Solo [Antinous Training Grounds] The Sword is Mightier!

[Orion Michaels]

7th of Fall, 513 AV
Antinous Training Grounds
14th Bell

He just had to keep his mind off of everything that was going on, there was no other way around it. He’d had a meltdown at the end of the previous season, and it hadn’t been pretty. He’d blown up on Fallon, despite her being nothing but an innocent bystander, and fractured his hand in the process. It hadn’t been close to his proudest moment.

In recent times the squire had found some respite in the blade of a new weapon. The broadsword. He’d picked it up for the first time a few days back in a spar with another squire. Ellen Ansgot, if he recalled correctly. While he thought there would be more similarities between it and the long sword which he’d spend so much time learning, he’d found out just how wrong he was. It was just different. The length, the overall weight, and its balance: all of them were dissimilar to the weapon he knew best. He’d taken it as a challenge to learn this new weapon as well as he could.

Of course, it was all just an excuse to run from his problems, something that Orion was a master at doing.

Standing before a training dummy, broadsword in hand, the squire was ready to disappear in his training. For now he would train without his shield as he got used to the range and feel of the weapon. He could add in more technique as he got better, but until he got more comfortable, it was more trouble than it was worth.

Orion spread his feet shoulder width apart to give himself a steady base, gripping his sword tightly in his right hand. The blade was angled slightly in towards the center of his body, the tip of the weapon wagging back and forth slightly as Orion remained on the balls of his feet. That was something he’d learned to do regardless of which weapon he was wielding. Mobility was survivability.

He slashed diagonally down and to the right, the training weapon sliding across the front of the dummy harmlessly. The recoil slid through his arm as he did so. With the weapon being considerably lighter than what he was accustomed to, everything slid around a lot and created uneven strokes in his attacks. It was taking no short amount of time to get used to the balance of the weapon. Orion followed through with his attack, spinning around in place, his feet kicking up dirt as he did so. He smacked the ‘head’ of the dummy with the pommel of his weapon, extending his arm fully. The dummy flexed backwards from the impact and then fell back forward forcefully, crashing into his hand and knocking the broadsword from his grasp.

Orion stood there, dumfounded as the weapon slid across the dusty floor. He’d been disarmed a few days prior by a lucky strike, and now even a dummy was taking him out?

Scowling, the squire shook out his hand, walking slowly to retrieve the displaced weapon. He had a lot to figure if he was actually going to use a broadsword.

[Orion Michaels]

Grumbling all the while, the squire retrieved the broadsword, raising the blade high above his head and then back down as he continued to try and get a feel for how it was balanced. His training caused him to switch between the long sword and the broadsword, and it was causing Orion to wonder if he was stunting his growth in both weapons by splitting his focus. Even if it were so, the value of being talented as multiple weapons seemed to outweigh the loss of ability in an individual tool.

Perhaps it was just a stress reliever, or maybe he was using it as an excuse to not be more productive, but learning a new weapon engaged Orion in a way few other things had. It was strange because he’d never considered himself the type to use such a thing. He’d spent all his time fixing up wounds, so to be someone who has to know how to create the wounds was proving to be a radical change in pace. If he was going to know how to do it, however, he was going to do it correctly. If there had been one thing which Orion learned in his transition, it was that he needed to learn to do more. He’d spent years as a doctor and a cook, and beyond those skills, he was pretty much useless. One could argue they were useful talents, but still, if he was asked to do anything outside of it, unless it was for pleasure, he was quite useless.

Once back at the training dummy, Orion took up his stance, his dominate foot forward of his other to keep his center of balance a bit more aggressive. Once he was a bit more comfortable with things, he’d have to move onto a real foe again, but after his showing with that blonde squire, he was far from prepared to show his lack of finesse with the blade. Visualizing his foe before him he came up with a very basic enemy. Shield in his left hand, axe in his right. The most difficult part would be getting past the shield, so he’d have to mess around and figure out the best way to go about it.

He’d begun to strongly favor a horizontal slash at the side of the shield, hoping he was quicker than the person he was fighting, but he’d found it a more difficult maneuver to pull off with the shorter weapon he wielded. Still, he’d have to give it a try.

Orion brought the weapon up, setting it diagonally across his chest, quickly lashing out as he brought the angle of the weapon down to do that even, straight stroke across the center of the wooden dummy. Imagining the foe intercepted with its shield, Orion stepped in, and tried to deliver a shoulder to the midsection of his enemy. To call it awkward would be an understatement. He scored a glancing blow and found himself off balanced. Trying to make it seem like he meant to do it, he stumbled past and placed his free hand against the ground to prevent himself from falling to the ground.

The squire quickly straightened himself up, glancing around nervously, hoping no one had seen his failure. Naturally, he would have no such luck, but at least for once it wasn’t Weaponmaster Lucius Antinious who was coming down upon him.

”Squire Michaels,” came her voice, low and controlled. Weaponmaster Miriam Antinous. He’d seen her working around the training grounds on many occasions, usually with the younger squires as they learned the basics of combat. Dirt smudges streaked across her face, a rather frequent scene with the young woman. The most youthful of the Weaponmasters, she was often found putting particularly arrogant squires in their places. Unassuming, and underneath all that filth, attractive, she was an unpredictable combatant.

It was bothersome that she was walking towards Orion.

”Weaponmaster Antinous,” replied the squire in greeting, bowing his head in greeting. Based on what he’d seen and heard this woman could kill him fifteen times over before he even drew his blade.

”Having some problems, hmm?” Pushing her dirty blonde hair from her face, Miriam walked over to the weapon and armor racks and began to sift through the equipment. ”Take..this!” Orion was forced to drop his blade as a kite shield came flying through the air at him. Catching it with two hands, the he reeled backwards a few steps, looking to the Weaponmaster once he pulled himself together. She was approaching him with a spear in her hands and a rather mischievous look in her expression.

”Pick that sword back up, squire. You need a little guidance if you’re going to be picking up a new weapon like this. The training dummy isn’t going to teach you anything. Let’s get to it, Orion.”

Well this was unexpected. Orion moved cautiously over to where his weapon sat, wrapping his fingers around the broadsword’s hilt. Blue eyes settled on her weapon. The spear was more of a staff, a dull, sanded down tip rather than the deadly point that the polearm usually exhibited.

”You’re taking too long.” The young woman stepped forward and delivered a basic thrust at Orion, yet despite its simplicity, it was a thing of beauty. The way she held the weapon compact against her body, allowing herself to use the full force she could manage was so plain, but so flawlessly executed. With such a petite body she was more than able to generate huge amounts of power with her attacks.

Orion jerked his shield into position just in time, but it still felt as though she’d contacted with his flesh. The head of the spear collided with the face of the shield, hitting it square on. Pain jolted throughout Orion’s hand, arm, and all the way up to his shoulder as the shield was forced upwards by the sheer strength of the hit. Orion was once again on the retreat, his feet sliding backwards across the dirt floor. He was in for quite the test that much was clear enough.

[Orion Michaels]

Orion ducked under a horizontal swing of the staff, the quick whizz of the wooden shaft rushing by the top of his head. His hair was displaced by the breeze generated, and before he even had time to react to that, her next attack was incoming. Miriam's grip loosened slightly on the weapon, allowing the momentum of the swing to let it slide up further in her hands. Grasping the weapon down near its base, she reared back and brought down a powerful diagonal swing. It was an absolute thing of beauty to behold.

The squire once again jerked his shield up to try and intercept her attack. The wooden weapon collided with the front of the shield, propelling Orion's arm and shield across his body and opening up himself for another attack.

Or in her case, the continuation of the same.

It was in that moment he understood just how skilled the weaponmasters were at their craft. Every attack was with purpose, seamlessly transitioning into the next and the one after that. It didn't matter what counterattack a foe came up with, they were four, five, ten moves ahead. Like a game of strategy, they'd already won. 

Miriam hadn't stopped her attack once the side of the spear moved Orion's shield out of the way. Instead she following with the force of her swing, using it to help spin her around in a tight spiral, bringing the polearm flying around towards the side of the squire's knee.

If she'd followed through, she would have destroyed his knee, torn ligaments, and left him completely and utterly defeated, and it had only been a few ticks since their 'fight' began. If she'd followed through, they would have had to rush Orion to the Soothing Waters and pray there was someone there who could do something. 

Orion couldn't be more thankful she didn't.

The weapon came to a stop resting against the outside of his left knee. His gaze met hers and he received a smile in reply. "That was..umm.." Orion stood there, somewhat dumbfounded by the skill she displayed.

"That was the start of your lesson. Have you ever fought someone using a spear before?"

Orion shook his head. Not once. It had been nothing but variations of swords, truth be told.

"It couldn't be more obvious. I've already got the reach advantage, and you're standing back right in kill zone, so to speak. I'm getting as powerful of a blow as I can generate, and you're sitting there and taking it fully. Take a second to get the feeling back in your arm and then we'll set about making some corrections." She turned away from the squire giving him a little space, but not before tossing a sideways glance at him. "And maybe next time, you'll actually move your sword from your side, huh?"

[Orion Michaels]

Orion smirked at her comment, guarding himself from the annoyed barbs he wanted to throw back at her. He’d gain nothing by pissing her off, and he had a weapon master actually taking time to train him. It should have been an honor. Instead it was just another line in the humiliations he’d been made to endure. It seemed that he was targeted by the Antinous lineage in every way possible. At least Miriam was actually attempting him to improve his combat rather than testing the limits of his emotional control as her father was known to do.

”Your problem is pretty clear, squire. You try and use this weapon like something it’s not. Despite your efforts to treat it otherwise.” Miriam stood  across from Orion, leaning on her polearm like it was a walking stick. She reached up and brushed her bangs from her eyes, regarding the blue eyed man with a cool gaze. ”You’re trying to do elegant,  sweeping strikes. Those are very appropriate for long swords, wouldn’t you agree? But this broad sword, it’s lacking the length, and it’s wider, too. It’s a hacking weapon. The blade is wide and heavy. You can’t try and lash out. You’ve got to get right up in the fray.”

He listened to her instruction, giving her a nod of understanding. The most frustrating thing about what she’d said? He knew it all. The truth of the matter was, Orion fought with muscle memory. It’s why his progress had stagnated so much. His lack of real experience in true deadly combat had in some ways limited his ability. Miriam was aware of his limitations; as a weapon master it was her duty to know what was going on in her training grounds.

”So let’s walk through this. I’m going to thrust at you, just a straight jab with the spear. Just show me what you think you should do.”

”Sounds good,” he replied, bringing his armaments up to the ready.

Miriam lowered her spear, waited for an acknowledgement from Orion, and when she received it, she attacked. Lean, powerful muscles tensed as she brought the weapon back and then stepped forward into a powerful strike. She purposefully put her aim off to the side, aiming at the outside of his shield to see how he would react.

Orion shifted his feet and adjusted his shield, sliding over to make sure the weapon connected with his shield, not his body. The force of the blow nearly sent him stumbling back, but he angled the heavy metal kite shield away at the last moment. The spear shot past him, and Orion, satisfied with his defense, brought his shield to the ready and awaited her next attack.

Instead of that, however, Miriam withdrew her weapon, bringing it upright. ”You’ve got to be kidding me, Orion.” She shook her head, disappointment visible on her face. ”What part of that was worth anything? You had every opening to attack me, but instead you’re going to let me continue the assault? You’re far too passive.  If you had simply stepped in after deflecting my attack, you’d have had an opening, see?”

Miriam brought the weapon back to the ready. ”Take it slow, now. I thrust my spear forward.” She slowly prodded the weapon at his shield; Orion deflected it once more, her follow through pushing the point past his body. ”Now instead of letting me recover, close the distance between us. A spear is at its best when it can keep the enemy at range. That attack opened me entirely.”

Orion nodded, stepping in and raising the broadsword above his head to get a feel for the exchange. ”See what I mean, Michaels? You can’t think one move at a time. Combat is a mixture of reflexes, skill, prediction, and luck. All of them play their role. If the only move you’re thinking about is your next, you will lose. Now weapons up. We’re going full speed.”

[Orion Michaels]

Miriam motioned for Orion to attack, readying her spear for their spar. She wouldn’t actually be going full speed, but she wasn’t going easy on him, either. From her talks with his patron and with her own father, it was apparent that unless he was being pushed too far, he would get bored, get distracted, or just stop caring. Dinah had physically injured Orion during their training on several occasions. Not just bruises and scrapes, but serious medical attention requiring injuries. Despite all that, they were closer than ever; as knight and squire, of course. Rumors of anything more had been squashed a few seasons back. He was beginning to take shape, beginning to fit the mold of a knight, though his personal choices had certainly risked destroying everything that had been poured into him.

Orion squatted down slightly, leaning forward and exploding from the semi-crouched position, bringing his shield up to protect his midsection while simultaneously bringing the broadsword up to deliver and overhead chop.

Reacting quickly, Miriam retreated a few steps, poking out with her spear to keep the proper distance between them. Once, twice, three times she struck out, the clang of wood on steel ringing out as each blow struck true against his defense. Orion tried to shift with each blow to minimize the impact, but each hit was still quite powerful. He was going to have an extremely sore shoulder the next day. His assault had been stopped before it could even begin, but remembering the message hidden in her earlier words, he didn’t stop.

Plated feet continued moving, this time side to side as he began to circle the talented fighter. She shot an occasional probing shot at the squire, forcing him to adjust his eye level with each one. High, then low, then high, then low. Orion kept his shield interposed between each attack, as he tried to figure out how to get past the dangerous weapon.

As he continued to circle her, the attacks became repetitive, predictable, and Orion finally caught on. He would never know if Miriam was doing it on purpose, though of course she was, but he wasn’t going to waste his opportunity. When one of the high strikes came in, Orion used his shield to parry her blow, smacking the spear aside. He came storming in with a horizontal slash of his weapon, bringing it from high to low as his arm moved in an almost ‘c’ shaped pattern to get into position. Miriam lunged backwards, the broad sword narrowly missing her gut as she did so.

The woman then retracted her weapon, making sure both hands were tight on it and feigned a low stab, causing Orion to flinch and react to try and block it. Before he’d even gotten into place, the spear was back and now coming high at his head.
The squire brought his head to his left shoulder, jerking his body to the side trying to avoid her attack. The wooden pole arm ran along his neck, the tip of the weapon narrowly missing a killing blow. His eyes widened as the near miss registered in his mind. You had to constantly move in combat, to do anything but would spell certain death. Especially against one so skilled as Miriam.

[Orion Michaels]

Miriam brought the spear back once more while Orion took a swing at the side of the weapon with his shield, lunging forward with a thrust of his sword at the same time. The weaponmaster twisted her body to the side, evading the counter attack and quickly regaining control of her weapon. She brought it up to the side, raising the tip of the weapon high above her head before slashing slow at the squire’s feet, trying to sweep his legs out from underneath him.

Everything was moving extremely fast, even with Miriam holding back. He was trying to keep eyes on her but make sure that he knew what her weapon was doing and where it was at. It was also a mystery to him if she knew any unarmed maneuvers. One could hardly be surprised if it were true. Masterful movements, precise attacks, perfect timing. There were hardly any in the order as skilled in the art of battle as the Antinous’. Even more amazing than their martial prowess was their ability to teach, to find what worked best for each individual student. Miriam wasn’t a weapon master at her age for no reason, after all.

Orion kicked his legs backwards trying to get out of the way of her attack and was mostly successful. The tip of the weapon caught his left shin, nearly knocking him off his feet. Unbalanced, Orion’s arms flailed wildly as he struggled not to meet the ground. Miriam, of course, was all too gracious in helping him become reacquainted with a floor he knew so well. Recovering from her swing, she brought the weapon back on a reciprocal path, the side of the spear crashing into the side of Orion’s legs, upending him and putting the blue eyed man on his back.

The wind was nearly knocked from his lungs when he made contact, but he didn’t have time to think about it as he caught the movement of a spear being raised once more. The former doctor barely got his shield up to prevent what would have been a killing blow. A thin layer of steel was all that protected his stomach from a rather unfortunate skewering at the hands of the dirt covered woman. If she hadn’t been so dirty and trying to run him through, he might have found her cute. Well, maybe he still did, but he didn’t have the time to really think on it. Another stab was coming at his head.

Again he raised his shield, groaning as the spear connected squarely. His shoulder was on fire, he was sure of it. Futilely and from his back Orion swung the broadsword, trying to knock her weapon aside. For a moment it worked.

For a moment he thought he could get up.

So he tried to do just that, rolling onto his side and trying to scramble to his feet. The sudden poke in his side let him know he’d misjudged just how much time he really had. Blue eyes slowly trailed up the spear and to the face of the victor as a sheepish grin spread across his lips. Would she reprimand him? Tell him how awful he was? Ask why he was even in the order? Lucius Antonious would most certainly do that. Why should his daughter be any different?

”Good job, Orion. I’ll test you again sometime and see if you learned anything from this. Don’t let me have wasted my time, alright?” She flashed him a grin before pulling the spear back and walking away without another word.

The squire was left with a dumbfounded expression. That was it? A spar, a defeat, a little bit of instruction, and then she was off on her way? This day hadn’t gone at all how he’d expected, but at least there was one benefit, beyond the training that is. He totally forgot what it was he was trying to forget, at least for a moment.

[Accolade]

Orion Michaels

Experience

Skill	XP Earned
Broadsword	+ 5 XP
Tactics	+ 2 XP
Shield	+ 3 XP
Acrobatics	+ 1 XP

Lores

•	Lore Earned
•	Broadsword: made for hacking
•	Honor: Being trained by Miriam
•	Spears can be deflected better in closer combat.
•	Technique: Block then strike

Notes :

Nice training thread. And look at that, Orion behaved himself.

The Sylir has spoken

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