Lessons of Mind and Sword

[Jay]

Jaygon paced back and forth studying his class who sat outside in the courtyard. He saw bored expressions on some of the students faces, while on others he saw excitement for maybe a chance to spar. "Like magic, combat is also a matter of the mind. If you use your instincts and your mind you can use any weapon with ease. However combat is a two sided thing, not only do you need the mind set to perform combat, but you also need the physical endurance to perform combat as well. In a sense combat is the same as magic but put in a different circumstance."

Turma landed behind Jaygon. Jaygon smiled and patted her side, "To be a Dragon Rider you must know how to work with your dragon both in everyday life issues of the mind, to the heat of battle wherever it may be. You have to learn how to work together otherwise as a whole you become useless."

Jaygon quickly turned around, "You will each choose a partner and will warm up with a quick sparring session. Dragons please go with Turma to practice flight maneuvers that may prove useful. Once both groups are ready we will attempt an aerial combat lesson where dragons and riders will spar in the air."

[kiarawoolfe]

Tia watched the students, amused at their eagerness, or lack there-of.
She turned and started to attack a training dummy. She dodged imaginary attacks, and at one point, decapitated the dummy and had to reattached it's head with magic.
She was attracting a lot of stares from curious students, and Nula kept up a continueous giggle at the looks on there faces, attracting yet more stares.
This went on until everyone had stopped the lesson and was laughing at the giggling dragon.

[Jay]

Jaygon looked at Tia and Nula disapprovingly. He sighed putting the palm of his hand to his forehead. He wasn't angry, just a little put off because of the unwelcome interruption. He coughed, "Ahem." The students returned their gaze to him. He studied their expressions and knew that they wanted to watch and laugh at Nula the giggling dragon. "Go now find a partner and practice," Jaygon said sternly.

The class dispersed to the training circles used for dueling training. Jaygon went to Tia and Nula, "You know that Turma and I love it when you come around, but please don't distract a class. These knew riders have a lot to learn and so little time before their first flight to Alagaesia as riders. But since your here," Jaygon smiled a little, "how about you and I put on a demonstration?"

[kiarawoolfe]

"Sure!" Tia exclaimed, ignoring the repremand. Nula tried to hold down the laughing, till eventually she had to take off and calm down at Tia's tree.
Tia unsheathed her sword and watched Jaygon expectantly.

[Jay]

Jaygon drew his blades attaching them at the hilt. As he attached them he said a phrase in the ancient language to dull his blades. "Gather around students for a demonstration," Jaygon announced. The students relunctantly left their sparring circles and walked over. Their expressions brightened and there was an exicited hum in the air as they realized that two veteran riders were about to fight. "Be careful young ones and don't get to close I don't want any of you to get injured," Jaygon said pulling his mask out of the folds of his cloak. "Let's make this good Tia," he said putting the mask on. Jaygon twirled his weapon above his head and slipped into a ready stance.

[kiarawoolfe]

It looked as if Tia would do nothing. Her mechanical arm twitched, and she lashed out, her blade rushing towards Jaygon's head. The mechanical arm metamorphed into a massive machete.

[Jay]

Jaygon did nothing but stand there and watch as Tia's blade came at his head. He blinked raising one of his blades up to block but he was too slow. Part of his head hit the ground followed shortly after his body. The students gasped wide eyed and started to move closer. The tip of Jaygon's blade appeared in front of Tia's throat. "That never gets old," he said becoming visible again. The figure that was on the ground faded into nothing. "Now let's get serious," Jaygon said. "Can you dodge this?" He asked stabbing forward at Tia's throat.

[kiarawoolfe]

Tia arched backward like a cat. "Sure I can." The machete drove up toward Jagon's ribs, the sword clanging his blade as she pushed it away.
A smile danced on her lips as she saw the students' awed faces.

[Jay]

"Don't get so confident!" Jaygon said. He swept his foot at Tia's legs attempting to sweep her feet out from underneath her. He spun the joined hilt of the blades and brought one curved edge down attempting the force her down should she block the strike. Jaygon hearda student say something in the ancient language. Did a student just say break in the ancient language? Jaygon wondered.

[kiarawoolfe]

Tia flinched. "Did you here that?" Tia leaped backward, she wove around the combined swords, and used a trick the wolves taught her. Pushing both hands forward, she flipped up into a handstand and flew over Jaygon's head, lashing out with a foot.

[Jay]

Tia's foot barely nicked Jaygon's mask as he jumped back. Upon landing from the jump Jaygon's mask shattered falling to the ground in pieces. Jaygon looked down shocked for a second then looked at Tia and laughed, "We better make this quick or I won't have much fight in me." Jaygon charged at Tia and threw his blade at her. Once he let go he jumped and lashed forward with a foot.

[kiarawoolfe]

"Ahh!" Tia ducked the blade, but the foot caught her.
"Ouch!" She fell to the ground, and somewhere in the forest, Aela howled. Nula landed near-by and watched carefully.
*****
Amera dropped from the tree. "Brilliant!" She said, clapping. "You don't know me, but I know you. Amera the Wanderer. I've followed you for some time now, very interesting."

[Jay]

Jaygon looked over his shoulder at Amera. "Oh have you now?" Jaygon asked bending over and extending his right hand towards Tia to help her up. While he did this he shaped his fingers on his left hand. His shadow began to move slightly as tendrils began to snake out of them. "I have a question for you," Jaygon said narrowing his eyes. "How did you get here? Are you a rider?"

Darius didn't like this he became uneasy quickly and felt his hand grip the hilt of his sheathed sword. His black hair fell in front of his face for a moment. He brushed it aside and unsheathed his sword a little ready to move into action from his hiding place at a moments notice.

[kiarawoolfe]

"No, a mere elf. But I have a secret I thought I'd share. Would you like to know how to use magic without energy?" She twirled the dangling decorations on a staff taler than her head, smiling lazily.

[Jay]

Jaygon looked suspiciously at the elf. "Class dismissed," he said. The students moved off mumbling about what had just happened. Jaygon took a step towards the elf, "In all my years of study I have never found a way to use magic without using a form of energy even if that energy comes from the currents of wind or the light from a fire or the sun, which still somewhat tolls the user. What you are implying is impossible, even using dark arts. But if you are certain then I would like to see this for myself."

Darius moved from his hiding place out into the open his hand still on the hilt of the sword. "You are dismissed along with the class, Darius," Jaygon said.

"What? But sir..." Darius began.

"I said you are dismissed, Darius. This is something that could be very dangerous and I will not have anyone else potentially harmed," Jaygon said calmly. Darius frowned and walked away a little angry. Jaygon turned to face Tia, "You should go too, Tia. This isn't something to be trifled with."

Jaygon returned his gaze to Amera, "Now, if you please, show me what you came to share."