Solo [Holiday Challenge]A Beachside Bout II

[Moritz Craven]

Continued 25 Winter 521

Turning around Moritz inspected his combat partner, finding he was still standing casually. He was fairly certain that if he had not just seen him move and attack and fight multiple times he would have thought he was a non-combatant or not prepared to fight... Excepting for his clear skill and strong body...

Shaking his head to clear such thoughts and distractions Moritz looked over Wysar again, taking in a breath and trying to calm his body. While he had taken periodic and momentary breaks throughout the spar his body could still only handle so much. And even if he tried to push beyond that... His body could only exert so much before it gave out. Pondering this, Moritz wondered if that was Wysar's goal. To have him keep going until he physically could not.

Shrugging mentally and deciding it was as good a guess as any Moritz prepared himself again. One arm in front, one arm at the side, legs canted just so... If he wanted him to exhaust himself then he would do so. Winning the fight was clearly not the objective, as that was far beyond reach as a star was above the reach of a tree.

Taking in one final breath Moritz tensed and then launched his body forward. A thrown punch aimed at his chest, then a backward elbow as he turned and tried to pass him. Wysar in turn avoided this by leaning a bit and then sidestepping a half step. Each time his blows barely missed, though he was certain this was out of Wysar's ability to purposely make them barely miss rather than him actually almost hitting.

Letting out a grunt he turned again with a side kick, which Wysar hopped a half step to avoid. After this though he pulled up a single hand and pushed at Moritz neck, sending him falling to the ground in the direction of his kick. Another instance of Wysar using his own energy against him in the fight, and using a minimal amount of force to overtake him... But then, Moritz reasoned, if he went full out he would likely tear Moritz limb from limb or leave a gaping hole in his chest from a punch, so perhaps minimal effort was the safest...

By now his breath was catching again, and he was panting heavily as he tried to get up. Again he rose from where he had lain flopped in the sand after having fallen yet again... And again. And again.

He rose again and immediately surged at Wysar, feinting a punch at his side only to change direction at the last moment and turn upward towards his head. This however did not fool Wysar, and he did not react at all to the punch to the side which was a feint. Instead he slightly leaned his head back at the last moment and avoided the blow, slapping lightly against Moritz wrist and sending his hand sharply downward.

At this point the many bruises and aches throughout his body was starting to add up, and Moritz was beginning to slow down. His attacks. His reaction. Each seemed slower, as fatigue built in his body. Still he stood, holding his wrist for a moment and feeling the sting fade as he took a breath. He met Wysar's eyes and gave him a blank look. Not of anger, sadness, or despair. Instead it was a look of resignation. He would do, what he would do, and no one would stop him. At least not until his body gave out. And even then he would try to fight if he could.


WC: 604

[Moritz Craven]

As the two continued to fight more aches were building up in the Kelvics body. His left knee ached from a particular fall. His right arm was sore in several spots and probably had a few bruises. And as his breathing became heavier a stitch began to form in his right side that was quite painful. He was fairly certain after today's fighting he would go home and sleep for a day, or else he'd be unable to move the next day...

He had also lost track of time as the two moved back in forth in small skirmishes. All ended in Moritz failure, though some took longer than others. Had they been at it for chimes? Bells? It felt to the Kelvic like days, but he knew that was not right... Still, the spar had been pressing onward for a long time considering how active he was, and his body was telling him to stop in no uncertain terms.

"You... Do these... Often?.. You seem... Pretty... Well practiced..."

Trying to catch his breath Moritz eyed Wysar, the man smiling for a moment as he looked back.

"Not particularly. I fight some. Others I don't. You still had some things needing testing, so simply approving of you was not in the cards so to speak for our meeting. But you do show some promise. That along with your past actions... Well it does make me think of you positively. But I keep my word, and so I won't make a decision till the end. Either you keep going till you are done, or you do not. Either way, I'll make my decision fairly. As for fighting, I do that quite a bit. Do you know of the Akalak? Those boys also love to fight, I think they might just be trying to copy me... Though admittedly quite a few are quite skilled."

Taking on a distant look Wysar paused as he examined the horizon again over the water. It was perhaps the third time he had done this, and it only then occurred to Moritz where he was looking. How had Moritz gotten to Syka? By boat... From Riverfall... Which was the general direction Wysar was looking. He had not spent much time there, but clearly the city was on the deity's mind. The Kelvic found it odd trying to get into the mind of a divine immortal being, even more so than his confusion in dealing with humans and others. Kelvic tended to make more sense to him, not all but some and more so them, but even they he felt at odds with at times.

"Well... I wont... Keep you any longer... Than I have to... But maybe one day... I'll get a chance... To spar with one..."

Raising his arms again which felt like his hands had been replaced with weights, the Kelvic took on a preparatory stance. Arms up, one at his side and one in front. Feet at an angle so that he did not directly face his foe but was at odds and presented a smaller silhouette. Moving forward suddenly the Kelvic launched into another attack, however before he made it he stumbled and fell into the sand in a heap again.

WC: 538

[Moritz Craven]

The longer the fight wore on the more tied Moritz was becoming. More aches, more tired, and more exhausted. Trying to rise Moritz held up a hand, his other arm shaking as he tried to lever himself up.

"Just... Just a... Second... I've... Got it..."

Wysar watched in silence as Moritz slowly get back to his feet, dangling his arms at his sides once he did finally regain his feet. He had not been told he had reached the needed point, and so he would not stop. Would not quite. He willed his unruly limbs one by one to move as he desired, watching as they did so even if achingly slow.

"Haaa.... Haa... I... I've got it."

More walking than attacking Moritz moved up towards the man, waiting till the last moment to raise his arms so that he could rest them that bit more. Aiming with one arm he swung a punch, aiming at the large mans chest. Wysar for his part did not even move, watching instead as the unsteady limb missed its target entirely without any action on his part.

Taking a deep breath he tried to swing around, but found his left arm did not quite listen, more wobbling than lifting and tossing a punch. Instead he then lifted his right arm and threw a punch at Wysar, however this one more patted against his chest, barely imbuing the force of a newborn pup into the blow.

"You about done there. You look more like your about to throw a nap at me rather than an attack."

All but wheezing Moritz tried to hold up a hand to show he was almost there, almost ready to attack... When he found his left leg did not feel like supporting his weight. Based on this bodily betrayal Moritz body pitched over and fell not so gracefully into the sand once again.

Using his one arm and one leg that still seemed to be listening to him Moritz pushed himself over from where he had landed on his front, so that he could look up at Wysar, and simply laid there limply while panting for air.

"Yep, your done."

With no further ado Wysar sat on the sand next to Moritz, looking downward at the Kelvic.

"Well now that your done, I was just going to let you know you passed. Actually you passed awhile ago, but you seemed determined to keep at it till you were hitting me with your nose wiggles, and who am I to interrupt that. Sadly you did not get that far. But then, it was not a test to see if you could win. It was a test to see your mettle, and how long you could hold on. And for that, you passed."

Finishing speaking Wysar laid back, sprawled across the sand, looking up at the sky.

"I never tire of the sunsets, that moment between the end of day and the beginning of night. That transition of things. And vice versa, when the sun rises ago and the night ends for the day to begin. Transitions, they are always interesting. Some place have better ones than others. I enjoy them in Riverfall. But Syka's aren't too bad either. What do you think Moritz?"

The Kelvic for his part nodded along, looking over at Wysar as he spoke. By now his quailing limbs had stilled a bit, having rested for a few short moments. His breathing was also slowly returning to him, the stitch in his side moments ago a red hot brand jabbing now more of a twisting stab.

"Honestly... I've never really spent the time... To look... at one before... "

WC: 611

[Moritz Craven]

Wysar looked over at Moritz, smiling at the Kelvic before returning his gaze to the sunset.

"You should take the time. Its good to be aware of the world. And with combat experience is important. I don't know experiencing a sunset would help with combat, but it can't hurt to know and experience more."

Moritz simply nodded, remembering a moment later Wysar was looking away, and so uttering a simple confirming grunt of acknowledgement.

"Mmm... I suppose... So..."

Taking a moment Moritz felt his hurt beat in his chest, trying to slow his breathing which had almost returned to normal. He was fairly certain if he continued to rest for a few chimes and did not fight anymore he could make it back to his residence, though he did not doubt he would promptly go to sleep when he did make it.

"So... Was there something else? I mean, it was nice having a spar with you... And I did learn a lot. But did you have something in mind when you came looking for me?"

Wysar smiled, looking over at Moritz for a moment. Silently he leaned over and reached out a hand, slipping his fingers under Moritz bare neck and feeling the back of his neck. As the fingers rubbed against the back of his neck Moritz felt a tickle, instinctively turning to face Wysar who was touching him. By then though the touching fingers had been withdrawn, the momentary contact already over and ended.

"Yes, I did have a reason. And it was to do that. To bless you with my mark. And to explain what is expected of you."

Suddenly sitting up Wysar looked over at Moritz who was still laying on the sand.

"My mark isn't like others. You will know how to use it, but you won't instantly have its full usage. That takes time and training. Practice. Discipline. I expect you to practice your mark and its usage each season, season after season. Over time, the longer you do so, the better you will get at it. The more people you will be able to examine at once. Simply speaking, when using my mark, you can sense a targets movements and intent. To begin with it will only be one, and it will take some time and training till that one is clear. But over time as the seasons pass it will be more. One person now. Two possibly by the end of next season, three the season after, and so on as long as you diligently train it."

Smiling at Moritz Wysar examined the Kelvics face, looking for something or other on it.

"Of course, just knowing what someone will do is not enough. You must also be able to react accordingly. Which means training not just your usage of the mark, but also your other skills of combat. Put them together, both combat skills and foreknowledge of what people are planning to do, their movements and intent, and it will be a powerful combination."

Feeling a bit rested Moritz pushed himself up, sitting up slightly instead of lying on the sand on his back.

"That... That is... Thank you. I will do as you said, and make sure to be disciplined in my usage of it. I will practice and hone it just as I practice and hone my body. You won't be disappointed."

Wysar smiled, looking over at the sunset, shaking his head slightly.

"I know Moritz, that's why I gave it to you. If I had any doubts, you would not have gotten it. Those I mark I don't do so lightly. Only when I am certain of you, who you are, and that you will not misuse it, do I offer it to someone. I have been thinking on you for awhile. Its long been since I first heard of you. But I did not offer this until I was certain, and you had fully proven. I don't do such things based on trust on what you will become, but on what you have done. Past actions, intents, motivations, those are what matter and mark you."

Moritz nodded again, understanding, or feeling he did. A god did not give out a mark on plans or promise, nor on what someone might become... Rather they did it on actions that had occurred. Things that had been confirmed.

"I understand... And thank you. As I said, I will continue to do so. To bear this with honor and make you proud to have offered it to me. I know you would not have done so if you were not sure, but I still thank you for it."

WC: 777

[Moritz Craven]

Having rest Moritz tried to stand, taking a few attempts to finally manage it. By the time he had slowly regained his footing Wysar had already risen, and was once more boring his eyes into Moritz own.

"Remember this feeling Moritz. This exhaustion. And work to overcome it. With enough time many things will be possible. With training, practice, and consistent discipline and working on something, most things are achievable. If someone said move the Kalean mountain range, it would seem impossible. But with enough time and a pebble at a time, even a mountain can be moved."

Moritz smiled and nodded, understanding his meaning and intent. Great or big things did not occur all at once, and working in small steps was not wrong. Particularly when dealing with large or insurmountable tasks. It simply meant one was taking a dedicated and disciplined steady approach to things.

"I will remember that. Many things... Seem quite big... Impossible, some have even said. But I try not to dwell on that, and instead focus on the smaller steps that will lead me there. Eventually... I just hope eventually is in time. Some things... Some things do have a deadline. Some things cannot wait forever. Some things end and go bad. But I also cannot go before I am ready, or else I will fail all the same. I will keep that in mind."

Wysar nodded, still examining Moritz, watching him.

"When you want to activate your mark, the gnosis can be activated by tapping it on the back of your neck. A conscious activation, a tap, and that is all it takes. Just bear in mind, while during the usage you will not feel it, once you have finished the resulting strain and fatigue will hit you doubled for the period you had it out. I simply guide you, give you access, but I do not do everything. You carry some of the weight, the strain, as well. The more you use it, the stronger the mark, and the more people you use it on, the stronger the possible impact. So keep all of that in mind."

Moritz nodded, pondering on his words, thinking over the implications. He did not have any other Gnosis, and so had nothing to compare it to. Still, he felt from what Wysar had said that such was not how most Gnosis worked. He was not certain, but it did seem likely from the facts he had been presented.

"I will bear that in mind. And will only use it when needed, or when safe. It would be one thing for a spar, but... Well using it in a dangerous situation, it could get you past that one thing, but then leave you vulnerable to other things. So I will need to think carefully when I use it. Thank you for explaining that. Though if it is life or death, I suppose it would be good to use it either way, but in other lesser cases it might actually end up putting you in more trouble than if you'd not used it at all."

Wysar nodded, glad that the Kelvic understood and was thinking critically about such things.

"Indeed. Well, I think this about ends our meeting. Until next time Moritz. Keep training, and keep at your vigilance and discipline. Only with that will you become what it seems you are aiming towards. Alright?"

Moritz nodded, smiling again as he examined the deity. Wysar. Not only was he the first to mark him, the first he hoped of many, but he was also one of the first to not only see potential in him but to have seen potential in what he had already done. It made the Kelvic feel a bit older, a bit more well learned and worldly, to have someone see him in such a way. Particularly when that someone was a god.

"Thank you Wysar. I will do so. And I will make sure to keep at it, and to not give in no matter what. Day by day, nugget by nugget, pebble by pebble, I will take down any mountain in my way and get to where I am going. I give my word on that."

WC: 704

[Moritz Craven]

Grade Award!

Name: Moritz Craven
XP Award:
Endurance 3
Socialization 1
Unarmed Combat 3

Lores:
Endurance: Trying to push past exhaustion
Akalak: boys who love to fight
Akalak: Possibly of some relation to Wysar
Unarmed Combat: Fighting using minimal energy
Wysar: Sets stipulations with his mark
Wysar: Speaks of vigilance & discipline
Making an oath to Wysar

Penalties & Awards: Gnosis already added to CS and linked to the challenge were awarded

Notes: N/A