Flashback Training of youngsters

[Taren Coballon]

18th of Spring of the year 488

Taren ducked as the blade whistled over his head, barely missing him as he raises his own longsword to deflect the 2nd blade coming from behind. The third attack swings at him and he side steps out of range of the boy and the other two as well. The fight has been going on for some chimes and the three Akalak boys were finally working together in attacking Taren instead of attacking individually and they were almost ready to take the Rite of Trial, a few more lessons to learn and use. Now the oldest of the three were squaring off in front of Taren while the other two moved to his sides, Taren was standing in his fighting stance with his weapon raised as he waited for the boys to attack again. All three of the boys had minor cuts in various places and even Taren was bleeding from a couple of attacks he could not counter in time. None of the cuts were bad as they were in training and not in real combat.

Taren of course was the largest and oldest of the four, a large Akalak well over seven foot tall and well past his Rites of Trial and Passage. He was sparring with 3 boys of the class all working up to the Rite of Trial with the oldest likely to take the trial with the next group coming up, the next would be within the next year he was sure, while the youngest and smallest was still a couple years away. Akalak training was hard and it was intense most of the time, however today they were testing the boys to see how they are progressing and who would proceed onward to the more advanced trainings, meaning that attacks were not light and boys were injured from time to time although usually minor injuries and nothing serious.

The largest boy, standing 5’11”, attacked first from the front with his sword. Taren knows that his sword play isn’t much better than this boys but he steps to the boy and off to his side putting the third boy behind the large boy as the two swords clash first high then low with resounding klinks. Taren now only has two boys to watch for a couple seconds until the third can move around and back into position. The second boy attacks at that point with another sweeping blow to the head that Taren ducks under it again but this time the boys weapon also sweeps toward the large boy and causes him to step back as well. This boys sword skill is obviously lacking as the boy is now open for attack and he could easily kill the boy if he wanted but this was training and this mistake will cost the boy. Taren backs into the boy and first throws his elbow into his chest, knocking the wind out of him and probably bruising the boy as he did not pull this punch. Taren then grabbed under his arm and used a hip throw him against the wall dazing him even more.

[Taren Coballon]

Now the fight was down to two opponents, although it was the better two of the three boys so Taren still needed to watch carefully. The two boys silently switch tactics without a word and start to slowly circle around him, Taren notes this and will compliment them on it after the fight as this was expected of Akalak fighters as they grew, adult Akalaks would defend the city from all intrusions. The smaller of the boys attacks first with the second following a fraction of a chime behind the first. Taren parries one blade then the next blade, bats a blade away with his hand or forearm. The boys are good and working together well so Taren is having to slowly back away from the boys and is bleeding from several more cuts on his shoulder and forearms from the boys blades that he couldn't turn in time.

Finally the smaller boy makes a mistake and slightly oversteps a lunge where Taren immediately turns his blade and disarms him, throwing the blade across the room. The two boys quickly regroup and attack again. The larger boy attacked first as sword clashed on sword while the second boy swung to the side and went to sweep Taren’s foot. Taren saw this and set his foot down to stop the sweep with the pure strength of his leg and at the same time he pushed the sword of the large boy away to give him the second of time he needed.

As the smaller boy attacked with his foot, Taren held his ground and let the boy’s leg strike his unmoving leg. This caused the boy to slightly lose his balance while Taren uses a palm strike on the boys face and breaking his nose in the process. Blood spurts from the boys nose while the larger boy deftly slaps the sword out of Tarens hand, disarming him. Taren immediately drops and rolls out of the way of the larger boy and stands back up. The older boy has a smirk on his face believing that he has the advantage over him, however not realizing that Taren is actually more dangerous without a sword then with one. An older Kelvic woman tends to the boy with the broken nose causing Taren to grunt loudly and startles the last boy. Taren immediately takes advantage of this, starts on the attack and catching the startled boy before he could react quickly enough. He moved in as the boy raised his sword, Taren grabs the boy’s wrist with his hand squeezing the boys wrist until he loses his grip on the sword and drops it, he then uses a shoulder throw to put the boy on the ground. Pulling the boy's arm around his back and dropping his own knee into the boy’s back he forces the boy to submit from the fight.

[Taren Coballon]

Immediately after the fight was over Taren assisted the eldest boy up and the Kelvic lady tends to the wounds of first the boys and then to Taren, none proves to be serious or anything that would not heal by itself. From off to the side of the room and with a clear view from above the fight, two instructors came down to critique the boys performance in the fight. This being Taren’s que to leave, he gathers his equipment and steps out of the room…..

A cool breeze picks up from the sea picks up and brings Taren back to the here and now as he watches the sun finish setting on the horizon in shades of reds and purples. From his perch atop the cliff he had a majestic view of the sunset and sea breeze always has a calming effect on him so he often found himself in one of the more desolate areas of the city when he wanted to think and where he could be alone. He found himself often thinking back to training times because when training he always feel more whole as both sides knew what needs to be done and do it in unison. Even now he could feel them going at odds with one another again. When he was younger he had always felt in control or at least in acceptance of the two sides but now they seem to be wanting to war with one another for no reason and he wasn’t sure any longer which side was his dark side as both seemed to be turning darker every day.

His conversations with his father and grandfather was worrying him immensely, despite all else and deep down none of them wanted to have him on the watch list or worse yet to allow him to go the way of the Cerulean! This was his greatest fear, his family has always disagreed with the watch list and he did not want to be the first to ever go on it either. As he sat in the receding daylight he again returns himself to his meditation and attempts to control not only his breathing but also to calm his mind as well. As he sits on the ground, focusing on breathing in slowly, hold, and then slowly exhaling while he forces as many thoughts out of his head and focusing on the sound of the falls near him.

Listening to the rumble of the falls as hit sits on the ground, motionless except for the rise and the fall of his chest. The sight of this large Akalak sitting as motionless as he was in the night must of been a very interesting sight to be seen and Taren did set there half the night as well.