Post by The Stranger on Jul 15, 2008 19:38:04 GMT -5
When Lefford shouted to her, Aranya cried her command to her archers: “Fire!” There was a giant, collective hiss as arrows were loosed, arcing up high above the battlements into the sunlight, flying so thick they almost blocked out the sun. Aranya had studied the army as it advanced, picking out targets at the front, and then ranging to find mounted men leading the infantry. She wanted to get the men who commanded this foreign lizard army.
Her arrows found their marks, and when she found that a few missed because she had misjudged the distance, she adjusted to follow the soldiers’ slow, steady advance, anticipating their next position when she shot at her targets. Her skill improved dramatically in this, thanks to the intensity of her concentration and the determination to kill.
She kept firing, directing her archers to find their targets. It was tiring, but Aranya’s ferocity made her hands steady, and she never faltered.
When they gained the walls, she dropped bow and arrow. Dark Sister came out.
She leaped onto the wall, cutting down anyone who scaled the ladder. Her balance was precarious at first, but she regained it quickly, and her blood sang as she fought. This was what she was made for. The sword was alive in her hands, slicing through flesh and bone as smoothly as if it were cheesecloth, driven by the strength in her arms. Her old wounds twinged a little, but she ignored the pricks of old pain and fought on savagely. She did not have quite the dexterity and force she had once been able to use with a sword, but she was regaining her strength, and remembering her old talent. The dark steel was soon stained fully with blood.
One black masked devil caught her on the upswing and forced her back, raining down blows with such speed and ferocity that she only just managed to block them in time. She fought to find her feet, regain her lost ground, but it was terribly difficult. He was stronger, and a good fighter. She relied on her speed and agility to evade his blows, and looked all the while for an opening, some blind spot. And when she realized he was growing too sure of himself, and hungry for the kill, she noticed that his defense was weakening.
She ducked, spun around, and smashed his shield arm, knocking the shield away. Another hard blow, shattering his wrist. He howled. Aranya kicked the feet out from under him, but still he raised his sword, one-handed. It took a few clever blows to overcome him and send his sword flying. Then Aranya cut his head off.
She spun away, panting, and attacked another. There was no time to think, no room to pause and catch her breath. They were coming in droves.
Aranya fought with all she had. Dark Sister was lethal, gleaming, and sharp as dragon’s teeth. She killed many, before she tired, and her body relearned much in a very short time – it helped that her mind remembered how to use a sword.
She needed a short respite, in which she exchanged Dark Sister for her spear. Aranya returned to the battle with the spear, and this time found it easier to parry blows and make quick kills. She needed it.
In the sortie, Aranya started the battle with her spear, fighting hard to win an advantage quickly and efficiently, and when the tide was in their favor, largely thanks to Irwyn and Lefford, Dark Sister came out to drink blood. Aranya thrust and slashed and parried from Wenhaver’s back, learning how to manipulate her warhorse to suit her sword, instead of a spear. It had been a while, and she was surprised at how much she’d forgotten. Fortunately, Aranya’s basic battle instincts were high developed and keenly tuned, and her grey mare Wenhaver was the finest warhorse any soldier could ask for. These advantages helped her body re-learn quickly, but eventually Aranya had to switch back to using the spear.
Results:
- Aranya moves towards Grandmaster in Archery
- Aranya moves towards Master in Swordsmanship
Her arrows found their marks, and when she found that a few missed because she had misjudged the distance, she adjusted to follow the soldiers’ slow, steady advance, anticipating their next position when she shot at her targets. Her skill improved dramatically in this, thanks to the intensity of her concentration and the determination to kill.
She kept firing, directing her archers to find their targets. It was tiring, but Aranya’s ferocity made her hands steady, and she never faltered.
When they gained the walls, she dropped bow and arrow. Dark Sister came out.
She leaped onto the wall, cutting down anyone who scaled the ladder. Her balance was precarious at first, but she regained it quickly, and her blood sang as she fought. This was what she was made for. The sword was alive in her hands, slicing through flesh and bone as smoothly as if it were cheesecloth, driven by the strength in her arms. Her old wounds twinged a little, but she ignored the pricks of old pain and fought on savagely. She did not have quite the dexterity and force she had once been able to use with a sword, but she was regaining her strength, and remembering her old talent. The dark steel was soon stained fully with blood.
One black masked devil caught her on the upswing and forced her back, raining down blows with such speed and ferocity that she only just managed to block them in time. She fought to find her feet, regain her lost ground, but it was terribly difficult. He was stronger, and a good fighter. She relied on her speed and agility to evade his blows, and looked all the while for an opening, some blind spot. And when she realized he was growing too sure of himself, and hungry for the kill, she noticed that his defense was weakening.
She ducked, spun around, and smashed his shield arm, knocking the shield away. Another hard blow, shattering his wrist. He howled. Aranya kicked the feet out from under him, but still he raised his sword, one-handed. It took a few clever blows to overcome him and send his sword flying. Then Aranya cut his head off.
She spun away, panting, and attacked another. There was no time to think, no room to pause and catch her breath. They were coming in droves.
Aranya fought with all she had. Dark Sister was lethal, gleaming, and sharp as dragon’s teeth. She killed many, before she tired, and her body relearned much in a very short time – it helped that her mind remembered how to use a sword.
She needed a short respite, in which she exchanged Dark Sister for her spear. Aranya returned to the battle with the spear, and this time found it easier to parry blows and make quick kills. She needed it.
In the sortie, Aranya started the battle with her spear, fighting hard to win an advantage quickly and efficiently, and when the tide was in their favor, largely thanks to Irwyn and Lefford, Dark Sister came out to drink blood. Aranya thrust and slashed and parried from Wenhaver’s back, learning how to manipulate her warhorse to suit her sword, instead of a spear. It had been a while, and she was surprised at how much she’d forgotten. Fortunately, Aranya’s basic battle instincts were high developed and keenly tuned, and her grey mare Wenhaver was the finest warhorse any soldier could ask for. These advantages helped her body re-learn quickly, but eventually Aranya had to switch back to using the spear.
Results:
- Aranya moves towards Grandmaster in Archery
- Aranya moves towards Master in Swordsmanship