Post by The Stranger on Apr 27, 2008 11:53:07 GMT -5
One thousand blows:
Ser Dwayne Ironhammer went towards the training grounds, and this time the other soldiers didn't even look up. Since he was back at the Dreadfort, he had been training with he warhammer made of stone, the one he had recieved from Mag Stane, and he had gotten many curious glances for that, and some laughs to. But by now most where used to the sight, so he drew little attention as he found a silent spot in the training yard.
Today, i will do one thousand, he thought, a silent challenge in his mind.
He found himself a straw knight, and lifted the huge hammer above his head. Heavy, still heavy, Mag's a beast for wielding a weapon like this. But with overwhelming force the hammer came down, hitting the straw knight on the shoulder, making the arm fly off. After many days of training, ser Dwayne still found it difficult to control the weapon, because of it's enormous weight.
It was extremely powerful though. One, 999 more to go.
Next came a move called "Swirling Steel". He swung the hammer horizontal, landing a powerful blow on the right side of the straw knight. Without waiting he swirled around, performing exactly the same move, only this time the opposite, hitting his target on the left side. Two and three.
He went trough a series of movements and combos next, hitting high then low, left and right, performing different blows on different places. Finally his "Helmetcrusher" finished his target. It was a powerful, two handed blow, knocking an enemy straight on the head. Even enemies with the best helmets would find their heads ringing at best, but the straw knight was destroyed completely. By now, ser Dwayne was starting to feel his muscles burning. Sixty-eight, he thought, but he wouldn't give up.
He moved on to a fresh practise dummie, this time a strong one made of wood, and started with some "Steelforgers". Those where fast, weak blows, designed to wound the opponent instead of finishing him. It reminded him of the time when he would hammer the steel as he forged a weapon or a piece of armour, therefore he called these blows "Steelforgers". Eighty-six, eighty-seven, eighty-nine,..." But as he kept striking, his blows became more powerful, and faster, and soon enough his "Steelforgers" went over into "Horsekillers". He yelled as he landed huge, murderous blows on the target, blows designed to knock a horse down from under it's rider. Though his muscles screamed, he kept on hitting his target, intending to stop only when his target was destroyed. And when the wooden puppet seemed to explode in a storm of dust and splinters, he went to one knee and started to breathe heavily. One hundred and twenty-six.
He paused for less than a minute, before he went for a new straw target. This time, he kept hitting it with his "Steelforgers" for a long while, to catch his breath and relieve his muscles somewhat. By now, he was still breathing hard, and sweating like it was summer. And again he destroyed his target, this time on move 283 and 284. It was a combo called "Heaven and Hell". The first blow was a strong blow to the opponents head. In real fights, the second blow would only be used if the opponent pulled back to avoid the first attack. You would follow up with a second blow, another vertical one, but this time coming from below, shattering your opponents chin in an upwards arc. The straw knight knew nothing of avoiding attacks, and took both of the blows, it's head flying of from the force of the second.
By now, ser Dwayne had regained a little of his strenght, and kept pounding on what was left of the target. There was little technique now, but he landed blow after blow, unrelenting, which was great to train his strenght. He was over five hundred when there was nothing more to strike, so again he went to a new, wooden target. His arms where shaking now though, and his throat felt as dry as a desert. He felt his heart pounding like the hooves of a thousand warhorses, but he would keep going.
Up and down the warhammer went, and then up and down again. Sweat dripped down his face, and drops flew around as he circled round his target, but the warhammer kept finding it's target. A few "Steelforgers" followed up from a "Helmetcrusher". Next, a dozen "Cloudbreakers" to shatter knees and shoulders of his imaginary enemy. "A strong "Breathstealer" to break the ribs and destroy the lungs, followed by more rapid strikes. It was at move 850, "Hammer of the Prince", that this target to was destroyed.
Feeling dizzy, almost throwing up, and with arms feeling like pudding at a fat lady's banquet, ser Dwayne moved towards his last target, a wooden knight, with a real, though cheap, piece of armour on. Ser Dwayne gathered up all the enery he had left in his body, unleashging a flurry of blows on the target. Bang, a two-handed hit on the head, crushing the helmet. Another bang, and this time the helmet flew off completely. A third, loud ringing bang, as the steel gorget flew off. Two more bangs, and two huge dents in the breastplate. A dozen more bangs, battering the steel. Bang...bang...bang... Ser Dwayne kept pounding the metal, destroying the armour. And then, with one final blow to the chest, the breastplate fell apart, and the pieces of steel fell to the ground.
Ser Dwayne also fell to the ground, unable to move any longer. His whole body was aching, he was breathing like a man that had almost drowned himself. He was looking up, and to his surprise he noticed the dark sky. By the gods, how long have i been training? But as he lay there in the darkness, he smiled.
One thousand, i have done one thousand.
Results:
-ser Dwayne Ironhammer increases towards master warhammer(once improved).
-ser Dwayne Ironhammer gains beginner strength.