Closed Vigilant's Lament

[Imass]

Spring 62, 516 AV 3AM

Imass couldn't sleep in anticipation for the training that was about to begin. The Knight was eager to get back into firm martial standing with the Order; his Captains and Stewards would keep a very close eye on him the next forty moons. He also did not want to experience the ire of his peers for slacking off in the time of need. Last but not least, he did not want to let down Alexander Faircroft who would be his responsibility while Ser Greyheart was off on an errand.

Thus, Imass decided to get started earlier than usual.

The Knight slowly opened the doors of the Squire's Dormitories; he was clad in all linen garb and a wide belt in which he tucked his tunic in. It was completely dark except for a single lantern outside the entrance of the location. No one stirred at all in the main hall. The Akalak's Infra-vision allowed him to see the attendant sleeping at the entrance; a young woman that was not around when Imass was a squire living in the dorms. Looking over the counter, Imass read the list of the assigned rooms as easily as if it was daytime. He found were Alex was resting his sweet tender head, than began to creep deeper into the Dorms.

Holding his breath, Imass slowly turned the handle on the door that lead into Alex's room. Cracking it only half a foot open, Imass slipped inside. He made sure to only step on the balls of his feet as to prevent as much noise as possible. His Infra-vision allowed him to spot Alex's bunk from across the room.

Drawing a dagger from his belt, Imass crept through the small room. He took his steps deliberately, acting as if it was an actual mission. He stepped on foot in front of the other with a bend at his knees. Stepping over some dirty cloths on the floor and reaching around a chair, he finally reached Alex's bunk.

Holding the edge of the weapon at the squire's throat, Imass whispered tenderly, "Alex, you are dead," Imass stared at him with a slight glow in his yellow eyes for a moment without saying anything, "Get ready in silence, no armor, no sigils. You are not to wake your mates,"

Pushing the dagger closer on Faircroft's neck, he reminded the squire the seriousness of what just happened before sheathing the weapon back in his belt.

[Alexander Faircroft]

Description "Alex Common" Alex thoughts "Myrian" "Fratava" "Others"

Sleep. To sleep was a glorious thing to most, Nysel’s gift to the mortals. However to Alex it was nothing but torment. Reliving flashes of the darkest parts of his history, pained feelings of defeat and failures that he’d incurred upon himself. He tossed and turned in his dreams the feelings of the nightmares hounding him running. He couldn’t stop running. The feeling of the darkness looming over his shoulder, over himself. Then something cold. Like the feeling of ice pressed into him.

Alex’s eyes snapped open darting from side to side the shearing green flashing from one side of the room to the other in a blur before they caught hold of the shining yellow lights. Looming orbs of not quite malevolence. Dead. Silence, no armour, no sigils. A stealth mission? Alex blinked back what little weariness he had in him away. The darkness of the lack of light falling from his eyes. He groaned lightly near silently but loud enough for the Akalak opposite him to hear. It wasn’t a groan of annoyance but of soreness. He waited for Imass to withdraw the blade from his throat.

Alex slipped out of his bunk, the frigid night air washing over his unclothed form. His back turned towards Imass not out of embarrassment but out of want to keep the sun shaped scar on his left shoulder out of Imass’ vision. He slipped his clothes on with a speed that spoke of a need to be dressed in a hurry. A year of life in sunberth was want to do that to a person. As a year of life of ant in Nyka was one that made him slip the loop of gods he held over his neck with a swiftness that quite possibly could escape even the veteran Akalak’s gaze. A soon as his shirt was on and layered over his belt his weapons and plate armour hidden beneath his bunk.

Alex turned and nodded at his superior ready to be lead where they needed to go. A strange uncertainty settled into him, where in the heck were they headed? More importantly what exactly did this man have in store for him? He knew that his patron oft had strange and odd tasks for him to go and complete but this was far and away out of left field.

[Imass]

When Alex was finally ready, Imass motioned to him the "silence" and the "follow-me" hand signals. Creeping back, the Akalak slipped out of the room just as he had entered; he walked in a deliberate crouch, one foot in front of the other in a straight line. He held his dagger blade down, along his forearm, as if he was ready to defend an oncoming strike at any moment.

Once they closed the door of the Dormitory behind them, Imass turned to Alex and whispered again, "Ser Greyheart has informed me that it is time you learn the ways of war, not just combat. Your training with me begins. From now on, you will do everything I say," Imass stared directly into Alex's eyes when he whispered, "You've already failed the first lesson, you have little vigilance. On campaign, no amount of guards will stop rogues and assassins from cutting your throat in the night,"

Imass sheathed his dagger, "Stretch up, we are going for a little run," Performing a straight leg stretch, the Akalak loosened up his legs. Standing back up, he stretched his side-laterals briefly, then returned to his legs.

A couple ticks later of silent stretching, Imass finished up, "Are you ready?"

[Alexander Faircroft]

Description "Alex Common" Alex thoughts "Myrian" "Fratava" "Others"

It was odd to see the large Akalak trying to act stealthily. Alex had spent time learning how to naturally blend with shadows, to sink into the darkness. But then again the man had managed to sneak up on him whilst he was sleeping so who was he to argue with him. Alex rolled his shoulders working out the stiff kinks in them. He led behind Imass a moment allowing the Akalak to push forwards and create some distance. Alex In the darkness of the night as Imass pulled away from him scooted a foot beneath the edge of his bed pulling one of the secreted throwing daggers he had from beneath it and secluded it away ion the edge of his boot before motioning to catch up with the larger man.

His own foot falls were further apart he crouched though not quite as low as Imass had too. Primarily due to the height difference, and that was a factor. Standing outside amidst the cold almost chilling spring air Alex looked towards Imass as he spoke knowing full well now why Archilist had such a tentative relationship with his own Patron. The seer feeling of intensity pouring off of them at all tiems was a stark contrast to Sebastian’s own relaxed and eased nature. Apparently he’d failed the first lesson. Great. Another thing to sit on his mind and pull him down further into the realm of dwelling on things.

However the words for him to stretch up because they were going on a run didn’t sit well with him. What did war and running have in common? Alex took a deep breath which almost became a yawn as he did so. He stifled it as best he could masking it behind gritted teeth and a long stretch of his back. He didn’t need to stretch much compared to the much larger and gaunter man Alex had been doing basic exercises like this for the last several days back to back. Basic techniques that were simplistic in nature but lasted a long while.

Was he ready? Would he ever be? Alex stifled the want to make a comment and instead spoke with a calm manner. Only the second real time he’d ever spoken to the larger Akalak. His voice came out calm, soft, light as a summer breeze. Yet there was a weariness to it. The edge lined with the lack of sleep he’d attained but then again he’d spent weeks learning to mask and cope with it.
“Yes Ser. Any indication to the direction we’re headed? Or is that going to be kept secret?”

[Imass]

Imass stared at Alex for a moment and studied his face. It was lithe, pretty and his voice matched his looks. The Knight was warned by Ser Greyheart that the Squire was an overly inquisitive one. Without saying a word, Imass turned away and began to jog.

Imass ran with a form and technique, leaving Alex a couple of steps behind him. When his left foot stepped forward, his right hand touched his cheek and vise versa. By doing this it caused his hips to twist making it easier to step. The Akalak was not in prime condition though; he took a easy pace so he wouldn't have to stop.

Immediately, Imass ran straight down the main corridor of the Bittern District towards the northern wall of the city. At that time in the morning, the streets were almost abandoned compared to high-noon. Reaching the edge of the wall, Imass turned to his left in a very specific manner; he planted his right foot and pivoted on a Mizah. He ducked his left shoulder down and followed with his right foot and left arm in conjunction.

Looking over his shoulder he noticed that Alex did not execute correctly.

"No, no, no!" Imass bellowed as he turned back, "Do it again!" Jogging in place he forced Alex to repeat the left turn, "No! You have to flip your hips squire... Hard step, pivot... Put your left shoulder down squire... Too slow... once again..." Imass repeated the left turn over and over as an example until he was happy with Alex's footwork.

Continuing their jog, Imass looked over his shoulder again at Alex again only after maybe twenty yards. It was still utterly dark and their were no lights, but thanks to his Infra-Vision he saw Alex in detail.

"You need to turn quickly and deliberately in Battle, Squire," Imass bellowed through his breathing, "You need to step through your turns! What the hell are you doing? You are running all wrong damnit, STOP!"

Imass stopped jogging and power-walked up to Alex, "Get on your arse, Squire!!" If Alex did not respond to his command fast enough, the Akalak would punch him right in the stomach.

[Alexander Faircroft]

Description "Alex Common" Alex thoughts "Myrian" "Fratava" "Others"

The change in pace from behind Imass was a strange one Alex had though this was a stealth based mission yet here Imass was running like he’d wanted to be seen. Alex as beyond confused A strange form to his running that seemed out of place. Just behind him barely even a few steps Alex was keeping up however he was keeping low his steps practiced and silent Almost like a ghost passing through the shadows behind him.

Eventually the larger blue man stopped and turned, and with a rather obscenely loud roar told him he was running wrong to keep up with him.
What in the heck is his problem, I get he’s been away and in prison for some time but there are people sleeping. Could he at least take them into consideration? Alex pondered the point over in his head. Despite the silence he’d been walking and running with Imass it seemed needed to prove a point to him. That he was in control of the situation. Alex exhaled slowly mirroring his movements to the best of his ability copying the turn of the step. Almost felt like he was doing some form of Akalak battle dance. Whilst Imass’s gaze had flipped away he let a small smirk crawl across his face and then fade as swiftly as it had appeared.

Turn deliberately and quickly. What was the point of making an action too visible? Fight with honour yes, but give your opponent no chance to see where the blow comes from. Ser Greyheart had taught him that. Misdirection was the king of governing the flow of things. As Alex pondered thing his form fell and Imass berated him again. As soon as Imass stopped in his jogging Alex got the feeling that there was going to be an issue. The moment Imass said drop. Alex did. He landed on his rear without even allowing his legs time to bend he dropped into a cross legged sitting motion. Imass As intimidating as he was didn’t have the same sense of intimidation that Alex’s father had emitted, it was quieted but similar. There was a simplistic feeling in Alex’s mind though he’d felt something that he didn’t before, almost like he was being tested.

And unlike his time with Greyheart where he would ask questions left right and centre to ascertain a meaning behind his trainings. However with Imass he kept his mouth shut, Imass’ teaching were deliberate and to the point not hidden behind a veil like his patrons.

[Imass]

Imass dropped on his arse right next to Alex, "Lift your legs up like this," Imass raised his feet off the floor high enough so that his hamstring would not touch the ground.

"Now. Hold your arms at a ninety degree angle like this," Imass bent his elbow so that his forearm was precisely perpendicular to his arm. Imass waited for Alex to copy.

"Okay, now, swing your arms as if you are running. DO NOT change the ninety degree angle on your elbow, move only your shoulders" Imass swung his arms as if he was running, first very slowly so Alex could see the integrity of his form, then he began to speed up. Imass did this for an entire tick, the only noise was the sound of his breath.

"Look at the legs," the Akalak huffed, "Notice how they move without any effort?" Imass coughed and increased the speed of his arms. His abs began to burn a little. By increasing the speed of his arms, the faster his legs moved all by them self.

"See how the legs move all by them self when you use your arms properly?" Imass stopped the exercise and jumped back up to his feet, "Get up,"

[Alexander Faircroft]

Description "Alex Common" Alex thoughts "Myrian" "Fratava" "Others"

Alex mimicked Imass’s motions. Watching the motions and mirroring with a similar pose he felt awkward but as soon as he did he felt his stomach muscles begin to burn. Something about this felt strained. Despite the huge amounts of gear he wore and it’s accumulative weight he felt different here like this was a different burn on his muscles. Not one of enduring weight but sustaining a contraction. And now he had to swing his arms as if he was running without changing the angle? What on Mizahar was he doing!?

Alex copied his motions but could feel now his abdomen and his shoulders beginning to burn lightly. A pain pushing through his body that as he held the pose just grew and grew and grew. As Imass began to speed up Alex followed in pace, at a struggle to keep up His spine beginning to scream at him with the motions. Tick by tick the time passes each moment felt like an eternity however as Imass said it was ok to break the pose Alex dropped. Groaning loudly he rolled over and pushed himself up off of the ground his knuckles pressed into his hands. He wasn’t used to this sort of exercise he had decent endurance but this was still painful.

“I see...” He spoke with a small groan not one of annoyance but exertion he felt his body groaning at him. “I get were going over the basics…I must admit I’m not used to them, or at least this style ser.” Alex spoke his soft voice even if a little wracked with a minor pain from his stomach. He stood up now full standing only a few inches shorter than Imass himself but nowhere near as fuly straight as he had been before. Remind me again why I agreed to this?

[Imass]

Imass frowned at Alex's response, he was not used to such passive insolence, Ball never questioned a word he said. Imass decided it was best to explain himself better, as Ser Greyheart had suggested for dealing with Alex, "I am teaching you about war, Squire, and in war we must execute a series of basic techniques with precision to achieve a desired result," Words were not enough though, Imass needed to show him through action.

Dropping his left foot away from Alex, he opened his hips completely. His body was perpendicular to Alex now. He stretched his arm in front of Alex palm out; he tucked his left arm back. Without explaining himself, the Knight took a sequence of steps in front of the Squire. He moved quickly, each step deliberate. Imass was rusty, but not to the untrained eye of the squire. He took steps backwards, then forwards, than to his right, finally back to his original position. All the while, remaining perpendicular to Alex.

"I did not use my hands at all, but there would be no way for you to get through me, around me, or away from me," Imass said with coldly, "This is Footwork designed to hold a line during Battle. You can be the best at dueling solitary foes, but if you can't take steps and use your body correctly, you will not achieve the desired result of preventing an enemy group from entering your formation,"

Imass returned to a relaxed stance, "But Alas, Squire, you are not ready for advanced footwork. I must re-teach you how to move your body first. You must learn to use your body the way the Gods intended. You are training to be a Knight not a mere Laborer. Do you understand?"

Imass would not continue the run unless Alex responded clearly that he understood.

[Alexander Faircroft]

Description "Alex Common" Alex thoughts "Myrian" "Fratava" "Others"

“War…” Alex spoke just the one word, a simple one that spoke of a far flung non understanding. The basics. Alex now stood fully eliciting a series of loud snaps from his back, with a soft sigh he now stood back up to full height. Alex had caught a hold of the look of distain that was shot at him. Greyheart had encouraged his curiosity prompted it to grow, nurtured it. And now he was finding that Akalaks or at least Imass and Iros, didn’t care for curiosity they wanted things done their way. He also saw very clearly where Ball’s distant nature sprouted from.

The strangeness of his stance wasn’t lost on him however it was something he recognized. A basic sword and shield formation. Something Greyheart had gone through with him however it was slightly varied. Perhaps that was just the Akalak’s personal style? Each step that he took signalled two things one Imass was exceptionally well trained. Alex subconsciously followed into stance. Mimicking his moves something told him that just trying to replicate the steps was enough to test his knowledge of how much he’d learnt. However it was only the steps flowing in the same pattern. Backwards, forwards and then side to side however as he completed the side to side he crossed his feet ever so slightly.

He was being retrained? Perhaps he didn’t want to be retrained. He’d been learning from Greyheart a sergeant, a wing leader. He took it into stride and filed things away under his good to know book in the tower of his inner information stores. After a tick of time passing allowing him to store the information Alex spoke again, his voice clear and to the point however still oddly soft.
“I understand Ser.” A she spoke he nodded lightly. He stood with a small amount of attention knowing from each passing moment that Ser Imass seemed to be a man who wanted things done Instantly in his way.