but the girl had a feeling that would not last for long.

[Azmere]

Azmere never truly looked away but the brief action of cleaning his hands had left enough of an opening for Jasmine to strike. The tackle had been well placed and the watchman felt his center of gravity shift beyond his base so he braced for impact. He tucked his chin down against his sternum and rolled his shoulders in by tensing the muscles on his chest. This kept his head from snapping back against the ground when their combined weight drove his upper back into the soil. The impact was strange. Jasmine was a solid woman but the way she fit against and around his body was not uncomfortable –foreign, certainly but there was a vague inclination to remain still that floated along inside the ankal’s mind.
The sentiment passed we the thick lips curled into a grin and words sarcastically floated past them. As the contrasting gaze looked up, the first few droplets splashed against his face. Azmere didn’t mind the rain but he didn’t want it in his eyes. With her weight resting on his hands and hips, the warrior thought of two options but decided to go with the easiest.

Azmere’s right hand went sideways above his head and along the ground. His left arm remained flat but pushed until it was straight up. The right hand grasped Jasmine’s right wrist then yanked back. He pulled her arm across their chests and out to the side which toppled her base. Expecting the shift in weight, the watchman bent his knees and planted his heels close to his rump which pushed his thighs against her backside. The man flexed his legs and arched his back which allowed him to bridge his hips off of the ground and against Jasmine. Once elevated, he kicked his left leg out and under the right. His body rolled onto its left side and dropped her in front of him.

Azmere released his hold on her hand and hovered on his left side for a tick then rose to his knees and faced her. His next move would depend on her. Should she decide to try and retake the command or up position, the ankal would scoop under her right knee and hook under her left arm. The man’s strength could easily fold her beneath his weight and flatten her back to the ground. If Jasmine attempted to escape, Azmere would fall forward and wraps his arms around her neck and under her leg then flex his arms so he could lock his hands together in a cradle. If there was a third option, he didn’t know about it and couldn’t plan for it. The rain began to fall harder but the competitive bones in the archer’s body weren’t ready to give up. He had yet to assert his dominance.

[Jasmine Stormblood]

Sorry its so short.

Jasmine yelped lightly when the man suddenly threw her to the side while squatting. Zulrav thundered over head causing the blonde to startle some and jerk up. The previous fire was replaced with a moment of fear and bad memories. All the blond wanted to do was run back into her tent and hyperventilate in peace. Or well as peaceful as a sudden anxiety attack is. Thoughts of attack had fled from the woman's mind when the memories flood into her brain no matter what she did to suppress them. Rain pelted down on the pair even harder making the girl become soaked to the bone. Shivering some she worked to try and make some kind of escape. If the man training her pushed the girl to admit defeat, then she would gladly do so if it meant making the pain stop. Tears were threatening to well up and spill from her eyes. Fighting to find her voice the woman excused herself hoarsely while attempting to leave.

“E-excuse me,” Jasmine spoke so quite she could barely be heard.

Flashes of fists and lightening appeared in front of her eyes though no such thing was happening in the outside world. Every large thunderstorm would cause the young Drykas to seize up much as she just had. Taking a few careful sideways steps Jasmine tried to focus her mind long enough to force herself to walk. Though even moving was becoming a far more difficult task to complete, much less actually watch her opponent that was still ready to fight. She was not paying attention to the man allowing him to set himself up to whatever attack he wished to inflict on the woman. There would be no fight left in her when he would find himself ready to strike.

[Azmere]

The ankal was winding up for another round of tussling when he felt a change come over the woman. He relinquished the fight and stood there in the rain with a dumb-founded expression. What had happened? He was certainly unaware of the personal history that plagued her but struggled to find the words to ask. The contrasting gaze watched for a moment as rain slicked his skin. The scarred man blinked and came to a sudden realization which made his face twist.

Azmere took several quick steps and closed the space between them in no time at all. He made a long stride at the end to cut her off but she excused herself and his motion fell short. As the blonde walked away to the sounds of pouring rain splashing on the ground mixed with Zulrav’s rumblings, the scarred man couldn’t help but feel a small knot form in his stomach. There was a painful instance where his mind went back to a time in the Sea of Grass some years ago when he watched another woman disappear in the rain. It was a different circumstance, that’s for sure but the feelings mashed into one another and made it difficult for the emotionally inept man to process.

The breath of Zulrav stirred a series of fierce gusts to carry down more of the rain which the ground so desperately needed. In the whippings and washings of the skyfall, one of Azmere’s small braids came loose and whipped down against his ear. There was a small piece of delicate fabric intertwined with the black strands. Though he could not see it, Azmere swore a familiar scent floated into his nostrils. When he touched the shred of cloth, his eyes shut tight. No longer did he see the bouncing buxom blonde that was Jasmine. His mind’s eyes portrayed a lithe young woman with the stars in her eyes and a smile on her thin lips. There was a moment where the ankal’s knees trembled under the weight of the memory.

Determined to honor the promise now echoed in his mind, Azmere forced his eyelids to rise. He found himself alone in the grass. He turned and walked calmly but with purpose towards the place where he and Jasmine had discarded their gear. On the way, he stooped midstride to catch a stone in his hand. The shard of a much larger rock, this piece had several sharp edges. With each step, Azmere began to cover the rock in a shield of djed. It took time and focus but each step saw progress as the ankal began to feel the peculiar sensation of magic in his palm. The shield was loose and untasked so it almost seemed to be alive. It slipped along the edges and faces of the pebble without truly coming to a firm set until the willpower of the Drykas mage instructed the essence to protect the rock from physical damage. Suddenly, the stone felt different in the palm of the scarred man. He could no longer feel the sharp edges or the smooth faces. It was like everything had been dulled. He gave it a good squeeze before he dropped the thing into his pants pocket then squatted down to collect their things.

Azmere shook the rain off of his head as he stood. He walked along the grass collecting their spent arrows and thinking to himself of a different storm on another day. As the ankal made his way back home with a mind to check on his ward, a smile cracked his stoic features. It was a smile brought on by pain but a smile nonetheless.

[Samuel Longwell]

Grading Complete Please edit your grade request thread so that it's obvious that it's been graded. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions/problems with your grade. Name: Jasmine XP Award: Planning 1 Flirting 2 Observation 1 Weapon: Shortbow 3 Socialisation 1 Tactics 2 Unarmed combat 2 Endurance 1 Lore: Self: An undeniable attraction to Azmere Shortbow: Feet shoulder-width apart Shortbow: Keep your arm straight Tactics: Do not strike when you have insufficient knowledge. Azmere: Fighting in the rain Painful memories cut a training session short Name: Character 1 XP Award: Unarmed combat 2 Philosophy 1 Bodybuilding 1 Leadership 1 Teaching 3 Rhetoric 1 Tactics 1 Endurance 2 Wrestling 2 Shielding 1 Lore: Jasmine: Distractingly attractive Asmodeus: Broke Azmere's fear of storms A training session cut short. Jasmine: Fighting in the rain Notes: A good training thread, I enjoyed seeing the emotional response to each other during the training rather than just it being a skill grind. I hope you enjoy your grades.