Once Janius was released, he held his head forward and coughed his airways clear. Unfortunately, he didn't quite regain his speech in time for Kaleeth to start running. "No- Kaleeth, wait! I haven't even explained..." Janius called after her, but trailed off when she left the room.
Janius stood for a moment, wondering whether to bother pursuing. After a few seconds, he retrieved each wooden sword, put them back on the stand on which he found them, then made his way down the corridor in the direction that Kaleeth ran. Along the way, he spotted Lorag going in the opposite direction. At first, Janius simply nodded to him and walked past him, but before they walked too far apart from each other, Janius stopped and turned around. "Hey Lorag, can I ask you something?" Janius put one hand on his hip and the other on his forehead, closing his eyes in a look of uncertain thought, "Have you ever had a point in your life where you felt as if you couldn't win at anything? If you have, how did you get out of it?" Janius' tone suggested that he was frustrated, but still wanted to solve the problem in his head. There was no particular way of telling whether Janius was asking for himself or Kaleeth.
It was a nice change to have a cultist that wanted to speak and did not outwardly want to show some inherent superiority, but Fendros kept a cautious outlook. Given the nature of the cult, Fendros didn't really want to speak to Orskan-Tan about anything, but he could see hope in Ahnasha's eyes. He crossed his arms and observed with a neutral expression, ready to step in if Orskan crossed any boundaries. Already, the mention of necromancy brought Orskan close to said boundaries, given the ethics of the followers of Molag Bal.
Speaking about the subject of prolonging one's lifespan caused Fendros' memory to be cast back to the temple in Vos. If there was even a trace of any Bretons involved, Fendros would likely drop the offer on the spot. Technically, Molag Bal and Mephala were old enemies. But then again, would Mephala really be a more trustworthy being in this case?
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Let Slip the Corgis of War
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Dear Mr Curly,
I have done little travelling lately because I have been so dreadfully weary. Can it be true as the old Ecclesiastes said; that all things lead to weariness? Surely not. Perhaps the opposite is true: that all nothings lead to weariness. I have a peculiar feeling, Curly, that I am worn out from something I haven't yet done and the more I don't do it, the more exhausted I become. How strange. Could it be something I haven't realised? Perhaps it's something I haven't said? Something I haven't finished! It must be very large and true whatever it is and a lively struggle in the doing but I look forward to it immensely. I know I need it. First, however, I must curl up in my chair and sleep deeply with the duck. Perhaps I'll dream of this thing and wake up refreshed and do it. My fond wishes to you Mr. Curly, and to all Curly Flat.
Yours sleepily,
Vasco Pyjama
xxx
P.S. Not having breakfast can make you weary. That's for sure!
Most Recent Posts
Phew. Sorry I wasn't able to get a post in earlier. Been baking cakes all day.
Janius had suspected that Kaleeth would get frustrated with this exercise, but rather than simply give up, her violent outburst was more than Janius had bargained for. The wooden cut to her arm didn't halt her charge as she held Janius against the wall. Janius opened his mouth and found with a pained face that he couldn't breathe. Immediately, his sword clattered to the ground and he brought both hands up to try and pull at Kaleeth's arm, just enough to take in a small breath and speak with a strain. "Perhaps...a bit...passionate, but...that works..." Janius wheezed in a breath, then tried to smile, "...If you would be so kind...as to release me, then...then I might put a reason to this exercise..."
Even though Kaleeth's face showed a burning anger, Janius trusted her not to go over the edge. He would just rather speak to her without being asphyxiated.
With her limbs restrained and Fendros' weight pinning her, Ahnasha had nowhere to go. Fendros smiled and brushed a hand over Ahnasha's ear after she conceded, then stood up off from her. "That was new," Fendros remarked, rolling one shoulder, "might need some work, though." Stepping back a couple of paces and putting his fists up again, Fendros waited for Ahnasha to recover and ready herself before proceeding.
Once the next bout started, Fendros shuffled forward immediately and threw left jabs at Ahnasha to keep the pressure on her. He tried to keep her out of reach until she inevitably attacked, upon which point he went for a kick to the side of her knee to put her off balance.
Even though Kaleeth's face showed a burning anger, Janius trusted her not to go over the edge. He would just rather speak to her without being asphyxiated.
With her limbs restrained and Fendros' weight pinning her, Ahnasha had nowhere to go. Fendros smiled and brushed a hand over Ahnasha's ear after she conceded, then stood up off from her. "That was new," Fendros remarked, rolling one shoulder, "might need some work, though." Stepping back a couple of paces and putting his fists up again, Fendros waited for Ahnasha to recover and ready herself before proceeding.
Once the next bout started, Fendros shuffled forward immediately and threw left jabs at Ahnasha to keep the pressure on her. He tried to keep her out of reach until she inevitably attacked, upon which point he went for a kick to the side of her knee to put her off balance.
I could watch that all night with a contented grin. 9/10.
Shiva hung back while the quiet killers did their work, facing down the corridor from whence they came to cover their rear. She was obscured from the view of Rareth's blade sinking into the masulu's head, but with the sound it made and his bleeding body on the floor, Shiva could imagine that it would have been a cringe worthy spectacle. Just as instructed, Shiva turned and faced the elevator shortly after the action started and paced forward with her gun raised at the mechanic. She didn't say a word, but trusted in the outcome of the last few seconds to convince the human that it was in his interests not to move.
With loud clacks, Kaleeth succeeded in stopping Janius' attacks, swatting Janius' sword away for long enough to repeat the process for the next few strikes. If Janius wasn't intent on repeating his combo, he could have exploited Kaleeth's openings as if he was fighting a child. He kept his grip on his sword, though. Even though the hits were jarring and made Janius' fingers sore, he knew not to hold his wrist too rigidly. When he stepped back into his defensive stance again, Janius spoke. "I am all that you fear, remember? Can you defeat all that you fear with brute force? Observe more. Again." Janius struck once more with his combo.
With how unorthodox Ahnasha's next moves were, Fendros didn't have time to process her movements before he tripped over his own feet and landed back-first on the ground with a pained cough. Ahnasha had knocked the wind out of his lungs, and his grip had loosened enough that she could escape, but the fact remained that Fendros had his arm around her. Heaving Ahnasha's body to one side, Fendros tried to roll such that Ahnasha was pinned with her front towards the floor and try to hold her down.
With how unorthodox Ahnasha's next moves were, Fendros didn't have time to process her movements before he tripped over his own feet and landed back-first on the ground with a pained cough. Ahnasha had knocked the wind out of his lungs, and his grip had loosened enough that she could escape, but the fact remained that Fendros had his arm around her. Heaving Ahnasha's body to one side, Fendros tried to roll such that Ahnasha was pinned with her front towards the floor and try to hold her down.
With how telegraphed Kaleeth's swing was, avoiding it was as simple as raising his guard high, stepping back and allowing the sword to swing harmlessly in front of his body, before stepping forward again and running his sword in a cutting motion against Kaleeth's exposed arm. With a real sword it would have left a nasty gash, but the wooden sword would only give her a small bruise.
"Again. This time, observe and adapt," Janius said, before stepping forward with the same combination of strikes. It might take a few tries for Kaleeth to notice, but there was an opening in Janius' moves. Janius intended to allow Kaleeth to find it on her own. Before she could land such a strike properly, though, she might have to mimic some of the basics of handling a sword by how Janius used it.
Fendros' eyes locked with Ahnasha's body in anticipation of her movements. She had an affinity for her opening feints, followed by surprises. At first, the feints had a pattern to them that Fendros could predict, but both the last time they sparred like this and today, the feints did not conform. Fendros tried to discourage Ahnasha away with his own jabs, but she was always already out of reach. The surprise that followed this time was what Fendros thought to be an over-committed strike to his head, to which he could only halfway retaliate before her body dipped down and his world went sideways. Fendros processed the move just quickly enough to partially break his fall, but hitting the ground was jarring as ever. Recovering, he rolled back and sprung to his feet, then began stalking forward.
After planning his next moves, Fendros jumped forward with a left strike to try and swat away Ahnasha's guard, then brought his right hand forward to grab one of her wrists and keep it out of the way. If all went to plan, he could quickly jab at her stomach.
"Again. This time, observe and adapt," Janius said, before stepping forward with the same combination of strikes. It might take a few tries for Kaleeth to notice, but there was an opening in Janius' moves. Janius intended to allow Kaleeth to find it on her own. Before she could land such a strike properly, though, she might have to mimic some of the basics of handling a sword by how Janius used it.
Fendros' eyes locked with Ahnasha's body in anticipation of her movements. She had an affinity for her opening feints, followed by surprises. At first, the feints had a pattern to them that Fendros could predict, but both the last time they sparred like this and today, the feints did not conform. Fendros tried to discourage Ahnasha away with his own jabs, but she was always already out of reach. The surprise that followed this time was what Fendros thought to be an over-committed strike to his head, to which he could only halfway retaliate before her body dipped down and his world went sideways. Fendros processed the move just quickly enough to partially break his fall, but hitting the ground was jarring as ever. Recovering, he rolled back and sprung to his feet, then began stalking forward.
After planning his next moves, Fendros jumped forward with a left strike to try and swat away Ahnasha's guard, then brought his right hand forward to grab one of her wrists and keep it out of the way. If all went to plan, he could quickly jab at her stomach.
When Janius led Kaleeth into a section of the room with enough space, he turned around, held his free arm behind his back and his sword out in front of him, standing in a defensive posture. He didn't acknowledge Kaleeth's question, rather, he began his exercise in a quick, but patient voice. "I need you to see me as everything that threatens death upon you, and all that you fear. Now defend yourself." Without any further warning, Janius sprung forward and attacked Kaleeth with a combo of three swings, one to the top of her head, one to her left side, and one to her right shoulder. The swings were placed to be easy to defend just by blocking, but still fierce enough to keep Kaleeth on her back foot. Once done, Janius jumped back out of Kaleeth's reach and stood defensively again.
Janius and Kaleeth caught Fendros' attention, but without the context of their recent interactions, their behaviour just seemed to be a curiosity. Why did they pick swords this time? Fendros' attention was drawn back to Ahnasha, however, as they were about to begin their first exercise. "Unarmed? Very well..." Fendros twisted his head to one side, jokingly unenthused by the prospect of unarmed combat with Ahnasha again. It wasn't the fact that Fendros' strong suit did not lie with hand to hand fighting, but more that Ahnasha's claws always made the experience a lot more memorable. Fendros took a spot standing opposite Ahnasha, positioned his legs, and raised his fists. "Anything for you, Ahna," he smiled.
Janius and Kaleeth caught Fendros' attention, but without the context of their recent interactions, their behaviour just seemed to be a curiosity. Why did they pick swords this time? Fendros' attention was drawn back to Ahnasha, however, as they were about to begin their first exercise. "Unarmed? Very well..." Fendros twisted his head to one side, jokingly unenthused by the prospect of unarmed combat with Ahnasha again. It wasn't the fact that Fendros' strong suit did not lie with hand to hand fighting, but more that Ahnasha's claws always made the experience a lot more memorable. Fendros took a spot standing opposite Ahnasha, positioned his legs, and raised his fists. "Anything for you, Ahna," he smiled.
That's probably the last post I'll be able to do before work. G'night!
The next day had nothing to look forward to except more waiting for the pack. Morale was low.
Sabine had spent most of her time, and continued to spend most of her time making potions to resist or reflect magical effects, as the cult seemed to be mostly made up of mages. The potions took a while to make each, but mercifully, this meant that she wasn't running through her supplies too quickly and she had something to spend her time on that wasn't constantly worrying.
Having no other particular plans, Fendros was receptive to Ahnasha's desire to train. He nodded as he swallowed his mouthful, then responded, "That would be good. I'm not sure I want to do nothing today, either." Once Fendros had finished his breakfast, now with more enthusiasm, they left Rhazii in the care of Sabine and Meesei, then proceeded to the training room. Rhazii cried when they left, but Sabine was now a little more familiar with how to calm him.
In a separate room to everyone else, Janius had fallen asleep in one of the comfortable chairs and awoke with a twinge in his neck. Once he got his wits back, he realised what had brought him to solitude in the first place and immediately got up. Speaking to no one, he borrowed two wooden swords from the training room and brought them back to the guest rooms. Unceremoniously and loudly, he swung Kaleeth's door open and strode in with an impatient step. Once he was at the foot of her bed, he commanded with a stern voice and expression, "Get up." To engage Kaleeth's attention more, he tossed one of the swords underarm onto the bed beside her. "It's time to train."
Janius hadn't taught Kaleeth anything about fighting with a sword before. In fact he doubted Kaleeth had even held one before. However, he needed a new exercise to get her energy released. If she had enough in her to be angry with Janius, moping all day was only going to make things worse.
Sabine had spent most of her time, and continued to spend most of her time making potions to resist or reflect magical effects, as the cult seemed to be mostly made up of mages. The potions took a while to make each, but mercifully, this meant that she wasn't running through her supplies too quickly and she had something to spend her time on that wasn't constantly worrying.
Having no other particular plans, Fendros was receptive to Ahnasha's desire to train. He nodded as he swallowed his mouthful, then responded, "That would be good. I'm not sure I want to do nothing today, either." Once Fendros had finished his breakfast, now with more enthusiasm, they left Rhazii in the care of Sabine and Meesei, then proceeded to the training room. Rhazii cried when they left, but Sabine was now a little more familiar with how to calm him.
In a separate room to everyone else, Janius had fallen asleep in one of the comfortable chairs and awoke with a twinge in his neck. Once he got his wits back, he realised what had brought him to solitude in the first place and immediately got up. Speaking to no one, he borrowed two wooden swords from the training room and brought them back to the guest rooms. Unceremoniously and loudly, he swung Kaleeth's door open and strode in with an impatient step. Once he was at the foot of her bed, he commanded with a stern voice and expression, "Get up." To engage Kaleeth's attention more, he tossed one of the swords underarm onto the bed beside her. "It's time to train."
Janius hadn't taught Kaleeth anything about fighting with a sword before. In fact he doubted Kaleeth had even held one before. However, he needed a new exercise to get her energy released. If she had enough in her to be angry with Janius, moping all day was only going to make things worse.
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