Highlander: Immortal Lives - Page 11

**Ristaron** · 08-15-2008, 10:03 PM

She found Matthias to be standing calmly several feet away, his hands resting on the pommel of his spatha, the tip of which was slightly embedded into the soft earth. At Léana's apparent confusion over why he hadn't pursued, Matthias nodded at the wide circle of stones she had fallen into.
"Holy ground", he reminded. Lifting his sword and resting the blade across his right shoulder, Matthias stepped back from the edge so Léana could get out.
"You learned the techniques I showed you very quickly", he complimented, "I just need to teach you about your footwork before we go on to other, more advanced techniques".

"Your footwork", Matthias said, turning to Wade, "was impeccable. Had I been a thousand years younger, that kick would have hit me with full force. Maybe you could give Léana a brief introduction to what I'm talking about".

**Opunaya** · 08-17-2008, 09:01 AM

"Perhaps..." Wade began, from where he had been leaning on a nearby tree during the whole sparring match between the two other immortals. "But personally, I think she should practice falling first...at least, that's how my teacher taught me. How to handle pain, and recover from it quickly." Wade stood up and stretched for a moment before heading towards the other two, brushing off the dirt from his pants as he went.

"I have to admit, she has a great reaction time, though Matt's pulling his punches, so to speak. She needs to work on reading opponents' movements more--their stances, and most importantly there eyes." The young immortal leaned against Matthais, resting an elbow on his shoulder. "But, you're the expert here, you sure you want me to show her stances first?"

**Ristaron** · 08-17-2008, 02:04 PM

"Footwork", Matthias corrected, shrugging his shoulder ever so slightly. "When we get into sparring I'll teach her how to fall. For now, I want to make sure the basic rules of swordplay have been taught. In my experience, once the basic techniques have been covered we can go into their proper employment.
Taking a step back, Matthias cast a mischievous glance to Léana.
"Go easy on him", he said with a half-smile.

**Opunaya** · 08-17-2008, 02:09 PM

"Alright then, bossman." Wade stepped forward, motioning for Léana to come closer before withdrawing one of his own blades. "Let me take a look at how you stand with your sword again."

**Ginevra** · 08-17-2008, 07:12 PM

Léana blinked as she looked around her at the stones, noticing at that moment how much they were digging into her back, and a slight stinging on her elbow that was lessening itself as she noticed it. She looked at the injury slowly repairing itself with awe.

"You learned the techniques I showed you very quickly", Matthias complimented, "I just need to teach you about your footwork before we go on to other, more advanced techniques".

Léana smiled, and watched as he turned to Wade to talk about his footwork, and then both her and Wade's footwork to Wade as if she wasn't there. She smirked and just sat there, hands behind her head still laying on the ground until Matthias looked back over to her, telling her to go easy on Wade.

"Oh, me?" she said coyly, smirking. She stood up and as she got up, Wade asked her to reassume her stance, and so she did and looked at him, wondering if he planned to discuss strategies or explain it to her as they went, and so focused on Wade as she had on Matthias.

**Opunaya** · 08-18-2008, 05:26 AM

Wade studied the woman's stance for a moment, nodding silently as his eyes moved up and down her body, noting the positions of her feet and legs. "Not too shabby...but you need to widen your stance a little more...lower your center of gravity a little more, makes it harder to throw you off-balance. Also, with that type of weapon, you can't hold it like Matt holds his blade...you've watched to many movies." Wade took his sideways stance, aiming his blade towards Leana. "I haven't too much experience in using raipers, but from my limited knowledge, it's not truly designed for a true defensive block, more like...parries and whatnot. So, you need a stance more like my own, also, it gives your opponent less of a target. Keep for feet about shoulders' width apart and keep your lead foot slightly forward, and inch or two are the most...this will help lead you into an offensive strike, but not so much as to allow your opponent to read you or throw yourself off-balance. You can almost consider taking a baseball hitter's stance, if you're familiar with that game." He glanced to Matthias and shrugged. "I'm from America, so I've got to go with what I know. Sorry. Also, anything you want to throw in here before I continue?"

**Ristaron** · 08-18-2008, 01:24 PM

"Only that the schiavona has two sharp edges", Matthias remarked about the sword he had given Léana. "The Venetians used it like a broadsword, and they used it very well. Thrusting and stabbing are certainly maneuvers to go into depths on, but hardly an exclusive use of the weapon, or even its main purpose. For now, however, her footwork is what needs more attention than the style of her blade. I can see that you're still thinking like a jujutsuka with the stance, as that kind of stability is required for a grappler. A swordsman, however, follows different stepping patterns. You cross your legs while stepping in a swordfight to maintain a circle; if you cross your legs in a grapple you're going to be thrown. Did they teach you about leading your opponent in your classes?"

**Opunaya** · 08-19-2008, 01:27 PM

"I was getting to that next," Wade replied, glancing to the old immortal. "Gotta learn to stand before you can walk, right?"

"Anyway, let's continue..." Wade turned back to Leana. "You heard Matt talk about circling your opponent, right? Unlike cartoons and movies, blindly attacking straight is just stupid, the attacks are too predictable and easy to counter...circular motions can help keep your opponent off balance as well as adding more power to your own attack." Slowly, Wade began to circle Leana, pushing off his left foot and moving in front of his right. "Watch my feet. While they at shoulder width, you take one foot and move it towards your other foot, just in front of the other...if you cross your feet too much, it'll cause you to be off-balance and vulnerable for attack. If they're right in front of each other, it's faster to spread them a part again suddenly in case of a quick attack and you don't think you should dodge, if you cross your feet and try to spread them a part suddenly, you could trip over your own feet. Now, you try to do it."

**Ginevra** · 08-19-2008, 05:49 PM

((OOC: I miss roleplaying in real time. > >; Not that we're ever all on the internet at the same time.))

Léana adjusted her stance, only to hear Matthias comment that it wasn't one she needed. She sighed mentally and returned to the stance that they had learned earlier, waiting for the to finsh debating.

Léana wondered if Matthias was doing this to teach her what to do or to see what Wade would say, and so wasn't sure what she should pick up from him. She wished somewhat that Matthias would just teach her the way he wanted, but figured he was doing her enough favors anyway, so she'd do it his way. Perhaps it made it easier for him.

Léana was a very analytical person, who honestly tried to think before she spoke or complained, unless time was short or she was angry. She blamed that on the red hair. Of course this happened less with her family, whom were stuck with her. Well... were... Léana's face fell for just a moment before Wade began speaking to her again.

Wade started to circle her, and she watched his feet, mimicing the actions after the first few times, as to stay facing him. She nodded in agreement to his logic, but couldn't help but glance over to Matthias to try and judge whether or not this lesson was agreeable to him.

**Ristaron** · 08-19-2008, 06:41 PM

Matthias watched both students' movements carefully, noting Léana's hesitation and intermittent glances in his direction, betraying the conflict between which one to follow. Employing all of his knowledge of body language, Matthias leaned back against a tree and crossed his arms to distance his involvement in the lesson and passively imply that her attention should be focused on Wade.
He could use the refresher of teaching you, Matthias thought to himself.