Solo A Dance of Fists

[Moritz Craven]

71 Winter 521

Heading out after finishing work for the day, Moritz walked slowly down to the beach to loosen up his body. After moving back and forth for bells while intermittently standing his body ached in odd places and his muscles ached in equally odd spots. With that he felt a good stretch would do him good, and so made his way down tot he sandy expanse on the edge of the water to do so.

Normally he went for a run, but being a bit stiff didn't feel that would be the best idea... Perhaps after he limbered up well?

He started with his back, leaning back and holding his hands on his hips while cracking his neck bones back and forth a few times. Once he stopped hearing them audibly crack he stopped this and returned to a neutral position, before moving on to the next stretch. Here he bent his arms to the side, one limb out straight while the other pulled, and then switching over to the other arm to do the same on the other side. And then from there he moved on to his legs, leaning forward on one leg with the other bent, shifting his body weight forward slightly while bending... And then switching over to the other side to do the same to the other leg.

It was as he was doing such stretched on the beach that he noticed someone approaching, and looking up Moritz saw a familiar face slowly walking down the beach. He did not recall her name but recalled she was the Verusk woman he had danced with earlier in the season, and so he smiled and waved while continuing his stretching. As she approached he nodded at her, checking to see if she would continue by. As he focused on her though he felt something, and was reminded on the mark on his neck...

"Ah, hello. I'm Moritz, we met earlier this season at the tenday. We danced, right?"

The woman smiled, nodding, while meeting Moritz eyes with a penetrating gaze that seemed much more serious to the Kelvic than the smile belied. "Yes, we did. I'm Sinaetri. Though when we last danced you had not yet been marked by Wysar. I can tell you have been since then. I am also likely marked, and gifted with his Evantia. Tell me, have you used it yet?"

Moritz paused, realizing that the feeling he had was the connection of their similar markings, and shook his head while ending his stretching.

"No, I've not had the chance. I've trained some in my combat, but not with the mark. Would you perhaps be interested or willing to partake in a spar so I could try it? I'm always looking to learn new things, and I think learning to use Evantia would be wise."

Walking up to the Kelvic the woman patted Moritz on a few spots, his arms, wrists, shoulders, and legs, while inspecting him. "What all sorts of combat do you know? You seem at least somewhat limber from your stretching, but what else do you know?"

Here Moritz paused, trying to think back, while considering what all the woman knew. Could she tell things about his skills just from seeing him move, feeling his body, and perhaps how his muscles grew?

"Mostly Unarmed Combat and Acrobatics. A little bit of wrestling and some weapons, but not much of any. And I've been training by running to help with other things. What sorts of things do you work with Sina... Sina... tree?"

Here the Verusk woman smiled again, gazing at Moritz while moving around him. I know Unarmed, along with Acrobatics, and also boxing. But since you don't know any of it, why don't we try some boxing. I'll show you a bit of it, and you try to watch me with your Evantia.

Here Moritz nodded again, preparing to activate his gnosis. Before he did though he remembered something Tazrae had said.

"Ah, also, if you could... Could you tell me a bit more about Wysar. He marked me, but I did not think to ask too much at the time, and I suppose him being a god he did not feel the need to tell me his entire life story, so if you know about him some information would be great as well."

Tapping his Gnosis and willing the Evantia marking to activate for the first time Moritz felt as the aura of the gnosis expanded outward from him, stopping at a ring roughly fifty feet around the Kelvic. More than enough for his current needs. Focusing within this aura Moritz eyed the Verusk, and willed the gnosis to work upon her and her motions.

WC: 786

[Moritz Craven]

As Moritz Evantia Aura expanded across and focused onto the Verusk woman he did not at first sense anything from the still woman. However after a moment he sensed some motion from her head, and a moment later this motion was acted out in reality as a nod. Taking a step closer to Moritz she then held up her arms and moved into a ready position Moritz was not familiar with, each motion sensed a bit before but harder to see due to being more numerous than the single simple motion of the nod. "Alright Moritz, now Wysar is a particular God, not like any other. He is the God of Integrity, Conviction, and Discipline. That means he expects you to use his mark with those. No abusing it to steal, or commit a crime. No breaking of ones conviction and quitting on an important task half way through using it. And honing it through discipline. This means training over time, again and again. As it is now its a lump of raw iron. You must hone that into a sharp blade, and then further hone it endlessly from there. For now, your first time, just focus on what you see, and try to understand it. But don't rely on it alone. For now you can be fooled, which I'll show you. But it can still be of help, particularly if you work hard on it."

With that said Sinaetri began hopping side to side in an odd gait, a few paces from Moritz. Each of these movements were sensed in Moritz mind in quick succession such that they almost overlaid and overwrote each other. He could see them all, but so fast and at once such that he had trouble making them all out.

Then all at once they accelerated, Sinaetri suddenly taking a step forward and her body seeming to eat up the distance between Moritz and her while more sensed moves flashed in his head. Then it accelerated even more as she began to throw punches, small and large ones in quick succession. None however aimed at Moritz but all around him.

Unsure what to do and it not appearing she was going to hit him Moritz froze, waiting to see what she would do and trying to figure out how to react. This flurry continued for a bit, before suddenly she stopped, still for a moment... Only to send a punch aimed directly at his face! Sensing this single motion along he could see it was coming right at him, at his face, and so by instinct he tried to dodge by ducking below it. But he could also tell he was moving to slow, even seeing it he could not move fast enough to get out of its way. It was a foot from his face... The sensed motion was unchanged, as it neared... Six inches... Three... One... Even as he saw the motion and saw the impending collision he tenses his body... Only for the thrown blow to miss at the last moment as she turned her punch away. A feint?

Plopping onto his rear Moritz clutched his chest, gasping for air as he tried to calm his beating heart, and watching the woman smiling above him. "That's what we call a punch, and a feint. You saw the punch right, in the Aura? But you didn't see the true intent behind it. Your new, its understandable. Like I said though, you can be fooled, so don't rely on it too much, not alone. And also remember seeing a blow coming doesn't mean you can do something. If that hadn't been a feint you'd have a broken nose now."

With a smile and a wink the woman extended a hand to Moritz, pulling him back to his feet. "Alright, so for starters, lets try a good boxers form. In boxing, your legs are all about two things. Movement, and defense. You block with them, and you use them to move to avoid blows. Your hands are all about offense and defense. An arm can guard up to block and stop hits, while your hands are a weapon to hit with and attack. Now follow me."

With that said Sinaetri jumped back, the motions sensed ringing in Moritz head, as she took on a simple boxers stance. Moritz did his best to mimic its odd motion.

He set about emulating these motions one by one... Feet apart. Fists up with arms raised before his body, ready to attack or defend if needed... And a small hopping gait as he moved from side to a bit without staying firmly in place. Not settling in any one spot, shifting his motion constantly. The mirror of this in Sinaetri's aura was a confusing mix of visions and sensed actions all at once.

WC: 804

[Moritz Craven]

As Moritz danced about on his feet, mimicking Sinaetri's stance, he watched her form and the various new senses from her motions. In some ways it was dizzying, particularly when many came in at once, but at the same time was also separate from his other senses. Similar in some ways, he felt, to his Iraso sight, but in a different medium. "Alright, thats not bad. Thats the upright stance. Ready to go on the offense or defense, but not over committed either way. Its more of a transitional stance you shift from but can be useful. Also note the foot stance here, I have one foot farther behind, do that with whichever is your main side, since you'll want to step into a blow."

Still bobbing about a bit Moritz noticed then the foot stance Sinaetri had, and shifting his stance a bit moved it so his one foot was a bit back from the other. He kept in motion, bobbing about side to side as Sinaetri was, but otherwise kept his body still.

Nodding Sinaetri looked over Moritz movements, before shifting again for Moritz to copy. "Aright, not bad. Now try some crouches. These are more defensive positions, follow me."

Here again Moritz mimicked Sinaetri's motions and position, each small move causing a sensed image of intention and motion. Since she was not feinting then these more or less all came true exactly as he saw them, and as they were mostly more spread out they were a bit easier to read off her. Still he was having trouble making them out,

Moving his body as she did he moved so that his arms were up more, and blocking his head more. Before one arm was out completely and one arm was sort of tucked over, whereas now the arms were up blocking the torso and head and almost hiding his eyes. He could still see between his hands, but not as well as before. Of course, he reasoned, this would be used when a foe was known and being warded off, not while still trying to find or detect one.

As Moritz worked on this Sinaetri finally moved again, shifting to closer to Moritz. Rather than punching or grabbing him she sort of danced around him without touching at first, only to in the end push him from the side. As he stumbled away Sinaetri grinned, clearly having expected this. "Have you heard the expression rolling with the punches? This is where that applies most. If someone hits you, move with the hit. Let it push you, rather than hit you, and you will feel less of the blow. Also it helps to move with the blow to avoid falling over. I pushed you here, and you almost fell over. Its natural, if you get hit high up you normally tip and start to fall. But if you transfer that motion into sideways moving then there is less chance of that. So work on your stance while moving with the hit. Just think of it as a dance, or a acrobatics maneuver, a roll almost, but keeping on your feet."

Nodding from behind his hands Moritz stood up, moving slightly on his feet, while waiting for Sinaetri to strike again. He tensed as she neared, and even felt a few feinted blows he thought were going to hit but did not, but realized too late these were not real attacks. It was on her third round of his body that she finally moved and struck, pushing at him from the opposite side of before. In reaction he moved along with the blow in the same direction it was coming at him, pushing off from this blow and moving with it he shifted to the side.

Of course this was easy to do relatively speaking as he knew the blow was coming, was expecting it, and it was also rather slow and soft. But still he felt a small twinge of success in his gut, at having done even this small boxing maneuver or technique. Sinaetri smiled seeing his reaction, and continued to move around. "Not bad, though still needs lots of work. I think that is a good start on defense... How about we try some offense."

WC: 710

[Moritz Craven]

Moving back in front of Moritz Sinaetri made some space between the two of them and turned to face the Kelvic. "Alright, so follow my moves, just mirror me for now. We will start of small, with a few jabs. Just quick short punches, nothing overly strong. Remember that with a punch the force is all about the motion. You want to use your legs and hips to turn your body into the blow and strike with all of its weight, rather than that of just throwing a limp fist at something. Also when you jab quickly make sure to keep the other hand up to block on defense."

With that said Moritz watched as Sinaetri took on her stance, bobbing from side to side when she suddenly launched one hand out in a jab. Moritz repeated this motion, feeling with his legs the weight an then as she did turning his body into the blow. Using his hips, legs braced in place for support, and a turn of the body he launched the blow as he believed she had... And struck empty air as she had. Seeing as that empty air had been his own target he felt decent enough on having completed that.

The first jab done Sinaetri continued, launching two jabs in quick succession with her left fist, popping out, returning, and almost instantly popping out again. Each movement was a sense alarming in his mind, preempting the motion, though as it was far off and not near him her motion did not send any alarm into him like the earlier feinted blow at his head.

Repeating her motion he flexed outward and jabbed once, tucked back in, and jabbed a second time, though doing it twice like that he felt the second was off a bit and not as strong as the first. This was soon confirmed by Sinaetri as she commented on his progress. "The first was not bad, but remember each blow needs to be powered. You did not fully recover and then extend on the second, so that one was much weaker. A jab is less powerful than other blows, but you still need to learn to do it properly. So lets try again."

With that Sinaetri bobbed about before him, before jabbing once, tucking back, and then jabbing a second time. Though he saw this with both his own eyes and his Eventia aura Moritz still did not understand what he was doing right and what was different about how Sinaetri was doing it. Something clearly, but what Moritz did not know.

"Right I'm trying, but... I don't understand what your doing with your... Arm? Body? In between. Could you show that again?"

The Verusk woman nodded, returning to her earlier position before repeating the action. One jab, retract and... Twist? Had her foot moved, or her hips? Wait, was it also in the hand turn? But no she was already launching into the next blow, and extending again she had shifted and so once more it was lost on him. Silently he repeated the actions as best he could, throwing a jab, and then retracting his arm. But as he tried to copy the motion the Verusk had made he somehow managed to twist wrong and elbowed himself in the knee. Pain spreading outward he fell over in a heap on the sand, nursing both limbs where the impact had occurred.

WC: 570

[Moritz Craven]

Having gone through some of the simpler forms and the jab Sinaetri moved on to the next step, gaining Moritz attention again. "Right so keep working on that, maybe you'll get it in time. For now, lets keep going. After a jab lets try a cross. Where the jab just went forward and doesn't cross over in front of the torso area, the cross does just that, crosses over. Its a bit more powerful, but can leave you more open as well, and isn't as fast as the speedier but weaker jab. Start here by the chin, and then give a full punch across, using the body and taking a step into it for extra force."

Watching Sinaetri Moritz followed along, seeing what she meant as she spoke. He could still see or sense what she was doing before it happened, but he more fully understood it once he saw it a moment later. Working on the punch she started with her hands up, left tucked near her chin. Then throwing a punch with that hand she moved it down and across, moving more of her body, while also taking a step forward. Moritz tried to copy this action, watching as she moved, though not entirely sure on what all she had done as with some of her other actions.

Holding up his guard Moritz moved about, before planting his feet firmly. Then throwing a single punch he launched it outward and down and across, stepping forward into the blow. He didn't quite seem to get the twist as well as Sinaetri however, and so he took a step back and reset, before trying again. Bouncing side to side. Firming his footing in place... Arms up by his chin as guards... And then sending a blow out and across his chest... This time he got the rotation better, but forgot to step into it like before.

Sinaetri smiled, seeing his work, but knowing he was still improving. "Keep at it Moritz. You'll get it. Just keep working and improving. Don't stop."

Nodding in reply Moritz focused, returning again to his set position. Bouncing... Setting his feet. Focusing his entire mind on his body as a whole as he prepared with his guard up... And then moving all at once. Step, twist, while launching his punch out. It was rough, but it had all the components of a cross at least.

Sinaetri smiled and nodded, commenting as she did. Not bad. Not bad. Not greater either, but not bad. Keep at it. Don't forget, its not just a mindless action, and you are moving with a purpose, alright? You want to power it with your move, not just mindlessly flail. Keep working to increase the power, alright? Now... Lets move on to another punch... How about... The Hook. The jab is straight and quick. The cross crosses over the torso and is stronger, but is also a straight punch. A hook though, as the name implies... Hooks... Its not straight, but comes in on the side or at an angle. So it might work better up close, or perhaps when grappling.Somewhere in a shorter range than a longer distance straight punch. Start in the guard... Pull back the fist, and then launch it in as a hooking blow. To the side for a low one, or high to the head area. You also pivot the foot, like so."

As she spoke Sinaetri demonstrated again, and Moritz followed along. Hands on guard at the ready... Then using the lead hand she pulledback, and then launched a blow around the side while moving her feet. She did this twice, once at side height and once at head height.

Moritz then followed along, copying this. Throwing a punch however was never simple, he was finding. Pulling back a bit Moritz reared from his ready position on guard, pulling his fist back to get some distance... Then turning and swinging his fist he moved in for a blow all at once. Push, twist, swing, in to the side. Resetting he pulled back, watching again, and then repeating a high one. Pull back from the rest guard position, turn and pivot the body, and then launch the blow up at head level hooking in where the persons head would be.

He repeated this again, back on guard, pulling back, turning and twisting his body as he launched a blow at the side... Then repeating the other level... Reset back... Then turn the body and swing in a punch to the side of the head. This seemed to go better than the consecutive jab, or the cross, both of which he had more trouble with, and so felt better than when he had tried the others, at least somewhat.

WC: 792

[Moritz Craven]

After trying the blows a few more times, Sinaetri nodded along in response. "Getting better, slowly, I think you have the hook closer than anything but the single jab. Keep working on it though, as you want to keep improving all of them, since honestly even your best ones are a bit rough. Now... The last main blow is the uppercut. Most everything else in boxing is a variation of combination of those. If you've been paying attention, you can probably tell none of the names are too surprising. And with this uppercut its no different, nothing much new being treaded. Its a blow, or cut, that goes upward."

Moving back again Sinaetri mimed out some actions, Moritz following along in the more mundane sense while also watching in his Eventia's information. The words she spoke matched up more or less with the early imaged from the intended motions, and then were repeated by her actual body helping to reinforce it. Perhaps, Moritz assumed, this was her intent, giving him an active chance to compare each set of inputs against each other, while also helping in his learning by helping him better see what she was going to do. It was an interesting theory, though Moritz was unsure if he was right or not or if Sinaetri had other intentions on it. Going to the guard position as most moves seemed to entail Sinaetri prepared herself... "Start in the guard position as before, alright Moritz. Then like this... Drop the fist on the rear side, while also bending your knees to lower yourself and your center, and turn a bit... Your fist should be below the level of your opponents chest, which on you being tall will be harder on any but the tallest opponents. But don't forget long limbs and size also gives reach... While also providing a bigger target... Then you thrust upward, aiming either for a lower uppercut to the chest and torso, or a high one to the chin area. You also want to unbend the knees and rise up as you throw the blow, and also sort of... Twist... Kind of like with the cross."

Having explained it all Sinaetri continued, bending her knees, while also dropping her fist on one side. And then all at once she unbent her knees and rose up to her full height while throwing the punch upward and.... Twisting. She then repeated this again, returning to the set position he assumed to show another aimed at the other level. Arm dropping and knees bending... Knees unbending and rising with the punch and twisting... And throwing the uppercut.

Moritz nodded along, watching and taking it in through various means, before attempting it himself. Ready position movement was as usual the first step, repositioning his body... Then dropping his fist while bending his knees... Then all at once a flurry of motion, twisting his body, thrusting his hand upward, and unbending his knees and standing into the punch. While it was not perfect, it was decent enough, and Moritz felt satisfied with his work. He was however getting tired. "Alright Moritz, that's a good place to stop. Any much more and you'll end up unconscious on the beach wiped from training. As it is, sit for a bit before going home. We can continue later, alright?"

With a slow nod Moritz replied, deactivating his Evantia. All at once the increased strain struck him, and the Kelvic landed on his rear on the sand again. However he did managed to stay upright rather than passing out or falling over, and panting to catch his breath simply rested... Looking up after a bit Sinaetri had walked off, leaving Moritz to head off to her own things. After sitting for half a bell or so and resting Moritz finally rose, slowly walking back to his home before crashing and going to sleep almost as soon as he hit the bed.

WC: 656

[Moritz Craven]

Grade Award!

Name: Moritz Craven
XP Award:
Acrobatics 1
Boxing 5
Endurance 1
Socialization 1
Lores:
Sinaetri: Verusk dancer and Wysar marked
Trying Evantia for the first time
Evantia: Lets the user predict others movements
Wysar: God of Integrity, Conviction, and Discipline.
Wysar: Does not want his mark used to steal or commit crimes
Evantia: Must hone through discipline
Evantia: Lesser skilled users can be fooled
Evantia: Seeing something coming does not mean you can react in time
Boxing: Legs about movement and defense
Boxing: Arms about offense and defense
Boxing: Taking a simple beginners stance
Boxing: The upright stance
Boxing: Crouching defensive stance
Boxing: Rolling or moving with a blow
Boxing: Making a simple weaker jab
Boxing: Using your legs and hips for a proper punch
Evantia: Figuring out which blows will or wont hit
Boxing: Using a cross punch
Boxing: Crosses stronger but more open
Boxing: Hooking a hook
Boxing: Hooks better up close or grappling
Boxing: Performing an uppercut
Evantia: May help in training by seeing before action
Boxing: Long limbs means more reach but also bigger target
Penalties & Awards:
Notes: None