☠ 73rd of Frost, Year 122, A.o.S ☠
☠ Læbirius had been up early that day, taking time to prepare his body for the training program he had been given by Taidryn. Stretching may not have been the most exciting part of his training routine, but he came to find that doing so is just as crucial for a well-rounded warrior. He found that incorporating some stretches before his training would help him improve his mobility and flexibility, reduce the tightness of his muscles and body from previous sessions, and ultimately, make it more efficient.
Stepping outside the space they were lodging at, he figured it would be more invigorating to stretch outside, the contrast of the season here than in the Solunarium really baring down on him. Out in his bare skin, the warrior stood with his feet spread apart, turning his left foot inward and right foot out away from himself. With a gentle grunt of sorts, he reached his arms out as far as he could. Leaning to his right, he bent his right knee so that his left leg was straight. Touching his right elbow to the right thigh, he lifted his left arm as far as it could go above his head before it felt as if it would come out of the socket if he continued. Returning to his starting position he repeated the process for the other side.
Once done loosening himself up, he dressed and went to a secluded spot out within the yard to the inn they were staying at. The scenery before him was normal, the eyes of curiosity, the murmurs, and admiring whispers, but nothing that would cause alarm for him. Taidryn came from behind him, patting the young mage on his shoulders, both his axe and shield in hand. Walking from him to a spot where they could fight unhindered he turned and pointed his own weapon at him. "Come, let's see how much work is ahead of me." he requested, brandishing the axe at him, beckoning Læbirius to come at him with everything he had. It didn't take too long for him to have his own weapon in hand as he came charging at the half-ork.
He knew to face him was outrageous but it was worth the experience he knew he would gain from fighting him. His axe clashing against Taidryn's rang throughout the courtyard. Fighting him was both enjoyable and painful at the same time. He had to maintain his composure and focus just to keep up with the veteran warrior.
He was giving it his all but in the first five moves, Taidryn had successfully disarmed Lae, chuckling as the young mage fell back on his behind. With a loud thud, his axe tumbled across the grass. "This will not do Læbirius, you do realize this yes?" he chastised, going to pick up Læ's axe, and handing it back to him. "What is the most important lesson I taught you back in the Solunarium?"
His eyes glared right into Læ as his arms folded behind his back, his axe and shield held tightly in his grasp. "Fight as if your enemy looks better dead than you do." he whispered, his tone of a child annoyed by their parent. "Exactly, you were holding back, you will die a quick and painful death if you don't think carefully and fight with all you have." Læ adverted his eyes rolling them at his scolding, "I know, I know" he spat back, getting back onto his feet, taking a few steps back to get ready to go again.
"You have to fight as if it's your final battle. You never hesitate no matter who your opponent is. Friends can become foes at a moment's notice." he added, flourishing his axe. "Now let's go again Læ." he suggested, entering his fighting stance. By this time the entirety of the grassy courtyard was filled with Orks and others watching them. It was always something seeing Taidryn practice in the morning, but to actually be on the opposite end of combat with him was something different entirely. All of the eyes were on Læ, in the beginning, making him a bit nervous, almost regretting sparring with the man in the first place.
Wasting no time Læbirius went at him again, but this time something in him changed, the shy and quiet Læ was no longer present during this second charge. It happened ever so often when he was being pushed to fight at his limits, evident the night he and his foster father slaughtered the slavers who killed his mother and took him hostage, and it was one of the main reasons he was against fighting sometimes. Whenever he fought an enemy it was as if something took over his body and mind, becoming an apathetic killer.
Knowing he couldnt let himself fall behind, he took a moment after the initial exchange of blows to calm himself, remembering his first lesson with his foster father. Læ took what he learned at that moment of his life, and applied it to this fight. First came some easy moves against his bodyguard, first swinging his axe from right to left, which would allow him to cleave of a limb, a move he practiced often back then and one Taidryn was able to parry effortlessly.
Applying some much-needed force to his strikes, he began swinging his axe in more pressured attacks. Taidryn was fired up seeing his charge in this state, his orkhan blood pumping, Læ's axe clashing against his own with a solid downward slam of the weapon. In that same motion, Læ would uppercut the blade vertically in hopes of disarming him, before slamming the blade back down again in order to bisect his bodyguard, though he lept back in order to gain some distance from Læ.
Læbirius was impressed, to say the least as he was going up against Taidryn, awestruck by his skill. He was doing his best just to keep up with the man, but with each strike of his own, Taidryn was outmatching Læ with his own, causing the half-elf to use he shield to make up where he was lacking. There weren't many that Læ could say truly intimidated him besides his father, but Taidryn, he was different. The two were engaged in more than just a simple sparring match, declaring their intentions through words unspoken.
Taidryn was impressive, and Læbirius was unsure if he could keep up with such seasoned skill, but he knew he couldn't falter, he had come way too far from where he began to start giving up now. Their next few exchanges were fierce, neither one wanting to give the other a chance to breathe. It was clear to anyone who had eyes that Taidryn was pulling his strikes even now, more so that he was going easy on him, but not so easy as to not push Læbirius to his utmost limits.
Læbirius, wanting to prove his strength to himself and those around him pressed further, a flurry of swings, each one easily parried by the other. "That's it, Læ, come at me like you are going to kill me!" he taunted, seeing his resolve burning like a wild flame. His wild assault was impressive if not futile but there was more skill with his combination of strikes and shield work than when he first began his training, and Taidryn could see that.
"Envision the one person you hate and unleash all that rage in this battle!" he roared as his axe came barrelling down onto Læ, taunting him one more time to really bring him past his limit as he deflected with his shield. It worked, as he could see him, the malice in his face as he had that day, which only made Læ angry. With the image of the ork that killed his mother replacing Taidryn, Læ put everything into this, unloading a torrent of attacks, swings of his axe and swiping with his shield as unrefined as it was, though still impressive for someone still learning such as himself, upon Taidryn. He was seeing red and wasn't going to hesitate in killing the phantom of the man he was envisioning again, not after everything that has led to this moment.
Being fueled by determination and resolve along with anger and spite, Læ slashed at his neck, then his torso, then at a leg and arm. If he could take a limb he would, no matter how much his body began to scream in pain from the amount of effort he had expended, the memory of his movements being etched into every muscle. Læ slid to his left and swiped at his calf, then to his right to swipe at his back with his shield, ramming it into Taidryn's back. He was like a cornered beast with a weapon, taking every chance he could to kill that man.
Even in the middle of his assaults Taidryn couldnt help but admire the effort being put forth in his attacks. With each strike came a flawless, breathless parry, something only a skilled warrior like Taidryn could accomplish. Læ could feel his arms ache from the exertion, however, and he knew he'd have to finish his attack and hopefully land a scratch on him. Unfortunately, he couldn't, Taidryn seeing his moment in Læ's assault to disarm him with beautiful precision. As his axe hand was relieved of its weapon, Læ found himself collapsing to the floor.
Varinios had come out during the match as the crowd had attracted his attention,coming to scoop Læ into his arms. He gave Taidryn quite the death stare after ensuring his charge was ok. Læ couldn't help but burry hs face into his mentor's chest as he felt like a failure after all of that "No need to hide your face Læ. You were excellent, everyone thinks so, see" he whispered, pointing to the many spectators that were applauding the grand show between them. "I am curious who you were seeing though, If I wasn't careful, you would have severely wounded me had we continued." he nudged, obviously lying to boost Læ's ego as he still had a long way to go.
"That's a conversation for a later time Taidryn" ☠
"Common Speech"
"Vastian Speech"
"Vallenor Speech"
"Self-Thoughts"
