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The ring of blades filled the air, their sweet song carrying across the otherwise quiet town of Sestra. Korvus took it all in, pacing upon his raised platform. His Gilded Helm under one arm as the wind lapped at his coal black hair, Korvus watched. His eyes followed each man's thrusts and parries, saw their each move.
At least a score men were engaged in the dance of blades, each man bruised and tired. "Again!" Korvus boomed, his voice carrying further then the dulled blades, a powerful voice in more then volume. "This will carry past dusk, until I am satisfied with progress!" Korvus added after a pause.
As the men's fervor in their training doubled, the Golden Knight stepped from his view point, his regal cloak billowing behind him in the breeze. Korvus' steps wove between the isolated duels, his emerald eyes burning as he watched. "Keep your swings measured!" He shouted at one man. "Keep your shield up, fool. A fish-monger could skewer you with that stance!" Korvus' voice lashed at another.
Korvus continued to weave between the men, pointing their faults. Nodding his approval at others. Yet, he pushed them further. A brief respite for water, and redoubled drills. They fought each other, they faced practice dummy's, and they tested their balance for near an hour more.
"Fall in!" Korvus' voice rang out once again. Despite their exhaustion, the men fell in line with haste. Something that elicited the slightest of grins from their commander. "You.. and.. You." He motioned two men forward. "Grab a blade and a shield."
The first man jogged confidently toward the rack, grabbing a practice blade and shield. As he strapped it on he looked up to see his opponent. A young man, perhaps only just. His face was milky and smooth like a boy's, but he was larger then most men on the field. The boy timidly grabbed his gear, and met his opponent in the dirt ring.
"Begin." Korvus commanded. His hand, clad in a gilded gauntlet, motioned the start. The older of the two circled a few steps before jetting forward to test his opponents speed. The younger man's response was quick, but soft. He responded with a weak slash and jab, both easily deflected. "Come on, 'en!" the older one mocked as he stepped into the younger man, his blows fast and precise. He pressed further with only a single blow managing through. Just a glancing blow off his shoulder before the younger man stepped back.
Circling a few steps further, the older man met a powerful grasp. It wrenched the blade from his fist and forcibly pushed him away. "No fight in you?" Korvus' tone was dangerously low as he tested the weight of the practice blade in his hand. "Know that when you don that armor, and hold that blade.. You defend your home. Your family. Your life." Korvus continued as his feet moved him around the young man.
Fear in his eyes, the younger man circled with Korvus, his knuckles white upon the hilt of his blade. "Y--Yes, Sir." He stammered as he kept pace. "That blade represents the safety of us all, use it! Use that fear, do not cower before your foe.. Face him with your hate, and your fear. Let you foe cower in your presesnce." Korvus' voice called out to him again as he made his first thrusts, each turned by his opponent. "That blade is good for more then a parry.." Korvus nearly growled, this time he lunged forward faster, his blows landing too fast for the man to block. The blunted weapon thudding against his shoulder, ribs, and sword arm.
"Fight like a man, boy. Or just fight at least! Use your fear, let it fuel you!" Korvus called out again, lunging forward and testing the boy's defenses until the younger man's weapon lay on the ground as he clutched at his broken nose. "Get out of my sight.." Korvus growled turning his back on the bleeding recruit.
"One more, Sir..." The boy called out, and as Korvus turned the boy readied his stance with blade already in hand. The boys eyes narrowed and his jaw set. His look was as determined as it was defiant. "Good.. Show me what you know." Korvus motioned him forward, and the boy complied.
The boy lunged forward, the dulled blade arcing in high, only to be turned aside. The boy recovered his stance quickly and sent the blade in at Korvus' chest. With hardly a handswidth to his breastplate, Korvus managed to turn it aside, finding himself on the defensive as the boys heavy strikes pressed in. Korvus turned another, and tested forward with a jab of his own. As it was turned the boy launched an elbow into his cheek, connecting with a dull thud. Dazed, Korvus stepped back, dodging a quick thrust and backhand swing.
The boy pressed on, working Korvus toward the edge of the ring, his eyes burning with determination as his arm pumped furiously with the blade. A pace from the edge of the ring, Korvus made his push. Turning aside a jab, he connected his own elbow. As the boy's senses rang, he followed with a kick to his chest, sending the boy back a few paces. His advantage clear, Korvus moved in. This time, the boy was sorely pressed. The blade working so fast he could hardly react. Within seconds, two, then three blows landed. Numbing his shield arm, and disarming him. The last blow to his ribs, putting him on his knees.
Korvus loomed over the boy, a hand gently dabbing his cheek and coming back red. "Good.." He offered the young man as he reached for a cloth to dab the cut. "At least one of you can handle a blade! Back to drills until I see a glimmer of hope in you miserable whelps!" His voice rose to a booming shout as his gaze looked over the rest of the men, before falling to the young boy.. His voice quieted as he inspected him. "Not you.."
At least a score men were engaged in the dance of blades, each man bruised and tired. "Again!" Korvus boomed, his voice carrying further then the dulled blades, a powerful voice in more then volume. "This will carry past dusk, until I am satisfied with progress!" Korvus added after a pause.
As the men's fervor in their training doubled, the Golden Knight stepped from his view point, his regal cloak billowing behind him in the breeze. Korvus' steps wove between the isolated duels, his emerald eyes burning as he watched. "Keep your swings measured!" He shouted at one man. "Keep your shield up, fool. A fish-monger could skewer you with that stance!" Korvus' voice lashed at another.
Korvus continued to weave between the men, pointing their faults. Nodding his approval at others. Yet, he pushed them further. A brief respite for water, and redoubled drills. They fought each other, they faced practice dummy's, and they tested their balance for near an hour more.
"Fall in!" Korvus' voice rang out once again. Despite their exhaustion, the men fell in line with haste. Something that elicited the slightest of grins from their commander. "You.. and.. You." He motioned two men forward. "Grab a blade and a shield."
The first man jogged confidently toward the rack, grabbing a practice blade and shield. As he strapped it on he looked up to see his opponent. A young man, perhaps only just. His face was milky and smooth like a boy's, but he was larger then most men on the field. The boy timidly grabbed his gear, and met his opponent in the dirt ring.
"Begin." Korvus commanded. His hand, clad in a gilded gauntlet, motioned the start. The older of the two circled a few steps before jetting forward to test his opponents speed. The younger man's response was quick, but soft. He responded with a weak slash and jab, both easily deflected. "Come on, 'en!" the older one mocked as he stepped into the younger man, his blows fast and precise. He pressed further with only a single blow managing through. Just a glancing blow off his shoulder before the younger man stepped back.
Circling a few steps further, the older man met a powerful grasp. It wrenched the blade from his fist and forcibly pushed him away. "No fight in you?" Korvus' tone was dangerously low as he tested the weight of the practice blade in his hand. "Know that when you don that armor, and hold that blade.. You defend your home. Your family. Your life." Korvus continued as his feet moved him around the young man.
Fear in his eyes, the younger man circled with Korvus, his knuckles white upon the hilt of his blade. "Y--Yes, Sir." He stammered as he kept pace. "That blade represents the safety of us all, use it! Use that fear, do not cower before your foe.. Face him with your hate, and your fear. Let you foe cower in your presesnce." Korvus' voice called out to him again as he made his first thrusts, each turned by his opponent. "That blade is good for more then a parry.." Korvus nearly growled, this time he lunged forward faster, his blows landing too fast for the man to block. The blunted weapon thudding against his shoulder, ribs, and sword arm.
"Fight like a man, boy. Or just fight at least! Use your fear, let it fuel you!" Korvus called out again, lunging forward and testing the boy's defenses until the younger man's weapon lay on the ground as he clutched at his broken nose. "Get out of my sight.." Korvus growled turning his back on the bleeding recruit.
"One more, Sir..." The boy called out, and as Korvus turned the boy readied his stance with blade already in hand. The boys eyes narrowed and his jaw set. His look was as determined as it was defiant. "Good.. Show me what you know." Korvus motioned him forward, and the boy complied.
The boy lunged forward, the dulled blade arcing in high, only to be turned aside. The boy recovered his stance quickly and sent the blade in at Korvus' chest. With hardly a handswidth to his breastplate, Korvus managed to turn it aside, finding himself on the defensive as the boys heavy strikes pressed in. Korvus turned another, and tested forward with a jab of his own. As it was turned the boy launched an elbow into his cheek, connecting with a dull thud. Dazed, Korvus stepped back, dodging a quick thrust and backhand swing.
The boy pressed on, working Korvus toward the edge of the ring, his eyes burning with determination as his arm pumped furiously with the blade. A pace from the edge of the ring, Korvus made his push. Turning aside a jab, he connected his own elbow. As the boy's senses rang, he followed with a kick to his chest, sending the boy back a few paces. His advantage clear, Korvus moved in. This time, the boy was sorely pressed. The blade working so fast he could hardly react. Within seconds, two, then three blows landed. Numbing his shield arm, and disarming him. The last blow to his ribs, putting him on his knees.
Korvus loomed over the boy, a hand gently dabbing his cheek and coming back red. "Good.." He offered the young man as he reached for a cloth to dab the cut. "At least one of you can handle a blade! Back to drills until I see a glimmer of hope in you miserable whelps!" His voice rose to a booming shout as his gaze looked over the rest of the men, before falling to the young boy.. His voice quieted as he inspected him. "Not you.."
