Searching to Train (Open)

[Gaius Sivet]

1st Day, Summer, Year 512 AV

Gaius strolled through the streets of Syliras with a confident curiosity. Though he had trained well with the talon sword at his hip, it had been so long since he had put the knowledge to use that he had all but forgotten what he had learned. And now, he sought to rectify this.

The day was clear and beautiful as Gaius looked about for a suitable partner. A light wind blew his hair about and despite the slight chill, he was glad that he had left his katinu behind, else he would be sweltering. Finally, Gaius stopped in a large intersection and, spying a great number of people about, decided here would be as good a place as any. He cleared his throat loudly.

"Good people!" he called out in a booming voice that carried across the square, drawing the attention of many. "I seek to match my blade with a fellow swordsman! It has been long indeed since I had a spar and I wish to match myself, blade, bow, or magicaly, to anyone here! Who will take my challenge?!"

[Evora]

"Good people!I seek to match my blade with a fellow swordsman! It has been long indeed since I had a spar and I wish to match myself, blade, bow, or magicaly, to anyone here! Who will take my challenge?!" Evora looked around for the mad man. Evora couldn't help but smile as she recognized the mop of red hair. The Inartan she had met the night before.

Evora made her way around the yard and crept quietly up behind the other Inartan. She drew her eating knife from her belt. It was sharp enough but had no grip and made a clumsy weapon but it was the only weapon she could afford at the present time. She itched to have a long bow in her hands. But this would do.

When Evora stood directly behind the Inartan she quickly grabbed and arm, twisting it up behind his back and placing her meat knife at his throat. She tickled the flesh of his throat with the edge of her blade, nipping the flesh slightly.

"Dear Gaius, it is no challenge if you are not alert to an attack," Evora could not keep the smile out of her voice as she spoke to him in Nari, their native tongue.

[Gaius Sivet]

Gaius felt something prick at the skin on his throat just as his arm was twisted painfully behind his back. "Dear Gaius, it is no challenge if you are not alert to an attack," a voice cooed softly into his ear. For a moment he couldn't place what seemed so strange and yet so familiar about it. Then he realized, the voice spoke in Nari. It could only be Evora, the Inartan he had met not long ago.

Gaius smiled. "Well, few attack with such bold cowardice as you," he replied, slipping into his native tongue along with Evora. "But I suppose if you'd like we can still pass the time." With that he lashed out, sending his boot to connect with a hard, fleshy impact against her shin in the hopes that the pain would send her off him. All he needed was a moment to draw his sword or his bow. Then the fight would be over in short order.

[Evora]

"Well, few attack with such bold cowardice as you, but I suppose if you'd like we can still pass the time." Gaius said, kicking Evora sharply in the shin. It did not hurt much but Evora let him go all the same.

"Coward, Gaius? I am truly hurt," Evora said, voice dripping with sarcasm, "You just don't know how to have fun." Evora brought her knife up as she circled the Inartan. She used the tip to casually flick a feather from her face. She eyed the sword at the Inartans waist and the long bow on his back. A eating knife was no match. She scanned the crowds for a more suitable weapon.

"Kind Sir," Evora said sweeping out the legs of a young man practicing with a sword on dummy, and snatching away his sword. It was no fine make, and Evora saw hate in the youths eyes, but he dared not make a move. Evora pocketed the eating knife and wielded the sword with one hand. It was heavier than she expected and no bow, but Evora felt better for it though she didn't have much practice with a sword.

"Let me put you in the dust Gaius, and when I pull you up I'll allow you to buy me a drink," Evora smiled.

[Gaius Sivet]

Evora spoke with a voice dripping in sarcasm. It was a flurry of graceful motion that brought the young man training nearby to the ground and put his sword in Evora's hand. She moved with a cunning grace, her face full of confidence and easy power, but Gaius could tell that the sword was unfamiliar in her hand. Hopefully, that would be all the advantage he needed.

"Let me put you in the dust Gaius, and when I pull you up I'll allow you to buy me a drink," Evora said, a mocking smile spreading across her features. Gaius gave her a glare in return and then drew his sword, the sound of metal scrapping against leather seeming to echo over the small space.

"I think it will be you in the dirt, Evora. Not me," Gaius said with a smirk. The two circled each other, steadily, waiting for someone to make a move. It was a slow, simplistic dace, but the opening to something far more complex and beautiful. Boots scrapped and scuffed against stone as the two kept themselves ready.

Finally, Gaius took the offensive, stepping forward and swinging down for a quick, slashign blow. He had long since forgotten much of his old swordplay, but with any hope, his basic familiarity with his weapon, combined with superior strength and a relentless attack would help him win this.

[Evora]

Gaius drew his sword from its leather scabbard. Things seemed to fall still as the two Inartans circled each other. Evora knew he was bigger and certainly stronger than she, but she had a certain strength of her own. She was smaller, lighter and faster. It was not uncommon in Wind Reach that she would send the boys reeling. But this was not Wind Reach, and she was no longer playing with boys.

"I think it will be you in the dirt, Evora. Not me," Gaius said with a smirk. After those words all to be heard were their boots as they smoothed over dirt and stone. Evora tensed, keeping her sword above her head, ready to cut down an attack.

As they circled Gaius suddenly lunged out for a quick attack, but Evora brought her sword down on his and the clash of metal on metal rang through the silence. Evora brought the hilt of her sword up, pushing against Gaius chest, using his own weight to push herself away. She raised the sword above her head again.

“Then you will be pressed to buy me a drink on any count, for embarrassing a lady in public,” Evora smiled, “Assuming you win of course.”

Evora could almost pretend she was back in Wind Reach, sparring with the young men.

[Gaius Sivet]

The first clash was quick and fleeting as Gaius had thought it might be. Evora moved with a casual grace the belittled her strength. Gaius shifted and waited for a counterattack.

“Then you will be pressed to buy me a drink on any count, for embarrassing a lady in public,” Evora said with a cunning smile. “Assuming you win of course.” Gaius grinned and decided to press the attack once more, unleashing a flurry of quick, darting strikes, hoping to find some weakness in Evora's defenses. Despite the fury of the attack, nothing made its way through. And so, Gaius decided it was time to try a different tactic.

With what he hoped was sudden and unexpected fluidity, he surged forward and to the side, dropping to roll past Evora. Gaius leaped to his feet and spun, using the momentum to send a powerful slashing attack directly for Evora's midsection.

[Evora]

Evora held her ground, tracking a constant circle around her opponent as he did the same. As quickly as the first stick had come another one came. Gaius was a flurry of movement, his sword hacking down around her. Her own blade countered his, but she could not tell you how it had happened. Evora had stunned, even herself with her defense. And perhaps she wondered on it a moment too long, for Gaius had somehow vaulted past her. He dropped to the ground rolling past her and was on his feet in less than half the time. Thankfully Evora was quick and managed to jump back from the blow. More or less.

Evora hissed in pain as Gaius' sword found her side, slicing a neat line across her belly. "Are we sparring or are you trying to kill me?" Evora joked. It was not too deep though so she moved on, this time launching the attack. She took a leaf from Gaius' book and dropped to the ground. As an archer, having a knee to the ground was familiar and she was more comfortable attacking from below. From her position on the ground she slashed up with a violent stint of attacks that she aimed at his sword, hoping to weaken to weaken his sword arm so she could take a swipe at him.

[Gaius Sivet]

Gaius was pleased by the minor cut he scored on Evora, even as she mockingly chided him for it. He didn't have long to enjoy the moment though, before Evora launched into a furious attack of her own. By this point their sparring had lost all but the faintest traces of graceful sword play and the two were reduced to hammering away at each others defenses.

In the time it took to blink Evora hit the ground, one knee down, one up, and began slashing upward. It was a strange style to use with a sword and a difficult one to counter. Gaius soon found himself tiring and slowing in his movements. Evora scored several minor cuts along his thighs and belly, but even those that bled did so slowly.

Gaius leaped back and took stock of the situation for a moment. Then he took a running start forward and turned to the side, jumping and rolling over the ground again, coming up behind Evora and placing the tip of his sword against her back before he had even fully righted himself. Gaius smiled, though he knew Evora couldn't see it.

"Looks to me like I've won. But I suppose it's all in good sportsmanship, so, how about that drink?"

[Evora]

As Evora hacked away at Gaius' sword she was please that the constant counter was tiring him out and his movements were becoming slow and sluggish. Several times her sword moved through his defenses and managed to cut the flesh of his thighs and belly. Not deep cuts, but cuts all the same.

Suddenly Gaius retreated. Evora took this as a small personal victory, a smirk tracing her lips. But then just as suddenly Gaius bounded forward, turning to the side and hitting the ground in a roll and Evora struggled to keep track of his movements. But Evora felt the undeniable metal tip of a sword at her back.

"Looks to me like I've won. But I suppose it's all in good sportsmanship, so, how about that drink?" Gaius said form behind her, and she could hear the smile in his voice. Evora took a moment to think.

As quickly as a flash Evora dropped to her knees, turning on her knees and sweeping up dust, swung underneath the sword, jumped back to her feet and pointedly placed her sword at Gaius' neck.

"A drink sounds great, as long as you're still buying," Evora said, a smile playing on her mouth as she eyed Gaius. She did not know the other Inartan well, but she decided that she liked him. She let her sword drop to her side.