Beginning the Training.

He watched her arms changing, not minding the time it took. He kept glancing over to the shadows of the trees, using them to gauge the amount of time it was taking. Hopefully as she got better at this, it would become easier and faster without draining her so much.

He shook his head as she spoke.

She didn't mention them. At least, not that I can remember. I mean, she mentioned them, but never explained exactly how she did what she could do. Now, get your breath back and we'll try something a little different.

His tone showed he was willing to wait for however long she needed.

~she laid there a few moments as she pulled herself together and then sat up.~

"I am starting to think the more I use these abilities. The easier it will get. Ok I will recover." ~she smiled softly~

"So what are we going to do now?"

I was just thinking the same thing he said.

Right, next up, I want you to put the rock on your feet. Then try to make your fingers turn to rock.

He hoped if he could get her focusing on changing certain parts of her body, it would help her in a fight.

~she nodded and stood up placing the rock on her foot. taking a deep breath she brings her arms out to her sides so she looks like a T then raising them above her head controlling her breathing. Then taking a fighting pose like a tai-chi moves. And she does a few tai-chi like moves as she closes her eyes. slowly as she moves the blood flowing thru her veins she could feel the change starting her finger tips becoming stone then after a few more moves her fingers are stone. moving her hands her skin become stone on her hands. Her hands completely stone now. She opens her eyes a tiny grin on her face for a moment. It seemed to be easier to hold this time. That was it...she needed to use her abilities more...that is how it got easier...~

He smiled as he saw the change in her fingers.

Alright, break off and have a rest. I don't want you exhausting yourself on the first day.

He sat back down on the ground.

You see how useful it can be, if you can control the elements in other parts of your body. You could be fighting someone, stand on a rock and use that power in a punch. Or maybe channel water with only dipping a toe in. He seems to have a think for a moment. Hmmmmm.

He stroked his short beard, deep in thought.

~she nodded and then relaxed as she went back to normal. she noticed she wasn't quite as exhausted this time.~

~she sat down next to him and watched him in thought. she grinned think about how well her mother had discribed him to her. ~

"You know. I am grateful for all this."

He nodded his head.
And I'm grateful for finding you, having someone to teach and generally feel worthwhile for once. Once you get your breath - and strength - back, we'll have a one-on-one spar so i can see how well they're teaching people these days.

He smiled, being eager to get his hands dirty once again.

~she smiled~

"Ready when you are *flashed a grin* Old man." ~she stood up and dusted off alittle.~

Old man! he half-snarled as he stood up, picking up the swords and handing one to her.

These will sting a lot, but they shouldn't be able to do any serious harm. Now, don't think I'm going to go easy on you, just because you're a girl. Or my daughter.

He held the sword in a loose grip, swirling it around a little bit to get used once more to the feel and handling of the blade, then moved into a defensive stance, gripping with two hands, the blade held at an angle across his body.

Ready when you are.... He realized it was very rare for him to ever actually start a spar.

~she nodded and takes the sword in her hand spinning it around getting a feel for it.~

"I would hope you wouldn't or it wouldn't pay to do this."

~she took a swing at him across the body.~

He easily batted it away with a quick flick of his wrist.
Is that the best you've got? My cat can attack better than that.
His tone was still light; he knew she wouldn't fall for the anger test so soon after.

~she turns and comes at him with at an downward angle~

((Shock.. Horror.. We used the chatroom yet again, to carry on the story... ))

* Artimus Morningstar moves his sword to the left hand, and once again blocks the strike, but makes no effort to make a move himself.

Artimus Morningstar : Woo! I almost forgot the left-handed joke! ))

* Jade Blake moves she thrusting forward and knowing he would block then spins to try to elbow him in the chest.

* Artimus Morningstar does indeed block the blade, and gets an elbow in the chest.

Artimus Morningstar : Nice move, kid.

* Artimus Morningstar flicks the sword towards her right hand side.

* Jade Blake blocks the flick and turns to face him keeping up her defences the sword in her right hand.

* Artimus Morningstar had tested a couple fo her strikes, now wanted to see how good she was at defending. He moves the sword down to her left hand side, heading towards her left leg.

* Jade Blake blocks most of the swing but catches part of the edge on her leg which makes her jump back alittle.

* Artimus Morningstar gives a little wince at catching her, but moves the sword towards her right leg, hoping the sudden change of direction will have fooled her.

* Jade Blake jumps back from the swing and spins to the left taking a swing at his right.

* Artimus Morningstar is momentarily distracted by her attack and moves the sword too late to block. He takes a whack in the side.

* Artimus Morningstar turns to look at her and swings - hard - at her left rib cage.

* Jade Blake sees it to late and takes the hit hard and backs up ,"Not bad." she winces alittle. Spinning the sword in her right hand she takes a swing at his left side.

* Artimus Morningstar From his stance he can easily defend anything coming to his left side. The sword blades connect and Artimus gives an extra twist of his wrist to try and force her sword out of her hand.

* Jade Blake tightens her grip on her sword following his movement knowing he is trying to make her loose her grip. she kicks up her foot to push off of him.

* Artimus Morningstar does the only move he can think of, and that is to jump and spin to his left, to further twist her sword around. Unfortunately he isn't in as good a shape as he once was, and crashes to the floor in a heap.

Artimus Morningstar : Ow!

* Artimus Morningstar holds the sword up, ready to defend still

* Jade Blake she backs up alittle and drops her sword alittle offering a hand up.

* Artimus Morningstar smiles, that famous cocky grin, lowers his sword and puts his right hand out.

* Jade Blake chuckles alittle," you know if it was a real fight I wouldn't of done this... just saying.."

* Artimus Morningstar waits till she's in range and swings with the sword at her ankles.

Artimus Morningstar : What do you mean, this IS a real fight...

* Jade Blake jumps up and tucks and rolls over him. taking a kneeling stands.

* Artimus Morningstar uses the time she's performing aerobics to get up to a standing position again. He needed to get fit, he could feel himself starting to tire already. He waved his sword around slowly, making circular movements with it, waiting for her to make her next move.

* Jade Blake she smiles as he moves. she spins her sword around in her right hand. she then thrusts towards his upper right shoulder.

* Artimus Morningstar swings his sword from his left to right, intercepting her thrust and pushing it back towards her

* Jade Blake pushing her back she stumbles back alittle and then springs up to her feet again. then realizes she had dropped her sword. " damn it."

* Artimus Morningstar advances on her, sword outstretched and pointing at her throat.

Artimus Morningstar : Round one to me, I believe?

* Jade Blake looks up at him and kicks out her trying to knock him off his feet.

* Artimus Morningstar didn't expect it and gets a good hard whack to the ankles, which knocks him off his feet. He lands hard, yet again, the sword slipping from his grip.

* Jade Blake scrabbling to her feet quickly grabbing his sword. "Are you sure about that?" pointing the sword to his neck.

Artimus Morningstar : Alright, we'll call it a draw

* Artimus Morningstar flashes his grin again and offers his hand.

* Jade Blake takes his hand and grins back at him. " A draw it is."

* Artimus Morningstar is pulled to his feet and stands, panting.

Artimus Morningstar : I'm not as fit as I once was. You wait.. once I get fit again....[/color]

* Artimus Morningstar beads of sweat are appearing on his brow

Jade Blake : we will be a force to be reckoned with. *smiles*

* Artimus Morningstar nods "Yes, we will."

Artimus Morningstar : Join with me, and together we can rule this island as Father and... er.. Daughter... ))

Jade Blake : oh i so walked into that one))

Artimus Morningstar : I've been waiting to use that one for about a week now! ))

Jade Blake : So what else are we to do today. *she glaces up at the sky.*

Artimus Morningstar : Let me get my breath back, and I'll tell you.

He walks over, slowly and slightly stiffly, towards the cave, and picks up his longbow and some arrows, then slowly walks back. Oh, he was going to pay for this tomorrow, he knew.
He handed the bow and arrows to Jade.
You ever used one of these before? he asked. He was fairly certain she would have, but who knew what things they weren't teaching in Grorr these days.

~she watches him as she wipes her brow.~

"Aye." ~she takes the bow and arrows grabs one of the arrows and places it in the bow drawing it back testing it. It had nice pull on it.~

"I actually was one of the first things mother taught me. I wanted to fight and she wanted to keep me out of fights. and it was good for hunting."

He smiled.

Alright, let's see how well she taught you.

He picked up a piece of loose bark from the ground and started walking in a straight line away from her, then placed the bark in a branch elbow.

See if you can hit the bark he said, moving away in case she wasn't as good a shot as he hoped.

~she pulled the bow up and aimed the tip of the arrow watching as he placed the bark she adjusted the bow and herself. Aimed and released the bow as it hits its mark. and she pulls a second arrow aims and launches it as it hits next to the other arrow.~

~she smiles and drops the bow down.~

"How is that?"

He steps back to the bark and looks.
Not bad he says, clearly impressed. He picks up the piece of bark, removes the two arrows and moves it further away, to another tree.
Stay there he says as he sets it on another tree, then steps away, looking at her, challenging her to hit it now.

~she grinned as she took aim she closed her eyes for a moment opening them. greatful for her half elven sight being the target so far away. she focus and then releases the shot hitting alittle to the right of the middle.~

She yelled," How was that?"

He watches as the arrow hits the bark. Damn, she was a good shot! He wondered if Floyd was still around; he had been the best archer of the guards during his time.

That wasn't bad either. Now, focus on the ground at your feet. Make your left hand become one with it, then take another shot. Not that it would help with anything, he just wanted to get her trying two different abilities together.

~she nods and drops her bow down to her side and closes her eyes as she kicks the dirt up alittle her breathing slowly as she makes her left hand change she opens her eyes and brings the bow up and draws it back. and takes aim her hands alittle shakey. She lets the arrow fly as it goes alittle high but still hits the target.~

He nodded once again to her, picked up the bark, removed the arrow yet again and moved towards another tree, still further away.

This time, move over to those rocks and make your left leg and right hand become rock before firing.

Once again he hoped he could distract her from one or other task, to make the other easier.

~she nods and moves over to the rocks seeing where he moved the bark this time she leaning against the rock with her legs closing her eyes just a moment. and as this time was alot easier as her left leg and and right hand come rock she took aim and fired at the target her right hand being stone made the release alittle harder but still hitting the mark. she glances down at the rock and wonders placing both her hands on the rock and closes her eyes soon her right leg and the rest of her right hand and arm and just a few moments her whole body was stone. she grinned. and then looked over to her father. stands up and then moves from the rock as the stone skin falls. she reallized she was drained alittle bit but nothing like the start of the day.~

He watched his daughter, pride swelling inside him. She was starting to control her abilities.
A thought crossed his mind and he removed the arrow, but kept the bark where it was. Then he walked back to her, holding his hand out for the bow.

I'll let you get your breath back before trying this next one.

Taking the bow from her ((assuming you'll give it to me )) he knocked an arrow in and took aim, finally letting it go. It flew straight and true, hitting the bark. Good, his eye hadn't diminished in his time away.

He continued firing a few shots off, keeping one eye on her to make sure she was resting, until he could see she had her breath back. He hadn't been showing off, but not one of his arrows had gone wide of the mark.

Once she was ready again, he put the bow down and drew in magic.

Now, this is perhaps the hardest test, and I have no idea if it will work or not. I certainly never saw your mother try anything like this.

Using the magic, he creates another pool of flame in his hand, holding it out towards her.
Despite it being fire, it didn't burn him.

Try and seize it. See if you can use it the same way you use the ground and rocks.