[Training] Horseback fighting [Solo]

[Markus Andres]

2nd of Winter - 510 AV. Markus felt the horse move uneasily bellow him. Could it feel how nervous the inexperienced rider was? Did it, too, fear that the rider would make a mistake? For both creatures knew that they would take the worst damage should something go wrong. The rider/horse could be replaced, but the horse/rider was irreplaceable. A rider/horse was only as good as his horse/rider. Markus looked down at the horse that oddly enough looked back up at him. Markus considered that it was contemplating throwing him off and taking its chances in the wilderness rather than having Markus’ sorry ass planted on its back. Markus would have taken his chances in the wilderness. Markus leaned his head back and looked up at the sky. Trying to comfort himself with the fact that he was a small piece in a larger universe. Or that his fate had already been pre-determined. But nothing helped. His mind kept returning to what lay ahead. Not some dangerous monster or the latest, biggest and baddest hell-spawn from Ravok. No. Markus would probably prefer that. For that wouldn’t make him this uneasy. Then he knew he would just fight his best and then either die or win. Not like now. Where he would fight his best. Get hu-hu-humiliated. But it was his own fault. He had asked his master for this. The rare smile on his master’s lips when he had asked, had almost made Markus eat his words again. But he sorely needed the experience. So with a gulp Markus put his helmet on. Immediately his eyes narrowed on what was straight ahead. A heavily armored knight wearing close to 60 pounds of heavy armor. It wasn’t the armor that unnerved the young squire. For he himself wore the same armor. It was what was inside the armor that had him this riled up. His own master. Stern Mason. The man who had trained Markus for the past five years. Markus had sparred with his master hundreds of times. He would gladly go another sparring round with him … Only if his feet were safely planted on the ground. NOT when he was sitting on a horse. Markus was uneasy enough on a horse as it was. Fighting his master didn’t make it better. His master raised his shield and hit his sword against it. Markus followed suit, urged his horse forward. It was on.

[Markus Andres]

Their swords and shield clashed. Markus left arm feeling a little sting from the blow he received on the shield. But he had been trained to brush that off, so he did. For his master wouldn’t care. Markus raised his shield again. Taking another strike directly on his shield. Moving it from side to side with confidence. Swinging his own blade out suddenly. Hoping to catch his master by surprise. With a sudden attack. But as he had suspected, his master was well-prepared. The strike bounced harmlessly off of his shield. Horse to horse combat wasn’t much harder than ground combat. The only thing Markus had to adjust, was that he didn’t walk around with his legs, instead, he gave the horse simple commands to move forward or turn right or left. The horses having been trained to know such commands, made it much easier for an inexperienced rider as him. Markus ducked below a particular vicious attempt to slice off his head. His helmet would probably have absorbed the damage, but damn it if he wanted to put that claim to the test. Markus right hand thrust forward. Trying to poke a hole in his masters exposed, yet armored, belly. The tip of his sword slid across the shield. Markus raised his own shield. Almost fell from the horse from the insane power in his master’s swing. But his powerful leg muscles managed to keep him safely on the horse. Markus gave his horse a nudge, trying to get behind his master. Gain the advantage. But his master, always ready to see through Markus’ ploys, had his horse swing around too. Mirroring Markus’ efforts. Markus shield suddenly clanged loudly when his master hammered his shield into it. Almost slinging Markus off the horse again. But he pushed back with all his might. Markus swung his right arm up high and sent his blade down towards his masters helmet in an overhead stab. Trying to get past his masters shield and sword. Then the constant pressure on the shield suddenly dissappeared. Markus struggling for a moment to not fall from his horse. In the absence of balance, Markus attack had been thrown off its mark. Stabbing behind his master. ”Ooooof” Markus was shoved away from his master. He settled on the horse with relative ease. For his master didn’t stop his attack. His sword hammering away at Markus defense. Once or twice slipping past and hitting his armor full force. At those times, Markus was impressed with the quality of the armor. Markus felt the blows, but they didn’t injure him. Markus threw himself into the fight again. Bolstered by his minor successes in the fight. The first success? Not having his horse run away with him. The second, lasting more than a chime in combat with his master. But Markus could feel the toll from the fight wear on him. Markus hammered his sword down at his masters shield. Giving it all he had. His master ducked from the sheer strenght of the blow. Markus, having prepared a little trick. His sword came down again, seemingly at full strength, but it was a feign.. This time, his master reacted by pushing back at the sword with the shield. Creating a small gap below the shield. Markus tipped his own shield against the bottom of his masters shield. Opening it up for Markus real attack. Upon contact with his masters shield, Markus had pulled his sword back as fast as he could and stabbed it through the opening he had created. He could hear his sword scratch across the metal guarding his masters belly. Markus felt happy. This was one of the few times he had ever managed to get a hit in on his master. His joy was short lived. His master knew that was when to strike. And strike hard. Markus felt a sharp pain from his right hand. Watching in horror as his sword left his hand. Flew away from the combat zone. Disarmed and embarrassed, Markus contemplated giving up. But the same spirit that had made him request this battle, forced him to stay in the battle. He couldn’t hope to win without a weapon. But, Markus had heeded the advice of a young fighter called Pain and gotten himself a weapon he could draw in no time. In a fluid motion he pulled out the dagger. Compared to his bastard sword, the dagger looked quite harmless. But any weapon was better than no weapon. He carefully hid the fact that he had unsheathed his dagger by hiding it behind his shield. He couldn’t defeat his master using a dagger in a head on fight. He would have to do something extraordinarily clever.

[Markus Andres]

Coming up with something extraordinarily clever in the midst of a fight, is a miracle. But Markus believed he had one last trick up his sleeve as he moved his shield around. Barely catching the attacks from his masters. Markus felt a little scared by his masters offensive fury. Markus whipped his head back. A sword pierced the air his head had been in moments earlier. Markus forced his shield up and knocked the blade away. That had been too close. Markus couldn’t afford to wait anymore. He could feel he was bottoming out soon and his master seemed to have endless energy. That was when Markus saw his opportunity. He made his horse move in closer to the enemy, inside the reach of his puny little dagger. Markus’ shield flew out and hit his masters defense in a shield bash. Pushing the defensive shield aside and Markus shot his right hand forward. Aiming for the slits in his masters helmet. But was met with his masters sword. Pushing his arm out of the way with the flat side of the blade then moving his blade down. Markus thought that was the end of the battle. But his survival instincts kicked in and his shield somehow, managed to intercept his masters blade a quarter of an inch before it struck Markus. Markus felt like he had already lost now. He had given out his last trumph card, his concealed dagger and his master had seen through his every move. But a small hope still lingered in Markus’ young heart and Markus did something he had often been told never to do. He threw his weapon at his master. His masters shield went up high and blocked the dagger that bounced off of the shield harmlessly. This last trick was something Markus had created out from Richard’s bum-rush tactic. For in the brief moment that his masters shield was up high, Markus swung his shield side ways in the air. Disregarding his own defense, completely, as he swung his shield in an arc. Using the southern tip of his heater shield as a weapon. His master, not expecting Markus to pull this kind of move and because of the sheer recklessness in the move, had not seen that come. Markus’ shield hit the top of his masters helmet. It slid off of the helmet without leaving much of a mark. But the effort had been made and Markus had restored some of his confidence in his own ability to fight. A mere moment later, while his shield was still too far away to defend his body, Markus felt the flat side of his masters blade hit him in the chest. Throwing him from the horse and landing on the ground. Hard. Markus wished he could have passed out… For then he would not have to look at his masters moment of triumph. But to his surprise, his master didn’t just look down at him from above his horse. He was quick to get to Markus’ side and remove Markus’ helmet. Making sure his young squire was alright. Markus flashed him a small smile. Showing him that he was relatively alright. ’When do you learn to mind your defense, boy!’ His master said with his usual gruffness. But Markus observed a glimmer of relief come across his masters face and then it was gone. Markus wanted to just lie there and relax. Gather his strength, but he knew his master would want them to move inside the castle walls again and he slowly, but surely, got to his feet again. ”We should do this again sometime.” Markus said cheerfully all of a sudden. His master turning to look at him. Then nodded and continued towards the castle gates with the horses. – Markus wanted to join him, but he needed to find his weapons first. The End.

[Leviathan]

Thread Award! Markus   Skills Skill Gain Info. Weapon: Longsword 2 Basic Use of the Sword Weapon: Shield 3 Considerable Use of the Shield Weapon: Dagger 1 Minor Use of the Dagger Weapon: Throwing Knife 1 An Attempt to use the Dagger as a Projectile Riding 2 Basic Riding Skills within Makeshift Combat   Lore Want Cautiously, You Might Get It Bringing a Knife to a Swordfight A Great Offense may Sacrifice a Great Defense