Basic Sword Skills [Thursday, Period Three]

[furious-maximus.livejournal.com]

The class was set up almost identically to the way it had been the previous week. "Today," Max began without preamble, "we will be seeing how much you've learned. The exercise is simple: each of you will select a weapon and an area of terrain." His smile was slow and lazy. "And then you'll show me what you've learned."

"You're free to warm up before you make your decision, or to talk to your fellow students."

Max's grin grew slightly predatory. "Good luck."

Comments

The exam

[furious-maximus.livejournal.com]

Mod yourself a weapon and location. If you're not up for a full thread you're welcome to just make a handwavey note about how your character does.

Re: The exam

[bitten_notshy]

Jack took a single, slender blade and went to stand in a cobblestone-paved city square. If he were to get into trouble, it was more likely to be there than in the country.

Re: The exam

[furious-maximus.livejournal.com]

Max grinned as he walked over, drawing his gladius. "Show me what you've learned," he taunted

Re: The exam

[bitten_notshy]

"Of course, sir," Jack said, and that was the last bit of submission he'd show for the duration. He struck forward with the sword with the speed his street-rat past gave him, aiming at Max's shoulder.

Re: The exam

[furious-maximus.livejournal.com]

The look in Max's eyes suggested his approval. He almost didn't move out of the way quickly enough, twisting just enough to avoid the thrust while stepping forward to aim a quick slash at Jack's lead thigh.

Re: The exam

[bitten_notshy]

Jack brought his knee up to try to knock Max's sword aside, bringing his blade down and back across at a diagonal.

Re: The exam

[furious-maximus.livejournal.com]

With his blade deflected Max was forced to take a long step back in order to get the range open again. The kid wasn't bad at all. Max smirked as he swung a quick slash and riposte aimed at Jack's torso.

Re: The exam

[bitten_notshy]

Jack deflected the riposte with his blade, but not completely; it bounced and hit his stomach in a way that made him step back. He held his sword in a defensive pose, but did not strike out again.

"What do you think?"

Re: The exam

[furious-maximus.livejournal.com]

"You're not bad," Max admitted. "And I like to think you've learned a trick or two this summer." Though, really, Jack had started off already decent.

Re: The exam

[bitten_notshy]

"I certainly didn't get worse." That was a compliment. Jack shifted forward again, trying to use the element of surprise to get his knife to Max's throat.

Re: The exam

[furious-maximus.livejournal.com]

Max could deal with a a compliment like that. With his free hand Max tried to catch Jack's wrist.

Re: The exam

[bitten_notshy]

He caught it and Jack froze before deciding to go with the simplest solution, if not the most elegant.

Which would be kicking Max in the shin just about as hard as he could.

Re: The exam

[ancientbschamp.livejournal.com]

If Gabrielle's selection of a naginata seemed like a bad idea when she took up a position on a rock-strewn hillside, it wasn't because she fully intended to "accidentally" break the bladed end off and just use the shaft to defend herself or anything.

Because it might actually be an accident when it happened, depending on how things turned out.

Re: The exam

[furious-maximus.livejournal.com]

"I don't think I've actually seen you use one of those yet," Max said as he walked over to Gabrielle. That might have been a criticism... or just an observation.

Re: The exam

[ancientbschamp.livejournal.com]

"I thought I'd branch out a little," Gabrielle replied, stammering just a bit.

Re: The exam

[furious-maximus.livejournal.com]

"For your exam?" Max was definitely amused at this point rather than upset. He'd really expected her to go with the bokken again.

Re: The exam

[ancientbschamp.livejournal.com]

Gabrielle took one hand off the naginata and waved it in a vague circular gesture. "Oh, you know. It's a challenge. Something new. I work better under pressure."

Lies. Liiiiiiiiiiiiies.

Sort of.

Re: The exam

[furious-maximus.livejournal.com]

"Well then," Max shrugged easily. "Let's see what you learned." He drew his gladius and waited.

Re: The exam

[ancientbschamp.livejournal.com]

Okay. She had the reach advantage, which was good as long as she kept him from closing in. She also had a bunch of rocks around her that she could use to buy her a little time to keep him at distance -- she hoped -- as long as she could keep an eye on where they were. Because avoiding tripping would be good.

Gabrielle maneuvered so that a knee-high boulder was in the direct line of approach between herself and Max, then feinted out with the bladed end of the polearm.

Re: The exam

[furious-maximus.livejournal.com]

Max's grin said that he thought this was a pretty good start. He batted the blade to one side and circled to the right, trying to get a clear line of approach.

Re: The exam

[ancientbschamp.livejournal.com]

Gabrielle countered by circling left around the boulder and jabbing out again. She already knew Max had the speed advantage on her; she hoped there was a way she could turn that on him.

As soon as she had the feel for how this was going to go.

Re: The exam

[furious-maximus.livejournal.com]

Max smirked a bit as he dodged and leaped forward suddenly to land on the rock.

Re: The exam

[glacial_queen]

The handwavy lesson she'd had with Max that week was evident in the confidence with which she held her blade. She'd taken up a stance on a rocky hillside, one where the footing would be bad for her opponent but that wouldn't present a problem for her.

This fight didn't even last as long as their first, but in this fight, Karla kept her use of Craft to a minimum. Other than airwalking (and tossing the occasional rock at his head), she tried not to use her powers at all. The majority of the fight was Karla using the terrain to her advantage, keeping away from max's sword, trying to dodge in when she thought she could press her advantage, then scrambling back away from him again.

By the end, she had lost and was panting heavily, but grinning, too. She was still no swordswoman, but she'd improved. She could feel the difference in her muscles.

Re: The exam

[nevertobequeen.livejournal.com]

Morgana picked a flat piece of land, so that neither she nor Max would have the advantage, aside from how he was still much more skilled than she was. She chose a sword that was around the same size as Arthur's and the ones she was used to, and was determined to simply hold her own for as long as she could. In the end, she lost, of course, but she fought better than she had weeks ago, and ended up feeling rather pleased.

Re: The exam

[cataclysmicluck.livejournal.com]

Zayne picked a forest terrain where his speed and clumsiness might at least lead to survival, either through skill or sheer accident.

He did a good job staying out of the way of danger after eventually getting his sword stuck in a tree and then falling down a hill in his attempt to dislodge the sword. So, really, it was better than he could have expected.