Another Day, Another Battle (Solo)

[Blythe]

Timestamp: Spring 45, 512 AV
Location: Just outside the city's walls

Blythe rounded a small hill, a slight dip in the terrain. There but hardly, so much so that it scarcely seemed to count. Her feet slid against the soles of her sandals, her toes trickling over the sides of the front. Bands tied tightly, sinking into the skin, could barely keep her contained. She needed to be free again. To see the outdoors, as opposed to the dank, dark insides of a sinking city. Something crumbling in the face of a storm. Turned to stone and pieces of plaster; rubble. She sighed to herself as she came to the bottom, and looked up at the sky, the sun just poking out of the clouds. The dark rise of the city not far behind. Dark stones glimmering in the light. It seemed sinister almost, set against a landscape largely barren, although it should be blooming. Perhaps it was just to her, that it seemed barren, considering the common state of her home city. But, who was to be sure?

Sighing, she turned to the woman she had agreed to meet, one with dark hair, simple robes, and a sword strapped to her side. A more common weapon than her own, decorated white katana. "This place should do just as well as any," Blythe called as she took a few steps closer to the woman, one who called herself Clarissa. The brunette could only nod as she pulled her sword from its sheath.

"Indeed, it'll be the perfect place to try out a new weapon," she replied, as Blythe pulled her sword from its scabbard, intending to follow suit. Her right hand came to the top of the hilt, her left hand only an inch or so behind. All her fingers curled around the adornments. Directed inwards; back at the palm, save for her thumbs, which were headed towards the blade, shimmering in the pale sunlight. The thumbs danced, warming the metal as the girl's eyes sparkled. The katana was rising, slowly, to a point over her head. Held horizontally over her crest of flowing, golden hair. Her right leg had come forward, and she was leaning into it slightly. Blythe's left foot had fallen behind. Clarissa, by comparison, was standing relatively straight, neither foot truly leading as she held the sword close to her breast, on a slight angle, sloping towards her shoulder.

It seemed strange to Blythe, for Clarissa seemed rather unprepared for battle, while she was poised like a scorpion. Tail dangling nearby in wait, eyeing the tides for the opportune moment to twist and churn. "Ready?" Blythe asked after a few moments, wondering if she needed yet more time to prepared herself.

Clarissa offered a curt nod. "Ready," she insisted, spurring a slight nod from Blythe in understanding. Here we go, she thought, as she waited, each woman staring the other down. Blythe's simple white dress fluttering in the breeze. Her slight form threatening to be whipped about like a sail at sea. Clarissa's far more voluptuous frame stood tall and proud, a mountain refusing to be budged.

There was a glimmer in the human's eye as she stepped forward slowly, her sword inching forward as she moved. Her hands wrung the wire hilt of her sword as she then pulled it back, over her shoulder, as though she were winding up a bat for a swing. Clarissa kept on stepping forward, slowly, in calculated motions. Blythe's sword remained, swirling over her head, a silent threat to the woman who intended to travel near. A smirk appeared on the human's lips as she hopped forward a few steps, and swung her sword around, driving it under Blythe's arms, and towards her middle, as though she intended to cut her in half. The Konti could feel the cool air coming, and was beginning to bring her sword down to block. But she knew there would be no time to move it enough; to place it in the way and save herself.

At the last moment, Blythe's sword came to a halt, as it fell over her head. She stepped back, no, stumbled really, just out of reach of Clarissa's weapon. She could hear it hiss in frustration as it swept past her, and back around, towards the woman's opposite hip. Providing an opening, time for Blythe to strike. Deciding it best to seize the opportunity, the Konti forced her blade down, and then outwards, to her right side. As she stepped in, nearing the human, she brought her right shoulder forward, as if to knock against her, and drive the woman back. Yet, instead of forcing her away, the sword drove in, batting towards the woman's side. Cutting across it as a whole. The human, not wishing to be cut down so easily, side stepped as she whisked her blade in and took a few steps back, regaining her beginnings, as Blythe did the same.

They were both preparing themselves.

[Blythe]

Blythe was the first to move forward, toward her opponent, but Clarissa was soon to follow. Each held their swords at their middle, allowing them to cut their bodies in half in a vertical fashion as their feet pumped the ground, propelling them forward. As the moved, each pulled their sword out to their sides, allowing the points to hover a few inches diagonally across, and in front of their shoulders. As they came closer and closer to a striking distance, each began to pull their weapons back in, cutting them across, in an arc, to slice at their opponent's center. However, being that both had had the same idea in mind, their blades merely clashed uselessly against each other. Muscles popped out of skin, as veins pulsed. Coursing rivers of vibrant neon blues and greens. Blythe grit her teeth as Clarissa angled their swords. Each of their weapons clicking as they slid against each other. Growing tired, Blythe pulled away, stumbling a few steps back as she returned her katana to a starting position.

Clarissa didn't follow at first. Her sword simply remained guarded, across her chest. Hovering relatively close. Blythe, figuring it best to attack what little she kept open, namely her legs, strode forward. Her sword dipped, its point coming close to the ground, grazing over the rubble as she strode forward. As she came within a few feet, the weapon rushed upwards, towards the woman's knee. As though intending to knock against its center; like a doctor's hammer when testing one's reflexes. But Clarissa was swift, she lowered her blade, and flicked it outward, tossing Blythe's blade as she stepped in. Leading with her shoulder, she swept her sword in a V formation, slicing the air towards Blythe's chest. Her side when she turned so as to present less of a target. Relentlessly, Clarissa repeated this motion. Taking one step forward each time Blythe took one step back, to remain just out of reach, her sword dragging against the ground.

The sword was coming closer to closer to her face. Her large lavender colored eyes could only widen as she took note of the metal point. Her heart hammered as Blythe sharply took in another breath, before twirling to the right, lifting her weapon up and off the ground as she did. She propelled it around slowly, before stepping around her opponent, and swinging her sword back in, at a slight angle, intending to cut across her back. But Clarissa was too swift, she came forward too suddenly, and Blythe's weapon, once again, missed its mark. Frustrated with herself, the Konti drove forward as the human turned, swinging her sword around wildly to ward off any of Blythe's strikes, at least temporarily.

Blythe growled. She had missed her chance, and now Clarissa had had enough time to compose herself. They were even again. As Clarissa's weapon neared the end of its arc, Blythe took a final half step forward, her sword came up a little, before she swept it down, towards the woman's exposed shoulder. Within a moment though, the area which had once been open to attack, had been closed off. Metal clashed angrily against metal. Sparks seemed to fly as Blythe stepped back, and tore her weapon away. Before turning it on her side by bringing her right hand counterclockwise, and her left in the same fashion, towards where the right had been. The weapon swept under the woman's arm, towards her center, just as Clarissa had raised hers again to strike Blythe's shoulder. Within seconds, each woman's blade had tapped the other with the blunt end. Each sucked air in through their teeth. Seething, they pulled apart, returning to their corners.

"You alright?" Blythe asked.

Clarissa nodded. "Aye, but that will leave a mark."

"Only a bruise, since we weren't striking with the sharpened ends," Blythe replied, only to receive a nod. She pulled her left hand off her sword, and rubbed her aching shoulder a moment. "Do you wish to stop, or keep on sparring?" Blythe asked.

"It's not nearly time to stop," Clarissa replied, causing Blythe to offer a small smile as she returned her hand to her sword. Her right foot slid forward, and soon, was bending at the knee. She leaned into it a little, as her left foot turned to face forward. She wiggled it a little, displacing dirt, so that it would be firmly planted in the ground. Seconds later, her sword was coming forward, directly in front of her. The bottom of the hilt level with her hip. The tip of the blade about level with the top of her head. Clarissa, on the other hand, stood sideways, presenting her shoulder to Blythe. She held her sword before her, defiant and proud. "Ready?" she called, prompting Blythe to nod, just before the woman shot for her. Shuffling forward several steps before forcing the right forward. She was leaning into it, her bent knee, as her left leg hung stiff on an angle, behind. Her sword shot forward, towards Blythe's heart.

The Konti, easily slammed the sword away with her own weapon, and shuffled forward. As she neared, she raised her sword high, over her head, before bringing it crashing back down, it was just about to hit Clarissa's shoulder, when she took a step back and retracted her sword. Driving it across her middle in a defensive stance. Blythe would not stand for it, she was relentless. She shuffled forward, forcing her blade out to her side, before swinging it in wildly, in a wide arc, towards the woman's neck. Calmly, the human moved her sword. Deflected yet another attack. Again, Blythe brought her blade out to her side, and twirled around. Circling, the blade came out, towards the woman's opposite shoulder. Swiftly, she stepped back, brought her blade forward, and deflected.

Blythe growled. Her eyes were blazing. She was getting a bit frustrated. Competitive, because for once, she wanted to win. Clearly. Win.

[Blythe]

Blythe stopped twirling. Harnessing the power and the grace of the mistress who had taught her the art originally. Her grip tightened around the hilt of her sword as her blonde hair came out of its dervish, and settled back down. She could feel some of the strands tickling her shoulders as she side-stepped around and around. Her eyes raking over the human's form as she silently turned to meet her match. Blythe had taken a step away, to simply observe the lines. The faults; where the opening lay in a defensive stance. For a time, Clarissa let her study. But soon, came a time when she could take no more, and left her statuesque form behind. Her sword swung towards Blythe, at first, it dipped towards the Konti's hips, before shooting back up towards her shoulders.

The older woman, not having much time to react, chose to simply step back for the initial assault, so as to remain just out of reach. Yet, Clarissa would not give in either. She stepped forward, swinging her sword back in, towards Blythe's neck. The Konti, being more in position to block such a thing, placed all of her weight on her left foot, the one that had fallen behind, and slowly, drew her sword over from her center to the side of her neck, to block the human's advances. Metal clashed against metal once more. Each weapon wavered in their owner's hands. Blythe could see them trembling out of the corner of her lavender colored eyes.

Blythe placed additional weight upon her left foot. Her fingers wrung the hilt. Her eyes remained fixed on Clarissa's own, as she slowly, took two steps back. The sword stretched; only the point kept her enemy's weapon at bay. She could hear her heart hammering, ringing in her ears, as she took yet another back, away. The weapons fell apart, hanging limply in the air. Awkwardly; as though they expected their mate to still be there. The Konti took a deep breath as she shuffled forward. Her sword coming high again, its point inching over her mane of blonde hair. As she angled into a striking spot, she brought the weapon crashing back down, towards Clarissa's right shoulder. The woman, easily took a half step back, raised her sword and blocked. Within a heartbeat, Blythe was pulling her weapon away. It rose in the air, and soon, was coming back down towards the opposite shoulder. Clarissa side-stepped, and too raised her sword, before bringing it back down towards Blythe.

The Konti made no motion to block, and instead, stepped to the side, her sword swung under its counter, and then rose back around. Swirling, until it came for the woman's neck. Veins pulsing with adrenaline as air came against it. A wave of elemental power, so easily doused with a flick of the wrist. Metal rising. A sharp clatter. Blythe tore her weapon away from the deadlock at the same instant her opponent managed to do so. She ran forward, on an angle, so that her shoulder led. As her opponent's blade rose over her shoulder, so that it may later swing back in to wreak havoc on her foe, Blythe's side came crashing into the human's middle. She could feel her head coming down. Sense her sucking in air; unable to release. She could see her body furling, like a lotus on the lake. Its milky petals in no mood to catch any more rain. She could see the woman losing her footing as her blade faltered. Her foot shuffling against rough patches of earth as she was forced back. Stumbling; her body shaking like a leaf as Blythe's sword came up, and then, dove back in, smashing into the woman's shoulder with abandon. The flattened edge ramming against a protruding bone. The bump on the camel's back.

Seconds later, Blythe was once again backing away. The point of her sword dragged against the ground. The human was coughing. Gasping for air. "I don't suppose you've had enough yet?" Clarissa inquired, as she held her chest. Blythe thought she could see it rising and falling as she fought to regain her breath. As she lifted her sword, and allowed its flat edge to rest against her shoulder a moment, while she composed herself.

The Konti shook her head. "I don't suppose so either," she replied with a small grin, as the metal drew lines in the dirt by her feet. Clarissa could only smile as she pulled her weapon off her shoulder, and forced it into the air. She held it before her, proudly awaiting another wave of assaults from her opponent.

[Blythe]

Blythe was the first to run forward, but Clarissa was soon to follow. Both of their weapons fell back, coming close to their shoulders. Wavering a little in the winds they produced as their feet pummeled the ground. Their hands grew slick with sweat; from the adrenaline rush coupled with their undying desire to keep themselves going. Each weapon swept forward, coming a little higher before they dipped towards shoulders. One weapon going one way, the other, to the opposite. Soon, each crashed into bone. Each woman flinched as a shooting pain shot through them, and they stumbled back, soon to recover, for Blythe had swept her faltering blade from its lowly place into the air. It rose in an arc towards the human's middle. A human who had seemed so defenseless as she fought to regain her composure once more. Until the last moment, when her blade came up to block. Within a heartbeat however, Blythe was turning. Her sword held out at her side, level with her hip. It twirled through the air, with her body, with her flowing hair. And then it came to an untimely end, when again, metal grated against metal.

The Konti stopped spinning, only to raise her sword a little higher, before sweeping it back in, at a less central point. Again she was blocked, as she took a step back, raising her sword towards her right shoulder, before swinging it down towards her opponent's hips, and then up towards the opposite shoulder. Again, her opponent's blade made her falter. It circled her sword hungrily, pushing it out of the way as she stepped through the opening. Whirling her weapon back in, towards Blythe's shoulder. As she tugged her sword back, into herself, the Konti stepped away, narrowly missing the sweep of metal. There was a flash against her vision, as it caught the light, and her sword came to rest out by her side. Inviting her opponent to come for her, to try and strike her.

The Konti, as she stood waiting for that fraction of a second, thought she could see a smirk upon Clarissa's face, a glimmer in her eyes as she came for her. Blythe could only smile knowingly to herself. As the woman lunged for her, extending her sword to her exposed middle. As it came for her, Blythe forced her sword in, knocking her opponent's to the side. As it went away, crashing off into oblivion, the far left wing, the Konti rushed in. Her sword had dipped, so it rested horizontally upon the thickening air. It was pointed right at her opponent. She could see her opponent's blade finally coming in to try and block, but it was already too late. Her weapon was crashing through the opening under her arms. The curve cast by her shoulder's connection to arm and back. It was going all the way through, into the sunlight beyond. Gutting the human completely, as swept it into her side. The flat end tapping.

Within a moment, Blythe had pulled away and sheathed her sword. "That is enough Clarissa," she whispered, as she bowed her head in respect, only to receive a slight nod, before she moved back towards the city. Into the protective arms of crumbling stone walls.

OOCSince it's a mere practice fight, Blythe would always try to twist her blade to the flat end. Just tap her opponents instead of gravely wound them. She'd expect all opponents to do the same. So instead of gashes, each woman would have only nasty bruises for a while, at best.

[Templar]

Blythe: Katana: 5 - Tactics: 2 - Lore: -None- Additional Notes: Well written sparring thread! Kudos! Feel free to PM me if you think I made a mistake!