Private Tales To Hone Oneself

[Konstantin]

Once more, Konstantin found himself back in his home: the Clay estate in Valenntenia. It was perhaps not the first place one kept in mind when thinking of a training ground. It was nestled in a grove of old trees, sprawling with ferns and ivy, with a creek trailing behind it, it was a quiet and secluded place far from the prying eyes of the public. "Cozy" was perhaps the best word to describe it. Of course, the place's relative seclusion didn't mean that Konstantin didn't want company, far from it. The peaceful air of the place was hard to resist the draw of, at least for Konstantin Clay, and that was why he'd chosen it as his home. He rarely had time to visit it, of course, but knowing he always had a place to return to, a home within home, was enough.

Today marked not just a visitation of his own, but also that of another Guardian. Kaira Yehven, Guardian of Faith, whom had sought Konstantin out in search of training. Strengthening oneself was a noble goal, and one that he was never one to discourage. As Konstantin sat behind his home in the cold morning air, he watched as dew gathered on the grasses the rolled over the valley before him and listened to the burbling of the creek below. He inhaled the scent of nature and the wafting steam of the cup of tea he held, and exhaled relaxation.

He waited patiently for the girl's arrival. The peace, he knew, would last only until the training began.

Kaira Yehven

 

[Kaira Yehven]

Three years, that was how long it had been since she left the Vangaurd in order to fulfil her Ancients' blessed position as Guardian. She had grown up learning to fight, especially with the weapons made famous by the Yehven's and featured throughout Valenntenian history. Those lessons had stopped when her father died, but joining the Vanguard had put her back up there in growing fit, strong, and fast.

But Faith took a lot from her when she wasn't careful.

Being present, blessing the people of Old Town or the Province, it wore her down physically and mentally when wielding Faith's influence to bring them peace. Kaira found barely any time for herself, choosing to shut herself off by praying at all hours in the night in a trance, and getting little rest. The only thing to knock her out from such a cycle was Mabbon returning to Valenntenia. Her health and wellbeing began to improve, allowing Kaira to believe she could do more for herself again.

Seeing Konstantin at the Masquerade reminded her that she could still improve herself.

It was with a large, excited grin adorning her expression when she saw her fellow Guardian outside his home, having rounded the corner that placed her in view. Her Stone sensed the Stone of Power, but seeing Kon as he was naturally and without the mask made her swell with pride.

"Konstantin!" Her hand shot up to wave to him, lifting her light cloak enough so that he could glimpsed the wrapped silver at her waist. A sword whip, made famous by the Yehvens for generations as the served in the Vanguard. Kaira was the last one able to wield it, except for her cousins that chose to drop the traditional choice of weapon.

 

[Konstantin]

The crumbling man rose to greet his guest with a smile and a polite wave in turn. A single blue eye watched as she approached and climbed the short flight of wooden stairs to the elevated deck he had been waiting upon.
"Good morning, Miss Kaira!" he returned jovially.

Konstantin gestured to the seating around an unlit fire pit.
"Would you care for some tea and breakfast before we begin? I'm not sure how much time you have today, but I feel I'd be a terrible host not to offer."

 

[Kaira Yehven]

"Please!" She smiled, trying her best not to rush the last few measures of distance as he welcomed her to take a seat.

Kaira gave herself the chance to look around, smiling at the fact she had made it hear and outside the city confines without the Ancients and her Stone protesting her venture outside the safety of Valenntenian walls. Being close to the Stone of Power seemed to put her own at ease, pulsing warmly at her sternum.

"I managed the entire day to myself, actually. I have no other obligations to tend to, so... we can go at a leisurely place with the training today." The Faith Guardian was proud of that, to take time to do as she pleased. Any free time would have been spent with Mabbon, but since he was away on duty, Kaira had taken the time to organise this day with her dear friend.

 

[Konstantin]

Konstantin dutifully poured a cup of steaming, fresh tea for Kaira, a wistful smile on his mien. His stone resonated with its own warmth in the presence of the Rune of Faith, a stark difference from the overwhelming pressure it seemed to prefer exerting when in the presence of others. An act of assurance, perhaps, reflected by Konstantin's gentle nature.

"A rare blessing, I'm sure," he intoned as he replaced the teapot and took his seat. In spite of her assertion of her abundance of time, the Guardian of Power wished to get to the meat of something straight away.

"So Miss Kaira...what is it you're seeking to gain in your time here today?"

 

[Kaira Yehven]

She accepted the tea gratefully, taking a deep inhale at the fragrant scents that wafted from the steaming cup. It reminded her of her mother, who used to take her to the tea house in Old Town, or even the days she was sent to pick up tea to gift citizens that needed some talk and healing.

Time had passed since those days, but a cup of tea never failed to make her forget.

"I have been out of practice for some time." She admitted, looking down at her cup and she gently set it onto her lap. "I am capable in wielding the sword whip, but the other practices... it is hard to spar with someone of the Vanguard when they're afraid I might smite them." And there, Kaira let some of those frustrations come out. There was no need to hide her own opinions when it came to something like this, because she knew Konstantin would know how to help navigate her through this.

It was why she was here to seek his expertise.

 

[Konstantin]

The Guardian of Power lifted the lid from a tray to reveal a stack of tea cakes and other baked goods fit for a modest breakfast. He gestured towards them as if to say "help yourself" while listening to his guest's brief explanation.

"Fundamentals are key. It's good to specialize, but you should always hold fast to your roots as well. Not just for the sake of your kinsmen, but your own safety, should you find yourself without your scorpion," he advised, pulling thoughtfully at his mottled beard hair before all the seriousness drained from his visage. "But of course, I think you knew that already. I'd be more than happy to walk you through some of those aforementioned fundamentals."

The crumbling man popped a tea cake into his mouth and chewed it happily.

 

[Kaira Yehven]

Kaira was too kind to correct Konstantin, but he was aware of himself enough to notice and catch himself doing do. It made her smile, reassured that her reasons for approaching him, the Guardian of Power was for good reason.

"I want to learn differently from the Vanguard... I do not train with them no longer, and well... it cannot hurt to be taught a different style of discipline from them?" What if there was a spy in those ranks? They learned all the same drills, and Kon was right: what if she hadn't had her scorpion sword on her person?

"My father used to say it is always best to keep someone guessing. Of course, I should stick to the Vanguard drills to keep in shape, but hone myself to be something still... formidable." It felt awkward on her tongue to admit herself as such, but the Yehvens were a dedicated Warrior bloodline that dated back to the Descendants.

 

[Konstantin]

Ah, but Kaira was a shrewd one. She was accomplished in her own right, and hardly here to establish basics.
"Your father was quite right," Konstantin replied with a dip of his head and a sip of his tea. "Our fundamentals need not be the same as their fundamentals, Miss Kaira. Nor even yours the same as mine."

He set his cup down atop a saucer and stood from his seat, approaching a case which was attached to the wall of his home. A few presses of some devices on the exterior and locks could be heard tumbling. The cases twin doors opened, then opened again, a veritable miniature armory held within. Swords, spears, staves, bows, and on could be seen within.

From the lot, Konstantin selected a javelin, which he began to spin and toss between his hands.
"To find one's root is to find what works for you. I could scarcely wield the average weapon when I first acquired my stone. I would break everything I touched, without fail. It took time and training to figure out my own root," Konstantin explained before lobbing the javelin high into the air, spinning wildly as it ascended. When it fell, the Guardian of Power snatched it back up with ease, then hurled it hard into a distant tree with a target carved in its side. A sharp splitting sound echoed through the forest, indicating that he'd hit his mark. A singular blue eye fell back upon Kaira. "Let's find yours, together."

 

[Kaira Yehven]

She tried to hide her glee, her excitement at the Guardian of Power speak to her of finding her own way in the idea of defending herself. Villam had once told her that she was to make her own way with the name she bore, and she believed it to be the same of her weapon of choice.

Nothing felt better than the scorpion whip sword, nothing felt like an extension that sung to her song. It was a Yehven song, sung through many songs over the ages of Valenntenia, and Kaira was the next one to sing.

Placing her tea aside, she stood and wrapped a hand around the hilt of her weapon. With practised ease, a flick of her wrist, Kaira withdrew her sword from around her waist. Unpractised hands would have cut themselves, but the Guardian of Faith was no green fighter.

"The first Guardian of Faith was a fighter. Created the first Vanguard with other Guardians too. And her words were that we fight twice as strong when we fight with faith."

 

[Konstantin]

Konstantin's expression shifted slightly, into one of slight admiration. Her enthusiasm was to be cherished, as was her dedication to learning. The Guardian of Power grabbed a few weapons and began to make for the stairs at the edge of the deck, beckoning for her to follow.

"You know your history! Very good. Come, let's descend. You're eagerness is clear and welcome, but my deck is no place for a spar," he said, beginning the short walk down into the training grounds behind his house. "It's important, when training, to have a specific goal in mind. You should always focus on heightening your strengths or shoring up your weaknesses, but rarely ever both at the same time. Spread yourself too thin and you'll learn nothing."

As Konstantin's feet moved from wooden stairs to hard packed dirt, he made for a nearby open barrel and deposited all but a wooden staff into its maw. Then he stepped into a seemingly mundane sand pit, lined around the edges with rope. Konstantin smiled and planted his staff in the ground.
"Come. Show me what you've got."

 

[Kaira Yehven]

Kaira was quick to follow after Konstantin. Despite his appearance deteriorating, it was no measure to how he was able to move still, and the Guardian of Power still had some speed to his gait she had to hurry herself to keep up. The sandpit wasn't something new to Kaira, not when there were plenty of training grounds for the Vanguards spread from the headquarters to the barracks in Old Town and the Province. It felt familiar, but it also had been some time since she last squared off with someone.

Nerves sprung up on her the moment Konstantin turned to regard her, encouraging her to make a move. Adjusting her grip on the leather wrapped hilt to her scorpion sword, Kaira then readied a stance until she felt comfortable.

And then she struck.

Kaira had worked on the way she would move, being light on her feet and quick. She was in a dance, once that meant to be hard to keep track of as she pivoted after feinting for his left side, and her armed hand coming to whip at the other side of Konstantin.

 

[Konstantin]

An icy blue eye darted about Kaira's form as she moved, diligently tracking her movements. Sharp, and talented, Konstantin had to admit.

"Clever," he commended her as the snaking blade sang through the air towards him. He spun his bo staff across his left and over to his right as the feint revealed its true intent, the whip blade finding purchase only in wood rather than flesh.

"Opening with a feint is decisive. An unwary opponent would already have been in a world of hurt by now. You are correct in seeking the quickest way to end any physical conflict you find yourself in, but..." he smiled, tightening his grip on the staff. "What steps do you take when the feint fails--or worse, your opponent inverts the advantage you gained by making it?"

Konstantin flicked the staff to one side, freeing the whip-blade from his block, then pointed the staff ahead of himself like a spear while lunging closer to Kaira, rapidly entering her space.

 

[Kaira Yehven]

Kaira had no time to answer him verbally, but had to show her response by being quick on her feet and parrying his attack. She pivoted again, but brought her weapon to wrap around his leading arm, and with the same momentum of her movement, pulled his arm down to disorientate the Guardian of Power.

If successful, she would try to position her foot onto his staff to keep him from lifting it and attacking her again.

"I read the situation. I anticipate what attack I am open to and how I can defend myself next."

But Kaira had never seen Konstantin at play. She never realised that her foot on his weapon only left her open to other things like his body weight being able to shift the smaller and lighter frame of her own, or that he was capable of releasing his staff and pushing her off or rather.

These sorts of lessons was why she came to him.

 

[Konstantin]

Even with the passive ability of the Stone of Power, Konstantin was no heavier than the average man. He felt his arm being yanked and understood what Kaira wanted, and so let himself be pulled downward as a normal foe would have been. She slammed her foot in place to keep Konstantin's weapon pinned down. Again, clever.

"A satisfactory answer," he smiled at Kaira, pleased with the move she'd made. The clay of her prowess was unformed, but eager to be molded. That was good. A good start, anyways.

Now it was Konstantin's turn to do some pulling. He locked his still-wrapped elbow in place and pulled as hard as he could with his other hand on the staff, aiming to simultaneously free the weapon and cause Kaira to trip or fall, or to be forced to let go of her own weapon. A lose/lose choice that she had placed herself in.

"Though your execution is wanting."

 

[Kaira Yehven]

Her concentration went to her sword whip first, and as soon as she felt him move his staff, it was too late for her to correct her footing to keep it pinned. She stumbled, but Kaira was quick on her feet nonetheless and soon moved to put distance between them. She turned, readjusting her stance and hold on her weapon and quickly assessed her opponent.

"So how would you help me correct my execution?" The Guardian of Faith asked with a flick of her sword that tightened the shape so it was more sword than whip, already moving in to attack before her words came to an end. Such a move only demonstrated her quick reflexes, her ability to strike quickly in key areas against her opposition.

Kaira was wicked fast.

It was a well practised dance; her footwork, her form, her advance, it was all disciplined as was taught with the Vanguard. Despite the few years since serving, it still was ingrained into her how to move and strike. Delighted with herself, the Faith Guardian was grinning widely.

 

[Konstantin]

Kaira caught herself quickly, and she was not discouraged. Excellent, as ever.
"I would see you practice, and I would offer you advice," he began, planting one end of the staff in the ground in front of him.

"Follow through. Fully execute on your ideas. You tethered my arm and pinned my weapon, but you did not fully disable nor disarm me. But more importantly..." his eye lit up as he explained, an air of almost playful excitement about him. Konstantin was eager to see Kaira make the most of herself. "Play to your strength. Your speed is hard for most to match, and your weapon excels at confounding. Press your advantages. Do not give your foe time to think. Each and every move you make should have another prepared to follow behind it."

Again the Guardian took up his staff and placed his feet in a measured stance, inviting his student to try again.
"Be relentless."

 

[Kaira Yehven]

She could not let his praise go to her head, but Kaira could not help the grin that began to hurt her cheeks.

Be relentless.

Her decision to train with Konstantin only proved how right she had been to do so, for he was knowledgeable in helping her hone her skills better. It was his experience she wanted to learn from, and what he spoke of made plenty of sense to the learning Guardian.

"Do not hesitate." She told herself, echoing the lesson he was teaching her. "Alright... I think I know how to work with that."

She had seen plenty of the Vanguard train, almost at every hour there had been drills taking place, and Kaira had become a Guardian by that point. Since her appointment, not many had wished to go face to face with the Daughter of Valenntenia, but she was glad to now build up energy and strength to take up practice once more. "Shall we go again, Kon?"

 

[Konstantin]

Good. Kaira wasn't one to be discouraged by minor setbacks. That spoke much to her character. Now she just needed to apply the lesson.

The storm within Konstantin's face surged, just a bit. Excitement. He smiled and prepared himself for her advance.

"Give me your all."

 

[Kaira Yehven]

Kaira lunged forward, her sword snapped into place so that the blade became rigid and able to make her motions that of the traditional sense of swordcraft. When Konstantin would no doubt parry her attack, she would flick her wrist a certain way, undoing the form her scorpion sword had taken and now became the whip she had begun to master.

It was as if she were dancing. Trusting herself to know where it was she needed to strike, to position herself as she did not relent in allowing the Guardian of Power to begin taking charge of the offensive stance.


Nimble and quick, to a song only heard by her in the ringing over her sword, Kaira proved her focus. She gave way of all thought, falling into the memories of learning to wield her family's ancestral choice of weapon.

And she hoped by the Ancients they were proud.